Causal Involvement of Immune Cells in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Background: The immune cells play a substantial role in the development and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aim to investigate the causal involvement of immune cells in COPD via a Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods: Published genome-wide association studies (GWAS) statistics on immune cells were analyzed, with genetic variants identified as instrumental variables (IVs).

Electroencephalographic slowdowns during sleep are associated with cognitive impairment in patients who have obstructive sleep apnea but no dementia.

Objectives: To research the relationship between quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) and impaired cognitive function patients who have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but no dementia.

Methods: Subjects who complained of snoring between March 2020 and April 2021 in the Sleep Medicine Center of Weihai Municipal Hospital were included. All subjects underwent overnight in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG) and were assessed using a neuropsychological scale.

Effect of Vitamin D on Lung Damage Induced by Cigarette Smoke in Mice.

Cigarette smoking is known to induce serious lung diseases, but there is not an effective method to solve this problem. The present study investigated vitamin D3 on over-expression of CXCR3 and CXCL10 in mice induced by cigarette smoking. A pulmonary airway model was designed, and morphological assessment of emphysema, IL-4, IFN-γ and CXCL10 concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, expression of CXCR3 and CXCL10 were detected.

Effect of ball-milling on the physicochemical properties of maize starch.

The effect of ball-milling on physicochemical properties of maize starch was evaluated. Results found that the cold water solubility (CWS) of maize starch was positively correlated with the time of milling up to 3 h. There was no significant influence of using a ceramic pot versus a stainless steel pot on CWS.