Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is one of the important hormones that regulate gonadal functions. This hormone is glycosylated, and the glycans greatly influence the biological properties. In the present study the negatively charged glycopeptides of equine and human pituitary follicle stimulating hormone (eFSH and hFSH) have been characterized in a glycosylation site-specific manner using FT-ICR-MS and Edman sequencing. The characteristic pattern of glycan distribution at each glycosylation site has been deduced and compared between horse and human FSH preparations. The data suggest that site-specific differences exist between glycoforms of human and equine FSH. For instance, except for one site in the beta subunit (Asn7) of hFSH all other sites in both species have sulfated glycoforms. Also, glycoforms at Asn52 of hFSH are all complex type, whereas in eFSH, both complex and hybrid structures exist at this site. There is also a higher percentage of sulfated glycans in the latter site compared to the former. This is the first study that characterizes the glycans from this hormone in a glycosylation site-specific manner, and these data can be used to begin correlative studies between glycosylation structure and hormone function.

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There has been an increased interest in the delivery of Mindfulness-Based Programmes (MBPs) in schools yet little is known about how people who deliver MBPs in schools carry out and experience implementation. In this qualitative study, we aimed to examine the experiences of school staff who have a personal mindfulness practice, and who also deliver MBPs to their students. We recruited eight school staff (age range 34-64) who taught students mindfulness, and carried out semi-structured interviews focusing on investigating their positive and negative experiences of delivering mindfulness in schools, how practicing and delivering mindfulness affected their work-life, and their experiences of implementing school-based MBPs. School staff reported that delivering MBPs deepened their own mindfulness practice. The practice enabled them to feel better attuned to others, increased compassion for both themselves and students, helped their emotional regulation, and enhanced resilience to stress. Unexpectedly, half of the participants reported making changes to their work roles and several explicitly linked these changes to the increased self-compassion developed through mindfulness practice. They reported enjoying teaching school students MBPs (and noted that some students embraced mindfulness, and some were reluctant to engage) and sometimes found driving the implementation of MBPs in their school challenging. There appear to be numerous benefits of a personal mindfulness practice for school staff and delivering school-based MBPs can increase feelings of personal accomplishment. Future research is needed into whether MBPs can improve student-teacher relationships, and how some schools have successfully implemented MBPs.

Although there is putative evidence that mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) may contribute to leadership skills, little is known about the direct experience of leaders who attend such programs. It is therefore unknown how MBPs delivered in the corporate environment are experienced by leaders, or how MBPs may facilitate leadership development. This qualitative study explored how leaders experienced an MBP, introduced as a part of a wider leadership development program, and the impact of this intervention on their work lives and leadership role. Participants (N = 10) were leaders who worked for a global manufacturing organization and who had attended a three-day mindfulness-based program as part of a leadership development program. They were interviewed and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. Following the MBP, eight participants reported enhanced emotional awareness, and a greater understanding of the impact of work-related stress, which in turn helped their leadership role. Two did not see how mindfulness could enhance their leadership skills although the MBP was well received by most of the participants. Three superordinate themes were identified: (1) The participant journey: Mixed experiences of the MBP; (2) A clash of cultures: The challenge of integrating mindfulness into the workplace, and (3) Impact on leadership. These results may inform future research, program design, and implementation.