[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2021/7449527.].
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2021/7449527.].
Introduction: Models for predicting malignancy in pulmonary nodules ≤ 10 mm are lacking. This study aimed to identify predictive factors and develop a risk model for such nodules.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study analyzed 298 patients with pulmonary nodules ≤ 1 cm. Variables including sex, smoking, nodule position, density, enhancement, diameter, and calcification were considered. A nomogram was developed using forward stepwise selection.
Results: The nomogram, incorporating the seven aforementioned variables, achieved an area under the curve of 0.79. Multivariable analysis identified partial-solid/nonsolid density (vs. solid), larger diameter, and the absence of calcification as significant independent predictors of malignancy. At its optimal threshold, the nomogram showed 70% sensitivity, 79% specificity, and 77% accuracy. Decision curve analysis indicated a net benefit.
Conclusions: Nodule density, diameter, and calcification status are key independent predictors of malignancy in nodules ≤ 1 cm. The developed nomogram, which also includes other clinical and computed tomography features, shows good predictive performance but requires external validation, especially considering its sensitivity.
Background: Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic disease characterized by progressive interstitial lung changes affecting alveolar epithelial cells and pulmonary vessels. Following COVID-19, it has emerged as a significant sequela in severe cases, often with a poor prognosis. WuYeLuGen (WYLG) Granule, derived by Xue's Wuye Lugen Granule, exerts effects of replenishing qi, nourishing yin, clearing heat, and resolving dampness. While clinical and experimental studies provide evidence to support WYLG's efficacy against early-stage pulmonary fibrosis, its underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
Methods: Active components of WYLG were identified using LC-MS/MS. CCK8 assays were performed to determine the optimal concentrations of WYLG-containing serum and TGF-β1. WYLG granules were administered to bleomycin (BLM)-induced rats and WYLG-containing serum was applied to TGF-β1-stimulated rat pulmonary fibroblasts (RPFs). Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) and Masson staining were used to assess the protective effects of WYLG on rat lung tissues, while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to evaluate lung inflammation. Flow cytometry analyzed RPF cell proliferation, scratch assays examined cell migration, and Western blot detected the expression of fibrotic and pathway-related proteins. Immunofluorescence was used to confirm the efficacy of WYLG in reducing RPF cell fibrosis.
Results: LC-MS/MS identified 18 active components in WYLG, primarily derived from Salvia miltiorrhiza and Astragalus membranaceus. The optimal concentration for TGF-β1-induced RPF stimulation was 10 ng/mL, and the optimal concentration of WYLG-containing serum was 10%. In BLM-induced rats, WYLG granules significantly alleviated pulmonary fibrosis, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen deposition, downregulated IL-6 and α-SMA levels, and upregulated E-cadherin expression. Mechanistically, WYLG treatment decreased the levels of TGF-β1 and p-Smad2/Smad2, while increasing Smad7 levels in rat lung tissue. In TGF-β1-stimulated RPF, WYLG-containing serum normalized cell proliferation, inhibited cell migration, reduced collagen I and α-SMA expression, and increased E-cadherin expression. Consistent with animal experiments, WYLG-containing serum also downregulated TGF-β1 and p-Smad2/Smad2 levels in RPFs. Additionally, the TGF-β1/Smad pathway agonist SRI-011381 reversed the inhibitory effects of WYLG on RPF fibrosis, further confirming that WYLG exerts its antifibrotic effect through the TGF-β1/Smad pathway.
Conclusions: WYLG markedly alleviates pulmonary fibrosis both in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway and regulating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent for progressive pulmonary fibrosis.
[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/8509396.].
Objectives: Malignant pleural effusions (MPEs) present a significant clinical challenge and are associated with a poor prognosis, frequently observed in patients with advanced malignancies. Conventional diagnostic techniques for identifying MPEs exhibit limitations in both accuracy and sensitivity. To differentiate between benign and MPEs, the clinical applicability of the ErNP@SiO2-ICG rare earth nano-nano near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence probe was investigated.
Methods: Through solution chemistry processes, vacuum treatment with heat, and the synthesis of a core-shell design, an exceptional rare earth nano NIR fluorescent probe was developed in this study, which showed the capacity to target tumors precisely. After that, a prospective research was conducted with a cohort of 90 patients; 20 of them were excluded because of unclear diagnoses. Every participant had a thoracoscopic biopsy for histological analysis, a cytological assessment of pleural effusions, and an evaluation of the recently developed dyes. R programming, GraphPad Prism, and Microsoft Excel were used when carrying out statistical inspection of the obtained data.
