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Autoantibodies to tumor-associated antigens (anti-TAA) are potential biomarkers for breast cancer, but their relationship systemic autoimmunity as ascertained though antinuclear antibodies (ANA) is unknown and warrants consideration given the common occurrence of autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases among women. The relationship between anti-TAAs and ANA among women who were later diagnosed with breast cancer and others who remained cancer free in the Women’s Health Initiative cohort. The study sample included 145 post-menopausal women with baseline ANA data. A total of 37 ANA-positive women who developed breast cancer (i.e., cases; mean time to diagnosis 6.8 years [SE 3.9]) were matched to a random sample of 36 ANA-negative cases by age and time to diagnosis. An age-matched control sample was selected including 35 ANA-positive and 37 ANA-negative women who did not develop breast cancer (i.e., controls; follow-up time ~13 years [SE 3]). Baseline sera were assessed for Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, measured by custom microarray for 171 breast and other cancer-associated TAA. We used linear regression to estimate cross-sectional associations of ANA with log-transformed anti-TAA among cases and controls. Most anti-TAA did not vary by ANA status. Two anti-TAA were elevated in ANA-positive compared to ANA-negative cases: anti-PGM3 (p = 0.004) and anti-TTN (p = 0.005, especially in cases up to 7 years before diagnosis, p = 0.002). Anti-TAA antibodies were not generally related to ANA, a common marker of systemic autoimmunity. Associations of ANA with particular antigens inducing autoimmunity prior to breast cancer warrant further investigation.

Vespa velutina is an invasive hornet that is colonising several countries worldwide, with detrimental effects on multiple components but primarily affecting honey bees and native insect species. Traps for wasps and hornets are commonly used for trapping V. velutina, both for monitoring and control purposes. In this study, we compared the performances of two typologies of traps and baits widely used for trapping this invasive hornet, by evaluating their effectiveness and selectiveness in trapping V. velutina in two sites during two different periods of the year, spring and autumn. The performance of the traps changed in relation to (i) the trap’s model, (ii) the bait’s typology and (iii) the period of the year. In spring, traps with common beer as bait were more effective and more selective independently of trap’s model than the commercial bait that has been tested. On the contrary, in autumn, just one combination of trap and attractant (the commercial trap and bait) achieved higher effectiveness and selectiveness. Despite the underlined variations among traps and baits, overall catches of V. velutina were scanty compared to bycatches of non-target insects, since best performing traps either in term of effectiveness and selectiveness caught 3.65% of the target species in spring and 1.35% in autumn upon the total trapped insects. This highlights the urgent necessity of developing more selective trapping methods for monitoring and particularly for controlling purposes.