bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Surgical Approach on Patient-Reported Outcomes after Radical Prostatectomy: A Propensity Score-Weighted Analysis from a Multicenter, Prospective, Observational Study (The Pros-IT CNR Study)
Authors: Antonelli Alessandro , Palumbo Carlotta , Noale Marianna , Porreca Angelo , Maggi Stefania , Simeone Claudio , Bassi Pierfrancesco , Bertoni Filippo , Bracarda Sergio , Buglione Michela , Conti Giario Natale , Corvò Renzo , Gacci Mauro , Mirone Vincenzo , Montironi Rodolfo , Triggiani Luca , Tubaro Andrea , Artibani Walter ,   Pros-IT CNR study group
Published: February 2019

Background: To report health-related quality of life outcomes as assessed by validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) after radical prostatectomy (RP). ­Methods: This study analyzed patients treated with RP within The PROState cancer monitoring in Italy, from the National Research Council (Pros-IT CNR). Italian versions of Short-Form Heath Survey and university of California los Angeles-prostate cancer index questionnaires were administered. PROMs were physical composite scores, mental composite scores and urinary, bowel, sexual functions and bothers (UF/B, BF/B, SF/B). Baseline unbalances were controlled with propensity scores and stabilized inverse weights; differences in PROMs between different RP approaches were estimated by mixed models. Results: Of 541 patients treated with RP, 115 (21%) received open RP (ORP), 90 (17%) laparoscopic RP (LRP) and 336 (61%) robot-assisted RP (RARP). At head-to-head ­comparisons, RARP showed higher 12-month UF vs. LRP (interaction treatment * time p = 0.03) and 6-month SF vs. ORP (p < 0.001). At 12-month from surgery, 67, 73 and 79% of patients used no pad for urinary loss in ORP, LRP and RARP respectively (no differences for each comparison). Conversely, 16, 27 and 40% of patients declared erections firm enough for sexual intercourse in ORP, LRP and RARP respectively (only significant difference for ORP vs. RARP, p = 0.0004). Conclusions: Different RP approaches lead to significant variations in urinary and sexual PROMs, with a general trend in favour of RARP. However, their clinical significance seems limited.
Use of a Stent in Distal Hypospadias Repaired by Tubularized Incised Plate Urethroplasty: A Comparative Study
Authors: Karakaya Ali Erdal , Doğan Ahmet Burak , Güler Ahmet Gökhan
Published: February 2019

Purpose: We present our experience of stented and unstented distal hypospadias repaired by tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (TIPU). Patients and Methods: Data of 84 patients who were operated by TIPU method in 2 hospitals were retrospectively analyzed, and they were invited to be included in the study. Sixty-six patients agreed to participate in the study and were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 consisted of 38 boys operated in Sütçü İmam University Hospital on using a stent between 2015 and 2017. Group 2 consisted of 28 boys operated in Private Hospital of Megapark on without a stent between 2016 and 2017. The hypospadias objective scoring evaluation (HOSE) scale was used to compare the groups. Results: The median age was 2.81 years in group 1 and 1.95 years in group 2 (p = 0.243). The mean follow-up duration was 25.74 ± 4.62 and 24.5 ± 4.19 months in groups 1 and 2 respectively (p = 0.268). The HOSE scores were similar in both groups with comparable results (p = 0.622). Conclusions: No difference was observed between the groups in this study, regarding functional and cosmetic outcomes according to the HOSE score. However, the results should be supported by prospective studies with a sufficient number of patients.
Selective Inhibition of PAR4 (Protease-Activated Receptor 4)-Mediated Platelet Activation by a Synthetic Nonanticoagulant Heparin Analog
Authors: Lin Yu-Chuan , Ko Yen-Chun , Hung Shang-Cheng , Lin Ying-Ting , Lee Jia-Hau , Tsai Ju-Ying , Kung Po-Hsiung , Tsai Meng-Chun , Chen Yih-Fung , Wu Chin-Chung
Published: February 2019

Objective—

PAR4 (protease-activated receptor 4), one of the thrombin receptors in human platelets, has emerged as a promising target for the treatment of arterial thrombotic disease. Previous studies implied that thrombin exosite II, known as a binding site for heparin, may be involved in thrombin-induced PAR4 activation. In the present study, a heparin octasaccharide analog containing the thrombin exosite II–binding domain of heparin was chemically synthesized and investigated for anti-PAR4 effect.

Approach and Results—

PAR4-mediated platelet aggregation was examined using either thrombin in the presence of a PAR1 antagonist or γ-thrombin, which selectively activates PAR4. SCH-28 specifically inhibits PAR4-mediated platelet aggregation, as well as the signaling events downstream of PAR4 in response to thrombin. Moreover, SCH-28 prevents thrombin-induced β-arrestin recruitment to PAR4 but not PAR1 in Chinese Hamster Ovary-K1 cells using a commercial enzymatic complementation assay. Compared with heparin, SCH-28 is more potent in inhibiting PAR4-mediated platelet aggregation but has no significant anticoagulant activity. In an in vitro thrombosis model, SCH-28 reduces thrombus formation under whole blood arterial flow conditions.

