Novel heterococcolithophores, holococcolithophores and life cycle combinations from the families Syracosphaeraceae and Papposphaeraceae and the genus Florisphaera

Abstract. Coccolithophores are a diverse group of calcifying phytoplankton, which are responsible for a large part of the modern oceanic carbonate production. Here, we describe novel or poorly known coccolithophores and novel life cycle combination coccospheres detected in samples collected either in the Gulf of Aqaba in the northern Red Sea or in the Gulf of Naples in the western Mediterranean. These include Syracosphaera winteri, for which detached coccoliths have previously been recorded but both a formal description and taxonomic affiliation were lacking, and five undescribed sets of combination cells linking HET and HOL forms for S. pulchra, S. mediterranea, S. azureaplaneta, S. lamina and S. orbicula. We also propose the replacement name S. kareniae for the fossil species Deutschlandia gaarderae. We describe a new species of the genus Ophiaster, O. macrospinus, displaying a unique morphological and ecological distribution as well as putative combination cells of two variants of the deep-dwelling Florisphaera profunda, which provide new insights on the affiliation of this genus within the Calcihaptophycideae. Additionally, in the family Papposphaeraceae we detected a new species, Pappomonas vexillata, and combination cells of Picarola margalefi and of a species resembling Papposphaera arctica. Finally, we detected three novel, unpaired holococcolithophore forms (Calyptrosphaera lluisae, Calicasphaera bipora and one form designated as Holococcolithophore A). Overall, this set of novel observations and ensuing discussions provide further insights into the diversity, evolution and life cycle complexity of coccolithophores in the oceans

Anesthesiology Consensus in the Management of the Airway

Os consensos na gestão clínica da via aérea em anestesiologia pretendem disponibilizar informação, baseada na evidência atual ou, na falta desta, na opinião de peritos, no que respeita à abordagem da via aérea difícil previsível ou não previsível. Reforçamos a importância da avaliação da via aérea e da identificação de potenciais problemas que possam condicionar dificuldade na sua abordagem e a adoção de uma estratégia segura que permita identificar e responder em crescendo de intervenção às dificuldades encontradas. Na impossibilidade de intubação traqueal (não intubo) otimizada e limitada a 4 tentativas, da impossibilidade de ventilar e oxigenar (não oxigeno) após 2 tentativas de usar um dispositivo supraglótico ou de uso de máscara facial inicialmente adequada é importante realizar, em tempo útil, uma cricotirotomia para assegurar oxigenação. As situações clínicas de exceção só com planos simples, conhecidos por todos e regularmente treinados e adaptados à nossa atividade clinica podem assegurar melhores “outcomes”. O registo destes eventos e a informação ao nosso doente da dificuldade encontrada e modo como foi resolvido o problema é essencial e constitui ainda um desafio a alargar a uma base nacional.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A molecular insight into algal-oomycete warfare : cDNA analysis of Ectocarpus siliculosus infected with the basal oomycete Eurychasma dicksonii

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Nitric oxide production and antioxidant function during viral infection of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi

Emiliania huxleyi is a globally important marine phytoplankton that is routinely infected by viruses. Understanding the controls on the growth and demise of E. huxleyi blooms is essential for predicting the biogeochemical fate of their organic carbon and nutrients. In this study, we show that the production of nitric oxide (NO), a gaseous, membrane-permeable free radical, is a hallmark of early-stage lytic infection in E. huxleyi by Coccolithoviruses, both in culture and in natural populations in the North Atlantic. Enhanced NO production was detected both intra- and extra-cellularly in laboratory cultures, and treatment of cells with an NO scavenger significantly reduced viral production. Pre-treatment of exponentially growing E. huxleyi cultures with the NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) prior to challenge with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) led to greater cell survival, suggesting that NO may have a cellular antioxidant function. Indeed, cell lysates generated from cultures treated with SNAP and undergoing infection displayed enhanced ability to detoxify H2O2. Lastly, we show that fluorescent indicators of cellular ROS, NO, and death, in combination with classic DNA- and lipid-based biomarkers of infection, can function as real-time diagnostic tools to identify and contextualize viral infection in natural E. huxleyi blooms

With open science gaining traction, do we need an Australasia PubMed Central (PMC)? a qualitative investigation

