Journal articles: 'AFSCME'

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Masters, Marick F. "AFSCME as a political union." Journal of Labor Research 19, no. 2 (June 1998): 313–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12122-998-1018-y.

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Hower, Joseph E. "“I Want to Know How to Protect Myself without Scaring Our Patients”." Radical History Review 2021, no. 140 (May 1, 2021): 49–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1215/01636545-8841682.

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Abstract Drawing on union convention proceedings, reports, newspapers, speeches, and internal memoranda, this article uses the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) as a case study to explore organized labor’s response to the HIV/AIDS crisis. One the one hand, it shows that AFSCME eventually embraced an ambitious, two-pronged program that fought both for strong workplace safety measures for its members and against discrimination toward those most affected by HIV/AIDS. On the other, it highlights the ways in which the union’s campaign was constrained by a narrow focus on workplace hazards. Prioritizing workers’ protections over patients’ demands for privacy in diagnosis and treatment, AFSCME ultimately subsumed its rhetorical commitment to working-class solidarity beneath what many members saw as a practical need for somatic surveillance and segregation—marginalizing the very communities that the union claimed to protect.

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Worthen, Helena, Steve Edwards, and Diane Stokes. "An Activist AFSCME Local Confronts Welfare Reform." Labor Studies Journal 27, no. 1 (March 2002): 25–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0160449x0202700103.

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Worthen, Helena, Steve Edwards, and Diane Stokes. "An Activist AFSCME Local Confronts Welfare Reform." Labor Studies Journal 27, no. 1 (2002): 25–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1353/lab.2002.0008.

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Siqueira, C. Eduardo. "AFSCME Local Fights Musculoskeletal Injuries at Rochester 911 Center." NEW SOLUTIONS: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy 8, no. 3 (November 1998): 381–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/4r84-lxed-pdv1-bppk.

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SCHEIBAL, WILLIAM J. "TITLE VII AND COMPARABLE WORTH: A POST - AFSCME REVIEW." American Business Law Journal 25, no. 2 (June 1987): 265–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-1714.1987.tb00799.x.

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Hertenstein, Edward, and Michelle Kaminski. "Victory in the Heartland. AFSCME Council 31 Wins at Beverly Farm." WorkingUSA 6, no. 2 (September 2002): 103–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-4580.2002.00103.x.

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Hodges, Ann C. "The U.S. Labor Relations System after Janus v. AFSCME: an Early Assessment." Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal 33, no. 1 (January 15, 2021): 49–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10672-020-09362-y.

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Lampkin, Linda M. "Does Crime Pay? AFSCME Reviews the Record on the Privatization of Prisons." Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice 7, no. 1 (March 1991): 41–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/104398629100700105.

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Scheibal, William. "AFSCME v. Washington: The Continued Viability of Title VII Comparable Worth Actions." Public Personnel Management 17, no. 3 (September 1988): 315–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009102608801700307.

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The recent AFSCME v. Washington comparable worth case attracted significant public attention when plaintiffs won an initial $800 million judgment against the State of Washington, only to see the award overturned on appeal. This paper reviews the legal theories used by the trial court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The current legal status of comparable worth is discussed, with particular emphasis on the applicability and precedential value of the Ninth Circuit's opinion for comparable worth cases in other jurisdictions. Analysis indicates that conflicts between the Ninth Circuit holding and opinions in other circuits provide a continuing opportunity for aggrieved employees to pursue claims under comparable worth or closely related legal theories.

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Eisenberg-Guyot, Jerzy, and Amy Hagopian. "Right-to-Work-for-Less: How Janus v. AFSCME Threatens Public Health." NEW SOLUTIONS: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy 28, no. 3 (June 27, 2018): 392–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1048291118784713.

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In February 2018, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Janus v. AFSCME, a case poised to make right-to-work (or, as some call it, right-to-work-for-less) the law in the public sector. At issue is the constitutionality of requiring non-union members, who benefit from collective bargaining, to pay fees that support contract negotiations on the terms and conditions of their employment. We argue that a win for Janus would threaten public health by eroding organized labor’s power to improve working conditions. Furthermore, we critique the dubious legal theory underpinning Janus’s case and describe the moneyed political interests backing his legal representation. Finally, we chart a path forward for labor organizing in a post- Janus world, drawing inspiration from the winter 2018 educators’ strike in West Virginia. Regardless of how Janus itself is decided, the issues raised in this article remain crucial because the ongoing weakening of unions by legislative and judicial means undermines workers’ health and exacerbates inequities.

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Nissen, Bruce, and Candi Churchill. "Unionism in a Right-to-Work Environment: United Faculty of Florida from Stagnation to Crisis Mobilization to Power Building." Labor Studies Journal 45, no. 4 (March 18, 2020): 370–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0160449x20911710.

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The Janus vs. AFSCME District 31 legal decision forced all U.S. public-sector unions to operate under “right-to-work” conditions: any union fees for those covered by a union contract are now optional. Past experiences of successful public-sector unions operating in right-to-work states should offer lessons to all public-sector unions on how to succeed. This article examines the history and recent success of the United Faculty of Florida, a statewide higher education public-sector union. Critical turning points, crises, and lessons from that history are included.

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FRANCIS RYAN. "Organizing the Keystone State: AFSCME and the Campaign for Commonwealth Workers in Pennsylvania." Pennsylvania Legacies 14, no. 1 (2014): 26. http://dx.doi.org/10.5215/pennlega.14.1.0026.

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Fitzgerald, Stephen. "The benefits of unionizing for psychologists in the District of Columbia: AFSCME Local 3758." Professional Psychology: Research and Practice 28, no. 5 (1997): 435–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.28.5.435.

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15

Herbert, William A. "Janus v AFSCME, Council 31: Judges Will Haunt You in the Second Gilded Age." Relations industrielles / Industrial Relations 74, no. 1 (May 7, 2019): 162–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.7202/1059469ar.

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This essay examines the United States Supreme Court’s 2018 decision in Janus v AFSCME, Council 31, which concluded that agency shop provisions violate the First Amendment rights of public sector workers who are not union members but receive the fruits of the representation. This decision reversed over 40 years of precedent and imposed “right to work” as a new federal constitutional mandate, fulfilling the dream of anti-union forces since the first Gilded Age. The essay begins with a brief history of the open shop movement and the development of the agency shop as a constitutionally permissible form of union security in the private and public sectors. It then describes how an activist Supreme Court majority undermined the constitutionality of the agency shop, which set the stage for the Janus decision. The essay summarizes the majority and dissenting opinions in Janus, and describes how unions, employers, and some state legislatures are responding to the decision’s immediate impact.

