Prenatal diagnosis and genetic analysis of small supernumerary marker chromosomes in the eastern chinese han population: A retrospective study of 36 cases.

BACKGROUND: Small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMCs) are additional chromosomes with unclear structures and origins, and their correlations with clinical fetal phenotypes remain incompletely understood, which reduces the accuracy of genetic counseling. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a cohort of 36 cases of sSMCs diagnosed in our center. We performed G-banding and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA). The resulting karyotypes were compared with case reports in the literature and various databases including OMIM, DECIPHER, ClinVar, ClinGen, ISCA, DGV, and PubMed. RESULTS: Karyotype analysis data revealed that 19 out of 36 fetuses were mosaic. Copy number variants (CNVs) analysis results showed that 27 out of 36 fetuses harbored pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants. Among these 27 cases, 11 fetuses carried sex chromosome-related CNVs, including 4 female cases exhibiting Turner syndrome phenotypes and 7 cases showing Y chromosome deletions. In the remaining 16 fetuses with autosomal CNVs, 9 fetuses carried variants associated with Cat eye syndrome, Emanuel syndrome, Tetrasomy 18p, and 15q11-q13 duplication syndrome. Among these, 22 fetuses were terminated, and the remaining 5 fetuses were delivered and developed normally. Additionally, we identified a few variants with unclear pathogenicity. CONCLUSION: Cytogenetic analysis is essential for identifying the pathogenicity of sSMCs and increasing the accuracy of genetic counseling.

NOVA1 prevents overactivation of the unfolded protein response and facilitates chromatin access during human white adipogenesis.

The molecular mechanism underlying white adipogenesis in humans has not been fully elucidated beyond the transcriptional level. Here, we found that the RNA-binding protein NOVA1 is required for the adipogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. By thoroughly exploring the interactions between NOVA1 and its binding RNA, we proved that NOVA1 deficiency resulted in the aberrant splicing of DNAJC10 with an in-frame premature stop codon, reduced DNAJC10 expression at the protein level and hyperactivation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Moreover, NOVA1 knockdown abrogated the down-regulation of NCOR2 during adipogenesis and up-regulated the 47b+ splicing isoform, which led to decreased chromatin accessibility at the loci of lipid metabolism genes. Interestingly, these effects on human adipogenesis could not be recapitulated in mice. Further analysis of multispecies genomes and transcriptomes indicated that NOVA1-targeted RNA splicing is evolutionarily regulated. Our findings provide evidence for human-specific roles of NOVA1 in coordinating splicing and cell organelle functions during white adipogenesis.

Porphyromonas gingivalis with collagen immunization induces ACPA-positive rheumatoid arthritis in C3H mice.

The pathogenic anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) are thought to play a vital role in the initiation and immune maintenance of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, it is noteworthy that ACPA is not a salient characteristic of any conventional RA animal model. Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) is the first microorganism identified to induce citrullination and a target of autoantibodies in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thus, we employed C3H mice with specific MHC types and combined Pg infection with collagen immunity to develop an animal model of ACPA-positive RA. The resulting model exhibited citrullination characteristics, as well as pathological and immune cell changes. 1) Mice showed a significant increase in ACPA levels, and various organs and tissues exhibited elevated levels of citrullinated protein. 2) The mice experienced heightened pain, inflammation, and bone destruction. 3) The spleen and lymph nodes of the mice showed a significant increase in the proportion of Tfh-GCB cell subpopulations responsible for regulating autoantibody production. In conclusion, the C3H mouse model of Pg infection with collagen immunity demonstrated significant alterations in ACPA levels, citrullinated protein expression, and immune cell subpopulations, which could be a crucial factor leading to increased pain, inflammation, and bone destruction.

A viral movement protein co-opts endoplasmic reticulum luminal-binding protein and calreticulin to promote intracellular movement.

