Identification of nuclear hormone receptor pathways causing insulin resistance by transcriptional and epigenomic analysis

Summary Insulin resistance is a sine qua non of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and a frequent complication of multiple clinical conditions, including obesity, aging, and steroid use, among others. How such a panoply of insults can result in a common phenotype is incompletely understood. Furthermore, very little is known about the transcriptional and epigenetic basis of this disorder, despite evidence that such pathways are likely to play a fundamental role. Here, we compare cell autonomous models of insulin resistance induced by the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) or by the steroid dexamethasone (Dex) to construct detailed transcriptional and epigenomic maps associated with cellular insulin resistance. These data predict that the glucocorticoid receptor and vitamin D receptor are common mediators of insulin resistance, which we validate using gain- and loss-of-function studies. These studies define a common transcriptional and epigenomic signature in cellular insulin resistance enabling the identification of pathogenic mechanisms

New South Wales' SHAME : How did the inquiry happen? by Evan Whitton

The NSW royal commission into police corruption could be the most important development in Australian law enforcement in over 2000 years. The extent of corruption discovered is profoundly shocking and there is much more to come

Barriers to obtaining a driver licence in regional and remote areas of Western NSW

This study examined factors impeding young people in Western NSW from entering the licensing system. The findings can be used to inform strategies to increase licensing rates for this population, to enable greater access to essential services and socio - cultural opportunities, while at the same time either maintaining or improving current levels of road safety for these young drivers . A mixed-method study was undertaken in 2014, involving interviews, focus groups and telephone surveys with 364 young people and 32 road safety stakeholders in Western NSW. Participants were asked for their views on the importance of young people having a driver licence and the effect of barriers to obtaining a driver licence identified in prior research. The qualitative data were thematically analysed and triangulated with descriptive statistics from the survey data to uncover key findings. Participants reported that a driver licence provides young people with a sense of independence and facilitates access to employment, education, sport and social events. Commonly reported barriers to obtaining a licence included: the process of obtaining a learner licence; proof of identify requirements; literacy and numeracy skills; legal issues and supervised driving requirements. The study results show that barriers to licensing span structural, practical, financial, legal and attitudinal issues that need to be accounted for when designing policy initiatives to increase licensing rates, while maintaining or improving the current level of road safety