In analyzing the relationship between outsourcing and firm performance, different authors have studied the effects that outsourcing can have on the firm. Even if we establish an initial link between ...outsourcing and representative measurements of the results achieved through cost savings or the creation of greater market value, no author seems to have established a precise relationship between outsourcing and the most representative measures of company performance (organizational and business performance). After reviewing the literature on this issue, we believe that research has undervalued the impact that outsourcing decisions have on our competitive capabilities. After making an empirical study of service firms, this article finds that there is a relationship between outsourcing decisions and company performance which is articulated via the impact of outsourcing decisions on the firm's competitive capabilities.
The importance of the six sigma methodology in industry is growing constantly. However, there are few empirical studies that analyse the advantages of this methodology and its positive effects on ...organisational performance. The purpose of this paper is to extend understanding of the success of six sigma quality management initiatives by investigating the effects of six sigma teamwork and process management on absorptive capacity. It also seeks to understand the relation between absorptive capacity and organisational learning as two sources of sustainable competitive advantage. The information used comes from a larger study, the data for which was collected from a random sample of 237 European firms. Of these 237 organisations, 58 are six sigma organisations. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. The main findings show that six sigma teamwork and process management positively affect the development of absorptive capacity. A positive and significant relationship is also observed between absorptive capacity and organisational learning orientation. The findings of this study justify six sigma implementation in firms. This study provides us with an in-depth understanding of some structural elements that characterise the six sigma methodology, enabling us to provide an explanation for its success.
Mining environmental liabilities generate environmental pollution. The objective of the present study was to determine the yield of white clover (Trifolium repens) and orchard grass (Dactylis ...glomerata) cultivated in mining environmental passives adding black earth and compost as a substrate in the Buenaventura Julcani Huancavelica Company. The treatments were the combinations: 4: 3.1: 3.1: 3:1.1 kg of RP: RP, TN: RP, C: RP, TN, C respectively. They were distributed in four treatments with twelve experimental units for each species of leguminous and gramineous grass, we worked according to the completely randomized design (DCA) with a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement, the experimental unit being a treatment with twelve repetitions. The variables evaluated were: germination percentage (TG) and stem survival percentage (TST). For the statistical analysis, the SPSS software was used.
Instead of typical household trash, the heavy metal complexes, organic chemicals, and other poisons produced by huge enterprises threaten water systems across the world. In order to protect our ...drinking water from pollution, we must keep a close eye on the situation. Nanotechnology, specifically two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, is used in certain wastewater treatment systems. Graphene, g-C3N4, MoS2, and MXene are just a few examples of emerging 2D nanomaterials that exhibit an extraordinary ratio of surface (m3), providing material consumption, time consumption, and treatment technique for cleaning and observing water. In this post, we'll talk about the ways in which 2D nanomaterials may be tuned to perform certain functions, namely how they can be used for water management. The following is a quick overview of nanostructured materials and its possible use in water management: Also discussed in length are the applications of 2D nanomaterials in water purification, including pollutant adsorption, filtration, disinfection, and photocatalysis. Fluorescence sensors, colorimetric, electrochemical, and field-effect transistors are only some of the devices being studied for their potential use in monitoring water quality using 2D nanomaterials. Utilizing 2D content has its benefits and pitfalls when used to water management. New developments in this fast-expanding business will boost water treatment quality and accessibility in response to rising awareness of the need of clean, fresh water among future generations.
ROLE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD SECURITY: A REVIEW ARECHE, F.O.; GONDAL, A.H.; SUMARRIVA-BUSTINZA, L.A. ...
SABRAO journal of breeding and genetics,
10/2023, Volume:
55, Issue:
5
Journal Article
Open access
One of the most serious issues confronting the global food system is the wastage of approximately one-third of food at various points throughout the supply chain due to environmental and economic ...factors. Declines in production and food quality deterioration are concerns due to less awareness of the farming community and end users about the advanced technologies. Therefore, scientists face to develop cutting-edge technology to solve these problems and feed the bulging population to prevent starvation. Genetic engineering (GE) techniques can aid in several contexts to boost crop yields and quality. Biotechnology, genetic modification, and recombinant (r) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technologies are significantly beneficial in pursuing chief progress in food production and supply. This latest literature review illustrates the recent advances in GE, their sources, current trends, and future. GE foods from animals, microbes, and crop plants have altered DNA and introduced modified genetic characteristics. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are vital parts of the industrial food system, and most packaged foods contain GMO ingredients that received engineering for resistance to pesticides and herbicides. Several issues raise red flags concerning GMOs, including safety, effects on the environment, and ineffective usage of pesticides. Many people are anxious about GMOs; however, most do not understand the problems.
