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Background: Understanding the factors that contribute to variability in breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is an important first step in developing targeted interventions to improve quality of life in breast cancer patients. Although previous research studies have has identified many risk factors for BCRL, dietary habits and catheterization type have rarely been studied until the present. Aim: This study aims to explore the effects of nursing factors such as dietary habits and catheterization type on breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 1,476 breast cancer patients who underwent surgery between January 1, 2012, and September 1, 2020. Lymphedema was assessed with a validated self-report questionnaire. All research data were obtained from medical records and a follow-up database. Multivariate Cox regression was conducted to explore the effects of dietary habits and catheterization type on BCRL. Results: The results showed an increased risk for BCRL among breast cancer patients who followed a high-fat diet prehospitalization (HR = 2.47; 95% CI = 1.55–3.94; P < 0.001), indwelling totally implantable venous access ports (TIVAPs) compared with indwelling needles (HR = 0.56; 95% CI = 0.35–0.90;P = 0.017) or indwelling peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) (HR = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.45–1.05; P = 0.086). Conclusion: High-fat diet pre-hospitalization was an independent risk factor for lymphedema. The TIVAPs did not exert a protective effect on lymphedema compared with the PICC and indwelling needle. This study finding offers new insights to develop targeted interventions to decrease the incidence of lymphedema. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shale is a complex porous medium with multi-scale pores and well-developed fracture networks. This paper aims to use modeling and numerical simulation methods to study the transport of shale gas in a complex multi-scale matrix-fracture system. In this study, mathematical modeling and programming was used to establish digital models of shale gas multi-scale matrix and 3D discrete fracture network. Based on the transport mechanisms of shale gas, this study derives the mathematical models of shale gas transport in different transport media, and uses the finite element method to solve and analysis the transport of shale gas in the multi-scale matrix-fracture system. The model is verified by real shale gas field data. The results show that the fractal dimension of organic pores have great effects on shale gas transport. When the fractal dimension is greater than 1.4, the increase on gas production is particularly obvious. Compared with organic pores, the effect of fractal dimension of inorganic pores is smaller. The existence of the fracture network has an effect of up to 25% on gas production, and the optimal fracture density is 200. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the growing challenge of an aging population, addressing the needs of elderly individuals who face living difficulties and lack family support becomes increasingly difficult. Volunteer services are crucial in this context, yet their effectiveness is hindered by unclear service scopes and uncertain volunteer inclinations. Aim: To explore the role and specific preference of volunteers with nursing backgrounds in support of older adults living in the urban community. Design, Setting and Participants: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted between September and October 2022. Twenty‐three participants (hospital nurses [10], community nurses [4], nursing teachers [4] and nursing students [5]) were selected. Data analysis followed conventional content analysis. Results: Nine major themes were identified based on interview data. Four themes described the service scope of nursing volunteers: (1) environment domain, (2) physiological domain, (3) psychosocial domain and (4) health‐related behaviours domain. Another five themes highlighted the service inclination of these volunteers: (1) service frequency, (2) service duration per person/time, (3) service coverage, (4) service place and (5) service object. Conclusion: This study clarifies the service focus and scope of necessary support for volunteers, exploring the potential service capabilities of scarce volunteers to the greatest extent. Meanwhile, the results of this study also provide a foundation for stakeholders to fully exploit the synergy. The important findings of this study will help the government and relevant authorities better understand the service attributes of nursing volunteers, allowing them to develop detailed training plans and provide nursing volunteers with targeted support and assistance to meet the health expectations of urban community‐living older adults in need. Patient or Public Contribution: Developing research questions, participation and conduct and provision and interpretation of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, high-quality and centimeter-scale CsPbBr3 perovskite single-crystal thin films were grown using the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition method. Extremely flat surfaces without distinct grain boundaries were observed throughout the thin films. A high polarized degree of approximately 0.52 was measured from the single-crystal thin films by analyzing the polarization of the photoluminescence emission spectra. Low threshold amplified spontaneous emissions with an optical gain coefficient of 1215 cm−1 under the excitation energy of 301 μJ/cm2 and the highest value of 2857 cm−1 under the excitation energy of 1.08 mJ/cm2 were investigated under the excitation of a nanosecond laser at 266 nm. The CsPbBr3 single-crystal thin films showed excellent stability where the optical gain coefficient could be maintained over 1800 cm−1 after exposure to air for ten months. The results of this study not only provide high-quality single-crystal films for laser applications but also put forward a feasible scheme to improve the stability of the materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Humanistic care management is a necessary measure to improve the motivation and initiative of clinical nurses and is the foundation to improve the quality of nursing. Understanding the current status and identifying the influencing factors that promote or hinder humanistic care behaviors is essential. This study investigated the current status and experiences of nurse managers' caring behaviors toward clinical nurses. Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods study with an explanatory sequential design. A survey on the nurse managers' caring behaviors in 101 hospitals from 23 provinces and four municipalities in China was investigated (n = 2022). Then, semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain information about the participants' experiences associated with the performance of caring behaviors (n = 27). Results: Survey data demonstrated that the nurse managers' overall caring behaviors were moderately good. The total scoring rate was 88.55%, and the overall score was 161.19 ± 20.68. Qualitative data revealed that the capacity of nurse managers and clinical nurses, opportunity, and motivation to implement humanistic care are key influencing factors of caring behaviors. Conclusions: The results suggested that intrinsic motivation, organizational support, and the humanistic care capabilities of clinical nurses and nurse managers are vital to implementing care behaviors. Thus, successful humanistic care management requires a concerted effort at the individual and organizational levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urinary incontinence is an increasingly common problem, especially among older people in nursing homes. Nursing assistants are the leading workforce in nursing homes, and their knowledge and attitudes regarding urinary incontinence have garnered considerable attention in the context of aging in China. However, most previous studies on this issue have focused on registered nurses. This study aimed to explore nursing assistants' knowledge, attitudes and training needs with regard to urinary incontinence. Methods: We conducted a two-part mixed-methods study. After institutional manager approval, we surveyed the knowledge and attitudes of 509 nursing assistants regarding urinary incontinence. We carried out semi-structured interviews with 40 nursing assistants to elicit detailed information on training needs. Results: In general, knowledge about urinary incontinence was poor (14.00 ± 4.18), although attitudes were primarily positive (35.51 ± 3.19). Most nursing assistants were very willing to learn more about urinary incontinence (93.9%, 478/509), but time constraints and low educational background may be barriers to learning motivation. The three preferred training styles among nursing assistants were face-to-face guidance from a mentor, training combining theory with practice, and online video training. Conclusions: Chinese nursing assistants had poor knowledge but positive attitudes toward urinary incontinence. Facility managers should focus on developing training and learning mechanisms regarding urinary incontinence. It is important to adopt diverse training styles according to the actual situation of nursing homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Person-centered care (PCC) is a critical approach to improving the quality of care for community-dwelling older people. Old-age care services could be provided according to older peoples' choices, needs, and preferences. The purpose of this study was to synthesize research evidence on the experiences of older people, healthcare providers, and caregivers with PCC and to identify the enablers and barriers to implementing PCC for community-dwelling older people. Methods: A meta-synthesis of qualitative research design was adopted. Data searches were performed using CINAHL (EBSCOhost), PubMed (OvidSP), Embase (Ovid), Cochrane Database, and PsycINFO (Ovid) in published articles and were reviewed from the earliest date to February 2023. The Qualitative Method Appraisal Tool was used to conduct a quality appraisal on selected articles. Data were extracted based on the capacity, opportunity, and motivation-behavior model (COM-B model), and the findings were synthesized using the meta-aggregative approach. Results: Twelve included articles were analyzed to identify 122 findings that were organized into 11 categories and combined into three synthesized findings—capacities of older people, healthcare providers, and caregivers; opportunities in the implementation of PCC; motivation in implementing PCC. Capacities consisted of a lack of person-centered knowledge and skills, negative attitudes toward shared decision-making, and a lack of formal training to enhance capabilities among HCPs. Opportunities included a lack of coordination in resource allocation, strengthening multidisciplinary teamwork, establishing a desirable environment, and time constraints. Motivation in implementing PCC included encouraging self-reflection and regulation, respecting the autonomy of older people, lack of clear reward and empowerment mechanisms, and being resilient and optimistic. Conclusions: The findings of this research provide a reference for implementing successful PCC in the community. The researchers identified barriers and facilitators of implementing PCC, facilitating through stakeholder's person-centered knowledge and skills being valued and respecting the autonomy of older people. Establishing a positive environment and strengthening multidisciplinary team members also promotes the implementation of PCC. However, additional studies are required to explore the influencing factors and address the barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urinary incontinence is an increasingly common problem, especially among older people in nursing homes. Nursing assistants are the leading workforce in nursing homes, and their knowledge and attitudes regarding urinary incontinence have garnered considerable attention in the context of aging in China. However, most previous studies on this issue have focused on registered nurses. This study aimed to explore nursing assistants' knowledge, attitudes and training needs with regard to urinary incontinence. Methods: We conducted a two-part mixed-methods study. After institutional manager approval, we surveyed the knowledge and attitudes of 509 nursing assistants regarding urinary incontinence. We carried out semi-structured interviews with 40 nursing assistants to elicit detailed information on training needs. Results: In general, knowledge about urinary incontinence was poor (14.00 ± 4.18), although attitudes were primarily positive (35.51 ± 3.19). Most nursing assistants were very willing to learn more about urinary incontinence (93.9%, 478/509), but time constraints and low educational background may be barriers to learning motivation. The three preferred training styles among nursing assistants were face-to-face guidance from a mentor, training combining theory with practice, and online video training. Conclusions: Chinese nursing assistants had poor knowledge but positive attitudes toward urinary incontinence. Facility managers should focus on developing training and learning mechanisms regarding urinary incontinence. It is important to adopt diverse training styles according to the actual situation of nursing homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unconventional oil and gas formations are abundant, have become an increasingly important part of the global energy supply, and are attracting increasing attention from the industry. Predicting key reservoir properties plays a significant role in both geological science and subsurface engineering workflows. With the advent of horizontal well drilling and multiple-stage hydraulic fracturing, the Montney Shale formation is one of the most promising and productive shale plays in Canada. However, very few academic papers discuss its in situ stress, reservoir pressure, and permeability, which are essential for the development of the Montney Shale. The objective of this study is to analyze the geo-stress, the pore pressure, and several key reservoir properties by using diagnostic fracture injection test (DFIT) data from the Montney Shale. One horizontal well from the Wapiti field has been analyzed with a set of DFIT data, and its results show that the general pressure and Gdp/dG responses from Well-A indicate a signature of height recession/transverse storage. In the study, the Tangent Line method, the Compliance method, and the Variable Compliance method have been applied to estimate the key reservoir properties. As a result, the Well-A DFIT analysis estimates that the closure pressure is ranging from 34.367 to 39.344 MPa, contributing to the stress gradient from 14.09 to 16.13 KPa/m for the formation. The pore pressure is ranging from 20.82 to 24.58 MPa, contributing to the pore pressure gradient from 8.54 to 10.07 KPa/m for the formation. The porosity is ranging from 3% to 6%. These reservoir properties are contoured cross the Montney Shale formation. Using the DFIT's numerical simulation and history matching, the reservoir permeability is 0.024 md, fracture length is 13.44 m, and fracture geometries are analyzed by different models. Moreover, the physics behind the DFIT are analyzed and discussed in detail. For the first time, three different analysis methods have been applied to estimate a series of key reservoir properties for the case wells in the Montney Shale formation. This approach can not only reduce the potential prediction error caused by a single method application but also increase the persuasiveness of the assessment and save time, ensuring the efficient implementation of engineering operations. Given the significance of quantifying in situ stress and reservoir pore pressure in unconventional hydrocarbon exploration and development, this study could help the operator to quickly understand the stress regimes, the fracture geometry, and the formation properties of the Montney Shale formation in the Wapiti field. Furthermore, the interpreted results demonstrated in this paper are adding substantial business value to the asset, especially in terms of improving the hydraulic fracturing design and, thus, accelerating the cashflow from production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Screening is often recommended as a first step in frailty management. Many guidelines call to implicate frailty screening into practice in the primary care setting. However, few countries or organizations implement it. Understanding and clarifying the stakeholders' views and issues faced by the implementation is essential to the successful implementation of frailty screening. However, the systematic review on stakeholders' views of frailty screening in primary care is decidedly limited. Our objective was to explore the perspective of older adults, caregivers, and healthcare providers on frailty screening and determine the enablers and barriers to implementing frailty screening in primary care.Methods: A systematic search of six databases and other resources was conducted following JBI's three-step search strategy. The search resulted in 7362 articles, of which 97 were identified for further assessment according to the inclusion criteria. After the full-text screening, quality assessment and data extraction were carried out using the tools from Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Moreover, reviewers used the approach of meta-aggregative of JBI to analyze data and synthesis the findings.Results: Six studies were included. A