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European spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) is widespread in Europe. It is of interest to study its biological characteristics in the eastern part of the range, where it transforms into an intermediate form with Siberian spruce. Phenotypic traits of spruce in this area have so far been studied mainly by visual and descriptive techniques. The aim of the study is to study the variability of the main systematic characters, diversity and phenotypic structure of European spruce in the east of the range using mathematical and statistical techniques. This approach made it possible to objectively assess the parameters of its systematic characters, their relationship, and also to identify three significantly different groups of populations. It is shown that in this area the average length of spruce cones is in the range from 80-85 to 100-114 mm. The coefficient of narrowing of the upper part of the seed scales ( C ) is 25-35%, the coefficient of projection ( C ) is 60-80%, their difference ( C- C ) is -25… -55%. The value of the individual variation in the length of cones and the C index is 12-15%, C index is about 20%, and C-C is 30-35%. The intrapopulation coefficient of negative correlation of C and C indices has an average level (-0.3…-0.6). Their correlation between populations is much higher (-0.9). In the geographic variability of indicators of the shape of seed scales and the length of the cones, there is a correlation of the average level. The frequency of individuals of European spruce phenotypes in the populations of the groups P. ab, P. ab×ab×m., P. ab×m., Distinguished by the metric parameters of seed scales, is 98-100, 85-95, 57-70%, respectively. The research results can be useful for forestry and in substantiating the identified intraspecific taxa.

Spruce populations in the north of the European part of Russia have formed with traits, the population-geographic variability of which has not been sufficiently studied. The research purpose is to study on the basis of biometric parameters the phenotypic structure and geographic differentiation of spruce populations located north of the 60th parallel, as well as their relative position to European and Siberian spruces. Spruce is characterized here by a significant population-geographical diversity. The average length of cones in populations is within 44–85 mm, the coefficient of narrowing of the upper part of seed scales (Cn) is 36‒68, elongation coefficient (Cp) is 40‒60 %, and their difference (Cn‒Cp) is from ‒23 to +28 %. The coefficients of geographical variation are 15, 18, 12, and 61 %, respectively. By the value of the Cn‒Cp index, 6 groups of populations out of 9 (I‒IX) existing throughout the east of Europe and Siberia are distinguished, excluding the first three groups. There are intermediate phenotypes of individuals (f.emm., f.m., f.mms.) in groups IV, V and VI with the highest frequency (61, 72, 55 %), in groups VII, VIII and IX the highest frequency (71, 86, 98 %) is among Siberian spruce phenotypes (f.ms., f.mss., f.s.). The length of the cones varies significantly in the population groups: 70–80 mm on average in the first; 50–60 mm on average in the second. Population groups IV, V and VI represent an intermediate form of European and Siberian spruces and are distributed southwest of the conditional line between the rivers Pinega and Mezen to Syktyvkar. Groups VII, VIII and IX represent Siberian spruce and occupy the territory northeast of the specified line: the Arkhangelsk region, the territory of the Komi Republic, the Murmansk region and the northernmost part of Karelia. There are no populations representing European spruce in the region according to the studied characteristics. The results obtained can be used in the development of differentiated methods of forestry in the European North of Russia.For citation: Popov P.P., Kazantseva M.N., Arefyev S.P. Phenotypic Structure of Spruce Populations in the European North of Russia. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 2, pp. 9–20. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-2-9-20Funding: The research was carried out within the framework of the state assignment. Research work of the Tyumen Scientific Centre SB RAS, project No. АААА -А17-117050400146-5.

Background Borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) are an intermediate form of neoplasia, between benign and malignant. The aim of this retrospective analysis is to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristic profile of BOTs and to determine the predictors of recurrence in BOTs. Methods A retrospective review of all patients diagnosed, treated, and followed up for BOTs between 2010 and 2017 at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kerala, India, was conducted. Clinicopathological details and details of management, outcome, and survival were retrieved, and data were analyzed descriptively and for survival. Results A total of 103 patients were identified. During the median follow-up of 46.0 months, 15 (14.6%) patients developed recurrent disease, 6 (5.82%) had recurrence with progression to invasive carcinoma, and 9 had recurrent disease with borderline or benign histology. Mucinous tumors were found to have more recurrences than serous BOT (17.8 vs. 12.3%). Disease-related deaths (5/103 [4.9%]) were observed only in patients with progression to invasive carcinoma. Univariate analysis indicated that staging surgery was the most important prognostic factor that affected the disease-free survival ([DFS] 103 vs. 97 vs. 71 months, respectively, for complete staging vs. fertility-preserving staging vs. conservative surgery; p < 0.05). Conclusions Conservative surgery was associated with a higher risk of recurrence. Fertility-preserving staging surgery is an acceptable option in younger patients. The overall survival is not affected by the mode of surgery.

