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BMC Medical Education Jun 2024The extreme vulnerability experienced by patients in palliative care may result in significant distress. These patients require appropriate care while not pathologizing...
BACKGROUND
The extreme vulnerability experienced by patients in palliative care may result in significant distress. These patients require appropriate care while not pathologizing their natural distress. Given the challenges of caring for people experiencing significant distress, it is important to understand what professionals in training may feel when caring for patients in palliative care. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore how professionals in training feel when confronted with the distress of patients undergoing palliative care.
METHODS
A qualitative study employing interpretative phenomenological analysis was conducted. In 2022, 11 physicians in training were interviewed about their experiences with distressed patients due to palliative care. The interviews were conducted via video conference. The students participated in the national palliative care cross-training and were in their final year of residency training.
RESULTS
The interviews revealed the following five themes: feelings of powerlessness, duty to act, difficulty in building a relationship, feeling insecure about oneself, and creating a space for listening and relating. All participants felt powerless in front of their patient's distress. Numerous defense mechanisms were identified that made the relationship with the patient difficult. Four participants described being able to create a space for listening and relating to their patients.
CONCLUSIONS
A minority of students could establish a quality relationship with their distressed patients. Two concepts, interprofessional education and the patient-centered approach, were identified and could be developed in training.
Topics: Humans; Palliative Care; Qualitative Research; Female; Male; Adult; Physician-Patient Relations; Students, Medical; Stress, Psychological; Internship and Residency; Physicians; Attitude of Health Personnel; Interviews as Topic
PubMed: 38926746
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05668-9 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024Early season carrot (Daucus carota) production is being practiced in Punjab, Pakistan to meet the market demand but high temperature hampers the seed germination and...
Early season carrot (Daucus carota) production is being practiced in Punjab, Pakistan to meet the market demand but high temperature hampers the seed germination and seedling establishment which cause marked yield reduction. Seed priming with potassium nitrate breaks the seed dormancy and improves the seed germination and seedling growth potential but effects vary among the species and ecological conditions. The mechanism of KNO priming in high temperature stress tolerance is poorly understood yet. Thus, present study aimed to evaluate high temperature stress tolerance potential of carrot seeds primed with potassium nitrate and impacts on growth, physiological, and antioxidant defense systems. Carrot seeds of a local cultivar (T-29) were primed with various concentration of KNO (T: unprimed (negative control), T: hydroprimed (positive control), T: 50 mM, T:100mM, T: 150 mM, T: 200 mM, T: 250 mM and T: 300 mM) for 12 h each in darkness at 20 ± 2℃. Seed priming with 50 mM of KNO significantly enhanced the seed germination (36%), seedling growth (28%) with maximum seedling vigor (55%) and also exhibited 16.75% more carrot root biomass under high temperature stress as compared to respective control. Moreover, enzymatic activities including peroxidase, catalase, superoxidase dismutase, total phenolic contents, total antioxidants contents and physiological responses of plants were also improved in response to seed priming under high temperature stress. By increasing the level of KNO, seed germination, growth and root biomass were reduced. These findings suggest that seed priming with 50 mM of KNO can be an effective strategy to improve germination, growth and yield of carrot cultivar (T-29) under high temperature stress in early cropping. This study also proposes that KNO may induces the stress memory by heritable modulations in chromosomal structure and methylation and acetylation of histones that may upregulate the hormonal and antioxidant activities to enhance the stress tolerance in plants.
Topics: Antioxidants; Seedlings; Nitrates; Seeds; Daucus carota; Potassium Compounds; Germination; Hot Temperature
PubMed: 38926658
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05292-1 -
Journal of Atherosclerosis and... Jun 2024Decades of research have reshaped our understanding of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) , shifting our focus from cholesterol (C) levels to multifaceted functionalities....
