Medicine
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Increased neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation associates with high cardiovascular risk and mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, the effect of transplantation on NETs and its associated markers remains unclear. This study aimed to characterize circulating citrullinated Histone H3 (H3cit) and Peptidyl Arginase Deiminase 4 (PAD4) in ESRD patients undergoing transplantation and evaluate the ability of their neutrophils to release NETs. ⋯ The restoration of renal function due to transplantation could not reduce circulating levels of H3cit and PAD4 in ESRD patients. Furthermore, circulating H3cit levels were significantly increased after transplantation. Neutrophils from transplant recipients exhibit a reduced ability to form NETs.
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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common type of diabetes, accounting for around 90% of all cases worldwide. One means to strengthen the prevention and treatment of diabetes is via changes in self-management and lifestyle behaviors. However, lifestyle and personal health behaviors are strongly influenced by personality traits, and thus personality may play a significant role in such aspects as medication compliance, exercise habits, blood glucose monitoring, diet control, and maintenance of an ideal body weight. ⋯ One-way ANOVA also indicated that the group with the neuroticism personality trait had significantly different mean fasting glucose, HbA1c, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. We found that a personality characterized by neuroticism is an independent predictor of higher HbA1c level in this study. We also found that people in the pre-contemplation and contemplation stages of exercise have higher HbA1c levels.
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Early right ventricular dysfunction in patients with non-advanced idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has not been fully elucidated. Thus, we aimed to assess right ventricular functions in IPF patients and controls by speckle-tracking strain echocardiography at rest and peak exercise. We screened 116 IPF patients from February to August 2019 to include 20 patients with no history of oxygen therapy, peripheral saturation levels ≥92% at rest, Gender-Age-Physiology Index score ≤5, and modified Medical Research Council score ≤3. ⋯ Right ventricular dysfunction was unveiled by speckle-tracking echocardiography during exercise in non-advanced IPF patients. We suggest that this reflects an inadequate right ventricular-arterial coupling decreasing the right ventricular longitudinal contraction during exercise in these patients. This parameter may be useful as an early index of suspected pulmonary hypertension.
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2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new acute infectious disease of respiratory system, posed a great threat to human health because of its strong infectivity and rapid progress. This study aimed to assess the severity of COVID-19 Pneumonia by analyzing the change of CT manifestations and body temperature. This retrospective review included 22 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. ⋯ Three patients had normalized body temperature increased more than 1°C within 1 to 2 days after admission. Ten patients fluctuated more than 1°C within 1 to 7 days after admission and the second CT scans showed the disease was at the progressive stage. Dynamic analysis of CT manifestations and body temperature have the potential to predict the severity of COVID-19 pneumonia.
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Lung cancer (LC) is a prevalent malignancy worldwide with increased morbidity and mortality. Mitochondrial nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent deacetylase sirtuin-3 (SIRT3) has been reported to be involved in tumorigenesis. In this retrospective study, we measured the expression and diagnostic value of SIRT3 in LC patients. ⋯ The optimal cutoff value was 3.12, reaching a sensitivity of 86.4%, and a specificity of 94%. SIRT3 expression is significantly down-regulated in LC serum and tissues. SIRT3 may be employed as a promising biomarker in the early diagnosis of LC.