This article presents a case study of a patient who visited the Geriatric Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital due to "palpitations, shortness of breath for more than 2 years, limb weakness for 6 months, edema, and nocturnal dyspnea for 2 months". The patient exhibited decreased muscle strength in the limbs and involvement of swallowing and respiratory muscles, alongside complications of heart failure and various arrhythmias which were predominantly atrial. Laboratory tests revealed the presence of multiple autoantibodies and notably anti-mitochondrial antibodies. Following a comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation, the patient was diagnosed with anti-mitochondrial antibody-associated inflammatory myopathy. Treatment involved a combination of glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants, along with resistance exercises for muscle strength and rehabilitation training for lung function, resulting in significant improvement of clinical symptoms. The case underscores the importance of collaborative multidisciplinary approaches in diagnosing and treating rare diseases in elderly patients, where careful consideration of clinical manifestations and subtle abnormal clinical data can lead to effective interventions.

With the continuous development of society, a large number of new chemicals are continuously emerging, which presents a challenge to current risk assessment and safety management of chemicals. Traditional toxicology research methods have certain limitations in quickly, efficiently, and accurately assessing the toxicity of many chemicals, and cannot meet the actual needs. In response to this challenge, computational toxicology that use mathematical and computer models to achieve the prediction of chemical toxicity has emerged. In the meantime, as researchers increasingly pay attention to understanding the interaction mechanisms between exogenous chemical substances and the body from the system level, and multiomics technologies develop rapidly such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, huge amounts of data have been generated, providing rich information resources for studying the interactions between chemical substances and biological molecules. System toxicology and network toxicology have also developed accordingly. Of these, network toxicology can integrate these multiomics data to construct biomolecular networks, and then quickly predict the key toxicological targets and pathways of chemicals at the molecular level. This paper outlined the concept and development of network toxicology, summarized the main methods and supporting tools of network toxicology research, expounded the application status of network toxicology in studying potential toxicity of exogenous chemicals such as agricultural chemicals, environmental pollutants, industrial chemicals, and foodborne chemicals, and analyzed the development prospects and limitations of network toxicology research. This paper aimed to provide a reference for the application of network toxicology in other fields.

ObjectiveTo understand the status of parasitic infection in the food sold on market in Qingpu District of Shanghai, and to provide an evidence for the development of prevention and control strategies for parasitic infection applicable to Qingpu District. MethodsAquatic products, meat products and other foodstuffs sold on online shops, at farm product markets, supermarkets/foodstores and restaurants were sampled in Qingpu District, Shanghai, during 2015‒2023, based on the administrative division of Qingpu District. The parasitic infection in the food samples were examined using pressing method and digestion for detecting metacercariae in freshwater products and pickled products, using dissection microscopy for Anisakis larvae in seawater products, Taenia cysticercus and Trichinella encysted larvae in meat products. ResultsA total of 1 079 samples of food products were examined during 2015‒2023, with a total parasite infection rate of 13.44%. The total parasite infection rate of freshwater fish products was 3.40% (16/471), and the difference of parasite infection rates between different freshwater fish species was statistically significant (χ²=229.609, P=0.001). The total infection rate of Clonorchis sinensis was 3.18% (15/471), which had been detected in Pseudorasbora parva, Cyprinidae rhodeus, and Carassius auratus, with a positive rate of 77.78% (7/9), 50.00% (5/10) and 3.90% (3/77), respectively. Metorchis orientalis was detected in in Pseudorasbora parva, with a positive rate of 33.33% (3/9). The positive rate of Gnathostoma spinigerum (third-stage larvae) was 0.81%. Paragonimus metacercariae were not detected in the freshwater shrimps and crabs. The infection rate of seawater fish products was 26.46%. The difference of parasite infection rate in seawater fishes was statistically significant (χ²=109.181, P=0.001). A total of 53 pork and beef samples were tested, none was detected with Trichinella larva cysts, Taenia solium metacercariae, and Taenia saginata metacercariae. The total infection rate of pickled yellow mud snail products was 58.11% (43/74). Paragonimus metacercariae was not detected in any of the pickled aquatic product samples. ConclusionThere are different degrees of parasitic infection in freshwater products, seawater products and pickled aquatic products in Qingpu District of Shanghai. The risk of parasite infection from raw or undercooked foods is high. Health education on healthy dietary practices such as throughly cooked food should be strengthened for local residents.

