Spanish radiographers' concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The current outbreak of COVID-19 has caused worldwide healthcare and social emergency in which healthcare professionals were under extreme work conditions while being fearful of becoming infected or spreading the disease to their relatives. The perceived threat of COVID-19 has the potential to cause severe psychological maladjustment. The aim of the study is to explore Spanish radiographers' concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This study was quantitative, observational and cross-sectional. The sample was made up of 546 radiographers working in Spain during the outbreak. The instrument used for analysis was an ad hoc questionnaire with socio-demographic questions and the questionnaire on perception of threat from COVID-19 validate to spanish healthcare professionals. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 70.1% of female, 29.7% of male and 0.2% undeclare sex participants. The results showed a high level of a perceived threat from COVID-19 (7.57 ± 0.088), furthermore we observed a high level of threat about the possibility of infecting family members (8.49 ± 0.25), patients (8.33 ± 0.086), and coworkers (8.35 ± 0.084). Furthermore, females have a higher level of a perception of threat to spread infection between patients (r = -0.136; p = 0.001) and coworkers (r = -0.118; p = 0.006), than males. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 pandemic is perceived as a serious threat, being especially concerned about the threat of spreading the infection to family, coworkers, and patients. The perception of risk depends partly on professionals' gender and family responsibilities. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Our findings suggest that it is recommended that healthcare professionals receive formation to reinforce and improve their emotional competencies for coping successfully with potentially stressful situations like COVI19 pandemic.

Habilidades de comunicación en enfermeras de UCI y de hospitalización de adultos / Communication skills in ICU and adult hospitalisation unit nursing staff

Objetivos: Como objetivo de este estudio nos planteamos analizar los rasgos de personalidad asociados a las habilidades sociales de las enfermeras que trabajan en las unidades de cuidados intensivos (UCI) y las enfermeras que trabajan en unidades asistenciales de hospitalización de adultos, ambos grupos pertenecientes al Servicio Madrileño de Salud (SERMAS). Método: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal con 69 enfermeras del SERMAS, de las cuales 29 eran enfermeras asistenciales de UCI y 40 enfermeras de Hospitalización, utilizando el cuestionario 16PF-5, para medir los factores de personalidad ligados a las habilidades sociales. Resultados: En el grupo de enfermeras de UCI aparecieron factores ligados a habilidades sociales en receptividad social: 5,6 (A+), 5,2 (C-), 6,2 (O+), 5,1 (H-), 5,3 (Q1-) y en control emocional: 6,1 (B+), 5,9 (N+). No se encontraron factores asociados a expresividad emocional, expresividad social, receptividad emocional y control social. Conclusiones: Los valores encontrados para los rasgos y factores de personalidad asociados a las habilidades sociales de comunicación en enfermeras de UCI son inferiores a los encontrados en las enfermeras de Hospitalización. Consideramos clave realizar actividades de intervención y formación específica para desarrollar las habilidades sociales de comunicación en las enfermeras de UCI (AU)

Objectives: In this study researchers are trying to analyse the personality factors related to social skills in nurses who work in: Intensive Care Units, ICU, and Hospitalisation units. Both groups are from the Madrid Health Service (SERMAS). Method: The present investigation has been developed as a descriptive transversal study, where personality factors in ICU nurses (n=29) and those from Hospitalisation units (n=40) were compared. The 16PF-5 questionnaire was employed to measure the personality factors associated with communication skills. Results: The comparison of the personality factors associated to social skills, communication, in both groups, show us that nurses from ICU obtain in social receptivity: 5,6 (A+), 5,2 (C-), 6,2 (O+), 5,1 (H-), 5,3 (Q1-), and emotional control: 6,1 (B+), 5,9 (N+). Meanwhile the data doesn’t adjust to the expected to emotional and social expressiveness, emotional receptivity and social control, there are not evidence. Conclusions: The personality factors associated to communication skills in ICU nurses are below those of hospitalisation unit nurses. The present results suggest the necessity to develop training actions, focusing on nurses from intensive care units to improve their communication social skills (AU)

Communication skills in ICU and adult hospitalisation unit nursing staff. / Habilidades de comunicación en enfermeras de UCI y de hospitalización de adultos.

OBJECTIVES: In this study researchers are trying to analyse the personality factors related to social skills in nurses who work in: Intensive Care Units, ICU, and Hospitalisation units. Both groups are from the Madrid Health Service (SERMAS). METHOD: The present investigation has been developed as a descriptive transversal study, where personality factors in ICU nurses (n=29) and those from Hospitalisation units (n=40) were compared. The 16PF-5 questionnaire was employed to measure the personality factors associated with communication skills. RESULTS: The comparison of the personality factors associated to social skills, communication, in both groups, show us that nurses from ICU obtain in social receptivity: 5,6 (A+), 5,2 (C-), 6,2 (O+), 5,1 (H-), 5,3 (Q1-), and emotional control: 6,1 (B+), 5,9 (N+). Meanwhile the data doesn't adjust to the expected to emotional and social expressiveness, emotional receptivity and social control, there are not evidence. CONCLUSIONS: The personality factors associated to communication skills in ICU nurses are below those of hospitalisation unit nurses. The present results suggest the necessity to develop training actions, focusing on nurses from intensive care units to improve their communication social skills.

