Morphological types of spermatheca in Coreidae: bearing on intra-familial classification and tribal-groupings (Hemiptera: Heteroptera)

The morphology of the spermatheca is described in 109 species of 86 genera representing all four currently recognised subfamilies of Coreidae, covering the undivided Hydarinae, both tribes of Pseudophloeinae, all three tribes of Meropachyinae and 27 of the 32 tribes of Coreinae. Three types of spermatheca are recognised. Type I is bipartite, consisting only of a simple tube differentiated into distal seminal receptacle and proximal spermathecal duct and lacks the intermediate part present in most Pentatomomorpha, in which it serves as muscular pump. Type II is also bipartite but more elaborate in form with the receptacle generally distinctly wider than the duct. Type III is tripartite, with receptacle, duct and an often complex intermediate part. Four subtypes are recognised within type III. Type I is found only in Hydarinae and type II only in Pseudophloeinae. Type III is found in both Coreinae and Meropachyinae. Subtype IIIA (“Coreus-group”) unites many tribes from the Eastern Hemisphere and only one (Spartocerini) from the Western Hemisphere. Subtypes IIIB (“Nematopus-group”) and IIID (“Anisoscelis-group”) are confined to taxa from the Western Hemisphere and subtype IIIC (“Chariesterus-group”) is found in tribes from both hemispheres. The polarity of several characters of the intermediate part and some of the spermathecal duct is evaluated, suggesting autapomorphies or apomorphies potentially relevant to the classification of Coreidae at the sufamilial and tribal levels. Characters of the intermediate part strongly indicate that the separation of Meropachyinae and Coreinae as currently constituted cannot be substantiated. The tribes Anisoscelini, Colpurini, Daladerini and Hyselonotini are heterogeneous, each exhibiting two subtypes of spermatheca, and probably polyphyletic. Two tribes, Cloresmini and Colpurini, requiring further investigation remain unplaced. This study demonstrates the great importance of characters of the spermatheca, in particular its intermediate part, for research into the phylogeny and taxonomy of Pentatomomorpha.

Association between heel-rise test performance and clinical severity of chronic venous insufficiency

Background Peripheral pump dysfunction is important in identifying manifestations of chronic venous insufficiency. The association with disease severity may define better treatment strategies. Objective To evaluate the association between peripheral muscular pump performance by heel-rise test, age, physical activity, use of compression stockings, and chronic venous insufficiency clinical severity. Methods Subjects with chronic venous insufficiency were enrolled in the study ( n = 172) and evaluated by clinical–etiology–anatomy–pathophysiology severity and heel-rise test. Results In model 1 of logistic regression, number of heel-rise test repetitions, age, and physical activity explained 47% of clinical–etiology–anatomy–pathophysiology severity ( p = 0.0001), physical activity contributed the most. In model 2, heel-rise test repetition rate, age, and physical activity explained 46.4% of clinical–etiology–anatomy–pathophysiology severity ( p = 0.0001), repetition rate contributed the most. Conclusion: There was an inverse association between muscular pump performance and physical activity with clinical–etiology–anatomy–pathophysiology severity, muscular pump repetition rate contributed to a less severe outcome.

Dynamic Fractioning of the Gravitational Hydrostatic Pressure: A hemodynamic model for the venous pressure control by the valvo-muscular pump

Dynamic Fractioning of the Gravitational Hydrostatic Pressure (DFGHSP) is a pillar of a hemodynamic model of the venous pathophysiology. It describes how the valvo-muscular pump varies the distal venous pressure in the lower limbs. It results from an inductive reasoning based on clinical signs and instrumental data at rest and during the action of the valvo-muscular pump of the calf. It does not claim to be the final truth, but a new "as if" model that improved the diagnosis and the treatment of the venous insufficiency (CHIVA, French acronym for Cure Conservatrice et Hémodynamique de l’Insuffisance Veineuse en Ambulatoire) according to several randomized studies and meta-analyses. That approach overturns the classic diagnosis and treatment of venous insufficiency because it is conservative and opposes the widely spread destructive based view. It needs a minimal study of basic fluid mechanics which can explain venous hemodynamics, the core of venous pathophysiology. The proposed DFGHSP fluid mechanics model is compared with the hemodynamic clinical and instrumental data in order to assess its pathophysiologic relevance.

