ObjectiveGastrodia elata has evolved ecological types with shortened rhizome internodes and diversified flower and fruit coloration in response to different altitudes. Studying the genetic mechanisms of different ecotype germplasm is significant for guiding variety breeding in different cultivation areas. MethodsThe bHLH gene family was identified based on the whole-genome datasets of G. elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Subsequently， the gene family members were subject to analysis， including gene structure， chromosomal localization， cis-acting elements， gene synteny， and phylogeny. Combined with transcriptome data and quantitative Real-time PCR， the expression patterns of bHLH genes in the stems of the different G. elata ecotype germplasm were analyzed. Finally， correlation analysis was conducted between gene expression patterns and color to obtain the key bHLH genes regulating the color formation of stem. ResultsA total of 63 bHLH genes were identified in both G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca， unevenly distributed across 17 chromosomes and clustered into 16 subfamilies， with significant expansion in some family members. Obvious inversions of bHLH genes on the same chromosome and interchromosomal translocations were detected in the two ecotype germplasm. Among these genes， 12 bHLH genes （such as bHLH62-3 and bHLH74） were associated with the bright yellow color of G elata f. elata stem， while 9 bHLH genes （such as PIL13， UNE12， and bHLH130） were correlated with the red color of G. elata f. glauca stem. Compared to G. elata f. glauca， the bHLH48 expression level was significantly higher in flowers and scale leaves of G elata f. elata， and the bHLH62-3 expression level was significantly higher in all organs of G elata f. elata. ConclusionsFunctional pathway divergence of the bHLH family members has occurred across different chromosomes in G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Through synergism or antagonism with other genes， 21 bHLH genes participate in the coloration metabolic pathway regulation of stems， flowers， and fruits. Specifically， bHLH62-3 is involved in regulating stem color differentiation in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway of G. elata， thus relevant to the color formation of stem. Additionally， GebHLH48 positively regulates flowering-related pathways to promote the early-flowering phenotype of G. elata f. elata. These findings have laid the foundation for analyzing the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying the color formation of the G. elata stem.

ObjectiveGastrodia elata has evolved ecological types with shortened rhizome internodes and diversified flower and fruit coloration in response to different altitudes. Studying the genetic mechanisms of different ecotype germplasm is significant for guiding variety breeding in different cultivation areas. MethodsThe bHLH gene family was identified based on the whole-genome datasets of G. elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Subsequently， the gene family members were subject to analysis， including gene structure， chromosomal localization， cis-acting elements， gene synteny， and phylogeny. Combined with transcriptome data and quantitative Real-time PCR， the expression patterns of bHLH genes in the stems of the different G. elata ecotype germplasm were analyzed. Finally， correlation analysis was conducted between gene expression patterns and color to obtain the key bHLH genes regulating the color formation of stem. ResultsA total of 63 bHLH genes were identified in both G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca， unevenly distributed across 17 chromosomes and clustered into 16 subfamilies， with significant expansion in some family members. Obvious inversions of bHLH genes on the same chromosome and interchromosomal translocations were detected in the two ecotype germplasm. Among these genes， 12 bHLH genes （such as bHLH62-3 and bHLH74） were associated with the bright yellow color of G elata f. elata stem， while 9 bHLH genes （such as PIL13， UNE12， and bHLH130） were correlated with the red color of G. elata f. glauca stem. Compared to G. elata f. glauca， the bHLH48 expression level was significantly higher in flowers and scale leaves of G elata f. elata， and the bHLH62-3 expression level was significantly higher in all organs of G elata f. elata. ConclusionsFunctional pathway divergence of the bHLH family members has occurred across different chromosomes in G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Through synergism or antagonism with other genes， 21 bHLH genes participate in the coloration metabolic pathway regulation of stems， flowers， and fruits. Specifically， bHLH62-3 is involved in regulating stem color differentiation in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway of G. elata， thus relevant to the color formation of stem. Additionally， GebHLH48 positively regulates flowering-related pathways to promote the early-flowering phenotype of G. elata f. elata. These findings have laid the foundation for analyzing the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying the color formation of the G. elata stem.