total of 63 findings were aggregated into 12 categories and then further grouped into three synthesized findings:1) capacity of healthcare providers and older adults; 2) opportunity in the implementation of frailty screening; 3) motivation in the implementation of frailty screening. These themes can help identify what influences the implementation of screening from the perspective of stakeholders.Conclusions: This meta-synthesis provides evidence on the barriers and enablers of frailty screening in primary care, from the aspects of psychological, physical, social, material, etc. However, stakeholder perspectives of frailty screening have not been adequately studied. More research and efforts are needed to explore the influencing factors and address the existing barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the perspectives of key stakeholders on necessary factors to implement care quality improvement program. Methods: We conducted qualitative descriptive research in eight nursing homes in four major prefecture-level cities of Changsha, Xiangtan, Zhuzhou, and Yueyang. Data of 50 clinical nurses and 64 nurse assistants were included and analyzed. Ethical approval was given by the medical ethics committee of Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR-IOC-17013109, https://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx). One-to-one interviews were used with the nursing managers, and separate focus group discussions were used with the clinical nurses and nurse assistants. All of the interviews were audio recorded and later transcribed verbatim. In addition, the first author documented the responses of every participant in the field notes during the interviews and focus groups. Results: The participants' perspectives were characterized by two main themes: (1) enablers, with four subthemes of "organizational support", "the evidence-based practice ability", "proactivity", "nursing supervision and feedback;" and (2) barriers, with five sub-themes of "low educational background", "the limitations of self-role orientation", "resistance to change", "lack of job motivation", and "organizational constraints". Conclusion: These findings recognize factors at the organizational level, staff level and societal level that are necessary to implement effective mentoring. The results of this study can provide reference for nursing home in improving nursing management quality, formulating, implementing and revising training policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the perspectives of key stakeholders on necessary factors to implement care quality improvement program.Methods: We conducted qualitative descriptive research in eight nursing homes in four major prefecture-level cities of Changsha, Xiangtan, Zhuzhou, and Yueyang. Data of 50 clinical nurses and 64 nurse assistants were included and analyzed. Ethical approval was given by the medical ethics committee of Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR-IOC-17013109, https://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx ). One-to-one interviews were used with the nursing managers, and separate focus group discussions were used with the clinical nurses and nurse assistants. All of the interviews were audio recorded and later transcribed verbatim. In addition, the first author documented the responses of every participant in the field notes during the interviews and focus groups.Results: The participants' perspectives were characterized by two main themes: (1) enablers, with four subthemes of "organizational support", "the evidence-based practice ability", "proactivity", "nursing supervision and feedback;" and (2) barriers, with five sub-themes of "low educational background", "the limitations of self-role orientation", "resistance to change", "lack of job motivation", and "organizational constraints".Conclusion: These findings recognize factors at the organizational level, staff level and societal level that are necessary to implement effective mentoring. The results of this study can provide reference for nursing home in improving nursing management quality, formulating, implementing and revising training policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the prevalence and to identify the associated factors of malnutrition among elderly Chinese with physical functional dependency.Design: Face-to-face interviews using standardised questionnaires were conducted to collect demographic information, health-related issues and psychosocial status. Physical function was measured by the Barthel Index (BI), and nutrition status was assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form. Multivariate binary logistic regression was used to assess associated factors of malnutrition.Setting: China.Participants: A total of 2323 participants (aged ≥ 60 years) with physical functional dependency in five provinces in China were enrolled using a multistage cluster sampling scheme.Results: The prevalence of malnutrition was 17·9 % (95 % CI 16·3, 19·4). Multivariable binary logistic regression revealed the independent risk factors of poor nutrition status were being female, older age, lower educational status, poor hearing, poor physical functional status, lack of hobbies, low religious participation, poor social support, lack of social participation and changes in social participation. The study found that the most significant independent risk factor for malnutrition was complete physical functional dependence (OR 4·46, 95 % CI 2·92, 6·82).Conclusions: The findings of the study confirm that malnutrition and the risk of malnutrition are prevalent in Chinese older adults with physical functional dependency. In addition to demographic and physical health-related factors, psychosocial factors, which are often overlooked, are independently associated with nutrition status in Chinese older adults with physical functional dependency. A holistic approach should be adopted to screen for malnutrition and develop health promotion interventions in this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Quality improvement may be a promising approach to improve the quality of care in nursing homes, and nurse training is a key step in a successful quality improvement practice. The implementation of training measures may be related to the quality of quality improvement practice. Little is known about the quality of quality improvement practice or effective nurse training measures that affect the quality of quality improvement interventions in nursing homes. Aims: The aim of this review was to assess the quality of available quality improvement intervention designs and present effective nurse training measures that contribute to a high‐quality quality improvement intervention. Methods: We searched the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library for articles published before March 2019. quality improvement intervention quality was evaluated using a standardised assessment tool. Descriptive synthesis was used for the analysis. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis (PRISMA) Checklist was used for transparency. Results: We included 12 articles, 1 was rated as perfect quality and 7 good quality. Out of these 8 studies, 3 features primarily reflected differences in quality: compliance, sustainability and replication ability of the interventions. They were affected by measures included provision of advanced training, available training resources, feedback process, building quality improvement teams, setting up mentors and nursing leadership training. Other recommended measures included external cooperation and leadership empowerment. Conclusion: A high‐quality quality improvement intervention should consider how to improve compliance, sustainability and replication ability. Adapting measures that are compatible with nurse training may ensure a successful implementation of quality improvement programmes that are conducive to the effective improvement of service quality. Relevance to clinical practice: Quality improvement programmes should take into account measures that are compatible with nursing staff training. These measures should help improve the quality of interventions and promote care service of nursing homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine nursing home staff experiences in mentorship programmes, and staff perceptions of the enablers and barriers to implement mentorship programmes. Background: Mentorship programmes are perceived as playing an important role in improving the quality of care in nursing homes. However, little is known about research evidence across the global about staff's experiences in the programmes. Methods: A search for studies published from the earliest available date to April 2019 was undertaken. Two reviewers performed data extraction and an appraisal of eight studies using tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. A pragmatic meta‐aggregative approach was applied to synthesise the findings. The qualitative research that was included was analysed to identify 63 findings that were organised into 12 categories and combined into three syntheses. Results: The implementation of effective mentorship programmes is influenced by three factors: mentor capability, opportunity in the mentorship programmes, and motivation in the mentorship programmes. Conclusions: There are a number of studies of nursing home staff experiences of mentorship programmes. However, systematic reviews that synthesise findings in this field are lacking. It is crucial to tailor the programme design to suit each unique nursing home care setting. We identified barriers and enablers, and learned that no barriers are insurmountable. Implications for Nursing Management: Findings will inform nurse managers of an ideal environment for the implementation of a successful mentorship programme. Nursing homes need to establish and sustain mentorship programmes to help improve workforce capacity in delivering high‐quality care for residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The online version of the original article can be found at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-03762-z. B Correction to: BMC Geriatrics (2023) 23:39 b https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-03762-z After publication of this article [[1]], the authors reported that the first affiliation of the first author should be removed, leaving the second one. [Extracted from the article]

Yinan Zhao and Lulu Liao contributed equally to this work. Reference 1 Zhao Y, Liao L, Feng H. Enablers and barriers to implementing care quality improvement program in nursing homes in China. [Extracted from the article]

In wireless network communication, in-band full-duplex technique is a useful and important technique that can enlarge the whole throughput of the wireless networks. However, its use needs harsh environment. The successive interference cancellation can make several transmitters' data be received simultaneously by the receiver, and can make the in-band full-duplex technique be used easily in reality. In this paper, we try to propose an optimal algorithm for increasing the throughput of full-duplex multi-hop wireless networks with successive interference cancellation, which we call the full-duplex successive interference cancellation (FD-SIC) wireless networks. We first describe the mathematical model for the FD-SIC wireless networks and show it is NP-hard in general. Then, we propose a heuristic algorithm, namely the use-up-link-capacity iterative (UULC-iterative) algorithm, for each node's routing and transmitting scheme. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm for FD-SIC wireless networks can achieve better throughput compared with SIC-only networks and the interference avoidance networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]