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Acrostilicus Hubbard, 1896 and Pachystilicus Casey, 1905 are North American genera known from only one and two species, respectively, and have never been a subject of a modern revision. In fact, Acrostilicus was not even properly described as its author provided only a sketchy diagnosis of the genus and species. Here, we provide a redescription of the genus Acrostilicus and its species and illustrate the habitus and male genital features. For the first time, we also redescribe Pachystilicus and its two species, and provide their differential diagnoses. Additionally, we tested the phylogenetic position of both genera. They were scored into a morphological matrix supplemented with molecular data and the analyses were run using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods. A total of 119 morphological characters and 4859 bp of nuclear (28S, TP, Wg, CADA, CADC, ArgK) and mitochondrial (COI) sequences were analysed for 46 taxa. The results confirmed that both Acrostilicus and Pachystilicus are members of the subtribe Stilicina, but at the same time challenged the monophyly of the subtribe in its current composition. Additionally, we provided further evidence for non-monophyly of the subtribe Medonina and discussed the biology of Acrostilicus and Pachystilicus.
Chemical pollution is one of the main contributors to the degradation of lotic ecosystems and their biodiversity. Among chemicals driving lotic biodiversity decline are anthropogenic organic micropollutants (AOM), which affect the survival and functioning of freshwater organisms. Continuous exposure of freshwater organisms to AOM leads to adverse effects that sometimes cannot be traced with standard toxicity methods such as standard toxicity testing or biodiversity indices. Among these effects of AOM are selective or mutagenic effects that cause impaired species genetic diversity. Thus, the correlation between different levels of AOM and genetic diversity of species is still poorly understood. However, it can be explored by applying population genetics screening.
In Chapter 1 of this thesis, background information on environmental pollution, genetic screening, and the detection of evolutionary-relevant AOM effects in freshwater organisms are described and the thesis goals are identified. The main goal of the thesis is to study whether AOM exposure occurring in European rivers causes a significant evolutionary footprint in freshwater species and leads to a selection of more tolerant geno-and phenotypes. Therefore, population genetics indices together with high-resolution chemical exposure screening of a widespread indicator invertebrate species, Gammarus pulex (Linnaeus, 1758), living in polluted and pristine European rivers were investigated.
In Chapter 2, the development of a genetic screening method for G. pulex (microsatellites) is described. Due to genetic differentiation and the presence of morphologically cryptic lineages, the available sets of target loci do not enable a reliable population genetic characterization of G. pulex from central Germany. Thus, a novel set of microsatellite loci for a high-precision assessment of population genetic diversity was here applied. Eleven loci were first identified and thereafter amplified in G. pulex from three rivers. The new loci reliably amplified and indicated polymorphisms in the studied amphipods. The amplification resulted in the successful identification of genetically distinct populations of G. pulex from the analyzed rivers. Moreover, the microsatellite loci were amplified in other genetic lineages of G. pulex and another Gammarus species, G. fossarum, promising a broader applicability of the loci in related amphipod species.
In Chapter 3, the effects of AOM on species genetic differentiation and sensitivity to toxic chemicals in a typical central European river with pristine and AOM-polluted sections was investigated. The river’s site-specific concentrations of AOM were assessed by chemical analysis of G. pulex tissue and water samples. To test, whether different levels of AOM in the river select for pollution-dependent genotypes, the genetic structure of G. pulex from the river was analyzed. Finally, the toxicokinetics of and sensitivity to the commonly used insecticide imidacloprid were determined for amphipods sampled at pristine and polluted sections to assess whether various levels of AOM in the river influence sensitivity of G. pulex to imidacloprid. The results indicated that different levels of AOM did not drive genetic divergence of G. pulex within the river but led to an increased sensitivity of exposed amphipods to imidacloprid. The amphipods living in polluted river sections were more sensitive to the insecticide due to chronic exposure to toxic levels of AOM.
