Various Fields (various + field)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Possible role of reactive chlorine in microbial antagonism and organic matter chlorination in terrestrial environments

ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2009
Per Bengtson
Summary Several studies have demonstrated that extensive formation of organically bound chlorine occurs both in soil and in decaying plant material. Previous studies suggest that enzymatic formation of reactive chlorine outside cells is a major source. However, the ecological role of microbial-induced extracellular chlorination processes remains unclear. In the present paper, we assess whether or not the literature supports the hypothesis that extracellular chlorination is involved in direct antagonism against competitors for the same resources. Our review shows that it is by no means rare that biotic processes create conditions that render biocidal concentrations of reactive chlorine compounds, which suggest that extracellular production of reactive chlorine may have an important role in antagonistic microbial interactions. To test the validity, we searched the UniprotPK database for microorganisms that are known to produce haloperoxidases. It appeared that many of the identified haloperoxidases from terrestrial environments are originating from organisms that are associated with living plants or decomposing plant material. The results of the in silico screening were supported by various field and laboratory studies on natural chlorination. Hence, the ability to produce reactive chlorine seems to be especially common in environments that are known for antibiotic-mediated competition for resources (interference competition). Yet, the ability to produce haloperoxidases is also recorded, for example, for plant endosymbionts and parasites, and there is little or no empirical evidence that suggests that these organisms are antagonistic. [source]


Cover Picture: Electrophoresis 5'2010

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 5 2010
Article first published online: 26 FEB 2010
Issue no. 5 is a Special issue on "Fundamentals of Electrophoresis". Part I has 5 review articles on the various fields of electrophoresis. Separation in nano-channels is treated in 3 articles in Part II. Part III has 3 research papers on computer simulation of electromigration and Part IV also has 3 articles on stacking and focusing. Interaction in electrophoretic systems is the subject of Part V which has 6 research papers. Finally, electroosmotic flow is described in 1 paper in part VI. [source]


A microfluidic study of mechanisms in the electrophoresis of supercoiled DNA

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 12 2008
Dammika P. Manage
Abstract In this work, microfluidic chips were used to study the electrophoresis of supercoiled DNA (SC DNA) in agarose. This system allowed us to study the electrophoretic and trapping behaviours of SC DNA of various lengths, at various fields and separation distances. Near a critical electric field the DNA is trapped such that the concentration falls exponentially with distance. The trapping of such circular DNA has been explained in terms of the ,lobster trap' or ,impalement' model where shorter fibres become trapping sites at higher fields, leading to an ongoing (and gradual) increase in trapping with increasing field. By contrast, the present study suggests that under some circumstances the traps have a barrier such that only when the DNA has sufficient energy (at high enough fields) can it become trapped, leading to a sudden transition in behaviours at the critical field. We propose an ,activated impalement' mechanism of trapping in which only at sufficiently high fields is the SC DNA impaled and trapped for long times. The critical electric field appears to be inversely proportional to the length of the DNA molecule, suggesting that the force required to impale the SC DNA is constant. [source]


Betaine Adducts of N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: Synthesis, Properties, and Reactivity

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 13 2009
Lionel Delaude
Abstract N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) form stable zwitterionicadducts with a range of heteroallenes, ketenes, and allenes. Although the first representatives of this class of inner salts were first investigated as far back as the 1960s, they have enjoyed a sustained interest from the chemical community over the years. Depending on the nature of their anionic moiety, NHC betaines display a very broad palette of reactivities and have found applications in various fields of organic synthesis and catalysis. In this Microreview, the synthesis, properties, and reactivity of NHC betaines are surveyed. The NHCs under consideration include ylidenes derived from imidazole, benzimidazole, imidazoline, thiazole, or triazole, and the heteroallenes investigated so far are carbon dioxide, carbon disulfide, isocyanates, isothiocyanates, and their selenium analogues. A historical background is provided for each type of adduct under consideration, but emphasis is placed mainly on developments that have appeared in the literature within the past few years. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009) [source]


Learning-associated regulation of polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule expression in the rat prefrontal cortex is region-, cell type- and paradigm-specific

