Surveying nursing students on their sources of stress: A validation study

This study tested the psychometric properties of a questionnaire that measured sources of distress and eustress, or good stress, in nursing students. The Transactional model of stress construes stress in these different ways and is frequently used to understand sources of stress, coping and stress responses. Limited research has attempted to measure sources of distress and eustress or sources that can potentially enhance performance and well-being. A volunteer sample of final year nursing students (n = 120) was surveyed in the United Kingdom in 2007. The questionnaire measured sources of stress and measures of psychological well-being were taken to test construct validity. This was tested through an exploratory factor analysis. This reduced the questionnaire from 49 to 29 items and suggested three factors: learning and teaching, placement related and course organization; second, it was analysed by testing the assumptions of the Transactional model, the model on which the questionnaire was based. In line with the assumptions of the model, measures of distress related to adverse well-being, and measures of eustress related to healthier well-being responses. The test–retest reliability estimate was 0.8. While certain programme issues were associated with distress, placement-related experiences were the most important source of eustress.

Multiple osteochondromas in the archaeological record: a global review

Multiple osteochondromas is an inherited autosomal dominant condition of enchondral bone growth. The paper undertakes the first synthesis study of the 16 known cases of the condition that have been identified in the international palaeopathological record. It also includes information derived from two newly discovered cases of the disease in two adult male individuals recovered from the Medieval cemetery at Ballyhanna, Co. Donegal, Ireland. The formation of multiple osteochondromas is the best known characteristic of the disease but it also involves the development of a suite of orthopaedic deformities. These deformities, which include disproportionate short stature, inequality of bone length, forearm deformities, tibiofibular diastasis, coxa valga of the hip and valgus deformity of the knee and ankle, are discussed in relation to the archaeological cases. Numerous synonyms for the disease have been used within the various publications produced by palaeopathologists, and this can generate confusion among readers. As such, the paper recommends that in future palaeopathologists should follow the guidance of the World Health Organization and use the term multiple osteochondromas when discussing the disease.

Remote Detection and Identification of Organic Remains: An Assessment of Archaeological Potential

This paper reviews the various methods of using natural or induced light spectra as analytical tools in forensic archaeology. Chemical identi?cation can be made at long range and wide scale (tens of metres) down to short range and very small scale (nanometres). The identi?cation of organic gases and materials has used either chemical capture and chromatography, induced (laser or ultraviolet) light sources or laser Raman microscope spectroscopy. The remote gas detection method relies on the identi?cation of atmospheric gases by their characteristic light spectra. Modern spectroscopes can detect gases down to a few parts per million of an atmosphere. When the light source (wavelength) and direction is controlled, so laser-induced spectroscopy may be used to monitor the emission of gases such methane from buried organic remains. In order to identify the location of buried organic remains, a grid of sample points must be established using a base line or global
positioning system. When matched to base line or ground-positioning systems, such data can be manipulated by geographical information system packages. This would enable pinpointing of anomalies for excavation or avoidance. Microscope-based laser Raman spectroscopy can be used to directly analyse captured gases, swabs and surfaces without the problems of long-path detection. Copyright ? 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.