Effect of high-dose N-acetylcysteine on exacerbations and lung function in patients with mild-to-moderate COPD: a double-blind, parallel group, multicentre randomised clinical trial.

Evidence for the treatment of patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is limited. The efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (an antioxidant and mucolytic agent) for patients with mild-to-moderate COPD is uncertain. In this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned 968 patients with mild-to-moderate COPD to treatment with N-acetylcysteine (600 mg, twice daily) or matched placebo for two years.

Identification of inflammatory response-related molecular mechanisms based on the ATM/ATR/p53 pathway in tumor cells.

Inflammatory response is a crucial factor that affects prognosis and therapeutic effect in tumor cells. Although some studies have shown that inflammation could make DNA more vulnerable to external attacks, resulting in serious DNA damage, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Then, using tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), this research elevated the level of inflammation in cancer cells, and hydrogen peroxide (HO) and ultraviolet (UV) were utilized as common reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced DNA damage agents.

Inhibition of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells via the delivery of curcuminoid WZ35 by Cu-based metal organic frameworks.

Hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is a life-threatening disease that occurs due to a lack of oxygen in the lungs, leading to an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance, right ventricular failure, and ultimately death. HPH is a multifactorial disorder that involves multiple molecular pathways, making it a challenge for clinicians to identify effective therapies. Pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) play a crucial role in HPH pathogenesis by proliferating, resisting apoptosis, and promoting vascular remodelling.

Global, regional, and national burden of chronic respiratory diseases and associated risk factors, 1990-2019: Results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Background: The burden of chronic respiratory diseases has changed over the three decades. This study aims to describe the spatiotemporal trends of prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) due to chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) worldwide during 1990-2019 using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019).

Methods: The prevalence, mortality, and DALY attributable to CRDs and risk factors from 1990 to 2019 were estimated.

Comprehensive analysis of cuproptosis-related genes in immune infiltration and prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma.

Copper-dependent cell death, called cuproptosis, is connected to tumor development, prognosis, and the immune response. Nevertheless, the function of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unknown. This work used R software packages to classify the raw data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases of LUAD patients.

A new machine learning model for predicting severity prognosis in patients with pulmonary embolism: Study protocol from Wenzhou, China.

Introduction: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a common thrombotic disease and potentially deadly cardiovascular disorder. The ratio of clinical misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis of PE is very large because patients with PE are asymptomatic or non-specific.

Methods: Using the clinical data from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University (Wenzhou, China), we proposed a swarm intelligence algorithm-based kernel extreme learning machine model (SSACS-KELM) to recognize and discriminate the severity of the PE by patient's basic information and serum biomarkers.

Detection of pulmonary embolism severity using clinical characteristics, hematological indices, and machine learning techniques.

Introduction: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a cardiopulmonary condition that can be fatal. PE can lead to sudden cardiovascular collapse and is potentially life-threatening, necessitating risk classification to modify therapy following the diagnosis of PE. We collected clinical characteristics, routine blood data, and arterial blood gas analysis data from all 139 patients.

Detection of COVID-19 severity using blood gas analysis parameters and Harris hawks optimized extreme learning machine.

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has made the world more cautious about widespread viruses, and a tragic pandemic that was caused by a novel coronavirus has harmed human beings in recent years. The new coronavirus pneumonia outbreak is spreading rapidly worldwide. We collect arterial blood samples from 51 patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis.

FGF21 attenuates pulmonary arterial hypertension via downregulation of miR-130, which targets PPARγ.

The proliferation, migration and apoptotic resistance of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) are central to the progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Our previous study identified that fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) regulates signalling pathway molecules, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), to play an important role in PAH treatment. However, the biological roles of miRNAs in these effects are not yet clear.

Multifunctional T cell response in active pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

Background: Tuberculosis still threatens human health. We aimed to investigate the T cell immune status and the role of multifunctional T cells in pulmonary tuberculosis patients.

Methods: Thirty active pulmonary tuberculosis (APTB) patients, 30 latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) patients, 25 cured pulmonary tuberculosis (CPTB) patients and 25 healthy controls (HCs) enrolled in this study.

Erratum: Astaxanthin prevents against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury and sepsis via inhibiting activation of MAPK/NF-κB.

[This corrects the article on p. 1884 in vol. 11, PMID: 30972212.

Continuous tracking of COVID-19 patients' immune status.

Background: COVID-19 is threating human health worldwide. We aim to investigate the dynamic changes of immune status in COVID-19 patients with clinical evolution.

Methods: Sixty-one COVID-19 patients (42 mild cases and 19 severe cases, 51 cases without secondary infection as non-infection group and 10 cases with secondary bacterial/fungal infection as infection group) and 52 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled from our hospital.