Anatomy and venous hemodynamics of gait phases

The Valve-Muscular Pump (MVP) of the lower limb, a kind of peripheral heart, is principally activated during walking, by the succession of gait phases. The pump has three parts, which work in a coordinated way. The foot pump, due to the compression of the predominating lateral plantar vein during the contact on the ground (40% of gait event), “eject” 20-30 cm3 of blood into the posterior tibial vein and, in alternative, in the anterior tibial, peroneal and saphenous veins connected by perforators. The distal calf pump, activated during dorsiflexion of the ankle (passive 20% and active 40% of gait event), when the calf muscles are stretched and their distal part descends within the fascial sheath. This movement acts like a piston which expels venous blood in proximal direction. The proximal calf muscle pump due to sural and gastrocnemius muscles rich in venous sinuses that are strongly squeezed during the impulse phase of the step. During dorsiflexion of the ankle (passive or active) space is given to the blood coming from the foot pump (due to weight bearing), that will feed in prevalence the posterior tibial veins. These two systems are “in series”: the foot pump cannot expel the blood into the deep veins if these are not regularly emptied. The proximal pump, at the opposite, is very strong and can void a high volume of blood in the popliteal vein, even in the absence of a favourable gradient as it works “in parallel”.

Integrated Simulation of Pacemaker and Heart Model with VISSIM

The heart is a muscular pump whose pumping action is controlled by an electrical conduction system. The disturbance in conduction may results in inefficient pumping of blood. To maintain the conduction in rhythm the device known as pacemaker can be used to deliver electrical impulses to heart. The number of heart patients has pacemaker implantation every year. While patient have implanted with pacemaker it is necessary that pacemaker should provide therapy according to the need of patient. But, there may be problems in coordination while patient’s use pacemaker leading to delivery of inefficient pulses needed for heart contractions. In this paper, a simulation tool is proposed aiming to achieve synchronization of heart and pacemaker on basis of heart’s timing properties which help patient adaption to pacemaker. Electrocardiogram is used as input diagnostic signal for evaluation of heart. An integrated simulation of pacemaker and heart model using VISSIM software is proposed for synchronization and optimization of the pacing pulses of pacemaker to check the adaptation of pacemaker by patient.

Lower limb venous diameters and haemodynamics during pregnancy and postpartum period in healthy primigravidae

Objective Analyse venous haemodynamics in healthy primigravidae during pregnancy and in the postpartum. Methods Cohort with primigravidae evaluated in the three trimesters of pregnancy and postpartum. Duplex evaluated venous diameters and reflux; air plethysmography evaluated venous filling index, ejection fraction, residual volume fraction and outflow fraction in both limbs. Results During pregnancy, diameters increased in bilateral common femoral and right infravalvar great saphenous, but returned to first trimester values after delivery. Reflux developed in one woman (5%) in the second trimester and in two more women (15%) in the third trimester. No reflux was detected in postpartum. Bilateral venous filling index was higher during pregnancy. Bilateral ejection fraction and residual volume fraction did not change. Bilateral outflow fraction increased progressively. The right limb outflow fraction in left lateral decubitus was similar. All changes returned to first trimester values after delivery. Conclusions Healthy primigravidae presented changes in lower limbs’ veins during pregnancy: diameters in bilateral common femoral and infravalvar great saphenous veins increased; new reflux was developed in 15% of women, but there was no venous hypertension. Calf muscular pump function did not change. All changes returned to first trimester values after delivery.

Left ventricle: morphology and geometry

The left ventricle is a cone-shaped muscular pump which receives the blood from the left atrium through the inflow tract and ejects it to the aorta through the outflow tract. The double helical myocardial fibre formation is the basis of efficient motion, function, and morphology of the left ventricle. Physiological or pathological changes of these characteristics of the left ventricle can be evaluated by echocardiography. This chapter describes the morphology and geometry of the left ventricle, including the inflow tract, the outflow tract, double helix formation of left ventricle myocardium, and the echocardiographic assessment of left ventricle morphology and geometry.

Nordic Walking and the Isa Method for Breast Cancer Survivors: Effects on Upper Limb Circumferences and Total Body Extracellular Water - a Pilot Study

Background: The negative side effects of breast cancer treatments can include upper limb lymphoedema. The growing literature indicates that Nordic walking is an effective discipline against several disease symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine whether introduction to Nordic walking alone is effective against total body extracellular water and upper limb circumferences in breast cancer survivors compared to its combination with a series of specifically created exercises (i.e. the Isa method). Methods: 16 breast cancer survivors (49.09 ± 2.24 years) were recruited and randomly assigned to 1 of 2 different training groups. Results: 10 lessons on Nordic walking technique plus the Isa method significantly reduced both extracellular body water and the extracellular-to-total body water ratio (p = 0.01 for both), and also the circumference of the upper limb, (both relaxed arm and forearm circumferences) (p = 0.01 for all), whereas Nordic walking alone did not. Conclusions: Introduction to Nordic walking does not seem to affect lymphoedema in breast cancer survivors. This might be because novice Nordic Walkers do not adequately generate an effective muscular pump through coordination of the alternated bimanual open-close cycle. The Isa method appears to close this gap.