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Strassfeld, Natasha M., and Robert N. Strassfeld. "After Janus: Teachers’ Unions, Walkouts, and Social Justice Unionism." International Journal of Educational Reform 29, no. 4 (June 4, 2020): 334–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1056787920918601.

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Recent union-supported teachers’ walkouts and strikes across several U.S. states and cities highlighted union-led and grassroots efforts to amplify teachers’ voices. Yet, the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, Janus v. AFSCME, Council 31, provides a strength test for teachers’ unions and members engaging in social justice/equity work within a post- Janus landscape. This article first explores traditional functions of teachers’ unions. Next, it examines Janus and potential consequences for union participation, teachers’ advocacy, and civil rights. Using a social justice lens, the article discusses how and why unions may need to consider strengthening “social justice unionism” by building on walkouts and strikes.

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Peightal, Patricia, Dana Souza, Bill Bray, John Rague, Jim Pritchard, and Joseph Thomas. "Labor-Management Cooperation—City of Portland, Maine." Public Personnel Management 27, no. 1 (March 1998): 85–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/009102609802700108.

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Portland, Maine had a traditional bargaining relationship. It now has one of the most complete programs of service-focused labor management cooperation of any place in the country. A broad range of city services, including an emerging effort in public safety are now run this way, with workers and their union leaders, managers and elected officials all benefitting from and praising the new relationship. Portland made this radical transformation without a crisis of fiscal pressure. New leadership in the city manager's office and responsive leadership in key bargaining units led to an experiment on the building of Hadlock Field. A partnership between the department head and the president of the AFSCME local led the project. Instead of contracting out to meet a short deadline and employ skills that didn't seem to exist, the parties worked out a special set of arrangements and via cross-training, teamwork and dedication completed the stadium in seven months, millions under the expected budget. From the pride and satisfaction of this joint effort, Portland, AFSCME and other key units worked to create a new participative relationship across the full range of city services. The effort has produced major cost savings and service improvements, has strengthened both the management and the union and has produced a far less adversarial bargaining relationship. In one innovation, separate services were split up and reorganized into district teams, providing customer-oriented public works services in areas that match city council districts. Cross training and new responsibilities have resulted in new opportunities and pay raises, yet have saved time and money. The piece, co-authored by union and management leaders from Portland, illustrates the breadth and depth of what they have achieved without a crisis as the initiating factor.

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Pierson, Dale D. "After Janus What Comes Next? Possible Solutions to the Free-Rider Problem." Labor Studies Journal 43, no. 4 (December 2018): 269–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0160449x18809434.

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The Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME overrules a forty-year precedent, Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, which required nonmembers to pay their “fair share” of the costs of union representation. Janus represents a broader attack on unions, and the entire National Labor Policy of free collective bargaining designed to promote labor relations stability and ameliorate economic inequality. But as is characteristic of twenty-first century anti-union ideology, when elevated to constitutional law, it creates opportunities for labor unions and a broader coalition of workers, activists, and their natural allies. This article explores post- Janus legal, legislative, and organizational options for labor and, in particular, ways for unions to address the “free-rider” problem.

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Gilewicz, Alexandra. "A More Perfect Pickering Test: Janus v. AFSCME Council 31 and the Problem of Public Employee Speech." University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform, no. 53.3 (2020): 671. http://dx.doi.org/10.36646/mjlr.53.3.more.

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n June 2018, the Supreme Court issued its long-awaited—and, for the American labor movement, long-feared—decision in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31. The decision is expected to have a major impact on public sector employee union membership but could have further impact on public employees’ speech rights in the workplace. Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito’s broad interpretation of whether work-related speech constitutes a “matter of public concern” may have opened the floodgates to substantially more litigation by employees asserting that their employers have violated their First Amendment rights. Claims that would have previously been unequivocally foreclosed may now be permitted. This Note proposes a test to allow courts to meaningfully respond to this influx of claims. By explicitly incorporating the “social value” of public employee speech into the Pickering balance test as a factor of equal weight alongside the existing factors—the individual employee’s right to speech and the employer’s interest in operating an effective workplace—courts can make meaningful sense of the doctrinal conflict Janus created while also respecting and promoting the unique role public employee speech plays in public discourse.

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Slatin, Craig, and Eduardo Siqueira. "Does a Collateral Duty Require Less Protection: Workers, Hazardous Materials Emergency Response, and OSHA's Failure to Protect." NEW SOLUTIONS: A Journal of Environmental and Occupational Health Policy 8, no. 2 (August 1998): 205–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/pk82-1cu2-ng3f-fhrv.

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Waste management activities are widespread throughout most industrial sectors, and hazardous materials are a component of the waste of almost every aspect of industry. Workers with a collateral duty to engage in emergency response activities to a hazardous materials incident require health and safety protection. OSHA has failed to appropriately acknowledge this threat to workers and has been confusing and inconsistent in the interpretation and enforcement of its regulatory requirement for training workers with such a collateral duty. This article will discuss efforts on a national level to secure these protections, and provides an example of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) training program for workers with such a collateral duty in Toledo, Ohio. This evidence suggests that the provision of training to a majority of workers and supervisors involved in municipal waste management can greatly improve both worker and community health and safety. OSHA should revise 29 CFR 1910.120 and make its interpretation and enforcement of the standard consistent, in order to better protect workers with a collateral duty to respond to hazardous materials emergency incidents.

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Li, Shulin, Yuan Zhao, Zhuojun Wang, Jia Wang, Caixia Liu, and Dong Sun. "Transplantation of Amniotic Fluid-Derived Stem Cells Preconditioned with Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene Alleviates Renal Fibrosis." Cell Transplantation 28, no. 1 (November 30, 2018): 65–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963689718815850.

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Amniotic fluid-derived stem cells (AFSCs), which exhibit both embryonic and mesenchymal stem cell characteristics, have been shown to mitigate the degree of renal interstitial fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to determine whether transplantation of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF)–modified AFSCs is more useful than transplantation of unmodified AFSCs for the treatment of renal interstitial fibrosis. Mice were randomly assigned to a sham-operation group (sham), a unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-saline solution group (UUO), an AFSC transplantation group (AFSC) and a GDNF-modified AFSC transplantation group (GDNF-AFSC) and sacrificed at days 3 and 7 post-surgery (six in each group). We showed that GDNF-AFSCs noticeably suppressed oxidative stress and inflammation; additionally, GDNF-AFSCs positively regulated peritubular capillaries (PTCs), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) protein levels. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that mitochondrial injury induced by the UUO model was significantly ameliorated after the mice were treated with GDNF-AFSCs. Therefore, we determined that GDNF gene promotes the abilities of AFSCs to inhibit inflammatory and oxidative stress effects, repair renal microvessels, relieve tissue hypoxia and mitochondrial damage, and, ultimately, alleviate renal interstitial fibrosis.

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Nack, David, Michael Childers, Alexia Kulwiec, and Armando Ibarra. "The Recent Evolution of Wisconsin Public Worker Unionism since Act 10." Labor Studies Journal 45, no. 2 (July 30, 2019): 147–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0160449x19860585.

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This paper examines the experience of four major public sector unions in Wisconsin since the passage of Wisconsin Act 10 in 2011. The four unions are the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT-Wisconsin), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), an affiliate of the National Education Association. Wisconsin’s prior legal framework for public sector collective bargaining is explained and compared to the new highly restrictive framework established by Act 10. That new framework, established by state legislation, is analyzed, as are its impacts on the membership, revenues, structures, and practices of the four unions. In general, we find the impacts to have been very dramatic, with a loss of active union membership averaging approximately 70 percent overall, and concomitant dramatic losses in union revenues and power. These shocks have engendered the restructuring of two of the unions examined, the downsizing of the third, and the de facto exiting from the state’s public sector in another. There have also been significant changes in representation practices in one union, but less so in the others. We conclude by discussing best union practices based on this experience, as well as considering what the recent public sector union history in Wisconsin may portend for public worker union membership nationwide, since the issuing of the Janus Decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Liu, Pan, Ziran Zhang, and Ye Li. "Investment Decision of Blockchain-Based Traceability Service Input for a Competitive Agri-Food Supply Chain." Foods 11, no. 19 (September 23, 2022): 2981. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods11192981.

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Competitive agri-food supply chain (hereafter, AFSC) is an important component of AFSC. In a competitive environment, more and more AFSCs use blockchain-based traceability services (hereafter, BBTS) to improve the traceability level of agricultural products. The investment rules concerning BBTS and the coordination rules in an AFSC are vital issues for many firms who want to adopt BBTS. To explore these laws, we constructed two competitive AFSCs, each of which included a supplier and a retailer. Considering the new changes in consumers’ perception of product quality and safety after using the BBTS, the demand function was modified. Then we built the income functions of chain members under three situations of investment. The research found that: (1) the improvement of customers’ perceived quality by using the BBTS can increase their benefits; (2) when decision-makers want to invest in the BBTS, they should pay attention to consumers’ perceived quality safety factor for their competitive products; (3) when the investment cost is greater than its threshold value, two competitive AFSCs should invest in the BBTS together.

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Gatti, Martina, Manuela Zavatti, Francesca Beretti, Daniela Giuliani, Eleonora Vandini, Alessandra Ottani, Emma Bertucci, and Tullia Maraldi. "Oxidative Stress in Alzheimer’s Disease: In Vitro Therapeutic Effect of Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells Extracellular Vesicles." Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2020 (October 24, 2020): 1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/2785343.

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Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by abnormal protein aggregation, deposition of extracellular β-amyloid proteins (Aβ), besides an increase of oxidative stress. Amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs) should have a therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative disorders, mainly through a paracrine effect mediated by extracellular vesicles (EV). Here, we examined the effect of EV derived from human AFSCs (AFSC-EV) on the disease phenotypes in an AD neuron primary culture. We observed a positive effect of AFSC-EV on neuron morphology, viability, and Aβ and phospho-Tau levels. This could be due to the apoptotic and autophagic pathway modulation derived from the decrease in oxidative stress. Indeed, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were reduced, while GSH levels were enhanced. This modulation could be ascribed to the presence of ROS regulating enzymes, such as SOD1 present into the AFSC-EV themselves. This study describes the ROS-modulating effects of extracellular vesicles alone, apart from their deriving stem cell, in an AD in vitro model, proposing AFSC-EV as a therapeutic tool to stop the progression of AD.

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Barba, Marta, Filomena Pirozzi, Nathalie Saulnier, Tiziana Vitali, Maria Teresa Natale, Giandomenico Logroscino, Paul D. Robbins, et al. "Lim Mineralization Protein 3 Induces the Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Amniotic Fluid Stromal Cells through Kruppel-Like Factor-4 Downregulation and Further Bone-Specific Gene Expression." Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology 2012 (2012): 1–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/813894.

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Multipotent mesenchymal stem cells with extensive self-renewal properties can be easily isolated and rapidly expanded in culture from small volumes of amniotic fluid. These cells, namely, amniotic fluid-stromal cells (AFSCs), can be regarded as an attractive source for tissue engineering purposes, being phenotypically and genetically stable, plus overcoming all the safety and ethical issues related to the use of embryonic/fetal cells. LMP3 is a novel osteoinductive molecule acting upstream to the main osteogenic pathways. This study is aimed at delineating the basic molecular events underlying LMP3-induced osteogenesis, using AFSCs as a cellular model to focus on the molecular features underlying the multipotency/differentiation switch. For this purpose, AFSCs were isolated and characterizedin vitroand transfected with a defective adenoviral vector expressing the human LMP3. LMP3 induced the successful osteogenic differentiation of AFSC by inducing the expression of osteogenic markers and osteospecific transcription factors. Moreover, LMP3 induced an early repression of the kruppel-like factor-4, implicated in MSC stemness maintenance. KLF4 repression was released upon LMP3 silencing, indicating that this event could be reasonably considered among the basic molecular events that govern the proliferation/differentiation switch during LMP3-induced osteogenic differentiation of AFSC.

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Rejeb, Abderahman, Karim Rejeb, and Suhaiza Zailani. "Big data for sustainable agri‐food supply chains: a review and future research perspectives." Journal of Data, Information and Management 3, no. 3 (April 4, 2021): 167–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s42488-021-00045-3.

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AbstractResearch on agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) has attracted significant attention in recent years due to the challenges associated with sustainably feeding the global population. The purpose of this study is to review the potentials of big data for sustainable AFSCs. One hundred twenty-eight (128) journal articles were selected to identify how big data can contribute to the sustainable development of AFSCs. As part of our focus, a framework was developed based on the conceptualization of AFSCs in the extant literature to analyse big data research in the context of AFSCs and to provide insights into the potentials of the technology for agri-food businesses. The findings of the review indicate that there is a noticeable growth in the number of studies addressing the applications of big data for AFSCs. The potentials of big data for AFSC sustainability were synthesized in a summary framework, highlighting the primary resources and activities that are ready for improvement with big data. These include soil, water, crop and plant management, animal management, waste management and traceability management. The challenges of big data integration in AFSCs, the study’s implications, contributions, and the future research directions are highlighted in detail.

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Stone, Jamie, and Shahin Rahimifard. "Resilience in agri-food supply chains: a critical analysis of the literature and synthesis of a novel framework." Supply Chain Management: An International Journal 23, no. 3 (May 14, 2018): 207–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/scm-06-2017-0201.

