OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for 4 patients with globozoospermia. METHODS: Semen and blood samples were collected from the patients for the determination of sperm concentration, viability, survival rate, morphology and acrosome antigen CD46. Meanwhile, DNA was extracted for whole exome sequencing (WES), and candidate variants were validated by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: All of the four patients were found to harbor variants of the DPY19L2 gene. Patients 1 ~ 3 had homozygous deletions of the DPY19L2 gene. Sanger sequencing confirmed that the DPY19L2 gene in patient 3 was disrupted at a recombination breakpoint area BP2, resulting in nonallelic homologous recombination and complete deletion of the DPY19L2 gene. Patients 2 and 3 respectively harbored novel homozygous deletions of exons 2 ~ 22 and exons 14 ~ 15. Patient 4 harbored heterozygous deletion of the DPY19L2 gene, in addition with a rare homozygous deletion of the 3' UTR region. CONCLUSION DPY19L2 gene variants probably underlay the globozoospermia in the four patients, which has fit an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance and the characteristics of genomic diseases.
Male ; Humans ; Teratozoospermia/genetics* ; Homozygote ; Semen ; Sequence Deletion ; 3' Untranslated Regions ; Membrane Proteins

We conducted a prospective study to assess the non-inferiority of adjuvant chemotherapy alone versus adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) as an alternative strategy for patients with early-stage (FIGO 2009 stage IB-IIA) cervical cancer having risk factors after surgery. The condition was assessed in terms of prognosis, adverse effects, and quality of life. This randomized trial involved nine centers across China. Eligible patients were randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy or CCRT after surgery. The primary end-point was progression-free survival (PFS). From December 2012 to December 2014, 337 patients were subjected to randomization. Final analysis included 329 patients, including 165 in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and 164 in the adjuvant CCRT group. The median follow-up was 72.1 months. The three-year PFS rates were both 91.9%, and the five-year OS was 90.6% versus 90.0% in adjuvant chemotherapy and CCRT groups, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the PFS or OS between groups. The adjusted HR for PFS was 0.854 (95% confidence interval 0.415-1.757; P = 0.667) favoring adjuvant chemotherapy, excluding the predefined non-inferiority boundary of 1.9. The chemotherapy group showed a tendency toward good quality of life. In comparison with post-operative adjuvant CCRT, adjuvant chemotherapy treatment showed non-inferior efficacy in patients with early-stage cervical cancer having pathological risk factors. Adjuvant chemotherapy alone is a favorable alternative post-operative treatment.
Female ; Humans ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Neoplasm Staging ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant/adverse effects* ; Adjuvants, Immunologic ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Retrospective Studies

Objective:To explore how electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve affects learning and memory in cases of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and its mechanism.Methods:Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal group, a sham-operation group, a model group and a stimulation group, each of 8. In the model and stimulation groups a chronic cerebral hypoperfusion model was established using the modified 2-VO method. The stimulation group then received electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve for 4 weeks. Afterward all of the rats′ learning and memory were tested using the Morris water maze. HE staining and immunohistochemistry were used to observe any morphological change in the hippocampus and the expression of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).Results:The model and stimulation groups demonstrated significantly longer escape latency, fewer platform crossing times and shorter target quadrant times than the normal and sham-ope-ration groups before the intervention. All of these indicators had improved after the intervention. According to the HE staining, neuronal damage in the hippocampus was aggravated significantly in the model group compared with the normal and sham-operation groups, while the degree of damage was reduced in the stimulation group. Moreover, the immunohistochemistry results suggested that the expressions of NSE and VEGF were reduced significantly in the model group compared with the normal and sham-operation groups, while in the stimulation group they had increased significantly compared with the model group.Conclusions:Electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve can improve learning and memory in cases of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, at least in rats. It is probably related to the increased expression of VEGF in the hippocampus.

Objectives : To investigate the effect of sciatic nerve electrical stimulation ( SNES) on motor function recovery in rats with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) and its possible mechanism. Methods : The incomplete SCI model was constructed by modified Allen ′s method. Forty⁃five Sprague⁃Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups : Sham , SCI , and SNES. Electrical stimulation parameters were 1 ms pulse width and 100 Hz , with 20 mins each time , once a day for 21 days. The motor function was assessed by Basso⁃Beattie⁃Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor function scale , and the action potential conduction was detected by electrophysiology. Hematoxy⁃lin⁃eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the spinal cord and the average cross⁃sectional area (CSA) of biceps femoris muscle fibers. The number of brain⁃derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin⁃related kinase B (TrkB) positive cells , relative mRNA and protein expression were analyzed by immunohistochemistry , reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) and Western blot separately. Results: On 21 d , the BBB score and average amplitude of action potential of SNES group were higher than those of SCI group , and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0. 05) . Compared with SCI group , the pathological injury of spinal cord tissue in SNES group was significantly improved , and the average CSA of biceps femoris muscles had a statistical difference (P < 0. 05) . The number of BDNF and TrkB positive cells in SNES group was higher than that in SCI group , and there were statistical differences (P < 0. 05) . The relative mRNA and protein expressions of BDNF and TrkB in SNES group were higher than those in SCI group , with statistical differences ( P <0. 05) . The relative mRNA and protein expressions of BDNF and TrkB in SNES group were higher than those in SCI group , with statistical differences ( P <0. 05) . Conclusion These results show that SNES contributes to alleviating spinal cord tissue injury , promoting the recovery of motor function and delaying the atrophy of muscles below the injury level. The possible mechanism is related to the increased expression of BDNF⁃TrkB proteins.

