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Selected AbstractsRegulation of cerebral blood flow in mammals during chronic hypoxia: a matter of balanceEXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Philip N. Ainslie Respiratory-induced changes in the partial pressures of arterial carbon dioxide and oxygen play a major role in cerebral blood flow (CBF) regulation. Elevations in (hypercapnia) lead to vasodilatation and increases in CBF, whereas reductions in (hypocapnia) lead to vasoconstriction and decreases in CBF. A fall in (hypoxia) below a certain threshold (<40,45 mmHg) also produces cerebral vasodilatation. Upon initial exposure to hypoxia, CBF is elevated via a greater relative degree of hypoxia compared with hypocapnia. At this point, hypoxia-induced elevations in blood pressure and loss of cerebral autoregulation, stimulation of neuronal pathways, angiogenesis, release of adenosine, endothelium-derived NO and a variety of autocoids and cytokines are additional factors acting to increase CBF. Following 2,3 days, however, the process of ventilatory acclimatization results in a progressive rise in ventilation, which increases and reduces , collectively acting to attenuate the initial rise in CBF. Other factors acting to lower CBF include elevations in haematocrit, sympathetic nerve activity and local and endothelium-derived vasoconstrictors. Hypoxia-induced alterations of cerebrovascular reactivity, autoregulation and pulmonary vascular tone may also affect CBF. Thus, the extent of change in CBF during exposure to hypoxia is dependent on the balance between the myriad of vasodilators and constrictors derived from the endothelium, neuronal innervations and perfusion pressure. This review examines the extent and mechanisms by which hypoxia regulates CBF. Particular focus will be given to the marked influence of hypoxia associated with exposure to high altitude and chronic lung disease. The associated implications of these hypoxia-induced integrative alterations for the regulation of CBF are discussed, and future avenues for research are proposed. [source] COMMENTARY ON KELLY AND JOHNSTON'S "THE ALIENATED CHILD: A REFORMULATION OF PARENTAL ALIENATION SYNDROME"FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Issue 4 2004Richard A. Gardner In a previous issue of this journal, Joan B. Kelly and Janet R. Johnston describe their reformulation of the parental alienation syndrome (PAS). Here, I present areas in which I agree with the authors and areas in which I disagree. Particular focus is placed on these PAS-related issues: the syndrome question, PAS versus parental alienation, the medical model, custodial transfer, gender bias, DSM-IV. empirical studies, and the misapplication of PAS. [source] SHADOWS OF PLANNING: ON LANDSCAPE/PLANNING HISTORY AND INHERITED LANDSCAPE AMBIGUITIES AT THE URBAN FRINGEGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 3 2010Mattias Qviström ABSTRACT. The history of vernacular landscapes at the urban fringe is poorly studied, limiting our understanding of the contemporary character of the fringe and our knowledge of the urbanization process. This article argues the necessity of a combined analysis of the legacies of planning and the footprints of former landscape ideals in order to understand the conditions for spatial planning at the urban fringe. After first introducing the methodological use of landscape/planning history, the article focuses on the Swedish discourse on landscape change and landscape planning concerning the urban fringe in the 1930s. Particular focus is placed on the discourse on agricultural landscapes at the urban fringe. The third section of the article presents an examination of the footprints of the ,landscape convention' (i.e. an agreement on the meaning of landscape in relation to law and justice) resulting from the landscape discourse of the 1930s. The article argues that the legacy of the 1930s explains some of the difficulties arising when planners of today aim to utilize the farm landscape as a resource for recreation at the urban fringe. The shadow of the landscape discourse of the 1930s also creates difficulties in dealing with peri-urban landscapes in Swedish planning and Swedish law. With the ongoing discourse on how to implement the European Landscape Convention, such knowledge is particularly useful. [source] Bioprocess scale-up: quest for the parameters to be used as criterion to move from microreactors to lab-scaleJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 9 2010Marco P. C. Marques Abstract Advances in high-throughput process development and optimization involve the rational use of miniaturized stirred bioreactors, instrumented shaken flasks and microtiter plates. As expected, each one provides different levels of control and monitoring, requiring a compromise between data quantity and quality. Despite recent advances, traditional shaken flasks with nominal volumes below 250 mL and microtiter plates are still widely used to assemble wide arrays of biotransformation/bioconversion data, because of their simplicity and low cost. These tools are key assets for faster process development and optimization, provided data are representative. Nonetheless, the design, development and implementation of bioprocesses can present variations depending on intrinsic characteristics of the overall process. For each particular process, an adequate and comprehensive approach has to be established, which includes pinpointing key issues required to ensure proper scale-up. Recently, focus has been given to engineering characterization of systems in terms of mass transfer and hydrodynamics (through gaining insight into parameters such as kLa and P/V at shaken and microreactor scale), due to the widespread use of small-scale reactors in the early developmental stages of bioconversion/biotransfomation processes. Within this review, engineering parameters used as criteria for scaling-up fermentation/bioconversion processes are discussed. Particular focus is on the feasibility of the application of such parameters to small-scale devices and concomitant use for scale-up. Illustrative case studies are presented. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry [source] From sociology to historical social science: prospects and obstaclesTHE BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, Issue 1 2000Immanuel Wallerstein ABSTRACT Analysis is provided of the roots of sociology and its links with historical optimism. Particular focus is placed by such a sociology upon the origins of modernity and problems of urban disorder. Sociology's golden age was in the immediate postwar period. But since the 1960s, ,globalization', the sciences of complexity and cultural studies have transformed the context for sociology (especially transforming the so-called ,two cultures'). The article concludes with some wide-ranging recommendations as to how sociology should be developed into a re-unified, historical social science on a truly global scale. [source] FRONTIER EFFICIENCY MEASUREMENT IN DEPOSIT-TAKING FINANCIAL MUTUALS: A REVIEW OF TECHNIQUES, APPLICATIONS, AND FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONSANNALS OF PUBLIC AND COOPERATIVE ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2010Andrew C. Worthington ABSTRACT,:,Despite the global importance of mutuals in financial services, and the universal need to measure and improve organizational efficiency in all deposit-taking institutions, it is only relatively recently that the most advanced econometric and mathematical programming frontier techniques have been applied. This paper provides a synoptic survey of the comparatively few empirical analyses of frontier efficiency measurement in deposit-taking financial mutuals, comprising savings and loans, building societies and credit unions in Australia, the UK, and the USA. Both estimation and measurement techniques and the determinants of efficiency are examined. Particular focus is placed on how the results of these studies may help inform regulatory policy and managerial behaviour. [source] Partnerships, management systems and the search for innovative regulation in the vehicle body shop industryBUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 4 2002Neil Gunningham This article examines innovative approaches to regulating the environmental performance of vehicle body shops, in the state of Victoria, Australia. Based on field research, this provides a useful opportunity to not only identify the limitations of the environmental management practices (including regulatory resistance, a lack of resources and cultural obstacles), but also the failure of conventional regulatory approaches to adequately address and overcome problematic characteristics typical of small and medium sized enterprises (numerous, geographically dispersed, environmentally unsophisticated and, collectively, a substantial source of pollution). Particular focus is given to cleaner production, partnerships and environmental management systems in improving environmental performance. We also consider the potential role of ,regulatory surrogates' as an adjunct to a mix of government regulatory initiatives. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment. [source] Combining Enabling Techniques in Organic Synthesis: Continuous Flow Processes with Heterogenized CatalystsCHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 23 2006Andreas Kirschning Prof. Dr. Abstract The concepts article describes enabling techniques (solid-phase assisted synthesis, new reactor design, microwave irradiation and new solvents) in organic chemistry and emphasizes the combination of several of them for creating new synthetic technology platforms. Particular focus is put on the combination of immobilized catalysts as well as biocatalysts with continuous flow processes. In this context, the PASSflow continuous flow technique fulfils both chemical as well as chemical engineering requirements. It combines reactor design with optimized, monolithic solid phases as well as reversible immobilization techniques for performing small as well as large scale synthesis with heterogenized catalysts under continuous flow conditions. [source] Simulating the Role of Intrinsic Carbon Impurities in the Divertor Detachment of ASDEX UpgradeCONTRIBUTIONS TO PLASMA PHYSICS, Issue 1-3 2008M. Wischmeier Abstract As part of a general effort in validating SOL fluid Monte Carlo codes, well diagnosed ohmic discharges have been done in ASDEX Upgrade reaching from the lowest accessible density up to densities at which both targets were at least partially detached. The numerical code B2.5-EIRENE has been used to simulate these experiments with a particular focus on detachment. Whilst it is possible to qualitatively reproduce the general experimental observations when transiting from attached to detached plasmas, the simulations do not reproduce the detachment threshold observed in experiment quantitatively. The strong asymmetry of the ion flux density between the inner and the outer target with increasing density and in particular the vanishing ion flux, defined as full detachment, at the inner target cannot be reproduced. The influence of various parameters such as chemical sputtering yields and the effect of the activation of drift terms on the results is analyzed. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Managing the interface between suppliers and organizations for environmental responsibility , an exploration of current practices in the UKCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2004Diane Holt This paper examines the supplier management activities undertaken by a sample of 149 UK based organizations, with particular focus on the role of supplier assessment and supplier coaching, education or mentoring. This study identifies that larger, higher risk organizations are beginning to reach out to their suppliers, primarily through assessment and evaluation, and to a lesser extent through supplier education, mentoring or coaching. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [source] Aggressive behaviour and social problem-solving strategies: a review of the findings of a seven-year follow-up from childhood to late adolescenceCRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2001Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen PhD Professor Objectives In a seven-year follow-up study, the author and colleagues examined the development of social skills from childhood to late adolescence, with a particular focus on aggressive behaviour. This paper presents a review of the most important findings of the project. Results and conclusions Social strategies explained aggressive behaviour, and changes of strategies predicted changes of behaviour. Aggressive behaviour was, however, very stable, and spontaneous change from an aggressive child to a sociable adolescent was not observed. This emphasizes an importance of early prevention of aggression. Disagreement between the children's and their parents' problem-solving strategies was apparent, suggesting that interventions to reduce a child's aggression should be augmented by educating the parents about their children's behaviour. The role of peers was important because the child's concept of his or her strategies was dependent on his or her social acceptance, and this should be taken into account in interventions. Finally, as approval or disapproval of aggression is related to behaviour, moral cognitions should be included in the interventions. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Epigenetic regulation in neural stem cell differentiationDEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 6 2010Berry Juliandi The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of three major cell types , neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes , which differentiate from common multipotent neural stem cells (NSCs). This differentiation process is regulated spatiotemporally during the course of mammalian development. It is becoming apparent that epigenetic regulation is an important cell-intrinsic program, which can interact with transcription factors and environmental cues to modulate the differentiation of NSCs. This knowledge is important given the potential of NSCs to produce specific CNS cell types that will be beneficial for clinical applications. Here we review recent findings that address molecular mechanisms of epigenetic and transcription factor-mediated regulation that specify NSC fate during CNS development, with a particular focus on the developing mammalian forebrain. [source] Extrinsic versus intrinsic cues in avian paraxial mesoderm patterning and differentiationDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 9 2007Ingo Bothe Abstract Somitic and head mesoderm contribute to cartilage and bone and deliver the entire skeletal musculature. Studies on avian somite patterning and cell differentiation led to the view that these processes depend solely on cues from surrounding tissues. However, evidence is accumulating that some developmental decisions depend on information within the somitic tissue itself. Moreover, recent studies established that head and somitic mesoderm, though delivering the same tissue types, are set up to follow their own, distinct developmental programmes. With a particular focus on the chicken embryo, we review the current understanding of how extrinsic signalling, operating in a framework of intrinsically regulated constraints, controls paraxial mesoderm patterning and cell differentiation. Developmental Dynamics 236:2397,2409, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The tritocerebrum and the clypeolabrum in mandibulate arthropods: segmental interpretationsACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 3 2010Jacques Bitsch Abstract Bitsch, J. and Bitsch, C. 2010. The tritocerebrum and the clypeolabrum in mandibulate arthropods: segmental interpretations. ,Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 249,266 Different interpretations of the segmental composition of the head in mandibulate arthropods are critically reviewed, with particular focus on three closely associated structures: the tritocerebrum, the stomatogastric nervous system and the clypeolabrum. The main conclusions arising from the different discussions are the following. (1) Each tritocerebral ganglion has a dual composition, clearly discernable in some crustacean and hexapod species, including a dorsal portion connected with the second antennae and a ventral portion connected with the stomatogastric nervous system via the frontal ganglion. (2) The suboesophageal commissure linking the tritocerebral lobes of the two sides, can be wholly ascribed to the tritocerebral segment. (3) The stomatogastric nervous system is a morphologically autonomous system that is not fundamentally affected by head metamerization. (4) The clypeolabrum, the epistome,labrum and the hypostome are regarded as