The deacetylation of Foxk2 by Sirt1 reduces chemosensitivity to cisplatin.

In multiple types of cancer, decreased tumour cell apoptosis during chemotherapy is indicative of decreased chemosensitivity. Forkhead box K2 (FOXK2), which is essential for cell fate, regulates cancer cell apoptosis through several post-translational modifications. However, FOXK2 acetylation has not been extensively studied. Here, we evaluated the effects of sirtiun 1 (SIRT1) on FOXK2 deacetylation. Our findings demonstrated that SIRT1 inhibition increased FOXK2-induced chemosensitivity to cisplatin and that K223 in FOXK2 was acetylated. Furthermore, FOXK2 K223 deacetylation reduced chemosensitivity to cisplatin in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, FOXK2 was acetylated by the acetyltransferase cAMP response element binding protein and deacetylated by SIRT1. Furthermore, cisplatin attenuated the interaction between FOXK2 and SIRT1. Cisplatin or SIRT1 inhibition enhanced FOXK2 acetylation, thereby reducing the nuclear distribution of FOXK2. Additionally, FOXK2 K223 acetylation significantly affected the expression of cell cycle-related and apoptosis-related genes in cisplatin-stimulated cancer cells, and FOXK2 K223 hyperacetylation promoted mitotic catastrophe, which enhanced chemosensitivity to cisplatin. Overall, our results provided insights into the mechanisms of SIRT1-mediated FOXK2 deacetylation, which was involved in chemosensitivity to cisplatin.

Diffraction gratings based on a multilayer silicon nitride waveguide with high upward efficiency and large effective length.

Diffraction gratings with high upward diffraction efficiency and large effective length are required for chip-scale light detection and ranging. We propose a diffraction grating based on a multilayer silicon nitride waveguide, which theoretically achieves an upward diffraction efficiency of 92%, a near-field effective length of 376 µm, and a far-field divergence angle of 0.105° at a wavelength of 850 nm. The diffraction grating has a high tolerance to process variations based on Monte Carlo analysis. When the conditions are ±5% layer thickness variation, ±50nm lithographic variation, and ±20nm wavelength drift, more than 71% of the grating samples have a diffraction efficiency higher than 80%, and 100% of the samples have an effective length larger than 200 µm (corresponding to a far-field divergence <0.2∘). Furthermore, the near-field effective length of the grating with an upward diffraction efficiency above 90% can be adjusted from hundreds of microns to centimeters by changing the etching layer thickness and the grating duty cycle. This diffraction grating has a potential application in optical sensing and imaging from visible to near-IR wavelengths.

LncRNAs adjacent to pepsinogen C in gastric diseases and diagnostic efficiencies of joint detection in gastric diseases.

Aims: We aimed to explore diagnostic efficiencies of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) adjacent to PGC combining with sPGC and anti-Helicobacter pylori IgG in identifying GC (gastric cancer) and precancerous disease. Patients & methods: A total of 265 patients with different gastric diseases were collected. ELISA was to detect sPGC and anti-H. pylori IgG. LncRNAs was determined by qRT-PCR. Results: The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of lncRNAs in discriminating GC+AG (atrophic gastritis) and superficial gastritis (SG) were 79.0, 68.1 and 75.9%. The diagnostic performance of lncRNAs with sPGC had increasing trends in distinguishing GC from non-GC, SG from GC+AG comparing with lncRNAs, with no statistic difference. Diagnosis efficacies of lncRNAs with anti-H. pylori IgG improved dramatically. Conclusions: Serum lncRNAs could distinguish GC, AG and SG. Diagnosis efficiencies of lncRNAs with sPGC and anti-H. pylori-IgG could be improved.

Nonadherence to National Guidelines for Antibiotic Treatment of Uncomplicated Gonorrhea in China: Results From a Nationwide Survey.