This article provides an extended commentary on three books by R. Laymon and A. Franklin about the methodology and epistemology of the scientific experi­ment, as well as their article on the issue of reproducibility of experiments. The reproducibility of scientific results has historically been considered one of the methodological standards of science, and it is associated with ideas about the truth and intersubjective nature of scientific knowledge. The problem of re­producibility has received particular attention in recent decades because special­ized studies have revealed that more than half of the results from the social sci­entific studies cannot be reproduced; many cases of fraud in biomedical sciences have been uncovered; and the collective nature of subjectivity in elementary par­ticle physics has accentuated the instability of the knowledge obtained by large collaborations. In reconstructing discussions about reproducibility in the philo­sophical literature, we distinguish between replicating an experiment by repeat­ing it in a way that is as close as possible to the original and actually reproducing it by re-obtaining a previously observed phenomenon in a significantly modified instrumental-theoretical setting. We also introduce the concept of replication-2 as an intermediate form between replication and reproducing. These kinds of re­search repetitions perform different functions in experimental practice. We show that a variety of kinds of replication and reproduction are at the heart of a set of epistemic strategies: experimental methodological standards identified by Franklin based on decades of research in scientific practice. We analyze a num­ber of experiments in which a single measurement, in the absence of epistemic strategies, was sufficient for the community to accept a new theory. In these cases, we argue, a theory based on high-value symmetry principles turned out to be the dominant lens of the community, while the experiment played a role only as a demonstration. Such examples, in our opinion, indicate that the experiment’s role in a situation of shifting scientific paradigms is different from its role in nor­mal science: the requirements for reproducibility and epistemic strategies are significantly alleviated in the former in comparison to the latter.

A young girl was evaluated for the recent onset of dyspnea. She was found to have an intermediate or Type III communication between the left ventricle and the right atrium (a unusual form of Gerbode defect) associated with an atrial septal defect (ASD) on the echocardiography. The combination of the intermediate form of the Gerbode defect with an ASD is rare and not documented in the literature.

Extensive branching creates the complex dendritic arbor of mammalian CNS neurons but capturing the complete process of branch formation with time-lapse recordings has been challenging. Here, we report that application of BMP7 to cultured hippocampal neurons accelerated dendritic growth sufficiently to document branches forming in less than 20 h via frequent time-lapse imaging (10-min intervals). In these recordings, most branches emerged as collateral sprouts from the shaft of a parent branch. Analysis of the recordings showed that filopodia were abundant and formed transiently throughout the length of dendrites but among these, only a small subset occurred at sites where branches later emerged. Conversely, formation of lamellipodia was rare and coincided with sites where collateral branches emerged. This pattern suggests that lamellipodial structures act as an important intermediate form of cytoskeletal remodeling related to a cellular commitment to branch, whereas filopodia appear to be related to events prior to such commitment.

The Asian broadhead walking catfish (Clarias macrocephalus) generates weak electric monopolar pulses during spawning. Males emit a single pulse when attracting a female, and while in amplexus, only females emit a single burst of similar pulses. This burst is a necessary component in the mating ritual of C. macrocephalus. Release of milt occurs about 5 s prior to the onset of a burst, which is immediately followed by the release of eggs. Following sperm release, the male remains in tight embrace with the female. Though both male and female could perceive each other’s electric pulses via ampullary receptors (communication mode), we postulate that egg release can be facilitated by direct action of the female’s burst on the male’s neuromuscular system (contraction mode). Shedding light on the function of weak episodic electric emission, we propose that the modification of electrogenic structures evolved towards increasing the efficiency of direct bodily impact. As extant clariids exhibit intermediate features between non-electric and strongly electric catfishes, Clarias should be considered a “serviceable transition,” which Charles Darwin deemed a possible intermediate form between these two groups.

Vector control is regarded an efficient approach for preventing and reducing the spread of malaria. For several decades, insecticides have been used to suppress the population of Anopheles mosquitoes throughout the globe. It turns out that continual usage of a single compounded insecticide has massively contributed to the rise of resistant mosquitoes. Information on the evolution of insecticide resistance is considered an essential aspect in the control of Anopheles mosquitoes. In this study, a mathematical model to describe the dynamics of Anopheles mosquitoes is constructed, highlighting genetic classification based on their resistance status with respect to insecticides. Focusing on a one-locus case related to a specific insecticide class, the model is constructed according to a scenario in which the intermediate form of resistance called heterozygous resistance can be generated from random matings between susceptible and resistant mosquitoes, therefore carrying both genes. The model is governed by a three-dimensional system of differential equations that describes the interaction between homozygous wild, heterozygous, and resistant subpopulations, with three corresponding fitness levels related to their intrinsic growth rates. Criteria for the existence and stability of all existing equilibria are obtained. It is generally concluded from the model that the fitness levels heavily determine to which steady state the model solution converges. Numerical simulations indicate that long-term implementation of high doses of insecticide can increase the proportion of resistant mosquitoes significantly. Accordingly, understanding the fitness levels is very important for selecting proper intervention strategies as well as for predicting the long-term effects of the implementation of certain insecticides.

