Morphological and genetic relationships of Myosotis laxa ssp. baltica and ssp. caespitosa, and typification of M. laxa ssp. baltica

Intraspecific taxonomy of Myosotis laxa has been unclear for a long time. M. laxa ssp. baltica has been treated as a microendemic taxon of the Baltic Sea region, which has evolved in the Aland Islands and has spread northwards; the spread to southeast has been declared doubtful. Morphologically intermediate individuals between M. l. ssp. caespitosa and M. l. ssp. baltica exist; these have sometimes been classified as M. l. ssp. laxa. The aim of this paper is to clarify phylogenetic relationships between subspecies of M. laxa s.l. Here, M. laxa ssp. baltica is lectotypified. We proved that typical M. l. ssp. baltica does occur in the south-eastern Baltic region, namely in Estonia, using herbarium and freshly collected material. A group of plants were identified as typical M. l. ssp. baltica, but many specimens showed intermediate characters between M. laxa ssp. baltica and ssp. caespitosa. The two subspecies could be clearly differentiated neither by morphological characteristics nor by ITS sequences. M. laxa s. l. appeared to be monophyletic according to the ITS phylogeny. We propose that Myosotis laxa ssp. baltica is a coastal ecotype of Myosotis laxa, which has adapted to the fluctuating conditions of coastal habitats. Genetically, it has not yet evolved into a separate species and therefore it would be reasonable to assign it a rank of variety. However, further investigation including wider taxon and geographical sampling is needed to finally clarify the position of all subspecies

DNA Barcoding of <i>Trichobilharzia</i> (Trematoda: Schistosomatidae) Species and Their Detection in eDNA Water Samples

We designed and tested species-specific PCR primers to detect Trichobilharzia species via environmental DNA (eDNA) barcoding in selected Austrian water bodies. Tests were performed with eDNA samples from the field as well as with artificial samples from the lab, where snails releasing cercariae were kept in aquariums. From two localities, Trichobilharzia was documented based on the release of cercariae from snails, enabling morphological species identification. In both cases, the corresponding species were detected via eDNA: Trichobilharzia szidati and Trichobilharzia physellae. Nonetheless, the stochasticity was high in the replicates. PCR tests with aquarium water into which the cercariae had been released allowed eDNA detection even after 44 days. As in the PCRs with eDNA samples from the field, positive results of these experiments were not obtained for all samples and replicates. PCR sensitivity tests with dilution series of T. szidati genomic DNA as well as of PCR amplification products yielded successful amplification down to concentrations of 0.83 pg/µL and 0.008 pg/µL, respectively. Our results indicate that the presumed species specificity of PCR primers may not be guaranteed, even if primers were designed for specific species. This entails misidentification risks, particularly in areas with incomplete species inventories

First Record of Trichobilharzia physellae (Talbot, 1936) in Europe, a Possible Causative Agent of Cercarial Dermatitis

Several species of avian schistosomes are known to cause dermatitis in humans worldwide. In Europe, this applies above all to species of the genus Trichobilharzia. For Austria, a lot of data are available on cercarial dermatitis and on the occurrence of Trichobilharzia, yet species identification of trematodes in most cases is doubtful due to the challenging morphological determination of cercariae. During a survey of trematodes in freshwater snails, we were able to detect a species in the snail Physella acuta (Draparnaud, 1805) hitherto unknown for Austria, Trichobilharzia physellae; this is also the first time this species has been reported in Europe. Species identification was performed by integrative taxonomy combining morphological investigations with molecular genetic analyses. The results show a very close relationship between the parasite found in Austria and North American specimens (similarity found in CO1 ≥99.57%). Therefore, a recent introduction of T. physellae into Europe can be assumed

Validation of days alive and out of hospital as a new patient-centered outcome to quantify life impact after heart transplantation

The number of patients waiting for heart transplantation (HTX) is increasing. Thus, identification of outcome-relevant factors is crucial. This study aimed to identify perioperative factors associated with days alive and out of hospital (DAOH)—a patient-centered outcome to quantify life impact—after HTX. This retrospective cohort study screened 187 patients who underwent HTX at university hospital Duesseldorf, Germany from September 2010 to December 2020. The primary endpoint was DAOH at 1 year. Risk factors for mortality after HTX were assessed in univariate analysis. Variables with significant association were entered into multivariable quantile regression. In total, 175 patients were included into analysis. Median DAOH at 1 year was 295 (223–322) days. In univariate analysis the following variables were associated with reduced DAOH: recipient or donor diabetes pre-HTX, renal replacement therapy (RRT), VA-ECMO therapy, recipient body mass index, recipient estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and postoperative duration of mechanical ventilation. After adjustment, mechanical ventilation, RRT, eGFR and recipient diabetes showed significant independent association with DAOH. This study identified risk factors associated with reduced DAOH at 1-year after HTX. These findings might complement existing data for outcome of patients undergoing HTX

Microbial island biogeography : isolation shapes the life history characteristics but not diversity of root-symbiotic fungal communities

Island biogeography theory is one of the most influential paradigms in ecology. That island characteristics, including remoteness, can profoundly modulate biological diversity has been borne out by studies of animals and plants. By contrast, the processes influencing microbial diversity in island systems remain largely undetermined. We sequenced arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal DNA from plant roots collected on 13 islands worldwide and compared AM fungal diversity on islands with existing data from mainland sites. AM fungal communities on islands (even those >6000 km from the closest mainland) comprised few endemic taxa and were as diverse as mainland communities. Thus, in contrast to patterns recorded among macro-organisms, efficient dispersal appears to outweigh the effects of taxogenesis and extinction in regulating AM fungal diversity on islands. Nonetheless, AM fungal communities on more distant islands comprised a higher proportion of previously cultured and large-spored taxa, indicating that dispersal may be human-mediated or require tolerance of significant environmental stress, such as exposure to sunlight or high salinity. The processes driving large-scale patterns of microbial diversity are a key consideration for attempts to conserve and restore functioning ecosystems in this era of rapid global change

Evaluation of microcrystalline cellulose prepared from sisal fibers as a tablet excipient: A technical note

The above data demonstrated that MCC derived from sisal fibers could be an industrially feasible alternative for currently used MCCs as diluent and disintegrant for both immediate-release as well as sustained-release oral solid dosage forms