Among the many recent advances in assisted reproduction therapies (ART), improved technologies for identifying viable oocytes, sperm, and embryos are of primary importance. Paradoxically, the latest advances presented at conferences and symposia are often slow to become part of the daily routine in IVF laboratories. Detailing established and develo
Today there are nearly six million children under the age of five living in poverty in the world's richest country. Blanket statements are often tossed around in the political arena, public debate sphere, and progressive rhetoric. But the statistic remains intangible for many Americans, likely because the root causes, effects, and implications are multifaceted and complex, and are often hard to understand for the average American living a much different reality. What is needed is a clear and thorough discussion of this epidemic, and Behind from the Start answers that call. Author Lenette Azzi-Lessing examines what lies behind the stubbornly high rate of poverty among young children in the U.S. and the resulting consequences, both for the children themselves and for America as a whole. Behind from the Start examines the link between America's shaming, blaming, and marginalizing of poor parents, and our punitive welfare policies that jeopardize the life chances of vulnerable young children, thereby maintaining the cycle of chronic poverty. Research has shown that the experience of poverty in the first years of life is particularly harmful, blunting physical and brain development, increasing the risk for chronic health issues and injury, and limiting a person's lifelong capacity for learning and success. In debunking the myths that help perpetuate the cycle of poverty in the world's richest country, Lenette Azzi-Lessing reveals how negative public and political discourse regarding poor families impacts the poorly conceived and fragmented programs intended to support them, which have in turn failed to meet their aims. She considers the cultural and political forces that contribute to intergenerational poverty in the U.S., the consequences for the millions of young children in families stuck at the bottom of our economy, and the beneficial impacts that would be felt country-wide in fixing some of these persistent problems. Drawing upon knowledge from diverse fields, including neuroscience, media studies, and public policy, as well as the author's experiences on the front lines as a practicing social worker, Behind from the Start offers a fresh take on this shameful problem and its solutions.
Wolf's discovery demonstrating that a reporter gene is expressed in myocytes subsequent to injection of naked DNA, was exploited by immunologists and vaccinologists to develop a new generation of vaccines. This observation galvanized the research and in a short lapse of time, an oceanic volume of knowledge has been accumulated. The research carried out in a variety of animal models showed the efficacy of genetic immunization against viruses, bacteria, and some parasites by the ability to induce a strong priming effect resulting from long-lasting persistence of plasmid as episomes. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that newborn or infant immune unresponsiveness to classical vaccines can be corrected by genetic immunization. The applications of genetic immunization for prophylaxis of infections was extended to immunotherapy, namely, cancerous, auto immune, and allergic diseases. Immunologists have provided pertinent information on the cellular basis of the immune responses elicited by genetic immunization, and molecular biologists have established the molecular basis of intrinsic adjuvant properties of plasmids.
In recent times, research on trust has become a major field in the domain of management and in the social sciences as a whole. The Handbook of Trust Research presents a timely and comprehensive account of the most important work undertaken in this lively and emerging field over the past ten to fifteen years. Presenting a broad range of approaches to issues on trust, the Handbook features 22 articles from a variety of disciplines on the study of trust in both organizational and societal contexts. With contributions from some of the most eminent names in the field of trust research, this international collaboration is an imaginative and informative reference tool to aid research in this engaging area for years to come. The Handbook contributes to an area of key importance to almost every aspect of business and society and, in particular, it will appeal to students and scholars of organization theory, strategy and organizational psychology.
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most prevalent genetic disorders of childhood for which there is no cure. This authoritative guide provides a clear overview of the clinical, genetic, and pathophysiological aspects of the disease in the context of emerging therapeutic modalities. The only available source on the subject, this reference emphasizes the importance of accurate diagnosis, carrier detection, and genetic counseling, and supplies state-of-the-art information on pharmacological interventions, regenerative medicine, and gene therapy.