Key Sustainable Supply Chain Management Processes - A conceptual framework grounded in network theory.

The purpose of this paper is to outline a conceptual framework of the key processes that integrate sustainability across the supply chain strategically. This has not been done to date due to several factors including the nascent nature of sustainable supply chain management (SCM) research; increased complexities in SCM such as a proliferation of perspectives given various foci of disciplines, theoretical lenses and stakeholder perspectives; and ever more complex strategies given the added sustainable components. With the maturation of this field, the business case as to why sustainability criteria should be integrated in to core business operations has been well established. Piloted sustainable supply chains are coming of age and are exemplified as flagship business practices in company sustainability reports. Practitioners and academics are now turning to the problem of scaling up processes, not only across the whole supply chain, but across the network too. There is no research that systematically maps processes that integrate sustainability dimensions across the supply chain. This presented an opportunity to develop a conceptual framework, outlining the content from themes and issues in SCM and sustainability processes. Through the literature reviewed, key issues in sustainable SCM and its key processes were identified. Furthermore, key findings indicate that there are divergent interests in sustainability agendas across all disciplines and stakeholders that affect how these processes are integrated. This suggests how sustainability is perceived and integrated, requires further attention. To help frame the understanding of how these processes are managed, given the factors at play, the framework is built upon the theoretical proposition of Network Theory (NT), and the influence of power and decision-making. The aim is to develop a theoretical understanding of sustainable SCM with the intention of making an original contribution to the supply chain discipline

Key sustainable supply chain processes: a conceptual framework

The purpose of this paper is to outline a conceptual framework of the key processes that integrate sustainability across the supply chain strategically. This has not been done to date due to several factors including the nascent nature of sustainable supply chain management (SCM) research; increased complexities in SCM such as a proliferation of perspectives given various foci of disciplines, theoretical lenses and stakeholder perspectives; and ever more complex strategies given the added sustainable components. With the maturation of this field, the business case as to why sustainability criteria should be integrated in to core business operations has been well established. Piloted sustainable supply chains are coming of age and are exemplified as flagship business practices in company sustainability reports. Practitioners and academics are now turning to the problem of scaling up processes, not only across the whole supply chain, but across the network too. There is no research that systematically maps processes that integrate sustainability dimensions across the supply chain. This presented an opportunity to develop a conceptual framework, outlining the content from themes and issues in SCM and sustainability processes. Through the literature reviewed, key issues in sustainable SCM and its key processes were identified. Furthermore, key findings indicate that there are divergent interests in sustainability agendas across all disciplines and stakeholders that affect how these processes are integrated. This suggests how sustainability is perceived and integrated, requires further attention. To help frame the understanding of how these processes are managed, given the factors at play, the framework is built upon the theoretical proposition of Network Theory (NT), and the influence of power and decision-making. The aim is to develop a theoretical understanding of sustainable SCM with the intention of making an original contribution to the supply chain discipline

Critical evaluation of epistemology in supply chain research - Qualitative case study research in operations and supply chain management.

The purpose of this paper is to offer a critical evaluation of epistemology in supply chain research. The two approaches, the positivist and post-positivist critical realism research traditions, are the primary philosophical foundations for case study research design. These are discussed in relation to the research project: ‘exploring sustainable supply chain strategy’. Key concepts in the literature present characteristics of the research problem in relation to the methodological paradigm and theory development from which a summary that underpins the research strategy is outlined in the ‘Research method’ section. Finally, the research questions leading from the findings are presented

Human neutrophil clearance of bacterial pathogens triggers anti-microbial gamma delta T cell responses in early infection

