Association between hospitalizations for asthma exacerbation and weather conditions in Qingdao: an ecological study.

Background: The hospitalization for asthma exacerbation has varied with seasons, however, the underlying weather reasons have not been fully explored yet. This study is aimed to explore the effect of weather factors on increased number of hospitalization due to worsening of asthma symptoms. This will provide more information to the relevant authorities to allocate appropriate medical resources as per the weather conditions in Qingdao, China. Methods: All adult patients admitted for asthma exacerbation from 1 January, 2017 to 31 December, 2019 were enrolled from 13 main hospitals of Qingdao. The clinical data, including age, sex, smoking history, etc., were collected from the electronic medical record (EMR) systems. The hourly air quality of Qingdao from 2017-2019, including the air quality index (AQI), PM2.5 and PM10, was obtained from the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre. All these parameters during 2017-2019 were compared monthly. For meteorological data, the monthly horizontal wind at 850 hPa and vertical velocity at 500 hPa during 1960-2020 were obtained from National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) global reanalysis dataset. The correlation analysis was applied to determine the association between asthma hospitalizations and the environmental factors, including atmospheric pressure, humidity, vertical visibility, and etc., monthly. Results: In all, 10,549 asthmatic inpatients (45.7% males, 54.3% females) were included in the study. The inpatients number for asthma exacerbation had a plateau lasting from March to June of 2019, accompanied with high PM2.5 and PM10, as well as bad air quality from January to March of 2019, potentially governed by the El Niño event in 2018. However, there was no significance correlation between the number of asthma hospitalizations and the average value of all environmental factors. Conclusions: The high rate of hospitalization for asthma exacerbation in Qingdao during the spring of 2019 was associated with the unfavorable weather conditions, which might be linked to the atmospheric circulation in East Asia.

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Value of Hsa_circ_0002594 for T Helper 2-Mediated Allergic Asthma.

INTRODUCTION: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are an endogenous mircoRNA sponge that could act as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. However, the role of circRNAs in asthma is far from clear. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the diagnostic and therapeutic value of hsa_circ_0002594 for T helper (Th) 2-mediated allergic asthma. METHODS: The expression profiles of hsa_circ_0002594 in CD4+ T cells were revealed by circRNA microarray. Hsa_circ_0002594 expression was confirmed via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in asthmatic patients and healthy subjects. Hsa_circ_0002594 levels were compared between subgroups. The clinical diagnostic abilities and therapeutic response of hsa_circ_0002594 were evaluated. The analyses utilized included a student's t test, nonparametric tests, Spearman's rank-order correlation, Fisher's exact test, and the generation of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Hsa_circ_0002594 was upregulated and positively correlated with fraction of exhaled nitric oxide while negatively correlated with methacholine dose producing a decrease of 20% from baseline in forced expiratory volume in the first second (PD20) in CD4+ T cells of asthma. Furthermore, hsa_circ_0002594 expression was higher in subgroups with a family history, skin pricking test (SPT)-positive, or Th2-high. The hsa_circ_0002594-high subgroup was more frequently associated with Th2-high biomarker profiles and positive SPT. Hsa_circ_0002594 was decreased after inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) treatment. ROC curve analyses of hsa_circ_0002594 showed high area under the curve values in the presence of ICS or not. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that hsa_circ_0002594 was upregulated in CD4+ T cells and might have potential value in the diagnosis and treatment of Th2-mediated allergic asthma.

Circular RNA hsa_circ_0000326 acts as a miR-338-3p sponge to facilitate lung adenocarcinoma progression.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the transcriptional or posttranscriptional level. According to recent studies, circRNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of cancer, but the roles of circRNAs in lung adenocarcinoma are largely unknown. METHODS: In this study, we identified a novel upregulated circRNA, hsa_circ_0000326, in human lung adenocarcinoma tissues using microarray analysis and qRT-PCR. We then explored the biological role of hsa_circ_0000326 using gain- and loss-of-function assays in adenocarcinoma cells. Bioinformatics databases were used to screen for potential target miRNAs and the luciferase reporter assays and RNA-FISH further validated the interaction. Downstream protein was detected by western blot. Finally, we established xenografts in nude mice to assess the function of hsa_circ_0000326 in vivo. RESULTS: We found that high expression of hsa_circ_0000326 was correlated with tumor size, regional lymph node status and differentiation in human lung adenocarcinoma. Additionally, we conducted gain- and loss-of-function assays and found that hsa_circ_0000326 acted as a positive regulator of cell proliferation and migration and a negative regulator of apoptosis. Mechanistic studies showed that hsa_circ_0000326 acted as a miR-338-3p sponge and altered the function of miR-338-3p, which in turn upregulated the expression of the downstream target RAB14 and affected the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma cells. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our study results reveal crucial roles for hsa_circ_0000326 in the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of lung adenocarcinoma cells and suggest that hsa_circ_0000326 may represent a potential therapeutic target in patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Enhanced total nitrogen removal performance in a full scale Orbal oxidation ditch by a novel step aeration mode.

