Thorax
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Hypercapnic acidosis exerts protective effects in acute lung injury but may also slow cellular repair. These effects may be mediated via inhibition of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), a pivotal transcriptional regulator in inflammation and repair. ⋯ Hypercapnic acidosis inhibits pulmonary epithelial wound healing by reducing cell migration via an NF-kappaB dependent mechanism that may involve alterations in matrix metalloproteinase activity.
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Biological markers as an expression of systemic inflammation have been recognised as useful for evaluating the host response in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the biological markers procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) might reflect stability after 72 h of treatment and the absence of subsequent severe complications. ⋯ Low levels of CRP and PCT at 72 h in addition to clinical criteria might improve the prediction of absence of severe complications.
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Fatigue is a prominent symptom in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and it has distinctive features; however, there is a need for a robust scale to measure fatigue in COPD. ⋯ The MCFS provides a simple, reliable and valid measurement of total and dimensional fatigue in moderate stable COPD.
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common bacterial pathogen in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Current infection control guidelines aim to prevent transmission via contact and respiratory droplet routes and do not consider the possibility of airborne transmission. It was hypothesised that subjects with CF produce viable respirable bacterial aerosols with coughing. ⋯ During coughing, patients with CF produce viable aerosols of P aeruginosa and other Gram-negative bacteria of respirable size range, suggesting the potential for airborne transmission.