Amoeboid protists are extremely abundant and diverse in natural systems where they often play outstanding ecological roles. They can be found in almost all major eukaryotic divisions, and genomic approaches are bringing major changes in our perception of their deep evolutionary relationships. At fine taxonomic levels, the generalization of barcoding is revealing a considerable and unsuspected specific diversity that can be appreciated with careful morphometric analyses based on light and electron microscopic observations. We provide examples on the difficulties and advances in amoeboid protists systematics in a selection of groups that were presented at the VIIIth ECOP/ISOP meeting in Rome, 2019. We conclude that, in all studied groups, important taxonomical rearrangements will certainly take place in the next few years, and systematics must be adapted to incorporate these changes. Notably, nomenclature should be flexible enough to integrate many new high level taxa, and a unified policy must be adopted to species description and to the establishment of types.
- MeSH
- Amoebozoa classification MeSH
- Biodiversity MeSH
- Classification * MeSH
- Terminology as Topic MeSH
- Research trends MeSH
- Publication type
- Congress MeSH
Depression is considered the most important disorder affecting mental health. The aim of this systematic integrative review was: (i) to describe the effects of supplementation with adaptogens on variables related to depression in adults; and (ii) to discuss the potential combination with physical exercise to aid planning and commissioning future clinical research. An integrative review was developed complementing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses statement (PROSPERO registration: CRD42021249682). A total of 41 articles met the inclusion criteria. With a Price index of 46.4%, we found that: (i) Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) is the most studied and supported adaptogen (17/41 [41.46%], three systematic reviews with meta-analysis) followed by Crocus sativus L. or saffron (6/41 [14.63%], three systematic reviews with meta-analysis and two systematic reviews); (ii) it is possible that the significantly better performance of adaptogens over placebo is due to the reduction of allostatic load via the action of secondary metabolites on BDNF regulation; and, (iii) the number of studies reporting physical activity levels is limited or null for those that combine an exercise program with the consumption of adaptogens. Aware of the need for a multidisciplinary approach for depression treatment, this systematic integrative review provides an up-to-date view for supporting the use of St. John's Wort and saffron as non-pharmacological strategies while also help commissioning future research on the efficacy of other adaptogens. It also contributes to the design of future clinical research studies that evaluate the consumption of herbal extracts plus physical exercise, mainly resistance training, as a potentially safe and powerful strategy to treat depression.
It is estimated that three to five million sports injuries occur worldwide each year. The highest incidence is reported during competition periods with mainly affectation of the musculoskeletal tissue. For appropriate nutritional management and correct use of nutritional supplements, it is important to individualize based on clinical effects and know the adaptive response during the rehabilitation phase after a sports injury in athletes. Therefore, the aim of this PRISMA in Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sport Medicine and Sports Science PERSiST-based systematic integrative review was to perform an update on nutritional strategies during the rehabilitation phase of musculoskeletal injuries in elite athletes. After searching the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Scopus, PEDro, and Google Scholar, a total of 18 studies met the inclusion criteria (Price Index: 66.6%). The risk of bias assessment for randomized controlled trials was performed using the RoB 2.0 tool while review articles were evaluated using the AMSTAR 2.0 items. Based on the main findings of the selected studies, nutritional strategies that benefit the rehabilitation process in injured athletes include balanced energy intake, and a high-protein and carbohydrate-rich diet. Supportive supervision should be provided to avoid low energy availability. The potential of supplementation with collagen, creatine monohydrate, omega-3 (fish oils), and vitamin D requires further research although the effects are quite promising. It is worth noting the lack of clinical research in injured athletes and the higher number of reviews in the last 10 years. After analyzing the current quantitative and non-quantitative evidence, we encourage researchers to conduct further clinical research studies evaluating doses of the discussed nutrients during the rehabilitation process to confirm findings, but also follow international guidelines at the time to review scientific literature.
- MeSH
- Exercise physiology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Dietary Supplements MeSH
- Athletes MeSH
- Athletic Injuries * MeSH
- Sports * physiology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Review MeSH
- Systematic Review MeSH
Up to 26% of individuals residing in care homes are impacted by cancer. This underscores the importance of understanding the holistic needs of care home residents living with cancer to enhance the quality of their care. The primary objective of this integrative literature review was to consolidate the available evidence concerning the comprehensive needs of people living with cancer in care home settings, providing valuable insights into addressing their diverse needs. An integrative literature review was conducted using a systematic approach. Extensive searches were conducted in three databases, complemented by a thorough examination of grey literature and reference lists of relevant papers. The review focused on literature published between 2012 and 2022. The screening process involved two independent reviewers, with a third reviewer resolving any discrepancies. The review identified twenty research papers that met the eligibility criteria. These papers shed light on three primary themes related to the holistic needs of care home residents with cancer: physical, psychological, and end-of-life needs. Physical needs encompassed pain management, symptom control, and nutrition, while psychological needs involved social support, emotional well-being, and mental health care. End-of-life needs addressed end-of-life care and advance care planning. These themes highlight the multifaceted nature of cancer care in care homes and underscore the importance of addressing residents' holistic needs in a comprehensive and integrated manner. Improving care home education about cancer and integrating palliative and hospice services within this setting are vital for addressing the diverse needs of residents with cancer.
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Review MeSH
(1) Background: Sexual function can be affected up to and beyond 18 months postpartum, with some studies suggesting that spontaneous vaginal birth results in less sexual dysfunction. This review examined the impact of mode of birth on sexual function in the medium- (≥6 months and <12 months postpartum) and longer-term (≥12 months postpartum). (2) Methods: Literature published after January 2000 were identified in PubMed, Embase and CINAHL. Studies that compared at least two modes of birth and used valid sexual function measures were included. Systematic reviews, unpublished articles, protocols and articles not written in English were excluded. Quality was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. (3) Results: In the medium-term, assisted vaginal birth and vaginal birth with episiotomy were associated with worse sexual function, compared to caesarean section. In the longer-term, assisted vaginal birth was associated with worse sexual function, compared with spontaneous vaginal birth and caesarean section; and planned caesarean section was associated with worse sexual function in several domains, compared to spontaneous vaginal birth. (4) Conclusions: Sexual function, in the medium- and longer-term, can be affected by mode of birth. Women should be encouraged to seek support should their sexual function be affected after birth.
- MeSH
- Cesarean Section * adverse effects MeSH
- Episiotomy * adverse effects MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Postpartum Period MeSH
- Parturition MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Delivery, Obstetric adverse effects methods MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Review MeSH
- Systematic Review MeSH
SCOPE: Flavanols are important polyphenols of the human diet with extensive demonstrations of their beneficial effects on cardiometabolic health. They contribute to preserve health acting on a large range of cellular processes. The underlying mechanisms of action of flavanols are not fully understood but involve a nutrigenomic regulation. METHODS AND RESULTS: To further capture how the intake of dietary flavanols results in the modulation of gene expression, nutrigenomics data in response to dietary flavanols obtained from animal models of cardiometabolic diseases have been collected and submitted to a bioinformatics analysis. This systematic analysis shows that dietary flavanols modulate a large range of genes mainly involved in endocrine function, fatty acid metabolism, and inflammation. Several regulators of the gene expression have been predicted and include transcription factors, miRNAs and epigenetic factors. CONCLUSION: This review highlights the complex and multilevel action of dietary flavanols contributing to their strong potential to preserve cardiometabolic health. The identification of the potential molecular mediators and of the flavanol metabolites driving the nutrigenomic response in the target organs is still a pending question which the answer will contribute to optimize the beneficial health effects of dietary bioactives.
- MeSH
- Diet * MeSH
- Cardiovascular Diseases prevention & control MeSH
- Rats MeSH
- Mice MeSH
- Nutrigenomics * MeSH
- Polyphenols administration & dosage MeSH
- Gene Expression Regulation MeSH
- Computational Biology MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Rats MeSH
- Mice MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Systematic Review MeSH
Compassion is a psychological construct that has received increasing attention in recent years. Even though a lot of work has been done to identify neural correlates of empathy across studies, such work has not been properly done on neural correlates of compassion. Therefore, the aim was to systematically review the literature on neural correlates of compassion. We have searched through PsycINFO, PubMed and Web of Science for relevant articles published between 1985 and 2020. We included the studies (n = 35) examining the relationship between brain structure or function and compassion. Screening was performed by two authors, between whom a level of agreement was calculated. The quality of the studies was assessed by measures used in other studies as well by measures specific for our study aims. This study was conducted under PRISMA guidelines. Our analysis revealed that the most frequent neural associations with compassion across all analysed studies can be found in the orbital part of the left inferior frontal gyrus, in the right cerebellum, the bilateral middle temporal gyrus, in the bilateral insula and the right caudate nucleus. Our findings suggest that people displaying a lower compassion tend to have either lower neural activity or a grey matter volume in neural areas associated with reward.
- MeSH
- Empathy * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging MeSH
- Brain Mapping * MeSH
- Brain MeSH
- Cerebral Cortex physiology MeSH
- Gray Matter MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Systematic Review MeSH
(1) Background: A traumatic birth can lead to the development of childbirth-related posttraumatic stress symptoms or disorder (CB-PTS/D). Literature has identified the risk factors for developing CB-PTS/D within the first six months postpartum thoroughly. However, the impact of mode of birth on CB-PTS/D beyond 6 months postpartum is scarcely studied. (2) Methods: A systematic search of the literature was conducted in the databases PubMed, Embase and CINAHL and PRISMA guidelines were followed. Studies were included if they reported the impact of mode of birth on CB-PTS/D beyond 6 months postpartum. (3) Results: In total, 26 quantitative and 2 qualitative studies were included. In the quantitative studies the percentage of women with CB-PTS/D ranged from 0.7% to 42% (between six months and five years postpartum). Compared with vaginal birth, operative vaginal birth, and emergency caesarean section were associated with CB-PTS/D beyond 6 months postpartum. Qualitative studies revealed that some women were suffering from CB-PTS/D as long as 18 years after birth. (4) Conclusions: Long- term screening of women for PTSD in the postnatal period could be beneficial. More research is needed on models of care that help prevent CB-PTS/D, identifying women at risk and factors that maintain CB-PTS/D beyond 6 months postpartum.
