Molecular Phylogenetics of Alternanthera (Gomphrenoideae, Amaranthaceae): Resolving a Complex Taxonomic History Caused by Different Interpretations of Morphological Characters in a Lineage with C4 and C3-C4 Intermediate Species

Aternanthera (Amaranthaceae) is a diverse genus (80-200 species) largely restricted to the American Tropics. With Pedersenia and Tidestromia, it makes up the Alternantheroid clade in Gomphrenoideae. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of nucleotide sequences of nuclear (ITS) and plastid (rpl16, trnL-F) and morphological characters identify that the capitate stigma of Alternanthera is a synapomorpy within the Alternantheroids. Within Alternanthera, two major clades were resolved, both of which were marked by otherwise homoplasious characters of the gynoecium: Clade A [99% jackknife (JK); 1.0 posterior probability (PP)] with nine species and Clade B (60% JK; 0.98 PP) with 22 species. Four subclades (B1B4), strongly supported statistically, were identified in Clade B. Previous subgeneric classifications of Alternanthera appear artificial in light of our new molecular phylogenetic analyses. Most major lineages are congruently resolved by nuclear and plastid data but some incongruence between the nrITS and plastid phylogenetic trees suggests hybridization may have played a role in the rampant speciation in Alternanthera. Whereas C4 photosynthesis appears to have evolved in a single clade, the position of A. littoralis var. maritima (C3) in this clade may be explained by hybrid speciation rather than a reversal from C4 to C3. All C3-C4 intermediates belong to a different clade that also contains C3 species, but species limits, including the widely studied A. tenella, are unclear. The clade including A. tenella and A. halimifolia contains most of the species endemic to the Galápagos whereas A. nesiotes, also endemic to the islands, is nested among widespread American taxa. This suggests that the Galápagos radiation of Alternanthera may have arisen from at least two independent colonization events followed by a subsequent radiation in the former lineage. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London

Amaranth: distribution and morphological diversity of the genetic resource in parts of the Mayan region (southeast of Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras)

Antecedentes y Objetivos: El amaranto es de interés mundial por su valor nutricional como verdura y grano. Las especies cultivadas de mayor importancia comercial por su producción de grano son Amaranthus caudatus, A. cruentus y A. hypochondriacus. Dos hipótesis aceptadas sobre el origen de A. cruentus consideran a A. hybridus como su ancestro. Los objetivos del presente estudio son 1) reportar la distribución actualizada y frecuencia de A. cruentus y A. hybridus en el sureste de México, Guatemala y Honduras y 2) evaluar su diversidad morfológica mediante caracteres florales y del fruto de ambas especies en México y Guatemala.Métodos: La información proveniente de 147 ejemplares de herbario fue empleada para actualizar la distribución y frecuencia de A. cruentus y A. hybridus en la zona de estudio, posible área de domesticación. La diversidad a nivel morfológico se determinó del análisis de 22 caracteres relacionados a estructuras de flores pistiladas y del fruto, usando un análisis multivariado de componentes principales y evaluando para ello 15 ejemplares de A. cruentus y 31 de A. hybridus procedentes de Guatemala y el sureste de México.Resultados clave: La mayor distribución de A. cruentus se presentó en Guatemala y, en el caso de A. hybridus en México. La variación acumulada en los tres primeros componentes principales fue de 58% para ambas especies. La variación morfológica para las dos especies se asoció principalmente con caracteres relacionados a los sépalos internos y externos. El gráfico del análisis de componentes principales permite observar una amplia variación morfológica en A. cruentus y A. hybridus, independiente de su distribución geográfica en ambos casos.Conclusiones: La distribución geográfica de A. cruentus en México es más amplia con respecto a reportes previos. Se describe la diversidad morfológica de estructuras de flores pistiladas y frutos en A. cruentus y A. hybridus.Background and Aims: Amaranth is of worldwide interest for its nutritional value as a vegetable and grain. The principal cultivated species used as grain are Amaranthus caudatus, A. cruentus and A. hypochondriacus. Two accepted hypotheses about the origin of A. cruentus consider A. hybridus as its ancestor. The objectives of this study are 1) to report the updated distribution and frequency of A. cruentus and A. hybridus in southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras and 2) to assess their morphological diversity, using floral and fruit characters of both species in Mexico and Guatemala.Methods: The information gathered from 147 herbarium examples was used to update the distribution and determine the frequency of A. cruentus and A. hybridus in the study area, possible area of domestication. Morphological diversity was determined using 22 morphological characters related to pistillate flowers and fruits by conducting a multivariate analysis of main components in a sampling of 15 specimens of A. cruentus and 31 of A. hybridus from Guatemala and southeastern Mexico.Key results: The main distribution of A. cruentus was shown in Guatemala, and of A. hybridus in Mexico. The accumulated variation in the first three principal components was 58% for both species. The morphological variation for both species was mainly associated with characters related to the internal and external sepals. The principal components analysis graph showed wide morphological variation in A. cruentus and A. hybridus regardless of their geographical distribution in both cases.Conclusions: The geographical distribution of A. cruentus in Mexico is wider than previously reported. Diversity was described using morphological characters of pistillate flowers and fruits for A. cruentus and A. hybridus

