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International Journal of Nursing Studies Dec 2020Drowsy driving following the night shift is persistent among nurses resulting in elevated rates of vehicle crashes and crash-related injuries and deaths. While...
BACKGROUND
Drowsy driving following the night shift is persistent among nurses resulting in elevated rates of vehicle crashes and crash-related injuries and deaths. While considerable effort has been dedicated to the development of countermeasures, implementation of these countermeasures in nursing has lagged behind other shift work oriented industries. Developing effective countermeasures for drowsy driving in nurses requires a thorough characterization of nurse's perceptions of drowsy driving and potential mitigations.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this research was to elicit night shift nurses' perceptions of drowsy driving, countermeasures, and educational and technological interventions.
DESIGN
Perceptions were elicited through a semi-structured interview protocol. The protocol design was driven by previously identified research gaps. Questions focused on four topics: perceptions of drowsy driving, current practices and methods to mitigate drowsiness during the shift and commute, preferences and expectations for training on drowsiness management, and, preferences and expectations for technological mitigations.
SETTING
The data collection took place at a large urban hospital in Texas, USA.
PARTICIPANTS
Thirty night-shift nurses were recruited with voluntary sampling. No nurses declined to participate after initially consenting. The participants were male and female nurses who currently worked a 12 hour night shift. The nurses had between 1 and more than 20 years of experience and worked in a variety of units.
METHOD
The interview recordings were transcribed by the research team and entered into a qualitative data analysis software. Transcripts were analyzed by two independent coders with a grounded theory approach to identify common themes and subthemes across participants.
FINDINGS
Feelings of drowsiness typically manifested immediately following the shift or during the post work commute. Nurses responded to drowsiness by engaging in multiple ineffective countermeasures (e.g., listening to music) and effective countermeasures (e.g., naps) were used sparingly. Experiences and mitigation methods traversed through the nurses' social network although they did not always alter behavior. Nurses were uncertain but enthusiastic about educational and technological interventions preferring practical training and auditory interactive alerts.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest a strong need for real time drowsiness interventions during or immediately prior to nurses' post work commutes. Nurses' enthusiasm for training and technology to prevent drowsy driving suggests high levels of readiness and acceptance for such interventions. Future work should focus on the development and implementation of practical training and technological interventions for drowsy driving in nurses.
Topics: Automobile Driving; Female; Humans; Male; Nurses; Qualitative Research; Sleep; Wakefulness
PubMed: 32703687
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103600 -
The Plant Journal : For Cell and... Aug 2014Lipids are the major constituents of biological membranes that can sense extracellular conditions. Lipid-mediated signaling occurs in response to various environmental... (Review)
Review
Lipids are the major constituents of biological membranes that can sense extracellular conditions. Lipid-mediated signaling occurs in response to various environmental stresses, such as temperature change, salinity, drought and pathogen attack. Lysophospholipid, fatty acid, phosphatidic acid, diacylglycerol, inositol phosphate, oxylipins, sphingolipid, and N-acylethanolamine have all been proposed to function as signaling lipids. Studies on these stress-inducible lipid species have demonstrated that each lipid class has specific biological relevance, biosynthetic mechanisms and signaling cascades, which activate defense reactions at the transcriptional level. In addition to their roles in signaling, lipids also function as stress mitigators to reduce the intensity of stressors. To mitigate particular stresses, enhanced syntheses of unique lipids that accumulate in trace quantities under normal growth conditions are often observed under stressed conditions. The accumulation of oligogalactolipids and glucuronosyldiacylglycerol has recently been found to mitigate freezing and nutrition-depletion stresses, respectively, during lipid remodeling. In addition, wax, cutin and suberin, which are not constituents of the lipid bilayer, but are components derived from lipids, contribute to the reduction of drought stress and tissue injury. These features indicate that lipid-mediated defenses against environmental stress contributes to plant survival.
Topics: Adaptation, Physiological; Lipid Metabolism; Plants; Signal Transduction; Stress, Physiological
PubMed: 24844563
DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12556 -
Biological Reviews of the Cambridge... Feb 2018Forest ecosystems are critical to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through carbon sequestration. However, climate change has affected forest ecosystem functioning in... (Review)
Review
Forest ecosystems are critical to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through carbon sequestration. However, climate change has affected forest ecosystem functioning in both negative and positive ways, and has led to shifts in species/functional diversity and losses in plant species diversity which may impair the positive effects of diversity on ecosystem functioning. Biodiversity may mitigate climate change impacts on (I) biodiversity itself, as more-diverse systems could be more resilient to climate change impacts, and (II) ecosystem functioning through the positive relationship between diversity and ecosystem functioning. By surveying the literature, we examined how climate change has affected forest ecosystem functioning and plant diversity. Based on the biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning (B→EF), we specifically address the potential for biodiversity to mitigate climate change impacts on forest ecosystem functioning. For this purpose, we formulate a concept whereby biodiversity may reduce the negative impacts or enhance the positive impacts of climate change on ecosystem functioning. Further B→EF studies on climate change in natural forests are encouraged to elucidate how biodiversity might influence ecosystem functioning. This may be achieved through the detailed scrutiny of large spatial/long temporal scale data sets, such as long-term forest inventories. Forest management strategies based on B→EF have strong potential for augmenting the effectiveness of the roles of forests in the mitigation of climate change impacts on ecosystem functioning.
Topics: Biodiversity; Climate Change; Forests; Models, Biological; Plants; Time Factors
PubMed: 28695682
DOI: 10.1111/brv.12351 -
The Science of the Total Environment Dec 2021Biochar possesses a unique porous structure and abundant surface functional groups, which can potentially help mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from compost. This... (Review)
Review
Biochar possesses a unique porous structure and abundant surface functional groups, which can potentially help mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from compost. This review summarizes the properties and functions of biochar, and the effects of biochar on common GHGs (methane (CH), carbon dioxide (CO), and nitrous oxide (NO)) and ammonia (NH, an indirect GHG) during composting. Studies have shown that it is possible to improve the mitigation of GHG emissions during composting by adjusting the biochar amount, type of raw material, pyrolysis temperature, and particle size. Biochar produced from crop residues and woody biomass has a greater effect on mitigating CH, NO, and NH emissions during composting, and GHG emissions can be reduced significantly by adding about 10% (w/w) biochar. Biochar produced by high temperature pyrolysis (500-900 °C) has a greater effect on mitigating CH and NO emissions, whereas biochar generated by low temperature pyrolysis (200-500 °C) is more effective at reducing NH emissions. Interestingly, adding granular biochar is more beneficial for mitigating CH emissions, whereas adding powdered biochar is better at reducing NH emissions. According to the current research status, developing new methods for producing and using biochar (e.g., modified or combined with other additives) should be the focus of future research into mitigating GHG emissions during composting. The findings summarized in this review may provide a reference to allow the establishment of standards for using biochar to mitigate GHG emissions from compost.
Topics: Carbon Dioxide; Charcoal; Composting; Greenhouse Gases; Methane; Nitrous Oxide; Soil
PubMed: 34332388
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149294 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Nov 2022High soil copper (Cu) concentrations in vineyards can cause phytotoxicity to grapevine rootstocks. In order to mitigate toxicity, the use of grapevine rootstock genetic...
High soil copper (Cu) concentrations in vineyards can cause phytotoxicity to grapevine rootstocks. In order to mitigate toxicity, the use of grapevine rootstock genetic variation and the application of amendments are possible strategies. The aim of this study is to assess the tolerance of grapevine rootstocks to Cu excess and whether phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) can reduce phytotoxicity caused by Cu. Grapevine rootstock seedlings were produced from selected stakes: Paulsen 1103 (Vitis berlandieri × Vitis rupestris); SO4 (Vitis berlandieri × Vitis riparia); IAC 572 ((Vitis Riparia × Vitis rupestris) × Vitis caribaea); and Isabel (Vitis labrusca). Seedlings were grown in nutrition solution added with the following treatments: 0.3 µM Cu (control); 60 µM Cu; 60 µM Cu and 62 mg L P; 60 µM Cu and 400 mg L Ca. High Cu concentration caused phytotoxicity in all rootstocks, impairing their growth and decreasing nutrient concentration and photosynthetic activity. P and Ca addition had positive effect on the photosynthetic activity of all rootstocks, although it was not enough to revert growth to levels comparable with controls. Overall, based on the results, the application of P and Ca was not efficient in mitigating Cu phytotoxicity in grapevine plants grown in solution. Isabel was the most sensitive rootstock to Cu phytotoxicity, whereas Paulsen 1103 and SO4 presented more tolerance and can be used, together with other management strategies, in contaminated vineyard areas. Therefore, careful genotype rootstock selection for use in high Cu soils is important, while Ca and P are not efficient mitigators of Cu toxicity.
