ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of mitochondrial translational initiation factor 2 （MTIF2） gene methylation and its association with the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. MethodsMethSurv and EWAS Data Hub were used to perform the standardized analysis and the cluster analysis of MTIF2 methylation samples， including survival curve analysis， methylation signature analysis， the association of tumor signaling pathways， and a comparative analysis based on pan-cancer database. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison between two groups； a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups， and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to perform the univariate and multivariate survival analyses of methylation level at the CpG site. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to investigate the survival differences between the patients with low methylation level and those with high methylation level， and the Log-likelihood ratio method was used for survival difference analysis. ResultsGlobal clustering of MTIF2 methylation showed that there was no significant difference in MTIF2 gene methylation level between different races， ethnicities， BMI levels， and ages. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that the patients with N-Shore hypermethylation of the MTIF2 gene had a significantly better prognosis than those with hypomethylation （hazard ratio ［HR］=0.492， P<0.001）， while there was no significant difference in survival rate between the patients with different CpG island and S-Shore methylation levels （P>0.05）. The methylation profile of the MTIF2 gene based on different ages， sexes， BMI levels， races， ethnicities， and clinical stages showed that the N-Shore and CpG island methylation levels of the MTIF2 gene decreased with the increase in age， and the Caucasian population had significantly lower N-Shore methylation levels of the MTIF2 gene than the Asian population （P<0.05）； the patients with clinical stage Ⅳ had significantly lower N-Shore and CpG island methylation levels of the MTIF2 gene than those with stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ （P<0.05）. Clinical validation showed that the patients with stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ HCC had a significantly lower methylation level of the MTIF2 gene than those with stage Ⅰ/Ⅱ HCC and the normal population （P<0.05）. ConclusionN-Shore hypomethylation of the MTIF2 gene is a risk factor for the development and progression of HCC.

AIM: To analyze the current status and influencing factors for insufficient hyperopia reserve in preschool children from Changzhi City, Shanxi Province, and to provide reference and basis for myopia prevention and control in this district.METHODS: A stratified cluster random sampling strategy was used to select 2 854 preschool children(5 708 eyes)from 29 child-care centers in Changzhi City between January and May 2024. Hyperopia reserve was assessed through measurements and questionnaire surveys. Totally 2 820 cases(5 640 eyes)were finally included, with 34 cases excluded(32 cases of uncooperativeness and 2 cases of distractibility). The univariate analysis and multivariate Logistic regression were performed to analyze the associated influencing factors of insufficient hyperopia reserve.RESULTS: A total of 580 preschool children with insufficient hyperopia reserve were detected, with an incidence of 20.57%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that male(OR=1.723, 95% CI: 1.419-2.093), maternal myopia(OR=2.210, 95% CI: 1.681-2.906), paternal myopia(OR=1.426, 95% CI: 1.059-1.921), myopia in both parents(OR=2.761, 95% CI: 2.110-3.612), preterm infants(OR=1.740, 95% CI: 1.294-2.342), the mean daily sleep duration <10 h(OR=1.272, 95% CI: 1.024-1.579), and the mean daily outdoor activity time <2 h(OR=1.222, 95% CI: 1.005-1.485)were risk factors for insufficient hyperopia reserve(all P<0.05). Conversely, using blackout curtains during the day and turning off lights at night(OR=0.598, 95% CI: 0.405-0.883)were identified to be protective factors(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Sex, genetics, gestational age, sleep duration and environmental conditions, and outdoor activity time are potentially associated with insufficient hyperopia reserve in preschool children. Caregivers should prioritize the management of these risk factors to prevent the occurrence of myopia.

Objective: To understand the association between weight-adjusted-waist index (WWI) and cardiopulmonary endurance among middle school students, so as to provide references for the improvement of cardiopulmonary endurance levels in adolescents. Methods: From June 2015 to December 2018 by using the method of purposive sampling, height, weight, waist circumference, and 20 m shuttle-run tests were measured among 44 870 adolescents aged 13-18 from Northeast, North, East, South, Southwest and Northwest of China. The WWI of the adolescents and the maximum oxygen uptake (VO 2max ) were calculated indirectly. The t-test and one way analysis of variance were used for comparison, and the curve regression analysis method was adopted to analyze the relationship between WWI and VO 2max . Results: For Chinese middle school students aged 13-18, the WWI was (9.35±1.02), the number of 20 m shuttle-run was (38.89±18.14) times, and VO 2max was (39.96±5.88) mL/(kg ·min -1 ). The differences of VO 2max between WWI quartile arrays of boys aged 13-18 were statistically significant ( F=15.19, 9.00, 14.97, 20.48, 28.13, 10.13 , P <0.01), girls had the same trend ( F=23.36, 16.61, 33.45, 32.96, 18.23, 19.36, P <0.01). There was an inverted U shaped curve relationship between WWI and cardiopulmonary endurance. When WWI was 8.5, the VO 2max level reached the highest, which was 40.07 mL/(kg ·min -1 ). Compared with girls, WWI in boys had a more significant impact on cardiopulmonary endurance. Conclusion Maintaining optimal WWI levels may enhance adolescents cardiopulmonary endurance.