Conclusions—

SCH-28, a synthetic small-molecular and nonanticoagulant heparin analog, inhibits thrombin-induced PAR4 activation by interfering with thrombin exosite II, a mechanism of action distinct from other PAR4 inhibitors that target the receptor. The characteristics of SCH-28 provide a new strategy for targeting PAR4 with the potential for the treatment of arterial thrombosis.
Epigenetic Inheritance Underlying Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Napoli Claudio , Benincasa Giuditta , Loscalzo Joseph
Published: February 2019

In pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), the Warburg effect (glycolytic shift) and mitochondrial fission are determinants of phenotype alterations characteristic of the disease, such as proliferation, apoptosis resistance, migration, endothelial-mesenchymal transition, and extracellular matrix stiffness. Current therapies, focusing largely on vasodilation and antithrombotic protection, do not restore these aberrant phenotypes suggesting that additional pathways need be targeted. The multifactorial nature of PAH suggests epigenetic changes as potential determinants of vascular remodeling. Transgenerational epigenetic changes induced by hypoxia can result in permanent changes early in fetal development increasing PAH risk in adulthood. Unlike genetic mutations, epigenetic changes are pharmacologically reversible, making them an attractive target as therapeutic strategies for PAH. This review offers a landscape of the most current clinical, epigenetic-sensitive changes contributing to PAH vascular remodeling both in early and later life, with a focus on a network medicine strategy. Furthermore, we discuss the importance of the application (from morphogenesis to disease onset) of molecular network-based algorithms to dissect PAH molecular pathobiology. Additionally, we suggest an integrated network-based program for clinical disease gene discovery that may reveal novel biomarkers and novel disease targets, thus offering a truly innovative path toward redefining and treating PAH, as well as facilitating the trajectory of a comprehensive precision medicine approach to PAH.
Promoters to Study Vascular Smooth Muscle
Authors: Chakraborty Raja , Saddouk Fatima Zahra , Carrao Ana Catarina , Krause Diane S. , Greif Daniel M. , Martin Kathleen A.
Published: February 2019

Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are a critical component of blood vessel walls that provide structural support, regulate vascular tone, and allow for vascular remodeling. These cells also exhibit a remarkable plasticity that contributes to vascular growth and repair but also to cardiovascular pathologies, including atherosclerosis, intimal hyperplasia and restenosis, aneurysm, and transplant vasculopathy. Mouse models have been an important tool for the study of SMC functions. The development of smooth muscle-expressing
Cre
-driver lines has allowed for exciting discoveries, including recent advances revealing the diversity of phenotypes derived from mature SMC transdifferentiation in vivo using inducible
CreER

T2

lines. We review SMC-targeting Cre lines driven by the
Myh11, Tagln
, and
Acta2
promoters, including important technical considerations associated with these models. Limitations that can complicate study of the vasculature include expression in visceral SMCs leading to confounding phenotypes, and expression in multiple nonsmooth muscle cell types, such as
Acta2-Cre
expression in myofibroblasts. Notably, the frequently employed
Tagln
/
SM22
α-
Cre
driver expresses in the embryonic heart but can also confer expression in nonmuscular cells including perivascular adipocytes and their precursors, myeloid cells, and platelets, with important implications for interpretation of cardiovascular phenotypes. With new
Cre
-driver lines under development and the increasing use of fate mapping methods, we are entering an exciting new era in SMC research.
Dissociating nNOS (Neuronal NO Synthase)-CAPON (Carboxy-Terminal Postsynaptic Density-95/Discs Large/Zona Occludens-1 Ligand of nNOS) Interaction Promotes Functional Recovery After Stroke via Enhanced Structural Neuroplasticity
Authors: Ni Huan-Yu , Song Yi-Xuan , Lin Yu-Hui , Cao Bo , Wang Dong-Liang , Zhang Yu , Dong Jian , Liang Hai-Ying , Xu Ke , Li Ting-You , Chang Lei , Wu Hai-Yin , Luo Chun-Xia , Zhu Dong-Ya
Published: February 2019

Background and Purpose—

Stroke is a major public health concern worldwide. Although clinical treatments have improved in the acute period after stroke, long-term therapeutics remain limited to physical rehabilitation in the delayed phase. This study is aimed to determine whether nNOS (neuronal NO synthase)-CAPON (carboxy-terminal postsynaptic density-95/discs large/zona occludens-1 ligand of nNOS) interaction may serve as a new therapeutic target in the delayed phase for stroke recovery.

Methods—

Photothrombotic stroke and transient middle cerebral artery occlusion were induced in mice. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-cytomegalovirus (CMV)-CAPON-125C-GFP (green fluorescent protein)-3Flag and the other 2 drugs (Tat-CAPON-12C and ZLc-002) were microinjected into the peri-infarct cortex immediately and 4 to 10 days after photothrombotic stroke, respectively. ZLc-002 was also systemically injected 4 to 10 days after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Grid-walking task and cylinder task were conducted to assess motor function. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, Golgi staining, and electrophysiology recordings were performed to uncover the mechanisms.

Results—

Stroke increased nNOS-CAPON association in the peri-infarct cortex in the delayed period. Inhibiting the ischemia-induced nNOS-CAPON association substantially decreased the number of foot faults in the grid-walking task and forelimb asymmetry in the cylinder task, suggesting the promotion of functional recovery from stroke. Moreover, dissociating nNOS-CAPON significantly facilitated dendritic remodeling and synaptic transmission, indicated by increased dendritic spine density, dendritic branching, and length and miniature excitatory postsynaptic current frequency but did not affect stroke-elicited neuronal loss, infarct size, or cerebral edema, suggesting that nNOS-CAPON interaction may function via regulating structural neuroplasticity, rather than neuroprotection. Furthermore, ZLc-002 reversed the transient middle cerebral artery occlusion–induced impairment of motor function.

Conclusions—

Our results reveal that nNOS-CAPON coupling can serve as a novel pharmacological target for functional restoration after stroke.
Higher serum lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 in patients with stable coronary artery disease is associated with major adverse cardiovascular events: A multicentre pilot study
Authors: Zhao Zi-wen , Xu Yi-wei , Li Shu-mei , Guo Jin-jian , Yi Tao , Chen Liang-long
Published: February 2019

Introduction: Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) is involved in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Circulating soluble LOX-1 (sLOX-1) has been linked to the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Our aim was to test if baseline serum sLOX-1 was associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with stable CAD. Materials and methods: This multicentre pilot study enrolled 833 stable CAD patients. All patients were followed for two years. Serum sLOX-1 concentrations were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The association between sLOX-1 concentrations and MACE was assessed by logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards analyses. Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the predictors of complex lesion. Results: Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that sLOX-1 concentration was an independent predictor of MACE (OR 2.07, 95%CI 1.52 - 2.82; P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier cumulative survival curves showed that the incidence of MACE in patients with a high sLOX-1 concentration was significantly higher than in patients with an intermediate or low sLOX-1 concentration (P < 0.001). Soluble LOX-1 concentrations were independently correlated with coronary complex lesions (OR 2.32, 95%CI 1.81 - 2.97; P < 0.001). Conclusions: Baseline sLOX-1 concentrations were correlated with 2-year MACE in stable CAD patients. Furthermore, patients with high serum sLOX-1 concentrations had higher cumulative incidence of MACE compared to those with low serum sLOX-1 concentrations.
A paradigmatic case of haemolysis and pseudohyperkalemia in blood gas analysis
Authors: Luca Salvagno Gian , Demonte Davide , Lippi Giuseppe
Published: February 2019

A 51-year old male patient was admitted to the hospital with acute dyspnea and history of chronic asthma. Venous blood was drawn into a 3.0 mL heparinized syringe and delivered to the laboratory for blood gas analysis (GEM Premier 4000, Instrumentation Laboratory), which revealed high potassium value (5.2 mmol/L; reference range on whole blood, 3.5-4.5 mmol/L). This result was unexpected, so that a second venous blood sample was immediately drawn by direct venipuncture into a 3.5 mL lithium-heparin blood tube, and delivered to the laboratory for repeating potassium testing on Cobas 8000 (Roche Diagnostics). The analysis revealed normal plasma potassium (4.6 mmol/L; reference range in plasma, 3.5-5.0 mmol/L) and haemolysis index (5; 0.05 g/L). Due to suspicion of spurious haemolysis, heparinized blood was transferred from syringe into a plastic tube and centrifuged. Potassium and haemolysis index were then measured in this heparinized plasma, confirming high haemolysis index (50; 0.5 g/L) and pseudohyperkalemia (5.5 mmol/L). Investigation of this case revealed that spurious haemolysis was attributable to syringe delivery in direct ice contact for ~15 min. This case emphasizes the importance of avoiding sample transportation in ice and the need of developing point of care analysers equipped with interference indices assessment.
Morphology supports ­the setaphyte hypothesis: mosses plus liverworts form a natural group
Authors: RENZAGLIA KAREN S. , VILLARREAL AGUILAR JUAN CARLOS , GARBARY DAVID J.
Published: February 2019

The origin and early diversification of land plants is one of the major unresolved problems in evolutionary biology. Occurring nearly half a billion years ago, the transmigration of green organisms to land changed the landscape and provided the food source for terrestrial life to invade a vast uninhabited space, adapt and radiate. Although bryophytes (mosses, liverworts and hornworts) are often regarded as the earliest terrestrial organisms, the order of their divergence remains contentious even as molecular analyses become more conclusive with expanded taxon sampling, massive genetic data and more sophisticated methods of analysis (Cox et al. 2018; Morris et al. 2018). Indeed, virtually every combination of relationships among bryophytes has been proposed based on molecules (Qiu et al. 2006; Wickett et al. 2014; Cox et al. 2018). Fortunately, in 2018 it appears that we are approaching a consensus based on molecules, and that is that although bryophytes may or may not be monophyletic, mosses plus liverworts form a natural group (Puttick et al. 2018). In this essay, we point out that this inference is neither new nor surprising as it has been the fundamental conclusion of morphological analyses for over 25 years starting with an exhaustive cladistic analysis of characters associated with motile cell development in green plants (Garbary et al. 1993).
New Trilacuna species from Thailand, Malaysia and Sumatra (Araneae, Oonopidae)
Authors: EICHENBERGER BEATA , KRANZ-BALTENSPERGER YVONNE
Published: February 2019

The genus Trilacuna (Araneae, Oonopidae), comprising only two species from China, is supplemented by seven new species collected in Thailand, Malaysia and Sumatra (T. merapi, T. bilingua, T. clarissa, T. werni, T. alces, T. kropfi, and T. diabolica). The new species exhibit an incised labium and a complicated set of membranes and/or filiform projections around the embolus, both diagnostic for the genus Trilacuna.
A new species of Miogryllus Saussure, 1877 from Andean Venezuela with bizarre cephalic morphology (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Gryllinae, Modicogryllini)
Authors: DE A. G. DE MELLO FRANCISCO , MORSELLI JOÃO PAULO
Published: February 2019

Miogryllus muranyi n. sp. is described from the Andean Acacia-Cactaceae semi-desert bush in the Chama Valley of Venezuela. The species is characterized by the unusual shape of the male head, which makes it readily distinguishable from any other congener known to date.
A new cryptic species of Ameerega (Anura: Dendrobatidae) from Brazilian Cerrado
Authors: VAZ-SILVA WILIAN , MACIEL NATAN MEDEIROS
Published: February 2019

