Emotional intelligence development in student radiation therapists: A longitudinal pilot study

Emotional intelligence (EI) is defined as “the ability to recognise, understand and manage emotions in ourselves and others” [1]. Initially identified as a concept applied to leadership and management, EI is now recognised as an important skill in a number of areas, including healthcare [2]. Empathy (the ability to see the world through someone else’s eyes) is known to play an important role in the therapeutic relationship with patients [3]. As EI has been shown to improve empathy [4], it is clear that developing the EI of student health professionals should benefit patients in the long term. It is not surprising, then, that a number of studies have investigated the role of EI in medical, dental and nursing students, however there is little reported evidence relating to EI development in pre-registration radiation therapy (RT) students.

Chloris gayana, Rhodes Grass 'KP4'

‘KP4’ is based on selected F4 progeny of 8 plants showing a low, creeping, tight-matted, late flowering growth habit. The original parental breeding population was selected from among 1600 diploid Rhodes grass seedlings grown as spaced plants; seven of the selected parental plants were from ‘Katambora’ and the eighth (which did not contribute as a maternal parent beyond the F1 generation) was a seedling from an unreleased accession. Four (4) cycles of mass selection were conducted, in which the selected plants from the previous generation were allowed to inter-cross in isolation in the field, and the resultant progeny later grown as spaced plants in the field for the next cycle of selection. Selection was for the following attributes: prostrate creeping early growth habit with short stolon internodes resulting in a dense stolon mat; leafy appearance; fine leaf and stem; and late flowering (i.e. a long period of vegetative growth before flowering). ‘KP4’ is a synthetic Rhodes grass cultivar multiplied from the selected fourth-generation plants produced by this line of breeding. Breeder: Donald S. Loch, Cleveland, QLD. PBR Certificate Number 3661, Application Number 2006/189, granted 16 December 2008

Undead yakuza: The Japanese zombie movie, cultural resonance and generic conventions

The zombie has long been regarded as a “fundamentally American creation” (Bishop 2010) and a western monster representing the fears and anxieties of Western society. Since the renaissance of the zombie movie in the early 2000s, a subsequent surge in international production has seen the release of movies from Norway, Cuba, Pakistan and Thailand to name a few. Although Japanese zombie movies have been far more visible for Western cult audiences than in mainstream markets, Japanese cinema has emerged as one of the more prolific producers of zombie films outside of Anglophone or Western European countries in recent years. Films such as Helldriver (2010), Zombie TV (2013), Versus (2000), Tokyo Zombie (2005), Happiness of the Katakuris (2001) and anime television series High School of the Dead (2010) have generated varying degrees of popularity and critical attention internationally. At first glance Japanese zombie films, with musical zombie interludes, undead yakuza henchmen and revenge-seeking yūrei zombies, appear fundamentally different to their Western counterparts. Yet, on closer examination, the Japanese zombie movie could be regarded as a hybrid and intertextual generic form drawing on syntactic conventions at the core of a universal zombie sub-genre established by Western filmmaking traditions, while also distilling culturally specific tropes unique to various Japanese horror cinema sub-genres. Most importantly, the Japanese zombie film extracts, emphasises and revises particular conventions and motifs common within Western zombie films that are particularly relevant to Japanese audiences. This chapter investigates the cultural resonance of key generic motifs identifiable in the Japanese zombie film. It establishes a production context and the influence of Japanese horror cinema on style and thematic concerns. It then examines the function of prominent narrative conventions, namely: the source, outbreak and spread of infection; mutation and the representation of the monster; and the inclusion of supernatural and religious motifs.

Implementation of a hybrid PCM encoding scheme

An improved encoding scheme is proposed wherein the quantizer step size incorporates both instantaneous and syllabic adaptation. The information needed to carry out this adaptation is extracted at the coder after the D/A conversion of the digital output, so that the coder and the decoder track each other. A 5-bit coder has been designed and built which has a dynamic range of 38 dB with a constant SNR of 30 dB, and the quality of its output signal is found to be comparable to that of other coding schemes

Potential gains through selecting for resistance in spotted gum to Quambalaria pitereka

Abstract Quambalaria shoot blight, caused by the fungus Quambalaria pitereka, is a serious disease affecting the expanding eucalypt plantation estate in subtropical and tropical eastern Australia. Trees that are severely infected are often multi-stemmed and stunted and infection of young trees may give rise to poor form in mature trees. A spotted gum clonal trial provided the opportunity to investigate the impact of the disease on tree growth and factors influencing tree architecture (tree form), which affects wood quality. We measured the effect that Q. pitereka infection during plantation establishment (up to 6 months old) has on growth and tree architecture and productivity to age 3 years. Our results show that the pathogen has a significant impact on trees at plantation establishment, which results in a negative impact on wood quality, potentially reducing merchantable value at final harvest. Tree growth and form was significantly improved where germplasm with low susceptibility to Q. pitereka infection was used.

