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HR Information

Jobseekers ‘can be deterred by first impressions’

New research reveals more than two-thirds of jobseekers would turn down an offer of employment if their first impression of an organisation is substandard.

This is according to Monster.co.uk, which has published data on the factors influencing interviewees' decisions. The findings could help HR professionals ensure the recruitment process isn't jeopardised by external factors.

Appearances play a significant role in decision-making, with 35 per cent of interviewees saying they would not accept a job if they did not like a company's reception area.

Interviewers also play a key role and 50 per cent say they could be influenced by a recruiter's dress sense, while 60 per cent make judgements based on their handshake and 58 per cent on the quality of their conversations.

Some 51 per cent of job candidates said they would turn down a job if they were kept waiting too long in reception.

First impressions play a crucial role for both interviewers and interviewees. According to the report, applicants have just 6 minutes and 25 seconds during the first meeting in which to make a good impression on interviewers.

Only work experience (36 per cent) ranks higher than first impressions (24 per cent) in employers' minds, while education is the third most important factor (12 per cent).

Punctuality is the best way for candidates to make a good first impression, with 96 per cent of managers saying good timekeeping is important. Level of interview preparation is important for 93 per cent, while the ability to hold eye contact is valued by 82 per cent.

A candidate's physical appearance is also important to interviewers, with more than two-thirds (72 per cent) of employers admitting they would be deterred by tattoos and 62 per cent saying an applicant's dress sense could influence their decision making.

Corinne Sweet, organisational behaviour psychologist, commented: "We make instant assumptions about people and can judge harshly or form fantasies, based on external factors including: style, tattoos, skin colour and their accent. These impressions can be right or wrong, but employers need to understand that employees are forming their impressions too!"

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Microbiology

Scientists discover ribosome ‘missing link’

Researchers at the University of California (UC) San Diego have discovered the 'missing link' in the system that enables animal cells to produce ribosomes.

The discovery could give biologists a better understanding of how to limit uncontrolled cell growth, such as cancer, that might be regulated by controlling the output of ribosomes. It will also lead to the revision of basic textbooks on molecular biology.

Ribosomes contained within each cell manufacture all of the proteins needed to build tissue and sustain life. They are responsible for a wide range of substances, including enzymes; structural molecules, such as hair, skin and bones; hormones like insulin; and components of our immune system such as antibodies.

While much time has been devoted to studying ribosomes, researchers have hitherto had little understanding of the processes underlying the formation of the proteins that are used to construct ribosomes.

Ribosomes are composed of around 80 different proteins in multicellular animals, as well as four different kinds of RNA molecules. In 1969, scientists found that two enzymes, RNA polymerase I and RNA polymerase III, are responsible for the synthesis of ribosomal RNAs.

However, they did not know whether a complementary system was also responsible for the production of the 80 proteins that make up the ribosome.

The UC San Diego researchers set out to solve this problem and discovered the missing link – the specialised system that allows ribosomal proteins themselves to be synthesised by the cell.

"We found that ribosomal proteins are synthesized via a novel regulatory system with the enzyme RNA polymerase II and a factor termed TRF2," said professor of biology and leader of the study Jim Kadonaga.  

"For the production of most proteins, RNA polymerase II functions with a factor termed TBP, but for the synthesis of ribosomal proteins, it uses TRF2."

Professor Kadonga added that the discovery of specialised TRF2-based system for ribosome biogenesis provides new opportunities for study and could potentially help to develop cancer treatments.

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Microbiology

New research ‘could help combat atherosclerosis’

Researchers have identified a molecule that plays a role in exacerbating atherosclerosis and could provide a target for new therapies.

Scientists at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center found that a molecule known as 27HC (27-hydroxycholesterol) promotes the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, which can lead to cardiovascular disease.

Atherosclerosis involves the build-up of lesions (or plaques) formed from lipids, such as cholesterol and fatty acids. If these rupture, they can partially or completely block blood flow, causing a heart attack or stroke.

27HC belongs to a family of molecules known as oxysterols. It is produced during the normal breakdown of cholesterol and is known to accumulate in atherosclerotic plaques.

The UT researchers discovered that 27HC promotes the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, causing a doubling in the accumulation of lipids in the arterial wall.

