OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical and genetic characteristics of a Chinese pedigree affected with Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) due to a truncating variant of ALPK3 gene. METHODS: A 44-year-old male admitted to Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province on December 29, 2018 was selected as the study subject. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was carried out, and candidate variant was interpreted by following the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). For ALPK3 was considered an autosomal recessive gene, the WES results was considered insufficient to explain his phenotype. In April 2023, the proband's WES data were re-analyzed using updated annotation pipelines, and peripheral blood samples were collected from his first-degree relatives (mother and brother) for Sanger sequencing validation. Conservation analysis and protein structural modeling were performed to assess the impact of the variant. Clinical evaluation and genetic counseling were provided to the proband's family members. Relevant literature on ALPK3tv-induced HCM patients were searched in Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, CNKI, and PubMed database using "ALPK3" and "hypertrophic cardiomyopathy" as keywords. Clinical characteristics of HCM patients with heterozygous ALPK3tv variants were summarized and compared with the clinical characteristics of HCM patients with positive sarcomere-associated gene variants (SARC+). This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University (Ethics No.: K20230314). RESULTS: The proband was a 44-year-old male who was transferred to our institution on December 29, 2018 due to "chest tightness and pain for 6 months, exacerbated for 2 days". Emergency coronary angiography was performed, which led to a preliminary diagnosis of "acute coronary syndrome", and the patient was admitted to the Cardiology Department for treatment. Based on electrocardiogram and echocardiogram findings, the diagnosis was revised as HCM. The patient's condition has stabilized post-coronary angiography, and he was discharged with improved condition. On January 2019, WES was conducted to determine the etiology of the proband's HCM. WES results identified a novel heterozygous c.2156dupC (p.Pro720ThrfsTer53) truncating variant in the ALPK3 gene. At that time, the inheritance pattern could not explain the phenotype. In 2022, a literature indicated that heterozygous ALPK3tv could lead to autosomal dominant HCM. Consequently, in April 2023, the proband's whole-exome data were re-annotated, revealing changes in the transcript and protein versions, with the updated site annotated as ALPK3 (NM_020778.5): c.1550dupC (p.Pro518ThrfsTer53). Sanger sequencing confirmed that the proband's mother and brother also carried this variant. The mother exhibited obstructive HCM, while the brother showed no related phenotype. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated conservation of this site across multiple species, and the variant has resulted in the loss of a protein domain. Based on ACMG guidelines, the variant was classified as likely pathogenic. Literature review and Bayesian calculation further elevated the pathogenicity rating, indicating that this variant was the cause of HCM in the patient. Literature study revealed distinctions between HCM caused by this variant type and SARC+ HCM. The age of onset among heterozygous ALPK3tv patients was delayed by approximately 10 years compared to SARC+ patients. Both forms of HCM exhibited a male predominance, which was particularly marked in individuals with ALPK3tv. Electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy was more prevalent in heterozygous ALPK3tv patients than in SARC+ patients. The incidence of apical or concentric hypertrophy patterns was higher in heterozygous ALPK3tv patients compared to asymmetric septal hypertrophy, which predominated in SARC+ patients. ALPK3tv patients exhibited lower penetrance and later onset compared to SARC+ patients. A positive correlation between left ventricular wall thickness and age was noted in female patients only. CONCLUSION In this pedigree, the proband has presented with HCM, characterized by echocardiographic evidence of apical left ventricular hypertrophy without significant outflow tract obstruction or extracardiac phenotypes. Although his mother and brother had carried the same heterozygous ALPK3 (NM_020778.5) c.1550dupC (p.Pro518ThrfsTer53), the mother exhibited severe obstructive HCM, while the brother was asymptomatic, suggesting incomplete or age-dependent penetrance within the family. This study has enriched the evidence for the pathogenicity of ALPK3tv among Chinese HCM pedigrees and underscored the importance of periodic literature reviews and genetic re-analysis for unresolved genetic testing results.
