Locally Linear Embedding Orthogonal Projection to Latent Structure

Quality variables are measured much less frequently and usually with a significant time delay by comparison with the measurement of process variables. Monitoring process variables and their associated quality variables is essential undertaking as it can lead to potential hazards that may cause system shutdowns and thus possibly huge economic losses. Maximum correlation was extracted between quality variables and process variables by partial least squares analysis (PLS) (Kruger et al. 2001; Song et al. 2004; Li et al. 2010; Hu et al. 2013; Zhang et al. 2015).

The Impact of Interactivity, Perceived Effectiveness, Trust, and Experiential Marketing on Online Transportation Customer Loyalty

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of interactivity, perceived effectiveness, trust, and experiential marketing on online transportation customers' loyalty in Indonesia. This study surveyed 264 online transportation customers. Purposive sampling was used to recruit respondents. Partial Least Squares analysis was used to analyze the data in three steps, including inner model analysis, outer model analysis, and hypothesis testing. The hypothesis testing supported seven of the nine hypotheses proposed. The findings of this study indicate that interaction is a significant predictor of online transportation consumer loyalty. The report also discusses the implications of the results and the direction for further research.

Partial Least Squares Analysis of Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers, Modifiable Health Variables, and Cognition in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment

ABSTRACT Objectives: To identify novel associations between modifiable physical and health variables, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers, and cognitive function in a cohort of older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Methods: Metrics of cardiometabolic risk, stress, inflammation, neurotrophic/growth factors, AD, and cognition were assessed in 154 MCI participants (Mean age = 74.1 years) from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Partial Least Squares analysis was employed to examine associations among these physiological variables and cognition. Results: Latent variable 1 revealed a unique combination of AD biomarkers, neurotrophic/growth factors, education, and stress that were significantly associated with specific domains of cognitive function, including episodic memory, executive function, processing speed, and language, representing 45.2% of the cross-block covariance in the data. Age, body mass index, and metrics tapping basic attention or premorbid IQ were not significant. Conclusions: Our data-driven analysis highlights the significant relationships between metrics associated with AD pathology, neuroprotection, and neuroplasticity, primarily with tasks tapping episodic memory, executive function, processing speed, and verbal fluency rather than more basic tasks that do not require mental manipulation (basic attention and vocabulary). These data also indicate that biological metrics are more strongly associated with episodic memory, executive function, and processing speed than chronological age in older adults with MCI.

In COVID-19, NLRP3 inflammasome genetic variants are associated with critical disease and these effects are partly mediated by the sickness symptom complex: a nomothetic network approach.

Background: In COVID-19, the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Acute infections are accompanied by a sickness symptom complex (SSC) which is a highly conserved symptom complex that protects against infections and hyperinflammation. Aims: To examine the associations of COVID-19, SSC and the NLPR3 rs10157379 T>C and NLPR3 rs10754558 C>G SNV variants; and the protective role of SSC in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 infection. Methods: We recruited COVID-19 patients, 308 with critical, 63 with moderate and 157 with mild disease. Results: Increased SSC protects against SARS, critical disease, and death due to COVID-19. Increasing age, male sex and rs10754558 CG significantly predict reduced SSC protection. The rs10157379 CT and rs10754558 GG genotypes are positively associated with SARS. Partial Least Squares analysis shows a) that 41.8% of the variance in critical COVID-19 symptoms could be explained by SSC and oxygen saturation (inversely associated), and inflammation, chest computed tomography abnormalities, increased body mass index, SARS and age (positively associated); and b) the effects of the NLRP3 rs10157379 and rs10754558 variants on critical COVID-19 are mediated via SSC (protective) and SARS (detrimental). SSC includes anosmia, dysgeusia and gastrointestinal symptoms. Conclusions: Intersections among the rs10754558 variant, age, and sex increase risk towards critical COVID-19 by attenuating SSC. NLRP3 variants play an important role in SARS, and severe and critical COVID-19 especially in individuals with reduced SSC, elderly people, and those with increased BMI, hypertension, and diabetes type 2. SSC is a new drug target to combat acute COVID-19.

The Nexus between Tourism Activities and Environmental Degradation: Romanian Tourists’ Opinions

This paper aims to analyse the nexus between tourism activities, including tourists’ circulation, accommodation or entertainment, and environmental degradation. Consequently, the conceptual framework captures the complexity of the nexus between tourism and the environment, given that tourism activities can be performed by tourists or for tourists and that tourism depends on the environmental quality, and, consequently, we highlight the impact of tourism activities on biodiversity loss through the pollution effects that they generate, i.e., air pollution, water pollution, or noise pollution, as well as their contribution to waste increase or to the depletion of natural resources. To achieve this goal, we apply structural equation modelling based on partial least squares analysis (PLS). The results based on tourists’ opinions highlight the existence of a direct and significant nexus between tourists’ activities and environmental degradation, with many implications and consequences.

The Effects of the Social Influence Approach on Swift Guanxi, Trust and Repurchase Intention When Considering Buyer Dependence

This study explores how social influence approaches alter buyer–seller swift guanxi, trust in the seller and repurchase intention when considering the influence of buyer dependence. Based on the results of an online survey in three cities of Taiwan, we empirically test the research model using partial least squares analysis. We found that buyer dependence exerts different but positive effects on each social influence approach usage and only the identification approach contributes to buyer–seller swift guanxi, trust in the seller and repurchase intention. The buyer–seller swift guanxi also mediates the effects of the identification approach and trust in the seller on repurchase intention. This study clarifies the role of buyer dependence on the seller’s social influence approaches and buyer–seller swift guanxi in the online C2C marketplace context. A seller should exploit buyer dependence, learn how to use each social influence approach and develop close buyer-seller swift guanxi, then repurchase intention can be secured.

Development of a Bioelectronic Tongue Modified with Gold Nanoparticles for Dairy Analysis

The objective of this work was to create an all-solid-state potentiometric bioelectronic tongue with an array of polymeric membrane-based sensors, which could then be used in the dairy sector. Membranes were modified with gold nanoparticles, and enzymes were covalently linked to the sensor’s surface to create an array of sensors with greater sensitivity. The responses of the sensors modified with gold nanoparticles and covalently associated enzymes, showed higher sensitivities. Moreover, the developed bioelectronic tongue was able to perform the discrimination of milks with different nutritional characteristics by applying principal component analysis. In addition, the results obtained showed that by applying partial least squares analysis, the system could be used as a prediction system for different chemical parameters (such as acidity, proteins, lactose, etc.).

The Two Minds of Non-Work-Related Computing in the Workplace

As information technology (IT) advances and grows in its capabilities, employees are willing to find even more novel ways to fulfill non-work purposes while at work. Non-work-related computing (NWRC), defined as employees’ non-sanctioned personal use of the IT resources in their workplace, has attracted a fair amount of attention. In order to understand why NWRC behavior often occurs, this study adopted a dual approach considering two aspects of human nature: automatic and reflective decision-making systems. Drawing on dual thinking processes, our study aims to examine the relationships among the following: habit as a trigger of automatic thinking, neutralization as a trigger of reflective thinking, and employees’ NWRC behavior in the workplace. Our model posits that employees’ NWRC is influenced by both habit and neutralization. Survey data collected from 176 employees of several banks in Mongolia were used to test our model by using partial least squares analysis. This study found that both habit and neutralization have significant impacts on NWRC. By conducting mediated regression techniques, we also found that neutralization partially mediates the relationship between habit/neutralization and NWRC. In addition to identifying the mediating role of neutralization, the results imply that it is important to prevent NWRC from becoming habitual and to make employees internalize the importance of compliance with internet use policy.