Why Leadership? Why Now?

The rapid growth of leaders, doing leadership and exercising leadership in Anglophone countries has generated a context in which those outside may wish to investigate with a view to borrowing and developing their own agenda. In this paper I examine the experiments in England by successive UK governments, where I draw on research evidence from a range of projects to both describe and critically examine the agenda. I raise serious questions for policymakers, professionals and researchers who are located within and interested in «Educational leadership in Latin Europe», notably that the purposes, rationales and narratives within England are less about educational leadership and more about functional delivery and outcome measures. I show how this is linked to the wider privatization that is unfolding in England, and I raise evidence about how alternative approaches are in evidence within practice and research. Consequently there is a range of resources that those in Latin Europe might draw on and use to support thinking and strategizing

A new public educative leadership?

From SAGE Publishing via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: epub 2020-07-21Publication status: Publishe

Ancestral and derived attributes of the dlx gene repertoire, cluster structure and expression patterns in an African cichlid fish

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cichlid fishes have undergone rapid, expansive evolutionary radiations that are manifested in the diversification of their trophic morphologies, tooth patterning and coloration. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie the cichlids' unique patterns of evolution requires a thorough examination of genes that pattern the neural crest, from which these diverse phenotypes are derived. Among those genes, the homeobox-containing <it>Dlx </it>gene family is of particular interest since it is involved in the patterning of the brain, jaws and teeth.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, we characterized the <it>dlx </it>genes of an African cichlid fish, <it>Astatotilapia burtoni</it>, to provide a baseline to later allow cross-species comparison within Cichlidae. We identified seven <it>dlx </it>paralogs (<it>dlx1a</it>, <it>-2a</it>, <it>-4a</it>, <it>-3b</it>, <it>-4b</it>, <it>-5a </it>and <it>-6a</it>), whose orthologies were validated with molecular phylogenetic trees. The intergenic regions of three <it>dlx </it>gene clusters (<it>dlx1a-2a</it>, <it>dlx3b-4b</it>, and <it>dlx5a-6a</it>) were amplified with long PCR. Intensive cross-species comparison revealed a number of conserved non-coding elements (CNEs) that are shared with other percomorph fishes. This analysis highlighted additional lineage-specific gains/losses of CNEs in different teleost fish lineages and a novel CNE that had previously not been identified. Our gene expression analyses revealed overlapping but distinct expression of <it>dlx </it>orthologs in the developing brain and pharyngeal arches. Notably, four of the seven <it>A. burtoni dlx </it>genes, <it>dlx2a</it>, <it>dlx3b</it>, <it>dlx4a </it>and <it>dlx5a</it>, were expressed in the developing pharyngeal teeth.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This comparative study of the <it>dlx </it>genes of <it>A. burtoni </it>has deepened our knowledge of the diversity of the <it>Dlx </it>gene family, in terms of gene repertoire, expression patterns and non-coding elements. We have identified possible cichlid lineage-specific changes, including losses of a subset of <it>dlx </it>expression domains in the pharyngeal teeth, which will be the targets of future functional studies.</p

Functional colour genes and signals of selection in colour polymorphic salamanders

Coloration has been associated with multiple biologically relevant traits that drive adaptation and diversification in many taxa. However, despite the great diversity of colour patterns present in amphibians the underlying molecular basis is largely unknown. Here, we use insight from a highly colour-variable lineage of the European fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra bernardezi) to identify functional associations with striking variation in colour morph and pattern. The three focal colour morphs—ancestral black-yellow striped, fully yellow and fully brown—differed in pattern, visible coloration and cellular composition. From population genomic analyses of up to 4,702 loci, we found no correlations of neutral population genetic structure with colour morph. However, we identified 21 loci with genotype–phenotype associations, several of which relate to known colour genes. Furthermore, we inferred response to selection at up to 142 loci between the colour morphs, again including several that relate to coloration genes. By transcriptomic analysis across all different combinations, we found 196 differentially expressed genes between yellow, brown and black skin, 63 of which are candidate genes involved in animal coloration. The concordance across different statistical approaches and ‘omic data sets provide several lines of evidence for loci linked to functional differences between colour morphs, including TYR, CAMK1 and PMEL. We found little association between colour morph and the metabolomic profile of its toxic compounds from the skin secretions. Our research suggests that current ecological and evolutionary hypotheses for the origins and maintenance of these striking colour morphs may need to be revisited.This research was supported by a Natural Environment Research Council; a Royal Society Research Grant; a Glasgow Natural History Society grant; a Wellcome Trust ISSF Catalyst Grant and a Spanish Ministry of Science Grant

Post‐diagnosis adiposity, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, dietary factors, supplement use and colorectal cancer prognosis: Global Cancer Update Programme ( CUP Global) summary of evidence grading

Based on the World Cancer Research Fund Global Cancer Update Programme, we performed systematic reviews and meta‐analyses to investigate the association of post‐diagnosis adiposity, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and dietary factors with colorectal cancer prognosis. We searched PubMed and Embase until 28th February, 2022. An independent expert committee and expert panel graded the quality of evidence. A total of 167 unique publications were reviewed, and all but five were observational studies. The quality of the evidence was graded conservatively due to the high risk of several biases. There was evidence of non‐linearity in the associations between body mass index and colorectal cancer prognosis. The associations appeared reverse J‐shaped, and the quality of this evidence was graded as limited (likelihood of causality: limited‐no conclusion). The evidence on recreational physical activity and lower risk of all‐cause mortality (relative risk [RR] highest vs. lowest: 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.62–0.77) and recurrence/disease‐free survival (RR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.70–0.92) was graded as limited‐suggestive. There was limited‐suggestive evidence for the associations between healthy dietary and/or lifestyle patterns (including diets that comprised plant‐based foods), intake of whole grains and coffee with lower risk of all‐cause mortality, and between unhealthy dietary patterns and intake of sugary drinks with higher risk of all‐cause mortality. The evidence for other exposures on colorectal cancer outcomes was sparse and graded as limited‐no conclusion. Analyses were conducted excluding cancer patients with metastases without substantial changes in the findings. Well‐designed intervention and cohort studies are needed to support the development of lifestyle recommendations for colorectal cancer patients

Modern microwave methods in solid state inorganic materials chemistry: from fundamentals to manufacturing

No abstract available

COVID-19 in pregnancy in South Africa : tracking the epidemic and defining the natural history

South Africa (SA) has seen a rapid increase in COVID-19 infections in recent weeks, with cases exceeding 40 000 in early June and anticipated to escalate rapidly as lockdown is eased. The country also has the largest HIV burden globally, and poor maternal and child health indices in many parts. Although early indications were that COVID-19 infection does not worsen pregnancy and birth outcomes, recent reports have raised fresh concerns. Preterm birth, neonatal pneumonia[9-11] and cases of vertical transmission and postpartum infections have been reported, including in SA. Some maternal deaths related to COVID-19 have occurred, possibly linked to haemodynamic changes immediately postpartum and/or to the thrombogenic nature of both pregnancy and COVID- 19. Maternal wellbeing in pregnant women with COVID-19 infection is a major concern, as these women often have high anxiety about infecting their newborn child, and may experience challenging interactions with healthcare providers and community stigma. Most evidence on COVID-19 and pregnancy to date is limited to case series, involves only symptomatic women without HIV, and is almost exclusively from high-income countries. Cohort data across a range of settings and population groups are the only means of fully understanding the natural history, clinical disease spectrum and risks of COVID-19 in pregnant women, fetuses and infants.http://www.samj.org.zaam2021Obstetrics and Gynaecolog