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Several characteristics of Arbutus andrachne L. fruit harvested at four maturation stages (green, green-orange, orange- red and red) have been examined. Soluble solids, pH, acidity, organic acids, specific sugars, and several nutrient element concentrations (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu) have been determined. The total phenolic content along with antioxidant activity, determined by FRAP and TEAC methods, were also measured. There were significant differences among most of the traits tested. The average soluble solids increased from 16.0 to 20.6% going from the green to the red stages, while the acidity decreased from 0.54 to 0.45%. All of the element concentrations were statistically different among the various stages, with N and Ca being the most variable. The total acidity was found to be the highest in the orange-red and red stages (0.52 and 0.50 g/100 g, respectively). The main organic acid was malic acid (0.32 g/100 g) followed by ascorbic and citric acids (0.09 and 0.03 g/100 g) respectively. The red (17.84 g/100 g) and orange-red (16.25 g/100 g) stages had the highest total sugar values. Fructose was the main sugar in the fruit with an overall average of 8.91 g/100 g. The total phenolic content was highest at the red stage (3,904 mg gallic acid (GA)/kg fresh weight (fw)), followed by the green stage (3,589 mg GA/kg fw). The antioxidant activities were highest at the red stage as determined by both the TEAC and FRAP methods (26.5 and 21.8 μmol TE/g fw). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study aimed to examine the relationship between compassion fatigue and moral sensitivity of intensive care nurses. Method: Permission was obtained from the ethics committee, institution, and nurses prior to the study. The population of the study consisted of all nurses working in a university hospital, and the sample consisted of 144 intensive care nurses who agreed to participate in the study. The data were collected through the Questionnaire, the Compassion Fatigue Scale, and the Moral Sensitivity Scale. The total score of the compassion fatigue scale ranges between 24 and 120, and a high score indicates a "high level of compassion". The total score of the moral sensitivity scale, on the other hand, varies between 30-210, and as the score increases, moral sensitivity decreases. The obtained data were evaluated with Student t, One-Way Anova, Kruskal Wallis, Mann Whitney U, and correlation analysis. Results: It was found that 55.6% of the nurses had a bachelor's degree, 44.4% had been working in the intensive care unit for 4-6 years, 39.6% had professional ethical dilemmas, and 44.6% of those who had ethical dilemmas could not solve this problem. Compassion fatigue and moral sensitivity scale mean scores were found to be 83.3 ± 6.7 and 125.4 ± 7.2, respectively, and there was a positive correlation between compassion fatigue and moral sensitivity mean scores ( p < 0.05). Conclusion: The mean score of the compassion fatigue and moral sensitivity scale of intensive care nurses was at a "moderate" level, and there was a positive correlation between the nurses' moral sensitivity scale and compassion fatigue scale scores. In line with these results, it can be suggested that the compassion fatigue and moral sensitivities of nurses especially those working in intensive care be evaluated in terms of resolving the ethical dilemmas they may experience in patient care, and these nurses be supported on these matters., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Vitamin C is a life saving molecule. Vitamin C based breeding is need of the hour in order to provide humans an immunity boosting supplement in the form of fresh food., Methods and Results: Multiple interactions of Anatolian Mediterranean environment were studied with cultivars ('Calinda', 'Rubygem', 'Sabrina', and 'Sahara') and fruit maturity stages. Genetic expression of six vitamin C related genes was estimated showing significantly higher expression in open field. Cultivar 'Calinda' performed better in organic acids but poor in firmness. Cultivar 'Sabrina' showed highest fruit firmness but lower commercially desired fruit quality characters. Cultivar 'Sahara' performed best for vitamin C and fruit redness, and was high in fruit size, weight, and organic acids. Chroma trends indicated simultaneous accumulation of vitamin C and anthocyanins in strawberry fruits. Transition stage of fruits was found most critical for metabolite regulation and sensitive to environmental changes. Fruits of cultivar 'Sahara' at 'Red' maturity stage expressed highest vitamin C levels (138.03 mg/100 g FW) whereas 'Turning' fruits of cultivar 'Sabrina' had lowest vitamin C content (27.80 mg/100 g FW). All studied vitamin C related genes indicate highest genetic expression for cultivar 'Sahara', except for genes FaVTC2 and FaMDHAR which exhibit highest genetic expression for cultivar 'Rubygem.', Conclusion: Two-way and three-way interactions between cultivars, environments, and maturity stages were significant for vitamin C and fruit quality regulation under Mediterranean climate. This indicates an absolute requisite of studying combined influences in actual field, rather than single factor, controlled, or lab experiments. Correlation analysis showed that vitamin C content in a fruit is a complex subject and mainly depends on fruit color, size, and firmness. Principal Component Analysis validated that cultivar 'Sahara' is a promising candidate for vitamin C based breeding in strawberry., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