<div><p>Open biomedical repositories, such as PubMed Central (PMC), are a means to make research discoverable and permanently accessible. Assessing the potential interest of key stakeholders in an Australasia PubMed Central was the objective of this research. The investigation is novel, assisting in the development of open science infrastructure through its systematic analysis of the potential interest in, and viability of a biomedical repository for managing openly accessible research outputs for the Australasia region. The research adopted a qualitative approach based on semi-structured interviews and a focus group. Forty-four stakeholders located throughout Australia and New Zealand participated in the research. Participants expanded upon their experience of PubMed, MEDLINE, PMC and their use of information resources for research and clinical practice. The Evidence Based Healthcare (EBHC) pyramid was the theoretical model adopted to explain open biomedical repository processes. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis identified support for exploring membership of an international PMC system, in particular Europe PMC. Lessons learnt from PMC US, Europe PMC and PMC Canada (collectively known as PubMed Central International) informed the investigation. A major strength identified was that PubMed Central International has been able to achieve high levels of compliance way beyond that of most institutional repositories. A great threat faced is overcoming the difficulties of working together with other major world bodies and financially sustaining an Australasia PMC. Improving Australasian biomedical knowledge management processes may be possible from adopting a PMC for retrieving and transferring research, linked to the data underlying the research. This in turn could help put regional research under a brighter spotlight, potentially leading to improvements in research quality. There is an opportunity for a potential Australasia PMC to harvest biomedical research from the National Library of Australia’s aggregator database, Trove and work closely with Europe PMC to avoid duplication of effort. Overall, establishment of an Australasia permanent biomedical digital open repository is perceived as important, with significant potential flow-on benefits to healthcare, industry and society.</p></div

Morphine patient controlled analgesia for postoperative analgesia in patients who have transplanted cadaver donor kidneys

Introduction. Patients who have chronic renal disease present challenges to anesthesiologists because of the sequelae of the underlying disease. Postoperative pain is usually mild to moderate after renal transplantation and is a concern because of underlying co-morbidities and variable responses of the graft. Effective postoperative pain management contributes to a a successful outcome after renal transplantation. Methods. A retrospective study, based on the collected data from clinical process and registration of the acute pain unit. Results. During 2007 and 2008, 124 patients were transplanted with cadaver donor kidneys. The final sample included 55 patients, namely 67% males and 33% females, whose ages range between 15 and 75 years (average, 47.23 years). Their American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification was 4 in 71% and 3 in 29%. Analgesia during surgery used a fentanyl, paracetamol and morphine protocol (n 47) or fentanyl, paracetamol, morphine, and local anesthetic infiltration (n 8). The postoperative pain was quantified using a numerical rating scale (0–4) with mean value of 1.07 on day 1, a mean value of 1 on day 2, and a mean value of 0.67 on day 3. Postoperative analgesia with morphine patient-controlled analgesia was used for every patient, combined with paracetamol in 89% of cases. The average number of bolus demands was 60 with 26.4 effective boluses, the mean total administered dose was 26.6 mg. The major side effects were constipation (18%), pruritus (14%), nausea (13%), and vomiting (1.8%). The following relations were significance: age and score of pain, pruritus and total dose of morphine, preoperative analgesia, and pain score on day 2. Conclusions. Our results suggest that analgesia with morphine patient-controlled analgesia was an effective method to achieve control of postoperative pain in this population with few side effects.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Australian undergraduate information systems curricula : a comparative study

The paper describes the first comprehensive comparative study of Undergraduate (UG) Information Systems (IS) degree programs in Australia using the model curricula outlined in ACM/AIS IS2010 as a reference point. The study had three broad aims: (1) to compare the Australian IS curriculum with that of other major IS education systems internationally, (2) to identify what subject areas are considered mandatory and what are considered optional in Australian IS programs, and (3) to understand if the host academic division within different disciplines (e.g. Business or Science/Engineering/Information Technology) have an influence on the variations in the degrees. In a first phase, 2017 IS program data was obtained from university websites. In a second phase, this data was validated in consultation with academic staff from those universities offering the programs. The conclusion is that a high level of adherence to the IS2010 curricula was evident in core courses; considerable diversity was found in a long tail of non-core offerings; and the location of the host academic unit within Business or Science/Engineering/Technology influenced the subject areas offered

Airway approach for caesarean section under general anaesthesia: a national survey

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio