Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis risk factors of aggressive NK-cell leukemia(ANKL).Methods:The clinical and laboratory data of 34 patients with ANKL and 15 patients with chronic lymphoproliferative disorders of NK cells(CLPD-NK)admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from September 2019 to December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates,and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze prognostic factors.Results:Compared with CLPD-NK patients,ANKL patients had a younger median age of onset,a higher proportion patients with EBV-DNA≥500 copies/ml,hepatosplenomegaly and hemophagocytic syndrome.They also presented with a higher peak of fever,a shorter median survival time,lower WBC count,PLT count,ALB and Fib values,while having higher LDH,AST,TG,ferritin,CRP and PCT levels.There were statistically significant differences in the morphology and expression of HLA-DR,CD56,CD57,CD16 and CD158 on abnormall cells between ANKL patients and CLPD-NK patients.Multivariate survival analysis revealed that combined with asparaginase treatment could improve patients' survival,and CRP≥ 15 mg/L and Fib＜2.0 g/L were independent risk factors affecting the overall survival of patients with ANKL.Conclusion:The differences in clinical features and laboratory tests between patients with ANKL and CLPD-NK aid in the diagnosis of ANKL.CRP and Fib levels can be used to predict the prognosis of patients,and combined asparaginase therapy can enhance the overall survival of patients.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis(CIP)is a relatively common immune-related adverse event.The current treatment for CIP mainly relies on glucocorticoids,with 70％～80％of patients being controlled by conventional glucocorticoid therapy.However,steroid-unresponsive CIP is often se-vere and can be life-threatening.There is no standard treatment protocol for steroid-unresponsive CIP,highlighting a significant unmet clinical need.This paper reviews the diagnosis,treatment progress,and exploratory research of steroid-unresponsive CIP to provide evidence-based guidelines and directions for clinical and translational research.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis(CIP)is a relatively common immune-related adverse event.The current treatment for CIP mainly relies on glucocorticoids,with 70％～80％of patients being controlled by conventional glucocorticoid therapy.However,steroid-unresponsive CIP is often se-vere and can be life-threatening.There is no standard treatment protocol for steroid-unresponsive CIP,highlighting a significant unmet clinical need.This paper reviews the diagnosis,treatment progress,and exploratory research of steroid-unresponsive CIP to provide evidence-based guidelines and directions for clinical and translational research.

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis risk factors of aggressive NK-cell leukemia(ANKL).Methods:The clinical and laboratory data of 34 patients with ANKL and 15 patients with chronic lymphoproliferative disorders of NK cells(CLPD-NK)admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from September 2019 to December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates,and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze prognostic factors.Results:Compared with CLPD-NK patients,ANKL patients had a younger median age of onset,a higher proportion patients with EBV-DNA≥500 copies/ml,hepatosplenomegaly and hemophagocytic syndrome.They also presented with a higher peak of fever,a shorter median survival time,lower WBC count,PLT count,ALB and Fib values,while having higher LDH,AST,TG,ferritin,CRP and PCT levels.There were statistically significant differences in the morphology and expression of HLA-DR,CD56,CD57,CD16 and CD158 on abnormall cells between ANKL patients and CLPD-NK patients.Multivariate survival analysis revealed that combined with asparaginase treatment could improve patients' survival,and CRP≥ 15 mg/L and Fib＜2.0 g/L were independent risk factors affecting the overall survival of patients with ANKL.Conclusion:The differences in clinical features and laboratory tests between patients with ANKL and CLPD-NK aid in the diagnosis of ANKL.CRP and Fib levels can be used to predict the prognosis of patients,and combined asparaginase therapy can enhance the overall survival of patients.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the modulating effect of neotropics on form deprivation myopia(FDM)in guinea pigs.METHODS Tricolour guinea pigs were randomly divided into normal control group,FDM model group,FDM+saline group,FDM+atropine group,and FDM+neotropine group,with eight animals in each group.Except for the normal control group,the right eyes of the guinea pigs were covered for 14 d to establish a guinea pig FDM model.The drug administration groups were injected with 10 μL of saline,1%atropine,or 1%neotropine into the vitreous cavity once every other day.The changes in the refractive error and axial length of both eyes were recorded for 1 d before the intervention and for 14 d after the intervention.Then,the eyeballs of guinea pigs were taken from the right eyes.HE staining was used to evaluate the histopathological structure of the sclera while sirius red staining was used to detect the collagen protein content in the sclera.RT-qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expressions of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1),matrix metalloproteinase(MMP-2)and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase(TIMP-2)in guinea pigs'sclera.The protein expression levels of collagen type Ⅰ(Col-Ⅰ)and TGF-β1 in guinea pig sclera were detected by Western blotting while those of MMP-2,TIMP-2 and Ki-67 were detected by immunohistochemical staining.RESULTS Compared with the nor-mal control group,eyes of guinea pig in the FDM model group showed a significantly lower refractive error(P<0.01),significant elongation of the ocular axis(P<0.01),scattered distribution of scleral fibre bundles,sparse collagen cells,reduced scleral thickness(P<0.01),and a significantly lower collagen protein content(P<0.01).The mRNA and protein expressions of TIMP-2 and TGF-β1 were lower(P<0.05,P<0.01),and MMP-2 was higher(P<0.01)in scleral tissue.The protein expression level of Col-Ⅰwas lower(P<0.05)while that of Ki-67 was elevated(P<0.01)in scleral tissue.Compared with the FDM model group,there were no significant changes in any of the indexes in the FDM+saline group.The refractive error of the right eyes of guinea pigs in the FDM+neotropium group and the FDM+atropium group were significantly higher(P<0.05),the length of the ocular axis was significantly shorter(P<0.05),the collagen fibres were arranged more tightly,the fibre bundles were distributed more orderly,the distribution of the collagen cells was more uniform,and the thickness of the sclera was significantly increased(P<0.01).Collagen protein contents were significantly higher(P<0.05,P<0.01),the mRNA and protein expressions of TIMP-2 and TGF-β1 were significantly higher(P<0.01),MMP-2 mRNA and protein expressions were significantly lower(P<0.05,P<0.01).The protein expression level of Col-Ⅰwas higher(P<0.05,P<0.01),and that of Ki-67 was lower(P<0.05,P<0.01)in scleral tissue.CONCLU-SION The muscarinic antagonist neotropine inhibits the development of myopia in guinea pigs in the FDM model by reversing both the down-regulation of TGF-β1 and the up-regulation of MMP-2 in scleral tissues and inhibiting the remodeling of the scleral extracellular matrix.

Objective:To analyze the incidence and clinical phenotype of the concomitant extragenital malformations in the patients with female reproductive tract anomalies.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted using clinical data of hospitalized patients diagnosed with uterine, cervical, or vaginal malformations from January 2003 to December 2022 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. The malformations were classified according to American Society for Reproductive Medicine müllerian anomalies classification 2021, and in each type, the incidence and specific manifestations of concomitant extragnital malformations were analyzed.Results:A total of 444 patients were included. The overall incidence of concomitant extragenital malformations was 43.5% (193/444), including urinary system, skeletal system, and other system malformations. Renal malformations on the obstructed side were present in all patients with oblique vaginal septum syndrome (100.0%, 78/78). The total incidence of concomitant extragnital malformations was as high as 8/11 in uterus didelphys, 43.5% (10/23) in unicornuate uterus, 33.6% (79/235) in Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome, 18.8% (6/32) in septate uterus and 18.5% (12/65) in cervical agenesis. Urinary system malformations (30.6%, 136/444) and skeletal system malformations (13.5%, 60/444) were the most common concomitant malformations in all types, in which, unilateral renal agenesis and scoliosis were the most common.Conclusions:Urinary and skeletal system malformations are important features of female reproductive tract anomalies. Urologic ultrasonography and spinal roentgenogram are recommended for all patients with female reproductive tract anomalies.

The Ly-6 and uPAR (LU) domain-containing proteins represent a large family of cell-surface markers. In particular, mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1 is a widely used marker for various stem cells; however, its human ortholog is missing. In this study, based on a systematic survey and comparative genomic study of mouse and human LU domain-containing proteins, we identified a previously unannotated human gene encoding the candidate ortholog of mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1. This gene, hereby named LY6A, reversely overlaps with a lncRNA gene in the majority of exonic sequences. We found that LY6A is aberrantly expressed in pituitary tumors, but not in normal pituitary tissues, and may contribute to tumorigenesis. Similar to mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1, human LY6A is also upregulated by interferon, suggesting a conserved transcriptional regulatory mechanism between humans and mice. We cloned the full-length LY6A cDNA, whose encoded protein sequence, domain architecture, and exon-intron structures are all well conserved with mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1. Ectopic expression of the LY6A protein in cells demonstrates that it acts the same as mouse Ly-6A/Sca-1 in their processing and glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchoring to the cell membrane. Collectively, these studies unveil a novel human gene encoding a candidate biomarker and provide an interesting model gene for studying gene regulatory and evolutionary mechanisms.
Humans ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Pituitary Neoplasms/genetics* ; Biomarkers

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent and debilitating condition that poses a significant burden on healthcare systems. Acupuncture has been proposed as a promising intervention for LBP, but the evidence supporting its specific effect is insufficient, and the use of sham acupuncture as a control in clinical trials presents challenges due to variations in sham acupuncture techniques and the magnitude of the placebo effect. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the magnitude of the placebo response of sham acupuncture in trials of acupuncture for nonspecific LBP, and to assess whether different types of sham acupuncture are associated with different responses. METHODS: Four databases including PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library were searched through April 15, 2023, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included if they randomized patients with LBP to receive acupuncture or sham acupuncture intervention. The main outcomes included the placebo response in pain intensity, back-specific function and quality of life. Placebo response was defined as the change in these outcome measures from baseline to the end of treatment. Random-effects models were used to synthesize the results, standardized mean differences (SMDs, Hedges'g) were applied to estimate the effect size. RESULTS: A total of 18 RCTs with 3,321 patients were included. Sham acupuncture showed a noteworthy pooled placebo response in pain intensity in patients with LBP [SMD -1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.95 to -0.91, I²=89%]. A significant placebo response was also shown in back-specific functional status (SMD -0.49, 95% CI -0.70 to -0.29, I²=73%), but not in quality of life (SMD 0.34, 95% CI -0.20 to 0.88, I²=84%). Trials in which the sham acupuncture penetrated the skin or performed with regular needles had a significantly higher placebo response in pain intensity reduction, but other factors such as the location of sham acupuncture did not have a significant impact on the placebo response. CONCLUSIONS Sham acupuncture is associated with a large placebo response in pain intensity among patients with LBP. Researchers should also be aware that the types of sham acupuncture applied may potentially impact the evaluation of the efficacy of acupuncture. Nonetheless, considering the nature of placebo response, the effect of other contextual factors cannot be ruled out in this study. (PROSPERO registration No. CRD42022304416).

ObjectiveTo investigate the causes of discontinuation of subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy （SCIT） in patients with allergic rhinitis （AR） and / or bronchial asthma （BA） in the Pearl River Delta region， and to improve the compliance of these patients. MethodsIt was a retrospective， multi-center real world study. Patients with AR and / or BA receiving SCIT in six hospitals in the Pearl River Delta region from January 2015 to December 2020 were recruited. The clinical data of all patients were collected， and the patients with abscission were followed up by telephone. ResultsIn this study， 1 244 patients who received SCIT were included. A total of 427 patients stopped SCIT before 3 years （34.3%）. Children， married patients and patients with positive family history of allergy and total immunoglobulin E （tIgE） > 200 U / mL showed relatively good compliance （P<0.05）， while more patients of AR alone stopped SCIT before 3 years than patients of AR complicated with BA （P<0.05）. Patients with high symptom score and drug score before treatment had better compliance （P<0.001）. A total of 279 cases （65.3%） of the non-adherence group were followed by telephone. The first three reasons for discontinuing treatment were the treatment did not achieve the expected effect （115 cases， 41.2%）， factors pertaining to learning and daily life （74 cases， 26.5%） and adverse reactions （29 cases， 10.4%）. The number of patients stopping SCIT decreased gradually with time； the proportion of patients who discontinued treatment due to adverse reactions in the first year of treatment was higher than that in the second and third years （P<0.05）. ConclusionFailure to achieve the expected effect was the primary reason for poor compliance of patients receiving SCIT and discontinuation mainly occurred on the early stage of the treatment. The supervision from family members is helpful to improve the compliance， suggesting that individualized measures need to be taken to reduce the loss of SCIT.