Value of Reduced Field-of-view DWI in Quantitative Assessment of Axial Spondyloarthritis / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of reduced field-of-view DWI （r-FOV DWI） in quantitative assessment of axial spondyloarthritis. MethodsA total of 112 patients with chronic back pain or suspected axial spondyloarthritis receiving full field-of-view DWI （f-FOV DWI） and reduced field-of-view DWI （r-FOV DWI） from December 2019 to December 2021 were enrolled. Next， subjective image quality assessment （anatomical detail， artifacts， distortion， overall image quality） and objective image quality assessment including （signal to noise ratio and contrast to noise ratio） were conducted by two experienced radiologists. In addition， the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient （ADC） values of three groups （active group， inactive group， and control group） on the two DWI sequences were measured by the two radiologists， respectively. Finally， the consistency of measurement between the two researchers was evaluated and the differences in ADC values was compared. Results102 patients were included and were divided into three groups， including the active group （n=32）， inactive group （n=29）， and control group （n=41） according to ASAS diagnostic criteria. All subjective and objective image quality metrics were rated in favor of r-FOV DWI images compared with f-FOV DWI images ［overall image quality： DWI 4（3~4） vs. 3（3~3） and SNR： 6.58（5.05~10.38） vs. 4.46（2.37~10.04）， CNR： 2.04（-1.14~8.29） vs. 0.97（-8.19~7.12）；P＜0.05］. Inter-rater consistency of the two researchers were 0.60~0.74. According to the AUC curve， group inactive vs. control showed r-FOV DWI was better than f-FOV DWI. In other groups （lesion vs. control， active vs. inactive）， there were no differences between both sequences（P＜0.05）. ConclusionThe subjective image quality score and signal to noise ratio of r-FOV DWI were higher than those of f-FOV DWI， which could be used for quantitative assessment of axial spondyloarthritis.

Vascularization of intravitreal injection of Conbercept in the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To evaluate retinal vascularization caused by the intravitreal injection of Conbercept in the treatment of a series of retinopathy of prematurity(ROP)cases in Type Ⅰ(threshold and pre-threshold period)and aggressive ROP(A-ROP).METHODS: The data of 34 ROP cases(67 eyes)treated by intravitreal injection of Conbercept(IVC)in the ophthalmology department of the Xiamen Children's Hospital from July 2017 to March 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Reactivation, which refers to recurrence of acute phase features, occurred at any stage of the disease in the presence or absence of other diseases. RESULT: The average gestational age of the 34 children was 28.82±2.32wk. The average birth weight was 1155.18±398.22g. The lesion zone of 19 cases(37 eyes)was Zone Ⅰ. In 10 cases(20 eyes), the lesion was in Zone Ⅱ, and in 5 cases(10 eyes), the lesion was in the posterior Zone Ⅱ. The total effective rate of disease control in ROP children treated with once IVC was 73.1%(49/67), and the vascularization of Zone Ⅱ was completed. The patients showed variable changes in the vascularization in Zone Ⅲ. For the patients who received one treatment and did not reactivate, the average rate of Type Ⅰ vascularization of ROP was 9.11±2.49wk, and the A-ROP was 13.40±4.04wk. The rate of A-ROP vascularization in Zone Ⅱ was significantly longer compared to Type Ⅰ.CONCLUSION: IVC effectively completes vascularization in Zone Ⅱ.

Clinical effects of free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap combined with artificial dermis and split-thickness skin graft in the treatment of degloving injury in lower extremity / 中华烧伤杂志

Objective: To observe the clinical effects of free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap combined with artificial dermis and split-thickness skin graft in the treatment of degloving injury in lower limbs. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From December 2017 to December 2020, 8 patients with large skin and soft tissue defect caused by degloving injury in lower extremity were admitted to Ningbo No.6 Hospital, including 5 males and 3 females, aged from 39 to 75 years, with wound area of 25 cm×12 cm-61 cm×34 cm. The free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap with latissimus dorsi muscle in the width of 12-15 cm and flap area of 20 cm×8 cm-32 cm×8 cm was used to repair the skin and soft tissue defect of bone/tendon exposure site or functional area. The other defect was repaired with bilayer artificial dermis, and the flap donor site was sutured directly. After the artificial dermis was completely vascularized, the split-thickness skin graft from thigh was excised and extended at a ratio of 1∶2 to 1∶4 and then transplanted to repair the residual wound, and the donor site of skin graft was treated by dressing change. The survival of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap, artificial dermis, and split-thickness skin graft after operation was observed, the interval time between artificial dermis transplantation and split-thickness skin graft transplantation was recorded, and the healing of donor site was observed. The appearance and function of operative area were followed up. At the last outpatient follow-up, the sensory recovery of flap was evaluated by British Medical Research Council evaluation criteria, the flap function was evaluated by the comprehensive evaluation standard of flap in Operative Hand Surgery, the scar of lower limb skin graft area and thigh skin donor area was evaluated by Vancouver scar scale, and the patient's satisfaction with the curative effects was asked. Results: The latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap survived in 6 patients, while the distal tip of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap was partially necrotic in 2 patient and was repaired by skin grafting after resection at split-thickness skin grafting. The artificial dermis survived in all 8 patients after transplantation. The split-thickness skin graft survived in 7 patients, while partial necrosis of the split-thickness skin graft occurred in one patient and was repaired by skin grafting again. The interval time between artificial dermis transplantation and split-thickness skin graft transplantation was 15-26 (20±5) d. The donor site of latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap healed with linear scar after operation, and the thigh skin graft donor site healed with scar after operation. The patients were followed up for 6-18 (12.5±2.3) months. The color and elasticity of the flap were similar to those of the surrounding skin tissue, and the lower limb joint activity returned to normal. There was no increase in linear scar at the back donor site or obvious hypertrophic scar at the thigh donor site. At the last outpatient follow-up, the sensation of the flap recovered to grade S2 or S3; 3 cases were excellent, 4 cases were good, and 1 case was fair in flap function; the Vancouver scar scale score of lower limb skin graft area was 4-7 (5.2±0.9), and the Vancouver scar scale score of thigh skin donor area was 1-5 (3.4±0.8). The patients were fairly satisfied with the curative effects. Conclusions: In repairing the large skin and soft tissue defect from degloving injury in lower extremity, to cover the exposed bone/tendon or functional area with latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap and the residual wound with artificial dermis and extended split-thickness skin graft is accompanied by harvest of small autologous flap and skin graft, good recovery effect of functional area after surgery, and good quality of healing in skin grafted area.

A Compound Heterozygous Pathogenic Variant in B4GALNT1 Is Associated With Axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Background@#and PurposePathogenic variants in B4GALNT1 have been reported to cause hereditary spastic paraplegia 26. This study has revealed that a novel compound heterozygous pathogenic variant in B4GALNT1 is associated with axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). @*Methods@#Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was used to identify the causative factors and characterize the clinical features of a Korean family with sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Functional assessment of the mutant genes was performed using a motor neuron cell line. @*Results@#The WES revealed a compound heterozygous pathogenic variant (c.128dupC and c.451G>A) in B4GALNT1 as the causative of the present patient, a 53-year-old male who presented with axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy and cognitive impairment without spasticity. The electrodiagnostic study showed axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy. B4GALNT1 was critical to the proliferation of motor neuron cells. The compensation assay revealed that the pathogenic variants might affect the enzymatic activity of B4GALNT1. @*Conclusions@#This study is the first to identify a case of autosomal recessive axonal CMT associated with a compound heterozygous pathogenic variant in B4GALNT1. This finding expands the clinical and genetic spectra of peripheral neuropathy.

