Editorial: Advancing our commitment to antiracist scholarship

Social work prides itself as a profession committed to improving the lives of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. Achieving this mission requires candid conversations about racism as a social justice and public health issue and the role of social work in dismantling white supremacy and promoting racial justice. At its core, research on social work practice and policy should focus on examining how racism and inequality undermine the health, well-being, and social mobility of diverse and marginalized populations. We write this statement as a call to social work researchers to prioritize pursuits that will surface and motivate action to address the causes and consequences of racism. We also call on researchers to renew their commitment to scholarship that alleviates the suffering in Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color

The convergence of the concepts of academic and inclusive excellence at research universities

Introduction. In the 21st century, there is an active involvement of universities in inclusive processes; however, against the backdrop of increasing diversity, new types of inequality arise in higher education. The processes of transformation of organisational cultures in universities and their research agenda under the influence of inclusion need to be studied.The aim of the present research was to analyse the convergence of concepts of academic and inclusive excellence in foreign universities of the world level, the impact of convergence on their missions, the values expressed in official strategies, the research agenda and the infrastructure of scientific collaborations.Methodology and research methods. The authors conducted a content analysis of three strategies of world-class University associations (the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the Association of Universities in Canada, the League of European Research Universities), nine strategies for the development of universities in the USA and Canada, the European Union, and Australia. A scientometric analysis of Web of Science metadata was performed using the VOSViewer software.Results and scientific novelty. The current research confirms the convergence of values of academic excellence and inclusion in research universities. It is revealed that the concept of inclusive excellence of the university is an enriched version of its academic excellence and denotes a set of university strategies and practices aimed at achieving the best results in training, research and services through maintaining diversity and inclusive processes. The world's leading universities are actively involved in the process of creating an inclusive friendly environment and services, which are accessible to all members of the educational process, regardless of their social status and development characteristics. When universities reach academic heights, they recognise inclusion as the next level of their development. In turn, inclusion becomes a factor in the movement of the university towards academic excellence. The key characteristics and contradictions of the convergence of the concepts of inclusive and academic excellence of universities are identified. The local models of inclusive excellence of universities and the contexts, which influence these models, are described. The gaps between educational policies and research agendas of leading universities are revealed. The clusters of international studies on inclusive processes in higher education are highlighted.Practical significance. Russian universities, which implement the federal programme for improvement of international competitiveness based on the values of academic excellence, are developing in accordance with global trends. Therefore, the model of inclusive excellence of the university can be used in practical terms to implement inclusive strategies and overcome social inequality both at the university and outside of it within the framework of a new educational initiative of Russia on academic leadership.Введение. В XXI веке, с одной стороны, наблюдается активное включение университетов в инклюзивные процессы, с другой - в системе высшего образования на фоне нарастающего разнообразия возникают новые виды неравенства. Процессы трансформации организационных культур университетов и их исследовательской повестки под влиянием инклюзии нуждаются в изучении.Целью представленного в публикации изыскания является анализ конвергенции концепций академического и инклюзивного совершенства в зарубежных университетах мирового уровня, установление влияния данной конвергенции на их миссии, ценности, выраженные в официальных стратегиях, на исследовательскую повестку и инфраструктуру научных коллабораций.Методология, методы и методики. Проведен контент-анализ трех стратегий ассоциаций университетов мирового уровня (Ассоциация американских колледжей и университетов, Ассоциация университетов Канады, Лига европейских исследовательских университетов), девяти стратегий развития университетов США и Канады, Евросоюза, Австралии. При помощи программного обеспечения VOSViewer осуществлен наукометрический анализ метаданных Web of Science.Результаты и научная новизна. Исследование подтвердило конвергенцию ценностей академического превосходства и инклюзии в исследовательских университетах. Продемонстрировано, что концепция инклюзивного совершенства университета представляет собой обогащенную версию его академического совершенства и обозначает совокупность стратегий и практик вуза, направленных на достижение наилучших результатов в обучении, исследованиях и сервисе через поддержание разнообразия и инклюзивных процессов. Ведущие университеты мира активно включились в процесс формирования инклюзивной дружественной среды и услуг, доступных для всех субъектов образовательного процесса вне зависимости от их социального статуса и особенностей развития. Когда вузы достигают академических вершин, они осознают инклюзию как следующий уровень своего развития. В свою очередь, инклюзия становится фактором движения университета к академическому совершенству. Определены ключевые характеристики и противоречия конвергенции концепций инклюзивного и академического совершенства университетов. Описаны локальные модели инклюзивного совершенства учебных организаций высшей школы и контексты, влияющие на эти модели. Обозначены разрывы между образовательными политиками и исследовательскими повестками ведущих университетов. Выявлены кластеры международных исследований, посвященных инклюзивным процессам в высшем образовании. Практическая значимость. Российские вузы, реализующие федеральную программу повышения международной конкурентоспособности на основе ценностей академического совершенства, развиваются в соответствии с глобальными трендами, поэтому модель инклюзивного совершенства университета может быть использована в практическом плане для внедрения инклюзивных стратегий и преодоления социального неравенства как внутри учебного заведения, так и за его пределами в рамках новой образовательной инициативы России по академическому лидерству.The research was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) in the framework of the research project No. 19-013-00373 А “Academic Mobility of Students with Disabilities in the Conditions of Higher Education Transformation”.Исследование выполнено при финансовой поддержке РФФИ в рамках научного проекта 19-013-00373 А «Академическая мобильность студентов с ограниченными возможностями здоровья и инвалидностью в условиях трансформации высшего образования»

