Phylogeny of the Clusioid Clade (Malpighiales): Evidence from the Plastid and Mitochonrial Genomes

• Premise of the study : The clusioid clade includes five families (i.e., Bonnetiaceae, Calophyllaceae, Clusiaceae s.s., Hypericaceae, and Podostemaceae) represented by 94 genera and ~1900 species. Species in this clade form a conspicuous element of tropical forests worldwide and are important in horticulture, timber production, and pharmacology. We conducted a taxon-rich multigene phylogenetic analysis of the clusioids to clarify phylogenetic relationships in this clade. • Methods : We analyzed plastid ( matK , ndhF , and rbcL ) and mitochondrial ( matR ) nucleotide sequence data using parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference. Our combined data set included 194 species representing all major clusioid subclades, plus numerous species spanning the taxonomic, morphological, and biogeographic breadth of the clusioid clade. • Key results : Our results indicate that Tovomita (Clusiaceae s.s.), Harungana and Hypericum (Hypericaceae), and Ledermanniella s.s. and Zeylanidium (Podostemaceae) are not monophyletic. In addition, we place four genera that have not been included in any previous molecular study: Ceratolacis , Diamantina , and Griffi thella (Podostemaceae), and Santomasia (Hypericaceae). Finally, our results indicate that Lianthus , Santomasia , Thornea , and Triadenum can be safely merged into Hypericum (Hypericaceae). • Conclusions : We present the first well-resolved, taxon-rich phylogeny of the clusioid clade. Taxon sampling and resolution within the clade are greatly improved compared to previous studies and provide a strong basis for improving the classification of the group. In addition, our phylogeny will form the foundation for our future work investigating the biogeography of tropical angiosperms that exhibit Gondwanan distributions. DOI:10.3732/ajb.100035

Risk of Stillbirth in the Relation to Water Disinfection By-Products: A Population-Based Case-Control Study in Taiwan

Background: Few epidemiological studies that have assessed the relation between water disinfection by-products (DBPs) and the risk of stillbirth provide inconsistent results. The objective was to assess the relation between exposure to water disinfection by-products and the risk of stillbirth. Methods: We conducted a population-based case-control study of 3,289 cases of stillbirth and a random sample of 32,890 control subjects from 396,049 Taiwanese newborns in 2001–2003 using information from the Birth Registry and Waterworks Registry in Taiwan. We compared the risk of stillbirth in four disinfection by-product exposure categories based on the levels of total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) representing high (TTHMs 20+ mg/L), medium (TTHMs 10–19 mg/L), low exposure (TTHMs 5–9 mg/L), and 0–4 mg/L as the reference category. In addition, we conducted a meta-analysis of the results from the present and 5 previous studies focusing on stillbirth. Findings: In logistic regression analysis adjusting for gender, maternal age, plurality, conception of season and population density of the municipality where the mother lived during pregnancy, the odds ratio (OR) for stillbirth was 1.10 (95 % CI 1.00–1.21) for medium exposure and 1.06 (95 % 0.96–1.17) for high exposure compared to reference category. In the metaanalysis, the summary odds ratio for stillbirth (1.11, 95 % CI: 1.03, 1.19) was consistently elevated. Conclusions: The present study is consistent with the hypothesis that the risk of stillbirth is related to prenatal exposure t

Global variation in the beta diversity of lake macrophytes is driven by environmental heterogeneity rather than latitude

Aim: We studied global variation in beta diversity patterns of lake macrophytes using regional data from across the world. Specifically, we examined 1) how beta diversity of aquatic macrophytes is partitioned between species turnover and nestedness within each study region, and 2) which environmental characteristics structure variation in these beta diversity components.  Location: Global  Methods: We used presence-absence data for aquatic macrophytes from 21 regions distributed around the world. We calculated pairwise-site and multiple-site beta diversity among lakes within each region using Sørensen dissimilarity index and partitioned it into turnover and nestedness coefficients. Beta regression was used to correlate the diversity coefficients with regional environmental characteristics. Results: Aquatic macrophytes showed different levels of beta diversity within each of the 21 study regions, with species turnover typically accounting for the majority of beta diversity, especially in high-diversity regions. However, nestedness contributed 30-50% of total variation in macrophyte beta diversity in low-diversity regions. The most important environmental factor explaining the three beta diversity coefficients (total, species turnover and nestedness) was altitudinal range, followed by relative areal extent of freshwater, latitude and water alkalinity range. Main conclusions: Our findings show that global patterns in beta diversity of lake macrophytes are caused by species turnover rather than by nestedness. These patterns in beta diversity were driven by natural environmental heterogeneity, notably variability in altitudinal range (also related to temperature variation) among regions. In addition, a greater range in alkalinity within a region, likely amplified by human activities, was also correlated with increased macrophyte beta diversity. These findings suggest that efforts to conserve aquatic macrophyte diversity should primarily focus on regions with large numbers of lakes that exhibit broad environmental gradients.

