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K+K− pairs may be produced in photonuclear collisions, either from the decays of photoproduced ϕ(1020) mesons, or directly as non-resonant K+K− pairs. Measurements of K+K− photoproduction probe the couplings between the ϕ(1020) and charged kaons with photons and nuclear targets. The kaon−proton scattering occurs at energies far above those available elsewhere. We present the first measurement of coherent photoproduction of K+K− pairs on lead ions in ultra-peripheral collisions using the ALICE detector, including the first investigation of direct K+K− production. There is significant K+K− production at low transverse momentum, consistent with coherent photoproduction on lead targets. In the mass range 1.1<MKK<1.4 GeV/c2 above the ϕ(1020) resonance, for rapidity |yKK|<0.8 and pT,KK<0.1 GeV/c, the measured coherent photoproduction cross section is dσ/dy = 3.37 ± 0.61 (stat.) ± 0.15 (syst.) mb. The center-of-mass energy per nucleon of the photon-nucleus (Pb) system WγPb,n ranges from 33 to 188 GeV, far higher than previous measurements on heavy-nucleus targets. The cross section is larger than expected for ϕ(1020) photoproduction alone. The mass spectrum is fit to a cocktail consisting of ϕ(1020) decays, direct K+K− photoproduction, and interference between the two. The confidence regions for the amplitude and relative phase angle for direct K+K− photoproduction are presented.
The measurements of the inclusive J/ψ yield at midrapidity (|y|<0.9) and forward rapidity (2.5 <y< 4) in Pb−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC are reported. The inclusive J/ψ production yields and nuclear modification factors, RAA, are measured as a function of the collision centrality, J/ψ transverse momentum (pT), and rapidity. The J/ψ average transverse momentum and squared transverse momentum (⟨pT⟩ and ⟨p2T⟩) are evaluated as a function of the centrality at midrapidity. Compared to the previous ALICE publications, here the entire Pb−Pb collisions dataset collected during the LHC Run 2 is used, which improves the precision of the measurements and extends the pT coverage. The pT-integrated RAA shows a hint of an increasing trend towards unity from semicentral to central collisions at midrapidity, while it is flat at forward rapidity. The pT-differential RAA shows a strong suppression at high pT with less suppression at low pT where it reaches a larger value at midrapidity compared to forward rapidity. The ratio of the pT-integrated yields of J/ψ to those of D0 mesons is reported for the first time for the central and semicentral event classes at midrapidity. Model calculations implementing charmonium production via the coalescence of charm quarks and antiquarks during the fireball evolution (transport models) or in a statistical approach with thermal weights are in good agreement with the data at low pT. At higher pT, the data are well described by transport models and a model based on energy loss in the strongly-interacting medium produced in nuclear collisions at the LHC.
Measurements of inclusive charged-particle jet production in pp and p-Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV and the corresponding nuclear modification factor RchjetpPb are presented, using data collected with the ALICE detector at the LHC. Jets are reconstructed in the central rapidity region |ηjet|<0.5 from charged particles using the anti-kT algorithm with resolution parameters R=0.2, 0.3, and 0.4. The pT-differential inclusive production cross section of charged-particle jets, as well as the corresponding cross section ratios, are reported for pp and p-Pb collisions in the transverse momentum range 10<pchT,jet<140 GeV/c and 10<pchT,jet<160 GeV/c, respectively, together with the nuclear modification factor RchjetpPb in the range 10<pchT,jet<140 GeV/c. The analysis extends the pT range of the previously-reported charged-particle jet measurements by the ALICE Collaboration. The nuclear modification factor is found to be consistent with one and independent of the jet resolution parameter with the improved precision of this study, indicating that the possible influence of cold nuclear matter effects on the production cross section of charged-particle jets in p-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV is smaller than the current precision. The obtained results are in agreement with other minimum bias jet measurements available for RHIC and LHC energies, and are well reproduced by the NLO perturbative QCD POWHEG calculations with parton shower provided by PYTHIA8 as well as by JETSCAPE simulations.
Results on the transverse spherocity dependence of light-flavor particle production (π, K, p, ϕ, K∗0, K0S, Λ, Ξ) at midrapidity in high-multiplicity pp collisions at s√=13 TeV were obtained with the ALICE apparatus. The transverse spherocity estimator (SpT=1O) categorizes events by their azimuthal topology. Utilizing narrow selections on SpT=1O, it is possible to contrast particle production in collisions dominated by many soft initial interactions with that observed in collisions dominated by one or more hard scatterings. Results are reported for two multiplicity estimators covering different pseudorapidity regions. The SpT=1O estimator is found to effectively constrain the hardness of the events when the midrapidity (|η|<0.8) estimator is used. The production rates of strange particles are found to be slightly higher for soft isotropic topologies, and severely suppressed in hard jet-like topologies. These effects are more pronounced for hadrons with larger mass and strangeness content, and observed when the topological selection is done within a narrow multiplicity interval. This demonstrates that an important aspect of the universal scaling of strangeness enhancement with final-state multiplicity is that high-multiplicity collisions are dominated by soft, isotropic processes. On the contrary, strangeness production in events with jet-like processes is significantly reduced. The results presented in this article are compared with several QCD-inspired Monte Carlo event generators. Models that incorporate a two-component phenomenology, either through mechanisms accounting for string density, or thermal production, are able to describe the observed strangeness enhancement as a function of SpT=1O.
The first measurements of K∗(892)0 resonance production as a function of charged-particle multiplicity in Xe−Xe collisions at sNN−−−√= 5.44 TeV and pp collisions at s√= 5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector are presented. The resonance is reconstructed at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) using the hadronic decay channel K∗0→K±π∓. Measurements of transverse-momentum integrated yield, mean transverse-momentum, nuclear modification factor of K∗0, and yield ratios of resonance to stable hadron (K∗0/K) are compared across different collision systems (pp, p−Pb, Xe−Xe, and Pb−Pb) at similar collision energies to investigate how the production of K∗0 resonances depends on the size of the system formed in these collisions. The hadronic rescattering effect is found to be independent of the size of colliding systems and mainly driven by the produced charged-particle multiplicity, which is a proxy of the volume of produced matter at the chemical freeze-out. In addition, the production yields of K∗0 in Xe−Xe collisions are utilized to constrain the dependence of the kinetic freeze-out temperature on the system size using the hadron resonance gas in partial chemical equilibrium (HRG-PCE) model.
Three new species of Onitis Fabricius, 1798 are described: Onitis bhomorensis sp. nov. from Assam (Northeast India), O. kethai sp. nov. and O. visthara sp. nov. from Karnataka (South India). Onitis bordati Cambefort, 1988 is recorded for the first time for the Indian subcontinent, from Meghalaya, India. Thus, the number of species of Onitis from the subcontinent has been raised to 20 and that of the Oriental region to 26. Illustrated identification keys to all the species of the genus Onitis from the Indian subcontinent are provided with distributional details and maps. Lectotype and paralectotypes designated for Onitis philemon Fabricius, 1801. Descriptions are provided for aedeagus of seventeen species of Onitis, as well as images of type specimens for nine species from their respective repositories. Distribution maps are provided for the species of Onitis of the Indian subcontinent.
Modification of charged-particle jets in event-shape engineered Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV
(2024)
Charged-particle jet yields have been measured in semicentral Pb−Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. These yields are reported as a function of the jet transverse momentum, and further classified by their angle with respect to the event plane and the event shape, characterized by ellipticity, in an effort to study the path-length dependence of jet quenching. Jets were reconstructed at midrapidity from charged-particle tracks using the anti-kT algorithm with resolution parameters R= 0.2 and 0.4, with event-plane angle and event-shape values determined using information from forward scintillating detectors. The results presented in this letter show that, in semicentral Pb−Pb collisions, there is no significant difference between jet yields in predominantly isotropic and elliptical events. However, out-of-plane jets are observed to be more suppressed than in-plane jets. Further, this relative suppression is greater for low transverse momentum (< 50 GeV/c) R= 0.2 jets produced in elliptical events, with out-of-plane to in-plane jet-yield ratios varying up to 5.2σ between different event-shape classes. These results agree with previous studies indicating that jets experience azimuthally anisotropic suppression when traversing the QGP medium, and can provide additional constraints on the path-length dependence of jet energy loss.
The pseudorapidity dependence of elliptic (v2), triangular (v3), and quadrangular (v4) flow coefficients of charged particles measured in Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV and in Xe-Xe collisions at sNN−−−√=5.44 TeV with ALICE at the LHC are presented. The measurements are performed in the pseudorapidity range −3.5<η<5 for various centrality intervals using two- and multi-particle cumulants with the subevent method. The flow probability density function (p.d.f.) is studied with the ratio of flow coefficient v2 calculated with four- and two-particle cumulant, and suggests that the variance of flow p.d.f. is independent of pseudorapidity. The decorrelation of the flow vector in the longitudinal direction is probed using two-particle correlations. The results measured with respect to different reference regions in pseudorapidity exhibit differences, argued to be a result of saturating decorrelation effect above a certain pseudorapidity separation, in contrast to previous publications which assign this observation to non-flow effects. The results are compared to 3+1 dimensional hydrodynamic and the AMPT transport model calculations. Neither of the models is able to simultaneously describe the pseudorapidity dependence of measurements of anisotropic flow and its fluctuations. The results presented in this work highlight shortcomings in our current understanding of initial conditions and subsequent system expansion in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, they provide input for its improvement.
The ALICE Collaboration reports a search for jet quenching effects in high-multiplicity (HM) proton−proton collisions at s√ = 13 TeV, using the semi-inclusive azimuthal-difference distribution Δφ of charged-particle jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum (high-pT,trig) trigger hadron. Jet quenching may broaden the Δφ distribution measured in HM events compared to that in minimum bias (MB) events. The measurement employs a pT,trig-differential observable for data-driven suppression of the contribution of multiple partonic interactions, which is the dominant background. While azimuthal broadening is indeed observed in HM compared to MB events, similar broadening for HM events is observed for simulations based on the PYTHIA 8 Monte Carlo generator, which does not incorporate jet quenching. Detailed analysis of these data and simulations show that the azimuthal broadening is due to bias of the HM selection towards events with multiple jets in the final state. The identification of this bias has implications for all jet quenching searches where selection is made on the event activity.
The spider fauna of most African regions is severely understudied, there is a need for revision of old data and publishing new records. The previous list of jumping spiders (Salticidae) of Uganda contained merely 25 species. The presented survey, which is based on material from several museum collections, provides new faunistic and taxonomic information. The data already available in the literature are critically reviewed and an updated checklist of jumping spiders from Uganda is published. Two new genera are established: Phintellosa gen. nov. with type species Maevia comosissima Simon, 1886 and Ruwenzorek gen. nov. with type species Ruwenzorek evansi gen. et sp. nov. Thirty-three species are newly described: Asemonea wagneri sp. nov. (♂), Dendryphantes ruwenzori sp. nov. (♂♀), Dendryphantes sasa sp. nov. (♀), Enoplomischus pulcher sp. nov. (♂♀), Evarcha degeni sp. nov. (♂), Finger minor sp. nov. (♂♀), Hermosa yurai sp. nov. (♂♀), Hermotimus cornutus sp. nov. (♂♀), Hyllus formosus sp. nov. (♀), Icius entebbensis sp. nov. (♂), Icius hortensis sp. nov. (♂), Longarenus mpanga sp. nov. (♀), Massagris budongo sp. nov. (♂♀), Mexcala inopinata sp. nov. (♂♀), Myrmarachne corusca sp. nov. (♀), Phintella bella sp. nov. (♂♀), Phintella jucunda sp. nov. (♀), Phintella nilotica sp. nov. (♂), Plexippoides dentatus sp. nov. (♂), Rhene amabilis sp. nov. (♂♀), Rhene eximia sp. nov. (♂♀), Rhene hexagon sp. nov. (♂♀), Rhene sororis sp. nov. (♀), Rhene ugandensis sp. nov. (♀), Ruwenzorek evansi gen. et sp. nov. (♀), Thiratoscirtus africanus sp. nov. (♂♀), Thiratoscirtus bwindi sp. nov. (♀), Thiratoscirtus magnus sp. nov. (♀), Thiratoscirtus spinifer sp. nov. (♂), Thyene masindi sp. nov. (♂♀), Thyene perfecta sp. nov. (♂), Tusitala ugandensis sp. nov. (♀) and Vicirionessa ignota sp. nov. (♀). Five specific names are synonymized: Enoplomischus spinosus Wesołowska, 2005 with Enoplomischus ghesquierei Giltay, 1931, Evarcha elegans Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2000 [removed from synonymy of Evarcha werneri (Simon, 1906)] with Hyllus dotatus (Peckham & Peckham, 1903), Myrmarachne mussungue Wanless, 1978 with Myrmarachne evidens Roewer, 1965, Plexippus fibulatus Dawidowicz & Wesołowska, 2016 with Schenkelia modesta Lessert, 1927 and Vicirionessa prenanti (Berland & Millot, 1941) with Vicirionessa fuscimana (Simon, 1903). Two new combinations are proposed: Phintella chopardi (Berland & Millot, 1941) comb. nov. ex Cosmophasis and Phintellosa comosissima (Simon, 1886) gen. et comb. nov. ex Maevia. The as yet unknown females of nine species are described for the first time: Alfenus calamistratus Simon, 1902, Baryphas scintillans Berland & Millot, 1941, Dendryphantes elgonensis Wesołowska & Dawidowicz, 2014, Depreissia myrmex Lessert, 1942, Mikrus ugandensis Wesołowska, 2001, Phintella brevis Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2022, Phintellosa comosissima (Simon, 1886), Thiratoscirtus patagonicus Simon, 1886 and Thyene verdieri (Berland & Millot, 1941). The resulting list of salticids from Uganda now contains 141 species, of which 116 are recorded in this country for the first time. There is little overlap in the species list of Uganda and that of the neighbouring countries, not exceeding 40%.
Five new species of the spider genus Heteropoda Latreille, 1804 (Araneae: Sparassidae) from China
(2024)
Five new species of Heteropoda (Araneae, Sparassidae, Heteropodinae) are described from China: H. bawanglingensis sp. nov. (female; Hainan), H. dulongensis sp. nov. (male, female; Yunnan), H. hainanensis sp. nov. (male, female; Hainan), H. longa sp. nov. (female; Guizhou), and H. vaginalis sp. nov. (female; Yunnan). We provide descriptions and illustrations for each species as well as a distribution map in the current paper.
A documented checklist of the Crustacea (Stomatopoda, Decapoda) is provided for the southern Guianas region (sGuianas), a homogeneous ecoregion including Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and the Brazilian State of Amapá. The history of crustacean collections undertaken there between 1759 and 2022 is summarized. In total, 529 species are listed. Biodiversity varies between countries: 165 species in Guyana; 317 in Suriname, 343 in French Guiana, and 315 in Brazil Amapá, as a direct result of different sampling efforts. There are 22 Stomatopoda and 507 Decapoda, ranked by numerical diversity as Brachyura (206), Caridea (113), Anomura (85), Dendrobranchiata (67) and others (36). The list is analyzed with the species classified by major biotopes, distinguishing those from freshwater, mangroves and estuaries, and frankly marine environments. Regional comparisons are made in the Western Atlantic showing that the sGuianas marine fauna is depauperate compared to that of other regions. This is explained by the influence of the Amazon River plume, carrying desalinated water and fine sediments, which leads to the reduction of coral reef formations in sGuianas. Only a few species of freshwater crabs (genera Kunziana and Microthelphusa) are endemic to the region. The pace of species discovery over the years indicates that the sGuianas fauna remains still imperfectly known and that probably more than 600 species are present in the region.
New taxa and new records of Winnertziinae and Porricondylinae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) from Germany
(2024)
Winnertziinae and Porricondylinae are two subfamilies of mycophagous Cecidomyiidae (gall midges). An earlier census in 2021 found the German fauna of both groups to comprise 53 species and 28 genera – only a small proportion of the nearly 400 species and 75 genera known from all of Europe. A 24-month inventory in 2021‒2023, whose most significant taxonomic and faunistic outcomes are presented here, yielded evidence of an additional 142 species and 24 genera present in Germany, more precisely 41 species and three genera of Winnertziinae, and 101 species and 21 genera of Porricondylinae. Included in these numbers are 30 new species (six Winnertziinae, 24 Porricondylinae) and one new genus (of Porricondylinae) described and named here. The number of potentially new species discovered during the project is considerably larger (85+), but the too poor condition of the specimens and various other circumstances do not permit their taxonomic description at this stage. New taxa named in the present paper are Johnsonomyia szadziewskii sp. nov., Rhipidoxylomyia bilobata sp. nov., Winnertzia haushoferorum sp. nov., Winnertzia incrassata sp. nov., Winnertzia macrodens sp. nov., Winnertzia subdentata sp. nov., all Winnertziinae, Asynapta doczkali sp. nov., Asynapta falcata sp. nov., Bryocrypta longissima sp. nov., Camptomyia serrata sp. nov., Cassidoides rainensis sp. nov., Cassidoides riparius sp. nov., Claspettomyia gracilostylus sp. nov., Claspettomyia parvidentata sp. nov., Divellepidosis bavarica sp. nov., Lamellepidosis luderbuschensis sp. nov., Neurepidosis hartschimmelhofensis sp. nov., Neurepidosis simplex sp. nov., Parepidosis lobata sp. nov., Porricondyla acutistylata sp. nov., Porricondyla insolita sp. nov., Porricondyla oblonga sp. nov., Porricondyla ornata sp. nov., Porricondyla pilosoides sp. nov., Porricondyla plana sp. nov., Porricondyla pumila sp. nov., Schistoneurus paraimpressus sp. nov., Schistoneurus subimpressus sp. nov., Spungisomyia germanica sp. nov., Wohllebenia gen. nov., and Wohllebenia hybrida gen. et sp. nov., all Porricondylinae. Taxonomic descriptions are based on both the morphology of males and, if available, CO1 (DNA barcode) sequences, using specimens collected by Malaise traps in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, the two southernmost federal states of Germany. Released here are 150 BINs new to BOLD as well as 145 species names for previously unidentified BINs in BOLD. Redescriptions of male morphology are provided for Camptomyia heterobia Mamaev, 1961, Claspettomyia carpatica Mamaev, 1998, Dicerura scirpicola Kieffer, 1898, and Winnertzia betulicola Mamaev, 1963. The state of knowledge of Germany’s fauna of mycophagous gall midges is discussed.
Based on 7.33 fb−1 of 𝑒+𝑒− collision data collected at center-of-mass energies between 4.128 and 4.226 GeV with the BESIII detector, the experimental studies of the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decays 𝐷+𝑠→𝐾+𝐾+𝜋− and 𝐷+𝑠→𝐾+𝐾+𝜋−𝜋0 are reported. We determine the absolute branching fraction of 𝐷+𝑠→𝐾+𝐾+𝜋− to be (1.24+0.28−0.26(stat)±0.06(syst))×10−4. No significant signal of 𝐷+𝑠→𝐾+𝐾+𝜋−𝜋0 is observed and the upper limit on its decay branching fraction at 90% confidence level is set to be 1.7×10−4.
We measured the Born cross sections for the process e+e− → ωη′ at 22 center-of-mass energies from 2.000 to 3.080 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. We observed a resonant structure with a statistical significance of 9.6σ. A Breit-Wigner fit determines its mass to be MR = (2153 ± 30 ± 31) MeV/c2 and its width to be ΓR = (167 ± 77 ± 7) MeV, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic.
Crickets (Order Orthoptera, Infraorder Gryllidea) are under-represented in New Zealand, with a total of eight species identified and formally described thus far. These include three endemic species in the family Trigonidiidae: the trig Trigonidium (Metioche) maoricum (Walker, 1869) and the ground crickets Bobilla nigrova (Swan, 1972) and B. bigelowi (Swan, 1972). Scaly crickets (family Mogoplistidae) are naturally absent in New Zealand, but one species, Ornebius aperta Otte & Alexander, 1983, has established after introduction from Australia in the 1970s. In this work, I re-examine the small crickets (families Trigonidiidae and Mogoplistidae) from New Zealand based on 368 specimens collected throughout the country, their morphology, and their song. In the subfamily Nemobiinae, I provide new diagnostic characters to discriminate between the two native species in the genus Bobilla Otte & Alexander, 1983. Additionally, I identify two species in the genus Pteronemobius Jacobson, 1904; these are P. truncatus (Saussure, 1877) and P. cf. arima Otte & Alexander, 1983, both of which are believed to be recent arrivals from Australia. The latter had been thus far undetected in New Zealand. Finally, I describe two new species of mute Nemobiinae belonging to new monotypic genera, Austronemobius chelatus gen. et sp. nov. and Mutonemobius marmoratus gen. et sp. nov. In the subfamily Trigonidiinae, the species Trigonidium (Metioche) maoricum is moved back to the subgenus Trigonidium (Trigonidium) Rambur, 1838 based on morphology. Amended descriptions are provided for this genus and species. The Australian species Trigonidomorpha sjostedti Chopard, 1925 is synonymised with Trigonidium australianum (Chopard, 1925), and the genus Trigonidomorpha Chopard, 1925 is synonymised with Trigonidium Rambur, 1838. In the family Mogoplistidae, I show that Ornebius aperta has established in the Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki and Coromandel regions. Based on song and morphology of the male terminalia, populations in Northland may belong to a separate species, referred to in this work as Ornebius aff. aperta Otte & Alexander, 1983.
The first measurements of skewness and kurtosis of mean transverse momentum (⟨pT⟩) fluctuations are reported in Pb−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√ = 5.02 TeV, Xe−Xe collisions at sNN−−−√ = 5.44 TeV and pp collisions at s√=5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector. The measurements are carried out as a function of system size ⟨dNch/dη⟩1/3|η|<0.5, using charged particles with transverse momentum (pT) and pseudorapidity (η), in the range 0.2<pT<3.0 GeV/c and |η|<0.8, respectively. In Pb−Pb and Xe−Xe collisions, positive skewness is observed in the fluctuations of ⟨pT⟩ for all centralities, which is significantly larger than what would be expected in the scenario of independent particle emission. This positive skewness is considered a crucial consequence of the hydrodynamic evolution of the hot and dense nuclear matter created in heavy-ion collisions. Furthermore, similar observations of positive skewness for minimum bias pp collisions are also reported here. Kurtosis of ⟨pT⟩ fluctuations is found to be in good agreement with the kurtosis of Gaussian distribution, for most central Pb−Pb collisions. Hydrodynamic model calculations with MUSIC using Monte Carlo Glauber initial conditions are able to explain the measurements of both skewness and kurtosis qualitatively from semicentral to central collisions in Pb--Pb system. Color reconnection mechanism in PYTHIA8 model seems to play a pivotal role in capturing the qualitative behavior of the same measurements in pp collisions.
Changes in glutamatergic neuroplasticity has been proposed as one of the core mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of depression. In consequence components of the glutamatergic synapse have been explored as potential targets for antidepressant treatment. The rapid antidepressant effect of the NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine and subsequent approval of its S-enantiomer (i.e. esketamine), have set the precedent for investigation into other glutamatergic rapid acting antidepressants (RAADs). In this review, we discuss the potential of the different glutamatergic targets for antidepressant treatment. We describe important clinical outcomes of several key molecules targeting components of the glutamatergic synapse and their applicability as RAADs. Specifically, here we focus on substances beyond (es)ketamine, for which meaningful data from clinical trials are available, including arketamine, esmethadone, nitrous oxide and other glutamate receptor modulators. Molecules only successful in preclinical settings and case reports/series are only marginally discussed. With this review, we aim underscore the critical role of glutamatergic modulation in advancing antidepressant therapy, thereby possibly enhancing clinical outcomes but also to reducing the burden of depression through faster therapeutic effects.
An extensive survey of Linyphiidae spiders from Wulipo National Nature Reserve (NNR), Chongqing has been conducted, in which 24 species belonging to 16 genera are recorded including two new genera and eight new species described here as: Agyneta Hull, 1911, A. orthogonia sp. nov. (♂♀); Dicristatus gen. nov., D. minutus gen. et sp. nov. (♂♀); Dicymbium Menge, 1868, D. pingqianense sp. nov. (♂♀); Himalaphantes Tanasevitch, 1992, H. azumiensis (Oi, 1979) (♂♀); Indophantes Saaristo & Tanasevitch, 2003, I. wushanensis sp. nov. (♂♀); Ketambea Millidge & Russell-Smith, 1992, K. nigripectoris (Oi, 1960) (♂♀); Molestia Tu, Saaristo & Li, 2006, M. pollicaris sp. nov. (♂♀); Neriene Blackwall, 1833, N. calozonata Chen & Zhu, 1989 (♀), N. cavaleriei (Schenkel, 1963) (♂♀), N. emphana (Walckenaer, 1841) (♂♀), N. japonica (Oi, 1960) (♂♀), N. limbatinella (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) (♀), N. longipedella (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) (♂♀), N. oidedicata van Helsdingen, 1969 (♀); Prosoponoides Millidge & Russell-Smith, 1992, P. sinense (Chen, 1991) (♂♀); Ryojius Saito & Ono, 2001, R. simplex sp. nov. (♂♀); Stemonyphantes Menge, 1866, S. bifurcus sp. nov. (♂); Syedra Simon, 1884, S. oii Saito, 1983; Tapinopa Westring, 1851, T. guttata Komatsu, 1937 (♀); Tenuiphantes Saaristo & Tanasevitch, 1996, T. ancatus (Zhu, Li & Sha, 1986) (♂♀); Walckenaeria Blackwall, 1833, Walckenaeria asymmetrica Song & Li, 2011 (♂♀); Wuliphantes gen. nov., W. guanshan (Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2022) gen. et comb. nov. (♂♀), W. tongluensis (Chen & Song, 1988) gen. et comb. nov. (♂♀), W. trigyrus gen. et sp. nov. (♂♀). Male of Tenuiphantes ancatus (Zhu, Li & Sha, 1986) is described here for the first time as new to science. The taxonomic status of Bathyphantes guanshan Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2022 and Bathyphantes tongluensis (Chen & Song, 1988) is revised and proposed here as: Wuliphantes tongluensis (Chen& Song, 1988) gen. et comb. nov. (♂♀) and Wuliphantes guanshan (Irfan, Wang & Zhang, 2022) gen. et comb. nov. (♂♀), respectively. Morphological descriptions, photos of body and copulatory organs, as well as the locality map are provided.
