Pipecolic acid, a non-proteinogenic amino acid, is a metabolite in lysine metabolism and a key chiral precursor in local anesthesia and macrolide antibiotics. To replace the environmentally unfriendly chemical production or preparation procedure of pipecolic acid, many biological synthetic routes have been studied for a long time. Among them, synthesis by lysine cyclodeaminase (LCD), encoded by pipA, has several advantages, including stability of enzyme activity and NAD+ self-regeneration. Thus, we selected this enzyme for pipecolic acid biosynthesis in a whole-cell bioconversion. To construct a robust pipecolic acid production system, we investigated important conditions including expression vector, strain, culture conditions, and other reaction parameters. The most important factors were introduction of multiple pipA genes into the whole-cell system and control of agitation. As a result, we produced 724 mM pipecolic acid (72.4% conversion), and the productivity was 0.78 g/L/h from 1 M L-lysine after 5 days. This is the highest production reported to date.

The atomic structure, spin states of the interface based on iron-porphyrin and armchair graphene nanoribbon (FeP/AGNR) and potential energy surface of FeP atop of AGNR migration is investigated via DFT theory. The multiplicity of Fe ion in iron porphyrin for all possible types of coordination is determined as a triplet. It is estimated that FeP would place atop AGNR at the position where two Fe-N bonds are located above the C-C bond, another two are located above C atoms. The barrier of migration of iron porphyrin complex atop of graphene armchair nanoribbon is found to be smaller the temperature factor, making the heterostructure to be in temperature equilibrium between different types of coordination of the iron porphyrin atop of graphene nanoribbon

Pharmacologic induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is an effective strategy for treating β-hemoglobinopathies like β-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia by ameliorating disease severity. Hydroxyurea is the only FDA-approved agent that induces HbF, but significant non-responders and requirement for frequent monitoring of blood counts for drug toxicity limit clinical usefulness. Therefore, this study relates preclinical investigation of Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) as a potential HbF inducing agent, using human erythroid cell line and a β-YAC mouse model. Erythroid induction of K562 cells was studied by the benzidine/H2O2 reaction, total hemoglobin production was estimated by plasma hemoglobin assay kit, and γ-globin gene expression by RT-qPCR, whereas, fetal hemoglobin production was estimated by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence microscopy. We observed significantly increased γ-globin gene transcription and HbF expression mediated by TDF in K562 cells. Subsequent treatment of β-YAC transgenic mice with TDF confirmed HbF induction in vivo through an increase in γ-globin gene expression and in the percentage of HbF positive red blood cells. Moreover, TDF showed no cytotoxic effect at HbF inducing concentrations. These data support the potential development of TDF for the treatment of hematological disorders, including β-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia.

