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A naturally evolved mutation (Ser-59-Gly) in glutamine synthetase confers glufosinate resistance in plants

Zhang C, Yu Q, Han H, Yu C, Nyporko A, Tian X, et al.

J Exp Bot, 2022 Jan 13.
PMID: 35029685 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac008

Glufosinate is an important and widely used non-selective herbicide active on a wide range of plant species. Resistance evolution to glufosinate in weedy plant species (including the global weed Eleusine indica) is underway. Here, we established the molecular basis of target-site glufosinate resistance in Eleusine indica. Full-length E. indica glutamine synthetase (GS) iso-genes (EiGS1-1, 1-2, and 1-3 and EiGS2) were cloned, and expression of EiGS1-1 and EiGS1-2 was higher than EiGS2. A novel point mutation resulting in a Ser-59-Gly substitution in EiGS1-1 was identified in glufosinate-resistant (R) plants. Rice calli and seedlings transformed with the mutant EiGS1-1 gene were resistant to glufosinate. Purified mutant EiGS1-1 expressed in yeast was more tolerant to glufosinate than the wild type (WT) variant. These transgenic results correlate with a more glufosinate-R GS in the crude tissue extract of R versus susceptible E. indica plants. Structural modelling of the mutant EiGS1-1 revealed that the Ser-59 is not directly involved in glufosinate binding but in contact with some important binding residues (e.g. Glu-297) and especially with Asp-56 that forms an intratoroidal contact interface. Importantly, the same Ser-59-Gly mutation was also found in geographically isolated glufosinate-R populations from Malaysia and China, suggesting parallel evolution of this resistance mutation.
Unrecognised IgG4 association in progressively transformed germinal centers of lymph nodes with subsequent full-blown IgG4-related chronic fibrosing pancreatitis: A case report

Son HJ, Lee H, Kim JH, Yu IK, Han HY

Malays J Pathol, 2018 Apr;40(1):73-78.
PMID: 29704388

Progressively transformed germinal centers (PTGC) is a benign process characterised by a morphological variant of reactive follicular hyperplasia in lymph nodes. It was recently shown that some cases of PTGC are associated with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) or increased IgG4 plasma cells. Five years ago, a 57-year-old woman presented with enlargement of multiple lymph nodes in the left parotid, submandibular, and neck areas, pathologically diagnosed as PTGC after excisional biopsy. Since then, she has experienced numbness in her extremities, especially the left shoulder and arm, pruritus on the left side of the face and intermittent facial palsy, for which she has been receiving regular symptomatic treatment. Recently the patient developed diabetes mellitus (approximately seven months ago). In routine follow-up scans, a mass was detected in left kidney and magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen prior to surgery revealed a slightly enhanced bulky mass replacing the pancreatic tail and uncinate process. The mass in left kidney was diagnosed as clear cell renal cell carcinoma, and the pathological features of the pancreatic lesion were those of IgG4-related chronic fibrosing pancreatitis. Retrograde examination of the neck lymph node diagnosed as PTGC showed increased deposition of IgG4-positive plasma cells.
Fulltext Cruise ship dining experiencescape: The perspective of female cruise travelers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic

Radic A, Lück M, Al-Ansi A, Chua BL, Seeler S, Han H

Int J Hosp Manag, 2021 May;95:102923.
PMID: 36540687 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.102923

The cruise dining experience is one of the core elements of the overall cruise travel experience as guests fulfill their cognitive and affective needs in this pleasant environment. Nonetheless, the cruise dining experience has been sparsely researched. There is also no holistic model conceptualizing the cruise ship dining experiencescape. This study explores how under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise ship dining environment stimuli dimensions are evaluated by female cruise travelers. Female travelers are the major spenders and travel decision-makers. They are also the dominant customer group in the cruise sector. Their perception of cruise ship dining environment is leading to their positive emotional responses and approach behavior. More precisely, this study demonstrates the potency of the moderating role of a perceived health risk from COVID-19, which strengthens female travelers' perceptions of the dining atmosphere and interaction with other guests by evoking positive emotions and influencing their approach behavior.
Fulltext A narrative action on the battle against hunger using mushroom, peanut, and soybean-based wastes

Mohd Zaini NA, Azizan NAZ, Abd Rahim MH, Jamaludin AA, Raposo A, Raseetha S, et al.