In Chapter 4, the relationship between site-specific pollution levels of AOM and genetic diversity parameters of G. pulex was analyzed at the regional scale within six rivers in central Germany. The genetic structure of G. pulex in the studied area was tested for relatedness to the waterway distance between sites. Gammarus pulex genetic diversity parameters, including allelic richness and inbreeding rate, were tested against environmental pollution parameters using linear mixed-effect- and structural-equation models. According to the results, G. pulex genetic diversity parameters were significantly associated with the detected AOM levels. At sites with high concentrations of AOM and toxicity potential G. pulex showed reduced genetic diversity and increased rates of inbreeding. These results suggest that AOM play a major role in shaping the genetic diversity of G. pulex in rivers.
According to the findings presented here, the applied microsatellites can be used to successfully detect changes in genetic patterns in freshwater amphipods facing increased levels of AOM. The findings indicate that levels of AOM representative for European rivers do not lead to the separation of genotypes among G. pulex as the connectivity between sites majorly contributes to species’ genetic structure. However, the chronic exposure to increased levels of toxic AOM leads to a reduction of species genetic diversity and increases the sensitivity of G. pulex to the toxic chemical effects.
Plagiognathus ozgurkocaki sp. nov. is described based on a long series of specimens from Karaman, Turkey. The new species is remarkable among its congeners in Palearctic Region due to the combination of following characters: remarkably small size, dense and unicolorous pale yellow vestiture, darkened cuneus and yellow first antennal segment with a basal ring and pre-apical dots. The new species is associated with the endemic Phlomis leucophracta P.H.Davis & Hub.-Mor. (Lamiaceae) which makes it unique among all its congeners. Additionally, Plagiognathus bipunctatus albicans (Reuter, 1901) and Plagiognathus marivanensis Linnavuori, 2010 are recorded from Karaman, former constitutes a new record for Turkey.
Background and purpose: Transient splenial oedema, also known as reversible splenial lesion syndrome (RESLES), is a rare magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) finding that presents as a round or ovoid focal oedema in the posterior corpus callosum, and is associated with a wide range of clinical conditions. The aetiology of RESLES is not fully clear. We aimed to investigate conflicting pathophysiological hypotheses by measuring local glucose metabolism in patients with RESLES.
Methods: We retrospectively analysed patients with RESLES after reductions in antiseizure medications during in-hospital video electroencephalography monitoring. We measured local glucose uptake using positron emission tomography/computed tomography and compared matched cohorts of patients with and without MRI evidence of RESLES using nonparametric tests.
Results: Local glucose metabolism in the splenium of seven patients with RESLES was not significantly different from the glucose metabolism of the seven patients in the matched cohort. This was true using both regular and normalized standardized glucose uptake value calculation methods (p = 0.902 and p = 0.535, respectively).
Conclusion: We found no evidence of local glucose hypometabolism in RESLES, which supports previous pathophysiological considerations that suggest that RESLES is an intercellular, intramyelinic oedema rather than a typical intracellular cytotoxic oedema, which is not reversible.
Academic self-efficacy (ASE) refers to a student’s global belief in his/her ability to master the various academic challenges at university and is an essential antecedent of wellbeing and performance. The five-item General Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (GASE) showed promise as a short and concise measure for overall ASE. However, of its validity and reliability outside of Scandinavia is limited. Therefore, this paper aimed to investigate the psychometric properties, longitudinal invariance, and criterion validity of the GASE within a sample of university students (Time 1: n = 1056 & Time 2: n = 592) in the USA and Western Europe. The results showed that a unidimensional factorial model of overall ASE fitted the data well was reliable and invariant across time. Further, criterion validity was established by finding a positive relationship with task performance at different time stamps. Therefore, the GASE can be used as a valid and reliable measure for general ASE.
Despite its popularity in practice, the Grit-O Scale has shown inconsistent factorial structures and differing levels of internal consistency in samples outside the USA. The validity of the Grit-O Scale in different contexts is, therefore, questionable. As such, the purpose of this paper was to determine whether the Grit-O Scale could be used as a valid and reliable measure to compare grit across different nations. Specifically, the aim was to investigate the factorial validity, reliability, and concurrent validity of the Grit-O Scale and to investigate measurement invariance across three national cohorts (Europe, the USA, and Hong Kong). Data were gathered from 1888 respondents stemming from one USA- (n = 471), two Hong Kong- (n = 361) and four European (n = 1056) universities. A series of traditional CFA and less restrictive ESEM models were estimated and systematically compared to determine the best factorial form of the Grit-O Scale. The results showed that a bifactor ESEM model, with one general factor of overall grit and two specific factors (consistency of interest and perseverance of effort), fitted the data best, showed strong measurement invariance across the three samples, and showed itself to be a reliable measure. Furthermore, concurrent validity was established by showing that the three grit factors were directly and positively related to task performance. Meaningful latent comparisons between the three cultural cohorts could therefore be made. The results imply that cross-national comparisons of grit may only be problematic when traditional CFA approaches are favoured. In contrast, ESEM modelling approaches may compensate for cross-national differences in understanding grit and control for differences in the interpretation of the scale’s items. Therefore, the bifactor ESEM approach may be more appropriate for cross-cultural and cross-national comparison studies, as it allows for these differences to be meaningfully captured, modelled, and controlled for.
We aimed to evaluate the factors associated with hemorrhage (HA) of melanoma brain metastases (MBM) after Cyberknife stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the modern era of systemic therapy. A total of 55 patients with 279 MBM were treated in 93 fractions. The median age, SRS dose, radiological follow-up, and time to HA were 60.4 years, 20 Gy, 17.7 months, and 10.7 months, respectively. Radiologically evident HA was documented in 47 (16.8%) metastases. Of the 55 patients, 25 (45.4%) suffered an HA. Among those, HA caused grade 3 toxicity in 10 patients (40%) and grade 1 symptoms in 5 patients (20%). Ten patients (40%) with HA experienced no toxicity. Logistic regression revealed the use of anticoagulants and the administration of systemic therapy within 7/15 days from SRS to be predictive for HA. When considering the HA causing grade 3 symptomatology, only the use of anticoagulants was significant, with the delivery of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) before the HA narrowly missing statistical significance. Our retrospective analysis showed that the administration of modern systemic therapy within 7/15 days from SRS may contribute to HA of MBM, though it appears safe, at least concerning grade 3 toxicity. The use of anticoagulants by the time of SRS significantly increased the risk of HA.
The fall of the Berlin Wall and its literary representations have often been described as a purely (white) German affair, as a discourse regarding (East/West) German identity. Taking on Leerssen's claim for a trans-/postnational imagology, this article provides an analysis of two novels depicting the fall of the Berlin Wall from transnational, not-(only)-German perspectives: Yadé Kara's "Selam Berlin" (2003) and Paul Beatty's "Slumberland" (2008). Comparing images and stereotypes used by both the Turkish-German narrator of Kara's and the African American narrator of Beatty's novel, it aims to undertake an exemplary case study of how imagology may be employed in contexts characterized by complex interferences of national, ethnic/racial, and urban ascriptions of belonging.
Background: The aim of this study was to identify pre-operative parameters able to predict length of stay (LoS) based on clinical data and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) from a scorecard database in patients with significant aortic stenosis who underwent TAVI (transfemoral aortic valve implantation). Methods: 302 participants (51.7% males, age range 78.2–84.2 years.) were prospectively recruited. After computing the median LoS value (=6 days, range = 5–8 days), we implemented a decision tree algorithm by setting dichotomized values at median LoS as the dependent variable and assessed baseline clinical variables and PROMs (Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), EuroQol-5 Dimension-5 Levels (EQ-5D) and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ)) as potential predictors. Results: Among clinical parameters, only peripheral arterial disease (p = 0.029, HR = 1.826) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR, cut-off < 33 mL/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.003, HR = 2.252) were predictive of LoS. Additionally, two PROMs (CFS; cut-off = 3, p < 0.001, HR = 1.324 and KCCQ; cut-off = 30, p = 0.003, HR = 2.274) were strong predictors. Further, a risk score for LoS (RS_LoS) was calculated based on these predictors. Patients with RS_LoS = 0 had a median LoS of 5 days; patients RS_LoS ≥ 3 had a median LoS of 8 days. Conclusions: based on the pre-operative values of the above four predictors, a personalized prediction of LoS after TAVI can be achieved.
