The other side of the coin: advancing sustainability in the supply chain from a small supplier's standpoint

In recent years, increased attention has been devoted to exploring how sustainability practices can be implemented in supply chains and networks. Much of the operations management literature in this area has mainly focused on the large buying firms perspective, looking at how they devise standards and push suppliers to comply with them. Little has been done to uncover how small and medium size (SME) suppliers react to and cope with increasing sustainability requirements with limited capabilities in hand. This paper is an attempt to fill this gap and initiate conceptual thinking from a suppliers perspective. Qualitative insights from case studies of both developing and developed countries suppliers are offered. We draw on the sensemaking literature and propose the concept of "sustainability dissonance" to conceptualise the situation of uncertainty and ambiguity that SME suppliers are confronted to when facing multiplying sustainability requirements. A number of propositions are articulated related to suppliers interpretations and reactions when dealing with "sustainability dissonance". The article sets out a number of avenues for future research

Bases genéticas de la herencia para características morfológicas, agronómicas y agro industriales en tomate hibrido Solanum lycopersicum L. (Mill.)

In this research, 16 hybrids of tomato were evaluated under greenhouse and laboratory with the aim of estimating geneticvariances, general combining ability (GCA) of male, specific combining ability (SCA) from each cross and the heritabilitiesfor morphological, agronomics, agri-industries and resistance characteristics. Results showed a large variability for evaluated characters, defining that additive and non-additive effects as well as dominant were involved in the same. Platus and RioGrande varieties had a higher General Combining Ability (GCA) to yield. San Marzano variety showed the highest valuesfor weight loss and a lower Brix degree values. Platus and Rio Grande showed the highest values of GCA for a lower fruithardness loss and a lower pH value. The Martha x 89R Sw-5/Sw-5 and San Marzano x 895 Laching Sw-5 crosses had thehighest values of Specific Combining Ability (SCA) to yield, suggesting that these combinations had hybrid vitality for yield,lower weight loss, Brix and pH degrees. The inheritance was greater for size, width, shape, hardness, number of locules andfruit brix degrees.En esta investigación se evaluó 16 híbridos de tomate bajo condiciones de invernadero y laboratorio para estimar principalmente la varianza genética, la aptitud combinatoria general (ACG) del macho, la aptitud combinatoria específica (ACE) decada cruza y la herencia de las características morfológicas, agronómicas, agroindustriales y de resistencia. Los resultadosmostraron una amplia variabilidad para los caracteres evaluados y se determinó que en las mismas están involucrados efectosaditivos, no aditivos y dominantes. Las variedades Platus y Rio Grande tuvieron mayor Aptitud Combinatoria General(ACG) para rendimiento. La variedad San Marzano mostró los valores más altos para pérdida de peso y menor cambio degrados brix. Platus y Rio Grande mostraron los valores más altos de ACG para menor pérdida de dureza de fruto y menorcambio de pH. Las cruzas Martha x 89R Sw-5/Sw-5 y San Marzano x 895 Laching Sw-5 tuvieron los valores más altos de laAptitud Combinatoria Específica (ACE) para rendimiento, sugiriendo que estas combinaciones tuvieron para vigor hibridopara rendimiento, menor pérdida de peso, grados Brix y pH. La herencia fue mayor para tamaño, ancho, forma, dureza,número de lóculos y grados brix de fruto

Formation and structure of the microemulsion phase in two-dimensional ternary AB+A+B polymeric emulsions

We present an analysis of the structure of the fluctuation-induced microemulsion phase in a ternary blend of balanced AB diblock copolymers with equal amounts of A and B homopolymers. To this end, graphical analysis methods are employed to characterize two-dimensional configuration snapshots obtained with the recently introduced Field-Theoretic Monte Carlo (FTMC) method. We find that a microemulsion forms when the mean curvature diameter of the lamellar phase coincides roughly with the periodicity of the lamellar phase. Further, we provide evidence to the effect of a subclassification of the microemulsion into a genuine and a defect-driven region.Comment: to appear in J. Chem. Phy

Extinction vulnerability of tropical montane endemism from warming and upslope displacement: a preliminary appraisal for the highest massif in Madagascar

One of the predicted biological responses to climate warming is the upslope displacement of species distributions. In the tropics, because montane assemblages frequently include local endemics that are distributed close to summits, these species may be especially vulnerable to experiencing complete habitat loss from warming. However, there is currently a dearth of information available for tropical regions. Here, we present a preliminary appraisal of this extinction threat using the herpetological assemblage of the Tsaratanana Massif in northern Madagascar (the island's highest massif), which is rich with montane endemism. We present meteorological evidence (individual and combined regional weather station data and reanalysis forecast data) for recent warming in Madagascar, and show that this trend is consistent with recent climate model simulations. Using standard moist adiabatic lapse rates, these observed meteorological warming trends in northern Madagascar predict upslope species displacement of 17–74 m per decade between 1993 and 2003. Over this same period, we also report preliminary data supporting a trend for upslope distribution movements, based on two surveys we completed at Tsaratanana. For 30 species, representing five families of reptiles and amphibians, we found overall mean shifts in elevational midpoint of 19–51 m upslope (mean lower elevation limit 29–114 m; mean upper elevation limit −8 to 53 m). We also found upslope trends in mean and median elevational observations in seven and six of nine species analysed. Phenological differences between these surveys do not appear to be substantial, but these upslope shifts are consistent with the predictions based on meteorological warming. An elevational range displacement analysis projects complete habitat loss for three species below the 2 °C ‘dangerous’ warming threshold. One of these species is not contracting its distribution, but the other two were not resampled in 2003. A preliminary review of the other massifs in Madagascar indicates potential similar vulnerability to habitat loss and upslope extinction. Consequently, we urgently recommend additional elevational surveys for these and other tropical montane assemblages, which should also include, when possible, the monitoring of local meteorological conditions and habitat change.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74789/1/j.1365-2486.2008.01596.x.pd

