Systematics Review and Phylogeny of Cyrtophyllitinae Zeuner, 1935 Gorochov, Jarzembowski & Coram, 2006 (Ensifera, Haglidae), with Description of Two New Species.

A phylogeny of Cyrtophyllitinae Zeuner, 1935 Gorochov, Jarzembowski & Coram, 2006, based on wing morphology, is presented including all genera. Cyrtophillitinae is found to be paraphyletic. Except for Oppenheim, 1888, all other species were moved from the subfamily Cyrtophyllitinae (Hagloidea, Haglidae).

Interaction of 17α-ethinylestradiol and methyltestosterone in western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) across two generations.

The interactions between estrogen and androgen in aquatic animals remain largely unknown. In this study, two generations (F0 and F1) of western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) were continuously exposed to 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2, 10 ng/L), methyltestosterone (MT, 10 ng/L (MTL); 50 ng/L (MTH)), and mixtures (EE2+MTL and EE2+MTH). Various endpoints, including sex ratio (phenotypic and genetic), secondary sex characteristics, gonadal histology, and transcriptional profile of genes, were examined.

Evaluation of the toxicity of clozapine on the freshwater diatom Navicula sp. using the FTIR spectroscopy.

Clozapine is an often prescribed neuroactive pharmaceutical and frequently detected in the aquatic environments. However, its toxicity on low trophic level species (i.e.

Levonorgestrel and dydrogesterone affect sex determination via different pathways in zebrafish.

Levonorgestrel (LNG) and dydrogesterone (DDG) are two commonly used synthetic progestins that have been detected in aquatic environments. They could affect fish sex differentiation, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here we investigated the effects of LNG (5 ng L and 50 ng L), DDG (100 ng L) and their mixtures on gonadal differentiation and sex determination in zebrafish at transcriptomic and histological levels from 2 hours post-fertilization (eleutheroembryos) to 144 days post-fertilization (sexual maturity).

Medroxyprogesterone acetate affects eye growth and the transcription of associated genes in zebrafish.

Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) is a widely used synthetic progestin in contraception pills and hormone replacement therapy. However, its effects on eye growth and development and function were largely unknown. In this study, the transcription of genes in the Notch signaling pathway and the visual cycle network were evaluated after chronic MPA exposure at 4.

Endocrine disruption in western mosquitofish from open and closed aquatic ecosystems polluted by swine farm wastewaters.

Swine farm wastewaters (SFWs) are generally discharged either directly into nearby rivers or into fish ponds as a source of fertilizer/food for aquaculture in China. SFWs contain various contaminants including steroid hormones. However, there is an extreme paucity of data on their effects in fish populations.

Dydrogesterone affects the transcription of genes in visual cycle and circadian rhythm network in the eye of zebrafish.

Dydrogesterone (DDG) is a synthetic progestin used in contraception and hormone replacement therapy. Our previous transcriptome data showed that the response to light stimulus, photoperiodism and rhythm related gene ontology (GO) terms were significantly enriched in the brain of zebrafish after chronic exposure to DDG. Here we investigated the effects of DDG on the eye of zebrafish.

Endocrine disrupting effects in western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis in two rivers impacted by untreated rural domestic wastewaters.

Domestic wastewaters are an important source of endocrine disrupting chemicals in the receiving aquatic environment. Most rural domestic wastewaters (RDWs) in China have been directly discharged into the aquatic environment without any treatment. Here we studied the effects of RDWs on the western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) from two rural rivers receiving untreated RDWs.

Medroxyprogesterone acetate affects sex differentiation and spermatogenesis in zebrafish.

Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) is a widely used synthetic progestin and it has been frequently detected in aquatic environments. However, its effects on aquatic organisms remain largely unknown. Here we investigated the chronic effects of MPA on sex differentiation and gonad development in zebrafish.

[Combined effects of fluoxetine and triclosan on Pseudorasbora parva.].

We examined the effects of binary mixture of two different pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) on aquatic organisms. The topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva, native to northeast China, was used to study the combined effects of fluoxetine (FLX) and triclosan (TCS) on its different organs. After acute (4 h) and chronic (42 d) treatments, the combined effects of FLX/TCS on phase I and phase II detoxification enzymes, nervous system, digestive system and antioxidant system were evaluated.

Horizontal transmission of Paranosema locustae (Microsporidia) in grasshopper populations via predatory natural enemies.

Background: Paranosema locustae Canning, 1953 (Microsporidia) provides effective control of grasshoppers. Horizontal transmission of P. locustae is known to occur, and evidence for the mechanism of this transmission via predatory natural enemies has been found.

Modulation of transcription of genes related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axes in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos/larvae by androstenedione.

This study aimed to determine the effects of Androstenodione (AED) on the transcriptional expression of genes involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axes in the zebrafish embryos/larvae. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 4.0, 45.

Efficacy of Bt maize producing the Cry1Ac protein against two important pests of corn in China.

Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée) and Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) are the most important pests of maize in China. A laboratory study and a 2-year field study on the efficacy of transgenic maize expressing the Cry1Ac protein BT38 against O. furnacalis and H.

[Mechanisms of Cr (VI) toxicity to fish in aquatic environment: A review].

