PeerJ
type: channel
link: https://peerj.com/articles/
description: Articles published in PeerJ
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
publication name: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359
items: Will you swim into my parlour? In situ observations of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) interactions with baited pots, with implications for gear design
items: Tracking the virus-like particles of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus in insect cells
items: Trace elements during primordial plexiform network formation in human cerebral organoids
items: Off the scale: a new species of fish-scale gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Geckolepis) with exceptionally large scales
items: Large-scale gene flow in the barnacle Jehlius cirratus and contrasts with other broadly-distributed taxa along the Chilean coast
items: Evolutionary and functional implications of hypervariable loci within the skin virome
items: The concept of Watson’s carative factors in nursing and their (dis)harmony with patient satisfaction
items: Differences in pollination success between local and foreign flower color phenotypes: a translocation experiment with Gentiana lutea (Gentianaceae)
items: Vascular plant biodiversity of the lower Coppermine River valley and vicinity (Nunavut, Canada): an annotated checklist of an Arctic flora
items: Geography shapes the phylogeny of frailejones (Espeletiinae Cuatrec., Asteraceae): a remarkable example of recent rapid radiation in sky islands

Will you swim into my parlour? In situ observations of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) interactions with baited pots, with implications for gear design
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Pots (also known as traps) are baited fishing gears widely used in commercial fisheries, and are being considered as a tool for harvesting Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Pots produce lower environmental impacts than many other fishing gears, but they will only be a viable fishing strategy if they are efficient and selective at catching their target species. To study the behaviour of cod in and around pots, and how those behaviours affect pot efficiency, we used long-duration underwater video cameras to assess two models of cod pot deployed in the nearshore waters of Fogo Island, NL. We examined the number of cod that approached the pot, the number and proportion that successfully completed entries into the pot openings, and the number that exited, and related these factors to the direction of water movement. We observed very few entry attempts relative to the number of approaches by cod, and only 22% of all entry attempts were successful. We observed that 50% of approaches, 70% of entry attempts, and 73% of successful entrances occurred against the current, and 25% of cod were able to exit the pot following capture. Based on our observations, we suggest that future cod pots should have a greater number of entrances, or a mechanism to ensure that entrances rotate in line with the current, in order to maximize their catch efficiency for cod.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Phillip Meintzer
creator: Philip Walsh
creator: Brett Favaro
subject: Aquaculture, Fisheries and Fish Science
subject: Ecology
subject: Marine Biology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.2953
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Meintzer et al.
abstract: Pots (also known as traps) are baited fishing gears widely used in commercial fisheries, and are being considered as a tool for harvesting Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Pots produce lower environmental impacts than many other fishing gears, but they will only be a viable fishing strategy if they are efficient and selective at catching their target species. To study the behaviour of cod in and around pots, and how those behaviours affect pot efficiency, we used long-duration underwater video cameras to assess two models of cod pot deployed in the nearshore waters of Fogo Island, NL. We examined the number of cod that approached the pot, the number and proportion that successfully completed entries into the pot openings, and the number that exited, and related these factors to the direction of water movement. We observed very few entry attempts relative to the number of approaches by cod, and only 22% of all entry attempts were successful. We observed that 50% of approaches, 70% of entry attempts, and 73% of successful entrances occurred against the current, and 25% of cod were able to exit the pot following capture. Based on our observations, we suggest that future cod pots should have a greater number of entrances, or a mechanism to ensure that entrances rotate in line with the current, in order to maximize their catch efficiency for cod.
bibliographic citation: Meintzer et al. (2017) Will you swim into my parlour? In situ observations of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) interactions with baited pots, with implications for gear design. PeerJ 5:e2953 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2953
date submitted: 2016-10-17
date accepted: 2016-12-31
issued: 2017-02-08
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Meintzer
  given name: Phillip
author list: Agent
  family name: Walsh
  given name: Philip
author list: Agent
  family name: Favaro
  given name: Brett
doi: 10.7717/peerj.2953
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-02-08
copyright: ©2017 Meintzer et al.
attribution name: Meintzer et al.

