The first duck-billed dinosaur (Family Hadrosauridae) from Antarctica

Duck-billed dinosaurs or hadrosaurs are a very common family of dinosaurs in the Late Cretaceous of North America and Eurasia with rare occurrences in South America. Here, we report the first hadrosaur recovered in Antarctica from sandstones of late Maastrichtian age, Vega Island, Antarctic Peninsula (Fig. 1) during a joint U.S.-Argentinian geological and paleontological field expedition to the island. This discovery supports the hypothesis of a dispersal route between southern South America and Antarctica in the Maastrichtian.Fil: Case, Judd A.. Saint Mary’s College of California; Estados UnidosFil: Martin, James E.. South Dakota School of Mines & Technology; Estados UnidosFil: Chaney, Dan S.. National Museum of Natural History; Estados UnidosFil: Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Marenssi, Sergio Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Santillana, Sergio M.. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Woodburne, Michael O.. University of California; Estados Unido

A new elasmosaurid from the upper Maastrichtian López de Bertodano Formation: new data on weddellonectian diversity

<p>O’Gorman, J.P., Panzeri, K.M., Fernández, M.S., Santillana, S., Moly, J.J. & Reguero, M. July.2017. A new elasmosaurid from the upper Maastrichtian López de Bertodano Formation: new data on weddellonectian diversity. <i>Alcheringa 42</i>, 575-586. ISSN 0311-5518.</p> <p>Elasmosaurids are one of the most frequently recorded marine reptiles from the Weddellian Province (Patagonia, Western Antarctica and New Zealand). Improvements in our knowledge of elasmosaurid diversity have been problematic because of their conservative postcranial morphology. However, recent studies have helped to improved our understanding of the diversity of this group. Here, a new elasmosaurid specimen from the upper Maatrichtian horizons of the López de Bertodano Formation, Antarctica, MLP 14-I-20-16, is described. MLP 14-I-20-16 is one of the youngest non-aristonectine weddellonectian elasmosaurids from Antarctica. We confirm the coexistence of aristonectine and non-aristonectine elasmosaurids in Antarctica until the end of the Cretaceous. MLP 14-I-20-16 shows distinctive short and broad posterior cervical vertebrae, a feature only shared among the weddellonectian elasmosaurids by the Maastrichtian <i>Morenosaurus stocki</i>, although the same vertebral proportions are also recorded for the giant Cenomanian elasmosaurids <i>Thalassomedon haningtoni</i>. Comparison between MLP 14-I-20-16 and other elasmosaurids from the Maastrichtian of Antarctica indicates that at least two different non-aristonectine elasmosaurids were present in Antarctica during the late Maastrichtian.</p> <p><i>José P. O’Gorman, [</i>[email protected]]<i>, División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n., B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina, CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina; Karen M. Panzeri[</i>[email protected]]<i>, División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n., B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina; Marta S. Fernández [</i>[email protected]]<i>, División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n., B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Sergio Santillana [</i>[email protected]]<i>, Instituto Antártico Argentino, 25 De Mayo 1143, San Martín Provincia De Buenos Aires, Argentina; Juan J. Moly [</i>[email protected]]<i>, División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n., B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina; Marcelo Reguero[</i>[email protected]]<i>, División Paleontología Vertebrados, Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n., B1900FWA, La Plata, Argentina; Instituto Antártico Argentino, 25 De Mayo 1143, San Martín Provincia De Buenos Aires Argentina.</i></p

Before and after the K/Pg extinction in West Antarctica: New marine fish records from Marambio (Seymour) Island

An ichthyofauna recovered from the López de Bertodano Formation at Units 9 (uppermost Maastrichtian) and 10 (lowermost Danian) and the Sobral Formation (Danian), in Marambio (Seymour) Island in the James Ross Basin is described and analyzed herein. A review of previously described taxa based on the new material and several new fish records for the López de Bertodano Formation is provided, including the youngest record of Enchodus and the first Cretaceous evidence of Pachycormiformes. We also identify the first Paleocene fishes for the continent. The new information and the reinterpretation of previous Cretaceous records show that there was no decline in fish diversity until the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary in the area and extinction event appears to have been rapid. Finally, we find that the distribution of some chondrichthyans and teleosts in the James Ross Basin appears to be climatically determined.Fil: Cione, Alberto Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; ArgentinaFil: Santillana, Sergio Nestor. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; ArgentinaFil: Gouiric Cavalli, Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; ArgentinaFil: Acosta Hospitaleche, Carolina Ileana Alicia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gelfo, Javier Nicolás. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: López, Guillermo M.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; ArgentinaFil: Reguero, Marcelo Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Paleontología Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentin

Abstract B26: Phase 1b trial of investigational NEDD8-activating enzyme (NAE) inhibitor pevonedistat (TAK-924/MLN4924) in combination with docetaxel, paclitaxel/carboplatin, or gemcitabine in patients (pts) with solid tumors

