Population-specific responses in eastern oysters exposed to low salinity in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica, are facing rapid environmental changes in the northern Gulf of Mexico and can respond to these changes via plasticity or evolution. Plastic responses can immediately buffer against environmental changes, although this buffering may impact the organism's ability to evolve in subsequent generations. While plasticity and evolution are not mutually exclusive, the relative contribution and interaction between them remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the roles of plastic and evolved responses of C. virginica acclimated to low salinity using a common garden experiment with four populations exposed to two salinities. We used three transcriptomic analyses (edgeR, PERMANOVA and WGCNA) combined with physiology data to identify the effect of genotype (population), environment (salinity) and the genotype-environment interaction on both whole-organism and molecular phenotypes. We demonstrate that variation in gene expression is mainly driven by population, with relatively small changes in response to salinity. In contrast, the morphology and physiology data reveal that salinity has a larger influence on oyster performance than the population of origin. All analyses lacked signatures of the genotype×environment interaction and, in contrast to previous studies, we found no evidence for population-specific responses to low salinity. However, individuals from the highest salinity estuary displayed highly divergent gene expression from that of other populations, which could potentially drive population-specific responses to other stressors. Our findings suggest that C. virginica largely rely on plasticity in physiology to buffer the effects of low salinity, but that these changes in physiology do not rely on large persistent changes in gene expression.

Factors Associated with Time to Progression and Overall Survival in Patients with De Novo Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Colombian Cohort.

PURPOSE: About 10% of breast cancer (BC) is diagnosed in stage IV. This study sought to identify factors associated with time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) in a cohort of patients diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer (MBC), from a single cancer center in Colombia, given that information on this aspect is limited. METHODOLOGY: An observational, analytical, and retrospective cohort study was carried out. Time to progression and OS rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier survival functions. Cox models were developed to assess association between time to progression and time to death, using a group of fixed variables. RESULTS: Overall, 175 patients were included in the study; 33.7% of patients had luminal B HER2-negative tumors, 49.7% had bone involvement, and 83.4% had multiple metastatic sites. Tumor biology and primary tumor surgery were the variables associated with TTP and OS. Patients with luminal A tumors had the lowest progression and mortality rates (10 per 100 patients/year (95% CI: 5.0-20.0) and 12.6 per 100 patients/year (95% CI: 6.9-22.7), respectively), and patients with triple-negative tumors had the highest progression and mortality rates (40 per 100 patients/year (95% CI: 23.2-68.8) and 44.1 per 100 patients/year (95% CI: 28.1-69.1), respectively). Across the cohort, the median TTP was 2.1 years (95% CI: 1.6; the upper limit cannot be reached) and the median OS was 2.4 years (95% CI: 2-4.3). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, patients with luminal A tumors and those who underwent tumor surgery given that they presented clinical benefit (CB) after initial systemic treatment, had the lowest progression and mortality rates. Overall, OS was inferior to other series due to high tumor burden and difficulties in accessing and continuing oncological treatments.

Lack of genotype-by-environment interaction suggests limited potential for evolutionary changes in plasticity in the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica.

Eastern oysters in the northern Gulf of Mexico are facing rapid environmental changes and can respond to this change via plasticity or evolution. Plasticity can act as an immediate buffer against environmental change, but this buffering could impact the organism's ability to evolve in subsequent generations. While plasticity and evolution are not mutually exclusive, the relative contribution and interaction between them remains unclear. In this study, we investigate the roles of plastic and evolved responses to environmental variation and Perkinsus marinus infection in Crassostrea virginica by using a common garden experiment with 80 oysters from six families outplanted at two field sites naturally differing in salinity. We use growth data, P. marinus infection intensities, 3' RNA sequencing (TagSeq) and low-coverage whole-genome sequencing to identify the effect of genotype, environment and genotype-by-environment interaction on the oyster's response to site. As one of first studies to characterize the joint effects of genotype and environment on transcriptomic and morphological profiles in a natural setting, we demonstrate that C. virginica has a highly plastic response to environment and that this response is parallel among genotypes. We also find that genes responding to genotype have distinct and opposing profiles compared to genes responding to environment with regard to expression levels, Ka/Ks ratios and nucleotide diversity. Our findings suggest that C. virginica may be able to buffer the immediate impacts of future environmental changes by altering gene expression and physiology, but the lack of genetic variation in plasticity suggests limited capacity for evolved responses.

