AIM: To delineate the specific mutation responsible for retinitis pigmentosa(RP)in a Yi pedigree, and to analyze the correlation of RHO gene mutation with clinical phenotype.METHODS:A comprehensive clinical evaluation was conducted on the proband diagnosed with RP and other familial members, complemented by a thorough ophthalmic examination. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the proband and familial members, from which genomic DNA was extracte. Subsequent whole exome sequencing(WES)was employed to identify the variant genes in the proband. The identified variant gene was validated through Sanger sequencing, then an in-depth analysis of the mutation genes was carried out using genetic databases to ascertain the pathogenic mutation sites. Furthermore, an exhaustive analysis was performed to delineate the genotype and phenotype characteristics.RESULTS:The RP pedigree encompasses 5 generations with 42 members, including 19 males and 23 females. A total of 13 cases of RP were identified, consisting of 4 males and 9 females, which conforms to the autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. The clinical features of this family include an early onset age, rapid progression, and a more severe condition. The patients were found to have night blindness around 6 years old, representing the earliest reported case of night blindness in RP families. The retina was manifested by progressive osteocytoid pigmentation of the fundus, a reduced visual field, and significantly decreased or even vanished a and b amplitudes of ERG. The combined results of WES and Sanger sequencing indicated that the proband had a heterozygous missense mutation of the RHO gene c.1040C>T:p.P347L, where the 1 040 base C of cDNA was replaced by T, causing codon 347 to encode leucine instead of proline. Interestingly, this mutation has not been reported in the Chinese population.CONCLUSION:This study confirmed that the mutant gene of RP in a Yi nationality pedigree was RHO(c.1040C>T). This variant leads to the change of codon 347 from encoding proline to encoding leucine, resulting in a severe clinical phenotype among family members. This study provides a certain molecular, clinical, and genetic basis for genetic counseling and gene diagnosis of RHO.

AIM: To delineate the specific mutation responsible for retinitis pigmentosa(RP)in a Yi pedigree, and to analyze the correlation of RHO gene mutation with clinical phenotype.METHODS:A comprehensive clinical evaluation was conducted on the proband diagnosed with RP and other familial members, complemented by a thorough ophthalmic examination. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the proband and familial members, from which genomic DNA was extracte. Subsequent whole exome sequencing(WES)was employed to identify the variant genes in the proband. The identified variant gene was validated through Sanger sequencing, then an in-depth analysis of the mutation genes was carried out using genetic databases to ascertain the pathogenic mutation sites. Furthermore, an exhaustive analysis was performed to delineate the genotype and phenotype characteristics.RESULTS:The RP pedigree encompasses 5 generations with 42 members, including 19 males and 23 females. A total of 13 cases of RP were identified, consisting of 4 males and 9 females, which conforms to the autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. The clinical features of this family include an early onset age, rapid progression, and a more severe condition. The patients were found to have night blindness around 6 years old, representing the earliest reported case of night blindness in RP families. The retina was manifested by progressive osteocytoid pigmentation of the fundus, a reduced visual field, and significantly decreased or even vanished a and b amplitudes of ERG. The combined results of WES and Sanger sequencing indicated that the proband had a heterozygous missense mutation of the RHO gene c.1040C>T:p.P347L, where the 1 040 base C of cDNA was replaced by T, causing codon 347 to encode leucine instead of proline. Interestingly, this mutation has not been reported in the Chinese population.CONCLUSION:This study confirmed that the mutant gene of RP in a Yi nationality pedigree was RHO(c.1040C>T). This variant leads to the change of codon 347 from encoding proline to encoding leucine, resulting in a severe clinical phenotype among family members. This study provides a certain molecular, clinical, and genetic basis for genetic counseling and gene diagnosis of RHO.

ObjectiveTo investigate the influencing factors for recompensation in patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis， and to establish a predictive model. MethodsA total of 217 patients who were diagnosed with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis and were admitted to The Third People’s Hospital of Kunming l from January， 2019 to December， 2022 were enrolled， among whom 63 patients who were readmitted within at least 1 year and had no portal hypertension-related complications were enrolled as recompensation group， and 154 patients without recompensation were enrolled as control group. Related clinical data were collected， and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for the factors that may affect the occurrence of recompensation. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed measurement data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed measurement data between two groups； the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. A binary Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the influencing factors for recompensation in patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis， and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to assess the predictive performance of the model. ResultsAmong the 217 patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis， 63 （29.03%） had recompensation. There were significant differences between the recompensation group and the control group in HIV history （χ²=4.566， P=0.034）， history of partial splenic embolism （χ²=6.687， P=0.014）， Child-Pugh classification （χ²=11.978， P=0.003）， grade of ascites （χ²=14.229， P<0.001）， albumin （t=4.063， P<0.001）， prealbumin （Z=-3.077， P=0.002）， high-density lipoprotein （t=2.854， P=0.011）， high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （Z=-2.447， P=0.014）， prothrombin time （Z=-2.441， P=0.015）， carcinoembryonic antigen （Z=-2.113， P=0.035）， alpha-fetoprotein （AFP） （Z=-2.063， P=0.039）， CA125 （Z=-2.270， P=0.023）， TT3 （Z=-3.304， P<0.001）， TT4 （Z=-2.221， P=0.026）， CD45⁺ （Z=-2.278， P=0.023）， interleukin-5 （Z=-2.845， P=0.004）， tumor necrosis factor-α （Z=-2.176， P=0.030）， and portal vein width （Z=-5.283， P=0.005）. The multivariate analysis showed that history of partial splenic embolism （odds ratio ［OR］=3.064， P=0.049）， HIV history （OR=0.195， P=0.027）， a small amount of ascites （OR=3.390， P=0.017）， AFP （OR=1.003， P=0.004）， and portal vein width （OR=0.600， P<0.001） were independent influencing factors for the occurrence of recompensation in patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis. The ROC curve analysis showed that HIV history， grade of ascites， history of partial splenic embolism， AFP， portal vein width， and the combined predictive model of these indices had an area under the ROC curve of 0.556， 0.641， 0.560， 0.589， 0.745， and 0.817， respectively. ConclusionFor patients with decompensated hepatitis C cirrhosis， those with a history of partial splenic embolism， a small amount of ascites， and an increase in AFP level are more likely to experience recompensation， while those with a history of HIV and an increase in portal vein width are less likely to experience recompensation.

Objective To investigate the factors affecting the distribution of Pomacea and project the trends in the spread of suitable distribution areas of Pomacea in 2050 and 2070 in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, so as to provide insights into Pomacea control in the prefecture. Methods The longitudes and latitudes of Pomacea sampling sites were captured based on Pomacea field survey data in 12 cities (counties) of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture from 2023 to 2024. A total of 19 climatic factors (annual mean temperature, mean diurnal range, isothermality, temperature seasonality, maximum temperature of the warmest month, minimum temperature of the coldest month, temperature annual range, mean temperature of the wettest quarter, mean temperature of the driest quarter, mean temperature of the warmest month, mean temperature of the coldest month, annual precipitation, precipitation of the wettest month, precipitation of the driest month, precipitation seasonality, precipitation of the wettest quarter, precipitation of the driest quarter, mean temperature of the warmest quarter, and mean temperature of the coldest quarter) and representative concentration pathways (RCPs) were retrieved from the world climate database (www.worldclim.org). All climatic variables were employed to create a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model. The predictive accuracy of the model was assessed with the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), and the contributions of these 19 climatic factors to the distribution of Pomacea were analyzed in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture using Jackknife test. In addition, the suitable distribution areas of Pomacea were predicted with the MaxEnt model in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in 2024 and in 2050 and 2070 under RCP4.5. Results Data pertaining to 91 Pomacea sampling sites were captured. ROC analysis revealed the MaxEnt model had an AUC value of 0.885 ± 0.088 for predicting the suitable distribution areas of Pomacea in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture. Of the 19 climatic factors, the maximum temperature of the warmest month had the highest contribution to the distribution of Pomacea in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, followed by mean temperature of the driest quarter, mean temperature of the wettest quarter and minimum temperature of the coldest month. The suitable distribution area of Pomacea was predicted to be 14 555.69 km² in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in 2024, and would expand gradually to the southeastern part of the prefecture in the future due to climatic factors. The suitable distribution areas of Pomacea were projected to expand to 21 475.61 km² in 2050 and 25 782.52 km² in 2070 in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, respectively. Conclusions Temperature is an important contributor to the distribution of Pomacea in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, and the suitable distribution area of Pomacea will gradually expand to the southeastern part of the prefecture in 2050 and 2070.

