Work schedule differences in sleep problems of nursing home caregivers

Nursing home caregivers (n=775; 604 women; mean age 33.6 years) were studied to examine how work schedules affect their sleep. The shift group (n=536) worked under a rotating two-shift system (n=365), a rotating three-shift system (n=66), or other types of shifts (n=78). The non-shift group included 222 caregivers. Participants completed a questionnaire about working conditions, sleep problems, health, lifestyle, and demographic factors. The two-shift caregivers reported the highest levels of difficulty initiating sleep (DIS, 37.6%), insomnia symptoms (43.0%), and poor quality of sleep (24.9%) among the groups. Adjusted odds ratios for these problems were significantly greater for the two-shift caregivers than for non-shift counterparts: DIS (odds ratio 2.86, 95% confidence interval 1.57-5.20), insomnia symptoms (2.33, 1.36-4.02), and poor sleep quality (2.15, 1.09-4.22). Our data suggest that working under a rotating two-shift system, which has a longer night shift, is associated with an elevated risk of sleep problems for nursing home caregivers.     

Narrow‐gap field‐sequential TN‐LCD with and without nanoparticle doping

Abstract— The fabrication and demonstration of field‐sequential‐color (FSC) LCDs using modules of narrow‐gap twisted‐nematic (NTN) LCDs with and without doping of newly synthesized PγCyD‐ZrO² nanoparticles is reported. Two types of FSC‐LCDs are demonstrated: one is a direct multiplexed NTN‐LCD and the other is TFT driven. The advantages of FSC‐LCDs include their high legibility even under direct sunlight, and the mechanism for the doping of nanoparticles in LCDs is discussed.     

Water‐Tolerant and Reusable Catalysts for Direct Ester Condensation between Equimolar Amounts of Carboxylic Acids and Alcohols

ZrOCl₂⋅8 H₂O and HfOCl₂⋅8 H₂O are highly effective, water‐tolerant, and reusable homogeneous catalysts for direct ester condensation between equimolar amounts of carboxylic acids and alcohols. Notably, zirconium(IV) salts such as ZrOCl₂⋅8 H₂O and Zr(OAc)_x(OH)_y are potential green catalysts due to their low toxicity, commercial availability at low cost, ease of handling, high catalytic activity, and reusability.     

A Comparative Study of Organic Cobalt Complex Catalysts for Oxygen Reduction in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

Reduction of platinum catalysts loading is a central issue in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. As alternatives for platinum, some organic metal chelate compounds are tested as cathode catalysts, such as cobalt aza-complexes or cobalt complexes possessing aminophenyl moieties featured as Co-N₄ or Co-N₂O₂ chelate structures. The way of immobilization of catalysts on the graphite surface influences their stability as well as the performance of oxygen reduction. Heat-treated catalysts supported on graphite at 600°C show much better oxygen reduction abilities than as-received metal complexes. The original chemical structure of metal complexes affects crucially the catalytic ability, though initial structures of molecules are no more intact after the heat treatment. The catalytic activity of these complexes may originate from the central chelate unit CoN₄ on the carbon substrate, and this unit is assumed to constitute the basic coordination site for an oxygen molecule. Electropolymerized catalysts impart a high level of oxygen reduction ability, probably due to the improved molecular orientation for oxygen coordination and formation of good chelate sites on the graphite surface.     

Starch Properties of a Waxy Mutant Line of Hull‐less Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Endosperm starch isolated from an amylose‐free waxy mutant hull‐less barley line, Shikoku Hadaka 97, had an amylose content of 0.3% and higher swelling power than ordinary waxy barley cultivars/lines with amylose contents of 2.2—6.5%. A highly significant correlation was observed between amylose content and swelling power among waxy barley starches. No clear differences were detected in the chain‐length distribution profiles or thermal properties between the amylose‐free starch and ordinary waxy starch. The chain‐length distribution profile of waxy barley starch was slightly different from that of normal barley starch. Gelatinization temperatures and gelatinization enthalpy of waxy barley starch were higher than those of normal barley starch. Significant correlations were observed between amylose content and thermal properties of starch samples analyzed. Waxy barley starch stained with a concentrated iodine‐potassium iodide solution showed a ghost‐like appearance.     

Selective photo-oxidation of various hydrocarbons in the liquid phase over V2O5/Al2O3

More than 0.22 mmol of isolated VO₄ species of V₂O₅/Al₂O₃ exhibited the highest evolution of the partial oxidation products (alcohol and ketone) in the oxidation of cyclohexane and cyclopentane. The conversion of cyclohexane and the selectivity of the partial oxidation products were achieved to be 0.49% and 85% over 0.8 g of 3.5 wt.% V₂O₅/Al₂O₃, respectively, where the K/A ratio was 6.2. In addition, V₂O₅/Al₂O₃ can selectively oxidize various hydrocarbons in the liquid phase by the one-step oxygen atom insertion to CH bond. The order of priority was tertiary carbon > secondary carbon > primary carbon > benzene ring.     

Direct Fabrication of Fine Gold Patterns from an Aqueous Solution by a UV Laser

A new strategy for directly fabricating fine gold patterns from an aqueous solution with the help of a UV laser is proposed. The solution contains 90 mmol/L of HAuCl₄ and 280 mmol/L of Na₂SO₃. The process involves two steps. The first step is to create the pattern (seed layer) by irradiating the solution layer spread on the substrate by the UV laser beam. The second step is to immerse the patterned or irradiated substrate in the bulk solution for a certain time to grow the film. A 0.1-μm-thick film is yielded in the irradiated area after 30 min immersion in the solution.     

Liquid phase methanol reforming with water over silica supported Pt–Ru catalysts

The mechanism of the liquid phase methanol reforming reaction over silica supported Pt–Ru catalyst was investigated by kinetic studies, employing a pyrex glass reactor with reflux condensers connected to a closed gas circulation system under ambient pressure. The rate of H₂ formation over Pt–Ru/SiO₂ catalysts was more than 20 times faster than that over Pt/SiO₂ catalysts with high selectivity for CO₂ (72.3%), indicating a marked addition effect of Ru. In the case of HCHO–H₂O reaction over Pt–Ru/SiO₂, the H₂ formation rate was five times larger than that in the CH₃OH–H₂O reaction but selectivity to CO₂ was only 4%. On the contrary, in the HCOOCH₃–H₂O and HCOOH–H₂O reactions, both high activity and selectivity were observed over Pt–Ru/SiO₂. These results clearly indicate that the CO₂ formation does not proceed via HCHO decomposition and following water gas shift reaction. We propose the following pathway for liquid phase methanol reforming reaction over Pt–Ru/SiO₂; a partly dehydrogenated methanol (CH₂OH^*) is the initial reaction intermediate, from which H₂ and CO₂ are formed through HCOOCH₃ and HCOOH as the successive reaction intermediates.