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PurposeResilience in agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) is an area of significant importance due to growing supply chain volatility. While the majority of research exploring supply chain resilience has originated from a supply chain management perspective, many other disciplines (such as environmental systems science and the social sciences) have also explored the topic. As complex social, economic and environmental constructs, the priority of resilience in AFSCs goes far beyond the company specific focus of supply chain management works and would conceivably benefit from including more diverse academic disciplines. However, this is hindered by inconsistencies in terminology and the conceptual components of resilience across different disciplines. The purpose of this study is to use a systematic literature review to identify which multidisciplinary aspects of resilience are applicable to AFSCs and to generate a novel AFSC resilience framework.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a structured and multidisciplinary review of 137 articles in the resilience literature followed by critical analysis and synthesis of findings to generate new knowledge in the form of a novel AFSC resilience framework.FindingsFindings indicate that the complexity of AFSCs and subsequent exposure to almost constant external interference means that disruptions cannot be seen as a one-off event; thus, resilience must concern the ability to not only maintain core function but also adapt to changing conditions.Practical implicationsA number of resilience elements can be used to enhance resilience, but their selection and implementation must be carefully matched to relevant phases of disruption and assessed on their broader supply chain impacts. In particular, the focus must be on overall impact on the ability of the supply chain as a whole to provide food security rather than to boost individual company performance.Originality/valueThe research novelty lies in the utilisation of wider understandings of resilience from various research fields to propose a rigorous and food-specific resilience framework with end consumer food security as its main focus.

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Fang, Yi-Hsien, Saprina P. H. Wang, Hsien-Yuan Chang, Pei-Jung Yang, Ping-Yen Liu, and Yen-Wen Liu. "Progress and Challenges of Amniotic Fluid Derived Stem Cells in Therapy of Ischemic Heart Disease." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, no. 1 (December 24, 2020): 102. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms22010102.

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Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths worldwide, claiming an estimated total of 17.9 million lives each year, of which one-third of the people are under the age of 70 years. Since adult cardiomyocytes fail to regenerate, the heart loses the ability to repair itself after an injury, making patients with heart disease suffer from poor prognosis. Pluripotent stem cells have the ability to differentiate into cardiomyocytes in vitro through a well-established process, which is a new advancement in cardiac regeneration therapy. However, pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes have certain drawbacks, such as the risk of arrhythmia and immune incompatibility. Thus, amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs), a relatively novel source of stem cells, have been exploited for their ability of pluripotent differentiation. In addition, since AFSCs are weakly positive for the major histocompatibility class II molecules, they may have high immune tolerance. In summary, the possibility of development of cardiomyocytes from AFSCs, as well as their transplantation in host cells to produce mechanical contraction, has been discussed. Thus, this review article highlights the progress of AFSC therapy and its application in the treatment of heart diseases in recent years.

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Antounians, Lina, Vincenzo D. Catania, Louise Montalva, Benjamin D. Liu, Huayun Hou, Cadia Chan, Andreea C. Matei, et al. "Fetal lung underdevelopment is rescued by administration of amniotic fluid stem cell extracellular vesicles in rodents." Science Translational Medicine 13, no. 590 (April 21, 2021): eaax5941. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/scitranslmed.aax5941.

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Fetal lung underdevelopment, also known as pulmonary hypoplasia, is characterized by decreased lung growth and maturation. The most common birth defect found in babies with pulmonary hypoplasia is congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Despite research and clinical advances, babies with CDH still have high morbidity and mortality rates, which are directly related to the severity of lung underdevelopment. To date, there is no effective treatment that promotes fetal lung growth and maturation. Here, we describe a stem cell–based approach in rodents that enhances fetal lung development via the administration of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs). Using fetal rodent models of pulmonary hypoplasia (primary epithelial cells, organoids, explants, and in vivo), we demonstrated that AFSC-EV administration promoted branching morphogenesis and alveolarization, rescued tissue homeostasis, and stimulated epithelial cell and fibroblast differentiation. We confirmed this regenerative ability in in vitro models of lung injury using human material, where human AFSC-EVs obtained following good manufacturing practices restored pulmonary epithelial homeostasis. Investigating EV mechanism of action, we found that AFSC-EV beneficial effects were exerted via the release of RNA cargo. MicroRNAs regulating the expression of genes involved in lung development, such as the miR17–92 cluster and its paralogs, were highly enriched in AFSC-EVs and were increased in AFSC-EV–treated primary lung epithelial cells compared to untreated cells. Our findings suggest that AFSC-EVs hold regenerative ability for underdeveloped fetal lungs, demonstrating potential for therapeutic application in patients with pulmonary hypoplasia.

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Marrazzo, Pasquale, Cristina Angeloni, Michela Freschi, Antonello Lorenzini, Cecilia Prata, Tullia Maraldi, and Silvana Hrelia. "Combination of Epigallocatechin Gallate and Sulforaphane Counteracts In Vitro Oxidative Stress and Delays Stemness Loss of Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells." Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2018 (December 17, 2018): 1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/5263985.

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Amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs) are characterized in vivo by a unique niche guarantying their homeostatic role in the body. Maintaining the functionality of stem cells ex vivo for clinical applications requires a continuous improvement of cell culture conditions. Cellular redox status plays an important role in stem cell biology as long as reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration is finely regulated and their adverse effects are excluded. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of two antioxidants, sulforaphane (SF) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), against in vitro oxidative stress due to hyperoxia and freeze-thawing cycles in AFSCs. Human AFSCs were isolated and characterized from healthy subjects. Assays of metabolic function and antioxidant activity were performed to investigate the effect of SF and EGCG cotreatment on AFSCs. Real-time PCR was used to investigate the effect of the cotreatment on pluripotency, senescence, osteogenic and adipogenic markers, and antioxidant enzymes. Alkaline phosphatase assays and Alizarin Red staining were used to confirm osteogenic differentiation. The cotreatment with SF and EGCG was effective in reducing ROS production, increasing GSH levels, and enhancing the endogenous antioxidant defences through the upregulation of glutathione reductase, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-1, and thioredoxin reductase. Intriguingly, the cotreatment sustained the stemness state by upregulating pluripotency markers such as OCT4 and NANOG. Moreover, the cotreatment influenced senescence-associated gene markers in respect to untreated cells. The cotreatment upregulated osteogenic gene markers and promoted osteogenic differentiation in vitro. SF and EGCG can be used in combination in AFSC culture as a strategy to preserve stem cell functionality.

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Borton, Lady. "An Impostor's Voice." Harvard Educational Review 55, no. 1 (April 1, 1985): 118–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.17763/haer.55.1.qh240878867650h2.