A Compound Heterozygous Pathogenic Variant in B4GALNT1 Is Associated With Axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Background@#and PurposePathogenic variants in B4GALNT1 have been reported to cause hereditary spastic paraplegia 26. This study has revealed that a novel compound heterozygous pathogenic variant in B4GALNT1 is associated with axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). @*Methods@#Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was used to identify the causative factors and characterize the clinical features of a Korean family with sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Functional assessment of the mutant genes was performed using a motor neuron cell line. @*Results@#The WES revealed a compound heterozygous pathogenic variant (c.128dupC and c.451G>A) in B4GALNT1 as the causative of the present patient, a 53-year-old male who presented with axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy and cognitive impairment without spasticity. The electrodiagnostic study showed axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy. B4GALNT1 was critical to the proliferation of motor neuron cells. The compensation assay revealed that the pathogenic variants might affect the enzymatic activity of B4GALNT1. @*Conclusions@#This study is the first to identify a case of autosomal recessive axonal CMT associated with a compound heterozygous pathogenic variant in B4GALNT1. This finding expands the clinical and genetic spectra of peripheral neuropathy.

Clinical observation on pulley suspension traction reduction combined with self-made splint fixation for the treatment of extended distal radius fracture / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore clinical effects of pulley suspension traction reduction combined with self-made splint fixation in treating extended distal radius fracture.@*METHODS@#From December 2017 to December 2019, 60 patients with extended distal radius fractures were divided into observation group and control group, 30 patients in each group. In observation group, there were 12 males and 18 females, aged from 50 to 75 years old with an average of (59.63±8.08) years old;according to AO classification, 25 patients were type A2 and 5 patients with type A3;fractures were fixed by pulley suspension traction and self-made splint. In control group, there were 11 males and 19 females, aged from 52 to 76 years old with an average of (59.77±8.03) years old;according to AO classification, 24 patients were with type A2 and 6 patients were type A3;fractures were treated by conventional manipulation with self-made splint fixation. The radius height, ulnar angle and palmar angle between two groups were compared before and after treatment, and clinical effects were evaluated by advanced Green and O'Brien wrist joint scoring after treatment.@*RESULTS@#All patients were followed up from 11 to 13 months with an average of (11.90± 0.80) months. The splint was removed for 42 to 60 days with an average of (50.20±4.94) days. After removal of splint, X-rays indicated that all patients obtained bone healing with smooth of joint surface. In observation group, radius height was (4.57± 1.16) mm, ulnar angle was (12.83±3.25) °, palmar angle were (-21.17±3.36) ° respectively before treatment, (10.10± 1.75) mm, (24.30±3.16) °, (9.40±2.13) ° respectively at 8 weeks after treatment;in control group, radius height, ulnar angle, palm angle were (4.50±1.43) mm, (12.83±3.10) °, (-21.50±3.38) ° respectively before treatment, and (8.90±1.24) mm, (21.20±2.91) °, (6.16±2.94) ° respectively at 8 weeks after treatment;there were no significant difference in radius height, ulnar deviation angle and palmar inclination between two groups before treatment (@*CONCLUSION@#Compared with conventional manual traction and reduction, pulley suspension traction reduction combined with self made splint fixation for the treatment of extended distal radius fracture has more advantages with stable and reliable traction, good reduction, and better wrist joint function. It could be selected and applied according to the actual situation of patients.

Gene Therapy Options as New Treatment for Inherited Peripheral Neuropathy

Inherited peripheral neuropathy (IPN) is caused by heterogeneous genetic mutations in more than 100 genes. So far, several treatment options for IPN have been developed and clinically evaluated using small molecules. However, gene therapy-based therapeutic strategies have not been aggressively investigated, likely due to the complexities of inheritance in IPN. Indeed, because the majority of the causative mutations of IPN lead to gainof- function rather than loss-of-function, developing a therapeutic strategy is more difficult, especially considering gene therapy for genetic diseases began with the simple idea of replacing a defective gene with a functional copy. Recent advances in gene manipulation technology have brought novel approaches to gene therapy and its clinical application for IPN treatment. For example, in addition to the classically used gene replacement for mutant genes in recessively inherited IPN, other techniques including gene addition to modify the disease phenotype, modulations of target gene expression, and techniques to edit mutant genes have been developed and evaluated as potent therapeutic strategies for dominantly inherited IPN. In this review, the current status of gene therapy for IPN and future perspectives will be discussed.

