Subsistence Entrepreneurship: The Role of Collaborative Innovation, Sustainability and Social Goals

There has been more interest in sustainability in an entrepreneurship setting. This has been the result of the perceived positive social benefits stemming from sustainable entrepreneurship. One of the fascinating areas of research about sustainable entrepreneurship is to understand how it has changed the nature of business. This will help provide policy insights to encourage more research into sustainable entrepreneurship. Traditionally entrepreneurship was considered purely a commercial activity, but this has changed with the advent of interest in social issues. This chapter furthers our understanding about the nature of sustainable entrepreneurship by providing an overview of emerging research trends. Important topics are discussed in a way that preempts the following chapters in the book

SEM and TEM Observation of the Surfaces of the Fine-Grained Particles Retrieved from the Muses-C Regio on the Asteroid 25413 Itokawa

Surface materials on airless solar system bodies exposed to interplanetary space are gradually changed their visible to near-infrared reflectance spectra by the process called "space weathering", which makes the spectra darker and redder. Hapke et al. proposed a model of space weathering: vapor deposition of nanophase reduced iron (npFe(sup 0)) on the surfaces of the grains within the very surface of lunar regolith. This model has been proved by detailed observation of the surfaces of the lunar soil grains by transmission electron microscope (TEM). They demonstrated that npFe(sup 0) was formed by a combination of vapor deposition and irradiation effects. In other words, both micrometeorite impacts and irradiation by solar wind and galactic cosmic ray play roles on the space weathering on the Moon. Because there is a continuum of reflectance spectra from those of Q-type asteroids (almost the same as those of ordinary chondrites) to those of S-type asteroids, it is strongly suggested that reflectance spectra of asteroids composed of ordinary chondrite-like materials were modified over time to those of S-type asteroids due to space weathering. It is predicted that a small amount of npFe(sup 0) on the surface of grains in the asteroidal regolith composed of ordinary chondrite-like materials is the main agent of asteroidal space weathering

New Approach for M-Cell-Specific Molecules Screening by Comprehensive Transcriptome Analysis

A minor population of M cells within the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of intestinal Peyer's patches (PPs) serves as a major portal for entry of exogenous antigens. Characterization of the mammalian M cells, including identification of M-cell surface molecules used for bacterial uptake, has been hampered by their relative rarity. In contrast, M cells constitute virtually all of the FAE cells in the avian bursa of Fabricius. We therefore performed comparative gene expression profiling of chicken and murine FAE to identify commonly expressed genes by M cells in both species. The comprehensive transcriptome analysis revealed that 28 genes were commonly up-regulated in FAE from both species. In situ hybridization revealed that annexin A10 (Anxa10) mRNA was scattered in FAE, and co-localized with Ulex europaeus agglutinin-1 binding to M cells. Whole-mount immunostaining also revealed that cellular prion protein (PrPC) was expressed on the luminal side of the apical plasma membrane of M cells, and co-localized with grycoprotein 2 that recognizes only M cells in murine PP. Our findings identify new M-cell-specific molecules through using comprehensive transcriptome analysis. These conserved molecules in M cells of mice and chickens may play essential roles in M-cell function and/or differentiation

Cost-effectiveness analysis of malaria chemoprophylaxis for travellers to West-Africa

BACKGROUND: The importation of malaria to non-endemic countries remains a major cause of travel-related morbidity and a leading cause of travel-related hospitalizations. Currently they are three priority medications for malaria prophylaxis to West Africa: mefloquine, atovaquone/proguanil and doxycycline. We investigate the cost effectiveness of a partial reimbursement of the cheapest effective malaria chemoprophylaxis (mefloquine) for travellers to high risk areas of malaria transmission compared with the current situation of no reimbursement. METHODS: This study is a cost-effectiveness analysis based on malaria cases imported from West Africa to Switzerland from the perspective of the Swiss health system. We used a decision tree model and made a literature research on the components of travel related malaria. The main outcome measure was the cost effectiveness of malaria chemoprophylaxis reimbursement based on malaria and deaths averted. RESULTS: Using a program where travellers would be reimbursed for 80% of the cost of the cheapest malaria chemoprophylaxis is dominant (i.e. cost saving and more effective than the current situation) using the assumption that currently 68.7% of travellers to West Africa use malaria chemoprophylaxis. If the current usage of malaria chemoprophylaxis would be higher, 82.4%, the incremental cost per malaria case averted is € 2'302. The incremental cost of malaria death averted is € 191'833.The most important factors influencing the model were: the proportion of travellers using malaria chemoprophylaxis, the probability of contracting malaria without malaria chemoprophylaxis, the cost of the mefloquine regimen, the decrease in the number of travellers without malaria chemoprophylaxis in the reimbursement strategy. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that a reimbursement of 80% of the cost of the cheapest effective malaria chemoprophylaxis (mefloquine) for travellers from Switzerland to West Africa is highly effective in terms of malaria cases averted and is cost effective to the Swiss health system. These data are relevant to discussions about the cost effectiveness of malaria chemoprophylaxis reimbursement for vulnerable groups such as those visiting friends and relatives who have the highest risk of malaria, who are least likely to use chemoprophylaxis