Background and Purpose: The ingestion of flavonoids has been reported to be associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk. Among flavonoids, quercitrin is the most common flavonoid in nature, and it exhibits anti-oxidant properties. However, it is unclear whether quercitrin plays a role in thrombogenesis. Experimental Approach: The anti-platelet effect of quercitrin was assessed using platelet aggregation, granule secretion, calcium mobilization, integrin activation, and western blot. Antithrombotic effect was determined in mouse using FeCl3-induced arterial thrombus formation in vivo and thrombus formation on collagen-coated surfaces under arteriolar shear in vitro. Transection tail bleeding time was used to evaluate adverse effects. Key Results: Quercitrin significantly impaired CRP- or U46619-induced platelet aggregation, granule secretion, ROS generation, and intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. Outside-in signaling of αIIbβ3 integrin was significantly inhibited by quercitrin in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of quercitrin resulted from inhibition of the GPVI- or U46619-mediated phosphorylation of PLC and PI3K signaling during platelet activation. Further, the anti-oxidant effect is derived from decreased phosphorylation of components of the TRAF4/p47phox/Hic5 axis signalosome. Oral administration of quercitrin efficiently blocked FeCl3-induced arterial thrombus formation in vivo and thrombus formation on collagen-coated surfaces under arteriolar shear in vitro, without prolonging bleeding time. Studies using a mouse model of ischemia/reperfusion-induced stroke indicated that treatment with quercitrin reduced the infarct volume in stroke. Conclusions and Implications: Our results demonstrated that quercitrin could be an effective therapeutic agent for the treatment of thrombotic diseases.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Motor deficits after traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain poorly understood. In animals, a localized unilateral brain injury produces hindlimb postural asymmetry (HL-PA) that correlates with contralesional motor impairment. Here we evaluate if a unilateral injury to the sensorimotor cortex by the controlled cortical impact (CCI), a model of clinical focal TBI induces HL-PA in rats, and if this asymmetry is spinally encoded and mediated by the opioid system. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH HL-PA was assessed after the right-side CCI as difference in limb position. Effects of general opioid antagonist naloxone and selective µ- (β-Funaltrexamine), δ- (naltrindole) and κ- (nor-Binaltorphimine and [(S)-3-fluoro-4-(4-((2-(3-fluorophenyl)pyrrolidin-1-yl)methyl)phenoxy)benzamide]) antagonists on HL-PA were analyzed before and after complete spinal cord transection. HL-PA induced by κ-agonist U50,488H and spinal expression of opioid receptor genes were studied in intact animals. KEY RESULTS The right-side CCI induced HL-PA with contralesional (left) flexion that retained after spinalization. Naloxone and µ-Funaltrexamine but not naltrindole and κ-antagonists abolished HL-PA. Surprisingly, treatment with κ-antagonists resulted in the left-to-right reversal of the flexion side; not contra- (left) but ipsilesional (right) limb was flexed. Furthermore, κ-agonist induced HL-PA with left flexion, while expression of subtypes of opioid receptors and their proportion was different between the left and right lumbar spinal cord. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS We report that the focal TBI-induced HL-PA is encoded at the spinal level and mediated through opioid receptors. The side-specific effects may be induced through lateralized opioid receptors. These findings suggest that the TBI-induced asymmetric motor deficits may be pharmacologically corrected.

Density functional theory, or DFT, has become ubiquitous for chemical applications in research and in education. The exact functional at the foundation of DFT is unfortunately unknown, and issues arise when choosing an approximation for a specific application. With this tutorial review, we tackle the selection problem and many related ones, such as the choices of a basis set and of an integration grid, that are often overlooked by occasional practitioners and by more experienced users as well. We offer a practical approach in the form of a commented notebook containing 12 experiments that can be run on a simple computer in just a few hours. We propose this review as a primary source for those who are willing to include DFT in their everyday research or teaching activities in a way that reflects the research advances of the field in the last couple of decades

Aim The importance of patient expectations (PEs) on treatment outcomes is poorly understood in clinical practice. The aim of this review is to investigate the evidence behind association between pre-treatment PEs and treatment outcomes such as pain intensity (PI), level of function (LF) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP) Methods A systematic search was conducted for randomised controlled trials published between 1946 and May 2019 across major databases using the key MeSH terminologies. The association between PEs and PI, LF and HRQOL were extracted and categorized into positive, negative or no association for analysing the data. A descriptive synthesis was conducted and the association between PEs and PI, LF and HRQOL were reported. Results Among the total of 7 trials, 2 trials demonstrated a positive association between PEs and PI in short (≤ 6 weeks) and long term (> 6 months), while another 2 trials demonstrated no association at medium term (> 6 weeks - ≤ 6 months). About 4 trials demonstrated a positive significant association between PEs and LF, 2 at medium and 2 at long terms. The only available trial demonstrated no association between PEs and HRQOL at medium term. Conclusion Positive PEs as measured at the start of treatment is associated with PI. Inconclusive evidence exists on the association between PEs and LF. Limited studies show no evidence of association between PEs and HRQOL. Further studies with valid tools to measure PE are warranted among individuals with CLBP.