BACKGROUND: Provider adherence to the national treatment guidelines for gonorrhea is critical to assuring effective treatment. It is also an important means of limiting antibiotic overuse, which can lead to development of resistant bacteria. The Chinese treatment guidelines recommend the monotherapy with ceftriaxone or spectinomycin in accordance with the World Health Organization guidelines for treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea. We evaluated adherence to the guidelines among treatment providers in China. METHODS: The study was a nationwide cross-sectional study. In each of the 6 geographic regions in China, at least 1 province was selected. In each selected province, cities with elevated incidence of reported gonorrhea were purposively selected. Using a questionnaire, 2121 physicians recruited from 512 different categories and levels of health sectors from July to September 2017 were investigated. RESULTS: Of the participants, more than 99% diagnosed gonorrhea using one of the laboratory tests including Gram stain, culture, nucleic acid amplification test, or other tests. Culture was the predominant assay of the choice for the diagnosis. Of the 1890 physicians who provided information on prescription behaviors, 62.2% were not adherent to the regimens for treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea recommended by the National Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Treatment Guidelines (National STD Guidelines). Physicians working in the areas located in Northern China (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.06; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 1.77-5.31), in general hospitals or departments of urology (AOR, 1.54; 95% CIs, 1.08-2.19), diagnosing more cases in the past 6 months (AOR, 1.82; 95% CIs, 1.25-2.67), or unfamiliar with the treatment regimens in the National STD Guidelines (AOR, 3.48; 95% CIs, 2.76-4.37) were significantly more likely to be nonadherent to the National STD Guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded from our study that nonadherence to the national guidelines and empirical treatment with high doses of ceftriaxone occurred frequently in China. Further studies on the impacts of the empirical treatment on antimicrobial resistance of gonorrhea are needed.

Bioinformatics-Based Identification of Methylated-Differentially Expressed Genes and Related Pathways in Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The aim of the study was to identify methylated-differentially expressed genes (MDEGs) in gastric cancer and investigate their potential pathways. METHODS: Expression profiling (GSE13911 and GSE29272) and methylation profiling (GSE25869 and GSE30601) data were obtained from GEO DataSets. Differentially expressed genes and differentially methylated genes were identified using GEO2R. Gene ontology and pathway enrichment analyses were performed for the MDEGs. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were established by STRING and Cytoscape. Analysis of modules in the PPI networks was performed using MCODE. Further, the hub genes derived from the PPI networks were verified by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and human tissues, with methylation-specific PCR for genes methylation and real-time qPCR for genes expression. RESULTS: A total of 445 genes were identified as hypermethylated, lowly expressed genes (Hyper-LGs), which were enriched in the regulation of system process and channel activity. A total of 129 genes were identified as hypomethylated, highly expressed genes (Hypo-HGs), which were involved in cell adhesion, cell proliferation, and protein binding. Pathway analysis showed that Hyper-LGs were associated with neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and calcium signaling pathway, while Hypo-HGs were enriched in pathways in cancer. In the PPI networks, after verification by TCGA analysis and human tissue detection, CASR, CXCL12, and SST were identified as significantly different hub genes. CONCLUSIONS: MDEG analysis helps to understand the epigenetic regulation mechanisms involved in the development and progression of gastric cancer. The hub genes have predictive and prognostic value as methylation-based biomarkers for the precise diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer.

COMPARISON OF MEDICAL COSTS AND CARE OF APPENDECTOMY PATIENTS BETWEEN FEE-FOR-SERVICE AND SET FEE FOR DIAGNOSIS-RELATED GROUP SYSTEMS IN 20 CHINESE HOSPITALS.

The objective of this study was to compare the fee-for-service and set fee for diagnosis-related group systems with regard to quality of medical care and cost to appendectomy patients. We conducted a retrospective study of 208 inpatients (from 20 hospitals) who undergone appendectomy in Changsha, China during 2013. Data were obtained from databases of medical insurance information systems directly connected to the hospital information systems. We collected and compared patient ages, length of study, and total medical costs for impatient appendectomies between patients using fee-for-service and set fee for diagnosisrelated group systems. One hundred thirty-three patients used the fee for service system and 75 used the set fee diagnosis related group system. For those using the diagnosis-related group system, the mean length of hospitalization (6.2 days) and mean number of prescribed antimicrobials (2.4) per patient were significantly lower than those of the patients who used the fee-for-service system (7.3 days and 3.0, respectively; p = 0.018; p < 0.05) and were accompanied by lower medical costs and cost of antimicrobials (RMB 2,518 versus RMB 4,484 and RMB476 versus RMB1,108, respectively; p = 0.000, p = 0.000). There were no significant differences in post-surgical complications between the two systems. The diagnosis-related group system had significantly medical costs for appendectomy compared to the fee-for-service system, without sacrificing quality of medical care.

