The Creation of an Inclusive Culture: A Case Study of the Midwestern Region of a Large Retail Banking Organization

Through a case study of the Midwestern region of a large retail banking organization, this thesis set out to explore how the organization has worked to create an inclusive culture, as well as the associated challenges, measurement opportunities and outcomes of those activities. Though this case study focused on these efforts across the Midwestern region, the organization itself is one ofAmerica’s largest financial institutions and employs over 275,000 team members. A comprehensive literature review, conceptual and relational content analyses of the organization’s website, and interviews with seven leaders from the region were used in this research. The results of this research coincide with existing theoretical literature and add a practical perspective that connects existing theory to practice. As Chavez & Weisinger (2008) suggest, an organization can create an inclusive culture by “draw[ing] out and act[ing] on the unique perspectives” of its diverse workforce (p. 332). This case study explores how a region of one organization has done this. More specifically, this study highlights the important roles that cultural awareness, affinity groups and diverse groups and communities have played in the creation of an inclusive culture within the organization. This study also addresses the array of measurements that the organization has used in gauging the success of its inclusion efforts. It also outlines a number of positive outcomes of the organization’s efforts, including affirmative community response and increased business development, among others. Furthermore, this study notes the challenges this organization has faced with time and support to create an inclusive culture. Lastly, this study also presents a number of opportunities for future research around the topic of inclusive culture

Distinct Steps of Neural Induction Revealed by Asterix, Obelix and TrkC, Genes Induced by Different Signals from the Organizer

The amniote organizer (Hensen's node) can induce a complete nervous system when grafted into a peripheral region of a host embryo. Although BMP inhibition has been implicated in neural induction, non-neural cells cannot respond to BMP antagonists unless previously exposed to a node graft for at least 5 hours before BMP inhibitors. To define signals and responses during the first 5 hours of node signals, a differential screen was conducted. Here we describe three early response genes: two of them, Asterix and Obelix, encode previously undescribed proteins of unknown function but Obelix appears to be a nuclear RNA-binding protein. The third is TrkC, a neurotrophin receptor. All three genes are induced by a node graft within 4–5 hours but they differ in the extent to which they are inducible by FGF: FGF is both necessary and sufficient to induce Asterix, sufficient but not necessary to induce Obelix and neither sufficient nor necessary for induction of TrkC. These genes are also not induced by retinoic acid, Noggin, Chordin, Dkk1, Cerberus, HGF/SF, Somatostatin or ionomycin-mediated Calcium entry. Comparison of the expression and regulation of these genes with other early neural markers reveals three distinct “epochs”, or temporal waves, of gene expression accompanying neural induction by a grafted organizer, which are mirrored by specific stages of normal neural plate development. The results are consistent with neural induction being a cascade of responses elicited by different signals, culminating in the formation of a patterned nervous system

Recurrent horizontal transfer identifies mitochondrial positive selection in a transmissible cancer

Abstract: Autonomous replication and segregation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) creates the potential for evolutionary conflict driven by emergence of haplotypes under positive selection for ‘selfish’ traits, such as replicative advantage. However, few cases of this phenomenon arising within natural populations have been described. Here, we survey the frequency of mtDNA horizontal transfer within the canine transmissible venereal tumour (CTVT), a contagious cancer clone that occasionally acquires mtDNA from its hosts. Remarkably, one canine mtDNA haplotype, A1d1a, has repeatedly and recently colonised CTVT cells, recurrently replacing incumbent CTVT haplotypes. An A1d1a control region polymorphism predicted to influence transcription is fixed in the products of an A1d1a recombination event and occurs somatically on other CTVT mtDNA backgrounds. We present a model whereby ‘selfish’ positive selection acting on a regulatory variant drives repeated fixation of A1d1a within CTVT cells

Somatic evolution and global expansion of an ancient transmissible cancer lineage

