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Yuan Zhang,1,2,* Jingjing Zhang,3,* Sirui Chen,1 Mianxin Li,1,4 Jin Yang,1,2 Jingsi Tan,1 Binsheng He,1,* Lemei Zhu1,4,* 1Hunan Key Laboratory of the Research and Development of Novel Pharmaceutical Preparations, Changsha 410219, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Stomatology, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Changsha 410219, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Public Health, Changsha Medical University, Changsha 410219, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Binsheng He; Lemei Zhu, Hunan Key Laboratory of the Research and Development of Novel Pharmaceutical Preparations, Leifeng Road 1501, Wangcheng District, Changsha, 410219, Chnia, Tel +86 731– 88602602, Email hbscsmu@163.com; zhulemei1228@163.comAbstract: Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are transcripts originating from the genome that do not serve as templates for protein synthesis. They function as epigenetic and translational regulators in various pathophysiological mechanisms, including cell proliferation and apoptosis. The ferroptosis signaling pathway, a novel mode of cell death, participates in numerous pathophysiological processes. Its signaling transmission is both complex and precise, featuring interconnected and interdependent pathways. Recent studies suggest that ncRNAs can finely regulate key genes in the ferroptosis pathway, thus modulating cellular functions, reducing oxidative stress, and maintaining maternal-fetal interface homeostasis. Future strategies targeting the ncRNA/ferroptosis axis may provide new perspectives and potential intervention points for treating preeclampsia. This article clarifies how the ncRNA/ferroptosis axis impacts preeclampsia, revealing how ncRNAs interact with ferroptosis, and pinpointing new molecular targets for the treatment of preeclampsia, thereby providing theoretical support for clinical strategies.Keywords: preeclampsia, non-coding RNAs, ferroptosis, network regulation, treatment strategies

Qian Zeng,1 Lu Liu,1 Ying Chen,1 Daohong Chen,1 Ziyang Zhou,1 Wenjiao Hu,1 Siyao Gong,1 Bin He,1 Wenchuan Qi,1,2 Chao Wang,1,3 Zuoqin Yang,4 Shuguang Yu,1,2 Ling Zhao1,2 1Department of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 3Sub-health Management Center, Sichuan Integrative Medicine Hospital, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu Pidu District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ling Zhao, Department of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, 611137, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 28 6180 0000, Email zhaoling@cdutcm.edu.cnBackground: Acupuncture has been used as an adjuvant therapy for Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) have reported inconsistent results and unknown quality. This overview aimed to summarize the current SRs/MAs to provide evidence for the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of COPD.Methods: SRs/MAs were searched via eight databases from their establishment to December 31, 2023. The methodological quality was assessed by A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2). The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias in Systematic Review (ROBIS) tool. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses for Acupuncture (PRISMA-A) to evaluate the reporting quality. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to determine the strength of evidence. In addition, we also conducted an analysis of the acupuncture points used in the primary RCTs.Results: Twenty-two SRs/MAs were included in this overview. Based on the assessment using AMSTAR 2, nineteen SRs/MAs were “critically low”. Eight SRs/MAs had a low risk of bias. Based on PRISMA-A, the reporting completeness of eighteen SRs/MAs were more than 70%. As for GRADE assessment, only three outcome measures were of high quality. COPD patients can benefit from moxibustion, acupoint application, acupoint catgut embedding, manual acupuncture, and electroacupuncture, as indicated by effectiveness in measures including lung function, 6MWD, mMRC, CAT, and acute exacerbation. In addition, the efficacy of TENS needed to be further demonstrated. The commonly used acupuncture points in the RCTs include BL13, BL23, and EX-B1.Conclusion: Evidence from SRs showed that acupuncture is beneficial to lung function, acute exacerbation, 6MWD, mMRC and CAT. For SGRQ and brog scale, acupuncture should be used selectively, but this finding should still be taken with caution.Keywords: acupuncture, COPD, systematic reviews, overview

Hong-Mei Shu,1,* Chang-Qing Lin,1 Bei He,1 Wang Wang,1 Ling Wang,1 Ting Wu,1 Hai-Juan He,1 Hui-Juan Wang,1 He-Ping Zhou,2 Guo-Zheng Ding1,* 1Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Anqing Municipal Hospital, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 2Neurosurgery Department, Anqing Municipal Hospital, Anhui, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hong-Mei Shu, Email shuxin501@163.comBackground: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) stands as a predominant cause of global morbidity and mortality. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) and COPD diagnosis in the context of immune infiltration, ultimately proposing a PRG-based diagnostic model for predicting COPD outcomes.Methods: Clinical data and PRGs of COPD patients were sourced from the GEO database. The “ConsensusClusterPlus” package was employed to generate molecular subtypes derived from PRGs that were identified through differential expression analysis and LASSO Cox analysis. A diagnostic signature including eight genes (CASP4, CASP5, ELANE, GPX4, NLRP1, GSDME, NOD1and IL18) was also constructed. Immune cell infiltration calculated by the ESTIMATE score, Stroma scores and Immune scores were also compared on the basis of pyroptosis-related molecular subtypes and the risk signature. We finally used qRT – PCR to detect the expression levels of eight genes in COPD patient and normal.Results: The diagnostic model, anchored on eight PRGs, underwent validation with an independent experimental cohort. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC) for the diagnostic model showcased values of 0.809, 0.765, and 0.956 for the GSE76925, GSE8545, and GSE5058 datasets, respectively. Distinct expression patterns and clinical attributes of PRGs were observed between the comparative groups, with functional analysis underscoring a disparity in immune-related functions between them.Conclusion: In this study, we developed a potential as diagnostic biomarkers for COPD and have a significant role in modulating the immune response. Such insights pave the way for novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for COPD.Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pyroptosis, gene, biomarkers, immune Infiltration

