ABSTRACT
Hybrid organic-inorganic (dendritic polymer-silica) xerogels containing silver nanoparticles (Ag Nps) were developed as antibacterial leather coatings. The preparation method is environmentally friendly and is based on two biomimetic reactions. Silica gelation and spontaneous Ag Nps formation were both mediated by hyperbranched poly (ethylene imine) (PEI) scaffolds of variable Mw (2000–750,000). The formation of precursor hydrogels was monitored by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The chemical composition of the xerogels was assessed by infrared spectroscopy (IR) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), while the uniformity of the coatings was established by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The release properties of coated leather samples and their overall behavior in water in comparison to untreated analogs were investigated by Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. Antibacterial activity was tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, and antibiofilm properties against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Enterococcus faecalis, while the SARS-CoV-2 clinical isolate was employed for the first estimation of their antiviral potential. Toxicity was evaluated using the Jurkat E6.1 cell line. Finally, water-contact angle measurements were implemented to determine the enhancement of the leather surface hydrophilicity caused by these composite layers. The final advanced products are intended for use in medical applications.
ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary field that promises to reshape many spheres of our lives. One core activity in nanotechnology is the synthesis of nanoparticles. Here, we introduce a research-based activity centered on the use of zein, the main constitutive protein in maize, as a raw material for the synthesis of nanoparticles. In the context of the contingency imposed by COVID-19, this experimental activity was designed to be independent of a central laboratory. Therefore, it was enabled by a portable heating do-it-yourself (DIY) device that the students assembled in their own home. We describe the implementation of this activity as part of a graduate-level seminar series, and share our observations. We assessed the students' knowledge on seven topics related to nanotechnology, do-it-yourself devices, and protein synthesis. The students appeared to perceive that their degree of knowledge had advanced (on average) in all the learning topics;the students stated that their degree of knowledge in the topics of assembly of devices and protein structure had advanced the most. The results of this assessment suggest that this simple, hands-on, research-based activity effectively engaged students in a learning process that allowed them to integrate knowledge while exercising their experimental skills. In addition, we show that these types of activities are suitable for implementation even in circumstances of restricted access to laboratory facilities, such as the ones recently experienced during the pandemic.
ABSTRACT
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused an increase in antibiotic use in different settings. We describe the antibiotic prescribing prevalence, associated factors and trends, as well as concomitant bacterial infections in children hospitalized with COVID-19 or multisystemic inflammatory syndrome related to SARS-CoV-2 in Spain.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , COVID-19/complications , COVID-19/epidemiology , Child , Humans , Prevalence , SARS-CoV-2 , Spain/epidemiology , Systemic Inflammatory Response SyndromeABSTRACT
Automatic prediction of the aesthetic value of images has received increasing attention in recent years. This is due, on the one hand, to the potential impact that predicting the aesthetic value has on practical applications. Even so, it remains a difficult task given the subjectivity and complexity of the problem. An image aesthetics assessment system was developed in recent years by our research group. In this work, its potential to be applied in commercial tasks is tested. With this objective, a set of three portals and three real estate agencies in Spain were taken as case studies. Images of their websites were taken to build the experimental dataset and a validation method was developed to test their original order with another proposed one according to their aesthetic value. So, in this new order, the images that have the high aesthetic score by the AI system will occupy the first positions of the portal. Relevant results were obtained, with an average increase of 52.54% in the number of clicks on the ads, in the experiment with Real Estate portals. A statistical analysis prove that there is a significant difference in the number of clicks after selecting the images with the AI system.
