Perspectives of Mental Health Treatment

This study looks at the perceptions of mental health treatment that the general public may have. This study consisted of a sample size of 106 respondents to a survey that was placed on social media web sites. The positivist paradigm was used to assess the general public’s perceptions about mental health treatment and mentally ill persons. Descriptive analyses were used to discover the relationship of possible negative perceptions toward mental health treatment the general public may have on a mentally ill person. Findings of the survey showed no significant relationships of negative public perceptions that would adversely affect a mentally ill person from seeking mental health treatment

Transpiration of detached mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal leaves fed varying abscisic acid, pH, calcium and phosphorus

Mycorrhizal colonization can alter stomatal behavior of host leaves during drought without obvious changes in plant size or nutrition. This may be related to an altered production or reception of a chemical signal of soil drying. I tested whether intact root systems were required to observe a mycorrhizal effect on leaf transpiration (E), or whether some residual mycorrhizal influence on leaves could affect E of foliage detached from root systems. Transpiration assays were performed in the presence of several possible candidates for a chemical signal of soil drying. Although colonization alone did not alter E of detached leaves of Vigna unguiculata (cowpea), colonization interacted significantly with ABA and pH in regulating transpiration. Colonization affected E of detached Rosa hybrida (rose) leaves but had no effect on E of detached leaves of Pelargonium hortorum (geranium). In each species tested, increasing the ABA concentration decreased E. In cowpea, calcium appeared to alter stomatal sensitivity to ABA, as well as regulate stomatal activity directly. The pH of the feeding solution affected E in rose, but did not change E independently in cowpea or geranium. Adding phosphorus to the feeding solution did not alter E, but did change the apparent sensitivity of cowpea stomata to ABA. Colonization of roots by mycorrhizal fungi can result in residual effects in detached leaves, that can alter the stomatal reception of chemical signals in both rose and cowpea

The Skills Framework for the Information Age as a Means for Investigating Work-Integrated Learning

This paper reports on a pilot study using the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) as a means for examining interns’ roles in the workplace, the skills they utilise or lack, and their levels of preparedness and capability. Data was collected and analysed in two ways. Firstly, interns responded to a survey where their experiences were classified using SFIA. Secondly, the interns’ journals and reports which contain reflective content were analysed qualitatively in order to delve more deeply into aspects of the study identified from the survey. The findings suggest that interns are generally placed in areas suited to their university experience; nevertheless, there are gaps between what the interns learn at university and what they require in industry. This study makes a contribution by proposing a method for investigating the alignment between the academic preparation of interns and the expectations of technology intensive organisations

An Evaluation View of an Ensemble Artefact for Decision Support using Action Design Research

This paper investigates the integration of content, context and process (CCP) into the Action Design Research (ADR) framework to account for the interplay of organisational issues in artefact design and development. The investigation is conducted through a case study in which successive ICT student teams incrementally build, over several semesters, a tailored, low cost business intelligence (BI) system as an ensemble artefact for an organisation in the not-for-profit (NFP) sector. During project development, CCP’s human-centred approach to evaluation complements ADR’s more prescribed technology-driven software testing. The integration of CCP into ADR as an evaluation view offers an holistic approach to assessing an ensemble artefact. The resultant conceptual framework is presented as a model with an explication of unexpected design and research outcomes

Boundary Spanning Theory: a Case Study of the Professionalisation of ICT Graduates in the Australian Public Service

Abstract: In this qualitative research-in-progress case study, boundary spanning theories are being used as a conceptual lens to investigate the tensions that arise in the education of ICT graduates as they transition into professionals within the Australian Public Service. Even though these graduates are selected for the ICT Graduate Program from a large pool of applicants and have expert supervision and vigilant mentoring, they seem to face major adjustments to both their personal and working lives as they tackle an educationally challenging postgraduate university course. The researchers are using theories of boundary spanning to frame phenomena associated with the graduates’ experience of the different and potentially competing demands and tensions of workplace and university at the start of their careers. Research findings are expected to provide some critique of boundary spanning theory as well as informing practical improvements to the design and implementation of graduate development programs

Farnesyl pyrophosphate synthetase. Mechanistic studies of the 1'-4 coupling reaction with 2-fluorogeranyl pyrophosphate.

Journal ArticleThe mechanism of the 1'-4 coupling reaction between isopentenyl pyrophosphate and geranyl pyrophosphate catalyzed by farnesyl pyrophosphate synthetase from porcine liver was studied with the allylic substrate analogue 2-fluorogeranyl pyrophosphate. 2-Fluorogeranyl pyrophosphate is an alternate substrate for the enzyme, yielding 6-fluorofarnesyl pyrophosphate upon condensation with isopentenyl pyrophosphate. The Michaelis constant for the fluoroanalogue, Km = 1.1 micron, is similar to that measured for geranyl pyrophosphate, Km = 0.7 micron. However, the rate of condensation with the fluoroanalogue was only 8.4 X 10(-4) that of the normal reaction. A similar rate of depression (4.4 X 10(-3)) was found for solvolysis of geranyl methanesulfonate and the corresponding 2-fluoro derivative, reactions known to proceed via cationic intermediates. In contrast, displacement of chlorine from geranyl chloride and 2-fluorogeranyl chloride by cyanide showed a small (2-fold) rate enhancement for the fluoro compound. Finally, 2-fluorogeranyl pyrophosphate is a competitive inhibitor against geranyl pyrophosphate. These data are interpreted in terms of an ionization-condensation-elimination mechanism for the 1'-4 coupling reaction

Clinician‐perceived barriers and facilitators for the provision of actionable processes of care important for persistent or chronic critical illness

Aim: To explore clinician-perceived barriers to and facilitators for the provision of actionable processes of care important for patients with persistent or chronic critical illness. Design: Qualitative descriptive interview study. Methods: Secondary analysis of semi-structured telephone interviews (December 2018 – February 2019) with professionally diverse clinicians working with adults experiencing persistent or chronic critical illness in Canadian intensive care units. We used deductive content analysis informed by the Social-Ecological Model. Results: We recruited 31 participants from intensive care units across nine Canadian provinces. Reported intrapersonal level barriers to the provision of actionable processes of care included lack of training, negative emotions and challenges prioritizing these patients. Facilitators included establishment of positive relations and trust with patients and family. Interpersonal barriers included communication difficulties, limited access to physicians and conflict. Facilitators included communication support, time spent with the patient/family and conflict management. Institutional barriers comprised inappropriate care processes, inadequate resources and disruptive environmental conditions. Facilitators were regular team rounds, appropriate staffing and employment of a primary care (nurse and/or physician) model. Community-level barriers included inappropriate care location and insufficient transition support. Facilitators were accessed to alternate care sites/teams and to formalized transition support. Public policy-level barriers included inadequacy of formal education programs for the care of these patients; knowledge implementation for patient management was identified as a facilitator. Conclusion: Our results highlighted multilevel barriers and facilitators to the delivery of actionable processes important for quality care for patient/family experiencing persistent or chronic critical illness. Impact: Using the Social-Ecological Model, the results of this study provide intra and interpersonal, institutional, community and policy-level barriers to address and facilitators to harness to improve the care of patients/family experiencing persistent or chronic critical illness. Reporting Method: Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution.</p