Objective:To observe the clinical characteristics of steroid-induced ocular hypertension (SIOH) in patients with uveitis, and explore the relationship between its clinical phenotype and gene polymorphism.Methods:A retrospective case-control study. From July 2019 to December 2020, 576 patients with uveitis who were treated with glucocorticoid eye drops in Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital were included in the study. Among them, there were 175 confirmed glucocorticoid responders (SRs) and 401 glucocorticoid non-responders (NRs). Seventy cases of SRs (age ≥18 years) using 1 % prednisone acetate eye drops were selected as the experiment group and 64 cases of NRs were selected as the control group. The polymorphism of rs2523864 and rs3873352 of human leukocyte antigen complex group ( HCG) 22 gene were detected by Sanger sequencing. To observe the clinical characteristics of SIOH after the use of glucocorticoid eye drops, and the correlation between rs2523864 and rs3873352 and the occurrence of SIOH. Differences among groups were compared with the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. The correlation between the occurrence of SIOH and the range of intraocular pressure increases after glucocorticoid use and the rs2523864 and rs3873352 loci were compared using the odds ratio ( OR) and its 95% confidence interval ( CI). Results:SIOH occurred in 175 (30.4%, 175/576) of 576 patients. Among them, there were 96 males (54.9%, 96/175) and 79 females (45.1%, 79/175); the average age was 33.64±17.40 years. Steroid high responders (HRs) and steroid moderate responders (MRs) were 58 (33.1%, 58/175) and 117 (66.9%, 117/175) cases. The medication time for the increase in intraocular pressure in MRs that was 33 (19, 56) days, and in HRs that was 28 (14, 36) days, the difference of which was significant ( Z=-1.999, P=0.046). No differences were found in daily doses of ocular hypertension induced by 1% prednisone acetate eye drops between MRs which was 4.24 (3.46, 4.66) drops/day and HRs that was 4.32 (3.84, 5.36) drops/day ( Z=-1.676, P=0.094). The genotype and allele frequency distribution of the rs3873352 locus in the case group and HRs group were significantly different from those in the control group ( P<0.05). The intraocular pressure with rs3873352 GG genotype after the medication was higher than that with GC and CC genotype ( Z=2.855, 2.628; P=0.013, 0.026), whereas there was no significant difference between different genotypes of rs2523864 ( Z=3.580, P>0.05). Genetic model analysis revealed the risk of SIOH in rs3873352 G allele carriers (GG+GC) was 2.048 times that of non-G allele carriers ( OR=2.048, 95% CI: 1.027-4.081, P=0.041). The genotype and allele frequency of rs2523864 locus showed no significant difference between different group ( P>0.05). Conclusions:After the use of glucocorticoid eye drops, HRs have an earlier increase in intraocular pressure than MRs. HCG22-rs3873352 gene polymorphism is related to the occurrence of SIOH, GG genotype increases the risk of SIOH, and G allele is a risk gene for SIOH.

Objective:To investigate epidemiological characteristics and macrolide-resistance of hospitalized children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infections in Beijing from 2016 to 2019, so as to provide basis for the prevention and treatment of pediatric Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP).Methods:The clinical data were analyzed retrospectively from 8 691 children hospitalized with community acquired pneumonia in Beijing Children′s Hospital between January 2016 and September 2019.MP RNA was detected by simultaneous amplification and testing (SAT), and macrolide resistance of MP was examined by MP and macrolide-resistant isolate diagnostic kit (PCR with fluorescence probes). Chi- square test was used for categorical analysis. Results:Among 8 691 cases detected by SAT, the overall detection rate of MP was 28.10% (2 442/8 691 cases). The detection rates of MP from 2016 to 2019 were 26.23%, 31.36%, 27.84 % and 26.57%, respectively.The detection rate of MP in 2017 was significantly higher than that in other years ( χ2=16.11, P<0.05). The detection rate of MP in females was 29.65%(1 107/3 733 cases), which was evidently higher than that in males 26.93%(1 335/4 958 cases) ( χ2=7.85, P<0.05). The positive rates of MP in summer[32.21% (726/2 254 cases)] and autumn[39.76%(852/2 143 cases)] were significantly higher than those in spring[17.00% (327/1 924 cases)] and winter[22.66%(537/2 370 cases)] ( χ2=315.15, P<0.001). The percentages of MP were 35.06%(732/2 088 cases) in preschoolers and 37.71%(1 160/3 076 cases) in school-age children, which were significantly higher than 11.20%(232/2 072 cases) in infants and 22.01% (318/1 445 cases) in toddlers ( χ2=509.89, P<0.001). Macrolide resistance detection was conducted in 1 524 patients by fluorescent PCR.Among them, 1 386 patients were positive for drug resistance, and the positive rate was 90.94%.The prevalence of macrolide-resistant MP from 2016 to 2019 were 88.19%, 90.93%, 90.56% and 92.90%, respectively.Macrolide-resistant rates were not related with gender, age and season. Conclusions:MP can be detected in all seasons, but most prevalently in summer and autumn.Girls are more prone to MP infections than boys.The detection rate of MP increases with age, and the positive rate is higher in preschoolers and school-age children.During the 4-year study period, the drug resistant rate of MP remain high.

Objective:To analyse the pathogenic bacteria distribution and clinical characteristics of late-onset sepsis (LOS) among premature infants with gestational age less than 34 weeks in Henan Province.Methods:The clinical data of 6 590 premature infants admitted to 17 medical institutions in Henan Province from January 2019 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The gestational age of infants was less than 34 weeks and was admitted to the neonatal ward within 7 days after birth. SPSS 19.0 statistical software was used for data analysis.Results:Among 6 590 premature infants LOS developed in 751 cases (11.40%), of whom the diagnosis was confirmed in 276 cases (36.75%) and 475 cases (63.25%) were diagnosed clinically. The fatality rate related to LOS was 13.58%. There were significant differences in the incidence of LOS and infection-related mortality among infants with different gestational ages and body weights ( χ2=388.894 and 13.572, χ2=472.282 and 9.257, P<0.05 or <0.01). Among 276 children with confirmed LOS, 286 strains of pathogenic bacteria were isolated. Gram-negative bacteria were most prevalent (178 strains), accounting for 62.24% of all infections, followed by fungi (58 strains, 20.28%). Klebsiella pneumoniae was most frequently detected Gram-negative bacteria (117 strains, 40.91%), among which 32.48% (38/117) was carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. The proportion of diagnosed sepsis, the proportion of catheterization, and the infection-related mortality of infants with LOS in tertiary hospitals were all higher than those in secondary hospitals ( χ2=6.212, 5.313 and 4.435, all P<0.05). The proportion of exclusive breastfeeding in secondary hospitals was lower than that in tertiary hospitals ( χ2=19.216, P<0.05). The time of antibacterial drug use before infection in specialized hospitals was longer than that in general hospitals ( χ2=3.276, P<0.05). Conclusion:The incidence of LOS among preterm infants in Henan Province is high, which was mainly caused by Gram-negative bacteria. The clinical characteristics of LOS caused by different pathogens and in different health institutions are different, the prevention and control strategy should be developed accordingly to reduce the incidence LOS of preterm premature infants.

There are about 200 kinds of respiratory viruses that can infect human.Some viruses can not only enter the human body through respiratory tract to cause infection, but also can cause eye infectious diseases first through eye surface contact, followed by respiratory tissue infection.Some infection of respiratory tract virus can also lead to eye complications.This article introduced the possible mechanism of respiratory viruses infecting respiratory tissue through the eyes, and respiratory viruses that can cause ocular infection or eye complications after infection, so as to provided a reference for preventing the transmission and infection of respiratory virus in the eyes.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze genetic variant in a pedigree affected with congenital high myopia. METHODS: Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out for the proband. Suspected variation was verified with Sanger sequencing. The pedigree was also subjected to co-segregation analysis. RESULTS: WES has identified a novel splice site heterozygous variant (c.2556+1G>A) in the COL11A1 gene in the proband. Co-segregation analysis of the pedigree showed that the affected mother and two daughters of the proband have carried the same variant(c.2556+1G>A), while his unaffected father and sister did not. Based on the ACMG Standards and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants, the variant was classified as "likely pathogenic" (PVS1+PM2). CONCLUSION A novel splice variant (c.2556+1G>A) of the COL11A1 gene has been identified in a pedigree affected with congenital high myopia, which probably underlies the disease.
Collagen Type XI ; genetics ; Genetic Testing ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Myopia ; genetics ; Pedigree ; Whole Exome Sequencing

Objective: To analyze genetic variant in a pedigree affected with congenital high myopia. Methods: Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out for the proband. Suspected variation was verified with Sanger sequencing. The pedigree was also subjected to co-segregation analysis. Results: WES has identified a novel splice site heterozygous variant (c.2556+ 1G>A) in the COL11A1 gene in the proband. Co-segregation analysis of the pedigree showed that the affected mother and two daughters of the proband have carried the same variant(c.2556+ 1G>A), while his unaffected father and sister did not. Based on the ACMG Standards and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants, the variant was classified as "likely pathogenic" (PVS1+ PM2). Conclusion A novel splice variant (c.2556+ 1G>A) of the COL11A1 gene has been identified in a pedigree affected with congenital high myopia, which probably underlies the disease.