Blockchain technology (BCT) is a network-based system, which is developed to create secure, smart and transparent distributed ledgers. Recently, BCT has been gaining more importance among different ...industries including travel and tourism industry through new tools such as smart contracts, decentralized applications and crypto currencies. However, despite the growing importance of the subject, only a few researchers have done studies with respect to blockchain applications in tourism and travel industry. Therefore, this study aims to propose a blockchain basics criteria set that allows decision makers to compare various distributed applications (DAPPs). The proposed blockchain basics criteria in this research are as follows:
blokchain governance model, blockchain platforms, type of consensus, use of crypto currency, smart contract
and
tokens
. Then, based on the proposed criteria set, case analysis is employed by using secondary data obtained from four successful DAPPs. However, note that this study does not seek to justify the selected DAPPs. Finally, major issues regarding the BCT and the importance of the proposed criteria set are also discussed. The findings may help lay the groundwork for future empirical studies.
PurposeThe objective of this study is to assess quantitatively how feasible blockchain is for various industries, such as logistics and supply chain, health, energy, finance, automotive, ...pharmaceutical and agriculture and food using a comprehensive list of indicators.Design/methodology/approachA decision aid was applied to the problem of identifying the feasibility of blockchain in Turkish industries. To this end, first, a set of indicators was identified. Then, the fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS were utilized to assess the feasibility comparatively using the data gathered from a group of experts. Finally, a scenario analysis was conducted to ensure the consistency of our evaluation.FindingsThe findings of this study suggest that comparatively, logistics and supply chain, finance and health industries are the most feasible industries for blockchain. This study further suggests that blockchain is the least feasible for the automotive industry compared to the rest of the identified industries.Research limitations/implicationsIt is cumbersome to find out the respondents who have sufficient knowledge of both blockchain and the identified industries. Even if we took the utmost care in identifying the right respondents, we limited our search to the biggest industrial hubs of Turkey.Practical implicationsThe findings of this research may help various decision-makers employed in governments, conglomerates, software and consulting firms and national research institutions make more informed decisions and allocate their resources more effectively.Originality/valueTo this date, the current studies have solely investigated possible research opportunities in blockchain and demonstrated several blockchain applications in stand-alone cases. To the best of our knowledge, however, no single study exists that evaluates the feasibility of blockchain comparatively and holistically among a group of industries using various indicators.
PurposeThe objective of this study is to investigate the role of blockchain in reducing the impact of barriers to humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) using a list of blockchain ...benefits.Design/methodology/approachA decision aid was used to explore the suitability of blockchain in humanitarian supply chains. To achieve that, first, a list of barriers to HSCM was identified. Then, the intuitionistic fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (IF–DEMATEL) method was utilized to determine the relationships and the level of interdependencies among the criteria. Finally, the intuitionistic fuzzyanalytic network process (IF–ANP) technique was employed, as it successfully handles dependencies among the criteria.FindingsThe findings of this study suggest that interorganizational barriers are the most suitable ones, the impacts of which blockchain may alleviate. This study further suggests that trust turned out to be the most significant benefit criterion for the analysis.Research limitations/implicationsThe readers should construe the findings of this study with caution since it was carried out using the data collected from the experts of a particular country. Moreover, the proposed decision aid contemplates a limited set of criteria to assess a possible role of blockchain in overcoming the barriers to HSCM.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study can assist humanitarian supply chain managers to make more judicious assessments on whether they implement the blockchain in humanitarian supply chain operations. Specifically, this research may help decision makers to identify the certain barriers, the impact of which may be reduced by using the blockchain. The findings of this research will also help various decision makers make more rational decisions and allocate their resources more effectively.Originality/valueTo the best of authors’ knowledge, no single study exists to investigate the role of blockchain in reducing the impact of barriers to HSCM using an intuitionistic fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approach.
•Oligomerization studies of GPCRs (focusing on D2R and AT1R) using molecular modeling approaches and experimental techniques are reviewed.•The interaction of GPCRs with various small molecules and ...the effects of these interactions on protein are discussed.•The effect of oligomerization to the conformational changes that affects signal transduction into the cell is discussed.
G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) can form homo- and heterodimers or constitute higher oligomeric clusters with other heptahelical GPCRs. In this article, multiscale molecular modeling approaches as well as experimental techniques which are used to study oligomerization of GPCRs are reviewed. In particular, the effect of dimerization/oligomerization to the ligand binding affinity of individual protomers and also on the efficacy of the oligomer are discussed by including diverse examples from the literature. In addition, possible allosteric effects that may emerge upon interaction of GPCRs with membrane components, like cholesterol, is also discussed. Investigation of these above-mentioned interactions may greatly contribute to the candidate molecule screening studies and development of novel therapeutics with fewer adverse effects.
Turkey has recently initiated a project to revise its nuclear policy. The revised nuclear energy policy considers searching for possible alternative locations for future nuclear power plants in ...Turkey. At the most basic level, the public cannot accurately evaluate whether it is willing to support nuclear energy unless it has an idea about where the power plants are likely to be located. It is argued that the selection of a facility location is a multi-criteria decision-making problem including both quantitative and qualitative criteria. In this research, given the multi-criteria nature of the nuclear facility location selection problem, a new decision tool is proposed to rank the alternative nuclear power plant sites in Turkey. The proposed tool is based on fuzzy Entropy and t norm based fuzzy compromise programming to deal with the vagueness of human judgments. Finally, a discussion and some concluding remarks are provided.
•Fuzzy MCDM approach is developed to select nuclear power plant location in Turkey.•The proposed framework employs fuzzy entropy and fuzzy compromise programming.•A criterion set was developed using a map by The Turkish Atomic Energy Authority.•Cilingoz is found to be the best with the index values 0.6584 and 0.0838.•The proposed tool can be considered a tool to evaluate the alternative sites.
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