Tempo and mode in coevolution of Agave sensu lato (Agavoideae, Asparagaceae) and its bat pollinators, Glossophaginae (Phyllostomidae).

The genus Agave sensu lato contains ca. 211 described species, many of which are considered keystone species because of their ecological dominance and the quantity of resources they provide with their massive, nectar-rich inflorescences. The large diversity of Agave species has been hypothesized as being related to their reproductive strategy (predominantly monocarpic) and diverse pollinators (e.g., bats, hummingbirds, hawkmoths). In particular, Agave species provide resources that a few genera of nectar feeding bats from the subfamily Glosophaginae are dependent upon. To explore a possible coevolutionary relationship between Agave and the bat species that pollinate them, we calibrated molecular phylogenies of both groups and looked for a correlation in their dates of divergence. One coding and two non-coding regions of the chloroplast genome were sequenced from 49 species of the Agavoideae (Asparagaceae), and the mitochondrial gene Cyt-b and nuclear coding gene RAG2 were either sequenced or obtained from gene bank for 120 Phyllostomid bats. Results from the analyses indicate that Agave sensu lato is a young genus (estimated crown age 2.7-8.5/stem age 4.6-12.3 Ma), with an increasing diversification rate, and the highest speciation rate among Agavoideae's clades. The origin of the Glossophaginae bats (stem age 20.3-23.5 Ma) occurred prior to the stem age of Agave sensu lato, while the origin of the current pollinators of Agave species, members of the genera Glossophaga, Leptonycteris, Anoura, Choeronyscus, Musonycteris and Choeronycteris, was estimated to be around 6.3-16.2 Ma, overlapping with the stem age of Agave sensu lato, supporting the hypothesis of diffuse coevolution.

[Asynchronous twin births. Case report and obstetric management review]. / Parto gemelar asincrónico. Presentación de un caso y revisión del tratamiento obstétrico.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of multiple pregnancy has increased in the last years. These pregnancies are associated with more obstetric complications regarding single pregnancies, one of the most important is prematurity. In extremely rare cases premature delivery of one fetus may occur, being retained in the uterine cavity the second fetus until birth later, producing the so-called delayed delivery of twins. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a double twin pregnancy with delayed delivery of the second fetus after birth of the first one within 22.6 weeks of gestation and the second one birth at at 24 weeks of gestation, eight days later after the first one. A review of cases published in the literature is performed and the obstetric management of delayed delivery discussed.

[The Spanish adapted version of the Children's Communication Checklist identifies disorders of pragmatic use of language and differentiates between clinical subtypes]. / La adaptacion al castellano de la Children's Communication Checklist permite detectar las dificultades en el uso pragmatico del lenguaje y diferenciar subtipos clinicos.

INTRODUCTION: The Children's Communication Checklist (CCC) by Bishop is a useful scale for evaluation of pragmatic verbal abilities in school children. The aim of the study is to ascertain the validity and reliability of the CCC in Spanish. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Answers to the CCC items by parents of 360 children with normal intelligence were analyzed. There were five groups: 160 control children; 68 children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, 77 with procedural non-verbal disorder, 25 children with social communication disorder and 30 with autism spectrum disorder. Investigations included: factorial analysis in order to cluster checklist items, reliability analyses of the proposed scales and discriminant analysis to check whether the scale correctly classifies children with pragmatic verbal abilities. RESULTS: Seven factors were obtained (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin: 0.852) with moderate similarity with those of the original scale: social relationships, interests, and five more that can be grouped into pragmatic verbal ability (conversational abilities, coherence-comprehension, empathy nonverbal communication and appropriateness). All factors are significantly correlated with each other in the control group, and the five that compose pragmatic verbal ability correlate with each other in the clinical groups (Pearson r). The scales have good reliability (Cronbach's alpha: 0.914). The questionnaire correctly classifies 98.9% of grouped cases with and without pragmatic disorder and 78% of subjects in their appropriate clinical group. Besides, the questionnaire allows to differentiate the pathologies according to the presence and intensity of the symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: This Spanish version of the CCC is highly valid and reliable. The proposed statistics can be used as normative-reference values.