ABSTRACT
RESUMEN: Los Programas Universitarios para Personas Mayores (PUM) brindan espacios organizados de formación, interacción y relación social. La situación de emergencia internacional provocada por la pandemia COVID19 ha significado el cierre casi total de este tipo de programas, limitando el contacto y las relaciones personales en condiciones de presencialidad. Esta situación, junto a un potente y cada vez más accesible escenario tecnológico conducen a valorar nuevas áreas de formación y aprendizaje online, también para las personas mayores. Este estudio tiene por objetivo explorar la intención de participación en un programa universitario de mayores en formato online. Esta intención puede predecirse en función de determi nados factores o variables de tipo sociodemográfico y contextual. En el estudio participaron un total de 1633 personas mayores con una media de edad de 68,2 años, todos ellos asistentes a 17 sedes del PUM de la Comunidad de Castilla y León. Para el tratamiento de los datos se utilizó la técnica no paramétrica de árboles de clasificación. Se consideraron 3 variables criterio («Intención de participar en e-PUM>>;«Actitud hacia TD>>;y «Frecuencia de uso tecnológico») entorno a las cuales se configuran perfiles de sujetos en función de una serie de características individuales sociodemográficas, psicográficas y conductuales, todas ellas consideradas como variables predictoras. Los resultados ofrecen claves para comprender por qué los mayores aceptan (o no aceptan) esta modalidad de participación, identificando perfiles o rasgos que caracterizan cada uno de los perfiles o subgrupos de sujetos con mayor o menor predisposición a este tipo de participación socioeducativa, lo cual puede servir de base en la toma de decisiones de política social y/o educativa.Alternate :The University Programmes for Older Adults (PUM) provide organised spaces for training, interaction and social relations. The international emergency situation caused by the COVID19 pandemic has meant the almost total closure of this type of programme, limiting contact and personal relations in face-to-face conditions. This situation, together with a powerful and increasingly accessible technological scenario, leads to the assessment of new areas of online training and learning, also for older people. This study aims to explore the intention to participate in a university programme for older people in an online format. This intention can be predicted on the basis of certain socio-demographic and contextual factors or variables. A total of 1633 older adults with an average age of 68.2 years participated in the study, all of them attending 17 PUM sites in the Community of Castilla y León. The non-parametric technique of classification trees was used to process the data. Three criterion variables were considered («Intention to participate in e-PUM>>;«Attitude towards TD>>;and «Frequency of technological use>>) around which profiles of subjects are configured according to a series of individual sociodemographic, psychographic and behavioural characteristics, all of them considered as predictor variables. The results offer keys to understanding why the elderly accept (or do not accept) this form of participation, identifying profiles or traits that characterise each of the profiles or subgroups of subjects with a greater or lesser predisposition to this type of socio-educational participation, which can serve as a basis for making social and/ or educational policy decisions.Alternate :RESUMO: Os Programas Universitarios para Adultos Idosos (PUM) proporcionam espaços organizados de formaçao, interacçao e relaçöes sociais. A situaçao de emergencia internacional causada pela pandemia COVID19 implicou o encerramento quase total deste tipo de programa, limitando o contacto e as relaçöes pessoais em condiçöes presenciais. Esta situaçao, juntamente com um cenário tecnológico poderoso e cada vez mais acessível, leva a avaliaçao de novas áreas de formaçao e aprendizagem em linha, ambém para pessoas idosas. Este estudo visa explorar a intençao de participar num programa universitário para pessoas idosas em formato online. Esta intençao pode ser prevista com base em certos factores ou variáveis sociodemográficos e contextuais. Um total de 1633 adultos idosos com uma idade média de 68,2 anos participou no estudo, todos eles frequentando 17 sítios PUM na Comunidade de Castilla y León. A técnica nao paramétrica das árvores de classificaçao foi utilizada para processar os dados. Foram consideradas tres variáveis de critério (<<Intençao de participar em e-PUM>>;<<Atitude para TD>>;e <<Frequencia de uso tecnológico») em torno da qual os perfis dos sujeitos sao configurados de acordo com uma série de características sociodemográficas, psicográficas e comportamentais individuais, todas elas consideradas como variáveis preditoras. Os resultados oferecem chaves para compreender por que razao os idosos aceitam (ou nao aceitam) esta forma de participaçao, identificando perfis ou traços que caracterizam cada um dos perfis ou subgrupos de sujeitos com maior ou menor predisposiçao para este tipo de participaçao sócio-educativa, que pode servir de base para a tomada de decisöes políticas sociais e/ou educativas.
