Quantitation of mitral regurgitation using positron emission tomography.

Background: Cardiac positron emission tomography (PET) offers non-invasive assessment of perfusion and left ventricular (LV) function from a single dynamic scan. However, no prior assessment of mitral regurgitation severity by PET has been presented. Application of indicator dilution techniques and gated image analyses to PET data enables calculation of forward stroke volume and total LV stroke volume.

Effects of livestock on arthropod biodiversity in Iberian holm oak savannas revealed by metabarcoding.

Increasing food production while avoiding negative impacts on biodiversity constitutes one of the main challenges of our time. Traditional silvopastoral systems like Iberian oak savannas ("dehesas") set an example, where free-range livestock has been reared for centuries while preserving a high natural value. Nevertheless, factors decreasing productivity need to be addressed, one being acorn losses provoked by pest insects.

Phylogenomic analysis of Stylops reveals the evolutionary history of a Holarctic Strepsiptera radiation parasitizing wild bees.

Holarctic Stylops is the largest genus of the enigmatic insect order Strepsiptera, twisted winged parasites. Members of Stylops are obligate endoparasites of Andrena mining bees and exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism typical of Strepsiptera. So far, molecular studies on Stylops have focused on questions on species delimitation.

Morphology of the larvae of Rhantaticus congestus (Klug, 1833) and phylogenetic comparison with other known Aciliini (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Dytiscinae).

We describe the second- and third instar larvae of the diving beetle Rhantaticus congestus (Klug, 1833), including detailed morphometric and chaetotaxic analyses of the cephalic capsule, head appendages, legs, terminal abdominal segment and urogomphi in order to discover useful characters for distinguishing Rhantaticus Sharp, 1882 larvae from those of other known Aciliini (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Dytiscinae). A parsimony analysis based on 94 larval characteristics of nine Aciliini species in five genera (Acilius Leach, 1817, Graphoderus Dejean, 1833, Rhantaticus, Sandracottus Sharp, 1882, Thermonectus Dejean, 1833) was conducted using the program TNT. Rhantaticus shares with all these genera several larval character states which support its inclusion in the Aciliini.

It turned into something else: patients' long-term experiences of transitions to or from telepsychotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: The shift from in-person therapy to telepsychotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic was unprepared for, sudden, and inevitable. This study explored patients' long-term experiences of transitions to telepsychotherapy and back to the office.

Methods: Data were collected approximately two years after the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic.

Larval morphology of the Madagascan endemic diving beetle genus Hovahydrus Biström, 1982 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) and phylogenetic comparison with other known Hyphydrini.

We describe for the first time the instar III larva of the diving beetle genus Hovahydrus Biström, 1982, based on H. praetextus (Guignot, 1951) and a new species yet to be described (identified here as Hovahydrus sp. near H.

Myocardial External Efficiency in Asymptomatic Severe Primary Mitral Regurgitation Using C-Acetate PET.

Subjects with asymptomatic moderate-to-severe or severe primary mitral regurgitation are closely observed for signs of progression or symptoms requiring surgical intervention. The role of myocardial metabolic function in progression of mitral regurgitation is poorly understood. We used C-acetate PET to noninvasively measure myocardial mechanical external efficiency (MEE), which is the energetic ratio of external cardiac work and left ventricular (LV) oxygen consumption.

Remaining forests on the Central Highlands of Madagascar-Endemic and endangered aquatic beetle fauna uncovered.

Madagascar is known for its high endemism and as many as 90% of this unique diversity are forest-dwellers. Unfortunately, the forest cover of Madagascar is decreasing at an alarming rate. This decrease can also affect aquatic insects, but our knowledge on aquatic insect diversity and distribution on Madagascar are limited.

The Naucoridae (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha) of Madagascar, with revisions of Temnocoris and Tsingala (Laccocorinae).

The island nation of Madagascar was surveyed extensively through a series of expeditions to determine the fauna of Naucoridae. Previously, 17 species in four genera had been reported from the country. All taxa previously recorded from Madagascar were re-collected, with the exception of three species, Macrocoris flavicollis Signoret, Temnocoris starmuhlneri Poisson, and Tsingala nossibeanus (Bergroth).

Spatio-temporal variation in water beetle assemblages across temperate freshwater ecosystems.

