98 research outputs found
Zachvatkinia (Zachvatkinia) repressae Negm & Alatawi, sp. n.
No full textZachvatkinia (Zachvatkinia) repressae Negm & Alatawi sp. n. (Figs. 1 ̶ 9) Type material. Male holotype (KSMA), 8 male and 18 female paratypes ex Sterna repressa Hartert, 1916 (Charadriiformes: Sternidae), Jana Island, Arabian Gulf, Saudi Arabia, 27 º 22 ' 10 "N, 49 º 53 ' 53 "E, 11 July 2012, leg. M.G. Nasser. Holotype, most male and female paratypes—KSMA; a paratype female and male—The Acarology Laboratory, Museum of Biological Diversity, The Ohio State University. Description. Male (Figs. 1–5) (holotype, range for 4 paratypes in parentheses): gnathosoma length 100 (90– 105), maximum width 80 (80–85). Idiosoma length 710 (650–720) from anterior end of propodosomal shield to level of bases of setae h 3 posteriorly, greatest width 340 (322–348) (Fig. 1). Propodosomal shield: subtriangular, posterolateral angles rounded, posterior margin straight or slightly convex and with a pair of small transversely directed extensions, surface of shield without ornamentation, length along midline 180 (166–180), maximum width 210 (200–228), lengths of scapular setae si 26 (24–26) and se 125 (122–126), distance between setae se-se 180 (173–180) (Fig. 3). Humeral shields well developed, setae c 2 35 (32–36) situated on their anterior ends, lanceolate setae c 3 45 (44–46) long and macrosetae cp 125 (122–128) long. Hysteronotal shield: anterior margin straight or slightly concave, anterior angles acute, length from anterior margin to the bases of setae h 3 530 (515–542), width at anterior margin 300 (288–305). Openings of opisthosomal glands situated anterolateral to setae e 1. Terminal cleft narrow, subtriangular, anterior end extending beyond level of setae e 2, length of cleft from anterior end to bases of setae h 3 250 (248–253). Setae ps 1 60 (57–62) long, situated on lateral margins of supranal concavity, their tips almost extending to bases of setae h 3. Macrosetae h 2 and h 3 with noticeably thickened basal part and with long filiform distal part. Distances between hysteronotal setae: c 2:d 2 165 (161–172), d 2:e 2 135 (134–143), e 2:f 2 132 (132–145), f 2:h 2 33 (25–33), c 1:d 1 82 (80–86), d 1:e 1 112 (100–114), e 1:h 1 188 (178–190), h 1:h 3 120 (116–122), ps 2:ps 1 45 (45–50). Epimerites I fused into a Y, sternum without lateral extensions (Fig. 2). Setae 1a 40 (38–41) long, situated on coxal fields I close to epimerites II. Coxal field II open. Epimerites III and IIIa fused, coxal field III closed, setae 3 b 50 (45–52) long. Setae 3a 37 (35–38) long, situated approximately at same level with setae 3 b. Setae 4a 37 (37–42) long, situated at same level with genital papillae. Distances between ventral setae: 1 a: 1a 105 (102–110), 3 b: 3 b 205 (202–212), 4 a: 4a 97 (95–99), 3 a: 3a 45 (44–50), g:g 37 (36–42), ps 3:ps 3 48 (48–50). Distance from genital arch apex to level of setae ps 1 230 (212–241). Genital arch shaped as inverted bowl, free ends of its branches directed outward (Fig. 4). Length of genital arch 37 (35–38), width 50 (47–54). Genital shields represented by small and narrow longitudinal strips widely separated from each other, setae g situated on posterior ends of genital shields. Adanal shields fused and form acute median extensions with two small lateral ledges. One pair of additional adanal sclerites shaped as inverted cups present, closely adjacent or poorly connected to adanal apodemes. Bases of setae g and ps 3 in subrectangular arrangement. Anal suckers rounded, 35 (32–37) in diameter. Legs III extend beyond lobar apices by full tarsus. Tarsus III with seta s thick, spine-like and tridentate apically (Fig. 5 A). Tarsus IV with two dorsobasal spines and with one apical spine-like extension at base of modified seta e (Fig. 5 B). Female (Figs. 6–9) (range for 5 paratypes): gnathosoma length 80–90, width 70–80. Idiosoma: length 440–466 from anterior end of propodosomal shield to level of bases of setae h 3, maximum width 280–310 (Fig. 6). Propodosomal shield: subtriangular in shape as in males, posterior margin conspicuously convex, without extensions, lateral angles with small notches posterior to bases of setae se, length along midline 122–130, width at the level of scapular setae se 144–150, distance between scapular setae si - si 92–100 (Fig. 8). One pair of small transverse sclerites situated between propodosomal shield and transverse row of setae c 1, c 2. Humeral shields narrow, not developed dorsally and not extending beyond anterior ends of hysteronotal shields. Setae c 2 situated off humeral shields. Humeral setae cp filiform, 80–88 long, subhumeral setae c 3 spiculiform, 33–37 long. Hysteronotal shields: one pair of large longitudinal shields along lateral body margins, separated by wide longitudinally striated area. Setae d 1 situated on median striated integument of hysterosoma, close to inner margins of hysteronotal shields. Pygidial shield present, length 21-25, width 70–76. Distances between hysteronotal setae: c 2:d 2 128–135, d 2:e 2 110–116, c 1:d 1 73–77, d 1:e 1 115–122. Epimerites I fused into a Y (Fig. 7). Length of setae 1a 16 – 18. Epimerites II free, with pointed tips. Remnants of epimerites IIa not fused with humeral shields. Transverse sclerites situated much anterior to the level of epimerites III, not fused to epigynum. Epimerites III and IVa short. Length of setae 3 b 25–30. Setae 3a 14 – 17 situated anteriorly to level of setae 3 b, while setae g slightly posterior to them. Distances between ventral setae: 1 a: 1a 92– 105, 3 b: 3 b 180–205, 3 a: 3a 51 – 55, g:g 72–85, 4 a: 4a 48 – 56. Epigynum semicircular, bow-shaped, length 35–37, width 75–90, its tips extending slightly beyond level of setae 3 a but not reaching level of genital papillae (Fig. 8). Oviporus folds moderate in size and extend to level of epimerites IIIa tips. Tarsi, tibiae, genua and femora of legs I– IV longer than wide. Legs IV extend beyond posterior margin of opisthosoma by distal half of tarsus. Tarsus IV twice as long as corresponding tibia. Differential diagnosis. The new species Z. repressae sp. n. can be differentiated from the morphologically most similar species, Zachvatkinia chlidoniae Mironov, 1989, by the following characters: In males of Z. repressae sp. n., the branches of the genital arch are slightly curved, so that their free ends are directed outward while the anterior end of the arch forms an acute angle, the anterior end of the adanal shield forms an acute angle (Fig. 4), and the posterior margin of propodosomal shield has a pair of small transversely directed extensions (Fig. 3). In males of Z. chlidoniae, the branches of the genital arch are strongly S-shaped, so that their free ends are bent forward, the front end of the adanal shield forms an obtuse angle, the posterior margin of propodosomal shield is slightly convex and has no extensions. In females of Z. repressae sp. n. the epigynum is 75–90 in width, while in Z. chlidoniae it is shorter (64-72) (Mironov, 1989 a). Etymology. The new species epithet repressae derives from the specific name of the type host. Remarks. In Saudi Arabia, Sterna repressa occurs during the breeding season in summer in many islands of the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea, where it nests. Sterna repressa is distributed through Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates and Yemen (Porter & Aspinall 2010). In his review of the genus Zachvatkinia, Mironov (1989 a) largely revised material previously investigated from host species in the Procellariiformes and Charadriiformes in the USSR, resulting in 12 species, of which six were new. Procellariiformes are assumed to be primary hosts for feather mites of the genus Zachvatkinia. The study of host-parasite associations revealed some features of co-evolution both with procellariiform and charadriiform hosts (Mironov, 1991 a). Zachvatkinia (Zachvatkinia) dromae Mironov, 1992 Zachvatkinia (Zachvatkinia) dromae Mironov, 1992: 497. Specimens examined. Many males, females and nymphs, from the crab plover, Dromas ardeola Paykull, 1805 (Charadriiformes: Dromadidae), Farasan Archipelago, Jazan province, Saudi Arabia, 16 º 50 ' 4 ''N, 42 º 1 ' 38 "E, 17 July 2012, leg. M.G. Nasser. Remarks. In Saudi Arabia, the crab plover breeds during summer in some Red Sea islands including Farasan Archipelago and Umm Al-Qamarie Island and are usually never seen in the mainland. It is distributed through the East African coast, Red Sea, Arabian Gulf and Southern coast of Iran, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (Baker 1929; Porter & Aspinall 2010). The type specimens of Z. dromae were collected from D. ardeola captured on Providence Island, Madagascar (Mironov 1992: 499). The Saudi specimens are very similar to the description done by Mironov, 1992 who illustrated the propodosomal shield of female without notches at the posterolateral angles; however, some of the Saudi specimens have small notches posterior to scapular setae se. This is the first record of this species in Saudi Arabia. Up to now, Z. dromae is known from just two countries, Madagascar (Mironov 1992) and Saudi Arabia (present study).Published as part of Negm, Mohamed W., Nasser, D., Alatawi, Fahad J., Al Ahmad, Azzam M. & Shobrak, Mohammed, 2013, Feather mites of the genus Zachvatkinia Dubinin, 1949 (Astigmata: Analgoidea: Avenzoariidae) from Saudi Arabia: A new species and two new records, pp. 61-71 in Zootaxa 3710 (1) on pages 63-70, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3710.1.4, http://zenodo.org/record/28466
