OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology of 46 Chinese pedigrees affected with Hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) and provide genetic counseling and reproductive intervention. METHODS: Whole-exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing were carried out on 87 patients from the 46 pedigrees to analyze the variants of EXT1 and EXT2 genes. Pathogenicity of the variants was assessed based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG/AMP). Prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) were provided for couples with identified pathogenic mutations. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the hospital (Ethics No.: LL-SC-SG-2014-010). RESULTS: In total 17 and 22 pathogenic variants were respectively identified in the EXT1 and EXT2 genes, among which 5 EXT1 and 12 EXT2 variants were unreported previously. Three patients with no family history were found to harbor de novo variants of the EXT1 gene. Twenty nine couples had opted for PGT or underwent prenatal diagnosis following natural conception, and 17 healthy babies were born. CONCLUSION This study has clarified the genetic etiology of 45 HME pedigrees and identified 17 novel variants, which has enriched the mutational spectrum of the EXT1 and EXT2 genes. Reproductive intervention through PGT and prenatal diagnosis have prevented the recurrence of HME in these families.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Pedigree ; Exostoses, Multiple Hereditary/diagnosis* ; N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases/genetics* ; Adult ; Exostosin 1 ; Asian People/genetics* ; Genetic Testing ; Exostosin 2 ; Mutation ; China ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Pregnancy ; Genetic Counseling ; Preimplantation Diagnosis ; Exome Sequencing ; East Asian People

Objective To investigate the effects and mechanisms of high-fat diet(HFD)-induced obesity on male ze-brafish reproductive function.Methods Adult male zebrafish were divided into normal diet(ND)group and HFD group.Growth and metabolic conditions were evaluated by measuring body weight,body length,BMI,organ index,and glucose/lipid lev-els.Reproductive capacity was assessed via sperm concentration,motility,fertilization rate,and testosterone levels.Testicular tissues from both of groups were subjected to transeriptomic sequencing(RNA-seq).And qRT-PCR was used to validate the expression of genes.Results Compared to male zebrafish in ND group,the ones in HFD group exhibited hepatic steatosis and glucose/lipid meta-bolic disorders(P＜0.05).Testicular structural disorganization,along with reduced testosterone levels,decreased gonadosomatic in-dex,and impaired sperm concentration and motility occurred in HFD group(P＜0.05).GO analysis revealed that differentially ex-pressed genes were enriched in spermatogenesis and ciliary system,while KEGG analysis highlighted metabolic related pathways(pu-rine metabolism,thyroid hormone synthesis,mTOR signaling)and cell adhesion molecules.Twenty key differentially expressed genes were validated by qRT-PCR,which confirmed the reliability of RNA-Seq results.Conclusion Impairment of reproductive function induced by HFD in zebrafish may be associated with three regulatory mechanisms including ciliary system,metabolic dysregulation,and aberrant cell adhesion molecule signaling.This study provides mechanistic insights and identifies potential therapeutic targets for clinical management of diet-associated infertility.

Objective The mechanism of Huazhuo xingxue decoction(HZXXD)in the treatment of ischemic stroke was explored through network pharmacology,molecular docking and cell validation.Methods TCMSP,TCMID,BATMAN-TCM database and literature search were used to get the chemical components and related target proteins of Huazhuo Xingxue Decoction,and the targets of dementia,stroke and amnesia were obtained from Genecards database and OMIM database.The traditional Chinese medicine-active components-target-network and protein interaction map were constructed by using Cytoscape,and the target was enriched by KEGG pathway by David database.Western blot was used to investigate the effect of HZXXD on inflammation-related core targets expression using oxygen and glucose deprivation/reoxygenation cell model.Finally,Autodock was used for molecular docking of key active ingredients and important targets to evaluate their binding activity.Results 76 active molecules and 33 common targets of herb-disease were screened out.KEGG bioaccumulation results involve multiple inflammatory signal pathways such as TNF,chemical carcinogenesis-reactive oxygen species and HIF-1.TNF-α was found to be the core target of HZXXD by oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation cell experiments.Five compounds with the strongest binding ability to TNF-α,kaempferol,apigenin,aloe-emodin,baicalein and stigasterol,were screened by traditional Chinese medicine-active ingredient-target network map and molecular docking.Conclusion Huazhuo Xingxue Decoction may down regulate the expression of core target TNF-α,kaempferol,apigenin,aloe emodin,baicalein and stigasterol may be the main active substances for TNF-α binding.