With increasing consumption and applications of chromium in metallurgy, electroplating, tanning process and stainless steel industry, chromium contamination has become a global environmental problem. In general, Cr(VI) has higher permeability across the cell membrane than Cr(III) and hence is considered more toxic than Cr(III). Oxidative stress could be induced following reactive oxygen species (ROS) normally produced in fish under Cr(VI) exposure due to its variable valences.

Forebrain-specific loss of synaptic GABAA receptors results in altered neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity in mice.

Mutations that result in the defective trafficking of γ2 subunit containing GABAA receptors (γ2-GABAARs) are known to reduce synaptic inhibition. Whether perturbed clustering of non-mutated GABAARs similarly reduces synaptic inhibition in vivo is less clear. In this study we provide evidence that the loss of postsynaptic γ2-GABAARs upon postnatal ablation of gephyrin, the major scaffolding protein of inhibitory postsynapses, from mature principal neurons within the forebrain results in reduced induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) and impaired network excitability within the hippocampal dentate gyrus.

The mechanism for microsporidian parasite suppression of the hindgut bacteria of the migratory locust Locusta migratoria manilensis.

Locusts aggregate into bands of nymphs and swarms of adults that can pose a major threat to crop. Previous studies have shown that infection by the microsporidian parasite Paranosema locustae prevents locust aggregation behavior and we show that gut bacteria, which produce components of locust aggregation pheromones, are substantially reduced in locusts infected with P. locustae.

Malignant transformation of 293 cells induced by ectopic expression of human Nanog.

Tumor development has long been known to resemble abnormal embryogenesis. The ESC self-renewal gene NANOG is purportedly expressed in some epithelial cancer cells and solid tumors, but a casual role in tumor development has remained unclear. In order to more comprehensively elucidate the relationship between human Nanog and tumorigenesis, the hNanog was ectopically expressed in the 293 cell line to investigate its potential for malignant transformation of cells both in vitro and in vivo.

[The targeting study of human serum albumin gene].

To generate transgenic porcine which expresses human serum albumin (HSA), the HSA gene targeting vector was constructed with HSA cDNA as the gene of interestand partial porcine serum albumin (PSA) gene as homologous arms which respectively were 7.2 kb 5' regulation sequence and 2.8 kb genomic sequence from the first intron to the fourth intron.

[Multipotential differentiation and potential applications of adipose-derived stem cells].

Adipose tissue contains a population of multipotent cells called adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). With the similar properties of marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, ADSCs have the ability to differentiate differentiate towards adipogenic, osteogenic, chondrogenic, myogenic, endothelial, hematopoietic, hepatic, islet, and neurogenic cell lineages. As adipose tissue in harvested in large amounts with minimal morbidity, it can be widely used in tissue engineering, organ repair and gene therapy.

[The synthesis and function analysis of omega-3 fatty acid desaturase gene from Caenorhabditis briggssae].

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been broadly investigated and shown to exert many preventive and therapeutic actions besides their important role in maintenances human health and normal development. In mammals, the level of omega-3 PUFAs is relatively too low compared with omega-6 PUFAs, which metabolically and functionally distinct from omega-3 PUFAs and often have important opposing physiological functions. Either the inefficiency of omega-3 PUFAs or the excess of omega-6 PUFAs will cause many healthy problems.

[Synthesis of total sFat-1 gene by PCR-restrict enzyme ligation method].

Gene synthesis is very important in life science research, and it becomes a technique in common use. It is difficult for long gene synthesis, because the mismatches and mutations of DNA sequence in nucleotide fragments assembling. This study established a new method for long gene synthesis, which was referred to as PCR-restrict enzyme ligation method.

[Study on a human tissue-type plasminogen activator mutant cDNA knocked-in the beta-casein gene site of murine ES cells].

A murine beta-casein gene targeting vector was constructed using the cloned genomic sequence. The short arm was 2.7 kb including mouse beta-casein gene 5' flanking sequence, exon1, intron1 and partial exon2.

A human t-PA mutant cDNA cassette knocked in the murine fgfr-4 locus targeting for mammary gland expression.

The expression of foreign gene in transgenic animals produced by pronuclear microinjection is often confounded by the position effects caused by not only the nature of chromosomal integration site but also the number and arrangement of multiple transgene copies. Gene targeting provides a new way to overcome these inhibitions by introducing single-copy transgene into a chosen site. The choice of a good chromosomal site will favor transgene expression in a predictable fashion.

[Murine beta-casein gene sequences direct a human tissue plasminogen activator variant expressed in the milk of transgenic mice].

To investigate the ability of our cloned murine beta-casein locus to direct the exogenous gene expression in the milk of transgenic mice, the human t-PA variant mammary gland expression vector under the control of murine beta-casein gene regulatory elements was constructed, in which the human t-PA variant signal-pro peptide sequence was replaced with murine beta-casein signal peptide sequence and the human t-PA variant mature peptide cDNA was inserted into the second exon of beta-casein gene. The fusion gene was microinjected in the fertilized mice eggs. A total of 285 embryos were microinjected and transferred into 13 surrogate mother mice.