The effects of combined acupuncture anesthesia and serratus anterior plane block with ropivacaine on postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing chest surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of combined acupuncture anesthesia and ropivacaine on postoperative analgesia and neuro-related factors in patients undergoing chest surgery. METHODS: The analgesic drug dosage, postoperative PCIA pressing times, VAS scores at rest and during activity at 6 h (T1), 12 h (T2), 18 h (T3), and 24 h (T4) postoperatively. RESULTS: The analgesic drug dosage and postoperative PCIA pressing times were lower in the observation group than in the control group (p < 0.05). The VAS scores at T1-T4 postoperatively were lower in the observation group than in the control group (p < 0.05). The SAS scores at T1-T4 postoperatively were lower in the observation group than in the control group (p < 0.05). The levels of IL-6 and IL-10 on postoperative day 1 were higher than those on preoperative day 1 in both groups, with a smaller change in the observation group (p < 0.05). The levels of S100ß protein on postoperative day 1 were higher than those on preoperative day 1 in both groups, while the BDNF levels were lower, with a smaller change in the observation group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the control group (11.36%) and the observation group (15.56%) (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Combined acupuncture anesthesia and ropivacaine can effectively improve postoperative analgesia and agitation in patients undergoing chest surgery, reduce the dosage of analgesic drugs, regulate the levels of inflammatory factors and neurotrophic factors in patients, and do not increase the risk of adverse reactions related to patients.

Systematically Evaluate The Effect Of Problem-Based Learning Method In The Teaching Of Epidemiology And Health Statistics In China.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the application of problem-based learning teaching in medical institutions. Methods: The systematic review was conducted in China following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, and comprised search for relevant studies on July 31, 2020, of the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, China Biology Medicine disc, Web of Science, National Center for Biotechnology Information, Excerpta Medica Database and PubMed databases. Quality of the included studies was assessed as adequate, uncertain or inadequate based on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The teaching effects was evaluated using relative risk or standardised mean difference along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: There were 3,447 students the 20 studies analysed; 1,681(48.8%) in problem 24 based learning group A and 1,766(51.2%) in lecture-based learning group B. Group A showed improved students' test scores, learning interest, self-learning ability and collaboration skills (p<0.05). Conclusion: Problem-based learning teaching method showed advantages in terms of improvement in students' professional knowledge and key learning skills.

A miR-182 variant and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in a southern Chinese population.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the regulation of gene expression at the posttranscriptional level and are involved in human carcinogenesis. The aim of the current study was to investigate the associations between miR-182 single nucleotide polymorphisms and HCC risk in a southern Chinese population. In this case-control study of 863 HCC patients and 908 cancer-free controls, we performed genotyping of miR-182 rs4541843 and assessed its association with HCC risk. We found that individuals carrying the AG/AA genotypes of miR-182 rs4541843 were significantly associated with an increased risk of HCC compared with those carrying the GG genotype (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-2.76, P = 0.026). In the stratified analysis, this increased risk was more pronounced in the subgroups of older individuals (adjusted OR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.04-3.76, P = 0.037), males (adjusted OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.09-2.99, P = 0.021), and never drinkers (adjusted OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.03-3.30, P = 0.041). Our results suggested that miR-182 polymorphism rs4541843 may contribute to the susceptibility to HCC. Our findings require validation in further studies with larger sample sizes.

Cinnamic Acid (CINN) Induces Apoptosis and Proliferation in Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: CINN is the main ingredient of the traditional Chinese medicine cinnamon. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of CINN on the proliferation and apoptosis of NPC cells and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CNE2 human NPC cells were treated with various CINN concentrations. The effects of CINN on the proliferation and apoptosis of CNE2 NPC cells were examined using the MTT assay and flow cytometric analysis. Additionally, western blotting was performed to analyze the expression of a number of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related proteins. RESULTS: The proliferation of CNE2 cells was significantly inhibited after treatment with different CINN concentrations for various lengths of time. The inhibitory effect of CINN was concentration-and time-dependent. Flow cytometric analysis showed that 2 mmol/L CINN displayed a significant apoptosis-inducing effect. The western blot analysis results showed that KLF6, Fas-L, Bax, P53 and caspase-3 protein expression was drastically increased in the CNE2 cells after treatment with 2 mmol/L CINN, whereas Bcl-2 and cyclin D1 protein expression was markedly reduced. CONCLUSION: CINN inhibits the proliferation and induces the apoptosis of CNE2 cells. Therefore, CINN possesses a potential anti-tumor effect.