BACKGROUND: Valvular heart disease (VHD) has become increasingly common with the aging in China. This study aimed to evaluate regional differences in the clinical features, management strategies, and outcomes of patients with VHD across different regions in China. METHODS: Data were collected from the China-VHD Study. From April 2018 to June 2018, 12,347 patients who presented with moderate or severe native VHD with a median of 2 years of follow-up from 46 centers at certified tertiary hospitals across 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in Chinese mainland were included in this study. According to the locations of the research centers, patients were divided into five regional groups: eastern, southern, western, northern, and central China. The clinical features of VHD patients were compared among the five geographical regions. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the cumulative incidence rate. RESULTS: Among the enrolled patients (mean age, 61.96 years; 6877 [55.70%] male), multiple VHD was the most frequent type (4042, 32.74%), which was mainly found in eastern China, followed by isolated mitral regurgitation (3044, 24.65%), which was mainly found in northern China. The etiology of VHD varied significantly across different regions of China. The overall rate of valve interventions was 32.67% (4008/12,268), with the highest rate in southern China at 48.46% (205/423). In terms of procedure, the proportion of transcatheter valve intervention was relatively low compared to that of surgical treatment. Patients with VHD in western China had the highest incidence of all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure. Valve intervention significantly improved the outcome of patients with VHD in all five regions (all P  <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that patients with VHD in China are characterized by significant geographic disparities in clinical features, treatment, and clinical outcomes. Targeted efforts are needed to improve the management and prognosis of patients with VHD in China according to differences in geographical characteristics. REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03484806.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Heart Valve Diseases/therapy* ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Tertiary Care Centers ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of arthroscopic release of elbow joint assisted by medial small incision ulnar nerve release in the treatment of non-traumatic elbow stiffness. METHODS: The clinical data of 15 patients with non-traumatic elbow stiffness treated with arthroscopic release of elbow joint assisted by medial small incision ulnar nerve release between April 2019 and September 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 6 males and 9 females with an average age of 46 years ranging from 34 to 56 years. The causes included rheumatoid arthritis in 3 cases, gouty arthritis in 2 cases, loose bodies in 3 cases, and elbow osteoarthritis in 7 cases. There were 4 cases with ulnar neuritis and 3 cases with synovial osteochondromatosis. The duration of elbow stiffness ranged from 6 to 18 months, with an average of 10 months. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss were recorded. The effectiveness was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, range of elbow motion (maximum flexion, maximum extension, and total flexion and extension), Mayo score, and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) elbow score. RESULTS: The operation time was 60-90 minutes, with an average of 65 minutes, and the intraoperative blood loss was 40-100 mL, with an average of 62 mL. All patients were followed up 13-18 months, with an average of 14 months. There was no complication such as vascular and nerve injury, poor wound healing, collateral ligament injury, elbow joint space narrowing, osteophyte proliferation, or loose body formation around the joint. At last follow-up, the elbow range of motion (maximum flexion, maximum extension, and total flexion and extension), VAS score, and Mayo score significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). The HSS elbow score was 85-95, with an average of 92; 12 cases were excellent, 3 cases were good, and the excellent and good rate was 100%. CONCLUSION Arthroscopic release of elbow joint assisted by medial small incision ulnar nerve release is an effective way to treat non-traumatic elbow stiffness, which has the advantages of small trauma, short operation time, and good effectiveness. It can carry out early elbow rehabilitation training and significantly improve elbow function.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Arthroscopy/methods* ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Elbow Joint/physiopathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Treatment Outcome ; Ulnar Nerve/surgery* ; Operative Time