Decades of research have reshaped our understanding of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) , shifting our focus from cholesterol (C) levels to multifaceted functionalities. Epidemiological studies initially suggested an association between HDL-C levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk; however, such a simple association has not been indicated by recent studies. Notably, genome-wide studies have highlighted discrepancies between HDL-C levels and CVD outcomes, urging a deeper exploration of the role of HDL. The key to this shift lies in elucidating the role of HDL in reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), which is a fundamental anti-atherosclerotic mechanism. Understanding RCT has led to the identification of therapeutic targets and novel interventions for atherosclerosis. However, clinical trials have underscored the limitations of HDL-C as a therapeutic target, prompting the re-evaluation of the role of HDL in disease prevention. Further investigations have revealed the involvement of HDL composition in various diseases other than CVD, including chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer's disease, and autoimmune diseases. The anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anti-infectious properties of HDL have emerged as crucial aspects of its protective function, opening new avenues for novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Omics technologies have provided insights into the diverse composition of HDL, revealing disease-specific alterations in the HDL proteome and lipidome. In addition, combining cell-based and cell-free assays has facilitated the evaluation of the HDL functionality across diverse populations, offering the potential for personalized medicine. Overall, a comprehensive understanding of HDL multifunctionality leads to promising prospects for future clinical applications and therapeutic developments, extending beyond cardiovascular health.
PubMed: 38925924
DOI: 10.5551/jat.RV22020 -
Biomolecular Concepts Jan 2024Bisphenol A (BPA) and -nitrophenol (PNP) are emerging contaminants of soils due to their wide presence in agricultural and industrial products. Thus, the present study...
Bisphenol A (BPA) and -nitrophenol (PNP) are emerging contaminants of soils due to their wide presence in agricultural and industrial products. Thus, the present study aimed to integrate morpho-physiological, ionic homeostasis, and defense- and antioxidant-related genes in the response of tomato plants to BPA or PNP stress, an area of research that has been scarcely studied. In this work, increasing the levels of BPA and PNP in the soil intensified their drastic effects on the biomass and photosynthetic pigments of tomato plants. Moreover, BPA and PNP induced osmotic stress on tomato plants by reducing soluble sugars and soluble proteins relative to control. The soil contamination with BPA and PNP treatments caused a decline in the levels of macro- and micro-elements in the foliar tissues of tomatoes while simultaneously increasing the contents of non-essential micronutrients. The Fourier transform infrared analysis of the active components in tomato leaves revealed that BPA influenced the presence of certain functional groups, resulting in the absence of some functional groups, while on PNP treatment, there was a shift observed in certain functional groups compared to the control. At the molecular level, BPA and PNP induced an increase in the gene expression of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase, with the exception of POD gene expression under BPA stress. The expression of the thaumatin-like protein gene increased at the highest level of PNP and a moderate level of BPA without any significant effect of both pollutants on the expression of the tubulin (TUB) gene. The comprehensive analysis of biochemical responses in tomato plants subjected to BPA and PNP stress illustrates valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying tolerance to these pollutants.
Topics: Solanum lycopersicum; Phenols; Benzhydryl Compounds; Antioxidants; Nitrophenols; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant Proteins; Plant Leaves; Soil Pollutants
PubMed: 38924751
DOI: 10.1515/bmc-2022-0049 -
Science Advances Jun 2024Thoeris defense systems protect bacteria from infection by phages via abortive infection. In these systems, ThsB proteins serve as sensors of infection and generate...
Thoeris defense systems protect bacteria from infection by phages via abortive infection. In these systems, ThsB proteins serve as sensors of infection and generate signaling nucleotides that activate ThsA effectors. Silent information regulator and SMF/DprA-LOG (SIR2-SLOG) containing ThsA effectors are activated by cyclic ADP-ribose (ADPR) isomers 2'cADPR and 3'cADPR, triggering abortive infection via nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) depletion. Here, we characterize Thoeris systems with transmembrane and macro domain (TM-macro)-containing ThsA effectors. We demonstrate that ThsA macro domains bind ADPR and imidazole adenine dinucleotide (IAD), but not 2'cADPR or 3'cADPR. Combining crystallography, in silico predictions, and site-directed mutagenesis, we show that ThsA macro domains form nucleotide-induced higher-order oligomers, enabling TM domain clustering. We demonstrate that ThsB can produce both ADPR and IAD, and we identify a ThsA TM-macro-specific ThsB subfamily with an active site resembling deoxy-nucleotide and deoxy-nucleoside processing enzymes. Collectively, our study demonstrates that Thoeris systems with SIR2-SLOG and TM-macro ThsA effectors trigger abortive infection via distinct mechanisms.
Topics: Protein Domains; Bacteriophages; Bacterial Proteins; Models, Molecular; NAD; Protein Binding
PubMed: 38924412
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn3310 -
Cell Reports Jun 2024Inhibition of nucleic acid targets is mediated by Argonaute (Ago) proteins guided by RNA or DNA. Although the mechanisms underpinning the functions of eukaryotic and...
Inhibition of nucleic acid targets is mediated by Argonaute (Ago) proteins guided by RNA or DNA. Although the mechanisms underpinning the functions of eukaryotic and "long" prokaryotic Ago proteins (pAgos) are well understood, those for short pAgos remain enigmatic. Here, we determine two cryoelectron microscopy structures of short pAgos in association with the NADase-domain-containing protein Sir2-APAZ from Geobacter sulfurreducens (GsSir2/Ago): the guide RNA-target DNA-loaded GsSir2/Ago quaternary complex (2.58 Å) and the dimer of the quaternary complex (2.93Å). These structures show that the nucleic acid binding causes profound conformational changes that result in disorder or partial dissociation of the Sir2 domain, suggesting that it adopts a NADase-active conformation. Subsequently, two RNA-/DNA-loaded GsSir2/Ago complexes form a dimer through their MID domains, further enhancing NADase activity through synergistic effects. The findings provide a structural basis for short-pAgo-mediated defense against invading nucleic acids.
PubMed: 38923459
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114391 -
Metabolites May 2024Acute inflammation is the body's first defense in response to pathogens or injury that is partially governed by a novel genus of endogenous lipid mediators that... (Review)
Review
Acute inflammation is the body's first defense in response to pathogens or injury that is partially governed by a novel genus of endogenous lipid mediators that orchestrate the resolution of inflammation, coined specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs). SPMs, derived from omega-3-polyunstaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), include the eicosapentaenoic acid-derived and docosahexaenoic acid-derived Resolvins, Protectins, and Maresins. Herein, we review their biosynthesis, structural characteristics, and therapeutic effectiveness in various diseases such as ischemia, viral infections, periodontitis, neuroinflammatory diseases, cystic fibrosis, lung inflammation, herpes virus, and cancer, especially focusing on therapeutic effectiveness in respiratory inflammation and ischemia-related injuries. Resolvins are sub-nanomolar potent agonists that accelerate the resolution of inflammation by reducing excessive neutrophil infiltration, stimulating macrophage functions including phagocytosis, efferocytosis, and tissue repair. In addition to regulating neutrophils and macrophages, Resolvins control dendritic cell migration and T cell responses, and they also reduce the pro-inflammatory cytokines, proliferation, and metastasis of cancer cells. Importantly, several lines of evidence have demonstrated that Resolvins reduce tumor progression in melanoma, oral squamous cell carcinoma, lung cancer, and liver cancer. In addition, Resolvins enhance tumor cell debris clearance by macrophages in the tumor's microenvironment. Resolvins, with their unique stereochemical structure, receptors, and biosynthetic pathways, provide a novel therapeutical approach to activating resolution mechanisms during cancer progression.
PubMed: 38921449
DOI: 10.3390/metabo14060314 -
Metabolites May 2024The spp. represents the most commonly produced, transitioned, and consumed fruit around the globe, with several important applications in the biotechnology,...
