Current Caregiver Perspectives and Effects of Demographics on Family-Centered Rounds.

The 2010 Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings survey stated that 44% of pediatric hospitals practiced family-centered rounds (FCRs). We aimed to study caregivers' opinions of FCRs and determine if there are demographic associations with these opinions. A cross-sectional survey of caregivers who attended FCRs was conducted at a tertiary-care general pediatrics unit. The survey contained Likert-type scale and qualitative questions. Fisher's exact test was used to test demographic associations. Only English proficient caregivers were included. Almost all (99%) caregivers liked being present during rounds, 19% felt that there were too many people present during rounds and 15% felt that medical jargon was used. Significant demographic associations were found including older caregivers being less comfortable asking questions as well as more neutral responses from African Americans and those with less education. Opportunity exists to customize FCRs and tailor rounding according to demographics, opening the door for future quality improvement projects.

Pediatric residents' perceptions of family-centered rounds as part of postgraduate training.

PURPOSE: Although family-centered rounds (FCRs) are recommended as standard practice, limited data address pediatric residents' opinions of FCRs. In the present study, we assessed residents' perceptions with respect to rounding experience and postgraduate year (PGY). METHODS: An anonymous online questionnaire was distributed to pediatric residents from nine accredited programs in New Jersey. RESULTS: Of 95 residents who completed questionnaires, 69.5% participated in FCRs and traditional rounds, 17.9% in FCRs, and 12.6% in traditional rounds. Irrespective of rounding experience and PGY, the majority believed that FCRs benefit families and pediatric training, felt that an attending's style greatly affects their experience, report discomfort sharing sensitive information and answering questions, and did not support the superiority of FCRs for efficiency and professional satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Concerns regarding discomfort, attending approach and efficiency are potential barriers to residents' full acceptance of FCRs that should be addressed to improve the efficacy of postgraduate pediatric training.

Tetrachelate porphyrin chromophores for metal oxide semiconductor sensitization: effect of the spacer length and anchoring group position.

Four Zn(II)-tetra(carboxyphenyl)porphyrins in solution and bound to metal oxide (TiO2, ZnO, and ZrO2) nanoparticle films were studied to determine the effect of the spacer length and anchoring group position (para or meta) on their binding geometry and photoelectrochemical and photophysical properties. The properties of three types of anchoring groups (COOH and COONHEt3) for four Zn(II)-porphyrins (Zn(II)-5,10,15,20-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (p-ZnTCPP), Zn(II)-5,10,15,20-tetra(3-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (m-ZnTCPP), Zn(II)-5,10,15,20-tetra(3-(4-carboxyphenyl)phenyl)porphyrin (m-ZnTCP2P), and Zn(II)-5,10,15,20-tetra(3-ethynyl(4-carboxyphenyl)phenyl)porphyrin (m-ZnTC(PEP)P)) were compared. In m-ZnTCPP, m-ZnTCP2P, and m-ZnTC(PEP)P the four anchoring groups are in the meta position on the meso-phenyl rings of the porphyrin macrocycle, thus favoring a planar binding mode to the metal oxide surfaces. The three meta-substituted porphyrin salts have rigid spacer units of increasing length (phenyl (P), biphenyl (P2), and diphenylethynyl (PEP)) between the porphyrin ring and the carboxy anchoring groups, thus raising the macrocycle from the metal oxide surface. All porphyrins studied here, when bound to TiO2 and ZnO, exhibited quenching of the fluorescence emission, consistent with electron injection into the conduction band of the semiconductor. Steady-state UV-vis and fluorescence studies of p-ZnTCPP on insulating ZrO2 showed evidence of aggregation and exciton coupling. This was not observed in any of the meta-substituted porphyrins. The photoelectrochemical properties (IPCE, Voc, and Isc) of the porphyrins bound to TiO2 films in solar cells have been measured and rationalized with respect to the sensitizer binding geometry and distance from the surface.

Binding studies of molecular linkers to ZnO and MgZnO nanotip films.

Two bifunctional linkers, a rigid-rod p-ethynyl-isophthalic acid capped with a Ru(II)-polypyridyl complex and 3-mercaptopropionic acid, were covalently bound to ZnO nanotip films grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technology. This highly vertically aligned, crystalline form of ZnO had not been functionalized before. The binding was studied by Fourier transform (FT) IR and UV spectroscopies and probed, in the case of the Ru complex, by static and dynamic fluorescence quenching. The molecules did bind through the carboxylic acid groups, and the FT-IR attenuated total reflectance spectra are indicative of a bidentate carboxylate binding mode. Other molecules (heptanoic acid, isophthalic acid, and trimethoxy(2-phenylethyl)silane) were also bound to the ZnO nanotips. A comparison was made with epitaxial ZnO films grown by MOCVD and ZnO mesoporous films prepared from colloidal solutions to investigate the effect of the ZnO morphology. The ZnO nanotips were excellent binding substrates, particularly for the rigid-rod linker. Since ZnO films are etched at low pH (< 4), novel nanotip films made of ternary MgxZn1-xO, which is formed by alloying ZnO with MgO and is more resistant to acids, were developed. The MgxZn1-xO nanotip films were employed to use linkers with acidic groups and to study the effect of pH pretreatment of the surface on the binding.