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This study empirically investigates the implications of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on the value-added intellectual capital efficiency of food and agribusiness firms in India. This study uses the firm-level data collected from the Prowess database of the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy for 362 food and agribusiness companies in 2019. The study contributes to the theoretical and managerial practices by assessing the causal relationship between the value-added intellectual capital (VAIC) and CSR for food and agribusiness firms in an emerging economy, i.e., India. The results suggest a significant mean difference in the key characteristics of firms with and without CSR expenditure. Further, there is a significant relationship between CSR and Value-Added Intellectual Capital Efficiency in the Indian food and agribusiness firms. Finally, the regression analysis indicates that CSR expenditure has a positive and significant implication on value-added intellectual capital (ß = 0.119, p < 0.01), including all the dimensions of firm's capital efficiency except structural capital; i.e., capital employed (ß = 0.095, p < 0.01), human capital (ß = 0.145, p < 0.01) and intellectual capital (ß = 0.124, p < 0.01). However, CSR does not seem to have significant implications on structural capital standalone (ß = 0.044, p > 0.10), implying that the structural capital efficiency of the firms does not get affected by CSR expenditure. The findings of the study provide a good reason for implementing mandatory CSR, which goes beyond the performance of firms, as there is a positive and significant impact of CSR on the Value-Added Intellectual Capital of the firms. This paper contributes to the existing literature by providing extended understanding on the relationship between CSR and VAIC among food and agribusiness firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin color in animals is richer than human beings and is determined by different types of pigments. Melanin is the key pigment responsible for the diverse pigmentation found in animal and human skin, hair, and eyes. Melanin pigment is synthesized by melanocytes and is consecutively transferred to adjacent keratinocytes; here, it acts as an internal sunscreen to defend from ultraviolet (UV) damage. Any defect in the process of melanocytes development and/or melanin synthesis results in esthetic problem of abnormal pigmentation. Clinically, abnormal pigmentation displays distinct increased or reduced pigment levels, known as hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation. These defects affect either the melanocyte number or its function. Herein, we discuss the fundamental aspects of melanocytes/melanin biology taken together the underlying cause of pigmentary disorders. The current chapter also gives an insight into the melanocyte stem cells biology, which in turn can facilitate the development of novel treatment regimens for dermatological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business managers strive to attain the optimal capital structure (OCS), which allows them to raise capital at a minimal cost, thereby maximising their returns. Balancing risk and reward is crucial in determining the target capital structure. Therefore, understanding the optimal leverage ratio and the Speed at which leverage adjustments are made is vital to managers. This study examines the optimal leverage ratio, the speed of adjustment, and the factors contributing to achieving the target capital structure for select 208 steel firms, particularly in an emerging economy like the Indian steel industry. A partial adjustment model is utilised, employing the Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) technique. Additionally, the Altman Z-score is employed to evaluate the financial distress of these steel firms. Very few studies have specifically focused on determining the Speed of adjustment (SOA) using GMM of emerging economies like the Indian steel industry. The findings indicate that steel firms take approximately 2.13 years to reach their target leverage, supporting the existence of the dynamic trade-off theory. The results also highlight the relationship of selected variables (Profitability, Growth, Size, Tangibility, NDTS, Liquidity, and Financial Distress) with the Speed of leverage adjustment and the weak financial position of these businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tyrosinase is a natural enzyme and is often purified to only a low degree and it is involved in a variety of functions which mainly catalyse the o-hydroxylation of monophenols into their corresponding o-diphenols and the oxidation of o-diphenols to o-quinones using molecular oxygen, which then polymerizes to form brown or black pigments. The synthesis of o-diphenols is a potentially valuable catalytic ability and thus tyrosinase has attracted a lot of attention with respect to industrial applications. In environmental technology it is used for the detoxification of phenol-containing wastewaters and contaminated soils, as biosensors for phenol monitoring, and for the production of L-DOPA in pharmaceutical industries, and is also used in cosmetic and food industries as important catalytic enzyme. Melanin pigment synthesized by tyrosinase has found applications for protection against radiation cation exchangers, drug carriers, antioxidants, antiviral agents, or immunogen. The recombinant V spinosum tryosinase protein can be used to produce tailor-made melanin and other polyphenolic materials using various phenols and catechols as starting materials. This review compiles the recent data on biochemical and molecular properties of microbial tyrosinases, underlining their importance in the industrial use of these enzymes. After that, their most promising applications in pharmaceutical, food processing, and environmental fields are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]