Application of nonpolar matrices for the analysis of low molecular weight nonpolar synthetic polymers by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

AbstractThe application of nonpolar matrices for the analysis of low molecular weight nonpolar synthetic polymers using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is demonstrated. Anthracene, pyrene, and acenaphthene were utilized as nonpolar matrices for the analysis of polybutadiene, polyisoprene, and polystyrene samples of various average molecular weights ranging from about 700 to 5000. The standard MALDI-MS approach for the analysis of these types of polymers involves the use of conventional acidic matrices, such as all-trans-retinoic acid, with an additional cationization reagent. The nonpolar matrices used in this study are shown to be as equally effective as the conventional matrices. The uniform mixing of the nonpolar matrices and the nonpolar analytes enhances the MALDI-MS spectral reproducibility. Silver salts were found to be the best cationization reagents for all of the cases studied. Copper salts worked well for polystyrene, poorly for polyisoprene, and not at all for polybutadiene samples. These matrices should be useful for the characterization of hydrocarbon polymers and other analytes, such as modified polymers, which may potentially be sensitive to acidic matrices

Pharmacists detecting atrial fibrillation in general practice: a qualitative focus group study

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects up to 10% of people aged ≥65 years, yet a third of all cases remain undetected. Practice-based pharmacists are in an ideal position to facilitate opportunistic AF screening, while increasing general practice capacity at a time of workforce crisis. Aim: To explore the perspectives of three stakeholder groups involved in the ‘Pharmacists Detecting Atrial Fibrillation’ (PDAF) study to elucidate the facilitators and barriers to pharmacist-led AF screening in general practice. Design & setting: A qualitative study took place, comprising homogeneous focus groups with stakeholders in Kent, UK. Method: The stakeholder groups — patients, general practice staff (GPS), and clinical pharmacists (CPs) — were recruited using convenience sampling. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a deductive Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) approach. Results: Twenty-five patients, four pharmacists, and nine practice staff participated in six focus groups. Three main themes were identified: knowledge and awareness; prioritisation of resources; and environmental considerations. The public’s lack of awareness of AF-related risks and pharmacist-led screening services was highlighted. Practice-based pharmacists were perceived as an underutilised educational resource which, together with novel electrocardiogram devices, enabled convenient access to screening while reducing GPs’ workload. Participants agreed that AF screening should be incorporated into personalised health checks and at-risk groups should be prioritised, such as care home residents. Patients favoured the general practice environment over the community pharmacy where concerns of privacy, staffing, and commercialisation were raised. Conclusion: The findings of this study support the introduction of pharmacist-led AF screening programmes in general practice surgeries. Commissioners should consider the added value of utilising CPs and focus on the delivery of AF screening within an integrated service

“I want to do well for myself as well!”: Constructing coaching careers in elite women’s football

There is a limited understanding of career development of sport coaches, especially from the subjective perspective focused on personal meaning and evaluation of this life project in sport. We drew on career construction theory and narrative methodology to explore football coaches’ career development, adaptability resources, and the meanings they assigned to their journeys. Ten women’s football (soccer) coaches (2 women) aged 23-60 in England took part in narrative interviews which we analysed using thematic narrative analysis. Our analysis indicated that early immersion into the football narrative context most often resulted in low career exploration and a strong commitment to coaching as an attempt to keep the footballing identity narrative ‘going’. Whilst the majority of coaches had a full-time occupation elsewhere, they self-identified as professional coaches and approached coaching with a career orientation animated by a desire to progress to a full-time coaching position. The coaches were resourceful and active career agents in crafting their careers in football; however, most of them expressed little concern or curiosity for other careers aside professional coaching, leaving them vulnerable to psychological distress if unable to realise their career ambition. The findings illustrate the seductive nature of football with the narrative context providing coaches with a cherished sense of identity but also bringing a permanent sense of insecurity and costs to their lives outside of the game

Opportunistic screening for atrial fibrillation by clinical pharmacists in UK general practice during the influenza vaccination season: a cross-sectional feasibility study

