The first record of Trichotanypus Kieffer (Diptera, Chironomidae: Podonominae) in the Tibet Plateau of China, with description of a new species.

Trichotanypus hani sp. nov. is described here based on the male, pupa and larva collected in the Tibet Plateau. The new species is characteristic by the elongated posterolateral heel of gonostylus in the male, bifid thoracic horn in the pupa and 8-10 mandible teeth in the larva. This is the first formal record of Trichotanypus from East Asia, indeed the first far-outside the circum-Arctic area.

The first DNA barcode library of Chironomidae from the Tibetan Plateau with an evaluation of the status of the public databases.

The main aim of this study was to curate a COI barcode library of Chironomidae from the Tibetan Plateau (TP) as an essential supplement to the public database. Another aim is to evaluate the current status of the public database of Chironomidae in aspects of taxonomic coverage, geographic representation, barcode quality, and efficiency for molecular identification, the Tibetan Plateau, China. In this study, 512 individuals of Chironomidae from the TP were identified based on morphological taxonomy and barcode analysis. The metadata of public records of Chironomidae were downloaded from the BOLD, and the quality of the public barcodes was ranked using the BAGS program. The reliability of the public library for molecular identification was evaluated with the newly curated library using the BLAST method. The newly curated library comprised 159 barcode species of 54 genera, of which 58.4% of species were likely new to science. There were great gaps in the taxonomic coverage and geographic representation in the public database, and only 29.18% of barcodes were identified at the species level. The quality of the public database was of concern, with only 20% of species being determined as concordant between BINs and morphological species. The accuracy of molecular identification using the public database was poor, and about 50% of matched barcodes could be correctly identified at the species level at the identity threshold of 97%. Based on these data, some recommendations are included here for improving barcoding studies on Chironomidae. The species richness of Chironomidae from the TP is much higher than ever recorded. Barcodes from more taxonomic groups and geographic regions are urgently needed to fill the great gap in the current public database of Chironomidae. Users should take caution when public databases are adopted as reference libraries for the taxonomic assignment.

KIF11, a plus end-directed kinesin, as a key gene in benzo(a)pyrene-induced non-small cell lung cancer.

Evidence indicates that Benzo(a)pyrenediol-epoxide (BPDE) can damage lung cells, resulting in carcinogenesis with complex mechanisms. We aimed to explore the genes and pathway variations in this process. First, the key gene was screened out and identified through data mining, and then, it was in turn validated by bioinformatics analysis and experimental methods. Consequently, 106 up-regulated and 260 down-regulated differentially expressed genes were yielded, which were enriched in various pathways, such as Cell cycle, and p53 signaling pathway. Then, KIF11 was identified as the key gene. Overexpression of KIF11 in lung cancer had a correlation with advanced pathological grade, advanced T stage, and presence of lymph node metastasis, which predicted poor prognosis. In summary, the present study revealed that KIF11 might be a key gene in the tumorigenesis of BPDE-related lung cancer, raising the possibility of KIF11 as a target for BPDE-induced lung cancer prevention and therapy.

DNA barcodes and morphology reveal two new species of Monodiamesa Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae: Prodiamesinae) in Tibetan Plateau.

Two Monodiamesa species collected in all stages and both sexes from the Tibetan Plateau are erected as M. secunditibetica Han and Tang, sp. n. and M. bonalpicola Han and Tang, sp. n. Molecular analysis of barcodes (COI-5P) for some related known species confirms the species validity and allows inference of internal relationships. Detailed description, habitat ecology and geographical information of two new species are provided. Additionally, brief comments on some known eastern Palaearctic species of Monodiamesa are made to give insights on further study.

Two new species of Paratanytarsus Thienemann amp; Bause (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Oriental China.

Two new species of Paratanytarsus Thienemann Bause, P. nanyuensis sp. n. and P. zengensis sp. n., are described and illustrated based on the adult males and pupae from Oriental China. Both the species show some unique characters, herein defined and discussed. Information on biology and ecology of new species are also provided.

No longer endemic to Africa: Kribiodosis Kieffer, 1921 (Diptera, Chironomidae) new to Oriental China with a phylogeny and expanded adult generic diagnoses.

Kribiodosis Kieffer, 1921, an African genus of Chironomini (Diptera: Chironomidae), is newly recorded from the Oriental region through a new species K. cantonensis sp. n. Detailed descriptions of the male, female and a DNA barcode are provided. With the inclusion of the new species bearing scutal tubercle and fused tibial comb, the generic diagnosis needs revision and expansion. The phylogenetic position of Kribiodosis within the tribe Chironomini is explored based on five concatenated genetic makers (18S, 28S, CAD1, CAD4 and COI-3P) using both mixed-model Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods. Kribiodosis is placed as a core member of the Microtendipes group but its precise sister group remains unclear. Inclusion of the analysis of Nilodosis Kieffer, another Chironomini genus with an African-Oriental distribution, reveals an unexpected robust position as sister to a large and diverse inclusive group of many Chironomini.

Compteromesa Sther (Diptera, Chironomidae, Prodiamesinae) newly recorded in China with the description of a new species.

Compteromesa haradensis Niitsuma et Makarchenko, 1997 is redescribed based on the male adults, pupae and larvae collected from China. Supplemental data are provided here for emending the previous inaccurate descriptions. In addition, a new species, Compteromesa biramosa Tang et Niitsuma, sp. n., is described based on a single male with peculiar morphological features from Yunnan Province, China, tentatively as a member of Compteromesa, which is characteristic in having bare wings and bilobed gonostyli.

Revision of the Chinese Macropelopia (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae), with description of a new species.

The Chinese species of Macropelopia Thienemann are reviewed. A new species belonging to the subgenus Macropelopia, M. (M.) pergrandis sp. n., is described based on the adult male and pupa. Macropelopia grandivolsella Wang, Cheng et Wang and M. rotunda Wang, Cheng et Wang are synonymized with M. (M.) paranebulosa Fittkau and M. (M.) kibunensis (Tokunaga) respectively, based on reexamination of the type materials. Macropelopia galbina Wang, Cheng et Wang is transferred to the genus Brundiniella, and the male holotype is redescribed.

Phylogeny of marine Ainuyusurika tuberculata (Tokunaga) (Diptera: Chironomidae: Chironominae), with description of the immature stages.

The marine Chironomidae Ainuyusurika Sasa et Shirasaka, 1988, previously known from the adults only, is associated with its immature stages for the first time based on reared specimens from Oriental China. The larva resembles those of Sergentia Kieffer and Endochironomus Kieffer in the ventromental plate with an anteromedial projection and the 5-segmented antenna with opposite Lauterborn organs. The pupal thoracic horn has 12 branches at maximum and netted tergite spinulation which appears to be similar to those of Polypedilum Kieffer, Endotribelos Grodhaus, Phaenopsectra Kieffer and Sergentia. The phylogenetic relationship was furtherly explored through molecular analysis based on concatenation of five gene makers (18S, 28S, CAD1, CAD4 and COI-3P) using both mixed-model Bayesian and maximum likelihood inference methods. The result shows Ainuyusurika is nested with an assemblage of Endochironomus, Phaenopsectra and Endotribelos. We concluded that Ainuyusurika is a good independent genus showing affinity with Endochironomus-Phaenopsectra related genera.

Taxonomic review of Ablabesmyia Johannsen (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) from Oriental China, with descriptions of six new species.

Six new species of the genus Ablabesmyia are described and illustrated from Oriental China: A. (Ablabesmyia) lyrata sp. n. and A. (Ablabesmyia) pectinata sp. n. each based on the male adult and pupa; and A. (Ablabesmyia) huananensis sp. n., A. (Ablabesmyia) praegracilis sp. n., A. (Ablabesmyia) bifurca sp. n. and A. (Karelia) daiensis sp. n. each based on the male adult. The subgenus Karelia is recorded from China for the first time. In addition, A. (Ablabesmyia) alba Chaudhuri, Debnath et Nandi and A. (Ablabesmyia) maculitibialis Chaudhuri, Debnath et Nandi are redescribed based on the male adult, and new distribution records are given for A. (Ablabesmyia) prorasha Kobayashi et Kubota, A. (Ablabesmyia) amamisimplex Sasa and A. (Ablabesmyia) jogancornua Sasa et Okazawa.

Harnessing inherently hierarchical microstructures of plant biomass to construct three-dimensional nanoporous nitrogen-doped carbons as efficient and durable oxygen reduction electrocatalysts.

Exploiting the natural structures of plants to prepare high-performance carbon-based electrocatalysts is highly desirable. Herein, the inherently hierarchical microstructures of Euphorbia tirucalli (E. tirucalli) are employed to construct three-dimensional nanoporous nitrogen-doped carbons that act as efficient and durable electrocatalysts towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). During the preparation process, agar is used in order to reduce the dissipation of nitrogen and to protect the fine structures of E. tirucalli. The as-prepared ORR catalyst, with a high density of pyridinic and graphitic nitrogens, presents a high catalytic activity (onset potential of 0.97 V vs. RHE, half-wave potential of 0.82 V vs. RHE, limiting current density of 5.64 mA cm-2 and Tafel slope of 59 mV dec-1), four-electron pathway, low peroxide yield, long-term stability (current retention of 95.3% after 50 000 s) and strong methanol tolerance in 0.1 M KOH, all superior to the benchmark 20% Pt/C commercial catalyst. This work demonstrates an effective method for the utilization of inherently hierarchical microstructures of plant biomass to make efficient and durable carbon-based metal-free ORR electrocatalysts.

Skusella Freeman (Diptera: Chironomidae): new species, immature stages from Africa, Asia and Australia, and expanded distributions.

Skusella Freeman, 1961 (Diptera: Chironomidae, Chironominae), known previously from adults from Australia and Africa, is revised with extended descriptions, including for immature life stages. Skusella is diagnosed based on its type species S. subvittata (Skuse, 1889) from Australia, S. pallidipes (Kieffer, 1921) from the Afrotropical region (the only other originally included species), a second African species S. freemani Harrison, 2002, and S. silingae Tang, sp. n., newly described here from the pupa and adult males from China. The immature stages of Skusella have been known informally for several decades, notably for a characteristic fringe of setae on one or more abdominal pleurae of the pupa, shared only with newly described Paraskusella Cranston, 2018 within the Chironominae. Amongst larvae of Chironomini with 6-segmented antenna, alternate Lauterborn organs and a well-demarcated ventromentum, those of Skusella are distinguishable only with caution due to insufficient reared associations. Unassociated pupal exuviae, tentatively belonging to three unknown new species, are described informally from China, as is a larval type from Africa. Range extensions include for S. freemani, with pupae (newly described here) from Nigeria and Cameroon, at least 5000 km from the type locality in South Africa. A wider distribution of S. subvittata in Australia and Asia is revealed by extensive pupal exuviae sampled from drift.

Response of microalgae to large-seaweed cultivation as revealed by particulate organic matter from an integrated aquaculture off Nan'ao Island, South China.

Large seaweed cultivation has proven an effective means to inhibit harmful microalgae at experimental scales and battle eutrophication in Chinese coastal waters, but essentially there is a lack of field-scale studies to explore the underlying mechanism. Here we present a 1.5-year-long time series of particulate organic matter (POM) and settling particulate matter (SPM) concentrations from an integrated aquaculture of Gracilaria lemaneiformis off the coast of Nan'ao Island, South China from April 2014 to August 2015. The microscopic examination and geochemical characteristics show that the POM mainly consisted of microalgae. The mean POM concentration increased 99.8%, 71.2%, 45.8% and 111.9% at the four sampling sites during the non-cultivation period, while decreased 25.5%, 17.3%, 12.2% and 20.3%, respectively, during the seaweed cultivation period. These results suggest that the large scale seaweed cultivation can remove excess nutrients and inhibit microalgal growth, thereby contributing to the improvement of coastal marine aquaculture environment.

Review of Nilodosis Kieffer (Diptera: Chironomidae: Chironominae), with description of a new species from South China.

The male, female and pupa of Nilodosis austrosinensis Tang & Cranston, sp. n., reared from 2 reservoirs of south China, are described. The male can be separated from congeners by the presence of few squamal setae, a relatively long spur on the mid- and hind legs, a characteristic superior volsella and distinctive pattern of all legs. The female can be separated by features of genitalia, namely the absence of a ventrolateral lobe and the dorsomesal lobe with the apex usually curved. The pupa is separable by a bare tergite VIII and by characteristic spinulation of the sternites. The generic diagnosis is emended and some problems alluded to. This is the first formal record of Nilodosis from the Oriental region, indeed the first outside the Afrotropical region.

Risk assessment and seasonal variation of heavy metals in settling particulate matter (SPM) from a typical southern Chinese mariculture base.

Settling particulate matter (SPM) samples were collected monthly during a 21-month-long (April 2014 to December 2015) monitoring program from a fish cage and a large seaweed (Gracilaria lemaneiformis) cultivation in a typical mariculture base in eastern coast of Guangdong Province, South China. The concentrations of eight heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Co, V and Mn) showed a clear seasonality with relatively higher levels in the rainy season for most metals. In addition, five metals (Pb, Cr, Ni, Cu and Zn) showed slightly higher concentrations in the fish cage than in the large seaweed cultivation. A principal component analysis (PCA) further revealed that Ni, Cu and Zn were influenced by human activities, whereas the rest of the metals mainly by a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors. SPM in the two different mariculture areas had a 21% probability of toxicity based on the mean effects range-median quotient.

