Salt marshes of the south of Santa Cruz, southern Patagonia, Argentina

La zona costera de la Patagonia austral, caracterizada por un régimen macromareal, permite el desarrollo de extensas marismas tanto en estuarios como en bahías, que han sido muy poco estudiadas. Con el objetivo de caracterizar las marismas del sur de Santa Cruz, identificar las principales asociaciones vegetales que las componen y analizar las variaciones de la biomasa vegetal en relación al nivel de marea y la época del año, se realizaron muestreos en primavera (noviembre 2015), verano (febrero 2016) e invierno (agosto de 2016) en la bahía San Julián y los estuarios de los ríos Santa Cruz, Coyle y Gallegos. Los muestreos se realizaron empleando un diseño aleatorio estratificado, dividiendo la marisma en tres niveles: alta, media y baja. Se recolectaron seis muestras de 0,25 m2 en cada nivel y se determinó el porcentaje de cobertura de cada especie y su biomasa aérea (peso seco). Se determinó también la granulometría y la materia orgánica del sedimento (%). Los datos se analizaron mediante ANOVA factorial (sitios, nivel, estación del año). El sustrato en todas las localidades y niveles estuvo constituido principalmente por limos-arcillas (54 a 88%) y arena fina (20 a 44%). La materia orgánica varió entre 4,5 y 7,1%. Se registraron cinco especies vegetales: Sarcocornia perennis, Puccinellia glaucescens, Suaeda argentinensis, Limonium brasiliense y Spartina sp. S. perennis fue la especie dominante en casi todos los sitios y niveles, con excepción de la marisma alta y la marisma media de Bahía San Julián, donde codomina junto a Limonium brasiliense, y la marisma baja del estuario del río Santa Cruz, donde codomina junto a Spartina sp. La biomasa vegetal aérea total alcanzó su valor máximo (1700 g m-2) durante el verano en la marisma baja del estuario del río Gallegos y correspondió en su totalidad a S. perennis. El valor más bajo de biomasa total (177 g m-2) fue registrado en la marisma alta de Bahía San Julián durante el invierno y correspondió en un 33,8% a S. perennis. La cobertura de S. perennis varió entre 23 y 100%, siendo siempre mayor en la marisma baja. Spartina sp. se encontró únicamente en la marisma baja del estuario del río Santa Cruz, sitio que constituye el registro más austral para esta halófita en la costa Argentina.The coastal zone of southern Patagonia, characterized by a macrotidal regime, allows the development of extensive salt marshes in estuaries and bays, which have been little studied. In order to characterize the marshes of the south of Santa Cruz, identify the main vegetal assemblages and analyze the variations of the vegetal biomass in relation to the tidal level and the time of the year, three samplings were carried out in spring (November 2015), summer (February 2016) and winter (August 2016) in San Julián Bay and the estuaries of the Santa Cruz, Coyle and Gallegos rivers. The samplings were performed using a stratified random design, dividing the salt marsh into three levels: high, middle and low. Six samples of 0.25 m2 were collected at each level, and the percentage of coverage of each species and its aerial biomass (dry weight) was determined. Substrate grain size and organic matter content of the sediment (%) were also determined. The data were analyzed by factorial ANOVA (locality, level, and season of the year). The substrate in all localities and levels consisted mainly of silt-clays (54 to 88%) and fine sand (20 to 44%). Organic matter content varied between 4.5 and 7.1%. Five plant species were recorded: Sarcocornia perennis, Puccinellia glaucescens, Suaeda argentinensis, Limonium brasiliense and Spartina sp. S. perennis was the dominant species in almost all localities and levels, with the exception of the high and the middle saltmarsh of San Julián Bay, where it codominates with Limonium brasiliense, and the low marsh of the estuary of the Santa Cruz River, where it codominates together with Spartina sp. The total aerial vegetation biomass reached its maximum value (1700 g m-2) during the summer in the low marsh of the estuary of the Gallegos river; all the biomass corresponded to S. perennis. The lowest value of total biomass (177 g m-2) was recorded in the high marsh of San Julián Bay during the winter and corresponded in 33.8% to S. perennis. The coverage of S. perennis varied between 23 and 100%, being always higher in the low marsh. Spartina sp. was found only in the low marsh of the estuary of the Santa Cruz River, site that constitutes the southernmost record for this halophyte on the Argentina coast.Fil: Martin, Juan Pablo. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica San Julián; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Santa Cruz. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz; ArgentinaFil: Lizarralde, Zulma Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Santa Cruz. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Río Gallegos; ArgentinaFil: Sar, Alicia Manuela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Santa Cruz. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica San Julián; ArgentinaFil: Pittaluga, Teresa Susana. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Río Gallegos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Santa Cruz. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz; ArgentinaFil: Perroni, Mario Oscar. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Río Gallegos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Santa Cruz. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz; ArgentinaFil: Torres, Santiago Hernan. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica San Julián; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Santa Cruz. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Santa Cruz; Argentin

