Abstract

Background
Platelets stored at 1–6 °C are hypothesized to be more hemostatically active than standard room temperature platelets (RTP) stored at 20–24 °C. Recent studies suggest converting RTP to cold-stored platelets (Delayed Cold-Stored Platelets, DCSP) may be an important way of extending platelet lifespan and increasing platelet supply while also activating and priming platelets for the treatment of acute bleeding. However, there is little clinical trial data supporting the efficacy and safety of DCSP compared to standard RTP.

Methods
This protocol details the design of a multicentre, two-arm, parallel-group, randomized, active-control, blinded, internal pilot trial to be conducted at two cardiac surgery centers in Canada. The study will randomize 50 adult (≥ 18 years old) patients undergoing at least moderately complex cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass and requiring platelet transfusion to receive either RTP as per standard of care (control group) or DCSP (intervention group). Patients randomized to the intervention group will receive ABO-identical, buffy-coat, pathogen-reduced, platelets in platelet additive solution maintained at 22 °C for up to 4 days then placed at 4 °C for a minimum of 24 h, with expiration at 14 days after collection. The duration of the intervention is from the termination of cardiopulmonary bypass to 24 h after, with a maximum of two doses of DCSP. Thereafter, all patients will receive RTP. The aim of this pilot is to assess the feasibility of a future RCT comparing the hemostatic effectiveness of DCSP to RTP (defined as the total number of allogeneic blood products transfused within 24 h after CPB) as well as safety. Specifically, the feasibility objectives of this pilot study are to determine (1) recruitment of ≥ 15% eligible patients per center per month); (2) appropriate platelet product available for ≥ 90% of patients randomized to the cold-stored platelet group; (3) Adherence to randomization assignment (> 90% of patients administered assigned product).

Discussion
DCSP represents a promising logistical solution to address platelet supply shortages and a potentially more efficacious option for the management of active bleeding. No prospective clinical studies on this topic have been conducted. This proposed internal pilot study will assess the feasibility of a larger definitive study.

Background

Platelets are one of the most commonly used blood products and as such are frequently in short supply. Currently, platelets are stored at room temperature (20–24 °C) to retain post-transfusion circulatory longevity but at the cost of reduced shelf-life, which is part of the reason for the supply challenges. Cold storage (at 1–6 °C) of platelets prolongs their shelf-life while maintaining hemostatic effectiveness in acutely bleeding patients. Thus, converting room temperature-stored platelets (RTSP) before their shelf-life expires to cold-stored platelets may be a good strategy for extending their shelf-life and addressing the platelet supply challenges, but the safety and comparative effectiveness of this strategy in bleeding patients has not been robustly assessed. This pilot study will assess the feasibility of conducting a definitive comparative study of standard room temperature-stored platelets (RTSP) and delayed cold-stored platelets (DCSP).

Platelet transfusion is the primary therapy for platelet-related bleeding (i.e., excessive bleeding due to platelet deficiency or dysfunction). Platelets are one of the most commonly used blood products, particularly in major cardiothoracic surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass where platelet deficiency and dysfunction occur in all patients to varying degrees [1, 2]. As a result, approximately one in four cardiac surgical patients receive at least one platelet transfusion to treat active bleeding in the operating room or soon thereafter, with high levels of variability across institutions. Approximately 10% of the total platelet supply is directed to cardiac surgery alone [3,4,5]. Since the 1970s, standard international practice has been to store platelet units at room temperature (20–24 °C). This preserves the longevity of platelets post-transfusion but limits their storage shelf-life to 7 days for both pooled buffy-coat bacterially cultured and pooled buffy-coat pathogen-inactivated platelets [6]. The short shelf-life of room-temperature platelets (RTP) creates major supply challenges for blood suppliers and hospitals and leads to wastage of up to 30% of platelet units due to outdating [7]. Additionally, existing data suggests that storage at room temperature, while prolonging circulatory survival after transfusion, may in fact impair hemostatic function [8].

Discussion

Cold-stored platelets have been extensively studied in preclinical settings, and pilot trials in humans suggest at least comparable efficacy with no increased risk for adverse outcomes compared to room-temperature platelets [9, 18, 24, 39]. However, the safety and efficacy of cold-stored platelets have not been evaluated in large clinical trials and these products are not currently approved for use in Canada. Although they may have hemostatic superiority over conventional room-temperature platelets, there is a possibility that cold-stored platelets may increase the risk of thromboembolic events (as they are hemostatically more activated upon transfusion). However, this risk is largely theoretical and has not been demonstrated in prior studies [18, 40]. Nevertheless, we have taken several steps to minimize this risk and to identify it early should it occur. Additionally, while cohort studies have been published examining the impact on patient care of introducing delayed cold-stored platelets during times of shortages, large studies systematically measuring efficacy and safety are lacking [18].

The co-primary feasibility endpoints are adequate enrollment, adequate cold-stored platelet supply, and adequate clinician adherence to randomization assignment. We selected these outcomes because they will indicate what, if any, are the most important protocol modifications required before undertaking a large, definitive trial. Specifically, recruitment and protocol adherence are key common progression criteria for internal pilots of efficient RCTs [33], and confirming an adequate supply of cold-stored platelets at the time of transfusion is a critical metric for ensuring the feasibility of the definitive trial.

The planned primary outcome for the definitive study will be the mean number of ABCs transfused (including red cells, plasma, and platelets) within 24 h of CPB end. This outcome is an accepted measure of hemostatic efficacy that captures clinically relevant differences between study arms. It has been used as a primary outcome in a large randomized controlled trial comparing fibrinogen concentrate to cryoprecipitate in cardiac surgical patients in Canada [26, 28]. This outcome was used to support Canadian regulatory approval of fibrinogen concentrate in cardiac surgical patients, demonstrating its validity and importance for key regulatory stakeholders, and was a recommended outcome from the recent NHLBI Hemostasis Clinical Trial Outcomes Working Group [41].

