Journeying through the DNP project: A qualitative, descriptive study.

Background: As a requirement of doctor in nursing practice (DNP) programs, a final scholarly project is required. Little is known about the student experience initiating, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating the scholarly DNP project.

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive study was to explore descriptions of what it is like to move through the DNP project process, from the perspective of successful recent DNP graduates.

Analysis of reproducibility and robustness of a human microfluidic four-cell liver acinus microphysiology system (LAMPS).

A human microfluidic four-cell liver acinus microphysiology system (LAMPS), was evaluated for reproducibility and robustness as a model for drug pharmacokinetics and toxicology. The model was constructed using primary human hepatocytes or human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived hepatocytes and 3 human cell lines for the endothelial, Kupffer and stellate cells. The model was tested in two laboratories and demonstrated to be reproducible in terms of basal function of hepatocytes, Terfenadine metabolism, and effects of Tolcapone (88 μM), Troglitazone (150 μM), and caffeine (600 μM) over 9 days in culture.

"I Am Surprised at the Change in Me": What Is It Like for Nurses to Be in the Process of Completing a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing?

Background: The percentage of nurses with a baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN) affects patient morbidity and mortality, so health care organizations are encouraging staff nurses to finish their BSN degree. However, there is little data related to what it is like for RNs to return to school.

Method: In this qualitative, descriptive study, 16 RN-to-BSN students were interviewed using naturalistic inquiry processes to gain an understanding of what it is like for students in the midst of an RN-to-BSN program.

Identifying and quantifying heterogeneity in high content analysis: application of heterogeneity indices to drug discovery.

One of the greatest challenges in biomedical research, drug discovery and diagnostics is understanding how seemingly identical cells can respond differently to perturbagens including drugs for disease treatment. Although heterogeneity has become an accepted characteristic of a population of cells, in drug discovery it is not routinely evaluated or reported. The standard practice for cell-based, high content assays has been to assume a normal distribution and to report a well-to-well average value with a standard deviation.

Identification of druggable targets for radiation mitigation using a small interfering RNA screening assay.

Currently, there is a serious absence of pharmaceutically attractive small molecules that mitigate the lethal effects of an accidental or intentional public exposure to toxic doses of ionizing radiation. Moreover, cellular systems that emulate the radiobiologically relevant cell populations and that are suitable for high-throughput screening have not been established. Therefore, we examined two human pluripotent embryonal carcinoma cell lines for use in an unbiased phenotypic small interfering RNA (siRNA) assay to identify proteins with the potential of being drug targets for the protection of human cell populations against clinically relevant ionizing radiation doses that cause acute radiation syndrome.

Unfolding case studies.

Unfolding case studies using simulation are unique teaching/learning strategies to assist learners in developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to be safe, competent practitioners.

A simplified synthesis of novel dictyostatin analogues with in vitro activity against epothilone B-resistant cells and antiangiogenic activity in zebrafish embryos.

The natural product (--)-dictyostatin is a microtubule-stabilizing agent that potently inhibits the growth of human cancer cells, including paclitaxel-resistant clones. Extensive structure-activity relationship studies have revealed several regions of the molecule that can be altered without loss of activity. The most potent synthetic dictyostatin analogue described to date, 6-epi-dictyostatin, has superior in vivo antitumor activity against human breast cancer xenografts compared with paclitaxel.

Learning together: Using simulations to develop nursing and medical student collaboration.

Collaborative interdisciplinary learning is a core educational requirement cited by the Institute of Medicine Health Professions Education Report (2003). This descriptive study supports the Nursing Education Simulation Framework for designing simulations used as an interdisciplinary teaching strategy in health professions curricula. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the framework for the collaborative medical and nursing management of a surgical patient with complications.

Identifying a resistance determinant for the antimitotic natural products disorazole C1 and A1.

Disorazoles are macrocyclic polyketides first isolated from the fermentation broth of the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum. Both the major fermentation product disorazole A(1) and its much rarer companion disorazole C(1) exhibit potent cytotoxic activity against many human tumor cells. Furthermore, the disorazoles appear to bind tubulin uniquely among known antimitotic agents, promoting apoptosis or premature senescence.

Microtubule binding and disruption and induction of premature senescence by disorazole C(1).

Disorazoles comprise a family of 29 macrocyclic polyketides isolated from the fermentation broth of the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum. The major fermentation product, disorazole A(1), was found previously to irreversibly bind to tubulin and to have potent cytotoxic activity against tumor cells, possibly because of its highly electrophilic epoxide moiety. To test this hypothesis, we synthesized the epoxide-free disorazole C(1) and found it retained potent antiproliferative activity against tumor cells, causing prominent G(2)/M phase arrest and inhibition of in vitro tubulin polymerization.

Physical activity is associated with risk factors for chronic disease across adult women's life cycle.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the association of age (young, midlife, and older) and activity level (active and sedentary), determined by a pedometer, with risk factors of chronic disease, including body composition, dietary intake, serum lipids, insulin, leptin, C-reactive protein (CRP), plasma glucose, and resting metabolic rate (RMR) in women across the adult life cycle.

