Cuticular competing endogenous RNAs regulate insecticide penetration and resistance in a major agricultural pest.

BACKGROUND: The continuously developing pesticide resistance is a great threat to agriculture and human health. Understanding the mechanisms of insecticide resistance is a key step in dealing with the phenomenon. Insect cuticle is recently documented to delay xenobiotic penetration which breaks the previous stereotype that cuticle is useless in insecticide resistance, while the underlying mechanism remains scarce. RESULTS: Here, we find the integument contributes over 40.0% to insecticide resistance via different insecticide delivery strategies in oriental fruit fly. A negative relationship exists between cuticle thickening and insecticide penetration in resistant/susceptible, also in field strains of oriental fruit fly which is a reason for integument-mediated resistance. Our investigations uncover a regulator of insecticide penetration that miR-994 mimic treatment causes cuticle thinning and increases susceptibility to malathion, whereas miR-994 inhibitor results in opposite phenotypes. The target of miR-994 is a most abundant cuticle protein (CPCFC) in resistant/susceptible integument expression profile, which possesses capability of chitin-binding and influences the cuticle thickness-mediated insecticide penetration. Our analyses find an upstream transcriptional regulatory signal of miR-994 cascade, long noncoding RNA (lnc19419), that indirectly upregulates CPCFC in cuticle of the resistant strain by sponging miR-994. Thus, we elucidate the mechanism of cuticular competing endogenous RNAs for regulating insecticide penetration and demonstrate it also exists in field strain of oriental fruit fly. CONCLUSIONS: We unveil a regulatory axis of lnc19419 ~ miR-994 ~ CPCFC on the cuticle thickness that leads to insecticide penetration resistance. These findings indicate that competing endogenous RNAs regulate insecticide resistance by modulating the cuticle thickness and provide insight into the resistance mechanism in insects.

Catalytic Oxidation Mechanism of Toluene over CexMn1-xO2: The Role of Oxygen Vacancies in Adsorption and Activation of Toluene.

Catalytic oxidation has been extensively studied as a promising technology for the removal of toluene from industrial waste gases and indoor air. However, the debate regarding the oxidation mechanism is far from resolved. CexMn1-xO2 catalysts with different mixing ratios are prepared by the sol-gel method and found to exhibit better catalytic activities for toluene oxidation than a single oxide. Characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal that the doped Mn increases the number of oxygen vacancies and the ability of oxygen vacancies to activate aromatic rings, which promotes the rate-determining step of toluene oxidation, i.e., ring-opening reactions. The oxidation products detected by in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) and Vocus proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (Vocus-PTR-MS) show that the doped Mn significantly improves the ring-opening efficiency and subsequently yields more short-chain products, such as pyruvic acid and acetic acid. A comprehensive oxidation pathway of toluene is refined in this work.

Functional analysis of an overexpressed glutathione S-transferase BdGSTd5 involved in malathion and malaoxon detoxification in Bactrocera dorsalis.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are one of the three detoxification enzyme families. The constitutive and inducible overexpression of GSTs genes plays an important role in insecticide resistance. Previous study showed that malathion resistance was polygenic, and elevated GSTs activity was one of the important factor participating in malathion resistance of Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), a serious economic pest worldwide. BdGSTd5 overexpression was inducible upon exposure to malathion. However, the involvement of BdGSTd5 in malathion resistance has not been clarified. In this study, we found that BdGSTd5 sequence harbored the conserved region of delta class GSTs, which were overexpressed in malathion resistant strain of B. dorsalis compared to malathion susceptible strain. The highest mRNA expression level of BdGSTd5 was found in 1-day-old adult, and the levels decreased with aging. The dsBdGSTd5 injection effectively silenced (73.4% reduction) the expression of BdGSTd5 and caused significant increase in susceptibility to malathion with a cumulative mortality increasing of 13.5% at 72 h post malathion treatment (p < 0.05). Cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that BdGSTd5 was capable of malathion detoxification. Molecular docking analysis further indicated the interactive potential of BdGSTd5 with malathion and its toxic oxide malaoxon. The recombinant BdGSTd5 exhibited glutathione-conjugating activity toward 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene and malathion and malaoxon metabolic capacity with significant reduction (p < 0.05) of the peak areas by 90.0% and 73.1%, respectively. Taken together, the overexpressed BdGSTd5 contributes to malathion metabolism and resistance, which detoxify the malathion in B. dorsalis via directly depleting malathion and malaoxon.