Two aeration modes, namely point aeration and step aeration, were proposed and implemented in a full scale Orbal oxidation ditch, and nitrogen removal performance was studied. The results showed that nitrogen removal performance under point aeration mode depended on oxygen supply control. Highest total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency of 73.2% was achieved when oxygen input in the outer, middle and inner channel accounted for 50, 25 and 25% of total oxygen supply, respectively. With the same oxygen supply, both aeration modes demonstrated complete nitrification with over 97% ammonia nitrogen removal efficiencies. However, TN removal efficiency was 78.8% under step aeration mode, which was higher than that under point aeration. The pyrosequencing results indicated that microbial community composition was affected by aeration modes and step aeration mode was beneficial to the enrichment of denitrifiers. The greater diversity and relative abundance of denitrifiers enhanced TN removal under step aeration mode.

Hsa_circ_0005519 increases IL-13/IL-6 by regulating hsa-let-7a-5p in CD4+ T cells to affect asthma.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that could serve as novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. We hypothesized that circRNAs of CD4+ T cells are involved in asthma. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the circRNA expression profile and the possible mechanism by which hsa_circ_0005519 participates in asthma. METHODS: The expression profiles of circRNAs in CD4+ T cells were revealed by circRNA microarray. Hsa_circ_0005519 expression in CD4+ T cells was confirmed in asthmatic patients (n = 65) and healthy subjects (n = 30). Hsa-let-7a-5p, the target of hsa_circ_0005519, was predicted by online algorithms and verified by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Correlation assays between the expression of hsa_circ_0005519 and hsa-let-7a-5p, the mRNA levels of interleukin (IL)-13 and IL-6 in CD4+ T cells, and the clinical characteristics of asthmatic patients were performed. The role of hsa_circ_0005519 in proinflammatory cytokine expression was investigated in CD4+ T cells from asthmatic patients in vitro. Hsa_circ_0005519 expression in PBMCs was determined in another cohort including 30 asthmatic patients and 24 controls. Correlation assays of hsa_circ_0005519 expressions between CD4+ T cells and PBMCs were performed. RESULTS: Hsa_circ_0005519 was up-regulated and negatively correlated with hsa-let-7a-5p expression in CD4+ T cells of asthmatic patients. Both the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and the peripheral blood eosinophil ratio were positively correlated with hsa_circ_0005519 expression in CD4+ T cells. These outcomes were also different in asthmatic patients with low vs high hsa_circ_0005519 levels. Hsa_circ_0005519 expressions between CD4+ T cells and PBMCs were concordant in asthmatic patients. Mechanistically, hsa_circ_0005519 might bind to hsa-let-7a-5p and relieve suppression for IL-13/IL-6 in CD4+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Our data suggest that hsa_circ_0005519 may induce IL-13 and IL-6 expression by regulating hsa-let-7a-5p in CD4+ T cells to affect asthma. And hsa_circ_0005519 may be a potential biomarker of asthma.

Observational study of aerosol hygroscopic growth on scattering coefficient in Beijing: A case study in March of 2018.

