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Hemoglobin in the brain frontal lobe tissue of patients with Alzheimer's disease is susceptible to reactive nitrogen species-mediated oxidative damage
Get PDFBrain inflammation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves reactive nitrogen species (RNS) generation. Protein contents of 3-nitrotyrosine, a product of RNS generation, were assessed in frontal lobe brain homogenates from patients with AD, patients with vascular dementia (VaD) and non-dementia (ND) controls. Western blotting revealed a dominant 15 kDa nitrated protein band in both dementia (AD/VaD) and ND frontal lobe brain tissue. Surprisingly, this protein band was identified by mass spectrometry as hemoglobin, an erythrocytic protein. The same band stained positively when western blotted using an anti-hemoglobin antibody. On western blots, the median (IQR) normalized staining intensity for 3-nitrotyrosine in hemoglobin was increased in both AD [1.71 (1.20–3.05) AU] and VaD [1.50 (0.59–3.04) AU] brain tissue compared to ND controls [0.41 (0.09–0.75) AU] (Mann-Whitney U test: AD v ND, P < 0.0005; VaD v ND, P < 0.05; n = 11). The median normalized staining of the nitrated hemoglobin band was higher in advanced AD patients compared with early-stage AD (P < 0.005). The median brain tissue NO2− levels (nmol/mg protein) were significantly higher in AD samples than in ND controls (P < 0.05). Image analysis of western blots of lysates from peripheral blood erythrocytes suggested that hemoglobin nitration was increased in AD compared to ND (P < 0.05; n = 4 in each group). Total protein-associated 3-nitrotyrosine was measured by an electrochemiluminescence-based immunosorbent assay, but showed no statistically significant differences between AD, VaD and ND. Females showed larger increases in hemoglobin nitration and NO2− levels between disease and control groups compared to males, although the group sizes in these sub-analyses were small. In conclusion, the extent of hemoglobin nitration was increased in AD and VaD brain frontal lobe tissue compared with ND. We propose that reactive nitrogen species-mediated damage to hemoglobin may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD
GP referral to rapid diagnostic centres for non-specific cancer symptoms: a qualitative study
Get PDFBackground: Diagnosing cancer can be challenging, especially when patients present to GPs with serious, but non-specific symptoms. Rapid diagnostic centres (RDCs) have been introduced in England as diagnostic pathways for patients with non-specific symptoms where cancer is suspected, but they do not meet existing cancer pathway criteria. Aim: To investigate GP perspectives on referral to an RDC pathway for patients with non-specific symptoms and suspected cancer. Design & setting: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with GPs, within the catchment area of an acute NHS trust in the UK. Method: GP interviews focusing on experiences of using the RDC pathway. A thematic analysis was conducted on interview transcripts. Results: GPs reported the RDC pathway as a game changer. It offered faster referral, reduced anxiety for GPs and patients, and reduced the need for GPs to ‘game the system’ when patients do not meet criteria for cancer-specific pathways. The narrative required on referral appeared to legitimise GP gut feelings and expertise. RDC results (if not cancer) gave GPs space to treat patients without concern of a missed cancer, while ensuring onward referral for those with cancer or other serious conditions. Some access barriers, especially related to travel and time, were identified especially for patients in rural areas. Conclusion: This cancer pathway fills a referral gap for GPs and patients with non-specific potential cancer symptoms. It has an important signposting function, helping identify patients requiring treatment for cancer or other serious conditions, and others whose symptoms can be treated safely within primary care
Children’s role in reinforcing gender stereotypes & norms, & what educators can do
Get PDFIn the next article in this series, Dr Cathy Kilburn, programme director at the University of Hull, looks at the role children play in reinforcing gender stereotypes and norms among their peers, and what practitioners can do to reduce the impact of such stereotypes on the children they look after
Unravelling Institutional Isomorphic Dynamics on Digitalization Adoption: Insights from an Exploratory Case Study of Clothing and Textile Manufacturing Company
