Objective To examine the impact of extreme temperature and drought stress on the survival of Bulinus globosus, so as to provide the theoretical evidence for the genomic research of Bulinus in absence of reference genes. Methods B. globosus snail samples were collected from Kiwani Shehia in Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania, and offspring snails were obtained through laboratory breeding and reproduction. A total of 120 10-week-old B. globosus snails from the same generation were selected and randomly assigned into four groups, including the high-temperature drought (HD) group, normal temperature drought (D) group, low-temperature drought (LD) group, and the control (C) group, of 30 snails in each group. Snails in HD, D, and LD groups were placed in beakers containing dry soil at the bottom and subsequently housed in climate chambers at 35, 26 ℃, and 10 ℃, respectively, while snails in Group C were maintained in 500 mL petri dishes containing dechlorinated tap water at 26 ℃. Following 3 days of breeding, living snails in each group were collected, and soft tissues were dissected and isolated. Total RNA was extracted from snail soft tissues for library construction, followed by high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina HiSeq 4000 sequencing system. De novo transcriptome assembly was performed using the Trinity software, and the longest transcripts were selected as unigenes. Gene functional annotations of unigenes were conducted using the Diamond software against Gene Ontology (GO) knowledgebase, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database, NCBI non-redundant (NR) protein sequences database, Protein Family (Pfam) database, and UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot (Swiss-Prot) knowledgebase. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were performed using the topGO and clusterProfiler software, respectively. In addition, four relevant genes were selected for validation using a real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) assay to verify the reliability of transcriptome sequencing results. Results Following 3 days of breeding, there were 7, 20, 28, and 30 survival B. globosus snails in HD, LD, D, and C groups, with corresponding survival rates of 23.33% (7/30), 66.67% (20/30), 93.33% (28/30), and 100.00% (30/30), respectively (χ² = 52.72, P < 0.001). De novo transcriptome assembly generated 176 942 unigenes, with annotation rates of 0.98%, 13.49%, 26.46%, 12.48%, and 14.39% against GO knowledgebase, KEGG pathway database, NR protein sequences database, Pfam database, and Swiss-Prot knowledgebase, respectively. There were 33 up-regulated and 72 down-regulated genes in Group D, 483 up-regulated and 815 down-regulated genes in Group HD, and 245 up-regulated and 172 down-regulated genes in Group LD relative to in Group C. Following removal of overlapping genes across groups and unmatched genes, 11 candidate genes were identified. GO and KEGG analyses revealed 3 heat shock protein (HSP)-related DEGs in these 11 candidate genes, which were annotated as HSP12.2, HSP70, and HSP20 genes and were all significantly up-regulated in each treatment group. Three immune and nervous system-related DEGs were identified, and were all significantly down-regulated in each treatment group, which were involved in the neural cell adhesion molecule L1-like protein pathway, fibrinogen binding protein pathway, and leukocyte elastase inhibitor-like protein pathway. qRT-PCR assay quantified that the expression trends of four genes related to temperature and drought stress across different treatment groups were highly consistent with transcriptome sequencing data. Conclusion The survival rate of B. globosus significantly reduces under combined stresses of extreme temperature and drought, possibly due to an imbalance in its cellular homeostasis regulatory system.

Objective: To investigate the current status of benefit finding among young and middle-aged patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and analyze its influencing factors, so as to provide a reference for improving the level of benefit finding in this population. Methods: From November 2022 to May 2023, young and middle-aged patients with T2DM aged 18-59 years hospitalized in the endocrinology departments of 2 tertiary hospitals in Hengyang City, Hunan Province were selected as survey subjects by a convenience sampling method. Basic demographic information was collected using a general questionnaire survey. Benefit finding, resourcefulness, and stigma were evaluated using the Benefit Finding Scale, the Chinese Version of the Resourcefulness Scale, and the Type 2 Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale, respectively. A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of benefit finding among young and middle-aged patients with T2DM. Results: A total of 305 young and middle-aged patients with T2DM were investigated, including 222 males (72.79%) and 83 females (27.21%). There were 231 cases aged 45-59 years, accounting for 75.74%. The scores for benefit finding, resourcefulness, and stigma were (42.86±6.06), (75.12±11.30), and (41.20±10.10), respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that young and middle-aged patients with T2DM who were male (β′=0.088), aged 18-<45 years (β′=0.083), absence of diabetes complications (β′=0.124), and had higher resourcefulness scores (β′=0.679) had higher levels of benefit finding, while patients with higher stigma scores (β′=-0.097) had lower levels of benefit finding. Conclusion The level of benefit finding among young and middle-aged patients with T2DM was moderate, and was related to gender, age, diabetes complications, resourcefulness, and stigma.

OBJECTIVE To establish the UPLC fingerprint and the method for multi-component content determination in Jingangteng capsules， and to evaluate its quality by combining chemical pattern recognition analysis. METHODS An UPLC method was established. Separation was performed on a Zorbax SB-C 18 Rapid Resolution HD column， with acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase for gradient elution.Using the Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprints of Traditional Chinese Medicines （2012 edition）， UPLC fi ngerprints were established for 10 batches of Jingangteng capsules， and similarity was evaluated. SPSS 22.0 and SIMCA 14.1 software were used to perform hierarchial-cluster analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA）， respectively. The same UPLC method was employed to determine the contents of chlorogenic acid， 3，5-dihydroxy-2-methylbenzoic acid-3- O -glucoside （M1）， caffeic acid， astilbin， oxyresveratrol， quercitrin and resveratrol in the 10 batches of samples. RESULTS A total of 17 common peaks were identified in UPLC fingerprints of the 10 batches of samples， of which 7 were identified as chlorogenic acid， M1， caffeic acid， astilbin， oxyresveratrol， quercitrin， and resveratrol. The similarities of 10 batches of samples ranged from 0.820 to 0.985. The results of hierarchial-cluster analysis showed that 10 batches of samples were grouped into four categories： S1-S4 formed one group， S5 and S6 formed another， S7， S8 and S10 formed a third， and S9 formed a fourth， consistent with the OPLS-DA results； the variable importance projection values for peaks 7， 10， 2， 16 （resveratrol）， 13 （oxyresveratrol）， 11， 6 （caffeic acid）， 5 （M1） and 15 （quercitrin） were ＞1. Quantitative analysis results showed that the contents of chlorogenic acid， M1， caffeic acid， astilbin， oxyresveratrol， quercitrin， and resveratrol were 1.650 8-4.213 7， 0.636 2-2.161 7， 0.031 0-0.086 5， 0.239 1-1.069 3， 0.211 9-1.104 0， 0.488 8-2.399 2， and 0.164 0-0.699 8 mg/g， respectively. CONCLUSIONS UPLC fingerprint and content determination methods established in this study are simple to operate， accurate， reliable and reproducible； when combined with chemical pattern recognition analysis， they can be used to evaluate the quality of Jingangteng capsules. Nine components， such as resveratrol， oxyresveratrol， caffeic acid， M1 and quercitrin， may serve as markers of quality variation.

Background and Aims:In recent years,with the continuous progress of systemic therapy,hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic agents has demonstrated significant efficacy in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,direct comparisons between different immunotherapeutic targets,such as PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors,in terms of clinical benefit and safety remain limited.This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of HAIC plus bevacizumab and sintilimab(HAIC-BP1)versus HAIC plus bevacizumab and atezolizumab(HAIC-BPL)in advanced HCC.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 88 patients with advanced HCC who received first-line HAIC-BP1or HAIC-BPL at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2020 and December 2022.Progression-free survival(PFS),overall survival(OS),objective response rate(ORR),disease control rate(DCR),and adverse events(AEs)were compared between the two groups.Cox regression analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors affecting PFS.Results:A total of 47 patients were included in the HAIC-BP1 group and 41 patients in the HAIC-BPL group,with no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups(all P>0.05).The ORR(59.6%vs.65.9%)and DCR(72.3%vs.80.5%)did not significantly differ between the HAIC-BP1 group and the HAIC-BPL group(both P>0.05).After a median follow-up of 16.3 months,there were no significant differences in median OS(21.3 months vs.22.4 months)or median PFS(6.7 months vs.6.2 months)between the HAIC-BP1 group and the HAIC-BPL group(both P>0.05).The incidence of AEs was similar,and no treatment-related deaths occurred.Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified tumor diameter>10 cm as an independent adverse prognostic factor for PFS(HR=0.48,95%CI=0.27-0.83,P=0.009).Conclusion:Both HAIC-BP1 and HAIC-BPL demonstrated comparable efficacy and favorable safety profiles as first-line treatment options for advanced HCC.Tumor diameter>10 cm was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for PFS,underscoring the importance of patient stratification in clinical decision-making.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical phenotypic and genetic characteristics of three children with Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) and Self-limited familial infantile epilepsy (SeLIE) caused by PRRT2 gene mutation. METHODS: Three children with PKD and SeLIE caused by PRRT2 gene mutation (children 1-3) who were treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from November 2022 to August 2023 were selected as the research subjects. A retrospective study was conducted to collect the clinical and family history data of the three children. 2 mL of peripheral venous blood from children 1-3 and parents of children 1-2 were collected (parents of children refused to undergo genetic testing and no blood samples were collected), genomic DNA was extracted, whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed, and Sanger sequencing method was used for verification. According to the Classification Standards and Guidelines for Genetic Variants formulated by the American Society of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) (hereinafter referred to as the "ACMG Guidelines"), the pathogenicity of the variant loci detected in three children was rated, and the detrimental loci of the variant loci were analyzed by multiple bioinformatics software. This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Ethics No. 2024-KY-0881-002). RESULTS: The clinical data and genetic test results of the three children in this study are as follows. Child 1: female, age of onset of 4 months and 10 days, with seizures, manifested as sudden cessation of movements, staring in both eyes, cyanosis of the lips, paleness, and stiffness and shaking of limbs. The results of genetic testing showed that child 1 had maternal PRRT2 gene c.583_584dup (p.P196Afs*34) frameshift variant, which was rated as a pathogenic variant (PVS1 PM2_Supporting PP4) according to ACMG guidelines. According to the clinical manifestations and genetic test results of child 1, he was diagnosed with SeLIE and took oral sodium valproate [0.5 mL/(kg.d)], and was still taking medication at the follow-up of 2 years old, and did not have seizures again after 5 months of age. Child 2: male, age of onset of 10 years old, manifested as dystonia after sudden movement. The results of genetic testing showed that child 2 had PRRT2 gene mutations: paternal c.649dupC (p.R217Pfs*8) frameshift variant and maternal c.445C>A (p.Q149K) mutation. Among them, c.649dupC was a reported pathogenic variant, and according to ACMG guidelines, c.445C>A variant was rated as a variant of unknown clinical significance (PM2_Supporting), with a high probability of benignness. According to the clinical manifestations and genetic test results of the child 2, he was diagnosed with PKD, and was followed up with oral oxcarbazepine 9 mg/(kg.d) until 12 years and 2 months, and was still on the drug, and there was no recurrence of the seizure of the form of dyskinesia after taking the drug. Child 3: male, age of onset of 11 years old, manifested by dystonia after sudden exercise. The results of genetic testing showed that child 3 had a missense variant of PRRT2 gene c.904G>C (p.D302H), and his parents refused genetic testing, and the source of the mutation was unknown, and the variant was rated as a variant of unknown clinical significance (PM2_Supporting+PP3_Moderate+PP4) according to ACMG guidelines. According to the clinical manifestations and genetic test results of child 3, he was diagnosed with PKD, and was treated with oral oxcarbazepine 10 mg/(kg.d) for 1 year and then discontinued on his own, and was followed up at the age of 17, and there was no recurrence of the seizure of the form of movement disorder after taking the drug. CONCLUSION One case of SeLIE and two cases of PKD caused by PRRT2 gene mutations responded well to anti-seizure drugs. In this study, four variant loci of PRRT2 gene were found: c.583_584dup, c.904G>C, c.649dupC, c.445C>A, among which c.583_584dup were new variants, enriching the variant spectrum of PRRT2 gene.
Humans ; Male ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics* ; Female ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Mutation ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Phenotype ; Dystonia/genetics* ; Retrospective Studies ; Child

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology of a child with Christianson syndrome (CS). METHODS: A 1-year-and-5-month-old boy with CS diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in April 2021 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the child and his parents, followed by genomic DNA extraction and whole exome sequencing (WES). Candidate variant was validated by Sanger sequencing. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Ethics No. 2024-KY-1103-001). RESULTS: The child has manifested with seizures, microcephaly, and global developmental delay. WES revealed that he has harbored a novel de novo hemizygous nonsense variant of the SLC9A6 gene, namely c.1014G>A (p.W338*). Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was rated as pathogenic. CONCLUSION The hemizygous c.1014G>A nonsense variant of the SLC9A6 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis in this child. Above discovery has expanded mutational spectrum of the SLC9A6 gene and enabled definite diagnosis of the child.
Humans ; Male ; Infant ; Microcephaly/genetics* ; Spasms, Infantile/genetics* ; Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers/genetics* ; Exome Sequencing ; Intellectual Disability/genetics* ; Genetic Diseases, X-Linked/genetics* ; Mutation ; Seizures/genetics* ; Ataxia ; Epilepsy ; Ocular Motility Disorders

OBJECTIVE To investigate the molecular epidemiological characteristics of clinical isolates of carbapen-em-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP)resistant to ceftazidime/avibactam(CZA).METHODS From Jan.2022 to Dec.2023,totally 63 strains of non-repetitive CZA-resistant CRKP that were isolated for the first time from hospitalized patients of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were enrolled in the study,and 50 strains of CZA-sensitive CRKP were randomly chosen as the research subjects.The drug susceptibility rates of the strains were observed.The drug resistance genes,virulence genes and capsular serotypes of the strains were detected by means of polymerase chain reaction(PCR).The molecular epidemiological characteristics of the strains were observed by using molecular biological techniques such as pulse field gel electrophoresis(PFGE)and multilocus sequence typing(MLST).RESULTS Among the CZA-resistant CRKP strains,45(71.43％)were iso-lated from sputum.The result of drug susceptibility testing showed that the drug resistance rates of the CZA-re-sistant strains to amikacin,aztreonam and minocycline were lower than those of the CZA-sensitive strains(P＜0.05),and the drug resistance rates of the CZA-resistant strains to tigecycline was higher than that of the CAZ-sensitive strains(P＜0.05).The carrying rates of blaKPC,blaNDM,blaSHV-1,blaTEM-1,blaCTX-M,blaqnrS,blaacc(6')-Ib and blarmtB genes of the CZA-resistant strains were relatively high.Among the detected capsular serotypes,K64(n=18,28.57％)was dominant.ST11(n=25,39.68％)was predominant strain among the CZA-resistant CRKP strains.CONCLUSIONS ST11 is dominant among the CZA-resistant CRKP strains.The strains carry with multiple drug resistance genes and virulence genes.The drug resistance rate of the CZA-resistant strains to tigecycline is higher than that of the CZA-sensitive strains,and it is necessary to attach great importance during the clinical treatment.

OBJECTIVE To observe the detection and drug resistance of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoni-ae(CRKP)strains causing hospital-acquired infections(HAI)and community-acquired infections(CAI)in recent years so as to provide bases for prevention and control of CRKP infection and reasonable clinical use of antibiotics.METHODS A total of 3444 patients who were diagnosed with Klebsiella pneumonia infection and were hospitalized in the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from Jan.1,2017 to Dec.31,2023 were recruited as the research subjects.Totally 230 patients with CRKP infection were chosen based on the result of drug susceptibility testing,73 of whom had HAI,and 157 had CAI.The isolation rate of CRKP strains,popula-tion distribution,specimens sources and drug resistance rates were observed and compared between the patients with HAI and the patients with CAI.RESULTS The total isolation rate of CRKP strains was 6.68％(230/3444).There was no difference in the sex of the patients with CRKP infection between the HAI patients and the CAI patients,however,the isolation rate of the CRKP strains from the patients aged between 18 and 45 years old was higher in the HAI group than in the CAI group(P＜0.05).The isolation rates of CRKP strains causing the two types of infections increased year by year,showing a remarkable increasing amplitude in 2022-2023,with the HAI increasing from 9.33％to 20.67％,the CAI increasing from 5.54％to 15.03％.The lower respiratory tract,urinary tract and bacteremia were the most common infection sites,the detection rate of soft tissue infec-tions was higher among the patients with HAI than among the patients with CAI(P=0.047).CRKP strains cau-sing HAI showed the highest isolation rate(33.33％)in catheter specimens,and the isolation rate of CRKP strains in pus specimens was higher among the HAI patients than among the CAI patients(P=0.011).The isola-tion rate of CRKP strains in sputum specimens of the CAI patients raised four times in 2023 as compared with that in 2022.The drug resistance rates of the CRKP strains to 25 types of antibiotics were relatively high and showed upward trends;the drug resistance rate of the HAI-KPN strains to imipenem was 48.78％,higher than 7.09％of the CAI-KPN strains(P＜0.001),and there were no significant differences in the drug resistance rates to other carbapenems between the CAI-KPN strains and the HAI-KPN strains.CONCLUSIONS The isolation rates of the CRKP strains causing the HAI and CAI are increasing year by year.The clinical invasive procedures and community-acquired respiratory tract infections are the key points for prevention and control.It is necessary to in-tensify the hospital-community cooperative prevention and control system based on the isolation rates and drug re-sistance rates of the CRKP strains,and take comprehensive prevention and control measures so as to curb the transmission of the drug-resistant strains.

