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Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia is generally a self-limiting disease, but it can develop into severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (SMPP). Immunologic mechanisms are thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of SMPP. Therefore, the use of systemic glucocorticoids may have beneficial effects. However, to date, the use of glucocorticoid therapy in SMPP is limited to small case series, and the glucocorticoid dosage for children with SMPP has not been established.Here, we used a meta-analysis method to collect data from randomized control trials of different doses of methylprednisolone in SMPP to assess the safety and efficacy of treatment with low- versus high-dose methylprednisolone in children with SMPP.We included 13 Chinese randomized control trials that included 1049 children. The high- and low-dose groups were comprised of 524 and 525 children, respectively. The high-dose group was significantly more effective than the low-dose group in clinical efficacy [risk ratio = 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.23, 1.38), P0.05]. In addition, compared with low-dose methylprednisolone, high-dose methylprednisolone significantly shortened hospital stays and antipyretic therapy, pulmonary rales disappearance, cough disappearance and pulmonary shadow absorption times. There was no significant difference in adverse events between the high- and low-dose groups: risk ratio= 0.85, 95% CI (0.53, 1.36), P0.05.We conclude that high-dose methylprednisolone is effective in the treatment of SMPP without increasing the incidence of adverse reactions.

Heart failure (HF) is a growing challenge in the Asia Pacific region. N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a well-established tool for diagnosis of HF; however, it is relatively underutilized in predicting adverse outcomes in HF. Multiple studies have demonstrated the prognostic role of NT-proBNP in HF. A single value of NT-proBNP >5000 pg/mL predicts a worse outcome in hospitalized patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). In stable outpatients with HFrEF, NT-proBNP > 1000 pg/mL predicts a poorer prognosis. NT-proBNP provides the same prognostic information in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) as in those with HFrEF. An expert panel composed of cardiologists mainly from Asia Pacific region was convened to discuss the utility of NT-proBNP in HF prognostication. This article summarizes available scientific evidence and consensus recommendations from the meeting.

The WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (WWOX) is a tumor suppressor that is lost or decreased in most human tumors. The role of WWOX in human lung carcinoma invasion is still not clear. This study aimed to elucidate the potential role of WWOX in lung cancer cell invasion. WWOX mRNA levels in human lung cancers and lung cancer cell lines were assayed by quantitative real-time PCR. WWOX in lung cancer cell lines was manipulated by transfection of expression vector or small interfering RNA. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by wound healing and/or transwell migration and invasion assays. The protein levels of WWOX, E-cadherin and RUNX2 were analyzed by western blot or immunofluorescence. WWOX expression is inversely correlated to invasiveness of lung cancer. WWOX overexpression in highly invasive H1299 cells reduced cell motility and invasiveness, and inhibited the expression of RUNX2 and its target gene matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Silencing WWOX in less invasive NL9980 cells resulted in opposite effects. Overexpressing RUNX2 in H1299 or silencing RUNX2 in NL9980 cells reversed the effects of WWOX. These results suggested that WWOX inhibited the invasive phenotype of lung cancer through downregulating the expression of RUNX2.

The cDNA encoding noggin2 protein was obtained from the brain and spinal cord cDNA library of Gekko japonicus. The size of the noggin2 transcript and its expression in different tissues were analyzed by Northern blot analysis. In situ hybridization revealed positive hybridization signals in both gray and white matter of the spinal cord. Changes in noggin2 expression in the spinal cord after tail amputation were examined by real-time PCR. The noggin2 was expressed in the normal spinal cord and down-regulated three days after tail amputation, reaching the lowest level at two weeks, during the time course when we followed the expression levels. We concluded that the expression of noggin2 is affected by the process of spinal cord injury and regeneration.

Lung cancer is the most prevalent and deadly malignancy worldwide. This study investigated the possibility of inhibiting lung cancer in vivo with adenovirus-delivered WW domain-containing oxidoreductase (wwox). The lung cancer model was established by inoculating A549 lung cancer cells into the pleural space of nude mice. The control or wwox adenovirus was injected into the pleural space 7 days after cell inoculation and 14 days after first injection. The tumor number and burdens were measured 2 weeks after second virus injection. The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and alpha-feto protein (AFP) levels in pleural effusion were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Apoptosis, proliferation and angiogenesis of tumor cells were assessed by terminal deoxinucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-fluorescein nick end labeling assay, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and CD31 staining, respectively. Ectopic wwox significantly reduced both the number and size of lung tumors accompanied by substantially lower CEA and AFP levels in pleural effusion. The expression levels of Bcl2, Bcl-xL, vascular endothelial growth factor, PCNA-positive and CD31-positive cells in the tumors were significantly decreased, whereas levels of p21 and p73 and apoptotic cells markedly increased in mice receiving the wwox virus. These data demonstrated that wwox delivered by adenovirus was able to inhibit the growth of lung cancer in vivo, indicating the potential of using wwox as a gene therapy agent for lung cancer.

We propose a new mechanism to generate a lepton asymmetry based on the vacuum CP-violating phase transition (CPPT). This approach differs from classical thermal leptogenesis as a specific seesaw model, and its UV completion, need not be specified. The lepton asymmetry is generated via the dynamically realised coupling of the Weinberg operator during the phase transition. This mechanism provides a connection with low-energy neutrino observables., Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures. Comments, references added. An appendix proving the irreverence of spatial contribution included. Results unchanged. Version accepted for publication in PLB