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Abstract Background Previous studies have established a positive link between nurse managers’ caring leadership and nurses’ work engagement, but the processes and conditions through which this leadership style influences positive work behaviors remain largely unexplored. To address this gap and contribute to the existing body of knowledge, we developed a chain-mediated effects model to elucidate the impact of caring leadership on nurses’ work engagement and the underlying mechanisms. In this model, we identified professional mission and affective organizational commitment as the mediating variables, offering a novel perspective on the relationship between caring leadership and work engagement. Methods A robust multi-center and large-sample cross-sectional survey was conducted, involving 2502 first-line nurses from six general tertiary hospitals across the eastern, central, and western regions of China. The data collection instruments included a comprehensive questionnaire covering demographic information, the caring leadership scale, the Chinese calling scale, the affective organizational commitment scale, and the Utrecht work engagement scale. Data were meticulously screened and analyzed, employing descriptive analysis to summarize the demographic information, correlation analysis to test the relationship among the variables, stepwise regression analysis to explore the mediating role of calling and affective organization commitment, and the bootstrap method to test the chain mediating effect. This rigorous methodology not only ensures the reliability and validity of research findings but also instills confidence in the robustness of this research. Results The results indicated a positive relationship among caring leadership, calling, affective organizational commitment, and nurses’ work engagement (p

Abstract 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 Background With China's rapidly aging population, meeting the diverse care needs of senior citizens is becoming more challenging. Although voluntary social services have numerous advantages and are popular among older adults, there is little information on the need for assistance from volunteer-based social services, particularly those with a medical background, and influencing factors among urban home-based older adults. This study aimed to assess the need for assistance from voluntary services and related factors among urban home-based older adults in China. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 on communities in four cities in China. The 27-item Home-Based Older Adults Assistance Need Scale was used to measure the assistance needs of 498 participants aged 60 and above. Multiple linear regression models were conducted to identify salient variables associated with the need for assistance from voluntary services. Results The mean score of the need for assistance from voluntary services was 88.60 ± 24.37. The mean scores of the items examining four dimensions, namely, health maintenance, visiting communication, social intercourse, and daily life, were 3.64 ± 1.08, 3.49 ± 1.04, 3.33 ± 1.08, and 2.78 ± 1.08, respectively. The level of depression, willingness to assist older adults, attaching importance to health preservation, ability to self-comfort, desire to accept assistance from others, and the presence of more children or none at all were all positively correlated with the perceived need for assistance from voluntary services. In contrast, social care obtained from visiting medical institutions was negatively correlated. These seven factors explained 28.5% of the total variance. Conclusions Urban home-based older adults in China were found to have significant requirements for assistance from volunteer services, and several complex factors were associated with more significant assistance needs. These findings may encourage the extremely limited numbers of social volunteers, particularly those with a medical background, to identify priorities in providing assistance services to the large numbers of urban home-based older adults and thus improve service delivery.

Abstract Background With the development of the social economy, the effective coordination of the conflict between work and family has become an urgent problem for most parents. Such conflicts are especially acute in the families of nurses with children. Therefore, a timely understanding of the status quo of the parent-child relationship and associated risk factors among nurses will assist in improving their family harmony and the healthy growth of their children. Methods A total of 350 nurses with children at a general tertiary hospital in Sichuan Province, China, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire between June 23 and July 9, 2022. The results were analyzed by multiple linear regression using the stepwise method. Results The results showed that the parent-child relationship received a middle-level mean score of 77.74 (SD = 10.77). The factors that influenced the parent-child relationship among nurses included the parents’ character type (β = 0.143, P = 0.002), feeling tired due to dealing with patients (β=-0.150, P = 0.002), the nurse-patient relationship (β = 0.137, P = 0.004), the age of older children (β=-0.153, P = 0.001), number of children (β=-0.093, P = 0.041), sleep quality (β = 0.116, P = 0.014), and family adaptability (β = 0.308, P = 0.000); these factors accounted for 31.3% of the variance in parent-child relationships among nurses. Conclusion The findings of this study will help policy makers and nursing managers to better understand parent-child relationships in Chinese nurses. The results highlighted the importance of the creation of a family-oriented work environment while paying more attention to the parent-child relationships of nurses who are introverted and have more or older children. After busy workdays, nurses should also be encouraged to participate more in family decision-making and strategic parent-child interactions to avoid negative effects on children caused by work-related emotional exhaustion, physical and mental fatigue, and other reasons. The development of good parent-child relationships may help maintain both their and their children’s mental health while enhancing their enthusiasm for work and their professional identity.

