Increasing Staff and Student Capacity to Use the Communication Facility in Queen's Online in Order to Support Learning and Teaching on a BSW Programme

In this article the authors explore and evaluate developments in the use of information and communications technologies (ICT) within social work education at Queen's University Belfast since the inception of the new degree in social work. They look at the staff development strategy utilised to increase teacher confidence and competence in use of the Queen's Online virtual learning environment tools as well as the student experience of participation in modules involving online discussions. The authors conclude that the project provided further opportunity to reflect on how ICT can be used as a platform to support a whole course in a systematic and coordinated way and to ensure all staff remained abreast of ongoing developments in the use of ICT to support learning which is a normative expectation of students entering universities. A very satisfying outcome for the leaders is our observation of the emergence of other 'experts' in different aspects of use of ICT amongst the staff team. This project also shows that taking a team as opposed to an individual approach can be particularly beneficial

Determination of the molecular weight distribution of non-enzymatic browning products formed by roasting of glucose and glycine and studies on their effects on NADPH-cytochrome c-reductase and glutathione-S-transferase in Caco-2 cells

After thermal treatment of a mixture of glucose and glycine for 2 h at 125 degreesC, about 60% of the starting material was converted into nonsoluble, black pigments, whereas 40% of the mixture was still water-soluble. Dialysis of the latter fraction revealed 30.4% of low molecular weight compounds (LMWs; MW <10 000 De) and 10.0% high-molecular weight products [HMWs; MW greater than or equal to 10000 Dal. The water-soluble Maillard reaction products (MRPs) were separated by gel permeation chromatography and ultrafiltration, revealing that 60% of the water-soluble products of the total carbohydrate/amino acid mixture had MWs <1 000 Da and consisted mainly of non-coloured reaction products. MRPs with MWs between 1000 and 30000 Da were Found in comparatively low yields (about 1.3%). In contrast, about 31.1% of the MRPs exhibited MWs > 30000 Da, amongst which 14.5% showed MWs > 100000 Da, thus indicating an oligomerisation of LMWs to melanoidins under roasting conditions. To investigate the physiological effects of these MRPs, xenobiotic enzyme activities were analysed in intestinal Caco-2 cells. For Phase-I NADPH-cytochrome c-reductase, the activity in the presence of the LMW and HMW fraction was decreased by 13% and 22%: respectively. Phase-II glutathione-S-transferase activity decreased by 15% and 18%, respectively, after incubation with the LMW and the HMW fractions. Considering the different yields, 30% and 10%, respectively, of the LMW and the HMW fractions, the total amount of the LMW fraction present in the glucose-glycine mixture is more active in modulating three enzyme activities than that of the HMW fraction.

Effect of pH, temperature, and moisture on the formation of volatile compounds in glycine/glucose model systems

Mixtures of glycine, glucose, and starch were extrusion cooked using sodium hydroxide at 0, 3, and 6 g/L of extruder water feed, 18% moisture, and 120, 150, and 180 degreesC target die temperatures, giving extrudates with pH values of 5.6, 6.8, and 7.4. Freeze-dried equimolar solutions of glucose and glycine were heated either dry or after equilibration to similar to 13% moisture at 180 degreesC in a reaction-tube system designed to mimic the heating profile in an extruder. Volatile compounds were isolated onto Tenax and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. For the extrudates, total yields of volatiles increased with decreasing pH at 180 degreesC, reached a maximum at pH 6.S at 150 degreesC, and increased with increasing pH at 120 degreesC. Amounts increased with temperature at all pH values. Pyrazines were the most abundant class for all sets of conditions (54-79% of total volatiles). Pyrroles, ketones, furans, oxazoles, and pyridines were also identified. Yields of volatiles from the reaction-tube samples increased by > 60% in the moist system. Levels of individual classes also increased in the presence of moisture, except pyrazines, which decreased similar to3.5-fold. Twenty-one of the compounds were common to the reaction-tube samples and the extrudates.

Effect of pH and temperature on the formation of volatile compounds in cysteine/reducing sugar/starch mixtures during extrusion cooking

Mixtures of cysteine, reducing sugar (xylose or glucose), and starch were extrusion cooked using feed pH values of 5.5, 6.5, and 7.5 and target die temperatures of 120, 150, and 180 degreesC. Volatile compounds were isolated by headspace trapping onto Tenax and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Eighty and 38 compounds, respectively, were identified from extrudates prepared using glucose and xylose. Amounts of most compounds increased with temperature and pH. Aliphatic sulfur compounds, thiophenes, pyrazines, and thiazoles were the most abundant chemical classes for the glucose samples, whereas for xylose extrudates highest levels were obtained for non-sulfur-containing furans, thiophenes, sulfur-containing furans, and pyrazines. 2-Furanmethanethiol and 2-methyl-3-furanthiol were present in extrudates prepared using both sugars, but levels were higher in xylose samples. The profiles of reaction products were different from those obtained from aqueous or reduced-moisture systems based on cysteine and either glucose or ribose.

CO multipulse TAP studies of 2% Pt/CeO2 catalyst: Influence of catalyst pretreatment and temperature on the number of active sites observed

CO multipulse temporal analysis of products (TAP) experiments were used to characterize a ceria-supported platinum catalyst after various oxidative and reductive pretreatments using O-2, H2O, CO2, and H-2. Based on the amount of CO consumed, using the final CO-saturated catalyst composition as the common state point, the oxidatively pretreated catalyst could be described using a general scale. From a kinetic analysis of the CO multipulse responses, two kinetic regimes corresponding to two types of active sites could be identified. As the temperature was raised, the number of the most active sites did not change while the amount of the less active site increased. Comparison of the number of active sites determined from the TAP data reported herein with that determined by a previous steady-state isotope transient kinetic analysis experiment showed excellent agreement. This correlation indicates that the (very fast response) TAP experiments can provide information regarding the number and type of active sites that are relevant to a catalyst under real reaction conditions. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Methane transformation to carbon and hydrogen on Pd(100): Pathways and energetics from density functional theory calculations

Density functional theory with gradient corrections has been employed to study the reaction pathways and the reaction energetics for the transformations of CH4 to C and H on a Pd(100) surface. On examination of transition state structures identified in each elementary reaction, a clear relationship between the valencies of the CHx fragments and the locations of the transition states emerges. The higher the valency of the CHx fragment, the higher the coordination number of the CHx with the surface atoms. The calculated reaction energetics are in good agreement with the experiments. In addition, calculation results are also used to illustrate an interesting issue concerning the CH3 stability on Pd surfaces. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.

Deficiencies of double-strand break repair factors and effects on mutagenesis in directly gamma-irradiated and medium-mediated bystander human lymphoblastoid cells

Using RNA interference techniques to knock down key proteins in two major double-strand break (DSB) repair pathways (DNA-PKcs for nonhomologous end joining, NHEJ, and Rad54 for homologous recombination, HR), we investigated the influence of DSB repair factors on radiation mutagenesis at the autosomal thymidine kinase (TK) locus both in directly irradiated cells and in unirradiated bystander cells. We also examined the role of p53 (TP53) in these processes by using cells of three human lymphoblastoid cell lines from the same donor but with differing p53 status (TK6 is p53 wild-type, NH32 is p53 null, and WTK1 is p53 mutant). Our results indicated that p53 status did not affect either the production of radiation bystander mutagenic signals or the response to these signals. In directly irradiated cells, knockdown of DNA-PKcs led to an increased mutant fraction in WTK1 cells and decreased mutant fractions in TK6 and NH32 cells. In contrast, knockdown of DNA-PKcs led to increased mutagenesis in bystander cells regardless of p53 status. In directly irradiated cells, knockdown of Rad54 led to increased induced mutant fractions in WTK1 and NH32 cells, but the knockdown did not affect mutagenesis in p53 wild-type TK6 cells. In all cell lines, Rad54 knockdown had no effect on the magnitude of bystander mutagenesis. Studies with extracellular catalase confirmed the involvement of H2O2 in bystander signaling. Our results demonstrate that DSB repair factors have different roles in mediating mutagenesis in irradiated and bystander cells. (C) 2008 by Radiation Research Society.

Public awareness and views on unlicensed use of medicines in children.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT center dot There is increasing concern about the use of those medicines in children which have not been fully studied and licensed for childhood use. Such use is not uncommon, due in large part to a lack of availability of fully licensed products and formulations that are suitable for children. center dot There is little published information on the views of the public on this important area of paediatric care. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS center dot A survey of 1000 members of the public in Northern Ireland indicated that such use of medicines in children is not well known. center dot However, when informed about this practice, the majority believed that it would compromise safety and increase the likelihood of adverse effects. They also believed that parents/guardians should be told if their child was prescribed a medicine that had not been fully tested in children. center dot Participants in the survey indicated that they would be reluctant to involve their child in a clinical trial to help with the licensing process unless the child was suffering from a life-threatening illness. To explore awareness and views of the general public on unlicensed use of medicines in children and on the participation of children in clinical trials. Members of the public completed a questionnaire survey administered by face-to-face interview in public areas in N. Ireland. The main outcome measures were the views on unlicensed use of medicines in children and on clinical trials in children. One thousand participants (59.2% female) took part; 610 were parents. Most participants (86%) had no previous knowledge about unlicensed use of medicines in children. Being a parent did not influence this nor did being a parent of a child who suffered from a health problem (P > 0.05). Most participants (92%) felt that parents should be told about unlicensed use of medicines, with the doctor most frequently selected as the person who should inform parents. At the outset, only 1.8% of participants felt that the use of medicines in children was unsafe. However, having been informed about unlicensed use of medicines, this proportion increased dramatically (62.4%; P <0.001). Views on whether participants would enter a child of their own into a clinical trial varied according to the health status of the child (P <0.05) i.e. a child in good health (3.9%) vs a child with a life-threatening condition (41.9%). There is limited public knowledge of unlicensed use of medicines in children and a general reluctance to involve children in clinical trials unless the child to be involved has a life-threatening condition.