The assumption of prospective responsibility in Corporate Social Responsibility discourse from the garment industry: a methodological proposal and discourse analysis of mechanisms for expressing responsibility assumption in CSR reports of some transnational clothing companies

Programa Oficial de Doutoramento en Lingüística e as súas Aplicacións. 522V01[Abstract] The practice of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been described as a (self)legitimisation exercise of corporations in society. This critical study of CSR discourse focuses on the reports by some transnational corporations of the garment industry. In order to provide an analysis tool, an innovative methodology in form of a 5-step coding system is developed and applied. The main interest lies in prospective statements in CSR reports. Such utterances are analysed for (i) the CSR topic they refer to, (ii) the as responsible presented social actor and their linguistic representation, and (iii) the force with which the corporation assumes its responsibilities. The objective is to reveal whether companies use specific linguistic mechanisms and content to dissociate themselves from their CSR responsibilities. The application of the method on an established corpus of CSR reports shows discursive patterns in which association mechanisms mainly emerge from who is presented as the responsible social actor, whereas dissociation mechanisms concern the supply chain, the linguistic representation of social actors, and the low amount of explicit responsibility assumption. Examining these findings from the textual analysis in their social context aids to understand how the corporation has become to be the dominant institution of today.[Resumo] A práctica da Responsabilidade Social Corporativa (RSC) ten sido descrita como un exercicio de (auto)lexitimación na sociedade por parte das corporacións. O presente estudo crítico do discurso da RSC céntrase nos informes dalgunhas empresas transnacionais da industria téxtil, e o seu obxectivo é descubrir se se utilizan certos mecanismos e contidos discursivos que axudan a desvincular a corporación das súas responsabilidades, definidas estas dentro do ámbito da RSC. Co fin de dispoñer dunha ferramenta de análise, desenvólvese e aplícase un método innovador que incorpora un sistema de codificación en cinco pasos. O interese principal céntrase nos enunciados prospectivos dos informes da RSC. Estes enunciados analízanse atendendo a: (i) o tema da RSC que tratan; (ii) o actor social que é presentado como responsable e a súa representación lingüística; e (iii) a forza coa que a corporación asume a súa responsabilidade. Ao aplicarmos este método nun corpus recoñecido de informes de RSC, atópanse patróns discursivos nos que os mecanismos de vinculación utilízanse para quen é presentado como actor social responsable, mentres que os mecanismos de desvinculación afectan aos provedores de insumos, á representación lingüística dos actores sociais e aos poucos casos nos que se asume explicitamente a responsabilidade. Ao examinarmos os resultados da análise discursiva no seu contexto social, entendemos mellor cómo a corporación logrou ser unha institución actualmente dominante.[Resumen] La práctica de la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa (RSC) ha sido descrita como un ejercicio de (auto)legitimación en la sociedad por parte de las corporaciones. El presente estudio crítico del discurso de la RSC se centra en los informes de algunas empresas multinacionales de la industria textil, y su objetivo es descubrir si se utilizan ciertos mecanismos y contenidos discursivos que ayudan a desvincular la corporación de sus responsabilidades, definidas estas dentro del ámbito de la RSC. Con el fin de disponer de una herramienta de análisis, se ha desarrollado y aplicado un método innovador que incorpora un sistema de codificación en cinco pasos. El interés principal se centra en los enunciados prospectivos de los informes de la RSC. Estos enunciados se analizan atendiendo a: (i) el tema de la RSC que tratan; (ii) el actor social que es presentado como responsable y su representación lingüística; y (iii) la fuerza con la que la corporación asume su responsabilidad. Al aplicar este método en un corpus reconocido de informes de RSC, se encuentran patrones discursivos en los que los mecanismos de vinculación se utilizan para quien es presentado como actor social responsable, mientras que los mecanismos de desvinculación afectan a los proveedores de insumos, a la representación lingüística de los actores sociales y a los pocos casos en que se asume explícitamente la responsabilidad. Al examinar los resultados del análisis discursivo en su contexto social, entendemos mejor cómo la corporación ha logrado ser una institución actualmente dominante