A new cryptic species of poison frog is described from Central Brazil and included in the Ameerega picta group. Ameerega berohoka sp. nov. occurs in cerrado sensu stricto and gallery forest phytophysiognomies in the Cerrado biome in areas drained by the Araguaia River basin, State of Goiás, Brazil. The new species differs from the other species in the A. picta group by adult morphology, such as dorsal coloration, hand length, nostril shape, and features of advertisement call. Uncorrected p-distances of a fragment of the 16S mitochondrial rRNA gene revealed high divergence among other Ameerega species. The new species seems to be genetically most similar to Ameerega flavopicta (ca. 5.3%).
Potamotrygon tigrina, a new species of freshwater stingray from the upper Amazon basin, closely related to Potamotrygon schroederi Fernandez-Yépez, 1958 (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae)
Authors: DE CARVALHO MARCELO R. , PEREZ MARK H. SABAJ , LOVEJOY NATHAN R.
Published: February 2019

A new species of Neotropical freshwater stingray, family Potamotrygonidae, is described from the Río Nanay in the upper Río Amazonas basin of Peru. Potamotrygon tigrina, n. sp., is easily distinguished from all congeners by its conspicuous dorsal disc coloration, composed of bright yellow to orange vermiculations strongly interwoven with a dark-brown to deep-black background. Additional features that in combination diagnose P. tigrina, n. sp., include the presence of a single angular cartilage, low and not closely grouped dorsal tail spines, and coloration of tail composed of relatively wide and alternating bands of creamy white and dark brown to black. Potamotrygon tigrina is closely related to Potamotrygon schroederi Fernandez-Yépez, 1958, which occurs in the Rio Negro (Brazil) and Río Orinoco (Venezuela, Colombia). Both species are very similar in proportions and counts, and share features hypothesized to be derived within Potamotrygonidae, related to their specific angular cartilage morphology, distal tail color, dorsal tail-spine pattern, and ventral lateral-line system. To further substantiate the description of P. tigrina, n. sp., we provide a redescription of P. schroederi based on material from the Rio Negro (Brazil) and Río Orinoco (Venezuela). Specimens from the two basins differ in number of vertebral centra and slightly in size and frequency of rosettes on dorsal disc, distinctions that presently do not warrant their specific separation. Potamotrygon tigrina is frequently commercialized in the international aquarium trade but virtually nothing is known of its biology or conservation status.
Three new species of eriophyoid mites (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea) from Montenegro
Authors: JOČIĆ IVONA , PETANOVIĆ RADMILA , VIDOVIĆ BILJANA
Published: February 2019

Three new species of eriophyoid mites from Montenegro are described and illustrated. The first, Phytoptus alchemillae n. sp. (Phytoptidae), is found on the basic rosette of leaves of Alchemilla hoppeana (Rchb.) D. Torre, aggr. (Rosaceae). The second species, Leipothrix menthae n. sp. (Eriophyidae), is located on the undersurface of Mentha piperita L. (Lamiaceae) leaves and the third species, Aculus blagayanae n. sp. (Eriophyidae), inhabits the receptacles of the subendemic plant species, Daphne blagayana Frey. (Thymelaeaceae). All three species are vagrants, causing no visible damage to their plant host.
A new species of Polyarthra Ehrenberg, 1834 belonging to the vulgaris-group (Rotifera: Monogononta: Synchaetidae) from Argentina, with a key to the identification of species in the Neotropical Region
Authors: DE PAGGI SUSANA B. JOSÉ , PAGGI JUAN C.
Published: February 2019

A new species of planktonic genus Polyarthra Ehrenberg, 1834 was found in water bodies of north-eastern Argentina along the Paraná River and Uruguay River systems. This species, which belongs to the group that has a pair of ventral additional paddles, shares several features with other species of the genus particularly with P. dolychoptera Idelson, 1925, P. luminosa Kutikova, 1962, and P. indica Segers and Babu, 1999. Polyarthra platensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species of the genus by at least two autapomorphic traits, 1) the structure of dorsal integument and 2) the unusual heterogeneity in the composition of paddle bundles. Moreover, this species exhibits a specific combination of diagnostic features including the structure of the trophi having bare manubria, unci with a single tooth and absence of teeth before and after the strong major tooth on the rami. The discovery of this new species indicates that a revision of the genus in the Neotropical Region is pressingly needed. This study provides an updated species identification key for this genus in the Neotropical Region.
The Dolichopodainae and Troglophilinae cave crickets of Turkey: an update of taxonomy and geographic distribution (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae)
Authors: TAYLAN MEHMET S. , RUSSO CLAUDIO Di , COBOLLI MARINA , Cobolli Marina
Published: February 2019

In this note we report a new series of data on Dolichopodainae and Troglophilinae cave crickets of Turkey, after an extensive survey conducted between the years 2006 and 2010 in the main Anatolian cave systems. These new data, including the identifications of some undescribed taxa, are discussed in the framework of climate regions, vegetation and karst distribution of Turkey, contributing to the study of diversity and geographical distribution of Rhaphidophoridae cave crickets from Turkey.
A new genus of Zaeucoilini (Hymenoptera, Cynipoidea, Figitidae, Eucoilinae) from Neotropical Region
Authors: GALLARDO FABIANA E. , DÍAZ NORMA B.
Published: February 2019

Paradettmeria gen. nov., is described to accommodate Tropideucoila clavicornis. The type specimens studied of Tropideucoila clavicornis and T. weldi show no morphological differences between them, thus, we establish their synonymy, with P. clavicornis the senior name.
A new record and a new species of Aradidae fossils ( Hemiptera: Heteroptera)
Authors: MARCHAL LORENE , GUILBERT ERIC , BRISAC PATRICK , NEL ANDRE
Published: February 2019

Calisius balticus, previously known from the Middle-Late Eocene Baltic amber, is recorded for the first time in the Lowermost Eocene French amber. It is the second case of an insect species present in both these two ambers, representing a morphological stasis of ca. 10 Ma. It is the oldest record of the genus Calisius. Aradus andancensis n. sp. in Upper Miocene sedimentary deposit from France is also described.
Pelonaia quadrivena n. sp.a case of bipolarity in Ascidiacea
Authors: MONNIOT FRANÇOISE
Published: February 2019

A new ascidian species of the genus Pelonaia (Ascidiacea, Styelidae) is decribed from the coastal shore of Terre Adélie, Antarctic. The genus was referenced by a single species widely distributed in the arctic seas. Comparative anatomical descriptions are given for the species of both hemispheres. The validity of the genus is confirmed.
Sponge-dwelling snapping shrimps (Alpheidae: Synalpheus) of Barbados, West Indies, with a description of a new eusocial species
Authors: HULTGREN KRISTIN M. , MACDONALD III KENNETH S , DUFFY J. EMMETT
Published: February 2019

Sampling of eight sites along the west coast of Barbados, West Indies, yielded 14 species of sponge-dwelling shrimps in the gambarelloides group of the genus Synalpheus, including one new species described here as Synalpheus microneptunus n. sp. The new species is a member of the S. paraneptunus Coutière species complex and is distinguished from other species in that group by the combination of four carpal segments in the second pereopod, uropodal exopod with 2 nd distolateral tooth smaller than the other two teeth and set in line with movable spine, and a small blade on the scaphocerite. Synalpheus microneptunus n. sp. is the smallest species in the complex (2.2-2.9 mm CL) and lives in small colonies, usually with fewer than 10 individuals, often with a single breeding female. Synalpheus thele Macdonald, Hultgren & Duffy is reported for the first time from outside its type locality in Jamaica. Sampling in Barbados produced fewer species than did similar efforts in Jamaica and Curaçao, possibly due to the relatively isolated position of the island at the eastern (windward) edge of the Caribbean Sea.
Revision of the Bengalia spinifemorata species-group (Diptera, Calliphoridae)
Authors: ROGNES KNUT
Published: February 2019

The Afrotropical Bengalia spinifemorata species-group is revised and their male genitalia illustrated by means of digital colour photography. Six species are recognized and keyed, and their geographical distribution reconsidered, i.e., Bengalia akamanga (Lehrer, 2005), comb. nov. (Malawi); B. racovitzai (Lehrer, 2005) (Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya); B. seniorwhitei (Lehrer, 2005) (Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda); B. smarti (Lehrer, 2005), comb. nov. (Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe); B. spinifemorata Villeneuve, 1913 (Democratic Republic of Congo) and B. wangariae (Lehrer, 2005), comb. nov. (Democratic Republic of Congo). Maraviola congoliana Lehrer, 2005, M. samburella Lehrer, 2005, M. amlaka Lehrer & Freidberg, 2008, M. danakiliana Lehrer & Freidberg, 2008, and M. akufulana Lehrer, 2011 are recognized as synonyms of Bengalia seniorwhitei, syn. nov. The genus group names Sindhigalia Lehrer, 2006 and Anshuniana Lehrer & Wei, 2010 are reduced to synonyms of Bengalia Robineau-Desvoidy, 1830, syn. nov. The distiphallus is described in detail and new morphological terms introduced. Ten synapomorphies defining the B. spinifemorata species-group are listed. A re-assignment of the Oriental species B. fani Feng & Wei, 1998 to the Afrotropical B. spinifemorata species-group to replace its current position in the B. peuhi species-group is rejected since B. fani shares none of the ten synapomorphies of the former group.
New species and records of Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) from Brazil
Authors: NORRBOM ALLEN L. , UCHÔA MANOEL A.
Published: February 2019

Three new species of Anastrepha from Brazil are described and illustrated: A. matogrossensis Norrbom & Uchôa (from Mato Grosso), A. oiapoquensis Norrbom & Uchôa (from Amapá), and A. siculigera Norrbom & Uchôa (from Amapá). Anastrepha rafaeli Norrbom & Korytkowski also is reported from the state of Tocantins.
New and little-known families of Hemiptera Cicadomorpha from the Triassic of Central Asia—early analogs of treehoppers and planthoppers
Authors: SHCHERBAKOV DMITRY E.
Published: February 2019

One family, 12 monotypic genera, and 12 species of Triassic Cicadomorpha are described as new and two families, three genera, and three species are redescribed. All new taxa are from the Madygen Formation (Ladinian–Carnian) of Kyrgyzstan. Saaloscytinidae stat. nov. (Scytinopteroidea) includes Tingiopsis reticulata Becker-Migdisova, 1953 from Madygen and Saaloscytina Brauckmann et Schlueter, 1993 (= Chanarescytina Brauckmann, Martins-Neto et Gallego, 2006, syn. nov. = Chanarelytrina Martins-Neto et Gallego, 2006, syn. nov.) with one species from Germany and another from Argentina (Saaloscytina carmonae (Brauckmann, Martins-Neto et Gallego, 2006), comb. nov. = Chanarelytrina nana Martins-Neto et Gallego, 2006, syn. nov.). Maguviopseidae fam. nov. (Prosboloidea) comprises 2 subfamilies and 11 genera (all from Madygen): Sacvoyageinae subfam. nov. for Sacvoyagea ventrosa gen. et sp. nov. and Maguviopseinae subfam. nov. for Nonescyta mala gen. et sp. nov. and Nevicia imitans gen. et sp. nov. (Nonescytini trib. nov.), Maguviopsis kotchnevi Becker-Migdisova, 1953, Sitechka perforata gen. et sp. nov., Phyllotexta latens gen. et sp. nov., Cuanoma protracta gen. et sp. nov., Fasolinka beckermigdisovae gen. et sp. nov., Krendelia ansata gen. et sp. nov., Falcarta bella gen. et sp. nov., and Asiocula lima gen. et sp. nov. (Maguviopseini trib. nov.). Another family, Mesojabloniidae Storozhenko, 1992, is transferred from Grylloblattida to Hylicelloidea, and Fulgobole evansi gen. et sp. nov. and Scytachile emeljanovi gen. et sp. nov. are assigned to this family along with Mesojablonia kukalovae Storozhenko, 1992 (all three from Madygen). Homoplastic similarities of Saaloscytinidae and Maguviopseidae to Membracoidea and Mesojabloniidae to Fulgoroidea are discussed. The elaborate camouflage of these extinct hoppers and Dysmorphoptilidae is presumably due to increase of visual predation by small arboreal reptiles in the Triassic.
New species and new records of Plant Bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) from Northwestern China
Authors: KONSTANTINOV FEDOR V. , VINOKUROV NIKOLAY N.
Published: February 2019

Two new species of Phylini, Glaucopterum alborubrum sp. nov. and Compsidolon schrenkianum sp. nov. are described from Xinjiang province of China. Illustrations of the male genitalia, tarsus and pretarsus, photographs of the dorsal habitus, known hosts, and distributional records are provided for each species. The following 13 species of Miridae are recorded for the first time from China: Anonychiella brevicornis (Reuter, 1879), Atomophora mongolica Konstantinov, 2000, Blepharidopterus angulatus (Fallén, 1807), Compsidolon eximium (Reuter, 1879), Dichrooscytus consobrinus Horváth, 1904, Dichrooscytus kerzhneri Josifov, 1974, Hallodapus montandoni Reuter, 1895, Orthotylus nassatus (Fabricius, 1787), Orthotylus (Melanotrichus) schoberiae Reuter, 1876, Phaeochiton ebulum Putshkov, 1977, Pilophorus confusus (Kirschbaum, 1856), Tuponia (Chlorotuponia) prasina (Fieber, 1864), Tuponia (Tuponia) soongorica Drapolyuk, 1980. Also, the following nine species of plant bugs are new records for Xinjiang Province: Atomoscelis onusta (Fieber, 1861), Blepharidopterus diaphanus (Kirschbaum, 1856), Campylomma verbasci (Meyer-Dür, 1843), Europiella alpina (Reuter, 1875), Lygocoris rugicollis (Fallén, 1807), Orthops mutans (Stål, 1858), Phaeochiton caraganae (Kerzhner, 1964), Pilophorus clavatus (Linnaeus, 1767), Psallopsis kirgisica (Becker, 1864). Distributional areas and distinctive features of Tuponia roseipennis (Reuter, 1878) and T. soongorica Drapolyuk, 1980 are briefly discussed.
A new species of the genus Mesosmittia Brundin, 1956 (Diptera: Chironomidae) from the Neotropics with a cladistic analysis of the genus using quantitative characters
Authors: DONATO MARIANO
Published: February 2019

The new species Mesosmittia museophila from the Neotropics is described and illustrated based on male imagines. A cladistic analysis was conducted in order to assess its possible relationships with the remaining species in the genus, and it was found that M. museophila is the sister group of M. mina Sæther and these two species are closely related to M. prolixa Sæther. This analysis suggests that standardization is preferable to use of raw data and the latter are preferable to any statistic descriptor.
Two-Step Modified Nash Equilibrium Method for Medical Image Segmentation Based on an Improved C-V Model
Authors: Zhang Tian Chi , Zhang Jian Pei , Zhang Jing , Smith Melvyn L.
Published: February 2019

One of the most established region-based segmentation methods is the region based C-V model. This method formulates the image segmentation problem as a level set or improved level set clustering problem. However, the existing level set C-V model fails to perform well in the presence
of noisy and incomplete data or when there is similarity between the objects and background, especially for clustering or segmentation tasks in medical images where objects appear vague and poorly contrasted in greyscale. In this paper, we modify the level set C-V model using a two-step modified
Nash equilibrium approach. Firstly, a standard deviation using an entropy payoff approach is employed and secondly a two-step similarity clustering based approach is applied to the modified Nash equilibrium. One represents a maximum similarity within the clustered regions and the other the
minimum similarity between the clusters. Finally, an improved C-V model based on a two-step modified Nash equilibrium is proposed to smooth the object contour during the image segmentation. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed method has good performance for segmenting noisy and poorly
contrasting regions within medical images.
Image Texture Based Hybrid Diagnostic Tool for Kidney Disease Classification
Authors: Sreelatha P. , Ezhilarasi M.
Published: February 2019

The identification of chronic medical conditions and its associated mortality has led to the emergence of less invasive methods for medical diagnostic imaging. This work proposes a Computer Aided Diagnostic tool useful in automatic classification of kidney images as normal, simple cysts,
kidney stones and the less investigated complex cystic renal cell carcinoma. The first part of the work investigates an effective despeckling algorithm with a proposed adaptive wavelet based denoising technique. Encouraging increased PSNR values ranging from 15 dB to 24 dB were obtained. Second
part of work suggests a set of wavelet coefficient based feature set which showed a classification accuracy of 92.2%, better by 20.3% to 0.8% against existing methods. The final part of the work to develop a complete tool for kidney image classification combines the proposed wavelet based
features with three existing statistical based feature sets yielded a classification accuracy of 96.9%. The suggested features were extracted from the region of interest from an image set. A reduced feature set of 18 from the original size of 163 was obtained using principal component analysis
and applied for training a support vector machine classifier.
Non Linear Regression Analysis on the Effect of General Anesthesia on Postoperative Sleep Impairment in Elderly Patients Performed with a Laparotomy
Authors: Hua-Feng Zhang , Jun-Ping Chen , Rui-Chun Wang , Guo-Rong Wu
Published: February 2019

To explore the cause of sleep disorders in patients in the resuscitation room for anesthesia, and to put forward corresponding nursing methods. 212 patients with sleep disorder after operation were selected from our hospital's anesthesia resuscitation room from April 2015 to February
2016 to investigate the types and causes of sleep disorders with self-designed questionnaire and to carry out a targeted nursing intervention to them. The results showed that the proportion of frequent restless among the sleep disorders was the highest, and the others were in turn early awakening,
difficulty of falling asleep again, difficulty in falling asleep, and sleepless all night. Among the causes of sleep disorders, the postoperative pain accounted for the highest percentage, and other major causes include abdominal distension, urgent urination, postural discomfort and other
discomforts. According to the different types, causes and symptoms of sleep disorder, medical staff should have provide a targeted and planned nursing to improve the quality of sleep and facilitate a rapid resuscitation of patients.
Lesion Detection of Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Image Based on Fully Convolutional Networks
Authors: Zhang Shanwen , Huang Wenzhun , Wang Harry
Published: February 2019

Computed tomography (CT) and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are two kinds of important medical images, simply namely CT and MRI. Automatic lesion detection of CT and MRI is an important step for accurate clinical diagnosis. The classical CT and MRI lesion segmentation methods have
bad performance due to the complex background noise, various illumination, and uneven color on CT image. In this paper, an improved fully convolutional network (FCN) model is proposed for lesion detection of CT and MRI image. The structure is same as FCN, and the lesion information from a
deep layer is combined with appearance information from a shallow layer. First, we labeled all of the images from training set manually, the lesion and background labeled as 1 and 0, respectively. Then, the whole CT and MRI image dataset is fed to FCN. After 100 epochs training iterations,
the model after the last iteration is selected as the final model, and then test dataset is put into the final model to obtain the detection results. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively detect and segment the lesion of CT and MRI images and greatly improve
the segmentation accuracy, and can be used for the automatic lesion detection of CT and MRI images.
Evaluating Simulated Microphysics during OLYMPEX Using GPM Satellite Observations
Authors: Conrick Robert , Mass Clifford F.
Published: February 2019

This study evaluates moist physics in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model using observations collected during the Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX) field campaign by the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite, including data from the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) and Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) instruments. Even though WRF using Thompson et al. microphysics was able to realistically simulate water vapor concentrations approaching the barrier, there was underprediction of cloud water content and rain rates offshore and over western slopes of terrain. We showed that underprediction of rain rate occurred when cloud water was underpredicted, establishing a connection between cloud water and rain-rate deficits. Evaluations of vertical hydrometeor mixing ratio profiles indicated that WRF produced too little cloud water and rainwater content, particularly below 2.5 km, with excessive snow above this altitude. Simulated mixing ratio profiles were less influenced by coastal proximity or midlatitude storm sector than were GMI profiles. Evaluations of different synoptic storm sectors suggested that postfrontal storm sectors were simulated most realistically, while warm sectors had the largest errors. DPR observations confirm the underprediction of rain rates noted by GMI, with no dependence on whether rain occurs over land or water. Finally, WRF underpredicted radar reflectivity below 2 km and overpredicted above 2 km, consistent with GMI vertical mixing ratio profiles.
Future Changes in Monthly Extreme Precipitation in Japan Using Large-Ensemble Regional Climate Simulations
Authors: Hatsuzuka Daisuke , Sato Tomonori
Published: February 2019

This study investigated future changes in monthly extreme precipitation in Japan during summer (June–August). The uncertainties in estimating extreme monthly precipitation were analyzed using large-ensemble regional climate simulations for both present and 4-K warmer climates. The main diagnostics were based on the 100-yr return values of monthly total precipitation PT100 estimated from a best-fit probability distribution. Under the warmer climate, PT100 was projected to increase in approximately 87%, 88%, and 78% of the total number of stations for June, July, and August, respectively, suggesting that once-per-century monthly precipitation will increase as temperature increases over a wide area of Japan, although large regional variations will exist. The western part of Kyushu and the Hokkaido region showed significant and moderately robust increases in PT100 throughout the summer months. In contrast, a considerable and robust increase was projected only in June in the Nansei Islands. The percentage change in PT100 was small in western and eastern Japan, and thus the sign of the change was uncertain. Further analysis indicated that uncertainty in internal variability is more important than uncertainty in the SST scenario for future projections of monthly precipitation extremes.
Evaluation of Low-Cost, Automated Lake Ice Thickness Measurements
Authors: Reed David E. , Desai Ankur R. , Whitaker Emily C. , Nuckles Henry
Published: February 2019