Disease-specific and general health-related quality of life in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients: The Pros-IT CNR study

Background: The National Research Council (CNR) prostate cancer monitoring project in Italy (Pros-IT CNR) is an observational, prospective, ongoing, multicentre study aiming to monitor a sample of Italian males diagnosed as new cases of prostate cancer. The present study aims to present data on the quality of life at time prostate cancer is diagnosed. Methods: One thousand seven hundred five patients were enrolled. Quality of life is evaluated at the time cancer was diagnosed and at subsequent assessments via the Italian version of the University of California Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Results: At diagnosis, lower scores on the physical component of the SF-12 were associated to older ages, obesity and the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities. Lower scores on the mental component were associated to younger ages, the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities and a T-score higher than one. Urinary and bowel functions according to UCLA-PCI were generally good. Almost 5% of the sample reported using at least one safety pad daily to control urinary loss; less than 3% reported moderate/severe problems attributable to bowel functions, and sexual function was a moderate/severe problem for 26.7%. Diabetes, 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities, T2 or T3-T4 categories and a Gleason score of eight or more were significantly associated with lower sexual function scores at diagnosis. Conclusions: Data collected by the Pros-IT CNR study have clarified the baseline status of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. A comprehensive assessment of quality of life will allow to objectively evaluate outcomes of different profile of care

Valutazione del bioaccumulo di metalli in traccia in “Pseudevernia furfuracea L. Zopf

I licheni, organismi derivanti dalla simbiosi tra un fungo e un’alga, sono particolarmente indicati a registrare su se stessi le informazioni su ciò che accade ad un essere vivente se viene sottoposto per un lungo tempo alle sostanze inquinanti. L’inquinamento atmosferico provoca infatti un deterioramento degli esemplari presenti nella zona interessata, fino ad impedire la crescita delle specie meno adattabili agli inquinanti: nei casi più gravi si assiste alla totale scomparsa anche delle specie più resistenti (deserto lichenico). Il biomonitoraggio lichenico può essere un valido supporto, non sostitutivo dell’analisi chimica tradizionale, per valutare il grado di alterazione ambientale del territorio: studi a livello internazionale indicano la biodiversità lichenica quale parametro per classificare la qualità dell’aria nelle nostre città. Questo obiettivo può essere raggiunto con modalità di rilevo standardizzate ottenendo dati spaziali di tipo ambientale. Il presente lavoro riporta i risultati preliminari di una campagna di monitoraggio condotta nella provincia di Potenza, Basilicata, utilizzando la Pseudevernia furfuracea L. Zopf, specie lichenica epifita, segnalata da molti autori, molto sensibile ai contaminanti. Tale lichene non è presente naturalmente nell’area di studio, pertanto i talli di P. Furfuracea sono stati prelevati in una zona boscata d’alta quota, ed esposti all’aria in diversi cantieri per 6-12 settimane secondo un disegno di campionamento prestabilito. I criteri per la localizzazione delle stazioni sono stati dettati dall’esigenza d’incrociare i dati chimici con quelli atmosferici per cui le lichen bags sono state esposte presso tutte le stazioni metereologiche situate in zone a rischio. Le analisi dei metalli in traccia sono state effettuate adoperando tecniche spettofotometriche di assorbimento e di emissione (AAS-GTA e ICP-OES). I primi risultati hanno evidenziato nella matrice vegetale la presenza di cromo, nichel, zinco, ferro, alluminio, cadmio e piombo. Quest’ultimo elemento è presente anche nel lichene testimone pertanto sarà necessario approfondire la ricerca prelevando la stessa specie in altre zone boschive al fine di comprendere l’importanza del problema. Successivamente saranno correlati i dati di biomonitoraggio lichenico con quelli ottenuti dall’analisi del particolato atmosferico (campionamento nello stesso sito e nello stesso periodo temporale). E’ prevista, inoltre, l’elaborazione cartografica dei dati relativi alle stazioni al fine la realizzazione di mappe di isoconcentrazione di rilevante interesse per il controllo dell’alterazione ambientale a lungo termine