Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 alleviates pulmonary artery hypertension through inhibition of focal adhesion kinase expression.

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is an important therapeutic target in pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH); however, the mechanism of its activation remains unknown. The present study aimed to investigate whether angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) could regulate FAK and alleviate PAH in a rat model of PAH established with a single administration of monocrotaline followed by continuous hypoxia treatment. In the current study, right ventricular pressure, body weight and the right ventricular hypertrophy index were measured, and hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed on lung tissues to determine whether the modeling was successful.

Non-parathyroid hypercalcemia during lactation: a case report.

Hypercalcemia is a clinical emergency which can cause hypercalcemic crisis and even endanger patients' lives. The increase of serum calcium concentration is caused by the redistribution of calcium in bone and the inhibition of parathyroid secretion, which is known as non-parathyroid hypercalcemia. In this report, we presented a rare case of non-parathyroid hypercalcemia during lactation in order to optimize the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Changes in ion channel expression and function associated with cardiac arrhythmogenic remodeling by Sorbs2.

The Sorbin and SH3 domain-containing protein 2 (Sorbs2) is an important component of cardiomyocyte sarcomere. It has been recently reported that loss of Sorbs2 is causally associated with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy in human. However, the ionic mechanisms leading to cardiac arrhythmogenesis by Sorbs2 deficiency are unknown.

Exosomal mRNA and lncRNA profiles in cord blood of preeclampsia patients.

Background: Exosomes are endosome-derived membrane vesicles that contain numerous RNAs and allow intercellular communication. The roles of mRNAs and lncRNAs from umbilical cord blood exosomes in the development of preeclampsia (PE) remain unclear.

Methods: In the study, microarray technology was used to construct the differential mRNA and lncRNA expression profiles in umbilical cord blood exosomes between PE patients and normal controls.

First lung transplant in Wuhan for a critical and elderly COVID-19 patient.

Introduction: We report the case of a 65-year-old Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patient with pneumonia and subsequent end-stage pulmonary failure who required 63 days of mechanical ventilation (MV) and 62 days of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

Methods: On Day 45, a comprehensive interdisciplinary discussion on the best course of treatment resulted in the general consensus that his lungs would not recover. As such, he was evaluated and listed for a lung transplant.

Protective function of interleukin-22 in pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive scarring disease with unknown etiology. The evidence of a pathogenic role for transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in the development and progression of IPF is overwhelming. In the present study, we investigated the role of interleukin-22 (IL-22) in the pathogenesis of IPF by regulating the TGF-β pathway.

Interferon-Induced Transmembrane Protein 3 Shapes an Inflamed Tumor Microenvironment and Identifies Immuno-Hot Tumors.

Interferon-induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) is an interferon-induced membrane protein, which has been identified as a functional gene in multiple human cancers. The role of IFITM3 in cancer has been preliminarily summarized, but its relationship to antitumor immunity is still unclear. A pancancer analysis was conducted to investigate the expression pattern and immunological role of IFITM3 based on transcriptomic data downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

The long-term efficacy and safety of combining ablation and left atrial appendage closure: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Combined ablation and left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) is an alternative for atrial fibrillation patients with a high risk of stroke. However, the long-term outcomes of this combined procedure remain elusive.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were systematically searched from the establishment of databases to 1 January 2021.

YWHAZ interacts with DAAM1 to promote cell migration in breast cancer.

Dishevelled-associated activator of morphogenesis 1 (DAAM1) is a critical driver in facilitating metastasis in breast cancer (BrCa). However, molecular mechanisms for the regulation of DAAM1 activation are only partially elucidated. In this research, the expression levels of YWHAZ and DAAM1 were examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining in BrCa tissues.

Bilateral Lung Transplantation for Patients With Destroyed Lung and Asymmetric Chest Deformity.

Destroyed lung can cause mediastinal displacement and asymmetric chest deformity. Reports on bilateral lung transplantation (LT) to treat destroyed lung and asymmetric chest deformity are rare. This study presents our surgical experience of bilateral LT among patients with destroyed lung and asymmetric chest deformity.

Exerts Strain-Specific Effects on DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Mice.

is a commensal bacterium of the gut mucus layer. Although both and data have shown that strains exhibit strain-specific modulation of gut functions, its ability to moderate immunity to ulcerative colitis have not been verified. We selected three isolated human strains (FSDLZ39M14, FSDLZ36M5 and FSDLZ20M4) and the type strain ATCC BAA-835 to examine the effects of different strains on dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.

[Risk factors analysis for 1-year postoperative survival of patients with benign end-stage lung diseases after lung transplantation].

