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To identify microRNAs (miRNAs, miRs) with potential roles in lung fibrogenesis, we performed genome-wide profiling of miRNA expression in lung tissues from a silica-induced mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis using microarrays. Seventeen miRNAs were selected for validation via qRT-PCR based on the fold changes between the silica and the control group. The dysregulation of five miRNAs, including miR-21, miR-455, miR-151-3p, miR-486-5p and miR-3107, were confirmed by qRT-PCRs in silica-induced mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis and were also confirmed in a bleomycin (BLM)-induced mouse lung fibrosis. Notably, miR-486-5p levels were decreased in the serum samples of patients with silicosis, as well as in the lung tissues of patients with silicosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In addition, as determined by luciferase assays and Western blotting, SMAD2, a crucial mediator of pulmonary fibrosis, was identified to be one of target genes of miR-486-5p. To test the potential therapeutic significance of this miRNA, we overexpressed miR-486-5p in animal models. At day 28, miR-486-5p expression significantly decreased both the distribution and severity of lung lesions compared with the silica group (P < 0.01). In addition, miR-486-5p had a similar effect in the BLM group (P < 0.001). These results indicate that miR-486-5p may inhibit fibrosis.

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Abstract:The latest Version-7 (V7) Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) products were released by the National OPEN ACCESSWater 2014, 6 33Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in December of 2012. Their performance on different climatology, locations, and precipitation types is of great interest to the satellite-based precipitation community. This paper presents a study of TMPA precipitation products (3B42RT and 3B42V7) for an extreme precipitation event in Beijing and its adjacent regions (from 00:00 UTC 21 July 2012 to 00:00 UTC 22 July 2012). Measurements from a dense rain gauge network were used as the ground truth to evaluate the latest TMPA products. Results are summarized as follows. Compared to rain gauge measurements, both 3B42RT and 3B42V7 generally captured the rainfall spatial and temporal pattern, having a moderate spatial correlation coefficient (CC, 0.6) and high CC values (0.88) over the broader Hebei, Beijing and Tianjin (HBT) regions, but the rainfall peak is 6 h ahead of gauge observations. Overall, 3B42RT showed higher estimation than 3B42V7 over both HBT and Beijing. At the storm center, both 3B42RT and 3B42V7 presented a relatively large deviation from the temporal variation of rainfall and underestimated the storm by 29.02% and 36.07%, respectively. The current study suggests that the latest TMPA products still have limitations in terms of resolution and accuracy, especially for this type of extreme event within a latitude area on the edge of coverage of TRMM precipitation radar and microwave imager. Therefore, TMPA users should be cautious when 3B42RT and 3B42V7 are used to model, monitor, and forecast both flooding hazards in the Beijing urban area and landslides in the mountainous west and north of Beijing.

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IntroductionIt is unclear whether the fluid status, as determined by bioimpedance vector analysis (BIVA) combined with serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptides (NT-pro-BNP) measurement, is associated with treatment outcome among patients receiving continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Our objective was to answer this question.MethodsPatients who were in the intensive care units of a university teaching hospital and who required CRRT were screened for enrollment. For the enrolled patients, BIVA and serum NT-pro BNP measurement were performed just before the start of CRRT and 3 days afterward. According to the BIVA and NT-pro BNP measurement results, the patients were divided into four groups according to fluid status type: type 1, both normal; type 2, normal BIVA results and abnormal NT-pro BNP levels; type 3, abnormal BIVA results and normal NT-pro BNP levels; and type 4, both abnormal. The associations between fluid status and outcome were analyzed.ResultsEighty-nine patients were enrolled, 58 were males, and the mean age was 49.0 ± 17.2 years. The mean score of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) was 18.8 ± 8.6. The fluid status before CRRT start was as follows: type 1, 21.3% (19 out of 89); type 2, 16.9% (15 out of 89); type 3, 11.2% (10 out of 89); and type 4, 50.6% (45 out of 89). There were significant differences between fluid status types before starting CRRT on baseline values for APACHE II scores, serum creatinine, hemoglobin, platelet count, urine volume, and incidences of oliguria and acute kidney injury (P <0.05). There were significant differences between patients with different fluid status before CRRT start on hospital mortality—type 1, 26.3% (5 out of 19); type 2, 33.3% (5 out of 15); type 3, 40% (4 out of 10); and type 4, 64.4% (29 out of 45) (P = 0.019)—as well as renal function recovery rates: type 1, 57.1% (4 out of 7); type 2, 67.7% (6 out of 9); type 3, 50% (3 out of 6); and type 4, 23.7% (9 out of 38) (P = 0.051).ConclusionsFluid status abnormalities were common among patients receiving CRRT. Different types of fluid status distinguished by BIVA combined with serum NT-pro BNP measurements corresponded to different clinical conditions and treatment outcomes, which implies a value of this method for evaluation of fluid status among patients receiving CRRT.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13054-015-0871-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Our results indicated that PCGEM1 polymorphisms may contribute to PCa risk in Chinese men. Additional functional analyses are required to detect the detailed mechanism underlying the observed association.