Browsing by Author "Hu Y"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Accounting students’ online engagement, choice of course delivery format and their effects on academic performance
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2023-09-24) Hu Y; Nath N; Zhu Y; Laswad F
    This study examines the effects of synchronous and non-synchronous online engagement on the academic performance of accounting students at a New Zealand university based on their choice of course delivery format – either distance learning or face-to-face learning with online components (F2F+). We track accounting students as they complete three financial accounting courses over three consecutive years. Drawing on social constructivism theory, we find that both synchronous and non-synchronous student online engagement are positively related to their academic performance, and this positive effect varies across assessment types. The positive effect of synchronous online engagement on student performance is more pronounced when students choose to learn via F2F+ rather than via distance learning. Further analyses show that the positive effect persists among students with different characteristics. These findings highlight the useful role of student online engagement in learning and provide support for universities to allow students to choose their preferred course delivery format.
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    Fibrillisation of faba bean protein isolate by thermosonication for process efficacy: Microstructural characteristics, assembly behaviour, and physicochemical properties
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2024-09) Hu Y; Cheng L; Gilbert EP; Loo TS; Lee SJ; Harrison J; Yang Z
    The effect of thermosonication (TS) (90 °C, 10–30 min) on the fibrillisation of faba bean protein isolate (FPI) was studied. The self-assembly behaviour, microstructural characteristics and techno-functional (gelation and emulsification) properties of FPI fibrils obtained from TS treatment were compared with those obtained from conventional prolonged heating (CH) at 90 °C up to 8 h. Compared to CH treatment, TS treatment was shown to significantly accelerate the formation of FPI fibrils with prominent β-sheet structures as revealed by Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and circular dichroism (CD). The characteristics of fibril building blocks were analysed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and liquid chromatography linked to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to obtain the differences between TS and CH induced fibrillisation of FPI. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) showed that 4 h CH and 10 min TS treatments resulted in the fibrils with similar radius (from 5 to 10 nm). Furthermore, SANS indicated that TS treatment induced the formation of an entangled FPI fibrillar network, which could lead to the observed viscoelastic properties of FPI at a high concentration (10 wt%). Finally, high internal phase O/W emulsions (HIPE, φ = 0.75) stabilised by 30 min TS induced FPI fibrils (3 wt%) demonstrated a stronger gel strength and smaller oil droplet size compared to those prepared with untreated FPI, suggesting a superior emulsification capability of FPI fibrils. This finding demonstrates that TS treatment is a promising and efficient method for fibrillisation of plant proteins with the resultant fibrils generating excellent gelation and emulsification properties.
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    Formation and characterisation of concentrated emulsion gels stabilised by faba bean protein isolate and its applications for 3D food printing
    (Elsevier BV, 2023-08-20) Hu Y; Cheng L; Lee SJ; Yang Z
    Concentrated emulsions were prepared at a fixed oil concentration (50 wt%) using faba bean protein isolates (FPI) as an emulsifier and texturizer. Effects of FPI concentration (1, 3 and 5 wt%; at pH7), pH (pH 3, 5, 7, and 9; 3 wt%) and addition of salts (200 mM NaCl and 40 mM CaCl2; at 3 wt% FPI and pH 7) on the emulsion formation were studied. The oil droplet size and microstructural characteristics were examined by static light scattering and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and the viscoelastic behaviours of emulsions were characterised by oscillatory rheology. At all different FPI concentrations, the emulsions formed viscoelastic gels with different gel strengths and stability due to network formation and interactions between jammed oil droplets and protein aggregates. The oil droplet size, rheological properties, and 3D printability of emulsions were not significantly changed by the presence of salts. The storage modulus G′ (1 Hz) values were higher at higher FPI concentrations, and higher pH values (i.e., pH 7 and 9) as the droplet size was smaller and the droplet packing was more compact, resulting in a better 3D printing performance. Furthermore, the heat treatment (90 °C for 30 min) remarkedly improved gel strength and the 3D printability because of protein denaturation and oil droplet aggregation. This finding demonstrated that the emulsion gel formed with FPI was tuneable for food 3D printing. Most of samples displayed high printing precision with great self-supporting capability, which may find potential applications in creating specialised diet.
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    Impact of thermosonication at neutral pH on the structural characteristics of faba bean protein isolate dispersions and their physicochemical and techno-functional properties
    (Elsevier Ltd, 2024-09) Hu Y; Cheng L; Gilbert EP; Lee SJ; Yang Z
    The effect of thermosonication (TS) (90 °C, 10–30 min) on faba bean protein isolate (FPI) at pH 7 was investigated. The microstructural and techno-functional properties of TS-treated FPI were compared with native FPI or FPI treated with conventional prolonged heating (CH, up to 8 h) at 90 °C. TS treatment effectively converted FPI to amorphous aggregates containing predominant β-sheet secondary structures, as determined by Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD). According to sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), these amorphous aggregates could be formed by disulfide bonds. Additionally, TS treatment is efficient in disrupting large protein aggregates of FPI, thus improving their solubility. Both TS and CH treatments induced formation of viscoelastic FPI hydrogels, whose gel strength depends on the type and time of treatment. Hydrogels formation is likely to arise from the entanglement and interaction of protein aggregates as revealed by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). TS-treated FPI was also used to prepare O/W emulsions and whose structural and physical properties were compared with those stabilised by untreated FPI. At all oil volume fractions (φ = 0.2, 0.5, and 0.7) and FPI concentrations (1, 3, and 5 wt %), emulsions stabilised by TS-treated FPI exhibited smaller oil droplet size, greater mechanical strength and superior stability compared to those stabilised by untreated FPI. The study suggests that TS treatment is promising in improving techno-functional properties of FPI; further studies are needed to exploit TS-treated plant proteins as a novel food ingredient in food product development.
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    Job-hopping executives and corporate social responsibility
    (Emerald Publishing Limited, 2024-06-19) Fang J; Tian Y; Hu Y
    Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance of job-hopping executives at their former and subsequent firms. Design/methodology/approach We conduct regression analyses using a sample of firms listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2010 to 2020 to examine whether CSR performance is similar from one firm to the next as executives switch jobs. Findings We find a positive relationship between the CSR performance of former and subsequent firms under job-hopping executives. This relationship is the strongest in the year of the job switch; it weakens in the second year and eventually disappears in the third year. In addition, we show that this relationship benefits different CSR stakeholder groups and is contingent on executive and subsequent firm attributes and job-hopping characteristics. Furthermore, we demonstrate that firms that hire a new chief executive officer from a firm with a strong track record in CSR, the new firm experiences a significant surge in CSR performance compared with firms that do not experience such a shock. Practical implications This study has implications for executive hiring decisions. Originality/value This study extends the understanding of CSR determinants through the lens of inter-organisational ties associated with job-hopping executives.