New insights on culture and calcium signalling in neurons and astrocytes from epileptic patients.

Primary brain cell cultures are a useful tool for understanding the physiopathology of epilepsy and for searching new potential antiepileptic drugs. These cell types are usually prepared from murine species and few human models have been described. The main goal of this study is the establishment of experimental conditions to isolate and culture neurons and astrocytes from human brain and to test its functionality. The tissues came from antiepileptic drug-resistant epileptic patients undergoing surgery. Human neurons and astrocytes were isolated following an enzymatic and mechanical dissociation protocol. Cultures were viable for 3-6 weeks. Cytological characterization was performed by immunocytochemistry using specific antibodies against both neuron (anti-NeuN) and astrocyte (anti-GFAP) protein markers. In order to test their viability and functionality, cells were loaded with the fluorescent calcium probe fura-2 and variations in cytosolic calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]c) were measured by cell imaging. [Ca2+]c increases were evoked upon cell stimulation with high K+ (KCl 75 mM), glutamate (500 µM) or bicuculline (100 µM). Interestingly, spontaneous [Ca2+]c transients were also observed in some neuron-like cells. A novel unreported finding in this study has been the incorporation of human serum that was critical for cell functionality. The setting of these human cultures open the opportunity to new insights on culture and calcium signalling studies on the mechanism(s) of cell resistance to antiepileptic drugs, as well as to studies on plasticity, maturation and possible neurite emission for graft studies.

[Voltage sources in mesial temporal area induced by etomidate]. / Fuentes de voltaje en la region temporal mesial inducidas por etomidato.

INTRODUCTION: It has been recently shown that activation of the EEG by etomidate is a specific and safe technique during the evaluation of patients for epilepsy surgery. AIM: To analyze the pathophysiological properties of interictal activity induced by etomidate and compare with the interictal spontaneous activity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied 13 patients by video-EEG with foramen ovale electrodes. Etomidate (0.1 mg/kg) was injected to activate the epileptogenic region. The activity of foramen ovale electrodes was adjusted to a monopolar voltage source. RESULTS: Interictal activity mediated by etomidate fits well to a monopolar model, in the same way that the basal interictal activity. The voltage sources distribution recorded during the interictal activity and distribution of voltage sources recorded in presence of etomidate have similar topographical properties. The equivalent charge induced by etomidate was higher than the basal one. CONCLUSIONS: The basal and etomidate induced activity have similar electrophysiological properties, suggesting that the same or similar structures are responsible of both. So, etomidate can be used as an specific inductor of EEG activity during presurgical evaluation.

Cambios en la perfusión cerebral inducidos por etomidato en pacientes con epilepsia del lóbulo temporal / Changes in cerebral perfusión induced by etomidate in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy

Resumen. Introducción. La epilepsia es uno de los mayores trastornos neurológicos. Afecta a alrededor del 0,5-2% de la población mundial, y entre el 20-25% de los pacientes son resistentes a la medicación. Objetivo. Analizar la respuesta de la perfusión cerebral –valorada mediante tomografía simple por emisión de fotón único (SPECT)– y la actividad bioeléctrica –en scalp y región temporal mesial– a la aplicación de etomidato. Pacientes y métodos. Se estudiaron 10 pacientes evaluados prequirúrgicamente y estudiados mediante videoelectroencefalograma (video-EEG) con electrodos de foramen oval (EFO) y SPECT. Se administró etomidato (0,1 mg/kg de peso), seguido por 99mTc-HmPAO, durante el estudio en el video-EEG + EFO. Resultados. Los efectos secundarios consistieron en mioclonías (n = 7) y dolor moderado (n = 2). No se han observado efectos cardiovasculares o respiratorios significativos. La actividad bioeléctrica en scalp consistió en una actividad rápida inicial breve, seguida por un patrón delta generalizado e hipervoltado durante varios minutos. En la región irritativa, se observó un marcado incremento de la actividad interictal. La perfusión cerebral aumentó, en general en todas las áreas estudiadas, especialmente en la región temporal (lateral y mesial) y en las áreas talámicas. En la cola del hipocampo no epileptógeno, se ha observado el segundo mayor incremento en la perfusión cerebral, y es la única región que se diferencia de la contralateral. Conclusiones. La activación mediante etomidato da lugar a una respuesta específica y repetible sobre la actividad bioeléctrica. Además, la perfusión cerebral local muestra cambios relacionados directamente con la región epileptógena, y puede servir, por tanto, como herramienta diagnóstica en un futuro inmediato (AU)

Summary. Introduction. Epilepsy is one of the major neurological disorders, affecting roughly 0.5-2% of the world’s population and approximately 20-25% of patients are resistant to medication. Aim. To analyze the response of cerebral perfusion (assessed by SPECT) and bioelectrical activity (measured in scalp and mesial temporal region) to etomidate. Patients and methods. We studied 10 patients presurgically evaluated and studied by video-EEG with foramen ovale electrodes (EFO) and SPECT. Etomidate was administered (0.1 mg/kg), followed by 99mTc-HmPAO during the study in the video-EEG + EFO. Results. The side-effects consisted of myoclonus (n = 7) and moderate pain (n = 2). There had been no significant respiratory or cardiovascular effects. The bioelectrical activity in the scalp consisted in a brief initial rapid activity, followed by a generalized and hypervoltaged delta pattern for several minutes. In the epileptogenic zone, there was a marked increase of interictal activity. Increased cerebral perfusion was observed in all areas studied, especially in temporal region (mesial and lateral) areas and thalamus. In the tail of the non-epileptic hippocampus, we observed the second largest increase in cerebral perfusion, the only region that is different from contralateral area. Conclusions. Activation by etomidate induces a specific and repetitive response in the bioelectrical activity. In addition, cerebral perfusion changes directly related to the epileptogenic region may serve therefore as a diagnostic tool in the near future (AU)

[Changes in cerebral perfusion induced by etomidate in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy]. / Cambios en la perfusión cerebral inducidos por etomidato en pacientes con epilepsia del lóbulo temporal.

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy is one of the major neurological disorders, affecting roughly 0.5-2% of the world's population and approximately 20-25% of patients are resistant to medication. AIM: To analyze the response of cerebral perfusion (assessed by SPECT) and bioelectrical activity (measured in scalp and mesial temporal region) to etomidate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied 10 patients presurgically evaluated and studied by video-EEG with foramen ovale electrodes (EFO) and SPECT. Etomidate was administered (0.1 mg/kg), followed by (99)mTc-HmPAO during the study in the video-EEG + EFO. RESULTS: The side-effects consisted of myoclonus (n = 7) and moderate pain (n = 2). There had been no significant respiratory or cardiovascular effects. The bioelectrical activity in the scalp consisted in a brief initial rapid activity, followed by a generalized and hypervoltaged delta pattern for several minutes. In the epileptogenic zone, there was a marked increase of interictal activity. Increased cerebral perfusion was observed in all areas studied, especially in temporal region (mesial and lateral) areas and thalamus. In the tail of the non-epileptic hippocampus, we observed the second largest increase in cerebral perfusion, the only region that is different from contralateral area. CONCLUSIONS: Activation by etomidate induces a specific and repetitive response in the bioelectrical activity. In addition, cerebral perfusion changes directly related to the epileptogenic region may serve therefore as a diagnostic tool in the near future.

Factores genéticos asociados a la epilepsia del lóbulo temporal / Genetics components in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy

Introducción. La epilepsia es uno de los mayores trastornos neurológicos y afecta a alrededor del 0,5-2% de la población mundial. Se caracteriza por la aparición de crisis espontáneas y recurrentes. Se considera a la epilepsia del lóbulo temporal (ELT) como un síndrome adquirido multifactorial, que aparece como un efecto secundario a diferentes lesiones. Los avances realizados en biología molecular han facilitado la detección de numerosas alteraciones en genética molecular que pueden tener un efecto patógeno en las ELT. Recientemente, numerosos autores muestran evidencias de la existencia de componentes genéticos como origen de algunos tipos de ELT. Desarrollo. Se plantea como objetivo revisar las mutaciones y los polimorfismos relacionados con la epilepsia del lóbulo temporal que se han descrito en la literatura científica y su contribución a la fisiopatología de la epileptogénesis. Se revisan los genes LGI1, de la interleucina-1beta, de la prodinorfina, PRNP, el que codifica para el receptor GABAB tipo 1, SCN1A, SCN1B, KCNA1, KCND2 y ApoE. Conclusión. La ELT es una enfermedad compleja que puede depender tanto de la predisposición genética como de otros factores que contribuyen a su desarrollo. Es necesario realizar estudios funcionales para poder correlacionar su base molecular y su desarrollo (AU)

Introduction. Epilepsy is one of the major neurological disorders characterized by spontaneous and recurrent seizures. Traditionally temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) was considered as a multifactorial syndrome due to environmental factors. Advances in molecular biology have facilitated the detection of many genetic alterations that may have a pathogenic effect in ELT. Recently, many authors show evidence about the existence of genetic components as the source of some types of ELT. Development. This review aims to provide an overview of mutations and polymorphisms associated with temporal lobe epilepsy, which have been described in scientific literature and its contribution to the pathophysiology of epileptogenesis. We have reviewed the following genes; LGI1, PDYN (prodynorphin), interleucine 1beta, PRPN (prion protein), ApoE (apolipoprotein E), GABBR1, SCN1A, SCN1B, KCNA1, KCND2. Conclusion. The ELT is a complex disease and its development could depend on either genetics factors or other factors. Functional studies are necessary in order to correlate its molecular basis and their development (AU)

[Genetics components in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy]. / Factores genéticos asociados a la epilepsia del lóbulo temporal.

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy is one of the major neurological disorders characterized by spontaneous and recurrent seizures. Traditionally temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) was considered as a multifactorial syndrome due to environmental factors. Advances in molecular biology have facilitated the detection of many genetic alterations that may have a pathogenic effect in ELT. Recently, many authors show evidence about the existence of genetic components as the source of some types of ELT. DEVELOPMENT: This review aims to provide an overview of mutations and polymorphisms associated with temporal lobe epilepsy, which have been described in scientific literature and its contribution to the pathophysiology of epileptogenesis. We have reviewed the following genes; LGI1, PDYN (prodynorphin), interleucine 1beta, PRPN (prion protein), ApoE (apolipoprotein E), GABBR1, SCN1A, SCN1B, KCNA1, KCND2. CONCLUSION: The ELT is a complex disease and its development could depend on either genetics factors or other factors. Functional studies are necessary in order to correlate its molecular basis and their development.

[Role of astrocytes activated by albumin in epileptogenesis]. / Participación de los astrocitos activados mediante albúmina en la epileptogénesis.

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy is one of the major neurological disorders characterized by spontaneous and recurrent seizures. Despite progress in the understanding of epilepsy, the exact network underlying the seizures is unclear. DEVELOPMENT: Actually the role of astrocytes in modulation of neuronal activity and the synaptic transmission is clear, making astrocytes as important players in processing of information in the central nervous system. These characteristics make us think that astrocytes have an important role in the epileptogenesis. Disruption of blood brain-barrier let the pass of albumin, and it could uptake into astrocytes. Numerous authors suggest that this can contribute to epileptogenesis. CONCLUSION: In view the data obtained from these factors (astrocytes and albumin), future studies will undoubted further to know its relation with epileptogenesis in humans and as therapeutics aims.

Participación de los astrocitos activados mediante albúmina en la epileptogénesis / Role of astrocytes activated by albumin in epileptogenesis

Introducción. La epilepsia es uno de los mayores trastornos neurológicos, afectando a cerca del 0,5-2% de la población mundial. Se caracteriza por la aparición de crisis espontáneas de forma recurrente. A pesar de los avances en el entendimiento de la epilepsia, las bases celulares exactas por las que ocurre la epilepsia humana no están claras. Desarrollo. Actualmente, el papel de los astrocitos en la modulación de la actividad neuronal y la transmisión sináptica está consolidado,ya que estas células se han convertido en unos actores importantes en el manejo de la información en el sistema nervioso. Estas características pueden hacen pensar en los astrocitos como elementos que poseen un papel importante, cuanto menos, en la epileptogénesis. Numerosos autores relacionan la rotura de la barrera hematoencefálica con la epilepsia, lo que origina laentrada masiva de albúmina al cerebro, donde ésta sería captada por los astrocitos, convirtiéndose en un factor importante en la alteración de su actividad y desencadenando cambios en ellos que conducirían a la epileptogénesis. Conclusión. A la vista de los datos observados para estos dos factores (astrocitos y albúmina), sin duda debería plantearse la realización de estudios para conocer en profundidad su implicación en la epileptogénesis y su posible uso como dianas terapéuticas

Introduction. Epilepsy is one of the major neurological disorders characterized by spontaneous and recurrentseizures. Despite progress in the understanding of epilepsy, the exact network underlying the seizures is unclear. Development. Actually the role of astrocytes in modulation of neuronal activity and the synaptic transmission is clear, making astrocytes asimportant players in processing of information in the central nervous system. These characteristics make us think that astrocytes have an important role in the epileptogenesis. Disruption of blood brain-barrier let the pass of albumin, and it could uptake into astrocytes. Numerous authors suggest that this can contribute to epileptogenesis. Conclusion. In view thedata obtained from these factors (astrocytes and albumin), future studies will undoubted further to know its relation with epileptogenesis in humans and as therapeutics aims