BACKGROUND: Adult-onset vitelliform macular dystrophy (AVMD) is an inherited maculopathy characterized by metamorphopsias and decrease in visual acuity occurring between the fourth and the sixth decade. It is characterized by an \'egg yolk\' macular lesion eventually evolving towards foveal atrophy and fibrosis. It is usually an autosomal dominant inherited disorder with variable penetrance, mainly related to variants in BEST1, PRPH2, IMPG1, and IMPG2 genes.
METHODS: A 47-year-old woman complaining of \"wavy\" vision was referred to our clinic. Her past medical history and reported family history did not reveal any ocular disease. Complete ophthalmological evaluation was performed. Funduscopic examination and multimodal imaging revealed a round vitelliform lesion in both eyes, leading to a diagnosis of AVMD. Genetic analysis revealed a novel, likely pathogenetic, heterozygous c.478G > T (p.Glu160Ter), (NM_016247) variant in the IMPG2 gene.
CONCLUSIONS: Our patient exhibits a novel pathogenetic variant in a gene associated with AVMD. Heterozygous variants in the IMPG2 gene have been reported in multiple individuals with vitelliform macular dystrophy, with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Genetic screening is essential to characterize patients, to predict vision loss in patients with a positive family history and to characterize eligible patients for new potential emerging therapies. Genotype-phenotype correlation studies are needed to have a clearer picture of pathogenetic mechanisms. Our study characterizes the phenotype related to a novel IMPG2 pathogenic variant through multimodal imaging.

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Malignant mixed mesodermal sarcomas (myxoid leiomyosarcomas - MLMS) are a rare form of uterine cancer developed from the smooth muscles of the uterus. It usually affects women in the postmenopausal period and has an aggressive character with an unfavorable evolution and prognosis. This paper presents a case where MLMS was postoperatively confirmed with the aid of the histopathological (HP) examination coupled with specific immunolabeling techniques. In addition, we reviewed modern literature to compare our results. Clinically, patients may present with a pelvic tumor, vaginal bleeding, or abdominal pressure. Imagistic investigations, such as pelvic ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET)-CT may support the diagnosis. Nevertheless, solely the HP examination establishes it. Macroscopically, MLMS is soft and gelatinous, unlike the conventional rigid and spiral leiomyoma appearance. Furthermore, the infiltrative, irregular tumor margin is characteristic of MLMS. From a microscopic point of view, the following are present: tumor cell necrosis, nuclear pleomorphism, and variable mitotic activity. With classical Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining, myometrium presents a leiomyomatous structure and multiple nodular formations with the aspect of malignant tumor proliferation, most likely mesenchymal. We used multiple special immunolabeling techniques. Thus, we observed the intense reactivity of the cells to the anti-vimentin antibody, which immunolabeled type III intermediate filament (IF) protein expressed in mesenchymal cells, thus demonstrating tumor mesenchymal affiliation. Smooth cell positivity for alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) demonstrates that the tumor is present in its whole myometrial structure. Tumor cells also underwent mutations involving the p53 tumor suppressor gene demonstrated by the number of tumoral cells in division immunolabeled with anti-Ki67 proliferation antibody. Tumor development was demonstrated by protein activation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) and the presence of c-Kit-bound hematopoietic stem cells, immunolabeled with the anti-cluster of differentiation 117 (anti-CD117) antibodies. The anti-desmin antibody demonstrates, along with α-SMA, the involvement of myocytes in the tumoral process. The following microscopic characteristics laid the foundation for the diagnosis of MLMS: irregular myometrial invasion, rare mitosis on high-power fields (HPFs), cell pleomorphism, predominant myxoid component that gave a hypocellular appearance, the matrix rich in proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans, especially hyaluronic acid.

