Examination of the interior of sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) abdomen reveals novel cuticular structures involved in pheromone release: Discovering the manifold

The males of many species of New World Phlebotomines produce volatile terpenoid chemicals, shown in Lutzomyia longipalpis s.l. to be sex/aggregation pheromones. Pheromone is produced by secretory cells which surround a cuticular reservoir which collects the pheromone and passes it through a cuticular duct to the surface of the insect. The pheromone then passes through specialised cuticular structures on the abdominal surface prior to evaporation. The shape and distribution of the specialised structures are highly diverse and differ according to species. In this study we used SEM to examine the interior cuticular pheromone collection and transport structures of 3 members of the Lu. longipalpis s.l. species complex and Migonemyia migonei. We found a new structure which we have called the manifold which appears to be a substantial extension of the interior tergal cuticle connected in-line with the cuticular duct and reservoir. The manifold of the Campo Grande member of the complex is longer and wider than the Jacobina member whereas the manifold of the Sobral member was shorter than both other members of the complex. Overall, the secretory apparatus of the Sobral member was smaller than the other two. The manifold of M. migonei was very different to those found in Lu. longipalpis s.l. and was positioned in a pit-like structure within the tergal cuticle. The secretory reservoir was connected by a short duct to the manifold. Differences in the size and shape of the manifold may be related to the chemical structure of the pheromone and may have taxonomic value. Examination of the interior cuticle by SEM may help to locate the secretory apparatus of vector species where pheromonal activity has been inferred from behavioural studies but the external secretory structures or pheromones have not yet been found.

PERFORMANCE OF A MATERNAL ABDOMINAL SURFACE ELECTRODE SYSTEM FOR FETAL HEART RATE AND UTERINE CONTRACTION MONITORING FROM 34-37 WEEKS

Objective: Compare performance of a maternal surface electrode patch with ultrasound- and tocodynamometer-based monitoring to detect fetal heart rate and uterine contractility in late preterm labors. Study design: Thirty women between 340/7 and 366/7 weeks’ gestation were monitored simultaneously with a Doppler/tocodynamometer system and a wireless fetal-maternal abdominal surface electrode system. Fetal and maternal heart rate and uterine contraction data from both systems were compared. Reliability was measured by the success rate and percent agreement. Deming regression and Bland-Altman analysis estimated the concordance between the systems. Uterine contractions were assessed by visual interpretation of monitor tracings. Results: The success rate for the surface electrode system was 89.5 (95% CI 85.7,93.3)% and for ultrasound 88.4 (84.9,91.9)%; p=0.73, with a percent agreement of 88.1 (84.2,92.8)%. Results were uninfluenced by the subjects’ body mass. The mean Deming slope was 1.0 and the y-intercept -3.0 bpm. Bland-Altman plots also showed a close relationship between the methods, with limits of agreement <10 bpm. The percent agreement for maternal heart rate was 98.2 (97.4,98.8)% and for uterine contraction detection was 89.5 (85.5,93.4)%. Conclusions: Fetal heart rate and uterine contraction monitoring at 34-366/7 weeks using abdominal surface electrodes was not inferior to Doppler ultrasound-tocodynamometry for fetal-maternal assessment. Registration: clinicaltrials.gov/February 20, 2017/ Identifier NCT03057275

FRACTAL ANGLE BASED DIFFERENTIATION OF TERM PREGNANCIES USING UTERINE ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC SIGNALS

Uterine Electromyography (uEMG) is a non-invasive technique that provides quantitative measure of uterine activity from the abdominal surface. In this work, an attempt has been made to investigate Term (gestational age > 37 weeks) uEMG signals using Adaptive Fractal Analysis (AFA). For this, the signals obtained in second and third trimesters are considered and subjected to AFA. The fluctuation function is computed and the corresponding linear scaling regions are identified based on Chi-square statistic, standard error of slope, and coefficient of determination. Angle-based features from multiple scaling regions namely, inter-fractal angle and, short- and long-term fractal angles are extracted and are used for further analysis. The obtained results demonstrates that AFA approach can characterize the Term signals during varied gestational ages. All features show significant differences (p < 0.05) in both groups. Feature values suggest that the third trimester signals possess more correlated and smoother fluctuations when compared to second trimester signals. This is attributed to the increased coordination of uterine contractions as delivery approaches. Hence, it appears that the proposed adaptive angle-based fractal features could be potential biomarkers in analyzing the muscle contractions associated with Term pregnancies.

A new species of the genus Fredius Pretzmann, 1967 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Pseudothelphusidae) from Brazil, with comments on the southerly distribution of the family

A new species of pseudothelphusid crab of the tribe Kingsleyini Ortmann, 1897, from the southern Amazon region in the state of Rondônia, Brazil, is described and illustrated. Fredius avilai n. sp. can be readily distinguished from its congeners by the following characters of the male first gonopod: mesial lobe elongated, convoluted, proximal portion directed laterally, distal portion sharply recurved in abdominal direction; marginal process rounded, not projected over distal opening of spermatic channel, merging with distal portion of abdominal surface after a shallow depression; lateral suture well demarcated along mesoabdominal surface of stem, distal portion directed inwards. The assignment of the new species to the genus Fredius Pretzmann, 1967 and its affinities with another closed related species are discussed.

Histological, Morphometrical and Topographical Study of Sebaceous and Sweat Glands in the Skin of Local Black Males Goat

The aim of this study was to add more information in the field of knowledge regarding the skin structures of a local black goat. topographical, histological and morphometrical studies were carried out in twelve certain different areas of the skin using twenty healthy adult male goats in the autumn season. Hematoxylin and Eosin stain and Masson's Trichrome stain were used for all samples. Results; that the sebaceous glands are composed of clusters of pale staining epithelial cells that located within the dermis and accompanied all primary and some of the secondary follicles. depending on skin area, the sebaceous glands were large in the skin of muzzle, scrotum, abdomen, the medial surface of the limbs and the abdominal surface of the ear. while their sizes are decreased in the skin of tail, lateral surfaces of limbs and dorsal aspect of ear skin. The size of sebaceous glands were inversely proportional to the hair density. The sweat glands except in the skin tail were apical secretion type, while their levels within the beneath of dermis and their density were varied according to the skin area. the skin of muzzle, tail, dorsal surface of the ear had high glandular density followed by the skin of cranial and middle back in addition to lateral surfaces of limbs. Less glandular density was found in the abdominal surface of ear, abdomen, medial surfaces of limbs and scrotum. In addition to the apocrine sweat glands, serous tubular acinus compound glands in the muzzle skin which extended widely beneath of dermis to subdermal layer. these glands were entirely serious excretion units with the main excretory channel that opens directly on the surface of the skin and had no relation with hair follicles.