Predicting AURKA as a novel therapeutic target for NPC: A comprehensive analysis based on bioinformatics and validation.

This study comprehensively explored the clinical function of Aurora kinase A () gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and analyzed its potential as a therapeutic target in cancer. Data were downloaded from GEO, STRING, GTEx, and CellMiner databases, and subjected to multiple bioinformatic analyses, including differential expression analysis, WCGNA, gene ontology (GO), Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), gene set variation analysis (GSVA), miRNA-hub gene regulatory network analysis, immune cell infiltration, and drug sensitivity analysis. In-depth analysis of gene expression in NPC and its corresponding clinicopathological features was performed to explore its potential as a therapeutic target.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of discharged COVID-19 patients with reoccurrence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Aim: Data are limited on clinical characteristics and outcomes of recovered the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients with the reoccurrence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Patients & Methods: Discharged patients in our hospital were included, who had recovered from COVID-19 with the reoccurrence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

Results: Six patients were redetectable and positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA after discharge from 3 to 15 days.

Prognostic value of tumor stromal collagen features in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma revealed by second-harmonic generation microscopy.

Introduction: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. The search for new biomarkers that predict the outcome of HCC patients is ongoing. We propose the second harmonic generation-based quantitative assessment approach to evaluate the prognostic value of tumor stromal collagen in HCC.

Probable sexual transmission of brucellosis.

Brucellosis, a bacterial zoonosis, is transmitted directly or indirectly from infected animals (mainly domesticated ruminants and pigs) to humans. People are generally susceptible to brucella, which is mainly transmitted by direct contact, digestive tract and respiratory tract. Since brucella can be discharged from various secretions and feces after human infection, sexual transmission has become a potential mode of transmission.

Combined 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency with short stature: case study.

Backgrounds: 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase deficiency (17-OHD) is an uncommon form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Most patients are tall owing to delayed closure of epiphyses as a result of deficiency of sex hormones.

Methods: We present a 17-OHD case with unusual short stature and reviewed related literature.

[Antiviral activities of ISG20 against hepatitis C virus].

Objective: To investigate the impact of interferon-stimulated exonuclease 20 kDa (ISG20) on replication of genotype 2a hepatitis C virus (HCV) subgenomic replicon RNA and infectivity of the cell culture-derived HCV strain JFH1 to determine the potential of exogenously expressed ISG20 as an anti-viral therapy of chronic hepatitis C.

Methods: Plasma vectors containing wild-type (WT) ISG20 or a catalytically-inactive mutant ISG20m were transiently transfected into Huh7, Huh7.5 and HEK293 cells, and the replication of a monocistronic subgenomic JFH1 RNA replicon, SGRm-JFH1BlaRL, was measured.

[Construction and functional characterization of a monocistronic replicon based on the HCV genotype 2a promotor].

To construct a hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2a monocistronic replicon and investigate its replication capabilities in the human hepatocarcinoma cell lines, Huh7.5 and Huh7.1, in order to determine its potential as a molecular tool for future in vitro studies of HCV replication and selection studies for putative anti-HCV drugs.

Thalidomide inhibits adipogenesis of orbital fibroblasts in Graves' ophthalmopathy.

The expansion of orbital adipose tissue is a main pathophysiology of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO), which is an inflammatory autoimmune disease in the orbital region. The effects of immunosuppressive drugs on adipogenesis of orbital fibroblasts have not been determined. Thalidomide, as an immunosuppressive drug, has recently been used in the therapy of many autoimmune diseases.

The endothelial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with IL-6 gene promoter polymorphism in Chinese population.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of IL-6 gene promoter -174G/C and -572G/C polymorphism on endothelial function of Chinese T2DM and normal glucose regulation (NGR) subjects. 512 newly diagnosed T2DM patients and 483 NGR subjects were recruited and Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was performed for the IL-6 gene promoter -174G/C and -572G/C polymorphism. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured as a non-invasive indicator for endothelial function.

[Comparison of antiviral responses to adefovir dipivoxil therapy of genotype B and genotype C HBV infected patients].

Objective: To investigate the role of HBV genotypes on their response to adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) antiviral therapy.

Methods: HBV genotypes from 177 HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients were identified and the patients were treated with ADV 10 mg per day for 48 weeks. The clinical data in terms of serum HBV DNA seroclearance, mean HBV DNA reduction (log value), HBeAg loss, anti-HBe seroconversion and serum ALT of those patients were analyzed against their HBV genotypes.