1.ZHANG Ren's academic characteristics of acupuncture for refractory eye diseases in modern times with "homotherapy for heteropathy".
Yue MA ; Yanmei HU ; Xiaolan SHI ; Xiaoying HU ; Wenqiang HONG ; Ren ZHANG
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(9):1311-1317
This paper introduces the academic characteristics of Professor ZHANG Ren in treatment with acupuncture for refractory eye diseases in modern times, guided by "homotherapy for heteropathy" (same therapy for different diseases sharing the same pathogenesis). The refractory eye diseases in modern times include a variety of conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, high myopia and its complications, dry eye, cortical visual impairment and genetic eye diseases. The same therapy is used because these diseases share the similar location and pathogenesis. Professor ZHANG optimizes the methods of acupoint selection and provides the comprehensive prescriptions, "basic prescription, prescription based on disease differentiation, and supplementary prescription". A variety of acupuncture manipulation techniques are operated in clinical practice, such as compound needling methods, penetration needling, manipulations for promoting qi movement and conducting qi flow. "Early, regular and persistent" treatment is the common requirement with "the same acupoints, the same prescription and the same acupuncture method" as well as at "the same time". It is also proposed that the treatment should be provided flexibly according to the different symptoms, "identifying the differences within similarities".
Acupuncture Therapy/methods*
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Humans
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Eye Diseases/history*
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Acupuncture Points
;
History, 20th Century
;
China
;
History, 21st Century
2.Research progress on macrophage metabolic reprogramming in ocular diseases.
Yun HE ; Junwen OUYANG ; Qian TAN ; Kai HU
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2025;41(8):744-749
Macrophages are the crucial immune cells integral to host defense and the regulation of homeostasis, exhibiting remarkable plasticity across various tissues. Upon exposure to different stimuli, they can polarize into functional subsets. The reorganization process of cellular metabolism, known as metabolic reprogramming, involves the comprehensive adjustment of intracellular metabolites, enzymes, and metabolic pathways. Recent studies have revealed the critical role of metabolic reprogramming in shaping the phenotypes and functions of macrophages. Metabolism drives and regulates macrophages by generating bioenergy and biosynthetic precursors and by altering metabolites that affect gene expression and signal transduction. This review focuses on the immunomodulatory roles of key enzymes and specific products in major metabolic pathways, such as glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism, in macrophages. Additionally, it will highlight recent advancements in targeting metabolic regulation of macrophages in the context of ocular diseases.
Humans
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Macrophages/immunology*
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Animals
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Eye Diseases/immunology*
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Lipid Metabolism
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Glucose/metabolism*
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Metabolic Networks and Pathways
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Signal Transduction
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Metabolic Reprogramming
3.Clinical features and analysis of a case with Brain small vessel disease 1 with ocular anomalies due to variant of COL4A1 gene.
Chunxiao HAN ; Lulu YAN ; Yuxin ZHANG ; Haibo LI
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2025;42(4):495-499
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the genetic etiology of a child with Brain small vessel disease 1 with ocular anomalies.
METHODS:
A child who was admitted to Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital on May 28, 2022 was selected for the study. Clinical data were collected, and peripheral blood samples from the child and her parents were obtained for genomic DNA extraction. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed to screen for pathogenic variants. Candidate variants were validated via Sanger sequencing and subjected to bioinformatic analysis. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital (Ethics No. EC2020-014).
RESULTS:
The child was a 7-year-old female with a diagnosis of epilepsy. WES revealed that she has carried a heterozygous missense variant in the COL4A1 gene: c.1792G>A (p.Gly598Ser). Sanger sequencing confirmed that her parents both had the wild-type genotype for this variant. Based on American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) Standards and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants, the variant were predicted to be a likely pathogenic (PS2+PM1+PM2_Supporting+PP3). Bioinformatics predicted that amino acid 598 was highly conserved in different species, formed hydrogen bond with Asp599 after becoming Ser598.
CONCLUSION
The heterozygous missense variant of the COL4A1 gene c.1792T>C (p.G598S) could be the pathogenic cause of this child with Brain small vessel disease 1 with ocular anomalies.