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2008
Judith P. F. Ter Horst
Abstract The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is an interconnected set of cortical areas that function in the synthesis of a diverse range of information and production of complex behaviour. It is now clear that these frontal structures, through bidirectional excitatory communication with the hippocampal formation, also play a substantial role in long-term memory consolidation. In the hippocampus, morphological synaptic plasticity, supported by regulation of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) polysialylation status, is crucial to information storage. The recent description of polysialylated neurons in the various fields of the medial PFC suggests these structures to possess a similar capacity for synaptic plasticity. Here, using double-labelling immunohistochemistry with glutamic acid decarboxylase 67, we report that the nature of NCAM polysialic acid-positive neurons in the PFC is region-specific, with a high proportion (30,50%) of a ,-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic phenotype in the more ventral infralimbic, orbitofrontal and insular cortices compared with just 10% in the dorsal structures of the cingulate, prelimbic and frontal cortices. Moreover, spatial learning was accompanied by activations in polysialylation expression in ventral PFC structures, while avoidance conditioning involved downregulation of this plasticity marker that was restricted to the dorsomedial PFC , the cingulate and prelimbic cortices. Thus, in contrast to other structures integrated functionally with the hippocampus, memory-associated plasticity mobilized in the PFC is region-, cell type- and task-specific. [source]


Strength recovery of machined Al2O3/SiC composite ceramics by crack healing

FATIGUE & FRACTURE OF ENGINEERING MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES, Issue 12 2007
M. ONO
ABSTRACT Alumina is used in various fields as a machine component. However, it has a low fracture toughness, which is a weakness. Thus, countless cracks may be initiated randomly by machining, and these cracks decrease the component's mechanical properties and reliability. To overcome this problem, a crack-healing ability could be a very useful technology. In this study, Al2O3/SiC composite was sintered. This alumina exhibits excellent crack-healing ability. Small specimens for a bending test were made from the Al2O3/SiC. A semicircular groove was machined using a diamond ball-drill. The machining reduced the local fracture stress from approximately 820,300 MPa. The machined specimens were crack-healed under various conditions. The fracture stress of these specimens after crack healing was evaluated systematically from room temperature (RT) to 1573 K. It was found that the local fracture stress of the machined specimen recovered almost completely after crack healing. Therefore, it was concluded that crack healing could be an effective method for improving the structural integrity of machined alumina and reducing machining costs. [source]


The acceptance of systemic thinking in various fields of technology and consequences on the respective safety philosophies

HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 3 2003
Willy Geysen
Systemic thinking aims to develop a common language that makes it possible for scientists of different disciplines and technologies to communicate with one another. The specific methodology of systemic thinking is a means of tackling complex, interrelated problems by applying a holistic approach that focuses on the interrelation of individual aspects. In this article, an attempt is made to show the impact of systemic thinking in different areas of science and technology. In particular, the authors argue that a multidisciplinary, systemic approach can play an important role in developing a general theory of safety science. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 13: 231,242, 2003. [source]


Charge-induced clustering in multifield particulate flows

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING, Issue 7 2005
T. I. Zohdi
Abstract The present work extends recent results in Zohdi (Int. J. Solids Struct., in press; Proc. Roy. Soc., in press) to develop models and robust solution strategies for the direct simulation of the dynamical flow of charged particles undergoing simultaneous contact, surface reactions and heat transfer. Emphasis is placed on the possibility of particle clustering which can lead to the formation of cluster-structures within the particulate flow. A recursive ,staggering' solution scheme is developed, whereby the time-steps are adaptively adjusted to control the rates of convergence within each time-step, and hence, the error associated with the incomplete resolution of the coupled interaction between the various fields and associated constraints. Representative numerical simulations are provided in order to illustrate the character of the model and the solution strategy. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Classification of leaf images

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF IMAGING SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2006
Chia-Ling Lee
Abstract There are tremendous content-based retrieval systems. Most of them are applied to general image databases. Some were proposed for specified databases such as texture databases, ancient paintings, document image databases, digital mammography, face image databases, etc. However, there are fewer for plant databases. Plants are used in various fields such as in foodstuff, medicine, and industry. Recently, plant is important for environment protection. On the other hand, the problem of plant destruction becomes worse in the few years. We should train people to know about plants, in turn, to treasure and protect them. In addition to the limited number of expert botanists, the convenient content-based retrieval system for plant is necessary and useful, since it can retrieve related information and knowledge from plant database for the query leaf so as to facilitate fast learning of plants. In this study, a leaf database is constructed and a classification method for leaves is proposed. Most approaches for leaf classification in literature used contour-based features. The proposed method tries to use region-based features. The reasons are that region-based features are more robust than contour-based features since significant curvature points are hard to find. Those features adopted include aspect ratio, compactness, centroid, and horizontal/vertical projections. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been demonstrated by various experiments. On the average, our method has the classification accuracy for 1-NN rule as 82.33% and the recall rate for 10 returned images as 48.2%, while the contour-based method has 37.6% and 21.7%, respectively. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 16, 15,23, 2006 [source]


Shifting Paradigms of Globalization: The Twenty-first Century Transition Towards Generics in Skilled Migration from India

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 5 2001
Binod Khadria
Globalization of human capital through international migration is no longer about global physical presence only; it is also about global applicability of skills across various fields of specialization. This marks the main characteristics of skilled migration from India to developed countries in the twenty-first century. The focus is shifting away from professionals in specific occupations, like doctors, engineers, scientists, architects, bankers, to information technology (IT) professionals embodying, in a way, more generic skills. In other words, it is the generic applicability of information and communications technology (ICT) which has led to large-scale migration of Indians skilled in IT. Moreover, the exodus comprises not only the fully trained and educated workers going abroad for employment, but also students - the semi-finished human capital - pursuing higher education in onshore as well as offshore universities of the developed countries. The new emigration is directed towards traditional host countries in the West such as the UK, Canada, and the US, but also towards newly emerging destinations in continental Europe (Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Denmark), Australasia (Australia, New Zealand), East Asia (Japan, Republic of Korea), and South-East Asia (Singapore, Malaysia). By using mainly current information and informal data as reported in the media, this article perceives emerging trends and changes in the context of the global labour market for skills, and suggests a possible framework towards evolving strategies of remedial development. [source]


Path finding under uncertainty

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION, Issue 1 2005
Anthony Chen
Path finding problems have many real-world applications in various fields, such as operations research, computer science, telecommunication, transportation, etc. In this paper, we examine three definitions of optimality for finding the optimal path under an uncertain environment. These three stochastic path finding models are formulated as the expected value model, dependent-chance model, and chance-constrained model using different criteria to hedge against the travel time uncertainty. A simulation-based genetic algorithm procedure is developed to solve these path finding models under uncertainties. Numerical results are also presented to demonstrate the features of these stochastic path finding models. [source]


Women in a Man's World: Gender Differences in Leadership at the Military Academy

JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 12 2004
Matthew J. Morgan
This study responds to a deficiency of research on military leadership gender differences in spite of widespread interest in women in the military in policymaking and academic circles of various fields. Although scholarship in the field of women's leadership in recent years has asserted that there are stylistic differences between male and female leaders, there were few major differences in this study of 12 specific areas of leadership rated by 3 types of raters. Of the 36 possible occurrences of a statistically significant gender difference, only 6 manifested themselves in the cadet leader ratings. As a whole, evidence supports minimal gender differences in leadership performance or style in the West Point Class of 1998. [source]


MULTIPLE-PRIZE CONTESTS , THE OPTIMAL ALLOCATION OF PRIZES

JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC SURVEYS, Issue 1 2009
Dana Sisak
Abstract Multiple-prize contests are important in various fields of economics ranging from rent seeking over labour economics, patent and R&D races to tendering for (governmental) projects. Hence it is crucial to understand the incentive effects of multiple prizes on effort investment. This survey attempts to outline, compare and evaluate the results from the literature. While a first prize always results in a positive incentive to invest effort, second and later prizes lead to ambiguous effects. Depending on the objective function, the characteristics of the individuals and the type of contest a different prize allocation is optimal. [source]


Novel primary immunodeficiencies relevant to internal medicine: novel phenotypes

JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2009
L. Maródi
Abstract. Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) are often recognized in adults, either because of delayed diagnosis of a paediatric illness, or increasingly because of the recognition of adult onset forms of these diseases. Moreover, a growing fraction of children diagnosed with PIDs reach adulthood. It has become clear that many of these conditions affect various organs and therefore will be referred to professionals from various fields of internal medicine. It is well known that infectious diseases, allergy, auto-immunity and cancer may result from PIDs. Surprisingly, other clinical manifestations were recently found to reflect inborn errors of immunity. Ground-breaking discoveries suggest that atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome, Crohn's disease, and alveolar proteinosis may actually be manifestations of novel PIDs. [source]


