Increased expression of the chemokines CXCL1 and MIP-1α by resident brain cells precedes neutrophil infiltration in the brain following prolonged soman-induced status epilepticus in rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exposure to the nerve agent soman (GD) causes neuronal cell death and impaired behavioral function dependent on the induction of status epilepticus (SE). Little is known about the maturation of this pathological process, though neuroinflammation and infiltration of neutrophils are prominent features. The purpose of this study is to quantify the regional and temporal progression of early chemotactic signals, describe the cellular expression of these factors and the relationship between expression and neutrophil infiltration in damaged brain using a rat GD seizure model.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Protein levels of 4 chemokines responsible for neutrophil infiltration and activation were quantified up to 72 hours in multiple brain regions (i.e. piriform cortex, hippocampus and thalamus) following SE onset using multiplex bead immunoassays. Chemokines with significantly increased protein levels were localized to resident brain cells (i.e. neurons, astrocytes, microglia and endothelial cells). Lastly, neutrophil infiltration into these brain regions was quantified and correlated to the expression of these chemokines.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We observed significant concentration increases for CXCL1 and MIP-1α after seizure onset. CXCL1 expression originated from neurons and endothelial cells while MIP-1α was expressed by neurons and microglia. Lastly, the expression of these chemokines directly preceded and positively correlated with significant neutrophil infiltration in the brain. These data suggest that following GD-induced SE, a strong chemotactic response originating from various brain cells, recruits circulating neutrophils to the injured brain.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A strong induction of neutrophil attractant chemokines occurs following GD-induced SE resulting in neutrophil influx into injured brain tissues. This process may play a key role in the progressive secondary brain pathology observed in this model though further study is warranted.</p

Tryptophan metabolism determines outcome in tuberculous meningitis: a targeted metabolomic analysis

Background: Cellular metabolism is critical for the host immune function against pathogens, and metabolomic analysis may help understand the characteristic immunopathology of tuberculosis. We performed targeted metabolomic analyses in a large cohort of patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM), the most severe manifestation of tuberculosis, focusing on tryptophan metabolism. Methods: We studied 1069 Indonesian and Vietnamese adults with TBM (26.6% HIV-positive), 54 non-infectious controls, 50 with bacterial meningitis, and 60 with cryptococcal meningitis. Tryptophan and downstream metabolites were measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma using targeted liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Individual metabolite levels were associated with survival, clinical parameters, CSF bacterial load and 92 CSF inflammatory proteins. Results: CSF tryptophan was associated with 60-day mortality from TBM (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10–1.24, for each doubling in CSF tryptophan) both in HIV-negative and -positive patients. CSF tryptophan concentrations did not correlate with CSF bacterial load nor CSF inflammation but were negatively correlated with CSF interferon-gamma concentrations. Unlike tryptophan, CSF concentrations of an intercorrelating cluster of downstream kynurenine metabolites did not predict mortality. These CSF kynurenine metabolites did however correlate with CSF inflammation and markers of blood–CSF leakage, and plasma kynurenine predicted death (HR 1.54, 95% CI = 1.22–1.93). These findings were mostly specific for TBM, although high CSF tryptophan was also associated with mortality from cryptococcal meningitis. Conclusions: TBM patients with a high baseline CSF tryptophan or high systemic (plasma) kynurenine are at increased risk of death. These findings may reveal new targets for host-directed therapy

The influence of human genetic variation on early transcriptional responses and protective immunity following immunization with Rotarix vaccine in infants in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam : a study protocol for an open single-arm interventional trial [awaiting peer review]

