Baseline serum testosterone and differential efficacy of bipolar androgen therapy and enzalutamide in the randomized TRANSFORMER trial.

Bipolar androgen therapy (BAT) is effective in a subset of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. Treatment selection biomarkers are needed due to other therapies that can be equally efficacious. We performed post-hoc analysis to determine whether baseline serum testosterone (T) is a treatment selection marker in the TRANSFORMER study, a randomized trial of abiraterone-pretreated mCRPC patients assigned to BAT (n = 94) or enzalutamide (n = 101). The findings suggest that patients with poor outcomes to abiraterone and serum T ≥ 20 ng/dL may benefit preferentially from BAT over enzalutamide. Baseline testosterone could be considered in the treatment selection process when BAT is an option.

Recipient clonal hematopoiesis in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for lymphoid malignancies.

Allogeneic blood and marrow transplantation (alloBMT) is increasingly being used in older patients with blood cancer. Aging is associated with an increasing incidence of clonal hematopoiesis (CH). Although the effects of donor CH on alloBMT has been reported, the impact of recipient CH on alloBMT outcomes is unknown. In this retrospective study, alloBMT recipients age 60 and older with lymphoid malignancies were included. Among 97 consecutive patients who received alloBMT between 2017 and 2022, CH was detected in 60 (62%; 95% CI 51-72%). CH was found in 45% (95% CI 28-64%) of patients aged 60-64, 64% (95% CI 44-81%) of patients aged 65-69, and 73% (95% CI 59-87%) in those above 70. Pretransplant CH was associated with worse survival after alloBMT: 3-year overall survival (OS) was 78% (95% CI 65-94%) for patients without CH versus 47% (95% CI 35-63%) for those with CH, [unadjusted HR 3.1 (95%CI 1.4-6.8; P<0.001)]. Non-relapse mortality (NRM) was higher in patients with CH; cumulative incidence of NRM at one-year was 11% (95% CI 1-22%) versus 35% (95% CI 23-48%), [HR 3.4 (95% CI 1.4-8.5), p=0.009]. Among CH patients, worse OS and NRM was associated with CH burden and number of mutations. Recipient CH had no effect on relapse. In conclusion, older patients with CH experience worse outcomes after alloBMT, almost exclusively attributable to increased NRM. CH is a strong, independent predictor of outcomes. Novel strategies to ameliorate the adverse impacts of patient CH on transplant outcomes are being evaluated.

A comprehensive framework for the delimitation of species within the Bemisia tabaci cryptic complex, a global pest-species group.

Identifying cryptic species poses a substantial challenge to both biologists and naturalists due to morphological similarities. Bemisia tabaci is a cryptic species complex containing more than 44 putative species; several of which are currently among the world's most destructive crop pests. Interpreting and delimiting the evolution of this species complex has proved problematic. To develop a comprehensive framework for species delimitation and identification, we evaluated the performance of distinct data sources both individually and in combination among numerous samples of the B. tabaci species complex acquired worldwide. Distinct datasets include full mitogenomes, single-copy nuclear genes, restriction site-associated DNA sequencing, geographic range, host speciation, and reproductive compatibility datasets. Phylogenetically, our well-supported topologies generated from three dense molecular markers highlighted the evolutionary divergence of species of the B. tabaci complex and suggested that the nuclear markers serve as a more accurate representation of B. tabaci species diversity. Reproductive compatibility datasets facilitated the identification of at least 17 different cryptic species within our samples. Native geographic range information provides a complementary assessment of species recognition, while the host range datasets provide low rate of delimiting resolution. We further summarized different data performances in species classification when compared with reproductive compatibility, indicating that combination of mtCOI divergence, nuclear markers, geographic range provide a complementary assessment of species recognition. Finally, we represent a model for understanding and untangling the cryptic species complexes based on the evidence from this study and previously published articles.

Increased di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate exposure poses a differential risk for adult asthma clusters.