It achieves this through mechanisms mediated by estrogen receptors. Normally, these receptors enable estrogen to protect against the development and progression of atherosclerosis – but 27HC blocks them and prevents these beneficial effects from being realised.

"When 27HC is present, estrogen's protective effects are only observed at very high levels of the hormone," said senior author Dr Philip Shaul, holder of the Associates First Capital Corporation Distinguished Chair in Pediatrics. 

"This result may explain why hormone therapy with estrogen does not provide cardiovascular benefit in women with pre-existing atherosclerosis, in which 27HC is abundant in the vascular wall."

The researchers found 27HC triggers inflammation in the arterial wall, a key step in the establishment of atherosclerotic plaques. 

This was characterised by the exaggerated production of molecules known as cytokines that drive inflammation, as well as the enhanced attachment on the arterial wall of immune cells known as macrophages.

Macrophages then accumulate lipids (such as cholesterol) and trigger the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

Dr Shaul said complementary therapies are needed to combat atherosclerosis, even though statins have already had dramatic impact, and targeting 27HC could help to fulfil this role.

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HR Information

HR ‘failing to monitor candidates’ experiences’

New research reveals many employers are failing to monitor candidates' experiences when it comes to recruitment.

Up to 60 per cent of HR professionals are doing nothing to monitor the impact of their hiring experience, even though 70 per cent understand the importance of this factor to the recruitment process.

Some 64 per cent of those surveyed in the CEB Global Assessment Trends Report for 2014 said it would become more difficult to hire candidates within the next 12 months, meaning a company's image could grow in significance in as part of a successful recruitment process.

HR Review reports that nearly half (49 per cent) of candidates are left with a negative view of an organisation in a traditional recruiting process. One in five of these people will expose the business to reputational risks by complaining to family and friends or airing their grievances on social media platforms.

Ken Lahti, vice president of product development and innovation at CEB, said that while recruiters realise the importance of a positive candidate experience, very few are actively measuring candidate reactions.

He added that the recruitment process can be an important marketing tool and can have an impact on future candidates and customers.

"Unless companies invest in actively monitoring candidate experience and improving their hiring processes, the candidates they approach today may negatively influence the people they want to attract tomorrow. A poor reputation – born of bad candidate experience – can stifle the talent pipeline for the future," he said.

The difficulties in attracting suitable candidates anticipated by those surveyed in the CEB report were highlighted in the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's recent Report on Jobs.

It revealed the number of applicants available for jobs declined at its sharpest rate for 16 years during May as the number of vacancies continues to rise.

The availability of temporary and contracts staff, as well as those available for permanent positions, declined sharply. The greatest demand for staff was experienced in the accounting and financial sector.

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Microbiology

New T cell therapy protects immunodeficient patients

Scientists at Technische Universitat Munchen (TUM), together with colleagues at Frankfurt, Wurzburg and Gottingen, have discovered a new method to protect patients against viruses following bone marrow transplants. 

Immune system cells are created from stem cells in the bone marrow. In diseases affecting the bone marrow, such as leukemia, degenerate cells must be destroyed using radiation or chemotherapy.

Stem cells from a healthy donor are required to replace the cells of the hematopoietic system following treatment. However, a temporary weakening of the immune system can leave patients vulnerable to infections that would not normally pose a threat.

One such agent is the cytomegalovirus (CMV), which does not cause problems in healthy human beings as specific immune cells keep the infection at bay. However, in patients with weakened defences, it can cause serious damage to the lungs or liver.

The research involved the transfer of T cells that can recognise and kill specific pathogens. The team isolated T cells from the blood of healthy donor mice and directed them against molecular elements of a bacterial species which normally causes severe infections in animals.

These cells were given to other mice, which had undergone a genetic modification so they could no longer produce immune cells of their own.  

The recipient mice were treated with bacteria after the transfer and were found to have effective immune protection, preventing them from becoming ill. 

"The most astonishing result was that the offspring cells of just one transferred donor cell were enough to completely protect the animals," first author Dr Christian Stemberger explained.

A trial was then carried out on human patients who had to undergo stem cell transplants due to a congenital immunodeficiency and leukemia, and who had contracted CMV.

T cells specifically programmed to target the CMV virus were isolated and transferred from a donor. After only a few weeks, the virus-specific cells proliferated and the number of viruses in the blood dropped.

