CCR5 and Biological Complexity: The Need for Data Integration and Educational Materials to Address Genetic/Biological Reductionism at the Interface of Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications

In the age of genomics, public understanding of complex scientific knowledge is critical. To combat reductionistic views, it is necessary to generate and organize educational material and data that keep pace with advances in genomics. The view that CCR5 is solely the receptor for HIV gave rise to demand to remove the gene in patients to create host HIV resistance, underestimating the broader roles and complex genetic inheritance of CCR5. A program aimed at providing research projects to undergraduates, known as CODE, has been expanded to build educational material for genes such as CCR5 in a rapid approach, exposing students and trainees to large bioinformatics databases and previous experiments for broader data to challenge commitment to biological reductionism. Our students organize expression databases, query environmental responses, assess genetic factors, generate protein models/dynamics, and profile evolutionary insights into a protein such as CCR5. The knowledgebase generated in the initiative opens the door for public educational information and tools (molecular videos, 3D printed models, and handouts), classroom materials, and strategy for future genetic ideas that can be distributed in formal, semiformal, and informal educational environments. This work highlights that many factors are missing from the reductionist view of CCR5, including the role of missense variants or expression of CCR5 with neurological phenotypes and the role of CCR5 and the delta32 variant in complex critical care patients with sepsis. When connected to genomic stories in the news, these tools offer critically needed Ethical, Legal, and Social Implication (ELSI) education to combat biological reductionism.

An adaptive e-learning architecture: An experimental model for implementation and personalization of regional and English medium learners

Traditional e-Learning system displays the same content to all the learners irrespective of their knowledge level and relevance. This paper enumerates insight into the learner‟s perspective and expectation on medium of study such as regional language verses English language at education institute in fathoming the core subject or e-content provided to them in English and proposes a design for developing an adaptive e-Learning system personalized to the learner. To investigate into the learner‟s individual desire the best cutting edge practice of applying statistical tools along with a plausible framework is being adapted. The results implied that the medium of instruction (Regional language / English) at school has greater impact on the performance compared to the region (Rural / Urban) the students hailed from, when the same content is given to them in English using traditional e- Learning. However, often there exists a widespread difference among regional language as a medium of learning in rural area and English as a medium of learning in urban area. Therefore, this study intend to develop e-learning content based on individual student capability to understand using systematic decision making and customized rules. The social implication of this study reveals that adaptive elearning based on individual personal capacity and customized e-learning content has been successfully implemented and effectively established a balanced trade-off between regional language as a medium students and English as a medium of learning student‟s knowledge and performance.

Sustainable value creation through information technology-enabled supply chains in emerging markets

PurposeWhile the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) on logistics and supply chain management (SCM) is recently much discussed, this is hardly linked to emerging economies and base of the pyramid (BoP) settings. The paper aims as offering a framework linking different conceptual elements to each other for explaining how ICT enables sustainable value creation in emerging economy supply chains (SCs).Design/methodology/approachThe paper builds on conceptual reasoning linking constructs from the different fields to each other.FindingsUsing conceptual reasoning linking constructs, six elements are identified: (1) SC flows, (2) BoP challenges and (3) ICT services as starting points, and environmental conditions driving sustainable value creation. The application of ICT within BoP SC operations drives the process of sustainable value creation by enabling new ways of (4) electronic business (e-business) transactions and (5) SSCM behaviors. This leads to (6) sustainable value for businesses using ICT applications and their respective stakeholders.Research limitations/implicationsEmpirical testing by collecting field data in emerging economy contexts would be demanded to address the limitation of building on conceptual reasonings.Practical implicationsThe framework provides various SC-related measures driving e-business value creation for managers of businesses, charity organizations and policymakers in emerging communities.Social implicationsUnderstanding the use of smartphones and other mobile devices for businesses and their supply chains in emerging markets would have wide ranging social implication addressed in the sustainable value creation of the framework offered.Originality/valueThe conceptual framework brings different elements together offering insights into ICT applications in BoP SCs. Linking SCM, ICT and BoP to each other is a novel contribution having wider implications for the future development of emerging economies.