Effect of ABCB1 Gene Carriage and Drug-Drug Interactions on Apixaban and Rivaroxaban Pharmacokinetics and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Deep Vein Thrombosis

Aim. To investigate the effect of ABCB1 gene carriage and interdrug interactions on apixaban pharmacokinetics and clinical outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation and deep vein thrombosis.Material and methods. Patients hospitalized at Yudin State Clinical Hospital participated in the study. A total of 92 patients (50 patients received apixaban and 42 – rivaroxaban) with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and deep vein thrombosis were included. Genotyping was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Direct oral anticoagulants concentrations were measured using an electrospray ionization mass spectrometer in positive ionization mode.Results. In our study we found that in patients carrying the CT+TT ABCB1 (rs4148738) C>T genotype encoding the carrier protein (P-gp), the plasma concentration of rivaroxaban was statistically significantly higher p= 0.026. In addition, we found that patients taking apixaban together with a CYP3A4/P-gp inhibitor were 3.5 times more likely to have hemorrhagic complications than those without inhibitors p = 0.004.Conclusion. Our study revealed that the plasma concentration of rivaroxaban was higher in patients carrying the ABCB1 (rs4148738) C>T polymorphism T allele. And patients taking apixaban together with CYP3A4/P-gp inhibitor had higher risk of hemorrhagic complications in comparison with patients not taking such drugs. Further studies are needed on the influence of pharmacogenetics and pharmacokinetics on the safety and efficacy profile of apixaban and rivaroxaban, taking into account the trend of systemic approach to optimization of anticoagulant therapy of direct oral anticoagulants based on pharmacokinetic, pharmacogenetic biomarkers

Sex peptide receptor-regulated polyandry mediates the balance of pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection in Drosophila

Polyandry prolongs sexual selection on males by forcing ejaculates to compete for fertilisation. Recent theory predicts that increasing polyandry may weaken pre-copulatory sexual selection on males and increase the relative importance of post-copulatory sexual selection, but experimental tests of this prediction are lacking. Here, we manipulate the polyandry levels in groups of Drosophila melanogaster by deletion of the female sex peptide receptor. We show that groups in which the sex-peptide-receptor is absent in females (SPR-) have higher polyandry, and – as a result – weaker pre-copulatory sexual selection on male mating success, compared to controls. Post-copulatory selection on male paternity share is relatively more important in SPR- groups, where males gain additional paternity by mating repeatedly with the same females. These results provide experimental evidence that elevated polyandry weakens pre-copulatory sexual selection on males, shifts selection to post-copulatory events, and that the sex peptide pathway can play a key role in modulating this process in Drosophil

Role of plant glyoxylate reductases during stress: a hypothesis

Molecular modelling suggests that a group of proteins in plants known as the β-hydroxyacid dehydrogenases, or the hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenase superfamily, includes enzymes that reduce succinic semialdehyde and glyoxylate to γ-hydroxybutyrate and glycolate respectively. Recent biochemical and expression studies reveal that NADPH-dependent cytosolic (termed GLYR1) and plastidial (termed GLYR2) isoforms of succinic semialdehyde/glyoxylate reductase exist in Arabidopsis. Succinic semialdehyde and glyoxylate are typically generated in leaves via two distinct metabolic pathways, γ-aminobutyrate and glycolate respectively. In the present review, it is proposed that the GLYRs function in the detoxification of both aldehydes during stress and contribute to redox balance. Outstanding questions are highlighted in a scheme for the subcellular organization of the detoxification mechanism in Arabidopsis