Supplementary Material for: Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Adiponectin Gene Are Not Directly Associated with Increased Risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome in a Chinese Han Population

<i>Purpose:</i> This study aims to test the possible correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the adiponectin gene and increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in a Chinese Han population. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> A total of 266 subjects were enrolled into the study to detect 9 SNPs in the adiponectin gene. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis, adjusted for gender and age, was used to estimate the associations of these SNPs with OSAS risk. <i>Results:</i> No evidence of a direct association was observed between these SNPs and the risk of OSAS in the Chinese Han population. However, the stratified analysis also revealed a remarkable genotype difference for SNP rs6773957 between cases and controls in the overweight subgroup (<i>p </i>< 0.05). In addition, the allele or genotype distributions of rs12495941, rs182052, and rs16861205 had significant differences with regard to the severity of OSAS (<i>p </i>< 0.05). No differences were identified in the other subgroups. <i>Conclusion:</i> The current research demonstrated that the SNPs in the adiponectin gene did not represent susceptibility loci for OSAS in Chinese Han individuals overall. However, variants of rs6773957 have an association with OSAS in overweight individuals. In addition, polymorphisms of rs12495941, rs182052, and rs16861205 are associated with the severity of OSAS

Supplementary Material for: A Minimally Invasive Technique for Occluding Large Muscular Ventricular Septal Defects in Infants

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> This study investigated the feasibility, timing and indications for closure of large muscular ventricular septal defects (VSDs) in infants without use of a cardiopulmonary bypass. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A total of 9 infants with large muscular VSDs ranging in size from 7 to 15 mm were treated by minimally invasive closure without cardiopulmonary bypass between April 2010 and February 2013. <b><i>Results:</i></b> All surgeries were successful without resulting in uncontrolled systemic infection, a pulmonary hypertensive crisis or a severely low cardiac output, and with an apparently shorter operation time and postoperative tracheal cannula. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> VSD closure without cardiopulmonary bypass can improve the efficacy and prognosis of infants with large muscular VSDs and concurrent pulmonary infections or respiratory failure

Supplementary Material for: Relative Strengths and Regulation of Different Promoter-Associated Sequences for Various blaSHV Genes and Their Relationships to β-Lactam Resistance

<p><b><i>Aims:</i></b> This work investigated the relative strengths of different <i>bla</i>_SHV promoter-associated sequences and their regulation function in <i>bla</i>_SHV expression and β-lactam resistance. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Recombinant plasmids with the promoter-associated sequences (P-W, P-S, P-IS, and P-WPD), <i>tac</i> promoter, and combined fragments of promoter and <i>bla</i>_SHV were separately constructed and transformed into <i>Escherichia coli</i> DH5α. The relative strengths of the promoters indicated by the intensities of green fluorescent protein and the mRNA expression levels of <i>bla</i>_SHV were compared. The minimum inhibitory concentration and extended spectrum β-lactamase phenotypes were evaluated. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The relative strengths were ranked as P-<i>tac</i> > P-WPD > P-IS > P-S > P-W. The mRNA expression and β-lactam resistance levels of the different promoter-associated sequence groups were generally consistent with the strength rank, but the extent of <i>gfp</i> and <i>bla</i>_SHV mRNA levels varied significantly in each group. The β-lactam resistance levels were inconsistent with the strength rank in certain <i>bla</i>_SHV groups. In relation to the different promoter-associated sequences,<i> bla</i>_SHV-ESBLs displayed significantly different change modes of β-lactam resistance compared with <i>bla</i>_{SHV-non-ESBLs}. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The mRNA expression and β-lactam resistance of the <i>bla</i>_SHV showed consistencies and inconsistencies with the strengths of the promoter-associated sequences. The mechanisms accounting for these discrepancies need further investigation.</p

Supplementary Material for: LOC101930370/MiR-1471 Axis Modulates the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Breast Cancer

<b><i>Background/Aims:</i></b> Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play vital regulatory roles in many tumors. However, the functional roles of these transcripts responsible for their dysregulation in breast cancer (BC) are not thoroughly understood. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We examined the expression of microRNA miR-1471 in BC specimens. Online analysis tools predicted that lncRNA LOC101930370 might act as an endogenous ‘sponge’ by competing for miR-1471 binding targets. Luciferase assays were used to prove the interaction of LOC101930370, miR-1471 and SHH. Edu, wound-healing and transwell assays were used to verify the contribution of miR-1471 and LOC101930370 on MCF-7 cells proliferation and metastasis. Gain and loss of function studies were performed to evaluate the relevance of Hedgehog pathway with LOC101930370/miR-1471 regulating axis in MCF-7 cells. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The expression of miR-1471 was markedly downregulated in BC. Inhibition of miR-1471 by LOC101930370 was proved by luciferase assay. Knockdown of LOC101930370 suppressed BC cells progression. MiR-1471 inhibitor resulted in a more aggressive metastasis of MCF-7 cells. Moreover, SHH and Gli-1 expression were significantly suppressed by LOC101930370 knockdown, and upregulated by miR-1471 inhibitor transfection. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Collectively, our study reveals the interaction between LOC101930370 and miR-1471 for the first time. LOC101930370 positively regulates the expression of SHH by sponging miR-1471, which sheds new light on lncRNA-directed diagnostics and therapeutics in BC