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Xinyang Nie,1– 3,* Jian Liu,1,2,* Daohan Wang,1,2,* Chuan Li,1,2 Yuxin Teng,1,2 Zhufeng Li,1,2 Yangpu Jia,1,2 Peiyao Wang,1,2 Jingyu Deng,2,3 Weidong Li,1,2 Li Lu1,2 1Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Gastric Surgery, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Li Lu; Weidong Li, Department of General surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, People’s Republic of China, Email luli_1989@126.com; tjmughgs_lwd@163.comBackground: Cisplatin (DDP) resistance in gastric cancer (GC) is likely to come from gastric cancer stem cells (GCSC). It is a new idea to study the mechanism of the DDP-resistance in GCSC from miRNA.Materials and Methods: CD44+ GCSCs and CD44- control cells were constructed based on the HGC27 gastric cancer cell line. DDP sensitivities in CD44+ and CD44- cells were detected via CCK-8 assay. The differential expression of miR-21-5p in these cell lines was detected by RT‒qPCR. The expression levels of downstream TGF-β 2, SMAD2 and SMAD3 were determined through RT‒PCR and Western blotting. A luciferase assay was used to detect the relationship between miR-21-5p and TGFB2, and the TCGA database, clinical data from our centre, and vivo experiment were used for validation. Finally, we knocked down miR-21-5p to detect changes in cisplatin resistance in GCSCs and to verify changes in the levels of downstream pathways in GCSCs.Results: CD44+ GCSCs induced cisplatin resistance compared with CD44- cells. miR-21-5p was highly expressed in GCSCs, and the TGF-β 2/SMAD pathway was also highly expressed. TGFB2 was proven to be a downstream target gene of miR-21-5p and had a positive relationship with it in phenotype. After knockdown of miR-21-5p, the TGF-β 2/SMAD pathway was also inhibited, and the resistance of GCSCs to cisplatin was specifically decreased.Conclusion: MiR-21-5p promotes cisplatin resistance in gastric cancer stem cells by regulating the TGF-β 2/SMAD signalling pathway.Keywords: miR-21-5p, cisplatin resistance, GCSCs, TGF-β 2 pathway

Yixue Huang,&ast; Wenhao Wang,&ast; Linlin Zhang,&ast; Yun Teng, Zihao Zhan, Huilin Yang, Peng Yang Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Peng Yang; Huilin Yang, Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, 188 Shizi Street, Suzhou, 215006, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 512 67972157, Email ypspine@163.com; szyhlspine@163.comBackground: To determine the factors in posterior ligamentous complex indicating lumbar instability in patients diagnosed with degenerative spondylolisthesis on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients who underwent PLIF surgery for degenerative spondylolisthesis at our institution between 2018 and 2020 and who had complete eligible preoperative imaging data for review and study, including lumbar MRI and anteroposterior and flexion-extension radiographs.Results: Fifty-three patients were confirmed to have lumbar instability (Unstable Group, 44%), while sixty-seven patients (Stable Group, 56%) did not have instability on radiographs. The patients in the stable group had more advanced status of the degeneration of intervertebral disc than in the unstable group (p< 0.05). The degeneration of supraspinous ligament (SSL) was more severe in the unstable group (p< 0.05). Compared with the patients with rotatory instability, advanced degeneration of interspinous ligament (ISL) and SSL was observed in patients with translatory instability (p< 0.05). However, there was no significant difference with regard to the height of the spinous process and the interspinous distance in patients with or without instability.Conclusion: This MRI analysis showed that abnormal segmental motion is closely associated with the pathological characteristics of supraspinal ligament. Advanced degeneration of SSL in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis should raise the suspicion for lumbar instability and additional evaluations. The status of ISL and ligamentum flavum (LF) may not be helpful for the diagnosis of lumbar instability. Functional radiographs combined with MRI may provide valuable information when diagnosing lumbar instability in patients with mechanical back pain.Keywords: interspinous distance, lumbar instability, MRI, posterior ligament complex, spinal process

Qin Yang,1,2 Xiao Huang,2 Yanhong Lin,1 Ke Chen,1 Qinghua Lu,1 Weinan Lin,1 Xing Wang,2 Yishu Teng,3 Peng Jiang,3 Sandip Patil,3 Yuejie Zheng1 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Sleep Centre, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Haematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Sandip Patil, Department of Haematology and Oncology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China, Tel +85-755-82008283, Email sandippatil1309@yahoo.com Yuejie Zheng, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, People’s Republic of China, Email shine1990@sina.comBackground: Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a multifaceted disorder marked by recurrent upper airway obstruction during sleep, often coexisting with various medical conditions. This study, aimed to comprehensively analyze the Multifaceted Landscape of Pediatric Insights into Prevalence, Severity, and Coexisting Conditions. With a sample of 1928 participants, our study sought to determine the prevalence, severity, and associations between OSA and diverse conditions.Methods: Conducted retrospectively from February 2019 to April 2023, the study included pediatric patients. Data were collected through electronic health records, involving clinical assessments, medical histories, and diagnostic tests to establish OSA and coexisting condition diagnoses. Relationships between sleep parameters, apnea types, and severity indices were evaluated.Results: High OSA prevalence was evident across age groups, with severity peaking between 3 to 12 years. Among the participants, coexisting conditions included allergic rhinitis (59.6%), tonsillar hypertrophy (49.7%), adenoid hypertrophy (28.4%), and obesity (15.3%). Analysis revealed intriguing relationships between different sleep parameters and apnea types. Notable associations were observed between Obstructive Apnea (OA) and Central Apnea (CA), and Mixed Apnea (MA) displayed associations with both OA and CA. Hypopnea correlated directly with the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI), reflecting its role in OSA severity.Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the intricate dynamics between pediatric OSA and coexisting conditions. The prevalence of OSA and its coexistence with various conditions underscore the need for comprehensive evaluation and management strategies. By revealing associations between different sleep parameters and apnea types, the study emphasizes the complexity of OSA diagnosis and management. These findings hold the potential to enhance clinical approaches, ultimately leading to improved care and outcomes for affected children.Keywords: pediatric obstructive sleep apnea, coexisting conditions, prevalence, severity, relationships, sleep parameters, management, clinical analysis, comprehensive evaluation, outcomes

Wenzhen Tang,1 Yuanxi Xie,1 Qingfeng Yan,2 Yanjuan Teng,1 Li Yu,1 Liuying Wei,3 Jinmei Li,4 Yuhui Chen,1 Xiaolin Huang,1 Shaoli Yang,1 Kui Jia1 1The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 530021, People’s Republic of China; 2The Sanming Second Hospital, Sanming, Fujian Province, 366099, People’s Republic of China; 3Nanning Fourth People’s Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 530021, People’s Republic of China; 4Wanxiu District Chengnan Community Health Service Center, Wuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 543000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Kui Jia, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 530021, People’s Republic of China, Email 1960728884@qq.comAim: To investigate the current status of experience and support of nurses as second victims and explore its related factors in nurses.Design: A sequential, explanatory, mixed-method study was applied.Methods: A total of 406 nurses from seven tertiary hospitals in China were chosen as participants between September to October 2023. The Chinese version of the Second Victim Experience and Support Questionnaire (SVEST), Somatic Complaints of Sub-health Status Questionnaire (SCSSQ) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) were applied to collect quantitative data. Eight nurses were selected for a qualitative study through in-depth interviews. Through interpretive phenomenological analysis, the interview data were analysed to explore the experience and support of nurses as second victims.Results: Practice distress (15.74 ± 4.97) and psychological distress (15.48 ± 3.74) were the highest dimensions, indicating Chinese nurses experienced second victim-related practice and psychological distress. Nurses with different gender, age, education, marital status, income, working hours, professional titles, and unit types have different levels of second victim-related experience and support (p

