Austrosimulium (Austrosimulium) dumbletoni n.sp. from New Zealand (Diptera: Simuliidae)

The female of Austrosimulium (Austrosimulium) dumbletoni n.sp. is described and compared with other New Zealand species in the subgenus. Females were captured while they were biting caged Fiordland crested penguins, Eudyptes p. pachyrhynchus. They are vectors of the blood parasite Leucocytozoori tawaki.     

Lejeunea laii nom. nov. for Lejeunea ramulosa (Herzog) R.M.Schust. (Jungermanniopsida: Lejeuneaceae) from Taiwan

Abstract

B. trachypodium (Brid.) B., S. &; G. is added to the British list from a new locality in Inverness-shire (v.-c. 97). An old record from Perthshire (v.-c. 88), discredited by H. N. Dixon, is accepted.     

Folsomia (Collembola: Isotomidae) of China. II. heterocellata group

An annotated list of species of the Folsomia heterocellata group recorded in China is given. Folsomia cephalota n. sp., F. dorsomediaseta n. sp., F. longiseta n. sp., F. manubriopilosa n. sp., F. longdeica n. sp., and F. plenosensilla n. sp. are characterized by having a simple maxillary palp, four prelabral setae and no eyes. They differentiate mainly by characteristics of the furca. We report other species of the group which are recorded for the first time in China: Folsomia tianshanica Martynova, 1969, F. pseudovtorovi Potapov & Gulgenova, 2013, and F. pseudodecemoculata Stebaeva, 1971. This excludes F. wanxianensis Ji, Ding & Chen, 2007, for which we provide morphological remarks based on the type material. The group is mainly distributed in the central part of China (Chongqing, Gansu, southern part of Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Shaanxi provinces). A key to all blind species with a simple maxillary palp is given.     

New antibacterial pentacyclic triterpenes from Myricaria elegans Royle. (tamariscineae)

Two new pentacyclic triterpenes eleganene-A (1) and eleganene-B (2), along with four known pentacyclic triterpenes betulin (3), ursolic acid (4), erythrodiol (5) and corosolic acid (6) were isolated from the aerial parts of Myricaria elegans. These compounds exhibited significant antibacterial activity. The structure of compounds 1 and 2 were deduced on the basis of their spectral analysis.     

Potential Inhibitors of Angiogenesis. Part I: 3-(Imidazol-4(5)-ylmethylene)indolin-2-ones

The synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of new 3-(imidazol-4(5)-ylmethylene)indolin-2-ones, analogues of SU-5416, are reported. The final compounds 20-51 were obtained by Knoevenagel coupling between the substituted indolin-2-ones 1-15 and either the formylimidazole derivatives 16-18 or 2-formyl-3,5-dimethylpyrrole 19. Methylation at the nitrogen atom of the indolin-2-one and/or imidazole moities was carried out in the presence of the couple NaH/DMF. A Mannich reaction afforded the 1-dimethylaminomethyl derivatives 43 and 48. The antiangiogenic activity of these compounds was evaluated in a three dimensional in vitro rat aortic ring assay. In this test, compound 20 induced a decrease of angiogenesis comparable to that observed with SU-5416; the vascular density indexes at 1 μM were 30±18 and 22±4 % of control, respectively. The compounds were also evaluated, in an independent manner, as inhibitors of the human EGF-receptor tyrosine kinase activity. As expected, only minor activities were observed with four compounds, out of thirty-one, exerting inhibitory effects in the range of 40-55 % at 10 μM concentration.     

C. difficile infection (CDI) in a long-term acute care facility (LTAC)

BackgroundC. difficile infection (CDI) is a common nosocomial infection in hospitals and impacts increased hospital cost and length of stay. Since scant information is available about the incidence and prevalence of CDI in Long-term acute care hospitals (LTACs), we therefore studied this at one local facility.MethodsDemographic and other data, and a fresh stool sample were obtained from all new LTAC admissions not carrying a prior diagnosis of CDI during the study period (July 23 to August 22, 2007). A GDH test for C. difficile antigen was performed. All initially positive stools were tested for toxins A and B and a sample was frozen for culture and typing. All antigen-negative patients were monitored for the development of diarrhea during the course of their LTAC hospitalization and, if clinically indicated, a sample was sent for toxins A and B testing and if positive, a stool sample was frozen and stored for culture and typing. Therapy of CDI was noted.Results36 patients were admitted during the study period. 4 of 31 (12.9%) of patients tested were antigen (+) on admission of which 2 (6.5%) were asymptomatic carriers and 2 (6.5%) had unsuspected active disease, including one with the BI epidemic strain. In follow-up, 20/36 (55.5%) developed diarrhea of which an additional 5 (13.8%) patients had developed CDI (average, hospital day 38) in the hospital. Therapy was instituted with vancomycin in 5/7 patients and metronidazole in 2/7 patients. During that quarter, the rate of nosocomial acquired CDI was 3.12 per 1000 patient days.ConclusionsC. difficile carriage and unsuspected clinical CDI occurs, including with the BI epidemic strain disease, in an important minority of patients, which may act as a reservoir for spread. New strategies for detection and prevention of CDI are needed.     

A new species of Lathyrus L. (Fabaceae) from Central Apennine (Italy)

Abstract

Lathyrus apenninus, from beech woods margins and scrub in the Central Apennine (Italy), is described as a species new to science. The relationship of L. apenninus with L. linifolius, which it had been confused with, is briefly discussed.     

Embryology and embryogenesis of Spiranthes L.C.M. Richard (Orchidaceae): S. spiralis (L.) Cheval and S. aestivalis (Poiret) L.C.M. Richard

Abstract

The various stages of female gametophyte development and embryogenesis in S. spiralis and S. aestivalis are described. In both species the reproductive cycle is sexual. Some peculiarities are present: the female gametophyte is usually 6-7-8-nucleate; after double fertilization a single endospermatic cell is formed; the proembryo appears differentiated and is made up of different cells in the chalazal and micropylar ends; a single basal cell in the proembryo acts as suspensor.     

New Coumaronochromones from White Lupin,Lupinus albus L. (Leguminosae)

A further investigation of the isoflavonoid constituents occurring in roots of the white lupin (Lupinus albus L. cv. Kievskij Mutant) has yielded five new coumaronochromones named lupinalbin A (la), B (2a), C (3), D (4) and E (5). These isoflavonoids were identified by physicochemical methods involving the use of biogenetically related 2′-hydroxyisoflavones as reference compounds. The presence of the rare dihydrofurano-isoflavone, erythrinin C (16), in white lupin roots has also been established.     

New species of Hypolytrum Rich. (Cyperaceae) from the Neotropics

Five new species ofHypolytrum Rich. from South America are described and illustrated.Hypolytrum amorimii andH. jardimii, both of sect.Bullata T. Koyama, are species with pseudopetioles and colored leaves, and endemic to the rain forest of southeastern Brazil.Hypolytrum bahiense (sect.Hypolytrum), a species with a lax synflorescence and two, free and lightly scabridulous floral bracts, is endemic to the rain forest of southeastern Bahia, Brazil.Hypolytrum leptocalamum (sect.Hypolytrum), a species with lax synflorescence and spike ellipsoid to cylindrical, is restricted to area of tepuis in the Guayana Highland (Brazil, Guyana, and Venezuela).Hypolytrum paraense (sect.Hypolytrum), a species with three, partly connate and densely scabridulous floral bracts, is restricted to the rain forest of the Amazon Basin, in the state of Pará, Brazil.     

Description of Kiefferulus opalensis n.sp. (Diptera: Chironomidae)

A new species of Kiefferulus Goetghebuer is described and compared with species from Australia. This is the first record of the genus in New Zealand.     

Unionicola (Pentatax) billieaehonore n. sp. a sponge-associated Hydracarina (Acari: Unionicolidae) from New Zealand

Abstract

Records of sponge-associated Hydracarina from the Southern Hemisphere are uncommon. Unionicola (Pentatax) billieaehonore n. sp. has been found in association with the freshwater sponge Ephydatia kakahuensis in Lake Rotoiti (North Island) and Lake Taupo in New Zealand. Differences in palpal characteristics and in setal patterns of the epimera distinguish this species from the holotype of Unionicola longiseta Walter 1915 which was reported from New Zealand by Schröder (1935).     

Two new species of Alstroemeria L. (Alstroemeriaceae) from Brazil

Alstroemeria hygrophila andA. orchidioides are both described as new from the state of Goiás (including Distrito Federal) in Brazil.Alstroemeria hygrophila is a cerrado bog-dwelling species that grows semi-epiphytically on the culms of a sedge. The vegetative stems of this species characteristically zig-zag between the pseudonodes. Like other wetlandAlstroemeria in Brazil (e.g.,A. apertiflora, A. isabellana, andA. sellowiana),A. hygrophila has wiry stems bearing narrow, lanceolate, nonresupinate leaves, and does not form root tubers.Alstroemeria orchidioides is a hysteranthus forest understory species with large vegetative leaves aggregated at the apex of the stems. The leaves on flowering stems are reduced to scarious bract-like scales. Its flowers are a pale, nearly white, greenish yellow, a color not reported in any other Brazilian species. Both species have 2n=16 chromosomes.     

Molecular circumscription and intraspecific variation in Porella canariensis (F.Weber) Underw. (Porellaceae,Marchantiophyta)

Abstract

Fissidens subpulchellus Norkett in Gangulee is critically revised, and reduced to the synonymy of F. pulchellus Mitt. A new species, Fissidens longtonianus Z.Iwats. &; Tad.Suzuki, is described from India. This moss was collected on a branch in Jdukki District, South India, and is separated from F. pulchellus Mitt. by its smooth laminal cells, shorter setae and larger, smooth spores.     

Sporophytes of Rhodobryum laxe-limbatum (Ochi) Iwats. et Kop.

Abstract

A check-list of the bryophyte species of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg is given and briefly discussed. An appendix deals with infraspecific taxa. The total number of species is 517 (122 hepatics and 395 mosses); taking into account some acceptable infraspecific taxa, this small country has at least 538 different bryophytes.     

Renauldia paradoxica Allen sp. nov. (Musci,Pterobryaceae)

Abstract

Renauldia paradoxica, a new Pterobryaceous moss from western Panama, differs from all other species of Renauldia by its long, narrowly acuminate leaves. This species fits somewhat uncomfortably in Renauldia and appears to occupy a position intermediate between Renauldia, Orthostichidium, and Pterobryopsis.     

Hyaloscyphaceae in Japan (3):Venturiocistella japonica sp. nov.

Venturiocistella japonica, a new species in the Hyaloscyphaceae, Leotiales, is described and illustrated. The fungus is featured by minute apothecia and hairs with secondary morphologenesis. Mycoscience38: 187–205. 1997.