Adv Exp Med Biol
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Impulse oscillometry in the diagnosis of airway resistance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Spirometry is a standard lung function test for diagnosis and staging of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Impulse oscillometry (IOS) can be complementary to spirometry, especially in patients at advanced age and with physical or mental disorders who cannot be diagnosed through spirometry. The aim of this study was to compare IOS and spirometry in the assessment of airway obstruction in COPD. ⋯ COPD patients had increased R5, R5-R20, and X5. The severity of bronchial obstruction found by impulse oscillometry correlated well the spirometric assessment. IOS is a simple to perform test that may be helpful for functional examination of COPD patients.
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Transcutaneous measurement of oxygen and carbon dioxide pressure (PtcO2 and PtcCO2) is useful in gas exchange monitoring. However, the relationship between PtcO2, pulse oximetry (SaO2) and arterial blood gases (ABG) is unclear. The aim of the present study was to compare PtcO2 and PtcCO2 with SaO2 and ABG, to evaluate the effect of sensor location on the results and stability of PtcO2 and PtcCO2, and to assess the impact of body composition on PtcO2 and PtcCO2. ⋯ Both PtcO2 and PtcCO2 were not influenced by body composition. We conclude that the value of PtcO2 in monitoring of blood oxygenation was not unequivocally confirmed; PtcCO2 reliably reflects PaCO2, irrespective of sensor location. Body composition does not affect PtcO2 and PtcCO2.
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Air pollution is the most important environmental health risk leading to premature mortality, respiratory and other health problems. The aim of this study was to quantify its impact on infants and children in Warsaw (Poland), following the principles of Health Impact Assessment method. Particulate matter (PM(2.5) and PM(10)) was considered as the indicator of air pollution. ⋯ The mortality among infants and children is relatively low and occurs mostly in the postneonatal period. Nonetheless, approx. 5 mortality cases were assessed to be air pollution-attributable. The study demonstrates a significant impact of air pollution on infants and children, which is manifested primarily as a range of respiratory problems.
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microRNAs (miRNAs) are small, single-stranded noncoding RNA molecules involved in posttranscriptional control of gene expression of a wide number of genes. miRNAs align and bind especially to 3'UTR sequences of their target genes and initiate either mRNA degradation or translational repression, resulting in reduced protein levels. miRNAs are now recognized as major players in virtually every biological process. In recent years, the discovery of miRNAs has revolutionized the traditional view of gene expression and our understanding of miRNA biogenesis and function has thereby expanded. The discovery of mitochondrial-located miRNAs raises the issue of the molecular mechanism underlying their translocation from the nucleus to the mitochondria. ⋯ Consistently, obese individuals have mitochondria with compromised bioenergetic capacity. Therefore, increasing interest is being given to the role of miRNAs on metabolic regulation, with relevance on mitochondria and the mechanisms purported for miRNA actions, particularly acting in mitochondria or in mitochondria-related pathways. The involvement of miRNAs in mitochondrial metabolism, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), electron transport chain (ETC) components, lipid metabolism, and metabolic disorders is becoming more and more comprehended, as well as miRNAs contribution for processes such as mitochondrial dynamics or apoptosis regulation and cancer.
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The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a regulatory agency that has oversight for a wide range of products entering the US market, including gene and cell therapies. The regulatory approach for these products is similar to other medical products within the United States and consists of a multitiered framework of statutes, regulations, and guidance documents. Within this framework, there is considerable flexibility which is necessary due to the biological and technical complexity of these products in general. This chapter provides an overview of the US FDA regulatory oversight of gene and cell therapy products.