Marismas del sur de Santa Cruz, Patagonia austral, Argentina

The coastal zone of southern Patagonia, characterized by a macrotidal regime, allows the development of extensive salt marshes in estuaries and bays, which have been little studied. In order to characterize the marshes of the south of Santa Cruz, identify the main vegetal assemblages and analyze the variations of the vegetal biomass in relation to the tidal level and the time of the year, three samplings were carried out in spring (November 2015), summer (February 2016) and winter (August 2016) in San Julián Bay and the estuaries of the Santa Cruz, Coyle and Gallegos rivers. The samplings were performed using a stratified random design, dividing the salt marsh into three levels: high, middle and low. Six samples of 0.25 m2 were collected at each level, and the percentage of coverage of each species and its aerial biomass (dry weight) was determined. Substrate grain size and organic matter content of the sediment (%) were also determined. The data were analyzed by factorial ANOVA (locality, level, and season of the year). The substrate in all localities and levels consisted mainly of silt-clays (54 to 88%) and fine sand (20 to 44%). Organic matter content varied between 4.5 and 7.1%. Five plant species were recorded: Sarcocornia perennis, Puccinellia glaucescens, Suaeda argentinensis, Limonium brasiliense and Spartina sp. S. perennis was the dominant species in almost all localities and levels, with the exception of the high and the middle saltmarsh of San Julián Bay, where it codominates with Limonium brasiliense, and the low marsh of the estuary of the Santa Cruz River, where it codominates together with Spartina sp. The total aerial vegetation biomass reached its maximum value (1700 g m-2) during the summer in the low marsh of the estuary of the Gallegos river; all the biomass corresponded to S. perennis. The lowest value of total biomass (177 g m-2) was recorded in the high marsh of San Julián Bay during the winter and corresponded in 33.8% to S. perennis. The coverage of S. perennis varied between 23 and 100%, being always higher in the low marsh. Spartina sp. was found only in the low marsh of the estuary of the Santa Cruz River, site that constitutes the southernmost record for this halophyte on the Argentina coast.La zona costera de la Patagonia austral, caracterizada por un régimen macromareal, permite el desarrollo de extensas marismas tanto en estuarios como en bahías, que han sido muy poco estudiadas. Con el objetivo de caracterizar las marismas del sur de Santa Cruz, identificar las principales asociaciones vegetales que las componen y analizar las variaciones de la biomasa vegetal en relación al nivel de marea y la época del año, se realizaron muestreos en primavera (noviembre 2015), verano (febrero 2016) e invierno (agosto de 2016) en la bahía San Julián y los estuarios de los ríos Santa Cruz, Coyle y Gallegos. Los muestreos se realizaron empleando un diseño aleatorio estratificado, dividiendo la marisma en tres niveles: alta, media y baja. Se recolectaron seis muestras de 0,25 m2 en cada nivel y se determinó el porcentaje de cobertura de cada especie y su biomasa aérea (peso seco). Se determinó también la granulometría y la materia orgánica del sedimento (%). Los datos se analizaron mediante ANOVA factorial (sitios, nivel, estación del año). El sustrato en todas las localidades y niveles estuvo constituido principalmente por limos-arcillas  (54 a 88%) y arena fina (20 a 44%). La materia orgánica varió entre  4,5 y 7,1%. Se registraron cinco especies vegetales: Sarcocornia perennis, Puccinellia glaucescens, Suaeda argentinensis, Limonium brasiliense y Spartina sp. S. perennis fue la especie dominante en casi  todos los sitios y niveles, con excepción de la marisma alta y la marisma media de Bahía San Julián, donde codomina junto a Limonium brasiliense, y la marisma baja del estuario del río Santa Cruz, donde codomina junto a Spartina sp. La biomasa vegetal aérea total alcanzó su valor máximo (1700 g m-2) durante el verano en la marisma baja del estuario del río Gallegos y correspondió en su totalidad a S. perennis. El valor más bajo de biomasa total (177 g m-2) fue registrado en la marisma alta de Bahía San Julián durante el invierno y correspondió en un 33,8% a S. perennis. La cobertura de S. perennis varió entre 23 y 100%, siendo siempre mayor en la marisma baja.  Spartina sp. se encontró únicamente en la marisma baja del estuario del río Santa Cruz, sitio que constituye el registro más austral para esta halófita en la costa Argentina

