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This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to explore the effectiveness of preoperative multimedia educational sessions on the levels of anxiety and satisfaction among women undergoing cesarean section (CS). The Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane databases were searched without language limitations for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from their inception up to October 15, 2023. A random-effect meta-analysis was conducted, and the quality of this meta-analysis was evaluated using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach. Seven RCTs (n = 1006 women) met the inclusion criteria. Preoperative multimedia sessions were found to significantly reduce anxiety levels (n = 6 RCTs, weighted mean difference: −3.10; 95 percent confidence intervals (CI): −4.48, −1.73; I2 = 44.24 percent, moderate certainty of evidence) compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding women's satisfaction after surgery (n = 5 RCTs, risk ratio: 1.37; 95 percent CI: 0.76, 2.50; I2 = 98.26 percent, moderate certainty of evidence). Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis showed robustness of the outcomes. The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that providing multimedia educational programs before surgery could potentially have a beneficial effect on the levels of anxiety experienced by women undergoing CS. However, it is imperative to validate these results through larger samples and multi-centered RCTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In patients with haemoptysis, many healthcare systems support bronchoscopy regardless of computed tomography (CT) findings. Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to address whether a normal CT alone is sufficient to out-rule lung cancer in patients with haemoptysis. Methods: A search was performed of the following databases: EBSCO (Medline), PubMed, Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Embase. Meta-Disc 1.4 and RevMan software were used to test for heterogeneity, risk of bias, and to summarize the test performance characteristics using forest plots and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves. SPSS was used to compare the diagnostic accuracy of CT and bronchoscopy. Results: A total of 14 studies (2,960 patients) were included. The pooled sensitivities for detection of lung cancer using CT scan and bronchoscopy were 0.99 (95% CI: 0.97–1.00) and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.78–0.88), respectively. The sensitivity of CT was higher than that of bronchoscopy (p < 0.001). The pooled specificities for CT scan and bronchoscopy were 0.99 (95% CI: 0.99–1.00) and 1.00 (95% CI: 0.99–1.00), respectively. Of 2,960 patients, 257 had lung cancer (8.7%) at initial investigation. 254 of these had a CT thorax, and the CT scan was false negative in 4/255 (1.6%), with bronchoscopy only identifying one cancer with a normal CT (0.4%). Conclusion: CT scan showed a higher diagnostic accuracy than bronchoscopy. This study indicated that bronchoscopy offers an insignificant additional value in the investigation of lung cancer in patients with haemoptysis and a negative CT scan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) have been applied to a microelectrode array and been demonstrated to form effective, membrane-free amperometric gas sensors. Determining the RTIL [[P.sub.6,6,6,14]][FAP] as the most appropriate choice for extended use, the amperomeWic quantification of oxygen has been demonstrated. The response of the sensor was quantified by beth cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. A range of 02 contents (2-13% v/v) and RTIL layer thicknesses (from ca. 6 to 125 [micro]m) have been investigated. The combination of microelectrode array and RTIL, as well as the absence of membrane and volatile solvent, results in an elegant, easy to calibrate gas sensor with potential utility in standard and nonstandard conditions. 10.1021/ac1006359

Physicochemical changes and substantially modified electrochemical behavior have been reported when ionic liquids are degassed with nitrogen. In conventional experiments in aqueous and organic media, degassing with N2 is commonly used to remove the electroactive dissolved oxygen. However, in hydrophilic ionic liquid media, degassing with [N.sub.2] removes not only the dissolved oxygen but also a significant amount of the adventitious water present. Given the low viscosity of water, this in turn leads to a dramatic change of the viscosity of the degassed ionic liquid and hence mass transport properties that influence voltammetric responses. In the widely used and relatively viscous room temperature ionic liquid, 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIMBF4) containing the redox probe tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and 9% (v/v) deliberately added water, 1 h degassing with very dry [N.sub.2] under benchtop conditions results in a dramatic decrease of the TCNQ reduction current obtained under steady-state conditions at a 1 [micro]m diameter microdisc electrode. This is reflected by a change of diffusion coefficient of TCNQ ([D.sub.TCNQ]) from 2.6 x [10.sup.-7] to 4.6 x [10.sup.-8] [cm.sup.2][s.sup.-1]. Karl Fischer titration measurements show that almost complete removal of the deliberately added 9% water is achieved by degassing under benchtop conditions. However, displacement of oxygen by nitrogen in the ionic liquid solution results in the decrease of electrochemical reduction current by 6%, implying that dissolved gases need not be inert with respect to solvent properties. Oxygen removal by placing the [BMIMBF.sub.4] ionic liquid in a nitrogen-filled glovebox or in a vacuum cell also simultaneously leads to removal of water and alteration of voltammetric data. This study highlights that (i) important physicochemical differences may arise upon addition or removal of a solute from viscous ionic liquids; (ii) degassing with dry nitrogen removes water as well as oxygen from ionic liquids, which may have implications on the viscosity and structure of the medium; (iii) particular caution must be exercised when deoxygenation is applied in ionic liquid media as part of the protocol used in electrochemical experiments to remove oxygen; (iv) gases such as oxygen, argon, and nitrogen dissolved in ionic liquids need not be innocent with respect to the properties of an ionic liquid. The use of vacuum based techniques to eliminate all volatile solutes, including water and oxygen, is advocated. 10.1021/ac100378g

The fabrication, characterization, and use of arrays of ring-recessed disk microelectrodes are reported. These devices are operated in generator-collector mode with a disk acting as the generator and the ring as the collector. We report experiments and simulations relating to time-off-light experiments in which material electrogenerated at a disk is diffusionally transported to the ring. Analysis of the current transient measured at the latter when it is potentiostatted at a value to ensure diffusionally controlled 'collection' is shown to sensitively reflect the diffusion coefficients of the species forming the redox couple being driven at the generator electrode. The method is applied to the ferrocene/ferrocenium couple in the room temperature ionic liquid [[No.sub.6,2,2,2]][[NTf.sub.2]], and the results are found to agree with independent measurements. 10.1021/ac9017633

Introduction: Simulation activities, such as roleplay, have become established in undergraduate and graduate education in several subjects of healthcare. The objective of this study was to synthesize the evidence available in the literature on the use of roleplay as an educational strategy in palliative care. Methods: Using the method proposed by Whittemore and Knafl, this integrative systematic review was carried out based on the following guiding question: "What is the available evidence in the literature on the use of roleplay as an educational strategy in the teaching of palliative care?" The databases used for the selection of articles were the following: Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and LILACS. There were no limitations regarding the year of publication or language. Results: The articles (n = 34) were grouped into 3 categories, according to the purpose of roleplay use: 1) Use of roleplay as an educational strategy to teach communication in palliative care; 2) Use of roleplay as an educational strategy to teach the communication of bad news, and 3) Use of roleplay as an educational strategy to teach end-of-life care. Conclusion: Roleplay has been employed in the teaching of palliative care in order to develop skills related to communication and to the provision of end-of-life care. These educational activities have mainly been directed to healthcare students and professionals. Future investigations should further evaluate the efficacy of this teaching strategy, based on studies with more robust designs that allow the establishment of cause-and-effect relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between professional characteristics and the prevalence of advance directives among palliative care professionals.Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. A diverse sample of 327 healthcare professionals completed an online survey investigating demographic variables, length of time working in palliative care, post-graduate qualifications in palliative care, and development of their own advance directives.Results: The prevalence of advance directives among professionals working in palliative care was associated with factors such as higher academic qualifications, holding a post-graduate qualification in palliative care, and working in palliative care for a longer time. Furthermore, psychologists were most likely to have registered their own advance directives, compared with other healthcare professionals.Significance Of Results: Post-graduate palliative care education and professional experience in this area appear to be important factors associated with palliative care professionals writing of their own advance directives. However, our study suggests that just being involved in or familiar with the context of palliative and end-of-life care does not guarantee that health professionals register their advance directives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]