The genome assembly and annotation of the Chinese cobra, .

In China, 65 types of venomous snakes exist, with the Chinese Cobra being prominent and a major cause of snakebites in humans. Furthermore, is a protected animal in some areas, as it has been listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Recently, due to the medical value of snake venoms, venomics has experienced growing research interest.

Screening and early diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a population study.

Background And Objective: Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common disease leading to further morbidity and significant mortality, there is still limited data on screening for COPD. The purpose of this study was to establish an early chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) screening system for the community and hospitals in Nanshan District in Shenzhen City, to improve the rate of early diagnosis and treatment of patients with COPD.

Methods: We identified individuals at high risk of COPD using a questionnaire survey and analyzed the relevant influencing factors in the early stages of COPD in high-risk groups.

Mechanical Stress and the Induction of Lung Fibrosis via the Midkine Signaling Pathway.

Rationale: Lung-protective ventilatory strategies have been widely used in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but the ARDS mortality rate remains unacceptably high and there is no proven pharmacologic therapy.

Objectives: Mechanical ventilation can induce oxidative stress and lung fibrosis, which may contribute to high dependency on ventilator support and increased ARDS mortality. We hypothesized that the novel cytokine, midkine (MK), which can be up-regulated in oxidative stress, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of ARDS-associated lung fibrosis.