bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlates between morphology, diet and foraging mode in the Ladder Snake Rhinechis scalaris (Schinz, 1822)
Authors: Pleguezuelos Juan M. , Fernández-Cardenete Juan R. , Honrubia Santiago , Feriche Mónica , Villafranca Carmen
Published: March 2019

In many vertebrates, foraging mode (active versus sit-and-wait) is tied to some traits of their natural history such as morphology, type of prey, rate of food acquisition, and survival rate. We explore the correlates between some morphological traits of a Mediterranean colubrid and its feeding ecology and the predation risk, by comparing data on teeth number, tail damage, and diet. A large sample (n = 368) of the Ladder Snake, Rhinechis scalaris is used. The species feeds almost exclusively on endotherms, mainly mammals (nearly 95% of the diet in mass), which set R. scalaris among the most stenophagous snakes in the western Palaearctic. There is also a high percentage of motionless prey in the diet (up to 50% in prey mass), such as nestling birds, mammals and bird eggs. The species is so canalised to a diet based on endotherms that it does not follow the general rule in medium-sized snakes of an ontogenetic dietary shift from ectothermic to endothermic prey; juveniles consumed the smallest endothermic animals: nestling small-mammals. The number of maxillary teeth (mean 15.1), the lowest within the former and large genus Elaphe, is likely related to its trophic specialization. Rhinechis scalaris also faces an elevated risk of predation, something general in active searcher snakes compared to ambush foragers, as revealed by many individuals with damaged tails (19.9%), the highest within the Iberian community of snakes. We conclude from indirect evidence (high predation on stationary prey, many individuals with damaged tails) that the species is an active searcher and that this foraging mode influences other natural- history traits (i.e. reproductive habits).
Calling patterns of Western purple-faced langurs (Mammalia: Primates: Cercopithecidea: Trachypithecus vetulus nestor) in a degraded human landscape in Sri Lanka
Authors: Eschmann C. , Moore R. , Nekaris K.A.I.
Published: March 2019

The study of calling patterns is a useful non-invasive method for determining population densities and the taxonomic relationships of rare or cryptic animal species. The Western purple-faced langur Trachypithecus vetulus nestor, endemic to Sri Lanka’s lowland rainforests, is severely impacted by forest fragmentation, with most remaining populations living almost completely in home gardens. Due to their shy nature, little is known about the behaviour of this subspecies; analysing the regular loud calls emitted by these langurs could allow for improvement of census techniques, clarification of their taxonomy, and an understanding of the impact of forest destruction on their behaviour. In 2007, we recorded the calling patterns of five male T. v. nestor at Talangama Wetlands. Time, duration, weather conditions, and stimulant of 253 calls were noted. Loud calls comprised three structural units: harsh barks, whoops and residuals. The average call contained 4 phrases and 3.8 residuals, was 38 seconds in length, had an average maximum frequency of 3.5 kHz, a formant frequency of 0.36 kHz, and a fundamental frequency of 0.2 kHz. Significant differences were found between individuals for the number of phrases and residuals within a call, two different phrase lengths, the formant frequency and the fundamental frequency. The earliest call occurred at 05:27 hrs, while the latest was made at 17:57 hrs. The greatest percentage of calls (73.5%) was heard in the morning (05:00-09:59 hrs), mostly stimulated by territorial battles with neighbouring troops. These results show that vocalisations can be used to distinguish individual males; as langurs are more often heard than seen, and most troops contain only a single adult male, vocalisations may be used to determine the number of troops in an area. Calls of this taxon also differed from the other subspecies, suggesting that they may be used to distinguish subspecies and their boundaries. Finally, calling behaviour differed from other subspecies. Deforestation may be a direct cause of different calling patterns. These baseline data form a valuable starting point for further studies of this Critically Endangered primate.
Blurring the picture: introductions, invasions, extinctions – biogeography in a global world
Authors: Nijman Vincent , Vonk Ronald
Published: March 2019

Global biogeography and phylogeography have gained importance as research topics in zoology, as attested by the steady increase in the number of journals devoted to this topic and the number of papers published. Yet, in a globalising world, with species reintroductions, invasions of alien species, and large-scale extinctions, unravelling the true biogeographic relationships between areas and species may become increasingly difficult. We present an introduction to the symposium ‘Biogeography: explaining and predicting species distributions in space and time’ held in Amsterdam in 2007, and the resulting papers as published in this special issue, including papers on crustaceans, birds and mammals.
Current perspectives on the evolution of birds
Authors: Ericson Per G.P.
Published: March 2019

The paper summarizes the current understanding of the evolution and diversification of birds. New insights into this field have mainly come from two fundamentally different, but complementary sources of information: the many newly discovered Mesozoic bird fossils and the wealth of genetic analyses of living birds at various taxonomic levels. The birds have evolved from theropod dinosaurs from which they can be defined by but a few morphological characters. The early evolutionary history of the group is characterized by the extinctions of many major clades by the end of the Cretaceous, and by several periods of rapid radiations and speciation. Recent years have seen a growing consensus about the higher-level relationships among living birds, at least as can be deduced from genetic data.
Monstrilloida (Crustacea: Copepoda) from the Beagle Channel, South America
Authors: Suárez-Morales Eduardo , Ramírez Fernando C. , Derisio Carla
Published: March 2019