Evaluation of the AJCC Eighth-Edition Prognostic Staging System for Breast Cancer in a Latin American Cohort.

BACKGROUND: The staging of breast cancer has been based on tumor size, lymph node involvement, and presence or absence of distant metastases. The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system in its eighth edition incorporates hormone receptors, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and histologic grade due to their prognostic importance. In Latin America, however, the impact of the new edition is unknown. This article evaluates the performance of the AJCC eighth-edition staging system in a cohort of patients with breast cancer at a reference center in Colombia. METHODS: The study investigated a descriptive cohort of 912 patients who received complete treatment for non-metastatic invasive breast cancer and had information on the anatomic stage and biologic factors,. All the patients were restaged using the AJCC eighth-edition classification. Changes in clinical stages and differences between the two classifications were compared. RESULTS: The study enrolled 912 patients. Changes in staging occurred for 54.82% (downstaging for 40.3% and upstaging for 14.47%) of these patients. For recurrence-free survival, the C-Index of the eighth-edition AJCC was 0.726, and the AIC was 1323.7, whereas the C-Index of the seventh-edition AJCC was 0.731, and the AIC was 1314.3 (p = 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The seventh and eighth editions of the AJCC staging system have similar predictive values in our population for recurrence-free survival. Future studies are necessary to evaluate the performance of the AJCC eighth-edition staging system in predicting overall survival.

Transcriptomic signatures of temperature adaptation in the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica.

The large geographic distribution of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, makes it an ideal species to test how populations have adapted to latitudinal gradients in temperature. Despite inhabiting distinct thermal regimes, populations of C. virginica near the species' southern and northern geographic range show no population differences in their physiological response to temperature. In this study, we used comparative transcriptomics to understand how oysters from either end of the species' range maintain enantiostasis across three acclimation temperatures (10, 20, and 30°C). With this approach, we identified genes that were differentially expressed in response to temperature between individuals of C. virginica collected from New Brunswick, Canada and Louisiana, USA. We observed a core set of genes whose expression responded to temperature in both populations, but also an even larger set of genes with expression patterns that were unique to each population. Intriguingly, the genes with population-specific responses to temperature had elevated FST and Ka/Ks ratios compared to the genome-wide average. In contrast, genes showing only a response to temperature were found to only have elevated FST values suggesting that divergent FST may be due to selection on linked regulatory regions rather than positive selection on protein coding regions. Taken together, our results suggest that, despite coarse-scale physiological similarities, natural selection has shaped divergent gene expression responses to temperature in geographically separated populations of this broadly eurythermal marine invertebrate.

Pathological Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and the Molecular Classification of Locally Advanced Breast Cancer in a Latin American Cohort.

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients with breast cancer in Colombia are admitted into oncological centers at locally advanced stages of the disease (53.9%). The aim of this study was to describe the pathological response obtained with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) according to the molecular classification of breast cancer in patients with locally advanced tumors treated within the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Functional Breast Cancer Unit (FBCU) in Bogotá, Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an observational, descriptive, historical cohort study of patients with locally advanced breast cancer treated within the NCI FBCU. RESULTS: We included 414 patients who received NACT and surgical management. Most patients had luminal B HER2-negative tumors (n = 134, 32.4%). The overall rate of pathological complete response (pCR) ypT0/ypN0 was 15.2% (n = 63). Tumors that presented the highest rate of pCR were pure HER2, at 40.5% (n = 15; odds ratio [OR], 6.7); however, with a follow-up of 60 months, only the triple negative tumors presented a statistically significant difference for event-free survival (EFS; median recurrence time, 18 months; range, 1-46) and overall survival (OS; median follow-up, 31 months; range 10-57). The molecular subtype that most recurrences presented was luminal B HER2 negative, at 38.3% (n = 28). The majority of recurrences (93.2 %; n = 68; OR, 5.9) occurred in patients in whom no pathological response was obtained (Chevallier 3 and 4). CONCLUSION: Pathological response in locally advanced tumors is related to the molecular subtype of breast cancer, finding higher pCR rates in pure HER2 and triple-negative tumors. A direct relationship was found between disease recurrences and the pathological response, evidencing greater tumor recurrence in patients who did not respond to NACT (Chevallier 3 and 4). EFS and OS were greater in patients with pCR, with statistical significance only in triple-negative tumors. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This research article is of scientific interest, because it describes the clinical and pathological features and analyzes the correlation between pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the molecular classification of locally advanced breast cancer in patients treated in the National Cancer Institute in Bogotá, Colombia. It was found that pathological response is related to the molecular subtype of breast cancer. In addition, there is a direct relationship between disease recurrences and pathological response. The survival results were greater in patients with pathological complete response.

Testing plasma subtilisin inhibitory activity as a selective marker for dermo resistance in eastern oysters.

Recent findings have suggested that eastern oyster plasma possesses inhibitors of the protease subtilisin, which play a role in the host defense against Perkinsus marinus, a protist parasite causing dermo. A study was conducted to determine whether plasma subtilisin inhibitory activity (PSIA) could be used as a selective marker in breeding programs for dermo resistance. Eastern oysters Crassostrea virginica from 2 wild Louisiana populations shown to differ in dermo resistance were collected and their PSIA was measured. Three groups of oysters were established to spawn from each population. One group was composed of randomly sampled oysters (i.e. unselected) and the other 2 groups were composed of oysters with the highest or lowest PSIA. After spawning, progenies were deployed in October 2014 in a dermo endemic area and sampled quarterly for 2 yr to measure their mortality, growth, P. marinus infection intensity, condition index, PSIA, and the gene expression of 3 subtilisin inhibitors (cvSI-1, cvSI-2, and cvSI-3). Oyster cumulative mortalities of the progenies of all groups increased both years from April to October, concomitant with increasing P. marinus infection intensities. Mortalities and P. marinus infection intensities differed markedly between the 2 populations, but differences between the unselected and selected groups of each population were limited. Measurements of PSIA and cvSI-1, cvSI-2, and cvSI-3 gene expressions between the progenies of all groups showed few differences. CvSI-1 gene expression in surviving oysters of the most susceptible population was increased at the end of the study, adding additional support to the potential role of cvSI-1 defense against P. marinus.

Relation between solid phase speciation and oral/lung bioaccessibility of metal(loid)s polluted soils in inhabited area: Contribution of synchrotron-based experiment.

The presence of contaminated sites/soils in or near cities can pose significant risks to public health. The city of Viviez (France) was taken in reference site bears significant industrial responsibility, particularly in zinc metallurgy, with the presence of a now rehabilitated smelter. This has led to soil contamination by zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd), with concentrations reaching up to 4856 mg kg-1, 1739 mg kg-1, 195 mg kg-1, and 110 mg kg-1, respectively. The aim of this study is to comprehend the contamination patterns of the site post-rehabilitation, the geochemical behavior of each element, and their speciation (analyzed through BCR, XRD, and XANES) in relation to associated health risks due to metals accessibility for oral ingestion and inhalation by the local population. The findings revealed that elements inducing health risks were not necessarily those with the highest metal contents. All results are discussed in terms of the relationship between element speciation, stability of bearing phases, and their behavior in different media. XANES is an important tool to determine and estimate the Pb-bearing phases in garden soils, as well as the As speciation, which consist of Pb-goethite, anglesite, and Pb-humate, with variations in proportions (the main phases being 66 %, 12 % and 22 % for Pb-goethite, anglesite, and Pb-humate, respectively) whereas As-bearing phase are As(V)-rich ferrihydrite-like. A new aspect lies in the detailed characterization of solid phases before and after bioaccessibility tests, to qualify and quantify the bearing phases involved in the mobility of metallic elements to understand the bioaccessibility behavior. Ultimately, the health risk associated with exposure to inhabitants, in terms of particle ingestion and inhalation, was assessed. Only ingestion-related risk was deemed unacceptable due to the levels of As and Pb.