Objective:To investigate the molecular characteristics and clinical heterogeneity of Usher syndrome（USH） -related gene variants in patients with hereditary hearing loss in southwest China, providing a basis for early diagnosis and clinical management. Methods:Thirteen patients from twelve families with hearing loss who attended the Affiliated Children's Hospital of Kunming Medical University between January 2017 and March 2021 were enrolled. All patients were identified as carrying USH-related gene variants through next-generation sequencing. Sanger sequencing was performed for all patients and their parents to validate the pathogenic variants. Comprehensive clinical evaluations, including medical history collection, otologic and ophthalmologic examinations, and vestibular function assessments, were conducted. Results:Among the 13 patients, 4 were diagnosed with USH type 1 and 2 with USH type 2. A total of 19 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were detected in USH-related genes, including MYO7A,CDH23,USH1C, and USH2A. The causative gene was MYO7A in 3 probands, CDH23 in 5, USH1C in 3, and USH2Ain 2. All patients exhibited an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. Vestibular dysfunction was observed in 4 patients, and retinitis pigmentosa（RP） in 3 patients. Based on the genotype-phenotype correlation, 6 patients were initially diagnosed with USH, while 7 were classified as having non-syndromic hearing loss（NSHL）. Conclusion:This study revealed the clinical heterogeneity of USH-related gene variants in patients with hereditary deafness in southwest China. Although the clinical manifestations of USH are complex and there are overlapping characteristics between different subtypes, genetic testing provides an important basis for early diagnosis and precise clinical management. Especially for those with typical hearing loss, early genetic diagnosis can provide a window of time for early detection and intervention of retinitis pigmentosa.
Humans ; Usher Syndromes/genetics* ; Myosin VIIa ; Phenotype ; Male ; Female ; Myosins/genetics* ; Mutation ; Cadherins/genetics* ; Child ; Extracellular Matrix Proteins/genetics* ; Adolescent ; Pedigree ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Cadherin Related Proteins ; Cytoskeletal Proteins ; Cell Cycle Proteins

[摘 要] 目的：探究包被蛋白复合体β1亚基（COPB1）在食管鳞状细胞癌（ESCC）中的表达，及其对ESCC细胞恶性生物学行为的影响、作用机制及临床意义。方法：采用2014～2018年间在河北医科大学第四医院生物样本库中82例ESCC组织及癌旁组织，常规培养正常食管鳞状上皮细胞HEEC和食管癌细胞KYSE-150、KYSE-170、Eca109、TE1、KYSE-30、KYSE-450，用转染试剂将pcDNA3.1-vector（空载体）、pcDNA3.1-COPB1载体，si-NC和si-COPB1转染至KYSE-150、TE1细胞中，记为NC、COPB1-OE、si-NC和si-COPB1组。用数据库数据分析COPB1 mRNA在泛癌组织中的表达及其表达与免疫细胞浸润的关系，qPCR法检测ESCC组织和细胞中COPB1、PIK3CB、CD68、CD163、CD206、ARG1、IL-10 mRNA水平表达情况，WB法检测ESCC组织和各组细胞中的COPB1、PI3K、CD68、CD163、CD206、p-AKT蛋白表达，克隆形成实验和MTS实验检测各组细胞的增殖能力，划痕愈合实验和Transwell实验检测各组细胞的迁移和侵袭能力，免疫组织化学染色（IHC）法检测ESCC组织中COPB1和CD206蛋白表达。以人单核细胞白血病细胞（THP-1）构建巨噬细胞模型，用佛波酯（PMA）和IL-3和IL-4和ESCC细胞上清液诱导巨噬细胞转型，用qPCR和WB法检测CD68和CD206m RNA和蛋白的表达。结果：COPB1在泛癌组织和ESCC组织中均呈高表达且与淋巴结转移和TNM分期有关联（均P < 0.01），COPB1高表达的ESCC患者总生存期短（P < 0.05），COPB1是潜在的ESCC的诊断标志物。COPB1在KYSE-150和TE1细胞中也呈高表达（均P < 0.05），过表达或敲减COPB1可明显抑制或促进KYSE-150和TE1细胞的增殖能力、迁移和侵袭能力（均P < 0.05）。COPB1表达变化诱导的差异表达基因主要富集于PI3K/AKT通路（均P < 0.001）, COPB1可促进PI3K/AKT通路的活化（P < 0.05），COPB1高表达可导致M2型巨噬细胞浸润增加（P < 0.05），COPB1高表达促进TAM/M2极化（P < 0.05）。结论：COPB1在ESCC组织中呈高表达，其可激活PI3K/AKT通路及调控肿瘤免疫微环境促进 ESCC发生发展，COPB1有望成为ESCC诊断和预后的生物标志物及治疗靶点。

