Objective:To investigate the effect of IKKε on autophagy during abdominal aortic aneurysm formation in mice.Methods:We stimulated ApoE -/- mice and ApoE -/-IKKε -/- mice with AngⅡ and saline for 28 days. Metaboilic levels and aortic diameter of ApoE -/- mice and ApoE -/-IKKε -/- mice were measured. The arterial fibrosis of mice was detected by Masson staining and HE staining, mitochondrial reactive oxides were detected by fluorescence assay, the expression levels of autophagy factors LC3B and Beclin-1 were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the protein level of LC3B was detected by Western blot. Results:There was no significant difference in metaboilic levels between ApoE -/- mice and ApoE -/- IKKε -/- mice. However, the aortic diameterf ApoE -/-IKKε -/- mice was significantly less than that of ApoE -/- mice. The fibrosis level of ApoE -/-IKKε -/- mice was significantly lower than that of ApoE -/- mice. Furthermore, ROS in ApoE -/-IKKε -/- mice was lower than that in ApoE -/- mice. In addition, immunohistochemical and western blot showed that the expression levels of LC3B and Beclin-1 in ApoE -/-IKKε -/- mice were significantly lower than in ApoE -/- mice. Conclusion:IKKε -/- deficiency can significantly inhibit autophagy, thus reducing the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm in mice.

Objective::Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) affects millions of elderly people, and there is currently no effective way to stop or slow down its progression. Therefore, exploring the pathogenesis of CAVD is very important for prevention and treatment. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) have important role in cell phenotype change. This study is aimed to confirm whether COMP participate in CAVD and try to find the possible mechanisms.Methods::Human aortic valve tissues from Nanjing First Hospital (CAVD group, n=20; control group, n=11) were harvested. The expression level of COMP was tested by western blot and immunohistochemistry. Dual immunofluorescence staining was used for locating COMP. Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) signalling were tested by western blot. The animal model was also used to detect COMP level by immunohistochemistry. Results::The results showed that the expression level of COMP was significantly increased in the calcific valve samples when compared with that of the control valve ( P<0.05); COMP was expressed near the calcific nodules and co-localized with α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). The protein levels of BMP2 and p-Smads 1/5/9 were markedly more highly expressed in the CAVD group than the control group ( P<0.05). Furthermore, immunofluorescence detection showed that COMP and BMP2 were co-located in calcific valves. Conclusions::The above results suggested that upregulation of COMP and BMP2 may be associated with aortic valve calcification and that COMP may become a potential therapeutic target in human CAVD.

Objective::Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) affects millions of elderly people, and there is currently no effective way to stop or slow down its progression. Therefore, exploring the pathogenesis of CAVD is very important for prevention and treatment. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) have important role in cell phenotype change. This study is aimed to confirm whether COMP participate in CAVD and try to find the possible mechanisms.Methods::Human aortic valve tissues from Nanjing First Hospital (CAVD group, n=20; control group, n=11) were harvested. The expression level of COMP was tested by western blot and immunohistochemistry. Dual immunofluorescence staining was used for locating COMP. Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) signalling were tested by western blot. The animal model was also used to detect COMP level by immunohistochemistry. Results::The results showed that the expression level of COMP was significantly increased in the calcific valve samples when compared with that of the control valve ( P<0.05); COMP was expressed near the calcific nodules and co-localized with α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). The protein levels of BMP2 and p-Smads 1/5/9 were markedly more highly expressed in the CAVD group than the control group ( P<0.05). Furthermore, immunofluorescence detection showed that COMP and BMP2 were co-located in calcific valves. Conclusions::The above results suggested that upregulation of COMP and BMP2 may be associated with aortic valve calcification and that COMP may become a potential therapeutic target in human CAVD.

Objective: To understand the characteristics of rapid naming in exotropia children, and to analyze the influence of clinical indicators related to exotropia on the rapid naming. Methods: A total of 45 exotropia children were recruited according to the diagnostic criteria of consensus of strabismus classification experts (2015) from the Zhongshan ophthalmic center as the case group, and 45 children of the same age, gender and parental educational status were recruited as the control group without any ocular diseases. All children were evaluated the ability of the rapid naming by classical rapid naming test. Results: The letter rapid naming time of children with exotropia was longer than that in control group [(26.87±10.18)(21.98±7.29)s], and the difference was statistically significant (t=2.73, P=0.01), however there was no significant correlation between strabismus degree, symptom duration, AC/A ratio, disease classification, simultaneous vision, the near stereopsis, the far stereopsis and the letter rapid naming in the clinical indicators of exotropia (r=-0.16, 0.23, 0.20, 0.06, 0.09, 0.05, 0.20, P>0.05). Conclusion Rapid naming might be impaired among children with exotropia, with no significant correlation between this defect and its clinical indicators.

Objective: To explore the visuospatial memory characteristics of school-age children with exotropia and to analyze associated factors. Methods: Based on a case-control study,45 exotropia children aged 8-12 years and 45 normal control children were recruited from 2017-2019. The "tapping test" was used to evaluate the visuospatial short-term and working memory of children. Results: There was no significant differences in the scores of visuospatial short-term memory between the exotropia group and the control group [(7.64±1.69)(8.00±1.66)，t=-1.00，P=0.32)]. The scores of visuospatial working memory in the control group were higher than those in the exotropia group [(5.98±1.23)(6.80±1.53)，t=-2.81，P=0.01)]. In the reverse tapping test,the better the near stereopsis was,the higher the score was (B=0.78,95%CI=0.23-1.33,P=0.01),and the constant exotropia children performed better than the intermittent exotropia children(B=1.25,95%CI=0.16-2.24,P=0.03). Conclusion Visuospatial working memory is impaired in school-age children with exotropia,and the visuospatial working memory of exotropia children is affected by the near stereopsis and exotropia constancy.