BACKGROUND: DEHP, a common plasticizer known for its hormone-disrupting properties, has been associated with asthma. However, a significant proportion of adult asthma cases are "non-atopic", lacking a clear etiology. METHODS: In a case-control study conducted between 2011 and 2015, 365 individuals with current asthma and 235 healthy controls from Kaohsiung City were enrolled. The control group comprised individuals without asthma, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), hypertension, or other respiratory/allergic conditions. The study leveraged asthma clusters (Clusters A to F) established in a prior investigation. Analysis involved the examination of urinary DEHP metabolites (MEHP and MEHHP), along with the assessment of oxidative stress, sphingolipid metabolites, and inflammatory biomarkers. Statistical analyses encompassed Spearman's rank correlation coefficients, multiple logistic regression, and multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: Asthma clusters (E, D, C, F, A) exhibited significantly higher ORs of MEHHP exposures compared to the control group. When considering asthma-related comorbidities (T2DM, hypertension, or both), patients without comorbidities demonstrated significantly higher ORs of the sum of primary and secondary metabolites (MEHP + MEHHP) and MEHHP compared to those with asthma comorbidities. A consistent positive correlation between urinary HEL and DEHP metabolites was observed, but a consistent negative correlation between DEHP metabolites and selected cytokines was identified. CONCLUSION: The current study reveals a heightened risk of MEHHP and MEHP + MEHHP exposure in specific asthma subgroups, emphasizing its complex relationship with asthma. The observed negative correlation with cytokines suggests a new avenue for research, warranting robust evidence from epidemiological and animal studies.

Ash1L ameliorates psoriasis via limiting neuronal activity-dependent release of miR-let-7b.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Psoriasis is a common autoimmune skin disease that significantly diminishes patients' quality of life. Interactions between primary afferents of the somatosensory system and the cutaneous immune system mediate the pathogenesis of psoriasis. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of how primary sensory neurons regulate psoriasis formation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Skin and total RNA were extracted from wild-type (WT) and ASH1-like histone lysine methyltransferase (Ash1l+/- ) mice in both naive and imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis models. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) were then performed. Microfluidic chamber coculture was used to investigate the interaction between somatosensory neurons and bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) ex vivo. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were used to evaluate neuronal excitability after Ash1L haploinsufficiency in primary sensory neurons. KEY RESULTS: The haploinsufficiency of ASH1L, a histone methyltransferase, in primary sensory neurons causes both neurite hyperinnervation and increased neuronal excitability, which promote miR-let-7b release from primary afferents in the skin in a neuronal activity-dependent manner. With a 'GUUGUGU' core sequence, miR-let-7b functions as an endogenous ligand of toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and stimulates the activation of dermal dendritic cells (DCs) and interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis, ultimately exacerbating the symptoms of psoriasis. Thus, by limiting miR-let-7b release from primary afferents, ASH1L prevents dermal DC activation and ameliorates psoriasis. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Somatosensory neuron ASH1L modulates the cutaneous immune system by limiting neuronal activity-dependent release of miR-let-7b, which can directly activate dermal DCs via TLR7 and ultimately lead to aggravated psoriatic lesion.

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation with Non-Myeloablative Conditioning and Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide Prophylaxis in Patients with Reduced Systolic Function.

Post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) has become standard of care for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT), allowing for expanded donor options. However, there is scant literature examining outcomes of patients with reduced systolic function receiving PTCy. The present study aimed to describe our experience in performing alloHCT in patients with reduced systolic function, including their nonrelapse mortality (NRM), overall survival (OS), and cumulative incidence of early cardiac events (ECEs). We performed a retrospective descriptive analysis using the Johns Hopkins Hematologic Malignancy database. From 2017 through 2021, 1118 consecutive patients underwent alloHCT with nonmyeloablative (NMA) conditioning and PTCy. Forty-three of those patients had a pretransplantation left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤45% measured by transthoracic echocardiography. Patients whose LVEF improved on treatment prior to transplantation were also included. These 2 cohorts were stratified into 2 groups-heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and heart failure with recovered ejection fraction (HFrecEF)-and subgroup analyses compared NRM, OS, and cumulative incidence of ECEs, including arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, reduction in LVEF, and pericardial effusion, within 100 days post-transplantation. The median LVEF was 40% to 45% (range, 30% to 45%) for the 31 patients undergoing transplantation with HFrEF and 35% to 40% (range, 20% to 45%) for the 12 patients with HFrecEF. The NRM for all 43 patients was 16% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5% to 27%) at 100 days and 23% (95% CI, 11% to 36%) at 2 years. The NRM was 23% (95% CI, 8% to 38%) at 100 days and 26% (95% CI, 10% to 42%) at 2 years for the HFrEF cohort and 0 at 100 days and 18% (95% CI, 0 to 41%) at 2 years for the HFrecEf cohort. The OS at 3 years was 41% (95% CI, 26% to 62%), 40% (95% CI, 25% to 65%) and 38% (95% CI, 14% to 100%) in the combined, HFrEF, and HFrecEF cohorts, respectively. The cumulative incidence of any ECE was 37.2% (95% CI, 22% to 51.9%), including 39% of HFrEF subjects and 33% of HFrecEF subjects. Grade ≥3 toxicities were seen in 56% of patients. Reduced ejection fraction was the most common ECE. One death was attributable to a cardiac etiology. Cardiac toxicities seemed to be more frequent and severe in patients with a history of systolic dysfunction, but this did not lead to worse survival outcomes. This study adds to and extends the existing literature supporting the use of NMA conditioning and PTCy in patients with systolic dysfunction.

Detection and genotyping of enteroviruses in 3 960 influenza-negativeinfluenza-like illness cases in Chongqing / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics and genotype distribution of enterovirus (EV) in influenza-negative influenza-like illness (ILI) cases in Chongqing, and to provide a scientific basis for EV prevention and control. Methods Throat swab samples of influenza-negative ILI cases were collected from surveillance sites. The samples were detected for EV using real-time RT-PCR. The VP4 regions of positive samples were amplified and sequenced for genotyping. Results A total of 3 960 influenza-negative ILI samples were collected from January to December 2021, and 316 (7.98%) of them were EV-positive. EV could be detected in influenza-negative ILI cases in Chongqing all year round. The months with high EV-positive rates were January (11.60%), April (10.56%), May (11.79%), June (12.62%), and July (10.33%). There was a statistically significant difference in the detection rate of EV in ILI cases in different regions, gender, and age groups (χ2=29.647，χ2=4.192，χ2=69.176，P<0.05). A total of 213 EV-positive cases were successfully genotyped, including 17 genotypes of EV-A, EV-B, and EV-C and 5 genotypes of HRV-B. The dominant genotypes were CV-A4 (32.86%), CV-A2 (23.00%), CA-6 (12.21%), and CA-10 (11.74%). EV-D and novel EV were not identified in this study. Conclusion EV is an important pathogen in ILI cases in Chongqing. The prevalence of EV in ILI cases in Chongqing has typical regional, seasonal and population characteristics. Prevention and control should be carried out in Chongqing according to the epidemic characteristics of EV.

Mechanistic modelling of relative biological effectiveness of carbon ion beams and comparison with experiments.

Objective.Relative biological effectiveness (RBE) plays a vital role in carbon ion radiotherapy, which is a promising treatment method for reducing toxic effects on normal tissues and improving treatment efficacy. It is important to have an effective and precise way of obtaining RBE values to support clinical decisions. A method of calculating RBE from a mechanistic perspective is reported.Approach.Ratio of dose to obtain the same number of double strand breaks (DSBs) between different radiation types was used to evaluate RBE. Package gMicroMC was used to simulate DSB yields. The DSB inductions were then analyzed to calculate RBE. The RBE values were compared with experimental results.Main results.Furusawa's experiment yielded RBE values of 1.27, 2.22, 3.00 and 3.37 for carbon ion beam with dose-averaged LET of 30.3 keVµm-1, 54.5 keVµm-1, 88 keVµm-1and 137 keVµm-1, respectively. RBE values computed from gMicroMC simulations were 1.75, 2.22, 2.87 and 2.97. When it came to a more sophisticated carbon ion beam with 6 cm spread-out Bragg peak, RBE values were 1.61, 1.63, 2.19 and 2.36 for proximal, middle, distal and distal end part, respectively. Values simulated by gMicroMC were 1.50, 1.87, 2.19 and 2.34. The simulated results were in reasonable agreement with the experimental data.Significance.As a mechanistic way for the evaluation of RBE for carbon ion radiotherapy by combining the macroscopic simulation of energy spectrum and microscopic simulation of DNA damages, this work provides a promising tool for RBE calculation supporting clinical applications such as treatment planning.

Association of Cardiovascular Disease in Patients with Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome Compared to a Matched Control Cohort.

Mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome (MF/SS) produces a low-grade chronic inflammatory state that may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events, as seen in other chronic, systemic dermatologic diseases. To assess this association, a retrospective, cross-sectional study was designed in which 421 patients with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of MF/SS were compared with a control cohort of 4,210 age-, gender-, and race-matched patients randomly selected from the National Health and Nutritional Evaluation Survey database. The MF/SS cohort had a 14% prevalence of CV events, which was not statistically different from the control population's prevalence of 13%. In the MF/SS cohort, a multivariable logistic regression model showed that older patients (OR = 1.05 for each year of age, 95% confidence interval = 1.02-1.07) and those diagnosed with hypertension (OR = 3.40, 95% confidence interval = 1.71-6.75) had a higher risk of a CV event (P < 0.001). Risk factors such as gender, race, smoking, diabetes, and obesity were not significantly associated with CV events. Findings suggest that in the MF/SS population, advancing age and hypertension are risk factors for CV events, requiring clinical recognition and management. In addition, further research is needed to understand the complex interplay of how chronic inflammation in MF/SS impacts the immune development of CV disease.

Ideal Vacuum-Based Efficient and High-Throughput Computational Screening of Type II Heterojunctions.

Heterojunctions featuring a type II band alignment play a crucial role in a wide range of devices, particularly in the realm of solar cells. However, the design of such heterojunctions with a specific type of band alignment poses a substantial challenge due to the immense number of potential combinations of bulk semiconductors and their relative orientations. In this study, we propose an efficient, high-throughput computational screening method tailored for heterojunctions. Our approach, using the ideal vacuum level as a reference energy, eliminates the need for explicit electronic structure calculations for junctions. Through this protocol, we identify 1041 type II heterojunctions out of 2692 structures constructed from 86 selected inorganic compounds with appropriate band gaps sourced from the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database. For potential application in solar cells, we assess these heterojunctions, and remarkably, 58 of them exhibit a power conversion efficiency (PCE) exceeding 15%, with 13 surpassing the 20% threshold. Test calculations with expensive interface models confirm the reliability of PCE predictions based on ideal vacuums. These predictions will be of benefit in assessing the material applicability for solar cell applications. Furthermore, the versatility of our proposed screening method extends beyond solar cells, making it a valuable theoretical design tool that can be applied to a wide range of heterojunction devices.

Immune responses, therapeutic anti-tumor effects, and tolerability upon therapeutic HPV16/18 E6/E7 DNA vaccination via needle-free biojector.

IMPORTANCE: Respectively, HPV16 and HPV18 cause 50% and 20% of cervical cancer cases globally. Viral proteins E6 and E7 are obligate drivers of oncogenic transformation. We recently developed a candidate therapeutic DNA vaccine, pBI-11, that targets HPV16 and HPV18 E6 and E7. Single-site intramuscular delivery of pBI-11 via a needle elicited therapeutic anti-tumor effects in mice and is now being tested in high-risk human papillomavirus+ head and neck cancer patients (NCT05799144). Needle-free biojectors such as the Tropis device show promise due to ease of administration, high patient acceptability, and the possibility of improved delivery. For example, vaccination of patients with the ZyCoV-D DNA vaccine using the Tropis device is effective against COVID19, well tolerated, and licensed. Here we show that split-dose, multi-site administration and intradermal delivery via the Tropis biojector increase the delivery of pBI-11 DNA vaccine, enhance HPV antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell responses, and improve anti-tumor therapeutic effects, suggesting its translational potential to treat HPV16/18 infection and disease.

Efficacy and Safety of Anti-HER2 Targeted Therapy for Metastatic HR-Positive and HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis.

