Supply chain disturbances and resilience strategies: a secondary data study

This research is funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (project MIT-Pt/EDAM-IASC/0033/2008 and project PTDC/EME-GIN/68400/2006). The principal author was supported by a PhD fellowship from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (SFRH/BD/43984/2008).This paper is a review over a variety of events which lead to disruption conditions in supply chains and identifies correspondent resilient strategies for each condition. The paper objective is to make a link between the problems created by events and strategies that managers can use to avoid or mitigate the negative aspects of those problems and improve post-event recovery. To attain the paper objectives, archived media news were used to collect empirical data about disturbances (events), their negative effects (problems), and resilience strategies. In the data collection phase, the aim was to keep diversities and be comprehensive. Using empirical evidences from the sample is developed a graph to show the links between supply chain disturbances, problems and resilience. This research provides supply chain managers with some alternative strategies to opt for the best available decision, improving the post-event management process.publishersversionpublishe

Regional Distribution of GHG Emissions from Livestock Enteric Fermentation and Manure Management in the Republic of Macedonia in the Period 2007-2012

The estimation of GHG emission from domestic livestock in the Republic of Macedonia during the period from 2007-2012 is performed according to the IPCC Good Practice Guidance and Uncertainty Management in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories applying the Tier 1 method for calculation of emissions. This article has accepted the following gasses: Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide and CO2-eq from the domestic livestock sub sector using data sources from the official Statistical Yearbooks of the Republic of Macedonia. According to available data for livestock species, distribution of total annual methane emission and nitrogen excretion was calculated in each planning region for the period 2007-2012. In the analyzed period two regions showed continuously highest (Southeast region) and lowest (Vardar region) CH4 emission and nitrogen excretion. In the period 2007-2012 CH4 emission ranged between 26.43 Gg (2007) and 23.78 Gg (2012), with the lowest value in 2012 (23.78 Gg). Depending on the animal waste management system the highest value for nitrogen excretion (solid storage and drylot) was observed in 2010 (kt/N/yr). Almost similar value for nitrogen excretion from pasture and paddock was observed in 2007 and 2008, 9.54 and 9.53 kt/N/yr respectively, with the lowest value for analyzed period noted in 2009 (8.82 kt/N/yr). In this period the highest value (3.32 kt/N/yr) for other type of AWMS was recorded in 2007. Separation of certain regions in the country regarding GHG emission can be clearly noted. Data for the period 2007-2012 show a downward trend in GHG emission. Applications of modern breeding technology, balanced feed as well as better feed quality in the future are the main objectives in order to reduce GHGs emission from this subsector

Astigmatism management during cataract surgery

Цел: да обсъдим и споделим нашия опит при интраоперативната корекция на роговичния астигматизъм по време на катарактна хирургия. Методи: В проучването са включени 48 пациенти с различна степен на роговичен астигматизъм, разделени в две групи. Подборът на метода на корекция на астигматизма беше направен на база на степента на астигматизма след изследване на роговицата с корнеален топограф и томограф. Пациентите с роговичен астигматизъм до 2,5 Д -38 очи третирахме с АК (аркуатни кератотомии), извършени с B&L VICTUS Femtosecond Laser P1atform , при останалите 11 очи имплантирахме торична вътреочна леща. Проследихме пациентите за период от 18 месеца постоперативно. Резултати: И в двете групи получихме желаната корекция на астигматизма постоперативно, В първата група редукцията на астигматизма беше средно 1, 71 dpt ± 0,63 (SD) до 0,28 ± 0,39 (РObjective: To share our experience in correcting corneal astigmatism in patients undergoing cataract surgery. Methods: Our study includes 48 eyes, 37 eyes with a corneal astigmatism of up to 2.50 dpt and 11 eyes with a higher (>2.50dpt) astigmatism. The first group was treated with arcuate keratotomies (AK) performed by B&L VICTUS Femtosecond Laser Platform. The AKs were placed on the steepest corneal meridian in a resulting depth of 85% based on the real-time OCT pachymetry. Patients from group 2 were treated with intraocular toric IOLs. Postsurgical follow-up period was 18 months and includes uncorrected visual acuity, manifest refraction, count and density of endothelial corneal cells prior to and after surgery, pachymetry, corneal topography (Placidobased and Scheimpflug image -derived topography). Results: - The mean astigmatismus reduction in the first group was from 1.71 D ± 0.63 (SD) to 0.28 ± 0.39 D (

A rare SNP in pre-miR-34a is associated with increased levels of miR-34a in pancreatic beta cells.

Open Access Article.Changes in the levels of specific microRNAs (miRNAs) can reduce glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and increase beta-cell apoptosis, two causes of islet dysfunction and progression to type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within miRNA genes can affect their expression. We sought to determine whether miRNAs, with a known role in beta-cell function, possess SNPs within the pre-miRNA structure which can affect their expression. Using published literature and dbSNP, we aimed to identify miRNAs with a role in beta-cell function that also possess SNPs within the region encoding its pre-miRNA. Following transfection of plasmids, encoding the pre-miRNA and each allele of the SNP, miRNA expression was measured. Two rare SNPs located within the pre-miRNA structure of two miRNA genes important to beta-cell function (miR-34a and miR-96) were identified. Transfection of INS-1 and MIN6 cells with plasmids encoding pre-miR-34a and the minor allele of rs72631823 resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) higher miR-34a expression, compared to cells transfected with plasmids encoding the corresponding major allele. Similarly, higher levels were also observed upon transfection of HeLa cells. Transfection of MIN6 cells with plasmids encoding pre-miR-96 and each allele of rs41274239 resulted in no significant differences in miR-96 expression. A rare SNP in pre-miR-34a is associated with increased levels of mature miR-34a. Given that small changes in miR-34a levels have been shown to cause increased levels of beta-cell apoptosis this finding may be of interest to studies looking at determining the effect of rare variants on type 2 diabetes susceptibility

Infected erythrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles alter vascular function via regulatory Ago2-miRNA complexes in malaria

Malaria remains one of the greatest public health challenges worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The clinical outcome of individuals infected with Plasmodium falciparum parasites depends on many factors including host systemic inflammatory responses, parasite sequestration in tissues and vascular dysfunction. Production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines promotes endothelial activation as well as recruitment and infiltration of inflammatory cells, which in turn triggers further endothelial cell activation and parasite sequestration. Inflammatory responses are triggered in part by bioactive parasite products such as hemozoin and infected red blood cell-derived extracellular vesicles (iRBC-derived EVs). Here we demonstrate that such EVs contain functional miRNA-Argonaute 2 complexes that are derived from the host RBC. Moreover, we show that EVs are efficiently internalized by endothelial cells, where the miRNA-Argonaute 2 complexes modulate target gene expression and barrier properties. Altogether, these findings provide a mechanistic link between EVs and vascular dysfunction during malaria infection

Cation binding to 15-TBA quadruplex DNA is a multiple-pathway cation-dependent process

A combination of explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulation (30 simulations reaching 4 µs in total), hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics approach and isothermal titration calorimetry was used to investigate the atomistic picture of ion binding to 15-mer thrombin-binding quadruplex DNA (G-DNA) aptamer. Binding of ions to G-DNA is complex multiple pathway process, which is strongly affected by the type of the cation. The individual ion-binding events are substantially modulated by the connecting loops of the aptamer, which play several roles. They stabilize the molecule during time periods when the bound ions are not present, they modulate the route of the ion into the stem and they also stabilize the internal ions by closing the gates through which the ions enter the quadruplex. Using our extensive simulations, we for the first time observed full spontaneous exchange of internal cation between quadruplex molecule and bulk solvent at atomistic resolution. The simulation suggests that expulsion of the internally bound ion is correlated with initial binding of the incoming ion. The incoming ion then readily replaces the bound ion while minimizing any destabilization of the solute molecule during the exchange