Abstract

Data analytics plays a significant role within the context of the digital business landscape, particularly concerning online sales, aiming to enhance understanding of customer behaviors in the online realm. We review the recent perspectives and empirical findings from several years of scholarly investigation. Furthermore, we propose combining computational methods to scrutinize online customer behavior. We apply the decision tree construction, GUHA (General Unary Hypotheses Automaton) association rules, and Formal concept analysis for the input dataset of 9123 orders (transactions) of sports nutrition, healthy foods, fitness clothing, and accessories. Data from 2014 to 2021, covering eight years, are employed. We present the empirical discoveries, engage in a critical discourse concerning these findings, and delineate the constraints inherent in the research process. The decision tree for classification of the year’s fourth quarter implies that the most important attributes are country, gross profit category, and delivery. The classification of the morning time implies that the most important attributes are gender and country. Thus, the potential marketing strategies can include heterogeneous conditions for men and women based on these findings. Analyzing the identified groups of customers by concept lattices and GUHA association rules can be valuable for targeted marketing, personalized recommendations, or understanding customer preferences.

Introduction

Analyzing consumers’ online purchasing habits can provide many advantages for commercial entities, marketing professionals, and consumers. Classifiers based on decision trees can be applied to predict market trends, specifically for determining when to buy or sell. Decision trees are the transparent and efficient option for machine learning because they sort data attributes at each node to arrive at a decision (Samarth 2023; Vaca et al. 2020). Several researchers proposed a system to enhance the shopping experience at fashion retail outlets. This system smartly groups together various items and customer profiles, which it encounters online and in physical stores. It leverages the power of mining association rules to foresee the shopping patterns of new customers (Bellini et al. 2023; Fan et al. 2023).

Formal concept analysis (FCA) (Carpineto and Romano 2004; Ganter and Wille 1999; Poelmans et al. 2013) is a method of data analysis based on a lattice theory that has great potential to study how people behave online. This method offers visualization capabilities to explore the relationships in the object-attribute tables that are present, for example, by customer transactions and their characteristics. Combining well-known methods like decision trees and pattern-finding has made these studies more attractive to a broader audience.

Conclusion

In this paper, we presented the analysis of real e-shop consumer behavior data in eastern Europe, which contains data from 9123 orders of sports nutrition, healthy foods, fitness clothing, and accessories from 2014 to 2021. For analysis, we applied the methods of decision trees, GUHA association rules, and Formal concept analysis. We found that each of these methods provides various possibilities to have a greater look at consumer behavior of online e-shops.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the effect of digital marketing and cluster membership on the entrepreneurship and performance of dental clinics in Colombia. The use of different digital marketing tools in dental clinics is evaluated, and the effect of these tools on the creation of new markets, and clinics’ services and general performance, are analyzed. In addition, the cluster effect on the learning and implementation of digital tools in individual clinics is studied. The results show the most effective digital tools to create new markets, as well as the tools that improve clinics’ performance through the Internet image and online visibility. The combined use of corporate Facebook and Instagram, a robust website with wide online visibility and YouTube develops the image of companies on the Internet in the most effective way. In addition, the importance of belonging to a cluster in the learning and implementation of digital tools in individual clinics was verified.

Introduction

The evolution of digital media in recent years has brought about opportunities to more effectively enter new markets (Romero Leguina et al., 2020). The evolution of digital tools allows online marketing to become very effective (Cizmeci & Ercan, 2015). Marketing campaigns through digital media enable the obtained results to be ccurately measured and, thus, allow to adjust marketing much more efficiently than traditional marketing by generating high returns on marketing investments. Currently, consumers use both online and offline channels in their search for products and services, to inform themselves of their quality and prices, and to, finally, make purchase decisions (Rangaswamy et al., 2020). The advance and acceptance of the Internet as a channel of information and purchase render clear presence in digital media as necessary because it is the organization’s visibility and Internet image that decide constantly growing online sales.

One business that is depending more on digital marketing is dentistry heath care. The current esthetics trend in dentistry forces the results of the work carried out by a clinic to be advertised before a patient decides to hire its services. Continuously displaying the results of its work and making the most of all the available digital tools to generate patient trust are crucial for dental clinics. Trust is the basis on which clients select a specialist to do any esthetic treatment (Song et al., 2023).

Conclusions

This study explores the role played by digital marketing tools in two important elements of performance of the dental health industry: capacity use and creation of new markets. The digital marketing ROI is also analyzed. Digital tools enable access to the targeted segments of the population in a very efficient and precise way. They help to know clients’ needs and tastes, and the degree of acceptance of products and services. They also allow to profound knowledge of the market and competitors to be acquired.

The main novelty of this study compared to past research lies in the fact that the analysis of the digital marketing effects was done directly through individual tools by analyzing their functions within different marketing activities. Thus, an Internet brand image construct can be created to differentiate specific effects on online visibility and client trust. The importance of digital tools is also analyzed individually in creation of new markets and their general effect on marketing performance through the digital marketing ROI.

Abstract

The relationship between brand activism and other forms of activism, as well as the potential paradoxes that may arise from practicing brand activism, has not been fully addressed in the burgeoning brand activism literature. However, these questions are valid, given the growing interest in brands and activism in both research and practice. This article presents an overview of the ecosystem of organisation-related activisms surrounding brand activism and provides some insights into how brand activism can act as a bridge between them through different response processes within this ecosystem. Additionally, it discusses the relationship between corporate and brand activism, arguing that they are inextricably intertwined through the notion of organisational authenticity. Furthermore, the article uses the paradox wheel to illustrate some of the paradoxes of brand activism that should be considered in practice and as a basis for expanding research in the field. Finally, this article introduces a collection of articles in this special issue that has brought together a group of scholars researching brand activism from different perspectives, each of which offers grounds for a critical evaluation of what activism brings to brands, and what brand activism and branding bring to activism itself.

