Pnpla5-knockout rats exhibit reduced expression levels of proteins involved in steroid metabolism and wound healing compared to wild-type rats.

BACKGROUND: Patatin-like phospholipase domain containing 5 (PNPLA5) is a newly-discovered lipase. Although the PNPLA family plays critical roles in diverse biological processes, the biological functions of PNPLA5 mostly unknown. We previously found that the deletion of Pnpla5 in rats causes a variety of phenotypic abnormalities. In this study, we further explored the effects of Pnpla5 knockout (KO) on male rats. RESULTS: The body weight and testicular or epididymal tissue weight of three to six 3-month-old Pnpla5 KO or wild-type (WT) male Sprague-Dawley rats were measured. The protein expression levels were also measured via western blotting and iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation) analyses. No significant difference between Pnpla5 KO and WT rats, regarding body weight, testicular or epididymal tissue weight, or hormone levels, were found. However, the relative testicular tissue weight of the KO (Pnpla5-/-) rats was higher (P < 0.05) than that of WT rats. Significant increases in apoptotic cells numbers (P < 0.001) and BAX and Caspase-9 expression levels were observed in the testicular tissue of Pnpla5-/- rats. Moreover, iTRAQ analysis revealed that the levels of proteins involved in steroid metabolism and wound healing were significantly decreased in Pnpla5-/- rats. CONCLUSION: This study revealed that Pnpla5 knockout induced apoptosis in rat testes. We also ascertained that Pnpla5 plays an important role in lipid metabolism, wound healing, and affects reproductive organs negatively, providing new target genes and pathways that can be analyzed to unravel the biological function of Pnpla5.

New records of the genus Nola Leach, 1815 (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae) from China, with description of a new species.

The new species, Nola nayongensis sp. nov., is described from Guizhou, China. Nola canioralis (Walker, 1863) is reported from China for the first time. Nola quadriguttula Inoue, 2000 and Nola thyrophora (Hampson, 1914) are reported from mainland China for the first time. The distributions of three known species from China (Nola pseudendotherma Lszl, Ronkay Ronkay, 2014, Nola duplicilinea (Hampson, 1900) and Nola astigma Hampson, 1894) are updated. Adults and the male genitalia are illustrated.

Description of a new species of Meganola Dyar, 1898 (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae), with new records of Meganola in China.

The genus Meganola Dyar, 1898 was described from North America with type species, Meganola conspicua Dyar, 1898 by monotype. Poole (1898) assigned to it all taxa of Roeselia Hübner (which is currently a synonym of Nola Leach), except those of Sarbena Walker and Proneca Swinhoe. Meganola is widely distributed in the Old and New Worlds (Hacker et al., 2012; László et al., 2015).

Two new species and a new record of the genus Spininola Lszl, Ronkay amp; Witt, 2010 from China (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae).

Two new species (Spininola yongdingensis and Spininola qianfengensis spp. nov.) are described; Spininola denticulata (Moore, 1888) is reported from China for the first time. Adults and genitalia of new species are illustrated.

Description of a new species and a new record of the genus Nola Leach, 1815 (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae) from Tibet, China.

The genus Nola was established with the western Palaearctic species Noctua cucullatella (Linnaeus, 1758) described from Austria as its type species. Nola occurs in all continents except the Antarctica and contains more than 200 valid Eurasian and North African taxa (László et al., 2014). The genus Nola can be easily distinguished from other genera of Nolinae with the distinctive features as the degenerate uncus, the divided valva with the ventral valval lobe bearing the harpe and a curved carina process in male genitalia. In our recent survey, we report a new species Nola senmuzhaensis sp. nov. and a new record of Nola sikkima (Moore, 1888) from Tibet, China. Adults and genitalia are illustrated. The type specimens are deposited in Southwest University of Science and Technology (SWUST).

Notes on the species of Abrostola Ochsenheimer, 1816 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Plusiinae) from China, with the description of a new species.

