The Leadership Factor in Management Education: Examining the Impact of an Industry Speakers Series on Leadership Efficacy in a Minority Serving MBA Program

Management education has changed considerably over the last few decades. MBA programs are coming to the realization that providing just quantitative and analytical training is insufficient. Upon conferral of their graduate degree, their alumni will add more value through their ability to lead and manage others than through their talents and abilities as individual contributors. In these more senior roles, an entirely different interpersonal skill set is required. However, faculty in one minority serving MBA program found that the “leadership efficacy factor” – self-confidence and belief in the ability to succeed as a leader – needed to first be addressed. One program that was recently implemented to impact students’ leadership efficacy was an industry speaker series. With the use of a pre- and postsurvey, this research will examine the findings and lessons learned from this progra

Strength of the Sweep: Exploring the Cleaning Culture of Black Women Consumers

This qualitative research study delves into the rich cleaning culture among Black women consumers, aiming to uncover the underlying motivations, beliefs, and practices that shape their household cleaning behaviors. Through in-depth interviews, the research explores how cultural heritage, community expectations, and personal empowerment inform Black women’s cleaning rituals and product preferences. The study employs a grounded theory approach to analyze participants’ narratives, revealing a complex interplay between societal norms, familial traditions, and individual agency. The findings highlight the role of cleaning as a form of self-expression, a means to preserve cultural legacy, and a powerful avenue for fostering a sense of control and pride within domestic spaces. By illuminating the unique perspectives and experiences of Black women in the realm of domestic cleanliness, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of consumer behavior. It offers valuable insights for brands aiming to engage with this community respectfully and authentically

Student and Faculty Preferences Regarding Instructional Modalities at an HBCU Business School as a Result of Covid-19 – A Change Management Approach and Mindset

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the higher education community, especially the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). At a micro-level, the HBCU business schools have felt the effects as well, particularly in critical areas such as instructional modalities and the overall classroom experience. Since COVID-19 has changed the educational game, what do key stakeholder groups now prefer regarding instructional modalities in the HBCU business school? This study will answer this question and more while incorporating a change management approach and mindset for leadership and decision-making

Serine Phosphorylation of L-Selectin Regulates ERM Binding, Clustering, and Monocyte Protrusion in Transendothelial Migration

The migration of circulating leukocytes toward damaged tissue is absolutely fundamental to the inflammatory response, and transendothelial migration (TEM) describes the first cellular barrier that is breached in this process. Human CD14(+) inflammatory monocytes express L-selectin, bestowing a non-canonical role in invasion during TEM. In vivo evidence supports a role for L-selectin in regulating TEM and chemotaxis, but the intracellular mechanism is poorly understood. The ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) proteins anchor transmembrane proteins to the cortical actin-based cytoskeleton and additionally act as signaling adaptors. During TEM, the L-selectin tail within transmigrating pseudopods interacts first with ezrin to transduce signals for protrusion, followed by moesin to drive ectodomain shedding of L-selectin to limit protrusion. Collectively, interaction of L-selectin with ezrin and moesin fine-tunes monocyte protrusive behavior in TEM. Using FLIM/FRET approaches, we show that ERM binding is absolutely required for outside-in L-selectin clustering. The cytoplasmic tail of human L-selectin contains two serine (S) residues at positions 364 and 367, and here we show that they play divergent roles in regulating ERM binding. Phospho-S364 blocks direct interaction with ERM, whereas molecular modeling suggests phospho-S367 likely drives desorption of the L-selectin tail from the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane to potentiate ERM binding. Serine-to-alanine mutagenesis of S367, but not S364, significantly reduced monocyte protrusive behavior in TEM under flow conditions. Our data propose a model whereby L-selectin tail desorption from the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and ERM binding are two separable steps that collectively regulate protrusive behavior in TEM

The F238L point mutation in the cannabinoid type 1 receptor enhances basal endocytosis via lipid rafts

Defining functional domains and amino acid residues in G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) represents an important way to improve rational drug design for this major class of drug targets. The cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor is one of the most abundant GPCRs in the central nervous system and is involved in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. Interestingly, mutagenesis of phenylalanine 238 to a leucine (CB1F238L) has been already linked to a number of both in vitro and in vivo alterations. While CB1F238L causes significantly reduced presynaptic neurotransmitter release at the cellular level, behaviorally this mutation induces increased risk taking, social play behavior and reward sensitivity in rats. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes are not fully understood. In this study, we tested whether the F238L mutation affects trafficking and axonal/presynaptic polarization of the CB1 receptor in vitro. Steady state or ligand modulated surface expression and lipid raft association was analyzed in HEK293 cells stably expressing either CB1wt or CB1F238L receptor. Axonal/presynaptic polarization of the CB1F238L receptor was assessed in transfected primary hippocampal neurons. We show that in vitro the CB1F238L receptor displays increased association with lipid rafts, which coincides with increased lipid raft mediated constitutive endocytosis, leading to a reduction in steady state surface expression of the CB1F238L receptor. Furthermore, the CB1F238L receptor showed increased axonal polarization in primary hippocampal neurons. These data demonstrate that endocytosis of the CB1 receptor is an important mediator of axonal/presynaptic polarization and that phenylalanine 238 plays a key role in CB1 receptor trafficking and axonal polarization

Full-length haplotype reconstruction to infer the structure of heterogeneous virus populations

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies enable new insights into the diversity of virus populations within their hosts. Diversity estimation is currently restricted to single-nucleotide variants or to local fragments of no more than a few hundred nucleotides defined by the length of sequence reads. To study complex heterogeneous virus populations comprehensively, novel methods are required that allow for complete reconstruction of the individual viral haplotypes. Here, we show that assembly of whole viral genomes of ∼8600 nucleotides length is feasible from mixtures of heterogeneous HIV-1 strains derived from defined combinations of cloned virus strains and from clinical samples of an HIV-1 superinfected individual. Haplotype reconstruction was achieved using optimized experimental protocols and computational methods for amplification, sequencing and assembly. We comparatively assessed the performance of the three NGS platforms 454 Life Sciences/Roche, Illumina and Pacific Biosciences for this task. Our results prove and delineate the feasibility of NGS-based full-length viral haplotype reconstruction and provide new tools for studying evolution and pathogenesis of viruse

The F238L Point Mutation in the Cannabinoid Type 1 Receptor Enhances Basal Endocytosis via Lipid Rafts

Defining functional domains and amino acid residues in G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) represent an important way to improve rational drug design for this major class of drug targets. The cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor is one of the most abundant GPCRs in the central nervous system and is involved in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. Interestingly, cannabinoid type 1 receptor with a phenylalanine 238 to leucine mutation (CB1F238L) has been already linked to a number of both in vitro and in vivo alterations. While CB1F238L causes significantly reduced presynaptic neurotransmitter release at the cellular level, behaviorally this mutation induces increased risk taking, social play behavior and reward sensitivity in rats. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes are not fully understood. In this study, we tested whether the F238L mutation affects trafficking and axonal/presynaptic polarization of the CB1 receptor in vitro. Steady state or ligand modulated surface expression and lipid raft association was analyzed in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells stably expressing either wild-type cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1wt) or CB1F238L receptor. Axonal/presynaptic polarization of the CB1F238L receptor was assessed in transfected primary hippocampal neurons. We show that in vitro the CB1F238L receptor displays increased association with lipid rafts, which coincides with increased lipid raft mediated constitutive endocytosis, leading to a reduction in steady state surface expression of the CB1F238L receptor. Furthermore, the CB1F238L receptor showed increased axonal polarization in primary hippocampal neurons. These data demonstrate that endocytosis of the CB1 receptor is an important mediator of axonal/presynaptic polarization and that phenylalanine 238 plays a key role in CB1 receptor trafficking and axonal polarization

miR-873-5p targets mitochondrialGNMT-Complex II interface contributing tonon-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Objective:Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a complex pathology in which several dysfunctions, including alterations in metabolicpathways, mitochondrial functionality and unbalanced lipid import/export, lead to lipid accumulation and progression to inflammation andfibrosis.The enzyme glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT), the most important enzyme implicated in S-adenosylmethionine catabolism in the liver, isdownregulated during NAFLD progression. We have studied the mechanism involved in GNMT downregulation by its repressor microRNA miR-873-5p and the metabolic pathways affected in NAFLD as well as the benefit of recovery GNMT expression.Methods:miR-873-5p and GNMT expression were evaluated in liver biopsies of NAFLD/NASH patients. Differentin vitroandin vivoNAFLD murinemodels were used to assess miR-873-5p/GNMT involvement in fatty liver progression through targeting of the miR-873-5p as NAFLD therapy.Results:We describe a new function of GNMT as an essential regulator of Complex II activity in the electron transport chain in the mitochondria.In NAFLD, GNMT expression is controlled by miR-873-5p in the hepatocytes, leading to disruptions in mitochondrial functionality in a preclinicalmurine non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) model. Upregulation of miR-873-5p is shown in the liver of NAFLD/NASH patients, correlating withhepatic GNMT depletion. Importantly, NASH therapies based on anti-miR-873-5p resolve lipid accumulation, inflammation andfibrosis byenhancing fatty acidb-oxidation in the mitochondria. Therefore, miR-873-5p inhibitor emerges as a potential tool for NASH treatment.Conclusion:GNMT participates in the regulation of metabolic pathways and mitochondrial functionality through the regulation of Complex II activityin the electron transport chain. In NAFLD, GNMT is repressed by miR-873-5p and its targeting arises as a valuable therapeutic option for treatment

The impact of the Fungus-Host-Microbiota interplay upon Candida albicans infections : current knowledge and new perspectives

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: We thank our friends and colleagues in the medical mycology, fungal immunology and microbiota fields for many thought-provoking discussions. FUNDING: We received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie action, Innovative Training Network: FunHoMic; grant N° 812969. CdE received funding from the French Government ‘Investissement d’Avenir’ program (Laboratoire d’Excellence Integrative Biology of Emerging Infectious Diseases, ANR-10-LABX-62-IBEID), the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ERA-Net Infect-ERA, FUNCOMPATH, ANR-14-IFEC-0004), the EU Horizon2020 consortium “Host-Directed Medicine in invasive FUNgal infections” - HDM-FUN (Grant Agreement 847507). SLL and CdE received funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (Sinergia program, #CRSII5_173863). BIOASTER received funding from the French Government ‘Investissement d’Avenir’ program (Grant No. ANR-10-AIRT-03). MSG was supported by a Humboldt Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Researchers by the Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) Emmy Noether Program (project no. 434385622 / GR 5617/1-1). BH was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) project Hu 532/20-1, project C1 within the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC)/Transregio 124 FungiNet and the Balance of the Microverse Cluster under Germany´s Excellence Strategy – EXC 2051 – Project-ID 390713860, the EU Horizon2020 consortium “Host-Directed Medicine in invasive FUNgal infections” - HDM-FUN (Grant Agreement 847507), the Leibniz Association Campus InfectoOptics SAS-2015-HKI-LWC and the Wellcome Trust (215599/Z/19/Z). IDJ was supported by the Deutsche orschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) project C5 within the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC)/Transregio 124 FungiNet and the Balance of the Microverse Cluster under Germany´s Excellence Strategy – EXC 2051 – Project-ID 390713860, the Leibniz Association Campus InfectoOptics SAS-2015-HKI-LWC and the Wellcome Trust (Grant 215599/Z/19/Z). CM received funding from the the Instituto de Salud Carlos III/FEDER. MGN was supported by an ERC Advanced Grant (#833247) and a Spinoza grant of the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research. CAM was supported by EU Horizon2020 consortium “Host-Directed Medicine in invasive FUNgal infections” -HDM-FUN (Grant Agreement 847507) and the Wellcome Trust Strategic Award for Medical Mycology and Fungal Immunology (097377/Z/11/Z). AWW receives core funding support from the Scottish Government’s Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS). AJPB was supported by a programme grant from the UK Medical Research Council (MR/M026663/1) and by the Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter (MR/N006364/1).Peer reviewedPublisher PD