A new member of the genus Antarctonemertes (Hoplonemertea, Nemertea) from Antarctic waters

11 p.The phylum Nemertea is an important component of the benthic ecosystems of the Southern Ocean, but its biodiversity is still relatively poorly known in Antarctic waters. There are few common and well-known nemertean species occurring in the shallow Antarctic waters, and these include the congeneric Antarctonemertes valida (Bürger, 1893) and Antarctonemertes riesgoae Taboada et al., 2013, two relatively small brooding hoplonemerteans whose females lay eggs inside cocoons. A third Antarctic member of the genus, Antarctonemertes belgica (Bürger, 1904), was reported only in the original descrip-tion. Here we document the existence of a fourth Antarctic member of the genus Antarctonemertes originally described as Tetrastemma unilineatum Joubin, 1910. Our phylogenetic analysis resulted into the placement of the new Antarctonemertes in a robustly supported clade ?Antarctic Antarctonemertes? containing the other two congeneric Antarctic species (A. valida and A. riesgoae), and pairwise COI molecular distances between the three species ranged from 5.2 to 6.2% (p distance). The analysis of 104 COI sequences of the three species showed star-like haplotype networks, as in other studies on Antarctic invertebrates. Antarctonemertes unilineata comb. nov. is similar in shape to its Antarctic congeneric relatives and its most prominent morphological character is a dorsal mid-longitudinal band present along the body. We also document the pres-ence of a cocoon built by females of A. unilineata comb. nov., a character shared with its Antarctic congeners analysed here. Although the four Antarctic Antarctonemertes species appear to overlap their distribution, A. riesgoae, A. valida and A. belgica appear in sympatry in the West Antarctic shores while A. unilineata comb. nov. has been mainly found in the East Antarctic shores and sub-Antarctic Islands.DistantcomAustralian Antarctic Divisio

Benthic changes in the Ria de Foz (northwest Spain) after the construction of a seawall

Long-term changes in the benthos of Spain's coastal waters are still largely unknown. The present paper compares data from January 2002 taken in the ría de Foz (northwest Spain) with the results of a study conducted in 1984-1985, in order to detect possible changes in benthic macrofauna (species composition, abundance, distribution and benthic assemblages) after the construction of a seawall. The same sampling design was used as in the 1980s. This comparison of the 1984-1985 and 2002 samples shows changes in the distribution of the three benthic assemblages detected, and in the abundance and dominance of the main species. These changes are mainly attributed to the construction of a seawall in the mouth of the estuary, which has introduced modifications in its hydrodynamic and sedimentary regimes, making the inner ría more sheltered than before. The new conditions have also promoted the extension of the meadows of the seagrass Zostera noltii Hornemann, 1832 and the community of Cerastoderma edule (L., 1758)-Scrobicularia plana (Da Costa, 1778).Se analizan los cambios ocurridos en las comunidades bentónicas de la ría de Foz (Lugo) (noroeste de España) tras la construcción de un espigón en la boca del estuario, comparándose la situación del año 2002 con la existente en 1984-1985. Si bien persisten en la ría las tres comunidades bentónicas detectadas en el estudio previo, se observan cambios en su distribución y en la dominancia y la abundancia de sus principales especies. Los cambios hidrodinámicos producidos por esta construcción han proporcionado un ambiente más resguardado en el interior de la ría, incrementándose notablemente el área ocupada por las praderas de Zostera noltii Hornemann, 1832 y por la comunidad de Cerastoderma edule (L., 1758)-Scrobicularia plana (Da Costa, 1778), que ocupaba la parte más interna de dicha ría.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Guía y recomendaciones para la realización y presentación de evaluaciones económicas y análisis de impacto presupuestario de medicamentos en el ámbito del CatSalut

Avaluació econòmica de medicaments; Anàlisi d'impacte pressupostari; Catalunya; Economic evaluation of drugs; Budget impact analysis; Catalonia; Evaluación económica de medicamentos; Análisis de impacto presupuestario; CataluñaL'objectiu general d'aquesta Guia consisteix a presentar una proposta de recomanacions que haurien de seguir les avaluacions econòmiques (AE) i les anàlisis d'impacte pressupostari (AIP) de medicaments del Servei Català de la Salut (CatSalut).El objetivo general de esta Guía consiste en presentar una propuesta de recomendaciones que deberían seguir las evaluaciones económicas (EE) y los análisis de impacto presupuestario (AIP) de medicamentos del Servei Català de la Salut (CatSalut)

Nemertean taxonomy- Implementing changes in the higher ranks, dismissing Anopla and Enopla

2 p

¿Qué es una intervención sanitaria eficiente en España en 2020?

