Solidago canadensis L. is a regulated invasive alien species in China and was first recorded in the wild in Jiangsu Province. Despite widespread concern regarding its distribution and ecological associations, province-wide information on its current invasion status and associated plant community patterns in Jiangsu remains limited. To fill this gap, we conducted field surveys at 165 sites across Jiangsu Province and combined hierarchical clustering, plant-community diversity analysis, species-level analysis of accompanying-plant composition, redundancy analysis, and MaxEnt modeling to evaluate invasion-intensity patterns, associated environmental and anthropogenic factors, and plant-community responses in invaded communities. Solidago canadensis was recorded throughout the province, but invasion intensity was highest in southern Jiangsu. Hierarchical clustering classified the 165 sampling sites into three invasion-intensity groups. Group A (74 sites), concentrated in southern Jiangsu, was classified as the severe invasion group and showed generally lower plant diversity within the invaded-site dataset. Group B (60 sites) represented moderate invasion. Group C (31 sites), mainly distributed in northern and coastal Jiangsu, represented light invasion and retained relatively higher accompanying-plant diversity. Within S. canadensis-invaded communities, we documented 183 accompanying plant species from 43 families. Asteraceae and Poaceae were the most species-rich families, and annual or biennial herbs were the dominant life-form category. Species-level analysis further showed that accompanying-plant composition varied significantly along the invasion-intensity gradient (PERMANOVA, R2 = 0.035), suggesting that differences in S. canadensis dominance were associated with detectable shifts in local plant assemblages. Redundancy analysis indicated latitude, transportation route density, and floating population density were closely associated with variation in S. canadensis invasion indicators and associated community variables, with soil pH, precipitation of the driest month, GDP, and motor vehicle ownership also contributing to the observed pattern. MaxEnt modeling identified southern and central Jiangsu as the main climatically suitable areas. This pattern was broadly consistent with the concentration of higher invasion intensity in southern Jiangsu. Nevertheless, field records in northern Jiangsu suggest that areas with lower predicted climatic suitability should also remain under continued monitoring. These findings suggest the need for coordinated management, particularly along major transportation corridors and in highly disturbed urban habitats. Control efforts should combine zoning management, source control, repeated removal, and habitat restoration tailored to local conditions.
Invasive predators are globally pervasive and frequently drive ecological disruption, yet the mechanisms underlying extreme prey vulnerability often remain unclear. Prey that fail to recognize or appropriately respond to novel predators may experience disproportionality high mortality. In the Florida Everglades, the recent invasion of the Asian Swamp eel (Monopterus albus/javanensis) has been associated with rapid collapse of slough crayfish (Procambarus fallax), and other prey of nesting wading birds. We assessed the behaviors of slough crayfish exposed to either a common native predator, warmouth (Lepomis gulosus) or invasive Asian swamp eels. Consistent with established antipredator responses of aquatic invertebrates facing visually oriented fish predators, crayfish reduced their movement, increased spatial avoidance, and decreased feeding in the presence of warmouth. In contrast, crayfish exhibited limited or no response to swamp eels. Naïve crayfish from invaded and uninvaded wetlands showed similar responses to the different fish predators, suggesting limited recognition/responsiveness despite > 10 generations of exposure to eels. Laboratory observations of predation by swamp eels suggest that slough crayfish may face a behavioral trade-off, with native predators selecting for cryptic lifestyles while coexistence with swamp eels favors more movement and active escape responses. Our results provide an initial assessment of behavioral mechanisms that may help explain crayfish population collapses following swamp eel invasion in the Everglades, are consistent with a hypothesis of prey naiveté, and suggest that historical selective pressures and/or constraints from conflicting predation modes may represent an overlooked mechanism in studies of predator-prey dynamics involving invasive species.
A captive 4-y-old female prehensile-tailed porcupine (Coendou prehensilis) had quill loss caudal to the right ear associated with an ~1-2-cm palpable mass. The mass was surgically debulked and diagnosed histologically as a poorly differentiated neoplasm. Ten days after surgery, the porcupine became anorectic and severely ataxic with a moderate left-sided head tilt and was euthanized and submitted for postmortem examination. Deep to the surgical site was a 7 × 3 × 0.5-cm amorphous, tan, soft, irregularly shaped mass that encircled the right ear canal and invaded skeletal muscle and the right tympanic bulla. Histologically, the densely cellular, infiltrative and destructive, unencapsulated neoplasm was comprised of interlacing bundles, streams, and herringbone arrangements of spindle cells supported by scant fine stroma. Neoplastic cells invaded muscle and the bone of the tympanic bulla. Neoplastic cells had cytoplasmic immunolabeling for myogenin, myoD1, vimentin, smooth muscle actin, and desmin, and were immunonegative for S100 and CD31. The mass was diagnosed as a rhabdomyosarcoma. To our knowledge, rhabdomyosarcoma has not been reported previously in any porcupine species.
Biological invasions by apex predators can restructure the destination range through ecological turbulence. This study investigates the co-i,markedntroduction and establishment of parasites associated with the invasive northern pike, Esox lucius, in Zrebar Lake (Tigris River basin, Iran). A total of 100 specimens of pike were collected during 2020 and 2025, and two alien parasites were found: the monogenean Tetraonchus monenteron and the nematode Raphidascaris acus. The obtained ITS sequences showed 100% identity with R. acus sequences from Anzali (KM047505) and Turkey (KT633862). Compared with populations from the native range, the invasive pike population showed reduced parasite richness, prevalence, and infection intensity. However, these reductions alone are insufficient to explain the invasion success of E. lucius under the framework of the Enemy Release Hypothesis (ERH), and further evidence is required to evaluate this mechanism. Larval stages of R. acus were detected in the non-native cyprinid Carassius gibelio, indicating successful completion of the parasite life cycle in the invaded ecosystem. The present study provides evidence for parasite co-invasion and establishment associated with northern pike in Zrebar Lake. It highlights the ecological importance of invasive host-parasite interactions in freshwater ecosystems.
The invasive Spartina alterniflora is rapidly expanding along China's southeast coast, profoundly altering wetland soil properties, and methane (CH4) fluxes. However, the mechanism underlying the relationship between these environmental changes triggered by the invasion and the variations in CH4 emissions remain to be further deeply explored. We compared S. alterniflora-invaded wetlands with native Cyperus malaccensis wetlands through a one-year field monitoring and complementary laboratory experiments. The findings indicate that S. alterniflora invasion markedly decreased soil bulk density (4.3%) and increased water content (7.5%), while altering bacterial communities, notably increasing Microbulbifer (165.3%) and decreasing Anaeromyxobacter (61.7%) relative abundances. Consequently, cumulative soil CH4 emissions significantly increased by 354.9%, whereas CH4 emission temperature sensitivity (Q10) decreased by 79.8% (p < 0.05). CH4 emissions were positively correlated with the content of mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN), soil temperature, and Microbulbifer abundance. Conversely, CH4 emissions were negatively related to clay content, particulate organic carbon (POC), and the abundances of Anaeromyxobacter. Q10 values were primarily influenced by soil texture, nutrient levels (TN, TP), MBC, and Microbulbifer abundance. Our findings indicate that the encroachment of S. alterniflora increases CH4 emissions while decreasing their Q10 by modifying soil physicochemical conditions, influenced by its plant traits. These findings highlight the critical need to manage S. alterniflora expansion to mitigate coastal wetland greenhouse gas emissions.
Arterial tumor embolism is a fatal complication of human neoplasia. Here, we report a case of an arterial tumor embolism in the lower limb that occurred after chemoradiotherapy for primary pulmonary sarcoma. Initially, the primary tumor had invaded the left atrium, originating from the right pulmonary vein.
Plant invasion ecology examines the introduction of species, their capacity to establish, naturalize, and spread in a new region, and their interactions with native and even alien organisms in the invaded communities [...].
In October 2022, disease symptoms in the form of multiple blackened cankers and dieback of shoots and branches were noted in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) in Scotland. Trees were affected across a range of site types, including natural Caledonian pine forests, planted native woodland and commercial plantations. We investigated the geographical extent of symptoms in the UK, which occurred across most regions of Scotland, and identified one of the primary causal agents to be a previously obscure stroma-forming fungal taxon 'Curreya pithyophila'. The fungus harbours immature colonies of the native Scots pine woolly adelgid, Pineus pini, which live beneath the stroma and feed on the tree, initiating wounds. These wounds can then be invaded by secondary agents, such as a fungal pathogen of pine, Crumenulopsis sororia, which is thought to cause the blackened cankers. Historical reports suggest that previous outbreaks of 'Curreya pithyophila' occurred on plantation Scots pine in Perthshire in the 1900s and in north-east Scotland in the 1960s. A literature review of the taxonomy and ecology of 'Curreya pithyophila' is presented. The perplexing ability of this fungus to produce two ascospore forms (phragmospores and dictyospores) from apparently morphologically identical stromata, at the same site and often on the same tree or branch, was investigated. After morphological, culture and genetic analyses of single spore isolates, we conclude that the current population of 'C. pithyophila' in the UK comprises two distinct but co-occurring species. Multigene analyses show that the closely related but separate species occur in the family Leptosphaeriaceae in a clade with Alloleptosphaeria and sister to Leptosphaeria. Morphological comparisons with historical syntypes confirmed that the dictyospore-producing species corresponds to Sphaeria pithyophila (as 'pityophila'), while the phragmospore-producing species matches a syntype of Sphaeria parmeliarum. We retain Cucurbidothis as the correct generic name, designate a lectotype for the type species Cucurbidothis pithyophila, and recombine the second species as Cucurbidothis parmeliarum comb. nov., also designating a lectotype. These species differ not only in spore morphology but also in culture appearance, with C. pithyophila producing grey and C. parmeliarum producing apricot coloured cultures. Both species can also produce a coelomycetous asexual morph comprising brown, ellipsoidal conidia, with pycnidial conidiomata often occurring adjacent to the ascomata in the same stroma. Histological studies showed that both taxa only penetrate between the periderm layers with no evidence of fungal growth in the living phloem and cambium below, supporting the hypothesis that these species are dependent on the adelgids for nutrition. A third species, Cucurbidothis shangrilana comb. nov., is also discussed. Citation: Taylor JE, Stanisz-Migal M, Sharp PM, Tierney-Kitchener F, Lester K, Davidson M, Green S (2026). The enigmatic woolly aphid associated fungus 'Cucurbidothis pithyophila', now threatening Scots pine in the UK, is revealed as two distinct but co-occurring species. Persoonia 56: 175-199. doi: 10.3114/persoonia.2026.56.02.
Phoracantha recurva Newman (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a wood-boring beetle native to Australia, threatens Eucalyptus L'Hér plantations worldwide. Despite established populations across North America, South America, Europe, and Africa, its global colonization potential and niche dynamics under climate change have received limited attention. Here, we used the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model, integrating 844 occurrence records and eight bioclimatic variables, to predict the potential geographical distribution of P. recurva under current conditions and three future climate scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) for 2041-2070 and 2071-2100. We quantified niche dynamics using the COUE framework through calculations of niche stability, expansion, unfilling, and Schoener's D, complemented by niche equivalency and similarity tests. The model exhibited excellent predictive performance (AUC = 0.954 ± 0.004; Boyce index = 0.999). Suitable habitats for P. recurva occurred primarily between 60° N and 55° S. Under all three future scenarios, total suitable area displayed a gradual decline while the potential distribution shifted toward higher latitudes, particularly across Europe and China. Niche analysis confirmed substantial niche conservatism during global invasion, yet revealed considerable niche unfilling during colonization of the Eurasian continent-indicating persistent potential for further range expansion. Niche comparisons between native and invaded ranges under model-projected distributions yielded expanded overlap across all regions except Africa, where invasive populations may undergo niche differentiation under changing climatic conditions. Our findings emphasize the ongoing invasion risk that P. recurva poses to major Eucalyptus-planting countries and call for strengthened inspection and quarantine measures to protect global forestry plantations.
We report a 39-year-old woman with clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urethra (CCAU). She was treated with surgery alone and has survived 8 years without recurrence. The patient had painless hematuria. Imaging showed a 5.1 cm urethral mass. The tumor invaded the bladder and vagina (clinical stage T3N2M0). Urine cytology confirmed the diagnosis, which is unusual for CCAU. She underwent laparoscopic radical cystectomy, lymph node dissection, and cutaneous ureterostomy. Pathology showed clear cell adenocarcinoma with CK7+/PAX8+. The final pathological stage was T3N0M0. She did not receive adjuvant therapy. Follow-up through January 2025 (8 years) showed no tumor recurrence, which appears to be rare among reported cases.
Reliable prediction of weed biocontrol outcomes is desirable because developing new programmes can be costly and success is not guaranteed. In this review, we outline how advances in both agent and weed-target selection are improving programme efficiency without compromising environmental safety. Better prediction of candidate-agent impact and host specificity, aided by advances in molecular and modelling approaches, including plant-insect genotype and climate matching, has advanced agent selection. There has also been renewed interest in predicting biocontrol outcomes following recognition that the Enemy Release Hypothesis does not explain all plant invasions. Because classical weed biocontrol is expected to be most effective where enemy release contributes substantially to invasion success, identifying invasions facilitated by enemy release should improve prediction of weed biocontrol outcomes and inform prioritisation systems that rank weed targets. Although studies of ecosystem recovery following successful weed suppression remain limited, there is growing recognition that weed suppression alone does not always restore heavily degraded ecosystems without additional interventions, some of which may be impractical or prohibitively expensive at large scales. Nevertheless, biocontrol benefits are likely to be greater in less heavily invaded areas, where restoration outcomes are typically better. Consequently, more proactive use of biocontrol, targeting weeds earlier in the invasion curve, should deliver more ecological and economic benefits.
Southern pine beetle (SPB), Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is a serious native pest of pines (Pinus spp.) that ranges from the eastern USA to Nicaragua. Chemical signals, including pheromones and host tree odors, mediate mass attacks necessary for host tree colonization. Responses by SPB to the pine oleoresin volatile, 4-allylanisole, have been highly variable in past experiments, but factors governing this variation are unknown. In three experiments, we investigated how trapping methods and lure composition may influence 4-allylanisole's effects on the behavior of SPB and the clerid predator, Thanasimus dubius (F.) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) in Georgia, USA. Multiple, simultaneous alterations to trapping methods (including trap type, isomers of pheromone component brevicomin in lures, and positioning of release devices) caused significant changes in attraction enhancement by 4-allylanisole for SPB but not T. dubius. 4-Allylanisole increased attraction of SPB only when both components of the SPB aggregation pheromone, frontalin and endo-brevicomin, were present, whereas 4-allylanisole increased T. dubius catches with frontalin alone. The enhancement of SPB catches by 4-allylanisole's was greater when host odor alpha-pinene (a synergist), but not beta-pinene, was present. These three compounds were redundant in enhancing attraction of T. dubius. Our data suggest that multiple, interacting factors influence the attractive effects of 4-allylanisole for SPB. This semiochemical has the potential to substantially improve detection of cryptic populations of SPB, and thus it may enhance monitoring in the newly invaded, northeastern USA where the species may be difficult to detect.
Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum, 1792) is a non-native species in southern South America, where self-sustaining populations are established. After spawning migrations, adults die and provide substantial subsidies to freshwater food webs. We report the first direct evidence of predation on spawning Chinook salmon by South American sea lions Otaria byronia (de Blainville, 1820) in a river of southern Chile, up to 160 km upstream from estuaries. Sea lions appear to be exploiting a novel prey resource, indicating behavioral plasticity with potential ecological consequences for native species and riverine trophic dynamics. We discuss the implications of this previously unreported predator-prey interaction for the ecology of invaded freshwater systems in South America.
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or sleeping sickness is a neglected tropical disease with a progressive central nervous system (CNS) involvement and marked sleep and circadian rhythm abnormalities. Even though this is a prominent feature of HAT, the connection between parasite neuroinvasion, neuroinflammation, circadian dysfunction, and neurological impairment is not fully understood. This narrative review aims to summarize the most up-to-date knowledge about sleep and circadian disturbance in HAT and proposes an integrated approach for the Trypanosome-Associated Sleep Disorder (TASD). The relevant literature was identified by searching major biomedical databases for HAT, sleep disorders, circadian rhythms, neuroinflammation, and CNS invasion. The review covers the steps by which the CNS becomes invaded, how the barriers are disrupted, how the CNS becomes activated by inflammatory responses, and how the hypothalamic and circadian regulatory networks are disrupted. The evidence suggests that excessive daytime sleepiness, fragmented nocturnal sleep, circadian misalignment, and neuropsychiatric manifestations are related to the activation of inflammatory cytokines, altered neurotransmitter signaling, activation of the kynurenine pathway, dysregulation of clock genes, and disruption of the suprachiasmatic nucleus. We also discuss TASD as a syndrome-like phenotype of CNS involvement and propose a three-stage model of sleep-wake dysfunction in HAT. The review unites these integral mechanisms in a single mechanistic framework to offer a unified understanding of the sleep pathology associated with HAT. There are still important gaps in our knowledge of biomarkers, disease staging, and irreversible neuronal damage, which indicate priorities for future research and better clinical management.
Identifying synergies between dietary fibers and beneficial bacteria holds promise for precision interventions that optimize gut health, yet these interactions remain largely unexplored. Here we integrate machine learning, Bayesian optimization and high-throughput community construction to investigate how dietary fibers shape health-relevant functions of human gut microbial communities. To efficiently navigate the landscape of fiber-microbiome interactions, we implemented a design-test-learn cycle to identify fiber-species combinations that maximize a multiobjective function capturing beneficial community properties. Our model-guided approach revealed a highly butyrogenic and robust ecological motif characterized by the copresence of inulin, Bacteroides uniformis and Anaerostipes caccae and a higher-order interaction with Prevotella copri. Human fecal communities invaded with model-designed species-fiber combinations displayed predictable gut-beneficial outputs. In sum, we demonstrate a framework for designing synthetic microbial communities with desired functions in response to key nutrients.
Globalization has accelerated the establishment of non-native plant species, increasing the prevalence of multispecies co-invasions; yet interactions among co-invaders remain poorly understood. We combined extensive field surveys of 3039 plots with a global meta-analysis of 4415 observations from 122 experiments to quantify co-invasion prevalence, its effects on non-native plant performance, and the frequency of interaction types. Co-invasion was common in the surveys, occurring in 40% of the plots. Meta-analysis showed that co-invasion reduced non-native plant performance by 18% on average, indicating that invasional meltdown among plant species is not the norm. Most interactions were neutral (70%), whereas competition (18%) and facilitation (12%) were relatively uncommon. Thus, the widespread co-occurrence of non-native plants does not necessarily imply pervasive facilitation among co-invaders. Crucially, the mean competitive outcome was context-dependent. Interactions shifted from competition to facilitation with increasing non-native richness and intensified competition with natives. Furthermore, phylogenetic distance among co-invaders did not explain the interaction outcomes, whereas interactions among woody, nitrogen-fixing species, or invaders with greater SLA produced mean neutral effects. These findings expand our understanding of the invasional meltdown hypothesis by showing that co-invasion outcomes are context- and trait-dependent and offer a predictive framework for assessing and mitigating multispecies invasion risks. 全球化加速了外来植物物种的引入与定殖，多种外来植物共同入侵现象愈发普遍。然而，共同入侵物种之间的相互作用仍缺乏系统认识。 我们结合3039个样地的大尺度野外调查和包含122个独立实验、4415个观测值的全球Meta分析，定量评估了共同入侵的发生频率和对外来植物表现的影响，以及不同相互作用类型的发生频率。 野外调查表明，约40%的样地存在两种及以上外来植物共同入侵。Meta分析发现，共同入侵平均降低外来植物表现18%，表明外来植物之间的入侵崩溃并非常态。大多数相互作用表现为中性(70%)，而竞争(18%)和促进(12%)相对较少。因此，外来植物的广泛共存并不意味着共同入侵物种之间普遍存在促进作用。更重要的是，共同入侵的平均相互作用具有明显的情境依赖性。随着外来植物丰富度增加，共同入侵物种之间的相互作用由竞争转向促进，同时对本地植物的竞争作用增强。此外，共同入侵物种之间的系统发育距离不能很好解释相互作用结果，而涉及木本植物、固氮植物或具有较高比叶面积的外来植物之间的相互作用，则总体表现为中性效应。 本研究拓展了对入侵崩溃假说的认识，表明共同入侵的结果受环境背景和物种功能性状共同调控，并为预测和管理多物种共同入侵风险提供了理论依据。.