Current-sensing scanning near-field optical microscopy using a metal probe for nanometre-scale observation of electrochromic films

JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY, Issue 3 2003
F. Iwata
Summary A novel technique for scanning near-field optical microscopy capable of point-contact current-sensing was developed in order to investigate the nanometre-scale optical and electrical properties of electrochromic materials. An apertureless bent-metal probe was fabricated in order to detect optical and current signals at a local point on the electrochromic films. The near-field optical properties could be observed using the local field enhancement effect generated at the edge of the metal probe under p -polarized laser illumination. With regard to electrical properties, current signal could be detected with the metal probe connected to a high-sensitive current amplifier. Using the current-sensing scanning near-field optical microscopy, the surface topography, optical and current images of coloured WO3 thin films were observed simultaneously. Furthermore, nanometre-scale electrochromic modification of local bleaching could be performed using the current-sensing scanning near-field optical microscopy. The current-sensing scanning near-field optical microscopy has potential use in various fields of nanometre-scale optoelectronics. [source]


General linearized biexponential model for QSAR data showing bilinear-type distribution

JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 11 2005
Peter Buchwald
Abstract A major impediment of many QSAR-type analyses is that the data show a maximum or minimum and can no longer be adequately described by linear functions that provide unrivaled simplicity and usually give good description over more restricted ranges. Here, a general linearized biexponential (LinBiExp) model is proposed that can adequately describe data showing bilinear-type distribution as a function of not just often-employed lipophilicity descriptors (e.g., log P) but as a function of any descriptor (e.g., molecular volume). Contrary to Hansch-type parabolic models, LinBiExp allows the natural extension of linear models and fitting of asymmetrical data. It is also more general and intuitive than Kubinyi's model as it has a more natural functional form. It was obtained by a differential equation-based approach starting from very general assumptions that cover both static equilibriums and first-order kinetic processes and that involve abstract processes through which the concentration of the compound of interest in an assumed "effect" compartment is connected to its "external" concentration. Physicochemical aspects placing LinBiExp within the framework of linear free energy relationship (LFER) approaches are presented together with illustrative applications in various fields such as toxicity, antimicrobial activity, anticholinergic activity, and glucocorticoid receptor binding. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 94:2355-2379, 2005 [source]


Gregory Bateson on deutero-learning and double bind: A brief conceptual history

JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, Issue 3 2003
Max Visser Ph.D. assistant professor
The concepts of deutero-learning and double bind have acquired an increasingly important status in various fields of social and behavioral science, particularly in psychiatry, psychotherapy, organization, and policy science. With this proliferation, however, their original meaning and significance has become increasingly muted. In this article it is argued that both concepts are important ingredients of a behavioral theory of (organizational) learning. To support this argument, the development of both concepts is traced to the work of Gregory Bateson. In Bateson's thinking, the two concepts have a firm base in dyadic behavior and interaction. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]


Advances in insectivore and rodent systematics due to geometric morphometrics

MAMMAL REVIEW, Issue 2 2009
LENKA BAR
ABSTRACT 1Morphometrics, the study of the variation and change in form amongst organisms, serves as a basic methodological tool in various fields of biological research, including systematics. Because it includes information about spatial relationships amongst anatomical landmarks, geometric morphometrics is more suitable for analyzing morphometric variation than methods based on distance measurements. 2Geometric morphometrics allows us to answer general ecological and evolutionary questions about shape. 3In this paper, landmark-based methods are described and illustrated, based on a dataset of measurements from 295 Apodemus mandibles, and the applications of such methods in the systematics of insectivores (Eulipotyphla) and rodents (Rodentia) are summarized. [source]


Analytical evaluation of the Voigt function using binomial coefficients and incomplete gamma functions

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2008
B. A. Mamedov
ABSTRACT Using the binomial expansion theorem, the simple general analytical expressions are obtained for the Voigt function arising in various fields of physical research. As we will seen, the present formulation yields compact closed-form expressions which enable the ready analytical calculation of the Voigt function. The validity of this approximation is tested by other calculation methods. The series expansion relations established in this work are accurate enough in the whole range of parameters. The convergence rate of the series is estimated and discussed. Some examples of this methodology are presented. [source]


Effective performance improvement and management strategies for the information technology industry

