Publications by authors named "Keen D"

ABX-type hybrid organic-inorganic structures have recently emerged as a new class of meltable materials. Here, by the use of phenylphosphonium derivatives as A cation, we study liquid- and glass-forming behavior of a new family of hybrid structures, (RPhP)[Mn(dca)] (R = Me, Et, Ph; dca = dicyanamide). These new compounds melt at 196-237 °C () and then vitrify upon cooling to room temperature, forming glasses.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Nurses contribute to the largest demographic of the healthcare workforce. However, given current global shortages of workforce capacity, this often leads to limited capacity to engage in extracurricular educational developments beyond their immediate role. Consequently, this significantly limits the range of workforce training and development opportunities that are available to them, which could enhance the variety of skills that are brought to the National Health Service (NHS).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Anxiety is a common co-occurring condition for autistic preschoolers. Whilst there has been extensive research evaluating anxiety prevention/reduction interventions for neurotypical preschoolers, such research is limited for autistic children. Fifty-seven parents of autistic 4-5-year olds, with varying levels of anxiety, participated in a randomised controlled trial of an autism-specific, parent-mediated intervention (CLK-CUES) to prevent or reduce anxiety in autistic preschoolers.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students' perceptions of the effectiveness of a unique teaching-learning strategy using their results from the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), an instrument for the assessment of intercultural competence, with their customized Intercultural Development Plan (IDP) in enhancing their cultural competence development in a nursing senior practicum. The study also examined student insights about how having a plan to develop their intercultural competence will have an impact on their future nursing practice.

Background: Intercultural competence is vital for providing quality healthcare, yet there is a gap in understanding how educational interventions are designed and implemented to enhance cultural competence among nursing students.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Metal-organic framework (MOF) composite materials containing ionic liquids (ILs) have been proposed for a range of potential applications, including gas separation, ion conduction, and hybrid glass formation. Here, an order transition in an IL@MOF composite is discovered using CuBTC (copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) and [EMIM][TFSI] (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide). This transition - absent for the bare MOF or IL - provides an extended super-cooling range and latent heat at a capacity similar to that of soft paraffins, in the temperature range of ≈220 °C.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We use a combination of X-ray pair distribution function (PDF) measurements, lattice dynamical calculations, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to study the local structure and dynamics in various MPt(CN) Prussian blue analogues. In order to link directly the local distortions captured by the PDF with the lattice dynamics of this family, we develop and apply a new "interaction-space" PDF refinement approach. This approach yields effective harmonic force constants, from which the (experiment-derived) low-energy phonon dispersion relations can be approximated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Material functionality can be strongly determined by structure extending only over nanoscale distances. The pair distribution function presents an opportunity for structural studies beyond idealized crystal models and to investigate structure over varying length scales. Applying this method with ultrafast time resolution has the potential to similarly disrupt the study of structural dynamics and phase transitions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Here we describe the synthesis of a compositional series of metal-organic framework crystalline-inorganic glass composites (MOF-CIGCs) containing ZIF-8 and an inorganic phosphate glass, 20NaO-10NaCl-70PO, to expand the library of host matrices for metal-organic frameworks. By careful selection of the inorganic glass component, a relatively high loading of ZIF-8 (70 wt%) was achieved, which is the active component of the composite. A Zn⋯O-P interfacial bond, previously identified in similar composites/hybrid blends, was suggested by analysis of the total scattering pair distribution function data.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

As the global population ages, nurses with a positive attitude toward caring for older adults is crucial. However, studies indicate that nursing students often exhibit negative attitudes toward older adults. This study aimed to determine if a three-phased educational intervention significantly improved nursing students' attitudes toward older adults.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) occupy a prominent position in the field of materials chemistry due to their attractive optoelectronic properties. While extensive work has been done on the crystalline materials over the past decades, the newly reported glasses formed from HOIPs open up a new avenue for perovskite research with their unique structures and functionalities. Melt-quenching is the predominant route to glass formation; however, the absence of a stable liquid state prior to thermal decomposition precludes this method for most HOIPs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The structural knowledge of metal-organic frameworks is crucial to the understanding and development of new efficient materials for industrial implementation. This review classifies and discusses recent advanced literature reports on phase transitions that occur during thermal treatments on metal-organic frameworks and their characterisation. Thermally activated phase transitions and procceses are classified according to the temperaturatures at which they occur: high temperature (reversible and non-reversible) and low temperature.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The researchers used CRISPR screens to identify critical integrin proteins, ITGAV and ITGB5, that are vital for cancer cell growth in various cancer models.* -
  • They developed a new drug discovery method called CRISPR-TICA, which combines CRISPR gene tiling and computer-aided design to find potential drug candidates like Cpd_AV2, targeting a specific pocket on ITGAV.* -
  • Treatment with Cpd_AV2 leads to the breakdown of the integrin αVβ5 complex and triggers cell death, showcasing a novel therapeutic strategy focused on disrupting integrin signaling.*
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this work, we present a variable-temperature Na NMR and variable-temperature and variable-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis of the local structure of a layered P2 Na-ion battery cathode material, Na[MgMn]O (NMMO). For the first time, we elucidate the superstructure in this material by using synchrotron X-ray diffraction and total neutron scattering and show that this superstructure is consistent with NMR and EPR spectra. To complement our experimental data, we carry out calculations of the quadrupolar and hyperfine Na NMR shifts, the Na ion hopping energy barriers, and the EPR -tensors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: This research aimed to understand the prior and current global health participation, current availability of and future interest in participating in global health activities healthcare students and National Health Service (NHS) staff.

Design: An online survey was conducted on NHS staff and healthcare students in England between July and November 2021. The survey was disseminated to all secondary care providers in the English NHS and universities in England.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The topology of amorphous materials can be affected by mechanical forces during compression or milling, which can induce material densification. Here, we show that densified amorphous silica (SiO) fabricated by cold compression of siliceous zeolite (SZ) is permanently densified, unlike densified glassy SiO (GS) fabricated by cold compression although the X-ray diffraction data and density of the former are identical to those of the latter. Moreover, the topology of the densified amorphous SiO fabricated from SZ retains that of crystalline SZ, whereas the densified GS relaxes to pristine GS after thermal annealing.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - The study assessed barriers faced by healthcare workers in British Columbia that hinder their adherence to infection prevention and control (IPAC) practices during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on a web survey conducted with 2,488 respondents.
  • - Key obstacles identified included inadequate staffing (58%), limited space in staff rooms (57%), multibed room setups (51%), and unclear messaging regarding IPAC protocols (51%).
  • - Suggestions for improvement included increased support from IPAC leadership and better communication about IPAC requirements, which aim to enhance safety measures for both patients and staff in healthcare settings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Recently, increased attention has been focused on amorphous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and, more specifically, MOF glasses, the first new glass category discovered since the 1970s. In this work, we explore the fabrication of a compositional series of hybrid blends, the first example of blending a MOF and inorganic glass. We combine ZIF-62(Zn) glass and an inorganic glass, 30NaO-70PO, to combine the chemical versatility of the MOF glass with the mechanical properties of the inorganic glass.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The interface within a composite is critically important for the chemical and physical properties of these materials. However, experimental structural studies of the interfacial regions within metal-organic framework (MOF) composites are extremely challenging. Here, we provide the first example of a new MOF composite family, i.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted long-term care and assisted living (LTC/AL) facilities in Canada, where infection prevention and control (IPAC) programs had been suboptimal. We aimed to identify barriers affecting healthcare workers' (HCW) adherence to IPAC practices during the pandemic in British Columbia in LTC/AL compared to acute care settings.

Methods: We conducted a web-based survey of direct care providers and IPAC professionals across BC from August to September 2021, focused on knowledge and attitudes toward IPAC within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and barriers that affected respondents' abilities to follow IPAC practices throughout the pandemic.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The catalytic activity of multifunctional, microporous materials is directly linked to the spatial arrangement of their structural building blocks. Despite great achievements in the design and incorporation of isolated catalytically active metal complexes within such materials, a detailed understanding of their atomic-level structure and the local environment of the active species remains a fundamental challenge, especially when these latter are hosted in non-crystalline organic polymers. Here, we show that by combining computational chemistry with pair distribution function analysis, Xe NMR, and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization enhanced NMR spectroscopy, a very accurate description of the molecular structure and confining surroundings of a catalytically active Rh-based organometallic complex incorporated inside the cavity of amorphous bipyridine-based porous polymers is obtained.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Recent research on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has shown a shift from considering only the crystalline high-porosity phases to exploring their amorphous counterparts. Applying pressure to a crystalline MOF is a common method of amorphization, as MOFs contain large void spaces that can collapse, reducing the accessible surface area. This can be either a desired change or indeed an unwanted side effect of the application of pressure.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This article presents evaluation findings of the India English Language Programme, an innovative programme aimed at providing Indian nurses with an opportunity to participate in an ethical and mutually beneficial learning programme aimed at supporting migration into the United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS). The programme provided 249 Indian nurses wishing to migrate to the NHS on an 'earn, learn, and return' basis with funding to support English language learning and accreditation sufficient to apply for Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration. The Programme provided English language training and pastoral support to candidates, in addition to the availability of remedial training and examination entry for those not meeting NMC proficiency requirements on their first attempt.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We describe the first meltable iron-based zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF), denoted . This material, elusive from direct synthesis, is obtained from the thermal treatment of [Fe(im)(Him)], which yields Fe(im) upon loss of the neutral imidazole molecules. Different crystalline phase transformations are observed upon further heating, until the material melts at 482 °C.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Development of cultural competence is essential for nurses to meet the needs of patients, families, and communities. Immersion experiences abroad have been shown to facilitate the development of cultural competence in nursing students; not all students are able to participate in these experiences. Virtual exchange is an alternative type of immersion experience that requires no travel and few resources.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF