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The deployment of artificial reefs (ARs) is currently an essential component of sea ranching practices in China due to extensive financial support from the government and private organizations. Blue Ocean Ltd. created a 30.65 km2 AR area covered by oysters in the eastern part of Laizhou Bay, Bohai Sea. It is important for the government and investors to understand and assess the current status of the AR ecosystem compared to the system status before AR deployment. We provide that assessment, including trophic interactions, energy flows, keystone species, ecosystem properties and fishing impacts, through a steady-state trophic flow model (Ecopath with Ecosim). The model estimated values of 4721.2 and 4697.276 t km-2 yr-1 for total system throughput and 534.74 and -519.9 t km-2 yr-1 for net system production before and after AR deployment, respectively. After AR deployment, sea cucumber and oyster showed the same trophic level (TL = 2.0) while veined whelk Rapana venosa had TL = 3.0. The mean TL of catches was 2.484 after AR deployment and the primary production required to support fisheries (PPR) was 1104 t km-2. Detritus production dominated over primary production and represented 73.82% (2530.82 t km-2) of total primary production required. The sea cucumber showed the lowest PPR/catch value (5.6) among functional groups, indicating that fishing catch biomasses were close to primary production values. The total primary production to total respiration and total primary production to total biomass ratios showed higher system maturity after AR deployment. The trophic flow diagram showed 1 grazing and 2 detritus food chains. Pelagic and bottom fish and different benthic organisms, including large crustaceans and zoobenthos, were the dominant community before AR deployment. Zoobenthos was the key functional group, followed by large crustaceans and Gobiidae, which were the most important prey for top predators after AR deployment. We draw the following conclusions for the management of this area: (1) AR deployment contributes to the maturity of the improved ecosystem; (2) the artificial oyster system is similar to a natural reef system; (3) the enhancement and release of benthic animals in the AR area benefit the ecosystem; and (4) low TL catches do not cause the system to collapse.

Ran Zhao,1,&ast; Dexiang Ji,1,&ast; Yulan Zhou,1,2 Ling Qi,1,2 Fei Li1,2 1Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Hematological Diseases, Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, People’s Republic of China; 2Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Disease, Nanchang, Jiangxi, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fei Li, Email yx021021@sina.comBackground: Immunosuppressive therapy (IST) with horse or rabbit anti-human thymocyte immunoglobulin (h-/r-ATG) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are two baseline treatments for severe aplastic anemia (SAA) and transfusion-dependent non-severe aplastic anemia (TD-NSAA) patients. Addition of thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) to standard IST therapy (h-/r-ATG) has greatly improved the survival of SAA, whereas porcine anti-lymphocyte globulin (p-ALG) combined with TPO-RAs still had a matter of debate.Methods: We retrospectively compared the data of 48 AA patients in our center between 2020 and 2022, 23 AA patients received with p-ALG ± TPO-RAs, 25 AA patients underwent matched sibling donor (MSD-) or haploidentical (haplo-) HSCT.Results: For patients in the HSCT group, the ORR was 90.9% which was significantly higher than that in the IST±TPO-RAs group (45.5%, P = 0.001) at 3 months; moreover, patients who underwent HSCT achieved faster transfusion independence, better CR rate, shorter time of recovery normal blood routine, and the percentage of normal blood routine (all P < 0.05) compared with IST±TPO-RAs group. However, the ORR were similary at 6 months in the two groups (95.5% vs 81.8% P = 0.342), with a median follow up of 19.8 months (range, 0.3– 38.2 months), the 2-year FFS and OS in the two cohorts has no different. Subgroup analysis further indicated that the 2-year FFS and OS were similar between IST+TPO-RAs and haplo-HSCT subgroups, as well as in IST+TPO-RAs and MSD-HSCT cohorts. Moreover, the first-time hospitalizations were much more expensive in the HSCT group than in the IST±TPO-RAs group (402 756 vs. 292 902 yuan, P = 0.002).Conclusion: P-ALG-based-IST±TPO-RAs is a good treatment option with similar FFS and OS compared to allo- HSCT for AA patients without the opportunity of HSCT.Keywords: porcine anti-human thymocyte immunoglobulin, thrombopoietin receptor agonist, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, aplastic anemia