Aim To investigate the anti-acute lung injury(ALI)effect of Sterculiae Lychnophorae Semen(SLS)and its mechanism.Methods The main ac-tive components of SLS and their core targets and path-ways of action against ALI were obtained by network pharmacology methods.Subsequently,molecular doc-king technology and in vitro cellular experiments were applied for validation.Results A total of 19 core tar-gets were obtained,including HSP90AA1,CASP3,TNF,MAPK8 and MAPK14.The mechanisms may in-volve signaling pathways such as cancer,PI3K/Akt and MAPK.Molecular docking confirmed that the key targets of SLS formed a better binding activity with the relevant active ingredients.The in vitro results showed that SLS was able to protect the PM2.5-contaminated BEAS-2B cells,inhibit their NO,IL-1β and TNF-αlevels,and reduce the expression of p-p38 MAPK and p-JNK proteins.Conclusions The study successfully predicts the active ingredients,targets and signaling pathways of SLS against ALI,and in vitro experiments demonstrate that SLS might protect BEAS-2B cells from PM2.5 stimulus-induced inflammation and apoptosis by inhibiting the over-activation of p38 MAPK and JNK signaling pathways.

Objective To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae(MP)infection among pediatric inpatients with respiratory tract infections(RTIs)at Children's Hospital of Hebei Province,providing evidence for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 79 546 children hospitalized for RTIs between January 2016 and February 2024.Nasopharyngeal aspirates or deep sputum samples were collected,and polymerase chain reaction(PCR)was used to detect nucleic acids of 13 respiratory pathogens,including MP and adenovirus.The epidemiological trends across different years,seasons,genders,and age groups were analyzed.Results Among the 79 546 enrolled cases(male:47 437,59.6%;female:32 109,40.4%),the MP-positive rate was 17.7%(14 106/79 546),peaking in 2023(28.8%)and reaching the lowest in 2021(7.0%).Except for the period from July 2020 to March 2021 with exceptionally low MP positivity,epidemic peaks consistently occurred between August and February or March of the following year.Seasonal analysis revealed significantly higher MP positivity in autumn and winter compared to spring(P<0.001).Female children exhibited a higher MP-positive rate(20.1%,6444/32 109)than males(16.2%,7662/47 437)(P<0.001).The MP-positive rate increased with age:infancy(3.2%,849/26 741),toddlerhood(9.3%,1935/20 763),preschool(21.2%,3918/18 448),and school-age(54.5%,7404/13 594)(P<0.001).Co-infections with other respiratory pathogens were observed in 37.3%(5264/14 106)of MP-positive cases,with human rhinovirus(HRV)being the most frequent co-pathogen(43.3%,2279/5264 of mixed infections).Conclusion MP is a major pathogen of RTIs in hospitalized children at Children's Hospital of Hebei Province.Infections occur year-round but predominantly in autumn,with higher susceptibility in females and school-age children.Targeted preventive measures should be implemented during peak seasons to mitigate transmission risks.

Objective:To integrate implicit templates with deep learning techniques, a novel neural network, the tooth-deformable deep implicit network (T-DDIN), was constructed to achieve high-precision shape completion of tooth defects in a personalized manner.Methods:A total of 550 intraoral scan models were collected from patients treated at the Department of Orthodontics and Department of Prosthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University (500 for training and 50 for testing), between March 2022 and March 2024. T-DDIN reconstructed defective tooth morphology using an implicit template and a latent encoding prediction network. During model evaluation, Class Ⅱ cavity defects and occlusal wear defects were simulated in the test set. Morphological restoration was performed using both traditional computer aided design (CAD) methods and the T-DDIN deep learning approach. The two methods were compared based on three-dimensional deviation, occlusal adjustment volumes, cusp angle deviation, and restoration time.Results:The T-DDIN group demonstrated significantly lower three-dimensional deviation for Class Ⅱ cavity defects and occlusal wear restoration [(0.14±0.05) and (0.16±0.09) mm], occlusal adjustment volumes [(0.44±0.03) and (0.49±0.03) mm 3], and difference value of the tooth cusp angles (5.69°±1.90° and 6.04°±0.53°) compared to the traditional CAD group (both P<0.001). No significant differences were observed within the T-DDIN group between the two defect types in terms of three-dimensional deviation ( P=0.098) or occlusal adjustment volume ( P=0.154) or difference value of the tooth cusp angles ( P=0.196). However, in the traditional CAD group, three-dimensional deviation, occlusal adjustment volume and difference value of the tooth cusp angles was significantly higher in occlusal wear restorations than in Class Ⅱ cavity defects restorations ( P<0.001). The T-DDIN group, which involved Class Ⅱ cavity defects and occlusal wear, demonstrated significantly less recovery time of morphology (37.2±7.7) and (39.4±6.2) s compared to the traditional CAD group ( P<0.001). Conclusions:T-DDIN demonstrated superior stability and accuracy in morphological reconstruction for various types of dental defects while significantly reducing restoration time.