Introduction

Traditionally, activism has been limited to the political and social spheres. However, the changing manner in which consumers interact with brands has led to a need to rethink existing perspectives on the role of brands in contemporary society (Swaminathan et al. 2020). In the present time of social and political polarisation, societies worldwide confront a variety of urgent issues, such as capitalism, consumerism, poverty, the climate crisis, LGBTQIA rights, racial discrimination and injustice, the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the legal status of abortion, gun control, and religious matters. At the same time, in the hyperconnected world individuals have gained an instant and continuous access to networks, other people, political organisations, brands, and other entities anytime and anywhere. They can easily become involved in various issues and express their opinions. Doing nothing has become a form of complicity and this mindset seems to be entering the business world as well (Moorman 2020). In this altered context, the notion of brand activism has become a prevalent topic in brand management literature and practice. Brand activism refers to the type of activism where companies and their brands play a significant role in social change processes by taking a stance on social and political issues (Moorman 2020).

Conclusion

Brand activism has become a widely practiced phenomenon in the business world, and research on the topic has penetrated the brand management literature. It is arguable that brand activism is here to stay due to increased consumer and stakeholder awareness of societal issues and their expectations of active corporate involvement in addressing them. As demonstrated in this special issue, brands can and should play an important role in addressing societal controversies. However, as stated in our article and reiterated by other articles in this special issue, brand activism presents several issues that brand management must be aware of, explore, reflect on, and consider in research and practice.

As part of the special issue on brands and activism, the aim of this article was to highlight some areas that we believe are particularly important for understanding brand activism and how it can be managed. This article, along with the other articles accepted for this special issue, may serve as a source of inspiration for further research or as an introduction to the topic. It may also stimulate thinking about various outstanding dilemmas in this area that are worthy of further exploration. We hope that this special issue will inspire other scholars to develop future theoretical and empirical advances that will contribute to a rich body of literature that will expand our understanding of brand activism in new and important ways. We also hope that it will provide brand managers with some valuable and helpful insights.

Abstract

This paper presents the design, implementation, and experimental validation of a novel canned cycle for CNC milling machines, enabling the precise and efficient cutting of threads with fixed or variable pitch and radius. Conventional canned cycles are limited to fixed pitch threads, restricting the versatility of CNC milling machines in thread machining applications.

The development process involves integrating a sophisticated control algorithm into the CNC milling machine’s software, giving the operator remarkable control over the thread cutting process. This algorithm allows the operator to choose between external or internal threads, set both initial and final radii, determine initial and final pitches, specify the number of turns, and select the left or right-hand thread type. Such flexibility enables the creation of threads with diverse geometries. Furthermore, the proposed canned cycle provides the capability to switch between roughing and finishing passes by adjusting the step motion along the prescribed helical curve.

Simulation tests conducted under various threading cases clearly demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed canned cycle. These results showcase its capability to address a wide range of machining scenarios, offering practical solutions applicable across a spectrum of applications.

Introduction

The evolution of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining has brought about a revolution in manufacturing processes, not only enhancing precision and efficiency but also addressing the challenges posed by complex geometries and demanding machining applications. This paper deals with the domain of CNC thread milling, introducing an innovative approach through the development and implementation of a comprehensive canned cycle.

A canned cycle is a predefined machining operation that entails a sequence of machine movements to perform various machining tasks like drilling, pocketing, slotting, boring, and tapping. It aims to simplify programming by consolidating multiple commands into a single block, utilizing G-code to define machining operations that would typically necessitate multiple blocks [1, 2]. Continuous efforts are made by CNC manufacturers to incorporate new canned cycles into their controllers, specifically designed to handle intricate and complex geometries [3, 4]. This is easily concluded by comparing the canned cycles available nowadays with the older ones.

Centered on programming and facilitating the precise and efficient cutting of threads within a user-friendly environment, incorporating both fixed and variable pitch and radius, the presented canned cycle addresses limitations posed by conventional canned cycles, which primarily target fixed pitch threads. In the precise domains of engineering and manufacturing, the use of variable pitch threads is necessitated by diverse potential applications. These applications encompass manufacturing components for automotive vehicle engines, fasteners for aerospace systems, industrial devices, robots manufacturing parts [5,6,7,8] and the creation of medical implants [9,10,11,12]. The mentioned references constitute a sample of recent related research work.

Conclusions

The work presented in this paper built upon the foundations laid in previous mentioned research. As predicted in that earlier work, the present study advanced and extended the capabilities of the thread canned cycle to encompass threads with predefined start and ending radii, start and ending pitches, and the desired number of turns, applicable to both left- or right-hand, internal or external threads. Moreover, the proposed canned cycle seamlessly transitions between roughing and finishing passes, allowing precise regulation of step motion along the prescribed helical curve. The introduced canned cycle surpasses the limitations of conventional cycles, which are confined to fixed pitch threads, by providing a comprehensive solution for diverse threading requirements.

Simulation tests confirm the adaptability of the proposed canned cycle across diverse threading conditions. The graphical outputs, combined with the mathematical formulation of helix equations and CNC milling machine simulations across various threading cases, collectively verify the efficiency, and validation of the proposed canned cycle.

