Life Satisfaction and Its Relationship With Personality Traits Among Medical College Students in China.

BACKGROUND: Life satisfaction is a comprehensive psychological index to measure a person's life quality. Previous studies have found that population sociological factors, physiological factors, psychological factors, and social factors all affect life satisfaction, but few studies have looked at the role of stable psychological factors, such as personality, in life satisfaction. Thus, this study combined previous research results and theories to study the current situation of college students' life satisfaction and its correlation with personality. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to comprehensively assess the life satisfaction levels among university students enrolled in a medical college in China, explore their correlation with various demographic factors and personality traits, identify potential areas for intervention, and provide recommendations for improving students' overall well-being and fostering the development of a positive and healthy personality. METHODS: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select college students from a university. The questionnaire consists of general characteristics, a life satisfaction scale, and the Big Five Inventory. Descriptive statistical methods were conducted to describe the college students' life satisfaction status; an analysis of variance was performed to compare the score of life satisfaction among different demographic features; and the correlation between the score of life satisfaction and the Big Five Inventory was also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 3116 subjects were included in this survey. The life satisfaction of females was higher than that of males in the dimensions of family, friends, school, and overall satisfaction (p<0.05). The life satisfaction of males in the self dimension was higher than that of females (p<0.05). The life satisfaction of different weight types had statistical significance in the life dimension (p<0.05). The life satisfaction of family, school, and overall well-being among smoking college students was lower than that of non-smoking college students (p<0.05). The life satisfaction of non-drinking college students in family, friends, life, school, and overall life satisfaction scores was higher than those of drinking college students (p<0.05). College students who get plenty of sleep a day (more than eight hours) scored higher life satisfaction scores in the self dimension than sleep-deprived college students (p<0.05). In addition to the family dimension, students taking long physical exercise breaks every day had higher life satisfaction scores in every dimension than students lacking physical exercise (p<0.05). The mean score of personality in the agreeableness and openness dimensions is the highest. Correlation analysis showed that the personality score in each dimension was positively correlated with the life satisfaction score in each dimension except for the neuroticism dimension of personality (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The life satisfaction of college students is different for different lifestyles. The student management department should pay attention to the physical and mental health of college students with low life satisfaction and further find out the reasons for the difference in life satisfaction. Meanwhile, education should be strengthened for college students and encourage them to give up smoking and alcohol; strengthen physical training; and university education should strengthen the personality cultivation of college students.

CEBPB-mediated upregulation of SERPINA1 promotes colorectal cancer progression by enhancing STAT3 signaling.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly malignant carcinoma associated with poor prognosis, and metastasis is one of the most common causes of death in CRC. Serpin Family A Member 1 (SERPINA1) is a serine protease inhibitor from the Serpin family. Till now, the function and mechanism of SERPINA1 in CRC progression have not been fully illustrated. We established highly metastatic colorectal cancer cells named as RKO-H and Caco2-H by mice liver metastasis model. By integrative bioinformatic approaches, we analyzed the prognostic value and clinical significance of SERPINA1 in CRC, and predicted potential transcription factors. Colony formation, EDU, MTS, Transwell and wound healing assay were performed to evaluate the biological functions of SERPINA1 in CRC in vitro. Experiments in vivo were conducted to explore the effects of SERPINA1 on liver metastasis of CRC. ChIP and luciferase reporter gene assays were performed to identify the transcriptional regulatory mechanism of SERPINA1 by CEBPB. Our results show that SERPINA1 is highly expressed in CRC and correlated with poor clinical outcomes. SERPINA1 promotes the proliferation, migration by activating STAT3 pathway. Mechanistically, CEBPB binds SERPINA1 gene promoter sequence and promotes the transcription of SERPINA1. SERPINA1 drives CEBPB-induced tumor cell growth and migration via augmenting STAT3 signaling. Our results suggest that SERPINA1 is a potential prognostic marker and may serve as a novel treatment target for CRC.

ORAI Ca2+ Channels in Cancers and Therapeutic Interventions.

The ORAI proteins serve as crucial pore-forming subunits of calcium-release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels, pivotal in regulating downstream calcium-related signaling pathways. Dysregulated calcium homeostasis arising from mutations and post-translational modifications in ORAI can lead to immune disorders, myopathy, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancers. Small molecules targeting ORAI present an approach for calcium signaling modulation. Moreover, emerging techniques like optogenetics and optochemistry aim to offer more precise regulation of ORAI. This review focuses on the role of ORAI in cancers, providing a concise overview of their significance in the initiation and progression of cancers. Additionally, it highlights state-of-the-art techniques for ORAI channel modulation, including advanced optical tools, potent pharmacological inhibitors, and antibodies. These novel strategies offer promising avenues for the functional regulation of ORAI in research and may inspire innovative approaches to cancer therapy targeting ORAI.

Zimberelimab combined with systemic therapy extended tumor control in post-radiotherapy cervical cancer with brain metastases: A case report.

Out of the total cases of cervical cancer, brain metastases (BMs) are relatively rare, with an estimated incidence rate of 0.63% (range: 0.1%-2.2%). Additionally, BMs prognosis remains poor, and the average patient survival time following a BM diagnosis is 3 to 5 months. Few studies have addressed the effect of programmed cell death-1 inhibitors against BMs in cervical cancer, although they are an established option for recurrent/metastatic disease. Hence, we report a case involving a 54-year-old post-surgery patient with cervical cancer with a body mass index of 19.5 kg/m2 and Eastern Collaborative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 3; the disease recurred with BMs 1 year later. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy concurrent with temozolomide and bevacizumab was initiated, following which zimberelimab immunotherapy combined with anlotinib was administered to extend tumor control. The patient had a progression-free survival duration of 10 months, the tumor response was assessed as a partial response based on the evaluation criteria for solid tumors (RECIST1.1), and the ECOG status improved to 1 after therapy. These findings suggest that immunotherapy-based combination therapy following radiotherapy may be a good choice for patients with cervical cancer and BMs.

Small Antibodies with Big Applications: Nanobody-Based Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have exhibited substantial potential as targeted therapeutics in cancer treatment due to their precise antigen-binding specificity. Despite their success in tumor-targeted therapies, their effectiveness is hindered by their large size and limited tissue permeability. Camelid-derived single-domain antibodies, also known as nanobodies, represent the smallest naturally occurring antibody fragments. Nanobodies offer distinct advantages over traditional mAbs, including their smaller size, high stability, lower manufacturing costs, and deeper tissue penetration capabilities. They have demonstrated significant roles as both diagnostic and therapeutic tools in cancer research and are also considered as the next generation of antibody drugs. In this review, our objective is to provide readers with insights into the development and various applications of nanobodies in the field of cancer treatment, along with an exploration of the challenges and strategies for their prospective clinical trials.

Zimberelimab plus chemotherapy as the first-line treatment of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM) is a rare cancer with a poor prognosis at advanced stage, and the standard first-line treatment for inoperable patients is chemotherapy. Although combining programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors with chemotherapy is generally considered safe and effective in several malignant solid tumors, there are few reports regarding initial immunochemotherapy in advanced MPeM. CASE SUMMARY: Here, to our knowledge, we present the first case of a patient with epithelioid subtype MPeM, who was treatment-naïve and benefited from initial PD-1 inhibitor plus standard chemotherapy with a prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) and good tolerance. A 49-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for a persistent burning sensation in the abdomen. Computed tomography revealed a solid mass in the lower abdomen, which was subsequently diagnosed histologically as epithelioid subtype MPeM by core needle biopsy. The patient received eight cycles of pemetrexed 800 mg (day 1), cisplatin 60/50 mg (day 1-2), and zimberelimab (PD-1 inhibitor) 240 mg (day 1) every 3 wk. He achieved significant reduction of peritoneal tumors with remarkable improvement in symptoms. The best tumor response was partial remission with a final PFS of 7 mo. No immune-related adverse event occurred during the combination treatment. CONCLUSION: The outcome of the present case demonstrates the promising anti-tumor activity of immunochemotherapy to treat inoperable MPeM in the future.

