Re-Discovering Aesthetics

The beginning of the 21st century has seen the renewed use of aesthetics as a critical and interpretive method within various discursive spheres. Particularly, and unsurprisingly, this move has been most pronounced in the discursive systems of philosophy and the artworld. It is to this more specific re-discovery that the authors in this journal address their arguments

First Steps on the Quality Journey

The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) prides itself on its paramount attention to quality. CHS hydrographers and cartographers have long held the banner of ‘quality’ as the ‘flagship of service’. The dramatic revolution in technology, client demands and organisational culture has shaken the historic pillars of quality assurance in CHS. In response, CHS is moving to reinforce this foundation of quality with a new business model anchored by the culture of a Quality Management System. This paper will reflect on the changed environment that faces CHS and the quality lessons in the global marketplace that can be applied to a hydrographic organisation. It will explore the first steps that CHS has taken on this journey as it moves toward the goal of becoming an ISO 9000 certified ‘quality-organisation’

Is blended learning and problem-based learning course design suited to develop future public health leaders? An explorative European study

Background: Public health leaders are confronted with complex problems, and developing effective leadership competencies is essential. The teaching of leadership is still not common in public health training programs around the world. A reconceptualization of professional training is needed and can benefit from innovative educational approaches. Our aim was to explore learners’ perceptions of the effectiveness and appeal of a public health leadership course using problem based, blended learning methods that used virtual learning environment technologies. Case presentation: In this cross-sectional evaluative study, the Self-Assessment Instrument of Competencies for Public Health Leaders was administered before and after an online, blended-learning, problem-based (PBL) leadership course. An evaluation questionnaire was also used to measure perceptions of blended learning, problem-based learning, and tutor functioning among 19 public health professionals from The Netherlands (n = 8), Lithuania (n = 5), and Austria (n = 6). Participants showed overall satisfaction and knowledge gains related to public health leadership competencies in six of eight measured areas, especially Political Leadership and Systems Thinking. Some perceptions of blended learning and PBL varied between the institutions. This might have been caused by lack of experience of the educational approaches, differing professional backgrounds, inexperience of communicating in the online setting, and different expectations towards the course. Conclusions: Blended, problem-based learning might be an effective way to develop leadership competencies among public health professionals in international and interdisciplinary context

Getting to know you: Engagement and relationship building: First interim national positive futures case study research report

This report represents the culmination of the first phase of the Positive Futures (PF) Case Studies Research Project rather than a definitive set of findings as such. Rather like the PF programme itself it is very much a work in progress which is evolving all the time in the context of the action research approach we have adopted. This approach involves a cycle of action and reflection, with both the projects and research adapting in relation to the themes that emerge from the study as it progresses. Nevertheless whilst this element of the research has been concerned as much with the establishment of relations with projects and participants as investigating the relationships between them, we have begun to identify a number of tentative themes and findings. These themes are presented in a fashion which is intended to guide the future direction of projects every bit as much as to gain abstract theoretical insight. Yet this recognition of the importance of practicality and direction should not distract from the importance of gaining a wider contextual feel for the programme. For whilst this summary is intended to highlight the key themes emerging from the research and the policy and practice issues associated with them, it is in the detail of the main report that a full appreciation of the PF approach emerges. It is from the more narrative accounts in these subsequent parts that we have drawn the conclusions and recommendations presented here and which will provide the baselines against which we assess future progress. Indeed these accounts are themselves drawn from three regional reports focused on the seven case studies that constitute the overall national research project

Activation-Induced Expression of CD56 by T Cells Is Associated With a Reprogramming of Cytolytic Activity and Cytokine Secretion Profile In Vitro

A subset of human T lymphocytes expresses the natural killer (NK) cell-associated receptor CD56 and is capable of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-unrestricted cytotoxicity against a variety of autologous and allogeneic tumor cells. CD56+T cells have shown potential for immunotherapy as antitumor cytotoxic effectors, but their capacity to control adaptive immune responses via cytokine secretion is unclear. We have examined the inducibility of CD56+T cells from human blood in vitro and compared the kinetics of Th1, Th2, and regulatory cytokine secretion by CD56+T cells with those of conventional CD56¯ T cells. CD56 was induced on CD8+ and CD4¯CD8¯ T cells by CD3/T-cell receptor (TCR)- mediated activation, particularly when grown in the presence of interleukin (IL)-2. Activation induced CD56+ T cells proliferated less vigorously but displayed enhanced natural cytotoxicity compared with CD56¯ T cells. CD56+ T cells released interferon-y )IFN-y) and interleukin-13(IL-13), but not IL-10, upon TCR stimulation. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that, compared with CD56¯ T cells, elevated proportions of CD56+ T cells expressed IFN-y, IL-4, and IL-13 within hours of activation. These acquired cytolytic and cytokine secretion activities of CD56+ T cells make them potential targets for immunotherapy for infectious and immune-mediated disease

Bioengineering nisin to overcome the nisin resistance protein

The emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria is a major medical challenge. Lantibiotics are highly modified bacterially produced antimicrobial peptides that have attracted considerable interest as alternatives or adjuncts to existing antibiotics. Nisin, the most widely studied and commercially exploited lantibiotic, exhibits high efficacy against many pathogens. However, some clinically relevant bacteria express highly specific membrane‐associated nisin resistance proteins. One notable example is the nisin resistance protein (NSR) that acts by cleaving the peptide bond between ring E and the adjacent serine 29, resulting in a truncated peptide with significantly less activity. We utilised a complete bank of bioengineered nisin (nisin A) producers in which the serine 29 residue has been replaced with every alternative amino acid. The nisin A S29P derivative was found to be as active as nisin A against a variety of bacterial targets but, crucially, exhibited a 20‐fold increase in specific activity against a strain expressing the nisin resistance protein. Another derivative, nisin PV, exhibited similar properties but was much less prone to oxidation. This version of nisin with enhanced resistance to specific resistance mechanisms could prove useful in the fight against antibiotic resistant pathogens

Long-term responders on olaparib maintenance in high-grade serous ovarian cancer: Clinical and molecular characterization

Purpose: Maintenance therapy with olaparib has improved progression-free survival in women with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), particularly those harboring BRCA1/2 mutations. The objective of this study was to characterize long-term (LT) versus short-term (ST) responders to olaparib. Experimental Design: A comparative molecular analysis of Study 19 (NCT00753545), a randomized phase II trial assessing olaparib maintenance after response to platinum-based chemotherapy in HGSOC, was conducted. LT response was defined as response to olaparib/placebo > 2 years, ST as < 3 months. Molecular analyses included germline BRCA1/2 status, three-biomarker homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) score, BRCA1 methylation, and mutational profiling. Another olaparib maintenance study (Study 41; NCT01081951) was used as an additional cohort. Results: Thirty-seven LT (32 olaparib) and 61 ST (21 olaparib) patients were identified. Treatment was significantly associated with outcome (P < 0.0001), with more LT patients on olaparib (60.4%) than placebo (11.1%). LT sensitivity to olaparib correlated with complete response to chemotherapy (P < 0.05). In the olaparib LT group, 244 genetic alterations were detected, with TP53, BRCA1, and BRCA2 mutations being most common (90%, 25%, and 35%, respectively). BRCA2 mutations were enriched among the LT responders. BRCA methylation was not associated with response duration. High myriad HRD score (>42) and/or BRCA1/2 mutation was associated with LT response to olaparib. Study 41 confirmed the correlation of LT response with olaparib and BRCA1/2 mutation. Conclusions: Findings show that LT response to olaparib may be multifactorial and related to homologous recombination repair deficiency, particularly BRCA1/2 defects. The type of BRCA1/2 mutation warrants further investigation. (C) 2017 AACR