Search

Abstract Background The dysregulation of local circadian clock has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a broad spectrum of diseases. However, the pathophysiological role of intrinsic circadian clocks Rev-Erbα in ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) remains unclear. Methods The IR-ALI model was established by subjecting isolated perfused rat lungs to 40 min of ischemia followed by 60 min of reperfusion. Rats were randomly assigned to one of six groups: control, control + SR9009 (Rev-Erbα agonist, 50 mg/kg), IR, and IR + SR9009 at one of three dosages (12.5, 25, 50 mg/kg). Bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) and lung tissues were obtained and analyzed. In vitro experiments utilized mouse lung epithelial cells (MLE-12) exposed to hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) and pretreated with SR9009 (10 µM/L) and Rev-Erbα siRNA. Results SR9009 exhibited a dose-dependent reduction in lung edema in IR-ALI. It significantly inhibited the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and CINC-1 in BALF. Moreover, SR9009 treatment restored suppressed IκB-α levels and reduced nuclear NF-κB p65 levels in lung tissues. In addition, a SR9009 mitigated IR-induced apoptosis and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in injured lung tissue. Finally, treatment with Rev-Erbα antagonist SR8278 abolished the protective action of SR9009. In vitro analyses showed that SR9009 attenuated NF-κB activation and KC/CXCL-1 levels in MLE-12 cells exposed to HR, and these effects were significantly abrogated by Rev-Erbα siRNA. Conclusions The findings suggest that SR9009 exerts protective effects against IR-ALI in a Rev-Erbα-dependent manner. SR9009 may provide a novel adjuvant therapeutic approach for IR-ALI.

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a silent epidemic that has been easily ignored. The safety and efficacy of restarting antiplatelet therapy after encountering traumatic brain injury (TBI) events remain a challenge. We explored the outcomes of restarting aspirin use on secondary stroke and mortality in patients with chronic stroke 4 weeks after suffering from a TBI episode in Taiwan. This study analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Research Database from January 2000 to December 2015. Overall, 136,211 individuals diagnosed with chronic stroke who suffered from acute TBI and received inpatient service were enrolled. The study outcomes were a competing risk of secondary stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic) hospitalization and all-cause mortality. We identified a case group of 15,035 patients with chronic stroke (mean [SD] age of 53.25 [19.74] years; 55.63% male) who restarted aspirin use 4 weeks after suffering from TBI and a control group of 60,140 patients with chronic stroke (mean [SD] age of 53.12 [19.22] years; 55.63% male) who discontinued aspirin use after suffering from TBI. The risk of hospitalization of secondary ischemic stroke [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.694; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.621–0.756; P

Abstract Background To investigate the risk of poor prognosis regarding schizophrenic disorders, psychotic disorders, suicide, self-inflicted injury, and mortality after adult violence from 2000 to 2015 in Taiwan. Methods This study used data from National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) on outpatient, emergency, and inpatient visits for two million people enrolled in the National Health Insurance (NHI) from 2000 to 2015. The case study defined ICD-9 diagnosis code N code 995.8 (abused adult) or E code E960-E969 (homicide and intentional injury of another). It analyzed first-time violence in adults aged 18–64 years (study group). 1:4 ratio was matched with injury and non-violent patients (control group). The paired variables were sex, age (± 1 year), pre-exposure to the Charlson comorbidity index, and year of medical treatment. Statistical analysis was conducted using SAS 9.4 and Cox regression for data analysis. Results In total, 8,726 individuals experienced violence (case group) while34,904 did not experienced violence (control group) over 15 years. The prevalence of poor prognosis among victims of violence was 25.4/104, 31.3/104, 10.5/10,4 and 104.6/104 for schizophrenic disorders, psychotic disorders, suicide or self-inflicted injury and mortality, respectively. Among adults, the risks of suicide or self-inflicted injury, schizophrenic disorders, psychotic disorders, and mortality after exposure to violence (average 9 years) were 6.87-, 5.63-, 4.10-, and 2.50-times (p