OBJECTIVE: To construct and validate a prognostic prediction model for children with sepsis using the Phoenix sepsis score (PSS). METHODS: A retrospective case series study was conducted to collect clinical data of children with sepsis admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University from January 2022 to April 2024. The data included general information, the worst values of laboratory indicators within the first 24 hours of PICU admission, PSS score, pediatric critical illness score (PCIS), and the survival status of the children within 30 days of admission. The statistically significant indicators in univariate Logistic regression analysis were included in multivariate Logistic regression analysis to screen the risk factors affecting the prognosis of children with sepsis and construct a nomogram model. The receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was drawn to evaluate the predictive performance of the model. The Bootstrap method was used to perform 1 000 repeated sampling internal verification and draw the calibration curve of the model. RESULTS: A total of 199 children with sepsis were included, of which 32 died and 167 survived 30 days after admission. In the univariate Logistic regression analysis, shock, white blood cell count (WBC), international normalized ratio (INR), lactic acid (Lac), PSS score, and PCIS score were identified as statistically significant predictors. These variables were then included in the multivariate Logistic regression analysis, which demonstrated that shock [odds ratio (OR) = 4.258, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was 1.049-17.288], WBC (OR = 1.124, 95%CI was 1.052-1.210), and PSS score (OR = 1.977, 95%CI was 1.298-3.012) were independent risk factors for mortality in pediatric patients with sepsis (all P < 0.05). A nomogram model was constructed based on these three risk factors, with the model equation as follows: -4.809+1.449×shock+0.682×PSS score+0.117×WBC. The calibration curve results showed that the model's predictions were highly consistent with the actual observations. The ROC curve showed that when the Youden index of the prediction model was 0.792, the sensitivity and specificity were 90.6% and 88.6%, respectively, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.957 (95%CI was 0.930-0.984), which was higher than the AUC of shock, WBC, and PSS score alone (0.808, 0.667, 0.908, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Shock, WBC, and PSS score have demonstrated certain predictive value for mortality in children with sepsis. The nomogram model based on the above indicators has important clinical significance for evaluating the prognosis and guiding treatment of children with sepsis.
Humans ; Sepsis/diagnosis* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Logistic Models ; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric ; Nomograms ; Child ; ROC Curve ; Risk Factors ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Infant

Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal condition characterized by reduced bone mass and strength, leading to increased fragility. Buqi-Tongluo (BQTL) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription, has yet to be fully evaluated for its potential in treating bone diseases such as osteoporosis. To investigate the mechanism by which BQTL decoction inhibits osteoclast differentiation in vitro and validate these findings through in vivo experiments. We employed MTS assays to assess the potential proliferative or toxic effects of BQTL on bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) at various concentrations. TRAcP experiments were conducted to examine BQTL's impact on osteoclast differentiation. RT-PCR and Western blot analyses were utilized to evaluate the relative expression levels of osteoclast-specific genes and proteins under BQTL stimulation. Finally, in vivo experiments were performed using an osteoporosis model to further validate the in vitro findings. This study revealed that BQTL suppressed receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast resorption activity in vitro in a dose-dependent manner without observable cytotoxicity. The inhibitory effects of BQTL on osteoclast formation and function were attributed to the downregulation of NFATc1 and c-fos activity, primarily through attenuation of the MAPK, NF-κB, and Calcineurin signaling pathways. BQTL's inhibitory capacity was further examined in vivo using an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model, demonstrating a strong protective effect against bone loss. BQTL may serve as an effective therapeutic TCM for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and the alleviation of bone loss induced by estrogen deficiency and related conditions.
Animals ; NFATC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Ovariectomy ; Osteoclasts/metabolism* ; Female ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Osteoporosis/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Bone Resorption/genetics* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Humans ; RANK Ligand/metabolism* ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Transcription Factors

OBJECTIVE: This study reports the first imported case of Lassa fever (LF) in China. Laboratory detection and molecular epidemiological analysis of the Lassa virus (LASV) from this case offer valuable insights for the prevention and control of LF. METHODS: Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood, urine, saliva, and environmental materials were collected from the patient and their close contacts for LASV nucleotide detection. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on positive samples to analyze the genetic characteristics of the virus. RESULTS: LASV was detected in the patient's CSF, blood, and urine, while all samples from close contacts and the environment tested negative. The virus belongs to the lineage IV strain and shares the highest homology with strains from Sierra Leone. The variability in the glycoprotein complex (GPC) among different strains ranged from 3.9% to 15.1%, higher than previously reported for the seven known lineages. Amino acid mutation analysis revealed multiple mutations within the GPC immunogenic epitopes, increasing strain diversity and potentially impacting immune response. CONCLUSION The case was confirmed through nucleotide detection, with no evidence of secondary transmission or viral spread. The LASV strain identified belongs to lineage IV, with broader GPC variability than previously reported. Mutations in the immune-related sites of GPC may affect immune responses, necessitating heightened vigilance regarding the virus.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Genome, Viral ; Lassa Fever/virology* ; Lassa virus/classification* ; Molecular Epidemiology ; Phylogeny