Intracellular movement is an important step for the initial spread of virus in plants during infection. This process requires virus-encoded movement proteins (MPs) and their interaction with host factors. Despite the large number of known host factors involved in the movement of different viruses, little is known about host proteins that interact with one of the MPs encoded by potexviruses, the triple-gene-block protein 3 (TGBp3). The main obstacle lies in the relatively low expression level of potexviral TGBp3 in hosts and the weak or transient nature of interactions. Here, we used TurboID-based proximity labeling to identify the network of proteins directly or indirectly interacting with the TGBp3 of a potexvirus, Bamboo mosaic virus (BaMV). Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) luminal-binding protein 4 and calreticulin 3 of Nicotiana benthamiana (NbBiP4 and NbCRT3, respectively) associated with the functional TGBp3-containing BaMV movement complexes, but not the movement-defective mutant, TGBp3M. Fluorescent microscopy revealed that TGBp3 colocalizes with NbBiP4 or NbCRT3 and the complexes move together along ER networks to cell periphery in N. benthamiana. Loss- and gain-of-function experiments revealed that NbBiP4 or NbCRT3 is required for the efficient spread and accumulation of BaMV in infected leaves. In addition, overexpression of NbBiP4 or NbCRT3 enhanced the targeting of BaMV TGBp1 to plasmodesmata (PD), indicating that NbBiP4 and NbCRT3 interact with TGBp3 to promote the intracellular transport of virion cargo to PD that facilitates virus cell-to-cell movement. Our findings revealed additional roles for NbBiP4 and NbCRT3 in BaMV intracellular movement through ER networks or ER-derived vesicles to PD, which enhances the spread of BaMV in N. benthamiana.

Far-infrared radiation and its therapeutic parameters: A superior alternative for future regenerative medicine?

In future regenerative medicine, far-infrared radiation (FIR) may be an essential component of optical therapy. Many studies have confirmed or validated the efficacy and safety of FIR in various diseases, benefiting from new insights into FIR mechanisms and the excellent performance of many applications. However, the lack of consensus on the biological effects and therapeutic parameters of FIR limits its practical applications in the clinic. In this review, the definition, characteristics, and underlying principles of the FIR are systematically illustrated. We outline the therapeutic parameters of FIR, including the wavelength range, power density, irradiation time, and distance. In addition, the biological effects, potential molecular mechanisms, and preclinical and clinical applications of FIR are discussed. Furthermore, the future development and applications of FIR are described in this review. By applying optimal therapeutic parameters, FIR can influence various cells, animal models, and patients, eliciting diverse underlying mechanisms and offering therapeutic potential for many diseases. FIR could represent a superior alternative with broad prospects for application in future regenerative medicine.

Fetal agenesis of corpus callosum: chromosomal copy number abnormalities and postnatal follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: Agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC) is an anomaly that can occur in fetuses during pregnancy. However, there is currently no treatment for fetal ACC. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective analysis of obstetric outcomes of fetal ACC to explore the relationship between fetal ACC phenotypes and chromosomal copy number abnormalities. METHODS AND RESULTS: Amniotic fluid or umbilical cord blood were extracted from pregnant women with fetal ACC for karyotype analysis and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA). Among the 48 fetuses with ACC, 22 (45.8%, 22/48) had isolated ACC, and 26 (54.2%, 26/48) had non-isolated ACC. Chromosomal abnormalities were detected via karyotype analysis in four cases. In addition to the four cases of pathogenic copy number variations (CNVs) detected using karyotype analysis, CMA revealed two cases of pathogenic CNVs with 17q12 microduplication and 16p12.2 microdeletion. The obstetric outcomes of 26 patients with non-isolated ACC were followed up, and 17 chose to terminate the pregnancy. In addition, seven of the nine cases with non-isolated ACC showed no obvious abnormality during postnatal follow-up, whereas only one case with normal CMA showed an abnormal phenotype at six months. Of the 22 patients with isolated ACC, six chose to terminate the pregnancy. Postnatal follow-up of 16 isolated ACC cases revealed only one with benign CNV, presenting with intellectual disability. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women with fetal ACC should be offered prenatal CMA, particularly non-isolated ACC. Patients with ACC should undergo prolonged postnatal follow-up, and appropriate intervention should be provided if necessary.

