The importance of being a compassionate leader: the views of nursing and midwifery managers from around the world

Introduction: Despite the importance of compassionate leadership in health care, many of the existing publications do not account for the effect of culture. The aim of this study is to explore the views of nursing and midwifery managers from different countries in relation to the definition, advantages, and importance of compassion. Methodology: A cross-sectional, descriptive, exploratory online survey was conducted across 17 countries, containing both closed and open-ended questions. Data from N = 1,217 respondents were analyzed using a directed hybrid approach focusing only on qualitative questions related to compassion-giving. Results: Four overarching themes capture the study’s results: (1) definition of compassion, (2) advantages and importance of compassion for managers, (3) advantages and importance of compassion for staff and the workplace, and (4) culturally competent and compassionate leadership. Discussion: Innovative research agendas should pursue further local qualitative empirical research to inform models of culturally competent and compassionate leadership helping mangers navigate multiple pressures and be able to transculturally resonate with their staff and patients

Socially assistive robots in health and social care: Acceptance and cultural factors. Results from an exploratory international online survey

Aim: This study explored the views of an international sample of registered nurses and midwives working in health and social care concerning socially assistive robots (SARs), and the relationship between dimensions of culture and rejection of the idea that SARs had benefits in these settings. Methods: An online survey was used to obtain rankings of (among other topics) the extent to which SARs have benefits for health and social care. It also asked for free text responses regarding any concerns about SARs. Results: Most respondents were overwhelmingly positive about SARs' benefits. A small minority strongly rejected this idea, and qualitative analysis of the objections raised by them revealed three major themes: things might go wrong, depersonalization, and patient‐related concerns. However, many participants who were highly accepting of the benefits of SARs expressed similar objections. Cultural dimensions of long‐term orientation and uncertainty avoidance feature prominently in technology acceptance research. Therefore, the relationship between the proportion of respondents from each country who felt that SARs had no benefits and each country's ratings on long‐term orientation and uncertainty avoidance were also examined. A significant positive correlation was found for long‐term orientation, but not for uncertainty avoidance. Conclusion: Most respondents were positive about the benefits of SARs, and similar concerns about their use were expressed both by those who strongly accepted the idea that they had benefits and those who did not. Some evidence was found to suggest that cultural factors were related to rejecting the idea that SARs had benefits

Use of natural clinoptilolite to improve, water quality: Sorption and selectivity studies of lead(II), copper(II), zinc(II), and nickel(II)

Natural clinoptilolite can be used as an ion exchanger for removal of heavy metals and treatment of environmental pollution because of its desirable characteristics of high ion exchange selectivity and resistance to different media

Spectral characterization of a newly synthesized fluorescent semicarbazone derivative and its usage as a selective fiber optic sensor for copper(II)

In this work photoluminescent properties of highly Cu2+ selective organic fluoroionophore, semicarbazone derivative; bis(naphtho[2,1-b]furan-2-yl)methanone semicarbazone (BNF) was investigated in different solvents (dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, toluene and ethanol) and in polymer matrices of polyvinylchloride (PVC) and ethyl cellulose (EC) by absorption and emission spectrometry. The BNF derivative displayed enhanced fluorescence emission quantum yield, Q(f) = 6.1 x 10(-2) and molar extinction coefficient, epsilon = 29,000 +/- 65 cm(-1) M-1 in immobilized PVC matrix, compared to 2.6 x 10(-3) and 24,573 115 in ethanol solution

Room temperature ionic liquids as optical sensor matrix materials for gaseous and dissolved CO2

A new optical CO2 sensor based on the spectrophotometric signal changes of the bromothymol blue/tetraoctylammonium (BTB-/TOA(+)) ion pair in room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) has been proposed. Ionic liquids, also known as green chemistry reagents, have been used for the first time as a matrix material in the optical CO2 sensor design. In the first stage of the study, determination of the acidity constant (pK(a)) of the modified BTB has been performed in the employed ionic liquids. In the second stage, response of the sensor composition to gaseous and dissolved CO2 has been evaluated. It should be noted that the solubility of CO2 in water miscible ionic liquids is about 10-20 times as that observed in the conventional solvents, polymer matrices or in water and enhance the response of the sensing agent. The detection limits were 1.4% for gaseous, and 10(-6) M [HCO3-] for dissolved CO2. CO2 can be completely extruded from the ionic liquid by heating, under vacuum or sonification. The regenerated ionic liquid has been used for CO2 sensing without any loss of efficiency. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Emission-based optical carbon dioxide sensing with HPTS in green chemistry reagents: room-temperature ionic liquids

We describe the characterization of a new optical CO2 sensor based on the change in the fluorescence signal intensity of 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid trisodium salt (HPTS) in green chemistry reagents-room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). As far as we are aware, this is the first time RTILs, 1-methyl-3-butylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (RTIL-I) and 1-methyl-3-butylimidazolium bromide (RTIL-II), have been used as matrix materials with HPTS in an optical CO2 sensor. It should be noted that the solubility of CO2 in water-miscible ionic liquids is approximately 10 to 20 times that in conventional solvents, polymer matrices, or water. The response of the sensor to gaseous and dissolved CO2 has been evaluated. The luminescence intensity of HPTS at 519 and 521 nm decreased with the increasing concentrations of CO2 by 90 and 75% in RTIL-I and RTIL-II, respectively. The response times of the sensing reagents were in the range 1-2 min for switching from nitrogen to CO2, and 7-10 min for switching from CO2 to nitrogen. The signal changes were fully reversible and no significant hysteresis was observed during the measurements. The stability of HPTS in RTILs was excellent and when stored in the ambient air of the laboratory there was no significant drift in signal intensity after 7 months. Our stability tests are still in progress

Synthesis, Characterization, Catalytic Applications and Optical Sensing Properties of Palladium Complexes Containing Tetradentate Schiff Bases

In this study, the synthesis, spectroscopic and catalytic properties of PdLn (n = 1-6) complexes with tetradentate -ONNO- and -SNNS- type Schiff base ligands (LH2)-H-n (n = 1-6) were investigated. The PdLn (n = 1-6) complexes were synthesized by the thermal reactions of the Schiff bases and Pd(OAc)(2) in acetonitrile and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR, H-1 NMR, UV-visible and TGA/DTG. The spectroscopic studies suggest that all of the ligands are coordinated to the central metal as a tetradentate ligand coordinating via the central azomethine nitrogens (C=N) and phenolic oxygen/sulfur atoms. On the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions employing PdLn (n = 1-6) complexes toward a various substituted arylbromides and boronic acids were pursued. The conversions were obtained and yields with different arylbromides were calculated and discussed. All the complexes were thermally stable and were not sensitive to air or the moisture. The complexes were easily prepared from low cost precursors that could be used as versatile and catalysts for different C-C coupling reactions (Suzuki-Miyaura reactions). Moreover steady state fluorescence emission and excitation spectra were measured. These studies have been shown that PdL2 and PdL3 dyes exhibited high fluorescence intensity and selective and efficient response to cobalt ions over other metal ions in buffered solutions

Photocharacterization of a novel fluorescent Schiff Base and investigation of its utility as an optical Fe3+ sensor in PVC matrix

In this work photoluminescent properties of the newly synthesized Schiff base; N-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-3,5-di-t-butyl salicylaldimine (DBS) were investigated in different solvents (dichloromethane (DCM), tetrahydrofuran (THF) and ethanol (EtOH)) and in a polymer matrix (polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) by absorption and emission spectroscopies. Quantum yield (phi(F)), Stoke's shift (Delta lambda(ST); nm) and molar extinction coefficient (epsilon; cm(-1) M-1) of the DBS dye were declared. PVC doped dye was found to exhibit a significant response for Fe3+ in direction of decrease in fluorescence intensity

Fiber optic pH sensing with long wavelength excitable Schiff bases in the pH range of 7.0-12.0

Most of the fluorescent pH probes work near neutral or acidic regions of the pH scale. In this work, two different fluorescent Schiff bases, chlorophenyl imino propenyl aniline (CPIPA) and nitro phenyl imino propen aniline (NPIPA), have been investigated for pH sensing in the alkaline region. Absorption and emission based spectral data, quantum yeild, fluorecence lifetime, photostability and acidity constant (pK(a)) of the Schiff bases were determined in conventional solvents and in PVC. The long wavelength excitable immobilized Schiff bases CPIPA (lambda(ex) = 556 nm) and NPIPA (lambda(ex) = 570 nm) exhibited absorption and emission based optical response to proton in the pH range of 8.0-12.0 and 7.0-12.0, respectively. Response of the CPIPA was fully reversible within the dynamic working range. the response times were between 3-13 min. A relative signal change of 95% and 96% have been achievedd for sensor dyes of CPIPA and NPIPA, respectively. The CPIPA displayed better fluorescence quantum yield (phi(F) = 3.7 x 10(-1)) and higher matrix compatibility compared to NPIPA (phi(F) = 1.6 x 10(-1)) in immobilized PVC. The CPIPA and NPIPA exhibited a slight cross sensitivity to the ions of Hg+ and Fe3+, respectively. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Characterization of a newly synthesized fluorescent benzofuran derivative and usage as a selective fiber optic sensor for Fe(III)

In this work photoluminescent properties of Fe3+ selective organic fluoroionophore, benzofuran derivative bis(7-methoxybenzofuran-2-il)ketoxime (BFK) was investigated in different solvents (dichloromethane, tetrabydrofuran, toluene and ethanol) and in polymer matrices of polyvinylchloride (PVC) and ethyl cellulose (EC) by absorption and emission spectrometry. The photophysical constants such as quantum yield, Stock's shift and molar extinction coefficient of the BFK dye were declared. The immobilized dye was found to exhibit a selective response for Fe3+ in direction of decrease in fluorescence intensity