Essays on Supply Chain Optimization: Operational Decisions With Corporate Social Responsibility Implementation and Live-streaming Channel Introduction

In this dissertation, we study a supplier\u27s operational decisions for supply chain optimization considering corporate social responsibility implementation and live- streaming channel introduction. Both essays start from analytical models that are inspired by observations, and we explore how different parameters affect the supplier\u27s decisions through extensive numerical studies. In the first essay, we notice that cost auditing is becoming an increasingly important tool to improve supply chain efficiency and mitigate the influence of information asymmetry. We study how cost auditing indirectly influences retailer and supplier\u27s behavior in social responsibility. We also discuss the potential negative social responsibility externalities of conducting an audit and the managerial insights. Finally, we find that customers\u27 attitude towards different products changes retailer and supplier\u27s social responsibility preference. In the second essay, we are interested in a new trend where suppliers today adopt live-streaming channels for online shopping. We analyze the trade-off between potential market demand and channel competition by introducing live-streaming channel and discuss the impact of live-streaming channel on supply chain optimization. As a result, both essays shed light on how suppliers respond to downstream companies\u27 operational decisions

Reactions of a dimolybdenum cage complex with phosphorus and nitrogen nucleophiles and the synthesis and reactions of heterobimetallic cages

The reactions of the dimolybdenum cage complex Mo(CO)\sb4-\rm \lbrack\sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack\sb4Mo(CO)\sb4\sp{*} with phosphorus and nitrogen nucleophiles were studied. This dimolybdenum cage complex reacted with tertiary phosphines of the type PPh\sb2R (R = Ph, Me, H) in refluxing toluene. In each case, incorporation of a single phosphine led to the loss of three carbonyls to form orange complexes of the type \rm Mo(CO)\sb3\lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack \sb4Mo(CO)\sb2PPh\sb2R(2, 3, 4). The X-ray molecular structure of 2 has been determined. This revealed that a cage P-O-P bond has been cleaved near the substitution site with the resulting phosphinito oxygen replacing a second CO. Additionally, the phosphido group generated displaced a third CO at the other Mo center to bridge the two metals which are now within bonding distance of each other. Under milder conditions, reactions using phosphite yielded both mono- and disubstituted products \rm Mo(CO)\sb4\lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack\sb4Mo(CO)\sb3P(OMe)\sb3 or \rm Mo(CO)\sb3P(OMe)\sb3-\rm \lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack \sb4Mo(CO)\sb3P(OMe)\sb3 with the original core structure intact. Both products were mixtures of diastereomers and can be transformed to orange \rm Mo(CO)\sb3\lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack \sb4Mo(CO)\sb2P(OMe)\sb3. Treatment of the mixed-valent \rm Mo(CO)\sb4\lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack \sb4Mo(CO)\sb2I\sb2 cage complex with sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate selectively removed the divalent molybdenum vertex to give the metalla-ligand \rm Mo(CO)\sb4\lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack \sb4 (14) via an orange intermediate \rm Mo(CO)\sb4\lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack\sb4-\rm Mo(CO)\sb2(S\sb2CNMe\sb2)\sb2. The metalla-ligand has been characterized spectrally and by X-ray crystallography. It has been used as a precursor to assemble novel heterobimetallic cage complexes of the type \rm Mo(CO)\sb4\lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack \sb4ML\sb{n} where ML\sb{\rm n} can be \rm Cr(CO)\sb4, Fe(CO)\sb3, Cu(MeCN)\sb2BF\sb4, AgNO\sb3, PtCl\sb2, NiBr\sb2 and PdBr\sb2, or the type \rm Mo(CO)\sb3\lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack \sb5ML\sb{n} where ML\sb{\rm n} can be PdCl\sb2, PdBr\sb2. All these heterobimetallic cage complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses and spectral data. In addition, X-ray structures of the heterobimetallic cage complexes \rm Mo(CO)\sb4\lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack \sb4MBr2 (M = Ni(21), Pd(25)) have been determined. Comparison of the well-resolved Al carbonyl stretching frequency and the \sp{13}C NMR chemical shift of the cis-Mo(CO)\sb4 moiety in \rm Mo(CO)\sb4\lbrack \sp{i}Pr\sb2NPO\rbrack \sb4ML\sb{n} and also the X-ray structures of 14, 21, 25 suggest a transmission of the increasing electron demand of the second cage metal to the molybdenum vertex. ftn*See Appendix A for the structure