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Lady Borton is a United States citizen of Quaker background, and a former high school teacher. Inspired by her pacifist conviction that all lives are sacred and that violence is not an appropriate choice to resolve human conflict, she volunteered to work in Vietnam for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). The AFSC is a Quaker-based organization dedicated to the elimination of social injustice and to the promotion of world peace. From 1969 to 1971 Borton served as adminstrator of the AFSC project in Quang Ngai, a Vietnamese province that saw some of the heaviest civilian and military casualities of the war. The AFSC's project taught the Vietnamese how to make artificial arms and legs for civilian victims and provided regular weekly medical care to South Vietnamese political prisoners. In 1975 she served as leader of an AFSC-sponsored delegation of teachers to North Vietnam. She returned to Southeast Asia in 1980 to work as health administrator for twelve thousand Vietnam boat people who had been placed on the Malaysian island of Pulau Bidong. She visited Kampuchea in 1983 and is planning a visit to Vietnam later this year. Borton lives on a farm in the Appalachian region of Ohio. She chooses to live below the taxable income level so that the government cannot use her tax dollars to support any military activity. In this short article, she describes the many voices that she experiences in a typical day in Ohio and ponders a personal consequence of her remarkable sense of empathy.

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Colavito, Melanie M., Sarah F. Trainor, Nathan P. Kettle, and Alison York. "Making the Transition from Science Delivery to Knowledge Coproduction in Boundary Spanning: A Case Study of the Alaska Fire Science Consortium." Weather, Climate, and Society 11, no. 4 (October 1, 2019): 917–34. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/wcas-d-19-0009.1.

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Abstract Boundary organizations facilitate two-way, sustained interaction and communication between research and practitioner spheres, deliver existing science, and develop new, actionable scientific information to address emerging social–ecological questions applicable to decision-making. There is an increasing emphasis on the role of boundary organizations in facilitating knowledge coproduction, which is collaborative research with end users to develop actionable scientific information for decision-making. However, a deeper understanding of how boundary organizations and knowledge coproduction work in practice is needed. This paper examines the Alaska Fire Science Consortium (AFSC), a boundary organization focused on fire science and management in Alaska that is working to address climate impacts on wildfire. A case study approach was used to assess AFSC activities over time. AFSC’s boundary spanning involves a continuum of outputs and activities, but their overall trajectory has involved a deliberate transition from an emphasis on science delivery to knowledge coproduction. Key factors that facilitated this transition included a receptive and engaged audience, built-in evaluation and learning, subject matter expertise and complementarity, and embeddedness in the target audience communities. Recommendations for boundary organizations wishing to develop knowledge coproduction capacity include knowing your audience, employing trusted experts in boundary spanning, and engaging in frequent self-evaluation to inform change over time.

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Taniguchi, Nobuyuki. "AFSUMB 2004: a group undertaking." Journal of Medical Ultrasonics 31, no. 4 (December 2004): 139–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10396-004-0026-7.

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Dadi, Vasavi, Suryadevara Ram Nikhil, Rahul S. Mor, Tripti Agarwal, and Sapna Arora. "Agri-Food 4.0 and Innovations: Revamping the Supply Chain Operations." Production Engineering Archives 27, no. 2 (June 1, 2021): 75–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.30657/pea.2021.27.10.

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Abstract The agri-food sector contributes significantly to economic and social advancements globally despite numerous challenges such as food safety and security, demand and supply gaps, product quality, traceability, etc. Digital technologies offer effective and sustainable ways to these challenges through reduced human interference and improved data-accuracy. Innovations led by digital transformations in the agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) are the main aim of ‘Agri-Food 4.0’. This brings significant transformations in the agri-food sector by reducing food wastage, real-time product monitoring, reducing scalability issues, etc. This paper presents a systematic review of the innovations in the agri-food for digital technologies such as internet-of-things, artificial intelligence, big data, RFID, robotics, block-chain technology, etc. The employment of these technologies from the ‘farm to fork’ along AFSC emphasizes a review of 159 articles solicited from different sources. This paper also highlights digitization in developing smart, sensible, and sustainable agri-food supply chain systems.

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Makbal, Rachida, Fatima Ezzahra Janati Idrissi, Tarik Ouchbani, Maroua Ait Tastift, Hajar Kiai, Abdellatif Hafidi, and Chemseddoha Gadhi. "Anti-Inflammatory, Antioxidant, Chemical Characterization, and Safety Assessment of Argania spinosa Fruit Shell Extract from South-Western Morocco." BioMed Research International 2021 (August 3, 2021): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5536030.

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Argania spinosa (L.) plays an important role in the Moroccan agroeconomy, providing both employment and export revenue. Argan oil production generates different by-products with functionalities that are not yet investigated, in particular, the shell fruit. The present study aims, for the first time, at evaluating the acute and subacute toxicity, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects of argan fruit shell ethanol extract (AFSEE). The LD50 of AFSEE was determined to be greater than the 5000 mg/kg body weight of mice. No significant variation in the body and organ weights was observed after 28 days of AFSEE treatment compared to that of the control group. Biochemical parameters and histopathological examination revealed no toxic effects of AFSEE. The AFSEE produced a significant inhibition of xylene-induced ear edema in mice. AFSEE reduced significantly the paw edema in mice after carrageenan injection. The chemical characterization showed that AFSEE contains a high level of total phenol content, flavonoids, condensed tannins, and flavanols. The obtained IC50 of DPPH, ABTS, reducing power, and β-carotene demonstrates that AFSEE has a potential antioxidant effect. The results indicate that AFSEE was safe and nontoxic to mice even at higher doses. Furthermore, the present findings demonstrate that AFSEE has potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.

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Feng, Jianxun, Chang Lu, Qin Dai, Junqin Sheng, and Min Xu. "SIRT3 Facilitates Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells to Repair Diabetic Nephropathy Through Protecting Mitochondrial Homeostasis by Modulation of Mitophagy." Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry 46, no. 4 (2018): 1508–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000489194.

