The accidental mentor: Australian rural nurses developing supportive relationships in the workplace

improved rural nurse retention as an outcome of recognising and developing such supportive relationships in the workplace. Strategies include: performance review and development processes that account for all forms of supportive relationships conducted in the workplace; recognising the importance of developing supportive relationships and allocating time for these; and continuing professional development designed to meet local needs for developing a culture of support in the workplace

Patterns of cell movement within the Dictyostelium slug revealed by cell type-specific, surface labeling of living cells

There are cells acattered in the rear, prespore region of the Dictyostelium slug that share many of the properties of the prestalk cells and that are therefore called anterior-like cells (ALCs). By placing the gene encoding a cell surface protein under the control of an ALC-specific promoter and immunologically labeling the living cells, we analyze the movement of ALCs within the slug. There is a posterior to anterior cellular flow, and the ALCs change their movement pattern as they enter the prestalk zone. Prestalk cells are periodically shed from the migrating slug. They must be replaced if the correct ratio of prestalk to prespore cells is to be maintained, and we present evidence for the trans-differentiation of prespore into prestalk cells, with ALCs functioning as intermediates in the transition. The slug has, therefore, a surprisingly dynamic structure, both with respect to cellular differentiation and cell movement

Biomanufacturing Organized Collagen-Based Microfibers as a Tissue ENgineered Device (TEND) for Tendon Regeneration

Approximately 800,000 surgical repairs are performed annually in the U.S. for debilitating injuries to ligaments and tendons of the foot, ankle, knee, wrist, elbow and shoulder, presenting a significant healthcare burden. To overcome current treatment shortcomings and advance the treatment of tendon and ligament injuries, we have developed a novel electrospun Tissue ENgineered Device (TEND), comprised of type I collagen and poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) solubilized in a benign solvent, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). TEND fiber alignment, diameter and porosity were engineered to enhance cell infiltration leading to promote tissue integration and functional remodeling while providing biomechanical stability. TEND rapidly adsorbs blood and platelet-rich-plasma (PRP), gradually releases growth factors over two weeks. TEND further supported cellular alignment and upregulation of tenogenic genes from clinically relevant human stem cells within three days of culture. TEND implanted in a rabbit Achilles tendon injury model showed new in situ tissue generation, maturation, and remodeling of dense, regularly oriented connective tissue in vivo. In all, TEND\u27s organized microfibers, biological fluid and cell compatibility, strength and biocompatiblility make significant progress towards clinically translating electrospun collagen-based medical devices for improving the clinical outcomes of tendon injuries

Audit Partner Industry Specialization and Audit Quality: Evidence from Spain

We investigate the impact of the industry specialization of individual auditors on audit quality. We aim to contribute to a quickly growing line of research examining the importance of audit partners as determinants of audit quality. To provide robust results, we use several proxies of both industry specialization and audit quality. We conduct the empirical analysis with a sample of Spanish listed companies for the research period between 2005 and 2013. Our main result is the lack of a significant impact of the industry specialization of audit partners on audit quality. This result seems sound, as it holds for the several measures of industry specialization and audit quality used in the empirical study. Our main result, which contradicts most of the scarce available evidence, would stress the importance of the institutional context in the study of the industry specialization-audit quality relationship and advocates the need for further research

Cannabinoid receptors in GtoPdb v.2023.1

Cannabinoid receptors (nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR Subcommittee on Cannabinoid Receptors [119]) are activated by endogenous ligands that include N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide), N-homo-γ-linolenoylethanolamine, N-docosatetra-7,10,13,16-enoylethanolamine and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Potency determinations of endogenous agonists at these receptors are complicated by the possibility of differential susceptibility of endogenous ligands to enzymatic conversion [5].There are currently three licenced cannabinoid medicines each of which contains a compound that can activate CB1 and CB2 receptors [111]. Two of these medicines were developed to suppress nausea and vomiting produced by chemotherapy. These are nabilone (Cesamet®), a synthetic CB1/CB2 receptor agonist, and synthetic Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Marinol®; dronabinol), which can also be used as an appetite stimulant. The third medicine, Sativex®, contains mainly Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, both extracted from cannabis, and is used to treat multiple sclerosis and cancer pain

