RATIONALE Pulmonary complications of sickle cell anemia (Hb-SS) commonly cause morbidity, yet few large studies of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in this population have been reported. OBJECTIVES PFTs (spirometry, lung volumes, and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide [DLCO]) from 310 adults with Hb-SS were analyzed to determine the pattern of pulmonary dysfunction and their association wi...

PURPOSE Several studies of school-aged children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have found a higher prevalence of overweight/obesity compared with the general population. However, the scientific literature contains insufficient evidence to establish clear conclusions on pulmonary functions, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and body composition in children with ADHD. This study...

In patients with Late-Onset Pompe Disease (LOPD), progressive respiratory muscle involvement leads to reduced pulmonary function, with respiratory failure the most common cause of mortality. Early disease manifestations include sleep-disordered breathing, which can be treated with non-invasive ventilation; however, progressive diurnal deficits can require invasive ventilation. To determine if p...

Objective: The aim of the current study was to study the minimum duration of yoga training required to induce favorable changes in pulmonary functions in normal healthy sedentary adults. Background: Effect of Yoga training on Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) is well established. It is matter of interest at what point beneficial effects of Yoga starts. Method: It was prospective observational stu...

Priority effects occur when species that arrive first in a habitat significantly affect the establishment, growth, or reproduction of species arriving later and thus affect functioning of communities. However, we know little about how the timing of arrival of functionally different species may alter structure and function during assembly. Even less is known about how plant density might interac...

OBJECTIVE To compare the results of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the lungs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. METHODS Sixty eight patients (54 women, 14 men) fulfilling the revised criteria for RA were consecutively included in a transversal prospective study. Their mean age was 58.8 years (range: 35-82) and the mean duration of the dis...

BACKGROUND Pulmonary function testing is a key procedure in the work-up of patients who are suspected of having asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). Therein, clinical visits and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are the major contributors to the overall financial costs.The aim of this study was to assess whether a specific diagnostic test protocol contributes to the optimization of...

Pore-forming toxins (PFTs) are cytolytic proteins belonging to the molecular warfare apparatus of living organisms. The assembly of the functional transmembrane pore requires several intermediate steps ranging from a water-soluble monomeric species to the multimeric ensemble inserted in the cell membrane. The non-lytic oligomeric intermediate known as prepore plays an essential role in the mech...