Analysis of intraspecific and interspecific variation using reproductive and molecular evidence to interpret evolutionary relationships in a scleractinian coral species complex

Morphological characters are traditionally used to define species of corals. However, defining species boundaries in scleractinian corals is impeded by the difficulty of distinguishing between ecological and evolutionary influences on the appearance of colony morphology. To facilitate accurate definition of species, I used reproductive evidence (relative timing of spawning and fertilisation potential) and molecular evidence (mtDNA intergenic region) to interpret the extent to which intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation is indicative of microevolutionary relationships in species of the Acropora humilis species group. The eight species of the A. humilis group (A. humilis, A. samoensis, A. globiceps, A. gemmifera, A. monticulosa, A. digitifera, A. retusa and A. multiacuta), six intraspecific morphs and seven intermediate morphs were used as the sampling units. Intraspecific and intermediate morphs were defined on the basis of morphological appearance, with the former appearing as distinct units within a single species and the latter sharing characters with more than one species. Samples were collected from Taiwan, Indonesia, Great Barrier Reef, PNG, Solomon Islands, American Samoa and French Polynesia. This study demonstrates that examining intraspecific and interspecific patterns of polymorphism is valuable for interpreting evolutionary relationships in corals. Combined evidence derived from the reproductive and molecular criteria suggests that the morphs are at various stages of divergence from the species with which they share morphological characters and that the morphs may indicate possible zones of speciation and hybridization. Reproductive data provided a greater level of resolution than the molecular data, suggesting that reproductive boundaries have evolved more rapidly than the mtDNA intergenic region in the Acropora humilis species group. Recognition of morphs also avoided the possibility of taxonomic error, from forcing colonies into incorrect or inappropriate species categories, and was therefore essential for the accurate interpretation of evolutionary boundaries

Australian anemones final report accompanied by attribution database of Australian anemones (on CD rom): prepared for the Department of Environment and Heritage, Heritage Division

This Final Report accompanies the "Attribution Database of Australian Anemones" on CD rom. The two works complete the project "Literature Review and Attribution of Australian Anemones" contracted to the Museum of Tropical Queensland. An Interim Report was submitted in February 2004. The report summarises findings from an investigation of specimen holdings of Australian anemones at seven major state museums in Australia. The findings are presented fully as line data in the accompanying attribution database for the Heritage section of the Department of Environment and Heritage. Sea anemones are marine animals related to corals and jellyfish. They occur in most habitats from intertidal to deep sea and have the potential to be used for recognition of Australian marine bio-regions. Their economic value includes biomedical potential, toxic properties, symbiotic relationships and the iconography of tropical coral reefs. A Checklist and Bibliography of Australian Anthozoa, developed by Museum of Tropical Queensland for the Australian Biological Information Facility (ABIF), documented the published occurrence of 84 valid species of anemones from 19 families in Australian waters. Our Interim Report singled out 23 of those 84 species for priority documentation as part of the present contract. Dr J. Wolstenholme targeted these and all other identified specimens from Australian waters in visits to the seven museums. This report includes descriptive profiles of the 23 prioritised species, in a format adaptable to web-page presentation, including brief description and picture, notes on behaviour and ecology and published references. This report notes that specimens and accompanying data for the 23 prioritised Australian anemone species and 38 of the 84 known species are held within the museums visited. The report records that specimens and data for 26 additional species not formally recorded from Australian waters were located within the museums, bringing the tally of known Australian anemone species to 110. The list of Australian anemones is expanded to include this information. This report records that the Attribution Database includes 730 specimens with 427 specimens confidently identified to species and 4 tentatively identified to species, with the remainder identified only to genus, family or class. This report also updates the following components of the Interim Report: background, species descriptions in web-page format, species list, classification and bibliography

Environmental sciences research in northern Australia, 2000-2011: a bibliometric analysis within the context of a national research assessment exercise

This paper reports on a bibliometric analysis of environmental sciences research in northern Australia between 2000 and 2011. It draws on publications data for Charles Darwin University (CDU) and James Cook University (JCU) researchers to present a bibliometric profile of the journals in which they publish, the citations to their research outputs, and the key research topics discussed in the publications. Framing this analysis, the study explored the relationship between the two universities’ publications and their ‘fit’ with the environmental sciences field as defined by the Australian research assessment model, Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). The Scopus database retrieved more records than Web of Science, although only minor differences were seen in the journals in which researchers published most frequently and the most highly cited articles. Strong growth in publications is evident in the 12 year period, but the journals in which the researchers publish most frequently differ from the journals in which the most highly cited articles are published. Many of the articles by CDU and JCU affiliated researchers are published in journals outside of the environmental sciences category as defined by Scopus and Web of Science categories and the ERA, however, the research conducted at each university aligns closely with that institution’s research priorities

Quality of life after postmastectomy radiotherapy in patients with intermediate-risk breast cancer (SUPREMO): 2-year follow-up results of a randomised controlled trial

Background Postmastectomy radiotherapy in patients with four or more positive axillary nodes reduces breast cancer mortality, but its role in patients with one to three involved nodes is controversial. We assessed the effects of postmastectomy radiotherapy on quality of life (QOL) in women with intermediate-risk breast cancer. Methods SUPREMO is an open-label, international, parallel-group, randomised, controlled trial. Women aged 18 years or older with intermediate-risk breast cancer (defined as pT1–2N1; pT3N0; or pT2N0 if also grade III or with lymphovascular invasion) who had undergone mastectomy and, if node positive, axillary surgery, were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive chest wall radiotherapy (50 Gy in 25 fractions or a radiobiologically equivalent dose of 45 Gy in 20 fractions or 40 Gy in 15 fractions) or no radiotherapy. Randomisation was done with permuted blocks of varying block length, and stratified by centre, without masking of patients or investigators. The primary endpoint is 10-year overall survival. Here, we present 2-year results of QOL (a prespecified secondary endpoint). The QOL substudy, open to all UK patients, consists of questionnaires (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BR23, Body Image Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS], and EQ-5D-3L) completed before randomisation, and at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years. The prespecified primary outcomes within this QOL substudy were global QOL, fatigue, physical function, chest wall symptoms, shoulder and arm symptoms, body image, and anxiety and depression. Data were analysed by intention to treat, using repeated mixed-effects methods. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN61145589. Findings Between Aug 4, 2006, and April 29, 2013, 1688 patients were enrolled internationally and randomly assigned to receive chest wall radiotherapy (n=853) or not (n=835). 989 (79%) of 1258 patients from 111 UK centres consented to participate in the QOL substudy (487 in the radiotherapy group and 502 in the no radiotherapy group), of whom 947 (96%) returned the baseline questionnaires and were included in the analysis (radiotherapy, n=471; no radiotherapy, n=476). At up to 2 years, chest wall symptoms were worse in the radiotherapy group than in the no radiotherapy group (mean score 14·1 [SD 15·8] in the radiotherapy group vs 11·6 [14·6] in the no radiotherapy group; effect estimate 2·17, 95% CI 0·40–3·94; p=0·016); however, there was an improvement in both groups between years 1 and 2 (visit effect −1·34, 95% CI −2·36 to −0·31; p=0·010). No differences were seen between treatment groups in arm and shoulder symptoms, body image, fatigue, overall QOL, physical function, or anxiety or depression scores. Interpretation Postmastectomy radiotherapy led to more local (chest wall) symptoms up to 2 years postrandomisation compared with no radiotherapy, but the difference between groups was small. These data will inform shared decision making while we await survival (trial primary endpoint) results. Funding Medical Research Council, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Cancer Australia, Dutch Cancer Society, Trustees of Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation