Characterizing and Profiling Global Segments of Responsible Consumers – A Narrative Review

The prime purpose of the paper is to examine and identify the determinants of responsible consumption behaviour by synthesizing the determinants’ structure as available in varied literature. Further, it profiles responsible consumers according to their identified categories of determinants. Content analysis is exercised on wide literature of more than one hundred research papers, articles and reports that narrate, characterize and profile responsible consumers. The identified demography of the responsible consumers includes: females, young, highly educated, academically intelligent, non-business academics, employed in high-status and leadership positions, members of small families and married with children living at home. According to sociological features, responsibles are the children of highly educated parents, get full support from their family, have liberal and democratic political views and hold time and availability to contribute for responsible acts. Viewing from an economic and geographic perspective, these consumers are average in income, satisfied with their income levels, not much wealthier and majority of them lives in urban areas and larger cities. The cultural features support them as collectivists with feeling of universalism. These consumers trust others, open to change, believe in civic-cooperation, like fun, have a network as members of environmental organizations, religious with extreme religiosity and love their country having highest national pride. As far as psychological features are concerned, they originate from a very good psyche, are initiators, internally controlled living indulgent lifestyles, future minded, less sceptic with high civic sense, creative, have harmony and believe in self efficacy. They are also environmentally concerned and settle in balance with nature. The paper will direct marketers in locating and serving the desired segment of responsible consumers. Information on various segmentation dimensions will facilitate easy policy making for STP model and favourable segmentation strategy formulation. The findings in the paper are based on the results of various studies which may be applicable only on the population similar to sample frame of the individual studies. Future researchers thus get a cue for a more refine research to supplement and enlarge the present inference of responsible consumer segments to disparate markets. The paper synthesizes vast varied literature for the first time in an evolving field of responsible consumption behavior. The outcome will provide base in theory formulation

Pair-Interactions of Self-Propelled SiO2-Pt Janus Colloids

Driven by the necessity to achieve a thorough comprehension of the bottom-up fabrication process of functional materials, this experimental study investigates the pair-wise interactions or collisions between chemically active SiO2-Pt Janus Colloids. These collisions are categorized based on the Janus colloids' orientations before and after they make physical contact. In addition to the hydrodynamic interactions, the Janus colloids are also known to affect each other's chemical field, resulting in chemophoretic interactions, which depend on the reactive nature of the metal site. These interactions lead to a noticeable decrease in particle speed and changes in orientation, which depends on the duration of contact, yielding different collision types. Our findings reveal distinct configurations of contact during collisions, whose mechanisms and likelihood is found to be dependent primarily on the chemical interactions. Such estimates of collision and their characterization in dilute suspensions shall have key impact in determining the arrangement and time scales of dynamical structures and assemblies of denser suspensions, and potentially the functional materials of the future.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures

TRIB1 confers therapeutic resistance in GBM cells by activating the ERK and Akt pathways

GBM (Glioblastoma) is the most lethal CNS (Central nervous system) tumor in adults, which inevitably develops resistance to standard treatments leading to recurrence and mortality. TRIB1 is a serine/threonine pseudokinase which functions as a scaffold platform that initiates degradation of its substrates like C/EBPα through the ubiquitin proteasome system and also activates MEK and Akt signaling. We found that increased TRIB1 gene expression associated with worse overall survival of GBM patients across multiple cohorts. Importantly, overexpression of TRIB1 decreased RT/TMZ (radiation therapy/temozolomide)-induced apoptosis in patient derived GBM cell lines in vitro. TRIB1 directly bound to MEK and Akt and increased ERK and Akt phosphorylation/activation. We also found that TRIB1 protein expression was maximal during G2/M transition of cell cycle in GBM cells. Furthermore, TRIB1 bound directly to HDAC1 and p53. Importantly, mice bearing TRIB1 overexpressing tumors had worse overall survival. Collectively, these data suggest that TRIB1 induces resistance of GBM cells to RT/TMZ treatments by activating the cell proliferation and survival pathways thus providing an opportunity for developing new targeted therapeutics

Global diversity and antimicrobial resistance of typhoid fever pathogens : insights from a meta-analysis of 13,000 Salmonella Typhi genomes

DATA AVAILABILITY : All data analysed during this study are publicly accessible. Raw Illumina sequence reads have been submitted to the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA), and individual sequence accession numbers are listed in Supplementary file 2. The full set of n=13,000 genome assemblies generated for this study are available for download from FigShare: https://doi.org/10.26180/21431883. All assemblies of suitable quality (n=12,849) are included as public data in the online platform Pathogenwatch (https://pathogen.watch). The data are organised into collections, which each comprise a neighbour-joining phylogeny annotated with metadata, genotype, AMR determinants, and a linked map. Each contributing study has its own collection, browsable at https://pathogen.watch/collections/all?organismId= 90370. In addition, we have provided three large collections, each representing roughly a third of the total dataset presented in this study: Typhi 4.3.1.1 (https://pathogen.watch/collection/ 2b7mp173dd57-clade-4311), Typhi lineage 4 (excluding 4.3.1.1) (https://pathogen.watch/collection/ wgn6bp1c8bh6-clade-4-excluding-4311), and Typhi lineages 0-3 (https://pathogen.watch/collection/ 9o4bpn0418n3-clades-0-1-2-and-3). In addition, users can browse the full set of Typhi genomes in Pathogenwatch and select subsets of interest (e.g. by country, genotype, and/or resistance) to generate a collection including neighbour-joining tree for interactive exploration.SUPPLEMENTARY FILES : Available at https://elifesciences.org/articles/85867/figures#content. SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 1. Details of local ethical approvals provided for studies that were unpublished at the time of contributing data to this consortium project. Most data are now published, and the citations for the original studies are provided here. National surveillance programs in Chile (Maes et al., 2022), Colombia (Guevara et al., 2021), France, New Zealand, and Nigeria (Ikhimiukor et al., 2022b) were exempt from local ethical approvals as these countries allow sharing of non-identifiable pathogen sequence data for surveillance purposes. The US CDC Internal Review Board confirmed their approval was not required for use in this project (#NCEZID-ARLT- 10/ 20/21-fa687). SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 2. Line list of 13,000 genomes included in the study. SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 3. Source information recorded for genomes included in the study. ^Indicates cases included in the definition of ‘assumed acute illness’. SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 4. Summary of genomes by country. SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 5. Genotype frequencies per region (N, %, 95% confidence interval; annual and aggregated, 2010–2020). SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 6. Genotype frequencies per country (N, %, 95% confidence interval; annual and aggregated, 2010–2020). SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 7. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) frequencies per region (N, %, 95% confidence interval; aggregated 2010–2020). SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 8. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) frequencies per country (N, %, 95% confidence interval; annual and aggregated, 2010–2020). SUPPLEMENTARY FILE 9. Laboratory code master list. Three letter laboratory codes assigned by the consortium.BACKGROUND : The Global Typhoid Genomics Consortium was established to bring together the typhoid research community to aggregate and analyse Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (Typhi) genomic data to inform public health action. This analysis, which marks 22 years since the publication of the first Typhi genome, represents the largest Typhi genome sequence collection to date (n=13,000). METHODS : This is a meta-analysis of global genotype and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants extracted from previously sequenced genome data and analysed using consistent methods implemented in open analysis platforms GenoTyphi and Pathogenwatch. RESULTS : Compared with previous global snapshots, the data highlight that genotype 4.3.1 (H58) has not spread beyond Asia and Eastern/Southern Africa; in other regions, distinct genotypes dominate and have independently evolved AMR. Data gaps remain in many parts of the world, and we show the potential of travel-associated sequences to provide informal ‘sentinel’ surveillance for such locations. The data indicate that ciprofloxacin non-susceptibility (>1 resistance determinant) is widespread across geographies and genotypes, with high-level ciprofloxacin resistance (≥3 determinants) reaching 20% prevalence in South Asia. Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) typhoid has become dominant in Pakistan (70% in 2020) but has not yet become established elsewhere. Ceftriaxone resistance has emerged in eight non-XDR genotypes, including a ciprofloxacin-resistant lineage (4.3.1.2.1) in India. Azithromycin resistance mutations were detected at low prevalence in South Asia, including in two common ciprofloxacin-resistant genotypes. CONCLUSIONS : The consortium’s aim is to encourage continued data sharing and collaboration to monitor the emergence and global spread of AMR Typhi, and to inform decision-making around the introduction of typhoid conjugate vaccines (TCVs) and other prevention and control strategies.Fellowships from the European Union (funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 845681), the Wellcome Trust (SB, Wellcome Trust Senior Fellowship), and the National Health and Medical Research Council.https://elifesciences.org/am2024Medical MicrobiologySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Pancreatic cancer: genetics, disease progression, therapeutic resistance and treatment strategies

Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease and the third-highest cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. It has a very low five-year survival rate (< 5%) in the United States as well as in the world (about 9%). The current gemcitabine-based therapy soon becomes ineffective because treatment resistance and surgical resection also provides only selective benefit. Signature mutations in pancreatic cancer confer chemoresistance by deregulating the cell cycle and promoting anti-apoptotic mechanisms. The stroma-rich tumor microenvironment impairs drug delivery and promotes tumor-specific immune escape. All these factors render the current treatment incompetent and prompt an urgent need for new, improved therapy. In this review, we have discussed the genetics of pancreatic cancer and its role in tumor evolution and treatment resistance. We have also evaluated new treatment strategies for pancreatic cancer, like targeted therapy and immunotherapy

Bacillus cereus causing intratumoral brain abscess

We report a case of intratumoral brain abscess due to Bacillus cereus in an adult male patient, which was managed successfully with excision of lesion and piperacillin-tazobactam for the duration of 5 weeks. To the best of our knowledge, this is a first case report of B. cereus infection leading to intratumoral brain abscess in a patient with a history of steroid administration by the intravenous route

Impact of Family Participatory Care on Neonates- A Non Randomised Interventional Study

Introduction: Family Participatory Care (FPC) is a unique concept which involves parents in caregiving to their admitted babies. It helps in defining the family's role in clinical care delivery to newborns along with doctors and nurses. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is the ideal area for FPC to take place because of the unique and vulnerable nature of the mother-neonate relationship as neonates that are admitted, face immense trials from their first day of life. Aim: To know the effect of FPC on outcome of admitted neonates, analyse the impact of this model on breastfeeding rate and to compare the rate of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) being given to neonates at follow-up. Materials and Methods: It was a non randomised interventional study done from August 2020 to April 2021, in the NICU at Maharaja Agrasen Medical College, Agroha, Hisar, Haryana, India. Two hundred neonates, who were sequentially admitted and later discharged, were taken into account, out of which, first 100 were taken as controls and next 100 were taken in the intervention group. Routine treatment and care were given to all the admitted neonates. In addition to this, parents of the study group of newborns were given education through four audio-visual sessions, comprising hygiene measures for entry into nursery, correct method of breastfeeding, KMC and then care at home after discharge. Follow-up was done after one week of discharge and at six weeks of age. Outcome measures were breastfeeding rate and KMC rate which were compared between two groups, at discharge and at follow-up of six weeks of age. Results: The mean birth weight of neonates, mean gestational age and the socioeconomic status were comparable in both the groups. Mean duration of hospital stay was 7.13 (±4.95) days in study group and 8.06 (±5.40) days in control group (p=0.206). Mean weight at discharge and that at six weeks was comparable in both groups. However, the average weight gain per day was significantly higher (25.61 g) in the study group than the control group (18.92 g). At discharge, 92 babies in the control group and 87 in the study group were given exclusive breastfeeding or expressed breast milk with spoon feeding. At six weeks follow-up, this number was 91 in the study group and 70 in the control group (p=0.001). KMC was given to all the neonates at discharge who had birth weight less than two kg. Among them, at the time of follow-up, 33/36 in the case group and 5/37 in the control group were receiving KMC (p-value 0.001). Conclusion: FPC is feasible and effective model in terms of better neonatal outcome