A New Species of Thraulodes (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) from Mexico

A new species of Thraulodes from Mexico is described from male and female imagines. The male imagines of this species have very characteristic genitalia that allow its easy separation from the other known species of the genus.     

基于"经筋理论"针刀治疗对早中期膝骨关节炎患者骨代谢指标和血清TIMP-1、MMP-3、MMP-13的影响

摘要 目的：探讨基于"经筋理论"针刀治疗对早中期膝骨关节炎（KOA）患者骨代谢指标和血清金属蛋白酶抑制物-1（TIMP-1）、基质金属蛋白酶（MMP）-3、MMP-13的影响。方法：根据随机数字表法,将2021年1月至2023年1月期间就诊于新疆医科大学附属第一医院的120例早中期KOA患者分为对照组（n=60,常规治疗）和研究组（n=60,对照组的基础上接受"经筋理论"针刀治疗）。对比两组疗效、量表评分[疼痛视觉模拟评分（VAS）、西安大略和麦克马斯特大学骨关节炎调查表（WOMAC）]、骨代谢指标[抗酒石酸盐酸性磷酸酶异构体（TRACP-5b）、骨特异性碱性磷酸酶（BALP）、骨钙素（BGP）]和血清TIMP-1、MMP-3、MMP-13。结果：与对照组相比,研究组的临床总有效率更高（P<0.05）。与对照组相比,研究组治疗后WOMAC、VAS评分和血清MMP-3、MMP-13、TRACP-5b水平更低,TIMP-1、BALP、BGP水平更高（P<0.05）。结论：基于"经筋理论"针刀治疗早中期KOA患者,可有效减轻疼痛症状,提高临床治疗效果,可能与改善骨代谢指标和血清TIMP-1、MMP-3、MMP-13水平有关。     

通滞苏润江胶囊联合塞来昔布对早期膝骨关节炎患者血清炎症因子和疼痛介质的影响

摘要 目的：观察通滞苏润江胶囊联合塞来昔布对早期膝骨关节炎（KOA）患者血清炎症因子和疼痛介质的影响。方法：选择2021年6月-2022年12月期间石家庄市人民医院收治的早期KOA患者80例,采用随机数字表法将患者分为对照组（塞来昔布,40例）和观察组（通滞苏润江胶囊联合塞来昔布,40例）。对比两组疗效、疼痛视觉模拟评分（VAS）、西安大略和麦克马斯特大学骨关节炎指数（WOMAC）评分、炎症因子和疼痛介质。结果：观察组临床总有效率高于对照组（P<0.05）。两组治疗1个月后VAS、WOMAC评分下降,且观察组低于对照组同时间点（P<0.05）。两组治疗1个月后肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、白细胞介素-1β（IL-1β）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）下降,且观察组低于对照组同时间点（P<0.05）。两组治疗1个月后前列腺素E₂（PGE₂）、P物质（SP）下降,且观察组低于对照组同时间点（P<0.05）。两组不良反应发生率对比未见统计学差异（P>0.05）。结论：塞来昔布和通滞苏润江胶囊联合治疗早期KOA患者,可缓解疼痛,提高临床治疗效果,改善关节功能,同时还可改善血清炎症因子和疼痛介质水平。     

Size and shape interspecific divergence patterns partly reflect phylogeny in an Onthophagus species‐complex (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Polyphenism has been suggested as an accelerator for morphological evolution and speciation. In the dung beetles of the genus Onthophagus, horn expression is polyphenic: large males develop horns whereas smaller males express greatly reduced or no horns. Horn static allometries seem to diverge rapidly amongst extant taxa, a process which might trigger changes in the male genital morphology, thus possibly promoting speciation as a by‐product. It can therefore be hypothesized that interspecific distances in allometries and, possibly, in other morphological traits mirror phylogenetic distances. In this study we first assessed the phylogenetic relationships amongst three closely related taxa belonging to the so‐called ‘Onthophagus fracticornis‐similis‐opacicollis’ species‐complex by sequencing the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1). Biomolecular results indicated three independent lineages, the closest relationships being found between Onthophagus similis and Onthophagus opacicollis. Then we assessed the extent to which divergence pattern of horn static allometries and size and shape divergence patterns of one genital (paramere) and two nongenital (head and epipharynx) structures mirrored the phylogenetic relationships. Interspecific divergence patterns of horn static allometries, paramere, and head shape were found to be congruent with the evolutionary relationships inferred from biomolecular data. Nevertheless, paramere size and epipharynx shape showed patterns not consistent with the phylogeny. Furthermore, the relative size of nongenital structures showed little interspecific divergence compared to their shapes. Our results suggest that size and shape interspecific divergence mirror phylogeny only in part; they also indicate that distinct morphological traits may differ in their tendency to evolve in concert, and that size and shape of the same trait can evolve independently across species. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 162 , 482–498.     

Determinants of sperm transfer in the scorpionfly Panorpa cognate: male variation, female condition and copulation duration

Recent studies suggest that sperm production and transfer may have significant costs to males. Male sperm investment into a current copulation may therefore influence resources available for future matings, which selects for male strategic mating investment. In addition, females may also benefit from actively or passively altering the number of sperm transferred by males. In the scorpionfly Panorpa cognata, the number of sperm transferred during copulation depended on copulation duration and males in good condition (residual weight) copulated longer and also transferred more sperm. Moreover, sperm transferred and stored per unit time was higher in copulations with females in good condition than in copulations with females in poor condition. Males varied greatly and consistently in their sperm transfer rate, indicative of costs associated with this trait. The duration of the pairing prelude also varied between males and correlated negatively with the male's sperm transfer rate, but no other male character correlated significantly with male sperm transfer rate. The results are consistent with strategic mating effort but sperm transfer could also be facilitated by the physical size of females and/or females in good condition may be more cooperative during sperm transfer.     

Messinian palaeoenvironments and hydrology in Sicily (Italy): The dinoflagellate cyst record

Hydrological conditions prevailing before, during and after the Messinian salinity crisis in Sicily have been approached using dinoflagellate cyst records. The synthetic sequence considered is based on five classical sections from the Caltanissetta Basin. Our interpretations are based on the recognition of autochthonous, allochthonous and reworked population among the dinocyst assemblages. For the first time, sea-surface temperatures and seasonal salinity contrasts were tentatively reconstructed using a “Mutual Climatic Range Method”. Sicilian late Tortonian deposits correspond to marine environment with significant terrestrial inputs favourable to eutrophic dinocyst species. Immediately after the beginning of the Messinian Stage, euryhaline assemblages took place, followed by meso-hyperhaline taxa, within a general trend to shallowing. At the end of the Tripoli diatomitic Formation, environment appears confined, with regular oceanic inflows. Such marine inflows remain persistent during the deposition of the salt Member, witnessing the probable persistence of nearby normal marine sea-surface water conditions in the Mediterranean Sea but with possible reduced hydrological circulation and/or low nutrient component. Such inflows are slightly decreasing up to the top of the Sicilian Upper Evaporites. At the same time, river inputs appear weak during the salt deposition, as the consequence of a rather dry climatic context. As shown by reworking activity, terrestrial inputs increase progressively from the base of the Upper Evaporites. During the Lago Mare period, while climate remains rather dry (absence of freshwater algae inputs, very low amount in trees requiring humid conditions), local deposition environment is confined with mesohaline to hypohaline sea-surface waters, in a context with relatively high seasonal sea-surface salinity contrast (up to 6‰). The very high reworking observed in the Arenazzolo silts, in addition to slightly increasing water depth, led us to consider the presence of a discontinuity between the Lago Mare and the Arenazzolo Fms. We consider the Arenazzolo Formation as a transgressive facies following a deep downcutting period. The Arenazzolo Formation presents a two-step development. The first one, correlative with the presence of a G. etrusca (a species with Paratethyan affinities), corresponds to a relative high-stand sea-level with oceanic influxes, low seasonal sea-surface salinity contrast and probable more humid context, as revealed by the important freshwater algal inputs. During the second step, salinity becomes much more variable, with a clear increase of seasonal sea-surface salinity contrast, a possible slight mean sea-surface temperature increase (only few degrees) and a clear weakening of the river inputs. Taking the proposed Zanclean position of the Arenazzolo Fm. into consideration, we state that mean sea-surface temperature did not change significantly from the base of the Messinian to the earliest Zanclean. At 5.33 Ma, the suddenly achieved flooding restored a fair, deep oceanic environment characterized, at the beginning, by a clear mean sea-surface temperature cooling (up to 6-7 °C) and a nutrient depletion, associated with the basins starvation. Sea-surface salinities were normal, with very low seasonal contrast. Hydrodynamics then nutrient supply became then quite normal from c.a. 5.08 Ma. The status of the Sicilian Caltanissetta Basin as a marginal basin although fastly deepening and the stratigraphical location of the Messinian discontinuity at the base of the Arenazzolo is the scenario that best matches our dinocyst record.     

