Fouling bryozoans in Argentine harbours (Southwest Atlantic): new records and the description of a new species

Non-indigenous bryozoans are frequent components of biofouling assemblages in harbour environments worldwide. We performed a survey of artificial hard substrates in six harbours spanning 16 degrees of latitude along the coast of Argentina, from Ingeniero White (38º47′ S) to Ushuaia (54º48′ S). Microeciella argentina n. sp., distributed in warm-temperate waters of northern Patagonia and Buenos Aires Province, is described. The non-indigenous species (NIS) Callopora dumerilii, Smittoidea spinigera and Stephanollona boreopacifica are recorded here for the first time in the Southwest Atlantic. Their occurrence in fouling assemblages of warm-temperate harbours and their previous absence in these areas suggest that they probably arrived in Argentina by international shipping traffic. Callopora dumerilii is native to Europe and the northeast Atlantic. Smittoidea spinigera and Stephanollona boreopacifica are native to China and Korea, respectively. The morphological differences between S. spinigera and the Californian species S. prolifera, which is invading European harbours in the North Sea, are discussed. Bugula neritina, Bugulina flabellata, Cryptosula pallasiana and Fenestrulina delicia, common in harbours of Buenos Aires Province, are here recorded in Patagonia, highlighting the importance of regional shipping traffic to secondary spread of NIS. Arachnidium fibrosum, Buskia socialis, Anguinella palmata, Aetea cultrata, Bicellariella edentata and Exochella moyanoi, previously known from Brazil, and Hippothoa divaricata, are here recorded in Argentina. This study shows that warm-temperate harbours in Buenos Aires Province and northern Patagonia are particularly prone to the introduction of non-indigenous bryozoans.Fil: López Gappa, Juan José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Liuzzi, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; ArgentinaFil: Castro, Karen Lidia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Schwindt, Evangelina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; Argentin

A new species of Leptochiton (Polyplacophora: Leptochitonidae) from the Southwestern Atlantic

Leptochiton sanmatiensis, new species, is described from shallow-waters of northern Argentina. The species is characterized by having a quincuncial arrangement of tegmental granules on head valve, lateral areas of intermediate valves and postmucronal area of tail valve, and a longitudinal arrangement of these structures on the central areas of intermediate valves; each granule having a macraesthete and four micraesthetes. In addition, the new species has pectinated dorsal scales, with 14-21 ridges; a low number of ctenidia (up to six on each side in the largest specimens); and the second lateral tooth with three denticles in the cusp. The species lives on small gravel and shells.Fil: Güller, Marina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ; ArgentinaFil: Liuzzi, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ; ArgentinaFil: Zelaya, Diego Gabriel. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Circulating copper and zinc levels and risk of hepatobiliary cancers in Europeans.

BACKGROUND: Copper and zinc are essential micronutrients and cofactors of many enzymatic reactions that may be involved in liver-cancer development. We aimed to assess pre-diagnostic circulating levels of copper, zinc and their ratio (Cu/Zn) in relation to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), intrahepatic bile duct (IHBD) and gall bladder and biliary tract (GBTC) cancers. METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. Serum zinc and copper levels were measured in baseline blood samples by total reflection X-ray fluorescence in cancer cases (HCC n=106, IHDB n=34, GBTC n=96) and their matched controls (1:1). The Cu/Zn ratio, an indicator of the balance between the micronutrients, was computed. Multivariable adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (OR; 95% CI) were used to estimate cancer risk. RESULTS: For HCC, the highest vs lowest tertile showed a strong inverse association for zinc (OR=0.36; 95% CI: 0.13-0.98, Ptrend=0.0123), but no association for copper (OR=1.06; 95% CI: 0.45-2.46, Ptrend=0.8878) in multivariable models. The calculated Cu/Zn ratio showed a positive association for HCC (OR=4.63; 95% CI: 1.41-15.27, Ptrend=0.0135). For IHBC and GBTC, no significant associations were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Zinc may have a role in preventing liver-cancer development, but this finding requires further investigation in other settings

Erratum to: Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition) (Autophagy, 12, 1, 1-222, 10.1080/15548627.2015.1100356

non present