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Shuting Tang,1,&ast; Song Wang,1,&ast; Jinyan Wu,1 Shoudi Hu,1 Tingting Lu,2 Minli Zhu,2 Jinzhi Li,1 Fang Xue1 1School of Nursing, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 2Maternity Ward, the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fang Xue, School of Nursing, Bengbu Medical University, No. 2600 Donghai Avenue, Bengbu, Anhui, People’s Republic of China, Email 0700036@bbmu.edu.cnPurposes: To investigate the effects of a self-management-cluster-based pregnancy care model (SMB-CPCM) on the psychological status and delivery outcomes of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Patients and Methods: A total of 120 pregnant women with GDM who had been filed and had regular obstetric examinations in a tertiary-level hospital in Bengbu City between 1 April 2023 and 1 April 2024 were included in the study using the convenience sampling method. Sixty women each were grouped into a study group and a control group using the randomised numeric table method. The study group implemented the SMB-CPCM and the control group used the conventional pregnancy healthcare model. We compared the differences in self-management ability, blood glucose concentration, delivery outcome, and psychological status.Results: Self-management ability scores were higher in both groups following the intervention than before the intervention (P< 0.001), and the increase was more notable in the study group (t=9.237, P< 0.001). Anxiety scale (63.31± 4.73, 48.29± 4.20) and depression self-assessment scale scores(60.70± 3.49, 41.69± 4.76) in the study group were lower after the intervention than before the intervention(t=13.322, 18.115, P< 0.001). Following the intervention, fasting blood glucose(5.39± 0.42, 4.92± 0.45) and postprandial 2-h blood glucose(6.70± 0.71, 5.92± 0.64) exhibited a reduction compared to the pre-intervention period (P< 0.001). Furthermore, this decline was more pronounced in the study group (t=4.267, 4.584, P< 0.001). The study group demonstrated an elevated spontaneous delivery rate compared to the control group (χ2=5.168, P< 0.05). Additionally, the rates of gestational hypertension (χ2=4.941), pre-term labour (χ2=3.890), and macrosomia (χ2=4.050) were reduced in the study group when compared to the control group (P< 0.05).Conclusion: SMB-CPCM can effectively control the blood glucose levels of pregnant women with GDM and improve their self-management ability, psychological status, and delivery outcomes. SMB-CPCM shows a good prospect in the management of gestational diabetes and is worth promoting. Future research can explore the impact of SMB-CPCM on long-term health outcomes of pregnant women with diabetes, so as to comprehensively evaluate its clinical value.Keywords: clustered pregnancy care model, gestational diabetes, self-management ability, delivery outcomes, psychological state

Yating Zhou,&ast; Fei Xue&ast; Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunshan City, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fei Xue, Department of Surgery, Kunshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zuchongzhi South Road, Kunshan City, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215300, People’s Republic of China, Email 2090168460@qq.comBackground: Simple and affordable methods for evaluating Insulin Resistance (IR) have been suggested, such as the Triglyceride-Glucose (TyG) index and its variants, including the TyG-Body Mass Index (TyG-BMI), TyG-Waist Circumference (TyG-WC), and TyG-Waist-to-Height Ratio (TyG-WHtR). The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between these TyG-related indices, which measure IR, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).Methods: This study analyzed NHANES data from 2007– 2008, 2015– 2016, and 2017– 2020. TyG and its derivatives were evaluated as continuous and categorical variables in relation to OSA using multivariable logistic regression models. Subgroup analyses, dose-response relationships, and threshold effects were explored, and the diagnostic performance of TyG-related indices was assessed using AUC curves.Results: The study included 8,374 participants. The fully adjusted Model 3 analysis (Note: Body Mass Index was not adjusted for TyG-BMI) of continuous variables showed a positive correlation between OSA and all four indices. All four TyG-related indicators showed statistically significant relationships with OSA when grouped into quartiles (TyG: AOR = 1.448, 95% CI: 1.260– 1.663; TyG-BMI: AOR = 3.785, 95% CI: 3.319– 4.317; TyG-WC: AOR = 2.089, 95% CI: 1.629– 2.677; TyG-WHtR: AOR = 1.913, 95% CI: 1.548– 2.363). Subgroup analysis revealed a stronger association of TyG-WHtR with OSA in the 41– 59 age group (AOR = 1.459, 95% CI: 1.254– 1.698) and the low-income group (AOR = 1.451, 95% CI: 1.241– 1.698). TyG showed a linear relationship with OSA, while TyG-BMI, TyG-WC, and TyG-WHtR exhibited nonlinear relationships. The diagnostic capability was highest for TyG-WC, with an AUC of 0.647.Conclusion: The study confirms strong associations between OSA and the TyG indices, particularly TyG-WC, which demonstrates significant predictive power for OSA risk. Future longitudinal studies are recommended to further investigate these associations and enhance OSA management in resource-constrained environments.Keywords: triglyceride-glucose index, insulin resistance, epidemiological study, metabolic indices, obstructive sleep apnea

