Airway Clearance with Expiratory Flow Accelerator Technology: Effectiveness of the "Free Aspire" Device in Patients with Severe COPD.

Objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with a higher risk of pulmonary infections. This risk not only negatively affects patients' quality of life but also increases social and health costs. Hence, there is a need for an effective rehabilitative treatment including airway clearance.

In vitro analysis of ultrasound second generation contrast agent diluted in saline solution.

Purpose: To evaluate the changes in response of a second-generation sonographic contrast agent diluted in saline solution at different concentrations when different scanning techniques, and saline solution temperatures and pH were used.

Materials And Methods: A series of tests was devised to analyse the behaviour of the sonographic contrast agent at different concentrations, temperatures, pH and scanning techniques. Latex balloons were used as phantoms.

Serum cytokeratin fragment 21.1 (CYFRA 21.1) as tumour marker for breast cancer: comparison with carbohydrate antigen 15.3 (CA 15.3) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).

Serum carbohydrate antigen 15.3 (CA 15.3) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) are currently employed in clinical practice as markers for breast cancer, particularly in the follow-up and therapy monitoring.

Relationship between a genetic predisposition to hypertension, blood pressure levels and pain sensitivity.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine whether the degree of blood pressure elevation and/or a genetic predisposition to hypertension have a major role in determining a reduced pain perception in hypertensives. The reasons underlying the relationship between blood pressure elevation and pain perception mechanisms are not completely understood.

Methods: One hundred and four untreated hypertensive patients (65 subjects with and 39 without a positive parental history of hypertension) together with a control group of 42 subjects (20 normotensive offspring of normotensive parents, and 22 normotensive offspring of hypertensive parents) were submitted to standard blood pressure evaluation, 24-h blood pressure monitoring and dental pain perception evaluation.