Lin Qi,1,&ast; Yanglei Li,2,&ast; Chengqi Kong,2,&ast; Siqi Li,2 Qinyue Wang,2 Hanqin Pan,2 Shuyi Zhang,3 Xinkai Qu,2 Ming Li,1 Mingxuan Li,2,4 Kailei Shi2 1Department of Computed Tomography, Huadong Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, Huadong Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Cardiac Care Unit, Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Cardiology, Qingpu Branch of Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Kailei Shi; Mingxuan Li, Email shikailei@fudan.edu.cn; 19211280015@fudan.edu.cnBackground: Inflammation triggers atherosclerotic plaque rupture, leading to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Following AMI, peri-coronary adipose tissue (PCAT) undergoes a transition from lipid-rich to hydrophilic characteristics due to vascular inflammation. This study investigates PCAT changes and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio levels during AMI.Patients and Methods: 60 AMI patients undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography and angiography (Jan 2020-Jun 2022) were studied 60 age, gender, BMI-matched stable angina, and 60 non-coronary artery disease patients were included. Siemens VB20.0 measured PCAT-volume and fat attenuation index (FAI). Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio levels were calculated by peripheral blood tests.Results: The PCAT volume and PCAT-FAI gradually increased across the control, stable angina, and AMI groups, with a corresponding gradual rise in NLR. NLR exhibited weak positive correlation with PCAT-FAI (r=0.35) and PCAT-volume (r=0.24). Multivariable logistic regression identified increased PCAT-volume, PCAT-FAI and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as possible independent AMI risk factors. No significant PCAT-volume difference was observed between infarct-related artery (IRA) and non-IRA for all three coronary arteries. Only PCAT-FAI around IRA-LAD was higher than non-IRA-LAD (− 74.84± 6.93 HU vs − 79.04± 8.68 HU). PCAT-FAI around culprit vessels in AMI was higher than corresponding lesion related vessel in SA. PCAT-volume around narrowed non-IRA in AMI was higher than that of corresponding LRV in SA. PCAT-FAI of narrowed non-IRA-LADs and non-IRA-LCXs in AMI were elevated compared to LADs (− 78.46± 8.56HU vs − 83.13± 8.34 HU) and LCXs (− 73.83± 10.63 HU vs − 81.38± 7.88 HU) of lesion related vessel in stable angina.Conclusion: We found an association between AMI and inflammation in the coronary perivascular adipose tissue and systemic inflammatory response.Keywords: peri-coronary adipose tissue, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, fat attenuation index, acute myocardial infarction

Guiyun Zhang,1 Yufeng Lu,2 Lin Qi,1 Chunli Yao1 1Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Chunli Yao, Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-431-81136244, Email ycl@jlu.edu.cnIntroduction: Rare studies have reported pilomatricoma in twins, and extremely rare cases showed lesions in the same part of the body position. We reported a case of monozygotic twins with pilomatricoma in the same location on the skin of the right upper extremity.Case Presentation: Seven-year-old monozygotic twins presented to our department with a palpable, painless, and solid mass in the subcutaneous tissue of the right upper limb. A 1.5-cm diameter nodule was seen on the anterolateral aspect of the right upper extremity of the twins. The node was irregular in shape, and upon palpation, the patients reported no noticeable tenderness. Following the administration of local anesthesia, the twins underwent surgical procedure to excise the solid mass. Finally, they were diagnosed with pilomatricoma based on the clinical and histopathological features. Complete surgical resection followed by primary closure was performed. During a follow-up period of three years, there has been no recurrence observed in the twins.Conclusion: We reported a case of monozygotic twins with pilomatricoma in the same location on the skin of the right upper arm. Our findings underscore the requirement of considering genetic factors in the diagnosis and treatment of the rare conditions.Keywords: pilomatricoma, pilomatrixoma, calcifying epithelioma of malherbe, case report

Zixia Wu,1,&ast; Weibo Xia,1,&ast; Liling Ou,1 Ling Zheng,1 Bingying Hou,1 Tonghe Pan,2 Wenjie Sun,1 Leo H Koole,1 Yongqing Shao,2 Lei Qi1 1National Engineering Research Center of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325027, the People’s Republic of China; 2Ningbo Eye Hospital, Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 310000, the People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yongqing Shao, Ningbo Eye Hospital, Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 310000, the People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-574 87862193, Email sunniesyq@163.com Lei Qi, School of Ophthalmology & Optometry and Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, the People’s Republic of China, 325027, Tel +86-577-88067973, Email imdoll@163.comPurpose: Patients afflicted with dry eye disease (DED) experience significant discomfort. The underlying cause of DED is the excessive accumulation of ROS on the ocular surface. Here, we investigated the nitrogen doped-graphene quantum dots (NGQDs), known for their ROS-scavenging capabilities, as a treatment for DED.Methods: NGQDs were prepared by using citric acid and urea as precursors through hydrothermal method. The antioxidant abilities of NGQDs were evaluated through: scavenging the ROS both extracellular and intracellular, regulating the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) antioxidant pathway of human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) and their transcription of inflammation related genes. Furthermore, NGQDs were modified by Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) peptides to obtain RGDS@NGQDs. In vivo, both the NGQDs and RGDS@NGQDs were suspended in 0.1% Pluronic F127 (w/v) and delivered as eye drops in the scopolamine hydrobromide-induced DED mouse model. Preclinical efficacy was compared to the healthy and DPBS treated DED mice.Results: These NGQDs demonstrated pronounced antioxidant properties, efficiently neutralizing free radicals and activating the intracellular Nrf2 pathway. In vitro studies revealed that treatment of H2O2-exposed HCECs with NGQDs induced a preservation in cell viability. Additionally, there was a reduction in the transcription of inflammation-associated genes. To prolong the corneal residence time of NGQDs, they were further modified with RGDS peptides and suspended in 0.1% Pluronic F127 (w/v) to create RGDS@NGQDs F127 eye drops. RGDS@NGQDs exhibited superior intracellular antioxidant activity even at low concentrations (10 μg/mL). Subsequent in vivo studies revealed that RGDS@NGQDs F127 eye drops notably mitigated the symptoms of DED mouse model, primarily by reducing ocular ROS levels.Conclusion: Our findings underscore the enhanced antioxidant benefits achieved by modifying GQDs through nitrogen doping and RGDS peptide tethering. Importantly, in a mouse model, our novel eye drops formulation effectively ameliorated DED symptoms, thereby representing a novel therapeutic pathway for DED management.Keywords: dry eye disease, antioxidant, nitrogen doped graphene quantum dots, Nrf2 antioxidant pathway