Tracking the virus-like particles of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus in insect cells
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNv) poses a major threat to the prawn industry. Currently, no effective vaccine and treatment are available to prevent the spread of MrNv. Its infection mechanism and localisation in a host cell are also not well characterised. The MrNv capsid protein (MrNvc) produced in Escherichia coli self-assembled into virus-like particles (VLPs) resembling the native virus. Thus, fluorescein labelled MrNvc VLPs were employed as a model to study the virus entry and localisation in Spodoptera frugiperda, Sf9 cells. Through fluorescence microscopy and sub-cellular fractionation, the MrNvc was shown to enter Sf9 cells, and eventually arrived at the nucleus. The presence of MrNvc within the cytoplasm and nucleus of Sf9 cells was further confirmed by the Z-stack imaging. The presence of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), genistein, methyl-β-cyclodextrin or chlorpromazine (CPZ) inhibited the entry of MrNvc into Sf9 cells, but cytochalasin D did not inhibit this process. This suggests that the internalisation of MrNvc VLPs is facilitated by caveolae- and clathrin-mediated endocytosis. The whole internalisation process of MrNvc VLPs into a Sf9 cell was recorded with live cell imaging. We have also identified a potential nuclear localisation signal (NLS) of MrNvc through deletion mutagenesis and verified by classical-NLS mapping. Overall, this study provides an insight into the journey of MrNvc VLPs in insect cells.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Ummi Fairuz Hanapi
creator: Chean Yeah Yong
creator: Zee Hong Goh
creator: Noorjahan Banu Alitheen
creator: Swee Keong Yeap
creator: Wen Siang Tan
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Microbiology
subject: Molecular Biology
subject: Virology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.2947
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Hanapi et al.
abstract: Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNv) poses a major threat to the prawn industry. Currently, no effective vaccine and treatment are available to prevent the spread of MrNv. Its infection mechanism and localisation in a host cell are also not well characterised. The MrNv capsid protein (MrNvc) produced in Escherichia coli self-assembled into virus-like particles (VLPs) resembling the native virus. Thus, fluorescein labelled MrNvc VLPs were employed as a model to study the virus entry and localisation in Spodoptera frugiperda, Sf9 cells. Through fluorescence microscopy and sub-cellular fractionation, the MrNvc was shown to enter Sf9 cells, and eventually arrived at the nucleus. The presence of MrNvc within the cytoplasm and nucleus of Sf9 cells was further confirmed by the Z-stack imaging. The presence of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), genistein, methyl-β-cyclodextrin or chlorpromazine (CPZ) inhibited the entry of MrNvc into Sf9 cells, but cytochalasin D did not inhibit this process. This suggests that the internalisation of MrNvc VLPs is facilitated by caveolae- and clathrin-mediated endocytosis. The whole internalisation process of MrNvc VLPs into a Sf9 cell was recorded with live cell imaging. We have also identified a potential nuclear localisation signal (NLS) of MrNvc through deletion mutagenesis and verified by classical-NLS mapping. Overall, this study provides an insight into the journey of MrNvc VLPs in insect cells.
bibliographic citation: Hanapi et al. (2017) Tracking the virus-like particles of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus in insect cells. PeerJ 5:e2947 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2947
date submitted: 2016-04-30
date accepted: 2016-12-30
issued: 2017-02-08
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Hanapi
  given name: Ummi Fairuz
author list: Agent
  family name: Yong
  given name: Chean Yeah
author list: Agent
  family name: Goh
  given name: Zee Hong
author list: Agent
  family name: Alitheen
  given name: Noorjahan Banu
author list: Agent
  family name: Yeap
  given name: Swee Keong
author list: Agent
  family name: Tan
  given name: Wen Siang
doi: 10.7717/peerj.2947
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-02-08
copyright: ©2017 Hanapi et al.
attribution name: Hanapi et al.

Trace elements during primordial plexiform network formation in human cerebral organoids
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Systematic studies of micronutrients during brain formation are hindered by restrictions to animal models and adult post-mortem tissues. Recently, advances in stem cell biology have enabled recapitulation of the early stages of human telencephalon development in vitro. In the present work, we analyzed cerebral organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells by synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence in order to measure biologically valuable micronutrients incorporated and distributed into the exogenously developing brain. Our findings indicate that elemental inclusion in organoids is consistent with human brain tissue and involves P, S, K, Ca, Fe and Zn. Occurrence of different concentration gradients also suggests active regulation of elemental transmembrane transport. Finally, the analysis of pairs of elements shows interesting elemental interaction patterns that change from 30 to 45 days of development, suggesting short- or long-term associations, such as storage in similar compartments or relevance for time-dependent biological processes. These findings shed light on which trace elements are important during human brain development and will support studies aimed to unravel the consequences of disrupted metal homeostasis for neurodevelopmental diseases, including those manifested in adulthood.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Rafaela C. Sartore
creator: Simone C. Cardoso
creator: Yury V.M. Lages
creator: Julia M. Paraguassu
creator: Mariana P. Stelling
creator: Rodrigo F. Madeiro da Costa
creator: Marilia Z. Guimaraes
creator: Carlos A. Pérez
creator: Stevens K. Rehen
subject: Cell Biology
subject: Developmental Biology
subject: Neuroscience
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.2927
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Sartore et al.
abstract: Systematic studies of micronutrients during brain formation are hindered by restrictions to animal models and adult post-mortem tissues. Recently, advances in stem cell biology have enabled recapitulation of the early stages of human telencephalon development in vitro. In the present work, we analyzed cerebral organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells by synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence in order to measure biologically valuable micronutrients incorporated and distributed into the exogenously developing brain. Our findings indicate that elemental inclusion in organoids is consistent with human brain tissue and involves P, S, K, Ca, Fe and Zn. Occurrence of different concentration gradients also suggests active regulation of elemental transmembrane transport. Finally, the analysis of pairs of elements shows interesting elemental interaction patterns that change from 30 to 45 days of development, suggesting short- or long-term associations, such as storage in similar compartments or relevance for time-dependent biological processes. These findings shed light on which trace elements are important during human brain development and will support studies aimed to unravel the consequences of disrupted metal homeostasis for neurodevelopmental diseases, including those manifested in adulthood.
bibliographic citation: Sartore et al. (2017) Trace elements during primordial plexiform network formation in human cerebral organoids. PeerJ 5:e2927 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2927
date submitted: 2016-07-25
date accepted: 2016-12-20
issued: 2017-02-08
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Sartore
  given name: Rafaela C.
author list: Agent
  family name: Cardoso
  given name: Simone C.
author list: Agent
  family name: Lages
  given name: Yury V.M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Paraguassu
  given name: Julia M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Stelling
  given name: Mariana P.
author list: Agent
  family name: Madeiro da Costa
  given name: Rodrigo F.
author list: Agent
  family name: Guimaraes
  given name: Marilia Z.
author list: Agent
  family name: Pérez
  given name: Carlos A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Rehen
  given name: Stevens K.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.2927
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-02-08
copyright: ©2017 Sartore et al.
attribution name: Sartore et al.

Off the scale: a new species of fish-scale gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Geckolepis) with exceptionally large scales
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The gecko genus Geckolepis, endemic to Madagascar and the Comoro archipelago, is taxonomically challenging. One reason is its members ability to autotomize a large portion of their scales when grasped or touched, most likely to escape predation. Based on an integrative taxonomic approach including external morphology, morphometrics, genetics, pholidosis, and osteology, we here describe the first new species from this genus in 75 years: Geckolepis megalepis sp. nov. from the limestone karst of Ankarana in northern Madagascar. The new species has the largest known body scales of any gecko (both relatively and absolutely), which come off with exceptional ease. We provide a detailed description of the skeleton of the genus Geckolepis based on micro-Computed Tomography (micro-CT) analysis of the new species, the holotype of G. maculata, the recently resurrected G. humbloti, and a specimen belonging to an operational taxonomic unit (OTU) recently suggested to represent G. maculata. Geckolepis is characterized by highly mineralized, imbricated scales, paired frontals, and unfused subolfactory processes of the frontals, among other features. We identify diagnostic characters in the osteology of these geckos that help define our new species and show that the OTU assigned to G. maculata is probably not conspecific with it, leaving the taxonomic identity of this species unclear. We discuss possible reasons for the extremely enlarged scales of G. megalepis in the context of an anti-predator defence mechanism, and the future of Geckolepis taxonomy.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Mark D. Scherz
creator: Juan D. Daza
creator: Jörn Köhler
creator: Miguel Vences
creator: Frank Glaw
subject: Taxonomy
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.2955
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Scherz et al.
abstract: The gecko genus Geckolepis, endemic to Madagascar and the Comoro archipelago, is taxonomically challenging. One reason is its members ability to autotomize a large portion of their scales when grasped or touched, most likely to escape predation. Based on an integrative taxonomic approach including external morphology, morphometrics, genetics, pholidosis, and osteology, we here describe the first new species from this genus in 75 years: Geckolepis megalepis sp. nov. from the limestone karst of Ankarana in northern Madagascar. The new species has the largest known body scales of any gecko (both relatively and absolutely), which come off with exceptional ease. We provide a detailed description of the skeleton of the genus Geckolepis based on micro-Computed Tomography (micro-CT) analysis of the new species, the holotype of G. maculata, the recently resurrected G. humbloti, and a specimen belonging to an operational taxonomic unit (OTU) recently suggested to represent G. maculata. Geckolepis is characterized by highly mineralized, imbricated scales, paired frontals, and unfused subolfactory processes of the frontals, among other features. We identify diagnostic characters in the osteology of these geckos that help define our new species and show that the OTU assigned to G. maculata is probably not conspecific with it, leaving the taxonomic identity of this species unclear. We discuss possible reasons for the extremely enlarged scales of G. megalepis in the context of an anti-predator defence mechanism, and the future of Geckolepis taxonomy.
