Categories
Micro-biology

Research identifies way to boost corneal transplant success

New research at the University of Texas South Western Medical Centre has identified a potential method of improving the odds of corneal transplant acceptance.

In a study conducted on mice, researchers found that blocking the action of an immune system molecule called interferon-gamma (IFN-y) led to corneal transplants being accepted 90 per cent of the time when the mice shared the same major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genotype as the donor cornea.

"Our findings indicate that neither MHC matching alone nor administration of anti-IFN-y antibody alone enhances graft survival. However, we found that when MHC matching is combined with anti-IFN-y therapy, long-term corneal transplant survival is almost guaranteed," said Dr Jerry Niederkorn, professor of ophthalmology and microbiology at UT Southwestern and senior author of the study.

Corneal transplants are a common operation. However, the body rejects the transplant in an estimated ten per cent of patients and the odds of a second procedure being successful are poor.

Surprisingly, the study found that IFN-y could act as an immune system suppressor or activator. Whether it does so depends on the context of the histocompatibility antigens perceived by the immune system. 

Earlier studies found that IFN-y caused the immune system to reject transplants and disabling it would improve acceptance rates. But the new research found that the rejection rate was 100 per cent when IFN-y is disabled and there is no MHC matching between the mice and the transplants.

In the latter case, IFN-y was needed to maintain the T-regulatory cells that suppress the body's immune response.

Dr Niederkorn suggested that transplant matching and inactivation of IFN-γ would make most sense for those individuals whose bodies have already rejected a cornea or those believed to be at risk of rejection, rather than all first-time recipients. 

Further study is necessary before a clinical trial can take place. The team are currently attempting to develop an IFN-γ antibody in eye-drop form but they will need to test this in animal models.

Categories
Life Sciences

Genetic study could help treat rheumatoid arthritis

A new study into rheumatoid arthritis may prove useful in identifying new treatments for the disease.

The largest worldwide study of the genetic basis of rheumatoid arthritis demonstrates that integrating information of genome-wide studies with existing data can help scientists to discover drugs that may help cure diseases.

A genome-wide association study meta-analysis was conducted on over 100,000 subjects of European and Asian descent. Approximately ten million genetic variants known as single nucleotide polymorphism were analysed. Some 42 new regions of the genome (loci) were identified that are associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

The study was conducted by Dr Robert M Plenge from the Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute in the USA and Dr Yukinori Okada from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences in Japan, in collaboration with over 70 institutions throughout the world.

Results from the study bring the number of known loci associated with the disease to 101. Bioinformatics studies were conducted to integrate the new information with existing datasets, leading the researchers to identify 98 genes that could lead to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.

The findings were integrated with existing drug databases and it was discovered that many of the newly-identified genes overlap with regions targeted by rheumatoid arthritis drugs already in use. When the drugs were developed, this was not known.

Drugs which are currently used to treat cancer such as CDK4/6 inhibitors could help with the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, according to the team.

It was found the genes that cause rheumatoid arthritis, immunodeficiency disorders and blood cancers overlap to a large degree. 

"This study sheds light on the fundamental genes, pathways and cell types that contribute to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis and provides evidence that the genetics of rheumatoid arthritis can provide important information for drug discovery," the reports authors conclude.

Between 0.5 and one per cent of adults in the developed world suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. It is the second most common form of arthritis in the UK, affecting around 400,000 people.

Categories
Micro-biology

Research explores spread of ‘parasitic’ DNA

A new study has been published which sheds light on how strands of parasitic DNA proliferate as part of the ageing process.

Genomes of all organisms contain elements that, when not suppressed, copy themselves and spread, potentially affecting health. It has already been discovered that these parts, known as  "retrotransposable elements" (RTEs), are able to free themselves from the genome's control in cultures of human cells.

The new research, conducted at Brown University, examined the process in mice and found that RTEs became increasingly able to break free and copy themselves as the animals aged. This process was found to occur in cancerous tumours but can be combated by restricting calories.

Jill Kreiling, a research assistant professor at Brown, said: "This may be a very important mechanism in leading to genome instability. A lot of the chronic diseases associated with ageing, such as cancer, have been associated with genome instability."

It is not known whether the proliferation of RTEs only has negative effects. However, scientists do know that the body tries to control the rogue elements by wrapping them in a tight configuration known as heterochromatin. The study found that heterochromatin became more common in mouse tissues as they aged, although some tissues containing RTEs were loosened up.

The new study shows that the proliferation of RTEs is linked to the ageing of the whole organism. Although previous studies demonstrated the process at work in cell cultures, the process of replication in such cultures does not mirror that which occurs during ageing.

Researchers examined cells from the liver and skeletal muscle of mice aged five, 24 and 36 months. They found elevated expressions of RTEs in both types of tissue after 24 months and the RTEs also copied themselves and showed up elsewhere in the genome.

Mice which were adequately nourished but fed 40 per cent fewer calories than animals on a normal diet were found to have fewer RTEs. A restricted calorie intake is known to mitigate the ageing process in different animal models.

There was also an observed correlation between the presence of RTEs and tissues affected by naturally-occurring cancers, but there is not yet sufficient evidence to establish a causal link.

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HR Information

HR ‘has ethical role to play’

HR has a vital role to play in promoting business ethics, according to former Charter International and Cable & Wireless HR director Ian Muir.

Mr Muir has recently authored a report, Tone from the top, published by Kuldeep Associates, which was founded by Muir and sponsored by Ashridge Business School. The report investigates the role played by boards in providing ethical leadership. Its findings suggest that good business practice begins from the top, with a good chairman.

Speaking to HR Magazine, Mr Muir said the study looks at various failures of business ethics which have occurred over recent years, including the Libor and PPI misselling scandals.

It finds there are few sectors which remain irreproachable. There have been ethical failures in the public and private sectors: Staffordshire NHS Trust, the BBC, Amazon and Google were recently involved in cases of bad practice.

As businesses now operate in a more transparent world, Mr Muir says they should carefully consider the ethical tone they set from the top.

HR can play a vital role in delivering the message about good business ethics and HR directors should rise to the challenge.

Mr Muir said: "It's a golden opportunity for HR because it's about culture, it's about leadership, values, the principles and the way in which companies do things … I think a number of HR directors need to get closer to the chairman of the company and build a stronger relationship with the non-executive directors and help them the board get closer with line managers."

Although ethical risk cannot be eliminated, it can be minimised, the report finds. HR can identify the sources of bad practice and help to build 'moral backbone' through training, recruitment and assessment processes.

Three sources of bad practice are identified: bad apples, who have inappropriate morals; foolish apples, who unwittingly do the wrong thing; and pressured apples, who behave inappropriately when a situation encourages them to do so.

The report also encourages employees to speak out against bad practice. Management has a crucial role to play in ensuring that the right environment of openness and honesty is created to give employees the confidence to voice their concerns.

Categories
Micro-biology

Research could repair damaged brain cells

A new technique is being pioneered by researchers at Penn State University to regenerate functional neurons after brain injury and in those affected by Alzheimer's disease.

The scientists have used the brain's supporting cells, known as glial cells, to grow healthy neurons which are essential for transmitting brain signals.

When the brain is damaged, normal neurons often die or degenerate. Reactive glial cells proliferate as a defence mechanism against bacteria and toxins – but this leads to the formation of glial scars, which prevent the growth of healthy neurons.

Led by Gong Chen, a professor of biology at Penn State University, the team set about trying to transform glial cells back into normal brain cells.

The researchers studied how reactive glial cells respond to a protein known as NeuroD1, which plays an important role in the formation of nerve cells in the part of the brain known as the hippocampus. They reasoned that expressing the protein into reactive glial cells at a site of injury may help to generate new neurons.

A retrovirus which affects glial cells but not other neurons was used to introduce the genetic code for the NeuroD1 protein. The retrovirus was unable to replicate and thus could not destroy the host cells.

NeuroD1 retrovirus was introduced into the brains of mice. It was discovered that two types of reactive glial cells were reprogrammed into normal neurons within a week of being infected with the retrovirus.

In a second study on a mouse model with Alzheimer's disease, it was found that glial cells could be converted into functional neurons – even after the mice had reached 14 months, which is the equivalent of a 60-year-old human being.

The team tested the method on human cells in culture and found that they also regenerated and were able to transmit impulses.

"Our passionate motivation for this research is the idea that an Alzheimer's patient, who for a long time was not able to remember things, could start to have new memories after regenerating new neurons as a result of our in vivo conversion method, and that a stroke victim who could not even move his legs might start to walk again," Professor Chen explained.

Categories
Micro-biology

Research team maps out cellular repair processes

Researchers University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, along with colleagues in The Netherlands and United Kingdom, have constructed a map detailing the genetic reactions underlying the response of cells to ultraviolet radiation (UV) exposure.

It is hoped the study will shed light on the ways in which cells are damaged by radiation and on the mechanisms that repair cells. UV radiation can cause malignancy, especially in skin cancers, and understanding the repair mechanisms may enable scientists to gain more insight into the process of cancer formation.

Some 89 UV-induced functional interactions were studied among 62 protein complexes. These interactions were taken from a larger measurement involving the deletion of two separate genes. Observations were made before and after different doses of UV radiation.

Links were identified between the radiation and the cell's chromatic structure remodelling complex (RSC). Chromatin is a combination of DNA and proteins which forms a cell's nucleus and is remodeled during cell division. According to the researchers, RSC is directed to places on damaged genes and DNA, helping to facilitate effective repair.

The nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway identifies DNA-distorting lesions and removes them from the genetic material. The gap is then filled with new genetic material copied from an undamaged DNA strand and sealed by an enzyme.

NER works in conjunction with other mechanisms, including RSC.

Dr Rohith Srivas explained that in order to do their job, repair factors need access to undamaged DNA. Chromatin remodelers can be recruited to the DNA and open it up for the repair factors to perform their function.

"Our results are novel because they show RSC is connected to both UV damage pathways: transcription coupled repair – which acts on parts of DNA being expressed – and global genome repair, which acts everywhere. All previous remodelers were linked only to global genome repair," Dr Srivas commented.

The scientists observed that the degree of genetic rewiring is correlated with the dose of UV. Reparative interactions were observed at distinct high or low doses of UV.

Categories
HR Information

Talent will be the HR focus of 2014, Deloitte reports

Organisations will have to do more to reduce costs and retain and engage their workforces in 2014.

According to Josh Bersin of Deloitte, passion, engagement, development and innovation are key to a successful HR strategy in the year ahead.

Deloitte's Predictions for 2014 report describes a world that will be shaped by the globalisation of competition and technological advances that will force companies to improve their brands. 

Talent will be increasingly important and high-performing employees will become more influential. HR organisations must become more talent-focussed to attract and retain the best employees, making use of new analytics tools.

Key skills in the energy and life sciences sector, as well as other sectors of the economy, will be in short supply. Creating networks that attract people around the world will help organisations to win the global race.

Promoting continuous learning through partnerships with universities and apprenticeship schemes will enable organisations to attract and consolidate talent.

The systems of evaluation companies use will change, according to the report. They will increasingly be focussed on coaching, development, continuous goal alignment and recognition.

Increasingly, talent mobility and career development need to be taken seriously. Talent mobility is here to stay and organisations should put in place a strategy to open up access to internal positions, employee assessment tools and leadership values that focus on internal development.

Big data and talent networks are changing HR, meaning organisations will need to recruit more aggressively and intelligently. It will also be necessary to expand the use of analytics, big data and social networking.

Organisations must not be overwhelmed by the explosion in new technology such as the increased use of Twitter and MobileApps. Technology should be understood and simplified so that employees find it easy to use.

Bersin identifies high-impact HR as a key emerging trend for 2014. HR professionals will become highly trained specialists operating in "networks of expertise" and he commented: "In 2014 organisations should focus on innovation, new ideas and leveraging technology to drive value in HR. This demands an integrated team, a focus on skills and capabilities within HR and strong HR leadership."

Categories
Micro-biology

Study identifies means of preventing atherosclerosis

Researchers at Emory and Georgia Tech have discovered a new technique which combats atherosclerosis by targeting a micro-RNA molecule instrumental to its development.

It was discovered that a drug that blocks micro-RNA – a molecule left over from ribosome formation – slows down the process of atherosclerosis. In animal models, the process was blocked despite the presence of a high fat diet.

While it is well known that exercise reduces the likelihood of atherosclerosis, the latest research helps to explain why this is the case.

Atherosclerosis occurs when the walls lining the arteries thicken due to a build-up of white blood cells, lipids and cholesterol; this can bring on strokes and heart attacks. A constant flow of blood through the arteries prevents atherosclerosis, whereas an erratic flow of blood is known to contribute to the disease's development. 

The scientists developed an animal model of the disease, inducing atherosclerosis in mice by partially restricting the blood flow in the carotid artery. The mice were fed a high-fat diet and bred to have a deficiency of Apoe, which removes lipids from the blood.

As part of the research, the team focussed on micro-RNAs, which can inhibit several genes at one. It has recently been discovered that these can travel between cells and therefore have the potential to cause atherosclerosis. One micro-RNA, miR-712, was found to be induced by an erratic blood flow.

Cells produce miR-712 in response to an erratic blood flow, which inhibits a gene that reduces inflammation in endothelial cells, which line blood vessels, in normal conditions. The team found that miR-712 is leftover from ribosomes, which produce protein molecules.

A technology called 'locked nucleic acids' was used to block miR-712 in the body. It was discovered that this helped prevent the mice from developing atherosclerosis. The drug reduced by 50 per cent the portion of the carotid artery blocked by plaques.

The team is currently conducting research using nanotechnologies to deliver ant-miR-712 drugs directly to the heart and endothelial cells in a technique that will keep side effects to a minimum.

Categories
HR Information

Are HR professionals ready for auto-enrolment?

Pension regulations have changed dramatically in recent years and this is something that HR professionals are still coming to terms with.

The government introduced auto-enrolment rules in 2012, which means most employers are obliged to automatically sign up full-time workers to a company saving scheme.

This new system is being rolled out gradually, with large corporations adopting it first.

According to newly-released figures from The Pensions Regulator, more than two million workers have started saving into a pension as a result of the reforms.

In excess of 3,500 employers have signed up to auto-enrolment thus far and this figure is expected to rise in 2014.

Pensions minister Steve Webb believes the new framework has proven to people that pensions are no longer the preserve of a minority.

"And the message to employers is make sure you're ready for the date your workforce joins the two million already in," he commented.

Smaller organisations are expected to adopt the scheme in 2014 and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has urged firms to prepare themselves.

Unless HR departments are on the ball, the introduction of auto-enrolment pensions could prove to be a costly endeavour.

Figures compiled by the CIPD showed the number of employees choosing to opt out of pension schemes is still relatively low (no more than ten per cent), so the demand for savings provisions is clearly very high.

Around a quarter (26 per cent) of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) said they would have to reduce pay rises in order to cope with the extra administration costs that auto-enrolment will bring, while 22 per cent will freeze pay altogether.

CIPD performance and reward adviser Charles Cotton stated many small firms will make their first foray into pension provision in 2014 and this can be daunting as they will not have the same access to expertise as their larger counterparts.

"However, with early planning and preparation SMEs can overcome any challenges and realise the opportunity that auto-enrolment offers," he remarked.

Categories
Micro-biology

Could a new malaria vaccine be available in 5 years?

Researchers in Singapore believe they could develop a new malaria vaccine within the next five years.

The team at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have come across a new process which occurs when the malaria parasite attempts to invade the body.

They have honed antibodies that can prevent the disease from infecting red blood cells.

Professor Peter Preiser, chair of NTU's School of Biological Sciences, explained how this works in simple terms.

"What we have identified is a region of the malaria parasite which it uses to attach to a healthy blood cell then pushes itself into the cell," he commented.

"So imagine the parasite has the key to unlock a door to the red blood cell, but we muck the key up, so no matter how hard the parasite tries, the door just refuses to open."

The researchers have spent five years on these latest tests and the results could pave the way for a number of advanced treatments in the future.

Mr Preiser believes that if the NTU team can join forces with a drug development company, a potentially landmark new vaccine could be created before the end of the decade.

The NTU has an impressive record of turning breakthrough discoveries such as this into fully-fledged treatments.

Researchers will now use this new technique to find other antibodies that can target the malaria parasite, which could lead to even more new treatments further down the line.

Figures provided by the World Health Organisation highlight the huge impact this new discovery might have around the world.

Some 627,000 people died from malaria in 2012 alone, with the majority of these being young Africans.

Overall, there were around 207 million cases of the disease across the globe last year.

Although mortality rates have fallen significantly – by 45 per cent internationally since 2000 and by 49 per cent in Africa – doctors and scientists are keen for new, cheap vaccines to be brought to market as soon as possible.