Despite the development of HER2-targeted drugs, achieving favorable outcomes for patients with HR+/HER2+MBC remains challenging. This study utilized Bayesian Network Meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of anti-HER2 combination regimens. The primary analysis focused on progression-free survival (PFS), while secondary analyses included objective response rate, overall survival (OS) and the incidence rate of grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs). A comprehensive search across seven databases identified 25 randomized controlled trials for inclusion in this meta-analysis. For patients eligible for endocrinotherapy, our findings revealed that dual-target combined endocrine therapy, such as Her2-mAb+Her2-mAb+Endo (HR = 0.38; 95%CrI: 0.16-0.88) and Her2-mAb+Her2-tki+Endo (HR = 0.45; 95%CrI: 0.23-0.89), significantly improved PFS compared to endocrine therapy alone. According to the surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRAs), Her2-mAb+Her2-mAb+Endo and Her2-mAb+Her2-tki+Endo ranked highest in terms of PFS and OS, respectively. For patients unsuitable for endocrine therapy, anti-HER2 dual-target combined chemotherapy, such as Her2-mAb+Her2-mAb+Chem (HR = 0.76; 95%CrI: 0.6-0.96) and Her2-mAb+Her2-tki+Chem (HR = 0.48; 95%CrI: 0.29-0.81), demonstrated significant improvements in PFS compared to Her2-mAb+Chem. The results were the same when compared with Her2-tki+Chem. According to the SUCRAs, Her2-mAb+Her2-tki+Chem and Her2-mAb+Her2-mAb+Chem ranked highest for PFS and OS, respectively. Subgroup analyses consistently supported these overall findings, indicating that dual-target therapy was the optimal approach irrespective of treatment line.

Feasibility of Symptom Monitoring During the First Year of Endocrine Therapy for Early Breast Cancer Using Patient-Reported Outcomes Collected via Smartphone App.

PURPOSE: Treatment-associated symptoms drive early discontinuation of adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) for breast cancer. We hypothesized that symptom monitoring with electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) during adjuvant ET will enhance symptom detection, symptom management, and persistence. METHODS: Eligible patients were initiating ET for stage 0-III breast cancer. Participants completed ePRO surveys via smartphone at baseline and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Measures included Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Anxiety, Depression, Fatigue, and Vaginal Discomfort; plus Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events items assessing joint pain, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, concentration problems, and memory problems. Scores surpassing prespecified thresholds triggered alerts, and recommended symptom management pathways were provided to clinicians. The primary objective was to evaluate feasibility, assessed by survey completion rates, with targets of >65% for the baseline survey and ≥1 follow-up survey during the first 6 months. Secondary objectives included 12-month ET discontinuation rate (target: ≤15%), describing symptoms and evaluating pathway implementation. RESULTS: Among 250 participants, 73.2% completed the baseline survey and 69.6% completed ≥1 follow-up survey during the first 6 months. Thirty-one percent of participants had ≥1 symptom alert at baseline and 74% had ≥1 symptom alert during follow-up. The proportions of participants for whom pathway-concordant symptom management was documented at each time point ranged from 12.8% to 36.6%. Twenty-eight participants (11.2%) discontinued ET by 12 months. CONCLUSION: Symptom monitoring with ePROs during adjuvant ET is feasible. Despite infrequent documentation of pathway-concordant symptom management after symptom alerts, ePROs were associated with favorable short-term ET persistence.

The effect of artesunate to reverse CLP-induced sepsis immunosuppression mice with secondary infection is tightly related to reducing the apoptosis of T cells via decreasing the inhibiting receptors and activating MAPK/ERK pathway.

T cells play an important role in regulating immune system balance. Sepsis-associated immunosuppression causes apoptosis of T cells and a decrease in their number. Previously, artesunate was found to have an immunomodulatory effect on immunosuppression in model mice with cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis. In the present study, mouse sepsis models of CLP and CLP with secondary infection were established and treated with artesunate in order to examine the effect of artesunate on adaptive immune response in sepsis-related immunosuppression. The results showed that artesunate treatment could increase the survival rate of CLP mice with secondary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, increase the bacterial clearance rate, and also increase the level of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α. In addition, artesunate resulted in an increase in the number of T cells, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, and inhibited CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell apoptosis. Artesunate was also found to inhibit the expression of the inhibitory receptors of PD-1, CTLA-4, and BTLA, but it did not affect the expression of Tim-3. Additionally, artesunate significantly increased the phosphorylated ERK level of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells and inhibited mitochondrial pathway-mediated apoptosis in CLP mice with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. These findings reveal that artesunate has an immunomodulatory effect on the adaptive immune response in sepsis. These effects include an increase in the numbers of T cells, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells through inhibition of the expression of inhibitory receptors and promotion of the MAPK/ERK pathway.

Haploidentical donor hematopoietic cell transplantation for myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative overlap neoplasms: results from a North American collaboration.

Haploidentical donors offer a potentially readily available donor, especially for non-White patients, for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). In this North American collaboration, we retrospectively analyzed outcomes of first HCT using haploidentical donor and post-transplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) in myelodysplastic syndrome/myeloproliferative neoplasm (MDS/MPN) overlap neoplasms (MDS/MPN). We included 120 consecutive patients who underwent HCT using a haploidentical donor for MDS/MPN across 15 centers. Median age was 62.5 years and 38% were of non-White/Caucasian ethnicity. The median follow-up was 2.4 years. Graft failure was reported in seven of 120 (6%) patients. At 3 years, nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was 25% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17-34), relapse 27% (95% CI: 18-36), grade 3-4 acute graftversus- host disease 12% (95% CI: 6-18), chronic graft-versus-host disease requiring systemic immunosuppression 14% (95% CI: 7-20), progression-free survival (PFS) 48% (95% CI: 39-59), and overall survival (OS) 56% (95% CI: 47-67). On multivariable analysis, NRM was statistically significantly associated with advancing age at HCT (per decade increment, subdistribution hazard ratio [sdHR] =3.28; 95% CI: 1.30-8.25); relapse with the presence of mutation in EZH2/RUNX1/SETBP1 (sdHR=2.61; 95% CI: 1.06-6.44); PFS with advancing age at HCT (per decade increment, HR=1.98, 95% CI: 1.13-3.45); and OS with advancing age at HCT (per decade increment, HR=2.01; 95% CI: 1.11-3.63) and splenomegaly at HCT/prior splenectomy (HR=2.20; 95% CI: 1.04-4.65). Haploidentical donors are a viable option for HCT in MDS/MPN, especially for those disproportionately represented in the unrelated donor registry. Hence, donor mismatch should not preclude HCT for patients with MDS/MPN, an otherwise incurable malignancy. In addition to patient age, disease-related factors including splenomegaly and high-risk mutations dominate outcomes following HCT.

Identifying potential insecticide resistance markers through genomic-level comparison of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) lines.

The invasive whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) MED is one of the most economically damaging plant pests. The extensive use of insecticide over decades has led to that the invasive B. tabaci MED has developed resistance to a wide range of insecticide classes, but little is known about the genetic background associated with resistance. To this end, we conducted a comparative genome-wide analysis of single-base nucleotide polymorphisms between MED whitefly lines collected from fields that were recently infested and an insecticide-susceptible MED whitefly line collected in 1976. First, low-coverage genome sequencings were conducted on DNA isolated from individual whiteflies. The sequencing results were evaluated using an available B. tabaci MED genome as a reference. Significant genetic differences were discovered between MED whitefly lines collected from fields that were recently infested and an insecticide-susceptible MED whitefly line based on the principal component analyses. Top GO categories and KEGG pathways that might be involved in insecticide resistance development were identified, and several of them have not been previously associated with resistance. Additionally, we identified several genetic loci with novel variations including Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s), UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs), Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), esterase, carboxyl-esterases (COE), ABC transporters, fatty acyl-CoA reductase, voltage-gated sodium channels, GABA receptor, and cuticle proteins (CPs) that were previously reported to have close associations with pesticide resistance in well-studied insect groups that provide an essential resource for the design of insecticide resistance-linked loci arrays insecticide. Our results was obtained solely on resequencing genome data sets, more pesticide bio-assays combined with omics datasets should be further used to verify the markers identified here.

Associations of Clinical Risk Factors and Novel Biomarkers With Age at Onset of Type 2 Diabetes.

CONTEXT: Younger onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) was associated with higher risks of vascular complications and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively assess risk profiles for incident T2D stratified by age at onset. METHODS: A total of 471 269 participants free of T2D at baseline were included from the UK Biobank. Approximately 70 clinical, lipid, lipoprotein, inflammatory, and metabolic markers, and genetic risk scores (GRSs) were analyzed. Stratified Cox proportional-hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for T2D with age of diagnosis divided into 4 groups (≤50.0, 50.1-60.0, 60.1-70.0, and >70.0 years). RESULTS: During 11 years of follow-up, 15 805 incident T2D were identified. Among clinical risk factors, obesity had the highest HR at any age, ranging from 13.16 (95% CI, 9.67-17.91) for 50.0 years and younger to 4.13 (3.78-4.51) for older than 70.0 years. Other risks associated with T2D onset at age 50.0 years and younger included dyslipidemia (3.50, 2.91-4.20), hypertension (3.21, 2.71-3.80), cardiovascular disease (2.87, 2.13-3.87), parental history of diabetes (2.42, 2.04-2.86), education lower than college (1.89, 1.57-2.27), physical inactivity (1.73, 1.43-2.10), smoking (1.38, 1.13-1.68), several lipoprotein particles, inflammatory markers, liver enzymes, fatty acids, amino acids, as well as GRS. Associations of most risk factors and biomarkers were markedly attenuated with increasing age at onset (P interaction <.05), and some were not significant for onset at age older than 70.0 years, such as smoking, systolic blood pressure, and apolipoprotein B. CONCLUSION: Most risk factors or biomarkers had stronger relative risks for T2D at younger ages, which emphasizes the necessity of promoting primary prevention among younger individuals. Moreover, obesity should be prioritized.

Comparative evolutionary analyses of eight whitefly Bemisia tabaci sensu lato genomes: cryptic species, agricultural pests and plant-virus vectors.

BACKGROUND: The group of > 40 cryptic whitefly species called Bemisia tabaci sensu lato are amongst the world's worst agricultural pests and plant-virus vectors. Outbreaks of B. tabaci s.l. and the associated plant-virus diseases continue to contribute to global food insecurity and social instability, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Published B. tabaci s.l. genomes have limited use for studying African cassava B. tabaci SSA1 species, due to the high genetic divergences between them. Genomic annotations presented here were performed using the 'Ensembl gene annotation system', to ensure that comparative analyses and conclusions reflect biological differences, as opposed to arising from different methodologies underpinning transcript model identification. RESULTS: We present here six new B. tabaci s.l. genomes from Africa and Asia, and two re-annotated previously published genomes, to provide evolutionary insights into these globally distributed pests. Genome sizes ranged between 616-658 Mb and exhibited some of the highest coverage of transposable elements reported within Arthropoda. Many fewer total protein coding genes (PCG) were recovered compared to the previously published B. tabaci s.l. genomes and structural annotations generated via the uniform methodology strongly supported a repertoire of between 12.8-13.2 × 103 PCG. An integrative systematics approach incorporating phylogenomic analysis of nuclear and mitochondrial markers supported a monophyletic Aleyrodidae and the basal positioning of B. tabaci Uganda-1 to the sub-Saharan group of species. Reciprocal cross-mating data and the co-cladogenesis pattern of the primary obligate endosymbiont 'Candidatus Portiera aleyrodidarum' from 11 Bemisia genomes further supported the phylogenetic reconstruction to show that African cassava B. tabaci populations consist of just three biological species. We include comparative analyses of gene families related to detoxification, sugar metabolism, vector competency and evaluate the presence and function of horizontally transferred genes, essential for understanding the evolution and unique biology of constituent B. tabaci. s.l species. CONCLUSIONS: These genomic resources have provided new and critical insights into the genetics underlying B. tabaci s.l. biology. They also provide a rich foundation for post-genomic research, including the selection of candidate gene-targets for innovative whitefly and virus-control strategies.