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Presents Difficulties (present + difficulty)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	40%

Selected Abstracts

Integrated on-chip derivatization and electrophoresis for the rapid analysis of biogenic amines

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 14 2004
Nigel P. Beard
Abstract We demonstrate the monolithic integration of a chemical reactor with a capillary electrophoresis device for the rapid and sensitive analysis of biogenic amines. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) is widely employed for the analysis of amino-group containing analytes. However, the slow reaction kinetics hinders the use of this dye for on-chip labeling applications. Other alternatives are available such as o -phthaldehyde (OPA), however, the inferior photophysical properties and the UV ,max present difficulties when using common excitation sources leading to a disparity in sensitivity. Consequently, we present for the first time the use of dichlorotriazine fluorescein (DTAF) as a superior in situ derivatizing agent for biogenic amines in microfluidic devices. The developed microdevice employs both hydrodynamic and electroosmotic flow, facilitating the creation of a polymeric microchip to perform both precolumn derivatization and electrophoretic analysis. The favorable photophysical properties of the DTAF and its fast reaction kinetics provide detection limits down to 1 nM and total analysis times (including on-chip mixing and reaction) of <60 s. The detection limits are two orders of magnitude lower than current limits obtained with both FITC and OPA. The optimized microdevice is also employed to probe biogenic amines in real samples. [source]

Enforcing Financial Penalties: The Case of Confiscation Orders

THE HOWARD JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, Issue 4 2010
KAREN BULLOCK
Abstract: Financial penalties are the most widely used sentence in England and Wales, but present difficulties for enforcement. This article examines the enforcement of confiscation orders , a relatively poorly understood financial penalty. Drawing on interviews with actors in the confiscation order process this article examines the processes through which confiscation orders are enforced. It is argued that enforcement is the result of an interaction of factors which include the initial decision making of police officers, financial investigators and prosecutors; the accuracy of information about offenders' financial affairs; enforcement powers, intelligence and operational support; and, the behaviour and attitudes of the offender. [source]

Comparing state-of the art near-surface models of a seismic test line from Saudi Arabia

GEOPHYSICAL PROSPECTING, Issue 6 2006
Ralph Bridle
ABSTRACT We present a seismic Test Line, provided by Saudi Aramco for various research teams, to highlight a few major challenges in land data processing due to near-surface anomalies. We discuss state-of-the-art methods used to compensate for shallow distortions, including single-layer, multilayer, plus/minus, refraction and tomostatics methods. They are a starting point for the new technologies presented in other papers, all dealing with the same challenging data described here. The difficulties on the Test Line are mostly due to the assumption of vertical raypaths, inherent in classical applications of near-surface correction statics. Even the most detailed velocity/depth model presents difficulties, due to the compleX-raypath. There is a need for methods which are based on more complex models andtheories. [source]

Improving access to the international coverage of reports of controlled trials in electronic databases: a search of the Australasian Medical Index

HEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 1 2002
Steve McDonald
Introduction: Locating reports of trials from journals not indexed in the major databases presents difficulties to systematic reviewers, and may be a factor in improving the reliability of the reviews. Objectives: To identify and make available reports of controlled trials from the Australasian Medical Index (AMI). To measure the quality of indexing of trials in AMI. Methods: Using a highly sensitive search strategy consisting of methodology indexing and free-text terms, records from AMI were read for reports of controlled trials. Trials meeting the criteria were submitted for inclusion in The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR) and assessed for the quality of their indexing. Results: 3621 records were downloaded, of which 512 were identified as reports of controlled trials (317 RCTs; 195 CCTs) and submitted to CCTR. The precision of methodology indexing terms was 60%, but sensitivity just 18%. The quality of indexing of trials was generally poor with only 50 tagged with the RCT/CCT publication type term. 453 reports (88%) were not previously available in CCTR. Conclusions: The large proportion of trials found to be unique to the AMI database increases the pool of studies available to systematic reviewers, and helps ensure CCTR remains the most comprehensive source of trials. [source]

A Structured Clinical Interview for Kleptomania (SCI-K): preliminary validity and reliability testing

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2006
Jon E. Grant
Abstract Kleptomania presents difficulties in diagnosis for clinicians. This study aimed to develop and test a DSM-IV-based diagnostic instrument for kleptomania. To assess for current kleptomania the Structured Clinical Interview for Kleptomania (SCI-K) was administered to 112 consecutive subjects requesting psychiatric outpatient treatment for a variety of disorders. Reliability and validity were determined. Classification accuracy was examined using the longitudinal course of illness. The SCI-K demonstrated excellent test-retest (Phi coefficient = 0.956 (95% CI = 0.937, 0.970)) and inter-rater reliability (phi coefficient = 0.718 (95% CI = 0.506, 0.848)) in the diagnosis of kleptomania. Concurrent validity was observed with a self-report measure using DSM-IV kleptomania criteria (phi coefficient = 0.769 (95% CI = 0.653, 0.850)). Discriminant validity was observed with a measure of depression (point biserial coefficient = ,0.020 (95% CI = ,0.205, 0.166)). The SCI-K demonstrated both high sensitivity and specificity based on longitudinal assessment. The SCI-K demonstrated excellent reliability and validity in diagnosing kleptomania in subjects presenting with various psychiatric problems. These findings require replication in larger groups, including non-psychiatric populations, to examine their generalizability. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]