homologous formations. The clypeolabrum represents a fundamental structure of the head probably present in the arthropod ground plan. Its close spatial and developmental association with the stomodeum and its derivative, the stomatogastric nervous system, suggests that it is an anterior outgrowth of the forehead arising from a preoral territory (presegmental acron or protocerebral,ocular region?) and secondarily connected with the tritocerebrum, rather than derived from a pair of reduced appendages. [source] East Timor Emerging from Conflict: The Role of Local NGOs and International AssistanceDISASTERS, Issue 1 2001Ian Patrick International assistance efforts have represented a conundrum for East Timorese seeking to assert their new independence and autonomy. While urgent needs have been met, local participation, involvement and capacity building have not been given adequate attention. This outcome is aptly demonstrated in the case of local non-government organisations (LNGOs). This paper specifically examines the role of LNGOs in the recovery of East Timor within the international assistance programme. It examines the challenges of rehabilitation efforts in East Timor with a particular focus on capacity building of East Timorese NGOs as part of a broader effort to strengthen civil society. The initial crisis response in East Timor highlighted tension between meeting immediate needs while simultaneously incorporating civil society actors such as NGOs and communities. It has been argued that local NGOs and the community at large were not sufficiently incorporated into the process. While it is acknowledged that many local NGOs had limited capacity to respond, a greater emphasis on collaboration, inclusion and capacity building was desirable, with a view to supporting medium and longer term objectives that promote a vibrant civil society, sustainability and self-management. [source] Long-range transport of organic chemicals in the environmentENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2009Martin Scheringer Abstract The long-range transport (LRT) of organic chemicals in the environment is reviewed, with particular focus on the role of environmental fate and transport models and the relationship between model results and field data. Results from generic multimedia box models, spatially resolved multimedia box models, and atmospheric transport models are highlighted, including conceptual investigations of cold-trap effect and global fractionation as well as results for particular chemicals, such as hexachlorocyclohexanes, DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls, perfluoroocctanoic acid, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Comparison of model results to field data shows that in many cases environmental fate models provide a good description of the distribution dynamics observed in the field, with deviations between measured and modeled concentrations around a factor of five. Sorption to atmospheric aerosols as a key process influencing the LRT of semivolatile organic chemicals (SOCs) is discussed, and the need for more measurements of the aerosol,air partitioning of SOCs and of the reactivity of particle-bound chemicals is pointed out. Key findings from field campaigns measuring legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) as well as new POPs are summarized. Finally, the relationship between science and politics in the field of POPs is addressed. Research into the LRT of organic chemicals has always occurred in interaction with political activities aiming to reduce the emissions of POPs. Since the late 1990s, the Stockholm Convention and the Aarhus Protocol on POPs have formed an important political context for research concerning POPs; the implementation of these international treaties creates a demand for ongoing research into the LRT of organic chemicals. [source] Nanomaterials in the environment: Behavior, fate, bioavailability, and effects,ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 9 2008Stephen J. Klaine Abstract The recent advances in nanotechnology and the corresponding increase in the use of nanomaterials in products in every sector of society have resulted in uncertainties regarding environmental impacts. The objectives of this review are to introduce the key aspects pertaining to nanomaterials in the environment and to discuss what is known concerning their fate, behavior, disposition, and toxicity, with a particular focus on those that make up manufactured nanomaterials. This review critiques existing nanomaterial research in freshwater, marine, and soil environments. It illustrates the paucity of existing research and demonstrates the need for additional research. Environmental scientists are encouraged to base this research on existing studies on colloidal behavior and toxicology. The need for standard reference and testing materials as well as methodology for suspension preparation and testing is also discussed. [source] Cognitive-behavioural therapy for adolescents with bulimia nervosa,EUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 1 2006G. Terence Wilson Abstract Psychological and pharmacological treatments for bulimia nervosa (BN) have been studied extensively in adults, but there are no published controlled treatment studies of adolescents with BN. One option for treating adolescents with BN is to adapt cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for younger individuals. The rationale for developing CBT for adolescents with BN is three-fold: the efficacy of CBT for adult patients with BN, the efficacy of CBT in treating adolescents with other clinical disorders, and the conceptual fit between CBT and adolescent eating disorders. CBT should be tailored to the treatment of adolescents, with particular focus on domains of development, including: motivation, cognitive processing, interpersonal functioning, and family involvement. A recently described new version of CBT for BN (Fairburn, Cooper, & Shafran, 2003) is well-suited for adapting manual-based CBT from adults to adolescents. Future research should evaluate the efficacy of CBT for the treatment of adolescents with BN and related eating disorders. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Changes in the Management of Doctoral EducationEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, Issue 1 2010LUKAS BASCHUNG This article deals with the current reform of European doctoral education. It is argued that the concrete results of the reform can be better understood by analysing changes in the management of doctoral programmes. This rests on the case study of a Norwegian PhD programme in finance and is based on an analytical framework composed of three public management narratives: New Public Management (NPM), Network Governance (NG) and Neo-Weberian-State (NWS). The latter allows for a particular focus on the instruments, actors and objectives of governance. The article concludes that the examined doctoral programme's management story can be divided into two episodes. The first , the ,internationalisation' episode , is shaped by the academic profession in finance which uses a wide range of constraining NPM instruments and applies them in a comprehensive manner to doctoral education in order to achieve its overall objective, namely to implement an internationally competitive PhD programme. The second , the ,integration' episode , is about a recently developed policy instrument with relatively non-constraining NWS elements, used by the State to establish National Research Schools. The latter are principally aimed at the better development and coordination of doctoral training between small and large higher education institutions. Due to those differences between the two episodes in terms of constraining character and scope, the reform of the examined doctoral programme is strongly shaped by the first episode. Hence, the reform essentially consists in a doctoral programme with an international and academic character. [source] Afferent-induced facilitation of primary motor cortex excitability in the region controlling hand muscles in humansEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2009H. Devanne Abstract Sensory inputs from cutaneous and limb receptors are known to influence motor cortex network excitability. Although most recent studies have focused on the inhibitory influences of afferent inputs on arm motor responses evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), facilitatory effects are rarely considered. In the present work, we sought to establish how proprioceptive sensory inputs modulate the excitability of the primary motor cortex region controlling certain hand and wrist muscles. Suprathreshold TMS pulses were preceded either by median nerve stimulation (MNS) or index finger stimulation with interstimulus intervals (ISIs) ranging from 20 to 200 ms (with particular focus on 40,80 ms). Motor-evoked potentials recorded in the abductor pollicis brevis (APB), first dorsalis interosseus and extensor carpi radialis muscles were strongly facilitated (by up to 150%) by MNS with ISIs of around 60 ms, whereas digit stimulation had only a weak effect. When MNS was delivered at the interval that evoked the optimal facilitatory effect, the H-reflex amplitude remained unchanged and APB motor responses evoked with transcranial electric stimulation were not increased as compared with TMS. Afferent-induced facilitation and short-latency intracortical inhibition (SICI) and intracortical facilitation (ICF) mechanisms are likely to interact in cortical circuits, as suggested by the strong facilitation observed when MNS was delivered concurrently with ICF and the reduction of SICI following MNS. We conclude that afferent-induced facilitation is a mechanism which probably involves muscle spindle afferents and should be considered when studying sensorimotor integration mechanisms in healthy and disease situations. [source] Electrical Conductance in Biological MoleculesADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 12 2010M. Waleed Shinwari Abstract Nucleic acids and proteins are not only biologically important polymers. They have recently been recognized as novel functional materials surpassing conventional materials in many aspects. Although Herculean efforts have been undertaken to unravel fine functioning mechanisms of the biopolymers in question, there is still much more to be done. Here the topic of biomolecular charge transport is presented with a particular focus on charge transfer/transport in DNA and protein molecules. The experimentally revealed details, as well as the presently available theories, of charge transfer/transport along these biopolymers are critically reviewed and analyzed. A summary of the active research in this field is also given, along with a number of practical recommendations. [source] Molecular basis of bacterial resistance to chloramphenicol and florfenicolFEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS, Issue 5 2004Stefan Schwarz Abstract Chloramphenicol (Cm) and its fluorinated derivative florfenicol (Ff) represent highly potent inhibitors of bacterial protein biosynthesis. As a consequence of the use of Cm in human and veterinary medicine, bacterial pathogens of various species and genera have developed and/or acquired Cm resistance. Ff is solely used in veterinary medicine and has been introduced into clinical use in the mid-1990s. Of the Cm resistance genes known to date, only a small number also mediates resistance to Ff. In this review, we present an overview of the different mechanisms responsible for resistance to Cm and Ff with particular focus on the two different types of chloramphenicol acetyltransferases (CATs), specific exporters and multidrug transporters. Phylogenetic trees of the different CAT proteins and exporter proteins were constructed on the basis of a multisequence alignment. Moreover, information is provided on the mobile genetic elements carrying Cm or Cm/Ff resistance genes to provide a basis for the understanding of the distribution and the spread of Cm resistance , even in the absence of a selective pressure imposed by the use of Cm or Ff. [source] Designer Biomaterials for NanomedicineADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 24 2009Nishit Doshi Abstract Nanotechnology has had tremendous impact on medical science and has resulted in phenomenal progress in the field of drug delivery and diagnostics. A wide spectrum of novel nanomaterials including polymeric particles, liposomes, quantum dots, and iron oxide particles have been developed for applications in therapeutic delivery and diagnostics. This has resulted in control over the rate and period of delivery and targeting of drugs to specific organs in the human body. This feature article focuses on the delivery of drugs using polymeric particles. The size, choice of polymer, surface chemistry, shape, and mechanical properties of the particles are parameters that critically affect particle function. Numerous biomaterials and fabrication techniques have been developed in the last decade that focus on novel design parameters, such as shape and mechanical properties and the interplay of these parameters with the size and surface chemistry of particles. Recent advances with particular focus on the importance of particle shape are highlighted, and the challenges that are yet to be fulfilled are underscored. [source] Western utopianism/dystopianism and the political mediocrity of critical urban researchGEOGRAFISKA ANNALER SERIES B: HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, Issue 3-4 2002Guy Baeten This paper seeks to summarise the interplay between utopian and dystopian thinking throughout the twentieth century with a particular focus on the city. The gradually shrinking appeal of the socialist utopia and its replacement with the globalised free,market as a ,revanchist utopia' left socialist utopian thinking in a state of disarray towards the end of the previous century. Utopian thinking, both as a literary and political genre has been rendered marginal in contemporary political practices. Urban dystopia, or ,Stadtschmerz', is now prevalent in critical Western thinking about city and society. It is concluded that the declining political impact of critical urban research is caused partly by its lack of engagement with crafting imaginative alternative futures for the city. The works by Sennett, Sandercock and the Situationists, among others, may contain elements to reverse the current utopian malaise in urban research. [source] Developing research capacity in health librarians: a review of the evidenceHEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008Hannah Rossall This critical review considers current issues of research capacity development in UK health care and the role of health librarianship in this context, placing particular focus on the use of research networks. There is a growing literature base recognising the need for librarians to engage more with research. The concepts of evidence-based health librarianship and clinical librarianship are discussed in the context of research and examples of existing good practice are reviewed. It is suggested that librarians should build on this through better consideration of evidence based methodologies, hierarchies of evidence, improvement of research skills, and a collective endeavour to identify research priorities. The importance research capacity is being given in the Department of Health R&D strategy and the use of networks in achieving this is discussed, and it is suggested that the utilisation of networks and collaboration should be undertaken and explored in more depth in developing research capacity in health librarianship. Areas where librarians currently engage with research and use networks and collaborative practices to contribute to the research base are reviewed. A co-ordinated approach to developing research capacity is called for and it is argued that the use of networks would be beneficial in assisting the process. [source] Developing a general practice library: a collaborative project between a GP and librarianHEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001David Pearson The authors report on a self-completed questionnaire study from a North Yorkshire based general practice regarding the information needs of its clinicians. The work was carried out with a particular focus on the practice library, and the findings identified that a new approach to maintaining and developing the library was needed. The literature regarding the information needs of primary care clinicians and the role of practice libraries is considered, and compared to those of the clinicians at the practice. Discussion follows on how a collaborative project was set up between the practice and a librarian based at the local NHS Trust library in order to improve the existing practice library. Difficulties encountered and issues unique to the project are explored, including training implications presented by the implementation of electronic resources. Marketing activities implemented are discussed, how the library will operate in its new capacity, and how ongoing support and maintenance of the library will be carried out. It is concluded that although scepticism still exists regarding librarian involvement in practice libraries, collaboration between clinicians and librarians is an effective approach to the successful development and maintenance of a practice library, and recommendations are therefore made for similar collaborative work. [source] Recent Developments in Synthetic Chemistry, Chiral Separations, and Applications of Tröger's Base AnaloguesHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 3 2009Sergey Sergeyev Abstract Tröger's base is a well-known chiral molecule with a few unusual structural features. The chemistry of Tröger's base analogues has been greatly developed over the last 20 years, and numerous interesting applications in supramolecular chemistry and in molecular recognition have emerged. This Review gives a short overview of the chemistry of Tröger's base and its analogues, with particular focus on recent achievements in synthesis, enantiomer separations, and applications. [source] The Historiography of the English State during ,the Long Eighteenth Century': Part I , Decentralized PerspectivesHISTORY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2009Simon Devereaux This article reviews the four most prominent themes in the historiography of the modern English state during the last six decades, with a particular focus on ,the long eighteenth century' (1660,1837). The first is the vision of an expansive and centralized administrative state in Victorian England most famously set forth in the work of the late Oliver MacDonagh. Second is the notion of the state as an information-gathering entity that has recently been forcefully stated by Edward Higgs. Third is the vision of an unexpectedly powerful, substantially centralized ,fiscal-military' state during the eighteenth century, powerfully evoked in the work of John Brewer. Finally, a brief overview is given of the prodigious historical literature that has arisen in recent years surrounding the notion of the state as abstract entity capable of commanding the loyalties of those people over whom it rules. The article concludes by suggesting how a more fully integrated vision of the English state in history might be achieved through a deeper, more dynamic interrelation of changing political-administrative structures and shifting social-cultural forces. [source] Reliability of Organic Field-Effect TransistorsADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 38-39 2009Henning Sirringhaus Abstract In this article, we review current understanding of the reliability of organic field-effect transistors, with a particular focus on degradation of device characteristics under bias stress conditions. We discuss the various factors that have been found to influence the operational stability of different material systems, including dependence on stress voltage and duty cycle, gate dielectric, environmental conditions, light exposure, and contact resistance. A key question concerns the role of extrinsic factors, such as oxidation or presence of moisture, and that of intrinsic factors, such as the inherent structural and electronic disorder that is present in thin organic semiconductor films. We also review current understanding of the microscopic defects that could play a role in charge trapping in organic semiconductors. [source] Relationship of topography to surface water chemistry with particular focus on nitrogen and organic carbon solutes within a forested watershed in Hokkaido, JapanHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 2 2006Akiko Ogawa Abstract We studied the relationships between streamwater chemistry and the topography of subcatchments in the Dorokawa watershed in Hokkaido Island, northern Japan, to examine the use of topography as a predictor of streamwater chemistry in a watershed with relatively moderate terrain compared with other regions of Japan. Topographic characteristics of the Dorokawa watershed and its subcatchments were expressed as topographic index (TI) values, which ranged from 4·5 to 20·4 for individual grid cells (50 × 50 m2), but averaged from 6·4 to 7·4 for the 20 subcatchments. Streamwater samples for chemical analyses were collected four times between June and October 2002 from 20 locations in the watershed. The pH of water that passed through the watershed increased from ,5·0 to 7·0, with major increases in Na+ and Ca2+ and marked decreases in NO3, and SO. Distinctive spatial patterns were observed for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and NO3, concentrations of streamwater across the watershed. Statistical analyses indicated significant linear relationships between the average TI values of subcatchments and DOC, DON, and NO3, concentrations. Furthermore, the proportion of DOC in streamwaters in the wet season increased with TI values relative to other nitrogen species, whereas NO3, concentrations decreased with TI. The gradients of soil wetness and the presence of wetlands explained many of the observed spatial and temporal patterns of DOC, DON, and NO3, concentrations in the surface waters of the Dorokawa watershed. Our results suggest that the TI is especially useful for predicting the spatial distribution of DOC, DON and NO3, in the surface waters of Hokkaido, where topographical relief is moderate and wetlands more common than in other regions of Japan. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||