Validation of Shear‐Wave Velocity Models of the Pacific Northwest

Four surface‐wave tomographic models in the Pacific Northwest and a combined CRUST2.0 and AK135 model are tested and validated systematically. Synthetic Green’s functions calculated with the models using a finite‐difference method are compared with empirical Green’s functions at periods of 7–50 s. To ensure high‐quality signals, empirical Green’s functions are extracted from the ambient noise cross correlation of vertical‐to‐vertical components between station pairs that have up to a decade of recorded data. The observed and synthetic Green’s functions are cross correlated at multiple frequency bands to determine phase delay times and cross‐correlation coefficients. The delay time predicted by the CRUST2.0 and AK135 model is predominantly positive and is linearly dependent on interstation distance, indicating that the combined model is, on average, too fast for the Pacific Northwest. Among the four shear‐wave velocity models, CUB and one model derived from regional tomography exhibit moderately and weakly negative linear trends, respectively, between the delay time and interstation distance, a result indicative of a slower‐than‐actual velocity. The delay times of the other two models are normally distributed with an approximately zero mean and without any apparent relationship with interstation distance. The cross‐correlation coefficients are more scattered at short periods, reflecting unresolved heterogeneities of the crust structure in these models. The misfit between the empirical Green’s functions and synthetic waveforms suggests the need for a better‐resolved crust and uppermost mantle velocity model, which is critical for the precise estimate of ground motion for seismic hazard evaluation and understanding of the tectonic processes of the Pacific Northwest

Upper Mantle Structure of the Cascades from Full-Wave Ambient Noise Tomography: Evidence for 3D Mantle Upwelling in the Back-Arc

Melt generation and volcanism at subduction zones may result from several possible processes: hydration of the mantle wedge by fluid released from the slab, subduction-induced mantle upwelling beneath the back-arc, and heating of downgoing sediments/oceanic crust atop the slab. Each process predicts a distinctly different spatial pattern of melt generation and can thus be distinguished with high-resolution seismic imaging. Here we construct an upper mantle model of the Pacific Northwest using a full-wave ambient noise tomographic method. Normalized vertical components of continuous seismic records at station pairs are cross-correlated to extract empirical Green\u27s functions at periods of 7–200 s. We simulate wave propagation within the 3D Earth structure using a finite-difference method and calculate sensitivity kernels of Rayleigh waves to perturbations of VpVp and VsVs based on the Strain Green\u27s Tensor database. Phase delays are extracted by cross-correlating the observed and synthetic waveforms at multiple frequency bands. Our tomographic result reveals three separate low shear-wave velocity anomalies along the back-arc in the upper mantle ∼200 km east of the Cascade volcanic arc, with the central one being the largest in size and lowest in velocity. These back-arc low-velocity anomalies are spatially correlated with the three arc-volcano clusters. The geometry of the low-velocity volumes relative to the slab and arc is consistent with the pattern of subduction-induced decompressional melting in the back-arc. Their along-strike variation suggests that the large-scale plate-motion-induced flow in the back-arc mantle wedge is modulated by small-scale convection, resulting in a highly 3D process that defines the segmentation of volcanism along the Cascade arc

A Preliminary Full‐Wave Ambient‐Noise Tomography Model Spanning from the Juan de Fuca and Gorda Spreading Centers to the Cascadia Volcanic Arc

The Cascadia Initiative (CI) Amphibious Array provides us an unprecedented opportunity to investigate seismologically the formation, alteration, and subduction of the downgoing Juan de Fuca and Gorda plates, as well as the fore‐arc and volcanic arc (Fig. 1). Formed at the spreading center, the oceanic crust undergoes normal faulting near the ridge axis. As the plate cools and moves away from the spreading center, the thermal stress and forces at the plate boundaries and the base of the plate may cause faulting and deformation in the plate interior. Near the subduction trench, the plate bends, forming cracks in the upper plate (e.g., Ranero et al., 2003). The faults and cracks provide pathways for fluid to penetrate deep into the crust and possibly mantle lithosphere (e.g., Nedimović et al., 2009), causing chemical reactions that alter the composition of the plate, including serpentinization of the mantle lithosphere (Melson and Thompson, 1971). As the plate subducts, fluid within the plate and in the entrained sediment is released progressively with increasing pressure and temperature, affecting the rheology and fault behavior at and near the plate interface and resulting in partial melting in the mantle wedge and volcanism along the arc (Ranero et al., 2003). To understand subduction zones, we must have a clear and complete picture of the fore‐arc structure and the incoming plate at the trench, which in turn requires a good understanding of the interior of the plate

Biocompatibility of Poly-ε-caprolactone-hydroxyapatite composite on mouse bone marrow-derived osteoblasts and endothelial cells

Open Access. Click on the DOI link to access this article at the publisher's website, or download /view it on SOAR.Background. Tissue-engineered bone may be developed by seeding the cells capable of both osteogenesis and vascularization on biocompatible composite scaffolds. The current study investigated the performance of mice bone marrow-derived osteogenic cells and endothelial cells as seeded on hydroxyapatite (HA) and poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) composite scaffolds. Methods Mononuclear cells were induced to osteoblasts and endothelial cells respectively, which were defined by the expression of osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and deposits of calcium-containing crystal for osteoblasts, or by the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and von Willebrand factor (vWF), and the formation of a capillary network in Matrigel™ for endothelial cells. Both types of cell were seeded respectively on PCL-HA scaffolds at HA to PCL weight ratio of 1:1, 1:4, or 0:1 and were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, ALP activity (of osteoblasts) and nitric oxide production (of endothelial cells) plus the assessment of cell viability. Results The results indicated that HA led to a positive stimulation of osteoblasts viability and ALP activity, while HA showed less influence on endothelial cells viability. An elevated nitric oxide production of endothelial cells was observed in HA-containing group. Conclusion Supplement of HA into PCL improved biocompatible for bone marrow-derived osteoblasts and endothelial cells. The PCL-HA composite integrating with two types of cells may provide a useful system for tissue-engineered bone grafts with vascularization.Peer reviewe

Verteporfin mitigates sepsis-induced liver injury by blocking macrophage-derived inflammation

Purpose: To study the role of yes-associated protein (YAP) inhibition by verteporfin (VTF) in LPSinduced acute liver injury (ALI) after sepsis.Methods: In vitro, VTF was used to treat LPS-stimulated RAW 267.4 cells. In vivo, LPS was injected to induce sepsis in mice, followed by treatment with VTF. The inflammatory mediators were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), immunofluorescence spectroscopy (IF) and immunohistochemical staining (IHC), and the levels of YAP, P53 and ERK were measured by qRT-PCR, WB and IHC. Moreover, liver histology and liver function were examined using HE staining and ELISA respectively.Results: The results showed that VTF reduced YAP expression and inhibited LPS-induced cell activation and inflammatory cytokine production such as IL-6 and IL-1β, by attenuating the expressions of p53 and ERK pathway in macrophages. The levels of AST, AIL and TBiL remarkably decreased in ALI mice after VTF treatment (p < 0.05). Moreover, it was observed that inflammatory mediators, including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-6 and IL-1β, decreased significantly in VTF treated mice (P < 0.05).Conclusion: VTF plays an antagonistic role in LPS-induced inflammatory response after ALI. Therefore, VTF is a potential medicinal agent for preventing infectious acute liver injury

High VEGF with Rapid Growth and Early Metastasis in a Mouse Osteosarcoma Model

A murine model of osteosarcoma was developed to investigate the association between the expression of VEGF and the progression of osteosarcoma. Two human osteosarcoma cell lines with distinct VEGF expressions were introduced into proximal tibiae of immuno-deficient SCID mice, either by direct injection through the cortical bone or surgical exposing and drilling on the tibial metaphysis to seed tumor cells. Bone tumors were obvious on microCT within 4 weeks following osteosarcoma cell inoculation through surgical delivery. In contrast, direct injection without drilling often resulted in periosteal tumors. Although neoplasms were developed regardless of VEGF levels, orthotopic tumors derived from high VEGF-expressing cells were detected 2 weeks earlier on CT images than the ones from VEGF negative cells. At sacrifice, high VEGF tumors were distinctively larger in size and more frequently invaded the adjacent bone tissue. Multiple metastatic lesions were found in all the lung tissues at 8 weeks from high VEGF group, whereas only 1 of 7 VEGF negative tumors exhibited pulmonary metastasis. Overall, this model developed with the surgical tumor cell delivery results in histological and radiographic features more consistent with primary osteosarcoma. Interestingly, VEGF expression correlates with the early establishment, rapid tumor growth, and the development of pulmonary metastasis