Objective To investigate the effect of non-coding RNA activated by DNA damage (NORAD) on acute lung injury (ALI) in septic rats by regulating the miR-155-5p/TLR6 molecular axis. Methods The rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, low NORAD expression no-load group (LV-sh-NC), low NORAD expression group (LV-sh-NORAD), low NORAD expression +miR-155-5p low expression no-load group (LV-sh-NORAD+NC antagomir), NORAD low expression +miR-155-5p low expression group (LV-sh-NORAD+miR-155-5p antagomir). ELISA kits were applied to detect interleukin (IL)-8, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels; quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was applied to detect the expression of NORAD, miR-155-5p, and Toll-like receptor 6 (TLR6) genes in lung tissue of rats in each group. The ratio of wet weight to dry weight (W/D) of lung tissue was measured. The pathological changes of lung tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining, and apoptosis in lung tissue cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling. Western blot was applied to detect the expressions of TLR6, Bax, Bcl-2, and cleaved cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 3 caspase-3) proteins in cells. Dual luciferase reporter gene experiment was applied to verify the relationship between miR-155-5p and NORAD and TLR6. Results Compared with the control group, the lung tissue of rats in the model group and LV-sh-NC group was obviously damaged, the levels of serum IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8, expression of NORAD and TLR6 mRNA in lung tissue, W/D ratio, apoptosis rate, expression of TLR6, Bax, and Cleaved-caspase-3 proteins were obviously increased, the expression of miR-155-5p and Bcl-2 proteins in lung tissue was obviously reduced (P<0.05). Down-regulation of NORAD expression could reduce lung tissue injury, serum IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-8 levels, mRNA expression of NORAD and TLR6 in lung tissue, W/D ratio, apoptosis rate, TLR6, Bax, Cleaved caspase-3 protein expression, and cleaved caspase-3 protein expression. The expression of miR-155-5p and Bcl-2 protein in lung tissue were significantly increased (P<0.05). Down-regulating the expression of miR-155-5p could reduce the improvement effect of negatively regulated NORAD on sepsis ALI rats (P<0.05). Conclusion Interference with NORAD can alleviate lung injury in ALI rats by regulating the miR-155-5p/TLR6 molecular axis.
Objective To evaluate the impacts of pulmonary rehabilitation at different levels of exercise intensity on health status of patients with moderate to severe COPD. Methods Thirty-two COPD patients treated with pulmonary rehabilitation by ergometry exercise were randomly assigned to exercise intensity level either by anaerobic threshold （AT group; n=15） or by maximum tolerate [high intensity group（HI group）; n=17]. Nine COPD patients without exercise training served as control. Bicycle exercise training was conducted in two separate days each week for 12 weeks. Spirometry，cardiopulmonary exercise testing，the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire （SGRQ） were accessed before and after the rehabilitation program. Results Exercise intensity （%Wmax） was significantly higher in HI group than AT group （69%±14% vs 52%±7%，Plt;0.01）. Significant improvement of SGRQ scores after rehabilitation were found both in AT group （－11.91±15.48 U） and HI group （－8.39±9.49 U）. However，no significant difference was found between the two groups in the degree of improvement （Z=－0.540，P=0.589）. Symptoms and impacts subscale scores of SGRQ were decreased significantly in HI group，but only symptoms scores decreased significantly in AT group. The control group did not show any significant improvement in SGRQ scores. No statistically significant correlation was found between improvement of peak oxygen consumption per predicted (VO2peak%pre) and SGRQ scores. Conclusion Both pulmonary rehabilitation strategies by anaerobic threshold and by maximum tolerate can improve health status of COPD patients significantly with no significant difference between each other.
ObjectiveTo explore the spectrum and frequency of respiratory symptoms in outpatients clinics.MethodsPatients were enrolled from outpatient clinic of Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Disease. Information about respiratory symptoms especially cough was obtained from the survey questionnaire from July 2013 to August 2013 .ResultsA total of 900 were eligible out of 939 questionnaires. The mean age of the patients was (48.9±18.3) years, 453 (50.3%) were males, 447 (49.7%) were females. The cases of cough, wheeze, polypnea, chest distress, pharyngalgia, catarrh, chest pain, throat itching, fever, hemoptysis and other symptom was 687 (76.3%), 310 (34.4%), 307 (34.1%), 173 (19.2%), 107 (11.9%), 101 (11.2%), 82 (9.1%), 59 (6.6%), 36 (4.0%), 10 (1.1%) and 129 (14.3%) out of the patients, respectively. In patients with cough, 69.5% of them considered cough as their predominant symptom, and 22.1% of them reported that cough was the only symptom. 56.3% of cases were chronic cough, while acute and subacute cough accounted for 29.7% and 14.0%, separately. The proportion of female in acute cough was significantly higher than that of males (60.3%vs. 39.7%, P<0.01).ConclusionsCough, especially the chronic cough is the most common reason for patients who seeking health care in outpatient clinic of respirologist. There are more females suffered from acute cough than males.