Prognostic Factors Associated with Tumor Recurrence and Overall Survival in Soft Tissue Sarcomas of the Extremities in a Colombian Reference Cancer Center.

Introduction: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are low-incidence tumors whose clinical and histopathological factors are associated with adverse oncological outcomes. This study evaluated prognostic factors (PF) associated with tumor recurrence and overall survival (OS) in patients diagnosed with STS of the extremities, treated at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INC), Bogotá, Colombia. Materials and Methods: An analytical observational study of a historical cohort was carried out, including patients diagnosed with STS and managed surgically in the Functional Unit for Breast and Soft Tissue Tumors of the INC from January 2008 to December 2018. Results: A total of 227 patients were included; 74.5% had tumors greater than 5 cm. Most patients (29.1%) were in stage IIIB at diagnosis. Age was associated with higher mortality (HR = 1.01; CI95%: 1-1.02; p = 0.048). Tumor persistence at admission to the INC (HR = 2.34; CI95%: 1.25-4.35; p = 0.007) and histologic grade III (HR = 5.36; CI95%: 2.29-12.56; p = <0.001) showed statistical significance in the multivariate analysis for recurrence of any type, as did the PFs associated with a higher risk of local recurrence (HR = 2.85; CI95%: 1.23-6.57; p = 0.014 and HR = 6.09; CI95%: 2.03-18.2; p = 0.001), respectively. Tumor size (HR = 1.03; CI95%: 1-1.06; p = 0.015) and histologic grade III (HR = 4.53; CI95%: 1.42-14.49; p = 0.011) were associated with a higher risk of distant recurrence. Conclusions: This cohort showed that in addition to histologic grade and tumor size, tumor persistence at the time of admission has an impact on disease recurrence, so STS should be managed by a multidisciplinary team with experience in this pathology in high-volume reference centers.

Management and Clinical Outcomes of Breast Cancer in Women Diagnosed with Hereditary Cancer Syndromes in a Clinic-Based Sample from Colombia.

This study aimed to investigate prognosis and survival differences in 82 breast cancer patients with germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (PVs) treated and followed at the Breast Unit of the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Colombia (INC-C) between 2018 and 2021. Median age at diagnosis was 46 years, with 62.2% presenting locally advanced tumors, 47.6% histological grade 3, and 35.4% with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype. Most carriers, 74.4% (61/82), had PVs in known breast cancer susceptibility genes (i.e., "associated gene carriers" group, considered inherited breast cancer cases): BRCA2 (30), BRCA1 (14), BARD1 (4), RAD51D (3), TP53 (2), PALB2 (2), ATM (2), CHEK2 (1), RAD51C (1), NF1 (1), and PTEN (1). BRCA1-2 represented 53.7%, and homologous recombination DNA damage repair (HR-DDR) genes associated with breast cancer risk accounted for 15.9%. Patients with PVs in non-breast-cancer risk genes were combined in a different category (21/82; 25.6%) (i.e., "non-associated gene carriers" group, considered other breast cancer cases). Median follow-up was 38.1 months, and 24% experienced recurrence, with 90% being distant. The 5-year Disease-Free Survival (DFS) for inherited breast cancer cases was 66.5%, and for other breast cancer cases it was 88.2%. In particular, for carriers of PVs in the BRCA2 gene, it was 37.6%. The 5-year Overall Survival (OS) rates ranged from 68.8% for those with PVs in BRCA2 to 100% for those with PVs in other HR-DDR genes. Further studies are crucial for understanding tumor behavior and therapy response differences among Colombian breast cancer patients with germline PVs.

Energetic budget of diploid and triploid eastern oysters during a summer die-off.

Triploid oysters are widely used in off-bottom aquaculture of eastern oysters, Crassostrea virginica. However, farmers of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and Atlantic coast estuaries have observed unresolved, late-spring die-offs of triploid oysters, threatening the sustainability of triploid aquaculture. To investigate this, the physiological processes underlying oyster growth (e.g., feeding, respiration) and mortality of one-year-old diploid and triploid oysters were compared in early summer following an uptick in mortality. It was predicted that higher triploid mortality was the result of energetic imbalances (increased metabolic demands and decreased feeding behavior). Oyster clearance rates, percentage of time valves were open, absorption efficiency, oxygen consumption rates (basal and routine), ammonia excretion rate were measured in the laboratory and scope for growth was calculated. In addition, their condition index, gametogenic stage, Perkinsus marinus infection level, and mortality were measured. Mortality of triploids in the laboratory was greater than for diploids, mirroring mortality observed in a related field study. The physiological parameters measured, however, could not explain triploid mortality. Scope for growth, condition index, and clearance rates of triploids were greater than for diploids, suggesting sufficient energy reserves, while all other measurements where similar between the ploidies. It remains to be determined whether mortality could be caused from disruption of energy homeostasis at the cellular level.

Comparison of haemocytic parameters among flat oyster Ostrea edulis stocks with different susceptibility to bonamiosis and the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas.

Farming of the flat oyster Ostrea edulis in Europe is severely constrained by the protozoan Bonamia ostreae. The introduction of the resistant species Crassostrea gigas has been a relief for the farmers, while the pilot programmes to select O. edulis strains resistant to bonamiosis performed in various countries can be seen as a promising strategy to minimise the effects of bonamiosis. However, the physiological bases of this differential susceptibility remain unknown. A search for an explanation of the intra and interspecific differences in oyster susceptibility to bonamiosis was accomplished by comparing some immune parameters among various O. edulis stocks and C. gigas. On December 2003, naïve and Bonamia-relatively resistant flat oysters from Ireland, Galician flat oysters and Pacific oysters C. gigas were deployed in a Galician area affected by bonamiosis; haemolymph samples were taken in February and May 2004. A new oyster deployment at the same place was carried out on June 2004 and haemolymph sampling was performed on April 2005. On November 2004, new sets of Irish flat oysters and C. gigas were deployed in Ireland and haemolymph sampling was performed in June 2005. Various haemocytic parameters were measured: total and differential haemocyte count, phagocytic ability, respiratory burst (superoxide anion [O(2)(-)] and hydrogen peroxide [H(2)O(2)]) and nitric oxide [NO] production. The comparison of the parameters was carried out at 3 levels: (1) between O. edulis and C. gigas, (2) among O. edulis stocks with different susceptibility to bonamiosis, and (3) between Bonamia-infected and non infected O. edulis. In addition, haemocyte-B. ostreaein vitro encounters were performed to analyse interspecific differences in the haemocytic respiratory burst, using flow cytometry. Significant differences associated with total and differential haemocyte count, and respiratory burst between O. edulis and C. gigas were detected, which could be linked to differences in susceptibility to bonamiosis between both species. Additionally, significant changes in total and differential haemocyte count, and respiratory burst of O. edulis associated with B. ostreae infection were found. However, no consistent difference in any haemocyte parameter between the O. edulis stocks involved in the study was recorded.

