Relationship between serum iron and blood eosinophil counts in asthmatic adults: data from NHANES 2011-2018

BackgroundSo far, quite a few studies have revealed that systemic iron levels are related to asthmatic inflammatory reactions. And most studies have focused on the correlation between systemic iron levels and asthma, with inconsistent findings. Yet, few studies have investigated the connection between serum iron and blood eosinophil counts. Hence, we have explored the connection between serum iron and blood eosinophil counts in asthmatics by utilizing data from NHANES.MethodsA total of 2549 individuals were included in our study after screening NHANES participants from 2011 to 2018. The linear regression model and XGBoost model were used to discuss the potential connection. Linear or nonlinear association was further confirmed by the generalized additive model and the piecewise linear regression model. And we also performed stratified analyses to figure out specific populations.ResultsIn the multivariable linear regression models, we discovered that serum iron levels were inversely related to blood eosinophil counts in asthmatic adults. Simultaneously, we found that for every unit increase in serum iron (umol/L), blood eosinophil counts reduced by 1.41/uL in model 3, which adjusted for all variables excluding the analyzed variables. Furthermore, the XGBoost model of machine learning was applied to assess the relative importance of chosen variables, and it was determined that vitamin C intake, age, vitamin B12 intake, iron intake, and serum iron were the five most important variables on blood eosinophil counts. And the generalized additive model and piecewise linear regression model further verify this linear and inverse association.ConclusionOur investigation discovered that the linear and inverse association of serum iron with blood eosinophil counts in asthmatic adults, indicating that serum iron might be related to changes in the immunological state of asthmatics. Our work offers some new thoughts for next research on asthma management and therapy. Ultimately, we hope that more individuals become aware of the role of iron in the onset, development, and treatment of asthma

Ultra-high pressure balloon angioplasty for pulmonary artery stenosis in children with congenital heart defects: Short- to mid-term follow-up results from a retrospective cohort in a single tertiary center

ObjectiveBalloon angioplasty (BA) has been the treatment of choice for pulmonary artery stenosis (PAS) in children. There remains, however, a significant proportion of resistant lesions. The ultra-high pressure (UHP) balloons might be effective in a subset of these lesions. In this study, we analyzed the safety and efficacy with short- to mid-term follow-up results of UHP BA for PAS in children with congenital heart defects (CHD) in our center.MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study in a single tertiary heart center. Children diagnosed with PAS associated with CHD were referred for UHP BA. All data with these children were collected for analysis with updated follow-up.ResultsA total of 37 UHP BAs were performed consecutively in 28 children. The success rate was 78.4%. A significantly (P = 0.005) larger ratio of the balloon to the minimal luminal diameter at the stenotic waist (balloon/waist ratio) was present in the success group (median 3.00, 1.64–8.33) compared to that in the failure group (median 1.94, 1.41 ± 4.00). Stepwise logistic regression analysis further identified that the balloon/waist ratio and the presence of therapeutic tears were two independent predictors of procedural success. The receiver operating characteristic curve revealed a cut-off value of 2.57 for the balloon/waist ratio to best differentiate success from failure cases. Signs of therapeutic tears were present in eight cases, all of whom were in the success group. Perioperative acute adverse events were recorded in 16 patients, including 11 pulmonary artery injuries, three pulmonary hemorrhages, and two pulmonary artery aneurysms. During a median follow-up period of 10.4 (0.1–21.0) months, nine cases experienced restenosis at a median time of 40 (4–325) days after angioplasty.ConclusionsThe UHP BA is safe and effective for the primary treatment of PAS in infants and children with CHD. The success rate is high with a low incidence of severe complications. The predictors of success are a larger balloon/waist ratio and the presence of therapeutic tears. The occurrence of restenosis during follow-up, however, remains a problem. A larger number of cases and longer periods of follow-up are needed for further study

Determination of Hazardous Zone of Coal Spontaneous Combustion in Ultra-Long Working Face Based on the Gob Porosity Evolution and Flow Field Distribution

Coal fire remains one of the main hazards of underground work. Spontaneous coal fires cause serious casualties and property losses. At present, most of the studies on coal spontaneous combustion have been conducted on working faces shorter than 200 m. However, the ultra-long working face gob of shallow buried coal seam is much larger, the distribution of its flow field is more complex, and, thus, risk of spontaneous combustion in the gob is higher. Exploring the evolution law of the gob flow field of ultra-long working face to quickly determine the range of the coal spontaneous combustion hazardous zone is of great significance to the safe production of similar mines. In this study, the gas flow field distribution in the gob of an ultra-long working face was measured by buried pipeline method and oxygen concentration was used as the index. It is found that the oxygen concentration decreases with the advance of the working face. Based on the flow field distribution, the oxidation zone of the gob was determined. Meanwhile, a three-dimensional (3D) numerical model of the working face was established, and the overlying stratum collapse and porosity evolution in the gob were simulated using the particle flow software, PFC3D discrete element software, for the porosity distribution law of the gob. The obtained porosity data were then imported into FLUENT using the custom function UDF to construct a 3D grid model. The flow field distribution in the gob was then numerically simulated for the seepage and migration law of the wind flow in the gob. The results reveal an arch-shaped wind flow field distribution with a swirl shape on the intake airway side. In the strike direction, the wind flow gradually becomes weaker with the advance of the working face. In the dip direction, the wind flow seepage range on the return airway side is obviously higher than that on the intake airway side. In the vertical direction, the wind flow range in the upper gob is larger than that in the middle and lower gob. The spontaneous combustion and oxidation zone of the gob is determined to be at 140.4–313.3 m on the intake airway side, 201.2–351.6 m in the middle of the gob, and 153.2–328.1 m on the return airway side. Finally, the residual coal distribution was superimposed onto the oxygen concentration distribution to obtain the spontaneous residual coal combustion hazardous zone in the gob

Influenza infection and Kawasaki disease

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to investigate the possible link between influenza (Flu) infection and Kawasaki disease (KD). METHODS: We examined the medical records of 1,053 KD cases and 4,669 influenza infection cases hospitalized at our institute from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013. Cases of KD with concomitant influenza infection formed the KD + Flu group. Each KD + Flu case was matched with 2 KD cases and 2 influenza infection cases, and these cases were assigned to the KD group and Flu group, respectively. The differences in the principal clinical manifestations, course of disease, incomplete KD rate, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance rate, and echocardiographic detection results between the KD + Flu group and KD group were compared. The fever durations and laboratory test results of these three groups were compared. RESULTS: 1) The seasonal variations of the KD + Flu group, KD group and Flu group were similar. 2) The morbidity rate of incomplete KD was higher in the KD + Flu group compared with the KD group. 3) Patients in the KD + Flu group exhibited a longer time to KD diagnosis compared with patients in the KD group. 4) The KD + Flu group exhibited the longest fever duration among the three groups. 5) The CRP and ESR values in the KD + Flu group were higher those in the Flu or KD groups. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant influenza infection affects the clinical manifestations of KD and can impact the laboratory test results and the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. However, it remains unclear whether influenza contributes to KD etiology

Advances in Studies on the Pharmacological Activities of Fucoxanthin

Fucoxanthin is a natural carotenoid derived mostly from many species of marine brown algae. It is characterized by small molecular weight, is chemically active, can be easily oxidized, and has diverse biological activities, thus protecting cell components from ROS. Fucoxanthin inhibits the proliferation of a variety of cancer cells, promotes weight loss, acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, interacts with the intestinal flora to protect intestinal health, prevents organ fibrosis, and exerts a multitude of other beneficial effects. Thus, fucoxanthin has a wide range of applications and broad prospects. This review focuses primarily on the latest progress in research on its pharmacological activity and underlying mechanisms

The exoglycosidase sequencing of the membrane protein N-glycans from tumor tissues.

<p>(A) Exoglycosidase sequencing of N-glycans of membrane proteins from breast cancer tissue (lower panel) and glycoproteins from healthy human serum as reference (upper panel) to verify the structures of peaks B1, B4 and B5. The structures of peaks B2 and B3 are confirmed in (B) and (C), respectively. The total N-glycans were treated with single or combined exoglycosidase arrays as indicated in context. The arrow lines indicate the changes in glycan peaks that underwent glycosidase digestion. The nomenclature of N-glycans and symbolic representations correspond to those in Figure 2.</p

The significantly changed N-glycans of the membrane proteins of human breast cancer cell lines.

<p>(A) The representative N-glycan profiles of membrane proteins from human breast cancer cell lines (n=7). MCF 10A: from breast fibrocystic disease as a non-tumorigenic epithelial cell line; SK-BR-3, MCF-7, Bcap 37, MDA-MB-231, T-47D, Hs 578T and ZR-75-30: cancer cell lines; Serum: from healthy humans. (B–D) The statistically significant difference in N-glycan peaks B1, B2, B4 and B5 between MCF 10A and various cancer cell lines. Peak B2 is significantly increased in cancer cell lines compared with MCF 10A. On the contrary, peaks B1 and B4 are dramatically decreased in cancer cell lines. Particularly, peak B4 is completely lost in Bcap 37, MDA-MB-231 and Hs 578T cell lines. The percentages of each specific peak height in the total peak heights are expressed as mean ± SD. Asterisks indicate statistically significant differences between the various cancer cell lines and the MCF 10A cell line (* <i>p</i> < 0.05, ** <i>p</i> < 0.01). Five major glycan peaks B1-B5 in normal control and breast cancer groups were detected. Experiments were repeated three times.</p

The representative N-glycan profiles of membrane proteins from human breast cancer cell line and tissue.

<p>The desialylated N-glycan profiles of membrane proteins from cell lines (n=8) and tumor tissues (n=100). Oligomaltose is used as a sugar mass reference. The number of glucose units (degree of polymerization, DP) in these structures is indicated. N-glycan profiles from RNaseB and serum were used as N-glycan profile controls. RNaseB contained high mannose from M5 to M9. Serum contained various complex N-glycans and the most abundant glycans detected in serum are marked. The vertical axis represents the glycan intensity of the peaks as a percent of the relative fluorescence level. The X-axis represents the retention time of the peaks. The N-glycan structures of the corresponding peaks are shown below the panels. NGA2F is an agalacto core-α-1, 6-fucosylated biantennary glycan; NA2 is a bigalacto biantennary glycan; NA2F is a bigalacto core-α-1, 6-fucosylated biantennary glycan; NA2FB is a bigalacto core-α-1, 6-fucosylated bisecting biantennary glycan; NA3 is tri-antennary; NA3FB is a core-α-1, 6-fucosylated triantennary glycan. The symbols used in the structural formulas are as follows: (○) β-linked N-acetylglucosamine; (●) β-linked galactose; (□) α-linked mannose; (■) β-linked mannose; (▲) α-1, 6-linked fucose.</p

The schematic presentation of changes in N-linked glycans in breast cancer.

<p>The increased concentration of NA3FB (peak B5) and decreased concentration of NA2 (peak B1) and NA2FB (peak B4) in breast cancer tissues could be attributed to the increased activity of GnT-V, which competes for substrate with GnT-III and is associated with the consequential elevated level of branched N-glycans.</p