TITLE: La adaptacion al castellano de la Children's Communication Checklist permite detectar las dificultades en el uso pragmatico del lenguaje y diferenciar subtipos clinicos.Introduccion. La Children's Communication Checklist (CCC) de Bishop es una prueba util para la valoracion de la pragmatica verbal en los escolares. El objetivo del trabajo es comprobar la fiabilidad y la validez de esta escala en castellano. Sujetos y metodos. Se analiza la CCC contestada por los padres de 360 niños/as de 4-12 años, con inteligencia normal, 160 controles y 200 de cuatro grupos clinicos: trastorno por deficit de atencion/hiperactividad (n = 68), trastorno de aprendizaje no verbal procedimental (n = 77), trastorno de la comunicacion social (n = 25) y trastornos del espectro autista de nivel 1 (n = 30). Se realizan analisis: factorial para agrupar los items del cuestionario, de fiabilidad de las nuevas escalas y discriminante para comprobar si clasifica bien a los afectos de dificultades en el uso del lenguaje. Resultados. Se obtienen siete factores (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin: 0,852) con moderada similitud a las de la CCC original: relaciones sociales, intereses y otros cinco que constituyen pragmatica (habilidades conversacionales, coherencia-comprension, compenetracion, comunicacion no verbal y pertinencia). La correlacion es significativa entre todos ellos, en el grupo control, y entre los cinco que configuran pragmatica, en los grupos clinicos (r de Pearson). La fiabilidad de las escalas es buena (alfa de Cronbach: 0,914). El cuestionario clasifica bien al 98,9% de los casos agrupados con y sin trastorno pragmatico; y al 78% de los participantes en sus correspondientes grupos clinicos. Ademas, permite diferenciar las patologias segun la presencia e intensidad de los sintomas. Conclusiones. Esta version española de la CCC es altamente valida y fiable. Los estadisticos aportados pueden utilizarse como valores de referencia.

Estilo comportamental al inicio del segundo año de vida: estudio retrospectivo en escolares afectados de trastorno por déficit de atención e hiperactividad / Children with ADHD: A retrospective description of their behavioural features as toddlers

Objetivos: Estudiar la posible relación entre el perfil comportamental de escolares afectos de trastorno por déficit de atención e hiperactividad (TDAH) y el estilo de conducta que poseían al inicio del segundo año de vida. Sujetos y métodos: Los padres de 50 niños afectados de TDAH y los padres de 30 niños controles contestaron una versión española del TBQ (Toddler Behaviour Questionnaire) acerca de sus percepciones retrospectivas de la conducta de sus hijos al inicio del segundo año de vida. Los ítems del TBQ se agruparon mediante un análisis factorial. Se estudiaron las diferencias (t-Student) de las puntuaciones del TBQ entre ambos grupos y se aplicó un análisis de correlación múltiple entre las puntuaciones en el TBQ y en la escala del Manual Diagnóstico y Estadístico de los Trastornos Mentales IV del TDAH. Resultados: Según la percepción de sus padres, los niños afectos de TDAH (como grupo) habían mostrado al inicio del segundo año un estilo de conducta diferente al de los niños del grupo control (p<0,05); estas diferencias se daban en las siguientes dimensiones de la conducta: regularidad, humor y estabilidad durante el juego. Conclusiones: Aunque los resultados del presente estudio deben considerarse con precaución, parecen mostrar que desde el quinto trimestre de vida es diferenciable un particular estilo de conducta en lo tocante a regularidad, humor y estabilidad durante el juego, que puede indicar riesgo de TDAH en edades posteriores. Este estilo de conducta debe tenerse en cuenta en la educación temprana y ser objeto de estudios prospectivos (AU)

