title: Medical physics continuing professional development systems

authors: Round, W. Howell

subjects: certification

abstract: Continuing professional development (CPD) is necessary for medical physicists to ensure that they are up to date with current clinical practice. Systems that monitor the CPD undertaken by medical physicists operate in 26 countries and are often used for certification, registration and license renewal purposes. They should be implemented in all countries where clinical medical physicists are employed. CPD is more than just continuing professional education (CPE). It can include research publication, working group contribution, thesis examination and many other activities. A survey of the CPD systems that are currently operated around the world shows that, in general, they are quite similar although are a few countries that have CPD systems that differ significantly from the others in many respects. Generally they ensure that medical physicists are kept up to date, although there are some that clearly will fail to achieve that. The different activities that are accepted as CPD were categorized. An analysis of what is required to construct a useful medical physics CPD system was made. The need for medical physicist professional organizations to cooperate and share in the production and distribution of CPD and CPE materials is explored. A higher level of international co-operation is recommended.

text: Medical physics continuing professional development systems Continuing professional development (CPD) is necessary for medical physicists to ensure that they are up to date with current clinical practice. Systems that monitor the CPD undertaken by medical physicists operate in 26 countries and are often used for certification, registration and license renewal purposes. They should be implemented in all countries where clinical medical physicists are employed. CPD is more than just continuing professional education (CPE). It can include research publication, working group contribution, thesis examination and many other activities. A survey of the CPD systems that are currently operated around the world shows that, in general, they are quite similar although are a few countries that have CPD systems that differ significantly from the others in many respects. Generally they ensure that medical physicists are kept up to date, although there are some that clearly will fail to achieve that. The different activities that are accepted as CPD were categorized. An analysis of what is required to construct a useful medical physics CPD system was made. The need for medical physicist professional organizations to cooperate and share in the production and distribution of CPD and CPE materials is explored. A higher level of international co-operation is recommended.

year: 2013

title: Derivatisation of Polyphenols

authors: Bridson, James Hadley

subjects: tannin

abstract: Polyphenols, such as tannins, offer potential as a bio-derived chemical feedstock.  Their present utilisation is limited mainly to leather tanning and wood panel adhesives.  However, appropriate derivatisation may alter both the chemical and physical properties and thereby allow further utilisation of polyphenols.

Derivatisation of polyphenols was achieved by esterification and etherification of the phenol groups.  Esterification was achieved by alcoholysis of acid chlorides and transesterification with vinyl esters, while etherification was achieved by the ring opening of propylene oxide.  The polyphenols used were resorcinol, catechin, Pinus radiata bark tannin, and Schinopsis lorentzii tannin.  The products were characterised using a range of techniques including NMR (1H, 13C and 2D NMR in both the solution and solid state), ESI-MS, GPC, DSC, TGA, and rheology.

The preparation of polyphenolic esters by alcoholysis provided model compounds to establish the key chemical, spectroscopic, and physical features.  A range of simple polyphenol esters such as resorcinol dilaurate and catechin pentalaurate were prepared using lauroyl chloride.  Furthermore, tannin lauroyl esters were prepared with varying degrees of substitution.  A transesterification method was developed for the preparation of polyphenol esters.  Ester interchange occurred effectively in the presence of base catalyst in aqueous solution or dimethyl sulfoxide with short or long chain vinyl esters.  This included the first report of the base-catalysed transesterification of flavonoids by vinyl esters to give products such as catechin mono- and di-laurate.  Transesterification occurred preferentially at the B-ring as shown by NMR spectroscopy.  Subsequently, this transesterification procedure was used to prepare tannin esters.  The chemical and physical properties of polyphenol esters were assessed using thermal, antioxidant, and UV/VIS light absorption analysis.  Thermal analysis indicated melt/flow properties for some of the polyphenol esters.  In some cases, the thermal stability was also shown to increase upon esterification.  The antioxidant activity was shown to decrease upon transesterification of pine bark tannin with vinyl laurate, while the UV/VIS absorption was shown to increase.  These properties may lend the products towards applications as polymer additives or pharmaceuticals.    

Polyphenol ethers were prepared by the Williamson ether synthesis and ring opening of propylene oxide.  However, the Williamson ether synthesis, a common route to prepare ethers, proved unsuitable for flavonoids.  Catechin and tannin hydroxypropyl ether derivatives of varying substitution were prepared by the ring-opening of propylene oxide in the presence of triethylamine.  Upon hydroxypropylation the thermal properties of the polyphenol were altered.  For example, catechin hydroxypropyl ethers showed a glass transition, which was dependent upon the molar substitution, while rheology showed melt behaviour for several of the tannin hydroxypropyl ethers.

text: Derivatisation of Polyphenols Polyphenols, such as tannins, offer potential as a bio-derived chemical feedstock.  Their present utilisation is limited mainly to leather tanning and wood panel adhesives.  However, appropriate derivatisation may alter both the chemical and physical properties and thereby allow further utilisation of polyphenols.

Derivatisation of polyphenols was achieved by esterification and etherification of the phenol groups.  Esterification was achieved by alcoholysis of acid chlorides and transesterification with vinyl esters, while etherification was achieved by the ring opening of propylene oxide.  The polyphenols used were resorcinol, catechin, Pinus radiata bark tannin, and Schinopsis lorentzii tannin.  The products were characterised using a range of techniques including NMR (1H, 13C and 2D NMR in both the solution and solid state), ESI-MS, GPC, DSC, TGA, and rheology.

The preparation of polyphenolic esters by alcoholysis provided model compounds to establish the key chemical, spectroscopic, and physical features.  A range of simple polyphenol esters such as resorcinol dilaurate and catechin pentalaurate were prepared using lauroyl chloride.  Furthermore, tannin lauroyl esters were prepared with varying degrees of substitution.  A transesterification method was developed for the preparation of polyphenol esters.  Ester interchange occurred effectively in the presence of base catalyst in aqueous solution or dimethyl sulfoxide with short or long chain vinyl esters.  This included the first report of the base-catalysed transesterification of flavonoids by vinyl esters to give products such as catechin mono- and di-laurate.  Transesterification occurred preferentially at the B-ring as shown by NMR spectroscopy.  Subsequently, this transesterification procedure was used to prepare tannin esters.  The chemical and physical properties of polyphenol esters were assessed using thermal, antioxidant, and UV/VIS light absorption analysis.  Thermal analysis indicated melt/flow properties for some of the polyphenol esters.  In some cases, the thermal stability was also shown to increase upon esterification.  The antioxidant activity was shown to decrease upon transesterification of pine bark tannin with vinyl laurate, while the UV/VIS absorption was shown to increase.  These properties may lend the products towards applications as polymer additives or pharmaceuticals.    

Polyphenol ethers were prepared by the Williamson ether synthesis and ring opening of propylene oxide.  However, the Williamson ether synthesis, a common route to prepare ethers, proved unsuitable for flavonoids.  Catechin and tannin hydroxypropyl ether derivatives of varying substitution were prepared by the ring-opening of propylene oxide in the presence of triethylamine.  Upon hydroxypropylation the thermal properties of the polyphenol were altered.  For example, catechin hydroxypropyl ethers showed a glass transition, which was dependent upon the molar substitution, while rheology showed melt behaviour for several of the tannin hydroxypropyl ethers.

year: 2007

title: The Marist missionaries' first encounters with inhabitants of the Pacific

authors: William, Jennings

subjects: missionaries

abstract: Missionaries of the French-based Society of Mary (Marists) arrived in the Pacific in the late 1830s. Reports by European travellers and missionaries had told the first Marists to expect Pacific peoples who were either cannibals or noble savages. Their encounter with recently-converted Mangarevans in the Gambier Islands led them to believe that idyllic Christian societies could be created in the South Pacific. This belief influenced the first Marists' descriptions of Pacific peoples, notably New Zealand Maori. The Marists consequently emphasised the noble savage trope and downplayed cannibalism. They also displayed a relatively tolerant attitude towards indigenous practices.

text: The Marist missionaries' first encounters with inhabitants of the Pacific Missionaries of the French-based Society of Mary (Marists) arrived in the Pacific in the late 1830s. Reports by European travellers and missionaries had told the first Marists to expect Pacific peoples who were either cannibals or noble savages. Their encounter with recently-converted Mangarevans in the Gambier Islands led them to believe that idyllic Christian societies could be created in the South Pacific. This belief influenced the first Marists' descriptions of Pacific peoples, notably New Zealand Maori. The Marists consequently emphasised the noble savage trope and downplayed cannibalism. They also displayed a relatively tolerant attitude towards indigenous practices.

year: 2013