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To the authors' knowledge, no systematic review has examined the definition of safety leadership in the academic literature to date. A review was therefore carried out to determine how safety leadership was defined in the peer reviewed empirical literature and thematic analysis was employed to identify patterned meanings across the data. Thirty-seven primary definitions, or definitions that were not borrowed from other studies, were identified. Of these 37, seven conceptual definitions were found to be evidence-based, six of which were endorsed by their operational counterpart definitions and one which was derived using exploratory research. These seven definitions showed strong alignment with the three themes that emerged from the thematic analysis that capture the why, how, and who of safety leadership. Transformational leadership theory formed the foundation for many of the definitions in the academic literature, despite recent evidence suggesting that adopting multiple forms of leadership styles would be more effective for improving workplace safety. Gaps in the current evidence base are explored and suggestions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Recent evidence suggests that some women experience menopausal symptoms that impact on their working lives, and that work environments can impact upon the experience of menopause. As a result, guidance for employers and other key stakeholders about this potential occupational health issue has emerged. To date there has not been a review of these documents to identify their main recommendations for policy and practice. Aims To provide a narrative overview of such guidance and summary of content. Methods Documents published in the UK and available in a major UK trade union library were searched systematically to identify guidance on the topic of menopause and work. An inductive thematic analysis was performed to identify the main themes addressed. Results Twenty-five relevant documents, on average eight pages long, were identified. A minority indicated that the use of scientific evidence informed the content. Five overarching themes were identified: (i) legislation; (ii) policy; (iii) information and training needs; (iv) workplace support; and (v) the physical work environment. Conclusions This overview of UK guidance revealed common areas of concern about reducing and managing difficulties experienced by working menopausal women. Possible areas for action were identified. Some recommendations were common across much of the guidance, whereas others were exclusive. Future guidance might include consideration of all these issues, while making reference both to the evidence base and sources of further information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activin A, a member of the TGF-β superfamily of cytokines, was originally identified as an inducer of follicle stimulating hormone release, but has since been ascribed roles in normal physiological processes, as an immunoregulatory cytokine and as a driver of fibrosis. In the last 10-15 years, it has also become abundantly clear that activin A plays an important role in the regulation of asthmatic inflammation and airway remodelling. This review provides a brief introduction to the activin A/ TGF-β superfamily, focussing on the regulation of receptors and signalling pathways. We examine the contradictory evidence for generalized pro- vs. anti-inflammatory effects of activin A in inflammation, before appraising its role in asthmatic inflammation and airway remodelling specifically by evaluating data from both murine models and clinical studies. We identify key issues to be addressed, paving the way for safe exploitation of modulation of activin A function for treatment of allergic asthma and other inflammatory lung diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the 2+2=5 art collective that was instigated of women who have completed art school in Australia. The significant contribution of Dr. Pamela Dahl-Helm Johnson to the collective through the documentation of artists' work is pointed out. It considers the collective as a tool in creating, supporting, collaborating and raising issues encountered by artists. A tribute to the life spent by Johnson to the group is also provided.

