History of the Domestic Violence Coordinating Committee: 1987-2000

This chapter describes the emergence of an entity dedicated to improving inter-agency coordination in domestic violence service delivery, the Domestic Violence Coordinating Committee (DVCC), then charts its work and activity level from its formation in 1987 to the time this research was conducted in 2000. In addition to an overview of the history of the DVCC, this chapter includes a discussion of the factors found pertinent for success and failure of DVCC, and a concluding section where these themes are drawn into an analytical framework. Special attention is given to the role of the police department and its relationships over time with the DVCC and with the individual agencies in the domestic violence service community

Organizational culture, leadership style and effectiveness: A case study of middle eastern construction clients

During the last few decades, organizational effectiveness has received a great deal of attention in many industrial sectors. As a result, a variety of models have been formulated which measure organizational performance. In the construction industry, two factors have subsequently captured the imagination and interest of researchers and practitioners alike: the culture of the organization and the leadership style of project managers. This focus places a requirement upon construction organizations to recognize and understand their organizational culture, and equally, to clearly communicate it to their employees as part of their capitalist drive of constantly improving performance, productivity and profit. Traditional ways of conducting construction business require a sound understanding of the technical and managerial demands of executing projects, which in turn, places an increased emphasis upon the management and leadership competencies of individual project managers. The purpose of the research is to explore the relationship between organizational culture, authentic leadership style and effectiveness within the context of a case study investigation centred on Middle Eastern construction clients and their project managers. The outcomes of the investigation, which include the presentation of an explanatory model, indicate that organizational culture is directly and positively related to performance and effectiveness, while project managers' leadership style has an indirect relationship to effectiveness. A strong organizational culture is therefore deemed critical to organizational performance

Variation in chromogranin A serum levels during intermittent versus continuous androgen deprivation therapy for prostate adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES. It has been hypothesized that continuous androgen-suppression therapy produces hyperactivation of neuroendocrine (NE) cells and an increase in chromogranin A (CgA) in prostate carcinoma (PC). The aim of this study was to verify whether the intermittent administration of androgen deprivation (IAD) reduces the risk of CgA increase in PC cases treated with complete androgen deprivation (CAD). MATERIALS AND METHODS. We analyzed changes in serum CgA levels in patients with PC who successfully responded to the first 24 months of IAD versus continuous CAD therapy. Two different populations were analyzed: Type 1 = pT3pN0M0 prostate cancers with biochemical (PSA) progression after RRP; Type 2 = metastatic PC directly submitted to CAD. Cases in Type I and Type 2 population were randomly assigned to IAD versus continuous CAD therapy. Forty cases each in Type 1 and Type 2 population were included in the analysis. At 1, 3, 6,12,18,24 months of IAD versus continuous therapy, serum levels of CgA compared to PSA levels were analyzed. RESULTS. In population Type 1 and Type 2, in the group of cases continuously treated with CAD (Group 2), there was a significant trend to increase for CgA levels from baseline to 24 months of therapy. On the contrary, no significant variations were found in cases treated with IAD (Group 1). Either in population Type 1 or Type 2, at 12- and 24-month follow-up, mean and median serum levels of CgA were significantly (P < 0.005) lower in Group 1 than in Group 2. CONCLUSIONS. The present study represents the first evidence in the literature that the intermittent administration of CAD therapy significantly reduces the increase in serum CgA levels during CAD therapy. (C) 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Ethylene could influence ferric reductase, iron transporter, and H\u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3e-ATPase gene expression by affecting FER (or FER-like) gene activity

In previous works, it has been shown, by using ethylene inhibitors and precursors, that ethylene could participate in the regulation of the enhanced ferric reductase activity of Fe-deficient Strategy I plants. However, it was not known whether ethylene regulates the ferric reductase gene expression or other aspects related to this activity. This paper is a study of the effects of ethylene inhibitors and precursors on the expression of the genes encoding the ferric reductases and iron transporters of Arabidopsis thaliana (FRO2 and IRT1) and Lycopersicon esculentum (= Solanum lycopersicum) (FRO1 and IRT1) plants. The effects of ethylene inhibitors and precursors on the activity of the iron reductase and the iron transporter have been examined in parallel. Also studied were the effects of ethylene inhibitors and precursors on the expression of the H+-ATPase genes of cucumber (CsHA1 and CsHA2) and the transcription factor genes of tomato (LeFER) and Arabidopsis (AtFRU or AtFIT1, an LeFER homologue) that regulate ferric reductase, iron transporter, and H+-ATPse activity. The results obtained suggest that ethylene participates in the regulation of ferric reductase, the iron transporter, and H+-ATPase gene expression by affecting the FER (or FER-like) levels

Antimicrobial Treatments to Preserve Packaged Ready-to-Eat Table Grapes

Pri skladištenju svježeg stolnog grožđa pakiranog za trenutnu konzumaciju javljaju se razni problemi poput: gubitka mase, promjene boje, ubrzanog gubitka čvrstoće bobica i razvoja plijesni, što bitno utječe na smanjenje kakvoće grozdova. Stoga su u radu uspješno ispitani postupci umakanja stolnog grožđa u otopine raznih antimikrobnih spojeva prije pakiranja za trenutnu konzumaciju. Grožđe je neposredno prije pakiranja umočeno u različite koncentracije otopina sljedećih antimikrobnih spojeva: trans-2-heksenal, kalijev sorbat, eugenol, eterično ulje kore cimeta i etanol. Svi su uzorci pakirani u biaksijalno orijentirani polipropilenski film i skladišteni na (4±1) °C. Tijekom skladištenja praćeni su sljedeći parametri: sastav plinova u pakiranju, prisutnost mikroorganizama uzročnika kvarenja, pojava vidljive plijesni i senzorske značajke grožđa. Sastav je plinova bio tipičan za neklimakterično voće, pa je zaključeno da antimikrobni spojevi nisu utjecali na intenzitet disanja plodova. Tijekom skladištenja nije bitno porastao ukupni broj bakterija, no razvojem plijesni na površini bobica promijenjene su senzorske značajke grožđa, pa je dobiven proizvod neprihvatljive kakvoće. Pritom su utvrđene velike razlike između netretiranog i tretiranog grožđa. Postupak umakanja grožđa u 50 %-tni ili 20 %-tni etanol u kombinaciji sa 3 %-tnim kalijevim sorbatom bio je vrlo učinkovit u suzbijanju pojave plijesni, čime je vrijeme skladištenja grožđa produljeno za 100 %.Ready-to-eat table grapes are a product with severe shelf life problems. Mass loss, colour changes, accelerated softening and mould proliferation can greatly influence quality decay of berries. Hence, the effects of different dipping treatments on the quality of packaged ready-to-eat table grapes have been successfully assessed. Various antimicrobial compounds (trans-2-hexenal, potassium sorbate, eugenol, cinnamon bark oil and ethanol) were used at different concentrations for dipping grape berries prior to packaging. All the samples were packaged in biaxially oriented polypropylene and stored at (4±1) °C. During the storage period, headspace gas composition, spoilage microorganisms, appearance of visible moulds and sensory quality were monitored. The composition of the headspace gas was typical of a non-climacteric fruit, thus demonstrating that the antimicrobial compounds did not affect product respiration rate. For the entire storage period, the bacterial counts did not grow significantly. On the contrary, mould proliferation on the product surface affected sensory properties until provoking product unacceptability. Relevant differences were found between the dipped and undipped samples. In particular, 50 % ethanol or 20 % ethanol combined with potassium sorbate (3 %) seemed to be very effective in preventing mould proliferation, thus promoting an increase in shelf life by about 100 %

Antimicrobial potential of LEGUMES extracts against foodborne pathogens: A review

[EN] Background: Alternative protein sources are being investigated in response to increasing consumer demand for innovative and healthy food products of vegetable origin to replace non-sustainable animal exploitation. The Leguminosae family includes a wide variety of plants and nutritious seeds, very rich in protein with a high biological value, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Not only the seeds but also the aerial parts, pods, hulls and roots have proved to be natural sources of antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial compounds. Scope and approach: The present article overviews the antimicrobial potential of the most popular legumes worldwide against foodborne pathogens. Key findings and conclusions: According to the literature reviewed, soybean and chickpea are the two consumed legumes with the highest antimicrobial activity. Long-chain soy peptides (IKAFKEATKVDKVVVLWTA) have a high antimicrobial potential against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria at a concentration level of 37.2 ¿M. Also, a wide spectrum of proteins and peptides in raw chickpeas and processed extracts have exerted antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens when applied in the range 8¿64 ¿g/ml. These results open a new research line with good prospects regarding the development of a new generation of natural preservative ingredients and extracts to be included in novel formulated products. However, critical aspects, such as (i) the stability of antimicrobial activity during the shelf-life of newly formulated food products, and (ii) the microbial inactivation kinetics generated in novel matrices, should be covered prior to exploitation of legumes as sources of novel technological ingredients with antimicrobial potential.The present research work has been supported by funds provided by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) as the HELICOFOOD project, with reference AGL2014-53875-R. The post-doctoral contract of M.C. Pina-Pérez as Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación granted by the MINECO is also acknowledged.Pina Pérez, MC.; Ferrús Pérez, MA. (2018). Antimicrobial potential of LEGUMES extracts against foodborne pathogens: A review. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 72:114-124. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2017.12.007S1141247

Achieving 6.7% efficiency in P3HT/Indene-C70 bisadduct solar cells through the control of vertical volume fraction distribution and optimized regio-isomer ratios

Indene C60 and C70 bisadducts (IC60BA and IC70BA) have relatively high lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies. In poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT)‐based polymer solar cells (PSCs), this produces an increase in open‐circuit voltage (VOC) and power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, ICBA synthesis produces a mixture of regio‐isomers with different indene spatial orientations (2, 5, and 12 o'clock) that alter the IC70BA molecular packing when mixed with P3HT. In this paper, how the IC70BA regio‐isomerism affects the PSC performance is examined by investigating the molecular packing of P3HT:IC70BA layers with different regio‐isomeric ratios. For the first time, non‐destructive spectroscopic ellipsometry is used to investigate the effect of the fabrication conditions on the P3HT/IC70BA vertical volume fraction distribution and the results are attributed to the spatial arrangement of the regio‐isomers. It is demonstrated that this unambiguously affects the PSC performance. As a result, record device efficiencies are repeatedly attained for standard architecture P3HT:IC70BA PSCs with photoactive areas of 0.43 cm2, achieving 5.9 (±0.4)% PCE (n = 15). With control of the IC70BA constituent, device PCEs vary from below 2.2% to peak values above 6.7%, among the highest recorded PCEs for a P3HT combination, highlighting the importance of the molecular phase separation for high‐efficiency devices

Light Emission from Zinc Oxide Nanoforest Plasma

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were grown through chemical bath deposition tech- nique on different substrates, such as highly p-doped silicon microstructures, low p-doped silicon and silicon dioxide. High voltage (up to 80 V) induced plasma formation is reported with high intensity arcs of characteristic blue light. Easy and reproducible plasma formation is obtained on patterned microstructures of highly doped silicon. Both DC stress and AC stress with variable frequency were applied (up to 10 KHz) as well as short duration pulses (from 1 to 100 μs) to the pads of the silicon microstructures causing excitation of free electrons in the plasma and more atomic transitions to be present compared to the DC case