BackgroundSchizophrenia is a complex， chronic and severe mental disorder， and the pathogenesis of which has not been fully elucidated. The abnormalities in lipid metabolism and circulating metabolomes have already been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. However， available studies have mainly focused on a few liposomes and circulating metabolites， failing to systematically reveal the mediating role of circulating metabolomes in the causal relationship between liposomes and schizophrenia. ObjectiveTo uncover mediating role of circulating metabolomes in the causal relationship between liposomes and schizophrenia， thereby providing biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of schizophrenia. MethodsData from Genome-Wide Association Studies （GWAS） were analyzed， taking data on 179 liposomes as exposure variables， data on 123 circulating metabolites as intermediate variables， and data on schizophrenia as outcome variable. A two-step， two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted using the inverse-variance weighted （IVW）， MR- Egger， Weighted median， and Weighted mode methods to study the causal relationship of liposomes with schizophrenia and the mediating role of circulating metabolomes in the relationship. ResultsIVW model identified 8 lipids associated with schizophrenia without reverse causality. There were 5 circulating metabolomes strongly associated with schizophrenia. Acetate played a significant mediating role in the causal relationship between phosphatidylinositol （18：0_18：2） and schizophrenia （P=0.023， 95% CI： 0.036~0.532）， accounting for 28.4% of the causal relationship. ConclusionThis study demonstrates a causal relationship between liposomes and schizophrenia， with phosphatidylinositol being a risk factor in the progression of schizophrenia， and acetate playing a mediating role in this process. ［Fund by National Natural Science Foundation of China General Program （number， 82271546）； Shanxi Merit Funding for Overseas Students Sci-Tech Activities Project （number， 20240041）； Shanxi Province Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talent Team Project （number， 202304051001049）； Shanxi Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars （number， 2022-190）； "Six Measures for Health Care Prosperity" Specialized Research Program （number， Y2024008）］

Objective To investigate the value of artificial intelligence-assisted compressed sensing (ACS) technology for intravenous gadolinium contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear using three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) sequence. Methods The patients received gadolinium contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging using ACS and united compressed sensing (uCS) 3D-FLAIR at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from January to November 2024 were prospectively enrolled. The repetition time was 16 000 ms, and acquisition time was 6 min 40 s and 10 min 24 s in ACS 3D-FLAIR and uCS 3D-FLAIR, respectively. The images on the two sequences were evaluated independently by two radiologists. The image quality of the two sequences was subjectively evaluated and compared. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were compared between the two sequences. The grading consistencies using two sequences and between the two doctors were analyzed. Results There was no statistically difference in subjective score of image quality between the two sequences. SNR and CNR of the ACS 3D-FLAIR sequence were significantly higher than those of the uCS 3D-FLAIR sequence (P＜0.001). The kappa values of grades of cochlear and vestibular endolymphatic hydrops were 0.942 and 0.888 using two sequences (P＜0.001). The kappa values of grades of cochlear and vestibular endolymphatic hydrops using the ACS 3D-FLAIR sequence between the two doctors were 0.784 and 0.831, respectively (P＜0.001); the kappa values of grades of cochlear and vestibular endolymphatic hydrops using uCS 3D-FLAIR sequence between the two doctors were 0.725 and 0.756, respectively (P＜0.001). Conclusions ACS 3D-FLAIR could provide higher SNR and CNR than uCS 3D-FLAIR, and is more suitable for intravenous gadolinium contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear; the endolymphatic hydrops grades using ACS 3D-FLAIR is similar to use uCS 3D-FLAIR.

Objective:To investigate the clinical phenotypic and genetic characteristics of three children with Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) and Self-limited familial infantile epilepsy (SeLIE) caused by PRRT2 gene mutation. Methods:Three children with PKD and SeLIE caused by PRRT2 gene mutation (children 1-3) who were treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from November 2022 to August 2023 were selected as the research subjects. A retrospective study was conducted to collect the clinical and family history data of the three children. 2 mL of peripheral venous blood from children 1-3 and parents of children 1-2 were collected (parents of children refused to undergo genetic testing and no blood samples were collected), genomic DNA was extracted, whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed, and Sanger sequencing method was used for verification. According to the Classification Standards and Guidelines for Genetic Variants formulated by the American Society of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) (hereinafter referred to as the " ACMG Guidelines" ), the pathogenicity of the variant loci detected in three children was rated, and the detrimental loci of the variant loci were analyzed by multiple bioinformatics software. This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Ethics No. 2024-KY-0881-002). Results:The clinical data and genetic test results of the three children in this study are as follows. ①Child 1: female, age of onset of 4 months and 10 days, with seizures, manifested as sudden cessation of movements, staring in both eyes, cyanosis of the lips, paleness, and stiffness and shaking of limbs. The results of genetic testing showed that child 1 had maternal PRRT2 gene c. 583_584dup (p. P196Afs*34) frameshift variant, which was rated as a pathogenic variant (PVS1 PM2_Supporting PP4) according to ACMG guidelines. According to the clinical manifestations and genetic test results of child 1, he was diagnosed with SeLIE and took oral sodium valproate [0.5 mL/(kg.d)], and was still taking medication at the follow-up of 2 years old, and did not have seizures again after 5 months of age. ②Child 2: male, age of onset of 10 years old, manifested as dystonia after sudden movement. The results of genetic testing showed that child 2 had PRRT2 gene mutations: paternal c. 649dupC (p.R217Pfs*8) frameshift variant and maternal c. 445C>A (p.Q149K) mutation. Among them, c. 649dupC was a reported pathogenic variant, and according to ACMG guidelines, c. 445C>A variant was rated as a variant of unknown clinical significance (PM2_Supporting), with a high probability of benignness. According to the clinical manifestations and genetic test results of the child 2, he was diagnosed with PKD, and was followed up with oral oxcarbazepine 9 mg/(kg.d) until 12 years and 2 months, and was still on the drug, and there was no recurrence of the seizure of the form of dyskinesia after taking the drug. ③Child 3: male, age of onset of 11 years old, manifested by dystonia after sudden exercise. The results of genetic testing showed that child 3 had a missense variant of PRRT2 gene c. 904G>C (p.D302H), and his parents refused genetic testing, and the source of the mutation was unknown, and the variant was rated as a variant of unknown clinical significance (PM2_Supporting+ PP3_Moderate+ PP4) according to ACMG guidelines. According to the clinical manifestations and genetic test results of child 3, he was diagnosed with PKD, and was treated with oral oxcarbazepine 10 mg/(kg.d) for 1 year and then discontinued on his own, and was followed up at the age of 17, and there was no recurrence of the seizure of the form of movement disorder after taking the drug. Conclusion:One case of SeLIE and two cases of PKD caused by PRRT2 gene mutations responded well to anti-seizure drugs. In this study, four variant loci of PRRT2 gene were found: c. 583_584dup, c. 904G>C, c. 649dupC, c. 445C>A, among which c. 583_584dup were new variants, enriching the variant spectrum of PRRT2 gene.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology of a child with Christianson syndrome (CS).Methods:A 1-year-and-5-month-old boy with CS diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in April 2021 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the child and his parents, followed by genomic DNA extraction and whole exome sequencing (WES). Candidate variant was validated by Sanger sequencing. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No. 2024-KY-1103-001).Results:The child has manifested with seizures, microcephaly, and global developmental delay. WES revealed that he has harbored a novel de novo hemizygous nonsense variant of the SLC9A6 gene, namely c. 1014G>A (p.W338*). Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was rated as pathogenic. Conclusion:The hemizygous c. 1014G>A nonsense variant of the SLC9A6 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis in this child. Above discovery has expanded mutational spectrum of the SLC9A6 gene and enabled definite diagnosis of the child.