Bin Zheng,1– 3,* Fei Pan,1– 3,* Minfei Shi,1– 3 Cuiping He,1– 3 Beibei He,1– 3 Rongrong Wang,1– 3 Guolian Ren,1– 3 Shuang Yang,4 Shuqiu Zhang1– 3 1School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, People’s Republic of China; 2Medicinal Basic Research Innovation Center of Chronic Kidney Disease, Ministry of Education, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, People’s Republic of China; 3Shanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Synthesis and Novel Pharmaceutical Preparation Technology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Shuang Yang, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, No. 56, Xinjian South Road, Taiyuan, 030001, People’s Republic of China, Email yangshuangzz@126.com Shuqiu Zhang, School of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, No. 56, Xinjian South Road, Taiyuan, 030001, People’s Republic of China, Email shuqiu.zhang@sxmu.edu.cnPurpose: Reducing the first-pass hepatic effect via intestinal lymphatic transport is an effective way to increase the oral absorption of drugs. 2-Monoacylglycerol (2-MAG) as a primary digestive product of dietary lipids triglyceride, can be assembled in chylomicrons and then transported from the intestine into the lymphatic system. Herein, we propose a biomimetic strategy and report a 2-MAG mimetic nanocarrier to target the intestinal lymphatic system via the lipid absorption pathway and improve oral bioavailability.Methods: The 2-MAG mimetic liposomes were designed by covalently bonding serinol (SER) on the surface of liposomes named SER-LPs to simulate the structure of 2-MAG. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA) was chosen as the model drug because of its disadvantages such as poor solubility and high first-pass effect. The endocytosis and exocytosis mechanisms were investigated in Caco-2 cells and Caco-2 cell monolayers. The capacity of intestinal lymphatic transport was evaluated by ex vivo biodistribution and in vivo pharmacokinetic experiments.Results: DHA loaded SER-LPs (SER-LPs-DHA) had a particle size of 70 nm and a desirable entrapment efficiency of 93%. SER-LPs showed sustained release for DHA in the simulated gastrointestinal environment. In vitro cell studies demonstrated that the cellular uptake of SER-LPs primarily relied on the caveolae- rather than clathrin-mediated endocytosis pathway and preferred to integrate into the chylomicron assembly process through the endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi apparatus route. After oral administration, SER-LPs efficiently promoted drug accumulation in mesenteric lymphatic nodes. The oral bioavailability of DHA from SER-LPs was 10.40-fold and 1.17-fold larger than that of free DHA and unmodified liposomes at the same dose, respectively.Conclusion: SER-LPs improved oral bioavailability through efficient intestinal lymphatic transport. These findings of the current study provide a good alternative strategy for oral delivery of drugs with high first-pass hepatic metabolism. Keywords: intestinal lymphatic transport, biomimetic liposomes, first-pass hepatic metabolism, oral delivery, dihydroartemisinin

Fuyu Zhao,1– 3,* Jianan Zhao,1– 3,* Kai Wei,1– 3 Ping Jiang,1– 3 Yiming Shi,1– 3 Cen Chang,1– 3 Yixin Zheng,1– 3 Yu Shan,1– 3 Yunshen Li,1– 3 Bingheng He,4 Mi Zhou,1,3 Jia Liu,1,3 Li Li,1,3 Shicheng Guo,1 Dongyi He1– 3 1Department of Rheumatology, Shanghai Guanghua Hospital of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Guanghua Clinical Medical College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Rehabilitation, Tongren Hospital Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Dongyi He, Shanghai Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Email dongyihe@medmail.com.cnAbstract: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by the excessive proliferation of keratinocytes and heightened immune activation. Targeting pathogenic genes through small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy represents a promising strategy for the treatment of psoriasis. This mini-review provides a comprehensive summary of siRNA research targeting the pathogenesis of psoriasis, covering aspects such as keratinocyte function, inflammatory cell roles, preclinical animal studies, and siRNA delivery mechanisms. It details recent advancements in RNA interference that modulate key factors including keratinocyte proliferation (Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2, FGFR2), apoptosis (Interferon Alpha Inducible Protein 6, G1P3), differentiation (Grainyhead Like Transcription Factor 2, GRHL2), and angiogenesis (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, VEGF); immune cell infiltration and inflammation (Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha, TNF-α; Interleukin-17, IL-17); and signaling pathways (JAK-STAT, Nuclear Factor Kappa B, NF-κB) that govern immunopathology. Despite significant advances in siRNA-targeted treatments for psoriasis, several challenges persist. Continued scientific developments promise the creation of more effective and safer siRNA medications, potentially enhancing the quality of life for psoriasis patients and revolutionizing treatments for other diseases. This article focuses on the most recent research advancements in targeting the pathogenesis of psoriasis with siRNA and explores its future therapeutic prospects.Keywords: psoriasis, siRNA, keratinocytes, targeted delivery

