Surface Modification of Pillar Array Systems for Chromatography and Fluorescence Enhancement

Thin-layer chromatography offers many advantages in the world of chemical separations due to its ease of use, high sensitivity, range of applicability, and multiplex capability. However, this technique is succeptible to band broadening effects that limit its efficiency. Attempting to resolve these effects by decreasing particle size causes a decrease in mobile phase velocity which creates its own band broadening via longitudinal diffusion. However, pillar array systems on the micro- and nanoscale have been shown as useful analogues to thin-layer chromatography which mitigate the efficiency concerns associated with the method. The work within this dissertation is concerned with the modification of pillar array surfaces for both chromatographic and spectroscopic purposes. The first aim is to increase the surface area of the pillars for chromatography by depositing porous phases such as petal-like carbon and porous silicon oxide. The usefulness of pillar arrays as separations systems is moderated by their limited native surface area. Increasing the surface area of a stationary phase can increase the retention of analyte by the system without negatively affecting its efficiency. While we found that petal-like carbon has several properties that made it unsuitable for these pillar array systems in their current form, porous silicon oxide showed great promise as a porous phase which increased the surface area of the pillars and the retention of analytes within them. The second aim was to immobilize fluorescent molecules at the pillar surface for signal enhancement. Pillars in the nanoscale have been shown to exhibit a field effect which amplifies fluorescence signal. To this end, we developed wet chemistry methods to functionalize the pillar surface with two different immobilizing resins, one using a uranium-capturing compound, and the other a biotin-avidin complex to sequester DNA. In both cases, we created high-throughput methods which retained high sensitivity while using only minimal amounts of sample

Awareness of Rhythm in SLI

Children with specific language impairments (SLIs) show impaired perception and production of language, and also show impairments in perceiving auditory cues to rhythm [amplitude rise time (ART) and sound duration] and in tapping to a rhythmic beat. Here we explore potential links between language development and rhythm perception in 45 children with SLI and 50 age-matched controls. We administered three rhythmic tasks, a musical beat detection task, a tapping-to-music task, and a novel music/speech task, which varied rhythm and pitch cues independently or together in both speech and music. Via low-pass filtering, the music sounded as though it was played from a low-quality radio and the speech sounded as though it was muffled (heard "behind the door"). We report data for all of the SLI children (N = 45, IQ varying), as well as for two independent subgroupings with intact IQ. One subgroup, "Pure SLI," had intact phonology and reading (N = 16), the other, "SLI PPR" (N = 15), had impaired phonology and reading. When IQ varied (all SLI children), we found significant group differences in all the rhythmic tasks. For the Pure SLI group, there were rhythmic impairments in the tapping task only. For children with SLI and poor phonology (SLI PPR), group differences were found in all of the filtered speech/music AXB tasks. We conclude that difficulties with rhythmic cues in both speech and music are present in children with SLIs, but that some rhythmic measures are more sensitive than others. The data are interpreted within a "prosodic phrasing" hypothesis, and we discuss the potential utility of rhythmic and musical interventions in remediating speech and language difficulties in children.This project has been funded by the Nuffield Foundation, but the views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Foundation.This is the final version of the article. It was first available from Frontiers via http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2015.0067

Teaching neonatal resuscitation at public hospitals in Brazilian state capitals

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the teaching of neonatal resuscitation offered by Brazilian public hospitals to undergraduate doctors and nurses, pediatric residents and neonatal fellows. METHODS: This cross-sectional multicenter study included 36 hospitals in 20 Brazilian state capitals during June/2003. Local coordinators collected data regarding what the institutions offer to undergraduate doctors and nurses, pediatric residents and neonatal fellows in terms of neonatal resuscitation training and practical activities in neonatal delivery room care. Descriptive analysis was performed. RESULTS: Twenty-three of the 36 institutions had undergraduate doctors: at 13 of them students were given practical activities in the delivery room, 12 offered neonatal resuscitation training, and at two of the 13 hospitals, interns cared for neonates in the delivery room without specific training. Twenty-three of the 36 hospitals had undergraduate nurses: at eight of them students were given practical activities in the delivery room and at seven of them nursing students cared for neonates in the delivery room without specific training. Twenty-seven of the 36 institutions had pediatric residence programs: at all of them the trained residents cared for neonates in the delivery room, but this training was heterogeneous: theoretical training (2-3 hours) at four institutions and theoretical and practical training (4-64 hours) at 23. Additionally, 15 had neonatal fellowship programs: at all of these the trained fellows cared for neonates in the delivery room, but this training was heterogeneous: theoretical training (2 hours) at one hospital and theoretical and practical training (3-68 hours) at 14. CONCLUSION: Formal neonatal resuscitation training is insufficient during medical and nursing graduation and heterogeneously offered to pediatric residents and neonatal fellows.OBJETIVO: Analisar o ensino da reanimação neonatal para médicos e enfermeiros em formação e para residentes em pediatria e neonatologia em maternidades públicas brasileiras. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal multicêntrico, realizado em 36 maternidades de 20 capitais brasileiras em junho de 2003. O coordenador local preencheu questionário com dados referentes à realização de ensino específico da reanimação neonatal e atuação em sala de parto de alunos de Medicina e de Enfermagem, residentes de Pediatria e de Neonatologia. Os dados foram analisados de forma descritiva. RESULTADOS: Das 36 maternidades, 23 recebiam alunos de Medicina: em 13, eles atuavam na sala de parto; 12 ofereciam ensino específico da reanimação e, em duas das 13 maternidades com internos atuando na sala de parto, não era oferecido treinamento em reanimação. Das 36 maternidades, 23 recebiam alunos de Enfermagem: em oito, os alunos atuavam na sala de parto. Apenas uma oferecia ensino, e nas outras sete não havia qualquer treinamento. Das 36 maternidades, 27 tinham residentes de Pediatria, que atuavam na sala de parto e recebiam treinamento em reanimação neonatal (teórico com 2-3 horas em quatro maternidades e teórico-prático com 4-64 horas em 23). Das 36 maternidades, 15 recebiam residentes em Neonatologia, que atuavam na sala de parto e recebiam treinamento em reanimação neonatal (teórico de 2 horas em uma e teórico-prático com 3-68 horas em 14). CONCLUSÃO: O ensino de reanimação por meio de cursos formais é insuficiente para os alunos de graduação em Medicina e Enfermagem e heterogêneo para os residentes em Pediatria e em Neonatologia.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Bonding, Backbonding, and Spin-Polarized Molecular Orbitals:Basis for Magnetism and Semiconducting Transport in V[TCNE]x~;;2

