Jing Fang

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1397050.].

Introduction: In recent research, the expansion in the use of Mg alloys for biomedical applications has been approached by modifying their surfaces in conjunction with micro-arc oxidation (MAO) techniques which enhance their abrasion and corrosion resistance.Methods: In this study, combining laser texturing and MAO techniques to produce the dense ceramic coatings with microstructures. On the surface of the AZ31 Mg alloy, a micro-raised annulus array texture has been designed in order to increase the surface friction under liquid lubrication and to improve the operator’s grip when holding the tool. For this work, the micro-morphology of the coatings was characterised, and the friction properties of the commonly used scalpel shank material 316 L, the untextured surface and the textured surface were comparatively analysed against disposable surgical gloves.Results and discussion: The results show that the Laser-MAO ceramic coating grows homogenous, the porosity decreases from 14.3% to 7.8%, and the morphology after friction indicates that the coating has good wear resistance. More specifically, the average coefficient of friction (COF) of the three types of gloves coated with Laser-MAO ceramic was higher than that of the 316 L and MAO ceramic coatings under the action of the annulus-integrated texture under the lubrication conditions of physiological saline and defatted sheep blood, which achieved the goal of increasing friction for the purpose of helping to prevent the problem of tool slippage from the hand.

This study aimed to determine the association of asymptomatic sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), Mycoplasma hominis (MH), Mycoplasma genitalium, Chlamydia trachomatis, and herpes simplex virus type 2, with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) in cervical intraepithelial lesions and neoplasms. A total of 320 hrHPV-positive and 160 hrHPV-negative women were divided into high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) + invasive cervical cancer and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion + normal subgroups, respectively, on the basis of pathological cervical lesions. Cervical brush specimens were amplified and hybridized using polymerase chain reaction kits. MH was associated with hrHPV infection, but not with specific hrHPV genotypes or with single or multiple genotypes. Coinfection of hrHPV and UU serotype 14 (Uup14) showed an increased risk of HSILs and cervical carcinoma (odds ratio [OR]: 12.541, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.625–43.390). U. urealyticum biovar (Uuu) and Uup1 infections showed a similar increased risk (OR: 11.646, 95% CI: 1.493–90.850; OR: 7.474, 95% CI: 1.140–49.015, respectively) without hrHPV. Asymptomatic STIs are widespread. This study shows an association between UU subtypes and cervical cancer, providing new insight into cervical lesion etiology. Screening for MH, Uup14, Uup1, and Uuu is important under different hrHPV statuses.

Microarray analysis of gene expression is often used to diagnose different types of disease. Many studies report remarkable achievements in nervous system disease. Clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia (SCZ) still depends on doctors’ experience, which is unreliable and needs to be more objective and quantified. To solve this problem, we collected whole blood gene expression data from four studies, including 152 individuals with schizophrenia (SCZ) and 138 normal controls in different regions. The correlation-based feature selection (CFS, one of the machine learning methods) algorithm was applied in this study, and 103 significantly differentially expressed genes between patients and controls, called “feature genes,” were selected; then, a model for SCZ diagnosis was built. The samples were subdivided into 10 groups, and cross-validation showed that the model we constructed achieved nearly 100% classification accuracy. Mathematical evaluation of the datasets before and after data processing proved the effectiveness of our algorithm. Feature genes were enriched in Parkinson’s disease, oxidative phosphorylation, and TGF-beta signaling pathways, which were previously reported to be associated with SCZ. These results suggest that the analysis of gene expression in whole blood by our model could be a useful tool for diagnosing SCZ.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of gallic acid (GA) on liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄). Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group (group A), CCl₄-induced liver injury control group (group B), and CCl₄ induction with GA of low dose (5 mg/kg) and high dose (15 mg/kg) treatment group (group C and group D). GA was intra-gastric given for mice once a day after 2 weeks of CCl₄ induction. Animals were killed at the eighth week. Degrees of fibrosis and collagen percentage were measured. Hyaluronic acid (HA), type IV collagen (cIV), malondialdehyde (MDA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) were determined. Expression of matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) mRNA levels were examined by RT-PCR. Western blotting was carried out to evaluate the changes of MMP-2 protein. HE and VG stainings showed GA in a dose-dependent manner improved significantly the fibrosis condition in CCl₄-injured mice (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Also, the concentrations of HA, cIV, and MDA, as well as the serum levels of ALT, AST, and γ-GT were markedly reduced by GA (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and decreases in MMP-2, TIMP-1 mRNA, and MMP-2 protein were observed as well (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). GA could exert protective effect on liver injury and reduce liver fibrosis induced by CCl₄ in mice, which might be through the inhibition of hepatic stellate cell activity.

To evaluate the therapeutic effect of compound salvia injection combined with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in treating pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis (ICP) and its influence on perinatal babies. One hundred and twenty-eight patients of ICP were assigned to two groups. The 72 patients in the treatment group were treated with salvia injection (20 mL in 10% glucose 500 mL for intravenous dripping once a day) and UDCA (15 mg, thrice daily by oral taken), and the 56 patients in the control group were treated with UDCA alone, all were treated for 14 days. Changes of itching symptom (estimated by scoring) and serum levels of biochemical indexes, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin (TBil) and glycocholic acid (GCA), were determined before and after treatment, and conditions of the newborns were compared after delivery. Compared with before treatment, scores of itching were lowered from 3.6 scores to 1.4 scores in the treatment group, and from 3.4 scores to 1.6 scores in the control group, showing no significant difference between groups (P > 0.05), but the lowering was shown earlier in the former. Levels of biochemical indexes were improved significantly (P < 0.01) in both groups, but the improvements were more significant in the treatment group, the difference between groups was significant (P < 0.05). The difference between groups in the incidence of fetal distress, meconium-stained fluid and neonatal asphyxia were insignificant (P > 0.05). The birth weights of the newborns were higher in the treatment group than in the control group (3,108 +/- 236 g vs 2,681 +/- 269 g, P < 0.05). The combined therapy of compound salvia injection and UDCA shows better effect in treating ICP than that of UDCA alone.