Background: The aim of the study is to compare the incidence of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in Northern and Southern Taiwan, areas with different levels of air pollution. Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, 15-year nationwide study of SSNHL diagnoses between 2000 and 2015 in Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Results: In total, 12,497 patients were included, 5584 in Northern Taiwan and 2532 in Southern Taiwan. In Northern and Southern Taiwan, the mean patients' age was 50.94 ± 16.62 and 50.70 ± 15.86 years, respectively; males (53.56% vs. 53.48%) were more frequently diagnosed than females (46.44% vs. 46.52%). The crude incidence was 41.13/100,000 and 49.45/100,000 in Northern and Southern Taiwan. The increasing trend was significantly higher in Southern than in Northern Taiwan. The maximal difference between Northern and Southern Taiwan, 44.31 versus 77.01/100,000 people/year, occurred in 2012. Mean particulate matter (PM2.5) annual concentration steadily decreased from 25.5 μg/m3 in 2010 to 19.20 μg/m3 in 2015 in Northern Taiwan, 37.10 μg/m3 in 2010 to 26.50 μg/m3 in 2015 in Southern Taiwan, Tainan City area, and 38.20 μg/m3 in 2010 to 25.10 μg/m3 in 2015 in Southern Taiwan, Kaohsiung City area. Cumulative PM2.5 exposure (PM2.5-year) from 2000 to 2015 was 441.1 μg/m3 × year in Northern Taiwan, 563.3 μg/m3 × year in Southern Taiwan – Tainan City area, and 684.3 μg/m3 × year in Southern Taiwan – Kaohsiung City area. Conclusion: SSNHL incidence increased from 2000 to 2015 and was higher in Southern than in Northern Taiwan. Cumulative PM2.5 exposure was higher in Southern than in Northern Taiwan. The relationship between cumulative PM2.5 exposure and SSNHL pathogenesis needs further investigation.

Dysregulation of macrophages in the pro-inflammatory (M1) and anti-inflammatory (M2) sub-phenotypes is a crucial element in several inflammation-related diseases and injuries. We investigated the role of aquaporin (AQP) in macrophage polarization using AQP pan-inhibitor mercury chloride (HgCl2). Lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) induced the expression of AQP-1 and AQP-9 which increased the cell size of bone marrow-derived macrophages. The inhibition of AQPs by HgCl2 abolished cell size changes and significantly suppressed M1 polarization. HgCl2 significantly reduced the activation of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways and inhibited the production of IL-1β. HgCl2 attenuated LPS-induced activation of mitochondria and reactive oxygen species production and autophagy was promoted by HgCl2. The increase in the light chain three II/light chain three I ratio and the reduction in PTEN-induced kinase one expression suggests the recycling of damaged mitochondria and the restoration of mitochondrial activity by HgCl2. In summary, the present study demonstrates a possible mechanism of the AQP inhibitor HgCl2 in macrophage M1 polarization through the restriction of cell volume change, suppression of the p38 MAPK/NFκB pathway, and promotion of autophagy.

Some antituberculosis agents may cause hypothyroidism, and thyroid hormones play a vital role in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. However, the relationship between tuberculosis (TB) and hypothyroidism has not been clearly established. Therefore, this retrospective, longitudinal cohort study aimed to investigate the association between these two diseases using the 2000–2017 data from the Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. The hypothyroidism and TB cohorts were matched with the control group in a 1:4 ratio. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis in each cohort. In total, 3,976 individuals with hypothyroidism and 35 120 individuals with TB were included in this study. The risk of developing TB in patients with hypothyroidism was 2.91 times higher than that in those without hypothyroidism (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50–3.65). The subgroup of thyroxine replacement therapy (TRT) had a 2.40 times higher risk (95% CI, 1.26–3.01), whereas the subgroup of non-TRT had a 3.62 times higher risk of developing TB than those without hypothyroidism (95% CI, 2.19–4.84). On the other hand, the risk of developing hypothyroidism in patients with TB was 2.01 times higher than that in those without TB (95% CI, 1.41–2.38). Our findings provide evidence that TB and hypothyroidism are interrelated. Thus, clinicians and public health authorities should monitor the association between these two diseases to reduce the relevant disease burden.

Background/Objective: The aim of study is to assess the efficacy of each ventilator weaning method for ventilated patients in intensive care units (ICUs).Methods: A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure to identify randomized control studies on ventilated patients regarding extubation associated outcomes (weaning success or failure, proportion requiring re-intubation, or mortality) from inception until April 01, 2020. Commonly used ventilation modes involved pressure support ventilation, synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation, automatic tube compensation, continuous positive airway pressure, adaptive support ventilation, neurally adjusted ventilatory assist, proportional assisted ventilation, and SmartCare. Pooled estimates regarding extubation associated outcomes were calculated using network meta-analysis.Results: Thirty-nine randomized controlled trials including 5,953 patients met inclusion criteria. SmartCare and proportional assist ventilation were found to be effective methods in increasing weaning success (odds ratio, 2.72, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.33–5.58, P-score: 0.84; odds ratio, 2.56, 95% CI, 1.60–4.11, P-score: 0.83; respectively). Besides, proportional assist ventilation had superior in reducing proportion requiring re-intubation rate (odds ratio, 0.48, 95% CI, 0.25–0.92, P-score: 0.89) and mortality (odds ratio, 0.48, 95% CI, 0.26–0.92, P-score: 0.91) than others.Conclusion: In general consideration, our study provided evidence that weaning with proportional assist ventilation has a high probability of being the most effective ventilation mode for patients with mechanical ventilation regarding a higher rate of weaning success, a lower proportion requiring reintubation, and a lower mortality rate than other ventilation modes.

Protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1 is a thrombin-activated receptor that plays an essential role in ischemia/reperfusion (IR)-induced acute inflammation. PAR-1 antagonists have been shown to alleviate injuries in various IR models. However, the effect of PAR-1 antagonists on IR-induced acute lung injury (ALI) has not yet been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate whether PAR-1 inhibition could attenuate lung IR injury. Lung IR was induced in an isolated perfused rat lung model. Male rats were treated with the specific PAR-1 antagonist SCH530348 (vorapaxar) or vehicle, followed by ischemia for 40 min and reperfusion for 60 min. To examine the role of PAR-1 and the mechanism of SCH530348 in lung IR injury, western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis of lung tissue were performed. In vitro, mouse lung epithelial cells (MLE-12) were treated with SCH530348 or vehicle and subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR). We found that SCH530348 decreased lung edema and neutrophil infiltration, attenuated thrombin production, reduced inflammatory factors, including cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, mitigated lung cell apoptosis, and downregulated the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in IR-injured lungs. In addition, SCH530348 prevented HR-induced NF-κB activation and inflammatory chemokine production in MLE12 cells. Our results demonstrate that SCH530348 exerts protective effects by blocking PAR-1 expression and modulating the downstream PI3K, NF-κB and MAPK pathways. These findings indicate that the PAR-1 antagonist protects against IR-induced ALI and is a potential therapeutic candidate for lung protection following IR injury.

BackgroundVentilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is characterized by vascular barrier dysfunction and suppression of alveolar fluid clearance (AFC). Obesity itself leads to chronic inflammation, which may initiate an injurious cascade to the lungs and simultaneously induce a protective feedback. In this study, we investigated the protective mechanism of obesity on VILI in a mouse model.MethodsThe VILI model was set up via 6-h mechanical ventilation with a high tidal volume. Parameters including lung injury score, STAT3/NFκB pathway, and AFC were assessed. Mice with diet-induced obesity were obtained by allowing free access to a high-fat diet since the age of 3 weeks. After a 9-week diet intervention, these mice were sacrificed at the age of 12 weeks. The manipulation of SOCS3 protein was achieved by siRNA knockdown and pharmaceutical stimulation using hesperetin. WNK4 knockin and knockout obese mice were used to clarify the pathway of AFC modulation.ResultsObesity itself attenuated VILI. Knockdown of SOCS3 in obese mice offset the protection against VILI afforded by obesity. Hesperetin stimulated SOCS3 upregulation in nonobese mice and provided protection against VILI. In obese mice, the WNK4 axis was upregulated at the baseline, but was significantly attenuated after VILI compared with nonobese mice. At the baseline, the manipulation of SOCS3 by siRNA and hesperetin also led to the corresponding alteration of WNK4, albeit to a lesser extent. After VILI, WNK4 expression correlated with STAT3/NFκB activation, regardless of SOCS3 status. Obese mice carrying WNK4 knockout had VILI with a severity similar to that of wild-type obese mice. The severity of VILI in WNK4-knockin obese mice was counteracted by obesity, similar to that of wild-type nonobese mice only.ConclusionsObesity protects lungs from VILI by upregulating SOCS3, thus suppressing the STAT3/NFκB inflammatory pathway and enhancing WNK4-related AFC. However, WNK4 activation is mainly from direct NFκB downstreaming, and less from SOCS3 upregulation. Moreover, JAK2–STAT3/NFκB signaling predominates the pathogenesis of VILI. Nevertheless, the interaction between SOCS3 and WNK4 in modulating VILI in obesity warrants further investigation.

We report on a 70-year-old man with fever, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, vomiting, malaise, dyspnea, and consciousness disturbance who was infected with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in northern Taiwan, 2019. This autochthonous case was confirmed by reverse transcription PCR, virus isolation, and genomic sequencing.

Background: Poloxamer 188 (P188) possesses anti-inflammatory properties and can help to maintain plasma membrane function. P188 has been reported to exert beneficial effects in the treatment of various disorders. However, the effects of P188 in ischemia/reperfusion (IR)-induced acute lung injury have not been examined.Methods: We investigated the ability of P188 to attenuate IR-induced acute lung injury in rats and hypoxia/reoxygenation (HR) injury in murine epithelial cells. Isolated perfused rat lungs were exposed to 40 min ischemia followed by 60 min reperfusion to induce IR injury.Results: IR led to lung edema, increased pulmonary arterial pressure, promoted lung tissue inflammation and oxidative stress, and upregulated the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and CINC-1, and increased Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. IR also downregulated the levels of inhibitor of κB (IκB-α), upregulated nuclear factor (NF)-κB (NF-κB), and promoted apoptosis in lung tissues. P188 significantly suppressed all these effects. In vitro, P188 also exerted a similar effect in murine lung epithelial cells exposed to HR. Furthermore, P188 reduced the number of propidium iodide-positive cells, maintained cell membrane integrity, and enhanced cell membrane repair following HR.Conclusion: We conclude that P188 protects against lung IR injury by suppressing multiple signaling pathways and maintaining cell membrane integrity.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress that disrupts ER function can occur in response to a wide variety of cellular stress factors leads to the accumulation of unfolded and misfolded proteins in the ER. Many studies have shown that ER stress amplified inflammatory reactions and was involved in various inflammatory diseases. However, little is known regarding the role of ER stress in hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury (HALI). This study investigated the influence of ER stress inhibitor, 4-phenyl butyric acid (4-PBA), in mice with HALI. Treatment with 4-PBA in the hyperoxia groups significantly prolonged the survival, decreased lung edema, and reduced the levels of inflammatory mediators, lactate dehydrogenase, and protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and increased claudin-4 protein expression in lung tissue. Moreover, 4-PBA reduced the ER stress-related protein expression, NF-κB activation, and apoptosis in the lung tissue. In in vitro study, 4-PBA also exerted a similar effect in hyperoxia-exposed mouse lung epithelial cells (MLE-12). However, when claudin-4 siRNA was administrated in mice and MLE-12 cells, the protective effect of 4-PBA was abrogated. These results suggested that 4-PBA protected against hyperoxia-induced ALI via enhancing claudin-4 expression.

Background: In the management of major burn wounds, allogeneic skin transplantation is a critical procedure to improve wound repair. Our previous works found that intermittent exposure to carbon dioxide leads to permissive hypercapnia (HCA) and prolongs skin allograft survival. However, the modulatory effects of HCA exposure on the immune system are not well understood. Objectives: Our purpose was to investigate how intermittent exposure to HCA can effectively reduce the immune reaction to allogeneic skin graft rejection. Methods: A fully major histocompatibility complex-incompatible skin transplant from BALB/c to C57BL/6 mice model was utilized. Immune cells from splenic and draining lymph nodes were analyzed by flow cytometry. Serum proinflammatory cytokines were analyzed by ELISA. Results: Serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-α were significantly decreased in the HCA group. Additionally, the percentage of CD8+ cells in draining lymph nodes was significantly lower in HCA than in the control group. Moreover, the generation rate of FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) from spleen naïve CD4+ T cells was increased by intermittent exposure to carbon dioxide. The infiltrated neutrophils were also eliminated by HCA. Taken together, we concluded that intermittent hypercapnia exposure could effectively suppress skin rejection by stimulating Treg cell generation and suppressing immune reactions.

Abstract Background Emerging evidence reveals that nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) has a significant role in the pathophysiology of the inflammatory process. NAMPT inhibition has a beneficial effect in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases. However, it remains unclear whether NAMPT inhibition has an impact on ischemia-reperfusion (I/R)-induced acute lung injury. In this study, we examined whether NAMPT inhibition provided protection against I/R lung injury in rats. Methods Isolated perfused rat lungs were subjected to 40 min of ischemia followed by 60 min of reperfusion. The rats were randomly allotted to the control, control + FK866 (NAMPT inhibitor, 10 mg/kg), I/R, or I/R + FK866 groups (n = 6 per group). The effects of FK866 on human alveolar epithelial cells exposed to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) were also investigated. Results Treatment with FK866 significantly attenuated the increases in lung edema, pulmonary arterial pressure, lung injury scores, and TNF-α, CINC-1, and IL-6 concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in the I/R group. Malondialdehyde levels, carbonyl contents and MPO-positive cells in lung tissue were also significantly reduced by FK866. Additionally, FK866 mitigated I/R-stimulated degradation of IκB-α, nuclear translocation of NF-κB, Akt phosphorylation, activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase, and downregulated MKP-1 activity in the injured lung tissue. Furthermore, FK866 increased Bcl-2 and decreased caspase-3 activity in the I/R rat lungs. Comparably, the in vitro experiments showed that FK866 also inhibited IL-8 production and NF-κB activation in human alveolar epithelial cells exposed to H/R. Conclusions Our findings suggest that NAMPT inhibition may be a novel therapeutic approach for I/R-induced lung injury. The protective effects involve the suppression of multiple signal pathways.

BackgroundPrevious investigations reveal that BTP2, a store-operated calcium channel blocker, has protective and anti-inflammatory properties in multiple inflammatory diseases. This study investigates whether BTP2 can protect against decompression sickness (DCS) in a rat model.MethodsBTP2 (2 mg/kg) was administered to male Sprague–Dawley rats 30 min before subjecting them to hyperbaric pressure. Control rats were not treated. After decompression, signs of DCS were examined, and samples of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue were obtained for evaluation.ResultsThe incidence and mortality of DCS were decreased significantly in rats treated with BTP2 compared to those treated with dimethyl sulfoxide. BTP2 significantly attenuated DCS-induced lung edema, histological evidence of lung inflammation, necroptosis, and apoptosis, while it decreased levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In addition, BTP2 reduced the expression of nuclear factor of activated T cells and early growth response protein 3 in lung tissue. BTP2 also significantly increased the levels of inhibitor kappa B alpha and suppressed the levels of nuclear factor kappa B in lung tissue.ConclusionThe results suggest that BTP2 may has potential as a prophylactic therapy to attenuate DCS-induced injury.

Abstract Methotrexate has immunosuppressive effects and is administered for refractory chronic urticaria. We present a case of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in a patient with refractory chronic urticaria managed by low-dose weekly methotrexate treatment (total cumulative dose 195mg). Our study highlights the importance of providing prompt diagnosis and treatment of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in patients with chronic urticaria under methotrexate therapy.