Early ontogeny of a South Pacific gonostomatid fish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sigmops longipinnis</Emphasis>

 During the R/V Hakuho-maru Cruise KH-95-2, Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, from Tokyo, Japan to the South Pacific east of Australia (22° N–30° S; 126° E–176° E) from June to September, 1995, 77 unidentified gonostomatid larvae (5.5–20.0 mm SL) were collected south of 20° S with an IKMT net. They subsequently were identified as Sigmops longipinnis (Mukhacheva), and its ontogeny during the latter part of the larval stage (body form and proportions, photophores, pigmentation, and meristics) is described here. The larvae develop a species-specific row of melanophores along the midlateral line anterior to the caudal peduncle and another along the middorsal line from before the dorsal fin to just before the caudal fin. Received: June 24, 2002 / Revised: November 2, 2002 / Accepted: January 31, 2003     

Pollen discounting and the evolution of selfing in Arenaria uniflora (caryophyllaceae)

Although most models of mating system evolution assign a central role to the male transmission advantage of selfing genotypes, empirical data on the male fitness consequences of increased self-pollination are still uncommon. Here, I use measures of pollen import and export by focal plants in genotyped arrays to investigate the effects of floral morphology and pollination environment on self and outcross male function. Plants from an autogamous population of Arenaria uniflora (Caryophyllaceae) exhibit complete pollen discounting relative to closely related outcrossers, as do morphologically intermediate F1 hybrids between the two populations. However, the low cumulative male fitness of hybrids probably results from reduced pollen number or competitive ability, rather than a nonlinear relationship with floral morphology. When surrounded by selfers, plants from the outcrosser population self-fertilize at nearly the same rate as selfers (>80%), but have much lower self male fitness due to reduced fruit set. Because outcross siring success is also extremely low (<8%) in this treatment, these mate-limited outcrossers are at male fitness disadvantage to both pseudocleistogamous selfers and nonlimited outcrossers. The relative male fitness of plants with different mating systems appears dependent on the ecological context, as well as on morphological trade-offs.     

The evolution of sex determination systems in dipteran insects other than Drosophila

The multitude of sex determination mechanisms displayed in dipteran insects has usually been described in terms of variations on a single principle in which the primary signal of the primitive pathway consists of a single allelic difference at one locus. Evolution of sex determination mechanisms is thought to have occurred by the addition of genes below the top gene of the pathway. The elucidation of the complex sex determination pathway of Drosophila melanogaster, as well as recent evidence that the basal genes of the pathway seem to be conserved across metazoan genera both in structure and, to a lesser degree, in function, points towards the possibility that sex determination pathways may have evolved from the bottom-up. Further to this is the question of whether the dominant male-determining factor, M, which is found in a number of insect species, represents part of the ancient sex determination pathway or is a later addition to the pathway. This, together with the possibility that the Mfactors found in numerous dipteran insect species may have a common origin, is discussed. The similarities of the sex determination pathways under the control of Mand the implications in relation to the construction of genetic sexing strains for biological control are also discussed.     

Nupr1 deficiency downregulates HtrA1, enhances SMAD1 signaling,and suppresses age-related bone loss in male mice

Nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) is a stress-induced protein activated by various stresses, such as inflammation and oxidative stress. We previously reported that Nupr1 deficiency increased bone volume by enhancing bone formation in 11-week-old mice. Analysis of differentially expressed genes between wild-type (WT) and Nupr1-knockout (Nupr1-KO) osteocytes revealed that high temperature requirement A 1 (HTRA1), a serine protease implicated in osteogenesis and transforming growth factor-β signaling was markedly downregulated in Nupr1-KO osteocytes. Nupr1 deficiency also markedly reduced HtrA1 expression, but enhanced SMAD1 signaling in in vitro-cultured primary osteoblasts. In contrast, Nupr1 overexpression enhanced HtrA1 expression in osteoblasts, suggesting that Nupr1 regulates HtrA1 expression, thereby suppressing osteoblastogenesis. Since HtrA1 is also involved in cellular senescence and age-related diseases, we analyzed aging-related bone loss in Nupr1-KO mice. Significant spine trabecular bone loss was noted in WT male and female mice during 6−19 months of age, whereas aging-related trabecular bone loss was attenuated, especially in Nupr1-KO male mice. Moreover, cellular senescence-related markers were upregulated in the osteocytes of 6−19-month-old WT male mice but markedly downregulated in the osteocytes of 19-month-old Nupr1-KO male mice. Oxidative stress-induced cellular senescence stimulated Nupr1 and HtrA1 expression in in vitro-cultured primary osteoblasts, and Nupr1 overexpression enhanced p16^ink4a expression in osteoblasts. Finally, NUPR1 expression in osteocytes isolated from the bones of patients with osteoarthritis was correlated with age. Collectively, these results indicate that Nupr1 regulates HtrA1-mediated osteoblast differentiation and senescence. Our findings unveil a novel Nupr1/HtrA1 axis, which may play pivotal roles in bone formation and age-related bone loss.