Flight of the dragonflies and damselflies

This work is a synthesis of our current understanding of the mechanics, aerodynamics and visually mediated control of dragonfly and damselfly flight, with the addition of new experimental and computational data in several key areas. These are: the diversity of dragonfly wing morphologies, the aerodynamics of gliding flight, force generation in flapping flight, aerodynamic efficiency, comparative flight performance and pursuit strategies during predatory and territorial flights. New data are set in context by brief reviews covering anatomy at several scales, insect aerodynamics, neuromechanics and behaviour. We achieve a new perspective by means of a diverse range of techniques, including laser-line mapping of wing topographies, computational fluid dynamics simulations of finely detailed wing geometries, quantitative imaging using particle image velocimetry of on-wing and wake flow patterns, classical aerodynamic theory, photography in the field, infrared motion capture and multi-camera optical tracking of free flight trajectories in laboratory environments. Our comprehensive approach enables a novel synthesis of datasets and subfields that integrates many aspects of flight from the neurobiology of the compound eye, through the aeromechanical interface with the surrounding fluid, to flight performance under cruising and higher-energy behavioural modes

Reconciling biodiversity and carbon stock conservation in an Afrotropical forest landscape

Protecting aboveground carbon stocks in tropical forests is essential for mitigating global climate change and is assumed to simultaneously conserve biodiversity. Although the relationship between tree diversity and carbon stocks is generally positive, the relationship remains unclear for consumers or decomposers. We assessed this relationship for multiple trophic levels across the tree of life (10 organismal groups, 3 kingdoms) in lowland rainforests of the Congo Basin. Comparisons across regrowth and old-growth forests evinced the expected positive relationship for trees, but not for other organismal groups. Moreover, differences in species composition between forests increased with difference in carbon stock. These variable associations across the tree of life contradict the implicit assumption that maximum co-benefits to biodiversity are associated with conservation of forests with the highest carbon storage. Initiatives targeting climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation should include both old-growth and regenerating forests to optimally benefit biodiversity and carbon storage

Bats, Bat Flies, and Fungi: Exploring Uncharted Waters

Bats serve as hosts to many lineages of arthropods, of which the blood-sucking bat flies (Nycteribiidae and Streblidae) are the most conspicuous. Bat flies can in turn be parasitized by Laboulbeniales fungi, which are biotrophs of arthropods. This is a second level of parasitism, hyperparasitism, a severely understudied phenomenon. Four genera of Laboulbeniales are known to occur on bat flies, Arthrorhynchus on Nycteribiidae in the Eastern Hemisphere, Dimeromyces on Old World Streblidae, Gloeandromyces on New World Streblidae, and Nycteromyces on Streblidae in both hemispheres. In this chapter, we introduce the different partners of the tripartite interaction and discuss their species diversity, ecology, and patterns of specificity. We cover parasite prevalence of Laboulbeniales fungi on bat flies, climatic effects on parasitism of bat flies, and coevolutionary patterns. One of the most important questions in this tripartite system is whether habitat has an influence on parasitism of bat flies by Laboulbeniales fungi. We hypothesize that habitat disturbance causes parasite prevalence to increase, in line with the “dilution effect.” This can only be resolved based on large, non-biased datasets. To obtain these, we stress the importance of multitrophic field expeditions and international collaborations

2021 Update of the International Council for Standardization in Haematology Recommendations for Laboratory Measurement of Direct Oral Anticoagulants

International audienceIn 2018, the International Council for Standardization in Haematology (ICSH) published a consensus document providing guidance for laboratories on measuring direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Since that publication, several significant changes related to DOACs have occurred, including the approval of a new DOAC by the Food and Drug Administration, betrixaban, and a specific DOAC reversal agent intended for use when the reversal of anticoagulation with apixaban or rivaroxaban is needed due to life-threatening or uncontrolled bleeding, andexanet alfa. In addition, this ICSH Working Party recognized areas where additional information was warranted, including patient population considerations and updates in point-of-care testing. The information in this manuscript supplements our previous ICSH DOAC laboratory guidance document. The recommendations provided are based on (1) information from peer-reviewed publications about laboratory measurement of DOACs, (2) contributing author's personal experience/expert opinion and (3) good laboratory practice

Principles of Hand Fracture Management

The hand is essential in humans for physical manipulation of their surrounding environment. Allowing the ability to grasp, and differentiated from other animals by an opposing thumb, the main functions include both fine and gross motor skills as well as being a key tool for sensing and understanding the immediate surroundings of their owner

Fungal systematics and evolution : FUSE 6

Fungal Systematics and Evolution (FUSE) is one of the journal series to address the “fusion” between morphological data and molecular phylogenetic data and to describe new fungal taxa and interesting observations. This paper is the 6th contribution in the FUSE series—presenting one new genus, twelve new species, twelve new country records, and three new combinations. The new genus is: Pseudozeugandromyces (Laboulbeniomycetes, Laboulbeniales). The new species are: Albatrellopsis flettioides from Pakistan, Aureoboletus garciae from Mexico, Entomophila canadense from Canada, E. frigidum from Sweden, E. porphyroleucum from Vietnam, Erythrophylloporus flammans from Vietnam, Marasmiellus boreoorientalis from Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East, Marasmiellus longistipes from Pakistan, Pseudozeugandromyces tachypori on Tachyporus pusillus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from Belgium, Robillarda sohagensis from Egypt, Trechispora hondurensis from Honduras, and Tricholoma kenanii from Turkey. The new records are: Arthrorhynchus eucampsipodae on Eucampsipoda africanum (Diptera, Nycteribiidae) from Rwanda and South Africa, and on Nycteribia vexata (Diptera, Nycteribiidae) from Bulgaria; A. nycteribiae on Eucampsipoda africanum from South Africa, on Penicillidia conspicua (Diptera, Nycteribiidae) from Bulgaria (the first undoubtful country record), and on Penicillidia pachymela from Tanzania; Calvatia lilacina from Pakistan; Entoloma shangdongense from Pakistan; Erysiphe quercicola on Ziziphus jujuba (Rosales, Rhamnaceae) and E. urticae on Urtica dioica (Rosales, Urticaceae) from Pakistan; Fanniomyces ceratophorus on Fannia canicularis (Diptera, Faniidae) from the Netherlands; Marasmiellus biformis and M. subnuda from Pakistan; Morchella anatolica from Turkey; Ophiocordyceps ditmarii on Vespula vulgaris (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) from Austria; and Parvacoccum pini on Pinus cembra (Pinales, Pinaceae) from Austria. The new combinations are: Appendiculina gregaria, A. scaptomyzae, and Marasmiellus rodhallii. Analysis of an LSU dataset of Arthrorhynchus including isolates of A. eucampsipodae from Eucampsipoda africanum and Nycteribia spp. hosts, revealed that this taxon is a complex of multiple species segregated by host genus. Analysis of an SSU–LSU dataset of Laboulbeniomycetes sequences revealed support for the recognition of four monophyletic genera within Stigmatomyces sensu lato: Appendiculina, Fanniomyces, Gloeandromyces, and Stigmatomyces sensu stricto. Finally, phylogenetic analyses of Rhytismataceae based on ITS–LSU ribosomal DNA resulted in a close relationship of Parvacoccum pini with Coccomyces strobi.http://www.sydowia.at/index.htmpm2021Medical Virolog