A comparative analysis of real-time quantitative PCR and metabarcoding methods for eDNA-based detection of the toxic dinophyte Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae).

The marine dinophyte Alexandrium tamiyavanichii is a toxigenic species that produces a group of neurotoxins that is responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning in humans. Early detection of the species is essential for efficient monitoring. Harmful microalgal monitoring systems have evolved over the years with the advent of environmental DNA (eDNA)-based species detection techniques. In this study, eDNA samples were collected from a large-scale sampling covering the southern South China Sea. The sensitivity and specificity of metabarcoding of the V4 and V9 18S ribosomal DNA barcodes by high-throughput sequencing (HTS) were compared to the species-specific real-time qPCR targeting the A. tamiyavanichii ITS2 region. Environmental samples were screened for A. tamiyavanichii by qPCR (n = 43) and analyzed with metabarcoding (n = 30). Our results revealed a high occupancy profile across samples for both methods; 88% by qPCR, and 80-83% by HTS. When comparing the consistency between the two approaches, only two samples out of 30 were discordant. The V4 and V9 molecular units detected in each sample were positively correlated with the qPCR ITS2 gene copies (V4, rs = 0.67, p < 0.0001; V9, rs = 0.65, p < 0.0001), indicating that metabarcoding could be used as a useful tool for early detection of the species. Our results also revealed that the estimation of A. tamiyavanichii cell abundances based on the HTS read abundances was comparable to that of the qPCR quantification. For long-term monitoring, metabarcoding could serve as a cost-effective screening of detecting not only single HAB species but also simultaneously detecting a multitude of potentially harmful species, which is valuable in informing the subsequent implementation of species-specific monitoring strategies.

Diversity and seasonal occurrence of haptophyta in northern South China Sea through size-fractionated metabarcoding.

Haptophyta plays a key role in marine pico-nanoeukaryote communities but information on their diversity and ecology is extremely limited. A total of 103 water samples were collected in northern South China Sea to assess the diversity of haptophyta through metabarcoding targeting 18S V4 rDNA. Furthermore, we investigated the potential genetic differentiation among seasonal occurring Phaeocystis globosa using the high resolution molecular marker pgcp1. 18S V4 rDNA metabarcoding dataset revealed 41 species of haptophytes, with 16 of them as the first record in this region. Notably, six harmful species were detected, including Chrysochromulina leadbeateri, Phaeocystis globosa, and Prymnesium parvum. The pgcp1 marker revealed two clades of Phaeocystis globosa and both of them were present around the year. Clade I was found to predominate in warm season, while Clade III tended to bloom in cold waters. Our results highlight the risk potential of harmful haptophytes in the northern South China Sea.

Spatiotemporal Expansion of Algal Blooms in Coastal China Seas.

The coastal seas of China are increasingly threatened by algal blooms, yet their comprehensive spatiotemporal mapping and understanding of underlying drivers remain challenging due to high turbidity and heterogeneous water conditions. We developed a singular value decomposition-based algorithm to map these blooms using two decades of MODIS-Aqua satellite data, spanning from 2003 to 2022. Our findings indicate significant algal activity along the Chinese coastline, impacting an average annual area of approximately 1.8 × 105 km2. The blooms exhibit peak intensity in August, while the maximum affected area occurs in September, featuring multifrequency outbreaks in spring, and pronounced large-scale events in summer and autumn. Notably, our analysis demonstrates a robust 67% increase in bloom occurrences over the study period. This expansion is primarily attributed to increased nutrient inflow from terrestrial sources linked to human activity and precipitation, compounded by rising global sea surface temperatures. These spatiotemporal insights are critical for devising effective management strategies and policies to mitigate the impacts of algal blooms.

Targeting the Cdc2-like kinase 2 for overcoming platinum resistance in ovarian cancer.

Platinum resistance represents a major barrier to the survival of patients with ovarian cancer (OC). Cdc2-like kinase 2 (CLK2) is a major protein kinase associated with oncogenic phenotype and development in some solid tumors. However, the exact role and underlying mechanism of CLK2 in the progression of OC is currently unknown. Using microarray gene expression profiling and immunostaining on OC tissues, we found that CLK2 was upregulated in OC tissues and was associated with a short platinum-free interval in patients. Functional assays showed that CLK2 protected OC cells from platinum-induced apoptosis and allowed tumor xenografts to be more resistant to platinum. Mechanistically, CLK2 phosphorylated breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) at serine 1423 (Ser1423) to enhance DNA damage repair, resulting in platinum resistance in OC cells. Meanwhile, in OC cells treated with platinum, p38 stabilized CLK2 protein through phosphorylating at threonine 343 of CLK2. Consequently, the combination of CLK2 and poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors achieved synergistic lethal effect to overcome platinum resistance in patient-derived xenografts, especially those with wild-type BRCA1. These findings provide evidence for a potential strategy to overcome platinum resistance in OC patients by targeting CLK2.

Maintaining the native gut microbiota of bharal (Pseudois nayaur) is crucial in ex situ conservation.

As wildlife protection continue to strengthen, research on the gut microbiota of wildlife is increasing. Carrying out conservation and research on endangered species in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau plays an important role in global biodiversity conservation. This study utilized 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal samples to investigate the composition, function, and changes of the gut microbiota of bharal in different environments, seasons, and genders. The results showed that Firmicutes and Bacteroidota were the dominant phyla and UCG-005, Bacteroides, UCG-010 were the dominant genera of bharal. In the wild, the abundance of Firmicutes increased which was conducive to the decomposition and utilization of cellulose, hemicellulose, and carbohydrate. Due to the variety of food types and nutrition in different seasons, the composition and function of gut microbiota were obviously different between genders. Compared with zoo, higher alpha diversity, a more complex gut microbiota network structure, and stronger metabolic function were conducive bharal to adapting to the wild environment. In the zoo, captive bharals were fed foods rich in high fat and protein, which increased the abundance of Bacteroidota and reduced the alpha diversity of gut microbiota. A fixed diet unified the gut microbiota between genders of bharal. It is very important to pay attention to the impact of captive environments and maintain the native gut microbiota of wildlife.

Physical drivers of Noctiluca scintillans (Dinophyceae) blooms outbreak in the northern Taiwan Strait: A numerical study.

The red Noctiluca scintillans (RNS) blooms often break out near Pingtan Island, in the northern Taiwan Strait from April to June. It is essential to gain insights into their formation mechanism to predict and provide early warnings for these blooms. Previous studies and observations showed that RNS blooms are the most likely to occur when winds are weak and shifting in direction. To explore this phenomenon further, we employed a high-resolution coastal model to investigate the hydrodynamics influencing RNS blooms around Pingtan Island from April to June 2022. The model results revealed that seawater exhibited weak circulation but strong stratification during RNS blooms. Residence time were examined through numerical experiments by releasing passive neutrally buoyant particles in three bays of Pingtan Island. The results showed a significantly longer residence time during RNS blooms, indicating reduced flushing capabilities within the bays, which could give RNS a stable environment to multiply and aggregate. This hydrodynamic condition provided a favorable basis for RNS blooms breakout near Pingtan Island. The shifts and weakening of the prevailing northeast wind contributed substantially to weakening the flow field around Pingtan Island and played a crucial role in creating the hydrodynamics conducive to RNS blooms. Our study offers fresh insights into the mechanisms underpinning RNS blooms formation near Pingtan Island, providing a vital framework for forecasting RNS blooms in this region.

Chemotherapy alone versus chemotherapy plus 125I brachytherapy for the second-line treatment of locally recurrent cervical cancer after/with radical treatment: A propensity score analysis.

