Weining Xiong

Comparison of tiotropium plus formoterol to tiotropium alone in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a meta-analysis.

Background and objective:  It is not clear whether combination therapy with tiotropium plus formoterol has greater efficacy, without increasing the burden of adverse events, compared with tiotropium alone. This meta‐analysis was performed to evaluate the differences in efficacy and adverse events associated with combination therapy compared with tiotropium alone, in patients with stable COPD.

Effect of long-acting beta-agonists on the frequency of COPD exacerbations: a meta-analysis

What is Known and Objective:  Inhaled long‐acting beta‐agonists have been licensed for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) since the late 1990s, and they improve lung function and symptoms of dyspnoea. However, the evidence that long‐acting beta‐agonists alone can reduce the rate of COPD exacerbations is not conclusive. This meta‐analysis was performed to evaluate their effect on the frequency of exacerbations.

Tumour necrosis factor alpha ‐308G/A polymorphism and risk of the four most frequent cancers: a meta‐analysis

The latest data show that breast, prostate, lung and colorectal cancer are the four most frequent cancers in both sexes worldwide. A number of molecular epidemiological studies have been conducted to examine the association between TNF alpha ‐308G/A and the risk of those cancers. However the results have been inconclusive or inconsistent. We then performed a meta‐analysis to derive a precise estimation of this association. We carried out a comprehensive search in Medline, EMBASE, OVID and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database for studies using related keywords. The inclusion criteria were (i) in English or Chinese; (ii) case–control study on this association; (iii) provide usable genotype frequencies; and (iv) sufficient published data for estimating an odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). ORs and 95% CIs were calculated to assess the strength of this association under homozygote comparison (AA vs GG), heterozygote comparison (GA vs GG), dominant (AA/GA vs GG) and recessive (AA vs GA/GG) genetic model comparison. Thirty case–control studies with a total number of 16 507 cases and 19 749 controls were selected for analysis. Overall, no significant association was found between this polymorphism and the risk of total four cancers (GA vs GG: OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.91–1.14, P = 0.78). However, there was a significant association between this polymorphism and breast cancer risk in western populations (GA vs GG: OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.85–0.96, P = 0.002). This meta‐analysis also revealed that this polymorphism was not associated with susceptibility to the other three cancers.

Association between C-Reactive Protein Concentration and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: This meta-analysis was conducted to summarize the association between the serum concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: MEDLINE®, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and EMBASE databases were searched for relevant studies. Data were extracted; pooled weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: Twenty studies were selected for final inclusion in this analysis. Patients with COPD had higher serum CRP concentrations than healthy controls (WMD 4.72 mg/l, 95% CI 2.98, 6.47). In addition, patients with severe COPD had higher serum CRP concentrations than those with moderate COPD (WMD 1.26 mg/l, 95% CI 0.78, 1.73). There was no significant difference in serum CRP concentration between patients with mild and moderate COPD (WMD 0.67 mg/l, 95% CI -0.08, 1.42). Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggested that patients with stable COPD had higher serum CRP concentrations than healthy controls. CRP might be an indicator of disease severity in patients with COPD, thus highlighting the importance of measuring serum CRP concentrations in patients with stable COPD.

EFFECT OF Mo AND Mo2C ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF THE CERMETS BASED ON Ti（C,N）

Effect of Mo and Mo2C on the microstructure and properties of Ti(C,N)-based cermets was investigated in this article. The results have indicated that the weight percentage of Mo from 5 to 10 can reduce Ti(C,N) grain diameter and thickness of the rim, and Ti(C,N) grain can be wetted by Ni-Cu-Mo liquid so as to get small contiguity of Ti(C,N) grain. In that way, the transverse rupture strength of Ti(C,N)-based cermets has reached 1800–1900 MPa; the fracture toughness has been due to 16–18 MPa·m1/2. But 15 wt pct Mo was not more effective on Ti(C,N)-based cermets, because the thickness of the rim becomes larger. In the circumstance of Mo2C, 5 wt pct Mo2C was good for microstructure and properties of Ti(C,N)-based cermets, but 11 wt pct Mo2C has resulted in larger contiguity of Ti(C,N) grain and big Ti(C,N) grain diameter so as to reduce transverse rupture strength and fracture toughness. So that, the effect of Mo on Ti(C,N)-based cermets is better than Mo2C.

The study of the ratio and distribution of Th17 cells and Tc17 cells in asthmatic patients and the mouse model

BACKGROUND Whether CD8+ IL-17-producing T cells, namely Tc17 cells, play a role in asthma has not been determined. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the frequency of peripheral blood Th17 cells and Tc17 cells in asthmatic patients. In addition, the number, ratio and distribution of Th17 cells and Tc17 cells in the lung tissue and splenocytes of asthmatic mice were also investigated. METHODS Th17 and Tc17 cells in the peripheral blood samples of asthmatic patients and in murine spleens were detected by flow cytometric analysis. Th17 and Tc17 cells in murine lung tissues were detected by double immuno-fluorescence stain. IL-17A levels in murine bronchoalveolar lavage were detected by ELISA. RESULTS The result of the flow cytometric analysis showed the percentage of Th17 cells among CD3+ T cell populations in patients with asthma was higher than that in healthy controls (P < 0.01), The percentage of Tc17 cells was also higher (P < 0.05). The percentages of Th17 and Tc17 cells in asthmatic mice were both much higher than that in control animals (P < 0.01). Frozen sections of lung tissue showed that the number of Th17 cells and Tc17 cells in the asthma group were all significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest a functional disequilibrium of Th17 and Tc17 cell subsets in asthma that may contribute to the inflammatory process and provide novel insights into a hypothetical driving role of those cells in disease pathogenesis.

Analysis of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells and Foxp3 mRNA in the peripheral blood of patients with asthma.

The changes of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+ Treg) and Foxp3 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with asthma were investigated in order to elucidate the possible roles of CD4+CD25+ Treg in the development of asthma. The peripheral blood samples were collected from 29 healthy controls (normal control group) and 78 patients with asthma which included 30 patients in exacerbation group, 25 patients in persistent group, and 23 patients in remission group. By using flow cytometry and RT-PCR, the CD4+CD25+ Treg ratio and Foxp3 mRNA in PBMCs were detected. The CD4+CD25+ Treg ratio and Foxp3 mRNA in PBMCs of exacerbation and persistent groups were lower than that of remission and normal control group (P<0.05). Although the CD4+CD25+ Treg ratio and Foxp3 mRNA of remission group also lower than that of normal control group, there was no significant difference between them (P>0.05). As compared with persistent group, exacerbation group had lower CD4+CD25+ Treg ratio and Foxp3 mRNA (P<0.05). It was indicated that the decrease of CD4+CD25+ Treg ratio and its function in PBMCs may be responsible for pathogenesis of asthma.

Administration of nonviral gene vector encoding rat β-defensin-2 ameliorates chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in rats

Beta‐defensin‐2 (BD‐2) plays an important role in host defense against pathogenic microbe challenge by its direct antimicrobial activity and immunomodulatory functions. The present study aimed to determine whether genetic up‐regulation of rat BD‐2 (rBD‐2) could ameliorate chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in rats.

The effects of antisense interleukin-4 gene transferred by recombinant adeno-associated virus vector on the airway remodeling in allergic rats

Background: Th2-derived cytokines, including interleukin-4 (IL-4), are considered to play an important role in the development of airway remodeling of asthma. Objectives: Our previous study has demonstrated that a recombinant adeno-associated virus containing antisense against IL-4 gene (rAAV-asIL4) vector could significantly suppress the expression of IL-4 protein and airway inflammation in the rat models of allergic asthma. In this study, we applied the rAAV-asIL4 vector to allergic rats to investigate the effects of anti-IL4 therapy on airway remodeling in allergic asthma. Methods: rAAV-asIL4 was used to infect the ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized and challenged rats by tail-vein injection. IL-4 protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The number of eosinophils in BALF was counted. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and TGF-beta2-positive cells in the peribronchial space were detected by immunohistochemical staining, and collagen deposition beneath the basement membrane was detected by Sirius red stain. The lung tissues were collected for histologic analysis of total bronchial wall area (WAt) and airway smooth muscle area (WAm). Results: rAAV-asIL4 significantly decreased IL-4 protein in BALF of OVA-sensitized and challenged rats. The number of eosinophils in BALF, the TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2-positive cells in the peribronchial space were also suppressed. Moreover, the rAAV-asIL4 treatment inhibited the area of Sirius red staining in airways and the increase in WAt and WAm. Conclusion: These results suggest that rAAV-asIL4 may attenuate the airway remodeling process relevant to the inhibition of airway inflammation. This study provides elementary evidence for the potential utility of rAAV-asIL4 as an approach to gene therapy for asthmatic airway remodeling.

Lactoferrin-derived peptides and Lactoferricin chimera inhibit virulence factor production and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Aims:  To investigate the bactericidal activity of lactoferrin‐derived peptides and a new LF‐derived peptides chimera (LFchimera) against P. aeruginosa and the influence on virulence factors of P. aeruginosa.