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Kang Ge,1,2 Yilu Zhao,2,3 Xiao Liu,4 Ruzhi Zhang5 1Jiaxing Key Discipline of Medicine --Dermatology and Venereology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, The First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Dermatology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 4School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 5Department of Dermatology and STD, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Ruzhi Zhang, Department of Dermatology and STD, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, 241001, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8618761161826, Email zhangruzhi628@163.comObjective: ALA-PDT (5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy) is a central modality in the treatment of skin diseases. Increasing the bioavailability of ALA remains a critical issue. With this in mind, our study explores a novel route of ALA delivery by loading acrylic nanoparticles (ANPs).Methods: ALA-ANPs were synthesized by emulsion polymerisation and characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). The effects of ALA-ANPs on HaCaT cell line were evaluated, including characteristics, morphological changes, protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence kinetics, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential and ki67 expression in these cells.Results: The ANPs had uniform sizes, smooth surfaces and excellent light transmittance, with diameters of 150– 200 nm. In contrast, the ALA - ANPs had uneven surfaces and poor light transmittance, with diameters of 220– 250 nm. During 12 hours of co-incubation of HaCaT cells with ALA, the intracellular accumulation of PpIX increased over time. Notably, after 6 hours of incubation, PpIX levels induced by 1.81 mg/mL ALA-ANPs exceeded those induced by 1.0 mM ALA (p < 0.01). CCK-8 results showed a positive correlation between PDT-induced inhibition of HaCaT cell proliferation and ALA concentration when ALA concentration remained below 2.0 mM. Compared to the 1.0 mM ALA group, the 1.81 mg/mL ALA-ANPs group showed decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, ki67 immunofluorescence intensity and cell proliferation. In contrast, ROS levels were significantly increased in the 1.81 mg/mL ALA-ANPs group (p < 0.01).Conclusion: Loading ANPs provide improved stability and potency for ALA. The ALA-ANPs-PDT approach has superior inhibitory effects on HaCaT proliferation in vitro.Keywords: 5-aminophenolvalic acid, ALA, acrylate nanoporous, photodynamic therapy

Yilu Zhao,1,2,&ast; Kang Ge,3,&ast; Ruzhi Zhang4 1Department of Dermatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Dermatology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Dermatology, the Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, the First Hospital of Jiaxing, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Dermatology and STD, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Ruzhi Zhang, Department of Dermatology and STD, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, Anhui, 241001, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8618761161826, Email zhangruzhi628@163.comObjective: To identify potential diagnostic markers for vitiligo and determine the significance of immune cell infiltration in pathology.Methods: Three publicly available gene expression profiles (GSE53146, GSE75819 and GSE65127 datasets) from human vitiligo and control samples were downloaded from the GEO database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened between 20 vitiligo and 20 control samples. Logical regression of the selection operator (LASSO) model and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) analysis were performed to identify candidate biomarkers. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value was obtained and was used to evaluate the discriminatory ability. The expression level and diagnostic value of the biomarkers in vitiligo were further validated in the GSE65127 dataset (10 vitiligo patients and 10 healthy controls). Finally, the immune cell infiltration of vitiligo was evaluated by CIBERSORT, and the correlation between biomarkers and infiltrating immune cells was analyzed. The compositional patterns of the 22 types of immune cell fractions in vitiligo were estimated from the pooled cohorts using CIBERSORT. In addition, we established a mouse model of vitiligo with monobenzone and validated the screened biomarkers.Results: A total of 23 associated DEGs were identified, including 9 up-regulated and 14 down-regulated genes. Subsequently, 17 genes meeting prognostic criteria and 2 common genes (DCT and KIF1A) were obtained by SVM and Venn diagram screening. Immunodifferential analysis showed that microenvironment of vitiligo patients was altered. Finally, the different expression was verified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Conclusion: Biomarkers associated with vitiligo can be screened by comprehensive strategies, and immune cell infiltration plays a key role in the development of vitiligo.Keywords: vitiligo, predictive biomarker, Lasso-SVM algorithms

