General approach to stochastic resetting.

We address the effect of stochastic resetting on diffusion and subdiffusion process. For diffusion we find that mean square displacement relaxes to a constant only when the distribution of reset times possess finite mean and variance. In this case, the leading order contribution to the probability density function (PDF) of a Gaussian propagator under resetting exhibits a cusp independent of the specific details of the reset time distribution. For subdiffusion we derive the PDF in Laplace space for arbitrary resetting protocol. Resetting at constant rate allows evaluation of the PDF in terms of H function. We analyze the steady state and derive the rate function governing the relaxation behavior. For a subdiffusive process the steady state could exist even if the distribution of reset times possesses only finite mean.

Integral decomposition for the solutions of the generalized Cattaneo equation.

We present the integral decomposition for the fundamental solution of the generalized Cattaneo equation with both time derivatives smeared through convoluting them with some memory kernels. For power-law kernels t^{-α}, α∈(0,1] this equation becomes the time fractional one governed by the Caputo derivatives in which the highest order is 2. To invert the solutions from the Fourier-Laplace domain to the space-time domain we use analytic methods based on the Efross theorem and find out that solutions looked for are represented by integral decompositions which tangle the fundamental solution of the standard Cattaneo equation with nonnegative and normalizable functions being uniquely dependent on the memory kernels. Furthermore, the use of methodology arising from the theory of complete Bernstein functions allows us to assign such constructed integral decompositions the interpretation of subordination. This fact is preserved in two limit cases built into the generalized Cattaneo equations, i.e., either the diffusion or the wave equations. We point out that applying the Efross theorem enables us to go beyond the standard approach which usually leads to the integral decompositions involving the Gaussian distribution describing the Brownian motion. Our approach clarifies puzzling situation which takes place for the power-law kernels t^{-α} for which the subordination based on the Brownian motion does not work if α∈(1/2,1].

Generalized Cattaneo (telegrapher's) equations in modeling anomalous diffusion phenomena.

We study generalized Cattaneo (telegrapher's) equations involving memory effects introduced by smearing the time derivatives. Consistency conditions where the smearing functions obey restrict freedom in their choice but the proposed scheme goes beyond the approach based on using fractional derivatives. We find conditions under which solutions of the equations considered so far can be recognized as probability distributions, i.e., are normalizable and nonnegative on their domains. Nonnegativity of solutions is demonstrated by methods of positive definite and completely monotonic functions with the Bernstein theorem being the cornerstone of the ongoing proofs. Analysis of exactly solvable examples and relevant mean-squared displacements enables us to classify diffusion processes described by such got solutions and to identify them with either ordinary or anomalous diffusion which character may change over time. To complete the present research we compare our results with those obtained using the continuous-time random-walk and the continuous-time persistent random-walk approaches.

Effects of Osteopathic Manual Therapy on Hyperinflation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Cross-Over Study.

Osteopathic manual therapy (OMT) may reduce hyperinflation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by improving breathing mechanics. The aim of the study was to evaluate the immediate effects of OMT on hyperinflation in stable COPD patients with forced expired volume in 1 s (FEV1) <50% predicted. Nineteen COPD patients of the median age 68 (IQR 63-72) years and the median FEV1 39.8 (IQR 33.4-46.6) % predicted were enrolled into the study. For the first session, patients were randomly assigned to either OMT or sham therapy. During the second session, the two groups of patients were crossed over. Pulmonary function and dyspnea were compared before and after both procedures. Neither pulmonary function nor dyspnea differed significantly before and after OMT or sham procedures. However, 36.7% and 47.4% patients achieved the minimally important difference for residual volume (RV) reduction after both OMT and sham therapy, respectively. Responders to OMT had a greater median (IQR) baseline sense of dyspnea compared to non-responders, assessed on a visual analog scale, of 7.0 (4.5-7.0) vs. 3.0 (0.0-5.0), p = 0.040, respectively. Although OMT did not have an immediate effect on hyperinflation or dyspnea, a subgroup experienced a reduction in RV following OMT and sham therapy. Future studies are needed to identify the characteristics of responders.

Acute Response to Cigarette Smoking Assessed in Exhaled Breath Condensate in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Healthy Smokers.

The effect of acute exposure to cigarette smoke (CS) on the respiratory system has been less extensively studied than the long term effects of smoking. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the acute response to CS in smokers suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in healthy smokers. Nineteen stable COPD patients and 19 young healthy smokers were enrolled. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IL-1ß, and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) before and 60 min after smoking a cigarette. When pre- and post-CS levels of the evaluated biomarkers were compared, no differences were found in either group. However, the post-CS MDA was significantly greater in healthy smokers than that in COPD patients; 20.41 vs. 16.81 nmol/L, p = 0.01, respectively. Post-CS TNF-α correlated inversely with FEV1/FVC in healthy smokers. We conclude that CS does not acutely increase the EBC concentration of the inflammatory markers either in COPD patients or healthy smokers. The short term CS-induced oxidative stress is higher in young smokers than in COPD patients, which what may indicate a higher susceptibility to CS content of the former.

Comparison of Small Bore Catheter Aspiration and Chest Tube Drainage in the Management of Spontaneous Pneumothorax.

Beside standard chest tube drainage other less invasive techniques have been used in the management of patients with an acute episode of spontaneous pneumothorax. The aim of the study was to evaluate the short term effect of spontaneous pneumothorax treatment with small-bore pleural catheter and manual aspiration as compared to large-bore chest tube drainage. Patients with an episode of pneumothorax who required pleural intervention were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to one of the treatment arms: (1) small-bore pleural catheter (8 Fr) with manual aspiration; (2) standard chest tube drainage (20-24 Fr). Success rate of the first line treatment, duration of catheter or chest tube drainage, and the need for surgical intervention were the outcome measures. The study group included 49 patients (mean age 46.9±21.3 years); with 22 and 27 allocated to small bore manual aspiration and chest tube drainage groups, respectively. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics of patients in both therapeutic arms. First line treatment success rates were 64% and 82% in the manual aspiration and chest tube drainage groups, respectively; the difference was insignificant. Median time of treatment with small bore catheter was significantly shorter than conventional chest tube drainage (2.0 vs. 6.0 days; p<0.05). Our results show that treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax with small-bore pleural catheter and manual aspiration might be similarly effective as is chest tube drainage in terms of immediate lung re-expansion.

Variability of Transcutaneous Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Pressure Measurements Associated with Sensor Location.

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. PtcO2 and PtcCO2 were measured in 20 healthy volunteers at three locations: right second intercostal space, lateral surface of the abdomen, and the inner surface of the left arm. The results were recorded 10, 15, and 20 min after sensor fixation and compared with SaO2 and ABG measured 20 min after electrode placement on the chest. Body composition was evaluated by bioimpedance. The findings were that PtcO2 was stable on the chest; but on the arm and abdomen it increased and reached maximum at 20 min. Transcutaneous PCO2 stabilized at 10 min in all the three locations. No significant correlations between PtcO2 and SaO2 or PaO2 were found. Transcutaneous PCO2 correlated with PaCO2. 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.

Operator solutions for fractional Fokker-Planck equations.

We obtain exact results for fractional equations of Fokker-Planck type using the evolution operator method. We employ exact forms of one-sided Lévy stable distributions to generate a set of self-reproducing solutions. Explicit cases are reported and studied for various fractional order of derivatives, different initial conditions, and for different versions of Fokker-Planck operators.

Lévy stable two-sided distributions: exact and explicit densities for asymmetric case.

We investigate functions g(α,ß;x) which are heavy-tailed Lévy stable probability distributions of index 0<α≤2 and appropriate asymmetry parameter ß. They are of central importance in physics of amorphous and disordered systems, econophysics, geology, hydrology, internet traffic, dynamics of human relations, etc. We present an ensemble of exact and explicit solutions of g(α,ß;x) for all admissible rational values of α and ß. We reproduce all the previously known cases and furnish distributions for values α and ß which were previously inaccessible. We point out many instances of experimental and statistical data that could be described by our results.

Exact and explicit probability densities for one-sided Lévy stable distributions.

We study functions gα(x) which are one-sided, heavy-tailed Lévy stable probability distributions of index α, 0<α<1, of fundamental importance in random systems, for anomalous diffusion and fractional kinetics. We furnish exact and explicit expressions for gα(x), 0 ≤ x<∞, for all α=l/k<1, with k and l positive integers. We reproduce all the known results given by k ≤ 4 and present many new exact solutions for k > 4, all expressed in terms of known functions. This will allow a "fine-tuning" of α in order to adapt gα(x) to a given experimental situation.

Incidence and aetiology of eosinophilic pleural effusion.

Although eosinophilic pleural effusion (EPE) has been a subject of numerous studies, its clinical significance still remains unclear. The aim of our study was to evaluate: 1) the relative incidence and aetiology of EPE; 2) the predictors of malignancy in patients with EPE; and 3) the relationship between repeated thoracentesis and pleural fluid eosinophilia. A retrospective analysis of 2,205 pleural fluid samples from 1,868 patients treated between 1995 and 2007 was performed. We identified 135 patients with EPE (7.2% of all patients with pleural effusion) and 153 EPE samples. The most common condition associated with EPE was malignancy (34.8%) followed by infectious (19.2%), unknown (14.1%), post-traumatic (8.9%) and miscellaneous (23.0%) pleural effusions. The incidence of malignancy was significantly higher in patients with a lower (< or =40%) pleural fluid eosinophil percentage. 40 patients with EPE underwent a second thoracentesis. In 16, eosinophilia was present in both pleural fluid samples, 14 revealed pleural fluid eosinophilia only after the second thoracentesis and 10 had eosinophilia only in the first pleural fluid sample. Pleural fluid eosinophilia should not be regarded as a predictor of nonmalignant aetiology. Probability of malignancy is lower in effusions with a high eosinophil percentage. The incidence of EPE in patients undergoing second thoracentesis is not different to that found during the first thoracentesis.

Relationship between airway wall thickness assessed by high-resolution computed tomography and lung function in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Airway remodeling in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) results in thickening of bronchial walls and may affect lung function. In the present study we set out to evaluate the relationship between small airway wall thickness and the lung function parameters in patients with asthma and COPD. The study was performed in 10 patients with asthma (4M/6F, the mean age 37+/-13 yr) and 12 patients with COPD (7M/5F, the mean age 57+/-9 yr) with stable, mild to moderate disease. The study group characteristics were based on clinical assessment and lung function testing (spirometry, body plethysmography, methacholine challenge test). All patients underwent chest high resolution computerized tomography with small bronchi (external diameter 1-5 mm) cross section measurements at five selected lung levels. The following parameters were measured in end-inspiratory scans: external (D) and internal (L) diameters, wall area (WA), percentage of the wall area (WA%), wall thickness (WT), and WT/D ratio (BWT). We found no significant correlations between airway wall thickness and spirometric parameters in either group. In the asthma group, the relationships between WA% and BWT, on the one side, and postbronchodilator residual volume, on the other, were noted (r=0.72; P<0.05 and r=0.72; P<0.05, respectively). In the COPD group, WA% related with airway resistance (r=0.72; P<0.05). The correlations between WA% and PC(20) (r=-0.61; P<0.05) and BWT and PC(20) (r=-0.72; P<0.05) were found in the COPD group. There was also a relationship between WA% and airway resistance (Raw) (r=0.72; P<0.05) and BWT and Raw (r=0.45; P=0.1). The number of pack-years correlated with WA and WT in COPD patients. In conclusion, the study shows that the thickening of airway wall in asthma is reflected by an increase in the indices of air trapping and in COPD this thickening results in a higher airway resistance and responsiveness. In COPD, the thickening of airway wall also is related to exposure to tobacco smoke.

Relationship between airway inflammation and remodeling in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

UNLABELLED: Despite a number of important differences in the pathogenesis, course and prognosis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), these two entities also have common features with airway inflammation being one of them. Airway remodeling is a characteristic feature of asthma, but data on the bronchial wall thickening in COPD patients are still scarce. AIM: To assess the relation between the inflammatory cell count in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and thickness of bronchial walls assessed by high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in asthma and COPD patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 9 patients with mild-to-moderate asthma (M/F 4/5, mean age 35 +/- 10 years) and 11 patients with mild-to-moderate COPD (M/F 7/4, mean age 57 +/- 9 years). In all subjects lung function tests and HRCT scanning of the chest were performed. External (D) and internal (L) diameters of the airways were assessed at five selected lung levels. The lumen area (A(L)), wall area (WA), wall thickness (WT) and bronchial wall thickness (WT/D ratio) were calculated. Eight patients with asthma and 8 patients with COPD underwent fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Total and differential cell counts were assessed in the BAL fluid. RESULTS: Mean FEV(1)% pred was 80 +/- 19%, and 73 +/- 20% in asthma and COPD patients, respectively (NS). No significant differences in the total and differential cell counts in BALF were found in patients with asthma and COPD. There were no significant differences in the airway diameter or airway wall thickness. The mean inner airway diameter was 1.4 +/- 0.3 and 1.2 +/- 0.3 mm and the mean lumen area was 1.8 +/- 0.7 and 1.6 +/- 0.7 mm(2) in asthma and COPD, respectively (NS). Negative correlations between the eosinophil count in BALF and inner airway diameter (r=-0.7, P<0.05) and lumen area (r=-0.7, P<0.05) were found in asthmatics. There was no significant relationship between the BALF cell count and airway wall thickness in COPD patients. - CONCLUSIONS: In mild-to-moderate asthma and COPD the airway diameter and thickness are similar. In asthmatics, the airway diameter might be associated with eosinophil count in BAL fluid.

