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Selected AbstractsThe implementation of socially responsible purchasingCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2010Charlotte Leire Abstract Social and ethical issues in the supply chain are gaining importance in all types of organizations. Therefore some public and private organizations have already started to introduce socially responsible purchasing practices. However, current practices are limited and seem unsystematic. There is also a difference between few front-running organizations and the rest. It is therefore useful at this early stage to disseminate the knowledge and experiences based on the best-performing organizations. This paper does that by developing a model of the socially responsible purchasing process that is based on the empirical and secondary data. The model reveals the five elementary steps that are necessary in the implementation of systematic socially responsible purchasing practices: developing internal policies; setting purchasing criteria that regard social issues; applying assurance practices; managing supplier relations; and building internal capacity. The model also points to the different activities in the process and their associated challenges. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Organizing for Continuous Innovation: On the Sustainability of Ambidextrous OrganizationsCREATIVITY AND INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2005Bart Van Looy Organizing for innovation does not present itself as a straightforward exercise. The complexities entailed when implementing an innovation strategy can be related directly to the multitude of objectives it comprises. Recently, several scholars have advanced the notions of semi- or quasi-structures and ambidextrous organizations to handle these multiple requirements. These organizational forms imply the simultaneous presence of different activities, exhibiting differences in technology and market maturation. As a consequence, financial returns will reflect this diversified resource allocation pattern. Moreover, as higher levels of complexity are being introduced; ambidextrous organizations will encounter additional, organizational, costs. Compared to organizations that focus on the most profitable part of the portfolio, ambidextrous organizations , ceteris paribus , tend to be inferior in terms of financial returns. Within this contribution we explore under which conditions ambidextrous organizations can outperform focused firms; considered a prerequisite for their sustainability. In order to do so, we develop an analytical framework depicting the differential value dynamics, focused and ambidextrous firms can enact. Our findings reveal the relevancy of adopting extended time frames as well as introducing interface management practices aimed at cross-fertilization. Finally, the synergetic potential of (underlying) technologies comes to the forefront as necessary in order for ambidextrous organizations to become sustainable. [source] Tet repressor mutants with altered effector binding and allosteryFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 17 2005Eva-Maria Henßler To learn about the correlation between allostery and ligand binding of the Tet repressor (TetR) we analyzed the effect of mutations in the DNA reading head,core interface on the effector specific TetRi2 variant. The same mutations in these subdomains can lead to completely different activities, e.g. the V99G exchange in the wild-type leads to corepression by 4-ddma-atc without altering DNA binding. However, in TetRi2 it leads to 4-ddma-atc dependent repression in combination with reduced DNA binding in the absence of effector. The thermodynamic analysis of effector binding revealed decreased affinities and positive cooperativity. Thus, mutations in this interface can influence DNA binding as well as effector binding, albeit both ligand binding sites are not in direct contact to these altered residues. This finding represents a novel communication mode of TetR. Thus, allostery may not only operate by the structural change proposed on the basis of the crystal structures. [source] Functional analysis of promoter variants in the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) gene,HUMAN MUTATION, Issue 1 2008Diana Rubin Abstract The microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) is required for the assembly and secretion of apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins from the intestine and liver. According to this function, polymorphic sites in the MTTP gene showed associations to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and related traits of the metabolic syndrome. Here we studied the functional impact of common MTTP promoter polymorphisms rs1800804:T>C (,164T>C), rs1800803:A>T (,400A>T), and rs1800591:G>T (,493G>T) using gene-reporter assays in intestinal Caco-2 and liver Huh-7 cells. Significant results were obtained in Huh-7 cells. The common MTTP promoter haplotype ,164T/,400A/,493G showed about two-fold lower activity than the rare haplotype ,164C/,400T/,493T. MTTP promoter mutant constructs ,164T/,400A/,493T and ,164T/,400T/,493T exhibited similar activity than the common haplotype. Activities of mutants ,164C/,400A/,493G and ,164C/,400A/,493T resembled the rare MTTP promoter haplotype. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) revealed higher binding capacity of the transcriptional factor Sterol regulatory element binding protein1a (SREBP1a) to the ,164T probe in comparison to the ,164C probe. In conclusion, our study indicates that the polymorphism ,164T>C mediates different activities of common MTTP promoter haplotypes via SREBP1a. This suggested that the already described SREBP-dependent modulation of MTTP expression by diet is more effective in ,164T than in ,164C carriers. Hum Mutat 29(1), 123,129, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Effects of different dietary phytase activities on the concentration of antioxidants in the liver of growing broilersJOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 4 2010F. Karadas Summary One-hundred and fifty male chickens were used to evaluate the effects of different activities (0, 250, 500, 12 500 FTU/kg) of phytase on their performance and antioxidant concentration in the liver. The chicks were housed in 30 cages and were allocated to six replicates of five dietary treatments. All diets were formulated to be adequate in energy and protein (12.90 MJ/kg metabolizable energy, 214 g/kg crude protein), however, the negative control (NC) was lower in available P compared with the positive control (PC) (2.5 vs. 4.5 g/kg diet). The other three diets were the NC supplemented with phytase at 250, 500 and 12 500 FTU/kg (NC + 250, NC + 500 and NC + 12 500 FTU respectively). The concentration of antioxidants in the liver of the birds was determined using HPLC at 21 days of age. Low P diets (NC) reduced weight gain, however, supplementation with phytase improved weight gain to the extent that it was better than the PC at the 12 500 FTU treatment (p < 0.05). Feed conversion ratio was also improved by the high level of phytase supplement more than other treatments (p < 0.05). Feed consumption was not affected either by dietary phosphorus concentration or by different phytase supplementation. The antioxidant data showed that the unsupplemented diet with low phosphorus (NC) decreased the concentration of coenzyme Q10 and retinol-linoleate in the liver compared with that of birds on the adequate phosphorus treatment (PC). Phytase supplementation, especially at the higher doses (500 and 12 500 FTU) increased the level of coenzyme Q10 to the same level as the PC treatment. In addition, the highest dose (12 500 FTU) of phytase increased retinol concentration in the liver of chickens compared with those on the NC treatment. The highest inclusion level of phytase increased the ,-tocopherol level in the liver compared with the lower levels of phytase (NC + 250 and NC + 500 FTU). [source] Nurses' experiences of research utilization within the framework of an educational programmeJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 5 2001Kerstin Nilsson Kajermo RN ,,This paper explores nurses' reflections on their experiences of disseminating and implementing research findings in clinical practice within the framework of an educational programme. ,,Ten registered nurses, all in clinical practice, participated in a research-orientated educational programme with the aim of facilitating the dissemination and implementation of research findings in clinical practice. Thus, the programme contained different activities designed to disseminate and implement research findings in the participants' wards. ,,Focus groups were used to collect data and a qualitative content analysis was performed. The main themes that were developed were: organizational and leadership issues; acquiring a new role; responses and reactions by others; and orientation to research. ,,Organizational and leadership issues, nurses' interest in research, nurses' reading habits, and support and feedback from their head nurses and other managers and from their nursing colleagues and physicians were seen as important. ,,This study confirms that research utilization and the change to research-based nursing practice are complex issues which require both organizational and educational efforts. [source] Mood Adjustment via Mass CommunicationJOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION, Issue 2 2003Silvia Knobloch The author has proposed and experimentally tested the mood adjustment approach, complementing mood management theory. Participants were placed in an initial mood and led to anticipate different activities after the waiting period. The upcoming activities were either dynamic or lengthy (arousal) and associated with either pleasure or performance (valence), resulting in a 2 × 2 design. During an ostensible waiting period, participants listened to choices of popular music at their will in a computer-aided procedure. This music taken from the Top 30 charts had been evaluated in a pretest for energy and joyfulness as musical qualities in order to create sets of musical selections that were either low or high in these qualities. In the experiment proper, selective exposure to energetic-joyful music as dependent measure was unobtrusively recorded via software. Results regarding self-exposure across time show that patterns of music listening differ with initial mood and anticipation, lending support to mood adjustment hypotheses. Mood management processes occurred in the beginning