Clinanthus inflatus (Amaryllidaceae) and Ismene parviflora are described from Ancash Department in Peru. The flower of C. inflatus is urceolate, and resembles that of Urceolina (Amaryllidaceae tr. Eucharideae), a unique morphology for the genus. Ismene parviflora, with its small, loosely formed, narrowly funnelform-tubular perigone with a ventricose limb, appears to have some affinity to subgen. Pseudostenomesson and may represent an intermediate form between the former and species of subgen. Ismene. Stenomesson rubrum is transferred to Clinanthus as C. ruber on the basis of its narrowly lorate leaf morphology.

The majority of firms in developing countries are informal, yet even among registered firms, tax filing rates are low. We argue that non-filing of taxes among registered firms constitutes an important intermediate form of informality, which can be tackled cost-effectively. Using a randomized experiment in Costa Rica, we show that credible enforcement emails increased the tax payment rate (amount) by 3.4 p.p. (US$15) among previously non-filing firms. Emails that highlight third-party reports of a firm’s transactions further increased compliance. The effect persisted over two years, and treated firms became more likely to report transactions with other firms, facilitating future tax enforcement. (JEL H25, H26, K34, O17)

Humpback whale songs have been described worldwide and studies exploring non-song vocal behavior continue to expand; however, studies on the transition periods when whales shift to and from the seasonal behavioral state of singing are lacking and may be potentially informative regarding the proximal factors controlling the onset and offset of humpback whale male singing. Acoustic recorders collected data off eastern Canada continuously from the Bay of Fundy in the fall of 2015 and near-continuously off northeast Nova Scotia in the spring of 2016. Humpback whale acoustic occurrence and behavior were identified by systematically reviewing a subset of acoustic recordings for presence before analyzing the highest quality recordings for behavior. The onset of singing in the fall was gradual over a period of about three weeks with an intermediate form, termed "song fragment," occurring prior to full songs. In comparison, singing in the spring seemed to end abruptly with few song fragments. Song fragments could be produced by juveniles learning to sing for the first time or mature males preparing for breeding activities prior to migrating to southern breeding grounds. The authors propose an alternative hypothesis that the timing and manner of transitions could be driven by physiological processes similar to those documented in songbirds.

Traversing the stricture with a guidewire is a prerequisite for the endoscopic treatment of biliary strictures after living donor liver transplantation. We aimed to evaluate the effect of variations in the biliary anastomosis and strictures on the success of endoscopic treatment and suggest a cholangiographic classification.The 125 strictures among the 104 patients with right-lobe living donor liver transplantation were reviewed. The strictures were classified by the anastomosis pattern according to the number (1, 2, or2), location (common bile, hepatic, or cystic duct), the angle between the proximal and distal sites of the anastomosis, and the contrast enhancement pattern. The relationship between the success rate of traversing the anastomosis and the classification was evaluated.Of the 125 biliary strictures, 86 (68.8%) could be passed via endoscopically. Thirty-three strictures were managed either percutaneously (n = 13) or by magnetic compression anastomosis (n = 20). Compared with the round, the triangular (odds ratio [OR], 6.5), the intermediate form (OR, 17.7), and the end-to-side anastomosis (OR, 5.1) were associated with an increased chance of traversing. The contrast enhancement pattern of the strictures and the bile ducts was also related to the successful rate of the endoscopic treatment (P0.001). The success rate was higher in the patients with the angle between the proximal and distal sites of the anastomosis approximated was small (0°-30° = 74%, 30°-60° = 69%, 60°-90° = 63%,90° = 41%).The type of biliary anastomoses and stricture affect the success rate of endoscopic treatment. These data may play role in making decision about the type of anastomosis during the surgery.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine nucleotide variation in the first Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS-1) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA genes of Fasciola in Vietnam. Subject and method: Sixteen adult Fasciola spp. were collected from buffalo (5 isolates), bovine (6 isolates), sheep (2 isolates), goats (2 isolates), and human (1 isolate) from slaughterhouse in Hanoi city (4 isolates), Vinh Phuc (1 isolate), Nghe An (2 isolates), Quang Nam (1 isolate), Ninh Thuan (4 isolates), Tay Ninh province (1 isolate), Can Tho city (1 isolate), and Dong Thap province (2 isolates), Vietnam, from 2009 to 2016. The ribosomal ITS1 and mitochondrial genes of nad1 from individual Fasciola isolates were amplified and the PCR products were sequenced by both directions. Nucleotide variation within and between the individuals was evaluated by comparing the sequences of ribosomal ITS1 region. Result: Based on nad1 and ITS1 sequences, 11 isolates were identified as F. gigantica and 5 isolates were identified as intermediate form (Fasciola sp.). Based on ITS1 sequence, five DNA variable sites were observed in which single-base substitution at different sites was occurred and four haplotypes were present in Vietnam. Conclusion: Findings of the study showed that high genetic variation on ITS1 marker was noted in Vietnam isolates in comparison with isolates from other geographical regions of the world. Keywords: Nucleotide variation, ITS1 region, Fasciola, Vietnam.