Interaction between p53 codon 72 and MDM2 309T>G polymorphisms and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The p53 tumor suppressor and its negative regulator, murine double minute 2 (MDM2), play critical roles in carcinogenesis. P53 codon 72 and MDM2 309T>G polymorphisms could influence p53 and MDM2 function, respectively, and might affect cancer susceptibility. We therefore investigated the association between these two SNPs, alone or in combination, and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Chinese. In this case-control study, we genotyped p53 codon 72 and MDM2 309T>G polymorphisms in 985 HCC cases and 992 cancer-free age- and sex-matched controls and evaluated their associations with the risk of HCC. Although no significant main effects were found for these two SNPs in the single-locus analysis and stratified analysis by age, sex, smoking, drinking, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, we found that individuals carrying at least one G allele of the MDM2 309T>G polymorphism had statistically significant increased risk of HCC among those with the p53 Pro/Pro genotype (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.23, 95 % confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.20-4.14 for TG genotype; adjusted OR = 2.67, 95%CI = 1.32-5.42 for GG genotype), and the interaction between p53 codon 72 and MDM2 309T>G was significant (P interaction = 0.017). Our findings suggest that the interaction of p53 codon 72 and MDM2 309T>G may play an important role in the etiology of HCC. More studies with well-designed and large sample sizes are required to validate these observations.

Genetic Susceptibility, Mendelian randomization and Nomogram Model Construction of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

CONTEXT: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a pregnancy complicated disease that poses a risk to maternal and infant health. However, the etiology of the disease has been not yet elucidated. OBJECTIVE: To detect the genetic susceptibility and construct a nomogram model with significantly associated polymorphisms and key clinical indicators for early prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: 11 functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) screened by genome-wide association study (GWAS) were genotyped in 554 GDM cases and 641 healthy controls. Functional analysis of GDM positively associated SNPs, Multivariate mendelian randomization (MVMR) and a GDM early predictive nomogram model construction were performed. RESULT: rs1965211, rs3760675 and rs7814359 were significantly associated with genetic susceptibility to GDM after adjusting age and pre-pregnancy BMI (pre-BMI). It seems that GDM associated SNPs have effects on regulating target gene transcription factor binding, post transcriptional splicing, and translation product structure. Besides, rs3760675 can be expression quantitative trait locis (eQTLs) and increase the XAB2 mRNA expression level (P = 0.047). The MVMR analysis showed that the increase of clinical variables of BMI, HbA1c and FPG had significant causal effects on GDM (BMI-ORMVMR = 1.52, HbA1c-ORMVMR = 1.32, FPG-ORMVMR = 1.78), P <0.05. A nomogram model constructed with pre-BMI, FPG, HbA1c, and genotypes of rs1965211, rs3760675 and rs7814359 showed an area under the ROC curve of 0.824. CONCLUSION: Functional polymorphisms can change women's susceptibility to GDM and the predictive nomogram model based on genetic and environmental factors can effectively distinguish individuals with different GDM risks in early stages of pregnancy.

Environmental exposures to organophosphorus flame retardants in early pregnancy and risks of gestational diabetes mellitus: a nested case-control study.

OPFRs are emerging environmental pollutants with reproductive and endocrine toxicity. This study aimed to examine the association between environmental exposure to OPFRs during early pregnancy and GDM. This nested case-control study was based on a birth cohort that was constructed at a maternal and child health hospital, including 74 cases of GDM among 512 pregnant women. The OPFRs, including TBP, TBEP, TCEP, TDCPP, TMCP, TOCP, and TPHP during 10-14 weeks of pregnancy were determined using GC-MS. The association between the OPFRs and GDM was assessed using WQS and BKMR models. The levels of OPFRs were significantly elevated in GDM patients (60) compared with the controls (90). The WQS analysis showed that mixtures of the OPFRs were significantly associated with GDM (OR 1.370, 95% CI 1.036-1.810, P = 0.027), and TBP, TPHP, and TMCP were the major contributors to the mixed exposure effect. In the BKMR model, individual exposure to TBP, TPHP, and TMCP, and the interaction of TMCP with TBP and TPHP were significantly associated with GDM. Environmental exposure to OPFRs is positively associated with GDM. These findings provide evidence for the adverse effects of OPFR exposure on the health of pregnant women.

Systematic evaluation of the association between a missense variant in XRCC3 gene splicing site and the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer.

The effects and underlying mechanism of XRCC3 rs861539 on the risk of ovarian cancer (OC) are still unclear. Therefore, a meta-analysis of 10 studies containing 6,375 OC cases and 10,204 controls was performed for this topic. Compared with GG genotype, GA + AA genotypes could significantly decrease the OC risk, odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were 0.89 (0.83-0.95) and P=0.001, and 0.88 (0.82-0.95) and P=0.001 under the dominant and heterozygous genetic models. Compared with G allele, rs861539 A could significantly reduce the OC risk, OR and its corresponding 95% CI was 0.94 (0.89-0.98) and P=0.007. By subgroup analysis in ethnicity, protective effects on OC risk in Caucasians were observed (the dominant model: OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.82-0.94, P<0.001; the heterozygous model: OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.81-0.94, P<0.001; the allelic model: OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.88-0.97, P=0.003; the homozygous model: OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.80-0.98, P=0.024). The authenticity of positive association findings was further confirmed by trial sequential analysis (TSA) and false-positive report probability (FPRP) analysis. The subsequent functional analysis revealed that rs861539 could regulate the post-transcriptional expression of XRCC3 by changing the activity of putative splice sites and types of splicing factors. rs861539 also may act as an expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) affecting the expression of genes such as XRCC3, MARK3, APOPT1, etc., and has an impact on the structure of XRCC3.

HIV Prevalence and Risk Factors Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men in Southwest China: Cross-sectional Questionnaire Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies showed an increase in HIV prevalence among young men who have sex with men aged 25 years or younger in China. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess HIV prevalence and associated factors among young men who have sex with men in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. METHODS: This study was conducted in 4 cities (Guilin, Liuzhou, Beihai, and Nanning) in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region between June 2014 and May 2016. Participants were reached through web-based and site recruitment approaches. Laboratory tests were performed to detect HIV and syphilis infections. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 632 eligible young men who have sex with men. RESULTS: The prevalence of HIV and syphilis was 9.3% (59/632) and 11.4% (72/632), respectively. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that ethnic minority (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] for Han Chinese vs other minorities 0.28, 95% CI 0.11-0.71, P=.007), receptive sexual positioning in the past 6 months (AOR 2.94, 95% CI 1.32-6.53, P=.008), current syphilis infection (AOR for individuals without vs those with infection 0.38, 95% CI 0.19-0.75, P=.005), inconsistent condom use in the past 6 months (AOR 1.91, 95% CI 1.06-3.45, P=.03), and psychotropic drug use before last anal intercourse (AOR 16.70, 95% CI 2.34-119.18, P=.005) were independently associated with HIV infection. CONCLUSIONS: There is an urgent need to scale up HIV and syphilis interventions in young men who have sex with men. Some subgroups might need specific attention for HIV prevention, including ethnic minority men, individuals with a history of sexually transmitted infections, and individuals who have been engaging in receptive anal sex.

Genetic variants of ERBB4 gene and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a susceptibility and diagnostic nomogram study.

Introduction: Gestational diabetes (GDM) is one of the common complications of female pregnancy, which seriously affects the health of mothers and their offspring. So far, the etiology has not been fully clarified. Methods: A case-control study was conducted to clarify the relationship between Erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4 (ERBB4) functional tag genetic variants (rs1595064, rs1595065, rs1595066 and rs6719645) and the risk of GDM. Associations between variants and GDM risk were evaluated with the odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subsequently, the false-positive reporting probability (FPRP), multi-factor dimension reduction (MDR) and bioinformatics analysis were adopted to confirm the significant associations. A nomogram model was constructed to predict the risk of GDM. Results: Association analysis demonstrated that rs1595066 TT genotype performed a protective effect on GDM risk among all subjects (TT vs. CC: adjusted OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.38 - 0.94, P = 0.026; TT vs. CC/CT: adjusted OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.40 - 0.95, P = 0.027). Meanwhile, stratified analysis showed that rs1595066 TT can also reduce the GDM risk in age > 30.09 years old, pre-pregnancy BMI > 22.23 Kg/m2, SBP ≤ 110.08 mmHg, etc subgroups. Interactions between rs1595066 and DBP (P interaction = 0.01), FPG (P interaction < 0.001) and HbA1c (P interaction < 0.001) were detected. The FPRP analysis confirmed that association between rs1595066 and GDM risk in subjects of FPG < 4.79 mmol/L (P = 0.199) is true. The MDR analysis showed that rs1595066 was the best single locus model while the 4-loci model was the best multiple factors model to predict GDM risk. Functional prediction revealed that rs1595066 may disturb the stability of miRNA-mRNA binding. The predictive nomogram model has a well consistence and acceptable discriminative ability with a diagnosed AUC of 0.813. Discussion: ERBB4 variants can change an individual's susceptibility to GDM via the interaction of gene-gene, gene-environment and changes in the regulatory effects of miRNAs on ERBB4 expression.

