Hippocampal region metabolites and cognitive impairment in patients with general paresis: based on H-proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Background: This study utilizes Hydrogen proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-MRS) to investigate metabolite concentrations in the bilateral hippocampus of general paresis (GP) patients.

Methods: A total of 80 GP patients and 57 normal controls (NCs) were enrolled. Metabolite ratios in the bilateral hippocampus were measured using H-MRS.

Fabrication of 3D printed CaMg(PO)-based bioceramic scaffolds with tailorable high mechanical strength and osteostimulation effect.

Calcium, magnesium and phosphate are predominant constituents in the human bone. In this study, magnesium-calcium phosphate composite bioceramic scaffolds were fabricated utilizing Mg(PO) and β-Ca(PO) as starting materials, and their pore structure was constructed by 3D printing. The porosity and compressive strength of the composite bioceramic scaffolds could be adjusted by altering the sintering temperature and the formula of starting materials.

Physicochemical properties and cytocompatibility of radiation-resistant and anti-washout calcium phosphate cement by introducing artemisia sphaerocephala krasch gum.

The anti-washout ability of calcium phosphate cement (CPC) determines the effectiveness of CPC in clinical application. The γ-ray irradiation method often used in the sterilization process of CPC products is easy to degrade some commonly polymer anti-washout agent, which greatly reduces its anti-washout performance. Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch gum (ASKG) has the potential of radiation resistance and anti-washout, but no one has considered its performance as anti-washout agent of CPC and mechanism of radiation resistance and anti-washout so far.

Differential attitudes and outcomes of endodontics education between mainland and non-mainland chinese students during COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the learning style and campus life of dental students. This study aimed to evaluate the learning attitudes and outcomes of endodontics among mainland Chinese students and non-mainland Chinese students (students from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) during the pandemic.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in November 2022 at the School of Stomatology, Jinan University, utilizing a self-report online questionnaire, including demographic characteristics and attitudes toward the endodontic course and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Synthesis, Characterization, In Vitro Cytological Responses, and In Vivo Bone Regeneration Effects of Low-Crystalline Nanocarbonated Hydroxyapatite.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) has been commonly used as an alternative bone substitute. But it has drawbacks, such as poor degradation and limited osteogenesis. Low-crystalline carbonated hydroxyapatite (L-CHA), which has greater biodegradability than HA, is suggested as one of the main components of bone minerals, but the exact mechanism behind the roles of carbonate substituted in biological behaviors of low-crystalline HA is still a mystery.

Fabrication of strontium carbonate-based composite bioceramics as potential bone regenerative biomaterials.

Strontium carbonate (SrC) bioceramics are proposed as potential biomaterials to efficaciously repair the bone defects. However, the development of SrC bioceramics is restricted by their intrinsic low mechanical strength. In this study, SrC-based composite bioceramics (SrC-SrP) were fabricated by incorporating strontium-containing phosphate glass (SrP).

Association of VEGF With Antianhedonic Effects of Repeated-Dose Intravenous Ketamine in Treatment-Refractory Depression.

To first explore the role of plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations in ketamine's antianhedonic effects, focusing on Chinese patients with treatment-refractory depression (TRD). Seventy-eight patients with treatment-refractory major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD) were treated with six ketamine infusions (0.5 mg/kg).

A thermostability perspective on enhancing physicochemical and cytological characteristics of octacalcium phosphate by doping iron and strontium.

Investigation of thermostability will lead the groundbreaking of unraveling the mechanism of influence of ion-doping on the properties of calcium phosphates. In this work, octacalcium phosphate (OCP), a metastable precursor of biological apatite, was used as a stability model for doping ions (Fe and Sr) with different ionic charges and radii. After treated under hot air at different temperatures (110-200 °C), the phase, morphology, structure, physicochemical properties, protein affinity, ions release, and cytological responses of the ion-doped OCPs were investigated comparatively.

BACE1 and Other Alzheimer's-Related Biomarkers in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Plasma Distinguish Alzheimer's Disease Patients from Cognitively-Impaired Neurosyphilis Patients.

Background: Patients with spirochetal infection, which causes neurosyphilis (NS) and at a later stage general paresis of the insane (GPI), present with brain pathology features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the relationships among these illnesses regarding biomarker levels are still unclear.

Objective: To explore biomarker levels in NS and GPI compared with those in AD and the relationship between biomarker levels and cognitive function in NS and GPI.

Improving osteogenesis of calcium phosphate bone cement by incorporating with manganese doped β-tricalcium phosphate.

Lack of osteogenic capacity limits the bone repair effect of calcium phosphate cement (CPC). In present work, bivalent manganese ion (Mn) doped β-tricalcium phosphate (Mn-TCP) was incorporated into CPC to enhance its osteogenic ability. The incorporation of Mn-TCP promoted the hydration reaction of CPC.

Increasing trimethylamine N-oxide levels as a predictor of early neurological deterioration in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

: Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a pro-atherosclerotic intestinal microbiota metabolite, has mechanistic links to atherosclerosis development and cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether serum TMAO levels could predict early neurological deterioration (END) after acute ischemic stroke.: We prospectively recruited patients with first-ever ischemic stroke and hospitalized within 24 h of symptoms onset during Mar 2018 to Mar 2019.

Serum Retinoic Acid Level and The Risk of Poststroke Cognitive Impairment in Ischemic Stroke Patients.

Background: Retinoic acid (RA), an active metabolite of vitamin A, possesses enormous protective effects on vascular systems. It may also be positively related to good functional outcome after ischemic stroke. However, whether circulating RA concentration is associated with poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) remains unclear.

Auto-degradable and biocompatible superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles/polypeptides colloidal polyion complexes with high density of magnetic material.

Hypothesis: Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are extensively used as building block of colloidal nanocomposites for biomedical applications. Strategies employed to embed them in a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer matrix often fail to achieve a high density of loading which would greatly benefit to applications such as imaging and hyperthermia. In this study, poly(acrylic acid) coated SPION (γ-FeO-PAA) are self-assembled with hydrolysable poly(serine ester) by electrostatic complexation, leading to perfectly defined spherical particles with ultra-high density of magnetic material and an ability to auto-degrade into individual SPION and biocompatible byproducts.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Silica-Based Drug Delivery System for Spinal Cord Injury Therapy.

Acute inflammation is a central component in the progression of spinal cord injury (SCI). Anti-inflammatory drugs used in the clinic are often administered systemically at high doses, which can paradoxically increase inflammation and result in drug toxicity. A cluster-like mesoporous silica/arctigenin/CAQK composite (MSN-FC@ARC-G) drug delivery system was designed to avoid systemic side effects of high-dose therapy by enabling site-specific drug delivery to the spinal cord.

Improving osteogenesis of calcium phosphate bone cement by incorporating with lysine: An in vitro study.

Calcium phosphate bone cement (CPC) has attracted extensive interests from surgeons and material scientists. However, its actual application is still limited because of its poor osteogenesis. In this work, lysine, one of the essential components of proteins, was incorporated into the CPC to improve its osteogenesis ability.

Strontium ranelate simultaneously improves the radiopacity and osteogenesis of calcium phosphate cement.

In a minimally invasive surgery of osteoporotic fractures, high radiopacity is necessary to monitor the delivery and positioning of injectable cements and good osteogenesis is indispensable. In this work, strontium ranelate (SrR), an agent for treating osteoporosis, is firstly used as a radiopaque agent for calcium phosphate cement (CPC). The addition of SrR does not affect the hydration products of CPC, but prolonged the setting time and decreased the compressive strength.

Enhanced Osteogenesis of Injectable Calcium Phosphate Bone Cement Mediated by Loading Chondroitin Sulfate.

Toward repairing critical-sized bone defects, calcium phosphate cement (CPC) has been well recognized as a fairly promising bone graft because of its properties of injectability, self-setting, biocompatibility, and osteoconductivity. However, poor osteogenic capacity of CPC still limits its applications for meeting the demands of bone healing. In this work, chondroitin sulfate (CS), as an important component of the extracellular matrix network, was introduced into CPC to enhance its osteogenesis ability.

Preparation and cytocompatibility of a novel bismuth aluminate/calcium phosphate cement with high radiopacity.

In a minimally invasive surgery, using a bone cement being radiologically detectable is vital to the success of the procedure and avoiding cement leakage in the early stage. The radiopacity of calcium phosphate cement (CPC) is inadequate, thus limiting its clinic application in this area. In this work, bismuth aluminate (BiA) was employed as a radiopaque agent for CPC.

β-tricalcium phosphate composite ceramics with high compressive strength, enhanced osteogenesis and inhibited osteoclastic activities.

β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) is well known as a resorbable bone repair material due to its inherent excellent biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. However, β-TCP is encountered with osteostimulation-deficiency and poor mechanical strength because of poor sinterability. Herein, we prepared novel β-TCP composite ceramics (TCP/SPGs) by introducing strontium-containing phosphate-based glass (SPG; 45PO-32SrO-23NaO) as sintering additive.

In vitro model of potential metal cation exchanges in biological apatite.

Biological apatite is ion-doped and provides an active pool for the exchange with foreign impurity ions. In this work, an in vitro model of hydrated metastable octacalcium phosphate (OCP) crystals was established to mimetically investigate the distinct exchange of trivalent and divalent cations (Fe and Sr) with biological apatite. Fe significantly promoted the collapses of OCP crystals and the formation of amorphous sol-like ferric phosphates, while Sr facilitated the epitaxial growth and stability of OCP crystals.

Biocompatible β-SrHPO clusters with dandelion-like structure as an alternative drug carrier.

Recent researches about calcium phosphate (CaP) biomaterials used as drug delivery systems are focusing on the better understanding of the microenvironment around the implant-host tissue interface, with the aim to provide a bone response in pathological ones. Towards the improvement of the osteogenic potential of CaP drug carriers, dandelion-like β-SrHPO clusters (Φ10-20μm) has been prepared by a homogeneous precipitation method under the hydrolysis of carbamide. Adhesion, spreading, proliferation, osteogenic differentiation and mRNA expression of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) mediated by β-SrHPO clusters were investigated.

Enhanced bovine serum albumin absorption on the N-hydroxysuccinimide activated graphene oxide and its corresponding cell affinity.

By successively reacting with N-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS), the carboxyl on the graphene oxide (GO) surface was successfully activated into NHS active ester. In this study, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was selected as a model protein, used for studying the protein absorption capacity of the NHS activated GO (GO-EDC-NHS). Approximately 12.

Neuropsychiatric Features of Neurosyphilis: Frequency, Relationship with the Severity of Cognitive Impairment and Comparison with Alzheimer Disease.

Background: The pattern of neuropsychiatric features of patients with neurosyphilis and the impact of the severity of cognitive impairment on neuropsychiatric syndromes are unknown.

Objective: We aim to assess the neuropsychiatric features of patients with neurosyphilis, and compare the impact of the severity of cognitive impairment on the neuropsychiatric syndromes between neurosyphilis and Alzheimer disease (AD).

Methods: Neuropsychiatric symptoms and the degree of cognitive impairment were assessed in a case-control study of 91 neurosyphilis, 162 AD, 157 mild cognitive impairment, and 139 normal controls by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) scale and Clinical Dementia Rating scale, respectively.

Medial temporal lobe atrophy as a predictor of poor cognitive outcomes in general paresis.

Background: The effect of penicillin therapy on clinical outcomes vary among patients with general paresis (GP). We sought to explore biomarkers that might serve as predictors of clinical outcomes in GP and identify patients requiring early intervention.

Methods: Thirty-five inpatients with GP were recruited.