This paper deals with seven species of Abrostola from China, among which one is new to science. The new species, Abrostola wanglangensis sp. nov., resembles Abrostola korbi Dufay, 1958 (known from Russia) and Abrostola pacifica Dufay, 1960 (known from Russia, Korean Peninsula and Japan). Adults and genitalia are illustrated.

A review of the genus Evonima Walker, 1865 from China with description of a new species (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae).

Ten Chinese species of the genus Evonima Walker, 1865 are reviewed. A new species (Evonima tianmuensis sp. nov.) is described from Tianmushan Mt., Prov. Zhejiang. Adult and distribution of each species from China are illustrated. A key to species of the genus from China is provided.

Three new species and a new record of the genus Pangrapta Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Pangraptinae) from China.

Pangrapta Hübner, 1818 was erected for the North American species P. decoralis Hübner, 1818 as its type species. The genus Pangrapta presently consists of about 100 species, and is widely distributed in China and surrounding regions, as well as in the New World (Hu Wang, 2013). In this article, three new species, P. nanlingensis sp. n., P. jianfenglingensis sp. n. and P. hainanensis sp. n., are described from China. Each of them is superficially similar to the species, P. neorecusata (Hu Wang, 2013), P. perturbans (Walker, 1858) and P. pannosoides (Holloway, 2005), correspondently. The known Southeast Asian species, P. shivula (Guenée, 1852), is reported for the first time from China. Adults and genitalia are illustrated. The type series of all described species (including holotypes) are deposited in Southwest University of Science and Technology (SWUST), Mianyang, China.

Taxonomic study of the genus Meganola (Lepidoptera, Nolidae, Nolinae), with three new species and a new record from China.

The paper describes three new species of Meganola (M. subseima sp. n., M. rongjiangensis sp. n. and M. wulongensis sp. n.) from China. Meganola mediofascia (Inoue, 1958) is reported for the first time from China. Adults and genitalia are illustrated.

[Effect of 0.9-ms 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser combined with itraconazole for treatment of toenail onychomycosis].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 0.9-ms 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser alone or combined with itraconazole for treatment of toenail onychomycosis. METHODS: A total of 37 patients with onychomycosis (178 toenails) were randomly assigned to groups A and B, and each group was further divided into different subgroups according to the Scoring Clinical Index of Onychomycosis (SCIO) and Onychomycosis Severity Index (OSI) scoring. All the patients were treated with 0.9-ms Nd:YAG laser once a week for 8 times. The patients in group A were treated with laser alone, and those in group B were treated with laser combined with itraconazole. The clinical effect, clinical scores, appearance of the toenails and adverse reactions in the two groups were analyzed, and the patients' satisfaction rate was also investigated. RESULTS: At the 12th months of follow-up, the clinical response rate and mycological cure rate in group A were 31.33% and 30.00%, respectively, similar to the rates in group B (35.79% and 41.18%, respectively) (P>0.05). After the treatments, the SCIO and OSI scores showed no significant changes in group A (P>0.05) but both increased significantly in group B (P<0.05). The response rates did not differ significantly among the subgroups with SCIO<12 or with OSI<16 (P>0.05), but showed significant differences among the subgroups with SCIO≥12 or with OSI≥16 (P<0.05). Of the total of 178 toenails, 33.71%, 74.72% and 70.79% toenails showed improvements in terms of clear nail growth, shape and color, respectively. The overall patients' satisfaction rate was 62.16%, and no adverse reactions related with the therapy were recorded in these patients. CONCLUSION: For treatment of toenail onychomycosis, 0.9-ms 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser can effectively improve the aesthetic appearance of the toenails, and a combined treatment with Nd:YAG laser and itraconazole can be better option in severe cases of onychomycosis.

A new species of Pangrapta Hübner, 1818 from China (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Pangraptinae).

Pangrapta is a large and morphologically rather diverse genus, which is widely distributed in the New and the Old Worlds. This genus usually has a dark brown ground color on wing and wing margin is often slightly angled; a majority of species have the triangle patch on the forewing costa between subterminal and postmedial lines; uncus is generally slender and tapering apex; valva tends to be long and narrow; harpe is often spine-shaped; vesica typically has one or more cornuti on the diverticula. As currently, Pangrapta is consisted of about 100 species in the world (Hu & Wang, 2013), which is called for a general revision.

Taxonomy and geographical distribution of Panchrysia Hübner, [1821] of China, with description of a new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Plusiinae).

Panchrysia can be readily recognized by the brilliant silvery markings diffused on forewings except Panchrysia marmorea (Ronkay, 1986) and Panchrysia deaurata (Esper), which are characterized by the lack of silvery marking. As currently, this genus is consisted of six species, all of species have been recorded from Eurasian geographic distribution (Ronkay et al., 2008). In China, P. marmorea, Panchrysia tibetensis Chou & Lu, 1982, Panchrysia dives (Eversmann, 1844) and Panchrysia ornate (Bremer, 1864) have been recorded (Chou & Lu, 1978, 1979, 1982; Ronkay, 1986; Han et al., 2005; Ronkay et al., 2008). In this article, four species of Panchrysia are reviewed and a new species Panchrysia longcanggouensis sp. nov. is described herein. Their distribution patterns indicate that Panchrysia has a rather wide range from South-West China through the central China to North-East China, and absent in southeastern and northwestern China. A key to species of the genus in China is provided. Adults and genitalia are illustrated. Also a briefly outline the distribution of the component species is given.

[Efficacy and safety of long pulse 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser for treatment of onychomycosis of the toenails].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of long pulse 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser therapy in the treatment of onychomycosis of the toenails. METHODS: A total of 104 patients with onychomycosis (461 toenails) were divided by age into ≥60 years group and <60 years group, and each group was further divided into subgroups according to Scoring Clinical Index of Onychomycosis (SCIO) scoring and the location of the compromised toenails. All the toenails were treated with 10 to12 sessions of long pulse 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser therapy at the interval of 1 week. All the patients were followed up for 48 weeks after the initial treatment to assess the clinical efficacy and adverse reactions. RESULTS: The overall clinical response rate in these patients was 72.5% by the end of the 48-week follow-up. In patients aged <60 years, the clinical response rate and mycological cure rate were significantly higher than the rates in patients aged ≥60 years (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed in the response rates between different SCIO subgroups (P>0.05); the 2nd to 4th toenails showed better outcomes after the therapy than the 1st and 5th toenails (P<0.05). No adverse reactions related with the therapy were recorded in these patients. CONCLUSION: Long pulse 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser is an effective and safe approach for treatment of onychomycosis of the toenails.

Five new species of the genus Meganola Dyar, 1898 (Lepidoptera: Nolidae: Nolinae) from China.

Five new species of the genus Meganola Dyar, 1898 (M. subascripta, M. nanlinga, M. cenwanga, M. wilbarka and M. daminga spp. n.) are described from China and the adjacent regions, including figures of the adults and genitalia.

The antibody against a nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein can result in reproductive failure.

To study whether the antibody against the testis form of the nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein (tNASP) could result in reproductive failure, we successfully cloned and expressed a 339-bp cDNA fragment of mouse tNASP (mtNASP). Using mouse as a model, recombinant mtNASP (rmtNASP) and a synthetic peptide, human tNASP(393-408) (htNASP(393-408)), were investigated for their antifertility effect. Active immunization with rmtNASP or the synthesized peptide raised high antibody titers in the immunized mice. Sperm-egg binding and fusion assay were carried out in 8-10-week-old BALB/c mice. Sperm-egg binding and in vitro fertilization of mouse oocytes were inhibited by co-incubation of zona-free mouse oocytes with capacitated mouse spermatozoa in the presence of varying concentrations of the antisera against rmtNASP. There was a significant antifertility effect in animals immunized with rmtNASP or the synthesized peptide. The effect on fertility in the mice immunized with the synthesized peptide was reversible. Our data indicate that active immunization with rmtNASP antigen may induce a strong antibody response that causes an inhibition of fertility.