A revision of Supo L. and Nassella Desv. (Poaceae) genera in Iberian Peninsula and Balearic

A revision of Supo L. and Nassella Desv. (Poaceae) genera in Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands.. A taxonomic study of the genus Stipa L. and Nassella Desv. at the Iberian Penisula has been made. 27 taxa of the genus Stipa are recognized, 18 of which are species and the remaining infraspecific taxa. Nassella mucronata is the only species of the genus Nassella in the studied area. Keys to identification of the taxa are given, together with descriptions, the most important synonimies and information concerning to their cromosomic numbers and geographical distribution. Eight combinations have been made: Stipa sect. Inaequiglumes, Stipa sect. Jarava, Stipa sect. Macrochloa, Stipa sect. Giganteae, S. iberica var. austro-iberica, S. iberica var. pseudodasyphylla, S. parviflora var. pilosa and S. pauneroana. The following taxa are new : S. apertifolia var. nevadensis, S. juncea var. cabanasii y S. gigantea subsp. donyanae.Revisión del género Supo L. y Nassella Desv. (Poaceae) en la Peninsula Ibérica e Islas Baleares. Se ha efectuado un estudio taxonómico de los géneros Stipa L. y Nassella Desv. en la Península Ibérica e Islas Baleares. Para el primero se reconocen en el territorio 27 taxones: 18 especies y el resto taxones infraespecíficos, mientras que el segundo está representado sólo por N. mucronata. Se aportan claves para la identificacion de los taxones, que se acompañan además de descripción, principales sinonimias comprobadas e información sobre su número cromosómico y distribución en el territorio. Se efectúan ocho combinaciones: Supo sect. Inaequiglumes, Stipa sect. Jarava, Stipa sect. Macrochloa, Stipa sect. Giganteae, S. iberica var. pseudodasypkylla, S. iberica var. austro-iberica, S. parvtflora var. pilosa y S. pauneroana, y se describen ademas los siguientes taxones S. apernfolia var. nevadensis, S. juncea var. cabanasii y S. gigantea subsp. donyanae

Typification of the linnaean taxa of Stipa

In this paper all the Linnaean taxa of Stipa occurring in the Iberian Península are lectotypified and discussed. Stipa juncea L. is proposed as the correct ñame for S. celakovskyi MartinovskJ.En este trabajo se discute y lectotipifican todos los táxones linneanos del género Stipa representados en la Península Ibérica. Se propone Stipa juncea L. como el nombre correcto para S. celakovskyi Martinovsky

Heavy metals transport in typical portuguese loamy sand soils

Illegal discharges are of great concern among industry activities, since they occur under uncontrolled conditions. In most cases, effluents are acidic and the concentrations of heavy metals are very high. With this in mind, the main goal of this study was to evaluate the sorption of two of the most toxic heavy metals, Cr(VI) and Pb(II), in those conditions. A loamy sand soil was collected in Oporto, Portugal. Batch equilibrium and kinetic sorption experiments were performed using both metals solutions, with concentrations among 50 mg L-1 and 200 mg L-1, at pH 2 and 5, between 2 h and 288 h. To evaluate the sorption equilibrium, eight isotherm models were fitted. Better adjustments were observed for the Redlich-Peterson and Khan models for the adsorption of chromium (R2 = 0.99), and of lead (R2 = 0.99), respectively. The sorption kinetics was evaluated using three models – Elovich, Pseudo first order and an empirical power function. The retention of lead was almost instantaneous and the empirical power function described better the sorption kinetics of chromium (0.89 < R2 < 0.99). In addition, flow experiments were performed with effluents of both metals (50 mg L-1) at pH 2 and 5, for about 90 h. Results revealed a high retention of chromium, and a weak retention of lead, for low pH values. FTIR analyses to the columns samples revealed that clay minerals have an important role in the retention of both metals

Gomphocarpus R. Br. (Apocynaceae sufma. Asclepiadoideae) en Andalucía Occidental

Se da a conocer la presencia en Andalucía Occidental de Gomphocarpus physocarpus E. Mey., un neófi to originario del E y S de África. Se comenta la fenología de la fl oración y fructifi cación, así como la capacidad de dispersión de las plantas en las poblaciones naturalizadas, y se comparan con las de G. fruticosus (L.) T.W. Aiton, también presente en el territorio. Se discute el carácter invasor de las tres especies de Asclepiadaceae citadas en el texto.In this article the neophyte Gomphocarpus physocarpus E.Mey., widely distributed in SE Africa, is fi rst cited in western Andalucía (southern Spain). The flowering and fruit ripening phenology and dispersal potential of plants in different naturalized populations are described and compared with that of G. fruticosus (L.) T.W. Aiton also present in this territory. The invasive potential of the three Asclepiadaceae species here considered is also discussed.Fundación MIGRE

Levels of evidence in plastic surgery – Trends and comparison with five other surgical specialties

Background: Categorising research by level of evidence (LOE) is an important evidence-based medicine initiative. Our objective was to assess the change in LOEs in plastic surgery from 2003 to 2013 and compared this with five other surgical specialties. Methods: A search for all research articles published in the top three general plastic surgery journals (ranked by impact factor) was conducted for 2003 and 2013. Articles were then labelled as LOE 1–5 and compared to other specialties. Results: Mean LOE for plastic surgery improved by 4.1 % from 3.86 (95 % confidence interval 3.81–3.91) to 3.70 (95 % confidence interval 3.64–3.74) from 2003 to 2013 respectively. All six surgical specialties improved their mean LOE (range 3.7 to 10.9 %). By mean LOE, plastic surgery continues to rank five out of six. Conclusions: Plastic surgery is tending towards higher levels of evidence at a slow pace. The specialty must continue to drive towards higher levels of evidence. Level of Evidence: Not ratable

Accuracy of a method based on atomic absorption spectrometry to determine inorganic arsenic in food : Outcome of the collaborative trial IMEP-41

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Prostate Cancer Incidence Rates in Africa

African American men have among the highest prostate cancer incidence rates in the world yet rates among their African counterparts are unclear. In this paper, we compared reported rates among black men of Sub-Saharan African descent using data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program for 1973–2007. Although population-based data in Africa are quite limited, the available data from IARC showed that rates among blacks were highest in the East (10.7–38.1 per 100,000 man-years, age-adjusted world standard) and lowest in the West (4.7–19.8). These rates were considerably lower than those of 80.0–195.3 observed among African Americans. Rates in Africa increased over time (1987–2002) and have been comparable to those for distant stage in African Americans. These patterns are likely due to differences between African and African American men in medical care access, screening, registry quality, genetic diversity, and Westernization. Incidence rates in Africa will likely continue to rise with improving economies and increasing Westernization, warranting the need for more high-quality population-based registration to monitor cancer incidence in Africa