Effectiveness of social support programmes on loneliness in community-dwelling older adults: study protocol for a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of loneliness among older adults is of great importance in the field of public health. Numerous studies have provided evidence supporting the effectiveness of social support as a powerful intervention for reducing loneliness in older individuals. However, the specific types of social support that yield positive results are yet to be determined. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a comprehensive review to compare and analyse the effectiveness of different support mechanisms in alleviating loneliness among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A thorough search will be conducted on various electronic databases, including EMBASE, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Scopus, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Library, China Science and Technology Journal Database (Weipu), WanFang Database, and China Biology Medicine Disc. The search will include randomised controlled trials published in English or Chinese that focus on interventions for loneliness in older individuals, with loneliness as the primary measure of interest. The selection and choice of articles will be the responsibility of both reviewers. The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Randomised Controlled Trials will be used to assess the methodological quality of the included trials. When sufficient data are obtained and the study is relatively homogeneous, a random-effects or fixed-effects model will be employed to conduct a meta-analysis, yielding a descriptive synthesis of the findings. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval will not be sought for this systematic review as it will exclusively focus on published papers. The review findings will be showcased at a conference dedicated to this specific field and published in an appropriate journal that undergoes peer evaluation. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020226523.

Chinese medical staff's knowledge, attitudes and practices towards breast cancer patients' sexual health management: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: The objective of this research was to assess the level and determinants of medical personnel's knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the management of sexual health in breast cancer survivors residing in western China. Background: Sexual well-being is a crucial aspect of one's overall satisfaction with life. Once female sexual dysfunction (FSD) occurs, it will affect patients' satisfaction and life quality seriously. In all healthcare settings, the management of sexual health relies heavily on the vital contribution of medical personnel. Nevertheless, the sexual requirements of individuals with breast cancer are still partially unmet. Design: A web-based questionnaire was used to conduct a multi-centered, cross-sectional study involving medical staff from 26 hospitals in nine cities of Guizhou Province, China. Methods: Data was gathered from healthcare professionals using a validated tool, the knowledge, attitudes, practices assessment scale for managing the sexual health of breast cancer patients in medical staff. This tool was used to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical staff regarding sexual health management. Results: In this study, a grand total of 3181 healthcare professionals took part. The overall KAP scores, including knowledge, attitudes, and practices, were 47.15 ± 11.91, 72.55 ± 12.56, and 58.61 ± 11.45, respectively. Three variables exhibited a strong and favorable correlation. The study identified significant concerns regarding the limited understanding of medical personnel regarding effective strategies for enhancing sexual health function in breast cancer patients, as well as their diminished confidence in addressing FSD. The scores of knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to sexual health management were significantly influenced by whether or not training was received. Conclusions: The study results emphasize the importance of adopting a holistic approach to enhance the understanding, perspectives, and behaviors of healthcare professionals regarding the management of sexual health. In addition to enhancing the standard of care for individuals with breast cancer.

Furan oxidation by Mn(iii)/Co(ii) catalysts - application to benzofuran synthesis.

Furans containing a ß-ketoester group at 2-position undergo oxidative ring-opening by Mn(iii)/Co(ii) catalysts under an O2 atmosphere to produce 1,4-dicarbonyl moieties through an endoperoxide intermediate, which consecutively cyclized with the ß-ketoester unit to afford 4-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-ones. This oxidation/cyclization products were efficiently transformed into versatile benzofuran derivatives after consecutive aromatization and Paal-Knorr reaction.