A study on "The Travel Journal and Pictures" : Li Danlin's image of foreign lands and cultures
(2022)
This article studies the hetero-images in premodern Chinese painter Li Danlin's travelogue "The Travel Journal and Pictures" with regard to Daniel-Henri Pageaux's and Jean-Marc Moura's theories. Li draws pictures of foreign lands and cultures to express his exoticist interest, following the tradition entailed from "The Classic of Mountains and Seas". He transforms the reality and constructs two forms of hetero-images: those of Western cultures by applying clichés, and stereotyped images of indigenous peoples as "Manyi." These hetero-images give us insights into premodern Chinese ideology and offer an example of Occidentalism as a Sinocentric form of ethnotype.
This paper reviews the genus Microtachycines and establishes a new genus, Megatachycines gen. nov. One new species and two new combinations of the genus Megatachycines are recorded, i.e., Megatachycines pentus gen. et sp. nov., Megatachycines elongatus (Qin, Liu & Li, 2017) comb. nov., and Megatachycines trispinosus (Qin & Li, 2020) comb. nov. Images illustrating the morphology of all species of the genera Microtachycines and Megatachycines are provided.
Sustainable biosynthesis of chemicals and efforts to create new molecules of interest require efficient enzymes and pathways as well as comprehensive tools and technologies to implement this rewiring. Enzymes are the key components for construction of efficient biosynthetic pathways, enzyme characterization and engineering can help to identify key enzymes and regulatory factors for construction of biosynthetic pathways, as well as improve enzyme performance; Pathway engineering can help construct biosynthetic pathways and balance metabolic network to improve biosynthetic efficiency; Tools and technologies facilitate the engineering of enzymes, pathways, and whole cells. This special issue focusing on “Pathway and Protein Engineering for Biosynthesis” comprises eight review articles and nine original research articles, which highlight and showcase current progress on Pathway and Protein Engineering and their application for biosynthesis.
The transient receptor potential (TRP) ankyrin type 1 (TRPA1) channel is highly expressed in a subset of sensory neurons where it acts as an essential detector of painful stimuli. However, the mechanisms that control the activity of sensory neurons upon TRPA1 activation remain poorly understood. Here, using in situ hybridization and immunostaining, we found TRPA1 to be extensively co-localized with the potassium channel Slack (KNa1.1, Slo2.2, or Kcnt1) in sensory neurons. Mice lacking Slack globally (Slack−/−) or conditionally in sensory neurons (SNS-Slack−/−) demonstrated increased pain behavior after intraplantar injection of the TRPA1 activator allyl isothiocyanate. By contrast, pain behavior induced by the TRP vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) activator capsaicin was normal in Slack-deficient mice. Patch-clamp recordings in sensory neurons and in a HEK cell line transfected with TRPA1 and Slack revealed that Slack-dependent potassium currents (IKS) are modulated in a TRPA1-dependent manner. Taken together, our findings highlight Slack as a modulator of TRPA1-mediated, but not TRPV1-mediated, activation of sensory neurons.
Keywords: TRPA1; slack; dorsal root ganglia; pain; mice
Slack (sequence like a Ca2+ -activated K + channel; also termed Slo2.2, Kcnt1, or KNa 1.1) is a Na+ -activated K + channel that is highly expressed in the peripheral and central nervous system. Previous studies have shown that Slack is enriched in the isolectin B4binding, non-peptidergic subpopulation of C-fiber sensory neurons and that Slack controls the sensory input in neuropathic pain. Recent single-cell RNA-sequencing studies suggested that Slack is highly co-expressed with transient receptor potential (TRP) ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) in sensory neurons. By using in situ hybridization and immunostaining we confirmed that Slack is highly co-localized with TRPA1 in sensory neurons, but only to a minor extent with TRP vanilloid 1. Mice lacking Slack globally or conditionally in sensory neurons (SNS-Slack─/─ ), but not mice lacking Slack conditionally in neurons of the spinal dorsal horn (Lbx1-Slack─/─ ), displayed increased pain behavior after intraplantar injection of the TRPA1 activator allyl isothiocyanate. Patch-clamp recordings with cultured primary neurons and in a HEK-293 cell line transfected with TRPA1 and Slack revealed that Slack-dependent K + currents are modulated in a TRPA1-dependent manner. Taken together, these findings highlight Slack as a modulator of TRPA1-mediated activation of sensory neurons.
Furthermore, we investigated the contribution of Slack in the spinal dorsal horn to pain processing. Lbx1-Slack ─/─ mice demonstrated normal basal pain sensitivity and Complete Freund’s Adjuvant-induced inflammatory pain. Interestingly, we observed a significantly increased spared nerve injury (SNI)-induced neuropathic pain hypersensitivity in Lbx1-Slack ─/─ mutants compared to control littermates. Moreover, we tested the effects of pharmacological Slack activation in the SNI model. Systemic and intrathecal, but not intraplantar administration of the Slack opener loxapine significantly alleviated SNI-induced hypersensitivity in control mice, but only slightly in Lbx1Slack ─/─ mice, further supporting the inhibitory function of Slack in spinal dorsal horn neurons in neuropathic pain processing.
Altogether, our data suggest that Slack in sensory neurons controls TRPA1-induced pain, whereas Slack in spinal dorsal horn neurons inhibits peripheral nerve injury induced neuropathic pain. These data provide further insights into the molecular mechanisms of pain sensation.
"High-aluminous coal" is an important coal kind and widely distributed in North China in age of Permo-Carboniferous period. To explore their occurrence state, a total of 15 harmful elements (Li, Ga, In, Cd, Cr, Pb, Be, Mn, Zn, Ag, Co, Ni, Cu, Ba and U) in the No.9 coal and No.11 coal collected from Pingshuo mining district were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and scanning electron microscope with energy spectrum (SEM-EDX). The results showed that the content of Li, Ga, In, Pb, Ag and U were all exceed the world hard coal. In view of the result of clustering analysis within trace elements, it was found that Co, Ni, Zn, Cu, Ag and Cr were mainly associated with sulfide minerals due to their common sulfophilic property. Manganese was mainly occurred in carbonate minerals, while Ba, Cd and U were mainly associated with total minerals. In addition, Pb was related to sulfides and Be is mainly distributed in clay minerals. The enrichment of such harmful elements in Pingshuo coal was caused by the combined effect of transgression and input of terrestrial materials in the peat accumulation stage. Li, Ga, In and Ag have reached the harmful grade.
We present the first very long baseline interferometric (VLBI) observations of the blazar OJ 287 carried out jointly with the Global Millimeter VLBI Array (GMVA) and the phased Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) at 3.5 mm on 2017 April 2. The participation of phased ALMA has not only improved the GMVA north–south resolution by a factor of ∼3, but has also enabled fringe detections with signal-to-noise ratios up to 300 at baselines longer than 2 Gλ. The high sensitivity has motivated us to image the data with newly developed regularized maximum likelihood imaging methods, revealing the innermost jet structure with unprecedentedly high angular resolution. Our images reveal a compact and twisted jet extending along the northwest direction, with two bends within the inner 200 μas, resembling a precessing jet in projection. The component at the southeastern end shows a compact morphology and high brightness temperature, and is identified as the VLBI core. An extended jet feature that lies at ∼200 μas northwest of the core shows a conical shape, in both total and linearly polarized intensity, and a bimodal distribution of the linear polarization electric vector position angle. We discuss the nature of this feature by comparing our observations with models and simulations of oblique and recollimation shocks with various magnetic field configurations. Our high-fidelity images also enabled us to search for possible jet features from the secondary supermassive black hole (SMBH) and test the SMBH binary hypothesis proposed for this source.
New species of genus Atractides Koch, 1837 (Acari: Hydrachnidiae, Hygrobatidae) from Qinghai, China
(2022)
The paper deals with five new species of the genus Atractides Koch, 1837 (Acari: Hydrachnidiae, Hygrobatidae) collected from Qinghai Province, P.R. China, Atractides (Atractides) biprojectus Zhang, Li & Guo sp. nov., Atractides (Atractides) smiti Zhang, Li & Guo sp. nov., Atractides (Atractides) menyuanensis Zhang, Li & Guo sp. nov., Atractides (Atractides) longiprojectus Zhang, Li & Guo sp. nov. and Atractides (Atractides) xianmiensis Zhang, Li & Guo sp. nov. All the new species are described and illustrated in detail, and all the type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China (GUGC).