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T15:53:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-08-02GPD Charitable TrustLeverhulme TrustThe canine transmissible venereal tumor (CTVT) is a cancer lineage that arose several millennia ago and survives by “metastasizing” between hosts through cell transfer. The somatic mutations in this cancer record its phylogeography and evolutionary history. We constructed a time-resolved phylogeny from 546 CTVT exomes and describe the lineage's worldwide expansion. Examining variation in mutational exposure, we identify a highly context-specific mutational process that operated early in the cancer's evolution but subsequently vanished, correlate ultraviolet-light mutagenesis with tumor latitude, and describe tumors with heritable hyperactivity of an endogenous mutational process. CTVT displays little evidence of ongoing positive selection, and negative selection is detectable only in essential genes. We illustrate how long-lived clonal organisms capture changing mutagenic environments, and reveal that neutral genetic drift is the dominant feature of long-term cancer evolution.Transmissible Cancer Group Department of Veterinary Medicine University of CambridgeAnimal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC)World VetsAnimal Shelter Stichting Dierenbescherming SurinameSikkim Anti-Rabies and Animal Health Programme Department of Animal Husbandry Livestock Fisheries and Veterinary Services Government of SikkimRoyal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Roslin Institute University of Edinburgh Easter Bush CampusConserLab Animal Preventive Medicine Department Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences University of ChileCorozal Veterinary Hospital University of PanamáSt. George's UniversityNakuru District Veterinary Scheme LtdAnimal Medical CentreInternational Animal Welfare Training Institute UC Davis School of Veterinary MedicineCentro Universitário de Rio Preto (UNIRP)Department of Clinical and Veterinary Surgery São Paulo State University (UNESP)Ladybrand Animal ClinicVeterinary Clinic Sr. Dog'sWorld Vets Latin America Veterinary Training CenterNational Veterinary Research InstituteAnimal ClinicIntermunicipal Stray Animals Care Centre (DIKEPAZ)Animal Protection Society of SamoaFaculty of Veterinary Science University of ZuliaVeterinary Clinic BIOCONTROLFaculty of Veterinary Medicine School of Health Sciences University of ThessalyVeterinary Clinic El Roble Animal Healthcare Network Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences University of ChileOnevetGroup Hospital Veterinário BernaUniversidade Vila VelhaVeterinary Clinic ZoovetservisÉcole Inter-états des Sciences et Médecine Vétérinaires de DakarDepartment of Small Animal Medicine Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht UniversityVetexpert Veterinary GroupVeterinary Clinic Lopez QuintanaClinique Veterinaire de Grand Fond Saint Gilles les BainsDepartment of Veterinary Sciences University of MessinaFacultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia Universidad Autónoma del Estado de MéxicoSchool of Veterinary Medicine Universidad de las AméricasCancer Development and Innate Immune Evasion Lab Champalimaud Center for the UnknownTouray and Meyer Vet ClinicHillside Animal HospitalKampala Veterinary SurgeryAsavet Veterinary CharitiesVets Beyond BordersFaculty of Veterinary Medicine Autonomous University of YucatanLaboratorio de Patología Veterinaria Universidad de CaldasInterdisciplinary Centre of Research in Animal Health (CIISA) Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of LisbonFour Paws InternationalHelp in SufferingVeterinary Clinic Dr José RojasDepartment of Biotechnology Balochistan University of Information Technology Engineering and Management SciencesCorozal Veterinary ClinicVeterinary Clinic VetmasterState Hospital of Veterinary MedicineJomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and TechnologyLaboratory of Biomedicine and Regenerative Medicine Department of Clinical Sciences Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences University of ChileFaculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences University of MelbourneAnimal Anti Cruelty LeagueClinical Sciences Department Faculty of Veterinary Medicine BucharestDepartment of Pathology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Ankara UniversityFaculty of Veterinary Sciences National University of AsuncionLilongwe Society for Protection and Care of Animals (LSPCA)Wellcome Sanger InstituteDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Medicine University of California San DiegoDepartment of Clinical and Veterinary Surgery São Paulo State University (UNESP)Leverhulme Trust: 102942/Z/13/

Molecular characterization of Obelix.

<p><b>A.</b> Sequence alignment of Obelix protein (AY103477) with ESTs for EIF1A-related proteins from several species. Residues are displayed in different colours based on different aminoacid families and degree of homology is represented by conservation of these sites. Conserved OB-like domain is shown as a block in the alignment. Species are abbreviated as follows: ag, <i>Anopheles</i> mosquito (BM594550); bt, cow (BF043073); ce, <i>C. elegans</i> (AV203381); ci, <i>Ciona</i> (AV841463); dm, <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i> (BE977318); dr, zebrafish (BM859434); hs, human (BG149615); mm, mouse (BI103120); ss, pig (BG610103); rn, rat (BF420639); xl, <i>Xenopus laevis</i> (BG730245); xt, <i>Xenopus tropicalis</i> (AL637659). <b>B.</b> Phylogenetic tree with bootstrap values comparing the full-length sequences of Obelix in a variety of species, showing that eIF1A and Obelix segregate into two distinct sub-classes of OB-containing proteins. The LG model was used to construct the tree and bootstrap values were calculated from 1000 replicates.</p

Regulation of <i>Obelix</i> by various secreted factors.

<p><b>A–P</b>. The ability of various peptide factors to induce <i>Obelix</i> expression was tested by local application of beads soaked in the protein or pellets of COS-1 cells transfected with a construct encoding the factor into the area opaca of a host embryo (A). Examples of FGF4 beads (B), Chordin (C) and Noggin (D) cells, FGF8/control beads (E), Dickkopf (F), Cerberus (G) cells and HGF/SF beads (H) are shown. I–P show sections through the grafted region of the embryos in B–H at the levels indicated. <b>Q–U</b>. Co-transplantation of a quail Hensen's node with beads soaked in the FGF inhibitor SU5402 has little or no effect: Obelix is still induced (Q–U). Q shows a grafted embryo fixed after 6 hours, and R is an example of an embryo grown overnight after the graft. S–U are sections through these embryos at the levels indicated in Q and R. Quail cells are stained with QCPN (brown). Note that some probes attach non-specifically to some types of beads and to COS cell pellets (eg. panels K–H).</p

Expression of <i>Asterix</i> during development (continued).

<p>Sections through embryos at stages 4+−18, at the levels indicated in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0019157#pone-0019157-g003" target="_blank">Fig. 3</a>. Q shows a coronal section through an embryo at stage 16, showing expression in the notochord.</p

<i>Obelix</i> expression during early development.

<p>Expression of <i>Obelix</i> by in situ hybridization at stages 3+ (A), 5 (B), 7 (C) and 11 (D). E–G are sections through the levels shown in A–C. Expression is localized in the neural plate, neural tube and their derivatives.</p

Time-course of induction of <i>Obelix</i> by Hensen's node.

<p>Time-course of induction by grafts of a quail node into a chick host. No induction is seen at 2 hours (A), weak induction starts at 3 hours (B) and robust induction is seen by 5 hours (C). D–F are sections through the grafted regions of the embryos in A–C at the levels indicated. Quail donor cells are stained brick-red by QCPN antibody and <i>Obelix</i> mRNA in purple/blue.</p