Objectives: To investigate the influence of cheek volume on facial esthetics judged by orthodontists and non-specialists. Materials and Methods: A 25-year-old female's natural and smiling face was captured by 3D stereophotogrammetry. Cheek volume of the 3D image was altered to different degrees three-dimensionally. For the natural and smiling face, seven groups of facial images were created: decreased grade I/II/III, increased grade I/II/III, and the original one. Thirty orthodontists and 30 nonspecialists were invited to perform esthetic evaluation of the original and transformed images using a questionnaire. Data were calculated with one-way analysis of variance (least significant difference test) and independent samples t test. Results: Compared to nonspecialists, orthodontists gave lower esthetic scores to the decreased grade III facial images (maximum deformation degree: 7.500 mm and 7.327 mm in natural and smiling face-oriented image groups, respectively). The decreased grade III facial images also received the highest age ranks. However, the increased grade III facial images received the lowest scores and highest age ranks from nonspecialists (maximum deformation degree: 6.994 mm and 5.300 mm in natural and smiling face-oriented image groups, respectively) (P < .01). Conclusions: Orthodontists and nonspecialists showed different esthetic evaluation of varied cheek volume. The influence of cheek volume in orthodontic diagnostic analysis needs further consideration.

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Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the expression of angiopoietin-like protein 2 (Angptl2) in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and the expression of Angptl2 in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) under inflammation stimuli. Methods: The mouse AAA model was induced by applying calcium chloride method based the literature and the expression of Angptl2 in AAA was investigated by immunohistochemical staining. The primary VSMCs were cultured and identified following with inflammatory stimuli by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 30 minutes and 24 hours. The expression of Angptl2 were assessed by RT-qPCR and ELISA. Results: The mouse AAA model was successfully established after being induced by calcium chloride. The inflammatory cell infiltration in the arterial tissue of the mice in the experimental group was obvious, and the elastic fiber layer was thinned and broken. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression of Angptl2 in AAA was up-regulated; After LPS treatment, both the mRNA and protein expressions of Angptl2 were significantly up-regulated in VSMCs in the experimental group compared with control group. Conclusion: Angptl2 expressed in VSMCs promotes the development of calcium chloride induced AAA.