Marismas del sur de Santa Cruz, Patagonia austral, Argentina

The coastal zone of southern Patagonia, characterized by a macrotidal regime, allows the development of extensive salt marshes in estuaries and bays, which have been little studied. In order to characterize the marshes of the south of Santa Cruz, identify the main vegetal assemblages and analyze the variations of the vegetal biomass in relation to the tidal level and the time of the year, three samplings were carried out in spring (November 2015), summer (February 2016) and winter (August 2016) in San Julián Bay and the estuaries of the Santa Cruz, Coyle and Gallegos rivers. The samplings were performed using a stratified random design, dividing the salt marsh into three levels: high, middle and low. Six samples of 0.25 m2 were collected at each level, and the percentage of coverage of each species and its aerial biomass (dry weight) was determined. Substrate grain size and organic matter content of the sediment (%) were also determined. The data were analyzed by factorial ANOVA (locality, level, and season of the year). The substrate in all localities and levels consisted mainly of silt-clays (54 to 88%) and fine sand(20 to 44%). Organic matter content varied between 4.5 and 7.1%. Five plant species were recorded: Sarcocornia perennis, Puccinellia glaucescens, Suaeda argentinensis, Limonium brasiliense and Spartina sp. S. perennis was the dominant species in almost all localities and levels, with the exception of the high and the middle salt marsh of San Julián Bay, where it codominates with Limonium brasiliense, and the low marsh of the estuary of the Santa Cruz River, where it codominates together with Spartina sp. The total aerial vegetation biomass reached its maximum value (1700 g m-2) during the summer in the low marsh of the estuary of the Gallegos river; all the biomass corresponded to S. perennis. The lowest value of total biomass (177 g m-2) was recorded in the high marsh of San Julián Bay during the winter and corresponded in 33.8% to S. perennis. The coverage of S. perennis varied between 23 and 100%, being always higher in the low marsh. Spartina sp. was found only in the low marsh of the estuary of the Santa Cruz River,site that constitutes the southernmost record for this halophyte on the Argentina coast.La zona costera de la Patagonia austral, caracterizada por un régimen macromareal, permite el desarrollo de extensas marismas tanto en estuarios como en bahías, que han sido muy poco estudiadas. Con el objetivo de caracterizar las marismas del sur de Santa Cruz, identificar las principales asociaciones vegetales que las componen y analizar las variaciones de la biomasa vegetal en relación al nivel de marea y la época del año, se realizaron muestreos en primavera (noviembre 2015), verano (febrero 2016) e invierno (agosto de 2016) en la bahía San Julián y los estuarios de los ríos Santa Cruz, Coyle y Gallegos. Los muestreos se realizaron empleando un diseño aleatorio estratificado, dividiendo la marisma en tres niveles: alta, media y baja. Se recolectaron seis muestras de 0,25 m2 en cada nivel y se determinó el porcentaje de cobertura de cada especie y su biomasa aérea (peso seco). Se determinó también la granulometría y la materia orgánica del sedimento (%). Los datos se analizaron mediante ANOVA factorial (sitios, nivel, estación del año). El sustrato en todas las localidades y niveles estuvo constituido principalmente por limos-arcillas (54 a 88%) y arena fina(20 a 44%). La materia orgánica varió entre 4,5 y 7,1%. Se registraron cinco especies vegetales: Sarcocornia perennis, Puccinellia glaucescens, Suaeda argentinensis, Limonium brasiliense y Spartina sp. S.perennis fue la especie dominante en casi todos los sitios y niveles, con excepción de la marisma alta y la marisma media de Bahía San Julián, donde codomina junto a Limonium brasiliense, y la marisma baja del estuario del río Santa Cruz, donde codomina junto a Spartinasp. La biomasa vegetal aérea total alcanzó su valor máximo (1700 g m-2) durante el verano en la marisma baja del estuario del río Gallegos y correspondió en su totalidad a S.perennis. El valor más bajo de biomasa total (177 g m-2) fue registrado en la marisma alta de Bahía San Julián durante el invierno y correspondió en un 33,8% a S. perennis. La cobertura de S. perennis varió entre 23 y 100%, siendo siempre mayor en la marisma baja. Spartina sp. se encontró únicamente en la marisma baja del estuario del río Santa Cruz, sitio que constituye el registro más austral para esta halófita en la costa Argentina