Shuman Wu,1,&ast; Huiting Liu,2,&ast; Yimeng Li,2,&ast; Yanrong Teng1 1School of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong province, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Economic, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong province, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Huiting Liu, School of Economic, Jinan University, Guangzhou, Guangdong province, 510632, People’s Republic of China, Email carrie620@qq.comPurpose: Mainland universities have become one of the important choices for students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, but the maladaptation caused by environmental migration will have a negative impact on the mental health of them. Therefore, it is urgent to explore the psychological mechanism of sociocultural adaptation of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan students.Methods: In order to explore the influence of self-esteem on the sociocultural adaptation of college students of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan studying in mainland universities, as well as the mechanism of social support and school belonging, a survey was conducted among 1108 college students from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan studying in mainland universities, with the help of Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Sociocultural Adaptation Scale, Perceptive Social Support Scale and The Psychological Sense of School belonging Scale.Results: The results show that (1) Different grades of college students of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan have differences in school belonging and sociocultural adaptation (P< 0.05); (2) Self-esteem, social support, school belonging and sociocultural adaptation were positively correlated (P < 0.01); (3) The mediation model test showed that self-esteem could directly and positively predict sociocultural adaptation with a direct effect size of 0.245; Social support and school belonging played a mediating role between self-esteem and sociocultural adaptation, and the mediating effect sizes were 0.094 and 0.085, respectively. The chain mediating effect of social support and school belonging was also significant, and the mediating effect size was 0.108.Conclusion: Self-esteem can not only directly affect college students’ sociocultural adaptation, but also indirectly affect college students’ sociocultural adaptation through the chain mediating effect of social support and school belonging. This study further reveals the mechanism of self-esteem on sociocultural adaptation and provides psychological basis for universities to improve the sociocultural adaptation level of different groups of students.Keywords: self-esteem, sociocultural adaptation, social support, school belonging, college students of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan

Yan Teng, Mingyang Ren, Xianhong Yang, Wei Lu, Xiaohua Tao Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaohua Tao, Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13505811700, Email taoxiaohua@hmc.edu.cnBackground: Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP), a rare autoimmune vesiculous and erosive disorder, may affect multiple mucous membranes, with the oral cavity being the most commonly affected site. Its treatment depends on the site(s) of mucosal involvement and disease severity.Patients and Methods: A 62-year-old female patient with MMP that predominantly involved the oral cavity strongly rejected systemic corticosteroid or immunosuppressive agents and was successfully treated with abrocitinib, a highly selective JAK-1 inhibitor with a good safety profile.Results: The case demonstrated good efficacy and safety profile of abrocitinib for the treatment of MMP with predominant oral involvement.Conclusion: Abrocitinib is a promising agent for the treatment of MMP with oral involvement.Keywords: abrocitinib, mucous membrane pemphigoid, JAK inhibitor

Yuhan Teng,1 Yining Jian,2 Xinyue Chen,3 Yang Li,4 Bing Han,2 Lei Wang3 1Department of Clinical Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of General Practice, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of General Practice, Hunnan Zhujia Community Health Service Center, Shenyang, Liaoning, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Lei Wang, Department of General Practice, The First Hospital of China Medical University, 122 N Nanjing St., Heping District, Shenyang, 110001, People’s Republic of China, Fax +86-24-83283333, Email wanglei_tz@163.comPurpose: To predict the future number of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China and compare the three prediction models.Methods: A generalized additive model (GAM), autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model, and curve-fitting method were used to fit and predict the number of patients with COPD in China. Data on the number of patients with COPD in China from 1990 to 2019 were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. The coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean squared error (RMSE), relative error of prediction, Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) were used to evaluate and compare the fitting effect, prediction effect, and reliability of the three models.Results: The GAM, ARIMA, and curve-fitting methods could predict future trends in COPD in China. The performance of the GAM is the best among the three models, whereas the curve fitting method is the worst, and the ARIMA (0,1,2) model is in between. The prediction results of the three models showed that the number of patients with COPD in China is expected to increase from 2020 to 2025.Conclusion: GAM and AIRMA models are recommended for predicting the future prevalence of COPD in China. The number of patients with COPD in China is expected to increase in the next few years. The prevention and control of COPD in China still needs to be strengthened. Using appropriate models to predict future trends in COPD will provide support for health policymakers.Keywords: generalized additive model, ARIMA model, curve fitting method, COPD, prediction

Mingyang Ren,1 Xianhong Yang,2 Yan Teng,2 Wei Lu,2 Yang Ding,2 Xiaohua Tao2 1Department of Graduate School, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, People’s Republic of China; 2Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College), Hangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaohua Tao, Email txhtxh@sina.comAbstract: Granulomatous rosacea (GR) is a rare inflammatory skin disease characterized by persistent, hard, yellow, brown, red, or flesh-colored papules, plaques, or nodules on the face. Limited data are available on patients treated for GR, with only case reports and case series published. Herein, we describe the case of a 53-year-old woman who presented to the hospital with persistent red to brown and pink patches on both cheeks accompanied by a burning sensation for one month. Histopathological examination of a cutaneous biopsy revealed granulomatous inflammation in focal areas. Both acid-fast and Periodic acid-Schiff staining were negative. The patient was diagnosed with GR based on her clinical presentation and laboratory test results. She was treated with abrocitinib, a JAK-1 inhibitor, for 20 weeks. This resulted in substantial improvement in her rash and the associated burning sensation. Subsequent follow-up visits indicated no adverse effects or relapses. Additionally, a literature review was conducted to compare with the current case, which concluded that abrocitinib is a viable treatment option for GR, exhibiting a relatively high safety profile with minimal side effects.Keywords: JAK inhibitor, granulomatous rosacea, abrocitinib, efficacy

Yan Teng,1,&ast; Mingyang Ren,2,&ast; Yang Ding,1 Xianhong Yang,1 Yibin Fan,1 Xiaohua Tao1 1Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China; 2Graduate School of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical School, Bengbu, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiaohua Tao; Yibin Fan, Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang provincial people’s hospital, People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Tel +86-13505811700 ; +86-18806538451, Email taoxiaohua@hmc.edu.cn; fanyibin@hmc.edu.cnAbstract: Perioral dermatitis (POD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that primarily affects females between the ages of 16 and 45. Conventional therapies face the challenge of limited efficacy and a high recurrence rate. In this report, we present the case of a 26-year-old male patient with POD who was successfully treated using the Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, abrocitinib. This treatment exhibited both good efficacy and safety. Abrocitinib, as a JAK inhibitor, holds promise as a potential therapy for cases of POD that might be resistant to conventional therapies.Keywords: JAK inhibitors, abrocitinib, perioral dermatitis

Yan Teng,1,&ast; Huiting Zhong,2,&ast; Xianhong Yang,1 Xiaohua Tao,1,&ast; Yibin Fan1,&ast; 1Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Dermatology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yibin Fan; Xiaohua Tao, Center for plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Tel +86-18806538451 ; +86-13505811700, Email fanyibin@hmc.edu.cn; taoxiaohua@hmc.edu.cnAbstract: Atopic dermatitis (AD) in the elderly has recently emerged as a distinct subgroup of AD, garnering widespread concern due to its increasing global incidence rate. Epidermal barrier dysfunction, inflammatory response, and chronic pruritus interact with each other, contributing to the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of AD in the elderly. Although fundamental medications are essential for managing AD in the elderly, older adults often struggle with regular usage of moisturizing emollients, topical medications, and avoidance of environmental triggers, leading to recurrent or even exacerbated disease progression. Therefore, a systematic medication approach is necessary to control pruritus and skin lesions. Traditional systemic treatments may not adequately meet the treatment needs of moderate and severe AD in the elderly and may even pose certain safety risks. Biologics and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, exhibiting excellent clinical efficacy, have made significant breakthroughs in AD treatment. Existing evidence suggests that dupilumab, a human monoclonal IgG4 antibody, has been confirmed as an effective and safe first-line systematic treatment for moderate to severe AD in the elderly, with no notable differences between adults and the elderly. However, the limited inclusion of elderly patients in related clinical studies hinders the generalizability of these findings. As older patients face a higher risk of adverse events with JAK inhibitors, JAK inhibitors are recommended when no other suitable treatment options are available. Obtaining population-specific data is crucial for making evidence-based treatment choices when managing AD in older adults with JAK inhibitors.Keywords: atopic dermatitis in the elderly, treatments, biologics, JAK inhibitors

Yan Teng,1 Yibin Fan,1 Danying Shang,1 Xiaohua Tao,1,&ast; Dongsheng Sun2,&ast; 1Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China; 2Geriatric Medicine Center, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Dongsheng Sun, Geriatric Medicine Center, Department of Geriatric Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China, Email sunds@163.com Xiaohua Tao, Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China, Email taoxiaohua@hmc.edu.cnAbstract: Drug-induced alopecia areata is a rare adverse event wherein medications such as antimicrobials, anticonvulsants, and biologics, trigger the premature transition of actively growing hairs into the telogen phase. Herein, a unique case of alopecia universalis observed during a clinical trial involving sacubitril/alisartan, a novel angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) has been reported. This case contributes to the range of cutaneous reactions that might be observed in association with ARNI therapy.Keywords: alopecia universalis, sacubitril/alisartan, angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor

Yan Teng,1,&ast; Hui Tang,2,&ast; Yong Yu,1 Yibin Fan,1 Xiaohua Tao,1 Danfeng Xu1 1Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China; 2Graduate School of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Danfeng Xu; Xiaohua Tao, Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, 158 Shangtang Road, Gongshu District, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13567122384 ; +86-13505811700, Email 3100102508@zju.edu.cn; taoxiaohua@hmc.edu.cnBackground: There is limited literature on AD with a predominant involvement of nipple among the adult male group. SARS-CoV-2 infection might have been an exacerbating factor of AD by initiating the “cytokine storm”. Conventional treatment suffers from a dilemma of poor efficacy and a high recurrence. The JAK inhibitors have been clinically applied to treat the AD with a good outcome.Patients and Methods: We present a case of a 28-year-old male AD patient with a predominant nipple involvement successfully treated with JAK inhibitor abrocitinib, with no adverse affects.Results: The case shows a good clinical efficacy of JAK inhibitor abrocitinib in the treatment of AD with a predominant nipple involvement during the COVID-19 pandemic with a rapid and long-term symptomatic relief.Conclusion: JAK inhibitor abrocitinib might become a promising agent for the treatment with AD with a predominant uncommon region like nipple that might be resistant to conventional therapies during the COVID-19 pandemic.Keywords: atopic dermatitis, nipple and areola, JAK inhibitors, abrocitinib, COVID-19

Yan Teng,1 Danfeng Xu,1 Xianhong Yang,1 Hui Tang,2 Xiaohua Tao,1 Yibin Fan,1,&ast; Yang Ding1,&ast; 1Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China; 2Graduate School of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yang Ding; Yibin Fan, Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13732261339 ; +86-13505811700, Email dingyang@hmc.edu.cn; taoxiaohua@hmc.edu.cnAbstract: Unlike apoptosis, pyroptosis, necroptosis, and ferroptosis are recently identified modes of programmed cell death (PCD) with unique molecular pathways. Increasing evidence has indicated that these PCD modes play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various non-malignant dermatoses (a group of cutaneous disorders), including infective dermatoses, immune-related dermatoses, allergic dermatoses, benign proliferative dermatoses, etc. Moreover, their molecular mechanisms have been suggested as potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of these dermatoses. In this article, we aim to review and summarize the molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis, necroptosis, and ferroptosis and their roles in the pathogenesis of some non-malignant dermatoses.Keywords: pyroptosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, molecular mechanisms, non-malignant dermatoses

Xiaolong Tang,1,2,&ast; YingYing Guo,2,&ast; Sijia Zhang,2 Xin Wang,2 Yuhao Teng,3 Qingjiang Jin,2 Qinglei Jin,2 Wei Shen,2,&ast; Ruiping Wang1,3,&ast; 1The First Clinical Medical College, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oncology, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Oncology, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Wei Shen, Department of Oncology, Suzhou Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, 39 Xiashatang Road, Wuzhong District, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China, Email sw196611@163.com Ruiping Wang, Department of Oncology, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 155 Hanzhong Road, Qinhuai District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China, Tel +13815883181, Email ruipingwang61@hotmail.comPurpose: Solanine is the main component of the plant Solanum, which has been shown to provide growth-limiting activities in a variety of human cancers. However, little is known about its function in gastric cancer (GC).Methods: We investigated the effect of solanine on GC in vivo and in vitro. The inhibition rate of solanine on the tumor was observed by constructing a subcutaneous tumor in nude mice. Morphological changes were analyzed with H&E staining. The expression of ATF4 was detected by IF analysis. MTT assays, EdU staining, and colony formation assays were used to detect the inhibition rate of solanine on GC cells. Matrigel transwells were used to detect the invasion of GC cells. Cell migration was measured using the wound healing assay. The flow cytometric analysis was used to monitor changes in the cell cycle and cell apoptosis. Western blotting was used to detect major proteins in cells and tumors.Results: Solanine suppressed gastric tumorigenesis. Solanine also inhibited the proliferation, invasion and mitigation of GC cells, and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in vitro. Moreover, the growth-limiting activities of solanine in gastric cancer were related to the suppression of the AAMDC/MYC/ATF4/Sesn2 pathway-mediated autophagy. Overexpression of AAMDC reversed the inhibitory effect of solanine on autophagy and gastric cancer.Conclusion: In summary, our findings indicate that solanine confers growth-limiting activities by deactivating the AAMDC-regulated autophagy in gastric cancer.Keywords: gastric cancer, autophagy, AAMDC, solanine

Yan Teng,1 Sujing Li,2 Hui Tang,2 Xiaohua Tao,1 Yibin Fan,1,&ast; Youming Huang1,&ast; 1Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310014, People’s Republic of China; 2Graduate School of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, 233030, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Youming Huang; Yibin Fan, Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Tel +86-18368023136 ; +86-18806538451, Email huangyouming@hmc.edu.cn; fanyibin@hmc.edu.cnAbstract: Skin infections are common diseases for which patients seek inpatient and outpatient medical care. Globally, an increasing number of people are affected by skin infections that could lead to physical and psychological damage. Skin infections always have a broad spectrum of clinical presentations that require physicians to make an aggressive and accurate diagnosis for prescribing the proper symptomatic antimicrobials. In most instances, the treatment for skin infections mainly includes oral or topical anti-infective drugs. However, some of the classical anti-infective drugs have limitations, such as poor water solubility, low bioavailability, and poor targeting efficiency, which can lead to poor efficacy, adverse effects, and drug resistance. Therefore, research priorities should focus on the development of more effective drug delivery systems with new materials. Hydrogels are a highly multifunctional class of medical materials with potential applications in dermatology. Several hydrogel dressings with anti-infective functions have been formulated and demonstrated to improve the efficacy and tolerance of oral or topical classical anti-infective drugs to a certain degree. In this study, the medical applications of hydrogels for the treatment of various skin infections are systematically reviewed to provide an important theoretical reference for future research studies on the treatment options for skin infections.Keywords: hydrogel, dermatology, skin infections, anti-infective agent, drug delivery systems

Xianhu Zeng,1 Yi Teng,1 Chunrong Zhu,2 Zhipeng Li,1 Tian Liu,3 Yong Sun,1 Shangcong Han1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy Intravenous Admixture Service, Weifang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Weifang, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shangcong Han; Yong Sun, Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86 532 82991508, Email hsc00111@163.com; sunyong@qdu.edu.cnIntroduction: Sunitinib, a first-line therapy with a certain effect, was utilized in the early stages of renal cell carcinoma treatment. However, its clinical toxicity, side effects, and its limited bioavailability, resulted in inadequate clinical therapeutic efficacy. Building neoteric, simple, and safe drug delivery systems with existing drugs offers new options. Therefore, we aimed to construct a micelle to improve the clinical efficacy of sunitinib by reusing ibuprofen.Methods: We synthesized the sialic acid-poly (ethylene glycol)-ibuprofen (SA-PEG-IBU) amphipathic conjugate in two-step reaction. The SA-PEG-IBU amphiphilic conjugates can form into stable SPI nanomicelles in aqueous solution, which can be further loaded sunitinib (SU) to obtain the SPI/SU system. Following nanomicelle creation, sialic acid exposed to the nanomicelle surface can recognize the overexpressed E-selectin receptor on the membrane of cancer cells to enhance cellular uptake. The properties of morphology, stability, and drug release about the SPI/SU nanomicelles were investigated. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry were used to assess the cellular uptake efficiency of nanomicelles in vitro. Finally, a xenograft tumor model in nude mice was constructed to investigate the body distribution and tumor suppression of SPI/SU in vivo.Results: The result showed that SPI nanomicelles exhibited excellent tumor targeting performance and inhibited the migration and invasion of tumor cell in vitro. The SPI nanomicelles can improve the accumulation of drugs in the tumor site that showed effective tumor inhibition in vivo. In addition, H&E staining and immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that the SPI/SU nanomicelles had a superior therapeutic effect and lower biotoxicity.Conclusion: The SPI/SU nanomicelles displayed excellent anti-tumor ability, and can suppress the metastasis of tumor cell by decreasing the expression of Cyclooxygenase-2 due to the ibuprofen, providing an optimistic clinical application potential by developing a simple but safe drug delivery system.Keywords: kidney cancer, nanomicelles, sialic acid, sunitinib, ibuprofen, anti-tumor therapy

Lingcan Tan,1,&ast; Yi Teng,1,&ast; Hong Yu,1 Chunyuan Liu,2 Kun Xiao,3 Jin Yin,4 Yunxia Zuo,1 Tao Zhu,1 Xiaoqian Deng1 1Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Anesthesiology, Chongqing Liangping District People’s Hospital, Chongqing, 405200, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Information and Software Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, People’s Republic of China; 4West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiaoqian Deng, Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, No. 37 Guoxue Alley, Chengdu, 610041, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 885423592, Email d_xiaoqian@163.comPurpose: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a rare but fatal pharmacogenetic disorder, triggered by inhalational anesthetics or succinylcholine. Since the first nonprofit academic organization China Malignant Hyperthermia Emergency Assistance WeChat-based Group (CMHEA Group) was established in 2015, they have actively participated in the diagnosis and treatment of MH patients. Based on the CMHEA Group, the aim of the study was to retrospectively analyze the characteristics of suspected MH in China from 2015 to 2020.Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the suspected MH patients from 2015 to 2020, for analyzing the current clinical diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of MH in China.Results: A total of 58 suspected MH cases occurred from 2015 to 2020, of these, 36 cases were collected with detailed data. The MH clinical grading score of 36 patients ranged from 33 to 73, with a median of 55. Abnormal hyperthermia and hypercarbia were the most common early signs of MH. Four patients were confirmed carrying six different potential MH-causative mutations. Of the total 58 cases, 14 patients (24.1%) received dantrolene and the whole mortality rate was 53.4%. Compared to the patients not receiving dantrolene treatment, the survival rate of patients receiving dantrolene treatment was significantly higher than that of patients not receiving dantrolene (78.6% vs 36.4%, p = 0.007).Conclusion: The current main diagnostic methods of suspected MH in China are still clinical diagnosis. Hence, it is critical to keep dantrolene for immediate accessibility with the introduction of domestic dantrolene to China. The WeChat group model has played an important but limited role in quick diagnosis and treatment of MH.Keywords: malignant hyperthermia, dantrolene, mortality, China

Yan Teng, Youming Huang, Xu Danfeng, Xiaohua Tao,* Yibin Fan* Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yibin Fan; Xiaohua Tao, Center for Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Dermatology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-18806538451 ; Tel +86-13505811700, Email fanyibin@hmc.edu.cn; txhtxh@sina.comAbstract: Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is the primary pathogenetic factor in skin photoaging. It can disrupt cellular homeostasis by damaging DNA, inducing an inflammatory cascade, immunosuppression, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, resulting in a variety of dermatologic conditions. The skin microbiome plays an important role in the homeostasis and maintenance of healthy skin. Emerging evidence has indicated that highly diverse gut microbiome may also have an impact on the skin health, referred to as the gut-skin axis (GSA). Oral and topical probiotics through modulating the skin microbiome and gut-skin microbial interactions could serve as potential management to prevent and treat the skin photoaging by multiple pathways including reducing oxidative stress, inhibiting ECM remodeling, inhibiting the inflammatory cascade reaction, and maintaining immune homeostasis. In this review, the effects of oral and topical probiotics in skin photoaging and related mechanisms are both described systematically and comprehensively.Keywords: probiotics, skin photoaging, skin microbiome, gut-skin axis, ultraviolet radiation, reactive oxygen species, extracellular matrix

Zhou X, Feng Y, Liu S, et al. Cancer Manag Res. 2021;13:2379–2388. We, the Editors and Publisher of Cancer Management and Research, have retracted the published article. Concerns were raised following the authors request to make changes to Figures 1 and 2 after finding some images had been duplicated. It was also found that tumor images in Figure 6 had been duplicated with images from another article. Specifically, The images for Figure 1A and 1B, have been duplicated with the images for Figure 2C and 2E, respectively. Several of the tumor images shown in Figure 6A, appear to have been duplicated with images from Figure 4B from Zhang J, Cai R, Zhang Y, Wang X. Involvement of a novel circularRNA, hsa_circ_0000520, attenuates tumorigenesis of cervical cancer cell through competitively binding with miR-146b-3p. J Cell Mol Med. 2020;24:8480–8490. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.15414. When approached for an explanation, the authors did not respond to our queries, nor did they provide original data for their study. As verifying the validity of the published work is core to the integrity of the scholarly record, we are therefore retracting the article and the authors were notified of this. We have been informed in our decision-making by our editorial policies and the COPE guidelines. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as ‘Retracted’.

