Business Continuity Plan facing COVID-19: From necessity to Alterities

Exactly two months after the first case in Wuhan, China, towards the end of 2019, the gap between the carriers of the virus and the epidemiological situation is growing just like a sword of Damocles over the heads of systems and nations around the world. Due to its spread, this pandemic has also challenged enterprises’ operational capacity and market presence. In such a context, a question arises: did companies manage the pandemic effectively? Through this question, this article aims to explore the problematic relationship between the Covidian context and businesses and, along the way, understand why while facing Covid-19 and its multiple effects some businesses win and others lose. For this purpose, it seems opportune, first of all, to identify the multiple effects inherent in Covid-19, in order to better interpret the sensitivity of companies to the weight of the crisis, and thirdly, to specify how certain companies have managed to organize their activity and adapt to health contingencies thanks to the business continuity plan, while others have experienced great difficulties (namely making negative financial results, or cutting jobs to reduce costs, temporally or totally stopping their operations, or even declaring their bankruptcy). The impact of this pandemic has allowed us to determine a new way of comparison between companies: differentiation based on the use or the disuse of the business continuity plan as the ideal solution to manage and overcome this crisis by guaranteeing the preparation, the proactivity and the rapid recovery of activities. Therefore, this plan helped the companies to maintain in the market without cutting jobs or shutting down their doors.Exactly two months after the first case in Wuhan, China, towards the end of 2019, the gap between the carriers of the virus and the epidemiological situation is growing just like a sword of Damocles over the heads of systems and nations around the world. Due to its spread, this pandemic has also challenged enterprises’ operational capacity and market presence. In such a context, a question arises: did companies manage the pandemic effectively? Through this question, this article aims to explore the problematic relationship between the Covidian context and businesses and, along the way, understand why while facing Covid-19 and its multiple effects some businesses win and others lose. For this purpose, it seems opportune, first of all, to identify the multiple effects inherent in Covid-19, in order to better interpret the sensitivity of companies to the weight of the crisis, and thirdly, to specify how certain companies have managed to organize their activity and adapt to health contingencies thanks to the business continuity plan, while others have experienced great difficulties (namely making negative financial results, or cutting jobs to reduce costs, temporally or totally stopping their operations, or even declaring their bankruptcy). The impact of this pandemic has allowed us to determine a new way of comparison between companies: differentiation based on the use or the disuse of the business continuity plan as the ideal solution to manage and overcome this crisis by guaranteeing the preparation, the proactivity and the rapid recovery of activities. Therefore, this plan helped the companies to maintain in the market without cutting jobs or shutting down their doors

In silico detection of Cucurbitacin-E on antioxidant enzymes of model organism Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and variation of antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation in treated larvae

Background: In silico studies further provided predictive binding properties of selected ligands for inhibition of target protein. In the study, molecular binding poses of Cucurbitacin-E and antioxidant enzymes (glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of Galleria mellonella were determined in silico. Cucurbitacins are the most important components of Ecballium elaterium. The first cucurbitacin isolated from the plant was Cucurbitacin-E. In this study, the toxic effect of E. elaterium (L.) A. Rich. (Cucurbitaceae) fruit juice on G. mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae, which is known as a good model insect, was also detected, and its effect on antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation was revealed. Results: The plant fruit juice was tested on the target larvae of G. mellonella with different doses for 24 h. After the application, mortality rate, LC50, LC90 and LC99 values, the malondialdehyde (MDA) level and the activity changes of antioxidant enzymes were determined. Mortality increased with the increasing concentration of fruit juice. Also, increasing doses of essential oil caused decreasing in SOD, CAT, GST GPx, GR and AChE activities and increasing in MDA levels. As a result of in silico studies, maximum binding energy was obtained from G. mellonella CAT enzyme with Cucurbitacin E as a ligand. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate the in silico binding potential of Cucurbitacin E on G. mellonella enzymes. The results indicate that E. elaterium can be used against G. mellonella in a pest control program