Background: Growing prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the ageing population, and its associated life-changing health and resource implications, have led to a need to improve its early detection. Primary care is an ideal place to screen for AF, however this is limited by shortages in general practitioner (GP) resources. Recent increases in the number of clinical pharmacists within primary care, makes them ideally placed to conduct AF screening. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of GP practice-based clinical pharmacists to screen the over 65s for AF, using digital technology and pulse palpation during the influenza vaccination season. Methods and Findings: Screening was conducted over two influenza vaccination seasons, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 in four GP practices in Kent, UK. Pharmacists were trained by a cardiologist to pulse palpate, record and interpret a single-lead ECG (SLECG). Eligible persons aged ≥65 years, attending an influenza vaccination clinic were offered a free heart rhythm check. 604 participants were screened (median age 73 years, 42.7% male). Total prevalence of AF was 4.3%. All participants with AF qualified for anticoagulation and were more likely to be male (57.7%); older; have an increased BMI and have a CHA2DS2-VASc (Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age ≥ 75, Diabetes, previous Stroke, Age 65-74 years, Sex category) score ≥ 3. The sensitivity and specificity of clinical pharmacists diagnosing AF using pulse palpation was 76.9% [95% CI: 56.4-91.0] and 92.2% [89.7-94.3], respectively. This rose to 88.5% (69.9-97.6) and 97.2% [95.5-98.4] with a SLECG. At follow-up, four participants (0.7%) were diagnosed with new AF and 3 (0.5%) were initiated on anticoagulation. Screening with SLECG also helped identify new non-AF cardiovascular diagnoses, such as left ventricular hypertrophy, in 28 participants (4.6%). The screening strategy was cost-effective in 71.8% and 64.3% of the estimates for SLECG or pulse palpation, respectively. Feedback from participants (422/604) was generally positive. Key limitations of the study were that the intervention did not reach individuals who did not attend the practice for an influenza vaccination and there was a limited representation of UK ethnic minority groups in the study cohort. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that AF screening performed by GP practice-based pharmacists was feasible, economically viable and positively endorsed by participants. Furthermore, diagnosis of AF by the clinical pharmacist using a SLECG was more sensitive and more specific than the use of pulse palpation alone. Future research should explore the key barriers preventing the adoption of national screening programmes

Konstruktivistische Ansätze in der Erwachsenenbildung und Weiterbildung

Theoretical approaches in the field of further education and advanced vocational training have to face multifaceted demands: the analysis of knowledge aquisition and knowledge transfer and its instructional support as well as the revealment of the mechanisms which influence further education on an organisational level in companies. This article describes, that herefore especially moderate constructivistic approaches are useful. After an introduction to the philosophical tradition of these approaches and important characteristics of adult learning, two examples of constructivistic models are being described particularly: The theory of situated learning environments and career counseling. Concluding it is shown, that a moderate constructive perspective fulfils important criteria for the theoretic modelling of further education processes.Theoretische Ansätze in der Erwachsenen- und insbesondere in der beruflichen Weiterbildung müssen sich vielfältigen Ansprüchen stellen: der Analyse des Wissenserwerbs und Wissenstransfers und seiner instruktionalen Unterstützung ebenso wie der Aufdeckung der Mechanismen, die in den Betrieben auf organisatorischer Ebene die Weiterbildung beeinflussen. In diesem Beitrag wird die Auffassung vertreten, daß dafür insbesondere liberalisierte konstruktivistische Ansätze gut geeignet sind. Nach einer Einführung in die philosophische Tradition dieser Ansätze und wichtiger Merkmale des Lernens im Erwachsenenalter werden zwei Beispiele konstruktivistischer Modelle genauer beschrieben: die Theorie situierter Lernumgebungen und das career counseling. Abschließend wird gezeigt, daß eine liberalisierte konstruktivistische Perspektive wichtige Kriterien für die theoretische Modellierung von Weiterbildungsprozessen erfüllt