Contraction of the levator ani muscle during Valsalva maneuver (coactivation) is associated with a longer active second stage of labor in nulliparous women undergoing induction of labor
No full textBackground: The Valsalva maneuver is normally accompanied by relaxation of the levator ani muscle, which stretches around the presenting part, but in some women the maneuver is accompanied by levator ani muscle contraction, which is referred to as levator ani muscle coactivation. The effect of such coactivation on labor outcome in women undergoing induction of labor has not been previously assessed. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of levator ani muscle coactivation on labor outcome, in particular on the duration of the second and active second stage of labor, in nulliparous women undergoing induction of labor. Study Design: Transperineal ultrasound was used to measure the anteroposterior diameter of the levator hiatus, both at rest and at maximum Valsalva maneuver, in a group of nulliparous women undergoing induction of labor in 2 tertiary-level university hospitals. The correlation between anteroposterior diameter of the levator hiatus values and levator ani muscle coactivation with the mode of delivery and various labor durations was assessed. Results: In total, 138 women were included in the analysis. Larger anteroposterior diameter of the levator hiatus at Valsalva was associated with a shorter second stage (r = –0.230, P =.021) and active second stage (r = –0.338, P =.001) of labor. Women with levator ani muscle coactivation had a significantly longer active second stage duration (60 ± 56 vs 28 ± 16 minutes, P <.001). Cox regression analysis, adjusted for maternal age and epidural analgesia, demonstrated an independent significant correlation between levator ani muscle coactivation and a longer active second stage of labor (hazard ratio, 2.085; 95% confidence interval, 1.158–3.752; P =.014). There was no significant difference between women who underwent operative delivery (n = 46) when compared with the spontaneous vaginal delivery group (n = 92) as regards anteroposterior diameter of the levator hiatus at rest and at Valsalva maneuver, nor in the prevalence of levator ani muscle coactivation (10/46 vs 15/92; P =.49). Conclusion: Levator ani coactivation is associated with a longer active second stage of labor
Gaeolaelaps nolli
No full text<i>Gaeolaelaps nolli</i> (Karg) <p>Figures 28–30.</p> <p> <i>Hypoaspis nolli</i> Karg, 1962: 62.</p> <p> <i>Hypoaspis nolli</i>.— Karg, 1965: 311; Costa, 1968: 9.</p> <p> <i>Hypoaspis</i> (<i>Hypoaspis</i>) <i>nolli</i>.— Karg, 1971: 169, 1978: 16.</p> <p> <i>Hypoaspis</i> (<i>Geolaelaps</i>) <i>nolli</i>.— Karg, 1979: 80, 1982: 239, 1993: 140, 2006: 148; Xu & Liang, 1996: 191.</p> <p> <i>Hypoaspis</i> (<i>Gaeolaelaps</i>) <i>nolli</i>.— Faraji <i>et al</i>., 2008: 207.</p> <p> <i>Gaeolaelaps nolli</i>.— Farrier & Hennessey, 1993: 73; Beaulieu, 2009: 36; Bahrami <i>et al</i>., 2011: 351; Trach, 2012: 162; Kavianpour <i>et al</i>., 2013: 7; Nemati & Mohseni, 2013: 80; Kavianpour & Nemati, 2014: 321; Joharchi <i>et al</i>., 2018: 24.</p> <p> <i>Hypoaspis praesternalis</i>.— Evans, 1953: 272 (misidentification). <i>Hypoaspis</i> (<i>Gaeolaelaps</i>) <i>praesternalis</i>.— Evans & Till, 1966: 173 (synonymy by Kavianpour <i>et al</i>., 2013: 7); Kavianpour & Nemati, 2014: 321.</p> <p> <i>Gaeolaelaps praesternalis</i>.— Joharchi <i>et al</i>., 2018: 24 (misidentification); Joharchi <i>et al</i>., 2019b: 81 (misidentification).</p> <p> <b>Specimens examined</b>. Holotype <i>Hypoaspis nolli</i> Karg, 1962: ZMB Kat. Nr. 40849, Versuchsfeld Kleinmachnow d. Berlin, 17.08.1957. One female; 27°11’ N, 31°09’ E, Assiut University, Assiut; 15 May 2016; coll. M.W. Negm; ex. soil.