Identification, expression profiles and involvement in insecticides tolerance and detoxification of carboxylesterase genes in Bactrocera dorsalis.

Carboxylesterases (CarEs) are a multifunctional superfamily of enzymes and play an important role in detoxification of various insecticides in insects. The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, is one of the most destructive agricultural pests and has developed different degrees of resistance to organophosphates in field. However, the involvement of BdCarEs in tolerance or resistance to other alternative insecticides are still unclear. In the present study, 33 BdCarEs genes were identified based on the genome database of B. dorsalis. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that they were classified into nine clades, with abundance of α-esterases. Meanwhile, the sequence characterization and the chromosome distribution were also analyzed. The spatiotemporal expression analysis of BdCarEs genes suggested that the diversity of potential function in different physiological processes. With the exception of BdCarE21, all BdCarEs genes responded to at least one insecticide exposure, and BdCarE20 was found to be up-regulated after exposure to all five tested insecticides individually. Eight BdCarEs genes were overexpressed in MR strain when compared to that in SS strain. Subsequently, knockdown the expression of representative BdCarEs genes significantly increased the susceptibility of the oriental fruit fly to corresponding insecticides, which indicated that the tested BdCarEs genes contributed to one or multiple insecticide detoxification. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential role in respond to tolerance or resistance to insecticides with different mode of action, and will facilitate development of efficiency management strategy for B. dorsalis.

Effect of reduction pretreatments on PdAg/Al2O3 for HCHO and CO oxidation.

PdAg/Al2O3 were pretreated by CO and H2 reduction pretreatments, respectively. The reduced catalysts were tested for HCHO and CO oxidation and characterized by Brunner Emmet Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and oxygen temperature programmed desorption (O2-TPD). These results indicate that the pretreatments have effect on PdAg reconstruction, PdAg particle size and active oxygen species, which are responsible for the catalytic performance. Compared with H2 reduction method, CO reduction is more suitable for PdAg/Al2O3 pretreatment. PdAg/Al2O3-CO exhibited better catalytic performance.

CYP4G100 contributes to desiccation resistance by mediating cuticular hydrocarbon synthesis in Bactrocera dorsalis.

The oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) is expanding its distribution to higher latitudes. Our goal in this study was to understand how B. dorsalis adapts to higher latitude environments that are more arid than tropical regions. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) on the surface of the epicuticle in insects act as a hydrophobic barrier against water loss. The essential decarbonylation reaction in CHC synthesis is catalysed by CYP4G, a cytochrome P450 subfamily protein. Hence, in B. dorsalis it is necessary to clarify the function of the CYP4G gene and its role in desiccation resistance. CYP4G100 was identified in the B. dorsalis genome. The complete open reading frame (ORF) encodes a CYP4 family protein (552 amino acid residues) that has the CYP4G-specific insertion. This CYP4G gene was highly expressed in adults, especially in the oenocyte-rich peripheral fat body. The gene can be induced by desiccation treatment, suggesting its role in CHC synthesis and waterproofing. Silencing of CYP4G100 resulted in a decrease of CHC levels and the accumulation of triglycerides. It also increased water loss and resulted in higher desiccation susceptibility. CYP4G100 is involved in hydrocarbon synthesis and contributes to cuticle waterproofing to help B. dorsalis resist desiccation in arid environments.

The adipokinetic hormone signaling system regulates the sensitivity of Bactrocera dorsalis to malathion.

The neuropeptide adipokinetic hormone (AKH) binds to the AKH receptor (AKHR) to regulate carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. It also participates in the insect anti-stress response. We used RT-qPCR to detect the expression levels of 39 neuropeptides in malathion-susceptible (MS) and malathion-resistant (MR) strains of Bactrocera dorsalis. AKH and AKHR were highly expressed in the MR strain. Using a malathion bioassay and RNA interference (RNAi), we demonstrated that AKHR is involved in the susceptibility of B. dorsalis to malathion. We found significantly reduced expression of two detoxification enzyme genes (glutathione-S-transferase, GST and α-esterase, CarE) after AKHR RNAi. Based on our previous data, GSTd10 and CarE6 participate the direct metabolism of malathion in this fly, which is also verified by a malathion metabolism assay by HPLC using the crude enzymes in the current study. These results suggest that AKHR plays an important role in affecting malathion susceptibility via detoxification enzyme genes.

