Birth prevalence of ano-rectal malformations for the Western Cape Province, South Africa

Background: Anorectal malformations (ARMs) are a major birth anomaly worldwide. South Africa has ethnically and geologically diverse populations. A recent publication indicated an increased birth prevalence of ARMs in the Witwatersrand referral area between 2005 and 2010. The purpose of this study was to determine the birth prevalence of ARM and its various sub - types in the Western Cape referral district over an 8 year period Methods: For an eight year period from 01 January 2005 to 31 December 2012; retrospective data was collected from the Paediatric Surgical Departments of Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Tygerberg Children's Hospital as well as the private sector health registries. The number of live births per year for a specific municipal district was obtained from the National Department of Health. The Chi square for trend test was used to determine statistical significance. Results: The birth prevalence for ARM in the Western Cape Province in 2012 was shown to be 1:5572 live births (1.79/10 000 live births). The West Coast Municipality district had the highest average birth prevalence rate of 1:3063 (3 .26/10 000) live births for years studied. There was a male predominance (1.6:1), the most common ARM was the vestibular fistula (19.2%) and in 26% of the patients there was an initial delay in the diagnosis. Conclusion: This study has provided some recent data for ARMs for the Western Cape Province. There was no statistical significant change in the prevalence of ARMs over the eight year period for the Western Cape Province as well as in any of the individual six municipal health districts. ( χ2 for trend p=0.52) . The number of delayed diagnosis of ARM is of concern

Two new species of the family Nippobodidae (Acari, Oribatida), including a description of the leg-folding process

Nippobodes panemorfis sp. n. and Leobodes trypasis sp. n. are described by means of optical and Scanning ElectronMicroscopy (SEM) and compared to other congeners. The leg-folding process is described and illustrated.Nippobodes panemorfis sp. n. is characterised by interlocking, double hook-shaped, posterior prodorsalcondyle and anterior zone humeral apophysis; posterior prodorsal depression present. Tutorium a largelamina defining a pocket-shaped structure; bothridial opening ovoid, situated at the bottom of a U-shapedstructure; deep, rounded-ovoid anterior notogastral depression present; ten pairs of notogastral setae; csetae looped, dentate, sharply tipped. Marginal setae h3, p3 on large promontories, followed by deep Vshapedincision; notogaster completely surrounded by circumgastric depression; lateral genital zone withlocking structure constituted by longitudinal cuticular elevation, with promontories and a parallel furrowinvolved in the leg-folding process; genital plate smaller than anal plate.Leobodes trypasis sp. n. is characterised by: the presence of posterior prodorsal depression and anteriornotogastral depression; bridge-shaped anterior prodorsal condyles; heart-shaped frontal prodorsal orifice;ten pairs of notogastral setae; posterior prodorsal condyle and humeral condyle interlocked, formingdouble hook-like structure; circumgastric furrow surrounding entire notogaster; setae lp, h2, h1 situated onshallow medial furrow; notogastral setae lm, lp, h1, h2 medially aligned; p1, p2, p3, h3 marginally situated.Legs I-IV, tutorium, pedotectum I, and pedotectum II involved in leg folding which is inferred to be aprotection mechanism.Fil: Fernández, Néstor Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Theron, Pieter. North-West University; SudáfricaFil: Leiva, Sergio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Agencia De Extensión Rural Aimogasta; Argentin

Première découverte des Plasmobatidae (Acari, Oribatida) au Gabon, redéfinition et nouvelle espèce du genre Solenozetes Grandjean, 1932

The family Plasmobatidae is herewith reported for the first time from Gabon and Solenozetes makokouensis n. sp. is described. The holotype was collected from litter in dense evergreen humid forest, Makokou, Province Ogoové-Ivindo, north-eastern Gabon. The species is described and illustrated based on adult females. The new species is easily distinguishable by the following combination of character states: cerotegumental layer amorphous, with small tuberculations mixed with granulations; ro seta falcate, inserted on forward-extending visorlike protuberance; in seta wrapped in cerotegumental granulate layer; prodorsal anterior zone complex with irregular protuberances; bothridium horseshoe-shaped, internal rings appearing gear-like; sensillus filiform; notogaster anteriorly with semicircular furrow and depressed zone; macropores opening on foveae; notogastral microsculpture irregular foveate pattern; opisthosomal gland apophysis conical with rounded tip; five pairs of notogastral setae. The genus Solenozetes is redefined.La famille Plasmobatidae a été trouvée pour la première fois au Gabon. Une espèce nouvelle Solenozetes makokuensis n. sp., est décrite et illustrée, sur la base de la stase adulte femelle. Le matériel-type a été récolté à Makokou, dans la Province Ogoové-Ivindo au nord-est du Gabon. La nouvelle espèce est caractérisée par : une couche cérotégumentaire amorphe, comprenant des petites tubercules mélangées à des granulations ; le poil ro gonflé, situé sur une protubérance avec une expansion basale en visière ; le poil in, immergé dans une couche de cérotégument granulée ; la zone prodorsale antérieure complexe avec des protubérances irrégulières; le bothridium en forme de fer à cheval, avec des anneaux intérieurs semblables à des engrenages ; le sensillus filiforme ; la zone antérieure du notogaster déprimée avec un sillon semi-circulaire ; les macropores situés dans des concavités ; la microsculpture du notogaster, constitué par des petites concavités à bord franc de taille variable ; l'apophyse de la glande latéro-abdominale conique à pointe arrondie ; cinq paires de poils gastronotiques. Le genre Solenozetes est redéfini.Fil: Fernandez, Nestor Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de la Rioja. Vice Rectorado; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Theron, Pieter. North West University; SudáfricaFil: Rollard, Christine. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle; Franci

Agistemus aimogastaensis sp. n. (Acari, Actinedida, Stigmaeidae), a recently discovered predator of eriophyid mites Aceria oleae and Oxycenus maxwelli, in olive orchards in Argentina

A new species, Agistemus aimogastaensis, is described with the aid of optical and Scanning Electron Microscopy. This mite is an important predator of two eriophyid mites (Aceria oleae and Oxycenus maxwelli) in olive orchards (Olea europaea, variety Arauco) in La Rioja Province. The problems related to eriophyids in olive orchards in Argentina are highlighted and photos of the damage on leaves and fruit are included.Fil: Leiva, Sergio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Nestor Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Rioja; ArgentinaFil: Theron, Pieter. North West University; SudáfricaFil: Rollard, Christine. North West University; Sudáfric

Nannodromus reveilleti (Acari, Anystida, Saxidromidae) a new genus and species from South Africa

The description of a new genus Nannodromus and a new species Nannodromus reveilleti (Acari: Anystides: Saxidromidae) from South Africa, based on adult males and females.Fil: Fernandez, Nestor Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Rioja; ArgentinaFil: Coineau, Yves. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle; FranciaFil: Theron, Pieter. North-West University; SudáfricaFil: Tiedt, Louwrens. North-West University; Sudáfric

Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari: Oribatida) XVI. Synkrotima tsalakpmenoi sp. nov. from Zimbabwe and Kenya, and Congocepheus thailandae sp. nov. from Thailand, including a complementary study of Cavaecarabodes hauseri (Mahunka 1989)

Synkrotima tsalakpmenoi sp. nov. is described from material collected in Zimbabwe and Kenya. This species presents the following characteristics: notogastral integument formed by longitudinally aligned cuticular cords; thick, lanceolate notogastral setae; and genital neotrichy. Synkrotima tsalakpmenoi sp. nov. is compared to S. zimbabwae. Congocepheus thailandae sp. nov. is the first species of this genus described from Thailand, with the following present: large finger-like notogastral projection; notogastral setae c1, c2, da, dm, dp, la, lm, lp, h1, h2 situated on promontories; setae c1, c2 located adjacent and parallel. A complementary study of Cavaecarabodes hauseri, making use of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), allows for clarification of particularities regarding complex setae as well as some aspects of the integument, and provides a more detailed diagnosis.Fil: Fernández, Néstor Alfredo. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Theron, Pieter. North-West University; SudáfricaFil: Leiva, Sergio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Jordaan, Anine. North-West University; Sudáfric

Oribatid mites from deep soils of hòn chông limestone hills, Vietnam: the family lohmanniidae (acari: oribatida), with the descriptions of bedoslohmannia anneae n. gen., n. sp., and paulianacarus vietnamese n. sp.