</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> <i>Gaeolaelaps nolli</i> was described from agricultural soil and grassland in Germany (Karg, 1962). It is now recorded in Egypt for the first time, from soil. The synonymy presented above reveals some confusion about the identity of this species. Much of the information on this species has been published under the names <i>Gaeolaelaps praesternalis</i> or <i>Hypoaspis</i> (<i>Gaeolaelaps</i>) <i>praesternalis</i>. The original description of <i>Hypoaspis praesternalis</i> by Willmann (1949) is brief, and both the description and illustrations lack some important details. The description of <i>Hypoaspis nolli</i> Karg, 1962 is more detailed, but does not include a direct comparison with <i>H</i>. <i>praesternalis</i>.</p> <p> Evans & Till (1966) synonymised these two species, but did not provide any explanation for that decision, and did not give details of the specimens they examined. This has probably led to the ambiguity about the identification of these two different species. Karg (1993) included both species in his key to species of <i>Hypoaspis</i> (<i>Geolaelaps</i>). The first author had the chance to examine both species in Karg’s collection which deposited in the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin in Germany. Thus, we can easily distinguish between these two species as follows:</p> <p> 1- size of body in <i>G</i>. <i>nolli</i> is larger than <i>G</i>. <i>praesternalis</i> (Figs 28 & 31).</p> <p> 2- dorsal shield setae short, none of them reach to base of next setae in <i>G</i>. <i>praesternalis</i> while much longer in <i>G</i>. <i>nolli</i> (some setae in the opisthonotal region long enough to reach the base of the next posterior setae) (Figs 28 & 31).</p> <p> 3- ornamentation of genital shield, posterior eight irregular cells flanked by a median inverse Y-shaped ornamentation in <i>G</i>. <i>nolli</i> while in <i>G</i>. <i>praesternalis</i> with the same inverse Y-shaped ornamentation medially but almost completely smooth (or faintly reticulated) posteriorly (Figs 29 & 32).</p> <p> 4- the length of the peritreme short, reaches to mid-level of coxa II in <i>G</i>. <i>nolli</i> while much longer in <i>G</i>. <i>praesternalis</i> (reaches at least to anterior level of coxa I) (Figs 30 & 33).</p> <p> 5- tarsus IV with two very long setae <i>pd2</i>, <i>pd 3</i> in <i>G</i>. <i>nolli</i> while tarsus IV without any long setae in <i>G</i>. <i>praesternalis</i> (<i>ad2</i> and <i>ad3</i> longer than other setae on segment).</p> <p> We have been unable to locate the holotype of <i>H</i>. <i>praesternalis</i>. It is not present in the Willmann collection in the Zoologische Staatssammlungen, München (Stefan Friedrich, pers. comm.). The information on morphological characters of <i>G</i>. <i>praesternalis</i> is based on the two females (ZMB Kat. Nr. 41038 & ZMB Kat. Nr. 41054) from Germany in museum für naturkunde, Berlin, Germany, identified by Prof. Dr. habil. Wolfang Karg as <i>Hypoaspis praesternalis</i> Willmann, 1949.</p>Published as part of <i>Joharchi, Omid & Negm, Mohamed W., 2020, Soil-inhabiting mites of the family Laelapidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Assiut Governorate, Egypt, pp. 488-510 in Zootaxa 4759 (4)</i> on pages 498-499, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4759.4.2, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/3741001">http://zenodo.org/record/3741001</a>
التحديات المستقبلية والتغيرات النمطية في التحكيم الدولي: نظرة سريعة خلف الستار
No full textThe unprecedented growth of international arbitration and the current state of euphoria should not
serve to obscure the several challenges that lie ahead. While some challenges may only concern
practical, albeit manageable issues, others may well turn into existential crisis. Will arbitration
survive the backlash against it? Arbitration has come under the intense scrutiny of civil society,
with many critical voices questioning whether international arbitration is an appropriate mode of
dispute resolution, particularly for disputes that have important implications on national public
policy and sovereignty, such as investment disputes. The Guardian (December 2013) described
international investment tribunals as a “toxic mechanism” that allows “big corporations to sue
governments before secretive arbitration panels composed of corporate lawyers, which bypass
domestic courts and override the will of parliaments”.
Meanwhile, a new law enacted last month in Qatar modernizing the Arab nation’s arbitration
regime is being praised as a welcome development to encourage foreign investment in the country,
but some practitioners still question whether the measure is actually a missed opportunity.
To change this perception, arbitration lawyers and institutions must demonstrate the potential
contribution of international arbitration to the rule of law. They also need to demonstrate that
arbitration can function as an open and transparent system that takes account of the public
interest, and can be a force of good not only for business but for civil society too.لا ينبغي للازدهار غير المسبوق الذي يشهده التحكيم الدولي والابتهاج الراهن به أن يحجب ع ّنا العديد من
التحديات الماثلة أمامه. وبالرغم من أن بعض هذه التحديات ربما لا يخص سوى مسائل عملية، وإن كان بالوسع
التعامل معها، إلا أن بعضها الآخر ربما يتحول إلى أزمة وجودية. فهل ينجو التحكيم من ردة الفعل المناوئة له؟ لقد
تعرض التحكيم لاستقصاءات حادة من قبل المجتمع المدني، وظهرت العديد من الأصوات المنتقدة له والتي بدأت
تتساءل عما إذا كان التحكيم الدولي وسيلًة مناسبة لتسوية المنازعات، ولا سيما تلك المنازعات التي قد تتولد عنها
تداعيات خطيرة على السياسة العامة والسيادة الوطنية، مثل منازعات الاستثمار. وقد وصفت صحيفة الجارديان
(ديسمبر 2013 (محاكم الاستثمار الدولية بأنها ”آلية سامة“ تسمح ”للشركات الكبرى بمقاضاة الحكومات أمام هيئات
تحكيم سرية تشكل من محامين للشركات وتلتف على سلطة المحاكم الوطنية و تتجاوز إرادة البرلمانات“.
هذا وقد حظي قانون جديد صدر في دولة قطر الشهر الماضي من أجل تحديث نظام التحكيم في هذا البلد
العربي بالإشادة لكونه خطوة إيجابية على سبيل تشجيع الاستثمار الأجنبي في البلاد، وإن كان لا يزال بعض ممارسي
التحكيم يتساءلون عما إذا كانت هذه الخطوة هي بالفعل فرصة ضائعة. وحتى يتم تغيير هذا التصور، يتعين على
المحامين والمؤسسات التحكيمية أن يبرهنوا على المساهمة المرتقبة التي يمكن للتحكيم الدولي أن يحققها
لسيادة القانون. ويتعين عليهم أيضاً أن يبرهنوا على أنه يمكن للتحكيم أن يعمل كنظام حر وشفاف يأخذ في
الاعتبار المصلحة العامة، وأنه يمكنه أن يصبح قوة دفع نافعة لا لقطاع الأعمال فحسب بل للمجتمع المدني أيضا
An Improved Stochastic Hodgkin-Huxley Based Model of a Node of Ranvier for Cochlear Implant Stimulation
No full textCochlear implants (CIs) are prosthetic devices used to partially restore hearing for profound
and severely deaf individuals. CIs convert sounds into electrical pulses which stimulate
the auditory nerve fibers. An accurate model of auditory nerve fibers (ANFs) would
help in improving the functionality of CIs. Previous studies have shown that the original
Hodgkin-Huxley (1952) model (with kinetics adjusted for mammalian body temperature)
may be better at describing nodes of Ranvier in ANFs than models for other mammalian
axon types. However, the Hodgkin-Huxley model is still unable to explain a number of
phenomena observed in auditory nerve responses to CI stimulation, such as short-term and
long-term adaptation, the time-course of relative refractoriness, and stimulus-dependent
random fluctuations in membrane threshold. Recent physiological investigations of spiral
ganglion cells have shown the presence of a number of ion channel types not considered
in the previous modelling studies, including low-threshold potassium (^KLT) channels and
hyperpolarization-activated cation (^h) channels. In this thesis, inclusion of these ion channel types in a stochastic Hodgkin-Huxley model is investigated. Four versions of the model are formed and compared: that is, the standard Hodgkin-Huxley model, the standard model with /h only added, the standard model with ^KLT only added, and finally, the standard model with both h and ^KLT added. Two group of responses are explored: i) single-pulse responses and ii) pules-train responses. For the single pulse responses, a charge-balanced biphasic stimulus pulse is used. The effect of varying the pulse-width and the interphase gap is investigated for both leading phase polarities. Results are compared to responses for single monophasic stimulus pulses in some cases. Pulse-train responses are investigated for charge-balanced depolarizing-phase leading biphasic pulses at rates of 200, 800, and 2000 pulse/s. Results from single-pulse responses show an increase in spike threshold when one or both of these channel types are included. The addition of ^KLT increases random threshold fluctuations in the stochastic model, particularly for longer pulse widths. For pulse-train responses, rapid adaptation in spike rate may be resulting from ^KLT whereas ^h produces slower "short-term" adaptation. Thus, the simulation results suggest that including ^KLT
