Background
Because of the COVID‐19 pandemic, health care systems worldwide are working under challenging conditions. Patients, who are seriously ill, require intensive care admission. In fighting ...COVID‐19, nurses are frontline health care workers and, as such, have a great responsibility providing needed specialized patient care in intensive care units (ICU). However, working conditions and emotional factors have an impact on the quality of the care provided.
Aim
The purpose of the present study was to explore and describe the experiences and perceptions of nurses working in an ICU during the COVID‐19 global pandemic.
Study design
Qualitative research was undertaken, using an empirical approach and inductive content analysis techniques.
Methods
The selected population consisted of ICU nurses from a tertiary teaching hospital in Spain. Data were obtained via semi‐structured videocall interviews from Apr 12th to Apr 30th, 2020. Subsequently, transcribed verbatims were analysed using the template analysis model of Brooks.
Findings
A total of 17 nurses comprised the final sample after data saturation. Four main themes emerged from the analysis and 13 subthemes: “providing nursing care,” “psychosocial aspects and emotional lability,” “resources management and safety” and “professional relationships and fellowship.”
Conclusion
Providing health care by intensive care nursing professionals, during the COVID‐19 pandemic, has shown both strong and weak points in the health care system. Nursing care has been influenced by fear and isolation, making it hard to maintain the humanization of the health care.
Relevance to clinical practice
Implications for practice include optimizing resource management (human and material), providing psychological support, and adequate training for ICU nurses, as well as high‐quality protocols for future emergency situations.
Photothermal nanocomposite hydrogels are promising materials for remotely triggering drug delivery by near-infrared (NIR) radiation stimuli. In this work, a novel hydrogel based on poly(vinyl ...alcohol), poly(vinyl methyl ether-alt-maleic acid), poly(vinyl methyl ether), and functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-f) was prepared by the freeze/thaw method. A comparative characterization of materials (with and without MWCNT-f) was carried out by infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, mechanical assays, swelling kinetics measurements, and photothermal analysis under NIR irradiation. Hydrophilic chemotherapeutic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and hydrophobic ibuprofen drugs were independently loaded into hydrogels, and the drug release profiles were obtained under passive and NIR-irradiation conditions. The concentration-dependent cytotoxicity of materials was studied in vitro using noncancerous cells and cancer cells. Notable changes in the microstructure and physicochemical properties of hydrogels were observed by adding a low content (0.2 wt %) of MWCNT-f. The cumulative release amounts of 5-FU and ibuprofen from the hydrogel containing MWCNT-f were significantly increased by 21 and 39%, respectively, through the application of short-term NIR irradiation pulses. Appropriate concentrations of the nanocomposite hydrogel loaded with 5-FU produced cytotoxicity in cancer cells without affecting noncancerous cells. The overall properties of the MWCNT-f-containing hydrogel and its photothermal behavior make it an attractive material to promote the release of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, depending on the treatment requirements.
Let X be a Banach space and let κ(X) denote the kernel of a quotient map ℓ1(Γ)→X. We show that Ext2(X,X⁎)=0 if and only if bilinear forms on κ(X) extend to ℓ1(Γ). From that we obtain i) If κ(X) is a ...L1-space then Ext2(X,X⁎)=0; ii) If X is separable, κ(X) is not an L1 space and Ext2(X,X⁎)=0 then κ(X) has an unconditional basis. This provides new insight into a question of Palamodov in the category of Banach spaces.
•High salinity inhibited germination of the most common Chenopodiaceae species in SW Spain.•High salinity tended to accelerate germination just after salinity decreases.•The eight studied halophytes ...showed four germination syndromes.•The germination of species from high marshes was characterized by marked responses to salinity changes.•The germination of low marsh species was based on low sensitivity to salinity fluctuations.
Germination is a crucial stage in the life cycle of plants and salinity is one of the most important factors conditioning it in salt marshes. This work analyses the effects of salinity on the germination of eight dominant Chenopodiaceae species inhabiting the intertidal gradient in the Gulf of Cádiz. Seeds were collected from Sarcocornia perennis, Atriplex portulacoides, Sarcocornia fruticosa, Salicornia ramosissima, Arthrocnemum macrostachyum, Suaeda vera, Salsola vermiculata and Sarcocornia alpini. They were placed in Petri dishes at 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9M NaCl and germination was recorded during 30days. Ungerminated seeds were transferred to distilled water and germination recovery was recorded. High salinities inhibited germination, although tended to accelerate it in the recovery assays. Beyond these common responses, the studied halophytes showed four germination syndromes: 1) high germination at low-medium salinities and reduced germination after high salinity exposure; 2) no germination at hypersalinity and high recovery germination in fresh water; 3) increased and rapid germination after salinity exposure; and 4) germinating along a wide salinity range. The two species colonising the ecotone between marshes and dunes, Suaeda vera and Salsola vermiculata, shared Syndrome 2. Syndromes 3 and 4 were shared by species colonising different habitats and Syndrome 1 by A. macrostachyum, and fruits of A. portulacoides without bracteoles and S. vermiculata without calyx. The germination of species from high marshes was characterized by marked responses to salinity changes, whereas the germination of low marsh species was based on low sensitivity to salinity fluctuations.
•The high salinity tolerance of C. maritimum was not diminished by nutrient limitation.•Saturated fatty acid accumulation was induced at 200–500 mM NaCl.•C. maritimum reduced accumulation of five ...terpenes with increasing salinity.•C. maritimum increased 5-caffeoylquinic acid concentration under nutrient limitation.•Salinity and nutrient availability provoked antagonistic and synergistic effects.
Plant bioactive metabolites play a pivotal role in protection against environmental stresses and offer great potential for nutraceutical exploitation. In this sense, halophytes present an exceptional opportunity for sustainable saline agriculture since they can massively accumulate bioactive metabolites under stressful conditions. We investigated the responses of the halophyte Crithmum maritimum to increasing salinity, nutrient deficient and their interaction. We hypothesized that the concentration of bioactive compounds would increase together with salinity and nutrient deficient, and that the interaction between these two stresses would produce synergic effects on bioactive compounds accumulation. We studied the tolerance and foliar accumulation of nutrients and bioactive compounds (amino acids, phenols, terpenes and fatty acids) for C. maritimum in response to salinity and nutrient deprivation in greenhouse controlled conditions. The high salinity tolerance of C. maritimum was not diminished by the interaction of salinity with nutrient limitation. Mineral nutrition deficit and saturated fatty acid accumulation were induced at 200–500 mM NaCl, and accumulation of polyphenol 5-caffeoylquinic acid and some amino acids were identified as nutrient deficiency markers. C. maritimum responded mainly to increasing salinity by reducing foliar accumulation of five terpenes and total lipids, and to nutrient limitation by increasing the concentration of vaccenic acid and 5-caffeoylquinic acid. The interaction between salinity and nutrient availability provoked antagonistic and synergistic effects on the accumulation of terpenes and fatty acids. C. maritimum showed high physiological phenotypic plasticity in the response to salt stress, nutrient deficiency and their combination.
This study reports the soil-plant relationships along the intertidal gradient from unvegetated mudflats to the ecotone between high marshes and coastal dunes. The main objective was to establish the ...integrated role of spatial and seasonal changes in the sedimentary abiotic environment in relation to the establishment of the halophytes zonation pattern. The sedimentary environment and the halophytes coverage were sampled bimonthly during a year in nine intertidal habitats characterized by different plant communities. The highest values of sediment water content (40–60%) and electrical conductivity (20–30mScm−1) were registered in low-middle marshes, the highest organic matter content (ca. 23%) was found in middle marshes, and the highest pH (8.5–9.0) was recorded in high marshes. The conductivity and the pH of the marsh sediments changed seasonally. The sediment conductivity reached its highest values during spring and summer. The spatial variations in the sedimentary environment were closely associated with the distribution of most of the recorded halophytes, especially in low and high marshes where the abiotic environment was more stressful. At the same time, cyclical seasonal changes in conductivity seemed to determine the distribution of the halophytes in high marshes, where the seasonality was very marked under Mediterranean climate. The combination and integration over time of these spatio-temporal changes in the sedimentary environment defined habitats with contrasted abiotic conditions parallel to the tidal line and complex abiotic mosaics inside some of these habitats, allowing the cohabitation of >30 plant species along the intertidal gradient.
•Low marsh sediments showed the highest salinities and water contents.•Middle marsh sediments had the highest organic matter.•Sediments spatial changes were associated with the distribution of many halophytes.•The sediment conductivity reached its highest values during spring and summer.•Seasonal changes in conductivity related to distribution of high marsh halophytes
The group of > 40 cryptic whitefly species called Bemisia tabaci sensu lato are amongst the world's worst agricultural pests and plant-virus vectors. Outbreaks of B. tabaci s.l. and the associated ...plant-virus diseases continue to contribute to global food insecurity and social instability, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Published B. tabaci s.l. genomes have limited use for studying African cassava B. tabaci SSA1 species, due to the high genetic divergences between them. Genomic annotations presented here were performed using the 'Ensembl gene annotation system', to ensure that comparative analyses and conclusions reflect biological differences, as opposed to arising from different methodologies underpinning transcript model identification.
We present here six new B. tabaci s.l. genomes from Africa and Asia, and two re-annotated previously published genomes, to provide evolutionary insights into these globally distributed pests. Genome sizes ranged between 616-658 Mb and exhibited some of the highest coverage of transposable elements reported within Arthropoda. Many fewer total protein coding genes (PCG) were recovered compared to the previously published B. tabaci s.l. genomes and structural annotations generated via the uniform methodology strongly supported a repertoire of between 12.8-13.2 × 10
PCG. An integrative systematics approach incorporating phylogenomic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial markers supported a monophyletic Aleyrodidae and the basal positioning of B. tabaci Uganda-1 to the sub-Saharan group of species. Reciprocal cross-mating data and the co-cladogenesis pattern of the primary obligate endosymbiont 'Candidatus Portiera aleyrodidarum' from 11 Bemisia genomes further supported the phylogenetic reconstruction to show that African cassava B. tabaci populations consist of just three biological species. We include comparative analyses of gene families related to detoxification, sugar metabolism, vector competency and evaluate the presence and function of horizontally transferred genes, essential for understanding the evolution and unique biology of constituent B. tabaci. s.l species.
These genomic resources have provided new and critical insights into the genetics underlying B. tabaci s.l. biology. They also provide a rich foundation for post-genomic research, including the selection of candidate gene-targets for innovative whitefly and virus-control strategies.
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), a staple food for people in many of the least developed countries, is affected by many viral diseases. In 2017, complete genome sequences of sweet potato symptomless ...virus 1 (SPSMV-1, genus Mastrevirus, family Geminiviridae) isolates were reported, although a partial SPSMV-1 genome sequence had previously been identified by deep sequencing. To assess the presence of this virus in Spain, sweet potato leaf samples collected in Málaga (southern continental Spain) and the Spanish Canary Islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria were analyzed. SPSMV-1 was detected in samples from all the geographical areas studied, as well as in plants of several entries obtained from a germplasm collection supposed to be virus-free. Sequence analysis of full-length genomes of isolates from Spain showed novel molecular features, i.e., a novel nonanucleotide in the intergenic region, TCTTATTAC, and a 24-nucleotide deletion in the V2 open reading frame. Additionally, an agroinfectious clone was developed and infectivity assays showed that the virus was able to asymptomatically infect Nicotiana benthamiana, Ipomoea nil, I. setosa, and sweet potato, thus confirming previous suggestions derived from observational studies. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of SPSMV-1 in Spain and Europe and the first agroinfectious clone developed for this virus.
Peak age at onset of systemic sclerosis (SSc) is between 20 and 50 years, although SSc is also described in both young and elderly patients. We conducted the present study to determine if age at ...disease onset modulates the clinical characteristics and outcome of SSc patients. The Spanish Scleroderma Study Group recruited 1037 patients with a mean follow-up of 5.2 ± 6.8 years. Based on the mean ± 1 standard deviation (SD) of age at disease onset (45 ± 15 yr) of the whole series, patients were classified into 3 groups: age ≤ 30 years (early onset), age between 31 and 59 years (standard onset), and age ≥ 60 years (late onset). We compared initial and cumulative manifestations, immunologic features, and death rates. The early-onset group included 195 patients; standard-onset group, 651; and late-onset, 191 patients. The early-onset group had a higher prevalence of esophageal involvement (72% in early-onset compared with 67% in standard-onset and 56% in late-onset; p = 0.004), and myositis (11%, 7.2%, and 2.9%, respectively; p = 0.009), but a lower prevalence of centromere antibodies (33%, 46%, and 47%, respectively; p = 0.007). In contrast, late-onset SSc was characterized by a lower prevalence of digital ulcers (54%, 41%, and 34%, respectively; p < 0.001) but higher rates of heart conduction system abnormalities (9%, 13%, and 21%, respectively; p = 0.004). Pulmonary hypertension was found in 25% of elderly patients and in 12% of the youngest patients (p = 0.010). After correction for the population effects of age and sex, standardized mortality ratio was shown to be higher in younger patients. The results of the present study confirm that age at disease onset is associated with differences in clinical presentation and outcome in SSc patients.
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