Humans ; Male ; Pedigree ; Adult ; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic/genetics* ; Heterozygote ; Asian People/genetics* ; Exome Sequencing ; Mutation ; China ; Female ; East Asian People

Objective·To explore the value of combined diaphragm and intercostal muscle ultrasound assessment compared with conventional diaphragm ultrasound in predicting the weaning outcome in mechanically ventilated patients with sepsis.Methods·Mechanically ventilated patients with sepsis,consecutively admitted to the Department of Critical Care Medicine of Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from October 2022 to December 2023,were selected.During the peri-weaning period,after the patient's sepsis condition improved and the patient passed the spontaneous breathing trial(SBT),ultrasound evaluation of respiratory muscles was performed by ultrasound qualified personnel with ultrasound qualification and experience in bedside ultrasound examination.Diaphragm excursion(DE),thickening fraction of diaphragm(TFD),and thickening fraction of intercostal muscle(TFic)were measured,respectively.The patients were divided into a successful weaning group(n=114)and a failed weaning group(n=24)according to the weaning results.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to analyze the value of diaphragm ultrasound and intercostal muscle ultrasound,alone and in combination,in predicting ventilator weaning outcome.Results·TFic and TFic/TFD were significantly higher in the failed weaning group during SBT than in the successful weaning group(all P<0.05).The areas under the ROC curve(AUROC)of DE,TFD,and TFic to predict weaning failure in mechanically ventilated patients with sepsis during the period of SBT were 0.689(0.591?0.776),0.657(0.557?0.747),and 0.769(0.676?0.846),respectively,whereas the combined indexes TFic/TFD and TFic&TFD_mix had AUROCs of 0.867(0.786?0.925)and 0.860(0.778?0.920),respectively.TFic/TFD with a cutoff value of>0.95 had a sensitivity of 86.7%and a specificity of 75.3%in predicting weaning failure,and TFic&TFD_mix with a cutoff value of>0.13 had a sensitivity of 86.6%and a specificity of 80.9%in predicting weaning failure.Moreover,the intercostal muscle ultrasonography method had an intra-observer intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)of 0.890 and an extra-observer ICC of 0.876 for measurement reliability,which were both rated as good(P<0.001).Conclusion·Combined diaphragm and intercostal muscle ultrasonography provides a more comprehensive picture of the patient's overall respiratory muscles,and has a higher guiding value in predicting the weaning outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients with sepsis than diaphragm ultrasound alone.

Objective·To explore the value of combined diaphragm and intercostal muscle ultrasound assessment compared with conventional diaphragm ultrasound in predicting the weaning outcome in mechanically ventilated patients with sepsis.Methods·Mechanically ventilated patients with sepsis,consecutively admitted to the Department of Critical Care Medicine of Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from October 2022 to December 2023,were selected.During the peri-weaning period,after the patient's sepsis condition improved and the patient passed the spontaneous breathing trial(SBT),ultrasound evaluation of respiratory muscles was performed by ultrasound qualified personnel with ultrasound qualification and experience in bedside ultrasound examination.Diaphragm excursion(DE),thickening fraction of diaphragm(TFD),and thickening fraction of intercostal muscle(TFic)were measured,respectively.The patients were divided into a successful weaning group(n=114)and a failed weaning group(n=24)according to the weaning results.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were used to analyze the value of diaphragm ultrasound and intercostal muscle ultrasound,alone and in combination,in predicting ventilator weaning outcome.Results·TFic and TFic/TFD were significantly higher in the failed weaning group during SBT than in the successful weaning group(all P<0.05).The areas under the ROC curve(AUROC)of DE,TFD,and TFic to predict weaning failure in mechanically ventilated patients with sepsis during the period of SBT were 0.689(0.591?0.776),0.657(0.557?0.747),and 0.769(0.676?0.846),respectively,whereas the combined indexes TFic/TFD and TFic&TFD_mix had AUROCs of 0.867(0.786?0.925)and 0.860(0.778?0.920),respectively.TFic/TFD with a cutoff value of>0.95 had a sensitivity of 86.7%and a specificity of 75.3%in predicting weaning failure,and TFic&TFD_mix with a cutoff value of>0.13 had a sensitivity of 86.6%and a specificity of 80.9%in predicting weaning failure.Moreover,the intercostal muscle ultrasonography method had an intra-observer intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC)of 0.890 and an extra-observer ICC of 0.876 for measurement reliability,which were both rated as good(P<0.001).Conclusion·Combined diaphragm and intercostal muscle ultrasonography provides a more comprehensive picture of the patient's overall respiratory muscles,and has a higher guiding value in predicting the weaning outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients with sepsis than diaphragm ultrasound alone.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF）， as a progressive lung disease， has a poor prognosis and no reliable and effective therapies. IPF is mainly treated by organ transplantation and administration of chemical drugs， which are ineffective and induce side effects， failing to meet the clinical needs. Therefore， developing safer and more effective drugs has become an urgent task， which necessitates clear understanding of the pathogenesis of IPF. The available studies about the pathogenesis of IPF mainly focus on macrophage polarization， epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT）， oxidative stress， and autophagy， while few studies systematically explain the principles and links of the pathogeneses. According to the traditional Chinese medicine theory， Qi deficiency and blood stasis and Qi-Yang deficiency are the key pathogeneses of IPF. Therefore， the Chinese medicines or compound prescriptions with the effects of replenishing Qi and activating blood， warming Yang and tonifying Qi， and eliminating stasis and resolving phlegm are often used to treat IPF. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that such medicines play a positive role in inhibiting macrophage polarization， restoring redox balance， inhibiting EMT， and regulating cell autophagy. However， few studies report how Chinese medicines regulate the pathways in the treatment of IPF. By reviewing the latest articles in this field， we elaborate on the pathogenesis of IPF and provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanism of the active ingredients or compound prescriptions of Chinese medicines in regulating IPF. Combining the pathogenesis of IPF with the modulating effects of Chinese medicines， we focus on exploring systemic treatment options for IPF， with a view to providing new ideas for the in-depth study of IPF and the research and development of related drugs.

Osteoporosis （OP） is a systemic metabolic bone disease. Amid population aging， OP has become a major health problem for the middle-aged and the elderly in China. Aging， iron load， and estrogen deficiency break the balance between oxidation and antioxidant systems， and the increase of reactive oxygen species mediates oxidative stress to damage DNA， lipids， proteins and other macromolecules， thus accelerating cell apoptosis and inducing OP， obesity， and neurodegenerative disorders. It has been found that oxidative stress is of great significance in the pathogenesis of OP. Oxidative stress regulates the signaling pathways， cytokines， and proteins related to the mesenchymal stem cells， osteoblasts， and osteoclasts， thereby weakening the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells， inhibiting osteoblast mineralization， and promoting the activation， proliferation， and maturation of osteoclasts. As a result， the dynamic imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation occurs， influencing bone remodeling and promoting the progression of OP. At the moment， anti-bone resorption drugs， bone formation-promoting drugs， and hormones are mainly used in clinical settings in western medicine. However， due to the long treatment cycle and the occurrence of serious gastrointestinal reactions， hypocalcemia， osteonecrosis， and others， patients show poor compliance and thus the effect is not as expected. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） demonstrates remarkable effect on OP attributing to the multi-pathway and multi-target characteristics. With low price and few adverse reactions， TCM is widely applied in clinical practice in comparison with western medicine. TCM has unique advantages in the treatment of OP by regulating oxidative stress. It exerts the therapeutic effect on OP by modulating different signaling pathways， providing new mindset for the treatment of this disease. Therefore， through literature research， this study summarized the research on mechanism of oxidative stress in OP and the treatment by TCM， which is expected to lay a foundation for further research.

Objective:To investigate the correlation between serum uric acid/high density lipoprotein cholesterol (URH) and diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) .Methods:According to urinary albumin creatinine ratio, 171 patients with T2DM were divided into simple T2DM group (group A1), microalbuminuria group (group A2) and macroalbuminuria group (group A3). The general data, HbA1c, biochemical indices were compared, and URH was calculated.Results:The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, SUA, TG and URH of A1 group were lower than those of the other two groups [ (129.7±15.78) vs (141.65±16.04) vs (147.31±17.01) mmHg, (78.9±10.71) vs (83.79±10.67) vs (84.61±12.19) mmHg, 291.5 (253.75, 351.25) vs 346 (280, 409) vs 344.5 (274.75, 425.75) μmol/L, 26.12 (19.71,32.96) vs 33.45 (26.55,42.2) vs 33.45 (26.55,42.2) ] ( P<0.05). HDL-C was higher than those of the other two groups [1.19 (1.02,1.29) vs1.02 (0.87,1.21) vs 1.07 (0.93,1.25) mmol/L] ( P<0.05), the course of disease and SCr of group A3 were higher than those of the other two groups [10.5 (7.25, 15) vs 8.5 (4,12) vs 8 (3,11) years; 82.5 (70.57,101.75) vs 66 (52.75,73.75) vs 64 (51, 84) μmol/L ] ( P<0.05), and eGFR was lower than those of the other two groups [91.63 (67.09, 112.21) vs 116.7 (96.6, 142.53) vs 109.85 (85.64, 152.39) ml/min/1.73 m 2] ( P<0.05). There were no significant differences in gender, smoking history, drinking history, age, BMI, TC, LDL-C, BUN, FPG or HbA1c among different groups (P> 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that the course of disease, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, TG, SUA, URH were positively correlated with UACR, while HDL-C was negatively correlated with UACR. Logistic regression analysis showed that course of disease was a risk factor for macroproteinuria, while systolic blood pressure and URH were risk factors for microproteinuria and macroproteinuria. ROC curve showed that the AUC value of URH was the highest, and the accuracy rate was 69.3%. Conclusions:URH is closely related to the occurrence of DKD and is a risk factor of DKD. Dynamic monitoring of URH in T2DM patients is helpful for early screening of DKD, which is superior to SUA and HDL-C.

AIM: To study the protective effect and mechanism of swimming on kidney of diabetic mice. METHODS: The mice were randomly divided into normal control group, normal swimming group, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice model group, diabetic swimming group and metformin group. T2DM model was established by streptozotocin (STZ) method. The mice in normal swimming group and diabetic swimming group were given swimming exercise (1 h a day), and the metformin group were given metformin (200 mg/kg) by gavage once a day for 7 weeks. Fasting blood glucose and serum insulin were measured and insulin resistance index was calculated. The contents of uric acid, urea and creatinine in serum were determined. The ratio of renal mass to body mass was calculated, and the pathological changes of renal tissues were observed. The relative expressions of autophagy related proteins LC3 and P62 in renal tissues were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with normal control group, insulin resistance index and renal mass/body mass ratio in model group were significantly increased. Serum uric acid, urea and creatinine levels increased, and glomerular pathological changes were obvious. LC3II/LC3I ratio decreased significantly. The expression of P62 was significantly increased. Compared with model group, insulin resistance index and renal mass/body mass ratio in diabetic swimming group were significantly decreased. The contents of serum uric acid, urea and creatinine decreased, and the pathological changes of glomerular were alleviated. LC3II/LC3I ratio increased significantly. The expression of P62 decreased significantly (P even <0.05). CONCLUSION: Swimming protects the kidney injury of T2DM mice, and its mechanism may be related to promoting the autophagy process of renal tissue.

Objective:To effectively express the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in Pichia pastoris and to evaluate its immunogenicity. Methods:The gene encoding the RBD protein was synthesized and cloned into the pPICZαA plasmid. After linearization, the plasmid was transferred and integrated into the genome of Pichia pastoris. The expressed RBD protein in culture supernatant was analyzed by Western blot and Biolayer interferometry. After screening, a single clone expressing the RBD protein was selected. The high-level expression of RBD protein was achieved by optimizing the fermentation process, including the salt concentration adjusting of the medium and induction condition optimization (pH, temperature and duration). The immunogenicity of the expressed RBD protein was evaluated in a mouse model. Results:A single clone with a high expression level of RBD protein was obtained and named RBD-X33. The expression level of RBD protein in the fermentation supernatant reached up to 240 mg/L after optimization of the induction condition (HBSM medium, pH=6.5±0.3, 22℃ and 120 h). In the mouse experiment, the recombinant RBD protein was formulated with Alum+ CpG dual adjuvant and injected into mice. The binding IgG antibody levels were up to 2.7×10 6 tested by ELISA and the neutralizing antibody levels were up to 726.8 tested by live virus neutralizing antibody assay (prototype). Conclusions:The RBD protein could be efficiently expressed in Pichia pastoris and induce stronger immune response in animals. This study suggested that the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein expressed in Pichia pastoris could serve as a candidate antigen in the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

Objective:To investigate the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on cognitive function in patients with chronic schizophrenia.Methods:100 cases patients with chronic schizophrenia weree selected.They were divided into rTMS stimulation group and pseudo stimulation group according to the random number table method,and each group include 50 cases.The positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Treatment Emergent Symptom scale (TESS) were used to assess the clinical symptoms and side effects before and after the treatment;The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and Repeatable Neuropsychological State Measurement (RBANS) were used to assess the patients' cognitive function before and after treatment.Results:After treatment,the PANSS total score,the positive subscale score,the negative subscale score,the general psychopathological subscale score in the rTMS stimulation group were significantly reducing (P＜0.05),and significantly lower than those in the pseudo stimulation group (P＜0.05),but the TESS scores between the two groups did not differ significantly before and after treatment.The percentage of WCST in rTMS stimulation group was significantly higher than that in the pseudo stimulation group (P＜0.05),and the total time and wrong thinking time was shorter than that in the pseudo stimulation group (P＜0.05);The visual span and delayed memory performance of RBANS was significantly increased in the rTMS stimulation group (P＜0.05),and the visual span was significantly higher than that in the pseudo stimulus group (P＜0.05);There were 2 cases of patients with mild symptoms after the first treatment in RTMS stimulation group,all patients were without complaint followed up for 3 months.Conclusion:rTMS treatment on the part of the cognitive function of patients with chronic schizophrenia has a certain improvement effect,and higher security,it is worth further study.

Objective To investigate the influence of streptozocin (STZ)'s dose on the inductive effect of diabetes in C57BL/6J mice, and investigate the dose-effect relationship and the optimal dose range. Methods 145 C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 9 diabetic groups (group A to group 1, n = 15 in each group) and I control group (n = I0) to receive intraperitoneal injection of STZ with the dosages of 30, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240 mg/kg and same amount of buffer solution,respectively. Changes of blood glucose, body weight, survival rate at 45 day and serum insulin level were monitored, and the relationship with STZ doses was analyzed. Pancreas and kidneys of the mice were removed for morphological examination, and immunohistochemistry was used for determination of insulin in pancreas and CD<,68> in kidneys. Results Compared with control group, blood glucose in group C ～G increased significantly; body weigh, insulin level decreased significantly (P < 0.05), and the STZ dose was positively correlated with mean blood glucose (r = -0.984, P < 0.05) and was negatively correlated with mean serum insulin levels (r = 0.994, P <0.05). The diabetes modeling rates in group C ～ G (86.7% ～ 100%) were higher than those of group A and B (0 and 40%, P<0.05). At the 45th day, the survival rates of group C ～G (46.7% ～ 73.3%) were higher than those of group H and 1 (13.3% and 0, P <0.05). There was no obvious injury of pancreas and kidneys in group B, whereas, in group C and G, pancreatic island atrophy and decreased insulin secretion were observed; deposits of extracellular matrix and macrophage increased in the mesangium were also present. Conclusions 80 ～ 180 mg/kg of STZ dose was ideal for establishing diabetes model in C57BL/6J mice. Within this range, the modeling rate and survival rate was higher, and target organs injury was typical. The STZ dose was positively correlated with blood glucose and negatively correlated with serum insulin levels.