Evolution of green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae): a molecular supermatrix approach

We present a time‐calibrated phylogeny of the charismatic green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Previous phylogenetic studies on the family using DNA sequences have suffered from sparse taxon sampling and/or limited amounts of data. Here we combine all available previously published DNA sequence data and add to it new DNA sequences generated for this study. We analysed these data in a supermatrix using Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods and provide a phylogenetic hypothesis for the family that recovers strong support for the monophyly of all subfamilies and resolves relationships among a large proportion of chrysopine genera. Chrysopinae tribes Leucochrysini and Belonopterygini were recovered as monophyletic sister clades, while the species‐rich tribe Chrysopini was rendered paraphyletic by Ankylopterygini. Relationships among the subfamilies were resolved, although with relatively low statistical support, and the topology varied based on the method of analysis. Greatest support was found for Apochrysinae as sister to Nothochrysinae and Chrysopinae, which is in contrast to traditional concepts that place Nothochrysinae as sister to the rest of the family. Divergence estimates suggest that the stem groups to the various subfamilies diverged during the Triassic‐Jurassic, and that stem groups of the chrysopine tribes diverged during the Cretaceous.     

Regulation of beta-endorphin and ACTH in brain by estradiol

The effect of estradiol on the brain concentration of immunoreactive beta-endorphin (beta-EP) and C-terminal ACTH (CLIP) was studied in ovariectomized rats. Dopamine, a known inhibitor of pituitary intermediate lobe pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), was examined as a possible mediator of the estradiol induced changes in brain POMC. Animals were treated for 1 or 3 weeks with either 1) saline; 2) silastic estradiol implants; or 3) estradiol implants plus haloperidol 1 mg/kg/day. After one week of treatment no significant change in hypothalamic beta-EP content was noted in any group compared to the control level of 4.13 +/- .33 (SEM) pmoles although in the neurointermediate lobe beta-EP increased from 566 +/- 72 to 942 +/- 73 pmoles after haloperidol (p less than .005). After 3 weeks, however, hypothalamic beta-EP decreased from 3.96 +/- .28 to 2.74 +/- .19 pmoles (p less than .005) and C-terminal ACTH decreased from 3.78 +/- .33 to 2.82 +/- .18 pmoles (p less than .02) in the estradiol treated rats. This estradiol induced decrease in the hypothalamic content of beta-EP and C-terminal ACTH was not blocked by haloperidol. We conclude that estradiol lowers the hypothalamic content of beta-EP and CLIP and that this effect does not appear to be mediated by dopamine.     

Microplastics in soil-plant system: effects of nano/microplastics on plant photosynthesis,rhizosphere microbes and soil properties in soil with different residues

Plant and Soil - To investigate the effects of polystyrene microplastics (PS-beads) on the soil properties, photosynthesis of Flowering Chinese cabbage, the rhizosphere microbial community and...     

Single-cell landscape of the ecosystem in early-relapse hepatocellular carcinoma

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Complete Genome Sequence of an H9N2 Avian Influenza Virus Isolated from Egret in Lake Dongting Wetland

We isolated a recombinant H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) from fresh egret feces in the Ardeidae protection region of the Dongting Lake wetland area in China, and it was designated A/Egret/Hunan/1/2012(H9N2). This is the first report of isolating H9N2 AIV from wild birds in the Dongting Lake wetland. Its eight gene segments are generated by reassortment of gene segments of different AIV subtypes. These results are helpful for understanding the epidemiology and evolution of AIV in wild birds during migration.