OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical features and prognosis of children with non-Down-syndrome-related acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (non-DS-AMKL). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical data of 17 children with non-DS-AMKL who were admitted to Children's Hospital of The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2013 to December 2023, and their clinical features, treatment, and prognosis were summarized. RESULTS: Among the 17 children with non-DS-AMKL, there were 8 boys and 9 girls. Fourteen patients had an onset age of less than 36 months, with a median age of 21 months (range:13-145 months). Immunophenotyping results showed that 16 children were positive for CD61 and 13 were positive for CD41. The karyotype analysis was performed on 16 children, with normal karyotype in 6 children and abnormal karyotype in 9 children, among whom 5 had complex karyotype and 1 had no mitotic figure. Detected fusion genes included EVI1, NUP98-KDM5A, KDM5A-MIS18BP1, C22orf34-BRD1, WT1, and MLL-AF9. Genetic alterations included TET2, D7S486 deletion (suggesting 7q-), CSF1R deletion, and PIM1. All 17 children received chemotherapy, among whom 16 (94%) achieved complete remission after one course of induction therapy, and 1 child underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and remained alive and disease-free. Of all children, 7 experienced recurrence, among whom 1 child received HSCT and died of graft-versus-host disease. At the last follow-up, six patients remained alive and disease-free. CONCLUSIONS Non-DS-AMKL primarily occurs in children between 1 and 3 years of age. The patients with this disorder have a high incidence rate of chromosomal abnormalities, with complex karyotypes in most patients. Some patients harbor fusion genes or gene mutations. Although the initial remission rate is high, the long-term survival rate remains low.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Leukemia, Megakaryoblastic, Acute/etiology* ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Child ; Retrospective Studies ; Prognosis ; Down Syndrome/complications*

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) expresses abundant glycolytic enzymes and displays comprehensive glucose metabolism reprogramming. Aldolase A (ALDOA) plays a prominent role in glycolysis; however, little is known about its role in HCC development. In the present study, we aim to explore how ALDOA is involved in HCC proliferation. HCC proliferation was markedly suppressed both in vitro and in vivo following ALDOA knockout, which is consistent with ALDOA overexpression encouraging HCC proliferation. Mechanistically, ALDOA knockout partially limits the glycolytic flux in HCC cells. Meanwhile, ALDOA translocated to nuclei and directly interacted with c-Jun to facilitate its Thr93 phosphorylation by P21-activated protein kinase; ALDOA knockout markedly diminished c-Jun Thr93 phosphorylation and then dampened c-Jun transcription function. A crucial site Y364 mutation in ALDOA disrupted its interaction with c-Jun, and Y364S ALDOA expression failed to rescue cell proliferation in ALDOA deletion cells. In HCC patients, the expression level of ALDOA was correlated with the phosphorylation level of c-Jun (Thr93) and poor prognosis. Remarkably, hepatic ALDOA was significantly upregulated in the promotion and progression stages of diethylnitrosamine-induced HCC models, and the knockdown of A ldoa strikingly decreased HCC development in vivo. Our study demonstrated that ALDOA is a vital driver for HCC development by activating c-Jun-mediated oncogene transcription, opening additional avenues for anti-cancer therapies.

Objective To develop a portable collection device of human exhaled breath condensate(EBC)based on natural breathing to meet the needs for rapid screening of human respiratory tract(especially lower respiratory tract)infections.Methods The device consisted of a refrigeration unit,a heat dissipation unit and a condensation unit.The refrigeration unit adopted a TES1-7102 thermoelectric Peltier cooler semiconductor as the refrigeration element;the heat dissipation unit was composed of a high thermal conductivity aluminum heat sink and a high-speed brushless cooling fan;the condensation unit was made up of a cold guide plate and a condenser,in which the cold guide plate was made of thin sheet of aluminum alloy,and the condenser was prepared by 3D printing technology and made of hydrophobic polylactic acid,with primary and secondary 2-stage guide grooves and an ultra-thin condensing surface.The performance of the device was verified in terms of cooling,thermal conductivity,condensation and human EBC collection and content analysis.Results Performance analysis showed that after refrigeration began the temperature difference between the condenser surface and the exhaled gas met the requirements of the condenser,and no obvious thermal resistance was found on the condensing surface so that large droplets could be formed rapidly and then be collected after the gas-liquid phase change of the exhaled gas on the condensing surface.Human EBC collection and content analysis indicated the device realized home self-collection of EBCs from people of all ages,and the concentrations of interleukins,C-reactive protein and other inflammation-related indexes and the pH value of the collected EBC samples were all correlated with respiratory infections in the subjects.Conclusion The device developed with easy operation avoids the discomfort of blowing collection and the risk of saliva contamination,and is worthy promoting for rapid diagnosis and dynamic monitoring of respiratory tract infection and other related diseases.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(8):32-37]

Glyceryl phenylbutyrate(GPB)serves as a long-term management medication for Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency(OTCD),effectively controlling hyperammonemia,but there is a lack of experience in using this medicine in China.This article retrospectively analyzes the case of a child diagnosed with OTCD at Shanghai Children's Medical Center,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine,including a review of related literature.After diagnosis,the patient was treated with GPB,followed by efficacy follow-up and pharmacological monitoring.The 6-year and 6-month-old male patient exhibited poor speech development,disobedience,temper tantrums,and aggressive behavior.Blood ammonia levels peaked at 327 μmol/L;urine organic acid analysis indicated elevated uracil levels;cranial MRI showed extensive abnormal signals in both cerebral hemispheres.Genetic testing revealed de novo mutation in the OTC gene(c.241T＞C,p.S81P).Blood ammonia levels were approximately 43,80,and 56 μmol/L at 1,2,and 3 months after starting GPB treatment,respectively.During treatment,blood ammonia was well-controlled without drug-related adverse effects.The patient showed improvement in developmental delays,obedience,temperament,and absence of aggressive behavior.

Objective:To summarize the clinical and genetic characteristics of children with Menkes disease(MD).Methods:The clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations and genetic testing results of 15 MD children admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Children′s Hospital Affiliated of Zhengzhou University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from June 2016 to October 2022 were analyzed retrospectively.These children were followed up.Results:All the 15 children were male.The age at onset was ranging from 9 days to 5.5 months.White skin, curly hair, skin laxity, hypotonia and severe developmental delay were found in all children, with epilepsy in 13 children, anemia in 11 children and granulocytopenia in 4 children.The concentration of ceruloplasmin in the serum of MD children was lower than that in healthy children of the same age.The concentration of ceruloplasmin in MD children younger than 3 months was significantly lower than that in healthy children of the same age and MD children older than 3 months.The brain magnetic resonance imaging showed abnormalities in all 15 children.Twelve children showed tortuous intracranial vessels in brain magnetic resonance angiography examinations.All the 15 children had ATP7A gene pathogenic variants, including 4 missense variants(2 cases with c. 2179G>A), 3 frameshift variants, 3 nonsense variants, 3 exon deletions and 2 splice site variants.Among these children, 1 had a novel gene variant that had not been reported so far(c.2968C>T). Conclusions:MD has early onset age and diverse clinical manifestations, but also has characteristic clinical manifestations and applicable auxiliary examinations.Its diagnosis depends on genetic testing.The c. 2179G>A and exon deletions may be hot mutations in Chinese MD patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of oral use combined with percutaneous iontophoresis of Osteoking(mainly composed of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,Carthami Flos,Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Eucommiae Cortex,Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Daturae Flos,Astragali Radix,Radixet Caulis Schizophragma Integrifolia,and Trionycis Carapax)on the pain,lumbar function and serological indicators of the patients with lumbar disc herniation(LDH).Methods Ninety-two patients with LDH were randomly divided into control group(31 cases),oral use group(31 cases)and combination group(30 cases).The control group was given oral administration of Celecoxib,the oral use group was given oral administration of Osteoking,and the combination group was given oral administration combined with percutaneous iontophoresis of Osteoking.The course of treatment for the 3 groups covered 6 weeks.The changes of pain visual analogue scale(VAS)score,lumbar function Japanese Orthopedic Association(JOA)score,serum tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)and matrix metalloproteinase 3(MMP-3)levels in the three groups were observed before and after treatment.Results(1)During the trial,there were 2 patients from both control group and oral use group lost to follow-up,but none of the combination group was lost to follow-up.Eventually,29 patients in the control group,29 patients in the oral group and 30 patients in the combination group were included in the statistical analysis.(2)After treatment,the pain VAS score and lumbar function JOA score in the three groups were significantly lower than those before treatment(P＜0.05).The intergroup comparison showed that the decrease of pain VAS score and lumbar function JOA score in the combination group was significantly superior to that in the control group and the oral use group(P＜0.05),while there was no significant difference between the control group and the oral use group(P＞0.05).(3)After treatment,the serum TNF-α level in the three groups was significantly lower than that before treatment(P＜0.05),while no significant difference of TNF-α level was presented among the three groups after treatment(P＞0.05).(4)After treatment,the serum MMP-3 level in the oral use group and combination group was significantly lower than that before treatment(P＜0.05),but no obvious change of MMP-3 level was shown in the control group(P＞0.05).The intergroup comparison showed that the decrease of serum MMP-3 level in the oral use group and combination group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05),while no significant difference of TNF-αlevel was presented between the oral use group and combination group(P＞0.05).Conclusion Osteoking is effective on relieving the pain symptoms of LDH patients,improving the lumbar activity function,and decreasing the levels of serum TNF-α and MMP-3.The efficacy of Osteoking by oral use combined with percutaneous iontophoresis is stronger than that of Osteoking orally alone or Celecoxib.

Studies have suggested that the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression; however, the regulatory strategy that targets the NAc to achieve an exclusive and outstanding anti-depression benefit has not been elucidated. Here, we identified a specific reduction of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the subset of dopamine D1 receptor medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) in the NAc that promoted stress susceptibility, while the stimulation of cAMP production in NAc D1-MSNs efficiently rescued depression-like behaviors. Ketamine treatment enhanced cAMP both in D1-MSNs and dopamine D2 receptor medium spiny neurons (D2-MSNs) of depressed mice, however, the rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine solely depended on elevating cAMP in NAc D1-MSNs. We discovered that a higher dose of crocin markedly increased cAMP in the NAc and consistently relieved depression 24 h after oral administration, but not a lower dose. The fast onset property of crocin was verified through multicenter studies. Moreover, crocin specifically targeted at D1-MSN cAMP signaling in the NAc to relieve depression and had no effect on D2-MSN. These findings characterize a new strategy to achieve an exclusive and outstanding anti-depression benefit by elevating cAMP in D1-MSNs in the NAc, and provide a potential rapid antidepressant drug candidate, crocin.

To clarify the structural characteristics of virus communities carried by primates in the Guangdong region,and evaluate the risk of the important zoonotic virus monkeypox virus(MPXV)being introduced into China through artificially do-mesticated primates,this study conducted metagenomic research on artificially domesticated primates and performed screening for MPXV.Primate samples were collected from 20 wildlife rescue centers or zoos in 14 prefecture level cities in Guangdong Province,and the structural characteristics of virus communities carried by artificially domesticated primates were identified through Illumina sequencing.Fluorescence quantitative PCR detection of MPXV excluded the risk of MPXV being introduced through artificially domesticated primates in Guangdong Prov-ince.A total of 489 oral and pharyngeal swabs and feces from primates were collected.High-throughput sequencing indicated that the viral group structure in the feces of artificially domesti-cated primates in the Guangdong region is complex and shows regional differences.Members of Alphaflexiviridae and Vir-gaviridae,followed by members of Parvoviridae and Genomo-viridae,had the highest abundance.Subsequently,fluorescence quantitative PCR results showed that all primates from wildlife rescue centers or zoos in Guangdong Province were MPXV neg-ative.This study provides the first description of the complex viral structure characteristics of artificially domesticated primates in the Guangdong region,and elucidates the differences in vi-ral communities among artificially domesticated primates in different regions.Our findings suggested that the risk of zoonotic diseases caused by artificially domesticated primates in Guangdong Province is extremely low,and the risk of MPXV being in-troduced into China through artificially domesticated primates in Guangdong Province is zero.

As artificial intelligence technology rapidly advances, its deployment within the medical sector presents substantial ethical challenges. Consequently, it becomes crucial to create a standardized, transparent, and secure framework for processing medical data. This includes setting the ethical boundaries for medical artificial intelligence and safeguarding both patient rights and data integrity. This consensus governs every facet of medical data handling through artificial intelligence, encompassing data gathering, processing, storage, transmission, utilization, and sharing. Its purpose is to ensure the management of medical data adheres to ethical standards and legal requirements, while safeguarding patient privacy and data security. Concurrently, the principles of compliance with the law, patient privacy respect, patient interest protection, and safety and reliability are underscored. Key issues such as informed consent, data usage, intellectual property protection, conflict of interest, and benefit sharing are examined in depth. The enactment of this expert consensus is intended to foster the profound integration and sustainable advancement of artificial intelligence within the medical domain, while simultaneously ensuring that artificial intelligence adheres strictly to the relevant ethical norms and legal frameworks during the processing of medical data.
Artificial Intelligence/legislation & jurisprudence* ; Humans ; Consensus ; Computer Security/standards* ; Confidentiality/ethics* ; Informed Consent/ethics*

The extraordinary advantages associated with mRNA vaccines, including their high efficiency, relatively low severity of side effects, and ease of manufacture, have enabled them to be a promising immunotherapy approach against various infectious diseases and cancers. Nevertheless, most mRNA delivery carriers have many disadvantages, such as high toxicity, poor biocompatibility, and low efficiency in vivo, which have hindered the widespread use of mRNA vaccines. To further characterize and solve these problems and develop a new type of safe and efficient mRNA delivery carrier, a negatively charged SA@DOTAP-mRNA nanovaccine was prepared in this study by coating DOTAP-mRNA with the natural anionic polymer sodium alginate (SA). Intriguingly, the transfection efficiency of SA@DOTAP-mRNA was significantly higher than that of DOTAP-mRNA, which was not due to the increase in cellular uptake but was associated with changes in the endocytosis pathway and the strong lysosome escape ability of SA@DOTAP-mRNA. In addition, we found that SA significantly increased the expression of LUC-mRNA in mice and achieved certain spleen targeting. Finally, we confirmed that SA@DOTAP-mRNA had a stronger antigen-presenting ability in E. G7-OVA tumor-bearing mice, dramatically inducing the proliferation of OVA-specific CLTs and ameliorating the antitumor effect. Therefore, we firmly believe that the coating strategy applied to cationic liposome/mRNA complexes is of potential research value in the field of mRNA delivery and has promising clinical application prospects.