How does network intermediary affect collaborative innovation?Evidence from Chinese listed companies

Purpose:This study aims to explore how network intermediaries influence collaborative innovation performance within inter-organizational technological collaboration networks.Design/methodology/approach:This study employs a mixed-method approach,combining quantitative social network analysis with regression techniques to investigate the role of network intermediaries in collaborative innovation performance.Using a patent dataset of Chinese industrial enterprises,the research constructs the collaboration networks and analyzes their structural positions,particularly focusing on their role as intermediaries,characterized by betweenness centrality.Negative binomial regression analysis is employed to assess how these network characteristics shape innovation outcomes.Findings:The study reveals that firms in intermediary positions enhance collaborative innovation performance,but this effect is nuanced.A key finding is that network clustering negatively moderates the intermediary-innovation relationship.Highly clustered networks,while fostering local collaboration,may limit the innovation potential of intermediaries.On the other hand,relationship strength,measured by collaboration intensity and trust among firms,positively moderates the intermediary-innovation link.Research limitations:This study has several limitations that present opportunities for further research.The reliance on quantitative social network analysis may overlook the complexity of intermediaries’roles,and future studies could benefit from incorporating qualitative methods to better understand cultural and institutional factors.Additionally,cross-country comparisons are needed to assess the consistency of these dynamics in different contexts.Practical implications:The study offers practical insights for firms and policymakers.Organizations should strategically position themselves as network intermediaries to access diverse information and resources,thereby improving innovation performance.Building strong trust helps using network intermediary advantages.For firms in highly clustered networks,it is important to seek external partners to avoid limiting their exposure to new ideas and technologies.This research emphasizes the need to balance network diversity with relationship strength for sustained innovation.Originality/value:This research contributes to the literature by offering new insights into the role of network intermediaries,presenting a comprehensive framework for understanding the interaction between network dynamics and firm innovation.

PDRG1 at the interface between intermediary metabolism and oncogenesis

PDRG1 is a small oncogenic protein of 133 residues. In normal human tissues, the p53 and DNA damageregulated gene 1(PDRG1) gene exhibits maximal expression in the testis and minimal levels in the liver. Increased expression has been detected in several tumor cells and in response to genotoxic stress. High-throughput studies identified the PDRG1 protein in a variety of macromolecular complexes involved in processes that are altered in cancer cells. For example, this oncogene has been found as part of the RNA polymerase Ⅱ complex, the splicing machinery and nutrient sensing machinery, although its role in these complexes remains unclear. More recently, the PDRG1 protein was found as an interaction target for the catalytic subunits of methionine adenosyltransferases. These enzymes synthesize S-adenosylmethionine, the methyl donor for, among others, epigenetic methylations that occur on the DNA and histones. In fact, downregulation of S-adenosylmethionine synthesis is the first functional effect directly ascribed to PDRG1. The existence of global DNA hypomethylation, together with increased PDRG1 expression, in many tumor cells highlights the importance of this interaction as one of the putative underlying causes for cell transformation. Here, we will review the accumulated knowledge on this oncogene, emphasizing the numerous aspects that remain to be explored.

Optimal control of a quality supervision profit model for the electronic intermediary

Online customers execute transactions without inspecting products could expect to encounter risks of receiving products with unsatisfactory qualities,especially in food trans-actions.Thus quality supervision plays a key role in the establishment of trust as well as in the management of risk between online customers and sellers.Most papers in this field are in qualitative nature.In this paper,a quality supervision profit(QSP)model is formulated as a discrete-time optimal control problem.It is a quantitative approach,and it broadens the scope.of current research in the area.The quality efort level of online sellers(QELa)and the quality supervision level of the electronic intermediary(QSLm)are considered together with their cor-responding profit in the proposed model.The aim is to optimize an overall profit.A case study arising from Suichang's food traceability system(FTS)of farm produce online transaction is carried out in details.The results reveal that QELs,QSLm and the profit distribution coeffi-cient have a strong influence upon the profits of both sides.Finally,some concluding remarks,including potential further research topics,are given.

