Objective:To discuss the clinical characteristics of autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia type 16 patients caused by STUB1 gene mutation, in order to improve the clinical doctors′ understanding of the disease. Methods:The clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations and genetic testing of 1 autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia type 16 patient caused by STUB1 gene variants diagnosed in Qilu Hospital of Shandong University in May 2022 were collected, and the relevant literature was reviewed to summarize the clinical and genetic characteristics of this type of disease. Results:The proband was a 35-year-old male presenting with unsteady walk and dysarthria. Magnetic resonance imaging showed cerebellar atrophy. Next generation sequencing revealed compound heterozygous c.322dupG (p.Glu108Glyfs *4) and c.433A>C (p.Lys145Gln) variants in the STUB1 gene (according to the transcript NM_005861.4), and the c.322dupG (p.Glu108Glyfs *4) variant was a novel variant. Pedigree verification revealed the 2 variants were respectively inherited from the proband′s healthy parents. A total of 12 foreign literatures reported 32 autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia type 16 patients. The main clinical manifestations were ataxia, dysarthria and tendon hyperreflexia. Besides, nystagmus, spasticity, action tremors, and myoclonus can be present. Magnetic resonance imaging predominantly showed cerebellar atrophy. Conclusions:The patient with autosomal recessive spinocerebellar ataxia type 16 caused by STUB1 gene variant is rare in China. The main clinical manifestation is cerebellar ataxia, and brain imaging reveals remarkable cerebellar atrophy. Genetic testing is helpful for definite diagnosis.

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is strongly recommended for advanced gastric cancer due to good local control and a high rate of R0 dissection with this strategy. Minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy-assisted or total laparoscopic approaches is becoming more and more acceptable in the treatment for gastric cancer. However, the safety and efficiency of total laparoscopic D2 gastrectomy (TLG) for advanced gastric cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy have not been well evaluated. Methods: A retrospective study in a single center from 2014 to 2016 was conducted. A total of 65 locally advanced gastric cancers were treated by laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy (LAG) or TLG. Parameters which include operation time, blood loss, complications, hospital stay, 3-year overall survival, and 3-year disease-free survival were used for comparison. Results: The time of operation in the TLG group was shorter than in the LAG group (P = 0.013), blood loss was less (P = 0.002) and time to first flatus was shorter (P = 0.039) in the TLG group than that in the LLG group. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were comparable in both groups. No significant difference was found in 3-year overall and disease-free survival. Conclusion For patients with locally advanced gastric cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, laparoscopic D2 gastrectomy can be considered as a safe and efficient alternative. A further multicenter prospective randomized controlled study is needed to elucidate the applicability of this technique for advanced gastric cancer.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of preoperative frailty for pulmonary com-plications(PPCs)after cardiac surgery in elderly patients.Methods A total of 162 elderly patients,109 males and 53 females,aged 65-83 years,BMI 18-36 kg/m2,ASA physical status Ⅱ-Ⅳ,underwent elec-tive open heart surgery from July 2022 to January 2023 were collected.The patients were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of PPCs:the PPCs group(n=57)and the non-PPCs group(n=105).General information,smoking history,alcohol consumption history,EuroSCORE Ⅱ,frailty,chronic comorbidities(hypertension,diabetes mellitus,myocardial infarction,pulmonary hypertension,chronic ob-structive pulmonary disease,sleep apnea syndrome,etc.),Hb,creatinine,albumin,pulmonary function indices,left ventricular ejection fraction,type of surgery,duration of surgery,aortic clamping time,and cardiopulmonary bypass time were collected.Factors with P＜0.2 and clinically significant in the univariate regression analysis were included in the multivariate logistic regression analysis,and the predictive efficacy of the Fried frailty scale and EuroSCORE Ⅱ for PPCs were compared by the area under the ROC curve(AUC).Results PPCs occurred in 57 patients(35.2％).Multifactorial Logistic regression analysis showed that frailty(OR=3.14,95％CI 1.05-9.37,P＜0.05)and EuroSCORE Ⅱ(OR=2.16,95％CI 1.01-4.60,P＜0.05)were risk factors for the development of PPCs.The predictive power of Fried frailty scale(AUC=0.76,95％CI 0.68-0.82)was significantly higher than that of EuroSCORE Ⅱ(AUC=0.65,95％CI 0.57-0.72)(P＜0.05).Conclusion Preoperative frailty is the independent risk factors for pulmonary complications after cardiac surgery in elderly patients,and the Fried frailty scale has a better predictive efficacy compared to EuroSCORE Ⅱ,a traditional risk predictor.

