Dealing with dualities:A paradox perspective on the relationship between talent management and diversity management

Jansen, P.G.W. [Promotor]Vinkenburg, C.J. [Copromotor]Ybema, S.B. [Copromotor

Analyse und Langzeitbeobachtung von Patienten mit Iris und Ziliarkörpertumoren nach Iridozyklektomie

Im Zeitraum von 1980-2002 unterzogen sich an der Universitäts-Augenklinik Münster 39 Patienten einer Iridozyklektomie. Der Median des Nachbeobachtungszeitraums liegt bei 11,2 Jahren. Bei 21 Patienten (54%) wurde ein maligner Tumor gefunden. Histopathologisch wurden, bis auf eine Metastase eines Bronchialkarzinoms, maligne Melanome beschrieben. Am häufigsten kamen Melanome vom Spindelzell- und vom gemischten Typ vor. 18 Uvealäsionen (46%) wurden histologisch als benigne beschrieben. Das Spektrum war heterogen, am häufigsten kamen Naevi vor. In den meisten Fällen wurde bei der Operation die lamellierende Exploration nach Mackensen angewandt. Die funktionellen Ergebnisse sind gut. 57% der Patienten behielten einen guten Visus von größer 0,5. In 4 Fällen (10%) trat ein Rezidiv auf. In drei Fällen wurde der Tumor nicht im Gesunden exsidiert. Zwei Patienten starben an den Folgen der systemischen Metastasierung. Es handelt sich um ein Melanom vom Spindelzell- und vom gemischten Typ

Eosinophils are key regulators of perivascular adipose tissue and vascular functionality

Obesity impairs the relaxant capacity of adipose tissue surrounding the vasculature (PVAT) and has been implicated in resultant obesity-related hypertension and impaired glucose intolerance. Resident immune cells are thought to regulate adipocyte activity. We investigated the role of eosinophils in mediating normal PVAT function. Healthy PVAT elicits an anti-contractile effect, which was lost in mice deficient in eosinophils, mimicking the obese phenotype, and was restored upon eosinophil reconstitution. Ex vivo studies demonstrated that the loss of PVAT function was due to reduced bioavailability of adiponectin and adipocyte-derived nitric oxide, which was restored after eosinophil reconstitution. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that adiponectin and nitric oxide are released after activation of adipocyte-expressed β3 adrenoceptors by catecholamines, and identified eosinophils as a novel source of these mediators. We conclude that adipose tissue eosinophils play a key role in the regulation of normal PVAT anti-contractile function

Rapid Effects of Hearing Song on Catecholaminergic Activity in the Songbird Auditory Pathway

Catecholaminergic (CA) neurons innervate sensory areas and affect the processing of sensory signals. For example, in birds, CA fibers innervate the auditory pathway at each level, including the midbrain, thalamus, and forebrain. We have shown previously that in female European starlings, CA activity in the auditory forebrain can be enhanced by exposure to attractive male song for one week. It is not known, however, whether hearing song can initiate that activity more rapidly. Here, we exposed estrogen-primed, female white-throated sparrows to conspecific male song and looked for evidence of rapid synthesis of catecholamines in auditory areas. In one hemisphere of the brain, we used immunohistochemistry to detect the phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a rate-limiting enzyme in the CA synthetic pathway. We found that immunoreactivity for TH phosphorylated at serine 40 increased dramatically in the auditory forebrain, but not the auditory thalamus and midbrain, after 15 min of song exposure. In the other hemisphere, we used high pressure liquid chromatography to measure catecholamines and their metabolites. We found that two dopamine metabolites, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid, increased in the auditory forebrain but not the auditory midbrain after 30 min of exposure to conspecific song. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that exposure to a behaviorally relevant auditory stimulus rapidly induces CA activity, which may play a role in auditory responses

Dovetailing talent management and diversity management: The exclusion-inclusion paradox

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to adopt a paradox lens for dovetailing the human resource management sub-domains of talent management (TM) and diversity management (DM), in the attempt to create closer alignment between the two. Design/methodology/approach The authors review paradox theory, TM and DM literatures and formulate a paradox that becomes apparent when considering TM and DM simultaneously. Findings The authors coin this tension as the “exclusion-inclusion paradox,” highlighting that TM and DM reflect contradictory, yet interrelated principles: organizations promote exclusion through a TM architecture that focuses on the identification and development of a few selected employees, while simultaneously, organizations promote inclusion, in the attempt to minimize existing inequalities for traditionally marginalized groups. Practical implications Once uncovered, the exclusion-inclusion paradox enables organizational actors to make choices on whether to respond actively or defensively to the paradox. The authors argue for active responses in order to work through the paradox. Originality/value This is the first paper adopting a paradox lens in order to interweave the DM literature with TM literature in the attempt to explain how DM and TM constitute contradicting yet interrelated principles

Phytoremediation of organic xenobiotics - Glutathione dependent detoxification in Phragmites plants from European treatment sites.

Studies on the uptake of several organic xenobiotics and on their subsequent conjugation to biomolecules have been performed to elucidate the use of reed plants in phytoremediation of polluted water. Phragmites australis plants were able to accumulate organic xenobiotics in their rhizomes. The uptake was correlated to the logKOW and pKa of the xenobiotics and highest with compounds exhibiting logKOWs between 1 and 3. Detoxification of xenobiotics was demonstrated when the activity of glutathione S-transferase was determined in plants from various treatment sites. Enzyme activities were strongly dependent on the provenience of the plant and the history of the stand. Detoxification enzymes were also inducible. Naphthylic acetic acid (NAA), 2,4-dichlorophenol and BION were tested as potential inducers. BION was able to induce the GST activity 5-fold, albeit only for a short period of hours. The mechanism of induction and the flexibility of the detoxification system of certain ecotypes of reed toward stress or the pollution level will require further investigation