In this first work on the oribatid mite fauna of Hòn Chông limestone hills,Vietnam, we describe Bedoslohmannia anneae n. gen., n. sp. and Paulianacarusvietnamese n. sp., in both cases studied with optical microscopy. Bedoslohmannian. gen. presents a very interesting ?leg-folding process?, unusually shaped legsand significant notogastral neotrichy. Paulianacarus Balogh, 1960 is newlyreported from Vietnam and P. vietnamese n. sp. is most similar to P. rugulosusMahunka, 1995 from Thailand.Les acariens Oribates des sols profonds des collines calcaires de Hòn Chông, Vietnam: la famille des Lohmanniidae (Acari: Oribatida), avec la description de Bedoslohmannia anneae n. gen., n. sp., et Paulianacarus Vietnamese n. sp. Dans ce premier travail sur la faune Oribatologique des collines calcaires de Hòn Chông du Vietnam, nous décrivons Bedoslohmannia anneae n. gen, n. sp. et Paulianacarus Vietnamese n. sp., tous deux étudiés en microscopie optique. Bedoslohmannia n. gen. présente un système très intéressant pour replier ses pattes, une forme de pattes très particulière ainsi qu'une importante néotrichie notogastral. Paulianacarus Balogh, 1960 est nouveau pour le Vietnam et P. Vietnamese n. sp. ressemble à P. rugulosus Mahunka, 1995 de Thaïlande.Fil: Fernández, Néstor Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Theron, Pieter. North West University;; SudáfricaFil: Rollard, Christine. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia. Museum National d; FranciaFil: Castillo, Elio Rodrigo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; Argentin

Modelling of a semi-active hydropneumatic spring–damper unit

The mathematical modelling of a suspension unit is considered. The unit comprises a hydraulic cylinder connecting the vehicle body to the unsprung mass, two nitrogen-filled accumulator springs and two damper ports. The model takes the deflection rate as input and iteratively employs simple fluid dynamics theory to calculate the flow-rates from each accumulator to the cylinder. It calculates the pressure in the accumulators by time-integrating the flow rates to determine the gas volumes and then invoking ideal gas theory. This renders the dynamic force of the unit as output. Model predictions are compared with measurements.US Government through its European Research Office of the US Armyhttp://www.inderscience.com/jhome.php?jcode=ijvdhb201

Revision of the family Carabodidae (Acari, Oribatida) VII. Redefinition of the genus Malgasodes; redescription of M. curvisetus Mahunka, 2000; and complementary description of M. hungarorum Mahunka, 2010. Phylogenetic relationships between Malgasodes, Bovicarabodes, Afticarabodes, Congocepheus and Cavaecarabodes are discussed

The genus Malgasodes is redefined; the type species M. curvisetus Mahunka, 2000, is redescribed by meansof studies using optic and Scanning Electron Microsopy (SEM), and a complementary description of M.hungarorum Mahunka, 2000 is included. Comparison of genera Malgasodes Mahunka, 2000, Bovicarabodes Fernandez, Theron, Rollard, 2013a, Cavaecarabodes Fernandez, Theron, Rollard, Rodriguez Castillo,2014, Afticarabodes Fernandez, Theron, Rollard, 2013b, and Congocepheus Balogh, 1958 is made. Problems concerning chaetotaxy, regressive evolution and neotrichy are explained and phylogenetic relationships between Malgasodes, Bovicarabodes, Afticarabodes, Congocepheus and Cavaecarabodes are discussed.Fil: Fernández, Néstor Alfredo. North-West University. Research Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management; Sudáfrica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; ArgentinaFil: Theron, Pieter. North-West University. Research Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management; SudáfricaFil: Rollard, Christine. Muséum National d; FranciaFil: Castillo, Elio Rodrigo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; Argentin

The family Carabodidae (Acari, Oribatida) VIII: The genus Machadocepheus (first part) Machadocepheus leoneae sp. n. and Machadocepheus rachii sp. n. from Gabon

The genus Machadocepheus, being one of the more complex genera of the Carabodidae family, is briefly outlined to demonstrate this complexity. Descriptions of two new species from Gabon, M. leoneae sp. n. and M. rachii sp. n. are given.Fil: Fernández, Néstor Alfredo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas | Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Instituto de Biología Subtropical - Nodo Posadas; ArgentinaFil: Theron, Pieter. North West University; SudáfricaFil: Rollard, Christine. North West University; SudáfricaFil: Leiva, Sergio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentin