Los lagartos del Cretácico Inferior del Montsec (Cataluña, España)

The Lower Cretaceous deposits of Montsec (Catalonia, Spain) have yielded two lizard specimens. One, a partial postcranial skeleton, was named Meyasaurus faurae by Vidal (1915). The second, a skull, was named Ilerdaesaurus crusafonti by Hoffstetter (1966). There has always been the possibility that the skull and postcranial skeleton belonged to a single genus, but without associated material, the question remained open. New lizard material from the Lower Cretaceous (Late Barremian) lacustrine deposits at Las Hoyas, near Cuenca (Castilla-La Mancha, Spain), provides the answer. The Las Hoyas lizards combine the skull of Ilerdaesaurus with the postcranial skeleton of Meyasaurus. Meyasaurus Vidal 1915 clearly has priority over Ilerdaesaurus Hoffstetter 1966, and the latter becomes a junior synonym. Key words: Lizards, Squamata, Cretaceous, Barremian, Montsec, Catalonia, Spain.Los depósitos del Cretácico Inferior del Montsec (Cataluña, España) han proporcionado restos pertenecientes a dos ejemplares de lagartos. El primero está representado por un esqueleto postcraneal incompleto que fue descrito por Vidal (1915) como Meyasaurus faurae. El segundo, representado por un cráneo, fue descrito como Ilerdaesaurus crusafonti por Hoffstetter (1966). Hasta la fecha, debido a la inexistencia de materiales craneales y postcraneales asociados, no había podido determinarse si ambos restos podían ser atribuidos al mismo género. Sin embargo, el descubrimiento de nuevos restos de lagartos procedentes de los depósitos lacustres del Cretácico Inferior de las Hoyas en Cuenca (Castilla-La Mancha, España) han dado repuesta a dicha cuestión. Los lagartos de Las Hoyas permiten asociar el cráneo de Ilerdaesaurus con el esqueleto postcraneal de Meyasaurus. Meyasaurus Vidal 1915 tiene clara prioridad sobre Ilerdaesaurus Hoffstetter 1966, convirtiéndose así éste en un sinónimo de aquél. Palabras clave: Lagartos, Squamata, Cretácico Inferior, Barremiense, Montsec, Cataluña, Españ

El lagarto Rubiessaurus lapicidinarum del Cretácico inferior de Catalunya (Montsec, Lleida, España)

The lizard Rubiessaurus lapicidinarum (Gómez Pallerola, 1979) from the Lower Cretaceous deposits of Santa Maria del Meià, Montsec, is reevaluated and redescribed. The specimen, originally described as the remains of the skull and forelimb, comprises parts of the hindlimbs and pelvic girdle. The skeletal parts preserved are indistinguishable from those of the Meyasaurus faurai, originally described from Montsec (Vidal, 1915) but subsequently recorded from localities in the province of Cuenca (Uña, Las Hoyas) and Teruel (Galve). Key words: Lizard, Squamata, Barremian, Cretaceous, Montsec, Catalonia, Spain.En el presente trabajo se efectua una revisión y una redescripción de Rubiessaurus lapicidinarum, un lagarto del Cretácico Inferior de Santa Maria de Meià, Montsec. El espécimen, descrito en su día como restos pertenecientes al cráneo y a un miembro anterior (Gómez Pallerola, 1979), incluye en realidad partes de los miembros posteriores y de la cintura pelviana. No puede ser distinguido de Meyasaurus faurai, originalmente descrito del Montsec (Vidal, 1915) y, posteriormente, de diversas localidades en las provincias de Cuenca (Uña, Las Hoyas) y Teruel (Galve). Palabras clave: Lagarto, Squamata, Barremiense, Cretácico, Montsec, Cataluña, España

La fauna del pleistoceno inferior de la sierra de Quibas (Abanilla, Murcia)