A deep learning approach for automatic tumor delineation in stereotactic radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer using diagnostic PET-CT and planning CT.

Introduction: Accurate delineation of tumor targets is crucial for stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study aims to develop a deep learning-based segmentation approach to accurately and efficiently delineate NSCLC targets using diagnostic PET-CT and SBRT planning CT (pCT). Methods: The diagnostic PET was registered to pCT using the transform matrix from registering diagnostic CT to the pCT. We proposed a 3D-UNet-based segmentation method to segment NSCLC tumor targets on dual-modality PET-pCT images. This network contained squeeze-and-excitation and Residual blocks in each convolutional block to perform dynamic channel-wise feature recalibration. Furthermore, up-sampling paths were added to supplement low-resolution features to the model and also to compute the overall loss function. The dice similarity coefficient (DSC), precision, recall, and the average symmetric surface distances were used to assess the performance of the proposed approach on 86 pairs of diagnostic PET and pCT images. The proposed model using dual-modality images was compared with both conventional 3D-UNet architecture and single-modality image input. Results: The average DSC of the proposed model with both PET and pCT images was 0.844, compared to 0.795 and 0.827, when using 3D-UNet and nnUnet. It also outperformed using either pCT or PET alone with the same network, which had DSC of 0.823 and 0.732, respectively. Discussion: Therefore, our proposed segmentation approach is able to outperform the current 3D-UNet network with diagnostic PET and pCT images. The integration of two image modalities helps improve segmentation accuracy.

A pathogenesis-related protein 1 of Cucurbita moschata responds to powdery mildew infection.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch.) productivity is severely hindered by powdery mildew (PM) worldwide. The causative agent of pumpkin PM is Podosphaera xanthii, a biotrophic fungus. Pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR1) homolog was previously identified from transcriptomic analysis of a PM-resistant pumpkin. Here, we investigated the effects of CmPR1 gene from pumpkin for resistance to PM. Subcellular localization assay revealed that CmPR1 is a cytoplasmic protein in plants. The expression of CmPR1 gene was strongly induced by P. xanthii inoculation at 48 h and exogenous ethylene (ET), jasmonic acid (JA) and NaCl treatments, but repressed by H2O2 and salicylic acid (SA) treatments. Visual disease symptoms, histological observations of fungal growth and host cell death, and accumulation of H2O2 in transgenic tobacco plants indicated that CmPR1 overexpression significantly enhanced the resistance to Golovinomyces cichoracearum compared to wild type plants during PM pathogens infection, possibly due to inducing cell death and H2O2 accumulation near infected sites. The expression of PR1a was significantly induced in transgenic tobacco plants in response to G. cichoracearum, suggesting that CmPR1 overexpression positively modulates the resistance to PM via the SA signaling pathway. These findings indicate that CmPR1 is a defense response gene in C. moschata and can be exploited to develop disease-resistant crop varieties.

