While conducting pilot studies into the usefulness of fusion to TELSAM polymers as a potential protein crystallization strategy, we observed novel properties in crystals of two TELSAM–target protein ...fusions, as follows. (i) A TELSAM–target protein fusion can crystallize more rapidly and with greater propensity than the same target protein alone. (ii) TELSAM–target protein fusions can be crystallized at low protein concentrations. This unprecedented observation suggests a route to crystallize proteins that can only be produced in microgram amounts. (iii) The TELSAM polymers themselves need not directly contact one another in the crystal lattice in order to form well-diffracting crystals. This novel observation is important because it suggests that TELSAM may be able to crystallize target proteins too large to allow direct inter-polymer contacts. (iv) Flexible TELSAM–target protein linkers can allow target proteins to find productive binding modes against the TELSAM polymer. (v) TELSAM polymers can adjust their helical rise to allow fused target proteins to make productive crystal contacts. (vi). Fusion to TELSAM polymers can stabilize weak inter-target protein crystal contacts. We report features of these TELSAM–target protein crystal structures and outline future work needed to validate TELSAM as a crystallization chaperone and determine best practices for its use.
Four experiments investigated infants' and adults' knowledge of the identity of objects in a causal sequence of events. In Experiments 1 and 2, 18- and 22-month-olds in the visual habituation ...procedure were shown a 3-step causal chain event in which the relation between an object's part (dynamic or static) and its causal role was either consistent or inconsistent with the real-world. In Experiment 3, 22-month-olds were tested with a delayed launching causal chain in which the second object, rather than the first, was the agent of the outcome. In Experiment 4, adults were shown the same events and were asked to judge whether the first or second object in the causal chain was animate or inanimate. Experiments 1 and 2 revealed that 18-month-olds were unconstrained in the part-causal role relations they would encode, but 22-month-olds learned only those relations that were consistent with the real-world. Experiment 3 showed that 22-month-olds expect the second object in a delayed launching sequence to possess a dynamic, moving part. Experiment 4 showed that adults expect the first object of a causal chain to be animate and the second object to be inanimate. The results are discussed with regard to the developmental timetable for causal learning and the mechanisms for early concept acquisition.
A Strengths-based Approach to Supervised Visitation in Child Welfare Smith, Gabriel Tobin; Shapiro, Valerie B.; Sperry, Rachel Wagner ...
Child care in practice : Northern Ireland journal of multi-disciplinary child care practice,
01/2014, Letnik:
20, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
This article describes a strengths-based approach to supervised visitation within the child welfare system of the United States. Supervised visitation gives parents accused of abuse or neglect the ...opportunity to spend time with children temporarily removed from their care. Although supervised visitation has the potential to be a tool for promoting successful reunification by maintaining or growing caregiver relationships with children, and pursuing and monitoring caregiver skill acquisition, the risk-management objective that underlies child protection services creates a challenging context for strengths-based approaches. There is a need to articulate a practice model that navigates the tension between the dual aims of child welfare services: risk management and fostering change that leads to a successful reunification. The model for supervised visitation described in this article embraces resilience theory, grounded in strengths-based strategies to build protective factors. This article first describes the collaborative construction of the Joan Sherman Program for Resilient Children through the integration of insights from diverse stakeholders, research evidence, and strengths-based practice principles. Six aspects of the model are described in depth: enhancing the visitation environment, strengths-based assessment, resilience meetings between workers and caregivers, stable visitation routines, activities to promote resilience, and progress check-ups. The article also describes the training programme developed to build workforce capacity and support model implementation. The article concludes by reflecting upon the successes of, and challenges to, the implementation of a strengths-based approach to supervised visitation in the child welfare system and proposes that the model be subjected to a comprehensive programme evaluation.
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