Leadership and decision-making practices in public versus private universities in Pakistan

The goal of this study is to examine differences in leadership and decision-making practices in public and private universities in Pakistan, with a focus on transformational leadership (TL) and participative decision-making (PDM). We conducted semi-structured interviews with 46 deans and heads of department from two public and two private universities in Pakistan. Our findings indicate that leadership and decision-making practices are different in public and private universities. While differences were observed in all six types of TL-behaviour, the following three approaches emerged to be crucial in both public and private universities: (1) articulating a vision, (2) fostering the acceptance of group goals, and (3) high-performance expectations. In terms of PDM, deans and heads of department in public and private universities adopt a collaborative approach. However, on a practical level this approach is limited to teacher- and student-related matters. Overall, our findings suggest that the leadership and decision-making practices in Pakistani public and private universities are transformational and participative in nature

Antimicrobial peptides of the Cecropin-family show potent antitumor activity against bladder cancer cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study evaluated the cytotoxic and antiproliferative efficacy of two well-characterized members of the Cecropin-family of antimicrobial peptides against bladder tumor cells and benign fibroblasts.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The antiproliferative and cytotoxic potential of the Cecropins A and B was quantified by colorimetric WST-1-, BrdU- and LDH-assays in four bladder cancer cell lines as well as in murine and human fibroblast cell lines. IC₅₀values were assessed by logarithmic extrapolation, representing the concentration at which cell viability was reduced by 50%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to visualize the morphological changes induced by Cecropin A and B in bladder tumor cells and fibroblasts.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cecropin A and B inhibit bladder cancer cell proliferation and viability in a dose-dependent fashion. The average IC₅₀values of Cecropin A and B against all bladder cancer cell lines ranged between 73.29 μg/ml and 220.05 μg/ml. In contrast, benign fibroblasts were significantly less or not at all susceptible to Cecropin A and B. Both Cecropins induced an increase in LDH release from bladder tumor cells whereas benign fibroblasts were not affected. SEM demonstrated lethal membrane disruption in bladder cancer cells as opposed to fibroblasts.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Cecropin A and B exert selective cytotoxic and antiproliferative efficacy in bladder cancer cells while sparing targets of benign murine or human fibroblast origin. Both peptides may offer novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of bladder cancer with limited cytotoxic effects on benign cells.</p

Functional consequences of Kir2.1/Kir2.2 subunit heteromerization

Kir2 subunits form channels that underlie classical strongly inwardly rectifying potassium currents. While homomeric Kir2 channels display a number of distinct and physiologically important properties, the functional properties of heteromeric Kir2 assemblies, as well as the stoichiometries and the arrangements of Kir2 subunits in native channels, remain largely unknown. Therefore, we have implemented a concatemeric approach, whereby all four cloned Kir2 subunits were linked in tandem, in order to study the effects of Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 heteromerization on properties of the resulting channels. Kir2.2 subunits contributed stronger to single-channel conductance than Kir2.1 subunits, and channels containing two or more Kir2.2 subunits displayed conductances indistinguishable from that of a Kir2.2 homomeric channel. In contrast, single-channel kinetics was a more discriminating property. The open times were significantly shorter in Kir2.2 channels compared with Kir2.1 channels and decreased nearly proportionally to the number of Kir2.2 subunits in the heteromeric channel. Similarly, the sensitivity to block by barium also depended on the proportions of Kir2.1 to Kir2.2 subunits. Overall, the results showed that Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 subunits exert neither a dominant nor an anomalous effect on any of the properties of heteromeric channels. The data highlight opportunities and challenges of using differential properties of Kir2 channels in deciphering the subunit composition of native inwardly rectifying potassium currents

Plasma Levels of Inter-α Inhibitor Proteins in Children with Acute Dengue Virus Infection

Background: Inter-α inhibitor proteins (IaIp) belong to a family of protease inhibitors that are involved in the haemostatic and the vascular system. Dengue viruses (DENV) infections are characterized by coagulopathy and increased vascular permeability. In this study we measured the concentration of IaIp during DENV infections and evaluated its potential as a biomarker. Methods and Findings: Concentrations of IaIp were measured in patients with acute DENV infections using a quantitative, competitive enzyme linked immunoassay. Concentrations of IaIp measured in pediatric patients suffering from severe DENV infections were significantly lower than in healthy controls. Conclusions: This is the first report to demonstrate changes in concentration of IaIp during viral infections. The data also highlight the potential of IaIp as a biological marker for severity of DENV infections