Aims: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and insomnia commonly coexist; hypnotics are broadly prescribed for insomnia therapy. However, the safety of hypnotics use in OSA patients is unclear. We conducted a retrospective case-control study to investigate the risk of adverse respiratory events in hypnotics-using OSA patients.Methods: We obtained data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database from 1996 to 2013. The case group included 216 OSA patients with newly diagnosed adverse respiratory events, including pneumonia and acute respiratory failure. The control group included OSA patients without adverse respiratory events, which was randomly frequency-matched to the case group at a 1:1 ratio according to age, gender, and index year. Hypnotics exposure included benzodiazepines (BZD) and non-benzodiazepines (non-BZD). A recent user was defined as a patient who had taken hypnotics for 1–30 days, while a long-term user was one who had taken hypnotics for 31–365 days.Results: Multivariable adjusted analysis showed recent BZD use is an independent risk for adverse respiratory events (OR = 2.70; 95% CI = 1.15–6.33; P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed both recent and long-term BZD use increased the risk of acute respiratory failure compared to never BZD use (OR = 28.6; 95% CI = 5.24–156; P < 0.001, OR = 10.1; 95% CI = 1.51–67.7; P < 0.05, respectively). Neither BZD nor non-BZD use increased the risk of pneumonia in OSA patients.Conclusion: BZD use might increase the risk of acute respiratory failure in OSA patients.

Ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) is implicated in several clinical conditions including lung transplantation, cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, re-expansion of collapsed lung from pneumothorax or pleural effusion and etc. IR-induced ALI remains a challenge in the current treatment. Carbonic anhydrase has important physiological function and influences on transport of CO2. Some investigators suggest that CO2 influences lung injury. Therefore, carbonic anhydrase should have the role in ALI. This study was undertaken to define the effect of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, acetazolamide (AZA), in IR-induced ALI, that was conducted in a rat model of isolated-perfused lung with 30 minutes of ischemia and 90 minutes of reperfusion. The animals were divided into six groups (n = 6 per group): sham, sham + AZA 200 mg/kg body weight (BW), IR, IR + AZA 100 mg/kg BW, IR + AZA 200 mg/kg BW and IR+ AZA 400 mg/kg BW. IR caused significant pulmonary micro-vascular hyper-permeability, pulmonary edema, pulmonary hypertension, neutrophilic sequestration, and an increase in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Increases in carbonic anhydrase expression and perfusate pCO2 levels were noted, while decreased Na-K-ATPase expression was noted after IR. Administration of 200mg/kg BW and 400mg/kg BW AZA significantly suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-17) and attenuated IR-induced lung injury, represented by decreases in pulmonary hyper-permeability, pulmonary edema, pulmonary hypertension and neutrophilic sequestration. AZA attenuated IR-induced lung injury, associated with decreases in carbonic anhydrase expression and pCO2 levels, as well as restoration of Na-K-ATPase expression.

Ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) is implicated in several clinical conditions like lung transplantation, acute pulmonary embolism after thrombolytic therapy, re-expansion of collapsed lung from pneumothorax or pleural effusion, cardiopulmonary bypass and etc. Because mortality remains high despite advanced medical care, prevention and treatment are important clinical issues for IR-induced ALI. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has a controversial role in ALI. We therefore conducted this study to determine the effects of anti-VEGF antibody in IR-induced ALI. In the current study, the IR-induced ALI was conducted in a rat model of isolated-perfused lung in situ in the chest. The animals were divided into the control, control + preconditioning anti-VEGF antibody (bevacizumab, 5mg/kg), IR, IR + preconditioning anti-VEGF antibody (1mg/kg), IR+ preconditioning anti-VEGF antibody (5mg/kg) and IR+ post-IR anti-VEGF antibody (5mg/kg) group. There were eight adult male Sprague-Dawley rats in each group. The IR caused significant pulmonary micro-vascular hyper-permeability, pulmonary edema, neutrophilic infiltration in lung tissues, increased tumor necrosis factor-α, and total protein concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. VEGF and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) were increased in IR-induced ALI. Administration of preconditioning anti-VEGF antibody significantly suppressed the VEGF and ERK expressions and attenuated the IR-induced lung injury. This study demonstrates the important role of VEGF in early IR-induced ALI. The beneficial effects of preconditioning anti-VEGF antibody in IR-induced ALI include the attenuation of lung injury, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and neutrophilic infiltration into the lung tissues.

Background/Aim: Progressive fibrosing interstitial lung disease (PF-ILD) refers to a group of chronic lung conditions commonly associated with immunoglobulin G4- related disorders. It is characterized by progressive scarring (fibrosis) within the pulmonary interstitium, resulting in respiratory failure and early mortality. Some patients do not respond to standard therapeutic interventions. Numerous studies have confirmed the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of molecular hydrogen in various disease models. Case Report: In this report, we present a case study of an 85-year-old female diagnosed with suspected IgG4-related PF-ILD complicated by hospital-acquired pneumonia. On the fourth day of hydrogen-assisted therapy, a noticeable improvement in lung infiltrations was observed in chest X-rays as the patient gradually progressed towards weaning off mechanical ventilation. To assess treatment responses, we compared immune phenotypes before and after hydrogen treatment. A marked increase was observed in resting regulatory T cell levels after treatment, accompanied by a notable decrease in Fas+ helper T cell and cytotoxic T cell subtypes. Conclusion: This case study highlights the effectiveness of hydrogen-assisted therapy in managing PF-ILD complicated by pneumonia, warranting further research in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Military aircrew must familiarize personal hypoxia symptoms before the flight training. Existing research is limited in its description of the dynamic physiological changes and hypoxia symptoms. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to examine the relationships between the cardiac data, hypoxia symptoms, and tolerance time. METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out between July 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023. Subjects were army, navy, and air force aircrews that underwent an initial aviation physiological course in Taiwan. Data on the time of useful consciousness (TUC), blood oxygen saturation levels, and individual hypoxia symptoms every minute at a simulated altitude of 25,000 feet were obtained from the training document. The analysis of the data was conducted using the statistical software SPSS 24.0. RESULTS: This study included a total of 102 subjects from the army, navy, and air force. Their average age was 23.8±2.1 years, with an average body mass index of 23.0±2.5 kg/m2. The mean TUC at an altitude of 25,000 feet was 3.7±0.9 minutes. The blood oxygen saturation level started at 86.7% in the first minute and noticeably dropped in the second minute (68.0%). By the third minute, it had decreased to 58.3%, followed by a gradual decline from the third to the sixth minute. At the end of the first minute, subjects with a TUC of less than three minutes had an average blood oxygen saturation of 83.1±8.6%, which was slightly lower when compared to those with a TUC of three minutes or more (87.4 ± 7.9%). Around 20% of trainees displayed the hypoxia symptoms within the initial minute. Main symptoms during the first minute included hot flushes (10.9%) and dizziness (5.0%). Subjects with TUC less than three minutes had a higher proportion (17.6%) of experiencing dizziness symptoms within the first minute. DISCUSSION: In this study, we presented the variations in blood oxygen saturation and the occurrence of hypoxia symptoms at one-minute intervals during the chamber flight. In addition, we conducted a comprehensive analysis to establish the correlations between the physiological responses, prominent symptoms, and hypoxia tolerance. These findings hold significant value in the development of a real-time monitoring system and the improvement of the training safety measures. Learning Objectives 1. To understand the dominant hypoxia symptoms during the hypobaric chamber training. 2. To compare the changes in oxygen saturation between the different TUC groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annexin A1 (AnxA1) is an endogenous protein that modulates anti-inflammatory processes, and its therapeutic potential has been reported in a range of inflammatory diseases. The effect of AnxA1 on ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced lung injury has not been examined. In this study, isolated, perfused rat lungs were subjected to IR lung injury induced by ischemia for 40 min, followed by reperfusion for 60 min. The rat lungs were randomly treated with vehicle (phosphate-buffered saline), and Ac2-26 (an active N-terminal peptide of AnxA1) with or without an N-formyl peptide receptor (FPR) antagonist N-Boc-Phe-Leu-Phe-Leu-Phe (Boc2). An in vitro study of the effects of Ac2-26 on human alveolar epithelial cells subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation was also investigated. Administration of Ac2-26 in IR lung injury produced a significant attenuation of lung edema, pro-inflammatory cytokine production recovered in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, oxidative stress, apoptosis, neutrophil infiltration, and lung tissue injury. Ac2-26 also decreased AnxA1 protein expression, inhibited the activation of nuclear factor-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in the injured lung tissue. Finally, treatment with Boc2 abolished the protective action of Ac2-26. The results indicated that Ac2-26 had a protective effect against acute lung injury induced by IR, which may be via the activation of the FPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]