Medicine
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The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) has affected various medical fields worldwide. However, relatively few studies have examined the impact of COVID-19 infection and vaccination on in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes and changes in SARS-CoV-2 antibody concentration in follicular fluid (FF). A total of 45 women were prospectively recruited and assigned to 3 groups: uninfected and non-vaccinated control group (Control group), infected group (COVID + group), and vaccinated group (Vaccination group). ⋯ Only FF antibody changes exhibited statistically significant differences between the BNT162b2 and other vaccine subgroups (P = .047). COVID-19 infection and vaccination do not affect IVF outcomes. However, the effect of BNT162b2 on steroidogenesis of the mature oocyte and FF SARS-CoV2 antibody titer should be further investigated.
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Case Reports
Case report: A novel R246L mutation in the LMX1B homeodomain causes isolated nephropathy in a large Chinese family.
Genetic factors contribute to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Advances in genetic testing have enabled the identification of hereditary kidney diseases, including those caused by LMX1B mutations. LMX1B mutations can lead to nail-patella syndrome (NPS) or nail-patella-like renal disease (NPLRD) with only renal manifestations. ⋯ This study has successfully identified missense mutation, c.737G > T (p.Arg246Leu) in the homeodomain, which appears to be responsible for isolated nephropathy in the studied family. The arginine to leucine change at codon 246 likely disrupts the DNA-binding homeodomain of LMX1B. Previous research has documented 2 types of mutations at codon R246, namely R246Q and R246P, which are known to cause NPLRD. The newly discovered mutation, R246L, is likely to be another novel mutation associated with NPLRD, thus expanding the range of mutations at the crucial renal-critical codon 246 that contribute to the development of NPLRD. Furthermore, our findings suggest that any missense mutation occurring at the 246th amino acid position within the homeodomain of the LMX1B gene has the potential to lead to NPLRD.
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Multicenter Study
Nomogram model for predicting early recurrence for resectable pancreatic cancer: A multicenter study.
Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive malignancy that is characterized by early metastasis, high recurrence, and therapy resistance. Early recurrence after surgery is one of the important reasons affecting the prognosis of pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to establish an accurate preoperative nomogram model for predicting early recurrence (ER) for resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. ⋯ The preoperative risk factors for ER included a Charlson age-comorbidity index ≥ 4 (odds ratio [OR]: 0.628), tumor size > 3.0 cm on computed tomography (OR: 0.628), presence of clinical symptoms (OR: 0.515), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 > 181.3 U/mL (OR 0.396), and carcinoembryonic antigen > 6.01 (OR: 0.440). The area under the curve (AUC) of the predictive model in the training group was 0.711 (95% confidence interval: 0.669-0.752), while it reached 0.730 (95% CI: 0.663-0.797) in the validation group. The predictive model may enable the prediction of the risk of postoperative ER in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, thereby optimizing preoperative decision-making for effective treatment.