Association and functional analysis of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 genetic variants with the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between potential functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene and the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia (PE) in Guangxi, China. Materials and methods: A case-control study was conducted involving 327 PE cases and 591 age-matched, normal, singleton pregnant women. Potential functional ACE2 gene variants (rs2106809 A>G, rs6632677 G>C, and rs2074192 C>T) were selected and genotyped using kompetitive allele-specific PCR. The strength of the associations between the studied genetic variants and the risk of PE were evaluated using odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Result: After adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI), unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that rs2106809 A>G was significantly associated with PE risk (AG vs. AA, OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.03-1.99, p = 0.034; AG/GG vs. AA, OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.06-1.99, p = 0.019), especially with severe PE (AG vs. AA, adjusted OR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.10-2.61; AG/GG vs. AA, adjusted OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.14-2.57). Further stratified analysis showed that rs2106809 was even more pronounced in subjects in the pre-pregnancy BMI (pre-BMI) >23 kg/m2 (adjusted OR = 2.14, 95% CI = 1.32-3.45) and triglyceride (TG) >2.84 mmol/L subgroups (adjusted OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.09-3.01) under the dominant genetic model. We also found that rs2106809 interacted with pre-BMI (p interaction = 0.040), thereby affecting an individual's genetic susceptibility to PE. Multiple dimension reduction analysis demonstrated that rs2106809 made the best one-locus model, and the three-locus model was the best interaction model for predicting PE risk. Functional analysis suggested that rs2106809 A>G causes a change in the reliability of classifications of two putative splice sites in the ACE2 gene, potentially regulating the expression of functional genes (PIR, ACE2, and CLTRN) in multiple tissues and cell lines (p< 0.05). Conclusion: The ACE2 gene rs2106809 A>G variant is significantly associated with the risk of PE via individual locus effects and/or complex gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. Regulating the expression of functional genes such as PIR, ACE2, and CLTRN may be the molecular mechanism by which rs2106809 increases an individual's susceptibility to PE.

Genetic Variations in Metallothionein Genes and Susceptibility to Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: A Case-Control Study.

Background: The involvement of oxidative stress in the pathological process of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) gives rise to the interest in exploring the association of genetic variations in antioxidant metallothionein (MT) genes with HDP susceptibility. Methods: Seventeen single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) in MT genes were selected to conduct genotyping based on a case-control study consisting of 371 HDP cases (pregnancy with chronic hypertension (66), gestational hypertension (172), and preeclampsia or preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension (133)) and 479 controls. The association between SNPs in MTs and the risk of HDP was estimated with unconditional logistic regression analysis and further tested with the false-positive report probability (FPRP) procedure. The joint effects of SNPs on the HDP risk were assessed by haplotype analysis. Results: After the adjustment for age and pre-pregnancy body mass index (pre-BMI) in the logistic regress analysis and followed by the FPRP test, the genetic variation rs10636 (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30-0.71 for GG vs. CC, p = 0.000 and OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32-0.73 for GG vs. CG/CC, p = 0.001) in MT2A was associated with gestational hypertension. Other four SNPs, that is, rs11076161 (OR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.35-2.63 for GG vs. GA/AA, p = 0.000) in MT1A; rs7191779 (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.11-2.13 for CC vs. CG/GG, p = 0.010) in MT1B; rs8044719 (OR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.40-0.80 for GT vs. GG, p = 0.001) in MT1DP; and rs8052334 (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.10-2.11 for TT vs. TC/CC, p = 0.012) in MT1B were significantly associated with the susceptibility of HDP. The haplotype analysis among 11, 10, 10, and seven SNPs in MT (MT1A, MT2A, MT1M, MT1B, and MT1DP) genes showed that eight (A-C-G-T-C-G-A-G-C-G-C, OR = 4.559; A-C-T-C-C-C-A-G-C-G-C, OR = 5.777; A-C-T-T-C-G-A-G-C-G-C, OR = 4.590; G-A-T-C-C-G-C-G-G-C-C, OR = 4.065; G-A-T-C-G-C-C-G-G-C-C, OR = 4.652; G-A-T-T-C-C-C-G-G-C-C, OR = 0.404; G-C-T-C-C-C-A-G-G-C-C, OR = 1.901; G-C-T-T-C-C-A-G-G-C-C, and OR = 3.810), five (C-G-A-T-C-A-C-C-G-G, OR = 2.032; C-G-A-T-C-G-C-C-G-G, OR = 2.077; G-A-C-T-C-A-C-C-T-G, OR = 0.564; G-G-A-G-C-A-C-C-G-G, OR = 5.466; G-G-A-T-T-A-G-C-G-G, and OR = 0.284), five (A-C-G-T-C-G-A-G-C-C, OR = 2.399; A-C-T-C-C-C-C-T-G-G, OR = 0.259; G-A-T-C-C-C-C-G-G-C, OR = 1.572; G-A-T-C-G-C-C-G-G-C, OR = 0.001; G-C-T-C-G-C-A-G-G-C, and OR = 2.512), and five (A-C-T-C-C-C-G, OR = 0.634; G-A-G-C-C-C-G, OR = 4.047; G-A-T-T-G-C-G, OR = 0.499; G-C-G-T-C-A-G, and OR = 7.299; G-C-T-C-C-A-G, OR = 1.434) haplotypes were significantly associated with pregnancy with chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, or preeclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension and HDP. Conclusion: These variant MT alleles and their combination patterns may be used as genetic markers for predicting HDP susceptibility.

Attenuated effect of zinc gluconate on oxidative stress, inflammation, and angiogenic imbalance in pre-eclampsia rats.

AIMS: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a common obstetric disease associated with oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and angiogenic imbalance, whereas zinc (Zn) presents anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. This study is to investigate whether zinc gluconate (ZG) supplementation may ameliorate the early signs, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and pathogenic processes of PE in an animal model. MAIN METHODS: Forty pregnant Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: blank control (treated with normal saline, NS), Zn control (treated with ZG and followed by NS), PE model (treated with NS and followed by nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, L-NAME), and PE intervention (treated with ZG and followed by L-NAME). ZG (5 mg/kg/day) or NS was administered by gavage from day 0 to 19 of gestation, and L-NAME (80 mg/kg/day) or NS was subcutaneously injected from day 4 to 19 of gestation. The blood pressure, urinary protein, and pregnancy outcomes were recorded. Oxidative stress, inflammation, and angiogenic homeostasis were evaluated. KEY FINDINGS: PE rats exhibited oxidative stress (reduced SOD, CAT, and GSH, and increased MDA and 3-NT), inflammation (increased IL-6 and TNF-α), and angiogenic imbalance (reduced VEGF and PlGF, and increased sFlt-1). After intervention with ZG, the blood pressure and urinary protein levels were reverted, and the pregnancy outcomes were improved. The oxidative stress, inflammation, and angiogenic imbalance were effectively restored in accompany by increased Zn and MT levels. SIGNIFICANCE: ZG can ameliorate the early signs and pathological processes of PE in the animal model, indicating the value of zinc supplementation during pregnancy for PE prevention.

Association of ACE2 gene functional variants with gestational diabetes mellitus risk in a southern Chinese population.

Objective: To explore the relationship between angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) genetic variants and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a southern Chinese population. Methods: Potential functional variants (rs2106809, rs6632677, and rs2074192) of ACE2 were selected and genotyped in 566 GDM patients and 710 normal pregnaõncies in Guilin, China. The odds ratio (OR) and its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to evaluate the association between genetic variant and GDM risk, and then the false positive report probability, multifactor dimensional reduction (MDR), and bioinformatics tools were used to confirm the significant association in the study. Results: After adjusting for age and prepregnancy body mass index, logistic regression analysis showed that ACE2 rs6632677 was significantly associated with a decreased risk of GDM (CC vs. GG: adjusted OR = 0.09, 95% CI: 0.01 - 0.71, P = .023; GC/CC vs. GG: adjusted OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.46 - 0.99, P = .048; and CC vs. GG/GC: adjusted OR = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.01 - 0.72, P = .024), whereas rs2074192 was associated with increased GDM risk (TT vs. CC/CT: adjusted OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.08 - 1.75, P = .009). Furthermore, we found that rs6632677 interacted with SBP (P interaction = .043) and FPG (P interaction = .021) and rs2074192 interacted with HDL-c (P interaction = .029) and LDL-c (P interaction = .035) to influence the GDM risk of the individual. In the MDR analysis, the rs6632677 was the best one-locus model, and the three-loci model was the best interaction model to predict GDM risk. In addition, functional analysis confirmed that rs2074192 may regulate the splicing process of ACE2 gene. Conclusion: ACE2 gene variants are significantly associated with the risk of GDM via gene-gene and gene-environment combinations. The rs2074192 C > T affects the splicing of the ACE2 gene, which may be a potential mechanism leading to the changed susceptibility of an individual female during pregnancy to GDM.

Association between XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism and risk of gynecological malignancies: A meta-analysis.

Studies have investigated the relationship between the X-ray cross- complementing group 3 (XRCC3) Thr241Met polymorphism and the risk of gynecological malignancies (GM) with the contradictory conclusions. Here, a meta-analysis was performed to provide clear picture of the association between Thr241Met and GM risk. The Pubmed and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases were searched for published eligible studies. The pooled odds ratios (OR) with their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assessed the strength of association. Totally, 15 publications with 5,740 cases and 9,931 controls were included. In the overall analysis, the results of meta-analysis showed no significant association between the Thr241Met and the risk of GM. However, in the Asians subgroup, significant increased risks were found in the comparisons of TT/CT+TT vs. CC(TT vs. CC: OR=3.25, 95% CI=1.47-7.18; CT+TT vs. CC: OR=1.51, 95%CI=1.10-2.09) in Asians; additionally, stratified analysis by cancer type in Asians, significantly increased risks was found in cervical carcinoma (CT vs. CC: OR=1.50, 95%CI=1.04-2.14; TT vs. CC: OR=3.14, 95%CI=1.38-7.14; CT+TT vs. CC: OR=1.64, 95% CI=1.17-2.31). It suggests that the risk of GM might be significantly increased by the XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism according to ethnicity and cancer types. Further studies with larger sample size in different ethnic populations and different sites of GM are needed to verify the findings.

CDK5 Regulatory Subunit-Associated Protein 1-Like 1 Gene Polymorphisms and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Risk: A Trial Sequential Meta-Analysis of 13,306 Subjects.

Objectives: The CDK5 regulatory subunit-associated protein 1-like 1 (CDKAL1) contributes to islet ß-cell function and insulin secretion by inhibiting the activation of CDK5. The current studies on the relationship between CDKAL1 polymorphisms rs7756992 A>G and rs7754840 C>G and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have drawn contradictory conclusions. Materials and Methods: A meta-analysis with a fixed- or random-effects model was conducted to estimate the correlation between studied CDKAL1 polymorphisms and GDM risk with the summary odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). In addition, trial sequential analysis (TSA) and false-positive report probability (FPRP) analysis were performed to confirm the study findings. Results: A total of 13,306 subjects were included in the present study. Meta-analysis results showed that the variant heterozygous and homozygous genotypes of the two polymorphisms were associated with increased GDM risk in comparison with the wild-type AA genotype (AG vs. AA: OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.41, p = 0.002; GG vs. AA: OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.05, 2.05, p = 0.024 for rs7756992; and CG vs. GG: OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.65, p = 0.002; CC vs. GG: OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.37, 2.26, p < 0.001 for rs7754840). The TSA confirmed a significant association between rs7754840 and the susceptibility to GDM because the cumulative Z-curve crossed both the conventional cutoff value and the TSA boundaries under the heterozygote and homozygote models. Conclusions: This study supported the finding that rs7756992 and rs7754840 are associated with susceptibility to GDM. However, further functional studies are warranted to clarify the mechanism.

