Despite the booming market of fresh food, the fresh e-commerce platform holds only a limited market share, owing to the lack of habitual usage of these platforms. This article explores the determinants of purchase intention when using a fresh e-commerce platform. The integrated technology acceptance model (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology [UTAUT]) is employed as the framework. A questionnaire survey was conducted and is analyzed using the structural equation model. We find that both performance expectancy and social influence have a significantly positive effect on consumers’ purchase intention using fresh e-commerce platforms, while perceived risk has a significantly negative effect. Perceived trust plays a mediating role between performance expectancy and purchase intention, social influence and purchase intention, as well as perceived risk and purchase intention. In addition, food safety awareness is a moderator between perceived trust and purchase intention.

Stomal cells derived from Wharton's jelly of human umbilical cord (WJMSCs) are considered as the potential therapeutic agents for regeneration and are getting famous for stem cell banking. Our study aims to evaluate the effects of gestational diabetes on proliferation capacity and viability of WJMSCs. Mesenchymal stromal cells were isolated from Wharton's jelly of human umbilical cords from normal and gestational diabetic (DWJMSCs) mothers. Growth patterns of both types of cells were analyzed through MTT assay and population doubling time. Cell survival, cell death and glucose utilization were estimated through trypan blue exclusion assay, LDH assay and glucose detection assay respectively. Angiogenic ability was evaluated by immunocytochemistry and ELISA for VEGF A. Anti-cancerous potential was analyzed on HeLa cells. DWJMSCs exhibited low proliferative rate, increased population doubling time, reduced cell viability and increased cell death. Interestingly, DWJMSCs were found to have a reduced glucose utilization and anti-cancerous ability while enhanced angiogenic ability. Gestational diabetes induces adverse effects on growth, angiogenic and anti-cancerous potential of WJMSCs.

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyze the effect of the relationship between trust in top management (TTM) and trust in immediate supervisor (TIS), who was organizational project manager in our case, on perceived organizational performance in Pakistani public and private project-based organizations (PBOs). Design/methodology/approach -The survey (N ¼ 108) was done using a questionnaire that was sent to project managers in the selected PBOs in Pakistan with a request to forward it to their immediate subordinates. Later, established statistical techniques (correlation and regression analyses) and gray incidence analysis models were applied to test the hypotheses. Findings -The results from both methods reveal that TTM was more strongly correlated to perceived organizational performance of PBOs and, in general, public sector employees are more trusted than private sector employees. The gray method revealed that in both private and public PBOs, trust in project manager is greater predictor of perceived organizational performance, while statistical analysis confirmed this only for private sector PBOs. According to statistical analysis, the public sector employees who trust their top management are more likely to have good perception of the organizational performance. Later, the study argues that because of the proven superiority of gray methods over statistics on small samples, the results obtained from gray method should be used for decision making and implications. Originality/value -The study is pioneer in evaluating the association between TIS and TTM in PBOs using both statistical and gray systems methods.

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With exponential rise of social media, marketers identify the power and effectiveness of influencer's advertising on social networking site (SNS). Despite comprehensive understanding of the effects of influencers, their outreach to large audience is yet to be addressed. In this article, we have investigated the effects of fashion influencers on consumers' decision-making processes and their content outreach on Instagram by embracing new behavioral consumption model 'dual AISAS model', which is upgraded version of AISAS Model. It is based on theoretical grounding theory of buying behavior and multi-step flow theory. Both offline and online surveys were conducted involving 969 Pakistan Instagram users following digital influencers. Valid data was assessed and analyzed through structural equation modeling. Our findings demonstrate that every path in dual AISAS model is found significant and have profound effect. It reveals that fashion influencers exert powerful influence on consumers' decision-making process. Being so influential, they grab the consumers' attention immediately, engage them, and get wider outreach by upturn in consumer intention in order to spread the fashion content within private networks as well as extended networks. The findings hold robust implications to both theory and practice. Some limitations of the present study offer boulevards to future scholars.