Monstrilloid copepods were collected during zooplankton surveys in the Beagle Channel at the southernmost end of South America. These specimens represent two species of Monstrillopsis, one of them undescribed, and one new species of Monstrilla. Monstrillopsis igniterra n. sp. is related to forms of the M. dubia species group, and particularly to M. ferrarii and M. chilensis. It differs from these species in the relative length of the antennules, the shape and relative size of the genital double and anal somites, details of the antennular armature, and the possession of a short inner caudal seta. The other species of Monstrillopsis, M. chilensis, was previously known only from the Southeast Pacific off Chile, and was originally described from female specimens only. Male individuals found in the Beagle Channel are described and assigned herein to this species. These are the first records of Monstrillopsis from high latitudes of South America. The new species Monstrilla patagonica n.sp. is represented by males. It is characterized by the structure and relative size of the genital lappets, details of the antennular structure, armature, relative size and the number (6) of caudal setae. It belongs to a small group of species with highly modified, pectinate male antennules. A female specimen identified as M. helgolandica 35 years ago from southern Argentina is tentatively reidentified as the female of this new species, based on its differences from M. helgolandica and the rarity of this species group in the region.
Movement behaviour and video tracking of Milnesium tardigradum Doyère, 1840 (Eutardigrada, Apochela)
Authors: Shcherbakov Denis , Schill Ralph O. , Brümmer Franz , Blum Martin
Published: March 2019

Tardigrades or ‘water-bears’ live in moist environments with a high degree of gaseous exchange. In tardigrades, locomotion is essential, e.g. for feeding, to find sexual partners and to adjust the level of hydration by moving to wetter or dryer environments. Here we report on the movement behaviour of Milnesium tardigradum in automated experiments using custom-made video tracking software. The experiments involved 754 hours of recording involving 32 individuals. No significant differences in mobility were observed under infrared versus visible light conditions, representing night and day, respectively. The mean recorded velocity was 23.3 ± 7.38 mm/h, with a maximum of 1166.4 mm/h.
The discovery of Scutovertex ianus sp. nov. (Acari, Oribatida) – a combined approach of comparative morphology, morphometry and molecular data
Authors: Pfingstl Tobias , Schäffer Sylvia , Ebermann Ernst , Krisper Günther
Published: March 2019

Based on morphological, morphometric and genetic data Scutovertex ianus sp. nov. is described as a new oribatid mite species. The traditional comparison with the morphologically most similar congeneric S. minutus and S. sculptus demonstrated that the new species shares certain characters with both species, but can be clearly identified by indistinct cuticular notogastral foveae in combination with short spiniform notogastral setae. Furthermore the eggs of S. ianus exhibit a different fine structure of the exochorion. The morphometric analysis of 16 continuous morphological variables separated the three species, S. minutus, S. sculptus and S. ianus with a certain overlap indicating minor size and shape differences in overall morphology. The molecular phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial COI gene sequences supported the monophyly of all three investigated species and confirmed S. ianus as separate species with high bootstrap values. Each performed analysis approves the discreteness of S. ianus and the results contradict the formerly supposed large intraspecific variability of the representatives of the genus Scutovertex. The records of S. ianus are as yet restricted to the Eastern part of Austria and to one location in Germany, but findings of intermediary Scutovertex specimens from other European countries may refer to this new species.
Helping Citizens to Locate Political Parties in the Policy Space: a Dataset for the 2014 elections to the European Parliament
Authors: Gemenis Kostas , Mendez Fernando , Wheatley Jonathan
Published: March 2019

The authors present a dataset that contains the positions of 231 political parties across 28 countries on 30 policy issues that were considered salient for the 2014 elections to the European Parliament. The party position estimates were originally used in a voter information tool which compared the policy preferences of citizens to those of political parties. The paper discusses the estimation method in the context of the literature on estimating party positions, outlines the coding methodology, and introduces the value of the dataset for third-party users interested in studying political participation and representation.
Data Atlas of Byzantine and Ottoman Material Culture: Archiving Medieval and Post-Medieval Archaeological Fieldwork Data from the Eastern Mediterranean (600–2000 ad), Phase 1
Authors: Vroom J.A.C.
Published: March 2019

This Data Atlas of Byzantine and Ottoman Material Culture involves the archiving, storing and making accessible of Medieval and Post-Medieval data from several archaeological missions in the eastern Mediterranean (period 600–2000 ad). The data mainly originate from pottery studies carried out during excavations in four major urban centres and during two surface surveys in their respective surroundings. The urban sites are Butrint in southern Albania, Athens in central Greece, Ephesus in western Turkey and Tarsus in eastern Turkey, the material culture of which is studied in relation to archaeological finds from rural settlements and towns in their hinterlands (e.g., Aetolia, Boeotia).
Thinking with Kant “beyond” Kant
Authors: Corradetti Claudio
Published: March 2019

In the following essay, I attempt to reactualize some of Kant’s most fundamental conceptions of a state’s sovereignty and the legitimacy of the cosmopolitan order. To this end, I provide what appears as a viable solution to Kant’s “sovereignty dilemma”; that is, the reconciliation between state sovereignty and the international enforceability of laws. I consider that a key component of the overall Kantian cosmopolitan project is the role played by the transcendental notion of an “originally united will” in its validation of constituencies. I emphasize the view that for Kant state-citizens are also, as he says, “citizens of the world” (Weltbürger) or “citizens of the earth” (Erdbürger). I argue, furthermore, that a state’s sovereignty must comply with a number of different constitutional wholes. I then proceed by confronting the Kantian notion of a general united will with the Habermasian conception of “double sovereignty.” I conclude by suggesting a fusion/synthesis between the two views, one which would require endorsing the idea of cosmopolitan constitutionalism as a meta-framework for interpreting the legitimacy of member states’ compliance with policy indications of transnational constituencies.
Perpetual Peace and Cosmopolitical Method
Authors: Milstein Brian
Published: March 2019

