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Long-term Goals (long-term + goal)
Selected AbstractsThe HUDSEN Atlas: a three-dimensional (3D) spatial framework for studying gene expression in the developing human brainJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 4 2010Janet Kerwin Abstract We are developing a three-dimensional (3D) atlas of the human embryonic brain using anatomical landmarks and gene expression data to define major subdivisions through 12 stages of development [Carnegie Stages (CS) 12,23; approximately 26,56 days post conception (dpc)]. Virtual 3D anatomical models are generated from intact specimens using optical projection tomography (OPT). Using mapaint software, selected gene expression data, gathered using standard methods of in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, are mapped to a representative 3D model for each chosen Carnegie stage. In these models, anatomical domains, defined on the basis of morphological landmarks and comparative knowledge of expression patterns in vertebrates, are linked to a developmental neuroanatomic ontology. Human gene expression patterns for genes with characteristic expression in different vertebrates (e.g. PAX6, GAD65 and OLIG2) are being used to confirm and/or refine the human anatomical domain boundaries. We have also developed interpolation software that digitally generates a full domain from partial data. Currently, the 3D models and a preliminary set of anatomical domains and ontology are available on the atlas pages along with gene expression data from approximately 100 genes in the HUDSEN Human Spatial Gene Expression Database (http://www.hudsen.org). The aim is that full 3D data will be generated from expression data used to define a more detailed set of anatomical domains linked to a more advanced anatomy ontology and all of these will be available online, contributing to the long-term goal of the atlas, which is to help maximize the effective use and dissemination of data wherever it is generated. [source] Gender equity and globalization: macroeconomic policy for developing countriesJOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 8 2006Stephanie Seguino Abstract This paper reviews the evidence of gender effects of globalization in developing economies. It then outlines a set of macroeconomic and trade policies to promote gender equity in the distribution of resources. The evidence suggests that while liberalization has expanded women's access to employment, the long-term goal of transforming gender inequalities remains unmet and appears unattainable without regulation of capital, and a reorientation and expansion of the state's role in funding public goods and providing a social safety net. This paper sets forth some general principles that can produce greater gender equality, premised on shifting economies from profit-led, export-oriented to wage-led, full-employment economies. The framework is Kaleckian in its focus on the relationship between the gender distribution of income and macroeconomic outcomes. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Developing bifunctional , -lactamase molecules with built-in target-recognizing module for prodrug therapy: identification of Enterobacter Cloacae P99 cephalosporinase loops suitable for randomization and phage-display selectionJOURNAL OF MOLECULAR RECOGNITION, Issue 6 2009Girja S. Shukla Abstract This study was focused on developing catalytically active , -lactamase enzyme molecules that have target-recognizing sites built within their scaffold. Using phage-display approach, nine libraries were constructed by inserting the randomized linear or cysteine-constrained heptapeptides in the five different loops on the outer surface of P99 , -lactamase molecule. The pIII signal peptide of Sec-pathway was employed for a periplasmic translocation of the , -lactamase fusion protein, which we found more efficient than the DsbA signal peptide of SRP-pathway. The randomized heptapeptide loops replaced native amino acids between positions 34Y- 37K, 238M- 246A, 275N- 280A, 305A- 311S, or 329I- 334I of the P99 , -lactamase molecules for generating the loop-1 to -5 libraries, respectively. The diversity of each loop library was judged by counting the primary and , -lactamase-active clones. The linear peptide inserts in the loop-2 library showed the maximum number of the , -lactamase-active clones, followed by the loop-5, loop-3, and loop-4. The insertion of the cysteine-constrained loops exhibited a dramatic loss of the enzyme-active , -lactamase clones. The complexity of the loop-2 linear library, as determined by the frequency and diversity of amino acid distributions in the randomized region, appears consistent with the standards of other types of phage display library systems. The selection of the loop-2 linear library on streptavidin protein as a test target identified several , -lactamase clones that specifically bound to streptavidin. In conclusion, this study identified the suitability of the loop-2 of P99 , -lactamase for constructing a phage-display library of the , -lactamase enzyme-active molecules that can be selected against a target. This is an enabling step in our long-term goal of developing bifunctional , -lactamase molecules against cancer-specific targets for enzyme prodrug therapy of cancer. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Comparative proteomics analysis of human pituitary adenomas: Current status and future perspectivesMASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS, Issue 6 2005Xianquan Zhan Abstract This article will review the published research on the elucidation of the mechanisms of pituitary adenoma formation. Mass spectrometry (MS) plays a key role in those studies. Comparative proteomics has been used with the long-term goal to locate, detect, and characterize the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in human pituitary adenomas; to identify tumor-related and -specific biomarkers; and to clarify the basic molecular mechanisms of pituitary adenoma formation. The methodology used for comparative proteomics, the current status of human pituitary proteomics studies, and future perspectives are reviewed. The methodologies that are used in comparative proteomics studies of human pituitary adenomas are readily exportable to other different areas of cancer research. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 24:783,813, 2005 [source] Race, Colorblindness, and Continental PhilosophyPHILOSOPHY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 6 2006Michael J. Monahan The "colorblind" society is often offered as a worthy ideal for individual interaction as well as public policy. The ethos of liberal democracy would seem indeed to demand that we comport ourselves in a manner completely indifferent to race (and class, and gender, and so on). But is this ideal of colorblindness capable of fulfillment? And whether it is or not, is it truly a worthy political goal? In order to address these questions, one must first explore the nature of "race" itself. Is it ultimately real, or merely an illusion? What kind of reality, if any, does it have, and what are the practical (moral and political) consequences of its ontological status? This paper will explore the issue of colorblindness, focusing particularly on recent developments dealing with this topic in Continental philosophy. Beginning with the question of racial ontology, I will argue that race has a social reality that makes the practice of colorblindness, at least for the time being, politically untenable, and it may remain suspect even as a long-term goal. [source] Differential Capture of Serum Proteins for Expression Profiling and Biomarker Discovery in Pre- and Posttreatment Head and Neck Cancer Samples,THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 1 2008Gary L. Freed MD Abstract Introduction: A long-term goal of our group is to develop proteomic-based approaches to the detection and use of protein biomarkers for improvement in diagnosis, prognosis, and tailoring of treatment for head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). We have previously demonstrated that protein expression profiling of serum can identify multiple protein biomarker events that can serve as molecular fingerprints for the assessment of HNSCC disease state and prognosis. Methods: An automated Bruker Daltonics (Billerica, MA) ClinProt matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometer was used. Magnetic chemical affinity beads were used to differentially capture serum proteins prior to MALDI-TOF analysis. The resulting spectra were analyzed using postprocessing software and a pattern recognition genetic algorithm (ClinProt 2.0). An HNSCC cohort of 48 sera samples from 24 patients consisting of matched pretreatment and 6 to 12 month posttreatment samples was used for further analysis. Low-mass differentially expressed peptides were identified using MALDI-TOF/TOF. Results: In the working mass range of 1,000 to 10,000 m/z, approximately 200 peaks were resolved for ionic bead capture approaches. For spectra generated from weak cation bead capture, a k-nearest neighbor genetic algorithm was able to correctly classify 94% normal from pretreatment HNSCC samples, 80% of pretreatment from posttreatment samples, and 87% of normal from posttreatment samples. These peptides were then analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectometry for sequence identification directly from serum processed with the same magnetic bead chemistry or alternatively after gel electrophoresis separation of the captured proteins. We were able to compare this with similar studies using surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization (SELDI)-TOF to show this method as a valid tool for this process with some improvement in the identification of our groups. Conclusions: This initial study using new high-resolution MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry coupled with bead fractionation is suitable for automated protein profiling and has the capability to simultaneously identify potential biomarker proteins for HNSCC. In addition, we were able to show improvement with the MALDI-TOF in identifying groups with HNSCC when compared with our prior data using SELDI-TOF. Using this MALDI-TOF technology as a discovery platform, we anticipate generating biomarker panels for use in more accurate prediction of prognosis and treatment efficacies for HNSCC. [source] Mother,Child Relationships in France: Balancing Autonomy and Affiliation in Everyday InteractionsETHOS, Issue 3 2004MARIE-ANNE SUIZZO French child-rearing beliefs share features of both individualist and collectivist cultural orientations and have appeared contradictory within this individualism,collectivism framework in previous research. For this study, 32 Parisian mothers of infants and young children were interviewed regarding four possible sources of variation in their relationships with their children: interpersonal distance, communicative accommodation, desirable and undesirable early behaviors, and long-term goals and values. Five themes are identified and a cultural model of Parisian parenting is elaborated, demonstrating how beliefs, practices, and goals are connected in mothers' minds. This study demonstrates that individualism and collectivism are orthogonal, multifaceted orientations, each containing dimensions, such as autonomy as separateness and group affiliation and belonging, that can coexist both harmoniously and in dynamic tension within individuals and within cultures. [source] Establishing contact and gaining trust: an exploratory study of care avoidanceJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2010Gert Schout schout g., de jong g. & zeelen j. (2010) Establishing contact and gaining trust: an exploratory study of care avoidance. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66(2), 324,333. Abstract Title.,Establishing contact and gaining trust: an exploratory study of care avoidance. Aim., This paper is a report of a study conducted to explore the competencies , especially deep-rooted personal qualities , of care providers who succeed in making contact and gaining trust with clients who are inclined to avoid the care they need. Background., Demands, thresholds and fragmentation of services hinder the accessibility of health care, such that some severe mentally ill people do not receive the treatment they need or avoid healthcare services. Methods of establishing contact and gaining trust in mental health care include practical assistance, realistic expectations, establishing long-term goals, empathy and a client-centred and flexible approach. Method., A public mental healthcare practice in The Netherlands with outstanding performance was studied from 2002,2007 using participant observation, interviews with experienced care providers and interviews with clients with a long history of avoiding care facilities, conflicts and troubled relationships with care providers. Findings., A number of personal qualities are vital for establishing contact and gaining trust with these clients: altruism, a degree of compassion, loyalty, involvement, tenacity, a critical attitude to the mainstream, flexibility, optimism, diplomacy, patience, creativity, and a certain degree of immunity to stress. Conclusion., Care providers who establish contact and win trust employ ,non-judgemental appreciation'. They start from the acceptance of what is and try to connect with the client and their world. These professionals use their initial actions to identify and praise qualities and achievements of clients. This style of work is supported by a set of deep-rooted personal qualities we can summarize as ,empathy'. [source] Does it pay to plan?: Strategic planning and financial performanceAGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2001Gregory A. Baker Previous research on the effects of strategic planning on firm performance has yielded inconsistent and inconclusive findings. In this study, we use a recently validated measurement model of strategic planning to examine the planning-performance relationship in the California processing tomato industry. Results indicate a strong correlation between the degree of emphasis firms place on strategic planning and financial performance. Moreover, several specific strategic planning tools, specifically, the use of a mission statement, long-term goals, and ongoing evaluation, were also more heavily emphasized by high-performing firms. These results suggest that strategic planning does pay off in terms of improved financial performance and that some planning tools may have a significant impact. [Econ-Lit citations: L100, L660] © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] Accounting for Employee Stock Options: What Can We Learn from the Market's Perceptions?JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT & ACCOUNTING, Issue 2 2010Emanuel Bagna The scope of this is paper is to provide new empirical evidence on the value relevance of employee stock options (ESOs) in Europe. We show, empirically, that the market participants when pricing a firm's equity place approximately the same valuation weights on the ESO -deferred compensation expense (the so called "ESO asset") and the compensation option liability (the so called "ESO liability"). Our empirical findings support the theoretical work of Ohlson and Penman who suggest that the deferred compensation expense be treated