An Intermediary Organization Finds Potential Needs By Exploiting Serendipity

This paper intends to clarify the needs serendipity in creating new business. The authors will show that serendipity is capability method of finding potential needs and/or new markets. In economic society, potential needs and/or new markets are only partially exposed, such as an iceberg. Serendipity is a capability that can expose the potential hidden part through accidental opportunity. Something more concrete can be formed from the exposed parts. The authors describe cases that demonstrate the usefulness of serendipity. In one case, a high-tech start-up had intended to use medical electronic equipment and/or industrial electronic equipment as the first application of their core technology. In these markets, they were competing with established major companies, so this start-up had difficulty entering these markets. However, a specific distributor found potential needs that were met by the start-up＇s products, and has created a new market by combining their core technology with social needs. The authors define serendipity capability by analyzing this case example and argue that serendipity can contribute to finding opportunities and solving social issues.

The Intermediary Roles of Public Health Nurses (PHNs) in Utilizing Communication Robots (CRs) in Community Health Care Practice

Robot technology is expected to reduce the burden of medical professionals, a concern in the super-aged society. The aim of this article is to determine the intermediary roles of Public Health Nurses (PHNs) in using Communication Robots (CRs) in Community Health care. It is necessary to consider who will manage, and how to draw lines of responsibility when a problem occurs when using robots in the future. Regarding the mediator or intermediary role of PHNs in the use of CRs, PHNs are expected to be cognizant of varieties of robots for use with persons of diverse ages and health levels, as well as of robot performances. As one of the community healthcare workers who service the elderly living in the community, the role of PHNs as mediators or intermediaries is to pay attention to ethical and moral issues while working with CRs to manage the health of the community. Lack of understanding of the intermediary role might create possible ethico-moral issues in the future. Therefore, it is critical for PHNs to understand their role as intermediaries. In doing so, it is expected that older people at home will be able to live peaceful lives, as well as be physically and mentally healthy.

Empirical Analysis on the Financial Intermediary Development and the Economic Fluctuation in China

This article analyzes the relationship between financial intermediary development and economic fluctuation in the last 50 years in China. It was found that a steady and long-term relation existed between these two variables, and that different aspects of the development of the financial intermediary system had different effects on the economic fluctuation. The improvement of the intermediary＇s efficiency can repress the economic fluctuation , but the increase of financial intermediaries can intensify the fluctuation. On that basis, some suggestions about the development of the financial intermediary are proposed in this essay.

Exploring the effects of dietary inulin in rainbow trout fed a high‑starch,100%plant‑based diet

Background High dietary carbohydrates can spare protein in rainbow trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss)but may affect growth and health.Inulin,a prebiotic,could have nutritional and metabolic effects,along with anti-inflammatory properties in teleosts,improving growth and welfare.We tested this hypothesis in rainbow trout by feeding them a 100%plant-based diet,which is a viable alternative to fishmeal and fish oil in aquaculture feeds.In a two-factor design,we examined the impact of inulin(2%)as well as the variation in the carbohydrates(CHO)/plant protein ratio on rainbow trout.We assessed the influence of these factors on zootechnical parameters,plasma metabolites,gut microbiota,production of short-chain fatty acids and lactic acid,as well as the expression of free-fatty acid receptor genes in the mid-intestine,intermediary liver metabolism,and immune markers in a 12-week feeding trial.Results The use of 2%inulin did not significantly change the fish intestinal microbiota,but interestingly,the high CHO/protein ratio group showed a change in intestinal microbiota and in particular the beta diversity,with 21 bacterial genera affected,including Ralstonia,Bacillus,and 11 lactic-acid producing bacteria.There were higher levels of butyric,and valeric acid in groups fed with high CHO/protein diet but not with inulin.The high CHO/protein group showed a decrease in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines(il1b,il8,and tnfa)in liver and a lower expression of the genes coding for tight-junction proteins in mid-intestine(tjp1a and tjp3).However,the 2%inulin did not modify the expression of plasma immune markers.Finally,inulin induced a negative effect on rainbow trout growth performance irrespective of the dietary carbohydrates.Conclusions With a 100%plant-based diet,inclusion of high levels of carbohydrates could be a promising way for fish nutrition in aquaculture through a protein sparing effect whereas the supplementation of 2%inulin does not appear to improve the use of CHO when combined with a 100%plant-based diet.

The Effect of Procrastination on Physical Exercise among College Students—The Chain Effect of Exercise Commitment and Action Control

Background:Exercise procrastination is prevalent among college students,causing decline in physical fitness.It is imperative to investigate the mechanism affecting college students’physical activity behaviors.This study was aimed at investigating the effect of procrastination on college students’physical exercise behavior,and the chain mediation effects of exercise commitment and action control(AC),to provide a theoretical basis for interventions targeting physical exercise behavior among college students.Methods:A questionnaire survey was conducted using convenience sampling.The General Procrastination Scale,Exercise Commitment Scale,Action Control Scale,and Physical Activity Rating Scale-3 questionnaires were used.Participants were 581 college students(age 19.27±0.94 years;243 males and 338 females).Statistical methods of regression analysis and structural equation modeling(SEM)were applied.Results:Procrastination,exercise commitment,and action control were found to be significant predictors of physical exercise behavior.Among these predictors,exercise commitment and action control showed full mediation effects in the relationship between procrastination and physical exercise behavior,and explained 25.48%and 30.77%of the total variance,respectively.The chain mediation effect of exercise commitment-action control was significant,accounting for 22.60%of the total variance,and the total indirect effect was 79.33%.Conclusion:Therefore,higher procrastination was associated with less participation in physical exercise behavior among college students.Improvements in exercise commitment and volitional decision-making ability for physical exercise behavior promoted physical exercise behavior,and increased exercise commitment promoted volitional decision-making ability among the students.The chain reaction effect of exercise commitment and action control also buffered the negative effects of procrastination on physical exercise behavior,thereby increasing physical exercise behavior among college students.

Smart specialization,public authorities,and innovation intermediaries in developing regions

Despite a growing body of literature on smart specialization,the role of public authorities and innovation intermediaries,particularly in developing regions,remains understudied.This research examines one of the first attempts to apply the smart specialization framework to the development of an innovation strategy outside Europe,specifically in the Pernambuco State,Brazil.We focus on two priority areas(clothing and high-tech automotive components)identified by the state government as key targets for pilot policy experimentation and use different methods,such as social network analysis and content analysis,to interview strategic innovation actors for studying the promotion of innovation and regional development in Pernambuco.Findings highlight how regional governance,collaboration,and trust are shaped by public authorities and innovation intermediaries.The study identifies three key challenges in implementing smart specialization strategy in developing regions:i.e.,achieving effective decentralization,cultivating an innovation culture,and establishing participatory governance mechanisms.The public sector actors act as crucial knowledge brokers and policy intermediaries,facilitating the linkages and partnerships necessary to overcome these challenges.

Associations between residence and cognitive function among Chinese older adults: the mediating role of leisure activity

Background:Cognitive function is a current research hotspot,residence may be related to differences in cognitive function,and the mediating role of leisure activities are limited in Chinese research.This study used leisure activities as a mediating variable to investigate the mediating role of leisure activity between place of residence(city-town-rural)and cognitive function among Chinese older,this is where the innovation of the article comes in.Methods:Using cross-sectional data from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey,Pearson correlation analyses were employed to examine the relationships among various indicators.Mediation analyses were conducted using the SPSS PROCESS macro program,version 3.5,written by Hayes,to explore the mediating effects of leisure activity between place of residence and cognitive function in older adults.Results:A total of 10955 older adults were included in this study,with a mean age of(84.23±11.57)years.Among them,2739(24.8%)lived in the city,3627(33.1%)in town,and 4615(42.1%)in rural areas;their leisure activity score was(5.34±3.77),and their cognitive function score was(24.69±6.65).Place of residence,leisure activities,and cognitive function were significantly correlated(P<0.01).Using city as a reference,place of residence is negatively associated with cognitive function,and place of residence not only had a direct effect on cognitive function in older adults:town-cognitive function(effect=–0.399;95%confidence interval(CI)=(–0.685,–0.113));rural-cognitive function(effect=–0.42;95%CI=(–0.698,–0.141)).There were also indirect effects on cognitive function through the pathway of leisure activity:town-leisure activity-cognitive function(effect=–0.17;95%CI=(–0.246,–0.1)),rural-leisure activity-cognitive function(effect=–0.199;95%CI=(–0.272,–0.13)).Conclusion:Leisure activities play a partially mediating role between the impact of place of residence and cognitive function in Chinese older adults,and it is vital to pay attention to the impact of place of residence on the cognitive function of older adults in various aspects,and to increase the participation rate of older adults in leisure activities,which is beneficial to the prevention of cognitive decline and the protection of older adult’s physical and mental health.

