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Stakeholders increasingly expect to be engaged in corporate social responsibility (CSR) agendas through dialogue; the joint creation of meaning between firms and stakeholders, or among stakeholders. Dominant conceptions of stakeholder dialogue in CSR prioritize firm interests, and uncertainty as to what constitutes stakeholder dialogue, and how it should be practiced, permeates theory and practice. What is (and is not) stakeholder dialogue and how does it generate positive impacts for business and society? To unpack this question, we systematically reviewed 374 scholarly outputs across the CSR and stakeholder dialogue literatures over a 30‐year timeframe. Operating at the intersection of these two literatures, we identify 'conceptualizations' of stakeholder dialogue in CSR as either integral (an intrinsic component of CSR) or incidental (a communicative response to CSR), as well as the 'contours' (i.e., boundaries) and 'contexts' of stakeholder dialogue in CSR. In doing so, we posit that the key to generating effective stakeholder dialogue for business and society lies not only in greater cohesion between CSR and stakeholder dialogue literatures, but in practicing dialogue that is ongoing, stakeholder (rather than firm) focused and avoids idealization. Herein, we stimulate a research agenda for scholars interested in communication and CSR at a time when the social and environmental demands placed on firms continue to escalate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The General Ability Measure for Adults (GAMA) is a brief nonverbal assessment of general intellectual ability. Presently, there is a lack of research involving the use of the GAMA in a high-functioning population. Aviation pilots (n = 59) were referred for a neuropsychological evaluation and were concluded to be cognitively intact. They were administered a battery that included the GAMA and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – 4th edition (WAIS-IV). A paired samples t-test revealed that IQ scores on the GAMA were significantly lower than IQ scores on the WAIS-IV, with WAIS-IV IQ being 7.54 points higher on average. Fisher's exact test determined there was significant disagreement in score classification between the tests, with individuals classified as Above Average on the WAIS-IV often being classified as Average on the GAMA. The GAMA appears to significantly underrepresent true IQ in both score and classification when compared to a more robust measure of intellectual assessment. Clinically, this suggests that IQ screeners, such as the GAMA, may not be appropriate for assessing patients who are suspected to be of higher premorbid functioning. Future research should expand on these results to assess the validity of verbal-based IQ screening measures in high-functioning populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke is the number one cause of morbidity in the United States and number two cause of death worldwide. There is a critical unmet medical need for more effective treatments of ischemic stroke, and this need is increasing with the shift in demographics to an older population. Recently, several studies have reported the therapeutic potential of stem cell-derived exosomes as new candidates for cell-free treatment in stoke. This review focuses on the use of stem cell-derived exosomes as a potential treatment tool for stroke patients. Therapy using exosomes can have a clear clinical advantage over stem cell transplantation in terms of safety, cost, and convenience, as well as reducing bench-to-bed latency due to fewer regulatory milestones. In this review article, we focus on (1) the therapeutic potential of exosomes in stroke treatment, (2) the optimization process of upstream and downstream production, and (3) preclinical application in a stroke animal model. Finally, we discuss the limitations and challenges faced by exosome therapy in future clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background For individuals with advanced liver disease, equipoise in outcomes between live donor liver transplant (LDLT) and deceased donor liver transplant (DDLT) is uncertain. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed using data extracted from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. Adults who underwent first-time DDLT or LTDL in the United States between 2002 and 2020 were paired using propensity-score matching with 1:10 ratio without replacement. Patient and graft survival were compared using the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score for stratification. Results After propensity-score matching, 31 522 DDLT and 3854 LDLT recipients were included. For recipients with MELD scores ≤15, LDLT was associated with superior patient survival (HR = 0.92; 95% c.i. 0.76 to 0.96; P = 0.013). No significant differences in patient survival were observed for MELD scores between 16 and 30. Conversely, for patients with MELD scores >30, LDLT was associated with higher mortality (HR 2.57; 95% c.i. 1.35 to 4.62; P = 0.003). Graft survival was comparable between the two groups for MELD ≤15 and for MELD between 21 and 30. However, for MELD between 16 and 20 (HR = 1.15; 95% c.i. 1.00 to 1.33; P = 0.04) and MELD > 30 (HR = 2.85; 95% c.i. 1.65 to 4.91; P = 0.001), graft survival was considerably shorter after LDLT. Regardless of MELD scores, re-transplantation rate within the first year was significantly higher after LDLT. Conclusions In this large propensity score–matched study using national data, comparable patient survival was found between LDLT and DDLT in recipients with MELD scores between 16 and 30. Conversely, for patients with MELD > 30, LDLT was associated with worse outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of transplant selection for patients with high MELD scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionHuntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by an expanded CAG repeat (greater than 38) on the short arm of chromosome 4, resulting in loss and dysfunction of neurons in the neostriatum and cortex, leading to cognitive decline, motor dysfunction, and death, typically occurring 15 to 20 years after the onset of motor symptoms. Although an effective treatment for HD has remained elusive, current studies using transplants of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells provides considerable promise. This study further investigates the efficacy of these transplants with a focus on comparing how passage number of these cells may affect subsequent efficacy following transplantation.MethodsIn this study, mesenchymal stem cells isolated from the bone-marrow of mice (BM MSCs), were labeled with Hoechst after low (3 to 8) or high (40 to 50) numbers of passages and then transplanted intrastriatally into 5-week-old R6/2 mice, which carries the N-terminal fragment of the human HD gene (145 to 155 repeats) and rapidly develops symptoms analogous to the human form of the disease.ResultsIt was observed that the transplanted cells survived and the R6/2 mice displayed significant behavioral and morphological sparing compared to untreated R6/2 mice, with R6/2 mice receiving high passage BM MSCs displaying fewer deficits than those receiving low-passage BM MSCs. These beneficial effects are likely due to trophic support, as an increase in brain derived neurotrophic factor mRNA expression was observed in the striatum following transplantation of BM MSCs.ConclusionThe results from this study demonstrate that BM MSCs hold significant therapeutic value for HD, and that the amount of time the cells are exposed to in vitro culture conditions can alter their efficacy.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) show considerable promise for cell replacement therapies for Huntington's disease (HD). Our laboratory has demonstrated that tail-tip fibroblasts, reprogrammed into iPSCs via two adenoviruses, can survive and differentiate into neuronal lineages following transplantation into healthy adult rats. However, the ability of these cells to survive, differentiate, and restore function in a damaged brain is unknown. To this end, adult rats received a regimen of 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) to induce behavioral and neuropathological deficits that resemble HD. At 7, 21, and 42 days after the initiation of 3-NP or vehicle, the rats received intrastriatal bilateral transplantation of iPSCs. All rats that received 3-NP and vehicle treatment displayed significant motor impairment, whereas those that received iPSC transplantation after 3-NP treatment had preserved motor function. Histological analysis of the brains of these rats revealed significant decreases in optical densitometric measures in the striatum, lateral ventricle enlargement, as well as an increase in striosome size in all rats receiving 3-NP when compared with sham rats. The 3-NP-treated rats given transplants of iPSCs in the 7- or 21-day groups did not exhibit these deficits. Transplantation of iPSCs at the late-stage (42-day) time point did not protect against the 3-NP-induced neuropathology, despite preserving motor function. Transplanted iPSCs were found to survive and differentiate into region-specific neurons in the striatum of 3-NP rats, at all transplantation time points. Taken together, these results suggest that transplantation of adenovirus-generated iPSCs may provide a potential avenue for therapeutic treatment of HD.

IntroductionHuntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by an expanded CAG repeat on the short arm of chromosome 4 resulting in cognitive decline, motor dysfunction, and death, typically occurring 15 to 20 years after the onset of motor symptoms. Neuropathologically, HD is characterized by a specific loss of medium spiny neurons in the caudate and the putamen, as well as subsequent neuronal loss in the cerebral cortex. The transgenic R6/2 mouse model of HD carries the N-terminal fragment of the human HD gene (145 to 155 repeats) and rapidly develops some of the behavioral characteristics that are analogous to the human form of the disease. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown the ability to slow the onset of behavioral and neuropathological deficits following intrastriatal transplantation in rodent models of HD. Use of MSCs derived from umbilical cord (UC) offers an attractive strategy for transplantation as these cells are isolated from a noncontroversial and inexhaustible source and can be harvested at a low cost. Because UC MSCs represent an intermediate link between adult and embryonic tissue, they may hold more pluripotent properties than adult stem cells derived from other sources.MethodsMesenchymal stem cells, isolated from the UC of day 15 gestation pups, were transplanted intrastriatally into 5-week-old R6/2 mice at either a low-passage (3 to 8) or high-passage (40 to 50). Mice were tested behaviorally for 6 weeks using the rotarod task, the Morris water maze, and the limb-clasping response. Following behavioral testing, tissue sections were analyzed for UC MSC survival, the immune response to the transplanted cells, and neuropathological changes.ResultsFollowing transplantation of UC MSCs, R6/2 mice did not display a reduction in motor deficits but there appeared to be transient sparing in a spatial memory task when compared to untreated R6/2 mice. However, R6/2 mice receiving either low- or high-passage UC MSCs displayed significantly less neuropathological deficits, relative to untreated R6/2 mice.ConclusionsThe results from this study demonstrate that UC MSCs hold promise for reducing the neuropathological deficits observed in the R6/2 rodent model of HD.

Extant research on political corporate social responsibility (PCSR) has not yet addressed how the populist turn impacts PCSR theory and practice. This conceptual article analyzes how populism influences PCSR across a range of political environments. We draw on signaling and screening theories to develop a conceptual model that advances PCSR literature by proposing an information-centric approach. We highlight the necessity of high-quality information as an enabling condition for effective PCSR-related decision-making, and our model explains how the depreciation of information transparency under populism impacts PCSR strategy. We thus contribute to PCSR literature with a new information-based theorization by showing how PCSR depends on the political environment and by enhancing our understanding of the role of the state in the development of PCSR strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Concussion is a growing public health concern given the large number of youth and collegiate athletes participating in collision sports. Sport-related concussions can have an adverse impact on student-athletes' health and academic performance. Athletic programs within academic organizations are motivated to employ the most effective and efficient diagnostic and recovery procedures to minimize the duration and impact of these symptoms on student-athletes' functioning. The present study sought to further our understanding regarding the value and frequency of conducting baseline assessments when evaluating sport-related concussions. Method A total of 41 athletes (24 men, 17 women) between the ages of 18 and 22 were evaluated following suspected concussive injury between 2015 and 2018. Post-injury test results were compared to baselines that had been collected either 1 or 2 years prior, and to normative data, to determine consistency in diagnostic outcomes. Results Baseline test/retest reliability using Pearson's bivariate correlations revealed modest correlations on measures of verbal and visual memory (0.437–0.569) and very strong correlations on measures of reaction time and visual-motor speed (0.811–0.821). Meanwhile, minimal if any differences in clinical decision-making regarding the diagnostic outcome was observed when comparing post-injury test results to different baselines and to normative data. Conclusions Findings indicate that yearly baseline testing may not improve diagnostic accuracy, and in many cases, normative data may be adequate for decision-making. Additional research should evaluate the potential benefit of baseline testing in return-to-play decision-making among broader athletic populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worker hostels or dormitories are common in labour-intensive industries staffed largely by migrant labour, and have long been associated with exploitative practices. More recently, hostels have come under scrutiny because of accusations that they are used to restrict workers' freedom in ways that are tantamount to modern slavery. Drawing on a qualitative study of a garment hub in South India where such claims have frequently arisen, we explore the conditions of freedom and unfreedom in worker hostels and how suppliers who run such hostels respond to competing expectations about worker freedom. Our findings show that hostels perform three interrelated functions: restriction, protection, and liberation, which together constitute a complex mix of freedom and unfreedom for migrant women workers that we term hybrid (un)freedom. As a result, we problematize the binary understandings of freedom and unfreedom that predominate in the modern slavery literature. We also develop a new way forward for examining freedom in the context of hostels that considers the system of relationships, traditions, and socio-economic arrangements that workers and employers are locked into and that prevent meaningful improvements in the freedom of women workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 is the most immediate of several crises we face as human beings: crises that expose deeply-rooted matters of social injustice in our societies. Management scholars have not been encouraged to address the role that business, as we conduct it and consider it as scholars, has played in creating the crises and fostering the injustices our crises are laying bare. Contributors to this article draw attention to the way that the pandemic has highlighted long-standing examples of injustice, from inequality to racism, gender, and social discrimination through environmental injustice to migratory workers and modern slaves. They consider the fact that few management scholars have raised their voices in protest, at least partly because of the ideological underpinnings of the discipline, and the fact these need to be challenged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monocytes and their downstream effectors are critical components of the innate immune system. Monocytes are equipped with chemokine receptors, allowing them to migrate to various tissues, where they can differentiate into macrophage and dendritic cell subsets and participate in tissue homeostasis, infection, autoimmune disease, and cancer. Enabling genome engineering in monocytes and their effector cells will facilitate a myriad of applications for basic and translational research. Here, we demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas9 RNPs can be used for efficient gene knockout in primary human monocytes. In addition, we demonstrate that intracellular RNases are likely responsible for poor and heterogenous mRNA expression as incorporation of pan-RNase inhibitor allows efficient genome engineering following mRNA-based delivery of Cas9 and base editor enzymes. Moreover, we demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas9 combined with an rAAV vector DNA donor template mediates site-specific insertion and expression of a transgene in primary human monocytes. Finally, we demonstrate that SIRPa knock-out monocyte-derived macrophages have enhanced activity against cancer cells, highlighting the potential for application in cellular immunotherapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]