Abstract 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.

ObjectivesTo explore and analyze the influencing factors of depression in older adults living at home, so as to propose suggestions for improving the quality of older adults living at home.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study on 498 older adults living at home based on questionnaire survey on the general information, daily living ability, health status, and care perception (including self-care, care for cohabitants, and care for non-cohabitants) of older adults living at home, as well as their willingness to help each other, and analyzed the influencing factors of depression among older adults living at home.ResultsThe results showed a willingness to help older adults, self-care, and total activities of daily living (ADL), health status was an influential factor for depression in older adults (p

Abstract Background The various complex needs for assistance among home‐based older adults have increased dramatically. Thus, it would be advantageous to recruit volunteers with medical knowledge and a better understanding to support and assist the elderly living in urban communities. Aim This study aimed to explore the experiences and expectations of receiving volunteer services among the home‐based elderly in Chinese urban areas. Design, Setting and Participants A descriptive qualitative study was conducted following the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines. This study was performed in two communities in Wuhan, Hubei Province. A purposive sampling method, which includes criterion and maximum variation sampling, was used to identify and select a diverse range of participants. Semistructured face‐to‐face interviews with 20 older adults (aged 62–90 years old) were performed. The conventional content analysis method was used for thematic analysis. Results Three categories with associated subcategories were identified: experiences of receiving volunteer services including negative and positive experiences; specific needs for volunteer services involving physiological, psychosocial, health‐related behaviours and environmental domains; characteristics of expected volunteer services including availability, formats, recipients, providers and service strategies. Conclusions The volunteer services provided to the home‐based elderly were found to be unsatisfactory, and lacking relevance and effectiveness. Due to a lack of family support or difficulty in meeting some high‐level needs, the home‐based elderly expressed a strong demand for volunteer services involving physiological, psychosocial, health‐related behaviours and environmental domains. This finding can provide a basis for developing training plans beneficial to volunteers. Furthermore, the present research clarifies the criteria for selecting volunteers and the necessity of supervising and managing volunteers. Improving the effectiveness and accessibility of urban‐community volunteer service may reduce the burden on care institutions and home caregivers while enhancing the quality of life and well‐being of the elderly. Patient or Public Contribution Developing research questions, study design, management and conduct and interpretation of evidence.

BackgroundHumanistic care pertains to the abilities, attitudes, and behaviors central to patient-centered care, contributing to patients' sense of safety and wellbeing. This study aimed to assess the satisfaction of patients with humanistic nursing care in Chinese secondary and tertiary public hospitals.MethodsA national cross-sectional survey was conducted across 30 provinces and 83 hospitals in China. Patient satisfaction with humanistic care was assessed using the Methodist Health Care System Nurse Caring Instrument (NCI), which encompasses 20 items across 12 dimensions. Each item was rated on a 7-point Likert scale, yielding a total score of 140. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with patients' satisfaction.ResultsModerate satisfaction (mean score 91.26 ± 13.14) with humanistic nursing care was observed among the 17,593 participants. Factors significantly associated with patient satisfaction included age, hospital type, presence of children, educational attainment, place of residence, family monthly income, and medical insurance type.ConclusionThe study findings highlight the importance of tailored interventions, evidence-based practice guidelines, and patient-centered care in improving patients' satisfaction with humanistic nursing care. Continuous emphasis on nursing education and professional development is crucial for enhancing humanistic care and patient satisfaction.

