Artificial intelligence for supplier scouting: an information processing theory approach

Purpose: The objective of this paper is to study the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in supporting the supplier scouting process, considering the information and the capabilities required to do so. Design/methodology/approach: Twelve cases of IT and information providers offering AI-based scouting solutions were studied. The unit of analysis was the AI-based scouting solution, specifically the relationship between the provider and the buyer. Information processing theory (IPT) was adopted to address information processing needs (IPNs) and capabilities (IPCs). Findings: Among buyers, IPNs in supplier scouting are high. IT and information providers can meet the needs of buyers through IPCs enabled by AI-based solutions. In this way, the fit between needs and capabilities can be reached. Originality/value: The investigation of the role of AI in supplier scouting is original. The application of IPT to study the impact of AI in business processes is also novel. This paper contributes by investigating a phenomenon that is still unexplored and unconsolidated in a business context

Critical analysis of the value of the rabbit median nerve model for biomedical research on peripheral nerve grafts.

The rabbit has been proposed to represent an animal model that allows studying peripheral nerve regeneration across extended gap lengths. We describe here our experiences with the rabbit median nerve model and the obstacles it comes along with. This short communication is meant to inform the community and to prevent other researcher from investing time and animal lives in a model with low translational power

Modulation of the Neuregulin 1/ErbB system after skeletal muscle denervation and reinnervation

Abstract Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is a growth factor produced by both peripheral nerves and skeletal muscle. In muscle, it regulates neuromuscular junction gene expression, acetylcholine receptor number, muscle homeostasis and satellite cell survival. NRG1 signalling is mediated by the tyrosine kinase receptors ErbB3 and ErbB4 and their co-receptors ErbB1 and ErbB2. The NRG1/ErbB system is well studied in nerve tissue after injury, but little is known about this system in skeletal muscle after denervation/reinnervation processes. Here, we performed a detailed time-course expression analysis of several NRG1 isoforms and ErbB receptors in the rat superficial digitorum flexor muscle after three types of median nerve injuries of different severities. We found that ErbB receptor expression was correlated with the innervated state of the muscle, with upregulation of ErbB2 clearly associated with the denervation state. Interestingly, the NRG1 isoforms were differently regulated depending on the nerve injury type, leading to the hypothesis that both the NRG1α and NRG1β isoforms play a key role in the muscle reaction to injury. Indeed, in vitro experiments with C2C12 atrophic myotubes revealed that both NRG1α and NRG1β treatment influences the best-known atrophic pathways, suggesting that NRG1 might play an anti-atrophic role

Peripheral Nerve Reconstruction Using Enriched Chitosan Conduits

The repair of peripheral nerve traumatic lesions still represents a major cause of permanent motor and sensory impairment. In case of substance loss, a nerve guide should be used to bridge the proximal with the distal stump of the severed nerve. The effectiveness of hollow nerve guides is limited by the delay of axonal growth due to the absence of a regeneration substrate inside the conduit. To fasten up nerve regeneration, nerve guides should thus be enriched by a luminal filler. In this study, we investigated, in a 12-mm rat sciatic nerve defect experimental model, the effectiveness of chitosan-based conduits of different acetylation filled either with a hyaluronic acid gel (NVR gel) or with a magnetic fibrin hydrogel, in comparison with traditional autografts. Results showed that all types of artificial nerve conduits led to functional recovery not significantly different from autografts. By contrast, morphological and morphometrical analyses showed that the best results among nerve guides were found in medium degree of acetylation (DAII: ∼5%) chitosan conduits enriched with the NVR gel

Case report: A novel ACTA1 variant in a patient with nemaline rods and increased glycogen deposition

BackgroundCongenital myopathies are a group of heterogeneous inherited disorders, mainly characterized by early-onset hypotonia and muscle weakness. The spectrum of clinical phenotype can be highly variable, going from very mild to severe presentations. The course also varies broadly resulting in a fatal outcome in the most severe cases but can either be benign or lead to an amelioration even in severe presentations. Muscle biopsy analysis is crucial for the identification of pathognomonic morphological features, such as core areas, nemaline bodies or rods, nuclear centralizations and congenital type 1 fibers disproportion. However, multiple abnormalities in the same muscle can be observed, making more complex the myopathological scenario.Case presentationHere, we describe an Italian newborn presenting with severe hypotonia, respiratory insufficiency, inability to suck and swallow, requiring mechanical ventilation and gastrostomy feeding. Muscle biopsy analyzed by light microscopy showed the presence of vacuoles filled with glycogen, suggesting a metabolic myopathy, but also fuchsinophilic inclusions. Ultrastructural studies confirmed the presence of normally structured glycogen, and the presence of minirods, directing the diagnostic hypothesis toward a nemaline myopathy. An expanded Next Generation Sequencing analysis targeting congenital myopathies genes revealed the presence of a novel heterozygous c.965 T > A p. (Leu322Gln) variant in the ACTA1 gene, which encodes the skeletal muscle alpha-actin.ConclusionOur case expands the repertoire of molecular and pathological features observed in actinopathies. We highlight the value of ultrastructural examination to investigate the abnormalities detected at the histological level. We also emphasized the use of expanded gene panels in the molecular analysis of neuromuscular patients, especially for those ones presenting multiple bioptic alterations

Avaliação da hemodinâmica em pacientes com doença cardíaca persistente: uma revisão bibliográfica

Introdução: A avaliação da hemodinâmica em pacientes com cardiopatia persistente é um tópico complexo e multifacetado que requer uma compreensão abrangente da fisiopatologia subjacente e dos fatores de risco associados. Esta revisão bibliográfica fornece um resumo valioso da pesquisa atual no campo e destaca vários temas-chave que surgiram de estudos recentes. Metodologia: foi realizada uma revisão de literatura conduzida para investigar os aspectos clínicos, fisiológicos, patológicos e hemodinâmicos em pacientes com cardiopatia persistente. Foram realizadas buscas em várias bases de dados entre 2010 e 2022, utilizando termos específicos. Os critérios de inclusão foram estudos de coorte, estudos de caso-controle e revisões sistemáticas com amostras maiores que 10 indivíduos. Após uma triagem inicial, 33 artigos foram selecionados para análise. Os artigos foram avaliados quanto à qualidade metodológica e os dados foram agrupados e analisados qualitativamente. Os resultados foram apresentados de forma descritiva, destacando as principais informações encontradas sobre os aspectos clínicos, fisiológicos, patológicos e hemodinâmicos em pacientes cardiopatas resistentes.  Discussão: Uma descoberta notável é que a insuficiência cardíaca crônica continua sendo um grande problema de saúde pública, com quase 5 milhões de casos relatados apenas nos EUA. Apesar dos avanços no tratamento, a taxa de mortalidade dessa condição permanece alta, enfatizando a necessidade de pesquisas contínuas sobre os mecanismos subjacentes e intervenções mais eficazes. Além disso, a revisão identifica vários fatores de risco potenciais para doença cardíaca persistente, incluindo doença renal crônica, obesidade e inflamação. Esses achados sugerem que uma abordagem multidisciplinar para o manejo da doença, incorporando intervenções médicas e de estilo de vida, pode ser mais eficaz para melhorar os resultados dos pacientes. Conclusão: No geral, esta revisão ressalta a necessidade crítica de pesquisas contínuas sobre a fisiopatologia, fatores de risco e tratamento de doenças cardíacas persistentes e fornece informações valiosas sobre possíveis caminhos para futuras investigações

Supplier Scouting and Artificial Intelligence: An information processing theory approach

Purpose: The main objective of this paper is the study of the role of Artificial Intelligence in supporting the supplier scouting process run by a buyer firm, looking at the information and the capabilities required, together with the gains achieved in terms of procurement performance. Design/methodology/approach: Through the case study methodology, 12 IT and information providers involved in the design and development of AI-based scouting solutions have been studied. The unit of analysis is the AI-based scouting solution offered by the IT provider and the relationship that is resulted between the provider delivering the solution and the buyer firm implementing it. The Information Processing Theory is taken as the overarching research lens, addressing the Information Processing Needs and Capabilities underlying the adoption of Artificial Intelligence in supplier scouting. Findings: In the buyer firms, the Information Processing Needs in supplier scouting are high. IT and information provider can solve the requirement of the buyer firms through the proper information Processing Capabilities, enabled by AI-based solutions for supplier scouting. In this way, the Fit between Information Processing Needs and Capabilities is reached. Originality: The novelty of this study lies in the intersection between two research areas (i.e. purchasing and supply management and Artificial Intelligence), rarely investigated in conjunction. The application of Information Processing Theory is also novel in studying the impact of Artificial intelligence in the business process, such as the scouting for new suppliers. In this direction, this paper contributes structuring a phenomenon that is still unexplored by previous contribution and nonconsolidated in the business context