Dulcería Pop Corn Nico

Pop Corn Nico es un modelo negocio que busca ser el socio de aquellas marcas con enfoque a mejorar el servicio al cliente. Incorporando en un mecanismo tradicional tecnología de manera innovadora y productiva: recolección de datos in situ. Tras el análisis del proceso comercial de empresas que participan en eventos y ferias identificamos la necesidad de poder atraer clientes; sin embargo, no cuentan con la capacidad de atención y recolección de dichos clientes. De esta manera, Pop Corn Nico atrae a dichos clientes con productos tradicionales y recolecta datos incorporando una aplicación con tecnología en una Tablet dando el soporte en tiempo real. Nuestro modelo de negocio apunta a posicionarse como un socio potenciador de empresas corporativas con tendencia a desarrollar un grado de excelencia hacia su cliente final. Nuestro equipo profesional cuenta con 7 años de experiencia en el rubro de eventos especializado en productos como pop corn, manzana acaramelada y algodón. Lo cual nos ha brindado un servicio al cliente y un producto final de calidad. Finalmente, nuestro proyecto tiene proyectado generar un VAN de s/876,775 al termino del tercer año, con una inversión total de s/387,166. Para lo cual estamos requiriendo un financiamiento del 50% de la inversión equivalente a s/193,583.After the analysis of the commercial process of companies that participate in events and fairs, we identify their need to attract customers; however, they do not have the capacity of attention and data collection of those customers. In this way, Pop Corn Nico attracts those customers with traditional products and collects data incorporating an application with technology using a Tablet whichs gives the support in real time. Our business model aims to position itself as an empowering partner of corporate companies with a tendency to develop a degree of excellence towards their final customer. Our professional team has 7 years of experience in the field of events specializing in products such as pop corn, caramel apple and cotton candy, which has allowed us to have an excellent customer service and a final product with a good quality. Finally, our project has been planned to generate a VNA of S/.876,775.00 at the end of the third year, with a total investment of S/. 387,166.00 for which we are requiring a 50% financing of the investment equivalent to S/.193,583.00.Trabajo de investigació

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortiu (INICC) report, data summary of 43 countries for 2007-2012. Device-associated module

We report the results of an International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2007-December 2012 in 503 intensive care units (ICUs) in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. During the 6-year study using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) U.S. National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care–associated infection (DA-HAI), we collected prospective data from 605,310 patients hospitalized in the INICC's ICUs for an aggregate of 3,338,396 days. Although device utilization in the INICC's ICUs was similar to that reported from ICUs in the U.S. in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection were higher in the ICUs of the INICC hospitals: the pooled rate of central line–associated bloodstream infection in the INICC's ICUs, 4.9 per 1,000 central line days, is nearly 5-fold higher than the 0.9 per 1,000 central line days reported from comparable U.S. ICUs. The overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia was also higher (16.8 vs 1.1 per 1,000 ventilator days) as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (5.5 vs 1.3 per 1,000 catheter days). Frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas isolates to amikacin (42.8% vs 10%) and imipenem (42.4% vs 26.1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (71.2% vs 28.8%) and imipenem (19.6% vs 12.8%) were also higher in the INICC's ICUs compared with the ICUs of the CDC's NHSN