Lu Liu,1,* Zili Tang,1,* Qian Zeng,1,* Wenchuan Qi,1 Ziyang Zhou,1 Daohong Chen,1 Dingjun Cai,1– 3 Ying Chen,1 Shiqi Sun,1 Siyao Gong,1 Bin He,1 Shuguang Yu,1– 3 Ling Zhao1– 3 1Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 3Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease (Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ling Zhao; Shuguang Yu, College of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, 611137, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 28 6180 0000, Email zhaoling@cdutcm.edu.cn; ysg28588@126.comBackground: Electroacupuncture (EA), with varying stimulation intensities, has demonstrated therapeutic potentials in both animal and clinical studies for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, a comprehensive investigation of the intensity-related effects, particularly 1mA and 3mA of EA, and the underlying mechanisms remains lacking.Methods: A COPD rat model was established by prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke and intermittent intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide. EA treatment was administered at acupoints BL13 (Feishu) and ST36 (Zusanli), 20 minutes daily for 2 weeks, with intensities of 1mA and 3mA. EA effectiveness was evaluated by pulmonary function, histopathological change, serum level of inflammatory cytokines, and level of oxidative stress markers in serum and lung tissues. Transcriptome profiling and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were performed to reveal gene expression patterns and identify hub genes. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot (WB) were performed to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively.Results: EA at both 1mA and 3mA exerted differing therapeutic effects by improving lung function and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in COPD rats. Transcriptome analysis revealed distinct expression patterns between the two groups, functionally corresponding to shared and intensity-specific (1mA and 3mA) enriched pathways. Eight candidate genes were identified, including Aqp9, Trem1, Mrc1, and Gpnmb that were downregulated by EA and upregulated in COPD. Notably, Msr1 and Slc26a4 exclusively downregulated in EA-1mA, while Pde3a and Bmp6 upregulated solely in EA-3mA. WGCNA constructed 5 key modules and elucidated the module–trait relationship, with the aforementioned 8 genes being highlighted. Additionally, their mRNA and protein levels were validated by RT-qPCR and WB.Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that 1mA and 3mA intensities induce distinct gene expression patterns at the transcriptional level, associated with shared and 1mA vs 3mA-specific enriched pathways. Genes Mrc1, Gpnmb, Trem1, and Aqp9 emerge as promising targets, and further studies are needed to elucidate their functional consequences in COPD.Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, electroacupuncture, intensity, transcriptome profiling, weighted gene co-expression network analysis

Jinhui Bu,1,2,&ast; Zhenfei Wang,2,&ast; Chao Ma,1,2 Juan Gao,2 Guangpu Liu,2 Libo Pang,2 Bo He,1 Minghui Dong,1 Quan Zhang,1 Yan Lei,1 Long Xu,2 Sen Huang,1 Yuming Li,3 Guangwang Liu1,2 1Xuzhou Clinical School of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yuming Li, Tel +1-8573524988, Fax +1-8572188459, Email yuming.li@childrens.harvard.edu; Guangwang Liu, Tel +86-18012018238, Fax +86-51683956400, Email guangwangliu@163.comObjective: To validate whether a residual mass demonstrated on early postoperative MR after percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) is indeed an intraoperatively retained annulus fibrosus, and explore the correlation between imaging changes in the residual mass and clinical prognosis of patients.Methods: A prospective study of 118 patients were included. During surgery, a contrast medium, Gadopentetate Dimeglumine, was injected around the ruptured annulus fibrosus. The intensity of the T2 signal, the size of the remaining mass (SR), and the cross-sectional area of the spinal canal (SCSA), VAS, and ODI were assessed at preoperative, 1-h (7-day), 6-month, and 12-month postoperative intervals. Based on VAS at 7 days post-surgery, patients were classified into either a non-remission group (Group A, VAS > 3) or a remission group (Group B, VAS ≤ 3).Results: Six patients who developed recurrent LDH were excluded. A residual mass was detected on MRI 1 h after surgery in 94.6% (106/112). During one year of follow-up, 90.1% (101/112) of the patients displayed fibrous annulus remodeling, although 68.7% (77/112) still exhibited herniation. Significant differences were found in the ODI between Groups A and B one week after surgery (p < 0.001). However, no significant differences were observed in T2 signal intensity, SR, and SCSA at 1-h, 6-month and 12-month post-surgery (p > 0.05) between the two groups. In a multiple linear regression analysis, early postoperative ODI changes were associated with T2 signal (B = − 10.22, sig < 0.05), long-term changes were associated with alterations in SR (B = 5.63, sig < 0.05) and SCSA (B = − 0.13, sig < 0.05).Conclusion: The residual mass observed in early postoperative MR images after PELD was the retained annulus fibrosus intraoperatively. Short-term changes in clinical symptoms after PELD were linked to T2 signal intensity, while long-term changes were associated with changes in SR and SCSA.Keywords: spinal endoscopy, residual mass, remodeling of fibrous annulus, contrast medium

Danyang Wang,1,2 Jianfeng Xing,2 Ying Zhang,2 Ziyang Guo,2 Shujing Deng,2 Zelin Guan,2 Binyang He,2 Ruirui Ma,2 Xue Leng,2 Kai Dong,2 Yalin Dong1 1Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Kai Dong, School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, 76 Yanta West Road, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710061, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86-29-82655139, Email dongkai120@xjtu.edu.cn Yalin Dong, Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China, Te1 +86-29-85323241, Fax +86-29-85323240, Email dongyalin@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; donglyalin@medmail.com.cnAbstract: Chronic wounds are recalcitrant complications of a variety of diseases, with pathologic features including bacterial infection, persistent inflammation, and proliferation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the wound microenvironment. Currently, the use of antimicrobial drugs, debridement, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and other methods in clinical for chronic wound treatment is prone to problems such as bacterial resistance, wound expansion, and even exacerbation. In recent years, researchers have proposed many novel materials for the treatment of chronic wounds targeting the disease characteristics, among which metal–phenolic networks (MPNs) are supramolecular network structures that utilize multivalent metal ions and natural polyphenols complexed through ligand bonds. They have a flexible and versatile combination of structural forms and a variety of formations (nanoparticles, coatings, hydrogels, etc.) that can be constructed. Functionally, MPNs combine the chemocatalytic and bactericidal properties of metal ions as well as the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of polyphenol compounds. Together with the excellent properties of rapid synthesis and negligible cytotoxicity, MPNs have attracted researchers’ great attention in biomedical fields such as anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory. This paper will focus on the composition of MPNs, the mechanisms of MPNs for the treatment of chronic wounds, and the application of MPNs in novel chronic wound therapies.Keywords: metal–phenolic networks, chronic wounds, antimicrobial, antioxidant, reactive oxygen species scavenging, revascularization

Keyu Ren,1 Chunming Yong,2 Yanting Wang,1 Hongyun Wei,1 Kun Zhao,1 Baoguo He,1 Mingjuan Cui,1 Yunqing Chen,3 Jin Wang4 1Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Emergency, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266000, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pathology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266000, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jin Wang, Department of Pathology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, No. 308, Ningxia Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266000, People’s Republic of China, Email jinsmile@126.comAim: The objective was to elucidate the correlation between CMVP and immunosuppressive therapy in IBD patients, we hope this review could expand on the significance of CMV as an opportunistic pathogen and the potential impact on morbidity and mortality in IBD patients.Methods: Records and clinical trajectories linked to CMVP in IBD patients were extracted from the PubMed database, irrespective of language barriers. The reference lists incorporated in these studies were manually inspected. Conclusions were generated using straightforward descriptive analysis.Results: In total, 18 IBD patients, including Crohn’s disease (CD, 67%) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC, 33%), affected by CMVP were identified from 17 published articles. A minority of these patients (17%) exhibited active disease, whereas the majority (83%) presented with quiescent disease. Fever (100%) and dyspnea (44%) emerged as the most prevalent clinical symptoms. All the patients had undergone immunosuppressive therapy. A significant proportion, up to 89%, had received thiopurine treatment prior to the CMVP diagnosis. Interestingly, none of the patients were subjected to biological therapy. Half of the patients manifested with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Almost all patients (94%) were administered antiviral treatment and a substantial 83% experienced full recovery. Immunosuppressive agents were either tapered or discontinued altogether. A subset of patients, 17%, suffered fatal outcomes.Conclusion: Our findings underscore the need for heightened suspicion of CMVP in IBD patients who exhibit symptoms such as fever and dyspnea. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CMVP should be considered a potential differential diagnosis. It was observed that CMVP primarily transpires during CD remission. Azathioprine emerged as the predominant immunosuppressant linked to CMV reactivation. The prompt application of effective antiviral therapy can substantially enhance patient outcomes. CMV vaccine might serve as a viable prevention strategy.Keywords: CMV, cytomegalovirus pneumonia, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease

The possibility that Arctic sea ice loss weakens mid-latitude westerlies, promoting more severe cold winters, has sparked more than a decade of scientific debate, with apparent support from observations but inconclusive modelling evidence. Here we show that sixteen models contributing to the Polar Amplification Model Intercomparison Project simulate a weakening of mid-latitude westerlies in response to projected Arctic sea ice loss. We develop an emergent constraint based on eddy feedback, which is 1.2 to 3 times too weak in the models, suggesting that the real-world weakening lies towards the higher end of the model simulations. Still, the modelled response to Arctic sea ice loss is weak: the North Atlantic Oscillation response is similar in magnitude and offsets the projected response to increased greenhouse gases, but would only account for around 10% of variations in individual years. We further find that relationships between Arctic sea ice and atmospheric circulation have weakened recently in observations and are no longer inconsistent with those in models.

Quinoidal-aromatic conjugated polymers hold great application potential in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). However, the development of high mobility quinoidal-aromatic conjugated polymers still lags behind the more popular donor-acceptor (D-A) conjugated polymers, mainly owing to the lack of a rational design strategy and efficient building block. Herein, a novel quinoid-donor-acceptor (Q-D-A) strategy is demonstrated to modulate the energy-level and boost the charge carrier transport mobility of conjugated polymers as opposed to the D-A system. On the basis of this strategy, a quinoidal-aromatic conjugated polymer, namely PAQM-BT, is designed and synthesized. With the combined use of quinoid, donor and acceptor units in the backbone, the resulting Q-D-A polymer PAQM-BT displays the narrowest bandgap with the deepest-lying lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level, highest backbone coplanarity, enhanced thin-film crystallinity and smallest effective hole mass in comparison with the corresponding D-A polymer PT3B1 and quinoid-donor (Q-D) polymer PAQM-3T. Benefitting from the more effective intra- and inter-chain charge transport, as corroborated by experiment and theoretical calculations, OFET devices based on PAQM-BT exhibit a highly boosted hole mobility of up to 5.10 cm2 V-1 s-1, which is one and four orders of magnitude higher than that of PAQM-3T and PT3B1, respectively, and is among the highest for quinoidal-aromatic conjugated polymers. The potent Q-D-A strategy not only allows the energy level to be modulated but also leads to effective charge carrier transport, opening up possibilities to the development of high mobility quinoidal-aromatic conjugated polymers based on a variety of quinoids, donors, and acceptors. This journal is

Piles have been widely used as foundations to resist lateral loads. For the design of a laterally loaded pile, one of the most important inputs is the ultimate soil resistance ([p.sub.ult] = [K.sub.ult]D[[sigma].sub.'v], where [K.sub.ult] is the ultimate lateral soil resistance coefficient, D is the pile diameter, and [[sigma].sub.'v] is the vertical effective stress). However, great discrepancy can be found in the existing design equations for piles in sand. To provide new insights and clarify the discrepancy in previous studies, in this study, a series of numerical simulations were performed on piles of different configurations using the finite element model validated by centrifuge pile tests. The computed results suggest that [K.sub.ult] is a function of depth ratios z/D and z/L for the flexible and rigid piles, respectively (where z is the absolute depth and L is the embedded pile length), and all existing design equations failed to reproduce the magnitude and distribution of [K.sub.ult]. Additionally, the [K.sub.ult] of horizontally translated fixed-head rigid piles exhibits the same pattern as that of free-head flexible piles, suggesting that the difference between free-head flexible piles and rigid piles is caused by the change of failure modes. Key words: ultimate soil resistance, sand, laterally loaded pile, finite element modelling, hypoplastic soil model, 1. Introduction The ultimate lateral soil resistance ([p.sub.ult] = [K.sub.ult]D[[sigma].sub.'v], where [K.sub.ult] is the ultimate lateral soil resistance coefficient, D is the pile diameter, and [[sigma].sub.'v] is the vertical effective [...]

