Efgartigimod as a fast-acting add-on therapy in manifest and impending myasthenic crisis: A single-center case series.

Efgartigimod was the first-in-class neonatal Fc receptor antagonist approved for the treatment of acetylcholine receptor antibody positive (AChR+), Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) Class II-IV generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) patients. As a novel therapy, the clinical experiences are still lacking, especially for the use of efgartigimod in manifest and impending myasthenic crisis (IMC). We reported three AChR+, gMG patients, two with myasthenic crisis (MC) and one with IMC, treated with efgartigimod.

[Pollution Characteristics and Sources of Wintertime Atmospheric Brown Carbon at a Background Site of the Yangtze River Delta Region in China].

To investigate the pollution characteristics and sources of atmospheric brown carbon (BrC) in Chongming Island, a background site of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region in China, PM samples collected from December 2018 to January 2019 were analyzed to determine their chemical compositions and optical properties. The results showed that the light absorption coefficient (Abs) of BrC extracted by methanol at 365 nm was (5.39±3.

CAG regimen for refractory or relapsed adult T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A retrospective, multicenter, cohort study.

Adult patients with relapsed or refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R-T-ALL) have extremely poor prognosis, representing an urgent unmet medical need. Finding an optimal salvage regimen to bridge transplantation is a priority. The CAG (cytarabine, aclarubicin, and G-CSF) regimen was initially used by one group in China, showing unexpectedly promising results in 11 R/R-T-ALL patients.

Community-acquired versus hospital-acquired acute kidney injury in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD requiring hospitalization in China.

Purpose: Previous studies have described the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes for patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) developing acute kidney injury (AKI). However, little is known about the differences between community-acquired AKI (CA-AKI) and hospital-acquired AKI (HA-AKI) in patients with AECOPD. Thus, in this study, we compared prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes for these patients with CA-AKI and HA-AKI.

Assembly of an early-matured japonica (Geng) rice genome, Suijing18, based on PacBio and Illumina sequencing.

The early-matured japonica (Geng) rice variety, Suijing18 (SJ18), carries multiple elite traits including durable blast resistance, good grain quality, and high yield. Using PacBio SMRT technology, we produced over 25 Gb of long-read sequencing raw data from SJ18 with a coverage of 62×. Using Illumina paired-end whole-genome shotgun sequencing technology, we generated 59 Gb of short-read sequencing data from SJ18 (23.

[Prognostic significance of EBMT score system for hematological malignancies with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].

Objective: To evaluate the impact of EBMT score system in patients with hematological malignancies received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

Methods: A total of 144 consecutive patients were analyzed retrospectively. According to the EBMT score system, including age, disease status before transplantation, interval between diagnoses to transplantation, donor/recipient sex match and donor type, patients were divided into 3 risk groups: low risk (score 0-1), intermediate risk (score 2-3) and high risk (score 4-7).

Targeting poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase partially contributes to bufalin-induced cell death in multiple myeloma cells.

Despite recent pharmaceutical advancements in therapeutic drugs, multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable disease. Recently, ploy(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) has been shown as a potentially promising target for MM therapy. A previous report suggested bufalin, a component of traditional Chinese medicine ("Chan Su"), might target PARP1.

[Allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation from sibling donors for 10 patients with multiple myeloma].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (allo-PBSCT) from sibling donors for treatment of multiple myeloma (MM).

Methods: Ten patients with MM received allo-PBSCT with conditioning consisting of fludarabine plus melphalan and cyclophosphamide mostly.CsA plus mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and short-term MTX were applied to prevent graft versus host disease (GVHD) in 8 patients, FK506 plus short-term MTX in other 2 patients.

[Treatment options and prognosis in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients].

Objective: To explore the effect of treatment option on the response and outcomes in multiple myeloma (MM) patients suitable for autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT).

Methods: A total of 71 newly-diagnosed MM patients less than 65 years admitted to RuiJin Hospital from June 2005 to December 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. Among them, 21 received auto-HSCT (HSCT group) with standard conditioning of melphalan 200 mg/m(2), 30 received conventional chemotherapy (conventional group) and 20 received Bortezomib-based therapy (Bortezomib group).

Intravenous busulfan-cyclophosphamide as a preparative regimen before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The use of i.v. busulfan (BU) instead of the oral formulation can improve outcomes in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) by reducing toxicity and transplantation-related mortality (TRM).

[The impact of autologous stem cell transplantation on the prognosis in multiple myeloma].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) and its impact on the prognosis of MM.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed in 28 patients with MM (group A) treated with ASCT in our hospital from October 1998 to February 2007, compared with those not received ASCT in the same time period including 23 patients with near complete response (nCR) or better (group B) and 25 patients with partial response (PR) (group C). The duration of response (DOR), time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) were compared by Kaplan-Meier method in the 3 groups.

[Bortezomib-based combination therapy for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma].

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of bortezomib based combination therapy for Chinese patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma (MM), and to determine the combination regimen, dosage and cycles in application of bortezomib for MM therapy.

Methods: Forty-six patients with refractory or relapsed myeloma were treated with bortezomib (1.3 mg/m2) as an intravenous bolus twice weekly for 2 weeks on day 1, 4, 8, and 11 in a 3-4 week cycle, in combination with dexamethasone, dexamethasone plus thalidomide, CD (C-cytoxan, D-dexamethasone), MD (M-mitoxsnteone), DCEP (E-etoposide, P-platinol), and DT-PACE regimens (T-thalidomide, A-adriamycin).

[Detection of serum free light chain and its clinical significance in nonsecretory multiple myeloma].

Objective: To explore the clinical significance of serum free light chain (sFLC) levels in nonsecretory multiple myeloma (NSMM).

Methods: Nine NSMM patients were hospitalized in our department from Feb 2002 to Sep 2006 and no M-components was found in their serum and urine by immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE). sFLC was assayed by immuno-nephelometry.

[Clinical features of multiple myeloma patients with extramedullary disease: a report of 40 cases from a single center].

Objective: To analyze the clinical and laboratory features and risk factors of multiple myeloma (MM) with extramedullary disease (EM) and its extraosseous localizations at diagnosis and during the course of MM.

Methods: The clinical features, survival rate and prognostic factors were retrospectively analyzed in 40 patients having EM from a total of 418 MM patients hospitalized in Changzheng Hospital from 1993 to 2006.

Results: Among the 40 patients, the first three localizations of EM involved soft tissue, pleura or peritoneum and central nervous system (CNS).

[Efficacy of thalidomide combined dexamethasone on newly diagnosed multiple myeloma].

Background & Objective: Thalidomide is effective in treating refractory and relapsed multiple myeloma (MM). However, the efficacy of thalidomide in induction therapy for newly diagnosed MM remains unknown. This study was to evaluate the efficacy of thalidomide combined dexamethasone (TD induction regimen) on previously untreated MM, and observe the adverse events.

Prognostic factors and staging systems of multiple myeloma:

Background: Previous studies found a range of prognostic factors but no consensus about the proper staging system for multiple myeloma has been achieved. This study explored the prognostic factors to find a staging system for multiple myeloma most suitable for Chinese patients.

Methods: Between February 1990 to August 2004, 206 patients (138 men and 68 women, mean aged (59 +/- 11) years) who were initially diagnosed as multiple myeloma in Changzheng Hospital (Shanghai, China) and had followup records were enrolled in this study.

[The effect of cyclin D2 shRNA on the proliferation and apoptosis of LP-1 cell].

Objective: To construct cyclin D2 (CCND2) short hairpin RNA ( shRNA) plasmid for repressing the expression of CCND2 in human myeloma cell line LP-1,and to detect its effect on the proliferation and apoptosis of LP-1 cell.

Methods: A CCND2 shRNA model was constructed and cloned into plasmid pGensil-2, then the plasmid was transfected into LP-1 cell in vitro. The CCND2 expression cell proliferation, cell cycle and cell apoptosis of the transfected LP-1 cells were studied by RT-PCR, trypanosome staining, flow cytometry and annexin V assay.

[Bortezomib in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of bortezomib in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma(MM).

Methods: Sixteen patients(9 males, 7 females, mean age 57. 5 yrs) with refractory or relapsed MM were treated with bortezomib (1.

[Prognostic analysis and assessment on the clinical staging systems of multiple myeloma--a report of 206 cases].

Background & Objective: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a heterogeneous disease of plasma cell tumor with poor prognosis. This study was to explore the prognostic factors of MM in China, and find the most suitable clinical staging systems.

Methods: Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out on 18 clinical and laboratory indexes from 206 MM patients.

[Mechanism of arsenic trioxide-induced cytotoxicity on multiple myeloma cells].

Background & Objective: Multiple myeloma (MM), a plasma cell tumor, is difficult to cure by now. Previous study showed that As2O3 could inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of myeloma cell in vitro. The aim of this study was to explore the possible mechanism of arsenic trioxide (As2O3) on multiple myeloma cells.

[Detection of IgH-MMSET fusion gene in multiple myeloma patients and its significance].

Objective: To detect the IgH-MMSET fusion gene resulted from t (4;14) translocation in multiple myeloma and illuminate its significance.

Methods: IgH-MMSET fusion gene was detected in bone marrow specimens of 25 multiple myeloma (MM) patients and MM cell line NCI-H929 using reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assay followed by nested PCR to increase the sensitivity. The purified PCR products were cloned into pGEM-T vector and then sequenced using M13 forward primers.

[Effects of arsenic trioxide on cell cycle and expression of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors of multiple myeloma cells].

Objective: To study the effects of arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) on cell cycle and expression of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) in multiple myeloma (MM) cells, and explore its pharmacological mechanism.

Methods: The DNA content of MM cells line HS-Sultan was analyzed by flow cytometry after exposure to As(2)O(3), the effects on expression of CDKI P15, P16 AND P21 were studied by reverse transcriptase PCR.

Results: DNA flow cytometric analysis showed that As(2)O(3) induced most of HS-Sultan cells, arrest at G(0)/G(1) phase and a small fraction at G(2)/M phase and apoptosis occurred mainly in S phase.