Outer membrane protein A inhibits the degradation of caspase-1 to regulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation and exacerbate the Acinetobacter baumannii pulmonary inflammation.

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii), one of the major pathogens that causes severe nosocomial infections, is characterised by a high prevalence of drug resistance. It has been reported that A.

Outer membrane protein a in Acinetobacter baumannii induces autophagy through mTOR signalling pathways in the lung of SD rats.

Outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is associated with autophagy, which plays an important role in its pathogenicity. However, its exact pathophysiological role in the process of lung tissue cell autophagy remains unclear.

Endobronchial anthracofibrosis: possibly a new indication of aggressive treatment for active endobronchial tuberculosis.

Anthracofibrosis, which was defined as a luminal narrowing associated with overlying anthracotic mucosa on bronchoscopy, has been infrequently reported. Recently, we have identified a case of patient who had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), manifested left main bronchial stenosis and hyperpigmentation. Despite repeated and multiple cryotherapy, the condition was still progressing.

IL-33 Treatment Attenuates the Systemic Inflammation Reaction in Acinetobacter baumannii Pneumonia by Suppressing TLR4/NF-κB Signaling.

Interleukin (IL)-33 treatment has been reported to reduce mortality in a rat model of sepsis, and the present study aimed to determine whether this effect of IL-33 is achieved through a reduction in the systemic inflammatory response in Acinetobacter baumannii pneumonia. After induction of pneumonia, rats were treated with normal saline or IL-33, and mortality over 5 days was recorded. Inflammation within lung tissues was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining as well as measurement of the concentrations of IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and plasma by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

[Comparison of value of GRACE, APACHEII and REMS for early prognosis of death in patients with acute myocardial infarction].

Objective: To evaluate and compare the predictive value of short-term risk of death of global registry of acute coronary events (GRACE) risk scores, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHEII) scores and rapid emergency medicine score (REMS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: A retrospective review of clinical data of 390 patients with AMI admitted from October 2012 to March 2013 in emergency department and cardiology care unit (CCU) in Guizhou People's Hospital were performed. The lowest scores within 24 hours of GRACE risk score, APACHEII risk score, and REMS risk score, respectively, for each patient were recorded.

C-reactive protein levels predict bacterial exacerbation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes a high rate of morbidity worldwide and predicting a bacterial cause of an exacerbation of COPD is difficult.

Method: In this study, patient serum was obtained and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured using an automated latex-enhanced turbidimetric assay. Sputum samples were obtained and evaluated microscopically.

Diversity of SCCmec elements in methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci clinical isolates.

Background: Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MR-CoNS) are opportunistic pathogens and serve as a large reservoir of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). Characterization of SCCmec in MR-CoNS can generate useful information on the mobilization and evolution of this element.

Methodology/principal Findings: Non-repetitive MR-CoNS clinical isolates (n = 84; 39 S.

The -159C/T polymorphism in the CD14 gene and the risk of asthma: a meta-analysis.

The -159C/T polymorphism in the CD14 gene has been implicated in susceptibility to asthma, but a large number of studies have reported inconclusive results. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between the -159C/T polymorphism in the CD14 gene and the risk of asthma by meta-analysis. We searched Pubmed, Embase, CNKI database, Wanfang database, Weipu database, and Chinese Biomedical database, covering all publications (last search been performed on April 20, 2010).

Polymorphisms in the transforming growth factor-beta1 gene and the risk of asthma: A meta-analysis.

Background And Objective: Polymorphisms in the transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) gene have been implicated in susceptibility to asthma, but a large number of studies have reported inconclusive results. A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the association between polymorphisms in the TGF-beta1 gene and asthma susceptibility.

Methods: Searches were performed of Medline (Ovid), PubMed, the Chinese Biological Medicine Database (CBM), the Chinese Journals Full-text Database (CNKI), the Cochrane Library Database and the Web of Science, covering all papers published up to 30 April 2009.