Objective To summarize and analyze the clinicopathological characteristics,imaging manifestations,treatment and prognosis of anaplastic lymphoma kinase(ALK)-positive histiocytosis(APH)involving the central nervous system(CNS),so as to enhance understanding of this rare disease.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 5 cases of CNS-involved APH diagnosed in Huashan Hospital,Fudan University between 2019 and 2023.Clinical,imaging and pathological data were collected,and supplemented by immunohistochemical staining(IHC),fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)and high-throughput sequencing for auxiliary diagnosis and molecular characterization.The findings were summarized and integrated with previous literature for a comprehensive analysis.Results All five patients were male,with a mean age of 27.6 years,in which 2 cases exhibited multi-system involvement,while 3 cases exhibited single system involvement.Imaging revealed multiple intracranial lesions in multi-system cases and solitary lesions in single system cases,with well-defined boundaries and homogeneous enhancement.Histologically,tumor cells were intermingled with lymphocytes,displaying an alternating"light and dark"pattern in 1 case.Granuloma-like structures were observed in 4 cases,along with frequent nuclear grooves,indentations and convolutions.Tumor cells usually infiltrated surrounding tissues.IHC demonstrated that tumors expressed histiocytic markers(CD68/CD163)and ALK predominantly expressed in the cytoplasm.FISH confirmed ALK gene rearrangements in all patients,while high-throughput sequencing identified KIF5B-ALK fusions in 2 cases.All single system CNS cases achieved complete remission after surgical resection with or without adjuvant chemotherapy/ALK inhibitors.Among multi-system cases,one achieved partial remission,and one experienced relapse and progression.Conclusion CNS APH is prone to preoperative misdiagnosis.Its histopathological features,ALK immunohistochemical expression,and ALK gene fusions are critical for diagnosis.Patients with single system involvement demonstrate overall superior outcomes compared to multi-system cases.Total resection is effective for localized disease,while multi-system cases require systemic therapy.Multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial for precise diagnosis and treatment.

Isoflavones which mainly distributed in leguminous plants have plenty of health benefits.Isoflavone synthase(IFS)is a membrane-associated cytochrome P450 enzyme(CYP450)which carries out the unique aryl-ring migration and hydroxylation.So far,few crystal structures of plant P450s have been obtained.We determined the crystal structure of IFS from Medicago truncatula at 1.9 ? by MAD method using a selenomethionine substituted crystal and conducted molecular docking and mutagenesis study.The structure of IFS complexed with imidazole exhibits the helix Ⅰa-loop-helix Ⅰβ motif which cor-responds to helix Ⅰ of other P450s.Compared with structures of common P450s,IFS/imidazole structure contains an extra domain,i.e.,the γ-domain.The structure reveals a homodimer in which the γ-domain of one molecule interacts with the β-domain of another.The plane of heme group makes an angle of ap-proximately 40° with the helix Ⅰa-loop-helix Ⅰβ motif.Molecular docking combined with mutagenesis study suggested that Trp-128 and Asp-300 might play important roles in substrate binding and recogni-tion.Phe-301,Ser-303 and Gly-305 from the helix Ⅰa-loop-helix Ⅰβ motif may play important roles in the aryl-ring migration.These novel structural features reveal insights into the unique reaction mechanism of IFS and provide a basis for engineering IFS in leguminous crops for health purpose.

Objective To summarize and analyze the clinicopathological characteristics,imaging manifestations,treatment and prognosis of anaplastic lymphoma kinase(ALK)-positive histiocytosis(APH)involving the central nervous system(CNS),so as to enhance understanding of this rare disease.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 5 cases of CNS-involved APH diagnosed in Huashan Hospital,Fudan University between 2019 and 2023.Clinical,imaging and pathological data were collected,and supplemented by immunohistochemical staining(IHC),fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)and high-throughput sequencing for auxiliary diagnosis and molecular characterization.The findings were summarized and integrated with previous literature for a comprehensive analysis.Results All five patients were male,with a mean age of 27.6 years,in which 2 cases exhibited multi-system involvement,while 3 cases exhibited single system involvement.Imaging revealed multiple intracranial lesions in multi-system cases and solitary lesions in single system cases,with well-defined boundaries and homogeneous enhancement.Histologically,tumor cells were intermingled with lymphocytes,displaying an alternating"light and dark"pattern in 1 case.Granuloma-like structures were observed in 4 cases,along with frequent nuclear grooves,indentations and convolutions.Tumor cells usually infiltrated surrounding tissues.IHC demonstrated that tumors expressed histiocytic markers(CD68/CD163)and ALK predominantly expressed in the cytoplasm.FISH confirmed ALK gene rearrangements in all patients,while high-throughput sequencing identified KIF5B-ALK fusions in 2 cases.All single system CNS cases achieved complete remission after surgical resection with or without adjuvant chemotherapy/ALK inhibitors.Among multi-system cases,one achieved partial remission,and one experienced relapse and progression.Conclusion CNS APH is prone to preoperative misdiagnosis.Its histopathological features,ALK immunohistochemical expression,and ALK gene fusions are critical for diagnosis.Patients with single system involvement demonstrate overall superior outcomes compared to multi-system cases.Total resection is effective for localized disease,while multi-system cases require systemic therapy.Multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial for precise diagnosis and treatment.

Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.