El yacimiento kárstico cuaternario de la Sierra de Quibas (Abanilla, Murcia) ha proporcionado una amplia lista faunística constituida por 53 especies repartidas entre gasterópodos, miriápodos, anfibios, reptiles, aves y mamíferos. En el conjunto de los gasterópodos destaca Palaeoglandina, un género que se extingue en el resto de Europa durante el Plioceno y que se mantiene como relicto en el Pleistoceno de la Península Ibérica. Dos de las especies de aves determinadas, Gypaetus barbatus y Gerontieus eremita, y una de las serpientes, Elaphe cf. E. sealaris, apenas se hallan representadas en el registro fósil. Hay además varias especies de aves cuya aparición en Quibas supone la primera cita en el Pleistoceno inferior de la Península Ibérica. Entre los mamíferos posee una especial relevancia la presencia del cercopitécido Macaca sylvanus. La asociación de los taxones Arvieola deuealíon, Castillomys rivas rivas, Elíomys intermedius, Equus altidens y Capra sp. aff. C. alba permite la correlación con Plines 1, Orce 3 y Venta Micena, entre otros. El yacimiento de Quibas puede situarse, por tanto, antes del final del Pleistoceno inferior, con una antigüedad entre 1.3 y 1 Ma. Por lo que se refiere a las condiciones paleoclimáticas, podemos inferir a partir de la asociación faunística un régimen xerófilo, muy semejante al actual en el área geográfica, aunque quizás con valores de humedad y temperatura algo superiores. El entorno de la cavidad kárstica estaba formado por roquedo calcáreo con áreas abiertas de matorral, pero en las proximidades se desarrollaron humedales y zonas arboladas, como así lo atestigua la presencia de aves y micromamíferos típicos de estos hábitats.The Quaternary karstic site of Sierra de Quibas (Abanilla, Murcia, Spain) has provided a wide faunallist with 53 species distributed among gastropods, myriapods, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Especially interesting among the gastropods is Palaeoglandina that became extinct in Europe during the Pliocene. It remains as a relict genus in the Pleistocene of the Iberian Peninsula. Two of the birds, Gypaetus barbatus and Geronticus eremita, and a snake, Elaphe cf. E. sealaris, are scarcely represented in the fossil record. For several birds, it is the first record in the Lower Pleistocene of the Iberian Peninsula. Among the mammals, the presence of the Cercopithecine Macaca sylvanus is especially relevant. The assemblage of the taxa Arvicola deucalion, Castillomys rivas rivas, Eliomys intermedius, Equus altidens and Capra sp. aff. C. alba allows the correlation with Plines 1, Orce 3 and Venta Micena, among other sites. Therefore Quibas can be clated before the end of Lower Pleistocene, between 1.3 and 1 Ma. A dry paleoclimatic regime, very similar to the current climate in the geographical area, though perhaps slightly wetter and warmer, can be inferred from the faunal assemblage. The environment of the karstic cavity was a rocky place with open brushwood areas, but in the proximities there were wetlands and woodlands, as can be inferred from the presence of birds and micromammals characteristic of these [email protected] [email protected]

From descriptive to predictive distribution models: a working example with Iberian amphibians and reptiles

BACKGROUND: Aim of the study was to identify the conditions under which spatial-environmental models can be used for the improved understanding of species distributions, under the explicit criterion of model predictive performance. I constructed distribution models for 17 amphibian and 21 reptile species in Portugal from atlas data and 13 selected ecological variables with stepwise logistic regression and a geographic information system. Models constructed for Portugal were extrapolated over Spain and tested against range maps and atlas data. RESULTS: Descriptive model precision ranged from 'fair' to 'very good' for 12 species showing a range border inside Portugal ('edge species', kappa (k) 0.35–0.89, average 0.57) and was at best 'moderate' for 26 species with a countrywide Portuguese distribution ('non-edge species', k = 0.03–0.54, average 0.29). The accuracy of the prediction for Spain was significantly related to the precision of the descriptive model for the group of edge species and not for the countrywide species. In the latter group data were consistently better captured with the single variable search-effort than by the panel of environmental data. CONCLUSION: Atlas data in presence-absence format are often inadequate to model the distribution of species if the considered area does not include part of the range border. Conversely, distribution models for edge-species, especially those displaying high precision, may help in the correct identification of parameters underlying the species range and assist with the informed choice of conservation measures

Trends and outcome of neoadjuvant treatment for rectal cancer: A retrospective analysis and critical assessment of a 10-year prospective national registry on behalf of the Spanish Rectal Cancer Project

Introduction: Preoperative treatment and adequate surgery increase local control in rectal cancer. However, modalities and indications for neoadjuvant treatment may be controversial. Aim of this study was to assess the trends of preoperative treatment and outcomes in patients with rectal cancer included in the Rectal Cancer Registry of the Spanish Associations of Surgeons. Method: This is a STROBE-compliant retrospective analysis of a prospective database. All patients operated on with curative intention included in the Rectal Cancer Registry were included. Analyses were performed to compare the use of neoadjuvant/adjuvant treatment in three timeframes: I)2006–2009; II)2010–2013; III)2014–2017. Survival analyses were run for 3-year survival in timeframes I-II. Results: Out of 14, 391 patients, 8871 (61.6%) received neoadjuvant treatment. Long-course chemo/radiotherapy was the most used approach (79.9%), followed by short-course radiotherapy ± chemotherapy (7.6%). The use of neoadjuvant treatment for cancer of the upper third (15-11 cm) increased over time (31.5%vs 34.5%vs 38.6%, p = 0.0018). The complete regression rate slightly increased over time (15.6% vs 16% vs 18.5%; p = 0.0093); the proportion of patients with involved circumferential resection margins (CRM) went down from 8.2% to 7.3%and 5.5% (p = 0.0004). Neoadjuvant treatment significantly decreased positive CRM in lower third tumors (OR 0.71, 0.59–0.87, Cochrane-Mantel-Haenszel P = 0.0008). Most ypN0 patients also received adjuvant therapy. In MR-defined stage III patients, preoperative treatment was associated with significantly longer local-recurrence-free survival (p < 0.0001), and cancer-specific survival (p < 0.0001). The survival benefit was smaller in upper third cancers. Conclusion: There was an increasing trend and a potential overuse of neoadjuvant treatment in cancer of the upper rectum. Most ypN0 patients received postoperative treatment. Involvement of CRM in lower third tumors was reduced after neoadjuvant treatment. Stage III and MRcN + benefited the most

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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A role for endothelial nitric oxide synthase in intestinal stem cell proliferation and mesenchymal colorectal cancer

Abstract Background Nitric oxide (NO) has been highlighted as an important agent in cancer-related events. Although the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) isoform has received most attention, recent studies in the literature indicate that the endothelial isoenzyme (eNOS) can also modulate different tumor processes including resistance, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. However, the role of eNOS in cancer stem cell (CSC) biology and mesenchymal tumors is unknown. Results Here, we show that eNOS was significantly upregulated in VilCre ERT2 Apc fl/+ and VilCre ERT2 Apc fl/fl mouse intestinal tissue, with intense immunostaining in hyperproliferative crypts. Similarly, the more invasive VilCre ERT2 Apc fl/+ Pten fl/+ mouse model showed an overexpression of eNOS in intestinal tumors whereas this isoform was not expressed in normal tissue. However, none of the three models showed iNOS expression. Notably, when 40 human colorectal tumors were classified into different clinically relevant molecular subtypes, high eNOS expression was found in the poor relapse-free and overall survival mesenchymal subtype, whereas iNOS was absent. Furthermore, Apc fl/fl organoids overexpressed eNOS compared with wild-type organoids and NO depletion with the scavenger carboxy-PTIO (c-PTIO) decreased the proliferation and the expression of stem-cell markers, such as Lgr5, Troy, Vav3, and Slc14a1, in these intestinal organoids. Moreover, specific NO depletion also decreased the expression of CSC-related proteins in human colorectal cancer cells such as β-catenin and Bmi1, impairing the CSC phenotype. To rule out the contribution of iNOS in this effect, we established an iNOS-knockdown colorectal cancer cell line. NO-depleted cells showed a decreased capacity to form tumors and c-PTIO treatment in vivo showed an antitumoral effect in a xenograft mouse model. Conclusion Our data support that eNOS upregulation occurs after Apc loss, emerging as an unexpected potential new target in poor-prognosis mesenchymal colorectal tumors, where NO scavenging could represent an interesting therapeutic alternative to targeting the CSC subpopulation