Cognitive impairment associated with cerebellar volume loss in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3.

Background: Many neuroscience and neurology studies have forced a reconsideration of the traditional motor-related scope of cerebellar function, which has now expanded to include various cognitive functions. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3; the most common hereditary ataxia) is neuropathologically characterized by cerebellar atrophy and frequently presents with cognitive impairment.

Objective: To characterize cognitive impairment in SCA3 and investigate the cerebellum-cognition associations.

Endoscopic Ruler for varix size measurement: A multicenter pilot study.

Background: We invented Endoscopic Ruler, a new endoscopic device to measure the size of varices in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

Aim: To assess the feasibility and safety of Endoscopic Ruler, and evaluate the agreement on identifying large oesophageal varices (OV) between Endoscopic Ruler and the endoscopists, as well as the interobserver agreement on diagnosing large OV using Endoscopic Ruler.

Methods: We prospectively and consecutively enrolled patients with cirrhosis from 11 hospitals, all of whom got esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with Endoscopic Ruler.

Surgical robot-assisted tripod percutaneous reconstruction technique combined with bone cement filling technique for the treatment of acetabular metastasis.

Acetabular metastasis is a type of metastatic bone cancer, and it mainly metastasizes from cancers such as lung cancer, breast cancer, and renal carcinoma. Acetabular metastasis often causes severe pain, pathological fractures, and hypercalcemia which may seriously affect the quality of life of acetabular metastasis patients. Due to the characteristics of acetabular metastasis, there is no most suitable treatment to address it.

Combination of hsa_circ_0004674 and lncRNA OIP5‑AS1 as a novel clinical biomarker used to predict prognosis in patients with osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is a malignant tumor that predominantly occurs in children or adolescents under the age of 20 years old. Metastasis and chemotherapy resistance are two problems in the treatment of osteosarcoma, and the lack of definite biomarkers impairs the course of treatment. In recent years, non-coding RNA, as a biomarker of osteosarcoma, has become an area of research focus.

Altered brain white matter structural motor network in spinocerebellar ataxia type 3.

Objectives: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 is a disorder within the brain network. However, the relationship between the brain network and disease severity is still unclear. This study aims to investigate changes in the white matter (WM) structural motor network, both in preclinical and ataxic stages, and its relationship with disease severity.

Prevalence and risk factors of stroke in China: a national serial cross-sectional study from 2003 to 2018.

Stroke imposes a substantial burden worldwide. With the rapid economic and lifestyle transition in China, trends of the prevalence of stroke across different geographic regions in China remain largely unknown. Capitalizing on the data in the National Health Services Surveys (NHSS), we assessed the prevalence and risk factors of stroke in China from 2003 to 2018.

5G-based remote magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy for examination of the stomach and small bowel.

Background And Aims: Remote endoscopy can improve diagnostic efficiency of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases for patients in remote areas. A novel remote magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy (MCE) system based on a 5G network was developed for real-time remote GI examinations. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of the 5G-based remote MCE for examination of the stomach and small bowel.

Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Cerebellar Metabolism in Patients With Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 3.

Background: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is the most common autosomal dominant hereditary ataxia, and, thus far, effective treatment remains low. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can improve the symptoms of spinal cerebellar ataxia, but the mechanism is unclear; in addition, whether any improvement in the symptoms is related to cerebellar metabolism has not yet been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of low-frequency rTMS on local cerebellar metabolism in patients with SCA3 and the relationship between the improvement in the symptoms and cerebellar metabolism.

Non-synonymous substitution of evolutionarily conserved residue in Tau class glutathione transferases alters structural and catalytic features.

Plant-specific tau glutathione transferases (GSTs) are basically involved in catalysing γ-glutathione (GSH)-dependent conjugation reactions with pesticides and herbicides, which play an important role in the detoxification of pollutants. Given the lack of systematic biochemical and structural information on tau GSTs, the study of their mediated defence mechanisms against toxic compounds has been greatly hindered. Here, we reveal the importance of the Ile residue closely interacting with GSH for the structural stability and catalytic function of GST.

Clinical Features and Natural History in a Cohort of Chinese Patients with RPE65-Associated Inherited Retinal Dystrophy.

-associated inherited retinal dystrophy (-IRD) is an early-onset retinal degeneration. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features and natural course of this disease in a Chinese patient cohort with biallelic variants. Thirty patients from 29 unrelated families with biallelic disease-causing variants underwent full ophthalmic examinations.

Doxorubicin-induced novel circRNA_0004674 facilitates osteosarcoma progression and chemoresistance by upregulating MCL1 through miR-142-5p.

Accumulating evidence has shown that circular RNA (circRNA) dysregulation is involved in various types of cancer, including osteosarcoma (OS). Nevertheless, the role and mechanism of circRNAs in OS progression and chemoresistance remain elusive. We found that a novel doxorubicin-induced circular RNA, hsa_circ_0004674, screened by whole total transcriptome RNA sequencing in our previous study, was upregulated in OS chemoresistant cell lines and tissues and also connected with patients' poor prognosis.

Distribution of IOP and its relationship with refractive error and other factors: the Anyang University Students Eye Study.

Aim: To investigate the distribution of intraocular pressure (IOP) and its relationship with refractive error and other factors in university students from Anyang, China.

Methods: A university-based study was conducted. Subjects were invited to complete ophthalmic examinations, including visual acuity, noncontact tonometry (NCT), cycloplegic autorefraction, and ocular biometry.

Six Visual Rating Scales as A Biomarker for Monitoring Atrophied Brain Volume in Parkinson's Disease.

The focus of our investigation was to determine the feasibility of using six visual rating scales as whole-brain imaging markers for monitoring atrophied brain volume in Parkinson's disease (PD). This was a prospective cross-sectional single-center observational study. A total of 98 PD patients were enrolled and underwent an MRI scan and a battery of neuropsychological evaluations.

Effect of body stature on refraction and ocular biometry in Chinese young adults: The Anyang University Students Eye Study.

Clinical Relevance: Large-scale data on the association between body stature with biometry parameters and refraction in young adults facilitates an understanding of myopia development. Taller persons have eyes with more negative refractions, longer axial lengths, deeper anterior chambers, flatter corneas, and higher axial length-corneal radius ratio.

Background: To determine the relationship between body stature with ocular biometry and refraction in young adults.

The Advances of the Structure and Function of Indoleamine 2, 3- dioxygenase 1 and Its Inhibitors.

Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is the only rate-limiting enzyme outside the liver that catalyzes the oxidation and cracking of indole rings in the tryptophan along the kynurenine pathway (KP). The overactivation of IDO1 is closely related to the pathogenesis of various human immune and neurological diseases. As an important target for the treatment of many human serious diseases, including malignant tumors, the development of IDO1 inhibitors is of great practical significance.

Comparative study of pronator teres branch transfer and brachialis motor branch transfer to the anterior interosseous nerve to treat lower brachial plexus injury in rats.

Distal nerve transfer is used to treat lower brachial plexus palsy, but outcome series on these transfer procedures following lower plexus injuries are sparse. The objective of this study is to compare treatment outcomes after nerve transfer using the brachialis motor branch (BMB) versus that using the pronator teres motor branch (PTMB). One hundred twenty adult rats with C8T1 nerve root avulsion were randomly divided into three groups (40 each): A: BMB transfer to the anterior interosseous nerve (AIN), B: PTMB transfer to the AIN, and C: no repair.

An Overview of Computational Tools of Nucleic Acid Binding Site Prediction for Site-specific Proteins and Nucleases.

Understanding the interaction mechanism of proteins and nucleic acids is one of the most fundamental problems for genome editing with engineered nucleases. Due to some limitations of experimental investigations, computational methods have played an important role in obtaining the knowledge of protein-nucleic acid interaction. Over the past few years, dozens of computational tools have been used for identification of nucleic acid binding site for site-specific proteins and design of site-specific nucleases because of their significant advantages in genome editing.

Design, methodology, and preliminary results of the follow-up of a population-based cohort study in rural area of northern China: Handan Eye Study.

Background: Handan Eye Study (HES), a large population-based cohort study in rural area of northern China, was one of the few studies focusing on the major eye diseases of rural Chinese population. The aim of this study was to introduce the design, methodology and to assess the data quality of the follow-up phase of HES.

Methods: All participants were recruited in Yongnian county of Handan city between 2012 and 2013.

Inhibition of the BET family reduces its new target gene IDO1 expression and the production of L-kynurenine.

The bromodomain and extra terminal domain (BET) family members, including BRD2, BRD3, and BRD4, act as epigenetic readers to regulate gene expression. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) is an enzyme that participates in tumor immune escape primarily by catalyzing tryptophan to L-kynurenine. Here, we report that IDO1 is a new target gene of the BET family.

A new BET inhibitor, 171, inhibits tumor growth through cell proliferation inhibition more than apoptosis induction.

The bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) family of proteins, especially bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4), has emerged as exciting anti-tumor targets due to their important roles in epigenetic regulation. Therefore, the discovery of BET inhibitors with promising anti-tumor efficacy will provide a novel approach to epigenetic anticancer therapy. Recently, we discovered the new BET inhibitor compound 171, which is derived from a polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1)-BRD4 dual inhibitor based on our previous research.

Applications of Molecular Simulation in the Discovery of Antituberculosis Drugs: A Review.

After decades of efforts, tuberculosis has been well controlled in most places. The existing drugs are no longer sufficient for the treatment of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis due to significant toxicity and selective pressure, especially for XDR-TB. In order to accelerate the development of high-efficiency, low-toxic antituberculosis drugs, it is particularly important to use Computer Aided Drug Design (CADD) for rational drug design.

Analyzing the Interactions of mRNAs and ncRNAs to Predict Competing Endogenous RNA Networks in Osteosarcoma Chemo-Resistance.

Chemo-resistance is a huge obstacle encountered in the osteosarcoma (OS) treatment. Protein-coding mRNAs, as well as non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including long ncRNA (lncRNA), circular RNA (circRNA), and microRNA (miRNA), have been demonstrated to play an essential role in the regulation of cancer biology. However, the comprehensive expression profile and competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network between mRNAs and ncRNAs in the OS chemo-resistance still remain unclear.