OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the strategies and outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART) for fertility preservation and promotion in women with malignant tumors, and to analyze ART outcomes across different tumor types. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of female patients who underwent ART for fertility preservation or treatment at the Reproductive Center of the Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2023. A total of 163 ART-aided pregnancy patients with malignant tumors were included in the case group, among which 6 patients underwent embryo cryopreservation for fertility preservation before radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Additionally, 11 unmarried women underwent oocyte cryopreservation due to borderline ovarian tumors, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, or hematological malignancies. The control group was selected from women without a history of malignant tumors who received ART treatment during the same period, using propensity score matching at a ratio of 1∶2, resulting in 326 cases. Data were collected through the reproductive medical record system and telephone follow-up (as of October 31, 2024). Baseline characteristics, controlled ovarian hyperstimulation parameters, laboratory indicators, and pregnancy outcomes were compared between case and control groups and among patients with different tumor types, and the tumor recurrence of the patients was followed up. RESULTS: Patients in the case group had significantly lower ovarian reserve (AMH, AFC) and a higher proportion of diminished ovarian reserve compared to the control group (all P<0.01). Regarding the ovulation induction protocol, the proportion of patients using the minimal stimulation protocol in the case group was significantly higher than that in the control group (29.45% vs. 12.88%, P<0.01), and the total dosage of gonadotropins used was lower (P<0.01). In terms of assisted reproductive outcomes, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the number of retrieved oocytes, number of high-quality embryos, fertilization rate, cumulative pregnancy rate, cumulative live birth rate, or miscarriage rate (all P>0.05). However, the number of oocyte retrieval cycles and embryo transfer cycles required to achieve a live birth outcome in the case group were significantly higher than those in the control group (both P<0.05). Subgroup analysis showed that there were no significant differences in cumulative pregnancy rate and live birth rate among patients with different tumor types (thyroid cancer, reproductive system tumors, breast cancer, lung cancer). Nevertheless, lung cancer patients had the lowest ovarian reserve and required the most oocyte retrieval cycles due to their older age; breast cancer patients had a relatively lower fertilization rate partially because some of them were complicated with male factors. A follow-up of 154 tumor patients (with a follow-up rate of 88.5%) revealed that 6 patients (4.20%) had tumor recurrence, and 1 breast cancer patient died due to tumor recurrence. None of the 11 unmarried patients who had undergone oocyte cryopreservation had used the cryopreserved oocytes for assisted pregnancy yet, and 1 patient who had undergone fertility preservation died due to tumor recurrence. CONCLUSIONS Women of reproductive age with malignant tumors are at risk of diminished fertility. ART can effectively preserve and promote fertility, enabling favorable pregnancy and live birth outcomes. It is recommended to initiate a multidisciplinary assessment promptly prior to radiotherapy/chemotherapy and formulate an individualized ART regimen for fertility preservation or promotion, so as to achieve reproductive goals or safeguard future fertility potential.

The regulatory processes in developmental biology research are significantly influenced by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). However, the dynamics of lncRNA expression during human tooth development remain poorly understood. In this research, we examined the lncRNAs present in the dental epithelium (DE) and dental mesenchyme (DM) at the late bud, cap, and early bell stages of human fetal tooth development through bulk RNA sequencing. Developmental regulators co-expressed with neighboring lncRNAs were significantly enriched in odontogenesis. Specific lncRNAs expressed in the DE and DM, such as PANCR, MIR205HG, DLX6-AS1, and DNM3OS, were identified through a combination of bulk RNA sequencing and single-cell analysis. Further subcluster analysis revealed lncRNAs specifically expressed in important regions of the tooth germ, such as the inner enamel epithelium and coronal dental papilla (CDP). Functionally, we demonstrated that CDP-specific DLX6-AS1 enhanced odontoblastic differentiation in human tooth germ mesenchymal cells and dental pulp stem cells. These findings suggest that lncRNAs could serve as valuable cell markers for tooth development and potential therapeutic targets for tooth regeneration.
Humans ; RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism* ; Odontogenesis/genetics* ; Tooth Germ/embryology* ; Cell Differentiation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; Mesoderm/metabolism* ; Tooth/embryology* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Sequence Analysis, RNA ; Dental Pulp/cytology*

Objective:To investigate the value of serum miR-145 and matrixmetallo proteinase-2 (MMP-2) levels in predicting pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer.Methods:125 patients with triple-negative breast cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the Hospital from Jan. 2022 to Dec. 2023 were prospectively included as the study objects, and 130 healthy people matching the age of the case group who underwent physical examination in our hospital during the same period were included as the healthy control group. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the serum miR-145 level of all subjects. Serum MMP-2 levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, patients were evaluated according to Miller-Payne (MP) grading criteria and divided into pCR group and non-PCR group.Results:The serum miR-145 level in patients with tertiary breast cancer was 1.49±0.27, which was significantly lower than that in healthy control group (2.79±0.49), with statistical significance ( t=20.33, P<0.001). The serum MMP-2 level in triple negative breast cancer patients was (153.07±38.36) ng/mL, which was significantly higher than that in healthy control group (84.38±12.63) ng/mL, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=26.13, P<0.001). After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the serum miR-145 level in non-PCR patients before treatment was 1.36±0.21, which was significantly lower than that in pCR group (1.74±0.20), with statistical significance ( t=9.93, P<0.001). After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the serum MMP-2 level in non-PCR patients before treatment was (169.57±30.45) ng/mL, which was significantly higher than that in pCR group (121.61±31.79) ng/mL, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=8.24, P<0.001). Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a significant negative correlation between serum miR-145 and MMP-2 levels in patients with triple-negative breast cancer before treatment ( r=-0.47, P<0.001). ROC curve analysis results showed that serum miR-145 and MMP-2 levels before treatment predicted the sensitivity and specificity of pCR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer were 82.9% and 74.4%, 45.1% and 99.8%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of pCR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for triple-negative breast cancer were 84.1% and 88.4%, respectively. Conclusion:Serum miR-145 and MMP-2 levels are related to the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with triple-negative breast cancer, and the combined application of the two has certain predictive value.

Objective:To explore the effect of complement component C1s on the proliferation,migration and adhesion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)cells and on the growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice.Methods:The C1S mRNA ex-pression of ESCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues(ANTs)were analyzed using NCBI-GEO database.The C1s expression of ESCC cell lines was analyzed with RT-qPCR and Western blot.The knockdown or overexpression of C1s in ESCC cells lines was performed using C1s small interfering RNA(siRNA),C1s short hairpin RNA(shRNA)or C1s overexpression lentivirus,and the cell prolifera-tion was detected by CCK-8 assay,cell migration was detected by cell wound healing assay,cell adhesion was detected by cell-matrix adhesion assay,the expressions of matrix metalloproteinases MMP1 and MMP13 were detected by Western blot,and the effect of C1s on the growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice was detected by subcutaneous tumorigenesis assay in nude mice.The expression of CD34 in the xenograft tumors was detected by immunohistochemistry,and the formation of tumor microvessel was analyzed.Results:The expression of C1S mRNA in ESCC tissues was significantly higher than that in ANTs.Knockdown of C1s significantly suppressed proliferation,migration and cell-matrix adhesion of ESCC cells,as well as growth of xenograft tumors in nude mice,while overexpres-sion of C1s had the opposite effects.The expressions of MMP1 and MMP13 were decreased in ESCC cells TE-1 with C1s knockdown.Compared with control group,the microvessel of the xenograft tumors in the C1s overexpression group were more abundant.Conclu-sion:C1s is significantly upregulated in ESCC tissues,and promotes proliferation,migration,cell-matrix adhesion of ESCC cells,and the growth of xenograft tumors.C1s may play an important role in the occurrence and development of ESCC.

