Reproductive Biology in the Possible Last Healthy Population of (Cactaceae): Perspectives to Avoid Its Extinction.

All 32 Brazilian species of Speg (Cactaceae) occurring in Rio Grande do Sul State are considered threatened, according to the IUCN criteria. Until 2021, (CR) was known by only two small populations. However, a new population with over 400 individuals was discovered in 2021, prompting the study of its reproductive biology as a way to promote its conservation.

Growing or reproducing? Assessing the existence of a trade-off in the globose cactus Gymnocalycium monvillei.

Resource allocation in plants is a fundamental aspect of life history theory. In Cactaceae, the specific trade-off between sexual reproduction and vegetative growth has still not been studied. The aim of this work was to assess if there is a trade-off between growth and reproduction, and to analyse whether both growth and allocation to reproduction depend on size of the individual.

Looking for non-hermaphrodite cacti: multidisciplinary studies in Gymnocalycium bruchii endemic to central Argentina.

Through a multidisciplinary study we found that Gymnocalycium bruchii, an endemic cactus from central Argentina, acts as a dioecious species, which is the first record in this genus. Cactaceae species are typically hermaphroditic; however, about 2% have other different reproductive systems. These non-hermaphroditic species may develop sexual dimorphism in flowers or other reproductive, vegetative or ecological traits, besides a specific breeding system and floral ontogeny.

[Woody species composition in invaded communities from mountains of central Argentina: their relations with local environmental factors].

Invasions by exotic woody species are threatening ecosystem functions worldwide. The spread and subsequent replacement of native forest by exotic dominated stands is particularly evident nearby urban centers were exotic propagule pressure is highest. Yet, there is a lack of information on the environmental factors that underlie these replacements.

[Germinating requirements of common vines from Chaco Serrano of Córdoba, Argentina].

Vines are conspicuous elements of floras in different ecosystems. Patterns of distribution and ecology of this group has been studied at regional scales, mainly in tropical areas, but less is known about factors affecting their distribution at smaller scales. In this study, the germinating requirements of common vines from two plant communities (open shrubland and woodland) in xerophytic mountain forests (Chaco serrano) were studied.

Impact of patient's weight on stroke rehabilitation results.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of patient's weight on rehabilitation results after first stroke.

Design: Retrospective, comparative study. The sample comprised 84 males and females, first-time stroke patients, who had been hospitalized in the department of rehabilitation at the Hartzfeld Geriatric Hospital, Gedera, Israel for a full 3 mos and who, on admission, had scored between 40 and 60 on the total Functional Improvement Measure (FIM) test.

[Effect of a magnesium-enriched diet on electrolyte metabolism and oxalate excretion in kidney diseases in children].

The diet enriched with food having a high content of magnesium and group B vitamins (wheat bran, buckwheat, oatmeal, millet, dried apricots, yeast) was used in a comprehensive treatment of patients with renal diseases accompanied by hyperoxaluria. The dietetic management resulted in a reduced excretion of oxalates with the urine, decrease of the urinary syndrome, as well as in shifts in the content of calcium and magnesium in the blood serum and in their excretion with the urine toward the mean levels. At the same time the calcium/magnesium ratio in the urine returned to normal thereby promoting the diminution of the formation of calcium oxalates.