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Tobacco, a extensively consumed plant recognized for its adverse health effects in humans, comprises various toxic compounds. Previous researches have solely delved into the impact of nicotine exposure on the reproductive and developmental aspects of fruit flies. Consequently, our investigation seeks to broaden the comprehension of the detrimental impacts encompassing all constituents of tobacco extract on the lifespan of fruit flies. Varied concentrations of tobacco extract (0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, and 0.1 g) were employed to establish a spectrum of exposure levels and the data included the number of fruit flies at each developmental stage in the new generation and the lifespan in each concentration group over the time. Our findings demonstrate a decline in population size within the first and second filial generations when transitioning from a normal condition to a high concentration of tobacco. Furthermore, our results reveal an inverse relationship between pupa size and tobacco concentration, resulting in smaller fruit flies when exposed to higher concentrations of tobacco extract. This suggests a detrimental impact of tobacco toxins on the embryonic development and overall well-being of fruit flies. The implications of our study extend to a broader understanding of potential risks associated with tobacco exposure in various organisms, including humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients present a high incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) with poor prognosis. It is crucial to identify and diagnose VTE early. The study aimed to identify potential protein biomarkers and mechanism of VTE in NSCLC patients via proteomics research. Methods: Proteomic analysis of the human plasma was performed through dataindependent acquisition mass spectrometry for 20 NSCLC patients with VTE, and 15 NSCLC patients without VTE. Significantly differentially expressed proteins were analyzed by multiple bioinformatics method for further biomarker analysis. Results: A total of 280 differentially expressed proteins were identified in VTE and non-VTE patients, where 42 were upregulated and 238 were downregulated. These proteins were involved in acute-phase response, cytokine production, neutrophil migration and other biological processes related to VTE and inflammation. Five proteins including SAA1, S100A8, LBP, HP and LDHB had significant change between VTE and non-VTE patients, with the area under the curve (AUC) were 0.8067, 0.8308, 0.7767, 0.8021, 0.8533, respectively. Conclusions: SAA1, S100A8, LBP, HP and LDHB may serve as potential plasma biomarkers for diagnosis VTE in NSCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responsible leadership is not just about creating value for shareholders. This viewpoint has created significant challenges to the field of leadership and strategic management but has also generated opportunities for businesses to distinguish themselves positively in the eyes of stakeholders. The Danfoss Group, Denmark, is one such business, now at an advanced stage of CSR development focusing both on Products & Processes and Employee Relations. This development has been a gradual progression influenced by environmental and labor market issues, climate change, its commitment to the UN Global Compact, and a profound learning capacity. The current financial crisis has not impeded implementation of CSR initiatives, but rather has provided an opportunity to ‘walk-the-talk’. This underlines that the CSR policies are in place because Danfoss, its owners, and its managers feel it is the right thing to do and that responsible leadership indeed does entail more than just creating short-term value for owners. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fill the research gap between extant theory of disruptive technology and latecomer firms' business-model innovation practices in emerging economies,we explore the new latecomer advantage implied in the phenomena of overshooting and nonconsuming. Based on inductive theory building with a comparative case study, we find that latecomer firms, though disadvantaged in technological capabilities and market resources, can successfully introduce disruptive technologies from advanced economies into emerging economies through secondary business-model innovations. They provide cheaper, simpler, but good enough products or services that ordinary citizens in emerging economies can easily afford and access. How do latecomer firms capture value from disruptive technologies within the emerging economies context? While articulating an appropriate value proposition that is attractive for local customers is of great importance for those latecomer firms, they should also fully utilize strategic partners' complementary assets to build a unique value network embedded within local infrastructure. Thus, those latecomer firms tactfully bypass the substantial first-mover advantages and global advantages of multinational incumbents, and leverage their latecomer advantages such as low price and local savvy. Thus, latecomer firms should not ignore those disruptive growth opportunities within the large population of mass customers and nonconsumers in emerging economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the evolutionary process of secondary innovation in a typical Chinese equipment manufacturing firm in the context of globalization and elaborates how to achieve latecomer's advantage from imitation to innovation. Four stages are identified in the process of international manufacturing: the equipment import stage, the production cooperation stage, the R&D cooperation stage and the global operation stage. Technological innovation evolves as follows: from duplicative imitation to creative imitation, and then from exploitative innovation to explorative innovation. Through the evolutionary process, a firm can take advantage of globalization to accumulate knowledge and improve its capabilities, which enable it to upgrade in the global manufacturing network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]