Objective:To explore the genetic etiology of a child with Cowden syndrome 1 (CS1).Methods:A child who had visited the Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital on August 26, 2022 was selected as the study subject. Clinical information of the child was collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the child and his family members and subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES). Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing.Results:The child, a 13-year-old boy, had manifested with severe mental retardation, hyperactivity, autistic behavior, sparse and prominent teeth, macrocephaly, and skin freckles on the penis. His mother had presented with multiple papules, hamartomatous polyps, thyroid adenoma and macrocephaly. WES results revealed that the child has harbored a nonsense c. 781C>T (p.Q261*) variant of the PTEN gene, which was inherited from his mother. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, the c.781C>T variant was classified as likely pathogenic (PVS1+ PM2_Supporting). Conclusion:The c. 781C>T variant of the PTEN gene probably underlay the pathogenesis in the child and his mother. Above finding has facilitated genetic counseling for this family.

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic etiology of four children with Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS).Methods:Four children who had visited the Affiliated Women and Children′s Hospital of Ningbo University between June 2, 2022 and May 8, 2023 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data of the children were collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the children and their parents and subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES). Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing and quantitative PCR (q-PCR) analysis. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Women and Children′s Hospital of Ningbo University (Ethics No. EC2020-048).Results:All children had presented with speech and language delays and intellectual disability. Children 3 and 4 also presented with autistic behaviors. WES showed that the children 1 and 2 had respectively carried a heterozygous c.731T>C (p.Leu244Pro) and a c.2782_2851del (p.Gly928ArgfsTer4) variant of the SHANK3 gene. Sanger sequencing confirmed that their parents did not carry the same variant, suggesting that they were de novo in origin. Children 3 and 4 had respectively harbored a 121 kb and 52.02 kb heterozygous deletion at chromosome 22q13.33, which had both encompassed the SHANK3 and ACR genes mapped to 22q13.33. q-PCR results showed that the deletion of SHANK3 and ACR genes were de novo in origin. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, the c. 731T>C and c. 2782_2851del variants were predicted to be likely pathogenic (PS2+ PM2_Supporting+ PP3) and pathogenic (PVS1+ PM2_Supporting+ PS2_Supporting), respectively. Furthermore, the 52.02 kb and 121 kb heterozygous deletions in 22q13.33 were both predicted to be pathogenic (2D+ 4C, 1.05 in score; 2D+ 4C, 1 in score). Conclusion:The four children were all diagnosed with PMS by genetic testing. Above finding has enriched the phenotypic and mutational spectrum of PMS, and provided a basis for clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling for their families.

Objective In the future,during the landing and exploration of near-Earth planets(e.g.,Mars,Jupiter,etc.),astronauts may take the initiative to start fasting to reduce the amount of load;and it is even more likely that astronauts will take the initiative to fast in the process of manned deep-space exploration in the future,or they may enter a dormant low-metabolism state to save the amount of load to enable the spaceship to fly for a longer period,and to locate in a deeper and farther position.The ability of an individual to maintain cognitive ability and respond appropriately over a period in a long-term fasting state is important for survival.Therefore,the present study focused on investigating the effects of 15 days of complete fasting on dual cognitive control function and its neural mechanisms.Methods Twenty-four healthy volunteers were recruited to participate in the fasting experiment.Behavioral and electroencephalographic data from the AX-CPT Task were collected with event-related potentials(ERP)to assess the effects of 15 days of complete fasting on dual cognitive control in 16 volunteers.Results(1)Behavioral outcomes had significant main effects on response time[F(1,15)=99.41,P?

In order to detect the environmental data of isolated cabin under various environmental conditions,a negative pressure cabin environment detector for aviation was developed,which was composed of a shell,a differential pressure transmitter,a pressure sensor,a carbon dioxide concentration sensor,an oxygen concentration sensor,a temperature and humidity sensor,a data processing module,a liquid crystal display(LCD)screen and USB data interface.It could environmental data such as carbon dioxide concentration,oxygen concentration,temperature,humidity,pressure difference between cabin and outside the cabin and air pressure outside the cabin in real time,the data processing module collected and processed the data,the data and data change curves was displayed in real time by the LCD screen,and the detection data was extracted through the USB data interface.When used in aviation environment,the detector could work continuously without fault for no less than 300 hours,and the average fault repair time was about 30 minutes,with good performance and high detection accuracy,which can provide convenience for the environmental data detection of negative pressure cabins,and is worthy of popularization.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology of a Chinese pedigree featuring non-simplex blepharocheilodontic syndrome. METHODS: Whole exome sequencing was carried out to detect genetic variant and copy number variations (CNVs) in the pedigree. Suspected variants were verified by Sanger sequencing and qPCR. RESULTS: The fetus and its elder brother, father and grandfather were found to harbor a heterozygous c.83delG (p.A29Rfs*55) variant of the CTNND1 gene, which was unreported previously. In addition, its elder brother was also found to be a double heterozygote for a c.235delC (p.L79Cfs*3) variant of GJB2 gene and a c.538C>T (p.R180X) variant of GJB3 gene, which were respectively inherited from his mother and father. CNVs analysis revealed a de novo heterozygotic deletion (1.46 Mb) at 17q12 in the mother, which was confirmed by qPCR. Based on American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines, the c.83delG variant, the c.235delC variant and the 17q12 microdeletion were predicted as pathogenic, while the c.538C>T variant was of uncertain significance. CONCLUSION The c.83delG (p.A29Rfs*55) variant of the CTNND1 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of non-simplex blepharocheilodontic syndrome in this pedigree. The double heterozygous variants of c.235delC (p.L79Cfs*3) of GJB2 gene and c.538C>T (p.R180X) of GJB3 gene probably underlay the hearing loss in the elder brother. The bilateral renal cysts in the mother may be attributed to the 17q12 microdeletion. Above results have provided guidance for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for this pedigree.
Male ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Humans ; Aged ; Pedigree ; Mutation ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; East Asian People ; China

