Impact of capsaicin concentration evoking coughs on clinical variables in patients with asthma.

Inhaled capsaicin (8-methyl--vanillyl-6-nonenamide) has been used to induce cough in a safe and dose-dependent manner. Chronic cough is associated with an increased sensitivity to inhaled capsaicin in patients with asthma. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical impact of capsaicin provocation test for chronic cough, and to find relationship between capsaicin concentration producing coughs and clinical variables in patients with asthma.

Implementation of Cyber-Physical Production Systems for Quality Prediction and Operation Control in Metal Casting.

The prediction of internal defects of metal casting immediately after the casting process saves unnecessary time and money by reducing the amount of inputs into the next stage, such as the machining process, and enables flexible scheduling. Cyber-physical production systems (CPPS) perfectly fulfill the aforementioned requirements. This study deals with the implementation of CPPS in a real factory to predict the quality of metal casting and operation control.

Methacholine bronchial provocation test in patients with asthma: serial measurements and clinical significance.

Background/aims: The methacholine bronchial provocation test (MBPT) is used to detect and quantify airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). Since improvements in the severity of asthma are associated with improvements in AHR, clinical studies of asthma therapies routinely use the change of airway responsiveness as an objective outcome. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between serial MBPT and clinical profiles in patients with asthma.

Circulating angiopoietin-1 and -2 in patients with stable and exacerbated asthma.

Background: Angiopoietin (Ang)-1 and -2 are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma and have been identified as markers of asthma severity.

Objective: To determine the relation between circulating angiopoietins and clinical variables of patients with asthma.

Methods: Fifty patients with bronchial asthma and 25 healthy controls were enrolled.