Tuning the Geometrical Structures and Optical Properties of Blue-Emitting Iridium(III) Complexes through Dimethylamine Substitutions: A Theoretical Study.

The geometrical structures and photophysical properties of Ir(4,6-dFppy)2(pic) (FIrpic) and its derivative (o-FIr, m-FIr, p-FIr) with dimethylamine substituted at the picolinic acid (N∧O) ligand were fully investigated by density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory. The simulated electronic structure, as well as absorption and emission spectra of FIrpic are in good agreement with the experimental observations. The introduction of dimethylamine at the N∧O ligand at different positions is beneficial to extend the π-electron delocalization, increase HOMO energy levels, and hence improve the hole injection and transfer ability compared with those of FIrpic. Furthermore, o-FIr, m-FIr, and p-FIr have large absorption intensity and participation of metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) contribution in the main absorption spectra, which would be useful to improve the intersystem crossing (ISC) from the singlet to triplet excited state. More importantly, the high quantum yield of o-FIr (which is explained based on the detailed analysis of triplet energy, ET1), participation of ³MLCT contribution in the phosphorescent spectra, and energy difference between ³MLCT and triplet metal centered (³MC) d-d excited state compared with m-FIr and p-FIr indicate that o-FIr is expected to be an excellent blue phosphorescence emitter with high efficiency.

Notes on the genus Conchapelopia Fittkau (Diptera: Chironomidae: Tanypodinae) from southern China, with description of a new species.

Two interesting species, Conchapelopia togamaculosa Sasa & Okazawa and a new species, Conchapelopia brachiata sp. n., were collected from southern China. The male, pupa and larva of the new species are described, and new distributions of the former species are noted. Although the male of the new species is very distinct from that of the former in the hypopygial median volsella, the pupa and larva stunningly resemble those of the former.

Taxonomic Review of Zavreliella Kieffer from East Asia.

Yanmin Cao and Hongqu Tang (2017) Three species of the genus Zavreliella from East Asia are reviewed in this paper, including a new species, Z. shidai sp. n., based on associated pupae and males collected from Guangdong Province, China. The new species can be separated from other congeners by the uniquely banded wing and marked abdomen. The Japanese species Z. inawaheia Sasa, Kitami and Suzuki, 2001 is re-described based on the holotype. In addition, two additional records are added for Z. marmorata (v. d. Wulp). An emended generic diagnosis and keys to the known males from Asia are also provided.

Synchronous dynamic research on respiratory and intestinal microflora of chronic bronchitis rat model.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the mechanism of the Chinese medicine theory that Fei (Lung) and Dachang (Large Intestine) are exteriorly and interiorly related via synchronous observation on the dynamic changes of the respiratory and intestinal microflora. METHODS: Forty specific pathogen free Sprague-Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided into blank (10 rats) and chronic bronchitis model groups (30 rats). The blank group rats were put into the smoke-free environment and the model group rats were put into the smoke environment in order to establish pulmonary disease (chronic bronchitis) model. Then the corresponding changes of the respiratory and intestinal microflflora of the model on 20th, 50th and 70th days were synchronously observed. RESULTS: The respiratory tract microflflora showed an increase in the total aerobic and Staphylococcus aureus and reduced anaerobic amount signifificantly on 20th day in the respiratory tract microflflora (P<0.05 or 0.01). On 50th day, total aerobic, total anaerobic amount and bififidobacterium signifificantly increased (P<0.05). On 70th day, Staphylococcus aureus reduced and lactobacillus increased signifificantly (P<0.01). The intestinal microflflora showed an increase in the total aerobic, Clostridium perfringens, enterobacter and enterococcus significantly increased on 20th day (P<0.05 or 0.01). Staphylococcus aureus on 50th day increased significantly (P<0.05). Total aerobic and enterococcus increased, total anaerobic and Clostridium perfringens reduced signifificantly on 70th day (P<0.05 or 0.01). CONCLUSION: The microecosystem of respiratory tract and intestine of rat model during the pathological process showed a dynamic disorder, indicating an interaction between the lung and large intestine which may be one of the connotations as they exteriorly and interiorly related.