Resolving cryptic species complexes in marine protists: phylogenetic haplotype networks meet global DNA metabarcoding datasets

Marine protists have traditionally been assumed to be lowly diverse and cosmopolitan. Yet, several recent studies have shown that many protist species actually consist of cryptic complexes of species whose members are often restricted to particular biogeographic regions. Nonetheless, detection of cryptic species is usually hampered by sampling coverage and application of methods (e.g. phylogenetic trees) that are not well suited to identify relatively recent divergence and ongoing gene flow. In this paper, we show how these issues can be overcome by inferring phylogenetic haplotype networks from global metabarcoding datasets. We use the Chaetoceros curvisetus (Bacillariophyta) species complex as study case. Using two complementary metabarcoding datasets (Ocean Sampling Day and Tara Oceans), we equally resolve the cryptic complex in terms of number of inferred species. We detect new hypothetical species in both datasets. Gene flow between most of species is absent, but no barcoding gap exists. Some species have restricted distribution patterns whereas others are widely distributed. Closely related taxa occupy contrasting biogeographic regions, suggesting that geographic and ecological differentiation drive speciation. In conclusion, we show the potential of the analysis of metabarcoding data with evolutionary approaches for systematic and phylogeographic studies of marine protists

On the possible relationship between Kober stem grooving and grapevine virus A

Investigations were carried out to establish possible correlations of two diseases of the rugose wood complex, i.e. Rupestris stem pitting (RSP) and Kober stem grooving (KSG) with grapevine virus A (GVA) and grapevine leafroll associated viruses I (GLRaV I) and III (GLRaV III). To this purpose 84 clonal accessions of different wine grape cultivars were analyzed by ELISA and by indexing onto the indicators Vitis rupestris, Kober 5BB and LN 33. The results obtained clearly indicated that none of the viruses taken into consideration is apparently involved in the etiology of RSP. Conversely, a remarkably close association of GVA with KSG was discovered

Continuity of Care During End of Life: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the concept of continuity of care during the end of life with a focus on the patient’s perspective. METHODS: Rodgers’ method of evolutionary concept analysis was used. The analysis was based on literature published in English in the databases Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Medline, and PsycINFO. FINDINGS: Analysis revealed that the continuity at life’s end is a dynamic process that depends on the interaction among patients, families, and providers, and is strictly interwoven with the patient’s time perception. CONCLUSION: This analysis showed the complexities surrounding the patient’s experience of continuity at life’s end. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING: Nurses can benefit from a deeper understanding of the patient’s experience, both theoretically and in practice

Pressure injury progression and factors associated with different end-points in a home palliative care setting : a retrospective chart review study

CONTEXT: Patients with advanced illnesses show the highest prevalence for pressure injuries. In the palliative care setting, the ultimate goal is injury healing, but equally important is wound maintenance, wound palliation (wound-related pain and symptom management), and primary and secondary wound prevention. OBJECTIVES: To describe the course of healing for pressure injuries in a home palliative care setting according to different end-points, and to explore patient and caregiver characteristics and specific care activities associated with their achievement. METHODS: Four-year retrospective chart review of 669 patients cared for in a home palliative care service, of those 124 patients (18.5%) had at least one pressure injury with a survival rate less than or equal to six months. RESULTS: The proportion of healed pressure injuries was 24.4%. Of the injuries not healed, 34.0% were in a maintenance phase, whereas 63.6% were in a process of deterioration. Body mass index (P = 0.0014), artificial nutrition (P = 0.002), and age <70 years (P = 0.022) emerged as predictive factors of pressure injury complete healing. Artificial nutrition, age, male caregiver (P = 0.034), and spouse (P = 0.036) were factors significantly associated with a more rapid pressure injury healing. Continuous deep sedation was a predictive factor for pressure injury deterioration and significantly associated with a more rapid worsening. CONCLUSION: Pressure injury healing is a realistic aim in home palliative care, particularly for injuries not exceeding Stage II occurring at least two weeks before death. When assessing pressure injuries, our results highlight the need to also pay attention to artificial nutrition, continuous deep sedation, and the caregiver's role and gender

Single-hit resolution measurement with MEG II drift chamber prototypes

Drift chambers operated with helium-based gas mixtures represent a common solution for tracking charged particles keeping the material budget in the sensitive volume to a minimum. The drawback of this solution is the worsening of the spatial resolution due to primary ionisation fluctuations, which is a limiting factor for high granularity drift chambers like the MEG II tracker. We report on the measurements performed on three different prototypes of the MEG II drift chamber aimed at determining the achievable single-hit resolution. The prototypes were operated with helium/isobutane gas mixtures and exposed to cosmic rays, electron beams and radioactive sources. Direct measurements of the single hit resolution performed with an external tracker returned a value of 110 $\mu$m, consistent with the values obtained with indirect measurements performed with the other prototypes.Comment: 18 pages, 18 figure

SuperB: a linear high-luminosity B Factory

This paper is based on the outcome of the activity that has taken place during the recent workshop on "SuperB in Italy" held in Frascati on November 11-12, 2005. The workshop was opened by a theoretical introduction of Marco Ciuchini and was structured in two working groups. One focused on the machine and the other on the detector and experimental issues. The present status on CP is mainly based on the results achieved by BaBar and Belle. Estabilishment of the indirect CP violation in B sector in 2001 and of the direct CP violation in 2004 thanks to the success of PEP-II and KEKB e+e- asymmetric B Factories operating at the center of mass energy corresponding to the mass of the Y(4s). With the two B Factories taking data, the Unitarity Triangle is now beginning to be overconstrained by improving the measurements of the sides and now also of the angles alpha, and gamma. We are also in presence of the very intriguing results about the measurements of sin(2 beta) in the time dependent analysis of decay channels via penguin loops, where b --> s sbar s and b --> s dbar d. Tau physics, in particular LFV search, as well as charm and ISR physics are important parts of the scientific program of a SuperB Factory. The physics case together with possible scenarios for the high luminosity SuperB Factory based on the concepts of the Linear Collider and the related experimental issues are discussed.Comment: 22 pages, 22 figures, INFN Roadmap Repor

Predicting candidemia in internal medicine departments: are we chasing the Holy Grail?

Candidemia is a challenging clinical condition with high rates of morbidity and mortality.1 Key requirements for its prompt management include early identification and timely initiation of appropriate systemic antifungal therapy, consistently reported as a major determinant of survival. However, the diagnosis of candidemia can be challenging and is often delayed as there are no specific clinical signs, blood cultures have low sensitivity, and detection of fungal blood cultures takes a long time. In addition, there is evidence that a significant percentage of such infections occurs in patients admitted to internal medicine departments. This is not particularly surprising given the advanced age of many inpatients at internal medicine departments and multiple complex comorbidities. Moreover, related therapies and healthcare system contacts often involve the use of central venous catheters and other indwelling devices, potentially entailing high risk of candidemia.2 Therefore, optimization of the diagnostic and therapeutic approach is an important and still unfulfilled need for the management of candidemia in internal medicine department