[Analysis of Thalassemia Gene Carriers in 19 482 Pregnant Women from 2015 to 2019 in Guilin, Guangxi].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the types and frequencies of thalassemia genes carried by the pregnant women in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. METHODS: From January 2015 to December 2019, blood samples of the pregnant women who visited the Outpatients of Obstetrics clinic and Eugenics Genetic clinic in Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University were collected. Gap-PCR was used to detect deletional α-thalassemia, PCR-RDB to detect the gene mutations of non-deletional α-thalassemia and ß-thalassemia, and MLPA or DNA sequencing to detect rare thalassemia mutations. Different types and frequencies of thalassemia mutations carried by pregnant women were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: A total of 19 482 blood samples were collected, including 3 801 thalassemia gene carriers (19.51%). Seven types of α-thalassemia gene mutation were detected with a carrier rate of 15.43%. Among them, --SEA deletion (7.32%), -α3.7 deletion (3.97%), and -α4.2 deletion (1.4%) were the commonest types. Twelve types of ß-thalassemia mutations were detected with a carrier rate of 5.02%. Among them, CD41-42 (-TCTT) (2.32%), CD17 (AAG>TAG) (1.23%), and IVS-II-654 (C>T) (0.55%) were the commonest types. In addition, 107 cases of rare thalassemia gene mutations and abnormal hemoglobin were found at the same time. CONCLUSION: Guilin is a high-risk area for thalassemia. Alpha-thalassemia is dominated by --SEA deletion, -α3.7 deletion, and -α4.2 deletion, while ß-thalassemia is by CD41-42 (-TCTT), CD17(AAG>TAG), and IVS-II-654(C>T).

Association between functional genetic variants in retinoid X receptor-α/γ and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in a southern Chinese population.

To clarify the effect of retinoid X receptor-α/γ (RXR-α/γ) genes functional genetic variants (RXR-α rs4842194 G>A, RXR-γ rs100537 A>G and rs2134095 T>C) on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a case-control study with 573 GDM patients and 740 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance was performed in Guangxi area of China. An odds ratio (OR) with its corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the strengths of the association between genetic variation and GDM. After adjustment of age and pre-BMI, the logistic regression analysis showed that the rs2134095 was significantly associated with GDM risk (CC vs. TT/TC: adjusted OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.56-0.90) in all subjects, and this result remained highly significant after Bonferroni's correction for multiple testing (P=0.004). The stratified analysis showed that rs2134095 was significantly associated with the risk of GDM among age > 30 years (adjusted OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.39-0.97), BMI > 22 kg/m2 (adjusted OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.30-0.70), systolic blood pressure (SBP) > 120 mmHg (adjusted OR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.14-3.36), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) < 6.5% (adjusted OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.11-1.78), TG ≤ 1.7 mmol/l (adjusted OR = 2.57, 95% CI = 1.45-4.53), TC ≤ 5.18 mmol/l (adjusted OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.13-2.22), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) ≤ 1.5 mmol/l (adjusted OR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.16-2.49) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) > 3.12 mmol/l (adjusted OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.08-2.00) subjects, under the recessive genetic model. We also found that rs2134095 interacted with age (Pinteraction=0.039), pre-BMI (Pinteraction=0.040) and TG (Pinteraction=0.025) influencing individual's genetic susceptibility to GDM. The rs2134095 T>C is significantly associated with the risk of GDM by effect of a single locus and/or complex joint gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. Larger sample-size and different population studies are required to confirm the findings.

Reply to Comments on 'A functional polymorphism rs10830963 in melatonin receptor 1B associated with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus'.

Th authors of 'A functional polymorphism rs10830963 in melatonin receptor 1B associated with the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus' (Bioscience Reports (2019) 39, 12) have written a reply in response to the correspondence piece by Rosta et al. (Bioscience Reports (2020) 40, 2).

Association between Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism in MicroRNA Target Site of DDB2 and Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Southern Chinese Population.

Damage-specific DNA-binding protein 2 (DDB2) is a DNA repair protein mainly involved in nucleotide excision repair, which plays a pivotal role in maintaining genomic stability. In this study, we evaluated the association of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1050244 in miRNA target site of DDB2 gene with risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among 1073 HCC patients and 1119 cancer-free controls in a southern Chinese population. Our results showed that no statistically significant association was found between DDB2 rs1050244 and HCC risk. In further analysis stratified by age, sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, and HBV infection status, we found that individuals carrying the CT/TT genotypes of SNP rs1050244 had a significantly decreased risk of HCC compared with those with the CC genotype among non-HBV infected population (adjusted OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.13-0.72), and a significant interaction was found between this SNP and HBV infection (P interaction=0.002). Our results suggested that the DDB2 rs1050244 C>T polymorphism was associated with the decreased risk of HCC among non-HBV infected population. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate our findings.