Clinical Outcomes of Adjuvant Hormone Therapy in a Cohort of Patients With Infiltrating Non-metastatic Breast Cancer in a Latin American Cancer Center.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer (BC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. This study evaluated the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors associated with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in a cohort of patients diagnosed with hormone receptor-positive non-metastatic BC managed with adjuvant hormone therapy. METHODS: An observational, analytical, historical cohort study was conducted. DFS and OS rates were estimated, Kaplan-Meier survival functions were calculated, and Cox models were developed to assess the association between time to event (all-cause mortality or relapse) and hormone therapy exposure with a set of established variables. RESULTS: Inclusion criteria were met by 685 patients; the mean age at diagnosis was 58 years (SD=11.9 years). The most commonly used drug was tamoxifen for five years in 241 (35.7%) patients; 470 (69.6%) patients received initial therapy, 112 (16.5%) underwent switch therapy, and 93 (13.8%) had extended therapy. The factors associated with better rates of DFS and OS were early clinical stage (p=0.00), luminal A and luminal B Her2-positive biological subtypes (p=0.00), and adherence to adjuvant hormone therapy (p=0.001). Mortality rate was 0.77 deaths per 100 patients/year (95% CI, 0.51-1.2). CONCLUSION: This cohort demonstrated that adjuvant hormone therapy improves DFS and OS rates in locally advanced tumors. The main factor for reducing disease progression in this cohort was adequate adherence to treatment.

Comparison of antibacterial activity in the hemolymph of marine bivalves from Galicia (NW Spain).

A screening study of in vitro antibacterial activity was conducted in marine bivalves with economical importance and widespread along the coast of Galicia (NW Spain). Hemocyte lysate supernatant (HLS) and plasma of Mytilus galloprovincialis, Ostrea edulis, Crassostrea gigas, Ruditapes decussatus, Ruditapes philippinarum, and Cerastoderma edule were incubated with Vibrio splendidus and Micrococcus sp. HLS and plasma for all the species demonstrated antibacterial activity, and C. edule had the highest activity per unit of protein in these hemolymph fractions. Significant differences were not found between HLS and plasma activities. Furthermore, antibacterial activity against Micrococcus sp. (Gram-positive) was stronger than against V. splendidus (Gram-negative).

Increasing the in vitro proliferation rate of Perkinsus mediterraneus, a parasite of the European flat oyster Ostrea edulis.

Perkinsus mediterraneus is an alveolate parasite first described in Ostrea edulis from the Balearic Islands (Mediterranean Sea, Spain), and little is known about its biology or the disease it causes. Continuous in vitro cultures of P. mediterraneus have recently been established in the protein-deficient culture medium JL-ODRP-2F to facilitate its study. Parasite proliferation rate in vitro however was low, with densities increasing 2- to 6-fold between subcultures at 6-week intervals. To increase the proliferation rate of P. mediterraneus cultures to rates similar to other Perkinsus species, various culture conditions (temperature, osmolality, pH, O(2), and CO(2) concentrations), culture procedures (seeding density and frequency of medium changes), concentrations of medium components, and addition of medium supplements (oyster tissue lysate, oyster plasma, animal sera, growth factors, and hormones) were tested. All treatments were evaluated by measuring parasite densities after 2 weeks of culture. The greatest increase in parasite densities, a 35-fold increase over the cell seeding density and 18 times that of the control (cells without supplementation), occurred in medium supplemented with 1,000 µg/mL of O. edulis tissue lysate. P. mediterraneus proliferation was also significantly increased by oyster tissue lysate concentration as low as 125 µg/mL.

The Surgical Approach Combined With Minimally Invasive Surgery for Sacral Chordoma.

Sacral chordomas are malignant, locally aggressive, and rare tumors. Its presentation can be diverse on the entire spine, being more frequent in the sacrococcygeal region. The main treatment is complete surgical resection, which can be performed using different approaches depending on the case. We present the case of a 44-year-old woman with a history of a complex adnexal mass, with an imaging finding of a presacral mass displacing the uterus and rectum, with a histological report of an image-guided biopsy suggestive of a soft-tissue myoepithelioma-like tumor, which was managed with a combined approach: anterior transabdominal laparoscopic and posterior approach, achieving complete tumor resection, without postoperative complications and with the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. The pathology report of the surgical piece was compatible with sacral chordoma.

Divergence in salinity tolerance of northern Gulf of Mexico eastern oysters under field and laboratory exposure.

The eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, is a foundation species within US Gulf of Mexico (GoM) estuaries that has experienced substantial population declines. As changes from management and climate are expected to continue to impact estuarine salinity, understanding how local oyster populations might respond and identifying populations with adaptations to more extreme changes in salinity could inform resource management, including restoration and aquaculture programs. Wild oysters were collected from four estuarine sites from Texas [Packery Channel (PC): 35.5, annual mean salinity, Aransas Bay (AB): 23.0] and Louisiana [Calcasieu Lake (CL): 16.2, Vermilion Bay (VB): 7.4] and spawned. The progeny were compared in field and laboratory studies under different salinity regimes. For the field study, F1 oysters were deployed at low (6.4) and intermediate (16.5) salinity sites in Alabama. Growth and mortality were measured monthly. Condition index and Perkinsus marinus infection intensity were measured quarterly. For the laboratory studies, mortality was recorded in F1 oysters that were exposed to salinities of 2.0, 4.0, 20.0/22.0, 38.0 and 44.0 with and without acclimation. The results of the field study and laboratory study with acclimation indicated that PC oysters are adapted to high-salinity conditions and do not tolerate very low salinities. The AB stock had the highest plasticity as it performed as well as the PC stock at high salinities and as well as Louisiana stocks at the lowest salinity. Louisiana stocks did not perform as well as the Texas stocks at high salinities. Results from the laboratory studies without salinity acclimation showed that all F1 stocks experiencing rapid mortality at low salinities when 3-month oysters collected at a salinity of 24 were used and at both low and high salinities when 7-month oysters collected at a salinity of 14.5 were used.

When is Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Useful in Ductal Carcinoma In Situ? The Experience at a Latin American Cancer Center.

Introduction Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) accounts for 15% of breast cancers. Surgery is the main treatment, and the use of sentinel node biopsy (SLNB) is restricted to patients at risk of infiltration, which is estimated to be around 26%. Materials and methods Aimed at evaluating the benefit of SLNB in patients with DCIS at the Breast and Soft Tissue Functional Unit of the National Cancer Institute (INC for its initials in Spanish), a descriptive observational study of a retrospective cases series was conducted between August 1, 2013, and September 30, 2018. Results A total of 40 patients with a median age of 57 years were included in the study; 62.5% of them underwent mastectomy with SLNB, and the remaining 37.5% underwent conservative surgery with SLNB. 100% of sentinel nodes were identified, by using lymphoscintigraphy in 95%. Sentinel node was positive in four patients (10%), three of whom had infiltration in the surgical specimen reported. With a follow-up of 49 months, only one patient had a local relapse. None of the patients had axillary or distant recurrence. Conclusions SLNB in DCIS should be limited to patients with risk factors for infiltration (tumor size greater than 3 cm, comedo-type histology, and high-grade DCIS), and patients with an indication for mastectomy. Its percentage of complications is low, and a high identification percentage in surgical groups with adequate training.

The combined influence of sub-optimal temperature and salinity on the in vitro viability of Perkinsus marinus, a protistan parasite of the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica.

Perkinsus marinus is a major cause of mortality in eastern oysters along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts. It is also well documented that temperature and salinity are the primary environmental factors affecting P. marinus viability and proliferation. However, little is known about the effects of combined sub-optimal temperatures and salinities on P. marinus viability. This in vitro study examined those effects by acclimating P. marinus at three salinities (7, 15, 25 ppt) to 10 degrees C to represent the lowest temperatures generally reached in the Gulf of Mexico, and to 2 degrees C to represent the lowest temperatures reached along the mid-Atlantic coasts and by measuring changes in cell viability and density on days 1, 30, 60 and 90 following acclimation. Cell viability and density were also measured in 7 ppt cultures acclimated to each temperature and then transferred to 3.5 ppt. The largest decreases in cell viability occurred only with combined low temperature and salinity, indicating that there is clearly a synergistic effect. The largest decreases in cell viability occurred only with both low temperature and salinity after 30 days (3.5 ppt, 2 degrees C: 0% viability), 60 days (3.5 ppt, 10 degrees C: 0% viability) and 90 days (7 ppt, 2 degrees C: 0.6+/-0.7%; 7 ppt, 10 degrees C: 0.2+/-0.2%).