Association of breathing sound spectra with glottal dimensions in exercise-induced vocal cord dysfunction

The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between the breathing sound spectra and glottal dimensions in exercise-induced vocal cord dysfunction (EIVCD) during a bicycle ergometry test. Nineteen subjects (mean age 21.8 years and range 13-39 years) with suspected EIVCD were studied. Vocal folds were continuously imaged with videolaryngoscopy and breathing sounds were recorded during the bicycle exercise test. Twelve subjects showed paradoxical movement of the vocal folds during inspiration by the end of the exercise. In seven subjects, no abnormal reactions in vocal folds were found; they served as control subjects. The glottal quotient (interarytenoid distance divided by the anteroposterior glottal distance) was calculated. From the same time period, the tracheal-vocal tract resonance peaks of the breathing sound spectra were analyzed, and stridor sounds were detected and measured. Subjects with EIVCD showed significantly higher resonance peaks during the inspiratory phase compared to the expiratory phase (p <0.014). The glottal quotient decreased significantly in the EIVCD group (p <0.001), but not in the control group. 8 out of 12 EIVCD patients (67%) showed stridor sounds, while none of the controls did. There was a significant inverse correlation between the frequencies of the breathing sound resonance peaks and the glottal quotient. The findings indicate that the typical EIVCD reaction of a paradoxical approximation of the vocal folds during inspiration, measured here as a decrease in the glottal quotient, is significantly associated with an increase in inspiratory resonance peaks. The findings are applicable in the documentation of EIVCD findings using videolaryngoscopy, in addition to giving clinicians tools for EIVCD recognition. However, the study is limited by the small number of subjects.Peer reviewe

Characterization of C-nucleoside Antimicrobials from Streptomyces albus DSM 40763: Strepturidin is Pseudouridimycin

Pseudouridimycin (PUM), a selective inhibitor of bacterial RNA polymerase has been previously detected in microbial-extracts of two strains of Streptomyces species (strain ID38640 and ID38673). Here, we isolated PUM and its deoxygenated analogue desoxy-pseudouridimycin (dPUM) from Streptomyces albus DSM 40763, previously reported to produce the metabolite strepturidin (STU). The isolated compounds were characterized by HRMS and spectroscopic techniques and they selectively inhibited transcription by bacterial RNA polymerase as previously reported for PUM. In contrast, STU could not be detected in the cultures of S. albus DSM 40763. As the reported characteristics reported for STU are almost identical with that of PUM, the existence of STU was questioned. We further sequenced the genome of S. albus DSM 40763 and identified a gene cluster that contains orthologs of all PUM biosynthesis enzymes but lacks the enzymes that would conceivably allow biosynthesis of STU as an additional product

Eicosanoid Inflammatory Mediators Are Robustly Associated With Blood Pressure in the General Population

Background Epidemiological and animal studies have associated systemic inflammation with blood pressure (BP). However, the mechanistic factors linking inflammation and BP remain unknown. Fatty acid-derived eicosanoids serve as mediators of inflammation and have been suggested to regulate renal vascular tone, peripheral resistance, renin-angiotensin system, and endothelial function. We hypothesize that specific proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids are linked with BP. Methods and Results We studied a population sample of 8099 FINRISK 2002 participants randomly drawn from the Finnish population register (53% women; mean age, 48±13 years) and, for external validation, a sample of 2859 FHS (Framingham Heart Study) Offspring study participants (55% women; mean age, 66±9 years). Using nontargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we profiled 545 distinct high-quality eicosanoids and related oxylipin mediators in plasma. Adjusting for conventional hypertension risk factors, we observed 187 (34%) metabolites that were significantly associated with systolic BP (P</i

Адаптация гидравлической модели водостока к бассейнам рек Дунай и Днестр

Гидравлическая модель водостока адаптирована к бассейну рек Дунай и Днестр. По данным орографии, атмосферных осадках или поверхностном стоке она позволяет рассчитывать объемы, расходы и уровни воды с пространственным разрешением 1 км. В модели возможно использование данные об экосистемах на земной поверхности, типах почвы. По данным наблюдений стока оценены среднемесячные величины расходов рек, которые соответствуют наблюдениям, что позволяет применять модель в дальнейших оценках стока, наносов и т.д.Hydraulic model of water inflow is adapted to the Danube and the Dniester rivers basin. According to the orography, precipitation and surface inflow data it permits to calculate water volumes, discharges and levels with spatial resolution 1 km. It is possible to use the data on ecosystems on the ground surface, types of soil in the model. According to the observations data of the inflow the average monthly values of river discharges corresponding to the observations are estimated. It permits to apply the model in the further estimations of inflow, alluvia e t.c

2015/16 seasonal vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation with influenza a(H1N1)pdm09 and B among elderly people in Europe: Results from the I-MOVE+ project

We conducted a multicentre test-negative caseâ\u80\u93control study in 27 hospitals of 11 European countries to measure 2015/16 influenza vaccine effectiveness (IVE) against hospitalised influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and B among people aged â\u89¥ 65 years. Patients swabbed within 7 days after onset of symptoms compatible with severe acute respiratory infection were included. Information on demographics, vaccination and underlying conditions was collected. Using logistic regression, we measured IVE adjusted for potential confounders. We included 355 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 cases, 110 influenza B cases, and 1,274 controls. Adjusted IVE against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was 42% (95% confidence interval (CI): 22 to 57). It was 59% (95% CI: 23 to 78), 48% (95% CI: 5 to 71), 43% (95% CI: 8 to 65) and 39% (95% CI: 7 to 60) in patients with diabetes mellitus, cancer, lung and heart disease, respectively. Adjusted IVE against influenza B was 52% (95% CI: 24 to 70). It was 62% (95% CI: 5 to 85), 60% (95% CI: 18 to 80) and 36% (95% CI: -23 to 67) in patients with diabetes mellitus, lung and heart disease, respectively. 2015/16 IVE estimates against hospitalised influenza in elderly people was moderate against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and B, including among those with diabetes mellitus, cancer, lung or heart diseases