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Clear Role (clear + role)
Selected AbstractsModels of policy-making and their relevance for drug researchDRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 4 2010ALISON RITTER Abstract Introduction and Aims. Researchers are often frustrated by their inability to influence policy. We describe models of policy-making to provide new insights and a more realistic assessment of research impacts on policy. Design and Methods. We describe five prominent models of policy-making and illustrate them with examples from the alcohol and drugs field, before drawing lessons for researchers. Results. Policy-making is a complex and messy process, with different models describing different elements. We start with the incrementalist model, which highlights small amendments to policy, as occurs in school-based drug education. A technical/rational approach then outlines the key steps in a policy process from identification of problems and their causes, through to examination and choice of response options, and subsequent implementation and evaluation. There is a clear role for research, as we illustrate with the introduction of new medications, but this model largely ignores the dominant political aspects of policy-making. Such political aspects include the influence of interest groups, and we describe models about power and pressure groups, as well as advocacy coalitions, and the challenges they pose for researchers. These are illustrated with reference to the alcohol industry, and interest group conflicts in establishing a Medically Supervised Injecting Centre. Finally, we describe the multiple streams framework, which alerts researchers to ,windows of opportunity', and we show how these were effectively exploited in policy for cannabis law reform in Western Australia. Discussion and Conclusions. Understanding models of policy-making can help researchers maximise the uptake of their work and advance evidence-informed policy.[Ritter A, Bammer G. Models of policy-making and their relevance for drug research. Drug Alcohol Rev 2010] [source] Autophagy: A Pathogen Driven ProcessIUBMB LIFE, Issue 4-5 2007María Isabel Colombo Abstract Host cell recognition and eradication of invading pathogens is crucial for the control of microbial infections. However, several microorganisms develop tactics that allow them to survive intracellularly. Autophagy, a process involved in protein turnover and in charge of the removal of aged organelles by degradation of engulfed cytoplasmic portions, was recently shown to play a clear role in the detection and elimination of intracellular pathogens. Yet, some pathogens employ elegant strategies to elude entrapment in autophagosomes, and thus to avoid lysosomal degradation, whereas others utilize the autophagy pathway for their own benefit. In this review some recent findings on the relationship between microorganisms and autophagy are summarized, the underlying assumption being that intracellular infection models may contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the autophagic process. IUBMB Life, 59: 238-242, 2007 [source] Targeting nitric oxide for cancer therapyJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2007David Hirst A blueprint for the ideal anticancer molecule would include most of the properties of nitric oxide (NO,), but the ability to exploit these characteristics in a therapeutic setting requires a detailed understanding of the biology and biochemistry of the molecule. These properties include the ability of NO, to affect tumour angiogenesis, metastasis, blood flow and immuno surveillance. Furthermore NO, also has the potential to enhance both radio- and chemotherapy. However, all of these strategies are dependent on achieving appropriate levels of NO,, since endogenous levels of NO, appear to have a clear role in tumour progression. This review aims to summarize the role of NO, in cancer with particular emphasis on how the properties of NO, can be exploited for therapy. [source] Systematic review: the use of mesalazine in inflammatory bowel diseaseALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 7 2006R. BERGMAN Summary Background, Mesalazine is among the medications most commonly prescribed by gastroenterologists, having to a large extent superseded sulfasalazine (sulphasalazine). However, there are still a number of aspects regarding its use which provoke debate and controversy. Aim, To provide a systematic assessment of the evidence for the use of mesalazine in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Methods, References were identified using PubMed database. Additional references were identified with related article searches. Results, Mesalazine has a clear role in the maintenance of remission in ulcerative colitis and management of mild to moderately active disease, although the efficacy of topical preparations or combined topical and oral is clearly superior to oral alone. Evidence that increasing the dose of oral mesalazine improves efficacy is not clear-cut. The benefits of mesalazine in the management of acute Crohn's disease and the maintenance of remission are questionable and alternative treatments are usually more appropriate. Emerging evidence suggests that maintenance mesalazine reduces the risk of neoplastic progression in chronic ulcerative colitis. Compliance with therapy is thus important, as is an understanding of individuals most likely to default on this. Conclusion, Evidence for a beneficial effect of mesalazine is largely confined to the management of ulcerative colitis. [source] Reasons for reading: why literature mattersLITERACY, Issue 2 2010Gabrielle Cliff Hodges Abstract Recent research in England suggests that opportunities for children's and young people's reading for pleasure may have been curtailed as a result of other curriculum imperatives. Under pressure to raise standards, there has been a strong emphasis on meeting objectives and managing the curriculum, but reasons for reading in the first place appear to have been neglected. In particular, little explicit attention has been paid, either in research or policy