This may seem like a naïve question as groups inspired by the extremist versions of Salafi Islamic theology of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are most often presented as ruthless, violently brutal actors that only rule through fear and coercion. However, as time has moved on and more analyses have come to the fore, a more nuanced picture has emerged. These findings need to be taken seriously because while al-Qaeda and the Islamic State’s power and appeal may be waning in the Middle East, elsewhere, groups inspired by them have grown stronger. One case is the Sahel, and the challenge that groups like the al-Qaeda-inspired Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) represent to international order should not be underestimated. They have gained ground in Mali and Burkina Faso and are also starting to threaten West Atlantic states with important harbours for global trade, such as Benin, Ghana and Togo. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that we understand what these groups are. While their leaders may adhere to violent extremist interpretations of religion and use force and violence, they are also smart, wise, and know how to plan and strategise, and have developed skilful tactics for dealing with civilian populations that come under their influence.
{"title":"Do violent extremists govern?","authors":"Morten Bøås","doi":"10.56367/oag-043-11380","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56367/oag-043-11380","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 This may seem like a naïve question as groups inspired by the extremist versions of Salafi Islamic theology of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are most often presented as ruthless, violently brutal actors that only rule through fear and coercion. However, as time has moved on and more analyses have come to the fore, a more nuanced picture has emerged. These findings need to be taken seriously because while al-Qaeda and the Islamic State’s power and appeal may be waning in the Middle East, elsewhere, groups inspired by them have grown stronger. One case is the Sahel, and the challenge that groups like the al-Qaeda-inspired Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) represent to international order should not be underestimated. They have gained ground in Mali and Burkina Faso and are also starting to threaten West Atlantic states with important harbours for global trade, such as Benin, Ghana and Togo. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance that we understand what these groups are. While their leaders may adhere to violent extremist interpretations of religion and use force and violence, they are also smart, wise, and know how to plan and strategise, and have developed skilful tactics for dealing with civilian populations that come under their influence.\u0000","PeriodicalId":475859,"journal":{"name":"Open Access Government","volume":"70 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141662729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kim Sawchuk, Professor of Communication Studies at Concordia University, explores tackling digital ageism to build a better future for aging. Our contemporary society is increasingly defined in the media by whatever emergent technology becomes aligned with the promise of a better future. Twenty years ago, it was the Internet. Ten years ago, the introduction of mobile phones was considered the hallmark of new ways of communicating and interacting in “networked societies” (Castells). In the past five years, the advent of AI (Artificial Intelligence) has entered our collective imagination.
{"title":"Confronting digital ageism: Towards a better aging future","authors":"Kim Sawchuk","doi":"10.56367/oag-043-11544","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56367/oag-043-11544","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 Kim Sawchuk, Professor of Communication Studies at Concordia University, explores tackling digital ageism to build a better future for aging. Our contemporary society is increasingly defined in the media by whatever emergent technology becomes aligned with the promise of a better future. Twenty years ago, it was the Internet. Ten years ago, the introduction of mobile phones was considered the hallmark of new ways of communicating and interacting in “networked societies” (Castells). In the past five years, the advent of AI (Artificial Intelligence) has entered our collective imagination.\u0000","PeriodicalId":475859,"journal":{"name":"Open Access Government","volume":"71 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141662829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Achieving sterilising immunity is often challenging and sometimes even impossible. This article gives a glimpse into the concepts behind and highlights some recent advances and challenges. In its essence, sterilising immunity describes the removal of a virus from the host before it can replicate, and this kind of immunity would be the preferred outcome for vaccination as it efficiently limits the infection of the individual and the spread of disease within the community. A typical viral infection goes through a four-step cycle: first, the virus attaches to and enters a host cell; second, it copies its genetic material; third, it assembles new viral particles; and finally, it detaches to infect new cells. In its most straightforward form, sterilising immunity is achieved by the neutralisation of the infectious potential in the first step, (Wahl and Wardemann, Immunity, 2022) followed by their removal.
{"title":"The challenge of generating lasting mucosal anti-viral sterilising immunity","authors":"Eyer Klaus","doi":"10.56367/oag-043-11222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56367/oag-043-11222","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 Achieving sterilising immunity is often challenging and sometimes even impossible. This article gives a glimpse into the concepts behind and highlights some recent advances and challenges. In its essence, sterilising immunity describes the removal of a virus from the host before it can replicate, and this kind of immunity would be the preferred outcome for vaccination as it efficiently limits the infection of the individual and the spread of disease within the community. A typical viral infection goes through a four-step cycle: first, the virus attaches to and enters a host cell; second, it copies its genetic material; third, it assembles new viral particles; and finally, it detaches to infect new cells. In its most straightforward form, sterilising immunity is achieved by the neutralisation of the infectious potential in the first step, (Wahl and Wardemann, Immunity, 2022) followed by their removal.\u0000","PeriodicalId":475859,"journal":{"name":"Open Access Government","volume":"25 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141658904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Greg M. Swain, Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at Michigan State University, is researching cross-disciplinary training in sustainable chemistry and chemical processes. Here, he emphasizes the importance of teamwork for effective research collaborations. The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in the Department of Chemistry at Michigan State University aims to educate students majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, and chemical engineering about significant societal sustainability challenges. The program provides graduate-level interdisciplinary research experiences that address various aspects of these challenges.
密歇根州立大学化学系教授格雷格-斯温（Greg M. Swain）正在研究可持续化学和化学工艺方面的跨学科培训。在这里，他强调了团队合作对于有效研究合作的重要性。密歇根州立大学化学系的本科生研究经历（REU）计划旨在让化学、生物化学和化学工程专业的学生了解社会可持续发展面临的重大挑战。该计划提供研究生水平的跨学科研究经历，以应对这些挑战的各个方面。
{"title":"Research collaboration: Cross-disciplinary training in sustainable chemistry and chemical processes","authors":"Greg M Swain","doi":"10.56367/oag-043-11051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56367/oag-043-11051","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 Greg M. Swain, Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry at Michigan State University, is researching cross-disciplinary training in sustainable chemistry and chemical processes. Here, he emphasizes the importance of teamwork for effective research collaborations. The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in the Department of Chemistry at Michigan State University aims to educate students majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, and chemical engineering about significant societal sustainability challenges. The program provides graduate-level interdisciplinary research experiences that address various aspects of these challenges.\u0000","PeriodicalId":475859,"journal":{"name":"Open Access Government","volume":"22 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141659124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amit Walia, Matt Shew and Craig A. Buchman from Washington University School of Medicine, explain the challenges of understanding variables or factors informing CI performance and how this can be addressed. Cochlear implants (CIs) are highly effective for restoring hearing in individuals with moderate-to-profound hearing loss who do not gain sufficient benefit from hearing aids. Despite being one of modern medicine’s most successful advancements, there is wide inter-individual variability in speech perception outcomes (Figure 1). The drivers of this variability are not well understood, making it difficult to set realistic expectations for patients before surgery and to evaluate potential interventions that may enhance performance post-operatively. Accurate prediction of speech perception performance after surgery could significantly impact how we assess candidates, plan postoperative aural rehabilitation, choose surgical techniques, design and fit electrodes, and segment the patient population in future CI clinical trials.
来自华盛顿大学医学院的 Amit Walia、Matt Shew 和 Craig A. Buchman 解释了了解影响人工耳蜗性能的变量或因素所面临的挑战以及如何解决这一问题。人工耳蜗（CI）对中度至重度听力损失、助听器效果不佳的患者恢复听力非常有效。尽管人工耳蜗是现代医学最成功的进步之一，但言语感知结果的个体差异很大（图 1）。造成这种差异的原因尚不十分清楚，因此很难在手术前为患者设定切合实际的期望值，也很难对可能提高术后效果的潜在干预措施进行评估。术后言语感知能力的准确预测将极大地影响我们在未来的 CI 临床试验中如何评估候选者、规划术后听力康复、选择手术技术、设计和装配电极以及细分患者人群。
{"title":"Predicting cochlear implant performance: Impact of demographic, audiologic, surgical factors, and cochlear health","authors":"Craig A Buchman","doi":"10.56367/oag-043-11350","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56367/oag-043-11350","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 Amit Walia, Matt Shew and Craig A. Buchman from Washington University School of Medicine, explain the challenges of understanding variables or factors informing CI performance and how this can be addressed. Cochlear implants (CIs) are highly effective for restoring hearing in individuals with moderate-to-profound hearing loss who do not gain sufficient benefit from hearing aids. Despite being one of modern medicine’s most successful advancements, there is wide inter-individual variability in speech perception outcomes (Figure 1). The drivers of this variability are not well understood, making it difficult to set realistic expectations for patients before surgery and to evaluate potential interventions that may enhance performance post-operatively. Accurate prediction of speech perception performance after surgery could significantly impact how we assess candidates, plan postoperative aural rehabilitation, choose surgical techniques, design and fit electrodes, and segment the patient population in future CI clinical trials.\u0000","PeriodicalId":475859,"journal":{"name":"Open Access Government","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141661213","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