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of noninvasive imaging detection （FibroScan）， two serological models of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-platelet ratio （GPR） score and S index， and two inflammatory factors of interleukin-6 （IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in predicting liver fibrosis in patients with HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B （CHB）， as well as the consistency of liver biopsy in pathological staging， and to provide early warning for early intervention of CHB. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 131 HBeAg-positive CHB patients who underwent liver biopsy in The Third People’s Hospital of Kunming from January 2019 to December 2023. The results of liver biopsy were collected from all patients， and related examinations were performed before liver biopsy， including total bilirubin， alanine aminotransferase， platelet count， gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase， albumin， IL-6， TNF-α， liver stiffness measurement （LSM）， and abdominal ultrasound. An analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups， and the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. A Kappa analysis was used to investigate the consistency between LSM noninvasive histological staging and pathological staging based on liver biopsy， and the Spearman analysis was used to investigate the correlation between each variable and FibroScan in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis stage. The Logistic regression analysis was used to construct joint predictive factors. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to evaluate the value of each indicator alone and the joint predictive model in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis， and the Delong test was used for comparison of the area under the ROC curve （AUC）. ResultsIn the consistency check， inflammation degree based on liver biopsy had a Kappa value of 0.807 （P<0.001）， and liver fibrosis degree based on liver biopsy had a Kappa value of 0.827 （P<0.001）， suggesting that FibroScan noninvasive histological staging and liver biopsy showed good consistency in assessing inflammation degree and liver fibrosis stage. Age was positively correlated with LSM， GPR score， S index， IL-6， and TNF-α （all P<0.05）， and GPR score， S index， IL-6， and TNF-α were positively correlated with LSM （all P<0.05）. GPR score， S index， IL-6， and TNF-α were all independent risk factors for diagnosing significant liver fibrosis （≥S2） and progressive liver fibrosis （≥S3） （all P<0.05）. As for each indicator alone， GPR score had the highest value in the diagnosis of significant liver fibrosis （≥S2）， followed by S index， IL-6， and TNF-α， while S index had the highest value in the diagnosis of progressive liver fibrosis （≥S3）， followed by GPR score， TNF-α， and IL-6. The joint model had a higher predictive value than each indicator alone （all P<0.05）. ConclusionThere is a good consistency between FibroScan noninvasive histological staging and pathological staging based on liver biopsy. GPR score， S index， IL-6， and TNF-α are independent risk factors for evaluating different degree of liver fibrosis in CHB， and the combined prediction model established by them can better diagnose liver fibrosis.

[摘 要] 目的：探究中性粒细胞/淋巴细胞比值（NLR）、血小板/淋巴细胞比值（PLR）、淋巴细胞/单核细胞比值（LMR）及预后营养指数（PNI）对免疫检查点抑制剂（ICI）联合抗血管生成药物治疗晚期肝细胞癌（HCC）患者疗效及预后的预测价值。方法:收集2020年1月至2023年12月间在大理大学第一附属医院收治的使用ICI联合抗血管生成药物治疗的85例晚期HCC患者的一般临床资料、治疗前患者的NLR、PLR、LMR、PNI、临床疗效及预后。采用受试者工作特征（ROC）曲线计算NLR、PLR、LMR、PNI的最佳截断值，以此将患者分成高、低2组。使用Kaplan-Meier法绘制生存曲线，采用Cox比例风险回归模型进行单因素、多因素分析各指标对患者OS的影响。结果:低NLR组、低PLR组、高LMR组、高PNI组患者治疗有效率均分别高于高NLR组、高PLR组、低LMR组和低PNI组（均P < 0.05）。低NLR组、低PLR组患者OS率均分别显著高于高NLR组、高PLR组（均P < 0.05）；高LMR组、高PNI组患者OS率均分别显著高于低LMR组和低PNI组（均P < 0.05）。NLR ≥ 1.94、男性、乙型肝炎病毒感染是晚期HCC患者预后的独立危险因素（均P < 0.05）。结论: NLR ≥ 1.94、男性、乙型肝炎病毒阳性是影响患者疗效、预后的危险因素，NLR ≥ 1.94评估晚期HCC患者免疫联合靶向的疗效及预后有一定的临床价值。

Cationic carriers have demonstrated broad application prospects in drug delivery due to their excellent drug-loading capacity and delivery performance. However, their high-density positive surface charge often leads to systemic toxicity and nonspecific uptake, posing significant barriers to clinical translation. In recent years, the emergence of charge shielding and stimuli-responsive strategies has provided effective avenues for modulating biocompatibility and targeting specificity. This review systematically summarizes the applications of chemical modification, natural polymer coating, and biomimetic membrane strategies in charge shielding. Furthermore, it explores the roles of endogenous stimuli such as pH, enzymes, and reactive oxygen species, as well as exogenous triggers like light and ultrasound, in achieving precise activation and controlled release. With the integration of multi-functional modules and the development of intelligent delivery platforms, cationic carriers are progressively advancing from laboratory research toward clinical translation. This review also discusses the translational potential and critical technical bottlenecks of related delivery systems, aiming to provide a theoretical framework and some reference for the design of next-generation smart delivery systems.

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and safety of the direct-acting antiviral agents coblopasvir hydrochloride/sofosbuvir （CLP/SOF） regimen used alone or in combination with ribavirin （RBV） in the treatment of patients with genotype 3 hepatitis C virus （HCV） infection in terms of virologic response rate， liver function recovery， improvement in liver stiffness measurement （LSM）， and adverse drug reactions， and to provide a reference for clinical medication. MethodsA total of 98 patients with genotype 3 HCV infection who attended The Third People’s Hospital of Kunming from January 2022 to December 2023 were enrolled， and according to the treatment method， the patients were divided into CLP/SOF+RBV treatment group with 55 patients and CLP/SOF treatment group with 43 patients. The patients were observed in terms of rapid virologic response at week 4 （RVR4）， sustained virologic response （SVR）， previous treatment experience， underlying diseases， laboratory and imaging indicators， and adverse reactions during treatment. The course of treatment was 12 weeks， and the patients were followed up for 12 weeks after drug withdrawal. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the Friedman test was used for comparison within each group at different time points， and the Bonferroni method was used for further comparison and correction of P value； the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the influencing factors for SVR12. ResultsBefore treatment， there were significant differences between the CLP/SOF+RBV treatment group and the CLP/SOF treatment group in terms of LSM， total bilirubin （TBil）， gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase （GGT）， HCV genotype， and the presence or absence of liver cirrhosis and compensation （all P<0.05）. The 98 patients with genotype 3 HCV infection had an RVR4 rate of 81.6% and an SVR12 rate of 93.9%. The patients with genotype 3a HCV infection had an RVR4 rate of 84.44% and an SVR12 rate of 97.78%， while the patients with genotype 3b HCV infection had an RVR4 rate of 79.25% and an SVR12 rate of 90.57%. There were significant differences in RVR4 and SVR12 rates between the patients without hepatocellular carcinoma and those with hepatocellular carcinoma， there was a significant difference in RVR4 rate between the patients without HIV infection and those with HIV infection， and there was a significant difference in SVR12 rate