documentation, to why literature still has a clear role to play in English education. Taking as its starting point a selection of surveys and policy documents before moving to consider views from theorists, writers and young readers, this article seeks to stimulate debate about why reading literature still matters. [source] Cysteinyl-leukotrienes and their receptors in asthma and other inflammatory diseases: Critical update and emerging trendsMEDICINAL RESEARCH REVIEWS, Issue 4 2007Valérie Capra Abstract Cysteinyl-leukotrienes (cysteinyl-LTs), that is, LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4, trigger contractile and inflammatory responses through the specific interaction with G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) belonging to the purine receptor cluster of the rhodopsin family, and identified as CysLT receptors (CysLTRs). Cysteinyl-LTs have a clear role in pathophysiological conditions such as asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR), and have been implicated in other inflammatory conditions including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, atopic dermatitis, and urticaria. Molecular cloning of human CysLT1R and CysLT2R subtypes has confirmed most of the previous pharmacological characterization and identified distinct expression patterns only partially overlapping. Interestingly, recent data provide evidence for the immunomodulation of CysLTR expression, the existence of additional receptor subtypes, and of an intracellular pool of CysLTRs that may have roles different from those of plasma membrane receptors. Furthermore, genetic variants have been identified for the CysLTRs that may interact to confer risk for atopy. Finally, a crosstalk between the cysteinyl-LT and the purine systems is being delineated. This review will summarize and attempt to integrate recent data derived from studies on the molecular pharmacology and pharmacogenetics of CysLTRs, and will consider the therapeutic opportunities arising from the new roles suggested for cysteinyl-LTs and their receptors. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 27, No. 4, 469,527, 2007 [source] Devil inside: does plant programmed cell death involve the endomembrane system?PLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 9 2010JEAN-LUC CACAS ABSTRACT Eukaryotic cells have to constantly cope with environmental cues and integrate developmental signals. Cell survival or death is the only possible outcome. In the field of animal biology, tremendous efforts have been put into the understanding of mechanisms underlying cell fate decision. Distinct organelles have been proven to sense a broad range of stimuli and, if necessary, engage cell death signalling pathway(s). Over the years, forward and reverse genetic screens have uncovered numerous regulators of programmed cell death (PCD) in plants. However, to date, molecular networks are far from being deciphered and, apart from the autophagic compartment, no organelles have been assigned a clear role in the regulation of cellular suicide. The endomembrane system (ES) seems, nevertheless, to harbour a significant number of cell death mediators. In this review, the involvement of this system in the control of plant PCD is discussed in-depth, as well as compared and contrasted with what is known in animal and yeast systems. [source] Experimental study of sharp-tipped projectile perforation of GFRP plates containing sand filler under high velocity impact and quasi-static loadingsPOLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 10 2009Ali Reza Sabet Penetration and perforation behavior of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) plates containing 20% sand filler have been investigated via high velocity impact tests using sharp tipped (30°) projectile and quasi-static perforation tests. Two size sand filler (75 and 600 ,m) were used in 4-, 8-, and 14-layered laminated composite plates to study sensitivity of filler size toward loading system. Composite plates were examined for perforation load rate at 5 mm/min and high-velocity impact loading up to 220 m/s. Results indicated higher energy absorption for GFRP plates containing sand filler for both high-velocity impact and quasi-static perforation tests. Higher ballistic limits were recorded for specimens containing sand filler. The study showed clear role played by coarse-sized sand filler as a secondary reinforcement in terms of higher energy absorption as compared with nonfilled and specimens containing fine-sized fillers. The investigation successfully characterized behavior of quasi-static test during penetration and perforation of the sharp-tipped indenter as an aid for impact application studies. Residual frictional load in the specimens containing sand filler constituted considerable portion of load bearing during perforation in quasi-static tests. Delaminations followed by fiber and matrix fracture were major failure mode in high-velocity tests and the main energy absorbing mechanism in thick-walled plates, whereas in quasi-static tests the failures were more of matrix fracture and fiber sliding. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Molecular epidemiology of hypospadias: Review of genetic and environmental risk factorsBIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH, Issue 10 2003Jeanne M. Manson Hypospadias is one of the most common congenital anomalies in the United States, occurring in approximately 1 in 125 live male births. It is characterized by altered development of the urethra, foreskin, and ventral surface of the penis. In this review, the embryology, epidemiology, risk factors, genetic predisposition, and likely candidate genes for hypospadias are described. Recent reports have identified increases in the birth prevalence of mild and severe forms of hypospadias in the United States from the 1960s to the present. Studies in consanguineous families and small case series have identified allelic variants in genes controlling androgen action and metabolism that cause hypospadias, but the relevance of these findings to the general population is unknown. Concern has also focused on whether exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) with antiandrogenic activity is the cause of this increase. Hypospadias is believed to have a multifactorial etiology in which allelic variants in genes controlling androgen action and metabolism predispose individuals to develop this condition. When genetic susceptibility is combined with exposure to antiandrogenic agents, a threshold is surpassed, resulting in the manifestation of this birth defect. A clear role for exposure to antiandrogenic environmental chemicals has yet to be established in the etiology of hypospadias, although results from laboratory animal models indicate that a number of environmental chemicals could be implicated. Molecular epidemiology studies that simultaneously examine the roles of allelic variants in genes controlling androgen action and metabolism, and environmental exposures are needed to elucidate the risk factors for these anomalies and the causes of the increased rate of hypospadias. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Societal Safety: Concept, Borders and DilemmasJOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2007Odd Einar Olsen In most industrialized countries, the end of the Cold War marked a change in focus from preparedness for war to an increasing focus on civil society's own vulnerability and safety. To meet new threats and changing risks, there is also a need for new analytical concepts. Societal safety is a concept developed in Norway during the last decade. It could be defined as: ,The society's ability to maintain critical social functions, to protect the life and health of the citizens and to meet the citizens' basic requirements in a variety of stress situations'. It aims to be a systematic approach for understanding, mitigating and responding to social problems such as extraordinary stresses and losses, interferences in complex and mutual dependent systems, or lack of trust in vital social institutions. Future threats to society are not limited to specific sectors or areas, but stem from complex interactions amongst economic, technological, social and cultural factors. Thus, the main challenges to improve societal safety will be the ability to coordinate, organize and assign clear roles to different actors at the international, national and local levels. Societal safety has interfaces with other safety-related areas such as national security, sustainable development, human security and incident management (handling of isolated accidents, common illness and ordinary criminal acts). Societal safety is, however, a sensitive political issue containing dilemmas and value choices that are hardly possible to perceive or solve as pure scientific problems. [source] Knowledge creation and exploitation in collaborative R&D projects: lessons learned on success factorsKNOWLEDGE AND PROCESS MANAGEMENT: THE JOURNAL OF CORPORATE TRANSFORMATION, Issue 4 2006Mona Weck This paper examines the management of collaborative R&D projects with customers. Prior research on social network theory and the knowledge-based view has identified some of the key conditions of successful collaboration. However, the actual management of project dynamics has received less attention. This paper addresses this gap in existing research through a case study on the management of inter-firm R&D projects in a large European telecommunications operator. It provides a cross-project comparison on the process of knowledge creation and exploitation in five collaborative R&D projects with customers. The objective of this research is to increase current understanding on the success factors of collaborative R&D projects. As a result of this paper, the creation of a genuine ,win-win' situation, clear roles and responsibilities, the customer-oriented approach and the exchange of complementary specialist knowledge are found to be key critical success factors in the process of inter-firm knowledge creation. Moreover, this paper indicates that the viability of the business opportunity is the primary success factor in knowledge exploitation. In addition to identifying these success factors, the paper provides a more complete list of lessons learned from collaborative R&D projects with customers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Clinical teaching: maintaining an educational role for doctors in the new health care environmentMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 10 2000D Prideaux Context and objectives Good clinical teaching is central to medical education but there is concern about maintaining this in contemporary, pressured health care environments. This paper aims to demonstrate that good clinical practice is at the heart of good clinical teaching. Methods Seven roles are used as a framework for analysing good clinical teaching. The roles are medical expert, communicator, collaborator, manager, advocate, scholar and professional. Results The analysis of clinical teaching and clinical practice demonstrates that they are closely linked. As experts, clinical teachers are involved in research, information retrieval and sharing of knowledge or teaching. Good communication with trainees, patients and colleagues defines teaching excellence. Clinicians can ,teach' collaboration by acting as role models and by encouraging learners to understand the responsibilities of other health professionals. As managers, clinicians can apply their skills to the effective management of learning resources. Similarly skills as advocates at the individual, community and population level can be passed on in educational encounters. The clinicians' responsibilities as scholars are most readily applied to teaching activities. Clinicians have clear roles in taking scholarly approaches to their practice and demonstrating them to others. Conclusion Good clinical teaching is concerned with providing role models for good practice, making good practice visible and explaining it to trainees. This is the very basis of clinicians as professionals, the seventh role, and should be the foundation for the further development of clinicians as excellent clinical teachers. [source] | ||||||||||||||||