Biodiversity inventories in high gear: DNA barcoding facilitates a rapid biotic survey of a temperate nature reserve

Comprehensive biotic surveys, or ‘all taxon biodiversity inventories’ (ATBI), have traditionally been limited in scale or scope due to the complications surrounding specimen sorting and species identification. To circumvent these issues, several ATBI projects have successfully integrated DNA barcoding into their identification procedures and witnessed acceleration in their surveys and subsequent increase in project scope and scale. The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario partnered with the rare Charitable Research Reserve and delegates of the 6th International Barcode of Life Conference to complete its own rapid, barcode-assisted ATBI of an established land trust in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Assessment of the effect of addition of 24 hours of oral tranexamic acid post-operatively to a single intraoperative intravenous dose of tranexamic acid on calculated blood loss following primary hip and knee arthroplasty (TRAC-24): a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Abstract Background While it is has been proven that tranexamic acid (TXA) reduces blood loss in primary total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA and TKA), there is little published evidence on the use of TXA beyond 3 h post-operatively. Most blood loss occurs after wound closure and the primary aim of this study is to determine if the use of oral TXA post-operatively for up to 24 h will reduce calculated blood loss at 48 h beyond an intra-operative intravenous bolus alone following primary THA and TKA. To date, most TXA studies have excluded patients with a history of thromboembolic disease. Methods/design This is a phase IV, single-centred, open-label, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial. Participants are randomised to one of three groups: group 1, an intravenous (IV) bolus of TXA peri-operatively plus oral TXA post-operatively for 24 h; group 2, an IV bolus of TXA peri-operatively or group 3, standard care (no TXA). Eligible participants, including those with a history of thromboembolic disease, are allocated to these groups with a 2:2:1 allocation ratio. The primary outcome is the indirectly calculated blood loss 48 h after surgery. Researchers and patients are not blinded to the treatment; however, staff processing blood samples are. Originally 1166 participants were required to complete this study, 583 THA and 583 TKA. However, following an interim analysis after 100 THA and 100 TKA participants had been recruited to the study, the data monitoring ethics committee recommended stopping group 3 (standard care). Discussion TRAC-24 will help to determine whether an extended TXA dosing regimen can further reduce blood loss following primary THA and TKA. By including patients with a history of thromboembolic disease, this study will add to our understanding of the safety profile of TXA in this clinical situation. Trial registration ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN58790500. Registered on 3 June 2016, EudraCT: 2015–002661-36

Biodiversity inventories in high gear: DNA barcoding facilitates a rapid biotic survey of a temperate nature reserve

International audienc

Biodiversity inventories in high gear:DNA barcoding facilitates a rapid biotic survey of a temperate nature reserve

Abstract Background: Comprehensive biotic surveys, or ‘all taxon biodiversity inventories’ (ATBI), have traditionally been limited in scale or scope due to the complications surrounding specimen sorting and species identification. To circumvent these issues, several ATBI projects have successfully integrated DNA barcoding into their identification procedures and witnessed acceleration in their surveys and subsequent increase in project scope and scale. The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario partnered with the rare Charitable Research Reserve and delegates of the 6th International Barcode of Life Conference to complete its own rapid, barcode-assisted ATBI of an established land trust in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. New information: The existing species inventory for the rare Charitable Research Reserve was rapidly expanded by integrating a DNA barcoding workflow with two surveying strategies — a comprehensive sampling scheme over four months, followed by a one-day bioblitz involving international taxonomic experts. The two surveys resulted in 25,287 and 3,502 specimens barcoded, respectively, as well as 127 human observations. This barcoded material, all vouchered at the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario collection, covers 14 phyla, 29 classes, 117 orders, and 531 families of animals, plants, fungi, and lichens. Overall, the ATBI documented 1,102 new species records for the nature reserve, expanding the existing long-term inventory by 49%. In addition, 2,793 distinct Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) were assigned to genus or higher level taxonomy, and represent additional species that will be added once their taxonomy is resolved. For the 3,502 specimens, the collection, sequence analysis, taxonomic assignment, data release and manuscript submission by 100+ co-authors all occurred in less than one week. This demonstrates the speed at which barcode-assisted inventories can be completed and the utility that barcoding provides in minimizing and guiding valuable taxonomic specialist time. The final product is more than a comprehensive biotic inventory — it is also a rich dataset of fine-scale occurrence and sequence data, all archived and cross-linked in the major biodiversity data repositories. This model of rapid generation and dissemination of essential biodiversity data could be followed to conduct regional assessments of biodiversity status and change, and potentially be employed for evaluating progress towards the Aichi Targets of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020