OBJECTIVE: To assess the application value of copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq) for women with a high risk for fetal anomalies. METHODS: Based on the results of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), 271 high-risk pregnant women were divided into NIPT positive group (n = 83) and other anomaly group (advanced age, high risk by serological screening, repeated NIPT failure, adverse pregnancy history, abnormal ultrasound finding, and abnormal phenotype) (n = 188). CNV-seq was carried out to detect copy number variations (CNVs) in amniocytic DNA from the two groups of pregnant women, and karyotyping analysis of the amniotic cells was carried out for verification and comparison. RESULTS: The amniocytes from 271 pregnant women were detected. The detection rate was 20.66% (56/271) for pathogenic CNVs by CNV-seq and 19.19% (52/271) for pathogenic karyotypes by karyotyping analysis. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CNV-seq had shown that, compared with NIPT positive group, the detection rates for likely pathogenic CNVs and variants of unknown significance (VUS) in other abnormality group were significantly higher [2.41%(2/83) vs. 5.32%(10/188)](P < 0.05). CONCLUSION CNV-seq can well suit the first-tier diagnosis for pregnant women suspected for fetal abnormality. In prenatal diagnosis settings, CNV-seq can identify additional and clinically significant cytogenetic abnormalities. In those with other abnormalities, the detection rates for likely pathogenic CNVs and VUS are higher than with the NIPT positive cases.
Female ; Pregnancy ; Humans ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Pregnancy, High-Risk ; Prenatal Diagnosis/methods* ; Chromosome Aberrations ; Chromosome Disorders/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prevalence and clinical manifestations of ring chromosomes among children featuring abnormal development. METHODS: From January 2015 to August 2021, 7574 children referred for abnormal development were selected, and their peripheral blood samples were subjected to G-banded chromosomal karyotyping analysis. RESULTS: Twelve cases of ring chromosomes were detected, which have yielded a prevalence of 0.16% and included 1 r(6), 2 r(9), 1 r(13), 1 r(14), 2 r(15), 1 r(21) and 3 r(X). The children had various clinical manifestations including growth and mental retardation, limb malformation, and congenital heart disease. For two children with r(9) and two with r(15) with similar breakpoints, one child with r(9) and one with r(15) only had growth retardation, whilst another with r(9) and another with r(15) also had peculiar facies and complex congenital heart disease. The r(X) has featured some manifestations of Turner syndrome. CONCLUSION Ring chromosomes are among the common causes for severe growth and mental retardation in children with diverse clinical phenotypes. Clinicians should pay attention to those with developmental anomalies and use chromosomal analysis to elucidate their genetic etiology.
Humans ; Ring Chromosomes ; Intellectual Disability/genetics* ; Turner Syndrome/genetics* ; Phenotype ; Heart Defects, Congenital/genetics*

Alfalfa(Medicago sativa L.)is the most important legume forage crop worldwide with high nutritional value and yield.For a long time,the breeding of alfalfa was hampered by lacking reliable information on the autotetraploid genome and molecular markers linked to important agro-nomic traits.We herein reported the de novo assembly of the allele-aware chromosome-level genome of Zhongmu-4,a cultivar widely cultivated in China,and a comprehensive database of genomic variations based on resequencing of 220 germplasms.Approximate 2.74 Gb contigs(N50 of 2.06 Mb),accounting for 88.39％of the estimated genome,were assembled,and 2.56 Gb contigs were anchored to 32 pseudo-chromosomes.A total of 34,922 allelic genes were identified from the allele-aware genome.We observed the expansion of gene families,especially those related to the nitrogen metabolism,and the increase of repetitive elements including transposable elements,which probably resulted in the increase of Zhongmu-4 genome compared with Medicago truncatula.Population structure analysis revealed that the accessions from Asia and South America had rela-tively lower genetic diversity than those from Europe,suggesting that geography may influence alfalfa genetic divergence during local adaption.Genome-wide association studies identified 101 sin-gle nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)associated with 27 agronomic traits.Two candidate genes were predicted to be correlated with fall dormancy and salt response.We believe that the allele-aware chromosome-level genome sequence of Zhongmu-4 combined with the resequencing data of the diverse alfalfa germplasms will facilitate genetic research and genomics-assisted breeding in variety improvement of alfalfa.