This study was conducted with randomized controlled and experimental design to examine the effect of breathing exercise on daytime sleepiness and fatigue on patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The first application was performed by teaching patients in the intervention group breathing exercises including diaphragmatic and pursed lip breathing via the face-to-face interview technique. Then, the researcher applied breathing exercises in the same patient group every morning/evening for 10-15 min and a total of 20-30 min for eight weeks via the online interview method. The data were collected via a questionnaire, Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), and Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS). Chi-square, Student's t, Mann Whitney U, paired sample t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and generalized estimating equations were used to assess the data. It was determined that PFS total mean score of the intervention group which was 6.15 ± 1.65 before the application decreased to 5.34 ± 1.94 in the eighth week ( p > 0.05) and PFS total mean score of the control group which was 5.59 ± 1.76 before the application increased to 5.77 ± 1.81 in the eighth week ( p > 0.05). ESS total mean score of the intervention group which was 12.13 ± 4.34 at the baseline decreased to 9.13 ± 4.71 in the eighth week ( p > 0.05) and ESS total mean score of the control group which was 10.37 ± 2.77 at the baseline increased to 10.5 ± 2.85 in the eighth week ( p > 0.05). It was concluded that breathing exercise performed in the intervention group decreased the fatigue and daytime sleepiness mean scores of the patients at the end of the fourth and eighth week. In addition, the group-time interaction was significant, which was associated with the intervention group., (© 2022 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Bioinformatic and molecular characterization of satellite repeats was performed to understand the impact of their diversification on Vaccinium genome evolution. Satellite repeat diversity was evaluated in four cultivated and wild species, including the diploid species Vaccinium myrtillus and Vaccinium uliginosum , as well as the tetraploid species Vaccinium corymbosum and Vaccinium arctostaphylos . We comparatively characterized six satellite repeat families using in total 76 clones with 180 monomers. We observed that the monomer units of VaccSat1, VaccSat2, VaccSat5, and VaccSat6 showed a higher order repeat (HOR) structure, likely originating from the organization of two adjacent subunits with differing similarity, length and size. Moreover, VaccSat1, VaccSat3, VaccSat6, and VaccSat7 were found to have sequence similarity to parts of transposable elements. We detected satellite-typical tandem organization for VaccSat1 and VaccSat2 in long arrays, while VaccSat5 and VaccSat6 distributed in multiple sites over all chromosomes of tetraploid V. corymbosum , presumably in long arrays. In contrast, very short arrays of VaccSat3 and VaccSat7 are dispersedly distributed over all chromosomes in the same species, likely as internal parts of transposable elements. We provide a comprehensive overview on satellite species specificity in Vaccinium , which are potentially useful as molecular markers to address the taxonomic complexity of the genus, and provide information for genome studies of this genus.

Background: Pain is a serious and common problem in bone metastases. For this purpose, complementary and supportive practices are also applied along with medical treatment. This study was conducted for the purpose of evaluating the effect of acupressure on pain in cancer patients with bone metastasis., Methods: The study was conducted in a nonrandomized controlled trial with patients who applied to the radiotherapy unit of an oncology hospital. The data of the study were collected by using a questionnaire and the Visual Analog Scale. A total of 8 acupressure sessions, which lasted for approximately 10 minutes each (with warming and acupressure periods), was applied to the intervention group. The data were analyzed by using χ 2 test, paired t test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient., Results: It was determined that the pain mean score of the intervention group was 7.6 ± 1.9 before the acupressure and decreased to 6.8 ± 1.9 after the acupressure and this result was statistically significant. On the other hand, no significant difference was determined in the pain mean score of the control group., Conclusions: Acupressure is applicable for cancer patients with bone metastasis by nursing staff after receiving brief training and may make a difference in relieving pain of the patients. Further well-designed trials should be conducted.