A New Self-management Scale with a Hierarchical Structure for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Purpose@#The aims of this study were to develop a new instrument for measuring self-management with a hierarchical structure [the Diabetes Self-Management Scale (DSMS)] in patients with type 2 diabetes, and evaluate its psychometric properties. @*Methods@#The DSMS instrument was developed in three phases: (1) conceptualization and item generation; (2) content validity and pilot testing; and (3) field testing of its psychometric properties. A convenience sample of 473 participants was recruited in three university hospitals and one regional health center, South Korea. @*Results@#Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded two second-order component models explaining the common variance among six first-order factors. Principal axis factoring with a varimax rotation accounted for 60.88% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis of the hierarchical structure revealed the following fit indices: χ2/df = 1.373, standardized root-mean-square residual = .050, goodness-of-fit index = .935, incremental fit index = .975, comparative fit index = .974, and root-mean-square error of approximation = .039. All Cronbach' α values for internal consistency exceeded the criterion of .70. All of the intraclass correlation coefficients for test–retest reliability exceeded .70 except that for the taking-medication subscale. The components of the DSMS were moderately correlated with the comparator measures of self-efficacy and health literacy administered for convergent validity. @*Conclusion@#The DSMS is a new instrument for measuring the complex nature of self-management in patients with type 2 diabetes, comprising 17 items scored on a five-point Likert scale. The DSMS exhibits satisfactory psychometric properties for five reliability and validity metrics, and so is a suitable instrument to apply in both research and clinical practices.

A New Self-management Scale with a Hierarchical Structure for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Purpose@#The aims of this study were to develop a new instrument for measuring self-management with a hierarchical structure [the Diabetes Self-Management Scale (DSMS)] in patients with type 2 diabetes, and evaluate its psychometric properties. @*Methods@#The DSMS instrument was developed in three phases: (1) conceptualization and item generation; (2) content validity and pilot testing; and (3) field testing of its psychometric properties. A convenience sample of 473 participants was recruited in three university hospitals and one regional health center, South Korea. @*Results@#Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses yielded two second-order component models explaining the common variance among six first-order factors. Principal axis factoring with a varimax rotation accounted for 60.88% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis of the hierarchical structure revealed the following fit indices: χ2/df = 1.373, standardized root-mean-square residual = .050, goodness-of-fit index = .935, incremental fit index = .975, comparative fit index = .974, and root-mean-square error of approximation = .039. All Cronbach' α values for internal consistency exceeded the criterion of .70. All of the intraclass correlation coefficients for test–retest reliability exceeded .70 except that for the taking-medication subscale. The components of the DSMS were moderately correlated with the comparator measures of self-efficacy and health literacy administered for convergent validity. @*Conclusion@#The DSMS is a new instrument for measuring the complex nature of self-management in patients with type 2 diabetes, comprising 17 items scored on a five-point Likert scale. The DSMS exhibits satisfactory psychometric properties for five reliability and validity metrics, and so is a suitable instrument to apply in both research and clinical practices.

miR-381 Attenuates Peripheral Neuropathic Phenotype Caused by Overexpression of PMP22

Charcot-Marie Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A), the major type of CMT, is caused by duplication of peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) gene whose overexpression causes structural and functional abnormalities in myelination. We investigated whether miRNA-mediated regulation of PMP22 expression could reduce the expression level of PMP22, thereby alleviating the demyelinating neuropathic phenotype of CMT1A. We found that several miRNAs were down-regulated in C22 mouse, a CMT1A mouse model. Among them, miR-381 could target 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of PMP22 in vitro based on Western botting and quantitative Real Time-PCR (qRT-PCR) results. In vivo efficacy of miR-381 was assessed by administration of LV-miR-381, an miR-381 expressing lentiviral vector, into the sciatic nerve of C22 mice by a single injection at postnatal day 6 (p6). Administration of LV-miR-381 reduced expression level of PMP22 along with elevated level of miR-381 in the sciatic nerve. Rotarod performance analysis revealed that locomotor coordination of LV-miR-381 administered C22 mice was significantly enhanced from 8 weeks post administration. Electrophysiologically, increased motor nerve conduction velocity was observed in treated mice. Histologically, toluidine blue staining and electron microscopy revealed that structural abnormalities of myelination were improved in sciatic nerves of LV-miR-381 treated mice. Therefore, delivery of miR-381 ameliorated the phenotype of peripheral neuropathy in CMT1A mouse model by down-regulating PMP22 expression. These data suggest that miRNA can be used as a potent therapeutic strategy to control diseases with copy number variations such as CMT1A.

Factors Influencing Electronic Cigarette Use for Smoking Cessation among Adolescents in South Korea: The 13th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey

BACKGROUND@#This study used the data of Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS) to confirm the relationship between electronic cigarette use for smoking cessation among Korean adolescents and demographic, health behavior, and school-life factors.@*METHODS@#Data were taken from the 13th KYRBS in 2017. In this study on 62,276 adolescents, characteristics of 1,244 electronic cigarette users were compared with those of non-electronic cigarette users. The 1,244 adolescent electronic cigarette users were evaluated for characteristics related to smoking cessation. Among the related characteristics, demographic factors comprised sex, grade, economic status, weekly allowance, and residence type. Health status-related factors comprised physical activity, lifetime drinking experience, smoking amount, subjective health perception, and stress perception. School characteristics included school type, academic performance, and smoking cessation education. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed using complex sample analysis.@*RESULTS@#The proportion of current electronic cigarette users was 2.2% (boys, 3.3%; girls, 0.9%). Of the 41.5% of cigarette users willing to quit smoking, 11% used electronic cigarettes for this purpose. Among the electronic cigarette users, characteristics related to smoking cessation were grade, weekly allowance, and residence type, but logistic regression analysis revealed that increases in grade (odds ratio [OR], 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–3.35) and living with family (OR, 4.17; 95% CI, 1.89–9.18) were associated with smoking cessation.@*CONCLUSIONS@#According to the 13th KYRBS in 2017, adolescents were likely to use electronic cigarette for smoking cessation when they are older and live with their families.

Efficacy and Mechanism of Danlu Tongdu Tablets on Lumbar Disc Herniation with Kidney Deficiency and Stasis Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To observe short-term and long-term efficacies of Danlu Tongdu tablets on lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with kidney deficiency and stasis syndrome, and its effect on nucleus pulposus reabsorption and immunoinflammatory factors. Method: One hundred and sixty patients were randomly divided into control group (80 cases) and observation group by random number table. Patients in control group (80 cases) got acupoint massage and acupuncture, 1 time/day. In addition to the therapy of control group, patients in observation group were also given Danlu Tongdu tablets, 4 tablets/time, 3 times/days. A course of treatment was 12 weeks, and a 9-month follow-up was recorded. Lumbago and leg pain were recorded by visual simulation (VAS) before treatment and at the first, second, third month after treatment. Before and after treatment, Japanese orthopaedic association (JOA), symptoms and signs were scored. During the 9-month follow-up, relapse rate and relapse time were recorded, and VAS and JOA were scored. Absorption of nucleus pulposus was assessed, and levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-17, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3) were detected. Result: By rank sum test, the clinical efficacy in observation group was better than that in control group (Z=2.125, PZ=1.924, PPPPPχ2=5.138, Pα and MMP-3 were lower than that in control group (Pχ2=4.668, PPPPConclusion: In addition to acupuncture and massage therapy, Danlu Tongdu tablets can also be used to relieve pain and ameliorate function, improve clinical efficacy, reduce relapse rate, promote nucleus pulposus reabsorption, and relieve inflammation of nerve root.

ClinicalValueofMRQuantitativeFatAnalysisinOrbitsofPatientswithGraves Ophthalmopath / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

@#【Objective】To measure the orbital fat fraction（FF）of Graves ophthalmopathy（GO）patients and normal individuals with MR Water- fat separation（Dixon） technology ，and to explore the value of orbit MR quantitative fat analysis in diagnosis and treatment for GO patients.【Methods】Forty GO patients and 20 normal individuals who underwent orbital MR imaging were analyzed prospectively from February 2017 to February 2019 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat- sen University. All participants received bilateral orbital MR examination with oblique coronary FSE T2- weighted imaging combined with two-point Dixon technique，and then the signal intensity values of ipsilateral extraocular muscles and lacrimal glands on water and fat phase images were measured to calculate FF. The differences of mean FF between the two groups were evaluated，and the correlation between FF of GO and TRAb，CAS score，and the course of GO were conducted by Spearman rank correlation analysis. 【Results】 The median FF of extraocular muscles in GO patients was higher than that of normal individuals，and the result showed a statistically significant difference（P < 0.05）， while the FF of lacrimal glands in the two groups showed no statistical difference. The FF of extraocular muscles in the GO group were correlated with TRAb，CAS score and the course of GO（P < 0.05），especially the course was more correlative.【Conclusions】The fat content of extraocular muscles in GO patients were higher than that of normal individuals ，and there was a positive correlation in the fat content among TRAb，CAS score and the course of GO，suggesting that MR fat quantitative analysis may provide a new reference indexes for the evaluation of clinical staging ，curative effect assessment in GO patients.

Application of Intermittent Lung Inflation Combined with Rigid Ureteroscopy in Treating Upper Ureteral Stones That Were Not Fully Visible / 中国医学科学院学报

To analyze the effectiveness and safety of intermittent lung inflation combined with rigid ureteroscopy in the treatment of upper ureteral stones that were not fully visible. The clinical and imaging data of 56 patients with upper ureteral stone undergoing rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy combined with intermittent lung inflation in Zhejiang Quhua Hospital from March 2016 to October 2017 were retrospectively analyzed.Intermittentt lung inflation was used to change and stabilize the position of ureteral calculi during the operation,so as to ensure the visual field of ureteroscopy.Holmium laser lithotripsy was performed to remove the stones.Urinary tract abdominal plain X-ray or CT urography was performed 1 and 3 months after the operation to evaluate the residual stones and the clinical efficacy. Stones were successfully removed after a single attempt in 48 patients.In 5 patients,stones escaped into the kidney during ureteroscopic lithotripsy,and thus flexible ureteroscopy were performed.In 3 patients,a second session of auxiliary procedure was required,among whom 2 patients received extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and 1 patient underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy+ureteroscopic lithotripsy.The stone-free rates 1 and 3 months after surgery were 94.6%(53/56)and 100%(56/56),respectively.No severe complication such as ureter perforation,gross hematuria,septic shock,or pneumothorax occurred during and after surgery. Intermittent lung inflation in tracheal intubation under general anesthesia in patients with proximal ureteral stones that can not be fully visible during rigid ureteroscopic lithotripsy was feasible and reliable.It can effectively change the location of stones and thus enable safe and effective lithotripy.It expands the indications of rigid ureteroscopy for treating upper ureteral stones.