Unique superhalogen properties of Pt(CN)n complexes (n = 1–6) containing cyanide (CN) pseudohalogen moieties bound with platinum (Pt) atom have been investigated under the quantum chemical formalism. The study involves theoretical calculations for both neutral and anionic forms of Pt(CN)n using density functional theory (DFT) with the hybrid functional B3LYP. In order to improve the accuracy of calculations, 6–311+G(d) basis set was implemented for CN moieties, whereas, SDD basis set supplemented with Stuttgart/Dresden relativistic effective core potential was used for Pt atom. HOMO–LUMO energy band gaps, vibrational frequencies and dissociation energies of Pt(CN)n complexes have been calculated to investigate their relative stability as well as reactivity. Additionally, superhalogen properties and salt forming capability of Pt(CN)n complexes have also been analyzed. Focus of analysis is on the delocalization of charges over attached CN ligands in successive members of the Pt(CN)n species. Reliable low–cost investigations on superacidity properties of associated protonated species have also been carried out keeping their industrial applications in mind.

The upper Tarim River basin is supporting about 50 million people by melting the glaciers and snow, which are highly vulnerable and sensitive to climate change. Therefore, assessing the relative effects of climate change on runoff of this region is essential not only for understanding the mechanism of hydrological response over the mountainous areas in Southern Xinjiang but also for local water resources management. This study quantitatively investigated the climate change in the mountainous area of the upper Tarim River basin, using the up-to-date ‘ground-truth’ precipitation and temperature data, the APHRODITE (1961–2010, 0.25°) data; analyzed the potential connections between runoff data, observed at Alar station, and the key climatological variables; and discussed the regression models on simulating the runoff based on precipitation and temperature data. The main findings of this study are: (1) both annual precipitation and temperature generally increases at rates of 0.85 mm/year and 0.25 ℃/10a, respectively, while the runoff data measured at Alar station shows fluctuating decreasing trends; (2) there are significant spatial differences in the temporal trends of precipitation, for example, the larger increasing rates of precipitation occurs in the Karakoram Mountains, while the larger decreasing rates happens in northwestern of Kashgar County; (3) the decreasing trends of temperature mainly occurs in the Kashgar County and its surrounding areas in Summer; (4) seasonal correlations in trends of precipitation and temperature are more significant than those at monthly and annual scale; and (5) the regression model in simulating the runoff in the upper Tarim River basin based on Radial Basis Function (RBF) is better than that based on least-squares method, with the predictive values based on RBF models significantly better (Correlation coefficient, CC, ~ 0.85) than those by least-squares models (CC ~ 0.75). These findings will provide valuable information to inform environmental scientists and planners on the climate change issues in the upper Tarim River basin of Southern Xinjiang, China, under a semiarid-arid cl

Leaf soluble sugars and starch are important components of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs), which are crucial for plant growth, development, and reproduction. Although there is a large body of research focusing on the regulation of plant NSC (soluble sugars and starch) concentrations, the response of foliar NSC concentrations to continuous nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) addition is still unclear, especially in tropical forests. Here, we used a long-term manipulative field experiment to investigate the response of leaf NSC concentrations to continuous N and P addition (3-, 5-, and 8-year fertilization) in a tropical forest in southern China. We found significant species-specific variation in leaf NSC concentrations in this tropical forest. Phosphorus addition dramatically decreased both leaf soluble sugar and starch concentrations, while N addition had no significant effects on leaf soluble sugar and starch concentrations. These results suggest that, in plants growing in P-limiting tropical soil, leaf NSC concentrations are regulated by soil P availability rather than N availability. Moreover, the negative relationships between NSC concentrations and leaf mass per area (LMA) revealed that NSCs could supply excess carbon (C) for leaf expansion under P addition. This was further supported by the increased structural P fraction after P fertilization in our previous study at the same site. We conclude that soil P availability strongly regulates leaf starch and soluble sugar concentrations in the tropical tree species included in this study. The response of leaf NSC concentrations to long-term N and P addition can reflect the close relationships between plant C dynamics and soil nutrient availability in tropical forests. Maintaining relatively higher leaf NSC concentrations in tropical plants can be a potential mechanism for adapting to P-deficient conditions.

