Learning from the Anthropocene: Adaptive Epistemology and Complexity in Strategic Managerial Thinking

open access articleTurbulence experienced in the business and social realms resonates with turbulence unfolding throughout the biosphere, as a process of accelerating change at the stratigraphic scale termed the Anthropocene. The Anthropocene is understood as a multi‐dimensional limit point, one dimension of which concerns the limits to the lineal epistemology prevalent since the Age of the Enlightenment. This paper argues that future conditions necessitate the updating of a lineal epistemology through a transition towards resilience thinking that is both adaptive and ecosystemic. A management paradigm informed by the recognition of multiple equilibria states distinguished by thresholds, and incorporating adaptive and resilience thinking is considered. This paradigm is thought to enhance flexibility and the capacity to absorb influences without crossing thresholds into alternate stable, but less desirable, states. One consequence is that evaluations of success may change, and these changes are considered and explored as likely on‐going challenges businesses must grapple with into the future

Emerging PCR-based techniques to study HIV-1 reservoir persistence

While current antiretroviral therapies are able to halt HIV-1 progression, they are not curative, as an interruption of treatment usually leads to viral rebound. The persistence of this stable HIV-1 latent reservoir forms the major barrier in HIV-1 cure research. The need for a better understanding of the mechanisms behind reservoir persistence resulted in the development of several novel assays allowing to perform an extensive in-depth characterization. The objective of this review is to present an overview of the current state-of-the-art PCR-based technologies to study the replication-competent HIV-1 reservoir. Here, we outline the advantages, limitations, and clinical relevance of different approaches. Future HIV-1 eradication studies would benefit from information-rich, high-throughput assays as they provide a more efficient and standardized way of characterizing the persisting HIV-1 reservoir

De dierentuin van Brussel: spiegel van de negentiende-eeuwse modes of thought betreffende stad, wetenschap en vermaak

In de negentiende eeuw werden vier dierentuinen opgericht in België. De Antwerpse Zoo werd opgericht in 1843 en kreeg navolging in Gent, Brussel (beiden 1851) en Luik (1865). De Brusselse zoo werd opgevat als “salon public” om een mooie wandeling te bieden, verrijkt met een verzameling dieren om de verveling tegen te gaan en de wetenschappelijke interesse op te wekken. Meer nog dan een op archieven gebaseerde feitelijke geschiedenis, wil dit artikel de zoo kaderen in de tijdsgeest en de modes of thought in de negentiende eeuw. De zoo profileerde zich als wetenschappelijke instelling in de stad, met aandacht voor (theoretische) classificatie en (praktische) acclimatisatie. De culturele activiteiten vormden, misschien meer nog dan de dieren, een populaire aantrekkingspool voor de burgerij.Au cours du dix-neuvième siècle, quatre jardins zoologiques furent créés en Belgique. Le Zoo d’Anvers fondé en 1843, fut suivi de ceux de Gand, de Bruxelles (tous deux en 1851) et de Liège (1865). Le zoo de Bruxelles fut conçu comme un « salon public » propice à la promenade, assorti d’une collection d’animaux destinée à divertir et à susciter l’intérêt scientifique. L’objet de cet article est non seulement d’exposer des faits historiques à partir des archives, mais aussi de placer le zoo dans l’esprit et les modes de pensée du dix-neuvième siècle. Le zoo était vu comme une institution scientifique urbaine, centrée sur la classification (théorique) et l’acclimatation (pratique). Plus encore peut-être que les animaux, les activités culturelles constituaient un pôle d’attraction apprécié de la bourgeoisie.In the 19th century, four zoological gardens were created in Belgium. The first was founded in Antwerp in 1843, followed by Ghent, Brussels (both in 1851) and Liège (1865). The Brussels zoo was conceived as a “salon public”, a public parlour offering nice walks, enlivened with an animal collection to ward off boredom and stimulate scientific interest. This article, more than a factual history based on archives, attempts to place the zoo in the spirit of the age and the modes of thought of the 19th century. The zoo profiled itself as a scientific institution in the city, engaging in (theoretical) classification and (practical) acclimatization. Its cultural activities, perhaps even more than its animals, made it a popular attraction for the middle classes

Le Jardin zoologique de Bruxelles : miroir des modes de pensée du dix-neuvième siècle sur la ville, la science et les loisirs