Abuse and Misuse of Psychometrics as a Threat to Vocational Psychology

Psychometrics—the science and technology of measuring psychological constructs—is a definitive feature of vocational psychology and career development. For a century, vocational psychology has produced and refined measures for research and practices in diverse industry sectors, including education, training, selection, and recruitment. We overview the philosophical foundations of post-positivism in contrast to an anti-psychometrics discourse emanating from critical scholarship so as to raise concerns that this critical commentary threatens the public’s understanding of psychometrics, their ethical use, and utility. It is time for psychology to advocate for its science and technology, and push back against the iconoclastic rhetoric of its protagonists in the struggle for knowledge/power

Tortoise or hare? Supporting the chronotype preference of employees with fluctuating chronic illness symptoms

Objective: Our aim is to understand how to facilitate the job retention of employees with chronic illness. We focus on multiple sclerosis (MS) as a criterion chronic illness. Design: An opportunity sample of 20 individuals of working age (13 female; 7 male) were recruited who had been in paid employment for over 28 months with a concurrent diagnosis of MS. Participants took part in one of three focus groups with a topic guide comprising eight keywords: work, coping, performance, support, future, expectations, and sharing symptoms. Data were analysed using dialogical analysis. Main outcome measures: As a qualitative study, no outcome measure was used. However, the specific focus of interest was to search for differential patterns of ‘timespace’ – chronotope - that people with chronic illness utilize to manage their condition in the workplace. Results: Participants oriented to two distinct chronotope types: unsustainable epic (characterized by condensed time) and temporary idyll (characterized by condensed space). Perceived managerial discretion was identified as possibly influencing participants’ chronotope preference. Conclusion: Identifying chronotope preference has practical implications for health psychologists and related professionals who provide and advise on support to facilitate people with chronic illness to thrive in the workplace

Screening for atrial fibrillation in care homes using pulse palpation and the AliveCor Kardia Mobile® device: a comparative cross-sectional pilot study.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major cause of stroke in older people. Exacerbated by age and co-morbidities, residents of care homes are more likely to develop AF and less likely to receive oral anticoagulants. To determine the prevalence of AF using the design and methodology of the Pharmacists Detecting Atrial Fibrillation (PDAF) study in a care home setting. A cross-sectional AF screening pilot study within four UK care homes, three residential and one residential/nursing. Screening followed the original PDAF protocol: a manual pulse check, followed by a single-Lead ECG ( ECG, AliveCor Kardia Mobile (KMD)) delivered by a pharmacist. All recorded ECG were reviewed by a cardiologist and any residents requiring follow-up investigations were referred to their general practitioner. Fifty-three of 112 care home residents participated. From 52 ECGs recorded, the cardiologist interpreted 13.5% (7/52) as having possible AF of which 9.6% (5/52) were previously unknown. One resident with previously unknown AF received anticoagulation. This study has shown a need for AF screening in care homes and that elements of the PDAF screening protocol are transferable in this setting. Early diagnosis and treatment of AF are essential to reduce the risk of stroke in this population. [Abstract copyright: © 2023. The Author(s).

Life design and career counseling: contributions to social justice

The chapter begins with the presentation of LDC framework. In the second section, considerations are given on LDC possibilities for enhancing decent work and social justice. From this perspective of social exclusion, designated social integrationist, participation in paid work is viewed as the key to social inclusion (Watts, 2001). At the end of this section the relevance of contextual factors in career development of disadvantaged populations is referred to highlight the importance of these interventions not be exclusively focused on inter- and intrapersonal career development factors, but also take into consideration social action at the institutional, community, public policy and international/global levels (Cook, 2017). In the next section, the process of balancing the focus on the self-determination of the individual with a focus on a transformation of contextual factors that reinforce the disadvantaged position (Blustein, et al., 2005; Prilleltensky, 1997) is illustrated by presenting an intervention in which LDC was integrated into supported employment approach. Our proposal focuses exclusively on collaborative activities at the individual, institutional and communal level, with these being the tiers which the counselor can more easily influence as part of their more routine interaction with disadvantaged populations in general. The chapter concludes with an overview of the subject and a reference on LDC limitations for the intervention with disadvantaged populations in general