A crisis of leadership : towards an anti-sovereign ethics of organisation

A common reaction to crises experienced within or brought about by business is to identify a corollary ‘crisis of leadership’ and to call for better (stronger, more thoughtful or, indeed, more ethical and responsible) leaders. This paper supports the idea that there is a crisis of leadership – but interprets it quite differently. Specifically, I argue that the most ethically debilitating crisis is the fact that we look to leadership to solve organisational ethical ills. There is, I argue, a pressing need to conceptualise a business ethics that is not constrained by the straitjacket of official hierarchy – a need to denaturalise ‘leadership’ as the normal or rightful locus of ethical regulation and renewal in business organisation. To this end, I explore a Levinasian ethico-politics of responsibility and proximity as the basis of an alternative, anti-sovereign, ethics of organisation.

Recent developments in characterising electrodeposition of anti-corrosion coatings using the wire beam electrode method

New progresses have been made during recent years in the application of the wire beam electrode (WBE, a coupled multielectrode array) for studying electroplating of metallic coatings, for monitoring the electrodeposition of polymer coatings, and for evaluating the performance of anti-corrosion coatings. The WBE allows localized electrode processes to occur over different locations of its surface under external anodic or cathodic polarization and permits monitoring of nonuniform electrodeposition processes. Several typical experiments are presented in this paper. One sample experiment is the characterization of nonuniform electroplating of nickel coating, which was achieved by mapping the distributions of currents over a WBE surface that was under cathodic polarization. Various characteristic current distribution patterns, which indicate different electrodeposition mechanisms or low covering-power, have been observed. These patterns were found to correlate with the effects of several affecting factors such as electrolyte concentration, temperature and agitation flow. Another sample experiment is the investigation of nonuniform anodic electrodeposition of polyaniline (PANI) coatings and the understanding of their anti-corrosion performance and mechanisms. Anodic polarization currents were measured from various locations over the WBE surface in order to produce anodic polarization current maps under PANI deposition.

Russia’s anti-gay laws: the politics and consequences of a moral panic

The issue of LGBT rights in Russia first properly came to mainstream international attention in March 2012, when the St Petersburg Duma passed a law prohibiting “public acts aimed at the propaganda of sodomy, lesbianism, bisexualism and transgenderism amongst minors“. The law provoked an international outcry, including calls for tourists to boycott St Petersburg, sister-cities to consider cut off ties with Russia’s “window on Europe”, and condemnation from the EU, with the European Parliament passing a resolution noting that it was “gravely concerned by developments which restrict freedom of expression and assembly on the basis of misconceptions about homosexuality and transgenderism” and calling on Russia and other countries considering the adoption of similar legislation to “demonstrate, and ensure respect for, the principle of non-discrimination”.

US foreign policy in the Middle East : the roots of anti-Americanism

Over the last sixty years, Washington has been a major player in the politics of the Middle East. From Iran in the 1950s, to the Gulf War of 1991, to the devastation of contemporary Iraq, US policy has had a profound impact on the domestic affairs of the region. Anti-Americanism is a pervasive feature of modern Middle East public opinion. But far from being intrinsic to ‘Muslim political culture’, scepticism of the US agenda is directly linked to the regional policies pursued by Washington. By exploring critical points of regional crisis, Kylie Baxter and Shahram Akbarzadeh elaborate on the links between US policy and popular distrust of the United States. The book also examines the interconnected nature of events in this geo-strategically vital region. Accessible and easy to follow, it is designed to provide a clear and concise overview of complex historical and political material. Key features include: •maps illustrating key events and areas of discontent •text boxes on topics of interest related to the Arab/Israeli Wars, Iranian politics, foreign interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, the wars of the Persian Gulf, September 11 and the rise of Islamist movements •further reading lists and a selection of suggested study questions at the end of each chapter.

Anti-metastatic and differential effects on protein expression of epigallocatechin-3-gallate in HCCLM6 hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the third highest cause of cancer-related mortality in humans. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been shown to inhibit the metastatic activity of certain cancer cells. The aim of this study was to determine the effects and molecular mechanism(s) of action of EGCG in human HCC cells. A migration and invasion assay for the metastatic behavior of HCCLM6 cells was performed. The anti-metastatic effects of EGCG were investigated by RT-PCR and gelatin zymography. A total cellular protein profile was obtained using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analyses of proteins with significant differences in expression following treatment with EGCG. The results revealed that EGCG induced apoptosis and inhibited the metastasis of HCCLM6 cells. The anti-metastatic effects of EGCG were associated with the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activity. The expression levels of far upstream element (FUSE) binding protein 1 (FUBP1), heat shock protein beta 1 (HSPB1), heat shock 60 kDa protein 1 (chaperonin) (CH60) and nucleophosmin (NPM) proteins, which are associated with metastasis, were significantly altered in the EGCG-treated HCCLM6 cells. The data from the present study suggest that EGCG has potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of HCC.

Impact of HIV-associated conditions on mortality in people commencing anti-retroviral therapy in resource limited settings

Objectives: To identify associations between specific WHO stage 3 and 4 conditions diagnosed after ART initiation and all cause mortality for patients in resource-limited settings (RLS).

Design, Setting: Analysis of routine program data collected prospectively from 25 programs in eight countries between 2002 and 2010.

Subjects, Participants: 36,664 study participants with median ART follow-up of 1.26 years (IQR 0.55–2.27).

Outcome Measures: Using a proportional hazards model we identified factors associated with mortality, including the occurrence of specific WHO clinical stage 3 and 4 conditions during the 6-months following ART initiation.

Results: There were 2922 deaths during follow-up (8.0%). The crude mortality rate was 5.41 deaths per 100 person-years (95% CI: 5.21–5.61). The diagnosis of any WHO stage 3 or 4 condition during the first 6 months of ART was associated with
increased mortality (HR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.97–2.47). After adjustment for age, sex, region and pre-ART CD4 count, a diagnosis of extrapulmonary cryptococcosis (aHR: 3.54; 95% CI: 2.74–4.56), HIV wasting syndrome (aHR: 2.92; 95%CI: 2.21 -3.85), nontuberculous mycobacterial infection (aHR: 2.43; 95% CI: 1.80–3.28) and Pneumocystis pneumonia (aHR: 2.17; 95% CI 1.80–3.28) were associated with the greatest increased mortality. Cerebral toxoplasmosis, pulmonary and extra-pulmonary
tuberculosis, Kaposi’s sarcoma and oral and oesophageal candidiasis were associated with increased mortality, though at lower rates.

Conclusions: A diagnosis of certain WHO stage 3 and 4 conditions is associated with an increased risk of mortality in those initiating ART in RLS. This information will assist initiatives to reduce excess mortality, including prioritization of resources for
diagnostics, therapeutic interventions and research.