Objective To study the etiology of a Chinese family with two cases of recessive non-syndromic hearing loss.Methods The clinical data of the family were collected.DNA was extracted from venous blood sam-ples,and whole-exome sequencing were performed to analyze potential causative deafness genes.Sanger sequencing was performed to verify the gene variants.Results There were 5 people among two generations in this family.The proband(Ⅱ-2,9 years old)and her brother(Ⅱ-3)had sensori-neural hearing loss,while their parents had normal hearing.The whole-exome high-throughput sequencing found that the patient carried two mutations in the CDH23 gene:c.4762C＞T(p.ARG1588TRP)and c.6604G＞A(p.ASP2202ASN).According to the American College of medical genetics and genomics(ACMG)genetic variation classification standards and guidelines,both c.6604G＞A and c.4762C＞T variants were identified as pathogenic.Conclusion The new compound heterozygous mutations c.4762C＞T and c.6604G＞A in the CDH23 gene are highly likely to be the causative factors for deafness in this family.

Objective To study the etiology of a Chinese family with two cases of recessive non-syndromic hearing loss.Methods The clinical data of the family were collected.DNA was extracted from venous blood sam-ples,and whole-exome sequencing were performed to analyze potential causative deafness genes.Sanger sequencing was performed to verify the gene variants.Results There were 5 people among two generations in this family.The proband(Ⅱ-2,9 years old)and her brother(Ⅱ-3)had sensori-neural hearing loss,while their parents had normal hearing.The whole-exome high-throughput sequencing found that the patient carried two mutations in the CDH23 gene:c.4762C＞T(p.ARG1588TRP)and c.6604G＞A(p.ASP2202ASN).According to the American College of medical genetics and genomics(ACMG)genetic variation classification standards and guidelines,both c.6604G＞A and c.4762C＞T variants were identified as pathogenic.Conclusion The new compound heterozygous mutations c.4762C＞T and c.6604G＞A in the CDH23 gene are highly likely to be the causative factors for deafness in this family.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab combined with apatinib in first-line treatment of unresectable advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS Based on real-world data， 67 patients with unresectable advanced hepatocellular carcinoma admitted to our hospital from January 2020 to January 2023 were retrospectively selected as the subjects. According to their different medication regimens， they were divided into two groups： camrelizumab combined with apatinib group （32 cases） and camrelizumab combined with oxaliplatin group （35 cases）. Both groups of patients were treated for more than 12 months， with a follow-up period of 12 months from the start of treatment. The therapeutic effects of two groups， as well as the levels of tumor markers， liver and kidney function indicators， and blood routine indicators before and after treatment were compared； Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curves， and Log-rank test was used to analyze the differences in survival between two groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify factors that affect patient survival. RESULTS After treatment， the disease control rate of patients in camrelizumab combined with apatinib group was 68.8%， significantly higher than 45.7% in camrelizumab combined with oxaliplatin group （P＜0.05）； the levels of alpha-fetoprotein， carbohydrate antigen 19-9 （except for camrelizumab combined with oxaliplatin group） and carbohydrate antigen 15-3 in both groups were significantly reduced， and the decrease in alpha-fetoprotein， carcinoembryonic antigen and carbohydrate antigen 15-3 was more significant in camrelizumab combined with apatinib group （P＜0.05）； the levels of aspartate transaminase were significantly increased in camrelizumab combined with apatinib group （P＜0.05）. Compared with camrelizumab combined with oxaliplatin group， camrelizumab combined with apatinib group had significantly prolonged overall survival （hazard ratio of 2.97， 95% confidence interval of 1.305-6.749， P value of Log-rank test of 0.006）； the treatment plan and stage of hepatocellular carcinoma at the time of diagnosis were important factors affecting patient survival （hazard ratios of 2.97 and 5.16， 95% confidence intervals of 1.305-6.749 and 2.261-11.780， respectively， P＜ 0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Camrelizumab combined with apatinib as first-line treatment for unresectable advanced hepatocellular carcinoma has good clinical efficacy and overall controllable safety， but attention should be paid to monitoring patients’ liver function indicators during medication.

