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Increased Ability (increased + ability)
Selected AbstractsTraining the trainers: do teaching courses develop teaching skills?MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 8 2004Joyce Godfrey Objective, This paper reports on consultants' self-assessed changes in their teaching and training practices over an 8,10-month period. It compares the changes between a group undergoing a 3-day teaching course (participants) and a sample group taken from the course waiting list (controls). Method, A questionnaire listing 18 teaching skills was given to the participants immediately prior to the course and 8,10 months later, and to the controls at the same time intervals. Respondents were asked to rate their ability, frequency of use of each skill, as well as their teaching confidence and effectiveness. Additionally, the second questionnaire asked respondents to identify changes they had made to their teaching. A total of 63% (54) of participants and 51% (23) of controls completed both questionnaires. Changes of 2 + on the rating scales were seen as genuine. The number of such changes was calculated for each individual and on each skill for the 2 groups. Data were analysed using a Mann,Whitney U -test. Results, The majority of course participants reported positive changes in teaching ability on a significantly greater number of skills than did the control group. As a group, changes in ability in 16 of the teaching skills were significantly greater for the participants than for the controls. Increased ability resulted in participants' increased frequency of use of only 4 of the teaching skills. The majority in the participant group reported changes to their teaching. Only a minority in the control group reported such changes. These changes were consistent with course topics and the teaching skills needed to meet General Medical Council recommendations for the education of new doctors. Conclusions, The teaching course is an effective vehicle for increasing consultants' teaching skills. [source] Pseudomonas fluorescens' view of the periodic tableENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Matthew L. Workentine Summary Growth in a biofilm modulates microbial metal susceptibility, sometimes increasing the ability of microorganisms to withstand toxic metal species by several orders of magnitude. In this study, a high-throughput metal toxicity screen was initiated with the aim of correlating biological toxicity data in planktonic and biofilm cells to the physiochemical properties of metal ions. To this end, Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 13525 was grown in the Calgary Biofilm Device (CBD) and biofilms and planktonic cells of this microorganism were exposed to gradient arrays of different metal ions. These arrays included 44 different metals with representative compounds that spanned every group of the periodic table (except for the halogens and noble gases). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) values were obtained after exposing the biofilms to metal ions for 4 h. Using these values, metal ion toxicity was correlated to the following ion-specific physicochemical parameters: standard reduction-oxidation potential, electronegativity, the solubility product of the corresponding metal,sulfide complex, the Pearson softness index, electron density and the covalent index. When the ions were grouped according to outer shell electron structure, we found that heavy metal ions gave the strongest correlations to these parameters and were more toxic on average than the other classes of the ions. Correlations were different for biofilms than for planktonic cells, indicating that chemical mechanisms of metal ion toxicity differ between the two modes of growth. We suggest that biofilms can specifically counter the toxic effects of certain physicochemical parameters, which may contribute to the increased ability of biofilms to withstand metal toxicity. [source] Treatment of neonatal mice with Flt3 ligand leads to changes in dendritic cell subpopulations associated with enhanced IL-12 and IFN-, productionEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 7 2004Sabine Vollstedt Abstract Treatment with the hematopoietic growth factor Flt3 ligand (FL) increases DC numbers in neonatal mice and enhances their resistance against intracellular pathogens. Flow cytometric analysis showed the presence of conventional DC (cDC) and plasmacytoid pre-DC (pDC) in neonatal spleens from untreated and FL-treated mice. CD8, and MHC class,II expression on cDC and pDC was higher on DC from FL-treated mice than on DC from control littermates. After FL treatment, two additional subpopulations of DC-lineage cells were found that were able to produce IL-12 and IFN-,. The IL-12 production of cDC from FL-treated animals was more than 50-fold increased and their ability to stimulate T,cell proliferation was also increased. We conclude that the enhanced resistance against intracellular pathogens was due to increased numbers of DC-lineage cells and their increased ability to produce the essential cytokines. [source] IL-12 receptor-mediated upregulation of FasL in human ovarian carcinoma cellsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 4 2004Elieser Gorelik Abstract The expression and functions of IL-12 receptor (IL-12R) in human ovarian carcinoma cell lines have been investigated. Ovarian carcinoma cells express both the IL-12R,1 and the IL-12R,2 subunits. IL-12R crosslinking resulted in phosphorylation of Tyk2, p44 (ERK1) and Akt kinases and activation of STATs 2, 3, 4 and 5. IL-12 induced substantial upregulation of Fas ligand (FasL) surface expression in ovarian carcinoma cells paralleled by an increased ability to induce apoptosis in Jurkat cells and PHA-activated lymphocytes. The induction of surface expression of FasL by IL-12 was not due to upregulation of FasL gene expression, but resulted from downregulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)-3 and -7 and consequently reduced cleavage of FasL from the cell surface. These findings bring new insights into the significance of IL-12-mediated effects in nonlymphoid cancer cells that might be of importance for improving the design of IL-12-based therapies for ovarian cancer. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Receiving power through confirmation: the meaning of close relatives for people who have been critically illJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2007Åsa Engström Abstract Title.,Receiving power through confirmation: the meaning of close relatives for people who have been critically ill Aim., This paper is a report of a study to elucidate the meaning of close relatives for people who have been critically ill and received care in an intensive care unit. Background., Falling critically ill can bring about a difficult change in life. In previous reports such events are described as frightening experiences, and close relatives are described as an important source of support in this difficult situation. Method., A purposive sample of 10 adults, eight men and two women, narrated how they experienced their close relatives during and after the time they were critically ill. The data were collected in 2004. The interview texts were transcribed and interpreted using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach influenced by the philosophy of Ricoeur. Findings., One major theme was identified, experiencing confirmation, with six sub-themes: receiving explanations; a feeling of being understood; a feeling of safety; gaining strength and will-power; having possibilities and realizing their value. Close relatives served as tools for the person who was ill, facilitating better communication and an increased ability to do various things. Simultaneously, feelings of dependence on the close relatives were expressed. There were descriptions of loneliness and fear in the absence of close relatives and, in order to feel safe, the participants wanted their close relatives to stay near them. Conclusion., Close relatives are vital, as they are the ill person's motivation to stay alive and to continue the struggle. Their presence is of great importance for the ill person and must be facilitated by staff. [source] Validation of the AMPF,STR® MiniFilerTM PCR Amplification Kit for Use in Forensic Casework,JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES, Issue 5 2009Coral Luce M.S. Abstract:, The AmpF,STR® MiniFilerTM PCR Amplification Kit is designed to genotype degraded and/or inhibited DNA samples when the AmpF,STR® IdentifilerTM PCR Amplification Kit is incapable of generating a complete genetic profile. Validation experiments, following the SWGDAM guidelines, were designed to evaluate the performance of MiniFiler. Data obtained demonstrated that MiniFiler, when used in conjunction with Identifiler, provided an increased ability to obtain genetic profiles from challenged samples. The optimum template range was found to be between 0.2 and 0.6 ng, with 0.3 ng yielding the best results. Full concordance was achieved between the MiniFiler kit and Identifiler kit except in a single case of a null allele at locus D21S11. Numerous instances of severe heterozygous peak imbalance (<50%) were observed in single source samples amplified within the optimum range of input DNA suggesting that caution be taken when attempting to deduce component genotypes in a mixture. [source] Conventional MRI in Multiple SclerosisJOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 2007Massimo Filippi MD ABSTRACT During the past 10 years, conventional magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) has become an established tool for the assessment of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to monitor treatment trials. This is mainly due to the sensitivity and reproducibility of cMRI in the detection of MS-related damage. A large effort has also been devoted to develop imaging strategies capable of providing accurate estimates of the extent of disease-related damage not only in the brain, but also in the spinal cord and optic nerve. Guidelines have been defined to integrate MR findings in the diagnostic evaluation of patients at presentation with clinically isolated syndromes suggestive of MS, and specific acquisition protocols have been offered for monitoring longitudinal changes in patients with established disease. Despite the fact that the role of cMRI in MS has been profoundly obviated by the advent of modern and quantitative MR techniques, several issues are still unresolved. Technical development in acquisition and postprocessing, as well as the introduction of high-field magnets in the clinical arena, are likely to increase our understanding of disease pathobiology, mainly through an increased ability to quantify the extent of gray matter damage. [source] Characterization of the A2,A2rel gene cluster in Leishmania donovani: involvement of A2 in visceralization during infectionMOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2001Wen-Wei Zhang The A2 gene family is present in Leishmania donovani, which causes fatal visceral leishmaniasis in human patients, but is not present in Leishmania major, which causes cutaneous leishmaniasis infections. The A2 genes in L. donovani are stage