Association of overexpression of TIF1γ with colorectal carcinogenesis and advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma

AIM:To determine the expression and clinical significance of transcriptional intermediary factor 1 gamma (TIF1γ),Smad4 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβR) across a spectrum representing colorectal cancer (CRC) development.METHODS:Tissue microarrays were prepared from archival paraffin embedded tissue,including 51 colorectal carcinomas,25 tubular adenomas (TA) and 26 HPs,each with matched normal colonic epithelium.Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies against TIF1γ,Smad4 and TGFβ RⅡ.The levels of expression were scored semi-quantitatively (score 0-3 or loss and retention for Smad4).RESULTS:Overexpression of TIF1γ was detected in 5/26 (19%) HP;however,it was seen in a significantly higher proportion of neoplasms,15/25 (60%) TAs and 24/51 (47%) CRCs (P<0.05).Normal colonic mucosa,HP,and TAs showed strong Smad4 expression,while its expression was absent in 22/51 (43%) CRCs.Over-expression of TGFβ RⅡ was more commonly seen in neoplasms,13/25 (52%) TAs and 29/51 (57%) CRCs compared to 9/26 (35%) HP (P<0.05).Furthermore,there was a correlation between TIF1γ overexpression and Smad4 loss in CRC (Kendall tau rank correlation value=0.35,P<0.05).The levels of TIF1γ overexpression were significantly higher in stage Ⅲ than in stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ CRC (P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The findings suggest that over-expression of TIF1γ occurs in early stages of colorectal carcinogenesis,is inversely related with Smad4 loss,and may be a prognostic indicator for poor outcome.

Spatial Characteristics of Gallery——the Traditional Chinese Architectural Element from Cultural Perspective

Traditional Chinese architecture can be regarded as the building of culture, i.e. image of the architecture can be considered as a certain externalized means of traditional culture. And space as a hero of architecture refl ects characteristics of culture using its form and content. This research explored the common architectural element—gallery from cultural perspective, and proposed gallery as a kind of fuzzy intermediary space, then analyzed its intermediary nature from the perspective of fuzziness, transition, boundary, and placeness, and also its spatial order from the perspective of directivity, dynamics, diachronism and orderliness. On this basis, spatial characteristics of gallery beneath the surface were explored.

Competitiveness of Travel Agencies in the European Tourism Market

The concept of competitiveness influenced by many factors is analyzed in terms of terminology distinctions. This is the reason of numerous definitions of this term included in the first part of the paper, which varies according to the aspect of the analysis, analyzed marketing unit, tourism product, geographical unit, region, destination, or entities that offer an acceptable integrated product a package by specific indicators for comparison of elements of competitiveness. The first part of the article theoretically emphasizes the distinction in defining the concept of competitiveness from various aspects of the analyzed market subjects （different features and facilities provided）, and from those aspects of their specific business relationship in the market. Special contribution to the study of competitiveness is contained in the second part of the paper that analyzes the existing situation of intermediation in the European tourism market. This research is based on using the data of descriptive statistics and the secondary research which gives insights into the business of travel agencies, using the data such as number of employees, annual personnel costs, and the average annual cost per person employed in travel agencies in some European countries. The changes in the environment, and the competition initiate a need for an analysis of the internal environment, travel agencies＇ tasks, and their organizational structure. Also, the results conducted research on a sample of 500 travel agencies in 20 European countries indicate the dominance of quality service, price, and value for money as key factors of demand for achieving the competitiveness. It indicates new trends focused on needs for more specific--integrated tourist products that ensure the quality of service, value for money, and for the time that tourists invest in their obtaining.

Banking and Financial Intermediaries:Overlapping Evolving Monetary Functions and Investment Fallouts

Since the New World Monetary Order,as designed and promoted at Bretton Woods,several policies were considered.As proposed by Hansen,Harrod,and post Keynesian,after the 60 years and after the Bretton Woods final collapse,a new monetary framework has been overlapping gradually most of the world financial transactions.Separately from the single global financial markets,without previous patterns and insight experiences,the new global landscape is posing new deep challenges in the present monetary stalemate.The removal of the gold benchmark on the first day of WWI(First World War)―The serious Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act 1999 repudiated the Glass-Sméagol Act.The removal caused the colossal crisis as the time deposits and unlimited monetary base expansions produced effects never seen in modern history―A colossal surge of the financial instrument market indexes and financial bubble blowing erupted.

Characteristics of a Transactive Phenomenon in Relationships among Older Adults with Dementia, Nurses as Intermediaries, and Communication Robot

Healthcare for older adults with dementia is an important healthcare problem in Japan and in other developed countries. Importantly, healthcare workers in Japan are also getting older. In order to address solutions to this problem, using robots is being realized and is starting to assist healthcare and welfare practice needs. The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of a transactive phenomenon in relationships among older adults with dementia, with nurses as intermediaries and with a cognitive skill-aid robot. Subjects were two institutionalized older adults who were diagnosed with dementia using Hasegawa’s Dementia Scale-Revised;a Kabochan (Nodding Kabochan) fixed with a remote-controlled speaker, Pechat (Kabochan with Pechat). Measurements of autonomic nervous activity were done using wearable electrocardiography attached to the subjects for four hours. Heart Rate Variability data were assessed at various frequency bands using a HRV software tool. In a continuously recorded data, interbeat (R-R) intervals were obtained for a 1-min segment using the maximum entropy method. In this study, the two major spectral components of HRV, the variances of the low-frequency (LF: 0.04 - 0.15 Hz) band and high-frequency (HF: 0.15 - 0.4 Hz) band, were calculated. Activities and behaviors of subjects transacting with Kabochan were observed by the expert nurses and video-recorded. Throughout the transaction period, observations were recorded of patients’ behavior, words uttered and over-all contents of the transactive conversation with the Kabochan or Kabochan with Pechat. Identified characteristics were transactive relationship phenomenon;changes in autonomic nervous system activity of persons with dementia are expressed as per one minute, linguistic response of elderly people, transactive relations among Kabochan, Kabochan with Pechat, and nurses as intermediaries. These were exhibited as Figures: Situation 1, A Sense of Fear, Situation 2, A Pleasant Sensation, and Situation 3, Misunderstanding and Confusion. It also showed that autonomic nervous system activity of persons with communication skills is actively changing in older adults with dementia. Conversation of adding Pechat to the Kabochan illustrated that nurses as intermediaries showed emotional conversations as established by effectively manipulating the Pechat. Also, it was revealed that if Kabochan with Pechat uttered words about patient’s personal information in a conversation, the patient felt a sense of fear. The researchers suggest that when developing future communication robot for elderly with dementia, it is necessary to consider, for an effective conversation, transactive relationships including nurses as intermediaries. The role functions of these intermediaries have been shown of high versatility, indicating that situations such as these can also be controlled by other healthcare providers such as by occupational therapists.

Determination of Relationships and Al ocation of Responsibilities——Taking the Adjudication of Household Service Contract Disputes as an Example

The combination of the realistic demand of urban families to raise children and provide for the aged and the employment demand of rural migrant workers will inevitably lead to the continuous growth of the market demand for household care services.The determination of the tripartite legal relationship between household workers,household service agencies,and families(individuals)is an important issue for the normative development of the household service industry.In specific judicial practice,local courts perform differently in the determination of the relationship between“household workers and household service agencies.”The application of law in relevant cases also often swings between the civil law and the labor law.The Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China(hereinafter“the Civil Code”)does not retain the concept of“employment relationship”used in the original Interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in the Trial of Personal Injury Compensation Cases.Then,what is the relationship between household workers,household service agencies,and families(individuals)after the Civil Code came into force?This article shows the judicial dilemma currently faced by the household workers in the protection of labor rights and interests through an empirical analysis of the victim liability disputes of household workers and puts forward countermeasures and suggestions for improving the occupational injury protection mechanism of household workers in China through a comparative study of the occupational injury risk sharing mechanism of household workers and an analysis of the local exploration of the occupational injury protection system of flexible employees in China.

