Diagnostic Features Research Articles

Blepharostoma vietnamicum (Marchantiophyta): A New Taxon from Indochina, the Unique Largest Species in the Genus

Blepharostoma is one of the most ancient extant liverwort genera, within which the genetic diversity is quite high, whereas the morphological diversity, owing to the supposed stasis, is quite low. Unusually large plants of this genus were collected in North Vietnam and are described here as new-to-science species via an integrative approach. The two studied specimens do not reveal variability in the sequenced ITS1-2 nrDNA and trnL-F cpDNA loci, are clearly separated from other species by the level of genetic distances, and maintain a stable position on the reconstructed phylogenetic trees. This species is characterized, in addition to the large overall size of the plants, by larger leaf segment cells and a mixed character of oil bodies (i.e., small homogeneous and larger finely papillose ones within one cell). A description of the new taxon; its diagnostic characteristics; photographs; and discussions regarding its ecology, morphological similarities, and potential distribution are provided.

A hairy giant among dwarves: Trichopelma grande, a distinct new species of tarantula from Cuba (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

ABSTRACT Large size, tropical climate, topographic complexity, and millions of years of isolation have turned the Greater Antillean islands into natural laboratories of evolution. Several groups have experienced explosive diversification across these islands, leading to highly diverse and endemic biotas and species experiencing unique adaptations. Here we describe a new tarantula species from the Viñales area, a biodiversity hotspot in western Cuba. Despite being a middle-sized species with large projected setae on the legs, reminiscent of those in arboreal tarantulas, phylogenomic analysis, diagnostic morphological features, and trap-door retreat building behaviour identifies it as the largest known representative of Trichopelma, and the only one with such hirsute legs. We provide mitochondrial barcoding data and a database of ultraconserved elements loci of the holotype of this species, which will help to include it in future phylogenetic studies of Theraphosidae. Given its limited distribution range, and its apparent absence in natural history collections despite its distinct appearance, this species might be scarce, positioning it as a potential conservation concern. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2F9ED7A1-1345-4295-A876-6B617ABF7C75

Two new species of genus Karschia Walter, 1889 (Solifugae, Karschiidae) from northwest China

Two new species of the solifugae genus Karschia Walter, 1889, are described from northwest China. A detailed morphological description, diagnostic features, and illustrations of Karschia (Karschia) latuis sp. nov. and Karschia (Karschia) wenquan sp. nov. are provided. The current distribution of all the known Karschia Walter, 1889 species from China is mapped.

Crystalline deposit in lichens: Determination of crystals with regard to practical application in standard taxonomic studies

The presence of various crystal forms is quite often noticed in lichens from manytaxonomic groups. The crystalline deposit may be linked with the production of secondary metabolites or metal oxalates as well as to the uptake of calcium carbonate from the host substrate. Although the crystals are clearly visible under a microscope employing polarized light, their detailed determination is very difficult without the use of specialized equipment and analytical methods. On the other hand, it is not uncommon for the surface of lichen thalli to be covered with apparent pruina, which is formed by masses of calcium oxalate crystals. Regardless of their origin and distribution, crystalline products can perform an important functional role and enhance the adaptation of a given species to a specific habitat. Moreover, the presence and kind of crystals can be species-specific or characteristic of a certain group of species and, therefore, may constitute a useful diagnostic feature. We intended to examine the extent to which standard methods used in lichen taxonomy, such as solubility tests in chemical reagents, allow for the basic determination of crystals. We indicate the basic differences between various crystal deposits that can be observed inside or outside the lichen thallus. The presented results are based on examining selected specimens representing various lichen genera.

Resolving the problem of surface dyslexia in Italian through inflection of irregular verbs.