This article explores the bases of Kant’s cosmopolitanism in his more systematic writings on freedom, judgment, and community. My argument is that, if we peer beneath his more explicitly normative prescriptions for achieving “perpetual peace,” we find the tools not just of a cosmopolitan vision but what we might call a “cosmopolitical method.” While many assume Kant’s political thought descends directly from his moral philosophy, a look back at relevant passages in the first Critique reveals an alternative reading that points toward his theory of reflective judgment, which combines practical freedom with judgments based on theoretical concepts. Of particular importance is Kant’s conception of community as commercium, through which Kant discerns all matters of right to concern the way free actors are constrained to share the earth in common. These considerations allow for a broader way of thinking about Kantian cosmopolitanism, one that is responsive to the reflective judgment of world citizens as they encounter new challenges.
What Should We Learn about Dewey in China?: An Unfinished Task
Authors: Wang Jessica Ching-Sze
Published: March 2019

As a response to Michael Peters’ essay, “100 years of Dewey in China,” the article takes up Peter’s question about Dewey’s lack of responses to “Chinese problems.” It asks a new question about what can be done differently—particularly in important intercultural exchanges, such as that between Dewey and his Chinese disciples. It points to the importance of seeing both self and other as intellectual equals in order to make the exchange experience most educationally worthwhile for both parties.
100 Years of Dewey in China, 1919–1921 – A Reassessment
Authors: Peters Michael A.
Published: March 2019

This paper uses the centenary of Dewey’ two years in China as an opportunity to reassess John Dewey’s views on China, based mainly on his Letters and his Lectures in Social and Political Philosophy, 1919–21 given on invitation at the University of Peking. In particular, the paper makes some criticisms of Dewey’s pragmatism (his lack of contextualism in not mentioning the significance of the May 4th Movement) and raises the question of the relationship of his thought with Chinese Marxism. The essay is given a critical reading by three scholars Jessica Ching-Sze Wang, Kang Zhao and, Zhang Huajun, all Dewey scholars.
A taxonomic revision of Notothlaspi (Brassicaceae), a specialist alpine genus from New Zealand
Authors: HEENAN PETER B.
Published: March 2019

The New Zealand endemic alpine genus Notothlaspi comprises three species from the South Island mountains. Notothlaspi australe and the newly described N. viretum occur on rock bluffs and outcrops and their associated stony soils. Notothlaspi australe occurs in Nelson, Marlborough and north Westland, northern South Island, and N. viretum is endemic to the highest peaks of Red Hills, Marlborough, where it occurs on ultramafic soils. Notothlaspi viretum is segregated from the sympatric N. australe by its numerous, closely placed rosettes that form compact cushions and the leaves are linear to linear-narrowly lanceolate. These two species are distinguished from the scree-specialist, rosette forming, monocarpic N. rosulatum by their perennial growth habit, forming cushions with branched stems, narrower leaves, axillary and solitary flowers, and smaller silicles. Notothlaspi rosulatum is known from Nelson, Westland, Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago. Notothlaspi rosulatum var. hursthousei and N. notabilis are treated as synonyms of N. rosulatum, and N. australe var. stellatum is placed as a synonym of N. australe. All names are typified and a key is provided.
A new species of genus Hoplobatrachus (Anura, Dicroglossidae) from the coastal belt of Bangladesh
Authors: HASAN MAHMUDUL , KURAMOTO MITSURU , ISLAM MOHAMMED MAFIZUL , ALAM MOHAMMAD SHAFIQUL , KHAN MD. MUKHLESUR RAHMAN , SUMIDA MASAYUKI
Published: March 2019

A new cryptic species of the genus Hoplobatrachus from Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh is described and compared with itsrelevant congeners both in morphology and mitochondrial gene sequences. The new species differs from its close relative H.tigerinus in having a distinct broad black band from the eye, through the nostrils, to the anterior edge of the upper jaw, anotherblack band along the lateral margin of the upper jaw, and a narrow inter-orbital distance relative to eyelid width and inter-nostrildistance. Advertisement calls of the new species are similar to those of H. tigerinus but differ in dominant frequency and num-ber of pulses. Based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data, this species was proved to genetically divergent from H. tigerinus at3.2% for the 16S rRNA gene and 14.2% for the Cytb gene. The known distribution range of the new species is restricted to the southeastern corner of Bangladesh and it seems to be endemic in this coastal belt.
Trichromothrips genus-group (Thysanoptera, Thripidae) from Vietnam, with descriptions of new species in both Okajimaella and Paithrips
Authors: MASUMOTO MASAMI , OKAJIMA SHÛJI
Published: March 2019

