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This volume examines the theoretical and empirical landscape of social entrepreneurship in both non-profit and profit sectors. It extends the traditional view of social entrepreneurship to include the environmental and institutional factors that affect the emergence of social entrepreneurship activities, such as formal laws, regulations, procedures and informal institutions. The editors aim to provide evidence and increased understanding of this growing phenomenon. Social Entrepreneurship is gaining recognition as a key element of economic and social development. It embraces a wide set of situations with a broad scope of activities in for-profit and non-profit organizations interested in social performance and/or in economically profitable performance, with an emphasis on achieving social aim. In the strict sense, social entrepreneurship corresponds to entrepreneurs whose main concern is to achieve social objectives rather than to obtain personal financial profits. However, there is still much to be learned about the dynamics and processes of social entrepreneurship. The current literature in the field has tended to focus on psychological experiences and personal characteristics, or on organizational perspectives such as resources, capabilities and leadership. This book intends to provide theoretical frameworks and empirical studies to this very new and broad field. Specifically, this book provides a collection of contemporary research in the following topics: How to create opportunity through social innovation How to detect entrepreneurial opportunity to meet social needs How to develop social entrepreneurship, while still seeking profits How to discover opportunities for different forms of social entrepreneurship Featuring contributions from around the world, this book is a valuable source for students, academics, researchers, policy makers, and professionals in the area of social entrepreneurship.

The impact of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) infection on the US pork industry has mainly been attributed to the mortality that it causes in suckling piglets, and, consequently, much effort has been invested in the quantification of its effect in sow farms. However, no information on the performance of surviving pigs that were exposed to the PEDv as piglets is available. Here, a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the impact of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) infection on growing pigs' performance, as indicated by mortality, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was performed using production records from weaned pigs in nursery and wean-to-finish sites from sow farms that became PEDv-infected between May 2013 and June 2014. Production records from the first batch of growing pigs weaned in infected flows after the PEDv outbreak (\"infected batches\") were compared with those from pigs weaned within the previous 14 to 120 days (\"control batches\"). Performance records from infected and control batches, paired by flow, were compared using non-parametric paired tests. Mortality, ADG and FCR were significantly different in PEDv-positive (infected) compared with PEDv-negative (control) batches, with a mean increase of mortality and FCR of 11% and 0.5, respectively, and a decrease of ADG of 0.16 lb/day. Our results demonstrate a poorer performance of growing pigs weaned after a PEDv outbreak compared with those weaned within the previous 14-120 days, suggesting that in addition to the mortality induced by PEDv in suckling pigs, the disease also impairs the performance of surviving pig. These findings help to quantify the impact of PEDv infection in the US and, ultimately, contribute to efforts to quantify the cost-effectiveness of disease prevention and control measures.

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), the major components of the wall of gram-negative bacteria, trigger powerful defensive responses in the airways via mechanisms thought to rely solely on the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) immune pathway. Here we show that airway epithelial cells display an increase in intracellular Ca 2+ concentration within seconds of LPS application. This response occurs in a TLR4-independent manner, via activation of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 cation channel (TRPV4). We found that TRPV4 mediates immediate LPS-induced increases in ciliary beat frequency and the production of bactericidal nitric oxide. Upon LPS challenge TRPV4-deficient mice display exacerbated ventilatory changes and recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes into the airways. We conclude that LPS-induced activation of TRPV4 triggers signaling mechanisms that operate faster and independently from the canonical TLR4 immune pathway, leading to immediate protective responses such as direct antimicrobial action, increase in airway clearance, and the regulation of the inflammatory innate immune reaction. LPS is a major component of gram-negative bacterial cell walls, and triggers immune responses in airway epithelium by activating TLR4. Here the authors show that LPS also activates TRPV4, thereby inducing fast defense responses such as nitric oxide production and increased ciliary beating in mice.

Monitoring and investigating temporal trends in antimicrobial data is a high priority for human and animal health authorities. Timely detection of temporal changes in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can rely not only on monitoring and analyzing the proportion of resistant isolates based on the use of a clinical or epidemiological cut-off value, but also on more subtle changes and trends in the full distribution of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. The nature of the MIC distribution is categorical and ordinal (discrete). In this contribution, we developed a particular family of multicategory logit models for estimating and modelling MIC distributions over time. It allows the detection of a multitude of temporal trends in the full discrete distribution, without any assumption on the underlying continuous distribution for the MIC values. The experimental ranges of the serial dilution experiments may vary across laboratories and over time. The proposed categorical model allows to estimate the MIC distribution over the maximal range of the observed experiments, and allows the observed ranges to vary across labs and over time. The use and performance of the model is illustrated with two datasets on AMR in Salmonella .