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Background/Aims: Amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs) transplantation is a promising therapeutic strategy for diabetic nephropathy. Sirtuin3 (SIRT3) is a novel mitochondrial protective factor. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether SIRT3 protects against hyperglycemia-induced AFSCs damage and enhances the therapeutic efficiency of AFSCs in diabetic nephropathy. Methods: To establish the diabetic nephropathy model, db/ db mice were used. AFSCs were obtained and transplanted into the kidney tissue of db/ db mice. Gain-of-function assay with SIRT3 overexpression was performed in AFSCs via adenoviral transfections (Ad/SIRT3). Cellular viability and apoptosis were measured via MTT, TUNEL assay and western blotting. Mitochondrial function was assessed via JC1 staining, mPTP opening assay, mitochondrial respiratory function analysis, and immunofluorescence analysis of cyt-c. Mitophagy was assessed via western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis. Renal histopathology and morphometric analysis were conducted via H&E, Masson and PASM staining. Kidney function was detected via ELISA assay, western blotting and qPCR. Results: SIRT3 was downregulated in AFSCs under high glucose stimulation, where its expression was positively correlated with AFSCs survival and proliferation. Regaining SIRT3 activated mitophagy protecting AFSCs against high glucose-induced apoptosis via preserving mitochondrial function. Transplanting SIRT3-overexpressing AFSCs in db/db mice improved the abnormalities in glucose metabolic parameters, including the levels of glucose, insulin, C-peptide, HbA1c and inflammatory markers. In addition, the engraftment of SIRT3-modified AFSCs also reversed renal function, decreased renal hypertrophy, and ameliorated renal histological changes in db/db mice. Functional studies confirmed that SIRT3-modified AFSCs promoted glomerulus survival and reduced renal fibrosis. Conclusion: Collectively, our results demonstrate that AFSCs may be a promising therapeutic treatment for ameliorating diabetes and the development of diabetic nephropathy and that the overexpression of SIRT3 in AFSCs may further increase the efficiency of stem cell-based therapy.

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Michalis, Athanassios, Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos, and Vassiliki Costarelli. "Development & validation of the Greek version of the adult food security survey module." Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism 14, no. 1 (March 3, 2021): 49–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/mnm-200449.

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BACKGROUND: Food insecurity seems to be positively correlated with increased risk of malnutrition and poor health. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to develop and validate the Greek version of Adult Food Security Survey Module (AFSSM). METHODS: The AFSSM was translated to the Greek language forward and backward twice and subsequently was administered to 94 healthy adult individuals living in Greece. The participants had to complete the tool twice, within a period of 15 days. Fifty of the above participants also took part in a specifically designed structured interview, designed to assess food insecurity, for comparison purposes with the tested tool. Socioeconomic and anthropometric characteristics were also assessed. RESULTS: There was a significant positive correlation between the Greek AFSSM (AFSSM-Gr) and the results of the specifically designed structured interview, assessing food insecurity (r = 0.376, p < 0.01). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of reliability for the Greek AFSSM was good (α= 0.763). There was also a significant negative correlation between the age of the participants and the score of the AFSSM-Gr (r = –0.307, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The AFSSM-Gr can be considered as a useful tool for assessing Food Insecurity.

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Janz, Felipe de Lara, Adriana de Aguiar Debes, Rita de Cássia Cavaglieri, Sérgio Aloísio Duarte, Carolina Martinez Romão, Antonio Fernandes Morón, Marcelo Zugaib, and Sérgio Paulo Bydlowski. "Evaluation of Distinct Freezing Methods and Cryoprotectants for Human Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells Cryopreservation." Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology 2012 (2012): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/649353.

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Amniotic fluid (AF) was described as a potential source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for biomedicine purposes. Therefore, evaluation of alternative cryoprotectants and freezing protocols capable to maintain the viability and stemness of these cells after cooling is still needed. AF stem cells (AFSCs) were tested for different freezing methods and cryoprotectants. Cell viability, gene expression, surface markers, and plasticity were evaluated after thawing. AFSCs expressed undifferentiated genes Oct4 and Nanog; presented typical markers (CD29, CD44, CD90, and CD105) and were able to differentiate into mesenchymal lineages. All tested cryoprotectants preserved the features of AFSCs however, variations in cell viability were observed. In this concern, dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) showed the best results. The freezing protocols tested did not promote significant changes in the AFSCs viability. Time programmed and nonprogrammed freezing methods could be used for successful AFSCs cryopreservation for 6 months. Although tested cryoprotectants maintained undifferentiated gene expression, typical markers, and plasticity of AFSCs, only Me2SO and glycerol presented workable viability ratios.

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Aydoun, Racha, Guillaume Parent, Mounaim Tounzi, Jean-Philippe Lecointe, and Krzysztof Komeza. "Comparison of 8/6 radial and axial flux switched reluctance machines." COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering 38, no. 6 (October 24, 2019): 1756–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/compel-06-2019-0224.

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Purpose This paper aims to deal with a performance comparison of an 8/6 radial-flux switched reluctance machine (RFSRM) and an axial-flux switched reluctance machine (AFSRM), presenting equivalent active surfaces. Design/methodology/approach An axial machine was designed based on the equivalent active surfaces of a radial one. After estimating the machine inductances with a reluctance network, finite elements numerical models have been implemented for a more precise inductance determination and to estimate the electromagnetic torque for both machines. Finally, the AFSRM was thoroughly examined by analyzing the impact of some geometric parameters on its performance. Findings The comparison of the RFSRM and AFSRM at equivalent active surfaces showed that the obtained axial machine is more compact along with an improvement in the electromagnetic torque. Practical implications The equivalent AFSRM is more compact, therefore more interesting for transport and on-board applications. Originality/value The RFSRM and AFSRM performance comparison using the same active surfaces has not been done. Moreover, the AFSRM presented has a rare design with no rotor yoke and where the rotor teeth are encapsulated in a nonmagnetic structure, allowing a more compact design.

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Siddh, Man Mohan, Gunjan Soni, Rakesh Jain, Milind Kumar Sharma, and Vinod Yadav. "Agri-fresh food supply chain quality (AFSCQ): a literature review." Industrial Management & Data Systems 117, no. 9 (October 16, 2017): 2015–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/imds-10-2016-0427.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to deliver a structured literature review of existing literature on agri-fresh food supply chain quality (AFSCQ) over a period of 23 years (1994 to mid-2016) and provide a platform for practitioners and researchers trying to identify the existing state of work, gaps in current research, and future directions in the field of AFSCQ. Design/methodology/approach The existing literature is classified on the basis of several classes like number of publications per year, journal-wise publications, studies across various countries, growth of empirical research, data analysis methods or tool used, issues related to supply chain quality as well as performance measurement (with respect to entity of analysis, level of analysis and element of exchange). Findings Most of the research publications discuss issues in developed countries, while relatively lesser publications are available on issues in developing countries. Hence, larger opportunities in the field of AFSCQ are available in developing countries. Empirical research is also growing in the field of AFSCQ. Largely research publications make use of “case study” research approach and “statistical analysis” as a quantitative tool of research. The literature is also categorized under the various issues of supply chain quality such as sustainability management, information management, logistic management, collaboration and coordination management, strategic management, demand management, inventory management, food safety, performance management, supply chain integration, supplier management, quality management, etc. It was found that in the majority of articles, information management, sustainability management, and logistics management are very critical issues as far as AFSCQ is concerned. Performance measurement of agri-fresh food supply chain is also on a growing stage. It is also an integral part of AFSCQ. Originality/value Most of the prior reviews are concentrated on a particular issue as production and distribution planning for agri-foods, temperature monitoring, corporate and consumer social responsibility, traceability system and ignore the wider perception. There exists a necessity of having a detailed review to cover up all the issues in AFSCQ. This review fills this gap in the extant AFSCQ literature.

