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There is considerable evidence supporting a role for mold exposure in the pathogenesis and expression of childhood asthma. Aspergillus versicolor and Cladosporium cladosporioides are common molds that have been implicated in asthma. In a model of mold-induced asthma, mice were repeatedly exposed to either A. versicolor or C. cladosporioides spores. The two molds induced distinct phenotypes, and this effect was observed in both BALB/c and C57BL/6 strains. C. cladosporioides induced robust airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), eosinophilia, and a predominately Th2 response, whereas A. versicolor induced a strong Thl7 response and neutrophilic inflammation, but very mild AHR. Neutralization of IL-17A resulted in strong AHR and eosinophilic inflammation following A. versicolor exposure. In Dectin-l-deficient mice, A. versicolor exposure resulted in markedly attenuated IL-17A and robust AHR compared with wild-type mice. In contrast, C. cladosporioides induced AHR and eosinophilic inflam-mation independent of IL-17A and Dectin-1. A. versicolor, but not C. cladosporioides, spores had increased exposure of (i-glucans on their surface and were able to bind Dectin-1. Thus, the host response to C. cladosporioides was IL-17A- and Dectin-1-independent, whereas Dectin-1- and IL-17A-dependent pathways were protective against the development of asthma after exposure to A. versicolor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay, I explore Jewish composer/singer/liturgist Debbie Friedman and her time in Houston (1978–1984) as a crucial moment in the history of Jewish education. Working as a music educator in two area synagogues, Friedman negotiated a changing environment as cantorial training rose to become a mark of communal musical authority. She consequently turned to a rising Jewish education counterculture (in CAJE) that increasingly warmed to popular music as a core part of its agenda. Friedman's mutually beneficial relationship with CAJE ultimately built a like-minded audience for her music, while opening a path for song leaders to rise to national spiritual leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Higher Education / Yüksekögretim Dergisi is the property of Deomed Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A decision to offer breakfast to homeless people led to radical change in a church and its environment. Existing theories of change do not fully explain observations from our qualitative study; however, complexity theory constructs suggest how and why such change emerged. We offer four key findings. First, the radical change was unintended, emergent, and slow. Second, destabilizing conditions helped small changes to emerge and become radical. Third, subsequent actions amplified an initial small change and, though not intended to do so, promoted radical change. Finally, the dynamic interaction of amplifying actions, contextual conditions, and small changes led to continuous radical change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the authors draw on five case studies in health care organizations to develop a process theory of strategic change in pluralistic settings characterized by diffuse power and divergent objectives. The creation of a collective leadership group in which members play complementary roles appears critical in achieving change. However, collective leadership is fragile. The authors identify three levels of 'coupling' between leaders, organization, and environment that need to be mobilized to permit change. Since it is difficult to maintain coupling at all levels simultaneously, change tends to proceed sporadically, driven by the effects of leaders' actions on their political positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin (IL)−13 is a type 2 cytokine with important roles in allergic diseases, asthma, and tissue fibrosis. Its receptor (R) α1 is primarily responsible for the biological actions of this cytokine, while Rα2 possesses a decoy function which can block IL-13 signaling. Although the expression of Rα2 is known to be subject to modulation, information about its transcriptional regulation is limited. In this study, we sought to expand the understanding of transcriptional control of Rα2 in lung fibroblasts. We confirmed previous reports that IL-13 elicited modest induction of Rα2 in normal adult human lung fibroblasts, but found that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) –mediators known to influence fibroblast activation in tissue fibrosis but not previously investigated in this regard – led to a much greater magnitude of Rα2 induction. Although both PGE2 (via protein kinase A) and FGF-2 (via protein kinase B, also known as AKT) depended on activation of cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) for induction of Rα2 expression, they nevertheless demonstrated synergy in doing so, likely attributable to their differential utilization of distinct transcriptional start sites on the Rα2 promoter. Our data identify CREB activation via PGE2 and FGF-2 as a previously unrecognized molecular controller of Rα2 gene induction and provide potential new insights into strategies for therapeutic manipulation of this endogenous brake on IL-13 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes how a secondary teacher education program at a midsized university made the turn toward a practice-based program in teacher education. The authors argue that efforts to recenter the program around practices have not only improved opportunities for novice teachers, but also have provided teacher educators a programmatic framework for making substantive progress toward three attributes of quality teacher education: increased collaboration between teacher educators, greater coherence between courses and