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

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

Symptom-Level Description of Nursing Perceptions About Unwarranted Clinical Variation, Inequality in Access to Cancer Services, Specific-Symptom Knowledge: An Italian Web-Based Survey

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the cancer nurses’ views regarding the relevance of cancer symptom-specific knowledge, unwarranted clinical variation, and inequities in access to cancer services. Describing how nurses perceive these aspects could help identify research priorities and a practical framework to prioritize clinical practice guidelines. Data Sources: A web-based survey was performed using a convenience sample of 810 nurses employed in cancer settings and cross-sectional data collection. The survey adopted a previously validated questionnaire investigating 14 symptoms. Conclusion: This study revealed which cancer symptoms require priority attention to define evidence-grounded guidance for decreasing unwarranted clinical variation and inequities in access to cancer services. Future multiprofessional and multinational studies are recommended to provide an in-depth description of the investigated phenomena. Implications for Nursing Practice: Participants reported higher mean scores in pain-specific knowledge than other symptoms. Social functioning alterations and psychological disorders seem to be highly susceptible to unwarranted clinical variation and inequities in access to cancer services. This information could drive tailored interventions to improve nursing practice

Slow light by means of coherent population oscillations: laser linewidth effects

Several groups have recently reported the observation of slow light propagation speeds based on the process of coherent population oscillations (CPO) under conditions such that the laser line width exceeds the width of the CPO transparency window. We explain this apparently paradoxical result by noting that the CPO effect is sensitive only to intensity variations of the incident laser field that occur on time scales comparable to or shorter than the population relaxation time of the material medium. Laser linewidths are associated primarily with phase fluctuations or with intensity fluctuations on much shorter time scales

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

Pharmacological treatment of ceftriaxone-related cholelithiasis in children: is it worthwhile?

Ceftriaxone treatment of bacterial infections can be associated with biliary complications, more commonly in children than adults, in a dosedependent manner. This study describes a clinical case series of children with ceftriaxone-related cholelithiasis. We performed a retrospective analysis of cases of ceftriaxone-related biliary complications admitted to the Pediatric Clinic, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Sassari, Italy, during the period 2005-2015. Four children with cholelithiasis occurring during, or soon after, the treatment with ceftriaxone are reported. Case 1 (6-month-old), case 2 (9-yearold) and case 4 (10-year-old) were symptomatic, while case 3 (3-year-old) was asymptomatic. After the ultrasonographic diagnosis of gallstones (cases 1 and 2) or biliary sludge (cases 3 and 4), ceftriaxone treatment was withdrawn, and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) was started in cases 1 and 2. A complete recovery was observed in all but case 1, in whom cholelithiasis was still detectable at one-year follow-up by ultrasonography. This case underwent a triple antibiotic protocol for bacterial meningitis. The protocol included rifampicin, which is known to have an effect in decreasing hepatic concentration of bile salts. Therefore, in this case, both rifampicin and UDCA were of no benefit in preventing or treating ceftriaxone biliary complications. The current pharmacological approach for the treatment of ceftriaxonerelated cholelithiasis seems to be ineffective, likely due to the high calcium content of gallstones. Therefore, the best strategy of intervention for ceftriaxone biliary complications in children remains the prevention of the risk factors

Fenretinide induces autophagic cell death in caspase-defective breast cancer cells

The elimination of tumor cells by apoptosis is the main mechanism of action of chemotherapeutic drugs. More recently, autophagic cell death has been shown to trigger a nonapoptotic cell death program in cancer cells displaying functional defects of caspases. Fenretinide (FenR), a synthetic derivative of retinoic acid, promotes growth inhibition and induces apoptosis in a wide range of tumor cell types. The present study was designed to evaluate the ability of fenretinide to induce caspase-independent cell death and to this aim we used the human mammary carcinoma cell line MCF-7, lacking functional caspase-3 activity. We demonstrated that in these cells fenretinide is able to trigger an autophagic cell death pathway. In particular we found that fenretinide treatment resulted in the increase in Beclin 1 expression, the conversion of the soluble form of LC3 to the autophagic vesicle-associated form LC3-II and its shift from diffuse to punctate staining and finally the increase in lysosomes/autophagosomes. By contrast, caspase-3 reconstituted MCF-7 cell line showed apoptotic cell death features in response to fenretinide treatment. These data strongly suggest that fenretinide does not invariably elicit an apoptotic response but it is able to induce autophagy when apoptotic pathway is deregulated. The understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in fenretinide action is important for the future design of therapies employing this retinoid in breast cancer treatment

