Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) replacement combined with intrathecal injection on tuberculous meningitis. Methods Fifty-five patients with tuberculous meningitis were randomly divided into treatment group and control group. The patients in the treatment group were treated with CSF replacement combined with intrathecal injection on the basis of routine anti-tuberculosis therapy. The curative effects between these two groups were analyzed after 8 weeks. Results The total effective rate was 95.7% in the treatment group,compared with that 61.9% in the control group (P < 0.01); the healing rate in the treatment group was 56.2% vs 28.6% in the control group. In addition,the decay rate for WBC and CSF pressure in the treatment group are more rapid than those in the control group(P < 0.05). Conclusion CSF replacement combined with intrathecal injection has better curative effect in patients with tuberculous meningitis.

Objective To compare the clinical outcomes of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist (GnRH-ant) fixed protocol with GnRH agonist (GnRH-a) long protocol in infertile patients with normal ovarian reserve function in their first in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycle,and to explore the feasibility and advantage of GnRH antagonist protocol performed in normal responders.MethodsFrom January 2011 to June 2011,771 infertile women with normal ovarian reserve function underwent their first IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles in Peking University Third Hospital,which were divided into 245 cycles in GnRH-ant fixed protocol group ( GnRH-ant group) and 526 cycles in GnRH-a long protocol group ( GnRH-a group).The data of general demographic,treatment and clinical outcome were compared between two groups.ResultsAge,infertile duration,body mass index (BMI),baseline serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol levels between two groups did not reached statistical difference (P ＞ 0.05 ).The level of estradiol was (12 289 ± 6856) pmol/L in GnRH-ant group and (14934±8007)pmol/L in GnRH-a group at day of hCG injection.The mean length of stimulation was ( 10.3 ± 1.2) days in GnRH-ant group and ( 12.8 ± 1.6) days in GnRH-a group.The dose of gonadotropin was (2013 ± 607 ) U in GnRH-ant group and (2646 ± 913 ) U in GnRH-a group.The number of ovum was 15 ± 7 in GnRH-ant group and 17 ± 8 in GnRh-a group.Those clinical parameter all reached statistical difference (P ＜0.05 ).The number of embryo was 7 ±4 in GnRH-ant group and 8 ± 5 in GnRH-a group,the rate of clinical pregnancy was 40.9％ (94/230) in GnRH-ant group and 45.6％ (216/474)in GnRH-a group,the rate of implantation was 26.1％ (128/490)in GnRH-ant group and 30.9％ (307/994) in GnRH-a group,the rate of continuing pregnancy was 38.7％ ( 89/230 ) in GnRH-ant group and 42.6％ (202/474) in GnRH-a group,those parameter did not reach statistical difference (P ＞ 0.05).The rate of moderate or severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome was 2.4％ ( 6/245 ) in GnRH-ant group and 4.2％ (22/526) in GnRH-a group,which did not show significant difference ( P ＞ 0.05 ).ConclusionIn the first IVF or ICSI cycle of the patients with normal ovarian reserve function,the fixed GnRH-ant protocol could get the same satisfied clinical outcome,and it is more economic,convenient and safer compared with low dose depot GnRH-a long protocol.

Strong promoters might not be optimal to obtain maximum metabolic flux towards desired products, whereas modulating gene expression with multiple regulatory parts is an option to obtain optimal expression strength. Therefore, we assessed the difference of impact on beta-carotene production between modulating isoprenoid gene expression with multiple regulatory parts and strong promoter, to improve beta-carotene production through combined modulation of essential isoprenoid genes. Eight isoprenoid genes were modulated with six artificial regulatory parts having a wide range of strengths to assess their effects on beta-carotene production. Optimal strength for each isoprenoid gene expression was identified, leading to 1.2 to 3.5-fold increase in beta-carotene production. In contrast to previous reports, our work suggests that modulating dxr, ispG and ispH genes with appropriate strengths increase beta-carotene production. Beta-carotene yield reached 17.59 mg/g after combined modulation of dxs and idi genes, 8-fold higher than that of the parent strain. Modulating gene expression with multiple regulatory parts was better than strong promoter, providing a new gene modulation strategy for targeted biosynthesis.
Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Terpenes ; metabolism ; beta Carotene ; biosynthesis