specific and are expressed at high levels in the amastigote stage in the mammalian host, but are not expressed in the promastigote stage in the insect sandfly vector. The A2 genes are tandem repeated with a distinct gene family termed the A2rel genes. In order to characterize the structure and function of the A2,A2rel gene clusters, the 5, and 3, DNA sequences flanking the A2,A2rel cluster were isolated, sequenced and used to generate mutants through gene targeting. Although it was possible to generate partial A2,A2rel gene clusters knock-out mutants, it was not possible to delete all the A2,A2rel gene clusters completely from the L. donovani genome, suggesting that, within this cluster, there are genes that are essential for survival in culture. Characterization of these mutants revealed that A2 and A2rel gene expression was compensated by amplifying the remaining intact A2 and A2rel genes, and the proliferation of these mutants in culture and their virulence in BALB/c mice were compromised. In order to explore further the biological role of A2, the L. donovani A2 gene was introduced into L. major. In comparison with the control L. major, the A2-expressing L. major parasites demonstrated an increased ability to survive in the spleen of BALB/c mice. These data suggest that A2 plays a role in the visceralization of infection associated with L. donovani. [source] Effects of radiation pretreatments on the rubber adsorption power and reinforcing properties of fillers in rubber compoundsPOLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 7 2001Franco Cataldo Abstract Radiation damage to fillers such as carbon black, graphite and silica induced by high doses of ,-radiation or neutrons dramatically increases their ability to adsorb rubber irreversibly. In fact, the ,bound rubber', ie the amount of non-extractable rubber which remains irreversibly linked to the filler matrix, increases dramatically in radiation-treated fillers. The increased adsorption power of radiation-damaged fillers has been attributed to the formation of a higher concentration of surface defects in the form of trapped free radicals, fullerene-like structures and other kinds of defects. The mechanical properties of rubber compounds filled with radiation-treated carbon blacks show a significant increase in their reinforcing effects, in line with the increased ability to form ,bound rubber'. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry [source] An inquiline fig wasp using seeds as a resource for small male production: a potential first step for the evolution of new feeding habits?BIOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, Issue 1 2007RODRIGO A. SANTINELO PEREIRA The processes allowing evolutionary transitions in resources used by parasitic wasps are largely unknown. Microhymenopteran communities associated with figs could provide a model system to investigate such transitions. We investigate here a species of genus Idarnes. The larvae generally develop as inquilines of the pollinating wasp larvae. However, in figs where the parasitic pressure is high, eggs are laid in developing seeds. These eggs turn into small males. This is the first report of seed consumption by a fig wasp. Using an alternative resource to produce small males could provide a pathway to select for increased ability to use this resource and hence provide an intermediate step for evolving the capacity to use new resources. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 92, 9,17. [source] Immunological effects of stress in psoriasisBRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2009G. Schmid-Ott Summary Background, Psychological stress causes phenotypic changes in circulating lymphocytes and is regarded as an important trigger of the Th1-polarized inflammatory skin disease psoriasis. Objective, To study the effects of psychological stress on immunological parameters, i.e. membrane molecules relevant to the pathophysiology of psoriasis, especially cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigens (CLA) involved in T and natural killer (NK) cells homing in on the skin. Methods, The severity of psoriasis was assessed in patients using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Patients with psoriasis (n = 15) and healthy volunteers (n = 15) were exposed to brief psychological stress in the laboratory. In vitro analyses were conducted 1 h before, immediately following and 1 h after stress exposure. Peripheral T- and NK-cell subsets including CD8+ T lymphocytes, CLA+ lymphocytes and lymphocyte function-associated antigen type 1 (LFA-1)+ lymphocytes were analysed by flow cytometry. Results, We found a significant stress-induced increase of CD3+ T lymphocytes in patients with psoriasis only. Analyses of T-cell subsets revealed that this increase was observable for cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes and CLA+ CD3+ lymphocytes. The total number of circulating NK cells (CD16+, CD56+) increased immediately after stress in both groups whereas only patients with psoriasis showed a significant increase in CLA+ NK cells. Conclusions, A higher stress-induced increase of CLA+ T and CLA+ NK cells in the circulation of patients with psoriasis might point to an increased ability of T and NK cells in the presence of psoriasis to home in on the skin during mental stress. Further studies are needed to verify these relationships in more detail and to investigate the time point at which these cells accumulate within lesional skin, and whether or not psychotherapy improves the quality of life of patients with psoriasis and influences stress-dependent parameters. [source] | |||||||||||||