Limnoecus truyolsi was long considered an enigmatic shrew. Additional material from the Calatayud−Montalbán Basin (Spain) shows it to be referable to the genus Paenelimnoecus. The species represents an intermediate form between P. micromorphus and P. crouzeli. This lineage confirms the separate development of the "soricine" p4, and thus supports the Allosoricinae as a separate subfamily.

The paper deals with a special type of traveling waves in a combustion model. A non–adiabatic case of autocatalytic combustion reaction in one spatial dimension is considered. The existence of critical traveling waves is stated. The critical traveling waves play the role of an intermediate form, they separate the waves of slow burnout and waves corresponding to the thermal explosion. It is shown that the profiles of the critical waves are canards. An asymptotic representation for the speed of the critical traveling wave is obtained.

The Aim of the study is to identify the types of religious outlook of the individual and to determine the features of the existential fullness of life in individuals, depending on the type of outlook (worldview). Research sample and methods. The sample was 366 persons. The study applied 1) the author's method of revealing the type of religious outlook, 2) diagnostics of life-purpose orientations, 3) self-actualization of personality, 4) existential resources of the personality, 5) existence, 6) personal reality, 7) self-development of personality, 8) personal resourcefulness, 9) personal realizability. Results. The cluster analysis identified five types of religious worldview: religious, mystical, agnostic, atheistic, and agnostic-atheistic. The types of worldview were characterized. Conclusions. The mystical type of religious outlook implies understanding of reality through intuition. It has the least personal exhaustion, that is, satisfaction with his own realization in life. Agnostic type of religious outlook characterizes a person who considers it fundamentally impossible to know objective reality through the subjective experience of individual and therefore considers it impossible to know the truth in the questions of the existence of gods, eternal life and other supernatural beings, concepts and phenomena. Type is characterized by the least purpose of life. The religious type characterizes a deeply religious person. The type is characterized by high purpose of life, understanding of the true nature of mankind, developed existential resources of faith, charity and acceptance, the ability to self-transcendence. The atheistic type of religious outlook characterizes a person who does not believe in the existence of God and supernatural phenomena. The type is characterized by high purpose of life, understanding of the true nature of man, developed resources of freedom, meaning, charity, a moderate level of existential fullness of life, a high level of need for self-development against the background of a low degree of ownership of self-development mechanisms. The agnostic-atheistic type of outlook is an intermediate form between the atheistic worldview. The type is characterized by a low level of comprehension of the course of life and understanding of human nature, resources of freedom, meaning, acceptance and faith. Keywords: religious outlook, purpose-of-life orientations, self-actualization of personality, existential resources of personality, personal feasibility, self-development of personality, psychological resource of personality, personal realization.

В статье рассматривается фенотипическая структура популяций елей европейской исибирской ввосточно-европейской части их ареала. По преобладанию особей промежуточных фенотипов определено географическое положение популяций промежуточной формы елей европейской исибирской на территории России, которые могут быть перспективными для лесоводства., The work is devoted to the study of the structure and distribution of intermediate populations of European and Siberian spruce in eastern Europe. Since asufficiently objective reception of the definition of the region of intermediate populations of spruce has not yet occurred, the metric methods for evaluating the shape of seed scales were used to solve this problem, on the basis of which the corresponding phenotypes of individuals were selected. According to the predominance of individuals of intermediate phenotypes, intermediate populations and their geographic location were identified. In the Russian part of the range, on awide strip of territory from Karelia to the central bed of the Kama (in the Perm Territory), there are three groups of populations of the intermediate form of European and Siberian spruces. They are characterized by the predominance of individuals of intermediate phenotypes (50 or more), intermediate parameters of many characters, but an increased indicator of the diversity of phenotypes and some genetic characters. The first of the groups of the intermediate form is geographically and in terms of the phenotypic structure of the populations closer to the European spruce, the third to the Siberian spruce, the second occupies the middle position. The results of the study may be useful for solving the issues of population-geographical diversity of spruce and its use in forestry., №1 (2020)