Surface dyslexia and dysgraphia are considered diagnostic features of semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA) and are useful signs in English, a language whose attributes afford numerous opportunities to observe these phenomena. This, however, is not the case in many languages, including Italian, that have high transparency between orthography and phonology, making surface reading and spelling errors scarce. This creates a problem in applying the diagnostic recommendations for svPPA in such languages. Surface dyslexia and dysgraphia are examples of 'regularization' errors in which semantic knowledge loss leads to a failure to recognize exceptions that do not follow standard rules of pronunciation. Another form of regularization involves the incorrect inflection of irregular verbs using the rules that govern regular verbs. Unlike irregularly pronounced words, Italian, as with many languages, has numerous irregular verbs. The Italian Verb Inflection Test (IVIT) was developed to test the hypothesis that svPPA would regularize irregular verbs when inflecting them into two Italian past tenses. Results confirmed that people with svPPA made a significantly greater proportion of regularization errors compared to people with typical Alzheimer's disease or logopenic variant PPA. Without recourse to the other diagnostic features of PPA subgroups, the IVIT on its own could separate svPPA from these other two groups with 70% sensitivity and ~ 80% specificity. Regularization of irregular verb inflection offers a solution to the problem of applying the surface dyslexia/dysgraphia criterion for svPPA diagnosis in Italian.

MORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL RESEARCH OF COMMON MYRTLE LEAVES (MYRTUS COMMUNIS L.)

This paper presents the results of morphological-anatomical study of common myrtle leaves diagnostically significant features (Myrtus communis L.) harvested in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden (Republic of Crimea, Russia). Microscopic analysis of common myrtle leaf petioles was carried out and diagnostic features of dominant biologically active сompounds and tissues luminescence of this plant species leaf petioles were revealed. Morphology and anatomy of common myrtle leaves petioles, luminescence of their tissues were analyzed and summarized and additional diagnostic features of this plant object were revealed. Morphological and anatomical study of common myrtle leaves (Myrtus communis L.) was carried out in accordance with the OFS "Leaves" and "Technique of microscopic and microchemical study of medicinal plant raw materials and medicinal plant preparations" GF RF XIV edition using light microscopy in transmitted and polarized light, as well as luminescence microscopy, which has not been previously studied for this plant. The results of the study concluded that when comparing the luminescence of whole essential oils of myrtle, impure eucalyptus and their components provides a luminescence diagnosis due to the difference in luminescence color; 1,8-cineole is not a diagnostic element in morphological and anatomical luminescence for common myrtle due to the lack of obvious luminescence; euvimal-1 can be used as a diagnostic and luminescence as it has specific luminescence in the form of pink color; the peculiarity of pigmentation of the epithelium of the schizogenic receptacle of the leaf of common myrtle was revealed and the characteristic of its luminescence is species specific for myrtle and can be used as a diagnostic feature in contrast to the impurity raw material of eucalyptus. The results obtained during the study can be further used in the development of the section of the draft pharmacopoeial article “Microscopic features” and other regulatory documentation for a new type of medicinal plant raw material - “Myrtle leaves”, as well as in fundamental botany in the study of species of the family Myrtaceae.

Review of the Species of the Genus Tobrilus (Nematoda, Triplonchida)

On own material and on the basis of literary data, a synthesis of information on the genus Tobrilus Andrássy, 1959. The diagnosis this genus has been changed; species diagnostic characteristics have been analyzed; the species structure of the genus has been examined. The genus includes 29 valid species. The key to the definition of species of genus and the summary table of morphological characteristics of valid species are given.

Abstract IA004: Early cancer dissemination: Circulating tumor cells in ductal carcinoma in situ patients

Abstract Raised awareness about the importance of early breast cancer diagnostics has led to an increased detection rate of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) through mammographic screening. DCIS, often termed as 'Stage 0' carcinoma, is characterized by neoplastic cells confined within the basement membrane. Despite the significant treatment efforts for most DCIS patients, the 20-year breast cancer mortality rate post-diagnosis, with or without treatment, remains at 3.3%. To deepen the understanding of breast cancer oncogenesis, recent studies have highlighted the clonal diversity within the DCIS tumor microenvironment and the presence of disseminated tumor cells in DCIS patients. Nonetheless, significant gaps persist in identifying diagnostic characteristics that predict which DCIS patients are more likely to experience progression or recurrence. Ultimately, this project aims to enhance DCIS patient stratification through the high-throughput isolation and analysis of circulating biomarkers. In this study, we establish a novel workflow that addresses the limitations of traditional tissue-based diagnostics by transitioning to liquid biopsies. This research not only builds upon emerging evidence of early breast cancer cell dissemination during carcinogenesis but also explores the utility of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as biomarkers in DCIS. The use of the labyrinth, a high-throughput inertial microfluidic device, has shown success in isolating CTCs based on their larger size relative to white blood cells. Unlike antigen- based isolation methods, inertial microfluidic devices can capture heterogeneous CTCs with varying surface proteins. Leveraging this technology, we successfully isolated and identified CTCs in DCIS patients. Furthermore, single-cell RNA sequencing of the isolated DCIS CTCs allowed us to identify prognostically significant signatures. Overall, our study presents a workflow capable of identifying characteristics associated with a greater risk of progression, thus contributing valuable insights into the stratification and management of DCIS patients. Citation Format: Sunitha Nagrath, Neha Nagpal, Brittany Rupp, Yan Hong, Fariba Behbod, Max Wicha. Early cancer dissemination: Circulating tumor cells in ductal carcinoma in situ patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Liquid Biopsy: From Discovery to Clinical Implementation; 2024 Nov 13-16; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2024;30(21_Suppl):Abstract nr IA004.

Abstract 4137449: Diagnostic Yield and Testing Characteristics of an Invasive Coronary Function Testing Program

Background: Angina, ischemia, or myocardial infarction in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease (ANOCA, INOCA, or MINOCA) is common and underdiagnosed. Invasive coronary function testing (CFT) for microvascular disease through coronary thermodilution and for coronary vasospasm through coronary reactivity testing can provide definitive diagnoses and improve patient quality of life. Here, we describe a single site experience launching a CFT program and present the diagnostic yield and test characteristics of the first 66 patients. Methods: The first 66 patients who underwent invasive CFT at Mass General Hospital after the launch of the program in 2022 were included. Invasive CFT data and clinical characteristics before and after were entered into a registry. We used descriptive statistics to summarize patient characteristics, diagnostic yield and change in management with invasive CFT. We describe the dose-response and safety of incremental doses of acetylcholine. Results: Among 66 patients (mean age 61.73±11.02 years, 56% female), 17 patients underwent testing at the time of an index angiogram and 49 were scheduled after knowledge of coronary anatomy. Reasons for invasive coronary function testing were post-revascularization angina (n=30, 45.5%), ANOCA (n=21, 31.8%), INOCA (n=9, 13.6%), MINOCA (n=4, 6.1%), and heart transplant patients (n=2, 3%). 24 (36.3%) patients underwent coronary thermodilution only, 6 (9.1%) coronary reactivity testing only , and 36 (54.5%) both. CFT resulted in a definitive diagnosis in 45 (68.1%) of participants – 37.9% with coronary vasospasm only, 13.6% with microvascular dysfunction only, and 16.7% with both. There were 21 (31.8%) patients who remained negative after invasive CFT. Invasive CFT led to a change in management in 46 (70%) patients. For example, nitrate, calcium channel blocker and beta blocker prescriptions were modified in 47%, 50%, and 52.3% of patients, respectively. Among 42 patients who underwent coronary reactivity testing by provocation with intracoronary acetylcholine doses of 20, 100, and 200 mcg, there was a dose-response to angina (18.5%, 70.2%, and 95.2%), ischemic ECG changes (11.1%, 75.7%, and 95.2%), and vessel spasm of greater than 90% (3.7%, 27%, and 57.1%). There was only one safety event(PTCA to re-establish flow after spasm). Conclusions: We demonstrate the safe implementation of an invasive coronary function testing program with very high diagnostic yield and impact on management.