Juntao Yan,1,2 Yan Wei,1,2 Yue Teng,1– 3 Shimeng Liu,1,2 Fuming Li,1,2 Shiyi Bao,1,2 Yanfeng Ren,1,2 Yingyao Chen1,2 1School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Outpatient Department of Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yan Wei, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-18930749707, Email yanwei@fudan.edu.cnBackground: With progress being made in the treatment of cancer, various clinical and treatment options are being pursued. In China, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is used widely in the treatment of cancer.Objective: To estimate TCM treatment preferences and SDM mode of physicians in China.Methods: This study was conducted among physicians (n=185) from nine tertiary hospitals in China by discrete-choice experiment (DCE) survey and Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire-physician version (SDM-Q-Doc) survey. The DCE was developed with the inclusion of the most relevant attributes at appropriate levels for the TCM treatment of lung cancer. The empirical data analyses of physicians were performed using mixed logit models. Additionally, subgroup analysis was conducted.Results: In total, 185 respondents completed the questionnaire. All attributes were statistically significant except out-of-pocket costs. Physicians showed the strongest preferences for increasing disease control rate, relieving nausea and vomiting, and reducing the risk of side effects. Most of the physicians (78.38%) self-reported a high willingness to use SDM during the decision-making process. The physicians with a higher SDM-Q-Doc score had more preference for improving all three attributes than those with a lower score. Little variation was found in preferences among the physicians with other sociodemographic characteristics.Conclusion: In China, physicians considered disease control rate as the most essential attribute in the TCM treatment of lung cancer. The physicians in China mainly preferred SDM, and the preference was different according to SDM mode when involving the TCM therapy for patients with lung cancer. The study findings could inform future TCM therapy for lung cancer and promote SDM.Keywords: lung cancer, physician preference, discrete-choice experiment, shared decision-making, Traditional Chinese Medicine, China

Yunjie Teng1 &ast;, Kaiyang Wang2 &ast;, Xue Fan,1 Xiaoping Yang1 1Center of Health Management, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiaoping Yang, Center of Health Management, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, People’s Republic of China, Email yangxp123@sina.comObjective: The current study was to evaluate the prevalence of increased carotid artery intimal-medial thickness (IMT) and carotid plaque in young individuals and factors associated with increased IMT and carotid plaque were also assessed.Methods: Individuals between 18 and 44 years old who underwent an annual health examination and without cardiovascular disease were included. The value of IMT ≥ 0.1 cm was defined as increased IMT and IMT ≥ 0.15 cm was defined as carotid plaque. Based on the IMT, participants were divided into normal and abnormal groups.Results: A total of 551 individuals were included and the mean age was 38.9 years old, with women accounting for 32.5% (n=179) and 238 (43.2%) individuals with abnormal IMT. Those with abnormal IMT was older, more likely to be male and smoking, had higher blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI). Individuals with abnormal MIT also had worse lipid profiles, higher serum levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), HbA1c, homocysteine, and uric acid. Age, male sex, elevated systolic and diastolic BP, BMI, HbA1c, FPG, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-C, homocysteine, and uric acid were positively correlated with IMT, while HDL-C was negatively correlated with IMT. Factors associated with increased IMT and carotid plaque included age, male sex, BMI, triglyceride, LDL-C, homocysteine, uric acid, and smoking.Conclusion: Among apparent healthy young individuals, the prevalence of increased IMT was high and there were several factors associated with increased IMT. Further studies are needed to evaluate how to be better in preventing the development of subclinical atherosclerosis among young individuals.Keywords: intimal-medial thickness, carotid plaque, risk factors

Huan Li,1,&ast; Ren-Bin Liu,1,&ast; Chen-Meng Long,2 Yuan Teng,3 Lin Cheng,1 Yu Liu1 1Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Breast Surgery, Liuzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Liuzhou, Guangxi, People’s Republic Of China; 3Department of Breast Surgery, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yu Liu, Tel +8613560170809, Fax +86 20 85252154, Email liuyu67@mail.sysu.edu.cnPurpose: Breast cancer (BC) is a multi-factorial disease. Its individual prognosis varies; thus, individualized patient profiling is instrumental to improving BC management and individual outcomes. An economical, multiparametric, and practical model to predict BC recurrence is needed.Patients and Methods: We retrospectively investigated the clinical data of BC patients treated at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University and Liuzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center from January 2013 to December 2020. Random forest-recursive feature elimination (run by R caret package) was used to determine the best variable set, and the random survival forest method was used to develop a predictive model for BC recurrence.Results: The training and validations sets included 623 and 151 patients, respectively. We selected 14 variables, the pathological (TNM) stage, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total cholesterol, Ki-67, lymphocyte count, low-density lipoprotein, age, apolipoprotein B, high-density lipoprotein, globulin, neutrophil count to lymphocyte count ratio, alanine aminotransferase, triglyceride, and albumin to globulin ratio, using random survival forest (RSF)-recursive feature elimination. We developed a recurrence prediction model using RSF. Using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and Kaplan–Meier survival analyses, the model performance was determined to be accurate. C-indexes were 0.997 and 0.936 for the training and validation sets, respectively.Conclusion: The model could accurately predict BC recurrence. It aids clinicians in identifying high-risk patients and making treatment decisions for Breast cancer patients in China. This new multiparametric RSF model is instrumental for breast cancer recurrence prediction and potentially improves individual outcomes.Keywords: breast cancer, random survival forest, recurrence, individualized patient profiles, multi-level diagnostics and disease modeling

Liu Liu,1,2 Yan Wei,1,2 Yue Teng,1– 3 Juntao Yan,1,2 Fuming Li,1,2 Yingyao Chen1,2 1School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2NHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Outpatient, Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yan WeiNHC Key Laboratory of Health Technology Assessment, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 18930749707, Email yanwei@fudan.edu.cnPurpose: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and utility scores of lung cancer patients treated with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China.Methods: This cross-sectional study included lung cancer patients treated with TCM in seven tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China. The HRQoL and utility scores of these patients were measured using the five-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L). The EQ-5D-5L utility scores were derived from the Chinese EQ-5D-5L Value Set. The relationships between HRQoL and the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of these patients were further explored by Tobit regression.Results: This study included a total of 347 patients. Their mean ± SD and median EQ-5D-5L utility scores were 0.851 ± 0.198 and 0.893, respectively. The highest proportion of participants reporting problems was observed in pain/discomfort dimension (57.9%) and anxiety/depression (45.5%). Lung cancer patients treated with TCM had poor HRQoL, influenced by cancer clinical stage.Conclusion: Lung cancer patients treated with TCM have poor HRQoL, with many patients reporting problems in the pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression dimensions. The information on health utility scores and HRQoL of lung cancer patients treated with TCM could be useful for future supportive care, economic evaluations and decision-making in China.Keywords: lung cancer, health-related quality of life, traditional Chinese medicine, EQ-5D-5L

Yue Lin,&ast; Qianqian Chen,&ast; Jing Zhu, Yili Teng, Xuefeng Huang, Xia Chen Reproductive Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xia Chen; Xuefeng HuangReproductive Medicine Center, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, 96 Fuxue Road, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-577-88069380Email chenxia96sz@163.com; xuefhuang0711sz@126.comPurpose: The present study was designed to compare the efficiency of the progestin-primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) protocol with clomiphene citrate (CC) supplementation (PPOS+CC) and the standard PPOS protocol for women of different ages with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR).Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 364 DOR women who underwent controlled ovarian stimulation with PPOS+CC (n = 223) or standard PPOS (n = 141). They were divided into subgroups based on age: ≤ 35 years and > 35 years. Differences in baseline characteristics, ovarian stimulation characteristics, endocrinological characteristics, and clinical outcome between the two groups were assessed. Statistical analyses were stratified by age.Results: In all women with DOR, PPOS+CC was associated with a lower percentage of women with profound pituitary suppression than standard PPOS (0.0% vs 18.6%, P < 0.001 and 1.3% vs 11.0%, P = 0.002). In young women with DOR, more high-quality cleavage-stage embryos were harvested (1.96 vs 1.38, P = 0.018) and a lower dosage of gonadotropin per oocyte retrieved was required (558.37 vs 909.82, P = 0.036) in PPOS+CC. In older women with DOR, PPOS+CC led to an increase in the incidence of luteinizing hormone (LH) surge levels above 10 IU/L on trigger day (12.7% vs 4.9%, P = 0.028) and a decrease in the rate of oocyte maturation (84.7% vs 89.9%, P = 0.034) compared to standard PPOS.Conclusion: Clomiphene citrate is an effective adjuvant to alleviate pituitary suppression in PPOS protocols; for young women with DOR, CC supplementation had a positive impact on the number of high-quality embryos. However, older women with DOR would be at risk of developing a premature LH surge and having poor oocyte maturation rate under the PPOS+CC protocol.Keywords: diminished ovarian reserve, clomiphene citrate, medroxyprogesterone acetate, controlled ovarian stimulation, in vitro fertilization, luteinizing hormone surge