Objective:To analyze the F10 gene mutations in a Chinese pedigree affected with the deficiency of the hereditary coagulation factor X (FX), resulting from a new deletion mutation, and to study the associated molecular pathogenesis.Methods:Next generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to screen the genetic mutations in the proband which were then verified by Sanger sequencing. The FX activity (FX∶C) of probands and their family members was detected using the blood clotting method, and the mutation sites of the family members were analyzed using Sanger sequencing. The pathogenicity of the mutation site was predicted by using the online bioinformatics software, Mutation Taster. The SWISS-MODEL software was used for stimulating the three-dimensional models of the wild-type and mutant proteins for analyzing the influence of the mutation site on the structure and function of the proteins, and for analyzing the difference between the catalytic residues of the wild-type and the mutant proteins. The level of the F10 gene mRNA was quantitatively analyzed by qRT-PCR (quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) method by constructing plasmids, transfecting human embryonic kidney 293T cells (HEK 293T), and analyzing the splicing of the mutated site by RT-PCR method. The levels of FⅩ∶Ag in cell lysates and cell culture media (both inside and outside the cells) were detected by the ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) method.Results:A medium-grade factor X deficiency with a 36.42% FⅩ∶C ratio was detected in the proband by the coagulation method. NGS analysis demonstrated a heterozygous deletion mutation in exon 8:c.902_919del (p.Ala301_Glu306del) in the proband. Sanger sequencing analysis indicated that some members of the family (mother and grandfather) were also carriers of the corresponding deletion mutation. Online bioinformatics software predicted the pathogenic nature of the c.902_919del mutation, with a pathogenic score of 0.999. The 3D protein structure model analysis indicated that the c.902_919del mutation resulted in the disappearance of a segment of β-fold in the protein structure, thereby shortening the preceding segment of the β-fold and a subsequent loss of hydrogen bonds between adjacent amino acids with no significant difference in the side chain conformation of the key catalytic residues compared to the wild-type. mRNA splicing analysis indicated the absence of alternative splicing changes in the mutation, and qRT-PCR results indicated the absence of a statistically significant difference between the mRNA levels of F10 gene and wild-type mRNA in cells expressing c.902_919del mutant. The ELISA results indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in the FX∶Ag levels of the mutant cell culture medium and the lysate.Conclusions:In this pedigree, the heterozygous mutation in exon 8 of F10 gene (c.902_919del, p.Ala301_Glu306del) caused the hereditary factor Ⅹ deficiency.

Objective:To investigate the effect and molecular mechanism of tumor necrosis factor-α-inducible protein 8-like 2(TIPE2)on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)or interleukin-4(IL-4)-induced phenotypic switch of adipose tissue macrophages(ATM).Methods:The expression levels of TIPE2, inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1(MCP-1), CD206, and arginase 1(Arg-1)in the visceral adipose tissue of obese mice, TIPE2-knockout(KO)mice, and control mice were detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and real-time PCR(RT-qPCR). Peritoneal macrophages isolated from KO and wild-type mice and RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cell line were cultured, and then stimulated with LPS(100 ng/mL)or IL-4(20 ng/mL)for 6 hours. The expression levels of TIPE2, iNOS, MCP-1, CD206, and Arg-1 were detected by Western blotting and RT-qPCR.Results:Obese mice showed down-regulated TIPE2 expression, up-regulated pro-inflammatory markers iNOS and MCP-1 expressions, and down-regulated anti-inflammatory markers CD206 and Arg-1 expressions. LPS decreased the expression of TIPE2 in RAW 264.7 cells and peritoneal macrophages from mice, increased the expression of the classically activated macrophages(M1 phenotype)markers iNOS and MCP-1, and decreased the expression of the substituting activated macrophages(M2 phenotype)markers CD206 and Arg-1. IL-4 increased the expression of TIPE2 in RAW 264.7 cells and peritoneal macrophages, decreased the expression of iNOS and MCP-1, and increased the expression of CD206 and Arg-1. During the M1 polarization of macrophages, LPS increased toll-like receptor(TLR4)expression as well as nuclear transcription factor κBα suppressor protein(IκBα) and NF-κB phosphorylations in macrophages. Knockout of TIPE2 further increased the expression of the TLR4/IκBα/NF-κB signaling pathway and M1 macrophage markers, and further reduced the expression of the M2 macrophage markers.Conclusion:TIPE2 regulates ATM phenotypic transformation through inhibition of the TLR4/IκBα/NF-κB signaling pathway, which ameliorates adipose tissue inflammation in obese states.

Aggregatibacter aphrophilus is a member of the normal flora of the human oral cavity and pharynx, a Gram-negative fastidous bacteria, belonging to agglomerates, which is a normal mixed oropharyngeal flora in humans, most commonly colonized on the surface of oral mucosa. This bacterial infection is rare in clinical practice, and it is difficult to culture and identify the bacteria, which is easy to be missed. A patient with intracranial infection was admitted to Huaihe Hospital, who showed fever and headache as the main clinical manifestations, and Aggregatibacter aphrophilus was detected by the metagenomic next-generation sequencing of cerebrospinal fluid. The patient′s symptoms were significantly improved after anti-infection treatment.

Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of elderly patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19), in order to provide scientific evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 in elderly patients.Methods:Clinical data of 102 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the B11 East Ward of the Zhongfaxincheng campus and the E1-3 ward of the Guanggu Campus of Tongji Hospital affiliated to Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan from 1 February 2020 to 28 February 2020 were retrospectively collected and analyzed.Patients were categorized into 2 groups: the elderly group(≥60 years old)and the young and middle-aged group(<60 years old). Differences in epidemiological features, demographics, clinical symptoms, laboratory results and imaging findings between the two groups were retrospectively analyzed.Results:Among 102 patients with COVID-19, 58 were in the elderly group(≥60 years old), with a median age of 67.0(63.8, 71.0)years old, and 44 in the young and middle-aged group(<60 years old), with a median age of 47.5(38.0, 51.8)years old.There was no significant difference in gender ratio between the two groups( χ2=0.033, P=0.855). Of 102 patients, 42.0%(21/50)had close contact with an infected person, 14.0%(7/50)were from infection clusters, and 18.0%(9/50)had suspected hospital-acquired infections.Fever and cough remained the most common symptoms, but gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, poor appetite, diarrhea and muscle cramps were also warning signs.Fatigue and cough were the most common presenting symptoms in elderly male patients.Bilateral patchy infiltrates(57.9%, 22/38)and ground-glass opacities(42.1%, 16/38)were the main imaging features and 42.1%(16/38)patients had multiple areas of the lungs involved.Over 50% patients had increased levels of blood glucose, D-dimer, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, multiple cytokines and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, as well as decreased levels of albumin, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lymphocytes and serum calcium.Compared with the young and middle-aged group, the elderly group had higher rates of abnormality in levels of D-dimer and serum calcium( χ2=7.067 and 4.166, P=0.008 and 0.041). Conclusions:Fever and cough are the most common symptoms in elderly patients with COVID-19.Elderly patients with COVID-19 have multiple abnormalities in clinical laboratory test results, which show a certain level of specificity compared with young and middle-aged patients.

The pharmacological activity of active ingredients from Chinese medicine depends greatly on the microecological environment of probiotics in the human body. After effective ingredients from traditional Chinese medicines are metabolized or biotransformed by probiotics, their metabolites can increase pharmacological activity, and can be absorbed more easily to improve the bioavailability. Therefore, the combination of Chinese medicines with probiotics is the innovation point in R&D of functional food and Chinese medicines, and also a new thinking for the modernization of Chinese medicine.This review summarizes and analyses the research progress on metabolism effects of gut microbiota on Chinese medicines components, the regulating effect of effective ingredients from Chinese medicine on intestinal probiotics, the application status of probiotics in traditional Chinese medicines, and the main problems and prospects in the research and development of Chinese medicines products with probiotic, aiming to provide theoretical guidance and practical value for the fermentation engineering of Chinese herbal medicine.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; metabolism ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Probiotics

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors and clinical outcome for carbapenems-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) infection, and to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of CRPA infection.METHODS: In retrospective investigation, medical records of CRPA and carbapenems-sensitive Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CSPA) infection were collected from our hospital during 2013-2016. CRPA infection risk factors were judged by single factor analysis. The relationship of CRPA risk factors and death was judged by multivariate Logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 556 cases of P. aeruginosa infection were collected, including 96 cases of CRPA injection, accounting for 17. 3％. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis of related factors of CRPA infection showed that independent risk factors of CRPA infection included admission to ICU for more than 3 days before the isolation of P. aeruginosa [OR= 2. 691, 95％ CI (1. 348, 5. 373), P=0. 005], the use of third-generation or fourth-generation cephalosporin [OR= 0. 386, 95％ CI (0. 200, 0. 742), P=0. 004], complicated with other pathogenic bacteria infection [OR= 1. 892, 95％ CI (1. 132, 3. 164), P=0. 015], combined with 2 kinds of antibiotics or above [OR=5. 631, 95％ CI (2. 556, 12. 407), P=0. 000]. Clinical outcome analysis, mortality rate of CRPA infection were 12. 5％, significantly higher than CSPA infection (2. 8％), Logistic regression analysis, there is a correlation between death rate [OR=5. 003, 95％CI (1. 975, 12. 675), P=0. 001] and CRPA infection. CONCLUSIONS: For the prevention of CRPA nosocomial infection, it is necessary to reduce the time of ICU stay and rationally select antibiotics according to pathogenic bacteria so as to reduce the occurrence of CRPA infection.

Objective To investigate the effects of human IL-18 gene combined with diterpenoid alkaloids in inhibiting the proliferation and inducing the apoptosis of tongue squamous carcinoma cells Tscca.Methods We constructed recombinant plasmid pEGFPN3-IL-18 and tranfected it into tongue squamous carcinoma cells Tscca.The transduction efficiency of the target cells was detected by fluorescent microscopy,cytotoxic effect of IL-18 gene with diterpenoid alkaloids on Tscca was detected by MTT assay,and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. Western blot was employed to examine the expression level of cellular signal-regulated kinase Akt/p-Akt.Results The tongue squamous cells Tscca which transfected pEGFPN3-IL-18 had significantly increased apoptosis compared with non-transfected cells (P<0 .05 ).Tongue carcinoma squamous cells cultured with diterpenoid alkaloids at the concentrations of 0 .2 ,0 .4 and 0 .6 mg/mL had significantly increased apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05).Human IL-18 gene combined with diterpenoid alkaloids for 48 hours inhibited significantly Tscca in a concentration-dependent manner compared with diterpenoid alkaloids alone (P<0 .05 ).The two in combination could also decrease the protein level of p-Akt dose-dependently.Conclusion The combination of pEGFPN3-IL-18 and diterpenoid alkaloids has a synergistic effect in inhibiting the growth of tongue squamous carcinoma cells Tscca.