ABSTRACT
On January 30, 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic was declared an international public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Given the growing impact of the pandemic, there is great interest in finding potential targets for treating infected or hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Therapeutic studies have been conducted on pre-existing drugs, which vary by country, including anti-malarial agents, antiviral agents, and convalescent plasma. However, many of these agents are ineffective at reducing mortality or only shorten the severity or duration of COVID-19 illness in hospitalized patients. As such, other alternatives for treating COVID-19 are being investigated. One such target of interest has been clathrin-dependent endocytosis (CDE). Clathrin-dependent endocytosis is the most commonly observed mechanism of viral entry into cells. However, there have been no published studies to date on CDE inhibition strategies against COVID-19. One such target is Rlip or RLIP76 (human gene RALBP1, 18p11.22). Among its many functions, Rlip is a stress-protective, Ral-regulated ATPase of the mercapturic acid pathway that transports glutathione-electrophile conjugates of electrophilic toxins, which are precursors of mercapturic acid that precedes de-glutamylation by gamma-glutamyl transferase. Rlip is also regulated by several G-proteins that coordinate movement of cells, organelles, membranes, cytoskeleton, macromolecules, and other small molecules. Previous studies have link Rlip in the pathogenesis of several viral illness. In this paper, we want to propose that RLIP76 (Rlip or RALBP1) may be a novel target for treating SARS-CoV-2 viral infections.
ABSTRACT
Corporate Governance (CoGv) has gained significance with an increase in the number of enterprises and has evolved with several prescriptions from scholars and broader audiences (shareholders and stakeholders). Another reason for this growing significance can be attributed to the pressing social and environmental concerns that these enterprises share. This study focuses on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in India. It proposes a conceptual model and attempts to provide insight into the role of corporate governance in enhancing Firm Value (FV). Some studies have established a positive relationship between these two variables. However, this relationship can be further enhanced by variables such as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Organizational Identification (OI). The proposed conceptual model has been empirically tested to check whether these variables have contributed to enhancing FV. The study uses Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) along with SmartPLS. It provides empirical evidence on the mediating influence of CSR and OI and the mediating effect between CoGv and FV. Based on the findings, theoretical and managerial implications are also proposed.