Le emissioni odorigene rappresentano uno degli aspetti negativi derivanti dall’esercizio delle attività di gestione degli impianti di trattamento ambientali. La possibilità di regolamentare le emissioni odorigene è un problema arduo, legato alla  difficoltà di oggettivare la molestia olfattiva, influenzata dalla natura delle sostanze trattate, dalla loro variabilità nel tempo, dalle condizioni meteoclimatiche.  Attualmente i metodi di misura e di monitoraggio degli odori sono: sensoriali, analitici e senso-strumentali. Particolare attenzione è rivolta alla misura strumentale con l’applicazione di strumenti multisensoriali, gli IOMS (Instrumental Odour Monitoring System). Gli IOMS rappresentano difatti gli strumenti con il più alto potenziale di sviluppo futuro nelle applicazioni del monitoraggio degli odori in continuo. L’attività di ricerca svolta, presso il laboratorio di ingegneria sanitaria ambientale Seed dell'Università di Salerno, si inserisce nell’ambito delle tematiche della caratterizzazione ed il controllo delle emissioni odorigene con sistemi integrati di tipo strumentale, IOMS. Gli studi si sono focalizzati, in particolare, sulla investigazione degli aspetti di gestione sul lungo termine degli IOMS.                                                         

A pandemia COVID-19 impôs um grande desafio a todos os sistemas de saúde do planeta. A nível regional, o estado do Ceará se diferencia das demais regiões brasileiras por um início precoce e rápido de seus casos, provavelmente em decorrência de sua elevada conectividade internacional por via aérea. As autoridades sanitárias instituíram medidas de isolamento social há 3 semanas. Os autores fizeram uma inspeção gráfica nos dados oficiais sobre casos confirmados de COVID-19 no Ceará, São Paulo, Brasil e EUA para buscar evidências que possam ajudar a avaliar a estratégia das autoridades de saúde locais. Os gráficos em escala logarítmica de casos novos por dia e casos cumulativos indicam uma situação de alto risco da epidemia no Ceará. A tendência ao crescimento da pandemia parece ser maior no Ceará do que no estado de São Paulo, no Brasil inteiro e até mesmo nos EUA, o país com maior crescimento da epidemia recentemente. A manutenção e até mesmo o endurecimento das medidas de isolamento social parecem uma conclusão lógica deste panorama.

In this paper, first, a first-principle model is built by including extra formation of acetaldehyde, which has been largely neglected in the literature. Second, there exist four objectives to optimize in the process of esterification, including rate of esterification, average molecular weight, degree of polymerization and diethylene glycol content percentage. However, most researchers have considered only one or two of the four performance indicators which may not completely reflect the actual state of PET polymerization process. In this work, an improved RVEA algorithm, called PARVEA, is proposed to deal with a four-objective optimization problem combining with a new first-principle model in esterification process. Simulation results prove the effectiveness of the proposed PARVEA algorithm. Finally, companies can choose more suitable solutions and process parameters according to user preferences, which can meet the requirements for differentiated production of high-quality polyester fiber polymer

Drop breakup experiments were carried out in a stirred tank using the high-speed online camera. Breakup behaviors of drop breakup time, multiple breakage, and breakup rate were investigated. Experimental results show that the drop breakup time is mainly controlled by the interfacial tension and drop diameter, while is almost independent of the rotating speed. Besides, the dispersed phase viscosity has a slight influence on the breakup time. An empirical correlation for the breakup time is proposed and is further verified by comparing with the results of Solsvik and Jakobsen (Chem. Eng. Sci., 2015, 131: 219-234). The percentage of multiple breakage comparing to binary breakup was statistically counted. The results indicated that the dimensionless drop diameter η = d / dmax can be adopted to characterize the proportion of binary breakup. Finally, the breakup rate was experimentally measured and the breakup probability was calculated using the inverse method.

While evapotranspiration (ET) is normally measured as one hydrologic component, evaporation (E) and transpiration (T) result from different physical-biological processes. In the two-source model, a trapezoidal framework has been widely applied in recent years. The key to applying the trapezoidal framework is the determination of the dry/wet boundaries of the land surface temperature-vegetation coverage trapezoid (LST-fc). Although algorithms have been developed to characterize the two boundaries, , there still, however, exists a significant uncertainty near the wet boundary which scatters in a discrete and uneven manner. It thus is difficult to precisely locate the wet boundary. To tackle the problem, a Wet Boundary Algorithm (WBA) was developed in this study and the algorithm was applied in the region of Huang-Huai-Hai plain of China by using Pixel Component Arranging and Comparing Algorithm (PCACA) to retrieve ET from MODIS Data. The latent heat flux (LE) observed by eddy covariance (EC) measurements from China FLUXNET was used to verify the modified model where the coefficient of determination (R2) was found to 0.81 and the root-mean-square-error (RMSE) was 22.8 W/m2. The ratio of transpiration to evapotranspiration (T/ET) varied between 0.5-0.75 over the region of Huang-Huai-Hai plain. The spatial and temporal distribution of ET revealed that agriculture practices had a great influence on the hydrological cycle.

Low-cycle fatigue testing of a lead-free solder (InnoLot) based on Sn-3.8Ag-0.7Cu (SAC387) with three simultaneous additions of bismuth, nickel and antimony was conducted using miniature-sized fatigue specimens at different temperatures and strain amplitudes. The experiments show a decline of the load capacity of the solder alloy with the number of loading cycles. The fatigue life of the solder is also decreased by the level of imposed temperature. The modified Coffin-Manson and Morrow models were used to analyze the behavior under fatigue and predict lifetime. The parameters in the two fatigue models which were determined by considering different temperatures and total strain amplitudes. Compared to other reference lead-free solders, the InnoLot solder shows much better fatigue strength. The better fatigue strength is found to result from the effect of BiNiSb elements. Also, lifetime predictions were made with both models for the solder alloy under different conditions.

A damage process called fretting fatigue frequently occurs when two surfaces are clamped together under a normal load with a small-scale oscillatory motion due to cyclic loading. In contrast to the constant contact loading, less attention has been paid to variable contact loading which is going to be technically reviewed in this work. Emphasis is put on the efforts made over the past decade and the future challenges such as nonlinear effects of contact loads, friction, frequency, slip amplitude and tribo-oxidation wear will be discussed.

Incipient wetness impregnation method was used for the immobilization of heteropolyacid 12- phosphomolybdic acid H3[PMo12O40] (PMA) over natural bentonite. The characterization techniques such as XRD, FT-IR, FeSEM and EDS were used for characterization of catalyst. The catalytic activity of three catalysts 10%, 20 % and 30 % PMA/bent studied for the synthesis of 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones. The catalyst 30 % PMA/bent displayed high activity towards the synthesis of a variety of dihydropyrimidones (DHPMs). The high yield of dihydropyrimidone (DHPM) was obtained in model reaction in ethanol, acetonitrile and solvent - free condition. The reusability test indicated that 4 % of yield of product decreased after 5th cycle.

We study the existence of global bounded smooth solutions to the one-dimensional nonisentropic Euler system with large initial data. We find a sufficient condition on the initial data to obtain the existence of global bounded classical solution to the Cauchy problem.

