Revisión taxonómica del complejo de Centaurea cyanus L. (Centaurea sect. Cyanus, Asteraceae) en la Península Ibérica

Revisión taxonómica del complejo de Centaurea cyanus L. (Centaurea sect. Cyanus, Asteraceae) en la Península Ibérica. Se ha efectuado la revisión taxonómica de Centaurea sect. Cyanus en la Península Ibérica. Se reconocen seis táxones y se hacen dos nuevas combinaciones: C. triumfettii var. semidecurrens (Jord.) Muñoz Rodr. & Devesa y C. graminifolia (Lam.) Muñoz Rodr. & Devesa. Se aporta una clave para la identificación de los táxones, así como su descripción morfológica e información sobre la distribución geográfica, apetencias ecológicas, fenología y número cromosómico

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

Revisión del género "Stipa" L. y "Nassella" DEsv. ("Poaceae") en la Península Ibérica e Islas Baleares

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.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

Community- and Individual-Level Socioeconomic Status and Breast Cancer Risk: Multilevel Modeling on Cape Cod, Massachusetts

BACKGROUND. Previous research demonstrated increased risk of breast cancer associated with higher socioeconomic status (SES) measured at both the individual and community levels. However, little attention has been paid to simultaneously examining both measures. OBJECTIVES. We evaluated the independent influences of individual and community SES on the risk of breast cancer using case-control data. Because our previous work suggests that associations may be stronger after including a latency period, we also assessed the effect of community-level SES assuming a 10-year latency period. METHODS. We obtained individual education for cases and matched controls diagnosed between 1987 and 1993 on Cape Cod, Massachusetts (USA). We acquired community-level SES from census data for 1980 and 1990. Using SES data at diagnosis and 10 years earlier, we constructed models for breast cancer risk using individual-level SES only, community-level SES only, and a multilevel analysis including both. We adjusted models for other individual-level risk factors. RESULTS. Women with the highest education were at greater risk of developing breast cancer in both 1980 and 1990 [odds ratio (OR) = 1.17 and 1.19, respectively]. Similarly, women living in the highest-SES communities in 1990 had greater risk (OR = 1.30). Results were stronger in the analyses considering a latency period (OR = 1.69). Adjusting for intragroup correlation had little effect on the analyses. CONCLUSIONS. Models including individual- or community-level measures of SES produced associations similar to those observed in previous research. Results for models including both measures are consistent with a contextual effect of SES on risk of breast cancer independent of individual SES.Boston University Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Environmental Exposures and Health; National Institute of Environmental Health (P42ES007381

Treatment of recurrent aphtous stomatitis: A systematic review

Background: Recurrent Aphtous Stomatitis (RAS) is the most common process affecting the oral mucosa. It is painful, multifactorial and generally recurrent. The aim of this systematic review is to know the last treatment approaches and their effectivity.Material and Methods: we compared the outcome of different kind of treatments in terms of the improvement of the lesions, reduction of the size of those lesions and the time needed for their healing. Inclusion criteria were: clinical trials, articles written in English or Spanish and published less than 5 years ago.Results: we used the following keywords: treatment, aphtous stomatitis, canker sores; combined with Bool-ean operators AND y OR. We selected 28 articles for reading the whole text, and after applying the eligibility criteria, we selected 17 articles for our revision. Among all the treatments, we emphasize the barrier method based in compound of cellulose rubber and a calcium/sodium copolymer PVM/MA, with which the difference in the 3rd and 7th day was of-6,29 +/- 0,14 points in the pain score. The treatment with insulin and chitosan gel, brought a pain suppression on the third day, with no reactivation of the pain during the whole study. The application of a film composed of polyurethane and sesame oil with chitosan, brought a reduction in the size of the lesions of 4,54 +/- 2,84mm on the 6th day compared with the situation before the beginning of the treatment. The different kinds of laser, which produced a reduction in the pain score just at the beginning of the treatment up to 8,1 +/- 1,6 points, and a reduction of the size of the lesions of 4,42 +/- 1,02mm on the 7th day.Conclusions: Besides the classic treatments for RAS, we have to take into account other treatment modalities, above all the different kinds of laser

Yoga respiratory training improves respiratory function and cardiac sympathovagal balance in elderly subjects: a randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVES: Since ageing is associated with a decline in pulmonary function, heart rate variability and spontaneous baroreflex, and recent studies suggest that yoga respiratory exercises may improve respiratory and cardiovascular function, we hypothesised that yoga respiratory training may improve respiratory function and cardiac autonomic modulation in healthy elderly subjects. DESIGN: 76 healthy elderly subjects were enrolled in a randomised control trial in Brazil and 29 completed the study (age 68 \ub1 6 years, 34% males, body mass index 25 \ub1 3 kg/m\ub2). Subjects were randomised into a 4-month training program (2 classes/week plus home exercises) of either stretching (control, n=14) or respiratory exercises (yoga, n=15). Yoga respiratory exercises (Bhastrika) consisted of rapid forced expirations followed by inspiration through the right nostril, inspiratory apnoea with generation of intrathoracic negative pressure, and expiration through the left nostril. Pulmonary function, maximum expiratory and inspiratory pressures (PE(max) and PI(max), respectively), heart rate variability and blood pressure variability for spontaneous baroreflex determination were determined at baseline and after 4 months. RESULTS: Subjects in both groups had similar demographic parameters. Physiological variables did not change after 4 months in the control group. However, in the yoga group, there were significant increases in PE(max) (34%, p<0.0001) and PI(max) (26%, p<0.0001) and a significant decrease in the low frequency component (a marker of cardiac sympathetic modulation) and low frequency/high frequency ratio (marker of sympathovagal balance) of heart rate variability (40%, p<0.001). Spontaneous baroreflex did not change, and quality of life only marginally increased in the yoga group. CONCLUSION: Respiratory yoga training may be beneficial for the elderly healthy population by improving respiratory function and sympathovagal balance. Trial Registration CinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00969345; trial registry name: Effects of respiratory yoga training (Bhastrika) on heart rate variability and baroreflex, and quality of life of healthy elderly subjects