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This study compared syntactic complexity between undergraduate students' research papers and published research papers. A 2 (Groups: experts, students) × 4 (Sections: introduction, methods, results, discussions) mixed factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted on each of the following variables: T-unit length, clause density, the frequencies of adverbial clauses, relative clauses, and nominal clauses. The analyses showed there were longer T-units and fewer adverbial clauses in the published papers than in the student papers. Section effects were robust. Qualitative analyses were further conducted to reveal how the student research paper is different from the published papers syntactically. Implications for education were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale (IPOS) validly and reliably measures symptoms and concerns of those receiving palliative care. Aim: To determine the equivalence of the paper version with an electronic version of the IPOS (eIPOS). Design: Multicentre randomised crossover trial (NCT03879668) with a within-subject comparison of the two modes (washout period 30 min). Setting/Participants: Convenience sample of specialist inpatient and palliative home care patients aged over 18 years with cancer and non-cancer conditions was recruited. Scores were compared using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), Bland-Altman plots and via a mixed-effects analysis of variance. Results: Fifty patients were randomised to complete paper-electronic (n = 24) and electronic-paper (n = 26) IPOS with median age 69 years (range 24–95), 56% male, 16% non-cancer. The ICCs showed very high concordance for the total score (ICC 0.99, 95% CI 0.98–1.00), lowest ICCs being observed for symptoms 'Appetite loss' and 'Drowsiness' (ICC 0.95, 95% CI 0.92–0.97). Nine of seventeen items had ICCs above 0.98, as did all subscales. No statistically significant mode, order, age, and interaction effects were observed for IPOS total score and subscales, except for 'Communication' (Fmode = 5.9, p = 0.019). Fifty-eight percent preferred the electronic version. In the group 75+ years, 53% preferred the paper version. Only three entries in the free-text main problems differed between the versions. Conclusion: The very high equivalence in scores and free text between the IPOS and the eIPOS demonstrates that eIPOS is feasible and reliable in an older palliative population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effect of mode of administration of the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices test on distribution, accuracy, and meaning of raw scores. A random sample of high school students take counterbalanced paper-and-pencil and computer-based administrations of the test and answer a questionnaire surveying preferences for computer-delivered test administrations. Administration mode effect is studied with repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance, internal consistency reliability estimates, and confirmatory factor analysis approaches. Results show a lack of test mode effect on distribution, accuracy, and meaning of raw scores. Participants indicate their preferences for the computer-delivered administration of the test. The article discusses findings in light of previous studies of the Raven Standard Progressive Matrices test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While previous studies found that origami, when used for cognitive training and education, can improve spatial ability, the underlying mechanisms of this change, presumably associated with the origami folding process, remain unclear. In the present study, we focused on origami imagery in which participants imagined the process of folding paper to create a work of art; and we examined the cognitive factors involved in the imagery process and their association with mental transformations and the extent to which visual imagery was vivid. We identified four specific relevant cognitive factors in origami imagery: (a) controllability of origami transformations, (b) visual imagery of shapes, (c) hand sensations, and (d) visual imagery of colors. We associated the first two of these with non-rigid transformations: the controllability of origami transformations and the visual imagery of shapes. Moreover, vividness of visual imagery was related to all four cognitive factors. We propose this cognitive model of origami as one that considers the key relationships between origami imagery, mental transformations, and vividness of visual imagery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidently, paper-based microfluidic devices, including fuel cells, have been proven to power low-power integrated miniaturized devices. However, the harvested energy depends on various design parameters, positioning and other ancillary factors. Herein, design of experiment is used to make a boisterous study of the data used in paper-based microfluidic fuel cell and to make various optimizations and studies of the raw data used in the microbial fuel cell paper. The paper-based microfluidic fuel cell was analysed for two different positioning, horizontal and vertical, and the maximum power outputs were noted. A statistical technique based on full factorial design was used to study the performance of paper-based microfluidic fuel cell. In the microbial fuel cell, a rigorous study was conducted pertaining to the electrode separation, channel variation and absorbent pad stability. In both these cases, the analysis of mean, analysis of variance, signal-to-noise ratio and desirability study were performed. For the paper-based microfluidic fuel cell, the best desirability values for the horizontal and vertical arrangements were measured to be 0.8842 and 0.92768, respectively. For the microbial fuel cell, in the case of 2 mm electrode separation, the present analysis of variance model came out to be significant. Inclusively, this work provides a pathway to realize optimum paper-based microfluidic fuel cell, and such study can be extrapolated to develop other microfluidic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The psychometric properties of two paper-and-pencil versions of the Children’s Attributional Style Interview (i.e., CASI-I and CASI-II) were evaluated in a sample of 166 third and fourth graders and a sample of 245 sixth and seventh graders. The results demonstrated strong internal consistency reliability, convergent validity, and a factor structure that was consistent with theory in both samples. Furthermore, analyses demonstrated adequate evidence of the reliability and validity of several dimensional subscale scores and the composite measures of attributional style for both positive and negative events. These results suggest the utility of the CASI in research testing specific attributional predictions of cognitive theories of depression with the dimensional subscale scores. They further add to the literature by demonstrating item-level factor analytic support for a children’s attributional style measure and the feasibility of administration sizes larger than previously tested, which add to the utility of the CASI in large-scale research designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ronald Hughes, Judith Rycus, and their colleagues have produced a seminal review of differential response (DR) programs implemented across the nation. Their review questions nearly every aspect of the DR movement, beginning with the concept on which all DR programs are based and ending with serious concerns about the quality of evaluations conducted to date. Given current support for DR initiatives and wide variation of existing DR models, not all in the social sciences will agree with their conclusions. Nevertheless, this review represents the type of analysis critical to advancing practice in the field. Although many issues are raised in the Hughes et al. review, our response focuses on four critical points, which we believe represent the core problems identified. These include the concept that serves as the foundation for the DR movement, the role of assessments, and the primary problems with evaluations conducted to date. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore validity of the paper pull test (PPT) to assess hallux flexion strength and function in persons with hallux valgus (HV). The following hypotheses were tested: 1) The PPT is valid for inferring 1st MTP flexion strength and heel rise (HR) performance (e.g. heel height). 2) A specified threshold of force during the PPT can be identified that discriminates patients with HV. 3) Muscle activity (abductor hallucis [AH], flexor hallucis brevis [FHB]), in patients with HV will be distinct from controls across three tasks: 1) PPT, 2) lowering phase of a HR, and 3) rising phase of a HR. Methods: Participants (24 controls, 22 with HV) performed: 1st MTP flexion, PPT, and heel rise. A force transducer in a jig assessed 1st MTP flexion. The same transducer recorded force during the PPT. Electromyography (EMG) was used to record FHB/AH muscle activity during 1st MTP flexion, PPT, and heel rising. 3D movement analysis was used to measure heel height and divide the HR into an up (HR-Up) and down (HR-Dwn) phase. One practice and 3 maximum 1st MTP flexion efforts were recorded. Manchester Scale of hallux deformity was used; 63.6% were classified as C or D. Validity was assessed with Pearson correlation's between force during the PPT and 1st MTP flexion and PPT and HR height. Assessment of a threshold value for discriminating participants with HV from controls was determined using receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis. A two-way ANOVA for muscle groups and tasks were used to assess muscle activation. Results: The correlation between PPT force and maximum 1st MTP force was high (r=0.87, p<0.01) and the correlation with HR height was significant (r=-0.41, p<0.01). The ROC analysis yielded a high area under the curve (0.88(0.05)) for discriminating HV participants. Participants with HV that were below a threshold of 4.5% BW (44.1 N for a 100 kg person) on the PPT showed an 88% specificity/80% sensitivity in distinguishing HV participants from control participants (control average 64.1(37.3) N) versus HV (average 21.8 (16.4) N). Muscle activity was significantly higher across tasks for the AH (p=0.02) but was similar for the FHB (p=0.22). Conclusion: This data validates the PPT as simple, effective, clinical evaluation of 1st MTP flexion strength in patients with HV. This data also documents that patients with HV (surgery or not) may avoid using 1st MTP flexion explaining their significant weakness. The importance of this weakness on function is supported by the correlation with the heel rise test. The abnormal EMG findings suggests altered muscle control contributes to a lower PPT. The threshold of 1st MTP strength may assist with clinical decisions regarding whether rehabilitation or advice on increasing physical activity might benefit patients with various degrees of HV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Globally, healthcare organizations have transitioned from paper-based documentation to electronic health records (EHR), including in Saudi Arabia. However, the adoption of EHR at the national level in Saudi Arabia needs more attention. Thus, this study aimed to determine the workflow integration of EHR and associated factors. Objectives: The specific aims were to examine the level of EHR use and workflow integration among nurses, to determine the differences in EHR use and workflow integration based on nurses' demographic characteristics, and to determine the association between the predictive factors and EHR workflow integration. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, correlational descriptive study. The data were collected from 293 nurses using the convenience sampling method. The participating nurses completed a questionnaire that included two measures: the Information System Use Survey and the Workflow Integration Survey (WIS). The data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate statistics with SPSS software. Results: The nurses had a positive perception of EHR use and workflow. The EHR use scores differed based on workplace (P <.01), education level (P <.05), and area of practice (P <.001). Similarly, the EHR workflow integration scores varied according to workplace (P <.05), education level (P <.05), and area of practice (P <.001). Education level and workplace significantly predicted information system use. Furthermore, education level and information system use significantly predicted the EHR integration into nurses' workflow. Conclusion: The nurses expressed a greater perceived use of EHR regarding the integrated health information system, which was a predictor of EHR integration into nurses' workflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Technological advances have introduced three-dimensional (3-D) printing as an option for creating tactile maps for people with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision), diversifying the types of map products that are available. At the same time, it presents a challenge to map makers to implement designs across multiple production methods. We evaluated map symbols to determine their discriminability across three different materials: microcapsule paper, 3-D printer plastic, and embossed paper. Methods: In a single session lasting less than 90 minutes, participants completed a matching task and provided informal feedback regarding their preferences. We measured speed and accuracy to establish discriminability of map symbols on each of the materials. Eighteen participants were recruited from a referred sample among attendees at the American Council of the Blind annual convention in 2013. Results: Response times were significantly different across the three materials (p < 0.001). Without sacrificing accuracy, response times were faster for the 3-D printed graphics than for either the microcapsule paper (p < 0.001) or the embossed paper (p < 0.001). User preference was divided across the three materials. Some people disliked the "sharp" corners of the 3-D printed symbols, while others preferred their "crisp" edges. Discussion: Our results demonstrate faster discriminability of a set of tactile symbols produced on a 3-D printer compared to those same symbols printed on microcapsule paper, the material for which the symbols were originally designed. Participant feedback reflected preferences both in favor of and against reading symbols produced on the 3-D printer. Implications for practitioners: This article discusses the functional equivalence of tactile symbols produced across multiple production technologies. It addresses two considerations when using 3-D printing to make tactile maps: preparing digital files for printing and the printing work flow. Digital files ready for printing on each of the three materials are available for download (Brittell, Lobben, & Lawrence 2016). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al alloys are the second most useful metal worldwide after the steel due to its high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance properties. In the present scenario, for creating contours in the sheet metals with close tolerances and high precision, laser beam cutting is preferred. During laser beam cutting of Al alloys, the reflectivity of the alloy possesses some difficulties to absorb the laser light. Such problems can be avoided using the shorter wavelength laser. This paper presents the modeling and optimization of kerf characteristics in Nd-YAG laser cutting of Al 6061-T6 sheet. In this study, kerf width (top and bottom side) and top kerf deviation are considered as kerf characteristics which are the functions of lamp current, pulse width, pulse frequency, and cutting speed. Box–Behnken design has been used for conducting the experiments and the experimental results have been further used for developing the response surface models and optimizing the responses using response surface methodology and grey relational analysis, respectively. Application of grey relational analysis has reduced the bottom kerf width by 12.5% and 7.75% along with straight and curved cut profiles respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Reminiscence therapy (RT), which engages individuals to evoke positive memories, has been shown to be effective in improving psychological well-being in older adults suffering from PTSD, depression, and anxiety. However, its impact on brain function has yet to be determined. This paper presents functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to describe changes in autobiographical memory networks (AMN) in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This pilot study used a within-subject design to measure changes in AMN activation in 11 older adults who underwent 6 weeks of RT. In the scanner, participants retrieved autobiographical memories which were either recent or remote, rehearsed or unrehearsed. Participants also underwent a clinical interview to assess changes in memory, quality of life, mental health, and affect. Findings: Compared to pretreatment, anxiety decreased (z = −2.014, p =.040) and activated significant areas within the AMN, including bilateral medial prefrontal cortex, left precuneus, right occipital cortex, and left anterior hippocampus. Conclusion: Although RT had subtle effects on psychological function in this sample with no evidence of impairments, including depression at baseline, the fMRI data support current thinking of the effect RT has on the AMN. Increased activation of right posterior hippocampus following RT is compatible with the Multiple Trace Theory Theory (Nadel & Moscovitch, 1997). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes Sawilowsky's report on the rank transform. Sawilowsky's warning against the shortcomings of the rank transform in various experimental designs; Determining whether deficiencies of the rank transform in the two-way model were due to the construction of the test statistics or to the use of the F-distribution.

This study evaluated the driving performance of drivers presented with 2D and 3D electronic navigation maps and a traditional paper map with various route structures. A heads-up display was used to show the different driving conditions for each navigation map system. Results revealed that the drivers using an electronic navigation map performed better compared to the drivers using a paper map. The results also indicated that drivers who used 2D-regular pattern or 2D-irregular corner maps performed more efficiently than the drivers who used a 3D-regular pattern or 3D-irregular corner maps in reaching their destinations. In addition, drivers can save time and fuel by using 2D navigation maps in unfamiliar regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The authors examined a tablet computer application (iPad app) for its effectiveness in helping students studying pre-algebra to solve mathematical word problems. Methods: Forty-three visually impaired students (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) completed eight alternating mathematics units presented using their traditional literacy medium or an iPad app. Twenty percent of the mathematics problems included graphics such as maps, line graphs, and bar graphs. During each session, teachers of visually impaired students rated the amount of support they provided for students and the student motivation. Results: Students answered more mathematics problems correctly when using the iPad app and, overall, teachers reported that their students were more motivated with the app than with their traditional literacy medium. Students often used the hints provided in the app when they did not solve a problem correctly the first time. Discussion: Visually impaired students and their teachers found the app and graphics to be easy to use and motivating. The built-in Scratch pad was used by almost all students who were print users. Implications for practitioners: The study results contribute to the growing body of knowledge about the potential value of tablet-type devices for use by visually impaired students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing literary materials to discern relationships between sociological variables is an established mode of scholarly inquiry. Rarely, however, is it used in the instruction of sociology. This class project outlines a step-by-step method for a sociological review of literary materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In some biomedical sciences, changes in patterns of collaboration and authorship have complicated the assignment of credit and responsibility for research. It is unclear if this problem of "promiscuous coauthorship" or "hyperauthorship" (defined as six or more authors) is also apparent in the applied research disciplines within sport and exercise science. This study documented the authorship and sampling of patterns of original research reports in three applied biomechanics (Clinical Biomechanics, Journal of Applied Biomechanics, and Sports Biomechanics) and five similar subdisciplinary journals within sport and exercise science (International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, Journal of Teaching Physical Education, Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Sciences, and Motor Control). Original research reports from the 2009 volumes of these biomechanics and sport and exercise journals were reviewed. Single authorship of papers was rare (2.6%) in these journals, with the mean number of authors ranging from 2.7 to 4.5. Sample sizes and the ratio of sample to authors varied widely, and these variables tended not to be associated with number of authors. Original research reports published in these journals in 2009 tended to be published by small teams of collaborators, so currently there may be few problems with promiscuous coauthor- ship in these subdisciplines of sport and exercise science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A descriptive cohort study to determine new mothers' preferred modality for educational materials, and if the format impacted the mothers' perception of an evidenced-based practice safe sleep program. The sample included new mothers anticipating discharge from a mother–baby unit with their newborn. Participants responded to a four-item survey administered by a research assistant. Respondents' self-reported preferred format for patient education was technology-based materials in both cohorts. The video teaching material as compared with the paper handout was rated significantly higher by participants. Modalities of patient education in health care organizations need to be consistent with the changing ways people are learning and accessing information in their everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, mitigation measures were implemented on a state-by-state basis. Governors were responsible for establishing interventions appropriate for their states and the timing of implementation. This paper evaluated the association between the presence and timing of a mask mandate and the severity of the COVID-19 epidemic by state. Methods: The states were divided into 3 categories based on when the governors of each state implemented a mask mandate: Early (mask mandate implemented between March 2020 and June 2020), Late (July 2020-December 2020), and Never (no mask mandate implemented). The rates of hospitalizations and mortality (per 100 000) were assessed at the different time points during the pandemic across these categories from March to December 2020. Results: The mortality rates across all 3 groups were observed to be highest in the beginning and toward the end of the pandemic in 2020 with the peak observed in the Early group between April and May 2020. Also, the rates of hospitalization increased steadily across all groups. The Early mask group was comprised of 86.7% and 13.3% states with Democratic and Republican governors respectively, and no states in the Never category had Democratic governors. Conclusion: These results support the benefit of implementing a mask mandate to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of political affiliation of governors on that impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of this paper was to analyze patient outcomes related to gout treatment including, serum uric acid (sUA) measures and treatment adherence across patients in metropolitan, micropolitan or rural counties. Methods: We conducted a drug-disease cohort study among patients with gout initiating urate lowering therapy. The proportion of patients with sUA < 6 mg/dL at 1 year of follow-up is compared over the cohort groups