Engagement and social acceptance in genome editing for human benefit: Reflections on research and practice in a global context

While there are both practical and ethical reasons for public engagement in science and innovation, real-world detailed examples of engagement practice and the lessons to come from these are still hard to find. This paper showcases three contextually diverse case studies of engagement practice. Case 1 recounts the experiences of a government-funded initiative to involve scientists and policy makers as science communicators for the purpose of engaging the Argentine public on gene editing. Case 2 describes the research methodologies used to elicit diverse stakeholder views in the face of political uncertainty and institutional distrust in India. Finally, case 3 unpacks the tensions and gaps with existing international guidelines for ensuring local voices are respected in community decision-making in Burkina Faso. Each case shares its own compelling rationale for selecting the engagement method chosen and details the challenges encountered along the way. Each case shares its vision for creating legitimate opportunities for broader societal involvement in the planning, conduct and delivery of responsible science. These cases demonstrate the nuances, sensitivities and challenges of engaging with publics and broader stakeholders in discussions about genome editing for human benefit.

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The Contemporary Globalization of Political Antisemitism: Three Political Spaces and the Global Mainstreaming of the “Jewish Question” in the Twenty-First Century

Journal of Contemporary Antisemitism ◽

10.26613/jca/3.1.46 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (3.1) ◽

pp. 83-108

Author(s):

Lars Rensmann

Keyword(s):

Political Ideology ◽

Social Acceptance ◽

Salient Feature ◽

Public Spaces ◽

First Century ◽

Radical Right ◽

Jewish Question ◽

Global Context ◽

Holocaust Denial ◽

Anti Jewish

This article examines the current globalization of political antisemitism and its effects on the resurgent normalization of anti-Jewish discourse and politics in a global context. The focus is on three political spaces in which the “Jewish question” has been repoliticized and become a salient feature of political ideology, communication, and mobilization: the global radical right, global Islamism, and the global radical left. Different contexts and justificatory discourses notwithstanding, the comparative empirical analysis shows that three interrelated elements of globalized antisemitism feature most prominently across these different political spaces: anti-Jewish conspiracy myths; Holocaust denial or relativization; and hatred of Israel. It is argued that the current process of the globalization of political antisemitism has significantly contributed to antisemitism’s presence in all kinds of public spaces as well as the convergence of antisemitic ideology among a variety of different actors. Moreover, the globalization of political antisemitism has helped accelerate the dissemination and social acceptance of anti-Jewish tropes that currently take shape in broader publics, that is: the globalized mainstreaming of antisemitism. The article concludes by discussing some factors favorable to the globalization and normalization of antisemitism, and the resurgence of antisemitic politics in the current age. Keywords: conspiracy myths, globalization, Holocaust denial, Israel hatred, political antisemitism

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Measurement of Vulnerability of Financial Portfolio of Sharia Commercial Banks by Cardona Method

Jurnal Ilmu Manajemen & Ekonomika ◽

10.35384/jime.v9i2.44 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 109

Author(s):

Paulina Harun ◽

Atman Poerwokoesoemo

Keyword(s):

Commercial Banks ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Banking Sector ◽

Banking Industry ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Section Data ◽

Initial Stage ◽

The Face ◽

Asset Portfolio

his study aims to: (1) to know and analyze the extent of volatility (vulnerability) of sharia banking industry in Indonesia in the face of competition (2) to know and analyze factors affecting vulnerability of sharia commercial banks; (3) to know and analyze the extent of sustainable development of sharia banking industry to Indonesia's economic development.The research conducted to measure the vulnerability (volatility) of proto folio of syariah bank using observation period 2015, and the data used is cross section data. The research design used in this research is quantitative research, using asset dimension (asset portfolio, liability portfolio, equity portfolio) and stressor (pressure, including: credit risk, market risk, and liquidity risk).The activity plan of this research is: in the initial stage of conducting theoretical study related to the vulnerability related to banking especially BUS; The next step is to determine the asset and stressor dimensions associated with the BUS; Further determine the indicators related to assets and stressors; The next step performs calculations to determine the index of each BUS as well as the dimensions that affect the vulnerabilities faced by each BUS.Target expected outcomes can be generated from this research is: for the object of research (BUS) provide a solution for BUS to deal with and overcome the vulnerabilities encountered and policies that must be done. For policy makers, the results of this study are expected to provide input in decision-making and other policies.Measurement of vulnerability to be performed related to banking operations in the face of competition and the continuity of BUS in Indonesia. The outcomes of this study are expected to be included in Bank Indonesia journals, the selection of this journal is based on studies conducted in the banking sector, especially BUS in Indonesia.

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EU Labor Market Inequalities and Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13052675 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 2675

Author(s):

Elena Jianu ◽

Ramona Pîrvu ◽

Gheorghe Axinte ◽

Ovidiu Toma ◽

Andrei Valentin Cojocaru ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Labor Market ◽

Policy Issue ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Public Policy Issue ◽

Development Goals ◽

To Come ◽

Business Practitioners ◽

The Eu

Reducing inequalities for EU citizens and promoting upward convergence is one of the priorities on the agenda of the European Commission and, certainly, inequality will be a very important public policy issue for years to come. Through this research we aim to investigate EU labor market inequalities, reflected by the specific indicators proposed for Goal 8 assumed by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, based on cluster analysis for all the 27 Member States. The research results showed encouraging results from the perspective of convergence in the EU labor market, but also revealed a number of analyzed variable effects that manifested regional inequalities that were generated in the medium and long term. Based on the observations made, we want to provide information for policy-makers, business practitioners, and academics so as to constitute solid ground for identifying good practices and proposing to implement policies aimed at reducing existing inequalities and supporting sustainable development.

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Knowing when to talk? Plant genome editing as a site for pre-engagement institutional reflexivity

Public Understanding of Science ◽

10.1177/0963662521999796 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 096366252199979

Author(s):

Robert D.J. Smith ◽

Sarah Hartley ◽

Patrick Middleton ◽

Tracey Jewitt

Keyword(s):

Genome Editing ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

Plant Genome ◽

Limited Attention ◽

Full Potential ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Institutional Dynamics ◽

Social Studies Of Science ◽

High Profile ◽

A Site

Citizen and stakeholder engagement is frequently portrayed as vital for socially accountable science policy but there is a growing understanding of how institutional dynamics shape engagement exercises in ways that prevent them from realising their full potential. Limited attention has been devoted to developing the means to expose institutional features, allow policy-makers to reflect on how they will shape engagement and respond appropriately. Here, therefore, we develop and test a methodological framework to facilitate pre-engagement institutional reflexivity with one of the United Kingdom’s eminent science organisations as it grappled with a new, high-profile and politicised technology, genome editing. We show how this approach allowed policy-makers to reflect on their institutional position and enrich decision-making at a time when they faced pressure to legitimate decisions with engagement. Further descriptions of such pre-engagement institutional reflexivity are needed to better bridge theory and practice in the social studies of science.

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Simplified All-In-One CRISPR-Cas9 Construction for Efficient Genome Editing in Cryptococcus Species

Journal of Fungi ◽

10.3390/jof7070505 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (7) ◽

pp. 505

Author(s):

Ping Zhang ◽

Yu Wang ◽

Chenxi Li ◽

Xiaoyu Ma ◽

Lan Ma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genome Editing ◽

Fungal Pathogens ◽

Gene Editing ◽

Recombination Frequency ◽

Target Sequence ◽

Widespread Application ◽

Genetic Studies ◽

Efficient Gene ◽

Cryptococcus Species ◽

Overlap Pcr

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus deneoformans are opportunistic fungal pathogens found worldwide that are utilized to reveal mechanisms of fungal pathogenesis. However, their low homologous recombination frequency has greatly encumbered genetic studies. In preliminary work, we described a ‘suicide’ CRISPR-Cas9 system for use in the efficient gene editing of C. deneoformans, but this has not yet been used in the C. neoformans strain. The procedures involved in constructing vectors are time-consuming, whether they involve restriction enzyme-based cloning of donor DNA or the introduction of a target sequence into the gRNA expression cassette via overlap PCR, as are sophisticated, thus impeding their widespread application. Here, we report the optimized and simplified construction method for all-in-one CRISPR-Cas9 vectors that can be used in C. neoformans and C. deneoformans strains respectively, named pNK003 (Genbank: MW938321) and pRH003 (Genbank: KX977486). Taking several gene manipulations as examples, we also demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the new simplified all-in-one CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing tools in both Serotype A and Serotype D strains, as well as their ability to eliminate Cas9 and gDNA cassettes after gene editing. We anticipate that the availability of new vectors that can simplify and streamline the technical steps for all-in-one CRISPR-Cas9 construction could accelerate genetic studies of the Cryptococcus species.

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Implications of uncertainty on firm outsourcing decisions

Human Systems Management ◽

10.3233/hsm-2006-25204 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 25 (2) ◽

pp. 115-125

Author(s):

David R. King

Keyword(s):

Transaction Costs ◽

New Products ◽

Industry Structure ◽

Management Research ◽

Research And Practice ◽

The Face ◽

Sourcing Decisions ◽

Related Transaction

Outsourcing inherently considers what activity needs to reside within a given firm. The difficulty of exchanges between firms in the face of uncertainty affects where work on developing and producing new products is performed. Theory is developed and explored using a case study that explains firm sourcing decisions as a response to uncertainty within the context of industry structure and related transaction costs. Viewing outsourcing broadly results in a better delineation of outsourcing options. Implications for management research and practice are identified.

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In vivo genome editing in mouse restores dystrophin expression in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patient muscle fibers

Genome Medicine ◽

10.1186/s13073-021-00876-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Menglong Chen ◽

Hui Shi ◽

Shixue Gou ◽

Xiaomin Wang ◽

Lei Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ◽

Muscular Dystrophy ◽

Mouse Model ◽

Genome Editing ◽

Large Scale ◽

Gene Editing ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Muscle Fibers ◽

Muscle Cells

Abstract Background Mutations in the DMD gene encoding dystrophin—a critical structural element in muscle cells—cause Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which is the most common fatal genetic disease. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-mediated gene editing is a promising strategy for permanently curing DMD. Methods In this study, we developed a novel strategy for reframing DMD mutations via CRISPR-mediated large-scale excision of exons 46–54. We compared this approach with other DMD rescue strategies by using DMD patient-derived primary muscle-derived stem cells (DMD-MDSCs). Furthermore, a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) DMD mouse model was established by transplanting DMD-MDSCs into immunodeficient mice. CRISPR gene editing components were intramuscularly delivered into the mouse model by adeno-associated virus vectors. Results Results demonstrated that the large-scale excision of mutant DMD exons showed high efficiency in restoring dystrophin protein expression. We also confirmed that CRISPR from Prevotella and Francisella 1(Cas12a)-mediated genome editing could correct DMD mutation with the same efficiency as CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9). In addition, more than 10% human DMD muscle fibers expressed dystrophin in the PDX DMD mouse model after treated by the large-scale excision strategies. The restored dystrophin in vivo was functional as demonstrated by the expression of the dystrophin glycoprotein complex member β-dystroglycan. Conclusions We demonstrated that the clinically relevant CRISPR/Cas9 could restore dystrophin in human muscle cells in vivo in the PDX DMD mouse model. This study demonstrated an approach for the application of gene therapy to other genetic diseases.

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Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIEd): a high-level academic and industry note 2021

AI and Ethics ◽

10.1007/s43681-021-00074-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Muhammad Ali Chaudhry ◽

Emre Kazim

Keyword(s):

Artificial Intelligence ◽

Intelligent Tutoring Systems ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Tutoring Systems ◽

Research And Practice ◽

The Past ◽

Artificial Intelligence In Education ◽

Potential Impact ◽

High Level ◽

Contextualized Learning

AbstractIn the past few decades, technology has completely transformed the world around us. Indeed, experts believe that the next big digital transformation in how we live, communicate, work, trade and learn will be driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) [83]. This paper presents a high-level industrial and academic overview of AI in Education (AIEd). It presents the focus of latest research in AIEd on reducing teachers’ workload, contextualized learning for students, revolutionizing assessments and developments in intelligent tutoring systems. It also discusses the ethical dimension of AIEd and the potential impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the future of AIEd’s research and practice. The intended readership of this article is policy makers and institutional leaders who are looking for an introductory state of play in AIEd.

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Evaluating the Efficiency of gRNAs in CRISPR/Cas9 Mediated Genome Editing in Poplars

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms20153623 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (15) ◽

pp. 3623 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Tobias Bruegmann ◽

Khira Deecke ◽

Matthias Fladung

Keyword(s):

Genome Editing ◽

Gene Editing ◽

Constitutive Expression ◽

Gc Content ◽

Seed Region ◽

Research Topics ◽

Target Region ◽

Cas9 Nuclease ◽

Different Types ◽

Poplar Hybrid

CRISPR/Cas9 has become one of the most promising techniques for genome editing in plants and works very well in poplars with an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system. We selected twelve genes, including SOC1, FUL, and their paralogous genes, four NFP-like genes and TOZ19 for three different research topics. The gRNAs were designed for editing, and, together with a constitutively expressed Cas9 nuclease, transferred either into the poplar hybrid Populus × canescens or into P. tremula. The regenerated lines showed different types of editing and revealed several homozygous editing events which are of special interest in perennial species because of limited back-cross ability. Through a time series, we could show that despite the constitutive expression of the Cas9 nuclease, no secondary editing of the target region occurred. Thus, constitutive Cas9 expression does not seem to pose any risk to additional editing events. Based on various criteria, we obtained evidence for a relationship between the structure of gRNA and the efficiency of gene editing. In particular, the GC content, purine residues in the gRNA end, and the free accessibility of the seed region seemed to be highly important for genome editing in poplars. Based on our findings on nine different poplar genes, efficient gRNAs can be designed for future efficient editing applications in poplars.

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Empowerment: challenges in measurement

Global Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/1757975917703304 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 93-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ruth Cross ◽

James Woodall ◽

Louise Warwick-Booth

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Policy Makers ◽

Research And Practice ◽

Theoretical Considerations

Empowerment is core to health promotion; however, there is a lack of consensus in the wider literature as to how to define it and at what level it may occur. Definitional inconsistency inevitably leads to challenges in measuring empowerment; yet if it is as important as is claimed, this must be addressed. This paper discusses the complexities of measuring empowerment and puts forward a number of recommendations for researchers and policy makers as to how this can be achieved noting some of the tensions that may arise between theoretical considerations, research and practice. We argue that empowerment is a culturally and socially defined construct and that this should be taken into account in attempts to measure it. Finally we conclude that, in order to build up the evidence base for empowerment, there is a need for research clearly defining what it is and how it is being measured.

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