Xiaolin Wu,1,2 Yingjuan Liu,2 Lin Zhu,2 Yue Wang,2 Yuqian Ren,2 Baohe Cheng,3 Leiming Ren,4 Keli Ge,2 Hongyun Li1 1Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266003, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266021, People’s Republic of China; 3Shandong Haoyun Guoji Stem Cells Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, 250001, People’s Republic of China; 4Institute of Chinese Integrative Medicine, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, 050017, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Hongyun LiDepartment of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16, Jiangsu Road, Shinan District, Qingdao, Shandong, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail 18661808653@163.comKeli GeInstitute of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, No. 38, Dengzhou Road, Shibei District, Qingdao, Shandong, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail ntfadu@163.comIntroduction: Vascular dementia (VaD), one of the brain injuries, is difficult to be cured, so it is important to take active neuroprotective treatment after its occurrence. Many studies have shown that apoptosis serves an important role in VaD occurrence; therefore, inhibition of apoptosis may contribute to the recovery of neurological function after VaD occurrence. Cerebroprotein hydrolysate-I (CH-I), a neuropeptide preparation which consists of several amino acids and small molecular peptides as the main active constituent, is extracted using a method similar to cerebrolysin (CBL) which has neuroprotective and neurotrophic effects.Methods: In the present study, a VaD model which was constructed using bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) in Kunming mice was applied to examine the neuroprotective effects of CH-I.Results: The results show that CH-I treatment could attenuate the decrease of learning and memory ability, cell apoptosis in the hippocampal CA1 region and inhibit the activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in VaD mice. Furthermore, CH-I treatment could also upregulate Bcl-2 protein levels and activate PI3K and Akt.Discussion: We speculate that CH-I may induce a neuroprotective effect activating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in VaD mice.Keywords: vascular dementia, cerebroprotein hydrolysate-I, apoptosis, PI3K/Akt

Min Ge,1,2 Kun Ge,1,3 Fei Gao,4 Weixiao Yan,1,2 Huifang Liu,2 Li Xue,1 Yi Jin,1,2 Haiyun Ma,1 Jinchao Zhang1,2 1Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Baoding, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Diagnosis of the Ministry of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Science and Technology, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, People’s Republic of China Introduction: Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) has been approved for clinical use by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA); however, their stronger hydrophobicity and relatively fast degradation rate restricted their widespread application. In consideration of the composition of bone, the inorganic–organic composite has a great application prospect in bone tissue engineering. Many inorganic–organic composite scaffolds were prepared by directly mixing the active ingredient, but this method is uncontrolled and will lead to lack of homogeneity in the polymer matrix. Strontium (Sr) is an admirable addition to improve the bioactivity and bone induction of hydroxyapatite (HA). To our knowledge, the application of biomimetic mineralized strontium-doped hydroxyapatite on porous poly(L-lactic acid) (Sr-HA/PLLA) scaffolds for bone defect repair has never been reported till date. Biomimetic mineralized Sr-HA/PLLA porous scaffold was developed in this study. The results indicated that the Sr-HA/PLLA porous scaffold could improve the surface hydrophobicity, reduce the acidic environment of the degradation, and enhance the osteoinductivity; moreover, the ability of protein adsorption and the modulus of compression were increased. The results also clearly showed the effectiveness of the Sr-HA/PLLA porous scaffold in promoting cell adhesion, proliferation, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. The micro computed tomography (micro-CT) results showed that more new bones were formed by Sr-HA/PLLA porous scaffold treatment. The histological results confirmed the osteoinductivity of the Sr-HA/PLLA porous scaffold. The results suggested that the Sr-HA/PLLA porous scaffold has a good application prospect in bone tissue engineering in the future.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to promote the bone repair.Materials and methods: Surgical operation of rabbits was carried out in this study.Results: The results showed that formation of a large number of new bones by the Sr-HA/PLLA porous scaffold treatment is possible.Conclusion: Biomimetic mineralized Sr-HA/PLLA porous scaffold could effectively promote the restoration of bone defects in vivo. Keywords: Sr-HA, PLLA porous scaffold, biomimetic mineralization, bone repair