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical phenotypic and genetic characteristics of three children with Paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) and Self-limited familial infantile epilepsy (SeLIE) caused by PRRT2 gene mutation. METHODS: Three children with PKD and SeLIE caused by PRRT2 gene mutation (children 1-3) who were treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from November 2022 to August 2023 were selected as the research subjects. A retrospective study was conducted to collect the clinical and family history data of the three children. 2 mL of peripheral venous blood from children 1-3 and parents of children 1-2 were collected (parents of children refused to undergo genetic testing and no blood samples were collected), genomic DNA was extracted, whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed, and Sanger sequencing method was used for verification. According to the Classification Standards and Guidelines for Genetic Variants formulated by the American Society of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) (hereinafter referred to as the "ACMG Guidelines"), the pathogenicity of the variant loci detected in three children was rated, and the detrimental loci of the variant loci were analyzed by multiple bioinformatics software. This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Ethics No. 2024-KY-0881-002). RESULTS: The clinical data and genetic test results of the three children in this study are as follows. Child 1: female, age of onset of 4 months and 10 days, with seizures, manifested as sudden cessation of movements, staring in both eyes, cyanosis of the lips, paleness, and stiffness and shaking of limbs. The results of genetic testing showed that child 1 had maternal PRRT2 gene c.583_584dup (p.P196Afs*34) frameshift variant, which was rated as a pathogenic variant (PVS1 PM2_Supporting PP4) according to ACMG guidelines. According to the clinical manifestations and genetic test results of child 1, he was diagnosed with SeLIE and took oral sodium valproate [0.5 mL/(kg.d)], and was still taking medication at the follow-up of 2 years old, and did not have seizures again after 5 months of age. Child 2: male, age of onset of 10 years old, manifested as dystonia after sudden movement. The results of genetic testing showed that child 2 had PRRT2 gene mutations: paternal c.649dupC (p.R217Pfs*8) frameshift variant and maternal c.445C>A (p.Q149K) mutation. Among them, c.649dupC was a reported pathogenic variant, and according to ACMG guidelines, c.445C>A variant was rated as a variant of unknown clinical significance (PM2_Supporting), with a high probability of benignness. According to the clinical manifestations and genetic test results of the child 2, he was diagnosed with PKD, and was followed up with oral oxcarbazepine 9 mg/(kg.d) until 12 years and 2 months, and was still on the drug, and there was no recurrence of the seizure of the form of dyskinesia after taking the drug. Child 3: male, age of onset of 11 years old, manifested by dystonia after sudden exercise. The results of genetic testing showed that child 3 had a missense variant of PRRT2 gene c.904G>C (p.D302H), and his parents refused genetic testing, and the source of the mutation was unknown, and the variant was rated as a variant of unknown clinical significance (PM2_Supporting+PP3_Moderate+PP4) according to ACMG guidelines. According to the clinical manifestations and genetic test results of child 3, he was diagnosed with PKD, and was treated with oral oxcarbazepine 10 mg/(kg.d) for 1 year and then discontinued on his own, and was followed up at the age of 17, and there was no recurrence of the seizure of the form of movement disorder after taking the drug. CONCLUSION One case of SeLIE and two cases of PKD caused by PRRT2 gene mutations responded well to anti-seizure drugs. In this study, four variant loci of PRRT2 gene were found: c.583_584dup, c.904G>C, c.649dupC, c.445C>A, among which c.583_584dup were new variants, enriching the variant spectrum of PRRT2 gene.
Humans ; Male ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics* ; Female ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Mutation ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Phenotype ; Dystonia/genetics* ; Retrospective Studies ; Child

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology of a child with Christianson syndrome (CS). METHODS: A 1-year-and-5-month-old boy with CS diagnosed at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University in April 2021 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from the child and his parents, followed by genomic DNA extraction and whole exome sequencing (WES). Candidate variant was validated by Sanger sequencing. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Ethics No. 2024-KY-1103-001). RESULTS: The child has manifested with seizures, microcephaly, and global developmental delay. WES revealed that he has harbored a novel de novo hemizygous nonsense variant of the SLC9A6 gene, namely c.1014G>A (p.W338*). Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was rated as pathogenic. CONCLUSION The hemizygous c.1014G>A nonsense variant of the SLC9A6 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis in this child. Above discovery has expanded mutational spectrum of the SLC9A6 gene and enabled definite diagnosis of the child.
Humans ; Male ; Infant ; Microcephaly/genetics* ; Spasms, Infantile/genetics* ; Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers/genetics* ; Exome Sequencing ; Intellectual Disability/genetics* ; Genetic Diseases, X-Linked/genetics* ; Mutation ; Seizures/genetics* ; Ataxia ; Epilepsy ; Ocular Motility Disorders

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy（ANE）is a rare，acute，destructive central nervous system disorder，primarily affecting children.It has an acute onset，rapid progression，a high mortality rate，and survivors often suffer from severe neurological sequelae.In recent years，the use of immunomodulatory agents has brought new hope for the treatment of ANE.This review analyzed the application of immunomodulatory agents in the treatment of ANE，providing a basis for better clinical guidance.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of infective endocarditis（IE）in children without congenital heart disease（CHD）.Methods:The clinical data of 51 children with IE admitted to the Department of Pediatrics at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from February 2014 to February 2024 were retrospectively analyzed.According to whether they had CHD，they were divided into non-CHD group（12 cases）and CHD group（39 cases）.The clinical manifestations，laboratory tests，etiology results，efficacy and prognosis of the non-CHD group were analyzed.Results:The proportion of skin pustule found in non-CHD group (2/12) was significantly higher than that in CHD group(0/39)( P=0.041).Compared with CHD group, the common pathogen in non-CHD group was Staphylococcus aureus( P=0.002).There were no statistically significant differences in age, gender, symptoms, laboratory tests, ultrasound detection rate and distribution of vegetations, positive rate of blood culture, course of anti infection treatment, and mortality rate between the two groups. Conclusion:For children with IE who do not houre underlying CHD,skin pustule is an important indicator, and Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen. The use of broad-spectrum antibiotics as early empirical anti infective agents is key to improve prognosis.

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics of pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) in children with leukemia, and explore its diagnosis and treatment strategies and prognosis.Methods:In this case-series study, the clinical data of 19 children who were diagnosed with leukemia complicated by PM at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2020 to June 2024 were retrospectively analyzed.Their gender, age, type of leukemia, clinical manifestations, chest CT findings, bronchoscopy results, etiology, treatment regimens, and prognosis were summarized.The patients were divided into a survival group and a death group.The clinical data were compared between the 2 groups.Categorical variables were compared using the Fisher′s exact test, and continuous variables were compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test.Results:A total of 19 children aged 2 to 17 years with leukemia complicated by PM were involved, including 9 boys and 10 girls, with most cases (15 cases) occurring in the autumn and winter.The median time from the first leukemia chemotherapy to infection with mucor was 1 month.Clinical manifestations mainly included fever (100%), cough (94.7%), hemoptysis (42.1%), and pneumothorax (21.1%).Chest CT findings primarily showed extensive lung consolidation (84.2%), pleural effusion (84.2%), pulmonary nodules (78.9%), halo signs (73.7%), cavitation (36.8%), crescent signs (26.3%), and reverse halo signs (21.1%).Fourteen children underwent bronchoscopy, which primarily revealed tracheal obstruction, pale or congested mucosa, mucosal edema, mucosal necrosis, bronchial stenosis, and bronchial cavitary fistulas.Mucor was detected using various methods including metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), cultures, and lung tissue microscopy.Patients were mainly treated with intravenous administration of Amphotericin B in different formulations combined with oral Posaconazole.Three patients also underwent surgical resection of the affected lung lobe in addition to medical treatment.After treatment, 14 patients had a good prognosis, while 5 patients died.The causes of death were massive hemoptysis in 2 cases, severe respiratory failure in 1 case, and treatment withdrawn due to critical condition in 2 cases.There were no statistically significant differences in age, gender, type of leukemia, whether to undergo bronchoscopy and surgery, time from the first chemotherapy to onset of infection, presence of comorbid infection, chest CT characteristics, and time to start treatment between survival and death groups(all P>0.05). Conclusions:There is no specificity in clinical manifestations of leukemia complicated by PM, which, however, still exhibits some characteristics.mNGS plays a crucial role in early diagnosis.Intravenous administration of Amphotericin B combined with oral Posaconazole and surgical intervention are an effective treatment regimen.

Acute necrotizing encephalopathy（ANE）is a rare，acute，destructive central nervous system disorder，primarily affecting children.It has an acute onset，rapid progression，a high mortality rate，and survivors often suffer from severe neurological sequelae.In recent years，the use of immunomodulatory agents has brought new hope for the treatment of ANE.This review analyzed the application of immunomodulatory agents in the treatment of ANE，providing a basis for better clinical guidance.