Two new species of Tigriopus Norman, 1869 from Chonburi Province, Thailand (Crustacea: Copepoda: Harpacticidae)

Two new species of the family Harpacticidae Dana, 1846, Tigriopus namsaiensis sp. nov. and T. wannapaensis sp. nov. were found in algal washings at Namsai and Wannapa beaches in Chonburi Province, Thailand. There are currently 14 known species in the genus, two of which, T. thailandensis Chullasorn, Ivanenko, Dahms, Kangtia & Yang, 2012 and T. sirindhornae Chullasorn, Dahms & Klangsin, 2013 were also discovered in Thailand. The genus Tigriopus Norman, 1869 has a worldwide distribution with nine species recorded from the Pacific Ocean (seven in the North Pacific and two in the South Pacific), four species from the Atlantic and adjacent seas, two species from the South Indian Ocean, and one species from Antarctica. Sexual dimorphism is expressed in the antennule, antenna, P2, P5, P6, and segmentation of the urosome. Tigriopus namsaiensis sp. nov. and T. wannapaensis sp. nov. are closely related to T. thailandensis and T. sirindhornae in sharing the following characters: fewer sensilla on the prosome; antennary exopod with one seta on exp-2; P4 exp-3 with two inner setae; female P5 baseoendopod with five setae; male P2 enp-2 with a seta fused to the segment; and male P5 exopod with five setae. Tigriopus namsaiensis sp. nov. closely resembles T. thailandensis, but the new species is characterized by four setae on the maxillulary coxa (three setae in T. thailandensis), the outermost seta on the female P6 is plumose (instead of the middle one), the lateral seta on the apical segment of the antennary exopod is discrete at the base (instead of fused to the segment), and the outermost seta of the male P5 exopod is plumose (instead of spinulose). Tigriopus wannapaensis sp. nov. is very closely related to T. sirindhornae, but the new species differs from the latter by the following characteristics: 2-segmented mandibular exopod (3-segmented in T. sirindhornae); five setae on the maxillulary coxa (instead of three); all setae on female P6 are plumose (instead of two plumose and one pinnate); the lateral seta on the apical segment of the antennary exopod is fused to the segment (instead of discrete at the base); and the outermost seta on the male P5 exopod is plumose (instead of spinulose). A dichotomous identification key to the 16 valid species of Tigriopus is provided.

The impact of chronic alcohol overuse on right ventricular myocardial strain

Background The mechanisms and detail effects of alcohol cardiac toxicity are not clear. Purpose We aimed, to evaluate the relationship between the consumed alcohol dose and severity of right ventricle (RV) myocardial injury in patients overusing alcohol. Methods We collected a group of patients chronically overusing alcohol (ALC- alcohol overusers) and matched to them control group of abstainers (CG-control group). Clinical and echocardiography data have been obtained and statistical analysis performed. RV strain data were obtained from free wall (RVGS). Strain data were presented as absolute values. Results Group with available and feasible data of RV function consisted of 53 ALC patients, 75% men, 50±12 years old, and 33 controls CG, 69% men. Alcohol unit (AU – 10 gram of pure ethanol) consumed per week (AUW) was 21 (12–44) in ALC and 0 (0–0) in CG, P<0.001. The mean time of alcoholism amounted 20 (10–26) years. RVGS was: 20±7% in ALC vs. 24±3% in CG, P=0.001. In ALC, RV middle segment strain (RVmid) was 22±8% vs. 24±3%, P=0.01 and RV apical segment strain (RVapx) was 17±7 vs. 22±3, P=0.0002, see Table. No significant differences were detected for RV diameter, TAPSE and RVS', see Table. Moreover, univariate analysis showed significant positive correlation between free time (FT- time between last alcohol ingestion and echocardiography examination) and RVGS (rho = 0.36, P=0.01) as well as between FT and global longitudinal left ventricle strain (LVGS) (rho = 0.33, P=0.01), whereas TAPSE and RVS' did not show this relationship (rho = 0.30, P=0.41 and rho = 0.21, P=0.14, respectively). See Figure for RVGS. Conclusions Chronic alcohol overuse was associated with significant worsening of RV function expressed by absolute values of RVGS and RV middle and apical segment strains, offering novel quantitative parameter for reflecting early, often subclinical, impairment of RV function. RVGS and LVGS (contrary to TAPSE and RVS') reflected also myocardial function recovery after alcohol intake cessation proportionally to the elapsed abstinence time. FUNDunding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Table 1 Figure 1

One new genus and six new species (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematini) from Yunnan, China

The paper reported one new genus and six new species from Yunnan, China. The new genus, Neoteratura gen. nov. is similar to the genus Alloteratura Hebard, 1922, but differs from the latter by: apical segment of maxillary palpus slightly shorter than subapical one; humeral sinus indistinct; tegmina shorter, not reaching or slightly surpassing apex of abdomen, but longer than hind wings; male genitalia sclerotized, simple; cercus divided into two branches, or with branches. It resembles the genus Borneratura Gorochov, 2008, but differs from the latter by: tegmina and hind wings shorter; male genitalia sclerotized, cercus with branches.

