Antioxidants in health and disease

Free radical production occurs continuously in all cells as part of normal cellular function. However, excess free radical production originating from endogenous or exogenous sources might play a role in many diseases. Antioxidants prevent free radical induced tissue damage by preventing the formation of radicals, scavenging them, or by promoting their decomposition. This article reviews the basic chemistry of free radical formation in the body, the consequences of free radical induced tissue damage, and the function of antioxidant defence systems, with particular reference to the development of atherosclerosis.

Suppressors of cytokine signalling (SOCS): putative modulators of cytokine bioactivity in health and disease

Cytokines are important modulators of homeostatic processes such as development, haematopoiesis and host defence, A recently identified family of proteins, the supressors of cytokine signalling (SOCS) act as negative regulators of the key cytokine-activated signalling pathway, the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) cascade, In the current review, the discovery, structural features, regulation of expression, mechanisms of JAK/STAT inhibition and putative role in health and disease of the SOCS family are discussed.

Development of a multi-media book for clinical supervision training in undergraduate nursing

There is an increased interest in higher education in the use of e-learning resources for students. This can be attributed to many factors including, the availability of advanced technology systems, a growing student population that is technology focused, financial implications and the recruitment of international students. However, the introduction of technology and e-learning into teaching has given rise to issues regarding quality and quantity of educational practice . The challenge now is for educationalists is to deliver an optimal learning experience that is effective and appropriate for students’ learning needs.

A framework for developing evaluation capacity in health care settings.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for developing an effective evaluation practice within health care settings. Three features are reviewed; capacity building, the application of evaluation to program activities and the utilization of evaluation recommendations. First, the organizational elements required to establish effective evaluation practice are reviewed emphasizing that an organization's capacity for evaluation develops over time and in stages. Second, a comprehensive evaluation framework is presented which demonstrates how evaluation practice can be applied to all aspects of a program's life cycle, thus promoting the scope of evidence-based decision making within an organization. Finally, factors which influence the adoption of evaluation recommendations by decision makers are reviewed accompanied by strategies to promote the utilization of evaluation recommendations in organization decision making.

Tact training versus bi-directional intraverbal training in teaching a foreign language

The current study involved an evaluation of the emergence of untrained verbal relations as a function of between three different foreign-language teaching strategies. Two Spanish-speaking adults received foreign-language (English) tact-training as well as native-to-foreign and foreign-to-native intraverbal training. The results indicated that tact training and native-to-foreign intraverbal training are more likely to result in the emergence of untrained relations, and may thus be more efficient compared to foreign-to-native intraverbal training.