Objective This study aimed to identify differentially methylated genes (DMGs) associated with natural killer cells in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT),focusing on the influence of varying water iodine exposure levels. Methods Participants were divided into categories based on median water iodine (MWI) concentrations:iodine-fortified areas (IFA,MWI<10 μg/L),iodine-adequate areas (IAA,40 ≤ MWI ≤ 100μg/L),and iodine-excessive areas (IEA,MWI>300 μg/L). A total of 176 matched AIT cases and controls were recruited and divided into 89,40,and 47 pairs for IFA,IAA,and IEA,respectively. DMGs were identified using 850K BeadChip analysis for 10/10 paired samples. Validation of DNA methylation and mRNA expression levels of the DMGs was conducted using MethylTarget? and QRT-PCR for 176/176 paired samples. Results KLRC1,KLRC3,and SH2D1B were identified as significant DMGs. Validation revealed that KLRC1 was hypomethylated and highly expressed,whereas KLRC3 was hypermethylated and highly expressed in individuals with AIT. Furthermore,KLRC1 was hypomethylated and highly expressed in both IFA and IEA. Conclusion The DNA methylation status of KLRC1 and KLRC3 may play crucial roles in AIT pathogenesis. Additionally,DNA methylation of KLRC1 seems to be influenced by different iodine concentrations in water.

Neurodegenerative diseases are a group of diseases caused by degeneration and dysfunction of the cells and tissues of the central nervous system， mainly including Alzheimer's disease （AD）， Parkinson's disease （PD）， and epilepsy. A common clinical manifestation of these diseases is cognitive decline. Neurodegenerative diseases are more common in the elderly. As population aging is aggravating， neurodegenerative diseases have aroused increasing concern since they seriously affect human health and quality of life. The pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases is complex， mainly related to mitochondrial dysfunction， apoptosis， neurotoxin， neurotransmitter abnormalities， oxidative stress， and inflammation. Although western drugs on the market can attenuate the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases， they may induce severe adverse reactions and are thus not conducive to long-term use by the patients. The Chinese herbal medicine Angelicae Sinensis Radix was first recorded in the Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica （Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing）. It has the functions of activating blood， tonifying blood， modulating the immune system， regulating menstruation， and relieving pain. This paper summarizes the research progress in the effects of Angelicae Sinensis Radix and the prescriptions containing this medicine on neurodegenerative diseases in recent 10 years， aiming to provide a reference for the future application and research of Angelicae Sinensis Radix in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Purpose To explore the predictive value of nomogram model for invasive breast cancer with axillary lymph node metastasis.Materials and Methods Retrospective analysis was made on 122 patients suspected to be breast cancer in the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University from September 2020 to March 2022.According to whether there was axillary lymph node metastasis,all subjects were divided into 57 patients in the metastasis group and 65 patients in the non-metastasis group.All lesions were pathologically confirmed by surgery.The two groups received synthesis of magnetic resonance imaging(syMRI),dynamic contrast enhancement magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI)and diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)scans.The syMRI parameters[including T1,T2,proton density(PD)],DCE-MRI time signal intensity curve,apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)value of breast lesions were measured.Compared the difference of parameters between the two groups,and screened the independent risk factors of invasive breast cancer with axillary lymph node metastasis.Results Logistic regression results showed that Ki-67(OR=2.971,95%CI 1.306-6.762,P=0.009),lesion size(OR=1.652,95%CI 1.067-2.556,P=0.024),ADCratio(OR=1.685,95%CI 1.014-2.801,P=0.044),T2ratio(OR=3.015,95%CI 1.433-6.340,P=0.003),PDratio(OR=2.782,95%CI 1.471-5.262,P=0.002)were independent risk factors for invasive breast cancer with axillary lymph node metastasis.The comparison of the five models showed that the Logistic regression model had the best performance,with the area under curve of 0.729(95%CI 0.621-0.789),the accuracy,specificity and sensitivity were 70.65%,62.79%and 77.55%,respectively.The accuracy of the nomogram model was tested,and C-index=0.844,the accuracy of the nomogram model established was good,cut-off risk was 0.468,and the cut-off score was 143.50,which means that when the total score exceeds 143.50,the risk of axillary lymph node metastasis would be higher than 46.8%.Conclusion Nomogram model has a good predictive ability for invasive breast cancer patients with axillary lymph node metastasis.

Colorectal cancer is currently one of the most common malignant tumors in the world,and its incidence and mortality rates have gradually increased in recent years.As insidious symptoms characterize early colorectal cancer,most of the patients have already developed into late or advanced stages in the primary survey.For stage Ⅳ metastatic colorectal cancer(mCRC),surgery supplemented with chemotherapy or radiotherapy for mCRC patients has a low 5-year survival rate.With the development of immunology in recent years,PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors have made breakthroughs in treating malignant tumors.They also have improved the therapeutic efficacy of some mCRC patients,especially those with microsatellite instability-high/mismatch repair deficient.The guidelines recommend this approach.However,patients with microsatellite stable/mismatch repair proficiency,which accounts for more than 90%,are poorly treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.Fortunately,there are several clinical studies that reported that some of this type of mCRC can gain some benefit.In this review,we examined the anti-tumor mechanism of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors and the latest progress of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor's clinical application in patients of mCRC with different genotypes.We discussed the prospect of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor combination therapy to provide a reference to the benefit of this type of patients and provide information for optimizing the dosing regimen of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in the treatment of mCRC.

In this paper,a case of a hyperdivergent and bimaxillary protrusion with individual teeth cross bite in the anterior region treated by invisible orthodontic appliances was reported.At the end of the treatment,the teeth were aligned,the face profile of the patient was im-proved and the overbite and overjet were normal.

Objective:To conduct a scoping review of studies on the needs assessment based on decision needs assessment workbook and to provide a reference for conducting related studies in China.Methods:Using the scoping review guidelines of Joanna Briggs Institute in Australia as a methodological framework, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP and China Biology Medicine disc were searched from establishment of the databases to March 31, 2023.Results:A total of 12 studies were included and the basic information, study objective, type of study, participants, collection method, evaluation guidance tools and results of the included literature were summarized and analyzed.Conclusions:In the future, when medical staff use workbooks for needs assessment, they should pay attention to fully incorporating the core elements of the workbooks, evaluating the decision-making needs of patients from multiple perspectives such as spouses and peer helper, and developing or utilizing existing patient decision aids to provide decision support for patients based on the results of needs assessment, thereby improving the quality of shared decision-making.

Objective To explore the current situation and influencing factors of caregiver readiness of elderly patients with chronic heart failure.Methods From March 2021 to April 2022,the convenient sampling method was used to select 335 caregivers of elderly patients with chronic heart failure who were hospitalized in 6 hospitals in Hangzhou as the survey subjects.The general information questionnaire,Caregiver Readiness Scale and Caregiver Burden Scale were used to investigate the caregivers of elderly patients with chronic heart failure.Results A total of 326 valid questionnaires were collected.The score of Caregiver Readiness Scale for elderly patients with chronic heart failure was(18.88±6.36),and 61.04%of the caregivers had mild to moderate burden.The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the caregiver's age,education level and cumulative care time were the positive influencing factors of the caregiver readiness,and the caregiver burden was the negative influencing factor of the caregiver readiness(P＜0.001).Conclusion The caregiver readiness of elderly patients with chronic heart failure is at a medium level.Caregivers who are older,more educated,have a longer cumulative caregiving time,and have a lighter caregiving burden are more prepared.Medical staff should pay attention to the motivation of caregivers,provide professional support from multiple aspects,and reduce the burden of care,increase readiness level.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between carotid atherosclerosis(CAS)and subclinical left ventricular(LV)dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with preserved LV ejection fraction(LVEF).Methods:A total of 120 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who had LVEF≥50% were selected in the Department of Endocrinology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from June 2021 to October 2021. The global longitudinal strain(GLS)was obtained by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography(STE)to assess subclinical LV systolic function. The mitral ratio of peak early to late diastolic filling velocity(E/A), and mitral velocity to early diastolic velocity of the mitral annulus(E/E′)ratio were obtained by pulsed tissue Doppler echocardiography to assess LV diastolic function. Acrroding to bilateral carotid ultrasound examination, the subjects were divided into normal carotid arteries group( n=46) and CAS group( n=74). Demographics and biochemical parameters were compared between two groups. Binary logistic regression and Pearson correlation analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between CAS and subclinical LV dysfunction. Results:The CAS group had a higher proportion of men, older age, and a longer duration of diabetes than the normal carotid arteries group(all P<0.05). There was no difference in LVEF and GLS between the two groups [normal carotid arteries group vs CAS group, LVEF: (60.72±4.73)% vs(60.07±4.28)%; GLS: (18.24±3.72)% vs(17.81±3.47)%, respectively; both P>0.05]. However, compared with normal carotid arteries group, E/A ratio was decreased and E/E′ ratio was significantly increased in CAS group(both P<0.01). Pearson correlation analysis showed that GLS was not correlated with carotid plaque thickness and carotid intima-media thickness(CIMT; both P>0.05). By contrast, E/E′ ratio was positively correlated with carotid plaque thickness and CIMT(both P<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that GLS and E/E′ ratio were not associated with CAS( both P>0.05). However, decreased E/A ratio was significantly associated with the existence of CAS( OR=0.09, 95% CI 0.01-0.67, P=0.018). Conclusions:In type 2 diabetes mellitus patients without overt heart failure and with preserved LVEF, the occurrence of CAS is not associated with subclinical LV systolic impairment assessed by GLS, but is significantly associated with LV diastolic dysfunction, and is independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

Heart failure is the leading cause of death worldwide. Compound Danshen Dripping Pill (CDDP) or CDDP combined with simvastatin has been widely used to treat patients with myocardial infarction and other cardiovascular diseases in China. However, the effect of CDDP on hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis-induced heart failure is unknown. We constructed a new model of heart failure induced by hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and LDL receptor (LDLR) dual deficient (ApoE^-/-LDLR^-/-) mice and investigated the effect of CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin on the heart failure. CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin inhibited heart injury by multiple actions including anti-myocardial dysfunction and anti-fibrosis. Mechanistically, both Wnt and lysine-specific demethylase 4A (KDM4A) pathways were significantly activated in mice with heart injury. Conversely, CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin inhibited Wnt pathway by markedly up-regulating expression of Wnt inhibitors. While the anti-inflammation and anti-oxidative stress by CDDP were achieved by inhibiting KDM4A expression and activity. In addition, CDDP attenuated simvastatin-induced myolysis in skeletal muscle. Taken together, our study suggests that CDDP or CDDP plus a low dose of simvastatin can be an effective therapy to reduce hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis-induced heart failure.

Esophagogastric variceal bleeding (EGVB) is one of the main complications of decompensated portal hypertension, especially in patients with liver cirrhosis, and it often has a high mortality rate. Medication combined with endoscopy is the main prevention and treatment method for EGVB, while transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) combined with variceal embolization can also be selected for some high-risk patients, and individualized diagnosis and treatment of portal hypertension based on hepatic venous pressure gradient should become the latest consensus and the main strategy. This article mainly reviews endoscopic therapy and TIPS for the prevention and treatment of EGVB patients with decompensated portal hypertension in terms of selection of indications, incidence rate of complications, and respective advantages and disadvantages.