No full textGiven the eminence of digitalisation in the manufacturing sector worldwide, Bangladesh’s clothing and textile industry intends to be an emergent player. Yet literature relating to qualitative evidence examining the institutional drivers of digitalisation has often been neglected. Therefore, this research sought to explore a shared understanding of stakeholders’ outlook around institutional isomorphism in digitalisation adoption and then examine the associated challenges concerning the execution of digitalisation. In this thesis, new institutional theory and the Common Good HRM paradigm were used as the theoretical lens.An exploratory single-case design was adopted using a combination of abductive and inductive approaches. In doing so, qualitative insights were gathered through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions on a varied group of 47 stakeholders spanning different levels and positions within and outside the case company. Data were analysed through thematic analysis using NVivo 14 software. Empirical findings revealed coercive market pressures and coercive regulatory pressures from the global level as the dominant forces towards adopting digitalisation. Further, the result showed that suppliers adopt digitalisation primarily to meet external demands rather than proactively pursuing innovation. However, the instances of institutional entrepreneurship and knowledge spillover were located under normative pressure. Empirical analysis exhibited notable obstructions namely, regulatory impediments, HR-centric obstructions, technological and operational hurdles, and challenges from the supply chain. Finally, based on suggestive measures from informants, few principles were proposed from a common good lens through which HR administrators can advance the purposes of ecological, societal, and economic progress. Grounded on empirical enquiry, an integrated theoretical framework was drawn covering the main facets of this research.This research contributes to theory and practice by offering a rich understanding of multi-level perspectives on how socio-political factors and institutional constituents influence a firm towards digitalisation. Secondly, this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by conferring challenges reflecting both micro and macro environmental dynamism. Lastly, considering the contests from a humanistic view, this study adds valuable insights to the literature on sustainable HRM and shows how a common good human resource management can scale up the digitalisation adoption process in a firm. The major implication of this study is to offer pragmatic evidence of institutional forces and challenges that can be used as a frame of reference through which managers and policymakers may pursue strategies from a common good lens
Frailty-free life expectancy and its association with socio-economic characteristics: an analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing cohort study
Get PDFBackground: Frailty is more prevalent in socio-economically disadvantaged groups; however, little is known about how this translates to differences in the number of years people live with and without frailty. We investigate differences in frailty-free and frail life expectancies among population groups stratified by wealth, area deprivation, education and marital status. Methods: The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing cohort study was used to follow the frailty trajectories of 15,003 individuals over 18 years. A multi-state model assessed the risk of transitioning between frailty states and death based on socio-economic characteristics. These risks were translated into state-specific life expectancies. Results: Wealth had the strongest association with frailty-free and frail life expectancies. Increased wealth, reduced deprivation, higher educational attainment and marriage all correlate with increased frailty-free life expectancies and reduced frail life expectancies. At age 50, the wealthiest population quintile can expect to live 11.1 [10.1–12.1] years (women) and 9.8 [8.8–10.8] years (men) longer frailty-free than the poorest population quintile. The wealthiest quintile live less than half the number of years with frailty than the poorest quintile. There is no difference in frailty-free life expectancy between the poorest men and women; however, the wealthiest women have longer frailty-free life expectancies than the wealthiest men. Conclusions: Large inequalities in frailty-free and frail life expectancies exist across socio-economic groups, with wealth and area deprivation the most important socio-economic determinants. Narrowing these inequalities may extend frailty-free life expectancies more for women than men, suggesting strategies to reduce disparities should consider both socio-economic factors and gender. Care policies should account for the geographical clustering of socio-economically disadvantaged populations. Reducing socio-economic inequalities could increase frailty-free life expectancies and reduce health and social care costs
The first large absorption survey in H I (FLASH): II. Pilot survey data release and first results