Front Public Health, 2023;11:1175509.
PMID: 37250070 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1175509

Numerous generations have been affected by hunger, which still affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The hunger crisis is worsening although many efforts have been made to minimize it. Besides that, food waste is one of the critical problems faced by most countries worldwide. It has disrupted the food chain system due to inefficient waste management, while negatively impacting the environment. The majority of the waste is from the food production process, resulting in a net zero production for food manufacturers while also harnessing its potential. Most food production wastes are high in nutritional and functional values, yet most of them end up as low-cost animal feed and plant fertilizers. This review identified key emerging wastes from the production line of mushroom, peanut, and soybean (MPS). These wastes (MPS) provide a new source for food conversion due to their high nutritional content, which contributes to a circular economy in the post-pandemic era and ensures food security. In order to achieve carbon neutrality and effective waste management for the production of alternative foods, biotechnological processes such as digestive, fermentative, and enzymatic conversions are essential. The article provides a narrative action on the critical potential application and challenges of MPS as future foods in the battle against hunger.
Fulltext Exploring Attitudes Toward "Sugar Relationships" Across 87 Countries: A Global Perspective on Exchanges of Resources for Sex and Companionship

Meskó N, Kowal M, Láng A, Kocsor F, Bandi SA, Putz A, et al.

Arch Sex Behav, 2024 Feb;53(2):811-837.
PMID: 38127113 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-023-02724-1

The current study investigates attitudes toward one form of sex for resources: the so-called sugar relationships, which often involve exchanges of resources for sex and/or companionship. The present study examined associations among attitudes toward sugar relationships and relevant variables (e.g., sex, sociosexuality, gender inequality, parasitic exposure) in 69,924 participants across 87 countries. Two self-report measures of Acceptance of Sugar Relationships (ASR) developed for younger companion providers (ASR-YWMS) and older resource providers (ASR-OMWS) were translated into 37 languages. We tested cross-sex and cross-linguistic construct equivalence, cross-cultural invariance in sex differences, and the importance of the hypothetical predictors of ASR. Both measures showed adequate psychometric properties in all languages (except the Persian version of ASR-YWMS). Results partially supported our hypotheses and were consistent with previous theoretical considerations and empirical evidence on human mating. For example, at the individual level, sociosexual orientation, traditional gender roles, and pathogen prevalence were significant predictors of both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS. At the country level, gender inequality and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. However, being a woman negatively predicted the ASR-OMWS, but positively predicted the ASR-YWMS. At country-level, ingroup favoritism and parasite stress positively predicted the ASR-OMWS. Furthermore, significant cross-subregional differences were found in the openness to sugar relationships (both ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS scores) across subregions. Finally, significant differences were found between ASR-YWMS and ASR-OMWS when compared in each subregion. The ASR-YWMS was significantly higher than the ASR-OMWS in all subregions, except for Northern Africa and Western Asia.
Fulltext Management of knowledge and competence through human resource information system-A structured review

Memon KR, Ghani B, Hyder SI, Han H, Zada M, Ariza-Montes A, et al.

Front Psychol, 2022;13:944276.
PMID: 36389544 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.944276

The fourth industrial revolution will be ushered in by future high technology, and as a result, the world will face new difficulties relating to people, the environment, and profitability. Accordingly, the competitive edge and long-term viability of businesses would depend on the knowledge workers who could overcome these excruciatingly difficult obstacles and have the knowledge and competency to influence the overall performance of any type of company. But managing knowledge workers falls under the purview of human resources, and only effective human resources tools, plans, and procedures can ensure the success of this task. One such tool, which has the capacity and capability to change the whole scenario in an organization's favor, is the human resource information system (HRIS). The purpose of this structured review is to provide insight into a field of HRM (i.e., HRIS) that has largely been neglected by other reviews of the literature and has only been briefly discussed by a small number of publications published in reputable, top-tier journals. A customized HRIS framework is the result of this structured literature review for managing knowledge and competence. The study presents the content analysis of 48 articles, systematically and purposefully selected for this literature review, published during the past three decades. The study has several implications for policymakers and HR practitioners.
Isolation and Characterization of Antimicrobial Peptides Isolated from Brevibacillus halotolerans 7WMA2 for the Activity Against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens

Le Han H, Pham PTV, Kim SG, Chan SS, Khoo KS, Chew KW, et al.

