Carmel River Lagoon Enhancement Project: Water Quality and Aquatic Wildlife Monitoring, 2005-6

In summer and fall 2004, the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) initiated the Carmel River Lagoon Enhancement Project. The project involved excavation of a dry remnant Arm of the lagoon and adjacent disused farmland to form a significant new lagoon volume. The intention was to provide habitat, in particular, for two Federally threatened species: the California Red-Legged Frog, and the Steelhead Trout (South Central-Coastal California Evolutionary Significant Unit). DPR contracted with the Foundation of California State University Monterey Bay (Central Coast Watershed Studies Team, Watershed Institute) to monitor water quality and aquatic invertebrates in association with the enhancement, and to attempt to monitor steelhead using novel video techniques. The monitoring objective was to assess whether the enhancement was successful in providing habitat with good water quality, adequate invertebrate food for steelhead, and ultimately the presence of steelhead. (Document contains 102 pages

DESIGN, SYNTHESIS, AND STUDY OF ZINC-RESPONSIVE LIPID SWITCHES FOR TRIGGERED RELEASE OF LIPOSOMAL CONTENT

Smart drug delivery platforms such as designer liposomes can be used to enhance medicinal properties by enabling control over the time and location of therapeutic cargo release. This can be achieved by designing liposomes that respond to different stimuli by releasing encapsulated contents. Specifically, this work focuses on the synthesis of ion recognition lipid switches. These lipids are designed such that their physical properties are altered upon chelation of a given metal ion, in this case Zn2+, becoming membrane destabilizing upon molecular recognition. This contributes to the current state of passively controlled release, where pathophysiological conditions associated with a diseased site are used to control spatiotemporal release of therapeutic cargo. The use of molecular recognition events to effect conformational change and thus cargo release is a newly emerging field of research. Here, a panel of zinc recognition lipids based on known zinc chelating moieties including trispicoylamine (TPA) and N,N,N′,N′-Tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN) were synthesized and their release potential analyzed. With incorporation into a liposome platform, these lipids can be used to enhance the selectivity of release at diseased cells exhibiting elevated zinc concentrations including ischemic tissues, neurodegenerative diseases, and certain cancer types.3-

Longitudinal study of recovery following diaphyseal fracture of the tibia or femur

The lack of scientific research into the treatment of fractures, in general, was noted by orthopaedic surgeons some ten years ago and is of particular importance in the study of lower limb fracture because it is acknowledged as one of the most opinionated and contentious fields of orthopaedic practice. Therefore, in 1984, a study of this patient population was initiated at the instigation of members of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery within the University of Edinburgh. Following a review of the literature, it became apparent that there was no standard way of monitoring or measuring outcome following fracture. Many of the commonly used clinical instruments, such as time to union, complication rates and the incidence of malunion, were based upon subjective judgements that had not been adequately tested in terms of their properties of measurement, while the descriptive data in scientific literature on this subject was found to be contradictory. Thus, in response to these findings, a longitudinal study was planned with three objectives in view. Firstly, the intention was to standardise, test and select instruments that could be used to measure different clinical and rehabilitative aspects of recovery following lower limb injury. Secondly, the patient population was to be described in greater detail than had been attempted hitherto in order to provide sound empirically derived data to assist with the design and planning of future clinical trials. Finally, post hoc analyses were to be conducted in order to determine the prognostic potential of various factors thought to influence recovery upon different types of outcome. The fieldwork for this longitudinal study took place between June 1985 and May 1987 and during this time a series of 112 patients, admitted to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, were recruited to the study. Subjects were followed-up over a nine month period with each subject being interviewed on three specific occassions. Five computer compatible coding schedules were used to collect the data which comprised clinical, socio-economic psychological and functional variables. As a result of this study, a methodology has been specified and research instruments have been designed and tested for the future evaluation of fracture treatments. Three measures have been identified which were sufficiently sensitive, valid and reliable to measure outcome following lower limb fracture. Furthermore, suggestions have been made as to the possible research design and type of statistical analyses which might be employed in the context of an experimental study. Four main recommendations have been made for the development of clinical research in this area of interest, namely: (1) that immediate attention be given to improving and testing clinical and radiological measures of union; (2) that a large scale survey of the natural healing process should be undertaken; (3) that a clinical trial be conducted to evaluate the benefit of conservative versus operative procedures for stabilising tibial shaft fractures; and (4) that serious consideration be given to developing the appropriate resources and expertise necessary to conduct clinical orthopaedic research based on the methods of the social and behavioural sciences as well as those of the basic biological sciences

Theory-based communication skills training for medicine counter assistants to improve consultations for non-prescription medicines

Context: Medicine counter assistants (MCAs) supply the majority of non-prescription medicines (NPMs) to consumers. Suboptimal communication during consultations between consumers and MCAs has been identified as a major cause of inappropriate supply. Evidence from medical consultations suggests that training in specified communication skills can change professional behaviour. Methods: A feasibility study was conducted to evaluate the effect of theory-based communication skills training for MCAs. Thirty MCAs were recruited from 21 community pharmacies in Grampian, Scotland. The intervention comprised 2 4-hour training sessions, held 1 month apart. The sessions were informed by results from previous studies and the Calgary−Cambridge evidence-based model of communication skills training. Strategies for guiding individuals through change were adopted from cognitive behavioural therapy techniques. The theory of planned behaviour was used to assess potential pathways to behaviour change. Recorded data were collected during covert visits to the pharmacies by simulated patients at baseline and 1 month after each training session. Communication performance was measured as the number and type of questions asked. Results: Compared with baseline measures, the total number of questions asked increased in the intervention group at both timepoints. No change was shown in the control group between baseline and follow-up 1, and a decrease was shown in the total number of questions from follow-up 1 to 2. The intervention appeared to have greater effect on consultations involving advice, compared with those concerning product requests. Discussion: Communication performance improved following training. Increased information exchange is associated with guideline-compliant supply of NPMs. A substantive randomised, controlled trial is now planned to assess the intervention.This study was funded by the Chief Scientist Office, Scottish Executive Health Department