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Selected AbstractsXenopus Wnt11b is identified as a potential pronephric inducerDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 1 2010Stéphanie Tételin Abstract In this study, we aimed to establish if known wnt signaling molecules could be responsible for inducing early pronephros specification, using a novel and effective in vitro bioassay in Xenopus embryos. Anterior somites have the unique biological activity to signal to unspecified intermediate mesoderm to induce pronephros formation in Xenopus embryos. We have used a molecular candidate gene approach to analyze both canonical and noncanonical wnt expression in isolated anterior and posterior somites and dissected presumptive pronephros, pronephric anlagen, and pronephros from stage 12.5,35 embryos. We have identified potential candidate wnt genes expressed in the right time and place to specify pronephric development. These candidates were then directly tested in an in vitro pronephrogenesis assay based on Holtfreter sandwich cultures. Results revealed that noncanonical wnt11b and wnt11 can induce pronephros formation in vitro. Loss-of-function experiments confirmed that these genes are necessary for normal pronephros development. Developmental Dynamics 239:148,159, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The advantages and disadvantages of non-surgical management of the diabetic footDIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue S1 2008Fran Game Abstract It is frequently stated that diabetic foot ulcers should be managed by a multidisciplinary team, comprising individuals who can deliver all the necessary and wide-ranging skills: medical and surgical, podiatric, nursing and orthotic. Whilst there are some data to support this multidisciplinary approach there is little to guide us in ensuring the patient is seen by the right professional for the right treatment at the right time. This article will examine the evidence supporting the most effective use of the multidisciplinary team. It will look at medical managements of ulcers including dressings, offloading and the treatment of infection, either cellulitis or osteomyelitis. By contrast, the role of surgery in offloading, and the treatment of osteomyelitis will be examined, as well as the role of vascular surgery. The most important aspect of management choice, however, is the need to focus on the needs of the person with a diabetic foot ulcer rather than simply on the treatment of the ulcer in isolation. Other complications of diabetes, which may have an effect on wound healing such as glycaemic control, renal failure and visual disturbance will be explored. Finally, there will be discussion of the relevance of outcome measure, both of ulcers as well as those more patient-centred. The ways in which these can be used to monitor individual clinical responses to treatment will be described, as well as their potential use as an aid to comparison of the effectiveness of treatment protocols adopted in different centres. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Decision support systems used in the Netherlands for reduction in the input of active substances in agricultureEPPO BULLETIN, Issue 3 2003E. Bouma Since the middle of the 1980s, Dutch farmers have been using decision support systems (DSS) as an aid in the control of pests. This started with EPIPRE, then weather-related potato blight warning systems were developed (Prophy and Plant-Plus). In the 1990s, many weather-based DSS were developed against pests of orchards, flower bulbs, arable crops and field-produced vegetables. Also, a DSS was developed to predict and check the effect of meteorological conditions on the effectiveness of application timing of plant protection products (GEWIS). The use of these systems resulted in more sustainable crop protection: sustainable because the use of DSS led to a lower risk of crop damage and, in many cases, to a lower input of active substances, by optimization of the product and dose to actual phytosanitary and meteorological conditions. The use of GEWIS to ensure application at the right time of day further reduced the input of active substances and increased efficacy. [source] Microsoft implements readiness as a strategic forceGLOBAL BUSINESS AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE, Issue 5 2008Dustin Grosse The success of Microsoft's global product launches and solutions for a huge, diverse customer base hinges upon readiness in the field. To make workforce readiness a strategic lever, field training is aligned with business objectives, the role, and the task, and delivered to highly mobile communities at the right time, in the right place, and on the right device. The Sales, Marketing, and Services Group Readiness group builds its training offerings on three pillars of content development: an operating model that aligns priorities across businesses, regions, and customer segments; strong partnerships with business groups and subject matter experts; and metrics for assessing results. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Information Therapy: the strategic role of prescribed information in disease self-managementINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RHEUMATIC DISEASES, Issue 2 2005Molly METTLER Abstract Information Therapy is a new disease management tool that provides cost-effective patient support to a much larger portion of the chronically ill population than is generally reached. Defined as the prescription of specific, evidence-based medical information to a specific patient, caregiver, or consumer at just the right time to help them make a specific health decision or take a self-management action, Information Therapy can be electronically integrated into the process of care. Information prescriptions made available through Information Therapy will support efforts to improve health outcomes and quality in disease management. [source] Corporate Portfolio Management RoundtableJOURNAL OF APPLIED CORPORATE FINANCE, Issue 2 2008Article first published online: 16 JUL 200 The dean of a top ten business school, the chair of a large investment management firm, two corporate M&A leaders, a CFO, a leading M&A investment banker, and a corporate finance advisor discuss the following questions: ,What are today's best practices in corporate portfolio management? What roles should be played by boards, senior managers, and business unit leaders? ,What are the typical barriers to successful implementation and how can they be overcome? ,Should portfolio management be linked to financial policies such as decisions on capital structure, dividends, and share repurchase? ,How should all of the above be disclosed to the investor community? After acknowledging the considerable challenges to optimal portfolio management in public companies, the panelists offer suggestions that include: ,Companies should establish an independent group that functions like a "SWAT team" to support portfolio management. Such groups would be given access to (or produce themselves) business-unit level data on economic returns and capital employed, and develop an "outside-in" view of each business's standalone valuation. ,Boards should consider using their annual strategy "off-sites" to explore all possible alternatives for driving share-holder value, including organic growth, divestitures and acquisitions, as well as changes in dividends, share repurchases, and capital structure. ,Performance measurement and compensation frameworks need to be revamped to encourage line managers to think more like investors, not only seeking value-creating growth but also making divestitures at the right time. CEOs and CFOs should take the lead in developing a shared value creation model that clearly articulates how capital will be allocated. [source] From observational studies to randomized trials: asking the right question at the right timeJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 8 2006James D. Neaton [source] Advances in paediatric rheumatology: Beyond NSAIDs and joint replacementJOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH, Issue 4 2004JE Munro Over the previous three decades there have been a number of dramatic changes in our understanding of both the pathogenesis and epidemiology of the rheumatic diseases of childhood. Improvements in the classification of paediatric-onset arthritides and international collaboration in terms of multicentre research have led to the development of new therapeutic agents and better methods of outcome assessment for these chronic and often disabling conditions. Fortunately for children with paediatric rheumatic diseases treatment regimes are now available that provide excellent disease control for many and remission induction for some. Challenges include clearer definition of the genetics and pathogenesis of the diseases, delineation of reliable biological markers for diagnosis and monitoring of disease activity. The future should also herald early identification of those with a poorer prognosis, together with the design of more powerful, safer and cheaper remission-inducing agents, given to the right patients at the right time. [source] The credit crunch , the right time for credit unions to strike?LEGAL STUDIES, Issue 1 2009Dr Nicholas Ryder The origins of the cooperative movement can be traced to the Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers in 1844, from which similar institutions emerged in Central Europe, the North American continent and the rest of the world. Modern credit unions evolved from these small cooperative societies and have developed into mainstream providers of financial services in many jurisdictions. However, credit unions in the UK have not made a similar impact. There are several factors that have limited their growth , an inadequate legislative framework, an ineffective credit union regulatory system, inappropriate development models, an over-reliance on state subsidies and a disunited movement. The aim of this paper is to re-examine these factors in light of the level of political support provided by the government since 1997. [source] Protection capabilities of nanostructured shells toward cell encapsulation: A saccharomyces/paramecium modelMICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE, Issue 10 2010Raffaella Magrassi Abstract In this work we report the formation of nanostructured hybrid objects, made up of living cells