Background: Rotavirus (RoV) remains the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in infants and children aged under five years in both high- and low-middle-income countries (LMICs). In LMICs, RoV infections are associated with substantial mortality. Two RoV vaccines (Rotarix and Rotateq) are widely available for use in infants, both of which have been shown to be highly efficacious in Europe and North America. However, for unknown reasons, these RoV vaccines have markedly lower efficacy in LMICs. We hypothesize that poor RoV vaccine efficacy across in certain regions may be associated with genetic heritability or gene expression in the human host. Methods/design: We designed an open-label single-arm interventional trial with the Rotarix RoV vaccine to identify genetic and transcriptomic markers associated with generating a protective immune response against RoV. Overall, 1,000 infants will be recruited prior to Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) vaccinations at two months of age and vaccinated with oral Rotarix vaccine at two and three months, after which the infants will be followed-up for diarrheal disease until 18 months of age. Blood sampling for genetics, transcriptomics, and immunological analysis will be conducted before each Rotarix vaccination, 2-3 days post-vaccination, and at each follow-up visit (i.e. 6, 12 and 18 months of age). Stool samples will be collected during each diarrheal episode to identify RoV infection. The primary outcome will be Rotarix vaccine failure events (i.e. symptomatic RoV infection despite vaccination), secondary outcomes will be antibody responses and genotypic characterization of the infection virus in Rotarix failure events. Discussion: This study will be the largest and best powered study of its kind to be conducted to date in infants, and will be critical for our understanding of RoV immunity, human genetics in the Vietnam population, and mechanisms determining RoV vaccine-mediated protection. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT03587389. Registered on 16 July 2018

Myeloid neoplasm with histiocytosis and spleen tyrosine kinase fusion responds to fostamatinib

Not available

Is Chytridiomycosis an Emerging Infectious Disease in Asia?

The disease chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), has caused dramatic amphibian population declines and extinctions in Australia, Central and North America, and Europe. Bd is associated with >200 species extinctions of amphibians, but not all species that become infected are susceptible to the disease. Specifically, Bd has rapidly emerged in some areas of the world, such as in Australia, USA, and throughout Central and South America, causing population and species collapse. The mechanism behind the rapid global emergence of the disease is poorly understood, in part due to an incomplete picture of the global distribution of Bd. At present, there is a considerable amount of geographic bias in survey effort for Bd, with Asia being the most neglected continent. To date, Bd surveys have been published for few Asian countries, and infected amphibians have been reported only from Indonesia, South Korea, China and Japan. Thus far, there have been no substantiated reports of enigmatic or suspected disease-caused population declines of the kind that has been attributed to Bd in other areas. In order to gain a more detailed picture of the distribution of Bd in Asia, we undertook a widespread, opportunistic survey of over 3,000 amphibians for Bd throughout Asia and adjoining Papua New Guinea. Survey sites spanned 15 countries, approximately 36° latitude, 111° longitude, and over 2000 m in elevation. Bd prevalence was very low throughout our survey area (2.35% overall) and infected animals were not clumped as would be expected in epizootic events. This suggests that Bd is either newly emerging in Asia, endemic at low prevalence, or that some other ecological factor is preventing Bd from fully invading Asian amphibians. The current observed pattern in Asia differs from that in many other parts of the world

Safety and efficacy of fluoxetine on functional outcome after acute stroke (AFFINITY): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Trials of fluoxetine for recovery after stroke report conflicting results. The Assessment oF FluoxetINe In sTroke recoverY (AFFINITY) trial aimed to show if daily oral fluoxetine for 6 months after stroke improves functional outcome in an ethnically diverse population. Methods AFFINITY was a randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done in 43 hospital stroke units in Australia (n=29), New Zealand (four), and Vietnam (ten). Eligible patients were adults (aged ≥18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of acute stroke in the previous 2–15 days, brain imaging consistent with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke, and a persisting neurological deficit that produced a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 or more. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 via a web-based system using a minimisation algorithm to once daily, oral fluoxetine 20 mg capsules or matching placebo for 6 months. Patients, carers, investigators, and outcome assessors were masked to the treatment allocation. The primary outcome was functional status, measured by the mRS, at 6 months. The primary analysis was an ordinal logistic regression of the mRS at 6 months, adjusted for minimisation variables. Primary and safety analyses were done according to the patient's treatment allocation. The trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12611000774921. Findings Between Jan 11, 2013, and June 30, 2019, 1280 patients were recruited in Australia (n=532), New Zealand (n=42), and Vietnam (n=706), of whom 642 were randomly assigned to fluoxetine and 638 were randomly assigned to placebo. Mean duration of trial treatment was 167 days (SD 48·1). At 6 months, mRS data were available in 624 (97%) patients in the fluoxetine group and 632 (99%) in the placebo group. The distribution of mRS categories was similar in the fluoxetine and placebo groups (adjusted common odds ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·76–1·15; p=0·53). Compared with patients in the placebo group, patients in the fluoxetine group had more falls (20 [3%] vs seven [1%]; p=0·018), bone fractures (19 [3%] vs six [1%]; p=0·014), and epileptic seizures (ten [2%] vs two [<1%]; p=0·038) at 6 months. Interpretation Oral fluoxetine 20 mg daily for 6 months after acute stroke did not improve functional outcome and increased the risk of falls, bone fractures, and epileptic seizures. These results do not support the use of fluoxetine to improve functional outcome after stroke

