Objective:To investigate the impact of pre-treatment TPMT and NUDT15 genotyping on medication selection, tolerability and discontinuation rates of azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine therapy in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 181 children with IBD who were scheduled for azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine therapy at the Department of Gastroenterology, Children′s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine between January 2010 and January 2023. Among them, 168 children who received treatment were divided into a genotyped group and non-genotyped group based on pre-treatment TPMT and NUDT15 genotyping. The incidence of drug-related adverse reactions was compared between the two groups. The impact of genotyping on medication selection and discontinuation rates was analyzed. Chi-square test or Fisher exact test were used for intergroup comparisons. Logistic regression analysis was used to control the confounding factors. Firth Logistic regression analysis was applied for data with complete separation. The probability of discontinuation was assessed using survival analysis with Cox proportional hazards modeling.Results:Among the 181 children with IBD, 13 did not receive azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine due to genetic variants, while the remaining 168 underwent the therapy (154 cases of Crohn′s disease and 14 cases ulcerative colitis; 108 males and 60 females). Excluding the 13 untreated cases, 77 children underwent TPMT and NUDT15 genotyping were assigned to the genotyped group, and the remaining 91 to the non-genotyped group. Adverse reactions included myelosupression (26 cases,15.5%), hepatotoxicity (18 cases,10.7%), gastrointestinal disturbance (25 cases,14.9%), alopecia (12 cases,7.1%), fever (3 cases,1.8%), rash (2 cases,1.2%), and pancreatitis (1 case,0.6%). The incidence of overall adverse reactions was significantly higher in the non-genotyped group compared to that of the genotyped group (40.7% (37/91) vs. 26.0% (20/77), P<0.05). Specifically, the non-genotyped group had a higher rate of gastrointestinal reactions compared to the genotyped group (24.2% (22/91) vs. 3.3% (3/77), P<0.01). Cox regression analysis revealed that non-genotyped group had a higher risk of treatment discontinuation due to the adverse reactions ( HR=1.47, 95% CI 0.65-3.30). Conclusion:Pre-treatment genotyping of TPMT and NUDT15 variants can help guide the selection of clinical drugs, reduce the incidence of drug-related adverse reactions and enhance tolerability of azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine therapy in IBD children.

Objective:To analyze the clinical and genetic features of four children with pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) caused by neuroblastoma-amplified sequence ( NBAS) gene variant, as well as the correlation between clinical phenotype and genotype. Methods:The clinical data and genetic test results of four children with NBAS gene variants admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine from August 2015 to June 2023 mainly presenting with pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) were retrospectively analyzed. The relevant literature from January 2015 to May 2024 was retrieved using the Chinese and English keywords " NBAS," "neuroblastoma amplified sequence," "SOPH," "short stature with optic nerve atrophy and Pelger Hu?t anomaly," "liver failure," and "neuroblastoma amplified sequence" indexed in the CNKI database, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and PubMed database. The clinical features and gene mutation characteristics of domestic patients were summarized. Results:The age at which the initial PALF attack occurred in the four children varied from eight months to three years and seven months. All patients developed PALF within 1-2 days after the onset of fever, with symptoms such as vomiting, convulsions, and mental depression or confusion, accompanied by a sharp increase in transaminases, elevated bilirubin and blood ammonia, hyperlactatemia, and hepatomegaly. The PALF gradually improved, and three pediatric patients showed extrahepatic manifestations following antipyretic, fluid replacement, and other symptomatic supportive treatment. Long-term follow-up showed that active temperature control and symptomatic therapy reduced the recurrence of PALF. Genetic testing identified eight kinds of NBAS gene variants sites. Family testing validated compound heterozygous variants, which included four missense variants, one nonsense variants, and three frameshift mutations. A literature study revealed that out of 51 Chinese patients with NBAS gene variants, 98.0% (50/51) had liver involvement, and 37 cases showed PALF. A total of 61 mutation sites were identified, with c.3596G>A (45.1%, 23/51) as a hotspot variants. Conclusions:PALF caused by NBAS gene variant has obvious clinical and genetic characteristics, and there is a correlation between genotype and clinical phenotype. The c.3596G>A variant site is a hotspot mutation in China and is strongly correlated with the liver failure phenotype.

