The Role of Infection in Acute Exacerbation of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Background: Acute exacerbation of IPF (AE-IPF) is associated with high mortality. We studied changes in pathogen involvement during AE-IPF and explored a possible role of infection in AE-IPF.

Objectives: Our purpose is to investigate the role of infection in AE-IPF.

Azithromycin treats diffuse panbronchiolitis by targeting T cells via inhibition of mTOR pathway.

Azithromycin (AZM), that is a macrolide antibiotic, has been found to treat diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) effectively. However, the mechanism of action underlying the therapeutic effects remains unclear. We selected 64 patients with DPB from 305 patients who were diagnosed with DPB at the outpatient clinic in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from Jan 2010 to Oct 2014.

Left ventricular remodeling in patients with acute type B aortic dissection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair: Short- and mid-term outcomes.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) remodeling remains unknown in patients with acute Type B aortic dissection (aTBAD) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) during follow-up.

Methods: Between May 2004 and January 2016, 163 consecutive patients (136 males, mean preoperative age: 51.06 ± 10.

Single Stage Hybrid Repair for DeBakey Type I Aortic Dissection in High Risk Patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of the less invasive hybrid zone 0 (Z0) total aortic arch repair (HAR, ascending repair + complete debranching + thoracic endovascular aortic repair [TEVAR]) without deep hypothermic circulatory arrest in management of DeBakey type I aortic dissection (IAD). The adverse outcome was defined as a single composite endpoint comprising peri-operative mortality, permanent neurological deficit, and renal failure necessitating haemodialysis at discharge.

Methods: A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was conducted of 120 consecutive patients (mean EuroSCORE = 11.

Erratum: Identification of a nanobody specific to a human pulmonary surfactant protein A.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML version of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Effectiveness of Secundum Atrial Septal Defect Occlusion with the Septal Occluder through Right-chest Small Incision: Clinical Analysis of 140 Cases.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of secundum atrial septal defect(ASD)occlusion with the septal occluder through right-chest small incision. Methods The clinical data of 140 secundum ASD patients (47 males and 93 females) aged 3-63 years who were treated in our center from August 2004 to July 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The diameter of ASD was 6 to 36 mm.

Establishment of the mouse model of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Purpose: To explore and establish an animal model of AE-IPF.

Methods: An animal model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was established using bleomycin (BLM). Then, BLM was administered a second time on day 21 to induce AE-IPF (which mimics human AE-IPF).

N-acetylcysteine attenuates cigaret smoke-induced pulmonary exacerbation in a mouse model of emphysema.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cigaret smoke (CS) on a mouse model of emphysema and examine the protective role of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the CS-induced exacerbation of pulmonary damage in the mice.

Method: Particulate matter (PM) in sidestream cigaret smoke aerosol was analyzed by a scanning mobility particle sizer spectrometer. A mouse model of emphysema was established by an injection of porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) into the trachea.

Clinical Characteristics of Connective Tissue Disease-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease in 1,044 Chinese Patients.

Background: Because the prevalence of connective tissue disease (CTD)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD; CTD-ILD) in China is unknown, we wanted to analyze the clinical characteristics of this disease in Chinese patients.

Methods: The medical records of patients who received a diagnosis of ILD and treated in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from January 1999 to January 2013 were reviewed. Based on the records, patients who also received a diagnosis of CTD were identified, and their records of follow-up examinations for a minimum of 12 months until the end of December 2013 were reviewed.

Screening for Differentially Expressed Proteins Relevant to the Differential Diagnosis of Sarcoidosis and Tuberculosis.

Background: In this study, we sought to identify differentially expressed proteins in the serum of patients with sarcoidosis or tuberculosis and to evaluate these proteins as markers for the differential diagnosis of sarcoidosis and sputum-negative tuberculosis.

Methods: Using protein microarrays, we identified 3 proteins exhibiting differential expression between patients with sarcoidosis and tuberculosis. Elevated expression of these proteins was verified using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and was further confirmed by immunohistochemistry.

Serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 level as a diagnostic biomarker for interstitial lung disease in Chinese patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic and prognostic values of serum KL-6 levels in Chinese patients with interstitial lung disease (ILDs).

Methods: A total of 1084 subjects including 373 cases of ILDs, 584 cases of non-ILD pulmonary diseases, and 127 healthy individuals were recruited from three clinical centers in China between January 2011 and December 2013. A total of 106 patients undergoing treatments for ILDs in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between January 2011 and December 2013 were enrolled.

A novel nanobody specific for respiratory surfactant protein A has potential for lung targeting.

Lung-targeting drugs are thought to be potential therapies of refractory lung diseases by maximizing local drug concentrations in the lung to avoid systemic circulation. However, a major limitation in developing lung-targeted drugs is the acquirement of lung-specific ligands. Pulmonary surfactant protein A (SPA) is predominantly synthesized by type II alveolar epithelial cells, and may serve as a potential lung-targeting ligand.