Schistosomiasis is a tropical parasitic disease that seriously endangers humans and animals. In this study, two Oncomelania snails, Oncomelania hupensis (O. hupensis) and Oncomelania weishan (O. weishan), were infected with Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) cercariae during the early period, and ICR mice were subsequently infected with two kinds of miracidia that developed in male and female adult worms. In this study, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) were used to identify four channels: 113, 115, 117, and 119. A total of 2364 adult schistosome proteins were identified, and 1901 proteins were quantitative. Our results revealed 68 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in female adult worms, including 24 upregulated proteins and 44 downregulated proteins, and 55 DEPs in male adult worms, including 25 upregulated proteins and 30 downregulated proteins. LC-MS/MS and bioinformatics analysis indicated that these DEPs are mainly concentrated in cellular composition, molecular function, biological function and catabolism pathways. In summary, this proteomics analysis of adult schistosomes that hatched in two intermediate hosts helps to improve our understanding of the growth and developmental mechanisms of S. japonicum.

In this paper, first, the meso-debonding process of a GAP/CL20/AP composite solid propellant under uniaxial tension was analyzed using the advantages of the material point method (MPM) and the finite element method (FEM) for the first time; then, the numerical simulation results were compared with the experiments. Based on the basic principle of modeling with the material point method, grains of different sizes were generated quickly and efficiently. Next, the grains were dispersed into particles, and the position information of the particles was mapped onto the background grid, so the background grids were used to determine the position of the grains. After that, the generated AP and CL20 grains were imported into the commercial software Abaqus through python scripting codes for numerical calculation. Based on macro-mechanical tests and a micro-numerical simulation, this paper studies the micro-internal mechanism that affects the macro-mechanical properties of composite solid propellants. Three interface parameters needed to be determined by parameter inversion, and the value of the objective interpolation function minR was 0.05078%. From a comparison, it was found that the numerical simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results in the aspects of micro-crack cracking characteristics and the nominal stress–strain curve of propellants. After that, the influence of interface parameters on the stress–strain curve are discussed. The research in this paper has high scientific value and engineering application value and can provide important reference and guidance for the design of composite solid propellants and its mechanical property analyses, so as to solve the structural integrity problem of solid rocket motor charges.

In order to promote and apply the structures of the recycled concrete block (RCB) masonry, the thermal and mechanical properties of the recycled concrete specimens were tested in this study. The RCB can meet load-bearing and seismic requirements and was prepared through experiments. Concurrently, the mechanical property experiment was conducted on the RCB masonry, and then its failure process and mode were discussed. In addition, a thermal property test was completed on the RCB wall, and the difference in the thermal properties of single-row hole, three-row hole, and solid blocks was analyzed by theoretical calculations. The results indicated that the mechanical properties of the RCB masonry were basically the same as those of the natural concrete block masonry, and they have good compressive stability. The calculation formulas of the compressive and shear strengths of the natural concrete block masonry are applicable to the RCB masonry. The RCB masonry containing three rows of holes owns more outstanding thermal property than natural concrete block masonry and satisfies the requirements for related codes.

This paper aims to manufacture recycled concrete hollow block (RCHB) which can be used for the masonry structure with seismic requirements. Five RCHB masonry walls were tested under cyclic loading to evaluate the effect of the axial compression stress, aspect ratio, and the materials of structural columns on the seismic performance. Based on the test results, the failure pattern, hysteresis curves, lateral drift, ductility, stiffness degradation, and the energy dissipation of the specimens were analyzed in detail. The results showed that with the increase of aspect ratios, the ductility of RCHB masonry walls increased, but the horizontal bearing capacity and energy dissipation of RCHB masonry walls decreased. With the increase of compressive stress, the bearing capacity and energy dissipation performance of RCHB masonry walls were improved, and the stiffness degraded slowly. The results also demonstrated that the RCHB masonry walls with structural columns, depending on whether the structural columns were prepared by ordinary concrete or recycled concrete, could increase the bearing capacity, ductility, and energy dissipation of specimens. The research confirmed that RCHB masonry walls could meet the seismic requirements through thoughtful design. Therefore, this study provided a new cleaner production for the utilization of construction waste resources.

In this paper, a seismic-resistant method for reinforced concrete structures in agricultural water engineering is proposed by analyzing reinforced concrete structures. The dynamic response of the simplified high concrete gravity dam model under earthquake, the damage mechanism, and the comparison of the seismic effect based on the two reinforced concrete finite element models under various reinforcement schemes are studied and discussed, the seismic weak parts of the dam are clarified, and the preferential conditions and reasonable reinforcement schemes for the reinforcement of the two reinforced concrete finite element models are proposed, which provide a reference for the design of seismic reinforcement of 200 m class high dams. This paper presents the optimal conditions and reasonable reinforcement solutions for the seismic reinforcement design of a 200-meter-high dam. In this paper, the three-dimensional consistent viscoelastic artificial boundary is applied to the structural foundation interaction problem as a local artificial boundary. Three seismic time-dependent acceleration curves are generated according to the seismic design code spectrum of hydraulic buildings, and then the seismic time-dependent acceleration curves are converted into equivalent loads applied to the three-dimensional consistent viscoelastic artificial boundary to analyze the response characteristics of the picket structure under seismic action. The interaction between reinforcement and concrete is considered, and the tensile stiffening effect of reinforced concrete is simulated by modifying the softening section curve of the concrete. Based on the separated reinforced concrete model, the seismic analysis of the picket structure with different reinforcement ratios is carried out. The effects of reinforcement rate on stress, displacement, damage extension, energy dissipation, and other indicators are investigated. The results show that the reinforcement measures help to slow down the damage development and improve the stress state, but have little effect on the displacement and acceleration. According to the analysis results, the design of the frame structure opening and closing machine beam was improved, the beam system arrangement was optimized, and the dynamic response analysis of the structure under rare earthquakes was carried out again. The analysis results showed that the problem of excessive vertical deformation of the girder where the opening/closing machine is located under rare earthquakes was solved by improving the girder arrangement of the opening/closing beam system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schistosomiasis is a tropical parasitic disease that seriously endangers humans and animals. In this study, two Oncomelania snails, Oncomelania hupensis (O. hupensis) and Oncomelania weishan (O. weishan), were infected with Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) cercariae during the early period, and ICR mice were subsequently infected with two kinds of miracidia that developed in male and female adult worms. In this study, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) were used to identify four channels: 113, 115, 117, and 119. A total of 2364 adult schistosome proteins were identified, and 1901 proteins were quantitative. Our results revealed 68 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in female adult worms, including 24 upregulated proteins and 44 downregulated proteins, and 55 DEPs in male adult worms, including 25 upregulated proteins and 30 downregulated proteins. LC-MS/MS and bioinformatics analysis indicated that these DEPs are mainly concentrated in cellular composition, molecular function, biological function and catabolism pathways. In summary, this proteomics analysis of adult schistosomes that hatched in two intermediate hosts helps to improve our understanding of the growth and developmental mechanisms of S. japonicum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the orthogonal lest of the compressive and flexural mechanical properties of the recycled concrete block of type 190, the impacts of the four important factors in the mix ratio on the basic mechanical properties are discussed. This research presents the regular patterns of the influence of each factor on the strength and then puts forward an optimum mix proportioning method of recycled concrete block. Based on the result of the analysis of the orthogonal test, it is found that the compressive strength of recycled concrete block is linear with bending strength. Through the regression analysis, a regression equation is obtained, so as to provide reference for mix proportion optimization with the recycled concrete block. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]