In vivo, the airway response to constrictor stimuli is the net result of a complex array of factors, some facilitating and some opposing airway narrowing, which makes the interpretation of bronchial challenges far from being straightforward. This review begins with a short description of the complex mechanisms of airway smooth muscle activation and force generation as the starting events for ai...

Mein persönlicher Dank gilt meiner Familie für Ihre Unterstützung und meiner Badminton-Truppe dafür, dass sie mir eine zweite Familie geworden sind. 1 1 ZUSAMMENFASSUNG 5 1 SUMMARY 7 2 INTRODUCTION 9 2.1 General issues 9 2.1.1 Parasitic nematodes 9 2.1.2 Tropomyosin 10 2.2 Part I – RNA interference in Heligmosomoides polygyrus bakeri 13 2.2.1 Genetic manipulation of parasitic nematodes 13 2.3 P...

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are recommended as the first-line therapy for children with persistent asthma. These agents are particularly effective in reducing underlying airway inflammation, improving lung function, decreasing airway hyper-reactivity, and reducing intensity of symptoms in asthmatics. Chronic diseases, such as asthma, have growth-suppressing effects independent of the treatmen...

Asthma is a chronic disease, characterized by airway inflammation, airflow limitation, hyper-reactivity and airway remodeling. It is believed that asthma is caused by the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. The prevalence of allergic diseases, including asthma, has increased worldwide during the past two decades. Although the precise reasons that have caused this increase rem...

BACKGROUND Allergic asthma is a globally respiratory inflammatory disease. Influenza virus is a respiratory pathogen that causes yearly epidemics and results in high rates of morbidity and mortality. Patients with allergic asthma had a more severe symptom and a higher mortality when they were infected with influenza virus. Hence, influenza vaccination is recommended for patients with asthma. ...

1. Changes in specific airway conductance after the inhalation of aerosols of prostaglandins (PG) El, E2 and F 2• were investigated in healthy and asthmatic subjects. 2. Inhalation of 155 nmol (55 f.lg) of PGE1 or 156 nmol (55 f.lg) of PGE2 resulted in consistent minor bronchodilatation in healthy subjects, but in asthmatic patients airway conductance increased significantly, along with subject...

BACKGROUND Eosinophilic inflammation of the airway is usually associated with airway hyper-responsiveness in bronchial asthma. However, there is a small group of patients which has the eosinophilic inflammation in the bronchial tree with normal spirometry and no evidence of airway hyper-responsiveness, which was named eosinophilic bronchitis. The objectives of this study are 1) to investigate t...

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. An excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and defective endogenous antioxidant defense mechanisms may be present in asthma. Reduced glutathione (GSH) is one of the most important reducing agents against oxidant free radicals. A reducing agent, L-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (OTC), a prodrug of c...

There is growing evidence for an association between sensory reactivity and mental health in autism. This study set out to explore the relationship preschool-aged autistic children. In total 54 children with Autism Spectrum Condition took part. Sensory symptoms were obtained from Processing Scale Inventory, Assessment of Neurodevelopmental Differences Behavioral System Children–3. Correlational...