Human blood Vc9/Vd2 T cells, monocytes and neutrophils share a responsiveness toward inflammatory chemokines and are rapidly recruited to sites of infection. Studying their interaction in vitro and relating these findings to in vivo observations in patients may therefore provide crucial insight into inflammatory events. Our present data demonstrate that Vc9/Vd2 T cells provide potent survival signals resulting in neutrophil activation and the release of the neutrophil chemoattractant CXCL8 (IL-8). In turn, Vc9/Vd2 T cells readily respond to neutrophils harboring phagocytosed bacteria, as evidenced by expression of CD69, interferon (IFN)-c and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a. This response is dependent on the ability of these bacteria to produce the microbial metabolite (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMB-PP), requires cell-cell contact of Vc9/Vd2 T cells with accessory monocytes through lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1), and results in a TNF-a dependent proliferation of Vc9/Vd2 T cells. The antibiotic fosmidomycin, which targets the HMB-PP biosynthesis pathway, not only has a direct antibacterial effect on most HMB-PP producing bacteria but also possesses rapid anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting cd T cell responses in vitro. Patients with acute peritoneal-dialysis (PD)-associated bacterial peritonitis – characterized by an excessive influx of neutrophils and monocytes into the peritoneal cavity – show a selective activation of local Vc9/Vd2 T cells by HMB-PP producing but not by HMB-PP deficient bacterial pathogens. The cd T celldriven perpetuation of inflammatory responses during acute peritonitis is associated with elevated peritoneal levels of cd T cells and TNF-a and detrimental clinical outcomes in infections caused by HMB-PP positive microorganisms. Taken together, our findings indicate a direct link between invading pathogens, neutrophils, monocytes and microbe-responsive cd T cells in early infection and suggest novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.Martin S. Davey, Chan-Yu Lin, Gareth W. Roberts, Sinéad Heuston, Amanda C. Brown, James A. Chess, Mark A. Toleman, Cormac G.M. Gahan, Colin Hill, Tanya Parish, John D. Williams, Simon J. Davies, David W. Johnson, Nicholas Topley, Bernhard Moser and Matthias Eber

Lemur tyrosine kinase-2 signalling regulates kinesin-1 light chain-2 phosphorylation and binding of Smad2 cargo.

A recent genome-wide association study identified the gene encoding lemur tyrosine kinase-2 (LMTK2) as a susceptibility gene for prostate cancer. The identified genetic alteration is within intron 9, but the mechanisms by which LMTK2 may impact upon prostate cancer are not clear because the functions of LMTK2 are poorly understood. Here, we show that LMTK2 regulates a known pathway that controls phosphorylation of kinesin-1 light chain-2 (KLC2) by glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β). KLC2 phosphorylation by GSK3β induces the release of cargo from KLC2. LMTK2 signals via protein phosphatase-1C (PP1C) to increase inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK3β on serine-9 that reduces KLC2 phosphorylation and promotes binding of the known KLC2 cargo Smad2. Smad2 signals to the nucleus in response to transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) receptor stimulation and transport of Smad2 by kinesin-1 is required for this signalling. We show that small interfering RNA loss of LMTK2 not only reduces binding of Smad2 to KLC2, but also inhibits TGFβ-induced Smad2 signalling. Thus, LMTK2 may regulate the activity of kinesin-1 motor function and Smad2 signalling

Timing and minimal access surgery for sciatica: a summary of two randomized trials

Scientific Assessment and Innovation in Neurosurgical Treatment Strategie

Identifying and Prioritizing Greater Sage-Grouse Nesting and Brood-Rearing Habitat for Conservation in Human-Modified Landscapes

BACKGROUND: Balancing animal conservation and human use of the landscape is an ongoing scientific and practical challenge throughout the world. We investigated reproductive success in female greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) relative to seasonal patterns of resource selection, with the larger goal of developing a spatially-explicit framework for managing human activity and sage-grouse conservation at the landscape level. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We integrated field-observation, Global Positioning Systems telemetry, and statistical modeling to quantify the spatial pattern of occurrence and risk during nesting and brood-rearing. We linked occurrence and risk models to provide spatially-explicit indices of habitat-performance relationships. As part of the analysis, we offer novel biological information on resource selection during egg-laying, incubation, and night. The spatial pattern of occurrence during all reproductive phases was driven largely by selection or avoidance of terrain features and vegetation, with little variation explained by anthropogenic features. Specifically, sage-grouse consistently avoided rough terrain, selected for moderate shrub cover at the patch level (within 90 m(2)), and selected for mesic habitat in mid and late brood-rearing phases. In contrast, risk of nest and brood failure was structured by proximity to anthropogenic features including natural gas wells and human-created mesic areas, as well as vegetation features such as shrub cover. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Risk in this and perhaps other human-modified landscapes is a top-down (i.e., human-mediated) process that would most effectively be minimized by developing a better understanding of specific mechanisms (e.g., predator subsidization) driving observed patterns, and using habitat-performance indices such as those developed herein for spatially-explicit guidance of conservation intervention. Working under the hypothesis that industrial activity structures risk by enhancing predator abundance or effectiveness, we offer specific recommendations for maintaining high-performance habitat and reducing low-performance habitat, particularly relative to the nesting phase, by managing key high-risk anthropogenic features such as industrial infrastructure and water developments