Methods: Young (aged 20 to 30 years) (n=49), midlife (aged 40 to 50 years) (n=62), and older (aged 60 years and older) (n=47) women were recruited for this cross-sectional study. For 7 days, participants completed weighed food records and wore a pedometer.

Simple nanosecond to minutes transient absorption spectrophotometer.

We built a transient absorption spectrophotometer that can determine transient absorption spectral changes that occur at times as fast as approximately 200 ns and as slow as a minute. The transient absorption can be induced by a temperature-jump (T-jump) or by optical pumping from the deep ultraviolet (UV) to the infrared (IR) by use of single ns Nd:YAG laser pulses. Our use of a fiber-optic spectrometer coupled to a XeF flashlamp makes the collection of transient spectra easy and convenient in the spectral range from the near IR (1700 nm) down to the deep UV (200 nm), with high signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios.

Emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization produces highly charged, monodisperse particles for near infrared photonic crystals.

We have developed emulsifier-free, emulsion polymerization recipes for the synthesis of highly charged, monodisperse latex particles of diameters between 500 and 1100 nm. These latexes consist of poly[styrene-(co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)] spherical particles whose surfaces are functionalized with sulfate and carboxylic acid groups. These highly charged, monodisperse particles readily self-assemble into robust, three-dimensionally ordered crystalline colloidal array photonic crystals that Bragg diffract light in the near infrared spectral region.

Nanogel nanosecond photonic crystal optical switching.

We developed a robust nanosecond photonic crystal switching material by using poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanogel colloidal particles that self-assemble into crystalline colloidal arrays (CCAs). The CCA was polymerized into a loose-knit hydrogel which permits the individual embedded nanogel PNIPAM particles to coherently and synchronously undergo their thermally induced volume phase transitions. A laser T-jump from 30 to 35 degrees C actuates the nanogel particle shrinkage; the resulting increased diffraction decreases light transmission within 900 ns.

Photonic crystal optrode sensor for detection of Pb2+ in high ionic strength environments.

We developed an optrode sensing device that utilizes a polymerized colloidal array (PCCA) photonic crystal material. This array diffracts light in the visible spectral region due to the periodic spacing of colloidal particles. The PCCA changes diffraction wavelength due to binding of Pb2+ to an 18-crown-6 ether molecular recognition agent.

Polymerized crystalline colloidal array chemical-sensing materials for detection of lead in body fluids.

We have developed intelligent polymerized crystalline colloidal array (IPCCA) chemical-sensing materials for detection of Pb(2+) in high ionic-strength environments such as body fluids with a detection limit of <500 nmol L(-1) Pb(2+) (100 ppb). This IPCCA lead sensor consists of a mesoscopically periodic array of colloidal particles polymerized into an acrylamide hydrogel. The array Bragg-diffracts light in the visible spectral region because of the periodic spacing of the colloidal particles.

Synthesis of Highly Charged, Monodisperse Polystyrene Colloidal Particles for the Fabrication of Photonic Crystals.

We have developed a series of emulsion polymerization recipes for the synthesis of highly charged, monodisperse polystyrene colloids of diameters between 100-400 nm. These spherical colloidal particles were crosslinked with divinyl benzene and functionalized with 1-allyloxy-2-hydroxypropane sulfonate. These highly charged, monodisperse colloidal particles readily self-assemble into robust three-dimensionally ordered crystalline colloidal arrays (CCAs).

Infrared and Raman spectra, conformational stability, ab initio calculations and vibrational assignments for trans-3-chloropropenoyl chloride.

The infrared (3500-30 cm(-1)) spectra of gaseous and solid and the Raman (3500-200 cm(-1)) spectra of the liquid with quantitative depolarization ratios and solid trans-3-chloropropenoyl chloride (trans-ClCHCHCClO) have been recorded. These data indicate that both the anti (carbonyl bond trans to the carbon-carbon double bond) and syn conformers are present in the fluid states but only the anti conformer is present in the crystalline state. The mid-infrared spectra of the sample dissolved in liquid xenon as a function of temperature (-55 to -100 degrees C) have been recorded.

Human metallothionein isoform gene expression in cisplatin-sensitive and resistant cells.

Overexpression of metallothioneins (MTs) has been observed in some cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP)-resistant cells. We have developed oligonucleotide probes for each of the six non-neuronal human MT (hMT) isoforms and used them to assay hMT isoform expression in three pairs of CDDP-resistant and -sensitive human carcinoma cell lines, i.e.

Human immunodeficiency virus detected in bowel epithelium from patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.

Infectious human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was recovered from two out of four bowel biopsy specimens from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with chronic diarrhoea of unknown aetiology. In-situ hybridisation of biopsy specimens from rectum and duodenum of other AIDS patients with gastrointestinal complaints showed the presence of HIV-infected cells in both the base of the bowel crypts and the lamina propria. The type(s) of epithelial cell(s) infected could not be determined definitively.