A humidified nephelometer system was deployed to measure the aerosol scattering coefficients at RH < 30% and RH in the range of 40 to 85% simultaneously in megacity Beijing in March 2018. The aerosol optical properties and aerosol hygroscopicity of two sizes (PM10 and PM1) during the pollution period, dust period and a new particle formation event (NPF) were analyzed. During the pollution period, the scattering and absorption coefficients increased dramatically with the accumulation of pollutants, while scattering Ångström exponent (SAE), submicron scattering fraction (Rsp), submicron absorption fraction (Rap) decreased, as well as single scattering albedo (SSA) rose slightly, which indicated the increasing contribution of larger particle to scattering and absorption, and enhanced the scattering ability of aerosols. The average PM10 mass scattering efficiency is 3.86 ±â€¯1.19 m2 g-1 with a range of 2.05-5.74 m2 g-1 during the pollution period, and 0.40 ±â€¯0.05 m2 g-1 during the dust period. Rsp at wavelength of 550 nm varied from 55.8% to 89.3% during the measurement period, with the average of 64.8% ±â€¯5.2% and 73.1% ±â€¯6.8% during the pollution period and dust period, respectively, which suggests that the aerosol scattering coefficient is mainly affected by fine particles. The average PM10 and PM1 aerosol scattering hygroscopic growth factors f(80%) are 1.75 ±â€¯0.05 and 1.75 ±â€¯0.04 during the pollution period, 1.14 ±â€¯0.09 and 1.15 ±â€¯0.06 during the dust period, 1.59 ±â€¯0.05 and 1.60 ±â€¯0.06 during the NPF event period, respectively. Aerosol scattering hygroscopic growth factors showed a strong correlation with the scattering Ångström exponent which suggests the hygroscopicity is much stronger for fine particles (SAE > 1.5) than the coarse particles (SAE < 1.0).

LncRNAs NR-026690 and ENST00000447867 are upregulated in CD4+ T cells in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the expression profile of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in CD4+ T cells from COPD patients and explore the clinical value of the lncRNAs. Methods: First, microarray analysis was performed. Differentially expressed lncRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) in samples from 56 patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD), 56 patients with stable COPD, and 35 healthy controls. Meanwhile, the clinical value was tested by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The functions of lncRNAs were analyzed by the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database. The potential target genes that might be regulated by NR-026690 and ENST00000447867 were identified by the lncRNA-mRNA network and competing endogenous RNA network. The transcriptional expression level of rap guanine nucleotide exchange factor 3 (RAPGEF3) was tested by qRT-PCR. The correlation of the expression between NR-026690, ENST00000447867, and RAPGEF3 was analyzed by Spearman's correlation test. Results: We found that the relative expression levels of ENST00000447867 and NR-026690 in the CD4+ T cells of AECOPD patients were significantly higher than in the stable COPD patients and control subjects by microarray and qRT-PCR validation. The transcriptional expression level of RAPGEF3 in the CD4+ T cells was significantly higher in the AECOPD group compared to the control group (P<0.01) and the stable COPD group (P<0.05). RAPGEF3 expression was positively associated with NR-026690 (r=0.4925, P<0.01) and ENST00000447867 (r=0.4065, P<0.01). Conclusion: NR-026690 and ENST00000447867 might be potential biomarkers for COPD. They might affect RAPGEF3 as miRNA sponges to regulate COPD development.

Aberrantly expressed lncRNAs identified by microarray analysis in CD4+T cells in asthmatic patients.

The aim of the study was to determine the expression profiles of message RNAs and long non-coding RNAs in CD4+T cells of asthmatic patients and to explore the clinical value and biological function. Expression profiles in CD4+T cells of asthmatic patients and healthy controls were analyzed by microarray. We found 2725 lncRNAs and 3167 mRNAs differentially expressed. The data were validated by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction, with 3 up-regulated (ENST00000444682, ENST00000566098, ENST00000583179) and 1 down-regulated (ENST00000579468) lncRNAs found. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed the area under the curve was 0.7058, 0.9026, 0.8361, 0.8316, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis showed that ENST00000566098 was positively related with IL-13 and ENST00000579468 was positively related with peak expiratory flow. Bioinformatics analyses were performed to explore the function of lncRNAs. Specific lncRNAs aberrantly expressed in CD4+T cells may take part in the development of asthma and may be used as biomarkers for diagnosis.

[Applications of polylactide and its copolymers in medical device fields].

Polylactide and its copolymers are a kind of biomedical material andhave been approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This paper briefly introduces its applications in surgical suture, orthopedics, plastic surgery, ophthalmology and other medical device fields, and also analyzes its development in our country.