Die Kapitalerhöhung in der AG nach deutschem und türkischem Recht

Unter dem Begriff „Kapitalerhöhung“ versteht man grundsätzlich eine Erhöhung des bei der Gründung in der Satzung festgesetzten Grundkapitals einer Aktiengesellschaft durch Ausgabe neuer Aktien. Die Bedeutung der Kapitalerhöhung liegt unter anderem darin, dass sie eines der wesentlichen, wenn nicht sogar das wichtigste Kapitalbeschaffungsinstrument einer Aktiengesellschaft darstellt. Sie führt zu einer Erweiterung der Eigenkapitalbasis und sichert damit die Liquidität der Gesellschaft. Dem Interesse der Aktiengesellschaft an einer möglichst breiten Finanzierungsbasis - unter Umständen auch durch die Präsenz der Gesellschaft an den internationalen Kapitalmärkten - steht jedoch ein ureigenes Interesse des Aktionärs im Hinblick auf die Substanzerhaltung seines Anteils gegenüber. Um die Aktionäre mitgliedschaftsrechtlich vor einer Verwässerung ihres Einflusses auf die Geschicke der Gesellschaft und vermögensrechtlich vor einer Verwässerung ihres Vermögens zu schützen, gewähren die deutschen und türkischen Gesetzgeber jedem Aktionär ein gesetzliches Bezugsrecht. Dieses Recht, neue Aktien im Verhältnis zum alten Aktienbesitz zu beziehen, kann jedoch auf­grund besonderer Umstände mit qualifizierter Mehrheit in der Haupt-/Generalversammlung ausgeschlossen werden. Die aus diesem Spannungsverhältnis folgenden Fragen, insbesondere der Streit um das Erfordernis einer materiellen Rechtfertigung des Bezugsrechtsausschlusses bei der Kapitalerhöhung, sind seit Jahrzehnten immer wieder Gegenstand der aktienrechtlichen Auseinandersetzungen zwischen den Kleinaktionären und Mehrheitsgesellschaftern. Ausgehend von den BGH-Entscheidungen überprüft diese Arbeit die bestehenden Streitstände zu den einzelnen Formen der Kapitalerhöhung im Lichte der neueren Rechtsprechung und verfolgt zudem den Zweck, die Ergebnisse für die rechtspolitische Neugestaltung der Kapitalerhöhungs- bzw. Bezugsrechtsregelung in der Türkei fruchtbar zu machen. Ferner werden die bestehenden Rechtsschutzmöglichkeiten der Aktionäre gegen eine Kapitalerhöhung mit rechtswidrigem Bezugsrechtsausschluss in beiden untersuchten Rechtsordnungen herausgearbeitet

Sequence variants of CYP345a1 and CYP6a14 gene regions in tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) adults treated with the novel characterized bolanthus turcicus (Caryophyllaceae) extract

In this study, various doses of plant extracts that obtained from Bolanthus turcicus was applied to an important storage pest Tribolium castaneum adults. Bolanthus turcicus is an endemic species and spreads on the Hasan Mountain above Karkin town (Turkey, Aksaray province). The plant species was collected from June to July with the field study to be carried out in this region. Obtained extract of plant was analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method. The doses were defined during the study and the concentrations that kill 50% and 99% of the population were determined after applications. After 24 h, DNA was isolated from live and dead individuals that obtained from LC50 and LC99 concentration applications and analyzed for Cytochrome P450-mediated detoxification resistance genes, CYP345A1 and CYP6A14 gene regions, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). CYP genes in insects are known to be rapidly regulated when exposed to insecticides. In the study, in order to screen for 206 bp and 353 bp fragments of CYP345A1 and CYP6A14 genes in T. castaneum adults were amplified using specific primers, respectively. DNA direct sequencing was performed on each template using the forward primer. When compared to the control, it is believed that mutation differences in live and dead individuals according to the sequencing results obtained from survival and dead adults, may allow these genes to play a protective role against the toxic effect of B. turcicus extract. © Shiraz University

Investigation of the Therapeutic Effects of Palbociclib Conjugated Magnetic Nanoparticles on Different Types of Breast Cancer Cell Lines

Introduction-Drug targeting and controlled drug release systems in cancer treatment have many advantages over conventional chemotherapy in terms of limiting systemic toxicity, side effects, and overcoming drug resistance.Methods and Results-In this paper, fabricating nanoscale delivery system composed of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) covered with poly-amidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers and using its advantages were fully used to help the chemotherapeutic drug, Palbociclib, effectively reach tumors, specifically and stay stable in the circulation longer. In order to determine whether conjugate selectivity can be increased for the specific drug type, we have reported different strategies for loading and conjugation of Palbociclib to different generations of magnetic PAMAM dendrimers. The best method leading to the highest amount of Palbociclib conjugation was chosen, and the characterization of the Palbociclib conjugated dendrimeric magnetic nanoparticles (PALDcMNPs) were performed. In vitro pharmacological activity of the conjugation was demonstrated by measuring the cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase (LHD) release. Obtained results indicated that PAL-DcMNPs treatment of the breast cancer cell lines, leads to an increase in cell toxicity compared to free Palbociclib. The observed effects were more evident for MCF-7 cells than for MDA-MB231 and SKBR3 cells, considering that viability decreased to 30% at 2.5 lM treatment of PAL-DcMNPs at MCF-7 cells. Finally, in Palbociclib and PAL-DcMNPs treated breast cancer cells, the expression levels of some pro-apoptotic and drug resistance related genes were performed by RT-PCR analysis.Conclusion-Our knowledge indicates that the proposed approach is novel, and it can provide new insight into the development of Palbociclib targeting delivery system for cancer treatment

A Long View of Shareholder Power: From the Antebellum Corporation to the Twenty-First Century

