Fostering leadership competence and satisfaction in nursing undergraduates through a student-led conference: A quasi-experimental pre-post study.

BACKGROUND: Numerous benefits have been reported for student-led conferences, such as increased leadership. This competence has been recognized as important for nurses so as to ensure the provision of safe and high-quality care in complex environments. However, research has yet to examine empirically the impact of student-led conferences on students' leadership behaviours. OBJECTIVES: To examine the impact that participation in a student-led conference had on the self-perceived leadership competence of nursing undergraduates. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental single group pre-post intervention study. SETTING: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya. PARTICIPANTS: 31 students enrolled in two elective modules offered during the final year (fourth year) of a nursing degree programme. METHODS: Pre-post assessment of self-perceived leadership behaviours among nursing students involved in planning and organizing a scientific conference. In addition to carrying out the tasks of organizing the Conference, all students participated as co-authors of an oral communication, thus being able to develop both cognitive and non-cognitive domains. Leadership was measured using ES_SALI scale, the Spanish version of the Self-Assessment Leadership Instrument. RESULTS: Involvement in the student-led conference led to a statistically significant increase in self-perceived leadership competence among nursing undergraduates (p < .001). Both the total ES_SALI score and scores on each of its four dimensions (Strategic thinking, Emotional intelligence, Impact and influence, and Teamwork skills) increased significantly, and the percentage change was above 8% in all cases (p < .01). The greatest increase (10.99%) corresponded to the 'Impact and influence' dimension of leadership. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that student-led conferences are an effective way of helping nursing undergraduates to develop their leadership competence.

Climate change impact on karstic aquifer hydrodynamics in southern Europe semi-arid region using the KAGIS model.

Nowadays, there are many urban settlements in arid and semiarid areas supplied by groundwater from adjacent small aquifers. Climate projections with expected decreases in averages precipitation values jointly with increases in the frequency of heavy rainfall events does not show a clear pattern to how water resources in karstic aquifers are going to evolve. This paper, focused in the province of Alicante (Southeast of Spain), assesses the behaviour of a small karstic aquifer, the Mela aquifer, whose resources supply urban water consumption for close municipalities. We assess the hydrogeological response of the aquifer, through the KAGIS black-box GIS-based model, for the present climate conditions and for the long period analysing the four scenarios provided by the International Panel of Climate Change. Main results prove that, if we do not diminish the greenhouse gas emissions, the climate change impact on the hydrological response of the study aquifer shows a decrease in the flow rate from its unique spring and will be non-existent during the summer months. So, it will be necessary to design supply strategies for these municipalities and to carry out them, meeting budget restrictions and avoiding potential water shortages.

Pain assessment in individuals with dementia and communication problems in Spain. A systematic review. / Valoración del dolor en personas con demencia y problemas de comunicación en España. Revisión sistemática.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pain assessment in individuals with advanced dementia and communication problems continue to be underdiagnosed and undertreated due to the difficulty in performing this assessment. This review explores and synthesises how pain in individuals with advanced dementia and communication problems are being assessed in the context of Spanish healthcare. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted following the PRISMA criteria. We reviewed the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Cinahl, Scopus, Dialnet and Cuitatge up to December 2017. Four independent reviewers identified studies that included instruments to assess pain in individuals with dementia and communication problems in the Spanish healthcare context. We performed a narrative synthesis of the included articles. RESULTS: After applying the inclusion criteria, 10 studies were included. Of these, 4 were methodological studies validating Spanish versions of scales (Abbey, Algoplus, Doloplus and PAINAD-Sp), and 1 was on the development of the original EDAD scale. We also identified 3 studies conducted in Spain that used a translation of the PAINAD, 1 study that used a Spanish translation of Doloplus2 and 1 publication that included the use in Spain of a scale not validated for this patient profile (Pain-VAS). CONCLUSIONS: There are currently several instruments validated in Spanish to assess pain in individuals with advanced dementia and communication problems (Abbey, Algoplus, Doloplus y PAINAD-Sp). However, these instruments have still not been widely used in research, and their psychometric properties could be improved.

Zebrafish dives into food research: effectiveness assessment of bioactive compounds.