The paper deals with the insertion of spaces and hyphens in German. It summarizes the existing optimality-theoretic approach and extends it to capture the use of hyphens. Hyphenation is often excluded in the literature on the writing of complex words, as forms with hyphens are thought to be mere variants of solid forms. The paper offers an alternative view in which hyphens are treated as an intermediate form between solid and open forms and are placed as a result of conflict between constraints which demand or forbid insertion of spaces. The analysis focuses on the products of nominal compounding, which is one of the most productive processes of word formation in German. Firstly, it is shown for which types of compounds hyphenation is optional and obligatory according to the official rules of orthography. Based on this, constraints are postulated, which do not only decide in which cases hyphenation is allowed but also in which positions the hyphens must be placed in the respective compound. Finally, the hyphenation of phrasal compounds and other complex compounds is modeled.

Xu, H.-H., Wang, Y., Tang, P. & Wang, Y., May 2017. A new diminutive euphyllophyte from the Middle Devonian of West Junggar, Xinjiang, China and its evolutionary implications. Alcheringa xx, xxx-xxx. ISSN 0311-5518.A diminutive euphyllophyte, Douaphyton levigata gen. et sp. nov., is described from the upper Middle Devonian (Givetian) Hujiersite Formation of West Junggar, Xinjiang, China. The plant consists of more than three orders of axis branching, each axis being less than 2 mm wide. The second-order axes are short, laterally and alternately attached to the main axis. The third-order axes are paired and anisotomously divided, bearing the vegetative appendages or the fertile units. The fertile unit consists of a short recurved axis giving off up to four short pedicels along one side, each of which bears one to four pairs of terminal sporangia. Douaphyton has a three-dimensional branching system that has an intermediate form in the evolutionary context of euphyllophytes and lignophytes. It is also propos...

Clinical experience has suggested the existence of an intermediate form of fungal sinusitis between the categories of non-invasive fungal sinusitis (non-IFS) and invasive fungal sinusitis (IFS). This fungal sinusitis variant demonstrates unhealthy mucosa by endoscopy with fungal invasion, but lacks angioinvasion microscopically, representing what clinically behaves as a âpre-invasiveâ subtype of fungal sinusitis. Unlike non-IFS disease, patients with pre-invasive fungal sinusitis were still felt to require anti-fungal medications due to histologic presence of invasive fungus. While sharing some clinical features of IFS, these âintermediateâ patients were successfully spared extended and repeated surgical debridements given the microscopic findings, and have been successfully treated with shorter courses of antifungal therapy. These select patients have had favorable outcomes when managed in a judicious and semi-aggressive manner, in an undefined zone between the treatments for routine fungal ball and aggressive IFS. Keywords: Fungal sinusitis, Invasive fungal sinusitis, IFS, Chronic rhinosinusitis, Fungal ball, Visual loss, Immunocompromised, Immunosuppressed, Antifungal therapy

In the context of the prediction of the (in-)stability of chemical compounds using machine learning tools, we are often confronted with a basic issue: Whereas much information is available on stable (existing) compounds, little is known about compounds that might well exist, but that have not yet been successfully synthesized, or compounds that are inherently unstable (kinetically and thermodynamically). In the search for Togni-type reagents, many of them kinetically instable, the stability of the prospects can be assessed based on the transition state for the conversion to their non-hypervalent inactive isomer. In earlier work, we determined the barriers of conversion for over one-hundred reagents, still not enough information to train a tool such as a vector support machine. Here, instead, we focus on the early intermediate structures expressed along the isomerization pathway, i.e. transition state searches are replaced by finding (local) minima. Based on an array of 382 Togni-type reagents whose behaviour was known in advance, we show that it is possible to have the machine predict the intermediate form expressed. The approach introduced here can be used to make predictions on the stability and possibly also the reactivity of Togni-type reagents in general.

