Test-Retest Reliability, Criterion-Related Validity, and Ecological Validity of the Test of Visual-Motor Skills, Third Edition, in Kindergarten Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder.

IMPORTANCE: Establishing empirical evidence on the psychometric properties of the Test of Visual-Motor Skills (3rd ed.; TVMS-3) is helpful for guiding its use as an assessment of visual-motor integration (VMI) skills in kindergarten children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). OBJECTIVE: To investigate the test-retest reliability, criterion-related validity, and ecological validity of the TVMS-3 in Taiwanese kindergarten children with DCD. DESIGN: A nonexperimental, descriptive, correlational design. SETTING: A hospital in Central Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-seven kindergarten children with DCD were recruited in the study. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Intraclass correlation coefficient, percentage of minimal detectable change, and paired t test (Wilcoxon signed rank test) were used to investigate the test-retest reliability of the TVMS-3. The correlations (Pearson's r) between the TVMS-3 accuracy score and the scores of each of the four domains and the adaptive behavior composite score of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (3rd ed.; Vineland-3) were calculated, respectively, to examine criterion-related validity and ecological validity. RESULTS: The accuracy score of the TVMS-3 had excellent test-retest reliability and acceptable random measurement error. Moreover, it showed good criterion-related validity and sufficient ecological validity with the Vineland-3 in Taiwanese kindergarten children with DCD. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The accuracy score of the TVMS-3 is applicable to Taiwanese kindergarten children with DCD in clinical and research settings. Plain-Language Summary: The accuracy score of the Test of Visual-Motor Skills (3rd ed.; TVMS-3) is a useful assessment tool to detect deficits in visual-motor integration for Taiwanese kindergarten children with developmental coordination disorder. The TVMS-3 has excellent test-retest reliability, good criterion-related validity, and sufficient ecological validity.

Pregnancy outcomes of fetuses with congenital heart disease after a prenatal diagnosis with chromosome microarray.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pregnancy outcomes of fetuses with congenital heart disease (CHD) after chromosome microarray (CMA)-based prenatal diagnosis. METHOD: Amniocentesis was performed in 1035 pregnant women carrying fetuses with CHD between September 2014 and December 2019. Chromosomal aberrations in fetuses with CHD were evaluated using CMA. The pregnancy outcomes were followed up from 6 months to 5 years. RESULTS: The overall CHD detection rate by CMA was 10.1% (105/1035; 50 fetuses: aneuploidy, 55 fetuses: pathogenic or likely pathogenic copy number variations). Among 1003 fetuses who were followed up, 4, 236, 763, and 18 cases were of miscarriages, pregnancy termination, live births, and postnatal deaths, respectively. Self-healed CHD was observed in 401 (52.6%) fetuses. The pregnancy termination rate of fetuses with chromosomal anomalies was significantly higher than that of fetuses without chromosomal anomalies (93.1% vs. 15.5%, p < 0.001). However, other pregnancy outcomes, including mortality, preterm labor, and low-weight birth rate, were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The outcome of CMA is an important factor influencing parents' choice of whether to continue the pregnancy. Self-healing rate of prenatal diagnosed CHD is high. The mortality and morbidity of fetuses with CHD following prenatal CMA testing are relatively low.

Prenatal diagnosis with chromosome microarray and pregnancy outcomes of fetuses with biliary tract system abnormalities.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prenatal diagnostic value of chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) in fetuses presenting with ultrasound-based biliary tract system (BTS) anomalies. METHODS: Amniocentesis was performed and CMA was applied in 271 pregnant women carrying fetuses with BTS abnormalities between April 2015 and December 2020. Pregnancy outcomes and fetal prognosis were followed from 1 to 6 years. RESULTS: Sixteen cases (5.9%, 16/271) of chromosomal anomalies were detected. The detection rate of chromosomal abnormalities was significantly higher for fetuses with nonisolated BTS anomalies than for those with isolated BTS anomalies (9.0% vs. 0%, p = 0.0017). Follow-up results were obtained from 267 fetuses, including 25 cases of termination of pregnancy (9.4%), 237 live births (88.8%), and 5 (1.9%) neonatal demises. The incidence of congenital biliary atresia in the small gallbladder and nonvisualized gallbladder groups was 3.0% (1/33) and 9.5% (7/74), respectively; however, none was detected on postnatal ultrasound reexamination in the gallbladder enlargement or the other BTS groups. CONCLUSIONS: An isolated BTS abnormality is not an indication for invasive prenatal chromosomal analysis. When combined with other ultrasonographic abnormalities, prenatal CMA should be provided. When a small or nonvisualized gallbladder is found prenatally, ultrasonography is limited in the differential diagnosis of congenital biliary atresia.

Homocysteine induces vascular inflammatory response via SMAD7 hypermethylation in human umbilical vein smooth muscle cells.

Homocysteine (Hcy) can induce atherosclerosis through the inflammatory response and DNA methylation disorder. Our recent study has reported a novel epigenetic modified gene related to atherosclerosis -SMAD7. To further understand the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, the current study was designed to investigate an inflammatory role of Hcy in human umbilical vein smooth muscle cells (HUVSMCs) through interfering with SMAD7 methylation. Using MALDI-TOF MS, we found that Hcy increased DNA methylation levels of SMAD7 promoter in a dose and time-dependent manner in HUVSMCs. Meanwhile, both SMAD7 mRNA and protein levels were decreased along with the increase of Hcy concentrations and treating time. Decreased SMAD7 levels led to up regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1ß) expression in HUVSMCs. Furthermore, we found that activation of NF-κB pathway was the mechanism by which reduced Smad7 levels enhanced vascular inflammation. Thus, Hcy is able to activate NF-κB-mediated vascular inflammatory response via inducing hypermethylation of SMAD7 promoter in HUVSMCs. The in vitro findings supplement our recent clinical study that SMAD7 methylation as a novel marker in atherosclerosis and further elucidate the role of Hcy in atherogenesis.

Cytotoxic Triterpenoids from Roots of Actinidia chinensis.

Phytochmical investigation of roots of Actinidia chinensisPlanch. led to the isolation triterpenoids 1 - 16, including a new compound 2α,3α,23,24-tetrahydroxyursa-12,20(30)-dien-28-oic acid (1). Their structures were identified on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, including 1D- and 2D-NMR, HR-ESI mass spectrometry, and by comparison with the literatures. The cytotoxicities of triterpenoids 1 - 16 against a panel of cultured human cancer cell lines (HepG2, A549, MCF-7, SK-OV-3, and HeLa) were evaluated. The new compound 1 exhibited moderate antitumor activities with IC50 values of 19.62 ± 0.81, 18.86 ± 1.56, 45.94 ± 3.62, 62.41 ± 2.29, and 28.74 ± 1.07 µm, respectively. The experiment data might be available to explain the use of roots of A. chinensis to treat various cancers in traditional Chinese medicine.

Two New Chromone Glycosides from the Roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata.

Five chromone glycosides were isolated from the water-soluble portions of 70% EtOH extract of the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata, including two new chromone glycosides 1 and 2. The structures of the chromone glycosides were identified as (3'S)-3'-O-ß-d-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 6)-ß-d-glucopyranosylhamaudol (1), (2'S)-4'-O-ß-d-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 6)-ß-d-glucopyranosylvisamminol (2), 3'-O-glucopyranosylhamaudol (3), 4'-O-ß-d-glucopyranosylvisamminol (4), and 4'-O-ß-d-glucopyranosyl-5-O-methylvisamminol (5) on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods, and the absolute configurations of the new compounds were elucidated by the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation and acid hydrolysis. The cytotoxic activities of the glycosides 1 - 5 against three human cancer cell lines (PC-3, SK-OV-3, and H460) were evaluated. The result showed that compounds 1 - 5 had weak cytotoxic activities against the human cancer cell lines with IC50 values in the range of 48.54 ± 0.80 - 94.25 ± 1.45 µm.

