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Selected AbstractsCover Picture: Electrophoresis 22'2009ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 22 2009Article first published online: 25 NOV 200 Issue no. 22 is a Special Issue on "CE and CEC Innovations" consisting of 24 important contributions in various areas of CE and CEC that are grouped into five different parts. Part I has 7 articles on novel "Stationary Phases for CEC". Part II is on "CE of Microorganisms and their Components and Interactions", and has 4 research articles. "Enantioseparations" constitute part III and has 3 research articles dealing with different chiral species and chiral CE systems. Part IV has 3 contributions on "Detection Approaches in CE". Part V is on "Capillary Coating, Affinity and Separation Media , Applications" and contains 7 research articles dealing with the separations of proteins, lipoproteins, bioactive inflammatory cytokines, inorganic and small organic anions, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, cell culture media and ancient DNA samples." [source] Cover Picture: Electrophoresis 9/2008ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 9 2008Article first published online: 28 APR 200 Regular issues provide a wide range of research and review articles covering all aspects of electrophoresis. Here you will find cutting-edge articles on methods and theory, instrumentation, nucleic acids, CE and CEC, miniaturization and microfluidics, proteomics and two-dimensional electrophoresis. The 20 papers gathered here span areas across miniaturization theory, basic technologies and applications. While not comprehensive, this special issue represents a selection of the state-of-the-art science of miniaturization and its application in various areas of life sciences. We feel to a large degree that this special issue sets a good foundation, and we are looking forward to another thought-provoking update in the near future. Issue 9 also offers one Fast Track article describing particularly important investigations in electrophoresis: "AC Electrokinetic separation and detection of DNA nanoparticles in high conductance solutions." [source] Analysis of 25 Years of Technology Research as Reported in Two Professional Journals: Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences and Family and Consumer Sciences Research JournalFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 4 2008Amy J. Leahy During the past 25 years, the evaluation and exploration of technological advances within family and consumer sciences (FCS) have played a vital role in the evolution of the discipline. The goal of this investigation was to provide an historical perspective of the reporting of technology or technological innovations within the field of FCS. Titles of articles published in the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences and the Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal as well as theses and dissertations completed as listed in the Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal were examined from 1982 to 2007. Items were included in this analysis if technology or technological content was included in the title. This study provides an analysis of various areas of interest, including geographic location of the author, FCS area, and individual focus or topic of the article, theses, or dissertation. [source] Conjugated Carbon Monolayer Membranes: Methods for Synthesis and IntegrationADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 10 2010Sakulsuk Unarunotai Abstract Monolayer membranes of conjugated carbon represent a class of nanomaterial with demonstrated uses in various areas of electronics, ranging from transparent, flexible, and stretchable thin film conductors, to semiconducting materials in moderate and high-performance field-effect transistors. Although graphene represents the most prominent example, many other more structurally and chemically diverse systems are also of interest. This article provides a review of demonstrated synthetic and integration strategies, and speculates on future directions for the field. [source] Extraction of Stimulus-Selective Intrinsic Optical Signals From the Cat Visual CortexIEEJ TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2009Midori Nagai Non-member Abstract Optical imaging based on intrinsic optical signals has been widely utilized in studies on the functional organization of various areas of the brain. Because of the small size of the optical signals and the large amount of background noise that is present, it is critical to be able to separate the stimulus-driven optical change from the background. In this study, we propose a novel method and apply it to the analysis of the orientation preference structure in cat area 17. The three criteria used to determine the activation included the amplitude of the optical change in the optical intensity, the statistical significance level of the change, and the temporal relationship between the optical change and the visual stimulation. In the activated region extracted by the new method, 82.4 ± 8.2% of the cells were electrophysiologically responsive to the stimuli that evoked the optical change. This was significantly higher than the 46.4 ± 7.1% value obtained when the activation region was extracted by the most widely used method, i.e. a differential map between two complementary stimuli, such as orthogonal orientations. Our newly proposed method provides a robust and an effective way to reduce manual operations used in the signal extraction process. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] Acknowledging communication: a milieu-therapeutic approach in mental health careJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2008Solfrid Vatne Abstract Title.,Acknowledging communication: a milieu-therapeutic approach in mental health care Aim., This paper is a report of a study to develop milieu therapists' acknowledging communication in their relationships with patients. Background., Gunderson's therapeutic processes in milieu therapy have come into use in a broad range of mental health contexts in many countries. Research in nursing indicates that validation needs a more concrete development for use in clinical work. Methods., Schibbye's theory, ,Intersubjective relational understanding', formed the theoretical foundation for a participatory action research project in 2004,2005. The data comprised the researcher's process notes written during participation in the group of group leaders every second week over a period of 18 months, clinical narratives presented by participants in the same group, and eight qualitative interviews of members of the reflection group. Findings., The core concept in acknowledging communication, mutuality, was described as inter-subjective sharing of feelings and beliefs in a respectful way. Participants presented their process of development as a movement from knowing what was best for the patient (acknowledging patients as competent persons, a milieu-therapy culture based on conformity), to appreciating diversity and stubborn talk, to reflective wondering questions. Misunderstanding of acknowledgement occurred, for instance, in the form of always being supportive and affirmative towards patients. Conclusion., The concrete approaches in acknowledging communication presented in this article could be a fruitful basis for educating in and developing milieu therapy, both for nursing and in a multi-professional approach in clinical practice and educational institutions. Future research should focus on broader development of various areas of acknowledging communication in practice, and should also include patients' experiences of such approaches. [source] Atrophy and anarchy: third national survey of nursing skill-mix and advanced nursing practice in ophthalmologyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 12 2006Dip Nursing, Wladyslawa J. Czuber-Dochan MSc Aims and objectives., The aims of the study were to investigate the advanced nursing practice and the skill-mix of nurses working in ophthalmology. Background., The expansion of new nursing roles in the United Kingdom in the past decade is set against the background of a nursing shortage. The plan to modernize the National Health Service and improve the efficiency and delivery of healthcare services as well as to reduce junior doctors' hours contributes towards a profusion of new and more specialized and advanced nursing roles in various areas of nursing including ophthalmology. Design., A self-reporting quantitative questionnaire was employed. The study used comparative and descriptive statistical tests. Method., The questionnaires were distributed to all ophthalmic hospitals and units in the United Kingdom. Hospital and unit managers were responsible for completing the questionnaires. Results., Out of a total 181 questionnaires 117 were returned. There is a downward trend in the total number of nurses working in ophthalmology. The results demonstrate more nurses working at an advanced level. However, there is a general confusion regarding role interpretation at the advanced level of practice, evident through the wide range of job titles being used. There was inconsistency in the qualifications expected of these nurses. Conclusion., Whilst there are more nurses working at an advanced level this is set against an ageing workforce and an overall decline in the number of nurses in ophthalmology. There is inconsistency in job titles, grades, roles and qualifications for nurses who work at an advanced or higher level of practice. The Agenda for Change with its new structure for grading jobs in the United Kingdom may offer protection and consistency in job titles, pay and qualifications for National Health Service nurse specialists. The Nursing and Midwifery Council needs to provide clear guidelines to the practitioners on educational and professional requirements, to protect patients and nurses. Relevance to clinical practice., The findings indicate that there is a need for better regulations for nurses working at advanced nursing practice. [source] Differential expression of voltage-activated calcium currents in zebrafish retinal ganglion cellsJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 3 2006Luoxiu Huang Abstract We report a study on the characterization of voltage-activated calcium currents (ICa) in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and the topographic distribution of RGCs that express different types of ICa in zebrafish retinas. In acutely isolated zebrafish RGCs, both high-voltage-activated (HVA; peak activation potential +7.4 ± 1.1 mV) and low-voltage-activated (LVA; peak activation potential ,33.0 ± 1.2 mV) ICa were recorded. HVA ICa were recorded in all of the tested RGCs, whereas LVA ICa were recorded in approximately one-third of the tested cells. In RGCs that expressed both HVA and LVA ICa, the two currents were readily separated by depolarizing the cell membrane to different voltages from different holding potentials. Among RGCs that expressed LVA ICa, some cells expressed large LVA ICa (up to 130 pA), whereas others expressed small LVA ICa (approximately 20 pA). RGCs that expressed large and small LVA ICa were designated as class I and class II cells, respectively, and RGCs that expressed only HVA ICa were designated as class III cells. The topographic distribution of cell classes was similar in various areas of the retina. In the nasal-ventral retina, for example, class III cells outnumbered class I and class II cells by 10.8- and 2.6-fold, respectively. In the temporal and dorsal retinas, the density of class III cells slightly decreased, whereas the density of class I and class II cells increased. The differential expression of ICa in RGCs may correlate with the development and function of the retina. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Homonymous hemianopia in a pug with necrotising meningoencephalitisJOURNAL OF SMALL ANIMAL PRACTICE, Issue 4 2000W. A. Beltran A 24-month-old female pug, which had previously been treated for visual hemifield loss, was referred with generalised seizures and other neurological disorders. A diagnosis of necrotising meningoencephalitis was suggested from the clinical signs together with the results of computed tomography and cerebrospinal fluid examination. This was confirmed seven months later by histological examination of the brain following euthanasia. Typical histopathological lesions of the disease were found in various areas of both cerebral hemispheres, including the visual striated cortex of the right cerebrum. [source] Grafting of polyolefins with maleic anhydride: alchemy or technology?MACROMOLECULAR SYMPOSIA, Issue 1 2003Martin van Duin Abstract Nowadays, the process of maleic anhydride (MA) grafting and the application of MA-grafted polyolefins are viewed as mature technologies. The chemistry and technology of modifying apolar polyolefins with the polar and reactive MA either in solution or in the melt were already explored as far back as the 1950s. Commercial applications exploit the improved adhesion of polyolefins to polar materials, both at the macroscopic scale and on the microscopic scale. However, it is hardly recognised that, from a scientific point of view, grafting has still a strong resemblance to alchemy. Both process and application technologies have been developed in a trial and error fashion. Only in the last decade the structure of MA-grafted polyolefins has been elucidated and attempts to "look" inside the extruder during grafting were only recently successful. The first steps towards the development of sound chemical models are currently made. An overview will be given of the progress made in the various areas mentioned. [source] ,Proteomic Basics , Sample Preparation and Separation': The 1st European Summer School in Kloster Neustift 12,18 August, 2007 Brixen/Bressanone, South Tyrol, ItalyPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 2 2008Katrin Marcus Dr. Abstract Proteomics is rapidly developing into a routine approach for protein analysis in many laboratories. The series of European-wide Summer Schools ,Proteomics Basics' (http://www.proteomic-basics.eu/) aims at teaching of comprehensive knowledge in proteomics research and applied technologies for master and graduate students and postdocs currently moving into the field of proteomic research. In the next 3,years the series will cover the theoretical basis of the fundamental topics in the various areas of proteomic analysis, i.e. sample preparation and handling, mass spectrometry, post-translational modifications and quantitation given by leading experts in the field. This summer school series embodies a unique advantage in comparison with conventional scientific meetings and university curricula: internationally renowned experts will give a detailed perspective view of the fundamentals of their particular proteome research area, something which is usually not encountered at conferences and congresses. Here, we give a report on the first European Summer School ,Sample Preparation and Handling' within the series ,Proteomic Basics' that was held at the monastery in Neustift close to Bressanone/Brixen, Italy from August 12 to 18, 2007. [source] Cortisol reactions in five-year-olds to parent,child interaction: the moderating role of ego-resiliencyTHE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 7 2007Sanny Smeekens Background:, This study with five-year-olds is the first to examine whether low-quality interactions with parents elicit physiological stress in children beyond toddlerhood, as evident from elevated cortisol levels in their saliva. It was hypothesised that particularly children with low levels of ego-resiliency ,a personality construct reflecting the capacity to cope with stress , would show cortisol increases during low-quality parent,child interactions. Method:, In a sample of 101 five-year-old children (62 boys), parent,child interaction was observed at home during