The Use and Intended Outcomes of Presence: A Focus Group Study

PURPOSE

To explore and understand the use and intended outcomes of presence from the perspective of and as experienced by nurses.

METHODS

Twenty‐seven nurses participated in one of four focus groups. Data were analyzed using Giorgi's phenomenological method.

FINDINGS

Four themes emerged: (1) therapeutic communication; (2) nurse well‐being; (3) dimensions of presence; and (4) intention to improve client outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Presence was described as a multidimensional intervention that required therapeutic communication and nurse well‐being with the intention of improving client outcomes. Study findings provide evidence of the significance of presence in the face of human interaction that is shifting to virtual, impersonal communication.     

The Brazilian Back Complaints in the Elders (Brazilian BACE) study: characteristics of Brazilian older adults with a new episode of low back pain

Objective

Low back pain (LBP) is little explored in the aging population especially when considering age-relevant and culturally dependent outcomes. We aimed to describe socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of Brazilian older people with a new episode of LBP presenting to primary care.

Gait parameters,functional mobility and fall risk in individuals with early to moderate primary open angle glaucoma: a cross-sectional study

Objective

This study investigated the influence of early to moderate primary open angle glaucoma on gait, functional mobility and fall risk.

A nano-magnetic electrochemical sensor for the determination of mood disorder related substances

The simultaneous electrochemical detection of mood disorder related substances, such as amitriptyline, melatonin and tryptophan, was successfully achieved by using a novel nano-magnetic electrochemical sensor design, encompassing Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles decorated with carbon quantum dots (MagNPs/Cdots). The magnetic composite was characterized using HR-TEM microscopy, XRD and Raman spectroscopy, and was applied onto a glassy carbon electrode using a miniature neodymium magnet. The determination of amitriptyline, melatonin and tryptophan was performed by monitoring oxidation promoted by MagNPs/Cdots in BR-buffer at pH 3.0, which proceeded according to well-defined differential pulse voltammetry peaks, with detection limits of 5.9, 4.4 and 4.2 nmol L⁻¹, respectively. No significant interference was seen from biological interferents such as uric acid, ascorbic acid, dopamine, estriol and 17β-estradiol. The magnetic hybrid material was highly stable in solution, opening exciting opportunities for the development of low cost and practical electrochemical sensors for the determination of mood disorder related substances in real clinical samples.

The simultaneous electrochemical detection of mood disorder related substances, amitriptyline, melatonin and tryptophan, was successfully achieved by using a novel nano-magnetic electrochemical sensor decorated with carbon quantum dots (MagNPs/Cdots).     

Spatiotemporal Patterns of Schistosomiasis-Related Deaths,Brazil, 2000–2011

We analyzed spatiotemporal patterns of 8,756 schistosomiasis-related deaths in Brazil during 2000–2011 and identified high-risk clusters of deaths, mainly in highly schistosomiasis-endemic areas along the coast of Brazil’s Northeast Region. Schistosomiasis remains a neglected public health problem with a high number of deaths in disease-endemic and emerging focal areas.     

Comparative toxicity of physiological and biochemical parameters in Euglena gracilis to short-term exposure to potassium sorbate

Ecotoxicology - Potassium sorbate is the potassium salt of sorbic acid, is a widespread and efficient antioxidant that has multiple functions in plants, traditionally associated with the reactions...     

Phenotypes of sickle cell intensive care admissions: an unsupervised machine learning approach in a single-center retrospective cohort

Annals of Hematology - Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with multiple known complications and increased mortality. This study aims to further understand the profile of intensive care unit...