[Changes of transport sugar content in different organs of Rehmannia glutinosa].

Raffinose series oligosaccharides are the transport and storage sugars of many plants, Rehmannia glutinosa is one of the commonly used Chinese herbal medicines, medicinal parts ist he roots. Root and tuber of R. glutinosa contains stachyose, raffinose and other oligosaccharides, but the study about the process of growth and development of other organs in the non-structural changes in sugar content is rare.In this study, leaves, stems and roots of R. glutinosa were used as materials to analyze the diurnal variation and the changes of sugar content of sucrose, raffinose and stachyose in different organs of R. glutinosa. The results showed that the content of sucrose in R. glutinosa leaves gradually increased from seedling stage.However, the content of stachyose did not change much at the early stage of growth, and the stachyose rapidly increased at the later stage of growth. The raffinose content gradually decreased throughout the growing season, young leaves of R. glutinosa have higher ability to sucrose synthesis than mature leaves, while mature leaf has higher raffinose and stachyose synthesis ability than young leaves. Sucrose and stachyose content in stem gradually increased, while there was little change in raffinose content. The content of raffinose and stachyose in root increased rapidly from the beginning of fast growing period, while the content of sucrose did not change much. The content of sucrose in leaves of R. glutinosa did not change much at day and night, while the daily changes of raffinose and stachyose contents were very obvious. The contents of raffinose and stachyose in daytime were higher than those at night. The content of raffinose in root and stem was not changed much, but the change of stachyose in root, stem and leaf was very obvious, especially in stem and leaf. In summary, the leaf is the main synthetic organ of raffinose, leaves, stems and roots are stachyose synthesis organ. Sucrose, raffinose and stachyose are the major transport forms of carbohydrates in R. glutinosa.

[Chemical constituents from roots of Actinidia rufa and their cytotoxicity].

To investigate the chemical compounds from the roots of Actinidia rufa, nine compounds were isolated by various column chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Their structures were elucidated as 2α, 3ß, 19α, 23, 24-pentahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid-28-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (1), 2α, 3α, 19α, 24-tetrahydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid-28-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (2), 2α, 3α, 24-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (3), 2α, 3α, 24-trihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (4), 2α, 3α, 23, 24-tetrahydroxyurs -12-en-28-oic acid (5), 2α, 3ß, 23, 24-tetrah-ydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (6), 2α, 3ß, 23-trihydroxy-12-en-28-oic acid (7), 2α, 3ß, 23-trihydroxyurs-12, 20(30)-dien-28-oic acid (8), and 2α, 3α, 23-trihydroxyurs-12, 20(30)-dien-28-oic acid (9). Compounds 1 and 2 were isolated from the Actinidia genus for the first time. Compounds 2, 3, and 4 showed cytotoxic activity against human SKVO3 and TPC-1 cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 10.99 to 16.41 µmol•L⁻¹, compounds 3 and 4 have cytotoxic activity against human HeLa cancer cell line with IC50 values of 15.53 and 13.07 µmol•L⁻¹, respectively.

Neovascular glaucoma: a retrospective review from a tertiary center in China.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to report the prevalence, etiology, treatment and outcomes of neovascular glaucoma (NVG) in a tertiary care ophthalmic center in China. METHODS: Medical records of patients diagnosed as NVG at the Wenzhou Medical University between 2003 and 2014 were reviewed. Success was defined as IOP between 6 and 21 mmHg without topical or systemic glaucoma medications with retention of presenting visual acuity (VA). RESULTS: NVG was diagnosed in 483 of 8306 (5.8%) of all glaucoma patients. Etiology is reported for all 310 eyes of 284 patients managed in the department. Interventions depended on insurance as well as personal finances; outcomes are reported for the 149 eyes of 138 patients with complete data that met follow up requirements. Diabetic retinopathy (DR,39.7%) was the major cause of NVG. Kaplan Meier survival analysis showed a success rate of 84.8% at 1 year, 47.5% at 3 years and 21.9% at 5 years. Major interventions included glaucoma drainage device (GDD) in 103 eyes and trans-scleral cyclophotocoagulation (TSCPC) in 22 eyes. Complications were more common in the GDD group. CONCLUSIONS: NVG comprised 5.8% of glaucoma patients seen in a tertiary Chinese hospital. DR was identified as the commonest cause and probably reflects the increasing prevalence of diabetes in China. Surgical interventions were partly determined by insurance status and personal finances. GDD was the commonest surgical intervention used and also had the most complications.