parent,child discourse that involved the recollection and discussion of emotional events that happened to the child in the past. Saliva samples to assess cortisol levels were collected before and 20 minutes after the parent,child discourse task. The children's teacher rated child ego-resiliency using a Dutch translation of the California Child Q-set (CCQ; Block & Block, 1980). Results:, One of the two parent,child interaction factors that emerged from a principal component analysis, namely negative parent,child interactions, was significantly related to the children's cortisol reaction; more negative parent,child interactions elicited significantly stronger cortisol reactions. The other parent,child interaction factor that was found, i.e., effective guidance, was not significantly related to children's cortisol reaction. As predicted, children low on ego-resiliency showed increases in cortisol during negative interactions with their parents, whereas high ego-resilient children did not. Conclusions:, The association between negative parent,child interactions and cortisol elevations in children may point to a likely mechanism through which negative parent,child interactions contribute to negative developmental outcomes as the repeated exposure to high levels of cortisol have earlier been found to negatively affect children's development and functioning in various areas. [source] LIMITS TO COMPETITION AND REGULATION IN PRIVATIZED ELECTRICITY MARKETSANNALS OF PUBLIC AND COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS, Issue 4 2009Hulya Dagdeviren ABSTRACT,:,Privatization of electricity has been extensive both in the developed and the developing world. Failures in various areas have led to the emergence of a new consensus which regards competitive pressures and regulation as crucial for utility privatizations to work. This review paper presents a critical evaluation of this newly found wisdom with reference to the developing economies. The experience in the developed world, especially in the USA and the UK, has been used to draw conclusions for the developing economies. Overall, the paper highlights the problems associated with the ,competitive model' both in the developed and developing world and points to the potential instability in private competitive power supply systems. It also examines the degree to which regulation can be a panacea for market failures and structural problems under private provision. [source] Law, ethics and pandemic preparedness: the importance of cross-jurisdictional and cross-cultural perspectivesAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 2 2010Belinda Bennett Abstract Objective: To explore social equity, health planning, regulatory and ethical dilemmas in responding to a pandemic influenza (H5N1) outbreak, and the adequacy of protocols and standards such as the International Health Regulations (2005). Approach: This paper analyses the role of legal and ethical considerations for pandemic preparedness, including an exploration of the relevance of cross-jurisdictional and cross-cultural perspectives in assessing the validity of goals for harmonisation of laws and policies both within and between nations. Australian and international experience is reviewed in various areas, including distribution of vaccines during a pandemic, the distribution of authority between national and local levels of government, and global and regional equity issues for poorer countries. Conclusion: This paper finds that questions such as those of distributional justice (resource allocation) and regulatory frameworks raise important issues about the cultural and ethical acceptability of planning measures. Serious doubt is cast on a ,one size fits all' approach to international planning for managing a pandemic. It is concluded that a more nuanced approach than that contained in international guidelines may be required if an effective response is to be constructed internationally. Implications: The paper commends the wisdom of reliance on ,soft law', international guidance that leaves plenty of room for each nation to construct its response in conformity with its own cultural and value requirements. [source] Specific Labeling of Peptidoglycan Precursors as a Tool for Bacterial Cell Wall StudiesCHEMBIOCHEM, Issue 4 2009Vincent van Dam Abstract Wall chart: The predominant component of the bacterial cell wall, peptidoglycan, consists of long alternating stretches of aminosugar subunits interlinked in a large three-dimensional network and is formed from precursors through several cytosolic and membrane-bound steps. The high tolerance of the cell wall synthesis machinery allows for the use of labeled precursor derivatives to study diverse aspects of bacterial cell wall synthesis and interaction with antibiotics. Because of its importance for bacterial cell survival, the bacterial cell wall is an attractive target for new antibiotics in a time of great demand for new antibiotic compounds. Therefore, more knowledge about the diverse processes related to bacterial cell wall synthesis is needed. The cell wall is located on the exterior of the cell and consists mainly of peptidoglycan, a large macromolecule built up from a three-dimensional network of aminosugar strands interlinked with peptide bridges. The subunits of peptidoglycan are synthesized inside the cell before they are transported to the exterior in order to be incorporated into the growing peptidoglycan. The high flexibility of the cell wall synthesis machinery towards unnatural derivatives of these subunits enables research on the bacterial cell wall using labeled compounds. This review highlights the high potential of labeled cell wall precursors in various areas of cell wall research. Labeled precursors can be used in investigating direct cell wall,antibiotic interactions and in cell wall synthesis and localization studies. Moreover, these compounds can provide a powerful tool in the elucidation of the cell wall proteome, the "wallosome," and thus, might provide new targets for antibiotics. [source] Evaluation of the conformational propensities of peptide isosteres as a basis for selecting bioactive pseudopeptidesCHEMICAL BIOLOGY & DRUG DESIGN, Issue 6 2001S. Gupta Abstract: Our aim was to compare the repertoires of conformers formed by the model zwitterionic peptides AA and AAA in aqueous solution with the conformational profiles of a range of their peptide isosteres, so as to facilitate selection of isosteres for synthesis and testing as biologically stable surrogates of bioactive di- and tripeptides. Comparisons were based upon the results of conformational analysis using a random search approach implemented within the SYBYL molecular modelling package, using zwitterionic molecules, simulated aqueous solvation using a dielectric constant of 80 and allowing all torsions to vary. For each compound, individual conformers were grouped on the basis of specific combinations of psi, phi and omega torsions and, using their energies, the aggregated percentage for each group was calculated using a Boltzmann distribution and displayed using a 3D pseudo Ramachandran plot relating percentage conformer to psi and phi torsions. Retroamide, N -methylamide and thioamide isosteres showed the best match to natural peptides and to the molecular recognition parameters defined for substrates of peptide transporters. The results should aid rational design of therapeutic agents in various areas, e.g. oral delivery of drugs by peptide transporters and of peptidase inhibitors. This approach may usefully be applied to various biochemical and pharmaceutical topics. [source] Organic Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons as Sensitizing Model Dyes for Semiconductor NanoparticlesCHEMSUSCHEM CHEMISTRY AND SUSTAINABILITY, ENERGY & MATERIALS, Issue 4 2010Yongyi Zhang Abstract The study of interfacial charge-transfer processes (sensitization) of a dye bound to large-bandgap nanostructured metal oxide semiconductors, including TiO2, ZnO, and SnO2, is continuing to attract interest in various areas of renewable energy, especially for the development of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The scope of this Review is to describe how selected model sensitizers prepared from organic polyaromatic hydrocarbons have been used over the past 15 years to elucidate, through a variety of techniques, fundamental aspects of heterogeneous charge transfer at the surface of a semiconductor. This Review does not focus on the most recent or efficient dyes, but rather on how model dyes prepared from aromatic hydrocarbons have been used, over time, in key fundamental studies of heterogeneous charge transfer. In particular, we describe model chromophores prepared from anthracene, pyrene, perylene, and azulene. As the level of complexity of the model dye-bridge-anchor group compounds has increased, the understanding of some aspects of very complex charge transfer events has improved. The knowledge acquired from the study of the described model dyes is of importance not only for DSSC development but also to other fields of science for which electronic processes at the molecule/semiconductor interface are relevant. [source] Assessing families and other client systems in community-based programmes: development of the CALFCHILD & FAMILY SOCIAL WORK, Issue 2 2007Ana M. Leon ABSTRACT Programmes providing services to children and families often face the challenge of assessing not only the child referred, but also the child's family system and its individual members. Recognizing that household/family members can cause, contribute to or affect a child's problems requires that human service agencies utilize assessment tools capable of assessing family members across the lifespan. The literature references many assessment tools used by clinical programmes in mental-health settings that are not well suited to use in social service agencies with multidisciplinary staff at different skill levels. As a response to this dilemma, the authors have developed the Collaborative Assessment of Life Functioning (CALF), a user-friendly tool that assesses various areas of life functioning. Based on Maslow's motivation theory, person-in-environment and systems theories, the CALF can be used with various client systems. This paper describes the development of the tool, its purpose and use, the importance of assessment tools in the helping process and considerations for agencies wishing to use an assessment tool like the CALF. The authors also discuss the applicability of the CALF in human services and social service agency settings and with diverse client populations. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||