1.Ethical considerations on the be-welling of offspring born from assisted reproductive technology
Hongping WU ; Caihong MA ; Rong LI ; Jie QIAO ; Ping LIU
Chinese Medical Ethics 2025;38(5):663-667
In recent years, the number of special clinical cases related to assisted reproductive technology (ART) for pregnancy has been on the rise annually. For example, gamete donation, assisted reproduction for couples of advanced maternal ages, and the ownership and disposition of embryos when one or both partners pass away, all involve the health of offspring and conflicts of interest in the implementation of ART. Although China’s ethical principles for ART include the protection of the offspring, the detailed rules are vague and urgently need to be supplemented and improved. In addition, the clinical application of ART lacks legislative collaborative governance. The corresponding administrative departments, practitioners, and infertile couples should work together. Starting from the perspective of focusing on the well-being of offspring born from the clinical application of ART, while conducting clinical research to address technical challenges, efforts should be made to overcome ethical dilemmas in the application of technology, comprehensively consider the well-being of offspring born from assisted reproductive treatments and help them seek the best care to promote their healthy growth.
2.Cognitive analysis of multidisciplinary clinicians in fertility preservation in China
Xueling SONG ; Xinyu ZHANG ; Xiumei ZHEN ; Caihong MA ; Jie YAN ; Rong LI ; Jie QIAO
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(5):448-452
Objective:To investigate the awareness levels of doctors from various departments regarding fertility preservation to provide reference and suggestions for further improving awareness and promoting multidisciplinary development in fertility preservation.Methods:From November to December 2023, the China Alliance of Fertility Preservation initiated this survey covering 88 hospitals in 23 cities across 20 provinces in China. The survey focused on the degree of understanding of basic concepts, technological perceptions, treatment concepts, and related challenges regarding fertility preservation. Descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze the difference in awareness levels across various departments.Results:There was a significant difference in the awareness of fertility preservation guidelines among physicians from different departments ( P<0.001). Reproductive center physicians had the highest level of understanding [68.3% (41/60)]. Doctors in the reproductive centers had a higher awareness rate of the five fertility preservation techniques (ovarian tissue cryopreservation, oocyte cryopreservation, sperm cryopreservation, testicular tissue cryopreservation, and embryo cryopreservation) than that in other departments (all P<0.05). Regarding treatment concepts, more reproductive center physicians believed that psychological counselling about fertility preservation before oncological treatment was necessary ( P=0.016). Hematologists had more worries and concerns about fertility preservation treatment. Additionally, 96.7% (58/60) of reproductive center physicians expressed the need to establish effective referral mechanisms within the same city, province, or across provinces. However, 55.6% (35/63) of oncologists, 64.6% (31/48) of hematologists, and 77.8% (7/9) of pediatricians considered treating primary tumors far more important than fertility preservation. Conclusion:Doctors from different departments have varying levels of understanding regarding fertility preservation. It is necessary to strengthen the dissemination and training of fertility preservation knowledge among physicians from various departments, as well as to promote a multidisciplinary treatment model to improve efficiency, to establish a comprehensive referral mechanism to improve patients' opportunities for fertility preservation.
3.Error prevention strategies in gamete and embryo laboratories: establishment and implementation of the "Gamete Safety Checklist"
Hongping WU ; Ping LIU ; Lixue CHEN ; Rong LI ; Jie QIAO ; Caihong MA
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(4):353-357
Since the birth of the first "test-tube baby" in Chinese mainland in 1988, assisted reproductive technology (ART) in China has matured significantly. The number of ART cycles has surpassed one million, and the number of assisted reproductive institutions and practitioners has attained a significant scale, contributing to the establishment of a fertility-friendly society. However, due to the complexity of the ART process, the diversity of personnel backgrounds, and the profound impact of any error that may occur, there is an urgent need to establish an efficient and effective safety management model for error prevention. This paper aims to outline the key processes and steps involved in the implementation of ART, explore control measures for these critical processes, and delve into error prevention strategies for gamete and embryo laboratories through the creation and utilization of a "gamete safety checklist".
4.Clinical application and outcomes of natural cycle and modified natural cycle IVF for individualized assisted reproduction among patients with DOR
Jiaxin LYU ; Wei GUO ; Nana LIU ; Tian TIAN ; Lixue CHEN ; Xiumei ZHEN ; Rong LI ; Rui YANG ; Jie QIAO
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(9):902-909
Objective:To investigate the outcomes of natural cycle (NC) and modified natural cycle (MNC) assisted reproductive technology (ART) in patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), and to provide a scientific basis for individualized treatment strategies for DOR patients.Methods:A retrospective cohort analysis was performed on the clinical data of DOR patients who underwent ART at the Center for Reproductive Medicine of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2023. Patients were divided into the NC group ( n=801) and the MNC group ( n=385) based on their treatment protocol. The primary outcomes were cycle cancellation rate and oocyte retrieval rate. Secondary outcomes included clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate per fresh embryo transfer cycle and frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycle, cumulative pregnancy rate and cumulative live birth rate per started cycle and per transfer cycle, as well as laboratory parameters such as the number of retrieved oocytes, the number of two pronuclei (2PN) fertilized oocytes, the number of transferable embryos, and transferable embryo formation rate. Further, multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the impact of the treatment protocol on pregnancy and live birth outcomes. Results:There were no statistically significant differences between the NC and MNC groups in terms of general characteristics such as age, body mass index, and baseline hormone levels (all P>0.05). The cycle cancellation rate was significantly higher in the NC group [19.10% (153/801)] than in the MNC group [10.65% (41/385), P<0.001], and the oocyte retrieval rate was significantly lower in the NC group [66.31% (431/650)] than in the MNC group [74.86% (259/346), P=0.005]. The number of retrieved oocytes [1 (0,1)], the number of 2PN fertilized oocytes [1 (0,1)], and the number of transferable embryos [0 (0, 1)] were also significantly lower in the NC group than in the MNC group [1 (1, 2), P<0.001; 1 (1, 1), P<0.001; 0 (0, 1), P<0.001]. However, there were no statistically significant differences in 2PN fertilization rate and transferable embryo formation rate between the NC and MNC groups (all P>0.05). In both fresh embryo transfer cycles and frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles, there were no statistically significant differences in clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate between the NC and MNC groups (all P>0.05). The cumulative pregnancy rate per started cycle and transfer cycle, the cumulative live birth rate per started cycle and per transfer cycle were also not significantly different between the NC and MNC groups (all P>0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis showed no significant association between NC and clinical pregnancy or live birth compared with MNC. Conclusion:While MNC to some extent reduced the cycle cancellation rate and improved oocyte retrieval rates compared with NC, it did not ultimately improve pregnancy outcomes in DOR patients.
5.Nerve growth factor concentration in follicular fluid associated with abnormal menstrual cycle in patients with PCOS
Yanru LOU ; Tian TIAN ; Jianfei GONG ; Jian HAN ; Mengyuan TIAN ; Xiaoqing HE ; Xiaolin XU ; Jinze YANG ; Chenhong LIU ; Jialin LI ; Ping LIU ; Rong LI ; Rui YANG ; Jie YAN ; Jie QIAO
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(11):1106-1112
Objective:To investigate the relationship between nerve growth factor (NGF) concentration in follicular fluid and abnormal menstrual cycle in infertile patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 100 infertile patients with PCOS who underwent in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) at Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital from March 2017 to June 2019. For comparison, the 100 patients with PCOS were divided into low NGF group ( n=50) and high NGF group ( n=50) based on the median NGF concentration (1 644.03 ng/L) in follicular fluid. Baseline characteristics, menstrual status and clinical outcomes of assisted reproductive technology were compared. We performed multiple linear regression analysis to examine the effect of NGF in follicular fluid on menstrual cycle length for multivariate analysis. Results:1) PCOS patients in the low NGF group had significantly higher body mass index [(27.24±5.17) kg/m 2] and white blood cell count [7.31(5.99, 8.43)×10 9/L ] than those in the high NGF group [(25.03±4.46) kg/m 2, P=0.024; 5.95(5.08,7.01)×10 9/L, P=0.001], while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [1.15 (0.98, 1.36) mmol/L] and basic follicle-stimulating hormone level [6.51 (5.10,7.95) U/L] in the low NGF group were significantly lower than those in the high NGF group [1.36 (1.09,1.52) mmol/L, P=0.039;6.51 (5.10,7.95)U/L, P=0.040]. 2) PCOS patients in the low NGF group had significantly higher menstrual cycle length [60.00 (35.00, 180.00) d] than the high NGF group [32.50 (27.00,67.50) d, P=0.001]. 3) Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that after adjustment for body mass index, age, infertility duration, infertility type, and glucose and lipid metabolic parameters, the NGF concentration in the follicular fluid independently and negatively correlated with menstrual cycle length ( P<0.05). 4) The NGF concentration in follicular fluid was not correlated with assisted reproductive outcomes. Conclusion:NGF concentration in follicular fluid is closely related to the degree of menstrual cycle abnormalities in patients with PCOS.
