Objective·To investigate the genetic etiology of a rare and complex case clinically suspected to be methylmalonic acidemia(MMA),but with negative whole exome sequencing(WES)results,using a multi-omics sequencing approach.Methods·DNA and RNA samples were extracted from the peripheral blood of the proband and both parents.Targeted MMA-related gene Panel sequencing and WES were first performed.Subsequently,RNA sequencing(RNA-seq)and whole genome sequencing(WGS)were conducted to comprehensively analyze the child's genetic variants,their origins and potential inheritance patterns.Results·No pathogenic variants associated with the patient's phenotype were identified through the MMA Panel or standard WES analysis.Extended analysis of WES suggested the possibility of uniparental disomy(UPD)of chromosome 4.WGS revealed a homozygous splice-site variant(c.-66+2T>C)in the non-coding region of the metabolism of cobalamin associated A(MMAA)gene.The variant was located in the 5'untranslated region(5'UTR),specifically at the second base downstream of the splice donor site of exon 1(reference sequence:NM_172250).In genomic coordinates(hg19),the variant was located at base 146540561 on chromosome 4(chr4:146540561).Sanger sequencing confirmed that the mother was heterozygous for this variant,while the father did not carry it.RNA-seq showed no detectable expression of the MMAA gene on chromosome 4 in the patient.This was further confirmed by reverse transcription real time quantitative PCR,indicating nearly absent mRNA expression,suggesting that the non-coding splice-site variant affected transcriptional expression.Conclusion·A homozygous splice-site variant(c.-66+2T>C)in the non-coding region of the MMAA gene—outside the coverage of WES—is likely the pathogenic cause in this case,presumably resulting from maternal UPD of chromosome 4.

Objective:To develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based automatic scoring model for magnetic resonance imaging-detected extramural vascular invasion (AI-mrEMVI) and evaluate its performance and prognostic value in patients with rectal cancer.Methods:In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, a total of 2 501 rectal cancer patients from seven centers between November 2012 and December 2020 were included and divided into completely independent training ( n=1 830) and validation ( n=671) cohorts. A nnUNet-based AI-mrEMVI scoring model was constructed. Manual mrEMVI scores assigned by two radiologists served as the reference standard for accessing the accuracy of the AI-mrEMVI scoring. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used to evaluate the prognostic stratification ability of the AI-mrEMVI scores. The concordance index (C-index) was calculated to evaluate prognostic performance. Results:In the validation cohort, the manual mrEMVI scores were 0-2 in 425 patients (63.3%), 3 in 89 (13.4%), and 4 in 157 (23.4%). The AI-mrEMVI model identified 0-2 in 375 patients (55.9%), 3 in 95 (14.2%), and 4 in 201 (30.0%), with an overall accuracy of 81.1% (544/671, 95% CI 77.9%-84.0%). The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates for patients with AI-mrEMVI scores of 0-2, 3, and 4 were 85.2%, 70.0%, and 58.2%, respectively, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 87.2%, 81.6%, and 62.6%, respectively (DFS: χ2=48.74, P<0.001; OS: χ2=30.04, P<0.001). Multivariable Cox regression showed that for DFS, AI-mrEMVI scores of 3 and 4 were associated with hazard ratios ( HR) of 1.75 (95% CI 1.11-2.77, P=0.016) and 2.65 (95% CI 1.86-3.78, P<0.001), respectively. For OS, an AI-mrEMVI score of 4 was associated with an HR of 2.56 (95% CI 1.62-4.03, P<0.001). The C-index values of the AI-mrEMVI scoring model for predicting DFS and OS were 0.647 (95% CI 0.608-0.686) and 0.650 (95% CI 0.598-0.702), respectively. Conclusion:The proposed AI-mrEMVI automatic scoring model demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy and performed favorably in predicting DFS and OS prognostic risk in patients with rectal cancer.

Objective:To develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based automatic scoring model for magnetic resonance imaging-detected extramural vascular invasion (AI-mrEMVI) and evaluate its performance and prognostic value in patients with rectal cancer.Methods:In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, a total of 2 501 rectal cancer patients from seven centers between November 2012 and December 2020 were included and divided into completely independent training ( n=1 830) and validation ( n=671) cohorts. A nnUNet-based AI-mrEMVI scoring model was constructed. Manual mrEMVI scores assigned by two radiologists served as the reference standard for accessing the accuracy of the AI-mrEMVI scoring. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used to evaluate the prognostic stratification ability of the AI-mrEMVI scores. The concordance index (C-index) was calculated to evaluate prognostic performance. Results:In the validation cohort, the manual mrEMVI scores were 0-2 in 425 patients (63.3%), 3 in 89 (13.4%), and 4 in 157 (23.4%). The AI-mrEMVI model identified 0-2 in 375 patients (55.9%), 3 in 95 (14.2%), and 4 in 201 (30.0%), with an overall accuracy of 81.1% (544/671, 95% CI 77.9%-84.0%). The 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates for patients with AI-mrEMVI scores of 0-2, 3, and 4 were 85.2%, 70.0%, and 58.2%, respectively, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 87.2%, 81.6%, and 62.6%, respectively (DFS: χ2=48.74, P<0.001; OS: χ2=30.04, P<0.001). Multivariable Cox regression showed that for DFS, AI-mrEMVI scores of 3 and 4 were associated with hazard ratios ( HR) of 1.75 (95% CI 1.11-2.77, P=0.016) and 2.65 (95% CI 1.86-3.78, P<0.001), respectively. For OS, an AI-mrEMVI score of 4 was associated with an HR of 2.56 (95% CI 1.62-4.03, P<0.001). The C-index values of the AI-mrEMVI scoring model for predicting DFS and OS were 0.647 (95% CI 0.608-0.686) and 0.650 (95% CI 0.598-0.702), respectively. Conclusion:The proposed AI-mrEMVI automatic scoring model demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy and performed favorably in predicting DFS and OS prognostic risk in patients with rectal cancer.

In order to explore the relationship between ubiquitin proteasome system(UPS)and au-tophagy after macrophage was infected with Brucella.On the one hand,the levels of LC3 Ⅱ、P62 and 20S proteasomes in cell supernatant and peritoneal fluid were determined respectively after RAW264.7 cells were infected and BALB/c mice were intraperitoneal inoculated with Brucella suis(B.suis).The results displayed that UPS was activated firstly,followed by autophagy after B.suis infection.On the other hand,we prepared the UPS-inhibited-cells and ALP-inhibited-cells by lacta-cystin and 3-methy ladenine(3-MA),and then the cells were infected by B.suis and the levels of LC3 Ⅱ、P62 与 20S proteasomes in cell supernatant were determined.The results showed that the ALP function was significantly improved when the effect of M

Objective To investigate the effects of different timing of initiation of rivaroxaban anti-coagulation therapy on the efficacy and bleeding risk of atrial fibrillation patients after stroke.Methods A total of 336 patients with atrial fibrillation and stroke admitted in our hospital be-tween January 2021 and December 2023 were consecutively enrolled,and randomly divided into an experimental group(165 cases)and a control group(171 cases).The experimental group received rivaroxaban treatment within 48 h of symptom onset,whereas the control group initiated oral ri-varoxaban treatment on the 3rd,6th,and 12th day post-stroke onset,respectively,depending on stroke severity(mild,moderate,and severe).Their baseline clinical data were collected,and all of them were followed up till 90 d after stroke.The incidences of recurrent ischemic stroke,symp-tomatic intracranial hemorrhage and extracranial hemorrhage,mortality,and proportion of pa-tients with mRS score≤ 2 and distribution of the score were observed and analyzed in the two groups.Results During a 90-day follow-up period,the patients with moderate stroke from the ex-perimental group of patients exhibited a significantly lower rate of recurrent ischemic stroke than those in the control group(5.4％vs 15.9％,P=0.037).However,for patients with mild and se-vere stroke,no obvious difference was observed in the primary endpoint of recurrent ischemic stroke between the experimental and control groups(3.0％vs 3.2％,12.5％vs 14.8％,P＞0.05).Though no statistical differences were observed,lower rates of symptomatic intracranial hemor-rhage(1.5％vs 3.2％,5.4％vs 9.8％),reduced incidence of extracranial hemorrhage(9.0％vs 14.5％,12.2％vs 15.9％),and lower mRS score[1(0,2)vs 1(1,2),3(1,4)vs 3(2,4)]were seen in the patients with mild and moderate stroke from the experimental group when compared with the control group(P＞0.05).Similarly,there were no statistically differences for the severe stroke patients between the experimental and control groups(P＞0.05)in the incidence of extracranial hemorrhage(20.8％vs 22.2％),rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage(20.8％vs 7.4％),mortality(8.3％vs 3.7％),and mRS score[4(3,4)vs 3(3,4)].Two patients from the experimen-tal group died,with one case due to secondary pulmonary infection and the other due to brainstem hemorrhage.In the control group,only one death occurred due to brainstem hemorrhage.Conclu-sion For atrial fibrillation patients,anticoagulation with rivaroxaban within 48 h after stroke has no significant increase in the risk of bleeding,reduces the proportion of recurrent ischemic stroke in patients with moderate stroke,and may improve the prognosis of patients.

BACKGROUND:Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is the key pathological link of type 2 diabetes.The traditional Chinese medicine compound Roujishuncuiyin can effectively improve skeletal muscle insulin resistance,but its mechanism has not been clarified.OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism of Roujishuncuiyin on skeletal muscle insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mice.METHODS:Forty db/db mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomized into a model group,a low-dose Roujishuncuiyin group,a high-dose Roujishuncuiyin group,and a positive drug group,with 10 mice in each group.The latter three administration groups were given 157.5 mg/g and 630 mg/g Roujishuncuiyin and 200 mg/g metformin hydrochloride aqueous solution by gavage once a day,respectively.In addition,10 db/dm mice were selected as the blank control group.Mice in the model and blank control groups were given the same dose of 0.9％NaCl solution by gavage.After 12 weeks of intervention,fasting blood glucose was measured in each group of mice,and oral glucose tolerance test was performed to calculate the area under the blood glucose curve.ELISA was used to detect serum insulin level and calculate the resistance index.Mitochondrial structure of skeletal muscle tissue was observed under transmission electron microscopy.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels and phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B(AKT)and glycogen synthase kinase 3β(GSK-3β)proteins in skeletal muscle.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the blank control group,fasting blood glucose,fasting insulin and insulin resistance index were significantly higher in the model group(P＜0.05),the area under the curve of the oral glucose tolerance test was significantly increased(P＜0.05),the expression of p-AKT and p-GSK3β proteins in tibialis anterior muscle was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),and there was a large amount of mitochondrial damage in tibialis anterior muscle and a large number of lipid droplets in the interstitium.(2)Compared with the model group,fasting blood glucose,fasting insulin,and insulin resistance index were significantly reduced in the low-and high-dose Roujishuncuiyin groups and the positive control group(P＜0.05),the area under the curve of the oral glucose tolerance test was reduced(P＜0.05),the expression of p-AKT and p-GSK3β proteins in the tibialis anterior muscle was significantly elevated(P＜0.05),and mitochondrial damage in the tibialis anterior muscle was significantly ameliorated,with decreased lipid droplets in the interstitium.(3)The above indexes were better in the high-dose Roujishuncuiyin group than the low-dose Roujishuncuiyin group(P＜0.05),while there was no significant difference between the high-dose Roujishuncuiyin group and positive control group(P＞0.05).To conclude,by upregulating the protein levels of p-AKT and p-GSK3β in skeletal muscle tissue,the traditional Chinese medicine compound Roujishuncuiyin can improve structural disorders and mitochondrial morphology in skeletal muscle tissue,reduce insulin resistance in the skeletal muscle and regulate glucose homeostasis in the body.

Health humanities are concerned with exploring the novel concept of integrating the humanities with health-related fields.Traditionally,medicine and healthcare have been primarily focused on a biomedical paradigm,with particular emphasis on the pathological mechanisms and treatment protocols of diseases.However,in recent years,there has been growing recognition that health is a holistic concept influenced not only by biological factors but also by psychological,social,cultural,and other factors,which leads to the emergence of medical humanities.Herein,we constructed a narrative community shared by physicians and patients through the frameworks of phenomenology,social design,and health design.By integrating narrative medicine with medical animation through storytelling and focusing on the feasibility study of an undergraduate course on medical animation,this study synthesizes the conceptual frameworks and methodologies of the humanities with health-related practices,integrating the theories and techniques of narrative medicine with those of medical animation.Through this interdisciplinary approach,we investigated innovative pathways in medical education,attempting to establish new foundations for a more comprehensive understanding and promotion of human health.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of intravenous thrombolysis with tenecteplase in the treatment of CWS.Methods A prospective study was conducted on 136 CWS patients consecutively admitted in Department of Neurology of Zhengzhou People's Hospital from March 2019 to March 2024.They were randomly divided into a tenecteplase group(67 cases)and a control group(69 cases).NIHSS was used to evaluate the recovery of neurological function after treatment.mRS was employed to assess long-term prognosis.Results Significantly larger proportion of white matter lesions and higher baseline SBP level were observed in the tenecteplase group than the control group(P＜0.05).The tenecteplase group obtained obviously greater ratio of overall recovery than the control group,with notably lower NIHSS score,incidence of new CWS attacks and proportion of new acute cerebral infarction at 24 and 72 h and 7 d after treat-ment(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Moreover,the proportion of mRS score of 0-2 was notably greater,while that of the score of 3-6 was lower in the tenecteplase group than the Control group(P＜0.05).Intravenous thrombolysis with tenecteplase was an influencing factors for 90-day mRS score of 0-2 and of 3-6 in the CWS patients(OR=0.264,95％CI:0.089-0.813;OR=4.144,95％CI:1.184-14.506,P＜0.05).Conclusion Intravenous thrombolysis with tenecteplase for CWS significantly improves the proportion of patients with good prognosis.

BACKGROUND:Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is the key pathological link of type 2 diabetes.The traditional Chinese medicine compound Roujishuncuiyin can effectively improve skeletal muscle insulin resistance,but its mechanism has not been clarified.OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism of Roujishuncuiyin on skeletal muscle insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mice.METHODS:Forty db/db mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomized into a model group,a low-dose Roujishuncuiyin group,a high-dose Roujishuncuiyin group,and a positive drug group,with 10 mice in each group.The latter three administration groups were given 157.5 mg/g and 630 mg/g Roujishuncuiyin and 200 mg/g metformin hydrochloride aqueous solution by gavage once a day,respectively.In addition,10 db/dm mice were selected as the blank control group.Mice in the model and blank control groups were given the same dose of 0.9％NaCl solution by gavage.After 12 weeks of intervention,fasting blood glucose was measured in each group of mice,and oral glucose tolerance test was performed to calculate the area under the blood glucose curve.ELISA was used to detect serum insulin level and calculate the resistance index.Mitochondrial structure of skeletal muscle tissue was observed under transmission electron microscopy.Western blot was used to detect the expression levels and phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B(AKT)and glycogen synthase kinase 3β(GSK-3β)proteins in skeletal muscle.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the blank control group,fasting blood glucose,fasting insulin and insulin resistance index were significantly higher in the model group(P＜0.05),the area under the curve of the oral glucose tolerance test was significantly increased(P＜0.05),the expression of p-AKT and p-GSK3β proteins in tibialis anterior muscle was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),and there was a large amount of mitochondrial damage in tibialis anterior muscle and a large number of lipid droplets in the interstitium.(2)Compared with the model group,fasting blood glucose,fasting insulin,and insulin resistance index were significantly reduced in the low-and high-dose Roujishuncuiyin groups and the positive control group(P＜0.05),the area under the curve of the oral glucose tolerance test was reduced(P＜0.05),the expression of p-AKT and p-GSK3β proteins in the tibialis anterior muscle was significantly elevated(P＜0.05),and mitochondrial damage in the tibialis anterior muscle was significantly ameliorated,with decreased lipid droplets in the interstitium.(3)The above indexes were better in the high-dose Roujishuncuiyin group than the low-dose Roujishuncuiyin group(P＜0.05),while there was no significant difference between the high-dose Roujishuncuiyin group and positive control group(P＞0.05).To conclude,by upregulating the protein levels of p-AKT and p-GSK3β in skeletal muscle tissue,the traditional Chinese medicine compound Roujishuncuiyin can improve structural disorders and mitochondrial morphology in skeletal muscle tissue,reduce insulin resistance in the skeletal muscle and regulate glucose homeostasis in the body.

Objective To explore the effects of exosomes of mesenchymal stem cells(MSC-Exos)on the proliferation,apoptosis,migration and invasion of esophageal cancer ECA109 cells.Methods Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were cultured,exosomes were extracted and isolated,and identified by transmission electron microscopy.The nanoparticle size determination and protein characterization(TSG101,CD63)were measured by transmission electron microscope.There were the MSC-Exo group(MSC-Exos co-cultured with esophageal cancer ECA109 cells)and the blank control group(only esophageal cancer ECA109 cells),and cells were cultured for 0,24 and 48 h,respectively.CCK-8 proliferation test and scratch test were used to detect the proliferation and migration ability of esophageal cancer EAC109 cells in each group,respectively.After 48 h of culture,cell apoptosis and cell cycle changes were detected by flow cytometry.The protein expression levels of phosphoinositol 3-kinase phosphorylation(p-PI3K),rabbit phosphorylated protein kinase B phosphorylation(p-Akt)and β-catenin were detected by Western blot assay.Results After identification,the obtained MSC-Exos meeted the required standard.Transmission electron microscopy,particle size measurement and marker protein results confirmed that the extracted exosomes of mesenchymal stem cells meeted the identification criteria.At 0 h of cell culture,there were no significant differences in cell proliferation and migration healing rate between the two groups(P＞0.05).After 24 h culture,the cell proliferation ability was lower in the MSC-Exo group than that of the blank control group(P＜0.05).After 48 h culture,the cell proliferation and migration healing rate were lower in the MSC-Exo group than those of the blank control group(P＜0.05).The apoptosis rate of the MSC-Exo group was higher than that of the blank control group,and the proportion of G2+S phase cells was lower than that of blank control group(P＜0.05).The expression levels of p-PI3K,p-Akt and β-catenin protein were significantly lower in the MSC-Exo group than those in the blank control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion MSC-Exos can inhibit the proliferation and migration of esophageal cancer cells and promote cell apoptosis.The inhibitory effect of MSC-Exos on esophageal cancer cells may be related to inhibiting the activation of PI3K and Akt protein and the down-regulating expression of β-catenin protein.