The hypolipidemic and anti-atherosclerotic effects of acacetin and its mechanism of action in mice / 药学学报

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects of acacetin on serum lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis in mice and explore its molecular mechanism. HepG2 cells were treated with different concentrations of acacetin. The expression of LDL receptor (LDLR) and sterol-regulatory element binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) were detected by RT-qPCR and/or Western blot. C57BL/6J mice were given acacetin (50 mg·kg-1) for 5 weeks by gavage. Serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) were analyzed by an automatic biochemical analyzer. The expression of LDLR or SREBP-2 was detected by Western blot. After 12 weeks of intragastric administration of acacetin (30 mg·kg-1) in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE KO) mice, the serum lipid levels were determined by an automatic biochemical analyzer. The lipid deposition in aortic plaque (en face) and aortic root plaque were stained with oil red O. The expression of LDLR and SREBP-2 were detected by RT-qPCR and/or Western blot. The intestinal content microflora was analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing (All animal studies were approved by the Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee of Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, CAMS & PUMC). In vitro results indicated that acacetin significantly up-regulated LDLR mRNA and protein levels, and stimulated LDLR transcription factor SREBP-2 protein expression. As indicated from in vivo studies, compared with control group, acacetin significantly decreased the serum levels of TC and LDL-C in C57BL/6J mice by 34% and 57% (P<0.01), respectively. Furthermore, mechanic study showed that acacetin significantly increased the protein expression of hepatic LDLR and SREBP-2. Although the results of serum lipid profiles, hepatic LDLR/SREBP-2 expression and area of atherosclerotic lesions in aorta and aortic root in ApoE KO mice showed differences between acacetin and high-fat diet group, the differences did not reach statistical significance. Nevertheless, acacetin exhibited a profound influence on the composition of the intestinal microbiota as indicated by 16s rDNA sequencing analysis. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that acacetin can decrease the serum lipid levels in C57BL/6J mice through up-regulation of hepatic LDLR and SREBP-2, and alter gut microflora in high-fat diet fed Apo KO mice. This study suggests the possibility that acacetin has a potential role in inhibiting the progression of atherosclerosis.

Preparation and evaluation of carboxymethyl chitosan/sodium alginate hydrogel for cartilage tissue engineering / 华西口腔医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#This study aimed to optimize the preparation of carboxymethyl chitosan/sodium alginate (CMCS/OSA) compound hydrogels. This study also aimed to investigate the applicability of the hydrogels in cartilage tissue engi-neering.@*METHODS@#Three groups of CMCS/OSA composite hydrogels with amino-to-aldehyde ratios of 2∶1, 1∶1 and 1∶2 were prepared. The microstructure, physical properties, and cell biocompatibility of the three groups of CMCS/OSA com-posite hydrogels were evaluated. Samples were subjected to scanning electron microscopy, rheological test, adhesion tension test, swelling rate test, and cell experiments to identify the CMCS/OSA composite hydrogel with the cross-linking degree that can meet the requirements for scaffolds in cartilage tissue engineering.@*RESULTS@#The experimental results showed that the CMCS/OSA hydrogel with a amine-to-aldhyde ratio of 1∶1 had good porosity, suitable gelling time, strong adhesive force, stable swelling rate, and good cellular biocompatibility.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The CMCS/OSA compound hydrogel prepared with a 1∶1 ratio of amino and aldehyde groups has potential applications in cartilage tissue engineering.

Factors Influencing Electronic Cigarette Use for Smoking Cessation among Adolescents in South Korea: The 13th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey

BACKGROUND: This study used the data of Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey (KYRBS) to confirm the relationship between electronic cigarette use for smoking cessation among Korean adolescents and demographic, health behavior, and school-life factors. METHODS: Data were taken from the 13th KYRBS in 2017. In this study on 62,276 adolescents, characteristics of 1,244 electronic cigarette users were compared with those of non-electronic cigarette users. The 1,244 adolescent electronic cigarette users were evaluated for characteristics related to smoking cessation. Among the related characteristics, demographic factors comprised sex, grade, economic status, weekly allowance, and residence type. Health status-related factors comprised physical activity, lifetime drinking experience, smoking amount, subjective health perception, and stress perception. School characteristics included school type, academic performance, and smoking cessation education. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were performed using complex sample analysis. RESULTS: The proportion of current electronic cigarette users was 2.2% (boys, 3.3%; girls, 0.9%). Of the 41.5% of cigarette users willing to quit smoking, 11% used electronic cigarettes for this purpose. Among the electronic cigarette users, characteristics related to smoking cessation were grade, weekly allowance, and residence type, but logistic regression analysis revealed that increases in grade (odds ratio [OR], 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–3.35) and living with family (OR, 4.17; 95% CI, 1.89–9.18) were associated with smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS: According to the 13th KYRBS in 2017, adolescents were likely to use electronic cigarette for smoking cessation when they are older and live with their families.

Cloning and heterologous expression of sansanmycin biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces coelicolor / 药学学报

Sansanmycins (SSs), produced by Streptomyces sp. SS, belong to uridyl peptide antibiotics which exhibit a good inhibitory effect on Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. They share a unique chemical scaffold with a 4',5'-enamide-3'-deoxyuridine attached to DABA (N-methyl-2,3-diaminobutyryl) which was located in the peptide chain through peptide bond. In order to study the function of related genes and to employ synthetic biology to gain new SS derivatives, we obtained a complete SS biosynthetic gene cluster and heterologously expressed it in Streptomyces coelicolor M1146, M1152 and M1154. Fermentation broth of the recombinant strains were detected using HPLC and HPLC-MS/MS, and the result showed that SS-A was successfully produced in the three strains, and its production level in S. coelicolor M1154 was similar to the original wild type strain. In addition, a potential SS analogue named as SS-1154 was discovered from the fermentation broth of S. coelicolor M1154.

Research progress in small molecule drugs based on high-density lipoprotein for anti-atherosclerosis / 药学学报

A large number of epidemiological data have shown that the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level is negatively related to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, suggesting that high-density lipoprotein may have the effect of anti-atherosclerosis. It may play the role of anti-atherosclerosis, through the promotion of cholesterol reverse transport, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and against thrombosis and fibrinolysis and so on. Among them, reverse cholesterol transport which is mainly regulated by apolipoprotein A-I, ATP-binding cassette transporter 1, liver X receptor and cholesteryl ester transfer protein, may play a major role in the maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis and reversing the course of atherosclerosis. These regulatory factors may be potential targets in high density lipoprotein-based drug discovery. In this review, these key proteins are discussed for the current status of small molecule drugs against atherosclerosis.

Biosynthesis of antibiotic chuangxinmycin from

Chuangxinmycin is an antibiotic isolated from CPCC 200056 in the 1970s with a novel indole-dihydrothiopyran heterocyclic skeleton. Chuangxinmycin showed antibacterial activity and efficacy in mouse infection models as well as preliminary clinical trials. But the biosynthetic pathway of chuangxinmycin has been obscure since its discovery. Herein, we report the identification of a stretch of DNA from the genome of CPCC 200056 that encodes genes for biosynthesis of chuangxinmycin by bioinformatics analysis. The designated cluster was then confirmed to be responsible for chuangxinmycin biosynthesis by direct cloning and heterologous expressing in M1146. The cytochrome P450 CxnD was verified to be involved in the dihydrothiopyran ring closure reaction by the identification of seco-chuangxinmycin in M1146 harboring the gene cluster with an inactivated . Based on these results, a plausible biosynthetic pathway for chuangxinmycin biosynthesis was proposed, by hijacking the primary sulfur transfer system for sulfur incorporation. The identification of the biosynthetic gene cluster of chuangxinmycin paves the way for elucidating the detail biochemical machinery for chuangxinmycin biosynthesis, and provides the basis for the generation of novel chuangxinmycin derivatives by means of combinatorial biosynthesis and synthetic biology.