Background and Objective: Pain is among the most important symptoms in terms of prevalence and a major cause of distress for cancer patients and their family caregivers. Thus, we conducted this study with the aim to compare assessment of pain among cancer patients and their caregivers and to determine the problems experienced by caregivers., Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive design was used. This study was conducted in a chemotherapy unit and an adult oncology clinic with 220 patients diagnosed with cancer who admitted to an oncology hospital and 220 caregivers. The study data was collected using a questionnaire and visual analogue scale (VAS, where "0: no pain," "10: severe pain"). Statistically significant levels were set at p < 0.05., Results: Pain severity as assessed by patients and their caregivers was 7.1 ± 2.8 and 7.3 ± 2.4, respectively, and the most common pain-related problems in cancer patients were fatigue (p < 0.05), loss of appetite and insomnia (p > 0.05) as reported by both patients and caregivers. Compared to their caregivers, patients more frequently reported financial burden associated with pain management and negative effects of cancer pain on their work life and domestic life and family relationships, all of which were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The caregivers most commonly reported fatigue (56.8%) in their role as a caregiver., Conclusion: Pain assessments of both patients and caregivers and seeking their input on how to manage potential pain-related problems are crucial to achieve adequate pain control. In addition, psychological distress experienced by caregivers should not be overlooked.

This descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the quality of life of cancer caregivers. One hundred and seventy-eight caregivers of patients who were diagnosed with cancer in Gaziantep oncology hospital participated in the study. Data were collected by using a questionnaire and quality of life scale. The scale was scored between 0 and 10, where '10' indicated the best and '0' indicated the worst level. It was determined that the majority of caregivers were young and female, the overall total score average of quality of life was 4.5 ± 1.1, and the subdomain with the lowest value was the psychological subdomain. All quality of life subdomain score averages and the overall total score averages were observed to be low in women, as well as in those who provided care for their own children, who lived in the same house with the patient and who gave care for 19-24 h daily., (© 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.)

This study was designed to examine the relationship between patients' pain severity and their self-reported quality of life, to evaluate factors that may affect pain and quality of life, and to assess patients' opinions and practices on the use of analgesics. The study was conducted with 260 cancer patients. Data were collected using a Quality of Life Scale and Visual Analog Scale questionnaire. It was found that mean scores of pain, all subdomains of quality of life, and overall mean scores of patients were at a moderate level, the lowest score in the subdomains of quality of life was in the psychological subdomain and the highest was in the spiritual subdomain. It was also found that as severity of pain experienced by patients increased, their general activities, mood, activeness, sleep, and nutrition were negatively affected. As severity of pain experienced by patients increased, their quality of life worsened. Patients were observed to have insufficient knowledge and a poor understanding with respect to the use of analgesics. In conclusion, it is very important for nurses to assess factors that can complicate pain management and to establish an effective pain control., (© 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.)

Background: We evaluated the total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity as well as antioxidant activity of five Crataegus species (A1, A2, Y1, Y2, Y4 accessions of Crataegus aronia var. aronia; B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, Y5 accessions of C. aronia var. dentata; B10 accession of C. aronia var. minuta; Y3 accession of Crataegus orientalis var. orientalis and A3 accession of Crataegus monogyna subsp. azarella)., Materials and Methods: Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of fruits were determined by β-carotene bleaching and Folin-Ciocalteu assays. Antioxidant capacity was determined by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay., Results: C. monogyna subsp. azarella had the highest total phenol, antioxidant activity and antioxidant capacity of 55.2 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight (DW), 81.9% and 31.2%, respectively. C. aronia var. aronia was found to have the lowest total phenolic content (35.7 mg GAE/g DW). The antioxidant activities of fruit extracts increased in the order of C. orientalis var. orientalis < C. aronia var. minuta < C. aronia var. dentata < C. aronia var. aronia < C. monogyna subsp. azarella according to β-carotene/linoleic acid assay. In recent years, C. aronia var. dentata has gained importance as a commercial species in this region. B3 and B7 accessions had fruit weight more than 14 g, and considerable total phenol content, antioxidant activity and antioxidant capacity., Conclusion: This investigation shows the potential value of hawthorn fruit species as a good source of natural antioxidants and that consumption of hawthorn fruit or its products may contribute substantial amounts of antioxidants to the diet.