Rhacophorus vampyrus Rowley, Duong, Dao, Stuart & Huy, 2010, sp. nov.

&lt;i&gt;Rhacophorus vampyrus&lt;/i&gt; sp. nov. &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Holotype.&lt;/b&gt; AMS R 173127, adult male, on a tree branch in montane evergreen forest in Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park, Lac Duong District, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam (12.1865 N, 108.7151 E, 1625 m). Collected at 21:00 h on 26 July 2010 by Le T. T. D.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Paratypes.&lt;/b&gt; AMS R 173126, female, on a tree branch approximately 2 m above ground in montane evergreen forest (12.1865 N, 108.7150 E, 1625 m), collected at 22:30 h on 26 July 2010 by Le T. T. D. UNS 00103/ AMS R 173128 male, on a leaf approximately 2 m above ground in montane evergreen forest (12.1736 N, 108.6987 E, 1470 m) collected at 22:05 h on 31 March 2009 by Le T. T. D. UNS 00104/ AMS R 173129, male, on a leaf approximately 1.5 m above ground, 0.5 m from rocky stream in montane evergreen forest (12.1865 N, 108.7151 E, 1625 m) collected at 20:30 h on 30 March 2009 by Le T. T. D. AMS R 173507, female, on a leaf approximately 1 m above ground in montane evergreen forest (12.1736 N, 108.6987 E, 1470 m), collected at 21:50 h on 18 August 2009 by Le T. T. D. NCSM 77318, adult male, on a trunk of tree away from water, 1 m above ground in montane evergreen forest (12.1864 N, 108.7149 E, 1627 m), collected at 21:00 h on 6 March 2008 by B. L. Stuart, J. J. L. Rowley, Le T. T. D., Tran T. A. D., and Hoang D. H. UNS 0 0 105, adult female, in montane evergreen forest (12.1736 N, 108.6987 E, 1470 m), collected on 18 March 2010 by Tran T. A. D. ZFMK 91076, adult male, on a tree 1 m above ground near 1 2 m wide, dry stream in montane evergreen forest (12.0096 N, 108.6607 E, 2004 m), collected on 23 March 2010 by Tran T. A. D. All specimens were collected in Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park, Lac Duong District, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Other material.&lt;/b&gt; AMS R 173132, six tadpoles, inside small pool of water in an approximately 10 cm diameter tree-hole, approximately 1 m above the ground in montane evergreen forest in Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park, Lac Duong District, Lam Dong Province, Vietnam (12.1736 N, 108.6987 E, 1470 m). Collected at 10:30 h on 28 July 2010 by Le T. T. D.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Etymology.&lt;/b&gt; Specific epithet in reference to the unusual tadpole of the new species (see below), applied as a noun in apposition.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Suggested common name.&lt;/b&gt; Vampire tree frog (English). Ế ch c&acirc;y ma c&agrave; r&ocirc;ng (Vietnamese).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Diagnosis.&lt;/b&gt; The new species is assigned to the genus &lt;i&gt;Rhacophorus&lt;/i&gt; by the presence of intercalary cartilage between the terminal and penultimate phalanges of digits, Y-shaped distal end of terminal phalanx, tips of digits expanded into large disks bearing circummarginal grooves, webbed fingers, a supracloacal dermal ridge, vomerine teeth, and horizontal pupil (Brown &amp; Alcala 1994; Duellman &amp; Trueb 1986; Liem 1970). &lt;i&gt;Rhacophorus vampyrus&lt;/i&gt; is distinguished from all other &lt;i&gt;Rhacophorus&lt;/i&gt; in mainland Southeast Asia by a combination of (1) pale tan to brick red dorsum, (2) white throat, chest and belly, (3) mostly black flanks and anterior and posterior surface of thighs, (4) grey to black webbing between fingers and toes, (5) reduced finger webbing, and (6) pointed projection at tibiotarsal articulation.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Description of holotype.&lt;/b&gt; Body dorsoventrally compressed; head length 90% of head width; snout truncate in dorsal view, bluntly truncate in profile, projecting slightly beyond margin of the lower jaw, with slight point on tip of snout visible in ventral view; canthus rostralis distinct, bluntly angular; loreal region sloping, slightly concave; lips slightly flared; interorbital region slightly convex; nostrils oval, slightly protuberant, without flap of skin laterally, much closer to tip of snout than eye; pupil horizontal, tympanum barely visible externally, tympanic rim slightly elevated relative to skin of temporal region, 41% of eye diameter; pineal ocellus absent; skin not co-ossified to forehead; vomerine teeth present in oblique groups, separated by a distance about as long as each group, closer to choanae than wide; choanae oval, at margins of roof of mouth; tongue attached anteriorly, deeply notched posteriorly; tooth-like projections on lower jaw absent; pair of distinct, oval vocal sac openings at base of jaw; external paired subgular vocal sacs; weak supratympanic fold extending to just beyond level of axilla. Forelimbs relatively robust, relative length of fingers I &lt;II &lt;IV &lt;III; tips of all fingers with well-developed disks with distinct circummarginal grooves, disks relatively wide compared to finger width (third finger disk 170% third finger width), third finger disk width greater (163%) than tympanum diameter; webbing formula I 2 &ndash; 2 + II 1 + &ndash; 2+ III 2 - &ndash; 1 IV; subarticular tubercles prominent, rounded, formula 1, 1, 2, 2; palmar tubercle absent; accessory palmar tubercles indistinct; thenar tubercle absent; prepollex enlarged, with low, relatively indistinct tubercle; nuptial pads or nuptial excrescences absent. Relative length of toes I &lt;II &lt;III &lt;V &lt;IV; tips of toes with well-developed disks with distinct circummarginal grooves; disks smaller than those of fingers; webbing formula I 1 &ndash; 2 II 1 &ndash; 2 III 1 &ndash; 2 + IV 2 &ndash; 1 V; subarticular tubercles rounded, distal subarticular tubercles distinct, inner less distinct, formula 1, 1, 2, 3, 2; inner metatarsal tubercle low, oval; outer metatarsal tubercle and supernumary tubercles absent. Dorsal skin smooth, ventral surface of thighs and belly coarsely granular, chest and throat smooth. Loose skin on either side of the throat over vocal sacs. Tarsal fold absent. Outer margin of forearm and foot with low dermal ridges; low supracloacal dermal ridge; pointed projection at tibiotarsal articulation present, approximately 1 mm long.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Colour of holotype in life.&lt;/b&gt; Dorsal surface pale copper-brown with faint darker brown mottling along back; dorsolateral surfaces with very small, sparse, white and darker brown flecks; dorsal surface of lower arms, thigh and tibiotarsus copper-brown with diffuse darker brown barring; dorsal surface of hands and feet copper-brown proximally, fading distally to pinkish-cream on fingers and toes I II, and grey on fingers III IV and toes III V; dark grey to black webbing dorsally. Black flanks, upper arms, ventral surface of lower arms, anterior and posterior surface of thighs, and ventral surface of crus, with small, irregular white spots within the black on the flanks and upper arms. Ventral surface of throat, chest and belly immaculate except for black mottling extending slightly onto lateral margins of chest at axilla; ventral surfaces of toes and fingers pale grey; ventral surface of webbing grey with dark grey/black margins. Iris pale yellowish gold with a network of fine dark gold reticulations concentrated around the pupil; iris periphery black; posterior periphery of eye blue. Dorsal colouration varied from pale tan (diurnally) to brick red (nocturnally).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Colour of holotype in preservative.&lt;/b&gt; As in life, but with dorsum fading to pale tan.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Measurements.&lt;/b&gt; Holotype: SVL 43.6, HDL 14.6, HDW 16.3, SNT 5.5, EYE 4.6, IOD 4.8, TMP 1.9, TEY 1.6, IN 3.8, NS 1.2, EN 3.6, TIB 20.7, ML 13.2, PL 19.1, IML 2.4.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Variation.&lt;/b&gt; Measurements of the type series are shown in Table 1. AMS R 173126 has dark brownish-grey marbling on the dorsal surface running from the interorbital region down the back; pinkish coloured webbing, particularly ventrally, between toes III IV; more distinct barring on limbs in preserve; and less dense black colouration on the ventral surfaces of the thighs. AMS R 173507 has a uniformly coloured dorsum, with no black or white spotting or dark patterns; indistinct barring on dorsal surface of tibiotarsus; and grey webbing on hands and fingers. AMS R 173129 has an indistinct, slightly darker brown, irregular pattern running along dorsum; two, 1 mm diameter white spots on the back posteriorly; and completely black posterior and anterior surfaces of thighs, without white spotting. AMS R 173128 is strongly patterned with a darker brown, irregular pattern and scattered darker brown specks on the entire dorsum; very distinct barring on limbs; and less black colouration on ventral surfaces of thighs. NCSM 77318 has pale brown or cream mottling on the dorsal surface of head, back and limbs in life; and a dark brown dorsum with pale dusting only visible in between barring on the dorsal surface of the legs in preserve. ZFMK 91076 is almost uniformly pale tan in life and in preserve; has faint barring on arms and legs; slightly darker blotches in the interorbital region and along back; less extensive black colouration marbled with white on flanks, anterior and posterior surfaces of upper arms, anterior surface of lower arms, and anterior and posterior surface of thighs; and only faint black speckling on ventral surfaces of fingers II IV and finger webbing, ventral surface of crus, and anterior half of pes, including ventral surface of toes I III and toe-webbing. UNS 0 0 105 has an almost uniformly pale tan dorsum in life and in preserve; has faint barring on arms and legs; and the most extensive black colouration, without white spotting on flanks, anterior and posterior surfaces of upper arms, anterior surface of lower arms, ventral surfaces of fingers I IV and finger-webbing, anterior and posterior surface of thighs, ventral surface of crus, and anterior half of pes, including ventral surface of toes I III and toe-webbing. UNS 0 0 105 also has fine black specks concentrated on ventral surface of chest, but also sparsely distributed on the belly and outer margins of the throat. Males vary in the extent and colouration of loose skin in the gular region; UNS 00103/AMS R 173128 has only slightly loose skin in the gular region, only weakly coloured grey; UNS00104/AMS R 173129 has loose skin in the gular region, coloured greyish black; NCSM 77318 and ZFMK 91076 have the most pronounced loose skin in the gular region, with dark grey colouration also extending ventrally along margins of throat. All males lack nuptial pads or asperities.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;HDL:SVL 0.33 0.35 0.34 0.35 0.33 0.38 0.37 0.34 TMP:EYE 0.41 0.53 0.45 0.47 0.60 0.61 0.54 0.51 Weight (g) 3.9 - - - - 3.5 4.0 -&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;* holotype&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Tadpole.&lt;/b&gt; Tadpoles were assigned to the new species based upon the extremely low sequence divergences between the tadpole and adults frogs (0.0 0.6% at the 16S rRNA gene). The tadpole is elongate, with a tail length about 3 times body length, and the tail is about as tall as the body. The tadpole has a greatly reduced oral disc, only an upper jaw sheath, and most notably, a pair of keratinized hooks on the edge of the lower labium that face away from the mouth. Colour in life dark brownish grey, slightly paler in preservative. A detailed description of the new tadpole will be published separately.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Ecology.&lt;/b&gt; The species is a phytotelm breeder, depositing foam nests in small tree-holes, away from streams or ponds. Between May-July 2010, we observed eight foam nests and/or groups of tadpoles consistent with the new species, all in water-filled tree-holes, 0.3 1.2 m above the ground. Adults of the new species were also adjacent to these tree-holes on several occasions. The advertisement call of the species is unknown.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Conservation status.&lt;/b&gt; &lt;i&gt;Rhacophorus vampyrus&lt;/i&gt; is known only from Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park. The actual distribution of the new species is unknown but probably extends into montane evergreen forest in the Langbian Plateau, including Chu Yang Sin National Park in Dak Lak Province, and Phuoc Binh National Park in Ninh Thuan Province, which are continuous with Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park. Given the available information, we suggest the species should be considered Data Deficient following IUCN&rsquo;s Red List categories (IUCN 2001).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Comparisons.&lt;/b&gt; The pale tan to brick red dorsum, white venter, and mostly black flanks, ventral surface of upper arms and crus, and anterior and posterior surface of thighs distinguishes the new species from all mainland Southeast Asian congeners (Table 2).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;TABLE 2&lt;/b&gt;. &lt;i&gt;Rhacophorus&lt;/i&gt; species known from mainland Southeast Asia. Fields that differ to those of the new species are highlighted in grey.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Pointed projection&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Species Dorsum colour Ventral colour Pattern on sides of body Dorsal colour of webbing Finger webbing on heel Source&lt;/b&gt; Smith 1924; variable, white and/or yellow; Inger &lt;i&gt;et al&lt;/i&gt;. brown with dark scattered black/grey/brown variable; dark greyish 1999; JR pers.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;annamensis&lt;/i&gt; markings white spots brown/black complete absent obs.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;greyish brown with G&uuml;nther 1858; dark obscure cream coloured; no absent (narrow flap Brown &amp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;appendiculatus&lt;/i&gt; mottling spots &ndash; &ndash; reduced only) Alcala 1994 Ahl, 1927; Bordoloi &lt;i&gt;et al&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;bipunctatus&lt;/i&gt; green yellow 1&ndash;3 black spots red reduced present 2007&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;chocolate brown with&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;white markings Andersson anteriorly, whitish 1939; Ohler&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;burmanus&lt;/i&gt; green posteriorly* &ndash; &ndash; reduced absent 2009&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;olive/pale green;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;small pale yellow yellow, 2 black spots (one side&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;calcaneus&lt;/i&gt; dots pale yellow only) yellow/olive, dark spots reduced present Smith 1924&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;dark green or&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; brown; small pale bright yellow with 2 black Orlov &lt;i&gt;et al&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;chuyangsinensis&lt;/i&gt; spots bright yellow spots bright yellow reduced present 2008&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;throat and chest white&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;sand-coloured with with brown speckles; posterior dark brown to&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;cinnamon coloured belly light yellow to blackish with iridescent blue Manthey &amp;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;cyanopunctatus&lt;/i&gt; cross bars dark down the flanks spots &ndash; reduced absent Seiof 1998 Blanford 1881; dirty white, mottled Bordoloi &lt;i&gt;et al&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;dennysi&lt;/i&gt; green with dusky none whitish reduced absent 2007&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;white with variable black&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;dorsoviridis&lt;/i&gt; green white spotting &ndash; reduced absent Bourret1937 fleshy with brown lower flanks blackish with Ohler &lt;i&gt;et al&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;duboisi&lt;/i&gt; dark olive green spots white spots marbled black and white reduced absent 2000 green, with round David 1872 spots of a golden cream yellow, spotted &quot;1871; Liu&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;dugritei&lt;/i&gt; metallic ash with dark grey marbled with cream yellow &ndash; reduced absent 1950 mottled grey, Inger &lt;i&gt;et al&lt;/i&gt;. brown, and olive white anteriorly; marbled back and white/pale absent (large 1999; JR pers.