Objective: To investigate the main postoperative complications, causes of death and the risk factors for survival in patient with benign end-stage lung diseases within 1 year after lung transplantation.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted to collect the clinical data of 200 patients with benign end-stage lung disease who underwent lung transplantation admitted to Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from May 2017 to October 2018. The main postoperative complications, survival and causes of death within 1 year after operation were analyzed.

miR-224 Regulates the Aggressiveness of Hepatoma Cells Through the IL-6/STAT3/SMAD4 Pathway.

Background: Previous studies have shown that miR-224 regulates the progression of liver cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: The miR-224, p-STAT3 and SMAD4 expression levels were checked with tissue or/and serum samples of HCC patients by qRT-PCR or IHC methods.

Metformin exerts anti-AR-negative prostate cancer activity via AMPK/autophagy signaling pathway.

Background: Encouraged by the goal of developing an effective treatment strategy for prostate cancer, this study explored the mechanism involved in metformin-mediated inhibition of AR-negative prostate cancer.

Methods: Cell behaviors of DU145 and PC3 cells were determined by CCK8 test, colony formation experiment and scratch test. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle distribution.

[Research Progress on Prognostic Factors of Multiple Myeloma--Review].

At present, multiple myeloma (MM) still can not be cured, so it is particularly important to study the prognostic factors of MM. Recently, based on the characteristics of tumor or host, the complete disease staging systems, such as Mayor mSMART and frailty scoring system have been updated. Other independent prognostic factors, such as minimal residual disease, circulating tumor DNA, red blood cell distribution width, lymphocyte ratio and thymidine kinase 1 are of great value in evaluating the prognosis of MM from different perspectives.

A Novel Deep Learning System for Diagnosing Early Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Diagnostic Study.

Introduction: This study aims to construct a real-time deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) system to diagnose early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with white light imaging endoscopy.

Methods: A total of 4,002 images from 1,078 patients were used to train and cross-validate the DCNN model for diagnosing early ESCC. The performance of the model was further tested with independent internal and external validation data sets containing 1,033 images from 243 patients.

Establishment and application of an immunoassay for the simultaneous detection of IgG and its subtype IgG4 autoantibodies against M-type phospholipase A2 receptor.

Background: The renal biopsy is an accurate and reliable gold standard for membranous nephropathy (MN) diagnosis. However, it is an invasive procedure involving the risk of hemorrhage or infection. Thus, an alternative approach that can facilitate the effective diagnosis and treatment monitoring of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) is urgently needed.

Carcinoembryonic Antigen Related Cell Adhesion Molecule 6 Promotes Carcinogenesis of Gastric Cancer and Anti-CEACAM6 Fluorescent Probe Can Diagnose the Precancerous Lesions.

The diagnosis of precancerous lesions or early gastric cancer (EGC) is very important for patient survival. Molecular imaging is a visualized method that can easily and precisely diagnose tumors. However, there are currently few studies about molecular imaging diagnosis of EGC.

Chronic intermittent hypoxia aggravates skeletal muscle aging by down-regulating Klc1/grx1 expression via Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Objective: Sleep breathing disorder may affect skeletal muscle decline in the elderly, but the mechanism is not clear. Therefore, this study explores the mechanism of skeletal muscle aging in chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) rats.

Methods: In vitro and in vivo CIH models were constructed in L6 cells and SD rats by treating chronic intermittent hypoxia.

Comparative Transcriptome Analyses Reveal a Transcriptional Landscape of Human Silicosis Lungs and Provide Potential Strategies for Silicosis Treatment.

Silicosis is a fatal occupational lung disease which currently has no effective clinical cure. Recent studies examining the underlying mechanism of silicosis have primarily examined experimental models, which may not perfectly reflect the nature of human silicosis progression. A comprehensive profiling of the molecular changes in human silicosis lungs is urgently needed.

Neuromedin U and neurotensin may promote the development of the tumour microenvironment in neuroblastoma.

Stage 4S neuroblastoma, as defined by the International Neuroblastoma Staging System committee (INSS), is known to regress spontaneously and have a more favourable outcome compared with stage 4 tumours. Comparing the molecular differences between these two stages may provide insights into the progression of neuroblastoma. Our study aimed to explore the molecular differences in the tumour microenvironment (TME) between INSS stage 4S and stage 4 tumours to provide an insight into the mechanisms underlying the biological processes of neuroblastoma.

The lncRNA PAHRF functions as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate MST1 expression by sponging miR-23a-3p in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Emerging evidence has shown that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays important roles in the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, some new lncRNAs in patients with PAH are still lacking research. Herein, we examined the expression and role of lncRNA (pulmonary arterial hypertension related factor, PAHRF) in PAH.