Plant-Derived Chinese Herbal Hydrogel Microneedle Patches for Wound Healing.

Several natural Chinese herbal medicines have demonstrated considerable potential in facilitating wound healing, while the primary concern remains centered around optimizing formulation and structure to maximize their efficacy. To address this, a natural microneedles drug delivery system is proposed that harnesses gelatinized starch and key Chinese herbal ingredients-aloe vera and berberine. After gelatinized and aged in a well-designed mold, the starch-based microneedles are fabricated with suitable mechanical strength to load components. The resulting Chinese herbal hydrogel microneedles, enriched with integrated berberine and aloe, exhibit antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and fibroblast growth-promoting properties, thereby facilitating wound healing in the whole process. In vivo experimental results underscore the notable achievements of the microneedles in early-stage antibacterial effects and subsequent tissue reconstruction, contributing significantly to the overall wound healing process. These results emphasize the advantageous combination of traditional Chinese medicine with microneedles, presenting a novel strategy for wound repair and opening new avenues for the application of traditional Chinese medicine.

Resveratrol activates autophagy and protects from UVA-induced photoaging in human skin fibroblasts and the skin of male mice by regulating the AMPK pathway.

Skin photoaging is mostly caused by ultraviolet A (UVA), although active medications to effectively counteract UVA-induced photoaging have not yet been created. Resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenol found in the skin of grapes, has been shown to have various biological functions such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics. However, the role of resveratrol in UVA-induced photoaging has not been clarified. We investigated the mechanism of action of resveratrol by UVA irradiation of human skin fibroblasts (HSF) and innovatively modified a mouse model of photoaging. The results demonstrated that resveratrol promoted AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation to activate autophagy, reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, inhibit apoptosis, and restore normal cell cycle to alleviate UVA-induced photoaging. In addition, subcutaneous injection of resveratrol not only improved the symptoms of roughness, erythema, and increased wrinkles in the skin of UVA photodamaged mice, but also alleviated epidermal hyperkeratosis and hyperpigmentation, reduced inflammatory responses, and inhibited collagen fiber degradation. In conclusion, our studies proved that resveratrol can treat UVA-induced photoaging and elucidated the possible molecular mechanisms involved, providing a new therapeutic strategy for future anti-aging.

Cuttlefish-Inspired Photo-Responsive Antibacterial Microparticles with Natural Melanin Nanoparticles Spray.

Topical antibiotics can be utilized to treat periodontitis, while their delivery stratagems with controlled release and long-lasting bactericidal inhibition are yet challenging. Herein, inspired by the defensive behavior of cuttlefish expelling ink, this work develops innovative thermal-responsive melanin-integrated porous microparticles (MPs) through microfluidic synthesis for periodontitis treatment. These MPs are composed of melanin nanoparticles (NPs), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), and agarose. Benefiting from the excellent biocompatibility and large surface area ratio of MPs, they can deliver abundant melanin NPs. Under near-infrared irradiation, the melanin NPs can convert photo energy into thermal energy. This leads to agarose melting and subsequent shrinkage of the microspheres induced by pNIPAM, thereby facilitating the release of melanin NPs. In addition, the released melanin NPs can serve as a highly effective photothermal agent, displaying potent antibacterial activity against porphyromonas gingivalis and possessing natural anti-inflammatory properties. These unique characteristics are further demonstrated through in vivo experiments, showing the antibacterial effects in the treatment of infected wounds and periodontitis. Therefore, the catfish-inspired photo-responsive antibacterial MPs with controlled-release drug delivery hold tremendous potential in clinical antibacterial applications.

End-to-end unsupervised cycle-consistent fully convolutional network for 3D pelvic CT-MR deformable registration.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the efficiency of computed tomography (CT)-magnetic resonance (MR) deformable image registration while ensuring the registration accuracy. METHODS: Two fully convolutional networks (FCNs) for generating spatial deformable grids were proposed using the Cycle-Consistent method to ensure the deformed image consistency with the reference image data. In all, 74 pelvic cases consisting of both MR and CT images were studied, among which 64 cases were used as training data and 10 cases as the testing data. All training data were standardized and normalized, following simple image preparation to remove the redundant air. Dice coefficients and average surface distance (ASD) were calculated for regions of interest (ROI) of CT-MR image pairs, before and after the registration. The performance of the proposed method (FCN with Cycle-Consistent) was compared with that of Elastix software, MIM software, and FCN without cycle-consistent. RESULTS: The results show that the proposed method achieved the best performance among the four registration methods tested in terms of registration accuracy and the method was more stable than others in general. In terms of average registration time, Elastix took 64 s, MIM software took 28 s, and the proposed method was found to be significantly faster, taking <0.1 s. CONCLUSION: The proposed method not only ensures the accuracy of deformable image registration but also greatly reduces the time required for image registration and improves the efficiency of the registration process. In addition, compared with other deep learning methods, the proposed method is completely unsupervised and end-to-end.

Breadmaking-Inspired Antioxidant Porous Yeast Microcarriers for Stem Cell Delivery in Diabetic Wound Treatment.

Stem cell-based therapies have exhibited significant promise in the treatment of diabetic ulcers (DU). Nevertheless, enhancing the survival rate and functionality of transplanted stem cells poses a substantial challenge. In this study, inspired by the breadmaking process, yeast microcarriers (YMC) are devised as vehicles for stem cells to address these challenges. The fabrication of YMC involves the amalgamation of microfluidic emulsification with yeast-mediated fermentation, yielding microcarriers with outstanding biocompatibility, high porosity, and antioxidant activity. Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) seeded onto YMC display remarkable cell viability and retain their cellular functions effectively. Additionally, YMC boast a rich glutathione content and exhibit remarkable ROS scavenging ability, thus shielding the ADSCs from oxidative stress. In vivo experiments further substantiate that ADSC@YMC implementation significantly lowered ROS levels in diabetic wounds, resulting in enhanced stem cell retention and improved angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and tissue regeneration. These results highlight the potential of ADSC@YMC as a promising platform for delivering stem cell in the treatment of diabetic wounds.

Reactive Microneedle Patches with Antibacterial and Dead Bacteria-Trapping Abilities for Skin Infection Treatment.

Bacterial skin infections are highly prevalent and pose a significant public health threat. Current strategies are primarily focused on the inhibition of bacterial activation while disregarding the excessive inflammation induced by dead bacteria remaining in the body and the effect of the acidic microenvironment during therapy. In this study, a novel dual-functional MgB2 microparticles integrated microneedle (MgB2 MN) patch is presented to kill bacteria and eliminate dead bacteria for skin infection management. The MgB2 microparticles not only can produce a local alkaline microenvironment to promote the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts and keratinocytes, but also achieve >5 log bacterial inactivation. Besides, the MgB2 microparticles effectively mitigate dead bacteria-induced inflammation through interaction with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). With the incorporation of these MgB2 microparticles, the resultant MgB2 MN patches effectively kill bacteria and capture dead bacteria, thereby mitigating these bacteria-induced inflammation. Therefore, the MgB2 MN patches show good therapeutic efficacy in managing animal bacterial skin infections, including abscesses and wounds. These results indicate that reactive metal borides-integrated microneedle patches hold great promise for the treatment of clinical skin infections.

Emerging biomedical technologies for scarless wound healing.

Complete wound healing without scar formation has attracted increasing attention, prompting the development of various strategies to address this challenge. In clinical settings, there is a growing preference for emerging biomedical technologies that effectively manage fibrosis following skin injury, as they provide high efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and minimal side effects compared to invasive and costly surgical techniques. This review gives an overview of the latest developments in advanced biomedical technologies for scarless wound management. We first introduce the wound healing process and key mechanisms involved in scar formation. Subsequently, we explore common strategies for wound treatment, including their fabrication methods, superior performance and the latest research developments in this field. We then shift our focus to emerging biomedical technologies for scarless wound healing, detailing the mechanism of action, unique properties, and advanced practical applications of various biomedical technology-based therapies, such as cell therapy, drug therapy, biomaterial therapy, and synergistic therapy. Finally, we critically assess the shortcomings and potential applications of these biomedical technologies and therapeutic methods in the realm of scar treatment.