Objective:To investigate the clinical, pathological and genetic features of 3 cases of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2A (LGMD2A) caused by non-canonical splice site mutations in the CAPN3 gene. Methods:For the 3 LGMD2A patients admitted to Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from July 2016 to July 2018 were selected as the subjects. Clinical data were collected, whole exome sequencing was conducted, and the candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing. Total RNA was extracted from the skeletal muscle tissue of 3 probands and effects of splicing mutations on pre-mRNA splicing in the CAPN3 gene were verified by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Total protein was extracted from the muscle tissue of the probands and expression level of calpain 3 protein was detected by Western blotting. Results:All the 3 probands presented muscle weakness in upper and lower limbs, and muscle weakness in proximal limbs was more severe. Muscle biopsies all indicated myogenic impairment. Genetic sequencing showed proband 1 carried compound heterozygous c.2185-14T>G and c.2305C>T (p.R769W) mutations in the CAPN3 gene, proband 2 carried compound heterozygous c.1193+30G>A and c.2069_2070delAC (p.H690Rfs *9) mutations, and proband 3 carried homozygous c.1194-9A>G mutations in the CAPN3 gene. Splicing assay showed the c.2185-14T>G mutation located in intron 20 induced retention of the entire intron 20, the c.1193+30G>A mutation in intron 9 induced retention of the first 31 nucleotides of intron 9, and the c.1194-9A>G mutation in intron 9 induced retention of the last eight nucleotides of intron 9. Western blotting revealed deficiency of calpain 3 protein in skeletal muscle of proband 1 and proband 2. Conclusions:The clinical manifestation of LGMD2A is muscle weakness predominantly in proximal limbs, and the muscle pathology is mostly characterized by myogenic impairment.Moreover, aberrant splicing of pre-mRNA caused by non-canonical splice site mutations plays a pathogenic role in this disease.

Objective:To investigate the complicated virus infection of infants with pertussis and its effect on the disease.Methods:From January 2019 to March 2020, a total of 100 hospitalized infants with pertussis were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Shantou University, nasopharyngeal swabs were collected for detection of ten pathogens including pertussis, namely respiratory syncytial virus(RSV), parainfluenza virus(PIV), bordetella pertussis (BP), human rhinovirus(HRV), human bocavirus(HBoV), human metapneumovirus(hMPV), influenza B virus (INF-B), adenovirus, influenza A virus and cytomegalovirus(CMV). According to the results of pathogen detection, all infants were divided into single detection group of BP(single detection group) and co-detection group of BP combined with viruses(co-detection group). The clinical data of the two groups were retrospectively analyzed and compared to explore the differences of clinical characteristics and its impact on the course of disease.Results:Among 100 cases, there were 54(54.0%) boys and 46(46.0%)girls.The age ranged from 28 days to 2 years and 5 months, with a median age of 3.5 months.Fifty-six cases were classified as single detection group, while 44 cases were included into co-detection group.Among infants in co-detection group, fourteen cases were co-infected with CMV(31.8%, 14/44), seven cases with HRV(15.9%, 7/44), seven cases with PIV(15.9%, 7/44), four cases with RSV(9.1%, 4/44), one case with hMPV(2.2%, 1/44), eight cases with CMV+ HRV(18.2%, 8/44), one case with HRV+ HBoV (2.2%, 1/44), one case with CMV+ PIV(2.2%, 1/44)and one case with CMV+ PIV+ INF-B(2.2%, 1/44). The number of infants in the single detection group who had cyanosis before treatment, requiring repiratory support, PICU admission, severe pneumonia or abnormal myocardial enzymes were higher than those in the co-detection group( P<0.05), while the months of age were lower than that in the co-detection group( P<0.05). When comparing the clinical characteristics of infants over three months of age, only the number of cases of combined cyanosis before treatment and the number of days in hospital were higher in the single detection group than those in the co-detection group ( P<0.05), no statistically significant differences were found in the other clinical characteristics between the two groups( P>0.05). Conclusion:The cases of infants requiring repiratory support, complicated with severe pneumonia or abnormal myocardial enzymes in the single detection group are higher than those in the co-detection group, which may be attributed to the small age of months.

Objective:To analyze the detection rate of respiratory syncytial virus(RSV)and human rhinovirus(HRV), in different months and age groups, and the clinical characteristics in children in eastern Guangdong from 2019 to 2020.Methods:Pharyngeal swabs were collected from 6 658 children with respiratory tract infections hospitalized in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College from January 2019 to December 2020, and respiratory pathogen nucleic acid was detected.The detection rate, month distribution, age group distribution, and clinical characteristics of single RSV as well as single HRV positive cases were analyzed and compared.Results:There were 416 single RSV positive cases(6.25%)and 341 single HRV positive cases(5.12%).The detection rates of RSV was higher than those of HRV, and the difference was statistically significant( χ2=7.880, P<0.05).The detection rates of HRV in March, April, November and December were higher than those of RSV, and the detection rates of RSV in July, August and September were higher than those of HRV, with statistically significant difference( P<0.05).The highest detection rate of RSV was in the age group of ≤6 months with a detection rate of 13.47%(192/1 425), which gradually decreased with age, and the difference was statistically significant( P<0.01).The detection rates of HRV fluctuated between 4.21% and 6.13% in each age group, and the differences among the detection rates of each age group were not statistically significant( P>0.05).All RSV-positive cases showed cough, while 77.13%(263/341)of HRV-positive cases showed cough, with a statistically significant difference( P<0.001).The incidence of wheezing in RSV-positive cases was 37.26%(155/416)compared with 28.45%(97/341)in HRV-positive cases, with a higher incidence of wheezing in RSV than that in HRV, and the difference was statistically significant( P<0.05).In terms of indicators to assess severe pneumonia, RSV-positive cases showed a higher proportion of increased respiratory rate, decreased oxygen saturation or dyspnea than HRV-positive cases, and all differences were statistically significant( P<0.05). Conclusion:The detection rate of single RSV is higher than that of single HRV in children with respiratory infections in eastern Guangdong from 2019 to 2020.The epidemic season of RSV is mainly in autumn, and the epidemic season of HRV is mainly in winter and spring.RSV is more susceptible up to 6 months of age, and the detection rate decreases gradually with age, and there is no significant difference in the detection rate of HRV by age.RSV-positive cases are more likely to have cough and wheeze.RSV-positive cases are more likely to have increased respiratory rate, decreased oxygen saturation, or respiratory distress.

Objective:To investigate the clinical, muscle biopsy and gene mutation characteristics of nemaline myopathy caused by the NEB gene variants.Methods:A retrospective analysis of the clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations, muscle biopsies and genetic analysis of 3 nemaline myopathy patients carrying NEB gene mutations diagnosed in the Neuromuscular Pathology Laboratory of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University during 2019-2021 was done. And the related literature was reviewed.Results:All of the 3 patients were congenital onset. The onset symptoms of the 3 patients were weakness of bilateral lower limbs. Physical examinations showed high palatine arches and long narrow faces. Electromyography showed myogenic impairment. Muscle biopsies of the 3 patients revealed myodystrophic changes and nemaline bodies. The ATPase staining of patient 1 showed the predominance and grouping of type 1 muscle fibers. Genetic tests revealed patient 1 carried c.21522+3A>G and c.3471dupC (p.N1158Qfs *5) mutations in the NEB gene, patient 2 carried c.21522+3A>G and c.18991_18992delAG (p.Q6332Afs *8) compound heterozygous mutations and patient 3 carried c.21522+3A>G and c.3448A>T (p.K1150 *) compound heterozygous mutations. All the 3 patients carried the c.21522+3A>G mutation in the NEB gene, which had only been reported in Chinese population. The c.3471dupC (p.N1158Qfs *5), c.18991_18992delAG (p.Q6332Afs *8) and c.3448A>T (p.K1150 *) mutations have not been reported yet. According to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guideline, c.21522+3A>G, c.3471dupC (p.N1158Qfs *5), c.3448A>T (p.K1150 *) and c.18991_18992delAG (p.Q6332Afs *8) mutations were all rated pathogenic. Conclusions:The onset age and clinical symptoms of nemaline myopathy are heterogeneous. Muscle biopsy and genetic analysis are important for diagnosis of nemaline myopathy. The c.21522+3A>G mutation in the NEB gene may be more common in Chinese population.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features of adenoviral encephalitis (AE), and to provide reference for clinical diagnosis and treatment of adenoviral encephalitis.Methods:From January 2012 to December 2020, 1 185 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of hospitalized children with suspected central nervous system infection in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College were collected for the detection of 22 common respiratory pathogens and common pathogens for encephalitis by polymerase chain reaction. Records of patients with adenovirus positive in CSF were reviewed and relevant clinical manifestations, laboratory tests and imaging examination results were collected for analysis.Results:Among 1 185 CSF samples, 242 samples were positive for viral nucleic acid, with detection rate of 20.4%, including 1.9%(23/1 185) of adenovirus. As for 23 children diagnosed with AE, 18 were male, five were female, with the age of (44.8±35.9) months, ranging from two months and 19 days to 10 years. Of 23 children, 21(91.3%) presented with fever, followed by convulsions (16 cases, 69.6%), headache (four cases, 17.4%), vomiting (11 cases, 47.8%), consciousness change (11 cases, 47.8%) and emotion disturbance (three cases, 13.0%). Among 23 children, eight cases had white blood cell counts (WBC) of (6 to <10)×10 9/L, 10 cases had WBC of (10 to 20)×10 9/L and the white blood cell classification was mainly neutrophils (21 cases, 91.3%), and C reactive protein of 20 cases (87.0%) was in the normal range. Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed that WBC were less than 15×10 6/L in 20 cases (87.0%), and WBC ≥15×10 6/L in three cases, which were up to 500×10 6/L; the protein of 19 cases was in the normal range, the glucose of 15 cases was in the normal range, and the chloride of 19 cases was in the normal range. Among 16 cases with brain magnetic resonance imaging examination, eight cases did not show abnormality, six cases with local meningeal linear enhancement, one case with small intracranial malacia, and one case with extensive intracranial lesions. For 13 cases who received electroencephalogram (EEG) test, seven cases showed normal EEG or marginal state, four cases showed extensive medium and high amplitude slow wave, one case showed spike wave or spike slow wave and one case had both of the above two changes. Among 23 children, 22 cases recovered including one case had secondary epilepsy, and the remaining one case had severe brain dysfunction and was unable to suck when discharged, with an indwelling gastric tube and accompanied by secondary epilepsy. Conclusions:The clinical manifestations and auxiliary examinations of children with AE have no obvious specificity. Most children with AE have a good prognosis, but a small number of them may have serious sequelae.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features and genetic variants of three Chinese pedigrees affected with Limb girdle muscular dystrophy type 2I (LGMD2I). METHODS: Clinical data and peripheral blood samples of the three probands and their family members were collected. Whole exome sequencing was carried out for the probands. Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing of their family members. RESULTS: Probands 1 and 2 both featured weakness in the lower limbs. Proband 1 had lost walking ability and had pulmonary ventilation dysfunction. Proband 3 had lower limb pain, palpitations and asthma after exercise. Genetic sequencing revealed that proband 1 harbored compound heterozygous c.545A>G (p.Y182C) and c.1391A>T (p.N464I) variants of the FKRP gene, proband 2 harbored compound heterozygous c.545A>G (p.Y182C) and c.941C>T (p.T314M) variants of the FKRP gene, and proband 3 harbored compound heterozygous c.545A>G (p.Y182C) and c.161G>A (p.R54Q) variants. Among these, the c.161G>A (p.R54Q) variant was unreported previously. CONCLUSION Compound heterozygous variants of the FKRP gene probably underlay the LGMD2I in the three patients. Whole exome sequencing is crucial for the diagnosis of LGMD2I. The identification of the novel variant also broadened the mutational spectrum of the FKRP gene.
Humans ; Pedigree ; Pentosyltransferases/genetics* ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Proteins/genetics* ; Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle/genetics* ; Mutation ; China

Objective:To investigate the correlation between lumbar bone mineral density (BMD), musculoskeletal perfusion andmuscle mass.Methods:From May 2019 to August 2020, totally 91 patients who applied for CT perfusion (CTP) examination of abdomen (the scan range included the vertebral body of L1－L3) in Shanghai Tenth People′s Hospital of Tongji University were retrospectively analyzed. The mean BMD of L1－L3 vertebral body was measured by quantitative CT (QCT) at the same time of CT plain scan. According to BMD, the subjects were divided into normal BMD group ( n=33), osteopenia group ( n=41) and osteoporosis (OP) group ( n=17). The L3 level perivertebral muscle mass index and fat fraction were calculated based on QCT examination. The lumbar vertebral and perivertebral muscle perfusion parameters were measured based on CTP images. The parameters of QCT and CTP among three groups were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis H test or one-way ANOVA. The correlation analysis was conducted between these parameters using Pearson or Spearman analysis. Results:The differences of the perivertebral muscle mass index and fat fraction among three groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The differences of the lumbar vertebral perfusion parameters including blood flow (BF), blood volume (BV) and flow extraction product (FE) among three groups were statistically significant ( P<0.05), and BF, BV and FE were positively correlated with BMD ( r=0.444, 0.312 and 0.266 respectively, all P<0.05; adjusted for age and gender r=0.437, 0.340 and 0.337 respectively, all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in perivertebral muscle perfusion parameters among three groups ( P>0.05). Perivertebral muscle mass index was negatively correlated with fat fraction ( r=-0.599, P<0.001; adjusted for age and gender r=-0.404, P<0.001), and there was no correlation between perivertebral muscle mass index and muscle perfusion parameters, as well as perivertebral muscle fat fraction and muscle perfusion parameters. Conclusions:With the changes of BMD, bone mass and perivertebral muscle mass at L3 level are synchronous. Decreased vertebral bone mass is accompanied with reduced perivertebral muscle mass, increased muscle fat and decreased bone perfusion. The changes of vertebral perfusion and perivertebral muscle perfusion at L3 level are asynchronous, which implies that reduced perfusion in OP patients may be confined to the bone.