The co-expression of functional gastric proteins in dynamic gastric diseases and its clinical significance.

BACKGROUND: Pepsinogen C (PGC) and mucin1 (MUC1) are important physiologically functional gastric proteins; Mucin2 (MUC2) is an "ectopic" functional protein in intestinal metaplasia of gastric mucosa. We analyzed the co-expression of the above-mentioned three proteins in dynamic gastric diseases {superficial gastritis (SG)-atrophic gastritis (AG)--gastric cancer (GC)} as well as different histological types of gastric cancer in order to find molecular phenotypes of gastric cancer and precancerous disease and further explore the potential co-function of PGC, MUC1 and MUC2 in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. METHODS: The SG-AG-GC sequence was 57-57-70 cases in this case-control study, respectively. Different histological types of GC were 28 cases of highly and moderately differentiated aden ocarcinoma (HMDA)、30 of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (PDA) and 12 of mucinous adenocarcinoma (MA) or signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC). PGC, MUC1 and MUC2 expression in situ were detected in all 184 cases using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Both PGC and MUC1 had a significantly decreased expression in GC than in SG and AG (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.01, respectively); While MUC2 had a significant increased expression in AG than in SG and GC (P < 0.0001). Seven phenotypes of PGC, MUC1 and MUC2 co-expression were found in which PGC+/MUC1+/MUC2- phenotype took 94.7%(54/57) in SG group; PGC+/MUC1+/MUC2+ and PGC-/MUC1+/MUC2+ phenotype took 43.9% (25/57) and 52.6% (30/57) in AG; the phenotypes in GC group appeared variable; extraordinarily, PGC-/MUC1-/MUC2+ phenotype took 100% (6/6) in MA or SRCC group and had a statistical significance compared with others (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Phenotypes of PGC, MUC1 and MUC2 co-expression in dynamic gastric diseases are variable. In SG group it always showed PGC+/MUC1+/MUC2- phenotype and AG group showed two phenotypes (PGC+/MUC1+/MUC2+ and PGC-/MUC1+/MUC2+); the phenotypes in GC group appeared variable but the phenotype of PGC-/MUC1-/MUC2+ may be a predictive biomarker for diagnosing MA or SRCC, or distinguishing histological MA or SRCC from tubular adenocarcinoma accompanied by mucinous secretion or signet ring cell scattered distribution.

[Prognostic analysis of curative surgery for stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the survival and prognostic factors in patients undergoing potentially curative resection of stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer. METHODS: Clinical data of eighty-nine patients, who underwent curative operation from January 2003 to April 2007 in the Peking University First Hospital and were pathologically diagnosed as stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC, were reviewed. The patients were followed up until death or the cut-off date. The overall 3-year and 5-year survival rates were calculated, and Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine the clinical and pathological risk factors and evaluate their influence on the survival. RESULTS: The three-year and five-year survival rates were 51.7% and 31.5%, respectively. The univariate Cox regression analysis revealed five significant factors associated with prognosis: the arm of age < 55, T3 stage, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), multiple positive N2 station and the number of positive N2 nodes > 3 were found to be at increased risk of tumor-related death, and those risk factors were confirmed especially in the age ≥ 55 group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated three independent prognostic factors: T3 stage, LVI and multiple positive N2 station. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this preliminary study show that T3 stage, lymphovascular invasion and N2 level (single or multiple station) are associated with the prognosis of stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC patients after potentially curative resection, and the characteristics of age < 55 and the number of positive N2 nodes > 3 may imply worse prognosis.

Using pooled urogenital, anorectal and oropharyngeal specimens to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among men who have sex with men in China: a multisite diagnostic accuracy study.

OBJECTIVES: Screening for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) at both urogenital and extragenital sites has been recommended in many countries. Testing of the infections using pooled specimens from urogenital and extragenital sites offer the opportunity to shorten the testing time and reduce the testing cost. Ex-ante pooling is placing the original single-site specimens in a tube with transport media, while ex-post pooling is making a pool of the transport media from both anorectal and oropharyngeal specimens and the urine. This study aimed to conduct a multisite performance evaluation of two pool-specimen approaches (ex-ante and ex-post) in detection of CT and NG using the Cobas 4800 platform among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. DESIGN: Diagnostic accuracy study. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants were recruited from MSM communities at six cities in China. Two oropharyngeal and anorectal swabs collected by clinical staff and 20 mL first-void urine collected by the participant himself were used for evaluating sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: A total of 1311 specimens were collected from 437 participants in six cities. The sensitivities of ex-ante pooling approach as compared with single-specimen approach (reference standard) were 98.7% (95% CI, 92.7% to 100.0%) for detection of CT and 89.7% (95% CI, 75.8% to 97.1%) for NG, and the specificities were 99.5% (95% CI, 98.0% to 99.9%) and 98.7% (95% CI, 97.1% to 99.6%), respectively. The sensitivities of ex-post pooling approach were 98.7% (95% CI, 92.7% to 100.0%) for CT and 100.0% (95% CI, 91.0% to 100.0%) for NG, and the specificities were 100.0% (95% CI, 99.0% to 100.0%) and 100.0% (95% CI, 99.1% to 100.0%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ex-ante and ex-post pooling approaches show good sensitivity and specificity in detecting urogenital and extragenital CT and/or NG, indicating that these approaches can be used in epidemiological surveillance and clinical management of CT and NG infections, particularly among MSM population.

Autologous Airway Basal Cell Transplantation Alleviates Airway Epithelium Defect in Recurrent Benign Tracheal Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Airway epithelium defects are a hallmark of recurrent benign tracheal stenosis (RBTS). Reconstructing an intact airway epithelium is of great importance in airway homeostasis and epithelial wound healing and has great potential for treating tracheal stenosis. METHODS: An experimental study was conducted in canines to explore the therapeutic effect of autologous basal cell transplantation in restoring airway homeostasis. First, airway mucosae from human patients with recurrent tracheal stenosis were analyzed by single-cell RNA sequencing. Canines were then randomly divided into tracheal stenosis, Stent, Stent + Cells, and Stent + Cells + Biogel groups. Autologous airway basal cells of canines in the Stent + Cells and Stent + Cells + Biogel groups were transplanted onto the stenotic airway after modeling. A biogel was coated on the airway prior to basal cell transplantation in the Stent + Cells + Biogel group. After bronchoscopic treatments, canines were followed up for 16 weeks. RESULTS: Single-cell RNA sequencing demonstrated packed airway basal cells and an absence of normal airway epithelial cells in patients with RBTS. Autologous airway basal cell transplantation, together with biogel coating, was successfully performed in the canine model. Follow-up observation indicated that survival time in the Stent + Cells + Biogel group was significantly prolonged, with a higher (100%) survival rate compared with the other groups. In terms of pathological and bronchoscopic findings, canines that received autologous basal cell transplantation showed a reduction in granulation hyperplasia as well as airway re-epithelialization with functionally mature epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS: Autologous airway basal cell transplantation might serve as a novel regenerative therapy for airway re-epithelialization and inhibit recurrent granulation hyperplasia in benign tracheal stenosis.

[Analysis of recurrence patterns after curative resection of stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the postoperative recurrence patterns in the patients undergoing potentially curative resection of stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: A total of 63 patients underwent curative operation from September 2004 to December 2008 at Peking University First Hospital and were pathologically diagnosed as stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC. Their clinical data were retrospectively reviewed. The follow-ups were conducted to detect the recurrent lesions. The recurrence rates at Year 2-3 were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method while the Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the risk factors associated with recurrence. RESULTS: The 2 and 3-year recurrence rate was 46.6% and 57.3% respectively. Only one patient experienced local failure. However, the predominant recurrence pattern was distant failure (27/28). As demonstrated by the univariate Cox regression analysis, 4 significant factors associated with recurrence and the arm of lymphatic or vascular invasion (LVI), number of positive N2 station > 1, number of positive node > 3 and involvement of subcarinal lymph nodes were found to increase the risks of failure (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Distant failure is the predominant pattern of postoperative recurrence in the patients of stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC. In addition to LVI, the level of positive N2 station, the number of positive N2 node and the involvement of subcarinal lymph nodes are associated with the postoperative risk of recurrence.

Association of duration and etiology with the effect of the artificial liver support system in pediatric acute liver failure.

Background: We aimed to assess the efficacy of the artificial liver support system (ALSS) in pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) patients and to examine the risk factors associated with the effect of ALSS. Similar data are limited in PALF. Methods: All patients diagnosed with PALF who received ALSS from June 2011 to June 2021 in the pediatric intensive care unit of the First Hospital of Jilin University were included in this retrospective cohort analysis. The effect of ALSS was measured using difference tests before and after treatments. The risk factors associated with the effect of ALSS were evaluated according to whether the total bilirubin (TBIL) and serum ammonia decreased after ALSS (TBIL-unresponsive group vs. TBIL-responsive group, serum ammonia-unresponsive group vs. serum ammonia-responsive group). Results: Thirty-nine patients who received ALSS during the study period were eligible for inclusion. The most common cause of PALF was undetermined causes (n = 14, 35.9%) followed by infection (n = 11, 28.2%). Four patients received pediatric liver transplantation. The overall survival rate was 76.9% (30/39). Fifteen (38.4%) patients received only one modality, whereas 61.6% patients received hybrid treatments. The most commonly used modality of ALSS was plasma exchange combined with continuous renal replacement therapy (n = 14, 35.9%). Alanine aminotransferase, TBIL, the international normalized ratio, and serum ammonia were significantly decreased after ALSS (P < 0.001). Compared with other causes, more patients with infection and toxication were observed in the TBIL-unresponsive group. A longer ALSS duration was significantly related to blood ammonia reduction. Conclusions: ALSS can effectively reduce serum alanine aminotransferase, TBIL, international normalized ratio, and serum ammonia and may reduce mortality. The reduction in TBIL levels after ALSS is dependent on etiology. A longer ALSS duration was associated with blood ammonia reduction. Prospective multicenter studies are needed for further validation.

Behavioral intention to use distance teaching in the pandemic era.

This study aimed at exploring the impact of post-epidemic era on teachers' behavioral intention of distance education. In this study, purposive sampling method was used to enroll 390 teachers in colleges and universities, high schools and vocational schools, and junior high and elementary schools to be the research subjects for the questionnaire survey. A total of 360 questionnaires were collected for statistics, and AMOS 23.0 statistical software was used to analyze the correlation between variables. Meanwhile, a structural equation model was used to analyze and verify the impact of the technology acceptance model, information system success model, and diffusion of innovations theory. According to the results, the system quality of distance teaching platforms certainly affected perceived usefulness, and perceived usefulness affected teachers' attitudes toward using distance teaching systems. In addition, perceived ease of use had an impact on perceived usefulness, and trialability had an impact on teachers' attitudes toward using distance teaching systems. Finally, teachers' attitude toward using a distance teaching system also affected their behavioral intention. According to the results, suggestions were made in this study to teachers and students for distance teaching. Additionally, the main contribution of this study lies in providing specific strategies for further distance teaching through empirical results in combination with on-site teaching.

The impact of online teaching in behavior intention for college students in Taiwan.

This paper aims to explore the change of learning mode of college students from physical courses to online courses due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire survey method is used to conduct research on the behavior intentions of college students in online teaching under the pandemic. A total of 600 questionnaires are distributed, and 530 questionnaires are collected, for a recovery rate of 88%. A total of 493 supported questionnaires are received, for an effective recovery rate of 93%. Descriptive statistics of data analysis are used to analyze the distribution of background variables of college students, and a structural equation model is used to analyze and verify the impact of external variables (trust, convenience, perceived critical mass) on the technology acceptance model (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude, and behavior intention). The results found no significant impact of the trust of college students in online teaching on the perceived usefulness, and significant impact of trust on the perceived ease of use. There is significant impact of convenience on perceived usefulness, and no significant impact of convenience on perceived ease of use. There is no significant impact of perceived critical mass on perceived usefulness, and significant impact of perceived critical mass on perceived ease of use. There is significant impact of perceived ease of use on perceived usefulness, and significant impact of perceived usefulness on attitude. There is significant impact of perceived ease of use on attitude, and significant impact of attitude on behavior intention. Based on the research results, practical suggestions and research suggestions are proposed in this research, which can be used as a reference for college students to use online courses for learning.

MicroRNA-186 suppresses cell proliferation and metastasis in bladder cancer.