Objective To examine the effects of SMAD4 on the proliferation and apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in rats with poly-cystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods A PCOS rat model was established using DHEA,and ovarian granulosa cells were extracted and cultured in vitro.The expression of SMAD4 in ovarian granulosa cells was detected by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot-ting.SMAD4-siRNA was transfected into ovarian granulosa cells from PCOS rats.The expression of SMAD4 mRNA after transfection was determined by quantitative real-time PCR.Western blotting was performed to detect the expression levels of PCNA,BAX,and BCL-2 proteins after transfection.A CCK-8 assay was performed to evaluate cell growth after siRNA interference.Results The HE staining results revealed that the number of ovarian follicular vacuoles increased and that the number of granulosa cell layers and corpus luteum decreased,thus indicating the establishment of a PCOS model.The FSHR positivity rate exceeded 95％.SMAD4 expression in ovarian granulosa cells was higher in the PCOS group than in the control group(P＜0.05).Furthermore,siRNA effectively reduced SMAD4 expression in ovarian granulosa cells of PCOS rats(P＜0.01),promoted proliferation,and inhibited the apoptosis of granulosa cells.Con-clusion The hindered growth of ovarian granulosa cells in PCOS rats may be linked to the overexpression of SMAD4 mRNA,which sug-gests that targeting SMAD4 could be a promising approach for treating ovulatory abnormalities in patients with PCOS.

Objective To explore the functional connectivity(FC)changes of hippocampus and amygdala in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)patients with erectile dysfunction(DMED),and the central pathological neural mechanisms underlying DMED.Methods 61 T2DM patients who visited Department of Endocrinology,Nanjing First Hospital,Nanjing Medical University from January 2020 to December 2021 were selected and divided into a simple T2DM group(n=30)and a combined DMED group(n=31).Another 47 healthy individuals were selected as control group(NC).The international erectile function scale(IIEF-5)was used to evaluate the erectile function.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)data were acquired from all participants.MRI data were preprocessed by the DPABI software package.Bilateral hippocampus and amygdala were selected as regions of interest(ROI)and the whole brain FC values were calculated.The FC values of brain regions between groups were tested by two-sample t-test with REST software package.Results Left hippocampus as ROI:compared with the NC group,FC values of the left superior temporal gyrus increased in the T2DM group,FC values of the left superior frontal gyrus,left inferior temporal gyrus,left posterior central gyrus and rectus gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Compared with the T2DM group,FC values of the left inferior parietal gyrus,left supramarginal gyrus,left middle occipital gyrus and right posterior central gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Right hippocampus as ROI:compared with the NC group,FC values of the right middle temporal gyrus and right rolandic operculum increased while FC values of the right calcarine fissure decreased in the T2DM group;FC values of bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus,right middle temporal gyrus and left rectus gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Compared with the T2DM group,FC values of the left middle frontal gyrus,left inferior parietal gyrus and right inferior temporal gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Left amygdala as ROI:compared with the NC group,FC values in the left parahippocampal gyrus,left fusiform gyrus and right insula increased in the T2DM group;FC value of the left middle temporal gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Compared with the T2DM group,FC values of the left middle frontal gyrus and left supramarginal gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Right amygdala as ROI:compared with the NC group,FC values of the left insula,right parahippocampal gyrus,right superior temporal gyrus and right supramarginal gyrus increased while FC values in the right caudate decreased in the T2DM group;FC values of the right middle frontal gyrus,left rectus gyrus and left middle occipital gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Compared with the T2DM group,FC values of the left middle frontal gyrus and left inferior parietal gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Conclusions DMED patients have abnormalities in the hippocampus,amygdala and other brain regions,especially the frontal lobe functional cortex,which may be related to changes in their brain function.

Objective To explore the functional connectivity(FC)changes of hippocampus and amygdala in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)patients with erectile dysfunction(DMED),and the central pathological neural mechanisms underlying DMED.Methods 61 T2DM patients who visited Department of Endocrinology,Nanjing First Hospital,Nanjing Medical University from January 2020 to December 2021 were selected and divided into a simple T2DM group(n=30)and a combined DMED group(n=31).Another 47 healthy individuals were selected as control group(NC).The international erectile function scale(IIEF-5)was used to evaluate the erectile function.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rs-fMRI)data were acquired from all participants.MRI data were preprocessed by the DPABI software package.Bilateral hippocampus and amygdala were selected as regions of interest(ROI)and the whole brain FC values were calculated.The FC values of brain regions between groups were tested by two-sample t-test with REST software package.Results Left hippocampus as ROI:compared with the NC group,FC values of the left superior temporal gyrus increased in the T2DM group,FC values of the left superior frontal gyrus,left inferior temporal gyrus,left posterior central gyrus and rectus gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Compared with the T2DM group,FC values of the left inferior parietal gyrus,left supramarginal gyrus,left middle occipital gyrus and right posterior central gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Right hippocampus as ROI:compared with the NC group,FC values of the right middle temporal gyrus and right rolandic operculum increased while FC values of the right calcarine fissure decreased in the T2DM group;FC values of bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus,right middle temporal gyrus and left rectus gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Compared with the T2DM group,FC values of the left middle frontal gyrus,left inferior parietal gyrus and right inferior temporal gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Left amygdala as ROI:compared with the NC group,FC values in the left parahippocampal gyrus,left fusiform gyrus and right insula increased in the T2DM group;FC value of the left middle temporal gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Compared with the T2DM group,FC values of the left middle frontal gyrus and left supramarginal gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Right amygdala as ROI:compared with the NC group,FC values of the left insula,right parahippocampal gyrus,right superior temporal gyrus and right supramarginal gyrus increased while FC values in the right caudate decreased in the T2DM group;FC values of the right middle frontal gyrus,left rectus gyrus and left middle occipital gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Compared with the T2DM group,FC values of the left middle frontal gyrus and left inferior parietal gyrus decreased in the DMED group.Conclusions DMED patients have abnormalities in the hippocampus,amygdala and other brain regions,especially the frontal lobe functional cortex,which may be related to changes in their brain function.

Objective To examine the effects of SMAD4 on the proliferation and apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in rats with poly-cystic ovary syndrome(PCOS).Methods A PCOS rat model was established using DHEA,and ovarian granulosa cells were extracted and cultured in vitro.The expression of SMAD4 in ovarian granulosa cells was detected by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot-ting.SMAD4-siRNA was transfected into ovarian granulosa cells from PCOS rats.The expression of SMAD4 mRNA after transfection was determined by quantitative real-time PCR.Western blotting was performed to detect the expression levels of PCNA,BAX,and BCL-2 proteins after transfection.A CCK-8 assay was performed to evaluate cell growth after siRNA interference.Results The HE staining results revealed that the number of ovarian follicular vacuoles increased and that the number of granulosa cell layers and corpus luteum decreased,thus indicating the establishment of a PCOS model.The FSHR positivity rate exceeded 95％.SMAD4 expression in ovarian granulosa cells was higher in the PCOS group than in the control group(P＜0.05).Furthermore,siRNA effectively reduced SMAD4 expression in ovarian granulosa cells of PCOS rats(P＜0.01),promoted proliferation,and inhibited the apoptosis of granulosa cells.Con-clusion The hindered growth of ovarian granulosa cells in PCOS rats may be linked to the overexpression of SMAD4 mRNA,which sug-gests that targeting SMAD4 could be a promising approach for treating ovulatory abnormalities in patients with PCOS.

Objective:To investigate the impact of pre-treatment TPMT and NUDT15 genotyping on medication selection, tolerability and discontinuation rates of azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine therapy in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 181 children with IBD who were scheduled for azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine therapy at the Department of Gastroenterology, Children′s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine between January 2010 and January 2023. Among them, 168 children who received treatment were divided into a genotyped group and non-genotyped group based on pre-treatment TPMT and NUDT15 genotyping. The incidence of drug-related adverse reactions was compared between the two groups. The impact of genotyping on medication selection and discontinuation rates was analyzed. Chi-square test or Fisher exact test were used for intergroup comparisons. Logistic regression analysis was used to control the confounding factors. Firth Logistic regression analysis was applied for data with complete separation. The probability of discontinuation was assessed using survival analysis with Cox proportional hazards modeling.Results:Among the 181 children with IBD, 13 did not receive azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine due to genetic variants, while the remaining 168 underwent the therapy (154 cases of Crohn′s disease and 14 cases ulcerative colitis; 108 males and 60 females). Excluding the 13 untreated cases, 77 children underwent TPMT and NUDT15 genotyping were assigned to the genotyped group, and the remaining 91 to the non-genotyped group. Adverse reactions included myelosupression (26 cases,15.5%), hepatotoxicity (18 cases,10.7%), gastrointestinal disturbance (25 cases,14.9%), alopecia (12 cases,7.1%), fever (3 cases,1.8%), rash (2 cases,1.2%), and pancreatitis (1 case,0.6%). The incidence of overall adverse reactions was significantly higher in the non-genotyped group compared to that of the genotyped group (40.7% (37/91) vs. 26.0% (20/77), P<0.05). Specifically, the non-genotyped group had a higher rate of gastrointestinal reactions compared to the genotyped group (24.2% (22/91) vs. 3.3% (3/77), P<0.01). Cox regression analysis revealed that non-genotyped group had a higher risk of treatment discontinuation due to the adverse reactions ( HR=1.47, 95% CI 0.65-3.30). Conclusion:Pre-treatment genotyping of TPMT and NUDT15 variants can help guide the selection of clinical drugs, reduce the incidence of drug-related adverse reactions and enhance tolerability of azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine therapy in IBD children.

Objective:To analyze the clinical and genetic features of four children with pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) caused by neuroblastoma-amplified sequence ( NBAS) gene variant, as well as the correlation between clinical phenotype and genotype. Methods:The clinical data and genetic test results of four children with NBAS gene variants admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine from August 2015 to June 2023 mainly presenting with pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) were retrospectively analyzed. The relevant literature from January 2015 to May 2024 was retrieved using the Chinese and English keywords " NBAS," "neuroblastoma amplified sequence," "SOPH," "short stature with optic nerve atrophy and Pelger Hu?t anomaly," "liver failure," and "neuroblastoma amplified sequence" indexed in the CNKI database, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and PubMed database. The clinical features and gene mutation characteristics of domestic patients were summarized. Results:The age at which the initial PALF attack occurred in the four children varied from eight months to three years and seven months. All patients developed PALF within 1-2 days after the onset of fever, with symptoms such as vomiting, convulsions, and mental depression or confusion, accompanied by a sharp increase in transaminases, elevated bilirubin and blood ammonia, hyperlactatemia, and hepatomegaly. The PALF gradually improved, and three pediatric patients showed extrahepatic manifestations following antipyretic, fluid replacement, and other symptomatic supportive treatment. Long-term follow-up showed that active temperature control and symptomatic therapy reduced the recurrence of PALF. Genetic testing identified eight kinds of NBAS gene variants sites. Family testing validated compound heterozygous variants, which included four missense variants, one nonsense variants, and three frameshift mutations. A literature study revealed that out of 51 Chinese patients with NBAS gene variants, 98.0% (50/51) had liver involvement, and 37 cases showed PALF. A total of 61 mutation sites were identified, with c.3596G>A (45.1%, 23/51) as a hotspot variants. Conclusions:PALF caused by NBAS gene variant has obvious clinical and genetic characteristics, and there is a correlation between genotype and clinical phenotype. The c.3596G>A variant site is a hotspot mutation in China and is strongly correlated with the liver failure phenotype.

