Chirita D. Don, a large genus in the subfamily Cyrtandroideae of Gesneriaceae, has been the subject of much debate whether it is a natural group or not. In addition, the highly heterogeneous Chirita has also been very problematic with regard to delimitation and subdivision. Here we used the nrDNA internal transcribed spacer and cpDNA trnL‐F for molecular phylogenetic analaysis, combined with morphological data. Our results suggest that Chirita is an artificial, polyphyletic genus. The most important character that defines Chirita, the dorso‐ventrally oblique and bilamellar stigma, has evolved convergently in different clades of diandrous Cyrtandroideae. Chirita sensu stricto only includes the species of Chirita sect. Chirita, whereas Chirita sect. Microchirita is an independent clade located at the basal node of the phylogenetic tree. Chirita sect. Liebigia is closely related to Didymocarpus with an entire stigma unlike other species of Chirita. The species of Chirita sect. Gibbosaccus, Chiritopsis, Primulina, and Wentsaiboea form a monophyletic group that is sister to a strongly supported clade comprising four monotypic genera Paralagarosolen, Calcareoboea, Petrocodon, and Tengia. We further analyzed the morphological evolution of Chirita and identified a series of morphological synapomorphies for the monophyletic groups revealed herein, and thereby provide a taxonomic treatment in this study.
BackgroundResveratrol, a natural polyphenolic phytoalexin, has potent anti-tumor activity. Recently, it was found to induce autophagy in cancer cells. However, the effects of resveratrol on autophagy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells have not yet been clearly elucidated.Materials and methodsA549 and H1299 cells were treated with different concentrations of resveratrol. Cell growth and apoptosis were measured by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. A549 cells were then treated with 200 μM resveratrol or SRT1720. Cell autophagy was detected by western blot and immunofluorescence.ResultsIn this study, we found that resveratrol exerted the anti-tumor effect through inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell apoptosis in NSCLC cells dose-dependently. Resveratrol has also increased the relative expression of Beclin1 and LC3 II/I while decreased p62 expression, suggesting that resveratrol induced autophagy in NSCLC cells. In addition, resveratrol increased SIRT1 expression and SIRT1 activator SRT1720-induced autophagy of NSCLC cells. SIRT1 knockdown reduced resveratrol-induced autophagy significantly. These results indicated that resveratrol might induce autophagy through upregulating SIRT1 expression. Moreover, inhibiting autophagy by autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine or SIRT1 inhibitor nicotinamide significantly suppressed proliferation while promoted apoptosis compared with the resveratrol 200 μM group, suggesting that resveratrol-induced autophagy might act as a protective mechanism to promote NSCLC cell survival and inhibiting autophagy can enhance the anti-tumor effect of resveratrol. Besides that, resveratrol treatment inhibited Akt/mTOR while p38-MAPK was activated in NSCLC cells in a dose-dependent manner. Activating Akt/ mTOR pathway by IGF-1 or inhibiting p-38-MAPK pathway by doramapimod significantly inhibited cell proliferation while increased cell apoptosis of NSCLC cells compared with the resveratrol 200 μM group.ConclusionTaken together, our findings suggest that resveratrol inhibited proliferation but induced apoptosis and autophagy via inhibiting Akt/mTOR and activating p38-MAPK pathway. Resveratrol-induced autophagy might act as a protective mechanism to promote NSCLC cell survival. Therefore, inhibition of autophagy may enhance the anti-tumor activity of resveratrol in NSCLC.
Background: Upper respiratory infections (URIs) are among the most common diseases. However, the related burden has not been comprehensively evaluated. Thus, we designed the present study to describe the global and regional burden of URIs from 1990 to 2019. Methods: A secondary analysis was performed on the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of URIs in different sex and age groups, from 21 geographic regions, 204 countries and territories, between 1990 and 2019, using the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019. Countries and territories were categorized according to Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintiles. Findings: Globally, the incident cases of URIs reached 17¢2 (95% uncertainty interval: 15¢4 to 19¢3) billion in 2019, which accounted for 42¢83% (40¢01% to 45¢77%) cases from all causes in the GBD 2019 study. The age-standardized incidence rate remained stable from 1990 to 2019, while significant decreases were found in the mortality and DALY rate. The highest age-standardized incidence rates from 1990 to 2019 and the highest age-standardized DALY rates after 2011 were observed in high SDI regions. Among all the age groups, children under five years old suffered from the highest incidence and DALY rates, both of which were decreased with increasing age. Fatal consequences of URIs occurred mostly in the elderly and children under five years old. Interpretation: The present study provided comprehensive estimates of URIs burden for the first time. Our findings, highlighting the substantial incidence and considerable DALYs due to URIs, are expected to attract more attention to URIs and provide future explorations in the prevention and treatment with epidemiological evidence.
The phylogenetic placement of the Old World Gesneriaceae genera Ramonda, Conandron, Bournea, Thamnocharis, and Tengia, all characterized by actinomorphic flowers, has been the subject of much debate. Actinomorphy in Gesneriaceae is rare, with most species exhibiting zygomorphic flowers. The actinomorphic genera have historically been considered “primitive” and lumped in the tribe Ramondeae separate from the remaining Old World Gesneriaceae. In this study, we used nuclear (ITS) and plastid (trnL‐F) DNA for molecular phylogenetic analysis of these five genera along with representative species across the Cyrtandroideae. Our results show that the actinomorphic genera are scattered over several otherwise zygomorphic clades within Cyrtandroideae, and along with previous data, indicate that Ramondeae is an unnatural group. Floral actinomorphy has evolved convergently in different alliances of Old World Gesneriaceae. Ramonda is sister to Haberlea, Bournea is apparently paraphyletic, Conandron seems rather isolated, and Tengia is close to Petrocodon and sister to a group of Chirita sect. Gibbosaccus together with Calcareoboea. We hypothesize that the evolution from zygomorphy to actinomorphy with novel combinations of characters is possibly due to shifts in pollination strategies, such as a switch from nectar‐ to pollen‐rewards.
Evolutionary relationships of cyrtophorian ciliates are poorly known because molecular data of most groups within this subclass are lacking. In the present work, the SS rRNA genes belonging to 17 genera, 7 families of Cyrtophoria were sequenced and phylogenetic trees were constructed to assess their inter-generic relationships. The results indicated: (1) the assignment of cyrtophorians into two orders is consistently confirmed in all topologies; (2) the order Dysteriida is an outlined monophyletic assemblage while Chlamydodontida is paraphyletic with three separate monophyletic families; (3) Microxysma, which is currently assigned within the family Hartmannulidae, should be transferred to the family Dysteriidae; (4) the systematic position of Plesiotrichopidae remains unclear, yet the two genera that were placed in this family before, Pithites and Trochochilodon, should be transferred to Chlamydodontida; (5) a new family, Pithitidae n. fam., based on the type genus Pithites was suggested; and (6) the sequence of Isochona sp., the only available data of Chonotrichia so far, is probably from a misidentified species. In addition, three group I introns of SS rRNA gene were discovered in Aegyriana oliva, among which Aol.S516 is the first IE group intron reported in ciliates.
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