Community building and virtual teamwork in an online learning environment

In the world of OTIS, an online Internet School for occupational therapists, students from four European countries were encouraged to work collaboratively through problem based learning by interacting with each other in a virtual semi-immersive environment. This paper aims to explore the issues that there was little interaction between students from different tutorial groups and virtual teamwork developed in each of the cross cultural tutorial groups. Synchronous data from European students was captured during tutorial sessions and peer booked meetings and evidence suggests that communities of interest were established. It is possible to conclude that collaborative systems can be designed, which encourage students to build trust and teamwork in a cross cultural online learning environment. </p

Valuing Health Gain from Composite Response Endpoints for Multisystem Diseases

Objectives: This study aimed to demonstrate how to estimate the value of health gain after patients with a multisystem disease achieve a condition-specific composite response endpoint. Methods: Data from patients treated in routine practice with an exemplar multisystem disease (systemic lupus erythematosus) were extracted from a national register (British Isles Lupus Assessment Group Biologics Register). Two bespoke composite response endpoints (Major Clinical Response and Improvement) were developed in advance of this study. Difference-in-differences regression compared health utility values (3-level version of EQ-5D; UK tariff) over 6 months for responders and nonresponders. Bootstrapped regression estimated the incremental quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), probability of QALY gain after achieving the response criteria, and population monetary benefit of response. Results: Within the sample (n = 171), 18.2% achieved Major Clinical Response and 49.1% achieved Improvement at 6 months. Incremental health utility values were 0.0923 for Major Clinical Response and 0.0454 for Improvement. Expected incremental QALY gain at 6 months was 0.020 for Major Clinical Response and 0.012 for Improvement. Probability of QALY gain after achieving the response criteria was 77.6% for Major Clinical Response and 72.7% for Improvement. Population monetary benefit of response was £1 106 458 for Major Clinical Response and £649 134 for Improvement. Conclusions: Bespoke composite response endpoints are becoming more common to measure treatment response for multisystem diseases in trials and observational studies. Health technology assessment agencies face a growing challenge to establish whether these endpoints correspond with improved health gain. Health utility values can generate this evidence to enhance the usefulness of composite response endpoints for health technology assessment, decision making, and economic evaluation

Syntheses, structures and redox properties of tris(pyrazolyl)borate-capped ruthenium vinyl complexes.

Reaction of RuHCl(CO)(PPh3)3 with aryl alkynes HCCC6H4R-4 [1: R = N(C6H4Me-4)2 (a), OMe (b), Me (c), CO2Me (d), NO2 (e)] gives the five-coordinate vinyl complexes Ru(CHCHC6H4R-4)Cl(CO)(PPh3)2 (2a–e). Reaction of 2a with excess PMe3 gives crystallographically characterised Ru{CHCHC6H4N(C6H4Me-4)2-4}Cl(CO)(PMe3)3 (3a), whilst reaction of 2a–e with KTp affords Ru(CHCHC6H4R-4)(CO)(PPh3)Tp (4a–e) bearing the facially capping Tp− ligand. Electrochemical and spectroelectochemical properties of 4a–e are consistent with substantial redox activity associated with the vinyl ligand, and these properties have been satisfactorily modelled by DFT based calculations of electronic structure

Clinical outcomes and response to treatment of patients receiving topical treatments for pyoderma gangrenosum: a prospective cohort study

Background: pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an uncommon dermatosis with a limited evidence base for treatment. Objective: to estimate the effectiveness of topical therapies in the treatment of PG. Methods: prospective cohort study of UK secondary care patients with a clinical diagnosis of PG suitable for topical treatment (recruited July 2009 to June 2012). Participants received topical therapy following normal clinical practice (mainly Class I-III topical corticosteroids, tacrolimus 0.03% or 0.1%). Primary outcome: speed of healing at 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes: proportion healed by 6 months; time to healing; global assessment; inflammation; pain; quality-of-life; treatment failure and recurrence. Results: Sixty-six patients (22 to 85 years) were enrolled. Clobetasol propionate 0.05% was the most commonly prescribed therapy. Overall, 28/66 (43.8%) of ulcers healed by 6 months. Median time-to-healing was 145 days (95% CI: 96 days, ∞). Initial ulcer size was a significant predictor of time-to-healing (hazard ratio 0.94 (0.88;80 1.00); p = 0.043). Four patients (15%) had a recurrence. Limitations: No randomised comparator Conclusion: Topical therapy is potentially an effective first-line treatment for PG that avoids possible side effects associated with systemic therapy. It remains unclear whether more severe disease will respond adequately to topical therapy alone

The synthesis of bis(oligophenyleneethynylenes): novel potential nonlinear optical materials

Various functionalised phenyleneethynylene dimers 10 and trimers 12 were synthesised by palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira methodology. These dimers and trimers were coupled to 1,8-diido-10-methoxyanthracene to generate bis(oligophenyleneethynylenes) 17 and 18. Preliminary results towards the construction of both phenyleneethynylene and phenylenevinylene hybrid motifs are presented.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/0040402

Synthesis and optical properties of bis(oligophenyleneethynylenes)

Copyright © 2006 American Chemical SocietyBis(oligophenyleneethynylenes) 1−4 were prepared as representative members of a new class of potential nonlinear optical materials. The optical properties of 1−4 were examined for evidence of restricted rotation of the aryl rings when compared to their single-strand precursors, which could potentially increase their nonlinear response through more effective conjugation. The effect of altering the electron density of the terminating functional group of these compounds on their properties was also investigated

Reactions of cyano(alkynyl)ethenes with some alkynyl- and diynyl-ruthenium complexes

Reactions of Ru(C{triple bond, long}CPh)(PPh3)2Cp with (NC)2C{double bond, long}CR1R2 (R1 = H, R2 = C{triple bond, long}CSiPri3 8; R1 = R2 = C{triple bond, long}CPh 9) have given η3-butadienyl complexes Ru{η3-C[{double bond, long}C(CN)2]CPh{double bond, long}CR1R2}(PPh3)Cp (11, 12), respectively, by formal [2 + 2]-cycloaddition of the alkynyl and alkene, followed by ring-opening of the resulting cyclobutenyl (not detected) and displacement of a PPh3 ligand. Deprotection (tbaf) of 11 and subsequent reactions with RuCl(dppe)Cp and AuCl(PPh3) afforded binuclear derivatives Ru{η3-C[{double bond, long}C(CN)2]CPh{double bond, long}CHC{triple bond, long}C[MLn]}(PPh3)Cp [MLn = Ru(dppe)Cp 19, Au(PPh3) 20]. Reactions between 8 and Ru(C{triple bond, long}CC{triple bond, long}CR)(PP)Cp [PP = (PPh3)2, R = Ph, SiMe3, SiPri3; PP = dppe, R = Ph] gave η1-dienynyl complexes Ru{C{triple bond, long}CC[{double bond, long}C(CN)2]CR{double bond, long}CH[C{triple bond, long}C(SiPri3)]}(PP)Cp (15-18), respectively, in reactions not involving phosphine ligand displacement. The phthalodinitrile C6H(C{triple bond, long}CSiMe3)(CN)2(NH2)(SiMe3) 10 was obtained serendipitously from (Me3SiC{triple bond, long}C)2CO and CH2(CN)2, as shown by an XRD structure determination. The XRD structures of precursor 7 and adducts 11, 12 and 17 are also reported. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.David J. Armitt, Michael I. Bruce, Brian W. Skelton, Allan H. Whit

Reactions of alkynyl-ruthenium complexes with the ketene dithioacetal, (MeS)(2)C=C(CN)(2)

Reactions of several alkynyl-ruthenium complexes with the ketene dithioacetal (MeS)2C=C(CN)2 (2) are described. The first examples of metalated 6-alkylthio-6-azafulvenes, Ru(C=CRC-(SMe)=C(CN)C=N(SMe)) (PPh3)Cp [R = Ph (5a), Fc (5b)], were obtained from Ru(C≡CR)(PPh3)2Cp, while Ru(C≡CPh)(CO) (PPh3)Cp gave dienyl complexes Ru(C(SMe)=CPhC(SMe)=C(CN)2 }(CO)-(PPh3)nCp [n = 1 (8), 0 (9)]. Yields of the azafulvenes were increased under conditions conducive to radical formation. The reaction between 5 and Ru(C≡CC≡CPh)(PPh3)2Cp afforded the alkynyl-dienyl Ru{C(SMe)=C(C≡CPh)C(SMe)=C(CN) 2)(PPh3)Cp (11) and the dienynyl Ru(C≡CC(SMe)=CPhC- (SMe)=C(CN)2}(PPh3)2Cp (12), formed by formal insertion of either C≡C triple bond into one C-S bond. The reaction of Ru(C≡CPh)(PPh3)2Cp with dimethyl 2,3-dicyanofumarate (3) afforded diastereomers of the η3-dienyl complex Ru (η3-C(CN)(CO2Me)CPhC=C(CN)(CO2Me)} (PPh3)Cp (13). XRD structural determinations of 5a, 8, 9, 11, and one diastereomer of 13 are reported. © 2008 American Chemical Society.David J. Armitt, Michael I. Bruce, Brian W. Skelton and Allan H. Whit

Formation of a cyclobutenylidene by cyclo-addition of an alkynyl-ruthenium complex to a cyano(alkynyl)ethene

Copyright © 2008 Published by Elsevier B.V.In contrast to the usual formal [2+2]-cycloaddition reaction, (NC)2C=C{C≡C(SiPri3)}2, containing bulky alkynyl substituents, reacts with Ru(C≡CPh)(PPh3)2Cp to give the unprecedented cyclobutenylidene complex Ru{C(CN)2C[C≡C(SiPri3)]=CC(SiPri3)=CPhC=}(PPh3)Cp, formed by addition of one of the C≡C(SiPri3) groups to the Ru–C≡CPh moiety and subsequent electronic reorganisation.David J. Armitt, Michael I. Bruce, Jonathan C. Morris, Brian W. Skelton and Allan H. Whitehttp://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/504090/description#descriptio