Ecological communities are structured by several mechanisms, including temporal, spatial and environmental factors. However, the simultaneous effects of these factors have rarely been studied. Here, we investigated their role on water beetle assemblages sampled over a period of 18 years.

A 33-year follow-up after valvular surgery for carcinoid heart disease.

Aims: Valvular surgery has improved long-term prognosis in severe carcinoid heart disease (CaHD). Experience is limited and uncertainty remains about predictors for survival and strategy regarding single vs. double-valve surgery.

Cardiac Imaging in Carcinoid Heart Disease.

Carcinoid disease is caused by neuroendocrine tumors, most often located in the gut, and leads in approximately 20% of cases to specific, severe heart disease, most prominently affecting right-sided valves. If cardiac disease occurs, it determines the patient's prognosis more than local growth of the tumor. Surgical treatment of carcinoid-induced valve disease has been found to improve survival in observational studies.

DNA Barcoding and geographical scale effect: The problems of undersampling genetic diversity hotspots.

DNA barcoding identification needs a good characterization of intraspecific genetic divergence to establish the limits between species. Yet, the number of barcodes per species is many times low and geographically restricted. A poor coverage of the species distribution range may hamper identification, especially when undersampled areas host genetically distinct lineages.

Taxonomic revision of the Afrotropical species group with the description of four new species (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae).

We revise the Afrotropical species group, motivated by the discovery of new diversity in Kenya and South Africa. Whilst is mainly a holarctic genus, the group is restricted to high altitude regions of eastern Africa and temperate parts of South Africa, from where we describe the southernmost in the world. The following new species are introduced: from Mount Kenya in central Kenya, a widespread species in South Africa, from the Kamiesberg and northeastern Cederberg ranges in the Northern and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa and from the Agulhas Plain, Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Species delimitation in the cyanolichen genus Rostania.

Background: In this study, we investigate species limits in the cyanobacterial lichen genus Rostania (Collemataceae, Peltigerales, Lecanoromycetes). Four molecular markers (mtSSU rDNA, β-tubulin, MCM7, RPB2) were sequenced and analysed with two coalescent-based species delimitation methods: the Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent model (GMYC) and a Bayesian species delimitation method (BPP) using a multispecies coalescence model (MSC), the latter with or without an a priori defined guide tree.

Results: Species delimitation analyses indicate the presence of eight strongly supported candidate species.

New Myxophagan water beetles from Madagascar (Coleoptera: Torridincolidae, Hydroscaphidae).

Myxophagan water beetles from Madagascar are comprehensively revised. Holotypes of the two previously known species are re-described and illustrated. Six new species of Incoltorrida Steffan and one new species of Hydroscapha LeConte are described and illustrated.

Taxonomic revision of the genus of Madagascar (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae): the non- group species.

The genus Erichson, 1832 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae) of Madagascar is revised in two parts. This review is restricted to the species that have fewer than ten elytral + one submarginal stria, including all species except those of the species group. Both morphological and molecular (mitochondrial COI) data are used in an integrative taxonomic approach.

Checklist of terrestrial Parasitengona mites in Fennoscandia with new species- and distribution records (Acariformes: Prostigmata).

The knowledge of terrestrial Parasitengona in Fennoscandia lies far behind that of their aquatic counterparts, the water mites (Hydrachnidia). Based on new inventories, we provide primary data and an annotated checklist of terrestrial Parasitengona in Fennoscandia including 107 species. Out of these, nineteen species are new findings for the region and five are species potentially new for science.

Sexual conflict and intrasexual polymorphism promote assortative mating and halt population differentiation.

Sexual conflict is thought to be an important evolutionary force in driving phenotypic diversification, population divergence, and speciation. However, empirical evidence is inconsistent with the generality that sexual conflict enhances population divergence. Here, we demonstrate an alternative evolutionary outcome in which sexual conflict plays a conservative role in maintaining male and female polymorphisms locally, rather than promoting population divergence.

Position specificity in the genus ().

To study position specificity in the insect-parasitic fungal genus (), we sampled corixid hosts (Corixidae, Heteroptera) in southern Scandinavia. We detected thalli in five different positions on the hosts. Thalli from the various positions grouped in four distinct clusters in the resulting gene trees, distinctly so in the ITS and LSU of the nuclear ribosomal DNA, less so in the SSU of the nuclear ribosomal DNA and the mitochondrial ribosomal DNA.