In situ and real-time monitoring of responsive drug release is critical for the assessment of pharmacodynamics in chemotherapy. In this study, a novel pH-responsive nanosystem is proposed for real-time monitoring of drug release and chemo-phototherapy by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The Fe₃O₄@Au@Ag nanoparticles (NPs) deposited graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites with a high SERS activity and stability are synthesized and labeled with a Raman reporter 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (4-MPBA) to form SERS probes (GO-Fe₃O₄@Au@Ag-MPBA). Furthermore, doxorubicin (DOX) is attached to SERS probes through a pH-responsive linker boronic ester (GO-Fe₃O₄@Au@Ag-MPBA-DOX), accompanying the 4-MPBA signal change in SERS. After the entry into tumor, the breakage of boronic ester in the acidic environment gives rise to the release of DOX and the recovery of 4-MPBA SERS signal. Thus, the DOX dynamic release can be monitored by the real-time changes of 4-MPBA SERS spectra. Additionally, the strong T₂ magnetic resonance (MR) signal and NIR photothermal transduction efficiency of the nanocomposites make it available for MR imaging and photothermal therapy (PTT). Altogether, this GO-Fe₃O₄@Au@Ag-MPBA-DOX can simultaneously fulfill the synergistic combination of cancer cell targeting, pH-sensitive drug release, SERS-traceable detection and MR imaging, endowing it great potential for SERS/MR imaging-guided efficient chemo-phototherapy on cancer treatment.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.08.024.].

