Minute ventilation to carbon dioxide output (V'E/V'CO2 slope) is the strongest death predictor before larger lung resections.

The minute ventilation to CO2 production ratio (V'E/V'CO2 slope) was recently identified as a mortality predictor after lung surgery, but the effect of the resection extent was not taken into account.  The aim of this study was to investigate the role of V'E/V'CO2 slope as preoperative mortality predictor depending on the type of surgery performed. Retrospective analysis was performed on 263 consecutive patients evaluated before surgery for lung cancer.

JAK2 V617F mutation negative erythrocytosis (or how to more simply perform diagnosis and treat a patient with increased hematocrit).

This case report focuses on a 71-year old patient affected by unknown dyspnea and erythrocytosis referred by his general practitioner to our center for specialist advice after a hematological examination had excluded polycythemia vera on grounds of negative test for JAK2 V617F/exon 12 mutation. An accurate clinical history and physical examination accompanied by respiratory function tests resulted in diagnosis of JAK2 V617F mutation negative erythrocytosis, and treatment could be started. The discussion examines decisional algorithms when a polyglobulic patient is referred for diagnosis.

Exercise ventilatory inefficiency and mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease undergoing surgery for non-small-cell lung cancer.

Objective: Surgical resection is the treatment of choice to cure patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC); nevertheless, the assessment of the lower limit of surgical tolerance remains difficult. Ventilatory inefficiency (measured as the ventilation to CO(2) production ratio (V'(E)/V'(CO2) slope) is a survival predictor in pulmonary hypertension (PH) and chronic heart failure (CHF) and is considered a marker of PH in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of V'(E)/V'(CO2) slope as preoperative mortality and morbidity predictor in COPD patients submitted to lung resection for NSCLC and considered operable according to current standards.

Nasal and lung function in competitive swimmers.

Nasal and sinusal complaints are considered common among swimmers. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the nasal and bronchial functions, before and after swimming, and the relationship between nasal resistances and FEV1 in competitive swimmers. A group of 30 competitive swimmers were examined: spirometry and nasal respiratory tests were carried out before and after swimming.

Effects of chest wall strapping on mechanical response to methacholine in humans.

We examined the effects of chest wall strapping (CWS) on the response to inhaled methacholine (MCh) and the effects of deep inspiration (DI). Eight subjects were studied on 1 day with MCh inhaled without CWS (CTRL), 1 day with MCh inhaled during CWS (CWSon/on), and 1 day with MCh inhaled during temporary removal of CWS (CWSoff/on). On the CWSon/on day, MCh caused greater increases in pulmonary resistance, upstream resistance, dynamic elastance, residual volume, and greater decreases in maximal expiratory flow than on the CTRL day.

Factors related to the development of sensitization to green coffee and castor bean allergens among coffee workers.

Background: Occupational allergic respiratory symptoms in coffee workers have been frequently reported, but the ultimate cause of sensitization is still debated, castor bean being considered besides green coffee beans. Atopy and cigarette smoking have been suggested as promoting factors of sensitization for several occupational allergens.

Objective: This study was carried out to assess the prevalence of allergic respiratory symptoms and of sensitization to both green coffee beans and castor bean in the whole workforce of a coffee manufacturing plant.

The prediction of recommended energy expenditure for an 8 h work-day using an air-purifying respirator.

Thirty railway workers executed maximal, or near maximal, stress tests with and without the use of a half mask air-purifying respirator (Spasciani 85 A1 P1) fitted with two combined filters for simultaneous protection from organic vapours and particulate matter. The pressure-flow characteristics of inspiratory and expiratory resistance at airflows in the range 0-90 l.min-1 were established by a continuous flow method on one test mask.

[Effect of the sorghum extraction process on the color of the flour and tortillas made from mixtures with lime-treated cornmeal].

The objective of this work was to study the effect of the extrusion process in the color of instant flours and its tortillas prepared with mixtures of commercial instant corn flour. In the extrusion process four flours from two genotypes of sorghum (whole and decorticated sorghum of each genotype) were used. These flours were processed in a single screw Brabender laboratory extruder.

[Chemical changes in sorghum during the extrusion and tortilla preparation process].

Chemical changes that occur during preparation of instant sorghum flours processed by extrusion and during the preparation of tortillas, were studied. In the preparation process of instant flours and tortillas two flours were used: whole flour obtained from a sorghum cultivar genotype cmsxs 9A, and another one (20%) from decorticated sorghum flour cultivar, cmsxs 145. These flours were processed in Brabender laboratory extruder GNF/2 of a single screw, with a compression rate of 1:1 and extrusion temperature of 80, 100 and 100 degrees C in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd zones, respectively, with a 5 mm diameter and a screw rate of 130 rpm, flour with 15% moisture and 0.

Short-term respiratory changes in polyurethane foam workers exposed to low MDI concentration.

Our study included 27 polyurethane foam workers exposed to MDI only at low concentrations (ranging from 0.0005 to 0.001 ppm) and 27 clerks from the same factory matched by age.

[Effects of long-term use of inhaled steroids (beclomethasone dipropionate) in patients with occupational asthma no longer exposed].

Ten subjects with occupational asthma who, were either no longer exposed or had minimal exposure, were controlled every three months after cessation of exposure. All subjects showed airway responsiveness to metacholine, complained of mild symptoms and had minor lung function abnormalities. The subjects underwent inhalation therapy with beclomethasone dipropionate (2000 micrograms/day) for 3 to 12 months.