Structures, influences, and formation mechanism of planar defects on (100), (001) and (-201) planes in ß-Ga2O3 crystals.

The ß-Ga2O3 crystal is a significant ultrawide bandgap semiconductor with great potential in ultraviolet optoelectronics and high-power devices. Planar defects in ß-Ga2O3 have been observed in experiments, but their structures, influences, formation mechanism, and controlling methods remain to be studied. We conducted a comprehensive study of ß-Ga2O3 planar defects using density functional theory. We determined the atomic structures of planar defects (stacking faults and twins) on (100), (001), and (-201) planes in ß-Ga2O3 crystals and calculated the formation energy and band structure of each defect. Our results indicate that the formation energy of stacking faults on the (100) plane and twins on the (100) and (-201) planes was extremely low, which explained why these planar defects were observed readily. We also studied the influence of common impurities (Si, Sn, Al, H) and vacancies in ß-Ga2O3 crystals on the formation of these planar defects. Our findings revealed that specific impurities and vacancies could facilitate the formation of planar defects or even make them spontaneous. This research provides critical insights into the atomic structures of planar defects in ß-Ga2O3, and explains why they form readily from the perspective of formation energy. These insights are important for future research into ß-Ga2O3 defects.

Endoscopic lithotripsy combined with drug lithotripsy vs. drug lithotripsy for the treatment of phytobezoars: analysis of 165 cases.

AIM: To analyze efficacy of endoscopic lithotripsy combined with drug lithotripsy as compared with drug lithotripsy for the treatment of phytobezoars. METHODS: We collected and evaluated case records of 165 patients with phytobezoars from 2014 to 2023. And we analyzed demographic and clinical characteristics, imaging features, endoscopic features, complications of phytobezoars, and compared efficacy between endoscopic lithotripsy combined with drug lithotripsy (Group A) and drug lithotripsy (sodium bicarbonate combined with proton pump inhibitor) (Group B). RESULTS: The median age of patients with phytobezoars was 67.84 ± 4.286 years old. Abdominal pain was the most common symptom and peptic ulcers (67.5%) were the most common complication. Bezoar-induced ulcers were more frequent in the gastric angle. The success rate of phytobezoars vanishing in Group A and Group B were similar (92.3% vs. 85.1% within 48 h, 98.7% vs. 97.7% within a week), while the average hospitalization period, average hospitalization cost, second endoscopy rate, and average endoscopic operation time were significantly lower in patients in Group B than in Group A. CONCLUSION: Drug lithotripsy is the preferred effective and safe treatment option for phytobezoars. We advise that an endoscopy should be completed after 48 h for drug lithotripsy.

Peripheral blood circular RNA circ-0008102 may serve as a novel clinical biomarker in beta-thalassemia patients.

Circular RNA circ-0008102 has previously been found dysregulated in ß-thalassemia (ß-thal) in circRNAs microarray (GSE196682 and GSE241141). Our study is aimed at identifying whether circ-0008102 could be a novel biomarker in ß-thal. The peripheral blood of pediatric ß-thal patients with (n = 39) or without (n = 20) blood transfusion and healthy controls (n = 30) was selected. qRT-PCR, ROC curve analysis, Spearman correlation analysis, and FISH were used to analyze clinical value of circ-0008102. qRT-PCR confirmed that circ-0008102 expression in pediatric ß-thal patients without blood transfusion was significantly higher. ROC curves analysis showed that the AUC of circ-0008102 for differentiating patients without blood transfusion from patients with blood transfusion and healthy controls with an AUC of 0.733 and 0.711. Furthermore, circ-0008102 expression was positively correlated with the levels of RBC, HbF, ß-globin, and γ-globin mRNA, but was negatively corrected with the levels of HbA and Cr. circ-0008102 was mainly located in the cytoplasm. circ-0008102 could induce the activation of γ-globin and negatively regulate the expression of the five highest-ranking candidate miRNAs (miR-372-3p, miR-329-5p, miR-198, miR-152-5p, and miR-627-3p) in K562 cells. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that peripheral blood upregulated circ-0008102 may serve as a novel clinical biomarker for pediatric ß-thal without blood transfusion. WHAT IS KNOWN: • CircRNAs are known to be involved in various human diseases, and several circRNAs are regarded as a class of promising blood-based biomarkers for detection of ß-thal. • CircRNAs exert biological functions by epigenetic modification and gene expression regulation, and dysregulated circRNAs in ß-thal might be involved in the induction of HbF in ß-thal. WHAT IS NEW: • Peripheral blood circ-0008102 maybe serve as a novel clinical biomarker for detection of pediatric ß-thal without blood transfusion. • Circ-0008102 participates in the pathogenesis of ß-thal through regulating γ-globin expression, and negatively regulates the expression of miR-372-3p, miR-329-5p, miR-198, miR-152-5p and miR-627-3p.

Intrauterine ultrasound phenotyping, molecular characteristics, and postnatal follow-up of fetuses with the 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 microdeletion syndrome: a single-center, retrospective clinical study.

OBJECTIVES: The 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 microdeletion is associated with neurodevelopmental diseases. However, most studies on this microdeletion have focused on adults and children. Thus, in this study, we summarized the molecular characteristics of fetuses with the 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 microdeletion and their postnatal follow-up to guide prenatal diagnosis. METHODS: Ten thousand fetuses were retrospectively subjected to karyotype analysis and chromosome microarray analysis. RESULTS: Chromosome microarray analysis revealed that 37 (0.4%) of the 10,000 fetuses had 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 microdeletions. The fragment size of the 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 region was approximately 312-855 kb and encompassed TUBGCP5, CYFIP1, NIPA2, and NIPA1 genes. Twenty-five of the 37 fetuses with this microdeletion showed phenotypic abnormalities. The most common ultrasonic structural abnormality was congenital heart disease, followed by renal dysplasia and Dandy-Walker malformation. The 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 microdeletion was inherited from the father and mother in 6 and 10 cases, respectively, and de novo inherited in 4 cases. In the postnatal follow-up, 16.1% of the children had postnatal abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Fetuses with the 15q11.2 BP1-BP2 microdeletion showed high proportions of phenotypic abnormalities, but the specificity of penetrance was low. Thus, fetuses with this syndrome are potentially at a higher risk of postnatal growth/behavioral problems and require continuous monitoring of growth and development.

Respiratory effects of pressure support ventilation in spontaneously breathing patients under anaesthesia: Randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Lung volume loss is a major risk factor for postoperative respiratory complications after general anaesthesia and mechanical ventilation. We hypothesise that spontaneous breathing without pressure support may enhance the risk for atelectasis development. Therefore, we aimed at characterising whether pressure support prevents changes in lung function in patients breathing spontaneously through laryngeal mask airway. METHODS: In this randomised controlled trial, adult female patients scheduled for elective gynaecological surgery in lithotomy position were randomly assigned to the continuous spontaneous breathing group (CSB, n = 20) or to the pressure support ventilation group (PSV, n = 20) in a tertiary university hospital. Lung function measurements were carried out before anaesthesia and 1 h postoperatively by a researcher blinded to the group allocation. Lung clearance index calculated from end-expiratory lung volume turnovers as primary outcome variable was assessed by the multiple-breath nitrogen washout technique (MBW). Respiratory mechanics were measured by forced oscillations to assess parameters reflecting the small airway function and respiratory tissue stiffness. RESULTS: MBW was successfully completed in 18 patients in both CSB and PSV groups. The decrease in end-expiratory lung volume was more pronounced in the CSB than that in the PSV group (16.6 ± 6.6 [95% CI] % vs. 7.6 ± 11.1%, p = .0259), with no significant difference in the relative changes of the lung clearance index (-0.035 ± 7.1% vs. -0.18 ± 6.6%, p = .963). The postoperative changes in small airway function and respiratory tissue stiffness were significantly lower in the PSV than in the CSB group (p < .05 for both). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that pressure support ventilation protects against postoperative lung-volume loss without affecting ventilation inhomogeneity in spontaneously breathing patients with increased risk for atelectasis development. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT02986269.

Trends in Diabetes Medication Taking and Incidence of Depression in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective Cohort Study from 2010 to 2018.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the trends in diabetes medication taking and its association with the incidence of depression in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHOD: A retrospective cohort of Medicare enrollees with regular care in 2010 was defined from 100% Texas Medicare claims. The impact of medication taking on incident depression was evaluated from 2010 to 2018. Cox proportional hazards regressions were used to estimate the association between medication taking and depression. RESULTS: A total of 72,461 patients with T2D and with regular care were analyzed. Among 60,216 treated patients, the regular medication taking rate slightly increased from 60.8 to 63.2% during the study period. Patients with regular medication taking at baseline had a 9% lower risk of developing depression (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.89-0.94), and the magnitude of the association increased after adjustment of the model for time-varied medication taking (HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.79-0.85). The presence of nephropathy had the greatest mediating effect (23.2%) on the association of medication taking and depression. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated a steady but modest increase in regular diabetes medication taking over a 9-year period and a significant relationship between medication taking and incident depression in patients with T2D.

Genetic analysis, ultrasound phenotype, and pregnancy outcomes of fetuses with Xp22.33 or Yp11.32 microdeletions.

OBJECTIVES: The phenotypes of Xp22.33 or Yp11.32 microdeletions comprising the short-stature homeobox (SHOX) gene have been extensively described in adults and children. Herein, the prenatal ultrasound phenotype and pregnancy outcomes of fetuses with Xp22.33/Yp11.32 microdeletions were analyzed to improve our understanding, diagnosis, and monitoring of this genetic condition in the fetal stage. METHODS: A total of 9,100 pregnant women referred to tertiary units for prenatal diagnosis were evaluated by chromosomal microarray analysis(CMA). RESULTS: Seven (0.08 %) fetuses had Xp22.33/Yp11.32 microdeletions, ranging from 243 kb to 1.1 Mb, that comprised SHOX. The ultrasonic phenotypes differed among these fetuses, with three fetuses presenting abnormal bone development, one had labial-palatal deformity and strawberry head, two had an abnormal ultrasonic soft marker, and one had no abnormalities. After genetic counseling, only one couple underwent pedigree assessment, which confirmed the paternal origin of the microdeletion. This infant presented delayed speech development, whereas other three infants showed a typical postnatal development. In three cases, the parents chose to terminate the pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: The ultrasonic phenotype of fetuses with Xp22.33/Yp11.32 microdeletions resulting in SHOX heterozygosity loss is variable. Prenatal CMA can quickly and effectively diagnose Xp22.33/Yp11.32 microdeletions and SHOX loss, which may help prenatal counseling.

Effect of structured pelvic floor muscle training on pelvic floor muscle contraction and treatment of pelvic organ prolapse in postpartum women: ultrasound and clinical evaluations.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of structured pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) on pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contraction and the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in postpartum women. METHODS: Sixty patients who volunteered for a PFMT assessment at 6-8 weeks after delivery were included in this retrospective analysis. For 5 weeks, all patients had structured PFMT, which included supervised daily pelvic muscle contractions, biofeedback therapy, and electrical stimulation. The main outcomes were POP stage assessed by POP quantification (POP-Q), pelvic organ position and hiatus area (HA) assessed by transperineal ultrasound, PFM contraction assessed by Modified Oxford scale (MOS), surface electromyography (EMG), and sensation of PFM graded using visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: Structured PFMT was associated with better POP-Q scores in Aa, Ba, C, and D (p values were 0.01, 0.001, 0.017, and 0.001 separately). The bladder neck at rest and maximum Valsalva, the cervix position and HA at maximum Valsalva in transperineal ultrasound were significantly better than before (p values were 0.031, < 0.001, 0.043, and < 0.001 separately). PFM contraction assessed by MOS, EMG, and PFM VAS score were significantly improved (all p values were < 0.001). However, no significant improvement was observed in POP-Q stage. CONCLUSIONS: Structured PFMT can increase PFM function in postpartum women but cannot modify the POP-Q stage. Transperineal ultrasonography is a useful method for evaluating therapy efficacy objectively. More randomized controlled trials are needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn about the effect of structured PFMT on POP in postpartum women.

Metrics of Anterior Sclera in Normal Chinese Adults: Anterior Segment Imaging Using the Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography.

PURPOSE: To measure the corneoscleral limbus and anterior sclera parameters of normal Chinese adults by swept-source optical coherence tomography (OCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 56 Chinese subjects with ametropia were evaluated in the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from September 2020 to December 2020, including 26 (46.4%) men, with an average age of 24.7±1.8 years old. The OCT SS-1000 (CASIA, Tomey, Tokyo, Japan) was used to measure the sagittal height, corneoscleral junction (CSJ) angle, and scleral angle. RESULTS: The chord was across the corneal center and the line connecting the center of the cornea and the center of the chord was perpendicular to the chord. The mean sagittal height at chord lengths of 10.0, 12.3, and 15.0 mm were 1,756±72, 2,658±110, and 3,676±155 µm, respectively. The absolute values of the differences between horizontal and vertical meridians at three chord lengths were 54±40, 70±67, and 117±95 µm, respectively. One-way analysis of variance showed that the differences of CSJ angles at 12.3-mm chord and scleral angles at 15.0-mm chord in the four segments were statistically significant ( F values were 32.01 and 13.37, respectively, both P <0.001). The CSJ angles from low to high were 176.53±2.14° (nasal), 178.66±1.84° (inferior), 179.13±1.20° (temporal), and 179.31±1.68° (superior), and 87.5% of the nasal angles were less than 179°. The scleral angles from high to low were 38.35±2.47° (temporal), 38.26±3.37° (superior), 35.37±3.10° (nasal), and 35.30±4.71° (inferior). CONCLUSIONS: The morphology of corneoscleral limbus and anterior sclera is asymmetrical in normal Chinese adults. The nasal side of the corneoscleral limbus has the largest angle, and the superior and temporal sides of the scleral angle are larger.

Vascular access type and prognosis in elderly hemodialysis patients: a propensity-score-matched study.

BACKGROUND: To compare the impact of tunneled cuffed catheters (TCCs) and arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) on outcomes in elderly hemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: A retrospective matched cohort study was performed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to balance the baseline conditions, and we compared all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), hospitalization, and infection rates between AVF and TCC patients ≥70 years old. Cox survival analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for death. RESULTS: There were 2119 patients from our center in the Chinese National Renal Data System (CNRDS) between 1 January 2010 and 10 October 2023. Among these patients, 77 TCC patients were matched with 77 AVF patients. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between the TCC and AVF groups (30.1/100 vs. 33.3/100 patient-years, p = 0.124). Among the propensity score-matched cohorts, no significant differences in Kaplan-Meier curves were observed between the two groups (log-rank p = 0.242). The TCC group had higher rates of MACCEs, hospitalization, and infection than the AVF group (33.7/100 vs. 29.5/100 patient-years, 101.2/100 vs. 79.5/100 patient-years, and 30.1/100 vs. 14.1/100 patient-years, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that high Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score was a risk factor for death. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality between elderly HD patients receiving TCCs and AVFs. Compared with those with a TCC, elderly HD patients with an AVF have a lower risk of MACCEs, hospitalization, and infection.

First Report of Filipino ß0-Thalassemia/ß-Thalassemia in a Chinese Family.

A pregnant woman living in Fujian Province, southeastern China, presented due to a risk of having a baby with ß-thalassemia major, during her second pregnancy, since she and her husband were suspected as ß-thalassemia carriers and their affected daughter was a transfusion-dependent patient. Using the common α-thalassemia and ß-thalassemia genotypes test, the pregnant woman was diagnosed as a ß-thalassemia carrier with ßIVS-2 - 654 (C→T)/ßN genotype and her daughter had a homozygosity for IVS - 2 - 654 (C→T) mutation, however, no abnormalities were detected in her husband. SMRT identified a Filipino ß0-deletion in her husband, and MLPA also revealed an unknown deletion in the HBB gene. Electrophoresis showed approximately 350 bp of the PCR product, and the ß-Filipino genotype presented novel fracture fragments ranging from 5,112,884 to 5,231,358 bp, and lacked a 118,475 bp fragment relative to the wild-type sequence. The daughter was therefore diagnosed with the ßIVS-2 - 654 (C→T)/ßFilipino genotype. Prenatal diagnosis with umbilical cord blood at 27th week of gestation showed heteroztgosity for IVS - 2 - 654 (C→T) mutation in the fetus and continued pregnancy was recommended. In conclusion, we identified the Filipino ß0-deletion in a Chinese family, from Fujian area, for the first time, during prenatal screening.

Pin1 Downregulation Is Involved in Excess Retinoic Acid-Induced Failure of Neural Tube Closure.

Neural tube defects (NTDs), which are caused by impaired embryonic neural tube closure, are one of the most serious and common birth defects. Peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase 1 (Pin1) is a prolyl isomerase that uniquely regulates cell signaling by manipulating protein conformation following phosphorylation, although its involvement in neuronal development remains unknown. In this study, we explored the involvement of Pin1 in NTDs and its potential mechanisms both in vitro and in vivo. The levels of Pin1 expression were reduced in NTD models induced by all-trans retinoic acid (Atra). Pin1 plays a significant role in regulating the apoptosis, proliferation, differentiation, and migration of neurons. Moreover, Pin1 knockdown significantly was found to exacerbate oxidative stress (OS) and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERs) in neuronal cells. Further studies showed that the Notch1-Nrf2 signaling pathway may participate in Pin1 regulation of NTDs, as evidenced by the inhibition and overexpression of the Notch1-Nrf2 pathway. In addition, immunofluorescence (IF), co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), and GST pull-down experiments also showed that Pin1 interacts directly with Notch1 and Nrf2. Thus, our study suggested that the knocking down of Pin1 promotes NTD progression by inhibiting the activation of the Notch1-Nrf2 signaling pathway, and it is possible that this effect is achieved by disrupting the interaction of Pin1 with Notch1 and Nrf2, affecting their proteostasis. Our research identified that the regulation of Pin1 by retinoic acid (RA) and its involvement in the development of NTDs through the Notch1-Nrf2 axis could enhance our comprehension of the mechanism behind RA-induced brain abnormalities.

[Establishment and evaluation of a premenstrual syndrome rat model induced by progesterone-withdrawal and emotional-stimulation].

Premenstrual syndrome(PMS) lacks a highly consistent and feasible animal model that aligns with diagnostic and therapeutic standards in both traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and western medicine, resulting in a lack of reliable experimental carriers for studying its pathogenesis and pharmacological effects. This study aims to systematically analyze the biological implications of PMS from the perspective of the "disease-syndrome-symptom" correlation and establish preparation and evaluation methods for an improved animal model of this disease. Firstly, clinical symptom gene sets related to the Qi stagnation syndromes due to liver depression and blood stasis in PMS in both modern medicine and TCM diagnostic standards were collected through GeneCards, DisGeNET, Mala-Cards, and the System of Foundational Diagnostic Association(SoFDA) database, as well as published literature. Based on the interaction information between genes, a "disease-syndrome-symptom" correlation network of PMS was established. Based on data mining results, an improved rat model of PMS was prepared by combining chronic restraint stress with the classical progesterone-withdrawal mo-del to simulate emotional depression caused by external environmental stimuli during the clinical onset process, inducing pathological damage from both physiological and emotional dimensions. The evaluation of the improved model before and after modification included open field experiment scores, organ indices, ovarian pathological changes, serum levels of estradiol(E_2), follicle-stimulating hormone/luteinizing hormone(FSH/LH), 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT), dopamine(DA), norepinephrine(NE), as well as coagulation parameters and hemorheology indexes. By calculating the degree, betweenness, and closeness centrality of nodes in the "disease-syndrome-symptom" correlation network, 163 core genes with topological importance were identified. Further biological function mining results indicated that core genes in PMS mainly participated in the regulation of the "nervous-endocrine-immune" system and pathways related to circulatory disorders. Mapping analysis of clinical phenotype symptom gene sets suggested significant correlations between core genes in PMS and depressive symptoms and pain symptoms caused by blood stasis. Compared with the simple progesterone withdrawal model, rats subjected to combined injections and restraint stress showed more significant abnormalities in open field experiment scores, ovarian tissue pathology, serum neurotransmitter levels of 5-HT and DA, as well as serum hormone levels of E_2 and FSH/LH. The modified modeling conditions exacerbated the pathological changes in blood rheology, coagulation function, and red blood cell morphology in model rats, confirming that the improved rat model could characterize the "nervous-endocrine-immune" system disorder and circulatory system disorders in the occurrence and progression of PMS, consistent with the clinical diagnostic and therapeutic standards of both TCM and western medicine. The establishment of the improved rat model of PMS can provide a reliable experimental carrier for elucidating the pathogenesis of PMS and discovering and evaluating therapeutic drugs. It also provides references for objectively reflecting the clinical characteristics of PMS in TCM and western medicine and precision treatment.

