The clinical data, diagnosis and treatment of a child with Robinow syndrome (RS) caused by the DVL1 gene mutation, who was treated in the Department of Endocrinology, Genetics and Metabolism, Children′s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University in May 2023, were retrospectively analyzed.The male child, 2 years old, presented with 2 years of external genital abnormality.The main clinical features included intrauterine growth retardation, external genital abnormalities, craniofacial anomalies, skeletal malformations and congenital heart diseases.Whole exome sequencing revealed that the patient carried a heterozygous mutation c. 1529delG(p.G510Vfs*139) in exon 14 of the DVL1 gene.Cases of the DVL1 gene mutation have not been documented in Chinese.A review of literature identified 25 (including the case in this report) cases of RS in children attributed to DVL1 gene mutations, revealing common clinical features such as craniofacial anomalies, skeletal malformations, external genital abnormalities, heart diseases, short stature, and hearing impairments.Cognitive abilities are typically unaffected, and reproductive function remains normal.Notably, 19 identified DVL1 gene mutations are clustered within a specific genomic region (c.1496-c.1631), with no discernible genotype-phenotype correlation observed.

As research delves deeper into the mechanisms of tumor immune responses,studies reveal the importance of microbial com-munities within the tumor microenvironment in tumor progression and their interactions with the host immune system.Intratumoral micro-biota could influence the tumor microenvironment,thereby promoting or inhibiting tumor growth and development.Despite this import-ance,the specific role of intratumoral microbiota impacting cancer immunotherapeutic efficacy remains largely unexplored.A deeper under-standing of the characteristics and biological functions of tumor-specific microbiota heralds a potential revolutionary innovation in cancer treatment.In this review,we introduce the discovery and sources of intratumoral microbiota,also addressing its composition,and discuss tumor tissue characteristics.Moreover,we briefly review the history of cancer immunotherapy development with a particular focus on the research progress concerning the impact of intratumoral microbiota on cancer immunotherapy.Furthermore,we explore emerging strategies that combine targeting intratumoral microbiota with immunotherapy to enhance immune efficacy,inhibit tumor progression,and improve cure rates,anticipating that this approach could represent a new direction for enhancing treatment outcomes and prospects.

Objective:To evaluate the degree of left atrial fibrosis in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation(AF) using four-dimensional automic left atrial quantitation(4D Auto LAQ).Methods:A total of 60 patients with persistent AF who underwent transcatheter radiofrequency ablation in the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from March 2022 to March 2023 were included. Patients were grouped according to the low-voltage area (mild<5%, moderate 5%-20%, severe>20%). General clinical data, conventional echocardiogram parameters, left atrial strain and related parameters of each group were compared. The relevant factors were obtained by Logistic regression analysis. The factor with the highest accuracy and its cut-off value was obtained by the ROC curve.Results:Sixty patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, were divided into mild low-voltage group(22 cases), moderate low-voltage group(20 cases), and severe low-voltage group(18 cases). There were statistical differences in gender, CHA2DS2-VASc score, peak value of early diastolic velocity of mitral inflow/average peak value of early diastolic tissue Doppler velocity of mitral annulus (E/e′), left atrial diameter (LAD), left atrial volume index (LAVI), left atrial maximal volume (LAVmax), left atrial minimal volume (LAVmin), left atrial total emptying fraction (LAEF), left atrial reservoir longitudinal strain (LASr), left atrial reservoir circumferential strain (LASr-c), left atrial myocardial work (LA MW, LA MW-c), left atrial stiffness (LA stiffness, LA stiffness-c) among the 3 groups(all P<0.05). The LASr had the highest correlation with low voltage area ( rs=-0.814, P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that CHA2DS2-VASc, LAD, LAVI, LAVmax, LAVmin, LAEF, LASr, LASr-C, LA MW, LA MW-C, LA stiffness and LA stiffness-c could all predict the low voltage area(all P<0.05). The LA stiffness had the highest AUC (0.952). The cut-off value of severe low voltage was 1.15, the sensitivity was 94.4%, and the specificity was 83.3%. Conclusions:4D Auto LAQ can be used to evaluate the degree of left atrial fibrosis. The correlation between LA stiffness and substrate voltage mapping is the highest.

The clinical data, diagnose and treatment of a child with familial glucocorticoid deficiency (FGD) caused by the NNT gene mutation who was treated in the Department of Endocrinology, Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University in November 2014 were retrospectively analyzed.The female child with 1 year and 5 months old presented with 6 months of skin pigmentation.Laboratory examinations showed decreased cortisol and increased adrenocorticotropic hormone.During the follow-up period, she developed convulsions and precocious puberty.Whole exome sequencing revealed that the patient carried a homozygous mutation c. 1054G > A (p.G352R) in exon 8 of the NNT gene, which was a newly reported gene mutation.Domestic cases of FGD caused by the NNT gene mutation has never been reported yet.Through literature review of a total of 40 reported children with FGD caused by the NNT gene mutation, typical manifestations included skin pigmentation, hypoglycemia and seizures, alongside mineralocorticoid deficiency, precious puberty, abnormal male gonadal development, thyroid diseases and heart diseases.

Graves disease(GD) is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism in children.GD is an autoimmune thyroid disease which is based on genetic susceptibility and exacerbated by environmental factors including infection, toxin, drugs and stress.Antithyroid drugs(ATD) are the first-line treatment for GD in children.However, many children relapsed after discontinuing ATD, and the relapse rate between different children varied.Till now, exact cause has not been clarified.Previous studies prove that sex, age, micro-element, goiter size, thyroid hormone level, TRAb level, duration of ATD treatment and genetics may affect prognosis of pediatric GD.Yet predictors precious studies identified were variable.

Background::Understanding the characteristics of newly diagnosed primary human deficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in the context of the post-antiretroviral therapy era and HIV drug prophylaxis is essential for achieving the new target of 95-95-95-95 by 2025. This study reported the characteristics of newly diagnosed primary HIV-1 infection in Shenzhen.Methods::This is a real-world retrospective study. Eighty-seven newly diagnosed primary HIV-1-infected patients were recruited from January 2021 to March 2022 at the Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen. Demographic, epidemiological, diagnostic, drug resistance, and medical data were described and analyzed.Results::Overall, 96.6% (84/87) of the newly identified primary HIV-1-infected patients were male, including 88.5% (77/87) men have sex with men (MSM), with a median age of 29.0 years (Q 1-Q 3: 24.0-34.0 years); of these, 85.1% (74/87) reported high-risk sexual behaviors with casual partners. The rate of condom usage was only 28.7% (25/87). The overall rate of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) was 8.0% (7/87, including 4 PrEP and 3 PEP cases) around the potential exposure, although 41.4% of the patients had prior awareness of such interventions. Moreover, only 19.5% (17/87) had previously used PrEP or PEP. Of those, 58.8% (10/17) of the patients obtained drugs from the internet, and only 35.3% (6/17) reported good compliance. A total of 54.0% (47/87) of subjects were diagnosed by the HIV nucleic acid test. Acute retroviral syndrome appeared in 54.0% (47/87) of patients. The prevalence of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) mutation was 33.9% (19/56), including 6 (10.7%) against nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) plus non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), 8 (14.3%) against NNRTI, and 5 (8.9%) against protease inhibitor (PI) only. Conclusions::Owing to the low utilization rate and incorrect usage of PrEP and PEP, massive efforts are needed to promote HIV-preventive strategies in the MSM population. The extremely high prevalence of TDR mutation in this population implies the need for future pretreatment drug resistance surveillance.

The clinical data of a patient with maturity-onset diabetes of the young 11 (MODY11) caused by B lymphocyte kinase( BLK) gene mutations in Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University in August 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.The diabetes mellitus epidemiologic investigation was carried out on the patient′s family.The 13-year-old boy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the local hospital 6 months ago.Physical examination showed that he was 65.5 kg in weight, 169.2 cm in height and 22.9 kg/m 2 in the body mass index.He was overweight without acanthosis nigricans.Laboratory measurements revealed fasting blood glucose 11.79 mmol/L, fasting insulin 18.05 mmol/L, and fasting C-peptide 1.12 mmol/L.The glycosylated hemoglobin was 12.0%, while the islet antibodies were all negative.Among 4 consecutive generations of this family, 11 members presented with diabetes, 8 cases of who were treated with insulin and 3 cases with oral hypoglycemic drugs.The whole exome sequencing identified a heterozygous mutation in exon 9 of BLK (c.809C>T) in this patient and his mother.This mutation caused the amino acid change p. T270M (threonine>methionine). Many cases of MODY are misdiagnosed as either type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes.MODY11 is rare, mostly characterized by overweight or obesity, insufficient serum insulin secretion and commonly insulin dependence.

Objective:To summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected with Delta variant, so as to provide further references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods:A real-world study was conducted to analyze the characteristics of 166 COVID-19 patients infected with Delta variant at Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University.Results:The study enrolled 5 asymptomatic cases, 123 non-severe cases (mild and moderate type), and 38 severe cases (severe and critical type). Among these patients, 69 (41.6%) were male and 97 (58.4%) were female, with a mean age of 47.0±23.5 years. Thirty-nine cases (23.5%) had received 1 or 2 doses of inactivated vaccine. The incidence of severe COVID-19 cases was 7.7% in 2-doses vaccinated patients, which was lower than that of 11.5% in 1-dose and 26.8% in unvaccinated patients. The proportion of severe cases in 2 dose-vaccinated patients was 7.7%, which was lower than that of 11.5% in 1-dose vaccinated patients and 26.8% in unvaccinated patients, but the difference was not significant ( P>0.05). The most common clinical symptom was fever (134 cases, 83.2%), and 39.1% of cases presented with high-grade fever (≥39 °C); other symptoms were cough, sputum, fatigue, and xerostomia. The proportion of fever in severe cases was significantly higher than that of non-severe cases (97.4% vs. 76.4%, P<0.01). Similarly, the proportion of severe cases with high peak temperature (≥39 ℃) () was also higher than that of non-severe cases (65.8% vs. 30.9%, P<0.01). The median minimal Cycle threshold (Ct) values of viral nucleic acid N gene and ORFlab gene were 20.3 and 21.5, respectively, and the minimum Ct values were 11.9 and 13.5, respectively. Within 48 h of admission, 9.0% of cases presented with decreased white blood cell counts, and 52.4% with decreased lymphocyte counts. The proportions of increased C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A, interleukin 6, and interleukin 10 were 32.5%, 57.4%, 65.3%, and 35.7%, respectively. The proportions of elevated C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A and interleukin-6 in severe cases were significantly higher than those in non-severe cases ( P<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that older age and higher peak temperature were associated with a higher likelihood of severe cases ( OR>3, 95% CI: 2-7, P<0.01). In terms of treatment, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was used in 97.6% of non-severe cases and 100% in severe cases. Other treatments included respiratory and nutritional support, immunotherapy (such as neutralizing antibodies and plasma of recovered patients). The median times from admission to progression to severe cases, of fever clearance, and of nucleic acid conversion were 5 days, 6 days and 19 days, respectively. No deaths were reported within 28 days. Conclusions:The symptoms of Delta variant infection in Guangzhou are characterized by a high proportion of fever, high peak temperature, long duration of fever, high viral load, a long time to nucleic acid conversion, and a high incidence of severe cases. The severe cases exhibit a higher percentage of elderly patients, a longer duration of fever and have a higher fever rate and a higher hyperthermia rate than non-severe cases. Age and hyperthermia are independent risk factors for progression to severe disease. The combination of TCM and Western medicine can control the progression of the disease effectively.

The clinical data of a child with SHORT syndrome caused by PIK3R1 gene mutation in Children′s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University was retrospectively analyzed.The patient was a 11 years old and 5 months Chinese girl initially hospitalized due to polyuria, polyphagia and polydipsia in the past 2 months.Physical examination showed decreased subcutaneous fat on the face, a triangular-shaped face, ocular depression, a wide nose bridge, hypoplastic nasal alae, columnar depression in the low part of the nose, downturned lips, hyperpigmentation of the skin of the neck, axillae, cubital and popliteal fossae and groins (acanthosis nigricans). Besides, slight cubitus valgus and hyperextension were observed.Laboratory tests showed diabetes mellitus with insulin resistance.Whole exome sequencing identified a de novo heterozygous PIK3R1 mutation (c.1945C>T, p.Arg649Trp), SHORT syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disorder, characterized by special facial appearance, lipodystrophy and insulin resistance.Molecular analysis of the PIK3R1 gene permits confirmation of the diagnosis.The patients with SHORT syndrome require multidisciplinary management, and early diagnosis can prevent complications and reduce the burden on the family.

Objective:To investigate the expression of Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1(PDK1), phosphorylated Pyruvate dehydrogenase (p-PDH) and Pyruvate kinase isozyme type M2 (PKM2) based on Warburg effect pathway in cervical cancer tissues, and explore the roles of these molecules on prognosis and recurrence after postoperative radiation.Methods:The expressions of PDK1, p-PDH and PKM2 in primary tissues of 102 patients with cervical cancer were detected by immunohistochemistry, including 63 patients receiving postoperative radiation. The expression of the three molecules on prognosis and the efficacy of postoperative radiation on cervical cancer were analyzed separately and corporately.The level of mRNA were verified by using the 300 patients from GEO database. Kaplan-Meier method and COX proportional hazards regression model were used for univariate and multivariate analysis.Results:High expression of PDK1 and all the three indicators (PDK1 high/p-PDH high/PKM2 high) were positively correlated with pelvic lymphnode metastasis ( χ2=10.890, 7.407, P<0.05). PDK1 high/p-PDH high/PKM2 high, Federation International of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging, pelvic lymph node metastasis and postoperative radiation could affect the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) ( P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that PDK1 high /PDH high/PKM2 high, FIGO staging and postoperative radiation were the independent prognosis factors for OS and DFS( P<0.05). The verification result of the GEO dataset showed that PDK1 high/PDH high/PKM2 high was the risk factor for DFS( P<0.05). Pathological type, pelvic lymph node metastasis and PDK1 high/p-PDH high/PKM2 high could affect the DFS of those patients with postoperative radiation ( P<0.05). In addition, the multivariate analysis showed that pathological type and PDK1 high /p-PDH high/PKM2 high were the independent prognosis factors for DFS( P<0.05). Conclusions:The patients of PDK1 high /p-PDH high/PKM2 high phenotype have poor prognosis and DFS with postoperative radiation, which may be a high-risk group with poor prognosis and high recurrence rate after postoperative radiotherapy of stageⅠ-Ⅱ B cervical cancer.This study provides a novel strategy for stratified treatment of cervical cancer.