"Psychodermatology" knowledge, attitudes, and practice among health care professionals.

Psychiatric disorders are prevalent in dermatology patients. Psychodermatology is the body of knowledge at the intersection of psychiatry and dermatology practice. The purpose of this literature review was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of health care professionals regarding psychodermatology. A search of relevant articles was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, ERIC, and PsychInfo databases using a comprehensive set of search terms. Studies were included if (1) study participants were health care professionals, (2) studies contained data that could be extracted, and (3) studies were published in peer-reviewed journals. A review of study findings was conducted. A total of nine studies were included in the review. Studies were conducted in several countries. Findings from the review confirmed that providers frequently reported psychocutaneous disorders in their practice. There were, however, gaps and variations in providers' knowledge base and level of comfort treating these patients. Further, providers acknowledged a lack of training in the practice of psychodermatology. The findings from this review suggest that health care professionals from multiple areas of the world may lack a full understanding, level of comfort, and proper training in psychodermatology. Improving the knowledge base and increasing level of comfort in treating psychodermatological disorders can improve the practice of psychodermatology amongst providers. Further, addressing knowledge and comfort level among providers through training and continuing education may improve outcomes for patients with psychocutaneous disorders.

Cation Translocation around Single Polyoxometalate-Organic Hybrid Cluster Regulated by Electrostatic and Cation-π Interactions.

We report herein an interesting dynamic translocation process of countercations around one polyoxometalate(POM)-organic hybrid anionic cluster at various concentrations and temperatures. It was found that both electrostatic interactions and cation-π interactions regulate the position of small countercations around single clusters. The dynamic geometry and the symmetry of the hybrid macroions are largely affected by the type of counterions, as shown by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy studies and all-atom molecular dynamics simulation. It is also shown that electrostatic interactions dominate over cation-π interactions in determining the locations of the counterions in the current system.

Inorganic-organic hybrid vesicles with counterion- and pH-controlled fluorescent properties.

Two inorganic-organic hybrid clusters with one or two covalently linked pyrene fluorescent probes, [(n-C(4)H(9))(4)N](2)[V(6)O(13){(OCH(2))(3)C(NH(CO)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)C(16)H(9))}{(OCH(2))(3)C-(NH(2))}] ((TBA(+))(2)1) and [(n-C(4)H(9))(4)N](2)[V(6)O(13){(OCH(2))(3)C(NH(CO)CH(2)CH(2)CH(2)C(16)H(9))}(2)] ((TBA(+))(2)2), respectively, are synthesized from Lindqvist type polyoxometalates (POMs). The incorporation of pyrene into POMs results in amphiphilic hybrid molecules and simultaneously offers a great opportunity to study the interaction between hybrid clusters and their counterions. 2D-NOESY NMR and fluorescence techniques have been used to study the role of counterions such as tetrabutyl ammonium (TBA) in the vesicle formation of the hybrid clusters. The TBA(+) ions not only screen the electrostatic repulsions between the POM head groups but also are involved in the hydrophobic region of the vesicular structure where they interrupt the formation of pyrene excimers that greatly perturbs the luminescence signal from the vesicle solution. By replacing the TBA(+) counterions with protons, the new vesicles demonstrate interesting pH-dependent fluorescence properties.

Accuracy and precision of quantitative energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry in the environmental scanning electron microscope.

The accuracy and precision of quantitative energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry in the environmental scanning electron microscope have been estimated using a series of copper / gold alloys of known composition. The mean values (five to six replicate experiments) had relative errors within +/- 5%, and most were within +/- 3.5%. All relative standard deviations were < 5% and most were < 3%. Since the standard specimens were large (approximately 500 microm) in diameter, electron scattering in the 2 torr of water vapor above the specimen did not affect the results. This level of accuracy and precision was possible only by using a novel specimen surface charge neutralization scheme.

Charge neutralization in the ESEM for quantitative X-ray microanalysis.

Quantitative chemical analysis by energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) in the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) is difficult. This analysis is complicated by the spread of the electron beam by chamber gas molecules and the necessity for surface charge neutralization. Without charge neutralization, errors in quantitative analysis can range up to 15-20% relative. It is possible to achieve the error expected of traditional EDS, +/- 5% relative error, using a newly developed surface charge neutralization scheme for the ESEM. Estimates of accuracy and precision are based on studies of the National Bureau of Standards (now National Institutes for Science and Technology) Standard Reference Material 482, a series of certified copper-gold alloys. The scheme for charge neutralization requires an independent path to ground at or near the surface of the specimen. The current through the ground path must be maintained at zero by adjusting the voltage on the Gaseous Secondary Electron Detector when the sample chamber is at a gas pressure of 1-2 torr. This procedure forms the exact number of chamber gas positive ions to neutralize negative electrical charge on the specimen surface from electron bombardment.

The relationship between polymer/substrate charge density and charge overcompensation by adsorbed polyelectrolyte layers.

This work examines polyelectrolyte adsorption (exclusively driven by electrostatic attractions) for a model system (DMAEMA, polydimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, adsorbing onto silica) where the adsorbing polycation is more densely charged than the substrate. Variations in the relative charge densities of the polymer and substrate are accomplished by pH, and the polycation is of sufficiently low molecular weight that the adsorbed conformation is generally flat under all conditions examined. We demonstrate, quantitatively, that the charge overcompensation observed on the isotherm plateau can be attributed to the denser positive charge on the adsorbing polycation and that the ultimate coverage obtained corresponds to the adsorption of one oligomer onto each original negative silica charge, when the silica charge is most sparse, at pH 6. This limiting behavior breaks down at higher pHs where the greater silica charge density accommodates single chains adsorbing onto multiple negative sites. As a result of the greater substrate charge density and reduced polycation charge at higher pHs, the extent of charge overcompensation diminishes while the coverage increases on the plateau of the isotherm. Ultimately at the highest pHs, a regime is approached where the coil's excluded surface area, not surface charge, limits the ultimate coverage. In addition to quantifying the crossover from the charge-limiting to the area-limiting behaviors, this paper quantitatively reports adsorption-induced changes in bound counterion density and ionization at the interface, which were generally found to be independent of coverage for this model system.