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Emerging Field (emerging + field)
Selected AbstractsTHE EMERGING FIELDS OF LAPAROENDOSCOPIC SINGLE-SITE SURGERY (LESS) AND NATURAL ORIFICE TRANSLUMINAL ENDOSCOPIC SURGERY (NOTES)BJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 6 2010Article first published online: 18 DEC 200 No abstract is available for this article. [source] Should we measure corporate social responsibility?CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2003Dr Jouni Korhonen This paper is critical towards efforts that try and measure corporate social responsibility (CSR). A critical approach can be important for the development of the theory of the emerging field of corporate social responsibility. A critical and provocative approach can generate discussion and debate. Three main points of critique are presented toward the current efforts in the literature to measure corporate contributions to economic, social and ecological sustainability. First, the use of the concepts of eco-efficiency and eco-efficacy in measuring corporate contributions to sustainability are criticized from the viewpoint of the complementarity relation of human-manufactured capital, natural capital and social sustaining functions. Second, the use of measures that focus on an individual process or an individual company are reconsidered with an approach to industrial and firm networks. Third, the use of the monetary value is reconsidered, e.g. by suggesting an approach based on physical material and energy flows and on a new paradigmatic foundation for social responsibility. The social and ecological indicators illustrating the social and environmental impacts of economic activity and of firms can be combined with economic indicators, but not expressed in monetary terms. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment. [source] Animal Magnetism and Curriculum HistoryCURRICULUM INQUIRY, Issue 2 2007BERNADETTE BAKER ABSTRACT This article elaborates the impact that crises of authority provoked by animal magnetism, mesmerism, and hypnosis in the 19th century had for field formation in American education. Four layers of analysis elucidate how curriculum history's repetitive focus on public school policy and classroom practice became possible. First, the article surveys external conditions of possibility for the enactment of compulsory public schooling. Second, "internal" conditions of possibility for the formation of educational objects (e.g., types of children) are documented via the processes of différance that were generated from within the experiences of confinement. Third, the article maps how these were interpenetrated by animal magnetic debates that were lustered and planished in education's emerging field, including impact upon behavior management practices, the contouring of expertise and authority, the role of Will in intelligence testing and child development theories, and the redefinition of public and private. Last, the article examines implications for curriculum history, whether policy- or practice-oriented, especially around the question of influence, the theorization of child mind, and philosophies of Being. [source] Sleep-related memory consolidation in depression: an emerging field of researchDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 12 2008Orla Patricia Hornung Ph.D. Abstract Sleep-related memory consolidation has received increasing attention in recent years. Because previous research has focused on healthy young adults, only very few studies have been conducted in patients with psychiatric disorders so far. The investigation of sleep-related memory consolidation in depression offers a wide range of future research opportunities and can therefore be regarded as an emerging field of research. This article gives a short overview of current knowledge of sleep-related memory consolidation in healthy young adults and builds a bridge to psychiatry and depression, where further research is urgently needed. Depression and Anxiety, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Parasites in food webs: the ultimate missing linksECOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 6 2008Kevin D. Lafferty Abstract Parasitism is the most common consumer strategy among organisms, yet only recently has there been a call for the inclusion of infectious disease agents in food webs. The value of this effort hinges on whether parasites affect food-web properties. Increasing evidence suggests that parasites have the potential to uniquely alter food-web topology in terms of chain length, connectance and robustness. In addition, parasites might affect food-web stability, interaction strength and energy flow. Food-web structure also affects infectious disease dynamics because parasites depend on the ecological networks in which they live. Empirically, incorporating parasites into food webs is straightforward. We may start with existing food webs and add parasites as nodes, or we may try to build food webs around systems for which we already have a good understanding of infectious processes. In the future, perhaps researchers will add parasites while they construct food webs. Less clear is how food-web theory can accommodate parasites. This is a deep and central problem in theoretical biology and applied mathematics. For instance, is representing parasites with complex life cycles as a single node equivalent to representing other species with ontogenetic