encapsulated in a protective multilayer shell assembly of nanostructured polyelectrolyte. Such constructs can be hosted on nanostructured surfaces or can be installed around living organisms, at the right time. Their construction is based on the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly of two oppositely alternated charged polyelectrolytes (PEs) on cell membranes as earlier done for nanocapsules or fuzzy structured nanoshells. This communication reports the optimal conditions for cell encapsulation in terms of nanoshell design and construction. Microsc. Res. Tech. 73:931,936, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Knowledge Warfare in the 21ST Century: An Extension in PerformanceNAVAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL, Issue 2 2003Dr. Yvonne R. Masakowski ABSTRACT As we move into the 21st century, we are faced with a critical need to address the ways in which knowledge is generated and used to optimize system and human performance. Today, we are inundated with a plethora of information, emails, and ever-changing software. There is a dynamic relationship among humans, computers, expert systems and intelligent agent software that shapes the way we live, conduct business and participate in war. It is imperative that we master the critical components of knowledge management that will enhance their decision-making capacities and empower the warfighter. In the 21st century, knowledge management tools, intelligent agent architectures, robotics, and automated systems will facilitate expert performance necessary to fortify net-centric warfare. One of the principal metrics of performance will be our ability to reduce uncertainty and provide the most accurate information to the decision-maker at the right time. The importance of these goals becomes clear when considered within the context of images of the World Trade Center (WTC) crumbling to the ground. Now, we understand the cost of poor information in terms of life and freedom. This paper will provide an introduction to the importance of knowledge management and implications for future ship design. [source] Prevent major failures and accidents with well-trained and empowered operatorsPROCESS SAFETY PROGRESS, Issue 2 2010Muhammad Idrees Abstract This article shares Engro's experience at its ammonia plant involving the prevention of major failures of the synthesis gas compressor turbine by taking prompt action to shutdown the compressor. Engro's strategy of providing operations training to enable and empower its people to make the right decisions at right time is the major learning of this article, whereby a manual shutdown before the automatic instrumentation trip of the machine was initiated. This article also describes the techniques used by the operations team to train and empower their people. Despite a plant outage of more than 10 days to replace the rotor, we believe the manual shutdown averted a more disastrous situation. Continuing to run the turbine may have resulted in a safety incident or an even longer plant shutdown for significant repairs. A well-trained and empowered operator is always helpful by making prompt decisions to shut down equipment, rather than relying solely on instrumentation to protect equipment. The following is a discussion of the training program which enables and empowers the operator to make correct decisions and take the correct action at the right time. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2010 [source] Help-seeking behaviour for cancer symptoms: perceptions of patients and general practitionersPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 6 2001Jascha De Nooijer The aim of this study is to increase our understanding of the relationship between knowledge and interpretation of symptoms, fear and trust on the one hand, and the decision to consult a general practitioner (GP) for cancer symptoms on the other. Qualitative interviews were used to evaluate the various factors. Twenty-three patients and ten GPs were interviewed. A number of factors were found to play different roles for different patients groups, i.e. patients that consult their doctor prematurely, at the right time, or those that delay. A lot of the findings can be tested using various concepts of socio-psychological theory. Further research should provide an improved understanding of the way these models can be applied to help-seeking behaviour. In terms of implications for health education, we conclude that each patient group has different needs and requires different information. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Communicating throughout Katrina: Competing and Complementary Conceptual Lenses on Crisis CommunicationPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW, Issue 2007James L. Garnett Hurricane Katrina was as much a communication disaster as it was a natural and bureaucratic disaster. Communication gaps, missed signals, information technology failures, administrative buffering, turf battles, and deliberate and unintentional misinterpretations delayed and handicapped both the recognition of the crisis that Katrina posed and the response to its devastation. This essay views crisis communication through four conceptual lenses: (1) crisis communication as interpersonal influence, (2) crisis communication as media relations, (3) crisis communication as technology showcase, and (4) crisis communication as interorganizational networking. A conceptual framework is presented that compares these lenses with regard to agency, transparency, technology, and chronology. The planning, response, and recovery stages of the Hurricane Katrina disaster are viewed through these communication conceptual lenses, illustrating key facets of each perspective and adding to our deepening understanding of the events. Many of the problems we have identified can be categorized as "information gaps",or at least problems with information-related implications, or failures to act decisively because information was sketchy at best. Better information would have been an optimal weapon against Katrina. Information sent to the right people at the right place at the right time. Information moved within agencies, across departments, and between jurisdictions of government as well. Seamlessly. Securely. Efficiently , One would think we could share information by now. But Katrina again proved we cannot. ,U.S. House Select Bipartisan Committee With the floodwalls gashed and hemorrhaging billions of gallons of water into the city, it was only a matter of a few hours on Monday before the communications citywide began to fail , Communication was about to become the biggest problem of the catastrophe. ,Christopher Cooper and Robert Block, Disaster: Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security Truth became a casualty, news organizations that were patting their own backs in early September were publishing protracted mea culpas by the end of the month. ,Matt Welch, "They Shoot Helicopters, Don't They?" [source] Development, repair and fibrosis: What is common and why it mattersRESPIROLOGY, Issue 5 2009Wei SHI ABSTRACT The complex structure of the lung is developed sequentially, initially by epithelial tube branching and later by septation of terminal air sacs with accompanying coordinated growth of a variety of lung epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Groups of transcriptional factors, peptide growth factors and their intracellular signaling regulators, as well as extracellular matrix proteins are programmed to be expressed at appropriate levels in the right place at the right time to control normal lung formation. Studies of lung development and lung repair/fibrosis to date have discovered that many of the same factors that control normal development are also key players in lung injury repair and fibrosis. Transforming growth factor-, (TGF-,) family peptide signaling is a prime example. Lack of TGF-, signaling results in abnormal lung branching morphogenesis and alveolarization during development, whereas excessive amounts of TGF-, signaling cause severe hypoplasia in the immature lung and fibrosis in mature lung. This leads us to propose the ,Goldilocks' hypothesis of regulatory signaling in lung development and injury repair that everything must be done just right! [source] Signaling by Neuronal Tyrosine Kinase Receptors: Relevance for Development and RegenerationTHE ANATOMICAL RECORD : ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 12 2009Barbara Hausott Abstract Receptor tyrosine kinase activation by binding of neurotrophic factors determines neuronal morphology and identity, migration of neurons to appropriate destinations, and integration into functional neural circuits as well as synapse formation with appropriate targets at the right time and at the right place. This review summarizes the most important aspects of intraneuronal signaling mechanisms and induced gene expression changes that underlie morphological and neurochemical consequences of receptor tyrosine kinase activation in central and peripheral neurons. Anat Rec, 292:1976,1985, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Canadian economic geography at the millenniumTHE CANADIAN GEOGRAPHER/LE GEOGRAPHE CANADIEN, Issue 1 2000TREVOR J. BARNES Over the last quarter of a century the Canadian economy experienced a series of profound changes which have affected every level of society. They include new forms of flexible production, fundamental changes in regulation at all spatial scales, structural shifts away from manufacturing towards service sector activities, the rise of information technology (IT) and computerization at the workplace, the feminization of the labour market, and, what has become the leitmotif of the age, globalization. Such changes are intimately connected with geography. By that we mean not merely that they take on a geographical form, but that geography is pan of their very constitution. In this sense Canadian economic geographers are exactly in the right time and the right place to make use of their skills. Indeed, over the last five years there has been an explosion of literature by Canadian economic geographers on precisely these kinds of changes that are simultaneously both economic and geographical. In reviewing that literature the paper begins by situating Canada within its wider global setting, which we then follow by surveying the diverse writing around the three broad sectors that make-up the Canadian economy: the resource sector, the manufacturing sector, and the service sector. We conclude by highlighting two particular research themes within Canadian economic geography that have become especially germane over the late 1990s. The first is on new labour markets and forms of work both of which have been transformed during the last decade; and the second is on new forms of industrial innovation, which are clearly pivotal to the future well-being of the country for the next millennium. Au cours des vingt-cinq dernières années, l'économie canadienne a connu une série, de changements profonds qui ont affecté toutes les couches de la société. Ces changements comprennent les nouvelles formes de production flexible, les changements fondamentaux dans la réglementation à toutes les échelles spatiales, la mutation structurelle du secteur industriel au secteur tertiaire, la montée de la technologie de l'information (Tl) et l'informatisation sur le lieu de travail, la présence plus importante des femmes sur le marché du travail, et, ce qui est devenu le leitmotiv de notre époque, la mondialisation. De tels changements sont intimement liés à la geographie. Par la, nous ne disons pas simplement qu'ils prennent une forme géographique, mais que la géographie fait partie intégrante de leur constitution. Dans ce sens, les géographes-économistes canadiens arrivent, si l'on peut dire, au bon endroit au bon moment pour mettre leurs connaissances à profit. En effet, on assiste depuis les cinq dernières années à une recrudescence impressionnante des travaux de géographes-économistes canadiens portant, précisément, sur ces types de changements qui sont à la fois économiques et géographiques. En faisant le compte-rendu de cette littérature scientifique, cet article situe d'abord le Canada dans son contexte mondial plus large, passe ensuite en revue ce qui a étéécrit au sujet des trois grands secteurs qui forment l'économie canadienne: les secteurs primaire, secondaire et tertiaire. Nous concluons en mettant en relief deux thèmes de recherches de la géographie économique canadienne qui sont devenus particulièrement pertinents depuis la fin des années 1990. Le premier traite des nouveaux marchés du travail et des nouvelles formes de travail, qui ont tous deux subi des transformations au cours de la dernière décennie. Le second traite des nouvelles formes d'innovation industrielle, qui sont cruciales pour le bien-être futur du pays à l'aube du nouveau millénaire. [source] A scientific approach to agent selectionAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Rieks D Van Klinken Abstract, The prioritisation of potential agents on the basis of likely efficacy is an important step in biological control because it can increase the probability of a successful biocontrol program, and reduce risks and costs. In this introductory paper we define success in biological control, review how agent selection has been approached historically, and outline the approach to agent selection that underpins the structure of this special issue on agent selection. Developing criteria by which to judge the success of a biocontrol agent (or program) provides the basis for agent selection decisions. Criteria will depend on the weed, on the ecological and management context in which that weed occurs, and on the negative impacts that biocontrol is seeking to redress. Predicting which potential agents are most likely to be successful poses enormous scientific challenges. ,Rules of thumb', ,scoring systems' and various conceptual and quantitative modelling approaches have been proposed to aid agent selection. However, most attempts have met with limited success due to the diversity and complexity of the systems in question. This special issue presents a series of papers that deconstruct the question of agent choice with the aim of progressively improving the success rate of biological control. Specifically they ask: (i) what potential agents are available and what should we know about them? (ii) what type, timing and degree of damage is required to achieve success? and (iii) which potential agent will reach the necessary density, at the right time, to exert the required damage in the target environment? [source] Controlling the stem cell niche: right time, right place, right strengthBIOESSAYS, Issue 1 2006Catherin Niemann Wnt signalling through ,-catenin plays a pivotal role during embryonic pattern formation, cell fate determination and tissue homeostasis in the adult organism. In the skin, as in many other tissues, Wnt/,-catenin signalling can control lineage determination and differentiation. However, it was not known whether Wnt/,-catenin signalling is an immediate regulator of the stem cell niche in skin tissue. A recent publication now provides evidence that Wnt/,-catenin signalling exerts a direct effect on the stem cell compartment by inducing quiescent stem cells to enter the cell cycle during early stages of hair follicle regeneration. In addition, the authors demonstrate that ,-catenin is required for maintenance of the stem cell pool in the tissue.1 The data suggest that a gradient in Wnt/,-catenin activity levels can induce different responses within distinct cell populations reflected by activation of distinct transcriptional profiles. BioEssays 28:1,5, 2006. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Suspension Culture Process of MethA Tumor Cell for the Production of Heat-Shock Protein Glycoprotein 96: Process Optimization in Spinner FlasksBIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 6 2007Ya-Jie Tang Heat-shock proteins (HSPs) act like "chaperones", making sure that the cellapos;s proteins are in the right shape and in the right place at the right time. Heat-shock protein glycoprotein 96 (gp96) is a member of the HSP90 protein family, which chaperones a number of molecules in protein folding and transportation. Heat-shock protein gp96 serves as a natural adjuvant for chaperoning antigenic peptides into the immune surveillance pathways. Currently, heat-shock protein gp96 was only isolated from murine and human tissues and cell lines. An animal cell suspension culture process for the production of heat-shock protein gp96 by MethA tumor cell was developed for the first time in spinner flasks. Effects of culture medium and condition were studied to enhance the MethA tumor cell density and the production and productivity of heat-shock protein gp96. Initial glucose concentration had a significant effect on the heat-shock protein gp96 accumulation, and an initial glucose level of 7.0 g/L was desirable for MethA tumor cell growth and heat-shock protein gp96 production and productivity. Cultures at an initial glutamine concentration of 3 and 6 mM were nutritionally limited by glutamine. At an initial glutamine concentration of 6 mM, the maximal viable cell density of 19.90 × 105 cells/mL and the maximal heat-shock protein gp96 production of 4.95 mg/L was obtained. The initial concentration of RPMI 1640 and serum greatly affected the MethA tumor cell culture process. Specifically cultures with lower initial concentration of RPMI 1640 resulted in lower viable cell density and lower heat-shock protein gp96 production. At an initial serum concentration of 8%, the maximal viable cell density of 19.18 × 105 cells/mL and the maximal heat-shock protein gp96 production of 5.67 mg/L was obtained. The spin rate significantly affected the cell culture process in spinner flasks, and a spin rate of 150 rpm was desirable for MethA tumor cell growth and heat-shock protein gp96 production and productivity. Not only the cell density but also the production and productivity of heat-shock protein gp96 attained in this work are the highest reported in the culture of MethA tumor cell. This work offers an effective approach for producing heat-shock protein glycoprotein 96 from the cell culture process. The fundamental information obtained in this study may be useful for the efficient production of heat-shock protein by animal cell suspension culture on a large scale. [source] The use of nuchal translucency measurement and second trimester biochemical markers in screening for Down's SyndromeBJOG : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 10 2001G.D. Michailidis Objective To assess the effectiveness of antenatal screening for trisomy 21 by first trimester sonography followed by second trimester biochemical screening. Design Retrospective five-year review. Setting Maternity unit of a university hospital. Population An unselected group of 7447 pregnant women who had a first trimester scan and nuchal translucency measurement in our unit after January 1995 and had an estimated date of delivery before 1 January 2000. 11.9% were , 37 years old. A subgroup (n=4864) also had second trimester biochemical testing by alpha-fetoprotein and free ,-human chorionic gonadotrophin. Main outcome measures Prenatal and postnatal diagnosis of trisomy 21. Results There were 23 fetuses affected with trisomy 21. The overall prenatal detection rate was 87% (20/23; 95% CI 66% to 97%) and we performed invasive procedures in 8.5% of our population. First trimester sonography identified 74% (95% CI 51.6% to 89.8%) of affected fetuses. Second trimester biochemical screening detected half of the fetuses with trisomy 21 which were missed by first trimester screening, increasing the sensitivity to 90.5% (19/21; 95% CI 69.6% to 98.8%) for an invasive procedure rate of 4.2% performed in screened positive women. However, the positive predictive value of the biochemical test was very low (0.5%). In screen negative women, karyotyping for advanced maternal age did not detect any affected fetuses. Conclusion First trimester nuchal translucency measurement is an effective screening test for the prenatal detection of fetuses with Down's Syndrome. Although the measurement of biochemical markers in the second trimester can detect additional affected fetuses this may be outweighed by the delay in diagnosis, the extra visits and cost so that the right time for biochemical screening is most likely to be in the first trimester. [source] A framework of context-awareness support for peer recommendation in the e-learning contextBRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2007Yanlin Zheng For learners in distributed e-learning environments, it is difficult, but very important, to locate the right peer for collaboration on the right knowledge, at the right time and in the right way. This paper proposes the use of context awareness (CA) to support peer recommendation in the e-learning context. For this purpose, this paper explores the e-learning context that involves knowledge, social and technical contexts. Accordingly, this paper proposes a three-dimensional CA model for peer recommendation that includes CA to knowledge potential, social proximity and technical access. By matching the peer seeker and the peer candidate with respect to these three dimensions, the CA information is promising as an aid to the peer seeker in finding suitable knowledge collaborators. The importance of activity context is highlighted in CA-supported peer-recommendation mechanism. A five-dimensional (who, what, how, when and where) representation approach is suggested for activity-context description. [source] Keynote Address: Closing the Research-to-practice Gap in Emergency MedicineACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2007Carolyn M. Clancy MD Emergency medicine in the United States is facing tremendous challenges due to recent public health emergencies, continuing threats of bioterrorism, and an increasing and unprecedented demand for emergency department services. These challenges include overcrowding; long waiting times; "boarding" of patients; ambulance diversion; a need for better, more reliable tools for triaging patients; and medical errors and other patient safety concerns. These challenges and concerns were brought to the forefront several years ago by the Institute of Medicine in several landmark reports that call for closing the research-to-practice gap in emergency medicine. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is funding a number of projects that address many of the concerns raised in the reports, including the use of an advanced access appointment scheduling system to improve access to care; the use of an electronic medical record system to reduce waiting times and errors and improve patient and provider satisfaction; and the refinement of the Emergency Severity Index, a five-level triage scale to get patients to the right resources at the right time. The agency's Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project is gathering data that will allow researchers to examine a broad range of issues affecting the use, quality, and cost of emergency services. Although progress has been made over the past few years in closing the research-to-practice gap in emergency medicine, many challenges remain. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has supported and will continue to support a broad portfolio of research to address the many challenges confronting emergency medicine, including ways to improve emergency care through the application of research findings. [source] Children's nurses' experiences of child protection: what helps?CHILD ABUSE REVIEW, Issue 3 2009Vicki Rowse Abstract This paper reports on one area of findings of a study undertaken in the spring of 2008 at a district general hospital in the south of England. Individual semi-structured interviews using an interpretive phenomenological approach were undertaken with 15 nurses and midwives working in paediatrics who had been involved in child protection cases. The aim was to explore their views and feelings of the experience. Very little research was found to inform this subject and none specifically with nurses working with sick children. Interviews were taped, transcribed and analysed thematically. It was discovered that involvement in child protection has a lasting impact on individuals; nurses need procedural information from a knowledgeable supporter during a case; and they need support from the right person in the right place at the right time for them. The Named Nurse was identified as being crucial in giving effective support to individuals during child protection cases and trusted advice and support helps staff follow through on niggling concerns, potentially preventing abuse. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Organization of the neuronal circuits in the central nervous system during developmentACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 7 2001H Lagercrantz The human brain is a product of genetic instructions, cellular interactions and influences of innate activity and external stimulation. The formation of the neural tube and the patterning of the brain are determined by homeotic genes. After a prosencephalic phase with the formation of the hemispheres, the neurons prolipherate to number about 100 billion halfway through gestation. They also migrate to their final positions in an inside-outside fashion with the newly formed neurons at the outer layer of the cortex, followed by synaptogenesis, programmed cell death and organization of the neuronal circuits. This phase is probably determined not only by genes but also by innate activity, which for example has been detected in the foetal retina: "Cells that fire together wire together while those which don't won't". Conclusion: Development of the neuronal circuits in the CNS can be viewed as epigenetic, i.e. many different components must come together at the right time and place. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||