Diagnosis value of targeted and metagenomic sequencing in respiratory tract infection.

Background: Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) has become a trending tool in the field of infection diagnosis, but concerns are also raising about its performance compared with metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). This study aims to explore the clinical feasibility of a tNGS panel for respiratory tract infection diagnosis and compare it with mNGS in the same cohort of inpatients.

Methods: 180 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples were collected and sent to two centers for mNGS and tNGS blinded tests, respectively.

Novel Patterns in High-Resolution Computed Tomography in Whipple Pneumonia.

With the use of metagenomic next-generation sequencing, patients diagnosed with Whipple pneumonia are being increasingly correctly diagnosed. We report a series of 3 cases in China that showed a novel pattern of movable infiltrates and upper lung micronodules. After treatment, the 3 patients recovered, and lung infiltrates resolved.

Benralizumab efficacy and safety in severe asthma: A randomized trial in Asia.

Background: Benralizumab is indicated as add-on therapy in patients with uncontrolled, severe eosinophilic asthma; it has not yet been evaluated in a large Asian population with asthma in a clinical trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of benralizumab in patients with severe asthma in Asia.

Methods: MIRACLE (NCT03186209) was a randomized, Phase 3 study in China, South Korea, and the Philippines.

Gut-derived fungemia due to Kodamaea ohmeri combined with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis: a case report.

Background: Kodamaea ohmeri is a rare pathogen with high mortality and is found among blood samples in a considerable proportion; however, gastrointestinal infection of K. ohmeri is extremely rare. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is also an uncommon fungal; these two fungal infections reported concomitantly are unprecedented.

Intermittent hypoxia-induced METTL3 downregulation facilitates MGLL-mediated lipolysis of adipocytes in OSAS.

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) is the core pathological feature of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), and insulin resistance (IR) is the most common metabolic complication of OSAS. Studies have shown that the levels of free fatty acids (FFAs), which are mainly released from adipocytes by lipolysis, are elevated in OSAS and play an important role in the development of IR. However, whether and how IH regulates adipocyte lipolysis in OSAS is not clear.

Association of increased basic salivary proline-rich protein 1 levels in induced sputum with type 2-high asthma.

Background: The aim of this study is to reveal whether basic salivary proline-rich protein BstNI subfamily 1 (PRB1) may be used as a diagnostic biomarker for type 2-high asthma.

Methods: PRB1 protein levels in the induced sputum of 67 subjects with asthma and 27 controls were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Correlation analyses between PRB1 in the induced sputum and airway inflammatory indicators were also performed.

Acute fibrinous and organizing pfneumonia: two case reports and literature review.

Background: Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) is a rare histologic interstitial pneumonia pattern characterized by the intra-alveolar fibrin deposition and organizing pneumonia. Its clinical characteristics are still not well known and there is no consensus on treatment yet.

Case Presentation: We report two female cases in their fifties diagnosed with AFOP confirmed by a second lung biopsy.

Increased MMP12 mRNA expression in induced sputum was correlated with airway eosinophilic inflammation in asthma patients: Evidence from bioinformatic analysis and experiment verification.

Background: Asthma is a common chronic airway inflammatory disease worldwide. Studies on gene expression profiles in induced sputum may provide noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for asthma.

Objective: To investigate mRNA expression of MMP12 in induced sputum and its relationship with asthma airway eosinophilic inflammation.

Inhibition of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) as a therapeutic target in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis rats.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) inhibition can attenuate pulmonary fibrosis, but the antifibrotic mechanism is unclear. Here we investigated the antifibrotic effect of MIF knockdown in rats with bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The results showed that MIF inhibition attenuated lung injury and extracellular matrix deposition; significantly reduced the levels of cytokines including transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-17 (IL-17), hydroxyproline (hyp), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (Spp1); and inhibited the expression of CD68, F4/80, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) protein.

Dynamic changes in lymphocyte subsets and parallel cytokine levels in patients with severe and critical COVID-19.

Background: The lack of knowledge regarding the pathogenesis and host immune response during SARS-CoV-2 infection has limited the development of effective treatments. Thus, we longitudinally investigated the dynamic changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets and parallel changes in cytokine levels in COVID-19 patients with different disease severities to further address disease pathogenesis.

Methods: A total of 67 patients (10 moderate, 38 severe and 19 critical cases) with COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Wuhan from February 8th to April 6th, 2020 were retrospectively studied.

The detrimental qualitative and quantitative alterations of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in patients with bronchiectasis.

Background: Bronchiectasis is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease（CVD）and cardiac dysfunction. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a crucial role in maintaining endothelial function, and is inversely correlated with cardiovascular risk factors or cardiac dysfunction. However, the relationship between EPCs and bronchiectasis is unknown.

A CT-derived deep neural network predicts for programmed death ligand-1 expression status in advanced lung adenocarcinomas.

Background: Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression remains a crucial predictor in selecting patients for immunotherapy. The current study aimed to non-invasively predict PD-L1 expression based on chest computed tomography (CT) images in advanced lung adenocarcinomas (LUAD), thus help select optimal patients who can potentially benefit from immunotherapy.

Methods: A total of 127 patients with stage III and IV LUAD were enrolled into this study.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa induces cellular senescence in lung tissue at the early stage of two-hit septic mice.

We presume that severe secondary Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection can lead to cellular senescence in lung tissue and thus contribute to high mortality. We established a two-hit mouse model using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) followed by sublethal PA lung infection. In lung tissue, increased infiltration of inflammatory cells, elevated lung injury and augmented cellular senescence was shown in mice with CLP followed by sublethal PA infection, and these observations reached a higher rank when higher (H) loads PA (PAO1) were administered to CLP mice (CLP + PAO1-H).

Using ROS as a Second Messenger, NADPH Oxidase 2 Mediates Macrophage Senescence via Interaction with NF-B during Infection.

(PA) is one of the most prevalent pathogens that cause nosocomial infection in critical patients. However, the mechanisms underlying macrophage growth status and functional changes during PA infection are yet unknown. In the present study, NADPH oxidase, gp91 (NOX2) mediated macrophage to senescence in a PAO1 colony-dependent manner.

CD30 Is Highly Expressed in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Induces the Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the common and underdiagnosed diseases with the highest morbidity and mortality in the world. The development of COPD can lead to pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension, further causing the occurrence of pulmonary heart disease. Therefore, attenuation of pulmonary vascular remodeling and pulmonary hypertension caused by COPD can significantly delay cardiovascular complications.

Chylothorax and constrictive pericarditis in a woman due to generalized lymphatic anomaly: a case report.

Background: Generalized lymphatic anomaly (GLA) is characterized by diffuse or multicentric proliferation of dilated lymphatic vessels resembling common lymphatic malformations. Compared with soft tissue or bone involvement, thoracic involvement may be associated with a worse prognosis.

Case Presentation: We reported a case of GLA with chylothorax and constrictive pericarditis in a 29-year-old woman.

A case report of heterozygous TINF2 gene mutation associated with pulmonary fibrosis in a patient with dyskeratosis congenita.

Rationale: Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare inherited disease characterized by the classical mucocutaneous triad. Pulmonary fibrosis, bone marrow failure, and solid tumors are the main causes of mortality in DC. Pathogenic variants in TERT, TERC, and DKC1 have been identified in individuals with familial pulmonary fibrosis.

Acinar-Predominant Pattern Correlates With Poorer Prognosis in Invasive Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Lung.

Objectives: Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) is a variant of lung adenocarcinoma with several growth patterns, such as lepidic acinar and papillary. However, to our knowledge, no study regarding prognostic and clinicopathologic aspects of IMAs with different growth patterns has been reported.

Methods: Of 2,236 patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma, 16 were identified as having lepidic-predominant IMA and 10 as having acinar-predominant IMA.

Coinfection of disseminated Talaromyces marneffei and Mycobacteria kansasii in a patient with papillary thyroid cancer: A case report.

Rationale: Recently, Talaromyces marneffei (T. marneffei) has been reported in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patient with underlying diseases, such as oral cancer, colon cancer, haematological malignancies, connective tissue disease, diabetes mellitus, and corticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents. Similar to HIV-positive ones, such patients were observed with CD4 lymphocytopenia.

Macrolide-resistant prevalence and clinical aspects in adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia in China: a prospective multicenter surveillance study.

Background: Drug resistant () is a rising issue in the management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Epidemiological monitoring is essential for identifying resistant patterns of MP isolates against various antibiotics in adult CAP patients.

Methods: This is a prospectively designed multicenter study conducted on adult patients with CAP visiting six teaching hospitals in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou between September 2010 and June 2012.

Tiotropium in Early-Stage Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Patients with mild or moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) rarely receive medications, because they have few symptoms. We hypothesized that long-term use of tiotropium would improve lung function and ameliorate the decline in lung function in patients with mild or moderate COPD.

Methods: In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that was conducted in China, we randomly assigned 841 patients with COPD of Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage 1 (mild) or 2 (moderate) severity to receive a once-daily inhaled dose (18 μg) of tiotropium (419 patients) or matching placebo (422) for 2 years.

Endothelial progenitor cell dysfunction in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are decreased in cardiac dysfunction morbidity associated with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the role of EPCs in AECOPD. Patients with AECOPD (n=27) or stable COPD (n=26) were enrolled.

Validity of fractional exhaled nitric oxide and small airway function indices in diagnosis of cough-variant asthma.

Objective: Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a non-invasive method used to reveal the eosinophilic inflammation of airway and to diagnose and manage asthma. The use of FeNO measurement or its combination with the small airway function in differentiating CVA patients from chronic cough patients is unexplored.

Methods: From December 2012 to June 2016, patients with chronic non-productive cough for more than 8 weeks based on physician's opinion were subjected to FeNO, pulmonary function, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) tests.