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Undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells of the pancreas (UCOGCP) is a rare pancreatic tumor that accounts for <1% of all primary pancreatic malignant tumors. Although the tumor is considered a variant of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, there are substantial differences in the clinicopathological characteristics between UCOGCP and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Imaging examinations are useful in making a correct diagnosis, and providing a reasonable and effective surgical treatment regimen; however, the imaging characteristics of UCOGCP require further investigation. The present report describes a rare case of UCOGCP with rapid progression and poor prognosis. The patient could not undergo surgery and received chemotherapy drugs only. Chemotherapy did not markedly improve the outcome, and a follow-up 6 months after discharge showed that the patient had died. The present report describes this case and summarizes the available imaging findings to increase awareness, and to improve early diagnosis of this rare disease and therapeutic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Surfactant Detergent & Cosmetics (2097-2806) is the property of China Surfactant Detergent & Cosmetics Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To investigate the role of miR‐4301 in rotavirus (RV)‐infected Caco‐2 cells. In this experiment, RNAs of RV‐infected Caco‐2 cells were extracted, and the high‐throughput second‐generation sequencing was performed to detect the expression profiles of host microRNAs (miRNAs). Synthetic miRNA mimics and inhibitors were examined (quantitative polymerase chain reaction [qPCR], crystalline violet, immunofluorescence and electron microscopy) to evaluate the effect on RV replication. Target genes of miR‐4301 were predicted by software analysis. The expression of target genes was evaluated by qPCR and Western blot after transfected with miRNA inhibitor/mimic, and crystalline violet and qPCR were used to detect the downregulation effects of target genes on RV replication. By transfecting miRNA inhibitors/mimics and detecting downstream target genes, the mechanism of miRNA affecting RV replication was analyzed. There were 78 known miRNAs with significant differential expression, including 39 upregulated miRNAs and 39 downregulated miRNAs. The results showed that miR‐4301 exerted a key role in enhancing RV replication. PPP1R3D protein which can inhibit RV replication was predicted as the target gene of miR‐4301 by software analysis. While upregulating miR‐4301 by RV, the expression of PPP1R3D and glycogen synthase (GS) is suppressed. For the first time, the effect of miR‐4301 on RV infection, and its influence on GS was investigated. Specifically, RV inhibits host cell glycogen synthesis to utilize the host intracellular glucose for promoting its own replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the ability of renal blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MRI metrics to predict post-operative renal function.Methods: We studied 152 patients who underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) and renal MRI examination including BOLD. Short-term and long-term renal function was evaluated using the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) derived from renal scintigraphy. Renal function decline was assessed as the absolute decline (AD), percentage decline (PD) and optimal renal function preservation (OP). T2* values were analysed in the renal cortex and medulla ipsilateral and contralateral to the tumour. Clinical characteristics and imaging metrics were evaluated using univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. Risk factors obtained using BOLD metrics (determined by multivariate regression) were then combined and compared with RENAL scores to predict OP.Results: Increasing warm ischaemia time (WIT), resected and ischaemic volume (RAIV), larger tumour size, higher RENAL score and lower preoperative GFR were short-term risk factors for AD, while increasing WIT and lower preoperative GFR were significant for long-term outcomes. Increasing WIT, RAIV, lower T2* value in the cortex and higher T2* value in the medulla on the ipsilateral side were short-term risk factors for PD, while all of the above factors (except WIT and RAIV) were significant for long-term outcomes. The performance of the combination of T2* values in the cortex and medulla on the ipsilateral side to tumour in predicting OP was better than RENAL score (AUC 0.762 vs 0.634, p = 0.013).Conclusions: Renal BOLD-MRI metrics could provide useful information to the clinician in predicting post-operative renal function outcomes.Key Points: • Renal fMRI metrics may be useful for prediction of renal functional outcomes and merit further study. • Renal fMRI metrics may reflect degree of baseline disease and ability to tolerate warm ischaemia. • Combination of T2* values was better than RENAL score for predicting OP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of students' intercultural communicative competence (ICC) is one of the main objectives of College English teaching in China. The present study aims to construct the Process-oriented intercultural teaching mode for promoting college students' ICC grounded in the current reality of cultural teaching in Chinese College English course and presents an empirical analysis of the effects of Process-oriented intercultural teaching in Chinese College English classroom. The results of the analysis indicate that the Process-oriented intercultural teaching is more effective than the traditional cultural teaching in enhancing the students' affective and behavioral dimensions of ICC and gained significantly higher satisfaction among teacher and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to explore the potential for vertical transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) from parents to offspring via human germ cells. METHODS For study samples, 250 oocytes from hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seropositive women and 578 embryos from couples with at least one HBsAg seropositive partner were collected. HBV DNA in the nuclei of oocytes and embryos was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization; HBsAg expression was analysed using immunofluorescence; and serum HBV DNA levels were measured by real-time PCR. The HBV infection duration of the women and the serum HBsAg status of their mothers were also examined. RESULTS HBV DNA was present in 9.6% (24/250) of oocytes and 14.4% (83/578) of embryos. Rates of HBV DNA positive embryos were similar among couples in which the woman, man or both partners were HBsAg seropositive, 13.1% (57/436), 21.3% (16/75) and 14.9% (10/67), respectively. Rates of positivity in oocytes and embryos were significantly higher in a group with high serum levels HBV DNA than in a group with lower serum levels (P= 0.004 and P= 0.002, respectively). Higher rates of oocyte positivity were found for women whose mothers were HBV infected compared with those with uninfected mothers. Expression of HBsAg was observed in 8.7% (2/28) oocytes and 14.1% (10/71) embryos (P= 0.34). CONCLUSIONS The presence of HBV DNA in human oocytes or embryos was related to the women's serum levels of HBV DNA and the infection status of their mothers. The HBV positive embryos were either maternally or paternally dependent. HBV infection may result in vertical transmission to the offspring via germ cells. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Social Sciences in China is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The microstructure characteristics of shell plates of chiton Liolophura japonica Lischke were analyzed using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The results show that the internal structure of the shell plate of chiton Liolophura japonica is composed of seven calcium layers which were crossed lamellar crystallites, homogeneous structure, granular crystallites, and trabecular type crystallites. The element compositions of shell plates were analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results determined by XPS show that the surface chemical states of various layers are different. There are 13 elements (Na, O, N, C, S, P, Ca, Cl, Si, Al, K, Fe, Mg) on the shell plate of chiton L. japonica. Among the 13 elements, 11 are on the outside pigment layer except K and S. Among seven layers of shell plate, there is the largest quantity of elements on the outside pigment layer, and the least quantity of elements is on layer C (Articulamentum auctorum). There are 7 elements on the layer C (Articulamentum auctorum). Besides calcium carbonate, there are some inorganic compounds on the shell plate, such as NaCl, MgO, Al2O3, silicate, sulfate and phosphate. There are some organic chemical components, such as carbohydrate, organic sulfide, and organic nitride on the shell plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]