LINC00689 promotes prostate cancer progression via regulating miR-496/CTNNB1 to activate Wnt pathway.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has proved the significant influence of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cancer formation and development, including PCa. METHODS: The role of LINC00689 in PCa was confirmed by RT-qPCR, MTT, colony formation, flow cytometry, western blot and transwell assays. Besides, the binding ability between LINC00689 and miR-496 was validated by using luciferase reporter assay. Then RT-qPCR, RIP and luciferase reporter and western blot assays were employed to verify the interactions among LINC00689, miR-496 and CTNNB1. Furthermore, the rescuing role of CTNNB1 in Wnt pathway was proved by RT-qPCR, TOP/FOP Flash and western blot assays. RESULTS: LINC00689 was upregulated in PCa tissues and cells as well as at the terminal stage. Further, knock down of LINC00689 repressed PCa cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and initiated PCa cell apoptosis. Additionally, miR-496 inhibitor and pcDNA3.1/CTNNB1 could neutralize the prohibitive effects of LINC00689 silencing on cell proliferation, migration and invasion, meanwhile, could offset the encouraging role of knocking down LINC00689 in cell apoptosis. Moreover, CTNNB1 upregulation exerted redemptive function in Wnt pathway inhibited by LINC00689 depletion. CONCLUSIONS: To sum up, LINC00689 promotes PCa progression via regulating miR-496/CTNNB1 to activate Wnt pathway, which may contribute to research about new targets for PCa treatment.

Serum Membrane Type 1-Matrix Metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) mRNA Protected by Exosomes as a Potential Biomarker for Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND Our previous research revealed that membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is overexpressed and plays a crucial role in gastric cancer (GC) progression. Exosomes are important for GC carcinogenesis, and the exosomal contents are ideal biomarkers. However, the expression of exosomal MT1-MMP mRNA in serum and its potential significance in GC remains unclear. MATERIAL AND METHODS The expression of exosomal MT1-MMP mRNA in serum of patients with GC, chronic gastritis, or atypical hyperplasia, and healthy controls was detected using real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Serum CEA, CA19-9, and CA72-4 were also measured by electrochemiluminescence assay. RESULTS Exosomes were isolated and identified in serum, and serum exosomal MT1-MMP mRNA was found to be higher in patients with GC compared with healthy controls and patients with chronic gastritis or atypical hyperplasia (all P<0.05). Serum exosomal MT1-MMP mRNA was significantly correlated with tumor diameter, differentiation, Borrmann type, invasion depth, lymphatic metastasis, distal metastasis, and TNM stage. The AUC of exosomal MT1-MMP mRNA was 0.788 (95% CI: 0.714-0.850) with 63.9% sensitivity and 87.1% specificity, and was higher than that of CEA (0.655 (95% CI: 0.573-0.730)). The combination of 2 markers gave an AUC of 0.821 (95% CI: 0.750-0.878), which was better than with the individual marker. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 75.6%, 83.9%, 94.7%, and 47.3%, respectively. Moreover, the multiple logistic regression model showed that tumor diameter, differentiation, invasion depth, and exosomal MT1-MMP mRNA were the risk factors for lymphatic metastasis in GC. CONCLUSIONS Our results characterized serum exosomal MT1-MMP mRNA in GC, providing a foundation for discovering serum exosomes-targeted biomarkers for GC diagnosis.

Functional characterization of an α-esterase gene involving malathion detoxification in Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel).

Extensive use of insecticides in many orchards has prompted resistance development in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). In this study, a laboratory selected strain of B. dorsalis (MR) with a 21-fold higher resistance to malathion was used to examine the resistance mechanisms to this organophosphate insecticide. Carboxylesterase (CarE) was found to be involved in malathion resistance in B. dorsalis from the synergism bioassay by CarE-specific inhibitor triphenylphosphate (TPP). Molecular studies further identified a previously uncharacterized α-esterase gene, BdCarE2, that may function in the development of malathion resistance in B. dorsalis via gene upregulation. This gene is predominantly expressed in the Malpighian tubules, a key insect tissue for detoxification. The transcript levels of BdCarE2 were also compared between the MR and a malathion-susceptible (MS) strain of B. dorsalis, and it was significantly more abundant in the MR strain. No sequence mutation or gene copy changes were detected between the two strains. Functional studies using RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of BdCarE2 significantly increased the malathion susceptibility in the adult files. Furthermore, heterologous expression of BdCarE2 combined with cytotoxicity assay in Sf9 cells demonstrated that BdCarE2 could probably detoxify malathion. Taken together, the current study bring new molecular evidence supporting the involvement of CarE-mediated metabolism in resistance development against malathion in B. dorsalis and also provide bases on functional analysis of insect α-esterase associated with insecticide resistance.

