Objective To describe the underlying conditions of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). Methods A retrospective study was performed. Details of the clinical, imaging features, and the underlying conditions of CPA patients admitted to a tertiary university teaching hospital from January 2009 to December 2016 were extracted from clinical records. The classification distribution of CPA, and underlying conditions were analyzed. Results Among the 108 CPA patients, 87 cases had underlying conditions, 21 cases had no underlying conditions. Seventy two (66.7%) patients were engaged in agriculture, the proportion of which was significantly higher in the cases without underlying conditions (85.7% vs. 62.1%). Chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis (CNPA) was the most common type of these CPA cases. The cases without underlying conditions had significantly more proportion of CNPA than the cases with underlying conditions (85.7% vs. 62.1%). The cases with systemic underlying conditions had significantly more proportion of CNPA than the cases only with pulmonary underlying conditions (82.8% vs. 51.7%). Chronic cavity pulmonary aspergillosis (24/108, 22.2%) only existed in the cases with pulmonary underlying conditions. Underlying conditions were identified in 87 cases of CPA, with 85.1% (74/87) pulmonary and 33.3% (29/87) systemic underlying diseases. Previous tuberculosis mycobacterial infection, bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were the most common pulmonary underlying conditions (40.2%, 39.1% and 35.6%, respectively). Diabetes (16.1%) and glucocorticoid using (13.8%) were the most two common systemic underlying conditions. Conclusions CPA can occur in patients with and without underlying diseases. CNPA is the most common type of these CPA, the proportion of which is higher in cases without underlying conditions and cases with systemic underlying conditions. Farming maybe the risk factors of CPA. Chronic pulmonary primary diseases are the most common underlying conditions. The most common systemic factors are diabetes and glucocorticoid using.
ObjectiveTo investigate the key long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and transcription factors (TFs) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) by Bioinformatics analysis.MethodsBioinformatics analysis of three gene expression profiles from the Gene Expression Omnibus dataset (GSE2052, GSE44723, and GSE24206), including 42 IPF and 21 normal lung tissues, was performed in this study. Subsequently, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were filtered, and key genes involved in signaling pathways and the DEG-associated protein-protein interaction network (PPI) were further analyzed. The filtered genes expression was determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis.ResultsA total of 8483 aberrantly expressed genes were screened, and 29 overlapping genes were identified among these three datasets. A significant enrichment analysis of DEG-associated functions and pathways was further performed. A total of 18 modules were obtained from the DEG PPI network, and most of the modules were involved in polyubiquitination, Golgi vesicle transport, endocytosis and so on. The key genes were obtained through hypergeometric testing, and most of the corresponding genes were closely associated with ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, the spliceosome, and the cell cycle. These differential expressed genes, such as lncMALAT1, E2F1 and YBX1, were detected in the peripheral blood of IPF patients when compared with those normal control subjects.ConclusionlncMALAT1, E2F1 and YBX1 might be possible regulators for the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Objective To investigate the effects of antithrombin-Ⅲ ( AT-Ⅲ) on the inflammatory reaction in oleic acid-induced acute lung injury ( ALI) rats. Methods Sixtymale Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups, ie. a normal control group, an ALI group, an AT-Ⅲ treatment group, an AT-Ⅲ +heparin treatment group, and a heparin treatment group ( n =12) . The ALI rats were induced by injecting oleic acid ( 0. 2 mL/kg) intravenously. The lung histology was scored by modified Smithtechnique. The albumin permeability of pulmonary microvascular ( Palb) was measured by single nuclide tracer technique. The extravascular lung water ( EVLW) and wet/dry weight ratio ( W/D) of lung tissues were measured by gravity way. The activity of AT-Ⅲ in plasma was determined by the method of syntheticchromogenic substrate. Tumor necrosis factor α( TNF-α) , interleukin 6 ( IL-6) and von Willebrand factor ( vWF) levels in serum were determined using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The expressions of lung tissue extacellular signal-regulated kinases ( ERK) -1 /2, P38 mitogen-activated proteinkinase ( MAPK) and c-jun N-terminal kinases ( JNK) were determined by Western blot. Results The Smith scores, EVLW, Palb , plasma level of vWF, lung tissue levels of phospho-ERK1 /2 and phospho-P38 MAPK expressions in the ALI group were all significantly higher than those in the normal control group ( P lt; 0.05) , while not significant differentwith other three treatment groups. There were not significant differences in the activity of AT-Ⅲ in plasma and phospho-JNK expression among all five groups. The serum levels of TNF-αand IL-6 in the ALI group were significantly higher than those in the normal control group and three treatment groups. Conclusions AT-Ⅲ downregulates the levels of downstreamcytokines TNF-αand IL-6,but can not inhibite the activation of ERK1 /2 and P38 MAPK, and can not relieve endothelial permeability.The study do not demonstrate the lung protective effect of AT-Ⅲ in oleic acid-induced acute lung injury.
Objective To assess the clinical effectiveness and safety of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Methods We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, CNKI, and VIP databases from January 2000 to October 2009. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about G-CSF for patients with ALL were retrieved. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed and the data was extracted according the Cochrane Reviewer’s Handbook. Meta-analyses for overall survival, complete remission, quality of life, infections, relapse rate, and adverse events were performed using RevMan 5.0 software. Results Six RCTs involving 620 patients with ALL were included. The results of meta-analyses showed that the G-CFS group was superior to the control group in the overall survival of adult ALL patients (RR=2.24, 95%CI 1.28 to 3.90, P=0.004). Conclusion G-CSF can improve the overall survival of adult ALL patients. However, it is not demonstrated that G-CSF could improve complete remission rate and quality of life, and reduce infections and relapse rate. More high-quality and large scale RCTs are required.