Get PDFThe First Large Absorption Survey in H I (FLASH) is a large-area radio survey for neutral hydrogen in and around galaxies in the intermediate redshift range 0.4 1, and appear to be a mixture of intervening and associated systems. Interestingly, around two-thirds of the lines found in this untargeted sample are detected against sources with a peaked-spectrum radio continuum, which are only a minor (5-20%) fraction of the overall radio-source population. The detection rate for H I absorption lines in the Pilot Surveys (0.3 to 0.5 lines per 40 deg 2 ASKAP field) is a factor of two below the expected value. One possible reason for this is the presence of a range of spectral-line artefacts in the Pilot Survey data that have now been mitigated and are not expected to recur in the full FLASH survey. A future paper in this series will discuss the host galaxies of the H I absorption systems identified here
Technoeconomic assessment of floating wind sites in South Africa
Get PDFThe floating wind sector has experienced challenges in delivering projects in a timely and cost-effective manner. This can be addressed by refining existing cost models to improve the understanding of the techno-economic aspects of the technology and enhance the feasibility of future projects. This paper proposes a model to calculate the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of floating offshore wind farms. It considers the semisubmersible (Windfloat), spar (Hywind), and tension-leg platform (TLP) (Pelastar) floating foundations. The model was utilized to assess the economic feasibility of floating wind in four sites in the Northern Cape (NC), Western Cape (WC), Eastern Cape (EC), andKwaZulu-Natal (KN) regions of South Africa. LCOE results show values ranging from USD 199.26/MWh (3250.88 ZAR/MWh) for TLP in WC to USD 235.42/MWh (3841.06 ZAR/MWh) for semisubmersible in NC. LCOE sensitivity analysis revealed that exchange rate, discount rate, capacity factor, project lifetime, and water depths had the greatest lowering effect on LCOE, respectively
Public and Healthcare Professional Attitudes Towards Risk-Stratified Bowel Screening: A Qualitative Study Using an Info-Comic Book
Get PDFBackground: Screening for bowel cancer (colorectal cancer, CRC) is well established in many high-income countries. There has been considerable interest in moving towards risk-based bowel screening to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of screening. This UK-based qualitative study explored public and healthcare professionals (HCPs)' attitudes towards risk-based bowel screening. Methods: Five virtual focus groups were held with members of the public of bowel screening age (60–74 in England; 50–74 in Scotland) and HCPs to explore attitudes towards risk-based bowel screening. Public participants (n = 12) were invited through our existing patient and public involvement (PPI) networks. HCPs (n = 11) were recruited through existing networks and with the support of screening hubs. A co-created info-comic book was used to facilitate discussion on bowel cancer risk factors. Following transcription, qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results: There was consensus that more intense screening for those of higher risk is acceptable, but this should not imply less screening for those of lower risk. There was some agreement between the public and HCPs over concerns with undue focus on risk factors, which could disadvantage those with minimal risk factors. There was also a desire to streamline existing bowel screening across the UK nations. It was felt that the current screening programme, by treating people with all risk levels in the same way, is equitable—so clear communication is needed if this is to be changed. Conclusion: Findings indicate a preference that any changes to the bowel screening programme should enhance the current screening offer, and not compromise screening offered to individuals deemed to be low risk. Changes need to be acceptable to the public and HCPs—if unacceptable, there is a risk of lowering bowel screening uptake, which could potentially exacerbate health inequities in screening outcomes. Patient and Public Contribution: The info-comic book was co-created with two PPI networks, INVOLVE Hull and People and Research Together, Bowel Research UK, supported by Humber All Nations Alliance. The PPI network provided invaluable feedback on the development of the info-comic book, to ensure inclusivity and avoid the reproduction of dominant stereotypes associated with bowel cancer
Banking on Banksy: Banksy Prints as an Investment
No full textThe dual aim of this study is to understand if investment in prints by “Banksy” yields a non-negative return and to compare it to the conventional financial instruments. To achieve this, we estimate an annual index of prices between 2007 and 2020 for 552 price pairs of modern prints by “Banksy.” Our results suggest the financial performance of Banksy prints considerably improved, in terms of returns, from 2014 onwards. We surmise two explanations for this. First, the perception of Banksy's street art is growing more favorably by the public—both in and out of the “artistic community.” Second, the supply of original works of art by Banksy is finite. Hence, a rise in wealthy professional investors at online auctions caused the estimated index to behave in this way, crowding out less affluent collectors in the process