OBJECTIVE To determine whether inhaling fully humidified air at 43 degrees C gave more benefit to cold sufferers than inhaling air at 30 degrees C. DESIGN Randomised double blind trial. Setting--General practice and the common cold research unit. SUBJECTS 87 Unselected patients with typical acute nasal and upper respiratory symptoms (general practice study), and 84 volunteers aged 18-50 wit...

A considerable decrease (24 to 40%) of DNA content per nucleus previously observed in the adrenal medulla of rats exposed intermittently to cold is followed by restoration to normal and supranormal values. This phenomenon has now been studied by use of H(3)-thymidine, which was given to normal rats, to rats exposed to cold, and to animals brought to room temperature after cold exposure. In the ...

Athletes who perform repeated exercise while breathing cold air have a high prevalence of asthmalike chronic airway disease, but the mechanism linking such activity to airway inflammation is unknown. We used a novel animal model (exercising horses) to test the hypothesis that exercise-induced chronic airway disease is caused by exposure of intrapulmonary airways to unconditioned air, resulting ...

The structural origin of enzyme adaptation to low temperature, allowing efficient catalysis of chemical reactions even near the freezing point of water, remains a fundamental puzzle in biocatalysis. A remarkable universal fingerprint shared by all cold-active enzymes is a reduction of the activation enthalpy accompanied by a more negative entropy, which alleviates the exponential decrease in ch...

Common colds often trigger asthma exacerbations. The present study compared cold-related severe exacerbations during budesonide/formoterol maintenance and reliever therapy, and different regimens of maintenance inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), with or without long-acting β(2)-agonists (LABA), and with as-needed short-acting β(2)-agonists (SABA) or LABA. Reported colds and severe exacerbations (de...

BACKGROUND This study quantified the effects of heat, cold, and pressure on the median nerve and transverse carpal ligament in subjects without carpal tunnel syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS Subjects were individuals ages 20-50 who had no symptoms of carpal tunnel disease. Imaging ultrasound was used to measure the clearance around the median nerve, transverse ligament elasticity, nerve conduct...

Jeffrey Brenner. (Photo by MacArthur Foundation) Jeffrey Brenner doesn’t believe in blaming a person for showing up at an emergency room for a cold or an ear infection, even if the illness could have been treated in a doctor’s office at much lower cost. Instead, he faults the health care system, and he wants to prove that if providers, employers and insurers work together more effectively, that...

BACKGROUND Reliable stability and yield of RNA from breast cancer tissues are important for biobanking, clinical trials, and diagnostic testing. METHODS Aliquots of fresh primary tumor tissue from 17 surgically resected invasive breast cancers were placed into RNAlater at room temperature after tumor removal (baseline) and up to 3 hours thereafter or were snap frozen at baseline and 40 minute...

This is a welcome addition to the well-known 'Synopsis' series. These, owing to the absence of illustrations, are not suitable as an introduction to the subject, but form an excellent means of revision before examinations. Not all ophthalmologists will agree with some of the advice given. For example, the treatment of photophthalmia electrica given is cold bathing, dark room, and astringent lot...