Objective:To investigate the effects of respiratory mechanics-guided sedation strategy on diaphragm function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients treated with mechanical ventilation (MV).Methods:A prospective study was conducted. Patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) received invasive MV who were admitted to the Affiliated Huxi Hospital of Jining Medical University from May 2020 to May 2021 were enrolled. The patients were divided into observational group and control group by random number table method. All patients were intubated for MV, and received bronchodilators, glucocorticoid, anti-infectives, expectorant, nutritional support, analgesia and sedation. The sedatives were dexmedetomidine combined with propofol, and the analgesics were sufentanil in both groups. Respiratory mechanics monitoring was performed every 6 hours in the observational group, and the depth of sedation was adjusted according to the parameters of respiratory mechanics: when airway resistance (Raw) > 20 cmH 2O·L -1·s -1, deep sedation was given to maintain Richmond agitation-sedation scale (RASS) ≤ -3; when the Raw was 10-20 cmH 2O·L -1·s -1, the initial depth of sedation maintained to reach the RASS score of -2-0; when Raw < 10 cmH 2O·L -1·s -1, withdrawn the sedation, or given light sedation, and maintained the RASS score of -2-0. While the control group received light sedation. The patients' diaphragmatic excursions (DE) was measured by bedside ultrasound, tidal volume (VT) and respiratory rate (RR) were recorded, and the diaphragmatic rapid shallow breathing index (D-RSBI, D-RSBI = RR/DE) and diaphragmatic excursion efficiency (DEE, DEE = VT/DE) were calculated. The differences in DE, D-RSBI, and DEE before and 3 days and 5 days of treatment between the two groups were compared. The difference in the RASS score within 3 days of sedation between the two groups was compared. The differences in the duration of MV and 28-day mortality between the two groups were compared. Results:A total of 96 patients were selected. Six patients were excluded due to delirium or the duration of MV shorter than 3 days. Finally, 90 patients were enrolled, with 46 in the observational group, and 44 in the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in DE, D-RSBI or DEE before treatment between the two groups. After treatment, D-RSBI in both groups was gradually decreased, and DEE was gradually increased with time. The D-RSBI at 3 days and 5 days of treatment in the observational group were significantly lower than those in the control group (times·min -1·mm -1: 1.73±0.48 vs. 1.96±0.35 at 3 days, 1.45±0.64 vs. 1.72±0.40 at 5 days, both P < 0.05), and DEE were significantly higher than those in the control group (mL/mm: 19.7±4.3 vs. 17.1±3.9 at 3 days, 25.8±5.6 vs. 22.9±5.4 at 5 days, both P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in DE at all time points between the two groups. The RASS scores within 2 hours of sedation in the observational group were significantly lower than those in the control group (1 day: -3.78±0.92 vs. -2.34±0.68, 2 days: -2.87±1.04 vs. -2.43±0.79, both P < 0.05), while no statistical difference at 3 days was found between the two groups. The duration of MV in the observational group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (days: 5.78±2.01 vs. 6.84±2.27, P < 0.05). One patient died in each of the control group and the observational group, and there was no significant difference in the 28-day mortality between the two groups (2.3% vs. 2.2%, P > 0.05). Conclusion:For AECOPD patients undergoing MV, respiratory mechanics-guided sedation strategy can reduce D-RSBI, increase DEE, shorten the duration of MV, and have a certain protective effect on the diaphragm.

Objective:To explore whether NSBB is suitable for the primary prevention of liver cirrhosis accompanied by CSPH with no or small esophageal varices.Methods:Relevant literatures were retrieved from Cochrane library, PubMed, EMBASE, SinoMed, CNKI and Wanfang databases until December 12, 2020. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on NSBB use for primary prevention of cirrhosis accompanied by CSPH with no or small esophageal varices were collected. The literature was strictly screened according to the established inclusion and exclusion criteria, odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) combined effect size. The development of esophageal varices and the initial upper gastrointestinal bleeding were the primary outcome measures. Death (with a maximum average follow-up of about five years) and adverse events (adverse drug reactions, etc.) were the secondary outcome measures.Results:A total of 9 RCTs with 1396 cases were included. Meta-analysis results showed that, compared with placebo, NSBB significantly reduced the incidence of liver cirrhosis accompanied by CSPH with no or small esophageal varices to large esophageal varices progression ( OR=0.51, 95% CI: 0.29-0.89, P=0.02), and mortality (with maximum average follow-up of about five years) ( OR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.44-0.92, P=0.02); however, there was no statistically significant difference in the initial upper gastrointestinal bleeding rate between the two groups ( OR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.44-1.52, P=0.53). Adverse event incidence was greater in the NSBB than the placebo group ( OR=1.74, 95% CI: 1.27-2.37, P=0.0005). Conclusions:NSBB use cannot reduce the initial upper gastrointestinal bleeding rate or adverse event incidence in patients with liver cirrhosis accompanied by CSPH with no or small esophageal varices, but it can delay the progression of gastroesophageal varices and reduce patient mortality.

Sepsis-induced liver injury (SILI) is an important cause of septicemia deaths. BaWeiBaiDuSan (BWBDS) was extracted from a formula of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer, Lilium brownie F. E. Brown ex Miellez var. viridulum Baker, Polygonatum sibiricum Delar. ex Redoute, Lonicera japonica Thunb., Hippophae rhamnoides Linn., Amygdalus Communis Vas, Platycodon grandiflorus (Jacq.) A. DC., and Cortex Phelloderdri. Herein, we investigated whether the BWBDS treatment could reverse SILI by the mechanism of modulating gut microbiota. BWBDS protected mice against SILI, which was associated with promoting macrophage anti-inflammatory activity and enhancing intestinal integrity. BWBDS selectively promoted the growth of Lactobacillus johnsonii (L. johnsonii) in cecal ligation and puncture treated mice. Fecal microbiota transplantation treatment indicated that gut bacteria correlated with sepsis and was required for BWBDS anti-sepsis effects. Notably, L. johnsonii significantly reduced SILI by promoting macrophage anti-inflammatory activity, increasing interleukin-10⁺ M2 macrophage production and enhancing intestinal integrity. Furthermore, heat inactivation L. johnsonii (HI-L. johnsonii) treatment promoted macrophage anti-inflammatory activity and alleviated SILI. Our findings revealed BWBDS and gut microbiota L. johnsonii as novel prebiotic and probiotic that may be used to treat SILI. The potential underlying mechanism was at least in part, via L. johnsonii-dependent immune regulation and interleukin-10⁺ M2 macrophage production.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.10.016.].

Inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit beta (IKKβ) is one of important kinases in inflammation to phosphorylate inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B (IκBα) and then activate nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). Inhibition of IKKβ has been a therapeutic strategy for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Here we report that IKKβ is constitutively activated in healthy donors and healthy Ikkβ ^C46A (cysteine 46 mutated to alanine) knock-in mice although they possess intensive IKKβ-IκBα-NF-κB signaling activation. These indicate that IKKβ activation probably plays homeostatic role instead of causing inflammation. Compared to Ikkβ ^WT littermates, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) could induce high mortality rate in Ikkβ ^C46A mice which is correlated to breaking the homeostasis by intensively activating p-IκBα-NF-κB signaling and inhibiting phosphorylation of 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) expression. We then demonstrated that IKKβ kinase domain (KD) phosphorylates AMPKα1 via interacting with residues Thr183, Ser184, and Thr388, while IKKβ helix-loop-helix motifs is essential to phosphorylate IκBα according to the previous reports. Kinase assay further demonstrated that IKKβ simultaneously catalyzes phosphorylation of AMPK and IκBα to mediate homeostasis. Accordingly, activation of AMPK rather than inhibition of IKKβ could substantially rescue LPS-induced mortality in Ikkβ ^C46A mice by rebuilding the homeostasis. We conclude that IKKβ activates AMPK to restrict inflammation and IKKβ mediates homeostatic function in inflammation via competitively phosphorylating AMPK and IκBα.