Au cours du dix-neuvième siècle, quatre jardins zoologiques furent créés en Belgique. Le Zoo d’Anvers fondé en 1843, fut suivi de ceux de Gand, de Bruxelles (tous deux en 1851) et de Liège (1865). Le zoo de Bruxelles fut conçu comme un « salon public » propice à la promenade, assorti d’une collection d’animaux destinée à divertir et à susciter l’intérêt scientifique. L’objet de cet article est non seulement d’exposer des faits historiques à partir des archives, mais aussi de placer le zoo dans l’esprit et les modes de pensée du dix-neuvième siècle. Le zoo était vu comme une institution scientifique urbaine, centrée sur la classification (théorique) et l’acclimatation (pratique). Plus encore peut-être que les animaux, les activités culturelles constituaient un pôle d’attraction apprécié de la bourgeoisie.In the 19th century, four zoological gardens were created in Belgium. The first was founded in Antwerp in 1843, followed by Ghent, Brussels (both in 1851) and Liège (1865). The Brussels zoo was conceived as a “salon public”, a public parlour offering nice walks, enlivened with an animal collection to ward off boredom and stimulate scientific interest. This article, more than a factual history based on archives, attempts to place the zoo in the spirit of the age and the modes of thought of the 19th century. The zoo profiled itself as a scientific institution in the city, engaging in (theoretical) classification and (practical) acclimatization. Its cultural activities, perhaps even more than its animals, made it a popular attraction for the middle classes.In de negentiende eeuw werden vier dierentuinen opgericht in België. De Antwerpse Zoo werd opgericht in 1843 en kreeg navolging in Gent, Brussel (beiden 1851) en Luik (1865). De Brusselse zoo werd opgevat als “salon public” om een mooie wandeling te bieden, verrijkt met een verzameling dieren om de verveling tegen te gaan en de wetenschappelijke interesse op te wekken. Meer nog dan een op archieven gebaseerde feitelijke geschiedenis, wil dit artikel de zoo kaderen in de tijdsgeest en de modes of thought in de negentiende eeuw. De zoo profileerde zich als wetenschappelijke instelling in de stad, met aandacht voor (theoretische) classificatie en (praktische) acclimatisatie. De culturele activiteiten vormden, misschien meer nog dan de dieren, een populaire aantrekkingspool voor de burgerij

The elusive source of HIV-1 rebound after treatment interruption

Identifying the source of viral rebound during a monitored analytical treatment interruption (ATI) would reveal potential targets for cure strategies. Therefore, we examined the genetic composition of proviral DNA in different subsets from participants on antiretroviral therapy and compared this to rebounding virus after an ATI. Eleven participants underwent a monitored ATI and were sampled from different anatomical sites prior to and after the ATI. From the peripheral blood, Naïve (TNA), central (TCM), transitional (TTM) and effector (TEM) memory CD4+ T cells were sorted as were CD45 cells from gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). Using single-genome sequencing (SGS) the env region of HIV DNA and plasma-derived RNA was sequenced. In an ongoing study, Full-Length Individual Proviral Sequencing (FLIPS) and Integration Site Loop Amplification (ISLA) assays were performed on the T cell subsets from 2 participants. For participant STAR10, 87 integration sites (IS) and 113 proviral genomes were sequenced while only 3 unique intact proviruses (3%) were identified. A cluster of 17 identical defective proviruses were linked to an IS (9% of all IS) in STAT5B located in TCM, TNA, TEM and TTM. When comparing the FLIPS to SGS env sequences a 100% match was found between one defective provirus and one plasma HIV RNA sequence after rebound. For participant STAR11, 37 IS and 105 proviral genomes were sequenced yielding 14 intact proviruses (13%) with the highest proportion found predominantly in the TEM subset (n=13, 45%). Four different clusters of identical sequences could be identified of which 2 (n=3 and n=9) consisted of intact TEM sequences with the smaller cluster linked to an IS in ZNF274. A 99% match between 2 env from rebounding plasma RNA and this smaller cluster of intact proviral genomes was identified. Comparing proviral sequences and their IS to plasma-derived RNA sequences after an ATI reveals additional information in terms of the source of viral rebound. However, this comparison is complicated by multiple factors. For example, we found a plasma-derived RNA sequence obtained during viral rebound matched a defective proviral sequence which highlights the problem of using one HIV RNA subgenomic region for identifying replication-competent virus. In addition, ongoing viral replication during rebound may prevent a 100% match with genetically intact proviral sequences making it challenging to determine the absolute source of rebound

