Fast-tracking authentic leadership development by means of a programme

Abstract: While there is considerable literature on the definition and impact of authentic leadership (AL), there is a research gap regarding the effectiveness of AL programmes. Research purpose: The focus of this article is on the proximal programme effect of an AL development programme on executive leaders within a period of 3 months. Motivation for the study: AL has been identified not only as the root construct of positive forms of leadership but also equates to the highest level of leadership effectiveness. Leadership authenticity can take a life time to develop, and organisations need positive and ethical leadership now. An appropriate AL programme could considerably shorten the development period of a such leadership Research design, approach and method: A longitudinal qualitative programme evaluation approach was used. The participants comprised a primary group of a 10-member executive leadership team who were the AL programme participants and their respective secondary (senior, peer and subordinate) participants who provided pre- and post-programme data on the leadership authenticity of the primary participants. Main findings: The outline of the AL programme is presented with an indication of how it adhered to specific guidelines offered for development of such programmes. Findings indicate that the programme had a proximal effect of increasing AL; starting with the development of personal followed by interpersonal and professional leadership. Practical/managerial implications: An appropriate and effective AL programme could thus considerably shorten the development period of such leadership

Perfectionism and therapeutic alliance: a review of the clinical research

In this review, we synthesize findings regarding the relationship between perfectionism and therapeutic alliance, most of which come from analyses by Blatt and colleagues. Results suggest what follows. First, patients’ initial level of perfectionism negatively affects patients’ bond with therapists and perception of therapists’ Rogerian attributes (empathy, congruence, and regard) early in treatment and engagement in therapy later in treatment. Second, therapists’ contribution to alliance is not seemingly affected by patients’ initial perfectionism level. Third, individual patients of therapists who are perceived on average by their patients to be higher on Rogerian attributes experience greater decreases in perfectionism and symptoms. Fourth, more positive perceptions of therapists’ Rogerian attributes early in treatment lead to greater symptom decrease for patients with moderate perfectionism. Fifth, greater early patient engagement in therapy is related to greater decrease in perfectionism, but a strong relationship with the therapist may be necessary for an accompanied greater decrease in symptoms. The relationship between pre-treatment perfectionism and alliance is partially explained by higher levels of hostility and lower levels of positive affect. Sixth, the relationship between pre-treatment perfectionism and outcome is almost entirely explained by level of patient contribution to alliance and satisfaction with social network, highlighting the importance of focusing on social functioning for patients with high perfectionism (both in and outside of the session). Limitations include that most of the findings are from analyses of one large data set and a range of measurement issues. Future research should utilize different measures, perspectives, and populations and examine specific session process

Identification of Ambient Molecular Clouds Associated with Galactic Supernova Remnant IC443

The Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) IC443 is one of the most studied core-collapse SNRs for its interaction with molecular clouds. However, the ambient molecular clouds with which IC443 is interacting have not been thoroughly studied and remain poorly understood. Using Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory 14m telescope, we obtained fully sampled maps of ~ 1{\deg} \times 1{\deg} region toward IC443 in the 12CO J=1-0 and HCO+ J=1-0 lines. In addition to the previously known molecular clouds in the velocity range v_lsr = -6 to -1 km/s (-3 km/s clouds), our observations reveal two new ambient molecular cloud components: small (~ 1') bright clouds in v_lsr = -8 to -3 km/s (SCs), and diffuse clouds in v_lsr = +3 to +10 km/s (+5 km/s clouds). Our data also reveal the detailed kinematics of the shocked molecular gas in IC443, however the focus of this paper is the physical relationship between the shocked clumps and the ambient cloud components. We find strong evidence that the SCs are associated with the shocked clumps. This is supported by the positional coincidence of the SCs with shocked clumps and other tracers of shocks. Furthermore, the kinematic features of some shocked clumps suggest that these are the ablated material from the SCs upon the impact of the SNR shock. The SCs are interpreted as dense cores of parental molecular clouds that survived the destruction by the pre-supernova evolution of the progenitor star or its nearby stars. We propose that the expanding SNR shock is now impacting some of the remaining cores and the gas is being ablated and accelerated producing the shocked molecular gas. The morphology of the +5 km/s clouds suggests an association with IC443. On the other hand, the -3 km/s clouds show no evidence for interaction.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 15 pages (with emulateapj.cls), 17 figures, and 2 table

Electro-extractive fermentation for efficient biohydrogen production

Electrodialysis, an electrochemical membrane technique, was found to prolong and enhance the production of biohydrogen and purified organic acids via the anaerobic fermentation of glucose by Escherichia coli. Through the design of a model electrodialysis medium using cationic buffer, pH was precisely controlled electrokinetically, i.e. by the regulated extraction of acidic products with coulombic efficiencies of organic acid recovery in the range 50–70% maintained over continuous 30-day experiments. Contrary to\ud previous reports, E. coli produced H2 after aerobic growth in minimal medium without inducers and with a mixture of organic acids dominated by butyrate. The selective separation of organic acids from fermentation provides a potential nitrogen-free carbon source for further biohydrogen production in a parallel photofermentation. A parallel study incorporated this fermentation system into an integrated biohydrogen refinery (IBR) for the conversion of organic waste to hydrogen and energy

Changes in the Placental Glucocorticoid Barrier During Rat Pregnancy: Impact on Placental Corticosterone Levels and Regulation by Progesterone 1

ABSTRACT Glucocorticoid excess in utero inhibits fetal growth and programs adverse outcomes in adult offspring. Access of maternal glucocorticoid to the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) in the placenta and fetus is regulated by metabolism via the 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD11B) enzymes, as well as multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein (ABCB1)-mediated efflux of glucocorticoids from the syncytiotrophoblast. This study determined expression of genes encoding the two HSD11B isoforms (Hsd11b1 and Hsd11b2), the two ABCB1 isoforms (Abcb1a and Abcb1b), and Nr3c1 in the junctional and labyrinth zones of rat placentas at Days 16 and 22 of normal gestation (Day 23 is term). To assess possible regulation of the Hsd11b and Abcb1 isoforms by glucocorticoids and progesterone, their placental expression was also measured at Day 22 after partial progesterone withdrawal from Day 16 (maternal ovariectomy plus full estrogen and partial progesterone replacement) or after treatment with dexamethasone acetate (1 lg/ml of drinking water from Day 13). Expression of Hsd11b1 mRNA increased in the labyrinth zone (the site of maternal-fetal exchange) from Day 16 to Day 22, whereas that of Hsd11b2 fell dramatically. Consistent with these changes, corticosterone levels increased 10-fold in the labyrinth zone over this period. Expression of both Abcb1a and Abcb1b was markedly higher in the labyrinth zone compared with the junctional zone on both days, consistent with the proposed barrier role of ABCB1 in the placenta. Nr3c1 mRNA expression was similar in the two placental zones at Day 16 but increased 3-fold in the labyrinth zone by Day 22. Partial progesterone withdrawal increased Hsd11b1 mRNA and protein expression in the labyrinth zone but decreased Nr3c1 mRNA expression. These data show that the dynamic expression patterns of the placental HSD11Bs in late gestation are associated with dramatic shifts in placental corticosterone. Moreover, the late gestational rise in labyrinthine Hsd11b1 seems to be driven by the normal prepartum fall in progesterone level. 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, corticosterone, P-glycoprotein, placental glucocorticoid barrier, progesteron

Temperature

KEY HEADLINES: • The first MCCIP ARC in 2006 reported following what was then the warmest year globally in 2005 (0.26°C higher than the 1981-2010 average). • Since 2005, new global record temperatures have been set in 2010 and then in each successive year 2014, 2015 and 2016. In these last three record years the global average temperature anomaly was 0.31,0.44, 0.56°C higher than the 1981-2010 average. • 2014 was a record warm year for coastal air and sea temperatures around the UK. Between 1984 and 2014 coastal water temperatures rose around the UK at an average rate of 0.28 °C/decade. The rate varies between regions, the slowest warming was in the Celtic Sea at 0.17 °C/decade and the maximum rate was in the Southern North Sea at 0.45 °C/decade. • There is also variability over shorter time periods. In all regions of UK seas there was a negative trend in the 10-year period between 2003 and 2013. This is due to variability within the ocean /atmosphere system which is natural. • There is a trend towards fewer in-situ observations, and this will ultimately influence the confidence in future assessments. • Some gridded datasets can offer alternatives to single point observations, but to understand the patterns of ocean variability, the quality information from ocean timeseries cannot yet be replaced by surface observations or autonomous data collection. • The first MCCIP report card in 2006 used the UKCIP projections from 2002 which had a very limited representation of the SST. • The latest updates to the UK Climate Projections shelf seas models were published in 2016 and projected increases in sea surface temperature for 2069-89 relative to 1960-89 of over 3 °C for most of the North Sea, English Channel, Irish and Celtic Seas. For the deeper areas to the north and west of Scotland out towards Rockall and in the Faroe Shetland Channel the increase in temperature is projected to be closer to 2 °C. • Over the last 10 years there has been a steady improvement in the scientific basis underlying centennial sea temperature projections for the seas around the UK, and significant progress in the field of seasonal and decadal projections. • The scientific basis to such projections and predictions will continue to improve over the next 10 years, with increasing resolution, treatment of climate uncertainties, and methodology. Over the centennial scale the difference between emissions scenarios are still the source of the largest uncertainties. • Development of North West European Shelf (NWS) modelling systems driven by seasonal forecasting systems may allow NWS temperature prediction over the monthly to decadal period