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回顾性分析1例原发于椎管内硬脊膜的黏液型孤立性纤维性肿瘤（SFT）的临床病理学特点、诊断、鉴别诊断及临床预后等。患者女，39岁。右侧背部疼痛、右小腿麻木伴行走不稳3个月；磁共振成像（MRI）提示胸椎椎管内占位，考虑神经鞘瘤可能，手术完整切除病灶。显微镜下于黏液背景中见肿瘤细胞弥漫性生长，瘤细胞体积中等大小，呈短梭形或星芒状，胞质淡染，细胞核轻微不规则；间质内可见薄壁、扩张的血管。免疫组织化学染色肿瘤细胞表达STAT6和CD34，不表达脑膜瘤标志物SSTR2，不表达神经鞘瘤标志物S-100蛋白、SOX10和脊索瘤标志物Brachyury，Ki-67阳性指数约5%。二代测序检测提示其存在NAB2基因的第6号外显子和STAT6基因的第17号外显子融合。术后随访1年无肿瘤复发和转移。中枢神经系统黏液型SFT罕见，预后较好，诊断过程中需注意与黏液样神经鞘瘤、脊索瘤、脊索样脑（脊）膜瘤、原发或者转移性黏液样单相型滑膜肉瘤以及原发或者转移性低度恶性纤维黏液样肉瘤等疾病相鉴别。.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the possible associations between serum endocan levels and endometriosis.
METHODS: A total of 60 women with histologically proven endometriosis and 40 women who underwent laparoscopy due to unexplained infertility without endometriosis were evaluated in a case-control study. Serum endocan, CA125, CA19.9, and CA15.3 levels were measured. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters were compared.
RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups regarding age, body-mass-index, parity, and serum CRP and WBC levels. Serum endocan (p<0.001), CA125 (p<0.001), CA19.9 (p=0.022) and CA15.3 (p=0.013) levels were significantly higher in the endometriosis group compared to the control group. The correlation analysis showed that serum endocan level was positively correlated with the stage of the disease, CRP, and WBC, but not with remaining parameters, age, BMI, dysmenorrhea score, CA125, CA19.9, and CA15.3. Serum CA125 can predict endometriosis (Cut off=26.2 IU/mL, AUC=0.955) with a sensitivity of 89% and specificity of 88%. Serum endocan can predict endometriosis (Cut off=454 ng/mL AUC=0.749) with a 93% sensitivity and 61% specificity.
CONCLUSIONS: The serum endocan levels were significantly elevated in women with endometriosis compared to the control group. Serum endocan can predict endometriosis with a sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 61.

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type VIII (OMIM: 610915) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by white sclerae, severe growth deficiency, and bone fragility. This condition results from pathogenic variants of P3H1, a gene that codes for P3H1, an important protein involved in the prolyl-3-hydroxylation complex required for collagen type I folding. Here, we described a woman with OI type VIII due to a homozygous mutation of c.1914+1G>C (NM_001243246.1) in P3H1 and retinal detachment. We compared our case to five severe OI and retinal detachment cases reported in the literature. The only case previously reported with a molecular diagnosis had a similar mutation in P3H1 c.1914+1G>A and a giant retinal detachment. We suggest that individuals with OI type VIII should be submitted to careful fundoscopic examination.

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BACKGROUND: We report an invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) with negative (1,3)-β-D-glucan and dynamically elevated white blood cells combined with procalcitonin proven by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) culture.
METHODS: Appropriate laboratory tests are carried out. Chest CTs were performed to assess the lungs. The cause of infection was determined using BALF culture.
RESULTS: Serum (1,3)-β-D-glucan was negative, white blood cells and procalcitonin were significantly higher than normal. The bronchoscopy revealed obvious necrotic detritus and pseudo membrane in the trachea, left and right main bronchi, and branches. BALF culture revealed the presence of Aspergillus.
CONCLUSIONS: Negative (1,3)-β-D-glucan is not safe to rule out invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. BALF culture is critical for IPA diagnosis.

Autosomal recessive cornea plana is a very rare hereditary ocular disease, characterized by a flattened corneal curvature, marked hyperopia due to low refractive power and frequently consequent accommodative esotropia. Other features include various cornea anterior segment abnormalities, without systemic problems. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the clinical and molecular alterations in a Chinese family with cornea plana. Full ophthalmic examinations of the patients were performed, including slit‑lamp examination, fundus examination and ocular ultrasound. Whole‑exome sequencing data were screened for pathological variants in the proband, which were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. One novel missense mutation, c.242A>G (p.N81S) and another novel 7 base‑pair deletion mutation, c.772‑779del (p.G258Cfs*30), were detected in the keratocan (KERA) gene; two affected siblings inherited these variations in a compound heterozygous state, which were derived from the clinically unaffected heterozygous father (c.772_779del) and mother (c.242A>G), respectively. Neither mutation was observed in unrelated healthy controls (n=200). Multiple computer software predictions supported the pathogenicity of the two variants. Furthermore, protein modeling prediction was performed to better understand the molecular basis of cornea plana, particularly the importance of the leucine‑rich repeat domain. This study presents the 14th pathogenic KERA mutations identified worldwide and the first in East Asia so far, to the best of our knowledge. These findings guided prenatal diagnosis for the family in question and expand on the variant spectrum of KERA, therefore facilitating genetic counseling.