Non-malaria febrile illness

In Cambodia, the number of reported malaria cases, as well as case fatality rates, continue to decrease since the implementation of large scale malaria programs in the country 10 years ago. However, with the introduction and wide distribution of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria, it also turned out that in many of the clinically suspected malaria cases, no malaria parasites could be detected. As a first step towards developing an algorithm for malaria-RDT negative fever management at peripheral health posts, a cross-sectional, prospective, observational study was designed to investigate the causes of acute malaria-negative febrile illness in rural areas of Cambodia. From January 2008 to December 2010, 1475 study subjects were recruited in three different sites throughout the country. Among the study subjects, 1193 were febrile out-patients and 282 were non-febrile individuals who have been recruited as a control group. A battery of test was run on the samples in the central laboratory in Phnom Penh. In 73.2% of the 1193 febrile outpatient samples, at least one pathogen was identified. In 26.8% of these samples the etiology of the fever remained unknown. Most frequent pathogens detected by molecular diagnostics were P. vivax (26.4%), P. falciparum (20.7%), Leptospira (9.5%), Dengue Virus (5.4%), Influenza Virus A (5.9%), O. tsutsugamushi (3.7%), Influenza Virus B (1.8%), Rickettsia (0.2%) and bacteria from blood culture (Salmonella spp., E. coli, S. pneumoniae, E. cloacae) (0.8%). Conclusions: Malaria is still amongst the principal causes of undifferentiated fever in this setting, even though RDTs did not prove sufficient to diagnose cases of low parasitemia and infections with P. vivax. RDT-negative fever cases should be tested for malaria using microscopy or ideally PCR. If malaria is ruled out, diagnostic tools are needed to distinguish between either viral or bacterial etiology of the fever. Leptospirosis and rickettsial diseases showed to play an important role and are easily treatable with the right antibiotics. However, more research and better diagnstic tools are needed to understand and map the incidence of these diseases in Cambodia

Prognostic value of indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase in patients with higher‐risk myelodysplastic syndromes treated with azacytidine

Hypomethylating agents (HMAs) are widely used in patients with higher‐risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) not eligible for stem cell transplantation; however, the response rate is <50%. Reliable predictors of response are still missing, and it is a major challenge to develop new treatment strategies. One current approach is the combination of azacytidine (AZA) with checkpoint inhibitors; however, the potential benefit of targeting the immunomodulator indoleamine‐2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO‐1) has not yet been evaluated. We observed moderate to strong IDO‐1 expression in 37% of patients with high‐risk MDS. IDO‐1 positivity was predictive of treatment failure and shorter overall survival. Moreover, IDO‐1 positivity correlated inversely with the number of infiltrating CD8+ T cells, and IDO‐1+ patients failed to show an increase in CD8+ T cells under AZA treatment. In vitro experiments confirmed tryptophan catabolism and depletion of CD8+ T cells in IDO‐1+ MDS, suggesting that IDO‐1 expression induces an immunosuppressive microenvironment in MDS, thereby leading to treatment failure under AZA treatment. In conclusion, IDO‐1 is expressed in more than one‐third of patients with higher‐risk MDS, and is predictive of treatment failure and shorter overall survival. Therefore, IDO‐1 is emerging as a promising predictor and therapeutic target, especially for combination therapies with HMAs or checkpoint inhibitors

Climate change impacts on European arable crop yields: Sensitivity to assumptions about rotations and residue management

Most large scale studies assessing climate change impacts on crops are performed with simulations of single crops and with annual re-initialization of the initial soil conditions. This is in contrast to the reality that crops are grown in rotations, often with sizable proportion of the preceding crop residue to be left in the fields and varying soil initial conditions from year to year. In this study, the sensitivity of climate change impacts on crop yield and soil organic carbon to assumptions about annual model re-initialization, specification of crop rotations and the amount of residue retained in fields was assessed for seven main crops across Europe. Simulations were conducted for a scenario period 2040–2065 relative to a baseline from 1980 to 2005 using the SIMPLACE1 framework. Results indicated across Europe positive climate change impacts on yield for C3 crops and negative impacts for maize. The consideration of simulating rotations did not have a benefit on yield variability but on relative yield change in response to climate change which slightly increased for C3 crops and decreased for C4 crops when rotation was considered. Soil organic carbon decreased under climate change in both simulations assuming a continuous monocrop and plausible rotations by between 1% and 2% depending on the residue management strategy

Expression analyses of the mitochondrial complex I 75-kDa subunit in early onset schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder: increased levels as a potential biomarker for early onset schizophrenia

Searching for a peripheral biological marker for schizophrenia, we previously reported on elevated mitochondrial complex I 75-kDa subunit mRNA-blood concentrations in early onset schizophrenia (EOS). The aim of this study was to further evaluate the utility of this gene as a potential marker for schizophrenia. Both—schizophrenia and autism—are suggested to be neuronal maldevelopmental disorders with reports of mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress. Therefore we have investigated the expression levels of mitochondrial complex I 75-kDa subunit mRNA in whole blood of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) and a group of adolescent acute first-episode EOS patients in comparison to matched controls. We have found that compared to the respective controls only the group of EOS patients—and not the ASD group—showed a significantly altered expression of the complex I 75-kDa subunit mRNA. Although further studies are necessary to test for the specificity of this marker, our findings point to the potential use of the mitochondrial complex I as a biomarker for schizophrenia

Correlation of cytomorphology and histopathology in the diagnostic process of myeloid malignancies

Bone marrow cytomorphology and histopathology are the cornerstones for the initial diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and other related myeloid disorders. They provide a rapid first insight into diagnostic categories and thus help in clinical decision making. However, difficulties in the morphologic assessment of MDS exist due to inter- and intra-observer variability. In this study, we directly compared the results of cytomorphology and histopathology obtained in a real-world diagnostic scenario in 90 patients with myeloid malignancies aiming to evaluate their validity for diagnosing and classifying various myeloid malignancies. While both techniques placed 80% of our bone marrow samples into the same diagnostic category and thus showed a good correlation, our study also demonstrates the limitations in correlating marrow cytomorphology and histopathology, even following stringent and repetitive diagnostic assessments. This was particularly true for CMML, where not only additional diagnostic tools such as molecular genetics or clinical evaluation but also the analysis of the peripheral blood smears aided in finding the correct diagnosis. Overall, our data emphasize the need for a comprehensive diagnostic review in a patient-for-patient setting when a myeloid malignancy is suspected or confirmed. We propose that the combination of cytomorphologic and histopathologic assessment with clinical, laboratory, and genetic parameters is essential in achieving high diagnostic accuracy in an interdisciplinary setting

Quantitative proteomics at different depths in human articular cartilage reveals unique patterns of protein distribution

The articular cartilage of synovial joints ensures friction-free mobility and attenuates mechanical impact on the joint during movement. These functions are mediated by the complex network of extracellular molecules characteristic for articular cartilage. Zonal differences in the extracellular matrix (ECM) are well recognized. However, knowledge about the precise molecular composition in the different zones remains limited. In the present study, we investigated the distribution of ECM molecules along the surface-to-bone axis, using quantitative non-targeted as well as targeted proteomics.\ In a discovery approach, iTRAQ mass spectrometry was used to identify all extractable ECM proteins in the different layers of a human lateral tibial plateau full thickness cartilage sample. A targeted MRM mass spectrometry approach was then applied to verify these findings and to extend the analysis to four medial tibial plateau samples. In the lateral tibial plateau sample, the unique distribution patterns of 70 ECM proteins were identified, revealing groups of proteins with a preferential distribution to the superficial, intermediate or deep regions of articular cartilage. The detailed analysis of selected 29 proteins confirmed these findings and revealed similar distribution patterns in the four medial tibial plateau samples. The results of this study allow, for the first time, an overview of the zonal distribution of a broad range of cartilage ECM proteins and open up further investigations of the functional roles of matrix proteins in the different zones of articular cartilage in health and disease

Peripheral T Cell Cytokine Responses for Diagnosis of Active Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: A test for diagnosis of active Tuberculosis (TB) from peripheral blood could tremendously improve clinical management of patients. METHODS: Of 178 prospectively enrolled patients with possible TB, 60 patients were diagnosed with pulmonary and 27 patients with extrapulmonary TB. The frequencies of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) specific CD4(+) T cells and CD8(+) T cells producing cytokines were assessed using overnight stimulation with purified protein derivate (PPD) or early secretory antigenic target (ESAT)-6, respectively. RESULTS: Among patients with active TB, an increased type 1 cytokine profile consisting of mainly CD4(+) T cell derived interferon (IFN)-γ was detectable. Despite contributing to the cytokine profile as a whole, the independent diagnostic performance of one cytokine producing T cells as well as polyfunctional T cells was poor. IFN-γ/Interleukin(IL)-2 cytokine ratios discriminated best between active TB and other diseases. CONCLUSION: T cells producing one cytokine and polyfunctional T cells have a limited role in diagnosis of active TB. The significant shift from a "memory type" to an "effector type" cytokine profile may be useful for further development of a rapid immune-diagnostic tool for active TB

Rethinking patient’s chief complaint, research contributions developed by medical students to person-centered care

INTRODUCTION: Traditionally, anamnesis, or medical interviews, have been the main tools in diagnosing health issues and indicating therapeutic intervention. Medical interviews perform clinical methods and hence medical theory. OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we will present a learning experience process gained during an introductory course on research. METHODOLOGY: Based on a clinical report designed for the purposes of investigation, a group of students and an advisor analyzed the role of the chief complaint in providing healthcare. RESULTS: Students noticed the case did not express the chief complaint of the patient. In addition, there was difficulty in articulating social and biological data in the report. Such findings were discussed by the group considering the literature on medical interviews and the medical anthropology framework in order to broaden their understanding of subjective and sociocultural aspects of illness. CONCLUSION: Group discussions about the case and the literature made it possible to expand the students' understanding. We argue that taking into account the main complaints can reveal a complex range of sociocultural meanings and webs relevant to understanding the health concepts and practices of patients and their microsocial groups. In doing so, we hope to contribute to the debates around medical education and the appreciation of sociocultural aspects in health practices. And, thus, enrich the caregiver-patient relationship towards person-centered care