Abstract

Bacteria extracellular vesicles (BEVs), characterized as the lipid bilayer membrane-surrounded nanoparticles filled with molecular cargo from parent cells, play fundamental roles in the bacteria growth and pathogenesis, as well as facilitating essential interaction between bacteria and host systems. Notably, benefiting from their unique biological functions, BEVs hold great promise as novel nanopharmaceuticals for diverse biomedical potential, attracting significant interest from both industry and academia. Typically, BEVs are evaluated as promising drug delivery platforms, on account of their intrinsic cell-targeting capability, ease of versatile cargo engineering, and capability to penetrate physiological barriers. Moreover, attributing to considerable intrinsic immunogenicity, BEVs are able to interact with the host immune system to boost immunotherapy as the novel nanovaccine against a wide range of diseases. Towards these significant directions, in this review, we elucidate the nature of BEVs and their role in activating host immune response for a better understanding of BEV-based nanopharmaceuticals’ development. Additionally, we also systematically summarize recent advances in BEVs for achieving the target delivery of genetic material, therapeutic agents, and functional materials. Furthermore, vaccination strategies using BEVs are carefully covered, illustrating their flexible therapeutic potential in combating bacterial infections, viral infections, and cancer. Finally, the current hurdles and further outlook of these BEV-based nanopharmaceuticals will also be provided.

Introduction

Vesiculation is a crucial and fundamental process across all kinds of species to produce the extracellular vesicles that serve as essential mediators of basic physiological events [1]. These nanovesicles are filled with molecular patterns originated from parent cells, including metabolites, nucleic acids, proteins, and signaling molecules, to maintain cell growth and homeostasis [2, 3]. Biological regulation by extracellular vesicles is widespread across both prokaryotes and eukaryotes [4]. Notably, bacteria, as one of the major inhabitants in the human body, establish intricate relationships with host health and disease, wherein bacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) are indispensably involved in these processes [5, 6]. With the increasing and deep understanding of their biological function, BEVs are found to influence various cellular behaviors, including the transport of genetic information, phage infection, mediation of metabolism, as well as interaction between bacteria-bacteria and bacteria-host [7, 8].

Particularly, BEVs are characterized as nanosized nanoparticles, surrounded by lipid-bilayer membranes, ranging from 20 to 400 nm in diameter [7]. In account of the diversity of bacterial types and biogenesis mechanisms, the BEVs could carry versatile cargos inherited from mother cells, such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS), endotoxins, genetic information, cytosolic and membrane proteins [9]. By thanking the unique structure and intrinsic properties of BEVs, these naturally occurring nanovesicles attract the research interest to be developed as novel nanopharmaceuticals, prompting further exploration of their biomedical applications [10, 11]. Generally, BEVs are widely evaluated as biotherapeutics in different forms. Firstly, these nanovesicles with hollow structures could serve as novel drug delivery platforms, facilitating the transport of diverse bioactive molecules and therapeutic cargo to the recipient cells at the lesion site [12]. Thanks to the stability of naturally-occurring membrane structure, the BEVs-based drug delivery platform could carry the therapeutic genetic tools (e.g. siRNA, CRISPR-Cas9, etc.), protecting them from enzymatic degradation or hydrolysis in the complex physiological environment [13, 14]. Besides, benefiting from the ease of modification, BEVs-based drug delivery platforms could efficiently load the small molecular therapeutics [14], or directly produce the synthetic cargo (e.g. antigens, enzymes, therapeutic proteins, etc.) on the BEVs by editing the desired gene in parent bacteria. The BEVs-based drug carriers are also featured in their capability for targeting delivery toward the disease area to enhance drug accumulation and availability [15]. Moreover, the BEVs drug delivery platform can integrate with functional materials, to facilitate combinational therapy (e.g. photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, etc.) and maximize the synergistic therapeutic efficiency [16].

Conclusion and further perspective

In this review, we comprehensively summarize the development of BEV-based nanopharmaceuticals to facilitate disparate biomedical applications in recent years. Amongst the unique advantages and functions of BEVs, we demonstrated the tremendous potential of applying these naturally occurring nanovesicles to establish a myriad of innovative therapeutic strategies for new-generation pharmaceuticals evolution, especially in the versatile bioactive cargo delivery and powerful vaccination approaches.

Taking the unique merits of nanovesicles, the structural stability, ease of cargo loading, promising penetration across physiological barriers, and specific targeting capabilities endow the BEVs application to be beneficial in delivery for a wide range of therapeutics. Particularly, the naturally occurring membrane structure of BEVs enables targeting delivery of therapeutic genetic tools (e.g., siRNA, DNA, CRISPR-Cas9, etc.) in the physiological, preserving stability and bioactivity, thus enhancing gene therapy. Leveraging the ease of genetic modification in parent bacteria, protein cargo, such as enzymes and antigens, can also be directly expressed within BEVs, optimizing loading efficiency compared to conventional delivery platforms. Furthermore, advancements in nanotechnology and material science have witnessed the integration of functional materials with BEV delivery platforms to achieve combinational therapy, thereby further improving the synergistic therapeutic efficacy.

Abstract

Despite heightened interest in brand transgressions among academics and practitioners, the literature remains silent about the influence of a brand’s origin on consumer responses to brand misconduct. This leaves managers unaware of how to adapt post-transgression recovery strategies at home and abroad. Contrary to the in-group country bias literature, we theorize an “origin-backfire” effect: consumers forgive domestic brand transgressions less. Analyzing experimental, social media, and secondary-longitudinal data, we find that consumers treat domestic brand transgressors as home-country traitors deserving punishment. Social identity threats mediate this effect and consumer ethnocentrism attenuates it. Transgressions’ damage on brand reputation and value is larger and takes longer to recover from in domestic markets. Managers can alleviate post-transgression backlash through communication framing that construes the transgression as a response to intergroup threats (in foreign markets) and through collective compensation strategies (in domestic markets). The findings reveal cross-national variability in transgressions’ experience, impact, and recovery and inform post-transgression repair strategies.

Conceptual framework and hypotheses

Country-of-origin (COO) research highlights the influence of a brand’s origin country on consumer decision-making (Hulland et al., 1996). The conceptualization of brand origin is a contentious issue that has attracted significant research interest in the international marketing literature (Magnusson & Westjohn, 2011). Following the surge in globalized value chains, there is considerable ambiguity regarding whether a brand’s COO is determined by where it is manufactured, designed, or sourced. In response, recent developments suggest that a brand’s COO should be defined as the “country which a consumer associates with a product or brand as being its source, regardless of where the product is actually produced” (Jaffe & Nebenzahl, 2006, p. 29). Samiee (2011) suggests that brand origin reflects the country of the brand’s headquarters and is what consumers typically associate with the brand (e.g., Nike is seen as a U.S. brand even though most of production occurs overseas). Thus, we define domestic (foreign) brands as brands that consumers perceive as originating in their own (a foreign) country, regardless of where they are produced or sourced.

Consumers are more favorably predisposed toward domestic than foreign brands, a phenomenon referred to as “domestic country bias” (Balabanis & Diamantopoulos, 2004). Socially, consumers see domestic brands as members of their in-group and support them to promote national interests. Economically, consumers support domestic products because they protect local economic structures, decrease unemployment, and create positive externalities for local economies (Van Ittersum & Wong, 2010). Culturally, domestic brands represent the national culture, unite local communities, protect local traditions, and elicit national pride through their achievements (Özsomer, 2012). Politically, domestic products benefit from consumers’ growing antiglobal sentiment and anticorporatist attitudes (Davvetas et al., 2023; Thompson & Arsel, 2004). Although in some countries consumers show xenocentric tendencies that favor foreign products (Balabanis & Diamantopoulos, 2016), the literature collectively suggests that domestic brands benefit from “in-group bias” while foreign brands suffer from the “liability of foreignness” (Table S2, Web Appendix).

Discussion

Brand transgressions elicit stronger negative sentiment among domestic than among foreign consumers. Domestic consumers’ sentiment toward the brand decreases right after the transgression and improves only in the long term. In contrast, transgressions do not take an equivalent emotional toll on foreign consumers whose sentiment toward the brand is steadily improving over time. The results thus hint at a time-dependent divergence in emotional reactions to domestic and foreign brand transgressions. Due to (1) the inherent biases of OpenAI in sentiment categorization/calculation (Abramski et al., 2023), (2) the noise and correlational nature of Twitter data, and (3) the analysis of tweets only from users who included brand handles in their tweets, the results of Study 1 prevent definitive causal inferences. To address these issues, Study 2 uses data outside Twitter.

Abstract

How emotional competencies influence entrepreneurial behaviour especially among college students remains an under-researched subject in the entrepreneurship literature. In a unique perspective, this study examined the mediating roles of self-efficacy belief dimensions in the relationship between emotional intelligence and entrepreneurial intention of Electrical/Electronics Technology Education (EETE) students. The study was carried out among 192 EETE university students in 4 federal universities in South-East Nigeria. The hypothesized causal relationships based on literature were tested using covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM). Andrew Hayes’ PROCESS plugin in SPSS was used to simultaneously estimate the mediating effects of the self-efficacy components (perceived competence, perceived control, and perceived persistence). Data analysis results revealed that emotional intelligence had a significant positive effect on entrepreneurial intention in isolation, while the direct effect of emotional intelligence in the structural (mediation) model was not significant. Out of the three dimensions of self-efficacy, perceived competence and perceived persistence had significant partial mediating effects. The implications of the findings and recommendations were discussed.

Introduction

Entrepreneurship is widely recognized in literature as a catalyst of economic growth and sustainable development (Mirjana et al., 2018). In Nigeria and some other developing nations, the recognition of the vitality of entrepreneurship as an instrument of economic development is demonstrated in the provision of incentives in the form of grants and loans to encourage venture creation, particularly among the youths.

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes in Nigerian tertiary institutions are designed to equip the learners with the requisite skills and attitudes needed for economic self-reliance via entrepreneurship (Efuwape & Aremu, 2013; Ogbuanya & Chukwuedo, 2017; Ogbuanya et al., 2017). Thus, the Federal Government of Nigeria in her National Policy on Education described TVET programmes as a panacea for equity and economic development through the provision of skilled human resources required to boost the nation’s economy (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2013). Electrical/Electronics Technology Education (EETE) programme in Nigerian universities is a subset of TVET aimed at producing skilled graduates to meet the technological needs of the country, thereby contributing to economic growth and sustainability. The programme modules are designed to equip the students with employable technical skills in electrical and electronics technology trades such as: electronic circuit designs, design and construction of innovative and usable electronic gadgets, electrical energy installation in private and medium scale commercial buildings, maintenance of electronic and electrical gadgets, etc. (Chukwuedo & Ohanu, 2022; Ohanu et al., 2022). The graduates of the programme are expected to be gainfully employed in related industries, or establish themselves as entrepreneurs based on the training received in school. However, previous studies have shown that many EETE graduates are not engaged as electrical/electronics technology entrepreneurs (Ohanu & Ogbuanya, 2018; Orji & Ogbuanya, 2020), indicating a negligible inclination to entrepreneurial venture creation on the part of the students. This anomaly has stimulated research on the possible factors associated with the entrepreneurial intention of the students (Nwibe & Bakare, 2022; Ohanu & Ogbuanya, 2018) as the programme’s mandate to produce entrepreneurial “spearheads” is being reduced to a mirage.

Conclusion

Electrical/Electronics Technology Education (EETE) as a strand of TVET programme is specifically aimed at preparing her graduates to contribute to economic growth of the society, especially via the ‘engine power’ of entrepreneurship. This study contributes immensely to the existing borders of knowledge on psychological factors and mechanisms associated with entrepreneurial behaviour of university students, particularly undergraduates. The study found that emotional intelligence had a significant impact on entrepreneurial intention of the students. Analysis of the mechanism of the impact of EI on entrepreneurial intention revealed that perceived competence and perceived control dimensions of self-efficacy belief were significant mediators. Therefore, developing the emotional quotient of the students will likely increase their propensity for entrepreneurship by enhancing self-apprehension of their competencies and control of the behaviour (entrepreneurship).