Zebrafish have been traditionally used in ecotoxicology and developmental biology. However, due to the advances in available methodologies and the similitude with mammals, it has been increasingly used in other fields. One of the most recent fields using zebrafish is food research, being the focus of this review. Most relevant and recent publications including food component toxicity and key metabolic effects together with effectiveness on some zebrafish disease models have been reviewed. This model is a good intermediate tool between in vitro and rodent models, because it provides information from a complete organism in a fast and cost-effective manner. Definitely, in the near future, we will see this model being used by the ingredient suppliers and scientists in order to show the potential impact on health of several compounds.

Single nucleotide polymorphism discovery in albacore and Atlantic bluefin tuna provides insights into worldwide population structure.

The optimal management of the commercially important, but mostly over-exploited, pelagic tunas, albacore (Thunnus alalunga Bonn., 1788) and Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT; Thunnus thynnus L., 1758), requires a better understanding of population structure than has been provided by previous molecular methods. Despite numerous studies of both species, their population structures remain controversial. This study reports the development of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in albacore and BFT and the application of these SNPs to survey genetic variability across the geographic ranges of these tunas. A total of 616 SNPs were discovered in 35 albacore tuna by comparing sequences of 54 nuclear DNA fragments. A panel of 53 SNPs yielded FST values ranging from 0.0 to 0.050 between samples after genotyping 460 albacore collected throughout the distribution of this species. No significant heterogeneity was detected within oceans, but between-ocean comparisons (Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans along with Mediterranean Sea) were significant. Additionally, a 17-SNP panel was developed in Atlantic BFT by cross-species amplification in 107 fish. This limited number of SNPs discriminated between samples from the two major spawning areas of Atlantic BFT (FST  = 0.116). The SNP markers developed in this study can be used to genotype large numbers of fish without the need for standardizing alleles among laboratories.

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae as a system to test the efficacy of polysaccharides as immunostimulants.

The present study was carried out to examine the use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a preliminary screening model for testing the effect of potential immunostimulant substances on the innate immune system. ß-Glucan, a polysaccharide used widely as an immunostimulant, was used as a representative molecule and tested on zebrafish embryos and larvae. The efficacy of the molecule was evaluated by determining the differential expression of some selected genes related to the immune system by RT-qPCR. Larvae from 72 hours post fertilization were found at the optimal developmental stage for assessing the expression of the selected genes. To verify if the ß-glucan entered the larvae and therefore was responsible for the effects produced, the molecule was labeled fluorescently to check its localization by using microscopy. For estimating the effects of ß-glucan on gene expression, zebrafish embryos and larvae were immersed in three different concentrations of ß-glucan (50, 100, and 150 µg/mL) using five different exposure times. A stronger gene induction was observed when longer times of exposure and older larvae were used. The most evident effects of ß-glucan were the overexpression of the genes TNFα, MPO, TRF, and LYZ. Moreover, slight changes in MPO expression were detected using a transgenic line of zebrafish (MPO::GFP), and a temporal increase in resistance against Vibrio anguillarum was found after ß-glucan immersion. The assay used in this study permits the testing potential of immunostimulants in a simple and cost-effective way.

Permanent genetic resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 October 2011-30 November 2011.

This article documents the addition of 139 microsatellite marker loci and 90 pairs of single-nucleotide polymorphism sequencing primers to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Aglaoctenus lagotis, Costus pulverulentus, Costus scaber, Culex pipiens, Dascyllus marginatus, Lupinus nanus Benth, Phloeomyzus passerini, Podarcis muralis, Rhododendron rubropilosum Hayata var. taiwanalpinum and Zoarces viviparus. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Culex quinquefasciatus, Rhododendron pseudochrysanthum Hay. ssp. morii (Hay.) Yamazaki and R. pseudochrysanthum Hayata. This article also documents the addition of 48 sequencing primer pairs and 90 allele-specific primers for Engraulis encrasicolus.

[Intervention to reduce variability in surgical indications and the waiting list of priority 1 patients. An experience in Galicia (Spain)]. / Intervención para reducir la variabilidad de las indicaciones quirúrgicas y la lista de espera de pacientes con prioridad 1. Una experiencia en Galicia.

The aims of this study were to homogenize priority 1 surgical indications in Galician hospitals and propose a methodology designed to ensure that that the waiting times of priority 1 patients do not exceed 30 days. The priority 1 surgical indications of the distinct surgical services in Galicia were obtained and reviewed and were then sent for validation to the scientific societies. To reduce waiting times to less than 30 days, a procedure of periodic patient monitoring was established, with allocation of tasks to all the parties involved. Comparison of the mean waiting times before and after the implantation of periodic monitoring showed that this procedure reduced the mean waiting time by 55.7%. The mean waiting time was reduced in all the surgical specialities except one. In almost all of the surgical specialities, the procedure established reduced the number of patients on the waiting lists and the mean waiting time to less than 30 days.

Assessment of the manufacturability of Escherichia coli high cell density fermentations.

The physical and biological conditions of the host cell obtained at the end of fermentation influences subsequent downstream processing unit operations. The ability to monitor these characteristics is central to the improvement of biopharmaceutical manufacture. In this study, we have used a combination of techniques such as adaptive focus acoustics (AFA) and ultra scale-down (USD) centrifugation that utilize milliliter quantities of sample to obtain an insight into the interaction between cells from the upstream process and initial downstream unit operations. This is achieved primarily through an assessment of cell strength and its impact on large-scale disc stack centrifugation performance, measuring critical attributes such as viscosity and particle size distribution. An Escherichia coli fed-batch fermentation expressing antibody fragments in the periplasm was used as a model system representative of current manufacturing challenges. The weakening of cell strength during cultivation time, detected through increased micronization and viscosity, resulted in a 2.6-fold increase in product release rates from the cell (as measured by AFA) and approximately fourfold decrease in clarification performance (as measured by USD centrifugation). The information obtained allows for informed harvest point decisions accounting for both product leakages during fermentation and potential losses during primary recovery. The clarification performance results were verified at pilot scale. The use of these technologies forms a route to the process understanding needed to tailor the host cell and upstream process to the product and downstream process, critical to the implementation of quality-by-design principles.

[Autoradiography of central benzodiazepine receptors in the hippocampus during morphine clearance in surgically manipulated rats]. / Estudio en el hipocampo de los receptores de benzodiazepinas centrales (RBZDs) mediante autorradiografía, durante la eliminación de morfina en la rata manipulada quirúrgicamente.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the stress caused by minimally invasive surgery alters benzodiazepine receptor subtypes in different areas of the hippocampus and to characterize the role that loss of morphine tolerance plays in surgical stress. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Minimally invasive surgical manipulation consisted of implantation of subcutaneous pellets under halothane anesthesia. The experiments were performed in 9 groups of male rats: naive rats (no manipulation), 4 sham groups (sacrificed 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours after removal of sham pellets), and 4 morphine groups (sacrificed 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours after removal of morphine releasing pellets). Receptor autoradiography was performed with receptor saturation binding studies. The benzodiazepine receptors were [3H]flunitrazepam labeled; zolpidem binding was used to characterize receptor subtypes. RESULTS: The surgically manipulated groups, whether treated with morphine or not, displayed increased benzodiazepine receptor density in comparison with naive animals for all receptor subtypes. No significant differences in radioligand affinity were observed for the various receptor subtypes under any of the experimental conditions. Benzodiazepine receptor uptake did not differ significantly between morphine treated and untreated animals. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical stress increases benzodiazepine receptor density but does not alter affinity. Loss of tolerance to morphine does not seem to play an important role in surgically caused stress.

[Intranasal and buccal midazolam in the treatment of acute seizures]. / Midazolam intranasal y bucal en el tratamiento de las convulsiones agudas.

AIMS: There are several personal and social problems involved in the administration of rectal diazepam that make it unsuitable for use in public places and by non medical workers, in children and especially in teenagers and adults. Intranasal and oral midazolam could be an alternative to rectal diazepam. We review the efficacy and safety of these ways of administering midazolam, which is already used in some countries as a sedative and as an anticonvulsive drug, despite the fact that it has not yet received authorisation. DEVELOPMENT: Intranasal midazolam (INM) was first used as a sedative in dental extractions, echocardiography, endoscopies or surgery, especially in children. After proving its efficacy electroencephalographically in patients with seizures, it started to be used to interrupt acute seizures. In three randomised trials, the efficacy of intranasal and oral midazolam in hospitalised patients was similar to, and even higher than, that of intravenous or rectal diazepam, with a similar speed of action and safety; no studies have been conducted, however, in the extra hospital milieu and its risk of respiratory depression may be like that of other benzodiazepines. One of the problems of using the parenteral solution for intranasal administration is the irritation that is produced by its acidic pH and the relatively large volume that has to be administered. These problems could be reduced by using aerosols containing a solution of midazolam in cyclodextrin, which accomplishes a greater concentration with a pH that is less acidic. Oral administration can be used in patients with nasal secretions or intense movements of the head. CONCLUSIONS: Intranasal or oral midazolam can improve the treatment of acute seizures in the hospital milieu and, more especially, in the extra hospital milieu when patients are attended by non medical staff. There is a need, however, for trials that prove its efficacy and safety in this situation.

Detección de metabolitos de cocaina en orina humana con kits inmunologicos y confirmacion por GC/MSD / Detection of cocaine metabolites in human urine with immunological kits and confirmation by GC/MSD

Los kits ELISA de NEOGEN para el screening de metabolitos de cocaína en orina de caballo, de una de una sensibilidad de 0.3 ng/mL para la benzoilecgonina, son utilizados en el Laboratorio de control Antidoping con un límite de corte de 3 ng/mL, en orinas humanas diluídas al décimo. Este límite tan bajo nos ha dado un alto número de positivos, difíceles de confirmar po GC-MS. Por esta razón, hemos probado diferentes técnicas para alcanzar en la confirmación un límite de detección acorde con el screening inmunológico. Para ello se realizaron ensayos con diferentes métodos de extracción, solventes de extracción y agentes de derivatización. La técnica seleccionada consiste en una extracción por columnas Bond Elut Certify y derivatización con PFPA/PFPOH, con um límite de deteccíon de 5 ng/mL. El uso de estos kits en estas condiciones produjo algunos resultados falso-positivos, la gran mayoria debidos a orinas conteniendo butilescopolamina y sus metabolitos.

Purification, properties and enhanced expression under nitrogen starvation of the NADP+-isocitrate dehydrogenase from the cyanobacterium Phormidium laminosum.

Nitrogen starvation enhances up to 8-fold the cellular level of the NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase activity (isocitrate:NADP+ oxidoreductase (decarboxylating), IDH, EC 1.1.1.42) in the thermophilic filamentous non-N2-fixing cyanobacterium Phormidium laminosum. The enzyme was purified 650-fold to electrophoretic homogeneity from nitrogen-starved cells with an activity yield of 25% and a specific activity of 500 U (mg protein)-1. The native enzyme showed a pI of 5.9 and it was a dimer of 107 kDa consisting of two identical subunits of 53 kDa. The activity required the presence of a divalent metal cation as an essential activator, Mn2+ or Mg2+ being the most effective. The optimum temperature for activity was 55 degrees C and the Ea for catalysis was 39.7 kJ mol-1. An optimum pH for activity of 8.5 was found and the calculated pKE1, pKE2 and pKES1 of enzyme ionisation groups were 6.0, 8.9 and 6.3, respectively. Km values of 22, 50 and 24 microM were calculated for d,l-isocitrate, NADP and Mn2+, respectively, in the Mn2+-dependent reaction and 70, 32 and 159 microM for d,l-isocitrate, NADP and Mg2+, respectively, in the Mg2+-dependent reaction. The decarboxylating activity was inhibited by ATP, ADP and by its reaction products 2-oxoglutarate and NADPH2. Polyclonal antibodies raised against the pure IDH were used to assess the presence of the enzyme in cells subjected to nitrogen starvation.

Un nuevo enfoque en el estudio del alineamiento de incisivos inferiores / A new approach in the study of alignment of lower incisors

El propósito de este estudio fue el de buscar una posible asociación entre el alineamiento dental y diferentes variables dentomaxilares; además, el de evaluar, por medio del método de modelos causales, si el alineamiento dental es producido por las variables convencionalmente descritas en la literatura. Se estudiaron 54 pacientes de 6,7 a 10,5 años de edad, a los cuales se les tomaron modelos y radiografías cefálicas laterales para evaluar 25 variables dentofaciales...

Rhizobium tropici chromosomal citrate synthase gene.

