Exposure to second-hand smoke is an independent risk factor of small airway dysfunction in non-smokers with chronic cough: A retrospective case-control study.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the potential risk factors for small airway dysfunction (SAD) in non-smokers with chronic cough.

Methods: Non-smokers with chronic cough who underwent lung function tests at Xiangya Hospital from May 2019 to May 2020 were enrolled, and divided into the derivation and validation cohorts based on their hospital admission time. SAD was determined based on the presence of at least two of the following three indicators of lung function being less than 65% of predicted: maximal mid-expiratory flow, forced expiratory flow at 50% of forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory flow at 75% of FVC.

A network pharmacology-based study on the mechanism of astragaloside IV alleviating renal fibrosis through the AKT1/GSK-3β pathway.

Ethnopharmacological Revelvance: Astragaloside IV, a glycoside derived from Astragalus membranaceus, has anti-renal fibrosis effects. However, its mechanism of action has not yet been fully elucidated.

Aim Of The Study: The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-fibrotic effect of AS-IV and to clarify its underlying mechanism.

An integrated network pharmacology and cell metabolomics approach to reveal the role of rhein, a novel PPARα agonist, against renal fibrosis by activating the PPARα-CPT1A axis.

Background: Rhein, an anthraquinone compound, displays extensive antifibrotic effects; however, its potential mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, we explored the underlying molecular mechanism of action of rhein.

Method: An integrated network pharmacology and cell metabolomics approach was developed based on network pharmacology and bioinformatics method, and then successfully applied to speculate the potential targets of rhein and construct a rhein-target-metabolic enzyme-metabolite network.

GC-MS/MS method for determination and pharmacokinetics of sclareol in rat plasma after intravenous administration.

Sclareol, mainly isolated from Salvia officinalis, has a variety of pharmacological effects. In this work, a sensitive and rapid gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) method was first developed and validated for the determination and pharmacokinetics of sclareol in rat plasma. The chromatographic seperation of biosamples was performed with an HP-5MS column.

Chemical constituents of radix Actinidia chinensis planch by UPLC-QTOF-MS.

Radix Actinidia decoction and its prescriptions are used to treat tumors and other diseases. Although some chemical components have been isolated from Radix Actinidia, systematic analysis of its chemical components has not been reported, which hinders the basic research on its effective substances and its quality control. In this work, a UPLC-QTOF-MS method was employed to profile and characterize the chemical constituents of water extracts from Radix Actinidia Chinensis Planch (RACP).

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of the Combination of Rhein and Curcumin in the Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease in Rats.

The interaction between the components of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an important basis for their synergy. Rhein and curcumin exert various pharmacological activities, including anti-tumour, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-fibrosis and renoprotective effects. However, no investigation has reported the synergistic anti-fibrosis effect yet.

Long non-coding RNA TCF7 contributes to the growth and migration of airway smooth muscle cells in asthma through targeting TIMMDC1/Akt axis.

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been revealed to participate in cellular biological processes in multiple diseases, including asthma. Nevertheless, the role of lncRNA TCF7 (lncTCF7) in airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) is still covered.

Methods: The expression of lncTCF7 and TIMMDC1 in ASMCs from 12 asthma patients and 12 healthy controls were detected using qRT-PCR.

Multinodule abnormalities of the tracheobronchus: bronchoscopy findings and clinical diagnosis.

Background And Aims: Bronchoscopy is an important method for diagnosing respiratory disease. Multiple tracheobronchial nodules are rarely reported and their causes remain unclear.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of multiple nodule tracheobronchial abnormalities found under bronchoscopy caused by different diseases.

Fluorofenidone attenuates TGF-β1-induced lung fibroblast activation via restoring the expression of caveolin-1.

Caveolin-1 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. We previously showed that fluorofenidone (FD), a novel pyridine agent, can attenuate bleomycin-induced experimental pulmonary fibrosis and restore the production of caveolin-1. In this study, we explore mainly whether caveolin-1 plays a critical role in the anti-pulmonary fibrosis effects of FD in vitro.

Draft genome sequence of Brevibacillus brevis strain X23, a biocontrol agent against bacterial wilt.

Brevibacillus brevis X23 is an appropriate biocontrol agent against bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. We report herein the draft genome sequence (6,566,879 bp) and a circular plasmid (6,600 bp) of B. brevis X23, data which may be helpful for mining the antagonistic activity against R.

[Change in serum levels of soluble Fas and soluble FasL in patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome].

Objective: To evaluate the significance of changes in the serum levels of soluble Fas (sFas) and soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) in patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) regarding its diagnosis and judgement of severity and outcome, and to investigate the correlations between the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), sFas and sFasL.

Methods: Enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) was used in the determination of serum sFas, sFasL and TNF-alpha in 36 patients with MODS. Thirty-two non SIRS patients and 20 healthy individuals comprised the control groups.

Molecular diversity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria from the Tibetan Plateau, China.

To understand the composition and structure of nitrogen-fixing bacterial communities from the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve on the Tibetan Plateau, the molecular diversity of nifH genes from soil obtained at six sites was examined using a PCR-based cloning approach. Six samples were collected from different regions at an altitude of 3907-4824 m above sea level, and a principal component analysis (PCA) showed that they had different biogeochemical properties. A total of 446 clones and 162 unique RFLP patterns were found.

[Extraction method of soil microbial DNA for molecular ecology study].

In environmental microbiology, molecular ecology study has been widely concerned in the world, while high quality DNA is the basis of the study. In our study, soil microbial DNA was extracted by the methods of SDS lysis denaturant plus SDS lysis, and purified with gel electrophoresis plus minicolumn and double minicolumn methods. The results showed that denaturant plus SDS lysis could extract DNA more efficiently, and gel electrophoresis plus minicolumn could help to obtain purer DNA that was available in amplifying its 16S rDNA and functional genes by PCR.

[Molecular diversity and phylogenetic analysis of nitrogen-fixing (nifH) genes in alp prairie soil of Sanjiangyuan natural reserve].

Research on the diversity of microorganism community in natural environment has been concerned hot spot using the newly molecular biotechnology in the world now. This was the first description of the molecular diversity and phylogenetic analysis of nitrogen-fixing (nifH) genes in alp prairie soil of Sanjiangyuan natural reserve. DNA was directly extracted from the soil microorganism and amplified the nifH gene fragment using PCR by the primers of nifH-34F 5'-AAAGG(C/T)GG(A/T) ATCGG(C/T)AA(A/G) TCCACCAC-3' and nifH-491R 5'-TYGTT(G/C)GC(G/C)GC(A/G)TACAT(G/C)G CCATCAT-3'.

[The community and structure of nitrogen-fixing microorganism in Sanjiangyuan natural reserve].

Research on the diversity of microorganism community in natural environment has been concerned hot spot using the newly molecular biotechnology in the world now. To understand the composition and structure of nitrogen-fixing bacteria communities in the Qingzang plateau, the molecular diversity and phylogenetic of nifH genes of Sangjiangyuan natural reserve were examined by using the PCR-RFLP based cloning approach. The 3 samples were come from different sites and different plant types, and their biogeochemical parameters were diverse.

[Genetic diversity of microsatellite loci in captive Amur tigers].

The tiger is one of the most threatened wildlife species since the abundance and distribution of tiger have decreased dramatically in the last century. The wild Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) only distributed in northeast China, the far east area of Russia and the north Korea and its size of wild population is about 450 in the world and 20 in China. Several hundred captive populations of Amur tigers are the main source to protect gene library of tiger and the source of recovering the wild populations.