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) at the V L2,3 and C and N K edges reveal bonding/backbonding interactions in films of the 400 K magnetic semiconductor V[TCNE]x~;;2. In V spectra, dxy-like orbitals are modeled assuming V2+ in an octahedral ligand field, while dz2 and dx2-y2 orbitals involved in strong covalent bonding cannot be modeled by atomic calculations. C and N MCD, and differences in XAS from neutral TCNE molecules, reveal spin-polarized molecular orbitals in V[TCNE]x~;;2 associated with backbonding interactions that yield its novel properties

Ceramics studio to podiatry clinic: The impact of multi-media resources in the teaching of practical skills across diverse disciplines

This paper draws on the experiences of students from two vastly different disciplines to both explore the theoretical background supporting the use of multimedia resources to teach practical skills and provide a qualitative evaluation of student perceptions and experiences of using bespoke resources. Within ceramics and podiatry, practical skills are traditionally taught via an apprenticeship model within small groups. We explore the practical and pedagogic benefits of developing bespoke multimedia resources to teach practical skills, identifying common themes from these disparate discipline areas. Student focus groups revealed that, practically, the opportunity for repeated viewing at convenient times promoted less reliance on lecturers and better preparation prior to practical demonstrations. Pedagogically, time for reflection and sense making underpinned an increase in confidence which in turn led to increased creativity. The student voice was also used to identify recommendations and challenges driving future change

Evaluation of a Heat Vulnerability Index on Abnormally Hot Days: An Environmental Public Health Tracking Study

Background: Extreme hot weather conditions have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality, but risks are not evenly distributed throughout the population. Previously, a heat vulnerability index (HVI) was created to geographically locate populations with increased vulnerability to heat in metropolitan areas throughout the United States

OS BENEFÍCIOS DO EXERCÍCIO FISÍCO PARA O AUMENTO DA AUTOESTIMA EM IDOSOS DAS ACADEMIAS DE QUIXADÁ

As dificuldades encontradas pelas pessoas quando atingem a terceira idade é a adaptação em apresentar-se conforme sua aparência vai mudando e vai tendo que adaptar sua vida social e sua imagem corporal, aonde vão acompanhando no decorrer da vida em meio a uma sociedade não muito tolerante. A população adulta está cada vez mais sedentária ou não praticam exercícios físicos para a melhora de sua saúde

Rapid accumulation of HIV-1 thymidine analogue mutations and phenotypic impact following prolonged viral failure on zidovudine-based first-line ART in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Lack of viral load monitoring of ART is known to be associated with slower switch from a failing regimen and thereby higher prevalence of MDR HIV-1. Many countries have continued to use thymidine analogue drugs despite recommendations to use tenofovir in combination with a cytosine analogue and NNRTI as first-line ART. The effect of accumulated thymidine analogue mutations (TAMs) on phenotypic resistance over time has been poorly characterized in the African setting. Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis of individuals with ongoing viral failure between weeks 48 and 96 in the NORA (Nevirapine OR Abacavir) study was conducted. We analysed 36 genotype pairs from weeks 48 and 96 of first-line ART (14 treated with zidovudine/lamivudine/nevirapine and 22 treated with zidovudine/lamivudine/abacavir). Phenotypic drug resistance was assessed using the Antivirogram assay (v. 2.5.01, Janssen Diagnostics). Results: At 96 weeks, extensive TAMs (≥3 mutations) were present in 50% and 73% of nevirapine- and abacavir-treated patients, respectively. The mean (SE) number of TAMs accumulating between week 48 and week 96 was 1.50 (0.37) in nevirapine-treated participants and 1.82 (0.26) in abacavir-treated participants. Overall, zidovudine susceptibility of viruses was reduced between week 48 [geometric mean fold change (FC) 1.3] and week 96 (3.4, P  =   0.01). There was a small reduction in tenofovir susceptibility (FC 0.7 and 1.0, respectively, P  =   0.18). Conclusions: Ongoing viral failure with zidovudine-containing first-line ART is associated with rapidly increasing drug resistance that could be mitigated with effective viral load monitoring

Whispering in our hearts: speaking of another in changing schools

Beneath discussions about race and ethnic relations is an unease, \u27a whispering in our hearts\u27 these debates that need to be understood \u27otherwise\u27. In more recent times, they seem increasingly complex and dangerous as the essential differences that underpin modern notions of identity appear negotiated, contingent, and disjunctive. In this paper, I examine the ways in which teachers and parents in one Melbourne secondary school spoke about these notions in 1988 and 1998. Taking up suggestions in the postcolonial and race literatures, the article argues that the normalised notions which make up these conversations need to be made explicit, and the near silences that negotiate the parameters of these discussions should also be the focus of analysis. While at one level teachers and parents discussed their unease and their excitement about the ways their school had changed, their conversations remained underpinned by taken-for-granted understandings about the ways people belong differently within the school community.<br /