Background Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) have numerous beneficial properties and are extensively used in cosmetics and food industries as anti-caking, densifying and hydrophobic agents. However, the increasing exposure levels experienced by the general population and the ability of SiNPs to penetrate cells and tissues have raised concerns about possible toxic effects of this material. Although SiNPs are known to affect the function of the airway epithelium, the molecular targets of these particles remain largely unknown. Given that SiNPs interact with the plasma membrane of epithelial cells we hypothesized that they may affect the function of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 (TRPV4), a cation-permeable channel that regulates epithelial barrier function. The main aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of SiNPs on the activation of TRPV4 and to determine whether these alter the positive modulatory action of this channel on the ciliary beat frequency in airway epithelial cells. Results Using fluorometric measurements of intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) we found that SiNPs inhibit activation of TRPV4 by the synthetic agonist GSK1016790A in cultured human airway epithelial cells 16HBE and in primary cultured mouse tracheobronchial epithelial cells. Inhibition of TRPV4 by SiNPs was confirmed in intracellular Ca 2+ imaging and whole-cell patch-clamp experiments performed in HEK293T cells over-expressing this channel. In addition to these effects, SiNPs were found to induce a significant increase in basal [Ca 2+ ] i , but in a TRPV4-independent manner. SiNPs enhanced the activation of the capsaicin receptor TRPV1, demonstrating that these particles have a specific inhibitory action on TRPV4 activation. Finally, we found that SiNPs abrogate the increase in ciliary beat frequency induced by TRPV4 activation in mouse airway epithelial cells. Conclusions Our results show that SiNPs inhibit TRPV4 activation, and that this effect may impair the positive modulatory action of the stimulation of this channel on the ciliary function in airway epithelial cells. These findings unveil the cation channel TRPV4 as a primary molecular target of SiNPs.

We provide the first records of Blattella vaga, an introduced field cockroach, for the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. We propose an illustrated key to the species of Blattella currently recorded in the western hemisphere.

Within the cockroach family Corydiidae, the species Homoeogamia mexicana appears to have the widest distribution in Mexico. However, the natural history and ecology of this species are largely unknown, while feeding habits, behavior, reproduction, life cycle, and habitat use and selection have never been reported. In this study, we address these important gaps in order to improve knowledge and conservation of this species. Several individuals were held in captivity, allowing observation of aspects of their ecology, behavior, and reproduction. Based on 263 records from iNaturalist, literature, and museums, we tabulated presence records in the wild and constructed a graph of life stage by month. Habitats and distribution were characterized in terms of bioclimatic variables, elevation, land use, vegetation, and biogeographic provinces. An ecological niche model was constructed and projected onto a map of Mexico and northern Central America to estimate new potential areas of environmental suitability. Our results showed that H. mexicana is widely distributed in Mexico, with a preference for high elevation and cold areas. The potential distribution area predicted by the ecological niche model was much larger than the distribution as currently reported. The morphological sexual dimorphism of this species is an extension of its ecological differences. Dentro de la familia de cucarachas Corydiidae, la especie Homoeogamia mexicana parece tener la distribución más amplia en México. Sin embargo, la historia natural y la ecología de esta especie se desconocen en gran medida, mientras que los hábitos de alimentación, el comportamiento, la reproducción, el ciclo de vida y el uso y selección del hábitat nunca se han informado. En este estudio, abordamos estos importantes vacíos para mejorar el conocimiento y conservación de esta especie. Varios individuos fueron mantenidos en cautiverio permitiendo el registro de aspectos de su ecología, comportamiento y reproducción. También recopilamos registros de presencia de la especie en estado silvestre para cada mes del año. Con un total de 263 registros construimos un gráfico de etapa de vida por mes. Se caracterizó el hábitat y la distribución de las especies en términos de variables bioclimáticas, elevación, uso del suelo, vegetación y provincias biogeográficas. Se construyó un modelo de nicho ecológico para la especie y se proyectó a un mapa de Mexico y el norte de Centroamérica para estimar nuevas áreas potenciales de idoneidad ambiental. Nuestros resultados mostraron que H. mexicana se encuentra ampliamente distribuida en México, con preferencia por las zonas altas y frías. El área de distribución potencial predicha por el modelo de nicho ecológico fue mucho más grande que lo que se informa actualmente. El dimorfismo sexual morfológico de esta especie es una extensión de sus diferencias ecológicas.

Brincidofovir (BCV) is a lipid conjugate of cidofovir with good oral bioavailability, enabling optimal intracellular levels of the active drug. Lower rates of nephrotoxicity and myelotoxicity make it a favorable alternative. Despite a greater safety profile among pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant recipients, the oral formulation has been associated with increased gastrointestinal toxicity in adult hematopoietic cell transplant recipients. Oral BCV continues to be developed as a countermeasure against smallpox, while a potentially safer intravenous preparation has been out licensed to another company. BCV has demonstrated great potency against double-stranded DNA viruses, especially adenovirus. Because of its importance for immunocompromised patients, this review aims to evaluate BCV’s clinical and safety profile to support its continued development.