Clinical outcomes resulting from telemedicine interventions: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: The use of telemedicine is growing, but its efficacy for achieving comparable or improved clinical outcomes has not been established in many medical specialties. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of telemedicine interventions for health outcomes in two classes of application: home-based and office/hospital-based. METHODS: Data sources for the study included deports of studies from the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and HealthSTAR databases; searching of bibliographies of review and other articles; and consultation of printed resources as well as investigators in the field. We included studies that were relevant to at least one of the two classes of telemedicine and addressed the assessment of efficacy for clinical outcomes with data of reported results. We excluded studies where the service did not historically require face-to-face encounters (e.g., radiology or pathology diagnosis). All included articles were abstracted and graded for quality and direction of the evidence. RESULTS: A total of 25 articles met inclusion criteria and were assessed. The strongest evidence for the efficacy of telemedicine in clinical outcomes comes from home-based telemedicine in the areas of chronic disease management, hypertension, and AIDS. The value of home glucose monitoring in diabetes mellitus is conflicting. There is also reasonable evidence that telemedicine is comparable to face-to-face care in emergency medicine and is beneficial in surgical and neonatal intensive care units as well as patient transfer in neurosurgery. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the widespread use of telemedicine in virtually all major areas of health care, evidence concerning the benefits of its use exists in only a small number of them. Further randomized controlled trials must be done to determine where its use is most effective

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

ORCHID FLORAL FRAGRANCES AND MALE EUGLOSSINE BEES: METHODS AND ADVANCES IN THE LAST SESQUIDECADE

Volume: 164Start Page: 355End Page: 39

Data from: Generic and subtribal relationships in Neotropical Cymbidieae (Orchidaceae) based on matK/ycf1 plastid data

Relationships among all subtribes of Neotropical Cymbidieae (Orchidaceae) were estimated using combined matK/ycf1 plastid sequence data for 289 taxa. The matrix was analyzed using RAxML. Bootstrap (BS) analyses yield 100% BS support for all subtribes except Stanhopeinae (87%). Generic relationships within subtribes are highly resolved and are generally congruent with those presented in previous studies and as summarized in Genera Orchidacearum. Relationships among subtribes are largely unresolved. The Szlachetko generic classification of Maxillariinae is not supported. A new combination is made for Maxillaria cacaoensis J.T.Atwood in Camaridium

What are the genomic consequences for plastids in a mixotrophic orchid (Epipactis helleborine)?

The chloroplast (plastid) controls carbon uptake, so its DNA sequence and function are highly conserved throughout the land plants. But for those that have alternative carbon supplies, the plastid genome is susceptible to suffer mutations in the photosynthetic genes and overall size reduction. Fully mycoheterotrophic plants receive organic carbon from their fungi partner, do not photosynthesize and also do not exhibit green coloration (or produce substantial quantities of chlorophyll). Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz exhibits all trophic modes from autotrophy to full mycoheterotrophy. Albinism is a stable condition in individuals of this species and does not prevent them from producing flowers and fruits. Here we assemble and compare the plastid genome of green and albino individuals. Our results show that there is still strong selective pressure in the plastid genome. Therefore, the few punctual differences among them, to our knowledge, do not affect any normal photosynthetic capability in the albino plant. These findings suggest that mutations or other genetically controlled processes in other genomes, or environmental conditions, are responsible for the phenotype.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Data from: Generic and subtribal relationships in Neotropical Cymbidieae (Orchidaceae) based on matK/ycf1 plastid data

Relationships among all subtribes of Neotropical Cymbidieae (Orchidaceae) were estimated using combined matK/ycf1 plastid sequence data for 289 taxa. The matrix was analyzed using RAxML. Bootstrap (BS) analyses yield 100% BS support for all subtribes except Stanhopeinae (87%). Generic relationships within subtribes are highly resolved and are generally congruent with those presented in previous studies and as summarized in Genera Orchidacearum. Relationships among subtribes are largely unresolved. The Szlachetko generic classification of Maxillariinae is not supported. A new combination is made for Maxillaria cacaoensis J.T.Atwood in Camaridium

Axenic Culture and Induction of Callus and Sporophytes of the Appalachian Vittaria Gametophyte

Volume: 72Start Page: 36End Page: 4

Cymbidieae matK/ycf1 combined matrix

Aligned matK/ycf1 matrix for 288 individuals of Cymbidieae plus one outgroup; NEXUS file