Pan-Cancer Profiling and Digital Pathology Analysis Reveal Negative Prognostic Biomarker ZPR1 Associated with Immune Infiltration and Treatment Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Purpose: ZPR1 is a zinc finger-containing protein that plays a crucial role in neurodegenerative diseases, lipid metabolism disorders, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. However, the expression pattern, prognostic value, and treatment response of ZPR1 in pan-cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Patients and Methods: Pan-cancer expression profiles and relevant clinical data were acquired from UCSC Xena platform. Pan-cancer expression, epigenetic profile, and clinical correlation analysis for ZPR1 were performed. We next explored the prognostic significance and potential biological functions of ZPR1 in HCC. Furthermore, the relationship between ZPR1 and immune infiltration and treatment response was investigated. Finally, quantitative immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis was applied to assess the correlation of ZPR1 expression and immune microenvironment in HCC tissues using Qupath software. Results: ZPR1 was differentially expressed in most tumor types and significantly up-regulated in HCC. ZPR1 showed hypo-methylated status in most tumors. Pan-cancer correlation analysis indicated that ZPR1 was closely associated with clinicopathological factors and TMB, MSI, and stemness index in HCC. High ZPR1 expression could be an independent risk factor for adverse prognosis in HCC. ZPR1 correlated with immune cell infiltration and therapeutic response. Finally, IHC results suggested that ZPR1 correlated with CD4, CD56, CD68, and PD-L1 expression and is a promising pathological diagnostic marker in HCC. Conclusion: Immune infiltrate-associated ZPR1 could be considered a novel negative prognostic biomarker for therapeutic response in HCC.

Cerebral iron deficiency may induce depression through downregulation of the hippocampal glucocorticoid-glucocorticoid receptor signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Iron is a trace essential element to sustain the normal neurological function of human. Many researches had reported the involvement of iron deficiency (ID) in neural development and cognitive functions. However, the role of ID in pathogenesis of depression and its underlying mechanism are still unclear. METHODS: In this study, we first used chronic unpredicted mild stress (CUMS) and iron deprivation mouse models to clarify the pathogenesis role of cerebral ID in depression. Then the role of hippocampal glucocorticoid (GC)-glucocorticoid receptor (GR) pathway in cerebral ID induced depression were elucidated in iron deprivation mice and iron deficiency anemia patients. RESULTS: Our results revealed that both CUMS and iron deprivation could induce cerebral ID in mice, and combination of iron deprivation and CUMS could accelerate the onset and aggravate the symptoms of depression in mice. In hippocampus, ID led to neuronal injury and neurogenesis decrease, which might be related to downregulation of GC-GR signaling pathway caused GR dysfunction, thereby inhibiting the negative feedback regulation function of hippocampus on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Moreover, the overactivity of HPA axis in iron deprivation mice and iron deficiency anemia patients also confirmed GR dysfunction. LIMITATIONS: Iron deprivation led to food and water intake decrease of mice, which may affect the behavioral test. In addition, we mainly evaluated the role of hippocampal ID in depression, and the number of iron deficiency anemia patients was limited. CONCLUSIONS: Our results identified that cerebral iron homeostasis was a key factor for maintaining mental stability.

Narrative review of ferroptosis in obesity.

Obesity is widely recognized as a major global health problem caused by a chronic energy imbalance resulting from a combination of excess caloric intake and insufficient energy expenditure. Excessive energy intake and physical inactivity are traditional risk factors for obesity. Obesity is a risk factor for many diseases, including hypertension, diabetes and tumours. Recent studies have found a strong link between ferroptosis and obesity. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent regulated cell death caused by iron overload and reactive oxygen species-dependent excessive accumulation of lipid peroxidation. Ferroptosis is involved in many biological processes, such as amino acid metabolism, iron metabolism and lipid metabolism. Some potential strategies to reduce the adverse effects of ferroptosis on obesity are suggested and future research priorities are highlighted.

Assessment and management of radiation-induced trismus in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a best practice implementation project.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is the most commonly used radiotherapy technology in oncology, which enables precise conformation of the radiation dose to the target volume and reduces the risk of radiation damage to the adjacent normal structures. Nevertheless, it is still inevitable for IMRT of head and neck cancer to cause radiation-related toxic and side effects, such as dry mouth, mucositis, oral dysarthria, taste disorder, osteonecrosis, and trismus. Trismus is one of the most common late side effects caused by radiotherapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which seriously affects the quality of life for patients with NPC. However, the current clinical assessment and management of trismus after radiotherapy for NPC are still imperfect. This best practice implementation project aimed to implement an evidence-based practice in assessing and managing trismus for NPC patients who underwent radiotherapy, thereby improving the compliance of clinical practice with the best evidence and the quality of life of patients with NPC. METHODS: This evidence-based audit and feedback project was implemented using a three-phase approach at a third-class hospital in China, following JBI's Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (PACES) and GRiP evidence application. The first phase included a baseline audit with six evidence-based audit criteria derived from the best available evidence. The second phase included analyzing the results of the baseline audit, identifying barriers to compliance with best practice principles, and developing and implementing strategies to address the barriers identified in the baseline audit. The third phase involved a follow-up audit to assess the results of the interventions implemented to improve practice. RESULTS: After evidence application, the compliance rate for audit criterion 1 increased from 0% at baseline audit to 70% at follow-up audit. The compliance rate for audit criterion 2 increased from 0% to 100%. The compliance rate for audit criterion 3 increased from 22 to 62%. The compliance rate for audit criterion 4 increased from 88 to 100%. The compliance rate for audit criterion 5 was 100% at baseline audit and follow-up audit. The compliance rate for audit criterion 6 increased from 0 to 55%. CONCLUSION: Implementation of the best evidence for the assessment and management of trismus of patients with NPC after radiotherapy is conducive to improving the compliance of clinical practice with the best evidence, standardizing clinical nursing practice, improving the quality of clinical nursing, and better preventing severe trismus in patients with NPC after radiotherapy.

Trait creativity among midwifery students: a cross-sectional study

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: Midwifery services are a cornerstone of maternal care but the trait creativity of midwifery students is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess trait creativity among midwives in Taizhou, China. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey among midwives was conducted from July 20 to August 10, 2022. Trait creativity was assessed using the Williams Creativity Assessment Packet. RESULTS: A total of 300 survey respondents were studied. The mean scores for the imagination dimension (p=0.032) and the risk-taking dimension (p=0.049) differed across major groups. We further compared the scores of trait creativity dimensions after excluding male participants. Midwifery students only scored lower on the specific imagination dimension (p=0.024). CONCLUSION: The imagination level of midwifery students certainly deserves further attention. Education workers should pay more attention to the imagination of midwifery students.

Ovarian collision tumor consisting of sclerosing stromal tumor and mature cystic teratoma complicated with Meigs syndrome: A case report.

Ovarian collision tumors are uncommon and reports of their radiological appearance are even less frequent. The present study reported the world's first case of an ovarian collision tumor consisting of an ovarian sclerosing stromal tumor and a mature cystic teratoma and its imaging presentation. When a cystic solid ovarian mass combined with ascites and elevated CA125 is encountered it is frequently diagnosed as a malignant tumor, but the present case was a benign tumor. Therefore, when encountering similar cases, clinicians should not limit the diagnosis to malignant tumors to avoid rashly expanding the surgery and causing unnecessary harm to the patient. The combination of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and pathology findings presented in the current study enable radiologists to learn about this disease and further assist clinicians in developing the best treatment plan.

Imaging findings of inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell sarcoma of the spleen: A case report and literature review.

Inflammatory pseudotumor-like follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (IPT-like FDCS) is a low-grade malignant tumor type caused by the proliferation of follicular dendritic cells. It is a distinct subtype of FDCS that is rarely encountered in the clinic and is overwhelmingly associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection. As it is a sporadic disease with a low specificity of clinical and imaging manifestations, it is less frequently considered a diagnosis, resulting in a low preoperative diagnostic rate and easy misdiagnosis. The present study reported the ultrasound, CT and MRI features of a patient with splenic IPT-like FDCS and discussed this rare subtype of FDCS based on a review of previously published literature to provide radiologists with a broader understanding of the differential diagnosis of splenic lesions.

Sciatic nerve schwannoma complicated by nerve bundle membrane effusion: Two case reports and a literature review.

Schwannoma is a benign tumor that originates from Schwann cells in the peripheral nerve tunica or bundle of nerves and grows along the longitudinal axis of the nerve. Schwannoma can occur in multiple anatomic locations but rarely in the sciatic nerve. To our knowledge, there are no previous reports in the literature related to schwannoma combined with effusion of the nerve bundle membranes. Here, we report two cases of sciatic nerve schwannoma combined with nerve bundle membrane effusion, and the relationship between them is uncertain. We have boldly speculated about this uncertain relationship by combining the two patients' imaging manifestations to help determine the mechanism of schwannoma or effusion generation as well as a clinical treatment.

Colitis and colorectal tumors should be further explored and differentiated.

The original article by Yuichi et al explored whether the Japan Narrow-Band Imaging Expert Team classification and the pit pattern classification are suitable for diagnosing neoplastic lesions in patients with ulcerative colitis. In this letter, we offer some other perspectives. Risk factors for colorectal tumors include type 2 diabetes. Among genetic factors, the deletion or mutation of some genes, such as the p53 gene, can lead to colorectal tumors. There are significant gender differences in the occurrence and development of colorectal tumors. Some non-genetic factors, such as smoking, are also associated with the development of colorectal tumors. These all suggest that colorectal tumors are not only caused by ulcerative colitis, and we suggest further exploration and differentiation between colitis and colorectal tumors.

Inhibition of glutathione metabolism can limit the development of pancreatic cancer.

Pharmacological inhibitors of glutathione synthesis and circulation, such as buthionine-sulfoximine, inhibit glutathione metabolism. These drugs decrease the aggressiveness of pancreatic cancer, inhibit tumor stem cell survival, and reduce chemotherapy resistance. Nevertheless, buthionine-sulfoximine also decreases the content of glutathione in normal cells, disrupts the balance between reactive oxygen species and glutathione, and eventually induces cell apoptosis. Pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and has a poor prognosis. Consequently, the use of biomarkers to screen high-risk patients can be an effective method.

Pan-Cancer Study of SHC-Adaptor Protein 1 (SHC1) as a Diagnostic, Prognostic and Immunological Biomarker in Human Cancer.

Background: Recent studies highlight the carcinogenesis role of SHC-adaptor protein 1 (SHC1) in cancer initiation, development, and progression. However, its aberrant expression, diagnostic and prognostic value remain unknown in a variety of tumors. Methods: The SHC1 expression profiles were analyzed using GTEx database, TCGA database, Oncomine and CPTAC database. The survival analysis was conducted using GEPIA2, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, UALCAN, and PrognoScan. The diagnostic values of SHC1 were calculated with the "pROC" package in R software. The genetic alteration of SHC1 and mutations were analyzed using cBioPortal. TIMER2 was employed to estimate the correlations between SHC1 expression and tumor-infiltrating immune cells in the TCGA cohort. Enrichment analysis of SHC1 was conducted using the R package "clusterProfiler." Results: SHC1 was ubiquitously highly expressed and closely associated with worse prognosis of multiple major cancer types (all p < 0.05). Further, SHC1 gene mutations were strongly linked to poor OS and DFS in SKCM (all p < 0.05). An enhanced phosphorylation level of SHC1 at the S139 site was observed in clear cell RCC. Additionally, the results revealed SHC1 expression was strongly linked to TMB, MMRs, MSI, TAMs, DNA methylation, m6A RNA methylation, tumor-associated immune infiltration, and immune checkpoints in multiple cancers (all p < 0.05). In addition, the results of the ROC analysis indicated the SHC1 exhibited strong diagnostic capability for KICH (AUC = 0.92), LIHC (AUC = 0.95), and PAAD (AUC = 0.95). Finally, enrichment analysis indicated that SHC1 may potentially involve in the regulation of numerous signaling pathways in cancer metabolism and protein phosphorylation-related functions. Conclusions: These findings highlight that SHC1 plays an important role in the tumor immune microenvironment, and SHC1 has been identified to have prognostic and diagnostic value in multiple cancers. Thus, SHC1 is a potential target for cancer immunotherapy and effective prognostic and diagnostic biomarker.