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The interaction of insulin with polymeric coatings, commonly used in devices for insulin storage and administration, is affected by relative humidity (RH). Understanding the effect of RH on adhesion of insulin particles to polymeric surfaces is of particular interest for selecting coating materials and environmental conditions for packaging and storage. A custom humidity control system was constructed for use with the fluid cell cantilever holder for a Nanoscope model II atomic force microscope (AFM). This system was used for controlling the RH with a precision of ±1% over a range of ∼0–100% and for making pull-off force measurements as a function of RH. Pull-off forces were measured between insulin particles attached to the end of an AFM cantilever and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene and polypropylene polymers. Two critical transitions indicated by sudden increases in the pull-off force were identified at two RH values. The first transition to higher pull-off force values occurred near 15–25% RH and the ...

This paper presents an overview of the state of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite ozone programme including assessments of the current Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SBUV/2) and the future Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) instruments and products. It provides evaluation of the quality of the NOAA Polar-orbiting Operational Satellites (POES) SBUV/2 measurements and the Version 8 algorithm products, both for operational and reprocessed data records. The presentation summarizes work on the instrument calibration and characterization; the algorithm theory and implementation; and the information content, quality and validation of the ozone estimates. This is followed by similar information on the measurements and products expected from the OMPS on the National Polar Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) and NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) beginning in 2011.

The Family Home Visit Program (FHV) is part of the year-long 1st year Practice of Medicine course, and involves local multi-generational families and students from the schools of medicine and allied health. The FHV program differs considerably from more traditional community-based clinical practice experience: visits to an ill individual, community-based experiences designed for reminiscence by the “patient,” or multiple community-based agency courses/visits. The focus of the current intergenerational FHV is on interaction between families and students in a non-clinical setting (e.g., relating to patients as “people”), learning about the social and familial context in which health and illness occur and the healthcare priorities of family members. In year 1 of the program, 200 medical students, 40 OT/PT students and 68 families participated; 204 medical students, 70 OT/PT students and 70 families participated in year 2. The development, implementation, evaluation and outcomes of the program across...

Most medical school curricula do not equip students with adequate attitudes, knowledge and skills to care for elderly populations. We describe an effective geriatric curricular infusion model compatible with preserving the overall curricula schema. Course and clerkship directors, staff and faculty from the Office of Educational Development, Center on Aging, curriculum committee and Associate/Assistant Deans of Education, and faculty from the schools of medicine, nursing, and allied health collaborated in the effort. Each of these components and institutional financial commitment were critical to successful basic science and clinical geriatric content infusion addressing the American Geriatric Society (AGS) Core Competencies. Delivery modalities included problem-based learning cases, lectures, standardized patient portrayals for teaching and assessment, and experiential activities with elderly. Assessments were conducted and outcomes tracked in several ways, including: (1) annual course reviews, f...

Pull-off force measurements were carried out between gold-coated atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever tips modified with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of thiols and similar SAMs prepared on gold-coated silicon wafer surfaces in air with a relative humidity level less than 15%. The gold sputtered silicon wafer substrate formed a granular morphology with dimensions of 30-50 nm. The radii of curvatures for the two different cantilever tips used in this study were 32 nm and 53 nm. Pull-off force results were analyzed using the Derjaguin-Muller-Toporov (DMT) contact mechanics theory to determine both surface free energy (γ) for OH, CH3, CO2H and NH2-terminated monolayers and the resultant work of adhesion (W A) between SAMs. The analysis took into account the coarse morphology of the gold coating. It was found that the γ and W A values determined with the AFM technique approached similar thermodynamic parameters as calculated from the Lifshitz-van der Waals/Lewis acid-base interaction theory using advan...

When contract research organizations (CROs) were first formed, pharmaceutical companies outsourced to them only certain aspects of the conduct of their clinical trials. At first CROs were highly specialized entities, providing, for example, either biostatistical advice, clinical research associates who monitored investigational sites for regulatory compliance, or regulatory support. Gradually, full service CROs emerged, offering a full range of services for clinical trials, including the selection of investigators and investigational sites, assistance with patient recruitment, safety surveillance and reporting, site audits, and data management and biostatistics. This evolving relationship between CROs and the pharmaceutical and medical device industries has resulted in CROs assuming more and more of the regulatory and ethical risks and responsibilities inherent in the conduct of clinical trials. In this full service role, CROs, unlike sponsors, are not interested in the outcome of study, but like sponsors, are subject to heavy regulation by the federal government, must follow applicable state laws, must respect international guidelines, and are obliged to follow their own operating procedures. Moreover, they are judged by the industry on the basis of the scope and quality of services provided, including the degree of adherence to the research protocol, regulatory requirements, and timelines; the quality of the professional working relationships with investigators and institutions, both academic and community-based; and the validity of the data. Further, CROs are subject to comprehensive audits by sponsoring companies, FDA, and other regulatory authorities. For all these reasons, CROs are being tasked with strict vigilance of all stages of the clinical trial process to ensure that the laws, regulations, and industry standards designed for the protection of human subjects and data integrity are maintained.

The atomic force microscope was used to measure adhesion forces between polyethylene particles, serving as model oil droplets, and mineral substrates (fluorite and quartz) in aqueous solutions of ethoxylated alcohols. Also, contact angles were measured in the kerosene–ethoxylated alcohol solution–mineral systems. Correlations obtained between adhesion and surfactant concentration for the polyethylene–aqueous solution–quartz system differs significantly from those predicted by the Young-Dupre equation for the kerosene–aqueous solution–quartz system. Interactions, characteristic for such aqueous systems, which contribute to the pull-off forces measured by atomic force microscopy are not included in the Young-Dupre equation, and are primarily responsible for the inconsistency in the adhesion versus surfactant concentration relationship obtained from contact angle measurements.

The interfacial forces between a polyethylene particle and a toner substrate in alkaline aqueous solutions were studied using an atomic force microscope colloidal probe technique. Measurements were taken at pH 9 in water and solutions of 5 × 10-4 M CaCl2, 1 × 10-4 M Na oleate, and 1 × 10-4 M Na oleate plus 5 × 10-4 M CaCl2 in order to mimic the conditions present during de-inking flotation. A polyethylene particle was used to represent the air bubble. The observed interaction forces were described by the extended DLVO theory. An energetic barrier caused by electrical double-layer repulsion was observed in water and Na oleate solutions but was greatly diminished in CaCl2 solution. A long-range attractive force was found to be present in these systems and was described using a simple exponential function. The long-range attractive force was virtually the same in water and CaCl2 solution but decreased significantly in Na oleate solution because of the reduced hydrophobicity of the interacting surfaces caused...

(1927). Leaders' Clubs in the Girls' High School Physical Education Department of Pittsburg, Pa. American Physical Education Review: Vol. 32, No. 8, pp. 614-616.