Two New Species of the Mite Genus Stereotydeus Berlese, 1901 (Prostigmata: Penthalodidae) from Victoria Land, and a Key for Identification of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Species

Two new mite species belonging to the genus Stereotydeus Berlese, 1901 were discovered from locations along the coast of Victoria Land, continental Antarctica. Previous records of this genus in the area under study only reported the presence of S. belli and S. mollis. Although those studies included no morphological analyses, it has since been assumed that only these species were present within the area. Specimens of S. ineffabilis sp. nov. and S. nunatakis sp. nov. were obtained, sometimes in sympatry, from four different localities in Central and South Victoria Land and are here described and illustrated using optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Features useful for identification of the two new Stereotydeus species include the size of the specimens, the length of the apical segment of pedipalps, the presence/absence of division of the femora, the position of solenidia, the shape and disposition of the rhagidiform organs on the tarsi, the shape of the apical setae of the tarsi, the numbers of aggenital setae and the position of the anal opening. A key to 14 of the 15 currently described Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Stereotydeus species is provided.

IN VITRO SEED GERMINATION AND PLANT GROWTH OF “CABEÇA-DE-FRADE” (CACTACEAE)

ABSTRACT The genus Melocactus (“cabeça-de-frade”) comprises 32 species in Brazil, of which M. glaucescens and M. paucispinus are threatened with extinction. The present work evaluated the effects of different concentrations of Murashige & Skoog (MS, MS/2 and MS/4) culture medium and sucrose (15 g L-1 and 30 g L-1) on in vitro seed germination and plant growth of M. glaucescens and the efficiency of sterilization with sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) on in vitro seed germination and plant growth of M. glaucescens when using seeds and M. glaucescens and M. paucispinus when using apical segment of cladode. In M. glaucescens, the final germination at the different MS and sucrose concentrations varied between 53.5 and 68.1% and the best results for in vitro growth were observed with the lowest mineral salt (MS/2 and MS/4) and sucrose (15 g L-1) concentrations, with lengths of the aerial portion of 9.70 and 10.76 mm, respectively. There was no difference in seed germination and plant growth in chemical and autoclave medium. It is concluded that the use of chemical sterilization with NaOCl at low concentrations of salts (MS/2 and MS/4) and sucrose (15 g L-1) are quite advantageous for producing ornamental plants germinated in vitro and/or apical segment of cladode of M. glaucescens andM. paucispinus, representing a reduction of costs for in vitro cultivation of this species.

Right Ventricular Longitudinal Strain in Acute Pulmonary Embolism and Right Ventricular Myocardial Infarction in Patients with McConnell’s Sign

Aim To study the right ventricular (RV) myocardial longitudinal systolic strain in patient with RV myocardial infarction (MI), and pulmonary embolism (PE) with and without McConnell’ phenomenon.Material and methods This study included 53 patients with PE (mean age, 59.0±15.1 years; men, 58.5 %) and 30 patients with RVMI (mean age, 61.8±10.9 years; men, 90 %). Longitudinal strain of basal, medial and apical segments of the RV free wall (RVFW) and the interventricular septum (IVS) was determined in the mode of two-dimensional speckle tracking. Ratio of the IVS apical strain to the RVFW strain (apical ratio) was calculated. Systolic excursion of the RVFW apical segment (apical excursion) was measured in the anatomical M-mode from the apical four-chamber view.Results The McConnell’s sign was observed in 23 (43.4 %) of 53 patients with PE and in 16 (53.3 %) of 30 patients with RVMI (p>0.05). Irrespective of the cause for the RV damage, patients with the McConnell’s sign had higher values of the apical ratio (1.69±0.50 vs. 0.95±0.22; p<0.001; cutoff point, 1.18) and apical excursion (7.9±1.7 vs. 2.6±1.4 mm; p<0.001; cutoff point, 5.0 mm). Apical excursion closely correlated with the value of apical ratio (r=0.65; p<0.001) but not with the RVFW apical segment strain (r= –0.07; p>0.05).Conclusion Incidence of the McConnell’s sign was similar in patients with PE and RVMI. McConnell’s sign is based on a passive systolic shift of the RVFW apical segment, which develops during contraction of the IVS apical segment. The greater the ratio of IVS apical segment to RBFW global strain the greater the amplitude of this shift. With the ratio value of 1.18 or more, the systolic shift of RVFW apical segment was >5 mm, which was visually perceived as the McConnell’s sign.

A new species of the genus Macrocentrus Curtis, 1833 from Jammu and Kashmir (UT), India

The genus Macrocentrus Curtis, 1833 is extensively dispersed with 238 species known worldwide. Including this new species, eight species of Macrocentrus are known from India. This genus is characterized by following characters: Antenna often about as long as or somewhat longer than the body (but sometimes distinctly shorter), with 24-61 segments, apical segment with distinct spine or without a spine. In the present study a new braconid, Macrocentrus hayati sp. nov. is described and illustrated from Jammu and Kashmir (UT), India. Specimens were collected from the grass (Cynodon) and weeds near the vegetables like brinjal, potatoes and beans through net sweeping. The collected material was transferred to glass vials containing 70% ethyl alcohol and brought to the laboratory for further studies.The study will help to boost the knowledge of Braconid parasitoids (living weapon) which play a key role in controlling the harmful pests, ultimately resulting in the increase of the yield of crops and other economic commodities like food grains.