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT, Issue 9 2008
Suanu Bliss Wikina
Information technology (IT) not only has a significant impact on various fields of human endeavor, it also creates the potential for greater operational efficiency and influences changes in the way business activities are performed. Nevertheless, it is still perceived as more of an operational cost than a benefit. Use of effective performance improvement and management strategies in the IT industry provides a means to ensure that IT remains a pivotal force in driving businesses to achieve strategic competitive advantage and success. [source]


Control Group Methods for HPT Program Evaluation and Measurement

PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2002
Greg Wang
ABSTRACT This research contributes to the methodologies in HPT program evaluation and measurement that are fairly lacking to date. First, a theoretical foundation for a control group is established based on a brief review of control group applications in various fields. Then, four types of control groups applicable to HPT program evaluation and measurement are defined and classified, and threats to internal and external validity in control group applications are explored. Lastly, four evaluation and measurement scenarios are presented for an E-learning program to demonstrate the applicability of the control group methods for HPT program evaluation and ROI measurement. [source]


Reliability aspects of SiC Schottky diodes

PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 10 2009
Matthias Holz
Abstract In recent years, silicon carbide (SiC) high-voltage power devices have gained an ever-increasing market share. The fast development of new device concepts and technologies, e.g. for SiC Schottky diodes, has led to devices with superior switching behaviour, which renders SiC power devices especially favourable for high-frequency applications. As of today, SiC devices enter various fields like, e.g. server power supplies, solar inverters, and drives. These applications pose quite different requirements not only on the electrical properties, but also on the long-term reliability of the devices. In this paper, we describe in detail how Infineon's SiC Schottky diodes excel the reliability requirements. We point out how material properties, device design and packaging technology affect the overall device reliability and how they can be optimized. In addition, we describe measurement results after stress tests that go far beyond standard stress tests according to JEDEC. E.g., we show that SiC devices can safely be operated at high voltage slopes of 120 V/ns. In addition, we show that the use of high performance die attach further improves the device properties and reliability. (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


Synthesis and thermal degradation kinetics of cellulose esters

POLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, Issue 7 2003
M. Sairam
Abstract Polymers that are biodegradable currently achieve high interest in material science since they offer reductions of landfill space during waste management as well as new end-user benefits in various fields of applications. In this work, cellulose esters such as cellulose benzoate, cellulose succinate and cellulose cinnamate were prepared using dimethylaminopyridine along with dimethylaminopyridine-p-toluene sulfonic acid catalyst. Films of cellulose esters were cast from solution. Cellulose esters were characterized by spectral methods such as infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, thermal method such as thermogravimetric analysis. Various methods of kinetic analysis were compared in the case of thermal degradation of the cellulose and cellulose esters. Copyright­© 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


The secretome of Pleurotus sapidus

PROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 18 2005
Holger Zorn Dr.
Abstract Due to their unique capability to attack lignified biopolymers, extracellular enzymes of white-rot fungi enjoy an increasing interest in various fields of white biotechnology. The edible fungus Pleurotus sapidus was selected as a model organism for the analysis of the secretome by means of 2-DE. For enzyme production, the fungus was grown in submerged cultures either on peanut shells or on glass wool as a carrier material. Identification of the secreted enzymes was performed by tryptic digestion, ESI-MS/MS ab initio sequencing, and homology searches against public databases. The spectrum of secreted enzymes comprised various types of hydrolases and lignolytic enzymes of the manganese peroxidase/versatile peroxidase family. While peptidases were secreted mainly by the cultures grown on peanut shells, versatile peroxidase type enzymes dominated in the cultures grown on glass wool. [source]


A unified approach to the analysis of Horton-Strahler parameters of binary tree structures

RANDOM STRUCTURES AND ALGORITHMS, Issue 3-4 2002
Markus E. Nebel
Abstract The Horton-Strahler number naturally arose from problems in various fields, e.g., geology, molecular biology and computer science. Consequently, detailed investigations of related parameters for different classes of binary tree structures are of interest. This paper shows one possibility of how to perform a mathematical analysis for parameters related to the Horton-Strahler number in a unified way such that only a single analysis is needed to obtain results for many different classes of trees. The method is explained by the examples of the expected Horton-Strahler number and the related rth moments, the average number of critical nodes, and the expected distance between critical nodes. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 21: 252,277, 2002 [source]