Objective To explore the reproductive health literacy of young female sailors,investigate the influence of long voyage on the health,and propose strategies on health education.Methods A total of 49 young female sailors were enrolled.Their healthy status was evaluated by annual medical records.The questionnaire survey was also conducted to evaluate general status related to reproductive health,knowledge pertaining to reproductive health,and health status after long voyage.Results Some female sailors had symptoms of thyroid diseases,such as hypothyroidism(32.65%),benign thyroid nodules(59.18%),and suspected papillary carcinoma(in one sailor,2.04%).Ultrasonography revealed breast nodules in 5 subjects(10.00%),mammary gland hyperplasia in 46 subjects(93.88%)and reproductive benign diseases in 6 subjects(12.24%).The physical and mental states significantly changed in the late stage of long voyage.The changes in work and living environment were the main factors affecting the emotional and psychological status in the long voyage.The discomfort in menstrual cycle piled up with the above-mentioned changes during a long voyage,and the menstruation significantly affected the duty of 36.73%of female sailors during a long voyage.Female sailors had little knowledge about the prevention and examination of breast cancer and thyroid cancer.Conclusion The living and work environment during a long voyage may affect the health of the thyroid,mammary gland and reproductive system of young female sailors.Active health education via online and offline ways is helpful to improve the health literacy and self-care of female sailors,subsequently enhancing the combat effectiveness.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of a Chinese pedigree affected with Neurodevelopmental disorder with absent language and variable seizures (NEDALVS) due to variant of WASF1 gene, and to review the literature on NEDALVS associated with WASF1 gene variants. METHODS: A 4-year-and-8-month-old boy with NEDALVS diagnosed at Linyi People's Hospital in July 2024 due to "discovering language development delay for more than 2 years" and his family members were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of the family members were collected. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from family members. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed, and candidate variants were verified, by Sanger sequencing. Pathogenicity of candidate variant was classified according to the Standards and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants established by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). Using the MUpro website, SWISS-MODEL, PyMOL, Clustal X, PolyPhen-2, and Mutation Taster software, bioinformatics analysis of protein three-dimensional structure modeling for gene mutations, cross-species conservation of mutant amino acids, and pathogenicity prediction of mutation sites. Relevant literature was retrieved from databases such as CNKI, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and PubMed, and the clinical phenotypes and genotypes of patients with WASF1 gene mutations reported in the literature were summarized and analyzed. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Linyi People's Hospital (Ethics No.: YX200303). RESULTS: The proband, a 4-year and 8-month-old male, mainly presented with delayed language and motor development, accompanied by autistic behaviors; the proband's younger brother was 2 years and 7 months old at the time of consultation, mainly presented with delayed language and motor development, accompanied by short stature; the proband's mother mainly presents with limited language expression and poor interpersonal interaction; the proband's maternal grandmother mainly presents with soliloquizing?behavior. The results of WES showed that the proband carried a heterozygous mutation c.214C>T (p.Arg72Cys) in the WASF1 gene, and this site has not been recorded in the database. Sanger sequencing confirmed that the proband's younger brother, mother, and maternal grandmother had harbored the same variant. Based on the guidelines from the ACMG, this variant was rated as likely pathogenic (PM2_Supporting+PP1+PP3+PP4). Through SWISS-MODEL homology modeling and PyMOL structure visualization analysis, it was further confirmed that this variant can lead to a decrease in protein stability. Amino acid sequence conservation analysis of the WASF1 protein using Clustal X software suggested that the c.214C>T (p.Arg72Cys) variant has caused replacement of a highly conserved amino acid. According to the results of PolyPhen-2 and Mutation Taster, the p.Arg72Cys variant was predicted to be a hazardous. By following the retrieval strategy set in this study, a total of 5 research articles regarding to patients with NEDALVS caused by WASF1 gene mutations were retrieved, which involved 15 patients. Combining the proband and their family members discovered in this study, there were a total of 19 NEDALVS patients. The main clinical features included: motor developmental delay (100%, 17/17), language/intellectual developmental delay (100%, 17/17), epilepsy (64.7%, 11/17), autistic behavior (76.5%, 13/17), hypotonia (70.6%, 12/17), abnormal electroencephalogram (64.7%, 11/17), and short stature (17.6%, 3/17). All 19 patients had heterozygous mutations, with 8 mutation sites. Missense mutations were the most common, accounting for 84.2% (16/19). CONCLUSION A pathogenic variant of the WASF1 gene was identified in a pedigree affected with NEDALVS. Discovery of the novel variant has, expanded the mutational spectrum of the WASF1 gene.
Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; China ; Exome Sequencing ; Mutation ; Neurodevelopmental Disorders/genetics* ; Pedigree ; Seizures/genetics* ; East Asian People/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of a family with Vissers-Bodmer Syndrome (VIBOS) and to review the relevant literature on VIBOS caused by CNOT1 gene variants. METHODS: A child diagnosed with VIBOS due to "growth retardation for over 6 years" at the Linyi People's Hospital on March 1, 2024 and her family members were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of the family were collected. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from the family members. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on the proband's peripheral blood, and Sanger sequencing was used for verification of the candidate variant in the family. Pathogenicity of the candidate variant was classified according to the "Standards and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants" established by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG). Bioinformatics analysis, including pathogenicity prediction using Mutation Taster, three-dimensional protein structure modeling using SWISS-MODEL, and functional impact assessment using PyMOL, was performed. Relevant literature on VIBOS patients due to variants of the CNOT1 gene was retrieved from databases such as CNKI, Wanfang Data, and PubMed. The clinical phenotypes and genotypes of the patients were summarized. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No.: YX200303). RESULTS: The proband, a 6-year-and-7-month-old female, presented with short stature, distinctive facial features (esotropia, hypertelorism, prominent nasolabial folds), webbed neck, clinodactyly, and intellectual disability. WES revealed that she has carried a heterozygous c.736delG (p.V246*) variant of the CNOT1 gene, which was unreported previously. The proband's father exhibited borderline intellectual function but no short stature or distinctive facial features. Sanger sequencing confirmed that he has carried the same heterozygous variant. According to the ACMG guidelines, this genetic variant was predicted as "likely pathogenic" (PVS1+PM2_Supporting). The c.736delG (p.V246*) variant was predicted to have a deleterious effect by Mutation Taster. Subsequent homology modeling using SWISS-MODEL, coupled with structural visualization and comparison using PyMOL, confirmed that it may cause premature termination of translation and produce a truncated protein. Literature search has retrieved five articles on VIBOS due to CNOT1 gene variants, which included 45 cases. Together with the proband and her father, the common clinical features among these 47 patients included distinctive facial features (83.0%, 39/47), speech delay (70.2%, 33/47), motor delay (70.2%, 33/47), intellectual disability (59.6%, 28/47), and short stature (48.9%, 23/47). In terms of the types of the variants, missense variants were the most common (47.4%, 18/38), followed by frameshift variants (21.0%, 8/38). The variant sites have mainly located in exons 7, 25, and 31. No significant genotype-phenotype correlation was noted. CONCLUSION The c.736delG (p.V246*) frameshift variant of the CNOT1 gene is likely the genetic etiology of VIBOS in this proband. The clinical manifestations of the proband were more severe than in her fathers, which suggested phenotypic variability associated with this variant. This study has provided new evidence for the understanding of the genetic basis of VIBOS.
Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Exome Sequencing ; Intellectual Disability/genetics* ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Transcription Factors/genetics* ; East Asian People/genetics*

Objective To investigate the virulence and drug resistance characteristics of diarrheagenic Escherichia coli isolated from patients with infectious diarrhea in our hospital.Methods The preliminary identification of microbes was carried out by the VITEK-MS microbial mass spectrometry detection system and virulence genes were detected by the multiplex real-time PCR.Five types of diarrhea-genic Escherichia coli(DEC)clinically isolated from patients with infectious diarrhea in our hospital were identified.The drug resist-ance characteristics of DEC strains were detected by the microbroth dilution and E-test.The drug-resistant molecular characteristics were analyzed by the next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics.The Fisher exact probability method was used for statistical analy-sis.Results The detection rate of DEC in our hospital was 11.9%,with enteroaggregative E.coli(EAEC)accounting for 37.5%,a-typical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli(EPEC)accounting for 34.38%,enterotoxigenic E.coli(ETEC)accounting for 25.0%,and enteroinvasive E.coli(EIEC)accounting for 3.12%.None of enterohemorrhagic E.coli(EHEC)strain was detected.The resistance rates of 32 DEC strains to ampicillin,tetracycline,and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole were 53.12%,43.75%,and 37.5%,respec-tively.ESBLs(+)strains accounted for 18.75%,and the detection rate of multidrug-resistant strains was 83.83%,significantly higher than that of ESBLs(-)strains(P=0.042).A total of 25 ST genotypes were obtained from 32 DEC strains.The dominant genotypes were ST10(4 strains,12.5%),followed by ST28(2 strains,6.25%),ST31(2 strains,6.25%),ST3153(2 strains,6.25%),and the other 21 genotypes(1 strain,3.13%).One carbapenem resistant strain carrying the blaNDM-1 gene was detected in EAEC.Conclu-sion Four virulence genes such as aggR,pic,astA,and eae,are more common in the DEC of patients with infectious diarrhea in our hospital,with EAEC and EPEC as the main subtypes.The genotypes are highly polymorphic,and multidrug-resistant strains have been detected.