Exploring knowledge and implementation gaps of activity-based therapy in centers lacking specialized spinal cord injury services: understanding therapists' perspectives.

STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative exploratory OBJECTIVES: Rehabilitation following spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-long process involving healthcare in a variety of settings, including facilities lacking SCI-specific services (i.e., non-SCI-specialized centers). Activity-based therapy (ABT) is a neurorestorative approach involving intensive, task-specific movement practice below the injury level. This study explored the existing knowledge, perceptions, and implementation of ABT among physical and occupational therapists working in non-SCI-specialized centers. SETTING: Canadian hospitals and community clinics DESIGN/METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Canadian therapists who worked at non-SCI-specialized centers and treated at least one patient with SCI within the last 18 months. The Theoretical Domains Framework was used to develop interview questions that queried therapists' experiences in delivering SCI rehabilitation, their understanding of ABT and experience with its implementation. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using interpretive description. RESULTS: Four physical therapists and three occupational therapists, from diverse settings (i.e., acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, long-term care, outpatient rehabilitation, rural outpatient clinic) participated. Three themes were identified: (1) Available knowledge, resources and therapy time in non-SCI-specialized centers challenge ABT implementation, (2) How current therapy practices in non-SCI-specialized centers align with ABT and (3) Desire for ABT knowledge. Although participants were not familiar with the term ABT, it was identified that they were unknowingly incorporating some components of ABT into their practice. Participants expressed a keenness to learn more about ABT. CONCLUSION: Current knowledge and implementation of ABT in non-SCI-specialized centers is limited. Tailoring ABT education to therapists at non-SCI-specialized centers may increase ABT implementation.

Two-dimensional separation of ionic species by hyphenation of capillary ion chromatography × capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry.

The separation of complex mixtures such as biological or environmental samples requires high peak capacities, which cannot be established with a single separation technique. Therefore, multidimensional systems are in demand. In this work, we present the hyphenation of the two most important (orthogonal) techniques in ion analysis, namely, ion chromatography (IC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE), in combination with mass spectrometry. A modulator was developed ensuring a well-controlled coupling of IC and CE separations. Proof-of-concept measurements were performed using a model system consisting of nucleotides and cyclic nucleotides. The data are presented in a multidimensional contour plot. Analyte stacking in the CE separation could be exploited on the basis of the fact that the suppressed IC effluent is pure water.

Very fast capillary electrophoresis with electrochemical detection for high-throughput analysis using short, vertically aligned capillaries.

A method for conducting fast and efficient capillary electrophoresis (CE) based on short separation capillaries in vertical alignment was developed. The strategy enables for high-throughput analysis from small sample vials (low microliter to nanoliter range). The system consists of a lab-made miniaturized autosampling unit and an amperometric end-column detection (AD) cell. The device enables a throughput of up to 200 separations per hour. CE-AD separations of a dye model system in capillaries of only 4 to 7.5 cm length with inner diameters (ID) of 10 or 15 µm were carried out under conditions of very high electric field strengths (up to 3.0 kV/cm) with high separation efficiency (half peak widths below 0.2 s) in less than 3.5 s migration time. A non-aqueous background electrolyte, consisting of 10 mM ammonium acetate and 1 M acetic acid in acetonitrile, was used. The practical suitability of the system was evaluated by applying it to the determination of dyes in overhead projector pens.

Electrochemical methods in conjunction with capillary and microchip electrophoresis.

Electromigrative techniques such as capillary and microchip electrophoresis (CE and MCE) are inherently associated with various electrochemical phenomena. The electrolytic processes occurring in the buffer reservoirs have to be considered for a proper design of miniaturized electrophoretic systems and a suitable selection of buffer composition. In addition, the control of the electroosmotic flow plays a crucial role for the optimization of CE/MCE separations. Electroanalytical methods have significant importance in the field of detection in conjunction with CE/MCE. At present, amperometric detection and contactless conductivity detection are the predominating electrochemical detection methods for CE/MCE. This paper reviews the most recent trends in the field of electrochemical detection coupled to CE/MCE. The emphasis is on methodical developments and new applications that have been published over the past five years. A rather new way for the implementation of electrochemical methods into CE systems is the concept of electrochemically assisted injection which involves the electrochemical conversions of analytes during the injection step. This approach is particularly attractive in hyphenation to mass spectrometry (MS) as it widens the range of CE-MS applications. An overview of recent developments of electrochemically assisted injection coupled to CE is presented.

Comparison of the performance characteristics of two tubular contactless conductivity detectors with different dimensions and application in conjunction with HPLC.

Two tubular capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (C(4)D) cells with different geometric dimensions were evaluated with regard to their main analytical characteristics under non-separation and separation conditions in conjunction with liquid chromatography. A comparison of the performance of the tubular cells to a previously tested thin-layer detection cell was drawn. Additionally, using a theoretical model the experimental results were compared with sets of calculated values and partially enabled to model the complex behavior of C(4)D detection in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). While cell 1 is characterized by a geometric cell volume of 0.6 µL, a wall thickness of 675 µm, and an inner diameter of 125 µm, the respective values for cell 2 are 2.3 µL, 200 µm, and 250 µm. The main analytical parameters were evaluated using a potassium chloride (KCl) solution. The limits of detection were 0.4 µM KCl (5.7 × 10(-6) S m(-1)) for cell 1 and 0.2 µM KCl (3.2 × 10(-6) S m(-1)) for cell 2, which compares well to the previously found 0.2 µM for the thin-layer cell. A pair of linear ranges was found for both cells in a concentration interval ranging from 1 × 10(-6) to 1 × 10(-4) M (corresponding to 1.5 × 10(-5) to 1.5 × 10(-3) S m(-1)) KCl, respectively. Furthermore, the detector cells were applied to the HPLC separation of a model compound system consisting of benzoic acid, lactic acid, octanesulphonic acid, and sodium capronate. Separation of the compounds was achieved with a Biospher PSI 100 C18 column using 60% aqueous acetonitrile mobile phase. Calibration curves for the examined model system were well correlated (r² > 0.997), and it was found that under separation conditions the arrangement with the lower cell volume (cell 1) yields higher sensitivity and respectively lower limits of detection for all model compounds. Compared with the thin-layer cell, the tubular cells show better overall performance in regard to the determined analytical characteristics.