Validation of the Short Form of the Mood Instability Questionnaire-Trait (MIQ-T-SF) in the Korean General Population

Objective@#Mood instability (MI) is a clinically significant trait associated with psychiatric disorders. However, there are no concise measurements to evaluate MI. The initial Mood Instability Questionnaire-Trait (MIQ-T) was developed to fill this gap. The current study aimed to create a short form of MIQ-T (MIQ-T-SF) that measures MI with high validity and reliability in the Korean general population. @*Methods@#Of the 59 items in the MIQ-T, 17 items were chosen for the MIQ-T-SF following the factor analysis process. In total, 540 participants completed the MIQ-T-SF. Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega were used to evaluate reliability. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to determine construct validity. Concurrent validity was confirmed via comparisons with Personality Assessment Inventory-Borderline Features Scale. Measurement invariance across gender and age groups was confirmed before analyzing differences in scores using Kruskal-Wallis test. @*Results@#The MIQ-T-SF displayed expected correlations and high internal consistency (α=0.71–0.90, Ωt=0.72–0.92). Using EFA and CFA, a five-factor structure was confirmed. Measurement invariance was supported, and gender differences were observed. @*Conclusion@#The MIQ-T-SF is an accurate and reliable method to detect MI in the Korean general population. The study’s results offer new perspectives for future studies on MI.

Local Delivery of CTGF siRNA with Poly(sorbitol-co-PEI) Reduces Scar Contraction in Cutaneous Wound Healing

Healing process in scarring inevitably produces a considerable amount of non-organized dense collagen-rich matrix called scar thus impairing the native structure of skin. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) overexpression within healing tissues is known to play an imperative role in collagen production stimulated by transforming growth factor-beta in cutaneous wound healing. Undoubtedly, the knockdown of CTGF expression through siRNA-mediated gene silencing could simply impede the scarring process. However, the less stability and low transfection of siRNAs themselves urge a safe carrier to protect and transfect them into cells at a high rate avoiding toxicities. Here, we developed a degradable poly(sorbitol-co-PEI) (PSPEI), prepared by polymerization of sorbitol diacrylate with low molecular weight polyethylenimine, which has high transfection efficiency but low cytotoxicity, and utilized it in siCTGF delivery to silence the expression of CTGF in an animal model of cutaneous wound healing. Unlike contracted scar in normal healing, there was no or less contraction in the healed skin of mice treated with siCTGF using PSPEI. Histologically, the healed tissues also had distinct papillary structures and dense irregular connective tissues that were lacking in the control scar tissues. This study exemplifies a successful treatment of cutaneous wound healing using a polymer system coupled with RNA interference. Hence, the approach holds a great promise for developing new treatments with novel targets in regenerative medicines.

Effects of feeding a diet containing Gymnema sylvestre extract: Attenuating progression of obesity in C57BL/6J mice

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of Gymnema sylvestre extract (GS) on initial anti-obesity, liver injury, and glucose homeostasis induced by a high-fat diet (HFD).@*METHODS@#The dry powder of GS was extracted with methanol, and gymnemic acid was identified by high performance liquid chromatography as deacyl gymnemic acid. Male C57BL/6J mice that fed on either a normal diet, normal diet containing 1 g/kg GS (CON+GS), HFD, or HFD containing 1.0 g/kg GS (HFD + GS) for 4 weeks were used to test the initial anti-obesity effect of GS. Body weight gain and food intake, and serum levels about lipid and liver injury markers were measured. Histopathology of adipose tissue and liver stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and oil-red O were analyzed. After 4 weeks of GS extract feeding, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was performed.@*RESULTS@#The methanol extracts of GS exerted significant anti-obesity effects in HFD + GS group. They decreased body weight gain, a lower food and energy efficiency ratio, and showed lower serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol and leptin compared with the HFD group. The decreases of abdominal as well as epididymal fat weight and adipocyte hypertrophy, lipid droplets in liver, and serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were also observed. The CON + GS group showed an effect of glucose homeostasis compared to the CON group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#This study shows that GS provide the possibility as a key role in an initial anti-obesity effects feeding with a HFD.

Effects of feeding a diet containing Gymnema sylvestre extract: Attenuating progression of obesity in C57BL/6J mice

Objective To investigate the effect of Gymnema sylvestre extract (GS) on initial anti-obesity, liver injury, and glucose homeostasis induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). Methods The dry powder of GS was extracted with methanol, and gymnemic acid was identified by high performance liquid chromatography as deacyl gymnemic acid. Male C57BL/6J mice that fed on either a normal diet, normal diet containing 1 g/kg GS (CON+GS), HFD, or HFD containing 1.0 g/kg GS (HFD + GS) for 4 weeks were used to test the initial anti-obesity effect of GS. Body weight gain and food intake, and serum levels about lipid and liver injury markers were measured. Histopathology of adipose tissue and liver stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and oil-red O were analyzed. After 4 weeks of GS extract feeding, intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT) was performed. Results The methanol extracts of GS exerted significant anti-obesity effects in HFD + GS group. They decreased body weight gain, a lower food and energy efficiency ratio, and showed lower serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol and leptin compared with the HFD group. The decreases of abdominal as well as epididymal fat weight and adipocyte hypertrophy, lipid droplets in liver, and serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were also observed. The CON + GS group showed an effect of glucose homeostasis compared to the CON group. Conclusions This study shows that GS provide the possibility as a key role in an initial anti-obesity effects feeding with a HFD.