title: The link between national paid leave policy and work–family conflict among married working parents

authors: Allen, Tammy D.

subjects: work–family conflict

abstract: We investigated relationships between four dimensions of work–family conflict (time- and strain-based work interference with family, time- and strain-based family interference with work) and three key national paid leave policies (paid parental leave, paid sick leave, paid annual leave) among a sample of 643 working married parents with children under the age of 5 across 12 industrialised nations. Results provided some evidence that paid sick leave has a small but significant negative relationship with work–family conflict. Little evidence was revealed of a link between paid parental leave or of a link between paid annual leave and work–family conflict. Family-supportive organisational perceptions and family-supportive supervision were tested as moderators with some evidence to suggest that paid leave policies are most beneficial when employees' perceptions of support are higher than when they are lower. Family-supportive organisational perceptions and family-supportive supervision were both associated with less work–family conflict, providing evidence of their potential benefit across national contexts.

text: The link between national paid leave policy and work–family conflict among married working parents We investigated relationships between four dimensions of work–family conflict (time- and strain-based work interference with family, time- and strain-based family interference with work) and three key national paid leave policies (paid parental leave, paid sick leave, paid annual leave) among a sample of 643 working married parents with children under the age of 5 across 12 industrialised nations. Results provided some evidence that paid sick leave has a small but significant negative relationship with work–family conflict. Little evidence was revealed of a link between paid parental leave or of a link between paid annual leave and work–family conflict. Family-supportive organisational perceptions and family-supportive supervision were tested as moderators with some evidence to suggest that paid leave policies are most beneficial when employees' perceptions of support are higher than when they are lower. Family-supportive organisational perceptions and family-supportive supervision were both associated with less work–family conflict, providing evidence of their potential benefit across national contexts.

year: 2014-01

title: Investigation into the Effects of Oxidative Stress on Reproductive Development.

authors: Collins, Tracey Helen

subjects: oxidative stress

abstract: Nuclear transfer (NT), or cloning, which is the transfer of a donor nucleus to a recipient enucleated oocyte, has been successfully achieved to produce viable offspring in many species.  The process is very inefficient, as reprogramming of the donor nucleus is required, and losses are high throughout development.  Placentation abnormalities are a common feature amongst cloned animals.  Incomplete nuclear reprogramming and erroneous epigenetic imprinting may contribute to aberrant protein transcription and DNA mutations, affecting mitochondrial metabolism and inducing cellular stress.  In vitro produced embryos under high oxygen culture conditions may also suffer oxidative stress, with the resulting reactive oxygen species causing mitochondrial DNA mutations and cellular stress similar to clones.

In this study, expression of oxidative stress protein markers (Hsp60, SOD2, Hsp70) in NT cotyledons were compared to artificial insemination (AI) at different time points of gestation (days 50, 100, and 150).  As a continuum of the oxidative stress investigation in cloned cotyledons, in vitro produced embryos were cultured under 20% oxygen compared to the control 7% oxygen laboratory standard culture, with oxidative stress protein markers examined between the groups at blastocyst stage (day 7) and day 15.  Embryo morphology was also observed to determine apparent physiological differences between the treatment and control embryos.  No previous studies to date have investigated the developmental effects of oxidative stress in day 15 bovine embryos.
 
The significant differences in oxidative stress proteins observed at several time points in the NT and AI groups were not repeatable, possibly due to sample freeze/thaw degradation.  Morphological differences observed between embryos cultured in 20% oxygen and control groups were visually apparent, although not quantified.  At day 15 manganese superoxide dismutase expression was significantly lower in the 20% group compared to control.  The 20% oxygen group did not show higher heat shock protein 60 expression than control, however the same results have been observed in another study at blastocyst stage.  The results of this study suggest that the effect of oxidative stress on embryonic development is evident yet inconclusive in bovine NT cotyledons, however does not appear apparent in day 15 embryos following culture in 20% oxygen.