Zhan Shi,1,&ast; Sihui Zhu,2,&ast; Yuncheng Jin,1 Liang Qi,1 Mingzhen Zhou,1 Ziyan Zhou,1 Juan Zhang,1 Baorui Liu,1 Jie Shen1 1Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210008, People’s Republic of China; 2The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Nanjing International Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210008, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jie Shen; Baorui Liu, Department of Oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, 210008, People’s Republic of China, Fax +86-025-83106666, Email shenjie2008nju@163.com; baoruiliu@nju.edu.cnBackground: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has emerged as an alternative approach for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and we aim to find potential prognostic biomarkers for HCC patients who received SBRT.Methods: In this study, we retrospectively analyzed HCC patients who underwent SBRT in our institution from January 2018 to December 2022. The inflammatory parameters, along with baseline patients’ characteristics were collected to elucidate the potential relationship with survival benefits and liver toxicities.Results: Overall, 35 patients were enrolled in our study. For the efficacy population (25 patients who underwent SBRT for primary liver lesions), the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) were 60% and 100%, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.9 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.6– 14.1 months], and the median overall survival (OS) was 18.5 months (95% CI 14.2– 22.8 months). We further confirmed that higher baseline lymphocyte-C-reactive protein ratio (LCR) (≥ 2361.11) was positively related to both longer PFS (12.0 vs 4.3 months, P = 0.002) and OS (21.9 vs 11.4 months, P = 0.022). Moreover, patients with diabetes and higher alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (≥ 400 ng/mL) were also found to be associated with worse OS. The most common hepatotoxicity was elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (84.0%).Conclusion: In conclusion, for patients with inoperable HCC, SBRT resulted in satisfactory local control, survival benefits, and acceptable liver toxicity. Pre-radiotherapy LCR might be an independent and readily available predictor for survival, which facilitates us to find the most appropriate treatment options.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, stereotactic body radiotherapy, lymphocyte-C-reactive protein ratio, survival, liver toxicity

Shang Gao,1 Chenmoji Wang,1 Lijie Qi,2 Songlin Liang,1 Xintian Qu,1 Wei Liu,3,&ast; Nianhu Li4,&ast; 1The First Clinical Medical College of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China; 4Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Nianhu Li; Wei Liu, Email tigerlee073@126.com; weiliu800109@163.comBackground: The method of action of Bushen Formula (BSHXF) in the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) was uncovered in this work using in vivo and in vitro tests. To clarify the mechanism of action of BSHXF, we validated the rat intervertebral disc degeneration model and the nucleus pulposus cell degeneration model.Methods: In an in vivo model of IVDD the study explores the impact of BSHXF on mitochondrial function, pro-inflammatory cytokines, pro-apoptotic factors, and matrix metalloproteinases. Additionally, it evaluates the induced degeneration of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells in an in vitro model stimulated by interleukin-1 β (IL-1β). The study measures the effects of BSHXF on both the inflammatory response and mitochondrial function.Results: The MRI results showed that BSHXF reduced intervertebral disc volume reduction and degradation of NP tissue. HE, SO-FG and immunofluorescence further confirmed the protective effect of BSHXF on degenerative intervertebral discs. BSHXF reduced the inflammatory levels of IL-6 IL-1β and TNF-α in degenerative intervertebral disc tissue. Meanwhile, JC-1, mPTP and ROS detection revealed that BSHXF can restore mitochondrial function by regulating the expression of antioxidant proteins, playing a protective role in NP cells. Finally, the WB results showed that BSHXF can alleviate IL-1β mediate the degeneration of NP cells. BSHXF can alleviate NP cell apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of bax, cleaved caspase-3, caspase-3, and cyt-c, and increasing the expression of Bcl-2.Conclusion: This study reveals that BSHXF inhibits the development of inflammatory factors, which may play a significant role in intervertebral disc degeneration. This implies that BSHXF is a suitable herbal medication for future research into inflammatory cytokine treatment.Keywords: intervertebral disc degeneration, nucleus pulposus cell, BSHXF, apoptosis, inflammatory

Na Yan,1 Tong Zhou,1 Mingming Hu,1 Yuxuan Cai,1 Ling Qi,1 Blen Dereje Shiferaw,1 Wei Wang,1– 3 Chunxia Miao4 1School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, People’s Republic of China; 2Research Center for Mental Crisis Prevention and Intervention of College Students in Jiangsu Province, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, People’s Republic of China; 3Jiangsu Engineering Research Center of Biological Data Mining and Healthcare Transformation, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Management, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Wei Wang, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tong Shan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People’s Republic of China, Email weiwang90@163.com Chunxia Miao, School of management, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221004, People’s Republic of China, Email miaochunxia1978@163.comBackground: Previous findings indicate that stress has a profound influence on suicide behavior, but the potential mediating and moderating mechanisms are unknown between uncertainty stress and suicide behavior. The present study, therefore, examined the relationship between uncertainty stress and suicide behavior, the mediating effect of depressive symptoms, and the moderating effect of family relationship in a sample of university students in China.Methods: 1828 university students were assessed anonymously by using the Uncertainty Stress Scale, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Brief Suicidal Scale, and Family Relationship Scale between May to June in 2021. SPSS 26.0 was used for descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation analysis. PROCESS 3.5 was used to calculate the significance of the mediating and moderating effects of the variables.Results: Moderated mediation model analyses showed that: (a) depressive symptoms partially mediated the link between uncertainty stress and suicide behavior (indirect effect = 0.14, 95%bootstrap CI = 0.10, 0.19). The indirect effect of the depressive symptoms accounted for 67.12% of the total variance in suicide behavior. (b) The indirect association between uncertainty stress and suicide behavior was moderated by family relationship. Specifically, the paths from uncertainty stress to depressive symptoms (interact effect = − 0.06, P< 0.001) and depressive symptoms to suicide behavior (interact effect = − 0.08, P< 0.01) were weakened in the context of higher family relationship.Conclusion: Depressive symptoms play a crucial role in bridging uncertainty stress and suicide behavior, while the family relationship can buffer the mediation impact of depressive symptoms. These findings significantly contribute to the prevention and intervention of suicide in Chinese university students.Keywords: uncertainty stress, depressive symptoms, suicide behavior, family relationship, university students

Shuyun Zhang,1,&ast; Lijuan Wu,1,&ast; Xue Li,1 Li Yang,1 Sujuan Shen,1 Hong Shen,1 Dan Zhao,2 Lin Qi2,3 1Center of Reproductive Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Su Zhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Precision Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Su Zhou, People’s Republic of China; 3State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Lin Qi, Precision Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Su Zhou, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13962187070, Email drhuan@126.comPurpose: Karyotype analysis of villus chromosomes in spontaneous abortion by high-throughput ligation-dependent probe amplification (HLPA) was performed to explore relationship between spontaneous abortion and chromosomal abnormalities in spontaneous abortion tissues.Patients and Methods: The karyotypes of chromosomes of villus tissues from 516 patients with spontaneous abortion who were admitted to our hospital between 2014 and 2019 were analyzed. The data were grouped by the age (ie, ≤ 29, 30– 35, and ≥ 36 years old) in which embryonic chromosomal abnormality rate, and abnormal distribution of chromosome number in abortion tissue of 294 patients.Results: The examination of 516 samples of spontaneous abortion tissues showed that the chromosomes of 294 samples were abnormal, and the abnormality rate was 60.97%. Among 294 samples with chromosomal abnormalities, 136 (89.47%) samples had numerical chromosomal abnormalities, 15 (9.87%) samples had structural chromosomal abnormalities, and 1 (0.07%) sample had uniparental disomy. A total of 308 couples voluntarily underwent peripheral blood chromosome analysis. The results showed that 56 couples had abnormality in one or both spouses, and rate of embryonic chromosomal abnormality in these 26 cases with chromosomal abnormalities was 100%.Conclusion: Numerical and structural chromosomal abnormalities are among the important causes of embryonic arrest, while the increase in age could also be a high-risk factor for embryonic chromosomal abnormality. Therefore, examination of the karyotypes of embryo chorionic villus may help understand the reasons of embryonic arrest, which could provide important guidance for more genetic counseling for patients with early spontaneous abortion, as well as improving the preconception preparation.Keywords: spontaneous abortion, villus tissue, HLPA test, chromosomal abnormality

Wei Li, Jun Zhao, Ruiping Hao, Shujuan Wang, Ming Chen, Huijun Liu, Le Qi, Zaijun Hao Department of Anaesthesiology, Ordos Central Hospital, Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Zaijun Hao, Department of Anesthesiology, Ordos Central Hospital, Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 017000, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +8615204778880, Email dengdairy@126.comPurpose: Evaluate the efficacy and safety of remimazolam besylate combined with esketamine for outpatient colonoscopy.Patients and methods: A total of 150 outpatients undergoing colonoscopy were randomized into two groups. A MOAA/S score ≤ 3 was maintained. The primary outcome was the rate of successful colonoscopy completion. Time indicators, hemodynamic parameters, the consumption of lidocaine, esketamine, propofol and remimazolam besylate, MOAA/S scores and bispectral index (BIS) values, the lowest SpO2, body movement, the use of rescue medication, endoscopist and patient satisfaction, recall of the procedure, mini-mental state examination (MMSE), fatigue level and adverse events were recorded.Results: Procedure completion was equivalent between groups (P > 0.05). Both induction and awakening times were significantly shorter in the P group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in colonoscopy time and discharge time (P > 0.05). The lowest SpO2 was significantly lower in the P group, while the level of fatigue was higher (P < 0.05). Patient satisfaction was significantly higher in the R group (P < 0.05). Endoscopist satisfaction was significantly higher in the P group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure between groups except at T5 and T6 (P > 0.05). Both HR and RR were significantly lower in the P group from T3 to T5 (P < 0.05). BIS values were significantly lower in the P group from T3 to T5, while MOAA/S was significantly lower in the P group at T3 and T4 (P < 0.05). Pain on injection was significantly higher in the P group (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Remimazolam besylate has a similar efficacy to propofol when combined with subanesthetic doses of esketamine during outpatient colonoscopy. Remimazolam besylate combined with esketamine resulted in less injection pain and more stable hemodynamics, although it prolonged induction and awakening time.Keywords: remimazolam besylate, propofol, esketamine, colonoscopy

