Two New Dioecious Species of Symplocos (Symplocaceae) from Southern Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Two new dioecious species of Symplocos Jacquin from Southern Brazil are described and illustrated. Both species belong to section Barberina (Vellozo) A. DC. of subgenus Symplocos. Symplocos bidana Aranha is characterized by its cymose or racemose inflorescences (9.5-)11-34 mm long, corolla with five or six lobes 3.7-4.9 mm long, and fruits (10-)13-20 x 5-10 mm with the calyx lobes covering the fruiting disc. Symplocos incrassata Aranha is characterized by its reduced cymes, bracts caducous in fruit, and fruits 12-18 x (5-)6-8 mm. In addition, both species have thick endocarps (0.8-1.2 mm), a notable character among the Brazilian species of section Barberina.19116U.S. National Science Foundation [DEB-0126631]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)U.S. National Science Foundation [DEB-0126631

Symplocos Dasyphylla (symplocaceae): Revised Description And Lectotypification

Symplocos dasyphylla Brand is one of the most poorly known species of Symplocos occurring in Rio de Janeiro. This species has been erroneously considered a synonym of S. itatiaiae Wawra, and the original description of S. dasyphylla does not contain the characters needed to diagnose the species. Here we provide a revised augmented description of S. dasyphylla, lectotypification, illustration, citations of material examined, data for assessing its conservation status, and a key to the species of Symplocos section Hopea occurring in Rio de Janeiro.643655660DEB-00126631; NSF; National Science FoundationAranha Filho, J.L.M., Flora de grão-mogol, minas gerais: symplocaceae-adendo (2009) Boletim de Botânica da Universidade de São Paulo, 27, pp. 99-100Aranha Filho, J.L.M., Bertoncello, R., Fritsch, P.W., Almeda, F., Martins, A.B., Symplocos atlantica (symplocaceae), a new species from the atlantic rain Forest of Brazil (2009) Harvard Papers in Botany, 14, pp. 101-104Aranha Filho, J.L.M., Fritsch, P.W., Almeda, F., Martins, A.B., A revision of Symplocos Jacq. Section Neosymplocos brand (Symplocaceae) (2007) Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, 58, pp. 407-446Aranha Filho, J.L.M., Fritsch, P.W., Almeda, F., Martins, A.B., Two new dioecious species of Symplocos (Symplocaceae) from Southern Brazil (2009) Novon, 19, pp. 1-6Aranha Filho, J.L.M., Fritsch, P.W., Almeda, F., Martins, A.B., Validation of the name Symplocos pentandra (Symplocaceae) (2009) Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, 3, pp. 659-660Aranha Filho, J.L.M., Fritsch, P.W., Almeda, F., Martins, A.B., Cryptic dioecy is widespread in South American species of Symplocos section Barberina (Symplocaceae) (2009) Plant Systematics and Evolution, 277, pp. 99-104Aranha Filho, J.L.M., Fritsch, P.W., Almeda, F., Martins, A.B., Proposal to reject the name Barberina hirsuta (Symplocos hirsuta) (Symplocaceae) (2010) Taxon, 59, pp. 1287-1288Aranha Filho, J.L.M., Martins, A.B., Symplocaceae (2012) Lista de Espécies da Flora Do Brasil. Jardim Botânico Do Rio de Janeiro, , http://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/2012/FB014897, Forzza, R.C. et al. (eds.), Access on 26 Oct 2012Aranha Filho, J.L.M., Martins, A.B., Fritsch, P.W., Almeda, F., Symplocaceae (2009) Plantas Raras Do Brasil, pp. 380-381. , Giulietti, A.M.Rapini, A.Andrade, M.J.G.Queiroz, L.P. & Silva, J.M.C. (orgs.). Conservação Internacional, Belo HorizonteAranha Filho, J.L.M., Sà, C.F.C., Martins, A.B., Symplocos neblinae (Symplocaceae), um novo registro para a flora brasileira (2010) Rodriguésia, 61 (SUPPL.), pp. S79-S83Bidà, A., (1995) Revisão Taxonômica das Espécies de Symplocos Jacq. (Symplocaceae) Do Brasil. Tese de Doutorado, p. 381. , Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloBrand, A., Symplocaceae (1901) Das Pflanzenreich, (6), pp. 1-100. , Engler, A. (ed.). Engelmann, Leipzig, IV.242Fritsch, P.W., Kelly, L.M., Wang, Y., Almeda, F., Kriebel, R., Revised infrafamilial classification of Symplocaceae based on phylogenetic data from DNA sequences and morphology (2008) Taxon, 57, pp. 823-852Glaziou, A.F.M., Plantae Brasiliae centralis a Glaziou lectae. Liste des plantes du Brésil Central recueillies en 1861-1895 (1905) Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France, 57, pp. 1-661Hickey, L.J., Classification of the architecture of dicotyledonous leaves (1973) American Journal of Botany, 60, pp. 17-33Hickey, M., King, C., (2000) The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms, p. 208. , Cambridge University Press, CambridgeIUCN Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 8.1. IUCN Standards and Petitions Subcommittee, p. 85. , http://intranet.iucn.org/webfiles/doc/SSC/RedList/RedListGuidelines.pdf, Access on 26 Oct 2012Thiers, B., (2012) Index Herbariorum: A Global Directory of Public Herbaria and Associated Staff, , http://sweetgum.nybg.org./ih, [continuously updated] New York Botanical Garden's Virtual Herbarium. Available in Access in 26 Oct 2012Wang, Y.-C., Hu, J.-M., Cryptic dioecy of Symplocos wikstroemiifolia Hayata (Symplocaceae) in Taiwan (2011) Botanical Studies, 52, pp. 479-491Wurdack, J.J., Erroneous data in glaziou collections of melastomataceae (1970) Taxon, 19, pp. 911-91

Knowledge and attitudes of primary health care physicians and nurses with regard to population screening for colorectal cancer in Balearic Islands and Barcelona

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Primary health care (PHC) professionals play a key role in population screening of colorectal cancer. The purposes of the study are: to assess knowledge and attitudes among PHC professionals with regard to colorectal cancer screening, as well as the factors that determine their support for such screening.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Questionnaire-based survey of PHC physicians and nurses in the Balearic Islands and in a part of the metropolitan area of Barcelona.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We collected 1,219 questionnaires. About 84% of all professionals believe that screening for colorectal cancer by fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is effective. Around 68% would recommend to their clients a colorectal cancer screening program based on FOBT and colonoscopy. About 31% are reluctant or do not know. Professionals perceive the fear of undergoing a colonoscopy as the main obstacle in getting patients to participate, and the invasive nature of this test is the main reason behind their resistance to this program. The main barriers to support the screening program among PHC professionals are lack of knowledge (nurses) and lack of time (physicians). On multivariate analysis, the factors associated with reluctance to recommend colorectal cancer screening were: believing that FOBT has poor sensitivity and is complicated; that colonoscopy is an invasive procedure; that a lack of perceived benefit could discourage client participation; that only a minority of clients would participate; thinking that clients are fed up with screening tests and being unaware if they should be offered something to ensure their participation in the programme.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Two in every three PHC professionals would support a population screening program for colorectal cancer screening. Factors associated with reluctance to recommend it were related with screening tests characteristics as sensitivity and complexity of FOBT, and also invasive feature of colonoscopy. Other factors were related with patients' believes.</p

Nucleic acid amplification tests in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Conventional tests for tuberculous pleuritis have several limitations. A variety of new, rapid tests such as nucleic acid amplification tests – including polymerase chain reaction – have been evaluated in recent times. We conducted a systematic review to determine the accuracy of nucleic acid amplification (NAA) tests in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 38 English and Spanish articles (with 40 studies), identified via searches of six electronic databases, hand searching of selected journals, and contact with authors, experts, and test manufacturers. Sensitivity, specificity, and other measures of accuracy were pooled using random effects models. Summary receiver operating characteristic curves were used to summarize overall test performance. Heterogeneity in study results was formally explored using subgroup analyses. RESULTS: Of the 40 studies included, 26 used in-house ("home-brew") tests, and 14 used commercial tests. Commercial tests had a low overall sensitivity (0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43, 0.77), and high specificity (0.98; 95% CI 0.96, 0.98). The positive and negative likelihood ratios for commercial tests were 25.4 (95% CI 16.2, 40.0) and 0.40 (95% CI 0.24, 0.67), respectively. All commercial tests had consistently high specificity estimates; the sensitivity estimates, however, were heterogeneous across studies. With the in-house tests, both sensitivity and specificity estimates were significantly heterogeneous. Clinically meaningful summary estimates could not be determined for in-house tests. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that commercial NAA tests may have a potential role in confirming (ruling in) tuberculous pleuritis. However, these tests have low and variable sensitivity and, therefore, may not be useful in excluding (ruling out) the disease. NAA test results, therefore, cannot replace conventional tests; they need to be interpreted in parallel with clinical findings and results of conventional tests. The accuracy of in-house nucleic acid amplification tests is poorly defined because of heterogeneity in study results. The clinical applicability of in-house NAA tests remains unclear

Process evaluation in the field: global learnings from seven implementation research hypertension projects in low-and middle-income countries

Background Process evaluation is increasingly recognized as an important component of effective implementation research and yet, there has been surprisingly little work to understand what constitutes best practice. Researchers use different methodologies describing causal pathways and understanding barriers and facilitators to implementation of interventions in diverse contexts and settings. We report on challenges and lessons learned from undertaking process evaluation of seven hypertension intervention trials funded through the Global Alliance of Chronic Diseases (GACD). Methods Preliminary data collected from the GACD hypertension teams in 2015 were used to inform a template for data collection. Case study themes included: (1) description of the intervention, (2) objectives of the process evaluation, (3) methods including theoretical basis, (4) main findings of the study and the process evaluation, (5) implications for the project, policy and research practice and (6) lessons for future process evaluations. The information was summarized and reported descriptively and narratively and key lessons were identified. Results The case studies were from low- and middle-income countries and Indigenous communities in Canada. They were implementation research projects with intervention arm. Six theoretical approaches were used but most comprised of mixed-methods approaches. Each of the process evaluations generated findings on whether interventions were implemented with fidelity, the extent of capacity building, contextual factors and the extent to which relationships between researchers and community impacted on intervention implementation. The most important learning was that although process evaluation is time consuming, it enhances understanding of factors affecting implementation of complex interventions. The research highlighted the need to initiate process evaluations early on in the project, to help guide design of the intervention; and the importance of effective communication between researchers responsible for trial implementation, process evaluation and outcome evaluation. Conclusion This research demonstrates the important role of process evaluation in understanding implementation process of complex interventions. This can help to highlight a broad range of system requirements such as new policies and capacity building to support implementation. Process evaluation is crucial in understanding contextual factors that may impact intervention implementation which is important in considering whether or not the intervention can be translated to other contexts