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Chemical Characterization and Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antiacetylcholinesterase and Antiproliferation Properties of Salvia fruticosa Miller Extracts
No full textInternational audienceThe Salvia fruticosa (Mill.) is the most medicinal plant used in Lebanon. The aim of this study is to investigate the phytochemical composition and the biological activities (in vitro) of its extracts. The plant was extracted by cold maceration with four solvents presenting an increasing polarity: cyclohexane (CHX), dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanol (MeOH). The extracts were screened for their chemical composition by a HPLC-DAD detector for phenolic compounds identification and quantification and by GC-MS for volatile compounds detection. The antioxidant capacity (DPPH inhibition) was tested. Biological activities, mainly anti-Alzheimer activity (acetylcholinesterase inhibition), the antiproliferation of two human colon cancer cell lines (HCT-116 and Caco-2 cells) and antibacterial activity, were evaluated. Ten aromatic compounds were quantified by HPLC-DAD analysis. A total of 123 compounds were detected by GC-MS analysis. The MeOH extract showed a very interesting antioxidant activity with an inhibition percentage (IP) of 76.1% and an IC50 of 19.4 μg/mL. The EtOAc extract exhibited the strongest inhibition against the acetylcholinesterase activity (IP = 60.6%) at 50 μg/mL. It also strongly inhibited the proliferation of the HCT-116 cells (IP = 87.5%), whereas the DCM extract gave the best result with the Caco-2 cells (IP = 72.3%). The best antibacterial activity was obtained with the MeOH extract against Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 1.2 μg/mL) and with the EtOAc extract against Escherichia coli (MIC = 2.4 μg/mL). This study highlights the chemical composition and therapeutic potential of S. fruticosa. It is important to mention that the following chemical compounds were identified for the first time in plant extracts: 2,6,11,15-tetramethyl-hexadeca-2,6,8,10,14-pentaene; 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroxy-1,8,8,9-tetramethyl-8,9-dihydrophenaleno [1,2-b]furan-3-one; podocarpa-1,8,11,13-tetraen-3-one,14-isopropyl-1,13-dimethoxy; podocarpa-8,11,13-trien-3-one,12-hydroxy-13-isopropyl-,acetate; 3′,8,8′-trimethoxy-3-piperidin-1-yl-2,2′-binaphthyl-1,1′,4,4′-tetrone; and 2,3-dehydroferruginol, thus underlining the originality of this study
ANALYSIS OF THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF TEAM LEADERS IN EXTREME IRAQI CONTEXT
No full textInternational audienceThis study analyzes how team leaders adapt their management style in extreme contexts, such as Iraq, where social tensions remain high. The study employs the High Leader-Member Exchange (H-LMX) theory, which posits that the quality of the exchange relationship between leaders and team members affects commitment and effectiveness. Through qualitative research, the study reveals a high level of LMX in wartime Iraq, where interviewees, who were leaders in their organizations, shared their experiences of the primary responsibilities they faced without support from supervisors during extreme events. Despite the dramatic context, the impact of leaders on their teams was key to achieving successful operations and performance
Addressing Business Process Deviations through the Evaluation of Alternative Pattern-Based Models
No full textInternational audienceBusiness processes (BPs) have become extremely complex with thousands of tasks to be completed. These processes should be modelled to manage their complexity, but deviations from these models can occur during execution. To account for the potential outcomes, models are often over-specified, but in fact, it is impossible to anticipate every scenario. Therefore, the issue of how to model the response to these problems arises. The approach put forward in this study entails the creation of a primary model with the aid of domain experts. If a deviation occurs during execution, the system searches for compatible patterns in a collaborative library of workflows, rather than relying on dedicated solutions for specific problems. Nevertheless, the main challenges lie in selecting the most appropriate set of candidates from a vast number of patterns, as well as identifying the optimal injection points on the primary model to correct the deviation. One main objective is to rapidly eliminate incompatible patterns by employing simple mathematical techniques to narrow down the pool of candidate solutions. This serves to minimize the number of patterns that should be considered where more sophisticated methods can then be utilized to rank and select the best solution from this smaller set
Mortality rate after coronary revascularization in heart failure patients with coronary artery disease
No full textInternational audienceAimsCoronary artery disease (CAD) is a common cause of heart failure (HF). It remains unclear who, when and why to direct towards coronary revascularization. The outcomes of coronary revascularization in HF patients are still a matter of debate nowadays. This study aims to evaluate the effect of revascularization strategy on all-cause of death in the context of ischaemic HF.Methods and resultsAn observational cohort was conducted on 692 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography at the University Hospital of Toulouse between January 2018 and December 2021 for either a recent diagnosis of HF or a decompensated chronic HF, and in whom coronary angiograms showed at least 50% obstructive coronary lesion. The study population was divided into two groups according to the performance or not of a coronary revascularization procedure. The living status (alive or dead) of each of the study's participants was observed by April 2022. Seventy-three per cent of the study population underwent coronary revascularization either by percutaneous coronary intervention (66.6%) or coronary artery bypass grafting (6.2%). Baseline characteristics including age, sex and cardiovascular risk factors did not differ between the invasive and conservative groups, respectively. Death occurred in 162 study participants resulting in an all-cause mortality rate of 23.5%; 26.7% of observed deaths have occurred in the conservative group versus 22.2% in the invasive group (P = 0.208). No difference in survival outcomes has been observed over a mean follow-up period of 2.5 years (P = 0.140) even after stratification by HF categories (P = 0.132) or revascularization modalities (P = 0.366).ConclusionsFindings from the present study showed comparable all-cause mortality rates between groups. Coronary revascularization does not modify short-term survival outcomes in HF patients compared with optimal medical therapy alone outside the setting of acute coronary syndrome
Multiculturalism and Entrepreneurial Expansion
No full textInternational audienceThe social environment plays an important role in forming an individual's ex-ante entrepreneurial experience. Living in a socially diverse environment compels people to be more open toward other communities and their practices. This study is based on revealing the correlation between the fast and multinational Lebanese entrepreneurial expansion and Lebanese social diversity, where cognitive cultural intelligence represents an important part of the ex-ante entrepreneurial experiences. A linear regression was established to analyse the following four topics: the correlation between cognitive cultural identity and adaptation capabilities and business flexibility; the correlation between cognitive cultural identity and the perception of new opportunities; the correlation between cognitive cultural identity and lower entrepreneurial costs; and the link between cognitive cultural identity and faster application accomplishment. The latter revelations are evaluated based on the Lebanese foreign expansion influenced by the country's extremely diverse social environment. An adapted form of the endogenous growth theory was introduced to fit into the study's approach toward the topic in question. Copyright \textcopyright 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd
The Determinants of Profitability in Non-Financial UK SMEs
No full textInternational audiencePurpose: The purpose of this study is to examine determinants of profitability of non-financial firms listed small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK from 2012 till 2020. It has been argued that profitability plays a key role in economic development and growth. Despite the important role that SMEs play in developed economies like UK, academic research into SMEs profitability determinants in developed countries is not extensive. Design/methodology/approach: The methodologies used include dynamic panel data estimation techniques. Relationship of nine independent variables with profitability was examined. Two models are created using return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) as dependent variables. Size, age, efficiency, working capital, liquidity, leverage and volatility of the firm represent firm-specific independent variables. Two macroeconomic variables, namely, gross domestic product and inflation are also used as independent variables. Data obtained from Thomson Reuters Data Stream for 93 listed SMEs companies in the UK from 2012 to 2020. Fixed effects, random effects and generalized method of moments were used in data analysis. Findings: All variables showed significant influence on profitability, except liquidity reflecting insignificant impact on profitability in two regression models conducted for 93 firms under study. Efficiency, liquidity and leverage are the only three independent variables with similar impact on both ROA and ROE. Practical implications: Identifying determinants of profitability will help stakeholders and corporate executive make sound decisions to ensure sustainability and stability at the firm level. This is particularly important given the key role played by SMEs in economic development and growth. The findings of this study would help direct financial management practices to ensure a favorable sustainable organizational performance. Originality/value: This study differs from previous studies that focused mainly on developing countries; with limited research conducted on profitability of SMEs in developed economies. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study to examine factors influencing profitability of SMEs in UK. Previous studies concentrated on service sector like insurance and hotel firms. \textcopyright 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited
Low-Fidelity Approach for Contoured Nozzle Design
No full textInternational audienceCreating a supersonic jet in the laboratory is both a challenging and an expensive task. The supersonic flow is sensitive to the shape of the wall bounding it because a shock could be developed at the sharp edges. Moreover, the growth of boundary layer, within and outside the nozzle, makes the design of a convergent-divergent nozzle a sophisticated work. The present work proposes an optimization algorithm that is believed to be efficient in constructing a nozzle contour to deliver a shock-free radially uniform flow at the exit plane. The steepest descent optimization technique is employed to obtain the shape with minimum radial velocity at the outlet, along with restriction on the inlet angle, i.e., the angle of divergence immediately downstream the throat. Three different ways of implementing the constraints are discussed and compared with the experimental results after fabricating the nozzle. The optimized nozzle shows a potential core of 7 throat diameters height at the nozzle exit and an axial extent of 28 throat diameters downstream the exit plane. Further, the nozzle appears to operate efficiently even after increasing the nominal total temperature by 25% or decreasing it by 50%
Responsible leaders and hrm challenges in an extreme context in Iraq nowadays
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Winning Hearts and Minds: The Charismatic Leader's Role in SME Productivity
No full textInternational audiencePurpose: This study focuses on exploring charismatic leadership within Lebanese Information Technology (IT) small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and its influence on productivity. Through an in-depth analysis of the charismatic qualities and behaviors exhibited by leaders in these organizations, this research aims to delineate how such attributes may shape productivity levels. This study aims to deepen our understanding of leadership dynamics within the context of Lebanese IT SMEs, providing essential insights that can contribute to the enhancement of organizational performance and success. Design/methodology/approach: This fundamental research used a quantitative approach and a purposive sampling method to select 342 Lebanese IT SMEs for primary data collection through a survey. Statistical regression analysis was then applied to treat the collected data. Findings: The findings of this study reveal a positive correlation between charismatic leadership and increased innovation behavior among group or board members. This correlation can be strengthened by fostering a sense of ownership toward innovation and by ensuring a healthy work-life balance. Furthermore, the creation of an environment that emphasizes open communication and trust can enhance this correlation. Practical implications: The implications of these findings are significant for organizations seeking to enhance their innovation capabilities. They suggest that investing in the development of charismatic leadership skills can be a valuable strategy for fostering innovation and creativity. Originality/value: This study offers a unique and practical assessment of the role that charismatic leadership plays in maintaining resilient firm structures, especially during periods of political and economic instability. \textcopyright 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited
Hustle and Influence: The Dynamics of Illicit Small Business and Political Connections
No full textInternational audiencePurpose: This study aims to explore the political dimension of social network theory and assess how these connections motivate entrepreneurial activity and enhance postentry stages. The authors take an individualistic approach to the topic of institutional deterioration by uncovering the potential opportunities it can create, as entrepreneurship often arises when a market opportunity is perceived. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a quantitative approach, using a self-selection sampling method to target private entities that own electric generators (also known as ``illicit SMEs'') who are providing electricity services to the community despite the deterioration of the public energy sector in Lebanon. Data was collected through a survey administered electronically to 230 illicit SMEs, using a judgmental sampling method to ensure representation from all Lebanese governorates. The collected data was analyzed using ordinal least squares regression models. Findings: The findings indicate a significant relationship between institutional deterioration and the reinvestment rate of entrepreneurs, with the moderating effect of political connections suggesting that the impact of institutional deterioration is dependent on the strength of an entrepreneur's political connections. Practical implications: The research findings demonstrate the significant influence of social ties and political connections on entrepreneurial activities, particularly in the context of SMEs that are providing services ``illegally''. These results shed light on the importance of considering the role of social and political factors in the success and sustainability of entrepreneurial ventures operating in challenging environments. Originality/value: Entrepreneurial studies typically focus on free market platforms and supply-demand associations, assuming perfect government conditions. However, this study differs from previous research by highlighting the positive impact of social ties on entrepreneurial market access within a socially linked environment. The findings suggest the importance of considering social connections in entrepreneurial studies, particularly in challenging economic and political contexts. \textcopyright 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited