Effects of N-Acetylcysteine combined with Ambroxol Hydrochloride on clinical symptoms, CRP, and PCT in children with pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) combined with Ambroxol Hydrochloride (AH) on clinical symptoms, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and Procalcitonin (PCT) levels in children with pneumonia. METHODS: A total of 98 children with pneumonia were assigned to the control group and observation group by random number table method. NAC was administered to the observation group and AH was given to the control group. The therapeutic effect was observed, the disappearance time of clinical symptoms and levels of inflammatory factors, lung function parameters, blood gas analysis parameters, and immunoglobulin were measured. The incidence of adverse reactions was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: A higher effective rate was observed in the observation group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Antipyretic time, cough disappearance time, and lung rale disappearance time in the observation group were shorter than those in the control group (p < 0.05). After treatment, CRP and PCT were lower (p < 0.05), FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC were higher, PaCO2 was lower, PaO2 and SaO2 were higher, and IgA, IgG, IgM, and C3 were higher in the observation group than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups was not significantly different (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: NAC combined with AH is effective in the treatment of pediatric pneumonia by effectively alleviating clinical symptoms, reducing inflammatory factors, and improving lung function and immune function.

Functions and Targets of miR-335 in Cancer.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs (18~25 nt in length) that act as master regulators of eukaryotic gene expression. They might play an oncogenic or tumor-suppressive role in multiple cancers. In recent decades, several studies have focused on the functions and mechanisms of miR-335 in cancer. The expression level of miR-335 in tissues and cells varies with cancer types, and miR-335 has been proposed as a potential biomarker for the prognosis of cancer. Besides, miR-335 may serve as an oncogene or tumor suppressor via regulating different targets or pathways in tumor initiation, development, and metastasis. Furthermore, miR-335 also influences tumor microenvironment and drug sensitivity. MiR-335 is regulated by various factors such as lncRNAs and microRNAs. In this review, we reveal the functions and targets of miR-335 in various cancers and its potential application as a possible biomarker in prognostic judgment and treatment of malignant tumors.

Risk factors associated with occurrence of COVID-19 among household persons exposed to patients with confirmed COVID-19 in Qingdao Municipal, China.

Tracing and isolation of close contacts is used to control outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China. However, risk factors associated with the occurrence of COVID-19 among close contacts have not been well described. A total of 106 household contacts were included in this study, of whom 19 developed into COVID-19 cases, and the secondary attack rate was 17.9%. Multivariable analysis showed that increasing risk of occurrence of COVID-19 among household contacts was associated with female index patients (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 3.84, 95% CI = 1.07-13.78), critical disease index patients (aHR = 7.58, 95% CI = 1.66-34.66), effective contact duration with index patients > 2 days (aHR = 4.21, 95% CI = 1.29-13.73), and effective contact duration > 11 days (aHR = 17.88, 95% CI = 3.26-98.01). The sex and disease severity of index patients with COVID-19 and longer effective contact duration with patients with confirmed COVID-19 could help epidemiologists to identify potential COVID-19 cases among household contacts at an early stage.

Potential regulatory role of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA axis in osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most common malignant bone tumors in childhood and adolescence. Although great efforts have been made in therapeutic methods for OS, the prognosis is not yet satisfactory and the underlying molecular mechanisms of OS pathogenesis have not been fully explored. Meanwhile, non-coding RNAs, especially microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), have long been investigated due to their roles as key players in regulating various biological and pathological processes, such as proliferation, apoptosis, cell-cycle, migration, invasion, metastasis, EMT and drug resistance, through targeting their mRNAs transcriptionally or posttranscriptionally. Although, numerous studies have confirmed a complex cross-regulation among lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs, the underlying molecular mechanism has not been elucidated. In this review, we comprehensively summarized the latest research progress of the regulatory relationship among lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs, and highlighted the role of lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA axis in the development of OS to provide novel approaches for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Elevated serum preptin concentrations in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Preptin is a peptide synthesized and secreted accompanied with insulin from pancreatic ß cells. Here, we tested the hypothesis that serum preptin concentrations are correlated with diabetic nephropathy (DN). Our study was performed in a population of 234 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 78 healthy subjects. Patients with T2DM were divided into three groups: normoalbuminuria group (DN0, n=106), microalbuminuria group (DN1, n=90), and macroalbuminuria group (DN2, n=38) according to urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR). Serum preptin concentrations were significantly increased in the three T2DM subgroups than those in the controls. DN2 group showed significantly higher serum preptin concentrations compared with DN0 and DN1 groups. Moreover, DN1 group had higher serum preptin concentrations than DN0 group. Serum preptin was correlated with a higher risk of T2DM and DN after logistic regression analysis. Simply linear regression analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between serum preptin and gender, body mass index (BMI), blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, ACR, and a negative correlation between serum preptin and glomerular filtration rate, metformin, acarbose treatment. Gender, BMI, and ACR were still positively correlated with serum preptin after multiple linear regression analysis. Our findings indicate that serum preptin concentrations are associated with renal function and DN.

Association between fruit, vegetable, seafood, and dairy intake and a reduction in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Qingdao, China.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Fruit, vegetable, seafood, and dairy intake may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, but this relationship is unclear. We aimed to examine the associations between fruit, vegetable, seafood, and dairy intake and type 2 diabetes prevalence in a Chinese population. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A total of 4,343 individuals aged 35-74 years participated in a population-based cross-sectional study in Qingdao, China. The frequency and quantity of fruit, vegetable, seafood, and dairy intake were determined using a standard food frequency questionnaire. Diabetes was classified according to the WHO/IDF 2006 criteria. Logistic regression analysis was employed to estimate odds ratio (OR) for type 2 diabetes in relation to fruit, vegetable, seafood, and dairy intake in a multivariable model. RESULTS: The multivariate-adjusted ORs (95% confidence interval) for the presence of type 2 diabetes were 0.68 (0.46-0.98), 0.50 (0.37-0.68), and 0.91 (0.66-1.25), respectively, for the highest versus the lowest groups regarding total fruit and vegetable, fruit or vegetable intake in women. The ORs for type 2 diabetes prevalence regarding the quantity of fruit and vegetable, fruit, and yogurt intake were 0.88 (0.78-0.99), 0.71 (0.61-0.82), and 0.56 (0.32-0.98) in women, but not in men. Seafood consumption was inversely associated with diabetes risk in men, but not in women; the corresponding figures were 0.58 (0.35-0.96) and 0.92 (0.63-1.36), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Fruit, vegetable, and yogurt intake in women and seafood intake in men were inversely associated with type 2 diabetes prevalence in this Chinese population. These findings require confirmation in a prospective study.