This paper focused to the study of the boundedness, the persistence, and the asymptotic behavior of the positive solutions of the system of three di¤erence equations of exponential form: xn+1 = +exn +“eyn +!yn ; yn+1 = +eyn +”ezn +!zn ; zn+1 = +ezn +“exn +!xn where ; ; ”; and ! are positive constants and the initial values xo; yo; zo are positive real values

The mathematical modeling of phase separation of a binary alloy is formulated by a nonlinear evolution equation, known as Cahn-Hilliard equation with various free energy function. The Cahn--Hilliard equation generaly is a forth--order nonlinear equation and its analytical solution does not exist except trivial solutions. In this paper, a second--order splitting finite difference scheme, based on 2D Crank--Nicolson method, is investigated to approximate the solution of the 2D Cahn-Hilliard equation with a logarithmic free energy under homogeneous boundary conditions. We have proved that the scheme has a unique solution and we have studied error estimation for the numerical scheme. Also, we have shown that the proposed method preserves the conservation of mass and the decrease of the total energy. Finally, two numerical experiments are carried out to test the performance of proposed scheme.

Studying spread of epidemics and diseases are world wide problems especially during the current time where the whole world is suffering from COVID-19 pandemic. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and waning vaccination are classified as world wide problems. Both depend on the exposure time to antibiotic and vaccination. Here, a simple model for competition between drug resistant and drug sensitive bacteria is given. Conditions for local stability are investigated which agree with observation. Existence of positive solution in the AMR complex networks is proved. Dynamics of the identical AMR models are explored with different topologies of complex networks such as global, star, line and unidirectional line networks coupled through their susceptible states. Chaotic attractors are shown to be existed as the AMR models are located on all the indicted topologies of complex networks. Thus, it is found that the dynamics of the AMR model become more complicated as it is located on either integer-order or fractional-order complex networks. Furthermore, a discretized version of the fractional AMR model is presented. Complex dynamics such as existence of Neimark–Sacker, flip bifurcations, coexistence of multi attractors, homoclinic connections and multi closed invariant curves are investigated. Basin sets of attraction are also computed. Finally, the discretized system is located on complex networks with different topologies which also show rich variety of complex dynamics. Also, 0-1 test is used to verify the existence of unpredictable dynamics. So, studying the dynamics of AMR models on complex networks is very helpful to understand the mechanism of spread of diseases.

AbstractThe novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has infected at least 1 million persons worldwide. It has also accounted for a number of deaths. No doubt, it has dealt a drastic blow to businesses and the global economy, leaving behind a huge crisis. Thus, the present study discusses management strategies to counter the short and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses.IntroductionThe novel coronavirus pneumonia is an acute respiratory disease. In December 2019, this disease emerged in Wuhan, China. The Chinese government called it SARS-CoV-2 which was subsequently named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO) [1]. In January 2020, WHO confirmed it as a sustained human to human disease [2]. The World Health Organization has declared Covid-19 a full-blown pandemic, which means it's a crisis-level disease outbreak in multiple countries. This disease is extremely rare and its unexpected occurrence has major consequences for just about everybody. Covid-19 is similar to past zoonotic coronaviruses, including SARS. It's less lethal than SARS, but spreads more easily. The death rate is under 2 percent, and for people under the age of 60 under 1 percent.In a bid to control its spread, this disease has led to flight cancellations, border closure, postponement of business meetings and so on. In fact, the impact of this pandemic will take years to be fully quantified. Social distancing -- basically keeping people away from each other (as well as avoiding human physical contact and washing hands) has been one of the mostly talked about method of preventing a full-scale outbreak. However, this has led to severe consequences to businesses and even job losses. This is because business is usually conducted by bringing people together, not keeping them apart. People come to work, have meetings, travel to meet with clients, attend trade conferences and purposefully interact with each other to forward the interests of the organization. Thus, this brings to concern how to keep business alive while keeping people apart. No doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to huge economic and business crisis. For instance, oil prices crashed to an 18-year low of $20.09 a barrel, thereby sending a devastating blow to energy demand. In view of the imminent crisis to businesses, it is imperative that efficient management strategies are adapted to this unusual and unpleasant situation. Thus, the present study highlights these key approaches.Immediate stepsTo prevent further escalation of the situation, the following first steps should be observed. They are as follows:·         Appoint a crisis response team that meets daily.·         Monitor government, medical, industry and local sources for updates for the team.·         Implement a communications plan to transparently inform all employees.·         Develop and implement a comprehensive crisis response.·         Develop or update, then communicate and enforce, a remote-work policy.Long-term actionsScenario planning·         Organizations must act with imperative when developing and implementing enhanced risk management practices, focusing on the opportunities scenario planning offers in creating pre-emptive action plans.·         Scenarios enable organizations to see the bigger picture and make effective trade-off decisions on issues like: how much stock to hold – and where, or how to balance the cost of inventory versus the cost of failing to satisfy customers. Simulations can be run swiftly to identify “sweet spots” between apparently conflicting objectives, based on real-time inventory data, customer demand, and supplier capability. Increasingly enabled by AI and automation, these scenarios can help prescribe rather than just predict.·         By analyzing past events and hypothesizing future threats, organizations are able to identify strategic and concentrated supplies that are at risk in major crises, and most importantly, recognize when current internal risk capacities prove insufficient.Supplier risk management·         Real-time supplier data such as system performance category alerts and geopolitical events helps manage performance and issue resolution.·         When alerted, proactive measures should be taken by organizations to uncover additional exposure levels by reaching out to suppliers (from tier 1, tier 2 and below) outside of affected regions to identify upstream supply dependencies within their supply chains.·         Further, organizations could benefit from balancing supply and demand and working with internal stakeholders as well as critical suppliers to contractually agree on logistic-based costs and necessary buffer stock, so as to reduce sudden price increases in the face of a crisis.Technology upgrades·         In line with the technology-enabled business climate we currently operate in, organizations should rethink the way their employees collaborate with each other and customers - within the office, regionally and globally.·         By investing in internal technology, organizations can teach employees how to effectively leverage powered execution tools such as cloud-office technology and zero-touch models. This will help ensure that not only in times of crisis are teams better equipped to work remotely, but as the business environment continues to shift, employees are able to adapt alongside it and continue serving customers.ConclusionIn conclusion, as the novel coronavirus continues to take its toll on businesses as well as the global economy, hope is not lost for business to bounce back strongly. However, this can only be achieved by ensuring that effective short and long-term management strategies are implemented and followed to the letter.References1.            Chan JF-W, Yuan S, Kok K-H, To KK-W, Chu H, Yang J, et al. A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster. Lancet. 2020;395(10223):514-23.2.            Organization WH. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation report–34. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2020.

Gross primary production (GPP) is a key component of the forest carbon cycle. However, our knowledge of GPP at the stand scale remains uncertain because estimates derived from eddy covariance (EC) and EC itself rely on semi-empirical modeling and the assumptions of the EC technique are sometimes not fully met. We propose using the sap flux/isotope method as an alternative way to estimate canopy GPP, termed GPPiso/SF, at the stand scale and at daily resolution. It is based on canopy conductance inferred from sap flux and intrinsic water-use efficiency estimated from the stable carbon isotope composition of phloem contents. The GPPiso/SF estimate was further corrected for seasonal variations in photosynthetic capacity and mesophyll conductance. We compared our estimate of GPPiso/SF to the GPP derived from PRELES, a model parameterised with EC data. The comparisons were performed in a highly instrumented, boreal Scots pine forest in northern Sweden, including a nitrogen fertilised and a reference plot. The resulting annual and daily GPPiso/SF estimates agreed well with PRELES, in the fertilised plot and the reference plot. We discuss the GPPiso/SF method as an alternative which can be widely applied without terrain restrictions, where the assumptions of EC are not met.