Cell fusions in mammals

Cell fusions are important to fertilization, placentation, development of skeletal muscle and bone, calcium homeostasis and the immune defense system. Additionally, cell fusions participate in tissue repair and may be important to cancer development and progression. A large number of factors appear to regulate cell fusions, including receptors and ligands, membrane domain organizing proteins, proteases, signaling molecules and fusogenic proteins forming alpha-helical bundles that bring membranes close together. The syncytin family of proteins represent true fusogens and the founding member, syncytin-1, has been documented to be involved in fusions between placental trophoblasts, between cancer cells and between cancer cells and host cells. We review the literature with emphasis on the syncytin family and propose that syncytins may represent universal fusogens in primates and rodents, which work together with a number of other proteins to regulate the cell fusion machinery

Case Reports1. A Late Presentation of Loeys-Dietz Syndrome: Beware of TGFβ Receptor Mutations in Benign Joint Hypermobility

Background: Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) and dissections are not uncommon causes of sudden death in young adults. Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a rare, recently described, autosomal dominant, connective tissue disease characterized by aggressive arterial aneurysms, resulting from mutations in the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) receptor genes TGFBR1 and TGFBR2. Mean age at death is 26.1 years, most often due to aortic dissection. We report an unusually late presentation of LDS, diagnosed following elective surgery in a female with a long history of joint hypermobility. Methods: A 51-year-old Caucasian lady complained of chest pain and headache following a dural leak from spinal anaesthesia for an elective ankle arthroscopy. CT scan and echocardiography demonstrated a dilated aortic root and significant aortic regurgitation. MRA demonstrated aortic tortuosity, an infrarenal aortic aneurysm and aneurysms in the left renal and right internal mammary arteries. She underwent aortic root repair and aortic valve replacement. She had a background of long-standing joint pains secondary to hypermobility, easy bruising, unusual fracture susceptibility and mild bronchiectasis. She had one healthy child age 32, after which she suffered a uterine prolapse. Examination revealed mild Marfanoid features. Uvula, skin and ophthalmological examination was normal. Results: Fibrillin-1 testing for Marfan syndrome (MFS) was negative. Detection of a c.1270G > C (p.Gly424Arg) TGFBR2 mutation confirmed the diagnosis of LDS. Losartan was started for vascular protection. Conclusions: LDS is a severe inherited vasculopathy that usually presents in childhood. It is characterized by aortic root dilatation and ascending aneurysms. There is a higher risk of aortic dissection compared with MFS. Clinical features overlap with MFS and Ehlers Danlos syndrome Type IV, but differentiating dysmorphogenic features include ocular hypertelorism, bifid uvula and cleft palate. Echocardiography and MRA or CT scanning from head to pelvis is recommended to establish the extent of vascular involvement. Management involves early surgical intervention, including early valve-sparing aortic root replacement, genetic counselling and close monitoring in pregnancy. Despite being caused by loss of function mutations in either TGFβ receptor, paradoxical activation of TGFβ signalling is seen, suggesting that TGFβ antagonism may confer disease modifying effects similar to those observed in MFS. TGFβ antagonism can be achieved with angiotensin antagonists, such as Losartan, which is able to delay aortic aneurysm development in preclinical models and in patients with MFS. Our case emphasizes the importance of timely recognition of vasculopathy syndromes in patients with hypermobility and the need for early surgical intervention. It also highlights their heterogeneity and the potential for late presentation. Disclosures: The authors have declared no conflicts of interes

Human matrix metalloproteinases: An ubiquitarian class of enzymes involved in several pathological processes

Human matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) belong to the M10 family of the MA clan of endopeptidases. They are ubiquitarian enzymes, structurally characterized by an active site where a Zn(2+) atom, coordinated by three histidines, plays the catalytic role, assisted by a glutamic acid as a general base. Various MMPs display different domain composition, which is very important for macromolecular substrates recognition. Substrate specificity is very different among MMPs, being often associated to their cellular compartmentalization and/or cellular type where they are expressed. An extensive review of the different MMPs structural and functional features is integrated with their pathological role in several types of diseases, spanning from cancer to cardiovascular diseases and to neurodegeneration. It emerges a very complex and crucial role played by these enzymes in many physiological and pathological processes