text: Investigation into the Effects of Oxidative Stress on Reproductive Development. Nuclear transfer (NT), or cloning, which is the transfer of a donor nucleus to a recipient enucleated oocyte, has been successfully achieved to produce viable offspring in many species.  The process is very inefficient, as reprogramming of the donor nucleus is required, and losses are high throughout development.  Placentation abnormalities are a common feature amongst cloned animals.  Incomplete nuclear reprogramming and erroneous epigenetic imprinting may contribute to aberrant protein transcription and DNA mutations, affecting mitochondrial metabolism and inducing cellular stress.  In vitro produced embryos under high oxygen culture conditions may also suffer oxidative stress, with the resulting reactive oxygen species causing mitochondrial DNA mutations and cellular stress similar to clones.

In this study, expression of oxidative stress protein markers (Hsp60, SOD2, Hsp70) in NT cotyledons were compared to artificial insemination (AI) at different time points of gestation (days 50, 100, and 150).  As a continuum of the oxidative stress investigation in cloned cotyledons, in vitro produced embryos were cultured under 20% oxygen compared to the control 7% oxygen laboratory standard culture, with oxidative stress protein markers examined between the groups at blastocyst stage (day 7) and day 15.  Embryo morphology was also observed to determine apparent physiological differences between the treatment and control embryos.  No previous studies to date have investigated the developmental effects of oxidative stress in day 15 bovine embryos.
 
The significant differences in oxidative stress proteins observed at several time points in the NT and AI groups were not repeatable, possibly due to sample freeze/thaw degradation.  Morphological differences observed between embryos cultured in 20% oxygen and control groups were visually apparent, although not quantified.  At day 15 manganese superoxide dismutase expression was significantly lower in the 20% group compared to control.  The 20% oxygen group did not show higher heat shock protein 60 expression than control, however the same results have been observed in another study at blastocyst stage.  The results of this study suggest that the effect of oxidative stress on embryonic development is evident yet inconclusive in bovine NT cotyledons, however does not appear apparent in day 15 embryos following culture in 20% oxygen.

year: 2007

title: The timing of the human discovery and colonization of New Zealand

authors: Sutton, Douglas G.

abstract: In discriminating between the proposed Long, Short and Intermediate Chronologies for New Zealand prehistory, archaeologists have recently voted by a narrow majority that the human commensal, Rattus exulans, was present in New Zealand up to 2000 years BP, although the preferred date of ‘first settlement’ by people was ca 800 years BP. A recalibration of New Zealand chronometric data has resulted in reinterpretations of the date and duration of occupation on critical archaeological sites. A remodelling of the ages of the putatively earliest sites in New Zealand has shown these to indicate only a broadly defined period when settlement occurred rather than the date when New Zealand was discovered (as the Short Chronology advocates have insisted). Finally, comparisons with archaeological research on islands elsewhere in the world have brought with them recognition that the discovery, exploration, initial settlement and colonization of New Zealand by Polynesian voyagers were broadly consecutive processes. This paper reviews a range of current evidence in the context of its current theorization and affirms the Long Chronology, recognizing it as the most plausible hypothesis.

text: The timing of the human discovery and colonization of New Zealand In discriminating between the proposed Long, Short and Intermediate Chronologies for New Zealand prehistory, archaeologists have recently voted by a narrow majority that the human commensal, Rattus exulans, was present in New Zealand up to 2000 years BP, although the preferred date of ‘first settlement’ by people was ca 800 years BP. A recalibration of New Zealand chronometric data has resulted in reinterpretations of the date and duration of occupation on critical archaeological sites. A remodelling of the ages of the putatively earliest sites in New Zealand has shown these to indicate only a broadly defined period when settlement occurred rather than the date when New Zealand was discovered (as the Short Chronology advocates have insisted). Finally, comparisons with archaeological research on islands elsewhere in the world have brought with them recognition that the discovery, exploration, initial settlement and colonization of New Zealand by Polynesian voyagers were broadly consecutive processes. This paper reviews a range of current evidence in the context of its current theorization and affirms the Long Chronology, recognizing it as the most plausible hypothesis.

year: 2008