Household food insecurity and nutritional status of schoolchildren in rural regions of Bajo Lampa, El Salvador (2018-2019).

In 2018, a cross-sectional study was conducted in six communities of Tecoluca, Bajo Lempa (El Salvador). Weight, height, sitting-height, skinfolds thickness and head, arm, and waist circumferences were measured in a sample of 334 schoolchildren. Nutritional status, body composition, and Extended Composite Index for Anthropometric Failure (ECIAF) were estimated. The Food Security Perception Survey (Spanish acronym: EPSA) was applied to 143 households. Anthropometric failure was observed in 37.5% of the schoolchildren. Association between stunting and underweight in boys and stunting and weight excess in girls was observed. About 58.7% of the households suffered from food insecurity.

Fungal literature records database of the sub-Antarctic Region of Aysén, Chile.

BACKGROUND: To this day, merely 8% of all estimated fungi species are documented and, in certain regions, its biodiversity is practically unknown. Inside the Fungi Kingdom, macrofungi and lichens assume a critical part in the ecosystem functionality and have a historical connection to mankind's social, clinical and nutritious uses. Despite their importance, the diversity of these groups has been widely overlooked in the sub-Antarctic Region of Chile, a crucial area in the study of climate change due to its extraordinary biodiversity and its proximity to Antarctica. Few studies regarding both groups have been conducted in this sub-Antarctic Region and the data are still scarce and inaccessible, as these are only published in specialised journals, unreachable to local communities. NEW INFORMATION: This publication presents a records compilation available in previous published scientific and technical reports on macrofungi and lichen diversity. In total, 1263 occurrence records of 618 species (341 records of 251 macrofungi species and 922 records of 367 lichen species) were digitised and integrated into the regional platform Biodiversity Information System for Aysén (SIB-Aysén) and into GBIF. Here, we provide the fullest dataset on one of the most diverse group of living beings in one of the the least-known world regions.

Mejora de la estadística de mortalidad por suicidio en Tarragona (Cataluña, España) entre 2004 y 2012 / Improving suicide mortality statistics in Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain) between 2004-2012

Introducción: La vigilancia y prevención de la conducta suicida requiere, entre otros datos, conocer con precisión las muertes por suicidio (MPS). Frecuentemente existe una infradeclaración o mala clasificación de las MPS en las estadísticas oficiales de mortalidad. El objetivo del estudio es analizar la infradeclaración de la estadística de mortalidad por suicidio en Tarragona (Cataluña, España). Material y métodos: Análisis de las MPS ocurridas en la División de Tarragona del Institut de Medicina Legal i Ciències Forenses de Catalunya (DT-IMLCFC) entre los años 2004 y 2012. Las fuentes de información fueron el fichero de defunciones del Registre de Mortalitat de Catalunya (RMC) y el archivo de autopsias del DT-IMLCFC. Se compararon estadísticamente las tasas y las características demográficas de las MPS declaradas en el RMC y las recuperadas. Resultados: La media de casos no declarados en el período fue del 16,2%, con el mínimo en el año 2005 (2,2%) y el máximo en el año 2009 (26,8%). La tasa bruta de mortalidad por suicidio pasó de 6,6 por 100.000 habitantes a 7,9 por 100.000 habitantes tras la incorporación de los datos forenses. Se detectaron diferencias poco importantes en el perfil sociodemográfico de los suicidios declarados inicialmente y los definitivos, excepto en el método de suicidio, con un aumento significativo de los envenenamientos y los arrollamientos en vía férrea. Conclusiones: La recuperación de datos en las MPS a partir de las fuentes forenses mejora la información estadística, corrigiendo su infradeclaración y ampliando el conocimiento sobre el método de suicidio y las características personales

Introduction: Monitoring and preventing suicidal behaviour requires, among other data, knowing suicide deaths precisely. They often appear under-reported or misclassified in the official mortality statistics. The aim of this study is to analyse the under-reporting found in the suicide mortality statistics of Tarragona (a province of Catalonia, Spain). Method and materials: The analysis takes into account all suicide deaths that occurred in the Tarragona Area of the Catalan Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (TA-CILMFS) between 2004 and 2012. The sources of information were the death data files of the Catalan Mortality Register, as well as the Autopsies Files of the TA-CILMFS. Suicide rates and socio-demographic profiles were statistically compared between the suicide initially reported and the final one. Results: The mean percentage of non-reported cases in the period was 16.2%, with a minimum percentage of 2.2% in 2005 and a maximum of 26.8% in 2009. The crude mortality rate by suicide rose from 6.6 to 7.9 per 100,000 inhabitants once forensic data were incorporated. Small differences were detected between the socio-demographic profile of the suicide initially reported and the final one. Supplementary information was obtained on the suicide method, which revealed a significant increase in poisoning and suicides involving trains. Conclusions: An exhaustive review of suicide deaths data from forensic sources has led to an improvement in the under-reported statistical information. It also improves the knowledge of the method of suicide and personal characteristics

Asymmetric flows and drivers of herbaceous plant invasion success among Mediterranean-climate regions.

Understanding the mechanisms that support the arrival, establishment and spread of species over an introduced range is crucial in invasion ecology. We analysed the unintentionally introduced herbaceous species that are naturalised in the five Mediterranean-climate regions. There is an asymmetry in the species flows among regions, being the Iberian Peninsula the main donor to the other regions. At interregional scale, the species' capacity to spread among regions is related to the ecological versatility of the species in the donor area (Iberian Peninsula). At intraregional scale, the species' capacity to successfully occupy a complete region first depends on the time elapsed from its introduction and afterwards on the degree of occurrence in the region of origin, which is commonly related to its chance of coming into contact with humans. Information on exotic species in their origin region provides insights into invasion process and decision-making to reduce the risks of future invasions.

The invasiveness of Hypochaeris glabra (Asteraceae): Responses in morphological and reproductive traits for exotic populations.

Scientists have been interested in many topics driven by biological invasions, such as shifts in the area of distribution of plant species and rapid evolution. Invasiveness of exotic plant species depends on variations on morphological and reproductive traits potentially associated with reproductive fitness and dispersal ability, which are expected to undergo changes during the invasion process. Numerous Asteraceae are invasive and display dimorphic fruits, resulting in a bet-hedging dispersal strategy -wind-dispersed fruits versus animal-dispersed fruits-. We explored phenotypic differentiation in seed morphology and reproductive traits of exotic (Chilean) and native (Spanish) populations of Hypochaeris glabra. We collected flower heads from five Spanish and five Chilean populations along rainfall gradients in both countries. We planted seeds from the ten populations in a common garden trial within the exotic range to explore their performance depending on the country of origin (native or exotic) and the environmental conditions at population origin (precipitation and nutrient availability). We scored plant biomass, reproductive traits and fruit dimorphism patterns. We observed a combination of bet-hedging strategy together with phenotypic differentiation. Native populations relied more on bet-hedging while exotic populations always displayed greater proportion of wind-dispersed fruits than native ones. This pattern may reflect a strategy that might entail a more efficient long distance dispersal of H. glabra seeds in the exotic range, which in turn can enhance the invasiveness of this species.

Improving suicide mortality statistics in Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain) between 2004-2012. / Mejora de la estadística de mortalidad por suicidio en Tarragona (Cataluña, España) entre 2004 y 2012.

INTRODUCTION: Monitoring and preventing suicidal behaviour requires, among other data, knowing suicide deaths precisely. They often appear under-reported or misclassified in the official mortality statistics. The aim of this study is to analyse the under-reporting found in the suicide mortality statistics of Tarragona (a province of Catalonia, Spain). METHOD AND MATERIALS: The analysis takes into account all suicide deaths that occurred in the Tarragona Area of the Catalan Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (TA-CILMFS) between 2004 and 2012. The sources of information were the death data files of the Catalan Mortality Register, as well as the Autopsies Files of the TA-CILMFS. Suicide rates and socio-demographic profiles were statistically compared between the suicide initially reported and the final one. RESULTS: The mean percentage of non-reported cases in the period was 16.2%, with a minimum percentage of 2.2% in 2005 and a maximum of 26.8% in 2009. The crude mortality rate by suicide rose from 6.6 to 7.9 per 100,000 inhabitants once forensic data were incorporated. Small differences were detected between the socio-demographic profile of the suicide initially reported and the final one. Supplementary information was obtained on the suicide method, which revealed a significant increase in poisoning and suicides involving trains. CONCLUSIONS: An exhaustive review of suicide deaths data from forensic sources has led to an improvement in the under-reported statistical information. It also improves the knowledge of the method of suicide and personal characteristics.

Ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity combine to enhance the invasiveness of the most widespread daisy in Chile, Leontodon saxatilis.

Dispersal and reproductive traits of successful plant invaders are expected to undergo strong selection during biological invasions. Numerous Asteraceae are invasive and display dimorphic fruits within a single flower head, resulting in differential dispersal pathways - wind-dispersed fruits vs. non-dispersing fruits. We explored ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity of seed output and fruit dimorphisms in exotic Chilean and native Spanish populations of Leontodon saxatilis subsp. rothii. We collected flower heads from populations in Spain and Chile along a rainfall gradient. Seeds from all populations were planted in reciprocal transplant trials in Spain and Chile to explore their performance in the native and invasive range. We scored plant biomass, reproductive investment and fruit dimorphism. We observed strong plasticity, where plants grown in the invasive range had much greater biomass, flower head size and seed output, with a higher proportion of wind-dispersed fruits, than those grown in the native range. We also observed a significant ecotype effect, where the exotic populations displayed higher proportions of wind-dispersed fruits than native populations. Together, these patterns reflect a combination of phenotypic plasticity and ecotypic differentiation, indicating that Leontodon saxatilis has probably increased propagule pressure and dispersal distances in its invasive range to enhance its invasiveness.

Comentarios sobre las diferencias en el número de muertes por suicidio en España / Comments about the differences in the number of suicide deaths in Spain

No disponible