A clinical study will now be carried out to examine the potential of the identified T cells. The scientists aim to develop innovative cell therapies using recent results and cell products created at a special TUM facility.

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HR Information

HR to raise technology investment

A new survey of HR departments reveals many firms are looking to strike a balance between people, process and technology.

Towers Watson's 2014 HR Service Delivery and Technology Survey shows one in three companies are set to boost their spending on HR technology in the coming year compared with the previous 12 months.

Some 23 per cent plan to raise their spending by as much as ten per cent, while only 15 per cent plan to spend less on HR technology.

The focus here is on new functionality such as HR portals, talent management solutions, mobile access services and leading software-as-a -service systems such as Workday.

HR data and analytics, portals and payroll figure in many organisations' investment plans, with one-third of respondents expecting to spend more in the coming year.

In addition, one in three companies plan to make changes to their HR structure during the next 12 months. 

The survey of 1,048 organisations around the world shows that streamlining business processes was the number one initiative for business functions for the second year in a row.

More than half (55 per cent) of those surveyed reported reengineering key HR processes over the past 18 months, while around half (49 per cent) improved line managers' people management capabilities.

Business process reengineering and strategic decision-making are expected to feature prominently in efforts to ensure the HR function remains focused, efficient and effective.

Towers Watson suggests the trend for balance is due to a shift in streamlining business processes and a commitment to running the HR function like a business, with an effective mix of strategic perspective and operational discipline. 

Mike DiClaudio, global leader of Towers Watson's HR Service Delivery practice, said: "Companies are realising the value that consumer-grade technology brings to HR and are willing to make smart investments that can grow and evolve with the business. 

"It also appears that companies are splitting their investments between core HR systems such as talent management and payroll, and next-generation technology including HR data and analytics, and integrated talent management systems."

Categories
Microbiology

Type 1 diabetes reversal ‘could one day benefit humans’

Researchers have succeeded in reversing type 1 diabetes in mice and their efforts could help to combat the disease in humans.

Type 1 diabetes currently affects five per cent of all people with diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. It is usually diagnosed in children and young adults.

The incidence of the disease has increased since the mid-20th century and this could be due to under-stimulation of innate immune systems which trigger autoimmunity in children and young adults.

Individuals with type 1 diabetes do not produce enough insulin, which is central to glucose metabolism. While there is no cure for the disease, it can be controlled with insulin therapy.

Previous studies have shown that non-obese diabetic mice have defects in innate immune cells and that TLR4, a toll-like receptor, plays a protective role in preventing type 1 diabetes.

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati reversed new onset diabetes in a high percentage of newly diabetic non-obese mice using an agonistic monoclonal antibody, UT18, to boost the activity of TLR4.

"The cause of this reversal is a preservation of the endocrine pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin," explained professor William Ridgway. "These cells are preserved from the autoimmune attack which is the hallmark of type 1 diabetes."

Timing is key to reversing type 1 diabetes in mice – the disease needs to be caught at its onset, which is typically within a very short time window. This is longer in humans but is still a relatively short period from new onset to end-stage type 1 diabetes.

The new approach differs from conventional methods as the therapies in mice do not directly interact with T-cells.

Rather than targeting the adaptive immune system, Professor Ridgway's method targets the innate immune system, focusing on a receptor that is found mostly on the innate immune cells, such as dendritic cells.

"This same molecular TLR4 pathway operates in humans in many similar ways; though there are some differences, it is possible this new pathway of targeting the immune system could be tested in humans," the professor said.

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HR Information

Auto-enrolment is many firms’ ‘biggest challenge’

A new report has revealed many employers view auto-enrolment as the biggest challenge their organisation will face over the coming years.

Auto-Enrolment: Expectations versus Reality, commissioned by Buzzacott Employee Solutions and Meridian West, states that four in ten employers have such a view of auto-enrolment, HR Magazine reports.

Those who have been through the process found it more arduous than expected, the study reveals, with 34 per cent saying it is more time-consuming than they thought it would be.

A different attitude prevails among those who have yet to reach their staging date, however, with 97 per cent confident they will be able to make the changes in good time.

Companies that are yet to reach their staging date need to "take a holistic approach" to auto-enrolment if they want to make it work, according to Amanda Francis, a managing partner at Buzzacott.

Timing is a crucial factor in the successful roll-out of auto-enrolment, the report suggests. Some 77 per cent of companies which have passed their staging date started planning less than 12 months in advance – but many wish they had done so sooner.

According to Richard Phelps, head of Barclays Corporate & Employer Solutions, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are underestimating the scale of the auto-enrolment task

"It is thought that to date only two per cent of UK companies have successfully completed the auto-enrolment process," he said. 

"We are at a critical point as SMEs now start reaching their staging dates in large numbers. Reports suggest that many companies are unaware of their statutory obligations."

Barclays and Standard Life are offering support for smaller companies who are yet to reach their staging date, with the next deadline set for July 1st.

The Pensions Regulator recommends employers allow at least 12 months before their staging date to prepare for auto-enrolment.

There is a guide available on the regulator's website to ensure companies are well-prepared for the changes and there is also a tool available for creating an auto-enrolment action plan.

Categories
Microbiology

Cancer drug raises levels of vascular-protective gene

An existing drug that is used to treat cancer patients has been found to be effective in protecting people from vascular clots. 

Bortezomib (Velcade), which is used to treat multiple myeloma, was approved for use by the US Food and Drug Association in 2012. As well as attacking cancer cells, it has been found to help prevent clot development common to many forms of the disease.

The anti-thrombotic effects of bortezomib are determined by KLF2, part of a family of Kruppel-like factors – master regulators of vascular health. These factors prevent clot formation in the body's major blood vessels.

Previous work by the researchers at Case Western Reserve University revealed that Kruppel-like factors function as nodal regulators of vascular health. This led them to surmise that bortezomib protects against thrombosis by increasing KLF levels.

Lalitha Nayak, an assistant professor of medicine, decided to test the hypothesis in the laboratory. She showed that bortezomib treatment rendered normal mice resistant to clot formation.

Next, she demonstrated that the drug specifically and potently induced KLF2 levels. Finally, she confirmed KLF2's importance by administering bortezomib to mice missing the KLF2 gene. In these animals, the drug did not have the effect of protecting them from thrombosis.

"This taught us how important KLF2 is for the ability of bortezomib to protect against thrombosis," professor Nayak said.

The results of the study could alter the management of thrombosis in patients who have a predisposition to clot formation, particularly where present treatments are ineffective.

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLS) is one such condition. Patients with the disorder have an increased risk for blood clots in both arteries and veins. It often affects young women, and there is no effective antithrombotic strategy for this group of patients.

Bortezomib protects against thrombosis and does not increase bleeding, making this drug a potential treatment alternative for APLS patients.

"Vascular clots are the number one cause of death and disability worldwide," professor Nayak said. "Our studies show that increasing KLF2 levels provides a favorable thromboprotective effect."

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HR Information

Employers ‘could face flexible working application surge’

Employers could face a surge in flexible working applications when the new legislation comes into effect later in the year.

A new survey conducted by YouGov reveals 26 per cent of British workers (excluding sole traders) are likely to request flexible working arrangements, HR review reports.

Some 69 per cent of the working population has never made a flexible working request, with 13 per cent of these reluctant to do so because of the financial implications and nearly a quarter (22 per cent) believing their request would be unlikely to be accepted.

However, attitudes could change when the new legislation comes into force. All employees with a minimum of 28 weeks' service will be able to request flexible working as of June 30th 2014, whereas previously only employees with children under 17 or with caring responsibilities were able to change their working patterns.

The employees most likely to request flexible working are 18-24 year-olds, with 31 per cent of this group considering making a request. Women (30 per cent) are more likely to request flexible working than men (22 per cent).

Croner, a Wolters Kluwer company providing information and consultancy to HR, health & safety and business professionals, commissioned the survey of 2,328 Britons.

Richard Smith, head of employment law at Croner, said: "For SMEs, flexible working will not be the easiest policy to implement, particularly if there is sudden rush of applicants this July. However, once the trust and change of mind set has been established the rewards of a flexible work force will become clear."

The research suggests there are significant business benefits to be had from implementing flexible working arrangements.

Some 27 per cent of those surveyed whose businesses allowed flexible working said it provided a boost to productivity, while 28 per cent said it reduced sickness and absence.

However, 16 per cent of respondents and 19 per cent among the 45-54 age group said it could raise tensions in the workplace.