niche shifts as a single node? Can parasitism fit into fundamental frameworks such as the niche model? Can we integrate infectious disease models into the emerging field of dynamic food-web modelling? Future progress will benefit from interdisciplinary collaborations between ecologists and infectious disease biologists. [source] Environmental epigenomics in human health and diseaseENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS, Issue 1 2008Dana C. Dolinoy Abstract The epigenome consists of the DNA methylation marks and histone modifications involved in controlling gene expression. It is accurately reproduced during mitosis and can be inherited transgenerationally. The innate plasticity of the epigenome also enables it to be reprogrammed by nutritional, chemical, and physical factors. Imprinted genes and metastable epialleles represent two classes of genes that are particularly susceptible to environmental factors because their regulation is tightly linked to epigenetic mechanisms. To fully understand the etiology of the most devastating diseases that plague humans, the full complexity of the human epigenome will ultimately need to be characterized. Moreover, the elucidation of the interaction of the environment with the epigenome should allow for the development of novel epigenetic-based diagnostic, prevention, and therapeutic strategies for human diseases. Herein, we introduce the emerging field of environmental epigenomics, discuss the importance of imprinted genes and metastable epialleles as epigenetically labile genomic targets, and endorse the genome-wide identification of the full suite of epigenetically labile targets in both the mouse and human genomes. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Human-Animal Bonds I: The Relational Significance of Companion AnimalsFAMILY PROCESS, Issue 4 2009FROMA WALSH PH.D. The importance of human-animal bonds has been documented throughout history, across cultures, and in recent research. However, attachments with companion animals have been undervalued and even pathologized in the field of mental health. This article briefly surveys the evolution of human-animal bonds, reviews research on their health and mental health benefits, and examines their profound relational significance across the life course. Finally, the emerging field of animal-assisted interventions is described, noting applications in hospital and eldercare settings, and in innovative school, prison, farm, and community programs. The aim of this overview paper is to stimulate more attention to these vital bonds in systems-oriented theory, practice, and research. A companion paper in this issue focuses on the role of pets and relational dynamics in family systems and family therapy (Walsh, 2009a). RESUMEN Vínculos entre animales y humanos I: La importancia de los animales de compañía en las relaciones La importancia de los vínculos entre animales y humanos se ha documentado a lo largo de la historia, en distintas culturas, y en investigaciones recientes. Sin embargo, en el campo de la salud mental, el apego a los animales de compañía se ha subestimado e incluso patologizado. En este artículo se estudia brevemente la evolución de los vínculos entre humanos y animales, se analizan las investigaciones acerca de sus beneficios para la salud física y mental, y se examina su profunda importancia para las relaciones en el transcurso de la vida. Finalmente, se describe el campo emergente de las intervenciones asistidas por animales, observando aplicaciones en hospitales y en centros de asistencia para personas mayores así como en programas de escuelas innovadoras, en programas de cárceles, de granjas y comunitarios. El objetivo de este artículo general es estimular más atención a estos vínculos fundamentales en la teoría, la práctica y la investigación orientadas a los sistemas. Hay un artículo complementario en este número que se centra en el rol de las mascotas y la dinámica relacional en los sistemas familiares y la terapia familiar (Walsh, 2009a). Palabras clave: vínculos entre animales y humanos; beneficios para la salud física y mental; vínculos con animales de compañía, mascotas; intervenciones asistidas por animales; aplicaciones en programas terapéuticos [source] Graphene Solution-Gated Field-Effect Transistor Array for Sensing ApplicationsADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 18 2010Markus Dankerl Abstract Graphene, with its unique combination of physical and electronic properties, holds great promise for biosensor and bioelectronic applications. In this respect, the development of graphene solution-gated field-effect transistor (SGFET) arrays capable of operation in aqueous environments will establish the real potential of graphene in this rapidly emerging field. Here, we report on a facile route for the scalable fabrication of such graphene transistor arrays and provide a comprehensive characterization of their operation in aqueous electrolytes. An on-chip structure for Hall-effect measurements allows the direct determination of charge carrier concentrations and mobilities under electrolyte gate control. The effect of the solution-gate potential on the electronic properties of graphene is explained using a model that considers the microscopic structure of water at the graphene/electrolyte interface. The graphene SGFETs exhibit a high transconductance and correspondingly high sensitivity, together with an effective gate