Corticosteroids for hospitalized patients with severe/critical COVID-19: a retrospective study in Chongqing, China.

Corticosteroids have always been recommended for severe cases of COVID-19. However, the efficacy of treatment with corticosteroids for COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron outbreak in China has not been reported. Clinical data from 406 patients hospitalized for severe/critical COVID-19 from December 2022 to January 2023 at six hospitals in Chongqing were retrospectively analyzed.

Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) for modeling cardiac arrhythmias: strengths, challenges and potential solutions.

Ion channels and cytoskeletal proteins in the cardiac dyad play a critical role in maintaining excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling and provide cardiac homeostasis. Functional changes in these dyad proteins, whether induced by genetic, epigenetic, metabolic, therapeutic, or environmental factors, can disrupt normal cardiac electrophysiology, leading to abnormal E-C coupling and arrhythmias. Animal models and heterologous cell cultures provide platforms to elucidate the pathogenesis of arrhythmias for basic cardiac research; however, these traditional systems do not truly reflect human cardiac electro-pathophysiology.

Paxlovid reduces the 28-day mortality of patients with COVID-19: a retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: In this study, we aim to explore the efficacy of paxlovid on reducing mortality of COVID-19 patients in clinical setting, especially whether paxlovid modifies the risk of death in these severe and critical patients.

Methods: Our retrospective cohort study was conducted on the medical records of patients, consecutively admitted for COVID-19 to five hospitals in Chongqing, China from Dec 8, 2022 to Jan 20, 2023. Based on whether patients received paxlovid during their hospitalization, patients were grouped as paxlovid group and non-paxlovid group.

Relationship between dietary protein, serum albumin, and mortality in asthmatic populations: a cohort study.

Background: Currently, there is limited research on the correlation between protein levels in the body and asthma. We used data from the NHANES to explore the relationship of dietary protein, serum albumin, with mortality in individuals with asthma to better understand their impact on asthma.

Method: This investigation involved 3005 individuals with asthma from the NHANES dataset.

Profibrotic role of the SOX9-MMP10-ECM biosynthesis axis in the tracheal fibrosis after injury and repair.

Fibroblast activation and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition play an important role in the tracheal abnormal repair process and fibrosis. As a transcription factor, SOX9 is involved in fibroblast activation and ECM deposition. However, the mechanism of how SOX9 regulates fibrosis after tracheal injury remains unclear.

Atrial fibrillation in cancer, anticancer therapies, and underlying mechanisms.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmic complication in cancer patients and can be exacerbated by traditional cytotoxic and targeted anticancer therapies. Increased incidence of AF in cancer patients is independent of confounding factors, including preexisting myocardial arrhythmogenic substrates, type of cancer, or cancer stage. Mechanistically, AF is characterized by fast unsynchronized atrial contractions with rapid ventricular response, which impairs ventricular filling and results in various symptoms such as fatigue, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

Association between protein intake, serum albumin and blood eosinophil in US asthmatic adults.

Background: Presently, numerous studies have indicated that protein consumption and levels of blood albumin serve as important biomarkers for a range of respiratory illnesses. However, there have been few investigations into the correlation between protein consumption, serum albumin, and asthma.

Methods: Our analysis incorporated 2509 asthmatics from the 2011-2018 NHANES dataset.

Case report: Endobronchial closure of postoperative bronchopleural fistula with embolization coil: a sandwich-like approach.

Background: Embolization Coil has been reported to effectively treat postoperative bronchopleural fistula (BPF). Little detailed information was available on computer tomography (CT) imaging features of postoperative BPF and treating procedures with pushable Embolization Coil.

Objective: We aimed to specify the imaging characteristics of postoperative BPFs and present our experience treating them with the pushable Embolization Coil.

Relationship between triglyceride-glucose index and blood eosinophils among asthmatic individuals in the USA.

Background: Presently, the majority of investigations primarily evaluate the correlation between triglyceride-glucose index (TyGI) with lung diseases, such as asthma. However, they did not delve into the correlation between TyGI and inflammatory responses related to the disease. Few studies have explored the association between TyGI and blood eosinophil count (BEOC).

The novel DNA methylation marker FIBIN suppresses non-small cell lung cancer metastasis by negatively regulating ANXA2.

Objectives: The clinical T1 stage solid lung cancer with metastasis is a serious threat to human life and health. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing on T1 advanced-stage lung cancer and adjacent tissues to identify a novel biomarker and explore its roles in lung cancer.

Methods: Quantitative reversed-transcription PCR, reverse transcription PCR and Western blot, MSP and Methtarget were utilized to evaluate FIBIN expression levels at both the transcriptional and protein levels as well as its methylation status.

Recombinant Slit2 attenuates tracheal fibroblast activation in benign central airway obstruction by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway.

Airway fibrosis is among the pathological manifestations of benign central airway obstruction noted in the absence of effective treatments and requires new drug targets to be developed. Slit guidance ligand 2-roundabout guidance receptor 1 (Slit2-Robo1) is involved in fibrosis and organ development. However, its significance in airway fibrosis has not yet been reported.

Endobronchial optical coherence tomography helps to estimate the cartilage damage of the central airway in TBTB patients.

Purpose: At present, there are few examination methods used to evaluate tracheobronchial cartilage damage. In our study, we explored whether endobronchial optical coherence tomography (EB-OCT) can be used to estimate central airway cartilage damage in tracheobronchial tuberculosis (TBTB) patients.

Methods: In our study, we used the OCTICS Imaging system to perform EB-OCT scanning for TBTB patients.

Imaging Progression Under Low Respiratory Viral Load of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Infection: A Retrospective Study in China.

Purpose: To investigate the computed tomography (CT) findings of SARs-CoV-2 Omicron variant in relation to respiratory viral loads determined by cycle threshold values in reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Materials And Methods: From October 2022 to November 2022, 74 hospitalized patients with Omicron were included in this retrospective study. The radiological features, CT involvement scores in relation to the respiratory viral load, and factors associated with imaging progression (IP) after the RT-PCR results turned negative were analyzed.

NLRP3-inflammasome inhibition by MCC950 attenuates cardiac and pulmonary artery remodelling in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of the NLRP3-inflammasome in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Main Methods: Serum inflammatory cytokines were detected in patients with heart failure. Correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between serum inflammatory cytokines and left ventricular diastolic function.

Relationship between serum iron and blood eosinophil counts in asthmatic adults: data from NHANES 2011-2018.

Background: So far, quite a few studies have revealed that systemic iron levels are related to asthmatic inflammatory reactions. And most studies have focused on the correlation between systemic iron levels and asthma, with inconsistent findings. Yet, few studies have investigated the connection between serum iron and blood eosinophil counts.

Azvudine and mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: A retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: Several studies have found that azvudine (FNC) can inhibit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication both in vivo and in vitro. However, the effect of FNC on the risk of death in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is unclear. This study aims to investigate the effect of FNC on the risk of death in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

GATA6 promotes fibrotic repair of tracheal injury through NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated epithelial pyroptosis.

Tracheal injury is a challenging emergency condition that is characterized by the abnormal repair of the trachea. GATA6, a well-established transcription factor, plays a crucial role in tissue injury and epithelial regenerative repair. This study aims to evaluate the role of GATA6 in NF-κB-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis after tracheal injury.

Lower geriatric nutritional risk index is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cohort study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2018.

Object: Malnutrition negatively affects patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study aimed to explore the potential association between malnutrition, as defined by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and all-cause mortality in patients with COPD using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Method: The data of 579 adults with COPD during NHANES 2013-2018 were analysed.