Abstract

Concrete’s weak tensile strength renders it susceptible to cracking under prolonged loads, leading to reduced load-bearing capacity and reinforcing bar corrosion. This study investigates the effectiveness of microbial-based self-healing in high-strength concrete, focusing on two bacterial strains: Sporosarcina koreensis and Bacillus. Results demonstrate significant enhancements in micro- and macro-physical properties of high-strength bacterial concrete with Bacillus flexus and S. koreensis, surpassing the control. Bacillus flexus-infused concrete exhibits a remarkable 21.8% increase in compressive strength at 7 days and 11.7% at 56 days. Similarly, S. koreensis-treated concrete shows 12.2% and 7.4% increases at 7 and 56 days, respectively. Enhanced crack healing occurs due to calcite precipitation, confirmed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Both bacterial strains achieve crack closure within 42 days, with widths of 259.7 µm and 288.7 µm, respectively. Moreover, bacterial concrete from these strains excels in durability against water, acid, and salt exposure, surpassing control concrete. These findings emphasize microbial-based self-healing’s potential in high-strength concrete, providing a practical strategy to enhance structural resilience and extend concrete infrastructure lifespan.

Introduction

High-strength concrete (HSC) has gained widespread recognition for its enhanced mechanical properties, making it suitable for demanding structural applications (Krishnapriya et al., 2015). However, like conventional concrete, HSC is susceptible to cracking under various stress conditions, which can compromise its durability and load-bearing capacity (Iheanyichukwu et al., 2018). The resulting cracks not only diminish load-bearing capacity but also trigger environmental and economic issues, including carbon emissions during repair (Rosewitz et al., 2021). Additional weakness of concrete structure is the presence of voids and fissures in its body matrix. The circumstance of such voids in the matrix of concrete plays substantial role in determining its mechanical properties and durability (Feng et al., 2021; Khaliq & Ehsan, 2016).

The concept of self-healing concrete, facilitated by microbial activity, has emerged as a promising avenue to address these challenges, aiming to autonomously fill and repair such voids and cracks via bio-mineralization. In this process, bacteria induce the conversion of calcium particles within the cement composite into calcium carbonate, calcite. Precipitation and deposition of calcite due to microbial activity of bacteria seals such voids and fissures in the concrete body matrix. This in turn advances the mechanical properties and durability of concrete as well as healing rate of crack formed due variously initiated stress (Rohini & Padmapriya, 2021; Singh & Gupta, 2020). These bacteria must exhibit robust urease activity, withstand high pH levels, and endure mechanical stress within the concrete matrix (Rohini & Padmapriya, 2021; Rosewitz et al., 2021).

Conclusions

This study investigated the impact of microbes on high-strength concrete properties, utilizing B. flexus and S. koreensis. The research encompassed their effect on mechanical strengths (compressive, flexural), ultrasonic pulse velocity, acid and salt resistance, and microbial healing. Key findings are presented as follows:

High-strength bacterial concrete, employing B. flexus and S. koreensis, exhibited improved macro-physical properties compared to conventional concrete. B. flexus concrete showed 21.8% and 11.7% higher compressive strength at 7 and 56 days, while S. koreensis concrete exhibited 12.2% and 7.4% increases. Flexural strength for B. flexus concrete was 6.0% and 9.0% higher at 14 and 28 days, and for S. koreensis concrete, it increased by 5.2% and 6.4%.

Microbial-induced calcite deposition significantly enhanced the healing capacity of cracked bacterial concrete. Within 42 days, B. flexus and S. koreensis concrete restored cracked sections by 259.7 µm and 288.7 µm crack widths, respectively.

Bacterial concrete exhibited greater strength restoration following 55% stress-level crack initiation. While normal concrete regained only 64.0% of its 28-day compressive strength, B. flexus and S. koreensis concrete achieved 96.1% and 94.1% restoration, respectively.

Enhanced durability against acid and salt attacks was observed in bacterial concrete, with reduced weight and strength loss compared to conventional concrete. B. flexus and S. koreensis concrete experienced lower strength losses (4.8% and 5.3% for sulfuric acid, 1.8% and 2.1% for magnesium sulfate) than conventional concrete.

Abstract

Recycling of abandoned waste bottom ash has been a key issue in Republic of Korea in terms of environmental protection as well as economic concern. In this work, a method for recycling of abandoned bottom ash has been discussed based on the results from laboratory and industrial-scale experiments. Abandoned bottom ash was magnetically separated and properties of magnetically separated bottom ash samples as well as properties of mortar and masonry cement brick made of bottom ash were investigated. According to the experimental results, bulk and skeletal densities were ranked in the order of strongly magnetic > weakly magnetic > as-received > non-magnetic (from heavier to lighter) bottom ash. From laboratory-scale experiments, compressive strengths of mortars made of bottom ash samples (measured by ASTM C 109) were lower than that of mortar made of standard sand. Among bottom ash samples, mortar made of non-magnetic bottom ash (after removal of unburnt carbon) showed higher compressive strength with lower thermal conductivity (measured by ASTM C 1113) and weight than others. Masonry cement brick made of magnetic bottom ash showed lower weight and thermal conductivity than those made of standard sand, while meeting the KS strength guideline as a masonry cement brick. The results suggest the applicability of bottom ash as lightweight aggregate for production of masonry cement brick. However, considering the lower strength obtained from masonry cement brick made of as-received bottom ash (without removal of unburnt carbon), unburnt carbon content should be removed prior to its utilization as lightweight aggregate.

