Chest
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In recent years, the emerging concept of bronchial inflammation as a prominent histopathologic characteristic of asthma has profoundly modified the view of the role of the mast cell, which was traditionally thought to be linked to the release of soluble chemical mediators substantially involved in the genesis of acute, immediate bronchospasm. The finding that the production of proinflammatory cytokines by mast cells in asthmatic airways is comparable, in some circumstances, to that of T-cell origin, has led to the hypothesis that mast cells, along with T lymphocytes and eosinophils, may also contribute to the genesis of chronic, persistent asthma. ⋯ Future studies will better explain the role of mast cells in asthma and, more specifically, the links with bone marrow-where mast cell progenitors originate-and the airways, where mast cells develop, differentiate, and assume the functions of mature cells. This article reviews recent data available on these topics.
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To evaluate the accuracy of a flow-proportional delivery system and the pattern of inspiratory nitric oxide (NO) concentration during different flow conditions. ⋯ The tested NO delivery module administered stable mean inspiratory NO concentrations. Although inspiratory NO concentration fluctuates depending on the inspiratory flow rate, this delivery device allows stable NO administration without requiring adjustments when ventilator settings are changed.