The spp. represents the most commonly produced, transitioned, and consumed fruit around the globe, with several important applications in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Moko disease is produced by -a factor with a high impact on all crops in Ecuador, representing one of the biggest phytosanitary problems. Four of the most common varieties of spp. were tested to identify the metabolic reaction of plants facing Moko disease. The phenolic and flavonoid content has been evaluated as a defense system, and the α-diphenyl-α-picrylhydrazyl free-radical-scavenging method (DPPH), free-radical-scavenging activity (ABTS), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, and liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS) have been adapted to analyze the active compounds with the antioxidant capacity necessary to counteract the pathogenic attack. Our results indicate that all the studied varieties of spp. react in the same way, such that the diseased samples showed a higher accumulation of secondary metabolites with antioxidant capacity compared with the healthy ones, with high active compound synthesis identified during the appearance of Moko disease symptoms. More than 40 compounds and their derivatives (from kaempferol and quercetin glycosides) with protective roles demonstrate the implication of the spp. defense system against infection.
PubMed: 38921442
DOI: 10.3390/metabo14060307 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Several strains of are applied in the field to control plant diseases due to their capacity to suppress fungal pathogens and control plant diseases. Some strains also...
Several strains of are applied in the field to control plant diseases due to their capacity to suppress fungal pathogens and control plant diseases. Some strains also are able to promote plant growth through the production of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). In southern Thailand, the local rice variety "Chor Khing" is mainly cultivated in the Songkhla province; it is characterized by slow growth and is susceptible to sheath blight caused by . Therefore, this research aimed to screen species with the ability to promote plant growth in this rice variety and enact biological control against . A total of 21 isolates were screened for indole compound production using the Salkowski reagent. The Z2-03 isolate reacted positively to the Salkowski reagent, indicating the production of the indole compound. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPCL) confirmed that Z2-03 produced IAA at 35.58 ± 7.60 μg/mL. The cell-free culture filtrate of the potato dextrose broth (CF) of Z2-03 induced rice germination in rice seeds, yielding root and shoot lengths in cell-free CF-treated rice that were significantly higher than those of the control (distilled water and culture broth alone). Furthermore, inoculation with conidia promoted rice growth and induced a defense response against during the seedling stage. Z2-03 displayed an antifungal capacity against , achieving 74.17% inhibition (as measured through dual culture assay) and the production of siderophores on the CAS medium. The pot experiment revealed that inoculation with the sp. Z2-03 conidial suspension increased the number of tillers and the plant height in the "Chor Khing" rice variety, and suppressed the percentage of disease incidence (PDI). The isolate Z2-03 was identified, based on the morphology and molecular properties of ITS, translation elongation factor 1-alpha (), and RNA polymerase 2 (), as Z2-03. Our results reveal the ability of Z2-03 to act as a plant growth promoter, enhancing growth and development in the "Chor Khing" rice variety, as well as a biological control agent through its competition and defense induction mechanism in this rice variety.
PubMed: 38921403
DOI: 10.3390/jof10060417 -
Journal of Fungi (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Selenium (Se) pollution poses serious threats to terrestrial ecosystems. Mushrooms are important sources of Se with the potential for bioremediation. Pre-eminent Se...
BACKGROUND
Selenium (Se) pollution poses serious threats to terrestrial ecosystems. Mushrooms are important sources of Se with the potential for bioremediation. Pre-eminent Se resources must possess the ability to tolerate high levels of Se. To obtain Se-accumulating fungi, we isolated selenite-tolerance-enhanced JNUSE-200 through adaptive evolution.
METHODS
The molecular mechanism responsible for selenite tolerance and accumulation was explored in JNUSE-200 by comparing it with the original strain, CGMCC 5.26, using a combination of physiological and transcriptomic approaches.
RESULTS
JNUSE-200 demonstrated tolerance to 200 mg/kg selenite in liquid culture and exhibited normal growth, whereas CGMCC 5.26 experienced reduced growth, red coloration, and an unpleasant odor as a result of exposure to selenite at the same concentration. In this study, JNUSE-200 developed a triple defense mechanism against high-level selenite toxicity, and the key genes responsible for improved selenite tolerance were identified.
CONCLUSIONS
The present study offers novel insights into the molecular responses of fungi towards selenite, providing theoretical guidance for the breeding and cultivation of Se-accumulating varieties. Moreover, it significantly enhances the capacity of the bio-manufacturing industry and contributes to the development of beneficial applications in environmental biotechnology through fungal selenite transformation bioprocesses.
PubMed: 38921401
DOI: 10.3390/jof10060415