Search Results (5)

The literature suggests that the yield strain of cortical bone is invariant to its stiffness (elastic modulus) and strength (yield stress). However, data about intra-individual variations, e.g., the influence of different collagen/mineral organisations observed in bone aspects withstanding different habitual loads, are lacking. The hypothesis that the yield strain of human cortical bone tissue, retrieved from femoral diaphyseal quadrants subjected to different habitual loads, is invariant was tested. Four flat dumbbell-shaped specimens were machined from each quadrant of the proximal femoral diaphysis of five adult donors for a total of 80 specimens. Two extensometers attached to the narrow specimen region were used to measure deformation during monotonic tensile testing. The elastic modulus (linear part of the stress–strain curve) and yield strain/stress at a 0.2% offset were obtained. Elastic modulus and yield stress values were, respectively, in the range of 12.2–20.5 GPa and 75.9–136.6 MPa and exhibited a positive linear correlation. All yield strain values were in the narrow range of 0.77–0.87%, regardless of the stiffness and strength of the tissue and the anatomical quadrant. In summary, the results corroborate the hypothesis that tensile yield strain in cortical bone is invariant, irrespective also of the anatomical quadrant. The mean yield strain value found in this study is similar to what was reported by inter-species and evolution studies but slightly higher than previous reports in humans, possibly because of the younger age of our subjects. Further investigations are needed to elucidate a possible dependence of yield strain on age. Full article

Membrane-spanning portions of proteins’ polypeptide chains are commonly known as their transmembrane domains (TMDs). The structural organisation and dynamic behaviour of TMDs from proteins of various families, be that receptors, ion channels, enzymes etc., have been under scrutiny on the part of the scientific community for the last few decades. The reason for such attention is that, apart from their obvious role as an “anchor” in ensuring the correct orientation of the protein’s extra-membrane domains (in most cases functionally important), TMDs often actively and directly contribute to the operation of “the protein machine”. They are capable of transmitting signals across the membrane, interacting with adjacent TMDs and membrane-proximal domains, as well as with various ligands, etc. Structural data on TMD arrangement are still fragmentary at best due to their complex molecular organisation as, most commonly, dynamic oligomers, as well as due to the challenges related to experimental studies thereof. Inter alia, this is especially true for viral fusion proteins, which have been the focus of numerous studies for quite some time, but have provoked unprecedented interest in view of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. However, despite numerous structure-centred studies of the spike (S) protein effectuating target cell entry in coronaviruses, structural data on the TMD as part of the entire spike protein are still incomplete, whereas this segment is known to be crucial to the spike’s fusogenic activity. Therefore, in attempting to bring together currently available data on the structure and dynamics of spike proteins’ TMDs, the present review aims to tackle a highly pertinent task and contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying virus-mediated fusion, also offering a rationale for the design of novel efficacious methods for the treatment of infectious diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses. Full article

This state-of-the-art review paper aims to provide an overview of the current research in supply chain and management on cross-industrial collaborations. It also formulates a theoretical proposition to study them. This research on cross-industrial collaborations is carried out in the more specific context of the circular economy, as the scale-up of this economic model has the particularity of requiring collaborations between organisations from different industrial sectors, a subject that remains to date relatively unexplored. The paper is divided into two parts. The first part is a literature review. A presentation on current knowledge on supply-chain collaborations for the circular economy is realised, followed by a literature gap exploration of cross-industrial collaborations. The second part is a theoretical proposition. Concepts of the network theory and of the inter-organisational proximity framework and their relevance are explained, followed by a proposition of a combination of the two views to conceptualise cross-industrial collaborations. The objective of this concept paper is to provide a thematic and theoretical background for future studies to understand how to connect non-traditional actors within a supply network, how companies from different industries manage to collaborate, and to assess the opportunities and pitfalls of these collaborations for the scale-up of the circular economy. Full article

The destructive effects of industries on the environment are the most crucial reason for the need for firms’ proximity to developing innovative activities such as corporate sustainability. However, most prior efforts have focused on the role of different types of proximity in cluster performances, not the relationship among them. Therefore, this study intends to go one step back, discuss the inter-relationships between different types of proximity, and propose them in a conceptual model as the antecedents of corporate sustainability. These factors are known as the non-specific dimensions of proximity within local clusters: cognitive, organisational, institutional, and social, which received less attention as a theoretical model. To this end, this study invited all members of the European Cluster Cooperation Platform (ECCP) to participate. Among some 1080 European cluster organisations, 113 organisations participated, of which 99 of them were usable for this research. Contrary to existing conceptual theories, the results revealed no strong evidence for significant interrelations among all dimensions of non-specific proximity. Moreover, organisational proximity does not strongly relate to cognitive and social proximities, and there is no meaningful relationship between institutional and social proximities. Full article

Bio-based businesses are often considered to be sustainable. However, they are also linked to sustainability challenges such as deforestation and soil erosion. Encouraged to exploit innovative solutions and enhance sustainability, organizations engaged in bio-based activities extensively explore collaboration possibilities with external partners. The objective of this paper is to integrate the available knowledge on sustainability of inter-organisational collaborations in bio-based businesses, while considering the three aspects of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social. We collected data from three academic sources—Web of Science, Scopus, and EconLit—and conducted a systematic literature review. The results show the importance of geographical proximity and complementarity in creating sustainability benefits such as reduced emissions, reduced waste, economic synergies, and socio-economic activities. Based on the findings, we have developed a framework that illustrates sustainability benefits and challenges. Interestingly, the studies emphasize sustainability benefits more in emerging than in industrialised economies, especially relating to the social aspects of sustainability. In conclusion, although the scholars have not discussed mitigation of several sustainability challenges in bio-based businesses, such as land use conflicts, they have found evidence of vital sustainability benefits, such as energy availability, lower emissions, improved socio-economic life, and poverty reduction, which are essential in emerging economies. Full article