6.The Relationship Between Atherogenic Index of Plasma and Rapid Progression of Coronary Non-target Lesions
Wei WANG ; Haobo XU ; Juan WANG ; Jiansong YUAN ; Weixian YANG ; Rong LIU ; Shubin QIAO ; Jingang CUI
Chinese Circulation Journal 2025;40(11):1076-1080
Objectives:The study assessed the relationship between atherogenic index of plasma(AIP)and the rapid progression of coronary non-target lesions.Methods:A total of 1 247 patients with coronary artery disease who underwent two coronary angiography examinations at Fuwai Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between January 2010 and September 2014 were enrolled in this retrospective study.The AIP is defined as the base 10 logarithm of the ratio of the concentrations of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.Patients were divided into the high AIP group(n=623)and the low AIP group(n=624)based on the median value of AIP.Lesion rapid progression is defined as an increase of more than 10%in the lumen stenosis of the lesion with a stenosis rate of more than 50%,or an increase of more than 30%in the lumen stenosis rate of the lesion with a stenosis rate of less than 50%,or a progression to total occlusion within 2 years.Results:Median AIP was 0.39(0.23-0.56)in this patient cohort.Rapid progression of non-target lesions occurred in 65(5.21%),including 42(6.74%)in the high AIP group.The Kaplan-Meier curve showed that the cumulative incidence of rapid progression of non-target lesions was higher in the high AIP group than in the low AIP group(HR=1.751,95%CI:1.053-2.912,log-rank P=0.028).In univariate cox analysis,the AIP and high AIP correlated with rapid progression of non-target lesions.After multivariate adjustment,AIP was an independent risk factor for rapid progression of non-target lesions(adjusted HR=2.731,95%CI:1.090-6.844,P=0.032).Conclusions:AIP is an independent risk factor for rapid progression of non-target lesions.AIP should be considered as a biomarker for estimating the risk of cardiovascular disease,along with other traditional risk factors.
7.Analysis of urban cancer screening results in Qinghai Province from 2019 to 2024
Peng WENGANG ; Jin SHENGYAN ; Qiao WENJIE ; Cai BAOJIA ; Yu PENGJIE ; Zhu SHENGMAO ; Han JINGJUN ; Li XILING ; Chang HAODONG ; Sun DEXIAN ; Song YINGHENG ; Rong QINGXI ; Zhang CHENGWU ; Ma XIAOMING
Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology 2025;52(18):944-949
Objective:To analyze the screening results of the Urban Cancer Early Diagnosis and Treatment Project in Qinghai Province from 2019 to 2024.Methods:A summary and statistical analysis were conducted on six years of screening data from the Urban Cancer Early Dia-gnosis and Treatment Program in Qinghai Province,with the high-risk rate,screening rate,and detection rate calculated separately for each type of cancer.Results:From 2019 to 2024,56,882 high-risk individuals were identified.The high-risk rates for lung,colorectal,breast,up-per gastrointestinal,and liver cancer were 22.02%,21.57%,14.23%,13.52%,and 6.10%,respectively.Overall,13,592 individuals com-pleted clinical screening,with detection rates of 0.32%for lung cancer,0.41%for liver cancer,0.08%for precancerous gastric lesions,3.63%for precancerous colorectal lesions,0.08%for esophageal cancer,0.16%for gastric cancer,and 0.14%for colorectal cancer.Conclusions:The implementation of the Urban Cancer Early Diagnosis and Treatment Program in Qinghai Province aids in the early detection of cancer,improves early diagnosis and survival rates,and reduces mortality.Nevertheless,due to low public awareness and limited participation,en-hancements in program management and public outreach are required.
