Screening the Influence of Biomarkers for Metabolic Syndrome in Occupational Population Based on the Lasso Algorithm.

Aim: Metabolic syndrome (MS) screening is essential for the early detection of the occupational population. This study aimed to screen out biomarkers related to MS and establish a risk assessment and prediction model for the routine physical examination of an occupational population. Methods: The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) regression algorithm of machine learning was used to screen biomarkers related to MS. Then, the accuracy of the logistic regression model was further verified based on the Lasso regression algorithm. The areas under the receiving operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the selection accuracy of biomarkers in identifying MS subjects with risk. The screened biomarkers were used to establish a logistic regression model and calculate the odds ratio (OR) of the corresponding biomarkers. A nomogram risk prediction model was established based on the selected biomarkers, and the consistency index (C-index) and calibration curve were derived. Results: A total of 2,844 occupational workers were included, and 10 biomarkers related to MS were screened. The number of non-MS cases was 2,189 and that of MS was 655. The area under the curve (AUC) value for non-Lasso and Lasso logistic regression was 0.652 and 0.907, respectively. The established risk assessment model revealed that the main risk biomarkers were absolute basophil count (OR: 3.38, CI:1.05-6.85), platelet packed volume (OR: 2.63, CI:2.31-3.79), leukocyte count (OR: 2.01, CI:1.79-2.19), red blood cell count (OR: 1.99, CI:1.80-2.71), and alanine aminotransferase level (OR: 1.53, CI:1.12-1.98). Furthermore, favorable results with C-indexes (0.840) and calibration curves closer to ideal curves indicated the accurate predictive ability of this nomogram. Conclusions: The risk assessment model based on the Lasso logistic regression algorithm helped identify MS with high accuracy in physically examining an occupational population.

[Effect of Wenyang Decoction on the Differentiation of CD34+ Progenitor Cells in Occupational Asthma Model Rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Wenyang Decoction (WD) on the differentiation of CD34+ progenitor cells of occupational asthma (OA) model rats. METHODS: Fifty healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, i.e., the model group, the blank control group,the WD group,the Western medicine group,the combined group, 10 in each group. Prednisone suspension (10 mg/kg) was administered to rats in the Western medicine group by gastrogavage. WD (20 g/kg) was administered to rats in the WD group by gastrogavage. Prednisone suspension plus WD was administered to rats in the combined group by gastrogavage. Normal saline was administered to rats in the model group and the blank control group by gastrogavage. The general condition of rats was observed. Expression levels of peripheral blood IL-5 and eotaxin, eosinophils (EOS), CD34+, CC chemokine receptor 3 (CCR3+) in bone marrow suspension were detected by ELISA, Wirght-Giemsa, and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the blank control group,expression levels of IL-5 and eotaxin in peripheral blood were significantly higher (P < 0.01), and the count of EOS and CD34+ cells, as well as CD34+ /CCR3+ significantly increased (P < 0.01) in the model group. Compared with the model group, expression levels of IL-5 and eotaxin, the count of EOS, CD34+ cells, CD34+ / CCR3+ were lowered in three treated groups (P < 0.01). Compared with the Western medicine group, the count of EOS and CD34+ / CCR3+ decreased in the combined group (P < 0.01). The count of EOS was significantly lower in the combined group than in the WD group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: WD could reduce levels of in vivo inflammatory factors, and restrain the differentiation and recruitment of EOS,thereby alleviating the differentiation of CD34 progenitor cells to EOS.

[High Expression of co-stimulatory molecule CD40 in silicosis patients and intervention effect of yiqi huoxue decoction].

OBJECTIVE: To study whether co-stimulatory molecule CD40 of alveolar macrophage (AM) participated in the occurrence and development of silicosis, and to explore the intervention of Yiqi Huoxue Decoction (YHD) in the fibrosis of silicosis patients. METHODS: Totally 46 silicosis inpatients and outpatients were recruited and randomly assigned to the Western treatment group (A) and the Chinese medicine (CM) treatment group (B), 23 in each group. Patients in Group A received routine symptomatic treatment such as anti-inflammation, phlegm resolving, anti-spasm, and asthma relief, and so on. Patients in Group B additionally took YHD, one dose daily for 14 successive days. Besides, another 18 patients with chronic cough and sense of laryngeal foreign bodies were recruited as the normal control group, who had no obvious lesion confirmed by bronchofi6roscope and clinical diagnosis of the lung. They were treated by symptomatic supporting treatment. The alveolar lavage fluid was collected from all patients and isolated, and AM cells were cultured. The level of CD40 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. The expression of CD40 protein was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, expression levels of CD40 mRNA and CD40 protein significantly increased in Group A (P < 0.01). Compared with Group A, expression levels of CD40 mRNA and CD40 protein significantly decreased in Group B (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Highly expressed co-stimulatory molecule CD40 of AM might participate in pulmonary fibrosis. YHD could hinder its roles, inhibit the progression of fibrosis, thereby playing an interventional role of treatment.

[Clinical value of noninvasive intermittent positive-pressure ventilation in pneumoconiosis combined with respiratory failure].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of noninvasive intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV) in treatment of patients with pneumoconiosis combined with respiratory failure. METHOD: Three were 46 inpatients with pneumoconiosis combined with respiratory failure. Twenty-six inpatients treated with conventional therapy and NIPPV were categorized as treatment group; Twenty inpatients just treated by conventional therapy served as control group. Compared with the changes of HR, RR and arterial blood gas index (PH, PaCO2, PaO2) in two groups after treatment. RESULTS: The effective ratio of treatment group was 88.5%, control group was 60%, which had significant difference (P < 0.05); The HR in treatment group after treatment was (95.38 +/- 10.75) beats per minute, control group was [(103.00 +/- 12.56) beats per minute; The RR in treatment group was (21.69 +/- 1.37) breaths per minute, control group was [(22.60 +/- 1.57) breaths per minute]; The PaCO2 in treatment group was (52.88 +/- 10.75)mm Hg, control group was [(59.66 +/- 11.49)mm Hg]; All of those were significantly decreased than those in control group (P < 0.05). The PaO2 in treatment group was (100.77 +/- 25.3) mm Hg, control group was [(71.82 +/- 17.94) mmHg]; Compared with the control group, PaO2 in the treatment group increased significantly (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: NIPPV is beneficial to pneumoconiosis combined with respiratory failure in different degrees.