The scarcity of nutrients and synthetic fertilizers reduced crop productivity, increasing production costs and prompting scientists to seek new technologies to ensure high-quality output. In this ...context, using cytokinins with organic fertilizers ensued to assess their effects on caigua (Cyclanthera pedata L.) production. For this purpose, land preparation for planting comprised two levels of cytokinins (100 and 150 ml, Anthesis Plus per 200 L of water) and organic compost at 10 t/ha, then spread across the land. Results showed that adding cytokinins and compost manure, alone and in combination, significantly improved the agronomic and physiological characteristics of caigua. However, the combined application of compost manure and cytokinins dramatically enriched the caigua plant length, diameter, fruits per plant, and fruit dry and fresh weight per plant up to 85.0%, 46.9%, 81.8%, 80.6%, and 83.2%, respectively, in comparison with the control treatment. Similarly, chlorophyll contents, quantum yield, photosynthetically active radiation, fluorescence yield, and electron transport reaction increased at 68.8%, 66.4%, 79.2%, 51.1%, and 74.0%, respectively, with combined application as compared with control. Furthermore, the co-addition of composting and cytokinins also upgraded the biochemical composition versus the control. The presented results suggested that applying a mixture of compost manure and cytokinins may help enhance caigua plant growth, yield, and quality and improve soil characteristics.
Abstract
Background
Necrotizing soft-tissue infections (NSTI) are life-threatening conditions often caused by β-hemolytic streptococci, group A Streptococcus (GAS) in particular. Optimal treatment is ...contentious. The INFECT cohort includes the largest set of prospectively enrolled streptococcal NSTI cases to date.
Methods
From the INFECT cohort of 409 adults admitted with NSTI to 5 clinical centers in Scandinavia, patients culture-positive for GAS or Streptococcus dysgalactiae (SD) were selected. Risk factors were identified by comparison with a cohort of nonnecrotizing streptococcal cellulitis. The impact of baseline factors and treatment on 90-day mortality was explored using Lasso regression. Whole-genome sequencing of bacterial isolates was used for emm typing and virulence gene profiling.
Results
The 126 GAS NSTI cases and 27 cases caused by SD constituted 31% and 7% of the whole NSTI cohort, respectively. When comparing to nonnecrotizing streptococcal cellulitis, streptococcal NSTI was associated to blunt trauma, absence of preexisting skin lesions, and a lower body mass index. Septic shock was significantly more frequent in GAS (65%) compared to SD (41%) and polymicrobial, nonstreptococcal NSTI (46%). Age, male sex, septic shock, and no administration of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) were among factors associated with 90-day mortality. Predominant emm types were emm1, emm3, and emm28 in GAS and stG62647 in SD.
Conclusions
Streptococcal NSTI was associated with several risk factors, including blunt trauma. Septic shock was more frequent in NSTI caused by GAS than in cases due to SD. Factors associated with mortality in GAS NSTI included age, septic shock, and no administration of IVIG.
This prospective study of streptococcal necrotizing soft-tissue infections comprised 126 Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS) cases and 27 Streptococcus dysgalactiae cases. Among the GAS cases, several factors were associated with mortality, including age, septic shock and no administration of intravenous immunoglobulin.
Chelates are nutrient-rich compounds that enhance the condition of plant tissues as micronutrients. Micronutrient deficiencies particularly iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) leads to various problems for plant ...including chlorosis and necrosis etc. An adequate intake of Fe and Zn etc. is required by the human body. Biofortification of cereals with Fe and Zn is seen as a cost-effective solution to the problem of Fe and Zn deficiencies as well. In recent decades, many chelating compounds have been established and incorporated into agricultural systems. The most recent formulation involves the use of amino acids synthesized with one or more nutrient ions to improve fertilizer efficiency and better respond to environmental conservation. In addition to its primary function as a source of micronutrients, aminochelled are an active nitrogen (N) stimulant in plant nutrition, preventing the negative effects of basic N fertilizers like urea. The use of amino chelates, rather than just chemical fertilizers, has been shown to provide better production and quality as well as higher nutritional concentrations in several experiments. Furthermore, this review sheds light on various aspects of amino chelates fertilizers including types, history, and their effects on agricultural crops. In spite of amino chelates fast dominance in many countries' fertilizer countries, there is not enough scientific data and knowledge on the specific reactions of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses from amino fertilizers.
