bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective Vaccine Management: The Case of a Rural District in Ghana
Authors: Osei Eric , Ibrahim Mohammed , Kofi Amenuvegbe Gregory
Published: October 2019

Background. The Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) initiative provides the platform needed to monitor and assess the vaccine supply chain system to identify strengths and weaknesses of the system at all levels to enhance the development of improvement plan to strengthen the system. This valuation was carried out in the Tolon District of the Northern Region, Ghana. Methods. A descriptive valuation of vaccine management was carried out in six vaccine stores in the Tolon District of Northern Ghana. We employed World Health Organization (WHO) assessment tools and procedures which consisted of desk reviews and interviews of cold chain managers to assess vaccine management practices in the district. Five out of the nine global assessment criteria were assessed and a minimum target level required for all criteria to meet the WHO standard was 80%. Results. None of the facilities assessed met the WHO benchmark of 80% for all but one criteria assessed. With regards to temperature control, the scores ranged from 42% at Kasuliyili CHPS Centre to 77% at the district store with an average district score of 60%. Stock management ranged between 11% at Wantugu Health Centre and 75% at Nyankpala Health Centre with district average score of 32%. Effective vaccine distribution scores ranged between 13% at Kasuliyili CHPS and 46% at Nyankpala Health Centre with an average district score of 27%. Only Nyankpala Health Centre had an acceptable score of 84% for vaccine management, whereas the lowest score for this indicator was 5% at Tolon Health Centre store with district average score of 53%. Information management and supportive functions scores ranged from 0% at Tolon Health Centre to 26% at the district store with the district average score of 16%. Nineteen (90.5%) of vaccine users had poor knowledge regarding temperature control and vaccine distribution. Conclusion. Effective vaccine management knowledge and practices are poor at Tonlon district and calls for urgent and pragmatic approaches such as training and re-training of vaccine users at all levels.
The Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Classification in Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cystic Lesions
Authors: Wang Yixi , Wang Yanjie , Fan Zhihui , Shan Jun , Yan Kun
Published: October 2019

Objective. To compare the consistency of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) classification results with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to investigate the diagnostic value of CEUS classification in pancreatic cystic lesions. Methods. 84 cases of pancreatic cystic lesions were enrolled in this study. According to the CEUS classification methods of previous study in our center, all the lesions were classified into four types: type I, unilocular cysts; type II, microcystic lesions; type III, macrocystic lesions; and type IV, cystic lesions with enhanced solid components. The consistency of CEUS and MRI typing results was analysed. Among the 84 cases, 45 cases had pathological results. The CEUS results were compared with the pathological results, and the diagnostic value of CEUS classification in diagnosing pancreatic cystic lesions was explored. Results. Among the 84 cases, CEUS diagnosed 8 cases of type I, 24 of type II, 8 of type III, and 45 of type IV. MRI diagnosed 10 cases of type I, 25 of type II, 7 of type III, and 43 of type IV. The classification typing results of CEUS were highly consistent with that of enhanced MRI (kappa value: 0.852). Among the 45 cases with pathological results, the diagnostic accuracy of each type was 91.1%, 95.6%, 93.3%, and 88.9%. The accuracy of CEUS and MRI in diagnosing pancreatic cystic lesions was 75.56% (34/45) and 80% (36/45), respectively. The diagnostic accuracy of CEUS had no significant difference from that of MRI (P=0.687). Conclusion. The classification results by CEUS and MRI are in excellent agreement. The classification of pancreatic cystic lesions by CEUS is significantly helpful for clinical diagnosis.
An Effective LSTM Recurrent Network to Detect Arrhythmia on Imbalanced ECG Dataset
Authors: Gao Junli , Zhang Hongpo , Lu Peng , Wang Zongmin
Published: October 2019

To reduce the high mortality rate from cardiovascular disease (CVD), the electrocardiogram (ECG) beat plays a significant role in computer-aided arrhythmia diagnosis systems. However, the complex variations and imbalance of ECG beats make this a challenging issue. Since ECG beat data exist in heavily imbalanced category, an effective long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrence network model with focal loss (FL) is proposed. For this purpose, the LSTM network can disentangle the timing features in complex ECG signals, while the FL is used to resolve the category imbalance by downweighting easily identified normal ECG examples. The advantages of the proposed network have been verified in the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database. Experimental results show that the LSTM network with FL achieved a reliable solution to the problem of imbalanced datasets in ECG beat classification and was not sensitive to quality of ECG signals. The proposed method can be deployed in telemedicine scenarios to assist cardiologists into more accurately and objectively diagnosing ECG signals.
Immunoregulatory Effects of Subcutaneous Immunotherapy on Lymphocyte Subgroups and Cytokines in Children with Asthma
Authors: He Yu-ting , Zhou Ying , Shao Qi , Gan Cong , Chen Meng , Bao Yu-ling , Gu Hai-yan , Zhang Shu-lan , Cui Yubao , Tian Man
Published: October 2019

Objective. Asthma is a syndrome that incorporates many immune phenotypes. The immunologic effects of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) exerts on allergic asthma remain still largely unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of SCIT on cytokine production and peripheral blood levels of lymphocyte subtypes in children with mite-induced moderate and severe allergic asthma. Methods. The study included 60 kids with mite-induced allergic asthma from 5 to 10 years old. All subjects had received antiasthmatic pharmacologic for 3 months at baseline. Half of the children were treated with SCIT combined with pharmacologic treatment named the SCIT group and the other half only with pharmacologic therapy named the no-SCIT group. Total asthma symptom score (TASS) and total medication score (TMS) were recorded. Flow cytometry was used to identify lymphocyte subtypes: type 2 innate lymphocytes (ILC2s), type 1 (Th1) and type 2 (Th2) helper T cells, T helper 17 (Th17) cells, and regulatory T (Treg) cells. ELISA, flow cytometry, and cytometric bead array were used to assess cytokines IL-13, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-17, and TGF-β, at baseline and 3 and 6 months after study treatment in both groups of patients. Results. Both groups can significantly improve clinical symptoms in children with asthma. SCIT can significantly reduce asthma medication after 6 months of treatment. SCIT induced a significantly higher and progressive reduction in ILC2 percentage and IL-13 levels after 3 and 6 months of treatment compared with baseline and compared with no-SCIT patients. Significant differences were detected in the Th1/Th2 cell ratio and IFN-γ/IL-4 cytokine ratio between groups after 6 months of treatment. Similarly, the Th17/Treg ratio and IL-17/TGF-β ratio in the SCIT group were much lower than those in the no-SCIT group after 3-6 months of treatment. Conclusion. SCIT is a promising option to reduce the percentage of ILC2 and regulate Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg immune balance in the peripheral blood of children with asthma.
More Adaptive and Updatable: An Online Sparse Learning Method for Face Recognition
Authors: Han Qiaoling , Su Jianbo , Zhao Yue
Published: October 2019

In the actual face recognition applications, the sample sets are updated constantly. However, most of the face recognition models with learning strategy do not consider this fact and using a fixed training set to learn the face recognition models for once. Besides that, the testing samples are discarded after the testing process is completed. Namely, the training and testing processes are separated and the later does not give a feedback to the former for better recognition results. To attenuate these problems, this paper proposed an online sparse learning method for face recognition. It can update the salience evaluation vector in real time to construct a dynamical facial feature description model. Also, a strategy for updating the gallery set is proposed in this proposed method. Both the dynamical facial feature description model and the gallery set are employed to recognize faces. Experimental results show that the proposed method improves the face recognition accuracy, comparing with the classical learning models and other state-of-the-art face recognition methods.
Hazard Scenarios Related to Submarine Volcanic-Hydrothermal Activity and Advanced Monitoring Strategies: A Study Case from the Panarea Volcanic Group (Aeolian Islands, Italy)
Authors: Romano Davide , Gattuso Alessandro , Longo Manfredi , Caruso Cinzia , Lazzaro Gianluca , Corbo Andrea , Italiano Francesco
Published: October 2019

Geohazards associated to submarine hydrothermal systems still represent a tricky enigma to face and solve for the scientific community. The poor knowledge of a submarine environment, the rare and scarce monitoring activities, and the expensive and sometimes complicated logistics are the main problems to deal with. The submarine low-energy explosion, which occurred last November 3, 2002, off the volcanic island of Panarea, highlighted the absence of any hazard scenario to be used to manage the volcanic crisis. The “unrest” of the volcanic activity was triggered by a sudden input of deep magmatic fluids, which caused boiling water at the sea surface with a massive CO2 release besides changes in the fluids’ geochemistry. That event dramatically pushed scientists to develop new methods to monitor the seafloor venting activity. Coupling the information from geochemical investigations and data collected during the unrest of volcanic activity, we were able to (a) develop theoretical models to gain a better insight on the submarine hydrothermal system and its relationships with the local volcanic and tectonic structures and (b) to develop a preliminary submarine volcanic hazard assessment connected to the Panarea system (Aeolian Islands). In order to mitigate the potential submarine volcanic hazard, three different scenarios are described here: (1) ordinary hydrothermal venting, (2) gas burst, and (3) volcanic eruption. The experience carried out at Panarea demonstrates that the best way to face any submarine volcanic-hydrothermal hazard is to improve the collection of data in near real-time mode by multidisciplinary seafloor observatories and to combine it with periodical sampling activity.
An Enhanced Adaptive Random Testing by Dividing Dimensions Independently
Authors: Li Zhibo , Li Qingbao , Yu Lei
Published: October 2019

Random testing (RT) is widely applied in the area of software testing due to its advantages such as simplicity, unbiasedness, and easy implementation. Adaptive random testing (ART) enhances RT. It improves the effectiveness of RT by distributing test cases as evenly as possible. Fixed Size Candidate Set (FSCS) is one of the most well‐known ART algorithms. Its high failure‐detection effectiveness only shows at low failure rates in low‐dimensional spaces. In order to solve this problem, the boundary effect of the test case distribution is analyzed, and the FSCS algorithm of a limited candidate set (LCS‐FSCS) is proposed. By utilizing the information gathered from success test cases (no failure‐causing test inputs), a tabu generation domain of candidate test case is produced. This tabu generation domain is eliminated from the current candidate test case generation domain. Finally, the number of test cases at the boundary is reduced by constraining the candidate test case generation domain. The boundary effect is effectively relieved, and the distribution of test cases is more even. The results of the simulation experiment show that the failure‐detection effectiveness of LCS‐FSCS is significantly improved in high‐dimensional spaces. Meanwhile, the failure‐detection effectiveness is also improved for high failure rates and the gap of failure‐detection effectiveness between different failure rates is narrowed. The results of an experiment conducted on some real‐life programs show that LCS‐FSCS is less effective than FSCS only when the failure distribution is concentrated on the boundary. In general, the effectiveness of LCS‐FSCS is higher than that of FSCS.
Effects of Uric Acid on Diabetes Mellitus and Its Chronic Complications
Authors: Xiong Qing , Liu Jie , Xu Yancheng
Published: October 2019