experiences, and improved legitimacy of university-based teacher education. The authors detail specific components of this program reform and explain how such efforts have resulted in valuable gains across each attribute. The authors also explain how they implemented these programmatic changes largely within existing course and field-experience structures, and without substantive new infusions of personnel or funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article examines the timing of changes of key educational process indicators within three groups of elementary schools after No Child Left Behind (NCLB) implementation: schools that met adequate yearly progress targets consistently, schools that entered restructuring due to prolonged academic failure but failed to exit, and schools that entered restructuring status but managed to improve sufficiently to return to good standing. We examine whether the timing of restructuring disrupted routine educational processes in failing schools and whether resulting changes in those processes were associated with the timing of exiting restructuring status. Research Methods: We utilize a time-series design and growth mixture modeling with known classes to identify a set of process changes and context indicators that maximally differentiate the classes of schools according to their NCLB restructuring status. Findings: First, we found restructuring disrupted entrenched organizational routines. Second, changes in teacher views regarding the quality of key school processes such as leadership, instructional capacity, and sustained focus on school improvement were associated with corresponding changes in NCLB accountability status. Implications: The findings reinforce the view that school processes can be changed through intended action--be it external policy intervention or strategic responses of site-level leadership. Our longitudinal examination of changes in school NCLB accountability status over time supports the view that low-performing schools can evolve through a process of reorientation, change, and convergence--a developmental process that can take a decade or longer to unfold from falling into sanction status to climbing out after a considerable period in externally monitored restructuring status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the nature of the intelligence and organisational learning of public sector organisations with regard to both individual organisations and multiple organisational ecosystems. The main ideas behind modern systems theory (MST) and the logic developed by the MST theorists in the domain of organisational intelligence are pinpointed in the paper. The article presupposes that the basic structure of the organisational features of intelligence consists of leadership, strategy and foresight, people, partnerships and resources, and organisational processes, and the intelligence builds on these features. The article concludes with an explicit definition of the organisational activities that generate organisational intelligence, putting forward best practice examples with regard to these activities while also presenting scientific evidence to back up these claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degree of element interactivity determines the complexity and therefore the intrinsic cognitive load of linear equations. The unpacking of linear equations at the level of operational and relational lines allows the classification of linear equations in a hierarchical level of complexity. Mapping similar operational and relational lines across linear equations revealed that multi-step equations are derivatives of two-step equations, which in turn, are derivatives of one-step equations. Hence, teaching and learning of linear equations can occur in a sequential manner so that learning new knowledge (e.g. two-step equations) is built on learners' prior knowledge (e.g. one-step equations), thus reducing working memory load. The number and nature of the operational line as well as the number of relational lines also affects the efficiency of instructional method for linear equations. Apart from the degree of element interactivity, the presence of complex element (e.g. fraction, negative pronumeral) also increases the complexity of linear equations and thus poses a challenge to the learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the research is to demonstrate how recognition of complex systems or complexity science enhances recognition and achievement of entrepreneurial opportunities. A further objective is to provide an integrated source of readily available information about a number of research papers that demonstrate the role of complex systems in entrepreneurial activities. Papers reviewed include those by McKelvey, Andriani, Boisot, Dooley, Siggelkow, Chiles, Plowman, Lichtenstein, Carbonara, Crawford, and others. These papers illustrate how complex systems operate, and how this can be used to develop entrepreneurial emergence. The research also seeks to identify an integrated model of emergence to provide a framework for entrepreneurship researchers and provide assistance to entrepreneurs. Lichtenstein's Generative Emergence provides the most comprehensive model found to structure opportunity achievement. While Lichtenstein's comprehensive model has not been tested, vis-a-vis other comprehensive entrepreneurial models, the components of the model have been tested. Overall Lichtenstein's Generative Emergence model is strongly endorsed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary & Nonprofit Organizations is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sustainability education has a significant role to play in changing the leadership paradigm and fostering leaders who are capable of working collaboratively to address complex sustainability