Objectives: To study the relationship between behavioural profile of children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the previous behavioural style of these patients as toddlers. Subjects and methods: We asked the parents of 50 schoolchildren with ADHD, and those of 30 controls, to fill in a Spanish version of the Toddler Behaviour Questionnaire (TBQ) from their retrospective perception of their children's behaviour as toddlers. TBQ items were grouped by factor analysis; t-Student between the scores of both groups and a multiple correlation analysis of TBQ and DSM-IV-ADHD-RS in each of the groups were used. Results: Children in the ADHD group were reported by parents to have had a different toddler behavioural profile in comparison to that of control children (P<0.05). These differences were associated with adapting to new environments, mood, regularity and stability of play behaviour. A correlation was found between behavioural profile in DSM-IV-ADHD- RS and TBQ. Conclusions: The results of this study should be interpreted with caution. However, they suggest that in the fifth trimester of life a particular behavioural style as regards regularity, stability of play, and mood, could indicate a risk of developing ADHD in the future. This behavioural style should be taken into consideration in rearing and early education prospective studies (AU)

[Children with ADHD: a retrospective description of their behavioural features as toddlers]. / Estilo comportamental al inicio del segundo año de vida: estudio retrospectivo en escolares afectados de trastorno por déficit de atención e hiperactividad.

OBJECTIVES: To study the relationship between behavioural profile of children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the previous behavioural style of these patients as toddlers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We asked the parents of 50 schoolchildren with ADHD, and those of 30 controls, to fill in a Spanish version of the Toddler Behaviour Questionnaire (TBQ) from their retrospective perception of their children's behaviour as toddlers. TBQ items were grouped by factor analysis; t-Student between the scores of both groups and a multiple correlation analysis of TBQ and DSM-IV-ADHD-RS in each of the groups were used. RESULTS: Children in the ADHD group were reported by parents to have had a different toddler behavioural profile in comparison to that of control children (P<0.05). These differences were associated with adapting to new environments, mood, regularity and stability of play behaviour. A correlation was found between behavioural profile in DSM-IV-ADHD- RS and TBQ. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study should be interpreted with caution. However, they suggest that in the fifth trimester of life a particular behavioural style as regards regularity, stability of play, and mood, could indicate a risk of developing ADHD in the future. This behavioural style should be taken into consideration in rearing and early education prospective studies.

[Detection and specific studies in procedural learning difficulties]. / Detección y estudios específicos en el trastorno de aprendizaje procesal.

INTRODUCTION: The main disabilities in non-verbal learning disorder (NLD) are: the acquisition and automating of motor and cognitive processes, visual spatial integration, motor coordination, executive functions, difficulty in comprehension of the context, and social skills. AIMS. To review the research to date on NLD, and to discuss whether the term 'procedural learning disorder' (PLD) would be more suitable to refer to NLD. DEVELOPMENT: A considerable amount of research suggests a neurological correlate of PLD with dysfunctions in the 'posterior' attention system, or the right hemisphere, or the cerebellum. Even if it is said to be difficult the delimitation between NLD and other disorders or syndromes like Asperger syndrome, certain characteristics contribute to differential diagnosis. Intervention strategies for the PLD must lead to the development of motor automatisms and problem solving strategies, including social skills. CONCLUSIONS: The basic dysfunction in NLD affects to implicit learning of routines, automating of motor skills and cognitive strategies that spare conscious resources in daily behaviours. These limitations are partly due to a dysfunction in non-declarative procedural memory. Various dimensions of language are also involved: context comprehension, processing of the spatial and emotional indicators of verbal language, language inferences, prosody, organization of the inner speech, use of language and non-verbal communication; this is why the diagnostic label 'PLD' would be more appropriate, avoiding the euphemistic adjective 'non-verbal'.

Detección y estudios específicos en el trastorno de aprendizaje procesal / Detection and specific studies in procedural learning difficulties

Introducción. Los déficit que caracterizan el trastorno de aprendizaje no verbal (TANV) afectan a la automatización de procedimientos motores y cognitivos, la integración visuoespacial, la coordinación motora, las funciones ejecutivas, la comprensión contextual y las habilidades sociales. Objetivos. Revisar el estado de la cuestión del TANV y justificar la mayor adecuación del término ‘trastorno de aprendizaje procesal’ (TAP) para referirse a este trastorno. Desarrollo. Aunque los límites entre el TANV y otros trastornos o síndromes como el síndrome de Asperger son a veces difusos, ciertas características específicas contribuyen al diagnóstico diferencial. Numerosas investigaciones sugieren, en cuanto a su correlato neurológico, disfunciones del sistema atencional ‘posterior’, hemisferio derecho, y cerebelo. Los recursos de intervención en el TAP deben ir encaminados al entrenamiento de los automatismos motores y de las estrategias de resolución de problemas. Conclusiones. La disfunción básica que subyace al TANV es una dificultad para el aprendizaje implícito de rutinas, de la automatización de procesos motores y de estrategias cognitivas que facilitan gran parte de las conductas habituales ahorrando costo de recursos conscientes. Estas limitaciones se deben en parte a una disfunción en la memoria procedimental. Además, diversas dimensiones del lenguaje están afectadas: comprensión contextualizada, procesamiento de los indicadores espaciales y emocionales en la producción verbal, realización de inferencias lingüísticas, organización del discurso, prosodia, uso del lenguaje y comunicación gestual, entre otras; de este modo, quedaría justificado evitar el adjetivo ‘no verbal’ en la denominación de esta agrupación sindrómica y adoptar la etiqueta diagnóstica de ‘TAP’ (AU)

Introduction. The main disabilities in non-verbal learning disorder (NLD) are: the acquisition and automating of motor and cognitive processes, visual spatial integration, motor coordination, executive functions, difficulty in comprehension of the context, and social skills. Aims. To review the research to date on NLD, and to discuss whether the term ‘procedural learning disorder’ (PLD) would be more suitable to refer to NLD. Development. A considerable amount of research suggests a neurological correlate of PLD with dysfunctions in the ‘posterior’ attention system, or the right hemisphere, or the cerebellum. Even if it is said to be difficult the delimitation between NLD and other disorders or syndromes like Asperger syndrome, certain characteristics contribute to differential diagnosis. Intervention strategies for the PLD must lead to the development of motor automatisms and problem solving strategies, including social skills. Conclusions. The basic dysfunction in NLD affects to implicit learning of routines, automating of motor skills and cognitive strategies that spare conscious resources in daily behaviours. These limitations are partly due to a dysfunction in non-declarative procedural memory. Various dimensions of language are also involved: context comprehension, processing of the spatial and emotional indicators of verbal language, language inferences, prosody, organization of the inner speech, use of language and non-verbal communication; this is why the diagnostic label ‘PLD’ would be more appropriate, avoiding the euphemistic adjective ‘non-verbal’ (AU)

Absolute diversification rates in angiosperm clades.

The extraordinary contemporary species richness and ecological predominance of flowering plants (angiosperms) are even more remarkable when considering the relatively recent onset of their evolutionary diversification. We examine the evolutionary diversification of angiosperms and the observed differential distribution of species in angiosperm clades by estimating the rate of diversification for angiosperms as a whole and for a large set of angiosperm clades. We also identify angiosperm clades with a standing diversity that is either much higher or lower than expected, given the estimated background diversification rate. Recognition of angiosperm clades, the phylogenetic relationships among them, and their taxonomic composition are based on an empirical compilation of primary phylogenetic studies. By making an integrative and critical use of the paleobotanical record, we obtain reasonably secure approximations for the age of a large set of angiosperm clades. Diversification was modeled as a stochastic, time-homogeneous birth-and-death process that depends on the diversification rate (r) and the relative extinction rate (epsilon). A statistical analysis of the birth and death process was then used to obtain 95% confidence intervals for the expected number of species through time in a clade that diversifies at a rate equal to that of angiosperms as a whole. Confidence intervals were obtained for stem group and for crown group ages in the absence of extinction (e = 0.0) and under a high relative extinction rate (epsilon = 0.9). The standing diversity of angiosperm clades was then compared to expected species diversity according to the background rate of diversification, and, depending on their placement with respect to the calculated confidence intervals, exceedingly species-rich or exceedingly species-poor clades were identified. The rate of diversification for angiosperms as a whole ranges from 0.077 (epsilon = 0.9) to 0.089 (epsilon = 0.0) net speciation events per million years. Ten clades fall above the confidence intervals of expected species diversity, and 13 clades were found to be unexpectedly species poor. The phylogenetic distribution of clades with an exceedingly high number of species suggests that traits that confer high rates of diversification evolved independently in different instances and do not characterize the angiosperms as a whole.