Xuan Yu,1 Luxiaohe Zhang,1,2 Meilin Liu,3 Bin He4 1School of Economics and Management, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Foreign Languages, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an, Shannxi, People’s Republic of China; 3Antai College of Economics & Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4School of National Governance, Southwest University, Chongqing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Meilin Liu, Antai College of Economics & Management, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200030, People’s Republic of China, Email liumeilin@sjtu.edu.cnPurpose: Moqi can help team members facilitate communication without all interlocutors present, so the researchers speculate it can be an efficient communication tool for virtual teams to compensate for its lack of synchronous communication and in-person contact. However, the only study on the predictors of team members’ moqi believed that shared understandings could only arise from team tasks. Based on social exchange theory, the current study emphasizes the social and emotional benefits exchanged among team members and explores moqi-making among virtual team members through a lens of relationship-building.Methods: With a two-wave time-lagged survey design, a total of 381 team members from 86 virtual teams in China participated in the study. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to test the hypotheses.Results: Results confirmed that virtual team members’ empathy is conducive to their experiences of high-quality interpersonal relationships (HQIR) and moqi. Relationship closeness positively moderates the link between empathy and experiences of HQIR and the mediating effect.Conclusion: This study helps unveil the significance of compassionate communication and life-giving connections in cultivating virtual team members’ moqi and offers meaningful insights for facilitating virtual collaborations.Keywords: empathy, moqi, high-quality interpersonal relationship, relationship closeness, virtual teams

Mingzhe Feng,1,&ast; Lin Liu,2,&ast; Jiang Wang,1 Jialang Zhang,1 Zechao Qu,1 Yanjun Wang,3 Baorong He1 1Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiao Tong University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Critical Care Medicine, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiao Tong University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Emergency, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiao Tong University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Baorong He, Department of Spine Surgery, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiao Tong University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China, Email baoronghespine@163.com Yanjun Wang, Department of Emergency, Honghui Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiao Tong University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China, Email wangyanjundoctor@163.comObjective: Osteoclastogenesis, the process of osteoclast differentiation, plays a critical role in bone homeostasis. Overexpression of osteoclastogenesis can lead to pathological conditions, such as osteoporosis and osteolysis. This study aims to investigate the role of Engelitin in the process of RAW264.7 cell differentiation into osteoclasts induced by RANKL, as well as in a mouse model of bone loss following ovariectomy.Methods: We used RANKL-stimulated RAW264.7 cells as an in vitro osteoclast differentiation model. The effects of Eng on morphological changes during osteoclast differentiation were evaluated using TRAP and F-actin staining. The effects of Eng on the molecular level of osteoclast differentiation were evaluated using Western blot and q-PCR. The level of reactive oxygen species was evaluated using the DCFH-DA staining method. We then used ovariectomized mice as a bone loss animal model. The effects of Eng on changes in bone loss in vivo were evaluated using micro-CT and histological analysis staining.Results: In the in vitro experiments, Eng exhibited dose-dependent inhibition of osteoclast formation and F-actin formation. At the molecular level, Eng dose-dependently suppressed the expression of specific RNAs (NFATc1, c-Fos, TRAP, Cathepsin K, MMP-9) involved in osteoclast differentiation, and inhibited the phosphorylation of proteins such as IκBα, P65, ERK, JNK, and P38. Additionally, Eng dose-dependently suppressed ROS levels and promoted the expression of antioxidant enzymes such as Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1. In the in vivo experiments, Eng improved bone loss in ovariectomized mice.Conclusion: Our study found that Eng inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation through multiple signaling pathways, including MAPKs, NF-κB, and ROS aggregation. Furthermore, Eng improved bone loss in ovariectomized mice.Keywords: engeletin, RANKL, osteoclastogenesis, ROS, MAPKs

Haoran Lu,1,&ast; Rou Zhao,2,&ast; Qianqian Qin,3 Liyong Tang,1 Guodong Ma,1 Baoyu He,2 Jing Liang,2 Li Wei,2 Xutong Wang,2 Qingli Bie,2 Xuning Wang,4 Bin Zhang2,5 1Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of General Surgery, The Air Force Hospital of Northern Theater PLA, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China; 5Institute of Forensic Medicine and Laboratory Medicine, Jining Medical University, Jining, Shandong, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bin Zhang, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Jining Medical University, Jining, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 186 0647 3594, Fax +86 537 2213030, Email zhb861109@163.comBackground: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common type of cancers, but there is still a lack of known biomarkers for the effective diagnosis or prognosis of HCC. Myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS) is a substrate of protein kinase C, which was located in the cell plasma membrane. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the role of MARCKS in HCC.Methods: The role of MARCKS in HCC was explored by bioinformatics and experiment.Results: We demonstrated that MARCKS expression was significantly elevated in HCC datasets of TCGA. MARCKS was up-regulated in tumor sample in HCC. Functional enrichment indicated that MARCKS-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched in cell junction tissue, response to growth factors and cell population proliferation. Tumor and ECM-receptor interactions related pathways were enriched by the KEGG. MARCKS expression in HCC patients was higher in females, younger individuals, and those at worse clinical stages. Cox regression analysis showed that MARCKS expression was a risk factor for overall survival and disease-specific survival of patients.Conclusion: MARCKS was up-regulated in HCC, may play a crucial role in HCCs, and has prognostic value for clinical outcomes.Keywords: myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate, HCC, TCGA, prognostic value

He B, Tanya SM, Costello F, Kherani F, Shamie N, Zhu D. Clin Ophthalmol. 2022;16:2263–2274. Page 2265, Results, Demographic Characteristics section, line five, the text “approximately half had children (49%)” should read “approximately three-quarters had children (73%)”. Page 2265, Results, Characteristics of Social Media Usage section, first sentence, the text “The overwhelming majority of respondents (94%) reported having a professional social media account with the top three most popular platforms being Instagram (25.2%), LinkedIn (22.6%), and Facebook (19.6%)” should read “The overwhelming majority of respondents (86%) reported having a professional social media account with the top three most popular platforms being Instagram (57.7%), LinkedIn (51.7%), and Facebook (45.0%)”. Table 1 on pages 2266 and 2267, the percentages for the “Number of children” and “Professional social media platforms*” characteristics are incorrect. The correct Table 1 is shown below. Table 1 Participant Demographics. Various Demographic Characteristics of Survey Participants (n=149) The authors apologize for these errors.

Lin Deng,1 Beilei He,2 Kamran Ali,1,3 Zhangyu Bu1 1Department of Dermatology Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of the Fourth Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Dermatology, International Education College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zhangyu Bu, Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 261, Huansha Road, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8657156006617, Email buzyhz@163.comAbstract: Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) is generally caused by drugs and is characterized by the rapid development of numerous non-follicular sterile pustules on an erythematous base, fever, and neutrophilia. We report an association between terbinafine, with AGEP, and adalimumab treatment. A 24-year-old teenage female patient with a history of onychomycosis was treated with terbinafine. On the second day of the first dose, multiple edematous and erythematous lesions appear with pinhead pustules. Neutrophilia was observed in the blood report. The clinical history, lesions, and laboratory evaluations were consistent with AGEP. We discontinued the terbinafine therapy, and the systemic corticosteroid was initiated; however, the patient’s condition worsened. Adalimumab subcutaneously was initiated, and the symptoms cleared up in weeks. The European Study of Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions (EuroSCAR) scoring system and Naranjo’s algorithm scale were used to check the possibility of a drug-induced adverse reaction. The Association of AGEP with the terbinafine drug is not rare. However, there are no reports or literature of drug-related rash or exanthematous eruptions unresponsive to corticosteroids and treated with adalimumab.Keywords: acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, AGEP, adalimumab, terbinafine, drug-induced adverse reaction, Naranjo’s algorithm scale, EuroSCAR

Qingyun Yang,1,&ast; Tingkai Xiang,1,&ast; Yangfan Wu,1,&ast; Enyi Ye,1,&ast; Beilei He,1,&ast; Zhangyu Bu2,&ast; 1Department of The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006 People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310006, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhangyu Bu, Department of The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 261, Huansha Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310006, People’s Republic of China, Fax +8657156006617, Email buzyhz@163.comIntroduction: Synovitis-acne-pustulosis-hyperostosis-osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome is an acronym for synovitis, pustulosis, acne, hyperostosis, and osteitis, and clinically manifests as dermatological and musculoskeletal damage. Two major manifestations that co-occur in a single patient are rare.Methods/Results: This literature describes a 44-year-old male affected by SAPHO syndrome, whose first manifestation was palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP). Symptomatic treatments such as anti-inflammatory and analgesics did not work well for him. Adalimumab provided noteworthy improvement in the neck and thoracic back pain improvement after two weeks. The palmoplantar pustules were alleviated after four weeks.Conclusion: The literature on SAPHO syndrome therapy is increasing. Thus, adalimumab is a novel therapeutic agent. This report demonstrates the efficiency of adalimumab in SAPHO syndrome.Keywords: synovitis, acne, psoriasis, bone hypertrophy, osteitis, psoriasis arthritis, adalimumab

Dapeng Ji,&ast; Bo Zhang,&ast; Bo He Department of Cardiac Function, The Sixth Hospital of Wuhan, Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bo He, Department of Cardiac Function, The Sixth Hospital of Wuhan, Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University, No. 168 Hong Kong Road, Wuhan, 430050, People’s Republic of China, Tel: +86-13437154321, Email 37569105@qq.comObjective: This study aims to explore the diagnostic value of the deepest S wave (SD) in elderly patients with essential hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in elderly patients with essential hypertension from October 2020 to December 2021. The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) examination was carried out at the time of admission. Echocardiography was performed to estimate left ventricular mass (LVM) and the left ventricular muscle mass index (LVMI) was adjusted by the body surface area (BSA). The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve for diagnosing hypertension with LVH was drawn, the cut-off value was determined according to the Youden index, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. The diagnostic values of SD, SD+Sv4, ravl+Sv3, and Sv1+Rv5 were compared.Results: The results of SD, SD+Sv4, RavL+Sv3, and Sv1+Rv5 in the Study group were 2.03 (1.56– 2.57) mV, 3.09 (2.38– 3.98) mV, 2.19 (1.46– 2.78) mV, and 3.38 (2.67– 4.19) mV respectively, which were all higher than those in the Control group [0.93 (0.68– 1.23) mV, 1.37 (1.32– 2.18) mV, 1.03 (0.68– 1.46) mV, and 2.28 (1.67– 2.67) mV], P< 0.001. Compared with the ROC curved by SD+Sv4, RavL+Sv3, and Sv1+Rv5, the AUC of the ROC curved by SD was [0.887, 95% CI (0.837– 0.927)], and the cut-off value was 1.298 with the Sensitivity = 86.03 and Specificity = 86.59 in diagnosing essential hypertension with LVH. In female patients, the AUC of the ROC curved by SD was [0.891, 95% CI (0.841– 0.934)], and the cut-off value was 1.304 with the Sensitivity of 89.32% and Specificity of 88.67%, which were all higher than those in male patients [AUC = 0.887, 95% CI (0.828– 0.943); cut-off value = 1.288; Sensitivity = 82.12%, and Specificity = 84.22%].Conclusion: ECG can effectively diagnose elderly patients with essential hypertension and LVH and the diagnostic value of SD and SD+Sv4 are higher than the current Cornell criteria and Sokolow–Lyon criteria.Keywords: essential hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, elderly patients, deepest S wave, electrocardiogram criteria

Qin Zhou,1 Huanjun Luo,2 Xiaowei Wang,2 Peng Li,3 Haibo Kong,1 Baomei He1 1Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Baomei He, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), No. 158 Shangtang Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310014, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86 13588008667, Email heyan916@126.comPurpose: Status epilepticus (SE) is a life-threatening condition causing brain damage, hippocampal necrosis and apoptosis. This study aimed to determine whether microRNA-210 regulates seizure and apoptosis by targeting the TLR4 /NF-κB1 associated signaling pathway.Methods: In a pilocarpine-induced epileptic rat model, the expressions of microRNA-210 (miR-210), TLR4, NF-κB1 and caspase-3 were assessed by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Tunel detects hippocampal neuron apoptosis.Results: We found that miR-210, TLR4, NF-κB1 and caspase-3 were upregulated in the hippocampus of the rat model compared with that of control. The knockdown of miR-210 significantly restored the expression levels of TLR4, NF-κB1 and caspase-3 and increased hippocampal apoptosis.Conclusion: These findings showed that the downregulation of miR-210 promoted apoptosis of hippocampal neurons by negatively regulating the TLR4/NF-&kcy;B1 signaling pathway.Keywords: apoptosis, microRNA, NF-κB1, status epilepticus, TLR4

Recent studies have numerically demonstrated the possible advantages of the asynchronous non-orthogonal multiple access (ANOMA) over the conventional synchronous non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA). The ANOMA makes use of the oversampling technique by intentionally introducing a timing mismatch between symbols of different users. Focusing on a two-user uplink system, for the first time, we analytically prove that the ANOMA with a sufficiently large frame length can always outperform the NOMA in terms of the sum throughput. To this end, we derive the expression for the sum throughput of the ANOMA as a function of signal-To-noise ratio, frame length, and normalized timing mismatch. Based on the derived expression, we find that users should transmit at full powers to maximize the sum throughput. In addition, we obtain the optimal timing mismatch as the frame length goes to infinity. Moreover, we comprehensively study the impact of timing error on the ANOMA throughput performance. Two types of timing error, i.e., the synchronization timing error and the coordination timing error, are considered. We derive the throughput loss incurred by both types of timing error and find that the synchronization timing error has a greater impact on the throughput performance compared with the coordination timing error.

Bonnie He,1 Stuti M Tanya,2 Fiona Costello,3 Femida Kherani,4,5 Neda Shamie,5 Dagny Zhu6 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; 2Department of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; 3Departments of Clinical Neurosciences and Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 4Department of Surgery, Division of Ophthalmology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; 5Maloney-Shamie Vision Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 6NVISION Eye Centers, Rowland Heights, Los Angeles County, California, USACorrespondence: Bonnie He, Dalhousie University Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, Email bonnie.he@dal.caBackground: Although social media use among physicians skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic, its role for networking, mentorship, and support among ophthalmologists remains unknown. The objective of this study was to elucidate how ophthalmologists use social media for navigating challenges related to personal and professional development.Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study conducted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. A 40-item questionnaire investigating the usage of social media was developed and distributed to active social media users in ophthalmology including trainees and practitioners from November 2020 to December 2020 via social media channels. Quantitative responses were analyzed using descriptive and basic statistics, while a thematic analysis was conducted to examine the qualitative responses.Results: One hundred and forty-nine respondents (67% women) completed the survey, with 56% of participants between the ages of 25– 35 years old. Women were more likely to report experiencing workplace discrimination (p < 0.005) and work-life imbalance (p < 0.05) compared to men, and social media was found to be useful in addressing those challenges in addition to parenting and mentorship (p < 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). Compared to their older counterparts, younger ophthalmologists (< 45 years old) cited more challenges with practice management (p < 0.005) and turned to social media for corresponding guidance (p < 0.05). Compared to late career ophthalmologists, trainees were more likely to report difficulties with career development (p < 0.05), practice management (p < 0.0001), and financial planning (p < 0.05), and found social media beneficial for learning financial literacy (p < 0.05). A qualitative analysis of the free-response texts found both positive and negative viewpoints of social media use in ophthalmology.Conclusion: Social media is an invaluable tool for enhancing professional and personal growth for ophthalmologists, particularly for women, trainees, and younger surgeons through education and community-building. Future directions include exploring how social media can be used to improve mentorship, outreach, and training in ophthalmology.Keywords: mentorship, professional development, social media, women in ophthalmology

Mengqiu Xiong,1,&ast; Bei Pan,2,&ast; Xuhong Wang,2 Junjie Nie,1 Yuqin Pan,1 Huiling Sun,1 Tao Xu,1 William CS Cho,3 Shukui Wang,1,4,5 Bangshun He1,4,5 1Clinical Laboratory, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210006, People’s Republic of China; 2Medical College, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210006, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hongkong SAR, People’s Republic of China; 4Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, People’s Republic of China; 5Helicobacter pylori Research Key Laboratory, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bangshun He, Email hebangshun@163.comBackground: DNA methylation in the CpG island is associated with gastric cancer, genetic variations residue in genes involved in methylation pathway could contribute to the occurrence of gastric cancer. Here, we investigated the association between DNMTs (DNMT1/DNMT3A/DNMT3B), MTHFR genetic variations and gastric cancer risk and patients’ survival.Patients and Methods: We recruited 490 gastric cancer patients and 488 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The genotypes of the genetic variations were detected by a Mass-array platform. A commercial Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) immunogold testing kit was used to determine the H. pylori infection.Results: We found that carriers of DNMT1 rs2228612C allele was associated with decreased gastric cancer risk (CT vs. TT: adjusted OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.53– 0.94, P = 0.02; CT/CC vs.TT: adjusted OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.56– 0.96, P = 0.02). Further stratified analysis showed that DNMT1 rs2228612 CT/CC were associated with a decreased gastric cancer risk in the subgroups of age ≤ 64 years old (adjusted OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.41– 0.90, P = 0.01), male (adjusted OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.53– 0.98, P = 0.03), negative H. pylori infection (adjusted OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.45– 0.98, P = 0.04), tumor stage T3-T4 (adjusted OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.51– 0.92, P = 0.01), and non-gastric cardiac adenocarcinoma (NGCA) (adjusted OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.54– 0.97, P = 0.03). However, none of the genetic variations of this study was associated with overall survival.Conclusion: We concluded that the DNMT1 rs2228612C genotype is a protective factor for gastric cancer in Han Chinese population.Keywords: DNMTs, MTHFR, genetic variation, gastric cancer

The performance of millimeter wave (mmWave) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems is limited by the sparse nature of propagation channels and the restricted number of radio frequency chains at transceivers. The introduction of reconfigurable antennas offers an additional degree of freedom on designing mmWave MIMO systems. This paper provides a theoretical framework for studying the mmWave MIMO with reconfigurable antennas. Based on the virtual channel model, we present an architecture of reconfigurable mmWave MIMO with beamspace hybrid analog-digital beamformers and reconfigurable antennas at both the transmitter and the receiver. We show that employing reconfigurable antennas can provide throughput gain for the mmWave MIMO. We derive the expression for the average throughput gain of using reconfigurable antennas in the system, and further derive the expression for the outage throughput gain for the scenarios where the channels are (quasi) static. Moreover, we propose a low-complexity algorithm for reconfiguration state selection and beam selection. Our numerical results verify the derived expressions for the throughput gains and demonstrate the near-optimal throughput performance of the proposed low-complexity algorithm.

Dongxu Wang,1 Bing He2 1Department of Gastroenterology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Endocrinology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Bing He, Department of Endocrinology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36 Sanhao Street, Shenyang, 110004, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86-24-96615-23111, Email hebing7557@126.comAbstract: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common reproductive, endocrine, and metabolic disorders in premenopausal women. Clinically, PCOS is mainly caused by androgen excess and ovarian dysfunction, manifested by anovulatory menstrual cycles, infertility, and hirsutism. In addition, PCOS increases the risk of insulin resistance, obesity, cardiovascular disease, anxiety and depression, dyslipidemia, and endometrial cancer. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as ≥ 5% fat accumulation in the liver in the absence of remaining secondary causes and has become one of the most common chronic liver diseases worldwide. The prevalence of NAFLD is significantly higher and more severe in women with PCOS, and its pathogenesis can be associated with various risk factors such as hyperandrogenemia, insulin resistance, obesity, chronic low-grade inflammation, and genetic factors. Although there is no definitive solution for the management of NAFLD in PCOS, some progress has been made. Lifestyle modification should be the basis of management, and drugs to improve metabolism, such as insulin sensitizers and glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists, may show better efficacy. Bariatric surgery may also be a treatment of NAFLD in obese women with PCOS. This paper reviews three aspects of prevalence, risk factors, and management, in order to better understand the current state of research on NAFLD in PCOS, to explore the pathogenesis of NAFLD in PCOS, and to encourage further research on the application of drugs in this field.Keywords: polycystic ovary syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, hyperandrogenemia, insulin resistance, obesity, metformin, glucagon-like peptide-1

Xiangyi Cheng, Bing He Department of Endocrinology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Bing He, Department of Endocrinology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110000, Liaoning Province, People’s Republic of China, Email hebing7557@163.comAbstract: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of infertility in reproductive-age women. Increased reactive oxygen species levels and decreased antioxidant capacity in PCOS patients can lead to metabolic disorders and damage the ovarian tissues, resulting in the occurrence of related symptoms. Antioxidants have been used in the treatment of PCOS and have yielded satisfactory outcomes due to their ability to counter oxidative stress. Many experiments on PCOS patients have proved that antioxidants can not only improve the ovarian environment, promote follicular maturation, and elevate oocyte quantities but can also regulate lipid and glucose metabolism as well as vascular endothelial cell function in PCOS patients, thereby attenuating adiposity and reducing the occurrence rate of chronic complications to ensure that patients can obtain long-term benefits. This review describes the use of antioxidants in PCOS, which have been used in the treatment.Keywords: PCOS, oxidative stress, antioxidants, α-lipoic acid