noise as low as tens of ,V. Our study demonstrates that graphene SGFETs, with their facile technology, high transconductance, and low noise promise to far outperform state-of-the-art Si-based devices for biosensor and bioelectronic applications. [source] High K Capacitors and OFET Gate Dielectrics from Self-Assembled BaTiO3 and (Ba,Sr)TiO3 Nanocrystals in the Superparaelectric LimitADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 4 2010Limin Huang Abstract Nanodielectrics is an emerging field with applications in capacitors, gate dielectrics, energy storage, alternatives to Li-ion batteries, and frequency modulation in communications devices. Self-assembly of high k dielectric nanoparticles is a highly attractive means to produce nanostructured films with improved performance,namely dielectric tunability, low leakage, and low loss,as a function of size, composition, and structure. One of the major challenges is conversion of the nanoparticle building block into a reliable thin film device at conditions consistent with integrated device manufacturing or plastic electronics. Here, the development of BaTiO3 and (Ba,Sr)TiO3 superparaelectric uniform nanocrystal (8,12,nm) films prepared at room temperature by evaporative driven assembly with no annealing step is reported. Thin film inorganic and polymer composite capacitors show dielectric constants in the tunable range of 10,30, dependent on composition, and are confirmed to be superparaelectric. Organic thin film transistor (TFT) devices on flexible substrates demonstrate the readiness of nanoparticle-assembled films as gate dielectrics in device fabrication. [source] Designed Fabrication of Silica-Based Nanostructured Particle Systems for Nanomedicine Applications,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 23 2008Yuanzhe Piao Abstract Suitably integrating multiple nanomaterials into nanostructured particle systems with specific combinations of properties has recently attracted significant attention in the research community. In particular, numerous particle systems have been designed and fabricated by integrating diverse materials with monodispersed silica nanoparticles. One or more distinct nanomaterials can be assembled on, encapsulated within, or integrated both inside and on the surface of silica nanoparticles using different chemistries and techniques to create multifunctional nanosystems. Research on these particle systems for biomedical applications has progressed rapidly during recent years due to the synergistic advantages of these complexes compared to the use of single components. This feature article surveys recent research progress on the fabrication strategies of these nanoparticle systems and their applications to medical diagnostics and therapy, thereby paving the way for the emerging field of nanomedicine. [source] Psychological capital: A positive resource for combating employee stress and turnoverHUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, Issue 5 2009James B. Avey Abstract Workplace stress is a growing concern for human resource managers. Although considerable scholarly and practical attention has been devoted to stress management over the years, the time has come for new perspectives and research. Drawing from the emerging field of positive organizational behavior, this study offers research findings with implications for combating occupational stress. Specifically, data from a large sample of working adults across a variety of industries suggest that psychological capital (the positive resources of efficacy, hope, optimism, and resilience) may be key to better understanding the variation in perceived symptoms of stress, as well as intentions to quit and job search behaviors. The article concludes with practical strategies aimed at leveraging and developing employees' psychological capital to help them better cope with workplace stress. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] One-Dimensional Conducting Polymer Nanostructures: Bulk Synthesis and ApplicationsADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 14-15 2009Henry D. Tran Abstract This Progress Report provides a brief overview of current research activities in the field of one-dimensional (1D) conducting polymer nanostructures. The synthesis, properties, and applications of these materials are outlined with a strong emphasis on recent literature examples. Chemical methods that can produce 1D nanostructures in bulk quantities are discussed in the context of two different strategies: 1) procedures that rely on a nanoscale template or additive not inherent to the polymer and 2) those that do not. The different sub-classifications of these two strategies are delineated and the virtues and vices of each area are discussed. Following this discussion is an outline of the properties and applications of 1D conducting polymer nanostructures. This section focuses on applications in which nanostructured conducting polymers are clearly advantageous over their conventional counterparts. We conclude with our perspective on the main challenges and future research directions for this new class of nanomaterials. This Progress Report is not intended as a comprehensive review of the field, but rather a summary of select contributions that we feel will provide the reader with a strong basis for further investigation into this fast emerging field. [source] Ultrathin Nanowires,A Materials Chemistry