[The role of respiratory therapy in respiratory rehabilitation of critically ill patients]

The job description of respiratory therapists can cover emergency room, intensive care unit (ICU), post-ICU ward and specialized wards. Therefore, patient-centered respiratory rehabilitation in critically ill patients includes prevention of admission to ICU, respiratory care during ICU, and respiratory care after ICU. Respiratory therapists evaluate, diagnose and treat patients' respiratory function, forming a closed-loop management scheme of prevention, evaluation, treatment, reassessment, and adjustment.

[Study on purification effect of formaldehyde in cleanroom by new return air device]

Objective: To effectively reduce the concentration of poisons in cleanroom, protect the health of workers, realize the optimization and automatic control of the new return air device. And the influence of initial concentration, air volume, temperature and relative humidity of formaldehyde on the purification effect of the new return air device was explored. Methods: The purification effect of the new return air device installed with the activated carbon and the photocatalyst purification net or ordinary activated carbon purification network was tested in a 60 m(3) simulated cleanroom. The concentration of formaldehyde was determined by solution absorption-phenol reagent spectrophotometry. Based on the single factor experiment to determine the combination of two purification nets. The effects of air volume, initial formaldehyde concentration, temperature and relative humidity on the purification effect of the new return air device were investigated by orthogonal test. Then, the performance parameters of the return air device to purify formaldehyde were determined. Results: The formaldehyde purification efficiency of the two types of purification nets in the new return air device was higher than that of the ordinary activated carbon purification network (P<0.05) . The combination of activated carbon and photocatalyst purification net has no effect on the formaldehyde purification efficiency of the return air device (P>0.05) . According to the direct analysis and variance analysis, air volume was the most sensitive factor (F value is 18.894, P<0.05) , followed by initial concentration (F value is 16.128, P<0.05) , while temperature and relative humidity have little effect (F value is 0.041 and 0.599, respectively, P>0.05) . LSD analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the purification efficiency of formaldehyde between 475 m(3)/h and 626 m(3)/h (P>0.05) . From the perspective of formaldehyde purification efficiency and energy saving, when the air volume is set to 475 m(3)/h, the new return air device has higher purification efficiency for high concentration of formaldehyde. Conclusion: The new return air device consisting of activated carbon and photocatalyst purification net can play a good purification role in cleanroom with different temperatures and different humidity. Its formaldehyde purification efficiency is affected by air volume and initial concentration.

MiR-377 suppresses cell proliferation and metastasis in gastric cancer via repressing the expression of VEGFA

OBJECTIVE

In recent years, microRNAs have been identified to participate in tumor genesis and progression of different tumors including gastric cancer. However, the role of miR-377 played in gastric cancer (GC), and its mechanisms have not been demonstrated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We detected miR-377 expression level in 86 GC and adjacent normal tissue samples by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) as well as in GC cell lines. The relationship between miR-377 and clinical pathological features was analyzed. Using miR-377 mimics and inhibitors, we interfered with miR-377 level and employed several functional experiments to study the miR-377 effects on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Western blot assay and dual-luciferase assay were used to verify the target of miR-377.

RESULTS

miR-377 expressed significantly lower in GC tissues and cell lines compared to normal tissues and GES-1 cells. Overexpression of miR-377 inhibited cell growth, migration and invasion, while downregulation miR-377 obviously promoted cell growth and metastasis. Furthermore, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) was confirmed as a direct target of miR-377 and reversed the influence of mir-377 over-expression.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-377 expressed lower in GC and suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion partly via repressing the VEGFA expression, which could provide a potential target for GC diagnosis and therapy.

Identifying the heterogeneity of COPD by V/P SPECT: a new tool for improving the diagnosis of parenchymal defects and grading the severity of small airways disease

Introduction

Airway obstruction and possible concomitant pulmonary diseases in COPD cannot be identified conventionally with any single diagnostic tool. We aimed to diagnose and grade COPD severity and identify pulmonary comorbidities associated with COPD with ventilation/perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (V/P SPECT) using Technegas as the functional ventilation imaging agent.

