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Typical cockroaches are flat, broad, with large pronotum and wings covering the body. This conserved morphotype dates back to the Carboniferous, during which the ancestral cockroaches, or roachoids, originated. On the other hand, the ovipositor of cockroaches gradually reduced during the Mesozoic, coupled with a major shift of reproductive strategy. By the Cretaceous, long external ovipositors became rare, most cockroaches used very short or even hidden internal ovipositors to fabricate egg cases (oothecae), which is an innovation for egg protection. Here, we describe two cockroaches from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber: Ensiferoblatta oecanthoides gen. et sp. nov. (Ensiferoblattidae fam. nov.) and Proceroblatta colossea gen. et sp. nov. They are slim, elongate, fusiform, with longitudinal pronotum, and have long external ovipositors. The combination of these traits represents a unique morphotype, which resembles crickets and katydids (Ensifera) more than general cockroaches. Ensiferoblatta and Proceroblatta may be arboreal, feeding on and/or laying eggs into certain angiosperms that newly emerged. Their open habit causes latent impairment to viability, and may contribute to their extinction. These new taxa are the youngest members of the ancient, extinct group of cockroaches, namely Eoblattodea, which are characterized by long ovipositors. We speculate that the extinction of certain gymnosperm hosts almost ended the 200-My triumph of Eoblattodea. Despite an attempt to adapt to angiosperm hosts, Ensiferoblatta, Proceroblatta and suchlike cockroaches as an evolutionary dead end failed to save Eoblattodea from extinction. The lack of protection for eggs (maternal care in particular) might accelerate the extinction of Eoblattodea as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Xylazine, a type of a2-adrenoceptors, is a commonly used drug in veterinary medicine. Xylazine-induced changes in the content of amino acid neurotransmitters - glycine (Gly) and aspartic acid (Asp), in different brain regions and neurons were studied. Material and Methods: Wistar rats were administered 50 mg/kg or 70 mg/kg of xylazine by intraperitoneal injection. In addition, in vitro experiments were conducted, in which neurons were treated with 15 µg/mL, 25 µg/mL, 35 µg/mL, and 45 µg/mL of xylazine. Test methods were based on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results: During anaesthesia, Asp levels in each brain area were significantly lower compared to the control group. Except for the cerebrum, levels of Gly in other brain areas were significantly increased during the anaesthesia period. In vitro, xylazine-related neuron secretion of Gly increased significantly compared to the control group at 60 min and 90 min. Moreover, xylazine caused a significant decrease in the levels of Asp secreted by neurons at 20 min, but gradually returned to the level of the control group. Conclusion: The data showed that during anaesthesia the overall levels of Asp decreased and overall levels of Gly increased. In addition, the inhibitory effect of xylazine on Asp and the promotion of Gly were dose-dependent. Our data showed that different effects of xylazine on excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters provided a theoretical basis for the mechanism of xylazine activity in clinical anaesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The study aimed to clarify the changes in the concentration of inflammatory mediators, proteases, and cartilage degradation biomarkers in the synovial fluid of joints in an equine osteoarthritis model. Material and Methods: Osteoarthritis was induced in eight Mongolian horses by a sterile intra-articular injection of amphotericin B, which was injected into the left carpal joint in a dose of 2 mL (25 mg/mL). The control group comprised five horses which were injected with an equal dose of sterile physiological saline into the left carpal joint. Synovial fluid was obtained at baseline and every week after injection. Test methods were based on ELISA. Results: In the course of the osteoarthritis, the concentration of biomarkers in joint synovial fluid showed an increasing trend. IL-1, IL-6, MMP-9, MMP-13, ADAMTS-5, CS846, GAG, HA, CTX-II, and COMP concentrations sharply increased before the onset of significant symptoms of lameness, whereas TNF-α, MMP-2, and MMP-3 concentrations rose sharply after the occurrence of such symptoms. Conclusion: The results obtained confirm that the concentrations of IL-1, IL-6, MMP-9, MMP-13, ADAMTS-5, CS846, GAG, HA, CTX-II and COMP increase substantially in equine osteoarthritis, which provides a theoretical basis for the rapid diagnosis of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation into the cockroach genus Paranauphoeta Brunner vonWattenwyl is insufficient, and there is a lack of taxonomic documentation of this genus from China. Recently, the authors obtained some newly collected specimens which facilitated this study. In this paper the generalized morphology of Paranauphoeta is interpreted in detail, particularly for the male phallic complex, which is illustrated as a whole rather than in pieces. The taxonomy of Paranauphoeta species from China is revised. One out of four species recorded from China, P. indica Saussure&Zehntner, is removed; instead, P. kirby nom. nov. is recorded from China. Together with three new species described in this paper, namely, P. anulata sp. nov., P. brachyptera sp. nov. and P. lineola sp. nov., a total of seven Paranauphoeta species are now known to occur in China, whose habitus photos are provided. The new species confirm that this genus is wing-polymorphic. Male structures, if available, are illustrated. Female structures and oothecae, of which knowledge is limited in this genus and also in cockroach taxonomy, are illustrated or documented, respectively. A key to and a distribution map of the Paranauphoeta species from China are provided. In addition, P. atra Shelford nom. rev., P. sinica Bey-Bienko stat. nov. and P. vietnamensis Anisyutkin stat. nov. are regarded as valid separate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorrect generic name Perisphaeria Burmeister, 1838 results from a mistake by Princis (1947). Perisphaeria is an incorrect spelling by Burmeister referring to Perisphaerus Serville, 1831. Princis (1947) incorrectly regarded Perisphaeria as proposed by Burmeister and as the senior synonym of Hyposphaeria Lucas, 1863, which is valid. The subfamilial name Perisphaeriinae based on Perisphaeria should be corrected to Perisphaerinae Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1865 based on Perisphaerus; but note Princis' Perisphaeriinae is based on his Perisphaeria Burmeister. The taxa involved are listed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the alternative splicing and characterization of the enzyme Complex I 19-kD subunit in Dunaliella salina (D. salina). The study isolates the four splice variants and genomic sequence from D. salina, which encode the complex I 19-kD subunit and examines the splicing pattern of the D. salina 19-kD subunits. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) shows that 19-kD subunit gene in D. Salina was expressed as multiple alternatively spliced isoforms in different stresses.