A Microcosm of the Biomedical Research Experience for Upper-level Undergraduates

The skill set required of biomedical researchers continues to grow and evolve as biology matures as a natural science. Science necessitates creative yet critical thinking, persuasive communication skills, purposeful use of time, and adeptness at the laboratory bench. Teaching these skills can be effectively accomplished in an inquiry-based, active-learning environment at a primarily undergraduate institution. Cell Biology Techniques, an upper-level cell biology laboratory course at St. John Fisher College, features two independent projects that take advantage of the biology of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, a premier yet simple model organism. First, students perform a miniature epigenetic screen for novel phenotypes using RNA interference. The results of this screen combined with literature research direct students toward a singe gene that they attempt to subclone in the second project. The biology of the chosen gene/protein also becomes an individualized focal point with respect to the content of the laboratory. Progress toward course goals is evaluated using written, oral, and group-produced assignments, including a concept map. Pre- and postassessment indicates a significant increase in the understanding of broad concepts in cell biological research

The genetic legacy of extreme exploitation in a polar vertebrate

Understanding the effects of human exploitation on the genetic composition of wild populations is important for predicting species persistence and adaptive potential. We therefore investigated the genetic legacy of large-scale commercial harvesting by reconstructing, on a global scale, the recent demographic history of the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella), a species that was hunted to the brink of extinction by 18th and 19th century sealers. Molecular genetic data from over 2,000 individuals sampled from all eight major breeding locations across the species’ circumpolar geographic distribution, show that at least four relict populations around Antarctica survived commercial hunting. Coalescent simulations suggest that all of these populations experienced severe bottlenecks down to effective population sizes of around 150–200. Nevertheless, comparably high levels of neutral genetic variability were retained as these declines are unlikely to have been strong enough to deplete allelic richness by more than around 15%. These findings suggest that even dramatic short-term declines need not necessarily result in major losses of diversity, and explain the apparent contradiction between the high genetic diversity of this species and its extreme exploitation history

Ethical leadership as antecedent of job satisfaction, affective organizational commitment and intention to stay among volunteers of non-profit organizations

The aim of this paper is to investigate among a group of non-profit organizations: (a) the effect of ethical leadership (EL) on volunteers\u2019 satisfaction, affective organizational commitment and intention to stay in the same organization; (b) the role played by job satisfaction as a mediator in the relationship between EL and volunteers\u2019 intentions to stay in the same organization, as well as between EL and affective commitment. An anonymous questionnaire was individually administered to 198 Italian volunteers of different non-profit organizations. The questionnaire contained the Ethical Leadership Scale, the Volunteers Satisfaction Index, the Affective organization Scale, as well as questions regarding the participants\u2019 age, sex, type of work, level of education, length of their volunteer works, intention to volunteer in the following months in the same organization. The construct as well the effects of EL on volunteers is approached in light of the Social Exchange Theory and the Social Learning Theory. Structural equation models were used to test hypothesized relationships. The results confirm the role of mediation of volunteer satisfaction in the relationships between the variables studied. In particular, EL was found to be positively associated both with volunteers\u2019 intention of staying and with their affective commitment. In the first case this relationship is fully explained by the mediation of the volunteers\u2019 satisfaction, while the latter is explained by both direct and indirect factors. To the authors\u2019 knowledge, this the first attempt to understand the role played by EL on volunteers\u2019 behavior and, more in general, in the management of non-profit organizations. Findings are relevant both for practitioners and managers of non-profit organization, since they suggest the relevance of the perception of EL by volunteers, as well as for scholars, since they further deepen the knowledge on EL and its effects on the followers. Limits of the study: the questionnaire was administered only among a group of non-statistical sample of volunteers. Furthermore, the study reached only volunteers from Italian non-profit organization