The surf flies of the Mascarene Islands (Diptera: Canacidae: Canacinae), with the description of a new species.

A survey of the surf flies (Canacinae) of the main Mascarene Islands of La Réunion, Mauritius, and Rodrigues was undertaken between 2015 and 2018. It encompassed intertidal material from 38 sampling stations on the islands and included records supplied by Martin J. Ebejer from La Réunion. No specimens of surf flies were collected on Rodrigues Is., which lacks suitable rocky shore habitats. A new species of Isocanace Mathis, 1982, that is deemed closely related to I. briani Mathis, 1982 described from Aldabra Is. and Madagascar, is described and figured from Mauritius (I. mauritiana Munari sp. nov.). Nocticanace mahensis (Lamb, 1912) is also reported from La Réunion and Mauritius and Procanace pninae Mathis Freidberg, 1991 from Mauritius (all representing first records for the islands concerned). The Procanace grisescens species-group is also reported from Mauritius for the first time, representing a first record of this species-group from the Mascarenes. An identification key to Afrotropical species of Isocanace is provided and the distributions of all species are mapped.

The beach flies of the Mascarene Islands (Diptera: Canacidae: Tethininae).

An intertidal survey of 34 sampling stations on the main Mascarene Islands of La Réunion, Mauritius and Rodrigues, was conducted between 2015 and 2018. Results of the survey revealed five species of Tethininae, viz. Afrotethina aurisetulosa (Lamb), Dasyrhicnoessa ferruginea (Lamb), D. insularis (Aldrich), D. vockerothi Hardy Delfinado and Pseudorhicnoessa rattii Munari, all of which are new to one or more of the Mascarenes (A. aurisetulosa, D. ferruginea and D. insularis new to all three islands; D. vockerothi new to Mauritius and Rodrigues; and P. rattii new to Rodrigues). Sampled species exhibit a very close affinity with those that occur on Seychelles and the composition of the two faunas is notably superimposable. The distributions of the five species on the three main islands is mapped and an identification key to all genera and species of both archipelagos is provided, with the most significant diagnostic features illustrated. The survey also revealed that the rather common Afrotropical genus Horaismoptera Hendel, which is represented in East Africa, Madagascar, and the southern Arabian Peninsula by H. vulpina Hendel, is most likely absent from both archipelagos.

MDM2 SNP309 is associated with high grade node positive breast tumours and is in linkage disequilibrium with a novel MDM2 intron 1 polymorphism.

INTRODUCTION: A functional polymorphism within MDM2, SNP309 T>G, has been linked to early onset cancer. This study examined clinical associations of breast cancer with SNP309 in a Scottish Caucasian population and investigated additional MDM2 intron 1 polymorphisms. METHODS: Intron 1 of MDM2 was PCR amplified and directly sequenced from 299 breast cancer patients and 275 cancer free controls and compared with clinical and pathological parameters. RESULTS: SNP309 was observed, for the control and breast cancer cohorts respectively, at frequencies of: T/T = 44.7% and 39.5%; G/T = 42.2% and 47.2%; G/G = 13.1% and 13.4%, indicating that SNP309 is not a predisposing factor for breast cancer. The 309G/G genotype was associated with high grade tumours (OR = 1.64, 95%CI = 1.06-2.53, p = 0.025) and greater nodal involvement (OR = 2.51, 95%CI = 1.26-4.98, p = 0.009). SNP309 was not associated with an earlier age of cancer diagnosis. No association was observed between genotype and age of breast cancer diagnosis when patients were stratified by menopausal status and estrogen receptor status. Three additional low frequency SNPs were identified: 344T>A, 285G>C and 443G>T, the latter two novel. SNP285 was in complete linkage disequilibrium with SNP309 (D' = 1.0) with the minor alleles being in phase with each other. Moreover, the 285C/C, 309G/G double homozygous genotype was only observed in the breast cancer cohort. CONCLUSION: SNP309G/G is associated with poor prognostic breast cancer features in the Scottish population. Additionally, a novel SNP, SNP285, that is in linkage disequilibrium with SNP309, may also have a role in breast tumorigenesis.

A rapid multi-disciplinary biodiversity assessment of the Kamdebooberge (Sneeuberg, Eastern Cape, South Africa): implications for conservation.

UNLABELLED: Botanical work since 2008 on the Sleeping Giant section of the Kamdebooberge (Sneeuberg mountain complex, Eastern Cape, South Africa) has indicated that these mountains may be of significant conservation value. Accordingly, a precursory, rapid multi-disciplinary biodiversity assessment was undertaken in January 2011, focusing on plants, tetrapod vertebrates and leafhoppers. The botanical results confirm the Kamdebooberge as being of high botanical conservation value, hosting three strict endemics, healthy populations of five other Sneeuberg endemics, and fynbos communities comprising species not found elsewhere in the Sneeuberg. The Kamdebooberge are important for herpetofauna (excluding serpentoids) and mammals, hosting several range-restricted and regional endemics. The expedition uncovered three new leafhopper species, together with several species previously only known from the Cape Floristic Region. Further detailed faunal work may provide further interesting results from these mountains, which show a high conservation value unique to the southern Escarpment. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2193-1801-1-56) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.