Objective To evaluate the method of establishment of a minipig model of ischemic heart failure(HF) with acute myocardial infarction(AMI) by coronary balloon occlusion and coadministration of injecting of microthrombi and plastic microspheres.Methods A total of eighteen minipigs were selected.After coronary angiography,angioplasty balloons were placed in the mid-distal of left anterior descending(LAD).The balloon was inflated intermittently to occlude the LAD 3 times and then to occlude it continuously for 120 minutes.After the balloon was taken out,4F Judkins-type angiogrphic catheter was superelectively engaged in LAD and 3 mL intermixture of mierothrombi and plastic microspheres were injected at 10 minites interval until TIMI myocardial perfusion was grade<2 and left ventfieular end-diastolic pressure was maintained from 15 to 18 mmHg.Electrocardiogram(ECG),hemodynamic perameters,ultrasonic cardiogram,cTnI and CK-MB were measured.Myocardial infarction area was evaluated by histopathology.Results Fourteen days later,fifteen minipigs survived and fourteen satisfied the criteria(pulmonary capillary wedge pressure.PCWP>18 mmHg and eardio output (CO) decreased beyond 30% ). The changes of ECG, hemodynamic perameters, CKMB, cTnI and cardiac pathologic examination were in accordance with AMI. Conclusion A stable experimental method of establishment of minipig model of ischemic heart failure (HF) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) by coronary balloon occlusion and coadministration of injecting of microthrombi and plastic mierospheres is succeded. This method has advantages such as closed chest, higher success rate and stability compared with the drug induced, taehycardia-pacing induced, coronary artery ligation induced or microsphere injection alone methods.

Given the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and the risks of spread to other regions, a rapid, sensitive and simple method for the detection of the Ebola virus (EBOV) is of great significance for the prevention and control of Ebola. We developed a simple colorimetric isothermal multiple self-matching initiated amplification (IMSA) for rapid detection of the Zaire subtype of the Ebola virus (EBOV-Z). This method employed six primers that recognized seven sites of the EBOV-Z nucleoprotein gene for amplification of nucleic acids under isothermal conditions at 63 degrees C for 1 h. Amplification products were detected through visual inspection of color change by pre-addition of hydroxyl naphthol blue dye. Relative sensitivity was validated by detection of serial tenfold dilutions of virus-like particles containing the partial EBOV-Z nucleoprotein gene and mock clinical sample. Specificity of IMSA was validated by detection of the plasma of 30 healthy volunteers, the dengue virus, and Japanese encephalitis virus. IMSA had comparable sensitivity to Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and cross-reaction with human plasma or other viruses was not observed. Reverse transcription-isothermal multiple self-matching initiated amplification (RT-IMSA) was also evaluated and compared in parallel with the commercial RT-qPCR kit for detection of EBOV-suspected samples of human blood in Sierra Leone. Sensitivity and specificity of the RT-IMSA was 91.4% and 100%, respectively. These data suggest that RT-IMSA is a valuable tool for the detection of the EBOV with the distinct advantages of simplicity and low cost compared with RT-qPCR.
Colorimetry ; methods ; DNA Primers ; genetics ; Ebolavirus ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hemorrhagic Fever, Ebola ; diagnosis ; virology ; Humans ; Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques ; methods

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness.The progressive retinal ganglion cell death is the character of glaucoma which is often associated with elevated intraocular pressure. With the investigations on normal tension glaucoma (NTG), we find that the high intraocular pressure is not the only relevant factor. Research on NTG family has associated mutations in the optineurin(OPTN)gene with this disease, especially the E50K mutated OPTN.The molecular structures, localization, mutation, cellular function and pathogenic mechanism of OPTN has been gradually recognized.

Objective To evaluate the application value of whole exome sequencing (WES) in diagnosis of NDDs (neuro-developmental disorders) children.Metheod WES was used for the diagnosis of 35 unexplained NDD children, which admitted to the outpatient and ward of Children′s hospital affiliated to Capital institute of pediatric from November 2015 to November 2016.These children′s clinical data was collected detailedly.Using bioinformatics software tools combining with patient′s phenotype, the candidate genetic/genomic variants of these patients were identified from WES data.The final pathogenicity of genetic/genomic variants was interpreted according to the guideline of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), meanwhile, the variants validation and co-separation analysis in the parents and their family members were performed by Sanger sequencing, real time-PCR and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA).Results 14 pathogenic single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and three pathogenic copy number variations (CNVs) were detected in the 35 NDD children, the detection rate in this study is 48.6%.Among the 14 pathogenic SNVs, 11 of them are the definite NDD-related genes according to OMIM database (such as CHARGE syndrome, Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome, Cockayne syndrome, etc.), and six of them are de novo (6/11, 54.6%).Three pathogenic CNVs were identified from WES data, including two microduplications and one microdeletion.Meanwhile, a female child carrying a frame shift mutation in MECP2 was found and the germline mosaicism with low-frequency mutation of this site (8.4%) was confirmed by his father's sperm.Conclusions The diagnosis rate of WES in NDDs children is 48.6% in our small-sample study.In addition to pathogenic/likely pathogenic SNVs, CNVs can be detected successfully from WES data, which effectively improved the diagnosis yield in NDDs children.

OBJECTIVETo explore the candidate disease causing gene for a case with floppy infant syndrome (FIS).

METHODSSingle nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP array) was used for analyzing the whole genome copy number mutations in the proband. Multiple PCR combined with denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) was employed to verify the suspected mutations in the proband and his family members.

RESULTSA large duplication arr [hg19] Xq13.1: 67 987 646-73 805 828, which spans approximately 5.818182 Mb and encompasses 66 known genes, was identified in the proband. The multiple PCR-DHPLC assay confirmed duplication of HDAC8, PHKA1, TAF1, DLG3, KIF4A, IGBP1, PJA1 and SLC16A2 genes in the proband. His mother and grandmother both had duplication of the above genes in one X chromosome, but his aunt had not.

CONCLUSIONThe large Xq13.1 duplication identified by the SNP array probably underlies the FIS in this family. For its high-throughput, high resolution and capacity of automation, SNP array has provided a first line method for the genetic testing for infants featuring developmental delay with unknown reason, mental retardation, autism, multiple malformation and FIS.

Objective: To investigate the iodine nutritional status of children and pregnant women in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia after reduction of salt iodine content, and to provide theoretical bases for scientific iodine supplementation. Methods: In May to October 2018, according to "Inner Mongolia Iodine Deficiency Disorders Surveillance Project (2016)", in 14 banners (cities, districts) of Hulunbuir, each banner (city, district) was divided into 5 sampling areas according to the location of east, west, south, north and middle, and 40 non-boarding children aged 8-10 years old (age matched, half male and half female) and 20 pregnant women were selected. Salt samples and urine samples were collected to detect salt and urinary iodine levels. Salt iodine was detected based on the "General Test Method in Salt Industry-Determination of Iodine" (GB/T 13025.7-2012), and urinary iodine was detected based on the "Method for Determination of Iodine in Urine by As³⁺-Ce⁴⁺ Catalytic Spectrophotometry" (WS/T 107-2009), the iodine nutritional status was determined according to the standards of urinary iodine recommended by WHO/UNICEF/ICCIDD. At the same time, the goiter condition of children was examined by B-ultrasound. Results: A total of 4 018 salt samples from homes of children and pregnant women were collected, the median of salt iodine was 22.61 mg/kg, the iodized salt coverage rate was 94.50% (3 797/4 018), the qualified rate of iodized salt was 96.92% (3 680/3 797), and the consumption rate of qualified iodized salt was 91.59% (3 680/4 018). A total of 2 790 urine samples from children were collected, the median of urinary iodine was 179.15 μg/L; and 1 228 urine samples from pregnant women were collected, the median of urinary iodine was 156.88 μg/L. There were 9 banners (cities, districts) where children were at the iodine appropriate level, 4 banners (cities, districts) were higher than the iodine appropriate level and 1 banner was at iodine excessive level. There were 4 banners (cities, districts) where pregnant women were at the iodine deficiency level, 8 banners (cities, districts) were at the iodine appropriate level and 2 banners (cities) were higher than the iodine appropriate level. A total of 2 629 children were examined thyroid gland, and the goiter rate was 0.99% (26/2 629). Conclusions After reduction of salt iodine content, the iodine nutrition of children and pregnant women in Hulunbuir is generally at an appropriate level. In some banners (cities, districts), children and pregnant women are at iodine deficiency level, iodine over appropriate level or iodine excessive level. Iodine nutrition monitoring measures of children and pregnant women should be strengthened.

