The impact of pain on the quality of life of people with multiple sclerosis: A community survey

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of pain on functioning across multiple quality of life (QOL) domains among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). A total of 219 people were recruited from a regional MS society membership database to serve as the community-based study sample. All participants completed a questionnaire containing items about their demographic and clinical characteristics, validated measures of QOL and MS-related disability, and a question on whether or not they had experienced clinically significant pain in the preceding 2 weeks. Respondents who reported pain then completed an in-person structured pain interview assessing pain characteristics (intensity, quality, location, extent, and duration). Comparisons between participants with and without MS-related pain demonstrated that pain prevalence and intensity were strongly correlated with QOL: physical health, psychological health, level of independence, and global QOL were more likely to be impaired among people with MS when pain was present, and the extent of impairment was associated with the intensity of pain. Moreover, these relationships remained significant even after statistically controlling for multiple demographic and clinical covariates associated with self-reported QOL. These findings suggest that for people with MS, pain is an important source of distress and disability beyond that caused by neurologic impairments.

Stability of the learning and development survey : findings for mature aged local government and private healthcare organisations.

This article investigates work related learning and development amongst mature aged workers from a lifespan developmental psychology perspective. The current study follows on from research regarding the construction and revision of the Learning and Development Survey (LDS; Tones & Pillay, 2008). Designed to measure adaptive development for work related learning, the revised LDS (R-LDS) encompasses goal selection, engagement and disengagement from individual and organisational perspectives. Previous survey findings from a mixed age sample of local government workers suggest that mature aged workers aged over 45 years are less likely to report engagement in learning and development goals than younger workers, which is partly due to insufficient opportunities at work. In the current paper, exploratory factor analysis was used to investigate responses to the R-LDS amongst two groups of mature aged workers from a local government (LG) and private healthcare (PH) organisation to determine the stability of the R-LDS. Organisational constraints to development accounted for almost a quarter of the variance in R-LDS scores for both samples, while remaining factors emerged in different orders for each data set. Organisational opportunities for development explained about 17% of the variance in R-LDS scores in the LG sample, while the individual goal disengagement factor contributed a comparable proportion of variance to R-LDS scores for the PH sample. Findings from the current study indicate that opportunities for learning and development at work may be age structured and biased towards younger workers. Implications for professional practice are discussed and focus on improving the engagement of mature aged workers.

Formative and reflective measurement and validation mismatch in survey research : an archival analysis of information systems success constructs 1985-2007

The generic IS-success constructs first identified by DeLone and McLean (1992) continue to be widely employed in research. Yet, recent work by Petter et al (2007) has cast doubt on the validity of many mainstream constructs employed in IS research over the past 3 decades; critiquing the almost universal conceptualization and validation of these constructs as reflective when in many studies the measures appear to have been implicitly operationalized as formative. Cited examples of proper specification of the Delone and McLean constructs are few, particularly in light of their extensive employment in IS research. This paper introduces a four-stage formative construct development framework: Conceive > Operationalize > Respond > Validate (CORV). Employing the CORV framework in an archival analysis of research published in top outlets 1985-2007, the paper explores the extent of possible problems with past IS research due to potential misspecification of the four application-related success dimensions: Individual-Impact, Organizational-Impact, System-Quality and Information-Quality. Results suggest major concerns where there is a mismatch of the Respond and Validate stages. A general dearth of attention to the Operationalize and Respond stages in methodological writings is also observed.

Environmental and public health issues in Mount Isa : 2007 community survey

This report presents the results of a random telephone survey of 500 adult residents of Mount Isa, conducted in early November 2007. The study was funded by Xstrata Mount Isa Mines. The primary aim of the survey was to collect data about community perceptions and experiences of air quality in Mount Isa and to compare these results with those of a similar survey conducted in 2000 (MacLennan, Lloyd & Hensley, 2000). Both surveys also included questions relating to other aspects of the Mount Isa environment (e.g. water quality, heat, amount of greenery) as well as questions aimed at ascertaining respondents’ general attitudes towards environmental protection.

Public awareness of ‘green’ residential property – an empirical survey based on data from New Zealand and Germany

Over the last few years more stringent environmental laws (e.g. the German “Energie¬ein-sparverordnung ENEV” - Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) and soaring energy prices has increased the need for the real estate industry to react and participate in overall energy reduction through efficient house construction and design, as well as upgrading the existing housing stock to be more energy efficient. Therefore the Property Economics Group at Queensland University of Technology in Australia and Nuertingen-Geislingen University in Germany are carrying out research in relation to sustainable housing construction and public awareness of “green” residential property. Part of this research is to gain an understanding of the level of knowledge and importance of these issues to the house buyer and to determine the importance of sustainable housing to the general public. The paper compares data from two different empirical studies; one of studies analyzes the situation in New Zealand, the other is focused on Germany.

