We present some connections between the max-min general fuzzy automaton theory and the hyper structure theory. First, we introduce a hyper BCK-algebra induced by a max-min general fuzzy automaton. Then, we study the properties of this hyper BCK-algebra. Particularly, some theorems and results for hyper BCK-algebra are proved. For example, it is shown that this structure consists of different ty...

Tissue eosinophilia probably plays important roles in the pathophysiology of bronchial asthma and allergic disorders; however, this concept was challenged recently by controversial results in mouse models of bronchial asthma treated with anti-IL-5 Ab and the failure of anti-IL-5 therapy in humans. We have now used a unique model, IL-5 transgenic (TG) mice, to address a fundamental question: is ...

BACKGROUND Atopic eczema is a common and distressing disease. This study aimed to review the age-dependent pattern of atopic sensitization to food and aeroallergens in patients with eczema by skin prick testing. METHODS The results of skin prick test (SPT), serum IgE, bronchial challenge test, and family history of atopy in eczema patients seen at a pediatric dermatology clinic were reviewed....

BACKGROUND House dust mite (HDM) allergens have been reported to increase airway epithelial permeability, thereby facilitating access of allergens and allergic sensitisation. OBJECTIVES The authors aimed to understand which biochemical properties of HDM are critical for epithelial immune and barrier responses as well as T helper 2-driven experimental asthma in vivo. METHODS Three commercial...

Asthma is a complex, inflammatory disorder characterized by airflow obstruction of variable degrees, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and airway inflammation. Asthma is caused by environmental factors and a combination of genetic and environmental stimuli. Genetic studies have revealed that multiple loci are involved in the etiology of asthma. Recent cellular, molecular, and animal-model studies...

An important issue in relation to the utility and reliability of biomarkers for asthma monitoring is how asthma is defined and characterized. What kind of asthma, or at what stage of the disease is a particular biomarker supposed to add information? Often, the purpose, or usefulness of a biomarker is not made clear. Diagnosis, severity evaluation, and monitoring are all different clinical uses ...

Asthma is an increasingly common respiratory condition characterized by reversible airway obstruction, bronchial hyper-responsiveness and airway inflammation with a clear unmet need for more effective therapy. Eosinophilic asthma is a phenotype of the condition that features increased blood or sputum eosinophils whose numbers correlate with disease severity. Several lines of evidence are now em...

There may be an overlap between the clinical pictures of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease which hampers a clear distinction between the two diseases. Most symptoms presented by patients do not clearly belong exclusively to either asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. By the nature of their discipline and training, general practitioners focus mainly on symptoms present...

BACKGROUND To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of spirometry for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma in patients suspected of suffering from an obstructive airway disease (OAD) in primary care. METHODS Cross sectional diagnostic study of 219 adult patients attending 10 general practices for the first time with complaints suspicio...

BACKGROUND Mast cell localization within the airway smooth muscle (ASM)-bundle plays an important role in the development of airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). Genomewide association studies implicate the 'alarmin' IL-33 in asthma, but its role in mast cell-ASM interactions is unknown. OBJECTIVES We examined the expression and functional role of IL-33 in bronchial biopsies of patients with an...