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The nursing profession is currently attempting to address a workforce crisis. Various professional and political strategies have centred on recruitment and retention but the political agenda is also geared to [...]

Decision augmentation theory (DAT) provides an informational mechanism for a class of anomalous mental phenomena that have hitherto been viewed as being caused by a force-like mechanism. Under specifiable conditions, DAT's predictions for statistical anomalous perturbation databases are different from those of all force-like mechanisms. For large random number generator databases, DAT predicts a zero slope for a least squares fit to the ([z.sup.2], n) scatter diagram, where n is the number of bits resulting from a single run and z is the resulting z score. We find a slope of (1.73 [+ or -] 3.19) x [10.sup.-6] (t = 0.543, df = 126, p = .295) for the historical binary RNG database, which strongly suggests that some informational mechanism is responsible for the anomaly. In a two sequence length analysis of a limited set of RNG data from the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research laboratory, we find that a force-like explanation misses the observed data by 8.6[Sigma]; however, the observed data are within 1.1[Sigma] of the DAT prediction. We also apply DAT to one pseudo-RNG study and find that its predicted slope is not significantly different from the expected value for an informational mechanism. We review and comment on six published articles that discussed DAT's earlier formalism (i.e., intuitive data sorting). We found two studies that support a force-like mechanism. Our analysis of Braud's 1990 hemolysis study confirms his finding in favor of an influence model over a selection one (p = .023), and Braud and Schlitz (1989) demonstrated a force-like interaction in their remote staring experiment (p = .020). We provide six circumstantial arguments against an influence hypothesis. Our anomalous cognition research suggests that the quality of the data is proportional to the total change of Shannon entropy. We demonstrate that the change of Shannon entropy of a binary sequence from chance is independent of sequence length; thus, we suggest that a fundamental argument supports DAT over influence models. In our conclusion, we suggest that, except for one special case, the physical RNG database cannot be explained by any influence model, and that contradicting evidence from two experiments on biological systems should inspire more investigations in a way that would allow valid DAT analyses., INTRODUCTION May, Utts, and Spottiswoode (1995) proposed decision augmentation theory (DAT) as a general model of anomalous mental phenomena.(1) DAT holds that anomalous cognition information is included along with the [...]

We propose that the average total change of Shannon's entropy is a candidate for an intrinsic target property. An intrinsic target property is one that is completely independent of psychological factors and can be associated solely with a physical property of the target. We analyzed the results of two lengthy experiments that were conducted from 1992 through 1993 and found a significant correlation ([r.sub.s] = 0.337, df = 31, t= 1.99, p [less than or equal to] 0.028) with an absolute measure of the quality of the anomalous cognition (AC). In addition, we found that the quality of the AC was significantly better for dynamic targets than for static targets (t = 1.71, df= 36, p [less than or equal to] 0.048). The 1993 correlation with the change of entropy replicated a similar finding from our 1992 study. Using Monte Carlo techniques, we demonstrate that the observed correlations were not due to some unforeseen artifact with the entropy calculation, but perhaps the correlation can be accounted for because of the difference in some other measure between static and dynamic targets. The Monte Carlo results and the significant correlations with static targets in the 1992 study, however, suggest otherwise. We describe the methodology, the calculations, and correlations in detail and provide guidelines for those who may wish to conduct similar studies., INTRODUCTION The psychophysical properties of the five known senses are well known (Reichert, 1992). At the 'front end,' they share similar properties. For example, each system possesses receptor cells that [...]

Lantz and colleagues recently reported in the first of two studies that experienced receivers from the Cognitive Sciences Laboratory produced significant evidence for anomalous cognition (AC) of static targets but showed little evidence for AC of dynamic targets. This result was surprising: It was directly opposite to the results that were derived from the 1994 Bem and Honorton ganzfeld database. In Lantz et al.'s experiment, the topics of the dynamic targets were virtually unlimited, whereas the topics for the static targets were constrained in content, size of cognitive elements, and range of affect In a second experiment, they redesigned the target pools to correct this imbalance and observed significant improvement of AC functioning. We incorporate these findings into a definition of target-pool bandwidth and propose that the proper selection of bandwidth will lead to a reduction of incorrect information in free-response AC., Effect sizes from forced-choice experiments are much lower than those from free-response studies. For example, in precognition (Honorton & Ferrari, 1989) and real-time (Honorton, 1975) forced-choice experiments, the effect size [...]

Introduction: Parents of infants who undergo therapeutic hypothermia experience emotional challenges that have not been fully characterized. Comprehensive understanding of the parental experience of hypothermia is needed to provide better care to the family of the infant. This study aimed to improve the understanding of the parental emotional experience of therapeutic hypothermia in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted in a group setting with parents matched into groups according to the severity of the infant's presenting encephalopathy. The interviews were transcribed and coded into principal and additional subthemes.Results: Families of 15 infants, who were between 2 months and 2 years at the time of the interview, participated. Infants had a mean gestational age of 40.0 weeks and 11 (73%) were male. Eleven (73%) were transferred from other hospitals following birth and eight (53%) had seizures. Emotional Experiences was a principal theme and included subthemes of traumatic experiences, Loss of normalcy, and Separation of parent and infant. The birth was frequently described as traumatic with descriptions of chest compressions, excessive blood loss and infants not crying. Trauma was also described in the parental observations of the shivering hypothermic infant. Parents highlighted the loss of normalcy in terms of their expected birth narrative and the loss of the early opportunity to breastfeed and hold their infant. Parents reported that the physical separation imposed by hypothermia adversely impacted their ability to bond with their infant. Healing Experiences was the other principal theme with subthemes identified as Incorporation of parents into NICU care, Reclaiming parenthood and Support from other hypothermia families. Parents reported feeling a connection to their infant when they were involved in medical rounds and when asked to participate in routine care of their infant. Occasionally, parents strongly advocated for their own participation in a particular aspect of their infant's care such as a diaper change and this was perceived as reinforcing their role as parent. Lastly, parents requested greater access to peer support from parents who had experienced therapeutic hypothermia.Conclusion: Parents of infants treated with hypothermia reported the experience of their unexpected adverse delivery and their baby subsequently being treated with therapeutic hypothermia as traumatic. This trauma can be compounded by the pale, still and shivering appearance of their newborn and the delay in bonding as a result of physical separation during hypothermia treatment. Parents described feeling connected to their infant in the context of performing routine care activities and desired greater access to peer support. The themes reported in this study could be used to inform high level NICU care and raise provider awareness of the parent experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traffic‐related airborne particles are associated with asthma morbidity. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a high‐efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration on the concentrations of traffic particles and the resultant effect on children with asthma. Forty‐three children with asthma were enrolled in this double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover design. A HEPA air cleaner or a placebo "dummy" was placed in participants' homes for four weeks, interrupted by a one‐month washout period, before crossing over to the other treatment arm for four weeks. Air sampling and health outcomes, including asthma control (ACQ) and quality of life (AQLQ) measures, were completed prior to and at the end of each treatment arm. Indoor concentrations of traffic particles were significantly reduced with the HEPA treatment but not with the "dummy" treatment. In participants with poorly controlled asthma and lower quality of life at baseline, ACQ and AQLQ scores were significantly improved (1.3 to 0.9, P =.003 and 4.9 to 5.5, P =.02, respectively) following the HEPA treatment. In this study, HEPA filtration is associated with improved clinical outcomes and quality of life measures in children with uncontrolled asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snapshots of fluoride binding in an aza cryptand are provided using NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography.