Respiratory function in healthy ever-smokers is impaired by smoking habits in a dose-dependent manner.

Background: There is limited information about the respiratory function of ever-smokers without lung disorders. We sought to assess the effects of smoking habits on respiratory function in subjects without lung disorders.

Methods: Subjects were recruited from among patients without any evidence of respiratory disorders who visited rural primary care clinics.

[The add-on effect of omalizumab on patients with uncontrolled bronchial asthma].

A high-dose administration of inhaled corticosteroid is effective in the majority of patients with bronchial asthma, but is often difficult to attain sufficient control in certain subsets of patients. Omalizumab has recently emerged as a promising drug for bronchial asthma. To assess its add-on effect we administered omalizumab to patients with uncontrolled atopic asthma for more than 16 weeks and gave them questionnaires.

[Comparison between predicted equations obtained by standard Japanese values and present predicted equations for vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second].

Until recently, predicted values of vital capacity (VC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) have been calculated with Baldwin's equation (VC-B) and Berglund's equation (FEV1-B) respectively, in Japan. Due to several problems using these equations, new prediction equations of VC (VC-J) and FEV1 (FEV1-J), which were created using data from healthy Japanese, were provided by the Japanese Respiratory Society in 2001. In the present study, we studied the validity of these prediction equations.

Aging increases upper airway collapsibility in Fischer 344 rats.

The upper airway muscles play an important role in maintaining upper airway collapsibility, and the incidence of sleep-disordered breathing increases with age. We hypothesize that the increase in airway collapsibility with increasing age can be linked to changes in upper airway muscle mechanics and structure. Eight young (Y: 6 mo) and eight old (O: 30 mo) Fischer 344 rats were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated, and the pharyngeal pressure associated with flow limitation (Pcrit) was measured 1) with the hypoglossal (cnXII) nerve intact, 2) following bilateral cnXII denervation, and 3) during cnXII stimulation.

Renal abscess with Morganella morganii complicating leukemoid reaction.

We report a case of leukemoid reaction (LR) complicating renal abscess caused by Morganella morganii infection in an 80-year-old man. On administration, laboratory tests revealed white blood cell count of 76160 /microL and C reactive protein 3.09 mg/dL.

Intermittent hypoxia reduces upper airway stability in lean but not obese Zucker rats.

Obstructive sleep apnea involves intermittent periods of airway occlusions that lead to repetitive oxygen desaturations. Exposure to chronic intermittent hypoxia (IH) in rats increases diurnal blood pressure and alters skeletal muscle physiology. The impact of IH on upper airway muscle function is unknown.

Systemic administration of serotonin 2A/2C agonist improves upper airway stability in Zucker rats.

The effects of [+/-]-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoaminophentamine, a serotonin(2A/2C) receptor agonist, on pharyngeal airflow mechanics were examined in isoflurane-anesthetized lean and obese Zucker rats. The pharyngeal pressure associated with flow limitation, maximum inspiratory flow, oronasal resistance, genioglossus muscle activity, and arterial blood pressure (BP) were measured before and after the intravenous administration of the agonist. A robust activation of the genioglossus muscle in all lean and obese rats was associated with decreased upper airway (UA) collapsibility (p < 0.

[Symptoms in asthmatics living in cold districts during winter].

Exposure to cold is known as a potential exacerbating factor in asthmatics. However, few studies have investigated severity of symptoms during daily life in winter for asthmatics living in northern Hokkaido, the coldest region in Japan. We sent questionnaires to 126 asthmatics living in northern Hokkaido, and obtained answers from 116 patients (52 males, 64 females).

Ambient oxygen regulates epithelial metabolism and nitric oxide production in the human nose.

The effects of ambient O(2) tension on epithelial metabolism and nitric oxide (NO) production (VNO) in the nasal airway were examined in nine healthy volunteers. Nasal VNO, O(2) consumption (VO(2)), and CO(2) production (VCO(2)) were measured during normoxia followed by gradual hypoxia from 21 to 0% O(2) concentration. Nasal VO(2), VCO(2), and respiratory quotient during normoxia were determined to be 1.