COVID-19 pneumonia: CD8 T and NK cells are decreased in number but compensatory increased in cytotoxic potential.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is posing a huge threat to human health worldwide. We aim to investigate the immune status of CD8 T and NK cells in COVID-19 patients.

Methods: The count and immune status of lymphocytes were detected by flow cytometry in 32 COVID-19 patients and 18 healthy individuals.

Investigation of Alpha-Fetoprotein Antibody Modified Fluorescent Magnetic Probe on HepG₂ Cell and Cancer Model Mouse.

To construct a dual-targeting (magnetic targeting and antibody targeting) multi-functional magnetic fluorescent liposome probe with a good biocompatibility and high specificity for early liver cancerdiagnosis. 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-ethanolamine--[amino(polyethylene glycol)] (DSPE-PEG2000-NH2) and Cyanine7 -hydroxysuccinimide ester (Cy7-NHS) were measured and reacted for forming DSPE-PEG-Cy7. Egg yolk lecithin, cholesterol, DSPE-PEG-Cy7 and Fe₃O₄ were added in orderly into the reaction solution for synthesis of fluorescent ferroferric oxide (Fe₃O₄) liposome.

Astaxanthin prevents against lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury and sepsis via inhibiting activation of MAPK/NF-κB.

Background: Endotoxin-induced acute inflammatory diseases such as sepsis, mediated by excessive production of various pro-inflammatory cytokines remain the leading cause of mortality in critically ill patients. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the characteristic endotoxin found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, can induce the innate immunity system and through Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB), increase the production of inflammatory mediators. Astaxanthin (ASX), a xanthophyll carotenoid, exerts beneficial effects against oxidation, inflammation, and cancer.

T. marneffei infection complications in an HIV-negative patient with pre-existing pulmonary sarcoidosis: a rare case report.

Background: Talaromyces marneffei (T. marneffei) is a thermal dimorphic pathogenic fungus that often causes fatal opportunistic infections in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. Although T.

Fungemia caused by Penicillium marneffei in an immunocompetent patient with COPD: A unique case report.

Rationale: This report describes a rare case in Wenzhou city of Zhejiang province that a non-HIV infected male recovering from fungemia caused by Penicillium marneffei (P. marneffei). Interestingly, it's very easy to misdiagnose with aspergillosis, a fungal disease prevalent in Wenzhou, during the whole procedure.

Long noncoding RNA MALAT1 regulates autophagy associated chemoresistance via miR-23b-3p sequestration in gastric cancer.

Background: Chemoresistance has long been recognized as a major obstacle in cancer therapy. Clarifying the underlying mechanism of chemoresistance would result in novel strategies to improve patient's response to chemotherapeutics.

Methods: lncRNA expression levels in gastric cancer (GC) cells was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR).

Activation of AR attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis via the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis-related pathway.

Previous studies in our lab have demonstrated that Adenosine A2a receptor (AR) gene-knockout mice were vulnerable to pulmonary fibrosis induced by bleomycin (BLM). Inhibition of the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis has been reported to protect the lungs from fibrogenesis in BLM-exposed mice. Little is yet known about the relationships between AR and the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Evaluation of Tumor-Derived Exosomal miRNA as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Using Next-Generation Sequencing.

To identify tumor-derived exosomal biomarkers that are able to discriminate between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) as a noninvasive method in the early diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Tumor-derived exosomes from the plasma of early-stage NSCLC patients were isolated. Exosomal miRNA profiling of 46 stage I NSCLC patients and 42 healthy individuals was performed using miRNA-seq to identify and validate adenocarcinoma- and SCC-specific miRNAs.

Baicalin attenuates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis via adenosine A2a receptor related TGF-β1-induced ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Background: Baicalin has been reported to have anti-fibrosis effect; however, its mechanism still remains to be elucidated. Adenosine A2a receptor (A2aR) is a novel inflammation regulator, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced extracellular signal regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway plays an important role in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). This study was to explore the relationship of A2aR and TGF-β1-induced ERK1/2 in bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice, and to investigate whether A2aR mediate the anti-fibrosis effect of Baicalin on BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Salidroside exerts protective effects against chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension via AMPKα1-dependent pathways.

Salidroside, an active ingredient isolated from Rhodiola rosea, has shown to exert protective effects against chronic hypoxia-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, the underlying mechanisms were not well known. Based on our recent reports, we predicted the involvement of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) mediated effects in salidroside regulation of PAH.

[Removal of Phosphate by Calcite in Open-System].

Batch methods were deployed to study the removal of phosphate by calcite in an open-system. Results showed that: (1) The pre-equilibrium process of calcite in open system could be achieved within 24 hours (2) The kinetic results showed that, at initial concentration of 0.5 mg · L⁻¹, the phosphate removal was almost completed within 10 hours of the first phase.