ABSTRACT
The COVID‐19 pandemic offered humanity a portal through which we could break with the past and imagine our world anew. This article reviews how over the course of 2020, a series of intersecting crises at the nexus of racism, settler colonialism, climate change, and sexual harassment have prompted acts of resistance and care in the field of archaeology. Throughout the article, we provide concrete suggestions as to how we can continue the work of movements begun over the course of the past year to improve dynamics within our field and use the lessons from our field to improve life for all people in the world and for our planet. [resistance, care, COVID‐19, 2020, climate change, #MeToo, restorative justice]
ABSTRACT
Caring for people with COVID-19 on the front line has psychological impacts for healthcare professionals. Despite the important psychological impacts of the pandemic on nurses, the qualitative evidence on this topic has not been synthesized. Our objective: To analyze and synthesize qualitative studies that investigate the perceptions of nurses about the psychological impacts of treating hospitalized people with COVID-19 on the front line. A systematic review of qualitative studies published in English or Spanish up to March 2021 was carried out in the following databases: The Cochrane Library, Medline (Pubmed), PsycINFO, Web of Science (WOS), Scopus, and CINHAL. The PRISMA statement and the Cochrane recommendations for qualitative evidence synthesis were followed. Results: The main psychological impacts of caring for people with COVID-19 perceived by nurses working on the front line were fear, anxiety, stress, social isolation, depressive symptoms, uncertainty, and frustration. The fear of infecting family members or being infected was the main repercussion perceived by the nurses. Other negative impacts that this review added and that nurses suffer as the COVID-19 pandemic progress were anger, obsessive thoughts, compulsivity, introversion, apprehension, impotence, alteration of space-time perception, somatization, and feeling of betrayal. Resilience was a coping tool used by nurses. Conclusions: Front line care for people with COVID-19 causes fear, anxiety, stress, social isolation, depressive symptoms, uncertainty, frustration, anger, obsessive thoughts, compulsivity, introversion, apprehension, impotence, alteration of space-time perception, somatization, and feeling of betrayal in nurses. It is necessary to provide front line nurses with the necessary support to reduce the psychological impact derived from caring for people with COVID-19, improve training programs for future pandemics, and analyze the long-term impacts.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Nurses , Anxiety , Anxiety Disorders , Humans , Male , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The fight against the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created a huge demand of biotechnological, pharmaceutical, research and sanitary materials at unprecedented scales. One of the most urgent demands affects the diagnostic tests. The growing need for rapid and accurate laboratory diagnostic tests requires the development of biotechnological processes aimed at producing reagents able to cope with this demand in a scalable, cost-effective manner, with rapid turnaround times. This is particularly applicable to the antigens employed in serological tests. Recombinant protein expression using plants as biofactories is particularly suitable for mass production of protein antigens useful in serological diagnosis, with a neat advantage in economic terms. METHODS: We expressed a large portion of the nucleoprotein (N) derived from SARS-CoV-2 in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. After purification, the recombinant N protein obtained was used to develop an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in human sera. To validate the ELISA, a panel of 416 sera from exposed personnel at essential services in Madrid City Council were tested, and the results compared to those obtained by another ELISA, already validated, used as reference. Furthermore, a subset of samples for which RT-PCR results were available were used to confirm sensitivity and specificity of the test. RESULTS: The performance of the N protein expressed in plants as antigen in serologic test for SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection was shown to be highly satisfactory, with calculated diagnostic sensitivity of 96.41% (95% CI: 93.05-98.44) and diagnostic specificity of 96.37 (95% CI: 93.05-98.44) as compared to the reference ELISA, with a kappa (K) value of 0.928 (95% CI:0.892-0.964). Furthermore, the ELISA developed with plant-derived N antigen detected SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in 84 out of 93 sera from individuals showing RT-PCR positive results (86/93 for the reference ELISA). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the N protein part derived from SARS-CoV-2 expressed in plants performs as a perfectly valid antigen for use in COVID-19 diagnosis. Furthermore, our results support the use of this plant platform for expression of recombinant proteins as reagents for COVID-19 diagnosis. This platform stands out as a convenient and advantageous production system, fit-for-purpose to cope with the current demand of this type of biologicals in a cost-effective manner, making diagnostic kits more affordable.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) and its consequences have placed our societies and healthcare systems under pressure. Also, a major impact on the individual and societal experience of death, dying, and bereavement has been observed. Factors such as social distancing, unexpected death or not being able to say goodbye, which might predict Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD), are taking place. Moreover, hospitals have become a habitual place for End of Life (EOL) situations but not in the usual conditions because, for example, mitigation measures prevent families from being together with hospitalized relatives. Therefore, we implemented an EOL program with a multidisciplinary team involving health social workers (HSW) and clinical psychologists (CP) in coordination with the medical teams and nursing staff. Objectives: We aim to describe an EOL intervention program implemented during COVID-19 in the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (HUVH). We present its structure, circuit, and functions. Descriptive analyses of the sample and the interventions that required psychological and social attention are reported. Material and methods: The total sample consists of 359 relatives of 219 EOL patients. Inclusion criteria were families cared for during the COVID-19 pandemic with family patients admitted to the HUVH in an EOL situation regardless of whether or not the patient was diagnosed with COVID-19. Results: Our program is based on family EOL care perceptions and the COVID-19 context features that hinder EOL situations. The program attended 219 families, of which 55.3% were COVID-19 patients and 44.7% had other pathologies. The EOL intervention program was activated in most of the EOL situations, specifically, in 85% of cases, and 78% of relatives were able to come and say goodbye to their loved ones. An emotional impact on the EOL team was reported. It is necessary to dignify the EOL situation in the COVID-19 pandemic, and appropriate psychosocial attention is needed to try to minimize future complications in grief processes and mitigate PGD.