Fukutin-related protein (FKRP, MIM ID 606596) variants cause a range of muscular dystrophies associated with hypo-glycosylation of the matrix receptor, α-dystroglycan. These disorders are almost exclusively caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous missense variants in the FKRP gene that encodes a ribitol phosphotransferase. To understand how seemingly diverse FKRP missense mutations may contribute to disease, we examined the synthesis, intracellular dynamics, and structural consequences of a panel of missense mutations that encompass the disease spectrum. Under non-reducing electrophoresis conditions, wild type FKRP appears to be monomeric whereas disease-causing FKRP mutants migrate as high molecular weight, disulfide-bonded aggregates. These results were recapitulated using cysteine-scanning mutagenesis suggesting that abnormal disulfide bonding may perturb FKRP folding. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching, we found that the intracellular mobility of most FKRP mutants in ATP-depleted cells is dramatically reduced but can, in most cases, be rescued with reducing agents. Mass spectrometry showed that wild type and mutant FKRP differentially associate with several endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident chaperones. Finally, structural modelling revealed that disease-associated FKRP missense variants affected the local environment of the protein in small but significant ways. These data demonstrate that protein misfolding contributes to the molecular pathophysiology of FKRP-deficient muscular dystrophies and suggest that molecules that rescue this folding defect could be used to treat these disorders.

Sheng Ye,1 Huichun Xiao,1 Jian Chen,1 Di Zhang,1 Li Qi,1 Ting Peng,2 Yanyang Gao,2 Qianbing Zhang,3 Jinqing Qu,2 Lei Wang,4 Ruiyuan Liu1 1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Image Processing, School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 3Cancer Research Institute, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 4College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Inorganic Nonmetallic Crystalline and Energy Conversion Materials, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jinqing Qu; Ruiyuan Liu, Email cejqqu@scut.edu.cn; ruiyliu@smu.edu.cnIntroduction: The high concentration of glutathione (GSH) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels within the tumor microenvironment (TME) are the major obstacle to induce the unsatisfactory anticancer treatment efficiency. The synergistic cancer therapy strategies of the combination the GSH depletion enhanced chemodynamic therapy (CDT) with photothermal therapy (PTT) have been proved to be the promising method to significantly improve the therapeutic efficacy.Methods: The copperphosphotungstate was incorporated into polyanilines to design copperphosphotungstate doped polyaniline nanorods (CuPW@PANI Nanorods) via chemical oxidant polymerization of aniline. The low long-term toxicity and biocompatibility were evaluated. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out to confirm the GSH depletion enhanced CDT/NIR-II PTT synergistic therapy.Results: CuPW@PANI Nanorods feature biosafety and biocompatibility, strong NIR-II absorbance, and high photothermal-conversion efficiency (45.14%) in NIR-II bio-window, making them highly applicable for photoacoustic imaging and NIR-II PTT. Moreover, CuPW@PANI Nanorods could consume endogenous GSH to disrupt redox homeostasis and perform a Fenton-like reaction with H2O2 to produce cytotoxic •OH for the enhanced CDT. Furthermore, NIR-II photothermal-induced local hyperthermia accelerates •OH generation to enhance CDT, which realizes high therapeutic efficacy in vivo.Conclusion: This study provides a proof of concept of GSH-depletion augmented chemodynamic/NIR-II photothermal therapy.Keywords: copperphosphotungstate, NIR-II absorption nanorods, NIR-II photothermal therapy, GSH depletion, chemodynamic therapy, synergistic therapy

BackgroundAbnormal hair growth is a defining feature of RASopathies, syndromes caused by germline mutations in the RAS pathway. However, detailed hair manifestations and the mechanisms of altered hair growth in RASopathies are poorly delineated.ObjectivesTo identify distinguishing clinical features and investigate how the RAS pathway influences hair growth by performing a systematic and detailed side-by-side comparison of hair manifestations in cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome (CFCS) and Costello syndrome (CS), two RASopathies caused by mutations in the downstream and upstream elements of the RAS pathway, respectively.MethodsSixteen individuals with CFCS and 23 individuals with CS were enrolled. Mutation data were recorded. Scalp hair, eyebrows and eyelashes of individuals with CFCS or CS were examined for texture, colour, density and morphology. Scalp hairs were examined by light microscopy.ResultsWhile both syndromes displayed abnormal hair, striking differences were observed, including darker and thicker scalp hair and sparse eyebrows and eyelashes in CFCS. By contrast, synophrys, trichomegaly and abnormalities of the scalp hair shafts were observed in CS. Possible correlation with straight hair and genotype was observed in CS.ConclusionThe results emphasize the role of the RAS pathway in hair growth, improve accuracy of clinical diagnosis of CFCS and CS and provide a foundation for identification of therapeutic targets.

