Four new species of Grouvellinus Champion, 1923 with very long median pronotal carina are described from China: G. hongkongensis sp. nov. (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong), G. longiusculus sp. nov. (Jiangxi), G. mediocarinatus sp. nov. (Fujian, Guangdong), and G. robustus sp. nov. (Anhui). These species are obviously closely related to G. bishopi Jäch, 1984 described from Malaysia (Selangor). The latter is here recorded for the first time from Kedah and Perak (Malaysia). Habitus photographs, detailed line drawings of the male genitalia, as well as a key to the males of the species of Grouvellinus with very long median pronotal carina are provided.
Three new species of the genus Cyana Walker, 1854 are described: C. artemis sp. n. (southeastern China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam), C. butyracea sp. n. (Vietnam) and C. kucheri sp. n. (Vietnam). The first two species are related to the Himalayan C. moelleri (Elwes, 1890) and the Indochinese C. intercomma Černý, 2009. Despite the external similarity of C. kucheri sp. n. to C. moelleri and its allies, by the genitalia structure this species is related to C. gazella (Moore, 1872). Adults and male and female genitalia of new and related species are illustrated.
Orthoptera from Sandakan, Sabah are relatively understudied compared to some other parts of Borneo, and lack of information of species there can impede our understanding of the origins and biodiversity of orthopterans in Borneo and, in general, Southeast Asia. Based on a recent orthopteran survey in Sandakan, one new species of Lebinthus Stål is described: Lebinthus sandakan sp. nov. The male calling song of this new species is also presented. The calling song of Cardiodactylus borneoe Robillard Gorochov, 2014 is also described for the first time.
Two new species of thinly encrusting sponge Hamacantha (Demospongiae, Merliida, Hamacanthidae) are described from Japan. Hamacantha (Vomerula) mamoi sp. nov. was collected from Sagami Bay, and Hamacantha (Vomerula) umisachii sp. nov. from off Hachijo Island. This is the first record of Hamacantha and the Hamacanthidae from Japan. H. (V.) mamoi sp. nov. is characterized by having styles, two types of diancistras and one of sigmas. Only two known species have the same spicule composition: H. (V.) acerata Lévi, 1993 and H. (V.) esperioides Ridley Dendy, 1886, described from New Caledonia, and south-west Africa and south-east South America, respectively. H. (V.) acerata has larger diancistras and much smaller sigmas compared with those of H. (V.) mamoi sp. nov. H. (V.) esperioides can be separated by having larger styles and smaller sigmas than those of H. (V.) mamoi sp. nov. H. (V.) umisachii sp. nov is characterized by having styles, diancistras, cyrtancistra-like diancistras and sigmas. Hamacantha (V.) carteri Topsent, 1904 seems to have similar spicule composition, however the size of all spicule types is different.
Micryletta inornata (Boulenger 1890), the type species of the genus Micryletta, was originally described from the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Subsequently, this species has been widely reported from Sundaland (Sumatra and Malay Peninsula), Indo-China, Northeast India and South Andaman, up to southern China and Taiwan. However, since the original description there has been no further report of this species from the type locality or the island. During a herpetofaunal survey in Sumatra, several specimens that are morphologically concordant with the original description and the syntypes of M. inornata were found, and thus the species was rediscovered after 125 years. Here, we provide a redescription of the species based on the freshly collected specimens, along with a detailed morphological and molecular comparison with known congeners. Further, using molecular data from the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, our study recovered the Sumatran M. inornata as a phylogenetically distinct lineage from all other populations previously referred to this species. This confirms that all known Micryletta 'inornata' populations from regions outside Sumatra constitute several other lineages representing either new species or previously available names currently considered as synonyms, consequently requiring taxonomic validation in the future.
Asian herminiine moths of the Herminia decipiens complex are revised and five allopatric species are recognized, i.e. Herminia decipiens (Hampson, 1898) in Nilgiri Hills, Khasi Hills, South China, Indochina, Malay Peninsula, H. terminalis (Wileman, 1915) in Taiwan, H. yuksam sp. nov. in East Nepal, Sikkim, H. borneo sp. nov. in Borneo and H. amamioshima sp. nov. in Amami-oshima Is., Shimo-Koshikijima Is. and South Kyushu (Kagoshima). Key to all species is given.
Cancer is a devastating disease that has claimed many lives. Natural bioactive agents from plants are gaining wide attention for their anticancer activities. Several studies have found that natural plant-based bioactive compounds can enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy, and in some cases ameliorate some of the side-effects of drugs used as chemotherapeutic agents. In this paper, we have reviewed the literature on the anticancer effects of four plant-based bioactive compounds namely, curcumin, myricetin, geraniin and tocotrienols (T3) to provide an overview on some of the key findings that are related to this effect. The molecular mechanisms through which the active compounds may exert their anticancer properties in cell and animal-based studies also discussed.
1. Cross-immunity tests between strains of rural typhus and tsutsugamushi in the guinea-pig, rabbit and monkey were made. Complete cross-immunity between the strains was demonstrated.
2. The problem of the absence of a primary ulcer in rural typhus and its presence in tsutsugamushi is discussed. Experimental findings are recorded; from consideration of these and certain clinical and epidemiological observations, the conclusion is drawn that one and the same virus may cause gradations of dermal lesion that vary greatly in extent and duration.
3. Correlation of the results of cross-immunity tests and experimental infections with clinical, aetiological, epidemiological and serological findings indicates that the two diseases are identical. Rural typhus is not a disease sui generis, and the term should be discarded, the older designation, "tsutsugamushi disease ", being retained.
Part VIII.
1. Cross-immunity experiments in the guinea-pig, rabbit and monkey were carried out with the viruses of the tsutsugamushi disease (including rural typhus) and the urban typhus of Malaya; they showed that immunogenically the two viruses are distinct.
2. The characteristics of setiology, epidemiology, serology and experimental infections are compared, and the conclusion drawn that the two diseases belong to entirely separate groups of rickettsial disease.
Part IX.
1. Cross-immunity experiments in the guinea-pig and rabbit were carried out with the viruses of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tsutsugamushi (including rural typhus) and urban typhus. They showed that, immunologically, tsutsugamushi
and spotted fever are entirely distinct; whereas urban typhus and spotted fever, though more distinct than alike immunologically, do possess a minor degree of reciprocal cross-immunity.
2. Spotted-fever vaccine was found to have no protective value against the viruses of tsutsugamushi and urban typhus.
1. Transmission of the virus of urban typhus under experimental conditions from rat to rat by the rat flea (X. cheopis) by feeding has been effected. Collateral attempts to transmit the virus of rural typhus by precisely the same procedure failed.
2. Transmission of the virus of urban typhus was also achieved by the inoculation of faeces or crushed tissue of infected fleas into the scarified skin of guinea-pigs.
3. Multiplication of the virus of urban typhus occurs within the rat flea.
4. Infection with the virus of urban typhus is not hereditary in the rat flea.
5. Attempts to transmit the virus of urban or rural typhus by two species of ticks failed. In the case of rural typhus a lessened mortality in the experimental guinea-pigs following test inoculation with passage virus makes it, however, difficult to exclude ticks entirely as a minor factor in the epidemiology of rural typhus.
Two new species of black flies, Simulium mainitense and S. tukurongense, are described from Palawan, the Philippines. Both species are placed in the Simulium nitidithorax subgroup of the Simulium tuberosum species-group of Simulium (Simulium). They are characterized by the female sensory vesicle of medium length, pupal thorax covered with round tubercles, and anterodorsal trichomes on the pupal thorax longer than frontal trichomes. This combination of characters separates these two new species from S. quasifrenum Delfinado, the only previously known member of the S. nitidithorax subgroup from Palawan, and nine other related species from Sabah, Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia and India. Simulium mainitense sp. nov. is distinguished from S. tukurongense sp. nov. in the female by the somewhat larger body size, and greater length ratio of the labrum against the clypeus; and in the pupa by the much longer gill filaments.
The Agrilus purpurifrons species-group comprising twelve species from the Oriental region is defined and revised. A key to species is provided and complemented with illustrations of habitus and genitalia. Three new species are described: Agrilus cameronius sp. nov. (Malaysia); A. puncak sp. nov. (Indonesia); and A. vendibilis sp. nov. (Indonesia). The following taxonomic changes are proposed: the specific names lacroixi Obenberger, 1936 syn. nov. and chapaensis Descarpentries Villiers, 1967 syn. nov. are junior synonyms in the synonymy of A. morio Kerremans, 1895; the name rousselatae Baudon, 1968 stat. rev. is removed from the synonymy of A. lacroixi Obenberger, 1936 and revalidated as the specific name of A. rousselatae Baudon, 1968.
The monotypic genus Chandleriella Hlaváč, 2000 is reported from China for the first time, and a new species, C. yunnanica Yin, sp. nov. (type locality: Lincang, Yunnan), is described. It can be readily separated from C. termitophila (Bryant, 1915) of Sarawak by possessing a conspicuously modified antennomere 11 of the male.
This revision of the bee genus Bathanthidium Mavromoustakis, 1953, treats 12 species, with 11 recorded from China, including Bathanthidium fengkaiense Niu Zhu, sp. nov.. Two species are proposed as new combinations in genus Bathanthidium: Anthidium (s. str.) bicolor Wu, 2004, A. (s. str.) monganshanensis Wu, 2004. The two new combinations (B. bicolor, B. monganshanense) are in Bathanthidium (Manthidium), previously considered to include only the type species from Burma and Laos (published records from northeastern India and Malaysia are based on misinterpreted localities). Trachusa (Paraanthidium) concavum (Wu, 1962) and Stelis siamensis Friese, 1925 are synonymized with B. binghami (Friese, 1901). Bathanthidium circinatum Wu, 2004 is transferred to Pseudoanthidium Friese forming the new combination P. (s. str.) circinatum (Wu, 2004). The distribution of each species is given, new distribution sites are marked by asterisk (*) especially. Our results confirm that the genus Bathanthidium has higher species diversity than previously documented and that this diversity is centered in China.
Peningkatan jumlah kehamilan luar nikah dalam kalangan remaja perempuan sehingga awal dewasa membimbangkan ramai pihak. Kemahilan luar nikah bukan sahaja boleh mengundang kepada risiko jangkitan HIV/AIDS, malah ia juga boleh membawa kepada masalah lain seperti pembuangan bayi dan pengguguran. Kajian ini dilakukan adalah untuk melihat sejauhmana tahap ganguan kognitif, kemurungan, kesunyian, penghargaan kendiri dan sokongan sosial dalam kalangan wanita hamil tanpa nikah. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa subjek kajian mempunyai tahap sokongan sosial yang sederhana, gangguan kognitif yang rendah; kemurungan, kesunyian dan penghargaan kendiri yang sederhana. Hal ini menunjukkan bahawa wanita hamil tanpa nikah ini masih kurang mendapat sokongan sosial yang sewajarnya dan cenderung untuk mengalami kemurungan dan kesunyian yang berpanjangan. Cadangan intervensi turut dibincangkan di akhir perbincangan kajian.
A study of the major Arthropoda taxa of invertebrates recolonizing Saraca roots occurring on various substrates and under various water velocities was carried out in the upper reaches of the Gombak River. The sites for the recolonization experiments were selected in the fast and slow flowing sections of rocks and boulders, sand and gravel and mud and silt biotopes. The Hydropsychidae and the Nemouridae were the pioneer recolonizers of Saraea roots in the fast flowing sections of the stream whereas the Ptilodactylidae and the Caenidae were the pioneer recolonizers in the slow flowing sections of the stream.
Suatu kajian telah dijalankan bagi menentukan takson utama invertebrata Arthropoda yang mengkoloni semula akar Saraca yang didapati pada pelbagai substrat dan pada kelajuan air yang berbeza di bahagian hulu Sungai Gombak. Tapak-tapak untuk ujikaji pengkolonian-semula telah dipilih pada bahagian laju dan perlahan biotop batuan besar dan sederhana, pasir dan batuan kecil, dan lumpur dan kelodak. Hydropsychidae dan Nemouridae adalah pengkoloni perintis pada akar Saraca di bahagian aliran laju sungai sementara Ptilodactylidae dan Caeflidae adalah pengkoloni perintis di bahagian aliran perlahan sungai itu.
Bukit Perangin Forest Reserve, Kedah Malaysia is a popular forest park well known for its clear rivers and streams, interesting sedimentary rock formations and a rich biodiversity in flora and fauna. However to date no report on the amphibians and reptiles of this forest has ever been published. Therefore, from January 2009 to May 2010, herpetofauna surveys were conducted at Bukit Wang Recreational Forest, which forms a part of the Bukit Perangin Forest Reserve. The results of the survey showed that a total of 15 species of amphibians belonging to 6 families and 15 species of reptiles
belonging to 7 families were found in the study area. These constitute the first records for the amphibians and reptiles in this forest. The herpetofauna checklist showed that the most abundant amphibians were from the family Ranidae while the most abundant reptiles were from the family Gekkonidae.