Myrtle is an evergreen shrub or small tree widespread throughout the Mediterranean region. In Turkey, both cultivated and wild forms, differing in plant and fruit size and fruit composition, can be found. These differences may have resulted from the domestication of the cultivated form over a long period of time. We investigated whether wild and cultivated forms of myrtle differ in karyological features (i.e., number of somatic chromosomes and relative genome size). We sampled two wild forms and six cultivated types of myrtle. All the samples had the same chromosome number (2n = 2x = 22). The results were confirmed by 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) flow cytometry. Only negligible variation (approximately 3%) in relative fluorescence intensity was observed among the different myrtle accessions, with wild genotypes having the smallest values. We concluded that despite considerable morphological differentiation, cultivated and wild myrtle genotypes in Turkey have similar karyological features.

Agar is the most commonly used gelling agent in media for plant tissue culture. Because of the high price of tissue-culture-grade agar, attempts have been made to identify suitable alternatives. The type of culture vessel and lid also affects the gaseous composition inside the vessel as well as light penetration. In turn, the vessel affects growth parameters, such as shoot elongation, proliferation and fresh weight, as well as hyperhydric degradation processes. We examined the effects of different culture vessels, including commercial glass jars, magenta boxes, and disposable containers, as well as different gelling agents (agar-agar, Agargel, Phytagel, and plant agar) on the micropropagation of Dwarf Cavendish bananas in an effort to find a combination that yields large numbers of high-quality seedlings. The different culture vessels did not significantly affect seedling culture success. The medium significantly affected shoot weight. Phytagel resulted in the highest shoot weight (overall mean = 2.4 g), while agar, Agargel and plant agar resulted in 1.7, 2.2 and 2.2 g, respectively. Disposable container/Phytagel and Magenta/Agargel combinations yielded the highest shoot weights (2.9 and 3.0 g, respectively). Mean shoot length increased progressively with subculture (four subcultures were made). The highest mean shoot length was obtained with Phytagel and Agargel media (6.4 and 6.3 cm, respectively). Shoot number was significantly affected by medium only at subculture 4. Overall, the highest mean shoot length was obtained with the Magenta/Agargel combination (8.5 cm). Phytagel and plant agar gave higher mean shoot number than agar and Agargel (2.1, 2.1 and 1.7 and 1.9, respectively). The costs of the media and of the culture vessels need to be taken into account for final choice of the banana shoot culture system.

Several fruit characteristics of five loquat (Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl.) cultivars/selections grown in Dörtyol, Hatay, Turkey were investigated in 2008. The cultivars/selections included 'Baduna 5', Güzelyurt 1, 'Hafif Cukurgöbek', 'Ottaviani,' and Type 1. The characteristics evaluated included fruit weight, width, length, seed number and weight, flesh/seed ratio, total soluble solids (TSS), pH, acidity, total phenolic (TP) content, and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), determined by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay. The analyses were conducted by three replicates, with 30 fruits in each replicate. The results indicated that there were significant differences among the cultivars, for all the traits tested. For example, 'Hafif Cukurgöbek' and 'Ottaviani' had smaller fruits than others, although 'Hafif Cukurgöbek' had heavier seeds. The flesh/seed ratio was the highest in Type 1, while 'Hafif Cukurgöbek' had the highest pH and high soluble solids. 'Baduna 5' and 'Hafif Cukurgöbek' had the highest acidity. The TP ranged from 129 ('Baduna 5') to 578 ('Hafif Cukurgöbek') mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/kg fresh fruit (fw). 'Hafif Cukurgöbek' also had the highest FRAP mean (12.1 mmol Trolox Equivalent (TE)/kg fw). The results suggest that loquat cultivars have a variable range of TP content and a relatively high total antioxidant capacity, which is crucial for human health.