Genome-wide RNA structure changes during human neurogenesis modulate gene regulatory networks.

The distribution, dynamics, and function of RNA structures in human development are under-explored. Here, we systematically assayed RNA structural dynamics and their relationship with gene expression, translation, and decay during human neurogenesis. We observed that the human ESC transcriptome is globally more structurally accessible than differentiated cells and undergoes extensive RNA structure changes, particularly in the 3' UTR. Additionally, RNA structure changes during differentiation are associated with translation and decay. We observed that RBP and miRNA binding is associated with RNA structural changes during early neuronal differentiation, and splicing is associated during later neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that RBPs are major factors in structure remodeling and co-regulate additional RBPs and miRNAs through structure. We demonstrated an example of this by showing that PUM2-induced structure changes on LIN28A enable miR-30 binding. This study deepens our understanding of the widespread and complex role of RNA-based gene regulation during human development.

Intolerance of uncertainty affects the behavioral and neural mechanisms of higher generalization.

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is associated with several anxiety disorders. In this study, we employed rewards and losses as unconditioned positive and negative stimuli, respectively, to explore the effects of an individual's IU level on positive and negative generalizations using magnetic resonance imaging technology. Following instrumental learning, 48 participants (24 high IU; 24 low IU) were invited to complete positive and negative generalization tasks; their behavioral responses and neural activities were recorded by functional magnetic resonance imaging. The behavior results demonstrated that participants with high IUs exhibited higher generalizations to both positive and negative cues as compared with participants having low IUs. Neuroimaging results demonstrated that they exhibited higher activation levels in the right anterior insula and the default mode network (i.e. precuneus and posterior cingulate gyrus), as well as related reward circuits (i.e. caudate and right putamen). Therefore, higher generalization scores and the related abnormal brain activation may be key markers of IU as a vulnerability factor for anxiety disorders.

CRISPR-AMRtracker: A novel toolkit to monitor the antimicrobial resistance gene transfer in fecal microbiota.

The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), particularly those carried on plasmids, poses a major risk to global health. However, the extent and frequency of ARGs transfer in microbial communities among human, animal, and environmental sectors is not well understood due to a lack of effective tracking tools. We have developed a novel fluorescent tracing tool, CRISPR-AMRtracker, to study ARG transfer. It combines CRISPR/Cas9 fluorescence tagging, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and microbial community analysis. CRISPR-AMRtracker integrates a fluorescent tag immediately downstream of ARGs, enabling the tracking of ARG transfer without compromising the host cell's antibiotic susceptibility, fitness, conjugation, and transposition. Notably, our experiments demonstrate that sfGFP-tagged plasmid-borne mcr-1 can transfer across diverse bacterial species within fecal samples. This innovative approach holds the potential to illuminate the dynamics of ARG dissemination and provide valuable insights to shape effective strategies in mitigating the escalating threat of antibiotic resistance.

In Situ Formed Microalgae-Integrated Living Hydrogel for Enhanced Tumor Starvation Therapy and Immunotherapy through Photosynthetic Oxygenation.

The effectiveness of various cancer therapies for solid tumors is substantially limited by the highly hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, a microalgae-integrated living hydrogel (ACG gel) is developed to concurrently enhance hypoxia-constrained tumor starvation therapy and immunotherapy. The ACG gel is formed in situ following intratumoral injection of a biohybrid fluid composed of alginate, Chlorella sorokiniana, and glucose oxidase, facilitated by the crossing-linking between divalent ions within tumors and alginate. The microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana embedded in ACG gel generate abundant oxygen through photosynthesis, enhancing glucose oxidase-catalyzed glucose consumption and shifting the TME from immunosuppressive to immunopermissive status, thus reducing the tumor cell energy supply and boosting antitumor immunity. In murine 4T1 tumor models, the ACG gel significantly suppresses tumor growth and effectively prevents postoperative tumor recurrence. This study, leveraging microalgae as natural oxygenerators, provides a versatile and universal strategy for the development of oxygen-dependent tumor therapies.

Transcription factors MhDREB2A/MhZAT10 play a role in drought and cold stress response crosstalk in apple.

