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It is well known that conduction in YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) is by means of copper "planes" and "chains," where planes and chains describe the degree of bonding between copper and oxygen. Changes of conductivity versus temperature have been used to show that conduction in YBCO in the normal state is 3-dimensional, while conduction approaching the onset of the superconducting state is first 2-dimensional and then 3-dimensional. We have found another method to monitor this 2-to-3 transition. Using square samples, and measuring the voltage at each corner caused by a current applied to the opposite corners, one can find the conductivities along the x-axis and the y-axis. The ratio of these conductivities is unity for homogeneous samples in the normal state. However, in transition to the superconducting state, the ratio of conductivities changes. We examine this change as a function of sample purity, sample history, and exposure to an external magnetic field. Our data are consistent with data reported in the literature, and they suggest the existence of another state change deep in the superconducting state, which is only observable with the application of a magnetic field., Measurements were also carried out to correlate the anisotropy with sample porosity. Measurements of normal state resistivity, critical temperature, and critical current characterize the sample's porosity, and these data affect the anisotropy in the superconducting state in a manner directly proportional to the porosity., (C)1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers

The author agrees with James Moor that computer technology, because it is 'logically malleable', is bringing about a genuine social revolution. Moor compares the computer revolution to the 'industrial revolution' of the late 18th and the 19th centuries; but it is argued here that a better comparison is with the 'printing press revolution' that occurred two centuries before that. Just as the major ethical theories of Bentham and Kant were developed in response to the printing press revolution, so a new ethical theory is likely to emerge from computer ethics in response to the computer revolution. The newly emerging field of information ethics, therefore, is much more important than even its founders and advocates believe.

Most nurse educators would agree that critical thinking is an essential competency for the professional nurse in today's ever-changing health care environment. In fact, critical thinking has been identified as an integral component of professional nursing practice and has been incorporated in accreditation guidelines (1-3). As a result of this imperative, professional programs of nursing must explicate a clear definition of critical thinking, identify specific learning outcomes reflective of critical thinking abilities, and select appropriate ways to measure the achievement of these outcomes in graduating students. Although much has been written about the need for critical thinking skills, the concept and measurement of critical thinking within the context of nursing education has not yet been clearly defined (4-6). As a result, nursing programs are developing their own conceptual definitions of critical thinking and using a variety of methods to measure outcomes (5). The authors caution that to ensure validity of findings, the instruments used must reflect the individual program's definition of the concept. In most cases, outcomes have been assessed using a cross-sectional design that compares students at different levels or types of programs or are measured as an end-of-program outcome. While such designs can provide educators with knowledge of students' critical thinking abilities at a particular point in the educational process, longitudinal data are needed to assess the effects of the educational program.

In response to public criticisms about the outcomes of higher education, colleges and universities have implemented comprehensive assessment programs. In nursing education, outcomes assessment has become a criteria for accreditation. Yet, currently no guidelines exist describing “best practices” in nursing education outcomes assessment. Experts in educational assessment provide helpful guidelines for nurse educators as they establish comprehensive assessment plans. The authors provide a review of the literature in the field of assessment and offer strategies for developing successful assessment programs in nursing education.

Nurses are challenged to advance the theoretical foundations of community practice. This paper offers ideas on what-has been done and what needs to be done to meet this challenge. Within a community health nursing perspective, the paper defines community, proposes an integrated knowledge development framework that focuses on community, analyses contemporary theoretical and philosophical foundations of community in nursing, considers three worldviews in which nursing can be framed, and examines parameters for knowledge development for the future.

The primary purposes of this study were to identify the best teaching practices for adult baccalaureate (BSN) nursing students and to examine if adult students' teaching preferences differed from those of traditional BSN students. The sample consisted of 206 adult and traditional students in four BSN programs. The adult nursing student sample was further subdivided into two groups: adults with no prior nursing education (adult non-nurses) and adults with prior nursing education (RN'S). Using a two-part, self-administered questionnaire, respondents were asked to rate the frequency with which 41 teaching strategies were used in their best and in their worst classroom learning experiences in nursing. In most cases, adult non-nurses' teaching preferences did not vary significantly from the preferences of traditional students. However, adults with no prior nursing education did show a preference for knowledgeable and organized instructors. In contrast RNs' preferred classroom situations were where time on task was emphasized, cooperative learning was encouraged, and expectations for learning were high. Results indicate that classroom teaching preferences vary as a function of prior experience with the subject matter and are not attributable to age itself. Findings suggest that prior experience with course content is a more important consideration in planning programs than generalized adult experience.

