Urea derivative catalyzed enantioselective aldol reaction of isatins with ketones.

Urea derivative has been used to catalyze the asymmetric aldol reaction of isatins with ketones. The resulting 3-alkyl-3-hydroxy-indolin-2-ones products were obtained in good yields (70%-94%) with high enantioselectivities (up to 87%ee).

New data on the genus Domene (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae) of mainland China.

Material of the genus Domene Fauvel, 1873 from the Chinese provinces Heilongjiang, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guizhou, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Guangdong and Guangxi was examined. Twelve species were identified, seven of them described previously, and five are newly described: D. aqiang Peng and Li, sp. n. (Guangdong: Nanling); D. jiangi Peng and Li, sp. n. (Fujian: Tanshan Park); D. jini Peng and Li, sp. n. (Guangxi: Jiuwan Shan); D. nanlingensis Peng and Li, sp. n. (Guangdong: Nanling); D. tui Peng and Li, sp. n. (Guizhou: Sanchahe). The genus is now represented in mainland China by 21 species. A key to the Domene species of mainland China is provided.

Fiber-modified adenovirus-mediated suicide gene therapy can efficiently eliminate bladder cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Adenovirus-mediated gene therapy is a promising strategy for bladder cancer treatment. However, the loss of the coxsackie and adenovirus receptor (CAR) in bladder cancer cells decreases the infection efficiency of the therapeutic adenovirus. In this study, we constructed an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD)-modified adenovirus, RGDAd-UPII-TK, that carries a suicide gene called HSV-TK that is driven by a human UPII promoter. Then, we tested the bladder cancer specificity of the UPII promotor and the expression of the HSV-TK protein. Additionally, we observed a potent cytotoxic effects of RGDAd-UPII-TK and ganciclovir (GCV) on bladder cancer as demonstrated by reduced cell survival and morphology changes in vitro. Furthermore, we confirmed that RGDAd-UPII-TK in combination with a GCV injection could significantly reduce the established T24 tumor growth and increase apoptosis in vivo. Altogether, our results indicated that the recombinant adenovirus RGDAd-UPII-TK could target bladder cancer through valid gene therapy.

On the Lathrobium fauna of the Luoxiao Mountains, Central China.

Thirteen species of Lathrobium Gravenhorst, 1802 are recorded from the Luoxiao Mountains, Central China, all of them micropterous and locally endemic. Eight species are described and illustrated: L. bamianense Peng & Li sp. n., L. fumingi Peng & Li sp. n., L. jinyuae Peng & Li sp. n., L. jiulingense Peng & Li sp. n., L. shuguangi Peng & Li sp. n., L. taiye Peng & Li sp. n., L. yangshimuense Peng & Li sp. n., and L. yipingae Peng & Li sp. n. Five probably undescribed species remain unnamed. Including the new taxa, 219 Lathrobium species are currently known from mainland China.

A new species and additional records of Lobrathium Mulsant & Rey (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae) from South China.

Material of the genus Lobrathium Mulsant & Rey, 1878 from the Chinese provinces Fujian, Hunan, Sichuan, Guangdong and Guangxi is examined. Six species are identified, four of them described previously and two undescribed. Lobrathium kedian Peng & Li, sp. n. (Guangxi: Shiwangda Shan) is described and illustrated. One probably undescribed species remains unnamed. The female sexual characters of Lobrathium flexum Assing, 2014 are described and illustrated for the first time. The genus is now represented in mainland China by 43 species.

Adenovirus-mediated downregulation of the ubiquitin ligase RNF8 sensitizes bladder cancer to radiotherapy.

The ubiquitin ligase RNF8 promotes the DNA damage response (DDR). We observed that the expression of RNF8 was increased in bladder cancer cells and that this change in RNF8 expression could be reversed by adenovirus-mediated shRNA treatment. Moreover, we found that RNF8 knockdown sensitized bladder cancer cells to radiotherapy, as demonstrated by reduced cell survival. Additionally, the absence of RNF8 induced a high rate of apoptosis and impaired double-strand break repair signaling after radiotherapy. Furthermore, experiments on nude mice showed that combining shRNF8 treatment with radiotherapy suppressed implanted bladder tumor growth and enhanced apoptotic cell death in vivo. Altogether, our results indicated that RNF8 might be a novel target for bladder cancer treatment.

Four new species and additional records of Domene and Lathrobium from the Dayao Mountains, southern China.

Material of the paederine genera Domene Fauvel, 1873 and Lathrobium Gravenhorst, 1802 from the Dayao Mountains, southern China, is examined. Eight species are identified, three of them described previously and five undescribed. Four species are described and illustrated for the first time: Domenehei Peng & Li, sp. n., Lathrobiumjinxiuense Peng & Li, sp. n., Lathrobiumkuan Peng & Li, sp. n. and Lathrobiumleii Peng & Li, sp. n. One probably undescribed species of Lathrobium remains unnamed.

New data on the subgenus Harpopaederus of the genus Paederus (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae) of mainland China.

Paederus (Harpopaederus) xui Peng & Li, sp. n. (Sichuan: Micang Shan) is described. Additional records of five Harpaederus species are reported. All of these species are illustrated.

Description of Pella sichuanensis sp. n. (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) from Micang Mountain, Sichuan, China.

Pella sichuanensis Zheng & Zhao, sp. n. of the P. cognata group is described, illustrated, and distinguished from similar congeners.

A new species and additional records of Pseudolathra Casey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae) from southern China.

Material of the paederine genus Pseudolathra Casey, 1905 from the Chinese provinces of Zhejiang, Shanghai, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Hainan is examined. Six species are identified, one of which is described: P. glabra Peng & Li sp. n. (Guizhou: Mayanghe). The genus is now represented in the Oriental and eastern Palaearctic regions by 29 species.

Review of nitidotachinus campbell (staphylinidae, tachyporinae) from mainland china.

The genus Nitidotachinus Campbell of Mainland China is reviewed with descriptions of five new species: Nitidotachinusanhuiensis sp. n. (Anhui), Nitidotachinusbini sp. n. (Zhejiang), Nitidotachinusbrunneus sp. n. (Zhejiang), Nitidotachinuscapillosus sp. n. (Zhejiang), and Nitidotachinusxiangi sp. n. (Hubei). Nitidotachinusexcellensconcolor Schülke is synonymized with Nitidotachinusexcellens syn. n. All treated species are described with their major diagnostic characters illustrated. An identification key to the species is given.

New data on the Paederus biacutus species group from mainland China (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae).

Paederus jianyueae Peng & Li, sp. n. (Zhejiang: Qingliangfeng) is described and illustrated. Additional records of P. biacutus Li, Zhou & Solodovnikov, 2014 and P. parvidenticulatus Li, Zhou & Solodovnikov, 2014 are reported.

A new species of Dysanabatium Bernhauer and additional records of D. jacobsoni Bernhauer (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae).

Dysanabatium hainanense Peng & Li, sp. n. (Hainan: Wuzhi Shan, Diaoluo Shan) is described and illustrated. Additional records of D. jacobsoni Bernhauer, 1915 are reported. The habitus, the sexual characters, and the distribution of this enormously variable species are illustrated.

Seventeen new species and additional records of Lathrobium (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from mainland China.

Material of the paederine genus Lathrobium Gravenhorst, 1802 from the Chinese provinces Heilongjiang, Ningxia, Qinghai, Henan, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan and Guangdong was examined. Twenty-one species were identified, seventeen of which are described as new: L. liuae (Heilongjiang: Hongwei); L. ningxiaense sp. n. (Ningxia: Heshangpu); L. baiyunense sp. n. (Henan: Baiyun Shan); L. ayui sp. n. (Anhui: Yaoluoping); L. yaoluopingense sp. n. (Anhui: Yaoluoping); L. chenae sp. n. (Zhejiang: Qingliangfeng); L. fengae sp. n. (Zhejiang: Qingliangfeng); L. gutianense sp. n. (Zhejiang: Gutian Shan); L. nannani sp. n. (Zhejiang: Gutian Shan); L. sanqingense sp. n. (Jiangxi: Sanqing Shan); L. badagongense sp. n. (Hunan: Badagong Shan); L. xui sp. n. (Chongqing: Huanggangou); L. fanjingense sp. n. (Guizhou: Fanjing Shan); L. lui sp. n. (Guizhou: Kuankuoshui); L. zhaigei sp. n. (Guizhou: Kuankuoshui); L. zizhiense sp. n. (Yunnan: Zizhi) and L. guangdongense sp. n. (Guangdong: Nanling). The female sexual characters of L. lingae Peng, Li & Zhao and L. longwangshanense Peng, Li & Zhao are described and illustrated for the first time. The junior primary homonym Lathrobium pilosum Peng & Li, 2012 is replaced with Lathrobium zhui nom. n. Including the new taxa described here, 189 Lathrobium species are currently known from the mainland China. 

A new species of genus Tetrasticta Kraatz (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae) from Xishuangbanna, Southwest China.

Tetrasticta bobbii Zheng & Zhao, sp. n., collected in Nangongshan, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, is described and illustrated.

Genus Microsternus Lewis (1887) from China, with description of a new genus Neosternus from Asia (Coleoptera, Erotylidae, Dacnini).

This work treats species of the genus Microsternus Lewis, 1887 from Asia and North America. A new genus is described: Neosternus (type species Microsternus higonius Lewis, 1887). A new species is described: Microsternus pengzhongi. A new synonym is provided: Microsternus tricolor taiwanicus Nakane (=Microsternus tricolor Lewis). Three species previously placed in Microsternus Lewis, 1887 are transferred to Neosternus resulting in the following three new combinations: Neosternus higonius (Lewis, 1887), Neosternus taiwanus (Chûjô, 1976), and Neosternus hisamatsui (Nakane, 1981).

A new species of Scelidopetalon Delkeskamp (Coleoptera, Erotylidae) from China with a key to world species of the genus.

A new species Scelidopetalon biwenxuani sp. n. is described from China, representing the first occurrence of the genus in Hainan province. A key to the world species of this genus is provided.

On the Lathrobium fauna of the Emei Shan, Sichuan, China (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae).

Six species of Lathrobium Gravenhorst, 1802 from the Emei Shan, Sichuan, are described and illustrated: Lathrobium iunctum Assing & Peng sp. n., Lathrobium coniunctum Assing & Peng sp. n., Lathrobium conexum Assing & Peng sp. n., Lathrobium ensigerum Assing & Peng sp. n., Lathrobium hastatum Assing & Peng sp. n., and Lathrobium bisinuatum Assing & Peng sp. n. Based on their primary and secondary sexual characters, they represent two distinct lineages, each of them comprising three species. A key to the species recorded from the Emei Shan is provided.

Eight new apterous Lathrobium species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from Sichuan, Southwest China.

Eight apterous species of the paederine genus Lathrobium Gravenhorst, 1802 from the Chinese province Sichuan are described, illustrated, and distinguished from closely related and/or geographically close congeners: Lathrobium erlangense Peng & Li sp. n. (Erlang Shan), Lathrobium blandum Peng & Li sp. n. (Labahe N. R.), Lathrobium yelense Peng & Li sp. n. (Yele), Lathrobium obscurum Peng & Li sp. n. (Yele), Lathrobium yinziweii Peng & Li sp. n. (Yele), Lathrobium illustre Peng & Li sp. n. (Yele), Lathrobium micangense Peng & Li sp. n. (Micang Shan) and Lathrobium agglutinatum Assing & Peng sp. n. (Qingcheng Shan). The total number of described Lathrobium species from Sichuan now stands at 39, that of mainland China at 165.

New species and records of Lobrathium Mulsant & Rey (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae) from China.

Seven new species of the genus Lobrathium Mulsant & Rey from China are described and illustrated: Lobrathium anatinum Li & Li, sp. n. (Guangxi), Lobrathium diaoluoense Li & Li, sp. n. (Hainan), Lobrathium dufui Li & Li, sp. n. (Hubei), Lobrathium lirunyui Li & Li, sp. n. (Guizhou), Lobrathium pengi Li & Li, sp. n. (Guangxi), Lobrathium quyuani Li & Li, sp. n. (Hubei) and Lobrathium uncinatum Li & Li, sp. n. (Qinghai). A recent key to the species of mainland China is modified to accommodate the new species. New locality data are provided for eleven species.