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Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify and define core competencies for advanced nursing roles in adult intensive care units across Europe. Methods: Three round electronic Delphi conducted between September 2018 and November 2019, with an expert panel of 184 nurses from 20 countries, supplemented by consensus meetings with 16 participants from 10 countries before each round. Results: In Round 1, participants generated 275 statements across 4 domains (knowledge skills and clinical performance; clinical leadership, teaching and supervision; personal effectiveness; safety and systems management). These were re-worded as competency statements and refined at a consensus meeting resulting in 230 statements in 30 sub-domains. The expert panel rated the ‘importance’ of each statement in Round 2; further refinement at the consensus meeting and the addition of descriptors for sub-domains resulted in 95 competency statements presented to the panel in Round 3. These were all retained in the final set of competency statements. Conclusion: We have used consensus techniques to generate competencies for advanced practice in intensive care nursing that are relevant across European countries and available in eight languages. These have provided the basis for an outline curriculum from which education programmes can be developed within countries.

Background and Aims Orobanche species represent major constraints to crop production in many parts of the world as they reduce yield and alter root/shoot allometry. Although much is known about the histology and effect of Orobanche spp. on susceptible hosts, less is known about the basis of host resistance to these parasites. In this work, histological aspects related to the resistance of some legumes to Orobanche crenata have been investigated in order to determine which types of resistance responses are involved in the unsuccessful penetration of O. crenata. - Methods Samples of resistance reactions against O. crenata on different genotypes of resistant legumes were collected. The samples were fixed, sectioned and stained using different procedures. Sections were observed using a transmission light microscope and by epi-fluorescence. - Key Results Lignification of endodermal and pericycle host cells seems to prevent parasite intrusion into the root vascular cylinder at early infection stages. But in other cases, established tubercles became necrotic and died. Contrary to some previous studies, it was found that darkening at the infection site in these latter cases does not correspond to death of host tissues, but to the secretion of substances that fill the apoplast in the host–parasite interface and in much of the infected host tissues. The secretions block neighbouring host vessels. This may interfere with the nutrient flux between host and parasite, and may lead to necrosis and death of the developing parasite. - Conclusions The unsuccessful penetration of O. crenata seedlings into legume roots cannot be attributed to cell death in the host. It seems to be associated with lignification of host endodermis and pericycle cells at the penetration site. The accumulation of secretions at the infection site, may lead to the activation of xylem occlusion, another defence mechanism, which may cause further necrosis of established tubercles.

Decimation of cereal growth and yields by hemiparasitic Striga species cannot be accounted for entirely by the removal of host-plant resources. The production of toxic compounds by the parasite has been suggested. An investigation of three species of the economically important Striga and the related Alectra vogelii has now resulted in the isolation of eight iridoid glucosides (mussaenosidic acid, mussaenoside, gardoside methyl ester, bartsioside, isoaucubin, melittoside, aucubin and eurostoside), two caffeoyl phenylethyl glycosides (calceolarioside A and verbascoside) as well as shikimic acid and trigonelline, all identified by NMR spectroscopy. The iridoids are potent cytotoxins and probably represent an anti-herbivore defence system common to Scrophulariaceae (sensu lato). This has the potential to explain differences in tolerance apparent for contrasting host taxa and cultivars. The nature of the iridoids present also provides additional validation of the recent transferral of parasitic Scrophulariaceae (s.l.) to Orobanchaceae.