Search

Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) 2024 report was released on November 13th, 2023. In general, the definition, diagnosis, assessment, and therapy of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the same as GOLD 2023, with corresponding content added in ten aspects, including the expansion of the information about PRISm, a new section on hyperinflation, further clarification about pre-bronchodilator spirometry, a new section on screening for COPD in targeted populations, the update of blood eosinophil count, the update of interstitial lung abnormalities, the revision of the section on smoking cessation, the update of vaccination recommendations for people with COPD, the expansion of managing inhaled therapy, and the addition of pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation. The article introduces and interprets the new contents.

A type of vector beam arrays, called partially coherent full Poincaré (PCFP) beam arrays, is introduced and experimentally synthesized using modal-vector-decomposition method. Our experimental system involves a digital micro-mirror device, which can generate such beam arrays with controllable spatial coherence and array structure in almost real-time, enabling to test the impact of atmospheric turbulence on them. Furthermore, we experimentally examine the scintillations of four Stokes parameters (denoted as S 0 , S 1 , S 2 , and S 3 ) of PCFP beam arrays propagating through lab-simulated turbulence. The results indicate that the Stokes scintillations decrease as the number of beamlets increase or spatial coherence decreases. In contrast to S 0 scintillation (intensity scintillation), S 1 , S 2 , or S 3 scintillation is less affected by the turbulence under the same conditions. Our experimental results show that S 2 and S 3 scintillations could reduce by 67.2% and 52.4% compared to the intensity scintillation in strong turbulence. Our findings have potential applications in free-space optical communication when the Stokes parameter S 2 or S 3 is served as an information carrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Spirometry reference equations that are derived from a large, nationally representative general population are warranted in China, and the impact of using prebronchodilator (pre-BD) and post-BD spirometry reference values has yet to be assessed in Chinese populations. Objectives: To present the pre-BD and post-BD spirometry reference values for Chinese adults using the China Pulmonary Health (CPH) Study. Methods: A reference population of 17,969 healthy, nonsmoking participants in the CPH Study was used to calculate the pre- and post-BD reference values for FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC ratio. Pre- and post-BD reference values were applied to the entire CPH population (N = 50,991) to illustrate the divergence between the use of different references in determining disease prevalence and severity grading. Measurements and Main Results: The prevalences of airflow limitation were 5.36% using the pre-BD reference and 8.02% using the post-BD reference. Individuals who had a post-BD FEV1/FVC ratio lower than the post-BD reference value but higher than the pre-BD reference value were found to have significantly higher rates of self-reported respiratory symptoms and significantly lower values on spirometry indicators than those whose post-BD FEV1/FVC ratio was greater than the post-BD reference value. An additional 3.51% of participants were identified as having grade II–IV chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using the post-BD FEV1 predicted values. Conclusions: This study generated and applied pre- and post-BD spirometry reference values in a nationally representative Chinese adult population. Post-BD reference values may serve as an additional criterion in identifying individuals at risk for obstructive pulmonary diseases, and their diagnostic and prognostic values should be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Low‐dose computed tomography (LDCT) has emerged as a pivotal tool for detecting lung cancer among ever‐smokers. This study aims to evaluate the gender‐specific outcomes of LDCT screening within the Chinese never‐smoking population. Methods: We conducted a single‐center, retrospective cohort study, which analyzed LDCT screening outcomes for 42,018 asymptomatic participants. Specifically, we focused on assessing gender‐specific differences in the prevalence of pulmonary nodules, and the incidence of lung cancer diagnosis among never‐smokers. Results: Among the 42,018 eligible participants, 41.50% were females and 58.50% were males. Most participants were non‐smokers (77.57%), with a significantly higher proportion of non‐smokers among females than males (99.33% vs. 62.14%). Pulmonary nodules were identified in 2.66% of participants, with a higher prevalence in females (2.99%) than males (2.43%) (p < 0.001). Non‐smoking females had a higher incidence of positive nodules than non‐smoking males (2.98% vs. 2.38%, p < 0.001). Invasive biopsies were performed in 334 individuals with nodules, confirming lung cancer in 258 cases. The majority of these cancer cases were non‐smokers (212), with non‐smoking females showing a higher incidence (0.85%) compared to males (0.43%) (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the false‐positive rates between non‐smoking females (0.14%) and males (0.13%). Multivariate analysis showed that never‐smoking women were more likely to undergo biopsies (OR 1.65, p = 0.0016) and had a higher, though not statistically significant, probability of lung cancer diagnosis (OR 1.84, p = 0.06). Conclusion: This study elucidates sex‐based differences within the Chinese population, revealing a higher prevalence of pulmonary nodules and lung cancers among non‐smoking females. These findings offer valuable reference for both clinical practice and future research initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the preventive effect of vitamin D2 on COVID-19 and the improvement of symptoms after COVID-19 infection. The study recruited 228 health care workers who tested negative PCR or antigen for COVID-19. Subjects were randomly allocated to vitamin D2 or non-intervention at a ratio 1:1. Subjects recorded PCR or antigen tests and the symptoms of COVID-19 twice a week during the follow-up visit. The concentration of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), C-reaction protein (CRP), complement component C1q and inflammatory cytokines were measured. The rates of COVID-19 infection were 50.5% in the vitamin D2 group and 52.4% in the non-intervention group (P = 0.785). There was no difference in the COVID-19 symptoms between the two groups. The mean 25(OH)D level significantly increased from 14.1 to 31.1 ng/mL after administration (P < 0.001). The difference between the two groups was not significant for the concentrations of CRP, C1q and inflammatory cytokines on the thirtieth day of the trial. According to the second level of vitamin D, there was a 14.3% difference in positive infection rates between the vitamin D adequate (> 30 ng/mL) and deficient groups (< 20 ng/mL). Adequate vitamin D had a tendency to prevent COVID-19. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05673980, dated: 12/2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. While there are some available treatment options, the effectiveness of treatment varies depending on individual differences and the phenotypes of the disease. Therefore, exploring or identifying potential therapeutic targets for COPD is urgently needed. In recent years, there has been growing evidence showing that lysophospholipids, namely lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), can play a significant role in the pathogenesis of COPD. Exploring the metabolism of lysophospholipids holds promise for understanding the underlying mechanism of COPD development and developing novel strategies for COPD treatment. This review primarily concentrates on the involvement and signaling pathways of LPC and LPA in the development and progression of COPD. Furthermore, we reviewed their associations with clinical manifestations, phenotypes, and prognosis within the COPD context and discussed the potential of the pivotal signaling molecules as viable therapeutic targets for COPD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The full Poincaré (FP) beam, encompassing all possible polarization states in its beam cross-section, has demonstrated advantages in various applications. However, conventional FP beams are typically considered as spatially fully coherent, rendering them sensitive to disturbances in the propagation path and susceptible to speckle effects. In this work, we propose an alternative approach to synthesize the optical beam with a FP polarization state through the spatial coherence engineering of a partially coherent beam. In this process, the FP polarization state is initially encoded into the spatial coherence structure of the beam source. We demonstrate that during the encoding process, the vector nature of the beam transitions from the FP polarization state to the spatial coherence structure of the source. However, during the propagation of the partially coherent beam, the vectorness reverts to the polarization state, resulting in the re-emergence of the encoded FP polarization in the output plane. We illustrate that the synthesized FP polarization state, achieved through spatial coherence engineering, is highly robust against obstructions in the propagation path. Furthermore, we examine the effect of the spatial coherence area of the beam on the quality of the recovered FP polarization state. The findings of this work can have valuable applications in optical trapping and optical imaging in complex environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of high‐energy‐density lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries is limited by the unmanageable deposition/dissolution kinetics of lithium anode and sulfur cathode, leading to subpar electrochemical efficiency. Prior to being deposited on the electrolyte/electrode interface or within the interior, the solvated lithium‐ion (Li+) must undergo de‐solvation to produce free Li+ ions. These ions then participate in subsequent Redox reactions. The sulfur cathode faces challenges related to solid–liquid transformation