AIM:To explore the relationship be-tween the level of myeloid-derived suppressor cell(MDSC)infiltration in tumor tissues and the clinical efficacy and prognosis of combined PD-1 inhibitor and chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).METHODS:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 92 NSCLC patients who received PD-1 inhibitor combined with chemotherapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2019 to June 2024.Tumor tissue samples were examined using immunohistochemistry to detect the level of MDSC infiltration,dividing the patients into high-in-filtration group(MDSC≥2)and low-infiltration group(MDSC＜2).The objective response rate(iORR),disease control rate(iDCR),progression-free survival(PFS),and overall survival(OS)were compared between the two groups.Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Log-rank test were used to plot PFS and OS survival curves,and Cox regression analysis was applied to identify factors influencing prognosis.RESULTS:Among the 92 patients,53 were in the low MDSC infiltration group,and 39 were in the high MDSC infiltration group.The low MDSC infiltration group showed significantly better treatment responses compared to the high MDSC infiltration group.The objective response rate(iORR)was 77.3％in the low MDSC infiltration group,higher than the 56.4％in the high MDSC in-filtration group(P=0.033).The disease control rate(iDCR)was 94.3％,also significantly higher than the 66.7％in the high MDSC infiltration group(P=0.001).Moreover,the median progression-free sur-vival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)in the low MD-SC infiltration group were 16.9 months and 27.6 months,respectively,which were significantly lon-ger than those in the high MDSC infiltration group(PFS 12.6 months,OS 22.3 months).Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that both PFS and OS in the low MDSC infiltration group were significantly longer than those in the high MDSC infiltration group.Cox univariate analysis showed that smoking,PD-L1 ex-pression levels,tumor stage,and MDSC infiltration level were closely associated with PFS and OS.Mul-tivariate Cox regression analysis further indicated that high MDSC infiltration was an independent risk factor for both PFS(HR=2.678,P=0.013)and OS(HR=2.254,P=0.022).CONCLUSION:The level of MDSC infiltration in tumor tissues is closely related to the efficacy and prognosis of PD-1 inhibitor com-bined with chemotherapy in NSCLC patients.High MDSC infiltration suggests reduced treatment sen-sitivity and poor prognosis.MDSC infiltration level may serve as a predictive biomarker for the effica-cy and prognosis of PD-1 inhibitor combined with chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC.

AIM:To explore the relationship be-tween the level of myeloid-derived suppressor cell(MDSC)infiltration in tumor tissues and the clinical efficacy and prognosis of combined PD-1 inhibitor and chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).METHODS:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 92 NSCLC patients who received PD-1 inhibitor combined with chemotherapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2019 to June 2024.Tumor tissue samples were examined using immunohistochemistry to detect the level of MDSC infiltration,dividing the patients into high-in-filtration group(MDSC≥2)and low-infiltration group(MDSC＜2).The objective response rate(iORR),disease control rate(iDCR),progression-free survival(PFS),and overall survival(OS)were compared between the two groups.Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Log-rank test were used to plot PFS and OS survival curves,and Cox regression analysis was applied to identify factors influencing prognosis.RESULTS:Among the 92 patients,53 were in the low MDSC infiltration group,and 39 were in the high MDSC infiltration group.The low MDSC infiltration group showed significantly better treatment responses compared to the high MDSC infiltration group.The objective response rate(iORR)was 77.3％in the low MDSC infiltration group,higher than the 56.4％in the high MDSC in-filtration group(P=0.033).The disease control rate(iDCR)was 94.3％,also significantly higher than the 66.7％in the high MDSC infiltration group(P=0.001).Moreover,the median progression-free sur-vival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)in the low MD-SC infiltration group were 16.9 months and 27.6 months,respectively,which were significantly lon-ger than those in the high MDSC infiltration group(PFS 12.6 months,OS 22.3 months).Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that both PFS and OS in the low MDSC infiltration group were significantly longer than those in the high MDSC infiltration group.Cox univariate analysis showed that smoking,PD-L1 ex-pression levels,tumor stage,and MDSC infiltration level were closely associated with PFS and OS.Mul-tivariate Cox regression analysis further indicated that high MDSC infiltration was an independent risk factor for both PFS(HR=2.678,P=0.013)and OS(HR=2.254,P=0.022).CONCLUSION:The level of MDSC infiltration in tumor tissues is closely related to the efficacy and prognosis of PD-1 inhibitor com-bined with chemotherapy in NSCLC patients.High MDSC infiltration suggests reduced treatment sen-sitivity and poor prognosis.MDSC infiltration level may serve as a predictive biomarker for the effica-cy and prognosis of PD-1 inhibitor combined with chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC.

Objective The study aimed to elucidate the evolution of the syndromes in Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)and TCM syndrome elements in different chronic stages of psoriasis vulgaris.Methods A database was constructed using electronic medical records collected from July 2019 to March 2024 from 1,049 patients with psoriasis vulgaris.The study used Sankey diagrams and network association graphs to analyze the evolution of TCM syndromes and their elements in patients at the different stages:initial diagnosis,progressive stage(Week 2-3),progressive stage(Week 4-5),skin lesion improvement stage(Week 6-7),and remission stage.The syndrome elements network was constructed using community detection algorithms,and the association rules between local skin lesion syndrome differentiation and overall syndrome differentiation were displayed using heatmaps.Results(ⅰ)Initial diagnosis.In the syndrome differentiation of local skin lesions,blood heat syndrome was the most common(79.79％);among the disease location of TCM syndrome elements(called"disease location"),liver was the most prevalent(35.62％);and among the pathological factors of TCM syndrome elements(called"pathological factors"),fire(heat)was the most common(75.48％).(ⅱ)Active stage(Week 2-3).In the syndrome differentiation of local skin lesions,blood heat syndrome remained the most prevalent(73.13％);among the disease location,liver was still the most prevalent(31.71％);and among the pathological factors,fire(heat)continued to be the most common(82.11％),while dampness(22.26％)and qi stagnation(8.39％)began to increase.(ⅲ)Active stage(Week 4-5).The syndrome differentiation of local skin lesions was dominated by blood heat syndrome(45.91％)and blood dryness syndrome(37.19％);among disease location,the interior was the most prevalent(15.25％);and among the pathological factors,fire(heat)remained the most common(50.66％),with an increase in yin deficiency(34.26％).(ⅳ)Skin lesion improvement stage(Week 6-7).In the syndrome differentiation of local skin lesions,both blood dryness syndrome(49.44％)and blood stasis syndrome(33.33％)increased;among the disease location,meridians increased most significantly and became the most prevalent(13.44％);and among the pathological factors,blood stasis increased most significantly and became the most prevalent(28.20％).(ⅴ)Remission stage.In the syndrome differentiation of local skin lesions,blood stasis syndrome became the primary(55.69％),while the percentage of blood dryness syndrome decreased(21.16％);meridians(25.71％)and blood stasis(62.34％)remained the most predominant syndrome elements related to disease location or pathological factors.Conclusion The overall pattern of TCM syndromes in psoriasis vulgaris evolved from excess to deficiency.From the initial diagnosis to the active phase(Week 2-3),heat syndrome dominated;during the active phase(Week 4-5),heat syndrome coexisted with damp syndrome or yin deficiency syndrome;changes in the syndrome element network were the most significant during the lesion improvement phase,with blood stasis gradually increasing and peaking during the remission phase.Blood stasis,dampness,and qi stagnation were pervasive throughout psoriasis vulgaris;qi stagnation and blood stasis may be the main elements causing further deterioration and prolonged course of the disease during the active phase in patients.

Objective To investigate the risk factors associated with prolonged hospitalization in patients diagnosed with diabetic foot ulcers(DFU),to develop a predictive model,and to conduct internal validation of the model.Methods The clinical data of DFU patients admitted to West China Hospital,Sichuan University between January 2012 and December 2022 were retrospectively collected.The subjects were randomly assigned to a training cohort and a validation cohort at a ratio of 7 to 3.Hospital stays longer than 75th percentile were defined as prolonged length-of-stay.A thorough analysis of the risk factors was conducted using the training cohort,which enabled the development of an accurate risk prediction model.To ensure robustness,the model was internally validated using the validation cohort.Results A total of 967 inpatients with DFU were included,among whom 245 patients were identified as having an extended length-of-stay.The training cohort consisted of 622 patients,while the validation cohort comprised 291 patients.Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that smoking history(odds ratio[OR]=1.67,95%confidence interval[CI],1.13 to 2.48,P=0.010),Wagner grade 3 or higher(OR=7.13,95%CI,3.68 to 13.83,P＜0.001),midfoot ulcers(OR=1.99,95%CI,1.07 to 3.72,P=0.030),posterior foot ulcers(OR=3.68,95%CI,1.83 to 7.41,P＜0.001),multisite ulcers(OR=2.91,95%CI,1.80 to 4.69,P＜0.001),wound size≥3 cm2(OR=2.00,95%CI,1.28-3.11,P=0.002),and white blood cell count(OR=1.11,95%CI,1.05 to 1.18,P＜0.001)were associated with an increased risk of prolonged length of stay.Additionally,a nomogram was constructed based on the identified risk factors.The areas under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves for both the training cohort and the validation cohort were 0.782(95%CI,0.745 to 0.820)and 0.756(95%CI,0.694 to 0.818),respectively,indicating robust predictive performance.Furthermore,the calibration plot demonstrated optimal concordance between the predicted probabilities and the observed outcomes in both the training and the validation cohorts.Conclusion Smoking history,Wagner grade≥3,midfoot ulcers,posterior foot ulcers,multisite ulcers,ulcer area≥3 cm2,and elevated white blood cell count are identified as independent predictors of prolonged hospitalization.Therefore,it is imperative that clinicians conduct a comprehensive patient evaluation and implement appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to effectively shorten the length of stay for DFU patients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the value of single sperm sequencing in preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disease (PGT-M). METHODS: A Chinese couple with two children whom had died of Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and attended the Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital in June 2020 was selected as the subject. Eleven single sperm samples were isolated by mechanical immobilization and subjected to whole genome amplification. Real-time PCR and Sanger sequencing were used to detect the SMN1 variants in the single sperm samples. Genomic DNA of the wife, her parents and the husband, as well as one single sperm sample harboring the SMN1 variant and two single sperm samples without the variant were used for the linkage analysis. Targeted capture and high-throughput sequencing were carried out to test 100 single nucleotide polymorphisms distributed within 2 Mb up- and downstream the variant site. The haplotypes linked with the SMN1 variants were determined by linkage analysis. Blastocyst embryos were harvested after fertilizing by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Cells from the trophoblasts of each embryo were biopsied and subjected to whole genome amplification and targeted capture and high-throughput sequencing to determine their carrier status. Chromosomal aneuploidy of wild-type embryos was excluded. An euploid embryo of high quality was transferred. Amniotic fluid sample was taken at 18 weeks of gestation to confirm the status of the fetus. RESULTS: Genetic testing showed that the couple both had deletion of exons 7 ~ 8 of the SMN1 gene. The wife has inherited the deletion from her father, while the husband was de novo. The haplotypes of the husband were successfully constructed by single sperm sequencing. Preimplantation genetic testing has indicated that 5 embryos had harbored the heterozygous variant, 4 embryos were of the wild type, among which 3 were euploid. Prenatal diagnosis during the second trimester of pregnancy has confirmed that the fetus did not carry the deletion. CONCLUSION By single sperm sequencing and PGT-M, the birth of further affected child has been successfully avoided.
Humans ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Child ; Male ; Preimplantation Diagnosis ; East Asian People ; Semen ; Genetic Testing ; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal/genetics* ; Aneuploidy ; Blastocyst/pathology* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Spermatozoa

Objective To explore the characteristics of baseline inflammatory markers in diabetic foot patients and their relationship with the prognosis of diabetic foot ulcers.Methods The clinical data of diabetic foot patients(n=495)admitted to West China Hospital,Sichuan University since 2016 were retrospectively collected through the hospital electronic medical record system to analyze the characteristics of inflammatory markers and their relationship with the prognosis of diabetic foot ulcers.Results White blood cell count(WBC),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR),C-reactive protein(CRP),procalcitonin(PCT),and interleukin-6(IL-6)levels were significantly higher in patients defined as grade 4 on the Wagner Scale than those in patients defined as grade 0-3 on the Wagner Scale.Neutrophil percentage(NE％)was higher in Wagner grade-4 patients than those in Wagner grade-0 and grade-1 patients and higher in Wagner grade-3 patients than those in Wagner grade-0 patients.NE％,CRP,PCT,and IL-6 levels were positively correlated with the severity of diabetic foot,with the respective odds ratio(OR)at 95％confidence interval(CI)being 1.038(1.019-1.056),1.019(1.012-1.026),8.225(2.015-33.576),and 1.017(1.008-1.025).Using Wagner grade-0 patients as the reference,patients with higher WBC were more likely to progress to Wagner grade 2,3,and 4,with the respective OR(95％CI)values being 1.260(1.096-1.447),1.188(1.041-1.356),and 1.301(1.137-1.490);patients with higher ESR were more likely to progress to Wagner grade 3 and 4,with the respective OR(95％CI)values being 1.030(1.006-1.054)and 1.045(1.019-1.071).Baseline ESR(P=0.008),CRP(P=0.039),and IL-6(P=0.033)levels were lower in patients who had received antibiotics prior to their admission than those in patients who had not received antibiotics before admission.The levels of WBC,NE％,ESR,PCT,and IL-6 were lower in the full recovery group than those in the group of patients who did not respond to treatment.The higher the levels of NE％and IL-6,the worse the prognosis of diabetic foot ulcers became,with the respective OR(95％CI)values being 1.030(1.010-1.051)and 1.008(1.002-1.013).Conclusion The severity of diabetic foot ulcers increased with the rise in baseline levels of inflammatory markers.Elevated baseline NE％and IL-6 levels suggest a poor prognosis.Our findings suggest that early assessment of diabetic foot infection and standardized antibiotic therapy should be implemented to improve the prognosis.

Objective:To explore the value of polar body sequencing in preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) for monogenic disease of a female patient with Van der Woude syndrome.Methods:PGT based on polar body sequencing was performed for a female patient with Van der Woude syndrome caused by a de novoIRF6 pathogenic variant. Totally six oocytes were fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The first, second polar bodies and the trophoblast ectoderm cells of blastocysts were biopsied respectively. Sanger sequencing was used to detect the pathogenic variant in the biopsied cells after genome-wide amplification. The genotypes and pathogenic possibilities of the embryos were inferred according to the genotypes of corresponding tested polar bodies. In order to prevent the absence of transplantable embryos due to the failure of blastocyst culture, vitrification was performed on an embryo with good morphology and low pathogenic possibility before blastocyst formation. The 175 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the 1M region upstream and downstream from the pathogenic variant location were tested by targeted capture sequencing in the couple and selected polar bodies and embryos to construct the haplotypes. An embryo with low pathogenic possibility was transferred. Prenatal diagnosis was strongly recommended after successful pregnancy. Prenatal and postnatal follow-up were performed. Results:Totally six first polar bodies and six second polar bodies were obtained. The pathogenic variant was successfully sequenced in 11 polar bodies. Among the six embryos, one embryo with low pathogenic possibility was vitrified on day 4 (D4) after fully informed consent of the couple; one embryo developed to blastocyst was detected with high pathogenic possibility; the other four embryos were degenerated during blastocyst culture. The SNP haplotypes closely linked to the pathogenic variant location were successfully constructed by linkage analysis. The haplotype analysis of the embryos was in consistent with Sanger sequencing. The D4 embryo with low pathogenic possibility was transferred. The couple refused to conduct invasive prenatal diagnosis after pregnancy. None orofacial clefts were detected after the baby was born, and the pathogenic variant was not detected in the neonatal cord blood either.Conclusion:This study successfully blocked a female patient with Van der Woude syndrome caused by a de novoIRF6 pathogenic variant give birth to an affected baby by polar body sequencing based preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disease.

Objective:To explore the value of polar body sequencing in preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) for monogenic disease of a female patient with Van der Woude syndrome.Methods:PGT based on polar body sequencing was performed for a female patient with Van der Woude syndrome caused by a de novoIRF6 pathogenic variant. Totally six oocytes were fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The first, second polar bodies and the trophoblast ectoderm cells of blastocysts were biopsied respectively. Sanger sequencing was used to detect the pathogenic variant in the biopsied cells after genome-wide amplification. The genotypes and pathogenic possibilities of the embryos were inferred according to the genotypes of corresponding tested polar bodies. In order to prevent the absence of transplantable embryos due to the failure of blastocyst culture, vitrification was performed on an embryo with good morphology and low pathogenic possibility before blastocyst formation. The 175 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the 1M region upstream and downstream from the pathogenic variant location were tested by targeted capture sequencing in the couple and selected polar bodies and embryos to construct the haplotypes. An embryo with low pathogenic possibility was transferred. Prenatal diagnosis was strongly recommended after successful pregnancy. Prenatal and postnatal follow-up were performed. Results:Totally six first polar bodies and six second polar bodies were obtained. The pathogenic variant was successfully sequenced in 11 polar bodies. Among the six embryos, one embryo with low pathogenic possibility was vitrified on day 4 (D4) after fully informed consent of the couple; one embryo developed to blastocyst was detected with high pathogenic possibility; the other four embryos were degenerated during blastocyst culture. The SNP haplotypes closely linked to the pathogenic variant location were successfully constructed by linkage analysis. The haplotype analysis of the embryos was in consistent with Sanger sequencing. The D4 embryo with low pathogenic possibility was transferred. The couple refused to conduct invasive prenatal diagnosis after pregnancy. None orofacial clefts were detected after the baby was born, and the pathogenic variant was not detected in the neonatal cord blood either.Conclusion:This study successfully blocked a female patient with Van der Woude syndrome caused by a de novoIRF6 pathogenic variant give birth to an affected baby by polar body sequencing based preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disease.