Bujurquina is the most widely distributed and species-rich genus of cichlids in the western Amazon of South America. In this study we describe a new species from Peru from a hypothesized reverse flowing river system. Prior to the origin of the modern Amazon River at 4.5 Ma, this river system had its headwaters on the Iquitos arch, one of several main structural arches (swells) in the Amazon. Prior to the origin of the modern Amazon these arches formed topographic barriers of drainage basins in lowland Amazonia. For our analyses we use morphological and molecular data, analyzed through multivariate statistics and molecular phylogenies, respectivelly. For all valid species in the genus (except B. cordemadi and B. pardus) we additionally for the first time provide photographs of live specimens. Based on DNA phylogeny and coloration patterns we demonstrate that Bujurquina is divided into two main clades and based on this we provide a dichotomous key for all the species.
Four new species of marine polycystidid microturbellarians (Platyhelminthes, Kalyptorhynchia) are described from Cuba and Panama. These species are Brachyrhynchoides ortizi sp. nov., Djeziraia adriani sp. nov., Phonorhynchoides lalanai sp. nov., and Sabulirhynchus ibarrae sp. nov. All species occur in Cuba, and P. lalanai sp. nov. was also retrieved from the Pacific coast of Panama. From the latter locality, we also report Sabulirhynchus axi Artois & Schockaert, 2000. All species are readily distinguished from their congeners by the morphology of the sclerotised structures of the male genital system. The prostatic stylet of B. ortizi sp. nov. is the shortest and widest known for Brachyrhynchoides. Djeziraia adriani sp. nov. can be recognized by its paired seminal vesicles and S-shaped prostate stylet. The prostatic stylet of P. lalanai sp. nov. is proximally twisted and the length proportion between its accessory and prostatic stylet is the largest among all known species of Phonorhynchoides. Sabulirhynchus axi and Sabulirhynchus ibarrae sp. nov. are morphologically similar, yet the latter species is unique due to the characteristic ridge in the middle of the proximally tubular prostatic stylet. With the data available today, a possible explanation of rhabdocoel biogeographic patterns across the Isthmus of Panama remains largely speculative.
Biclonuncaria recurvana, new species (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Polyorthini), is described and illustrated from Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica. It is most similar to B. conica Razowski, 1993, from Mexico, but the two are easily distinguished by features of the male genitalia. Biclonuncaria recurvana has been reared (n = 12 specimens) from field-collected larvae feeding on the leaves of Dalbergia glomerata Hemsley (Fabaceae), consistent with the previously reported host plant for B. dalbergiae Razowski and Becker, 1993, which has been reared from Dalbergia in Brazil.
ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:22EAB34E-0619-4B44-A595-701F8E0FCB24
The North American-Caribbean genera Pholcophora Banks, 1896 and Tolteca Huber, 2000 are representatives of Ninetinae, a group of small, cryptic, and thus poorly known pholcid spiders. We present the first comprehensive revisions of the two genera, including extensive SEM data and descriptions of seven new species from Mexico (Pholcophora mazatlan Huber sp. nov., P. papanoa Huber sp. nov., P. tehuacan Huber sp. nov., Tolteca huahua Huber sp. nov., T. manzanillo Huber sp. nov., T. oaxaca Huber sp. nov., and T. sinnombre Huber sp. nov.). We add new CO1 sequences of nine species to previously published molecular data and use these for a preliminary analysis of relationships. We recover a North American-Caribbean clade including ‘true’ (mainland) Pholcophora, Tolteca (Mexico), and a Caribbean clade consisting of the genus Papiamenta Huber, 2000 (Curaçao) and Caribbean ‘Pholcophora’. First karyotype data for Tolteca (2n♂ = 13, X1X2Y and 15, X1X2Y, respectively) reveal a strong reduction of the number of chromosome pairs within the North American-Caribbean clade, and considerable karyotype differentiation among congeners. This agrees with considerable CO1 divergence among species of Tolteca but contrasts with very inconspicuous morphological divergence. Environmental niche analyses show that the widespread P. americana Banks, 1896 (western USA, SW Canada) occupies a very different niche than its Mexican congeners and other close relatives. Caribbean taxa also have a low niche overlap with ‘true’ Pholcophora and Tolteca, supporting the idea that Caribbean ‘Pholcophora’ are taxonomically misplaced.
The purpose of this study was to examine if prosodic patterns in oral reading derived from Recurrence Quantification Analysis (RQA) could distinguish between struggling and skilled German readers in Grades 2 (n = 67) and 4 (n = 69). Furthermore, we investigated whether models estimated with RQA measures outperformed models estimated with prosodic features derived from prosodic transcription. According to the findings, struggling second graders appear to have a slower reading rate, longer intervals between pauses, and more repetitions of recurrent amplitudes and pauses, whereas struggling fourth graders appear to have less stable pause patterns over time, more pitch repetitions, more similar amplitude patterns over time, and more repetitions of pauses. Additionally, the models with prosodic patterns outperformed models with prosodic features. These findings suggest that the RQA approach provides additional information about prosody that complements an established approach.
Taxonomic history and review of the Förster genera of Platygastridae (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea)
(2023)
Platygastridae is a ʻdark taxonʼ, with many genera and species in dire need of professional attention. The taxonomic impediment is especially severe in the Palearctic Platygastrinae due to the abundance of names with vague concepts. Historical descriptions and their associated type material must be examined and clarified before further revisionary work can occur. Arnold Förster described 18 genera of Platygastridae, most of which represent distinct and recognizable lineages. The present study reviews their taxonomic history, providing diagnostic remarks, English translations, and illustrations of important specimens from the Förster collection in the Natural History Museum Vienna. The collection also includes original exemplar specimens of European species whose types have been lost. Neotypes and lectotypes are designated from this material to improve nomenclatural stability in the group. Neotypes are designated for Amblyaspis forticornis (Nees, 1834), Isocybus grandis (Nees, 1834), Platygaster striolata Nees, 1834, and Trichacis tristis (Nees, 1834). Lectotypes are designated for Leptacis spinigera (Nees, 1834) comb. nov. and for Platygaster corvina Förster, 1861, with Platygaster henkvlugi Buhl, 1996 treated as a junior synonym. Platygaster mutica Nees, 1834 stat. rev., nomen dubium, is transferred from Synopeas.
We present a massively parallel framework for computing tropicalizations of algebraic varieties which can make use of symmetries using the workflow management system GPI-Space and the computer algebra system Singular. We determine the tropical Grassmannian TGr0(3,8). Our implementation works efficiently on up to 840 cores, computing the 14763 orbits of maximal cones under the canonical S8-action in about 20 minutes. Relying on our result, we show that the Gröbner structure of TGr0(3,8) refines the 16-dimensional skeleton of the coarsest fan structure of the Dressian Dr(3,8), except for 23 orbits of special cones, for which we construct explicit obstructions to the realizability of their tropical linear spaces. Moreover, we propose algorithms for identifying maximal-dimensional cones which belong to positive tropicalizations of algebraic varieties. We compute the positive Grassmannian TGr+(3,8) and compare it to the cluster complex of the classical Grassmannian Gr(3,8).
This paper proposes tests for out-of-sample comparisons of interval forecasts based on parametric conditional quantile models. The tests rank the distance between actual and nominal conditional coverage with respect to the set of conditioning variables from all models, for a given loss function. We propose a pairwise test to compare two models for a single predictive interval. The set-up is then extended to a comparison across multiple models and/or intervals. The limiting distribution varies depending on whether models are strictly non-nested or overlapping. In the latter case, degeneracy may occur. We establish the asymptotic validity of wild bootstrap based critical values across all cases. An empirical application to Growth-at-Risk (GaR) uncovers situations in which a richer set of financial indicators are found to outperform a commonly-used benchmark model when predicting downside risk to economic activity.
In a recent discussion on how to deal with data analysis issues initiated by reviewers of pain-related scientific manuscripts in the European Journal of Pain, a seemingly simple statistical issue was raised: two subsets of data in a paper had the same mean and standard deviation. A reviewer asked for a statistical test for or against the identity of the subset distributions. The authors insisted that if the mean and standard deviation were the same, this was sufficient evidence that the subsets of data were not significantly different.
This prompted a discussion among pain researchers, who are not necessarily primarily from the field of data science, a discussion of the importance of carefully examining the distribution of pain-related data in a journal whose primary audience is pain researchers seems warranted...
Objectives In this early retrospective cohort study, a total of 26 patients with SARS-CoV-2 were treated with bamlanivimab or casirivimab/imdevimab, and the reduction of the viral load associated with the developed clinical symptoms was analyzed.
Methods: Patients in the intervention groups received bamlanivimab or casirivimab/imdevimab. Patients without treatment served as control. Outcomes were assessed by clinical symptoms and change in log viral load from baseline based on the cycle threshold over a period of 18 days.
Results: Median log viral load decline was higher in both intervention groups after 3 and 6 days compared to control. However, at later time points, the decline of the viral load was more distinct in the control group. Mild symptoms of COVID-19 were observed in 6.3% of the intervention groups and in no patient of the control. No patients treated with bamlanivimab, 18.8% treated with casirivimab/imdevimab, and 14.2% in the control group developed moderate symptoms. Severe symptoms were recorded only in the control group (14.2%), including one related death.
Conclusion: Treatment with monoclonal SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seems to accelerate decline of virus loads, especially in the first 6 days after administration, compared to control. This may be associated with a reduced likeliness of a severe course of COVID-19.
Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are one of the most successful computer vision systems to solve object recognition. Furthermore, CNNs have major applications in understanding the nature of visual representations in the human brain. Yet it remains poorly understood how CNNs actually make their decisions, what the nature of their internal representations is, and how their recognition strategies differ from humans. Specifically, there is a major debate about the question of whether CNNs primarily rely on surface regularities of objects, or whether they are capable of exploiting the spatial arrangement of features, similar to humans. Here, we develop a novel feature-scrambling approach to explicitly test whether CNNs use the spatial arrangement of features (i.e. object parts) to classify objects. We combine this approach with a systematic manipulation of effective receptive field sizes of CNNs as well as minimal recognizable configurations (MIRCs) analysis. In contrast to much previous literature, we provide evidence that CNNs are in fact capable of using relatively long-range spatial relationships for object classification. Moreover, the extent to which CNNs use spatial relationships depends heavily on the dataset, e.g. texture vs. sketch. In fact, CNNs even use different strategies for different classes within heterogeneous datasets (ImageNet), suggesting CNNs have a continuous spectrum of classification strategies. Finally, we show that CNNs learn the spatial arrangement of features only up to an intermediate level of granularity, which suggests that intermediate rather than global shape features provide the optimal trade-off between sensitivity and specificity in object classification. These results provide novel insights into the nature of CNN representations and the extent to which they rely on the spatial arrangement of features for object classification.
Aberrant neurophysiological signaling associated with speech impairments in Parkinson’s disease
(2023)
Difficulty producing intelligible speech is a debilitating symptom of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Yet, both the robust evaluation of speech impairments and the identification of the affected brain systems are challenging. Using task-free magnetoencephalography, we examine the spectral and spatial definitions of the functional neuropathology underlying reduced speech quality in patients with PD using a new approach to characterize speech impairments and a novel brain-imaging marker. We found that the interactive scoring of speech impairments in PD (N = 59) is reliable across non-expert raters, and better related to the hallmark motor and cognitive impairments of PD than automatically-extracted acoustical features. By relating these speech impairment ratings to neurophysiological deviations from healthy adults (N = 65), we show that articulation impairments in patients with PD are associated with aberrant activity in the left inferior frontal cortex, and that functional connectivity of this region with somatomotor cortices mediates the influence of cognitive decline on speech deficits.
Zielsetzung: Untersuchung der Auswirkungen der Covid-19-Pandemie auf Angebote der vor allem niedrigschwelligen Drogenhilfe und Reaktionen der Klientel auf geänderte Angebote. Methodik: Verwendet wurden in erster Linie Daten aus einer asynchronen qualitativen Onlinebefragung für Mitarbeiter_innen der ambulanten Drogenhilfe, ergänzt durch Zahlen aus einer quantitativen Onlinebefragung für dieselbe Zielgruppe. Ergebnisse: Während übliche Infektionsschutzmaßnahmen nahezu überall angewendet wurden, reichte die Spanne der tatsächlichen Auswirkungen von Komplettschließungen bis zu eher geringen Einschränkungen. Schwerpunkte wurden zumeist auf Überlebenshilfe und Straßensozialarbeit gelegt. Beratung wurde oft per Telefon durchgeführt, was für viele Anliegen als sinnvoll erachtet wurde, Beziehungsarbeit aber erschwerte. Vor allem stark verelendete Klient_innen nutzten weiterhin häufig Hilfsangebote. Schlussfolgerungen: Es zeigen sich unterschiedliche Umgangsweisen der Drogenhilfe mit den pandemiebedingten Maßnahmen. Oft entwickelte man kreative Lösungen zur Umsetzung, mit Schwerpunktsetzung auf Existenzsicherung. Sowohl Mitarbeiter_innen als auch Klientel waren durch die Pandemie zahlreichen Belastungen ausgesetzt.
SAMHD1 is discussed as a tumour suppressor protein, but its potential role in cancer has only been investigated in very few cancer types. Here, we performed a systematic analysis of the TCGA (adult cancer) and TARGET (paediatric cancer) databases, the results of which did not suggest that SAMHD1 should be regarded as a bona fide tumour suppressor. SAMHD1 mutations that interfere with SAMHD1 function were not associated with poor outcome, which would be expected for a tumour suppressor. High SAMHD1 tumour levels were associated with increased survival in some cancer entities and reduced survival in others. Moreover, the data suggested differences in the role of SAMHD1 between males and females and between different races. Often, there was no significant relationship between SAMHD1 levels and cancer outcome. Taken together, our results indicate that SAMHD1 may exert pro-or anti-tumourigenic effects and that SAMHD1 is involved in the oncogenic process in a minority of cancer cases. These findings seem to be in disaccord with a perception and narrative forming in the field suggesting that SAMHD1 is a tumour suppressor. A systematic literature review confirmed that most of the available scientific articles focus on a potential role of SAMHD1 as a tumour suppressor. The reasons for this remain unclear but may include confirmation bias and publication bias. Our findings emphasise that hypotheses, perceptions, and assumptions need to be continuously challenged by using all available data and evidence.
Report on the Workshop "Trust, Crisis, Catastrophe III: Practices," organized by Nina Doejen, Gerald Hartung, Katharina Kalthoff, Florian Kappeler, and Cécile Stehrenberger, January 18–20, 2023, University of Wuppertal (Germany).
Recent advances in mathematical modelling and artificial intelligence have challenged the use of traditional regression analysis in biomedical research. This study examined artificial and cancer research data using binomial and multinomial logistic regression and compared its performance with other machine learning models such as random forests, support vector machines, Bayesian classifiers, k-nearest neighbours and repeated incremental clipping (RIPPER). The alternative models often outperformed regression in accurately classifying new cases. Logistic regression had a structural problem similar to early single-layer neural networks, which limited its ability to identify variables with high statistical significance for reliable class assignment. Therefore, regression is not always the best model for class prediction in biomedical datasets. The study emphasises the importance of validating selected models and suggests that a mixture of experts approach may be a more advanced and effective strategy for analysing biomedical datasets.
Adaptive decision-making is governed by at least two types of memory processes. On the one hand, learned predictions through integrating multiple experiences, and on the other hand, one-shot episodic memories. These two processes interact, and predictions – particularly prediction errors – influence how episodic memories are encoded. However, studies using computational models disagree on the exact shape of this relationship, with some findings showing an effect of signed prediction errors and others showing an effect of unsigned prediction errors on episodic memory. We argue that the choice-confirmation bias, which reflects stronger learning from choice-confirming compared to disconfirming outcomes, could explain these seemingly diverging results. Our perspective implies that the influence of prediction errors on episodic encoding critically depends on whether people can freely choose between options (i.e., instrumental learning tasks) or not (Pavlovian learning tasks). The choice-confirmation bias on memory encoding might have evolved to prioritize memory representations that optimize reward-guided decision-making. We conclude by discussing open issues and implications for future studies.
Leukemia cells reciprocally interact with their surrounding bone marrow microenvironment (BMM), rendering it hospitable to leukemia cell survival, for instance through the release of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs). In contrast, we show here that BMM deficiency of pleckstrin homology domain family M member 1 (PLEKHM1), which serves as a hub between fusion and secretion of intracellular vesicles and is important for vesicular secretion in osteoclasts, accelerates murine BCR-ABL1+ B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) via regulation of the cargo of sEVs released by BMM-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). PLEKHM1-deficient MSCs and their sEVs carry increased amounts of syntenin and syndecan-1, resulting in a more immature B-cell phenotype and an increased number/function of leukemia-initiating cells (LICs) via focal adhesion kinase and AKT signaling in B-ALL cells. Ex vivo pretreatment of LICs with sEVs derived from PLEKHM1-deficient MSCs led to a strong trend toward acceleration of murine and human BCR-ABL1+ B-ALL. In turn, inflammatory mediators such as recombinant or B-ALL cell–derived tumor necrosis factor α or interleukin-1β condition murine and human MSCs in vitro, decreasing PLEKHM1, while increasing syntenin and syndecan-1 in MSCs, thereby perpetuating the sEV-associated circuit. Consistently, human trephine biopsies of patients with B-ALL showed a reduced percentage of PLEKHM1+ MSCs. In summary, our data reveal an important role of BMM-derived sEVs for driving specifically BCR-ABL1+ B-ALL, possibly contributing to its worse prognosis compared with BCR-ABL1− B-ALL, and suggest that secretion of inflammatory cytokines by cancer cells in general may similarly modulate the tumor microenvironment.
Memoria. Vom gefeierten zum ausgelöschten und entehrenden Erinnern an den Imperator Maximinus Thrax
(2023)
Sex differences in pain perception have been extensively studied, but precision medicine applications such as sex-specific pain pharmacology have barely progressed beyond proof-of-concept. A data set of pain thresholds to mechanical (blunt and punctate pressure) and thermal (heat and cold) stimuli applied to non-sensitized and sensitized (capsaicin, menthol) forearm skin of 69 male and 56 female healthy volunteers was analyzed for data structures contingent with the prior sex structure using unsupervised and supervised approaches. A working hypothesis that the relevance of sex differences could be approached via reversibility of the association, i.e., sex should be identifiable from pain thresholds, was verified with trained machine learning algorithms that could infer a person's sex in a 20% validation sample not seen to the algorithms during training, with balanced accuracy of up to 79%. This was only possible with thresholds for mechanical stimuli, but not for thermal stimuli or sensitization responses, which were not sufficient to train an algorithm that could assign sex better than by guessing or when trained with nonsense (permuted) information. This enabled the translation to the molecular level of nociceptive targets that convert mechanical but not thermal information into signals interpreted as pain, which could eventually be used for pharmacological precision medicine approaches to pain. By exploiting a key feature of machine learning, which allows for the recognition of data structures and the reduction of information to the minimum relevant, experimental human pain data could be characterized in a way that incorporates "non" logic that could be translated directly to the molecular pharmacological level, pointing toward sex-specific precision medicine for pain.
Selecting the k best features is a common task in machine learning. Typically, a few features have high importance, but many have low importance (right-skewed distribution). This report proposes a numerically precise method to address this skewed feature importance distribution in order to reduce a feature set to the informative minimum of items. Computed ABC analysis (cABC) is an item categorization method that aims to identify the most important items by partitioning a set of non-negative numerical items into subsets "A", "B", and "C" such that subset "A" contains the "few important" items based on specific properties of ABC curves defined by their relationship to Lorenz curves. In its recursive form, the cABC analysis can be applied again to subset "A". A generic image dataset and three biomedical datasets (lipidomics and two genomics datasets) with a large number of variables were used to perform the experiments. The experimental results show that the recursive cABC analysis limits the dimensions of the data projection to a minimum where the relevant information is still preserved and directs the feature selection in machine learning to the most important class-relevant information, including filtering feature sets for nonsense variables. Feature sets were reduced to 10% or less of the original variables and still provided accurate classification in data not used for feature selection. cABC analysis, in its recursive variant, provides a computationally precise means of reducing information to a minimum. The minimum is the result of a computation of the number of k most relevant items, rather than a decision to select the k best items from a list. In addition, there are precise criteria for stopping the reduction process. The reduction to the most important features can improve the human understanding of the properties of the data set. The cABC method is implemented in the Python package "cABCanalysis" available at https://pypi.org/project/cABCanalysis/.
Cryo-electron tomography (CryoET) resolves individual macromolecules inside living cells. However, the complex composition and high density of cells challenge the faithful identification of features in tomograms. Here, we capitalize on recent advances in electron tomography and demonstrate that 3D template matching (TM) localizes a wide range of structures inside crowded eukaryotic cells with confidence 10 to 100-fold above the noise level. We establish a TM pipeline with systematically tuned parameters for automated, objective and comprehensive feature identification. High-fidelity and high-confidence localizations of nuclear pore complexes, vaults, ribosomes, proteasomes, lipid membranes and microtubules, and individual subunits, demonstrate that TM is generic. We resolve ~100-kDa proteins, connect the functional states of complexes to their cellular localization, and capture vaults carrying ribosomal cargo in situ. By capturing individual molecular events inside living cells with defined statistical confidence, high-confidence TM greatly speeds up the CryoET workflow and sets the stage for visual proteomics.
Six new and four known species of the genus Axonchium Cobb, 1920 are described and illustrated from the Western Ghats of India. Axonchium indicum sp. nov. has a 1.2–1.4 mm long body, offset lip region, 8–9 µm long odontostyle, expanded part of pharynx 39–49 % of total neck length, anterior uterine sac 0.9–1.6 times the mid-body diameter long, and a bluntly conoid tail. Axonchium microspiculum sp. nov. has a 1.1–1.22 mm long body, offset lip region, 7–8 µm long odontostyle, 20–23 µm long spicules, two weakly developed ventromedian supplements, and obtusely rounded tail. Axonchium nilgiriense sp. nov. has a 1.4–1.6 mm long body, offset lip region, 8–9 µm long odontostyle, vagina strongly bent posteriad, 37–41 µm long spicules, 3–4 ventromedian supplements, and bluntly conoid tail. Axonchium paracingulatum sp. nov. has a 2.5–2.8 mm long body, offset lip region, 10–11 µm long odontostyle, vaginal lumen highly expanded in the middle, 69 µm long spicules, and broadly conoid tail with rounded terminus. Axonchium tropicum sp. nov. has a 1.7–2.0 mm long body, offset lip region, 11–12 µm long odontostyle, anterior uterine sac 2.3–4.0 times the mid-body diameter long, 40 µm long spicules, 4 widely spaced ventromedian supplements, and broadly rounded tail. Axonchium uniqum sp. nov. has a 1.7–2.0 mm long body, offset lip region, 10–11 µm long odontostyle, anterior uterine sac 2.5–2.8 times mid-body diameter long, 68 µm long and slender spicules, and broadly conoid tail. Axonchium nitidum, A. saccatum, A. transkeiense and A. vallum are redescribed based on specimens collected from several localities. A diagnostic key to the identification of the valid species of this genus is provided.
Recent findings indicate that visual feedback derived from episodic memory can be traced down to the earliest stages of visual processing, whereas feedback stemming from schema-related memories only reach intermediate levels in the visual processing hierarchy. In this opinion piece, we examine these differences in light of the 'what' and 'where' streams of visual perception. We build upon this new framework to propose that the memory deficits observed in aphantasics might be better understood as a difference in high-level feedback processing along the ‘what’ stream, rather than an episodic memory impairment.
Attribute amnesia describes the failure to unexpectedly report the attribute of an attended stimulus, likely reflecting a lack of working memory consolidation. Previous studies have shown that unique meaningful objects are immune to attribute amnesia. However, these studies used highly dissimilar foils to test memory, raising the possibility that good performance at the surprise test was based on an imprecise (gist-like) form of long-term memory. In Experiment 1, we explored whether a more sensitive memory test would reveal attribute amnesia in meaningful objects. We used a four-alternative-forced-choice test with foils having mis-matched exemplar (e.g., apple pie/pumpkin pie) and/or state (e.g., cut/full) information. Errors indicated intact exemplar, but not state information. Thus, meaningful objects are vulnerable to attribute amnesia under the right conditions. In Experiments 2A-2D, we manipulated the familiarity signals of test items by introducing a critical object as a pre-surprise target. In the surprise trial, this critical item matched one of the foil choices. Participants selected the critical object more often than other items. By demonstrating that familiarity influences responses in this paradigm, we suggest that meaningful objects are not immune to attribute amnesia but instead side-step the effects of attribute amnesia.
Measurements of the production cross sections of prompt D0, D+, D∗+, D+s, Λ+c, and Ξ+c charm hadrons at midrapidity in proton−proton collisions at s√=13 TeV with the ALICE detector are presented. The D-meson cross sections as a function of transverse momentum (pT) are provided with improved precision and granularity. The ratios of pT-differential meson production cross sections based on this publication and on measurements at different rapidity and collision energy provide a constraint on gluon parton distribution functions at low values of Bjorken-x (10−5−10−4). The measurements of Λ+c (Ξ+c) baryon production extend the measured pT intervals down to pT=0(3)~GeV/c. These measurements are used to determine the charm-quark fragmentation fractions and the cc¯¯ production cross section at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) based on the sum of the cross sections of the weakly-decaying ground-state charm hadrons D0, D+, D+s, Λ+c, Ξ0c and, for the first time, Ξ+c, and of the strongly-decaying J/psi mesons. The first measurements of Ξ+c and Σ0,++c fragmentation fractions at midrapidity are also reported. A significantly larger fraction of charm quarks hadronising to baryons is found compared to e+e− and ep collisions. The cc¯¯ production cross section at midrapidity is found to be at the upper bound of state-of-the-art perturbative QCD calculations.
A newly developed observable for correlations between symmetry planes, which characterize the direction of the anisotropic emission of produced particles, is measured in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=2.76 TeV with ALICE. This so-called Gaussian Estimator allows for the first time the study of these quantities without the influence of correlations between different flow amplitudes. The centrality dependence of various correlations between two, three and four symmetry planes is presented. The ordering of magnitude between these symmetry plane correlations is discussed and the results of the Gaussian Estimator are compared with measurements of previously used estimators. The results utilizing the new estimator lead to significantly smaller correlations than reported by studies using the Scalar Product method. Furthermore, the obtained symmetry plane correlations are compared to state-of-the-art hydrodynamic model calculations for the evolution of heavy-ion collisions. While the model predictions provide a qualitative description of the data, quantitative agreement is not always observed, particularly for correlators with significant non-linear response of the medium to initial state anisotropies of the collision system. As these results provide unique and independent information, their usage in future Bayesian analysis can further constrain our knowledge on the properties of the QCD matter produced in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions.
The inclusive production of the charm-strange baryon Ω0c is measured for the first time via its hadronic decay into Ω−π+ at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) in proton-proton (pp) collisions at the centre-of-mass energy s√=13 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The transverse momentum (pT) differential cross section multiplied by the branching ratio is presented in the interval 2<pT<12 GeV/c. The pT dependence of the Ω0c-baryon production relative to the prompt D0-meson and to the prompt Ξ0c-baryon production is compared to various models that take different hadronisation mechanisms into consideration. In the measured pT interval, the ratio of the pT-integrated cross sections of Ω0c and prompt Λ+c baryons multiplied by the Ω−π+ branching ratio is found to be larger by a factor of about 20 with a significance of about 4σ when compared to e+e− collisions.
The azimuthal (Δφ) correlation distributions between heavy-flavor decay electrons and associated charged particles are measured in pp and p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. Results are reported for electrons with transverse momentum 4<pT<16 GeV/c and pseudorapidity |η|<0.6. The associated charged particles are selected with transverse momentum 1<pT<7 GeV/c, and relative pseudorapidity separation with the leading electron |Δη|<1. The correlation measurements are performed to study and characterize the fragmentation and hadronization of heavy quarks. The correlation structures are fitted with a constant and two von Mises functions to obtain the baseline and the near- and away-side peaks, respectively. The results from p−Pb collisions are compared with those from pp collisions to study the effects of cold nuclear matter. In the measured trigger electron and associated particle kinematic regions, the two collision systems give consistent results. The Δφ distribution and the peak observables in pp and p−Pb collisions are compared with calculations from various Monte Carlo event generators.
Two-particle correlations with K0S, Λ/Λ¯, and charged hadrons as trigger particles in the transverse momentum range 8<pT,trig<16 GeV/c, and associated charged particles within 1<pT,assoc<8 GeV/c, are studied at mid-rapidity in pp and central Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. After subtracting the contributions of the flow background, the per-trigger yields are extracted on both the near and away sides, and the ratio in Pb-Pb collisions with respect to pp collisions (IAA) is computed. The per-trigger yield in Pb-Pb collisions on the away side is strongly suppressed to the level of IAA≈0.6 for pT,assoc>3 GeV/c as expected from strong in-medium energy loss, while an enhancement develops at low pT,assoc on both the near and away sides, reaching IAA≈1.8 and 2.7 respectively. These findings are in good agreement with previous ALICE measurements from two-particle correlations triggered by neutral pions (π0-h) and charged hadrons (h-h) in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=2.76 TeV. Moreover, the correlations with K0S mesons and Λ/Λ¯ baryons as trigger particles are compared to those of inclusive charged hadrons. The results are compared with the predictions of Monte Carlo models.
MutLα is essential for human DNA mismatch repair (MMR). It harbors a latent endonuclease, is responsible for recruitment of process associated proteins and is relevant for strand discrimination. Recently, we demonstrated that the MMR function of MutLα is regulated by phosphorylation of MLH1 at serine (S) 477. In the current study, we focused on S87 located in the ATPase domain of MLH1 and on S446, S456 and S477 located in its linker region. We analysed the phosphorylation-dependent impact of these amino acids on DNA binding, MMR ability and thermal stability of MutLα. We were able to demonstrate that phosphorylation at S87 of MLH1 inhibits DNA binding of MutLα. In addition, we detected that its MMR function seems to be regulated predominantly via phosphorylation of serines in the linker domain, which are also partially involved in the regulation of DNA binding. Furthermore, we found that the thermal stability of MutLα decreased in relation to its phosphorylation status implying that complete phosphorylation might lead to instability and degradation of MLH1. In summary, we showed here, for the first time, a phosphorylation-dependent regulation of DNA binding of MutLα and hypothesized that this might significantly impact its functional regulation during MMR in vivo.
The first measurement of the e+e− pair production at low lepton pair transverse momentum (pT,ee) and low invariant mass (mee) in non-central Pb−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV at the LHC is presented. The dielectron production is studied with the ALICE detector at midrapidity (|ηe|<0.8) as a function of invariant mass (0.4≤mee<2.7 GeV/c2) in the 50−70% and 70−90% centrality classes for pT,ee<0.1 GeV/c, and as a function of pT,ee in three mee intervals in the most peripheral Pb−Pb collisions. Below a pT,ee of 0.1 GeV/c, a clear excess of e+e− pairs is found compared to the expectations from known hadronic sources and predictions of thermal radiation from the medium. The mee excess spectra are reproduced, within uncertainties, by different predictions of the photon−photon production of dielectrons, where the photons originate from the extremely strong electromagnetic fields generated by the highly Lorentz-contracted Pb nuclei. Lowest-order quantum electrodynamic (QED) calculations, as well as a model that takes into account the impact-parameter dependence of the average transverse momentum of the photons, also provide a good description of the pT,ee spectra. The measured ⟨p2T,ee⟩−−−−−√ of the excess pT,ee spectrum in peripheral Pb−Pb collisions is found to be comparable to the values observed previously at RHIC in a similar phase-space region.
We report about the properties of the underlying event measured with ALICE at the LHC in pp and p−Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. The event activity, quantified by charged-particle number and summed-pT densities, is measured as a function of the leading-particle transverse momentum (ptrigT). These quantities are studied in three azimuthal-angle regions relative to the leading particle in the event: toward, away, and transverse. Results are presented for three different pT thresholds (0.15, 0.5, and 1 GeV/c) at mid-pseudorapidity (|η|<0.8). The event activity in the transverse region, which is the most sensitive to the underlying event, exhibits similar behaviour in both pp and p−Pb collisions, namely, a steep increase with ptrigT for low ptrigT, followed by a saturation at ptrigT≈5 GeV/c. The results from pp collisions are compared with existing measurements at other centre-of-mass energies. The quantities in the toward and away regions are also analyzed after the subtraction of the contribution measured in the transverse region. The remaining jet-like particle densities are consistent in pp and p−Pb collisions for ptrigT>10 GeV/c, whereas for lower ptrigT values the event activity is slightly higher in p−Pb than in pp collisions. The measurements are compared with predictions from the PYTHIA 8 and EPOS LHC Monte Carlo event generators.
This study investigated the effects of a daily plyometric hopping intervention on running economy (RE) in amateur runners. In a randomized, controlled trial, thirty-four amateur runners (29 ± 7 years, 27 males) were allocated to a control or a hopping exercise group. During the six-week study, the exercise group performed 5 min of double-legged hopping exercise daily. To progressively increase loading, the number of hopping bouts (10 s each) was steadily increased while break duration between sets was decreased. Pre- and post-intervention, RE, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were measured during 4-min stages at three running speeds (10, 12, and 14 km/h). ANCOVAs with baseline values and potential cofounders as cofactors were performed to identify differences between groups. ANCOVA revealed an effect of hopping on RE at 12 km/h (df = 1; F = 4.35; p < 0.05; η2 = 0.072) and 14 km/h (df = 1; F = 6.72; p < 0.05; η2 = 0.098), but not at 10 km/h (p > 0.05). Exercise did not affect VO2peak (p > 0.05), but increased RER at 12 km/h (df = 1; F = 4.26; p < 0.05; η2 = 0.059) and 14 km/h (df = 1; F = 36.73; p < 0.001; η2 = 0.520). No difference in RER was observed at 10 km/h (p > 0.05). Daily hopping exercise is effective in improving RE at high running speeds in amateurs and thus can be considered a feasible complementary training program.
Clinical trial registration German Register of Clinical Trials (DRKS00017373).
The cross section for coherent photonuclear production of J/ψ is presented as a function of the electromagnetic dissociation (EMD) of Pb. The measurement is performed with the ALICE detector in ultra-peripheral Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sNN−−−√=5.02 TeV. Cross sections are presented in five different J/ψ rapidity ranges within |y|<4, with the J/ψ reconstructed via its dilepton decay channels. In some events the J/ψ is not accompanied by EMD, while other events do produce neutrons from EMD at beam rapidities either in one or the other beam direction, or in both. The cross sections in a given rapidity range and for different configurations of neutrons from EMD allow for the extraction of the energy dependence of this process in the range 17<WγPb,n<920 GeV, where WγPb,n is the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon of the γPb system. This range corresponds to a Bjorken-x interval spanning about three orders of magnitude: 1.1×10−5<x<3.3×10−2. In addition to the ultra-peripheral and photonuclear cross sections, the nuclear suppression factor is obtained. These measurements point to a strong depletion of the gluon distribution in Pb nuclei over a broad, previously unexplored, energy range. These results, together with previous ALICE measurements, provide unprecedented information to probe quantum chromodynamics at high energies.
The Chiral Magnetic Wave (CMW) phenomenon is essential to provide insights into the strong interaction in QCD, the properties of the quark-gluon plasma, and the topological characteristics of the early universe, offering a deeper understanding of fundamental physics in high-energy collisions. Measurements of the charge-dependent anisotropic flow coefficients are studied in Pb-Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon collision sNN−−−√= 5.02 TeV to probe the CMW. In particular, the slope of the normalized difference in elliptic (v2) and triangular (v3) flow coefficients of positively and negatively charged particles as a function of their event-wise normalized number difference, is reported for inclusive and identified particles. The slope rNorm3 is found to be larger than zero and to have a magnitude similar to rNorm2, thus pointing to a large background contribution for these measurements. Furthermore, rNorm2 can be described by a blast wave model calculation that incorporates local charge conservation. In addition, using the event shape engineering technique yields a fraction of CMW (fCMW) contribution to this measurement which is compatible with zero. This measurement provides the very first upper limit for fCMW, and in the 10-60% centrality interval it is found to be 26% (38%) at 95% (99.7%) confidence level.
