International Diversification of the Lower 400 Firms of the S&P 500 Index

E. Tylor Claggett, Ph.D., CFA, is professor of finance at Salisbury University in Salidsby, MD 21801-6860. He also serves as the director of the Financial Planning track within the Department of Economics and Finance of the Perdue School of Business. Danny M. Ervin, Ph.D., is associate professor of finance at Salisbury University in Salisbury, MD 21801-6820. He also serves as the director so the Shore Energy Center within the Department of Economics and Finance of the Perdue School of Business

Current and Potential Treatments for Reducing Campylobacter Colonization in Animal Hosts and Disease in Humans

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of bacteria-derived gastroenteritis worldwide. In the developed world, Campylobacter is usually acquired by consuming undercooked poultry, while in the developing world it is often obtained through drinking contaminated water. Once consumed, the bacteria adhere to the intestinal epithelium or mucus layer, causing toxin-mediated inhibition of fluid reabsorption from the intestine and invasion-induced inflammation and diarrhea. Traditionally, severe or prolonged cases of campylobacteriosis have been treated with antibiotics; however, overuse of these antibiotics has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. As the incidence of antibiotic resistance, emergence of post-infectious diseases, and economic burden associated with Campylobacter increases, it is becoming urgent that novel treatments are developed to reduce Campylobacter numbers in commercial poultry and campylobacteriosis in humans. The purpose of this review is to provide the current status of present and proposed treatments to combat Campylobacter infection in humans and colonization in animal reservoirs. These treatments include anti- Campylobacter compounds, probiotics, bacteriophage, vaccines, and anti -Campylobacter bacteriocins, all of which may be successful at reducing the incidence of campylobacteriosis in humans and/or colonization loads in poultry. In addition to reviewing treatments, we will also address several proposed targets that may be used in future development of novel anti- Campylobacter treatments

Development of cGMP manufacturing processes for the large-scale production of cell-based therapies for commercial applications

The landmark discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) ushered in a new era of cell and gene-based therapies and their potentially curative nature for a number of devastating diseases and disorders. This has resulted in a large number of clinical trials being initiated for the use of cell-based therapies for the treatment of various diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Type I diabetes, and large B-cell lymphoma. Additionally, the recent approval of therapies using immune cells and their success in the clinic are positive indicators of the commercial applicability of cell-based therapies. However, in order to reach the market it is necessary to develop industrialized cGMP manufacturing processes that are scalable, robust and reliable and can meet commercial demands. In addition, for a commercial process it is important to have a good understanding of the critical process parameters (CPPs) and their impact on the critical quality attributes (CQAs) of the final therapeutic product. Lonza has approached the development of industrialized bioprocesses with focus on (1) the development of cGMP manufactured, quality-assured cell bank processes (e.g. iPSC manufacturing process utilizing a robust cell culture system), (2) implementation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to aid in scaling culture systems, (3) implementation of process analytical technologies (PAT) to monitor/control the culture conditions and automation to decrease labor and improve reproducibility of the process, (4) utilizing a standard approach to performing process characterization studies based on a failure mode and affects analysis (FMEA) to identify modes of failure, risks and mitigations and aid in commercial readiness, and (5) the development, optimization and qualification of analytical methods to characterize the state of the cultures and support release of cell-based products. Importantly, the development of analytical methods that can demonstrate the characteristics and potency of the final drug product as it relates to its in vivo mechanism of action are critical. In this respect, Lonza has developed a library of robust / qualified analytical methods that can be assessed and utilized for different clinical programs in order to support commercial activities. Here, we will discuss how we have applied our unique approach to support the industrialization of cell-based therapies for applications utilizing iPSCs and T-cells.

