Nuevas especies y citas de cirratúlidos de aguas profundas (Annelida: Cirratulidae) enfrente a las costas del Norte de California

Polychaetes of the family Cirratulidae are among the most important macrofaunal invertebrates in deep-sea benthic communities off northern California. The genus Chaetozone includes several species that are among the dominant species in depths of 2400-3200 m. Four of the most common species of Chaetozone are described in this paper. Of these four species, only C. spinosa Moore, 1903 has been previously described. Three other species are new to science. C. brunnea, n. sp. has a short, triangular-shaped prostomium, brown body colour, and an enlarged “stomach” which distends the body in a characteristic pattern. C. allanotai, n. sp. has a unique methyl green staining pattern that provides a means to readily identify juveniles and fragmented adults. A third new species, C. palaea, n. sp has posterior spines that are unusually broad, providing a spectacular armature. These species are compared with the type species, C. setosa from the Arctic. New details concerning segmentation of the anterior end, morphology of the nuchal organs, and posterior spines, represent a suite of characters that, in combination, will be used in a phylogenetic analysis of cirratulid polychaetes.Los poliquetos de la familia Cirratulidae se encuentran entre los invertebrados macrofaunales más importantes de las comunidades bentónicas de aguas profundas del Norte de California. El género Chaetozone incluye varias especies que se encuentran entre las dominantes entre los 2400-3200 m de profundidad. En este trabajo se describen cuatro de las especies más importantes del genero Chaetozone. De estas cuatro especies, únicamente C. spinosa Moore ha sido previamente descrita. Las otras tres especies son nuevas para la ciencia. C. brunnea, n. sp. tiene prostomio corto, triangular, cuerpo de color marrón, y un “estómago” dilatado que distiende el cuerpo dándole una forma característica. C. allanotai, n. sp. presenta un patron de tinción con Verde de Metilo único, que proporciona un medio para la fácil identificación de juveniles y fragmentos de adultos. Una tercera nueva especie, C. palaea, n. sp. tiene espinas posteriores inusualmente anchas, lo que le proporcionan una espectacular armadura. Estas especies se comparan con la especies tipo, C. setosa del Ártico. Los detalles relacionados con el extremo anterior, la morfología de los órganos nuchales, y las espinas posteriores representan nuevos caracteres que serán utilizados en un análisis filogenético de los poliquetos cirratúlidos. &nbsp

Nuevas especies de Cirratulidae (Polychaeta) del nordeste de los Estados Unidos

Polychaetes of the family Cirratulidae are common components of the benthic fauna of the northeastern United States. Although several species have been treated by Blake (1991), the true diversity of northeastern Atlantic cirratulids is underestimated since species remain largely undescribed or are erroneously assigned european names. The present paper provides descriptions of three new species of Chaetozone and one new species of Caulleriella. All four of these taxa were collected as part of environmental monitoring programmes in Long Island Sound, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay, and/or Georges Bank from depths ranging from 10 to 200 m. In addition to traditional observations, details provided by the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and staining patterns revealed by Methyl Green are used to further define these taxa and to distinguish them from congeners. Formal descriptions of these new taxa will contribute to a larger understanding of the systematics and interrelationships of the bitentaculate Cirratulidae.Los poliquetos de la familia Cirratulidae son componentes comunes de la fauna bentónica del nordeste de los Estados Unidos. Aunque algunas especies han sido tratadas por Blake (1991), la diversidad real de especies de cirratúlidos en ell atlántico nororiental está subestimada pues muchas especies permanecen hoy en día por describir o están erróneamente referidas a nombres de especies europeas. En este trabajo se presenta la descripcíon de tres nuevas especies de Chaetozone y una nueva especie de Caulleriella. Los cuatro taxones fueron recolectados como parte de programas de control ambiental en el estrecho de Long Island, el puerto de Boston, la bahía de Massachusetts, y/o en el Banco Georges en profundidades entre 10 y 200 metros. Para la descripción de los taxones y su caracterización frente a especies próximas, junto a las observaciones tradicionales, se aportan observaciones realizadas al Miscroscopio Electrónico de Barrido así como sobre los patrones de teñido revelados por el Verde de Metilo. Las descripciones formales de estos taxones contribuirán a mejorar el conocimiento sobre la sistemática y las interrelaciones de los Cirratulidae bitentaculados. &nbsp