The central hemodynamic characteristics of young adults with isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) remain controversial, particularly regarding the extent of pulse pressure amplification (PPamp) compared with that of normotensives (NTs). Given the lack of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM)-based data, this study evaluated 509 untreated young adults (18-35 years) who had undergone ABPM during the last decade, 109 who had undergone both ABPM and SphygmoCor analysis, and 26 newly recruited NTs. The agreement rate between office BP- and ABPM-based subtype classification was alarmingly low (50.7%). ISH was distinguishable from systolic-diastolic hypertension, the predominant subtype characterized by increased central BPs and stiffened arteries. The central hemodynamic parameters were all similar between patients with ISH and white-coat hypertension (WC). ISH patients had central BPs that were, albeit higher than those of NTs, at an upper-normal level that was comparable to those of WC patients. ISH patients had similar cfPWV but significantly higher PPamp than NTs (p = 0.032). The central hemodynamic parameters of the participants were further analyzed according to central pressure waveform types (A vs. B vs. C). Type C waves were associated with the highest PPamp and lowest cfPWV, whereas type A waves were associated with the lowest PPamp and highest cfPWV. Subjects with type B waves, an intermediate form, also had considerably high PPamps. Waveform composition differed significantly across hypertension subtypes (p < 0.001). ISH patients mostly had type B or C waves (96.7%), with only 3.3% having type A waves. This study based on a refined diagnosis showed that the ambulatory ISH of young adults arises from highly elastic arteries and related robustness of PPamp and shares similar central hemodynamic characteristics with WC patients.

Background Hurler–Scheie syndrome is an intermediate form of mucopolysaccharidosis type I which is a rare lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficiency or complete absence of enzyme alpha-L-iduronidase activity. We report the first documented cases of Hurler–Scheie syndrome observed in Niger in a Touareg family. Case presentation We studied the case of two 12-year-old twin Touareg boys and their 10-year-old Touareg sister whose parents are first-degree cousins, and there was no history of similar cases in their previous generations. The diagnosis of Hurler–Scheie syndrome was considered in these patients on the basis of clinical and radiological arguments, with the highlighting of a deficiency of enzyme alpha-L-iduronidase in serum and leukocytes. The twins had presented the first symptoms at the age of 24 months and the diagnosis of Hurler–Scheie syndrome was made at the age of 12 years. In their younger sister, the first symptoms were observed at the age of 3 years and the diagnosis was made at the age of 10 years. The three probands were born after a normal full-term pregnancy and a spontaneous vaginal delivery according to their parents. Their birth weight, height, and head circumference were within normal limits according to their parents. The three probands were brought in for consultation for stunted growth, joint stiffness with gait disorders, deformities of the thoracolumbar spine, recurrent otitis media, decreased hearing, increased abdominal volume, snoring during sleep, and facial dysmorphism. Conclusions Even in countries with limited access to diagnostic means, a good knowledge of the clinical manifestations of the disease can help to guide the diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis type I.

