Professional strategies in upper secondary school dropout management among youth in the Sami areas of Norway: a focus group study.

The upper secondary school dropout rate is a challenge in many western countries, and measures have been taken to prevent dropout. The dropout rate in Norway is stable but is the highest among the northernmost counties. The aim of this study is to explore the strategies employed by upper secondary school teachers and their collaborators to prevent dropout from upper secondary school among Sami youth in northern Norway.

Ethical and methodological issues in research with Sami experiencing disability.

Background: A study of disability among the indigenous Sami people in Norway presented a number of ethical and methodological challenges rarely addressed in the literature.

Objectives: The main study was designed to examine and understand the everyday life, transitions between life stages and democratic participation of Norwegian Sami people experiencing disability. Hence, the purpose of this article is to increase the understanding of possible ethical and methodological issues in research within this field.

Magnetic relaxation dispersion of lithium ion in solutions of DNA.

The magnetic field dependence of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate constant defines the magnetic relaxation dispersion (MRD) and provides a direct characterization of the molecular dynamics that cause fluctuations in the magnetic couplings in the system and may also indicate the dimensional constraints on the motion. The counterion cloud surrounding a linear polyelectrolyte ion, such as DNA in solution, provides an interesting opportunity for ion confinement that helps in understanding the thermodynamics and the dynamics of the interactions between the polyion and other solutes. The MRD profiles of lithium ion and tetramethylammonium ion were recorded in dilute aqueous solutions of native calf thymus DNA, which provides a long, charged rod that reorients slowly.

A comparison of the OxyArm oxygen delivery device and standard nasal cannulae in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Objective: Compare the performance of the OxyArm to that of nasal cannulae in the delivery of supplemental oxygen to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Methods: We tested various oxygen flows with 10 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients who were receiving prescribed supplemental oxygen. Blood oxygen saturation (measured via pulse oximetry [S(pO2)]), was measured with each device, and mean data were compared with paired, 2-sample tests.

The OxyArm - a new minimal contact oxygen delivery system for mouth or nose breathing.

Purpose: To describe the development and performance of a new minimal contact oxygen (O(2)) delivery system for both nasal and oral breathing, with capnographic capabilities.

Methods: The development and design challenges of the OxyArm (OA) prototype are described. The innovative design utilizes a headset with a semi-rigid boom and an O(2) diffuser.