The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0): technologies disruption on operations and supply chain management 1.1 Context During the last five years, journals in robotics, electronics, computer ...science and production engineering have devoted significant attention to Industry 4.0 and related subjects, including additive manufacturing/3D printing, intelligent manufacturing and big data (Lee et al., 2014; Xi et al., 2015; Pfeiffer et al., 2016; Mosterman and Zander, 2016; Chen and Zhang, 2015; Jia et al., 2016). A few prominent exceptions are represented by the recent attempts to shed lights on: the link between Industry 4.0 and lean manufacturing (Buer et al., 2018; Tortorella and Fettermann, 2018); the link between Internet of Things (IoT) and supply chain management (Ben-Daya et al., 2017); the impact of additive manufacturing on supply chain processes and performances (Liu et al., 2014; Oettmeier and Hofmann, 2016; Li et al., 2017); and the short-term supply chain scheduling in smart factories (Ivanov et al., 2016). Here, the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) refers to the “confluence of technologies ranging from a variety of digital technologies (e.g. 3D printing, IoT, advanced robotics) to new materials (e.g. bio or nano-based) to new processes (e.g. data driven production, Artificial Intelligence, synthetic biology)” (OECD, 2016). Whilst classical theories such as resource based view, institutional theory, chaos theory, systems theory, stakeholder theory, transaction economic cost theory, evolutionary theory to name a few may need reshaping, the issues of trust will become prominent in such a disruptive digital environment, driving major evolvement of technological singularity in the transformation process, where blockchain may play a central role with IoT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) (Carter and Koh, 2018).
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how multinational corporations (MNCs) orchestrate internal and external resources to help their multi-tier supply chains learn sustainability-related ...knowledge. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory multiple case study approach was adopted and three MNCs’ sustainable initiatives in China were examined. The data were primarily collected through 43 semi-structured interviews with managers of focal companies and their multi-tier suppliers. Findings The authors found that in order to facilitate their supply chains to learn sustainability, MNCs tend to orchestrate in breadth by internally setting up new functional departments and externally working with third parties, and orchestrate in depth working directly with their extreme upstream suppliers adopting varied governance mechanisms on lower-tier suppliers along the project lifecycle. The resource orchestration in breadth and depth and along the project lifecycle results in changes of supply chain structure. Practical implications The proposed conceptual model provides an overall framework for companies to design and implement their multi-tier sustainable initiatives. Companies could learn from the suggested learning stages and the best practices of case companies. Originality/value The authors extend and enrich resource orchestration perspective (ROP), which is internally focused, to a supply chain level, and answer a theoretical question of how MNCs orchestrate their internal and external resources to help their supply chains to learn sustainability. The extension of ROP refutes the resource dependence theory, which adopts a passive approach of relying on external suppliers and proposes that MNCs should proactively work with internal and external stakeholders to learn sustainability.
Peri‐implant diseases are prevalent with a weighted mean prevalence rate of 43% across Europe and 22% across South and North America. Although the main etiologic agent is bacterial biofilm, a myriad ...of factors influence the initiation and progression of the disease. Unfortunately, the treatment of peri‐implant diseases is at best favorable in the short term with a high rate of persistent inflammation and recurrence. Therefore, it is sensible to consider and control all potential factors that may predispose an implant to peri‐implant tissue inflammation in an attempt to avoid the disease. This paper reviews recent evidence on factors that may predispose implants to peri‐implantitis and measures that can be taken to prevent it.
China is one of the countries with the highest incidence of gastric cancer. There are differences in epidemiological characteristics, clinicopathological features, tumor biological characteristics, ...treatment patterns, and drug selection between gastric cancer patients from the Eastern and Western countries. Non‐Chinese guidelines cannot specifically reflect the diagnosis and treatment characteristics for the Chinese gastric cancer patients. The Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) arranged for a panel of senior experts specializing in all sub‐specialties of gastric cancer to compile, discuss, and revise the guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer based on the findings of evidence‐based medicine in China and abroad. By referring to the opinions of industry experts, taking into account of regional differences, giving full consideration to the accessibility of diagnosis and treatment resources, these experts have conducted experts’ consensus judgement on relevant evidence and made various grades of recommendations for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer to reflect the value of cancer treatment and meeting health economic indexes. This guideline uses tables and is complemented by explanatory and descriptive notes covering the diagnosis, comprehensive treatment, and follow‐up visits for gastric cancer.
This study investigates the impact of the Chinese government's Level I emergency response policy on manufacturers' stock market values. We empirically examine the roles of human resource dependence ...(labor intensity) and operational slack within the context of supply chain resilience. Through an event study of 1357 Chinese manufacturing companies, we find that the government's emergency response policy triggered statistically significant positive abnormal returns for manufacturers. However, we also find that there exists a negative impact on abnormal returns for manufacturers that are labor‐intensive, giving rise to arguments based in resource dependence theory. In addition, the results indicate the positive role played by operational slack (e.g., financial and inventory slack) in helping manufacturers maintain operations and business continuity, effectively mitigating risks and adding to the manufacturers' resilience. With these findings, we contribute to operations and supply chain management by calling attention to the importance of human resource redundancy while at the same time identifying financial slack and inventory as supply chain resilience strategies that were able to mitigate pandemic‐related risks.
Highlights
Although government policies and regulations are often central for supply chain risk mitigation, they may sometimes also carry secondary risks; manufacturers should monitor and ideally anticipate public policy interventions.
Slack financial resources provide greater flexibility in a company's response to an unanticipated event and should thus be emphasized; nevertheless, the value of excess inventory should not be neglected.
A greater dependence on labor exposes manufacturers to greater risks, especially when public policy curtails travel and the movement of labor.
Governments should use policymaking as a means to provide guidance and support regarding the deployment of manufacturers' operational slack, especially financial slack.
Vascular restenosis after balloon dilation is largely caused by the over‐proliferation of smooth muscle cells, which is triggered and exacerbated by local excessive inflammation and oxidative stress. ...The excessive inflammatory and oxidative stress cause tissue/cell damage, hamper endothelial functions, and worsen intimal hyperplasia and restenosis. A high level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction is regarded as the main culprit. Therefore, efficiently inhibiting ROS over‐production or weightily depleting them is of great significance. Herein, a “ROS‐responsive/scavenging prodrug” is introduced into balloon coating for the treatment of vascular restenosis. A reversible phenylboronic ester‐bearing caffeic acid (CA) macromolecular prodrug (PBC) is designed for the controlled and on‐demand dual‐drug release triggered by the local high ROS level; the released CA and 4‐hydroxybenzyl alcohol exhibit efficient antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects by scavenging ROS, thereby regulating vascular microenvironment and protecting endothelium functions. To accelerate endothelium regeneration, pro‐endothelial microRNA‐126 is further introduced. The ROS‐responsive/scavenging prodrug/miRNA balloon coating efficiently prevents intimal hyperplasia, alleviates local inflammation, and improves endothelium healing in a rat abdominal aorta restenosis model, which may provide applicative perspectives for next‐generation drug‐coated balloons and other cardiovascular diseases treatment.
A reversible phenylboronic ester‐bearing caffeic acid (CA) macromolecular prodrug (PBC) is designed for the controlled and on‐demand dual‐antioxidant release (CA and 4‐hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HBA)) triggered by the local high reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, thereby exhibiting antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects; the pro‐endothelial microRNA‐126 is introduced to further accelerate endothelialization. This ROS‐responsive/scavenging prodrug/miRNA balloon coating efficiently inhibits long‐term vascular restenosis.
Thirsty fibers: The aerogels described in the title can be fabricated in large scale by using a low‐cost biomass, bacterial cellulose, as a precursor, which can be produced at industrial level in a ...microbial fermentation process. The carbon nanofiber aerogels (black pieces in picture) exhibit superior absorption capacity for organic solvents (red solution) and high potential for pressure sensing.
Due to the outstanding physicochemical properties arising from its truly two-dimensional (2D) planar structure with a single-atom thickness, graphene exhibits great potential for use in sensors, ...catalysts, electrodes, and in biological applications,
etc.
With further developments in the theoretical understanding and assembly techniques, graphene should enable great changes both in scientific research and practical industrial applications. By the look of development, it is of fundamental and practical significance to translate the novel physical and chemical properties of individual graphene nanosheets into the macroscale by the assembly of graphene building blocks into macroscopic architectures with structural specialities and functional novelties. The combined features of a 2D planar structure and abundant functional groups of graphene oxide (GO) should provide great possibilities for the assembly of GO nanosheets into macroscopic architectures with different macroscaled shapes through various assembly techniques under different bonding interactions. Moreover, macroscopic graphene frameworks can be used as ideal scaffolds for the incorporation of functional materials to offset the shortage of pure graphene in the specific desired functionality. The advantages of light weight, supra-flexibility, large surface area, tough mechanical strength, and high electrical conductivity guarantee graphene-based architectures wide application fields. This critical review mainly addresses recent advances in the design and fabrication of graphene-based macroscopic assemblies and architectures and their potential applications. Herein, we first provide overviews of the functional macroscopic graphene materials from three aspects,
i.e.
, 1D graphene fibers/ribbons, 2D graphene films/papers, 3D network-structured graphene monoliths, and their composite counterparts with either polymers or nano-objects. Then, we present the promising potential applications of graphene-based macroscopic assemblies in the fields of electronic and optoelectronic devices, sensors, electrochemical energy devices, and in water treatment. Last, the personal conclusions and perspectives for this intriguing field are given.
In this
critical review
, the latest advances on emerging material systems,
i.e.
, graphene-based macroscopic assemblies and architectures including 1D fibers/ribbons, 2D films/papers, 3D network-structured monoliths and their composite counterparts with either polymers or nano-objects are overviewed. The potential applications of these graphene-based macroscopic assemblies and architectures are also discussed.
In this work, a novel asymmetric T/R switch is proposed. The operating principle and design equations of the proposed T/R switch topology are presented. Based on the proposed circuit topology, an ...X‐band asymmetric T/R switch is designed in 0.18‐µm CMOS. From 9 to 11 GHz, the measured isolation is higher than 32 dB and the measured insertion loss is less than 1.87 dB for the TX mode. At 10 GHz, the measured TX‐mode IP1dB$I\!P_\mathrm{1dB}$ is higher than 36 dBm.
A novel X‐band CMOS asymmetric T/R switch is proposed. The TX and RX arms of the proposed switch assume the forms of high‐pass and low‐pass Pi‐networks, respectively.
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