Current rural valuation practice : a survey of valuers and agribusiness managers on farm management and sustainable rural land use

Over the past 20 years the nature of rural valuation practice has required most rural valuers to undertake studies in both agriculture (farm management) and valuation, especially if carrying out valuation work for financial institutions. The additional farm financial and management information obtained by rural valuers exceeds that level of information required to value commercial, retail and industrial by the capitalisation of net rent/profit valuation method and is very similar to the level of information required for the valuation of commercial and retail property by the Discounted Cash Flow valuation method. On this basis the valuers specialising in rural valuation practice have the necessary skills and information to value rural properties by an income valuation method, which can focus on the long term environmental and economic sustainability of the property being valued. This paper will review the results of an extensive survey carried out by rural property valuers in Australia, in relation to the impact of farm management on rural property values and sustainable rural land use. A particular focus of the research relates to the increased awareness of the problems of rural land degradation in Australia and the subsequent impact such problems have on the productivity of rural land. These problems of sustainable land use have resulted in the need to develop an approach to rural valuation practice that allows the valuer to factor the past management practices on the subject rural property into the actual valuation figure. An analysis of the past farm management and the inclusion of this data into the valuation methodology provides a much more reliable indication of farm sustainable economic value than the existing direct comparison valuation methodology.

Raman spectroscopic study of the mixed anion sulphate-arsenate mineral parnauite Cu9[(OH)10|SO4|(AsO4)2].7H2O

The mixed anion mineral parnauite Cu9[(OH)10|SO4|(AsO4)2].7H2O has been studied by Raman spectroscopy. Characteristic bands associated with arsenate, sulphate, hydroxyl units are identified. Broad bands are observed and are resolved into component bands. Two intense bands at 859 and 830 cm-1 are assigned to the 1 (AsO4)3- symmetric stretching and 3 (AsO4)3- antisymmetric stretching modes. The comparatively sharp band at 976 cm-1 is assigned to the ν1 (SO4)2- symmetric stretching mode and a broad spectral profile centered upon 1097 cm-1 is attributed to the ν3 (SO4)2- antisymmetric stretching mode. A comparison of the Raman spectra is made with other arsenate bearing minerals such as carminite, clinotyrolite, kankite, tilasite and pharmacosiderite.

Raman spectroscopic study of the uranyl mineral natrouranospinite (Na2,Ca)[(UO2)(AsO4)]2•5H2O

Raman spectra of natrouranospinite complemented with infrared spectra were studied and related to the structure of the mineral. Observed bands were assigned to the stretching and bending vibrations of (UO2)2+ and (AsO4)3- units and of water molecules. U-O bond lengths in uranyl and O-H…O hydrogen bond lengths were calculated from the Raman and infrared spectra.

Raman spectroscopic study of the uranyl sulphate mineral jáchymovite (UO2)8(SO4)(OH)14•13H2O

Raman spectra of jáchymovite, (UO2)8(SO4)(OH)14•13H2O, were studied, complemented with infrared spectra, and compared with published Raman and infrared spectra of uranopilite, [(UO2)6(SO4)O2(OH)6(H2O)6] •6H2O. Bands related to the stretching and bending vibrations of (UO2)2+, (SO4)2-, (OH)- and water molecules were assigned. U-O bond lengths in uranyl and O-H…O hydrogen bond lengths were calculated from the Raman and infrared spectra.

EPR, UV-visible and near infrared spectroscopic characterization of dolomite

Dolomite mineral samples having white and light green colours of Indian origin have been characterized by EPR, optical and NIR spectroscopy. The optical spectrum exhibits a number of electronic bands due to presence of Fe(III) ions in the mineral. From EPR studies, the parameters of g for Fe(III) and g, A and D for Mn(II) are evaluated and the data confirm that the ions are in distorted octahedron. Optical absorption studies reveal that Fe(III) is in distorted octahedron. The bands in NIR spectra are due to the overtones and combinations of water molecules. Thus EPR and optical absorption spectral studies have proven useful for the study of the chemistry of dolomite.

Current rural valuation practice : a survey of NSW valuers and agribusiness managers

Despite the advances that have been made in relation to the valuation of Commercial, Industrial and retail property, there has not been the same progress in relation to the valuation of rural property. Although number of rural property valuations also require the valuer to carry out a full analysis of the economic performance of the farming operations, as well as the long term environmental viability of the farm, this information is rarely used to assess the value of the property, nor is it even used for a secondary valuation method. Over the past 20 years the nature of rural valuation practice has required most rural valuers to undertake studies in both agriculture (farm management) and valuation, especially if carrying out valuation work for financial institutions. The additional farm financial and management information obtained by rural valuers exceeds that level of information required to value commercial, retail and industrial by the capitalisation of net rent/profit valuation method and is very similar to the level of information required for the valuation of commercial and retail property by the Discounted Cash Flow valuation method. On this basis the valuers specialising in rural valuation practice have the necessary skills and information to value rural properties by an income valuation method. Although the direct comparison method of valuation has been sufficient in the past to value rural properties the future use of the method as the main valuation method is limited and valuers need to adopt an income valuation method as at least a secondary valuation method to overcome the problems associated with the use of direct comparison as the only rural property valuation method, especially in view of the impact that farm technical, financial and environmental .management can have on rural property values. This paper will review the results of an extensive survey carried out by rural property valuers and agribusiness managers in NSW, in relation to the impact of farm management on rural property values and rural property valuation practice.