Climate change is expected to decrease ice coverage and thickness globally while increasing the variability of ice coverage and thickness on midlatitude lakes. Ice thickness affects physical, biological, and chemical processes as well as safety conditions for scientists and the general public. Measurements of ice thickness that are both temporally frequent and spatially extensive remain a technical challenge. Here new observational methods using repurposed soil moisture sensors that facilitate high spatial–temporal sampling of ice thickness are field tested on Lake Mendota in Wisconsin during the winter 2015/16 season. Spatial variability in ice thickness was high, with differences of 10 cm of ice column thickness over 1.05 km of horizontal distance. When observational data were compared with manual measurements and model output from both the Freshwater Lake (FLake) model and General Lake Model (GLM), ice thickness from sensors matches manual measurements, whereas GLM and FLake results showed a thinner and thicker ice layer, respectively. The FLake-modeled ice column temperature effectively remained at 0°C, not matching observations. We also show that daily ice dynamics follows the expected linear function of ice thickness growth/melt, improving confidence in sensor accuracy under field conditions. We have demonstrated a new method that allows low-cost and high-frequency measurements of ice thickness, which will be needed both to advance winter limnology and to improve on-ice safety.
Doppler Radar Observations of Horizontal Shearing Instability in Quasi-Linear Convective Systems
Authors: Conrad Dustin M. , Knupp Kevin R.
Published: February 2019

Dual-Doppler radar observations of two cold-season, wave-propagating quasi-linear convective systems (QLCS), which evolved in high-shear, low-CAPE (HSLC) environments, are analyzed to determine the role that horizontal shearing instability (HSI) plays in the formation of mesovortices. One QLCS occurred on 4 January 2015 and produced two mesovortices within the dual-Doppler region, one of which was associated with an EF-1 tornado with a pathlength of 10 km. The second QLCS occurred on 28 November 2016 and did not produce any mesovortices. Storm characteristics such as the low-level wind speed and wind shift angle are investigated. Rayleigh and Fjørtoft instability criteria, which are required but insufficient for HSI, are also examined. The Rayleigh and Fjørtoft instability criteria are satisfied for the 4 January 2015 QLCS and the 28 November 2016 QLCS, highlighting one of the issues of the “required, but insufficient” characteristic of the criteria. Analysis of the wind shift angle and wind speed agree with previous studies that pronounced wind shifts close to 90° and strong wind speeds were conducive to the formation of mesovortices, while weak wind shift angles and weaker wind speeds were not. It was found that for the 4 January 2015 case, HSI was the likely formation mechanism of the vortices as other features associated with preexisting mesovortexgenesis theories were not observed.
Racism, Ethnicity and the Media in Africa: Reflections Inspired by Studies of Xenophobia in Cameroon and South Africa
Authors: Nyamnjoh Francis B.
Published: February 2019

This paper demonstrates the extent to which the media and belonging in Africa are torn between competing and often conflicting claims of bounded and flexible ideas of culture and identity. It draws on studies of xenophobia in Cameroon and South Africa, inspired by the resilience of the politicization of culture and identity, to discuss the hierarchies and inequalities that underpin political, economic and social citizenship in Africa and the world over, and the role of the media in the production, enforcement and contestation of these hierarchies and inequalities. In any country with liberal democratic aspirations or pretensions, the media are expected to promote national citizenship and its emphasis on large-scale, assimilationist and territorially bounded belonging, while turning a blind eye to those who fall through the cracks as a result of racism and/or ethnicity. Little wonder that such an exclusionary articulation of citizenship is facing formidable challenges from its inherent contradictions and closures, and from an upsurge in the politics of recognition and representation by small-scale communities claiming autochthony at a historical juncture where the rhetoric espouses flexible mobility, postmodern flux and discontinuity.
Policy Challenges Related to Biofuel Development in Tanzania
Authors: Sosovele Hussein
Published: February 2019

Biofuels have recently emerged as a major issue in energy policy, agricultural development and natural resource management. The growing demand for biofuels is being driven by high oil prices, energy security concerns and global climate change. In Tanzania there is growing interest on the part of foreign private investors in establishing biofuel projects, although globally there are concerns related to biofuel investments. Tanzania has approved a number of such projects, but the biofuel subsector faces several policy challenges that could clearly hamper its development. These include the lack of a holistic and comprehensive energy policy that addresses the broad spectrum of energy options and issues, and weak or absent institutional and legal frameworks. This article highlights some key policy issues critical to the development of biofuels and argues that if these challenges are not addressed at the national policy level, biofuel development may not result in the expected benefits to Tanzania and the majority of its local communities.
African Studies - Striving for Integrated Information Services: Recent Developments in Germany and Europe
Authors: Bergenthum Hartmut , Siebold Thomas
Published: February 2019

New projects, services and collaborations have recently brought the infrastructural services for African Studies a big step forward. This report gives an account of new subject gateways and digitisation projects. It discusses recent European cooperation ventures in the field of librarianship. Additionally, new developments and services of the Africa Collection at Frankfurt University Library are presented, which help to address the changing needs of researchers and to handle information overload, while keeping up with the latest developments. Nevertheless, the fragmentation and compartmentalisation of the different services still hinder more integrated information services.