BACKGROUND Flavonoids are dietary plant compounds suspected to reduce the incidence of chronic diseases in several regions of the world. Due to anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory activities, apigenin (4',5,7,-trihydroxyflavone) is thought to interfere with crucial events in the pathomechanism of asthma. However, the effect of apigenin on TGF-β-induced fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition (FM...

AIM OF THE STUDY To investigate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of skeletal muscle metastases (SMM). MATERIAL AND METHODS The records of 31 patients with proven SMM were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical history, type of primary malignancy, location of metastases, and MRI features of SMM were evaluated. Based on MRI findings, SMM were divided into three MRI types. The correlati...

Airway epithelial cells act as a physical barrier against environmental toxins and injury, and modulate inflammation and the immune response. As such, maintenance of their integrity is critical. Evidence is accumulating to suggest that exercise can cause injury to the airway epithelium. This seems the case particularly for competitive athletes performing high-level exercise, or when exercise ta...

In a prospective study on a cohort of 7 year old children of low birth weight (under 2000 g at birth), we observed an increased prevalence of airway responsiveness to histamine compared with a reference population of unselected, local schoolchildren. The airway responsiveness to histamine was significantly related to a history of asthma in first degree relatives (natural parents and siblings) i...

1 Kusel MMH, Kebadze T, Johnston SL, et al. Febrile respiratory illnesses in infancy and atopy are risk factors for persistent asthma and wheeze. Eur Respir J 2012; 39: 876–882. 2 Kusel MM, de Klerk NH, Kebadze T, et al. Early-life respiratory viral infections, atopic sensitization, and risk of subsequent development of persistent asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2007; 119: 1105–1110. 3 Piippo-Sa...

BACKGROUND To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) for the diagnosis of asthma in general practice. METHODS Prospective diagnostic study with 160 patients attending 10 general practices for the first time with complaints suspicious of obstructive airway disease (OAD). Patients were referred to a lung function laboratory for diag...

BACKGROUND There is a paucity of data regarding respiratory health in restorers of cultural heritage or similar occupations, such as visual artists or museum workers, although they are exposed to a complex mixture of various respiratory hazards. AIMS To evaluate atopy and respiratory health parameters, including bronchial and nasal non-specific reactivity, in restorers and conservators of cul...

6 ABBREVIATIONS APAAP alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase AUC area under curve BAL bronchoalveolar lavage BSA bovine serum albumin BUD budesonide COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease CTAB N-cetyl-N,N,N,-trimethylammonium bromide DTE dithioerythritol DTT dithiothreitol EG2, EG1 monoclonal antibodies against ECP and/or EPX/EDN ECP eosinophil cationic protein EPO eosinophil peroxi...

A comparison of the quantitative anatomy of the bronchi in normal subjects, in status asthmaticus, in chronic bronchitis, and in emphysema The quantitative anatomy of the bronchi has been studied in sudden deaths in normal subjects, in deaths from status asthmaticus and chronic bronchitis, and in patients with emphysema. In the normal bronchi the observed range of values for the percentage volu...

in this paper we characterize hyper mv -algebras in which 0 or1 are scalar elements . we prove that any nite hyper mv -algebra that 0is a scaler element in it, is an mv -algebra. finally we characterize hypermv -algebras of order 2 and order 3.