Drought and cold stresses seriously affect tree growth and fruit yield during apple (Malus domestica) production, with combined stress causing injury such as shoot shriveling. However, the molecular mechanism underlying crosstalk between responses to drought and cold stress remains to be clarified. In this study, we characterized the zinc finger transcription factor ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 10 (ZAT10) through comparative analysis of shoot-shriveling tolerance between tolerant and sensitive apple rootstocks. MhZAT10 responded to both drought and cold stresses. Heterologous expression of MhZAT10 in the sensitive rootstock 'G935' from domesticated apple (Malus domestica) promoted shoot-shriveling tolerance, while silencing of MhZAT10 expression in the tolerant rootstock 'SH6' of Malus honanensis reduced stress tolerance. We determined that the apple transcription factor DEHYDRATION RESPONSE ELEMENT-BINDING PROTEIN 2A (DREB2A) is a direct regulator activating the expression of MhZAT10 in response to drought stress. Apple plants overexpressing both MhDREB2A and MhZAT10 genes exhibited enhanced tolerance to drought and cold stress, while plants overexpressing MhDREB2A but with silenced expression of MhZAT10 showed reduced tolerance, suggesting a critical role of MhDREB2A-MhZAT10 in the crosstalk between drought and cold stress responses. We further identified drought-tolerant MhWRKY31 and cold-tolerant MhMYB88 and MhMYB124 as downstream regulatory target genes of MhZAT10. Our findings reveal a MhDREB2A-MhZAT10 module involved in crosstalk between drought and cold stress responses, which may have applications in apple rootstock breeding programs aimed at developing shoot-shriveling tolerance.

Design of a polarization-insensitive broadband achromatic metalens for mid-wave infrared detector.

Metalenses, boasting outstanding focusing efficiency and high-resolution imaging capabilities, have generated widespread usage in fields such as integrated optics, achromatic imaging, and optical holography. In this study, we have developed a broadband achromatic metalens within the detection range from 3 to 5 µm, and it has a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.71 with a remarkable maximum focusing efficiency of 63.8% at the focal plane within the specified bandwidth. We have further delved into the dispersion control mechanism that combines the geometric and transmission phases and optimized the constructed phase response simulation database using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, ensuring a precise phase matching between the actual wavefront and the ideal focusing wavefront. This metalens with its ability to expand the array size has the potential to create a compact infrared imager, which holds significant importance in achieving efficient detection and integration within infrared detectors.

Baicalin circumvents anti-PD-1 resistance by regulating the gut microbiota metabolite short-chain fatty acids.

Baicalin is a small molecule medication used to treat hepatitis. Our research group discovered that administering baicalin orally to mice following fecal microbiota transplantation from patients resistant to ICIs supported anti-PD-1 activity. However, the precise mechanisms behind this effect are presently unknown. In this present study, ATB-treated C57BL/6 J mice received FMT from patients with advanced NSCLC amenable to αPD-1. Additionally, subcutaneous LLC cells were injected into the mice. Baicalin oral gavage and αPD-1 injection were administered to the mice on days 3 and 9 after tumour inoculation. 16 S rRNA, metabolomics, and flow cytometry were utilized to clarify the mechanisms of baicalin's relief of immunosuppression. The results indicated that oral administration of baicalin enriched bacteria such as Akkermansia and Clostridia_UCG-014, resulted in an increase in SCFAs, which improved the ratio of PD-1+ (CD8+ T cell/Treg) and promoted the levels of IFN-γ+ CD8+ T cells and TNF-α+ CD8+ T cells within the tumour microenvironment. In conclusion, baicalin regulates the metabolites of the gut microbiota to improve the PD-1+ (CD8+ T cell/Treg) balance and circumvent anti-PD-1 resistance. This is achieved through the regulation of short-chain fatty acids.

Simple and field-adapted species identification of biological specimens combining multiplex multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification, lateral flow dipsticks, and universal primers for initial rapid screening without standard PCR laboratory.