- MeSH
- Cesarean Section adverse effects MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Postpartum Period MeSH
- Parturition MeSH
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic * etiology MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Delivery, Obstetric * adverse effects methods MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Review MeSH
- Systematic Review MeSH
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this review was to analyze the effectiveness of teaching healthcare professionals in perinatal palliative care, methods of evaluating the teaching, and the teaching strategies used. DESIGN: An integrative review. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted for English language peer reviewed publications of any research design via SCOPUS, Medline/PubMed, EBSCOhost, Science Direct, ERIC, Web of Science, Wiley, Nursing Ovid, and ProQuest databases. Fourteen research papers published between 2002 and 2017 that met the selection criteria were included in the review. FINDINGS: All 14 studies considered perinatal bereavement education to be effective. Eight studies reported statistical improvements in knowledge, security/comfort in providing end-of-life care, or increased perceptions of the emotional care needs of bereaved families, after attending an educational program. Questionnaires or interviews were used to evaluate the educational programs. Innovative teaching strategies, in particular, were evaluated positively (e.g., simulation, discussion, and arts-based methods). CONCLUSION: Perinatal palliative care education is essential in pregradual education for midwives and neonatal nurses. Other research is vital for finding out the effectiveness of this education for pregraduate nursing students. Perinatal palliative care education programs need to be available in postgraduate education for professionals who encounter perinatal death and bereaved families in hospital and community care.
- MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Neonatal Nursing education MeSH
- Palliative Care methods MeSH
- Students, Nursing psychology MeSH
- Education, Nursing methods standards trends MeSH
- Bereavement MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Review MeSH
Pozadí: Izolace infekčních nebo imunosuprimovaných pacientů je běžnou intervencí v nemocnicích. Důkazy zdůrazňují různé dopady v důsledku izolace. Cíl: Prozkoumat zkušenosti dospělých hospitalizovaných pacientů s izolací na jednolůžkovém pokoji. Metodika: Byla provedena integrační revize. Proto bylo provedeno systematické vyhledávání v Cochrane, CINAHL, MEDLINE a GeroLit, stejně jako dodatečné ruční vyhledávání a zpětné vyhledávání v letech 2021 a 2023. Screening a extrakci dat prováděli nezávisle dva recenzenti. Syntéza výsledků studie byla provedena konstantním porovnáváním. Výsledky: Z 5 975 zjištění bylo zahrnuto 20 studií (9 kvalitativních, 9 kvantitativních, 2 smíšené) obsahujících 58 534 účastníků. Zkušenosti pacientů závisí na různých kontextových faktorech. Studie popisují mnohostrannou zkušenost s izolací na jednolůžkovém pokoji. Izolace je vnímána jako ochrana před hrozbami; pacienti zažívají klid a soukromí, ale jsou také konfrontováni s omezeními ve vztahu k mobilitě a kontaktu. Studie zmiňují, že izolace má různé psychologické a sociální dopady a také vliv na vnímání poskytované péče. Ačkoli je to často vnímáno jako velká zátěž, studie zdůrazňují příležitost k sebereflexi a nalezení vnitřní síly. Diskuse: Pacienti uváděli komplexní, multidimenzionální a nekonzistentní zkušenost. Je zapotřebí dalšího výzkumu, aby se řešily diferencované kauzální vztahy mezi ovlivňujícími faktory a různými zkušenostmi.
Background: Isolation of infectious or immunosuppressed patients is a common intervention in hospitals. Evidence highlights various impacts due to isolation. Aim: To explore adult inpatients' experience of single room isolation. Methods: An integrative review was performed. Therefore, a systematic search was conducted in Cochrane, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and GeroLit, as well as an additional handsearch and a reverse search in 2021 and 2023. Screening and data extraction were carried out independently by two reviewers. Synthesis of study results was performed by constant comparison. Results: Of the 5,975 findings, 20 studies (9 qualitative, 9 quantitative, 2 mixed) containing 58,534 participants were included. Patients' experience depends on various context factors. The studies describe a multifaceted experience of single room isolation. Isolation is perceived as a protection against threats; patients experience peace and privacy but are also confronted with restrictions in relation to mobility and contact. The studies mention that isolation has various psychological and social impacts, as well as effects on the perception of received care. Although often perceived as a heavy burden, the studies highlight the opportunity for self-reflection and to find inner strength. Discussion: Patients reported a complex, multidimensional, and inconsistent experience. Further research is needed to address differentiated causal relationships between the influencing factors and different experiences.