and polysulfide conversion/shuttle, which impact the deposition/dissolution process. These issues collectively create insurmountable electrochemical barriers in lithium–sulfur batteries. Atom‐level 2D catalysts, contributing to the consummate atomic efficiency (≈100 at%), play an important role in accelerating deposition/dissolution kinetics in lithium–sulfur batteries. In the review, the preparation of atom‐level 2D catalysts and catalytic kinetic process on accelerating Li+ de‐solvation, Li0 stripping/dissolution, Li0 nucleation/deposition of lithium anode, polysulfide conversion, and LixS deposition of sulfur cathode are summarized, and the outlook of high‐performance single‐atom, multiple atoms modified 2D catalysts in lithium, sodium, and zinc‐based batteries is putting forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Identifying the specifics and potential causes of mumps outbreaks in the Fujian Province during the period of 2017 to 2022., Methods: Mumps cases reported by the National Notifiable Communicable Disease Report System (NNCDRS) in China during the observation period of the 5 years were investigated annually and by age to detect homogeneity of the spread of the disease over time. If specific age-peaks may appear, we investigated those figures by analysing group characteristics in mumps cases presented as outbreaks. Those characteristics include demography (age and sex), clinical symptoms, place and time identification, and vaccination status. Regarding the latter, it was hypothesized that cases manifesting an outbreaks and appearing in young adults should have a low vaccination coverage, and a long-lasting period since they received their vaccine., Results: The total number of mumps cases reported during the observation period was 15,294, leading to incidence rates ranging from 3.2/100,000 to 8.0/100,000 per year. In the older age-group the disease spread by year and age (9 to 15y old) manifested 20 outbreaks accounting for 710 cases, all happening during 2017 to 2019. Thereafter those outbreaks disappeared in that age-group. The group characteristics specified that all the outbreaks happened in school settings, with a median age of 13y (range 6 to 19y). Parotid gland enlargement was observed in 82.7 %. The median duration of the outbreaks was 28 days, varying from 14 to 74 days. Only 27.6 % of the cases received at least one dose of the MuCV vaccine, and among these vaccinated individuals, 94.9 % developed mumps more than 5 years after vaccination. The dramatic reduction in outbreaks after 2019 could be explained by the public health measures taken during the COVID period and/or the new vaccination policy implemented in 2008 (free vaccination, 1 dose) and 2020 (2 doses) of young children causing therefore a lower rate of circulation of the virus., Conclusion: Mumps outbreaks observed in young adults during 2017-2019 causing a disease peak, indicated a potential link to unsatisfactory vaccination coverage with prolonged interval since receiving the vaccine. As those disease peaks disappeared since 2020, close monitoring for new outbreaks in young adults is recommended that may initiate a new vaccination strategy for that age-group., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The diagnosis, severity assessment, and development of therapeutic strategies for asthma are crucial aspects of disease management. Since biomarkers are reliable tools in disease management, we aimed to identify and explore asthma-associated biomarkers and investigate their mechanisms., Methods: Lipidomics was used to profile serum glycerophospholipids in asthmatic patients and controls. The absolute concentration of lysophosphatidylglycerol (LPG) 18:0 was quantified in various asthma subtypes. Mouse asthma models were used to confirm its potential as a biomarker and investigate its mechanisms in vivo. The effects of LPG 18:0 on CD4 + T cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis were assessed in vitro by flow cytometry, while mitochondrial dysfunction was evaluated through mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species, and ATP production measurements. The intracellular mechanism of LPG 18:0 in Tregs was investigated using small molecule inhibitors., Results: The serum glycerophospholipid profile varied between asthmatic patients and control group, with LPG 18:0 levels being notably higher in asthmatic patients, correlating with asthma severity and control level. In vivo and in vitro studies revealed that LPG18:0 impaired naïve CD4 + T cell differentiation into Tregs and compromised their suppressive function. Further investigation demonstrated that LPG18:0 treatment reduced the FOXP3 protein level via SIRT1-mediated deacetylation during Treg differentiation., Conclusions: This study identifies that serum levels of LPG 18:0 are generally elevated in asthmatics and serve as a biomarker for asthma. LPG 18:0 impairs Treg function via the NAD + /SIRT1/FOXP3 pathway. Our research reveals the potential of LPG18:0 as a biomarker for asthma, elucidating its role in asthma diagnosis and treatment., (Copyright ©The authors 2024. For reproduction rights and permissions contact permissions@ersnet.org.)