Pengzhu Huang,1,2,&ast; Rongrong Wu,1,2,&ast; Xin Guo,1,2,&ast; Xiaoli Gao,1,2 Ye Yan,1,2 Cha Han,1,2 Fengxia Xue1,2 1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fengxia Xue; Cha Han, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-22-60363769, Fax +86-22-27813550, Email xuefengxia@tmu.edu.cn; tjhancha@tmu.edu.cnObjective: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of twin pregnancies with antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) positivity, a rare and complex clinical condition that remains a huge challenge for management.Methods: This study enrolled twin-pregnant women at our hospital between January 2018 and August 2023. Women with and without aPL positivity were selected using propensity score matching (PSM). Clinical features and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups in the PSM cohort. To analyze the effect of aPL positivity on pregnancy outcomes, multivariate logistic models were used to obtain adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).Results: Among the 773 women with twin pregnancies, aPL positivity was found in 26 women (3.36%). In the PSM cohort, there were 24 twin-pregnant women with positive aPL, and 48 women without aPL were selected as controls. Twin-pregnant women with aPL positivity had a higher proportion of abortion (8.33% vs 0, P = 0.043), preterm birth < 34 weeks (33.33% vs 8.33%, P = 0.007) and very low birthweight (< 1500 g) (20.83% vs 4.17%, P = 0.016) than the control group. In addition, stillbirth of one fetus was observed in one twin-pregnant woman with positive aPL. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that twin pregnancy with aPL positivity was associated with preterm birth < 34 weeks (aOR = 2.76, 95% CI: 0.83– 4.70, P = 0.005), very low birthweight (< 1500 g) (OR = 2.40, 95% CI: 0.18– 4.67, P = 0.034) and small for gestational age (SGA) (aOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 0.22– 3.10, P =0.024).Conclusion: Twin pregnancies with aPL positivity were correlated with obstetric complications, including abortion, preterm birth < 34 weeks and very low birthweight (< 1500 g). The detection of aPL may be of clinical significance for women with twin pregnancies and should be considered in future studies.Keywords: twin pregnancy, antiphospholipid antibody, pregnancy outcomes, propensity score matching

IntroductionThe connection between aging and cancer is complex. Previous research has highlighted the association between the aging process of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells and the immune response, yet there remains a gap in confirming this through single-cell data validation. Here, we aim to develop a novel aging-related prognostic model for LUAD, and verify the alterations in the genome and immune microenvironment linked to cellular senescence.MethodsWe integrated a comprehensive collection of senescence genes from the GenAge and CellAge databases and employed the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox analysis to construct and validate a novel prognostic model for LUAD. This model was then utilized to examine the relationship between aging, tumor somatic mutations, and immune cell infiltration. Additionally, we explored the heterogeneity of senescence and intercellular communication within the LUAD tumor microenvironment (TME) through single-cell transcriptomic data analysis.ResultsBy exploring the expression profiles of 586 cellular senescence-related genes in 428 LUAD patients, we constructed an aging-related genes (ARGs) risk model included 10 ARGs and validated it as an independent prognostic predictor for LUAD patients. Notably, patients with low aging scores (LAS group) exhibited better survival, lower tumor mutation burden (TMB), lower somatic mutation frequency, lower tumor proliferation rate, and an immune activated phenotype compared to patients with high aging scores (HAS group). While the HAS group was enriched in tumor cells and showed a lower infiltration of CD8-CCR7, CD8- CXCL13, CD8-GNLY, FCGR3A NK cells, XCL1 NK cells, plasma cell (PC) and other immune subsets. Furthermore, the SPP1 and TENASCIN pathways, associated with tumor immune escape and tumor progression, were also enriched in the HAS group. Additionally, our study also indicated that senescence levels were heterogeneous in the LUAD tumor microenvironment (TME), especially with tumor cells in the LAS group showing higher age scores compared to those in the HAS group.ConclusionsCollectively, our findings underscore that ARRS through ARGs serves as a robust biomarker for the prognosis in LUAD.

Chao Gao,1,2,&ast; Xiangqin Fan,1– 3,&ast; Yanyan Liu,1,2,&ast; Yanyan Han,4,5 Shiqi Liu,1,2 Huanrong Li,1,2 Qiaoling Zhang,1,2 Yingmei Wang,1,2 Fengxia Xue1,2 1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zaozhuang Municipal Hospital, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Pathology, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 5National Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fengxia Xue; Yingmei Wang, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-22-60363769, Email xuefengxia@tmu.edu.cn; wangyingmei@tmu.edu.cnBackground: Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 3 (CDKN3) has been studied in many cancers. However, the comprehensive and systematic pancancer analysis of CDKN3 genes is still lacking.Methods: Data were downloaded from online databases. R was used for analysis of the differential expression and gene alteration of CDKN3 and of the associations between CDKN3 expression and survival, signaling pathways, and drug sensitivity. Clinical samples and in vitro experiments were selected for verification.Results: CDKN3 expression was higher in most types of cancers, and this phenotype was significantly correlated with poor survival. CDKN3 showed gene alterations and copy number alterations in many cancers and associated with some immune-related pathways and factors. Drug sensitivity analysis elucidated that CDKN3 could be a useful marker for therapy selection. Clinical samples elucidated CDKN3 expressed high in endometrial cancer tissue. In vitro studies showed that CDKN3 induced pro-tumor effect in immune environment and facilitated endometrial cancer cell proliferation and G1/S phase transition.Conclusion: CDKN3 has been shown to be highly expressed in most types of cancers and promoted cancer cell progression. CDKN3 may serve as a novel marker in clinical diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis prediction in future.Keywords: CDKN3, pancancer analysis, diagnosis, prognosis, therapeutics, immunity, endometrial cancer

Shilei Bai,1,&ast; Xiaojing Shen,2,&ast; Jianwei Liu,1,&ast; Caixia Lu,1 Jie Wang,1 Liu Liu,1 Chunyan Wang,1 Huifeng Wang,3 Kai Liu,4 Yanfu Sun,1 Feng Xue1 1Department of Hepatic Surgery II, the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pathology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Hepatic Surgery, the Fifth Clinical Medical College of Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Biliary Tract Surgery IV, the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Feng Xue; Yanfu Sun, Department of Hepatic Surgery II, the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), 225 Changhai Road, Shanghai, 200433, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-21-81875513, Fax +86-21-65562400, Email xuefeng@smmu.edu.cn; sunyanfu@hotmail.comPurpose: When hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is closely associated with the left branch of the portal vein, there is still controversy regarding the surgical approach.Methods: This study enrolled 330 HCC patients with tumors adjacent to the left branch of the portal vein. Among them, 85 patients underwent left hemihepatectomy (LH), while the remaining 235 underwent liver lobectomy (LL), which included left medial segmentectomy or left lateral sectionectomy. Perioperative complications, time to recurrence and overall survival (OS) were compared using propensity score matching.Results: LH resulted in a lower 5-year recurrence rate and higher 5-year OS rate than LL (56.5% vs 74.0%, p=0.002; 67.4% vs 53.5%, p=0.029). The LL group showed a higher tendency for early recurrence (ER) and intrahepatic recurrence (IR). The cumulative IR rates at 1- 3-, and 5-years for the LH group and the LL group were 17.0%, 36.7%, 45.1% and 33.8%, 57.1%, 63.7%, respectively, with a p-value of 0.007. There was no statistically significant difference in the cumulative ER rates between the two groups at 1-, 3-, and 5- years. Furthermore, the LH group and the LL group had similar perioperative complications, and no cases of liver failure occurred.Conclusion: LH, compared to LL, reduced the IR rate and ER rate in HCC patients with tumor adjacent to the left branch of the portal vein. It improved the OS outcome of the patients, and there was no significant difference in perioperative complications between the two groups.Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, left hemihepatectomy, liver lobectomy, propensity score matching, recurrence, overall survival

Pengzhu Huang,1,2,&ast; Xin Guo,1,2,&ast; Mengke Duan,1,2 Huanrong Li,1,2 Cha Han,1,2 Fengxia Xue1,2 1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Fengxia Xue; Cha Han, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-22-60363769, Fax +86-22-27813550, Email xuefengxia@tmu.edu.cn; tjhancha@tmu.edu.cnAbstract: Listeria monocytogenes is the conditional pathogenic bacteria, and pregnant women are at higher risk of infection due to depressed immunity. Infection with Listeria monocytogenes in twin pregnancy is rare but devastating, which puts forwards a great challenge for clinical management. Here, a 24-year-old woman was diagnosed with twin pregnancy, intrauterine death of one fetus and fever at 29+4 week of gestation. Two days later, she developed into pericardial effusion, pneumonedema and potential septic shock. The emergent cesarean delivery was performed after anti-shock treatment. One alive and another dead fetus were delivered. Then, she developed postpartum hemorrhage after the surgery. Urgent exploratory laparotomy was conducted at the sites of cesarean section and B-Lynch suture to stop bleeding. The culture of blood and maternal side of both placentas indicated Listeria monocytogenes. Following anti-infection therapy with ampicillin-sulbactam, she recovered well and discharged with negative result of blood bacterial culture and normal inflammatory indicators. The patient was hospitalized for a total of 18 days including 2 days in the intensive care unit (ICU), and the anti-infection treatment was conducted throughout the course. Symptoms of the Listeria monocytogenes infection in pregnancy are non-specific, which should be paid more attention in case of unexplained fever and fetal distress. The blood culture is effective for accurate diagnosis. Listeria monocytogenes infection is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. Close monitoring of fetal condition, early intervention with antibiotics, timely termination of pregnancy and comprehensive management of complications are essential for better prognosis.Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, twin pregnancy, outcomes

Abstract Gene manipulation techniques are fundamental to molecular biology and are continuously being improved. However, gene transfection methods are not established for many unicellular eukaryotes (protists), thereby hindering molecular biological investigations. The oyster parasite Perkinisus marinus is one of the few protists with established gene transfection and drug selection. Nevertheless, the present protocols are tedious, requiring a specific electroporator and pulse conditions which limits the accessibility of this technique across different research groups. Here, we present alternative buffer and electroporation conditions that make the protocol less restrictive. We revealed the pulse condition that enables the introduction of plasmids into P. marinus cell using Ingenio electroporation buffer and NEPA21 electroporator. We found that number of cells and plasmid concentration were critical parameters for the electroporation system. We also constructed a simpler expression plasmid that is removed needless regions for gene expression in the parasite. Our findings resolved the equipment restriction in electroporation of P. marinus and would be a good reference for electroporation in other protists, in particular other Perkinsozoa parasites and core dinoflagellates.

Bian WX, Xue F, Wang LY, Xing XF. Cancer Manag Res. 2021;13:633–642. We, the Editor and Publisher of Cancer Management and Research are retracting the published article. Since publication, concerns have been raised about the duplication of images in this article with those from other unrelated articles. Specifically, The image from Figure 5D, A549, circCDYL+si-TNRC6A, has been duplicated with the image from Figure 5D, Hep-2, miR-NC from Ye H, Jin Q, Wang X, Li Y. MicroRNA-802 Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in Human Laryngeal Cancer by Targeting cAMP-Regulated Phosphoprotein 19. Cancer Manag Res. 2020;12:419–430. https://doi.org/10.2147/CMAR.S228429 (RETRACTED). When approached for an explanation, the authors have been unable to address the concerns raised and have not been able to provide sufficient original data from their study. As verifying the validity of published work is core to the integrity of the scholarly record, we are therefore retracting the article. The authors listed in this publication have been informed. 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”.

Xiaowei Sun,1 Fenqin Xue,2 Jialin Wen,1 Limin Gao,1 Yang Li,1 Lijun Yang,1 Hong Cui1 1Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Core Facility Center, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Lijun Yang; Hong Cui, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95 Yongan Road, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100050 People’s Republic of China, Email yanglijun1979@ccmu.edu.cn; cuihong100@ccmu.edu.cnObjective: Sleep is necessary for brain maturation in infants. Perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a major cause of chronic neurological disease in infants. Although the developmental changes of electroencephalogram (EEG) in human newborns have been described, little is known about the EEG normal maturation characteristics in rodents and the changes in sleep-awake states caused by hypoxia-ischemia (HI). This study aimed to investigate the pathological response of sleep-wake states in neonatal rats with HIE.Methods: We constructed HIE and sham models on postnatal day (P) 3 rats and continuously monitored them using electroencephalography and electromyography for up to P12. The distribution of sleep-wake states was analyzed to estimate the effects of HIE.Results: Compared with the sham group, the HI group showed lower rapid eye movement (REM) sleep percentage, but wake percentage and frequency was higher during P4-P12. The frequency of REM and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep increased and the duration of REM and NREM sleep decreased after HI induction. However, it gradually returned to the normal level with an increase in daytime.Conclusion: HI damage alters the sleep-wake patterns during early neural development. The findings provide a comprehensive assessment of serial sleep-wake state recordings in neonatal rats from P4-P12.Keywords: electroencephalography, EEG, hypoxia-ischemia, rapid eye movement, premature

The variable thermophysical properties were introduced into the coupling model of heat transfer and reduction reaction in the Pidgeon process to improve the accuracy of the numerical calculation. The distribution of temperature and magnesium reduction extent in the briquette layer, and the total magnesium reduction extent in the retort were investigated. The model results show better agreement with those of industrial production. The feature of ‘layer shift’ in the briquette layer during the reduction process was clearly shown. It was shown that the reduction reaction occurs only at a thin interface. The slag layer with lower thermal conductivity of 0.4 W.m-1.K-1 formed during reduction strongly hinders the reaction to move forward within the layers, resulting in the slow magnesium production rate in the Pidgeon process. The improved model can provide a more accurate quantitative prediction for magnesium reduction in the Pidgeon process, which is important for key equipment innovation and the development of new magnesium production techniques.

Li Li,1,2,&ast; Wenqi Shan,1,3,&ast; Haijin Zhu,1,3,&ast; Fei Xue,1,2 Yongbin Ma,1,4 Liyang Dong,1,5 Dingqi Feng,1 Jiahui Mao,1 Guoyue Yuan,6 Xuefeng Wang1,5 1Department of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Taixing City People’s Hospital, Taixing, 225400, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Central Laboratory, Jintan Hospital, Jiangsu University, Jintan, 213200, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Nuclear Medicine and Institute of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212001, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Endocrinology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212001, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xuefeng Wang; Liyang DongDepartment of Central Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, 438 Jiefang Road, Zhenjiang, 212001, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-511-8502-1135; +86-511-8502-6569Email xuefengwang@ujs.edu.cn; dongliyang0829@hotmail.comPurpose: Helminths and their products can regulate immune response and offer new strategies to control and alleviate inflammation, including asthma. We previously found that a peptide named as SJMHE1 from Schistosoma japonicum can suppress asthma in mice. This study mainly investigated the molecular mechanism of SJMHE1 in inhibiting asthma inflammation.Methods: SJMHE1 was administered to mice with OVA-induced asthma via subcutaneous injection, and its effects were detected by testing the airway inflammation of mice. The Th cell distribution was analyzed by flow cytometry. Th-related transcription factor and cytokine expression in the lungs of mice were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). The expression of miR-155 and levels of phosphorylated STAT3 and STAT5 were also determined after SJMHE1 treatment in mice by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. The in vitro mouse CD4+ T cells were transfected with lentivirus containing overexpressed or inhibited miR-155, and the proportion of Th17, Treg cells, CD4+p-STAT3+, and CD4+p-STAT5+ cells were analyzed by flow cytometry.Results: SJMHE1 ameliorated the airway inflammation of asthmatic mice, upregulated the proportion of Th1 and Treg cells, and the expression of Th1 and Treg-related transcription factor and cytokines. Simultaneously, SJMHE1 treatment reduced the percentage of Th2 and Th17 cells and the expression of Th2 and Th17-related transcription factor and cytokines. SJMHE1 treatment decreased the expression of miR-155 and p-STAT3 but increased p-STAT5 expression. In vitro, the percentage of Th17 and CD4+p-STAT3+ cells increased in CD4+ T cells transfected over-expression of miR-155, but SJMHE1 inhibited the miR-155-mediated increase of Th17 cells. Furthermore, SJMHE1 increased the proportion of Treg and CD4+p-STAT5+ cells after transfected over-expression or inhibition of miR-155.Conclusion: SJMHE1 regulated the balance of Th17 and Treg cells by modulating the activation of STAT3 and STAT5 via miR-155 in asthma. SJMHE1 might be a promising treatment for asthma.Keywords: Schistosoma japonicum peptide, SJMHE1, Th17/Treg cell balance, miR-155, asthma

Lingyi Zhang,1,&ast; Zhuoling Zheng,2,&ast; Wudi Ma,1 Shuyu Zhang,3,4 Faling Xue,1 Haini Wang,5 Yongqi He,6 Fang Ye,1 Shouning Zhou,6 Yongzi Wen,3,4 Xiaoyan Li,2 Wenqi Huang,1 Min Huang,3,4 Jiali Li,3,4,&ast; Zhongxing Wang1,&ast; 1Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 3Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 4Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 6Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhongxing WangDepartment of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-20-87755766Email wzhxing@mail.sysu.edu.cnJiali LiInstitute of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, 132 Waihuan Dong Road, University City, Guangzhou, 510006, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-20-39943034Email lijiali5@mail.sysu.edu.cnPurpose: Propofol is one of the most commonly used intravenous sedatives in general anesthesia, while the individual variations of propofol are apparent. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of genetic variations in GABAergic neurons and glutamatergic neurons on time to loss of consciousness (LOC) and the incidence of hypotension during anesthesia induction.Patients and Methods: A total of 140 Chinese patients undergoing thyroid surgery or breast surgery were recruited. Genotyping of candidate genes was carried out using the Agena Bioscience MassARRAY system. Anesthesia induction was initiated with a propofol target plasma concentration (Cp) of 4.0 μg mL− 1. The LOC latency, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure were documented.Results: We found that GABRA2 rs35496835, GABRB1 rs1372496, GABRG2 rs11135176, GABRG2 rs209358, GAD1 rs3791878, SLC1A3 rs1049522 and gender were significant determinants of the patient’s LOC latency following propofol administration. GABRA2 rs11503014 was highly correlated with blood pressure reduction during anesthesia induction. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that GABRB1 rs1372496, GABRG2 rs11135176, and SLC1A3 rs1049522 accounted for 35.3% variations in LOC latency following propofol administration.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that genetic variants of GABRA2, GABRB1, GABRG2, GAD1 and SLC1A3 may have influence on propofol susceptibility, which would be an important guidance towards building clinical models that can precisely predict the efficacy of propofol with various populations before surgery.Keywords: propofol, anesthesia, GABRB1, LOC latency

Yanfang Zhang,1,&ast; Dan Li,1,&ast; Qi Yan,1 Xueru Song,1 Wenyan Tian,1 Yingmei Wang,1 Fei Teng,1 Likun Wei,1 Jinghua Wang,2 Huiying Zhang,1 Fengxia Xue1 1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China; Tianjin Key laboratory of Female Reproductive Health and Eugenics, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Laboratory of Epidemiology, Tianjin Neurological Institute, Department of Neurology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Huiying Zhang; Fengxia XueDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154 Anshan Road, He Ping District, Tianjin, 300052, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-22-60363762Fax +86-22-60362636Email huiying_zhang2020@126.com, xuefengxia@tmu.edu.cnPurpose: To evaluate the effects of body weight loss on reproductive outcomes in young women with early-stage endometrial cancer (EC) and atypical hyperplasia (AH) who underwent fertility-sparing therapy.Patients and Methods: Patients with well-differentiated EC (n=8, FIGO stage Ia) and AH (n=36) who achieved complete regression after fertility-sparing therapy were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into a weight loss group (n=25) and a non-weight loss group (n=19). Subgroup analysis according to body mass index and relative weight loss were performed to investigate the effect of weight loss on pregnancy and live birth outcomes. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were undertaken to determine pregnancy-associated factors.Results: Mean body weight and body mass index at pre-progestin treatment and at fertility treatment initiation were 70.63± 12.03 and 67.08± 8.18 kg, respectively, 27.06± 4.44 and 25.73± 3.15 kg/m2, respectively. Twenty-five patients (56.82%) lost weight, the median absolute weight loss was 5.00 kg (1.00– 34.50), and the median relative weight loss was 6.70% (1.00– 36.00%) over a median of 12 months (5.00– 97.00). A favorable pregnancy rate (65.91%) and live birth rate (50.00%) were achieved. The pregnancy and live birth rates were meaningfully higher in the weight loss group than in the non-weight loss group (88.00% vs 36.84%, P=0.000; 64.00% vs 31.58%, P=0.033); weight loss ≥ 5% significantly increased pregnancy and live birth rate in patients with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. The risk ratio of weight loss ≥ 5% in multivariate logistic analysis for pregnancy was 10.448 (1.102, 99.056, P=0.041).Conclusion: Weight loss could positively affect pregnancy rate and improve live birth rate in overweight and obese women with early-stage EC and AH during/after fertility-sparing therapy. Weight loss ≥ 5% increased pregnancy and livebirth rates significantly in overweight and obese women.Keywords: weight loss, reproductive outcomes, fertility-sparing therapy, endometrial cancer, atypical hyperplasia

Mobile health has emerged as a major success for tracking individual health status, due to the popularity and power of smartphones and wearable devices. This has also brought great challenges in handling heterogeneous, multi-resolution data that arise ubiquitously in mobile health due to irregular multivariate measurements collected from individuals. In this paper, we propose an individualized dynamic latent factor model for irregular multi-resolution time series data to interpolate unsampled measurements of time series with low resolution. One major advantage of the proposed method is the capability to integrate multiple irregular time series and multiple subjects by mapping the multi-resolution data to the latent space. In addition, the proposed individualized dynamic latent factor model is applicable to capturing heterogeneous longitudinal information through individualized dynamic latent factors. Our theory provides a bound on the integrated interpolation error and the convergence rate for B -spline approximation methods. Both the simulation studies and the application to smartwatch data demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method compared to existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jia Chen,1,2 Hai-Jian Ni,1,2 Fei Xue,3 Yun-Shan Fan,1,2 Xi-Fan Li,4 Xian-Zhen Chen,3 Shi-Sheng He1,2 1Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of China; 2Spinal Pain Research Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Radiology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shi-Sheng HeSpinal Pain Research Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, 301 Yanchang Middle Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail tjhss7418@tongji.edu.cnXian-Zhen ChenDepartment of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 301 Yanchang Middle Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, 200072, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail chenxianzheny@126.comBackground: Intradural disc herniation (IDH) is a rare type of disc degeneration that infrequently affects the upper lumbar spine. Pre- and intraoperative diagnosis and surgical management of IDH are challenging. The present case study provides insight into these aspects of upper lumbar IDH and discusses possible mechanisms.Case Description: A 63-year-old female with a history of chronic lower back and leg pain presented with an acute lumbar sprain that had occurred 1 month prior. The pain progressed and spread to the front of the left thigh, which affected her ability to lift her leg when ascending/descending stairs. Sagittal gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a disc protruding into the ventral dural sac showing a hawk-beak sign, and the posterior edge of the disc annulus and local posterior longitudinal ligament was broken. Total L2 laminectomy was performed, and the dorsal side of the dural sac was exposed and incised to enable exploration of the ventral side of the dura. We found two free fragments protruding into the inner wall of the dura through the left ventral dura mater defect. After carefully and completely removing the mass, we repaired the defect and performed internal fixation. Postoperative pathologic analysis confirmed that the mass was nucleus pulposus tissue from the degenerated disc. The patient’s pain significantly improved after surgery, and she was able to walk normally at the 1-month follow-up.Conclusion: Upper lumbar IDH is an extremely rare type of disc degeneration. An enhanced MRI scan can provide diagnostic evidence, but the final diagnosis requires surgical exploration of the path of herniation and pathologic examination of the mass lesion.Keywords: lower back pain, radiating pain, upper lumbar, intradural disc herniation, case report

Fang Liu,1,2,* TianTian Liu,2,* Min Sun,2 JingMin Zhou,2 Feng Xue,2 ShuangHui Chen,2 Jia Chen,3 Lei Zhang1 1Department of Pediatrics, Pudong New Area People’s Hospital, Shanghai, 201200, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pediatrics, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Shanghai, 200123, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, Shanghai, 200127, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Lei Zhang; Jia Chen Email cnhff3098@126.com; 304453596@qq.comBackground: Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a predominant cause of community-acquired respiratory infections. We recently discovered the clinical efficacy of Maxing shigan decoction (MXSG) in M. pneumoniae infection and designed a study to explore the mechanism of action.Methods: Serum IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α, and transcript expression of the NLR Family, Pyrin Domain Containing Protein 3 (NLRP3) were measured in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 30 children with M. pneumoniae infection and 30 healthy donors. An in vitro model of M. pneumoniae infection in A549 cell culture was used to explore the curative effects and mechanisms of MXSG. Pyroptosis was measured by flow cytometry with activated caspase-1 and propidium iodide staining. IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α, and NLRP3 transcript expression were measured by qRT-PCR. Protein expression of NLRP3, Caspase-1, pro-caspase-1, IL-1β, pro-IL-1β, and GSDMD-N was determined by Western blotting. Experimental confirmation was performed in NLRP3-overexpressing A549 cells and in the presence of an NLRP3 inhibitor, INF39.Results: M. pneumoniae infection-induced IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, and mRNA expression of NLRP3 in PBMCs and promoted pyroptosis in A549 cells. It also induced IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, and up-regulated NLRP3, ro-IL-1β, Caspase-1, Pro-Caspase-1, and GSDMD-N in culture. Similar to the NLRP3 inhibitor INF39, MXSG (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/mL) suppressed pyroptosis induced by M. pneumoniae infection and decreased IL-1β (P < 0.001), IL-18, TNF-α in culture. MXSG down-regulated NLRP3, pro-IL-1β, Caspase-1, pro-Caspase-1, and GSDMD-N in infected cultures and mitigated NLRP3 overexpression-induced pyroptosis.Conclusion: MXSG mitigates M. pneumoniae-induced pyroptosis in A549 cells via the NLRP3 inflammasome.Keywords: Mycoplasma pneumoniae, pyroptosis, Maxing shigan decoction, NLRP3 inflammasome

Wei-Xin Bian,1 Feng Xue,2 Li-Yan Wang,1 Xiao-Fang Xing1 1Department of Oncology, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150001, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College, Guilin, Guangxi Province 541001, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Wei-Xin BianDepartment of Oncology, Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150001, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail pingjuyi3387@126.comAim: A series of research reveal that circular RNA (circRNA) plays a vital role in regulating the development of tumor cells. In this research, we would explore the role and mechanism of circCDYL in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods: RT-PCR was performed to detect the expression of circCDYL in NSCLC tissues, plasma, and cell lines. The tumor cell proliferation ability was evaluated by clone formation assay, and cell cycle determination. Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis in NSCLC cell lines. Western blot and RT-PCR were used to assess the expression of proteins and genes. Luciferase assay was performed to confirm the relationship of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA.Results: The decreased level of circCDYL was observed in NSCLC patients’ tissues and plasma, which was also downregulated in NSCLC cell lines. Forced expression of circCDYL inhibited cell viability, proliferation and induced apoptosis in A549 cells. Luciferase assay verified that circCDYL could bind with miR-185-5p and confirmed that TNRC6A was a downstream target of miR-185-5p. Overexpression of miR-185-5p or silencing of TNRC6A could inhibit the anti-tumor effect of circCDYL in A549 cells via regulating the ERK1/2 signal.Conclusion: Here, we revealed that circCDYL inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in NSCLC cell lines via regulating ERK1/2 signal, and the mechanism of this progression may target miR-185-5p/TNRC6A, which provided a theoretical basis for clinical therapy.Keywords: non-small cell lung cancer, circular RNA, proliferation, apoptosis

Li Zhang,1,* Zhijie Ma,2 Zhe Wu,3 Mu Jin,1 Lixin An,1 Fushan Xue1,* 1Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100050, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine & Critical Care Medicine, Aviation General Hospital of China Medical University, Beijing 100012, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Li Zhang; Fushan XueDepartment of Anesthesiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 95, Yong’an Road, Xicheng District, Beijing 100050, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail zhangli8828@163.com; xuefushan@aliyun.comBackground: Depression is a prevalent and complex psychiatric disorder with high incidence in patients with chronic pain. The underlying pathogenesis of chronic pain-induced depression is complicated and remains largely unclear. An integrated analysis of endogenous substance-related metabolisms would help to understand the molecular mechanism of chronic pain-induced depression. Curcumin was reported to exert various health benefits, such as anti-depression, antioxidant, antineoplastic, analgesia, and anti-inflammation.Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the biomarkers related to depression in serum and to evaluate the anti-depression properties of curcumin in a chronic pain-induced depression model of rats.Design: This is a randomized, controlled experiment.Setting: This study was conducted at the Experimental Animal Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University.Methods: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) was produced by injecting 4 μL, 10% cobra venom saline solution into the infraorbital nerve (ION). Curcumin was administered by gavage twice a day from post-operation day (POD) 15 to POD 42. Mechanical allodynia was assessed using von Frey filaments. Sucrose preference and forced swimming tests were performed to evaluate depression-like behaviors. The metabolomics analysis was preceded by LCMS-IT-TOF and multivariate statistical methods for sample detection and biomarker screening.Results: Cobra venom intra-ION injection led to chronic mechanical allodynia, reduced sucrose preference, and prolonged immobility during forced swimming. Curcumin treatment alleviated chronic mechanical allodynia, regained sucrose preference, and reduced immobility time. Differential analysis identified 30 potential metabolites changed under TN condition. The integrated analyses further revealed two major metabolic changes by comparing the serums from sham operated rats, TN rats, and TN rats treated with curcumin: 1) ether lipid metabolism; and 2) glycerophospholipid metabolism, and suggested that curcumin may improve chronic pain-induced depression by regulating these two types of lipid metabolisms.Conclusion: Ether lipid and glycerophospholipid metabolism might be two of the pathways with the most potential related to chronic pain induced-depression; and curcumin could alleviate chronic pain induced-depression by modulating these two pathways. These results provide further insights into the mechanisms of chronic pain-induced depression and may help to identify potential targets for anti-depression properties of curcumin.Keywords: curcumin, depression, chronic pain, trigeminal neuralgia, metabolomics

Ling Peng,1,2 Li Han,2 Xiao-Ning Li,2 Ya-Fang Miao,2 Fei Xue,2 Chao Zhou1,3 1School of Clinical Medicine, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Respiratory Medicine, Zhoupu Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Respiratory Medicine, Guangming Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Pudong New Area, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Chao ZhouDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Guangming Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Pudong New Area, No. 339 DongMen Street. Pudong New District, Shanghai 201399, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-21-68019069Email zhou2000sh@163.comBackground: The differential diagnosis of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) complications are difficult because of the variability of clinical presentations and the shortage of an unfailing screening biomarkers or instruments.Objective: Aimed to detect and compare the expression of serum microRNAs (miR-1233, miR-134) in AECOPD patients complicated with APE.Patients/Methods: Blood samples were collected from 52 AECOPD patients (13 patients with APE complications, 39 patients without APE) and 10 patients with stable COPD. Serum miRNAs expression was detected with real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The levels of plasma D-dimers were determined by detection with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used for evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of the studied miRNAs.Results: According to the Wells score, 42 of the 52 AECOPD patients were unlikely to have APE (≤ 4 points), whereas the remaining 10 (> 4 points) were likely to have APE. There were 4 cases (4/13 30.8%) in the AECOPD combined with APE group with a Wells score of > 4 points. The expression levels of miR-1233 and miR-134 in the serum were considerably upregulated in the AECOPD+APE group compared with the AECOPD group and the stable COPD group (P< 0.05). The areas under the curve (AUCs) for miR-134 and miR-1233 were, respectively, 0.931 (95% CI 0.863– 0.999) (P< 0.05) and 0.884 (95% CI 0.79– 0.978) (P< 0.05) and were higher compared with the AUC for D-dimer of 0.628 (95% CI 0.447– 0.809), the AUC for age-adjusted D-dimer of 0.705 (95% CI 0.525– 0.885) and the AUC for Wells score of 0.577 (95% CI 0.389– 0.765).Conclusion: Our study indicated that serum miR-1233 and miR-134 have high clinical value in the early diagnosis of AECOPD patients combined with APE, or could be used as potential biomarkers for clinical identification of AECOPD with or without APE complication.Keywords: acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute pulmonary embolism, D-dimer, microRNA, biomarker