New clinical trials in brain health require innovative methodologies for targeted recruitment and longitudinal assessment. Professor Anne Corbett outlines how her team’s PROTECT portfolio can overcome challenges in trials of cognitive health interventions, offering solutions for intelligent trial design. After decades of relative inactivity, there is currently a growing interest and investment in novel interventions for cognitive and mental health conditions. This is particularly true for trials in cognitive impairment and early dementia. This health area has previously been considered too high-risk and challenging, with failed trials and difficulty in recruiting target groups leading to widespread demotivation for trials in this area. However, a new generation of disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease is in the pipeline, with immunotherapy lecanemab receiving FDA approval in 2023 and donanemab currently under review. (1) These successes have reinvigorated development in Alzheimer’s and dementia drug discovery programmes, and larger numbers of trials are anticipated in the coming years.
{"title":"Innovation in clinical trials in brain health: Computerised assessment and remote clinical trials","authors":"Anne Corbett","doi":"10.56367/oag-043-11480","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56367/oag-043-11480","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 New clinical trials in brain health require innovative methodologies for targeted recruitment and longitudinal assessment. Professor Anne Corbett outlines how her team’s PROTECT portfolio can overcome challenges in trials of cognitive health interventions, offering solutions for intelligent trial design. After decades of relative inactivity, there is currently a growing interest and investment in novel interventions for cognitive and mental health conditions. This is particularly true for trials in cognitive impairment and early dementia. This health area has previously been considered too high-risk and challenging, with failed trials and difficulty in recruiting target groups leading to widespread demotivation for trials in this area. However, a new generation of disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease is in the pipeline, with immunotherapy lecanemab receiving FDA approval in 2023 and donanemab currently under review. (1) These successes have reinvigorated development in Alzheimer’s and dementia drug discovery programmes, and larger numbers of trials are anticipated in the coming years.\u0000","PeriodicalId":475859,"journal":{"name":"Open Access Government","volume":"24 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141662316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ethical and legal concerns raised by the use of human biological materials, especially cells from adult donors and foetal tissues, must be thoroughly examined. This article delves into these challenges, with a specific focus on the issues of consent in cell donation for brain organoid research. Brain organoid research represents a significant leap forward in neuroscience and offers unprecedented insights into brain development and disorders. However, the use of human biological materials, particularly cells from adult donors and foetal tissues, raises critical ethical and legal concerns. (6, 10) This report examines these challenges by focusing on the issues of consent in the donation of cells for brain organoid research.
{"title":"The ethical and legal challenges of cell donation for brain organoid research","authors":"Tsutomu Sawai","doi":"10.56367/oag-043-11560","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56367/oag-043-11560","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 Ethical and legal concerns raised by the use of human biological materials, especially cells from adult donors and foetal tissues, must be thoroughly examined. This article delves into these challenges, with a specific focus on the issues of consent in cell donation for brain organoid research. Brain organoid research represents a significant leap forward in neuroscience and offers unprecedented insights into brain development and disorders. However, the use of human biological materials, particularly cells from adult donors and foetal tissues, raises critical ethical and legal concerns. (6, 10) This report examines these challenges by focusing on the issues of consent in the donation of cells for brain organoid research.\u0000","PeriodicalId":475859,"journal":{"name":"Open Access Government","volume":"31 37","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141659573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nancy Butler Songer, Associate Provost of STEM Education at the University of Utah, considers the importance of developing primary and secondary school programs in STEM fields that support students in developing the competencies with big data. We all know something about Big Data. This term describes massive volumes of structured and unstructured data that influence nearly every decision in our lives. A recent report by the United States National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine stated, ‘We live in a world where nearly every interaction—both personal and professional—is mediated through data’. (1) As dedicated scientists and educators, it is our crucial responsibility to develop and evaluate primary and secondary school programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) that can identify and guide students in developing the competencies with data that students need to navigate the Big Data world of the present and future. But what are these competencies?
{"title":"How do we prepare our youth for a world of big data?","authors":"N. Songer","doi":"10.56367/oag-043-11462","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56367/oag-043-11462","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 Nancy Butler Songer, Associate Provost of STEM Education at the University of Utah, considers the importance of developing primary and secondary school programs in STEM fields that support students in developing the competencies with big data. We all know something about Big Data. This term describes massive volumes of structured and unstructured data that influence nearly every decision in our lives. A recent report by the United States National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine stated, ‘We live in a world where nearly every interaction—both personal and professional—is mediated through data’. (1) As dedicated scientists and educators, it is our crucial responsibility to develop and evaluate primary and secondary school programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) that can identify and guide students in developing the competencies with data that students need to navigate the Big Data world of the present and future. But what are these competencies?\u0000","PeriodicalId":475859,"journal":{"name":"Open Access Government","volume":"2 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141658753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicola Edwards, Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of St. Joseph, is conducting research on the development of fluorescent sensors for anion detection. Fluorescent (chemo)sensors are molecules that register changes in their “glow” (fluorescence ) when bound to an analyte (the substance of interest that is being studied), thus reporting the presence of that analyte. These changes can be detected with the naked eye. and/or instrumentation. Therefore, the presence of this invisible substance can now be detected. Fluorescent sensors are generally more sensitive and have lower limits of detection for a particular analyte compared to colorimetric sensors. Anions—chemical entities with an overall negative charge—are found everywhere and are involved in numerous chemical, biological, and industrial processes. As an example, cavity-fighting kinds of toothpaste and gels contain anion and fluoride. Additionally, chemical compounds containing anions, nitrate and phosphate are used in fertilizers. In this piece, Dr. Nicola Edwards discusses her ongoing work on developing fluorescent sensors for anions.
{"title":"Fluorescent sensors for detecting anions","authors":"Nicola Edwards","doi":"10.56367/oag-043-11152","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56367/oag-043-11152","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 Nicola Edwards, Associate Professor of Chemistry at the University of St. Joseph, is conducting research on the development of fluorescent sensors for anion detection. Fluorescent (chemo)sensors are molecules that register changes in their “glow” (fluorescence ) when bound to an analyte (the substance of interest that is being studied), thus reporting the presence of that analyte. These changes can be detected with the naked eye. and/or instrumentation. Therefore, the presence of this invisible substance can now be detected. Fluorescent sensors are generally more sensitive and have lower limits of detection for a particular analyte compared to colorimetric sensors. Anions—chemical entities with an overall negative charge—are found everywhere and are involved in numerous chemical, biological, and industrial processes. As an example, cavity-fighting kinds of toothpaste and gels contain anion and fluoride. Additionally, chemical compounds containing anions, nitrate and phosphate are used in fertilizers. In this piece, Dr. Nicola Edwards discusses her ongoing work on developing fluorescent sensors for anions.\u0000","PeriodicalId":475859,"journal":{"name":"Open Access Government","volume":"40 8","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141662051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Martin Schuettler, Chief Technology Officer of CorTec GmbH, walks us through a groundbreaking achievement in the development of future therapies for neurological conditions like stroke. To develop new treatments for neurological conditions, it is crucial to create suitable devices to support groundbreaking studies. Neuromodulation offers the possibility of treating brain network disorders at their root. Particular networks of brain cells are associated with various functions, e.g. cognitive or motoric capabilities.
{"title":"Stroke rehabilitation milestone, neurological conditions and future therapy","authors":"Martin Schuettler","doi":"10.56367/oag-043-10949","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.56367/oag-043-10949","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 Martin Schuettler, Chief Technology Officer of CorTec GmbH, walks us through a groundbreaking achievement in the development of future therapies for neurological conditions like stroke. To develop new treatments for neurological conditions, it is crucial to create suitable devices to support groundbreaking studies. Neuromodulation offers the possibility of treating brain network disorders at their root. Particular networks of brain cells are associated with various functions, e.g. cognitive or motoric capabilities.\u0000","PeriodicalId":475859,"journal":{"name":"Open Access Government","volume":"36 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141660691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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