Abstract 4137058: Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of South Asians Presenting with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Background: Patients of South Asian descent have a higher incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and are affected by clinically significant coronary artery disease at an earlier age when compared to the general population. As a result, they have been shown to have a higher rate of cardiovascular events. This at-risk population has not been well studied as it pertains to acute coronary syndrome. Methods: Out of 1610 patients who presented to one of two tertiary care centers between 2021-2022 with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome and underwent coronary angiography, 240 patients were identified as being South Asian and were included in the study. 480 non-South Asian patients were randomly selected as controls. A retrospective analysis was conducted to study the demographics, risk factors, clinical presentation, diagnostic features, and outcomes of the two groups. Results: South Asian patients who were diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome and underwent coronary angiography were significantly younger than non-South Asian patients (61 vs 65 years, p < 0.001). Though they were less likely to be smokers, they were significantly more likely to have other known risk factors including hypertension, dyslipidemia, and a history of prior myocardial infarction (p < 0.001). South Asians had mean lower HDL (p = 0.02), higher triglycerides (0.006), and higher Hgb A1C (p < 0.001). Surprisingly, rates of multivessel disease (defined as stenosis of 50% or greater in two or three vessels) were similar between the two groups. South Asians were more likely to be referred for CABG after initial coronary angiography most likely due to diffuse disease (p = 0.014). Clinical outcomes including pre-discharge LVEF, and 2-year mortality were similar between the groups. Conclusions: South Asians are a notoriously high-risk group when it comes to early-onset and more severe coronary artery disease. The pathophysiology behind this disproportionate manifestation of cardiovascular disease is not entirely understood, but several efforts to delineate this are ongoing. Our data demonstrate that this is at least in part, due to a higher prevalence of conventional modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors in South Asian patients.

Five new species of Passaloecus Shuckard (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) from China, with a key to Chinese species

Based on the key diagnostic characteristics such as petiole, clypeus, and hypersternaulus, five new species of Passaloecus from China are identified: P. clypearcuatus Li & Ma, sp. nov., P. clypeconvexus Li & Ma, sp. nov.P. edentutus Li & Ma, sp. nov., P. margdentatus Li & Ma, sp. nov., and P. sternoleios Li & Ma, sp. nov. Detailed descriptions, diagnoses, and photographs of diagnostic characteristics are provided for these new species. Additionally, a key to the known species of Passaloecus in China is updated and illustrated, further enhancing the understanding of biodiversity within this genus.

Rediscovery of Microbrachida Bierig, 1939, description of a new species from the Brazilian Amazon and its potential for biological control (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

The genus Microbrachida was described by Alexander Bierig based on one tiny rove beetle. Since then, it has not been studied. Recently, a set of small rove beetle specimens were collected in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, where they occur foraging mushrooms that grow on logs of cultivated trees. These mushrooms cause an infection known as witches' broom disease on those plants. Here, we redescribe Microbrachida and describe a new species in it. We also provide images of the diagnostic characteristics of the genus (including scanning electron micrographs), a key to the New World genera of Gyrophaenina, a key to the species of Microbrachida and a preliminary discussion about the potential biological control of the new species.

Diagnostic Features of Childhood Apraxia of Speech: A Survey Study of Estonian, Finnish, and Lithuanian Speech-Language Pathologists.

