Follow-up study of gallbladder stones in 44 children.

Background: Cholesterol stones affect a certain subpopulation of children. Concerns have been raised on the impact of gallbladder surgery on the growth of children and adolescents.

Aim: To study the population characteristics, clinical features, treatment, and prognosis of gallstones in children.

An instant messaging mobile phone application for promoting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake among Chinese gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men: A mixed methods feasibility and piloting randomized controlled trial study.

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) is a promising intervention mode for HIV prevention, but little is known about its feasibility and effects in promoting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake among Chinese gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM).

Methods: We evaluated an instant messaging application using a WeChat-based mini-app to promote PrEP uptake among GBMSM via a mixed-methods design that includes a 12-week, two-arm randomized controlled pilot trial and in-depth progress interviews in Guangzhou, China. Primary outcomes include the number of PrEP initiations, individual-level psychosocial variables related to PrEP initiation, and usability of the PrEP mini-app.

Community-engaged mHealth intervention to increase uptake of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in China: study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: The large number of key populations in China who would benefit from HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the context of limited health system capacity and public awareness will pose challenges for timely PrEP scale-up, suggesting an urgent need for innovative and accessible interventions. This study aims to develop and pilot test a theory-informed, tailored mobile phone intervention that was codeveloped by young gay men, HIV clinicians and public health researchers to increase engagement in PrEP education and initiation among Chinese gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), who bear a disproportionate burden of HIV infections and remain underserved in the healthcare system.

Methods And Analysis: This two-phase study includes a formative assessment using in-depth interviews (N=30) and a 12-week experimental pilot study using a two-arm randomised controlled trial design (N=70).

Gender difference in the neuroprotective effect of rat bone marrow mesenchymal cells against hypoxia-induced apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can reduce retinal ganglion cell death and effectively prevent vision loss. Previously, we found that during differentiation, female rhesus monkey bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells acquire a higher neurogenic potential compared with male rhesus monkey bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. This suggests that female bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have a stronger neuroprotective effect than male bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Microvesicle-mediated delivery of transforming growth factor β1 siRNA for the suppression of tumor growth in mice.

Cell-derived microvesicles (MVs) have been recently shown as an efficient carrier to deliver small RNAs into the target cells. In the present study, we characterized the inhibitory effect of TGF-β1 siRNA delivered by mouse fibroblast L929 cell-derived MVs (L929 MVs) on the growth and metastasis of murine sarcomas 180 cells both in vitro and in vivo. We found that, comparing to the same concentration of free TGF-β1 siRNA, TGF-β1 siRNA delivered by L929 MVs much more efficiently decreased the level of TGF-β1 in the recipient tumor cells.

Salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis modulates intestinal epithelial miR-128 levels to decrease macrophage recruitment via macrophage colony-stimulating factor.

Background: The mechanism underlying the ability of virulent Salmonella organisms to escape clearance by macrophages is incompletely understood. Here, we report a novel mechanism by which Salmonella escapes macrophages.

Methods: Microarray and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses were used to screen key microRNAs regulating Salmonella-host cell interactions.

Immune modulatory function of abundant immune-related microRNAs in microvesicles from bovine colostrum.

Colostrum provides essential nutrients and immunologically active factors that are beneficial to newborns. Our previous work demonstrated that milk contains large amounts of miRNA that is largely stored in milk-derived microvesicles (MVs). In the present study, we found that the MVs from colostrum contain significantly higher levels of several immune-related miRNAs.

3-D spheroid culture of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell of rhesus monkey with improved multi-differentiation potential to epithelial progenitors and neuron in vitro.

Background: Bone mesenchymal stem cells are an attractive source of cells with potential applications in ocular regenerative medicine. However, the low differentiation efficiency in the traditional two-dimensional (2-D) culture system limits their application for clinical therapy. Here, we describe a simple and innovative 3-D culture environment and assess the potential for bone mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into a variety of cell types in the 3-D system.

Sexual dimorphism on the neurogenic potential of rhesus monkeys mesenchymal stem cells.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been shown to differentiate into cells of a neural lineage. However, no studies have examined whether gender influences the differentiation potential of BMSCs. Here, we explore the possible differences in BMSC's neurogenic potential in vitro between female rhesus monkey BMSCs (F-rhBMSCs) and male rhBMSCs (M-rhBMSCs).