Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose and validate a theoretical model to investigate whether supply chain (SC) innovation positively affects risk management capabilities, such as ...robustness and resilience in global SC operations, and to examine how these capabilities may improve competitive advantage.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical model was developed from extant studies and assessed through the development of a large-scale questionnaire survey conducted with South Korean manufacturers and logistics intermediaries involved in global SC operations. The data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling to validate the suggested model.
Findings
It was found that innovative SCs have a discernible positive influence on all dimensions of risk management capability, which in turn has a significant impact on enhancing competitive advantage. Therefore, this work provides evidence for the importance of SC innovation and risk management capability in supporting competitive advantage.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to providing an empirical understanding of the strategic retention of SC innovation and risk management capabilities in the SC management discipline. Furthermore, it confirms and expands existing theories about innovation and competitive advantage.
Practical implications
The finding provides firm grounds for managerial decisions on investment in technology innovation and process innovation.
Originality/value
This research is the first of its kind to empirically validate the relationships between SC innovation, risk management capabilities and competitive advantage.
Background
Recently, autologous platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) has attracted attention in various medical fields, including plastic and orthopedic surgery and dermatology, for its ability to promote ...wound healing. PRP has been tested during facelift and hair transplantation to reduce swelling and pain and to increase hair density.
Objective
To investigate the effects of PRP on hair growth using in vivo and in vitro models.
Methods
PRP was prepared using the double‐spin method and applied to dermal papilla (DP) cells. The proliferative effect of activated PRP on DP cells was measured. To understand the mechanisms of activated PRP on hair growth, we evaluated signaling pathways. In an in vivo study, mice received subcutaneous injections of activated PRP, and their results were compared with control mice.
Results
Activated PRP increased the proliferation of DP cells and stimulated extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt signaling. Fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF‐7) and beta‐catenin, which are potent stimuli for hair growth, were upregulated in DP cells. The injection of mice with activated PRP induced faster telogen‐to‐anagen transition than was seen on control mice.
Conclusions
Although few studies tested the effects of activated PRP on hair growth, this research provides support for possible clinical application of autologous PRP and its secretory factors for promotion of hair growth.
Purpose
– This purpose of this paper is to study the impact of innovativeness on supply chain integration (SCI) and supply chain performance (SCP) and the role of SCI in mediating between ...innovativeness in the supply chain and SCP. Innovativeness is an accepted driver to leverage firm performance. SCI and SCP require innovativeness in the supply chain, but their interrelationships have rarely been researched empirically.
Design/methodology/approach
– A questionnaire survey and structural equation modelling were used in this work. After a structural and measurement model was devised from existing supply chain literature, the main data were collected in a web-based questionnaire survey of South Korean manufacturers. Structural equation modelling was applied to test proposed hypotheses on the associations between variables, following a hierarchical analysis process.
Findings
– Innovativeness in the supply chain had a positive impact on both SCI and SCP. However, the direct impact of innovativeness on SCP disappeared when the model included SCI as a mediator. In specific, internal and supplier integration fully mediated innovativeness–SCP relationships, whereas customer integration had no mediating role on those relationships. The findings suggest that innovativeness can influence SCP only when the manufacturer’s level of SCI is sufficiently effective in developing necessary supply chain practices.
Research limitations/implications
– In this work, innovativeness in the supply chain effectively influenced SCP through the mediation of SCI. However, cross-sectional analysis in one nation using one response per organisation invites validation embracing other geographical areas and longitudinal studies.
Practical implications
– Design of an innovative culture within a firm and along a supply chain can enhance SCI practices by stimulating innovativeness. A high level of SCI should be pursued to effectively transform innovativeness into performance.
Originality/value
– This work seminally examines the effect of innovativeness in the supply chain on SCI and SCP as well as the mediating role of SCI in the relationships between innovativeness and SCP.
We performed a prospective survey on the adverse reactions following the first dose of two types of vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in healthcare workers (HCWs) in South Korea.
...HCWs at a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, South Korea, received a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored vaccine (ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) or an mRNA-based vaccine (BNT162b2) between March 5 and March 26, 2021. The HCWs were asked to report adverse reactions through a mobile self-report questionnaire for three days after vaccination.
A total of 7,625 HCWs received the first dose of ChAdOx1 or BNT162b2 vaccine during the study period. Of them, 5,866 (76.9%) HCWs (ChAdOx1, n = 5,589 95.3%; BNT162b2, n = 277 4.7%) participated at least once in the survey, of whom 77% were female and 86% were younger than 50 years. The overall adverse reaction rate was 93% in the ChAdOx1 group and 80% in the BNT162b2 group (
< 0.001). Both local and systemic reactions were more commonly reported in the ChAdOx1 group, and the difference was larger in systemic reactions such as fever and fatigue. In the ChAdOx1 group, the incidence of adverse reactions was significantly higher in females and those in the younger age groups, while the BNT162b2 group showed such difference according to age.
In our prospective survey, vaccine-associated adverse reactions were more commonly reported in the ChAdOx1 group than in the BNT162b2 group. Females and younger age groups experienced vaccine-associated adverse reactions more frequently.
This study investigates shipping firms' motives for using sale-leaseback (SLBs) transactions. Given the bleak conditions in the shipping industry that have persisted since its collapse in 2008, ...numerous firms have sought ways to relieve short-term financial distress and secure long-term sustainable growth. This study analyses financial ratios of 123 shipping companies in Korea, 25 of which elected to use SLBs in 2019, in terms of growth, profitability, liquidity and leverage for the period of 2016-2018. Consistent with previous findings, the results show that applying for SLBs is associated with a lack of liquidity. By exploring SLBs as a new financing vehicle for shipping companies, the vast majority of which have been under financial distress and constraints in recent years, this study enriches the existing literature on shipping finance. Besides, this study's findings on shipping companies' motives for using SLBs can provide helpful suggestions for designing and implementing government policies for restructuring national shipping industry.