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Andrada, Pere, Balduí Blanqué, Eusebi Martínez, José Ignacio Perat, José Antonio Sánchez, and Marcel Torrent. "Design of a Novel Modular Axial-Flux Double Rotor Switched Reluctance Drive." Energies 13, no. 5 (March 4, 2020): 1161. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en13051161.

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Nowadays, there is a renewed interest in switched reluctance machines and especially in axial-flux switched reluctance machines (AFSRM). This paper presents a comprehensive design procedure for modular AFSRM with an inner stator and two exterior rotors that have a new distribution of the stator and rotor poles, resulting in short magnetic paths with no flux reversal. After a description of the proposed machine, the output torque equation is derived from a simplified non-linear energy conversion loop and guidelines for its design are given. Once the preliminary sizing has been carried out the different modules of the AFSRM, the magnetically active parts made with SMC, are reshaped or refined using 3D printing and 3D electromagnetic finite element analysis until they reach their definitive shape and dimensions. Finally, an AFSRM has been built following the proposed design procedure and has been validated by experimental measurements.

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Giannetti, Alessio, Andrea Pantalone, Ivana Antonucci, Sandra Verna, Patrizia Di Gregorio, Liborio Stuppia, Vittorio Calvisi, Roberto Buda, and Vincenzo Salini. "The Role of Platelet-Rich Plasma on the Chondrogenic and Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Amniotic-Fluid-Derived Stem Cells." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 23 (November 27, 2022): 15786. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315786.

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Amniotic fluid represents a new and promising source of engraftable stem cells. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro effects of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on amniotic-fluid-derived stem cells (AFSCs) on chondrogenic or osteogenic differentiation potential. Amniotic fluid samples were obtained from women undergoing amniocentesis for prenatal diagnosis at 16–18 weeks of pregnancy. Undifferentiated human AFSCs were cocultured with PRP for 14 days. The study includes two protocols investigating the effects of activated PRP using two different methods: via freeze–thaw cycles and via the addition of calcium gluconate. On the 14th day of culturing, the differentiation potential of the cocultured AFSCs was then compared with undifferentiated AFSCs. Staining with alcian blue solution (ABS) and alizarine red solution (ARS) was performed, and chondrogenic- and osteogenic-associated genes markers were investigated. ABS demonstrated enhanced glycosaminoglycan expression. Cocultured cells expressed chondrocyte-associated genes, determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), including type I collagen, type II collagen, COMP, and aggrecan. In regard to the osteogenic markers, osteopontin and bone sialoprotein, there were no changes. In particular, the activation of PRP using the freeze–thaw cycle protocol showed a higher expression of the chondrogenic markers. Our preliminary in vitro results showed that PRP has good potential in the chondrogenic differentiation of AFSCs.

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Aljohani, Abdulah Jeza, Ibrahim M. Mehedi, Muhammad Bilal, Mohamed Mahmoud, Rahtul Jannat Meem, Ahmed I. M. Iskanderani, Md Mottahir Alam, and Waleed Alasmary. "Rotary Flexible Joint Control Using Adaptive Fuzzy Sliding Mode Scheme." Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience 2022 (September 5, 2022): 1–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/2613075.

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An adaptive fuzzy sliding control (AFSMC) approach is adopted in this paper to address the problem of angular position control and vibration suppression of rotary flexible joint systems. AFSMC consists of fuzzy-based singleton control action and switching control law. By adjusting fuzzy parameters with the self-learning ability to discard system nonlinearities and uncertainties, singleton control based on fuzzy approximation theory can estimate the perfect control law of feedback linearization. To enhance robustness, an additional switching control law is incorporated to reduce the approximation error between the derived singleton control action and the perfect control law of feedback linearization. AFSMC's closed-loop stability will be demonstrated via sliding surface and Lyapunov function analysis of error function. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the AFSMC in tracking performance as well as its ability to respond to model uncertainties and external perturbations, simulations are carried out using Simulink and Matlab in order to demonstrate how well it adapts to these situations. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the AFSMC performs satisfactorily in terms of tracking.

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King, Judi. "Book Reviews : Violence on the Job: A Guidebook for Labor and Management. By the Labor Occupational Health Program. Berkeley: Center for Occupa tional and Environmental Health, University of California, 1997. 105 pp. $15 paper. Preventing Workplace Violence: A Union Representative's Guidebook. By the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Washington: AFSCME, 1998. 72 pp. Single copies free, paper." Labor Studies Journal 24, no. 4 (January 2000): 96–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0160449x0002400413.

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Liang, Jin Wei, Hung Yi Chen, and Chia Zung Wu. "Adaptive Sliding-Mode Control with Self-Tuning Fuzzy Compensation for a Piezoelectric-Actuated X-Y-Z Table." Applied Mechanics and Materials 130-134 (October 2011): 1898–902. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.130-134.1898.

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This paper aims to develop and implement intelligent control for a X-Y-Z three-dimensional table using linear ultrasonic motors as the actuators. Functional approximation technique (FAT) is integrated with the sliding-mode control design to capture the unknown system dynamics and release the requirement of mathematical modeling. In order to deal with the approximation error and the uncertainties of the system, an adaptive fuzzy sliding-mode controller (AFSMC) is used as a compensation of the FAT-based sliding-mode control. Lyapunov stability theory is applied to assure the closed-loop stability and design the updating laws for weighting coefficients of Fourier series and fuzzy tuning parameters. Experimental results indicate that FAT-based sliding-mode control augmented with AFSMC compensation (FA+AFSMC) performs better than the solely FAT-based sliding-mode control.

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Sá, Marcelo Martins de, Priscila Laczynski de Souza Miguel, Renata Peregrino de Brito, and Susana Carla Farias Pereira. "Supply chain resilience: the whole is not the sum of the parts." International Journal of Operations & Production Management 40, no. 1 (April 17, 2019): 92–115. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ijopm-09-2017-0510.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how resilience at different nodes in the supply chain influences overall supply chain resilience (SCRES) during an extreme weather event. Design/methodology/approach Based on 41 in-depth interviews, this qualitative study examines two Brazilian agri-food supply chains (AFSC). The interviews explored the impacts, preparedness, response and adaptation strategies adopted by farmers, processors and manufacturers during Brazil’s extreme drought of 2014–2015. Findings SCRES does not depend on all organizations in the supply chain but rather on the company able to reconfigure the resources to control for the disruption. In a supply chain with low interdependence among players, individual firm resilience elements might be preferable to interorganizational ones. Research limitations/implications This study is based on the context of AFSCs with low interdependence among players and during the experience of a climatic event. The results might not be generalizable to other sectors and phenomena. Practical implications Firms must evaluate their positions in supply chains and their interfirm relationships to determine which resilience strategy to invest in and rely on. Moreover, to leverage resilience at the supply chain level, firms must intensify information sharing and improve proactive resilience strategies upstream as well as downstream in the supply chain. Originality/value This study presents a broader perspective of resilience by comparing resilience elements at both the node and supply chain levels and by discussing their interactions and trade-offs.

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Tsurubuchi, Takao, Shunsuke Ichi, Kyu-won Shim, William Norkett, Elise Allender, Barbara Mania-Farnell, Tadanori Tomita, David G. McLone, Norman Ginsberg, and C. Shekhar Mayanil. "Amniotic fluid and serum biomarkers from women with neural tube defect–affected pregnancies: a case study for myelomeningocele and anencephaly." Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics 12, no. 4 (October 2013): 380–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.3171/2013.7.peds12636.

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Object The authors sought to identify novel biomarkers for early detection of neural tube defects (NTDs) in human fetuses. Methods Amniotic fluid and serum were drawn from women in the second trimester of pregnancy. The study group included 2 women pregnant with normal fetuses and 4 with fetuses displaying myelomeningocele (n = 1), anencephaly (n = 1), holoprosencephaly (n = 1), or encephalocele (n = 1). Amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSCs) were isolated and cultured. The cells were immunostained for the stem cell markers Oct4, CD133, and Sox2; the epigenetic biomarkers H3K4me2, H3K4me3, H3K27me2, H3K27me3, H3K9Ac, and H3K18Ac; and the histone modifiers KDM6B (a histone H3K27 demethylase) and Gcn5 (a histone acetyltransferase). The levels of 2 markers for neural tube development, bone morphogenetic protein–4 (BMP4) and sonic hedgehog (Shh), were measured in amniotic fluid and serum using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results The AFSCs from the woman pregnant with a fetus affected by myelomeningocele had higher levels of H3K4me2, H3K4me3, H3K27me2, and H3K27me3 and lower levels of KDM6B than the AFSCs from the women with healthy fetuses. The levels of H3K9ac, H3K18ac, and Gcn5 were also decreased in the woman with the fetus exhibiting myelomeningocele. In AFSCs from the woman carrying an anencephalic fetus, levels of H3K27me3, along with those of H3K9Ac, H3K18ac, and Gcn5, were increased, while that of KDM6B was decreased. Compared with the normal controls, the levels of BMP4 in amniotic fluid and serum from the woman with a fetus with myelomeningocele were increased, whereas levels of Shh were increased in the woman pregnant with a fetus displaying anencephaly. Conclusions The levels of epigenetic marks, such as H3K4me, H3K27me3, H3K9Ac, and H3K18A, in cultured AFSCs in combination with levels of key developmental proteins, such as BMP4 and Shh, are potential biomarkers for early detection and identification of NTDs in amniotic fluid and maternal serum.

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Aydoun, Racha, Guillaume Parent, Abdelmounaïm Tounzi, and Jean-Philippe Lecointe. "Performance comparison of axial-flux switched reluctance machines with non-oriented and grain-oriented electrical steel rotors." Open Physics 18, no. 1 (December 17, 2020): 981–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/phys-2020-0200.

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Abstract This paper studies the performance of an axial-flux switched reluctance machine (AFSRM) using GOES (grain-oriented electrical steel) in its rotor and comparing it to a NOES (non-oriented electrical steel) rotor. Indeed, the AFSRM structure lends itself well to the use of GOES, especially at the rotor. In order to evaluate the intrinsic capabilities of the AFSRM, self-inductance versus rotor position and static torque were numerically simulated at a given operating point and used as indicators for the NOES and GOES performance comparison. The static torque is also used to determine and compare the torque per volume ratios and grasp the impact of GOES use in a 3D rotating structure. The introduction of GOES in a rotating machine leads to an improvement of the electromagnetic torque mean and maximum values, allowing to evaluate the GOES impact on the machine performance.

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Yang, Yan, Yeqin Wang, Weixing Zhang, Zhenghao Li, and Rui Liang. "Design of Adaptive Fuzzy Sliding-Mode Control for High-Performance Islanded Inverter in Micro-Grid." Energies 15, no. 23 (December 2, 2022): 9154. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en15239154.

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In this paper, an adaptive fuzzy sliding-mode control (AFSMC) system is investigated for an islanded inverter to achieve a high-performance power supply. A sliding mode control (SMC) law is designed initially to obtain both the voltage tracking error and the current tracking error of the inverter involved, to realize both the output-voltage regulation and the current protection with global stability. Moreover, to deal with uncertainties in the practical inverter system without the chattering phenomenon, an adaptive fuzzy system embedded with a self-adjustive translation width is developed to replace the switch term of the SMC. In addition, the adaptation laws, derived from the Lyapunov stability theorem, adjust the AFSMC parameters online to guarantee optimal and robust performance. Furthermore, the superior control performance of the proposed AFSMC is verified by a numerical simulation in MATLAB, producing experimental results on the prototype in comparison with the conventional SMC.

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Makbal, Rachida, Myra O. Villareal, Chemseddoha Gadhi, Abdellatif Hafidi, and Hiroko Isoda. "Argania Spinosa Fruit Shell Extract-Induced Melanogenesis via cAMP Signaling Pathway Activation." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21, no. 7 (April 6, 2020): 2539. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms21072539.

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We have previously reported that argan oil and argan press-cake from the kernels of Argania spinosa have an anti-melanogenesis effect. Here, the effect of argan fruit shell ethanol extract (AFSEE) on melanogenesis in B16F10 cells was determined, and the mechanism underlying its effect was elucidated. The proliferation of AFSEE-treated B16F10 cells was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while the melanin content was quantified using a spectrophotometric method. The expression of melanogenesis-related proteins was determined by Western blot and real-time PCR, while global gene expression was determined using a DNA microarray. In vitro analysis results showed that the melanin content of B16F10 cells was significantly increased by AFSEE, without cytotoxicity, by increasing the melanogenic enzyme tyrosinase (TRY), tyrosinase related-protein 1 (TRP1), and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) protein and mRNA expression, as well as upregulating microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) expression through mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38, and the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway, as indicated by the microarray analysis results. AFSEE’s melanogenesis promotion effect is primarily attributed to its polyphenolic components. In conclusion, AFSEE promotes melanogenesis in B16F10 cells by upregulating the expression of the melanogenic enzymes through the cAMP–MITF signaling pathway.AFSEE may be used as a cosmetics product component to promote melanogenesis, or as a therapeutic against hypopigmentation disorders.

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Journal articles on the topic 'AFSCME'

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