Objective To investigate the level of self-efficacy in peritoneal dialysis patients,and to ana-lyze its influencing factors.Methods The convenience sampling method was adopted.A total of 232 patients with peritoneal dialysis in the First Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from March 2022 to March 2023 were selected as the study subjects to conduct the status quo survey of chronic disease self-efficacy scale,social support scale,medical coping style questionnaire and patient positivity scale,and the results were analyzed.Re-sults The self-efficacy score of the patients with peritoneal dialysis(6.67±2.14)points,education level,fam-ily monthly income,working status,submission,social support,objective support,subjective support and pa-tient positivity were the main factors affecting the level of self-efficacy(P<0.05),explaining 64.4%of the variation amount.Self-efficacy was positively correlated with social support,facing and patient positivity(P<0.05),and negatively correlated with avoidance and submission(P<0.05).Conclusion The self-efficacy of peritoneal dialysis patients is generally at a low to medium level.Medical staff should pay more attention to it and improve it.

Objective To evaluate the effect of dapagliflozin on myocardial function in early spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR)with layer-specific global longitudinal strain(GLS).Methods A total of 45 male SHR aged 6 weeks were randomly divided into control group(normal saline),dapagliflozin group[1 mg/(kg·day)],and losartan group[10 mg/(kg·day)].Fifteen male Wistar-Kyoto(WKY)rats at same age with normal blood pressure were subjected and served as blank control group.During 8 weeks of intervention,systolic blood pressure(SBP)was measured,and conventional echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography(2DSTE)were performed and the results were collected to acquire the longitudinal strain of each layer of left ventricular(LV)myocardium.The parameters were compared among the groups.The pathological changes of myocardium were observed in each group of rats.Results Compared with the WKY group,LV ejection fraction(LVEF)and LV fraction shortening(LVFS)at week 8 were decreased in the control group(P＜0.05),but no such decreases were observed in the dapagliflozin group and the losartan group.The GLS of endo-myocardium(GLSendo)at the 6th week was decreased,and GLSendo,GLSmid and GLSepi at the 8th week were all decreased in the control group than the WKY group(all P＜0.05).But there were no statistical differences in the above 3 indicators in the dapagliflozin and losartan groups when compared with the WKY group(all P＞0.05).The pathological results showed that myocardial interstitial fibrosis was observed in the control group at the 6th week.Conclusion Dapagliflozin can effectively improve myocardial function in early SHR.

Objective To explore the value of preoperative ultrasound examination in the prediction of restenosis of arteriovenous fistula(AVF)after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty(PTA)in hemodialysis patients.Methods A case-control trial was conducted on 225 hemodialysis patients who undergoing PTA due to AVF in our hospital January 2023 to May 2024.After 3 months of follow-up,they were divided into a patency group(n=204)and a restenosis group(n=21)according to the occurrence of postoperative restenosis.The preoperative clinical data and ultrasound parameters were compared between the groups.Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent factors for AVF restenosis after PTA.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drawn to evaluate the value of preoperative stenosis length in the prediction of the restenosis after PTA.Results There were significant differences in preoperative internal diameter at the site of stenosis,stenosis length,stenosis number,intimal thickness,and brachial artery flow between the 2 groups(P<0.05).Preoperative stenosis length(OR=1.856,95%CI:1.350～2.552,P<0.001)was an independent factor of AVF restenosis in hemodialysis patients after PTA.ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of preoperative stenosis length in predicting restenosis after PTA was 0.868(95%CI:0.784～0.953,P<0.001),with a sensibility and specificity of 85.7%and 80.4%,respectively.Conclusion Preoperative stenosis length may be an independent factor for AVF restenosis after PTA in hemodialysis patients.

AIM:To investigate the therapeutic effect of menstrual blood-derived endometrial stem cells(MenSCs)on chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis and flora disorders in mice,and to explore the potential mecha-nism.METHODS:The mice were randomly divided into 3 groups including normal treatment,cisplatin(Cis)treatment and Cis+MenSC treatment,with 10 mice in each group.To induce intestinal mucositis,the mice were treated with Cis(2 mg·kg-1·d-1)by intraperitoneal injection for 5 consecutive days.Control mice for normal group were received equal vol-umes of normal saline.For Cis+MenSC treatment,MenSCs(1×106)was transplanted into the mice of Cis treated mice through tail vein.The performances and weight changes of mice were examined during the experiment.After the treat-ment,the small intestine and colon were isolated for subsequent HE staining,the ratio of F4/80 and IL-6 positive cells in small intestine were detected by immunohistochemical staining,and the expression of tight junction,inflammation and apoptosis related proteins was detected by Western blot.16S rDNA amplicon sequencing was performed to detect the diver-sity and richness of intestinal flora in mice.RESULTS:Compared to the Cis group,the MenSCs-treated mice showed sig-nificantly increased body weight,relieved intestinal lymphocytes infiltration,alleviated intestinal villous edema,and or-derly arranged glands in intestinal tissues.Further analysis indicated that MenSCs transplantation significantly up-regulat-ed the expression of intestinal tight junction related proteins ZO-1 and occludin in Cis-treated mice(P＜0.05).Subse-quently,MenSCs transplantation significantly inhibited the macrophages infiltration in intestinal tissues(P＜0.01),down-regulated the expression of pro-inflammatory factors IL-1 and IL-6 and pro-apoptotic protein Bax(P＜0.01),while up-regu-lated anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 and anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2(P＜0.01).Additionally,further microflora sequenc-ing indicated that MenSCs transplantation prevented mice from Cis-induced intestinal flora disorder,and significantly re-duced the abundance of harmful bacteria such as isenbergiella tayi and Anaerotruncus colihominis(P＜0.01).At the same time,the abundance of beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus apodemi was increased(P＜0.05),thereby restoring the composi-tion and function of healthy intestinal flora.CONCLUSION:MenSCs transplantation alleviates the chemotherapy-in-duced damage of intestinal structure,relieves the symptoms of chemotherapy-induced mucositis and restores the homeosta-sis of intestinal flora in mice.

Objective:To investigate the iodine nutritional status of children and the consumption condition of non-iodized salt in Henan Province after implementation of the new standard of "Definition and demarcation of water-borne iodine-excess areas and iodine-excess endemial areas" (GB/T 19380-2016, hereinafter referred to as new standard) for four years (2021), and to provide a basis for scientific adjustment of intervention strategies.Methods:In 2021, according to the requirements of the new standard and based on the results of the water iodine survey in Henan Province from 2017 to 2020, a survey was conducted on the iodine nutrition status of children in water-borne high iodine areas in 47 counties (cities, districts, hereinafter referred to as counties) with high iodine administrative village (neighborhood committee, hereinafter referred to as administrative village). In each county, 5 administrative villages with median water iodine > 100 μg/L were selected as the investigation villages, and water samples were collected to determine the water iodine value. Forty non-boarding students aged 8 - 10 (age balanced, half male and half female, age increased to 6 - 12 when less than 40) were selected from each village as investigation subjects. Salt samples from their homes and urine samples were collected to detect salt iodine and urine iodine content, and thyroid volume of children was measured. And the monitoring results of areas where the supply of iodized salt had been suspended for less than 4 years (in newly high iodine areas) and more than 10 years (in previously high iodine areas) were further compared and analyzed.Results:A total of 257 administrative villages in the province were monitored, and the range of water iodine was 1.6 - 609.5 μg/L, with a median of 132.5 μg/L. A total of 8 611 children were tested for salt iodine, urine iodine and thyroid volume. The non-iodized salt rate was 58.3% (5 017/8 611), and the median urine iodine was 342.2 μg/L, thyroid enlargement rate was 2.9% (250/8 611). The median water iodine (153.0 vs 118.4 μg/L), the median urine iodine in children (371.6 vs 287.7 μg/L) and the goiter rate [3.8% (211/5 537) vs 1.3% (39/3 074)] in the newly high iodine areas were higher than those in the previously high iodine areas, and the differences were statistically significant ( Z = 583.12, - 14.09, P < 0.001; χ 2 = 44.40, P < 0.001); the non-iodized salt rate was lower than that of the previously high iodine areas [37.2% (2 057/5 537) vs 96.3% (2 960/3 074)], and the difference was statistically significant (χ 2 = 2 841.37, P < 0.001). Conclusions:The iodine nutrition level of children in water-borne high iodine areas of Henan Province in 2021 is at an excess level, but the non-iodized salt rate in residential households is low. We should make every effort to ensure the precise supply of non-iodized salt in high iodine areas after implementation of the new standard, and strengthen iodine nutrition monitoring and health education for key populations to prevent the occurrence of high iodine hazards.