Cell-Cycle Protein Expression in a Population-Based Study of Ovarian and Endometrial Cancers

Aberrant expression of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors is implicated in the carcinogenesis of many cancers, including ovarian and endometrial cancers. We examined associations between CDK inhibitor expression, cancer risk factors, tumor characteristics, and survival outcomes among ovarian and endometrial cancer patients enrolled in a population-based case control study. Expression (negative vs. positive) of three CDK inhibitors (p16, p21, p27) and ki67 was examined with immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarrays. Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between biomarkers, risk factors, and tumor characteristics. Survival outcomes were available for ovarian cancer patients and examined using Kaplan-Meier plots and Cox proportional hazards regression. Among ovarian cancer patients (n=175), positive p21 expression was associated with endometrioid tumors (OR=12.22, 95% CI=1.45-102.78) and higher overall survival (log-rank p=0.002). In Cox models adjusted for stage, grade, and histology, the association between p21 expression and overall survival was borderline significant (hazard ratio=0.65, 95% CI=0.42-1.05). Among endometrial cancer patients (n=289), positive p21 expression was inversely associated with age (OR ≥ 65 years of age=0.25, 95% CI=0.07-0.84) and current smoking status (OR: 0.33, 95% CI 0.15, 0.72) compared to negative expression. Our study showed heterogeneity in expression of cell-cycle proteins associated with risk factors and tumor characteristics of gynecologic cancers. Future studies to assess these markers of etiological classification and behavior may be warranted

Epidemic of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Involving Substandard Antimalarial Drugs, Pakistan, 2003

To prevent future epidemics, enhanced quality assurance is essential

The Murchison Widefield Array: Design Overview

The Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) is a dipole-based aperture array synthesis telescope designed to operate in the 80-300 MHz frequency range. It is capable of a wide range of science investigations, but is initially focused on three key science projects. These are detection and characterization of 3-dimensional brightness temperature fluctuations in the 21cm line of neutral hydrogen during the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) at redshifts from 6 to 10, solar imaging and remote sensing of the inner heliosphere via propagation effects on signals from distant background sources,and high-sensitivity exploration of the variable radio sky. The array design features 8192 dual-polarization broad-band active dipoles, arranged into 512 tiles comprising 16 dipoles each. The tiles are quasi-randomly distributed over an aperture 1.5km in diameter, with a small number of outliers extending to 3km. All tile-tile baselines are correlated in custom FPGA-based hardware, yielding a Nyquist-sampled instantaneous monochromatic uv coverage and unprecedented point spread function (PSF) quality. The correlated data are calibrated in real time using novel position-dependent self-calibration algorithms. The array is located in the Murchison region of outback Western Australia. This region is characterized by extremely low population density and a superbly radio-quiet environment,allowing full exploitation of the instrumental capabilities.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in Proceedings of the IEE

Refurbishing the UK's 'hard to treat' dwelling stock: understanding challenges and constraints

Project CALEBRE (Consumer Appealing Low Energy technologies for Building REtrofitting) is a four year £2 million E.ON/RCUK funded project that is investigating technologies and developing solutions for the UK’s solid-wall houses to offer energy demand reduction, energy efficient heat generation and energy management combined with user appeal. Understanding how technical solutions can be aligned with householder lifestyles is central to the CALEBRE project. The technologies include: vacuum glazing to achieve exceptionally low U-values whilst being capable of retrofit in existing window frames; advanced gas and electric air source heat pumps that operate at the temperatures needed for integration with existing domestic radiator systems; innovative surface materials for buffering moisture, humidity and temperature; retrofit mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) to manage ventilation and its associated heat loss. The technologies are being trialled in facilities that include the University of Nottingham E.ON 2016 House, a highly instrumented replica construction of a1930s dwelling. Alongside development and trialling, business case modelling of technologies is being conducted to establish mass roll-out strategies, as well as modelling to identify bespoke packages of measures for house refurbishment. This paper introduces Project CALEBRE, its content and scope, and reports some of its initial findings to highlight the challenges and constraints involved in the process of refurbishing the UK’s domestic stock