Drumontiana zhilini sp. nov., a new species from Guangxi, China (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Prioninae).

In this work, a new species of the genus Drumontiana Danilevsky, 2001 (Cerambycidae: Prioninae) is described and illustrated, namely Drumontiana zhilini sp. nov. from Huaping National Nature Reserve, Guangxi, China.

Effects of Danggui Buxue decoction on host gut microbiota and metabolism in GK rats with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent abnormally elevated blood sugar levels. T2DM affects millions of people and exerts a significant global public health burden. Danggui Buxue decoction (DBD), a classical Chinese herbal formula composed of (Huangqi) and (Danggui), has been widely used in the clinical treatment of diabetes and its complications.

Decreased salivary α-amylase activity responding to citric acid stimulation in Myasthenia gravis with malnutrition.

Objectives: Malnutrition, defined according to Nutritional risk screening (NRS 2002), is commonly observed in patients of Myasthenia gravis (MG), a neuromuscular disorder manifested by varied degrees of skeletal muscle weakness. Because biochemical composition of saliva changes in correspondence to alterations in nutritional status, we tested our hypothesis that a certain saliva component(s) might serve as a biomarker(s) for nutrition status of MG, particularly for those MG patients with high risk of malnutrition.

Materials And Methods: 60 MG patients and 60 subjects belonging to the healthy control group (HCG) were enrolled in this case-control study.

The antidepressant-like effects of Danggui Buxue Decoction in GK rats by activating CREB/BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway.

Background: High rates of co-morbidity have been reported in patients with diabetes mellitus with depression (DD). Danggui Buxue Decoction (DBD), a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula composed of Angelica and Astragalus, has been historically used for the treatment of diabetes.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigated whether DBD and its main active component, ferulic acid (FA) from Angelica, could ameliorate depression-like behavior in DD and the underlying mechanisms.

A SEM study of antennal sensilla in Maladera orientalis Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae).

The external morphology of antenna and fine structure of its sensilla of Maladera orientalis were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The antenna consists of scape, pedicel, funicle and a club composed of three lamellae. Funicle has five, sometimes, four segments.

[Thermodynamic analysis of water adsorption and desorption process of Chinese herbal decoction pieces].

Based on the basic theory of thermodynamics, the thermodynamic parameters and related equations in the process of water adsorption and desorption of Chinese herbal decoction pieces were established, and their water absorption and desorption characteristics were analyzed. The physical significance of the thermodynamic parameters, such as differential adsorption enthalpy, differential adsorption entropy, integral adsorption enthalpy, integral adsorption entropy and the free energy of adsorption, were discussed in this paper to provide theoretical basis for the research on the water adsorption and desorption mechanism, optimum drying process parameters, storage conditions and packaging methods of Chinese herbal decoction pieces.

[Isothermal adsorption, desorptionand thermodynamic properties of Scutellaria baicalensis pieces].

To study the characteristics of adsorption and desorption of Scutellaria baicalensis pieces. On the basic thermodynamic theory, thestatic method was adopted to obtain S. baicalensis pieces' isothermal adsorption and desorption data at 25, 35, 45 ℃, with the water activity between 0.

Distal-less regulates eyespot patterns and melanization in Bicyclus butterflies.

Butterfly eyespots represent novel complex traits that display substantial diversity in number and size within and across species. Correlative gene expression studies have implicated a large suite of transcription factors, including Distal-less (Dll), Engrailed (En), and Spalt (Sal), in eyespot development in butterflies, but direct evidence testing the function of any of these proteins is still missing. Here we show that the characteristic two-eyespot pattern of wildtype Bicyclus anynana forewings is correlated with dynamic progression of Dll, En, and Sal expression in larval wings from four spots to two spots, whereas no such decline in gene expression ensues in a four-eyespot mutant.

A review of the genus Sinodorcadion Gressitt, 1939 with description of three new species from China (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae).

The genus Sinodorcadion Gressitt, 1939 is reviewed. Three new species, S. jiangi sp.

A novel cold-active lipase from Candida albicans: cloning, expression and characterization of the recombinant enzyme.

A novel lipase gene lip5 from the yeast Candida albicans was cloned and sequenced. Alignment of amino acid sequences revealed that 86-34% identity exists with lipases from other Candida species. The lipase and its mutants were expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris, where alternative codon usage caused the mistranslation of 154-Ser and 293-Ser as leucine.

Photonic crystal directional couplers formed by InAlGaAs nano-rods.

This study demonstrates the use of photonic crystal directional couplers to separate light of wavelengths 1.31 and 1.55microm.