Exploring the biogeography, morphology, and phylogeny of the condylostomatid ciliates (Alveolata, Ciliophora, Heterotrichea), with establishment of four new Condylostoma species and a revision including redescriptions of five species found in China.

Species of the ciliate class Heterotrichea Stein, 1859 are a cosmopolitan group of unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms, many of which have been widely used as models in various fields of research such as regenerative biology, functional ecology, environmental toxicology, and symbiotic behavior. However, species identification in the heterotrich family Condylostomatidae, especially the most species-rich and type genus Condylostoma Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1824, remains challenging due to incomplete original descriptions, few reliable distinguishing characters, and overlapping features between different species. This study presents an updated revision of Condylostoma and its related genus Condylostomides da Silva Neto, 1994 based on descriptions of five species, including nine populations collected from China, using both morphological and molecular methods. The main findings are as follows: (1) 43 nominal species and about 130 populations are reviewed, resulting in the recognition of 30 valid species of Condylostoma and eight valid species of Condylostomides; (2) keys, synonyms, biogeographic distributions and amended/improved diagnoses of all valid species are provided; (3) based on the available data, four new Condylostoma species (C. marinum sp. nov., C. petzi sp. nov., C. villeneuvei sp. nov., and C. microstomum sp. nov.), one new combination (Condylostomides minimus (Dragesco, 1954) comb. nov. & nom. corr.), and two corrected names (Condylostoma ancestrale Villeneuve-Brachon, 1940 nom. corr. and Condylostomides nigrus (Dragesco, 1960) nom. corr.) are suggested; (4) cryptic species are detected and proposed for the first time to form the Condylostoma curvum species complex; (5) three highly confusing Condylostoma species, C. kris, C. spatiosum, and C. minutum, are redefined for the first time based on modern taxonomic methods; (6) a 'flagship' species, Condylostomides coeruleus, is recorded for the first time from the continent of Asia, substantially expanding its biogeography; (7) ciliature adjacent to the distal end of the paroral membrane within the family Condylostomatidae is uniformly defined as frontal membranelles and is classified into three patterns according to the arrangement of kinetosomes, which serve as important key features. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-024-00223-3.

Findings on three endocommensal scuticociliates (Protista, Ciliophora) from freshwater mollusks, including their morphology and molecular phylogeny with descriptions of two new species.

Species of the ciliate genera Myxophyllum and Conchophthirus are found as endocommensals of terrestrial and freshwater mollusks, respectively. So far, there have been few studies of these genera and morphological data for most members are often incomplete. In the present work, two new species, Myxophyllum weishanense sp. nov. and Conchophthirus paracurtus sp. nov., and a known species, Conchophthirus lamellidens, were isolated from hosts in Lake Weishan Wetland, China. Taxonomic studies indicate that M. weishanense sp. nov. can be recognized mainly by the combination of about 60 somatic kineties on both ventral and dorsal sides and the presence of caudal cilia. Conchophthirus paracurtus sp. nov. differs from congeners in its body shape and size, having a glabrous area on the posterior right side, and having fewer somatic kineties. In addition, differences in their ITS2 (Internally Transcribed Spacer 2) secondary structures support the discrimination of the two new species from their highly similar congeners. An improved diagnosis for the poorly known species, C. lamellidens is also provided. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that members of the genus Myxophyllum belong to a fully supported clade that is sister to a large, poorly supported clade consisting of Hemispeiridae, Ancistridae, and several lineages of the nonmonophyletic Cyclidiidae. The Myxophyllum clade also includes Protophyra ovicola JQ956552, a possible misidentification. Sequences of the two new Conchophthirus species cluster with other congeners in a fully supported clade that is unrelated to either the 'typical' thigmotrichs or to pleuronematids, thus conflicting with the traditional classification, and may represent an orphan scuticociliate lineage. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-024-00230-4.

CircVIRMA enhances cell malignant behavior by governing the miR-452-5p/CREBRF pathway in cervical cancer.