[Central inflammatory mechanism of celastrol in intervention of obesity-depression comorbidity in mice from amygdala-dorsal raphe nucleus].

This study aims to further elucidate the efficacy targets of celastrol(CEL) intervention in central inflammation in mice with obesity-depression comorbiditiy, based on the differential mRNA expression in the amygdala(AMY) and dorsal raphe nucleus(DRN) after CEL intervention. C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal diet group(Chow), a obesity-depression comorbidity(COM) group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose CEL groups(CEL-L, CEL-M, CEL-H, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg·kg~(-1)). The Chow group received a normal diet, while the COM group and CEL-L, CEL-M, CEL-H groups received a high-fat diet combined with chronic stress from wet bedding. After 10 weeks of feeding, the mice were orally administered CEL for three weeks. Subsequently, the AMY and DRN of mice in the Chow, COM, and CEL-H groups were subjected to transcriptome analysis, and the intersection of target differentially expressed genes in both nuclei was visualized using a Venn diagram. The intersected genes were then imported into STRING for protein-protein interaction(PPI) analysis, and Gene Ontology(GO) analysis was performed using DAVID to identify the core targets regulated by CEL in the AMY and DRN. Independent samples were subjected to quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR) to validate the intersection genes. The results revealed that the common genes regulated by CEL in the AMY and DRN included chemokine family genes Ccl2, Ccl5, Ccl7, Cxcl10, Cxcr6, and Hsp70 family genes Hspa1a, Hspa1b, as well as Myd88, Il2ra, Irf7, Slc17a8, Drd2, Parp9, and Nampt. GO analysis showed that the top 5 nodes Ccl2, Cxcl10, Myd88, Ccl5, and Irf7 were all involved in immune-inflammation regulation(P<0.01). The qPCR results from independent samples showed that in the AMY, compared with the results in the Chow group, chemokine family genes, Hsp70, Myd88, Il2ra, Irf7, Slc17a8, Parp9, and Nampt were significantly up-regulated in the COM group, with Drd2 showing a decreasing trend; these pathological changes were significantly improved in the CEL-H group compared to the COM group. In the DRN, compared with the results in the Chow group, chemokine family genes, Hsp70, Myd88, Il2ra, Irf7, Parp9, and Nampt were significantly down-regulated, while Slc17a8 was significantly up-regulated in the COM group; compared with those in the COM group, Cxcr6, Irf7, and Drd2 were significantly up-regulated, while Slc17a8 was significantly down-regulated in the CEL-H group. In both the AMY and DRN, the expression of Irf7 by CEL showed both inhibition and activation in a dose-dependent manner(R~2 were 0.709 8 and 0.917 2, respectively). These findings suggest that CEL can effectively improve neuroinflammation by regulating bidirectional expression of the same target proteins, thereby intervening in the immune activation of the AMY and immune suppression of the DRN in COM mice.