Rationale and objectives: The primary aim of this study was to conduct a retrospective comparative analysis of the survival outcomes in patients with recurrent cervical cancer (CC). Specifically, we aimed to compare the efficacy of chemotherapy alone versus the combined approach of chemotherapy and 125I brachytherapy subsequent to the failure of initial chemotherapy treatment. Materials and methods: Patients diagnosed with recurrent CC subsequent to the failure of initial chemotherapy from January 2007 to December 2016 were enrolled from 2 hospitals. These patients were then divided into two groups: Group A, which underwent second-line chemotherapy alone, and Group B, which received both second-line chemotherapy and 125I brachytherapy. The assessment of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was carried out through propensity score matching (PSM) (1:1), Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazard regression for survival analysis. Results: A matched cohort comprising 88 patients each in Group A and Group B was included in the study. In Group A, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative PFS rates were 40.9 %, 15.9 %, and 5.7 % respectively, while in Group B, these rates were significantly higher at 79.5 %, 48.9 %, and 25.0 % (P = 0.003). Similarly, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year cumulative OS rates among Group A were 67.0 %, 27.3 %, and 5.7 % compared to 89.8 %, 63.6 %, and 30.7 % among Group B, suggesting a difference with statistical significance (P < 0.001) between the two groups. Moreover, the incidence of complications was similar between groups (P = 0.698). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the combined approach of chemotherapy and 125I brachytherapy yields superior therapeutic effects but similar complication rates compared to chemotherapy alone in patients experiencing local recurrence of CC following failed initial chemotherapy.

Gut microbiota non-convergence and adaptations in sympatric Tibetan and Przewalski's gazelles.

Unraveling the connection between gut microbiota and adaptability in wild species in natural habitats is imperative yet challenging. We studied the gut microbiota of sympatric and allopatric populations of two closely related species, the Procapra picticaudata and P. przewalskii, with the latter showing lower adaptability and adaptive potential than the former. Despite shared habitat, sympatric populations showed no convergence in gut microbiota, revealing distinct microbiota-environment relationships between the two gazelle species. Furthermore, the gut microbiota assembly process of the P. przewalskii was shifted toward homogeneous selection processes relative to that of the P. picticaudata. Those taxa which contributed to the shift were mainly from the phyla Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobiota, with functions highly related to micronutrient and macronutrient metabolism. Our study provides new insights into the complex dynamics between gut microbiota, host adaptability, and environment in wildlife adaptation and highlights the need to consider host adaptability when examining wildlife host-microbiome interplay.

Toxic effects of combined exposure to homoyessotoxin and nitrite on the survival, antioxidative responses, and apoptosis of the abalone Haliotis discus hannai.

Homoyessotoxin (homo-YTX) and nitrite (NO2-N), released during harmful dinoflagellate cell lysis adversely affect abalones. However, their toxicity mechanisms in shellfish remain unclear. This study investigated the economic abalone species Haliotis discus hannai exposed to varying concentrations of homo-YTX (0, 2, 5, and 10 µg L-1) and NO2-N (0, 3, and 6 mg L-1) on the basis of their 12 h LC50 values (5.05 µg L-1 and 4.25 mg L-1, respectively) and the environmentally relevant dissolved concentrations during severe dinoflagellate blooms, including mixtures. The test abalones were exposed to homo-YTX and NO2-N for 12 h. The mortality rate (D), reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, antioxidant defense capabilities, and expression levels of antioxidant-related, Hsp-related, and apoptosis-related genes in abalone gills were assessed. Results showed that the combined exposure to homo-YTX and NO2-N increased the D and ROS levels and upregulated B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL2)-associated X (BAX) and caspase3 (CASP3) expression levels while reducing glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and GPx, CuZnSOD, and BCL2 expression levels. High concentrations of homo-YTX (10 µg L-1) and NO2-N (6 mg L-1) solutions and the combinations of these toxicants inhibited the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and downregulated the expression levels of MnSOD, CAT, Hsp70, and Hsp90. The ROS levels were negatively correlated with the activities of SOD, CAT, and GPx and the expression levels of MnSOD, CuZnSOD, CAT, GPx, Hsp70, Hsp90, and BCL2. These results suggest that homo-YTX, in conjunction with NO2-N, induces oxidative stress, disrupts antioxidant defense systems, and triggers caspase-dependent apoptosis in the gills of abalone. ROS-mediated antioxidative and heat-shock responses and apoptosis emerge as potential toxicity mechanisms affecting the survival of H. discus hannai due to homo-YTX and NO2-N exposure.

Significance of phosphate adsorbed on the cellular surface as a storage pool and its regulation in marine microalgae.

The increasing prevalence of phosphorus limitation in coastal waters has drawn attention to the bioavailability of cellular surface-adsorbed phosphorus (SP) as a reservoir of phosphorus in phytoplankton. This study examined the storage, utilization, and regulation of SP in the coastal waters of the East China Sea, as well as three cultivated algal bloom species (Skeletonema marinoi, Prorocentrum shikokuense, and Karenia mikimotoi) prevalent in the area. SP accounted for 14.3%-45.5% of particulate phosphorus in the field and laboratory species. After the depletion of external phosphate, the studied species can rapidly transport SP within 3-24 h. The storage of SP is regulated by both external phosphate conditions and the internal growth stage of cells, but it is not influenced by the various cellular surface structures of the studied species. This study highlights the significance of SP as a crucial phosphorus reservoir and the potential use of the SP level as an indicator of phosphorus deficiency in phytoplankton.

Seasonal Variation of Gut Microbial Composition and Metabolism in Tibetan antelopes in Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve.

The Tibetan antelope is an endangered species suffering from poaching and habitat fragmentation. The intestinal flora and metabolites play a crucial role in the physiological homeostasis of hosts, which are influenced by various environmental factors like seasonal variation. In this particular research, our main goal was to explore the alterations in the metabolism and gut microbiota of Tibetan antelopes between the cold season (XB) and warm season (DA), using untargeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene-sequencing analyses. The findings indicated that Tibetan antelopes had a higher alpha-diversity of intestinal microbes during the cold season than during the warm season. Principal co-ordinate analysis revealed notable seasonal discrepancies in the function and structure of intestinal microbes in Tibetan antelopes. The relative abundance of Firmicutes was significantly increased during the cold season compared to during the warm season. Furthermore, the Tibetan antelope's primary metabolic functions of the intestinal micro-organisms were significantly higher during the cold season. The untargeted metabolomics analysis results showed a total of 532 metabolites that were significantly different between the cold season and warm season groups. These metabolites were found to be enriched in a total of 62 metabolic pathways. Among the most significant pathways of enrichment were the purine metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism. The levels of related metabolites in those pathways were remarkably higher in the warm season compared to the cold season. The comprehensive analysis of 16S rRNA and the metabolome reveals there is a significant correlation between differential microbiota and differential metabolites. Therefore, the gut microbiota changes caused by seasonal changes influenced the metabolites as well. This research reveals the function of seasonal changes in the intestinal flora and metabolites in the adaptation of Tibetan antelopes to environmental fluctuations and supplies a theoretical basis for instructing the protection management of Tibetan antelopes.

Mapping harmful microalgal species by eDNA monitoring: A large-scale survey across the southwestern South China Sea.

A large-scale sampling was undertaken during a research cruise across the South China Sea in August 2016, covering an area of about 100,000 km2 to investigate the molecular diversity and distributions of micro-eukaryotic protists, with a focus on the potentially harmful microalgal (HAB) species along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Environmental DNAs from 30 stations were extracted and DNA metabarcoding targeting the V4 and V9 markers in the 18S rDNA was performed. Many protistan molecular units, including previously unreported HAB taxa, were discovered for the first time in the water. Our findings also revealed interesting spatial distribution patterns, with a marked signal of compositional turnover between latitudinal regimes of water masses, where dinophytes and diatom compositions were among the most strongly enhanced at the fronts, leading to distinct niches. Our results further confirmed the widespread distribution of HAB species, such as the toxigenic Alexandrium tamiyavaichii and Pseudo-nitzschia species, and the fish-killing Margalefidinium polykrikoides and Karlodinium veneficum. The molecular information obtained from this study provides an updated HAB species inventory and a toolset that could facilitate existing HAB monitoring schemes in the region to better inform management decisions.

Dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi on the growth performance, antioxidative responses, and physiological activities of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis.

The harmful dinoflagellate Karenia mikimotoi is responsible for the mortality of aquatic animals. However, the mechanism behind these toxic effects has not been fully determined. Herein, the toxic effects of K. mikimotoi on the growth performance, antioxidative responses, physiological activities, and energetic substance contents of rotifer Brachionus plicatilis were assessed. Rotifers were exposed to Nannochloropsis salina (Eustigmatophyceae), K. mikimotoi, and a mixture of N. salina and K. mikimotoi with biomass ratio proportions of 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3, respectively. Results indicated that K. mikimotoi negatively affected the population growth, survival, and specific growth rates of rotifers within 24 h. The level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the content of malondialdehyde, and the activity of amylase increased. However, the total antioxidant capacity level, pepsase, cellulase, alkaline phosphatase, xanthine oxidase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities, and glycogen and protein contents decreased with increasing proportions of K. mikimotoi. The mixture of 50% N. salina and 50% K. mikimotoi promoted the increase in glutamic-pyruvic transaminase activity and triglyceride content. These findings underscore ROS-mediated antioxidative responses, physiological responses, and energetic substance content changes in B. plicatilis work together to affect population dynamics inhibition of rotifers by K. mikimotoi.

Metabarcoding revealed a high diversity of Amphidomataceae (Dinophyceae) and the seasonal distribution of their toxigenic species in the Taiwan Strait.

The dinophyte family Amphidomataceae includes the genera Azadinium and Amphidoma. Four of these species are known to produce azaspiracids, which are lipophilic phycotoxins accumulating in shellfish. The diversity and biogeography of Amphidomataceae is far from yet resolved. Here we performed a time series sampling of both water and sediments in the Taiwan Strait from Nov. 2018 to April 2021. Metabarcoding was performed to unveil the diversity of Amphidomataceae targeting internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) region and partial large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU rDNA D1-D3), followed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) with modified primers for Az. poporum ribotypes. The diversity of Amphidomataceae was revealed from the water samples with the aid of ITS1 and LSU based molecular phylogeny. The LSU based approach detected only a few species. In contrast, ITS1 based dataset showed eight new Azadinium clades and several ZOTUs (zero-radius operational taxonomic units) grouping together with Am. languida. Moreover, eleven known Azadinium species including three ribotypes of Az. poporum and Az. dexteroporum, and two ribotypes of Az. spinosum, were detected. The latter two species have not been reported in China before. Among these toxigenic species, Az. poporum was relevantly abundant whereas others were rare. The maximum of 209 cells L -1 of Az. poporum ribotype A was estimated using qPCR nearby Quanzhou in Nov. 2018 and 172 cells L 1 of Az. poporum ribotype B was detected far off coast in Apr. 2021. Metabarcoding on sediment samples revealed Az. poporum ribotypes B and C, but strains obtained with sediment incubation experiments yielded only ribotype B. Using qPCR about 0.2 cysts g -1 of Az. poporum ribotype B were quantified in May 2019 but cysts of Az. poporum ribotype C were not detected. Our results suggest that metabarcoding targeting ITS1 region is powerful to uncover the diversity of harmful dinophytes. Our results also highlight the rich diversity of Amphidomataceae and risk potential of azaspiracids in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding waters.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in air, foliage, and litter in a subtropical forest: Spatioseasonal variations, partitioning, and litter-PAH degradation.

Forest canopies play a vital role in scavenging airborne semi-volatile organic compounds. The present study measured polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the understory air (at two heights), foliage, and litterfall in a subtropical rainforest (the Dinghushan mountain) in southern China. ∑17PAH concentrations in the air ranged from 2.75 to 44.0 ng/m3 (mean = 8.91 ng/m3), showing a spatial variation depending on the forest canopy coverage. Vertical distributions of the understory air concentrations also indicated PAH inputs from the above-canopy air. The concentrations of PAHs in fresh litter (with a mean of 261 ± 163 ng/g dry weight (dw)) were slightly lower than those in the foliage (362 ± 291 ng/g dw). Unlike the stable air PAH concentrations for most of the time of the year, the temporal variations of foliage and litter concentrations were remarkable but generally similar. Higher or comparable leaf/litter-air partition coefficients (KLA) in fresh litter compared with living KLA in leaves suggest that the forest litter layer is an efficient storage media for PAHs. Degradation of three-ring PAHs in litter under the field conditions follows first-order kinetics (R2 = 0.81), while the degradation is moderate for four-ring PAHs and insignificant for five- and six-ring PAHs. The yearly net cumulative deposition of PAHs through forest litterfall in the whole Dinghushan forest area over the sampling year was about 1.1 kg, 46% of the initial deposition (2.4 kg). This spatial variations study provides the results of in-field degradation of litter PAHs and makes a quantitative assessment of the litter deposition of PAHs, deducing their residence dynamics in the litter layer in a subtropical rainforest.

Occurrence of Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus in Cucurbit Plants in China.

In August 2022, melon (Cucumis melo), cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and luffa (Luffa aegyptiaca) plants showed virus-like symptoms characteristic of geminiviruses (yellowish green, mosaic patterns and severe curling of leaves, short internodes, and stunting) in 10 greenhouses in Fengxian district and 20 greenhoues in Jiading district of Shanghai, China. Fifty symptomatic leaf samples were randomly collected: 28 from melon, 17 from cucumber, and 5 from luffa. To investigate the etiology of the observed disease, total DNA and RNA was extracted via a DNA extraction kit (Tiangen, Not: DP350) and TRIzol reagent (Sigma-Aldrich, Not: T9424), respectively. Healthy melon plants grown in a growth chamber served as negative control. The DNA and RNA samples were screened for the presence of geminiviruses, Cucurbit chlorotic yellow virus (CCYV), Melon yellow spot virus (MYSV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) and Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) through PCR or RT‒PCR with geminiviruses (Deng et al. 1994), CCYV, MYSV, CMV, ZYMV and CGMMV (Zeng et al. 2011, 2019) primers. The PCR results showed that 28 melon leaves and 17 cucumber leaves were positive for geminivirus and CCYV, respectively, 5 luffa samples were infected with only geminivirus, and virus was not detected from the healthy plants. These results indicate that these two viruses are widely distributed throughout cucurbit crops in Shanghai, China. All the geminiviruses sequences (approximately 510 bp) were quite similar to each other and were most similar (99.4%) to the Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) sequence (GenBank Accession No. OP356207) (Li et al. 2022). To confirm the presence of geminiviruses, the segments of DNA-A and DNA-B were amplified by PCR with 4 ToLCNDV-specific primer sets (Mizutani et al. 2011) and sequenced from 10 samples (4 melon, 4 cucumber and 2 luffa). Both DNA-A and DNA-B of the ToLCNDV sequences and features were deposited in GenBank under the accession numbers OQ190939-OQ190948 (DNA-A, 2739 nt) and OQ190949-OQ190958 (DNA-B, 2693 nt). BLASTn analysis of Shanghai isolates of ToLCNDV (DNA-A and DNA-B) showed that the sequences shared nucleotide identities ranged from 99.3% to 100% among them and with values of more than 99.4% nucleotide identity with ToLCNDV isolates from tomato in China (OP356207 and OP356208) (Li et al. 2022). To confirm the virus infection, we have successfully constructed an infectious clone for 0823-1 isolate in the binary plasmid and inoculated melon with and without an infectious clone. The melon plants inoculated with ToLCNDV 15 dpi showed the high accumulation of the virus and displayed symptoms similar to viruses in greenhouse. Based on the complete sequences, results of the molecular phylogenetic analysis (Fig. 2) and infectious clone, these geminiviruses were identified as ToLCNDV. ToLCNDV has been reported to occur and spread by the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) in many Asian countries (Sohrab et al. 2003; Sohrab et al. 2011; Aamir et al. 2020) and Europe (Juárez et al. 2014; Ruiz et al. 2015; Luigi et al. 2019). Large populations of whiteflies were also present in all our surveyed areas. However, to our knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence of ToLCNDV in cucurbit plants in China. The presence of ToLCNDV and CCYV can cause severe losses in crop yields or even crop failure. In addition to TYLCV, ToLCNDV is another major geminivirus-induced disease threatening cucurbit and other vegetable production in China.

Tislelizumab for cervical cancer: A retrospective study and analysis of correlative blood biomarkers.

Background: Tislelizumab is an anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody engineered to minimize binding to Fcγ receptors. It has been used to treat several solid tumors. However, its efficacy and toxicity, and the predictive and prognostic value of baseline hematological parameters in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer (R/M CC) receiving tislelizumab remain unclear. Methods: We reviewed 115 patients treated for R/M CC with tislelizumab from March 2020 to June 2022 in our institute. The antitumor activity of tislelizumab was assessed using RECIST v1.1. Associations between the baseline hematological parameters and efficacy of tislelizumab in these patients were analyzed. Results: With a median follow-up of 11.3 months (range, 2.2-28.7), the overall response rate was 39.1% (95% CI, 30.1-48.2) and the disease control rate was 77.4% (95% CI, 69.6-85.2). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 19.6 months (95% CI, 10.7 to not reached). The median overall survival (OS) was not reached. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade occurred in 81.7% of the patients and only 7.0% of the patients experienced grade 3 or 4 TRAEs. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses showed that the level of pretreatment serum C-reactive protein (CRP) was an independent risk factor for the response (complete or partial response) to tislelizumab and the PFS of R/M CC patients treated with tislelizumab (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.002, respectively). R/M CC patients with elevated baseline CRP levels had a short PFS (P = 0.0005). Additionally, the CRP-to-albumin ratio (CAR) was an independent risk factor for the PFS and OS of R/M CC patients treated with tislelizumab (P = 0.001 and P = 0.031, respectively). R/M CC patients with an elevated baseline CAR had short PFS and OS (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0323, respectively). Conclusions: Tislelizumab showed promising antitumor activity and tolerable toxicity in patients with R/M CC. The baseline serum CRP levels and CAR showed potential for predicting the efficacy of tislelizumab and the prognosis of R/M CC patients receiving tislelizumab.

Association between handgrip strength, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, advanced hepatic fibrosis and its modifiers: Evidence from the NHANES database of the USA.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and advanced hepatic fibrosis (AHF) have been associated with sarcopenia. However, modifiers of this association have been less studied. METHODS: This study used data from the NHANES database 2011-2014 of the USA. Adults aged 18 years or older, had complete information of handgrip strength test and NAFLD and AHF status were eligible for inclusion. NAFLD was defined using the Fatty Liver Index (FLI). AHF was defined using the NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to determine the associations between the study variables and prevalent NAFLD and AHF. RESULTS: A total of 19 931 participants were selected from the 2011-2014 NHANES database. The multivariate analysis showed that stronger grip strength was significantly and independently associated with decreased odds for NAFLD (tertile 2: adjusted odd ratio [aOR]: 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29-0.59; tertile 3: aOR: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05-0.24) and AHF (tertile 2: aOR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.46-0.94; tertile 3: aOR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.12-0.63). In stratified analyses, strongest grip strength was significantly associated with reduced odds for NAFLD regardless of age, body mass index, and having diabetes or not. Strongest grip strength was associated with reduced odds for NAFLD in individuals who had moderate to ideal physical activity (aOR: 0.31). CONCLUSIONS: Grip strength has an inverse association with prevalent NAFLD and AHF in the US population, which appears to be modified by physical activity level. Future prospective cohort studies are needed to clarify the role of physical activity in modifying the risks.

High seed diversity and availability increase rodent community stability under human disturbance and climate variation.

The relationship between diversity and stability is a focus in community ecology, but the relevant hypotheses have not been rigorously tested at trophic and network levels due to a lack of long-term data of species interactions. Here, by using seed tagging and infrared camera tracking methods, we qualified the seed-rodent interactions, and analyzed the associations of rodent community stability with species diversity, species abundance, and seed-rodent network complexity of 15 patches in a subtropical forest from 2013 to 2021. A total of 47,400 seeds were released, 1,467 rodents were marked, and 110 seed-rodent networks were reconstructed to estimate species richness, species abundance, and seed-rodent network metrics. We found, from younger to older stands, species richness and abundance (biomass) of seeds increased, while those of rodents decreased, leading to a seed-rodent network with higher nestedness, linkage density, and generality in older stands, but higher connectance in younger stands. With the increase of temperature and precipitation, seed abundance (biomass), rodent abundance, and the growth rate of rodent abundance increased significantly. We found rodent community stability (i.e., the inverse of rodent abundance variability) was significantly and positively associated with seed diversity, seed availability, linkage density and generality of seed-rodent networks, providing evidence of supporting the Bottom-Up Diversity-Stability Hypotheses and the Abundant Food Diversity-Stability Hypothesis. Our findings highlight the significant role of resource diversity and availability in promoting consumers' community stability at trophic and network levels, and the necessity of protecting biodiversity for increasing ecosystem stability under human disturbance and climate variation.