The primary aim of this study was to investigate how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) from Estonia, Finland, and Lithuania rate the significance of different features for diagnosing childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) in their languages. An online survey was conducted among 197 Estonian, Finnish, and Lithuanian SLPs who have worked with children with CAS. The SLPs were asked to rate the significance of 63 features for CAS diagnosis in their respective language. Cross-linguistic patterns in diagnostic features were examined with simple correspondence analysis (SCA) and via descriptive statistics. The ratings revealed six to seven diagnostic features that were considered very significant for CAS diagnosis by the majority of respondents in each country. The SCA highlighted differences between Lithuanian SLPs and Estonian and Finnish SLPs. Some possible language-specific associations were noted, such as palatalization errors for Lithuanian and Estonian and diphthong distortions for Estonian. The respondents from all countries rated highly those features that can easily be applied to most languages (e.g., groping) and gave lower ratings to features that may be influenced by the linguistic structure of different languages (e.g., word stress errors). Overall, SLPs provided high ratings to CAS features that occur universally across languages, whereas features specific to languages, such as prosody-related errors, were not as highly rated. Several language-specific features were highlighted, providing direction for future research and emphasizing the importance of language-specific considerations in CAS research and diagnosis.

BIOM-71. EXPANDING THE SPECTRUM OFTERT PROMOTER NON-CANONICAL SEQUENCE VARIANTS IN CNS TUMORS: A CASE SERIES

Abstract Most TERT promoter (TERTp) clinically relevant sequence variants in CNS tumors are the canonical C228T and C250T mutations. Non-canonical TERTp mutations have been reported mainly in non-CNS tumors. We describe 12 CNS tumors with non-canonical TERTp variants interpreted as clinically relevant. Using clinical targeted NGS panels (2020-2024), we detected c.-100_-79dup (n=2), c.-92_-91insGGCGGCCCCGCCCCTTCCTTTC (n=1), c.-118_-117insTCCCCGGCCCAGCCCCTTCCGGG (n=1), c.-123_-76dup (n=1), c.-110_-89dup (n=2), and c.-57A>C (n=5). Most cases had chromosomal microarray (n=11) and/or methylation array data analyzed using the NCI/Bethesda v.2 classifier (n=9). All non-canonical TERTp variants occurred at a variant allele frequency suggestive of somatic clonal origin (mean, 34%; range, 18-46), and in adults (mean age, 60 years; range, 36-88). Except for the c.-57A>C variant, all non-canonical TERTp variants occurred in tumors with histological and/or molecular diagnostic features of glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype (GBM), often epigenetically aligning to this tumor type. All five tested cases matched to superfamily glioblastoma (score ≥ 0.9), with three to class GBM_RTK_I (>0.9 in 2, 0.86 in 1) and two to GBM_RTK_II (>0.9). The size and sequence of such variants suggest that these may be functionally equivalent to canonical mutations or generate favorable TERTp activation motif conformations like previously reported activating duplications. The c.-57A>C variant is a well-established oncogenic mutation observed in other cancer types but has not been reported in CNS tumors. We describe five cases with the c.-57A>C variant: one GBM matching to methylation class GBM_MES_TYP (0.99); two oligodendroglioma, IDH-mutant and 1p/19q-codeleted, one of which had methylation data matching to class O_IDH (0.99); one diffuse glioma, IDH-mutant, which was partially 1p/19q-codeleted and matched to class O_IDH (0.99); and one anaplastic meningioma, aligning to superfamily meningioma (0.99)/MNG_MAL (0.79). Our findings show that non-canonical TERTp variants typically occur in tumor types that often harbor TERTp canonical mutations, expanding the spectrum of TERTp clinically relevant variants that are molecular biomarkers in CNS tumors.

Assessment of coronary microvascular dysfunction by angiography-based index of microcirculatory resistance: an indirect meta-analysis.

There is a lack of consensus on diagnosing coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) using the angiography-based index of microcirculatory resistance (Angio-IMR) due to the absence of evidence. This study aims to explore the efficacy of Angio-IMR in diagnosing CMD. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library for studies primarily focusing on Angio-IMR diagnosing CMD, using IMR as the gold standard. The primary results were pooled sensitivity, specificity, and the area under curve (AUC). A total of 15 studies involving 2202 individuals and 2330 vessels were included in our study, Angio-IMR demonstrated high performance in predicting IMR with overall pooled sensitivity and specificity of 0.84 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81 to 0.87) and 0.87 (95%CI: 0.83 to 0.99), respectively, and AUC=0.91 (95%CI: 0.89 to 0.94). This indicates that Angio-IMR has good diagnostic characteristics. Subgroup analysis by indirect meta-analysis showed higher sensitivity in the rest state. However, there is no significant difference in sensitivity and specificity between the hyperemic and rest states when using the AccuIMR system. Furthermore, sensitivity and specificity were more pronounced in the group without coronary pressure monitoring compared to the group with monitoring. Angio-IMR is an alternative tool to identify CMD.

Novelty Classification Model Use in Reinforcement Learning for Cervical Cancer

Purpose: Cervical cancer significantly impacts global health, where early detection is piv- otal for improving patient outcomes. This study aims to enhance the accuracy of cervical cancer diagnosis by addressing class imbalance through a novel hybrid deep learning model. Methods: The proposed model, RL-CancerNet, integrates EfficientNetV2 and Vision Transformers (ViTs) within a Reinforcement Learning (RL) framework. EfficientNetV2 extracts local features from cervical cytology images to capture fine-grained details, while ViTs analyze these features to recognize global dependencies across image patches. To address class imbalance, an RL agent dynamically adjusts the focus towards minority classes, thus reducing the common bias towards majority classes in medical image classification. Additionally, a Supporter Module incorporating Conv3D and BiLSTM layers with an attention mechanism enhances contextual learning. Results: RL-CancerNet was evaluated on the benchmark cervical cytology datasets Herlev and SipaKMeD, achieving an exceptional accuracy of 99.7%. This performance surpasses several state-of-the-art models, demonstrating the model’s effectiveness in identifying subtle diagnostic features in complex backgrounds. Conclusions: The integration of CNNs, ViTs, and RL into RL-CancerNet significantly improves the diagnostic accuracy of cervical cancer screenings. This model not only advances the field of automated medical screening but also provides a scalable framework adaptable to other medical imaging tasks, potentially enhancing diagnostic processes across various medical domains.

Label-Free Detection of Breast Phyllodes Tumors Based onMultiphoton Microscopy.

Phyllodes tumors (PTs) are rare breast stroma neoplasms, and their accurate identification at various stages is essential for personalized patient treatment. In this study, multiphoton microscopy (MPM) with two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and second harmonic generation (SHG) imaging was used for label-free detection and differentiation of PTs and normal breast tissue. An automated image processing strategy was developed to quantify changes in collagen fiber morphology within the stroma and boundary of PTs, establishing optical diagnostic characteristics of PTs using MPM. The results demonstrated that MPM could be used for the detection of different stages of PTs, and the morphological alterations in collagen fibers could serve as critical indicators of PT malignancy, offering new insights for the diagnosis and grading of benign, borderline, and malignant PTs. It lays the groundwork for the future application of compact MPM for the rapid detection and diagnosis of PTs.

Microscopic analysis of Valeriana stolonifera and Valeriana collina leaves

Plants of the Valeriana species are distributed in various parts of the world, especially in Europe and Asia. A high content of polyphenolic compounds, including flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids with expressed biological activity, was previously identified within the herb of the studied Valeriana species. Morphological and anatomical data can be used in phylogenetics of species and genera to find out diagnostic and age-related characteristics of plants. This led us to microscopic studies of aerial organs of the above-mentioned Valeriana species. The aim of the work is to conduct a comparative study of the diagnostic features within the morphological and anatomical structure of Valeriana stolonifera and Valeriana collina leaves. Materials and methods. Both raw and dried plant material of V. stolonifera and V. collina was used for microscopic studies. Temporary micropreparations were made using generally accepted methods. The anatomical features of the raw material were examined using Carl ZEISS “AxioStar Plus” and “Primo Star”. Results. The study identified key morphological and anatomical features of the species, which should be considered for the identification and standardization of promising medicinal plant materials and within the development of methods of analytical and regulatory documentation. Conclusions. The key microscopic differences in the leaves of the studied species lie in the structure of the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of the leaf blade. The upper epidermis consists of large elongate cells with wavy walls. The cells of the lower epidermis are smaller and have more sinuous walls compared to the upper epidermis cells. The degree of wall sinuosity varies between species – V. collina is characterized by more sinuous cells in both the upper and lower epidermis compared to V. stolonifera. The absence of stomata on the upper epidermis is a common feature for both species.

