bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technological Change and Grand Strategy
Authors: Fischer Sophie-Charlotte , Gilli Andrea , Gilli Mauro
Published: September 2021

What is the relationship between technological change and grand strategy? Can great powers promote technological trends that allow them to pursue specific grand-strategic goals? Or is technological change beyond the reach of great powers, and thus it acts like an independent enabler or an independent constraint? This chapter provides a brief introduction to the interconnection between technological change and grand strategy. First, drawing from other social sciences, this chapter summarizes the most relevant direct and indirect effects of technological change on international politics, with particular attention to its long-term generation of wealth, to its distributional implications within and among countries, to the uncertainty that it brings about, and to the complementary assets that it requires. Second, this chapters shows the main channels through which technological change can modify the domestic sources of grand strategy, promote the pursuit of new grand strategic goals, and enhance or undermine existing instruments. Third, this chapter identifies possible intended and unintended technological trends resulting from the adoption of specific grand strategies, and how, in the medium-to-long term, they can strengthen a country in its strategic competition with adversaries.
Individual Psychology and Grand StrategyRomancing the State
Authors: Rathbun Brian C.
Published: September 2021

Individual psychology at the both mass and elite levels is potentially relevant for grand strategy, but its impact is very difficult to establish. This chapter first reviews the epistemological challenges of showing individual agency in international politics in a way that satisfies “positivist” criteria for good social science. It then turns to how these problems are particularly pronounced for establishing how and why leaders matter for grand strategy, which likely explains why there is so little research on the subject. The piece makes the case for a turn away from the substance of grand strategy towards a focus on leadership style, introducing a distinction between realists and romantics. These two leadership styles emerge out of fundamentally different patterns of cognition: romantics are marked by their emotional, intuitive, and less procedurally rational psychology and realists by their deliberative and objective thinking style. Romantics are also better positioned, and more likely, to make the kind of appeals to public opinion that provide a mass basis for a grand strategy.
American Grand Strategies
Authors: Jervis Robert
Published: September 2021

How do we explain the vigorous debate about what American grand strategy should be? Most of the proponents are Realists, and this is particularly true for the alternatives of Restraint and Deep Engagement discussed here. These camps disagree not about whether the US is in decline, but in how secure it is, how tightly the world is interconnected, how much commitments can be kept within bounds, whether alliances and military ties are necessary to underpin a productive international economic system, and the links between foreign policy and domestic values. Few analysts in either camp are willing to acknowledge tradeoffs among the significant values they hold, which indicates that psychological processes as well as analytical differences are at work.
Liddell Hart’s Impact on the Study of Grand Strategy
Authors: Milevski Lukas
Published: September 2021

Did Basil Liddell Hart make a significant contribution to the study of grand strategy? Although many scholars assume that he did, discussion of his impact has been largely limited to factually erroneous suggestions that he invented the idea or at least its modern interpretation. This chapter considers Liddell Hart’s impact on the subsequent study of grand strategy by differentiating between his own grand-strategic thought and that of his later interpreters. It begins by briefly introducing Liddell Hart’s best known paragraphs on grand strategy within his intellectual context, including not just the impact of the First World War upon his thought but also the ideas of grand strategy posited by his predecessor Julian Corbett and his contemporary JFC Fuller. Thereafter, the work of his most influential interpreter, Paul Kennedy, is introduced. The two competing interpretations of grand strategy, Kennedy’s of Liddell Hart versus Liddell Hart’s own, are examined to determine the extent to which Liddell Hart’s particular understanding actually survives in modern work on grand strategy. Finally, a caveat is made concerning Liddell Hart’s influence through Kennedy’s interpretation, as Kennedy was also influenced by American grand-strategic theorists such as Edward Mead Earle, to whose concept Kennedy’s own is much closer than to Liddell Hart.
Grand-Strategic Thinking in History
Authors: Bew John , Ryan Maeve , Ehrhardt Andrew
Published: September 2021

Something that is recognizably and consciously “grand strategic” emerges in British political and foreign policy debates from the late nineteenth century onwards, but this chapter argues that certain grand-strategic assumptions were present even earlier in the century. A clearly identifiable British grand-strategic rationale—an understanding of the country’s “place in the world”—emerged out of the Napoleonic Wars and developed across the middle decades of the nineteenth century. In the twentieth century, this grand-strategic thinking was key to the “soft landing” Britain sought to engineer in the aftermath of the Second World War as its position began to contract rapidly and radically from a world power into a Continental power. The examples discussed here are Lord Castlereagh, George Canning, and Viscount Palmerston in the nineteenth century; and several Foreign Office officials in the twentieth, but most notably Gladwyn Jebb. In its early incarnations, grand strategy is better thought of not as a process (leading to the production of plans) but as a habit of mind: a conscious attempt to look beyond the confines of short-term requirements of national defense or immediate foreign policy dilemmas.
Rethinking Grand-Strategic Change
Authors: Lissner Rebecca
Published: September 2021

Is the United States in the midst of a massive grand-strategic reorientation? IR scholarship cannot provide a definitive answer because the sources of grand-strategic change remain poorly understood. This chapter highlights the deficiencies of the existing literature and proposes a new framework for conceiving of and operationalizing grand strategy. This framework distinguishes between two levels of grand strategy. The first level is a state’s orientation toward the international system, while the second level examines subordinate levels of foreign policy behavior: assumptions about current and prospective threats and opportunities, and the availability and relative utility of the tools of national power. The chapter then illustrates how this framework advances the debate about grand-strategic change by setting up a distinction between grand-strategic overhauls (changes to grand strategy’s first level—or changes between grand strategies) and grand-strategic adjustments (changes to grand strategy’s second level—or changes within grand strategies). Theoretically, this distinction illuminates systemic shifts as a necessary but insufficient cause of overhaul, whereas adjustment results from more diverse causes. Empirically, this distinction permits a more nuanced treatment of the co-occurrence of continuity and change, as demonstrated in the chapter’s case study of US grand strategy in the early 1990s. Finally, the chapter concludes by discussing the implications for the future course of US grand strategy.
Ideas and Ideology in Grand Strategy
Authors: Balzacq Thierry , Barnier-Khawam Pablo
Published: September 2021

A field once dominated by rationalist assumptions, grand strategy is beginning to make room for alternatives approaches. Recently, scholars have drawn on discourse theory to explore how narratives influence the directionality of grand strategy. Others have emphasized the importance of ideology as a driver of grand strategy, but have failed to specify how ideology interacts with different levels of grand strategizing—creation, mobilization, and implementation. This essay makes two interrelated arguments: first is that that ideology is constitutive of the meaning structure that underlies grand strategy. Second is that ideology’s primary function is to invest grand strategy with clarity (if not simplicity), stability, and coherence. We identify three distinct ways in which ideology can shape a nation’s grand strategy, including threat identification, mobilization and extraction of resources, and ideological balancing. We use a range of exploratory cases to assess ideology’s status in grand strategizing.
The Enduring Appeal of Grand Strategy
Authors: Balzacq Thierry , Krebs Ronald R.
Published: September 2021

Grand strategy is rife with tensions and paradoxes. It should, according to well-established conventional wisdoms, be the center of gravity of states’ relations with the outside world, yet, in practice, grand strategy often seems an unattainable ideal. As the world has become seemingly more complex and unpredictable, grand strategy might seem less apposite, but it has also had growing resonance in the world of policy and ideas. Grand strategy has long been a staple of thinking about foreign policy, yet the very concept remains contested. This essay introduces readers to the history of the concept of grand strategy and to that literature’s central themes; explores the abiding tensions in the literature on grand strategy—especially as manifest in the contributions to this Handbook; situates the volume’s essays within the logic of the Handbook; and offers some reflections on the reasons for grand strategy’s recent renaissance.
Grand Strategy Beyond the West
Authors: Fierke K. M.
Published: September 2021

This chapter examines two of the most famous grand strategies with origins in Asia, identified with Sun Tzu and Gandhi. On the surface they would appear to be unfit for comparison. While Sun Tzu belongs to a tradition of military strategy, and is now part of the classical canon, Gandhi is identified with the nonviolent strategy of nonstate actors. The intention in examining the two together is to explore a family resemblance in their respective conceptions of grand strategy, even while recognizing that they are very distinct. After setting out some broad contrasts regarding cosmology, ontology, and epistemology, the chapter zooms in on the relevance of these points more specifically for understanding Sun Tzu or Gandhi. It concludes with some reflections on why the contrasts are important in a globalizing world. Both cases highlight the importance, if possible, of achieving objectives without recourse to military force, which, it argues, arises from a relational cosmology, where harmony and diversity coexist, and in which truth is not uniform but multiperspectival.
Network Theory and Grand Strategy
Authors: Nexon Daniel H.
Published: September 2021

A number of analysts claim that the rise of various “networks”—from transnational terrorism to global supply chains—necessitate changes in grand strategy. But only recently have scholars turned to tools and concepts from network analysis to study grand strategy. This chapter reviews the different meanings of “networks” in the broader literature on grand strategy. It argues that attention to the network structure and relational dynamics of international politics—whether in terms of alliances and partnerships, economic flows, interorganizational ties, or other kinds of connections—will help us understand both the causes and consequences of grand strategy. Much of grand strategy is concerned with the manipulation or formation of international networks. Since such ties and flows also form a major part of the topography of international politics, understanding network dynamics is crucial to making sense of the opportunities and constraints that shape grand strategy.
Implicit Motor Imagery of the Foot and Hand in People with Achilles Tendinopathy: A Left Right Judgement Study
Authors: Rio Ebonie K , Stanton Tasha R , Wand Benedict M , Debenham James R , Cook Jill , Catley Mark J , Moseley G Lorimer , Butler Prudence , Cheng Kylie , Mallows Adrian J , Wilson Monique V B , Girdwood Michael
Published: September 2021

Objective

To determine if impairment in motor imagery processes is present in Achilles tendinopathy (AT), as demonstrated by a reduced ability to quickly and accurately identify the laterality (left-right judgement) of a pictured limb. Additionally, this study aimed to use a novel data pooling approach to combine data collected at 3 different sites via meta-analytical techniques that allow exploration of heterogeneity.

Design

Multi-site case-control study.

Methods

Three independent studies with similar protocols were conducted by separate research groups. Each study-site evaluated left/right judgement performance for images of feet and hands using Recognise© software and compared performance between people with AT and healthy controls. Results from each study-site were independently collated, then combined in a meta-analysis.

Results

In total, 126 participants (40 unilateral, 22 bilateral AT cases, 61 controls) were included. There were no differences between AT cases and controls for hand image accuracy and reaction time. Contrary to the hypothesis, there were no differences in performance between those with AT and controls for foot image reaction time, however there were conflicting findings for foot accuracy, based on four separate analyses. There were no differences between the affected and unaffected sides in people with unilateral AT.

Conclusions

Impairments in motor imagery performance for hands were not found in this study, and we found inconsistent results for foot accuracy. This contrasts to studies in persistent pain of limbs, face and knee osteoarthritis, and suggests that differences in pathoetiology or patient demographics may uniquely influence proprioceptive representation.
Art and Pediatric Orthopaedics: Ribera, an Artist for the Downtrodden
Authors: Youn Sean , Esparza Melissa , Schaub Timothy , Belthur Mohan V.
Published: September 2021

Jusepe de Ribera’s most famous artistic works consisted of the bizarre such as mutilated bodies and social outcasts, with one being of a Neapolitan beggar boy with upper and lower limb joint contractures. Although the etiology of the boy’s contractures in The Clubfoot has been debated, we present a case for arthrogryposis with a unilateral clubfoot as the most likely diagnosis.
Which Definition of Rurality Should I Use?
Authors: Long Julianna C. , Delamater Paul L. , Holmes George M.
Published: September 2021

Background:

The federal government uses multiple definitions for identifying rural communities based on various geographies and different elements of rurality.

Objectives:

The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess the degree to which rural definitions identify the same areas as rural; and (2) assess rural-urban disparities identified by each definition across socioeconomic, demographic, and health access and outcome measures.

Research Design:

We determined the rural status of each census tract and calculated the rural-urban disparity resulting from each definition, as well as across the number of definitions in which tracts were designated as rural (rurality agreement).

Subjects:

The population in 72,506 census tracts.

Measures:

We used 8 federal rural definitions. Population characteristics included percent with a bachelor’s degree, income below 200% poverty, population density, percent with health insurance and whether various health care services were within 30 minutes driving time of the tract centroid.

Results:

The rural population varied from slightly < 6.9 million people to >75.5 million across definitions. The largest rural-urban disparities were found using Urban Influence Codes. Urbanized Area and Urbanized Cluster tended to generate smaller disparities. Population characteristics such as population density and percent White had notable discontinuities across levels of rurality, while others such as percent with a bachelor’s degree and income below 200% poverty varied continuously.

Conclusions:

Rural-urban populations and disparities were sensitive to the specific definition and the relative strength of definitions varied across population characteristics. Researchers and policymakers should carefully consider the choice of outcome and region when deciding the most appropriate rural definition.
Eikenella glucosivorans sp. nov., isolated from a human throat swab, and emendation of the genus Eikenella to include saccharolytic species
Authors: Hering Silvio , Jansson Moritz K. , Buhl Michael E. J.
Published: September 2021

A novel species within the genusEikenellais described, based on the phenotypical, biochemical and genetic characterization of a strain of a facultatively anaerobic, Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium. Strain S3360Twas isolated from the throat swab of a patient sampled during routine care at a hospital. Phylogenetic analyses (full-length 16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequences) placed the strain in the genusEikenella, separate from all recognized species but with the closest relationship toEikenella longinqua(NML 02-A-017T).Eikenellais one of the genera in the HACEK group known to be responsible for rare cases of endocarditis in humans. Until the recent descriptions ofEikenella exigua,Eikenella halliaeandEikenella longinqua,Eikenella corrodenshad been the only validly published species in this genus since its description asBacteroides corrodensin 1958. Unlike these species, strain S3360Tis able to metabolize carbohydrates (glucose). The average nucleotide identities of strain S3360TwithE. longinqua(NML 02-A-017T) andE. corrodens(NCTC 10596T), the type species of the genus, were 90.5 and 84.7 %, respectively, and the corresponding genome-to-genome distance values were 41.3 and 29.0 %, respectively. The DNA G+C content of strain S3360Twas 58.4 mol%. Based on the phenotypical, biochemical and genetic findings, strain S3360Tis considered to represent a novel species within the genusEikenella, for which the nameEikenella glucosivoranssp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is S3360T(DSM 110714T=CCOS 1935T=CCUG 74293T). In addition, an emendation of the genusEikenellais proposed to include species which are saccharolytic.
TET1 controlsCxcl1induction by DNA demethylation and promotes neutrophil recruitment during acute lung injury
Authors: Yee Kathleen M. , Shuai Richard W. , Liu Bin , Huynh Christian A. , Niu Chao , Lee Hailey R. , Lee Min S. , Wen Jirui , Zou Jian , Wu Jiang , Shuai Ke
Published: September 2021

Neutrophils are rapidly recruited from the peripheral blood to the inflammatory site to initiate inflammatory response against pathogenic infections. The process to recruit neutrophils must be properly regulated since the abnormal accumulation of neutrophils can cause organ damage and dysfunction. The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)/acute lung injury (ALI) is a common cause of respiratory failure that is characterized by the infiltration of neutrophils and epithelial integrity disruption. Indeed, recent studies suggest a pathogenic role of neutrophils in the clinic severity of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ARDS. The chemokine CXCL1, which is rapidly induced by inflammatory stimuli, plays a key role in neutrophil influx during lung inflammation. The molecular basis ofCxcl1induction is not fully understood. Here we report that TET1, a member of the ten eleven translocation (TET) methylcytosine dioxygenase protein family, displays a striking specificity in the regulation of gene expression in macrophages. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis showed thatTet1disruption significantly altered the expression of only 48 genes that includeCxcl1and several other genes known to be important for cell migration and trafficking in bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs) in response to LPS stimulation. TET1 regulates the induction ofCxcl1by facilitating the DNA demethylation of theCxcl1promoter. InTet1−/−mice, the induction ofCxcl1was suppressed, resulting in defective neutrophil recruitment to the lung during LPS-induced acute lung injury. Our results identify a novel epigenetic mechanism that selectively controlsCxcl1induction and neutrophil recruitment during acute lung injury.

Key Points

TET1 has a striking specificity in macrophage gene regulation and controlsCxcl1induction by inflammatory stimuli via DNA demethylation

Neutrophil recruitment is defective inTet1deficient mice during acute lung injury
Conformational Change of Syntaxin-3b in Regulating SNARE Complex Assembly in the Ribbon Synapses
Authors: Gething Claire , Ferrar Joshua , Misra Bishal , Howells Giovanni , Choi Ucheor B.
Published: September 2021

Neurotransmitter release of synaptic vesicles relies on the assembly of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex, consisting of syntaxin and SNAP-25 on the plasma membrane and synaptobrevin on the synaptic vesicle. The formation of the SNARE complex progressively zippers towards the membranes, which drives membrane fusion between the plasma membrane and the synaptic vesicle. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of SNARE complex regulation is unclear. In this study, we investigate the syntaxin-3b isoform found in the retinal ribbon synapses using single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) to monitor the conformational changes of syntaxin-3b that modulate the SNARE complex formation. We found that syntaxin-3b is predominantly in a self-inhibiting closed conformation, inefficiently forming the ternary SNARE complex. Conversely, a phosphomimetic mutation (T14E) at the N-terminal region of syntaxin-3b promoted the open conformation, similar to the constitutively open form of syntaxin LE mutant. When syntaxin-3b is bound to Munc18-1, SNARE complex formation is almost completely blocked. Surprisingly, the T14E mutation of syntaxin-3b partially abolishes Munc18-1 regulation, acting as a conformational switch to trigger SNARE complex assembly. Thus, we suggest a model where the conformational change of syntaxin-3b induced by phosphorylation initiates the release of neurotransmitters in the ribbon synapses.
GCN5L1 promotes diastolic dysfunction by inhibiting cardiac pyruvate oxidation
Authors: Thapa Dharendra , Bugga Paramesha , Mushala Bellina A.S. , Manning Janet R. , Stoner Michael W. , McMahon Brenda , Zeng Xuemei , Cantrell Pamela S. , Yates Nathan , Xie Bingxian , Edmunds Lia R. , Jurczak Michael J. , Scott Iain
Published: September 2021

Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction is a structural and functional condition that precedes the development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The etiology of diastolic dysfunction includes alterations in fuel substrate metabolism that negatively impact cardiac bioenergetics, and may precipitate the eventual transition to heart failure. To date, the molecular mechanisms that regulate early changes in fuel metabolism leading to diastolic dysfunction remain unclear. In this report, we use a diet-induced obesity model and quantitative acetylproteomics in aged mice to show that inhibitory lysine acetylation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex promotes energetic deficits and diastolic dysfunction in mouse hearts. Cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of the mitochondrial lysine acetylation regulatory protein GCN5L1 prevented hyperacetylation of the PDH complex subunit PDHA1, allowing aged obese mice to continue using pyruvate as a bioenergetic substrate in the heart. Our findings suggest that changes in mitochondrial protein lysine acetylation represent a key metabolic component of diastolic dysfunction that precedes the development of heart failure.
CardIAP: Calcium images analyzer web application
Authors: Rueda Ana Julia Velez , Smith Agustín García , Gonano Luis Alberto , Fornasari Maria Silvina , Parisi Gustavo , Sommese Leandro Matías
Published: September 2021

Motivation

Ionic calcium (Ca2+) plays the role of the second messenger in eukaryotic cells associated with cellular functions of regulation of the cell cycle, such as transport, motility, gene expression, and metabolism (Permyakov and Kretsinger, 2009). The use of fluorometric techniques in isolated cells, loaded with Ca2+ sensitive fluorescent probes allows the quantitative measurement of dynamic events that occur in living, functioning cells. The Cardiomyocytes Images Analyzer Application (CardIAP) covers the need for tools to analyze and retrieve information from confocal microscopy images, in a systematic, accurate, and fast way.

Results

Here we present the CardIAP web app, an automated method for the identification of spatio-temporal patterns in a calcium fluorescence imaging sequence. Through this tool, users can analyze single or multiple Ca2+ transients from confocal line-scan images and obtain quantitative information on the dynamic response of the stimulated myocyte.

Our web application also allows the user the extraction of data on calcium dynamics in downloadable tables and plots, simplifying the calculation of the alternation and discordance indices and their classification. CardIAP could assist in studying the underlying mechanisms of anomalous calcium release phenomena.

Availability and implementation

CardIAP is an open-source app, entirely developed in Python, which can be freely accessed and used at http://cardiap.herokuapp.com/.
Interaction of hypoxia and nicotine acetylcholine receptor signaling network reveals a novel mechanism for lung adenocarcinoma progression in never-smokers
Authors: Pandey Namita , Chongtham Jonita , Pal Soumyadip , Mohan Anant , Srivastava Tapasya
Published: September 2021

High incident of lung cancer among never smokers and their disease pathogenesis is an unexplained phenomenon. We have analyzed 1727 lung cancer patient data to understand the impact of smoking on overall survival of lung cancer patients and have observed a difference of only 47 days between smokers and never smokers in adenocarcinoma patients suggesting that the disease is equally fatal in never-smokers irrespective of gender. In this study, we have investigated the possible collaboration between the nAChR and hypoxia signaling pathway to elucidate a mechanism of disease progression in never-smokers. We report a previously unidentified increase in both acetylcholine and nAChR-α7 levels in non small cell lung cancer cells in hypoxia. Similar increase in ubiquitously expressed nAChR-α7 transcripts was also observed in other cancer lines. A direct binding of HIF-1α with the hypoxia response element (HRE) present at -48 position preceding the transcriptional start site in nAChR-α7 promoter region was established. Significantly, the increased acetylcholine levels in hypoxia drove a feedback loop via modulation of PI3K/AKT pathway to stabilize HIF-1α in hypoxia. Further, Bungarotoxin, an antagonist of nAChR-α7 significantly reversed hypoxia mediated metastasis and induction of HIF-1α in these cells. Our study gives a plausible explanation for the equally worse prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma in never-smokers wherein the nAChR signaling is enhanced in hypoxia by acetylcholine, in the absence of nicotine.
SARS-CoV-2 expresses a microRNA-like small RNA able to selectively repress host genes
Authors: Pawlica Paulina , Yario Therese A. , White Sylvia , Wang Jianhui , Moss Walter N. , Hui Pei , Vinetz Joseph M. , Steitz Joan A.
Published: September 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), continues to be a pressing health concern. In this study, we investigated the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on host microRNA (miRNA) populations in three human lung-derived cell lines, as well as in nasopharyngeal swabs from SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. We did not detect any major and consistent differences in host miRNA levels after SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, we unexpectedly discovered a viral miRNA-like small RNA, named vmiR-5p (for viral miRNA), derived from the SARS-CoV-2 ORF7a transcript. Its abundance ranges from low to moderate as compared to host miRNAs. vmiR-5p functionally associates with Argonaute proteins — core components of the RNA interference pathway — leading to downregulation of host transcripts. One such host messenger RNA encodes Basic Leucine Zipper ATF-Like Transcription Factor 2 (BATF2), which is linked to interferon signaling. We demonstrate that vmiR-5p production relies on cellular machinery, yet is independent of Drosha protein, and is enhanced by the presence of a strong and evolutionarily conserved hairpin formed within the ORF7a sequence.

Significance statement

We discovered that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) expresses a small viral non-coding RNA, named vmiR-5p (for viral miRNA), derived from the ORF7a transcript. vmiR-5p associates with the cellular RNA interference machinery to regulate host transcripts likely via target silencing. The production of vmiR-5p relies on cellular machinery and the formation of a strong hairpin within ORF7a sequences. This newly-described vmiR-5p may contribute to SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and could become a target for therapeutic intervention.
Role of 53BP1 in end protection and DNA synthesis at DNA breaks
Authors: Paiano Jacob , Zolnerowich Nicholas , Wu Wei , Pavani Raphael , Wang Chen , Li Hongzhi , Zheng Li , Shen Binghui , Sleckman Barry P. , Chen Bo-Ruei , Nussenzweig André
Published: September 2021

Double-strand break (DSB) repair choice is greatly influenced by the initial processing of DNA ends. 53BP1 limits the formation of recombinogenic single-strand DNA (ssDNA) in BRCA1-deficient cells, leading to defects in homologous recombination (HR). However, the exact mechanisms by which 53BP1 inhibits DSB resection remain unclear. Previous studies have identified two potential pathways: protection against DNA2/EXO1 exonucleases presumably through the Shieldin (SHLD) complex binding to ssDNA, and localized DNA synthesis through the CTC1-STN1-TEN1 (CST) and DNA polymerase α (Polα) to counteract resection. Using a combinatorial approach of END-seq, SAR-seq, and RPA ChIP-seq, we directly assessed the extent of resection, DNA synthesis, and ssDNA, respectively, at restriction enzyme-induced DSBs. We show that, in the presence of 53BP1, Polα-dependent DNA synthesis reduces the fraction of resected DSBs and the resection lengths in G0/G1, supporting a previous model that fill-in synthesis can limit the extent of resection. However, in the absence of 53BP1, Polα activity is sustained on ssDNA yet does not substantially counter resection. In contrast, EXO1 nuclease activity is essential for hyperresection in the absence of 53BP1. Thus, Polα-mediated fill-in partially limits resection in the presence of 53BP1 but cannot counter extensive hyperresection due to the loss of 53BP1 exonuclease blockade. These data provide the first nucleotide mapping of DNA synthesis at resected DSBs and provide insight into the relationship between fill-in polymerases and resection exonucleases.
Consumption behavior and purchase intention of cultured meat in the capital of the “state of barbecue,” Brazil
Authors: Munz Fernandes Alice , Teixeira Costa Lucas , de Souza Teixeira Odilene , dos Santos Francisca Viviane , Palma Revillion Jean Philippe , Leal de Souza Ângela Rozane
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the attitudes of meat consumers in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, concerning cultured meat. This State is characterized by its strong cultural identity and social practices, barbecue being its typical dish.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors applied a cross-sectional survey with meat consumers residing in Porto Alegre/RS, the sample of which, composed of 538 individuals, expressed the population heterogeneity. The data were analyzed using the Pearson chi-square, Cramer'sV, and correspondence analysis.

Findings

The results demonstrate that although six of ten people were willing to try cultured meat, only four of them responded positively to the willingness to consume it over conventional meat. Young individuals demonstrated a favorable attitude towards the product, expressing a greater propensity both to try it and to include it in the diet regularly. However, the rejection of cultured meat gradually intensified after 40 years old. The previous knowledge and familiarity with the investigated subject are not predictive of the intention of experimentation so that almost two-thirds of the individuals who did not know the product were positively willing to try it.

Originality/value

Despite the recent intensification of studies about consumer behavior towards cultured meat, its analysis in a context in which meat historically plays a fundamental role in socioeconomic development is still little explored. The originality of our research is circumscribed by the understanding of the behavior of meat consumers, members of a culture where it plays a central role.
Amma Unavagam: mitigating food insecurity through state sponsored food subsidisation programme
Authors: Chandra Deepti
Published: September 2021

Learning outcomes

The following are the learning objectives of the case study: to address the problem of urban food insecurity. To facilitate the generation of more employment opportunities and women empowerment through self-help groups (SHGs). To understand the transition from the founder to new leadership provided by Ms J Jayalalithaa. To understand consumer perception and preferences for “Amma canteens”. To appreciate how the case study has added to the historical role of soup kitchens. To address the challenges faced by the government on the sustainability and viability of “Amma canteens” post the death of its founder Ms Jayalalithaa.

Case overview/synopsis

“Amma Unavagam” is a food subsidisation programme operated by the State Government of Tamil Nadu in India. Under the scheme, municipal corporations of the state are required to run canteens that serve subsidised food. The canteens were first launched by the then Chief Minister of the state Ms Jayalalithaa, who was widely acknowledged as “Amma”. These low-cost canteens will be announced as part of government schemes aimed to support economically disadvantaged sections of society. The scheme had been able to generate employment for thousands of women. However, the success of the scheme lies in the low prices and the cooperative management of all the outlets by the SHGs. The SHGs have been able to run the canteens based on self-governing norms, mutual reciprocity and shared responsibilities. This case study evaluates the role of state-sponsored mechanisms to ensure food security, alleviate food inflation and empower more women in the workforce. Yet, several concerns continue to remain unaddressed. Considering the huge amount of subsidy provided by the state government, the sustainability and economic viability of the scheme are uncertain.

Complexity academic level

This case study can be used for management students studying the basics of management such as teamwork, motivation, leadership and good governance. They may also study government policies and community intervention programmes for the benefit of society. The present case study will help the students to analyse the concept of women empowerment and social inclusion. The students, before discussing the case, may study and read the socio-economic theory of “community engagement and participation”, the “self-help model” and the related “theory of reasoned action/planned behaviour”.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 6: Human resource management.
The sustainability quotient: a trader’s trade-offs
Authors: Goel Meghna
Published: September 2021

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes of this case will help the participants to assess values, motivations and interpersonal relations that exist and evolve in a family firm; analyze individual-level strategies in absence of business growth strategy and succession plan; expose trade-offs associated with natural inheritance or merit-based succession; reveal alternate strategies of coping with conflicts in multi-generation multi-family firms.

Case overview/synopsis

This case focuses on leadership, succession and conflicts at Dalal Group, a 50 years old textile yarn trading family-run business. The trading business has 10 members across three generations working in it. The business is making profits but the growth of the business is not synchronous to the number of family members working in it. As revenues are stable and buyers’ network is not growing, an internal tussle has begun among the members to preserve business resources available to them. The founder, who is also the Managing Director of the Group, is about to retire in a couple of years but there is no clear successor to his position. In the absence of a business growth plan and uncertainty about the next leader, members are clueless about their own future and that is affecting their interpersonal relations at work. This has triggered the need for decision and action by the founder, failing which the business might disintegrate. The case author has used personal interview methods and secondary sources like annual reports and manuals of the company to collect data and information.

Complexity academic level

Senior Undergraduates, MBA (Entrepreneurship and Family Business), MBA.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 6: Human resource management.
Self-disclosure of social media users in Indonesia: the influence of personal and social media factors
Authors: Siahaan Mona Natasha , Handayani Putu Wuri , Azzahro Fatimah
Published: September 2021

Purpose

In the context of social media (SM) use, self-disclosure (SD) behaviour meets users' social and emotional needs, but it is also accompanied by risks that can harm users. This paper aims to identify the factors that influence users' SD behaviour on SM in Indonesia, using a comparative analysis based on age groups.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted on 2,210 respondents who were active SM users in Indonesia. Data were processed and analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling with AMOS 24.0 software.

Findings

Results indicate that, in the overall age group data, factors such as use of information (UI), trust, privacy control (PC), interactivity, perceived benefits (PB) and perceived risks (PR) influence users' SD behaviour. This research also found differences in the characteristics of SD behaviour between age groups.

Originality/value

Findings from this study can help SM service providers to evaluate the credibility and reliability of their platforms to encourage user retention.
When the Chinese guy becomes the female IT specialist Liu – a conceptualization of reputational shifts in international assignments
Authors: Bernhard Theresa , Holtbrügge Dirk
Published: September 2021

Purpose

International assignments rely on interactions between host country nationals (HCNs) and an international assignee (IA). These interactions are significantly determined by the reputation that the IA holds among HCNs. However, reputation has only scarcely been addressed in extant mobility research, and there is a lack of understanding about how the reputation of an IA shifts among HCNs during the course of an assignment. The purpose of this paper is to understand the development of an individual's reputation as well as the interactions between an IA and HCNs in the context of international assignments.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper that builds upon the central idea in extant research of individual reputation as a social construction and draws on sensemaking theory to develop its conceptual model.

Findings

As extant research argues for both a temporal and dynamic dimension of reputation, the authors introduce time and reputational richness as central model elements. Furthermore, the conceptual model proposes reputational events as the principal triggers for reputational shifts. Reputational events reveal quantitatively and qualitatively new informational cues about the IA to HCNs, who then use these cues to incrementally construct the IA's reputation in sensemaking processes. In addition, contextual factors of reputational shifts, namely accelerators and amplifiers, are discussed. The authors argue that these contextual factors may affect both the timing and the strength of reputational shifts.

Originality/value

The study introduces a novel conceptual model and contributes to the understanding of individual reputation development as well as the interactions between an IA and HCNs in international assignments.
Outcomes of assistance dog placement in the home for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families: A pilot study
Authors: Leung Joyce Yan‐Lok , Mackenzie Lynette , Dickson Claire
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Evidence indicates that assistance dogs placed in the home are effective in supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by increasing social and community participation and promoting quality of life. This study aimed to examine the outcomes of assistance dog placement on quality of life, independence, and participation of families including individuals with ASD placed with an assistance dog compared to families on the waiting list for an autism assistance dog and to evaluate the feasibility of the design for future studies.

Methods

A cross‐sectional comparative study was conducted. The Adaptive Behaviour Analysis System, Social Responsiveness Scale, Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist, Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, and Autism Family Experience Questionnaire were used to evaluate adaptive skills, behaviour, social difficulties, daily functioning, and family quality of life.

Results

Six families who had an autism assistance dog placed with them, and 12 families who were on the waiting list were recruited using purposeful sampling. The pilot data found no significant differences between the two groups. However, trends were observed which suggested that assistance dogs can increase desired social behaviours, decrease ASD severity, and improve family wellbeing. For families with an assistance dog, more positive outcomes were observed for families who were partnered with an assistance dog for longer. Parents (and sometimes individuals with ASD) were able to complete and return the outcome measures via mail to collect the outcome data for the study.

Conclusion

These study findings add to the developing evidence about the use of assistance dogs with this population. A larger sample size may have allowed for significant associations to be detected. The methods used were feasible to be applied in a larger study. These results may assist health professionals advocate for funding for assistance dog placement to individuals with ASD and their families.
Bevacizumab and gastrointestinal perforations: a review from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database
Authors: Wichelmann Thomas A. , Abdulmujeeb Sufyan , Ehrenpreis Eli D.
Published: September 2021

Background

Bevacizumab is used in the treatment of advanced malignancies and has a “black box” warning for gastrointestinal perforations. Despite this known side effect, there are no large descriptive series of patients who experience bevacizumab‐induced gastrointestinal perforations.

Aim

To review and describe post‐market cases of bevacizumab‐induced gastrointestinal perforation reported by healthcare professionals to the United States Food and Drug Association Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database.

Methods

In total, 74 025 cases of bevacizumab‐induced adverse drug reaction were reported to FAERS from January 1 2004 to July 6 2021. We identified 2874 cases of bevacizumab‐induced gastrointestinal perforation. A total of 1375 cases were determined to contain complete patient demographic data after the removal of duplicates and were reviewed. Subgroup analysis was completed on gastro‐oesophageal perforations given the lack of prior data.

Results

The average patient age was 61.9 ± 11.4 years. A total of 698 cases included descriptive locations of perforations with most occurring in the large intestine (385 cases, 55.2% of specifically described cases). Colorectal cancer was the most common indication for bevacizumab (691 cases, 50.3%) followed by ovarian cancer (197 cases, 14.3%) and non‐small cell lung cancer (182 cases, 13.2%). Death was reported in 554 patients (40.3% of cases). Sixty‐two cases of gastro‐oesophageal perforation were identified.

Conclusions

This is the largest collective descriptive study of bevacizumab‐induced gastrointestinal perforations, and sheds light on this often fatal complication. We additionally identified and described a rare subgroup of patients experiencing bevacizumab‐induced gastro‐oesophageal perforation not previously described.
Is social polarization bad for the planet? A theoretical inquiry
Authors: Verchere Alban
Published: September 2021

The last four decades have been characterized by growing concerns on two key matters: the “environmental question,” arising out of the manifest and accelerating injury to the planet caused by human activity, and the “social question,” concerning the growth of social polarization and the surge in inequality. This paper addresses the possible ecological impact of social polarization by employing an analytical framework where social classes are differentiated not only by their means but also by their tastes and preferences. We see that the ecological impact of social polarization (or, equivalently, of the decline of the middle class) remains unclear even when, as here, the middle class exhibits more proecological tastes than the other classes, so that we might have imagined that its decline would inevitably impair the planet. We then establish the exact critical threshold for the proportion of the middle class above which their accessing the upper class would harm the planet and discuss its sensitivity to key parameters such as, for instance, the level of inequality. Finally, we tackle the topic of public action to limit the risk that social polarization should lead to greater ecological injury.
Factores de desigualdad en el empleo asalariado regular en la India, 1993–2012
Authors: MENON Rahul
Published: September 2021

Se estiman mediante ejercicios de descomposición las contribuciones relativas de diferentes factores a la desigualdad de ingresos entre los asalariados regulares de la India de 1993‐1994 a 2011‐2012, distinguiendo entre efecto de coeficiente (rendimientos de los factores) y efecto de característica (proporción en la población analizada). El factor más determinante es el acceso a la educación superior. Sin embargo, factores institucionales como la afiliación sindical y el empleo en el sector público también son importantes, lo que indica que la desigualdad no se explica solo por cuestiones meramente demográficas o tecnológicas, sino también por la estructura institucional de una economía.