Successful treatment of disseminated nocardiosis diagnosed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing: A case report and review of literature.

Background: is an infrequently found bacterium with the potential to cause severe infection, with a predilection for the central nervous system, both in immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals. Rapid etiological diagnosis of nocardiosis can facilitate timely and rational antimicrobial treatment. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) can improve the rate and reduce the turnaround time for the detection of .

Differential proteomic analysis of children infected with respiratory syncytial virus.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is the main cause of lower respiratory tract infection in children. However, there is no effective treatment for RSV infection. Here, we aimed to identify potential biomarkers to aid in the treatment of RSV infection.

rs401681 and rs402710 confer lung cancer susceptibility by regulating TERT expression instead of CLPTM1L in East Asian populations.

Lung cancer is a common cancer in human and has presented significant genetic predisposition. Previous genome-wide association study observed that rs401681 within CLPTM1L (CLPTM1 like) was significantly associated with lung cancer. By analyzing 1000 genomes data for East Asian, we identified only one SNP in nearby region, rs402710, in high linkage disequilibrium with rs401681, which was also associated with lung cancer.

[Receptor for advanced glycation end products upregulates MUC5AC expression and promotes mucus overproduction in mice with toluene diisocyanate-induced asthma].

Objective: To explore the role of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) in regulating the expression of MUC5AC and mucus production in a mouse model of toluene diisocyanate (TDI)?induced asthma.

Methods: BALB/c mice were randomly divided into control group, vehicle (AOO) group, TDI?induced asthma group and RAGE inhibitor (FPS?ZM1) group. PAS staining, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the changes in mucus production and MUC5AC expression in the airway of the mice, and the expression of p?ERK was detected with Western blotting.

[Role of epidermal growth factor receptor in house dust mite-induced airway epithelial barrier dysfunction].

Objective: To investigate the role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway in bronchial epithelial actin stress fiber (F-actin) rearrangement induced by house dust mite (HDM).

Methods: Normal human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE) were stimulated with HDM with or without pretreatment with AG-1478, an EGFR inhibitor. The levels of phospho(p)-EGFR, F-actin, E-cadherin and β-catenin in the cell cultures were detected with Western blotting.

Extracellular heat shock protein 90α mediates HDM-induced bronchial epithelial barrier dysfunction by activating RhoA/MLC signaling.

Background: The disruption and hyperpermeability of bronchial epithelial barrier are closely related to the pathogenesis of asthma. House dust mite (HDM), one of the most important allergens, could increase the airway epithelial permeability. Heat shock protein (Hsp) 90α is also implicated in the lung endothelial barrier dysfunction by disrupting RhoA signaling.

[High fractional exhaled nitric oxide may predict response to inhaled corticosteroid therapy in patients with subacute cough].

Objective: To evaluate fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) level in patients with subacute cough and its value in predicting the patients' response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) treatment.

Methods: A total of 100 patients with persistent cough lasting more than 3 weeks were enrolled, including 52 patients with subacute cough and 48 with chronic cough. FENO, spirometry, and responses to ICS therapy of the patients were evaluated.

Comparison of Talaromyces marneffei Infection in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-positive and Human Immunodeficiency Virus-negative Patients from Fujian, China.

Background: Talaromyces (Penicillium) marneffei (TM) is an emerging dimorphic human pathogenic fungus that is endemic to Southeast Asia. TM mostly occurs as an opportunistic infection in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The objective of this study was to compare the clinical and laboratory parameters of patients with TM infections who were HIV-positive and HIV-negative and to assess therapies and outcomes.

Association of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Apoptosis-Related Genes TP63 and CD40 with Risk for Lung Cancer in a Chinese Han Population.

Apoptosis plays a critical role in tumorigenesis. TP63 inhibits the pro-apoptosis function of TP53, and CD40 increases expression of anti-apoptotic proteins. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs6790167 (g243059A>G) in intron 9 of TP63 and rs1535045 (g6194C>T) in intron 1 of CD40 respectively, may affect the susceptibility of lung cancer.

The association of pulmonary function with carotid atherosclerosis in older Chinese: Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study-CVD Subcohort.

Background: Evidence describing the association between pulmonary function and carotid atherosclerosis has been inconclusive and the role of smoking in this association is unclear. We therefore examined this association in the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study-CVD Subcohort.

Methods: Common carotid artery (CCA) intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid plaques were measured by B-mode ultrasonography and lung function by spirometry using a turbine flowmeter.

BIM Gene Polymorphism Lowers the Efficacy of EGFR-TKIs in Advanced Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer With Sensitive EGFR Mutations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The strong association between bcl-2-like 11 (BIM) triggered apoptosis and the presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations has been proven in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the relationship between EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor's (TKI's) efficacy and BIM polymorphism in NSCLC EGFR is still unclear.Electronic databases were searched for eligible literatures.

Adenoviral delivery of recombinant soluble human tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 partially normalized mouse model of asthma.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) is a proinflammatory cytokine that has been implicated in the airway pathology of asthma and result in resistance to hormone therapy. Tumor necrosis factor α inhibitors have become a major research focus in the treatment of asthma.

Methods: Recombinant adenovirus (Ad-sTNFR1-IgGFc) expressing a fusion protein (sTNFR1-IgGFc), which was consisted of the soluble extracellular region of TNF receptor 1 and Fc fragment of IgG (sTNFR1-IgGFc), was used to transduce primary human airway smooth muscle cells (HASMCs).

Mesenchymal stem cell attenuates neutrophil-predominant inflammation and acute lung injury in an in vivo rat model of ventilator-induced lung injury.

Background: Subsequent neutrophil (polymorphonuclear neutrophil [PMN])-predominant inflammatory response is a predominant feature of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI), and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) can improve mice survival model of endotoxin-induced acute lung injury, reduce lung impairs, and enhance the repair of VILI. However, whether MSC could attenuate PMN-predominant inflammatory in the VILI is still unknown. This study aimed to test whether MSC intervention could attenuate the PMN-predominate inflammatory in the mechanical VILI.

Expert consensus on acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the People's Republic of China.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease that severely threatens human health. Acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) is a major cause of disease progression and death, and causes huge medical expenditures. This consensus statement represents a description of clinical features of AECOPD in the People's Republic of China and a set of recommendations.

[Expression and significance of Toll-like receptor-4 in rats lung established by passive smoking or associated with intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide].

Objective: To explore the expression and effect of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) in the lung tissue of rats established by passive smoking or intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Methods: Eight-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 15) were randomly divided into 3 groups, including: (1) group A: conventional breeding; (2) group B: the rats were placed into a 120-L organic glass box with twice-daily exposure to cigarette smoking plus an intratracheal instillation of water at Day 1 and 14; (3) Group C: exposure to cigarette smoking the same as group B plus intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide (1 mg/kg) at Day 1 and 14. Four weeks later, general status, arterial blood gas, pulmonary function and histopathology were analyzed.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2/angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas axis protects against lung fibrosis by inhibiting the MAPK/NF-κB pathway.

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that up-regulation of the angiotensin (Ang)-converting enzyme (ACE)/AngII/AngII type 1 receptor (AT1R) axis aggravates pulmonary fibrosis. The recently discovered ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/Mas axis, which counteracts the activity of the ACE/AngII/AT1R axis, has been shown to protect against pulmonary fibrosis. However, the mechanisms by which ACE2 and Ang-(1-7) attenuate pulmonary fibrosis remain unclear.

[Anti-fibrotic effects of angiotensin1-7 on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats].

Objective: To explore the anti-fibrotic effects of angiotensin (Ang) 1-7 on bleomycin (BLM) -induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.

Methods: Eighteen Wistar male rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, including control group (intratracheal instillation with physiological saline and subcutaneous micro-pump with bi-distilled water at the rate of 0.29 µl/h), BLM group (intratracheal instillation with bleomycin and subcutaneous micro-pump with bi-distilled water at the same rate) and BLM+Ang1-7 group (intratracheal instillation with bleomycin and subcutaneous micro-pump with Ang1-7 at a dose of 25 µg·kg(-1) · h(-1) at the same rate).

[Risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Objective: To explore the risk factors for hospitalization case fatality of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

Methods: A retrospective review of medical records was performed for 182 hospitalized AECOPD patients at Nanfang Hospital from January 2010 to August 2012. Their general information, condition in stable stage, the results of spirometry, blood routine test, blood gas analysis and C-reactive protein (CRP) were collected and analyzed.

Interrelationship of circulating matrix metalloproteinase-9, TNF-α, and OPG/RANK/RANKL systems in COPD patients with osteoporosis.

Previous studies have shown that matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and its cognate inhibitor TIMP-1, inflammatory cytokine TNF-α, and the OPG/RANK/RANKL system may each play individual roles in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis in patients with COPD. In the present study, we investigated the interrelationships of these factors in male COPD patients with and without osteoporosis. The serum levels of MMP-9, MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio, TNF-α, RANKL, OPG, and the RANKL/OPG ratio were higher in COPD patients with osteoporosis than in individuals with normal or low bone mineral density (BMD) (N = 30, all P < 0.

[Post-therapeutic change of cathelicidin LL-37 in asthmatics of different inflammatory phenotypes].

Objective: To explore the post-therapeutic change of cathelicidin LL-37 in asthmatics of different inflammatory phenotypes.

Methods: Thirty-four patients with initially diagnosed asthma (asthma group) and 14 normal subjects (control group) were recruited at Nanfang Hospital from August 2009 to August 2010 for this prospective study. Sputum and venous blood samples were collected and analyzed for cell differential.

The generation of the endothelial specific cdc42-deficient mice and the effect of cdc42 deletion on the angiogenesis and embryonic development.

Background: High microvascular permeability plays an essential role in pathological process of multiple diseases such as septic shock, acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, and burns. Inhibiting hyperpermeability is significant for controlling these conditions. Cdc42, as a main member of the small Rho GTPase family, plays a critical role in controlling and regulating the endothelial junctional permeability.

[Role of the AdeABC efflux pump in carbapenems resistance of clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii].

Objective: To investigate the role of AdeABC efflux pump in carbapenems resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii in light of the phenotype and genetype of the efflux pump.

Methods: The phenotype of the efflux pump was detected in 138 clinical isolates of A.baumannii using the efflux pump inhibitor carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP).

[25-hydroxyvitamin D3-induced increases of normal human airway epithelial cell permeability is not mediated by upregulated ZO-1 expression].

Objective: To observe the effect of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 on the permeability and ZO-1 expression in normal human airway epithelial cells.

Methods: MTT assay was used to assess the viability of human airway epithelial cell line 16HBE following a 24-hour exposure to different concentrations of 25-hydroxy vitamin D3, and the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) of the cell monolayer was measured using a Millicell-ERS voltohmmeter. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR was employed to determine the changes of ZO-1 mRNA expression in the cells following the exposures.

[The comparison between the vascular endothelial cells special cdc42-deficient heterozygous mice and the non-knockout mice on lung tissue pathological change and vasopermeability in acute lung injury].

Objective: To compare the change of lung tissue and vasopermeability between the vascular endothelial cells special cdc42-deficient heterozygous mice and the non-knockout mice in acute lung injury.

Methods: The mice with vascular endothelial cell-specific expression of cre recombinase were crossed with cdc42(flox/flox) mice. The cdc42(flox/+)Cre(+/-) F1 offspring mice were crossed back with cdc42(flox/flox) mice, resulting in the F2 generation mice with three genotypes, namely cdc42(flox/+)Cre(+/-), cdc42(flox/flox)Cre(-/-) and cdc42(flox/+)Cre(+/-).

[Localization and expression of Slingshot-1L in peripheral eosinophils from patients with acute asthma exacerbation].

Objective: Eosinophils play a pivotal role in asthmatic airway inflammation. We previously found a significantly high expression of Slingshot-1L (SSH-1L) in peripheral eosinophils in acute exacerbations of asthma. Objective To investigate the expression and localization patterns of SSH-1L in peripheral blood eosinophils of asthmatic patients and their changes after treatment with inhaled corticosteroids.