The effectiveness of using digital platforms to practice English during the COVID-19 crisis as perceived by Ecuadorian students

PurposeThis mixed-methods research aimed to investigate students’ opinions on the effectiveness of using digital platforms to carry on their learning process.Design/methodology/approachThis is a mixed-methods research. One hundred students, registered in the last English course of their curriculum, took part in the investigation. They filled out a Likert-scale survey using the criteria for CALL evaluation. During the data analysis of the quantitative section of the research, a chi-square of 15.0672 and a p-value of 0.519719 were obtained, making this result not significant at p < 0.05. A Levene test of variance equality was performed on the resulting data to confirm the results. Personal interviews were carried out to triangulate the previous results.FindingsThis study determined that Ecuadorian undergraduate students have a negative perception of the usefulness of using a digital class to learn English. These results have important implications for teachers who must work harder during these times of COVID-19 to attain students' attention.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is limited by its conception of qualitative methods. This limitation also opens the door for further studies. The quantitative and mixed methods studies are suggested to confirm the results obtained here.Practical implicationsThis study has practical implications for teachers and language center managers. They can use the information attained to adapt their teachings in order to improve these results. Managers will benefit from it as they can plan for teacher training considering the comments given by students.Social implicationsThe social implication of this study is that the students, through their comments, have implied the need of having some sort of socialization and ERT does not permit such.Originality/valueThis paper has value as it closes the gap of information regarding the use of this new teaching modality attained from Latin American countries and more specifically from Ecuador.

PRISM philosophy: empowering women in COVID times!

Study level/applicability The case is suitable for all post-graduate students and executives doing a course in human resource management (HRM). The case will enable these students to apply concepts such as inclusion, empowerment, glass ceiling, in business situations involving women. It will help them to trace the evolution path for women employees who have the traits to lead a department or organisation and assume entrepreneurial roles. Subject Area The case study is particularly beneficial for MBA students specialising in HRM focussed on leadership and training. It can be used in courses such as gender and entrepreneurship for students of MBA entrepreneurship and MBA family business management. As the case is written in India, it can explore the gender issues in emerging markets surreptitiously. Most importantly, the case addresses COVID-19 perspective adequately, to teach modules embedded in main courses of any MBA program. Case overview PRISM World Pvt Ltd is a leading training and consultancy firm in Delhi, India. The firm is owned and managed by a young woman Dr Anubha Walia. She started her career as a human resource manager in leading Indian companies, but somewhere down the line, she felt the job was not allowing her to realise the fullest potential. The Indian corporate training industry was male dominated with self-serving men, supporting the “glass ceiling”. To break the barrier, Anubha opened her training firm founded on the basis of a new philosophy, which should serve the ideals of helping and promoting women in workplace. This new philosophy was called PRISM. Anubha provided an inclusive environment which allowed her trainers to grow and feel empowered in a gender-biased industry.Very recently, when COVID-19 pandemic happened, female trainers were under tremendous strain as training requirements completely dried up, and they were rendered jobless. Most of these educated young women had small kids and paid monthly installments for their home loans, sharing the financial burden with their husbands. Some mature trainers were single women who had to support themselves through savings in these difficult times. But Anubha’s sense of empowerment at PRISM helped these women to do things which made their livelihoods turnaround even in uncertain circumstances. PRISM philosophy made a turnaround too. While employees were thinking of abandoning their companies and vice-versa, trainers at PRISM went for free webinars to draw clients to their firms and changed the concept of training and delivery in corona times.PRISM acquired a new meaning of wellness and spirituality in these difficult times and soared ahead successfully. Expected learning outcomes The case study hopes to achieve the following pedagogical objectives: 1. To educate students on manners and traits of women entrepreneurs. Besides, the usual difficulties of financing and running a business, women face adversities at home in the form of lack of access to working capital, trust deficit amongst family and friends. Basically, lack of support system to propels women into the tougher role of an entrepreneur graduating from a regular employee. Gender becomes a disability, which women had to fight in the workplace. The case introduces the PRISM philosophy as a unique methodology to inculcate inclusivity in work environment leading to women empowerment. 2. To outline all issues related to ‘glass ceiling” – the barrier which existed in the corporate world for businesswomen. Students need to know about problems women faced in the business environment as well as shortcomings within themselves, which can make them unproductive. 3. To align students first hand with the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic, specific to women. The case talks about educated young and mature women in Anubha’s firm PRISM, fighting for lost livelihood owing to reduced levels of business. But women are known to be highly resilient and empowered in the right direction will turnaround the situation in their favour. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Social implications The case has tremendous social implication for educated working women in traditional patriarchal Indian societies. Though a sizeable percentage of women have achieved higher education and started working in a male-dominated corporate world, only a small number of them are visible as entrepreneurs and/or leaders. Every woman needs to trace her journey from an employee to an entrepreneur or a CEO to assume a position of leadership. This case can be an eye opener for many such ambitious women who can build small- to mid-size businesses in a short span of time. Digital intervention is very important in COVID times to stay afloat. The author has shared links for many videos which can disseminate ideas for digital transformation in businesses. The case tries to showcase an ideal inclusive environment which will propel women to achieve their latent goals and desires breaking the 'glass ceiling.' Subject code CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.

New fraud star theory and behavioural sciences

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish the theory of the fraud star and the formulation of its microeconomic model, based on the behavioural sciences. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is a practical exploration, first in the convergence of the economics of fraud and the behavioural sciences, based on these tools, formulating the new theory of the star of fraud and formulating its microeconomic model. Findings The paper concludes with a new model of the fraud star theory and its microeconomic modelling. Take into account the new theory of the fraud star of this article. Research limitations/implications There are no limitations in the model. Practical implications The practical implications are to apply the new fraud star theory and calculate your income, in different scenarios. Social implications The social implication is to know the income for the crime of fraud, according to the level of regulations, control and effective punishment. Originality/value The present work is original; there is no new theory of the fraud star, nor its microeconomic model, and it does not exist in the academic field, only in this work.

Demoralizing: integrating J.D. Peters’ communication “chasm” with Niklas Luhmann’s (1989) ecological communication to analyze climate change mitigation inaction

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain the US society’s insignificant mitigation of climate change using Niklas Luhmann’s (1989) autopoietic social systems theory in ecological communication. Specifically, the author’s analysis falls within the context of Luhmann re-moralized while focusing on particular function systems’ binary codes and their repellence of substantive US climate change mitigation policy across systems. Design/methodology/approach The author achieves this purpose by resituating Luhmann’s conception of evolution to forgo systems teleology and better contextualize the spatial-temporal scale of climate change; reinforcing complexity reduction and differentiation by integrating communication and media scholar John D. Peters’s (1999) “communication chasm” concept as one mechanism through which codes sustain over time; and applying these integrated concepts to prominent the US climate change mitigation attempts. Findings The author concludes that climate change mitigation efforts are the amalgamation of the systems’ moral communications. Mitigation efforts have relegated themselves to subsystems of the ten major systems given the polarizing nature of their predominant care/harm moral binary. Communication chasms persist because these moral communications cannot both adhere to the systems’ binary codes and communicate the climate crisis’s urgency. The more time that passes, the more codes force mitigation organizations, activist efforts and their moral communications to adapt and sacrifice their actions to align with the encircling systems’ code. Social implications In addition to the conceptual contribution, the social implication is that by identifying how and why climate change mitigation efforts are subsumed by the larger systems and their codes, climate change activists and practitioners can better tool their tactics to change the codes at the heart of the systems if serious and substantive climate change mitigation is to prevail. Originality/value To the author’s knowledge, there has not been an integration of a historical communication concept into, and sociological application of, ecological communication in the context of climate change mitigation.

IMRAN KHAN’S EFFECTIVE SPEECHES CONCERNING COVID-19 FUNDRAISING: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Purpose: The primary purpose of the present study is to analyze the speeches of PM Imran, which he delivered to persuade the economic organizations and masses for fundraising on the first and 4th April, respectively. Method: The research is qualitative and analytical. The primary data was collected from the speeches and telethons on two well-known news channels of Pakistan. Theoretical/secondary data have been collected from various online sources. The data were analyzed employing Fairclough’s 3D model—Textual, at the first step, processing, at the second step, and finally the social implication(s). Main Findings: The textual analysis suggests that the Prime Minister deliberately focuses on the lower class—‘people’ of Pakistan. Therefore, he persuaded the local individuals and the international organizations; more, he also conquered the minds of Pakistani ex-pats living in foreign and convinced them to send aids and foreign remittances. These speeches also immediately affected and motivated the local non-profit services organizations and masses to help others throughout the pandemic. Hence, the public figure (celebrities or characters) also promoted the idea of Prime Minister). Application of the Study: The study suggests the techniques for the speakers how they would manage to make balanced speeches under challenging times. Various linguistic techniques are employed and tested adopting from the other researchers, which may also be helpful for future researchers. Hence, general social individuals would also find the cultural referents for the economic fundraising techniques utilizing the linguistic technique; for instance, Imran Khan successfully employed these to collect the funds for hospitals, universities, and the state. The Originality of the Study: According to the researchers' best knowledge, the study is innovative as no such type of study was conducted in the context, i.e., the context speeches relevant to fundraising. This research argues that a parliamentary system is a more desirable and efficient system of government than others. This research explains the differences between both these systems. Both the houses of these parliaments provide different services that require separate investigation and throw further light on the subject.

Socio-legal Implication of Legalising Same-Sex Marriage in Cultural Yoruba Society, Osun State, Nigeria

Previous studies on same-sex marriage have only examined the discourse of same-sex marriage through the lens of religion, morality and philosophy. Others include political and human rights perspective in Nigeria with paucity of research on socio-legal dimension. Therefore, this paper assesses the socio-legal consequences that are plausible with the legalisation of same-sex marriage in cultural Yoruba society. The exploratory design was employed with a total of 20 respondents (community and traditional leaders and law enforcement officers) recruited through purposive and convenience recruitment strategies. The semistructure interview approach was used for data collection and the NVivo (v. 12) qualitative software was employed in identifying themes from the transcripts interview. The study reveals a range of perception about same-sex marriage including exposure to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as well as HIV/AIDS, and the challenge of procreation which remains a sacrosanct need of marriage. Social implication reveals a taboo to existing cultural tradition, norms, values and customs of the Yoruba cultural society and a blasphemy to religion which can trigger societal unrest. The legal implication uncovered include that same sex exudes a danger to public morality, with 14 years imprisonments for offenders and 10 years for accomplices. The analysis takes the position of the constitution of gender ministry by the Osun State government where issues of same-sex marriage can be effectively addressed for the sanity of the cultural Yoruba.

The gilded path: capital, habitus and illusio in the fund management field

PurposeThe fund management sector plays an important role in society. The sector exists in close proximity to the accounting profession and the concerns of the paper reflect themes discussed by accounting scholars, particularly financialization, inequality and life within elite professional service organizations.Design/methodology/approachThis is an interpretive study of the fund management field based in the UK. It is based on 32 semi-structured interviews with individuals with personal experience of the field, combined with reflections from the researcher's own experience as a practitioner within the field.FindingsThe paper describes the backgrounds and motivations of individuals entering the field, the recruitment processes through which they are admitted, and the different strategies used to gain admission to the field. It explores the habitus of successful professionals in the field and the effects of this habitus.Social implicationsAn important social implication of the paper is the problematization of the fund management industry's dislocation from broader society.Originality/valueBy identifying the different strategies employed by applicants from different backgrounds, it highlights the role of reflexive agency and the complicity between agent and field. Recognizing that professional fund management is organized as a game, it suggests that individuals are so committed to the game they know they are playing that they fail to realize that they are also drawn into a different game, namely the absorbing game of being a fund manager.