Hace más de 15 años que en Gaceta Sanitaria se publicó el artículo titulado «¿Qué es una tecnología sanitaria eficiente en España?». El creciente interés por fijar el precio de las nuevas tecnologías en función del valor que estas proporcionan a los sistemas de salud y la experiencia acumulada por los países de nuestro entorno hacen oportuno revisar qué es una intervención sanitaria eficiente en España en el año 2020. El análisis de coste-efectividad sigue siendo el método de referencia para maximizar los resultados en salud de la sociedad con los recursos disponibles. La interpretación de sus resultados requiere establecer unos valores de referencia que sirvan de guía sobre lo que constituye un valor razonable para el sistema sanitario. Los umbrales de eficiencia deben ser flexibles y dinámicos, y actualizarse periódicamente. Su aplicación debe estar basada en la gradualidad y la transparencia, considerando, además, otros factores que reflejen las preferencias sociales. Aunque la fijación de los umbrales corresponde a los decisores políticos, en España puede ser razonable utilizar unos valores de referencia como punto de partida que podrían estar comprendidos entre los 25.000 y los 60.000 euros por año de vida ajustado por calidad. No obstante, en la actualidad, más que la determinación de las cifras exactas de dicho umbral, la cuestión clave es si el Sistema Nacional de Salud está preparado y dispuesto a implantar un modelo de pago basado en el valor, que contribuya a lograr la gradualidad en las decisiones de financiación y, sobre todo, a mejorar la previsibilidad, la consistencia y la transparencia del proceso.Fifteen years ago, Gaceta Sanitaria published the article entitled “What is an efficient health technology in Spain?” The growing interest in setting the price of new technologies based on the value they provide to health systems and the experience accumulated by the countries in our environment make it opportune to review what constitutes an efficient health intervention in Spain in 2020. Cost-effectiveness analysis continues to be the reference method to maximize social health outcomes with the available resources. The interpretation of its results requires establishing reference values that serve as a guide on what constitutes a reasonable value for the health care system. Efficiency thresholds must be flexible and dynamic, and they need to be updated periodically. Its application should be based on and transparency, and consider other factors that reflect social preferences. Although setting thresholds is down to political decision-makers, in Spain it could be reasonable to use thresholds of 25,000 and 60,000 Euros per QALY. However, currently, in addition to determining exactfigures for the threshold,the key question is whether the Spanish National Health System is able and willing to implement a payment model based on value, towards achieving gradual financing decisions and, above all, to improve the predictability, consistency and transparency of the process

Raymond Gibson (1938–2023): in memoriam

On 29 January 2023, Raymond (Ray) Gibson (Fig. 1), Professor Emeritus of Liverpool John Moores University, died in a hospital on the Wirral. He lived a very busy life, rich in travels and scientific discoveries, and he was one of the most authoritative world experts in the taxonomy of nemerteans. Ray was born on 23 November 1938 in Catterick Village in Yorkshire. He gained his Private Pilot’s License aged 17 and had several adventures in the small plane. In 1965 after leaving the Royal Airforce as a qualified pilot he got his B.Sc. in Zoology First class degree from Leeds University and in 1968 gained his Ph.D. from Leeds University. Ray began his interest in nemerteans when he was a student at Leeds University. His Ph.D. supervisor was Dr. Joe Jennings, who at the time was researching the nutrition and digestion of nemerteans and “turbellarians” (a grade of free-living platyhelminths). Ray’s first articles on the nutrition and biology of Malacobdella grossa were published when he was at Leeds University (Gibson 1967, 1968; Gibson & Jennings 1969). In 1971 Ray joined the Liverpool Regional College of Technology (this became Liverpool Polytechnic and then Liverpool John Moores University), where he worked for 30 years. His first book (Gibson 1972) is an excellent summary of knowledge on nemertean biology at the time and has ‘entangled’ (rather than ‘hooked’) young students worldwide in the following generations into this field. Ray’s exploratory enthusiasm was unmatched. He would come early in the morning and spend the day in concentrated writing, microscopy, or figure preparation. An ashtray was ever present next to his microscope and cigarettes and black coffee were all he needed to sustain him through the long days. For a long time, the histology unit was complete with the all-pervasive smell of xylene. He supervised post-graduates from many countries and backgrounds, teaching them the intricacies of paraffin sectioning and histochemistry.Peer reviewe

First record of the buoy barnacle Dosima fascicularis (Ellis & Solander, 1786) (Crustacea, Cirripedia) from the Galician beaches (NW Spain) after the Prestige oil spill

The presence of the buoy barnacle Dosima fascicularis is first documented for Spanish waters. More than the half of the specimens collected was attached to tar pellets from the Prestige oil spill

First record of the buoy barnacle Dosima fascicularis (Ellis & Solander, 1786) (Crustacea, Cirripedia) from the Galician beaches (NW Spain) after the Prestige oil spill

The presence of the buoy barnacle Dosima fascicularis is first documented for Spanish waters. More than the half of the specimens collected was attached to tar pellets from the Prestige oil spill