Managing logistics outsourcing to China: business problems and solutions for Australian firms

This study aims to investigate the outsourcing relationships between firms in Australia and China by using a problem-solution approach, and find out practical solutions. Empirical data from Australian firms were collected by a questionnaire survey and interviews. The survey data were analysed by descriptive statistics and correlation to find the most common problems and related solutions, and then eight case studies were compiled. The results agree that outsourcing can achieve many significant benefits, though it presents a variety of new risks. Solutions found include increasing communication levels, trust and management control

Anomalous Eutectic Microstructures in Mg-Al Structural Alloy Prepared by Rapid Solidification

Magnesium is the lightest engineering metal 1 However, conventional Mg alloys typically suffer from low strength and poor deformability due to very few slip systems and easy twinning 3 Alloying Mg with other materials and microstructural engineering are promising approaches to increase ductility and strength of Mg In the current work, non equilibrium solidification conditions were applied to induce a transition from regular to anomalous eutectic in Mg Al eutectic alloy such that four distinguished microstructures were acquired and the corresponding formation mechanisms were investigate

Making Light-weight Mg-Metal Laminated Nanocomposites

Magnesium is the lightest of all the engineering metals. Replacing steel structural materials with Mg-based materials in automotive applications would boost fuel. However, conventional Mg alloys typically suffer from low strength and poor deformability due to very few slip systems and easy twinning. Alloying Mg with other materials and microstructural engineering are promising approaches to increase ductility and strength of Mg. According to Wang et al., interfaces with low energy and high coherency may effectively constrict the nucleation of twins in Mg. In this work, Mg-metal multilayered nanocomposites will be produced by melt spinning procedure and the layers’ mechanical properties will be examined by picoindentation. Meanwhile, plastic co-deformation of the layers can be designed by crystallographic theory and multiscale modelling to achieve fine nanolaminate microstructure in bulk Mg alloys

Hydronephrosis associated with antiurothelial and antinuclear autoantibodies in BALB/c-Fcgr2b−/−Pdcd1−/− mice

Because most autoimmune diseases are polygenic, analysis of the synergistic involvement of various immune regulators is essential for a complete understanding of the molecular pathology of these diseases. We report the regulation of autoimmune diseases by epistatic effects of two immunoinhibitory receptors, low affinity type IIb Fc receptor for IgG (FcγRIIB) and programmed cell death 1 (PD-1). Approximately one third of the BALB/c-Fcgr2b−/−Pdcd1−/− mice developed autoimmune hydronephrosis, which is not observed in either BALB/c-Fcgr2b−/− or BALB/c-Pdcd1−/− mice. Hydronephrotic mice produced autoantibodies (autoAbs) against urothelial antigens, including uroplakin IIIa, and these antibodies were deposited on the urothelial cells of the urinary bladder. In addition, ∼15% of the BALB/c-Fcgr2b−/−Pdcd1−/− mice produced antinuclear autoAbs. In contrast, the frequency of the autoimmune cardiomyopathy and the production of anti–parietal cell autoAb, which were observed in BALB/c-Pdcd1−/− mice, were not affected by the additional FcγRIIB deficiency. These observations suggest cross talk between two immunoinhibitory receptors, FcγRIIB and PD-1, on the regulation of autoimmune diseases

Analysis of In Situ Protease Activity in Chronic Adult Periodontitis Patients: Expression of Activated MMP‐2 and a 40 kDa Serine Protease

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141775/1/jper0353.pd

Macrophage depletion blocks congenital SARM1-dependent neuropathy

Axon loss contributes to many common neurodegenerative disorders. In healthy axons, the axon survival factor NMNAT2 inhibits SARM1, the central executioner of programmed axon degeneration. We identified 2 rare NMNAT2 missense variants in 2 brothers afflicted with a progressive neuropathy syndrome. The polymorphisms resulted in amino acid substitutions V98M and R232Q, which reduced NMNAT2 NAD+-synthetase activity. We generated a mouse model to mirror the human syndrome and found that Nmnat2V98M/R232Q compound-heterozygous CRISPR mice survived to adulthood but developed progressive motor dysfunction, peripheral axon loss, and macrophage infiltration. These disease phenotypes were all SARM1-dependent. Remarkably, macrophage depletion therapy blocked and reversed neuropathic phenotypes in Nmnat2V98M/R232Q mice, identifying a SARM1-dependent neuroimmune mechanism as a key driver of disease pathogenesis. These findings demonstrate that SARM1 induced inflammatory neuropathy and highlight the potential of immune therapy as a treatment for this rare syndrome and other neurodegenerative conditions associated with NMNAT2 loss and SARM1 activation

The bracteatus pineapple genome and domestication of clonally propagated crops

Domestication of clonally propagated crops such as pineapple from South America was hypothesized to be a 'one-step operation'. We sequenced the genome of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus CB5 and assembled 513 Mb into 25 chromosomes with 29,412 genes. Comparison of the genomes of CB5, F153 and MD2 elucidated the genomic basis of fiber production, color formation, sugar accumulation and fruit maturation. We also resequenced 89 Ananas genomes. Cultivars 'Smooth Cayenne' and 'Queen' exhibited ancient and recent admixture, while 'Singapore Spanish' supported a one-step operation of domestication. We identified 25 selective sweeps, including a strong sweep containing a pair of tandemly duplicated bromelain inhibitors. Four candidate genes for self-incompatibility were linked in F153, but were not functional in self-compatible CB5. Our findings support the coexistence of sexual recombination and a one-step operation in the domestication of clonally propagated crops. This work guides the exploration of sexual and asexual domestication trajectories in other clonally propagated crops