The effectiveness of public health interventions to reduce the health impact of climate change:a systematic review of systematic reviews

Climate change is likely to be one of the most important threats to public health in the coming years. Yet despite the large number of papers considering the health impact of climate change, few have considered what public health interventions may be of most value in reducing the disease burden. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of public health interventions to reduce the disease burden of high priority climate sensitive diseases

STXM-XANES Analysis of Organic Matter in Dark Clasts and Halite Crystals in Zag and Monahans Meteorites

Zag and Monahans meteorites (H5) contains xenolithic dark clasts and halite (NaCl) crystals [e.g., 1]. The proposed source of the H chondrites is asteroid 6 Hebe [2]. The modern orbits of 1 Ceres and 6 Hebe essentially cross, with aphelion/perihelion of Ceres and Hebe of 2.99/2.55 and 2.91/1.94 AU (Astronomical Units), respectively. Therefore, Ceres might be the source of the clasts and halite in Zag and Monahans meteorites. Recent results from NASA's Dawn mission shows that bright spots in Ceres's crater may be hydrated magnesium sulfate with some water ice, and an average global surface contains ammoniated phyllosilicates that is likely of outer Solar System origin. One dark clast and all halite crystals in Zag and Monahans meteorites contain carbon-rich particles. We report organic analyses of these carbon-rich particles using carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen X-ray absorption near edge structure (C-, N-, and O-XANES), in order to constrain the origin of the clast and halite crystals

The functional maturation of M cells is dramatically reduced in the Peyer's patches of aged mice

The transcytosis of antigens across the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of Peyer's patches by microfold cells (M cells) is important for the induction of efficient immune responses to mucosal antigens. The mucosal immune response is compromised by ageing, but effects on M cells were unknown. We show that M-cell density in the FAE of aged mice was dramatically reduced. As a consequence, aged Peyer's patches were significantly deficient in their ability to transcytose particulate lumenal antigen across the FAE. Ageing specifically impaired the expression of Spi-B and the downstream functional maturation of M cells. Ageing also dramatically impaired C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 expression by the FAE. As a consequence, fewer B cells were attracted towards the FAE, potentially reducing their ability to promote M-cell maturation. Our study demonstrates that ageing dramatically impedes the functional maturation of M cells, revealing an important ageing-related defect in the mucosal immune system's ability to sample lumenal antigens

Microfold (M) cells: important immunosurveillance posts in the intestinal epithelium

The transcytosis of antigens across the gut epithelium by microfold cells (M cells) is important for the induction of efficient immune responses to some mucosal antigens in Peyer’s patches. Recently, substantial progress has been made in our understanding of the factors that influence the development and function of M cells. This review highlights these important advances, with particular emphasis on: the host genes which control the functional maturation of M cells; how this knowledge has led to the rapid advance in our understanding of M-cell biology in the steady-state and during aging; molecules expressed on M cells which appear to be used as “immunosurveillance” receptors to sample pathogenic microorganisms in the gut; how certain pathogens appear to exploit M cells to infect the host; and finally how this knowledge has been used to specifically target antigens to M cells to attempt to improve the efficacy of mucosal vaccines

M cell-depletion blocks oral prion disease pathogenesis

Many prion diseases are orally acquired. Our data show that after oral exposure, early prion replication upon follicular dendritic cells (FDC) in Peyer's patches is obligatory for the efficient spread of disease to the brain (termed neuroinvasion). For prions to replicate on FDC within Peyer's patches after ingestion of a contaminated meal, they must first cross the gut epithelium. However, the mechanism through which prions are conveyed into Peyer's patches is uncertain. Within the follicle-associated epithelium overlying Peyer's patches are microfold cells (M cells), unique epithelial cells specialized for the transcytosis of particles. We show that following M cell-depletion, early prion accumulation upon FDC in Peyer's patches is blocked. Furthermore, in the absence of M cells at the time of oral exposure, neuroinvasion and disease development are likewise blocked. These data suggest M cells are important sites of prion uptake from the gut lumen into Peyer's patches