using a chi-square test and adjusted logistic regression. Adherence to urate lowering therapy was calculated using the proportion of days covered (PDC). A T -test was used to compare the average PDC and an adjusted logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds of a PDC greater than 80%. Results: A total of 9922 patients were included in the study. Most patients were in a metropolitan (77.4%) area, followed by micropolitan (11.8%) and finally, (10.8%) in a rural area. We found no statistically significant difference among the proportion of patients achieving target sUA of <6 mg/dL, 37.17% among metropolitan patients, 38.9% among micropolitan patients, and 37.7% for those in a rural area, P -value =.502. The proportion of patients achieving 80% treatment adherence was 49.92% in the metropolitan, 51.78% in the micropolitan, and 55.05% in the rural areas, P -value =.005. Adjusted regression models showed no statistically significant difference in proportions achieving target sUA levels or 80% adherence. Conclusions: Urban patients treated for gout did not have better gout outcomes compared to rural patients. Future research should consider provider-based interventions to improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, target on eco-friendly acoustic material is decorated to diminish impact on environment due to adoption of synthetic material in acoustic application. In this paper, Taguchi method is enforced to find optimum parameters for sound absorbing coefficient of coconut fiber-based sound absorbing material. The influence of the various process parameters, i.e. Thickness, density, air gap and fiber percentage (%) on sound absorption coefficient (SAC) was studied. The settings of the parameters were determined by using Taguchi's experimental design method. Orthogonal arrays (L25) of Taguchi, the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, the analysis of variance (ANOVA), and regression analyses were employed to find the optimal process parameter levels and to analyze the effect of these parameters on sound absorption coefficient values. Confirmation test with the optimal levels of parameters was carried out in order to illustrate the effectiveness of the Taguchi optimization method. Optimum parameters were found by using Taguchi method are which have 50 mm thickness, 0.0002539 g/mm3 density, 70% fiber percentage and 0 mm air gap. Also significant parameters are found which are thickness and density having p -value less than 0.05 and followed by fiber percentage and air gap. By using optimum parameters sound absorption coefficient is increased to 0.98 at frequency 2800–3500 Hz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oppression refers to systemic discrimination where the injustice targets or disproportionately impacts specific groups of people. The Trauma Symptoms of Discrimination Scale (TSDS) is a self-report measure designed to assess the traumatizing impact of discrimination broadly by measuring anxiety-related symptoms of trauma due to discriminatory experiences. This may include symptoms arising from racism, homophobia, sexism, poverty, or other forms of marginalization. Almost all studies of the TSDS have examined its use in marginalized ethnoracial groups, primarily African Americans. This paper will extend prior work to help us better understand racial trauma across groups by reporting and comparing TSDS mean scores across ethnoracial identities in a diverse national sample (n = 923). It also explores trauma with other marginalized identities and demographic dimensions, including gender, sexual minority/LGBQ status, education, and income. The relationship of TSDS scores to clinical psychopathologies are examined, including stress, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. We also examine the unique risks associated with intersectionality, and how having multiple marginalized identities may increase traumatization. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Although young children's gaze behaviors in experimental task contexts have been shown to be potential biobehavioral markers relevant to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we know little about their everyday gaze behaviors. The present study aims (1) to document early gaze behaviors that occur within a live, social interactive context among children with and without ASD and their parents, and (2) to examine how children's and parents' gaze behaviors are related for ASD and typically developing (TD) groups. A head-mounted eye-tracking system was used to record the frequency and duration of a set of gaze behaviors (such as sustained attention [SA] and joint attention [JA]) that are relevant to early cognitive and language development. Methods: Twenty-six parent–child dyads (ASD group = 13, TD group = 13) participated. Children were between the ages of 3 and 8 years old. We placed head-mounted eye trackers on parents and children to record their parent- and child-centered views, and we also recorded their interactive parent–child object play scene from both a wall- and ceiling-mounted camera. We then annotated the frequency and duration of gaze behaviors (saccades, fixation, SA, and JA) for different regions of interest (object, face, and hands), and attention shifting. Independent group t-tests and ANOVAs were used to observe group comparisons, and linear regression was used to test the predictiveness of parent gaze behaviors for JA. Results: The present study found no differences in visual experiences between children with and without ASD. Interestingly, however, significant group differences were found for parent gaze behaviors. Compared to parents of ASD children, parents of TD children focused on objects and shifted their attention between objects and their children's faces more. In contrast, parents of ASD children were more likely to shift their attention between their own hands and their children. JA experiences were also predicted differently, depending on the group: among parents of TD children, attention to objects predicted JA, but among parents of ASD children, attention to their children predicted JA. Conclusion: Although no differences were found between gaze behaviors of autistic and TD children in this study, there were significant group differences in parents' looking behaviors. This suggests potentially differential pathways for the scaffolding effect of parental gaze for ASD children compared with TD children. Implications: The present study revealed the impact of everyday life, social interactive context on early visual experiences, and point to potentially different pathways by which parental looking behaviors guide the looking behaviors of children with and without ASD. Identifying parental social input relevant to early attention development (e.g., JA) among autistic children has implications for mechanisms that could support socially mediated attention behaviors that have been documented to facilitate early cognitive and language development and implications for the development of parent-mediated interventions for young children with or at risk for ASD. Note: This paper uses a combination of person-first and identity-first language, an intentional decision aligning with comments put forth by Vivanti (Vivanti, 2020), recognizing the complexities of known and unknown preferences of those in the larger autism community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors offer their response to a commentary on their paper which outlined a table that is described as "simple averages in the form of mean absolute deviations (MADs) from the average brand user profile for brands in the category," that can be employed as a substitute for statistical significance tests. Explanation is offered for so-called problems with the assumption that the average distance between competing brands are large and the ability of MADs to hide deviations. They propose an approach that recognises that user profiles do not actually differ much from brand to brand.

Investigations have found maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) cause an intergenerational danger to their children's health. However, no study has investigated the effects of maternal ACEs on behavioral problems of preschool children in China and gender differences on these effects. This paper aims to investigate the role of maternal ACEs on behavioral problems of preschool children in China and explore gender differences as related to these behavioral problems. Stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 7318 preschool children from 12 districts in Hefei city, China. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect information on maternal exposure to ACEs and Conners' Parent Rating Scales. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between maternal ACEs and children's behavioral problems. The prevalence of behavioral problems in preschool children was 16.0%, while it was higher among girls (18.4%) than boys (13.92%) (χ2 = 27.979, p < 0.001). The rate of behavioral problems in children in the group of mothers with ACEs was higher than those without ACEs (all p < 0.05). Maternal ACEs were associated with increased risk of the behavior problems in preschool children (adjusted OR 2.91, 95% CI 2.45–3.45), and no gender difference (in girls 3.01, 2.38–3.81, in boys 2.79, 2.17–3.58, respectively) was found. Maternal ACEs were associated with increased risk of each type of the behavioral problems of preschool children, except that maternal emotional neglect was not associated with psycho-physical problems, impulse-activities, and anxiety. The only gender differences found were higher conduct problems related to maternal emotional abuse and ACEs and higher anxiety related to maternal physical abuse and community violence in girls compared with boys. Mothers exposured to ACEs are more likely to have children with behavioral health problems in preschool period. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms by which maternal ACEs influence children's behavioral problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate effects of diaper-free times, elimination communication (EC) and early toilet training, a web-based survey was conducted for caregivers. The more diaper-free times an infant experienced during day, the earlier it was toilet trained (P <.001), which was enhanced by the usage of cloth diapers. The amount of diaper-free times significantly reduced the caregiver's continuous sleep, the occurrence of rashes and balm usage (P <.001) and lead to a more regular defecation frequency. Cloth diaper usage had no effect on rashes or balm usage, but on diaper change rate (P <.001). We could show that, although not as effective as full-time EC, part-time EC is more effective if cloth diapers are used, provided they are changed frequently. Furthermore, EC causes a more regular defecation in infants between 1 and 2 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent paper, Jarrett, Farewell and Herzberg discussed a strategy for developing the analysis of a previously published two-phase experiment that investigated the effect of training on pain rating by occupational and physical therapy students. Here, their example is used to illustrate how a multi-step factor-allocation paradigm can be employed (i) to design an experiment, (ii) to understand the confounding in the design and (iii) to formulate linear mixed models, called prior allocation models, for the design. These models are intended as starting models for the analysis of the data, when it becomes available. An understanding of the confounding intrinsic to a design is achieved through an anatomy of the design presented in an analysis-of-variance-style table that can be obtained using functions from the R package dae. The analysis of the pain-rating experiment is re-examined and it is recommended that conclusions be based on a model with heterogeneous residual variances, in addition to the previously proposed block-treatment interactions. The paradigm is also used in producing an alternative design, taking into account the results of the re-analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the mental workloads and subjective feelings of drivers navigating different road patterns using different formats of electronic and paper maps. The results show drivers experience lower mental workloads when using 2D electronic maps compared to 3D electronic maps. Significant differences in galvanic skin responses were observed for navigation map formats with different road intersection patterns. The low- and high-frequency components of heart rate variability showed significant differences between map formats for regular road intersections, but no significant differences between map formats for irregular road intersections. Statistically significant effects on subjective feelings were found between different map formats and road intersection patterns. The wider implications of the study results for the design and use of navigation map interfaces are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the analysis of multidimensional contingency tables using Goodman's log-linear models, the sometimes complex nature of the problems encountered may lead to an interpretation of analytic results which is based solely upon statistical significance, and not upon substantive importance. In this paper, the well-known relationships between log-linear model effects and odds ratios (“cross-product ratios”) are reexamined using previously analyzed sample survey data. The major thrust of the paper concerns the transformation of the log-linear model effects into odds ratios, which then yield simple and direct substantive interpretations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount of data collected from patients involved in clinical trials is continuously growing. All baseline patient characteristics are potential covariates that could be used to improve clinical trial analysis and power. However, the limited number of patients in phases I and II studies restricts the possible number of covariates included in the analyses. In this paper, we investigate the cost/benefit ratio of including covariates in the analysis of clinical trials with a continuous outcome. Within this context, we address the long-running question "What is the optimum number of covariates to include in a clinical trial?" To further improve the benefit/cost ratio of covariates, historical data can be leveraged to pre-specify the covariate weights, which can be viewed as the definition of a new composite covariate. Here we analyze the use of a composite covariate to improve the estimated treatment effect in small clinical trials. A composite covariate limits the loss of degrees of freedom and the risk of overfitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are essential clinical instruments used for assessing patient function, assisting in clinical decision making, and quantifying outcomes of surgical and nonsurgical management. However, PROMs are often designed using patients with preexisting pathology and typically assume that a patient without the pathology would have a perfect or near perfect score. This may result in unrealistic expectations or falsely underestimate how well a patient is doing after treatment. The influence of age on PROMs about the hip of healthy individuals has not been studied. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that in asymptomatic individuals hip-specific PROM scores will decrease in an age-dependent manor. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: In this multicenter survey study, volunteers who denied preexisting hip pathology and previous hip surgery completed 3 PROMs online or as traditional paper questionnaires. The International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT), the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), and the Hip Outcome Score–Activities of Daily Living (HOS-ADL) and HOS—Sport were completed. Analysis of variance with a Tukey post hoc test was used to analyze differences in PROMs among subgroups. An independent-samples Student t test and a χ2 test were used to analyze differences in continuous and categorical data, respectively. Results: In total 496, 571, 534, and 532 responses were collected for the iHOT, mHHS, HOS-ADL, and HOS–Sport, respectively. Respondents' PROMs were scored and arranged into 3 groups by age: <40 years, 40 to 60 years, and >60 years. The iHOT, mHHS, HOS-ADL, and HOS–Sport of these asymptomatic respondents all decreased in an age-dependent manner: iHOT (<40, 94.1; 40-60, 92.4; >60, 87.0), mHHS (<40, 94.8; 40-60, 91.3; >60, 89.1), HOS-ADL (<40, 98.4; 40-60, 95.0; >60, 90.9), and HOS–Sport (<40, 95.7; 40-60, 82.9; >60, 72.9) (analysis of variance between-group differences, P <.