Background:Several clinical patterns of giant cell arteritis (GCA) have been described including cranial GCA (c-GCA), large vessel GCA (LV-GCA), mixed forms of c-GCA and LV-GCA (mixed-GCA), and even polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) that has been associated with GCA and some degree of subclinical vascular inflammation could be present in the patients. However, many questions about this disease and its subtypes remain unanswered.Objectives:To investigate the affectation of the arterial wall of GCA and its subtypes and PMR and to know if there really are different ultrasound patterns that can be determined or if otherwise they present a common subclinical systemic inflammation with only different degrees of involvement of the vascular wall.Methods:All available ultrasound examinations of patients referred to our fast-track GCA clinic for suspected GCA in the last three years were reviewed and retrospectively collected data. Patients who had undergone ultrasound examination of both cranial and large vessels (axillary, subclavian and carotid arteries) were included. The videos and images of the large vessels of each patient were reviewed and intima-media thickness (IMT) and hypoechoic halo measurements were taken. The data of the following groups, established according to the final diagnosis confirmed by the doctor after a follow-up between six months and three years, were compared: GCA group (within it 3 other groups were included: c-GCA, LV-GCA and mixed-GCA), PMR group and the group without ACG or PMR (non-GCA).Results:We analyzed the examinations of 300 patients and 161 baseline examinations were included: 76 with GCA (32 c-GCA, 14 LV-GCA and 30 mixed-GCA), 29 with PMR and 56 non-GCA. The mean IMT for each large vessel explored and the statistical significance between the different groups are shown in Table 1. All arteries except the carotid arteries had a significantly higher IMT in the LV-GCA and mixed-GCA groups when compared with both c-GCA and non-GCA groups. There were no differences in IMT between mixed-GCA and LV-GCA. There were also no differences in any explored artery between PMR and non-GCA. There were statistically significant differences in the IMT of the bilateral axillary and subclavian arteries between the PMR group and all the GCA subtypes, being greater in the latter. IMT tended to be higher in the c-GCA group when compared to non-GCA, reaching statistical significance in the left arteries (axillary, subclavian, and distal carotid). Although there was also a tendency for IMT to be higher in mixed-GCA patients than in LV-GCA patients, the differences did not reach statistical significance.Table 1.Ultrasound IMT and halo measures in the different subtypes of GCA, PMR and controlsArteriesNon-GCAn=56GCAn=76c-GCAn=32LV-GCAn=14Mixed-GCA n=30PMRn=29p < 0.05Right axillary (mean ± SD)0.67±0.190.95±0.300.75±0.201.03±0.331.11±0.270.65±0.132*, 3*, 4*, 5*, 6, 7*, 8*Left axillary(mean ± SD)0.61±0.120.92±0.290.77±0.190.99±0.251.03±0.330.66±0.131*, 2*, 3*, 4, 5*, 6, 7*, 8*Right subclavian(mean ± SD)0.70±0.151.00±0.310.79±0.161.09±0.361.10±0.290.70±0.202*,3*, 4*, 5*, 7*, 8*Left Subclavian(mean ± SD)0.62±0.140.95±0.270.76±0.161.05±0.251.06±0.260.64±0.181*, 2*, 3*, 4*, 5*, 7*, 8*Right CCD(mean ± SD)0.79±0.220.97±0.260.99±0.220.91±0.291.05±0.280.81±0.101*, 3*, 6*, 8*Left CCD(mean ± SD)0.81±0.160.99±0.220.95±0.200.97±0.171.03±0.270.82±0.201, 2, 3*, 8SD: Standard deviation; CCD: common distal carotid artery.1=c-GCA vs non-GCA; 2=LV-GCA vs non-GCA; 3=mixed-GCA vs non-GCA; 4=c-GCA vs LV-GCA; 5=c-GCA vs mixed-GCA; 6=PMR vs c-GCA; 7=PMR vs LV-GCA; 8=PMR vs mixed-GCA; *p < 0.01.Conclusion:Large vessel ultrasound does not differ between healthy patients and those with PMR without confirmed GCA. Our data suggest that mixed-GCA subtype is not an intermediate form between the cranial and LV-GCA suptypes but could have a higher inflammatory burden.Disclosure of Interests:Elisa Fernández-Fernández: None declared, Iñigo González-Mazón: None declared, Irene Monjo Speakers bureau: Roche, Novartis, UCB, Gedeon Richter, Consultant of: Roche, José María Mostaza: None declared, Carlos Lahoz: None declared, Eugenio de Miguel Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Novartis, Pfizer, MSD, BMS, UCB, Roche, Grunental, Janssen, Sanofi, Paid instructor for: Janssen, Novartis, Roche, Consultant of: AbbVie, Novartis, Pfizer, Galapagos, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Novartis, Pfizer

Atypical parathyroid adenomas represent a group of intermediate form of parathyroid neoplasms of uncertain malignant potential which show some atypical histological features that represent a challenge for the differential diagnosis with parathyroid carcinomas. They may occur as sporadic or as a part of hereditary syndromes. The molecular signature of these neoplasms is still unknown and the germline CDC73 mutations appears to be the most common anomaly in this setting suggesting that these cases might represent variants of the hyperparathyroidism-jaw tumor syndrome. The identification of markers predicting the outcome is of great importance to guide an adequate postoperative monitoring and, the same time, relieve of the anxiety of relatively strict monitoring patients not at risk. This review will summarize the current knowledge of the clinical, biochemical, molecular and histological profile of atypical parathyroid adenomas.

Two lanostane triterpenoid derivatives, astrasiaone ( 2 ), ( 22S, 25R, 26R )-26-methoxy-22-26-epoxylanost-8-en-3-one, and astrasiate ( 3 ), ( 3α, 22S, 25R )-3, 22-dihydroxylanost-8-en-26 -oate, together with six known compounds, astraodorol ( 1 ), artabotryol B ( 4 ), artabotryol C1 ( 5 ), 6-dehydrocerevisterol ( 6 ), ergosterol ( 7 ) and hypaphorine ( 8 ) were isolated from the edible mushroom Astraeus asiaticus . 3 and 4 exhibited weak cytotoxicity against KB and NCI-H187 cancer cell lines. A comparison of the structures of 2 and 3 to that of 1 , 4 and 5 suggest that these two new compounds could be the intermediate form that occurs during biogenesis.

A new fossil fly species, Acartophthalmites willii sp. n. (Diptera: Acalyptratae: Opomyzoidea) from Baltic amber (Eocene, 56−33.9 Ma), is described based on a male originally assigned by Hennig (1969) to A. tertiaria Hennig, 1965, who erroneously also referred to it in the same work as "A. electrica Hennig" (unavailable name). The new species, representing the third named species of the extinct genus with unclear familial relationships Acartophthalmites Hennig, 1965, is herein described and illustrated in detail, and its systematic implications and relationships are discussed. From the morphological standpoint, the new species represents an intermediate form between the two formerly described species within the genus, therefore expanding the character combination diversity in this lineage of acalyptrate flies. The genus Acartophthalmites is considered to be most closely related to Clusiidae and, therefore, it is herein tentatively classified within the superfamily Opomyzoidea. The current work takes part of an effort to review the Acartophthalmites diversity in order to gain knowledge on the morphological data from the specimens described within the genus and ultimately enable a reliable analysis of its phylogenetic relationships with other acalyptrates.

