Working Environment in Nursing: Needs Improvement?

Background: Knowing the quality of life of professionals is important because it is related to job performance, better results, and greater productivity, which results in better patient care. Objective: To know the Professional Quality of Life perceived by the nurses at the Geriatric Hospital of Toledo (Spain). Method: A descriptive cross-section study was employed to measure the Professional Quality of Life of all healthcare nurses (69 in total) at the Geriatric Hospital of Toledo. The questionnaire used as a measuring instrument was the Professional Quality of Life - 35. The data obtained was analyzed by means of: descriptive statistics, single-factor ANOVA variance analysis, T Student tests, and simple and multiple regression analysis. The study was approved by both the research commission and the ethics commission at the Hospital Complex of Toledo. Participation in the study on behalf of the nursing staff was voluntary. Results: In total, 45 responses were obtained (65.2%). The overall mean score measured the perceived Professional Quality of Life to be low. In relation to the three dimensions evaluated in the study, the highest average found was in “intrinsic motivation,” followed by “workload”, and then “management support.” In the multivariate analysis, “management support” was shown as the most influential factor in the Professional Quality of Life with a 23% influence (P<0.001), followed by workload with 9% (P = 0.01). Conclusions: The professionals at the participating center perceive their workplace as having an elevated degree of responsibility, a large quantity of work, a high occurrence of rushes and fatigue, and all this with little support on behalf of management. Promotions are scarce or the policies for receiving a promotion are inadequate. The perception of Professional Quality of Life in nursing is low. The obtained results indicate a need for an organizing cultural change based on participation, motivation, and increased management support

Grafitos sobre Terra Sigillata Hispánica hallados en un vertedero del siglo I en la casa de Hippolytus (Complutum)

Presentamos en este estudio un conjunto de materiales inéditos del yacimiento romano de "hippolytus". Estos grafitos, presentes en la mayoría de los establecimientos romanos, no han recibido, en algunas ocasiones, la debida atención por parte de los investigadores. Su análisis pormenorizado, junto a la evidente ventaja de provenir de un contexto arqueológico cerrado y bien definido, nos acerca al conocimiento de las relaciones sociales, parentesco y origen de los moradores de este nuevo enclave altoimperial complutense

Threading Through Macrocycles Enhances the Performance of Carbon Nanotubes as Polymer Fillers

In this work we study the reinforcement of polymers by mechanically interlocked derivatives of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). We compare the mechanical properties of fibers made of polymers and of composites with pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), mechanically interlocked derivatives of SWNTs (MINTs) and the corresponding supramolecular models. Improvements of both Young's modulus and tensile strength of up to 200 % were observed for the polystyrene-MINTs samples with an optimized loading of just 0.01 wt.%, while the supramolecular models with identical chemical composition and loading showed negligible or even detrimental influence. This behavior is found for three different types of SWNTs and two types of macrocycles. Molecular dynamics simulations show that the polymer adopts an elongated conformation parallel to the SWNT when interacting with MINT fillers, irrespective of the macrocycle chemical nature, whereas a more globular structure is taken upon facing with either pristine SWNTs or supramolecular models. The MINT composite architecture thus leads to a more efficient exploitation of the axial properties of the SWNTs and of the polymer chain at the interface, in agreement with experimental results. Our findings demonstrate that the mechanical bond imparts distinctive advantageous properties to SWNT derivatives as polymer fillers.Comment: 39 pages, 19 figure

Financial Soundness Prediction Using a Multi-classification Model: Evidence from Current Financial Crisis in OECD Banks

The paper aims to develop an early warning model that separates previously rated banks (337 Fitch-rated banks from OECD) into three classes, based on their financial health and using a one-year window. The early warning system is based on a classification model which estimates the Fitch ratings using Bankscope bankspecific data, regulatory and macroeconomic data as input variables. The authors propose a “hybridization technique” that combines the Extreme learning machine and the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique. Due to the imbalanced nature of the problem, the authors apply an oversampling technique on the data aiming to improve the classification results on the minority groups. The methodology proposed outperforms other existing classification techniques used to predict bank solvency. It proved essential in improving average accuracy and especially the performance of the minority groups

Detenninación de humedad en cereales y derivados por calentamiento con microondas y análisis de hidroximetilfurfural (HMF) formado

EL horno microondas ha sido usado para evaluar el tiempo y preclslOn en la determinación de humedad de granos de trigo y arroz, harina de trigo, pan blanco y galletas. Los resultados fueron comparados con el metodo estandard de estufa de aire. El tiempo para las muestras de granos de trigo y arroz fue de 40 y 60 minutos respectivamente y de 15 minutos para el resto de los productos. Sin embargo, la precisión obtenida para todas las muestras, fue menor que con estufa de aire. Se determinó HMF en muestras de harina desecadas por ambos métodos y los resultados mostraron valores considerablemente más elevados en la desecación mediante microondas.A study was conducted to evaluate the use and accuracy of domestic microwave oven for quick moisture determination of wheat and rice grains, wheat flour, sliced white bread and biscuits. The results were compared with the standard air-oven method. A decrease in drying time was achieved using the microwave oven. For wheat and rice grains the drying times were 40 and 60 min repectively, and 15 min for the cereal products, although coefficients of variation were lower in the air oven. Hydroxyrnethylfurfural (HMF) was deterrnined in flour samples dried by both methods. The results were considerately higher by microwave oven