Mol Biotechnol, 2023 Dec 02.
PMID: 38042757 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00963-0

Multidrug resistance to pathogens has posed a severe threat to public health. The threat could be addressed by antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with broad-spectrum suppression. In this study, Brevibacillus halotolerans 7WMA2, isolated from marine sediment, produced AMPs against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The AMPs were precipitated by ammonium sulfate 30% (w/v) from culture broth and dialyzed by a 1 kDa membrane. Tryptone Soy Agar (TSA) was used for the cultivation and resulted in the largest bacteria-inhibiting zones under aerobic conditions at 25 °C, 48 h. An SDS-PAGE gel overlay test revealed that strain 7WMA2 could produce AMPs of 5-10 kDa and showed no degradation when held at 121 °C for 30 min at a wide pH 2-12 range. The AMPs did not cause toxicity to HeLa cells with concentrations up to 500 µg/mL while increasing the arbitrary unit up to eight times. The study showed that the AMPs produced were unique, with broad-spectrum antimicrobial ability.
Fulltext The global fatty liver disease Sustainable Development Goal country score for 195 countries and territories

Lazarus JV, Han H, Mark HE, Alqahtani SA, Schattenberg JM, Soriano JB, et al.

Hepatology, 2023 Sep 01;78(3):911-928.
PMID: 37595128 DOI: 10.1097/HEP.0000000000000361

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Fatty liver disease is highly prevalent, resulting in overarching wellbeing and economic costs. Addressing it requires comprehensive and coordinated multisectoral action. We developed a fatty liver disease Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) country score to provide insights into country-level preparedness to address fatty liver disease through a whole-of-society lens.
APPROACH AND RESULTS: We developed 2 fatty liver disease-SDG score sets. The first included 6 indicators (child wasting, child overweight, noncommunicable disease mortality, a universal health coverage service coverage index, health worker density, and education attainment), covering 195 countries and territories between 1990 and 2017. The second included the aforementioned indicators plus an urban green space indicator, covering 60 countries and territories for which 2017 data were available. To develop the fatty liver disease-SDG score, indicators were categorized as "positive" or "negative" and scaled from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate better preparedness levels. Fatty liver disease-SDG scores varied between countries and territories (n = 195), from 14.6 (95% uncertainty interval: 8.9 to 19.4) in Niger to 93.5 (91.6 to 95.3) in Japan; 18 countries and territories scored > 85. Regionally, the high-income super-region had the highest score at 88.8 (87.3 to 90.1) in 2017, whereas south Asia had the lowest score at 44.1 (42.4 to 45.8). Between 1990 and 2017, the fatty liver disease-SDG score increased in all super-regions, with the greatest increase in south Asia, but decreased in 8 countries and territories.
CONCLUSIONS: The fatty liver disease-SDG score provides a strategic advocacy tool at the national and global levels for the liver health field and noncommunicable disease advocates, highlighting the multisectoral collaborations needed to address fatty liver disease, and noncommunicable diseases overall.
Fulltext Impact of Substantive Staging and Communicative Staging of Sustainable Servicescape on Behavioral Intentions of Hotel Customers through Overall Perceived Image: A Case of Boutique Hotels

Khalil-Ur-Rehman, Adnan M, Ahmad N, Scholz M, Khalique M, Naveed RT, et al.

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 08 30;18(17).
PMID: 34501713 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179123

Customers have become very sensitive regarding the innovative evaluation of services. Due to competition in the hospitality industry, it is a challenge for hotel marketers to understand customers' behavior. There is scant research in the hotel industry of Pakistan and especially on boutique hotels. This research seeks to measure the relationship between substantive, communicative elements of the sustainable servicescape and behavioral intentions (word of mouth) in a boutique hotel setting. However, the mediating effect of the overall perceived image is examined between these constructs. Responses of boutique hotel visitors were collected from Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, and Murree. Data were analyzed by using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results display that both substantive and communicative servicescape elements positively affect the perceived image of customers, which has a positive influence on behavioral intentions such as word of mouth (WOM). Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.
Fulltext Influence of Thai Street Food Quality, Price, and Involvement on Traveler Behavioral Intention: Exploring Cultural Difference (Eastern versus Western)

Jeaheng Y, Al-Ansi A, Chua BL, Ngah AH, Ryu HB, Ariza-Montes A, et al.

Psychol Res Behav Manag, 2023;16:223-240.
PMID: 36726699 DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S371806

INTRODUCTION: Gastronomy tourism has become a phenomenal trend of the global tourism industry in the 21st century. As the tourism industry and its related foodservice businesses flourish, street food has received increasing popularity with its combination of local delights and the cultural value of the destination. This study examined the psychology of street food consumption and assessed the effect of street food quality that is represented by the cultural experience, health and safety of the food, food sensory appeal, staff service, physical environment, the meal menus with perceived reasonable prices, involvement in Thai street food, and repurchase intention from an international tourist perspective.
METHODS: A survey method along with a quantitative structural analysis was used.
RESULTS: The findings revealed that Thai street food quality positively and significantly predicted the international tourists' perceived reasonable prices, involvement, and repurchase decisions. Perceived reasonable prices and involvement were found to be important mediators between Thai street food quality and repurchase intentions. Moreover, this research identified the significant moderating role of Eastern and Western cultures.
Two replacement names of the genus group of Micronoctuini and a new species of the genus Tentaxus Han & Kononenko from Sabah, East Malaysia (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Hypenodinae). Taxonomic study of Micronoctuini. Contribution I

Han HL, Kononenko VS

Zootaxa, 2017 Dec 05;4362(2):259-266.
PMID: 29245428 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4362.2.5

Two replacement names of the genus group in Micronoctuini (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Hypenodinae), Tentaxus nom. nov. pro Tentax Fibiger 2011 (unavailable name) and Flaxus nom. nov. pro Flax Fibiger 2011 (unavailable name) are proposed; 43 new conbinations (comb. nov.) are stated. A new species T. zhangweiweii Han & Kononenko, sp. nov. is described from Borneo (Sabah, East Malaysia).
Fulltext Hedonic and Utilitarian Performances as Determinants of Mental Health and Pro-Social Behaviors among Volunteer Tourists

Han H, Meng B, Chua BL, Ryu HB

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 09 10;17(18).
PMID: 32927834 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186594

International volunteer tourism is an emerging and sustainable trend of the global tourism industry. In this study, we attempted to provide a clear comprehension of volunteer tourists' mental health increase and pro-social intention formation. A survey method and quantitative approach were used. Our result from the structural analysis showed that hedonic and utilitarian performances, mental health, and volunteer tourism engagement had significant associations and that these relationships contributed to improving pro-social intention. In addition, results from the metric invariance assessment revealed that the volunteer tourism engagement and pro-social intention relation was under the significant influence of problem awareness and ascribed responsibility. Mental health and engagement acted as significant mediators. The comparative importance of volunteer tourism engagement was uncovered. Overall, our results provided a sufficient understanding of volunteer tourists' pro-social decision-making process and behaviors.
Phosphoinositide 3-kinase δ inactivation prevents vitreous-induced activation of AKT/MDM2/p53 and migration of retinal pigment epithelial cells

Han H, Chen N, Huang X, Liu B, Tian J, Lei H

J Biol Chem, 2019 10 18;294(42):15408-15417.
PMID: 31467081 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.010130

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are a family of lipid kinases that play a critical role in transmitting signals from cell-surface molecules to intracellular protein effectors. Key PI3Ks include PI3Kα, PI3Kβ, and PI3Kδ, which are regulated by receptors. The signaling pathway comprising the PI3Ks, along with a Ser/Thr kinase (AKT), a proto-oncogene product (mouse double minute (MDM)2), and a tumor suppressor protein (p53), plays an essential role in experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), which is a fibrotic blinding eye disorder. However, which PI3K isoforms are involved in PVR is unknown. A major characteristic of PVR is the formation of epi (or sub)-retinal membranes that consist of extracellular matrix and cells, including retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, glial cells, and macrophages. RPE cells are considered key players in PVR pathogenesis. Using immunoblotting and immunofluorescence analyses, we herein provide the evidence that PI3Kδ is highly expressed in human RPEs when it is primarily expressed in leukocytes. We also found that PI3Kδ inactivation through two approaches, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated depletion and a PI3Kδ-specific inhibitor (idelalisib), not only blocks vitreous-induced activation of AKT and MDM2 but also abrogates a vitreous-stimulated decrease in p53. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PI3Kδ inactivation prevents vitreous-induced proliferation, migration, and contraction of human RPEs. These results suggest that PI3Kδ may represent a potential therapeutic target for RPE-related eye diseases, including PVR.
Fulltext Halal Food Performance and Its Influence on Patron Retention Process at Tourism Destination

Han H, Lho LH, Raposo A, Radic A, Ngah AH

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 03 16;18(6).
PMID: 33809470 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18063034

Muslim tourism is one of the most rapidly developing sectors in the international tourism industry. Nevertheless, halal food performance and its relationship with international Muslim traveler decision-making and behaviors have not been sufficiently examined. The present research explored the influence of halal food performance, which encompasses availability, health/nutrition, accreditation, and cleanness/safety/hygiene factors, on the Muslim traveler retention process at a non-Islamic destination. A survey methodology with a quantitative data analytic approach was employed to achieve research goals. Our findings indicated that halal food performance increased destination trust and destination attachment, which in turn influenced Muslim traveler retention. Additionally, the efficacy of the higher-order framework of halal food performance was defined. Both destination trust and attachment mediated the effect of halal food performance on retention. A halal-friendly destination image included a moderating influence on the retention process. The effectiveness of the proposed theoretical framework for explicating Muslim traveler behaviors was uncovered. This research better introduces the importance of halal food performance and its attributes for the elicitation of Muslim traveler approach responses and behaviors at a non-Islamic destination to researchers and practitioners.
Fulltext Capilliposide B blocks VEGF-induced angiogenesis in vitro in primary human retinal microvascular endothelial cells

Han H, Yang Y, Wu Z, Liu B, Dong L, Deng H, et al.

Biomed Pharmacother, 2021 Jan;133:110999.
PMID: 33227710 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110999

Abnormal angiogenesis is associated with intraocular diseases such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy and neovascular age-related macular degeneration, and current therapies for these eye diseases are not satisfactory. The purpose of this study was to determine whether capilliposide B (CPS-B), a novel oleanane triterpenoid saponin derived from Lysimachia capillipes Hemsl, can inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced angiogenesis signaling events and cellular responses in primary human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRECs). Our study revealed that the capilliposide B IC50 for HRECs was 8.5 μM at 72 h and that 1 μM capilliposide B specifically inhibited VEGF-induced activation of VEGFR2 and its downstream signaling enzymes Akt and Erk. In addition, we discovered that this chemical effectively blocked VEGF-stimulated proliferation, migration and tube formation of the HRECs, suggesting that capilliposide B is a promising prophylactic for angiogenesis-associated diseases such as proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Effects of reaction conditions on the emission behaviors of arsenic, cadmium and lead during sewage sludge pyrolysis

Han H, Hu S, Syed-Hassan SSA, Xiao Y, Wang Y, Xu J, et al.

Bioresour Technol, 2017 Jul;236:138-145.
PMID: 28399417 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2017.03.112

Sewage sludge is an important class of bioresources whose energy content could be exploited using pyrolysis technology. However, some harmful trace elements in sewage sludge can escape easily to the gas phase during pyrolysis, increasing the potential of carcinogenic material emissions to the atmosphere. This study investigates emission characteristics of arsenic, cadmium and lead under different pyrolysis conditions for three different sewage sludge samples. The increased temperature (within 723-1123K) significantly promoted the cadmium and lead emissions, but its influence on arsenic emission was not pronounced. The releasing rate order of the three trace elements is volatile arsenic compounds>cadmium>lead in the beginning of pyrolysis. Fast heating rates promoted the emission of trace elements for the sludge containing the highest amount of ash, but exhibited an opposite effect for other studied samples. Overall, the high ash sludge released the least trace elements almost under all reaction conditions.
Fulltext Chalcomoracin is a potent anticancer agent acting through triggering Oxidative stress via a mitophagy- and paraptosis-dependent mechanism

Han H, Chou CC, Li R, Liu J, Zhang L, Zhu W, et al.

Sci Rep, 2018 06 22;8(1):9566.
PMID: 29934599 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-27724-3

Chalocomoracin (CMR), one of the major secondary metabolites found in fungus-infected mulberry leaves, is a potent anticancer agent. However, its anticancer mechanism remains elusive. Here, we demonstrated the potent anti-tumor activity and molecular mechanism of CMR both in vitro and in vivo. We showed for the first time that CMR treatment markedly promoted paraptosis along with extensive cytoplasmic vacuolation derived from the endoplasmic reticulum, rather than apoptosis, in PC-3 and MDA-MB-231cell lines. Additional studies revealed that ectopic expression of Myc-PINK1 (PTEN-induced kinase 1), a key regulator of mitophagy, rendered LNCap cells susceptible to CMR-induced paraptosis, suggesting that the mitophagy-dependent pathway plays a crucial role in inducing paraptosis by activating PINK1. CMR treatment directly upregulated PINK1 and downregulated Alix genes in MDA-MB-231 and PC-3 cell lines. Furthermore, mitophagy signaling and paraptosis with cytoplasmic vacuolation could be blocked by antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), indicating the novel pathway was triggered by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. An in vivo MDA-MB-231 xenograft tumor model revealed that CMR suppressed tumor growth by inducing vacuolation production through the same signal changes as those observed in vitro. These data suggest that CMR is a potential therapeutic entity for cancer treatment through a non-apoptotic pathway.
On-Demand Ligand-Base DNA Sensor with Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Han H, Sabani NB, Nobusawa K, Takei F, Nakatani K, Yamashita I

Anal Chem, 2023 Jul 04;95(26):9729-9733.
PMID: 37341999 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c01126

We have developed a DNA sensor that can be finalized to detect a specific target on demand. The electrode surface was modified with 2,7-diamino-1,8-naphthyridine (DANP), a small molecule with nanomolar affinity for the cytosine bulge structure. The electrode was immersed in a solution of synthetic probe-DNA that had a cytosine bulge structure at one end and a complementary sequence to the target DNA at the other end. The strong binding between the cytosine bulge and DANP anchored the probe DNAs to the electrode surface, and the electrode became ready for target DNA sensing. The complementary sequence portion of the probe DNA can be changed as requested, allowing for the detection of a wide variety of targets. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with the modified electrode detected target DNAs with a high sensitivity. The charge transfer resistance (Rct) extracted from EIS showed a logarithmic relationship with the concentration of target DNA. The limit of detection (LoD) was less than 0.01 μM. By this method, highly sensitive DNA sensors for various target sequences could be easily produced.
Fulltext The Post-Coronavirus World in the International Tourism Industry: Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Safer Destination Choices in the Case of US Outbound Tourism

Han H, Al-Ansi A, Chua BL, Tariq B, Radic A, Park SH

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 Sep 06;17(18).
PMID: 32899942 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186485

The tourism industry has been seriously suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis ever since its outbreak. Given this pandemic situation, the major aim of this study is to develop a conceptual framework that clearly explains the US international tourists' post-pandemic travel behaviors by expanding the theory of planned behavior (TPB). By utilizing a quantitative process, the TPB was successfully broadened by incorporating the travelers' perceived knowledge of COVID-19, and it has been deepened by integrating the psychological risk. Our theoretical framework sufficiently accounted for the US tourists' post-pandemic travel intentions for safer international destinations. In addition, the perceived knowledge of COVID-19 contributed to boosting the prediction power for the intentions. The associations among the subjective norm, the attitude, and the intentions are under the significant influence of the tourists' psychological risks regarding international traveling. The comparative criticality of the subjective norm is found. Overall, the findings of this study considerably enhanced our understanding of US overseas tourists' post-pandemic travel decision-making processes and behaviors.
Work stress, technological changes, and job insecurity in the retail organization context

Ghani B, Memon KR, Han H, Ariza-Montes A, Arjona-Fuentes JM

Front Psychol, 2022;13:918065.
PMID: 36483719 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.918065

The study intends to investigate the relationship between work stress and job insecurity, as well as technological changes and job insecurity, with job satisfaction acting as a mediator. The study was conducted among Pakistani retail industry employees using survey questionnaires distributed online and in stores. The sample was composed of 262 retail workers from the FMCG and shopping mall industries. The responses were screened using the statistical software tool SPSS, and hypotheses were examined through SMART-PLS. The findings show that work stress has a strong relationship with job insecurity; additionally, the relationship appears to be statistically significant (β = 55.7%, p < 0.05), indicating that there is an increased level of job insecurity if work stress is increased. However, technological advancements showed less influence on job insecurity and had statistically insignificant results (β = 5.9%, p > 0.05). This demonstrates that many technological changes cause high levels of job insecurity because employees fear that they will be unable to cope with the changing environment. Furthermore, the mediating mechanism of job satisfaction was found to be significant, as employees with lower levels of satisfaction reported higher levels of insecurity, aiding in the narrowing of the gap in this section of the study. The study also has practical implications because the results show that the retail industry needs to act quickly to make sure workers do not worry about losing their jobs, especially now that COVID-19 is spreading like wildfire.

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