Objective To investigate the effect of the loss of myeloid-derived growth factor(Mydgf)on the transformation of cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts after myocardial infarction(MI).Methods Two adult mouse groups,including a wild-type(WT)group and another group with Mydgf knockout(Mydgf-KO),were examined in the study.The mice in these two groups were tested for their cardiac function by measuring left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and left ventricular fractional shortening(LVFS)(n=10).Quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)(n=3)was performed to determine the mRNA expression levels of myofibroblast markers,including α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA),periostin(postn),type Ⅷ collagen(col8al),and connective tissue growth factor(ctgf).Western blot(n=3)was performed to verify the protein expression levels of α-SMA.MI modeling was performed on the WT and the Mydgf-KO mice.Postoperative LVEF and LVFS(n=10)were then measured.The hearts were harvested and Masson staining was performed to determine the infarcted area(n=10).The heart samples of Mydgf-KO and WT mice were collected at d 7 and d 14 after MI,respectively,to verify the expression of myofibroblast markers(n=3).Results Compared with WT mice,LVEF and LVFS in adult Mydgf-KO mice showed no significant changes(all P＞0.05).However,the mRNA levels of α-SMA and postn were upregulated,and α-SMA protein expression was also increased(all P＜0.05).After MI,compared with WT mice,LVEF and LVFS in Mydgf-KO mice decreased,and the infarcted area increased significantly(all P＜0.05).Furthermore,mRNA levels of α-SMA,col8al,postn,and ctgf were increased in Mydgf-KO mice.In addition,the α-SMA protein expression level was upregulated and α-SMA-positive fibroblasts were increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Mydgf deletion promotes the transformation of cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and aggravates myocardial fibrosis after MI.

Objective:To investigate clinical characteristics of bullous pemphigoid (BP) developing after the treatment with dipeptidyl peptidase-Ⅳ inhibitors (DPP4i) in patients with diabetes mellitus.Methods:A total of 116 inpatients with BP complicated by diabetes mellitus were collected from the Seventh People′s Hospital of Shenyang between January 2014 and December 2020, and divided into 2 groups: DPP4i-BP group treated with DPP4i before the onset of BP, and general BP group receiving no treatment with DPP4i. General clinical data, skin lesion area, laboratory indicators, treatment regimens, and prognosis were analyzed and compared between the above 2 groups, the time interval from the administration of DPP4i to the diagnosis of BP was recorded in the DPP4i-BP group. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare measurement data among multiple groups, two-independent-sample t test was used for comparisons between two groups, and paired t-test for intra-group comparisons before and after treatment; chi-square test was used to compare enumeration data between groups. Results:There were 32 patients aged 77.17 ± 15.32 years in the DPP4i-BP group, with a male-to-female ratio being 15∶17; there were 84 patients aged 76.65 ± 19.32 years in the general BP group, with a male-to-female ratio being 43∶41. The time interval from the administration of DPP4i to the diagnosis of BP was 14.61 ± 3.93 months in the DPP4i-BP group. The time interval for vildagliptin was the shortest (5.42 ± 2.84 months) , and there was a significant difference in the time interval among vildagliptin, sitagliptin, linagliptin and saxagliptin ( F= 8.93, P < 0.001) . The proportion of patients with severe BP was significantly higher in the DPP4i-BP group (16 cases, 50%) than in the general BP group (25 cases, 29.76%; Z= 2.63, P= 0.008) . There was no significant difference in the positivity rate of anti-BP180 antibody between the two groups ( χ2= 0.03, P= 0.870) . However, the level of anti-BP180 antibody was significantly higher in the DPP4i-BP group than in the general BP group before and after treatment ( P= 0.015, < 0.001, respectively) , and the decrease in the level of anti-BP180 antibody was significantly less in the DPP4i-BP group than in the general BP group after treatment ( t= 5.11, P < 0.001) . There was no significant difference in the average effective dose of glucocorticoids required to control the disease between the two groups ( t= 1.00, P= 0.322) . However, the DPP4i-BP group showed a significant increase in the average time required to control the disease and in the proportion of patients requiring combined treatment with immunosuppressants or other drugs compared with the general BP group ( t= 6.72, 10.05, P < 0.001,= 0.002, respectively) . Within 6 months after the start of systemic treatment, the recurrence rate was significantly higher in the general BP group (17 cases, 27.86%) than in the DPP4i-BP group (2 cases, 7.69%; χ2= 4.35, P= 0.037) ; at 6 months, the average dose of glucocorticoids was also significantly higher in the general BP group than in the DPP4i-BP group ( t= 7.04, P < 0.001) . Conclusions:Among the DPP4i hypoglycemic drugs, vildagliptin was the most common drug administrated by patients before the onset of BP, with the shortest interval from the administration to the onset of BP. DPP4i-BP may be difficult to control at the early stage, but the prognosis is good.

In recent years, the genome editing technologies based on the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas) have developed rapidly. The system can use homologous directed recombination (HDR) to achieve precise editing that it medicated, but the efficiency is extremely low, which limits its application in agriculture and biomedical fields. As an emerging genome editing technology, the CRISPR/Cas-mediated DNA base editing technologies can achieve targeted mutations of bases without generating double-strand breaks, and has higher editing efficiency and specificity compared with CRISPR/Cas-mediated HDR editing. At present, cytidine base editors (CBEs) that can mutate C to T, adenine base editors (ABEs) that can mutate A to G, and prime editors (PEs) that enable arbitrary base conversion and precise insertion and deletion of small fragments, have been developed. In addition, glycosylase base editors (GBEs) capable of transitioning from C to G and double base editors capable of editing both A and C simultaneously, have been developed. This review summarizes the development, advances, advantages and limitations of several DNA base editors. The successful applications of DNA base editing technology in biomedicine and agriculture, together with the prospects for further optimization and selection of DNA base editors, are discussed.
Agriculture ; CRISPR-Cas Systems/genetics* ; DNA/genetics* ; Gene Editing ; Technology

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated proteins (Cas) system is a hotspot of gene editing and gene expression research, in which CRISPR/Cas13 system provides a new direction for RNA interference and editing. In this study, we designed and synthesized the corresponding gRNAs of CRISPR/Cas13a and CRISPR/Cas13b systems in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway, such as Ku70 and Lig4, and then detected the expression of ku70 and lig4 in HEK293T cells. The CRISPR/Cas13a system could efficiently knockdown the mRNA expression of ku70 and lig4 more than 50%, and CRISPR/Cas13b system also suppressed ku70 and lig4 about 92% and 76%, respectively. Also, CRISPR/Cas13a, b systems could down-regulate Ku70 and Lig4 proteins level to 68% and 53%, respectively. The study demonstrates that the CRISPR/Cas13 system could effectively knockdown the expression of RNA and protein in HEK293T cells, providing a new strategy for gene function and regulation research.
CRISPR-Cas Systems ; DNA Ligase ATP ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation ; genetics ; Gene Knockdown Techniques ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Ku Autoantigen ; genetics

Objective To identify the pathogenesis gene mutation of a pedigree with Cockayne syndrome.Methods The peripheral blood samples of the patient and his family members were collected and the genomic DNA was then extracted.Whole exome sequencing(WES)was performed for proband′s DNA.The disease-causing mutations were identified by bioinformatics analysis and pedigree analysis. Meanwhile,the mutations were confirmed by Sanger sequencing.Results Two novel mutations in ERCC8 gene,including c.400-2A >G and c.394_398delATGTA(p.L132fs)were identified in proband.The splicing mutation originated from his father and changed the splice acceptor site AG to GG, thus possibly caused alternative splicing.The c.394_398delATGTA(p.L132fs)frameshifting mutation was inherited from his mother.The proband′s sister also carried the same compound heterozygous mutation and had the same phenotype as proband.Conclusion The pathogenesis ERCC8 gene mutation of this pedigree with Cockayne syndrome was identified by using whole exome sequencing.

Objective:To explore the regional brain activities in healthy adolescent subjects after sleep deprivation (SD) using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method.Methods:Total of 16 healthy adolescent subjects (8 males,8 females;aged 13-20 years) were recruited in the community and the campus through the internet and posters.Each of the 16 healthy adolescent subject underwent the attention network test and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) session twice:once was after rested wakefulness (RW condition),and the other was after SD condition.Amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method was used to assess the local brain features.The mean ALFF signal values of the different brain areas were performed to investigate their relationships with the accuracy rate,reaction time and lapse rate in the attention network test,and were analyzed with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to investigate their sensitivities and specificities to distinguish the SD condition from the RW condition.Results:Subjects showed a lower response accuracy rate [(83 ± 12) ％ vs.(97 ± 4) ％,P ＜ 0.05],a longer response time [(832 ± 134) ms vs.(715 ± 97) ms,P ＜ 0.05] and a higher lapse rate [(15 ± 11)％ vs.(2.4 ±7.3)％,P ＜0.05] under SD condition than under RW condition.They showed higher ALFF area in the right cuneus (BA 17,BA 18),and lower ALFF areas in the right lentiform nucleus,right claustrum,left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA 46) and left inferior parietal cortex (BA 39) under SD condition than under RW condition.Under SD condition,the mean ALFF signal value of the right claustrum showed a significant positive correlation with the accuracy rate (r =0.69,P ＜0.05),and a negative correlation with the lapse rate (r =-0.71,P ＜0.05).The mean ALFF signal value of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex showed a significant positive correlation with the reaction time (r =0.68,P ＜ 0.05).The values of area under the curve of the right cuneus,right lentiform nucleus,right claustrum,left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left inferior parietal cortice were 0.9,0.8,0.9,0.8 and 0.9,respectively.These different ALFF areas also showed high degree of sensitivities and specificities.Conclusion:Sleep deprivation leads to the dysfunction in the default mode network,anticorrelatedtask-positive network,and advanced cognitive function brain areas,and the functional compensation in the visual network.

Objective To study the pros and cons of two methods of infusing itraconazole injectionand prevent the blockage of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) and improve patients' satisfaction with nursing technology.Methods 172 patients infusing itraconazole were divided into two groups by random digital table method.86 cases established an independent infusion pathway as the control group,another 86 cases using PICC for itraconazole injection and withdrawing plunger of the syringe about 0.5 ml before and after the infusion and then pulsing-flushing it with 10 ml normal saline as the experimental group.Then compared the blockage rate of PICC and the patients' satisfaction with nursing technology.Results The blockage rate of the two groups had no significant difference (x2 =0.206,P ＞ 0.05) while patients' satisfaction with nursing skills was distinct,and the experimental group's was 96.51％ (83/86),much higher than 16.28％ (14/86) of the control group.Conclusions Withdrawing taken before and after the infusion of itraconazole injection could effectively prevent catheter blockage and improve patients' satisfaction with nursing technology.

Objective To study related factors of the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in Tibetan patients with schizophrenia in Qinghai Province. Methods The related factors on DUP were investigated in totally 188 Tibetan pa?tients with schizophrenia using questionnaires of mental health services and symptom onset for schizophrenia. All the Ti?betan patients were provided with the National Continuing Management and Intervention Program for Psychoses (686 Pro?gram). Results The median (low quartile, upper quartile) of DUP in Tibetan patients with schizophrenia was 375 days (4 days, 1661 days). The patients were divided into short DUP group (DUP≤375days, 90 patients) and long DUP group (DUP>375 days, 98 patients). There were significant differences in mode of onset,marital status, educational level, family type, place of residence between short DUP group and long DUP group (P<0.05). Logistic regression analysis found that lack of family structure (OR=2.340, 95%CI:1.130~4.847, P=0.022), chronic onset (OR=2.136, 95%CI:1.172~3.891, P=0.013) and living in pastoral areas (OR=2.239, 95%CI:1.097~4.571, P=0.027) were risk factors of DUP. Conclusion Ti?betan patients with schizophrenia have a longer DUP and related risk factories of DUP are lack of family structure, chron?ic onset and living in pastoral areas.