The value of diversity in cognitive science

A recent article (Núñez et al., 2019) claims that cognitive science, while starting off as a multidisciplinary enterprise, has “failed to transition to a mature inter‐disciplinary coherent field.” Two indicators reported in support of this claim target one of the two journals of the Cognitive Science Society, Cognitive Science , depicting cognitive science as an increasingly monodisciplinary subfield which is dominated by psychology. With a focus on the society's other journal, Topics in Cognitive Science , the present commentary reveals a greater degree of interdisciplinarity and discusses the relative values of diversity and integration for the field.publishedVersio

Myocardial work and left ventricular mechanical adaptations following isometric exercise training in hypertensive patients

Purpose Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Isometric exercise training (IET) reduces resting and ambulatory blood pressure; however, few studies have investigated the myocardial adaptations following IET. Methods We randomly assigned 24 unmedicated hypertensive patients in a cross-over study design to 4-weeks of IET and control period, separated by a 3-week washout period. Speckle tracking echocardiography was used to measure left ventricular (LV) mechanics, and global myocardial work indices were derived from non-invasive LV pressure-strain loops constructed from global longitudinal strain (GLS) indexed to brachial systolic blood pressure. Results IET significantly improved GLS (− 2.3 ± 2%, p < 0.001) and global work efficiency (2.8 ± 2%, p < 0.001), and significantly reduced global wasted work (− 42.5 ± 30 mmHg%, p < 0.001) with no significant change during the control period. Conclusions This is the first evidence to demonstrate that IET significantly improved cardiac health in a relevant patient population. Our findings have important clinical implications for patients with high blood pressure and support the role of IET as a safe and viable therapeutic and preventative intervention in the treatment of hypertension

West-East Convergence in the Prevalence of Illicit Drugs: Socioeconomics or Culture?

In contrast to West-Germany, illicit drugs were virtually absent in the East-Germany until 1990. Yet, after the collapse of the former GDR, East-Germany was expected to encounter a sharp increase in the prevalence of substance abuse. By analyzing individual data, we find that East-Germany largely caught up with West-Germany?s ever-growing prevalence of illicit drugs within a single decade. We decompose the west-east difference in prevalence rates into an explained and an unexplained part using a modified Blinder-Oaxaca procedure. This decomposition suggests that the observed convergence is just weakly related to socioeconomic characteristics and therefore remains mainly unexplained. That is, West- and East-Germans seem to have become more alike per se. We conclude that both parts of the country have converged in terms of the culture of drug consumption

Primordialists and Constructionists: a typology of theories of religion

This article adopts categories from nationalism theory to classify theories of religion. Primordialist explanations are grounded in evolutionary psychology and emphasize the innate human demand for religion. Primordialists predict that religion does not decline in the modern era but will endure in perpetuity. Constructionist theories argue that religious demand is a human construct. Modernity initially energizes religion, but subsequently undermines it. Unpacking these ideal types is necessary in order to describe actual theorists of religion. Three distinctions within primordialism and constructionism are relevant. Namely those distinguishing: a) materialist from symbolist forms of constructionism; b) theories of origins from those pertaining to the reproduction of religion; and c) within reproduction, between theories of religious persistence and secularization. This typology helps to make sense of theories of religion by classifying them on the basis of their causal mechanisms, chronology and effects. In so doing, it opens up new sightlines for theory and research

Evolutionary History of Hunter-Gatherer Marriage Practices

Background: The universality of marriage in human societies around the world suggests a deep evolutionary history of institutionalized pair-bonding that stems back at least to early modern humans. However, marriage practices vary considerably from culture to culture, ranging from strict prescriptions and arranged marriages in some societies to mostly unregulated courtship in others, presence to absence of brideservice and brideprice, and polyandrous to polygynous unions. The ancestral state of early human marriage is not well known given the lack of conclusive archaeological evidence. Methodology: Comparative phylogenetic analyses using data from contemporary hunter-gatherers around the world may allow for the reconstruction of ancestral human cultural traits. We attempt to reconstruct ancestral marriage practices using hunter-gatherer phylogenies based on mitochondrial DNA sequences. Results: Arranged marriages are inferred to go back at least to first modern human migrations out of Africa. Reconstructions are equivocal on whether or not earlier human marriages were arranged because several African hunter-gatherers have courtship marriages. Phylogenetic reconstructions suggest that marriages in early ancestral human societies probably had low levels of polygyny (low reproductive skew) and reciprocal exchanges between the families of marital partners (i.e., brideservice or brideprice). Discussion: Phylogenetic results suggest a deep history of regulated exchange of mates and resources among lineages tha