When experienced in-person, engagement with art has been associated with positive outcomes in well-being and mental health. However, especially in the last decade, art viewing, cultural engagement, and even ‘trips’ to museums have begun to take place online, via computers, smartphones, tablets, or in virtual reality. Similarly, to what has been reported for in-person visits, online art engagements—easily accessible from personal devices—have also been associated to well-being impacts. However, a broader understanding of for whom and how online-delivered art might have well-being impacts is still lacking. In the present study, we used a Monet interactive art exhibition from Google Arts and Culture to deepen our understanding of the role of pleasure, meaning, and individual differences in the responsiveness to art. Beyond replicating the previous group-level effects, we confirmed our pre-registered hypothesis that trait-level inter-individual differences in aesthetic responsiveness predict some of the benefits that online art viewing has on well-being and further that such inter-individual differences at the trait level were mediated by subjective experiences of pleasure and especially meaningfulness felt during the online-art intervention. The role that participants' experiences play as a possible mechanism during art interventions is discussed in light of recent theoretical models.
Spontaneous brain activity builds the foundation for human cognitive processing during external demands. Neuroimaging studies based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) identified specific characteristics of spontaneous (intrinsic) brain dynamics to be associated with individual differences in general cognitive ability, i.e., intelligence. However, fMRI research is inherently limited by low temporal resolution, thus, preventing conclusions about neural fluctuations within the range of milliseconds. Here, we used resting-state electroencephalographical (EEG) recordings from 144 healthy adults to test whether individual differences in intelligence (Raven’s Advanced Progressive Matrices scores) can be predicted from the complexity of temporally highly resolved intrinsic brain signals. We compared different operationalizations of brain signal complexity (multiscale entropy, Shannon entropy, Fuzzy entropy, and specific characteristics of microstates) regarding their relation to intelligence. The results indicate that associations between brain signal complexity measures and intelligence are of small effect sizes (r ∼ 0.20) and vary across different spatial and temporal scales. Specifically, higher intelligence scores were associated with lower complexity in local aspects of neural processing, and less activity in task-negative brain regions belonging to the default-mode network. Finally, we combined multiple measures of brain signal complexity to show that individual intelligence scores can be significantly predicted with a multimodal model within the sample (10-fold cross-validation) as well as in an independent sample (external replication, N = 57). In sum, our results highlight the temporal and spatial dependency of associations between intelligence and intrinsic brain dynamics, proposing multimodal approaches as promising means for future neuroscientific research on complex human traits.
Behavioural inflexibility is a symptom of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Alzheimer’s Disease, encompassing the maintenance of a behaviour even when no longer appropriate. Recent evidence suggests that insulin signalling has roles apart from its regulation of peripheral metabolism and mediates behaviourally-relevant central nervous system (CNS) functions including behavioural flexibility. Indeed, insulin resistance is reported to generate anxious, perseverative phenotypes in animal models, with the Type 2 diabetes medication metformin proving to be beneficial for disorders including Alzheimer’s Disease. Structural and functional neuroimaging studies of Type 2 diabetes patients have highlighted aberrant connectivity in regions governing salience detection, attention, inhibition and memory. As currently available therapeutic strategies feature high rates of resistance, there is an urgent need to better understand the complex aetiology of behaviour and develop improved therapeutics. In this review, we explore the circuitry underlying behavioural flexibility, changes in Type 2 diabetes, the role of insulin in CNS outcomes and mechanisms of insulin involvement across disorders of behavioural inflexibility.
The ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain that initiated the Covid-19 pandemic at the end of 2019 has rapidly mutated into multiple variants of concern with variable pathogenicity and increasing immune escape strategies. However, differences in host cellular antiviral responses upon infection with SARS-CoV-2 variants remain elusive. Leveraging whole-cell proteomics, we determined host signaling pathways that are differentially modulated upon infection with the clinical isolates of the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 B.1 and the variants of concern Delta and Omicron BA.1. Our findings illustrate alterations in the global host proteome landscape upon infection with SARS-CoV-2 variants and the resulting host immune responses. Additionally, viral proteome kinetics reveal declining levels of viral protein expression during Omicron BA.1 infection when compared to ancestral B.1 and Delta variants, consistent with its reduced replication rates. Moreover, molecular assays reveal deferral activation of specific host antiviral signaling upon Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 infections. Our study provides an overview of host proteome profile of multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants and brings forth a better understanding of the instigation of key immune signaling pathways causative for the differential pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Recent research finds that Muslim girls increasingly have in-group friendships in adolescence, while Muslim boys remain more open to interreligious friendships. This gender gap mirrors established findings of female Muslims’ lower involvement in interreligious romantic relationships, which is attributed to gendered religious norms. In this study, we examine whether gendered religious norms also contribute to the emerging gender gap in Muslim youths’ interreligious friendship-making. Building on the literature on intergroup dating, we identify religiosity, parental control, and leisure time activities as key factors through which religious norms may not only constrain Muslim girls’ intergroup romantic relationships, but also their interreligious friendships. We also examine the contribution of gendered experiences of religious discrimination and rejection by non-Muslims to religious friendship-making. We study 737 Muslim youth from age 11–17 with six waves of longitudinal German data and find that religiosity, parental control, and leisure time activities all contribute to the emerging gender gap in interreligious friendship-making. Religiosity is associated with more in-group friendships, but only rises among Muslim girls in adolescence, not among boys. By contrast, parental control increases among both genders, but it only constrains girls’ interreligious friendships. Muslim girls’ declining participation in clubs also is associated with fewer interreligious friendships. Gendered experiences of religious discrimination and rejection do not contribute to the gender gap. Jointly, these factors explain one third of the emerging gender gap in interreligious friendship-making. This finding suggests that gendered religious norms not only limit interreligious romantic relationships but also interreligious friendships of Muslim girls.
Subensemble is a type of statistical ensemble which is the generalization of grand canonical and canonical ensembles. The subensemble acceptance method (SAM) provides general formulas to correct the cumulants of distributions in heavy-ion collisions for the global conservation of all QCD charges. The method is applicable for an arbitrary equation of state and sufficiently large systems, such as those created in central collisions of heavy ions. The new fluctuation measures insensitive to global conservation effects are presented. The main results are illustrated in the hadron resonance gas and van der Waals fluid frameworks.
Standard values of the upper body posture in healthy adults with special regard to age, sex and BMI
(2023)
In order to classify and analyze the parameters of upper body posture in clinical or physiotherapeutic settings, a baseline in the form of standard values with special regard to age, sex and BMI is required. Thus, subjectively healthy men and women aged 21–60 years were measured in this project. The postural parameters of 800 symptom-free male (n = 397) and female (n = 407) volunteers aged 21–60 years (Ø♀: 39.7 ± 11.6, Ø ♂: 40.7 ± 11.5 y) were studied. The mean height of the men was 1.8 ± 0.07 m, with a mean body weight of 84.8 ± 13.1 kg and an average BMI of 26.0 ± 3.534 kg/m2. In contrast, the mean height of the women was 1.67 ± 0.06 m, with a mean body weight of 66.5 ± 12.7 kg and an average BMI of 23.9 ± 4.6 kg/m2. By means of video rasterstereography, a 3-dimensional scan of the upper back surface was measured when in a habitual standing position. The means or medians, confidence intervals, tolerance ranges, the minimum, 2.5, 25, 50, 75, 97.5 percentiles and the maximum, plus the kurtosis and skewness of the distribution, were calculated for all parameters. Additionally, ANOVA and a factor analyses (sex, BMI, age) were conducted. In both sexes across all age groups, balanced, symmetrical upper body statics were evident. Most strikingly, the females showed greater thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis angles (kyphosis: Ø ♀ 56°, Ø♂ 51°; lordosis: Ø ♀ 49°, Ø♂ 32°) and lumbar bending angles (Ø ♀ 14°, Ø♂ 11°) than the males. The distance between the scapulae was more pronounced in men. These parameters also show an increase with age and BMI, respectively. Pelvic parameters were independent of age and sex. The upper body postures of women and men between the ages of 21 and 60 years were found to be almost symmetrical and axis-conforming with a positive correlation for BMI or age. Consequently, the present body posture parameters allow for comparisons with other studies, as well as for the evaluation of clinical (interim) diagnostics and applications.
Anti-inflammatory response of Vitamin D on extracranial vessels after subarachnoid hemorrhage
(2023)
Oral e-Poster Presentations - Booth 1: Vascular A (Aneurysms), September 25, 2023, 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Background: Vitamin D has been promoted to vascular regeneration in non-cerebral arteries because of its anti-inflammatory properties. Systematic inflammatory reaction as a multifactorial complication after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), correlated with higher mortality and poor outcome, is the result of a multifactorial mechanism with vasoactive inflammation on extracranial vessels. We therefore hypothesized that vitamin D attenuates the systemic vascular inflammatory reaction.
Methods: We investigated the effect of vitamin D pretreatment (100 ng/kg/d; 5 days) in a blood injection SAH model in adult male C57BL6 mice. Vasomotor function (via wire myograph) of carotid and femoral artery and neurological deficits were measured. Different inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM), were also tested.
Results: A significantly enhanced vasorelaxation was identified in Vitamin D pretreated mice (SAH-VitD versus SAH-control: p<0,001; n=10). Missing a relevant difference in vasocontraction of carotid and femoral artery comparing SAH mice with and without vitamin D treatment, there was a significantly higher endothelial related vasorelaxing effect in treated SAH mice (p<0,01, n=5). Neurological deficits in vitamin D pre-treated SAH mice were significantly decreased (p<0,05; n=10). All tested inflammatory factors were down-regulated in vitamin D pre-treated mice (SAH-VitD versus SAH-control: p<0,0001; n=10).
Conclusions: Extracranial vascular Inflammation after SAH, as one of the influencing components in the follow-up after SAH onset, was significantly attenuated by Vitamin D pretreatment. Furthermore, anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin D resulted in a decrease of extracranial vasoconstriction and neurological deficits. Further research should be focused on vitamin D to optimize therapeutic strategies for SAH patients in critical care units.
Purpose: The purpose of the study is to retrospectively evaluate the development and technological progress in local oncological treatments of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by means of ablation techniques like laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT), microwave ablation (MWA) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in a multimodal application.
Method: This retrospective single-center study uses data generated between 1993 and 2020 (1,045 patients). Therapy results are evaluated using survival rates of Kaplan-Meier estimator, Cox proportional hazard regression and log-rank test.
Results: Median survival times in group LITT (25 patients) are 1.6 years, and, 2.6 years for LITT + TACE (67 patients). For LITT only treatments 1-/3-/5-year survival rates scored 64%, 24% and 20%. Results for combined LITT + TACE treatments were 84%, 37% and 14%. Median survival time in group MWA (227 patients) is 4.5 years. Estimated median survival time for MWA + TACE (108 patients) leads to a median survival time of 2.7 years. In group MWA the 1-/3-/5-year survival rates are 85%, 54%, 45%. Group MWA + TACE shows values of 79%, 41% and 25%. A separate group of 618 patients has been analyzed with TACE as monotherapy. Median survival time of 1 year was estimated in this group. 1-/3-/5-year survival rates are 48%, 15% and 8%. - Cox regression analysis showed that the different treatment methods are statistically significant predictors for survival of patients.
Conclusions: Treatments with MWA resulted in best median survival rates, followed by MWA + TACE in combination. Survival rates of MWA only are significantly higher vs. LITT, vs. LITT + TACE and vs. TACE monotherapy.
Movement of the Rieske domain of the iron–sulfur protein is essential for intramolecular electron transfer within complex III2 (CIII2) of the respiratory chain as it bridges a gap in the cofactor chain towards the electron acceptor cytochrome c. We present cryo-EM structures of CIII2 from Yarrowia lipolytica at resolutions up to 2.0 Å under different conditions, with different redox states of the cofactors of the high-potential chain. All possible permutations of three primary positions were observed, indicating that the two halves of the dimeric complex act independently. Addition of the substrate analogue decylubiquinone to CIII2 with a reduced high-potential chain increased the occupancy of the Qo site. The extent of Rieske domain interactions through hydrogen bonds to the cytochrome b and cytochrome c1 subunits varied depending on the redox state and substrate. In the absence of quinols, the reduced Rieske domain interacted more closely with cytochrome b and cytochrome c1 than in the oxidized state. Upon addition of the inhibitor antimycin A, the heterogeneity of the cd1-helix and ef-loop increased, which may be indicative of a long-range effect on the Rieske domain.
The highly transmissible Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in late 2021. Initial Omicron waves were primarily made up of sub-lineages BA.1 and/or BA.2, BA.4, and BA.5 subsequently became dominant in mid-2022, and several descendants of these sub-lineages have since emerged. Omicron infections have generally caused less severe disease on average than those caused by earlier variants of concern in healthy adult populations, at least, in part, due to increased population immunity. Nevertheless, healthcare systems in many countries, particularly those with low population immunity, have been overwhelmed by unprecedented surges in disease prevalence during Omicron waves. Pediatric admissions were also higher during Omicron waves compared with waves of previous variants of concern. All Omicron sub-lineages exhibit partial escape from wild-type (Wuhan-Hu 1) spike-based vaccine-elicited neutralizing antibodies, with sub-lineages with more enhanced immuno-evasive properties emerging over time. Evaluating vaccine effectiveness (VE) against Omicron sub-lineages has become challenging against a complex background of varying vaccine coverage, vaccine platforms, prior infection rates, and hybrid immunity. Original messenger RNA vaccine booster doses substantially improved VE against BA.1 or BA.2 symptomatic disease. However, protection against symptomatic disease waned, with reductions detected from 2 months after booster administration. While original vaccine-elicited CD8+ and CD4+ T-cell responses cross-recognize Omicron sub-lineages, thereby retaining protection against severe outcomes, variant-adapted vaccines are required to expand the breadth of B-cell responses and improve durability of protection. Variant-adapted vaccines were rolled out in late 2022 to increase overall protection against symptomatic and severe infections caused by Omicron sub-lineages and antigenically aligned variants with enhanced immune escape mechanisms.
In der Literaturwissenschaft werden durch die Entwicklung und den Einsatz digitaler Verfahren auch neue Fragen literaturtheoretischer Art aufgeworfen. Die DHd AG Digital Humanities Theorie nimmt sich dieser Fragen im Kontext der digitalen Geistes- und Kulturwissenschaften an, versteht sich als Plattform des interdisziplinären Austauschs und unterstützt die Forschung durch die Schaffung von Begriffsangeboten und reflexiven Zugriffen.
Seven new species of Schismatothele Karsch, 1879 (Araneae, Theraphosidae) are described, almost doubling the diversity of the genus: S. caeri sp. nov.; S. caiquetia sp. nov.; S. merida sp. nov.; S. moonenorum sp. nov.; S. quimbaya sp. nov.; S. timotocuica sp. nov. and S. wayana sp. nov. An identification key for all species of Schismatothele (except S. kastoni) is presented, as well as a complementary diagnosis for the genus. Also, a standardized nomenclature is proposed to describe the prolateral keels of male palpal bulbs of species of Schismatothele.
Novel data support validity of Phoxinus chrysoprasius (Pallas, 1814) (Actinopterygii, Leuciscidae)
(2023)
The common minnow species Cyprinus chrysoprasius, previously synonymised to Phoxinus phoxinus, was originally described from the Crimean Peninsula (Black Sea – Sea of Azov basin). A genetic analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxydase 1 in the context of a phylogenetic study of European Phoxinus showed that it represents a distinct genetic clade and potentially a valid species. In the present study, we approach the issue following a broader, both genetic and morphological, study in order to check and support the validity of native Crimean Phoxinus under the earliest available name of the species: P. chrysoprasius. Our data demonstrate a reliable genetic distance of this minnow from geographically neighbouring clades and species, and a certain morphological distinctiveness. In order to determine the taxonomic concept of P. chrysoprasius, as a species involved in a genetically well-differentiated, but phenotypically poorly structured complex of east-European Phoxinus, a neotype for the species, based on topotypical material, is herein described and designated. The original type locality of the species is also clarified.
Three new species of pseudoscorpion, Allochthonius lini sp. nov. (Xiaoguoquan Cave) and Selachochthonius yinae sp. nov. (Xiao Cave) from Yunnan Province, Allochthonius xuae sp. nov. (Yelaoda Cave) from Guizhou Province, are described and illustrated. An identification key is provided for all known Chinese representatives of the family Pseudotyrannochthoniidae.
A new genus of Pudeoniscidae from Peru is described, Loretoniscus gen. nov., including a new species: Loretoniscus mashiriaensis gen. et sp. nov. The new genus is characterized by pereonite 1 epimera without dorsolateral furrows, pereonites 1 and 2 without ventral lobes, telson with distal portion covering uropod endopods, and pleopod 1–2 exopods with respiratory areas. This is the first record of the family Pudeoniscidae from Peru, considerably extending its distribution in the Neotropical region.
The present corrigendum corrects errors that occurred in: Zheng Y., Hu H., Chen D., Chen J., Zhang H. & Rasnitsyn A.P. 2021. New fossil records of Xyelidae (Hymenoptera) from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. European Journal of Taxonomy 733: 146–159. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2021.733.1229
We describe and illustrate Croton restingae Sodré & Riina sp. nov., a new species endemic to a restricted area in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, characterized by a particular type of vegetation of the Atlantic Forest known as restinga. The new species belongs to Croton sect. Adenophylli subsect. Laceratoglandulosus, which is supported by morphology and a phylogenetic analysis based on nrDNA ITS sequence data. Croton restingae is most closely related to C. echioides and C. laceratoglandulosus, also in subsect. Laceratoglandulosus, with which it shares the fruit columella with three non-inflated, flat or slightly ascending apical appendages. Croton restingae differs from them by its sessile or shortly stipitate leaf nectaries, revolute pistillate sepals, styles distally 2-fid and basally united forming a column, and larger capsules (7.5–8 × 8.5–9.3 mm). Croton restingaeʼs habitat, conservation status, phenology, morphology and phylogenetic relationships are discussed, and a map with its geographic distribution is also included.
Here I describe a new genus, Iviephengus gen. nov., based on a single species, Iviephengus ferreirai gen. et sp. nov., from Peru. This new genus is characterized by the following combination of characters: interantennal distance close to 3 × the antennal socket length; antenna 12-segmented, IV to XI each with two long symmetrical compressed and apically slightly enlarged branches; labrum fused to frontoclypeus; mandibles short, obliquely crossed, each with a notch on the external margin to fit the other mandible and without extra teeth; maxillary palpi 4-segmented, last segment digitiform; labial palpi 2-segmented; posterior tentorial pit consisting of a single small fossa; wing with radial cell closed and transverse, vein r4 interrupted, r3 absent; first tarsomere of pro- and mesotarsus with a ventral comb covering the posterior half of the tarsomere; claws simple, without any teeth; aedeagus with paramere symmetrical, apex unevenly round, toothed inward, with short and sparse bristles. I provide a key to Mastinocerinae genera with 12-segmented antennae and the first pro- and mesotarsomere with ventral combs. I also provide illustrations for the diagnostic features for this new genus. Finally, I discuss the presence and function of some modifications in the mandible and the sternite VIII in Phengodidae and other Coleopteran families.
To better understand the dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) biodiversity of Costa Rica and Panama, new synonyms, records, distributions, and updates are presented. This paper analyzes the distribution and taxonomy of Phanaeus olsoufieffi Balthasar, 1939 in Panama and establishes the following new subjective synonym: Phanaeus panamensis Moctezuma and Halffter, 2021 = Phanaeus olsoufieffi Balthasar, 1939. Color morphs of Phanaeus pyrois Bates, 1887 in Costa Rica are analyzed. The Costa Rican distribution of Onthophagus bidentatus Drapiez, 1819 and O. marginicollis Harold, 1880 is studied. Onthophagus bidentatus is recorded for Costa Rica for the first time. A population analysis of barcode mtDNA, color morphs, and morphological and genitalia characters for different body sizes of Onthophagus cyanellus is undertaken. An mtDNA barcode tree is presented to assess the molecular identity of O. cyanellus resulting in the reaffirmed subjective synonymy, Onthophagus mesoamericanus Zunino and Halffter, 1988 = O. cyanellus Bates, 1887.
ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E701D60F-A455-4048-8279-DA450930ACB3
A new species of Microphotina Beier, 1935 (Mantodea: Photinaidae: Microphotinini), Microphotina cristalino sp. nov., is described from Mato Grosso, Brazil based on two male specimens. The new species extended the distribution of Microphotina to the southern limits of the Amazon rainforest, in the Cerrado-Amazônia ecotone. A synthesis of the taxonomy, systematics, natural history, and geographic distribution of Microphotina spp. is provided, along with an updated dichotomous key to species. The hypothesis that Microphotina represents a canopy-dwelling lineage is formulated. The role of praying mantises as flagship species for insect and Amazon conservation is briefly discussed.
Inocybe hopeae sp. nov. and first record of Pseudosperma keralense (Inocybaceae) from Thailand
(2023)
Based on genetic studies, supported further by morphological and ecological differences, we present a taxonomic novelty (Inocybe hopeae Raghoonundon & Raspé sp. nov.) and a new geographical record (Pseudosperma keralense) from forests of Northern Thailand. Inocybe hopeae is characterized by medium-sized basidiomes, brownish orange to brown pileus that is darker towards the margin, off-white to pale brown context, light brown to dark brown stipe with off-white basal mycelium and pale brown to grayish brown lamellae. A three-gene phylogeny (LSU, tef1, rpb2) coupled with macroscopic / microscopic descriptions and illustrations are provided confirming the species’ positions in their respective generic clades. Inocybe hopeae was sister to I. thailandica with strong support (BS = 100%, PP = 1.0). Our Thai collections of OR1629 had similar morphological characters and 100% identical sequences with the holotype of Pseudosperma keralense from India.
During mycological explorations, a new smooth spored species, Inocybe subhimalayanensis Razzaq, Naseer & Khalid sp. nov. was collected from moist temperate sub-Himalayan region, Pakistan. Phylogeny of ITS and LSU regions of nrDNA, and morphoanatomical data make it distinct from other known species of the genus. The taxon is characterized by: a yellowish orange to brown pileus with prominent fibrillose, prominent umbo; ellipsoid to amygdaliform smooth larger basidiospores (8.4‒)8.6‒12.2(‒12.6) × (4.9‒)5.1‒7.1(‒7.3) µm; and lack of velipellis. Molecular phylogenetic analyses further support the recognition of the new species.
From 2004 to 2012, ten multidisciplinary oceanographic surveys were conducted along the coast of Northwest Africa, between the Strait of Gibraltar and the northern border of Sierra Leone. A total of five species of Euryalida Lamarck, 1816 belonging to three families were captured at 29 of the 1298 stations sampled in the area. Among them, Astrodendrum juancarlosi sp. nov. is described and figured in this paper. Ophiocreas oedipus Lyman, 1879 is recorded for the first time on West African continental margin and Gorgonocephalus pustulatum (H.L. Clark, 1916), an Indo-Pacific species only known from South African coast in the Atlantic, is reported off Guinea-Bissau, greatly extending to the North its Atlantic distribution. In addition, Asteroschema inornatum Koehler, 1906, a northeast Atlantic species, is recorded for the first time in African waters, off Western Sahara, extending its range of distribution to the south. Our data also extend the bathymetric distribution of A. inornatum to shallower waters and of G. pustulatum to deeper waters. The association of some euryalids with certain species of pennatulaceans and gorgonians is also described.
We provide a floristic account for the Begoniaceae of Peru. The family is represented in Peru by 76 species, which are all members of the genus Begonia and represent eighteen sections. Twelve new species are described: B. condorensis Jara & Moonlight sp. nov., B. deltoides Moonlight sp. nov., B. huancabambae Moonlight sp. nov., B. imbrexiformis Moonlight sp. nov., B. longinqua Moonlight sp. nov., B. longitepala Moonlight sp. nov., B. nunezii Moonlight sp. nov., B. occultata J.P.Allen & Moonlight sp. nov., B. pedemontana Moonlight sp. nov., B. serratistipula Moonlight sp. nov., B. vargasii Moonlight sp. nov. and B. yuracyacuensis Moonlight sp. nov. We also provide four new records for the country: B. andina Rusby, B. brandbygeana L.B.Sm. & Wassh., B. neoharlingii L.B.Sm. & Wassh. and B. unilateralis Rusby. We provide an identification key to all species. The ecology, distribution, and conservation status of all Peruvian Begonia species are discussed, including provisional IUCN threat assessments. Most species are illustrated by either historical illustrations, contemporary photographic plates, or line drawings. Twenty-six names are newly synonymised including fifteen previously accepted species, and we designate eighty-three lectotypes, four neotypes, and four epitypes.
Crenicichla is the largest and most widely distributed genus of Neotropical cichlids. The Crenicichla mandelburgeri species complex from the Middle Paraná departs from the ancestral and predominant ecomorphology of the large genus and shows parallel evolution of ecomorphs both within the complex and also to the unrelated C. missioneira species complex from the Uruguay River. Here, we formally describe a new species pair from the C. mandelburgeri species complex that has evolved a parallel morphological and ecological dichotomy to another species pair and also to species in the unrelated C. missioneira species complex. The new species pair is endemic to a single tributary (the Piray Guazú) of the Middle Paraná River where it is sympatric and partly syntopic. Mitochondrial DNA phylogeny shows the two new species as distantly related within the C. mandelburgeri species complex, each with a sister species in the Iguazú rather than in the neighbouring Paraná River tributaries. Nuclear DNA analyses demonstrate their sister-group relationship, which is however complicated by the reticulated origin of one of the new species. We present determination keys for all the currently formally described species of the C. mandelburgeri species complex including the new species described here.
Metafruticicola is a diverse land snail genus inhabiting the north-eastern Mediterranean region from S Albania to Israel. In this study, we describe Metafruticicola kavafis sp. nov., a new species for science from Kasos Island. We also focus on the reproductive system of steno-endemic species and subspecies of the genus from small islands of the Aegean Archipelago, whose anatomy was previously completely unknown. These species are M. crassicosta, M. pieperi, M. coartata gemina and M. nicosiana conciliatrix. For the latter subspecies, only the outlines of the genitalia were previously given. Additionally, we investigated in detail for the first time the genital anatomy of M. nicosiana nicosiana from Cyprus. Hitherto, information on the genital apparatus of this subspecies was based on sparse data derived from sexually immature specimens. These new anatomical data contribute to a plethora of controversies concerning the subgeneric division of Metafruticicola, which was based solely on conchological features and especially the microsculpture of the teleoconch. We suggest that the current subgeneric division of the genus should be abandoned.
A new species of Apseudidae is described from a submarine canyon in the Mediterranean Sea, Leviapseudes tethys sp. nov. The species was sampled at 600 m depth on deep muddy sand. The new species is characterized by the presence of processes on both sides of the rostrum, a pinnate seta on the inner distal margin of the maxillipedal endite, smooth distal spines of the labium palp, two spines on the cheliped basis, three ventral spines on pereopod 1 basis and an unarticulated pleopod exopod. This is the second species and the third record of the genus in the Mediterranean Sea, and raises the number of tanaid species known from the deep Mediterranean Sea to a total of 16. The diagnosis of the genus is amended in light of the new data and re-evaluation of previous works. The new species presents a set of characters that provide novel insights to understanding the diversity and taxonomy of the Leviapseudinae, as well as their geographic distribution. Finally, a list of all deep-sea Tanaidacea known in the Mediterranean Sea is provided.
Recently, it has been hypothesized that the wide distribution of A. fiuzai Salles & Lugo-Ortiz is due to a wide diagnosis and conflicting keys. The same arguments can be applied to A. kallawaya Nieto. In order to test this hypothesis, we revised the type material of A. fiuzai, literature of A. kallawaya, and part of the recorded specimens in Brazil. As a result, three new species from previous records are recognized: Apobaetis pasternakae sp. nov., former A. fiuzai in Amazonas, Roraima and Maranhão states; Apobaetis jaquelinae sp. nov., former A. fiuzai in Rondônia State; Apobaetis luanae sp. nov., former A. kallawaya in Rondônia State. The new data showed that A. fiuzai does not occur in the Amazon Biome and A. kallawaya does not occur in Brazil. Records of A. fiuzai that could not be reviewed in this study are treated as putative and should be evaluated in the light of the new evidence. We also studied the intraspecific variation in A. fiuzai and A. pasternakae sp. nov. The pigment pattern of the nymphs was not considered a robust characteristic for the species differentiation due to the wide variation in and between populations, and interspecific similarity of many features. On the other hand, classical morphological characters such as mouthparts, legs, spines of terga, paraproct and caudal filaments have minimal variation, stable and reliable for specific identification.
The ant genus Temnothorax Mayr, 1861 (Myrmicinae, Crematogastrini) is diverse with 498 species described. Species are distributed predominately within the northern hemisphere with species richness decreasing closer to the tropics; contrary to other ant genera overall. In Southeast Asia, richness is relatively low and knowledge on the genus remains fragmentary, likely due to poor sampling efforts compared to temperate regions. Here, using specimens from recent sampling efforts, Temnothorax is reported for the first time from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Two new species, T. barrettoi Hamer & Guénard sp. nov. and T. haveni Lee, Hamer & Guénard sp. nov., are described based on qualitive morphological characters, with additional morphometric data also gathered. An updated key, as well as a distributional checklist of Temnothorax species from mainland China is provided. We suggest that the two new species are likely arboreal based on our collections, however, further arboreal sampling is necessary to confirm this hypothesis. We hope this study may spurn effort to generate further information on sub-tropical Chinese Temnothorax species.
The fauna of Loricifera along a north-south longitudinal transect following the Atacama Trench was explored. Whereas no loriciferans were collected from the actual trench, the continental slope and surrounding abyssal plains yielded two species of Rugiloricus and two of Pliciloricus. All four species are considered as new to science, but only one of them could be formally described. The new species, Pliciloricus ukupachaensis sp. nov., is closely related with the North Atlantic Pliciloricus leocaudatus, and the two species share different morphological traits, including an enlarged anal field with conspicuous pentagonal and hexagonal fields formed by strong, cuticular ridges. Among other peculiar traits, the new species is characterised by having strongly reduced trichoscalid plates and no double trichoscalids. Comparison with previously published, unidentified specimens suggests that the new species’ distributional range might reach as far as Oregon off the US west coast.
The early Tournaisian (Early Carboniferous; Mississippian) ammonoids from the classical abandoned limestone quarry of Gattendorf (Upper Franconia) are revised, using the historical collections as well as so far undescribed material. The ammonoid assemblage is composed of prionoceratid ammonoids of the six genera Mimimitoceras, Paragattendorfia, Stockumites, Acutimitoceras, Gattendorfia and Gattenpleura, which indicate a stratigraphic position near the Devonian–Carboniferous boundary in the earliest Carboniferous. The new species Stockumites hofensis sp. nov. and S. nonaginta sp. nov. are described.
In this study, we revise the taxonomy of the endemic Mexican genus Ceratotrupes Jekel, 1865. It comprises three species, distributed in the Sierra Madre Occidental and Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (Ceratotrupes fronticornis (Erichson, 1847) and Ceratotrupes bolivari Halffter & Martínez, 1962), and the Sierra Madre del Sur (Ceratotrupes sturmi (Jekel, 1865)). We confirm C. mniszechi (Jekel, 1865) as a junior subjective synonym of C. sturmi. The examination of the holotype of C. sturmi and specimens recently collected in the Sierra Sur de Oaxaca (Oaxaca) and Omiltemi (Guerrero) allowed us to identify and describe a new species, Ceratotrupes gonzaloi sp. nov. from Omiltemi, Guerrero. We redescribe the morphology of C. sturmi and provide a diagnostic key to the four members of the genus Ceratotrupes. Photographs of the habitus and male genitalia of the four species, a distribution map, and observations on their ecology and biogeography are provided.
Specimens of Deuteraphorura collected in 11 Georgian caves were analysed morphologically and molecularly based on the COI gene barcode region. Two molecular delimitation methods revealed four species (MOTUs); however, only two of them were distinguished morphologically and are described in this paper as new to science. Both new species, D. colchisi sp. nov. and D. kozmani sp. nov., belong to the group with a pseudocellus on the first thoracic tergum; the differential diagnosis table to this species group is provided. The potential of the Caucasus as a hotspot region of subterranean biodiversity and evolution centre of subterranean animals is discussed.
Fourteen species of the subgenus Sinotipula (Diptera, Tipulidae) were previously known to occur in China. Here four species are described and illustrated as new to science: Tipula (Sinotipula) drolma sp. nov., T. (S.) forcipicauda sp. nov., T. (S.) heminga sp. nov. and T. (S.) longiloba sp. nov. The following three species are redescribed: T. (S.) exquisita Alexander, 1935, T. (S.) hobsoni Edwards, 1928 and T. (S.) wardi Edwards, 1928, and a key to the species of Tipula (Sinotipula) from China is presented. We also give a new replacement name for Tipula (Vestiplex) bucera Yang, Li, Pan, Liu & Yang, 2021, i.e., T. (V.) curvicornis nom. nov.
Iberian material originally identified as Hincksina flustroides is revised and five different species are now identified: the Atlantic species Hincksina flustroides is present to the NW of the Iberian Peninsula, whilst the Mediterranean species Hincksina synchysia is here reported for the first time in Iberian waters. Two new species of Hincksina are described, one from the Strait of Gibraltar area, and another from the Alboran Sea, whereas another colony from this area actually corresponds to Hincksina longispinosa. A new description of Electra angulata is given, based on the original and other historical material, as well as on newly collected colonies. The taxonomic position of the species in the genus Arbopercula is discussed, and the diagnosis of the genus itself is amended. Finally, a new species of Caberea is described from deep waters off the north Iberian coast.
The number of currently described species of Afrotropical parasitoid wasps does not reflect the true species diversity. One of the most severely understudied parasitoid wasp groups is Ceraphronoidea. In this first study on Afrotropical mainland Ceraphronoidea in more than 20 years, which is also the first ever taxonomic monograph focusing on Ceraphronidae, we describe 88 new species of Ceraphronidae (85 new species) and Megaspilidae (3 new species) from Kakamega Forest (Kenya), Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania) and Ivindo NP (Gabon): Aphanogmus abaluhya sp. nov., A. ashitakai sp. nov., A. idakho sp. nov., A. ikhongamurwi sp. nov., A. isiukhu sp. nov., A. kakamegaensis sp. nov., A. lateritorum sp. nov., A. mangimelii sp. nov., A. mariae sp. nov., A. mashariki sp. nov., A. nehbergi sp. nov., A. njia sp. nov., A. vestrii sp. nov., A. yala sp. nov. (all clavicornis species group), A. dimidiatus sp. nov., A. fraterculus sp. nov., A. guenteri sp. nov., A. kakakili sp. nov., A. kisiwa sp. nov., A. maua sp. nov., A. morriconei sp. nov., A. ndefu sp. nov., A. ngai sp. nov., A. nikii sp. nov., A. pilosicoxa sp. nov., A. rafikii sp. nov., A. robustus sp. nov., A. simbai sp. nov., A. taji sp. nov., A. ukanda sp. nov. (all fumipennis species group), A. campanula sp. nov., A. kikuyu sp. nov., A. pagoda sp. nov. (all tenuicornis species group), Ceraphron banda sp. nov., C. brashi sp. nov., C. breviharpis sp. nov., C. breviscapus sp. nov., C. buyangu sp. nov., C. chemositi sp. nov., C. cingulum sp. nov., C. clavatumeris sp. nov., C. digiti sp. nov., C. eaerendili sp. nov., C. ekero sp. nov., C. ellae sp. nov., C. eulbergi sp. nov., C. herreni sp. nov., C. hitagarciai sp. nov., C. insolitus sp. nov., C. isecheno sp. nov., C. isukha sp. nov., C. ivindoensis sp. nov., C. kaharabu sp. nov., C. kaimosiensis sp. nov., C. kakamegaensis sp. nov., C. kidole sp. nov., C. kimathii sp. nov., C. lirhanda sp. nov., C. longiharpis sp. nov., C. longisetae sp. nov., C. longumerunus sp. nov., C. maathaiae sp. nov., C. malava sp. nov., C. mamamutere sp. nov., C. metapleuralis sp. nov., C. mikoi sp. nov., C. mwekaensis sp. nov., C. nandi sp. nov., C. nzoia sp. nov., C. onesimusi sp. nov., C. pilosiharpis sp. nov., C. pleurosulcus sp. nov., C. reinholdi sp. nov., C. salazar sp. nov., C. sataoi sp. nov., C. semira sp. nov., C. sungura sp. nov., C. tenuimeris sp. nov., C. tiriki sp. nov., C. trietschae sp. nov., Cyoceraphron dhahabudorsalis sp. nov., C. harpe sp. nov., C. invisibilis sp. nov., C. kahawia sp. nov., C. njano sp. nov. (all Ceraphronidae), Conostigmus kijiko sp. nov., C. koleo sp. nov., and Dendrocerus wachagga sp. nov. (all Megaspilidae). In addition, we describe four species of Aphanogmus and five species of Ceraphron without formal naming. A neotype is designated for Dendrocerus anneckei Dessart, 1985 (Megaspilidae). With these new species we more than double the number described from the Afrotropical mainland (65 vs 153). The species numbers found allow us to estimate the real worldwide species number of Ceraphronoidea as being roughly 12 000–21 000, i.e., 16–29 times the number of the currently described species (~730, including the species described herein). This study is meant to highlight that it is necessary and also possible to study the parasitoid wasps of tropical regions and provide momentum for exploring the diversity of small and diverse insect groups in the Afrotropics and elsewhere while also providing the basic knowledge that is much needed for protecting biodiversity and understanding evolution and the networks of life on earth. All described species are diagnosed and illustrated, with focus on the male genitalia. Furthermore, we provide an identification key to males of Afrotropical Ceraphronidae.
A new genus, Plesioxylion Liu & Beaver gen. nov., is described for Amintinus gambianus Borowski, 2018 from West Africa with a more detailed description and new records of both sexes. We also provide a key to the ten Afrotropical genera in the tribe Xyloperthini Lesne, 1921 as the baseline information for a future study.