Objective To explore the relationship between chromosomal abnormalities and diseases in children by analyzing chromosome karyotypes. Methods The chromosome karyotype analysis of peripheral lymphocytes in 5 329 children was performed. Results In all, abnormal karyotype were found in 1 723 cases (32.33％) , in which the numerical chromosome abnormalities were detected in 1 539 (89.32％) , following by 125 cases of structural chromosome abnormalities (7.25％) , 53 cases of sex reverse syndrome (3.08％) , and 6 cases of true hermaphroditism (0.35％). The chromosome polymorphism were detected in 228 cases (4.28％). Conclusions The numerical chromosome abnormalities is most frequent chromosomal aberration and is one of the important causes that result in mental retardation, growth delay and disorders of sex development in children.

Epigenetic modification, especially histone modification, plays an important role in maintaining plant genome stability, regulating gene expression and promoting regeneration in vitro. MtSERK1 is an important marker gene involved in establishing of embryogenic callus during in vitro regeneration of Medicago truncatula. In order to understand the regulation Epigenetic modification, especially histone modification, plays an important role in maintaining plant genome stability, regulating gene expression and promoting regeneration in vitro. MtSERK1 is an important marker gene involved in establishing of embryogenic callus during in vitro regeneration of Medicago truncatula. In order to understand the regulation relationship between dynamic histone modification and MtSERK1s expression during the processes of in vitro organogenesis, the expression of MtSERK1 was analyzed by qRT-PCR, and the modification status of H3K9me2, H3K4me3 and H3K9ac in the promoter region and different regions included in the gene body was analyzed by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). We found expression activation of MtSERK1 was related to the dynamic changes of histone H3K4me3 and H3K9ac in the 5' and 3' regions. This study will provide important theoretical guidance for understanding of the regulatory mechanism of MtSERK1 and also for establishing efficient genetic transformation system of Medicago truncatula.
Epigenesis, Genetic ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Genome, Plant ; Histone Code ; Medicago truncatula ; genetics ; growth & development ; Protein Kinases ; genetics ; Regeneration

Objective Replacement of dexmedetomidine with propofol for maintaining the anes-thesia in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Methods Ninety patients,over 70 years old,undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly divided into 2 groups,propofol combined with remifentanil (group A),dexmedetomidine combined with remifentanil (group B),45 patients in each group.Group A was not treated with any preoperative medication,while group B was treated with loading dose of 0.5 μg/kg dexmedetomidine intravenously completed within 10 minutes. Induction methods were same in both groups,3 # or 4 # laryngeal mask were inserted after induction in both groups.Maintenance of anesthesia in group A treated with propofol 2.0-3.0 μg/ml + 4.5-5.5 ng/ml TCI;Maintenance of anesthesia in group B treated with dexmedetomidine 0.25 μg·kg-1·h-1 +remifentanil 4.5-5.5 ng/ml (TCI).HR,SBP,DBP,BIS were recorded at inserting the LMA (T1 ), beginning of the surgery (T2 ),dissociate the cholecyst (T3 ),withdrawal of the laparoscope (T4 ), extubate the LMA (T5 ).Postoperative recovery time,Steward awakening score and modified OAA/S score at extubation time were recorded.Results No significant difference was found between BIS val-ue of two groups at different time point.Compared with group A,HR at T1-T5 in group B were sig-nificantly lower,SBP,DBP were significantly decreased (P <0.05).There was no significant differ-ence between Steward awakening score and modified OAA/S score at recovery and extubation time in two groups.Conclusion Dexmedetomidine replacing propofol can be safely used in laparoscopic chole-cystectomy with less hemodynamic changes during maintenance of anesthesia in elderly patients.

Objective To study the SLC26A4 mutations in children with non -syndromic hearing loss by ge-netic testing method ,for the purpose of investigating etiology and mutation regularity of hearing loss ,and to provide basic information for the molecular diagnosis of hearing loss .Methods Blood samples and clinical data of 137 spo-radic cases with non -syndromic hearing loss and 126 normal controls were collected .The SLC26A4 gene of the pa-tients and normal controls were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ,then subjected to automatic DNA se-quencing .Results Pathologic SLC26A4 mutations were identified in 23 out of 137 patients ,and in 23 out of 119 bi-lateral deafness ,mutate rate were 16 .79% and 19 .33% ,respectively .SLC26A4 mutations were identified in 19 out of 20(95% ) patients with bilateral LVA .A total of 11 mutations were identified in the present study ,including 4 novel mutations (E29K(c .85G>A) ,R79X(c .235C> T) ,C282G(c .844T>G) ,V285I(c .853G>A) )and 7 repor-ted mutations .In the present study ,IVS7-2A>G was the most common mutation ,and was detected in 19 out of 23(82 .61% ) patients with SLC26A4 mutations .Conclusion SLC26A4 mutations ,the common reason for non -syndromic hearing loss ,were closely related with LVA .IVS7-2A>G was the most common mutation in SLC26A4 mutant .

Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of pituitary apoplexy and investigate the changes and features of endocrine hormones caused by pituitary apoplexy.Methods A retrospective analysis of the clinical and laboratory data of pituitary tumor and pituitary apoplexy was carried out.Results (1) The incidence of pituitary apoplexy was 31.78％,patients were 15-75 (47.5 ± 11.7) year old,most patients were female.(2)Diabetes,coronary heart disease,menopausal hormone therapy,radiotherapy,surgery,and bromocriptine administration may be related to pituitary apoplexy.(3) There was high incidence of apoplexy in nonfunctioning adenoma.(4) According to the relationship between apoplexy and pituitary tumor,cases with pituitary apoplexy were divided into 5 types.(5) Pituitary apoplexy was associated with low serum creatinine,hypernatremia,hyperchloremia,hypoeosinophilia,and hypobasophilia.(6) 61.61％ of the patients had pituitary hormone deficiency,especially the GnH deficiency.(7)98.10％ of the patients were treated by surgery.Conclusion Pituitary apoplexy has its own clinical characteristics,and more attention should be paid in clinical practice.

Objective To investigate the effects of intrathecal(IT)CX3 CR1 neutralizing antibody(antiFKR)on morphine tolerance in rats with bone cancer pain(BCP)and the unlerlying mechanism.Methods Forty-eight adult female SD rats aged 3 months weighing 180-200 g were randomized into 4 groups(n =12 each):group I sham operation(S); group Ⅱ BCP + normal saline(NS); group Ⅲ BCP + IgG(IgG)and group ⅣBCP + anti-FKR.Bone cancer pain(BCP)was induced by injecting Walker 256 cancer cells 10 μl(400 cells/ μl)into the medullary cavity of right tibia in groups Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ.Ten days later morphine 20 μg/kg was administered IT twice a day for 7 consecutive days.Starting from the 8th day NS,IgG and anti-KFR 10 μl was administered IT once a day for 3 consecutive days in groups Ⅱ,Ⅲ and ⅣⅣ respectively.Paw withdrawal threshold to yon Frey filament stimulation(MWT)and paw withdrawal duration(MWD)were determined bcfore(To,baseline)and at 3,6,9 day after intra-tibial cancer cell inoculation(T1.2,3),on the 3rd and 7th day of IT morphine(T4.5)and on the 3rd day of IT NS/lgG/anti-KFR(T6).The animals were killed at T6 after last pain behavior assessment.The lumbar segment(L4-6)of the spinal cord was removed for determination of the expression of CX3 CR1 protein(by Western blot),μ-opioid receptor and TRPV1 receptor(by immuno-histochemistry)in the dorsal horn of spinal cord.Results IT morphine significantly eased BCP at T4,but morphine analgesia was significantly reduced on the 7th day of IT morphine in the 3 groups indicating morphine tolerance which was significantly relieved by anti-KFR in group Ⅳ.IT anti-KFR significantly down-regulated CX3CR1 prolein and TRPVI receptor expression and up-regulated μ-opioid receptor in group Ⅳ as compared with IT NS and lgG in groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ.Conctusion IT anti-KFR can relieve morphine tolerance in the rats with bone cancer pain by up-regulating μ-opioid receptor and down-regulating CX3 CR1 protein and TRPVI receptor expression.

Descending nociceptive modulation from the supraspinal structures plays an important role in cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP). Rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) is a critical component of descending nociceptive facilitation circuitry, but so far the mechanisms are poorly known. In this study, we investigated the role of RVM glial activation in the descending nociceptive facilitation circuitry in a CIBP rat model. CIBP rats showed significant activation of microglia and astrocytes, and also up-regulation of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and pro-inflammatory mediators released by glial cells (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and brain-derived neurotrophic factor) in the RVM. Stereotaxic microinjection of the glial inhibitors (minocycline and fluorocitrate) into CIBP rats' RVM could reverse the glial activation and significantly attenuate mechanical allodynia in a time-dependent manner. RVM microinjection of p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB203580) abolished the activation of microglia, reversed the associated up-regulation of pro-inflammatory mediators and significantly attenuated mechanical allodynia. Taken together, these results suggest that RVM glial activation is involved in the pathogenesis of CIBP. RVM microglial p38 MAPK signaling pathway is activated and leads to the release of downstream pro-inflammatory mediators, which contribute to the descending facilitation of CIBP.