Causal Relationship of Transverse Left Ventricular Band and Bicuspid Aortic Valve

Objectives: Bicuspid aortic valve is the most common congenital lesion found in adults. It is can be seen in combination with a transverse left ventricular (LV) band. We aimed to find an essential relationship between the presence of transverse ventricular band and bicuspid aortic valve. Methods: 13 patients with transverse left ventricular band were investigated during a 6 month period from January 2019 to July 2019. LV band thickness and gradients at the site of the LV band were evaluated as part of its effect on LV hemodynamics. Morphology of aortic valve and LV outflow tract gradients were assessed. We aimed to establish the presence of robust LV band as a surrogate marker for bicuspid aortic valve and evaluate the effect of LV band on LV hemodynamics. Results: Mean age of study population was 41yrs. Majority had bicuspid aortic valve(n=11). Average thickness of transverse band was 6.2mm and average mean aortic gradient was4mmHg. Sequestration of blood was noted at the level of transverse band in all the patients with 2 separate jets at LVOT. Anterolateral jet was deflected from transverse band and showed higher velocity in comparison to the other jet, causing turbulence at the bicuspid aortic valve. No co-relation was found between the thickness of transverse band and aortic valve gradient. Conclusion: Presence of a robust transverse LV band can serve as a surrogate marker for bicuspid aortic valve. Keywords: Bicuspid aortic valve ; aortic stenosis

Revision of Camarota Meigen (Diptera: Chloropidae), with a new species from Uganda

The genus Camarota is revised with the description of a new species—C. ugandae—and a key to species. The genus Paracamarota Cherian is considered here as a new junior synonym of Camarota. Distinctive morphological characters, such as the dark transverse band on the arista, the “vena spuria” of the wing and the placement of apical scutellar bristles, are interpreted.

Auxosporulation, morphology of vegetative cells and perizonium of Fallacia tenera (Hust.) D.G. Mann (Bacillariophyceae)

Specimens of Fallacia tenera were collected from the surface sediment at in a river estuary in Japan. Auxosporulation occurred in a rough culture. Morphological structures of vegetative cells and auxospores were observed in detail. The vegetative cells have one H-shaped chloroplast. The striae were interrupted by two depressed lateral sterna internally and partly covered by a finely porous conopeum on the external surface. The lateral sterna and porous conopea formed two more or less curved longitudinal canals connecting with the exterior via opening pores on both sides of a terminal fissure. This combination of characteristics is unique to the genus Fallacia. The cingulum was composed of three bands, such as an open valvocupula and two comparatively thin pleurae. The two pleurae could be distinguished by the shape of their ligulae. The second band had a triangular ligula, whereas the ligula of the third band is arc-shaped. The auxosporulation was type IA1a in Geitler’s classification. Two paired gametangia formed two anisogametes in each of them. Two auxospores formed in the thecae of the gametangia after a trans physiological anisogamy. The perizonium of the auxospore consisted of a set of transverse bands and five longitudinal bands. The primary transverse band was about twice wider than the secondary ones. The circular incunabular scales were present on the two terminals of the auxospore and on the surface of the primary transverse band. The primary longitudinal band had an acute terminal and was flanked by secondary longitudinal bands. Each side had two secondary longitudinal bands. All longitudinal bands were immediately beneath the transverse bands. Morphological comparison between Fallacia and Pseudofallaica, and the taxonomic position of F. tenera is also discussed.

A new species of arboreal iguanid lizard, genus Stenocercus (Squamata: Iguania), from central Peru

We describe a new species of Stenocercus from an interandean valley of the upper Río Huallaga on the Amazonian slope of central Peru (Región Huánuco), at an elevation of 1700–1900 m. The new species differs from other Stenocercus, except S. boettgeri, S. haenschi, S. humeralis, and S. varius, by the combination of the following characters: presence of granular scales on the posterior surface of the thighs, enlarged vertebrals, three caudal whorls per autotomic segment, a medially complete antegular fold, non-spinose caudals, and by males lacking a black transverse band on the ventral surface of the neck. However, the new Stenocercus differs from these, with the exception of S. humeralis, by having more scales around the midbody (104–107, =105.66) than S. boettgeri (79–104, Mean= 88.61), S. haenschi (57–64, Mean=60.50), and S. varius (74–88, Mean=82.35); and from S. humeralis by having the scales in the frontonasal region nearly equal in size to the scales in the occipitoparietal region, while in S. humeralis the scales on the frontonasal region are twice or three times longer than the scales on the occipitoparietal region.

Two new species of the genus Chablisea Gauld et Dubois (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) from Vietnam

Two new species of the genus Chablisea Gauld et Dubois, 2006 are described from Vietnam based on ichneumonid material collected from 2002 to 2008. Chablisea condimenta sp. n. differs from other species of the genus by the absence of the second abscissa of hind wing vein Cu1, narrower hind femur (5.2 times as long as wide), and yellow subapical, lateral spots on metasomal tergites 2–5. Chablisea khuatdanglongi sp. n. is characterized by its face as high as wide, yellow with a median black stripe extending to a black transverse band at the base of the clypeus. One species, C. albifacialis (Kusigemati, 1984) is a new combination.

A new species of miniature catfish from the Malay Peninsula (Teleostei: Bagridae: Nanobagrus)

Nanobagrus lemniscatus, a new species of miniature bagrid catfish from the Malay Peninsula is described here. It can be distinguished from congeners in having the following combination of characters: large cream patches on a brown body frequently coalescing to form broad transverse band, length of adipose-fin base 24.0–27.1% SL, body depth at anus 13.1–14.0% SL, 35–36 vertebrae, pectoral spine with length 16.1–18.7% SL and 7–9 serrations on its posterior margin, and a convex neurocranium. Nanobagrus stellatus is also recorded from the Malay Peninsula for the first time in this study.

Convectively Induced Transverse Band Signatures in Satellite Imagery

Transverse cirrus bands have commonly been observed in the outflow of thunderstorms, though little literature exists on the subject. The primary objective of this paper is to characterize the transverse band signature in satellite imagery with references to storm location, movement, and life cycle. The transverse band signature was observed in nearly half of all convective systems analyzed between May and August 2006, commonly in the mature and decay stages of the system. Storm size and propagation did not appear to influence transverse bands, though the bands did appear to be associated with negative 300-hPa relative vorticity and positive divergence. Transverse bands lasted an average duration of 9 h and generally occurred during the nighttime hours. The satellite analysis was combined with eddy dissipation rate (EDR) atmospheric turbulence observations collected by commercial aircraft. At least one observation of light (moderate) turbulence was found within transverse bands for 93% (44%) of events, indicating that the presence of transverse bands in satellite imagery is a strong indicator for aviation turbulence.

A new species of Mydrosoma Smith with a key to Brazilian species of the genus and a discussion on the classification of the Dissoglottini (Hymenoptera: Colletidae)

Mydrosoma sabarensis sp. n. is described from the Atlantic Forest Domain of southeastern Brazil. Two females and one male were collected on flowers of Serjania sp. (Sapindaceae) in the state of Minas Gerais. An additional female is from Domingos Martins, Espírito Santo state. The female M. sabarensis is about 12 mm long, robust, with predominantly black pubescence but with a wide transverse band of white hairs on the anterior margin of the mesoscutum and yellow lateral bands on T2–T4. The male, about 11 mm long, has pale-fulvous pilosity on the mesosoma and marginal bands on T1–T4, with terga blackish pubescent basally. A key to the five species of Mydrosoma known to occur in Brazil is presented and the classification of the Dissoglottini is discussed. Aspects of foraging and of possible mimicry are also discussed.