Two genes encoding citrate synthase, a key enzyme in the Krebs cycle, have been found in Rhizobium tropici. One of them is in the bacterial chromosome, while the other is in the symbiotic plasmid. We sequenced the chromosomal gene and found that it is very similar to the previously reported plasmidic gene sequence in its structural region but not in its regulatory region. The chromosomal gene is able to complement an Escherichia coli citrate synthase mutant. In R. tropici, a mutant in the chromosomal citrate synthase gene has a diminished citrate synthase activity (in free-living bacteria), a diminished nodulation capacity, and forms nitrogen-fixing nodules. In contrast, the citrate synthase double mutant forms ineffective nodules devoid of bacteroids and forms less nodules than the single chromosomal mutant. It is inferred that both genes are functional and required during the nodulation process in R. tropici.

Nodulating ability of Rhizobium tropici is conditioned by a plasmid-encoded citrate synthase.

Rhizobium species elicit the formation of nitrogen-fixing root nodules through a complex interaction between bacteria and plants. Various bacterial genes involved in the nodulation and nitrogen-fixation processes have been described and most have been localized on the symbiotic plasmids (pSym). We have found a gene encoding citrate synthase on the pSym plasmid of Rhizobium tropici, a species that forms nitrogen-fixing nodules on the roots of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and trees (Leucaena spp.). Citrate synthase is a key metabolic enzyme that incorporates carbon into the tricarboxylic acid cycle by catalysing the condensation of acetyl-CoA and oxaloacetic acid to form citrate. R. tropici pcsA (the plasmid citrate synthase gene) is closely related to the corresponding genes of Proteobacteria. pcsA inactivation by a Tn5-mob insertion causes the bacteria to form fewer nodules (30-50% of the original strain) and to have a decreased citrate synthase activity in minimal medium with sucrose. A clone carrying the pcsA gene complemented all the phenotypic alterations of the pcsA mutant, and conferred Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli (which naturally lacks a plasmid citrate synthase gene) a higher nodulation and growth capacity in correlation with a higher citrate synthase activity. We have also found that pcsA gene expression is sensitive to iron availability, suggesting a possible role of pcsA in iron uptake.

Rhizobium tropici, a novel species nodulating Phaseolus vulgaris L. beans and Leucaena sp. trees.

A new Rhizobium species that nodulates Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Leucaena spp. is proposed on the basis of the results of multilocus enzyme electrophoresis, DNA-DNA hybridization, an analysis of ribosomal DNA organization, a sequence analysis of 16S rDNA, and an analysis of phenotypic characteristics. This taxon, Rhizobium tropici sp. nov., was previously named Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar phaseoli (type II strains) and was recognized by its host range (which includes Leucaena spp.) and nif gene organization. In contrast to R. leguminosarum biovar phaseoli, R. tropici strains tolerate high temperatures and high levels of acidity in culture and are symbiotically more stable. We identified two subgroups within R. tropici and describe them in this paper.

Genomic instability in Rhizobium phaseoli.

Experience from different laboratories indicates that Rhizobium strains can generate variability in regard to some phenotypic characteristics such as colony morphology or symbiotic properties. On the other hand, several reports suggest that under certain stress conditions or genetic manipulations Rhizobium cells can present genomic rearrangements. In search of frequent genomic rearrangements, we analyzed three Rhizobium strains under laboratory conditions that are not considered to cause stress in bacterial populations. DNAs from direct descendants of a single cell were analyzed in regard to the hybridization patterns obtained, using as probes different recombinant plasmids or cosmids; while most of the probes utilized did not show differences in the hybridization patterns, some of them revealed the occurrence of frequent genomic rearrangements. The implications and possible biological significance of these observations are discussed.

Nitrogenase reductase: A functional multigene family in Rhizobium phaseoli.

The complete coding sequence of the nitrogenase reductase gene (nifH) is present in three different regions of a Rhizobium phaseoli symbiotic plasmid. Homology between two of the regions containing nifH coding sequences extends over 5 kilobases. These in turn share 1.3 kilobases of homology with the third region. The nucleotide sequences of the three nitrogenase reductase genes were found to be identical. Site-directed insertion mutagenesis indicated that none of the three genes is indispensable for nitrogen fixation during symbiosis with Phaseolus vulgaris. This implies that at least two of the reiterated genes can be functionally expressed.