The alleged synthesis of nursing and public health has not produced the expected community-as-client emphasis. Public health is characterized as disease-focused, with masculine domination, using a causal model. The explanatory model of chaos challenges nurses to reexamine nursing's theoretical base by questioning assumptions associated with linear thinking. The selected chaotic concepts of aperiodicity, attractors, sensitive dependence on initial conditions, phase space, and fractals are discussed here. Each concept's connection to physics and mathematics is cited and considerations for nursing science are outlined. Conclusions include redefining health, nursing, and community in chaotic terms and renaming nursing practice, which has this aperiodic and holistic paradigm, as ecologic health nursing.

An individual's social support system comprises multiple networks. A lack in one system may cause an increased need for support in another. Social support has been found to be of vital impor tance to the health of the older adult client and caregiver. It has been found to have a significant influence on health outcomes, acting as a buffer and altering recovery patterns. This article de scribes the concept of social support and relates how the home health care nurse can assess this dimension and use the findings to better plan patient care in the home setting. Key words: social support, home care, older adult. © 1994, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.

A recent malpractice case involved public health nurses. Given the legal issues based on this case, recommendations can be made to help ensure legal accountability, improve practice, and minimize liability risk. Areas of concern include doctor's orders and communication relating to telephone orders, the nurse's accountability to the client, documentation and patient teaching, the physician's duty to supervise the nurse, and corporate negligence. The court's analysis of the facts in finding areas of liability can guide nurses in avoiding malpractice litigation.

Social support has a significant effect on the response to illness and treatment. The au thors present some of the findings and practical applications originating from a collaborative study, including a clinical indicator tool for the diabetic patient. This information gives the home health care professional an expanded knowledgebase to use in developing individualized care plans for the elder home care diabetic. © 1992, Sage Publications. All rights reserved.

Kirillov and Reshetikhin introduced rigged configurations as a new way to calculate the entries of the Kostka matrix. Macdonald defined the two-parameter Kostka matrix whose entries generalize. We use rigged configurations and a formula of Stembridge to provide a combinatorial interpretation of in the case where is a partition with no more than two columns. In particular, we show that in this case, has nonnegative coefficients. © 1995 American Mathematical Society.

This paper presents a fresh approach to a general education mathematics course. The basic idea is to turn the customary mathematics class on its head by focusing on applications first, through a reading of articles from magazines and newspapers, and then turning to the technical mathematical details. A description of the topics that were covered in my course, along with references to various publications, is given. A course such as this one is important because it conveys how mathematics is serving the goals of society. © 1994 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

One of the problems which many companies face is the distribution of inventory from one or more centrally located distribution centers. The retail, industry, and in particular the women's clothing industry, faces the additional problem that not only does the merchandise have to be distributed but it must be distributed in such a way that every store gets a reasonable spread of colors and sizes. This research attempts to optimize the multi-criteria allocation objective by developing a computer algorithm. In order to be implemented any algorithm developed must be computationally efficient due to the size of the industry and other system related programming constraints. The algorithm which was developed not only provided a solution which was a marked improvement regarding the color spread of the merchandise but was also efficient enough to be immediately implemented on a national basis. © 1992.

A presentation of case studies forms the focus for an exploration of the discovery of an abortion or adoption used as the management of an unwelcome pregnancy which occurred in the context of the marital system. Managing an impasse in the middle phase of therapy in each case led to the emergence of information which then allowed the therapist to work with the couple system to alleviate the core situation out of which presenting problems emanated. In these cases the unwelcome pregnancy had the potential to be cataclysmic to the couple system. Therefore, the possibility that a couple is concealing an abortion or an adoption should be considered by couples' therapists when there is little or no response to usual strategies for change. The reason for concealment is immaterial. What is paramount is that the therapist bring the event to the fore of treatment and work with a couple to put closure on what is generally an unresolved issue. © 1999, by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Objective: To review family-based treatment research. A growing body of research and several meta-analytic reviews demonstrate that family-based treatments are effective for a variety of child and adolescent disorders. In addition, an emerging tradition of family-based process research has begun to identify important ingredients of effective family psychotherapy. This article reviews these advances and their implications for future research. Method: Selected studies on the treatment of schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, attention deficit, conduct disorder, and substance abuse are reviewed, as well as several process research and meta-analytic studies. Results: Family-based therapies have been shown to be effective for treating schizophrenia, conduct disorder, and substance abuse. Some data support their effectiveness in the treatment of eating disorders. Few studies have targeted internalizing disorders. A process research tradition is emerging, but it is in need of methodological advances, Meta-analytic studies suggest that family-based therapies are as effective as other models. Conclusions: More well-designed studies with diverse populations are needed to assess accurately the effectiveness of this increasingly popular treatment approach.

This nine-year study examined the extent to which selected admissions criteria of 34 family therapy doctoral students predicted their future performance on clinical, academic, research, and other job-related criteria. Age and clinical background were positively related to clinical ratings after three years. Letters of recommendation and student autobiographies were positively related to qualify and quantity of publications. Graduate Record Examination scores and interview ratings were not predictive of any of the criterion variables at three or six years. Additional findings are presented and discussed.