between the previously untreated patients and the treatment-experienced patients （all P<0.05）. The univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that treatment history， hypertension， hepatocellular carcinoma， ascites， albumin （Alb）， and platelet count were influencing factors for SVR12 （all P<0.05）， and the multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that hepatocellular carcinoma （odds ratio=0.034， 95% confidence interval： 0.002‍ ‍—‍‍ 0.666， P=0.026） was an independent influencing factor for SVR12. After treatment with CLP/SOF combined with RBV or CLP/SOF alone， the patients with genotype 3 HCV infection showed gradual reductions in the liver function parameters of TBil， GGT， and alanine aminotransferase （all P<0.05） and a gradual increase in the level of Alb （P<0.05）. As for renal function， there were no significant changes in blood urea nitrogen and creatinine after treatment （P>0.05）. For the patients with or without liver cirrhosis， there was a significant reduction in LSM from baseline after treatment for 12 weeks （P<0.05）. Among the 98 patients with genotype 3 HCV infection， 9 tested positive for HCV-RNA at 12 weeks after treatment， 2 showed no response during treatment， 4 showed virologic breakthrough， and 3 experienced recurrence. The overall incidence rate of adverse events during treatment was 17.35% for all patients. ConclusionCLP/SOF alone or in combination with RBV has a relatively high SVR rate in the treatment of genotype 3 HCV infection， with good tolerability and safety in patients during treatment， and therefore， it holds promise for clinical application.

The iridoid glycosides from Veronica anagallis-aquatica L. alleviate heart failure by modulating the gut microbiota and influencing the production of two metabolites with potential antihypertrophic effects, HVA and 2OH-VA.Image 1.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on oral microbiota and metabolites in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in 47 MAFLD patients complicated with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 48 MAFLD patients without CHB enrolled from November, 2023 to January, 2024. Fasting tongue coating samples were collected from the patients for analyzing microbial community structures and metabolites using high-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing and non-targeted metabolomics techniques, and their associations with clinical indicators and biological pathways were explored using correlation analysis and functional annotation. RESULTS: The levels of fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and severity of fatty liver were all significantly lower in MAFLD+CHB group than in MAFLD group. Microbiota analysis showed that the abundances of Patescibacteria (at the phylum level), Hydrogenophaga, and Absconditabacteriales (at the genus level) were significantly increased, while the abundance of Megasphaera was decreased in MAFLD+CHB group. The differential microbiota were significantly correlated with TC, GGT and low-density lipoprotein (r=-0.68‒0.75). Metabolomics analysis revealed that 469 metabolites (including lipids and amino acids) were upregulated and 2306 (including organic oxygen-containing compounds and phenylpropanoids) were downregulated in MAFLD+CHB group, for which KEGG enrichment analysis suggested abnormal activation of the linoleic acid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways. Correlation analysis between microbiota and metabolites indicated that Patescibacteria and Megasphaera, which were positively correlated with lipid metabolites and negatively with fatty acid metabolites, respectively, jointly affected glycolipid metabolism and oxidative stress pathways. CONCLUSIONS Compared to patients with MAFLD alone, MAFLD patients with concurrent chronic HBV infection showed lower levels in some lipid metabolism indicators and the degree of hepatic steatosis, accompanied by alterations in oral microbiota structure and metabolic profiles. The precise mechanisms involved require further investigation to be fully elucidated.
Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Prospective Studies ; Microbiota ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/microbiology* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Fatty Liver/microbiology* ; Middle Aged ; Mouth/microbiology* ; Metabolomics