Perspective,ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 9 2009Ludovico Cademartiri Abstract The recent years have seen an explosive interest in one-dimensional nanostructures1, as testified by the number of citations this field has accrued; as customary, its blossoming was enabled by chemical breakthroughs that allowed the reproducible and affordable synthesis of such structures.2, 3 The limitations of those syntheses was in the diameter of the nanowires that it could produce (hardly,<,10,nm), and in the use of expensive and low-yield techniques, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD). This paper attempts to summarize the very recent chemical breakthroughs that have allowed the production of ultrathin nanowires, often in solution, and often in gram-scale quantities. By no means is this a comprehensive coverage of the field, which can in part be found in other excellent reviews1, 2, 4,6 but a selection of those contributions that we feel would most help put this emerging field in perspective. We will review the various synthetic strategies, their pros and cons, and we will give our best guesses as to the future directions of the field and what we can expect from it. [source] Telemedicine and teledermatology: Past, present and futureJOURNAL DER DEUTSCHEN DERMATOLOGISCHEN GESELLSCHAFT, Issue 2 2008Elisabeth M.T. Wurm Summary Telemedicine is an emerging field within medicine with potential to revolutionize the delivery of health care. It is defined as the use of telecommunication technologies to transfer medical information.Teledermatology is a category of telemedicine. Early experiments were already made at the beginning of the 20th century, the breakthrough happened in the nineties because of the rapid progress of telecommunication technology. The latest advance is mobile telemedicine which is characterized by the use of mobile devices such as mobile phone and PDA (personal digital assistant).Advantages of telemedicine are the possibility of remote patient-care as well as the easy and fast access to expert opinions and education. This can either happen through exchange of previously stored data/images (store-and-forward method) or in real time. Since our society is increasingly becoming interconnected via technical advances, it is essential that medicine also has an objective understanding of the topic. [source] Theoretical substruction: establishing links between theory and measurement of military women's attitudes towards menstrual suppression during military operationsJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 7 2009Lori L. Trego Abstract Title.,Theoretical substruction: establishing links between theory and measurement of military women's attitudes towards menstrual suppression during military operations. Aim., The aim of this paper is to establish a theoretical model for the exploration of the phenomenon of menstruation and women's attitudes towards menstrual suppression during military operations. Background., In the emerging field of literature that explores menstruation among military women, there are indications that menstrual symptoms and hygiene are problematic under the circumstances of deployment to military operations. While menstrual suppression may be a solution to problems that women encounter with menstruation during deployment, there is little research exploring the phenomenon. Data sources., CINAHL and Medline were used to locate peer reviewed journal papers published from 1977 to 2007. International military reports were obtained through an internet search engine (GoogleÔ). Discussion., Issues that military women encounter surrounding menstruation during deployment are framed according to components of human ecology and social ecology theories, creating a theoretical model for the study of military women's menstrual health. Theoretical substruction is then used to evaluate the proposed theoretical and operational systems for measuring military women's attitudes during deployment. The process of theoretical substruction validates the model and the theoretical integrity of the proposed research on women's attitudes towards suppression. Conclusion., A theory-based model for women's health under challenging environmental conditions will enhance the holistic consideration of women's health issues by care providers. The theoretical model clearly explicates the phenomenon of menstruation during deployment and the theoretical and operational systems are soundly linked in the proposed measurement model of military women's attitudes towards menstrual suppression. [source] Research Agenda for Frailty in Older Adults: Toward a Better Understanding of Physiology and Etiology: Summary from the American Geriatrics Society/National Institute on Aging Research Conference on Frailty in Older AdultsJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 6 2006Jeremy Walston MD Evolving definitions of frailty, and improved understanding of molecular and physiological declines in multiple systems that may increase vulnerability in frail, older adults has encouraged investigators from many disciplines to contribute to this emerging field of research. This article reports on the results of the 2004 American Geriatrics Society/National Institute on Aging conference on a Research Agenda on Frailty in Older Adults, which brought together a diverse group of clinical and basic scientists to encourage further investigation in this area. This conference was primarily focused