Genetically engineered distal airway stem cell transplantation protects mice from pulmonary infection.

Severe pulmonary infection is a major threat to human health accompanied by substantial medical costs, prolonged inpatient requirements, and high mortality rates. New antimicrobial therapeutic strategies are urgently required to address the emergence of antibiotic resistance and persistent bacterial infections. In this study, we show that the constitutive expression of a native antimicrobial peptide LL-37 in transgenic mice aids in clearing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1), a major pathogen of clinical pulmonary infection.

The Tumor Suppressor Role of Zinc Finger Protein 671 () in Multiple Tumors Based on Cancer Single-Cell Sequencing.

In humans, zinc finger protein 671 () is a type of transcription factor. However, the contribution of tumor heterogeneity to the functional role of remains unknown. The present study aimed to determine the functional states of in cancer single cells based on single-cell sequencing datasets (scRNA-seq).

Assessment of respiratory drive with esophageal diaphragmatic electromyography in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome treated with prone position ventilation.

Background: Prone position ventilation (PPV) is an important strategy for patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This prospective study investigated the use of electromyography of the diaphragm (EMGdi) for monitoring respiratory drive in patients with moderate to severe ARDS during long-term PPV.

Methods: An integrated nostril-gastric feeding tube containing an esophageal electrode and balloon was placed in 14 patients with severe ARDS prior to PPV.

IL-23 costimulates antigen-specific MAIT cell activation and enables vaccination against bacterial infection.

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are activated in a TCR-dependent manner by antigens derived from the riboflavin synthesis pathway, including 5-(2-oxopropylideneamino)-6-d-ribitylaminouracil (5-OP-RU), bound to MHC-related protein-1 (MR1). However, MAIT cell activation in vivo has not been studied in detail. Here, we have found and characterized additional molecular signals required for optimal activation and expansion of MAIT cells after pulmonary or infection in mice.

The GOLD Summit on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in low- and middle-income countries.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the top three causes of death worldwide, but governments and non-governmental organisations have not given its prevention and treatment the priority it requires. This is particularly true in low- and middle-income countries, where most of the people suffering from this disease live. The United Nations (UN) has targeted a reduction of premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by a third by 2030; however, a coordinated UN/World Health Organization (WHO) strategy to address the burden of COPD (one of the most important NCDs) is still lacking.

Andrographolide ameliorates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by suppressing cell proliferation and myofibroblast differentiation of fibroblasts via the TGF-β1-mediated Smad-dependent and -independent pathways.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease with no effective medication. Andrographolide (Andro), extracted from Chinese herbal Andrographis paniculata, could attenuate bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis via inhibition of inflammation and oxidative stress, however, the anti-fibrotic mechanisms have not been clarified. Myofibroblasts are the primary cell types responsible for the accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in fibrotic diseases, and targeting fibroblast proliferation and differentiation is an important therapeutic strategy for the treatment of IPF.

Association of Lung Cancer and Tea-Drinking Habits of Different Subgroup Populations: Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies and Cohort Studies.

Background: We aimed to investigate the association between lung cancer and tea-drinking habits of different subgroup populations.

Methods: Systematic search of the PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Sinomed databases from database construction until January 2017 for English and Chinese language articles on association of lung cancer and tea drinking. Meta-analysis was used to calculate the combined odds ratio (OR) value and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI).

Molecular Identification of a Moricin Family Antimicrobial Peptide (Px-Mor) From With Activities Against the Opportunistic Human Pathogen .

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent the largest group of endogenous compounds and serves as a novel alternative to traditional antibiotics for the treatment of pathogenic microorganisms. Moricin is an important α-helical AMP plays a crucial role in insect humoral defense reactions. The present study was designed to identify and characterize novel AMP moricin (Px-Mor) from diamondback moth () and tested its activity against bacterial and fungal infection including the opportunistic human pathogen .

The clinical significance of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in dengue fever patients.

Background: Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play immunosuppressive roles in cancers and some infectious diseases; however, their role in dengue fever (DF) remains unknown. This study evaluated the clinical significance of MDSCs in DF patients.

Methods: This study comprised 178 non-severe DF patients, 20 non-dengue fever (NDF) controls, and 30 healthy donors.

Endosonography with lymph node sampling for restaging the mediastinum in lung cancer: A systematic review and pooled data analysis.

Background: Mediastinal restaging after induction treatment is still a difficult and controversial issue. We aimed to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration for restaging the mediastinum after induction treatment in patients with lung cancer.