Topics: Copper; Phosphorus; Calcium; Vitis; Soil; Plant Roots
PubMed: 35759094
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21515-0 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Dec 2023Z-lines are core ultrastructural organizers of cardiomyocytes that modulate many facets of cardiac pathogenesis. Yet a comprehensive proteomic atlas of Z-line-associated...
UNLABELLED
Z-lines are core ultrastructural organizers of cardiomyocytes that modulate many facets of cardiac pathogenesis. Yet a comprehensive proteomic atlas of Z-line-associated components remain incomplete. Here, we established an adeno-associated virus (AAV)-delivered, cardiomyocyte-specific, proximity-labeling approach to characterize the Z-line proteome in vivo. We found palmdelphin (PALMD) as a novel Z-line-associated protein in both adult murine cardiomyocytes and human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes. Germline and cardiomyocyte-specific knockout mice were grossly normal at baseline but exhibited compromised cardiac hypertrophy and aggravated cardiac injury upon long-term isoproterenol treatment. By contrast, cardiomyocyte-specific PALMD overexpression was sufficient to mitigate isoproterenol-induced cardiac injury. PALMD ablation perturbed transverse tubules (T-tubules) and their association with sarcoplasmic reticulum, which formed the Z-line-associated junctional membrane complex (JMC) essential for calcium handling and cardiac function. These phenotypes were associated with disrupted localization of T-tubule markers caveolin-3 (CAV3) and junctophilin-2 (JPH2) and the reduction of nexilin (NEXN) protein, a crucial Z-line-associated protein that is essential for both Z-line and JMC structures and functions. PALMD was found to interact with NEXN and enhance its protein stability while the mRNA level was not affected. Together, this study discovered PALMD as a potential target for myocardial protection and highlighted in vivo proximity proteomics as a powerful approach to nominate novel players regulating cardiac pathogenesis.
HIGHLIGHTS
In vivo proximity proteomics uncover novel Z-line components that are undetected in in vitro proximity proteomics in cardiomyocytes.PALMD is a novel Z-line-associated protein that is dispensable for baseline cardiomyocyte function in vivo.PALMD mitigates cardiac dysfunction and myocardial injury after repeated isoproterenol insults.PALMD stabilizes NEXN, an essential Z-line-associated regulator of the junctional membrane complex and cardiac systolic function.
PubMed: 38106146
DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.06.570334 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) May 2021The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the different systems and techniques aimed at suppressing vibrations on optical ground-based telescopes.... (Review)
Review
The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the different systems and techniques aimed at suppressing vibrations on optical ground-based telescopes. We identified the studies by searching three electronic databases (Science Direct, IEEE library and Web of Science) from the year 2000 to December 2020. The studies were eligible if they proposed systems focused on mitigating the effects of vibrations in optical telescopes and brought performance data. A total of nine studies met our eligibility criteria. Current evidence confirms the feasibility of adaptative optics (AO) systems based on closed-loop control to mitigate vibrations, although variations and additions should be made depending on their nature and characteristics in order to improve the performance of the proposed techniques. This systematic review was conducted to provide a state-of-the-art of the methods and techniques that have been developed over the past two decades. The review also points out some issues that demand future research.
PubMed: 34067327
DOI: 10.3390/s21113613 -
Water Research Oct 2023Microbial degradation to remove residual antibiotics in wastewater is of growing interest. However, biological treatment of antibiotics may cause resistance...
Microbial degradation to remove residual antibiotics in wastewater is of growing interest. However, biological treatment of antibiotics may cause resistance dissemination by mutations and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In this study, a Mn(Ⅱ)-oxidizing bacterium (MnOB), Pseudomonas aeruginosa MQ2, simultaneously degraded antibiotics, decreased HGT, and mitigated antibiotic resistance mutation. Intracellular Mn(II) levels increased during manganese oxidation, and biogenic manganese oxides (BioMnOx, including Mn(II), Mn(III) and Mn(IV)) tightly coated the cell surface. Mn(II) bio-oxidation mitigated antibiotic resistance acquisition from an E. coli ARG donor and mitigated antibiotic resistance inducement by decreasing conjugative transfer and mutation, respectively. BioMnOx also oxidized ciprofloxacin (1 mg/L) and tetracycline (5 mg/L), respectively removing 93% and 96% within 24 h. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that two new multicopper oxidase and one peroxidase genes are involved in Mn(II) oxidation. Downregulation of SOS response, multidrug resistance and type Ⅳ secretion system related genes explained that Mn(II) and BioMnOx decreased HGT and mitigated resistance mutation by alleviating oxidative stress, which makes recipient cells more vulnerable to ARG acquisition and mutation. A manganese bio-oxidation based reactor was constructed and completely removed tetracycline with environmental concentration within 4-hour hydraulic retention time. Overall, this study suggests that Mn (II) bio-oxidation process could be exploited to control antibiotic contamination and mitigate resistance propagation during water treatment.