Low carbon futures: assessing the status of decarbonisation efforts at universities within a 2050 perspective

https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/21924 © The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.Background The implementation of sustainability at universities means that they can also play a key role in the transition to a low carbon economy, and in assisting global efforts towards decarbonisation. Yet, not all of them have so far fully engaged in this area. This paper reviews the state of the art on trends in decarbonisation, and outlines the need for decarbonisation efforts at universities. It also reports on a survey aimed at ascertaining the extent to which universities in a sample of 40 countries across the various geographical regions are engaged in carbon reduction efforts, identifying the challenges faced. Results The study has shown that the literature on the topic has been evolving over time and that increasing a given university’s energy supply from renewable energy sources has been the cornerstone of university-based climate action plans. The study also indicates that even though several universities are concerned with their carbon footprint and actively seeking ways to reduce it, there are some institutional obstacles that need to be overcome. Conclusions A first conclusion which can be drawn is that efforts on decarbonisation are becoming more popular, with a special focus being placed on the use of renewable energy. Also, the study has shown that, from the range of efforts being made towards decarbonisation, many universities are setting up a team with carbon management responsibilities, have Carbon Management Policy Statements, and review them. The paper points towards some measures which may be deployed, so as to allow universities to take better advantage of the many opportunities an engagement in decarbonisation initiatives offers to them.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Whole-genome sequencing reveals a coding non-pathogenic variant tagging a non-coding pathogenic hexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9orf72 as cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Motor neuron degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has a familial cause in 10% of patients. Despite significant advances in the genetics of the disease, many families remain unexplained. We performed whole-genome sequencing in five family members from a pedigree with autosomal-dominant classical ALS. A family-based elimination approach was used to identify novel coding variants segregating with the disease. This list of variants was effectively shortened by genotyping these variants in 2 additional unaffected family members and 1500 unrelated population-specific controls. A novel rare coding variant in SPAG8 on chromosome 9p13.3 segregated with the disease and was not observed in controls. Mutations in SPAG8 were not encountered in 34 other unexplained ALS pedigrees, including 1 with linkage to chromosome 9p13.2–23.3. The shared haplotype containing the SPAG8 variant in this small pedigree was 22.7 Mb and overlapped with the core 9p21 linkage locus for ALS and frontotemporal dementia. Based on differences in coverage depth of known variable tandem repeat regions between affected and non-affected family members, the shared haplotype was found to contain an expanded hexanucleotide (GGGGCC)n repeat in C9orf72 in the affected members. Our results demonstrate that rare coding variants identified by whole-genome sequencing can tag a shared haplotype containing a non-coding pathogenic mutation and that changes in coverage depth can be used to reveal tandem repeat expansions. It also confirms (GGGGCC)n repeat expansions in C9orf72 as a cause of familial ALS

Drivers of the terrestrial cyanobacterial community composition in the Sør Rondane Mountains, East Antarctica

The sparse ice-free regions of Antarctica harbor diverse microbial communities that can vary significantly between regions and micro-climatic conditions. The factors responsible for the diversity and community structure in inland nunataks of East Antarctica are still poorly understood. During the BELSPO MICROBIAN project, three sampling campaigns took place in the Sør Rondane Mountains during the austral summers of 2018, 2019 and 2020, resulting in more than 100 samples ranging from different types of barren bedrock to substrates covered by biofilms and well-developed biological soil crusts including lichens, mosses, microalgae and/or cyanobacteria. Cyanobacterial diversity was assessed by amplicon sequencing targeting the V3-V4 variable region of the 16S rRNA gene with cyanobacteria-specific primers using the Illumina MiSeq platform (2x300 bp). The recently developed CyanoSeq database was used for the taxonomic affiliation of the OTUs (99% similarity threshold). Whilst favorable habitats, such as sheltered spots in rocky areas, enhance the development of different kinds of cyanobacterial crusts, cyanobacteria were present even in the most extreme ones. Granitic soils were dominated by very diverse cyanobacterial crusts, mostly composed by filamentous cyanobacteria of the Leptolynbyaceae, Oculatellaceae and Microcoleaceae families, and by Nostocaceae. Most abundant OTUs on gneiss bedrock were from the Cyanothecaceae and Microcoleaceae. In contrast, marble soils were dominated almost exclusively by the Chroococcidiopsaceae family. Moraine samples from very dry areas were mainly characterized by members of the Gomontiellaceae family whereas moraine samples taken close to a lake were rich in filamentous taxa as well, mostly belonging to the Leptolynbyaceae, Oculatellaceae and Gomontiellaceae families. Next to bedrock type, other abiotic variables such as pH, NO3 and TOC were especially important drivers of the community composition in each sampled site.MICROBIAN15. Life on lan