Results: ErNP@SiO2-ICG particles experienced a size of 176.1 ± 0.2 nm. Their emission peak was located at 550 nm in relation to their fluorescence spectra, and their scanning electron microscopy image demonstrated uniform particle size and distribution with NIR fluorescence characteristics. The optimum time and concentration for color development were 2 μL and 1 h, respectively. The fluorescence imaging and cytological investigation of pleural effusions differed significantly (p < 0.001) in 35 scenarios of MPEs, 35 cases of benign pleural effusions, and 20 cases of unexplained pleural effusions among the 90 participants. The area under the ROC curve for fluorescence imaging of ErNP@SiO2-ICG was 0.814 (95% confidence interval: 0.708-0.920). The fluorescence imaging sensitivity and specificity of ErNP@SiO2-ICG were 0.814 (95% CI: 0.652-0.872), while the area under the ROC curve for pleural fluid cytology was 0.729 (95% CI: 0.607-0.850). The area under the ROC curve for the ErNP@SiO2-ICG NIR fluorescent probe showed good compliance with pathologic findings (Kappa = 0.629, p < 0.001). The results of the confusion matrix constructed based on this threshold showed a positive predictive value of 82.40% and a negative predictive value of 80.60%, with a false-positive rate of 17.60% and a false-negative rate of 19.40%.
Conclusion: The ErNP@SiO2-ICG rare earth-doped nano-probe for NIR fluorescence imaging exhibits exceptional accuracy in the detection of MPE, thereby providing an innovative technological approach for the future identification of this condition.
Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one of the most common autosomal recessive diseases in the world population. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a severe complication of CF, the diagnosis of which is based on symptoms and blood IgE levels. However, many techniques of specific IgG levels' measures are used, whose clinical significance is still unclear. We evaluated the clinical evolution of CF in children who presented a first A. fumigatus IgG seroconversion.
Methods: Monocentric pediatric case-control study led in Rouen, France. Every patient with a first A. fumigatus IgG seroconversion was paired with a seronegative patient. Clinical data, functional respiratory investigations, CT scan, and biologic data were collected a year before (Y -1), at the time of IgG seroconversion (Y 0), and one year after (Y +1).
Results: Thirty-six cases were paired with 36 controls. Median age was 8. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were significantly lower at Y +1 (p = 0.025) and Y 0 (p = 0.027), respectively, and more pulmonary exacerbations were observed in the case population (p = 0.047). Higher levels of specific IgE against A. fumigatus were observed at Y -1 (p = 0.001), Y 0 (p = 0.014), and Y +1 (p = 0.04) in the case population. On the CT scan, bronchiectasis and pulmonary infiltrates were more frequent in the case population (p = 0.01 and p = 0.003, respectively).
Conclusion: We found that the first A. fumigatus IgG seroconversion was associated with changes in clinical, respiratory functional, biologic, and radiologic parameters in CF pediatric population. A. fumigatus IgG seroconversion is an important step in the evolution of CF. A systematic search for seroconversion is therefore essential to assess the measures to be taken.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of respiratory muscle training (RMT) on respiratory symptom severity and symptom duration in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to appraise the certainty of the evidence.
Methods: We searched seven databases and included parallel-group randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing RMT plus guideline-based care versus control. Meta-analyses were conducted in RevMan using fixed- or random-effects models as appropriate. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2. Certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Because multiple outcomes were analysed, we controlled the false discovery rate using the Benjamini-Hochberg (BH) procedure across prespecified meta-analysed outcomes and report both unadjusted and BH-adjusted p values.
Results: Seven RCTs (n = 1171) were included. No trial reported symptom duration in a way that matched our prespecified definition. Compared with control, RMT reduced dyspnoea (mMRC; unadjusted p = 0.003; BH-adjusted p = 0.007; moderate certainty) and improved health-related quality of life (SGRQ; unadjusted p < 0.00001; BH-adjusted p = 3.5e - 05; moderate certainty). Lung function effects were mixed: FVC improved (MD = 0.37 L, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.40; unadjusted p < 0.00001; BH-adjusted p = 3.5e - 05; low certainty) and FEV1/FVC improved (MD = 1.84%, 95% CI 0.29 to 3.39; unadjusted p = 0.02; BH-adjusted p = 0.035; low certainty), while FEV1 did not differ significantly (MD = 0.18 L, 95% CI -0.04 to 0.40; unadjusted p = 0.11; BH-adjusted p = 0.11; low certainty). Evidence for overall symptom burden and exercise capacity was uncertain: CAT (unadjusted p = 0.06; BH-adjusted p = 0.07; very low certainty) and 6MWD (unadjusted p = 0.05; BH-adjusted p = 0.07; very low certainty).
Conclusion: In adults with COPD, adding RMT to guideline-based care probably reduces dyspnoea and improves health-related quality of life (moderate certainty). Evidence for benefits on overall symptom burden, lung function, and exercise capacity is low to very low, and the effect on symptom duration remains unknown due to the lack of reporting.
Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the important pathogens found in patients with acute respiratory infection (ARI), but there are few studies on RSV infection among elderly people in China.
Methods: This study collected data on the RSV-infected population among the hospitalized patients with ARI admitted to the Department of Respiratory Medicine of our hospital from November 2023 to February 2024 and analyzed the clinical data of the elderly (≥ 60 years old) grouped by age. Patients admitted to other departments (e.g., general internal medicine, geriatrics) were not included, potentially introducing selection bias toward more severe respiratory presentations.
Results: The total infection rate was 12.16%, and the main symptoms were cough (97.78%), sputum (95.56%), and dyspnea (68.89%); 100% of the patients had comorbidity, and 97.78% of the patients had two or more comorbidities. Laboratory findings were mainly elevated CRP (84.4%), lymphopenia (64.44%), elevated hs-cTni (51.11%), elevated N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) (37.78%), decreased PaO2 (88.89%), and elevated PaCO2 (44.44%). The rate of mixed bacterial and viral infection was 37.78%; 95.56% of the patients had lung imaging changes; 100% of the patients received respiratory therapy support, and 91.11% of the patients used antibiotics. The discharge rate was 93.33%, and the mortality rate was 6.67%.
Conclusion: There was no obvious abnormal seasonality in the infection rate; the infection rate, the proportion of lymphopenia, and the proportion of respiratory failure were higher than in most other studies. The statistical data are only statistically significant in terms of the decrease in PaO2/FiO2 (P/F ratio), the elevation in the NT-proBNP, and some imaging performances. It may be that the number of samples is not large enough to cause the difference to be insignificant. Furthermore, this study exclusively included patients admitted to the Respiratory Medicine Department, which may reflect department-specific referral bias and potentially underestimate the true burden of RSV in the broader elderly population. Patients admitted to other departments (e.g., general internal medicine, geriatrics) were not included, potentially introducing selection bias toward more severe respiratory presentations.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2024/4505905.].
Objective: This study aims to investigate the regulatory role and mechanism of hypoxia-inducible transcription Factor 1 (HIF-1α) in alveolar epithelial cell function under hypoxic conditions using A549 cells as a surrogate model.
Methods: Human A549 alveolar epithelial cells were used as the experimental model. HIF-1α expression was modulated by siRNA knockdown or plasmid overexpression. qRT-PCR quantified HIF-1α, SP-C, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA levels, and Western blotting evaluated the corresponding proteins and apoptosis-related markers (cleaved Caspase 3, Bcl-2, Bax). Cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8) assessed A549 cell viability, while transwell assays measured migration (uncoated membrane) and invasion (Matrigel-coated membrane). Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining detected the apoptosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) quantified VEGF secretion, and tube-formation assays evaluated the proangiogenic effects of A549-conditioned media on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).
Results: Hypoxia markedly increased HIF-1α and VEGF expression while reducing SP-C expression in A549 cells. HIF-1α knockdown decreased VEGF expression and angiogenesis, restored cell viability, and suppressed migration, invasion, and apoptosis. In contrast, HIF-1α overexpression further enhanced angiogenesis, promoted migration and invasion, and increased apoptosis.
Conclusions: HIF-1α is a key regulator of hypoxia-induced functional changes in alveolar epithelial cells, influencing cell viability, migration, invasion, apoptosis, VEGF production, and proangiogenic activity. These findings highlight their potential as a therapeutic target in hypoxia-related lung injury.
京公网安备 11010802042870号
京ICP备2023020795号-1
扫码关注我们
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：