Background and Objectives: Apoptosis is an outstanding determinant of glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) have been demonstrated to be associated with apoptosis in diseases models. However, the role of hUC-MSCs in GC-induced ONFH via regulating apoptosis still needs further study. Methods: and Results: In the present study, a GC-induced ONFH model was built in vivo through a consecutive injection with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and methylprednisolone. The necrosis and apoptosis of the femoral head was evaluated by histological and Terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl Transferase Mediated Nick End Labeling (TUNEL) assay. The level of collagen and TRAP positive cells were determined by Masson and TRAP staining, respectively. M1 macrophage polarization was assessed using immunofluorescence assay. The level of proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, Interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL-6 of femoral head was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The protein expression of AKT, mTOR, p-AKT and p-mTOR was detected using western blot assay. The results showed that hUC-MSCs treatment prominently promoted the GC-induced the decrease of the collagen level and the increase of TRAP positive cells. Besides, hUC-MSCs treatment decreased necrosis and apoptosis, macrophage polarization, the level of TNF‐α, IL‐1β and IL-6, the protein expression of p-AKT and p-mTOR, and the radio of p-AKT to AKT and p-mTOR to mTOR of femoral head in vivo. Conclusions Therefore, the present study revealed that hUC-MSCs improved the necrosis and osteocyte apoptosis in GC-induced ONFH model through reducing the macrophage polarization, which was associated with the inhibition of AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the application value of peripheral blood circulating tumor cell (CTC) classification in the prediction of preoperative microvascular invasion of hepato-cellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinico-pathological data of 102 HCC patients who were admitted to Zhengzhou University People's Hospital from September 2018 to September 2020 were collected. There were 71 males and 31 females, aged from 29 to 80 years, with a median age of 57 years. Observation indicators: (1) surgical situations; (2) results of CTC detection and microvascular invasion in HCC patients; (3) results of CTC classification and the best cut-off value of CTC classification in the prediction of microvascular invasion in HCC; (4) influencing factors for microvascular invasion in HCC; (5) comparison of clinicopathological features in HCC patients with different cell counts in mesenchymal phenotype of CTC (M-CTC). Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the independent sample t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range) or M( Q1, Q3), and comparison between groups was analyzed using the nonparametric rank sum U test. Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was analyzed using the chi-square test. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the best cut-off value for the risk of microvascular invasion in patients. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed using the Logistic regression model. Results:(1) Surgical situations. All 102 patients underwent surgery successfully, including 17 cases undergoing local hepatectomy, 43 cases under-going segmentectomy, 22 cases undergoing hepatic lobectomy, 13 cases undergoing hemilectomy and 7 cases undergoing enlarged hemilectomy. The operation time and the volume of intraoperative blood loss were 235(147,293)minutes and 300(110,500)mL of the 102 patients, respectively. (2) Results of CTC detection and microvascular invasion in HCC patients. Of 102 patients, there were 36 casas with epithelial phenotype of CTC (E-CTC), 86 cases with hybrid phenotype of CTC (H-CTC), 30 cases with M-CTC, respectively, and the total CTC (T-CTC) were positive in 89 cases. Results of postoperative pathological examination showed that there were 40 cases with micro-vascular inva-sion and 62 cases without microvascular invasion in the 102 patients. Of the 40 patients with micro-vascular invasion, the count of E-CTC, H-CTC, M-CTC and T-CTC were 0(0,1) per 5 mL, 4(2,5) per 5 mL, 1(0,2) per 5 mL and 5(3,8) per 5mL, respectively. The above indicators of the 62 cases without microvascular invasion were 0(0,1) per 5 mL, 3(1,5) per 5 mL, 0(0,0) per 5 mL and 3(2,6) per 5 mL, respectively. There were significant differences in the count of M-CTC and T-CTC between patients with and without microvascular invasion ( Z=-4.83, -2.96, P<0.05). (3) Results of CTC classi-fication and the best cut-off value of CTC classification in the prediction of microvascular invasion in HCC. The ROC curve showed that best cut-off value of M-CTC and T-CTC counts in the prediction of microvascular invasion in HCC were 1 per 5 mL and 4 per 5 mL, respectively, with the area under curve, the corresponding specificity, sensitivity were 0.70 (95% confidence interval as 0.60-0.81, P<0.05), 75.8%, 62.9% and 0.67 (95% confidence interval as 0.57-0.78, P<0.05), 60.0%, 72.5%, respec-tively. (4) Influencing factors for microvascular invasion in HCC. Result of univariate analysis showed that alpha fetoprotein (AFP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), tumor diameter, tumor number, tumor margin, Barcelona clinic liver cancer staging, M-CTC counts and T-CTC counts were related factors influencing microvascular invasion in HCC ( odds ratio=3.13, 0.43, 4.92, 5.65, 2.54, 2.93, 8.25, 4.47, 95% confidence interval as 1.34-7.33, 0.19-0.98, 2.09-11.58, 2.35-13.63, 1.13-5.75, 1.27-6.74, 3.13-21.75, 1.88-10.61, P<0.05). Result of multivariate analysis showed that tumor diameter >5 cm, tumor number as multiple and M-CTC counts ≥1 per 5 mL were independent risk factors influencing microvascular invasion in HCC ( odds ratio=2.97, 4.14, 4.36, 95% c onfidence interval as 1.01-8.70, 1.14-15.02, 1.36-13.97, P<0.05). (5) Comparison of clinicopathological features in HCC patients with different cell counts in M-CTC. The 102 HCC patients were divided into the high M-CTC group of 30 cases with M-CTC counts ≥1 per 5 mL and the low M-CTC group of 72 cases with M-CTC counts <1 per 5 mL, according to the best cut-off value of M-CTC counts. Cases with hepatitis, cases with AFP >400 μg/L, cases with AST >35 U/L, cases with irregular tumor margin, cases with tumor diameter >5 cm, cases with tumor number as multiple and cases with micro-vascular invasion were 22, 17, 13, 21, 18, 16 and 22 in the high M-CTC group of 30 cases. The above indicators were 35, 18, 48, 26, 25, 21 and 18 in the low M-CTC group of 72 cases. There were significant differences in the above indicators between the high M-CTC group and the low M-CTC group ( χ2=5.25, 9.42, 4.80, 9.79, 5.55, 5.35, 20.75, P<0.05). Conclusions:The epithelial-mesen-chymal phenotype of peripheral blood CTC can be used to predict the preoperative microvascular invasion in HCC. Tumor diameter >5 cm, tumor number as multiple and M-CTC counts ≥1 per 5 mL are independent risk factors influencing microvascular invasion in HCC patients.

Objective:To systematically analyze the influence of early removal of urinary catheters on urinary complications in middle-aged and elderly patients after transurethral resection of the prostate.Methods:Randomized controlled trials or clinical controlled trials on early removal of urinary catheters in patients after transurethral resection of the prostate were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Data, VIP database and CBM.RevMan 5.3 was used to analyzed the data.Results:Nine randomized controlled trials and one controlled clinical trial involving a total of 1529 patients were included.The results of meta-analysis showed that there was a significant difference between catheter removal within three days after surgery and removal 4-7days after surgery in the incidence of urinary tract infections[ OR=0.34, 95% CI(0.20-0.58), P<0.01], but there was no significant difference in secondary hemorrhage[ OR=0.86, 95% CI(0.44-1.66), P>0.05].There was no significant difference in the incidence of re-catheterization or secondary hemorrhage between ≤24 hours and 2-3 days after surgery[ OR=1.32, 95% CI(0.57-3.06), P>0.05; OR=3.18, 95% CI(0.32-31.56), P>0.05]. Conclusions:Early postoperative catheter removal(within 3 days)has a clear advantage in reducing the incidence of urinary tract infections, and urinary catheter removal within 24 hours does not increase the incidence of re-catheterization or secondary hemorrhage compared with removal after 24 hours.