Our current study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of circVIRMA in cervical cancer (CC) progression. CircVIRMA, microRNA-452-5p (miR-452-5p) and CREB3 regulatory factor (CREBRF) mRNA levels were examined in CC via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The protein level of CREBRF in CC was checked by Western blot. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining, cell cycle, flow cytometry and transwell assays were conducted to estimate the effects of circVIRMA on malignant phenotypes of CC tumors. Western blot was used to measure related marker protein levels. The interaction between miR-452-5p and circVIRMA or CREBRF was predicted by bioinformatics analysis and verified by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. Xenograft assay was used to assess the effect of circVIRMA on tumor growth in vivo. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay was performed to detect Ki-67 expression in tissues of mice. CircVIRMA and CREBRF levels were upregulated, while miR-452-5p was downregulated in CC tissues and cells. CircVIRMA silencing restrained CC cell proliferation, migration and invasion whereas induced apoptosis in vitro. In addition circVIRMA knockdown markedly attenuated xenograft tumor growth in vivo. circVIRMA was an efficient molecular sponge for miR-452-5p, and negatively regulated miR-452-5p expression. circVIRMA regulated CREBRF expression to modulate CC progression via miR-452-5p. MiR-452-5p downregulation reversed the effects of circVIRMA knockdown on CC progression. MiR-452-5p directly targeted CREBRF, and CREBRF overexpression partly restored the impact of miR-452-5p mimics on CC progression. circVIRMA mediated CC progression via regulating miR-452-5p/CREBRF axis, providing a novel therapeutic target for CC treatment.

Weight loss, glycolipid profile changes in type 2 diabetes patients after esophagectomy: a propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common co-morbidity in patients who receive esophagectomy and has unfavorable effects on glucose and lipid metabolism in patients. This study examines how weight and glycolipid metabolism change in patients with T2DM following esophagectomy. METHODS: This retrospective, one-center, observational analysis with a propensity score matching analysis (PSM) included 114 patients who underwent esophageal surgery in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, the 900th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force from 2017 to 2020, which were separated into T2DM group and Non-T2DM group. Weight, body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were measured and analyzed before and after the operation. RESULTS: Two groups showed similar reductions in weight and BMI after surgery. In the T2DM group, weight decreased from 63.10(10.31) before surgery to 55.10(11.60) kg at 6 months (P < 0.001) with BMI decreasing from 22.67 (2.90) to 19.77 (3.48); While in the Non-T2DM group, weight decreased from 61.42 (8.46) to 53.19 (9.26) kg at 6 months after surgery with BMI decline from 22.49 (2.77) before operation to 19.45 (3.08) at 6 months after surgery. Fasting plasma glucose levels showed a significant decrease (P = 0.035) in the T2DM group at a six-month point of 7.00 (2.21) mmol/L compared to preoperative levels of 7.67 (2.32) mmol/L. HDL levels increased significantly in the Non-T2DM group at six months postoperatively at 1.52 (0.05) with P < 0.001 compared to preoperative levels of 1.22(0.04) mmol/L. TG, LDL, and TC levels decreased significantly in both groups from the preoperative to the 6-month point. CONCLUSIONS: Esophagectomy induces weight loss in T2DM and Non-T2DM groups, improves long-term glucose metabolism in the T2DM group, and enhances lipid metabolism in both groups. Further research is needed to understand their mechanisms.

Effect of oesophagectomy on lipid profiles in patients with oesophageal cancer combined with hyperlipidaemia: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Surgery is widely regarded as a pivotal therapeutic approach for treating oesophageal cancer, and clinical observations have revealed that many oesophageal cancer patients also present with concomitant hyperlipidaemia. It is surprising that few studies have been performed to determine how blood lipid levels are affected by oesophageal cancer resection. This research was designed to assess the influence of oesophageal cancer resection on lipid profiles among individuals diagnosed with both oesophageal cancer and hyperlipidaemia. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out on 110 patients with hyperlipidaemia and oesophageal cancer who had undergone oesophagectomy at the 900th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Preoperative and postoperative serological data were collected at seven-, thirty-, sixty-day-, and one-year-long intervals. Changes in lipid levels were compared, the remission of various types of hyperlipidaemia was statistically assessed, and Pearson correlation was used to analyse the association between lipid changes and preoperative body weight. The research sought to assess the reduction in body weight and the proportion of body weight lost one year following surgery. RESULTS: Noteworthy decreases were observed in total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, with TC decreasing from 6.20 mmol/L to 5.20 mmol/L, TG decreasing from 1.40 mmol/L to 1.20 mmol/L, and LDL decreasing from 4.50 mmol/L to 3.30 mmol/L. Conversely, there was a notable increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, which increased from 1.20 mmol/L to 1.40 mmol/L (P < 0.05) compared to the preoperative levels. Notably, the remission rates for mixed hyperlipidaemia (60.9%) and high cholesterol (60.0%) were considerably greater than those for high triglycerides (16.2%). Alterations in TC at one year postoperatively correlated with preoperative weight and weight loss (r = 0.315, -0.216); changes in TG correlated with preoperative weight, percentage of total weight loss (TWL%), and weight reduction (r = -0.295, -0.246, 0.320); and changes in LDL correlated with preoperative weight, TWL%, and weight loss (r = 0.251, 0.186, and -0.207). Changes in non-high-density lipoprotein(non-HDL) were linked to preoperative weight (r = 0.300), and changes in TG/HDL were correlated with preoperative weight and TWL% (r = -0.424, -0.251). CONCLUSIONS: Oesophagectomy significantly improved lipid profiles in oesophageal cancer patients, potentially leading to a reduction in overall cardiovascular risk.

A self-supervised classification model for endometrial diseases.

PURPOSE: Ultrasound imaging is the preferred method for the early diagnosis of endometrial diseases because of its non-invasive nature, low cost, and real-time imaging features. However, the accurate evaluation of ultrasound images relies heavily on the experience of radiologist. Therefore, a stable and objective computer-aided diagnostic model is crucial to assist radiologists in diagnosing endometrial lesions. METHODS: Transvaginal ultrasound images were collected from multiple hospitals in Quzhou city, Zhejiang province. The dataset comprised 1875 images from 734 patients, including cases of endometrial polyps, hyperplasia, and cancer. Here, we proposed a based self-supervised endometrial disease classification model (BSEM) that learns a joint unified task (raw and self-supervised tasks) and applies self-distillation techniques and ensemble strategies to aid doctors in diagnosing endometrial diseases. RESULTS: The performance of BSEM was evaluated using fivefold cross-validation. The experimental results indicated that the BSEM model achieved satisfactory performance across indicators, with scores of 75.1%, 87.3%, 76.5%, 73.4%, and 74.1% for accuracy, area under the curve, precision, recall, and F1 score, respectively. Furthermore, compared to the baseline models ResNet, DenseNet, VGGNet, ConvNeXt, VIT, and CMT, the BSEM model enhanced accuracy, area under the curve, precision, recall, and F1 score in 3.3-7.9%, 3.2-7.3%, 3.9-8.5%, 3.1-8.5%, and 3.3-9.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The BSEM model is an auxiliary diagnostic tool for the early detection of endometrial diseases revealed by ultrasound and helps radiologists to be accurate and efficient while screening for precancerous endometrial lesions.

Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Studies of Two Brackish Pleuronema Species (Protista, Ciliophora, Scuticociliatia) from Subtropical Coastal Waters of China, with Report of a New Species.

The genus Pleuronema Dujardin, 1841, with nearly 40 morphospecies, is one of the largest genera in the well-known subclass Scuticociliatia. In the present study, two Pleuronema species were collected from subtropical coastal waters of the East China Sea. The morphology and molecular phylogeny were investigated using modern standard methods. Pleuronema ningboensis n. sp. is mainly characterized by an elliptical body in outline with the right ventrolateral side straight, 16-22 somatic kineties, 3-5 preoral kineties, and the posterior end of the membranelle 2a hook-like. An improved diagnosis of Pleuronema orientale Pan et al., 2015 was provided: body size in vivo usually 90-135 × 45-85 µm, right ventrolateral side convex, 36-51 somatic kineties, 1-5 preoral kineties, one to three spherical macronuclei, membranelle 2a arranged in a zig-zag pattern in middle portion, posterior region hook-like, both membranelle 1 and membranelle 3 composed of three rows of basal bodies. The small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) of two species is sequenced, and their molecular phylogeny is analyzed. The new species Pleuronema ningboensis n. sp. clusters with P. grolierei KF840519, P. setigerum JX310015, P. paucisaetosum KF206430, and P. cf. setigerum KF848875, basically in accord with the morphological characteristics.

Integration of Non-Coding RNA and mRNA Profiles Reveals the Mechanisms of Rumen Development Induced by Different Types of Diet in Calves.