[Pharmacodynamic differences between hangmaidong and chuanmaidong based on metabonomics].

To evaluate the differences of Ophiopogonjaponicus from different cultivations, the metabolomics based method was conducted to compare the effects of Hangmaidong and Chuanmaidong (Chinese name) on plasma endogenous metabolites of normal rats. Data were collected by ultra performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS), and were analyzed by multivariate statistical method, such as Principal Component Analysis and Orthogonal Signal Correction Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis. Results revealed that the plasma metabolites profiling of low and middle dose group of Chuanmaidong were similar to the control group, but different from the high dose group obviously. Meanwhile the high, middle and low dose groups of Hangmaidong were different from control group notably, and the difference is dose dependent. Lysophosphatidylcholines, the possible endogenous metabolites which contribute to the classification most significantly, are closely related to cardiovascular system diseases. Compared with the group of Chuanmaidong, Hangmaidong has greater impact on the plasma metabolic profiling of normal rats. Hangmaidong and Chuanmaidong showed significant differences pharmacodynamically.

Prenatal diagnosis of chromosomal aberrations by chromosomal microarray analysis and pregnancy outcomes of fetuses with polyhydramnios.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the prenatal clinical utility of chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) for polyhydramnios and evaluate the short and long-term prognosis of fetuses with polyhydramnios. METHODS: A total of 600 singleton pregnancies with persistent polyhydramnios from 2014 to 2020 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. All cases received amniocentesis and were subjected to CMA results. All cases were categorized into two groups: isolated polyhydramnios and non-isolated polyhydramnios [with soft marker(s) or with sonographic structural anomalies]. All fetuses were followed up from 6 months to five years after amniocentesis to acquire short and long-term prognosis. RESULTS: The detection rates of either aneuploidy or pathogenic copy number variants in fetuses with non-isolated polyhydramnios were significantly higher than those with isolated polyhydramnios (5.0 vs. 1.5%, p = 0.0243; 3.6 vs. 0.8%, p = 0.0288). The detection rate of total chromosomal abnormalities in the structural abnormality group was significantly higher than that in the isolated group (10.0 vs. 2.3%, p = 0.0003). In the CMA-negative cases, the incidence of termination of pregnancy, neonatal and childhood death, and non-neurodevelopmental disorders in fetuses combined with structural anomalies was significantly higher than that in fetuses with isolated polyhydramnios (p < 0.05). We did not observe any difference in the prognosis between the isolated group and the combined group of ultrasound soft markers. In addition, the risk of postnatal neurodevelopmental disorders was also consistent among the three groups (1.6 vs. 1.3 vs. 1.8%). CONCLUSION: For low-risk pregnancies, invasive prenatal diagnosis of isolated polyhydramnios might be unnecessary. CMA should be considered for fetuses with structural anomalies. In CMA-negative cases, the prognosis of fetuses with isolated polyhydramnios was good, and polyhydramnios itself did not increase the risk of postnatal neurological development disorders. The worse prognosis mainly depends on the combination of polyhydramnios with structural abnormalities.

Predictive application of foam dressing on preventing of auricle pressure injury caused by ear dressing.

Objective: The use of foam dressings has been regarded as part of the individualized care plan in clinical practice. Our study aimed to compare the predictive application of foam dressing and conventional nursing method in the prevention of auricle pressure injury (PI) caused by ear dressing. Methods: Two hundred and four patients undergoing ear dressing after the operation in the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University in Sichuan, China from January 2021 to September 2021 were recruited as research objects. Patients were randomized into intervention group (n = 102) and control group (n = 102) using double-blind method. Result: Results showed that patients in the intervention group showed significantly lower incidence of auricle PI and higher comfort and satisfaction levels than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study reflected effective predictive application of foam dressing in reducing the incidence of auricle PI in ear dressing, which was suitable for clinical application.

Establishment of a facial nerve trunk crush injury model and evaluation of facial nerve self-healing in rats.

INTRODUCTION/AIMS: To facilitate further investigation into the mechanisms of facial nerve regeneration, a simple and reliable model of facial nerve crush injury is essential. Nevertheless, the establishment of such models lacks standardization and repeatability, while the healing capacity of the nerve is often overlooked, potentially affecting future studies. METHODS: We made facial nerve trunk crush injury models with different pressing times and detected the changes from the distal nerves to the motoneurons via behavior analysis, electrophysiological test, and histomorphometry analysis. RESULTS: It revealed a particular capacity for self-healing following facial nerve crush damage because there was almost no facial motoneuron apoptosis in the MC group during the observation period, and rats in MC group had total facial paralysis in behavioral tests following surgery and varying degrees of recovery 28 days postoperatively with no treatments. As the pressing time increased, the latency, wave amplitude, nerve fiber damage degree, nerve axon ratio, myelin thickness, electroneurograph (ENoG) value, ultrastructural damage, abnormal morphological changes, and the buccal muscle atrophy of each MC group gradually increased or got worse during the observation period. However, after 28 postoperative days, only the ENoG values of the M10min and M12min groups were beyond 90%, indicating no self-healing. DISCUSSION: It suggests that a stable model of peripheral facial palsy may be created by applying a 12.5 cm mosquito clamped to the facial nerve trunk for at least 10 min, which laid the foundation for the subsequent research to objectively evaluate facial nerve regeneration.

Structurally diverse isobutylamides from Zanthoxylum nitidum.

Five pairs of new racemic alkamides (1a/1b and 4a/4b-7a/7b) and two new achiral derivatives (2-3), as well as five known ones (8-12), were purified from the 95% EtOH extract of Zanthoxylum nitidum. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic analyses (NMR and HR-ESI-MS), electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and NMR calculations. The enantiomeric separation was successfully achieved by chiral-phase HPLC-ECD measurements. Among all the isolates, compounds 2, 3, and 10 showed inhibitory effects against five human cancer cell lines, with IC50 values in range of 18.51-48.03 µM.

Prenatal diagnosis with chromosome microarray analysis and pregnancy outcomes of fetuses with umbilical cord cysts.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prenatal diagnostic value of chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) in fetuses with isolated or non-isolated umbilical cord cysts (UCCs) of various locations and numbers. METHODS: Between November 2015 and November 2021, 45 pregnant women carrying fetuses with UCCs underwent amniocentesis and CMA. Fetal prognoses were followed from 6 months to 5 years. RESULTS: Five cases (11.1%, 5/45) of chromosomal aberrations were detected. No significant difference in total chromosome abnormalities was found between fetuses with isolated and non-isolated UCCs (13.3% [2/15] vs 10% [3/30]; p > .999). No common autosomal aneuploidies were found in fetuses with isolated UCCs. At follow-up, among 45 fetuses, there were 11 (24.4%) pregnancy terminations, 26 (57.8%) live healthy births, 4 (8.9%) postnatal UCC-related surgeries, and 4 (8.9%) live births of fetuses with other diseases. The frequency of postnatal surgeries of the infants with UCCs located adjacent to the anterior abdominal wall was higher than those located adjacent to the fetal surface of the placenta (30.8% [4/13] vs 0% [0/22]; p = .014). All 26 live healthy neonates and 4 neonates that underwent postnatal surgery had an overall good prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: For fetuses with isolated or non-isolated UCC, CMA could be a choice for parents after providing detailed information. Even when surgery was required, pregnancy outcomes and short- and long-term prognoses for fetuses with UCCs were favorable.