and/or ^h in a Hodgkin-Huxley model improves the accuracy of the model in describing
auditory nerve fiber responses during cochlear implant stimulation.ThesisMaster of Applied Science (MASc
Effects of I<inf>h</inf> and I<inf>KLT</inf> on the response of the auditory nerve to electrical stimulation in a stochastic Hodgkin-Huxley model
No full textModeling and Design of High-Frequency Structures Using Artificial Neural Networks and Space Mapping
No full textHigh prevalence of subclass-specific binding and neutralizing antibodies against Clostridium difficile toxins in adult cystic fibrosis sera: possible mode of immunoprotection against symptomatic C. difficile infection
No full textTanya M Monaghan,1 Ola H Negm,2,3 Brendon MacKenzie,4 Mohamed R Hamed,2,3 Clifford C Shone,5 David P Humphreys,4 K Ravi Acharya,6 Mark H Wilcox7 1Nottingham Digestive Diseases Centre, NIHR Nottingham Digestive Diseases Biomedical Research Unit, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, 2Breast Surgery Group, Division of Medical Sciences and Graduate Entry Medicine, School of Medicine, Queen’s Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK; 3Medical Microbiology and Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt; 4Antibody Biology, UCB-New Medicines, UCB Celltech, Slough, UK; 5Toxins Group, National Infection Service, Public Health England, Salisbury, UK; 6Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, UK; 7Leeds Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK Objectives: Despite multiple risk factors and a high rate of colonization for Clostridium difficile, the occurrence of C. difficile infection in patients with cystic fibrosis is rare. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of binding C. difficile toxin-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)A, IgG and anti-toxin neutralizing antibodies in the sera of adults with cystic fibrosis, symptomatic C. difficile infection (without cystic fibrosis) and healthy controls. Methods: Subclass-specific IgA and IgG responses to highly purified whole C. difficile toxins A and B (toxinotype 0, strain VPI 10463, ribotype 087), toxin B from a C. difficile toxin-B-only expressing strain (CCUG 20309) and precursor form of B fragment of binary toxin, pCDTb, were determined by protein microarray. Neutralizing antibodies to C. difficile toxins A and B were evaluated using a Caco-2 cell-based neutralization assay. Results: Serum IgA anti-toxin A and B levels and neutralizing antibodies against toxin A were significantly higher in adult cystic fibrosis patients (n=16) compared with healthy controls (n=17) and patients with symptomatic C. difficile infection (n=16); p≤0.05. The same pattern of response prevailed for IgG, except that there was no difference in anti-toxin A IgG levels between the groups. Compared with healthy controls (toxins A and B) and patients with C. difficile infection (toxin A), sera from cystic fibrosis patients exhibited significantly stronger protective anti-toxin neutralizing antibody responses.Conclusion: A superior ability to generate robust humoral immunity to C. difficile toxins in the cystic fibrosis population is likely to confer protection against symptomatic C. difficile infection. This protection may be lost in the post-transplantation setting, where sera monitoring of anti-C. difficile toxin antibody titers may be of clinical value. Keywords: Clostridium difficile, cystic fibrosis, antibodies  
Panonychus Yokoyama 1929