Porphyry Cu-Mo mineralization at Anabama Hill, Delamerian Orogen, South Australia: Fertility assessment implicated from epidote and chlorite chemistry

Abstract Porphyry-style hydrothermal alteration has long been recognized in the Delamerian Orogen, Southeastern Australia. However, the fertility of porphyry prospects in this belt, including the Anabama Hill, remains elusive, due to intermittent exploration activities and sparse exposure. Recent significant discoveries of porphyry-epithermal Cu-Au deposits in the adjacent Stavely Arc have led to renewed exploration interest. Reinvestigation of the Anabama Hill drill cores highlights that K-feldspar-rich and epidote-chlorite-dominated alterations are superimposed by extensive quartz-pyrite ± chalcopyrite ± molybdenite veins with white mica-quartz selvedges, related to early-middle Ordovician granitic stocks. Granodiorite and diorite hosts have diagnostic geochemical characteristics, including high Sr/Y, V/Sc ratios, and listric-shaped REE trends, implying amphibole-leading fractionation due to high water contents in primitive melts. LA-ICP-MS analyses show that characteristic element compositions, e.g., high Fe, Sr, Pb, U and Bi and low Mg and REEs in the Anabama Hill epidote, and high Mn, Zn, Zr and U and low Ca, Ba and Pb in the chlorite, suggest the two minerals resulting from propylitic alteration rather than metamorphism. Compared to well-mineralized porphyry deposits, the epidote shows high Bi, Cu, Sr, Ti, Zr and U, and the chlorite is high in Ti/Sr and Al/Si ratios, implying that they are most likely deposit-proximal or near a heat center. This is supported by intermediate to high temperatures of 200—420°C calculated by chlorite geothermometer. Propylitic epidote and chlorite outside pyrite halos typically define geochemical shoulders by anomalous As-Sb and Mn-Zn highs, 1—1.5 km away from the mineralized centers. Given most of the epidote and chlorite intergrown with sulfides, their close proximity to a likely mineralized center accounts for low to moderate concentrations of distal pathfinder elements and subdued performances on the As-Sb and Mn-Zn fertility plots. Combined with bulk-rock results, proximal-fertility indicators recorded in epidote and chlorite provide encouraging implications for porphyry exploration in the Delamerian belt.

Dengue fever with atypical manifestations in a child with beta thalassemia major post splenectomy

Dengue is one of the significant public health concerns in endemic countries. With plasma leakage as the primary pathophysiology in the process of severe dengue infection with hemoconcentration and thrombocytopenia being the significant laboratory diagnostic features in children, the presentation in children with underlying hemato-oncological conditions is atypical and often, anemia is found in these children, instead of hemoconcentration. We describe a young boy with beta thalassemia major who underwent splenectomy for hypersplenism 5-months ago with dengue illness, characterized by features mimicking a severe post splenectomy opportunistic infection with fever, loose stools and abdomen tenderness. Leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, minimal pleural effusion, ascites and gall bladder wall edema prompted us to think of dengue and was found to be positive. Child improved with appropriate supportive care measures. Pediatricians should be aware of the differences in the presentation of tropical infections in children with hemato-oncological disorders. Tropical infections should be kept in mind even in children with underlying hemato-oncological conditions, to ensure diagnosis and appropriate management.