For most of the twentieth century, the conventional wisdom held—probably correctly—that shareholders in America’s large, public corporations were passive and powerless and that managers wielded the real power. Beginning in the 1980s, however, shareholders in the form of institutional investors started to push for a greater say in corporate decision-making. In the twenty-first century, hedge funds have upped the ante, fighting for major changes in corporations whose shares they own. Once-imperial CEOs have now become embattled as they fight, but often lose, against activist shareholders demanding policy changes, new dividends, board representation, and even the sale or break-up of corporations. In short, things have changed. This Article situates the present-day rise of shareholder power by taking a long view of the previous two centuries, moving beyond traditional accounts to reach all the way back to the beginnings of the American business corporation in the early nineteenth century, then following the story of shareholder power up to the present day. Its long view reveals the complicated and shifting nature of shareholder power, documenting how periods of greater shareholder power were interspersed with periods where shareholders had little power, how the focus of shareholder power has moved from controlling shareholders to autonomous managers, and how shareholder power has ebbed and flowed across the last two centuries. This Article not only provides the backstory to present-day developments, but also suggests that what has appeared as a hallmark of American corporate capitalism—the relative powerlessness of shareholders—may only have been typical of a few decades in the middle of the twentieth century.\u3c.p\u3

Purification and In Situ Immobilization of Papain with Aqueous Two-Phase System

Papain was purified from spray-dried Carica papaya latex using aqueous two-phase system (ATPS). Then it was recovered from PEG phase by in situ immobilization or preparing cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs). The Plackett-Burman design and the central composite design (CCD) together with the response surface methodology (RSM) were used to optimize the APTS processes. The highly purified papain (96–100%) was achieved under the optimized conditions: 40% (w/w) 15 mg/ml enzyme solution, 14.33–17.65% (w/w) PEG 6000, 14.27–14.42% (w/w) NaH2PO4/K2HPO4 and pH 5.77–6.30 at 20°C. An in situ enzyme immobilization approach, carried out by directly dispersing aminated supports and chitosan beads into the PEG phase, was investigated to recover papain, in which a high immobilization yield (>90%) and activity recovery (>40%) was obtained. Moreover, CLEAs were successfully used in recovering papain from PEG phase with a hydrolytic activity hundreds times higher than the carrier-bound immobilized papain

A study on trypsin, Aspergillus flavus and Bacillus sp. protease inhibitory activity in Cassia tora (L.) syn Senna tora (L.) Roxb. seed extract

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Proteases play an important role in virulence of many human, plant and insect pathogens. The proteinaceous protease inhibitors of plant origin have been reported widely from many plant species. The inhibitors may potentially be used for multiple therapeutic applications in viral, bacterial, fungal diseases and physiological disorders. In traditional Indian medicine system, <it>Cassia tora </it>(<it>Senna tora</it>) is reportedly effective in treatment of skin and gastrointestinal disorders. The present study explores the protease inhibitory activity of the above plant seeds against trypsin, <it>Aspergillus flavus </it>and <it>Bacillus </it>sp. proteases.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The crushed seeds of <it>Cassia tora </it>were washed thoroughly with acetone and hexane for depigmentation and defatting. The proteins were fractionated by ammonium sulphate (0-30, 30-60, 60-90%) followed by dialysis and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The inhibitory potential of crude seed extract and most active dialyzed fraction against trypsin and proteases was established by spot test using unprocessed x-ray film and casein digestion methods, respectively. Electrophoretic analysis of most active fraction (30-60%) and SEC elutes were carried employing Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Gelatin SDS-PAGE. Inhibition of fungal spore germination was studied in the presence of dialyzed active inhibitor fraction. Standard deviation (SD) and ANOVA were employed as statistical tools.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The crude seeds' extract displayed strong antitryptic, bacterial and fungal protease inhibitory activity on x-ray film. The seed protein fraction 30-60% was found most active for trypsin inhibition in caseinolytic assay (P < 0.001). The inhibition of caseinolytic activity of the proteases increased with increasing ratio of seed extract. The residual activity of trypsin, <it>Aspergillus flavus </it>and <it>Bacillus </it>sp. proteases remained only 4, 7 and 3.1%, respectively when proteases were incubated with 3 mg ml^-1seed protein extract for 60 min. The inhibitory activity was evident in gelatin SDS-PAGE where a major band (~17-19 kD) of protease inhibitor (PI) was detected in dialyzed and SEC elute. The conidial germination of <it>Aspergillus flavus </it>was moderately inhibited (30%) by the dialyzed seed extract.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>Cassia tora </it>seed extract has strong protease inhibitory activity against trypsin, <it>Aspergillus flavus </it>and <it>Bacillus </it>sp. proteases. The inhibitor in <it>Cassia tora </it>may attenuate microbial proteases and also might be used as phytoprotecting agent.</p