Objective:To analyze the clinical manifestations, gene mutation characteristics and treatment effects of patients with GATOR1 complex-related epilepsy, and to explore the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.Methods:The medical history, electroencephalogram, brain imaging, genetic test results, treatment and follow-up data of patients with GATOR1 complex-related epilepsy who attended the Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, and Shanghai Deji Hospital from May 2017 to July 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:A total of 16 patients with GATOR1 complex-related epilepsy were collected, including 7 males and 9 females. The age of onset of epilepsy was from 2 months to 14 years. Ten cases had focal seizures only, 2 cases had generalized seizures only, and 4 cases had coexistence of focal seizures and generalized seizures, of which generalized seizures included generalized tonic-clonic seizure, spastic seizure, and myoclonic seizure. Among the 16 patients, 2 had infantile spasms, 3 had familial focal epilepsy with variable focus, and 1 had sleep related hyperkinetic epilepsy. Electroencephalogram intervals suggested multiple brain areas discharge or diffuse discharge. A total of 13 DEPDC5 gene mutation sites, 1 NPRL2 gene mutation site, and 2 NPRL3 gene mutation sites were found; 4 sites of DEPDC5 gene were reported sites, the rest were unreported; all mutations had pathogenic significance; 8 cases had nonsense mutation, 1 case had large fragment deletion, 4 cases had frameshift mutation, 1 case had integer mutation, 2 cases had splicing mutation; 13 cases′ mutation was inherited from parents, 2 cases had new mutation, and 1 case had unverified mutation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed 5 of the 16 patients were normal, and 11 had abnormal cerebral cortex structure, manifested as bottom-of-sulcus focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), abnormal formation of sulci and (or) gyri with or without ill-defined gray-white matter and malformation of cortical dysplasia of the bilateral brain. Seven patients underwent stereotactic electroencephalogram (SEEG) monitoring, and the SEEG showed low-amplitude fast rhythm at the beginning in 6 patients, of whom 5 cases started from the frontal lobe, and 1 case started from the parietal lobe. Eight patients were only treated with drugs, 1 with single-drug therapy and the rest with multi-drug combination therapy. Eight patients underwent surgery. Among them, 5 patients with DEPDC5 gene mutation underwent epileptogenic cortex excising after SEEG monitoring, and postoperative pathological examinations showed FCDⅡ, FCDⅢ or non-specific changes; 1 patient was waiting for surgery. One patient with NPRL3 gene mutation underwent epileptogenic foci resection and postoperative pathological examinations showed FCDⅡa; the other patient with NPRL3 gene mutation underwent radiofrequency thermocoagulation after SEEG monitoring. Follow-up showed that 3 patients were seizure-free with drug treatment, and 4 patients had fewer seizures after drug treatment. Six cases underwent epileptic foci resection. Five of them were assisted by SEEG to locate the epileptic foci before surgery and were seizure-free after the operation, but the range of surgical resection was wider than the abnormal range shown by MRI; whereas 1 case who was not assisted by SEEG showed no improvement. There was still 1 case who underwent SEEG-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation and had no improvement after operation. Conclusions:GATOR1 complex-related epilepsy mostly manifests as focal seizures. SEEG shows that seizures originate from the frontal lobe more often, and cortical developmental abnormalities are often found. DEPDC5 gene mutations are the most common ones, mostly inherited from parents, with high incomplete penetrance rate. Therefore, genetic testing is recommended for non-acquired brain structural abnormalities. For those who are refractory to drugs, a radical cure can be obtained by resection of the epileptogenic foci after preoperative evaluation.