on physical and physiological aspects of frailty. Although social and psychological aspects of frailty are critically important and merit future research, these topics were largely beyond the scope of this meeting. Included in this article are sections on the evolving conceptualization and definitions of frailty; physiological underpinnings of frailty, including the potential contributions of inflammatory, endocrine, skeletal muscle, and neurologic system changes; potential molecular and genetic contributors; proposed animal models; and integrative, system biology approaches that may help to facilitate future frailty research. In addition, several specific recommendations as to future directions were developed from suggestions put forth by participants, including recommendations on definition and phenotype development, methodological development to perform clinical studies of individual-system and multiple-system vulnerability to stressors, development of animal and cellular models, application of population-based studies to frailty research, and the development of large collaborative networks in which populations and resources can be shared. This meeting and subsequent article were not meant to be a comprehensive review of frailty research; instead, they were and are meant to provide a more-targeted research agenda-setting process. [source] Future eating and country keeping: what role has environmental history in the management of biodiversity?JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 5 2001D.M.J.S. Bowman In order to understand and moderate the effects of the accelerating rate of global environmental change land managers and ecologists must not only think beyond their local environment but also put their problems into a historical context. It is intuitively obvious that historians should be natural allies of ecologists and land managers as they struggle to maintain biodiversity and landscape health. Indeed, ,environmental history' is an emerging field where the previously disparate intellectual traditions of ecology and history intersect to create a new and fundamentally interdisciplinary field of inquiry. Environmental history is rapidly becoming an important field displacing many older environmentally focused academic disciplines as well as capturing the public imagination. By drawing on Australian experience I explore the role of ,environmental history' in managing biodiversity. First I consider some of the similarities and differences of the ecological and historical approaches to the history of the environment. Then I review two central questions in Australian environment history: landscape-scale changes in woody vegetation cover since European settlement and the extinction of the marsupials in both historical and pre-historical time. These case studies demonstrate that environmental historians can reach conflicting interpretations despite using essentially the same data. The popular success of some environmental histories hinges on the fact that they narrate a compelling story concerning human relationships and human value judgements about landscape change. Ecologists must learn to harness the power of environmental history narratives to bolster land management practices designed to conserve biological heritage. They can do this by using various currently popular environmental histories as a point of departure for future research, for instance by testing the veracity of competing interpretations of landscape-scale change in woody vegetation cover. They also need to learn how to write parables that communicate their research findings to land managers and the general public. However, no matter how sociologically or psychologically satisfying a particular environmental historical narrative might be, it must be willing to be superseded with new stories that incorporate the latest research discoveries and that reflects changing social values of nature. It is contrary to a rational and publicly acceptable approach to land management to read a particular story as revealing the absolute truth. [source] Hot topics in aging research: protein translation, 2009AGING CELL, Issue 6 2009Brian K. Kennedy Summary In the last few years, links between regulation of mRNA translation and aging have been firmly established in invertebrate model organisms. This year, a possible relationship between mRNA translation and aging in mammals has been established with the report that rapamycin increases lifespan in mice. Other significant findings have connected translation control with other known longevity pathways and provided fodder for mechanistic hypotheses. Here, we summarize advances in this emerging field and raise questions for future studies. [source] The evolution of trade-offs: where are we?JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2007D. A. ROFF Abstract Trade-offs are a core component of many evolutionary models, particularly those dealing with the evolution of life histories. In the present paper, we identify four topics of key importance for studies of the evolutionary biology of trade-offs. First, we consider the underlying concept of ,constraint'. We conclude that this term is typically used too vaguely and suggest that ,constraint' in the sense of a bias should be clearly distinguished from ,constraint' in the sense of proscribed combinations of traits or evolutionary trajectories. Secondly, we address the utility of the acquisition,allocation model (the ,Y-model'). We find that, whereas this model and its derivatives have provided new insights, a misunderstanding of the pivotal equation has led to incorrect predictions and faulty tests. Thirdly, we ask how trade-offs are expected to evolve under directional selection. A quantitative genetic model predicts that, under weak or short-term selection, the intercept will change but the slope will remain constant. Two empirical tests support this prediction but these are based on comparisons of geographic populations: more direct tests will come from artificial selection experiments. Finally, we discuss what maintains variation in trade-offs noting that at present little attention has been given to this question. We distinguish between phenotypic and genetic variation and suggest that the latter is most in need of explanation. We suggest that four factors deserving investigation are mutation-selection balance, antagonistic pleiotropy, correlational selection and spatio-temporal variation, but as in the other areas of research on trade-offs, empirical generalizations are impeded by lack of data. Although this lack is discouraging, we suggest that it provides a rich ground for further study and the integration of many disciplines, including the emerging field of genomics. [source] The burgeoning field of statistical phylogeographyJOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004L. L. Knowles Abstract In the newly emerging field of statistical phylogeography, consideration of the stochastic nature of genetic processes and explicit reference to theoretical expectations under various models has dramatically transformed how historical processes are studied. Rather than being restricted to ad hoc explanations for observed patterns of genetic variation, assessments about the underlying evolutionary processes are now based on statistical tests of various hypotheses, as well as estimates of the parameters specified by the models. A wide range of demographical and biogeographical processes can be accommodated by these new analytical approaches, providing biologically more realistic models. Because of these advances, statistical phylogeography can provide unprecedented insights about a species' history, including decisive information about the factors that shape patterns of genetic variation, species distributions, and speciation. However, to improve our understanding of such processes, a critical examination and appreciation of the inherent difficulties of historical inference and challenges specific to testing phylogeographical hypotheses are essential. As the field of statistical phylogeography continues to take shape many difficulties have been resolved. Nonetheless, careful attention to the complexities of testing historical hypotheses and further theoretical developments are essential to improving the accuracy of our conclusions about a species' history. [source] Neuronal protection by sirtuins in Alzheimer's diseaseJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2006Thimmappa S. Anekonda Abstract Silent information regulator 2, a member of NAD+ -dependent histone deacetylase in yeast, and its homologs in mice and humans, participate in numerous important cell functions, including cell protection and cell cycle regulation. The sirtuin family members are highly conserved evolutionarily, and are predicted to have a role in cell survival. The science of sirtuins is an emerging field and is expected to contribute significantly to the role of sirtuins in healthy aging in humans. The role of sirtuins in neuronal protection has been studied in lower organisms, such as yeast, worms, flies and rodents. Both yeast Sir2 and mammalian sirtuin proteins are up-regulated under calorie-restricted and resveratrol treatments. Increased sirtuin expression protects cells from various insults. Caloric restriction and antioxidant treatments have shown useful effects in mouse models of aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in limited human AD clinical trials. The role sirtuins may play in modifying and protecting neurons in patients with neurodegenerative diseases is still unknown. However, a recent report of Huntington's disease revealed that Sirtuin protects neurons in a Huntington's disease mouse model, suggesting that sirtuins may protect neurons in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, such as AD. In this review, we discuss the possible mechanisms of sirtuins involved in neuronal protection and the potential therapeutic value of sirtuins in healthy aging and AD. [source] Wet granulation in a twin-screw extruder: Implications of screw designJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 4 2010M.R. Thompson Abstract Wet granulation in twin-screw extrusion machinery is an attractive technology for the continuous processing of pharmaceuticals. The performance of this machinery is integrally tied to its screw design yet little fundamental knowledge exists in this emerging field for granulation to intelligently create, troubleshoot, and scale-up such processes. This study endeavored to systematically examine the influence of different commercially available screw elements on the flow behavior and granulation mechanics of lactose monohydrate saturated at low concentration (5,12%, w/w) with an aqueous polyvinyl-pyrrolidone binder. The results of the work showed that current screw elements could be successfully incorporated into designs for wet granulation, to tailor the particle size as well as particle shape of an agglomerate product. Conveying elements for cohesive granular flows were shown to perform similar to their use in polymer processing, as effective transport units with low specific mechanical energy input. The conveying zones provided little significant change to the particle size or shape, though the degree of channel fill in these sections had a significant influence on the more energy-intensive mixing elements studied. The standard mixing elements for this machine, kneading blocks and comb mixers, were found to be effective for generating coarser particles, though their mechanisms of granulation differed significantly. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 99: 2090,2103, 2010 [source] Should we be ,pushing meds'?JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 5 2008The implications of pharmacogenomics Medication continues to be the most widely prescribed treatment in the NHS for mental health problems. It has been known for many years that individuals differ in the way they respond to a given pharmaceutical therapy, and one reason for this lies in the genetic variation between individuals. This paper recognizes the impact that pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics are having in the field of mental health. Variants in genes that code for the drug metabolizing enzymes in the liver have been found to influence the way in which these enzymes handle psychotropic medication. Individuals can be classified as poor, moderate or extensive metabolizers when standard regimes are used, and this can lead to huge differences in therapeutic effect and toxicity. There are now genotyping tests available which provide information on the individual's ability to metabolize psychotropic medication. One author provides an account of the effects of medication on her son's physical and psychological well-being. Genotyping provided evidence for his poor metabolism of psychotropic medication, and his life is now changing as he is being very gradually weaned off this medication. This emerging field of work has implications for the way in which practitioners consider medication adherence. [source] The discovery of genes implicated in myocardial infarctionJOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 2009W. H. OUWEHAND Summary., The era of Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) commenced in 2007 with the study of the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) which for the first time ever showed that risk loci can be identified by scanning the complete genome for sequence variation in large numbers of cases of disease and healthy controls. We and others have expanded on this effort and successfully identified the first 11 risk loci for myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary artery disease (CAD). Studies on quantitative traits provide an alternative approach to identify MI/CAD risk loci. This review captures the early successes in the emerging field of disease genomics. [source] Mind, Brain, and Education: Building a Scientific Groundwork for Learning and Teaching1MIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION, Issue 1 2009Kurt W. Fischer ABSTRACT, The primary goal of the emerging field of Mind, Brain, and Education is to join biology, cognitive science, development, and education in order to create a sound grounding of education in research. The growing, worldwide movement needs to avoid the myths and distortions of popular conceptions of brain and genetics and build on the best integration of research with practice, creating a strong infrastructure that joins scientists with educators to study effective learning and teaching in educational settings. Science and practice together provide many potentially powerful tools to improve education. Neuroscience and genetics make possible analysis of the "black box" of biological processes that underpin learning. Understanding the biology of abilities and disabilities helps educators and parents to facilitate individual students' learning and development. Cognitive science provides analyses of the mental models/metaphors that pervade meaning making in human cultures, creating tools for avoiding unconscious distortions and crafting effective educational tools. Developmental and learning science produce tools to analyze learning pathways, including both shared patterns and learning differences. To reach the potential of grounding education effectively in research requires improving the infrastructure by creating (a) research schools where practice and science jointly shape educational research, (b) shared databases on learning and development, and (c) a new profession of educational engineers or translators to facilitate connecting research with practice and policy. [source] THE STATE OF THE FIELD: Combining contemporary and ancient DNA in population genetic and phylogeographical studiesMOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 5 2010MIGUEL NAVASCUÉS Abstract The analysis of ancient DNA in a population genetic or phylogeographical framework is an emerging field, as traditional analytical tools were largely developed for the purpose of analysing data sampled from a single time point. Markov chain Monte Carlo approaches have been successfully developed for the analysis of heterochronous sequence data from closed panmictic populations. However, attributing genetic differences between temporal samples to mutational events between time points requires the consideration of other factors that may also result in genetic differentiation. Geographical effects are an obvious factor for species exhibiting geographical structuring of genetic variation. The departure from a closed panmictic model require researchers to either exploit software developed for the analysis of isochronous data, take advantage of simulation approaches using algorithms developed for heterochronous data, or explore approximate Bayesian computation. Here, we review statistical approaches employed and available software for the joint analysis of ancient and modern DNA, and where appropriate we suggest how these may be further developed. [source] Perspectives on Global-Change ArchaeologyAMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST, Issue 1 2007DONALD L. HARDESTY In this article, I explore the characteristics of global-change archaeology as an emerging field of research. Global-change archaeology seeks to document and apply historical knowledge of past human,environmental interactions to the understanding of contemporary environmental problems and management and planning for future sustainability. It takes place within an interdisciplinary research structure and is situated within the explanatory contexts of historical science and humanistic history with close links to historical and political ecology. Both history and agency play important roles in the practice of global-change archaeology. Past human decision making in the context of cultural attitudes and perceptions also has a significant role in the archaeology of global change. [source] Meaning-making in the aftermath of sudden infant death syndromeNURSING INQUIRY, Issue 3 2006Guenther Krueger The reconstruction of meaning in the aftermath of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is part of the grieving process but has to date been poorly understood. Earlier theorists including Freud, Bowlby and Kübler-Ross provided a foundation for what occurs during this time using stage theories. More recent researchers, often using qualitative techniques, have provided a more complex and expanded view that enhances our knowledge of meaning reconstruction following infant loss. This overview of representative contemporary authors compares and contrasts them with the longstanding models that are being supplanted within the emerging field of thanatology. Understanding parental reactions within this new framework can help healthcare professionals in dealing with those affected by SIDS and provide a more empathic and sensitive approach to individual differences. Parents' own accounts of their post-SIDS experience are consistent with these newer theories. Comprehending how parents cope and reconstruct their lives is an important element in providing appropriate psychological support services. [source] Application of Telemedicine in a Pain Clinic: The Changing Face of Medical PracticePAIN MEDICINE, Issue 4 2000Rouzanna Burton MS Telemedicine systems aim to provide quality health care services to persons whose access is otherwise restricted by geography and environment. The military medical department has a unique mission to provide all medical care for the battlefields and peacekeeping missions anywhere in the world. In addition, the medical department has to ensure the health of all soldiers, family members, and retirees during peacetime. Hospital closures coupled with a decreased number of military physicians have left many health care beneficiaries without readily available specialty care. They face long waiting lists or incur high out-of-pocket expenses in order to see medical specialists. As a result of the establishment of a virtual Telepain clinic, 56,400 miles were saved in patient and clinician travel. Use of technologies in the emerging field of telemedicine has lead to the creation of numerous military and civilian medical applications such as virtual dermatology, virtual psychiatry, virtual cardiology, virtual nuclear medicine/radiology, virtual pharmacology, and in future, virtual dentistry and ophthalmology. [source] Cosmic walk: awakening the ecological selfPSYCHOTHERAPY AND POLITICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2003Hilary Prentice Abstract This paper introduces the emerging field of ecopsychology, one strand within the ,cognitive, spiritual and perceptual revolution' that is part of our possible transition to a sustainable and just global society. It begins by telling some of the 15-billion-year story of our universe, setting the largest possible context for asking the question ,what are we doing to the rest of life on this planet, and to ourselves?' and explores the reuniting of psychology with ecology, psyche with earth, human with ,nature', science with humanities. The split between these polarities and the domination of one by the other is presented as pivotal for our currently unsustainable mode of living, analogous to relationships of oppression between humans. ,Despair and empowerment' work is discussed as a response to psychic numbing of our feelings about the devastation of our planet. Other models for the ,psychopathology of the human/nature relationship' are also briefly discussed. The paper concludes by sketching some of the wide range of ecopsychological initiatives currently taking place, and inviting readers to add to these. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||