England’s 2016 local elections: an indicator of the national political picture?

England goes to the polls on 5 May to vote in a variety of elections. Tony Travers and Martin Rogers highlight a number of key contests to analyse how local elections can affect local services and also help to reveal the national political picture

An in depth look at England’s 2016 local elections: what are the key contests?

Following on from their overview of England’s 2016 Local Elections, Tony Travers and Martin Rogers take a closer look at the key council contests for each party

London 2016: What factors will decide who becomes the new Mayor?

In advance of the 5 May elections for the office of London Mayor and the London Assembly, Tony Travers and Martin Rogers analyse the issues which may influence the outcome, how demographic change may affect the result and which Assembly constituencies may change hands

Introducing our ‘UK Elections 2016’ series

In the run up to May’s elections and the EU referendum in June, British Government @ LSE will be posting a series of articles on GovBlog, providing expert analysis on the various contests. Tony Travers and Martin Rogers introduce our ‘UK Elections 2016’ series

The Influence of N-Linked Glycans on the MolecularDynamics of the HIV-1 gp120 V3 Loop

N-linked glycans attached to specific amino acids of the gp120 envelope trimer of a HIV virion can modulate the binding affinity of gp120 to CD4, influence coreceptor tropism, and play an important role in neutralising antibody responses. Because of the challenges associated with crystallising fully glycosylated proteins, most structural investigations have focused on describing the features of a non-glycosylated HIV-1 gp120 protein. Here, we use a computational approach to determine the influence of N-linked glycans on the dynamics of the HIV-1 gp120 protein and, in particular, the V3 loop. We compare the conformational dynamics of a non-glycosylated gp120 structure to that of two glycosylated gp120 structures, one with a single, and a second with five, covalently linked high-mannose glycans. Our findings provide a clear illustration of the significant effect that N-linked glycosylation has on the temporal and spatial properties of the underlying protein structure. We find that glycans surrounding the V3 loop modulate its dynamics, conferring to the loop a marked propensity towards a more narrow conformation relative to its non-glycosylated counterpart. The conformational effect on the V3 loop provides further support for the suggestion that N-linked glycosylation plays a role in determining HIV-1 coreceptor tropism.Scopu

High mobility group protein B1 is a predictor of poor survival in ovarian cancer

High-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) has been implicated in numerous tumour types where expression regulates tumour cell growth and survival. We hypothesised that high HMGB1 expression in ovarian tumours would predict poor patient survival. Using tissue microarrays of primary ovarian cancers combined with a comprehensive database of clinicopathological variables, the expression of HMGB1 was assessed by immunohistochemistry in two independent cohorts (n=194 and n=360) using a monoclonal antibody specific for HMGB1. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed an association of HMGB1 expression with progression free survival in the primary cohort (p=0.023). In the validation cohort, expression was associated with overall survival (p=0.002). Low expression of HMGB1 was protective and in a multivariate model HMGB1 expression was shown to be an independent predictor of poor survival in ovarian cancer (p=0.006). The role of HMGB1 in cancer is complex. As high levels of HMGB1 expression are likely to render ovarian cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy, therapies targeting the HMGB1 axis may be appropriate in the treatment of ovarian cancer patients

Beneficial cumulative effects of old parental age on offspring fitness

Old parental age is commonly associated with negative effects on offspring life-history traits. Such parental senescence effects are predicted to have a cumulative detrimental effect over successive generations. However, old parents may benefit from producing higher quality offspring when these compete for seasonal resources. Thus, old parents may choose to increase investment in their offspring, thereby producing fewer but larger and more competitive progeny. We show that Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites increase parental investment with advancing age, resulting in fitter offspring who reach their reproductive peak earlier. Remarkably, these effects increased over six successive generations of breeding from old parents and were subsequently reversed following a single generation of breeding from a young parent. Our findings support the hypothesis that offspring of old parents receive more resources and convert them into increasingly faster life histories. These results contradict the theory that old parents transfer a cumulative detrimental ‘ageing factor’ to their offspring

Changing the narrative in diagnosis and management of pain in the sacroiliac joint area

The sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is often considered to be involved when people present for care with low back pain where the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) is located. However, determining why the pain has arisen can be challenging, especially in the absence of a specific cause such as pregnancy, disease, or trauma, where the SIJ may be identified as a source of symptoms with the help of manual clinical tests. Nonspecific SIJ-related pain is commonly suggested to be causally associated with movement problems in the sacroiliac joint(s); a diagnosis traditionally derived from manual assessment of movements of the SIJ complex. Management choices often consist of patient education, manual treatment, and exercise. Although some elements of management are consistent with guidelines, this perspective argues that the assumptions on which these diagnoses and treatments are based are problematic, particularly if they reinforce unhelpful, pathoanatomical beliefs. This article reviews the evidence regarding the clinical detection and diagnosis of SIJ movement dysfunction. In particular, it questions the continued use of assessing movement dysfunction despite mounting evidence undermining the biological plausibility and subsequent treatment paradigms based on such diagnoses. Clinicians are encouraged to align their assessment methods and explanatory models to contemporary science to reduce the risk of their diagnoses and choice of intervention negatively affecting clinical outcome

'Improving subnational disaster management in Sierra Leone': Evaluating Local Disaster Management in Sierra Leone (EVALDIS) Final Report 2023 No. 1

The EVALDIS Final Report No. 1 represents a comprehensive assessment of the challenges confronting provincial, district and local disaster management across the country and is designed to contribute valuable research based and evidenced recommendations that can help to shape the NDMA’s thinking and direction towards developing stronger regional capacities across the country in 2023. Research was conducted by a team from the internationally acclaimed Bournemouth University Disaster Management Centre (BUDMC), led by Professor Lee Miles, during 2022. EVALDIS constitutes one of the most extensive, contemporary studies undertaken in recent years. The Report draws on data collected from stakeholder interviews and Focus Groups as well as peer/participant observations in disaster management meetings at the national, provincial, district and local levels. At all stages, the research has involved cooperation with Sierra Leone’s disaster management institutions, the participation of local communities and incorporates peer- review feedback on the findings presented in the EVALDIS Final Report. Through the application of innovative Bournemouth University led research techniques, focusing primarily on identifying ‘resolvable single points of failure’ (SPOF), refined in conjunction with the NDMA, this Final Report highlights that: • There is an overwhelming consensus that the development of the NDMA’s provincial and district capacities, including the appointment of NDMA Provincial and District Officers, and the creation of NDMA Provincial and District Offices is a welcome development. • However, there remain 12 notable areas where SPOF exist that are likely to lead to the breakdown of part or all of this evolving subnational component of Sierra Leone’s disaster management system. This includes aspects of disaster risk reduction, response and recovery. • These 12 SPOF areas are clearly and commonly identifiable by all three participating constituencies of national stakeholders, representatives of local communities and provincial disaster management officers, and verified through participating interactions. Thus, there is a firm basis for concerted future subnational action and initiatives. There is a remarkably high level of consistency and consensus shared by all three participating constituencies that the top SPOF areas are resolvable and fixable over the short to medium terms (within 5 years), provided appropriate recommendations and immediate action points are implemented to address them. • There is resoundingly strong agreement that key initiatives such as the development of Facilitators Guides to increase the knowledge, skills and competencies of the NDMA Provincial and District Officers (and offices) represent important initiatives for the future. The EVALDIS Final Report calls for the NDMA to further develop an integrated NDMA regional strategy/document that can further underpin the development of the NDMA's provincial and district capacities during 2023-24. The Strategy would be wise to recognise and consider the 51 notable, resolvable SPOF identified in the EVALDIS Final Report, and implement most(if not all) of the 62 specific evidenced-based recommendations and immediate action points that are aimed at improving subnational disaster management in Sierra Leone now and in the future