OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology of 46 Chinese pedigrees affected with Hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) and provide genetic counseling and reproductive intervention. METHODS: Whole-exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing were carried out on 87 patients from the 46 pedigrees to analyze the variants of EXT1 and EXT2 genes. Pathogenicity of the variants was assessed based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG/AMP). Prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) were provided for couples with identified pathogenic mutations. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the hospital (Ethics No.: LL-SC-SG-2014-010). RESULTS: In total 17 and 22 pathogenic variants were respectively identified in the EXT1 and EXT2 genes, among which 5 EXT1 and 12 EXT2 variants were unreported previously. Three patients with no family history were found to harbor de novo variants of the EXT1 gene. Twenty nine couples had opted for PGT or underwent prenatal diagnosis following natural conception, and 17 healthy babies were born. CONCLUSION This study has clarified the genetic etiology of 45 HME pedigrees and identified 17 novel variants, which has enriched the mutational spectrum of the EXT1 and EXT2 genes. Reproductive intervention through PGT and prenatal diagnosis have prevented the recurrence of HME in these families.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Pedigree ; Exostoses, Multiple Hereditary/diagnosis* ; N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases/genetics* ; Adult ; Exostosin 1 ; Asian People/genetics* ; Genetic Testing ; Exostosin 2 ; Mutation ; China ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Pregnancy ; Genetic Counseling ; Preimplantation Diagnosis ; Exome Sequencing ; East Asian People

Objective To understand the antibody levels of diphtheria and tetanus among healthy population in Shanghai Pudong New Area, and to provide a scientific basis for improving the vaccine immunization strategy. Methods Random sampling was used to select healthy people of all ages in 16 communities in Shanghai Pudong New Area from 2018 to 2024, and serum samples were collected and tested for serum anti-diphtheria and tetanus toxin IgG antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method to analyze the antibody positivity rate (≥0.1 IU/ml) and the geometric mean concentration (GMC) of antibodies. Results A total of 3 312 serum samples were included, with a male-to-female ratio of 0.76:1, and 53.77% were local residents. The seropositivity rates and geometric mean concentrations (GMC) of both diphtheria and tetanus antibodies generally declined with increasing age, but exhibited a transient rebound in the 7y-. A total of 1 175 individuals (35.48%) were seropositive for diphtheria, with a GMC of 0.054 IU/mL. For tetanus, 988 individuals (29.83%) were seropositive, with a GMC of 0.033 IU/mL. Significant differences in seropositivity rates (χ²_diphtheria=950.005,χ²_tetanus=1 324.393) and GMC (H_diphtheria=1027.160,H_tetanus=1 142.007) were observed among different age groups (P<0.001). Significant differences in seropositivity rates (χ²_diphtheria=950.005,χ²_tetanus=1324.393) and GMC (H_diphtheria=1027.160,H_tetanus=1142.007) were also found across different years (P<0.001). Conclusion The prevalence of diphtheria and tetanus antibodies in the healthy population of Pudong New Area is relatively low, particularly among adults over 20 years of age with inadequate immunization. This underscores the need to reinforce the National Immunization Program (NIP) vaccine specifications for children under 6 years of age and implement an immunization strategy for adolescents or adults against diphtheria and tetanus.

Objective: To examine the association between health behaviors and depressive symptoms among junior and senior high school students, so as to provide evidence for combined behavioral interventions targeting adolescent mental health. Methods: From September to November 2023, a stratified cluster random sampling method was used to recruit 104 834 junior and senior high school students from all 13 prefecture level cities (124 districts/counties) in Heilongjiang Province, China. Multivariable Logistic regression models, as well as multiplicative and additive interaction analyses were employed to analyze the associations between health behaviors and depressive symptoms, and Chi-square tests for trend were conducted to explore ,the changing tendency in the risk of depressive symptoms with increasing numbers of health behaviors among junior and senior high school students. Results: Healthy diet ( OR =0.66, 95% CI =0.63-0.68), healthy physical activity ( OR =0.47, 95% CI =0.45-0.49), healthy outdoor activity ( OR =0.55, 95% CI =0.52-0.57), healthy sleep ( OR =0.72, 95% CI =0.69-0.75), and healthy screen use ( OR =0.79, 95% CI =0.76-0.82) were independently associated with lower rates of depressive symptoms (all P <0.01). The risk of depressive symptoms decreased progressively with an increasing cumulative number of health behaviors ( χ 2 trend =996.73, P <0.01). Except for the interaction between healthy diet and healthy sleep, significant additive interactions were observed among the remaining health behaviors( RERI =0.07-0.23,all P <0.05). The probability of depressive symptoms was lower among girls with 2-3 healthy behaviors than among boys ( Z =2.51, 2.65), lower among urban students with 2-3 healthy behaviors than among suburban county students ( Z =-2.36, -2.04), and lower among senior high school students with 2-4 healthy behaviors than among junior high school students ( Z =2.17, 2.10, 2.04) (all P <0.05). Conclusions Health behaviors are significantly associated with depressive symptoms among junior and senior high school students. The probability of depressive symptoms is lower among girls, urban students, and senior high school students who engage in multiple healthy behaviors. Implementing combined interventions targeting multiple health behaviors in these populations may yield greater benefits.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) technology originated in China during the Eastern Jin Dynasty and has rapidly developed over the past two decades, becoming a primary method for studying the causal relationship between gut microbiota and the occurrence and progression of diseases. At the same time, the therapeutic effects of FMT in the field of gastrointestinal diseases have gained widespread recognition and are gradually expanding into other disease areas. The FMT procedure is relatively complex, and there is currently no standardized method; its success is influenced by various factors, including the donor, recipient, processing of the fecal material, and the method of implantation. Given the increasingly recognized relationship between gut microbiota and various diseases, FMT has become a research hotspot in both scientific studies and clinical applications, achieving a series of significant advancements. To help researchers better understand this technology, this paper will outline the development history of FMT, summarize common operational methods in research and clinical settings, review its application progress, and look forward to future development directions.

Objective To construct the performance evaluation index system of specialist cooperation alliance in hos-pital-community in order to scientifically evaluate the effect of the construction of the specialist cooperation alliance.Methods By searching literature related to the construction of specialized league,sort out national and local policy documents,and the"structure-process-result"model was adopted to initially construct the index system.The ex-pert letter consultation form of the indicator system was formed through the discussion of the special group,two rounds of Delphi expert consultation were carried out to determine the evaluation indicator system,and the weight coefficient of each indicator was determined by the simultaneous application of analytic hierarchy process.Results The effective recovery rates of the two rounds of questionnaire were 84.62％and 100.00％,respectively.The positive de-gree of experts was high,and the average authority degree of experts was 0.864.The importance,operability,sen-sitivity Kendall's W coefficient and x2 test value of all indexes were P＜0.05.Finally,an evaluation index system covering 9 first-level indicators and 25 second-level indicators was established.Conclusion The constructed perfor-mance evaluation index is scientific and reliable.The practical application shows that it can be used as a tool to evalu-ate the effect of integrated,continuous and collaborative health service delivery in hospital-community.

Objective:To report the blood group antigen and antibody specificity identification methods for a patient with high-frequency antibodies, and the process of finding and providing compatible blood for the patient.Methods:A patient sent from the Blood Transfusion Department of Shanxi Provincial People′s Hospital to Taiyuan Blood Center in November 2022 was selected for the study. Classical serological methods were used to determine the patient′s blood type, screen for unexpected antibodies, identify antibodies, and perform crossmatching. High-frequency antibody identification was carried out using red blood cells treated with various enzymes. Blood group genotyping was conducted using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and Sanger sequencing. Multiple strategies were employed to address the patient′s blood source problem. The study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Taiyuan Blood Center [Ethics No. 2024 Ethics Review No.(2)].Results:①The patient′s blood type was B, RhD positive. Initial screening of the patient′s serum with multiple screening cells and antibody identification cells in saline medium was negative, but positive in antiglobulin medium. The patient′s serum showed varying reaction intensities with red blood cells treated with different enzymes. ②MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and Sanger sequencing revealed a homozygous nonsense variant c. 376C>T (p.Gln126Ter) in the ABCG2 gene, resulting in the Jr(a-) phenotype. During family donor selection, the patient′s son was found to have a heterozygous variant c. 376C>T (p.Gln126Ter), and another heterozygous variant c. 421C>A (p.Gln141Lys), which predicted a Jr(a+ w) phenotype. ③Crossmatch tests confirmed the compatibility of blood from the patient′s son, which was used to address the urgent blood requirement. Later, rare blood from a Jr(a-) donor from the Guangzhou Blood Center was used for the patient′s ongoing treatment, saving the patient′s life. Conclusion:Combining classic serological testing with blood group gene typing techniques successfully identified the rare Jr(a-) blood type and high-frequency anti-Jra antibodies. Enzyme-treated red blood cell identification methods confirmed the presence of anti-Jra antibodies. By searching within the family and seeking help from other blood centers, compatible blood was found. This approach may provide insights for resolving similar complex blood matching problems in the future.

Objective:To explore the regulatory mechanisms underlying the weak expression of ABO blood group antigens due to variants in the non-coding regions of the ABO gene. Methods:From June 2014 to October 2023, a total of 29 samples from the Taiyuan Blood Center and local hospitals, which were serologically identified as having weak ABO antigen expression without detectable coding region mutations, were selected for this study. Full-length ABO gene sequencing was performed using third-generation long-read sequencing technology (Pacific Biosciences) to obtain complete haplotype sequences of the ABO gene. Variants in the non-coding regions were compared and identified to infer their regulatory effects on weak antigen expression. The procedures followed in this study were in accordance with the ethical standards of the World Medical Association′s Declaration of Helsinki (2013 revision). The Medical Ethics Committee of Taiyuan Blood Center has granted an exemption from ethical review. Results:18 bp deletions in the -35 to -18 region of the promoter were identified in 7 samples. Variants in intron 1 (+ 5.8 kb) were detected in 7 samples, including ABO* A (28+ 5792_5793delCT (1 case) and ABO* B (28+ 5793T>C) located in the GATA binding region; ABO* B (28+ 5808C>T) (1 case) in the E-box region; and ABO* B (28+ 5875C>T) (4 cases) in the RUNX1 binding region. Nucleotide variants at splice sites were detected in 2 samples, namely ABO* B (C.98+ 1G>A) and ABO* B (C.204-2A>C). Conclusion:Variants in the non-coding regulatory sequences of the ABO gene are a significant factor contributing to weak ABO antigen expression. In clinical ABO sequencing, it is essential to screen not only the conventional coding regions but also the flanking sequences, introns, and splice sites of the ABO gene to facilitate precise blood transfusion.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of plaque psoriasis patients with thrombocytopenia, and to evaluate the efficacy and safety of biologics in such patients.Methods:A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted. Clinical data were collected from plaque psoriasis patients with thrombocytopenia at the Department of Dermatology, Peking University Third Hospital between January 2017 and October 2024. Comparative analysis was conducted on clinical data, such as platelet counts, before and after the use of biologics, and the efficacy and safety of biologics were evaluated.Results:Eleven patients (10 males, 1 female; age range: 33 - 72 years) had thrombocytopenia prior to biologic therapy. Thrombocytopenia was caused by hypersplenism secondary to liver cirrhosis in 7 patients, and the causes of cirrhosis including prior medications for psoriasis (5 cases) and viral hepatitis (2 cases) ; 3 patients were diagnosed with primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), and 1 patient with aplastic anemia. All the 11 patients achieved a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 90 response after biologic therapy. Only one patient experienced a transient episode of further decrease in platelet counts, which was considered potentially related to anti-tuberculosis drugs. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed no significant decrease in platelet counts after biologic therapy in the 11 patients (pre-treatment platelet counts M [ Q1, Q3]: 77 [55, 87] × 10 9/L, post-treatment platelet counts: 84 [65, 114] × 10 9/L, P = 0.083) ; notably, 3 patients with ITP showed an upward trend in platelet counts after treatment with interleukin (IL) -17A or IL-23 inhibitors. Conclusions:Thrombocytopenia may not be a contraindication for biologic therapy in patients with plaque psoriasis. Plaque psoriasis patients with ITP may obtain dual benefits from the use of IL-17A inhibitors or IL-23 inhibitors.

Objective To explore the pioneering symptoms of the gastrointestinal symptom cluster and their influencing factors in gastric cancer patients with chemotherapy.Methods Based on the hospital's management system for scientific research data,463 gastric cancer patients with chemothera-py were surveyed through multicenter collaboration by the corresponding module of the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory(MDASI),the Chinese Medicine Constitution Classification and Identification Standard,and the Chinese Medicine SyndromeIdentification Standard for Gastric Cancer.IBM SPSS Statistic 22.0 and IBM SPSS Modeler 18.0 were used for data analysis.Results The first occurrence of dry mouth in the gastrointestinal symptom cluster of gastric cancer patients with chemotherapy was(22.99±10.70)hours after chemotherapy.The support,confidence,and lift for the association be-tween dry mouth and decreased appetite were 62.2％,94.8％and 1.52,respectively;for dry mouth and nausea,the numerical values were 62.2％,89.6％and 1.44;for dry mouth and vomiting,the numerical values were 62.2％,79.5％and 1.28.The results of one-way ANOVA and multivariate linear regression analysis showed that alcohol consumption,syndrome of stomach heat injuring yin,and phlegm-dampness constitution were independent influencing factors for dry mouth in gastric cancer patients with chemotherapy(P＜0.05).Conclusion Dry mouth,as a pioneering symptom of the gastroin-testinal symptom cluster,is of great significance in clinical assessment and management.Improved assessment of dry mouth can provide a basis for the construction of subsequent risk prediction model,the formulation of targeted interventions,and the enhancement of symptom management efficiency.

This study was aimed at establishing a method of ultra-fast quantitative PCR for Brucella detection.We used an exogenous recombinant plasmid as the internal reference and targeted the T4SS secretion system,an important Brucella viru-lence factor,to design specific primers and probes.The sensitivity,specificity,and repeatability of this method were evaluated,and a standard curve was constructed.The coincidence rate of detection findings with this method versus quantitative PCR was determined.This method markedly decreased the detection time to only 10 minutes.The standard curve demonstrated a good linear relationship(Y=-3.410 7x+38.357,R2=0.998 5)with a low minimum detection limit of 10 copies/μL.The method exhibited good specificity and did not specifically amplify several common clinical bacteria other than Brucella.The de-tection of three concentrations of positive plasmids yielded coefficients of variation(CVs)of 0.20％to 0.91％,thus demonstra-ting the method's excellent repeatability.Furthermore,140 clinical samples were analyzed concurrently with the fluorescence PCR method,which yielded a 100％compliance rate and consistent results.Our findings indicated that the Brucella ultra-fast quantitative PCR was ultrafast;had high sensitivity,high specificity,and good specificity;and can be used for the clinical de-tection of Brucella and emergency investigation of epidemics.Therefore,this method is valuable for the early diagnosis of Bru-cella.