NOTES ON THE GENUS NEOPODOCINUM IN CHINA,WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES(ACARINA:MACROCHELIDAE)

The present paper deals with four species of the genus Neopodocinumoff scarabaeid beetles in China, among them Neopodocinum sinicum and N.gunnanense are new to science, the deutonymph of N. dehongense is descri-bed for the first time, and N. vanderhammeni is collected in southwestChina for the first time. The type materials are deposited in the Depart-ment of Parasitology, Guiyang Medical College.Keys to the females and malesof 6 known Chinese species of the genus Neopodocinum are appended.     

球蛛科志评介

The two volumes by Fauna Sinica on Araneidae and Theridiidae are the most important volumeson arachnids published in 1998. Three hundred and fifty pages of the Theridiid volume are in Chinese,65 pages in English. The English part includes the diagnosis and measurements of the new species,keys for genera and species and an index. The volume is just as easy to work with for English speakingbiologists as for Chinese. Critical are the 230 superb illustrations. Each one is composed of illustra-     

Integrative taxonomy of Leptonetela spiders (Araneae,Leptonetidae), with descriptions of 46 new species

Extreme environments,such as subterranean habitats,are suspected to be responsible for morphologically inseparable cryptic or sibling species and can bias biodiversity assessment.A DNA barcode is a short,standardized DNA sequence used for taxonomic purposes and has the potential to lessen the challenges presented by a biotic inventory.Here,we investigate the diversity of the genus Leptonetela Kratochvíl,1978 that is endemic to karst systems in Eurasia using DNA barcoding.We analyzed 624 specimens using one mitochondrial gene fragment (COI).The results show that DNA barcoding is an efficient and rapid species identification method in this genus.DNA barcoding gap and automatic barcode gap discovery (ABGD) analyses indicated the existence of 90 species,a result consistent with previous taxonomic hypotheses,and supported the existence of extreme male pedipalpal tibial spine and median apophysis polymorphism in Leptonetela species,with direct implications for the taxonomy of the group and its diversity.Based on the molecular and morphological evidence,we delimit and diagnose 90 Leptonetela species,including the type species Leptonetela kanellisi (Deeleman-Reinhold,1971).Forty-six of them are previously undescribed.The female of Leptonetela zhai Wang & Li,2011 is reported for the first time.Leptonetela tianxinensis (Tong & Li,2008) comb.nov.is transferred from the genus Leptoneta Simon,1872;the genus Guineta Lin & Li,2010 syn.nov.is a junior synonym of Leptonetela;Leptonetela gigachela (Lin & Li,2010)comb.nov.is transferred from Guineta.The genus Sinoneta Lin & Li,2010 syn.nov.is a junior synonym of Leptonetela;Leptonetela notabilis (Lin & Li,2010) comb.nov.and Leptonetela sexdigiti (Lin & Li,2010) comb.nov.are transferred from Sinoneta;Leptonetela sanchahe Wang & Li nom.nov.is proposed as a replacement name for Sinoneta palmata (Chen et al.,2010) because Leptonetela palmata is preoccupied.     

Reproduction strategy of Trias verrucosa (Orchidaceae) from China

Trias, an orchid genus, was reported in this paper from China as a newly recorded genus for the first time. The genus and its new species, T. verrucosa Z. J. Liu, L. J. Chen et S. P. Lei, were described and discussed. Trias consists of 19 species ranging from Assam of India to Indonesia and Australia in the southeast via Myanmar to Deccan of India in the southwest. Its occurrence in West Yunnan of China is a further indication of phytogeographical relations between this region and the tropical Asia. This new species grows on shady rocks in forests. By observing of its biological characteristics such as phenology and blooming biology, lots of cloned ramets of generation overlap were found, but there were no fruited plants, and that clonal reproduction could repeat had nothing to do with whether the ramet bloomed or not. The flowering season of this species is from early April to early May. The opening of flowers on plants or inflorescence was irregular and the florescence of single flowers was rather short, only lasting 4–5 d, and no fruited flowers were found. Based on the detection of mating systems, no flowers of artificial self-pollination and artificial cross-pollination have fruited. Since the flowering period is just before the rainy season in this region, the ecological conditions of dryness, strong wind, low temperature and weak light during that period of time are evidently unfavorable to plant blooming, pollinating and fruiting. Apparently, the short duration and sterility of each flower would avoid the invalid energy waste in unfavorable circumstances and save the limited energy for more valid asexual reproduction so that the opportunity of multiplication in an uncertain environment would be increased to ensure the progenitive success. The P/O value of T. verrucosa is 187.4 ± 22.4, which is obviously related with the highly valid usage of its conglutinated and hard tuberous pollinarium during pollination, indicating that this species could hold the characteristic of sexual reproduction. This is an adaptation of this type of plants to the rather atrocious ecological circumstance there by its reproduction strategy of strengthening asexual reproduction and weakening sexual reproduction, and so it enables the plants to survive in this region, long-distanced from the places where its relatives dwell.     

Reproduction strategy of Trias verrucosa (Orchidaceae) from China

Trias, an orchid genus, was reported in this paper from China as a newly recorded genus for the first time. The genus and its new species, T. verrucosa Z. J. Liu, L. J. Chen et S. P. Lei, were described and discussed. Trias consists of 19 species ranging from Assam of India to Indonesia and Australia in the southeast via Myanmar to Deccan of India in the southwest. Its occurrence in West Yunnan of China is a further indication of phytogeographical relations between this region and the tropical Asia. This new species grows on shady rocks in forests. By observing of its biological characteristics such as phenology and blooming biology, lots of cloned ramets of generation overlap were found, but there were no fruited plants, and that clonal reproduction could repeat had nothing to do with whether the ramet bloomed or not. The flowering season of this species is from early April to early May. The opening of flowers on plants or inflorescence was irregular and the florescence of single flowers was rather short, only lasting 4–5 d, and no fruited flowers were found. Based on the detection of mating systems, no flowers of artificial self-pollination and artificial cross-pollination have fruited. Since the flowering period is just before the rainy season in this region, the ecological conditions of dryness, strong wind, low temperature and weak light during that period of time are evidently unfavorable to plant blooming, pollinating and fruiting. Apparently, the short duration and sterility of each flower would avoid the invalid energy waste in unfavorable circumstances and save the limited energy for more valid asexual reproduction so that the opportunity of multiplication in an uncertain environment would be increased to ensure the progenitive success. The P/O value of T. verrucosa is 187.4 ± 22.4, which is obviously related with the highly valid usage of its conglutinated and hard tuberous pollinarium during pollination, indicating that this species could hold the characteristic of sexual reproduction. This is an adaptation of this type of plants to the rather atrocious ecological circumstance there by its reproduction strategy of strengthening asexual reproduction and weakening sexual reproduction, and so it enables the plants to survive in this region, long-distanced from the places where its relatives dwell.     

Molecular phylogeny of Entomobrya (Collembola: Entomobryidae) from China: Color pattern groups and multiple origins

Highly diversified colorations among springtails (Collembola) have been widely used for species diagnosis, but their phylogenetic significance is poorly known. We addressed this issue in the largest Entomobryinae genus Entomobrya, which possesses variable color patterns among species. The relationships within the genus and to other genera have also rarely been studied. Based on material mainly from China, we have conducted a multilocus phylogeny and topology tests with likelihood and Bayesian algorithms, and accordingly demonstrated the non-monophyly of Chinese Entomobrya. The division of five clades, including Entomobrya and several related genera, coincided well with five types of colorations, respectively. Further analyses of divergence time and historical biogeography revealed that Chinese Entomobrya originated mainly from Palearctic (northern and western) China in the Paleocene and Eocene. This study highlights the great phylo? genetic values as well as taxonomic uses of coloration in Chinese Entomobrya. Multiple phylogenetic and biogeographic origins of Entomobrya imply its complicated relationships with both scaled and unsealed genera of Entomobryinae.     

NEW GENUS AND NEW SPECIES OF ISOMETOPIDAE FROM CHINA (Hemiptera - Heteroptera)

The present paper deals with four species belonging to three genera, in which a genus (Paraletabo gen. nov.) and four species are described as new to science, a genus (Sophianus Distant) is recorded for the first time from China. The type specimens are deposited in the Department of Biology, Nankai University. The new genus and new species are briefly diangnosed as follows.     

NOTES ON ANNOSA SPECIES-GROUP OF HELINA R.-D. （DIPTERA： MUSCIDAE） IN CHINA

The genus Helina R.-D., 1830 is the second largest genus in Muscidae. By now,more than 400 species are known in the world and about 200 species have been described in China. This paper outlines earlier studies on the subgenus and species-group of Helina. Helina annosa species-group is erected. A key to the known Chinese subgroups and species is given.The 19 known Chinese species is listed, including one new species, i.e. Helina setipostitibia sp. nov. Type specimen of the holotype of the new species is deposited in the Institute of Entomology, Shenyang Normal University.     