Objective:To evaluate the mid-term efficacy of sleeve gastrectomy combined with single anastomosis gastric-ileal bypass (SASI) for treating gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG).Methods:Clinical data of 10 patients with post-LSG GERD undergoing SASI at the Department of Hernia and Bariatric Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China between Jan 2022 and Oct 2024 was retrospectively analyzed. Surgical safety and mid-term outcomes were evaluated.Results:The mean follow-up period was (25.40±17.33) months. The GerdQ score significantly decreased from (14.00±2.05) preoperatively to (5.70±1.49) postoperatively ( t=10.330, P<0.001), with a GERD remission rate of 90 % (9/10). Postoperative body weight and body mass index (BMI) both showed statistically significant reductions compared to preoperative values. Weight dropped from (110.29±22.92) kg to (84.95±15.89) kg ( t=5.889, P<0.001), and BMI decreased from (38.98±7.16) kg/m2 to (30.02±4.88) kg/m2 ( t=6.086, P<0.001). The percentage of excess weight loss was 65.88%±32.85%, and the percentage of total weight loss was 22.43%±9.65%. Only one patient experienced transient postoperative diarrhea, which resolved spontaneously, and no severe malnutrition cases were observed. Conclusion:SASI effectively improves GERD symptoms after LSG with favorable safety, serving as a suitable revisional surgical option for those patients.

McCune-Albright syndrome(MAS) is a postzygotic somatic mutation disorder caused by activating mutations in the GNAS gene, which encodes the α subunit of the stimulatory G protein. Its clinical features typically include polyostotic fibrous dysplasia, cafe-au-lait skin pigmentation, and endocrine hyperactivity, such as Cushing′s syndrome, hyperthyroidism, and growth hormone excess. Here, we report two rare cases of MAS complicated with adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH)-independent Cushing syndrome, and provide a review and analysis of previously reported MAS cases associated with Cushing′s syndrome.

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of botulinum toxin type A（BTX-A）bladder injection in the treatment of neurogenic detrusor overactivity（NDO）with autonomic dysreflexia（AD）.Methods:The patients with spinal cord injury at or above T6，who were treated at Guangdong Provincial Work Injury Rehabilitation Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022，were included in this study prospectively. Inclusion criteria：①chronic spinal cord injury patients over 18 years old（with no progression of neurological symptoms within 3 months）；② presence of NDO and AD；③ inadequate response or intolerance to oral antimuscarinic agent（M-receptor antagonists or β 3-receptor agonists）④ perform clean intermittent catheterization to empty the bladder. Exclusion criteria：① primary disease in the acute or progressive phase；② previous surgeries that would affect lower urinary tract function，such as transurethral sphincterotomy，bladder neck resection，prostatectomy，or bladder surgery；③ allergy to BTX-A or its adjuvants，or those with allergic predisposition ④ patients who were pregnant，breastfeeding，or planning for pregnancy in the near future；⑤ patients did not accept or were unable to perform intermittent catheterization. Before treatment，all patients were required to maintain 3-5 day urine diary，along with urodynamic studies（UDS），incontinence specific quality of life instrument（I-QOL）and AD symptom severity assessment，and blood pressure monitored. Key UDS parameters recorded included maximum bladder capacity，maximum detrusor pressure during filling phase，changes in maximum systolic blood pressure（SBP）relative to baseline（ΔSBP）during UDS examination，and the frequency of 24-hour blood pressure exceeding baseline by 20 mmHg. After general anesthesia or epidural anesthesia，BTX-A（200 U）was injected into the bladder at 30 points（including the triangle）under the cystoscope using a special injection needle，6.7 U per injection，and then the catheter was kept for 3-5 days after treatment. Three months later，relevant indicators were collected and compared with pre-treatment data. Results:A total of 43 patients were included in this study，including 34 males and 9 females. The age was（39.23±13.17）years old and the disease course was（2.69±3.27）years old. There were 33 cervical and 10 thoracic cases. The American Spinal Injury Association Injury Scale score distribution was as follows：26（60%）A，4（9%）B，9（21%）C，and 4（9%）D. The presence of AD was confirmed in all patients during urodynamic examination（UDS），that was the systolic blood pressure（SBP）suddenly increased and exceeded 20 mmHg（1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa）. Before treatment，The AD symptoms severity score（consist of headache，sweating，goose bumps，anxiety and palpitation）were（14.53±2.51），Bladder-related AD frequency was 10.67 episodes/day. Baseline SBP was（103.51±9.64）mmHg，the maximum SBP was（150.40±22.75）mmHg，and the change in SBP（ΔSBP）from maximum to baseline SBP during UDS examination was（43.83±21.01）mmHg. The UDS indicated that the maximum detrusor pressure during storage phase was（54.95±24.68）cmH 2O，and the bladder capacity was（131.70±75.29）ml. Bladder diary showed the volume of catheterization each time from was（181.16±49.86）ml，and The I-QOL score was（44.07±8.60）. Three months after treatment，the AD symptoms severity score（consist of headache，sweating，goose bumps，anxiety and palpitation）were（11.37±2.39）. The frequency of bladder-related AD episodes was（7.51±2.37）episodes/day，showing statistically significant differences compared to pre-treatment（ P<0.05）.The SBP before UDS examination was（102.12±10.28）mmHg，with no statistically significant difference from baseline（ P = 0.518）. The maximum SBP in perfusion phase and the ΔSBP were（132.84±16.30）mmHg and（28.72 ± 14.02）mmHg，respectively，both demonstrating statistically significant differences（ P < 0.05）. The UDS examination revealed that the maximum detrusor pressure during the storage phase was（29.77±13.72）cmH 2O，showed a significant decrease，and the bladder capacity was（272.63±79.75）ml，which were both statistically different before and after surgery. Bladder diary showed the volume of catheterization each time was（326.74±63.71）ml；I-QOL score was（71.86±11.45），both were significant different after treatment（ P < 0.01）. Conclusion:BTX-A intravesical injection in the treatment of NDO can also alleviate the severity and frequency of bladder related AD.

Objective:To apply artificial intelligence（AI）in classifying ovarian tumors on ultrasound images，and compare the diagnostic results of several sonographers with varying seniority levels.Methods:A total of 645 patients diagnosed with adnexal masses via gynecological ultrasound examination at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from January 2021 to December 2024 were enrolled. Three deep learning architectures，i.e.，Alexnet，Densenet121，and Resnet50 were developed and used to internally test the classification effectiveness of ovarian tumors，while the optimal model was selected for external testing. Two junior sonographers and two senior sonographers were recruited to independently diagnose ovarian tumors in the external test dataset. Subsequently，the benign and malignant results of the model's predictions were disclosed to each sonographer，and their revised diagnoses on the same external test data in combination with the best AI model were recorded.Results:The optimal model achieved an accuracy of 0.941，sensitivity of 0.936，and specificity of 0.944 on the internal test dataset，and maintained robust performance on the external test dataset with accuracy of 0.891，sensitivity of 0.880，and specificity of 0.907. Compared to junior sonographers，the optimal model demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity in discriminating benign from malignant ovarian tumors（0.880 vs. 0.723，0.602；all P<0.05）. No statistically significant difference was observed in diagnostic accuracy between the optimal model and senior sonographer 1（ P=0.05）. With assistance from the optimal model，junior sonographers achieved significant improvements in both sensitivity and specificity（sensitivity：0.723 vs. 0.843，0.602 vs. 0.819；specificity：0.778 vs. 0.833，0.685 vs. 0.741；all P<0.05）. Conclusions:The optimal model achieves comparable performance to that of senior sonographers in ovarian tumor classification. With model assistance，the diagnostic performance of junior sonographers is significantly improved.

Objective:To investigate the effect of titanium wire-absorbable suture dual line combined firm stitching technique in costal cartilage framework shaping for auricular reconstruction in congenital microtia patients.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 120 patients with congenital microtia who underwent auricular reconstruction surgery at the Plastic Surgery Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College from January 2020 to December 2021. Among these, 86 were male and 34 were female, with an age range of 6-15 (8.5±2.1) years. All patients underwent auricular reconstruction using the expanded skin flap method, and the titanium wire-absorbable suture dual line combined firm stitching technique was used to construct a multi-layer three-dimensional autologous costal cartilage framework. Postoperative follow-up was conducted for 1 to 3 years to evaluate the morphology, stability, patient satisfaction, and occurrence of adverse reactions.Results:Of the 120 patients, 119 (99.2%) achieved primary healing. The reconstructed auricles were lifelike with clear substructures, and the long-term shape of the auricles remained stable without significant deformation. One patient developed a local skin infection and ulceration, leading to exposure of the cartilage framework, which was successfully repaired using a temporal fascia flap and free skin graft. A total of 85.8% (103/120) of the patients were satisfied with the postoperative results, 13.3% (16/120) rated the outcome as average, and 0.8% (1/120) were dissatisfied. No cases of hematoma or flap necrosis were observed in any of the patients.Conclusion:The costal cartilage framework, constructed using the titanium wire-absorbable suture dual line combined firm stitching technique, demonstrates good clinical effects for auricular reconstruction with no severe adverse reactions.