Commercially pure titanium and titanium alloys have been among the most commonly used materials for biomedical applications since the 1950s. Due to the excellent mechanical tribological properties, corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and antibacterial properties of titanium, it is getting much attention as a biomaterial for implants. Furthermore, titanium promotes osseointegration without any additional adhesives by physically bonding with the living bone at the implant site. These properties are crucial for producing high-strength metallic alloys for biomedical applications. Titanium alloys are manufactured into the three types of α, β, and α + β. The scientific and clinical understanding of titanium and its potential applications, especially in the biomedical field, are still in the early stages. This review aims to establish a credible platform for the current and future roles of titanium in biomedicine. We first explore the developmental history of titanium. Then, we review the recent advancement of the utility of titanium in diverse biomedical areas, its functional properties, mechanisms of biocompatibility, host tissue responses, and various relevant antimicrobial strategies. Future research will be directed toward advanced manufacturing technologies, such as powder-based additive manufacturing, electron beam melting and laser melting deposition, as well as analyzing the effects of alloying elements on the biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, and mechanical properties of titanium. Moreover, the role of titania nanotubes in regenerative medicine and nanomedicine applications, such as localized drug delivery system, immunomodulatory agents, antibacterial agents, and hemocompatibility, is investigated, and the paper concludes with the future outlook of titanium alloys as biomaterials.

• Advanced manufacturing
• Antibacterial activity
• Biocompatibility
• Biomedical application
• Functional properties
• Titanium and titanium alloys

Myocardial bridge (MB) will compress the mural coronary artery (MCA) during the systole and cause myocardial ischemia. In the diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD), because the structure of MB is difficult to be observed by coronary angiography (CAG), the clinical study of the influence of MB on CHD is lacking. With the advancement of computed tomography coronary angiography technology, detailed observations of the MB anatomy have realized.

To explore the main influencing factors of MB-related CHD and to find potential indicators for predicting MB-related CHD.

A total of 1718 patients with suspected CHD due to the symptoms of myocardial ischemia were enrolled as subjects. Patients diagnosed with CHD were included in a CHD group, and patients with no significant abnormalities were included in a control group. In the CHD group, patients were divided into an MB-CHD subgroup if MB-related CHD was found. In the control group, patients were divided into a simple MB subgroup if MB was found. The patient's clinical data and MB-related indicators, including the branch of MB, MB type (superficial/deep type), MB length, MB thickness, systolic and diastolic compression of the MCA, and MCA systolic stenosis rate were recorded and compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the independent influencing factors of MD-related CHD. ROC curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of potential indicators for MB-related CHD.

There were 1060 cases in the CHD group and 658 cases in the control group, and there were 236 cases in the MB-CHD subgroup and 52 cases in the simple MB subgroup. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the combined MB had a significant effect on the occurrence of CHD (P < 0.05). MB thickness, systolic compression, diastolic compression, and MCA systolic stenosis rate had significant effects on the occurrence of MB-related CHD (P < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of the combination of these influencing factors for the diagnosis of MB-related CHD was 0.959, which was significantly higher than the AUCs of the four indicators separately (P < 0.05). The sensitivity was 97.06% and the specificity was 87.63%.

MB thickness, systolic compression, diastolic compression, and MCA systolic stenosis are independent influencing factors for MB-related CHD. The combination of these factors has potential diagnostic value for MB-related CHD.

• Myocardial bridge
• Coronary heart disease
• Mural coronary artery
• Computed tomography coronary angiography
• Independent influencing factor

• Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI)
• aortic stenosis
• surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR)