Elimination of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilms on titanium implants via photothermally-triggered nitric oxide and immunotherapy for enhanced osseointegration.

Background: Treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm infections in implant placement surgery is limited by the lack of antimicrobial activity of titanium (Ti) implants. There is a need to explore more effective approaches for the treatment of MRSA biofilm infections.

Methods: Herein, an interfacial functionalization strategy is proposed by the integration of mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA), nitric oxide (NO) release donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and osteogenic growth peptide (OGP) onto Ti implants, denoted as Ti-PDA@SNP-OGP.

Association Between MTHFR C677T Polymorphism and Susceptibility to Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Meta-Analysis in Chinese Han Population.

Prior studies have examined the influence of MTHFR C677T on autism susceptibility, however, there are no consensus conclusions and specific analyses of a Chinese population. This meta-analysis included a false-positive report probability (FPRP) test to comprehensively evaluate the association of MTHFR C677T polymorphism with autism susceptibility among a Chinese Han population. A large-scale literature retrieval was conducted using various databases including PubMed, Embase, Wan Fang, and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) up to July 31, 2020, with a total of 2,258 cases and 2,073 controls included.

Exosomal miR-182 regulates the effect of RECK on gallbladder cancer.

Background: As the most common biliary malignancy, gallbladder cancer (GC) is an elderly-biased disease. Although extensive studies have elucidated the molecular mechanism of microRNA 182 (miR-182) and reversion-inducing-cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs (RECK) in various cancers, the specific role of exosomal miR-182 and RECK in GC remains poorly understood.

Aim: To explore the relationship between exosomal miR-182/RECK and metastasis of GC.

Novel variants in AP4B1 cause spastic tetraplegia, moderate psychomotor development delay and febrile seizures in a Chinese patient: a case report.

Introduction: The AP4B1 gene encodes a subunit of adaptor protein complex-4 (AP4), a component of intracellular transportation of proteins which plays important roles in neurons. Bi-allelic mutations in AP4B1 cause autosomal recessive spastic paraplegia-47(SPG47).

Case Presentation: Here we present a Chinese patient with spastic tetraplegia, moderate psychomotor development delay and febrile seizures plus.

Upregulation of miR-34c after silencing E2F transcription factor 1 inhibits paclitaxel combined with cisplatin resistance in gastric cancer cells.

Background: MicroRNA 34c (miR-34c) has been reported to be associated with malignant types of cancer, however, it remains unknown whether miR-34c is involved in chemoresistance in gastric cancer (GC).

Aim: To investigate the effect of miR-34c and its upstream transcription factor E2F1 on paclitaxel combined with cisplatin resistance in GC cells.

Methods: Paired GC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were randomly sampled from 74 GC patients.

[A genotyping study of 13 cases of early-onset Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease].

Objective: To study the clinical characteristics and genetic variation of early-onset Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT).

Methods: Children with a clinical diagnosis of early-onset CMT were selected for the study. Relevant clinical data were collected, and electromyogram and CMT-related gene detection were performed and analyzed.

Influence of biological scaffold regulation on the proliferation of chondrocytes and the repair of articular cartilage.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of hard tissue engineering scaffold (the material is β-TCP) with different micro-structures on the proliferation of chondrocytes, and the influence of its composite erythrocytes on the repair of articular cartilage defects.

Methods: Rabbit cartilage cells were on β-TCP bioceramic scaffold with different micro-structures in vitro, the proliferation growth trend of chondrocytes within the scaffold was calculated, and a optimal micro-structure suitable for cartilage cell growth was determined. Composite chondrocytes were implanted into rabbit models of articular cartilage defects, and the repair situation was observed.

Clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.

Background: Clinically mild encephalitis/encephalopathy with a reversible splenial lesion (MERS) is a clinico-radiological syndrome characterized by transient mild symptoms of encephalopathy and a reversible lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is often triggered by infection. The common pathogens of MERS are viruses, especially influenza virus.

Clinical Value of Assessing Cytokine Levels for the Differential Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis in a Pediatric Population.

We performed a prospective observational study to evaluate the utility of measuring inflammatory cytokine levels to discriminate bacterial meningitis from similar common pediatric diseases. Inflammatory cytokine levels and other cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) physicochemical indicators were evaluated in 140 patients who were diagnosed with bacterial meningitis via microbiological culture or PCR assay. The CSF concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10, CSF/blood IL-6 and IL-10 ratios, CSF white blood cell count, and CSF micro total protein were significantly elevated in bacterial meningitis patients compared with healthy children or patients with viral encephalitis, epilepsy, or febrile convulsions (P < 0.

Novel mutations of the ATP7B gene in Han Chinese families with pre-symptomatic Wilson's disease.

Background: Wilson's disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder of copper metabolism, caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene, resulting in copper accumulation in the liver, brain, kidney, and cornea and leading to significant disability or death if untreated. Early diagnosis and proper therapy usually predict a good prognosis, especially in pre-symptomatic WD. Genetic testing is the most accurate and effective diagnostic method for early diagnosis.

Reversible bilateral striatal lesions following Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection associated with elevated levels of interleukins 6 and 8.

Background: Reversible bilateral striatal necrosis associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) infection is a rare neurological disease. The exact pathogenic mechanism remains unknown.

Effects of TGF-β1 and IL-1β on expression of ADAMTS enzymes and TIMP-3 in human intervertebral disc degeneration.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) on the expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) enzymes and their inhibitor, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP-3), in human intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. Cells from patients with IVD degeneration were cultured with Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium with Ham's F12 nutrient mixture (DMEM/F12) medium at 37°C in a 5% CO incubator. Cell proliferation was measured by cell counting kit-8 assays with varying concentrations of TGF-β1 and IL-1β in a time-response experiment.

HDAC5 promotes osteosarcoma progression by upregulation of Twist 1 expression.

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) form a family of enzymes, which have fundamental roles in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression and contribute to the growth, differentiation, and apoptosis of cancer cells. In this study, we firstly investigated the biological function of HDAC5 in osteosarcoma cells. We found that mRNA and protein levels of HDAC5 were upregulated in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines.