We conducted a prospective study to assess the non-inferiority of adjuvant chemotherapy alone versus adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) as an alternative strategy for patients with early-stage (FIGO 2009 stage IB-IIA) cervical cancer having risk factors after surgery. The condition was assessed in terms of prognosis, adverse effects, and quality of life. This randomized trial involved nine centers across China. Eligible patients were randomized to receive adjuvant chemotherapy or CCRT after surgery. The primary end-point was progression-free survival (PFS). From December 2012 to December 2014, 337 patients were subjected to randomization. Final analysis included 329 patients, including 165 in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and 164 in the adjuvant CCRT group. The median follow-up was 72.1 months. The three-year PFS rates were both 91.9%, and the five-year OS was 90.6% versus 90.0% in adjuvant chemotherapy and CCRT groups, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the PFS or OS between groups. The adjusted HR for PFS was 0.854 (95% confidence interval 0.415-1.757; P = 0.667) favoring adjuvant chemotherapy, excluding the predefined non-inferiority boundary of 1.9. The chemotherapy group showed a tendency toward good quality of life. In comparison with post-operative adjuvant CCRT, adjuvant chemotherapy treatment showed non-inferior efficacy in patients with early-stage cervical cancer having pathological risk factors. Adjuvant chemotherapy alone is a favorable alternative post-operative treatment.
Female ; Humans ; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Prospective Studies ; Quality of Life ; Neoplasm Staging ; Chemoradiotherapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant/adverse effects* ; Adjuvants, Immunologic ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Retrospective Studies

We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of single-course initial regimens in patients with low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). In this trial (NCT01823315), 276 patients were analyzed. Patients were allocated to three initiated regimens: single-course methotrexate (MTX), single-course MTX + dactinomycin (ACTD), and multi-course MTX (control arm). The primary endpoint was the complete remission (CR) rate by initial drug(s). The primary CR rate was 64.4% with multi-course MTX in the control arm. For the single-course MTX arm, the CR rate was 35.8% by one course; it increased to 59.3% after subsequent multi-course MTX, with non-inferiority to the control (difference -5.1%,95% confidence interval (CI) -19.4% to 9.2%, P = 0.014). After further treatment with multi-course ACTD, the CR rate (93.3%) was similar to that of the control (95.2%, P = 0.577). For the single-course MTX + ACTD arm, the CR rate was 46.7% by one course, which increased to 89.1% after subsequent multi-course, with non-inferiority (difference 24.7%, 95% CI 12.8%-36.6%, P < 0.001) to the control. It was similar to the CR rate by MTX and further ACTD in the control arm (89.1% vs. 95.2%, P =0.135). Four patients experienced recurrence, with no death, during the 2-year follow-up. We demonstrated that chemotherapy initiation with single-course MTX may be an alternative regimen for patients with low-risk GTN.
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effects* ; Dactinomycin/adverse effects* ; Female ; Gestational Trophoblastic Disease/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Methotrexate/therapeutic use* ; Pregnancy ; Retrospective Studies

Objective:To investigate the factors affecting phenotypes in the patients of methylmalonic acidemia combined with homocysteinemia cblC type with MMACHC c. 609G>A homologous variant. Methods:A retrospective study on the clinical manifestations, complications, treatment, and outcome in 164patients of cblC type with MMACHC c. 609G>A homologous variant was conducted.The patients were diagnosed by biochemical and genetic analysisfrom January 1998 to December 2020. Results:Among the 164 patients, 2 cases were prenatally diagnosed and began treatment after birth. They are 3 and 12 years old with normal physical and mental development. Twenty-one cases were diagnosed by newborn screening. Among them, 15 cases had with normal development. They were treated fromthe age of two weeks at the asymptomatic period. Six cases began treatment aged 1 to 3 months after onset. Their development was delayed. One hundred and forty-one cases were clinically diagnosed. Their onset age ranges from a few minutes after birth to 6 years old. 110 cases had early-onset (78.0%). 31 cases had late-onset (22.0%). Five of them died. 24 patients lost to follow-up. Of the 141 clinically diagnosed patients, 130 (92.2%) with psychomotor retardation, 69 (48.9%) with epilepsy, 39 (27.7%) with anemia, 30 (21.3%) had visual impairment, 27 (19.1%) had hydrocephalus, 26 (18.4%) had feeding difficulties, 7 (5.0%) with liver damage, and 5 (3.5%) with metabolic syndrome. The frequency of hydrocephalus and seizures was significantly higher in the early-onset group. The urinary methylmalonic acid increased significantly in the patients with epilepsy. During the long-term follow-up, the level of plasma total homocysteine in the seizure-uncontrolled group was significantly higher than that in the seizure-controlled group, the difference had a statistical significance ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Most of the patients with MMACHC c. 609G>A homozygous variant had early-onset disease, with a high mortality and disability rate. If not treated in time, it will lead to neurological damage, resulting in epilepsy, mental retardation, hydrocephalus, and multiple organ damage. Pre-symptomatic diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent irreversible neurological damage. Neonatal screening and prenatal diagnosis are important to improve the outcome of the patients.

Objective:To summarize and compare the characteristics of oral microbiota in women during the preconception period and the third trimester.Methods:This retrospective cohort study involved 55 women who were recruited in the Preconceptional Offspring Trajectory Study (PLOTS) conducted by Fudan University and followed up to the third trimester in the Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Jiading District of Shanghai from September 2016 to December 2019. A total of 110 unstimulated saliva samples were collected in the preconception period ( n=55) and the third trimester ( n=55). Features of oral microbiota in the samples were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene-based sequencing. Moreover, the related factors were also analyzed. Paired t test or Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-ranks test were used to analyze the differences in α-diversity during preconception and the third trimester; t test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test for comparison between groups with different characteristics and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PerMANOVA) for β-diversity were used; Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe 1.0) was used to identify the iconic oral flora. Results:(1) The Ace index of oral microbiota was significantly lower in the third trimester than that in the preconception period [661.14(578.15-752.85) vs 730.64 (632.40-911.00), T=1 077.00, P=0.010]. There was also a significance difference in β-diversity ( F=12.539, R2=0.104, P=0.001). Some species such as Saccharibacteria_TM7_G3, Prevotella_7, Absconditabacteria_SR1_G1, Porphyromonas, Ruminococcaceae_UCG_014, Prevotella, Peptostreptococcus, Prevotella_2, Alloprevotella, Parvimonas, Solobacterium and Eubacterium_nodatum_group in saliva were statistically more abundant in the third trimester than those in the preconception period (all P<0.05). (2) The third-trimester Shannon index was lower among those with lower income [5.44 (5.08-5.77) vs 5.75 (5.44-6.12), U=219.00, P=0.029] and those with gargle habit after meal or dessert [5.36 (4.91-5.48) vs 5.72 (5.44-6.05), U=374.00, P=0.046]. Conclusions:The features of oral microbiota vary in women during the preconception period and the third trimester. There is a significant increase in the abundance of oral pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria in the third trimester.

Objective:To summarize the strategy of using extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support during lung transplantation from 2 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with end-stage respiratory failure.Methods:Two COVID-19 with end-stage respiratory failure patients were admitted to Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital in March 2020. As the homoeostasis and vital signs could not be maintained in balance by conventional treatments, lung transplantations were performed. Here, detail information about combined application of peripheral veno-venous ECMO (VV-ECMO) and central veno-arterial ECMO (CVA-ECMO) during the operation will be discussed.Results:Case 1: 59 years old, 172 cm height, 72 kg weight, who received mechanical ventilation for 22 days, tracheotomy tube for 17 days, and VV-ECMO support for 7 days. Case 2: 72 years old, 178 cm height, 71 kg weight, who received mechanical ventilation for 19 days, tracheotomy tube for 17 days, and VV-ECMO support for 18 days. As both of them have severe COVID-19-associated respiratory failure, and the recovery was determined to be unlikely, lung transplantations were performed. Severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and cardiac insufficiency were found during the operation. Based on preoperative VV-ECMO, CVA-ECMO was added. The concomitant use of peripheral VV-ECMO and CVA-ECMO offered satisfied intraoperative oxygenation and cardiopulmonary status, the operations run smoothly, and the CVA-ECMO was successfully removed, no ECMO-related complications occurred.Conclusion:The combined use of VV-ECMO and CVA-ECMO is an optimal strategy in the end-stage ARDS patients with severe PAH and cardiac insufficiency, which can offer benefits on respiratory and cardiac functions simultaneously, and ensure surgery safety.

Objectives:To summarize the clinical and genetic characteristics of the patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia and investigate the strategies for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention.Methods:Three hundred and fourteen patients (180 males, 134 females) with isolated methylmalonic acidemia were ascertained from 26 provinces or cities across the mainland of China during January 1998 to March 2020. Genetic analysis was performed by Sanger sequencing, gene panel sequencing, whole exome sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification or quantitative PCR. According to the age of onset, the patients were divided to early-onset group (≤12 months of age) and the late-onset group (>12 months of age). They were treated by cobalamin, L-carnitine and (or) special diet and symptomatic treatment. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test.Results:Fifty-eight of 314 (18.5%) patients were detected by Newborn screening using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Five cases (1.6%) had a postmortem diagnosis. Two hundred and fifty-one patients (79.9%) were clinically diagnosed with an age of onset ranged from 3 hours after birth to 18 years. One hundred and fifty-nine patients (71.0%) belonged to early-onset groups, 65 patients (29.0%) belonged to the late-onset group. The most common symptoms were metabolic crises, psychomotor retardation, epilepsy, anemia and multiple organ damage. Metabolic acidosis and anemia were more common in early-onset patients than that in late-onset patients (20.8%(33/159) vs. 9.2% (6/65), 34.6% (55/159) vs. 16.9% (11/165), χ 2=4.261, 6.930, P=0.039, 0.008). Genetic tests were performed for 236 patients (75.2%), 96.2%(227/236) had molecular confirmation. One hundred and twenty-seven variants were identified in seven genes (MMUT, MMAA, MMAB, MMADHC, SUCLG1, SUCLA2, and MCEE), of which 49 were novel. The mut type, caused by the deficiency of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, was the most common ( n=211, 93%) cause of this condition. c.729_730insTT, c.1106G>A and c.914T>C were the three most frequent mutations in MMUT gene. The frequency of c.914T>C in early-onset patients was significantly higher than that in late-onset patients (8.3% (18/216) vs. 1.6% (1/64), χ 2=3.859, P=0.037). Metabolic crisis was more frequent in mut type than the other types (72.6% (114/157) vs. 3/13, χ 2=13.729, P=0.001),developmental delay and hypotonia were less frequent in mut type (38.2% (60/157) vs. 9/13, 25.5% (40/157) vs. 8/13, χ 2=4.789, 7.705, P=0.030, 0.006). Of the 58 patients identified by newborn screening, 44 patients (75.9%) who were treated from asymptomatic phase developed normally whereas 14 patients (24.1%) who received treatment after developing symptoms exhibited varying degrees of psychomotor retardation. Conclusions:The characteristics of phenotypes and genotypes among Chinese patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia were analyzed. Expanded the mutation spectrum of the associated genes. Because of the complex clinical manifestations and severe early onset of isolated methylmalonic acidemia, Newborn screening is crucial for early diagnosis and improvement of prognosis. MMUT gene is recommended for carrier screening as an effort to move the test earlier as a part of the primary prevention of birth defects.

To investigate the antipyretic effects and potential mechanism of Isodon eriocalyx ethanol extracts, the SD rats was injected by dry yeast subcutaneously to establish the model of fever. Experimental groups were divided into blank, model, positive drug paracetamol(150 mg/kg), low doses(200 mg/kg), high doses(800 mg/kg)of ethanol extracts of I. eriocalyx, rosmarinic acid(150 mg/kg), cirsimaritin(150 mg/kg)and maoecrystal D(150 mg/kg). After 4 hours of model establishment, the drugs were administered orally to each group; the blood and tissue samples were then collected 8 hours affer model establishment. Rectal temperature was detected to evaluate the antipyretic effects. The levels of tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α), arginine vasopressin(AVP), cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP)and prostraglandin E2(PGE2)were measured to explore the potential mechanism. Results showed that the inoreased rectal temperature in rats was ameliorated by ethanol extracts of I. eriocalyx. Moreover, administration of ethanol extracts of I. eriocalyx could reduce the serum TNF-α levels and increase AVP levels in rats, decrease the levels of cAMP and PGE2 in hypothalamus and promote AVP secretion in ventral septal area of rats. However, there were no dramatic changes about rectal temperature and biochemical indicators mentioned above after administration of rosmarinic acid, cirsimaritin and maoecrystal D, respectively. In conclusion, ethanol extracts of I. eriocalyx exerted antipyretic effects on fever rats induced by yeast, which is probably due to the suppression of the secretion of TNF-α, cAMP and PGE2 and promotion of the excretion of AVP. However, the material basis of the antipyretic mechanism of this plant still remains to be further explored.

Objective To investigate the effect of Miao medicine Jinwu Jiangu decoction containing serum freeze-dried powder on levels of IL-17,ACT1 and TRAF6 in human rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast like synoviocytes (RA-HFLS).Methods Rabbits were randomly divided into blank control group (recieving normal saline of the same volume),Jinwu Jiangu decoction high-dose,medium-dose and low-dose group (intragastrically administrated with Jinwu Jiangu decoction at doses of 14.4,4.8 and 2.4 g·kg-1,respectively),tripterygium glycosides group and prednisone group (treated with human equivalent dosage).RA-HFLS primary cell model was established in the experiment.ELISA method was used to detect effect of lyophilized powder on IL-17 secretion.Expression of ACT1,TRAF6 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR.Results Compared with the blank control gorup,IL-17 in the supernatant of each medication administration group was significantly decreased (all P<0.01),and it was decreased most significantly in Jinwu Jiangu decoction high-dose and medium-dose group.IL-17 was down-regulated more significantly in high-dose group than that in tripterygium glycosides group (P<0.01).Compared with the blank control group,TRAF6 and ACT1 mRNA expression level of each medication administration group were significantly decreased (all P<0.01),and in the high-dose group that were decreased most significantly,but not significantly different as compared with tripterygium glycosides group and prednisone group (P>0.05).Conclusion Freeze-dried powder of Jinwu Jiangu decoction can decrease the secretion of IL-17 and down-regulate expression of ACT1,TRAF6 with RA-HFLS.

Objective To analyze the clinical data and TUBB4A mutation of hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum (HABC)in a family,thus to provide accurate genetic counseling and prenatal diagno-sis for this family with HABC,and also to provide clinical experience for the diagnosis of HABC in China.Methods The clinical data of the proband and her family members were collected at the Department of Pediatrics,Peking Univer-sity First Hospital,December 201 4,including medical history,physical signs,and brain MRI,biochemical tests and metabolic disease screening.The associated gene of hereditary leukoencephalopathy was screened for the proband and her family members were screened by targeting -high -throughput sequencing technology,and then the genetic varia-tions were verified by Sanger sequencing.With those detection methods,the gene mutation was confirmed,and then ge-netic features were analyzed.Results Clinical features were as follows:nystagmus as the first symptom,and motor and mental retardation,dystonia and ataxia followed.Brain MRI indicated hypomyelination of white matter and atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum.The clinical diagnosis of HABC was established based on the clinical features and brain MRI features above.Genetics features showed that one novel TUBB4A c.974G >T heterozygous missense muta-tion was found from the proband,which caused an amino acid change from the Trp into Leu (p.Trp325Leu).Both of her parents with normal phenotype were of wild -type in this site.Conclusions The proband from this family was diagnosed clinically based on her clinical data.One novel TUBB4Ac.974G > T (p.Trp325Leu)was founded in this study.Therefore,the spectrum of TUBB4A mutation will be expanded.In addition,this study elucidated clinical and genetic characteristics in this family with HABC,which may lay a solid foundation for the accurate genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis.This study reported the first case of HABC caused by TUBB4A mutation in China.

Objective To explore the levels of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in blood and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and to explore the relationship between the levels of these inflammatory biomarkers and disease activity of MS. Methods Blood samples were collected from 21 MS patients of acute period (acute period of MS group), 20 MS patients of remitting period (remitting period of MS group) and 21 patients with non inflammatory and vascular neurologic disease (control group). The levels of sPLA2 and LPA in blood and cerebrospinal fluid were measured and compared. Results The levels of sPLA2 and LPA in blood and cerebrospinal fluid before treatment in acute period of MS group were significantly higher than those in remitting period of MS group (P<0.01) and in control group (P<0.01). The levels of sPLA2 and LPA in blood and cerebrospinal fluid after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment in acute period of MS group (P<0.01). The levels of sPLA2 and LPA in blood before and after treatment had correlations in acute period of MS group (r=0.962, P=0.000;r=0.848, P=0.000). The levels of sPLA2 and LPA in cerebrospinal fluid before and after treatment had correlations in the acute period group (r=0.968, P=0.000;r=0.850, P=0.000). Conclusions The levels of sPLA2 and LPA in blood and cerebrospinal fluid may be used as inflammatory biomarkers for disease activity in MS patients.