Individual and family factors correlated with children's fruit consumption.

Background: Fruits are essential for health, yet their consumption in children is inadequate, with unclear influencing factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among students in grades 3-12 in Beijing, China, from September 2020 to June 2021. Fruit consumption in children was surveyed using a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Additionally, children's food and nutrition literacy and family food environments were assessed using the "Food and Nutrition Literacy Questionnaire for Chinese School-age Children" and the "Family Food Environment Questionnaire for Chinese School-age Children," respectively. Results: Out of 10,000 participating children, 62.5% consumed fruit daily, with a lower frequency among boys (59.3%) compared to girls (65.8%), and among senior students (48.6%) compared to junior (63.6%) and primary students (71.2%). Fruit consumption was positively associated with other healthy foods (vegetables, whole grains, etc.) and negatively with unhealthy foods (sugared soft drinks). Children with higher food and nutrition literacy consumed fruits daily more frequently (82.4% vs. 59.9%, ORs = 2.438, 95%CI: 2.072-2.868). A significant positive correlation was found between children's fruit consumption and a healthy family food environment (66.4% vs. 50.2%, OR = 1.507, 95%CI: 1.363-1.667). Conclusion: The results indicate that individual food and nutrition literacy and family food environment are key positive predictors of children's fruit consumption. Future interventions should focus on educating children and encouraging parents to foster supportive family environments.

Glycyrrhizic Acid Hydrogel Microparticles Encapsulated with Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exosomes for Wound Healing.

Hydrogel microparticles have been proved to be curative to diabetic wounds. Current trends focus on the integration of bioactive matrix and their smart stimulus-responsive release to meet the complex demand of regeneration in diabetic wound. In this paper, we present novel stem cell exosome-encapsulated Chinese herb glycyrrhizic acid (GA) hydrogel microparticles for wound healing. The integrated GA endows the hydrogel microparticles with antibacterial properties, while the encapsulated exosomes impart them with pro-angiogenesis ability. In addition, as the black phosphorus is incorporated into these hybrid hydrogel microparticles, the release profile of GA and exosomes could be controllable under near-infrared irradiation due to the excellent photothermal effect of black phosphorus and the reversible phase transformation properties of GA. Based on these features, we have demonstrated that these microparticles can effectively kill bacteria, scavenge free radical, and promote angiogenesis from in vitro experiments. Besides, they could also markedly accelerate the wound healing process by down-regulating inflammation and promoting collagen deposition and angiogenesis in bacteria-infected in vivo diabetic wound. These results indicate that the proposed exosome-integrated GA hydrogel microparticles present great potential for clinical diabetic wound treatment.

Assessment of blood one-carbon metabolism indexes during mid-to-late pregnancy in 397 Chinese pregnant women.

Objectives: One-carbon metabolism (OCM) significantly influences fetal growth and neurodevelopment through transferring methyl group to biomolecules, during which folate, methionine, choline and betaine function as methyl donor nutrients, while vitamin B2, B6, B12 function as enzyme cofactors, and homocysteine (Hcy) and S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) are functional metabolites. This study aimed to assess blood OCM index levels and explore their relationships among Chinese pregnant women. Methods: Data were obtained from the baseline of the Mother-Child Nutrition and Health Cohort Study. Pregnant women, voluntarily recruited from September 2020 to June 2022 during antenatal examinations in five Chinese cities at 24-32 gestational weeks, provided fasting venous blood samples. Measurements included RBC and serum folate, serum vitamin B2, B6, B12, choline, betaine, methionine, total Hcy (tHcy), and plasma SAM. Sociodemographic characteristics and pregnancy-related conditions were collected via a self-designed questionnaire. Results: Of 397 participants, 82.6% were in mid-pregnancy (24-27 gestational weeks) and 17.4% were in late-pregnancy (28-32 gestational weeks). Serum folate, vitamin B6, and B12 deficiencies were 2.5, 1.3, and 8.3%, respectively. Elevated tHcy (≥10 µmol/L) was observed in 1.8% of pregnant women. Elderly pregnant women (aged 35 and above) exhibited significantly lower serum methionine levels (p < 0.05), while multiparous women had lower RBC folate levels (p < 0.05), and lower serum methionine and vitamin B12 levels (p < 0.10, not statistically significant). Partial correlation analysis revealed positive associations between RBC folate and cofactor vitamin B12 (r = 0.244, p < 0.05) in the folate cycle, as well as significant correlations between two methyl donor paths [serum folate was significantly related to serum choline (r = 0.172) and betaine (r = 0.193)]. As functional biomarkers of OCM, serum tHcy exhibited negative associations with RBC folate (ß = -0.330, p < 0.05) and vitamin B6 (ß = -0.317, p < 0.05), and plasma SAM displayed a positive association with serum betaine (ß = 0.610, p < 0.05), while negatively associated with serum vitamin B6 (ß = -0.181, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The blood OCM exhibited imbalances during mid-to-late pregnancy, characterized by lower levels of folate, vitamin B6, and B12, alongside elevated tHcy levels. Adequate folate and vitamin B6 emerged as significant predictors of lower tHcy levels. Additionally, serum betaine showed a positive correlation with plasma SAM. This suggests the importance of not only ensuring sufficient folate but also optimizing other OCM-related nutrients throughout pregnancy.

