Development of Stable Cell Lines for the Production of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Targeted Exosomes

Exosomes represent a promising new approach to targeted drug delivery. Current research explores the ability of these naturally occurring nanoparticles to transport therapeutic cargo to specific tissues of the body and to subsequently enter the cells of those tissues. Human cells act as an efficient source of these nano-vesicles. Our project ultimately focuses on the establishment of a cell line that produces exosomes tagged with the RD114 protein, which allows for the targeting of hematopoietic stem cells. With the ability to deliver therapeutic cargo to these specific cells, exosomes can serve as a vehicle for many effective hematopoietic stem cell therapies. We ultimately developed two stable cell lines that produced engineered exosomes and conducted a series of tests on these nanoparticles. Results from these tests indicate that these exosomes are tagged with the desired proteins, opening several possibilities for future research

Main Factors Contributing to the High Femicide Rate in Mexico

Femicide has become an urgent issue in Mexico. Many young women and girls are murdered or disappear every year. There are three main factors contributing to the high rate of femicide in Mexico. These factors are the ramifications of the cultural practice of machismo, a lack of detailed laws, and negligence by figures in authority. Despite domestic and international demands for action, the government has yet to make effective change

My Teacher-Writer Identity

My project is my teacher-writer identity project, which started in my Teaching Writing Classroom. The goal of this project was to create a piece of media which gave an understanding of our identity as teachers and writers. My project took the form of a handout that would be used as a teaching material to help my students get to know me while also becoming comfortable with their own writing process. Using my own examples for how to interact with writing, my teacher-writer identity ultimately hopes to help my students become comfortable with themselves and their different approaches to writing

La réussite des pôles de compétitivité : Le défi de l'intégration d'un réseau dans un territoire.

Parmi les multiples études portant sur les clusters à travers le monde, certaines voix s'élèvent pour souligner les limites de la théorie de Michael Porter défendue dans son ouvrage « l'avantage concurrentiel des nations », qui a largement contribuée au développement des clusters et selon laquelle la localisation des acteurs sur un territoire serait facteur de succès. Nous inscrivant dans cette mouvance critique, il nous semble nécessaire d'élargir le champ de la réflexion en sollicitant en particulier les travaux des géographes afin de déterminer les conditions d'une intégration réussie des pôles de compétitivité sur un territoire.Réseaux interorganisationnels ; Territoire ; Gouvernance ; clusters

Skills or Degree? The Rise of Skill-Based Hiring for AI and Green Jobs

For emerging professions, such as jobs in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or sustainability (green), labour supply does not meet industry demand. In this scenario of labour shortages, our work aims to understand whether employers have started focusing on individual skills rather than on formal qualifications in their recruiting. By analysing a large time series dataset of around one million online job vacancies between 2019 and 2022 from the UK and drawing on diverse literature on technological change and labour market signalling, we provide evidence that employers have started so-called "skill-based hiring" for AI and green roles, as more flexible hiring practices allow them to increase the available talent pool. In our observation period the demand for AI roles grew twice as much as average labour demand. At the same time, the mention of university education for AI roles declined by 23%, while AI roles advertise five times as many skills as job postings on average. Our regression analysis also shows that university degrees no longer show an educational premium for AI roles, while for green positions the educational premium persists. In contrast, AI skills have a wage premium of 16%, similar to having a PhD (17%). Our work recommends making use of alternative skill building formats such as apprenticeships, on-the-job training, MOOCs, vocational education and training, micro-certificates, and online bootcamps to use human capital to its full potential and to tackle talent shortages.Comment: 38 pages, 13 figures, 3 table

Analysis of social-ecological dynamics driving conflict in linked surface-groundwater systems

Conflict over water resources emerges from complex interactions among biophysical, social, and economic processes operating at multiple scales. Competing use of linked surface-groundwater (LSGW) resources is an excellent yet relatively unexplored example of such conflict. Dynamic circumstances surrounding the contested installation of a high capacity municipal well in southeastern Wisconsin were examined through the theoretical lens of adaptive governance using document analysis and open-ended key stakeholder interviews. A framework analysis method extracted 16 controlling variables from the qualitative data. These controlling variables were placed on a threshold matrix at their appropriate geospatial scale (Property, Watershed, State) and process domain (Biophysical, Economic, Social), which revealed several social-ecological feedbacks not currently addressed by management authorities. Three dynamic feedback loops were identified that explain the emergence and resolution of LSGW conflict in the case study area. Conflict emerged when processes driving new development in southeastern Wisconsin threatened to impact a highly valued groundwater dependent lake. Lake groups engaged in collective learning, utilized information networks, and displayed leadership to address the issue. However, lack of participatory avenues for dispute resolution at the scale of occurrence drove lake groups to challenge the regulatory authority of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). Through order-based legitimacy, legal resolution affected governance of LSGW resources across the state, but did little to address the underlying stakeholder values driving conflict. We conclude this system will continue to be subjected to “legal back and forth,” recurrent conflict, and uncertainty for both environmental and developmental interests until a more participatory process is developed with regulatory authorities to resolve conflicts over LSGW

Restoration as social-ecological transformation: Emergence in the Pike River Watershed

The combined effects of urbanization and climate change require resource managers to navigate interacting social and ecological dimensions of environment in the stewardship of ecosystem goods and services. The challenge of integrating multiple management paradigms into the planning process for sustainable restoration is complex, yet when handled successfully, can result in the emergence of ecosystem goods and services. The present study uses the restoration of the North Branch of the Pike River in Southeastern Wisconsin, USA as a case study to understand the contributions of situational context and actor agency in the integration of management paradigms, and transformation of a highly degraded stream ecosystem into a vibrant community asset. Drawing from the social-ecological systems and dynamic systems change literatures, the management and transition framework was used to analyze the 20-year restoration process from problem definition and planning through implementation. Review of planning documents, meeting notes, and interviews with key individuals identified the factors necessary to understand how a social-ecological system navigated through conflict, negotiation of an integrated management paradigm, implementation, and adaptive learning. As convening contexts changed, different actors assumed convening, bridging, sense making, and leveraging roles as legitimacy and trust in the process was built over time. Integration of paradigms was identified as a learning opportunity, as the incorporation of diverse ways of knowing resulted in the emergence of novel ecosystem goods and services. The performance of the novel integrated management paradigm since completion is discussed, including takeaways managers should keep in mind when applying the approach elsewhere