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Innovation in technology-enhanced language learning environments has been largely driven by the affordances of new tools and rich, smart learning environments alongside the use of everyday tools. Such technology-mediated environments open up further ways of researching and enhancing language learning and call for new methodological and conceptual tools to support the investigation of learning in productive ways. The focus of this article is to present a model to guide enquiry into and practice within one-to-one synchronous online language teaching via videoconferencing. The model has been derived from an ongoing study undertaken by the authors, so as each element is explained, brief excerpts of data from that study are provided to illustrate the personal, interpersonal and situational complexities that influence teachers' and learners' actions and interactions. The multi-layered nature of the framework uncovers different aspects of the interactions which provide affordances for learning within this multimodal language-learning environment. It draws on key concepts of sociocultural theory, including a situated investigation of agency in relation to language use and environmental factors. We argue that the model we have developed can provide useful conceptual and practical tools to guide enquiry into technology-enhanced language learning environments and teacher awareness of the affordances and emergent complexities of those environments.

In the context of digital transformation, the form of international Chinese education is changing in the aspects of teaching concepts, teaching forms, talent structure, and evaluation methods. The paper defines program-based teaching and points out that it is being widely explored and applied as a potential force driving the transformation of international Chinese language education. Besides, it emphasizes the crucial role of the evaluation system in ensuring teaching effectiveness and quality, guiding instructional design and implementation, and points out that the existing evaluation methods are overly concerned with stage-by-stage language teaching outcomes and neglects socio-cultural interaction. A comprehensive evaluation system is proposed based on the outcome-based education theory and social pedagogy. The system is focused on student learning achievements and personal development and values the contribution of programs to society. It aims to provide an evaluation tool for program-based teaching in international Chinese language education by analyzing the evaluation system's construction principles, standards, methods, and procedures to promote the continuous improvement of its quality and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has accentuated the need for effective clinical skills training in infectious diseases. This study aimed to explore the influencing factors of infectious disease clinical skills training based on scenario simulation teaching for medical staff in China. Methods: This hospital-based, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen between March and December 2022. Scenario simulation teaching was applied, and factors such as gender, educational level, professional background, and previous experience were examined to determine their impact on qualification outcomes. Results: The study included participants primarily between the ages of 20–40 years, with a higher proportion of women holding university degrees. Nurses and physicians were more likely to qualify, indicating the significance of professional backgrounds. Women showed a higher likelihood of qualifying than men and higher educational attainment correlated with better qualification rates. Prior experience with protective clothing in isolation wards was a significant determinant of successful qualification. Multivariate analysis underscored the influence of sex, education, and previous experience on training effectiveness. Conclusion: Scenario simulation is an effective strategy for training clinical skills in treating infectious diseases. This study highlights the importance of considering sex, education, professional background, and prior experience when designing training programs to enhance the efficacy and relevance of infectious disease training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The incidence of incidental pulmonary embolism (IPE) has greatly increased, but its clinical characteristics and outcomes are still controversial. This study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and outcomes between cancer patients with IPE and patients with symptomatic pulmonary embolism (SPE). Patients/Methods: Clinical data of 180 consecutive patients with cancer complicated with pulmonary embolism admitted to Beijing Cancer Hospital from July 2011 to December 2019 were retrospectively collected and analysed. General characteristics, diagnosis time of pulmonary embolism (PE), location of PE, concurrent deep venous thrombosis, anticoagulant treatment, impact of PE on anti-tumor treatment, recurrent venous thromboembolism, rate of bleeding after anticoagulation therapy, survival and risk factors of IPE were compared with SPE. Results: Of 180 patients, 88 (49%) had IPEs and 92 (51%) had SPEs. Patients with IPE and SPE did not differ in age, sex, tumor type, or tumor stage. Median diagnosis times of IPE and SPE after cancer were 108 (45, 432) days and 90 (7, 383) days, respectively. Compared to SPE, IPE tended to be central (44% versus 26%; P < 0.001), isolated (31.8% versus 0.0%; P < 0.001), and unilateral (67.1% versus 12.8%; P < 0.00). The rate of bleeding after anticoagulation therapy did not differ between IPE and SPE. Patients with IPE had a better prognosis than patients with SPE in terms of 30-, and 90-day mortality, as well as overall survival after diagnosis of PE (median: 314.5 vs. 192.0 days, log-rank P = 0.004) and cancer (median: 630.0 vs. 450.5 days, log-rank P = 0.018). SPE (compared to IPE) was an independent risk factor for poor survival after diagnosis of PE in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.564, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.008–2.425, p = 0.046). Conclusions: IPE accounts for nearly one half of PE cases among Chinese cancer patients. With active anticoagulation treatment, IPE is expected to achieve better survival rates than SPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation in technology-enhanced language learning environments has been largely driven by the affordances of new tools and rich, smart learning environments alongside the use of everyday tools. Such technology-mediated environments open up further ways of researching and enhancing language learning and call for new methodological and conceptual tools to support the investigation of learning in productive ways. The focus of this article is to present a model to guide enquiry into and practice within one-to-one synchronous online language teaching via videoconferencing. The model has been derived from an ongoing study undertaken by the authors, so as each element is explained, brief excerpts of data from that study are provided to illustrate the personal, interpersonal and situational complexities that influence teachers' and learners' actions and interactions. The multi-layered nature of the framework uncovers different aspects of the interactions which provide affordances for learning within this multimodal language-learning environment. It draws on key concepts of sociocultural theory, including a situated investigation of agency in relation to language use and environmental factors. We argue that the model we have developed can provide useful conceptual and practical tools to guide enquiry into technology-enhanced language learning environments and teacher awareness of the affordances and emergent complexities of those environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract (GSPE) on indoxyl sulfate-induced Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVECs) injuryin vitroand study its mechanism.Methods: HUVECs were incubated with indoxyl sulfate at concentrations in the range found in uremic patients. Then we determined the effect of indoxyl sulfate on endothelial phenotype, endothelial function, ROS (reactive oxygen species), cell apoptosis and mitochondrial function. In addition, we detected whether GSPE can suppress the injury of HUVECs induced by indoxyl sulfate and probe the mechanism underlying the protective effects of GSPE by analyzing mitochondrial dysfunction.Results: GSPE treatment significantly attenuated indoxyl sulfate-induced HVUECs injury in a dose- and time-dependent manner. GSPE-enhanced eNOS and VE-cadherin expression, inhibited intracellular ROS level and cell apoptosis, adjust mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced 8-hydroxy-desoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) level induced by indoxyl sulfate.Conclusion: These results suggest that GSPE prevents HUVECs from indoxyl sulfate-induced injury by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction and may be a promising agent for treating uremia toxin-induced injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malignant plural effusion (MPE) is one of the most common specimen for liquid biopsy gene detection. This study aims to explore a method for isolating tumor cells from large volume of MPE and evaluate its efficacy and application prospect in gene detection., Methods: Pleural effusions (>500 mL) from 20 advanced lung cancer patients were obtained by effusion drainage and used to isolate tumor cells with cell separation media Percoll and Ficoll. Cell number and purity were calculated. DNA was extracted from the supernatant (etDNA), total cells and isolated tumor cells of pleural effusion (ETC-DNA) to detect the mutation of tumor-related genes by next-generation sequencing., Results: The median number of cells isolated from malignant pleural effusion was 8.50×10⁴ (interquel range: 9.25×10³-3.75×10⁵), 85.50%±5.80% of the cells were identified as tumor cells. The detection rates of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation of etDNA, total cell DNA and ETC-DNA were 70.00%, 50.00% and 70.00%, reseparately, while the median EGFR mutation abundance in 3 components was 16.05% (4.78%-43.06%), 1.09% (0.00%-2.39%), and 33.02% (18.50%-76.70%), respectively. ETC-DNA had good consistency with tissue DNA (P>0.999, kappa=1.000) and etDNA (P>0.999, kappa=1.000). ETC-DNA inclined to have higher EGFR mutation than etDNA, but the result was not statistically significant., Conclusions: Our method can isolate large amount of tumor cells from a large volume of malignant pleural effusion with high purity. Using ETC-DNA as specimen improves the efficacy of gene detection, thus is worth further study.