Density Measurements of Poly(Acrylic Acid) Potassium Salts

Density measurements of poly(acrylic acid) potassium salts (PAK) with different degrees of neutralization and water contents are presentea. The apparent partial molar volumes of polymer, V2, and the partial molar volumes of water, V1, were calculated from the densities. The values of V2 decreased with increasing water content and eventually leveled off. The values of V1, which at low water contents were much smaller than that of free water, increased with increasing water content and reached that of free water, showing consequently the appearance of free water. Before reaching the final value of free water, the data indicated the formation of primary and secondary hydration shells. The structure of primary, hydration was suggested to be of body-centered cubic coordination in which carboxyl oxygen atoms participate

Hydration of Poly(acrylic Acid) Rubidium and Cesium Salts

Drying and water uptake of poly(acrylic acid) rubidium and cesium salts with different degrees of neutralization were studied. Though the equilibrium water. uptake increased with increasing neutralization %. the slope of the plot above ca. 45 % neutralization was greater than that below this neutralization %

Longitudinal study on factors affecting assertiveness among preceptors of novice nurses

Purpose: This study aims to understand the assertiveness of preceptors of novice nurses and factors affecting the assertiveness through a longitudinal perspective. Methods: Anonymous self-rating questionnaire surveys were administered to 1292 preceptors working in participating city and university hospitals across Japan (August, 2013 (baseline) and March, 2014 (second survey)). The surveys had question items from the Japanese version of the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (J-RAS, 30 items), demographic details of the participants, evaluation of novice nurses by preceptors, instruction framework, selfevaluation of preceptors, working environment, and a burnout inventory (Japanese version of the Maslach Burnout InventoryHuman Services Survey, 22 items). Bivariate analyses (T-tests and one-way analysis of variance) were conducted using assertiveness of the second survey as the objective variable, and other items of the baseline survey as explanatory variables. Selecting variables with p values smaller than 0.2 obtained in the bivariate analysis as explanatory variables, a multiple linear regression analysis (Stepwise method) was conducted. For the analyses, we used a statistics analysis software, SPSS Statistic 22. Results: Choosing 836 valid respondents of the baseline survey as a cohort group, we repeated the survey 8 months after the baseline survey to identify the factors affecting the assertiveness of preceptors of novice nurses. Excluding 62 who had missing values in the question items for assertiveness, 472 participants who were followed were included in analyses. As the results, following factors were found to affect the assertiveness: thinking that ‘they make rapid decisions’, and that ‘they are valuable as others’. Further, participants who have higher total burnout scores had lower assertiveness. Adjusted coefficient of determination was 0.153. Discussion: It can be inferred that the assertiveness of preceptors is higher than that of novice nurses measured by the J-RAS used in this study, and lower than that of administrative nurses. The assertiveness of preceptors was higher among participants who evaluated themselves positively, thinking that ‘they make rapid decisions’, and that ‘they are valuable as others’. It was also found that higher ‘total burnout scores’ was a factor that lowers the assertiveness. These findings suggest that a positive self-evaluation improves assertiveness and helps to prevent burnou