Opportunistic detection of atrial fibrillation using blood pressure monitors: a systematic review

Background: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) affects around 2% of the population and early detection is beneficial, allowing patients to begin potentially life-saving anticoagulant therapies. Blood pressure (BP) monitors may offer an opportunity to screen for AF. Aim: To identify and appraise studies which report the diagnostic accuracy of automated BP monitors used for opportunistic AF detection. Methods: A systematic search was performed of the Medline, Medline-in-process and Embase literature databases. Papers were eligible if they described primary studies of the evaluation of a BP device for AF detection, were published in a peer reviewed journal and reported values for the sensitivity and specificity. Included studies were appraised using the QUADAS-2 tool to assess their risk of bias and applicability to opportunistic AF detection. Values for the sensitivity and specificity of AF detection were extracted from each paper and compared. Results and Conclusion: We identified seven papers evaluating six devices from two manufacturers. Only one study scored low risk in all of the QUADAS-2 domains. All studies reported specificity greater than 85% and six reported sensitivity greater than 90%. The studies showed that blood pressure devices with embedded algorithms for detecting arrhythmias show promise as screening tools for AF, comparing favourably with manual pulse palpation. But the studies used different methodologies and many were subject to potential bias. More studies are needed to more precisely define the sensitivity and specificity of opportunistic screening for AF during blood pressure measurement before its clinical utility in the population of interest can be assessed fully

Opheliidae (Polychaeta) recolectados por el BIO Hero y las campañas del USNS Eltanin en los océanos meridionales y sudamérica

Opheliid polychaetes collected by the United States Antarctic Research Program and additional material from South America were made available for study through the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., USA. The Opheliidae from Antarctic seas were treated by Hartman (1966, 1967, 1978), who summarized earlier work and also described several new species. Of the five genera she recorded, two (Travisia and Kesun) have since been synonymized and one, Ammotrypane, has been referred to Ophelina; Hartman’s records therefore encompass four genera, three of which are represented in the present collections. No representatives of Euzonus (Thoracophelia) were found. The following species were recorded from Antarctica in the present study: Ophelia algida n. sp., Ophelina breviata (Ehlers, 1913), Ophelina cf. cylindricaudata (sensu Hartmann-Schröder and Rosenfeldt, 1989), Ophelina nematoides (Ehlers, 1913), Ophelina scaphigera (Ehlers, 1900), Ophelina cf. setigera (Hartman, 1978), Ophelina syringopyge (Ehlers, 1901), Travisia antarctica Hartman, 1967 (emended 1978), Travisia kerguelensis McIntosh, 1885, Travisia kerguelensis gravieri Monro, 1930, Travisia palmeri n. sp. and Travisia tincta n. sp. The new species of Ophelia is distinguished by having branchiae starting on chaetiger 2 (rather than on or after chaetiger 8 as in most species of this genus). Travisia palmeri has 22 chaetigers and is distinguished by long branchiae. Travisia kerguelensis gravieri is raised to full species status and renamed T. monroi. Travisia tincta n. sp., distinguished by a distinctive Methyl Green staining pattern and long branchiae, is described from off Peru.Los poliquetos ofélidos objeto del presente estudio corresponden al material recolectado por el Programa de Investigación Antártico de los Estados Unidos así como material adicional procedente de Sudamérica. Este material ha sido puestos a disposición de los autores por la Institución Smithsoniana, Washington, D.C., Estados Unidos de América. Los Opheliidae de los mares antárticos fueron previamente estudiados por Hartman (1966, 1967, 1978), quien reunió lo publicado hasta el momento y describió nuevas especies. De los cinco géneros registrados por ella, dos (Travisia y Kesun) han sido desde entonces sinonimizados y uno, Ammotrypane, ha sido incluido en Ophelina. Así, los registros de Hartman incluyen cuatro géneros, tres de los cuales están representados en las colecciones estudiadas. No se han encontrados representantes de Euzonus (Thoracophelia). En el presente estudio se registran las siguientes especies de la Antártida: Ophelia algida n. sp., Ophelina breviata (Ehlers, 1913), Ophelina cf. cylindricaudata (sensu Hartmann-Schröder and Rosenfeldt, 1989), Ophelina nematoides (Ehlers, 1913), Ophelina scaphigera (Ehlers, 1900), Ophelina cf. setigera (Hartman, 1978), Ophelina syringopyge (Ehlers, 1901), Travisia antarctia Hartman, 1967 (enmendada 1978), Travisia kerguelensis McIntosh, 1885, Travisia kerguelensis gravieri Monro, 1930, Travisia palmeri n. sp. y Travisia tincta n. sp. La nueva especie de Ophelia se caracteriza por presentar bránquias a partir del chaetígero 2 (y no a partir del chaetigero 8-11 como ocurre en la mayoria de las especies de este género). Travisia palmeri posee 22 chaetigeros y se caracteriza por sus largas bránquias. Travisia kerguelensis gravieri se eleva a rango de especie y se renombra como T. monroi. Travisia tincta n. sp., caracterizada por sus largas bránquias y un peculiar patrón al ser teñida, se describe de las costas de Perú. &nbsp

Accuracy of pulse interval timing in ambulatory blood pressure measurement

Blood pressure (BP) monitors rely on pulse detection. Some blood pressure monitors use pulse timings to analyse pulse interval variability for arrhythmia screening, but this assumes that the pulse interval timings detected from BP cuffs are accurate compared with RR intervals derived from ECG. In this study we compared the accuracy of pulse intervals detected using an ambulatory blood pressure monitor (ABPM) with single lead ECG. Twenty participants wore an ABPM for three hours and a data logger which synchronously measured cuff pressure and ECG. RR intervals were compared with corresponding intervals derived from the cuff pressure tracings using three different pulse landmarks. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess differences between ECG and cuff pressure timings and to investigate the effect of potential covariates. In addition, the maximum number of successive oscillometric beats detectable in a measurement was assessed. From 243 BP measurements, the foot landmark of the oscillometric pulse was found to be associated with fewest covariates and had a random error of 9.5 ms. 99% of the cuff pressure recordings had more than 10 successive detectable oscillometric beats. RR intervals can be accurately estimated using an ABPM

A CSO Search for ll-C3_3H+^+: Detection in the Orion Bar PDR

The results of a Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO) search for $l$-C$_3$H$^+$, first detected by Pety et al. (2012) in observations toward the Horsehead photodissociation region (PDR), are presented. A total of 39 sources were observed in the 1 mm window. Evidence of emission from $l$-C$_3$H$^+$ is found in only a single source - the Orion Bar PDR region, which shows a rotational temperature of 178(13) K and a column density of 7(2) x $10^{11}$ cm$^{-2}$. In the remaining sources, upper limits of ~10$^{11} - 10^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$ are found. These results are discussed in the context of guiding future observational searches for this species.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, 4 table

Benthic study of the continental slope off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

Concern was raised by the NCESRP (1992) that since not much is known about the bottom communities around the Manteo 467 lease block, exploration activities could result in significant environmental disturbance. Therefore, the principal task of this study was to survey the sea floor of the Cape Hatteras continental slope in the vicinity of the Manteo 467 site prior tn any decision on permitting of exploratory drilling. The study objectives as listed in the scope of work are as follows: 1. Define the \u27unusual benthic community\u27 that exists offshore North Carolina which is at its peak in the vicinity of the proposed Manteo drill site and \u27the Point.\u27 The working definition shall be based on species composition and relative abundance. However, the definition must also consider the impact of physical oceanographic processes, oxygen levels, and sediment types and flux. 2. Using the Offshore Operators\u27 Committee (OOC) model (MOEPSO, estimate the area between the 300- and 1,500-m isobaths which could be covered by the deposition of muds and cunings at the proposed drill site. 3. Survey the area of the Manteo site for the \u27unusual benthic community\u27 as defined in objective No. 1. The survey must include benthic mcgafauna as well as the infauna.