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Selected AbstractsColloidal soft matter as drug delivery systemJOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2009Giulia Bonacucina Abstract Growing interest is being dedicated to soft matter because of its potential in delivering any type of drugs. Since hydrophilic, lipophilic, small and big molecules can be loaded into these colloidal systems and administered through the parenteral or nonparenteral route, soft matter systems have been used to solve many biomedical and pharmaceutical problems. In fact, they make possible to overcome difficulties in the formulation and delivery of poorly water-soluble drug molecules, settle some stability issues typical of biological drug molecules, design parenteral sustained release forms and provide functionalized soft particles that are very effective in drug targeting. This review deals with the important role that colloids play in the drug delivery and targeting, with particular attention to the more currently used systems such as microemulsions, organogels, liposomes, micelles, and dendrimers. Though significant progress has been made in drug targeting, some challenges still remain. Further efforts will be required to better understand the characteristics of targets and to discover new ones. In-depth knowledge of the physico-chemical structure and properties of the systems used for targeting is fundamental for understanding the mechanism of interaction with the biological substrate and the consequent drug release. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 98:1,42, 2009 [source] Segmental nature of the porcine liver and its potential as a model for experimental partial hepatectomy,BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue 4 2003F. G. Court Background: In-depth knowledge of pig liver anatomy allows potential research into segmental liver resections and hepatic regeneration, as well as liver transplantation techniques. The segmental anatomy, however, remains largely unknown. This study aimed to delineate the segmental anatomy of the porcine liver in comparison with that of the human. Methods: The segmental anatomy of the porcine liver was determined using acrylic injection casting of ex vivo pig livers, allowing the arterial, venous and biliary supply to be visualized directly. This was correlated using multi-slice computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional reconstructions. Results: Although the external morphology of the porcine liver differs from that of the human, the segmental anatomy is remarkably similar in term of its vascularity and biliary tree. Conclusion: Acrylic casting of the porcine liver accurately delineates the vascular and biliary anatomy, and is a useful tool for performing experimental liver surgery. The similarities between porcine and human segmental anatomy allow domestic swine to be used as a comparable model. Three-dimensional CT reconstructions can also accurately visualize the anatomy and may be used to perform virtual surgery, or to assess segmental volumes. Copyright © 2003 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Osteopontin and the skin: multiple emerging roles in cutaneous biology and pathologyEXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 9 2009Franziska Buback Abstract:, Osteopontin (OPN) is a glycoprotein expressed by various tissues and cells. The existence of variant forms of OPN as a secreted (sOPN) and intracellular (iOPN) protein and its modification through post-translational modification and proteolytic cleavage explain its broad range of functions. There is increasing knowledge which receptors OPN isoforms can bind to and which signaling pathways are activated to mediate different OPN functions. sOPN interacts with integrins and CD44, mediates cell adhesion, migration and tumor invasion, and has T helper 1 (Th1) cytokine functions and anti-apoptotic effects. iOPN has been described to regulate macrophage migration and interferon-, secretion in plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Both sOPN and iOPN, through complex functions for different dendritic cell subsets, participate in the regulation of Th cell lineages, among them Th17 cells. For skin disease, OPN from immune cells and tumor cells is of pathophysiological relevance. OPN is secreted in autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus, and influences inflammation of immediate and delayed type allergies and granuloma formation. We describe that OPN is overexpressed in psoriasis and propose a model to study OPN function in psoriatic inflammation. Through cytokine functions, OPN supports immune responses against Mycobacteria and viruses such as herpes simplex virus. OPN is also implicated in skin tumor progression. Overexpression of OPN influences invasion and metastasis of melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma cells, and OPN expression in melanoma is a possible prognostic marker. As OPN protein preparations and anti-OPN antibodies may be available in the near future, in-depth knowledge of OPN functions may open new therapeutic approaches for skin diseases. [source] Physiological characteristics of the biocontrol yeast Pichia anomala J121FEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 3 2002Elisabeth Fredlund Abstract The yeast Pichia anomala J121 prevents mold spoilage and enhances preservation of moist grain in malfunctioning storage systems. Development of P. anomala J121 as a biocontrol agent requires in-depth knowledge about its physiology. P. anomala J121 grew under strictly anaerobic conditions, at temperatures