Objective To investigate the correlation between the total CSVD burden and fundus vasculopathy,and evaluate significance of fundus vasculopathy for cognitive impairment in CSVD patients.Methods A total of 290 inpatients who taking physical examination in our department from May 2021 to August 2022 were consecutively recruited,and according to their score of CSVD,they were divided into group 0(129 cases),group 1(51 case),group 2(42 cases),group 3(44 cases),and group 4(24 cases).All the subjects underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging,fundus fluorescein angiography,and cognitive function assessment.The total CSVD burden and fundus vasculopathy were evaluated.The general clinical data,results of laboratory tests,fundus vascularization,and cognitive function were compared among the groups with different CSVD burden scores.Spearman correlation analysis and linear correlation analysis were used to explore the correlation between total CSVD burden score and fundus vascular disease.Results Significant differences were observed in terms of age,years of education,cerebral infarction/TIA,total cho-lesterol,LDL-C,creatinine,MoC A and MMSE scores,positive results of connectivity test,digit-symbol conversion test,Stroop colour-word interference test and verbal fluency test,values of CRAE,CRVE,AVR,Scheie grade,DWMH and PVWMH,enlarged perivascular space in the basal ganglia(BG-EPVS),lacunar infarct and cerebral microbleeds(CMB)in different CSVD total bur-den groups(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Spearman correlation analysis showed that total CSVD burden was negatively correlated with CRAE and AVR(r=-0.655,P=0.000;r=-0.679,P=0.000),and positively with CRVE and Scheie grade(r=0.560,P=0.000;r=0.685,P=0.000).Multivari-ate linear analysis showed that the total CSVD burden after adjusting for relevant risk factors was significantly correlated with CRAE,CRVE,AVR and Scheie grades(P＜0.01).Conclusion Fun-dus vasculopathy is strongly associated with increased total CSVD burden,and it can be regarded as a valid predictor of CSVD-related cognitive impairment.

Objective:To investigate the application value of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of 18F prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT combined with the minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmin) of biparametric magnetic resonance imaging (bpMRI) in predicting pathological upgrading after radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer. Methods:The data of 89 patients with localized prostate cancer treated at Beijing Hospital from April 2019 to October 2023 were retrospectively analysed. The average age of patients was (68.4±7.0) years old, with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level of 7.7 (5.4, 12.9) ng/ml, prostate volume of 34.6 (26.9, 47.1) ml, tumor diameter of 1.3 (1.0, 1.8) cm, prostate imaging reporting and data system(PI-RADS) score of 5 in 29 cases (32.6%), clinical stage ≥T 3 in 13 cases (14.6%). There were 31 cases (34.8%) in group 1 of targeted biopsy International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP)grading groups, 36 cases (40.4%) in group 2, 11 cases (12.4%) in group 3, and 11 cases (12.4%) in group 4. All patients underwent 18F-PSMA PET/CT and bpMRI examinations before RP. The index lesion, identified as the highest Gleason score in pathological whole-mount sections, were outlined. SUVmax and ADCmin values were calculated from the images' region of interest. Pathological upgrading was defined as the post-RP grade group higher than the targeted-biopsy grade group. Clinical data of patients with and without pathological upgrading were compared. Spearman correlation coefficient analysis was used to assess the correlation between SUVmax and ADCmin. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the factors influencing pathological upgrading. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to assess the predictive value of each indicator for pathological upgrading. Results:Among the 89 cases, 31 cases (34.8%) experienced pathological upgrading. Compared with the patients without pathological upgrading, the SUVmax [11.3 (8.1, 16.4) vs. 6.7 (4.6, 9.2)], SUVmax/ADCmin ratio [3.1 (2.0, 4.6) vs. 1.4 (0.9, 2.1)], PSA [9.8 (6.3, 15.6) ng/ml vs. 7.1 (5.1, 10.5) ng/ml], PSA density [0.3 (0.2, 0.5) ng/ml 2 vs. 0.2 (0.1, 0.3) ng/ml 2], and post-RP ISUP grade group [≥3 group 17 cases (54.8%) vs. 13 cases(22.4%) ]were higher in patients with pathological upgrading, while ADCmin [3.8 (3.0, 5.3) ×10 -4 mm 2/s vs. 5.2 (3.6, 6.1)×10 -4 mm 2/s] and targeted biopsy ISUP grade group [≤2 group 27 cases(87.1%) vs. 40 cases(69.0%) ] were lower (all P<0.05). Spearman analysis showed a negative correlation between SUVmax and ADCmin ( R = -0.227, P = 0.032). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SUVmax ( OR = 1.108, 95% CI 1.020-1.238), ADCmin ( OR=0.607, 95% CI 0.390-0.874), and SUVmax/ADCmin ratio ( OR = 1.815, 95% CI 1.282-2.949) independently predicted pathological upgrading. The AUC of the SUVmax/ADCmin ratio for predicting pathological upgrading (AUC = 0.817) was higher than that of SUVmax (AUC = 0.774) and ADCmin (AUC=0.686), indicating a higher predictive efficiency. Conclusions:SUVmax, ADCmin, and SUVmax/ADCmin ratio can independently predict pathological upgrading in targeted biopsy of prostate cancer. The SUVmax/ADCmin ratio has a stronger predictive value for pathological upgrading.

Objective:To study the growth trajectory and the incidence of malnutrition and clinical events in infants with congenital heart disease in 1 year after surgery.Methods:Children at the age of 1 year or younger who were diagnosed with congenital heart disease and underwent surgery at Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University from January 2018 to January 2019 were included. The age, gender, birth weight and length, and parental height and weight were collected, and the occurrence of clinical events of interest and the children's health as evaluated by caregiver within 1 year after surgery were followed up through questionnaire survey. Malnutrition was defined as a weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) ≤-2 at 1 year after surgery and a WAZ>-2 was defined as non-malnourished.Results:Among the 502 children, 301 were boys and 201 were girls, aged 4.1 (range: 2.0 to 6.8) months, of whom 64.7% were with simple congenital heart disease and 35.3% complex congenital heart disease. The children were generally with mild malnutrition (WAZ<-1 and >-2) before surgery. At 3 months and 6 months after surgery, the children showed a rapid growth catch-up, although failing to reach the normal level, and the trend plateaued at 1 year after surgery. The proportion of children with malnutrition decreased gradually within 1 year after surgery. 47.0% of included children had malnutrition before surgery, and the proportion decreased significantly at 3 months and 6 months, to 17.9% at 1 year after surgery. After discharge, these children suffered from upper respiratory infection most commonly (74.5%), followed by pneumonia (41.2%) and diarrhea (36.7%), and vomiting and constipation (22.1%). In terms of children's health status as evaluated by parents, about 32.0% of families considered their children in poor health before surgery, and the proportion decreased to 6.9% within 1 year after surgery.Conclusion:Infants with congenital heart disease continued to grow and catch up within 1 year after surgery, showing significantly improved nutrition status, but some children still experienced malnutrition at 1 year after surgery.