Multi-kingdom disease complexes, where fungi, bacteria, and viruses interact synergistically, are increasingly recognized as a threat to bamboo, a fast-growing Poaceae lineage of high ecological and economic value. However, the mechanisms regulating tri-kingdom disease synergy in bamboo remain poorly understood. This review addresses a central question: Through which molecular and ecological pathways do pathogens from three kingdoms cooperatively enhance bamboo disease severity? We synthesize four key synergy mechanisms: (1) Facilitation of infection: Fusarium proliferatum hyphae build physical entry points as well as transport channels that assist Erwinia sp. to colonize vascular tissues. (2) Immunosuppression: Bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV; genus Potexvirus, family Alphaflexiviridae) inhibits host RNA silencing through viral-encoded proteins TGBp1 and CP, which bind small RNA's and inhibit amplification by RDR6, thereby establishing a permissive environment for secondary invaders, a mechanism inferred from other Potexvirus systems, as direct co-infection evidence in bamboo is currently unavailable. (3) Metabolic cross-feeding: fungal virulence enhanced by bacterial metabolites (e.g., lipopeptides, siderophores), although metabolic synergy in bamboo has not been demonstrated. (4) Biofilm protection: scanning electron microscopy reveals bacterial biofilm on the fungal hyphae surfaces that protect pathogens against host defenses. Quantitatively, the Fusarium-Erwinia co-infection synergy coefficient of bamboo culm rot is S ≈ 1.8, indicating approximately 80% disease severity. Assuming multiplicative independence among mechanisms, tri-kingdom synergy could exceed S > 3.0, a testable hypothesis. This review identifies the following knowledge gaps: (1) no mycovirus isolated from a bamboo-infecting fungus; (2) no bacteriophage characterized against bamboo bacterial pathogen; (3) no quantified studies involving BaMV; and (4) no genome-wide association studies identifying genetic determinants of synergy. This review proposes that effective biocontrol means disrupting the interfaces of pathogen cooperation - disrupting infection courts, interfering with immunosuppression, chelating iron, and degrading biofilm-rather than introducing beneficial microbes. This review proposes a conceptual framework for cross-kingdom microbial interactions in bamboo-associated microbiomes.
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) are widespread in bacterial and archaeal genomes as an adaptive immune system against invading mobile genetic elements. This study investigated the distribution of CRISPR loci and their potential association with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in 40 foodborne Listeria monocytogenes isolates. CRISPR analysis showed that 18 isolates harbored CRISPR Locus 1, five carried Locus 2, and five possessed both loci. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing against seven antimicrobial agents indicated that most isolates were highly susceptible to the tested agents. Specifically, all isolates were susceptible to gentamicin, ampicillin, penicillin, and tetracycline, whereas resistance was observed in a small subset of isolates: four were resistant to chloramphenicol, five to levofloxacin, and four to ciprofloxacin. Statistical analysis showed no statistically significant association between the presence of CRISPR loci and antimicrobial susceptibility phenotypes. These findings provide baseline information on CRISPR locus distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles in foodborne L. monocytogenes isolates. Further studies based on larger isolate collections, whole-genome sequencing, and characterization of associated cas genes are needed to clarify the potential role of CRISPR-Cas systems in AMR evolution in this species.
Cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) rarely presents with urinary system symptoms as the initial manifestation. When the tumor invades the bladder trigone, it may mimic primary urologic disease. We report a case with pathologically confirmed bladder invasion. A 74-year-old woman with a history of left lung adenocarcinoma resection (pT1bN0M0, stage IA2) presented with anuria, bilateral hydronephrosis, and fever. Initial workup revealed acute kidney injury (creatinine 720.5 μmol/L) and severe urinary tract infection. Emergency bilateral ureteral stenting and transurethral bladder biopsy were performed. Transurethral biopsy showed squamous epithelial hyperplasia with focal atypia; immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed CD34+, GATA3 focal weak+, CK7+, CK20-, P63+, Ki-67 15%, insufficient for definitive malignancy. Persistent hydronephrosis prompted laparoscopic exploration in July 2023. A biopsy taken from the vesicouterine junction (interface between bladder and uterus) showed invasive squamous cell carcinoma with diffuse p16 positivity (CK7+/CK20-/P63+), providing pathological confirmation of bladder wall invasion by cervical cancer. Gynecologic consultation then identified a 2.5 cm cervical mass with contact bleeding, and cervical biopsy confirmed moderately differentiated CSCC with diffuse p16 block positivity. Staging imaging demonstrated a radiologically presumed isolated 4.2 × 2.5 cm right adrenal metastasis without other distant metastases. Final clinical diagnosis: HPV-associated CSCC, clinical FIGO stage IVB (pathologically confirmed bladder invasion, radiologically presumed adrenal metastasis without histologic confirmation). The patient underwent palliative ileal conduit urinary diversion, which provided short-term renal function improvement; she died 2 months after definitive diagnosis due to widespread disease progression. CSCC presenting with obstructive uropathy is rare and easily misdiagnosed. Gynecologic history taking and pelvic examination are imperative for female patients, and should be performed promptly, especially in the setting of adjacent organ lesions. The combination of imaging evidence of anatomical continuity and CK7+/CK20-/P63+/p16+ IHC profile has auxiliary value for differential diagnosis. Comprehensive staging including adrenal evaluation is essential. Early palliative urinary diversion may provide temporary relief in selected patients.
Insects are continuously exposed to diverse microorganisms, including symbionts and pathogens, and rely on pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs) to initiate innate immune responses. Gram-negative bacteria-binding proteins (GNBPs) constitute an important class of the pivotal PRRs in insect immunity. However, whether GNBPs participate in immune responses against taxonomically distinct pathogens remains poorly understood. Red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is a notorious stem-boring insect pest that has caused huge economic loss worldwide. Our preliminary data indicated that the expression of RfGNBP5 could be induced dramatically upon the challenge of non-entomopathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Here, it has been found that RfGNBP5 only possesses two conserved domains, a signal peptide and an intact glycoside hydrolase 16 (GH16) domain, but without the canonical carbohydrate-binding module (CBM39), implying that it might mediate insect immunity via its hydrolytic activity. RT-qPCR revealed that RfGNBP5 was expressed at the highest level in the hemolymph compared with other tissues and was significantly upregulated after exposure to pathogens, such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Beauveria bassiana. Furthermore, the knockdown of RfGNBP5 potentiated the clearance efficiency of hemolymph against the invading pathogenic bacteria and fungi by increasing the expression level of two antimicrobial peptide genes, including RfAttacin in fat body and RfColeoptericin in gut, and augmenting the phenoloxidase (PO) activity in hemolymph. Taken together, these results suggested that RfGNBP5 acts as a negative regulator of RPW immunity, and it might be a potential candidate for further evaluation in RNAi-based pest management.