Xian Liu,1,&ast; Lei Wang,1,&ast; Xiaohang Zuo,2,&ast; Chen Li,3 Yue Teng3 1Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Endocrinology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yue Teng Email navimoon@126.comBackground: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is quite common among women of reproductive age and can cause infertility and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Current studies on PCOS mainly focus on the effect of PCOS on pregnancy. So far, it remains unelucidated whether a history of infertility or early pregnancy loss (EPL) has differential effects on obstetric outcomes for PCOS women.Methods: This is a retrospective case control study. Ninety-two Chinese PCOS patients with a history of EPL or infertility were recruited in our study. A total of 112 Chinese non-PCOS patients with a history of EPL or infertility were taken as control group. Measurements included anthropometric data, serum total testosterone, fasting and two-hour plasma glucose levels, and antral follicle count. After they got pregnant (naturally or via assisted reproductive technology), all obstetric outcomes were observed and analyzed.Results: PCOS women with a history of EPL showed a much higher cesarean section (CS) rate than PCOS women with primary infertility. PCOS women with a history of EPL showed a much higher possibility of GDM (gestational diabetes mellitus) compared with PCOS women with primary infertility. PCOS women with a history of EPL showed a much higher possibility of GDM compared with non-PCOS women with a history of EPL. PCOS women with a history of EPL showed increased possibility of GDM as their BMI increased. When BMI is above 28, the incidence of GDM is significantly higher in PCOS women with a history of EPL compared with that in PCOS women with infertility.Conclusion: Both a history of EPL and obesity are risk factors for GDM for PCOS women, and higher BMI indicates a higher possibility of GDM among PCOS women with a history of EPL. Timely intervention is in need for PCOS women with EPL and a higher BMI.Keywords: polycystic ovarian syndrome, early pregnancy loss, infertility, obstetric complication, gestational diabetes mellitus

Liangyan Lin,1 Dongdong Zhang,1 Qingsong Jin,1 Yaqin Teng,1 Xiaoyan Yao,1 Tiantian Zhao,1 Xinmiao Xu,2 Yongjun Jin1 1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Endocrinology, Yantai Yeda Hospital, Yantai, Shandong, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yongjun JinDepartment of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, Jinbu Street No. 717, Yantai, 264100, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86 535-4770613Email jinyj0001@sina.comObjective: Previous studies showed that variants in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the relationships between mitochondrial tRNA (mt-tRNA) variants and T2DM remain poorly understood.Methods: In this study, we performed a mutational screening of 22 mt-tRNA genes in a cohort of 200 Han Chinese subjects with T2DM and 200 control subjects through PCR–Sanger sequencing. The identified mt-tRNA variants were assessed for their pathogenicity via the phylogenetic approach, structural and functional analysis. Furthermore, two Han Chinese pedigrees with maternally inherited diabetes and deafness (MIDD) were reported by clinical and genetic assessments.Results: A total of 49 genetic variants in mt-tRNA genes were identified; among them, 31 variants (17 pathogenic/likely pathogenic) were absent in controls, located at extremely conserved nucleotides, may have potential structural and functional significance, thereby considered to be T2DM-associated variants. In addition, sequence analysis of entire mitochondrial genomes of the matrilineal relatives from two MIDD pedigrees revealed the occurrence of tRNALeu(UUR) A3243G and T3290C mutations, as well as sets of polymorphisms belonging to mitochondrial haplogroups F2 and D4. However, the lack of any functional variants in connexin 26 gene (GJB2) and tRNA 5-methylaminomethyl-2-thiouridylate (TRMU) suggested that nuclear genes may not play active roles in clinical expression of MIDD in these pedigrees.Conclusion: Our data indicated that mt-tRNA variants were associated with T2DM, screening for mt-tRNA pathogenic mutations was recommended for early detection and prevention of mitochondrial diabetes.Keywords: type 2 diabetes mellitus, mitochondrial tRNA, variants, Chinese population

Dingtao Hu,1,&ast; Nana Meng,2,&ast; Xiaoqi Lou,1 Zhen Li,3 Ying Teng,3 Bizhi Tu,4 Yanfeng Zou,3 Fang Wang1 1Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Quality Management Office, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fang WangDepartment of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218Jixi Road, Hefei, 230022, Anhui, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86055162923615Fax +86055162923615Email wangfangahmu@163.comYanfeng ZouDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, No. 81, Meishan Road, Shushan District, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail zouyanfeng2015@163.comBackground: Numerous studies on the E2F transcription factors have led to increasing insights that E2Fs could be an important driver of the formation and progression of many human cancers. Little is known about the function of distinct E2Fs in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (chRCC).Methods: We utilized the UALCAN, GEPIA, Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, cBioPortal, Metascape, STRING, Cytoscape, GeneMANIA, TIMER, TISIDB, GSCALite, and MEXPRESS databases to investigate the transcription level, genetic alteration, methylation, and biological function of E2Fs in chRCC patients, and its association with the occurrence, progress, prognosis, and immune cell infiltration in patients with chRCC.Results: We found that E2F1/2/4/7/8 were more expressed in chRCC tissues than in normal tissues, while the expression of E2F5/6 was lower in the former than in the latter, and the expression levels of E2F1/2/4/5/6//7/8 were also associated with the histological parameters of chRCC, including T-stage and N-stage. Higher expression of E2F1/2/7/8 was found to be significantly correlated with worse overall survival (OS) in chRCC patients. Cox regression and time-dependent ROC analysis further suggested that E2F1/2 could be the potential independent biomarkers for chRCC prognosis. Besides, a moderate mutation rate of E2Fs (34%) was noticed in chRCC, and the genetic mutations in E2Fs were associated with poor survival of chRCC patients. We noticed that the expression of E2Fs was statistically correlated with the immune cell infiltration in chRCC. Moreover, we also found that the expression of E2F1 was significantly correlated with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and immunomodulators, E2F7 expression was associated with MHC molecules, and the expression of E2F1/8 was correlated to their methylation levels.Conclusion: Our results provide novel insights for selecting the prognostic biomarkers for chRCC and suggest that E2F1/2 could act as potential prognostic biomarkers for the survival of chRCC patients. However, more in-depth experiments are required to identify the underlying mechanisms and verify the clinical value of E2F1/2 in the prognosis of chRCC.Keywords: chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, E2Fs, prognosis, UALCAN, GEPIA

Xiaorong Zhou,1,* Yuxu Feng,2,* Siwen Liu,1 Chenchen Li,1 Yue Teng,1 Xiaoyou Li,1 Jianwei Lu1 1Department of Medical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Orthopedics, The Pukou Centre Hospital, Nanjing, 210009 Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiaoyou Li; Jianwei LuDepartment of Medical Oncology, Jiangsu Cancer Hospital, Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No. 42 Baiziting, Xuanwu District, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-25-83283597Email chchsina@126.com; lujw@medmail.com.cnBackground: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, and it is also the most frequently diagnosed cancer. Previous studies indicate that IL-33 plays a crucial role in the development of NSCLC. In recent years, the role of miRNAs in cancer has become increasingly clear. However, reports focused on the relation between IL-33 and miRNAs in NSCLC have been limited.Methods: The expression of IL-33 and miR-128-3p was detected by qPCR. MTT, EdU, and colony formation assays were used to detect the proliferation ability of NSCLC cells. Transwell assay was used to investigate the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. The expression of bax, cyt-c, and caspase 3 was detected by Western blot. Finally, in vivo tumor xenograft was used to detect the effects of IL-33 and miR-128-3p on tumor growth capacity.Results: IL-33 was notably increased in the serum and tumor tissue of NSCLC patients. The in vitro function study revealed that IL-33 significantly promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of the NSCLC cells. In vivo experiments further confirmed the pro-tumor effect of IL-33 on NSCLC. The study on the underlying mechanism elucidated that IL-33 regulates the expression of miR-128-3p, which can directly target and inhibit the expression of CDIP1. Furthermore, IL-33 regulates the expression of downstream apoptotic proteins such as bax, cyt-c, and caspase3. Rescue experiments demonstrated that miR-28-3p can reverse the effect of IL-33.Conclusion: These findings indicated that IL-33 and miR-128-3p may play a potential role in the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC.Keywords: IL-33, NSCLC, miR-128-3p, CDIP1

