Respiratory microbiota and radiomics features in the stable COPD patients.

BACKGROUNDS: The respiratory microbiota and radiomics correlate with the disease severity and prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We aim to characterize the respiratory microbiota and radiomics features of COPD patients and explore the relationship between them. METHODS: Sputa from stable COPD patients were collected for bacterial 16 S rRNA gene sequencing and fungal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequencing. Chest computed tomography (CT) and 3D-CT analysis were conducted for radiomics information, including the percentages of low attenuation area below - 950 Hounsfield Units (LAA%), wall thickness (WT), and intraluminal area (Ai). WT and Ai were adjusted by body surface area (BSA) to WT/[Formula: see text] and Ai/BSA, respectively. Some key pulmonary function indicators were collected, which included forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), diffusion lung carbon monoxide (DLco). Differences and correlations of microbiomics with radiomics and clinical indicators between different patient subgroups were assessed. RESULTS: Two bacterial clusters dominated by Streptococcus and Rothia were identified. Chao and Shannon indices were higher in the Streptococcus cluster than that in the Rothia cluster. Principal Co-ordinates Analysis (PCoA) indicated significant differences between their community structures. Higher relative abundance of Actinobacteria was detected in the Rothia cluster. Some genera were more common in the Streptococcus cluster, mainly including Leptotrichia, Oribacterium, Peptostreptococcus. Peptostreptococcus was positively correlated with DLco per unit of alveolar volume as a percentage of predicted value (DLco/VA%pred). The patients with past-year exacerbations were more in the Streptococcus cluster. Fungal analysis revealed two clusters dominated by Aspergillus and Candida. Chao and Shannon indices of the Aspergillus cluster were higher than that in the Candida cluster. PCoA showed distinct community compositions between the two clusters. Greater abundance of Cladosporium and Penicillium was found in the Aspergillus cluster. The patients of the Candida cluster had upper FEV1 and FEV1/FVC levels. In radiomics, the patients of the Rothia cluster had higher LAA% and WT/[Formula: see text] than those of the Streptococcus cluster. Haemophilus, Neisseria and Cutaneotrichosporon positively correlated with Ai/BSA, but Cladosporium negatively correlated with Ai/BSA. CONCLUSIONS: Among respiratory microbiota in stable COPD patients, Streptococcus dominance was associated with an increased risk of exacerbation, and Rothia dominance was relevant to worse emphysema and airway lesions. Peptostreptococcus, Haemophilus, Neisseria and Cutaneotrichosporon probably affected COPD progression and potentially could be disease prediction biomarkers.

Automated interpretation of the pulmonary function test by a portable spirometer in Chinese adults.

INTRODUCTION: A portable spirometer is a promising alternative to a traditional pulmonary function test (PFT) spirometer for respiratory function evaluation. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of automated interpretation of the PFT measured by a portable Yue Cloud spirometer in Chinese adults. METHODS: The PFT was performed to evaluate subjects prospectively enrolled at Ruijin Hospital (n = 220). A Yue Cloud spirometer and a conventional Jaeger MasterScreen device were applied to each patient with a 20-min quiescent period between each measurement. Pulmonary function parameters, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal expiratory flow at 25%, 50%, and 75% of the FVC (MEF25, MEF50, and MEF75, respectively), and maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), were compared by correlation analyses and Bland-Altman methods. The Yue Cloud spirometer automatically interpreted the PFT results, and a conventional strategy was performed to interpret the PFT results obtained by the Jaeger machine. Concordance of the categorization of pulmonary dysfunction, small airway dysfunction, and severity was analyzed by the kappa (κ) statistic. RESULTS: Significantly similar correlations of all variables measured with the two spirometers were observed (all p < 0.001). No significant bias was observed in any of the measured spirometer variables. A satisfactory concordance of pulmonary function and severity classification was observed between the automated interpretation results obtained with the Yue Cloud spirometer vs. a conventional spirometer interpretation strategy (all κ > 0.80). CONCLUSION: The portable Yue Cloud spirometer not only yields reliable measurements of pulmonary function but also can automatically interpret the PFT results.

Experimental Research on Stability and Natural Convection of TiO2-Water Nanofluid in Enclosures with Different Rotation Angles.

The stability and natural convection heat transfer characteristics of TiO2-water nanofluid in enclosures with different rotation angles (α = -45°, α = 0°, α = 45°, and α = 90°) are experimentally investigated. The effects of different pH values and doses (m) of dispersant agent on the stability of TiO2-water nanofluid are investigated. It is found that TiO2-water nanofluid with m = 6 wt% and pH = 8 has the lowest transmittance and has the best stability. The effects of different rotation angles (α = -45°, α = 0°, α = 45°, and α = 90°), nanoparticle mass fractions (wt% = 0.1%, wt% = 0.3%, and wt% = 0.5%) and heating powers (Q = 1 W, Q = 5 W, Q = 10 W, Q = 15 W, and Q = 20 W) on the natural convection heat transfer characteristics are also studied. It is found that the enclosure with rotation angle α = 0° has the highest Nusselt number, followed by the enclosure with rotation angles α = 45° and α = 90°, the enclosure with rotation angle α = -45° has the lowest Nusselt number. It is also found that natural convection heat transfer performance increases with the nanoparticle mass fraction and heating power, but the enhancement ratio decreases with the heating power.