Analysis of data from the 1989 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS-89) and the 1982 China Nationwide Nutrition Survey (CNS-82) revealed the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and socio-economic and dietary factors of Chinese adults in the 1980s. The CNS-82 showed that of the rural and urban sample, respectively, 12.9% and 11.6% had a BMI of less than 18.5 and 6.9% and 9.8% had a BMI of more than 25, and that males were taller and heavier than females. When compared with CNS-82 data, the CHNS-89 data showed 1.3% and 1.4% fewer individuals with a BMI of less than 18.5 and 2% and 4.8% more individuals with a BMI of more than 25 in the rural and urban sample, respectively. In the urban sample, lower income determined the prevalence of low BMI, and the incidence of high BMI was less in low income groups of overall and rural samples.

Objective: To study the dynamics of childhood overweight and the influence of dietary intake on tracking of overweight.Design and Setting: A follow-up study conducted in China.Subjects: Ninety-five overweight children, 6-13 years old, identified from 1455 children at baseline, were followed over a 2-year period.Methods: Data on anthropometry and 3-day dietary intake were collected at baseline and during follow-up. Overweight was defined using the International Obesity Task Force reference of body mass index (BMI)-for-age. Differences between groups were tested using analysis of variance and Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests.Results: Of the 95 overweight children, 36.8% remained overweight 2 years later ('tracking group'). Urban boys were three times more likely than rural boys to remain overweight (63.2% vs. 21.9%). At baseline, the tracking group had higher BMI, body weight and fat intake (% of energy), and lower carbohydrate intake (% of energy), than the non-tracking group (who shifted from overweight to not overweight); they were more likely to have a high-fat or high-meat diet, but less likely to have a diet high in carbohydrate or vegetables and fruit. During the follow-up, the tracking group increased fat intake and reduced carbohydrate intake while the non-tracking group did not; and they also grew slower in height but faster in weight. Tracking of overweight seemed to be related to tracking of high-meat (relative risk (RR) 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-5.6, P < 0.05) and high-fat (RR 1.5, 95% CI 0.9-2.5, P < 0.1) diets.Conclusion: Considerable changes in children's overweight status during childhood and adolescence were observed in China, a transitional society. Dietary patterns, particularly dietary composition, seemed to influence the tracking patterns of overweight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Several locally published reports indicate a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among adolescents in China, but no systematic population-based survey has been conducted. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and to study associated factors in adolescent girls in Beijing. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a random sample of 1248 Beijing girls aged 12-14 y. Nutrient intakes, ultraviolet light exposure, anthropometric characteristics, physical activity, signs and symptoms of rickets, and plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and calcium were measured and X-rays of the hand and wrist were taken. RESULTS: The prevalence of clinical vitamin D and calcium deficiency (plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D <12.5 nmol/L, plasma calcium <2.25 mmol/L, and muscle spasm at least once per week) was 9.4% in winter. The prevalence of subclinical vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D <12.5 nmol/L) was 45.2% in winter and 6.7% in summer (P < 0.0005). Logistic regression analysis showed that subclinical and clinical vitamin D deficiency in winter were associated with low plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations (<12.5 nmol/L) in summer, low calcium intake ( x +/- SD: 280 +/- 48 compared with 440 +/- 61 mg/d), and low plasma calcium concentrations (<2.25 mmol/L) in winter. The odds ratios for these associations were 3.1, 1.5, and 1.5, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical vitamin D deficiency was widespread among Beijing adolescent girls in winter. Low plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in summer, low calcium intake, and low plasma calcium concentrations in winter were the main risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in winter. Copyright © 2001 American Society for Clinical Nutrition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]