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Yanan Huang,1,* Yunfeng Wang,2,* Tianyu Zheng,1,* Shuang Nie,1 Yanli Wang,3 Hui Shen,1 Fengfeng Mo1 1Department of Naval Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Faculty of Navy Medicine, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3International Joint Research Center of Human-Machine Intelligent Collaborative for Tumor Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Hainan Province, Hainan, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Yanli Wang; Fengfeng Mo, Email hyyaoxueyuan2022@163.com; mofengfeng@smmu.edu.cnPurpose: Erythrocytes and fibroblasts in the pancreatic cancer tumor microenvironment promote tumor cell growth and invasion by providing nutrients and promoting immunosuppression. Additionally, they form a barrier against the penetration of chemotherapeutic drugs. Therefore, the search for diversified tumor-targeting materials plays an essential role in solving the above problems.Methods: Physicochemical characterization of Graphene fluorescent nanoparticles (GFNPs) and nanomedicines were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), elemental analyzers and ultraviolet fluorescence (UV/FL) spectrophotometer. Localization of GFNPs in cell and tissue sections imaged with laser confocal microscope, fluorescence scanner and small animal in vivo imager. Qualitative detection and quantitative detection of GFNPs and GFNPs-GEM were performed using High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Results: Based on the 3 nm average dimensions, GFNPs penetrate vascular endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, achieve up to label 30% tumor cells and 60% cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) cells, and accurately label mature red blood cells in the tumor microenvironment. In orthotopic transplanted pancreatic cancer models, the fluorescence intensity of GFNPs in tumors showed a positive correlation with the cycle size of tumor development. The differential spatial distribution of GFNPs in three typical clinical pancreatic cancer samples demonstrated their diagnostic potential. To mediate the excellent targeting properties of GFNPs, we synthesized a series of nanomedicines using popular chemotherapeutic drugs, in which complex of GFNPs and gemcitabine (GFNPs-GEM) possessed stability in vivo and exhibited effective reduction of tumor volume and fewer side effects.Conclusion: GFNPs with multiple targeting tumor microenvironments in pancreatic cancer possess diagnostic efficiency and therapeutic potential. Keywords: graphene fluorescent nanoparticles, cancer-associated fibroblasts, pancreatic cancer cells, dual-targeting, chemo-target therapy

Tianli Zheng,1,2 Weiwei Fu,1,2 Shuang Jiang,3 Xiaodong Yang1,2 1School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 2Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 3The Third Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiaodong Yang, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, No. 88, Keling Road, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 215000, People’s Republic of China, Email xiaodong.yang@sibet.ac.cnPurpose: The prevalence of obesity and myopia in young people is increasing worldwide; however, the association between body mass index (BMI) and myopia remains controversial. This study aimed to assess the association between BMI and myopia in Chinese schoolchildren.Patients and Methods: In this study, the open data for analysis were obtained from DATADRYAD website (www.datadryad.org). A total of 3658 children were enrolled in this study. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between BMI and myopia.Results: Compared with individuals with lower BMI Q1 (less than 25 kg/m2), the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for BMI and myopia were 2.15 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.62– 2.86) in Q2 (25.0– 29.9 kg/m2) and 2.39 (95% CI: 1.37– 4.18) in Q3 (30.0 kg/m2 or more). Moreover, the association between BMI and myopia exhibited an inverted L-shaped curve (nonlinear; p < 0.001). When the BMI was < 25 kg/m2, an increased BMI was significantly associated with a higher risk of myopia (OR = 1.244 [95% CI: 1.211– 1.277], p < 0.001). However, when the BMI was ≥ 25 kg/m2, the association lost its significance (OR = 1.063 [95% Cl: 0.964– 1.171], p = 0.219).Conclusion: This study found an inverted L-shaped association between BMI and myopia in Chinese schoolchildren. A higher BMI was associated with a higher risk of myopia reaching 25 kg/m2, after which an increase in BMI was no longer associated with an increased risk of myopia.Keywords: myopia, body mass index, cross-sectional, schoolchildren, logistic regression

Guangyi Xu,1 Ting Liu,1 Yunxia Jiang,1 Yanhong Xu,2 Taohua Zheng,2 Xiaona Li3 1Author affiliations School of Nursing, Qingdao University, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 2Author affiliations Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 3Author Affiliations Endoscopic Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ting Liu, School of Nursing, Qingdao University, 1 Ningde Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266073, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 15066237573, Email liuting201516@163.comPurpose: To identify the distinct profiles of psychosocial adaptation of Chinese inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and the predictive factors.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional survey method was used to recruit 263 IBD patients who were treated in a tertiary hospital in Shandong Province from July 2022 to April 2023. The general information questionnaire, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Psychosocial Adaptation Questionnaire, Resilience Scale for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Chinese Benefit Finding Scale, and Stigma Scale for Chronic Illnesses, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire and Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Disk were used as the instruments for investigation. Latent profile analysis was conducted with the six dimensions of the IBD Psychosocial Adaptation Questionnaire as the explicit indicators. The predictors of profile membership were analyzed by multinomial logistic regressions.Results: Four profiles of psychosocial adaptation in IBD patients were identified: Low level psychosocial adaptation (14.1%), Medium level psychosocial adaptation – High body image distress (25.5%), Medium level psychosocial adaptation – Low body image distress (30.0%) and High level psychosocial adaptation (30.4%). Compared with Low level psychosocial adaptation group, High level psychosocial adaptation group had a higher level of positive cognition (OR=2.930, 95%IC 0.017– 0.305, p< 0.001) and overall psychological resilience (OR=1.832, 95%IC 0.000– 0.016, p < 0.001), more health behaviors (OR= 2.520, 95%IC 0.191– 1.358, p=0.001), a lower level of internal stigma (OR=0.135, 95%IC 0.043– 0.420, p < 0.001) and overall stigma (OR=0.010, 95%IC 0.003– 0.118, p=0.001), less acceptance-resignation coping style (OR=0.055, 95%IC 0.209– 3.200, p < 0.001) and lower disease burden (OR=0.407, 95%IC 0.298– 0.698, p=0.006).Conclusion: About a half of IBD patients had a medium level of psychosocial adaptation. Psychological resilience, benefit finding, stigma, medical coping styles and disease burden predicted psychosocial adaptation profiles. Healthcare providers need to focus on the heterogeneity of psychosocial adaptation of IBD patients and formulate personalized intervention programs for patients with different profiles to improve their psychosocial adaptation.Keywords: inflammatory bowel disease, latent profile analysis, psychosocial adaptation, benefit finding, resilience, coping, stigma

Jie Liu,1,&ast; Ke Zhao,2,&ast; Wei Kang,1,&ast; Siyu Tong,1 Yao Xu,1 Wei Jin,1 Mengxuan Qiao,1 Yuan Li,1 Lan Hong,3 Keqing Yao,4,5 Tiansheng Zheng6 1School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 2Lishui Second People’s Hospital Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Lishui, People’s Republic of China; 3The Third Hospital of Quzhou, Quzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 5Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 6The Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorder, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Keqing Yao, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-755-82927264, Email KQKangning@gmail.com Tiansheng Zheng, The Affiliated Kangning Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorder, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China, Email sky.tsh@163.comIntroduction: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is becoming an increasingly prevalent phenomenon among adolescents, endangering their health. The aims of this study were to 1) explore the associations between borderline personality features, alexithymia and NSSI and 2) examine if alexithymia mediates the relationships between borderline personality features and both the severity of NSSI and the various functions that maintain NSSI in adolescents.Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 1779 outpatient and inpatient aged 12– 18 years from psychiatric hospitals. All adolescents completed a structured four-part questionnaire including demographic items, the Chinese version of the Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation, the Borderline Personality Features Scale for Children and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale.Results: The structural equation modelling results indicated that alexithymia partially mediated the associations between borderline personality features and both the severity of NSSI and the emotion regulation function of NSSI (B = 0.058 and 0.099, both p < 0.001), after controlling for age and sex.Discussion: These findings suggest that alexithymia may play a role in the mechanism and treatment of NSSI among adolescents with borderline personality features. Further longitudinal studies are essential to validate these findings.Keywords: self-harm, health, emotion regulation, structural equation modelling

Tingting Zheng,1,&ast; Wenjuan Hu,1,&ast; Hao Wang,1 Xiaoli Xie,2 Lang Tang,3 Weiyan Liu,4 Pu-Yeh Wu,5 Jingjing Xu,1,&ast; Bin Song1,&ast; 1Department of Radiology, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pathology, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Ultrasound, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of General Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 5GE Healthcare, MR Research China, Beijing, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bin Song; Jingjing Xu, Department of Radiology, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, No. 170, Xinsong Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, 201199, People’s Republic of China, Email songbin@fudan.edu.cn; sb72778@189.cnPurpose: BRAF V600E mutation can compensate for the low detection rate by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and is related to aggressiveness and lymph node metastasis. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between texture analysis features based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and mutations.Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on patients with postoperative pathology confirmed papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) from 2017 to 2021. One thousand one hundred and thirty-two texture features were extracted from T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging (CE-T1WI) separately by outlining the tumor volume of interest (VOI). Univariate, minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR), and multivariate analyses were used for feature selection to construct 3 models (T2WI, CE-T1WI, and combined model) to predict mutation. The reproducibility between observers was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the performance of models. The diagnostic performance of the optimal cut-off value of models were calculated and validated by 10-fold cross-validation.Results: A total of 80 PTCs (22 BRAF V600E wild-type and 58 BRAF V600E mutant) were included in our study. Good interobserver agreement was found on texture features we selected (all ICCs > 0.75). The area under the ROC curves (AUCs) for the T2WI model, CE-T1WI model, and combined model were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.75– 0.91), 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73– 0.90), and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.81– 0.94), respectively. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 0.776, 0.679, 0.905, 0.905, and 0.679 for the T2WI model at a cut-off value of 0.674; 0.755, 0.750, 0.762, 0.808, and 0.696 for the CE-T1WI model at a cut-off value of 0.573; 0.816, 0.893, 0.714, 0.806, and 0.833 for the combined model at a cut-off value of 0.420.Conclusion: MRI-based texture analysis could be a potential method for predicting BRAF V600E mutation in PTC preoperatively.Keywords: magnetic resonance imaging, texture analysis, radiomics, papillary thyroid carcinoma, BRAF V600E