Objective To investigate the protective effects of Sulforaphane(SFN)against high glucose(HG)-induced human platelet apoptosis and elucidate the underlying mechanisms in vitro.Methods Purified platelets obtained from healthy individuals were pre-incubated with various concentrations of SFN(5,10,or 20 μmol/L)or a vehicle control(0.05%DMSO)for 40 minutes at 37℃.Subsequently,the platelets were stimulated with normal glucose(NG,5 mmol/L)or high glucose(HG,25 mmol/L)for an additional duration of 90 minutes.Flow cytometry was employed to assess platelet mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization(Δψm),exposure of phosphatidylserine(PS),and generation of total intraplatelet reactive oxygen species(ROS).Phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt were determined using Western blot.Results Compared to NG-treated human platelets,HG significantly induced depolarization of platelet Δψm and exposure of PS(P＜0.001).These effects of HG were markedly attenuated by various concentrations of SFN(P＜0.001).Mechanistically,SFN down-regulated the phosphorylation levels of PI3K(P＜0.01)and Akt(P＜0.05),which were increased by HG when compared to the vehicle control,and substantially reduced total intracellular ROS levels(P＜0.001).The inhibitory effects of SFN on HG-induced phosphorylation of PI3K and Akt,as well as its efficacy on total intracellular ROS generation,Δψm depolarization,and PS exposure in HG-stimulated human platelets were completely reversed by a specific agonist for PI3K,740 Y-P.Conclusions The current study demonstrates that SFN exerts a protective effect on platelet apoptosis induced by HG,potentially through the down-regulation of the PI3K/Akt-mediated pathway in human platelets in vitro.These findings suggest that SFN may hold promise for improving thrombosis in diabetes mellitus and related chronic metabolic diseases.

Objective:To retrieve, evaluate, and integrate the best evidence for prevention of hemodialysis catheter thrombosis, so as to provide evidence-based basis for catheter thrombosis prevention in hemodialysis patients.Methods:Guidelines, clinical decisions, evidence summaries, systematic reviews, and expert consensus on the prevention of hemodialysis catheter thrombosis were systematically searched on Guidelines International Network, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, UpToDate, British Medical Journal (BMJ) Best Practice, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-Based Health Care Center Database, European Renal Association, National Kidney Foundation, UK Kidney Association, Canadian Society of Nephrology, Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy, Medlive, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, and Wanfang Data and Chinese Biomedical Database. The search period was from database establishment to March 31, 2023. Investigators conducted quality evaluations separately and extracted and summarized evidence based on the theme.Results:A total of 16 articles were included, including five clinical decisions, four guidelines, two evidence summaries, and five expert consensuses. Finally, 15 best pieces of evidence were formed, including four themes of indwelling dialysis catheters, anticoagulation strategies, flushing and sealing techniques, and daily management.Conclusions:Nursing staff should choose the best evidence for preventing thrombosis in hemodialysis catheters based on clinical situations, reduce the occurrence of catheter thrombosis, extend the usage time of catheters, and improve patient outcomes.

Objective:To compare the predictive ability of SpO 2/FiO 2(S/F) and ROX index on the failure of high-flow nasal cannula(HFNC)therapy in children with acute respiratory failure after congenital heart disease surgery, and to identify the best cut-off point. Methods:Through a case-control study, the clinical data of 371 children with acute respiratory failure after congenital heart surgery treated with HFNC admitted to Guangzhou Women and Children′s Medical Center from January 2018 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The primary outcome was the need for re-intubation within 48 h after extubation of invasive ventilation.The ability of S/F and ROX index to predict HFNC failure was compared, and the optimal cut-off point was determined based on the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic curve.Results:A total of 371 children were included, of whom 27 (7.3%) eventually required mechanical ventilation within 48 h. The S/F prediction accuracy was highest after 6 h of HFNC treatment(AUC=0.712, 95% CI 0.599-0.825, P=0.001), and the best cut-off point for S/F was 178 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)(sensitivity 74.9%, specificity 69.6%). Whereas the prediction accuracy of the ROX index was highest after 12 hours of HFNC treatment, the AUC was 0.737(95% CI 0.623-0.851, P=0.002), and the best cut-off point of the ROX index was 5.865(sensitivity 72.4% specificity 66.7%). The difference in AUC between S/F after 6 h of HFNC treatment and ROX after 12 h was not statistically significant ( P=0.444), with higher sensitivity and specificity, and earlier prediction time(6 hours) in the former. Conclusion:Children with acute respiratory failure after congenital heart surgery have a strong predictive ability of S/F after 6 h of HFNC treatment, and the risk of HFNC treatment failure is higher in children with S/F <178 mmHg.