Purpose: Bladder cancer (BCa) is a common malignancy in the urinary system. This study aims to explore the role of miR-186 in BCa tumorigenesis. Methods: The expression of miR-186 and ADAMTS12 in clinical BCa tissues and cell lines was detected. BCa cell lines T24, 5637 and EJ were used to transfect miR-186 mimics or inhibitors. Luciferase reporter gene detection confirmed the correlation between miR-186 and ADAMTS12. MTT method and flow cytometry were used to detect cell viability and apoptosis. Cell migration and invasion ability was detected by transwell assay. The protein level of ADAMTS12, ß-catenin, GSK-3ß and p-GSK-3ß was determined using western blot analysis. Results: MiR-186 was negatively correlated with the expression of ADAMTS12 in BCa tissues. Further research confirmed that ADAMTS12 is the direct target of miR-186. In addition, overexpression of miR-186 down-regulated the expression of ADAMTS12, inhibiting cell viability and apoptosis, while knockout of miR-186 led to the opposite result. miR-186 also inhibits the phosphorylation of GSK-3 ß and ß-catenin without changing the total GSK-3ß level. Our study shows that miR-186 has a negative regulatory effect on the expression of ADAMTS12 in clinical specimens and in vitro. miR-186 can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of BCa cells. Conclusions: miR-186 has the potential to be used as a biomarker in the early detection of BCa.

Identification of the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in osteoarthritis using bioinformatics analysis.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that seriously affects the quality of people. Unfortunately, the pathogenesis of OA has not been fully known. Therefore, this study aimed to construct a ceRNA regulatory network related to OA to explore the pathogenesis of OA. Methods: Differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs), microRNAs (DEmiRNAs), and mRNAs (DEmRNAs) were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus microarray data (GSE175959, GSE105027, and GSE169077). The miRNA response elements and target mRNAs were identified using bioinformatics approaches. Additionally, a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was established using Cytoscape version 3.8.0. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of mRNAs in the network were conducted to explore the possible mechanisms underlying OA development. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis was performed to determine the hub genes. Based on the hub genes, a sub network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.8.0 version. Finally, connectivity map (CMap) and drug-gene interaction database (DGIdb) analyses were performed to identify the potential therapeutic targets for OA. Results: Altogether, five DEcircRNAs, 89 DEmiRNAs, and 345 DEmRNAs were identified. Moreover, a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was established using three circRNAs, seven miRNAs, and 37 mRNAs. GO and KEGG analyses demonstrated that the mRNAs in the network could be related to the occurrence and development of OA. PPI analysis was performed and six key genes, namely serpin family H member 1 [SERPINH1], collagen type VIII alpha 2 chain [COL8A2], collagen type XV alpha 1 chain [COL15A1], collagen type VI alpha 3 chain [COL6A3], collagen type V alpha 1 chain [COL5A1], and collagen type XI alpha 1 chain [COL11A1], were identified. Furthermore, a circRNA-miRNA-hub gene subnetwork was established in accordance with two circRNAs (hsa_circ_0075320 and hsa_circ_0051428), two miRNAs (hsa-miR-6124 and hsa-miR-1207-5p), and six hub genes (COL11A1, SERPINH1, COL6A3, COL5A1, COL8A2, and COL15A1). Finally, three chemicals (noscapine, diazepam, and TG100-115) based on CMap analysis and two drugs (collagenase Clostridium histolyticum and ocriplasmin) based on DGIdb were discovered as potential treatment options for OA. Conclusion: This study presents novel perspectives on the pathogenesis and treatment of OA based on circRNA-related competitive endogenous RNA regulatory networks.

High Prevalence of Rectal Chlamydia trachomatis Infection With the Same Genotype as Urogenital Infection in Female Outpatients in Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics in China.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about rectal Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection in outpatients attending sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics in China. In this study, we aimed to explore the clinical and epidemiologic features of rectal CT infection in this population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients attending STD clinics in Tianjin and Guangxi provinces of China from June 2018 to August 2020. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were developed to explore the association of different risk factors for urogenital and rectal CT infection. RESULTS: The prevalence of urogenital and rectal CT was 11.2% (154/1374) and 4.9% (68/1377), respectively. The rectal CT prevalence among female and male patients was 7.8% (60/767) and 1.3% (8/610), respectively. The most common genotype in urogenital CT-positive samples was genotype E (29.9%), while the most common genotype among rectal CT-positive samples was genotype J (23.4%). More than 85% (52/60) of women infected with rectal CT were co-infected with urogenital CT. About 90.0% (36/40) of women shared similar genotypes between rectal and urogenital samples. Females and patients infected with urogenital CT were deemed to be at an increased risk for rectal CT infection. A high proportion of rectal CT infection had concurrent urogenital CT infection, especially in women, and most of the co-infections were shared among the same genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: It would be prudent to encourage awareness and introduce detection tests and treatment strategies for rectal CT infection particularly in female patients visiting STD clinics in China.