With the deepening of the researches on uric acid, especially in the study of metabolic diseases, uric acid has been found to be closely related to obesity, metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases. Uric acid causes a series of pathophysiological changes through inflammation, oxidative stress, vascular endothelial injury, and so on and thus subsequently promotes the occurrence and development of diseases. This review confirmed the positive correlation between uric acid and diabetes mellitus and its chronic complications through the pathogenesis and clinical studies aspects.
QT Independent Ventricular Tachycardia Induced by Arsenic Trioxide
Authors: Zeitjian Vicken , Moazez Carmel , Arslan Waqas , Saririan Mehrdad
Published: October 2019

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is commonly known to cause QT prolongation with resultant ventricular tachycardia (VT). VT, independent of QT prolongation, can be a complication of ATO. We present a 46-year-old female who received ATO and during her hospital course had intermittent nonsustained VT. All usual causes of VT were considered including reduced EF<35%, ischemia, electrolyte abnormalities, medications, and genetic polymorphisms; however, no specific cause was found. After stopping therapy, the episodes of nonsustained VT ceased indicating that there is an association between ATO and VT.
Slave Self-Activity and the Bourgeois Revolution in the United States: Jubilee and the Boundaries of Black Freedom
Authors: Kelly Brian
Published: October 2019

For more than a generation, historical interpretations of emancipation in the United States have acknowledged that the slaves played a central role in driving that process forward. This is a critically important advance, and one worth defending. But it is also a perspective whose influence seems increasingly precarious. This article explores the complex relationship between the slaves’ ‘revolution from below’ and the bourgeois revolution directed from above, in part through an appraisal of W.E.B. Du Bois’s argument about the ‘slaves’ general strike’ and the wider revolutionary upheaval encompassing civil war and reconstruction. Grounded in a close familiarity with sources and interpretive trends, the article offers a detailed reading of shifting perspectives in current historiography, a comprehensive review of left engagement with Du Bois’s work, and an extended ‘critical and sympathetic’ appraisal of his major work from within the framework of the Marxist tradition.
Mutual Aid Practices in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region: Mechanisms and Effects
Authors: Li Zhanshuo
Published: October 2019

Mutual aid was a mechanism that emerged under the condition of insufficient factors of production in traditional Chinese society; it aimed to improve the productivity of factors by applying the principle of “deduct from the more-than-sufficient and add to the insufficient.” Mutual aid worked to improve the productivity of factors chiefly because it could lead to high efficiency through the full and economical utilization of factors of production that were given and limited. Unlike the input of modern capital that could result in immediate gain in productivity, mutual aid only led to indirect and passive improvements in productivity. Increased social interaction through mutual aid could further boost laborers’ morale and willingness to compete with one another, thus adding to improved productivity. Finally, mutual aid reduced the time spent on and the consumption of factors of production, thus permitting more farmers to engage in wasteland reclamation, sharpening of farming skills, and construction of water-control projects, which also contributed to agricultural growth.
From Ghosts to God: Identity Formation among the Christians as Seen in the New Crop Festival in the Areas of Jingpo Ethnicity of Yunnan Province
Authors: Li Ye
Published: October 2019

The introduction of Christianity to the areas populated by people of Jingpo ethnicity was known locally as “replacing ghosts with God.” As a compromise with the cultural traditions of the Jingpo people, the localization of Christianity worked to mitigate the tensions between the innate identity of the Jingpo aboriginals and the new identity of the converts. Nevertheless, the process also entailed an inevitable impact of the authority of God upon the validity of various native forms of ghosts that had been part and parcel of the Jingpo people’s spiritual life, which in turn facilitated the formation of the converts’ new identity as Christians, as seen in their participation in the New Crop Festival in the region of Jingpo ethnicity.
A holistic re-interpretation of the phylogeny of the Pycnogonida Latreille, 1810 (Arthropoda)*
Authors: BAMBER ROGER N.
Published: October 2019

