National review into model occupational health and safety laws

This is the second and final report of the National OHS Review and contains findings and makes recommendations on matters that were not covered in the review panel\u27s first report. These matters that are relevant to a model OHS Act address: * scope and coverage, including definitions; * workplace-based consultation, participation and representation provisions, including the appointment, powers and functions of health and safety representatives and/or committees; * enforcement and compliance, including the role and powers of OHS inspectors, and the application of enforcement tools including codes of practice; * regulation-making powers and administrative processes, including mechanisms for improving cross-jurisdictional cooperation and dispute resolution; * permits and licensing arrangements for those engaged in high risk work and the use of certain plant and hazardous substances; * the role of OHS regulatory agencies in providing education, advice and assistance to duty holders; and * other matters the review panel has identified as being important to health and safety that should be addressed in a model OHS Act

Radiogenomics: A systems biology approach to understanding genetic risk factors for radiotherapy toxicity?

Adverse reactions in normal tissue after radiotherapy (RT) limit the dose that can be given to tumour cells. Since 80% of individual variation in clinical response is estimated to be caused by patient-related factors, identifying these factors might allow prediction of patients with increased risk of developing severe reactions. While inactivation of cell renewal is considered a major cause of toxicity in early-reacting normal tissues, complex interactions involving multiple cell types, cytokines, and hypoxia seem important for late reactions. Here, we review ‘omics’ approaches such as screening of genetic polymorphisms or gene expression analysis, and assess the potential of epigenetic factors, posttranslational modification, signal transduction, and metabolism. Furthermore, functional assays have suggested possible associations with clinical risk of adverse reaction. Pathway analysis incorporating different ‘omics’ approaches may be more efficient in identifying critical pathways than pathway analysis based on single ‘omics’ data sets. Integrating these pathways with functional assays may be powerful in identifying multiple subgroups of RT patients characterized by different mechanisms. Thus ‘omics’ and functional approaches may synergize if they are integrated into radiogenomics ‘systems biology’ to facilitate the goal of individualised radiotherapy