Evaluation of the Accuracy of Various Disks and Strips for Rapid Culture-Based Gonococcal Antimicrobial Susceptibility Screening Tests in China.

PURPOSE: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, resistant to the first-line treatment option ceftriaxone, is widespread in China from 2016. Nowadays, diverse reagents of disks and strips for rapid gonococcal antimicrobial susceptibility tests used in clinics are culture-based disks diffusion and gradient strips methods. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy, quality, and availability of almost all disks and strips acquired in the Chinese market and serve as a reference for clinical selection. METHODS: We tested the performance of 15 commercial disks and 9 commercial gradient strips acquired in China, compared with traditional agar dilution method. The overall performance was evaluated by the categorical agreement. The reagent accuracy of gradient strips was assessed by the essential agreement. RESULTS: A total of 167 gonococcal isolates were used to evaluate antimicrobial disks from three brands. The overall categorical agreements were 71.7% to 81.8% for ceftriaxone, less than 58% for cefixime, 100% for spectinomycin, over 98% for ciprofloxacin, below 70.5% for penicillin, and 73.3% to 81.8% for tetracycline. A total of 81 isolates were tested for different gradient strips. Categorical agreements were over 96% for ceftriaxone, 86.2% for azithromycin, 62.3% to 67.1% for penicillin, 41.9% to 67.5% for tetracycline, and 95% for ciprofloxacin. Essential agreements were 57.7% to 87.3% for ceftriaxone, 70% for azithromycin, 64.9% to 68.4% for penicillin, 51.8% to 71.2% for tetracycline, and 91.3% for ciprofloxacin. CONCLUSION: Rapid test reagents of disks and strips based on gonococcal culture have suboptimal performance. Disk diffusion for spectinomycin or ciprofloxacin can be recommended for clinical individualized prescription. The gradient strips are of great value to identify ceftriaxone-resistant gonococcal strains. Furthermore, abundant improvements are required for many reagents to further optimize their accuracy till the fulfillment of molecular detection.

Mapping Intellectual Structures and Research Hotspots of Triple Negative Breast Cancer: A Bibliometric Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous breast cancer subtype with a poor prognosis due to its extremely aggressive nature and lack of effective treatment options. This study aims to summarize the current hotspots of TNBC research and evaluate the TNBC research trends, both qualitatively and quantitatively. METHODS: Scientific publications of TNBC-related studies from January 1, 2010 to October 17, 2020 were obtained from the Web of Science database. The BICOMB software was used to obtain the high-frequency keywords layout. The gCLUTO was used to produce a biclustering analysis on the binary matrix of word-paper. The co-occurrence and collaboration analysis between authors, countries, institutions, and keywords were performed by VOSviewer software. Keyword burst detection was performed by CiteSpace. RESULTS: A total of 12,429 articles related to TNBC were identified. During 2010-2020, the most productive country/region and institution in TNBC field was the USA and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, respectively. Cancer Research, Journal of Clinical Oncology, and Annals of Oncology were the first three periodicals with maximum publications in TNBC research. Eight research hotspots of TNBC were identified by co-word analysis. In the core hotspots, research on neoadjuvant chemotherapy, paclitaxel therapy, and molecular typing of TNBC is relatively mature. Research on immunotherapy and PARP inhibitor for TNBC is not yet mature but is the current focus of this field. Burst detection of keywords showed that studies on TNBC proteins and receptors, immunotherapy, target, and tumor cell migration showed bursts in recent three years. CONCLUSION: The current study revealed that TNBC studies are growing. Attention should be paid to the latest hotspots, such as immunotherapy, PARP inhibitors, target, and TNBC proteins and receptors.