Impact of supply chain actor citizenship behavior on supply chain learning processes

Critical evaluation of early literature into supply chain learning indicates lack of research into the impact of supply chain actor citizenship behavior on supply chain learning processes. Therefore, this study explores the impact of supply chain actor citizenship behavior impact on supply chain learning processes. The study uses constructivist epistemology, interpretative theoretical perspective, case study research methodology and grounded theory thematic technique in data analysis. Findings of the study indicate that different elements of the supply chain actor citizenship behavior concept are connected to different levels of supply chain learning processes. Self-development is found to have an impact on intuition process, helping behavior is found to have an impact on interpretation process, tolerance is found to have an impact on integration process and constructiveness is found to have an impact on institutionalization process. An original contribution to theory includes extending organizational learning theory and citizenship behavior concept to supply chain context. And practitioners are recommended to explore dynamics of self-development, helping behavior, tolerance, and constructiveness on enhancing supply chain learning processes.  </p

Updates on the Morphometric Characterization of Indian Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in Sri Lanka

An accurate morphological description and analysis based on reliable data are unavailable for the geographically isolated population of M. crassicaudata in Sri Lanka. This study provides the most updated morphological description of M. crassicaudata with special reference to body measurements directly obtained from 27 specimens collected island-wide. Morphological parameters were recorded under three age classes that were defined based on their body weight (BW) and total body length (TBL); juvenile (BW: 7.3 kg TBL: >101 cm) and gender to reveal sexual dimorphism based on morphometric parameters. The TBL of adult males ranged between 137 and 177 cm while body weight ranged between 20.4 and 48.8 kg. The average count of body scales was 511 ± 21. The body scales were found arranged in 13 longitudinal rows with the highest number of scales observed on the vertebral scale row (16 ± 1). Three major scale morphs were identified; broad rhombic scales, elongated kite-shaped scales, and folded shaped scales. Broad rhombic shaped scales was the dominant scale type (80.49%) on the body (405 ± 7). The tail-length to body-length ratio of an Indian pangolin was 0.87. The tail length of an Indian pangolin is a reliable predictor of the TBL and has potential implications in quick field data gathering

Achieving near-zero carbon dioxide emissions from energy use: The case of Sri Lanka

Signatories to the Paris Agreement are to achieve net zero Green House Gas (GHG) emissions during the half-century to pursue the efforts limiting global average temperature increase by 2 °C compared to pre-industrial levels. This study models ambitious to challenging scenarios involving energy demand and supply side actions for energy system transition toward net-zero for Sri Lanka. To analyze these scenarios a least cost optimization-based bottom-up type energy system model was developed from 2015 to 2050. A Business-as-usual (BAU) scenario and four countermeasure (CM) scenarios termed Plausible, Ambitious, Challenging, and Stringent were developed. Four different carbon tax rates were used to fathom the level of carbon tax needed to achieve net-zero emissions. The CM scenarios were formulated considering different technology options and policy measures such as the diffusion of efficient technologies, availability of renewable energy sources, use of cleaner fuels, the introduction of nuclear and carbon capture and storage technologies, and green hydrogen for power generation. The result of this study reveals that the stringent scenario which includes aggressive policy measures in both the energy supply and demand sectors, such as nuclear, and renewable energy for power generation, diffusion of efficient Enduse devices, fuel switching, including the introduction of electric cars, and increased share for public transport achieves the near carbon-neutral scenario at a carbon tax trajectory of 32 US$/tCO2 in 2020 and 562US$/tCO2 in 2050. The Net Energy Import Dependency (NEID) of the country decreases to 13 % in 2050 compared to that of the BAU scenario (65 %) under the near carbon neutral scenario, which is a positive sign from the energy security perspective

Plasmoelectronic-Based Ultrasensitive Assay of Tumor Suppressor microRNAs Directly in Patient Plasma: Design of Highly Specific Early Cancer Diagnostic Technology

It is becoming understood that microRNAs hold great promise for noninvasive liquid biopsies for screening for different types of cancer, but current state-of-the-art RT-PCR and microarray techniques have sensitivity limitations that currently restrict their use. Herein, we report a new transduction mechanism involving delocalization of photoexcited conduction electrons wave function of gold triangular nanoprism (Au TNP) in the presence of -ssDNA/microRNA duplexes. This plasmoelectronic effect increases the electronic dimension of Au TNPs and substantially affects their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties that together allow us to achieve a sensitivity for microRNA assay as low as 140 zeptomolar concentrations for our nanoplasmonic sensors. We show that the position of a single base-pair mismatch in the -ssDNA/microRNA duplex dramatically alters the LSPR properties and detection sensitivity. The unprecedentedly high sensitivity of nanoplasmonic sensors has allowed us to assay four different microRNAs (microRNA-10b, -182, -143, and -145) from bladder cancer patient plasma (50 μL/sample). For the first time, we demonstrate the utility of a label-free, nanoplasmonic sensor in quantification of tumor suppressor microRNAs, the level of tumor suppressor microRNAs goes down in a cancer patient as compared to normal healthy individuals, in metastatic and nonmetastatic bladder cancer patient plasma. Our statistical analysis of patient samples unequivocally suggests that the tumor suppressor microRNAs are more specific biomarkers (p-value of <0.0001) than oncogenic microRNAs for differentiation between metastatic and nonmetastatic bladder cancer, and nonmetastatic cancer from healthy individuals. This work demonstrating the electron wave functions delocalization dependent ultrasensitive LSPR properties of noble metal nanoparticles has a great potential for fabrication of miniaturized and extremely powerful sensors to investigate microRNA properties in other cancers (for example breast, lung, and pancreatic) through liquid biopsy

Does Informatics enable or inhibit the delivery of patient-centred, coordinated, and quality-assured care: a Delphi study. A contribution of the Imia Primary Health Care Informatics Working Group

Background: Primary care delivers patient-centred and coordinated care, which should be quality-assured. Much of family practice now routinely uses computerised medical record (CMR) systems, these systems being linked at varying levels to laboratories and other care providers. CMR systems have the potential to support care. Objective: To achieve a consensus among an international panel of health care professionals and informatics experts about the role of informatics in the delivery of patient-centred, coordinated, and quality-assured care. Method: The consensus building exercise involved 20 individuals, five general practitioners and 15 informatics academics, members of the International Medical Informatics Association Primary Care Informatics Working Group. A thematic analysis of the literature was carried out according to the defined themes. Results:The first round of the analysis developed 27 statements on how the CMR, or any other information system, including paper-based medical records, supports care delivery. Round 2 aimed at achieving a consensus about the statements of round one. Round 3 stated that there was an agreement on informatics principles and structures that should be put in place. However, there was a disagreement about the processes involved in the implementation, and about the clinical interaction with the systems after the implementation. Conclusions: The panel had a strong agreement about the core concepts and structures that should be put in place to support high quality care. However, this agreement evaporated over statements related to implementation. These findings reflect literature and personal experiences: whilst there is consensus about how informatics structures and processes support good quality care, implementation is difficult