Genetic studies of body mass index yield new insights for obesity biology

Obesity is heritable and predisposes to many diseases. To understand the genetic basis of obesity better, here we conduct a genome-wide association study and Metabochip meta-analysis of body mass index (BMI), a measure commonly used to define obesity and assess adiposity, in up to 339,224 individuals. This analysis identifies 97 BMI-associated loci (P < 5 × 10−8), 56 of which are novel. Five loci demonstrate clear evidence of several independent association signals, and many loci have significant effects on other metabolic phenotypes. The 97 loci account for ~2.7% of BMI variation, and genome-wide estimates suggest that common variation accounts for >20% of BMI variation. Pathway analyses provide strong support for a role of the central nervous system in obesity susceptibility and implicate new genes and pathways, including those related to synaptic function, glutamate signalling, insulin secretion/action, energy metabolism, lipid biology and adipogenesis.

Fine mapping of variants associated with endometriosis in the WNT4 region on chromosome 1p36

Genome-wide association studies show strong evidence of association with endometriosis for markers on chromosome 1p36 spanning the potential candidate genes WNT4, CDC42 and LINC00339. WNT4 is involved in development of the uterus, and the expression of CDC42 and LINC00339 are altered in women with endometriosis. We conducted fine mapping to examine the role of coding variants in WNT4 and CDC42 and determine the key SNPs with strongest evidence of association in this region. We identified rare coding variants in WNT4 and CDC42 present only in endometriosis cases. The frequencies were low and cannot account for the common signal associated with increased risk of endometriosis. Genotypes for five common SNPs in the region of chromosome 1p36 show stronger association signals when compared with rs7521902 reported in published genome scans. Of these, three SNPs rs12404660, rs3820282, and rs55938609 were located in DNA sequences with potential functional roles including overlap with transcription factor binding sites for FOXA1, FOXA2, ESR1, and ESR2. Functional studies will be required to identify the gene or genes implicated in endometriosis risk.

Parallel packing of alpha-helices in crystals of the zervamicin IIA analog Boc-Trp-Ile-Ala-Aib-Ile-Val-Aib-Leu-Aib-Pro-OMe.2H2O.

An apolar synthetic analog of the first 10 residues at the NH2-terminal end of zervamicin IIA crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 with cell dimensions a = 10.206 +/- 0.002 A, b = 12.244 +/- 0.002 A, c = 15.049 +/- 0.002 A, alpha = 93.94 +/- 0.01 degrees, beta = 95.10 +/- 0.01 degrees, gamma = 104.56 +/- 0.01 degrees, Z = 1, C60H97N11O13 X 2H2O. Despite the relatively few alpha-aminoisobutyric acid residues, the peptide maintains a helical form. The first intrahelical hydrogen bond is of the 3(10) type between N(3) and O(0), followed by five alpha-helix-type hydrogen bonds. Solution 1H NMR studies in chloroform also favor a helical conformation, with seven solvent-shielded NH groups. Continuous columns are formed by head-to-tail hydrogen bonds between the helical molecules along the helix axis. The absence of polar side chains precludes any lateral hydrogen bonds. Since the peptide crystallizes with one molecule in a triclinic space group, aggregation of the helical columns must necessarily be parallel rather than antiparallel. The packing of the columns is rather inefficient, as indicated by very few good van der Waals' contacts and the occurrence of voids between the molecules.

No evidence for genetic association with the let-7 microRNA-binding site or other common KRAS variants in risk of endometriosis

STUDY QUESTION Is there a contribution of the minor allele at the KRAS single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs61764370 in the let-7 microRNA-binding site to endometriosis risk? SUMMARY ANSWER We found no evidence for association between endometriosis risk and rs61764370 or any other SNPs in KRAS. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The rs61764370 SNP in the 3' untranslated region of the KRAS gene is predicted to disrupt a complementary binding site (LCS6) for the let-7 microRNA, and was recently reported to be at a high frequency (31%) in 132 women of varying ancestry with endometriosis compared with frequencies in a database of population controls (up to 7.6% depending on ancestry), suggesting a strong effect of this KRAS SNP in the aetiology of endometriosis. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE AND DURATION This was a case-control study with a total of 11 206 subjects. The study was performed between February 2012 and July 2012. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTINGAND METHODS We first investigated a possible association between common markers in KRAS and endometriosis risk from our genome-wide association (GWA) data in 3194 surgically confirmed endometriosis cases and 7060 controls of European ancestry. Although rs61764370 was not genotyped on the GWA arrays, five SNPs typed in the study were highly correlated with this variant. The rs61764370 and two SNPs highly correlated with rs61764370 were then genotyped in 933 endometriosis cases and 952 controls using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE There was no evidence for an association between rs61764370 and endometriosis risk P = 0.411 and odds ratio = 1.10 (95% confidence intervals: 0.88-1.36). We also found no evidence for an association between the highly correlated SNP rs17387019 and endometriosis. Their minor allele frequencies in cases and controls were of 0.087-0.091 similar to the population frequency reported previously for this variant in controls. Analyses of endometriosis cases with revised American Fertility Society stage III/IV disease also showed no evidence for an association between these SNPs and endometriosis risk. LIMITATIONS AND REASONS FOR CAUTION The GWA and genotyped data sets were not independent since individuals and cases from some families overlap. Controls in our GWA study were not screened for endometriosis. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The key SNP, rs61764370, was genotyped in a subset of samples. Our results do not support the suggestion that carrying the minor allele at rs61764370 contributes to a significant number of endometriosis cases and rs61764370 is, therefore, unlikely to be a useful marker of endometriosis risk. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The research was funded by grants from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust. None of the authors has competing interests for the study.

Prescribing for older people discharged from the acute sector to residential aged-care facilities

For frail older people, admission to hospital is an opportunity to review the indications for specific medications. This research investigates prescribing for 206 older people discharged into residential aged care facilities from 11 acute care hospitals in Australia. Patients had multiple comorbidities (mean 6), high levels of dependency, and were prescribed a mean of 7.2 regular medications at admission to hospital and 8.1 medications on discharge, with hyper-polypharmacy (≥10 drugs) increasing from 24.3% to 32.5%. Many drugs were preventive medications whose time until benefit was likely to exceed the expected lifespan. In summary, frail patients continue to be exposed to extensive polypharmacy and medications with uncertain risk–benefit ratio.

Strong evidence for a novel schizophrenia risk locus on chromosome 1p31.1 in homogeneous pedigrees from Tamil Nadu, India

OBJECTIVE: The study of ethnically homogeneous populations may help to identify schizophrenia risk loci. The authors conducted a genomewide linkage scan for schizophrenia in an Indian population. METHOD: Participants were 441 individuals (262 affected probands and siblings) who were recruited primarily from one ethnically homogeneous group, the Tamil Brahmin caste, although individuals from other geographically proximal castes also participated. Genotyping of 124 affected sibling pair pedigrees was performed with 402 short tandem repeat polymorphisms. Linkage analyses were conducted using nonparametric exponential LOD (logarithm of the odds ratio for linkage) scores and parametric heterogeneity LOD scores. Parametric heterogeneity scores were calculated using simple dominant and recessive models, correcting for multiple statistics. The data were examined for evidence of consanguinity. Genomewide significance levels were determined using 10,000 gene dropping simulations. RESULTS: These findings revealed genomewide significant linkage to chromosome 1p31.1, through the use of both exponential and heterogeneity LOD scores, incorporating correction for multiple statistics and mild consanguinity. The estimated sibling recurrence risk associated with this putative locus was 1.95. Analysis for heterogeneity LOD scores also detected suggestive linkage to chromosomes 13q22.1 and 16q12.2. Using 117 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), family-based association analyses of phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B), the closest schizophrenia candidate gene, detected no convincing evidence of association, suggesting that the chromosome 1 peak represents a novel risk locus. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study-to the authors' knowledge-to report significant linkage of schizophrenia to chromosome 1p31.1. Further investigation of this chromosome region in diverse populations is warranted to identify underlying sequence variants.

Customer inspired innovation with designer as innovation catalyst

This study explores the processes of introduction, implementation and integration of design-led innovation within a family owned company driven by engineering innovation in a sector dominated by product and process improvements. This paper is based on the outcomes of an investigation of a family manufacturing company in the METS sector over an 11-month period, where the researcher was embedded in the firm to deliver value to the company by using an action research approach. The design innovation catalyst used a design-led innovation process to capture customer insights that led to changes at the leadership, managerial and employee level of the organisation.

A checklist of plant pathogenic and other microfungi in the rainforests of the wet tropics of northern Queensland

Microfungi that cause disease or are associated with diseased plants in the wet tropics of northern Queensland are listed. A total of 206 host-pathogen combinations on 148 host species has been compiled from the results of plant disease surveys in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area in 1992 and 1993, from herbarium records and from previously published host-pathogen combinations.

Short-term survival of discarded pearl perch (Glaucosoma scapulare Ramsay, 1881) caught by hook-and-line in Queensland, Australia

Post-release survival of line-caught pearl perch (Glaucosoma scapulare) was assessed via field experiments where fish were angled using methods similar to those used by commercial, recreational and charter fishers. One hundred and eighty-three individuals were caught during four experiments, of which >91 survived up to three days post-capture. Hook location was found to be the best predictor of survival, with the survival of throat- or stomach-hooked pearl perch significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those hooked in either the mouth or lip. Post-release survival was similar for both legal (≥35 cm) and sub-legal (<35 cm) pearl perch, while those individuals showing no signs of barotrauma were more likely to survive in the short term. Examination of the swim bladders in the laboratory, combined with observations in the field, revealed that swim bladders rupture during ascent from depth allowing swim bladder gases to escape into the gut cavity. As angled fish approach the surface, the alimentary tract ruptures near the anus allowing swim bladder gases to escape the gut cavity. As a result, very few pearl perch exhibit barotrauma symptoms and no barotrauma mitigation strategies were recommended. The results of this study show that pearl perch are relatively resilient to catch-and-release suggesting that post-release mortality would not contribute significantly to total fishing mortality. We recommend the use of circle hooks, fished actively on tight lines, combined with minimal handling in order to maximise the post-release survival of pearl perch.

Welfare outcomes for 3- and 6-month-old beef calves in a tropical environment castrated surgically or by applying rubber rings

Castration of cattle using rubber rings is becoming increasingly popular due to the perceived ease of the procedure and greater operator safety when compared with surgical castration. Few comparative studies have investigated the effects of different castration methods and calf age on welfare outcomes, particularly in a tropical environment. Thirty Belmont Red (a tropically adapted breed), 3-month-old (liveweight 71–119 kg) and 30, 6-month-old (liveweight 141–189 kg) calves were assigned to a two age × three castration (surgical, ring and sham) treatment factorial study (Surg3, Surg6, Ring3, Ring6, Sham3 and Sham6, n = 10 for each treatment group). Welfare outcomes were assessed post-castration using: behaviour for 2 weeks; blood parameters (cortisol and haptoglobin concentrations) to 4 weeks; wound healing to 5 weeks; and liveweights to 6 weeks. More Surg calves struggled during castration compared with Sham and Ring (P < 0.05, 90 ± 7% vs. 20 ± 9% and 24 ± 10%) and performed more struggles (1.9 ± 0.2, 1.1 ± 0.3 and 1.1 ± 0.3 for Surg, Sham and Ring, respectively), suggesting that surgical castration caused most pain during performance of the procedure. A significant (P < 0.05) time × castration method × age interaction for plasma cortisol revealed that concentrations decreased most rapidly in Sham; the Ring6 calves failed to show reduced cortisol concentrations at 2 h post-castration, unlike other treatment groups. By 7 h post-castration, all treatment groups had similar concentrations. A significant (P < 0.01) interaction between time and castration method showed that haptoglobin concentrations increased slightly to 0.89 and 0.84 mg/mL for Surg and Ring, respectively over the first 3 days post-castration. Concentrations for Surg then decreased to levels similar to Sham by day 21 and, although concentrations for Ring decreased on day 7 to 0.76 mg/mL, they increased significantly on day 14 to 0.97 mg/mL before reducing to concentrations similar to the other groups (0.66 mg/mL) by day 21. Significantly (P < 0.05) more of the wounds of the 3-month compared with the 6-month calves scored as ‘healed’ at day 7 (74% vs. 39%), while more (P = 0.062) of the Surg than Ring scored as ‘healed’ at day 21 (60% vs. 29%). At day 14 there were significantly (P < 0.05) fewer healed wounds in Ring6 compared with other treatment groups (13% vs. 40–60%). Liveweight gain was significantly (P < 0.05) greater in 3-month (0.53 kg/day) than in 6-month calves (0.44 kg/day) and in Sham calves (P < 0.001, 0.54 kg/day), than in Ring (0.44 kg/day) and Surg (0.48 kg/day) calves. Overall, welfare outcomes were slightly better for Surg than Ring calves due to reduced inflammation and faster wound healing, with little difference between age groups.