Super-Genotype: Global Monoclonality Defies the Odds of Nature

The ability to respond to natural selection under novel conditions is critical for the establishment and persistence of introduced alien species and their ability to become invasive. Here we correlated neutral and quantitative genetic diversity of the weed Pennisetum setaceum Forsk. Chiov. (Poaceae) with differing global (North American and African) patterns of invasiveness and compared this diversity to native range populations. Numerous molecular markers indicate complete monoclonality within and among all of these areas (FST = 0.0) and is supported by extreme low quantitative trait variance (QST = 0.00065–0.00952). The results support the general-purpose-genotype hypothesis that can tolerate all environmental variation. However, a single global genotype and widespread invasiveness under numerous environmental conditions suggests a super-genotype. The super-genotype described here likely evolved high levels of plasticity in response to fluctuating environmental conditions during the Early to Mid Holocene. During the Late Holocene, when environmental conditions were predominantly constant but extremely inclement, strong selection resulted in only a few surviving genotypes

Interleukin-17A mRNA and protein expression within cells from the human bronchoalveolar space after exposure to organic dust

BACKGROUND: In mice, the cytokine interleukin (IL)-17A causes a local accumulation of neutrophils within the bronchoalveolar space. IL-17A may thereby also contribute to an increased local proteolytic burden. In the current study, we determined whether mRNA for IL-17A is elevated and protein expression of IL-17A occurs locally in inflammatory cells within the human bronchoalveolar space during severe inflammation caused by organic dust. We also assessed the expression of the elastinolytic protease MMP-9 in this airway compartment. METHODS: Six healthy, non-smoking human volunteers were exposed to organic dust in a swine confinement, a potent stimulus of neutrophil accumulation within the human bronchoalveolar space. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was harvested 2 weeks before and 24 hours after the exposure and total and differential counts were conducted for inflammatory BAL cells. Messenger RNA for IL-17A was measured using reverse transcript polymerase chain reaction-enzyme linked immunoassay (RT-PCR-ELISA). Intracellular immunoreactivity (IR) for IL-17A and MMP-9, respectively, was determined in BAL cells. RESULTS: The exposure to organic dust caused more than a forty-fold increase of mRNA for IL-17A in BAL cells. IL-17A immunoreactivity was detected mainly in BAL lymphocytes, and the number of these IL-17A expressing lymphocytes displayed an eight-fold increase, even though not statistically significant. The increase in IL-17A mRNA was associated with a substantial increase of the number of BAL neutrophils expressing MMP-9 immunoreactivity. CONCLUSION: Exposure to organic dust increases local IL-17A mRNA and because there is intracellular expression in BAL lymphocytes, this suggests that IL-17A protein can originate from lymphocytes within the human bronchoalveolar space. The fact that the increased IL-17A mRNA is associated with an increased number of MMP-9-expressing neutrophils is compatible with IL-17A increasing the local proteolytic burden through its neutrophil-accumulating effect

Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroup Analysis Reveals no Association between the Common Genetic Lineages and Prostate Cancer in the Korean Population

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation has recently been suggested to have an association with various cancers, including prostate cancer risk, in human populations. Since mtDNA is haploid and lacks recombination, specific mutations in the mtDNA genome associated with human diseases arise and remain in particular genetic backgrounds referred to as haplogroups. To assess the possible contribution of mtDNA haplogroup-specific mutations to the occurrence of prostate cancer, we have therefore performed a population-based study of a prostate cancer cases and corresponding controls from the Korean population. No statistically significant difference in the distribution of mtDNA haplogroup frequencies was observed between the case and control groups of Koreans. Thus, our data imply that specific mtDNA mutations/lineages did not appear to have a significant effect on a predisposition to prostate cancer in the Korean population, although larger sample sizes are necessary to validate our results