The influence of the NRG1/ERBB4 signaling pathway on pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

This study aimed to examine the influence of the Neuregulin-1 (NRG1)/ERBB4 signaling pathway on the function of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs) and investigate the underlying mechanisms. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay indicated that ERBB4 levels in the serum of patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) were significantly higher than those of healthy controls ( < 0.05).

Red cell distribution width in predicting 30-day mortality in patients with pulmonary embolism.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate red cell distribution width (RDW) in predicting 30-day mortality in patients with pulmonary embolism (PE).

Methods: A single-center, retrospective study design was used between January 1, 2014, and February 1, 2016. The primary end point was 30-day mortality after admission.

Hyponatremia and short-term prognosis of patients with acute pulmonary embolism: A meta-analysis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between hyponatremia and the short-term prognosis of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE).

Methods: Searches of MEDLINE (1966-) and ISI Databases (1965-) were performed for English language studies. Odds ratio (OR) and adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for short-term prognosis were calculated for PE patients with or without hyponatremia.

Pollutional haze and COPD: etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, pathology, biological markers and therapy.

In recent years, serious pollutional haze occurs in the mainland of China thanks to the development of urbanization and industrialization. There is a close relationship between air pollution and the occurrence and development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but there are some new characteristics in some aspects of COPD associated with pollutional haze compared with COPD induced by traditional physical and chemical factors. This article attempts to summarize the new progress from these new features of COPD related to pollutional haze, focus on etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, pathology, biological markers and therapy.

A comparison of APACHE II and CPIS scores for the prediction of 30-day mortality in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score and the Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS) for the prediction of 30-day mortality in patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).

Methods: A single-center, prospective cohort study design was employed between January 1, 2010 and January 1, 2014. APACHE II and CPIS scores were determined on the day of VAP diagnosis.

Ovalbumin enhances YKL-40, IL-5, GM-CSF, and eotaxin expression simultaneously in primarily cultured mouse tracheal epithelial cells.

Epithelial inflammation and eosinophil infiltration are crucial for the pathogenesis of asthma. Many inflammatory mediators, such as YKL-40, interleukin -5 (IL-5), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and eotaxin, are important for the development of allergic airway inflammation. This study is aimed at investigating the impact of treatment with ovalbumin (OVA) on the levels of those inflammatory mediators in primarily cultured mouse tracheal epithelial cells.

The prognostic value of pulmonary embolism severity index in acute pulmonary embolism: a meta-analysis.

Background: Prognostic assessment is important for the management of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE). Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index (PESI) and simple PESI (sPESI) are new emerged prognostic assessment tools for APE. The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the accuracy of the PESI and the sPESI to predict prognostic outcomes (all-cause and PE-related mortality, serious adverse events) in APE patients, and compare between these two PESIs.

The dynamic changes of LDH isoenzyme 3 and D-dimer following pulmonary thromboembolism in canine.

Introduction: To investigate the time course of changes of lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH), LDH isoenzymes and D-dimer levels following acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE).

Materials And Methods: Eighteen dogs were randomly divided into three groups. Acute PTE was induced by injection of preformed blood clots into pulmonary artery through femoral vein.