Automated interpretation of the pulmonary function test by a portable spirometer in Chinese adults

IntroductionA portable spirometer is a promising alternative to a traditional pulmonary function test (PFT) spirometer for respiratory function evaluation.ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the accuracy of automated interpretation of the PFT measured by a portable Yue Cloud spirometer in Chinese adults.MethodsThe PFT was performed to evaluate subjects prospectively enrolled at Ruijin Hospital (n = 220). A Yue Cloud spirometer and a conventional Jaeger MasterScreen device were applied to each patient with a 20‐min quiescent period between each measurement. Pulmonary function parameters, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal expiratory flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of the FVC (MEF25, MEF50, and MEF75, respectively), and maximal mid‐expiratory flow (MMEF), were compared by correlation analyses and Bland–Altman methods. The Yue Cloud spirometer automatically interpreted the PFT results, and a conventional strategy was performed to interpret the PFT results obtained by the Jaeger machine. Concordance of the categorization of pulmonary dysfunction, small airway dysfunction, and severity was analyzed by the kappa (κ) statistic.ResultsSignificantly similar correlations of all variables measured with the two spirometers were observed (all p < 0.001). No significant bias was observed in any of the measured spirometer variables. A satisfactory concordance of pulmonary function and severity classification was observed between the automated interpretation results obtained with the Yue Cloud spirometer vs. a conventional spirometer interpretation strategy (all κ > 0.80).ConclusionThe portable Yue Cloud spirometer not only yields reliable measurements of pulmonary function but also can automatically interpret the PFT results.     

肺动脉高压发病机制研究进展

肺动脉高压主要与血管效应器失调、环境因素、相关疾病及遗传因素有关.最近出现了许多关于肺动脉高压的分子遗传学和细胞生物学相关的研究,结合这些最新的研究对肺动脉高压病因及发病机制予以综述.     

Lysophosphatidic acid transactivates both c-Met and epidermal growth factor receptor, and induces cyclooxygenase-2 expression in human colon cancer LoVo cells

AIM: To examine whether lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) induces phosphorylation of c-Met and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), both of which have been proposed as prognostic markers of colorectal cancer, and whether LPA induces cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in human colon cancer cells. METHODS: Using a human colon cancer cell line, LoVo cells, we performed immunoprecipitation analysis, followed by Western blot analysis. We also examined whether LPA induced COX-2 expression, by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that 10 umol/L LPA induced tyrosine phosphorylation of c-Met and EGFR in LoVo cells within a few minutes. We found that c-Met tyrosine phosphorylation induced by LPA was not attenuated by pertussis toxin or a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, in marked contrast to the results for EGFR. In addition, 0.2-40 umol/L LPA induced COX-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that LPA acts upstream of various receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and COX-2, and thus may act as a potent stimulator of colorectal cancer.     

Defective regulatory and effector T cell functions in patients with FOXP3 mutations

The autoimmune disease immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked (IPEX) is caused by mutations in the forkhead box protein P3 (FOXP3) gene. In the mouse model of FOXP3 deficiency, the lack of CD4+ CD25+ Tregs is responsible for lethal autoimmunity, indicating that FOXP3 is required for the differentiation of this Treg subset. We show that the number and phenotype of CD4+ CD25+ T cells from IPEX patients are comparable to those of normal donors. CD4+ CD25high T cells from IPEX patients who express FOXP3 protein suppressed the in vitro proliferation of effector T cells from normal donors, when activated by "weak" TCR stimuli. In contrast, the suppressive function of CD4+ CD25high T cells from IPEX patients who do not express FOXP3 protein was profoundly impaired. Importantly, CD4+ CD25high T cells from either FOXP3+ or FOXP3- IPEX patients showed altered suppression toward autologous effector T cells. Interestingly, IL-2 and IFN-gamma production by PBMCs from IPEX patients was significantly decreased. These findings indicate that FOXP3 mutations in IPEX patients result in heterogeneous biological abnormalities, leading not necessarily to a lack of differentiation of CD4+ CD25high Tregs but rather to a dysfunction in these cells and in effector T cells.     

低剂量非那雄胺控制男性型秃发临床观察

目的通过随机双盲对照试验评估每日口服非那雄胺1mg治疗2年有效并满意后,减量为5mg/周及1mg隔1日口服治疗中国男性型秃发的疗效。方法选择非那雄胺治疗2年或2年以上的男性型秃发患者175例,随机分为非那雄胺减量治疗组88例和安慰剂对照组87例,分别口服非那雄胺(1~24周5mg/周,24~48周1mg隔日1次口服)或安慰剂48周。并由皮肤科医师在24~48周时对治疗前、后的头发进行显微照像并评价,同期患者也进行自我评价。结果治疗前、后头发显微照像分析认为,治疗24周时非那雄胺减量治疗组脱发率为48.86%,而安慰剂对照组为98.85%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗48周后非那雄胺减量治疗组的脱发率为73.86%,安慰剂对照组为100%,差异有统计学意义。患者在24周和48周时的自我评价的结果也与之相似。结论低剂量口服非那雄胺维持治疗对中国男性型秃发患者脱发有一定作用。     

日本血吸虫鸡尾酒式DNA疫苗与蛋白疫苗联合应用增强免疫保护作用的研究

目的 探讨日本血吸虫鸡尾酒式DNA疫苗与蛋白疫苗联合应用以增强免疫保护作用的效果。方法分别大量制备质粒DNA：pcDNA3．1-SjC23、pcDNA3．1-SjCTPI、pcDNA3．1-（CDR3）6和重组蛋白SjC23-HD、SjCTPI、NP30。pcDNA3．1-SjC23、pcDNA3．1-SjCTPI、pcDNA3．1-（CDR3）6等量混合后即为鸡尾酒式的混合DNA疫苗，重组蛋白SjC23-HD、SjCTPI、NP30等量混合后即为鸡尾酒式的混合蛋白疫苗。70只BALB／c小鼠随机分为A、B、C、D、E5组，每组14只。A组为自然感染组；B组（空质粒对照组）每只小鼠分别在第0、3、6周经股四头肌注射100μlpcDNA3．1；C组（空质粒＋混合蛋白对照组）每只小鼠分别在第0、3、6周经股四头肌注射100μlpcDNA3．1，第9周每鼠经背部皮下多点注射100μl混合蛋白疫苗＋100μl福氏完全佐剂（FCA）；D组（混合DNA组）每只小鼠分别在第0、3、6周经股四头肌注射100μl混合DNA疫苗；E组（混合DNA＋混合蛋白组）每只小鼠分别在第0、3、6周经股四头肌注射100μl混合DNA疫苗，第9周每鼠经背部皮下多点注射100μl混合蛋白疫苗＋100μlFCA。DNA免疫组末次免疫后4周，蛋白加强组末次免疫后2周，所有小鼠同时经腹部皮肤感染（40±1）条尾蚴。攻击感染后42d剖杀小鼠，计数成虫及肝脏虫卵数。首次免疫前2d及感染前2d分别经尾静脉采血，分离血清检测IgG抗体水平、抗体亚类IgG1及IgG2a，并取小鼠脾脏制备单个脾细胞，检测细胞因子IL-2、IL-4、IFN-γ的水平。结果C、D组和E组的减虫率分别为17．70％、32．88％和45．35％，D组和E组的减虫率均显著高于C组（P均〈0．01），且E组的减虫率显著高于D组（P〈0．01）；C、D组和E组的减卵率分别为9．39％、36．20％和48．54％，D组和E组的减卵率均显著高于C组（P均〈0．01），且E组的减虫率也显著高于D组（P〈0．05）。C、D、E3组小鼠血清都检测到特异性IgG抗体，?     