One of the most serious problems the world currently faces is global warming caused by greenhouse gases and pollution emissions. Despite the effectiveness of onshore power supply (OPS) in seaports ...for reducing environmental pollution, its use rate in ports in South Korea is low. Nevertheless, no study has analyzed the barriers to using OPS or explored ways to reduce air pollution from vessels. To fill this gap, this study explores why Korean liner shipping companies avoid using OPS. After a comprehensive literature review and expert interviews to identify key barriers, fuzzy AHP is employed to rank 16 barriers under four key factors. The research shows that the technical standards (BF22) of technical factors are the most significant barriers to the use of OPS. In addition, there is a differentiation in the awareness and views of using OPS among Korean liner shipping companies. This study offers insightful recommendations for developing government OPS policies.
Vitamin D plays an important role in the immune system, and its deficiency has been implicated in various skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Acne is a common inflammatory skin ...disease; however, the association with vitamin D remains unclear.
We evaluated vitamin D levels in patients with acne to determine the effect of vitamin D supplementation.
This study included 80 patients with acne and 80 healthy controls. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were measured, and demographic data were collected. Vitamin D-deficient patients were treated with oral cholecalciferol at 1000 IU/day for 2 months.
Deficiency in 25(OH)D was detected in 48.8% of patients with acne, but in only 22.5% of the healthy controls. The level of 25(OH)D was inversely associated with the severity of acne, and there was a significant negative correlation with inflammatory lesions. In a subsequent trial, improvement in inflammatory lesions was noted after supplementation with vitamin D in 39 acne patients with 25(OH)D deficiency.
Limitations of the study include the small number of patients in the supplementation study and the natural fluctuation of acne.
Vitamin D deficiency was more frequent in patients with acne, and serum 25(OH)D levels were inversely correlated with acne severity, especially in patients with inflammatory lesions.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Malignant melanoma (MM) may rarely exhibit divergent differentiation, in which melanocytic markers may be lost, leading to difficulty in diagnosis. A 64‐year‐old man recently diagnosed with ...myelodysplastic syndrome complained of development of a nodule in a melanocytic nevus on his scalp. On histopathologic examination, junctional nevus nests and diffuse cellular infiltrations with a sheet‐like growth pattern of pleomorphic epithelioid cells were observed in the upper dermis. Junctional nevus cells were S‐100 positive, and pleomorphic epithelioid cells extending from the junctional nests were weakly positive for S‐100. Large polygonal cells with eccentric nuclei and intracytoplasmic hyaline inclusions were observed in the mid to deep dermis. These rhabdomyoblast‐like polygonal cells diffusely expressed desmin and were focally positive for MyoD1. Some clusters of polygonal cells in the deep dermis expressed SOX10. Collectively, these clinical and histopathologic features suggested MM with rhabdomyosarcomatous differentiation. Desmin‐ and skeletal‐muscle‐specific markers should be applied to melanocytic tumors with atypical epithelioid cells resembling rhabdomyoblasts, especially if these cells are negative for melanocytic markers.
Hair growth is the cyclically regulated process that is characterized by growing phase (anagen), regression phase (catagen) and resting phase (telogen). Hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) play pivotal ...role in the control of hair growth cycle. It has been notified that stem cells have the distinguished metabolic signature compared to differentiated cells, such as the preference to glycolysis rather than mitochondrial respiration. Crif1 is a mitochondrial protein that regulates the synthesis and insertion of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) polypeptides to inner membrane of mitochondria. Several studies demonstrate that tissue-specific knockout of Crif1 leads to mitochondrial dysfunction. In this study, we investigated the effect of mitochondrial dysfunction in terms of Crif1 deficiency on the hair growth cycle of adult mice. We created two kinds of inducible conditional knockout (icKO) mice. In epidermal specific icKO mice (Crif1 K14icKO), hair growth cycle was significantly retarded compared to wild type mice. Similarly, HFSC specific icKO mice (Crif1 K15icKO) showed significant retardation of hair growth cycle in depilation-induced anagen model. Interestingly, flow cytometry revealed that HFSC populations were maintained in Crif1 K15icKO mice. These results suggest that mitochondrial function in HFSCs is important for the progression of hair growth cycle, but not for maintenance of HFSCs.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Alopecia areata (AA) is a T‐cell‐mediated autoimmune disease that causes chronic, relapsing hair loss; however, its precise pathogenesis remains to be elucidated. Recent studies have provided ...compelling evidence of crosstalk between inflammasomes and mitophagy—a process that contributes to the removal of damaged mitochondria. Our previous studies showed that the NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is important for eliciting and progressing inflammation in AA. In this study, we detected mitochondrial DNA damage in AA‐affected scalp tissues and IFNγ and poly(I:C) treated outer root sheath (ORS) cells. In addition, IFNγ and poly(I:C) treatment increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in ORS cells. Moreover, we showed that mitophagy induction alleviates IFNγ and poly(I:C)‐induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation in ORS cells. Lastly, PTEN‐induced kinase 1 (PINK1) knockdown increased NLRP3 inflammasome activation, indicating that PINK1‐mediated mitophagy plays a critical role in NLRP3 inflammasome activation in ORS cells. This study supports previous studies showing that oxidative stress disrupts immune privilege status and promotes autoimmunity in AA. The results emphasize the significance of crosstalk between mitophagy and inflammasomes in the pathogenesis of AA. Finally, mitophagy factors regulating mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibiting inflammasome activation could be novel therapeutic targets for AA.
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