The internal and external relationships within the Class Pycnogonida are rationalized based on the entire history of whole-animal understanding, detailed morphometrics, the fossil record, larval structure, mathematical multivariate analyses, and molecular analyses (electrophoretic protein and DNA). The pre-Jurassic fossils are placed in separate orders, with the Lower Silurian Haliestes giving the clearest indications of the form of a hypothetical “protopycnogonid”. Living forms, together with some Lower Devonian and the Jurassic fossils, are retained in the Order Pantopoda. No relationships to other Classes of the Arthropoda are yet indicated, and the concept of the Pycnogonida as a sister group to the Euarthropoda is maintained.        The Pantopoda are divided into two suborders, isolating the Austrodecidae. The remaining taxa are classified into six superfamilies, on a consensus of overall morphological trends, larval forms, and the findings of the only previous comprehensive morphological multivariate analysis, and recent molecular analyses. The Colossendeidae, Pycnogonidae and Rhynchothoracidae are isolated within their own superfamilies. The Ammotheidae sensu lato is subdivided (within one superfamily), unfortunately leaving a number of genera incertae sedis. The Nymphonidae, Callipallenidae and Pallenopsidae are associated within another superfamily. The Jurassic fossils are placed within the Endeidae within a superfamily together with the Phoxichilidiidae, while some Lower Devonian fossils remain incertae sedis. Diagnoses are given as appropriate where possible.
Centipede systematics: progress and problems*
Authors: EDGECOMBE GREGORY D.
Published: October 2019

Breakthroughs in centipede systematics over the past 25 years have included: a stable morphology-based cladogram for ordinal interrelationships that is largely congruent with well-sampled nuclear ribosomal genes; the discovery of mid Palaeozoic crown-group fossils, including Silurian-Devonian stem-group Scutigeromorpha and an extinct order in the Middle Devonian; and, a web-based catalogue of all centipede species globally. Challenges include species delimitation in several groups, conflict between different kinds of molecular data (nuclear coding genes versus ribosomal genes), the inter-familial relationships and classification of the Geophilomorpha in particular, and effecting a synthesis between microanatomical studies of selected ‘model’ species and dense taxonomic sampling in numerical phylogenetic analyses.
A brief history of the classification and nomenclature of Odonata*
Authors: TRUEMAN JOHN W.H.
Published: October 2019

The classification of insect order Odonata is traced from Linnaeus’ Systema Naturae, through 19th and 20th century morphology-based taxonomies, to molecular phylogenies published before November, 2007. Past and present nomenclatural difficulties are reviewed and the current situation in regard to rival taxonomies is outlined. Ordinal classifications based on morphological data continue to suffer from intractable uncertainty concerning wing vein homologies between Odonata and other Pterygota, but molecular analyses may soon show where the phylogenetic tree of Odonata should be rooted. The natural classification will become much clearer once this has been achieved.
The insect Order Thysanoptera: Classification versus Systematics*
Authors: MOUND LAURENCE A. , MORRIS DAVID C.
Published: October 2019

Two widely different classifications of the insect order Thysanoptera are discussed; an essentially phylogenetic system recognizing nine families in two suborders, and an essentially phenetic system recognizing 40 families in two orders. This paper emphasizes the distinction between “classification” and “systematics”, the former stressing the importance of differences, whereas the latter stresses the importance of derived similarities. A phylogenetic (i.e. systematic) classification incorporates predictions concerning evolutionary relationships that are important throughout biological studies, whether in host and parasite associations, biogeography, comparative physiology or development. The available phenetic classification of Thysanoptera serves no such broader purpose in biology. Recent molecular data derived from the gene 18S rDNA are analysed, but although some groups of taxa are well resolved, the deep relationships within the Thysanoptera remain unclear.
Weevils, weevils, weevils everywhere*
Authors: OBERPRIELER ROLF G. , MARVALDI ADRIANA E. , ANDERSON ROBERT S.
Published: October 2019

An overview is presented of the progress made on the taxonomy, classification and phylogeny of weevils in the 250 years since the first taxonomic descriptions of weevils by Carolus Linnaeus. The number of described weevils species is calculated to be about 62 000 and the likely total number of existing species 220 000, indicating that we have described just over a quarter of the diversity of this important group of beetles and that, at current rates of discovery and description, it will take another 650 years or so to describe the rest. Within the framework of the current concept of weevil phylogeny, a brief account is given of the seven main weevil lineages (families), and of the subfamilies of the largest of them, the Curculionidae, summarising their diversity, distribution and biology and identifying the major classificatory problems remaining in each. In conjunction with the phylogenetic hypothesis of weevil relationships and their fossil record, which is briefly summarised, the evolutionary history of weevils is mapped as a sequence of key evolutionary innovations that together have led to the phenomenal diversification and success of weevils.
The Culicidae (Diptera): a review of taxonomy, classification and phylogeny*
Authors: HARBACH RALPH E.
Published: October 2019

The taxonomy, classification and phylogeny of family Culicidae are reviewed. The application of explicit methods of phylogenetic analysis has revealed weaknesses in the traditional classification of mosquitoes, but little progress has been made to achieve a robust, stable classification that reflects evolutionary relationships. The current phenetic classification is discussed in view of phylogeny reconstructions based on cladistic analyses of morphological and molecular data. It is concluded that the generic and suprageneric relationships and the validity and monophyly of the generic and subgeneric groupings of Culicidae are in need of extensive reappraisal. If the classification is to reflect evolutionary history, changes to the nomenclature of mosquitoes are inevitable. There is strong morphological and molecular evidence that subfamily Anophelinae and tribes Aedini, Culicini and Sabethini of subfamily Culicinae are monophyletic, but the other taxonomic groupings are not demonstrably monophyletic or have not been subjected to phylogenetic analyses.
Order Trichoptera Kirby, 1813 (Insecta), Caddisflies*
Authors: HOLZENTHAL RALPH W. , BLAHNIK ROGER J. , PRATHER AYSHA L. , KJER KARL M.
Published: October 2019

The taxonomy, diversity, and distribution of the aquatic insect order Trichoptera, caddisflies, are reviewed. The order is among the most important and diverse of all aquatic taxa. Larvae are vital participants in aquatic food webs and their presence and relative abundance are used in the biological assessment and monitoring of water quality. The species described by Linnaeus are listed. The morphology of all life history stages (adults, larvae, and pupae) is diagnosed and major features of the anatomy are illustrated. Major components of life history and biology are summarized. A discussion of phylogenetic studies within the order is presented, including higher classification of the suborders and superfamilies, based on recent literature. Synopses of each of 45 families are presented, including the taxonomic history of the family, a list of all known genera in each family, their general distribution and relative species diversity, and a short overview of family-level biological features.  The order contains 600 genera, and approximately 13,000 species.
Invertebrate systematics or spineless taxonomy?*
Authors: WHEELER QUENTIN D.
Published: October 2019

What progress has been made since these words were written by Wilson more than twenty years ago?  The answer is a mixed one.  We have so far to go in our inventory of Earth’s species that it is easy to be discouraged by advances measured in hundreds of thousands of new species rather than millions.  Yet there has been progress and the potential exists for rapid advances.  Excellent work continues to be done as evidenced by this special issue of ZooTaxa and the burgeoning popularity of this e-journal. Innovative new funding has appeared at the U. S. National Science Foundation including the Partnerships to Enhance Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET), Assembling the Tree of Life (AToL), and particularly encouraging, the Revisionary Syntheses in Systematics (RevSys) and Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (PBI) projects that focus specifically on descriptive taxonomy.  Most promising is an emerging new field, cybertaxonomy, that represents the convergence of traditional taxonomic goals with new, equally ambitious ones, fueled by the full potential of cyberinfrastructure, digital technology, information science, and computer engineering (Atkins et al. 2003, Page et al. 2005, Wheeler 2004, Wheeler et al. 2004).
Lepidoptera phylogeny and systematics: the state of inventorying moth and butterfly diversity
Authors: KRISTENSEN NIELS P. , SCOBLE MALCOLM J. , KARSHOLT OLE
Published: October 2019

The currently recognized robust support for the monophyly of the Lepidoptera (and the superorder Amphiesmenoptera comprising Lepidoptera + Trichoptera) is outlined, and the phylogeny of the principal lineages within the order is reviewed succinctly. The state of the taxonomic inventory of Lepidoptera is discussed separately for ‘micro-moths’, ‘macro-moths’ and butterflies, three assemblages on which work has followed historically somewhat different paths. While currently there are about 160,000 described species of Lepidoptera, the total number of extant species is estimated to be around half a million. On average, just over one thousand new species of Lepidoptera have been described annually in recent years. Allowing for the new synonyms simultaneously established, the net increase in species numbers still exceeds 800/year. Most of the additions are foreseeable in the micro-moth grade, but even for butterflies ca 100 species are added annually. Examples of particularly interesting new high-rank taxa that have been described (or whose significance has become realized) since the middle of the 20th century include the non-glossatan lineages represented by Agathiphaga and Heterobathmia and the heteroneuran families Andesianidae, Palaephatidae, Hedylidae and Micronoctuidae. Some thoughts on how present and future systematic lepidopterology might be prioritised are presented.
Index to authors (Linnaeus Tercentenary: Progress in Invertebrate Taxonomy)
Authors: ZHANG ZHI-QIANG
Published: October 2019

A total of 61 authors from 11 countires contributed to this Linnaeus tercentenary issue: 35 from USA, 7 from Australia, 6 from UK, 3 from Denmark, 2 from Canada, 2 from Germany, 1 each from Argentina, France, Italy, New Zealand, Singapore and Sweden. Among the 30 contributions, 43% are results of collaboration of two or more authors. Among the collaborative papers, 38% are the results of international collaboration.
The Tree of Life Web Project*
Authors: MADDISON DAVID R. , SCHULZ KATJA-SABINE , MADDISON WAYNE P.
Published: October 2019

The Tree of Life Web Project (ToL) provides information on the Internet about our current knowledge of the evolutionary tree of life and associated information about characteristics and diversity of life on Earth. Development of this open-access, database-driven system began in 1994; its official release was in 1996. Core scientific content in the project is compiled collaboratively by more than 540 biologists, all experts in particular groups of organisms, from over 35 countries.  Additional learning materials are contributed by over 200 students, teachers, and amateur scientists, while images, movies, and sounds are contributed by both of these groups and over 200 media-only contributors. Administration of the project follows a hierarchical, community-based model, with authors for different parts of the ToL chosen by the scientists working in that particular field. The goals of the project are to document all species on Earth, as well as all significant clades; to provide basic information about the phylogeny of life; to share this information with other databases and analytical tools; and to encourage understanding and appreciation for biodiversity, evolution, and the interrelationships of Earth's wealth of species. Here we provide an outline of the goals and history of the project; the current content, administration, architecture, contributors, and audience, the challenges we have faced, and the future of the project.
Two new species of Bargmannia (Pyrostephidae, Physonectae, Siphonophorae)
Authors: PUGH P. R.
Published: October 2019

Two new deep-living species of the genus Bargmannia (Siphonophorae, Physonectae, Pyrostephidae) are described based, almost exclusively, on the nectophores of single specimens collected by ROVs off the west coast of California. The nectophores of B. stenotes sp. nov. were relatively small, up to 11.4 mm in length and, in the preserved condition had very narrow nectosacs. There was a marked bend in the distal part of the preserved nectophore, resulting in the ostium opening upwards. The mature nectophores of B. profunda sp. nov. were almost twice as long as those of B. stenotes and were characterised by the fact that the lower lateral ridges did not join, distally, with the meso-lateral ones. This feature also was present in smaller nectophores of B. amoena but those of B. stenotes, at that stage, did not have a mouth-plate.
Description of a new species of deep-water snake eel, Ophichthus mccoskeri (Ophichthidae: Ophichthinae) from Andaman Sea, India
Authors: SUMOD K. S. , HIBINO YUSUKE , MANJABRAYAKATH HASHIM , SANJEEVAN V. N.
Published: October 2019

A deep-sea species of snake eel (family Ophichthidae, subfamily Ophichthinae) Ophichthus mccoskeri sp. nov. is described based on 6 specimens (331–447 mm total length) trawled at 314–363 m depth in Andaman waters, India. This species is differentiated from its deep-water congeners by a combination of characters such as its large eyes, dorsal-fin origin a short distance behind pectoral-fin tip, anal fin black posteriorly, three preopercular pores, maxillary and mandibular teeth ending as triserial, and in a vertebral formula of 20/55/153.
On the status of Microrhopala arizonica Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae: Chalepini)
Authors: RILEY EDWARD G.
Published: October 2019

The specific status of Microrhopala arizonica Schaeffer 1906 is restored by its removal from synonymy with Pentispa suturalis (Baly 1885). The type specimens of Chalepus suturalis Baly 1885 and Microrhopala arizonica Schaeffer 1906 were studied together with numerous additional specimens. Lectotypes are designated for both names to stabilize their applications. Confusion surrounding the name Microrhopala suturalis Weise 1905 is discussed. Following currently held generic concepts, M. arizonica is a member of the genus Microrhopala Chevrolat 1836 and not Pentispa Chapuis 1875. A brief summary of the history of these names is presented, and the diagnostic characters for separating the two species as well as those that distinguish the genera Microrhopala and Pentsipa are discussed.
A new species of Chiridurothrips Okajima from Miocene amber of the Dominican Republic (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae)
Authors: ULITZKA MANFRED R.
Published: October 2019

The thysanopteran genus Chiridurothrips Okajima is known from a single extant species, C. hisakoae Okajima, collected in Japan (ThripsWiki 2019). Occurring on dead leaves and branches of evergreen trees in the subtropical Ryukyu Islands, this species remains known from only five females (Okajima 1981, 2006; also pers. comm. 2018). Within Phlaeothripidae, Chiridurothrips is associated with the tribe Plectrothripini. Species of this sub-group feed on fungal hyphae or the break-down products of fungal attack on decaying plant material (Mound & Ng 2018). They are found mainly under the bark of trees or on dead branches, and they do not seem to inhabit leaf-litter (Okajima 1981). At present, Plectrothripini comprises 60 extant species in 13 genera, with no fossils recorded. Of these species 32 are placed in the genus Plectrothrips Hood, ten in Streptothrips Priesner, and six in Chirothripoides Bagnall, whereas both Menothrips Hood and Mastigothrips Priesner each include only two species. The remaining eight species are all placed in separate monobasic genera (ThripsWiki 2019). Concerning this strongly asymmetric classification, Mound and Ng (2018) suggest that Plectrothripini might be particularly old, with the large number of monobasic genera each representing a relict lineage. An alternative possibility, however, might be an unusual instability in the genes controlling morphogenetic processes, and thus resulting in striking autapomorphies on which each one of these genera is diagnosed (Mound & Ng 2018). Species associated with Plectrothripini share the following character states (Okajima 1981; Mound & Tree 2017): antennae 8-segmented, segment II with the campaniform sensillum situated in the basal half, III–IV with stout sense cones, VIII slender with narrow base; head with posterior ocelli close to compound eyes; pronotum commonly with sclerotized plate eroded or reduced, prosternal basantra week or absent; legs with fore tarsal tooth large; mid and hind tibiae commonly with apical spur-like setae; macropterae with fore wings parallel-sided, usually with duplicated cilia; pelta broad at base, abdominal tergite II eroded laterally; abdominal sternites often with reticulate glandular areas. Regarding the fore wings, it seems worth mentioning that in some members of Plectrothripini the subbasal wing vein is reduced and thus the three subbasal wing setae are lacking (see Plectrothrips tenuis Okajima, Chiridurothrips [c.f. fig. 2], Chirothripoides, Lonchothrips Hood; Bhatti 1998; Okajima 1981). This short vein that is present in (almost all) other macropterous Phlaeothripidae has been interpreted as a plesiomorphic feature that resulted from the reduction of a former well-developed longitudinal first vein of ancestral Tubulifera, the Rohrthripidae (Ulitzka 2018, 2019).
RhoA/ROCK guides NMII on the way to MK polyploidy
Authors: Pleines Irina , Nieswandt Bernhard
Published: October 2019

A unique feature of megakaryocyte maturation is the switch from mitosis to replication of DNA without cell division, a process termed endomitosis. In this issue of Blood, Roy et al elegantly demonstrate that RhoA/ROCK signaling is critical for the differential activity and localization of nonmuscle myosin (NM) IIA and IIB isoforms at the megakaryocyte cleavage furrow, a key step in the induction of endomitosis.1
Reduced Intensity Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Hodgkin’s Disease. Outcome Depends Primarily on Disease Status at the Time of Transplantation.
Authors: Robinson Stephen P. , Schmitz Norbert , Taghipour Goli , Sureda Anna
Published: October 2019

The use of reduced intensity conditioning regimens has extended the application of allogeneic stem cell transplantation to patients previously considered to old or medically unfit for high dose chemo-radiotherapy. However, the role of reduced intensity allogeneic transplantation (RIT) in the treatment of Hodgkin’s disease remains controversial due in part to the limited information available on the outcome of this procedure.We have therefore analysed a large cohort of patients with HD who have undergone RIT. A total of 311 patients from 127 centres were reported to the EBMT registry. Their median age at transplantation was 31.3 years (range 8–61) and 57% were male. They had undergone a median of 2 lines of prior therapy (range 1–6) and 45% of patients had undergone a prior high dose procedure. The median time from diagnosis to RIT was 3.2 years (range 0.25–24.5 years). At transplantation 158 patients had chemosensitive disease, 100 had chemoresistant disease and 53 had untested relapse. All patients underwent conditioning with reduced intensity regimens followed by bone marrow stem cell transplantation from matched family donors (221), matched unrelated donors (61) or mismatched donors (17). Peripheral blood stem cells were used in 263 patients, bone marrow in 46 and a combination in 2. In 294 cases assessable for engraftment sustained engraftment was seen in 93.6%. Chimerism studies performed in 115 patients revealed full donor chimerism in 85 and mixed chimerism in 30. Acute graft versus host disease (grade II–IV) was reported in 24% of patients and chronic graft versus host disease in 20%. With a median follow up of 1 year 59% of patients remain alive and the projected 2 year overall survival (OS) was 46%. In a univariate analysis only disease status at transplantation predicted for a worse OS (p<0.0001). The 100 day transplant related mortality (TRM) was 17% but this increased to 24% at 1 year and 27% at two years and was significantly worse for patients with chemoresistant disease at transplantation (p=0.02). Patient age and prior high dose therapy had no significant impact on TRM. At 1 and 2 years following transplantion 48% and 64% of patients had experienced relapse or progression of their disease. Only disease status at transplantation predicted for a higher risk of disease progression. Consequently the progression free survival (PFS) at 2 years was 26% and was significantly worse for patients with chemoresistant disease (p<0.0001). In univariate analysis patient age, prior high dose therapy and number of lines of prior therapy had no significant effect on PFS. Patients with HD may undergo RIT with acceptable toxicity irrespective of age and prior high dose therapy. However, the outcome depends upon the chemosensitivity of the disease at the time of transplantation and this factor should be a major consideration in the selection of patients for RIT.
Phenotypic and Molecular Characterization of Bone Marrow L-NGFR + Mesenchymal Stem Cells.
Authors: Quirici Nadia , Soligo Davide , Borsotti Chiara , Scavullo Cinzia , Zangrossi Stefano , Lambertenghi-Deliliers Giorgio
Published: October 2019

In a previous report we demonstrated that the immunomagnetic sorting of bone marrow (BM) cells labeled with low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor (L-NGFR) antibodies allows the selection of phenotypically and functionally homogeneous cells that are capable of expansion, self-renewal and differentiation into multiple mesenchymal cells lineages. Furthermore, we reported the presence of a subpopulation of L-NGFR+ cells coexpressing CD133 and CD34, markers associated with a primitive hematopoietic stem cell phenotype. In the present study we expanded on the phenotypic characterization of these cells and investigated their potential for multilineage differentiation.

BM L-NGFR+ cells were analyzed by flow cytometry immediately after immunoseparation and the expression of a variety of stem cell markers was studied. In 12 subsequent experiments L-NGFR+ cells expressed CD45low (97.5% ±3), CD34 (19.9%±13), CD133 (10.4%±6), CD105 (46.8%±36%), P1H12 (50.5%±18), KDR (34%±18) and SSEA-3 (0.47%±0.41). In addition L-NGFR+ expressed high levels of the SCF ligand CD117 (40%±16%). As we previously demonstrated, L-NGFR antibodies identify a subpopulation of cells with a high proliferative capacity and potential for multilineage differentiation along the mesenchymal lineage. We now show, in accordance to these phenotypic data, that the L-NGFR+ cells in the presence of SCF (100 ng/ml) doubled the number of CFU-F and expanded both adipocytic and osteoblastic differentiation in comparison to mesenchymal cultures without growth factors or supplemented with Flt-3L+IL-6 (both 100 ng/ml). SCF seems therefore to act at least as a survival/proliferation factor for mesenchymal stem cells.

Transdifferentiation potentialities towards endothelium were determined incubating L-NGFR+ cells in M199 supplemented with 10% FBS, 50 ng/ml VEGF, 1 ng/ml bFGF and 2 ng/ml IGF-1. At confluence, the cells were further purified using Ulex europaeus agglutinin-1 (UEA-1)-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and anti-FITC microbeads and expanded with VEGF. Immunophenotypic analysis of 8 samples showed a variable expression of endothelial markers: P1H12 ranging from 17 to 58%, CD105 from 98–100% and CD202b from 18 to 100%.

L-NGFR+ cells, immediately after immunoseparation, were expressing Desmin but not MyoD, Miogenin, Mrf4, Myf5 by means of RT-PCR, while these cells were expressing NSE, TRKA and GalC, but not Nestin and GFAP. Experiments are ongoing to demonstrate muscle and neuron-glial differentiation in vitro using specific media (DMEM 10% FBS + 3 mM %-azacytidine, astrocyte conditioned media, neural stem cell conditioned media),

In conclusion, the expression on NGFR+ cells of a variety of markers, not exclusively related to the mesenchymal lineage, and the reproducible ability to differentiate endothelial cells suggest that these cells may represent a subset of adult MSC with some multipotentiality.
Role of the Hypoxic Bone Marrow Microenvironment in Multiple Myeloma Tumor Progression.
Authors: Asosingh Kewal , De Raeve Hendrik , de Ridder Mark , Storme Guy A. , Willems Angelo , Van Riet Ivan , Van Camp Benjamin , Vanderkerken Karin
Published: October 2019

Recently we reported that pre-clinical myeloma disease progression in the 5T2MM mouse model is characterized by predominant CD45+ MM-cells in the early, pre-angiogenic stage stage of slow tumor progression, followed by expansion of CD45− MM-cells during the subsequent angiogenic stage of progressive tumor growth. Unlike other cancer cells, multiple myeloma (MM) cells have to survive and to grow in a microenvironment which is already hypoxic by nature. This hypoxic bone marrow (BM) microenvironment is essential for normal hematopoiesis. However, the role of BM hypoxia in myeloma tumor progression is not known. Herein we addressed this topic in the 5T2MM mouse model.

Flow cytometric analysis of control mice and 5T2MM diseased mice injected with pimonidazole hypoxyprobe indicated that both normal BM and myeloma infiltrated BM are hypoxic. However, in myelomatous BM the hypoxia was significantly decreased. Analysis of HIF-1a expression, a surrogate marker of hypoxia, by flow cytometry also demonstrated significantly lower levels of hypoxia in myeloma infiltrated BM. HIF-1a expression was found in 5T2MM-cells and was significantly higher compared to the non-tumor cell fraction. In vitro culturing of 5T2MM cells under hypoxic conditions, indicated increased activation of apoptosis inducing caspase-3 in the CD45− MM-fraction, but not in the CD45+ 5T2MM-cells, suggesting that native BM hypoxia selects the tumor population for tumor initiating CD45+ 5T2MM-cells. Although angiogeneic switch and angiogeneic heterogeneity has been reported in MM, the role of myeloma associated angiogensis is remains unclear. The decreased hypoxia in myeloma infiltrated BM adds strength to the hypothesis that myeloma associated neovascularization is functional by increasing BM oxygenation. The data also suggest that the angiogenesis allows expansion of CD45− 5T2MM-cells by decreasing BM hypoxia.

All together, these findings suggest an important role of BM hypoxia in myeloma tumor progression.
Endothelial Cells Induce Multiple Myeloma Cell Proliferation Protect Against Conventional and Novel Therapies.
Authors: Kumar Shaji , Raje Noopur , Hideshima Teru , Podar Klaus , Ishitsuka Kenji , Rocarro Aldo , Chauhan Dharminder , Munshi Nikhil C. , Anderson Kenneth C.
Published: October 2019

Angiogenesis or formation of new blood vessels from existing blood vessels, in contrast to vasculogenesis or de novo formation of new vessels, plays an important role in the progression and spread of most cancers. Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by increased microvessel density (MVD), a quantitative estimate of angiogenesis, which correlates with stage of disease. MVD increases with progression from MGUS to smoldering MM to newly diagnosed MM and relapsed MM. It is a powerful prognostic factor, predicting for overall survival. To further elucidate the biological basis for the prognostic value of increased angiogenesis in MM, we studied the interactions of MM cells with endothelial cells using HUVECS as a model system. Co-culture of MM cells (MM1.S, OPM2, U266) with HUVECS induced tumor cell proliferation. Enhanced tumor cell proliferation correlated with the number of HUVECs and was greater than that triggered by co-culture with patient bone marrow stromal cells. When HUVECs were fixed prior to co-culture there was a significant decrease in the tumor cell proliferation. Addition of HUVEC conditioned media to the MM cell lines also induced proliferation. Importantly, HUVECS protected against anti-MM agents including conventional agents (Dexamethasone, Doxorubicin, Melphalan) and novel drugs (Revlimid™). The protective effect afforded by co-culture was lost on HUVEC fixation. Intracellular signaling events following MM cell-endothelial cell contact were studied to understand the mechanisms of the proliferative and protective effects. Western blotting demonstrated activation of the JAK/STAT, PI3K/Akt and the MAPK pathways, mediating proliferation and survival. Ongoing studies focused on understanding cytokine as well as adhesion-mediated interactions between the endothelial cells and the MM cells will identify targets for new therapeutic approaches in MM.