Research Investigations (research + investigation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Social Movement, Action and Change: The Influence of Women's Movements on City Government in Mumbai and London

GENDER, WORK & ORGANISATION, Issue 2 2004
Jim Barry
This article reports on a research investigation into gender and local government in Mumbai in India and London in England. In both these cities female representation at the political level stands at around one third, achieved in London slowly in recent years and in Mumbai more rapidly through the adoption of a quota, or seat reservation system, implemented in 1992. In considering the experience of the women concerned it is argued that their presence and aspirations have been influenced through the networks of their respective women's movements, operating through civil society and the local state. In considering the ways in which they organize and manage the duties of office and their gendered identities, as well as in their focus on the most disadvantaged in their communities and in their dealings with others, the part played by social movements in influencing change is examined. [source]


Epstein-Barr virus infection in immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial cells: Regulation of infection and phenotypic characterization

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 7 2010
Chi Man Tsang
Abstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection has been postulated to be an early event involved in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC). The lack of representative premalignant nasopharyngeal epithelial cell system for EBV infection has hampered research investigation into the regulation and involvement of EBV infection in NPC pathogenesis. We have compared the efficiency of EBV infection in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells with different biological properties including immortalized, primary and cancerous nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. EBV infection could be achieved in all the nasopharyngeal epithelial cells examined with variable infection rate. TGF-, effectively enhanced EBV infection into nasopharyngeal epithelial cells both in the immortalized and primary nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. Stable infection of EBV was achieved in a telomerase-immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line, NP460hTert. The expression pattern of EBV-encoded genes and biological properties of this EBV infected cell line on long-term propagation were monitored. The EBV-infected nasopharyngeal epithelial cells acquired anchorage-independent growth and exhibited invasive growth properties on prolonged propagation. A distinguished feature of this EBV-infected nasopharyngeal epithelial cell model was its enhanced ability to survive under growth factor and nutrient starvation. This was evidenced by the suppressed activation of apoptotic markers and sustained activation of pAkt of EBV-infected cells compared to control cells under nutrient starvation. Examination of cytokine profiles of EBV-infected NP460hTert cells to nutrient and growth factor deprivation revealed upregulation of expression of MCP-1 and GRO-,. The establishment of a stable EBV infection model of premalignant nasopharyngeal epithelial cells will facilitate research investigation into the pathogenic role of EBV in NPC development. [source]


Sweet potato leaves: properties and synergistic interactions that promote health and prevent disease

NUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 10 2010
Melissa Johnson
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) leaves provide a dietary source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, dietary fiber, and essential fatty acids. Bioactive compounds contained in this vegetable play a role in health promotion by improving immune function, reducing oxidative stress and free radical damage, reducing cardiovascular disease risk, and suppressing cancer cell growth. Currently, sweet potato leaves are consumed primarily in the islands of the Pacific Ocean and in Asian and African countries; limited consumption occurs in the United States. This comprehensive review assesses research examining the nutritional characteristics and bioactive compounds within sweet potato leaves that contribute to health promotion and chronic disease prevention. Research has affirmed the potential cardioprotective and chemopreventive advantages of consuming sweet potato leaves, thus indicating that increased consumption of this vegetable should be advocated. Since reducing the prevalence of chronic diseases is of public health concern, promoting the consumption of sweet potato leaves warrants further and more intensive research investigation. [source]


EMS models for business strategy development

BUSINESS STRATEGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, Issue 6 2002
Dr. Stephen Tinsley
This research investigation identifies the organizational barriers that can occur within large organizations to impede the introduction and development of environmental management systems (EMSs). The findings from the six case study investigations into multinational electronic and telecommunications organizations enabled the construction of four categorical models: devoid, isolated, devolved and integrated. They provide a profile of the way organizations use their EMSs and detail the types of organizational barrier that are likely to occur in each case. The models are designed to offer insight into the profile of the organization, the type of EMS being used and the operational advantages and disadvantages of using each model. They offer managers additional decision-making tools with which to assess the EMS profile of their own organization and those of competitor organizations and to assess the effectiveness of an organization's EMS in weak and strong economic conditions. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment [source]


Gender Differences in Treatment-Seeking Chronic Headache Sufferers

HEADACHE, Issue 7 2001
Dawn A. Marcus MD
Objective.,To identify gender differences within a group of patients seeking treatment for chronic headache. Previous studies of the general population have reported differences in headache symptoms, frequency, disability, and psychological distress, with women affected with more severe and disabling symptoms than men. This study evaluated these features in a population seeking treatment. Methods.,Two hundred fifty-eight consecutive patients with headache attending a university headache clinic were evaluated with questionnaires about headache symptoms and psychological distress. Comparisons between men and women were made for headache symptoms, severity, frequency, trigger factors, comorbid depression and anxiety, and response to treatment. Results.,There were no gender differences in headache symptoms, frequency, severity, and duration. Headache triggers were gender-specific, with men more likely to endorse exercise and women more likely to endorse stress and exposure to odors. Psychological comorbidity was similar among men and women seeking treatment, with a mean Beck Depression Inventory score of 10 and a mean Spielberger trait anxiety score of 39 for both men and women. Disability was greater in men, with 46% reporting restrictions in activities more than 3 days per week because of headache compared with 29% of women. In addition, men were more likely to contribute headache control to external figures than women. Conclusions.,Patients seeking treatment for chronic headache do not have the same gender-specific differences that have been reported in general population surveys. Men who seek treatment for headache are more likely to have significant disability, and are equally likely to have symptoms of depression and anxiety as women who seek treatment. Clinical and research investigations of headache triggers need to be gender-specific. [source]


Generalizability and transferability of meta-synthesis research findings

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2010
Deborah Finfgeld-Connett
finfgeld-connett d. (2010) Generalizability and transferability of meta-synthesis research findings. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66(2), 246,254. Abstract Title.,Generalizability and transferability of meta-synthesis research findings. Aim., This paper is a report of a critical analysis of the generalizability and transferability of meta-synthesis research findings. Background., Findings from a large number of qualitative research investigations have had little impact on clinical practice and policy formation. Single qualitative investigations are not intended to produce findings that are directly applicable to clinical practice, simple literature reviews of qualitative studies are not conducted using sophisticated methods to develop new cumulative knowledge, and methods for systematically compiling and synthesizing qualitative findings have just recently been developed in nursing. Data sources., This analysis of qualitative review methods was based on over 10 years of meta-synthesis research experience and a non-time-limited cross-discipline search of the English-language literature related to qualitative research and generalizability. Discussion., Generalizability of meta-synthesis findings is enhanced by insuring validity through systematic sampling, second-tier triangulation, maintenance of well-documented audit trails and the development of multi-dimensional theory. Generalizability of meta-synthesis findings is tentative until successful transference to new situations takes place. Implications for nursing., Nurse researchers are urged to conduct well-designed and executed meta-synthesis investigations that have the potential to generate findings that are relevant to clinical practice and policy formation. They are also encouraged to disseminate their meta-synthesis findings skilfully and work with practitioners and policy-makers to apply and evaluate them judiciously in clinical settings. Conclusion., Qualitative meta-synthesis is a way of putting together qualitative findings from disparate investigations so that they can more readily be used in clinical practice and policy formation. [source]


Magnetic resonance imaging near metal implants

JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, Issue 4 2010
K.M. Koch PhD
Abstract The desire to apply magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in the vicinity of embedded metallic hardware is increasing. The soft-tissue contrast available with MR techniques is advantageous in diagnosing complications near an increasing variety of MR-safe metallic hardware. Near such hardware, the spatial encoding mechanisms utilized in conventional MRI methods are often severely compromised. Mitigating these encoding difficulties has been the focus of numerous research investigations over the past two decades. Such approaches include view-angle tilting, short echo-time projection reconstruction acquisitions, single-point imaging, prepolarized MRI, and postprocessing image correction. Various technical advances have also enabled the recent development of two alternative approaches that have shown promising clinical potential. Here, the physical principals and proposed solutions to the problem of MRI near embedded metal are discussed. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010;32:773,787. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Pressure,pain threshold determination in the oral mucosa: validity and reliability

JOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 7 2002
T. Ogimoto
Fundamental knowledge of pain in the oral mucosa is lacking. We determined the validity and reliability of the pressure,pain threshold (PPT) measurement in the oral mucosa using a newly developed hand-held pressure algometer. Ten dentulous subjects were recruited, and the PPT was measured at the bilateral buccal (on the attached gingiva apical to the midline of the upper first premolars, 3 mm from the mucogingival junction) and the palatal sites (mid-point between the bilateral upper first molars). The PPT linearly increased with an increase in load-rate (P < 0·0001). The PPT yielded a high intra-individual stability both for the same-day consecutive trials and weekly sessions. The palatal site revealed a 4- to 4·65-fold greater PPT than the buccal sites (Bonferroni, P < 0·0001), whereas no difference was found between the bilateral buccal sites (P=0·663). Despite a great interindividual variation in the PPT, significant intra-individual correlations were found among the measurement sites. This suggested differences in individual sensitivity to pain in the oral mucosa, which may determine overall pain sensation specific to an individual. A pressure algometer described herein reliably assessed the PPT in the oral mucosa and sensitively discriminated PPT differences at different sites and at different load-rates, suggest-ing the reliability and validity of PPT measure-ments in the oral mucosa for clinical and research investigations. [source]


Polymeric systems for amorphous ,9 -tetrahydrocannabinol produced by a hot-melt method.

JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES, Issue 11 2006
Part II: Effect of oxidation mechanisms, chemical interactions on stability
Abstract The objectives of the present research investigations were to (i) elucidate the mechanism for the oxidative degradation of ,9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in polymer matrix systems prepared by a hot-melt fabrication procedure, and (ii) study the potential for controlling these mechanisms to reduce the degradation of THC in solid dosage formulations. Various factors considered and applied included drug-excipient compatibility, use of antioxidants, cross-linking in polymeric matrices, microenvironment pH, and moisture effect. Instability of THC in polyethylene oxide (PEO)-vitamin E succinate (VES) patches was determined to be due to chemical interaction between the drug and the vitamin as well as with the atmospheric oxygen. Of the different classes and mechanisms of antioxidants studied, quenching of oxygen by reducing agents, namely, ascorbic acid was the most effective in stabilizing THC in PEO-VES matrices. Only 5.8% of the drug degraded in the ascorbic acid-containing patch as compared to the control (31.6%) after 2 months of storage at 40°C. This coupled with the cross-linking extent and adjustment of the pH microenvironment, which seemed to have an impact on the THC degradation, might be effectively utilized towards stabilization of the drug in these polymeric matrices and other pharmaceutical dosage forms. These studies are relevant to the development of a stable transmucosal matrix system for the therapeutic delivery of amorphous THC. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 95:2473,2485, 2006 [source]


Putting the colours into chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH)

THE JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2006
J Shipley
Abstract Recurrent genomic alterations are the hallmarks of particular cancers. Application of molecular cytogenetic technologies to tumour material in order to detect these alterations has become important for molecular diagnostics and research. A dual-colour chromogenic in situ hybridization (dc-CISH) method described recently in the Journal of Pathology has the advantage of visualizing two probes simultaneously with the ability to discern morphological features. In addition, the bright field microscopy required is readily accessible to many laboratories. The approach has been validated by comparison of results with standard analyses for HER-2 amplification status in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded breast cancers and is applicable to the analysis of other clinically relevant genomic aberrations as well as of use in research investigations. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]