of the waiting period, whereas mood adjustment purposes set in toward the anticipated activity. [source] Empowerment to participate: a case study of participation by indian sex workers in HIV preventionJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Flora Cornish Abstract The popularity of ,participation' and ,empowerment' in international development discourse is not matched by sophisticated conceptualisation of these terms. Critics have argued that their vagueness allows ,participation' and ,empowerment' to be used indiscriminately to describe interventions which vary from tokenism to genuine devolving of power to the community. This paper suggests that conceptualising empowerment and participation simply in terms of a scale of ,more or less' participation or ,more or less' empowerment does not capture the qualitatively different forms of empowerment that are necessary for different activities. Instead, the paper conceptualises participation in terms of concrete domains of action in which people may be empowered to take part. An ethnographic case study of a participatory HIV prevention project run by sex workers in Kolkata illustrates the argument. Four domains of activity in which sex workers may participate are distinguished: (1) participating in accessing project services; (2) participating in providing project services; (3) participating in shaping project workers' activity; (4) participating in defining project goals. To be empowered to participate in each domain depends upon a different set of resources. Asking the question ,empowerment to do what?' of health promotion projects is proposed as a way of facilitating appropriate project design. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Connective Ethnography for the Exploration of e-ScienceJOURNAL OF COMPUTER-MEDIATED COMMUNICATION, Issue 2 2007Christine Hine E-science comprises diverse sites, connected in complex and heterogeneous ways. While ethnography is well established as a way of exploring the detail of the knowledge production process, some strategic adaptations are prompted by this spatial complexity of e-science. This article describes a study that focused on the biological discipline of systematics, exploring the ways in which use of a variety of information and communication technologies has become a routine part of disciplinary practice. The ethnography combined observation and interviews within systematics institutions with mailing list participation, exploration of web landscapes, and analysis of expectations around information and communications technologies as portrayed in policy documents. Exploring connections among these different activities offers a means of understanding multiple dimensions of e-science as a focus of practice and policy. It is important when studying e-science to engage critically with claims about the transformative capacity of new technologies and to adopt methodologies that remain agnostic in the face of such claims: A connective approach to ethnography offers considerable promise in this regard. [source] Food Waste Management by Life Cycle Assessment of the Food ChainJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 3 2004THOMAS OHLSSON ABSTRACT: In the past, environmental activities in the food industry used to be focused on meeting the requirements set by authorities on waste and sewage disposal and, more recently, regarding emissions to air. Today environmental issues are considered an essential part of the corporate image in progressive food industries. To avoid sub-optimization, food waste management should involve assessing the environmental impact of the whole food chain. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an ISO-standardized method to assess the environmental impact of a food product. It evaluates the resources used to perform the different activities through the chain of production from raw material to the user step. It also summarizes the emission/waste to air, water, and land from the same activities throughout the chain. These emissions are then related to the major environmental concerns such as eutrophication, acidification, and ecotoxicity, the factors most relevant for the food sector. The food industry uses the LCAs to identify the steps in the food chain that have the largest impact on the environment in order to target the improvement efforts. It is then used to choose among alternatives in the selection of raw materials, packaging material, and other inputs as well as waste management strategies. A large number of food production chains have been assessed by LCAs over the years. This will be exemplified by a comparison of the environmental impact of ecologically grown raw materials to those conventionally grown. Today LCA is often integrated into process and product development, for example, in a project for reduction of water usage and waste valorization in a diversified dairy. [source] GRK1 and GRK7: Unique cellular distribution and widely different activities of opsin phosphorylation in the zebrafish rods and conesJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2006Yasutaka Wada Abstract Retinal cone cells exhibit distinctive photoresponse with a more restrained sensitivity to light and a more rapid shutoff kinetics than those of rods. To understand the molecular basis for these characteristics of cone responses, we focused on the opsin deactivation process initiated by G protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK) 1 and GRK7 in the zebrafish, an animal model suitable for studies on retinal physiology and biochemistry. Screening of the ocular cDNAs identified two homologs for each of GRK1 (1A and 1B) and GRK7 (7,1 and 7,2), and they were classified into three GRK subfamilies, 1 A, 1B and 7 by phylogenetic analysis. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical studies localized both GRK1B and GRK7-1 in the cone outer segments and GRK1A in the rod outer segments. The opsin/GRKs molar ratio was estimated to be 569 in the rod and 153 in the cone. The recombinant GRKs phosphorylated light-activated rhodopsin, and the Vmax value of the major cone subtype, GRK7-1, was 32-fold higher than that of the rod kinase, GRK1A. The reinforced activity of the cone kinase should provide a strengthened shutoff mechanism of the light-signaling in the cone and contribute to the characteristics of the cone responses by reducing signal amplification efficiency. [source] Ligament creep recruits fibres at low stresses and can lead to modulus-reducing fibre damage at higher creep stresses: a study in rabbit medial collateral ligament modelJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, Issue 5 2002G. M. Thornton Ligaments are subjected to a range of loads during different activities in vivo, suggesting that they must resist creep at various stresses. Cyclic and static creep tests of rabbit medial collateral ligament were used as a model to examine creep over a range of stresses in the toe- and linear-regions of the stress,strain curve: 4.1 MPa (n =7), 7.1 MPa (n = 6), 14 MPa (n = 9) and 28 MPa (n = 6). We quantified ligament creep behaviour to determine if, at low stresses, modulus would increase in a cyclic creep test and collagen fibres would be recruited in a static creep test. At higher creep stresses, a decrease in measured modulus was expected to be a potential marker of damage. The increase in modulus during cyclic creep and the increase in strain during static creep were similar between the three toe-region stresses (4.1, 7.1, 14 MPa). However, at the linear-region stress (28 MPa), both these parameters increased significantly compared to the increases at the three toe-region stresses. A concurrent crimp analysis revealed that collagen fibres were recruited during creep, evidenced by decreased area of crimped fibres at the end of the static creep test. Interestingly, a predominance of straightened fibres was observed at the end of the 28 MPa creep test, suggesting a limited potential for fibre recruitment at higher, linear-region stresses. An additional 28 MPa (n = 6) group had mechanically detectable discontinuities in their stress,strain curves during creep that were related to reductions in modulus and suggested fibre damage. These data support the concept that collagen fibre recruitment is a mechanism by which ligaments resist creep at low stresses. At a higher creep stress, which was still only about a third of the failure capacity, damage to some ligaments occurred and was marked by a sudden reduction in modulus. In the cyclic tests, with continued cycling, the modulus increased back to original values obtained before the discontinuity suggesting that other fibres were being recruited to bear load. These results have important implications for our understanding of how fibre recruitment and stress redistribution act in normal ligament to minimize creep and restore modulus after fibre damage. © 2002 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. [source] Development and validation of a ultra performance LC-ESI/MS method for analysis of metabolic phenotypes of healthy men in day and night urine samplesJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 16-17 2008Xijun Wang Abstract Ultra-performance LC coupled to quadrupole TOF/MS (UPLC-QTOF/MS) in positive and negative ESI was developed and validated to analyze metabolite profiles for urine from healthy men during the day and at night. Data analysis using principal components analysis (PCA) revealed differences between metabolic phenotypes of urine in healthy men during the day and at night. Positive ions with mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) 310.24 (5.35 min), 286.24 (4.74 min) and 310.24 (5.63 min) were elevated in the urine from healthy men at night compared to that during the day. Negative ions elevated in day urine samples of healthy men included m/z 167.02 (0.66 min), 263.12 (2.55 min) and 191.03 (0.73 min), whilst ions m/z 212.01 (4.77 min) were at a lower concentration in urine of healthy men during the day compared to that at night. The ions m/z 212.01 (4.77 min), 191.03 (0.73 min) and 310.24 (5.35 min) preliminarily correspond to indoxyl sulfate, citric acid and N -acetylneuraminic acid, providing further support for an involvement of phenotypic difference in urine of healthy men in day and night samples, which may be associated with notably different activities of gut microbiota, velocity of tricarboxylic acid cycle and activity of sialic acid biosynthesis in healthy men as regulated by circadian rhythm of the mammalian bioclock. [source] Solar UV Geometric Conversion Factors: Horizontal Plane to Cylinder Model,PHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Stanley J. Pope Most solar UV measurements are relative to the horizontal plane. However, problems arise when one uses those UV measurements to perform risk or benefit assessments because they do not yield the actual doses people get while they are outdoors. To better estimate the UV doses people actually get while outdoors, scientists need geometric conversion factors (GCF) that change horizontal plane irradiances to average irradiances on the human body. Here we describe a simple geometric method that changes unweighted, erythemally weighted and previtamin D3 -weighted UV irradiances on the horizontal plane to full cylinder and semicylinder irradiances. Scientists can use the full cylinder model to represent the complete human body, while they can use the semicylinder model to represent the face, shoulders, tops of hands and feet. We present daily, monthly and seasonally calculated averages of the GCF for these cylinder models every 5° from 20 to 70°N so that scientists can now get realistic UV doses for people who are outdoors doing a variety of different activities. The GCF show that people actually get less than half their annual erythemally weighted, and consequently half their previtamin D3 -weighted, UV doses relative to the horizontal plane. Thus, scientists can now perform realistic UV risk and benefit assessments. [source] In vitro antioxidant studies and free radical reactions of triphala, an ayurvedic formulation and its constituentsPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 7 2005G. H. Naik Abstract The aqueous extract of the fruits of Emblica officinalis (T1), Terminalia chebula (T2) and Terminalia belerica (T3) and their equiproportional mixture triphala were evaluated for their in vitro antioxidant activity. , -Radiation induced strand break formation in plasmid DNA (pBR322) was effectively inhibited by triphala and its constituents in the concentration range 25,200 µg/mL with a percentage inhibition of T1 (30%,83%), T2 (21%,71%), T3 (8%,58%) and triphala (17%,63%). They also inhibited radiation induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes effectively with IC50 values less than 15 µg/mL. The extracts were found to possess the ability to scavenge free radicals such as DPPH and superoxide. As the phenolic compounds present in these extracts are mostly responsible for their radical scavenging activity, the total phenolic contents present in these extracts were determined and expressed in terms of gallic acid equivalents and were found to vary from 33% to 44%. These studies revealed that all three constituents of triphala are active and they exhibit slightly different activities under different conditions. T1 shows greater efficiency in lipid peroxidation and plasmid DNA assay, while T2 has greater radical scavenging activity. Thus their mixture, triphala, is expected to be more efficient due to the combined activity of the individual components. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effective Safety Management: a Case Study in the Chemical IndustryQUALITY AND RELIABILITY ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2004P. J. M. Sonnemans Abstract A major non-trivial problem within the area of industrial safety management today is to analyse, next to the safety impact of the technical equipment, the safety impact of a ,business process' as currently required by regulation and safety standards. This paper describes a case study of a pesticide company struggling with the question of how to improve the safety of their operational process further and at the same time also improve the reliability of their operational process. According to the literature ,control of the business process' is the keyword to improve the safety and reliability ,performance' of a company. A formal control model is proposed together with a classification system (using maturity levels) to analyse and qualify business processes with respect to their impact on process safety. This method has been applied in a case study where it resulted in a model of a business process. Using the model it was possible to classify the business process control system used and to identify related improvement opportunities. The proposed method showed that, in contrast to the company's perception, it was not the production department that was responsible for most of the problems but the peripheral processes relating to the production department. The interaction between departments caused not only potential safety problems, but also caused system reliability problems. For the company it was demonstrated that the interdependency of the (different activities in the-) operational process is an essential element preventing further improvement if not addressed properly. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A gene regulation system with four distinct expression levelsTHE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue 8 2006Christel Krueger Abstract Background The amount of a particular protein, and not just its presence or absence, frequently determines the outcome of a developmental process or disease progression. These dosage effects can be studied by conditionally expressing such proteins at different levels. With typical gene regulation systems like the Tet-On system, intermediate expression levels can be obtained by varying the effector concentration. However, this strategy is limited to situations in which these concentrations can be precisely controlled and, thus, not suited for animal models or gene therapy approaches. Here, we present a Tet transregulator setup that allows establishment of four levels of promoter activity largely independent of effector concentration. Methods A newly introduced transsilencer is combined with a reverse transactivator. As the regulators respond differentially to tetracycline derivatives, four expression levels are obtained by adding different effectors. To facilitate integration of the components, we generated versatile all-in-one vectors. Apart from a cassette expressing the transregulators and a selection marker, these vectors encode a bidirectional, regulated promoter driving expression of GFP and the gene of interest. The features of this stepwise regulation system were analyzed by transient and stable transfections of human cell lines. Results We demonstrate in a variety of experimental settings that coexpression of these transregulators leads to robust stepwise regulation. Depending on the respective effectors, four expression levels are achieved with different responsive promoters, cell lines and target genes. Conclusions This system shows that a promoter can be adjusted to different activities and provides an excellent strategy to investigate protein dosage effects. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The immediate-early ethylene response gene OsARD1 encodes an acireductone dioxygenase involved in recycling of the ethylene precursor S -adenosylmethionineTHE PLANT JOURNAL, Issue 5 2005Margret Sauter Summary Methylthioadenosine (MTA) is formed as a by-product of ethylene biosynthesis from S -adenosyl- l -methionine (AdoMet). The methionine cycle regenerates AdoMet from MTA. In two independent differential screens for submergence-induced genes and for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)-induced genes from deepwater rice (Oryza sativa L.) we identified an acireductone dioxygenase (ARD). OsARD1 is a metal-binding protein that belongs to the cupin superfamily. Acireductone dioxygenases are unique proteins that can acquire two different activities depending on the metal ion bound. Ectopically expressed apo-OsARD1 preferentially binds Fe2+ and reconstituted Fe-OsARD1 catalyzed the formation of 2-keto-pentanoate and formate from the model substrate 1,2-dihydroxy-3-ketopent-1-ene and dioxygen, indicating that OsARD1 is capable of catalyzing the penultimate step in the methionine cycle. Two highly homologous ARD genes were identified in rice. OsARD1 mRNA levels showed a rapid, early and transient increase upon submergence and after treatment with ethylene-releasing compounds. The second gene from rice, OsARD2, is constitutively expressed. Accumulation of OsARD1 transcript was observed in the same internodal tissues, i.e. the meristem and elongation zone, which were previously shown to synthesize ethylene. OsARD1 transcripts accumulated in the presence of cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, indicating that OsARD1 is a primary ethylene response gene. Promoter analysis suggests that immediate-early regulation of OsARD1 by ethylene may involve an EIN3-like transcription factor. OsARD1 is induced by low levels of ethylene. We propose that early feedback activation of the methionine cycle by low levels of ethylene ensures the high and continuous rates of ethylene synthesis required for long-term ethylene-mediated submergence adaptation without depleting the tissue of AdoMet. [source] Geographical information systems-based models for offshore floating marine fish cage aquaculture site selection in Tenerife, Canary IslandsAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 10 2005Oscar M Pérez Abstract The present study focuses on the development of a standard methodology for selection of suitable sites for offshore (exposed) marine fish-cage farming (floating cages) of seabream (Sparus aurata) and seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in an island environment, using Tenerife as an example. Site selection is a key factor in any aquaculture operation, affecting both success and sustainability and can solve conflicts between different activities, making a rational use of the coastal space. Site selection was achieved by using geographical information systems (GIS)-based models and related technology to support the decision-making process. The framework for spatial multicriteria decision analysis used in this study began with a recognition and definition of the decision problem. Subsequently, 31 production functions (factors and constraints) were identified, defined and subdivided into eight submodels. These were then integrated into a GIS database in the form of thematic layers and later scored for standardization. At this stage, the database was verified by field sampling to establish the quality of data used. The decision maker's preferences were incorporated into the decision model by assigning weights of relative importance to the evaluation under consideration. These, together with the thematic layers, were incorporated using multicriteria evaluation techniques and simple overlays