Humans
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Female
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Child
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Collagen Type IV/genetics*
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Eye Abnormalities/genetics*
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Exome Sequencing
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Mutation, Missense
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Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases/genetics*
4.Identification of a novel deep intronic variant associated with Joubert syndrome through combined whole-genome sequencing and RNA sequencing.
Fang LIU ; Yan JIANG ; Xin GUI ; Yangxue XIAO ; Xiaohang ZHANG ; Xuemei ZHANG ; Yali GAO
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2025;42(5):597-602
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the genetic etiology of a Chinese pedigree with recurrent Joubert syndrome with negative results by whole-exome sequencing in the prior proband.
METHODS:
Chinese pedigree which opted elective abortion at the Women and Children's Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University in December 2024 was selected as the study subject. Whole-genome sequencing was carried out on fetal tissue after termination of pregnancy. Candidate variants were validated by Sanger sequencing and interpreted, while non-coding variant was analyzed using in silico prediction tools. RNA sequencing and cDNA sequencing were conducted on fetal brain tissue. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No.2024YL045-02).
RESULTS:
Both the fetus and the affected child were found to harbor compound heterozygous variants of the CEP290 gene, namely c.7341dup (p.Leu2448fs*8) (pathogenic, maternally inherited) and c.1523-408G>A (likely pathogenic, paternally inherited). Both in silico analysis and fetal brain RNA sequencing confirmed aberrant RNA splicing caused by the intronic variant.
CONCLUSION
This case has highlighted the value of combining whole-genome sequencing with RNA functional validation. Above results not only enriched the spectrum of CEP290 gene mutations but also underscored its diagnostic value in resolving complex prenatal cases, providing critical clues for the prenatal diagnosis and recurrence risk assessment in genetic counseling.
Female
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Humans
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Pregnancy
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Abnormalities, Multiple/genetics*
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Antigens, Neoplasm/genetics*
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Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics*
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Cerebellum/abnormalities*
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Cytoskeletal Proteins/genetics*
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Eye Abnormalities/genetics*
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Introns/genetics*
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Kidney Diseases, Cystic/diagnosis*
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Pedigree
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Retina/abnormalities*
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Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods*
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Whole Genome Sequencing/methods*
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Child
5.Clinical and genetic analysis of a patient with unilateral Pigmented paravenous retinochoroidal atrophy and Retinitis pigmentosa in the contralateral eye related to CRB1 gene variant.
Yongping TANG ; Hanshi HUANG ; Xiaoyan LIN ; Zailong CHI
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2025;42(5):621-627
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the clinical phenotype, genotype and genetic characteristics for a patient with unilateral Pigmented paravenous retinochoroidal atrophy (PPRCA) and Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in the contralateral eye.
METHODS:
A PPRCA pedigree which had presented at the Department of Medical Genetics of the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in August 2021 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the family members were collected. The proband underwent wide-field fundus photography, wide-field autofluorescence, full-field electroretinogram (ff-ERG), visual field testing, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fundus angiography (FFA and ICGA). Blood samples were collected from the proband and family members (parents and two sisters), and buccal mucosal cells were collected from the proband's daughter, and genomic DNA was extracted for each family member. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed on the proband. Candidate variants were verified using Sanger sequencing and pathogenicity analysis. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University (Ethics No. 2019-134).
RESULTS:
Wide-angle fundus photography and autofluorescence showed that the right eye was consistent with PPRCA and the left eye with RP. OCT showed that the outer layer of the fovea was intact in the right eye, while disorganized outer segment was found in the fovea of the left eye, and outer segment atrophies outside the fovea were found in both eyes. The amplitudes of ff-ERG decreased significantly in both eyes, and the amplitudes in right eye were slightly higher than those of the left eye. Visual field showed a paracentral arcuate scotoma in the right eye and severe centripetal contraction in the left eye. FFA showed hyperfluorescence in the retinal vein distribution area caused by atrophy of retinal pigment epithelium of the right eye and hypofluorescence related to bone spicule pigmentation, in addition with mottled hypofluorescence of choroid in the left eye. ICGA showed mild paravenous retinochroidal atrophy of the right eye and diffuse choroid capillaries atrophy in the middle and peripheral area of the left eye. WES revealed that the proband had a heterozygous c.2234C>T (p.Thr745Met) variant of the CRB1 gene. Sanger sequencing confirmed that the proband and family members except the father of the proband carried the same CRB1 gene variant. Based on the criteria and guidelines for the classification of genetic variation and related consensus from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), this variant was classified as pathogenic (PM3_VeryStrong+PM1+PM2_Supporting +PP3).
CONCLUSION
The heterozygous c.2234C>T (p.Thr745Met) variant of the CRB1 gene may underlay the unilateral PPRCA with contralateral eye RP in this proband. Above findings have enriched the mutational spectrum of the CRB1 gene.
Humans
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Electroretinography
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Exome Sequencing
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Eye Proteins/genetics*
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Membrane Proteins/genetics*
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Mutation
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Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics*
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Pedigree
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Phenotype
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Retinitis Pigmentosa/genetics*
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Tomography, Optical Coherence
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Retinal Degeneration
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Eye Diseases, Hereditary
6.Effect and differentiation of spontaneous nystagmus of acute unilateral vestibulopathy on saccade in the video head impulse test.
Qiaomei DENG ; Xueqing ZHANG ; Chao WEN ; Xiaobang HUANG ; Taisheng CHEN ; Wei WANG
Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2024;38(12):1122-1133
Objective:Exploring the performance characteristics of spontaneous nystagmus(SN) in video-head impulse test(vHIT) and its possible effects on saccade. Methods:Vestibular function tests such as vHIT and SN were conducted in 48 patients with acute unilateral vestibulopathy(AUVP). The saccade characteristics of vHIT in patients without SN and those with SN were analyzed, as well as the expression characteristics of SN in vHIT. Results:Among the 48 AUVP patients, there were 34 cases with SN, including 31 cases with saccade on the healthy side, 11 cases with both the same and opposite directions of eye movement, 19 with the opposite only, 1 with same direction only, and 3 cases without saccade. There were 14 patients without SN, of whom 10 showed saccade on the healthy side, including 4 with both eye movements in the same and opposite direction, 2 in the opposite direction only, 4 in the same direction only, and 4 without saccade. There is a correlation between reverse saccade on the healthy side and the presence of SN in patients. SN in vHIT can appear opposite to the direction of eye movement on the healthy side, while on the affected side it can appear the same as the direction of eye movement and may cause more discrete overt saccade. 32 patients in the acute phase(≤2 w), 29 patients with SN, SN intensity of(6.7 ± 3.2) °/s, and 3 patients without SN. 16 cases in non acute phase(>2 w), 5 cases with SN, SN intensity of(3.7 ± 2.1) °/s, and 11 cases without SN. In the acute phase there were 30 cases of saccade on the healthy side, 10 cases with both the same and opposite direction of eye movement, 18 cases with only the opposite direction, 2 cases with only the same direction and 2 cases without saccade. There is a correlation between the duration of the disease and the occurrence of reverse saccade on the healthy side. The intensity cut off point of SN for reverse saccade is 2.1 °/s in the healthy lateral semicircular canal vHIT. Conclusion:Compensatory saccades and SN waves with similar waveforms are mostly present in vHIT in AUVP patients. SN wave is in the opposite direction of the normal side and eye movement wave, and the affected side and dominant saccade direction are in the same direction and mixed together, which can affect the dispersion and amplitude of overt saccade in vHIT. Accurate identification of SN in vHIT of AUVP patients is not only the key factor to identify compensatory saccade, but also can provide help for the diagnosis and compensatory assessment of AUVP.
Humans
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Head Impulse Test/methods*
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Nystagmus, Pathologic/physiopathology*
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Saccades/physiology*
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Male
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Female
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Vestibular Diseases/physiopathology*
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Middle Aged
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Adult
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Eye Movements/physiology*
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Aged
8.Therapeutic landscape for inherited ocular diseases: Current and emerging therapies.
Hwei Wuen CHAN ; Jaslyn OH ; Bart LEROY
Singapore medical journal 2023;64(1):17-26
Inherited ocular diseases comprise a heterogeneous group of rare and complex diseases, including inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) and inherited optic neuropathies. Recent success in adeno-associated virus-based gene therapy, voretigene neparvovec (Luxturna®) for RPE65-related IRDs, has heralded rapid evolution in gene therapy platform technologies and strategies, from gene augmentation to RNA editing, as well as gene agnostic approaches such as optogenetics. This review discusses the fundamentals underlying the mode of inheritance, natural history studies and clinical trial outcomes, as well as current and emerging therapies covering gene therapy strategies, cell-based therapies and bionic vision.