Zhan Lu,1,2,&ast; Yiyue Huang,1,2,&ast; Juntao Huang,1,2,&ast; Hang-Hang Ni,1,2 Tai Luo,1 Xingyu Wei,1 Xue Bai,1 Lunnan Qi,1– 3 Bangde Xiang1– 3 1Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High-Frequency Tumors, Ministry of Education, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 3Guangxi Liver Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Engineering and Technology Research Center, Nanning, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bangde Xiang; Lunnan Qi, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, 71&num; Hedi Road, Qingxiu District, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-7715301253 ; +86-135-1788-6990, Email xiangbangde@gxmu.edu.cn; qilunan_gxmu@163.com; wangzhennuo@aliyun.comPurpose: Recent studies indicated the vital role of platelet in enhancing the survival of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood, thereby stimulating the metastasis of tumors. CTCs have been considered an indicator of early tumor recurrence. Therefore, this study evaluated the prognostic potential of platelet count in predicting the early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the presence of CTCs.Patients and Methods: 127 patients, whose preoperative CTCs were detected, were enrolled in this study. Univariate analysis was performed to identify the significant association of factors with the early recurrence of HCC, followed by multivariate analysis to determine the independent prognostic indicators. The prediction potential was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.Results: A total of 81 (63.7%) patients showed early HCC recurrence. The platelet count ≥ 225× 109/L (hazard ratio, HR: 1.679, P = 0.041), CTCs > 5/5 mL (HR: 2.467, P = 0.001), and presence of microvascular invasion (MVI) (HR: 2.580, P = 0.002) were independent factors correlated with the early recurrence of HCC in multivariate analysis. The prognostic potential of the combined CTCs-platelet count (0.738) was better than that of CTCs (0.703) and platelet (0.604) alone. The subgroup analysis, excluding 23 patients with pathological cirrhosis and splenomegaly, showed that the platelet count ≥ 225× 109/L and CTCs > 5/5 mL were also independent factors of early HCC recurrence. The prediction potential of the combined CTCs-platelet count was 0.753, which was better than that of the whole cohort. Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis indicated that the HCC patients with high platelet or CTCs had the worse recurrence-free survival (RFS).Conclusion: The high platelet count was an independent factor of early HCC recurrence in the presence of CTCs. The combination of preoperative CTCs and platelet count could effectively predict the early recurrence of HCC. The subgroup analysis also showed similar results.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, liver resection, early recurrence, platelet count, circulating tumor cells

Shengjie Yang,1,&ast; Weijuan Tan,1,&ast; Xiao Ma,2 Lu Qi,1 Xinghe Wang1 1Phase I Clinical Trial Center, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100038, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Surgery Medicine, Zhangqiu People’s Hospital, Jinan, 250200, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xinghe Wang, Phase I Clinical Trial Center, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 10 Tieyi Road Yangfangdian, Haidian District, Beijing, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-15301378575, Email wangxh@bjsjth.cnAbstract: Cancer-related neuropathic pain is a common adverse effect in the process of cancer development and treatment and has gradually attracted the attention of researchers. The purpose of this article is to systematically review the articles on cancer-related neuropathic pain published between 2012 and 2021 and visualize the data through CiteSpace and R software. The results show that in the past 10 years, a total of 5715 articles have been published, involving 118 categories, of which the most is Clinical Neurology, followed by Neurosciences, Pharmacology Pharmacy. The country with the most published articles is the United States, followed by China and Italy. A total of 22,228 authors were involved in the study of cancer-related neuropathic pain. These historical opinions about cancer-related neuropathic pain could be an important practical basis for further research into potential development trends.Keywords: cancer, neuropathic pain, bibliometric, author, country, institution

Licui Qi,1 Ning Kang,2 Xiaoyi Chen,3 Zelin Li,2 Chenqian Deng,3 Shuchun Chen1 1Endocrinology Department, Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, 050051, People’s Republic of China; 2Graduate School, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050000, People’s Republic of China; 3Graduate School, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, 075000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shuchun Chen, Endocrinology Department, Hebei General Hospital, 348, Heping West Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050051, People’s Republic of China, Email chenshuc2014@163.comPurpose: This study aims to explore the predictive value of plasma atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) for microalbuminuria (MAU) in newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods: This study was a retrospective study, which included 335 newly diagnosed T2DM patients. They were divided into microalbuminuria group (group A, n = 105 cases) and no microalbuminuria group (group B, n = 230 cases) according to whether microalbuminuria occurred. General information and laboratory examination indexes of patients were collected, and AIP was calculated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the independent risk factors of microalbuminuria in T2DM patients, and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was established to evaluate the predictive value of AIP on MAU of newly diagnosed T2DM patients.Results: According to general data analysis, AIP level in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that AIP was an independent risk factor for microalbuminuria (P < 0.05). The receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of AIP was 0.772 (P < 0.05), which had a good predictive value for the occurrence of MAU in newly diagnosed T2DM patients. The waist-hip ratio, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin and AIP were used to make a joint model, and the AUC was 0.841 (P < 0.05), which had a better predictive value for the occurrence of MAU.Conclusions: AIP is an independent risk factor and could predict the occurrence of MAU in newly diagnosed T2DM patients. AIP provides clinicians a reliable basis to quickly identify high-risk patients and formulate appropriate treatment strategies.Keywords: plasma arteriosclerosis index, microalbuminuria, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, diabetic nephropathy

Litong Qi,1 Qiuling Zhang,2 Zeqi Zheng,3 Zhaohui Pei,4 Hong Mao,5 Tingbo Jiang,6 Dmitri Kazei,7 Elke Kahler,8 Yong Huo1 1Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, People’s Republic of China; 2The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang, 310015, People’s Republic of China; 3The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang City, Jiangxi, 330000, People’s Republic of China; 4The Third Hospital of Nanchang, Nanchang City, Jiangxi, 330000, People’s Republic of China; 5The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Wuhan City, Hubei, 430014, People’s Republic of China; 6The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou City, Jiangsu, 215006, People’s Republic of China; 7Abbott Healthcare Products BV, Weesp, 1381 CT, The Netherlands; 8Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Hannover, 30173, GermanyCorrespondence: Yong HuoDepartment of Cardiology, Peking University First Hospital, No. 8 Xishiku St. Xicheng District, Beijing, 100034, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 139 01333060Email huoyong@263.net.cnIntroduction: The lipid-modifying potential of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in Chinese patients is under-researched. We conducted a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group study of twice-daily treatment with OMACOR (OM3EE), a prescription-only formulation of highly purified ethyl esters of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in Chinese adult patients (≥ 18 years) who had elevated baseline fasting serum triglycerides (TG).Methods: Patients were stratified according to the severity of their hypertriglyceridemia (severe HTG, with baseline TG ≥ 500 and < 1000 mg/dL or moderate HTG, with baseline TG > 200 and < 500 mg/dL) or use of statins. Patients randomized to OM3EE therapy received 2 g/day for 4 weeks, then 4 g/day for 8 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the percentage change in fasting serum TG between baseline and the end of treatment in patients with severe HTG. The study was concluded after a planned interim analysis demonstrated a significant TG-lowering effect of OM3EE in that contingent (p=0.0019).Results: The mean TG end-of-treatment effect of OM3EE was – 29.46% (standard deviation 40.60%) in the severe HTG contingent compared with +0.26% (standard deviation 54.68%) in the placebo group. Corresponding changes were – 12.12% and – 23.25% in the moderate HTG and combination cohorts (vs +55.45% and +6.24% in relevant placebo groups). A dose-dependent reduction in TG was evident in all patient contingents. Safety and tolerability of OM3EE were in line with previous experience.Discussion: These data indicate that OMACOR therapy at a dose of 2– 4 g/day is an effective treatment for Chinese patients with raised TG levels and is well tolerated.Keywords: omega-3 PUFAs, hypertriglyceridemia, triglycerides, clinical trial, China, statin

Donghui Hou,1 Weihua Li,2 Sicong Wang,3 Yao Huang,1 Jianwei Wang,1 Wei Tang,1 Lina Zhou,1 Linlin Qi,1 Ning Wu,1,4,&ast; Shijun Zhao1,&ast; 1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3GE Healthcare, Life Sciences, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4PET-CT Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Shijun Zhao; Ning WuDepartment of Diagnostic Radiology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, No. 17, Panjiayuan Nanli, Beijing, 10021, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-10-8778-8550; Tel/Fax +86-10-8778-7523Email zsj.2001@163.com; cjr.wuning@vip.163.comPurpose: Although patients with primary and acquired epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) respond to osimertinib treatment, the optimal treatment strategy differs for these two groups of patients. This study aimed to compare the clinicopathologic and computed tomography (CT) imaging characteristics between primary and acquired EGFR T790M mutations in patients with NSCLC before treatment.Patients and Methods: We enrolled two groups of patients with primary or acquired EGFR T790M mutation NSCLC (n = 103 per group) from January 2012 to December 2019. We analyzed their clinicopathologic and CT characteristics and differences between the groups. The groups were further categorized based on 21L858R and 19del to exclude the effect of coexistent mutations.Results: Primary, compared to acquired, T790M mutation tends to coexist with 21L858R (P < 0.001), exhibiting earlier tumor stage (P < 0.001), higher differentiation (P = 0.029), higher proportion of lepidic subtype adenocarcinoma (P < 0.001), and significant associations with some CT features (multiple primary lung cancers, ground-glass opacity, air bronchogram, and vacuole sign [all P < 0.001]). The combined model, composed of clinicopathologic and conventional CT signature and CT-radiomic signature, showed good discriminative ability with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.90 and 0.91 in the training and validation datasets, respectively. The T790M mutation contributed to these differences independently of coexistent mutations.Conclusion: We identified clinicopathologic and CT imaging differences between primary and acquired T790M mutations. These findings provide insights into developing future personalized T790M mutation status-based theranostic strategies.Keywords: non-small-cell lung cancer, T790M mutation, osimertinib, clinicopathologic characteristic, computed tomography

Hengshuo Zhang, Lu Chen, Ziyu Wang, Fuan Wang, Yu Shan, Linzeng Qi, Yunzhen Chen Department of Spine Surgery, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yunzhen Chen Email qilucyz@yeah.netObjective: To examine the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2228570, rs731236, rs7975232, and rs1544410 and lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) predisposition.Methods: A search strategy was carried out, and the data were extracted after being chosen by the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess the association between the aforementioned SNPs and LDD under allelic, dominant, recessive, heterozygous, and homozygous genetic models. In addition, a case–control study involving 46 LDD cases and 45 controls was also performed in the analysis to verify the result.Results: A total of 17 studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results did not show any association between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and LDD. But, interestingly, in subgroup analysis, the rs2228570 polymorphism was associated with LDD under the allelic (OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.56– 0.87, p = 0.002), recessive (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.43– 0.84, p = 0.003), and homozygous (OR = 0.47, 95% CI= 0.28– 0.79, p = 0.004) genetic models in the Asian population. SNPs rs731236 and rs7975232 still did not show any obvious association. We obtained a similar result from the case–control study: rs2228570 had an obvious relationship with LDD under allelic and homozygous genetic models. At the same time, we found that rs2228570 was also associated with the degree of low back pain (visual analogue scale, VAS score) in LDD population.Conclusion: SNP rs2228570 was significantly associated with LDD predisposition and the degree of low back pain in the Asian population.Keywords: vitamin D receptor, single nucleotide polymorphism, lumbar disc degeneration, visual analogue scale, meta-analysis, case-control study

