Impairment of swimming performance in Tritia reticulata (L.) veligers under projected ocean acidification and warming scenarios.

Tritia reticulata (L.) is a neogastropod ubiquitous in the coastal communities of the NE Atlantic. Its life cycle relies on the swimming performance of planktonic early life stages, whose sensitivity to the climate conditions projected for the near future, namely of ocean acidification (OA) and warming (W), is, to our best knowledge, unknown. To examine the resilience of larval stages to future environmental conditions, this work investigates the effect of OA-W on the swimming performance of T. reticulata veligers under a range of experimental conditions, based on the end-of-century projections of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Veligers were exposed to six experimental scenarios for 14 days, employing a full factorial design with three temperatures (T°C: 18, 20 and 22 °C) and two pH levels (pHtarget: 8.1 and 7.8). Mortality was assessed throughout the trial, after which swimming behaviour - characterised by the activity, speed and the distance travelled by veligers - was analysed by automated video recordings in a Zebrabox® device. Mortality increased with OA-W and, although more active, larvae travelled shorter distances revealing reduced swimming speed under acidic and warmer conditions, with the interaction of the tested stressors - pH and T°C - being highly significant. Results motivated the morpho-histological analysis of larvae preserved at the end of the trial, to check for the integrity of the organs involved in veligers' motion: statocysts, velum and foot. Statocyst and velar morpho-structure were conserved but histological damage of metapodial epithelia was evident under acidity, namely an apparent hypertrophy and protrusion of the secretory cells, with dispersed pigmented granules and, at 22 °C, less cilia, with potential functional implications. Negative consequences of the OA-W scenarios tested on veligers' competence are unveiled, pointing towards the eminent threat these phenomena constitute to T. reticulata perpetuation in case no mitigation measures are taken, and projections become effective.

Comparison of the international normalized ratio levels obtained by portable coagulometer and laboratory in a clinic specializing in oral anticoagulation.

INTRODUCTION: Therapy with Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) is effective in reducing thromboembolic events in various diseases. There are limitations however, which limit clinical handling and maintaining INR within therapeutic range. Studies have shown that portable coagulometers, when compared to laboratory tests, are more practical and provide better patient adherence and involvement toward treatment which results in better INR control. This study aimed to evaluate laboratory obtained INR results compared to two different portable coagulometers. METHODS: A prospective study which monitored 1009 patients using VKA in the Anticoagulation Clinic at the Institute Dante Pazzanese of Cardiology in São Paulo between July and September 2012. Patient INR values were obtained by the laboratory through venipuncture and then compared to INR values obtained by capillary puncture from two different portable coagulometers. RESULTS: Overall, 1009 patients were included in the study; among these, 520 (51.5%) are male with average age of 59.6 years (13-91). The more common indications were atrial fibrillation (49.9%) and mechanical prosthesis (33.7%). The correlation coefficient was of 0.95 with and 0.88 with INRatio PT Monitor(®) compared to laboratory. In patients with INR < 2 (lower than therapeutic range), the coefficient was 0.92 and 0.81 for CoaguChek XS plus(®) and INRatio PT Monitor(®) respectively. In patients within therapeutic range (INR 2-3), the coefficient was 0.86 with CoaguChek XS Plus(®) and 0.76 with INRatio PT Monitor(®) . For INR above therapeutic range (INR > 3.0) the correlation was 0.80 with CoaguChek XS Plus(®) and 0.54 with INRatio PT Monitor(®) . As for concordance between methods, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were slightly smaller than those previously stated (ICC = 0.899 with CoaguChek XS Plus(®) and ICC = 0.716 with INRatio PT Monitor(®) ). CONCLUSION: The use of portable coagulometers was comparable to laboratory tests and better correlation coefficients were observed with CoaguChek XS Plus(®) and in patients with INR lower or within therapeutic range. Portable coagulometers proved to be a useful and reliable tool for INR control in patients using VKA.

Comparison of the international normalized ratio levels obtainedby portable coagulometer and laboratory in a clinic specializing inoral anticoagulation

Therapy with Vitamin K antagonists (VKA) is effectivein reducing thromboembolic events in various diseases. There arelimitations however, which limit clinical handling and maintainingINR within therapeutic range. Studies have shown that portable coagulometers,when compared to laboratory tests, are more practicaland provide better patient adherence and involvement towardtreatment which results in better INR control. This study aimed toevaluate laboratory obtained INR results compared to two differentportable coagulometers.Methods: A prospective study which monitored 1009 patients usingVKA in the Anticoagulation Clinic at the Institute Dante Pazzaneseof Cardiology in S~ao Paulo between July and September 2012.Patient INR values were obtained by the laboratory through venipunctureand then compared to INR values obtained by capillarypuncture from two different portable coagulometers.Results: Overall, 1009 patients were included in the study; amongthese, 520 (51.5%) are male with average age of 59.6 years (13–91). The more common indications were atrial fibrillation (49.9%)and mechanical prosthesis (33.7%). The correlation coefficient wasof 0.95 with and 0.88 with INRatio PT Monitor compared to laboratory.In patients with INR 3.0) the correlation was 0.80 with CoaguChek XSPlus and 0.54 with INRatio PT Monitor ...

Can Nassarius reticulatus be used as a bioindicator for Hg contamination? Results from a longitudinal study of the Portuguese coastline.

The focus of this work is to explore the use of the netted whelk, Nassarius reticulatus (L.), as an indicator of mercury (Hg) contamination, by assessing the concentration of Hg in the sediments and in the whelk along the entire Portuguese coast. Total Hg concentrations ranged from below the detection limit (0.01 ng absolute mercury) up to 0.87 mg kg(-1) dry weight (dwt) in sediments and between 0.06 and 1.02 mg kg(-1) (dwt) for organisms, with no significant differences between males and females. Although organic mercury was not detected in the sediments, it represented, on average, 52% of the total Hg in the whelk tissues, and as high as 88% in some cases, suggesting mercury accumulation from dietary intake. Significant negative correlations were found between the total Hg concentrations in the sediments and the log(10) of Hg concentrations in whelk tissues males (r=-0.64; P<0.01) and females (r=-0.52; P<0.01) indicating that the species is a poor indicator of Hg contamination. Nevertheless, since the highest concentrations of organic mercury in the whelk tissues were found in the least contaminated areas, this species must be highly relevant in the trophic web, namely on the possible biomagnification of mercury. The high dietary mercury accumulation from feeding on carrion and the low bioavailability of mercury to whelks in estuarine sediments may be the basis of the mercury accumulation pattern in N. reticulatus.

Spatial and temporal changes of TBT pollution along the Portuguese coast: inefficacy of the EEC directive 89/677.

Nucella lapillus imposex (superimposition of male characters onto prosobranch females) and organotin body burden were surveyed in the Portuguese coast in 1997 and 2000. Time comparisons of the available data on Nucella lapillus imposex in the Portuguese coast indicate a global increase of TBT pollution in recent years, revealing the inefficacy of the 1993 legislation that bans the use of TBT paints on small boats (<25 m). The absence or scarcity of the species inside harbours, which are the most polluted sites in Portugal, is probably a consequence of extinction due to female sterilisation by TBT.

Molecular phylogeny of the New World monkeys (Platyrrhini, primates) based on two unlinked nuclear genes: IRBP intron 1 and epsilon-globin sequences.

Nuclear sequences of the 1.8 kilobase (kb) long intron 1 of the interstitial retinol-binding protein gene (IRBP), previously determined for 11 of the 16 extant genera of New World monkeys (superfamily Ceboidea, infraorder Platyrrhini), have now been determined for the remaining 5 genera. The maximum parsimony trees found, first with IRBP sequences alone and then with tandemly combined IRBP and epsilon-globin gene sequences from the same species, supported a provisional cladistic classification with the following clusters. Subtribes Callitrichina (Callithrix, Cebuella), Callimiconina (Callimico), Leontopithecina (Leontopithecus) and Saguina (Saguinus) constitute subfamily Callitrichinae, and subfamilies Callitrichinae, Aotinae (Aotus), and Cebinae (Cebus, Saimiri) constitute family Cebidae. Subtribes Chiropotina (Chiropotes, Cacajao) and Pitheciina (Pithecia) constitute tribe Pitheciini; and tribes Pitheciini and Callicebini (Callicebus) constitute subfamily Pitheciinae. Subtribes Brachytelina (Brachyteles, Lagothrix) and Atelina (Ateles) constitute tribe Atelini, and tribes Atelini and Alouattini (Alouatta) constitute subfamily Atelinae. The parsimony results were equivocal as to whether Pitheciinae should be grouped with Atelinae in family Atelidae or have its own family Pitheciidae. The cladistic groupings of extant ceboids were also examined by different stochastic evolutionary models that employed the same stochastic process of nucleotide substitutions but alternative putative phylogenetic trees on which the nucleotide substitutions occurred. Each model, i.e., each different tree, predicted a different multinomial distribution of nucleotide character patterns for the contemporary sequences. The predicted distributions that were closest to the actual observed distributions identified the best fitting trees. The cladistic relationships depicted in these best fitting trees agreed in almost all cases with those depicted in the maximum parsimony trees.

Coat color and biochemical variation in Amazonian wild populations of Alouatta belzebul.

A comparative study of 13 blood genetic systems and pelage color variation was performed in four wild populations of Alouatta belzebul. The animals from the west bank of the Tocantins River showed less color variation than those from the east bank, as well as less than those from Tocantins Island. The blood genetic markers, however, revealed an opposite pattern of variation. A previously undescribed morphological variant (completely red) was observed in one specimen of the east bank, where pelage color of the local population varied from completely black to completely red. Levels of heterozygosity and inter- and intralocus variances for the blood systems are compared with those observed in five other species of New World primates.

Chromosome studies on Dasypus, Euphractus and Cabassous genera (Edentata: Dasypodidae).

The somatic and meiotic chromosomes of twenty specimens of the Dasypodidae were studied. The wild specimens belonged to the genera Cabassous, Euphractus and Dasypus. The karyotype of D. novemcinctus showed a diploid chromosome number of 64, although some variation was observed in one specimen where 2n was 65, due to a supernumerary chromosome, and another had a dimorphic pair. D. septemcinctus also had a diploid chromosome number of 64, and showed two variant types due to pericentric inversions and/or centric fusions. E. sexcinctus and C. unicinctus had diploid chromosome numbers of 58 and 50, respectively. These species did not show variant chromosome types, and this was confirmed in meiotic studies. Analysis of the meiotic epithelium of species of Dasypus including the analysis of the synaptonemal complex in pachytene nuclei, showed similar findings to those commonly reported in mammalian meiosis, especially in relation to pairing and formation of the sex bivalent. The evolutionary implications of the chromosome changes in relation to organic evolution are discussed.

Genetic variability in a natural population of Cebus apella paraguayanus (Cebidae, primates)

Foram estudadas 17 proteínas séricas e eritrocitárias em uma populaçäo natural de Cebus apella paraguayanus. Apenas o locus da GPI mostrou poliformismo (GPI*1 = 89% and GPI*2 = 11%). Uma análise comparativa das estimativas de variabilidade genética dentre os primatas mostrou que C. a paraguayanus (P = 5.9%; H = 1.1%) apresenta níveis de variaçäo genética comparáveis a Alouatta palliata e Leontopithecus rosalia, duas outras espécies do Novo Mundo

The meiotic chromosomes of Cebus apella (Cebidae, Platyrrhini)

An analysis of the meiotic chromosomes of Cebus apella (Cebidae, Platyrrhini) has allowed for the visualization of constitutive heterochromatic regions throughout the meiotic cycle and has permitted the identification of four chromosomes in the first and the second divisions. In pachytene nuclei, and in pachytene spreads where synaptonemal complexes were visible, one heterochromatic region was frequently unpaired. No chiasmata were found in heterochromatic regions, and there was no evidence of chiasma terminalization. The role of heterochromatin in homologous pairing and its relationship to chiasma position and number in meiotic configurations were discussed. A comparison was made between bivalent 9 in C. apella and bivalent 21 in man, based on the interspecific homologies between these chromosomes. A similar comparison was made between the Algerian and Asian hedgehogs, where marked differences in the content of constitutive heterochromatin occur in two chromosome pairs.