The Arabidopsis inflorescence stem undergoes rapid directional growth, requiring massive axial cell-wall extension in all its tissues, but, at maturity, these tissues are composed of cell types that exhibit markedly different cell-wall structures. It is not clear whether the cell-wall compositions of these cell types diverge rapidly following axial growth cessation, or whether compositional divergence occurs at earlier stages in differentiation, despite the common requirement for cell-wall extensibility. To examine this question, seven cell types were assayed for the abundance and distribution of 18 major cell-wall glycan classes at three developmental stages along the developing inflorescence stem, using a high-throughput immunolabelling strategy. These stages represent a phase of juvenile growth, a phase displaying the maximum rate of stem extension, and a phase in which extension growth is ceasing. The immunolabelling patterns detected demonstrate that the cell-wall composition of most stem tissues undergoes pronounced changes both during and after rapid extension growth. Hierarchical clustering of the immunolabelling signals identified cell-specific binding patterns for some antibodies, including a sub-group of arabinogalactan side chain-directed antibodies whose epitope targets are specifically associated with the inter-fascicular fibre region during the rapid cell expansion phase. The data reveal dynamic, cell type-specific changes in cell-wall chemistry across diverse cell types during cell-wall expansion and maturation in the Arabidopsis inflorescence stem, and highlight the paradox between this structural diversity and the uniform anisotropic cell expansion taking place across all tissues during stem growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ice-shelf collapses in the Larsen A and B embayments along the Weddell side of the Antarctic Peninsula resulted in new open-water areas that are likely reorganizing benthic communities. It is a natural laboratory to assess colonization of the sea bottom under new conditions. We tested the hypothesis that the epibionts associated to cidaroid echinoids could promote or enhance the colonization of hard surfaces. In fact, being vagile, cidaroids might improve dispersal capabilities of the sessile animals that are attached to their spines, e.g., promoting the colonization of areas where the fauna has been eradicated by iceberg scouring. If this hypothesis is correct, pioneer sessile species present locally on stones might have affinities with ectosymbionts on cidaroids, and the sessile fauna present both on cidaroids and stones should be more similar in the Larsen embayments than in undisturbed areas. We therefore compared sessile species living on cidaroids with those living on stones in three areas: Larsen A and B embayments and two undisturbed and geographically different areas, Atka Bay and Elephant Island. Overall, richness, evaluated as ‘morphotypes’ richness, was lower in the Larsen area than in other areas, but levels of species diversity were similar among the three zones. The estimate of similarity between assemblages (using the C 22 index of ) also suggests that cidaroid epibionts are either species-specific or specific to cidaroids, while the composition of sessile fauna on stones is more variable and probably dependent on local factors. In the two undisturbed areas, sessile fauna are highly different between stones and cidaroids. This contrasts with the Larsen embayments where cidaroids share more than 80% of epibionts with the surrounding stones. These results suggest that ectosymbioses linked to cidaroids strongly contribute to benthic colonization of the seafloor in the Larsen enbayments. With time, secondary successions are expected to occur, increasing the difference between epibiotic communities on cidaroids and those on stones, and lead to the situations observed in unperturbed sites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Allocation trade-offs of limited resources are thought to ensure the honesty of sexual signals and are often studied using controlled immune challenges. One such trade-off between immunity and ornaments is that involving carotenoids. Phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced immune response is a widely used immune challenge, yet more details on the underlying physiological mechanisms and potential costs are needed. We investigated the temporal dynamics of PHA-induced immune response and associated changes in blood carotenoids, body mass and a carotenoid-based coloured signal. We found variation in individual response patterns to PHA after peak swelling was reached, with birds showing either a rapid or a slow subsequent decrease in swelling, suggesting variation in the duration of the immune response and/or inflammation. Body mass did not affect immune response. Plasma carotenoids followed a transient decrease closely matching the dynamics of the swelling. The peak of the immune response was negatively related to initial plasma carotenoid levels and positively correlated to the relative decrease in plasma carotenoids. Individual variation in duration of the swelling could be partly explained by plasma carotenoids; high initial carotenoid levels were associated with a slower decrease of the swelling. These contradictory effects of carotenoids suggest a complex role in the immune response. Bill colour was positively correlated to initial plasma carotenoid concentration but it did not predict or change as a consequence of immune response to PHA. Bill colour thus reflects medium- or long-term quality rather than immediate quality. Taking into account the dynamics of the immune response and that of associated physiological parameters would thus yield new insights into our interpretation of variation in PHA response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitogen-activated protein kinase, SIPK (salicylic acid-induced protein kinase), is known to be rapidly activated in tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum) by various elicitors. However, SIPK activation induced by the oomycete elicitor, β-megaspermin, is reported to require external calcium influx, whereas that induced by the bacterial elicitor, hrpZPsph, does not. This suggests that SIPK activation is involved in different elicitor-initiated signalling pathways, and raises the question of whether the role(s) of SIPK in mediating stress outcomes, including transcriptional re-programming, differs in an elicitor-specific manner. To examine this, we compared the impact of silencing SIPK on the transcript profile of tobacco suspension culture cells challenged with either hrpZPsph or β-megaspermin. SIPK-silencing was found to have a substantial impact on both hrpZPsph- and β-megaspermin-induced transcriptional responses, and these impacts included both common and elicitor-differentiated features. As well as revealing a role for SIPK in modulating expression of known redox- and defence-related genes in response to both elicitors, our analysis detected a substantial impact of SIPK silencing on transcription of 80S ribosomal subunit mRNAs. This novel observation suggests that SIPK may play a role in affecting translation efficiency as one mechanism for enacting rapid genome-wide, elicitor-specific physiological reprogramming during defence responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To explore the attitudes of patients with locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer towards the diagnosis and treatment of their disease. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients who had been receiving hormonal therapy for > or = 1 year were recruited from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the USA. All patients were required to complete a 10- to 15-minute fully structured questionnaire (either online or on paper) during September 2006. RESULTS: A total of 382 patients completed the questionnaire. Patients were currently receiving luteinising hormone-releasing hormone agonist monotherapy (73%), antiandrogen monotherapy (10%), or combined androgen blockade (17%). Since diagnosis, while being treated with hormonal therapy, many patients felt that they had a more reasonable quality of life (36%) and were more able to lead an active life (36%). Although patients generally wanted to be involved in treatment decisions, many felt they had missed out on hormonal treatment options (26%) and/or were unaware of all the treatment options available (29%). Patients felt that information on hormonal treatments from their specialist physician could be trusted more than that from other sources. The most important factors for patients in terms of their treatment were disease control (39%) and outliving their disease (31%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients can miss information regarding their disease and the hormonal treatments available. As patients place the most emphasis on disease control and outliving their disease, and may experience improved quality of life while on hormonal therapy, physicians should not exclude treatment options on the basis of potential side effects alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Activin A is a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily which is directly implicated in airway structural change and inflammation in asthma. In vitro, the biological effects of activin A are neutralized by the soluble binding protein follistatin. Objective To determine the potential of endogenous follistatin to suppress activin A in vivo by analysing their relative tissue and kinetic compartmentalization during the effector phase of subchronic Th2-driven mucosal inflammation in a murine model of allergic asthma. Methods Eosinophilic mucosal inflammation was elicited by triggering Th2 recall responses by antigen challenge in ovalbumin-sensitized BALB/c mice. The kinetics and distribution of activin A and follistatin protein were assessed in lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and measured in relation to airway eosinophilia, goblet cell metaplasia and Th2 cytokine production in mediastinal lymph nodes. Results Follistatin was released concurrently with activin A suggesting it acts as an endogenous regulator: peak BAL concentrations coincided with maximal airway eosinophilia, and frequency of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 producing cells in mediastinal lymph nodes but induction lagged behind the onset of inflammation. Follistatin and activin A immunoreactivity were lost in airway epithelial cells in parallel with goblet cell metaplasia. Exogenous follistatin inhibited the allergen-specific Th2 immune response in mediastinal lymph nodes and mucus production in the lung. Conclusion Follistatin is preformed in the normal lung and released in concert with activin A suggesting it serves as an endogenous regulator. Disturbance of the fine balance between activin A and its endogenous inhibitor follistatin may be a determinant of the severity of allergic inflammation or tissue phenotypic shift in asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 90% of native vegetation has been cleared for agriculture in central New South Wales, Australia. Habitat loss has reduced and fragmented populations of the agamid lizardAmphibolurus nobbi. We compared genetic structure of populations of this species in an unmodified landscape with those from small nature reserves and linear remnants in farming areas. We ask: Is there evidence for reduced dispersal and population fragmentation among farm populations? Using 2008 bp mtDNA sequences and allozyme electrophoresis, we found that small populations in farming areas had as much genetic variation as populations in nature reserves. Application of nested clade analysis (NCA) indicated isolation-by-distance effects among populations from uncleared areas, but not among populations within farming locations. The genetic evidence therefore implied a high level of migration in the cleared landscapes. High dispersal after fragmentation may have resulted from either a burst of movement at the time of land clearing with dragons from many sources finding refuge in a few remnants, or from ongoing rapid dispersal through unsuitable habitat. A phylogeny based on mtDNA revealed thatA. nobbipopulations in the study area are deeply divided into two reciprocally monophyletic groups. Although we did not sample the entire species range, one of these evolutionarily significant units was only detected in remnant vegetation in the agricultural landscape. Therefore, a substantial subclade of this species may be vulnerable to extinction. Our findings emphasize that local populations of widespread species can harbour important intraspecific genetic diversity, supporting the case for maintaining widespread species throughout production landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/Background: Graft versus host disease (GVHD) following histoincompatible bone marrow transplantation may be modelled experimentally using irradiated metallothionein promoter-H-2Kb transgenic mice (MET-Kb mice), reconstituted with syngeneic non-transgenic spleen and lymph node (LN) cells. In this model, inflammation peaks at 3 weeks post-reconstitution, but resolves by 3 months, and is focussed on portal tracts and bile ducts (BD). The aim of this study was to determine if transgene-expressing hepatocytes play a role in the immune response, why portal tracts are selectively targeted, and which cell types are involved. Methods: Intrahepatic BD (IHBD) with attached hepatocytes, or extrahepatic BD (EHBD) devoid of hepatoctyes, were isolated from MET-Kb mice and implanted under the kidney capsule of transgenic (syngeneic) and congenic (allogeneic) mice. Three weeks post-implantation, BD were scored histologically for rejection or survival, and stained for various cell-surface molecules. Results: Generally, IHBD survived better than EHBD, and T cells were the predominant infiltrating cell type in both implants. Both types of implants undergoing rejection expressed intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and leukocyte function antigen-1 (LFA-1) at high density; BD and the underlying kidney parenchyma also expressed class I and II major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Conclusions: The rejection of both groups of implants by congenic recipients suggests that BD from MET-Kb mice express the transgene, but the reason for the selective targeting of portal tracts rather than transgene-expressing hepatocytes remains unclear. One possible explanation is that dendritic cells/antigen-presenting cells (DC/APC) in portal tracts, which express high levels of MHC and co-stimulatory molecules, are the primary targets, and that BD are infiltrated and destroyed as ‘bystanders’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To benchmark the accuracy of the models and improve the predictive capability of future experiments, the National Ignition Facility requires measurements of the physical conditions inside inertial confinement fusion hohlraums. The ion temperature and bulk motion velocity of the gas-filled regions of the hohlraum can be obtained by replacing the helium tamping gas in the hohlraum with deuterium–tritium (DT) gas and measuring the Doppler broadening and Doppler shift of the neutron spectrum produced by nuclear reactions in the hohlraum. To understand the spatial distribution of the neutron production inside the hohlraum, we have developed a new penumbral neutron imager with a 12 mm diameter field of view using a simple tungsten alloy spindle. We performed the first experiment using this imager on a DT gas-filled hohlraum and successfully obtained the spatial distribution of neutron production in the hohlraum plasma. We will report on the design of the spindle, characterization of the detectors, and methodology of the image reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the association of hair treatment, including permanent and non-permanent dyes, bleach, highlights and lowlights on the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: 150 SLE patients and 300 controls from Nottingham, UK were interviewed in a casecontrol study. Controls were matched to cases for gender and year of birth. All patients met at least four of the American Rheumatology Association criteria for SLE. Controls were randomly selected from the Nottingham Family Health Services Authority register. Information was collected via an interview-administered questionnaire concerning demographic variables and hair treatment. Results: For hair treatment no significant associations were observed between ever using permanent colouring, non-permanent colouring, bleach or lowlights, and disease. Nevertheless a significant association (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.31-0.95) was observed between 'ever having' used highlights and disease with cases having used highlights less frequently than their healthy counterparts. No significant differences were observed in duration of usage of hair bleach, permanent colouring, non-permanent colouring, highlights and lowlights between cases and controls. Conclusions: Hair treatment or duration of hair treatment usage is not significant in the aetiology of SLE. Although patients with SLE were less likely in this study to have highlights than controls, for all other hair treatments no differences were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims to give Chinese in Hong Kong a voice in response to works of Chinese American literature and to draw Chinese American interpretations of Chinese culture and native Chinese interpretations into mutual relations. Positioning of Asian American texts; Asian American works' tendency to misrepresent and defame Chinese culture and Chinese people.

Deals with an experimental assessment of the performance of different damping systems in controlling wind-induced conductor motions. Test site characteristics; Line set-up and location of anemometers.

Examines the idea that universities can be viewed as a generic form of professional organization. Study of six Brazilian universities; Decision making and structure in higher education; Separating rationality from bureaucracy; Innovation and adhocracy.

Distinguishes two levels of a speech by Penelope Polutropos, at Odyssey 23.218-24. Importance of the unifying theme of knowledge throughout Polutropos's speech; Reference to a self comparison made by Penelope to Helen.

Mice expressing an ovine growth hormone-mouse metallothionein promoter fusion gene (METoGH mice) develop chronic hepatitis which becomes, progressively more severe over time, hepatocellular adenomas, and eventually carcinoma in the oldest animals. T-lymphocyte expression of activation/memory-associated markers was compared between liver and blood lymphocytes isolated from METoGH and non-transgenic mice at 7, 10 and 12 mouths of age. The percentage of intrahepatic lymphocytes (IHL) which were CD4+ was markedly diminished in METoGH mice at all times. CD4+ and CD8+ IHL in METoGH mice expressed Ly-6A/6D at increased density, and were CD45RBlo at later time-points. Ly-6C+ and NK1.1+ CD4+ cells, which are common in normal mouse liver, were found at decreased frequency in METoGH livers. Further analysis demonstrated that, as a proportion of total T-cell receptor (TCR)αβ cells, NK1.1+ TCRαβint CD4+ cell numbers (NKT cells) were diminished in the livers of METoGH mice. Observations made in METoGH mice support the hypothesis that sustained liver inflammation and hepatocellular injury may be linked to liver cancer. Additionally, it is possible that the relative lack of NKT cells may create an environment permissive for the growth of liver tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the use specific immunotherapy for the treatment of selected allergic disease in Great Britain. Production of purified recombinant allergens; Regulation of cell types and mechanisms in the outcome of an immune response; Efficacy of the treatment against allergy.

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two main clades of the medically significant saltmarsh mosquitoAedes vigilaxSkuse (Diptera: Culicidae) were obtained using combined Illumina and Sanger sequencing. The two 15,877 bp circular genomes share 99.0% nucleotide identity and encode 37 genes with identical gene arrangement similar to previously published Culicidae species with a non-coding A + T rich region betweenrnsandtRNA-Ile. Protein initiation codon is ATN apart from ND5 (GTG) and COX1 (TCG). Eight protein-coding genes encode full TAA stop codon, while five are completed by mRNA polyadenylation. Typical cloverleaf structures containing DHU and TΨC stem and loops can be inferred for all 22 tRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial genomes for two deeply divergent lineages of the urban adapted mosquitoAedes notoscriptusSkuse (Diptera: Culicidae) in Australia were sequenced using a combination of next generation Illumina and traditional Sanger sequencing. The 15,846 and 15,851 bp circular genomes share 95.0% nucleotide identity. They both have the full complement of 37 metazoan genes and identical gene arrangements to previously published Culicidae species with the one non-coding A + T rich control region present betweenrnsandtRNA-Ile. All protein initiation codons are ATN apart from COX1 (TCG). Eight protein coding genes encode full TAA stop codons, one uses an incomplete TA and four use T. Typical cloverleaf structures containing DHU and TΨC stem and loops can be inferred for all 22 tRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "A re-evaluation of the role of rotational forceps: retrospective comparison of maternal and perinatal outcomes following different methods of birth for malposition in the second stage of labour ," by N. Tempest, A. Hart, S. Walkinshaw, D. K. Hapangama in the 2013 issue.

The article describes a case of 13-year-old female patient who complained constipation and was diagnosed with benign lipoma.

Focuses on the occurrence of allergy in a patient taking aminophylline. Hypersensitivity to ethylene diamine; Administration of the skin patch test; Increase in the solubility of theophylline.

Background Within the current context of continued austerity and post-pandemic recovery, it remains important that Local Government services address the increasing needs of residents as cost-effectively as possible. Alliancing, whereby services work collaboratively focusing on the 'whole-system', has gained popularity as a tool with the potential to support collaborative whole systems approaches. This synthesis aims to identify how alliancing can be successfully operationalised in the commissioning of public health, wider National Health Service (NHS) and social care-related services. Methods A realist literature synthesis was undertaken in order to identify underlying generative mechanisms associated with alliancing, the contextual conditions surrounding the implementation and operationalisation of the alliancing approach mechanisms, and the outcomes produced as a result. An iterative approach was taken, using a recent systematic review of the effectiveness of Alliancing, online database searches, and grey literature searches. Results Three mechanistic components were identified within the data as being core to the successful implementation of alliances in public health and social care-related services within Local Government: (i) Achieving a system-level approach; (ii) placing local populations at the heart of the system; and (iii) creating a cultural shift. Programme theories were postulated within these components. Conclusions The alliancing approach offers an opportunity to achieve system-level change with the potential to benefit local populations. The realist synthesis approach taken within this study has provided insights into the necessary contextual and mechanistic factors of the Alliancing approach, above and beyond effectiveness outcomes typically collected through more conventional evaluation methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]