Electrocatalysis in photochemically activated electropolymerized thin films.

In reductively electropolymerized thin films of poly-cis-[Ru(vbpy)2(py)2](PF6)2 ("vbpy" is 4-methyl-4'-vinyl-2,2'-bipyridine and "py" is pyridine), on glassy carbon electrodes, photochemical ligand loss with aqueous HClO4 in the external solution occurs to give poly-cis-[Ru(vbpy)2(OH2)2](ClO4)2, but the efficiency of ligand loss is greatly decreased compared to the efficiency in solution. In cyclic voltammograms of films containing the aqua complex, there is evidence for both RuIII/II and higher oxidation state RuIV/III, RuV/IV, and RuVI/V couples. The redox chemistry of the resulting films is dictated by the film structure and can be controlled by varying the electropolymerization conditions and external solution composition. The oxidation of alcohols by these higher oxidation state couples has been investigated electrochemically.

Low versus high prevalence of AIDS: effect on nursing students' attitudes and knowledge.

The purpose of this study was to compare AIDS knowledge and attitudes of baccalaureate nursing students living in a state with a high prevalence of AIDS and those who resided in a state with a low prevalence of AIDS. Students from the high-prevalence state had significantly higher AIDS knowledge scores than did students from the low-prevalence state. However, overall, respondents from the low-prevalence state viewed the person living with AIDS with more accepting attitudes than did the respondents from the high-prevalence state. Students in the high-prevalence state interacted with persons living with AIDS (PLWA) primarily through professional contact. In contrast, students in the low-prevalence state identified both personal and professional contact with PLWA as their most significant interactions. Personal experience of nursing students appears to be a key to decreasing stigmatization of PLWA.

Attitudes of baccalaureate nursing students toward persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome according to mode of human immunodeficiency virus transmission.

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to (1) examine differences in baccalaureate nursing students' attitudes toward persons living with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (PLWAs) according to mode of transmission and (2) identify demographic and academic variables influencing baccalaureate nursing students' attitudes toward PLWAs. Two hundred forty-six students from five geographically dispersed baccalaureate programs returned a completed demographic data sheet, AIDS Knowledge Scale, and AIDS Attitude Scale. The AIDS Attitude Scale, based on Goffman's theory of stigma, assesses stigmatizing attitudes, perceptions of deservedness of care, and attitudes of respect and regard for PLWAs according to five modes of human immunodeficiency virus transmission. The findings of this study demonstrated overall that baccalaureate students were the most stigmatizing toward persons who had developed AIDS through injecting drugs followed by sexual contact (both homosexual and heterosexual) and least stigmatizing toward PLWAs who contracted the virus through maternal transmission or a blood transfusion. Perhaps the PLWA who contracted AIDS through either maternal transmission or a blood transfusion was viewed as an "innocent victim" of the disease, whereas PLWAs who contracted the virus through either shared needles or sexual transmission were viewed as having acquired the infection through the results of their actions. The demographic characteristics of the respondents did not influence AIDS attitudes.

Factors influencing baccalaureate nursing students' attitudes towards persons living with AIDS.

Using stigma theory described by Goffman (1963), a descriptive correlational study was conducted to identify factors that influence nursing students' attitudes toward persons living with AIDS (PLWAs). Two hundred ten baccalaureate nursing students completed a three-part questionnaire consisting of a demographic data sheet, AIDS Knowledge Scale (AKS), and AIDS Attitude Scale (AAS). The AKS, 15 true/false questions, covered general aspects of AIDS knowledge. Attitudes toward PLWAs were assessed using the AAS, a series of five vignettes each followed by a 16-item Likert scale. Stepwise multiple regression indicated that student status, AIDS knowledge, ideology, ethnicity, and age influenced nursing students' attitudes toward PLWA. Variables that did not enter the regression equation were years of work experience, gender, religion, type of significant interaction with PLWAs, and heart-changing experiences. Students who demonstrated the most stigmatizing attitudes were conservative, had more nursing education, less AIDS knowledge, or were noncaucasian.

Artificial neural network predictions of lengths of stay on a post-coronary care unit.

OBJECTIVE: To create and validate a model that predicts length of hospital unit stay. DESIGN: Ex post facto. Seventy-four independent admission variables in 15 general categories were utilized to predict possible stays of 1 to 20 days. SETTING: Laboratory. SAMPLE: Records of patients discharged from a post-coronary care unit in early 1993. RESULTS: An artificial neural network was trained on 629 records and tested on an additional 127 records of patients. The absolute disparity between the actual lengths of stays in the test records and the predictions of the network averaged 1.4 days per record, and the actual length of stay was predicted within 1 day 72% of the time. CONCLUSIONS: The artificial neural network demonstrated the capacity to utilize common patient admission characteristics to predict lengths of stay. This technology shows promise in aiding timely initiation of treatment and effective resource planning and cost control.

Cruel and unusual punishment: the health care of women in prison.

Nationally, the number of female prison inmates--although small compared with the number of male inmates--is on the upswing. Since correctional facilities are legally mandated under the eighth amendment to provide inmates with their constitutional right to health care, innovative methods of delivering that care will have to be devised within a current system that is neither funded nor prepared to design and dispense such programs. The most frequent medical problems among incarcerated women are drug/alcohol addiction, gynecological diseases, and exacerbation of chronic health problems, particularly hypertension, diabetes and epilepsy. The prison health care system is also being faced with management of an increasing number of pregnant and postpartal inmates. Health needs of this group include basic health care, teaching, counseling and supportive care--services that can be appropriately provided by nurse practitioners and other health care providers.