Selecting suitable feed types and understanding the gastrointestinal digestive mechanism are helpful for the growth and health of calves in intensive dairy farming. However, the effects on rumen development of changing the molecular genetic basis and the regulatory mechanism by using different feed types are still unclear. Nine 7-day-old Holstein bull calves were randomly divided into GF (concentrate), GFF (alfalfa: oat grass = 3:2) and TMR (concentrate: alfalfa grass: oat grass: water = 0.30:0.12:0.08:0.50) diet experiment groups. Rumen tissue and serum samples were collected for physiological and transcriptomic analysis after 80 days. The results showed that serum α-amylase content and ceruloplasmin activity were significantly higher in the TMR group, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis ncRNAs and mRNAs were significantly enriched in the pathways of rumen epithelial development and stimulated rumen cell growth, including the Hippo signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, thyroid hormone signaling pathway, ECM-receptor interaction and the absorption of protein and fat. The circRNAs/lncRNA-miRNAs-mRNA networks constructed, including novel_circ_0002471, novel_circ_0012104, TCONS_00946152, TCONS_00960915, bta-miR-11975, bta-miR-2890, PADI3 and CLEC6A, participated in metabolic pathways of lipid, immune system, oxidative stress and muscle development. In conclusion, the TMR diet could improve rumen digestive enzyme activities, stimulate rumen nutrient absorption and stimulate the DEGs related to energy homeostasis and microenvironment balance, and is thus better than the GF and GFF diets for promoting rumen growth and development.

Paramecium bursaria as a Potential Tool for Evaluation of Microplastics Toxicity

Microplastics (MPs) are normally defined as small plastic wastes with a size of 1 µm to 5 mm in diameter. This tiny plastic debris is abundant in aquatic systems and poses a great threat to aquatic biota. To date, toxicological assessment of MPs is predominantly dependent on metazoan animals, although their applications are sometimes limited due to the high cost, narrow ecological niche, or ethical considerations. In this regard, unicellular eukaryotes (i.e., protozoa) that are ubiquitously present in nature represent a promising alternative for evaluating the toxicity of MPs. In this study, we selected Paramecium bursaria (P. bursaria) as a representative of protozoa and further investigated behavioral and molecular changes in MPs-exposed P. bursaria. Our results showed that following MPs uptake, P. bursaria exhibited various changes, including anomalies in swimming patterns, reduction in moving speed, impairment of avoidance behavior, elevation of oxidative stress, and potential disturbance of endosymbiosis. These elicited changes in P. bursaria in response to MPs exposure were pronounced and measurable. Overall, this study demonstrated that P. bursaria could serve as a promising alternative for the toxicological assessment of MPs and may be further applied to evaluate the toxicity of other environmental contaminants.

How to promote grass roots medical treatment under China's graded diagnosis and treatment policy? - From the perspective of customer value theory.

Objectives: Based on the background of the implementation of graded diagnosis and treatment policy (GDT) in China, this paper studied the service optimization of primary medical institutions from the perspective of the primary medical treatment rate. Methods: First, the difference-in-difference (DID) empirical strategy is used to analyze the impact of the implementation of the GDT on the improvement of the primary medical attendance rate, and the parallel trend test and the placebo test were used to test the robustness to illustrate the necessity of policy implementation. Second, combined with customer value theory, this paper used a logistic regression model to study the impact of customer value perception on grassroots medical care. Results: The implementation of the GDT can indeed improve the rate of primary care (p = 0.028), but the impact is relatively small (0.042). From the perspective of value perception hierarchy, emotional value perception (p < 0.05) is the key factor that affects the behavior of grassroots medical treatment at this stage. Conclusion: This paper fills the gaps in existing research, including empirical research on the grassroots medical treatment behavior of the masses under GDT and the impact of value perception on grassroots medical behavior. Furthermore, the recommendations are made for primary care institutions based on the results of the analysis, which promote the advancement of primary care services in China.

A Case Study of the Morphological and Molecular Variation within a Ciliate Genus: Taxonomic Descriptions of Three Dysteria Species (Ciliophora, Cyrtophoria), with the Establishment of a New Species.

Three Dysteria species, D. crassipes Claparède & Lachmann, 1859; D. brasiliensis Faria et al., 1922; and D. paracrassipes n. sp., were collected from subtropical coastal waters of the East China Sea, near Ningbo, China. The three species were studied based on their living morphology, infraciliature, and molecular data. The new species D. paracrassipes n. sp. is very similar to D. crassipes in most morphological features except the preoral kinety, which is double-rowed in the new species (vs. single-rowed in D. crassipes). The difference in the small ribosomal subunit sequences (SSU rDNA) between these two species is 56 bases, supporting the establishment of the new species. The Ningbo population of D. crassipes is highly similar in morphology to other known populations. Nevertheless, the SSU rDNA sequences of these populations are very different, indicating high genetic diversity and potentially cryptic species. Dysteria brasiliensis is cosmopolitan with many described populations worldwide and four deposited SSU rDNA sequences. The present work supplies morphological and molecular information from five subtropical populations of D. brasiliensis that bear identical molecular sequences but show significant morphological differences. The findings of this study provide an opportunity to improve understanding of the morphological and genetic diversity of ciliates.

The widely reported but poorly studied ciliate family Folliculinidae (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Heterotrichea): a revision with notes on its taxonomy, morphology and phylogenetic relationships.

Ciliates of the heterotrich family Folliculinidae are widespread in various habitats and are distinguished by their transparent loricae of various shapes, conspicuous peristomial lobes, and dimorphic life cycles. They usually attach firmly to the surface of substrates, feed on bacteria and microalgae, and play a significant role in energy flow and material cycling in the microbial food web. However, little is known regarding their biodiversity and systematics. In this work, we establish the terminology of the family Folliculinidae and select six crucial features for genus recognition. Based on previous studies, we revise the classification of Folliculinidae, supply improved diagnoses for each of the 33 folliculinid genera, and provide a key to their identification. Moreover, phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) sequences revealed that the family is monophyletic and comprises two subclades (subclades I II) which can be identified by the flexibility of their peristomial lobes and the sculpturing of their necks. Furthermore, we investigate the evolutionary relationships of folliculinids using the six chosen generic features. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-022-00152-z.

New Data Define the Molecular Phylogeny and Taxonomy of Four Freshwater Suctorian Ciliates With Redefinition of Two Families Heliophryidae and Cyclophryidae (Ciliophora, Phyllopharyngea, Suctoria).

Four suctorian ciliates, Cyclophrya magna Gönnert, 1935, Peridiscophrya florea (Kormos & Kormos, 1958) Dovgal, 2002, Heliophrya rotunda (Hentschel, 1916) Matthes, 1954 and Dendrosoma radians Ehrenberg, 1838, were collected from a freshwater lake in Ningbo, China. The morphological redescription and molecular phylogenetic analyses of these ciliates were investigated. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from SSU rDNA sequences show that all three suctorian orders, Endogenida, Evaginogenida, and Exogenida, are monophyletic and that the latter two clusters as sister clades. The newly sequenced P. florea forms sister branches with C. magna, while sequences of D. radians group with those from H. rotunda within Endogenida. The family Heliophryidae, which is comprised of only two genera, Heliophrya and Cyclophrya, was previously assigned to Evaginogenida. There is now sufficient evidence, however, that the type genus Heliophrya reproduces by endogenous budding, which corresponds to the definitive feature of Endogenida. In line with this and with the support of molecular phylogenetic analyses, we therefore transfer the family Heliophryidae with the type genus Heliophrya to Endogenida. The other genus, Cyclophrya, still remains in Evaginogenida because of its evaginative budding. Therefore, combined with morphological and phylogenetic analysis, Cyclophyidae are reactivated, and it belongs to Evaginogenida.

Morphology, Life Cycle, and SSU rDNA-based Phylogeny of Two Folliculinid Ciliates (Ciliophora, Heterotrichea, Folliculinidae) Collected from Subtropical Coastal Wetlands of China.

Most ciliates of the heterotrich family Folliculinidae are flagship periphytic species. They are characterized by their transparent lorica, conspicuous peristomial lobes, and dimorphic life cycle. However, the understanding of their biodiversity and systematics is relatively poor. In the present study, we investigate the morphology and phylogenetic affinities of Ampullofolliculina lageniformis Hadzi, 1951 and Metafolliculina producta (Wright, 1859) Dons, 1934, collected from subtropical coastal wetlands in China. An integrative approach combining investigations of their morphology, life cycle and ecology was used. Phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) sequences showed that: all folliculinid genera form a monophyletic clade; the two genera with flexible peristomial lobes, Metafolliculina and Eufolliculina, are closely related; the other three genera with inflexible peristomial lobes, Ampullofolliculina, Diafolliculina and Folliculina, group together.

miR-9-5p Mediates ABCC1 to Elevate the Sensitivity of Glioma Cells to Temozolomide.

Chemotherapy combined with surgery is an important clinical treatment for glioma, but endogenous or acquired temozolomide (TMZ) resistance can lead to poor prognosis. microRNA (miR)-9-5p acts in biological function of glioma, but the drug resistance of miR-9-5p in glioma is under exploration. The study intended to test the molecular mechanism of miR-9-5p in glioma cells. MTT assay was applied to investigate the chemosensitivity enhancement of miR-9-5p on TMZ in glioma cells U87-TMZ and U251-TMZ, and in vivo experiments confirmed its role on tumor growth in nude mice. The results of double luciferase reporter gene assay, qRT-PCR and WB indicated that miR-9-5p directly targeted ABCC1 (ATP binding cassette subfamily C member 1) to reduce its expressions. MTT and flow cytometry indicated that elevation of miR-9-5p or down-regulation of ABCC1 could inhibit proliferation-induced apoptosis of drug-resistant cells, and the decrease of miR-9-5p could reverse the reduction of ABCC1 on proliferation-induced apoptosis of drug-resistant cells. In vivo experiments showed that miR-9-5p could promote the anti-tumor role of TMZ. To sum up, the increase of miR-9-5p directly targets ABCC1 and may make glioma cells sensitive to TMZ.

Taxonomy and SSU rDNA-Based Phylogeny of Two Heterotrich Ciliates (Ciliophora, Heterotrichea) Collected From Subtropical Wetlands of China, Including the Description of a New Species, Linostomella pseudovorticella n. sp.

The Heterotrichea Stein, 1859 are a group of ciliated protists (single-celled eukaryotes) that occur in a wide variety of aquatic habitat where they play important roles in the flow of nutrients and energy within the microbial food web. Many species are model organisms for research in cytology and regenerative biology. In the present study, the morphology and phylogeny of two heterotrich ciliates, namely, Linostomella pseudovorticella n. sp. and Peritromus kahli Villeneuve-Brachon, 1940, collected from subtropical wetlands of China, were investigated using morphological and molecular methods. L. pseudovorticella n. sp. differs from its only known congener, Linostomella vorticella Ehrenberg, 1833 Aescht in Foissner et al., 1999, by having more ciliary rows (48-67, mean about 56 vs. 26-51, mean about 42) and its small-subunit (SSU) rDNA sequence, which shows a 15-bp divergence. Although P. kahli has been reported several times in recent decades, its infraciliature has yet to be described. A redescription and improved diagnosis of this species based on a combination of previous and present data are here supplied. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequences revealed that the genus Linostomella is positioned within Condylostomatidae, and Peritromidae is sister to Climacostomidae with relatively low support, and the family Spirostomidae is the root branch of the class Heterotrichea.

New contributions to the phylogeny of the ciliate class Heterotrichea (Protista, Ciliophora): analyses at family-genus level and new evolutionary hypotheses.

Heterotrichous ciliates play an important role in aquatic ecosystem energy flow processes and many are model organisms for research in cytology, regenerative biology, and toxicology. In the present study, we combine both morphological and molecular data to infer phylogenetic relationships at family-genus level and propose new evolutionary hypotheses for the class Heterotrichea. The main results include: (1) 96 new ribosomal DNA sequences from 36 populations, representing eight families and 13 genera, including three poorly annotated genera, Folliculinopsis, Ampullofolliculina and Linostomella; (2) the earliest-branching families are Spirostomidae in single-gene trees and Peritromidae in the concatenated tree, but the family Peritromidae probably represents the basal lineage based on its possession of many "primitive" morphological characters; (3) some findings in molecular trees are not supported by morphological evidence, such as the family Blepharismidae is one of the most recent branches and the relationship between Fabreidae and Folliculinidae is very close; (4) the systematic positions of Condylostomatidae, Climacostomidae, and Gruberiidae remain uncertain based either on morphological or molecular data; and (5) the monophyly of each genus included in the present study is supported by the molecular phylogenetic trees, except for Blepharisma in the SSU rDNA tree and Folliculina in the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 tree.

New contributions to two ciliate genera (Ciliophora, Heterotrichea) based on morphological and molecular analyses, with description of a new Gruberia species.

BACKGROUND: Heterotrichous ciliates are common members of microeukaryote communities which play important roles in both the transfer of material and the flow of energy in aquatic food webs. This group has been known for over two centuries due to their large body size and cosmopolitan distribution. Nevertheless, species identification and phylogenetic relationships of heterotrichs remain challenging due to the lack of accurate morphological information and insufficient molecular data. RESULTS: The morphology and phylogeny of two heterotrichous ciliates, namely Gruberia foissneri spec. nov. and Linostomella vorticella (Ehrenberg, 1833) Aescht in Foissner et al., 1999, were studied using rigorous methods (living morphology, stained preparations, and small subunit rDNA sequence data). Gruberia foissneri spec. nov. is morphologically very similar to G. uninucleata Kahl, 1932, however, it can be distinguished from the latter by having more ciliary rows (about 32 vs. about 20) and macronuclear shape (sausage-shaped vs. ellipsoid). Based on a combination of previous and present studies, an improved diagnosis of L. vorticella is supplied and several taxonomic anomalies are clarified. In addition, phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequence data support the generic assignment of these two species. CONCLUSIONS: Modern ciliate taxonomy should be performed by means of detailed living observation, stained preparations and molecular information. For those species that have been reported in previous studies, it is necessary to provide as much useful information as possible using state-of-the-art methods in order to resolve taxonomic anomalies.

Double-shell zinc manganate hollow microspheres embedded in carbon networks as cathode materials for high-performance aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Currently, aqueous zinc-ion batteries are receiving extraordinary attention because of their cheap price, superior energy density and great security. However, the inferior specific capacity and low rate capability significantly hamper their further widespread application. Herein, a novel egg waffle-like architecture consisting of double-shell ZnMn2O4 hollow microspheres embedded in 2D carbon networks (ZnMn2O4@C) is designed and employed as a cathode material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Specifically, the ZnMn2O4@C electrode displays a capacity of 481 mAh g-1 at 0.2 A g-1 after 110 cycles with excellent cycling stability. The superior cycling stability of the ZnMn2O4@C electrode is ascribed to the synergistic effect of the double-shell ZnMn2O4 hollow microspheres, which offer sufficient space to withstand volume expansion during Zn2+ intercalation/deintercalation process, as well as the 2D continuous conductive and interconnected carbon network, which facilitates rapid electronic transmission and guarantees good structural mechanical stability. This study offers a fascinating cathode material and extends the available choices for manganate based-materials in rechargeable aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

The Taxonomy and Phylogeny of the Poorly known Heterotrich Ciliate Ampullofolliculina lageniformis Hadzi, 1951 (Ciliophora: Heterotrichea).

Ampullofolliculina Hadzi, 1951 is a monotypic genus, the only species being A. lageniformis which was first discovered in estuarine habitats in the U.S. and has never been redescribed. In the present study, we investigated the taxonomy and phylogeny of A. lageniformis Hadzi, 1951 based on analyses of a population collected from a brackish wetland in Ningbo, China. The main characteristics of this species are as follows: trophont about 450-700 µm long in vivo with two short, rounded peristomial lobes of equal size; lorica flask-shaped, transparent and smooth with a short, wide neck at the base of which two transparent valves are asymmetrically inserted; cortex with brownish to reddish cortical granules and greenish pigment granules; about 80 somatic kineties evenly arranged; moniliform macronucleus with 4-8 ellipsoidal nodules; swarmer dark green, vermiform in shape, about 200-350 µm long in vivo, with about 60 adoral membranelles and 85 somatic kineties, no mouth nor paroral membrane. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from SSU rDNA sequences show that A. lageniformis is closely related to Folliculina and Eufolliculina which nest within a large clade that comprises five families, i.e. Stentoridae, Blepharismidae, Fabreidae, Maristentoridae, and Folliculinidae.