between 3°C and 37°C, at pH values between 2.0 and 12.4, and at a water activity of 0.92 (NaCl) and 0.85 (glycerol). It could assimilate a wide range of C- and N-sources and produce killer toxin. A selective medium containing starch, nitrate, acetic acid, and chloramphenicol was developed for P. anomala. P. anomala was equally sensitive as Candida albicans to common antifungal compounds. Growth ability at a range of environmental conditions contributes to the competitive ability of the biocontrol yeast P. anomala J121. [source] Pediatric Short Bowel Syndrome: Pathophysiology, Nursing Care, and Management IssuesJOURNAL FOR SPECIALISTS IN PEDIATRIC NURSING, Issue 3 2000Louise D. Jakubik ISSUES AND PURPOSE. A comprehensive overview of the etiology, pathophysiology, nursing care, and medical and surgical management of the child with short bowel syndrome (SBS), which follows massive anatomical or functional loss of the small intestine. CONCLUSIONS. The outlook for children with SBS has improved due to recent advances in parenteral and enteral nutrition, pharmacologic interventions, and surgical options. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Nurses whose practice reflects an in-depth knowledge of the etiology, pathophysiology, medical and surgical management, nursing interventions, and complications of SBS will be equipped to provide quality care for children and families affected by SBS. [source] Nurse practitioner,client interaction as resource exchange in a women's health clinic: an exploratory studyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 5 2003Rebecca K. Donohue PhD Summary ,,Empirical research has thoroughly documented the success of nurse practitioners (NPs) in terms of patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness. What is missing is the in-depth knowledge of the interactive process through which this is accomplished during a clinic visit. ,,The aim of this study was to understand the special nature and processes of NP and client encounters in the ambulatory primary care context using a resource exchange perspective. ,,An exploratory descriptive design was used to address the following research questions: (i) What do midlife female clients expect in terms of resources to be exchanged prior to a visit with a NP in an ambulatory clinic visit? (ii) What resources are actually exchanged during the clinic visit? (iii) To what extent is there congruence between a woman's expectations and what she is actually receiving from the clinic visit in terms of resources exchanged? ,,The participants included two women health NPs and eight midlife female clients. ,,Data for the study were comprised of audiotaped pre- and postencounter interviews with the clients, audiotapes of the entire clinic visits with the NP and field notes recorded by the researcher of the client visits. Content analysis was conducted using ETHNOGRAPH software. ,,Findings indicated that clients of both NPs had surprisingly similar expectations of receipt of services as well as actual receipt of services. Resources expected and received from the visits included some combination of services, health information, trust, self-disclosure, support, affirmation, time, acceptance and respect. ,,Results of this study suggest that resource exchange theoretical formulations can be applied to NP,client interactions to understand and explain the specific nature of resources the clients expect and receive from a NP during a woman's health clinic visit. [source] The Inside Track: On the Important (But Neglected) Role of Customers in the Resource-Based View of Strategy and Firm Growth*JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 8 2005Ivo Zander abstract This paper argues for the important role of customers as a source of competitive advantage and firm growth, an issue which has been largely neglected in the resource-based view of the firm. It conceptualizes Penrose's (1959) notion of an ,inside track' and illustrates how in-depth knowledge about established customers combines with joint problem-solving activities and the rapid assimilation of new and previously unexploited skills and resources. It is suggested that the inside track represents a distinct and perhaps underestimated way of generating rents and securing long-term growth. This also implies that the sources of sustainable competitive advantage in important respects can be sought in idiosyncratic interfirm relationships rather than within the firm itself. [source] A preliminary analysis of narratives on the impact of training in solution-focused therapy expressed by students having completed a 6-month training courseJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2010S. SMITH ba (hons) ba pgctlt rmn rnt fhea Accessible summary ,,Students who participated in a six month training course in SFBT reported significant changes in their relationships with clients. ,,They reported increased trust in clients as people, increased confidence in their own professional role, and increased enthusiasm for working with clients. ,,Students demonstrated an in-depth knowledge and understanding of solution focused principles and practice, enabling them to own their practice and respond creatively to individual clients. ,,It is suggested that substantive training in solution focused brief therapy may help to enhance the professional role and cultural identity of participants, particularly those from a nursing background. Abstract Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is a therapeutic approach utilized in a wide variety of settings. Its roots are in systemic and family therapy, and the emphasis in practice is on helping clients identify what their life will be like when they no longer have their problem, and how close they are to experiencing that situation now. The literature suggests that SFBT is at least as effective as other forms of psychotherapy. This pilot-study explored the impact of a training course in SFBT on the nurses who took part. Interviews were carried out with participants (n= 8) and narrative accounts were analysed and grouped according to emerging themes. Three major themes were perceived; Trust in clients, Positivity and Confidence, and these were supported by interconnected minor themes relating to the eclectic use of the approach, the use of language within the approach, and the application of SFBT in wider life. It is argued that training in SFBT may have a positive impact on the therapeutic and professional role of nurses, and that further studies are required to explore the impact of SFBT training on the professional and cultural identity of nurses. [source] GIS-Based Predictive Models of Hillslope Runoff Generation Processes,JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION, Issue 4 2009Mansour D. Leh Abstract:, Successful nonpoint source pollution control using best management practice placement is a complex process that requires in-depth knowledge of the locations of runoff source areas in a watershed. Currently, very few simulation tools are capable of identifying critical runoff source areas on hillslopes and those available are not directly applicable under all runoff conditions. In this paper, a comparison of two geographic information system (GIS)-based approaches: a topographic index model and a likelihood indicator model is presented, in predicting likely locations of saturation excess and infiltration excess runoff source areas in a hillslope of the Savoy Experimental Watershed located in northwest Arkansas. Based on intensive data collected from a two-year field study, the spatial distributions of hydrologic variables were processed using GIS software to develop the models. The likelihood indicator model was used to produce probability surfaces that indicated the likelihood of location of both saturation and infiltration excess runoff mechanisms on the hillslope. Overall accuracies of the likelihood indicator model predictions varied between 81 and 87% for the infiltration excess and saturation excess runoff locations respectively. On the basis of accuracy of prediction, the likelihood indicator models were found to be superior (accuracy 81-87%) to the predications made by the topographic index model (accuracy 69.5%). By combining statistics with GIS, runoff source areas on a hillslope can be identified by incorporating easily determined hydrologic measurements (such as bulk density, porosity, slope, depth to bed rock, depth to water table) and could serve as a watershed management tool for identifying critical runoff source areas in locations where the topographic index or other similar methods do not provide reliable results. [source] Sediment dynamics and pollutant mobility in rivers: An interdisciplinary approachLAKES & RESERVOIRS: RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 1 2004Ulrich Förstner Abstract Characteristic dynamic features of sediment-related processes in rivers include dramatic effects of stormwater events on particle transport, rapid and far-reaching effects of sulphide oxidation during resuspension, and biological accumulation and potential release of toxic chemicals. Pollutant mobility is the net result of the stabilizing and mobilizing effects in both hydraulic and chemical fields. In practice, emphasis has to be given to fine-grained sediments and suspended matter as these materials exhibit large surface areas and high sorption capacities. Organic materials are highly reactive. Degradation of organic matter will induce oxygen depletion and might enhance formation of flocs and biofilms. Study of variations of sediment and water chemistry should predominantly include changes of pH and redox conditions, competition of dissolved ions and processes such as complexation by organic substances. Major questions relate to the potential reduction of sorption sites on minerals and degradation of organic carrier materials. All these processes will influence solution/solid equilibrium conditions and have to be studied prior to modelling the overall effects of pollutants on the water body and aquatic ecosystems. With respect to handling and remediation of contaminated river sediments, either in-place or excavated, a chemical and biological characterization of the material, of the (disposal) site and of the long-term processes is crucial. Passive techniques (e.g. in situ stabilization, subaqueous capping) provide economic advantages as there are no operation costs following their installation. However, the success of these ecological and geochemical engineering approaches is mainly based on an in-depth knowledge of the underlying processes. [source] What can clinical teachers learn from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone?MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 12 2002Jennifer J Conn Many clinical teachers acquire a working knowledge of the principles of teaching and learning through observation, by adopting positive and rejecting negative examples of clinical instruction. Well selected vignettes of teaching behaviours taken from contemporary film and literature may provide rich substrate by which to engage clinical teachers in discourse about instructional technique. This paper draws on J K Rowling's novel and its companion film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and critically analyses the teaching styles of the staff at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft in the context of contemporary generic and medical education literature. Specifically, it argues that effective teachers demonstrate not only an in-depth knowledge of their discipline but possess a keen appreciation of the cognitive changes that occur in their students during the learning process. They are, furthermore, proficient in core instructional skills such as small group facilitation, feedback and questioning. Most importantly, effective teachers model appropriate attitudes in their professional setting and possess highly developed personal qualities such as creativity, flexibility and enthusiasm. [source] Complexities of indigeneity and autochthony: An African exampleAMERICAN ETHNOLOGIST, Issue 1 2009Michaela Pelican ABSTRACT In this article, I deal with the complexities of "indigeneity" and "autochthony," two distinct yet closely interrelated concepts used by various actors in local, national, and international arenas in Africa and elsewhere. With the adoption of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2007, hopes were high among activists and organizations that the precarious situation of many minority groups might be gradually improved. However, sharing the concerns of other scholars, I argue that discourses of indigeneity and autochthony are highly politicized, are subject to local and national particularities, and produce ambivalent, sometimes paradoxical, outcomes. My elaborations are based on in-depth knowledge of the case of the Mbororo in Cameroon, a pastoralist group and national minority recognized by the United Nations as an "indigenous people" although locally perceived as "strangers" and "migrants." For comparative purposes, and drawing on related studies, I integrate the Bagyeli and Baka (also known as Pygmies) of southern and southeastern Cameroon into my analysis, as they share the designation of indigenous people with the Mbororo and face similar predicaments. [indigeneity, autochthony, identity, United Nations, Cameroon] [source] Variation in oxygen isotope fractionation during cellulose synthesis: intramolecular and biosynthetic effectsPLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 10 2006LEONEL STERNBERG ABSTRACT The oxygen isotopic composition of plant cellulose is commonly used for the interpretations of climate, ecophysiology and dendrochronology in both modern and palaeoenvironments. Further applications of this analytical tool depends on our in-depth knowledge of the isotopic fractionations associated with the biochemical pathways leading to cellulose. Here, we test two important assumptions regarding isotopic effects resulting from the location of oxygen in the carbohydrate moiety and the biosynthetic pathway towards cellulose synthesis. We show that the oxygen isotopic fractionation of the oxygen attached to carbon 2 of the glucose moieties differs from the average fractionation of the oxygens attached to carbons 3,6 from cellulose by at least 9%, for cellulose synthesized within seedlings of two different species (Triticum aestivum L. and Ricinus communis L.). The fractionation for a given oxygen in cellulose synthesized by the Triticum seedlings, which have starch as their primary carbon source, is different than the corresponding fractionation in Ricinus seedlings, within which lipids are the primary carbon source. This observation shows that the biosynthetic pathway towards cellulose affects oxygen isotope partitioning, a fact heretofore undemonstrated. Our findings may explain the species-dependent variability in the overall oxygen isotope fractionation during cellulose synthesis, and may provide much-needed insight for palaeoclimate reconstruction using fossil cellulose. [source] Reactive chemicals emergency response and post-event calorimetric testingPROCESS SAFETY PROGRESS, Issue 1 2010David Frurip Abstract A serious upset in process conditions may result in a Reactive Chemicals incident. In such an emergency, procedures must be implemented to prevent injuries, mitigate the event and minimize property loss and/or environmental release as dictated by the required facility Emergency Plan. This article describes the process the Dow Chemical Company uses for engaging Reactive Chemicals experts in an emergency situation. In order to be effective, the Reactive Chemicals expert must have or be provided with in-depth knowledge of the process streams and raw materials involved. The information is crucial for understanding what is happening, what might happen in the immediate future, and what can be done to successfully mitigate the Reactive Chemicals incident. Following the incident, calorimetric experiments are typically performed to confirm or refute the hypotheses of what caused the event; additionally, the experiments provide information as to reactive chemicals hazards that may potentially still exist in the process streams. The aforementioned process will be illustrated by describing an actual event. Useful methods are described and recommended for (a) characterizing and storing reactive chemicals, and (b) responding and mitigating safety incidents with reactive chemicals. The role of a reactive chemicals "expert" during and after a plant emergency is important and potentially critical to the safe handling of an ongoing event and also in determining the root cause of the incident. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2010 [source] Finding and solving problems in software new product developmentTHE JOURNAL OF PRODUCT INNOVATION MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2002Willow A. Sheremata New product development is notoriously difficult, and software new product development particularly so. Although a great deal of research has investigated new product development, projects developing new software products continue to have problems meeting their goals. In fact, one line of research proposes new product development is difficult because it must solve an ongoing stream of complex problems. I integrate this line of research with two others to develop a conceptual framework of new product development as a process of finding and solving problems. From this framework, I develop four hypotheses that predict the probability projects developing new products will attain their development schedule and product quality goals. More specifically, I hypothesize that projects that generate access to, and integrate, large quantities of creative ideas, in-depth knowledge, and accurate information, should increase their probability of attaining schedule and product quality goals. Projects developing new products should both generate and integrate this "knowledge" to solve the problems that stand between them and their goals. However, how projects find problems also matters. Projects that search to identify problems earlier, rather than later, should also increase their probability of meeting schedule and product quality goals. To test these hypotheses I gathered data on 33 projects that tried to develop new software products from 23 firms, through interviews and questionnaires. Results from regression analyses support three out of four hypotheses. The projects that had high levels of both knowledge generation and integration had a significantly higher probability of attaining their product quality goals, but not their schedule goals. In contrast, projects that merely searched to find problems had a higher probability of attaining both goals. Moreover, projects that not only generated and integrated knowledge to solve problems, but also searched to find them, had the highest probability of attaining their product quality goals. This study illustrates the usefulness of modeling new product development as a bundle of problems to be found and solved. These results suggest that projects that combine practices to implement high levels of both knowledge generation and integration,not just one or the other,increase their chances of meeting product quality goals. This in turn suggests that focus on any single process or practice may be misplaced. Moreover, proactive search for problems may increase projects' chances of meeting both schedule and product quality goals. In fact, search for problems was highly significant in this study, which suggests the way projects identify problems deserves further study. Although these prescriptions are preliminary, this study suggests they can help projects,and their managers,embody their visions in products and deliver those products to market. et. [source] Poplar as a feedstock for biofuels: A review of compositional characteristicsBIOFUELS, BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOREFINING, Issue 2 2010Poulomi Sannigrahi Abstract The growing demand for transportation fuels, along with concerns about the harmful effects of greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, has assured a viable future for the development of alternative fuels from renewable resources, such as lignocellulosic biomass. The efficient utilization of these biomass resources is critically dependant on the in-depth knowledge of their chemical constituents. This, together with the desired fuel properties, helps tailor the chemical and/or enzymatic processes involved in converting biomass to biofuels. Hybrid poplars are among the fastest growing temperate trees in the world and a very promising feedstock for biofuels and other value-added products. Sequencing of the poplar genome has paved the way for tailoring new cultivars and clones optimized for biofuels production. Our objective is to review published research on the composition of the key chemical constituents of hybrid poplar species used for biofuels. Biomass yields, elemental composition, carbohydrate and lignin content and composition are some of the characteristics reviewed, with emphasis on lignin structure. Genetic modifications used to alter lignin content and composition, with the aim of improving biofuels yields, are also examined. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd [source] Molecular ConceptorTM for Training in Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Design, and CheminformaticsCHEMICAL BIOLOGY & DRUG DESIGN, Issue 1 2007Claude Cohen Current emphasis on structure-based design and other computational methods have encouraged medicinal chemists to learn traditionally ,expert' techniques of molecular modeling, computer-aided drug design, and cheminformatics. Molecular ConceptorTM (Synergix Ltd) is a multimedia software for teaching three-dimensional drug design principles. It present techniques and strategies used in drug design and cheminformatics with general guidelines for their successful application. Discovery of lead compounds and concepts are illustrated with manipulatable views of molecules, pharmacophores, and protein,ligand complexes. It is a unique teaching and learning aid for medicinal chemists, instructors, students, and others who need in-depth knowledge of these important techniques, as well as a valuable refresher course for professional modelers. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||