Fermentative production of tetraacetyl phytosphingosine: a review / 生物工程学报

Tetraacetyl phytosphingosine (TAPS) is an excellent raw material for natural skin care products. Its deacetylation leads to the production of phytosphingosine, which can be further used for synthesizing the moisturizing skin care product ceramide. For this reason, TAPS is widely used in the skin care oriented cosmetics industry. The unconventional yeast Wickerhamomyces ciferrii is the only known microorganism that can naturally secrete TAPS, and it has become the host for the industrial production of TAPS. This review firstly introduces the discovery, functions of TAPS, and the metabolic pathway for TAPS biosynthesis is further introduced. Subsequently, the strategies for increasing the TAPS yield of W. ciferrii, including haploid screening, mutagenesis breeding and metabolic engineering, are summarized. In addition, the prospects of TAPS biomanufacturing by W. ciferrii are discussed in light of the current progresses, challenges, and trends in this field. Finally, guidelines for engineering W. ciferrii cell factory using synthetic biology tools for TAPS production are also presented.

Decompression with fusion is not superior to decompression alone in lumbar short-segment stenosis based on randomized controlled trials: meta-analysis / 中华骨科杂志

Objective A meta-analysis is to be performed to compare the entire efficacy on decompression (D) alone and decompression with fusion (F) for patients with 1-2 level lumbar stenosis (LSS) regardless of degenerative spandylolisthesis (DS) based on published RCTs.Methods The databases include Pubmed,Embase,Cochrane Library and Web of Science from January 1970 to March 2018 with a certain search strategy and inclusion criteria.Two reviewers assessed eligible trials,evaluated articles quality and extracted information independently and the information included basic characteristics of demographic information,primary and secondary measures,then data synthesis and meta-analysis was progressed as well as subgroup analysis by DS and follow-up time (36 months).Continuous variables were reported as weighted mean difference (WMD) and dichotomous variables were reported as odds ratios (ORs).Finally the strength of evidence and grade of recommendation was evaluated by the grades of recommendation,assessment,development and evaluation (GRADE) system for the overall outcome.Results A total of 9 RCTs with a low to moderate risk of bias met inclusion criteria with a total of 857 patients (367 were in D group and 490 were in F group) in 1-2 level operation and the average age,sex ratio and preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) were of no significance.In primary measures,there were no statistical difference in VAS changes on back and leg pain between D and F group [MD=-0.03,95％ CI (--0.38,0.76),Z=0.08,P=0.94;MD=0.1 1,95％CI (-1.08,1.30),Z=0.18,P=0.86,respectively];Patients' satisfaction was of no difference between the two groups (OR=0.74,P=0.48),together with the change of Oswestry disability index (ODI,P=0.29) and European quality of life-5 dimensions (EQ-SD,P=0.41).As to the secondary measures,there were no difference in the rate of complication (OR=0.75,P=0.50) and reoperation (OR=1.93,P=0.11) while a statistical significance of longer operation duration (P=0.000),more blood loss (P=0.004),longer hospital stays (P=0.000) but amazing lower rate of ASD (OR=2.35,P=0.02) in F group.The subgroup analysis on whether combined with DS showed that basically all of the compared measures were in consistency with the whole meta-analysis;As to the follow-up,there was a higher reoperation rate in middle-to-long term (＞ 36months) in D group while the other measures were in line with the overall meta-analysis and adjacent segment degeneration/disease (ASD) was the most seasons of reoperation yet no matter the follow-up time.According to the GRADE system,the grade of this meta-analysis is of "High" quality.Conclusion F group has no better clinical results than D alone in short-segment LSS,regardless of DS,and even further,no significant change with shot-term or middle-to-long term follow-up.F approach has a longer duration of operation,more hospital stays and more blood loss,even perhaps a lager cost.According to the GRADE,the grade of this meta-analysis is of "High" quality,the grade strength of recommendation was "Strong".

Prevalence and risk factors of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis B receiving antiviral therapy / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective@#To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) in patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB) receiving antiviral treatment.@*Methods@#The cross-sectional study included 3 477 cases with CHB who received antiviral therapy. The prevalence of NAFLD was investigated, and then the risk factors were screened and analyzed by stepwise regression method in CHB patients with NAFLD as the dependent variable and the related influencing factors as independent variables.@*Results@#The prevalence of NAFLD was 24.1% in CHB patients who received antiviral therapy. After adjusting for age and gender, central obesity (OR: 7.44, 95%CI: 6.06 ~ 9.14), hypertension (OR: 1.74, 95%CI: 1.51 ~ 2.20), and triglyceride (OR: 1.52, 95%CI: 1.18 ~ 1.96) were positively associated with NAFLD, and cirrhosis was negatively associated with NAFLD (OR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.34 ~ 0.53). Patients with long-term antiviral therapy had increased risk of NAFLD.@*Conclusion@#A significant proportion of CHB patients receiving antiviral therapy have suffered from NAFLD. Therefore, CHB patients receiving long-term antiviral treatment should pay more attention to the prevalence of NAFLD.

Radiological analysis of coronal and sagittal spinopelvic parameters in patients with degenerative lumbar kyphoscoliosis / 中华外科杂志

Objective@#To review and compare radiological parameters between degenerative lumbar kyphoscoliosis (DLKS) and degenerative lumbar kyphosis (DLK), and analyze the relationships between coronal and sagittal deformities and compensatory mechanisms of sagittal balance.@*Methods@#A total of 82 patients with lumbar degenerative deformities were enrolled for our radiographic study at Department of Spinal Surgery, Peking University People′s Hospital from January 2016 to May 2017. These patients were divided into two groups: DLKS group (39 patients) with lumbar coronal and sagittal deformities, and DLK group (43 patients) just with lumbar sagittal deformity. Complete spinopelvic radiographic parameters were compared.@*Results@#The Cobb angle and lumbar lordosis of DLKS group were (23.0±11.8)° and (18.2±12.1)°, while the lumbar lordosis of DLK group was (20.4±10.2)°. In DLKS group, Cobb angle had correlations with lumbar lordosis(r=-0.338, P=0.035), and central sacral vertical line distance had significant correlations with thoracolumbar junctional angle (r=0.488, P=0.002) . Moreover, no significant differences of all sagittal spinopelvic parameters were found between two groups (P>0.05). In DLKS group, significant correlations between lumbar lordosis and sacral slope (r=0.617, P=0.000), and correlations between lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis(r=-0.363, P=0.023) were observed. In DLK group, lumbar lordosis showed significant correlations with thoracic kyphosis(r=-0.341, P=0.025) and sacral slope (r=0.772, P=0.000). According to Nash-Moe grading scale of apical vertebral rotation, 10 patients were with Ⅰ-Ⅱ grade while 29 patients with Ⅲ-Ⅴ grade in DLKS group.@*Conclusions@#Both as typical lumbar degenerative deformities, there are some correlations between scoliosis and kyphosis. However, coronal scoliosis may not influent sagittal morphological parameters for DLKS patients. Thoracic curve changes and pelvic backtilt are both important for maintaining the sagittal balance in patients with degenerative lumbar kyphoscoliosis.

Effect of interaction between ADIPOQ gene 11377C/G polymorphism and physical activity on metabolic syndrome in children / 实用医学杂志

Objectve To study the effect of interaction between ADIPOQ 11377C/G (rs266729) gene polymorphism and physical activity in metabolic syndrome in children. Methods We conducted a case-control study in 114 cases and 114 controls. The genotype of ADIPOQ 11377C/G had been detected in direct sequenc-ing. The effect of interaction between gene polymorphism and physical activity was evaluated by a crossover analysis. Results Efficient physical activity was a protective factor (OR = 0.14); there was interaction between inefficient physical activity and CC genotype of 11377C/G which was a risk factor for metabolic syndrome in children. Conclusion Efficient physical activity can reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome in children. There was interaction between 11377C/G (rs266729) polymorphism and physical activity.