No full textKey to the world species of the genera <i>Panonychus</i> * and <i>Sasanychus</i> <p> 1. Dorsal setae on idiosoma set on strong tubercles; opisthosomal striae longitudinal; tibia I with 7 and tibia II with 5 tactile setae................................................................................... <i>Panonychus</i>... 3</p> <p> - Dorsal setae on idiosoma not on tubercles; opisthosomal striae transversal; tibia I with 9 and tibia II with 8 tactile setae............................................................................................ <i>Sasanychus</i>... 2</p> <p> 2. Tarsus II with 3 tactile setae and 1 solenidion proximal to duplex seta; aedeagus slightly sigmoid and with truncate tip; reported on dwarf bamboo [<i>Sasa senanensis</i> (Franch. & Sav.) and <i>Sasa</i> sp.; Poaceae]; Bangladesh & Japan..................................................................................................... <i>S. akitanus</i> (Ehara, 1978)</p> <p> - Tarsus II with 1 tactile seta and 1 solenidion proximal to duplex seta; aedeagus with almost straight with prominent process on dorsal margin and distal portion of aedeagus almost straight; reported on dwarf bamboo [<i>Sasa chartaceae</i> (Makino); Poaceae]; Japan...................................................................... <i>S. pusillus</i> Ehara & Gotoh, 1987</p> <p>3. Genua I and II each with 5 tactile setae.................................................................... 4</p> <p> - Genua I and II each with 4 tactile setae, genua III and IV each with 2 tactile setae; reported on bamboo (<i>Sasa borealis</i> (Hack.); Poaceae) and <i>Sasa senanensis</i> (Franch. & Sav.); Japan.......................... <i>P. bambusicola</i> Ehara & Gotoh, 1991</p> <p>4. Genu III with 3 and genu IV with 2 tactile setae............................................................. 5</p> <p>- Genu III and genu IV each with 3 tactile setae............................................................... 6</p> <p> 5. Aedeagus bent dorsad and tip curved towards posterior, with bent portion as long as dorsal margin of shaft; reported on Compositae, Cucurbitaceae, Leguminosae, Malvaceae, Moraceae, Rosaceae and Urticaceae; USA, Brazil, China, Taiwan, Korea & Japan (Okinawa Pref.)............................................................... <i>P. caglei</i> Mellottt, 1968</p> <p> - Aedeagus bent dorsad with the tip strongly recurved towards anterior; reported on <i>Malus domestica</i> (Rosaceae); Peru.............................................................................. <i>P. inca</i> De Vis & De Moraes, 2002</p> <p> 6. Aedeagus with ball-shaped knob distally, shaft of aedeagus angulate or elbowed, distal portion of neck of shaft with distinct ventral concavity; reported on <i>Achyranthes aspera</i> (Amaranthaceae), <i>Vitis</i> sp. (Vitaceae); Taiwan...................................................................................................... <i>P. globosus</i> Tseng, 1974</p> <p>- Aedeagus without ball-shaped knob distally................................................................ 7</p> <p> 7. Female with tactile seta of duplex seta on tarsus II longer than solenidion; aedeagus curved dorsad, with straight, tapering distal part; reported on <i>Ulmus davidiana</i> (Ulmaceae); Japan............................. <i>P. thelytokus</i> Ehara & Gotoh, 1992</p> <p>- Female with tactile seta of duplex seta on tarsus II shorter than solenidion; aedeagus otherwise....................... 8</p> <p> 8. Female dorsal setae <i>f</i> 2 and <i>h</i> 1 more or less similar in length (difference not more than 5 µm).......................... 9</p> <p> - Female dorsal seta <i>f</i> 2 clearly longer than <i>h</i> 1 (difference approx. 10 µm or more)................................... 11</p> <p> 9. Palptarsus solenidion (<i>ω</i>) longer than terminal sensillum (<i>suζ</i>); dorsal setae <i>f</i> 2 half as long as <i>f</i> 1; aedeagus bent dorsad, with weakly sigmoid distal part strongly tapering and twice as long as dorsal margin of the shaft; reported on Caricaceae, Leguminosae, Meliaceae, Menispermaceae, Moraceae, Oleaceae, Passifloraceae, Rosaceae, Rutaceae and Taxaceae; Australia, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, China, Taiwan, Thailand & India................................ <i>P. elongatus</i> Manson, 1963</p> <p> - Palptarsus solenidion (<i>ω</i>) shorter than terminal sensillum (<i>suζ</i>); ratio between female dorsal setae <i>f</i> 1 and <i>f</i> 2 (<i>f</i> 1 / <i>f</i> 2) more than 2.5; aedeagus otherwise.................................................................................. 10</p> <p> 10. Aedeagus bent dorsad, with weakly sigmoid tapered distal part longer than dorsal margin of the shaft, and bent at an angle of approx. 50° to the ventral margin of the shaft; female dorsal seta <i>e</i> 2 notably shorter than <i>e</i> 1; ratio between female dorsal setae <i>sc</i> 1 and <i>h</i> 1 (<i>sc</i> 1 / <i>h</i> 1) about 6.8; reported on <i>Osmanthus</i> (Oleaceae); China & Japan.......... <i>P. osmanthi</i> Ehara & Gotoh, 1996</p> <p> - Aedeagus bent dorsad, with weakly sigmoid tapered distal part longer than dorsal margin of the shaft, and bent at an angle between 67–78° to the ventral margin of the shaft (often appearing close to right angles); female dorsal seta <i>e</i> 2 approximately same length as <i>e</i> 1; ratio between female dorsal setae <i>sc</i> 1 and <i>h</i> 1 (<i>sc</i> 1 / <i>h</i> 1) approx. 5.3; reported on numerous host plants; worldwide................................................................................. <i>P. citri</i> (McGregor, 1916)</p> <p> 11. Female dorsal setae linear and lanceolate, not curved; reported on <i>Malus domestica</i> (Rosaceae); Taiwan................................................................................................ <i>P. lishanensis</i> Tseng, 1990</p> <p>- Female dorsal setae strongly curved..................................................................... 12</p> <p> 12. Female dorsal seta <i>sc</i> 1 more than 200 µm long, ratio <i>sc</i> 1 / <i>h</i> 1 approx. 5 or more; aedeagus bent dorsad, with short weakly sigmoid distal part about as long as dorsal margin of the shaft; reported on some Cannabaceae, Menispermaceae, Moraceae and Rosaceae; Iran & Japan................................................................. <i>P. mori</i> Yokoyama, 1929</p> <p> - Female dorsal seta <i>sc</i> 1 less than 200 µm long; <i>sc</i> 1 / <i>h</i> 1 less than 5, aedeagus bent dorsal, with distal part longer than dorsal margin of the shaft......................................................................................... 13</p> <p> 13. Female dorsal seta <i>sc</i> 1 less than 150 µm long, ratio <i>sc</i> 1 / <i>h</i> 1 approx. 3.3; reported on <i>Ficus carica</i> (Moraceae); Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan.................................................................. <i>P. hadzhibejliae</i> (Reck, 1947)</p> <p> - Female dorsal seta <i>sc</i> 1 more than 150 µm long, ratio <i>sc</i> 1 / <i>h</i> 1 more than 4......................................... 14</p> <p> 14. Female dorsal seta <i>c</i> 3 more than 100 µm long, seta <i>f</i> 2 approx. 66 µm long, ratio <i>sc</i> 1 / <i>f</i> 2 approx. 2.8; reported on various hosts; worldwide........................................................................... <i>P. ulmi</i> (Koch, 1836)</p> <p> - Female dorsal seta <i>c</i> 3 less than 100 µm long, seta <i>f</i> 2 50 µm long, ratio <i>sc</i> 1 / <i>f</i> 2 approx. 3.5; reported on <i>Ficus carica</i> (Moraceae); Greece...................................................................... <i>P. caricae</i> Hatzinikolis, 1984</p>Published as part of <i>Arabuli, Tea, Matsuda, Tomoko, Negm, Mohamed W. & Gotoh, Tetsuo, 2020, Complementary description of Panonychus caricae Hatzinikolis, 1984, with the resurrection of the genus Sasanychus Ehara, 1978 (Acari, Prostigmata Tetranychidae), pp. 515-531 in Zootaxa 4881 (3)</i> on page 528, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4881.3.5, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4283932">http://zenodo.org/record/4283932</a>
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