"褐背拟地鸦"是"地山雀"

The Groundpecker ( Pseudopodoces humilis ) is an en-demic species of a genus endemic to China. Although it had been considered a member of the corvidae for centuries. It has recent-ly been put in Family Paridae by James et al. (2000, 2003).It‘‘s English name should be changed to the Ground tit.     

Recent advances in the study of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus replication and pathogenesis

It has now been over twenty years since a novel herpesviral genome was identified in Kaposi's sarcoma biopsies. Since then, the cumulative research effort by molecular biologists, virologists, clinicians, and epidemiologists alike has led to the extensive characterization of this tumor virus, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus(KSHV; also known as human herpesvirus 8(HHV-8)), and its associated diseases. Here we review the current knowledge of KSHV biology and pathogenesis, with a particular emphasis on new and exciting advances in the field of epigenetics. We also discuss the development and practicality of various cell culture and animal model systems to study KSHV replication and pathogenesis.     

A Unique Protease Cleavage Site Predicted in the Spike Protein of the Novel Pneumonia Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Potentially Related to Viral Transmissibility

正Dear Editor,In December 2019, a novel human coronavirus caused an epidemic of severe pneumonia(Coronavirus Disease 2019,COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei, China(Wu et al. 2020; Zhu et al. 2020). So far, this virus has spread to all areas of China and even to other countries. The epidemic has caused 67,102 confirmed infections with 1526 fatal cases     

Curcuminoids as inhibitors of thioredoxin reductase: A receptor based pharmacophore study with distance mapping of the active site

Curcumin is the yellow pigment of turmeric that interacts irreversibly forming an adduct with thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an enzyme responsible for redox control of cell and defence against oxidative stress. Docking at both the active sites of TrxR was performed to compare the potency of three naturally occurring curcuminoids, namely curcumin, demethoxy curcumin and bis-demethoxy curcumin. Results show that active sites of TrxR occur at the junction of E and F chains. Volume and area of both cavities is predicted. It has been concluded by distance mapping of the most active conformations that Se atom of catalytic residue SeCYS498, is at a distance of 3.56 from C13 of demethoxy curcumin at the E chain active site, whereas C13 carbon atom forms adduct with Se atom of SeCys 498. We report that at least one methoxy group in curcuminoids is necessary for interation with catalytic residues of thioredoxin. Pharmacophore of both active sites of the TrxR receptor for curcumin and demethoxy curcumin molecules has been drawn and proposed for design and synthesis of most probable potent antiproliferative synthetic drugs.     

Comparative morphology of the carpel in the Liliaceae: Hewardieae, Petrosavieae, and Tricyrteae

The young pistils in the melanthioid tribes, Hewardieae, Petrosavieae and Tricyrteae, are uniformly tricarpellate and syncarpous. They lack raphide idioblasts. All are multiovulate, with bitegmic ovules. The Petrosavieae are marked by the presence of septal glands and incomplete syncarpy. Tepals and stamens adhere to the ovary in the Hewardieae and the Petrosavieae but not in the Tricyrteae. Two vascular bundles occur in the stamens of the Hewartlieae and Tricyrtis latifolia. Ventral bundles in the upper part of the ovary of the Hewardieae are continuous with compound septal bundles and placental bundles in the lower part. Putative ventral bundles occur in the alternate position in the Tricyrteae and putative placental bundles in the opposite. position in the Petrosavieae. The dichtomously branched stigma in each carpel of the Tricyrteae is supplied by a bifurcated dorsal bundle.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial studies of hydrazone derivatives of 4-[3-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-4-formyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl]benzoic acid and 4-[3-(3,4-difluorophenyl)-4-formyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl]benzoic acid

Microbial resistance to antibiotics is an unresolved global concern, which needs urgent and coordinated action. One of the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) to combat antibiotic resistance is the development of new antibiotics to treat drug-resistant bacteria. In our effort to find new antibiotics, we report the synthesis and antimicrobial studies of 30 new pyrazole derivatives. These novel molecules have been synthesized by using readily available starting materials and benign reaction conditions. Some of these molecules have shown activity with MIC values as low as 0.78?µg/mL against four bacterial strains; Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Furthermore, active molecules are non-toxic to mammalian cell line.

     

Novel compounds with potent CDK9 inhibitory activity for the treatment of myeloma

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and Polo-like kinases (PLKs) play key role in the regulation of the cell cycle. The aim of our study was originally the further development of our recently discovered polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) inhibitors. A series of new 2,4-disubstituted pyrimidine derivatives were synthesized around the original hit, but their PLK1 inhibitory activity was very poor. However the novel compounds showed nanomolar CDK9 inhibitory activity and very good antiproliferative effect on multiple myeloma cell lines (RPMI-8226).