Okajimaella nonakai sp. n. and Paithrips pornthipae sp. n. are described from bamboo in Vietnam as the third and second spe-cies respectively in these genera. Also newly recorded from bamboo in Vietnam are O. tubercula Nonaka & Janguvitaya and P.circularis Nonaka & Janguvitaya, Neocorynothrips asiaticus Rhamakrishna & Margabandhu, Takethrips megas Nonaka &Jangvitaya, Watanabeotrips yasuakii Okajima, and Yoshinothrips thailandicus Nonaka & Jangvitaya. As a result, nine species from seven genera are now known from bamboo in Vietnam.
Taxonomy and distribution of the genus Eurydice Leach, 1815 (Crustacea, Isopoda, Cirolanidae) from the Arabian region, including three new species
Authors: JONES DAVID ALAN , NITHYANANDAN MANICKAM
Published: March 2019

Three new subtidal species of Eurydice are described, i.e. Eurydice tridentata sp. nov. and Eurydice marisrubri sp. nov.from the Red Sea, and Eurydice marzouqui sp. nov. from the Arabian/Persian Gulf. These species can be separated fromall other Eurydice in the Arabian region by the absence of robust setae on the posterior margin of the pleotelson. E. maris-rubri has a truncate posterior margin bearing 5 apical teeth, E. marzouqui has a rounded pleotelson posterior margin with6 apical teeth and in E. tridentata the posterior margin is truncate, bearing 7 apical teeth, the central 3 prominent. Addi-tional information is provided for two previously described species: E. peraticis Jones, 1974 and E. arabica Jones, 1974.Previous records of E. inermis are attributed to E. tridentata and E. inermis is excluded from the region. A key is providedto separate all the Eurydice species likely to be found in the Arabian region. The distribution of all the Arabian Eurydice is described, and morphology is discussed in relation to habitat.
On species related to Elachista hedemanni Rebel (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae: Elachistinae), with descriptions of three new Palearctic species
Authors: KAILA LAURI
Published: March 2019

The taxonomy of Elachista (Aphelosetia) hedemanni Rebel, 1899, and its relatives is clarified. The following species aredescribed as new: Elachista gilvula sp. n. from Russia: Tuva with additional record from Kazakhstan, Elachista galbinasp. n. from Kazakhstan and Elachista cirrhoplica sp. n. from Spain. The systematics of an assemblage of species relatedto Elachista (Aphelosetia) pollinariella Zeller is discussed, and characters possibly enabling the further division of the subgenus Aphelosetia to more manageable units are suggested.
Discovery and redescription of type material of Nausithoe simplex (Kirkpatrick, 1890), comb. nov. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa: Coronatae: Nausithoidae) from the North Atlantic
Authors: MORANDINI ANDRÉ C. , JARMS GERHARD
Published: March 2019

With discovery and examination of type specimens in the Natural History Museum, London, UK, we reassign Stephanoscyph-istoma simplex (Kirkpatrick, 1890) to the genus Nausithoe Kölliker, 1853, as Nausithoe simplex, comb. nov., and designate alectotype for the species. Use of morphometric measurements is considered important in coronate systematics, but key featuresalso include the unique whorl of internal cusps and the shape of these cusps. All previous records of N. simplex must be re-evaluated, taking into consideration the morphology of these internal cusps.
Review of the genus Scaeosopha Meyrick, 1914 (Lepidoptera, Cosmopterigidae, Scaeosophinae) in the world, with descriptions of sixteen new species
Authors: LI HOUHUN , ZHANG ZHIWEI , SINEV SERGEY YU.
Published: March 2019

The genus Scaeosopha Meyrick is reviewed on a worldwide basis. A total of 26 species are treated, which are divided intotwo species groups except S. atrinervis Meyrick, 1931, the percnaula-group and the mitescens-group. Sixteen new speciesare described: S. betrokensis Sinev et Li sp. nov., S. erecta Li et Zhang sp. nov., S. hongkongensis Li et Zhang sp. nov.,S. minuta Sinev et Li sp. nov., S. nullivalvella Li et Zhang sp. nov., S. sabahensis Sinev et Li sp. nov., S. spinivalvata Liet Zhang sp. nov., S. tuberculata Li et Zhang sp. nov., S. victoriensis Sinev et Li sp. nov., S. convexa Li et Zhang sp. nov.,S. dentivalvula Li et Zhang sp. nov., S. gibbosa Li et Zhang sp. nov., S. grandannulata Li et Zhang sp. nov., S. nigrimar-ginata Li et Zhang sp. nov., S. rarimaculata Li et Zhang sp. nov. and S. trigonia Li et Zhang sp. nov. One new synonymis established: Scaeosopha stagnigera Meyrick, 1932 syn. nov. (= Scaeosopha percnaula Meyrick, 1914), and one newcombination is proposed: Scaeosopha triocellata (Stainton, 1859) comb. nov. The previously unknown females of S.chionoscia Meyrick, 1933, S. sinevi Ponomarenko et Park, 1997 and S. sattleri Li, 2005 are described for the first time.Photographs of the adults and the genitalia of the new species as well as several of the described species are provided, along with a key for the identification of the known species and two maps to show the distribution of these species.
Taxonomic note on Scythris pangalactis Meyrick 1933, with the description of a new species from Iran and a new synonymy (Lepidoptera, Gelechioidea, Scythrididae)
Authors: D’ENTRÈVES PIETRO PASSERIN , BENGTSSON BENGT Å. , ROGGERO ANGELA
Published: March 2019

The taxonomic position of Scythris pangalactis and its synonymy with S. pelinaula is discussed. A new species is describedfrom SE Iran, S. tridentata Passerin d’Entrèves & Roggero sp. nov. The S. tridentata species-group is established with the redescription of S. pelinaula. A lectotype for S. pangalactis is selected.
Chironomidae (Diptera) larvae of Precambrian Shield headwater streams, Canada
Authors: NAMAYANDEH ARMIN , BILYJ BOHDAN , BERESFORD DAVID V. , SOMERS KEITH M. , DILLON PETER J.
Published: March 2019

A taxonomic diagnosis of chironomid larvae collected from Precambrian Shield headwater streams, Canada, is providedfor 51 species. In addition, the Nearctic distribution is given for each species, including 17 new records, along with and information on their ecology and habitat.
A new pattern of dendrobranch gill within the family Solenoceridae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Dendrobranchiata)
Authors: TAVARES CAROLINA , SEREJO CRISTIANA
Published: March 2019

Mostly, gills are simple lamellate structures, but in decapods they can assume three elaborate morphologies: trichobranchiate, phyllobranchiate and dendrobranchiate. The dendrobranchiate gill, typically found among the suborder Dendrobranchiata, primarily consists of a long central axis, from which arises a series of paired secondary branches. Each secondary branch is subdivided into smaller fingerlike tertiary processes, and each fingerlike process is also branched (dendritic). The family Solenoceridae is known for having the dendrobranchiate type. Examen of 50 species of Solenoceridae from all nine genera, revealed a new pattern to the classic dendrobranchiate type in 14 species of Solenocera and in Mesopenaeus tropicalis. This new pattern consists of the flattening of the secondary and tertiary processes, with tertiary processes also having a wide, flattened, lamella-like base. This new pattern is herein described as a dendrolamellate gill.
Transfer of the Namibian Argistes africanus Simon, 1910 (Araneae: Liocranidae) to Afroceto Lyle & Haddad, 2010 (Trachelidae), with a new synonym
Authors: HADDAD CHARLES R.
Published: March 2019

Only a single species of the trachelid spider genus Afroceto Lyle & Haddad, 2010 has been recorded from Namibia to date, A. arca Lyle & Haddad, 2010. Examination of the holotype of Argistes africanus Simon, 1910 (Liocranidae), a subadult female specimen, indicates that the species is misplaced and is hereby transferred to Afroceto as A. africana (Simon, 1910) comb. nov. Comparison of the holotype with material of Afroceto arca indicates that this latter species is a junior synonym of A. africana. New records of A. africana from South Africa and Namibia are provided, together with an updated distribution map.
A taxonomic review of the genus Triscaedecia (Lepidoptera: Alucitidae) in the world fauna
Authors: USTJUZHANIN PETR , KOVTUNOVICH VASILIY , HOBERN DONALD
Published: March 2019

The article describes four new species of Alucitidae in the genus Triscaedecia from the Malay and Polynesian regions: Triscaedecia sulawesi Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Hobern sp. nov., T. sarawaki Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Hobern sp. nov., T. svetlanae Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Hobern sp. nov., and T. suva Ustjuzhanin, Kovtunovich & Hobern sp. nov. The female genitalia of Triscaedecia dactyloptera Hampson, 1905 and the adult and the male genitalia of Triscaedecia septemdactyla (Pagenstecher, 1900) are described and illustrated for the first time. Diagnostic characters are specified for each new taxon, genitalia are described and illustrated, and images are provided of adults. A spreadsheet of all known localities and specimens is included as a supplementary file.
Channa auroflammea, a new species of snakehead fish of the Marulius group from the Mekong River in Laos and Cambodia (Teleostei: Channidae)
Authors: ADAMSON ELEANOR A. S. , BRITZ RALF , LIENG SOPHA
Published: March 2019

Channa auroflammea is a new freshwater fish species of the Marulius group from the Mekong River system. Previously reported as C. marulius, C. cf. marulius, or C. aff. marulius, C. auroflammea is readily distinguished from C. marulius and other members of the Marulius group by a different colour pattern, and a DNA barcode sequence at least 6.5% divergent from other members of the group. Comparison of counts of vertebrae, dorsal-fin rays, and lateral-line scales reveals that these counts are lower in the Mekong C. auroflammea than in C. aurolineata from the Salween and Irrawaddy-Chindwin, higher than in the Marulius group species C. pseudomarulius and C. marulioides, but similar to those in C. marulius. Channa auroflammea is known from the Mekong river and tributaries in Laos and Cambodia, where it forms a regular component of the wild fisheries catch from the rivers Tonle San and Tonle Srepok. Literature records of Channa marulius from China appear to be based on confusion originating with Cuvier’s description of Ophiocephalus grandinosus.
Weighting of Measures in the Safety of Care Group of the Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating Program: An Alternative Approach
Authors: Nerenz David R. , Hu Jianhui , Waterman Brian , Jordan Jack
Published: March 2019

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating program has raised concerns since its introduction in 2016. Using both national data and data from a large urban teaching hospital, the authors examined a few methodological issues of one heavily weighted measure group, the Safety of Care group. The authors investigated the validity of the assumption that a single underlying quality trait exists among the 8 Safety measures, and the sensitivity of the Safety group score in response to a range of measure improvement scenarios. Also explored were the effects of an alternative weighting method and an alternative measure score calculation method on the results of a single hospital’s Safety group score. Evidence was found for 4 (rather than 1) underlying quality dimensions among the 8 Safety measures, and the Safety group score calculated using the current method was notably different from that calculated using the alternative methods.
Association of central blood pressure with left atrial structural and functional abnormalities in hypertensive patients: Implications for atrial fibrillation prevention
Authors: Przewłocka-Kosmala Monika , Jasic-Szpak Ewelina , Rojek Aleksandra , Kabaj Maciej , Sharman James E , Kosmala Wojciech
Published: March 2019

Aims

Functional and structural abnormalities of the left atrium have been demonstrated to be clinically and prognostically significant in a range of cardiovascular disorders, increasing the risk of atrial fibrillation. Among the potential contributors to these aberrations, central arterial factors remain insufficiently defined. Accordingly, we sought to investigate the determinants of left atrium abnormalities in hypertension, with special focus on central haemodynamics.