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;exechopygus&lt;/i&gt; green yellow posteriorly blue as dorsum complete tubercle only) obs.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; The presence of a distinct pointed projection at the tibiotarsal articulation further distinguishes the new species from all mainland Southeast Asian congeners with the exception of &lt;i&gt;Rhacophorus bipunctatus, R. calcaneus, R. chuyangsinensis, R. hoanglienensis, R. kio, R. marmoridorsum, R. rhodopus&lt;/i&gt;, and &lt;i&gt;R. spelaeus&lt;/i&gt; (Table 2). From these species, &lt;i&gt;R. vampyrus&lt;/i&gt; can be distinguished further on the basis of colouration and extent of hand webbing. &lt;i&gt;Rhacophorus vampyrus&lt;/i&gt; differs from: &lt;i&gt;R. bipunctatus&lt;/i&gt; in having a pale tan to brick red dorsum (versus green), white ventral surface with black margins (versus yellow), black flanks (versus 1 3 black spots), and grey/black webbing on dorsal surface (versus red); from &lt;i&gt;R. calcaneus&lt;/i&gt; in having a pale tan to brick red dorsum (versus olive/pale green), white ventral surface with black margins (versus pale yellow), black flanks (versus yellow with black spots), and grey/black webbing on dorsal surface (versus yellow/olive with dark spots); from &lt;i&gt;R. chuyangsinensis&lt;/i&gt; in having a pale tan to brick red dorsum (versus dark green or brown with small pale spots), white ventral surface with black margins (versus bright yellow), black flanks (versus bright yellow with black spots), and grey/black webbing on dorsal surface (versus bright yellow); from &lt;i&gt;R. kio&lt;/i&gt; in having incomplete finger webbing (versus complete), a pale tan to brick red dorsum (versus green), white ventral surface with black margins (versus lemon yellow), black flanks (versus with one black spot), and grey/black webbing on dorsal surface (versus orange and black); from &lt;i&gt;R. marmoridorsum&lt;/i&gt; in having a pale cream to brick red dorsum (versus flesh coloured with marble chocolate pattern), white ventral surface with black margins (versus light cream), and black flanks (versus irregular spots and lines of chocolate colour on cream background); from &lt;i&gt;R. rhodopus&lt;/i&gt; in having a white ventral surface with black margins (versus yellow), black flanks (versus 1 black spot), and grey/black webbing on dorsal surface (versus red); and from &lt;i&gt;R. spelaeus&lt;/i&gt; in having a pale tan to brick red dorsum (versus greyish brown with dark, irregular spots), white ventral surface with black margins (versus light grey with dark specks), black flanks (versus light grey), and grey/ black webbing on dorsal surface (versus grey-brown with dark speckles).&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Rowley, Jodi J. L., Duong, Le Thi Thuy, Dao, Tran Thi Anh, Stuart, Bryan L. &amp; Huy, Hoang Duc, 2010, A new tree frog of the genus Rhacophorus (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from southern Vietnam, pp. 45-55 in Zootaxa 2727&lt;/i&gt; on pages 46-53, DOI: &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/200069"&gt;10.5281/zenodo.200069&lt;/a&gt

Band-head spectra of low-energy single-particle excitations in some well-deformed, odd-mass heavy nuclei within a microscopic approach

International audienceIn four well-deformed heavy odd nuclei, the energies of low-lying rotational band heads have been determined microscopically within a self-consistent Hartree-Fock-plus-BCS approach with blocking. A Skyrme nucleon-nucleon effective interaction has been used together with a seniority force to describe pairing correlations. Only such states which are phenomenologically deemed to be related to single-particle excitations have been considered. The polarization effects, including those associated with the genuine time-reversal symmetry breaking have been fully taken into account within our model assumptions. The calculated spectra are in reasonably good qualitative agreement with available data for the considered odd-neutron nuclei. This is not so much the case for the odd-proton nuclei. A potential explanation for such a difference in behavior is proposed