Linaria subbaetica (Plantaginaceae), a new species from the south of the Iberian Peninsula

Linaria subbaetica, a new species from the south of the Iberian Peninsula, is here described, illustrated, and compared with its morphologically closest relatives from L. sect. Supinae: L. badalii, L. caesia, and L. supina. The species is characterised by being annual, and having usually revolute leaves, a short and corymbiform inflorescence at anthesis with a pilose-glandulose axis, a white to pale-yellow corolla (yellow to orangish palate), bearing a spur equalling to slightly longer that the rest of the corolla, and black seeds with a tuberculate and papillose disc surface and a thickened wing. L. subbaetica is an endemic species, growing on calcareous mountains, in the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, Córdoba province (Andalusia, Spain).

MNG-2 Meningioma with aseptic meningitis

The patient, a woman in her seventies, visited the Department of Neurology at our hospital one month ago with transient right hemiparesis, and was referred to our department because a CT scan showed a 4cm extramedullary lesion in the left convexity. She was judged to have symptomatic epilepsy associated with the lesion and was started on antiepileptic drugs. The lesion showed low signal on T1WI, equal signal on T2WI, and homogeneous contrast on Gd contrast T1WI, suggesting a meningioma, but the surrounding left frontal lobe subarachnoid space was also contrasted, suggesting the possibility of seeding or other diseases. After that, the contrast area of the subarachnoid space increased in a short period of time, and the control of epileptic seizures was poor. Preoperative spinal fluid examination showed an elevated cell count and findings of aseptic meningitis. A left parietal craniotomy was performed to remove the extramedullary tumor as much as possible. The subarachnoid space of the left frontal lobe adjacent to the tumor was covered with extensive pale yellow apparently abscess-like tissue. The pathological diagnosis of the extramedullary tumor was angiomatous meningioma (WHO Grade 1), and the pale yellow tissue that filled the subarachnoid space was necrotic tissue containing neutrophils and no tumor component. IgG4 was positive in about 10% of the tumor. The postoperative course of the patient was good, the contrast area of the left frontal lobe subarachnoid space was reduced on MRI, aseptic meningitis was improved, and she was discharged home with no neurological deficits. The patient has been under outpatient observation for 2 years without recurrence of aseptic meningitis or appearance of contrast-enhancing lesions in the subarachnoid space. This case is thought to be a possible IgG4-related disease, and we report it with a discussion of the literature.

Chemical Composition of Gmelina arborea: A Review

Gmelina arborea is a fast-growing tree, which grows on different localities and prefers moist fertile valleys with 750–4500 mm rainfall. It does not thrive on ill-drained soils and remains stunted on dry, sandy or poor soils; drought also reduces it to a shrubby form. The tree attains moderate to large heights of up to 30 m, with a girth of 1.2 to 4 m. It has a chlorophyll layer just under the outer bark, which is pale yellow on the outside and white inside.Gmelina arborea wood is pale yellow to cream-coloured or pinkish-buff when fresh, turning yellowish brown on exposure and is soft to moderately hard, light to moderately heavy, lustrous when fresh, usually straight to irregular or rarely wavy grained and medium course textured. Flowering takes place during February to April when the tree is more or less leafless whereas fruiting starts from May onwards up to June. The fruit is up to 2.5 cm long, smooth, dark green, turning yellow when ripe and has a fruity smell. The fruit is edible and has a bitter-sweet taste.4 This tree is commonly planted as a garden and an avenue tree; growing in villages along agricultural land and on village community lands and wastelands. It is light demander, tolerant of excessive drought, but moderately frost hardy. It has good capacity to recover from frost injury. Gamhar trees coppices very well with vigorous growth. Saplings and young plants need protection from deer and cattle. Gmelina arborea grows naturally throughout India, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and in southern provinces of China

Chromatic leucism in the flap shell turtle, Lissemys punctata from Bangladesh

The spotted flap shell turtle, Lissemys punctata (Bonnaterre, 1789) has a distribution in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. In Bangladesh, this species is widely distributed throughout the freshwater wetlands and the low-lying floodplains, coastal islands, and hill districts. This species is listed in CITES (Appendix II) and protected by Bangladesh Wildlife Conservation & Security Act 2012 (Schedule II), where commercial trade is strictly prohibited. Lissemys punctata has an oval and domed carapace with olive-green colour spotted by dark yellow blotches. The head is also olive green often with yellow blotches, whereas the plastron is whitish or pale yellow. The colour of this species may vary depending on its habitat and defence strategy. Colour aberration in animals may occur due to a lack of melanin. Golden yellow colour aberration (chromatic leucism) is rare in animals, especially in turtles. This might be because of the absence of melanin in the outer dermis. The presence of high xanthophores and yellow pteridine pigments in the skin are also responsible for the golden yellow colour aberration.

Morphology and molecular phylogeny reveal two new species in Russula sect. Ingratae from China

Two new species of Russula are described and illustrated in this paper. Russula clavulus is recognised by a pale yellow pileus centre, white margin with tuberculate striation, white to pale lamellae with small pale yellow spots, white to light yellow spore print, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid spores with short or long ridges and hymenial cystidia on lamellae sides that are mainly subclavate or fusiform. Russula multilamellula is morphologically characterised by the brownish orange to hazel pileus centre and satin white to yellowish-white margin with brownish tinge, lamellulae that are usually irregular in length and often anastomosing with lamellae, subglobose to broadly ellipsoid spores with short or long ridges and clavate hymenial cystidia. The combination of morphological features and multigene phylogenetic analyses of ITS-nrLSU-RPB2-mtSSU data indicated that these two new taxa belong to Russula subg. Heterophyllidia sect. Ingratae.

A new species of Gymnopus sect. Androsacei (Omphalotaceae, Agaricales) from China

A new species of Gymnopus sect. Androsacei, namely, G. pallipes is described and illustrated based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence. It is characterized by marasmioid basidiomata, a dark brown to reddish brown pileus becoming dull white to yellowish grey with age, whitish to pale yellow stipe and presence of rhizomorphs. Phylogenetic analyses support it as a new species within Gymnopus sect. Androsacei. The detailed morphological description, colour photos of basidiomata, and line drawings of microcharacters are presented and delimitation characters from similar species are discussed. A key to the known species of Gymnopus s. str. from China is also provided.

Rugitermes ursulae (Isoptera, Kalotermitidae), a new drywood termite from the Caribbean coast of Colombia

Rugitermes ursulaesp. nov. is described from a sample collected inside a dead branch in a tropical dry forest of Colombia’s Caribbean coast using molecular information and external morphological characters of the imago and soldier castes. Rugitermes ursulaesp. nov. soldiers and imagoes are the smallest among all described Rugitermes species. The imago’s head capsule coloration is dark castaneous, while the pronotum is contrastingly pale yellow. Our description includes soldier characters, such as subflangular elevation and shape of the antennal sockets, that can help in identification of samples lacking imagoes.

Novel study of using chitosan in gamma dose monitoring applications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to fall light on the possibility of using the biopolymer chitosan in gamma dose monitoring. Design/methodology/approach The chitosan films were irradiated to gamma rays in the range starting from 10 to 120 kGy at a dose rate of 1.4 kGy/h using 60Co gamma source. The ultra violet and visible (UV/Vis) spectrophotometry were used to examine the optical properties of chitosan film. Also, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was used to detect and trace any change in structural bands that may take place upon irradiation. Findings Increase in optical density of the chitosan film was recorded at 298 nm that correlated with increasing in the absorbed doses. Change in color of the film from pale yellow to denser yellow was detected upon increasing the absorbed doses. The close investigation for UV/Vis and FTIR analysis nominates the chitosan film to be used as a label-dosimeter in the range of 10–120 kGy depending on chitosan concentrations. The chitosan film has an excellent stability in different environmental conditions with ±3.7% uncertainty in measurements (2σ, approximately equal to a 95% confidence level). Research limitations/implications Chitosan film may be used as a medium and high-dose monitor with an acceptable overall uncertainty in routine radiation processing Originality/value The useful dose range from 10 to 80 kGy was detected for different concentrations of chitosan (0.5, 1, 1.5 Wt%) that correlated with increasing the absorbed dose, which is assigned to the linear parts in the target response curves. For the dose range 10–120 kGy, the film may be used as label dosimeter with detected color change from pale yellow to dense yellow.

A new species of Lepiota (Agaricaceae) from Punjab, Pakistan

During our surveys of fungi of some areas adjacent to the Cholistan desert, Punjab, Pakistan, we collected a new species in Lepiota sect. Echinatae. It was found on loamy soil under Vachellia nilotica and is described and illustrated as new based on the distinct morphology and ITS nrDNA analysis. The new species, Lepiota haroonabadensis, is characterized macroscopically by a light yellowish orange pileus covered with brown squarrose scales, bright yellowish to yellowish red stipe with pale yellow spiny scales, and rudimentary annulus; and microscopically by ellipsoid basidiospores, narrowly clavate to clavate cheilocystidia, cylindrical to sub-cylindrical or ellipsoidal elements of the pileus covering and cylindrical to globose elements of the stipe covering. A full description, color photos, line illustrations and a phylogenetic tree to show the position of the new species are provided.