Humans
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Eye Diseases/therapy*
9.Clinical features and genetic analysis of two Chinese pedigrees affected with Joubert syndrome.
Dengzhi ZHAO ; Yan CHU ; Ke YANG ; Xiaodong HUO ; Xingxing LEI ; Yanli YANG ; Chaoyang ZHANG ; Hai XIAO ; Shixiu LIAO
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2023;40(1):21-25
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic basis of two Chinese pedigrees affected with Joubert syndrome.
METHODS:
Clinical data of the two pedigrees was collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples and subjected to high-throughput sequencing. Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing. Prenatal diagnosis was carried out for a high-risk fetus from pedigree 2.
RESULTS:
The proband of pedigree 1 was a fetus at 23+5 weeks gestation, for which both ultrasound and MRI showed "cerebellar vermis malformation" and "molar tooth sign". No apparent abnormality was noted in the fetus after elected abortion. The fetus was found to harbor c.812+3G>T and c.1828G>C compound heterozygous variants of the INPP5E gene, which have been associated with Joubert syndrome type 1. The proband from pedigree 2 had growth retardation, mental deficiency, peculiar facial features, low muscle tone and postaxial polydactyly of right foot. MRI also revealed "cerebellar dysplasia" and "molar tooth sign". The proband was found to harbor c.485C>G and c.1878+1G>A compound heterozygous variants of the ARMC9 gene, which have been associated with Joubert syndrome type 30. Prenatal diagnosis found that the fetus only carried the c.485C>G variant. A healthy infant was born, and no anomalies was found during the follow-up.
CONCLUSION
The compound heterozygous variants of the INPP5E and ARMC9 genes probably underlay the disease in the two pedigrees. Above finding has expanded the spectrum of pathogenic variants underlying Joubert syndrome and provided a basis for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis.
Female
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Humans
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Pregnancy
;
Pedigree
;
Cerebellum/abnormalities*
;
Abnormalities, Multiple/diagnosis*
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Eye Abnormalities/diagnosis*
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Kidney Diseases, Cystic/diagnosis*
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Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases/genetics*
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Retina/abnormalities*
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East Asian People
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Mutation
10.Clinical and genetic analyses of Joubert syndrome in children.
Guang-Yu ZHANG ; Yun-Xia ZHAO ; Hui-Ling ZHAO ; Guo-Hao TANG ; Peng-Liang WANG ; Deng-Na ZHU
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2023;25(5):497-501
OBJECTIVES:
To study the clinical and genetic features of Joubert syndrome (JS) in children.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data, genetic data, and follow-up data of 20 children who were diagnosed with JS in the Department of Children's Rehabilitation, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, from January 2017 to July 2022.
RESULTS:
Among the 20 children with JS, there were 11 boys and 9 girls. The common clinical manifestations were developmental delay (20 children, 100%), abnormal eye movement (19 children, 95%), and hypotonia (16 children, 80%), followed by abnormal respiratory rhythm in 5 children (25%) and unusual facies (including prominent forehead, low-set ears, and triangular mouth) in 3 children (15%), and no limb deformity was observed. All 20 children (100%) had the typical "molar tooth sign" and "midline cleft syndrome" on head images, and 6 children (30%) had abnormal eye examination results. Genetic testing was performed on 7 children and revealed 6 pathogenic genes, i.e., the CPLANE1, RPGRIP1L, MKS1, CC2D2A, CEP120, and AHI1 genes.
CONCLUSIONS
For children with developmental delay, especially those with abnormal eye movement and hypotonia, it is recommended to perform a head imaging examination to determine the presence or absence of "molar tooth sign" and "midline cleft syndrome", so as to screen for JS to avoid missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. There are many pathogenic genes for JS, and whole-exome sequencing can assist in the diagnosis of JS.
Male
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Female
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Humans
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Child
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Cerebellum
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Abnormalities, Multiple/genetics*
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Kidney Diseases, Cystic/genetics*
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Eye Abnormalities/genetics*
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Retina
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Retrospective Studies
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Muscle Hypotonia/genetics*

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