Doppler optical coherence tomography (DOCT) is considered one of the most promising functional imaging modalities for neuro biology research and has demonstrated the ability to quantify cerebral blood flow velocity at a high accuracy. However, the measurement of total absolute blood flow velocity (BFV) of major cerebral arteries is still a difficult problem since it not only relates to the properties of the laser and the scattering particles, but also relates to the geometry of both directions of the laser beam and the flow. In this paper, focusing on the analysis of cerebral hemodynamics, we presents a method to quantify the total absolute blood flow velocity in middle cerebral artery (MCA) based on volumetric vessel reconstruction from pure DOCT images. A modified region growing segmentation method is first used to localize the MCA on successive DOCT B-scan images. Vessel skeletonization, followed by an averaging gradient angle calculation method, is then carried out to obtain Doppler angles along the entire MCA. Once the Doppler angles are determined, the absolute blood flow velocity of each position on the MCA is easily found. Given a seed point position on the MCA, our approach could achieve automatic quantification of the fully distributed absolute BFV. Based on experiments conducted using a swept-source optical coherence tomography system, our approach could achieve automatic quantification of the fully distributed absolute BFV across different vessel branches in the rodent brain.

In atmospheric pressure RF discharges, positive and negative feedback regions are defined based on the influence of varying the capacitance of the series capacitor in an inverted L-type impedance matching network on the fed RF power at the input port of the impedance matching network. The impact of the impedance matching network on the α - γ mode transition was investigated by adjusting the tuning series capacitor in the impedance matching network. The critical RF power, as well as the current and voltage at the α - γ mode transition, is almost independent of the impedance matching network, while the counterpart immediately after the α - γ mode transition varies remarkably. The underlying mechanism is understood in terms of different feedbacks. Positive and negative feedbacks respectively promote and suppress the increment in RF power during the α - γ mode transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have examined the origins of polytype selection during metal-mediated molecular-beam epitaxy of GaN nanowires (NWs). High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals [111]-oriented zinc blende (ZB) NWs and [0001]-oriented wurtzite (WZ) NWs, with SixNy at the interface between individual NWs and the Si (001) substrate. Quantitative energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy reveals a notably higher Si concentration of 7.0% ± 2.3% in zinc blende (ZB) NWs than 2.3% ± 1.2% in wurtzite (WZ) NWs. Meanwhile, density functional theory calculations show that incorporation of 8 at. % Si on the Ga sublattice inverts the difference in formation energies between WZ and ZB GaN, such that the ZB polytype of GaN is stabilized. This identification of Si and other ZB polytype stabilizers will enable the development of polytype heterostructures in a wide variety of WZ-preferring compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yajun Yang,1,* Guisen Zhang,2,* Song Zhang,3,* Xiaoyan Bian,1 Lao Qi,2 Shixuan Guo,2 Bozhou Zhang,1 Lei Liu4 1Cataract Department, Baotou Chaoju Eye Hospital, Baotou, 014060, People’s Republic of China; 2Retina Department, Hohhot Chaoju Eye Hospital, Hohhot, 010050, People’s Republic of China; 3Cataract Department, China Medical University, Shenyang, 110122, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110001, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bozhou ZhangBaotou Chaoju Eye Hospital, Baotou, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 014060, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail zhangbozhou@chaojueye.cnLei LiuThe First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail liuleijiao@163.comAim: To use OCTA to collect normative data describing the vascular perfusion of the macula and optic disc in adolescents.Methods: This cross-sectional, school-based study was conducted from Oct 15, 2019, to Nov 30, 2019, in Tuyou County, Baotou, China. All eligible participants underwent a comprehensive questionnaire and ocular examination. The vascular perfusion of the macula and optic disc was determined using a spectral-domain OCTA device.Results: A total of 570 anatomically normal eyes without a history of pathologic disease from 570 adolescents (mean ± SD age, 15.1 ± 1.9 years; 298 girls [52.3%]) were enrolled. In the macula, the mean ± SD perifoveal perfusion density (PD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) was 44.2% ± 4.37% and 50.74% ± 3.98%, respectively. The mean ± SD foveal avascular zone (FAZ) was 0.32 mm2 ± 0.11 mm2. The mean ± SD peripapillary vessel density (PVD) was 54.98% ± 3.53%. The inferior hemiretinal SCP-PD, DCP-PD, FAZ, and PVD was larger in girls than boys (P = 0.006, P = 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.006, respectively) Multiple regression analysis confirmed that sex independently affected the DCP-PD, FAZ, and PVD (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.029, respectively) and that axial length (AL) independently affected the FAZ area and PVD (P = 0.004 and P < 0.001, respectively).Conclusion: Quantitative studies of the perifoveal vasculature in adolescents should consider the patient’s sex and AL. Our findings may provide useful information for the understanding and the management of retinal perfusion in Chinese adolescents.Keywords: macula, optic disc, optical coherence tomography angiography, retinal perfusion