In order to represent texts preserving their semantics, in earlier work we proposed the WAPO-Structure, which is an intermediate form of representation that allows related terms to remain together. This intermediate form can be visualized through a tag cloud, which in turn serves as a textual navigation and retrieval tool. WAPO-Structures were obtained through a modification of the APriori algorithm, which spends a lot of processing time computing frequent sequences, for which it must perform numerous readings on the text until finding the frequent sequences of maximal level.

Ceraphronoids are some of the most commonly collected hymenopterans, yet they remain rare in the fossil record.Conostigmus talamasiMikó and Trietsch, sp. nov. from Baltic amber represents an intermediate form between the type genus,Megaspilus, and one of the most species-rich megaspilid genera,Conostigmus. We describe the new species using 3D data collected with synchrotron-based micro-CT equipment. This non-invasive technique allows for quick data collection in unusually high resolution, revealing morphological traits that are otherwise obscured by the amber. In describing this new species, we revise the diagnostic characters for Ceraphronoidea and discuss possible reasons why minute wasps with a pterostigma are often misidentified as ceraphronoids. Based on the lack of ceraphronoid characteristics, we removeDendrocerus dubitatusBrues, 1937, Stigmaphronidae, and Radiophronidae from Ceraphronoidea and consider them asincertae sedis. We also provide some guidance for their future classification.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the bearded seal, the largest northern phocids seal. Adults are 2–2.5 m long and are gray-brown in color; some individuals have irregular light-colored patches. The weight of bearded seals varies dramatically on an annual cycle, but an average weight for adults is 250–300 kg. Females are somewhat larger than males in this species and can weigh in excess of 425 kg in the spring. The sexes are not easily distinguished. Pups are approximately 1.3 m and have very strong claws. Inuit people in the Canadian Arctic refer to this seal as “square-flippers” because of the shape of their front flippers. They also have extremely elaborate smooth facial whiskers that tend to curl when dry; this trait gives them their other common name—bearded seal. Females have four mammary glands (another characteristic shared with the monk seal lineage), unlike the other northern phocids, which have only two. Genetically and morphologically, the bearded seal is an intermediate form, sharing characteristics of the two Phocidae subfamilies (Phocinae and Monachinae). Bearded seals are the only species within the genus Erignathus. The dentition of bearded seals is typical for phocid seals: I 3/2 C 1/1 PC 5/5 though anomalies in number are common and it is also not uncommon for the teeth of older animals to be worn to the gum line. Bearded seals feed on a wide variety of food types, many of them low in the food chain, so they tend to have low toxic chemical loads. The most obvious threat to this species, beyond overexploitation at a very local level, is climate change. Sea ice predictions suggest that the breeding habitat of bearded seals will decline dramatically in the decades to come.

Ozet Abstract Beta talasemi gen mutasyonlarinin sebep oldugu hematolojik bir hastaliktir ve Turkiye’yi de iceren tum Akdeniz ulkelerinde onemli bir halk sagligi problemi teskil etmektedir. Talasemi intermedia talasemi major ve talasemi minor arasindaki bir ara formdur. Temporal kemik tutulumu talasemi intermediada oldukca nadirdir. Literaturde otalji ile birlikte olan ve talasemi minor tanisi alan vaka bulunmamaktadir. Bizim hastamiz 10 aydir sol kulak agrisi ve isitme kaybi cekmektedir. Bu vakada, yapilan tetkikler sonucunda talasemi intermedia tanisi alan ve manyetik rezonans goruntulemede temporal kemik tutulumu olan 44 yasinda bir erkek hasta sunulmaktadir. Beta thalassemia is a hematological disease caused by gene mutations and represents an important public health problem in all Mediterranean countries, including Turkey. Thalassemia intermedia is an intermediate form between thalassemia major and thalassemia minor. Temporal bone involvement is quite rare in thalassemia intermedia. There are no cases in the literature who presented with otalgia and was subsequently diagnosed with thalassemia intermedia. Our patient had suffered from left ear pain and hearing loss for 10 months. In this case report, a 44-yearold male patient is presented who was diagnosed with thalassemia intermedia based on the examinations performed and had temporal bone involvement on magnetic resonance imaging.