Topics: Manganese; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Escherichia coli; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxides; Manganese Compounds; Tetracycline
PubMed: 37549546
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120442 -
Frontiers in Pharmacology 2021There are no FDA-approved drugs to mitigate the delayed effects of radiation exposure that may occur after a radiological attack or nuclear accident. To date,...
There are no FDA-approved drugs to mitigate the delayed effects of radiation exposure that may occur after a radiological attack or nuclear accident. To date, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are one of the most successful candidates for mitigation of hematopoietic, lung, kidney, and brain injuries in rodent models and may mitigate delayed radiation injuries after radiotherapy. Rat models of partial body irradiation sparing part of one hind leg (leg-out PBI) have been developed to simultaneously expose multiple organs to high doses of ionizing radiation and avoid lethal hematological toxicity to study the late effects of radiation. Exposures between 9 and 14 Gy damage the gut and bone marrow (acute radiation syndrome), followed by delayed injuries to the lung, heart, and kidney. The goal of the current study is to compare the pharmacokinetics (PK) of a lead angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, lisinopril, in irradiated vs. nonirradiated rats, as a step toward licensure by the FDA. Female WAG/RijCmcr rats were irradiated with 12.5-13 Gy leg-out PBI. At day 35 after irradiation, during a latent period for injury, irradiated and nonirradiated siblings received a single gavage (0.3 mg, 0.6 mg) or intravenous injection (0.06 mg) of lisinopril. Plasma, urine, lung, liver and kidney levels of lisinopril were measured at different times. PK modeling (R package) was performed to track distribution of lisinopril in different compartments. A two-compartment (central plasma and periphery) PK model best fit lisinopril measurements, with two additional components, the gavage and urine. The absorption and renal clearance rates were similar between nonirradiated and irradiated animals (respectively: ratios 0.883, = 0.527; 0.943, = 0.605). Inter-compartmental clearance (from plasma to periphery) for the irradiated rats was lower than for the nonirradiated rats (ratio 0.615, = 0.003), while the bioavailability of the drug was 33% higher (ratio = 1.326, < 0.001). Since receptors for lisinopril are present in endothelial cells lining blood vessels, and radiation induces vascular regression, it is possible that less lisinopril remains bound in irradiated rats, increasing circulating levels of the drug. However, this study cannot rule out changes in total amount of lisinopril absorbed or excreted long-term, after irradiation in rats.
PubMed: 33986677
DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.646076 -
The Science of the Total Environment Jul 2021Modern lifestyle demands high-end commodities, for instance, cosmetics, detergents, shampoos, household cleaning, sanitary items, medicines, and so forth. In recent... (Review)
Review
Modern lifestyle demands high-end commodities, for instance, cosmetics, detergents, shampoos, household cleaning, sanitary items, medicines, and so forth. In recent years, these products' consumption has increased considerably, being antibiotics and some other pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs). Several antibiotics and PPCPs represent a wide range of emerging contaminants with a straight ingress into aquatic systems, given their high persistence in seawater, effluent treatment plants, and even drinking water. Under these considerations, the necessity of developing new and affordable technologies for the treatment and sustainable mitigation of pollutants is highly requisite for a safer and cleaner environment. One possible mitigation solution is an effective deployment of nanotechnological cues as promising matrices that can contribute by attending issues and improving the current strategies to detect, prevent, and mitigate hazardous pollutants in water. Focused on nanoparticles' distinctive physical and chemical properties, such as high surface area, small size, and shape, metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been investigated for water remediation. MNPs gained increasing interest among research groups due to their superior efficiency, stability, and high catalyst activity compared with conventional systems. This review summarizes the occurrence of antibiotics and PPCPs and the application of MNPs as pollutant mitigators in the aquatic environment. The work also focuses on transportation fate, toxicity, and current regulations for environmental safety.
Topics: Cosmetics; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Pollutants; Organic Chemicals; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Seawater; Wastewater; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 34030232
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146465