Characterization of tetrathiofulvalene compounds using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 19 2001
Shaoxiang Xiong
Tetrathiofulvalene compounds are important components of charge-transfer complexes, which may be applied in various fields of scientific research and practical applications. Some of these compounds cannot be characterized by mass spectrometry. Here, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry was used for the characterization of tetrathiofulvalenes. The samples could be easily desorbed and ionized to form singly charged ions, and mass spectra with isotopic resolution readily obtained. The mass spectrometric results for 26 compounds have shown that MALDI-TOF is more effective and convenient than other mass spectrometry methods, and resolves the problem of mass spectrometric characterization of tetrathiofulvalene compounds. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Using the knowledge to action process model to incite clinical change,

THE JOURNAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS, Issue 3 2010
Anita Petzold BSc
Abstract Introduction Knowledge translation (KT) has only recently emerged in the field of rehabilitation with attention on creating effective KT interventions to increase clinicians' knowledge and use of evidence-based practice (EBP). The uptake of EBP is a complex process that can be facilitated by the use of the Knowledge to Action Process model. This model provides a sequence of phases for researchers and clinicians to follow in order to optimize KT across various fields of practice. Methods In this article we use an example from a series of national studies in stroke rehabilitation to demonstrate how the Knowledge to Action Process model is being used to increase the use of best practices in the management of a very prevalent poststroke impairment, unilateral spatial neglect. Results The series of research projects and actions described herein each address a specific phase of the model. The reader is introduced to a specific example with the goal of generalizing the process to his or her own domain of interest. Gaps in our research agenda are also highlighted and future initiatives to complete the process are described. Discussion It is important that KT is maximized in health care to improve patient outcomes. As demonstrated here, the Knowledge to Action Process model provides an excellent guide for clinicians, managers, and researchers who wish to incite change in patient care. [source]


Foundations of Mathematics: Metaphysics, Epistemology, Structure

THE PHILOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY, Issue 214 2004
Stewart Shapiro
Since virtually every mathematical theory can be interpreted in set theory, the latter is a foundation for mathematics. Whether set theory, as opposed to any of its rivals, is the right foundation for mathematics depends on what a foundation is for. One purpose is philosophical, to provide the metaphysical basis for mathematics. Another is epistemic, to provide the basis of all mathematical knowledge. Another is to serve mathematics, by lending insight into the various fields. Another is to provide an arena for exploring relations and interactions between mathematical fields, their relative strengths, etc. Given the different goals, there is little point to determining a single foundation for all of mathematics. [source]


DEFICIENCIES IN PATHOLOGICAL REPORTING OF COLORECTAL CANCER IN VICTORIA

ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 9 2008
Robert D. Winn
Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) pathological reporting deficiencies have been shown to be common, with deviations from the suggested minimum dataset. Information from both surgeon and pathologist is necessary for a complete report. These deficiencies have been shown to be correctable with the use of synoptic reporting. We carried out an audit on a random sample of CRC pathological reports from the first 6 months of 2004 in Victoria, Australia, with the aim of documenting current CRC pathological reporting deficiencies. Methods: A random sample of pathological reports for CRC was obtained from the Cancer Council of Victoria. One hundred and sixteen of these reports were reviewed by a team of surgical and pathology trainees. Presence or absence of the various fields of the 1999 National Health and Medical Research Council minimum dataset for CRC reporting was recorded. Results: There were deviations from the minimal dataset. Most notable was the absence of the information on the apical node, the presence of distant metastasis and perineural invasion. Conclusions: The opportunity exists for improvement in the pathological reporting of CRC in Victoria through the uniform introduction of synoptic reporting. [source]


Long-chain silanes as reducing agents part 1: a facile, efficient and selective route to amine and phosphine-stabilized active Pd-nanoparticles

APPLIED ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2010
Bhanu P. S. Chauhan
Abstract Recently, metal nanoparticles have found applications in various fields, which have necessitated exploration of new avenues to obtain such materials. In this publication, a hydrosilane-based reduction and characterization of resulting palladium nanoparticles is achieved using palladium acetate as nanoparticle precursor and octadecylsilane as a reducing agent. The influence of phosphine and amine ligands in the stabilization of nanoparticles is also investigated. In addition, a brief mechanistic proposal of the reduction process is also discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]