Objective:To investigate the effect of early protein supplementation on the clinical outcomes of elderly ICU patients with critically ill.Methods:The study was a post-hoc analysis of a multicenter, cluster randomized controlled trial (NEED trial), which aimed to evaluate the impact of feeding protocol on nutritional implementation and outcomes in ICU patients. It was planned to include elderly patients aged ≥70 years from the NEED trial, and patients who had not started nutritional therapy by the Day 3 after enrolment, stayed in the ICU less than 7 days, missing the primary outcome were excluded. The primary outcome of this study was 28-day mortality of enrolment. Patients were categorized into Q1 (<0.6 g/kg/d), Q2 (0.6-0.83 g/kg/d), and Q3 (≥0.83 g/kg/d) groups according to the tertiles of protein supply. The log-rank test was used to compare the Kaplan-Meier survival curves for 28-day mortality. The associations between different protein groups and 28-day mortality were tested by Cox proportional hazards regression models. Subgroup analysis was conducted in patients with high (mNUTRIC score≥5) nutritional risk or patients with baseline acute kidney injury.Results:A total of 789 elderly (≥70 years) patients was included in the study, with a mean protein amount of 0.69 (0.53, 0.91) g/(kg·d) during days 3-7 after ICU admission, and mean protein amounts in the Q1 low-protein group, the Q2 medium-protein group, and the Q3 high-protein group were 0.46 (0.36, 0.53), 0.69 (0.63, 0.76), and 1.03 (0.91, 1.23) g/(kg·d), respectively. The results showed that the medium protein group associated with lower 28-day mortality compared to the high protein group, and the association between the medium protein group and lower 28-day mortality still held after controlling for possible confounders by Cox multivariate regression analysis. In the high-nutritional risk subgroup (mNUTRIC≥5), a significant association was also found between the medium protein group and lower 28-day mortality.Conclusions:Early high protein supply are not beneficial for elderly ICU patients by this large sample size post-hoc analysis, and medium protein supply associate with lower 28-day mortality compared with the high protein group. This study may provide a theoretical basis for the optimal dose of early protein supply in elderly ICU patients, as well as a reference for clinical implementation.

Objective:To investigate the role of serotonin reuptake transporter(SERT)and P2X3 receptor of dorsal root ganglion(DRG)in regulating visceral hypersensitivity of rats with irritable bowel syndrome(IBS)by electroacupuncture(EA). Methods:Male Sprague-Dawley and SERT-/-rats were subjected to preparing IBS visceral hypersensitivity models with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid(TNBS)enema.Three weeks post-modeling,interventions including EA,intrathecal injection,and EA plus intrathecal injection were applied,respectively.Hematoxylin-eosin staining and abdominal withdrawal reflex(AWR)score were used to confirm the successful establishment of the IBS model.AWR score,whole-cell patch clamp technique,and Western blotting assay were used to evaluate the changes in visceral pain sensitivity,electrophysiological properties of DRG neurons,and the expression of DRG P2X3 receptor and SERT in IBS rats. Results:Compared to the model group,the AWR score in the EA group decreased significantly(P<0.05),the resting membrane potential(P<0.05)and the number of action potentials(P<0.05)of DRG neurons reduced,and the baseline intensity increased(P<0.05);additionally,the expression of P2X3 receptor in DRG decreased(P<0.01),and the SERT expression increased(P<0.05).Compared to the P2X3 receptor agonist group,the SERT protein expression in DRG was higher in the EA group.In SERT-/-rats,the P2X3 receptor expression in DRG increased in the EA group compared to the model group(P<0.01). Conclusion:EA modulates the electrophysiological characteristics of intestinal primary sensory neurons by regulating the expression of SERT and P2X3 receptor in DRG of IBS rats.This modulation may contribute to the mechanism by which EA alleviates peripheral sensitization of visceral pain in IBS rats.