Macrobenthic Assemblages of Intertidal Flats in Southern Patagonia, Argentina

The aim of this work was to characterize the macrobenthic community of intertidal flats in southern Patagonia, by identifying the faunal assemblages and analyzing their relationship with the main environmental factors. The study was conducted in four localities of southern Santa Cruz (Argentina): Bahía San Julián (49°18’S, 67°41’W) and the lower reaches of the estuaries of Río Santa Cruz (50°05’S, 68°29’W), Río Coyle (50°58’S, 69°16’W) and Río Gallegos (51°37’S, 69°02’W). Surveys were performed in spring 2015 and summer 2016 at the upper, middle and lower intertidal levels. Four sediment samples were collected per intertidal level at each locality in each sampling period with a corer (0.00785 m2) up to 20 cm in depth. The organisms were separated using a 0.5 mm mesh sieve for subsequent identification and quantification. To explore possible spatial variations in the community, environmental and abundance data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistics. Intertidal level, substrate grain size and organic matter content were determinant factors of distribution of benthic assemblages. The Darina solenoides-Scolecolepides uncinatus-Eteone sculpta assemblage was characteristic of sand-mud substrates with dominance of silt-clay and greatest organic matter content of upper and middle intertidal. The D. solenoides-Ampelisca sp. assemblage was characteristic of the lower intertidal, with dominance of fine sand. The presence of saltmarshes was also a factor determining benthic assemblages at the upper intertidal of the estuarine localities. This work provides useful information to implement adequate management actions to protect the lower reaches of the Río Santa Cruz estuary.Fil: Martin, Juan Pablo. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica San Julián; ArgentinaFil: Lizarralde, Zulma Isabel. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Río Gallegos; ArgentinaFil: Pittaluga, Teresa Susana. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Río Gallegos; ArgentinaFil: Sar, Alicia Manuela. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica San Julián; ArgentinaFil: Perroni, Mario Oscar. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Río Gallegos; ArgentinaFil: Torres, Santiago Hernan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica San Julián; Argentin

Adjuvant anastrozole versus exemestane versus letrozole, upfront or after 2 years of tamoxifen, in endocrine-sensitive breast cancer (FATA-GIM3): a randomised, phase 3 trial

Background: Uncertainty exists about the optimal schedule of adjuvant treatment of breast cancer with aromatase inhibitors and, to our knowledge, no trial has directly compared the three aromatase inhibitors anastrozole, exemestane, and letrozole. We investigated the schedule and type of aromatase inhibitors to be used as adjuvant treatment for hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. Methods: FATA-GIM3 is a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial of six different treatments in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. Eligible patients had histologically confirmed invasive hormone receptor-positive breast cancer that had been completely removed by surgery, any pathological tumour size, and axillary nodal status. Key exclusion criteria were hormone replacement therapy, recurrent or metastatic disease, previous treatment with tamoxifen, and another malignancy in the previous 10 years. Patients were randomly assigned in an equal ratio to one of six treatment groups: oral anastrozole (1 mg per day), exemestane (25 mg per day), or letrozole (2·5 mg per day) tablets upfront for 5 years (upfront strategy) or oral tamoxifen (20 mg per day) for 2 years followed by oral administration of one of the three aromatase inhibitors for 3 years (switch strategy). Randomisation was done by a computerised minimisation procedure stratified for oestrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2 status; previous chemotherapy; and pathological nodal status. Neither the patients nor the physicians were masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival. The minimum cutoff to declare superiority of the upfront strategy over the switch strategy was assumed to be a 2% difference in disease-free survival at 5 years. Primary efficacy analyses were done by intention to treat; safety analyses included all patients for whom at least one safety case report form had been completed. Follow-up is ongoing. This trial is registered with the European Clinical Trials Database, number 2006-004018-42, and ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00541086. Findings: Between March 9, 2007, and July 31, 2012, 3697 patients were enrolled into the study. After a median follow-up of 60 months (IQR 46–72), 401 disease-free survival events were reported, including 211 (11%) of 1850 patients allocated to the switch strategy and 190 (10%) of 1847 patients allocated to upfront treatment. 5-year disease-free survival was 88·5% (95% CI 86·7–90·0) with the switch strategy and 89·8% (88·2–91·2) with upfront treatment (hazard ratio 0·89, 95% CI 0·73–1·08; p=0·23). 5-year disease-free survival was 90·0% (95% CI 87·9–91·7) with anastrozole (124 events), 88·0% (85·8–89·9) with exemestane (148 events), and 89·4% (87·3 to 91·1) with letrozole (129 events; p=0·24). No unexpected serious adverse reactions or treatment-related deaths occurred. Musculoskeletal side-effects were the most frequent grade 3–4 events, reported in 130 (7%) of 1761 patients who received the switch strategy and 128 (7%) of 1766 patients who received upfront treatment. Grade 1 musculoskeletal events were more frequent with the upfront schedule than with the switch schedule (924 [52%] of 1766 patients vs 745 [42%] of 1761 patients). All other grade 3–4 adverse events occurred in less than 2% of patients in either group. Interpretation: 5 years of treatment with aromatase inhibitors was not superior to 2 years of tamoxifen followed by 3 years of aromatase inhibitors. None of the three aromatase inhibitors was superior to the others in terms of efficacy. Therefore, patient preference, tolerability, and financial constraints should be considered when deciding the optimal treatment approach in this setting. Funding: Italian Drug Agency