Emergence of Anaplasma Species Related to A. phagocytophilum and A. platys in Senegal

The genus Anaplasma (Anaplasmataceae, Rickettsiales) includes tick-transmitted bacterial species of importance to both veterinary and human medicine. Apart from the traditionally recognized six Anaplasma species (A. phagocytophilum, A. platys, A. bovis, A. ovis, A. centrale, A. marginale), novel strains and candidate species, also of relevance to veterinary and human medicine, are emerging worldwide. Although species related to the zoonotic A. platys and A. phagocytophilum have been reported in several African and European Mediterranean countries, data on the presence of these species in sub-Saharan countries are still lacking. This manuscript reports the investigation of Anaplasma strains related to zoonotic species in ruminants in Senegal by combining different molecular tests and phylogenetic approaches. The results demonstrated a recent introduction of Candidatus (Ca) Anaplasma turritanum, a species related to the pathogenic A. platys, possibly originating by founder effect. Further, novel undetected strains related to Candidatus (Ca) Anaplasma cinensis were detected in cattle. Based on groEL and gltA molecular comparisons, we propose including these latter strains into the Candidatus (Ca) Anaplasma africanum species. Finally, we also report the emergence of Candidatus (Ca) A. boleense in Senegal. Collectively, results confirm that Anaplasma species diversity is greater than expected and should be further investigated, and that Anaplasma routine diagnostic procedures and epidemiological surveillance should take into account specificity issues raised by the presence of these novel strains, suggesting the use of a One Health approach for the management of Anaplasmataceae in sub-Saharan Africa

5S-IGS rDNA in wind-pollinated trees (Fagus L.) encapsulates 55 million years of reticulate evolution and hybrid origins of modern species

Standard models of plant speciation assume strictly dichotomous genealogies in which a species, the ancestor, is replaced by two offspring species. The reality in wind‐pollinated trees with long evolutionary histories is more complex: species evolve from other species through isolation when genetic drift exceeds gene flow; lineage mixing can give rise to new species (hybrid taxa such as nothospecies and allopolyploids). The multi‐copy, potentially multi‐locus 5S rDNA is one of few gene regions conserving signal from dichotomous and reticulate evolutionary processes down to the level of intra‐genomic recombination. Therefore, it can provide unique insights into the dynamic speciation processes of lineages that diversified tens of millions of years ago. Here, we provide the first high‐throughput sequencing (HTS) of the 5S intergenic spacers (5S‐IGS) for a lineage of wind‐pollinated subtropical to temperate trees, the Fagus crenata – F. sylvatica s.l. lineage, and its distant relative F. japonica. The observed 4963 unique 5S‐IGS variants reflect a complex history of hybrid origins, lineage sorting, mixing via secondary gene flow, and intra‐genomic competition between two or more paralogous‐homoeologous 5S rDNA lineages. We show that modern species are genetic mosaics and represent a striking case of ongoing reticulate evolution during the past 55 million years

A bottom-up approach to prioritize the scientific activities of Italian Association of Cancer Nurses (AIIAO): Questionnaire validation and pilot study

Introduction. There are no national data aimed to describe nurses' perception of variability in delivering nursing activities in relation to best practice and inequality in receiving nursing care. Moreover, there are no validated tools to be used in research. Therefore, the aims of this study are: a) to develop and validate a questionnaire to describe nurses' perceptions of variability and inequality in the oncology setting; b) to test content and face validity; c) to provide preliminary data (pilot study) to plan strategies for future national studies. Material and methods. This is a multi-phase and multi-method study. Phase 1 is focused on questionnaire's development (i.e., literature review and consensus discussion); phase 2 is aimed to determine content and face validity of the questionnaire; and phase 3 was a pilot data collection through an on-line survey. Results. The questionnaire that was developed yielded an adequate content and face validity (S-CVI=0.89 and CVR >0.60 for all items). The pilot study (75 nurses) found that nurse participants perceived as the most relevant categories pain and gastrointestinal and oral cavity dysfunctions. Fatigue, impairments of social function and psychological disorders were the areas in which greater variability and inequalities in receiving nursing care emerged. Overall, more than 50% of nurses reported variability and inequalities in oncology symptom management (in the investigated categories). Conclusions. The study results support the content validity of the questionnaire that can thereby be used for pan-national investigations