Expanding Global Mindedness Through a 4-H International Village

With expanding global interdependence, it is vital that 4-H youths learn more about the ever-increasing diverse cultures in their own communities as well as expand their global mindedness and understanding of globalization. The 4-H International Village (a) offers a comfortable yet engaging avenue for youths to expand their knowledge of and interest in foreign cultures and (b) increases their interest in participating in student exchange or study abroad programs. In this article, we provide the outline for conducting a 4-H International Village and describe the initial impact of the program

Who Are Social Entrepreneurs? Connecting the Stories of Women in the Global Textile and Apparel Industry

Current definitions of social entrepreneurs appear limited in view, delineating social-entrepreneurs as outside elites with special qualities and their work to be complex and lavish. Definitions of social entrepreneurs fail to capture and illustrate the multitudes and diversity of social entrepreneurship. Thus, social entrepreneurship needs refashioning to address the multiple types of intentions (feasibility and desirability) to act, opportunities, and capacities. The present interpretation lacks a holistic standpoint. Using a scenario of analysis of the textile and apparel industry, it becomes evident that micro-entrepreneurs engage daily in solving the complex problem of poverty, unemployment, exploitation, and other social issues through self-employment. They are by their very nature practicing social entrepreneurship. The purpose of this concept paper is not to dispute current definitions of social entrepreneurs but to help make definitions more holistic, by recognizing the contributions of the multiple types of people and organization who attempt to solve societal concerns

Notch dimerization and gene dosage are important for normal heart development, intestinal stem cell maintenance, and splenic marginal zone B-cell homeostasis during mite infestation.

Cooperative DNA binding is a key feature of transcriptional regulation. Here we examined the role of cooperativity in Notch signaling by CRISPR-mediated engineering of mice in which neither Notch1 nor Notch2 can homo- or heterodimerize, essential for cooperative binding to sequence-paired sites (SPS) located near many Notch-regulated genes. Although most known Notch-dependent phenotypes were unaffected in Notch1/2 dimer-deficient mice, a subset of tissues proved highly sensitive to loss of cooperativity. These phenotypes include heart development, compromised viability in combination with low gene dose, and the gut, developing ulcerative colitis in response to 1% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). The most striking phenotypes-gender imbalance and splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma-emerged in combination with gene dose reduction or when challenged by chronic fur mite infestation. This study highlights the role of the environment in malignancy and colitis and is consistent with Notch-dependent anti-parasite immune responses being compromised in Notch dimer-deficient animals

TFOS: Unique challenges and unmet needs for the management of ocular surface diseases throughout the world

The mission of the Tear Film & Ocular Surface Society (TFOS) is to advance the research, literacy, and educational aspects of the scientific field of the tear film and ocular surface. Fundamental to fulfilling this mission is the TFOS Global Ambassador program. TFOS Ambassadors are dynamic and proactive experts, who help promote TFOS initiatives, such as presenting the conclusions and recommendations of the recent TFOS DEWS II™, throughout the world. They also identify unmet needs, and propose future clinical and scientific solutions, for management of ocular surface diseases in their countries. This meeting report addresses such needs and solutions for 25 European countries, as detailed in the TFOS European Ambassador meeting in Rome, Italy, in September 2019