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most predominant type of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia and has an increasing incidence, poor prognosis, and unclear pathogenesis. In order to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying IPF further, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis on three healthy controls and five IPF lung tissue samples. The results revealed a significant shift in epithelial cells (ECs) phenotypes in IPF, which may be attributed to the differentiation of alveolar type 2 cells to basal cells. In addition, several previously unrecognized basal cell subtypes were preliminarily identified, including extracellular matrix basal cells, which were increased in the IPF group. We identified a special population of fibroblasts that highly expressed extracellular matrix-related genes, POSTN, CTHRC1, COL3A1, COL5A2, and COL12A1. We propose that the close interaction between ECs and fibroblasts through ligand-receptor pairs may have a critical function in IPF development. Collectively, these outcomes provide innovative perspectives on the complexity and diversity of basal cells and fibroblasts in IPF and contribute to the understanding of possible mechanisms in pathological lung fibrosis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: DNA methylation plays a critical role in asthma development, but differences in DNA methylation among adults with varying asthma severity or asthma endotypes are less well-defined., Objective: To examine how DNA methylomic patterns differ among adults with asthma based on asthma severity and airway inflammation., Methods: Peripheral blood T cells from 35 adults with asthma in Beijing, China were serially collected over time (130 samples total) and analyzed for global DNA methylation using the Illumina MethylationEPIC Array. Differential methylation was compared among subjects with varying airway inflammation and severity, as measured by fraction of exhaled nitric oxide, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores., Results: Significant differences in DNA methylation were noted among subjects with different degrees of airway inflammation and asthma severity. These differences in DNA methylation were annotated to genes that were enriched in pathways related to asthma or T cell function and included gene ontology categories related to MHC class II assembly, T cell activation, interleukin (IL)-1, and IL-12. Genes related to P450 drug metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and developmental pathways were also differentially methylated in comparisons between subjects with high vs low FEV1 and ACT. Notable genes that were differentially methylated based on asthma severity included RUNX3 , several members of the HLA family, AGT, PTPRC, PTPRJ, and several genes downstream of the JAK2 and TNF signaling pathway., Conclusion: These findings demonstrate how adults with asthma of varying severity possess differences in peripheral blood T cell DNA methylation that contribute to the phenotype and severity of their overall disease., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Recently a new family of partially coherent fields incorporating generalized inseparable cross-coupled phases named generalized higher-order twisted partially coherent beams (GHTPCBs) have been introduced. The twist factor u is a key parameter that not only quantifies the strength of the generalized cross-coupled phase for a given order, but also determines the amount of the concomitant orbital angular momentum (OAM). In this paper, we propose a simple and reliable method to measure the factor u using a two-pinhole mask. Without need of complicated optical system, it only requires to capture the far-field diffraction intensity distribution of the GHTPCB passing through the mask. By analyzing the Fourier spectrum of the intensity distribution, the value of twist factor can be derived nearly in real time. The influence of the separation distance between two pinholes and the pinholes' diameter and position on the measurement accuracy are thoroughly studied both in theory and experiment. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical results. Our methodology can also be extended to measure the sole factor of similar position dependent phases such as the topological charge of a vortex phase.

We propose an effective protocol to measure the coherence-orbital angular momentum (COAM) matrix of an arbitrary partially coherent beam. The method is based on an off-axis holography scheme and the Cartesian-polar coordinate transformation, which enables to simultaneously deal with all the COAM matrix elements of interest. The working principle is presented and discussed in detail. A proof-of-principle experiment is carried out to reconstruct the COAM matrices of partially coherent beams with spatially uniform and non-uniform coherence states. We find an excellent agreement between the experimental results and the theoretical predictions. In addition, we show that the OAM spectrum of a partially coherent beam can also be directly acquired from the measured COAM matrix.

Background: Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) is a known risk factor for offspring developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the underlying mechanism remains unclear., Objective: This study aimed to explore whether the increased COPD risk associated with MSDP could be attributed to tobacco dependence (TD)., Methods: This case-control study used data from the nationwide cross-sectional China Pulmonary Health study, with controls matched for age, sex, and smoking status. TD was defined as smoking within 30 minutes of waking, and the severity of TD was assessed using the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence. COPD was diagnosed when the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second to forced vital capacity was <0.7 in a postbronchodilator pulmonary function test according to the 2017 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease criteria. Logistic regression was used to examine the correlation between MSDP and COPD, adjusting for age, sex, BMI, educational attainment, place of residence, ethnic background, occupation, childhood passive smoking, residential fine particulate matter, history of childhood pneumonia or bronchitis, average annual household income, and medical history (coronary heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes). Mediation analysis examined TD as a potential mediator in the link between MSDP and COPD risk. The significance of the indirect effect was assessed through 1000 iterations of the "bootstrap" method., Results: The study included 5943 participants (2991 with COPD and 2952 controls). Mothers of the COPD group had higher pregnancy smoking rates (COPD: n=305, 10.20%; controls: n=211, 7.10%; P<.001). TD was more prevalent in the COPD group (COPD: n=582, 40.40%; controls: n=478, 33.90%; P<.001). After adjusting for covariates, MSDP had a significant effect on COPD (β=.097; P<.001). There was an association between MSDP and TD (β=.074; P<.001) as well as between TD and COPD (β=.048; P=.007). Mediation analysis of TD in the MSDP-COPD association showed significant direct and indirect effects (direct: β=.094; P<.001 and indirect: β=.004; P=.03). The indirect effect remains present in the smoking population (direct: β=.120; P<.001 and indirect: β=.002; P=.03)., Conclusions: This study highlighted the potential association between MSDP and the risk of COPD in offspring, revealing the mediating role of TD in this association. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the impact of prenatal tobacco exposure on lung health, laying the groundwork for the development of relevant prevention and treatment strategies., (©Jinxuan Li, Jianying Xu, Lan Yang, Yongjian Xu, Xiangyan Zhang, Chunxue Bai, Jian Kang, Pixin Ran, Huahao Shen, Fuqiang Wen, Kewu Huang, Wanzhen Yao, Tieying Sun, Guangliang Shan, Ting Yang, Yingxiang Lin, Jianguo Zhu, Ruiying Wang, Zhihong Shi, Jianping Zhao, Xianwei Ye, Yuanlin Song, Qiuyue Wang, Gang Hou, Yumin Zhou, Wen Li, Liren Ding, Hao Wang, Yahong Chen, Yanfei Guo, Fei Xiao, Yong Lu, Xiaoxia Peng, Biao Zhang, Zuomin Wang, Hong Zhang, Xiaoning Bu, Xiaolei Zhang, Li An, Shu Zhang, Zhixin Cao, Qingyuan Zhan, Yuanhua Yang, Lirong Liang, Bin Cao, Huaping Dai, Kian Fan Chung, Zhengming Chen, Jiang He, Sinan Wu, Dan Xiao, Chen Wang, China Pulmonary Health Study Group. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (https://publichealth.jmir.org), 22.02.2024.)