Range extension of the rare agamid, Pseudocalotes austeniana (Annandale, 1908) (Reptilia, Sauria, Draconinae) in the East Himalaya, with comments on its ontogenetic shift

Despite its recognition since the early 1900s, the agamid lizard Pseudocalotes austeniana remains known based on 3 vouchered specimens only from the East Himalaya, and little is known about its general biology. During herpetological surveys of Tibet, China, we collected 3 specimens of P. austeniana from Medog County, southeastern Tibet, including the first juvenile specimen ever vouchered. We provide a detailed description based on new material of this enigmatic species, report on a range extension of 400 km northeastward from its type locality, its ontogenetic shift, and clutch size

Immunostimulatory Activity of Protein Hydrolysate from Oviductus Ranae on Macrophage In Vitro

Oviductus Ranae is the dry oviduct of Rana chensinensis, which is also called R. chensinensis oil. Oviductus Ranae is a valuable Chinese crude drug and is recorded in the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China. The aim of this study was to investigate the immunostimulatory activity of protein hydrolysate of Oviductus Ranae (ORPH) and to assess its possible mechanism. Immunomodulatory activity of ORPH was examined in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. The effect of ORPH on the phagocytic activity of macrophages was determined by the neutral red uptake assay. After treatment with ORPH, NO production levels in the culture supernatant were investigated by Griess assay. The mRNA and protein expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The production of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 after treatment with ORPH was measured using ELISA assay. In addition, NF-κB levels were also investigated by Western blot. The results showed that ORPH enhanced the phagocytosis of macrophage, increased productions of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NO in RAW 264.7 cells, and upregulated the mRNA and protein expression of iNOS. Besides, NF-κB, levels in RAW 264.7 cells were elevated after ORPH treatment. These findings suggested that ORPH might stimulate macrophage activities by activating the NF-κB pathway

The Effects of Exergaming on Attention in Children With Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundDespite growing evidence showing the effects of exercise and cognitive trainings on enhancing attention, little is known about the combined effects of exergame on attention in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Exergame, a form of exercise using a video game, has both cognitive stimulation and physical activity components and has been shown to improve cognitive function in children. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of exergaming on attention and to compare the effect induced by exergaming with the effect of aerobic exercise on attention in children with ADHD. MethodsIn all, 30 children with ADHD, aged 8-12 years, were randomly divided into an exergaming group (EXG; n=16) or a bicycle exercise group (BEG; n=14). Before and after the 4-week intervention, the Frankfurter Aufmerksamkeits-Inventar (FAIR; Frankfurt Attention Inventory) test was administrated, and event-related potentials during the Go/No-go task was measured to assess attention. ResultsAfter intervention, both the EXG and BEG had significantly increased selective attention and continuous attention (all P<.001), as well as self-control on the FAIR test (EXG: P=.02 and BEG: P=.005). Similarly, both the EXG and BEG had significantly reduced response time on the Go/No-go test (all P<.001). For the Go response, the N2 amplitude (frontocentral maximal negativity) was significantly increased in Fz (midfrontal line) in the EXG (P=.003) but was not changed in the BEG (P=.97). Importantly, the N2 amplitude in Fz was significantly greater in the EXG compared to the BEG (Go: P=.001 and No-go: P=.008). ConclusionsExergaming has the comparable effects to bicycle exercise to enhance attention in children with ADHD, suggesting that exergaming can be used as an alternative treatment for children with ADHD. Trial RegistrationClinical Research Information Service KCT0008239; https://tinyurl.com/57e4jtn

A new record and a novel morph description of Boiga stoliczkae (Squamata, Colubridae) from China

The Asian Cat Snake genus Boiga Fitzinger, 1826 includes 37 species, with high species diversity. Five species of Boiga have been recorded in China including B. multomaculata (Boie, 1827), B. kraepelini (Stejneger, 1902), B. cyanea (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854), B. guangxiensis (Wen, 1998) and B. siamensis (Nutaphand, 1971). Previously, the validity of the species Boiga stoliczkae (Wall, 1909) was controversial. B. stoliczkae was considered in synonymy with B. ochracea. Currently, the taxonomy of B. multomaculata and B. ochracea (Theobald, 1868) was revised so that B. multomaculata and B. ochracea actually represent a single species and B. stoliczkae was recognised as a valid species. B. stoliczkae was previously known to be found in the west from central Nepal through Darjeeling, Sikkim and Bhutan to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in north-eastern India.One adult female specimen of the Asian Cat Snake was collected from Gyirong County, near the China-Nepal border, Tibet, China during fieldwork on August 2023. We compared morphology and mitochondrial DNA sequence data with all the species of the genus Boiga. Both datasets strongly supported referring the Chinese specimens to B. stoliczkae (Wall, 1909) due to the 21 mid-dorsal scale rows and the uncorrected p-distance (mitochondrial DNA gene cytochrome b) between this specimen and B. stoliczkae which is 1.7%. We further described morphological characters of the Chinese specimen in detail and compared these with the specimens that had been previously described. The dorsal ground colour of the Chinese specimen is dark brown, with a black stripe distributed almost evenly across the tail. This is a novel morph of the species B. stoliczkae. The newly-collected Chinese specimen expands the distribution of the species on the Himalaya range

A new species of the genus Hebius (Squamata, Natricidae) from Yunnan, China

A new species of the genus Hebius Thompson, 1913 is described from Yingjiang County, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, based on molecular and morphological evidence. It can be distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: (1) dorsal scale rows 19–17–17, feebly keeled; (2) ventrals 146–151; (3) nasal complete, nostril in the middle of the nasal; (4) supralabials 9, the fourth to sixth in contact with the eye; (5) infralabials 10–11, the first 5 touching the first pair of chin shields; (6) preoculars 2; (7) postoculars 3; (8) temporals 3, arranged in two rows (1+2); (9) maxillary teeth 31, the last 4 slightly enlarged, without diastema; (10) tail comparatively long, TAL/TL ratio 0.334 in the male; (11) dorsolateral series of irregular orange or ochre yellow blotches, extending from the neck to the posterior part of the tail; and (12) venter pale orange, tips of ventrals with subrectangular black blotches. All Hebius specimens were strongly recovered as monophyletic, in which Hebius taronensis (Smith, 1940) and Hebius venningi (Wall, 1910) were monophyletic as sister to the Yingjiang County specimens. According to the p‐distance of cytochrome b, the new species differs from its congeners by 9.7–15.4%

A new species of the genus Hebius (Squamata, Natricidae) from Yunnan, China

A new species of the genus Hebius Thompson, 1913 is described from Yingjiang County, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, based on molecular and morphological evidence. It can be distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: (1) dorsal scale rows 19–17–17, feebly keeled; (2) ventrals 146–151; (3) nasal complete, nostril in the middle of the nasal; (4) supralabials 9, the fourth to sixth in contact with the eye; (5) infralabials 10–11, the first 5 touching the first pair of chin shields; (6) preoculars 2; (7) postoculars 3; (8) temporals 3, arranged in two rows (1+2); (9) maxillary teeth 31, the last 4 slightly enlarged, without diastema; (10) tail comparatively long, TAL/TL ratio 0.334 in the male; (11) dorsolateral series of irregular orange or ochre yellow blotches, extending from the neck to the posterior part of the tail; and (12) venter pale orange, tips of ventrals with subrectangular black blotches. All Hebius specimens were strongly recovered as monophyletic, in which Hebius taronensis (Smith, 1940) and Hebius venningi (Wall, 1910) were monophyletic as sister to the Yingjiang County specimens. According to the p‐distance of cytochrome b, the new species differs from its congeners by 9.7–15.4%