Methods: Embase and PubMed databases were searched from conception to March 2019.

Presence of intra-tumoral CD61+ megakaryocytes predicts poor prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Lung is a reservoir for megakaryocytes (MKs). The relationship between intra-tumoral MKs and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unknown. We investigate relationship between high intra-tumoral MKs with the recurrence of NSCLC.

[Clinical analysis of non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary diseases in patients with mechanical ventilation].

Objective: To study the risk factors and the clinical characteristics of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pulmonary diseases in patients with mechanical ventilation.

Methods: Retrospective survey was carried out in the patients with mechanical ventilation who combined with NTM pulmonary disease admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from May 2016 to May 2019. The general information, basic diseases, symptoms, signs, biochemical examinations, acid-fast stain test, mycobacterium culture and strain identification results, and chest CT data were collected to summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with mechanical ventilation combined with NTM pulmonary disease.

Novel Lung Biopsy Surgical Technique for Definitive Diagnosis of Pulmonary Capillary Hemangiomatosis.

Purpose: The 2015 European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension state that lung biopsy is still the gold standard for confirming pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis; however, the surgical lung biopsy is no longer recommended in most cases for its inherent risks. Nonintubated and uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery are the new developments in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery technology. We combined these 2 technologies to create a novel approach for pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis lung biopsy.

Next-generation ARIA care pathways for rhinitis and asthma: a model for multimorbid chronic diseases.

Background: In all societies, the burden and cost of allergic and chronic respiratory diseases are increasing rapidly. Most economies are struggling to deliver modern health care effectively. There is a need to support the transformation of the health care system into integrated care with organizational health literacy.

Overexpression of p53 due to excess protein O-GlcNAcylation is associated with coronary microvascular disease in type 2 diabetes.

Aims: We previously reported that increased protein O-GlcNAcylation in diabetic mice led to vascular rarefaction in the heart. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether and how coronary endothelial cell (EC) apoptosis is enhanced by protein O-GlcNAcylation and thus induces coronary microvascular disease (CMD) and subsequent cardiac dysfunction in diabetes. We hypothesize that excessive protein O-GlcNAcylation increases p53 that leads to CMD and reduced cardiac contractility.

Chloroquine differentially modulates coronary vasodilation in control and diabetic mice.

Background And Purpose: Chloroquine is a traditional medicine to treat malaria. There is increasing evidence that chloroquine not only induces phagocytosis but regulates vascular tone. Few reports investigating the effect of chloroquine on vascular responsiveness of coronary arteries have been made.

Red blood cell distribution width is an independent predictor of mortality for an acute exacerbation of COPD.

The prognostic role of the red blood cell distribution width (RDW) on an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is incompletely understood. To investigate the effect of the RDW on in-hospital and 1-year mortality after an AECOPD. For 442 AECOPD patients, the RDW was measured and clinical characteristics, comorbidities and laboratory measurements were recorded.

Endpoint surrogacy in oncological randomized controlled trials with immunotherapies: a systematic review of trial-level and arm-level meta-analyses.

Few cancer drugs or their indications achieved survival benefit in subsequent trials during postmarket period after approval based on surrogate endpoints. This causes a concern of using surrogate endpoints instead of overall survival (OS) as the primary endpoint for trial design, implementation and regulation approval. We conducted a systematic review to summarize the findings from published meta-analyses which have evaluated endpoint surrogacy for OS in oncological randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with immunotherapies.

Retrospective study of pleural parasitic infestations: a practical diagnostic approach.

Background: Pleural parasitic infestation (PPI) is a disease prevalent in certain parts of the world. It is frequently misdiagnosed due to its lack of standardized diagnostic criteria. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of PPI patients and develop a practical diagnostic approach for PPI.

Association Between Tumor Mutation Burden (TMB) and Outcomes of Cancer Patients Treated With PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitions: A Meta-Analysis.

Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) or programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitions are being strongly recommended for the treatment of various cancers, while the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitions varies from individuals. It is urgent to explore some biomarkers to screen the most appropriate cancer patients. Tumor mutation burden (TMB) as a potential alternative has been drawing more and more attention.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin promotes injury-induced vascular neointima formation in mice.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is an environmental pollutant that causes cardiovascular toxicity. The phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) from the contractile to the synthetic phenotype is a hallmark of vascular response to injury. However, the precise role and molecular mechanism of TCDD in vascular remodeling remains unknown.