A qualitative evaluation of non-educational barriers to the elite professions: June 2015

This report sets out the findings from a qualitative study, focusing on two main areas. The first (Study A) examines the barriers to entry for people from less privileged socioeconomic backgrounds to elite law and accountancy firms, with a particular focus on London. The second (Study B) examines the barriers to entry for people from similar backgrounds to elite financial service firms (inclu ding accountancy) located in Scotland

Barriers to entry: social exclusion is rife in elite professions in the UK

Research by Louise Ashley, Hilary Sommerlad and Jo Duberley highlights the structural nature of social exclusion and its connections to unequal access to educational opportunities

Capturing complexity: developing an integrated approach to analysing HRM in SMEs

This article presents a framework to evaluate HRM in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), using an open systems theoretical perspective. In presenting an open systems perspective the objective is to overcome the limitations of existing theorising in HRM, in particular to facilitate a move away from the ‘small is beautiful’ versus ‘bleak house’ stereotypes evident in much of the literature concerned with HRM in SMEs. The evidence is drawn from six SMEs operating in the Republic of Ireland, using a case study method. The findings show that a complex interplay of external structural factors and internal dynamics shaped HRM in each of the companies. HRM was not the coherent set of practices typically identified in the literature but rather was often informal and emergent. It is argued that the open systems theoretical framework enables a move beyond mere recognition of the complexity and heterogeneity of HRM in SMEs, towards an understanding, accommodation and explanation of particularistic factors

Neurometabolic Implications of Coenzyme Q10 Deficiency: Pathogenesis, Detection and Treatment

Disorders of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) biosynthesis represent the most treatable subgroup of mitochondrial diseases. Neurological involvement is frequently observed in CoQ10 deficiency, typically presenting as cerebellar ataxia and/or seizures. The aetiology of the neurological presentation of CoQ10 deficiency has yet to be fully elucidated and therefore in order to investigate these phenomena we have established a neuronal cell model of CoQ10 deficiency by treatment of the neuronal SH-SY5Y cell line with Para-AminoBenzoic Acid (PABA). This neuronal cell model provides insights into the effects of CoQ10 deficiency on neuronal mitochondrial function and oxidative stress. A marginal decrease in CoQ10 status (76% residual CoQ10) appears to be sufficient to impair Electron Transport Chain (ETC) function and increase mitochondrial oxidative stress, highlighting the vulnerability of neurons to a small deficit in CoQ10 status. In contrast to CoQ10 deficient fibroblasts, a CoQ10 deficiency (46% residual CoQ10) in neuronal cells appears to result in reversal of Complex V activity. This phenomenon has not been reported in previous studies of CoQ10 deficiency and may be a unique characteristic of neuronal cells. This neuronal cell model was subsequently utilised in the evaluation of candidate therapies for neurological conditions associated with CoQ10 deficiency. The efficacy of CoQ10 supplementation and methylene blue (MB) treatment were evaluated. CoQ10 supplementation proved effective at preventing mitochondrial oxidative stress and partially restoring neuronal mitochondrial function. However ETC complex activities were still compromised, suggesting an explanation for the refractory nature of neurological CoQ10 deficiency to treatment. Muscle is considered the “gold standard” for CoQ10 quantification; however neurological CoQ10 deficiency does not always present with a significant decrease in muscle CoQ10 status, despite a genetic diagnosis of CoQ10 deficiency. Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) CoQ10 quantification offers a more direct measurement of cerebellar CoQ10 levels. A tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method capable of quantifying nanomolar (nM) levels of CoQ10 was therefore developed. In conclusion this PhD thesis has been successful in expanding our understanding of the pathophysiology of neuronal CoQ10 deficiency and subsequently suggesting why neurological CoQ10 deficiency might be refractory to CoQ10 treatment. This thesis has also led to the development of a new technique for quantification of CSF CoQ10 concentration, opening up many possibilities for future studies and applications. This project is funded by Ataxia UK (www.ataxiauk.org.uk)

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy

Coenzyme Q10 prevents hepatic fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in a male rat model of poor maternal nutrition and accelerated postnatal growth.

BACKGROUND: It is well established that low birth weight and accelerated postnatal growth increase the risk of liver dysfunction in later life. However, molecular mechanisms underlying such developmental programming are not well characterized, and potential intervention strategies are poorly defined. OBJECTIVES: We tested the hypotheses that poor maternal nutrition and accelerated postnatal growth would lead to increased hepatic fibrosis (a pathological marker of liver dysfunction) and that postnatal supplementation with the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) would prevent this programmed phenotype. DESIGN: A rat model of maternal protein restriction was used to generate low-birth-weight offspring that underwent accelerated postnatal growth (termed "recuperated"). These were compared with control rats. Offspring were weaned onto standard feed pellets with or without dietary CoQ10 (1 mg/kg body weight per day) supplementation. At 12 mo, hepatic fibrosis, indexes of inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin signaling were measured by histology, Western blot, ELISA, and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Hepatic collagen deposition (diameter of deposit) was greater in recuperated offspring (mean ± SEM: 12 ± 2 μm) than in controls (5 ± 0.5 μm) (P < 0.001). This was associated with greater inflammation (interleukin 6: 38% ± 24% increase; P < 0.05; tumor necrosis factor α: 64% ± 24% increase; P < 0.05), lipid peroxidation (4-hydroxynonenal, measured by ELISA: 0.30 ± 0.02 compared with 0.19 ± 0.05 μg/mL per μg protein; P < 0.05), and hyperinsulinemia (P < 0.05). CoQ10 supplementation increased (P < 0.01) hepatic CoQ10 concentrations and ameliorated liver fibrosis (P < 0.001), inflammation (P < 0.001), some measures of oxidative stress (P < 0.001), and hyperinsulinemia (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Suboptimal in utero nutrition combined with accelerated postnatal catch-up growth caused more hepatic fibrosis in adulthood, which was associated with higher indexes of oxidative stress and inflammation and hyperinsulinemia. CoQ10 supplementation prevented liver fibrosis accompanied by downregulation of oxidative stress, inflammation, and hyperinsulinemia.This work was supported by The British Heart Foundation [PG/09/037/27387, FS/09/029/27902]; and The Medical Research Council [MC_UU_12012/4]. Serum analysis was performed by The Wellcome Trust Supported Cambridge Mouse Laboratory, UK. SEO is a member of the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit. IPH is supported by the Department of Health’s NIHR Biomedical Research Centers funding scheme at UCLH/UCL.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from the American Society for Nutrition via http://dx.doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.115.11983