Clean Coal &High Carbon Efficiency Energy Engineering

Today we live in a world of Hydrocarbon Energy Carriers, where Carbon is always used as a Carrier for Hydrogen 1) Biomass (CH1.44O0.66 or C6H12O6);2) Natural Gas [NG] (CH4);3) Water Gas [C+H2O];4) Gasoline (C6H12, C7H18, C8H18, etc.);5) Kerosene (C17H36, C18H38, C19H40, C20H42, C21H44, C22H46, etc.) and;6) Crude Oil. The Carbon aggregates are all storable and have worthwhile, logistically manageable energy densities. But whenever recovering Energy from the Carbon molarities, CO2 gets emitted into the atmosphere, while separate use of Hydrogen Energy contents carried by the Carbon moieties would just generate water vapor. Hydrogen is also the most important intermediary in Refineries, hydrogenating lower grade Hydrocarbons into higher potencies, or for removing Sulfur by the formation of Hydrogen Sulfur, that can be dissociated after its segregation from the Hydrocarbon products. But most of the internal Hydrogen yields in Refineries today is used for onsite production of Ammonia as a basis for Energy fertilizers in high performance agriculture. Because Hydrogen is awkward to store and transport, most of it is currently used captive within large size centralized plants as a reactant for producing Hydrocarbon energy carriers, using the Carbon as a carrier for the Hydrogen moieties, to then be distributed over big enough areas for consumption of the such large scale plants’ volumes. With recently proven achievements of Hydrogen production from excess Wind & Solar Power by electrolysis, Hydrogen could become available in abundant quantities, to be distributed locally within the coverage area of the transmission grid such Wind & Solar installations are feeding into. In combination with Carbon as a reactant such abundant Hydrogen could also be synthesized into Hydrocarbon Energy Carriers and substitute fossil commodities.

Development Strategy of Intermediate Business of Commercial Banks—Take Bank H as an Example

At the beginning of this paper,the development process of intermediate business of commercial Banks in China was introduced.Taking bank H as the research object,the annual report data of bank H in the past 8 years(2010-2017)were collected as the basic data.First,it analyzes the growth rate and trend of the development of intermediary business of bank H,finds out the problems existing in the development of intermediary business of bank H and explores the reasons for the problems.Then,PEST analysis method and porter's five forces model are respectively applied to analyze the development environment of intermediate business of bank H.Finally,based on the above analysis,the author proposes substantial and individual solutions to the existing problems,such as channel extension strategy,market segmentation strategy and market independent pricing strategy.

The evolution of the intermediaries in e-commerce environment

With the development of network economy, e-commerce platform has increasingly become a worldwide trading places of various kinds of products and services. Therefore some scholars consider, intermediaries, under the rapid development of information technology, will gradually withdrew from the historical stage. This article carried on the thorough analysis for the reasons of the existence of electronic intermediaries, and discusses the new development space and prospect of new middlemen, from the perspective of information asymmetry of the network environment.

Mediating Effect of Perceived Organizational Support on the Resilience and Mental Health of ICU Nurses

Objective:To investigate the mediating effect of organizational support on the relationship between resilience and anxiety-depression-stress by researching ICU nurses.Methods:A total of 675 ICU nurses in Shaanxi Province were surveyed using the organizational support scale,the resilience evaluation scale for medical staff,and the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale(DASS-21).Results:The resilience of ICU nurses had significant correlation with the level of organizational support(r=0.448,P<0.01),but was negatively correlated with depression(r=-0.238,P<0.001),anxiety(r=-0.287,P<0.01),and stress(r=-0.213,P<0.01);the level of organizational support of ICU nurses was also negatively correlated with depression(r=-0.452,P<0.01),anxiety(r=-0.410,P<0.01),and stress(r=-0.490,P<0.01).The sense of organizational support played a mediating role between the resilience of ICU nurses and their depression-anxiety-stress,the mediating effect accounted for 78%of the total effect.Conclusion:The perceived organizational support and resilience is an important external protective factor for the mental health and ability of ICU nurses.The management departments should continue to pay attention to the mental health of ICU nurses,take effective measures to improve the sense of organizational support and resilience of nurses,and ensure the good mental health of ICU nurses.