A directional total variation minimization algorithm for isotropic resolution in digital breast tomosynthesis.

An optimization-based image reconstruction algorithm is developed for contrast enhanced digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) using dual-energy scanning. The algorithm minimizes directional total variation (TV) with a data discrepancy and non-negativity constraints. Iodinated contrast agent (ICA) imaging is performed by reconstructing images from dual-energy DBT data followed by weighted subtraction. Physical DBT data is acquired with a Siemens Mammomat scanner of a structured breast phantom with ICA inserts. Results are shown for both directional TV minimization and filtered back-projection for reference. It is seen that directional TV is able to substantially reduce depth blur for the ICA objects.

ECM-Inspired Hydrogels with ADSCs Encapsulation for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment.

Due to their intrinsic anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are explored as a promising alternative in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To address the poor survival and function loss of directly injected stem cells, efforts in this area are focus on the generation of efficient cell delivery vehicles. Herein, a novel extracellular matrix (ECM)-inspired injectable hydrogel for ADSCs encapsulation and RA treatment is proposed. The hydrogel with dendritic polylysine and polysaccharide components is formed through the reversible Schiff base crosslinking. It possesses self-healing capability, superior mechanical properties, minimal toxicity, and immunomodulatory ability. When encapsulated with ADSCs, the hydrogel could recover chronic inflammation by directly reversing the dominant macrophage phenotype from M1 to M2 and inhibiting the migration of fibroblast-like synoviocytes. Through a collagen-induced arthritis rat model, the tremendous therapeutic outcomes of this ADSCs-laden hydrogel, including inflammation attenuation, cartilage protection, and bone mineral density promotion are demonstrated. These results make the ECM-inspired hydrogel laden with ADSCs an ideal candidate for treating RA and other autoimmune disorders.

Microfluidic Templated Stem Cell Spheroid Microneedles for Diabetic Wound Treatment.

Wound dressing patches based on stem cells have demonstrated promising potential in the treatment of diabetic wounds, while their capabilities in the maintenance of cell stemness, effective exchange of cellular substance, and precise targeting of the stem cells remain to be promoted. Here, a novel stem cell spheroid loaded microneedle (MN@SPs) patch is presented using microfluidic templating technology. By leveraging the precise fluid manipulation capabilities of the microfluidic template, stem cell spheroids (SPs) with uniform size can be generated in situ. The resulting SPs exhibit advanced viability and cell functions, as evidenced by the overexpressed genes related to extracellular matrix organization and angiogenesis. By loading these SPs into the microneedles (MNs), the platform enables the precise delivery and exchange of multiple active substances, which contribute to advanced neovascularization, collagen deposition, and tissue reconstruction of diabetic wounds. Overall, this microfluidic-engineered stem cell therapy platform demonstrates significant promise in promoting wound healing.

Stem cell niche-inspired microcarriers with ADSCs encapsulation for diabetic wound treatment.

Stem cell therapies have made great progress in the treatment of diabetic wounds during recent decades, while their short in vivo residence, alloimmune reactions, undesired behaviors, and dramatic losses of cell functions still hinder the translation of them into clinic. Here, inspired by the natural components of stem cell niches, we presented novel microfluidic hydrogel microcarriers with extracellular matrix (ECM)-like composition and adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) encapsulation for diabetic wound healing. As the hydrogel was synthesized by conjugating hyaluronic acid methacryloyl (HAMA) onto the Fibronectin (FN) molecule chain (FN-HAMA), the laden ADSCs in the microcarriers showed improved bioactivities and pro-regenerative capabilities. Based on these features, we have demonstrated that these ADSCs microcarriers exhibited significant promotion of neovascularization, follicular rejuvenation, and collagen deposition in a mouse diabetic wound model. These results indicated that the stem cell niche-inspired FN-HAMA microcarriers with ADSCs encapsulation have great clinical potential for diabetic wound treatment.

Developing Liver Microphysiological Systems for Biomedical Applications.

Microphysiological systems (MPSs), also known as organ chips, are micro-units that integrate cells with diverse physical and biochemical environmental cues. In the field of liver MPSs, cellular components have advanced from simple planar cell cultures to more sophisticated 3D formations such as spheroids and organoids. Additionally, progress in microfluidic devices, bioprinting, engineering of matrix materials, and interdisciplinary technologies have significant promise for producing MPSs with biomimetic structures and functions. This review provides a comprehensive summary of biomimetic liver MPSs including their clinical applications and future developmental potential. First, the key components of liver MPSs, including the principal cell types and engineered structures utilized for cell cultivation, are briefly introduced. Subsequently, the biomedical applications of liver MPSs, including the creation of disease models, drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity, are discussed. Finally, the challenges encountered by MPSs are summarized, and future research directions for their development are proposed.

Exploring the mechanism by which quercetin re-sensitizes breast cancer to paclitaxel: network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental verification.

This study is aimed to explore the potential molecular mechanism of quercetin reversing paclitaxel (PTX) resistance in breast cancer (BC) by network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experimental verification. Pharmacological platform databases are used to predict quercetin targets and BC PTX-resistance genes and constructed the expression profile of quercetin chemosensitization. The overlapping targets were input into the STRING database and used Cytoscape v3.9.0 to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Subsequently, these targets were performed with Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses and molecular docking. Finally, we further detected the potential role of quercetin in improving PTX sensitivity in BC in vitro experiments. Compounds and targets screening hinted that 220 quercetin predicted targets, 244 BC PTX resistance-related genes, and 66 potential sensitive target genes (PSTGs). Network pharmacology screening revealed the top-15 crucial targets in PPI network of quercetin reversing the sensitivity of BC to PTX. KEGG analysis revealed that they were mainly enriched in the EGFR/ERK signaling pathway. Molecular docking showed that both quercetin and PTX could stably bind to the key targets in the EGFR/ERK signaling pathway. In vitro experiments further confirmed that quercetin inhibited the key targets in the EGFR/ERK axis to the suppression of cell proliferation and promotion of apoptosis in PTX-resistance BC cells, and restoring the activity of the resistant cells to PTX. Our results suggested that quercetin increased the sensitivity of BC to PTX through inhibiting EGFR/ERK axis, and it is an effective treatment for reversing PTX resistance.

Identification of TMEM178 as a Potential Prognostic Biomarker and Therapeutic Target for Breast Cancer.

Background: The transmembrane protein (TMEM) family plays important roles in cancer. However, the expression pattern and biological roles of TMEM178, a member of TMEM family, remains unclear in breast cancer (BRCA). Methods: Methylation and RNA-seq data were obtained to explore methylation level. Expression of TMEM178, methylation inhibitor 5-Aza-CdR was used to verify the effect of methylation status on the expression of TMEM178. We comprehensively investigated the prognostic outcomes, biological functions and effects on immune cell infiltration of the TMEM178 in BRCA using multiple bioinformatics methods. Results: The expression of TMEM178 was downregulated and negatively correlated with the level of DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferase (DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B) in BRCA. Consistently, TMEM178 mRNA were confirmed to be downregulated, while upregulated in response to treatment with methylation inhibitor 5-Aza-CdR by RT-qPCR. Patients with high expression of TMEM178 have better prognosis and are more sensitive to targeted drug Pazopanib. Immune infiltration analysis showed that the infiltration levels of CD4+ T cell subsets were reduced in BRAC tissues with high TMEM178 expression, and immunosuppressive molecules of T-cell exhaustion were lower expression level. Conclusion: Hypermethylation of the TMEM178 promoter region was a contributing factor to the downregulation of its expression, and TMEM178 may reflect a prognostic and immunosuppressive situation in BRCA.

Transdermal drug delivery via microneedles to mediate wound microenvironment.

Cutaneous wound healing is a complex process, while modulating the wound microenvironment has become an essential therapeutic goal. In clinics, advanced dressings or dermal templates can promote wound healing but their ability in mediating wound microenvironment is limited. In the last decade, microneedle (MN) array patches have emerged as a new class of wound dressings. These dressings enable non-invasive transdermal and precise medication delivery. Combined with smart materials, MN additionally allows real-time monitoring of wound site markers such as inflammatory factors, oxygen levels, vascularization, pH and temperature, etc., while releasing therapeutic molecules responsively to the wound site. In this review, the MN-based strategies were reviewed for modulating wound microenvironment via introducing the main characteristics of the wound microenvironment and various types of MN-based delivery systems. Additionally, the progress and future trends in the application of MNs in mediating wound microenvironments are also discussed.

Photothermal Controlled-Release Immunomodulatory Nanoplatform for Restoring Nerve Structure and Mechanical Nociception in Infectious Diabetic Ulcers.

Infectious diabetic ulcers (IDU) require anti-infection, angiogenesis, and nerve regeneration therapy; however, the latter has received comparatively less research attention than the former two. In particular, there have been few reports on the recovery of mechanical nociception. In this study, a photothermal controlled-release immunomodulatory hydrogel nanoplatform is tailored for the treatment of IDU. Due to a thermal-sensitive interaction between polydopamine-reduced graphene oxide (pGO) and the antibiotic mupirocin, excellent antibacterial efficacy is achieved through customized release kinetics. In addition, Trem2+ macrophages recruited by pGO regulate collagen remodeling and restore skin adnexal structures to alter the fate of scar formation, promote angiogenesis, accompanied by the regeneration of neural networks, which ensures the recovery of mechanical nociception and may prevent the recurrence of IDU at the source. In all, a full-stage strategy from antibacterial, immune regulation, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis to the recovery of mechanical nociception, an indispensable neural function of skin, is introduced to IDU treatment, which opens up an effective and comprehensive therapy for refractory IDU.

Contribution to the knowledge of Chinese Gryllacrididae (Orthoptera) IV: New additions of Chinese Furcilarnaca Gorochov, 2004.

Based on the specimens from Guangxi and Yunnan deposited in the Guangxi Normal University, the paper is firstly reported the female sex of two known species from China, viz. Furcilarnaca armata (Bey-Bienko, 1957) and Furcilarnaca forceps (Bey-Bienko, 1962). The female of Furcilarnaca armata (Bey-Bienko, 1957) is very similar to Furcilarnaca chiangdao in seventh abdominal tergite and subgenital plate, and they may belong to the same species. After examining the female subgenital plate of Furcilarnaca chirurga (Bey-Bienko, 1962), we treat Furcilarnaca hirta as a valid species. Mitochondrial genomes of six specimens of three Furcilarnaca species were sequenced and annotated in this study. The organization and gene content of new sequenced mitogenomes were conserved, except for significant variation of the control region. All the PCGs started with the typical ATN codons and most ended with complete TAA or TAG codons. Combined with five mitogenomes in NCBI, a total of twelve specimens (including one outgroup) were used in phylogenetic analysis based on 13 PCGs. The result revealed that Furcilarnaca was a monophyletic group. These data will provide more meaningful genetic information and validate the phylogenetic relationships within the Gryllacrididae.