Causal association of TSH with ischemic heart diseases and heart failure: A 2-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Thyroid dysfunction is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease; however, whether plasma thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in subjects with euthyroidism affect the risk of cardiovascular disease remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the causal association between plasma TSH levels and cardiovascular diseases, particularly ischemic heart disease and heart failure (HF). Summary statistics from the Integrative Epidemiology Unit Open genome-wide association studies Project and FinnGen consortium were used to investigate the causal relationship between plasma TSH levels and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis using inverse-variance weighting as the primary method was performed. The MR Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier and leave-one-out methods were used to ensure the robustness of our findings. Genetically determined plasma TSH levels were associated with major coronary heart disease events (OR 1.0557, 95% CI 1.0141-1.0991), all-cause HF (OR 0.9587, 95% CI 0.9231-0.9956), and HF + non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (OR 0.9318, 95% CI 0.8786-0.9882). After the Bonferroni correction, the causation described above disappeared. In the secondary analysis, genetically determined higher TSH levels were associated with a higher risk for unstable angina pectoris (OR 1.0913, 95% CI 1.0350-1.1507), but were associated with a lower risk for HF + overweight (OR 0.9265, 95% CI 0.8821-0.9731). These results were further validated using sensitivity analysis. Our findings show that increased plasma TSH levels in patients with euthyroidism may increase the risk of unstable angina pectoris but reduce the risk of HF in overweight patients. This evidence indicates that plasma TSH levels may need to be carefully controlled in specific patients.

Development and validation of a nomogram for predicting lymph node metastasis in ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion: A SEER population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion (DCIS-MI) is a special type of breast cancer. It is an invasive lesion less than 1.0 mm in size related to simple ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Lymph node metastasis (LNM) in DCIS-MI often indicates a poor prognosis. Therefore, the management of lymph nodes plays a vital role in the treatment strategy of DCIS-MI. Since DCIS-MI is often diagnosed by postoperative paraffin section and immunohistochemical detection, to obtain the best clinical benefits for such patients, we aim to establish and verify a nomogram to predict the possibility of lymph node metastasis in DCIS-MI patients and help preoperative or intraoperative clinical decision-making. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients with DCIS-MI in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2010 to 2019 was performed. The study cohort was randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort at a ratio of 7:3. The risk factors were determined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses in the training cohort, and a nomogram was constructed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the nomogram in the training set and validation set. An independent data cohort was obtained from the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Breast Cancer Database (SJTU-BCDB) for external validation. RESULTS: This study included 3951 female patients from SEER with DCIS-MI, including 244 patients with regional lymph node metastasis, accounting for 6.18% of the total. An independent test set of 323 patients from SJTU-BCDB was used for external validation. According to the multifactorial logistic regression analysis results, age at diagnosis, ethnicity, grade, and surgical modality were included in the prediction model. The areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were 0.739 (95% CI: 0.702~0.775), 0.732 (95% CI: 0.675~0.788), and 0.707 (95%CI: 0.607-0.807) in the training, validation and external test groups, suggesting that the column line graphs had excellent differentiation. The calibration curves slope was close to 1, and the model's predicted values were in good agreement with the actual values. The DCA curves showed good clinical utility. CONCLUSION: In this study, we constructed accurate and practical columnar maps with some clinical benefit to predict the likelihood of lymph node metastasis in patients with postoperatively diagnosed DCIS-MI and provide a reference value for specifying treatment strategies.

Circulating tumor biomarkers in early-stage breast cancer: characteristics, detection, and clinical developments.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, contributing to high rates of morbidity and mortality owing to the ability of these tumors to metastasize via the vascular system even in the early stages of progression. While ultrasonography and mammography have enabled the more reliable detection of early-stage breast cancer, these approaches entail high rates of false positive and false negative results Mammograms also expose patients to radiation, raising clinical concerns. As such, there is substantial interest in the development of more accurate and efficacious approaches to diagnosing breast cancer in its early stages when patients are more likely to benefit from curative treatment efforts. Blood-based biomarkers derived from the tumor microenvironment (TME) have frequently been studied as candidate targets that can enable tumor detection when used for patient screening. Through these efforts, many promising biomarkers including tumor antigens, circulating tumor cell clusters, microRNAs, extracellular vesicles, circulating tumor DNA, metabolites, and lipids have emerged as targets that may enable the detection of breast tumors at various stages of progression. This review provides a systematic overview of the TME characteristics of early breast cancer, together with details on current approaches to detecting blood-based biomarkers in affected patients. The limitations, challenges, and prospects associated with different experimental and clinical platforms employed in this context are also discussed at length.

Identification and characterization of UDP-glycosyltransferase genes and the potential role in response to insecticides exposure in Bactrocera dorsalis.

BACKGROUND: The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) is a worldwide pest damaging a wide range of hosts. Due to the long-term indiscriminate use of insecticides, B. dorsalis has developed serious resistance to several insecticides. UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) are secondary metabolic enzymes involved in biotransformation and play an important role in the metabolism of plant secondary metabolites and synthetic insecticides in insects. Thus, we suspect that UGTs in B. dorsalis play an important role in insecticide tolerance. RESULTS: In this study, 31 UGT genes were identified in the genome of B. dorsalis, belonging to 13 subfamilies. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) results revealed that 12 UGT genes were highly expressed in the antennae, midgut, Malpighian tubule and fat body. The mRNA expressions of 17 UGT genes were up-regulated upon exposure to λ-cyhalothrin, imidacloprid, abamectin and chlorpyrifos. Knockdown of the selected five UGT genes (BdUGT301D2, BdUGT35F2, BdUGT36K2, BdUGT49D2, BdUGT50B5) by RNA interference increased the mortality of B. dorsalis from 9.29% to 27.22% upon exposure to four insecticides. CONCLUSION: The abundance of UGTs in B. dorsalis is similar to other insect species, and 12 out of 31 UGTs were specifically expressed in metabolic tissues, suggesting a key role in detoxification. Down-regulation of five selected UGT genes increased the susceptibility of B. dorsalis to various insecticides, indicating that UGTs may play an important role in tolerance of B. dorsalis to multiple insecticides. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

An Antenna-Abundant Glutathione S-Transferase BdGSTd8 Participates in Detoxification of Two Organophosphorus Insecticides in Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel).

The oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, is a damaging insect pest for many vegetable and fruit crops that has evolved severe chemical insecticide resistance, including organophosphorus, neonicotinoid, pyrethroid, and macrolides. Hence, it is important to elucidate its detoxification mechanism to improve its management and mitigate resource destruction. Glutathione S-transferase (GST) is a critical secondary phase enzyme that plays multiple detoxification functions against xenobiotics. In this study, we identified several BdGSTs by characterizing their potential relationships with five insecticides using inducible and tissue-specific expression pattern analyses. We found that an antenna-abundant BdGSTd8 responded to four different classes of insecticides. Subsequently, our immunohistochemical and immunogold staining analysis further confirmed that BdGSTd8 was primarily located in the antenna. Our investigations also confirmed that BdGSTd8 possesses the capability to enhance cell viability by directly interacting with malathion and chlorpyrifos, which clarified the function of antenna-abundant GST in B. dorsalis. Altogether, these findings enrich our understanding of GST molecular characteristics in B. dorsalis and provide new insights into the detoxification of superfluous xenobiotics in the insect antenna.

Genetic features of TP53 mutation and its downstream FOXA1 in prostate cancer.

Metastasis is the most lethal form of prostate cancer, and finding new therapeutic targets remains a major clinical challenge. TP53 mutation has been identified to be involved in tumor progression and metastasis. Nevertheless, direct evidence of the role of TP53 mutation in prostate cancer metastasis and its underlying mechanism remain obscure. Herein, TP53 was found to be the most mutated gene in prostate cancer, and missense mutations were the primary mutation type based on bioinformatics data analysis. Subsequently, TP53 rs12947788 mutation site was significant in prostate cancer, and correlated with metastasis and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. Furthermore, forkhead box A1 (FOXA1), a target of TP53, was highly expressed in prostate cancer tissue, especially in TP53-mutant patients. It was also associated with patients' Gleason scores and nodal metastasis. Knockdown of FOXA1 suppressed the migration in prostate cancer cells in vitro. Our findings indicate that targeting TP53 mutation and FOXA1 might be a promising therapeutic target for prostate cancer metastasis.

Comparing single or dual tracing modality on sentinel lymph node biopsy from patients who plan to omitting axillary lymph node dissection referring to the criteria of Z0011 trial: a retrospective study.

Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) can be omitted in the part of the breast-conserving patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) since Z0011 trial has presented. Nevertheless, to date, no studies revealed the influence of different tracing modalities (single tracer versus dual tracers) for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) on axillary management referring to Z0011 trial criteria. This study aimed to assess whether different tracing modalities of SLNB have impact on axillary management referring to Z0011 trial criteria. The clinical data of breast-conserving patients who underwent SLNB guided by combination of methylene blue (MB) and indocyanine green(ICG) were retrospectively analyzed in our center. The numbers of metastatic (positive) SLNs guided by the single tracer and the dual tracer were compared by self-control study. 127 patients with 1-2 metastatic SLNs dyed by MB [(recorded as MB(+))]were retrieved from our database between 2016 and 2020. In these cases, 53 patients contained 86 SLNs, which were ICG staining but MB negative staining (recorded as ICG(+)/MB(-)). In addition, 16 patients contained 20 metastatic SLNs with ICG(+)/MB(-). There were six patients finally excluded patients (6/127, 4.7%) who initially met the criteria of Z0011 trial, because the further detection of ICG(+)/MB(-) SLNs led the total numbers of positive SLNs over two. The difference was statistically significant. Single tracing modality may underestimate the positive SLN numbers compared to dual tracing modality. Different tracing modalities of SLNB will significantly affect Axillary management referring to Z0011 trial criteria.

Effect of Bicalutamide Combined with Docetaxel on Serum PSA and VEGF Levels in Patients with Advanced Prostate Carcinoma.

Objective: To investigate the effect of bicalutamide combined with docetaxel on the levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in serum and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with advanced prostate carcinoma (PCa). Methods: The clinical data of 103 patients with advanced PCa at our hospital between Feb. 2020 and Feb. 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, the 90 of whom screened by inclusion and exclusion criteria were finally chosen as research objects. They were divided into a control group and an experimental group according to the order of admission, with 45 cases in each group. The control group was treated with conventional treatment, while the experimental group underwent the combination of bicalutamide and docetaxel, and the clinical indices of the two groups were compared. Results: After treatment, the serum indices in the experimental group were remarkably lower than those in the control group (P < 0.001), with remarkably lower incidence of toxic and side effects (P < 0.05) and higher Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) scores (P < 0.001) in the experimental group than in the control group. Conclusion: The implementation of bicalutamide combined with docetaxel in patients with advanced PCa is effective in reducing the inflammatory expression and improving quality of life and has a higher safety profile. Compared with conventional treatment, this method is of high application value, and further studies will help establish a better solution for such patients.

Magnetic responses for heavy metal pollution recorded by the sediments from Bohai Sea, Eastern China.

The Bohai Sea is facing multidirectional pressure from economic development and pollutant emissions. Magnetic minerals and heavy metal concentrations in the sediments of core M5 from the Bohai Sea were performed. The results of concentration-related magnetic parameters, heavy metal contents, and PLI (Tomlinson pollution load index) illustrate there are essential linkages of the sources, migration, and deposition. The predominant magnetic mineral was magnetite. Based on the chronological data from 210Pb and 137Cs activities, the increasing magnetic parameters and heavy metal concentrations at a depth of 81 cm were dated to 1950 CE, which corresponded to the establishment of the People's Republic of China; the decrease at depths of 37-45 cm and 16-18 cm may be related to the decline in steel production in 1960 CE and the Tangshan earthquake in 1978 CE, respectively. This study enriches relevant theories of environmental magnetism via the ecological and environmental protection of the coastal zones.

Knockdown of a Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subunit Gene Bdorß1 Decreases Susceptibility to Oxa-Bridged trans- instead of cis-Nitromethylene Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Bactrocera dorsalis.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated ion channels that mediate the fast action of acetylcholine in synaptic cholinergic transmissions. Insect nAChRs are the target of several classes of insecticides. Here, the full-length cDNA encoding a nAChR beta1 subunit (Bdorß1) was identified and characterized from a destructive pest, Bactrocera dorsalis. The amino acid sequence of Bdorß1 shows high identities to other insect nAChRs ß1 subunits. Double injection of dsBdorß1 reduced the expression of Bdorß1 and in turn significantly decreased susceptibility to oxa-bridged trans- instead of cis-nitromethylene neonicotinoids. Our results support the involvement of Bdorß1 in the susceptibility of B. dorsalis to oxa-bridged trans- instead of cis-nitromethylene neonicotinoids and imply that these two classes of neonicotinoids might be acting at different nAChR subtypes.