Zhang T, Sun Y, Zheng T, Wang R, Jia D, Zhang W. Onco Targets Ther. 2020;13:701-708. We, the Editors and Publisher of OncoTargets and Therapy, have retracted the following article. Following publication of the article, concerns were raised about the duplication of images from Figure 3 with images from other unrelated articles. Specifically, The image for Figure 3A, PC3, sh1 has been duplicated with the image for Figure 8A, Ctrl+siNC from Wang D, Chen J, Ding Y, et al. RETRACTED ARTICLE: miR-188-5p Promotes Tumor Growth by Targeting CD2AP Through PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling in Children with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. Onco Targets Ther. 2020;13:6681-6697. https://doi.org/10.2147/OTT.S244813. The authors did not respond to our queries and were unable to provide an explanation for the duplicated images or provide data for the study. As verifying the validity of 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 COPE guidelines. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.

Ying Ning,&ast; Yanju Gong,&ast; Tianyan Zheng, Ya Xie, Shiqing Yuan, Weijun Ding School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Weijun Ding; Shiqing Yuan, Department of Fundamental Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1166 Liutai Road, Chengdu, 611137, People’s Republic of China, Tel + 86-28-61800219, Fax + 86-28-61800225, Email Dingweijun@cdutcm.edu.cn; yuanshiqing@cdutcm.edu.cnBackground: The increasing incidence of obesity and its complications has become a global public health problem. Lingguizhugan decoction (LGZGD) is a representative compound of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for metabolic diseases, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, but its role in insulin resistance (IR) treatment is still less known. This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic properties of LGZGD on obesity-induced IR and explore the potential mechanism of LGZGD on gut microbiota and its metabolites in the treatment of IR.Methods: In this study, we induced an IR model in the form of high-fat diet (HFD) rats gavaged with LGZGD (1.64 g/kg BW) for three weeks. The IR status was measured by biochemical assays and oral glucose tolerance tests. The degrees of damage to liver function and the intestinal barrier were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry. Alterations in intestinal microbiota and metabolites were assessed by 16S rRNA and an untargeted metabolomics platform.Results: Our results showed that after LGZGD treatment, the body weight, plasma insulin concentration and blood lipids were significantly decreased, and glucose tolerance and hepatic steatosis were ameliorated. In addition, small intestinal villi were restored, and the expression of Occludin was upregulated. The relative abundance of Akkermansia, Faecalibacterium and Phascolarctobacterium in the HFD-LGZG group was upregulated. Obesity-related metabolic pathways, such as bile secretion, biosynthesis of amino acids, phenylalanine metabolism, serotonergic synapse, protein digestion and absorption, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and primary bile acid biosynthesis, were changed. After LGZGD intervention, metabolites developed toward the healthy control group. In addition, the expression of bile acid metabolism related genes was also regulated in IR rats.Conclusion: We showed that LGZGD relieved IR, possibly by regulating the composition of the fecal microbiota and its metabolites. The above studies provide a basis for further study of LGZGD in the treatment of IR and its clinical application.Keywords: insulin resistance, IR, lingguizhugan decoction, LGZGD, intestinal microbiota, nontargeted metabolomics, high-fat diet, HFD

Zhengjun Lin,1,2 Yiting Xu,2 Xianghong Zhang,1 Jia Wan,1 Tao Zheng,1 Hongxuan Chen,1 Shijie Chen,3 Tang Liu1 1Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People’s Republic of China; 2Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Orthopedics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shijie ChenDepartment of Orthopedics, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410006, Hunan, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-73185292111Email shijiechencsu@163.comTang LiuDepartment of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86-73185292111Email liutang1204@csu.edu.cnBackground: Pyroptosis is critically associated with cancer initiation and progression, which can be modulated by diverse long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). However, the roles of pyroptosis-related lncRNAs in soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are still largely unknown.Methods: Our study included a total of 259 STS patients extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas Sarcoma (TCGA-SARC) dataset. Gene expression data fragments per kilobase of transcript per million mapped reads (FPKM) values were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) for the investigation of the expression pattern of pyroptosis-related lncRNAs. Unsupervised clustering based on pyroptosis-related lncRNAs was performed, and the associations of pyroptosis-related lncRNAs with clinical outcomes and immune microenvironment were investigated. Two risk signatures for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were constructed and validated in independent cohorts.Results: A total of 166 pyroptosis-related lncRNAs were identified in STS. Patients were clustered into two subgroups by unsupervised clustering, and cluster 2 had better prognoses, higher immune scores, higher abundance of immune cells, and higher expression of some immune checkpoints. OS- and DFS-risk signatures based on 10 and 13 pyroptosis-related lncRNAs, respectively, with favorable discrimination were constructed and validated. High-risk patients had favorable prognoses, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed that both risk signatures could function as excellent predictors for prognoses of STS patients. Besides, the OS-risk signature could also excellently predict the immune landscape of STS.Conclusion: In conclusion, our study revealed the clinical significance and critical roles of pyroptosis-related lncRNAs in STS, and constructed novel risk signatures based on pyroptosis-related lncRNAs that could effectively predict clinical outcomes and immune microenvironment in STS.Keywords: pyroptosis, immune microenvironment, prognostic signature, soft tissue sarcomas

Hui Chen,1,&ast; Na Li,1,2,&ast; Xiang Zhan,1,&ast; Ting Zheng,1 Xinzhou Huang,1 Qianglin Chen,1 Zihao Song,1 Fei Yang,1,3 Hao Nie,1,3 Yanxiang Zhang,3 Bing Zheng,1,3 Quan Gong1,3 1Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, People’s Republic of China; 3Clinical Molecular Immunology Center, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Bing Zheng; Quan GongDepartment of Immunology, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail hxzheng@yangtzeu.edu.cn; gongquan1998@163.comPurpose: Capsaicin (8-methyl-N-geranyl-6-nonamide; CAP) is an alkaloid isolated from chili peppers, which has complex pharmacological properties, including beneficial effects against various diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of CAP in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI), and the possible underlying mechanisms.Materials and Methods: ALI was induced by intranasal administration of LPS (0.5 mg/kg), and CAP (1 mg/kg) injected intraperitoneally 3 days before exposure to LPS. Then, the histopathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and qPCR were used to detect pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum and lung tissue. The expressions of HMGB1/NF-κB, PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways and apoptosis-associated molecules were determined by Western blot and/or qPCR. In addition, the lung cell apoptosis was analyzed by TUNEL staining, and the expression and location of cleaved caspase-3 were detected by immunofluorescence analysis.Results: CAP pretreatment significantly protected mice from LPS-induced ALI, with reduced lung wet/dry weight ratio, lung histological damage, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, and significant increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. In addition, CAP pretreatment significantly inhibited the high-mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) expression, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation, and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, mice pre-treated with CAP exhibited reduced apoptosis of lung tissues, with associated down-regulation of caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, and BAX expression, and up-regulation of BCL-2.Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that CAP can protect against LPS-induced ALI by inhibiting oxidative stress, inflammatory responses and apoptosis through down-regulation of the HMGB1/NF-κB and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways.Keywords: capsaicin, acute lung injury, HMGB1/NF-κB, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, apoptosis, inflammation

Tingting Zheng,1 Wenjuan Hu,1 Hao Wang,1 Xiaoli Xie,2 Lang Tang,3 Weiyan Liu,4 Pu-Yeh Wu,5 Jingjing Xu,1 Bin Song1 1Department of Radiology, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pathology, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Ultrasound, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of General Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 5GE Healthcare, MR Research China, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Bin Song; Jingjing Xu, Department of Radiology, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, No. 170, Xinsong Road, Minhang District, Shanghai, 201199, People’s Republic of China, Email songbin@fudan.edu.cn; sb72778@189.cn

Yi Ren, Tiehua Zheng, Lei Hua, Fuzhou Zhang, Yangwei Ma, Jianmin Zhang Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Jianmin ZhangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, No. 56, South Lishi Road, Beijing, 100045, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +861059616415Fax +861059616429Email zjm_bch@163.comPurpose: The Nuss procedure is a recognized treatment for adolescent pectus excavatum that results in severe postoperative pain. Erector spinae plane block (ESPB) is a novel technique that provides postoperative analgesia and reduces opioid consumption. Our aim is to explore whether ESPB produces analgesia similar to thoracic epidural anaesthesia (TEA) in paediatric patients undergoing Nuss procedure.Study Design and Methods: This randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial will enrol 300 paediatric patients undergoing Nuss surgery. Participants will be randomly assigned 1:1 to receive ESPB or TEA preoperatively. The primary, joint endpoint is the average numeric rating scale (NRS) score and cumulative sufentanil consumption. The secondary endpoints are pain scores and sufentanil consumption at different time points after surgery, analgesia-related side effects, and other postoperative complications. Data will be analysed by the intention-to-treat principle.Discussion: This study investigates the effect of ESPB on postoperative opioid consumption and pain scores and intend to provide a new strategy of analgesia management for Nuss procedure in paediatric patients.Keywords: postoperative pain, erector spinae plane block, pectus excavatum, Nuss procedure, opiates

Yongli Pan,1,&ast; Qingzheng Jiao,2,&ast; Wei Wei,3,&ast; Tianyang Zheng,4,&ast; Xinyu Yang,5 Wenqiang Xin5 1Department of Neurology, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 2Second Department of Internal Medicine, Gucheng County Hospital, Gucheng, Hebei, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Neurology, Mianyang Central Hospital, Mianyang, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Neurosurgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Wenqiang XinDepartment of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road No. 154, Tianjin, 300052, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86– 185 26201182Fax +86– 22 60362062Email xinwenqiangdr@126.comAbstract: As a crucial kind of pervasive gene, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are abundant and key players in brain function as well as numerous neurological disorders, especially ischemic stroke. The mechanisms underlying ischemic stroke include angiogenesis, autophagy, apoptosis, cell death, and neuroinflammation. Inflammation plays a vital role in the pathological process of ischemic stroke, and systemic inflammation affects the patient’s prognosis. Although a great deal of research has illustrated that various lncRNAs are closely relevant to regulate neuroinflammation and microglial activation in ischemic stroke, the specific interactional relationships and mechanisms between lncRNAs and neuroinflammation have not been described clearly. This review aimed to summarize the therapeutic effects and action mechanisms of lncRNAs on ischemia by regulating inflammation and microglial activation. In addition, we emphasize that lncRNAs have the potential to modulate inflammation by inhibiting and activating various signaling pathways, such as microRNAs, NF‐κB and ERK.Keywords: ischemic stroke, long noncoding RNA, microglia, neuroinflammation

Yueting Li,1 Pengxu Shi,2 Tianzhi Zheng,1 Ziwei Ying,1 Daqing Jiang1 1Department of Breast Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110042, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Bone Surgery, The People’s Hospital of Liaoning Province, Shenyang, Liaoning Province 110016, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Daqing Jiang Email qiliedang3@163.comObjective: CircRNAs are emerging as vital regulators in a variety of cancers. However, the expression pattern and potential mechanism of circRNAs in triple-negative breast cancer remain unclear. In this study, we aim to systematically investigate circRNAs alteration in triple-negative breast cancer tissues.Methods: Microarray and bioinformatics analyses were used to identify circRNAs expression in cancer tissues. qRT-PCR was conducted to measure the expression of RNAs. Cell Counting Kit‐8, wound-healing and transwell assays were conducted to investigate the function of circRNAs. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to validate target binding.Results: Hsa_circ_0131242 was highly expressed in both cancer tissues and cell lines compared to control. Subsequently, statistical analyses revealed that high expression of hsa_circ_0131242 was positively correlated with advanced tumor stages and poorer clinical features in cancer patients. Hsa_circ_0131242 knockdown could suppress the progression of breast cancer cells. Bioinformatics prediction and luciferase reporter assay showed that hsa_circ_0131242 acted as a sponge for hsa-miR-2682. Moreover, co-transfection of hsa-miR-2682 inhibitor and si-hsa_circ_0131242 rescued cell proliferation and migration in BT549 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines.Conclusion: Our study identified hsa_circ_0131242 expression in TNBC for the first time and found that hsa_circ_0131242 may promote triple-negative breast cancer progression by sponging hsa-miR-2682.Keywords: breast cancer, hsa_circ_0131242, proliferation, sponge, biomarker

Tianbiao Zhang,* Yangyang Sun,* Tao Zheng, Rui Wang, Donghui Jia, Weixing Zhang Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Weixing ZhangDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail caolingdudu@126.comIntroduction: Prostate cancer (PC) is the second greatest cause of cancer deaths globally. PC presents a poor prognosis once it metastasizes. There is considerable proof of vital epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) functionality in PC metastasis. Previous studies revealed that melanophilin (MLPH) is associated with PC; however, its role in PC remains poorly understood.Methods: Bioinformatics analyses were performed. The cellular responses to MLPH knockdown were examined in HCC cell lines via wound healing assay, migration and invasion assay, Western blotting.Results: Analysis of the PROGgeneV2 database revealed that high MLPH expression might indicate poor overall survival. MLPH knockdown reduced PC cell migration, proliferation, and invasion. MLPH downregulation in vivo resulted in a lower growth rate and fewer metastatic nodules in lung tissues. Furthermore, MLPH knockdown recovered downregulated expression of the mesenchymal marker N-cadherin and the epithelial marker E-cadherin following a decrease in β-catenin.Conclusion: These results indicate that progression of PC is stimulated via MLPH-dependent initiation of the EMT.Keywords: MLPH, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, prostate cancer, β-catenin

Qian-qian Chen,1–3 Jia-min Shi,1,2 Zhou Ding,1,2 Qing Xia,1,2 Tian-sheng Zheng,1,2 Yan-bei Ren,1,2 Ming Li,1,2 Li-hong Fan1,2 1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai 10th People’s Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Energy Metabolism and Health, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200072, People’s Republic of China; 3Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 22601, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Li-hong Fan; Ming LiDepartment of Respiratory Medicine, Shanghai 10th People’s Hospital, Tongji University, #301 Mid Yianchang Road, Shanghai 200072, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/fax +86 1 800 176 3288; +86 1 339 135 8760Email 18260626371@163.com; mlid163@163.comBackground: Berberine (BBR) from the widely used Chinese herbal medicine Huanglian has an array of pharmacological and biochemical properties, including anti-neoplastic activity. However, the specific mechanisms underlying these properties are unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the anti-tumor mechanisms of BBR in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods: The effects of BBR on NSCLC tumor development and programmed cell death were investigated both in vivo and in vitro. Luciferase reporter assays were used to determine whether tissue factor (TF) was a target of miR-19a.Results: BBR suppressed NSCLC growth and promoted apoptosis in NSCLC cells by modulating miR-19a and TF expression. Luciferase assays showed that TF was a direct inhibitory target of miR-19a in NSCLC cells. BBR induced apoptosis through the miR-19a/TF/MAPK axis.Conclusion: The results suggest that BBR induces apoptosis of NSCLC cells via the miR-19a/TF/MAPK signaling pathway.Keywords: non-small-cell lung carcinoma, NSCLC, berberine, miR-19a, tissue factor, TF, MAPK

Xiaoyan Tang,1–3,* Songping Liu,4,* Yinglei Liu,5,* Xiaojing Lin,1–3 Tingting Zheng,1–3 Xin Liu,1–3 Junjun Qiu,1–3 Keqin Hua1–3 1Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China; 3Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zhenjiang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nantong First People’s Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu 226001, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Junjun Qiu; Keqin HuaDepartment of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, 419 Fangxie Road, Shanghai 200011, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 216 345 5050 ext 8261Fax +86 216 345 5090Email qiujunjun1113@163.com; huakeqin@fudan.edu.cnPurpose: Exosomes are key mediators of cellular communication by transporting molecules, including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and have been regarded as promising non-invasive biomarkers. This study aimed to evaluate the expression pattern and clinical significance of serum exosomal lncRNA antisense hypoxia inducible factor (aHIF) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).Patients and methods: Sixty-two EOC patients in Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University were enrolled. The expression levels of aHIF in tissues and serum exosomes were examined by RT-qPCR. The origin of serum exosomal aHIF was explored in vitro and in vivo. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the prognostic factors of EOC. A prognostic predictive nomogram was formulated in R software.Results: We isolated exosomes, identified exosomal aHIF in the serum of EOC patients. The expression of serum exosomal aHIF was higher in EOC patients and was correlated with the aHIF level in EOC tissues. In vitro and in vivo, the results indicated that serum exosomal aHIF was derived from tumor cells. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated that EOC patients with higher serum exosomal aHIF expression had poorer overall survival. Cox multivariate regression model revealed that FIGO stage, residual tumor size, and serum exosomal aHIF level were independent prognostic factors of EOC. Based on the prognostic value of serum exosomal aHIF, we established a nomogram model that showed a good predictive ability for EOC patients.Conclusion: Serum exosomal aHIF is overexpressed in EOC and can serve as a noninvasive predictive biomarker for unfavorable prognosis.Keywords: epithelial ovarian cancer; EOC, exosome, antisense hypoxia inducible factor, aHIF, nomogram, biomarker

Tingting Zheng,*,1,2 Junjun Qiu,*,1,2 Chunbo Li,1,2 Xiaojing Lin,1,2 Xiaoyan Tang,1,2 Keqin Hua1,21Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, People’s Republic of China; 2Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workPurpose: The long noncoding RNA LINC00673 has emerged as an important regulator of cancer development and progression. However, the clinical significance and biological roles of LINC00673 in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to explore the oncogenic roles and underlying molecular mechanisms of LINC00673 in EOC.Patients and methods: The expression levels of LINC00673 in EOC tissues and cell lines were detected by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Real-time cellular analysis (RTCA), flow cytometry, and transwell assays were conducted to investigate cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion in vitro. Subcutaneous transplanted tumors were established to explore the oncogenic role of LINC00673 in vivo. Differentially expressed genes were analyzed using transcriptome sequencing. Protein levels were determined by Western blot assays.Results: LINC00673 was upregulated in EOC tissues and cell lines compared to their corresponding normal controls. High expression of LINC00673 was associated with advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, serous histological subtype, lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with EOC. LINC00673 was also identified as an independent prognostic factor for EOC. In addition, LINC00673 promoted cell migration, invasion and proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis in vitro and induced tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, opioid growth factor receptor (OGFR) was found to be a potential downstream target gene that mediated the oncogenic effect of LINC00673 in EOC.Conclusion: LINC00673 contributes to EOC proliferation and metastasis and may be a promising prognostic biomarker for EOC patients.Keywords: LINC00673, proliferation, metastasis, OGFR, ovarian cancer

Pengliang Xin,1 Wenqian Xu,1 Xiongpeng Zhu,1 Chuntuan Li,1 Yan Zheng,1 Tingjin Zheng,2 Wenzhao Cheng,3 Qunyi Peng11Department of Haematology, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Central Laboratory, Quanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Stem Cell Translational Research Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xiongpeng ZhuQuanzhou First Hospital Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, No. 250 East Street, Licheng District, Quanzhou City, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 1 380 599 8581Email Xiongpengzhu@tom.comPurpose: To investigate the effects of BEZ235 on chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cells.Methods: MTS assay was used to detect the proliferation of CML cells. The proteins expression were detected by Western blot assay. The effects of BEZ235 on autophagy in CML cells were verified through transmission electron microscopy and evaluated by laser confocal microscopy. Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis. A xenograft model was established to observe the therapeutic effect of BEZ235 in vivo.Results: BEZ235 could inhibit the proliferation of CML cells; CQ and 3-MA could increase the proliferation inhibition and Z-VAD-FMK can reduce the proliferation inhibition of BEZ235 on CML cells (P

Jun-jun Qiu,1–3 Xiao-jing Lin,1–3 Ting-ting Zheng,1–3 Xiao-yan Tang,1–3 Ke-qin Hua1–3 1Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China; 2Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; 3Department of Gynecology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine-Related Diseases, Shanghai 200011, China Purpose: Hypoxia is a key stress that triggers apoptosis in various tumors, including epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Previous researches identified a hypoxia-upregulated lncRNA named “a natural antisense transcript of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (aHIF)” in some tumors. However, the contribution of aHIF to EOC remains unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the expression, function, and underlying mechanisms of aHIF in EOC progression under hypoxia.Materials and methods: Expression levels of aHIF in EOC tissues were tested. In vitro and in vivo assays were conducted to explore the function and mechanism of aHIF in hypoxia-induced EOC progression.Results: aHIF levels were increased in EOC tissues and were upregulated by hypoxia in EOC cells. Functional data revealed that aHIF knockdown accelerated cell apoptosis under hypoxia and inhibited EOC tumorigenesis and tumor growth in vivo. Additionally, aHIF overexpression inhibited cell apoptosis and enhanced cell proliferation under hypoxia in EOC. Mechanistically, the dysregulation of certain key mitochondrial apoptosis pathway-related genes, including Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-7, and Caspase-9, may partially explain aHIF-regulated EOC apoptosis and growth under hypoxia.Conclusion: These data provide the first convincing evidence that aHIF may inhibit EOC apoptosis and thereby promote tumor growth through activation of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway under hypoxia. Our findings help clarify the role of lncRNA in hypoxia-induced EOC progression. Keywords: lncRNA, hypoxia, microenvironment, tumor growth

Tianliang Zheng,1,* Deping Li,2,* Zhanfeng He,1 Shuaibing Feng,1 Song Zhao1 1Department of Thoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 2Department of Pain Management, Zhengzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Autophagy plays a key role in the development of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Beclin-1 is essential for the initiation and regulation of autophagy. Accumulated studies have investigated the prognostic role of Beclin-1 in NSCLC, but conclusions remain controversial. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to assess the potential significance of Beclin-1 in NSCLC. Materials and methods: PubMed and Embase databases were searched for eligible studies published before December 31, 2017. Odds ratio (OR) was pooled to evaluate the clinicopathological significance of Beclin-1 in NSCLC. Hazard ratio (HR) was adopted to assess the association of Beclin-1 with overall survival (OS). Results: Eight studies involving 1,159 patients were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that high Beclin-1 expression was significantly correlated with earlier tumor grade (OR=0.54, 95% CI: 0.36–0.81, P=0.003), less nodal involvement (OR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.37–0.86, P=0.007), earlier TNM stage (OR=0.62, 95% CI: 0.43–0.89, P=0.010), smaller tumor size (OR=0.54, 95% CI: 0.36–0.81, P=0.003), better differentiation (OR=0.48, 95% CI: 0.36–0.64, P

Songping Zheng,1,* Xiang Gao,1,2,* Xiaoxiao Liu,1 Ting Yu,1 Tianying Zheng,1 Yi Wang,1 Chao You1 1Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Curcumin (Cur), a natural polyphenol of Curcuma longa, has been recently reported to possess antitumor activities. However, due to its poor aqueous solubility and low biological availability, the clinical application of Cur is quite limited. The encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs into nanoparticles is an effective way to improve their pharmaceutical activities. In this research, nanomicelles loaded with Cur were formulated by a self-assembly method with biodegradable monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactide) copolymers (MPEG-PLAs). After encapsulation, the cellular uptake was increased and Cur could be released from MPEG-PLA micelles in a sustained manner. The Cur-loaded MPEG-PLA micelles (Cur/MPEG-PLA micelles) exhibited an enhanced toxicity on C6 and U251 glioma cells and induced more apoptosis on C6 glioma cells compared with free Cur. Moreover, the therapy efficiency of Cur/MPEG-PLA micelles was evaluated at length on a nude mouse model bearing glioma. The Cur/MPEG-PLA micelles were more effective on suppressing tumor growth compared with free Cur, which indicated that Cur/MPEG-PLA micelles improved the antiglioma activity of Cur in vivo. The results of immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent analysis indicated that the induction of apoptosis, antiangiogenesis, and inhibition of cell proliferation may contribute to the improvement in antiglioma effects. Our data suggested that Cur/MPEG-PLA may have potential clinic applications in glioma therapy. Keywords: curcumin, glioma, cell apoptosis, cell proliferation, angiogenesis

Zhennan Deng,1,2 Baodi Yin,1 Weihong Li,1 Jinsong Liu,1 Jingyuan Yang,1 Tieli Zheng,1 Dafeng Zhang,1 Haiyang Yu,2 Xiaoguang Liu,3 Jianfeng Ma1 1School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 2State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, 3National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China Background and methods: Commercial pure titanium with nanotopography was prepared via a high-energy shot-peening (HESP) technique. The surface characteristics were evaluated, and the preliminary cell responses to the nanotopographical surface were investigated.Results: The nanotopographical surface layer on titanium was successfully processed by HESP. The average nanoscale grains were approximately 60 nm in diameter and they were nonhomogeneously distributed on the surface. MG-63 cells with an osteogenic phenotype were well adhered and well spread on the nanostructured surface. Compared to the original polished control, the nanotopographical surface highly improved the adhesion, viability, and differentiation of MG-63 cells.Conclusion: Titanium with nanotopography achieved by HESP has good cytocompatibility and shows promise for dental implant applications. Keywords: nanotopography, cytocompatibility, titanium, high-energy shot peening

The partial one-neutron removal cross section of 24O leading to the first excited state in 23O has been measured to be 65.7 ± 5.3 mb with a proton target in inverse kinematics at the beam energy of 62 MeV/nucleon. The decay energy spectrum of the neutron unbound state of 23O was reconstructed from the measured four momenta of 22O and the emitted neutron. A sharp peak was observed at Edecay = 48 ± 3 keV, confirming the previous measurements. The measured partial longitudinal momentum distribution of 23O* showed the d-wave knockout character, providing a support for the Jπ assignment of 5/2+ for this state. The spectroscopic factor for the neutrons in 0d5/2 orbital was deduced, for the first time, to be C2S(0d5/2) = 3.7 ± 0.3 (preliminary) by comparing with the result of Glauber model. The relatively large spectroscopic factor supports the N = 16 shell closure in the neutron drip-line nucleus 24O.

The magnitude and variability of the terrestrial CO2 sink remain uncertain, partly due to limited global information on ecosystem nitrogen (N) and its cycle. Without N constraint in ecosystem models, the simulated benefits from CO2 fertilization and CO2-induced increases in water use efficiency (WUE) may be overestimated. In this study, satellite observations of a relative measure of chlorophyll content are used as a proxy for leaf photosynthetic N content globally for 2003–2011. Global gross primary productivity (GPP) and evapotranspiration are estimated under elevated CO2 and N-constrained model scenarios. Results suggest that the rate of global GPP increase is overestimated by 85% during 2000–2015 without N limitation. This limitation is found to occur in many tropical and boreal forests, where a negative leaf N trend indicates a reduction in photosynthetic capacity, thereby suppressing the positive vegetation response to enhanced CO2 fertilization. Based on our carbon-water coupled simulations, enhanced CO2 concentration decreased stomatal conductance and hence increased WUE by 10% globally over the 1982 to 2015 time frame. Due to increased anthropogenic N application, GPP in croplands continues to grow and offset the weak negative trend in forests due to N limitation. Our results also show that the improved WUE is unlikely to ease regional droughts in croplands because of increases in evapotranspiration, which are associated with the enhanced GPP. Although the N limitation on GPP increase is large, its associated confidence interval is still wide, suggesting an urgent need for better understanding and quantification of N limitation from satellite observations.

Polysulfide shuttling has been the primary cause of failure in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery cycling. Here, we demonstrate an nucleophilic substitution reaction between polysulfides and binder functional groups can unexpectedly immobilizes the polysulfides. The substitution reaction is verified by UV–visible spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectra. The immobilization of polysulfide is in situ monitored by synchrotron based sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption spectra. The resulting electrodes exhibit initial capacity up to 20.4 mAh/cm2, corresponding to 1199.1 mAh/g based on a micron-sulfur mass loading of 17.0 mg/cm2. The micron size sulfur transformed into nano layer coating on the cathode binder during cycling. Directly usage of nano-size sulfur promotes higher capacity of 33.7 mAh/cm2, which is the highest areal capacity reported in Li-S battery. This enhance performance is due to the reduced shuttle effect by covalently binding of the polysulfide with the polymer binder.

The doping mechanism of poly (1-pyrenemethyl methacrylate) (PPy) is investigated through electrochemical analytical and spectroscopic method. The performance of PPy as a Si materials binder is studied and compared with that of a commercial available lithium polyacrylate (PAALi) binder. The pyrene moiety consumes lithium ions according to the cyclic voltammogram (CV) measurement, as a doping to the PPy binder. Based on the lithium consumption, PPy based Si/graphite electrode doping is quantified at 1.1 electron/pyrene moiety. The PPy binder based electrodes surface are uniform and crack free during lithiation/delithiation, which is revealed through Scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging.