Three new species of the genus Xizicus (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from Taiwan.

The paper reports three new species of the genus Xizicus Gorochov, 1993 (Orthoptera: Meconematini) from Taiwan, i.e. Xizicus (Eoxizicus) hsiehi sp. nov., Xizicus (Eoxizicus) dentatus sp. nov., and Xizicus (Eoxizicus) bimaculus sp. nov.

Formation of the acrosome complex in the bush cricket Gampsocleis gratiosa (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae).

The acrosome complex plays an indispensable role in the normal function of mature spermatozoa. However, the dynamic process of acrosome complex formation in insect remains poorly understood. Gampsocleis gratiosa Brunner von Wattenwyl possesses the typical characteristic of insect sperms, which is tractable in terms of size, and therefore was selected for the acrosome formation study in this report. The results show that acrosome formation can be divided into six phases: round, rotating, rhombic, cylindrical, transforming and mature phase, based on the morphological dynamics of acrosome complex and nucleus. In addition, the cytoskeleton plays a critical role in the process of acrosome formation. The results from this study indicate that: (1) glycoprotein is the major component of the acrosome proper; (2) the microfilament is one element of the acrosome complex, and may mediate the morphologic change of the acrosome complex; (3) the microtubules might also shape the nucleus and acrosome complex during the acrosome formation.

Three new species of the genus Xiphidiopsis Redtenbacher, 1891 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) in China.

The article reported three new species of the genus Xiphidiopsis Redtenbacher, 1891 in China: Xiphidiopsis (Xiphidiopsis) minorincisus Han, Chang & Shi sp. nov., Xiphidiopsis (Xiphidiopsis) protensus Han, Chang & Shi sp. nov. and Xiphidiopsis (Xiphidiopsis) anisolobulus Han, Di & Shi sp. nov. The type material is deposited in the Museum of Hebei University, Baoding, P. R. China.

Notes on the genus Pseudokuzicus Gorochov, 1993 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae: Meconematini) from China.

Two new species of the genus Pseudokuzicus are described: Pseudokuzicus (Pseudokuzicus) trianglus sp. nov. and Pseudokuzicus (Pseudokuzicus) platynus sp. nov. from China. In addition, morphological structures, a distribution map for known species distributed in China and a key to the species are provided. All specimens are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University, Baoding, P. R. China.

Notes on a collection of the tribe Meconematini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from Hainan, China.

This paper deals with 7 genera and 12 species of the tribe Meconematini from Hainan, China, three of which are new species, i.e. Xizicus (Axizicus) bispinus sp. nov., Xizicus (Eoxizicus) furcutus sp. nov. and Xizicus (Eoxizicus) streptocercus sp. nov., and the first record of Xizicus (Axizicus) szechwanensis (Tinkham, 1944), Xiphidiopsis (Xiphidiopsis) autumnalis Gorochov, 1998 and the female of Teratura (Teratura) flexispatha Qiu & Shi, 2010. The specimens examined are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University. 

One new species of the genus Alloteratura Hebard, 1922 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from Yunnan, China.

The paper describes one new species of the genus Alloteratura Hebard, 1922 from Yunnan, China, i.e. Alloteratura quaternispina, sp. nov. 

One new genus and two new species of the tribe Meconematini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from Yunnan, China.

One new genus, Paraphlugiolopsis Bian & Shi gen. nov., and two new species, Paraphlugiolopsis jiangi Bian & Shi sp. nov. and Paraphlugiolopsis lobocera Bian & Shi sp. nov., are described in the tribe Meconematini. The two new species have similar habitat in Yunnan, China, but live in different altitudes. All material examined is deposited in the Museum of Hebei University.

Notes on a collection of Meconematinae (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from Damingshan, Guangxi, China with the description of a new species.

This paper deals with 6 genera and 10 species of the tribe Meconematini from Damingshan, Guangxi, China, one of which is a new species, i.e. Xizicus (Eoxizicus) laminatus Shi sp. nov.

Second supplement for the genus Phlugiolopsis Zeuner, 1940 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae) from China, with eight new species.

This paper deals with 8 new species of Phlugiolopsis from Yunnan and Guizhou, China, supplements the images of P ventralis Wang, Li & Liu, 2012 and details the morphology of male stridulatory files and mandibles for 9 Phlugiolopsis known species. Distribution of poorly known species and new species are presented. A key to all known species is provided. Based on the known distribution of Phlugiolopsis and bioclimatic variables in WorldClim, we used the ecological niche models, maximum entropy (Maxent), to predict the potential geographic distribution of the genus. All specimens are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University.

A new genus and two new species of the tribe Meconematini (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) from China.

The study deals with one new genus and two new species, i. e. Allicyrtaspis gen. nov., Allicyrtaspis globosis sp. nov. and Allicyrtaspis conicicersus sp. nov. from China, and provides generic and species descriptions and diagnoses.

The mitochondrial genome of the quiet-calling katydids, Xizicus fascipes (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae).

To help determine whether the typical arthropod arrangement was a synapomorphy for the whole Tettigoniidae, we sequenced the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the quiet-calling katydids, Xizicus fascipes (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Meconematinae). The 16,166-bp nucleotide sequences of X. fascipes mitogenome contains the typical gene content, gene order, base composition, and codon usage found in arthropod mitogenomes. As a whole, the X. fascipes mitogenome contains a lower A+T content (70.2%) found in the complete orthopteran mitogenomes determined to date. All protein-coding genes started with a typical ATN codon. Ten of the 13 protein-coding genes have a complete termination codon, but the remaining three genes (COIII, ND5 and ND4) terminate with incomplete T. All tRNAs have the typical clover-leaf structure of mitogenome tRNA, except for tRNA(Ser(AGN)), in which lengthened anticodon stem (9 bp) with a bulged nuleotide in the middle, an unusual T-stem (6 bp in constrast to the normal 5 bp), a mini DHU arm (2 bp) and no connector nucleotides. In the A+T-rich region, two (TA)n conserved blocks that were previously described in Ensifera and two 150-bp tandem repeats plus a partial copy of the composed at 61 bp of the beginning were present. Phylogenetic analysis found: i) the monophyly of Conocephalinae was interrupted by Elimaea cheni from Phaneropterinae; and ii) Meconematinae was the most basal group among these five subfamilies.

[Genetic differentiation among different geographic populations of Gampsocleis sedakovii].

The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtDNA-COI) gene was used to investigate the intraspecific genetic subdivision among 12 geographical populations of Gampsocleis sedakovii distributed in Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, and Sichuan provinces, China. As for the 626 bp mtDNA-COI sequences of 36 individuals, 29 haplotypes and 71 (11.3%) polymorphic sites were detected, including 37 parsimony informative and 34 singleton variable sites. The results of the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that the percentage of variation within populations (37.23%) was less than that among populations. The Fst value was 0.62770 (P< 0.001), and the genetic divergence among populations was significant. Maximum parsimony (MP) analysis revealed two clearly differentiated branch (Ⅰ and Ⅱ) with high bootstrap support (100%). However, these two branches did not correspond in the subspecies distinction based on morphological character. Based on the habitats analysis, we preliminary inferred that morphological divergence between Gampsocleis se-dakovii sedakovii and Gampsocleis sedakovii obscura was the result of habitat dissimilarity. The majority of the G. se-dakovii individuals collected in NTL (Tongliao, Inner Mongolia) were identified as the members of branch Ⅱ, but one individual (NTL-3) belonged to branch Ⅰ. Thus, at least this locality was occupied by two phylogenetically independent individuals. Haplotypes (H10) were shared by three localities, NTL, NEWK (Ewenke, Inner Mongolia) and JJL (Jilin, Jilin), indicated that they shared a common ancestor. We approved that Northeastern China (Manchuria China) was the center of G. sedakovii genetic differentiation, but disapproved the subspecies distinction based on morphological character.

[Chromosomal studies of three species of Tettigoniidae].

The karyotypes of three species belonging to three genera of Tettigoniidae were investigated. The diploid number of chromosomes for Tettigonia chinensis is 2n male = 31,for Gampsocleis obscura 2n male = 31,Atlanticus sinensis 2n male = 29. In the three species, the XO male/XX female type of sex determination was observed.

Studies on the blood compatibility of the polyurethane/nano-sized carbon composite / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of nano-sized carbon as a dispersed phase on blood compatibility of polyurethanes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A novel nanoscale polymeric composite film was prepared by dispersing nano-sized carbon fiber (vapor growth carbon fiber) into the polyurethane solutions. The surface blood compatibilities of the composites were analyzed and evaluated through platelet adhesion measurement using epifluorescent video microscopy and the variation of fibrinogen and free hemoglobin concentration in the blood contacting the composite respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It was showed that the platelet adhesions were highly suppressed on the composite surfaces pre-adsorbed or non-pre-adsorbed with fibrinogen. The changes of the concentration for both free hemoglobin and fibrinogen in the blood contacting the composite surface in the circulations were less than the ones contacting the reference surface.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Introducing nano-sized carbon into the polyurethane matrix showed an improvement of antithrombogenicity for the polyurethane materials. It might be a new promising way to develop biomaterials with good blood compatibility.</p>