Could extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells be a potential therapy for acute pancreatitis-induced cardiac injury?

Acute pancreatitis (AP) often leads to a high incidence of cardiac injury, posing significant challenges in the treatment of severe AP and contributing to increased mortality rates. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) release bioactive molecules that participate in various inflammatory diseases. Similarly, extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by MSCs have garnered extensive attention due to their comparable anti-inflammatory effects to MSCs and their potential to avoid risks associated with cell transplantation. Recently, the therapeutic potential of MSCs-EVs in various inflammatory diseases, including sepsis and AP, has gained increasing recognition. Although preclinical research on the utilization of MSCs-EVs in AP-induced cardiac injury is limited, several studies have demonstrated the positive effects of MSCs-EVs in regulating inflammation and immunity in sepsis-induced cardiac injury and cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, clinical studies have been conducted on the therapeutic application of MSCs-EVs for some other diseases, wherein the contents of these EVs could be deliberately modified through prior modulation of MSCs. Consequently, we hypothesize that MSCs-EVs hold promise as a potential therapy for AP-induced cardiac injury. This paper aims to discuss this topic. However, additional research is essential to comprehensively elucidate the underlying mechanisms of MSCs-EVs in treating AP-induced cardiac injury, as well as to ascertain their safety and efficacy.

Comparison of Arndt-endobronchial blocker plus laryngeal mask airway with left-sided double-lumen endobronchial tube in one-lung ventilation in thoracic surgery in the morbidly obese

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and performance of Arndt-endobronchial blocker (Arndt) combined with laryngeal mask airway (LMA) compared with left-sided double-lumen endobronchial tube (L-DLT) in morbidly obese patients in one-lung ventilation (OLV). In a prospective, randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial, 80 morbidly obese patients (ASA I-III, aged 20-70) undergoing general anesthesia for elective thoracic surgeries were randomly allocated into groups Arndt (n=40) and L-DLT (n=40). In group Arndt, a LMA™ Proseal was placed followed by an Arndt-endobronchial blocker. In group L-DLT, patients were intubated with a left-sided double-lumen endotracheal tube. Primary endpoints were the airway establishment, ease of insertion, oxygenation, lung collapse and surgical field exposure. Results showed similar ease of airway establishment and tube/device insertion between the two groups. Oxygen arterial pressure (PaO2) of patients in the Arndt group was significantly higher than L-DLT (154±46 vs 105±52 mmHg; P<0.05). Quality of lung collapse and surgical field exposure in the Arndt group was significantly better than L-DLT (effective rate 100 vs 90%; P<0.05). Duration of surgery and anesthesia were significantly shorter in the Arndt group (2.4±1.7 vs 3.1±1.8 and 2.8±1.9 vs 3.8±1.8 h, respectively; P<0.05). Incidence of hoarseness of voice and incidence and severity of throat pain at the post-anesthesia care unit and 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after surgery were significantly lower in the Arndt group (P<0.05). Findings suggested that Arndt-endobronchial blocker combined with LMA can serve as a promising alternative for morbidly obese patients in OLV in thoracic surgery.

Integrative Profiling of Bee Communities from Habitats of Tropical Southern Yunnan (China)

Understanding and managing pollination service is hindered by taxonomic impediments and paucity of data, particularly in the tropics. Herein we apply integrative species delineation and taxonomy to test impacts of land use on the diversity of bee communities within Xishuangbanna (Yunnan, south China), a highly biodiverse tropical region which has undergone extensive land conversion to rubber plantation. 128 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU) were inferred by an iterative and integrative approach. Bee activity differed significantly across land use samples, although community composition corresponded more to level of vegetation density, when accounting for spatial structure. Species diversity was high in young rubber plantations, although composition overlapped with other species-rich habitats (natural forest edge and river banks), and older plantations (>8 years) showed very low diversity under all measures. Community structures were similar between the natural forest interior and edge, although analysis indicated contrasting drivers of diversity, with clustering in the interior and overdispersion in the forest edge. Further, phylogenetic diversity and derived indices were underestimated when reference data were omitted from analysis. The description of bee communities herein permits more informed choices in land management with respect to ensuring continuation of essential services by bees.

Identification of adipophilin as a potential diagnostic tumor marker for lung adenocarcinoma

In our previous study, the upregulation of adipophilin in lung adenocarcinoma were identified compared with normal lung tissues by quantitative proteomics. In this study, our aim was to verify the result from quantitative proteomics, further investigate the relationship between adipophilin expression and clinicopathologic factors of lung cancer patients. The expression levels of adipophilin were examined in 10 pairs of lung adenocarcinoma and normal lung tissues using western blotting and the expression and cellular distribution of adipophilin were determined by IHC in 62 formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded primary lung cancer specimens. Adipophilin expression was significantly higher in lung adenocarcinoma specimens than in normal tissues and lung squamous cell carcinomas (P<0.05). There were no significant difference of adipophilin expression between lung squamous cell carcinomas and normal lung tissues. The expression of adipophilin in lung cancer did not correlate with any clinicopathologic factors such as lymph node metastasis, patients' age, gender, tumor size, grade, and TNM stage. In Conclusion, Adipophilin was upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma, suggesting that adipophilin play an important role in tumorigenesis of lung adenocarcinoma and may serve as a potential marker for lung adenocarcinoma.

Adult Henoch-Schönlein purpura associated with small cell lung cancer: A case report and review of the literature

The present study reports the case of a 53-year-old male who had been suffering from coughing and the presence of a blood-streaked sputum for >1 month. Chest computed tomography (CT) and a bronchoscopic brush smear were performed. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with small cell lung cancer (limited stage). The patient developed polyarthritis, abdominal pain, diarrhea and a purpuric rash at 14 days post thoracotomy surgery for lung cancer. Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) was diagnosed based on the clinical symptoms. The patient received chemotherapy with steroid therapy, which resulted in complete remission of the HSP.