Shuanglong Xiong, Dairong Li, Donglin Wang, Lumi Huang, Guanzhong Liang, Zhijuan Wu, Jianlin Long, Dan Yang, Yan Teng, Shuangyi Lei, Yan Li Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital and Chongqing Cancer Institute and Chongqing Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Yan LiChongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital and Chongqing Cancer Institute and Chongqing Cancer Hospital, No. 181, Hanyu Road, Shapingba District, Chongqing 400030, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail liyandrmed1101@163.comIntroduction: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are deregulated in many types of human cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we aimed to explore the functional role of circMYLK in NSCLC.Materials and Methods: The expression levels of circMYLK and miR-195-5p in NSCLC tissues and cell lines were detected by RT-qPCR analysis. MTT assay, colony formation assay and transwell assay were performed to investigate the effects of circMYLK and miR-195-5p on the malignant phenotypes of NSCLC cells. The glucose consumption and lactate production of NSCLC cells were detected using commercial kits. The direct binding relation between circMYLK and miR-195-5p in NSCLC was predicted by bioinformatics analysis and validated by dual-luciferase reporter assay.Results: The results showed that circMYLK was significantly up-regulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines, and its high expression was closely associated with deleterious clinicopathological characteristics and poor prognosis of NSCLC patients. Knockdown of circMYLK remarkably inhibited the malignant phenotypes of NSCLC cells, including proliferation, migration, invasion, glucose consumption and lactate production. Moreover, circMYLK was identified as a molecule sponge for miR-195-5p, and glucose transporter member 3 (GLUT3) was shown to be a target gene of miR-195-5p in NSCLC. Further rescue experiments revealed that the oncogenic effects of circMYLK on NSCLC cells could be largely abrogated by co-transfection with miR-195-5p mimic.Conclusion: In summary, our study provides convincing evidence that circMYLK serves as a tumor promoter in NSCLC and can be used as a potential therapeutic target for NSCLC patients.Keywords: non-small cell lung cancer, circular RNA MYLK, miR-195-5p, glycolysis, glucose transporter member 3

Jiayue Luo, Tianzhu Long, Yuanxuan Cai, Yuan Teng, Zhe Fan, Zhen Liang, Cairong Zhu, Hongmin Ma, Guanhua Li Department of Breast Surgery, Guangzhou Women and Children`s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510623, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Guanhua Li; Hongmin MaDepartment of Breast Surgery, Guangzhou Women and Children`s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510623, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86 20 8188 6332Email dr.liguanhua@hotmail.com; dr_mahongmin@sina.com.cnBackground: Lactational breast abscess, a complication from lactational mastitis, is a common cause of breastfeeding discontinuation. No consensus has been reached regarding the necessity of antibiotics in this disease. The purpose of this trial is to determine if surgical drainage is non-inferior to drainage together with a standard course of antibiotics, in the treatment of lactational breast abscess.Methods: Breastfeeding females with breast abscess from 18 to 50 years old are eligible for study inclusion. An expected number of 306 patients will be randomly allocated in parallel to the intervention arm (simple drainage without antibiotics) or the control arm (abscess drainage with standard 5-day-course of antibiotics). The primary outcomes include the time to resolution of breast abscess and disease recurrence rate. Secondary outcomes of interests are 3-day-improvement proportion, rate of continuing breastfeeding, treatment failure rate, procedural-related complications, and length of hospital stay. An expected non-inferiority margin for the difference in the primary outcome of interest is set at 1 day, on the basis of a one-sided 97.5% confidence interval.Discussion: This trial will provide first-hand evidence on whether simple abscess drainage is non-inferior to drainage together with a standard course of antibiotics, in lactational mothers with breast abscess. The indication of antibiotic prophylaxis could be revised if non-inferiority is set up, and guidelines for lactational breast abscess require amendments correspondingly.Trial Registration: This study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, and the trial registration number is ChiCTR1900024008.Keywords: lactational breast abscess, antibiotics, drainage, randomized controlled trial, study protocol

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays an important role in the ocean's biological carbon pump by providing an advective/mixing pathway for ∼ 20% of export production. DOM is known to have a stoichiometry depleted in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) compared to the particulate organic matter pool, a fact that is often omitted from biogeochemical ocean general circulation models. However the variable C : N : P stoichiometry of DOM becomes important when quantifying carbon export from the upper ocean and linking the nutrient cycles of N and P with that of carbon. Here we utilize recent advances in DOM observational data coverage and offline tracer-modeling techniques to objectively constrain the variable production and remineralization rates of the DOM C : N : P pools in a simple biogeochemical-ocean model of DOM cycling. The optimized DOM cycling parameters are then incorporated within the Biogeochemical Elemental Cycling (BEC) component of the Community Earth System Model (CESM) and validated against the compilation of marine DOM observations. The optimized BEC simulation including variable DOM C : N : P cycling was found to better reproduce the observed DOM spatial gradients than simulations that used the canonical Redfield ratio. Global annual average export of dissolved organic C, N, and P below 100 m was found to be 2.28 Pg C yr-1 (143 Tmol C yr-1, 16.4 Tmol N yrg1, and 1 Tmol P yr-1, respectively, with an average export C : N : P stoichiometry of 225 : 19 : 1 for the semilabile (degradable) DOM pool. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export contributed ∼ 25% of the combined organic C export to depths greater than 100 m.

Mengchen Li,1 Qiaoli Liu,1 Yanli Teng,1 Liuyang Ou,1 Yuanlin Xi,1 Shuaiyin Chen,1,* Guangcai Duan1,2,* 1Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China; 2Henan Collaborative Innovation Center of Molecular Diagnosis and Laboratory Medicine, Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang, Henan, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Shuaiyin Chen; Guangcai DuanDepartment of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, No.100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 1 352 340 8394Fax +86 6 778 1453Email sychen@zzu.edu.cn; gcduan@yeah.netBackground: Multi-drug-resistant Escherichia coli poses a great threat to human health, especially resistant to ampicillin (AMP), but the mechanism of drug resistance is not very clear.Purpose: To understand the mechanism of resistance of E. coli to beta-lactam antibiotics by inducing drug resistance of sensitive bacteria in laboratory.Methods: Clinical sensitive E. coli strain was induced into resistance strain by 1/2 minimum inhibitive concentration (MIC) induced trails of AMP. The drug resistance spectrum was measured by modified K-B susceptibility test. Whole-genome sequencing analysis was used to analyze primary sensitive strain, and resequencing was used to analyze induced strains. Protein tertiary structure encoded by the gene containing single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was analyzed by bioinformatics.Results: After 315 hrs induced, the MIC value of E. coli 15743 reached to 256 μg/mL, 64 times higher than that of the sensitive bacteria. During the induction process, the bacterial resistance process is divided into two stages. The rate of drug resistance occurs rapidly before reaching the critical concentration of 32 μg/mL, and then the resistance rate slows down. Sequencing of the genome of resistant strain showed that E. coli 15743 drug-resistant strain with the MIC values of 32 and 256 μg/mL contained four and eight non-synonymous SNPs, respectively. These non-synonymous SNPs were distributed in the genes of frdD, ftsI, acrB, OmpD, marR, VgrG, and envZ.Conclusion: These studies will improve our understanding of the molecular mechanism of AMP resistance of E. coli, and may provide the basis for prevention and control of multi-drug-resistant bacteria and generation of new antibiotics to treat E. coli infection.Keywords: Escherichia coli, ampicillin, drug resistance

