Complementarities between mass customization capabilities and green management capabilities: a longitudinal case study

Nowadays more and more companies pursuit mass customization (MC)–the provision of high product variety and customization with operational performance levels that are comparable to those of a mass producer–in combination with green management (GM)–the integration of environmental sustainability principles into the business. Both the pursuit of MC and that of GM cost companies a great deal of effort and, when MC and GM have to be combined, this represents a considerable challenge for the organization. However, literature still lacks studies that suggest how to reduce the costs of dealing with such a combined challenge. To narrow this research gap, the present dissertation investigates whether complementarities between organizational capabilities supporting MC and organizational capabilities supporting GM exist and why. To that purpose, a longitudinal case study has been conducted in a manufacturing organization that succeeded in developing both capabilities for MC and capabilities for GM. The findings of this study indicate that complementarities between those capabilities exist and result in sub-additive costs for the organization. Some of these complementarities are symmetric, since the capabilities involved in the relationship equally complement each other. Other complementarities are asymmetric, as the development of certain capabilities for MC alleviates the cost of developing certain capabilities for GM but not vice versa. Collectively, these results improve our understanding of the interrelationships between the economic sustainability, achieved through MC, and the environmental sustainability, achieved through GM, of businesses operating in highly competitive industries whose customers ask for high product customization. Moreover, the finding of asymmetric complementarities suggests that, in such contexts, companies should first focus on developing certain capabilities for MC before embarking in the pursuit of GM

Thymus vulgaris Essential Oil in Beta-Cyclodextrin for Solid-State Pharmaceutical Applications

: Antimicrobial resistance related to the misuse of antibiotics is a well-known current topic. Their excessive use in several fields has led to enormous selective pressure on pathogenic and commensal bacteria, driving the evolution of antimicrobial resistance genes with severe impacts on human health. Among all the possible strategies, a viable one could be the development of medical features that employ essential oils (EOs), complex natural mixtures extracted from different plant organs, rich in organic compounds showing, among others, antiseptic properties. In this work, green extracted essential oil of Thymus vulgaris was included in cyclic oligosaccharides cyclodextrins (CD) and prepared in the form of tablets. This essential oil has been shown to have a strong transversal efficacy both as an antifungal and as an antibacterial agent. Its inclusion allows its effective use because an extension of the exposure time to the active compounds is obtained and, therefore, a more marked efficacy, especially against biofilm-producing microorganisms such as P. aeruginosa and S. aureus, was registered. The efficacy of the tablet against candidiasis opens their possible use as a chewable tablet against oral candidiasis and as a vaginal tablet against vaginal candidiasis. Moreover, the registered wide efficacy is even more positive since the proposed approach can be defined as effective, safe, and green. In fact, the natural mixture of the essential oil is produced by the steam current method; therefore, the manufacturer employs substances that are not harmful, with very low production and management costs

Avanço tecnológico da cirúrgia refrativa nos distúrbios refracionais

As falhas refrativas da visão são decorrentes de alterações no tamanho do olho ou no formato da córnea ou cristalino, assim os raios de luz não conseguem ser focados na retina, levando a uma alteração da imagem. E para enxergar nitidamente o ser humano depende da refração, e para corrigir as imperfeições que não deixa esse fenômeno acontecer usa-se as cirurgias refrativas, que são um dos principais avanços tecnológicos desejados pela maioria da população que possui necessidade de usar óculos ou lentes de contato, o objetivo principal do estudo é abordar os benefícios das cirurgias refrativas para melhorar a qualidade de vida dos pacientes acometidos por distúrbios refrativos diversos. Assim realizou-se uma revisão bibliográfica nas bases de dados Pubmed, Scielo e Google acadêmico. Foram empregados trabalhos dos últimos 5 anos, e selecionados 17 referências relacionados ao tema. Sendo assim, temos como conclusão que Lasik e Prk são as mais conhecidas técnicas para corrigir os erros refrativos de miopia, hipermetropia, astigmatismo e presbiopia, apesar de serem consideradas seguras podem gerar alguma complicação no pós-operatório que deve ser comunicada previamente a todos os pacientes. Portanto, é imprescindível analisar cada caso clínico de acordo com suas peculiaridades no pré-operatório e com a atuação da equipe multidisciplinar, realizar uma investigação oftalmológica específica sobre esse assunto para direcionar mais benefícios para os indivíduos

Transcriptomic and genomic studies classify NKL54 as a histone deacetylase inhibitor with indirect influence on MEF2-dependent transcription

In leiomyosarcoma class IIa HDACs (histone deacetylases) bind MEF2 and convert these transcription factors into repressors to sustain proliferation. Disruption of this complex with small molecules should antagonize cancer growth. NKL54, a PAOA (pimeloylanilide o-aminoanilide) derivative, binds a hydrophobic groove of MEF2, which is used as a docking site by class IIa HDACs. However, NKL54 could also act as HDAC inhibitor (HDACI). Therefore, it is unclear which activity is predominant. Here, we show that NKL54 and similar derivatives are unable to release MEF2 from binding to class IIa HDACs. Comparative transcriptomic analysis classifies these molecules as HDACIs strongly related to SAHA/vorinostat. Low expressed genes are upregulated by HDACIs, while abundant genes are repressed. This transcriptional resetting correlates with a reorganization of H3K27 acetylation around the transcription start site (TSS). Among the upregulated genes there are several BH3-only family members, thus explaining the induction of apoptosis. Moreover, NKL54 triggers the upregulation of MEF2 and the downregulation of class IIa HDACs. NKL54 also increases the binding of MEF2D to promoters of genes that are upregulated after treatment. In summary, although NKL54 cannot outcompete MEF2 from binding to class IIa HDACs, it supports MEF2-dependent transcription through several actions, including potentiation of chromatin binding

The predictive and prognostic potential of plasma telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) RNA in rectal cancer patients

Background: Preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgery is the standard care for locally advanced rectal cancer, but tumour response to CRT and disease outcome are variable. The current study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of plasma telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) levels in predicting tumour response and clinical outcome. Methods: 176 rectal cancer patients were included. Plasma samples were collected at baseline (before CRT\ubcT0), 2 weeks after CRT was initiated (T1), post-CRT and before surgery (T2), and 4\u20138 months after surgery (T3) time points. Plasma TERT mRNA levels and total cell-free RNA were determined using real-time PCR. Results: Plasma levels of TERT were significantly lower at T2 (Po0.0001) in responders than in non-responders. Post-CRT TERT levels and the differences between pre- and post-CRT TERT levels independently predicted tumour response, and the prediction model had an area under curve of 0.80 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.73\u20130.87). Multiple analysis demonstrated that patients with detectable TERT levels at T2 and T3 time points had a risk of disease progression 2.13 (95% CI 1.10\u20134.11)-fold and 4.55 (95% CI 1.48\u201313.95)-fold higher, respectively, than those with undetectable plasma TERT levels. Conclusions: Plasma TERT levels are independent markers of tumour response and are prognostic of disease progression in rectal cancer patients who undergo neoadjuvant therapy

SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication in human gastric organoids

COVID-19 typically manifests as a respiratory illness, but several clinical reports have described gastrointestinal symptoms. This is particularly true in children in whom gastrointestinal symptoms are frequent and viral shedding outlasts viral clearance from the respiratory system. These observations raise the question of whether the virus can replicate within the stomach. Here we generate gastric organoids from fetal, pediatric, and adult biopsies as in vitro models of SARS-CoV-2 infection. To facilitate infection, we induce reverse polarity in the gastric organoids. We find that the pediatric and late fetal gastric organoids are susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2, while viral replication is significantly lower in undifferentiated organoids of early fetal and adult origin. We demonstrate that adult gastric organoids are more susceptible to infection following differentiation. We perform transcriptomic analysis to reveal a moderate innate antiviral response and a lack of differentially expressed genes belonging to the interferon family. Collectively, we show that the virus can efficiently infect the gastric epithelium, suggesting that the stomach might have an active role in fecal-oral SARS-CoV-2 transmission.Several clinical reports have described gastrointestinal symptoms for COVID-19, though whether the virus can replicate within the stomach remains unclear. Here the authors generate gastric organoids from human biopsies and show that the virus can efficiently infect gastric epithelium, suggesting that the stomach might have an active role in fecal-oral transmission