to provide an overall assessment of possible alternatives. The integration, manipulation and presentation of the results by means of GIS-based models in this sequential and logical flow of steps proved to be very effective for helping the decision-making process of site selection. Tenerife has very favourable environmental conditions for culture of marine fish and there are no totally unsuitable sites for cage farming identified in this study. On the other hand, there are few very suitable sites (high scores) either, principally due to the heavy use of the coastline and the conflicts between different users. From the 228 km2 of available area for siting cages in the coastal regions with depth less than 50 m, the total area suitable for siting cages (scores 6,8) was 37 km2. There are only 0.51 km2 of very suitable areas (score 8) and approximately 5.37 km2 of suitable (score 7), most of these being located in the southeast of the island. These relatively small areas of suitability should be put into the context of the wider use of the coastal environment around Tenerife. [source] Effects of textual response prompts for adolescents in a substance abuse treatment programBEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS, Issue 2 2010Sarah Ann Taylor Adolescents in a drug and alcohol treatment facility had behavioral deficits in having essential items ready for organized group adventure activities. Checklists (i.e., textual response prompts) were introduced. The data from five participants showed increases in the percentage of required items ready. Generalization was demonstrated across checklists for different activities, across staff and peer leaders, and a different day of the week. Performance was also maintained when the checklist was removed. It was concluded that the use of checklists can be a reliable and efficient strategy to improve performance in adolescents with a substance abuse history. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Multitasking by Multivalent Circular DNA AptamersCHEMBIOCHEM, Issue 3 2006Daniel A. Di Giusto Abstract Nucleic acid aptamers are finding increasing applications in biology, especially as therapeutic candidates and diagnostic components. An important characteristic in meeting the needs of these applications is improved stability in physiological fluids, which is most often accomplished with chemical modification or unnatural nucleotides. In an alternative approach we have specified the design of a multivalent circular DNA aptamer topology that encompasses a number of properties relevant to nucleic acid therapeutic candidates, especially the ability to multitask by combining different activities together within a modular structure. Improved stability in blood products, greater conformational stability, antidoting by complementary circular antiaptamers, heterovalency, transcription factor decoy activity and minimal unintended effects upon the cellular innate immune response are desirable properties that are described here. Multitasking by circular DNA aptamers could similarly find applications in diagnostics and biomaterials, where the combination of interchangeable modules might generate new functions, such as anticoagulation coupled with reversible cell capture as, described here. These results provide a platform for further exploration of multivalent circular aptamer properties, especially in novel combinations of nucleic acid therapeutic modes. [source] An Approach towards the Quantitative Structure,Activity Relationships of Caffeic Acid and its DerivativesCHEMBIOCHEM, Issue 9 2004Rajeshwar P. Verma Dr. Abstract Caffeic acid and its derivatives are already known to possess a wide range of biological activities. We have developed quantitative structure,activity relationships (QSARs) for different series of caffeic acid derivatives (including caffeic acid) in order to understand the chemical,biological interactions governing antitumor activity against six different tumor cell lines, nitric oxide production, anti-HIV and enzymatic activities, and binding affinity to the lck domain. QSAR results have shown that the different activities of caffeic acid and its derivatives are largely dependent on their hydrophobicity or molar refractivity, with a bilinear correlation being the most important. [source] Disclosure to Parents About Everyday Activities Among American Adolescents From Mexican, Chinese, and European BackgroundsCHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 5 2009Jenny P. Yau Disclosure to parents and reasons for not disclosing different activities were examined in 489 Chinese, Mexican, and European American adolescents (M = 16.37 years, SD = 0.77). With generational status controlled, Chinese American adolescents disclosed less to mothers about personal and multifaceted activities than European Americans and less about personal feelings than other youth, primarily because these acts were considered personal, not harmful, or because parents would not listen or understand. Disclosure regarding prudential behavior was lower among Mexican American than among European American adolescents, primarily due to concerns with parental disapproval. Multigroup path analyses indicated that greater closeness to parents is associated with more disclosure for all youth and activities; associations between family obligation and disclosure varied by domain and ethnicity. [source] Participation in practice: making it meaningful, effective and sustainableCHILDREN & SOCIETY, Issue 2 2004Ruth Sinclair Children's participation in decision-making is complex: it is undertaken for different purposes and is reflected in different levels of involvement, different contexts and different activities. This paper reviews the current state of participation and, drawing on practice and research literature, highlights several aspects of practice where further consideration is needed if participation is to develop positively. This suggests that, if participation is to be more meaningful to children and effective in influencing change, it is necessary to move beyond one-off or isolated participation and consider how participation becomes embedded as an integral part of our relationship with children. [source] Can we differentiate the low-molecular-weight heparins?CLINICAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue S1 2000Alexander G.G. Turpie M.B., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.P., F.R.C.P.(LOND., F.R.C.P.C., GLASG.) Abstract The low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs) have a number of therapeutic advantages, relative to standard unfractionated heparin (UFH). They are readily bioavailable when injected subcutaneously and can be given in fixed doses, allowing for far simpler administration. Several LMWHs are now commercially available, each demonstrating different physical and chemical properties and different activities in animal models of anticoagulation or hemorrhage. in clinical comparisons with placebo in the treatment of unstable coronary artery disease (UCAD), the LMWHs dal-teparin sodium and nadroparin calcium have demonstrated good anticoagulant efficacy. in comparisons with UFH, on the other hand, only enoxaparin has shown superior anticoagulant activity, as reported in the results of the Efficacy and Safety of Subcutaneous Enoxaparin in Non-Q-wave Coronary Events (ESSENCE) and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 1 IB trials. However, close scrutiny of the methodology of the clinical trials in UCAD reveals considerable differences in study designs, dosage regimens, duration of administration of active treatments, and the timing and definition of endpoints. Therefore, it would not be scientifically sound to compare results with the different LMWHs based on the current available studies. It is also not possible to draw any conclusions with regard to the relative efficacy of the different LMWHs, since there are no properly-sized comparative data between dal-teparin sodium, enoxaparin sodium, and nadroparin calcium. [source] Characterization via liquid chromatography coupled to diode array detector and tandem mass spectrometry of supercritical fluid antioxidant extracts of Spirulina platensis microalgaJOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 9-10 2005Jose A. Mendiola Abstract Spirulina platensis microalga has been extracted on a pilot scale plant using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) under various extraction conditions. The extraction yield and the antioxidant activity of the extracts were evaluated in order to select those extracts with both the highest antioxidant capacity and a good extraction yield. These extracts were characterized using LC coupled to diode array detection (DAD) and LC coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) with two different interfaces, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and electrospray (ESI) which allowed us to perform tandem MS by using an ion trap analyzer. The best extraction conditions were as follows: CO2 with 10% of modifier (ethanol) as extraction solvent, 55°C (extraction temperature) and 220 bar (extraction pressure). Fractionation was achieved by cascade depressurization providing two extracts with different activity and chemical composition. Several compounds have been identified in the extracts, corresponding to different carotenoids previously identified in Spirulina platensis microalga along with chlorophyll a and some degradation products. Also, the structure of some phenolic compounds could be tentatively identified. The antioxidant activity of the extracts could be attributed to some of the above mentioned compounds. [source] Screening of Different Titanium (IV) Catalysts in the Synthesis of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)MACROMOLECULAR REACTION ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2008Fatemeh Ahmadnian Abstract The polycondensation of bis(hydroxyethylene) terephthalate and its oligomers to PET catalyzed by different chelated and non-chelated titanium catalysts in a lab-scale stirred-tank reactor and differential scanning calorimeter were investigated. Different titanium compounds showed different activity and selectivity. The nature of catalyst ligands plays an important role in catalyst efficiency. Non-chelated titanium derivatives were more active and less selective. Reaction progress is characterized by an initial inhibition period depending on the type of catalyst. The original titanium compounds used are precursors and are probably activated by a ligand exchange reaction. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||