Qiaoli Liu, Mengchen Li, Yanli Teng, Haiyan Yang, Yuanli Xi, Shuaiyin Chen, Guangcai Duan Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shuaiyin Chen; Guangcai DuanDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, College of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 1 352 340 8394Fax +86 6 778 1453Email sychen@zzu.edu.cn; gcduan@zzu.edu.cnBackground: Bacterial dysentery is an intestinal infectious disease caused by Shigella. The resistance of Shigella species to ampicillin has increased rapidly. Besides resistance, bacteria in a state of tolerance to antibiotics can also lead to the failure of infectious diseases therapy.Purpose: The genetic mechanism of antibiotic tolerance remains largely unexplored. The current study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of antibiotic tolerance and to provide novel strategies for the prevention of drug resistance of Shigella.Methods: We exposed Shigella to lethal doses of ampicillin to obtain tolerant strain. The tolerant strain was sequenced to screen non-single-nucleotide polymorphisms and Indels. We also quantitated the relative expression of gene by RT-PCR.Results: There was one nonsynonymous mutation in the 2252304 loci of the cfa gene (G to A/Val to Met) and 10 Indels in the noncoding regions of different genes. The expression of the cfa gene was 7.56-fold higher in the tolerant strain than in the wild-type strain.Conclusion: Our results showed that Shigella could be tolerated to ampicillin, and the cfa gene might be associated with antibiotic tolerance by increasing its expression. Our data suggest that cfa gene might be a target for overcoming drug tolerance, delaying the occurrence of drug resistance to some extent.Keywords: Shigella, tolerance, cfa, gene mutation

Jiaxing Yang,1 Yongliang Teng,2 Yu Fu,3 Chunyu Zhang31Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pathology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Radiology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of ChinaBackground: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is widely recognized as a promising way to cure cancer. However, the limited tumor homing property of currently available drug delivery systems (DDSs) is the bottleneck for the delivery of photodynamic agents.Purpose: In our study, we decorated silica nanoparticles (SLN) with cell membrane (CM) derived from SGC7901 cells to construct carrier (CM/SLN) which was able to to specifically target the homogenous SGC7901 cells.Materials and methods: Furthermore, the decent drug loading capability of CM/SLN was adopted to load photodynamic agent chlorins e6 (Ce6) to finally construct aDDS suitable for tumor-targeted PDT of gastric cancer.Results: The experimental results suggested that CM/SLN/Ce6 was nano-sized particles with good dispersion and stability in physiological conditions. Moreover, due to the modification of CM,CM/SLN/Ce6 could specifically target the homogenous SGC7901 cells both in vitro and in vivo. Most importantly, further in vivo results demonstrated that the CM/SLN/Ce6 showed a better anticancer outcome compared to SLN/Ce6.Conclusion: CM/SLN/Ce6 might be a promising platform for effective tumor targeted PDT of gastric cancer.Keywords: cell membrane, silica nanoparticles, chlorins e6, photodynamic therapy, gastric cancer

Despite significant efforts, the COVID-19 pandemic has put enormous pressure on health care systems around the world, threatening the quality of patient care. Telemonitoring offers the opportunity to carefully monitor patients with a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19 from home and allows for the timely identification of worsening symptoms. Additionally, it may decrease the number of hospital visits and admissions, thereby reducing the use of scarce resources, optimizing health care capacity, and minimizing the risk of viral transmission. In this paper, we present a COVID-19 telemonitoring care pathway developed at a tertiary care hospital in the Netherlands, which combined the monitoring of vital parameters with video consultations for adequate clinical assessment. Additionally, we report a series of medical, scientific, organizational, and ethical recommendations that may be used as a guide for the design and implementation of telemonitoring pathways for COVID-19 and other diseases worldwide.

Shunan Wang,1 Wei Guo,1 Xin Wan,1 Yongliang Teng,2 Xiaoge Zhou,3 Ou Bai1 1Department of Hematology, 2Department of Pathology, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 3Department of Pathology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and aggressive hematopoietic malignancy mainly affecting elderly patients. It is highly responsive to chemotherapy, but the median event-free survival is very short and has a high rate of relapse even after performing allogeneic stem cell transplantation; thus, the discovery of novel agents for the treatment of BPDCN is urgent. Chidamide is a new oral isotype-selective histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi). It is proved to exert a well-characterized anticancer property in a wide range of hematological malignancies, especially lymphoma. Here, we report a 41-year-old man who used oral chidamide 30 mg twice per week for maintenance therapy after receiving complete remission. For the first time in this field, we had explored the efficiency of chidamide in the treatment of BPDCN and tried to give more choices to the therapy of this disease. Keywords: hematopoietic malignancy, skin lesions, maintenance therapy, histone deacetylase inhibitor

Variations in mitochondrial genome have been found to be associated with hearing loss. Of these, the mitochondrial 12S rRNA and tRNASer(UCN) are the hot-spots for pathogenic variants associated with deafness. To understand the putative role of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants in hearing loss, we recently screened the variants in mitochondrial genomes in patients with deafness from the Hangzhou area of Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China (PRC). In this study, we describe a maternally-inherited Han Chinese family with high penetrance of hearing loss, notably, the penetrance of hearing loss in this family were 80.0 and 40.0%, when the aminoglycoside was included or excluded. Three matrilineal relatives in this pedigree exhibited different levels of hearing loss with different age at onset. In addition, sequence analysis of the complete mitochondrial genome showed the presence of the well-known C1494T pathogenic variant in the 12S rRNA gene and the G7444A pathogenic variant in the COI/ tRNASer(UCN). The C1494T anomaly had been reported to be a pathogenic mutation associated with aminoglycoside-induced and nonsyndromic hearing loss (AINHL), while the G7444A was considered as a secondary mutation associated with deafness. However, the lack of functional variants in GJB2 and TRMU genes suggested that nuclear modified genes may not play important roles in deafness expression. Thus, the combination of G7444A and C1494T pathogenic variants in the mitochondrial genome may account for the high penetrance of hearing loss in this Chinese family.

Guozhong Chen, Chunling Wu, Zhiying Luo, Yiming Teng, Suping Mao Department of Respiratory Medicine, Yiwu Central Hospital, Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China Background: In recent decades, morbidity and mortality have been found to be significantly increased in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is an indicator for inflammatory diseases. This study aims to investigate whether PLR could act as a potential marker for patients with COPD complicated with PTB.Methods: In this retrospective study, laboratory characteristics of 87 COPD patients complicated with PTB (determined by Mycobacterium tuberculosis positive culture from sputum or bronchial lavage fluid) and 83 COPD patients (as the control group, determined by M. tuberculosis culture negativity from sputum or bronchial lavage fluid) were investigated. Data obtained on the day of admission were analyzed.Results: PLR >216.82 was identified as the optimal cutoff value for discriminating COPD patients with PTB (sensitivity 92.4%, specificity 84.5%, positive-predictive value 91.6%, negative-predictive value 86.2%, and area under the curve [AUC] was 0.87) from patients with COPD alone. The AUC of PLR was significantly greater than that of neutrophil–lymphocyte count ratio (AUC, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.67–0.81; P