8.Clinicopathological features and prognosis of aggressive natural killer-cell leukemia: an analysis of 27 cases
Hui WANG ; Rong WANG ; Yan WANG ; Yujie WU ; Chun QIAO ; Lei FAN
Chinese Journal of Pathology 2025;54(9):917-924
Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological features, diagnosis, and prognosis of aggressive natural killer-cell leukemia (ANKL).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 27 ANKL patients treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2014 to 2024. Their clinical data, histomorphology, and immunophenotype were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate the overall survival (OS), and COX regression analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors affecting OS.Results:Among the 27 patients, 18 were male and 9 were female, with a male-to-female ratio of 2∶1. The age ranged from 15-75 years, with a median age of 42.0 (28.5, 54.5) years. Fever and splenomegaly were the most common signs and symptoms. Most patients presented with pancytopenia, coagulation abnormalities, and liver dysfunction; and all patients had elevated EBV loads. Microscopically, 16 cases showed marked to hypercellular bone marrow proliferation, with predominant interstitial infiltration (15 cases, 55.6%), followed by sinusoidal infiltration (3 cases), diffuse infiltration (6 cases, 22.2%), mixed infiltration (interstitial and focal, 3 cases, 11.1%), focal infiltration (2 cases, 7.4%), and nodular infiltration (1 case, 3.7%). The proportion of tumor cells among nucleated cells ranged from 2% to 80%, with a median of 30%. The tumor cells displayed variable morphology. Hemophagocytosis was observed in 23 cases. Immunohistochemistry revealed that all cases expressed CD56, with mostly expressing cytotoxic molecules (granzyme B, TIA-1). The Ki-67 proliferative index ranged from 50% to 90%. CD56-EBER dual staining showed that NK cells were the primary targets of the virus. Reticulin staining showed increased fibrosis. By flow cytometry, all cases were positive for CD2 but negative for surface CD3 (sCD3), CD4, CD5 and CD57. Among them, 21 cases (95.5%) exhibited a typical phenotype of strong CD56 expression (CD56str+) with CD16 negativity (CD16-), while only one case (4.5%) showed CD16 positivity (CD16+) with dim CD56 expression (CD56dim). In killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) analysis, 6 out of 17 patients (6/17) demonstrated monoclonal expression, including CD158a (4/6), CD158i (1/6), and CD158e (1/6); the remaining 11 cases (11/17) showed complete absence of KIR expression. All tested cases (17/17) were negative for T-cell receptor (TCR) protein expression. Follow-up period was from 257 days, 1 patient was lost to follow-up, and the remaining 26 patients died. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that OS was significantly longer in patients who received chemotherapy compared to those who did not ( P<0.05). Univariate Cox proportional hazards model analysis indicated that age, bone marrow proliferation, proportion of tumor cells among nucleated cells, absolute neutrophil count, platelet count, and triglycerides and bilirubin levels significantly affected OS ( P<0.05). Multivariate COX regression analysis identified triglycerides and bilirubin levels as independent prognostic factors for OS. Conclusion:Aggressive natural killer-cell leukemia is a rare lymphoid malignancy with very poor prognosis. Tumor cells exhibit significant morphological variation, and bone marrow infiltration patterns are diverse. Accurate recognition, early diagnosis, and timely chemotherapy are critical to improving the prognosis of patients with ANKL.
9.Study on the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of mcr gene-carrying Enterobacteriales among hospitalized patients in four provinces of China
Xinying DING ; Zelin YAN ; Lan MA ; Yuanyuan LI ; Fufei LI ; Qing LI ; Chengxiu LYU ; Rong ZHANG ; Yuanyuan QIAO
Chinese Journal of Microbiology and Immunology 2025;45(4):324-331
Objective:To determine the epidemic characteristics of polymyxin resistance ( mcr) genes of Enterobacteriales colonized in patients admitted to hospitals in Zhejiang, Henan, Gansu and Shandong provinces in China in 2023. Methods:A comprehensive collection of 667 fecal specimens from patients admitted to five medical facilities across the provinces of Zhejiang, Henan, Gansu, and Shandong in 2023 was collected. Epidemiological characteristics of Enterobacteriales bacteria positive for the mcr gene were examined, employing techniques such as microbial culturing, using agarose gel electrophoresis, PCR, whole-genome sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, and the induction of antimicrobial resistance. Statistical analysis was subsequently applied to the gathered data. Results:Among 667 fecal samples from admitted patients, five samples were positive for mcr gene, with a carrier rate of 0.75%(5/667), and from two of the samples, two different strains carrying the mcr gene were isolated, respectively. A total of seven strains of Enterobacteriales carrying the mcr gene were detected, of which four strains carried mcr-1 gene and three strains carried mcr-9 gene. The positive isolates included three strains of Escherichia coli, one strain of Citrobacter braakii, Citrobacter freundii, one strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae, and one strain of Enterobacter hormaechei. The seven mcr positive strains were isolated from two distinct geographical locations within China, with four from Zhejiang Province and three from Henan Province. After whole-genome sequencing, it was found that the 16S rRNA sequences of the three strains of mcr-1 positive Escherichia coli had high homology. The three isolates of mcr-9 positive strains preserved a significant degree of homology within the mcr-9 and wbuC regions. Following polymyxin exposure, there was a marked difference in the growth kinetics of the ZJ-307, HN-11-1, and HN-135 strains post-induction compared to their pre-induction growth rates, and their motility capacity was reduced. Conclusions:The prevalence of Enterobacteriales harboring the mcr gene is minimal among hospitalized patients. However, it is noteworthy that these genes are prone to horizontal transfer. They can move into drug-resistant strains, which may have elevate minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC). Resistance to polymyxin can alter the bacterial growth rate and motility, potentially impacting the MIC of other antibiotics, thereby complicating clinical management. Consequently, it is imperative to focus on the proactive screening of susceptible populations to prevent the further dissemination of plasmid-mediated polymyxin resistance among clinically significant gram-negative bacterial pathogens.
10.Exploration of CCL11 and sTNFR2 as potential biomarkers for the efficacy of lymphocyte immunotherapy in women with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion
Li LI ; Haiyan WANG ; Jie QIAO ; Rong LI ; Ping LIU
Chinese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2025;60(1):24-33
Objective:To explore biomarkers for the efficacy of lymphocyte immunotherapy (LIT) treating women with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA).Methods:Serum samples from 24 URSA potients who received LIT were collected at Peking University Third Hospital from December 2014 to June 2015. Semiquantitative sandwich-based antibody arrays containing 40 cytokines were used to screen target immune cytokines in the peripheral blood of URSA patients before and after LIT. Multifactor quantitative microsphere flow cytometry detection validated the levels of target cytokines. Based on the final pregnancy outcome after LIT, 24 URSA patients were divided into the full-term delivery group (15 cases) and the abortion group (9 cases). Furthermore, linear regression analysis were applied to evaluate the relationship between target cytokines and pregnancy outcomes.Results:Semiquantitative sandwich-based antibody arrays suggested that, among all 24 URSA patients included in this study, the intensities of the fluorescence signal were significantly lower post-LIT versus pre-LIT for the following cytokines: interleukin-15 (IL-15), monokine induced by γ-interferon (MIG), C-C motif chemokine ligand (CCL) 1 (all P<0.05). In the full-term delivery group, the intensities of the fluorescence signal post-LIT were significantly lower than pre-LIT for the following cytokines: IL-15, CCL1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP) 1α (all P<0.05). In the abortion group, the intensities of the fluorescence signal post-LIT were significantly lower than pre-LIT for the following cytokines: MIG, MIP-1δ (all P<0.05). Linear regression analysis showed that the intensity of the fluorescence signal of CCL11 was increased and the intensity of the fluorescence signal of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (sTNFR2) was decreased in the full-term delivery group after LIT, the differences were statistically significant ( P=0.012, 0.029). Validation results of multifactor quantitative microsphere flow cytometry detection showed that the level of CCL11 was significantly increased ( P=0.001) and the level of sTNFR2 was significantly decreased ( P=0.001) in the full-term delivery group after LIT. Conclusion:CCL11 and sTNFR2 maybe serve as potential biomarkers that could predict pregnancy outcomes after LIT in women with URSA.

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