Methods

In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, 263 patients (age 63.8 ± 8.0 years) with uncomplicated hypertension underwent echocardiography including left atrium strain (LAS) and volume analysis, and central haemodynamics assessment using radial tonometry.

Results

Patients were grouped depending on LAS and left atrium volume index (LAVI), using externally validated cutpoints (34.1% for LAS and 34 ml/m2for LAVI). The subset with lower LAS ( n = 124) demonstrated higher central (cPP) and brachial pulse pressure (bPP), ventricular- arterial coupling, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and LAVI, and lower global left ventricular longitudinal strain and early diastolic tissue velocity (e′). Patients with higher LAVI ( n = 119) presented higher systolic blood pressure, cPP, bPP, central augmentation pressure, LVMI and E/e′ ratio and lower LAS. In multivariable analysis, cPP was independently associated with both LAS ( β = –0.22; p = 0.002) and LAVI ( β = 0.21; p = 0.003). No independent associations with left atrium parameters were shown for bPP.

Conclusion

Higher cPP is detrimentally associated with left atrium structural and functional characteristics, thus providing a possible pathophysiological link with the development of substrate for atrial fibrillation. Prophylaxis of atrial fibrillation might be another argument for consideration in the treatment strategy in hypertension targeted measures addressing central blood pressure.
Sternocleidomastoid Myocutaneous Flap for Scalp Reconstruction
Authors: Kim Jin Woo , Kim Do Hun
Published: March 2019

Scalp defects may occur due to various causes, such as head trauma. For reconstruction of the defect, a primary closure process, skin grafting, or local flap use are the foremost choices when the defect area is not wide. However, repair is difficult when the wound condition further deteriorates due to chronic inflammation. In this condition, free tissue transfer or a pedicled flap is required to restore normal blood supply. The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) flap is conventionally raised as a superiorly or inferiorly based pedicled flap, easily harvested to rectify a nearby scalp defect; additionally, it may either be muscular or myocutaneous. This report describes a case of successful use of the SCM flap for scalp reconstruction, raised as a superiorly based myocutaneous flap.
Immunomodulatory effects of a new whole ingredients extract from Astragalus: a combined evaluation on chemistry and pharmacology
Authors: Li Zhi Xin , Zhao Guan Ding , Xiong Wei , Linghu Ke Gang , Ma Qiu Shuo , Cheang Wai San , Yu Hua , Wang Yitao
Published: March 2019

Background

Water extract (WAE) and ultrafine powder (UFP) are two types of commonly used supplements in preparing various pharmaceutical products and functional foods. However, the correlations of the chemical compositions with the traditional functions between WAE and the herb itself, as well as the potential problems of safety for UFP have been more and more concerned by many doctors and customers.

Methods

In this study, a new whole ingredients extract of Astragalus (WIE) was prepared using the gradient solvent extraction method. The chemical compositions of WIE and WAE were comparatively analysed using spectrophotometric and chromatographic approaches. In addition, the in vivo immunomodulatory effect of WIE, WAE and UFP of Astragalus were comprehensively compared in cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced immunosuppressive mice.

Results

The compositions and contents of main active ingredients (polysaccharides, saponins and flavonoids) in WIE were determined to be more abundant than those in WAE. In Cy-induced immunosuppressive mice, oral administered with low dosage of WIE (equalled to 1.0 g herb/kg/day) for 18 consecutive days significantly improved the immune-related responses (body weight, number of peripheral white blood cells, thymus and spleen indexes, splenocyte proliferations, natural killer cell activity, splenic lymphocyte subset, and serum levels of immunoglobulins G and M). The potency of three Astragalus preparations on immunomodulation was observed to be WIE ≥ UFP > WAE.

Conclusions

WIE maximally retained the chemical integrity of astragalus, and presented better therapeutic effectiveness than UFP and WAE. It can be further developed as new strategy for reasonable use of medicinal/edible herb-derived supplement (extract) for pharmaceutical and healthcare applications.
Anesthetic Management of Emergency Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke, Part 1: Patient Characteristics, Determinants of Effectiveness, and Effect of Blood Pressure on Outcome
Authors: Hindman Bradley J.
Published: March 2019

In the United States, stroke ranks fifth among all causes of death and is the leading cause of serious long-term disability. The 2018 American Heart Association stroke care guidelines consider endovascular thrombectomy to be the standard of care for patients who have acute ischemic stroke in the anterior circulation when arterial puncture can be made within 6 hours of symptom onset or within 6–24 hours of symptom onset when specific eligibility criteria are satisfied. The aim of this 2-part review is to provide practical perspective on the clinical literature regarding anesthesia care of patients treated with endovascular thrombectomy. Part 1 (this article) reviews the development of endovascular thrombectomy and the determinants of endovascular thrombectomy effectiveness irrespective of method of anesthesia. The first aim of part 1 is to explain why rapid workflow and maintenance of blood pressure are necessary to help support the ischemic brain until, as a result of endovascular thrombectomy, reperfusion is accomplished. The second aim of part 1, understanding the nonanesthesia factors determining endovascular thrombectomy effectiveness, is necessary to identify numerous biases present in observational reports regarding anesthesia for endovascular thrombectomy. With this background, in part 2 (the companion to this article), the observational literature is briefly summarized, largely to identify its weaknesses, but also to develop hypotheses derived from it that have been recently tested in 3 randomized clinical trials of sedation versus general anesthesia for endovascular thrombectomy. In part 2, these 3 trials are reviewed both from a functional outcomes perspective (meta-analysis) and a methodological perspective, providing specifics regarding anesthesia and hemodynamic management. Part 2 concludes with a pragmatic approach to anesthesia decision making (sedation versus general anesthesia) and acute phase anesthesia management of patients treated with endovascular thrombectomy.
Primary sensory map formations reflect unique needs and molecular cues specific to each sensory system
Authors: Fritzsch Bernd , Elliott Karen L , Pavlinkova Gabriela
Published: March 2019

Interaction with the world around us requires extracting meaningful signals to guide behavior. Each of the six mammalian senses (olfaction, vision, somatosensation, hearing, balance, and taste) has a unique primary map that extracts sense-specific information. Sensory systems in the periphery and their target neurons in the central nervous system develop independently and must develop specific connections for proper sensory processing. In addition, the regulation of sensory map formation is independent of and prior to central target neuronal development in several maps. This review provides an overview of the current level of understanding of primary map formation of the six mammalian senses. Cell cycle exit, combined with incompletely understood molecules and their regulation, provides chemoaffinity-mediated primary maps that are further refined by activity. The interplay between cell cycle exit, molecular guidance, and activity-mediated refinement is the basis of dominance stripes after redundant organ transplantations in the visual and balance system. A more advanced level of understanding of primary map formation could benefit ongoing restoration attempts of impaired senses by guiding proper functional connection formations of restored sensory organs with their central nervous system targets.
Things We Do For No Reason™: Failing to Question a Penicillin Allergy History
Authors: Kleris Renee S , Lugar Patricia L
Published: March 2019

Inspired by the ABIM Foundation's Choosing Wisely® campaign, the “Things We Do for No Reason™” (TWDFNR) series reviews practices that have become common parts of hospital care but may provide little value to our patients. Practices reviewed in the TWDFNR series do not represent “black and white” conclusions or clinical practice standards but are meant as a starting place for research and active discussions among hospitalists and patients. We invite you to be part of that discussion.
Traducción del Caso de la Corte Internacional de Justicia, proferida el 1 de octubre de 2018, relativa a la “Obligación de negociar un acceso al Océano Pacífico” (Bolivia c. Chile). Decisión sobre el Fondo
Authors: Abello-Galvis Ricardo , Arévalo-Ramírez Walter
Published: March 2019

.
When Fixed Price Meets Priority Auctions: Competing Firms with Different Pricing and Service Rules
Authors: Gao Jiayang , Iyer Krishnamurthy , Topaloglu Huseyin
Published: March 2019

We consider a service system with two competing firms offering service via two different pricing and service rules. With the fixed price firm, customers obtain service at a fixed price and have homogeneous expected waiting times. With the bid-based firm, customers submit a bid to obtain service, incur expected waiting times decreasing in their bids, and make payments equal to their bids. We assume the customers are heterogeneous, with different waiting costs, and choose the firm from which to obtain service strategically on arrival. We establish the existence and uniqueness of a symmetric equilibrium for the customers’ decision problem for any given fixed and reserve price set by the two firms and characterize the structure of the resulting equilibrium strategy. In particular, we show that the customers’ equilibrium strategy has a simple threshold structure, where customers with either high or low waiting cost choose to obtain service from the bid-based firm, whereas those with moderate waiting cost choose to obtain service from the fixed price firm. We use this characterization of the equilibrium strategy to study the price competition between the two firms and show that there exists a mixed Nash equilibrium. Moreover, we analyze price and capacity competition between the firms in a limiting regime where the customer arrival rate and the service capacities increase proportionally and show that this competition inherently favors the bid-based firm.
Threshold Queueing to Describe the Fundamental Diagram of Uninterrupted Traffic
Authors: Baer Niek , Boucherie Richard J. , van Ommeren Jan-Kees C. W.
Published: March 2019

Queueing because of congestion is an important aspect of road traffic. This paper provides a novel threshold queue that models the empirical shape of the fundamental diagram. In particular, we show that our threshold queue with two service phases captures the capacity drop that is eminent in the fundamental diagram of modern traffic. We use measurements on a Danish highway to illustrate that our threshold queue is indeed capable of capturing the fundamental diagram of real-world traffic systems. We furthermore indicate the modelling power of our threshold queue via a sensitivity study showing that our model is able to capture a wide range of shapes for the fundamental diagram.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2018.0850 .
Doing fine
Authors: Vollans Caroline
Published: March 2019

Fine motor skills are apparently declining in school-leavers, so instilling them in the early years is vital, says Caroline Vollans
We've explored… engineering
Authors: Rawstrone Annette
Published: March 2019

How one setting is immersing children in activities related to STEM subjects. Annette Rawstrone reports
5 ways to involve… Parents and carers
Authors: Mountain Julie
Published: March 2019

