Isoprene is an important precursor of synthetic rubber material. In our previous study, metabolic engineered Escherichia coli strain (BW-01) was constructed and used to produce isoprene. Based on the theory of protein budget, using synthetic biology strategies including the increased copy number of genes and rare codons, we regulated the expression of key enzyme to improve isoprene production in Escherichia coli strain. Under shake-flask conditions, isoprene productivity of the engineered strain (BW-07) increased by 73% compared with BW-01, reached 761.1 mg/L. It provides a reference for further studies.
Butadienes ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Dosage ; Hemiterpenes ; biosynthesis ; Industrial Microbiology ; Metabolic Engineering ; Mevalonic Acid ; Pentanes ; Synthetic Biology

The study of vitiligo has made a huge progress due to the development of medical technology. Some new treatment idea, methods and integrated therapies have been considered as the trending alternatives. This paper summarized the treatment of different regular treatment combined with fire needling for vitiligo in clinic.

To study the effects of surfactants on wettability of excipients, the contact angles of six types of surfactants on the surface of two common excipients and mixture of three surfactants with excipients were measured using hypsometry method. The results demonstrated that contact angle of water on the surface of excipients was associated with hydrophilcity of excipients. Contact angle was lowered with increase in hydrophilic groups of excipient molecules. The sequence of contact angle from small to large was starch < sodium benzoate < polyvinylpyrrolidone < sodium carboxymethylcellulose < sodium alginate < chitosan < hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose

PURPOSE: MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play important roles in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) function. This study investigated the role of miR-379 on proliferation, invasion, and migration of VSMCs and explored underlying mechanisms thereof. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MicroRNA, mRNA, and protein levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. The proliferative, invasive, and migratory abilities of VSMCs were measured by CCK-8, invasion, and wound healing assay, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the target of miR-379. RESULTS: Platelet-derived growth factor-bb was found to promote cell proliferation and suppress miR-379 expression in VSMCs. Functional assays demonstrated that miR-379 inhibited cell proliferation, cell invasion, and migration. Flow cytometry results further showed that miR-379 induced apoptosis in VSMCs. TargetScan analysis and luciferase report assay confirmed that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) 3'UTR is a direct target of miR-379, and mRNA and protein levels of miR-379 and IGF-1 were inversely correlated. Rescue experiments showed that enforced expression of IGF-1 sufficiently overcomes the inhibitory effect of miR-379 on cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in VSMCs. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that miR-379 plays an important role in regulating VSMCs proliferation, invasion, and migration by targeting IGF-1.
Apoptosis ; Cell Movement/*physiology ; Cell Proliferation/*physiology ; Humans ; Insulin ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/*physiology ; MicroRNAs/*physiology ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/*cytology ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-sis/*physiology ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sincalide/physiology ; Wound Healing/physiology

Objective:To examine the role of LY294002 in cardiac function and myocardial structure in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) rats.Methods:Fifty-two male SD rats were randomly assigned to a control group (n=16) and a DCM group (n=36).The DCM rats were induced by intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin,and the control rats were given normal saline.After observation for 2 weeks,6 rats from each group were killed randomly.In the end of the 8th week,the 24 DCM rats were randomly assigned to a DCM group (n=12) and a LY294002 group (n=12),which were given normal saline and LY294002,respectively.In the end of the 8th week and 16th week,the cardiac function was analyzed by ultrasonic cardiogram (UCG) and the plasma was collected to test the level of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP).HE and Van Gieson (VG) staining were performed to calculate the collagen volume fraction (CVF).Results:Compared with the control group,the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD),left ventricular end-systolic dimension (LVESD) and NT-proBNP level of in the DCM rats were increased obviously,while the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF),left ventricular fractional shortening (LVFS) in the DCM rats were decreased obviously (P＜0.01).These changes were consistent with DCM characteristics.Compared with the DCM group,the LVEDD,LVESD and NT-proBNP levels in the LY294002 group were decreased,while the LVEF and LVFS were increased (P＜0.05).Histopathology showed that the myocardium in the DCM rats was fibrotic and the CVF was increased compared with the control rats (P＜0.01).The myocardial structure was improved in the LY294002 group compared to the DCM group.Conclusion:LY294002 can reduce the myocardial fibrosis in the DCM rats and improve the cardiac function.

The difficulty of wound healing in patients is a difficult problem that doctors in all clinical departments may encounter, and there is still no good solution. Resveratrol is a kind of natural active substance, which has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and angiogenesis promoting effects, and is a potential drug to promote wound healing. However, the clinical application of resveratrol is limited due to its low bioavailability. In this review, the molecular mechanism of resveratrol in promoting wound healing and its administration methods in wound treatment were reviewed to provide ideas for the redevelopment of resveratrol.

Hypersplenism is an important complication of cirrhotic portal hypertension, and splenectomy is an important means to treat hypersplenism in cirrhosis. It is realized that hypersplenism played a pathological role in the course of cirrhosis. This article analyzes and compares the changes in the condition of patients with cirrhosis between splenectomy with and without hyperfunction, and comprehensively discusses the pathological role and mechanism of hypersplenism in the course of cirrhosis, in order to strengthen the clinical prevention and treatment of hypersplenism in cirrhosis and to better improve the condition and prognosis of patients with cirrhosis.

AIM: To explore the value of the corneal/refractive analyzer OPD-Scan III in assessing visual quality after Nd:YAG laser surgery in patients with posterior capsular opacification.METHODS: A total of 98 patients(98 eyes)with posterior capsular opacification who underwent Nd:YAG laser posterior capsulotomy in our hospital from May 2021 to April 2023 were retrospectively selected as the research subjects, and higher-order aberration parameters(coma, spherical aberration and trefoil aberration)and visual quality parameters [Strehl ratio(SR)and 4 mm area ratio(AR)in the human eye modulation transfer function(MTF)curve] were obtained using the corneal/refractive analyzer OPD-Scan III. The patient's visual acuity, higher-order aberration parameters and visual quality before surgery, and at 1 wk and 3 mo after surgery were compared.RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in uncorrected distance visual acuity(UDVA), uncorrected intermediate visual acuity(UIVA)and uncorrected near visual acuity(UNVA), coma, spherical aberration, trefoil aberration, SR and AR before and after surgery(all P<0.001), and there were statistically significant differences in UDVA, UIVA, UNVA, coma, spherical aberration, trefoil aberration, SR and AR at 1 wk and 3 mo postoperatively(all P<0.05). Additionally, there were differences in the UDVA, UIVA, UNVA, SR and AR at 3 mo postoperatively compared with those parameters at 1 wk postoperatively(all P<0.05), while there were no statistical significance in coma, spherical aberration, trefoil aberration at 3 mo postoperatively and those at 1 wk postoperatively(all P>0.05). Furthermore, the spherical aberration, trefoil aberration were negatively correlated with SR(rs=-0.427, P=0.009; rs=-0.436, P=0.010), and the trefoil aberration was negatively correlated with AR(rs=-0.406, P=0.015).CONCLUSION: The visual acuity of patients with posterior capsular opacification improved after Nd:YAG laser surgery, and the corneal/refractive analyzer OPD-Scan III system has a high clinical value in reflecting patient's visual quality.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of left ventricular rotation and twist in patients with silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) by three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3D-STE), and to explore the diagnostic value of this method for SMI.
 METHODS: According to Gensini score, 66 patients with SMI were divided into 3 subgroups: a mild lesion group (n=16), a moderate lesion group (n=26) and a severe lesion group (n=24). Thirty patients with negative results in selective coronary angiography served as a control group. The parameters of wall motion score index (WMSI), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), peak basal rotation (Ptw-B), peak apical rotation (Prot-A), left ventricular peak apical rotation (LVrot), left ventricular peak apical twist (LVtw) were measured.
 RESULTS: In the SMI group, with an increase in severity of myocardial ischemia, LVEF, Prot-A, Prot-B, LVrot, LVtw showed a decrease trend while WMSI exhibited an opposite phenomenon (P<0.05), and all of them displayed a significant corelation with Gensini score (P<0.05). In the diagnosis of SMI, all of the above-mentioned parameters were highly sensitive and specific. 3D-STE showed the highest diagnostic value for LVtw.
 CONCLUSION Left ventricular rotation and twisting motion monitered by 3D-STE can evaluate the severity of myocardial ischemia in patients with SMI.
Coronary Artery Disease ; Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Rotation ; Ventricular Function, Left

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the first-line treatment using the combination therapy of sugemalimab and chemotherapy （hereinafter referred to as the “combination therapy”） for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC） with high programmed death-ligand 1 （PD-L1） expression from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system. METHODS A partitioned survival model was constructed based on data from the GEMSTONE-304 study. The model cycle was set at 3 weeks， with a study duration of 10 years and a discount rate of 5%. The primary output parameters of the model included total costs， quality-adjusted life year （QALY）， incremental costs， and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio （ICER）. Cost- utility analysis was employed to assess the economic feasibility of the combination therapy compared to chemotherapy alone. The robustness of the base case analysis results was evaluated through univariate sensitivity analysis， probabilistic sensitivity analysis， and scenario analysis. RESULTS The ICER of the combination therapy compared to chemotherapy alone was 288 430.35 yuan/QALY， significantly exceeding the willingness-to-pay （WTP） threshold of 173 354.52 yuan/QALY which was set at 1.94 times the per capita gross domestic product （GDP） in 2023. The price of sugemalimab was the primary factor influencing the ICER. When the WTP threshold was set at 1.94 times the per capita GDP （173 354.52 yuan/QALY）， the probability of the combination therapy being cost-effective compared to chemotherapy alone was 0. The combination therapy only became cost-effective compared to chemotherapy alone when the price of the drug dropped to 6 107.41 yuan per box （600 mg）. CONCLUSIONS From the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system， the combination therapy for first-line treatment of advanced ESCC with high PD-L1 expression is not cost-effective； the combination therapy is cost-effective when the price of sugemalimab decreas by 50.65%.