Methods

94 COPD patients (aged 43–86 years, Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stages I–IV) were examined with V/P SPECT and spirometry. Ventilation and perfusion defects were analyzed blindly according to the European guidelines. Penetration grade of Technegas in V SPECT measured the degree of obstructive small airways disease. Total preserved lung function and penetration grade of Technegas in V SPECT were assessed by V/P SPECT and compared to GOLD stages and spirometry.

Results

Signs of small airway obstruction in the ventilation SPECT images were found in 92 patients. Emphysema was identified in 81 patients. Two patients had no signs of COPD, but both of them had a pulmonary embolism, and in one of them we also suspected a lung tumor. The penetration grade of Technegas in V SPECT and total preserved lung function correlated significantly to GOLD stages (r=0.63 and −0.60, respectively, P<0.0001). V/P SPECT identified pulmonary embolism in 30 patients (32%). A pattern typical for heart failure was present in 26 patients (28%). Parenchymal changes typical for pneumonia or lung tumor were present in several cases.

Conclusion

V/P SPECT, using Technegas as the functional ventilation imaging agent, is a new tool to diagnose COPD and to grade its severity. Additionally, it revealed heterogeneity of COPD caused by pulmonary comorbidities. The characteristics of these comorbidities suggest their significant impact in clarifying symptoms, and also their influence on the prognosis.

[The effect of honey-frying on anti-oxidation activity of Astragalus mongholicus Bunge]

The anti-free radical effects of water extracts of crude Astragalus mongholicus (CAWE) and honey-fried Astragalus mongholicus (HAWE) have been studied. Both extracts have similar effects in scavenging 0.2 in Xan/Xo system. The effect of CAWE is stronger than that of HAWE in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by PMA and stimulated by PMN and also in scavenging OH engendered by Fentons reaction. This suggests that frying process may decrease the ROS scavenging activities of Astragalus mongholicus.

Influences of Polyactin A on activities of human monocytes in vitro

Effects of Polyactin A (PAA) on abilities of human monocytes to synthesize and secrete interleukin-1 (IL-1) and to modulate natural killer (NK) cell activity in large granular lymphocytes (LGL) were investigated in vitro. Over a wide range of concentrations (0.01-100 micrograms.ml-1), PAA directly induced IL-1 synthesis and secretion, showing the maximal effect at 10 micrograms.ml-1, and evidently synergized with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of E coli in stimulation of IL-1 production by human monocytes. The manifestation of PAA pretreated autologous monocytes in modulation of NK cell activity was closely related to PAA concentration. A boosting effect of PAA-treated monocytes on NK activity was observed when PAA 10-100 micrograms.ml-1 were used for pretreatment of monocytes, while an inhibitory influence of monocytes was found when PAA 0.01-0.1 microgram.ml-1 were used. These results demonstrate significant effects of PAA on functions of human monocytes, enhancing IL-1 production and affecting their regulative activity on NK cell cytotoxicity.

Influences of a novel immunopotentiator polyactin A on interleukin 1 production and responsiveness in mice

Effects of a novel immunopotentiator Polyactin A (PAA), developed in China, on production and responsiveness of murine interleukin 1(IL-1) were investigated. The results demonstrated that: (1) PAA 0.01-100 micrograms.ml-1 directly induced IL-1 synthesis and secretion from murine peritoneal macrophages (PMO) and markedly enhanced IL-1 production of the mouse PMO stimulated by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of E coli; (2) IL-1 release from the PMO cultured in PAA 0.1 micrograms.ml-1 was detectable as early as 2 h after the incubation, peaked at 24 h, and then decreased gradually; (3) PAA stimulated and enhanced both IL-1 synthesis and release, but its effect on IL-1 release was stronger; (4) PMO from the mice given po PAA 200 mg.kg-1.d-1 for 7 d produced a higher level of IL-1 than those from control group, and the increase in extracellular IL-1 was more significant than that in intracellular one; (5) in vivo, PAA had no effect on IL-1 receptor expression and IL-1 responsiveness of murine lymphocytes, but eliminated the suppressing effects of cyclophosphamide (Cyc) on IL-1 receptor expression and IL-1 responsiveness of mouse lymphocytes. The above findings provide new explanation for action of PAA and new basis for wider clinical applications of PAA.