Children's families are a wonderful outdoor play resource, says Julie Mountain
An anti-bullying culture
Authors: Burnage Steve
Published: March 2019

The key to preventing and dealing with bullying – and stopping the self-exclusion of victims – is having a strong school community. Steve Burnage looks at practical measures to achieve this…
Relationship between environmental parameters and the plankton community of the Batuhideung Fishing Grounds,
Authors: D. TAKARINA NOVERITA , NURLIANSYAH WAWAN , WARDHANA WISNU
Published: March 2019

Takarina ND, Nurliansyah W, Wardhana W. 2019. Relationship between environmental parameters and the planktoncommunity of the Batuhideung Fishing Grounds, Pandeglang, Banten, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 20: 171-180. Phytoplankton has a roleas primary producers and zooplankton as primary consumers in the marine environments. The composition of the plankton communityis dependent on the physical and chemical characteristics of the waters. The aim of the research described here was to analyze thecommunity structure of plankton in the Batuhideung Fishing Grounds, of Banten in Indonesia, and to relate this structure to the physicalparameters (sea surface temperature, clarity, current velocity) and chemical parameters (salinity, pH, DO, nitrate, phosphate) of its seasurroundings. The research was conducted three times at five observation stations from September to October 2017. Samples ofphytoplankton and zooplankton were taken horizontally using nets with mesh size of 80 μm and 133 μm, respectively. Results showedthat the sea surface temperature ranged from 28.70-30.20C, current velocity 0.10-1.30 m/s, clarity 7-10 m, salinity 30-34 g/L, DO 6.20-8.60 mg/L, pH 8.40-8.59, nitrate concentration 0.49-0.81 mg/L, and phosphate concentration 0.09-0.42 mg/L. There were 37 generafrom 4 classes of phytoplankton. The abundance of Bacillariophyta was 52,734 individuals/L, Myzozoa was 1,315 ind/L, Chyanophytawas 633 ind/L, and Euglenophyta was 200 ind/L. There were 35 genera from 12 classes of zooplankton, dominated by Copepods withabundance 82.1-91.4%. The diversity index of phytoplankton ranged from 1.25-2.02, evenness index ranged from 0.52-0.85, anddominance index ranged from 0.19-0.38. Based on multivariate cluster analysis, there were similar environmental parameters in stations1, 2 and 3, while stations 4 and 5 grouped differently from the other three. Based on Pearson's correlation analysis, current velocity andphosphate were positively correlated to phytoplankton abundance, whereas temperature, transparency, salinity, DO, pH, and nitrate werenegatively correlated, temperature significantly so. Nitrate, phosphate, salinity, DO were positively correlated with zooplanktonabundance but not significantly. Temperature, current velocity, clarity, and pH were negatively correlated with zooplankton abundance,but only with pH did the correlation reach statistical significance.
Short Communication: Dye-yielding plant resources of Maharashtra, India: A checklist
Authors: HINDURAO PATIL SONALI , DAMODAR KURLAPKAR DILIP , KRISHNA GAIKWAD DATTATRAYA
Published: March 2019

Patil SH, Kurlapkar DD, Gaikwad DK. 2019. Dye-yielding plant resources of Maharashtra, India: A checklist. Biodiversitas 20: 250-266. Natural dyes have rich variation in sources of dyestuff and possess superior aesthetic quality, which is more pleasing to the eye due to unique natural color. Because of their nontoxic effect, they are used for coloring textile, cosmetics, drugs, and various food products. Although indigenous knowledge system has been practiced over the years in the past, the use of natural dyes has diminished over generations due to lack of documentation. Also, there is not much information available on databases of either dye-yielding plants or their products. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to document the dye yielding plant species and associated knowledge from the study area. Present study provides the first comprehensive checklist of dye yielding Angiosperms of Maharashtra and their resulting color, pigment, and distribution have also been reported. A checklist consists of 195 species distributed among 153 genera and 58 families are presented based on published literature on dye plants, various state and regional floras.
Short Communication: A checklist of the mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Suan Phueng District, Ratchaburi Province, Thailand
Authors: CHAIPHONGPACHARA TANAWAT
Published: March 2019

Abstract. Chaiphongpachara T. 2019. Short Communication: A checklist of the mosquito species (Diptera: Culicidae) in the Suan Phueng District, Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. Biodiversitas 20: 468-473. Mosquito is a medically important insect, which is a vector to transmit pathogens to humans. There are several methods to reduce the numbers mosquitoes, which requires entomological knowledge. It is critical to know the species of mosquitoes in the area to choose the most suitable method to provide vector control, specifically, to target mosquito species. In this study, we investigated the species of mosquito vectors in the Huay Nam Nak Village in the Suan Phueng District, Ratchaburi Province, Thailand, which is an endemic area of mosquito-borne diseases, especially malaria and dengue fever. Mosquito species were collected by the Mosquito Magnet® Independence trap from the Huay Nam Nak Village. A total of 1,002 mosquitoes, divided into eight species in four genera, including Anopheles barbirostris s.l. van der Wulp (118 individuals), An. subpictus s.l. Grassi (127 individuals), Culex quinquefasciatus Say (186 individuals), Cx. vishnui Theobald (204 individuals), Cx. whitmorei Giles (198 individuals), Aedes aegypti Linnaeus (45 individuals), Ae. albopictus Skuse (78 individuals), and Armigeres subalbatus Coquillett (46 individuals). This checklist of the mosquito species is very important information to set mosquito control measures that suit each area.