as a contra-liability. The second contribution of our work rests on the nature of the ESO expense. We show that the distinction between persistent and non-persistent ESO expenses is of critical importance for the market participants. Accordingly, an improved accounting disclosure should assist the investors in assessing the long-term goals of the ESO plans at the firm level. [source] The role of mentoring on research productivity among occupational therapy facultyOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2002OTR/L Assistant Professor, Stanley Paul PhD Abstract This study surveyed junior and senior occupational therapy faculty in order to further understand the role that mentoring plays in research productivity. Junior faculty with and without mentors were compared in terms of their overall research productivity, and the senior faculty who served as mentors were compared with senior faculty who were not mentors. The role of institutional support factors on research productivity was also examined. The results of this survey suggest that mentoring plays an important role in increasing research productivity in junior faculty in the field of occupational therapy. Also, senior faculty mentors perceived their mentoring experience to enhance their research productivity. A general profile of an occupational therapy mentor and mentee has emerged from the results. Analyses showed a low to moderate positive correlation between faculty research productivity and a number of institutional support factors. Availability of intramural funds, release time, chair and dean support for research, grant writing seminars, and availability of statistical and computing help correlated with research productivity. The authors recommend the need for mentoring in occupational therapy academia. New faculty should have a mentor or mentors to help them succeed in research, teaching and service goals. Developing short-term and long-term goals with the mentor and periodic evaluation of goals will help new faculty to keep pace with the demands and requirements of their academic positions. Copyright © 2002 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Policy Design and the Acceptability of Environmental Risks: Nuclear Waste Disposal in Canada and the United StatesPOLICY STUDIES JOURNAL, Issue 1 2000Michael E. Kraft This article examines the controversial process of developing high-level nuclear waste disposal policy in Canada, with some comparison to experience in the United States. It argues that a policy design perspective can assist in understanding the difficult social and political issues associated with waste disposal and the environmental and health risks that it poses. I examine several critical questions related to such an endeavor and link them to long-term goals of building a sustainable society. Success in formulating and implementing a nuclear waste policy in Canada will depend on the nation's capacity to create requisite processes of public participation. Particularly important are those actions that can help the public understand and assess environmental risks, including related ethical and social issues, and build public trust and confidence in the siting processes and the implementing agencies. [source] Putting the community back in community ecology and education: the role of field schools and private reserves in the ethical training of primatologistsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 9 2010P.A. Garber Abstract In 1993 and 1999, with the assistance of a Nicaraguan family, we founded La Suerte Biological Research Station in northeastern Costa Rica and Ometepe Biological Research Station in southern Nicaragua as a privately owned conservation-oriented business. Our goal was to develop a program of sustainable community ecology focused on education, research, and the conservation of primates and tropical forests. In order to accomplish this we developed field courses in which undergraduate and graduate students conduct scientific research, experience local cultures, and learn about conservation. Over 120 of these students have received doctoral degrees or are currently in graduate programs. Four doctoral dissertations, several MA theses, and some 20 scientific articles have been published based on research conducted at our field stations. In order to achieve our long-term goals of preserving the environment, we also needed to engage directly with local communities to address their needs and concerns. To this end, we developed a series of community-based initiatives related to health care, bilingual education, and conservation education using traditional and on-line teaching tools. In this article, we describe our efforts in Costa Rica and Nicaragua teaching conservation-oriented field courses and working with the local human communities. Building upon these experiences, we outline a set of ethical considerations and responsibilities for private reserves, conservation-oriented businesses, NGOs, and conservancies that help integrate members of the local community as stakeholders in conservation. Am. J. Primatol. 72:785,793, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||