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the iHOT, mHHS, and HOS-ADL and HOS–Sport scores in asymptomatic people decrease in an age-dependent manner. It is important to compare a patient's outcome scores with the age-normalized scores to establish an accurate reference frame with which to interpret outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal binder jetting is a high throughput additive manufacturing process of growing interest. The progress is driven by improvements in machine technology, enabling the processing of finer powders to produce homogeneous, dense final parts. However, the strong cohesive forces of fine metal powders impair flowability, packing behaviour and thus the properties relevant for powder spreading. This paper investigates the impact of powder condition and spreading parameters on green and sintered density using an Analysis of Variance. Parts from dried and from untreated powder are printed, varying in layer thickness, roller diameter, supply-to-spread ratio, translational and rotational roller speed. Powder drying increases the statistical impact of the spreading parameter and improves the green density, while the sintered density remains unchanged. Layer thickness and roller diameter have the most significant effect. Furthermore, the spreading parameter combinations that resulted in a high green density also provided a high sintered density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes and compares six procedures that can be used in a regression model to adjust for outliers in the data and nonlinearities in the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The data accommodation procedures are: (1) no-adjustment; (2) winsorizing; (3) trimming; (4) regression on ranks; (5) nonlinear regression; and (6) piecewise linear regression. The results show that the choice of data accommodation procedure has a major impact on the predictive ability and coefficient estimates of the regression model. The winsorizing and ranking procedures produce a regression model that fits the data well and has a low level of prediction error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last few decades, there has been an increasing demand for low-cost raw materials and environmentally eco-friendly end products. This demand stimulated a growing interest in natural particles as potential reinforcement materials for composite manufacturing. In this paper, we introduce organic date-seed nanofillers (DSN) as reinforcement materials for the development of enhanced polymer nanocomposites. We particularly investigate the effect of these nanoparticles on two types of polymer base materials, namely medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). A collection of MDPE and PET nanocomposite samples with DSN content ranging from 0.0–0.75 wt% has been prepared using a hot compression method. The MDPE-DSN and PET-DSN nanocomposite structures were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA), and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The mechanical characteristics of these nanocomposites were experimentally examined through wear loss and Vickers micro-hardness tests. The experimental results show that the MDPE-DSN composite is chemically more stable than the PET-DSN one. Moreover, the MDPE-DSN nanocomposite shows enhanced hardness and wear resistance properties, while the PET-DSN one shows less noticeable enhancements. The best enhancements were obtained with a DSN reinforcement of 0.75 wt%., and a normal load of 10 N. As well, the experimental outcomes show a good agreement with theoretical predictions. In general, the DSN material enhances the mechanical properties of polymer materials and reduces their economic costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classification of sexual assault varies based on the characteristics of the victim, perpetrator, and event. However, most studies focus on the individual characteristics of participants asked to classify the assault, the victims' characteristics, or the event; few have examined variations in the perpetrator. Therefore, this study examined whether the occupation of the perpetrator affected the classification of the event as sexual assault. Participants included a primarily White female sample of undergraduate students (n = 401) at a south-Atlantic university. They completed a paper-and-pencil survey containing an ambiguous sexual assault encounter where the occupation of the perpetrator (athlete, reporter, college student, or politician) was randomly varied. Participants were asked to classify whether the encounter was sexual assault and what an appropriate punishment might be. Additional measures included the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale (IRMA) and questions about personal experience with sexual assault. Overall, most participants labeled the encounter as sexual assault, indicating that college students are aware of the legal parameters for providing consent. However, this classification occurred differentially based on the occupation of the perpetrator. Participants were most likely to label the athlete as committing sexual assault, followed by the college student, politician, and reporter, respectively. Females and those who reject rape myths were more likely to label the scenario as sexual assault. A "personal apology" and a "sexual rehabilitation program" were the most common punishments selected for the perpetrator. These findings highlight potential concerns and the need for additional training when college students adjudicate sexual assault reports and determine appropriate consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Window opening behaviour is an important factor which affects the consumption of building energy. Finding out the driving factors and establishing an accurate model for window opening behaviour can improve the accuracy of the simulation of building energy consumption. However, the window opening behaviour is affected by various driving factors and has strong uncertainty, which brings difficulties for the dynamic simulation of building energy consumption. Residential buildings that were chosen had a similar number of residents, and indoor and outdoor environmental parameters and states of the windows were monitored for one year in Xi'an. The multi-factor variance method was used to analyse the influence of environmental factors, and logistic regression and back propagation neural network models were established for different seasons. The study found that the window opening frequency in the bedroom is higher than in the living room. The driving factors which affect window opening behaviour vary with seasons, and indoor and outdoor temperatures and humidity are the dominant factors. The accuracy of the proposed BP neural network models is above 70%, and the area under curve value is all above 0.7. These models can provide theoretical support for the modelling of the residential building in Xi'an. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hida and Tango established a statistical testing framework for the three-arm non-inferiority trial including a placebo with a pre-specified non-inferiority margin to overcome the shortcomings of traditional two-arm non-inferiority trials (such as having to choose the non-inferiority margin). In this paper, we propose a new method that improves their approach with respect to two aspects. We construct our testing statistics based on the best unbiased pooled estimators of the homogeneous variance; and we use the principle of intersection-union tests to determine the rejection rule. We theoretically prove that our test is better than that of Hida and Tango for large sample sizes. Furthermore, when that sample size was small or moderate, our simulation studies showed that our approach performed better than Hida and Tango's. Although both controlled the type I error rate, their test was more conservative and the statistical power of our test was higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aftermath of sexual assault warrants further attention surrounding the responses provided by those to whom survivors disclose, especially when perpetrator type or victim race may affect whether the bystander response is supportive or attributes culpability to the victim. Disclosure responses have significant consequences for survivors' posttrauma mental health and formal help-seeking behavior. The current study used a sample of 348 self-report, paper-and-pencil surveys administered during the fall 2015 semester to a purposive sample of undergraduate students with a mean age of 20.94 years old at a midsized, Southern public university. Survey design included a randomly assigned 2 × 2 hypothetical sexual assault disclosure vignette. The objective of the study was to assess the effect of perpetrator type (stranger vs. acquaintance) and victim race (White vs. Black) on empathic concern, culpability attributions, and resource referral. Between-subjects factorial ANOVA and multivariate ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models were estimated to identify the role of vignette manipulations, participant-sexual victimization history, and rape myth acceptance on empathy, culpability, and resource referral for the sexual assault survivor portrayed in the vignette. Multivariate analyses included main effects and moderation models. Findings revealed increased culpability and decreased resource referral for victims of acquaintance rape as compared with stranger rape, independent of victim race. Although no direct victim race effects emerged in the multivariate analyses, race moderated the effect of culpability on resource referral indicating culpability attributions decreased resource referral, but only when the victim was Black. Implications from the results presented here include a continued focus on bystander intervention strategies, empathy-building techniques, and educational programming targeting potential sexual assault disclosees and race stereotypes that disadvantage victims of color. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on energy-related attitudes and behaviors of Turkish women, who are the main users of electrical home appliances responsible for most household energy consumption. Answers from 1323 female respondents surveyed through a unique questionnaire formed the dataset. The results from analysis of variance show that education has a significant effect on the relationship between energy saving and awareness and attitudes about climate change. Significant differences also exist between education level groups in terms of knowledge of the classification of energy-saving electrical home appliances. Responses to questions related to energy-saving purchasing behaviors are consistently higher for knowledgeable respondents. The paper then uses factor analysis and ordinal logit models to reveal interactions between energy-saving behavior regarding electrical home appliances and several factors, namely awareness, sensitivity, essentials, and receptiveness. The identification of these factors can provide useful insights for policy makers that enable them to construct energy-saving policies specifically tailored toward women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plaid designs are characterised by having one set of treatments applied to rows and another set of treatments applied to columns. In a 2003 publication, Farewell and Herzberg presented an analysis of variance structure for such designs. They presented an example of a study in which medical practitioners, trained in different ways, evaluated a series of videos of patients obtained under a variety of conditions. However, their analysis did not take full account of all error terms. In this paper, a more comprehensive analysis of this study is presented, informed by the recognition that the study can also be regarded as a two-phase design. The development of random effects models is outlined and the potential importance of block-treatment interactions is highlighted. The use of a variety of techniques is shown to lead to a better understanding of the study. Examination of the variance components involved in the expected mean squares is demonstrated to have particular value in identifying appropriate error terms for F-tests derived from an analysis of variance table. A package such as ASReml can also be used provided an appropriate error structure is specified. The methods presented can be applied to the design and analysis of other complex studies in which participants supply multiple measurements under a variety of conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Loss of initial reduction of the acromioclavicular joint after coracoclavicular (CC) ligament reconstruction remains a challenge for various repair techniques. Previous studies using polydioxanone suture cerclage augments for CC ligament reconstruction demonstrated poor clinical and biomechanical outcomes. Tape-style sutures have recently gained popularity because of their added stiffness and strength relative to traditional sutures. These tape cerclage systems have yet to be biomechanically studied in CC ligament reconstruction. Purpose: To determine the efficacy of a tape cerclage system as an augment to CC ligament reconstruction. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 24 human cadaveric shoulders were utilized. These were divided into 4 repair groups: anatomic CC ligament reconstruction (ACCR), ACCR with a tape cerclage augment (ACCR + C), tendon graft sling with a cerclage augment (TGS + C), or tape cerclage sling alone (CS). The repairs underwent superior/inferior cyclic loading to evaluate for displacement. Specimens were visually inspected for cortical erosion by the tape cerclage after cyclic loading. Finally, the constructs underwent superior plane load-to-failure testing. Results: Less displacement after cyclic loading was observed in the ACCR + C (mean ± SD, 0.42 ± 0.32 mm), TGS + C (0.92 ± 0.42 mm), and CS (0.93 ± 0.39 mm) groups as compared with the ACCR group (4.42 ± 3.40 mm; P =.002). ACCR + C (813.3 ± 257.5 N), TGS + C (558.0 ± 120.7 N), and CS (759.5 ± 173.7 N) demonstrated significantly greater load at failure relative to ACCR (329.2 ± 118.2 N) (P <.001). ACCR + C (60.88 ± 17.3 N/mm), TGS + C (44.97 ± 9.15 N/mm), and CS (54.52 ± 14.24 N/mm) conferred greater stiffness than ACCR (27.43 ± 6.94 N/mm) (P =.001). No cortical erosion was demonstrated in any specimen after cyclic loading. Conclusion: In a cadaveric model at time zero, repairs utilizing a tape cerclage system confer significantly greater load to failure and stiffness, as well as decreased displacement with cyclic loading, when compared with traditional ACCR repair. Clinical Relevance: Tape cerclage augmentation may provide a useful augment for CC ligament reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this investigation was to assess helpful and challenging aspects of electronic health information with respect to clinical workflow and identify a set of characteristics that support patient care processes. We conducted 20 semi-structured interviews at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center, with a fully implemented electronic health record (EHR), and elicited positive and negative examples of how information technology (IT) affects the work of healthcare employees. Responses naturally shed light on information characteristics that aid work processes. We performed a secondary analysis on interview data and inductively identified characteristics of electronic information that support healthcare workflow. Participants provided 199 examples of how electronic information affects workflow. Seventeen characteristics emerged along with four primary domains: trustworthy and reliable; ubiquitous; effectively displayed; and adaptable to work demands. Each characteristic may be used to help evaluate health information technology pre- and post-implementation. Results provide several strategies to improve EHR design and implementation to better support healthcare workflow. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Summary: Young people living in north-west European welfare states are challenged to develop their individual strength. This is especially difficult for girls living in vulnerable circumstances, because they face a form of marginalization. Girls work is a method of professional youth work that supports girls in their identity development, making them more capable of shaping their own lives now and as adults. This is conceptualized as agency, which consist of the properties: intentionality, forethought, self-reactiveness, self-reflection. This paper examines the extent to which girls work helps girls living in vulnerable circumstances to develop their individual strength. Findings: The article is based on a questionnaire filled out by 393 girls who participate in 59 girls work activities in the Netherlands. This study shows that participation in girls work contributes to the development of intentionality of these girls (F(3,387) = 4.60, p =.004). Furthermore, girls who received an individual approach are better capable of reflecting on their actions than girls who only participated in group activities (F(2,388) = 3.10, p =.046). Applications: The findings suggest that participation in girls work contributes to the intentionality of girls in vulnerable circumstances, which is an important step in the development of agency. But to accomplish this, girls need to learn how to act upon their personal intentions. However, the findings do not show that girls work contributes to the other properties of agency, suggesting that to support girls in shaping their own lives, youth workers need to contribute more to the other levels of agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The current work probes the effectiveness of multimodal touch screen tablet electronic devices in conveying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graphics via vibrations and sounds to individuals who are visually impaired (i.e., blind or low vision) and compares it with similar graphics presented in an embossed format. Method: A volunteer sample of 22 participants who are visually impaired, selected from a summer camp and local schools for blind students, were recruited for the current study. Participants were first briefly (∼30 min) trained on how to explore graphics via a multimodal touch screen tablet. They then explored six graphic types (number line, table, pie chart, bar chart, line graph, and map) displayed via embossed paper and tablet. Participants answered three content questions per graphic type following exploration. Results: Participants were only 6% more accurate when answering questions regarding an embossed graphic as opposed to a tablet graphic. A paired-samples t test indicated that this difference was not significant, t (14) = 1.91, p =.07. Follow-up analyses indicated that presentation medium did not interact with graphic type, F (5, 50) = 0.43, p =.83, nor visual ability, F (1, 13) = 0.00, p =.96. Discussion: The findings demonstrate that multimodal touch screen tablets may be comparable to embossed graphics in conveying iconographic science and mathematics content to individuals with visual impairments, regardless of the severity of impairment. The relative equivalence in response accuracy between mediums was unexpected, given that most students who participated were braille readers and had experience reading embossed graphics, whereas they were introduced to the tablet the day of testing. Implications for practitioners: This work illustrates that multimodal touch screen tablets may be an effective option for general education teachers or teachers of students with visual impairments to use in their educational practices. Currently, preparation of accessible graphics is time consuming and requires significant preparation, but such tablets provide solutions for offering "real-time" displays of these graphics for presentation in class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of market-based reforms over the past twenty-five years has fundamentally changed the way healthcare is delivered in the United States. This paper reports the results of a survey of the workplace experiences and attitudes of hospital-based registered nurses under healthcare reform. The authors find that nurses who had experienced reform-related job restructuring held substantially more negative views of the climate for patient care than nurses who had not experienced restructuring. Also, nurses who had experienced reform-related mergers held more negative perceptions of the climate for patient care than those who had not been through a merger, although the relationship was less strong than it was for restructuring. Nurses concerned about a deteriorating climate for patient care indicated a desire for greater voice in the organization and staffing of hospitals and also indicated a greater readiness than other nurses to vote for a union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines what it means to be a supervisor, in terms of the associated responsibilities--their nature, who is likely to have them, and how they affect wages. The author examines data from a new series of questions on aspects of supervision included in the 1996 wave of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979. The results indicate that the wage returns to being a supervisor are not associated with simply having supervisory 'status' or a supervisory title, per se, but rather with having associated upper-level supervisory responsibilities. Women were less likely than men to attain supervisory status, and once they did so they were slightly less likely to have higher-level supervisory responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effects of a morphological awareness intervention on the word reading and spelling skills of Grade 4 to 6 children with dyslexia. Sixteen children received 20 hours of morphologically oriented instruction spread over 6 weeks and eight served as controls, and all received a battery of reading and spelling tests before and after the intervention. Students were taught the nature of morphology and the types of morphemes, how words could be assembled from morphemes or deconstructed into morphemes to make meaning from print and access the correct pronunciation, and how to use morphology in reading and spelling words. Repeated measures analyses of variance and analyses of covariance indicated that the experimental group showed significantly larger gains than the control group on measures of morphological awareness, morphological decoding, morphological analysis, and morphological spelling. There were no significant effects on word reading (fluency and accuracy) or on standardized spelling measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Throughout their academic pursuits, students may encounter various sleep-related issues, including insomnia, sleep apnea, hypersomnia, or sleep terror disorder. These disorders can profoundly impact their well-being, emotional state, and academic achievements. Objective: This study, of significant relevance to the field of nursing and sleep disorders, aimed to investigate the prevalence of sleep disorders and their impact on academic performance among undergraduate nursing students in the United Arab Emirates. Methods: A cross-sectional research method was implemented among 177 undergraduate nursing students. Two tools were used: Too I consisted of two parts: sociodemographic and academic performance classifications, whereas Tool II comprised the SLEEP-50 questionnaire. Results: Our findings revealed that 30.6% of nursing students had one or more sleep disorders. Insomnia was the most prevalent among the nursing students (37.5%), followed by circadian rhythm (33.3%), narcolepsy (26.6%), sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome (25%), nightmares (22.2%), and sleepwalking (11.11%). There was a significant relation between restless leg syndrome and academic performance, while in linear regression analysis, it was found that the variable that most affects sleep is gender. Conclusion: The implications of this study's findings are clear-nursing schools must intensify their efforts to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of sleep problems on academic performance. Furthermore, subsequent research is crucial to evaluate the execution of interventions aimed at preventing such disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]