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Objective To investigate the role of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes （hUC-MSC-Exo） in the tunicamycin-induced apoptosis of renal tubular epithelial cells （HKC）. Methods Endoplasmic reticulum stress （ERS） was induced by tunicamycin in HKC cells. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay. The expression levels of ERS-related proteins of glucose-regulated protein 78 （GRP78），GRP94 and C/EBP homologous protein （CHOP） were determined by Western blot. Cell apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry. hUC-MSC-Exo were isolated and identified by flow cytometry. The effects of different concentrations of hUC-MSC-Exo （0，40，60，80，100，150 and 200 μg/mL） upon cell activity were evaluated. Cell proliferation and apoptosis after co-treatment with hUC-MSC-Exo and tunicamycin were assessed by resazurin assay and flow cytometry. Results Treatment with 1，2 and 4 μg/mL tunicamycin could inhibit the proliferation of HKC in a concentration-dependent manner. Different concentrations of tunicamycin could induce ERS and cell apoptosis in HKC. Treatment with 100，150 and 200 μg/mL hUC-MSC-Exo could enhance cell proliferation. Compared with the 2 μg/mL tunicamycin group，cell proliferation was significantly increased in the 2 μg/mL tunicamycin and 150 μg/mL hUC-MSC-Exo co-treatment group （P < 0.05）. The apoptosis rate in the 2 μg/mL tunicamycin group was （14.16±1.58）%，and （8.18±0.58）% in the 2 μg/mL tunicamycin and 150 μg/mL hUC-MSC-Exo co-treatment group，and the difference was statistically significant （P

ObjectivesNon-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) primarily derived from the base of the tongue, is rare. Human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) are important aetiological risk factors for tumours of the head and neck. This study describes the clinicopathological features of NHL in the tongue base and the status of HPV and EBV in these cases.MethodsSeven cases were identified from the Pathological Registry Database at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH). The study utilized immunochemistry, in situ hybridization (ISH), and gene rearrangement to confirm the disease and and performed a clinical follow up for each case.ResultsAll 7 lymphomas were localized at the base of the tongue. Six of the cases exhibited tongue base masses with smooth surface membranes. One case presented as multiple deep ulcers. The most common histologic subtype was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), which occurred in five cases. The other two cases were mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and peripheral T cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL, NOS). One of the DLBCL cases was positive for HPV DNA and diffusely expressed P16 protein. During the follow up period, the MCL patient and an elderly DLBCL patient died. The remaining five patients were alive through the end of follow up.ConclusionsMost lymphomas of the tongue base manifest as an endogenous mass without membranous change. The most common subtype of NHLs of the tongue base is DLBCL, and the occurrence at this site may have a good prognosis. With proper therapy, even late stage tongue base lymphomas can be suppressed and remain in remission.

The pandemic caused by coronavirus disease of 2019 （COVID-19） has brought severe challenges to public health all over the world. Vitamin D plays an important role in immune regulation and anti-respiratory virus infection as an immune enhancer. Several studies have demonstrated that vitamin D can regulate the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2/angiotensin （1-7）/Mas receptor axis signaling pathway， inhibit the over-activation of renin-angiotensin system signal， fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection and suppress the production of inflammatory cytokine storm， thereby reducing the risk of pneumonia infection and improving acute respiratory distress syndrome， cardiogenic obstruction and thrombosis in COVID-19 patients. In this article， the mechanism of vitamin D in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and mitigating clinical symptoms was reviewed. It is hypothesized that vitamin D plays a critical role in the prevention or adjuvant therapy for novel coronavirus pneumonia and alleviating clinical manifestations in COVID-19 patients.

Objective: Abnormal tumor vascular network contributes to aberrant blood perfusion and reduced oxygenation in tumors, which lead to poor efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We aimed to explore the effects of the tumor‐derived exosomes (TDEs) and C188‐9 (a small molecule inhibitor of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, STAT3) on tumor microvascular hemodynamics and determine which blood flow oscillations for various frequency intervals are responsible for these changes. Methods: Microvascular hemodynamics parameters were recorded using a PeriFlux 6000 EPOS system in tumor surface in a nude mouse subcutaneous xenograft model. Oscillations of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) signal were investigated by wavelet transform analysis. Results: TDEs facilitated tumor growth at least partially was associated with increasing blood flow in smaller vessels with lower speed and decreasing the blood flow at larger vessels with higher speed. Lower oxyhemoglobin saturation (SO2) on tumor surface was aggravated by TDEs, and C188‐9 treatment significantly alleviated this decrease. Wavelet transform spectral analysis revealed that TDEs increased the amplitude of oscillations in four frequency intervals related to endothelial (NO‐dependent and ‐independent), myogenic and neurogenic activities, and C188‐9 had no effect on this increase. Conclusions: TDEs facilitated tumor growth partially was associated with increasing blood flow in distributing vessels, reducing blood perfusion in larger vessels, and lowering SO2 on tumor surface. Enhanced vascular smooth muscle, endothelial and neurogenic activities occurred in tumor superficial zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study used single-center data to analyze the clinicopathological features of site-specific endometrial cancer. Methods: Patients with endometrial carcinoma who had undergone surgery at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China, between March 2016 and January 2022 were enrolled. Clinical information and pathological characteristics were summarized, and microsatellite status was analyzed using the immunohistochemical method. Patient prognoses were measured in terms of the rates of overall survival and progression-free survival. Results: The mean patient age was 49 years (ranging: from 25 to 76 years old), and there was no difference in clinicopathological features between endometrioid and type II endometrial carcinoma in LUSC. The ER and PR expression ratios were 80.4% and 64.3%, respectively, in this LUSC cohort, and the MMR deficiency ratio was 33.9%, including 39.6% in endometrioid carcinoma and 15.4% in type II endometrial carcinoma. Combined MSH2&MSH6 loss was more common than combined MLH1&PMS2 being unexpressed (16.1% vs 12.5%), and dMMR patients differed significantly from the pMMR group in terms of vascular invasion (P=0.003). The combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy did not provide a statistically significant improvement in prognosis compared to chemotherapy alone. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that LUSC patients tended to be younger and their tumors had less expression of hormone markers. The biological behavior of both endometrioid cancer and type II EC may be similar when EC occurs in this area. Furthermore, this type of tumor also showed a higher incidence of vascular invasion, and the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy did not provide significant improvement. Thus, successful treatment of LUSC tumors requires aggressive surgical intervention and a more effective postoperative treatment approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics and responses of soil bacterial communities and potato productivity to different fertilization treatments in farmlands in the agropastoral zone of Inner Mongolia were investigated. Moreover, the diversity and structure of soil bacterial communities and potato productivity under different fertilization treatments (no fertilization, CK; phosphorus-deficient treatment, NK; conventional fertilization, NPK; and organic–inorganic combination, NPKM) were assessed using Illumina high-throughput sequencing. The results revealed that soil pH, organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) content, and potato productivity were significantly increased under fertilizer treatments (NK, NPK, and NPKM) compared with those under CK, with NPKM treatment having the best enhancement effect. The application of organic fertilizers significantly increased the Shannon, evenness, Chao1, and Ace indices of soil bacterial communities and reshaped the bacterial community structure. Random forest model analysis revealed that soil pH and TP significantly affected soil bacterial diversity, whereas soil pH, SOM, TP, and TN significantly affected soil bacterial community structure. Correlation and structural equation modeling analyses revealed that soil TP and SOM indirectly affected potato productivity by changing soil bacterial diversity and community composition. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for improving the quality and productivity of farmland soil to guide the rational fertilization of farmlands in the agropastoral zone of northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of digitalization in higher education is a key to increasing the number of students getting access to education in the developing world. Inspired by the fast digitalization in higher education institutes and the lack of relevant empirical studies about the impact of this rapid digitalization on the learning behavior of students, we investigated: how does digital competence, along with personal innovativeness and attitudes toward digital learning, affect the learning behavior of students in China? This study also aims to examine the moderating role of the level of digitization at higher educational institutions between students' personality traits and their learning behavior. For this purpose, cross sectional data were collected from 1,569 Chinese students through purposive and random sampling through a face-to-face survey. The data were analyzed using the partially least square structural equation model. The findings indicate that digital competence (β =.688, p <.01) exerts a robust positive influence on students' learning behavior. The personal innovativeness had a significant impact on learning behavior (β =.720, p <.01). The study found that the attitude toward digital learning had a significant impact on students' learning behavior (β =.573, p <.01). The results also indicated that digitalization at higher education institutes moderated positively between student personality traits and their learning behavior. Thus, the enables individuals to cultivate creativity, explore novel concepts, and acquire fresh insights that enhance their intellectual skills. Ultimately, DHEI also cultivates their attitude toward formal as well as informal digital learning, which significantly influences their learning behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine whether changes in contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) parameters could predict postsurgery overall and progression-free survival (PFS) in pancreatic cancer patients. Seventy-nine patients with a final pathological diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma were included in this study from June 2008 to August 2012. Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) CT of tumors was obtained before curative-intent surgery. Absolute enhancement change (AEC) and relative enhancement change (REC) were evaluated on DCE-CT. PFS and overall survival (OS) were compared based on CT enhancement patterns. The markers of fibrogenic alpha-smooth muscle antigen (α-SMA) and periostin in tumor specimens were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. The χ test was performed to determine whether CT enhancement patterns were associated with α-SMA-periostin expression levels (recorded as positive or negative). Lower REC (

The aim of this retrospective study is to determine the predictive factors of postoperative dyspnea in infants with Pierre Robin sequence (PRS). Forty children with PRS, who underwent general anesthesia, were retrospectively analyzed. The patient’s physiological status and anesthesiology data were collected accordingly, demographic characteristics including age, gender, height and weight at surgery, weight gain, preoperative airway status, tracheal intubation route, American Society of Anesthesiologists grading and airway Cormack–Lehane classification. Weight gain, dyspnea before the operation, Cormack–Lehane grade distribution showed a significant difference between patients with and without postoperative dyspnea (p = 0.0175, p = 0.0026, and p = 0.0038, respectively). Incompetent weight gain was identified as a predictor (p = 0.0371) of PRS postoperative dyspnea through the binary logistic regression model. In conclusion, this study established an early alerting model by monitoring the weight gain, dyspnea before the operation, Cormack–Lehane grade as potential combinations to predict the risk of postoperative dyspnea for PRS.