Introduction

Consumption of fossil fuels for operation of coal fired power plant has been consistently increasing all over the world (International Energy Agency, 2009; Korre et al., 2010; Leblond, 2006; Shafiee & Topal, 2008). Although reduction in CO2 emission is very critical issue in this industry (Hussain et al., 2022), recycling of waste by-products is as important issue as the reduction of CO2 emission in terms of environmental protection (Abbas et al., 2020; Bui et al., 2019; Lee et al., 2020; Meek et al., 2021; Oakes et al., 2019) considering the amount of waste that has been generated so far. Approximately 730 million tons of bottom ash (Abbas et al., 2020) and 600 million tons of fly ash (Çiçek & Çinçin, 2015; Nyale et al., 2013) are annually produced in the world. Although fly ash has been successfully utilized as a supplementary cementitious material due to its beneficial properties such as reduction in the heat of hydration (Atiş, 2002a, 2002b; Langan et al., 2002; Matos et al., 2020; Nocuń-Wczelik, 2001; Schindler & Folliard, 2005), improvement in workability (Atiş, 2002b; Leung et al., 2016; Nocuń-Wczelik, 2001; Uysal et al., 2012; Yao et al., 2015), and long-term strength and durability (Pala et al., 2007; Siddique, 2003; Tikalsky et al., 1988), most of the bottom ash has not been recycled and abandoned in the waste storage site.

The utilization of bottom ash as a supplementary cementitious material has been limited. The chemical compositions of bottom ash are similar to that of fly ash. However, the particle size is larger and the structure is more crystalline than fly ash. For this reason, the pozzolanic activity of bottom ash is very weak. The work of (Cheriaf et al., 1999) showed that bottom ash did not react with calcium hydroxide at early ages. The pozzolanic activity was very slow until 28 days, and became accelerated after 90 days. Jurič et al. (Jurič et al., 2006) recommended to replace up to 15 wt% of cement by bottom ash to use it as a supplementary cementitious material. Kula et al. (Kula et al., 2002) showed that bottom ash can be used as a supplementary cementitious material depending on its particle size distribution. Jaturapitakkul et al. (Jaturapitakkul & Cheerarot, 2003) observed a glassy aluminosilicate phase (diffused halo maxima) at 20–27° 2θ (Cheriaf et al., 1999; Chindaprasirt et al., 2009) that can be a source of pozzolanic reaction, but reported that the pozzolanic activity of bottom ash can be increased by grinding the particle size lower than 45 μm. According to the literature, pozzolanic activity of bottom ash was so slow or weak that it cannot be effectively utilized as a supplementary cementitious material without additional mechanical or chemical treatment (Filipponi et al., 2003; Liu et al., 2018; Mangi et al., 2018).

Conclusion

In this work, magnetic separation was applied on bottom ash that was stored in the pond site of Hadong coal fired power plant. Properties of magnetically separated bottom ash were analyzed, mortar specimens as well as masonry cement brick samples were prepared, and compressive strength, water absorption, and thermal conductivity were measured. According to the results obtained from this work, following conclusions can be drawn.

1) Magnetic separation with 1000 and 3000 gauss magnet was effective for separating bottom ash samples that contains higher amount of magnetite. As a result, bulk and skeletal density of strongly magnetic bottom ash were higher than those of as-received bottom ash. Non-magnetic bottom ash showed the lowest bulk and skeletal density.

2) Pozzolanic activity of bottom ash was ranged 53 ~ 62% of fly ash that was stored at the same pond site. Considering the particle agglomeration observed from the fly ash, it is possible to evaluate the pozzolanic activity of bottom ash either as non-pozzolanic or as very weakly pozzolanic.

3) From laboratory scale experiments, non-magnetic bottom ash showed the better performance than strongly magnetic bottom ash in terms of compressive strength and thermal conductivity. Since large amount of unburnt carbon stayed together with non-magnetic bottom ash, removal of unburnt carbon is a key factor for successful utilization of non-magnetic bottom ash.

4) Masonry cement brick made of magnetic bottom ash showed 40% reduction in unit weight, 20% reduction in thermal conductivity. Utilization of non-magnetic bottom ash for masonry cement brick production after removal of unburnt carbon can also be a successful application, considering the results from laboratory-scale experiments (density and thermal conductivity was lower for non-magnetic bottom ash).

Abstract

Membrane chromatography is mainly used for the separation and purification of proteins and biological macromolecules in the downstream processing process, also applications in sewage disposal. Membrane chromatography is recognized as an effective alternative to column chromatography because it significantly improves chromatography from affinity, hydrophobicity, and ion exchange; the development status of membrane chromatography in membrane matrix and membrane equipment is thoroughly discussed, and the applications of protein capture and intermediate purification, virus, monoclonal antibody purification, water treatment, and others are summarized. This review will provide value for the exploration and potential application of membrane chromatography.

Introduction

Traditional column chromatography has high adsorption capacity and separation accuracy for protein [1, 2]; so far, the downstream processing of biological agents has been highly dependent on the use of packed bed resin columns [3, 4]. However, traditional column chromatography generally suffers from a high-pressure drop; the intraparticle diffusion leads to the accumulation of solute molecules, which made the processing time increases, low ligand utilization, and long treatment time, which limits its productivity [5, 6]; meanwhile, column chromatography is expensive; more than 60% of the cost of the biopharmaceutical production process is concentrated in the downstream process of purification and recovery, in which the downstream purification of virus accounts for 70% of the total production cost [7, 8].

Compared with traditional column chromatography, membrane chromatography is more suitable for large proteins of separation and purification (MR > 250,000); such proteins rarely enter the pores of chromatographic particle matrix [9]. For viruses and macromolecules with obvious diffusion restrictions in conventional chromatographic media, it is particularly important [10]. Although the equilibrium binding capacity is generally low in the membrane, solutes in the membrane pores are mainly transported to the binding sites by convection, reducing the mass transfer resistance of the chromatography process (Fig. 1). Due to the advantage in mass transfer, membrane chromatography is an effective method for extracting trace proteins from large capacity feed, which can maintain their natural conformation by reducing the time in contact with adsorbents, maintaining the biological activity of the required biomolecules while removing impurities [11, 12]. Moenster et al. [13] used the SartobindQ exchange membrane adsorber method to separate and purify penicillin G amidase from cell lysate in one step, compared with previous multiple purification steps, which reduced the operating units and significantly improved the downstream processing efficiency.©

Summary and outlook

As an effective alternative to chromatographic column packing, membrane chromatography has been widely studied in the past to explore the use of virus purification; purified viruses have been used for gene treatment and production of vaccines. Ion-exchange membrane chromatography is currently used for the polishing of monoclonal antibody production processes in the biopharmaceutical industry; hydrophobic interaction chromatography membrane adsorbers are usually in flow mode and are rarely used. At present, the chromatographic process of membrane chromatography combined with column packing or monolithic column has been applied in the field of biological production processes, and has shown good application potential in the treatment of trace harmful matters such as heavy metal ions or dyes in water.

Given the relatively high raw material manufacturing cost of membrane materials, the purification capacity of membrane chromatography must reach a relatively high value, or have a high cycle of reuse to ensure a low commercial cost, to have a relatively high economic value. Predictable and high-precision theoretical models are developing to better clarify the potential mass transfer phenomena and thus improve the separation performance of membranes. Disposable membrane sorbent methods are a small market branch for chromatographic packing at present, from an adoption and evaluation perspective, in the downstream processing technology, which development is more advanced.

Abstract

In today’s connected market, brands are more likely than ever to face negative press that can put their customer relationships to the test. Building and fortifying positive aspects of the brand-customer relationship (such as brand commitment, brand love and self-brand connections) may ward off some of the impact of negative information on customers, but this does not always provide full protection. Even customers who love a brand can turn against it when negative information enters the picture. Considering this, the current study provides an exploratory investigation into a new way to build up customer resilience that would otherwise not be formed simply by strengthening positive attributes of the customer-brand relationship. It argues that brands can strengthen their customers’ immunity to negative brand-related information by using an immunity metric (i.e., merely asking customers to reflect on their immunity makes them more resilient to actual negative information in the future). The construct of immunity has the dual benefit of being diagnostic of relationship strength, as well as acting as an immunizing agent. We test this effect and the process underlying it using three pilot studies, three multi-method studies, and interviews with customers and managers across different contexts. By doing so, the study establishes the theoretical and practical value of customer immunity to negative information and makes critical conceptual and pragmatic contributions to the existing body of customer research.

Customer resistance to negative information

The focus of the current study is on building customers’ resistance to potential negative information they might encounter in the future. In the marketing literature, most studies have focused on what brands can do to build positive aspects of the customer-brand relationship slowly over time to achieve some protection against negative events, or on recovery strategies after the event (see Table 1). Things that help when brands face negative information include strong brand commitment (Ahluwalia et al., 2000; Ahluwalia, 2000; Germann et al., 2014), strong brand image (Grifn et al., 1991; DeCarlo et al. 2007), positive customer expectations (Dawar & Pillutla, 2000), high emotional bonding (Mattila, 2004), strong connections (Swaminathan et al., 2007; Cheng et al., 2012; Wilson et al., 2017; Escalas & Bettman, 2003), brand attachment (Park et al., 2010; Whelan & Dawar, 2016), and brand love (Batra et al., 2012).

General discussion

This paper proposed a new construct of customer immunity and conceptualized it as customers’ resistance to changing how they view a brand when confronted with negative information about that brand. We developed a parsimonious measure of immunity that captures the extent to which the relationship between a customer and a brand is resilient to negative information. We have investigated immunity, showing that it helps customers form a stronger resistance to negative information. Customers’ desire to protect a brand and consideration of varied datapoints when assessing their relationship with a brand help explain the efect. We have provided support for this result studying diferent brand incidents and relying on diferent respondent samples across diferent purchase contexts. Furthermore, we have shown that immunity strengthens the positive efects of traditional relationship strength measures such as brand commitment, self-brand connections, and brand love.

Abstract

The Journal of Marketing Analytics was created in 2013 by Palgrave Macmillan from the merger of the Journal of Targeting, Measurement, and Analysis for Marketing (2001–2012) and the Journal of Database Marketing and Customer Strategy Management (2001–2012) (ABDC), with Dr. Tom Breuer as its first editor-in-chief. The JMA team would like to thank Dr. Tom Breuer for his work and innovative thinking in starting this project. The JMA is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes four print and online issues per year, provides a single accessible resource for the rapidly changing field of marketing analytics, combines the best of applied scientific research and commercial best practices, and covers targeting, segmentation, big data, customer loyalty, CRM, data quality management, marketing strategy, and more. The journal also includes sophisticated analytic approaches, such as fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, product reviews, and multilevel modeling to improve neighborhood targeting. It provides a means to stay informed about this rapidly changing field and leverage the power of data to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.

The Journal of Marketing Analytics is a publication addressing this blossoming field by combining applied research and practice papers. Its unique combination of academic research and insights from commercial best practices makes it a valuable resource for both scholars and practitioners. The journal aims to blend rigorous scientific research methods with the applicability of real-world case studies. Papers are selected through a double-blind review process based on their content and merit, ensuring the publication of the best papers in the field. JMA is designed to help scholars and academics stay informed about the latest developments in the science of marketing analytics and help professionals in marketing analytics stay abreast of the latest trends and implications of cutting-edge analytics research.

In today’s competitive markets, merely storing and reporting information is insufficient. Companies must possess the ability to comprehend vast amounts of data, apply insights to their market approach, respond to new competitors, and adapt to shifting market conditions. To achieve this, marketing analytics has become a central component of data-driven decision-making. Companies can no longer rely solely on intuition to make decisions, as data are now a crucial source of sustainable competitive advantage. While new products can be quickly replicated, leveraging data strategically remains one of the few effective ways companies can stand out in a globalized world, where employees are less loyal and businesses are frequently on the move.