bibliographic citation: Scherz et al. (2017) Off the scale: a new species of fish-scale gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Geckolepis) with exceptionally large scales. PeerJ 5:e2955 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2955
date submitted: 2016-10-26
date accepted: 2017-01-03
issued: 2017-02-07
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Scherz
  given name: Mark D.
author list: Agent
  family name: Daza
  given name: Juan D.
author list: Agent
  family name: Köhler
  given name: Jörn
author list: Agent
  family name: Vences
  given name: Miguel
author list: Agent
  family name: Glaw
  given name: Frank
doi: 10.7717/peerj.2955
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-02-07
copyright: ©2017 Scherz et al.
attribution name: Scherz et al.

Large-scale gene flow in the barnacle Jehlius cirratus and contrasts with other broadly-distributed taxa along the Chilean coast
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: We evaluate the population genetic structure of the intertidal barnacle Jehlius cirratus across a broad portion of its geographic distribution using data from the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene region. Despite sampling diversity from over 3,000 km of the linear range of this species, there is only slight regional structure indicated, with overall Φ CT of 0.036 (p < 0.001) yet no support for isolation by distance. While these results suggest greater structure than previous studies of J. cirratus had indicated, the pattern of diversity is still far more subtle than in other similarly-distributed species with similar larval and life history traits. We compare these data and results with recent findings in four other intertidal species that have planktotrophic larvae. There are no clear patterns among these taxa that can be associated with intertidal depth or other known life history traits.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Baoying Guo
creator: John P. Wares
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Ecology
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Marine Biology
subject: Zoology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.2971
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Guo and Wares
abstract: We evaluate the population genetic structure of the intertidal barnacle Jehlius cirratus across a broad portion of its geographic distribution using data from the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene region. Despite sampling diversity from over 3,000 km of the linear range of this species, there is only slight regional structure indicated, with overall Φ CT of 0.036 (p < 0.001) yet no support for isolation by distance. While these results suggest greater structure than previous studies of J. cirratus had indicated, the pattern of diversity is still far more subtle than in other similarly-distributed species with similar larval and life history traits. We compare these data and results with recent findings in four other intertidal species that have planktotrophic larvae. There are no clear patterns among these taxa that can be associated with intertidal depth or other known life history traits.
bibliographic citation: Guo et al. (2017) Large-scale gene flow in the barnacle Jehlius cirratus and contrasts with other broadly-distributed taxa along the Chilean coast. PeerJ 5:e2971 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2971
date submitted: 2016-09-26
date accepted: 2017-01-09
issued: 2017-02-07
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Guo
  given name: Baoying
author list: Agent
  family name: Wares
  given name: John P.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.2971
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-02-07
copyright: ©2017 Guo and Wares
attribution name: Guo and Wares

Evolutionary and functional implications of hypervariable loci within the skin virome
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Localized genomic variability is crucial for the ongoing conflicts between infectious microbes and their hosts. An understanding of evolutionary and adaptive patterns associated with genomic variability will help guide development of vaccines and antimicrobial agents. While most analyses of the human microbiome have focused on taxonomic classification and gene annotation, we investigated genomic variation of skin-associated viral communities. We evaluated patterns of viral genomic variation across 16 healthy human volunteers. Human papillomavirus (HPV) and Staphylococcus phages contained 106 and 465 regions of diversification, or hypervariable loci, respectively. Propionibacterium phage genomes were minimally divergent and contained no hypervariable loci. Genes containing hypervariable loci were involved in functions including host tropism and immune evasion. HPV and Staphylococcus phage hypervariable loci were associated with purifying selection. Amino acid substitution patterns were virus dependent, as were predictions of their phenotypic effects. We identified diversity generating retroelements as one likely mechanism driving hypervariability. We validated these findings in an independently collected skin metagenomic sequence dataset, suggesting that these features of skin virome genomic variability are widespread. Our results highlight the genomic variation landscape of the skin virome and provide a foundation for better understanding community viral evolution and the functional implications of genomic diversification of skin viruses.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Geoffrey D. Hannigan
creator: Qi Zheng
creator: Jacquelyn S. Meisel
creator: Samuel S. Minot
creator: Frederick D. Bushman
creator: Elizabeth A. Grice
subject: Microbiology
subject: Dermatology
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.2959
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Hannigan et al.
abstract: Localized genomic variability is crucial for the ongoing conflicts between infectious microbes and their hosts. An understanding of evolutionary and adaptive patterns associated with genomic variability will help guide development of vaccines and antimicrobial agents. While most analyses of the human microbiome have focused on taxonomic classification and gene annotation, we investigated genomic variation of skin-associated viral communities. We evaluated patterns of viral genomic variation across 16 healthy human volunteers. Human papillomavirus (HPV) and Staphylococcus phages contained 106 and 465 regions of diversification, or hypervariable loci, respectively. Propionibacterium phage genomes were minimally divergent and contained no hypervariable loci. Genes containing hypervariable loci were involved in functions including host tropism and immune evasion. HPV and Staphylococcus phage hypervariable loci were associated with purifying selection. Amino acid substitution patterns were virus dependent, as were predictions of their phenotypic effects. We identified diversity generating retroelements as one likely mechanism driving hypervariability. We validated these findings in an independently collected skin metagenomic sequence dataset, suggesting that these features of skin virome genomic variability are widespread. Our results highlight the genomic variation landscape of the skin virome and provide a foundation for better understanding community viral evolution and the functional implications of genomic diversification of skin viruses.
bibliographic citation: Hannigan et al. (2017) Evolutionary and functional implications of hypervariable loci within the skin virome. PeerJ 5:e2959 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2959
date submitted: 2016-10-07
date accepted: 2017-01-05
issued: 2017-02-07
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Hannigan
  given name: Geoffrey D.
author list: Agent
  family name: Zheng
  given name: Qi
author list: Agent
  family name: Meisel
  given name: Jacquelyn S.
author list: Agent
  family name: Minot
  given name: Samuel S.
author list: Agent
  family name: Bushman
  given name: Frederick D.
author list: Agent
  family name: Grice
  given name: Elizabeth A.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.2959
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-02-07
copyright: © 2017 Hannigan et al.
attribution name: Hannigan et al.

The concept of Watson’s carative factors in nursing and their (dis)harmony with patient satisfaction
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background Constant reviews of the caring behavior of nurses and patient satisfaction help to improve the quality of nursing. The aim of our research was to explore relationships between the level of nursing education, the perception of nurses and nursing assistants of Watson’s carative factors, and patient satisfaction. Methods A questionnaire survey using a convenience sample of 1,098 members of nursing teams and a purposive sample of 1,123 patients in four health care institutions in Slovenia was conducted in August 2012. A demographic questionnaire and the Caring Nurse-Patient Interactions Scale (nurse version) were delivered to the nurses. A Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey was delivered to discharged patients. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results Carative factor sensibility was related to the level of nursing education. Patients were satisfied with the care received from nurses, nursing assistants and hospitals, although we found differences between the perceptions of nurses and nursing assistants of carative factors and patient satisfaction. By comparing only the perceptions of nurses and nursing assistants of carative factors in health care institutions, differences were found for seven out of ten carative factors. Discussion We did not find major significant differences between carative factors and level of nurse education, except in one carative factor. Differences in perceptions of carative factors between health care institutions are probably the result of different institutional factors. The results can be of great benefit to nurse administrators and educators, indicating the factors that must be taken into account for enhancing patient satisfaction. Emphasis on caring theories should be placed in nursing education and their application in nursing practice.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Majda Pajnkihar
creator: Gregor Štiglic
creator: Dominika Vrbnjak
subject: Nursing
subject: Science and Medical Education
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.2940
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Pajnkihar et al.
abstract: Background Constant reviews of the caring behavior of nurses and patient satisfaction help to improve the quality of nursing. The aim of our research was to explore relationships between the level of nursing education, the perception of nurses and nursing assistants of Watson’s carative factors, and patient satisfaction. Methods A questionnaire survey using a convenience sample of 1,098 members of nursing teams and a purposive sample of 1,123 patients in four health care institutions in Slovenia was conducted in August 2012. A demographic questionnaire and the Caring Nurse-Patient Interactions Scale (nurse version) were delivered to the nurses. A Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey was delivered to discharged patients. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results Carative factor sensibility was related to the level of nursing education. Patients were satisfied with the care received from nurses, nursing assistants and hospitals, although we found differences between the perceptions of nurses and nursing assistants of carative factors and patient satisfaction. By comparing only the perceptions of nurses and nursing assistants of carative factors in health care institutions, differences were found for seven out of ten carative factors. Discussion We did not find major significant differences between carative factors and level of nurse education, except in one carative factor. Differences in perceptions of carative factors between health care institutions are probably the result of different institutional factors. The results can be of great benefit to nurse administrators and educators, indicating the factors that must be taken into account for enhancing patient satisfaction. Emphasis on caring theories should be placed in nursing education and their application in nursing practice.
bibliographic citation: Pajnkihar et al. (2017) The concept of Watson’s carative factors in nursing and their (dis)harmony with patient satisfaction. PeerJ 5:e2940 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2940
date submitted: 2016-07-26
date accepted: 2016-12-23
issued: 2017-02-07
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Pajnkihar
  given name: Majda
author list: Agent
  family name: Štiglic
  given name: Gregor
author list: Agent
  family name: Vrbnjak
  given name: Dominika
doi: 10.7717/peerj.2940
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-02-07
copyright: ©2017 Pajnkihar et al.
attribution name: Pajnkihar et al.

Differences in pollination success between local and foreign flower color phenotypes: a translocation experiment with Gentiana lutea (Gentianaceae)
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background The adaptive maintenance of flower color variation is frequently attributed to pollinators partly because they preferentially visit certain flower phenotypes. We tested whether Gentiana lutea—which shows a flower color variation (from orange to yellow) in the Cantabrian Mountains range (north of Spain)—is locally adapted to the pollinator community. Methods We transplanted orange-flowering individuals to a population with yellow-flowering individuals and vice versa, in order to assess whether there is a pollination advantage in the local morph by comparing its visitation rate with the foreign morph. Results Our reciprocal transplant experiment did not show clear local morph advantage in overall visitation rate: local orange flowers received more visits than foreign yellow flowers in the orange population, while both local and foreign flowers received the same visits in the yellow population; thus, there is no evidence of local adaptation in Gentiana lutea to the pollinator assemblage. However, some floral visitor groups (such as Bombus pratorum, B. soroensis ancaricus and B. lapidarius decipiens) consistently preferred the local morph to the foreign morph whereas others (such as Bombus terrestris) consistently preferred the foreign morph. Discussion We concluded that there is no evidence of local adaptation to the pollinator community in each of the two G. lutea populations studied. The consequences for local adaptation to pollinator on G. lutea flower color would depend on the variation along the Cantabrian Mountains range in morph frequency and pollinator community composition.
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Javier A. Guitián
creator: Mar Sobral
creator: Tania Veiga
creator: María Losada
creator: Pablo Guitián
creator: José M. Guitián
subject: Conservation Biology
subject: Ecology
subject: Entomology
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Plant Science
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.2882
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Guitián et al.
abstract: Background The adaptive maintenance of flower color variation is frequently attributed to pollinators partly because they preferentially visit certain flower phenotypes. We tested whether Gentiana lutea—which shows a flower color variation (from orange to yellow) in the Cantabrian Mountains range (north of Spain)—is locally adapted to the pollinator community. Methods We transplanted orange-flowering individuals to a population with yellow-flowering individuals and vice versa, in order to assess whether there is a pollination advantage in the local morph by comparing its visitation rate with the foreign morph. Results Our reciprocal transplant experiment did not show clear local morph advantage in overall visitation rate: local orange flowers received more visits than foreign yellow flowers in the orange population, while both local and foreign flowers received the same visits in the yellow population; thus, there is no evidence of local adaptation in Gentiana lutea to the pollinator assemblage. However, some floral visitor groups (such as Bombus pratorum, B. soroensis ancaricus and B. lapidarius decipiens) consistently preferred the local morph to the foreign morph whereas others (such as Bombus terrestris) consistently preferred the foreign morph. Discussion We concluded that there is no evidence of local adaptation to the pollinator community in each of the two G. lutea populations studied. The consequences for local adaptation to pollinator on G. lutea flower color would depend on the variation along the Cantabrian Mountains range in morph frequency and pollinator community composition.
bibliographic citation: Guitián et al. (2017) Differences in pollination success between local and foreign flower color phenotypes: a translocation experiment with Gentiana lutea (Gentianaceae). PeerJ 5:e2882 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2882
date submitted: 2016-07-11
date accepted: 2016-12-07
issued: 2017-02-07
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Guitián
  given name: Javier A.
author list: Agent
  family name: Sobral
  given name: Mar
author list: Agent
  family name: Veiga
  given name: Tania
author list: Agent
  family name: Losada
  given name: María
author list: Agent
  family name: Guitián
  given name: Pablo
author list: Agent
  family name: Guitián
  given name: José M.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.2882
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-02-07
copyright: ©2017 Guitián et al.
attribution name: Guitián et al.

Vascular plant biodiversity of the lower Coppermine River valley and vicinity (Nunavut, Canada): an annotated checklist of an Arctic flora
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: The Coppermine River in western Nunavut is one of Canada’s great Arctic rivers, yet its vascular plant flora is poorly known. Here, we report the results of a floristic inventory of the lower Coppermine River valley and vicinity, including Kugluk (Bloody Falls) Territorial Park and the hamlet of Kugluktuk. The study area is approximately 1,200 km2, extending from the forest-tundra south of the treeline to the Arctic coast. Vascular plant floristic data are based on a review of all previous collections from the area and more than 1,200 new collections made in 2014. Results are presented in an annotated checklist, including citation of all specimens examined, comments on taxonomy and distribution, and photographs for a subset of taxa. The vascular plant flora comprises 300 species (311 taxa), a 36.6% increase from the 190 species documented by previous collections made in the area over the last century, and is considerably more diverse than other local floras on mainland Nunavut. We document 207 taxa for Kugluk (Bloody Falls) Territorial Park, an important protected area for plants on mainland Nunavut. A total of 190 taxa are newly recorded for the study area. Of these, 14 taxa (13 species and one additional variety) are newly recorded for Nunavut (Allium schoenoprasum, Carex capitata, Draba lonchocarpa, Eremogone capillaris subsp. capillaris, Sabulina elegans, Eleocharis quinqueflora, Epilobium cf. anagallidifolium, Botrychium neolunaria, Botrychium tunux, Festuca altaica, Polygonum aviculare, Salix ovalifolia var. arctolitoralis, Salix ovalifolia var. ovalifolia and Stuckenia pectinata), seven species are newly recorded for mainland Nunavut (Carex gynocrates, Carex livida, Cryptogramma stelleri, Draba simmonsii, Festuca viviparoidea subsp. viviparoidea, Juncus alpinoarticulatus subsp. americanus and Salix pseudomyrsinites) and 56 range extensions are reported. The psbA-trnH and rbcL DNA sequence data were used to help identify the three Botrychium taxa recorded in t…
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Jeffery M. Saarela
creator: Paul C. Sokoloff
creator: Roger D. Bull
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Biogeography
subject: Ecology
subject: Plant Science
subject: Taxonomy
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.2835
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Saarela et al.
abstract: The Coppermine River in western Nunavut is one of Canada’s great Arctic rivers, yet its vascular plant flora is poorly known. Here, we report the results of a floristic inventory of the lower Coppermine River valley and vicinity, including Kugluk (Bloody Falls) Territorial Park and the hamlet of Kugluktuk. The study area is approximately 1,200 km2, extending from the forest-tundra south of the treeline to the Arctic coast. Vascular plant floristic data are based on a review of all previous collections from the area and more than 1,200 new collections made in 2014. Results are presented in an annotated checklist, including citation of all specimens examined, comments on taxonomy and distribution, and photographs for a subset of taxa. The vascular plant flora comprises 300 species (311 taxa), a 36.6% increase from the 190 species documented by previous collections made in the area over the last century, and is considerably more diverse than other local floras on mainland Nunavut. We document 207 taxa for Kugluk (Bloody Falls) Territorial Park, an important protected area for plants on mainland Nunavut. A total of 190 taxa are newly recorded for the study area. Of these, 14 taxa (13 species and one additional variety) are newly recorded for Nunavut (Allium schoenoprasum, Carex capitata, Draba lonchocarpa, Eremogone capillaris subsp. capillaris, Sabulina elegans, Eleocharis quinqueflora, Epilobium cf. anagallidifolium, Botrychium neolunaria, Botrychium tunux, Festuca altaica, Polygonum aviculare, Salix ovalifolia var. arctolitoralis, Salix ovalifolia var. ovalifolia and Stuckenia pectinata), seven species are newly recorded for mainland Nunavut (Carex gynocrates, Carex livida, Cryptogramma stelleri, Draba simmonsii, Festuca viviparoidea subsp. viviparoidea, Juncus alpinoarticulatus subsp. americanus and Salix pseudomyrsinites) and 56 range extensions are reported. The psbA-trnH and rbcL DNA sequence data were used to help identify the three Botrychium taxa recorded in t…
bibliographic citation: Saarela et al. (2017) Vascular plant biodiversity of the lower Coppermine River valley and vicinity (Nunavut, Canada): an annotated checklist of an Arctic flora. PeerJ 5:e2835 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2835
date submitted: 2016-09-02
date accepted: 2016-11-28
issued: 2017-02-07
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Saarela
  given name: Jeffery M.
author list: Agent
  family name: Sokoloff
  given name: Paul C.
author list: Agent
  family name: Bull
  given name: Roger D.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.2835
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-02-07
copyright: © 2017 Saarela et al.
attribution name: Saarela et al.

Geography shapes the phylogeny of frailejones (Espeletiinae Cuatrec., Asteraceae): a remarkable example of recent rapid radiation in sky islands
type: item
type: AcademicArticle
description: Background The páramo ecosystem, located above the timberline in the tropical Andes, has been the setting for some of the most dramatic plant radiations, and it is one of the world’s fastest evolving and most diverse high-altitude ecosystems. Today 144+ species of frailejones (subtribe Espeletiinae Cuatrec., Asteraceae) dominate the páramo. Frailejones have intrigued naturalists and botanists, not just for their appealing beauty and impressive morphological diversity, but also for their remarkable adaptations to the extremely harsh environmental conditions of the páramo. Previous attempts to reconstruct the evolutionary history of this group failed to resolve relationships among genera and species, and there is no agreement regarding the classification of the group. Thus, our goal was to reconstruct the phylogeny of the frailejones and to test the influence of the geography on it as a first step to understanding the patterns of radiation of these plants. Methods Field expeditions in 70 páramos of Colombia and Venezuela resulted in 555 collected samples from 110 species. Additional material was obtained from herbarium specimens. Sequence data included nrDNA (ITS and ETS) and cpDNA (rpl16), for an aligned total of 2,954 bp. Fragment analysis was performed with AFLP data using 28 primer combinations and yielding 1,665 fragments. Phylogenies based on sequence data were reconstructed under maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The AFLP dataset employed minimum evolution analyses. A Monte Carlo permutation test was used to infer the influence of the geography on the phylogeny. Results Phylogenies reconstructed suggest that most genera are paraphyletic, but the phylogenetic signal may be misled by hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting. A tree with all the available molecular data shows two large clades: one of primarily Venezuelan species that includes a few neighboring Colombian species; and a second clade of only Colombian species. Results …
format: application/pdf
format: text/html
creator: Mauricio Diazgranados
creator: Janet C. Barber
subject: Biodiversity
subject: Biogeography
subject: Evolutionary Studies
subject: Plant Science
subject: Taxonomy
description: doi:10.7717/peerj.2968
publisher: PeerJ Inc.
rights: © 2017 Diazgranados and Barber
abstract: Background The páramo ecosystem, located above the timberline in the tropical Andes, has been the setting for some of the most dramatic plant radiations, and it is one of the world’s fastest evolving and most diverse high-altitude ecosystems. Today 144+ species of frailejones (subtribe Espeletiinae Cuatrec., Asteraceae) dominate the páramo. Frailejones have intrigued naturalists and botanists, not just for their appealing beauty and impressive morphological diversity, but also for their remarkable adaptations to the extremely harsh environmental conditions of the páramo. Previous attempts to reconstruct the evolutionary history of this group failed to resolve relationships among genera and species, and there is no agreement regarding the classification of the group. Thus, our goal was to reconstruct the phylogeny of the frailejones and to test the influence of the geography on it as a first step to understanding the patterns of radiation of these plants. Methods Field expeditions in 70 páramos of Colombia and Venezuela resulted in 555 collected samples from 110 species. Additional material was obtained from herbarium specimens. Sequence data included nrDNA (ITS and ETS) and cpDNA (rpl16), for an aligned total of 2,954 bp. Fragment analysis was performed with AFLP data using 28 primer combinations and yielding 1,665 fragments. Phylogenies based on sequence data were reconstructed under maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. The AFLP dataset employed minimum evolution analyses. A Monte Carlo permutation test was used to infer the influence of the geography on the phylogeny. Results Phylogenies reconstructed suggest that most genera are paraphyletic, but the phylogenetic signal may be misled by hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting. A tree with all the available molecular data shows two large clades: one of primarily Venezuelan species that includes a few neighboring Colombian species; and a second clade of only Colombian species. Results …
bibliographic citation: Diazgranados et al. (2017) Geography shapes the phylogeny of frailejones (Espeletiinae Cuatrec., Asteraceae): a remarkable example of recent rapid radiation in sky islands. PeerJ 5:e2968 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2968
date submitted: 2016-11-29
date accepted: 2017-01-09
issued: 2017-02-02
is part of: PeerJ
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
author list: Agent
  family name: Diazgranados
  given name: Mauricio
author list: Agent
  family name: Barber
  given name: Janet C.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.2968
volume: 5
issn: 2167-8359
publication name: PeerJ
publication date: 2017-02-02
copyright: ©2017 Diazgranados and Barber
attribution name: Diazgranados and Barber

PeerJ
type: Periodical
uri: PeerJ
issn: 2167-8359