In the digital economy era, small service business struggle to compete in a rapidly changing and dynamic market. Therefore, through digital transformation (DT), small service business seek to increase their competitive advantage, improve business performance, and achieve business growth. Having limited resources and capabilities, small service business must deal with several barriers and challenges. This study aims to discover the barriers, and the roles of government, for digital transformation in small service business. This study applied a qualitative approach involving semi-structured in-depth interviews with top management of small service business. Then, we employed the content analysis method to examine interview data and construct a model. This research reveals four main barriers to digital transformation in small service business: lack of funding, lack of digital capability, lack of human resources, and technical barriers. We found there are four government roles for supporting digital transformation in small service business: build a digital platform for small service business, promote mobile/digital payment, provide digital training, and build a digital collaboration ecosystem. Additionally, based on this study’s findings, a model for barriers and government support of digital transformation in small service business is presented. This study contributes to the conceptual framework and management implications in the digital transformation field. The study’s findings provide insights to practitioners and suggest that the government could alter the current policies and programs to support digital transformation in small service business.

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Diaporisoindoles A (1) and B (2), two novel isoprenylisoindole alkaloids, and an unusual diisoprenylisoindole dimer diaporisoindole C (3), together with a precursor tenellone C (4) were all isolated from the endophytic fungus Diaporthe sp. SYSU-HQ3. The absolute configurations of 1-4 were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, X-ray diffraction, and quantum chemical calculations. Diaporisoindole A (1) and tenellone C (4) exhibited inhibitory activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein tyrosine phosphatase B with IC values of 4.2 and 5.2 μM.

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Intranasal dexmedetomidine provides more successful sedation and better quality of ophthalmic examinations than oral chloral hydrate for small children.

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BackgroundWalnut (Juglans regia L.), that belongs to the Juglandaceae family, is one of the nuts commonly found in Chinese diets. Researchers had obtained peptides from walnut protein hydrolysates, and these peptides exhibited the high antioxidant activities. The objective of this study was to develop a simple and convenient method for a facile and reproducible preparation of antioxidant peptides from walnut protein hydrolysates.ResultsWalnut proteins were extracted from walnut kernels using continuous countercurrent extraction process, and were separately hydrolyzed with six types of proteases (neutrase, papain, bromelain, alcalase, pepsin, and pancreatin). Then, hydrolysates were purified by ultrafiltration. The yields and purity of the peptides prepared using neutrase and papain were 16 and 81 % at least, respectively, higher than others, and had low molecular weight, 99 % of which were less than 1500 Da. Furthermore, the bioassay indicated that the two peptides exhibited the high antioxidant activities in the DPPH (IC50 values: 59.40 and 31.02 µg/mL, respectively), ABTS (IC50 values: 80.36 and 62.22 µg/mL, respectively), and superoxide radical scavenging assay (IC50 values: 107.47 and 80.00 µg/mL, respectively).ConclusionsThe method combines the advantages of generality, rapidity, simplicity, and is useful for the mass production of walnut peptides.Graphical AbstractPreparation of antioxidant peptides from walnut (Juglans regia L.) protein hydrolysates

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