OBJECTIVE ToinvestigatethepossibleprotectiveeffectofTripterygiumwilfordiipolyg-lycoside (TWP ) on experi mental diabetic nephropathy (D N ) rats and its possible mechanis m. METHODS Thediabeticmodelwasinducedbyasingleintraperitonealinjectionofstreptozotocin (STZ)65 mg·kg -1 .Three weeks after modeling,TWP 4.5,9.0 and 1 8.0 mg·kg -1 was ig given to rats,once daily,for 8 consecutive weeks.During the experiment,the changes of body mass,hair, mental health of rats were observed.Two days before the end of the experi ment,the rats were placed into metabolic cages to collect 24 h urine in order to detect 24 h urinary albu min excretion rate (UAER). The rats were given TWP for 8 weeks and anesthetized with 1 0%chloral hydrate.The blood was collect-ed fro m the heart and centrifuged,seru m creatinine and urine creatinine were measured,and creatinine clearance (Clcr)was calculated.Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)and the serum catalase (CAT)activity were tested by optical method while the level of seru m superoxide oxygen anion(O2÷)was tested by col-orimetry.The level of malondialdehyde(MDA)was determined by thiobarbituric acid condensation,and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)activity was tested by colorimetry.The right kidney was HE stained to observepathologicalchanges.RESULTS Comparedwithnormalcontrolgroup,theratsinmodel control group developed polydipsia,polyuria,polyphagia,body mass loss,unresponsiveness,brown hair,pale tail and apathy clammy.Besides,blood glucose,BUN and 24 h UAER were significantly higher (P<0.01 ),but Clcr was lower (P<0.01 ).The activity of serum CAT and GSH-Px in renal tissue was significantly lower(P<0.01 ),while the level of serum O2÷ and MDA in the renal tissue was significantly higher(P<0.01 ).Compared with model control group,TWP 9.0 and 18.0 mg·kg -1 could improve the general condition of rats.BUN and 24 h UAER were obviously reduced(P<0.01 ),Clcr and serum CAT were increased obviously(P<0.01 ),the level of MDA and O2÷ were reduced obviously(P<0.01 ),and GSH-Px level was increased(P<0.01 ).TWP 9.0 and 18.0 mg·kg -1 could significantly im-prove the renal histopathological changes of rats.TWP 4.5 mg·kg -1 had no significant effect on the aboveindicators.CONCLUSION TWPhasprotectiveeffectontherenalfunctionofexperimentalDN rats.The mechanis m may be related to inhibition of the oxidative stress and enhance ment of the body antioxidant capacity.

Objective To discuss the safety of using etomidate combined with remifentanil by target controlled infusion ( TCI) for painless bronchofibroscopy. Methods Sixty patients were divided into two groups: painless bronchoscopy group (treatment group, 24 patients) and the routine bronchoscopy group (control group, 36 patients). Treatment group received TCI of remifentanil and intravenous injection of etomidate fat emulsion. Control group was subjected to surface anesthesia with 2%lidocaine. SpO2 , blood pressure, heart rate and breath changes during examination and complete awakening were continuously monitored. Bronchofiberscopy time, body movement during examination, bucking and satisfaction degree after examination were also recorded. Results Treatment group patients felt senseless and painless during bronchoscopy, without memory of bronchoscopy and pain. Patients in control group had discomfort, body movement and acute bucking, and most of them had painful memory. There were significant differences between the two groups (P<0. 01). In treatment group, after examination, blood pressure, respiratory frequency, heart rate and SpO2 were significantly decreased (P<0. 01). During examination, the blood pressure, respiratory frequency and heart rate were increased, and SpO2 decreased in control group compared to the baseline (P<0. 01). There was no significant difference in SpO2 between treatment group and control group during examination (P>0. 05). Conclusion TCI etomidate combined with remifentanil during bronchoscopy achieved satisfying anesthetic effect.