Experience in the management of sigmoid sinus thrombophlebitis secondary to middle ear cholesteatoma.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the management of sigmoid sinus thrombophlebitis secondary to middle ear cholesteatoma. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all cases of sigmoid sinus thrombophlebitis caused by middle ear cholesteatoma over a period of 7 years. 7 male and 2 female patients, ranging in age from 9 to 66 years, were diagnosed with sigmoid sinus thrombophlebitis by clinical presentation and radiological examination. By executing a modified mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty (canal wall-down tympanoplasty) to entirely remove the cholesteatoma-like mastoid epithelium, all patients were effectively treated surgically without opening the sigmoid sinus. All patients were treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, but no anticoagulants were used. RESULTS: 9 patients had otogenic symptoms such as ear pus, tympanic membrane perforation, and hearing loss. In the initial stage of the surgery, modified mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty were performed on 8 of the 9 patients. 1 patient with a brain abscess underwent puncturing (drainage of the abscess) to relieve cranial pressure, and 4 months later, a modified mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty were carried out. Following surgery and medication, the clinical symptoms of every patient improved. After the follow-up of 6 months to 7 years, 3 patients were re-examined for MRV and showed partial sigmoid sinus recovery with recanalization. 4 months following middle ear surgery, the extent of a patient's brain abscess lesions was significantly reduced. 1 patient experienced facial paralysis after surgery and recovered in 3 months. None of the patients had a secondary illness, an infection, or an abscess in a distant organ. CONCLUSION: The key to a better prognosis is an adequate course of perioperative antibiotic medication coupled with surgical treatment. A stable sigmoid sinus thrombus can remain for a long time after middle ear lesions have been removed, and it is less likely to cause infection and abscesses in the distant organs. The restoration of middle ear ventilation is facilitated by tympanoplasty. It is important to work more closely with multidisciplinary teams such as neurology and neurosurgery when deciding whether to perform lateral sinusotomies to remove thrombus or whether to administer anticoagulation.

A chromosomal microarray analysis-based laboratory algorithm for the detection of genetic etiology of early pregnancy loss.

Background: Chromosomal abnormalities are a major cause of early pregnancy loss. However, models synthesizing existing genetic technologies to improve pregnancy outcomes are lacking. We aim to provide an integrated laboratory algorithm for the genetic etiology of couples who experienced pregnancy loss. Methods: Over a 6-year period, 3,634 products of conception (POCs) following early pregnancy loss were collected. The clinical outcomes from a laboratory algorithm based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and parental chromosomal karyotyping assays were comprehensively evaluated. Results: In total, 3,445 of 3,634 (94.8%) POCs had no maternal-cell contamination. Of those POCs, the detection rate of abnormal results was 65.2% (2,247/3,445), of which 91.2% (2,050/2,247) had numerical chromosomal abnormalities, 2.7% (60/2,247) had copy-number variations (CNVs) ≥10 Mb, 2.7% (61/2,247) had CNVs of terminal deletion and duplication, 2.8% (62/2,247) had CNVs <10 Mb, and 0.6% (14/2,247) had uniparental disomy. Furthermore, FISH confirmed 7 of the 60 POCs with mosaic aneuploids below 30% based on the SNP array results as tetraploid. Of the 52 POCs with CNVs of terminal deletion and duplication, 29 couples had balanced rearrangements based on chromosomal karyotyping. Conclusion: The integrated SNP array-based algorithm combined with optional FISH and parental chromosomal karyotyping is an effective laboratory testing strategy, providing a comprehensive and reliable genetic investigation for the etiology of miscarriage, regardless of the number of miscarriages and the method of conception.

Extracts of Lycoris aurea induce apoptosis in murine sarcoma S180 cells.

Lycoris species have been known since long ago as a multi-utility ethnomedicinal herbal in China. It has been reported to exhibit a number of properties such as anticancer, neuroprotective, and antibacterial activities. In the present study, the anticancer efficacy of dichloromethane extracts of Lycoris aurea (DELA), was evaluated both in vivo and in vitro using murine sarcoma 180 cells. To evaluate the effects of DELA on apoptotic cell death, flow cytometry and Western blotting were performed. DELA demonstrated promising inhibition effects on sarcoma 180 cells in vitro and a 53.49% inhibitory rate on cancer cells in vivo. DELA treatment increased thymus indices and spleen indices in vivo, indicating that it reduced tumours, but did not damage the main immune organs. The DELA-evoked increase in apoptotic cell death was accompanied by occurrence of cleaved caspase-3 and decreases in the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax. Further purification and LCMS analysis showed DELA contained homolycorine, 2α-hydroxyoduline, oduline, hippeastrine, 2α-hydroxy-6-O- methyloduline, and 2α-methoxy-6-O-methyloduline. These results indicate that DELA exerted its anticancer effects, at least in part, by inducing cancer cell apoptosis and thus can be considered as a potential candidate agent for treatment of cancer.

Observation seasonal variation of intraocular pressure in young healthy volunteers.

AIM: To investigate fluctuation of intraocular pressure (IOP) and seasonal variation of 24-hour IOP during one year in healthy participants. METHODS: Totally 13 young healthy volunteers participated in this study. IOP was measured with Canon TX-20 at about 8:00-9:00 a.m. from Monday to Friday every week for a whole year. They also underwent 24-hour IOP examination every three months. Blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, humidity, atmosphere pressure, sunshine duration and other environment parameters were recorded. RESULTS: The yearly fluctuation curve showed IOP in the summer months were lower than other seasons. In the multivariable generalized estimating equation analysis, IOP had a negative correlation with both temperature and sunshine duration (P<0.05). There also was a seasonal effect on 24-hour IOP. However, all intraclass correlation coefficients values of minimum, maximum and average of the 24-hour IOP and each individual IOP were less than 0.30. CONCLUSION: IOP is trend to be higher in cold days than warm days. IOP have negative association with both environmental temperature and duration of sunshine. On a season-to-season basis, 24-hour IOP is not highly reproducible in healthy volunteers.

Biodegradable Silk Fibroin Nanocarriers to Modulate Hypoxia Tumor Microenvironment Favoring Enhanced Chemotherapy.

Biopolymer silk fibroin (SF) is a great candidate for drug carriers characterized by its tunable biodegradability, and excellent biocompatibility properties. Recently, we have constructed SF-based nano-enabled drug delivery carriers, in which doxorubicin (Dox) and atovaquone (Ato) were encapsulated with Arg-Gly-Asp-SF-Polylactic Acid (RSA) to form micellar-like nanoparticles (RSA-Dox-Ato NPs). The RGD peptide was decorated on micellar-like nanoparticles, promoting tumor accumulation of the drug. Meanwhile, Ato, as a mitochondrial complex III inhibitor inhibiting mitochondrial respiration, would reverse the hypoxia microenvironment and enhance chemotherapy in the tumor. In vitro, the biopolymer alone showed extremely low cytotoxicity to 4T1 cell lines, while the RSA-Dox-Ato demonstrated a higher inhibition rate than other groups. Most significantly, the ROS levels in cells were obviously improved after being treated with RSA-Dox-Ato, indicating that the hypoxic microenvironment was alleviated. Eventually, SF-based targeted drug carrier provides biocompatibility to reverse hypoxia microenvironment in vivo for enhancing chemotherapy, strikingly suppressing tumor development, and thereby suggesting a promising candidate for drug delivery system.