胰腺癌组织和细胞系中DNA错配修复基因的甲基化和异常表达

目的:检测错配修复基因hMLH1、hMSH2和 hMLH3在胰腺癌中的甲基化和表达状态,探讨错配修复缺陷在胰腺癌发病中的作用.方法:采用甲基化特异性PCR(MSP)检测hMLH1、hMSH2和hMLH3的甲基化状态,逆转录PCR(RT-PCR)检测hMLH1、hMSH2和hMLH3的表达状态.结果:在胰腺癌组织中hMLH1、hMSH2和hMLH3的甲基化频率分别为28.6%、46.4%和39.3%;在癌旁正常组织中分别为3.6%、10.7%和12.5%,上述各基因在胰腺癌中的甲基化频率均显著高于癌旁正常组织(hMLH1:x2=12.97,P<0.01;hMSH2:x2=17.50,P<0.01; hMLH3:x2=10.47,P<0.01).在胰腺癌组织中分别有25.O%、50.0%和33.9%没有检出hMLH1、hMSH2和hMLH3表达.在癌旁正常组织中分别有7.1%、8.9%和16.1%,各基因在胰腺癌中的表达缺失频率均显著高于癌旁正常组织(hMLH1:x2=6.62,P<0.05;hMSH2:)x2 =22.73,P<0.01:hMLH3:x2=4.76,P<0.05).hMLH1在胰腺癌细胞系PANC-l和CFPAC-1 检出甲基化和表达消失.hMSH2在PC-3检出甲基化和表达消失.hMLH3在PC-3和PANC-1检出甲基化和表达亦消失.结论:在胰腺癌错配修复基因缺陷较普遍参与了部分胰腺癌的发病过程.     

Double-Blind Randomized Trial of Pirfenidone in Chinese Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lacks effective treatment. Pirfenidone has been used to treat IPF patients. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) exerts antioxidant and antifibrotic effects on IPF cases.This study is a double-blind, modified placebo-controlled, randomized phase II trial of pirfenidone in Chinese IPF patients. We randomly assigned the enrolled Chinese IPF patients with mild to moderate impairment of pulmonary function to receive either oral pirfenidone (1800 mg per day) and NAC (1800 mg per day) or placebo and NAC (1800 mg per day) for 48 weeks. The primary endpoints were the changes in forced vital capacity (FVC) and walking distance and the lowest SPO₂ during the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) at week 48. The key secondary endpoint was the progression-free survival time. This study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov as number {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01504334","term_id":"NCT01504334"}}NCT01504334.Eighty-six patients were screened, and 76 cases were enrolled (pirfenidone + NAC: 38; placebo + NAC: 38). The effect of pirfenidone treatment was significant at the 24th week, but this effect did not persist to the 48th week. At the 24th week, the mean decline in both FVC and ΔSPO₂ (%) during the 6MWT in the pirfenidone group was lower than that in the control group (−0.08 ± 0.20 L vs −0.22 ± 0.29 L, P = 0.02 and −3.44% ± 4.51% vs −6.29% ± 6.06%, P = 0.03, respectively). However, there was no significant difference between these 2 groups at the 48th week (−0.15 ± 0.25 L vs −0.25 ± 0.28 L, P = 0.11 and −4.25% ± 7.27% vs −5.31% ± 5.49%, P = 0.51, respectively). The pirfenidone treatment group did not achieve the maximal distance difference on the 6MWT at either the 24th or the 48th week. But pirfenidone treatment prolonged the progression-free survival time in the IPF patients (hazard ratio = 1.88, 95% confidence interval: 1.092–3.242, P = 0.02). In the pirfenidone group, the adverse event (AE) rate (52.63%) was higher than that in the control group (26.3%, P = 0.03). Rash was more common in the pirfenidone group (39.5% vs 13.2%, P = 0.02).Compared with placebo combined with high-dose NAC, pirfenidone combined with high-dose NAC prolonged the progression-free survival of Chinese IPF patients with mild to moderate impairment of pulmonary function. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT01504334","term_id":"NCT01504334"}}NCT01504334).