Species identification of biological specimens can provide the valuable clues and accelerate the speed of prosecution material processing for forensic investigation, especially when the case scene is inaccessible and the physical evidence is cumbersome. Thus, establishing a rapid, simple, and field-adapted species identification method is crucial for forensic scientists, particularly as first-line technology at the crime scene for initial rapid screening. In this study, we established a new field-adapted species identification method by combining multiplex multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification (MIRA), lateral flow dipstick (LFD) system, and universal primers. Universal primers targeting COX I and COX II genes were used in multiplex MIRA-LFD system for seven species identification, and a dedicated MIRA-LFD system primer targeting CYT B gene was used to detect the human material. DNA extraction was performed by collecting DNA directly from the centrifuged supernatant. Our study found that the entire amplification process took only 15 min at 37 °C and the results of LFDs could be visually observed after 10 min. The detection sensitivity of human material could reach 10 pg, which is equivalent to the detection of single cell. Different common animal samples mixed at the ratio of 1 ng:1 ng, 10 ng:1 ng, and 1 ng:10 ng could be detected successfully. Furthermore, the damaged and degraded samples could also be detected. Therefore, the convenient, feasible, and rapid approach for species identification is suitable for popularization as first-line technology at the crime scene for initial rapid screening and provides a great convenient for forensic application.

Metabolomics efficiently discriminates monozygotic twins in peripheral blood.

Monozygotic (MZ) twins cannot be distinguished using conventional forensic STR typing because they present identical STR genotypings. However, MZ twins do not always live in the same environment and often have different dietary and other lifestyle habits. Metabolic profiles are deyermined by individual characteristics and are also influenced by the environment in which they live. Therefore, they are potential markers capable of identifying MZ twins. Moreover, the production of proteins varies from organism to organism and is influenced by both the physiological state of the body and the external environment. Hence, we used metabolomics and proteomics to identify metabolites and proteins in peripheral blood to discriminate MZ twins. We identified 1749 known metabolites and 622 proteins in proteomic analysis. The metabolic profiles of four pairs of MZ twins revealed minor differences in intra-MZ twins and major differences in inter-MZ twins. Each pair of MZ twins exhibited distinct characteristics, and four metabolites-methyl picolinate, acesulfame, paraxanthine, and phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid-were observed in all four MZ twin pairs. These four differential exogenous metabolites conincidently show that the different external environments and life styles can be well distinguished by metabolites, considering that twins do not all have the same eating habits and living environments. Moreover, MZ twins showed different protein profiles in serum but not in whole blood. Thus, our results indicate that differential metabolites provide potential biomarkers for the personal identification of MZ twins in forensic medicine.

A genome-wide association study of panicle blast resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae in rice.

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae), is one of the most serious diseases worldwide. Developing blast-resistant rice varieties is an effective strategy to control the spread of rice blast and reduce the reliance on chemical pesticides. In this study, 477 sequenced rice germplasms from 48 countries were inoculated and assessed at the booting stage. We found that 23 germplasms exhibited high panicle blast resistance against M. oryzae. Genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) identified 43 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) significantly associated (P < 1.0 × 10-4) with resistance to rice panicle blast. These QTL intervals encompass four genes (OsAKT1, OsRACK1A, Bsr-k1 and Pi25/Pid3) previously reported to contribute to rice blast resistance. We selected QTLs with -Log10 (P-value) greater than 6.0 or those detected in two-year replicates, amounting to 12 QTLs, for further candidate gene analysis. Three blast resistance candidate genes (Os06g0316800, Os06g0320000, Pi25/Pid3) were identified based on significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) distributions within annotated gene sequences across these 12 QTLs and the differential expression levels among blast-resistant varieties after 72 h of inoculation. Os06g0316800 encodes a glycine-rich protein, OsGrp6, an important component of plant cell walls involved in cellular stress responses and signaling. Os06g0320000 encodes a protein with unknown function (DUF953), part of the thioredoxin-like family, which is crucial for maintaining reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis in vivo, named as OsTrxl1. Lastly, Pi25/Pid3 encodes a disease resistance protein, underscoring its potential importance in plant biology. By analyzing the haplotypes of these three genes, we identified favorable haplotypes for blast resistance, providing valuable genetic resources for future rice blast resistance breeding programs. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-024-01486-5.

Efficacy of liver free and Chitosan against Eimeria tenella in chickens.

Eimeria spp. are the pathogen that causes coccidiosis, a significant disease that affects intensively reared livestock, especially poultry. Anticoccidial feed additives, chemicals, and ionophores have routinely been employed to reduce Eimeria infections in broiler production. Therefore, the shift to antibiotic-free and organic farming necessitates novel coccidiosis preventive strategies. The present study evaluated the effects of potential feed additives, liver free and chitosan, against Eimeria tenella infection in White Leghorn broiler female chickens. One hundred sixty-five 1-day-old White Leghorn broiler female chicks were divided into 11 groups (15 female chicks per group), including the positive control group (G1), the negative control group (G2), a chitosan-treated group (G3), a chitosan-treated-infected group (G4), the liver free-treated group (G5), the liver free-treated-infected group (G6), the liver free-and-chitosan-treated group (G7), the liver free-and-chitosan-infected group (G8), the therapeutic liver free-and-chitosan-treated-infected group (G9), the sulfaquinoxaline-treated group (G10), and the sulfaquinoxaline-treated-infected group (G11). Chitosan was fed to the chicks in G3 and G4 as a preventative measure at a dose of 250 mg/kg. The G5 and G6 groups received 1.5 mg/kg of Liverfree. The G7 and G8 groups received chitosan and Liverfree. The G10 and G11 groups were administered 2 g/L of sulfaquinoxaline. From the moment the chicks arrived at Foshan University (one-day-old chicks) until the completion of the experiment, all medications were given to them as a preventative measure. G8 did; however, receive chitosan and liver free as therapeutic supplements at 7 dpi. The current study showed that the combination of liver free and chitosan can achieve better prophylactic and therapeutic effects than either alone. In E. tenella challenged chickens, G8 and G9 chickens showed reduced oocyst shedding and lesion score, improved growth performance (body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality rate), and cecal histology. The current study demonstrates that combining liver free and chitosan has superior preventive and therapeutic benefits than either alone, and they could also be used as alternative anticoccidial agents.

A Rare Case of Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia Caused by Autoantibody with Mimicking Anti-D and Anti-C Specificity.

BACKGROUND: Most of the autoantibodies that cause autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) are non-specific. Autoantibodies expressing alloantibody specificity are rare. METHODS: We present the case of a 4-year-old boy with no history of blood transfusion or underlying medical conditions who developed AIHA caused by autoantibody with mimicking anti-D and anti-C specificity. RESULTS: Following treatment with methylprednisolone sodium succinate and transfusion of red blood cells with negative antigens for D and C, along with administration of human immunoglobulin, the patient's condition gradually improved. He was ultimately discharged with a good prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: This report highlights a rare case of AIHA characterized by autoantibody with mimicking anti-D and anti-C specificity. Treatments of these patients could be antigen-negative red blood cells, glucocorticoid and immunoglobulin.

[Study on anti-inflammatory activity of phenolic acids from Leucas ciliata].

The chemical constituents from Leucas ciliata belonging to Leucas genus in Lamiaceae were systematically explored by silica gel column chromatography, ODS column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 gel column chromatography, and preparative high performance liquid chromatography, and seventeen phenolic acids were isolated. The chemical structures of the compounds were identified by their physicochemical properties, spectroscopic data, and literature. They were 4-hydroxyphenethyl ethyl succinate(1), 4-hydroxyphenethyl methyl succinate(2), 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethyl acetate(3), p-hydroxyphenylethyl anisate(4), cassia cis-trans diphenylpropanoid(5), p-coumaric acid(6), 3,4-dihydroxybenzenepropionic acid methyl ester(7), caffeic acid(8), trans-p-hydroxyl ethyl cinnamate(9), methyl p-hydroxybenzeneacetate(10), 4-hydroxyphenethyl alcohol(11), syringic acid(12), vanillin(13), protocatechuic acid(14), salicylic acid(15), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde(16), and diorcinol(17). Among them, compound 1 was new, and compounds 2-10, 12, 14, and 16-17 were isolated from the plants belonging to Leucas genus for the first time. All compounds were obtained from L. ciliata for the first time. The anti-inflammatory activity of compounds 1-17 on NO production in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced mouse leukemia cells of monocyte macrophage(RAW264. 7) cells was evaluated. The results showed that compounds 5, 7, and 9 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity, with IC50values of(10. 14±0. 36)-(21. 17±0. 11) µmol·L~(-1).

Enhanced Detection of Novel Low-Frequency Gene Fusions via High-Yield Ligation and Multiplexed Enrichment Sequencing.

Panel-based methods are commonly employed for the analysis of novel gene fusions in precision diagnostics and new drug development in cancer. However, these methods are constrained by limitations in ligation yield and the enrichment of novel gene fusions with low variant allele frequencies. In this study, we conducted a pioneering investigation into the stability of double-stranded adapter DNA, resulting in improved ligation yield and enhanced conversion efficiency. Additionally, we implemented blocker displacement amplification, achieving a remarkable 7-fold enrichment of novel gene fusions. Leveraging the pre-enrichment achieved with this approach, we successfully applied it to Nanopore sequencing, enabling ultra-fast analysis of novel gene fusions within one hour with high sensitivity. This method offers a robust and remarkably sensitive mean of analyzing novel gene fusions, promising the discovery of pivotal biomarkers that can significantly improve cancer diagnostics and the development of new therapeutic strategies.

[A multicenter study of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen, China]. / 深圳市新生儿脑卒中多中心现况调查.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence rate, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen, China. METHODS: Led by Shenzhen Children's Hospital, the Shenzhen Neonatal Data Collaboration Network organized 21 institutions to collect 36 cases of neonatal stroke from January 2020 to December 2022. The incidence, clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of neonatal stroke in Shenzhen were analyzed. RESULTS: The incidence rate of neonatal stroke in 21 hospitals from 2020 to 2022 was 1/15 137, 1/6 060, and 1/7 704, respectively. Ischemic stroke accounted for 75% (27/36); boys accounted for 64% (23/36). Among the 36 neonates, 31 (86%) had disease onset within 3 days after birth, and 19 (53%) had convulsion as the initial presentation. Cerebral MRI showed that 22 neonates (61%) had left cerebral infarction and 13 (36%) had basal ganglia infarction. Magnetic resonance angiography was performed for 12 neonates, among whom 9 (75%) had involvement of the middle cerebral artery. Electroencephalography was performed for 29 neonates, with sharp waves in 21 neonates (72%) and seizures in 10 neonates (34%). Symptomatic/supportive treatment varied across different hospitals. Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment was performed for 12 neonates (33%, 12/36), with a mean score of (32±4) points. The prognosis of 27 neonates was followed up to around 12 months of age, with 44% (12/27) of the neonates having a good prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Ischemic stroke is the main type of neonatal stroke, often with convulsions as the initial presentation, involvement of the middle cerebral artery, sharp waves on electroencephalography, and a relatively low neurodevelopment score. Symptomatic/supportive treatment is the main treatment method, and some neonates tend to have a poor prognosis.

Cu(I)-Catalyzed Chemo- and Enantioselective Desymmetrizing C-O Bond Coupling of Acyl Radicals.

Transition-metal-catalyzed enantioselective functionalization of acyl radicals has so far not been realized, probably due to their relatively high reactivity, which renders the chemo- and stereocontrol challenging. Herein, we describe Cu(I)-catalyzed enantioselective desymmetrizing C-O bond coupling of acyl radicals. This reaction is compatible with (hetero)aryl and alkyl aldehydes and, more importantly, displays a very broad scope of challenging alcohol substrates, such as 2,2-disubstituted 1,3-diols, 2-substituted-2-chloro-1,3-diols, 2-substituted 1,2,3-triols, 2-substituted serinols, and meso primary 1,4-diols, providing enantioenriched esters characterized by challenging acyclic tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenters. Partnered by one- or two-step follow-up transformations, this reaction provides a convenient and practical strategy for the rapid preparation of chiral C3 building blocks from readily available alcohols, particularly the industrially relevant glycerol. Mechanistic studies supported the proposed C-O bond coupling of acyl radicals.

Copper-Catalyzed Enantioconvergent Radical C(sp3)-N Cross-Coupling of Activated Racemic Alkyl Halides with (Hetero)aromatic Amines under Ambient Conditions.

The enantioconvergent C(sp3)-N cross-coupling of racemic alkyl halides with (hetero)aromatic amines represents an ideal means to afford enantioenriched N-alkyl (hetero)aromatic amines yet has remained unexplored due to the catalyst poisoning specifically for strong-coordinating heteroaromatic amines. Here, we demonstrate a copper-catalyzed enantioconvergent radical C(sp3)-N cross-coupling of activated racemic alkyl halides with (hetero)aromatic amines under ambient conditions. The key to success is the judicious selection of appropriate multidentate anionic ligands through readily fine-tuning both electronic and steric properties for the formation of a stable and rigid chelating Cu complex. Thus, this kind of ligand could not only enhance the reducing capability of a copper catalyst to provide an enantioconvergent radical pathway but also avoid the coordination with other coordinating heteroatoms, thereby overcoming catalyst poisoning and/or chiral ligand displacement. This protocol covers a wide range of coupling partners (89 examples for activated racemic secondary/tertiary alkyl bromides/chlorides and (hetero)aromatic amines) with high functional group compatibility. When allied with follow-up transformations, it provides a highly flexible platform to access synthetically useful enantioenriched amine building blocks.

Isolation and characterization of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria from rhizosphere of poplar on road verge and their antagonistic potential against various phytopathogens.

BACKGROUND: Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) can solubilize insoluble phosphate compounds and improve phosphate availability in soil. Road verges are important in urban landscaping, but the population structure of PSB and their ecological functions in the road verge soil is still unclear. RESULTS: Twenty-one mineral PSB strains and 14 organic PSB strains were isolated from the rhizosphere of poplar on urban road verge. All the mineral PSB strains showed better solubilization to Ca3(PO4)2 than FePO4 or AlPO4. Among them, 7 strains showed high phosphate-solubilizing (PS) activities to Ca3(PO4)2 (150-453 mg/L). All the organic PSB strains displayed weak solubilization to lecithin. 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenetic analysis showed good species diversity of the PSB strains, which belongs to 12 genera: Bacillus, Cedecea, Cellulosimicrobium, Delftia, Ensifer, Paenibacillus, Pantoea, Phyllobacterium, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, Sinorhizobium and Staphylococcus. Moreover, 8 PSB strains showed various degrees of growth inhibition against 4 plant pathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum S1, F. oxysporum S2, Pythium deliense Meurs Z4, Phomopsis sp. AC1 and a plant pathogenic bacterium, Pectobacterium carotovorum TP1. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that these PSB strains could perform multiple ecological functions on road verge. The development and application of bio-agents based on the strains would provide a new strategy for maintaining and improving the ecosystem stability of road verges.

Discrimination of monozygotic twins using mtDNA heteroplasmy through probe capture enrichment and massively parallel sequencing.

Differentiating between monozygotic (MZ) twins remains difficult because they have the same genetic makeup. Applying the traditional STR genotyping approach cannot differentiate one from the other. Heteroplasmy refers to the presence of two or more different mtDNA copies within a single cell and this phenomenon is common in humans. The levels of heteroplasmy cannot change dramatically during transmission in the female germ line but increase or decrease during germ-line transmission and in somatic tissues during life. As massively parallel sequencing (MPS) technology has advanced, it has shown the extraordinary quantity of mtDNA heteroplasmy in humans. In this study, a probe hybridization technique was used to obtain mtDNA and then MPS was performed with an average sequencing depth of above 4000. The results showed us that all ten pairs of MZ twins were clearly differentiated with the minor heteroplasmy threshold at 1.0%, 0.5%, and 0.1%, respectively. Finally, we used a probe that targeted mtDNA to boost sequencing depth without interfering with nuclear DNA and this technique can be used in forensic genetics to differentiate the MZ twins.

Distribution of problematic localized facial infantile haemangiomas and their response to propranolol: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The distribution and response to propranolol of problematic facial infantile haemangiomas (IHs) has rarely been described in the literature. AIM: To map problematic facial IHs and observe their response to propranolol. METHODS: Eligible patients were categorized according to focal location and cohorts corresponding to these (buccal, medial, zygomatic, lateral and multiregional) were created. The primary efficacy variable was regression score ranging from 1 to 4, calculated using results of colour Doppler ultrasonography. RESULTS: In total, 104 patients met the inclusion criteria. There were 32 (30·8%) IHs located in the buccal area, 12 (11·5%) in the medial area, 49 (47·1%) in the lateral area and 1 (1·0%) in the zygomatic area, with 10 (9·6%) IH cases having multiregional lesions. We found that the distribution pattern of most IHs matched the surface projection of the trunk of the external carotid and the facial arteries. Further analysis showed that the median regression score in the buccal and medial groups were significantly lower than those in the lateral and multiregional groups. CONCLUSION: Treatment of buccal and medial haemangiomas tends to be more challenging and their distribution pattern mainly reflects the direction of the facial vessels.