Background and Aims:In recent years,with the continuous progress of systemic therapy,hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors and anti-angiogenic agents has demonstrated significant efficacy in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,direct comparisons between different immunotherapeutic targets,such as PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors,in terms of clinical benefit and safety remain limited.This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of HAIC plus bevacizumab and sintilimab(HAIC-BP1)versus HAIC plus bevacizumab and atezolizumab(HAIC-BPL)in advanced HCC.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 88 patients with advanced HCC who received first-line HAIC-BP1or HAIC-BPL at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2020 and December 2022.Progression-free survival(PFS),overall survival(OS),objective response rate(ORR),disease control rate(DCR),and adverse events(AEs)were compared between the two groups.Cox regression analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors affecting PFS.Results:A total of 47 patients were included in the HAIC-BP1 group and 41 patients in the HAIC-BPL group,with no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups(all P>0.05).The ORR(59.6%vs.65.9%)and DCR(72.3%vs.80.5%)did not significantly differ between the HAIC-BP1 group and the HAIC-BPL group(both P>0.05).After a median follow-up of 16.3 months,there were no significant differences in median OS(21.3 months vs.22.4 months)or median PFS(6.7 months vs.6.2 months)between the HAIC-BP1 group and the HAIC-BPL group(both P>0.05).The incidence of AEs was similar,and no treatment-related deaths occurred.Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified tumor diameter>10 cm as an independent adverse prognostic factor for PFS(HR=0.48,95%CI=0.27-0.83,P=0.009).Conclusion:Both HAIC-BP1 and HAIC-BPL demonstrated comparable efficacy and favorable safety profiles as first-line treatment options for advanced HCC.Tumor diameter>10 cm was an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for PFS,underscoring the importance of patient stratification in clinical decision-making.

Objective To systematically evaluate the effects of liraglutide combined with metformin on glucose and lipid metabolism,sex hormones,reproductive function,and gastrointestinal reactions in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods We searched databases such as PubMed,WanFang Medical Network,WanFang Database,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),and VIP Journals to collect randomized controlled trials published from January 2011 to August 2022 on the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome with liraglutide combined with metformin,using Revman 5.4 for the meta-analysis.Results A total of 16 case-control studies were included,involving 1436 patients.Compared to metformin alone,the combination of liraglutide and metformin significantly lowered fasting blood sugar,postprandial blood glucoseafter 2 hours,HbA1c,HOMA-IR,FINS,BMI,as well as LH,FSH,and total testosterone in patients with PCOS.It improved lipid levels,helped establish menstrual cycles,and increased the normal ovulation rate and natural conception rate in these patients.However,there was a significantly higher incidence of gastrointestinal reactions in the liraglutide plus metformin group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion The combination of liraglutide and metformin can improve glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome(PC OS),reduce levels of LH,FSH,and total testosterone,help establish regular menstrual cycles,and increase ovulation and pregnancy rates,but it significantly increases gastrointestinal side effects.