challenges. Leadership for sustainability denotes a new and expanded understanding of leadership that signifies taking action based on sustainability values, leading from a living processes paradigm, and creating an inclusive, collaborative and reflective leadership process. This paper examines and weaves together literature on leadership, leadership development, and sustainability education to suggest best practices in leadership development. A variety of suggested pedagogical practices that foster the development of leaders include: observation and self-awareness, reflection, the exploration of ecological and diverse perspectives, and learning experientially and in community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Universidad & Empresa is the property of Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Senora del Rosario and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

'Undiscussables' are topics associated with threat or embarrassment that are avoided by groups, where that avoidance is also not discussed. Their deleterious effect on executive groups has been a point of discussion for several decades. More recently critical action learning (AL) has brought a welcome focus to power relations within AL sets. This paper brings these two streams of research together by exploring the relationship between undiscussables and the exercise of power by AL leaders. Analysis of statements and actions at times of negative affect in various AL sets over a two-year period showed three distinct categories of activities of AL set leaders that seemed effective in generating undiscussables within the set. It is argued that each of these categories represented an exercise of power by AL set leaders as they accessed privilege associated with their rank. Also proposed is that these activities seemed to be done without awareness by the AL set leader, with that lack of awareness being central to achieving the result of undiscussables. The paper concludes by inviting both AL set leaders and members to consider the described activities as a means of growing awareness about their role in generating undiscussables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the important role for epidermal growth factor (EGF) in epithelial homeostasis and wound healing, it has not been investigated in atopic dermatitis (AD). We used AD animal models to explore the role of EGF in AD. In an acute AD model, skin transepidermal water loss was significantly attenuated in EGF-treated mice. Blockade of EGFR signaling genetically or pharmacologically confirms a protective role for EGFR signaling in AD. In a chronic/relapsing AD model, EGF treatment of mice with established AD resulted in an attenuation of AD exacerbation (skin epithelial thickness, cutaneous inflammation, and total and allergen specific IgE) following cutaneous allergen rechallenge. EGF treatment did not alter expression of skin barrier junction proteins or antimicrobial peptides in the AD model. However, EGF treatment attenuated allergen-induced expression of IL-17A, CXCL1, and CXCL2 and neutrophil accumulation in AD skin following cutaneous allergen exposure. IL-17A production was decreased in the in vitro restimulated skindraining lymph node cells from the EGF-treated mice. Similarly, IL-17A was increased in waved-2 mice skin following allergen exposure. Whereas IL-6 and IL-1β expression was attenuated in the skin of EGF-treated mice, EGF treatment also suppressed allergen-induced IL-6 production by kératinocytes. Given the central role of IL-6 in priming Thl7 differentiation in the skin, this effect of EGF on kératinocytes may contribute to the protective roles for EGFR in AD pathogenesis. In conclusion, our study provides evidence for a previously unrecognized protective role for EGF in AD and a new role for EGF in modulating IL-17 responses in the skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Content and Focus: Counselling psychologists offer their services to clients in organisational, political and economic contexts that are characterised by increasing levels of complexity, uncertainty and turbulence. Investigating the effectiveness of what we do remains critical to the future of the psychology professions, but our traditional approaches to scientific enquiry may not be adequate for the types of dilemma generated by complexity. Conclusions: This paper describes a framework, adapted from contemporary complexity theory, that can support us in thinking systematically and creatively about the range of investigative skills we might need if professional practice is to prove fit for purpose in the decades to come. It is proposed that complexity theory can assist us in responding creatively to the dilemmas of living and working in unprecedented times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little research has examined the multi-faceted transformation of higher education by information and communications technology (ICT) in detail. ICT is also perceived to change the ways learners learn but not teachers teach such that its impact on pedagogy is not fully discussed. This paper examines new possibilities of learning and teaching in a networked virtual learning environment where both learners and teachers transform. It is based on a cross-institution collaborative research project on virtual pedagogy conducted in the City University of Hong Kong. Qualitative data were collected from the simultaneous teaching of face-to-face and non face-to-face students who were in an engineering laboratory and at a remote site, respectively. This paper presents the findings of a comparison of the two groups of students' learning with the teacher's reflections on his teaching. The significance of this study is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The terms social constructionism and (social) constructivism are employed in the context of different problematics and different philosophical assumptions. This article presents ‘relational constructionism’ as a social science perspective. The perspective centres language-based relational processes as they (re)construct more or less local relational realities. The latter includes western individualism and its construction of the bounded, separately existing individual relating to a separately existing other where ‘other’ is everything which is not self; this has been called ‘hard’ self-other differentiation. The perspective of relational constructionism allows that ‘soft’ self-other differentiation also is possible — for example, in the practice of relationally engaged inquiry and change work. Relational constructionism, as outlined here, has a number of distinctive features: it clearly speaks about ontology and power (unlike many other constructionisms); it centres and gives ontology to construction processes (to how, rather than what) and sees persons and worlds as emerging in processes (rather than assuming individual minds and actions); it opens up the possibility of soft self-other differentiation (rather than assuming that ‘hard differentiation is ‘how it really is’); and it centres dialogical practices as ways of relating that can enable and support multiple local forms of life rather than imposing one dominant rationality on others. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The purpose of the present article is to examine the prevailing model of systematic organizational conflict management from an organizational communicative perspective and to suggest directions for improvement. Particularly the model of conflict management system (CMS) is examined at the macro-level from the novel theoretical perspective of social complexity augmented with an interpretive view of organizational communication. Specifically two models - the dual function of communication and the arena model - are utilized to illustrate weaknesses and points of development in traditional CMS thinking. CMS was found to represent a rather limited vision of contemporary conflict management. It is rooted in a mechanistic view of organizational communication, which, we assert, is problematic from the organizational conflict management perspective, both theoretically and practically. The differences between CMS and social complexity approaches are identified, and a fresh framework for strategic conflict management is introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an innovative approach to the exploration and explanation of retail location strategy formulation based on the premises of complexity theory. A chaos-theoretic approach was employed to encapsulate the complex environmental context of retail organisations, and the findings of the research are discussed in the terms and language of chaos literature. It is argued that managers understand complexity in an individual way, and therefore they deal with complexity based on their own unique understanding of it. We also argue that there are complexity absorbing and complexity adapting retail organisations that follow different approaches to their retail location strategy formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article identifies a bifurcation in the practice of organization development (OD) that is not fully acknowledged or discussed in OD textbooks or journal articles. Forms of OD practice exist that do not adhere to key assumptions and prescriptions of the founders of OD. Some of these dialogical forms of organization development practice are described and contrasts and similarities with the original, diagnostic, form of OD are analyzed. Practices that define dialogical forms of OD are identified with a call for increased acknowledgment of this bifurcation in OD research, practice, and teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth with LGBTQ parents is absent in the social science literature. The present qualitative, exploratory study utilized a social constructionist and queer theoretical lens through which to explore the sexual/gender identity formation and disclosure experiences of 18 LGBTQ young adults with lesbian/bisexual mothers. Findings suggest that LGBTQ parents may have a uniquely positive influence on their LGBTQ children in regard to their sexual and gender identity development. However, some participants reported perceiving societal scrutiny related to their mothers’ lesbian/bisexual identities and, thus, felt pressure to be heterosexual and gender-conforming. Furthermore, some participants did not necessarily utilize or view their lesbian/bisexual mothers as sources of support in relation to their own sexual/gender identity formation. While much more research is needed that examines the experiences of LGBTQ children with LGBTQ parents, this study represents a first step in addressing the existing literature gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article raises questions about and provides meta-paradigmatic perspectives on an integral understanding of leadership. In view of the various shortcomings of conventional leadership discourse, an integral orientation considers that leadership research demands a comprehensive framework and multi-level approach suited for investigating the complex, interrelated processes involved. Correspondingly, the outlined integral framework of leadership covers the interdependent subjective, intersubjective and objective dimensions of leaders and leadership. Furthermore, developmental levels and lines — classified in a dynamic cycle — open up a processual understanding of leadership. Finally, theoretical and methodological implications are discussed and some avenues for future research and perspectives of integral leadership presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]