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Kumanoa belonging to the order Batrachospermales is the most species-rich and widely distributed genus of freshwater red algae in China. In this study, a new Kumanoa species is described and illustrated from Baiyun Mountain, Guangdong, China, based on morphological observations and phylogenetic analysis. Kumanoa baiyunensis sp. nov is morphologically distinguished from other species by presenting a small habit (0.5–1 cm tall) with abundant branching in upper part of the thallus; carposporophytes spherical and one per whorl; club-shaped trichogynes with distinct stalk; spermatangia sparse and single-grown, terminal on primary fascicles. Phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated rbcL+COI-5P+UPA alignment places Kumanoa baiyunensis in a well-supported clade (98/0.96, bootstrap proportion/posterior probability) sister to K. faroensis (from USA) and K. spermatiophora (from Hawaii) with high divergence (rbcL: 4.9%–5.0%, COI-5P: 10.1%–10.5%, UPA: 2.3%). In addition, K. baiyunensis can be easily distinguished from ten Kumanoa species reported in China through morphological features such as small thallus size, abundant branching in upper parts of the thallus, and spermatangia sparse, single-grown, and terminal on primary fascicles. The description of this new species expands the diversity of genus Kumanoa in the world.

Caloglossa (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) is a globally distributed euryhaline red macroalgal genus. However, only a few Caloglossa species have been documented in permanent freshwater habitats. Here, a new Caloglossa species, Caloglossa fonticola sp. nov., is described and illustrated from an underground spring in Bama County, Guangxi, China, based on morphological observations and molecular phylogenetic analysis. The new species is morphologically distinguishable from other species in the genus by a unique combination of character states, including thallus internodal blades linear, hardly or slightly constricted at nodes, adventitious branches and endogenous branches both absent, and unicellular rhizoids forming from clusters of wing cells arising from the first three axial cells of the main axis and lateral axis. Phylogenetic analysis based on rbcL and LSU rRNA DNA sequences indicated that Caloglossa fonticola was nested in a well-supported clade with Caloglossa bengalensis (Bootstrap supports for ML/posterior probabilities for BI: rbcL-98/1.00, LSU-100/1.00), with high sequence divergence between these two species (8.2–8.4% for rbcL and 3.2% for LSU), supporting its specific status. This is the first species of the genus Caloglossa reported in spring water habitats. The description of C. fonticola expands the known diversity of Caloglossa.

Batrachospermum is a widely distributed genus in China. Nonetheless, many taxa recorded previously have no molecular data. In this study, a new species of Batrachospermum called Batrachospermum qujingense is described and illustrated from Qujing, Yunnan, Southwest China, based on morphological observations and a phylogenetic analysis. This species is distinguished morphologically from other species by dioecious thalli, straight carpogonial branches with 7–9 cells and stalked angled obovoid or inflated-clavate trichogynes. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis of the molecular data from the rbcL, COI-5P, and psbA genes indicated separation between the new species proposed in this study and other species in the genus Batrachospermum (4.0–5.3% for rbcL, 7.7%–10.6% for COI-5P, and 2.2–3.2% for psbA ). This is the first species of Batrachospermum reported in Yunnan and the third species of Batrachospermum with molecular data in China. The description of the new species and geographical distribution expands the diversity of freshwater red algae in China.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) commonly occurs in patients with splenomegaly. This study aimed to investigate the impact of splenomegaly with or without splenectomy on long-term survival of HCC patients with portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) treated with liver resection (LR). METHODS: HCC patients with PVTT who underwent LR from 2005 to 2012 from 6 hospitals were retrospectively studied. The long-term overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared between patients with or without splenomegaly, and between patients who did or did not undergo splenectomy for splenomegaly. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to match patients in a 1:1 ratio. RESULTS: Of 716 HCC patients with PVTT who underwent LR, 140 patients had splenomegaly (SM group) and 576 patients had no splenomegaly (non-SM group). The SM group was further subdivided into 49 patients who underwent splenectomy (SPT group), and 91 patients who did not received splenectomy (non-SPT group). PSM matched 140 patients in the SM group, and 49 patients in the SPT group. Splenomegaly was an independent risk factor of poor RFS and OS. The OS and RFS rates were significantly better for patients in the non-SM group than the SM group (OS: P

Virescentia guangxiensis,a new species of Virescentia from Guangxi,South China,is described and illustrated based on morphological observations and phylogenetic analysis. This species was distinguished morphologically from other species by the presence of special expansion cells with a variable shape,obovoid,spherical,pear-shaped,located in the penultimate cells of primary or secondary fascicles,rarely terminal on primary fascicles,as well as by small whorls (250-350-μm wide) and short primary fascicles (5-7 cell stories). Phylogenetic analysis of molecular data from the rbcL and COI-5P loci supported the separation of the proposed new species from other species in the genus Virescentia. This is the first species of the order Batrachospermales reported in Guangxi and the second species of the genus Virescentia reported in China. This study expands the known species diversity and geographical distribution of freshwater Rhodophyta in China.

Background Talin-1 (TLN-1) and TLN-2 are implicated in many cellular processes, but their roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. This study aimed to assess cell cycle distribution, anoikis, invasion and migration in human HCC MHCC-97 L cells. Methods MHCC-97 L cells, which highly express TLN-1, were transduced with TLN-1 shRNA (experimental group) or scramble shRNA (negative control group); non-transduced MHCC-97 L cells were used as blank controls. TLN-1 and TLN-2 mRNA and protein levels were detected by real-time RT-PCR and western blot, respectively. Then, cell cycle distribution and anoikis were assessed by flow cytometry. In addition, migration and invasion abilities were assessed using Transwell and cell scratch assays. Finally, a xenograft nude mouse model was established to further assess cell tumorigenicity. Results Compared with the blank and negative control groups, TLN-1/2 mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced in the experiment group. TLN-1/2 knockdown cells showed significantly more cells in the G0/G1 phase (79.24 %) in comparison with both blank (65.36 %) and negative (62.69 %) control groups; conversely, less cells were found in G2/M and S phases in the experimental group compared with controls. Moreover, anoikis was enhanced (P