Synchronous fluorescence and UV–vis spectroscopic studies of interactions between the tetracycline antibiotic, aluminium ions and DNA with the aid of the Methylene Blue dye probe

Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (SFS) was applied for the investigation of interactions of the antibiotic, tetracycline (TC), with DNA in the presence of aluminium ions (Al3+). The study was facilitated by the use of the Methylene Blue (MB) dye probe, and the interpretation of the spectral data with the aid of the chemometrics method, parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC). Three-way synchronous fluorescence analysis extracted the important optimum constant wavelength differences, Δλ, and showed that for the TC–Al3+–DNA, TC–Al3+ and MB dye systems, the associated Δλ values were different (Δλ = 80, 75 and 30 nm, respectively). Subsequent PARAFAC analysis demonstrated the extraction of the equilibrium concentration profiles for the TC–Al3+, TC–Al3+–DNA and MB probe systems. This information is unobtainable by conventional means of data interpretation. The results indicated that the MB dye interacted with the TC–Al3+–DNA surface complex, presumably via a reaction intermediate, TC–Al3+–DNA–MB, leading to the displacement of the TC–Al3+ by the incoming MB dye probe.

Raman spectroscopic study of the antimonate mineral brandholzite Mg[Sb(OH)12].6H2O

Raman spectra of brandholzite Mg[Sb(OH)6].6H2O were studied, complemented with infrared spectra, and related to the structure of the mineral. An intense Raman sharp band at 618 cm-1 is attributed to the SbO symmetric stretching mode. The low intensity band at 730 cm-1 is ascribed to the SbO antisymmetric stretching vibration. Low intensity Raman bands were found at 503, 526 and 578 cm-1. Corresponding infrared bands were observed at 527, 600, 637, 693, 741 and 788 cm-1. Four Raman bands observed at 1043, 1092, 1160 and 1189 cm-1 and eight infrared bands at 963, 1027, 1055, 1075, 1108, 1128, 1156 and 1196 cm-1 are assigned to δ SbOH deformation modes. A complex pattern resulting from the overlapping band of the water and hydroxyl units is observed. Raman bands are observed at 3240, 3383, 3466, 3483 and 3552 cm-1, infrared bands at 3248, 3434 and 3565 cm-1. The first two Raman bands and the first infrared band are assigned to water stretching vibrations. The two higher wavenumber Raman bands observed at 3466 and 3552 cm-1 and two infrared bands at 3434 and 3565 cm-1 are assigned to the stretching vibrations of the hydroxyl units. Observed Raman and infrared bands are connected with O-H…O hydrogen bonds and their lengths 2.72, 2.79, 2.86, 2.88 and 3.0 Å (Raman) and 2.73, 2.83 and 3.07 Å (infrared).

Raman spectroscopic study of the uranyl mineral pseudojohannite Cu6.5[(UO2)4O4(SO4)2]2(OH)5.25H2O

Raman spectra of pseudojohannite were studied and related to the structure of the mineral. Observed bands were assigned to the stretching and bending vibrations of (UO2)2+ and (SO4)2- units and of water molecules. The published formula of pseudojohannite is Cu6.5(UO2)8\[O8](OH)5\[(SO4)4].25H2O; however Raman spectroscopy does not detect any hydroxyl units. Raman bands at 805 and 810 cm-1 are assigned to (UO2)2+ stretching modes. The Raman bands at 1017 and 1100 cm-1 are assigned to the (SO4)2- symmetric and antisymmetric stretching vibrations. The three Raman bands at 423, 465 and 496 cm-1 are assigned to the (SO4)2- ν2 bending modes. The bands at 210 and 279 cm-1 are assigned to the doubly degenerate ν2 bending vibration of the (UO2)2+ units. U-O bond lengths in uranyl and O-H…O hydrogen bond lengths were calculated from the Raman and infrared spectra.

Raman spectroscopic study of the uranyl mineral metauranospinite Ca[(UO2)(AsO4)]2.8H2O

Raman spectra of metauranospinite Ca[(UO2)(AsO4)]2.8H2O complemented with infrared spectra were studied. Observed bands were assigned to the stretching and bending vibrations of (UO2)2+ and (AsO4)3- units and of water molecules. U-O bond lengths in uranyl and O-H…O hydrogen bond lengths were calculated from the Raman and infrared spectra.