El objetivo del estudio fue establecer el perfil de las principales características físicas de la fibra de alpaca que pueden servir para su mejor comercialización y para fines de mejoramiento ...genético. Se hicieron mediciones de 145 muestras de colores blanco, intermedio y obscuro pertenecientes a alpacas de cinco comunidades del distrito de Cotaruse, Apurímac, Perú, utilizando el equipo ODFA 2000 para determinar el diámetro de fibra (DF), el coeficiente de variación (CVDF), el factor de confort (FC) y el índice de curvatura (IC). Se estimaron los efectos de la comunidad, el sexo, edad, color de la fibra y sitio de muestreo sobre el DF, CV(DF), FC e IC y la relación entre ellos. El promedio del diámetro de fibra (MDF) estuvo influenciado por la edad (p<0.01) (valores entre 21.61 y 24.32 ìm), por color de fibra (22.30, 23.81 y 26.69 ìm para blanco, intermedio y obscuro, respectivamente) y por comunidad (de 21.9 ìm para Iscahuaca a 24.2 ìm para San Miguel de Mestizas) y por sexo (p<0.05), siendo la fibra de las hembras 1 ìm más fina que la de los machos; sin embargo, no hubo diferencias significativas por la zona corporal de la toma de la muestra. El CV(DF) mostró diferencias significativas por efecto de la edad (p<0.01) y por sexo y sitio de muestreo (p<0.05), pero sin diferencias por color y comunidad. El FC tuvo diferencias significativas (p<0.01) por efecto de la comunidad y color de la fibra, así como por edad, sexo y sitio de muestreo (p<0.05). El IC tuvo diferencias significativas debido a la comunidad (p<0.01), edad, sexo y color (p<0.05), pero no por el sitio de muestreo. La MDF presentó una alta y negativa correlación con FC (r=-0.99) e IC (r=-0.61) y la FC presentó una correlación positiva con IC (r=0.62). No se encontró una definición clara del sitio apropiado para el muestreo del vellón de alpaca, pero se puede realizar a la edad de 1 año. Las alpacas del distrito de Cotaruse, Apurímac, indistintamente del color del vellón, producen una buena calidad de fibra y hay un gran potencial de variabilidad para su mejoramiento genético.
Digital technologies allow users to share files, which in some circumstances violates property rights and constitutes consumer misbehaviour. This form of behaviour, often called piracy, is cited as ...causing revenue loss to the creative industries. Existing empirical evidence is silent on consumer's individual beliefs and their attitudes towards copyright infringement. A new concept dubbed the 'Robin Hood' tendency is developed as a quantitative measure of consumer belief that illegally copying and distributing digital resource is a legitimate form of behaviour. Analytical applications are developed which exploit a unique dataset comprising 18,000 data points for music consumers from ten countries. Results show that digital markets suffer from consumers who demonstrate the Robin Hood tendency and identifies that countries with strong institutions have fewer consumers with this attitude. Furthermore, evidence suggests that copyright law enforcement should be coupled with efforts to educate consumers as to the effect their misbehaviour has content creators./La tecnología digital permite la posibilidad de compartir ficheros, lo que en ciertas condiciones puede suponer violar los derechos de propiedad intelectual. La descarga ilegal de archivos está considerada como una de las causas principales del descenso de las ventas en el conjunto de las industrias creativas. Hasta el momento existe una carencia de estudios que analicen el papel de las convicciones y actitud individual de los consumidores en lo referente a la legitimidad que se tiene al 'piratear'. En el presente trabajo se desarrolla un nuevo concepto llamado actitud 'Robin Hood'. Este constructo es una medida de la creencia respecto a que compartir ficheros digitales sin el consentimiento de los autores es un comportamiento legitimo. El análisis estadístico se basa en una muestra de 18.000 consumidores residentes en diez países. Los resultados demuestran que la actitud 'Robin Hood' es mayor en aquellos países cuyas instituciones presentan una excesiva burocracia. Además los resultados sugieren que para mantener un nivel de ventas alto en servicios musicales digitales es necesario fortalecer los procesos de concienciación del consumidor como complemento de las diferentes medidas legales llevadas a cabo.
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