Abstract Introduction: Pevonedistat is a first-in-class NAE inhibitor. This open-label, multi-arm, dose-escalation study (NCT01862328) is the first study of pevonedistat plus standard-of-care (SoC) chemotherapy in pts with solid tumors. Methods: Objectives were to establish the MTD and safety/tolerability of pevonedistat (at &amp;lt;100 mg/m2) with 3 SoC therapies. Pts ≥18 yrs who could benefit from 1 of the SoC therapies received pevonedistat IV on d 1, 3, and 5 every 21 d, with docetaxel 75 mg/m2 IV (Arm 1) or paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC5 (Arm 2) on d 1 (lead-in cohort: pevonedistat 15 mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC6), or pevonedistat + gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 IV on d 1, 8, and 15 every 28 d (Arm 3). Pts were treated for up to 12 cycles (and could then continue single-agent pevonedistat) or until disease progression/unacceptable toxicity. Pevonedistat dose was escalated from 15 (Arm 1+2; 1 dose level below lowest single-agent dose tested) or 25 mg/m2 (Arm 3) using an adaptive Bayesian continual reassessment method. Once established, ∼6 additional pts were to be treated at each MTD. Results: As of 3 Jun 2015, 64 pts (median age 60.5 yrs; 47% male) had been enrolled: 22 to Arm 1, 26 to Arm 2 (6 in lead-in cohort), and 10 to Arm 3. Common tumor types were NSCLC (n = 16), breast, head and neck (each n = 6), and ovarian (n = 4) cancers. In Arm 1, MTD was pevonedistat 25 mg/m2 + docetaxel 75 mg/m2; 4 pts had dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) of G3 AST/ALT elevations during dose escalation (n = 2) and expansion (n = 2), all at 25 mg/m2. In Arm 2, MTD was pevonedistat 20 mg/m2 + paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 + carboplatin AUC5; in the lead-in cohort 1 pt had a DLT of G3 AST/ALT elevation. Due to toxicity carboplatin AUC5 was used for dose escalation, DLTs included G3 febrile neutropenia (n = 1; 15 mg/m2), G3 AST/ALT elevation (n = 2; 20 mg/m2, n = 2; 25mg/m2), and G4 thrombocytopenia (n = 1; 20 mg/m2, C5D8). One DLT of G3 AST elevation occurred during MTD expansion. In Arm 3, MTD was not determined; the combination was deemed intolerable and discontinued. DLTs were G4/5 febrile neutropenia (n = 2) and G3 AST/ALT elevation (n = 1) at 25 mg/m2. Adverse events (AEs) were similar across arms; common drug-related AEs were fatigue (41%), nausea (34%), peripheral neuropathies (PN) (27%), and asymptomatic, reversible AST/ALT elevations (27/25%). 58% had &amp;gt;1 drug-related ≥G3 AE; most frequent were asymptomatic AST/ALT elevations (17/16%) and neutropenias (19%). Pevonedistat PK were unaffected by SoC therapies (n = 22/17/10 pts in Arms 1/2/3). Eleven objective responses were observed (3/22 pts Arm 1, 8/32 pts Arm 2; including pts previously exposed to carboplatin/cisplatin and paclitaxel). One pt with endometrial carcinoma achieved a complete response. Partial responses were observed in head and neck (n = 5), cholangiocarcinoma (n = 2), bladder, NSCLC, sarcoma, and breast cancer (each n = 1). Responses were durable for up to 12 cycles. Conclusion: Pevonedistat plus docetaxel or paclitaxel/carboplatin appeared well tolerated with MTDs of 25 and 20 mg/m2, respectively, and common drug-related AEs of fatigue, nausea, PN, and AST/ALT elevations. Preliminary data suggest antitumor activity with paclitaxel/carboplatin in pts with heavily pretreated solid tumors, notably endometrial carcinoma, head and neck cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, and NSCLC. Citation Format: A. Craig Lockhart, Todd M. Bauer, R. Donald Harvey, Carrie B. Lee, Charu Aggarwal, Roger B. Cohen, Farhad Sedarati, Ling Wang, Hélène M. Faessel, Bruce J. Dezube, Sergio Santillana, Afshin Dowlati. Phase 1b trial of investigational NEDD8-activating enzyme (NAE) inhibitor pevonedistat (TAK-924/MLN4924) in combination with docetaxel, paclitaxel/carboplatin, or gemcitabine in patients (pts) with solid tumors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr B26.</jats:p

Lapatinib in combination with capecitabine plus oxaliplatin in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive advanced or metastatic gastric, esophageal, or gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma: TRIO-013/LOGiC-A randomized phase III trial

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of adding lapatinib to capecitabine and oxaliplatin (CapeOx) in patients with previously untreated human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) -amplified advanced gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. Patients and Methods Patients with HER2-positive advanced gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma were randomly assigned at a one-to-one ratio to CapeOx plus lapatinib 1,250mg or placebo daily. Primary end point was overall survival (OS) in patients with centrally confirmed HER2 amplification in the primary efficacy population. Results A total of 545 patients were randomly assigned, and 487 patients comprised the primary efficacy population. Median OS in the lapatinib and placebo arms was 12.2 (95% CI, 10.6 to 14.2) and 10.5 months (95% CI, 9.0 to 11.3), respectively, which was not significantly different (hazard ratio, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.73 to 1.12). Median progression-free survival in the lapatinib and placebo arms was 6.0 (95% CI, 5.6 to 7.0) and 5.4 months (95% CI, 4.4 to 5.7), respectively (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.00; P = .0381). Response rate was significantly higher in the lapatinib arm: 53% (95% CI, 46.4 to 58.8) compared with 39% (95% CI, 32.9 to 45.3) in the placebo arm (P = .0031). Preplanned exploratory subgroup analyses showed OS in the lapatinib arm was prolonged in Asian and younger patients. No correlation was observed between HER2 immunohistochemistry status and survival. There were increased toxicities in the lapatinib arm, particularly diarrhea. Conclusion Addition of lapatinib to CapeOx did not increase OS in patients with HER2-amplified gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. There were clear differences in the effect of lapatinib depending on region and age. Future studies could examine this correlation. (C) 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncolog