Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a recent chronic liver disease common in many developed countries and is closely associated with metabolic syndrome, such as obesity and insulin resistance. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of pterostilbene (Pt) and its derivative 3′-hydroxypterostilbene (OHPt) on free fatty acids (FFA)-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced NAFLD in C57BL/6J mice. The results showed that Pt and OHPt significantly ameliorated FFA-induced steatosis in HepG2 cells and enhanced lipolysis through the upregulation of SIRT1/AMPK and insulin signaling pathways. In the in vivo study, Pt and OHPt treatment resulted in reduced hepatic lipid droplets accumulation. The data showed that Pt and OHPt upregulated the SIRT1/AMPK pathway and subsequently downregulated the protein expression of SREBP-1 to activate fatty acid (FA) β-oxidation to inhibit FA synthesis. Pt and OHPt administration activated the insulin signaling pathway and further ameliorated the insulin resistance and liver function in the HFD-fed mice. Furthermore, Pt and OHPt markedly increased the numbers of Oscillospira and decreased the numbers of Allobaculum, Phascolarctobacterium, and Staphylococcus compared with those in the HFD group. These robust results indicate that Pt and OHPt are able to possess potential health benefits in improving insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis by promoting healthy populations or abundances of considered vital microbiota. Besides, OHPt is more effective than Pt, which might have promising chemotherapeutic effects for future clinical application.

Purpose Using insights from the supply chain resilience perspective and the international business literature, this study aims to investigate the determinants of firms’ decisions to reshore manufacturing under the high levels of uncertainty brought about by the ongoing US–China trade war and COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The proposed conceptual framework is tested using survey data collected from 702 Taiwanese firms with manufacturing in China. The firms were drawn from a database compiled by Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs. Findings The results show that two supply chain factors (tariffs and supply chain completeness) and two non-location-bound factors (labor cost and material cost) are critical determinants of the decision to reshore under uncertainty. Originality/value This research elucidates and empirically validates several factors that influence the reshoring decision in uncertain environments. The findings provide valuable theoretical, practical and strategic insights into how firms should manage their value chains in the post-COVID-19 era.

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