Diagnostic utility of pleural fluid and serum markers in differentiation between malignant and non-malignant pleural effusions.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic value of four different tumor markers: cancer antigen 125 (CA-125), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) and neuron specific enolase (NSE) in patients with malignant and non-malignant pleural effusion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and two patients with pleural effusion treated in the University Hospital in Warsaw between 2001 and 2003 were studied. They underwent an extensive, diagnostic work-up in order to determine the pleural effusion etiology. Patients with known pleural fluid etiology were labeled as the study group and submitted for further analysis. Pleural fluid and serum samples for CA-125, CEA, CYFRA 21-1 and NSE measurements were collected during the first thoracentesis, centrifuged, and frozen until further use. Pleural fluid and serum concentration of tumor markers were assessed by electrochemiluminescence methods using commercial kits. RESULTS: 74 patients (32 M, 42 F; mean age 65 +/-14 years) composed the final study group. Exudative pleural effusion was found in 62 patients; of these 36 were malignant (48.6% of all effusions), 20 parapneumonic (or pleural empyema), and 6 tuberculous. In 12 patients, pleural transudate was diagnosed. The highest diagnostic sensitivity for malignant pleural effusion was found for NSE (94.4% and 80.6% in the pleural fluid and serum, respectively). However, the specificity of NSE measurement was relatively low (36.1% and 47.4% in pleural fluid and serum, respectively). The most specific markers of malignant pleural fluid etiology were pleural fluid CYFRA 21-1 and CEA levels (92.1% and 92.1%, respectively). CA-125 was found to be the most specific serum marker of pleural malignancies (78.9%). The AUC for combined pleural markers was 0.89, combined serum markers 0.82, combined ratio pleural/serum markers 0.88. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences between the diagnostic value of various pleural fluid and serum markers. Overall, pleural fluid markers are superior to serum markers in determining the pleural fluid etiology. A combination of two or more tumor markers may help improve their diagnostic accuracy. Pleural fluid and serum measurements of different tumor markers play a limited role in the differentiation between malignant and non-malignant pleural effusions.

Eosinophilic airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.

Eosinophilic airway inflammation is regarded as a typical feature of asthma, while in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) neutrophils seem predominant inflammatory airway cells. The aim of the present study was to compare the cellular components of airway inflammation in patients with newly diagnosed mild or moderate COPD and asthma. Seventeen patients with COPD (M/F 10/7, aged 57 +/-11 yr) and 22 patients with asthma (M/F 12/10, aged 36 +/-14 yr) were enrolled into the study. None of the patients has been treated with steroids for at least 3 months. All patients underwent clinical examination, laboratory examinations, skin-prick tests, pulmonary function tests, methacholine challenge test, and sputum induction with the total and differential cell count assessments. We found increased number of eosinophils in both study groups. However, there were no significant differences in the cellular composition of induced sputum between the asthma and COPD patients. We conclude that eosinophils are important inflammatory cells not only in asthma, but also in COPD.

Comparison of cellular and biochemical markers of airway inflammation in patients with mild-to-moderate asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an induced sputum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid study.

Although the clinical pictures of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be similar, the pathogenesis differs in many aspects. The aim of the present study was to compare the cellular and biochemical features of airway inflammation in patients with asthma and COPD. The study was conducted in 22 patients with asthma (M/F 12/10, mean age 36 +/-14 years) and 17 patients with COPD (M/F 10/7, mean age 57 +/-11 years). Each patient underwent sputum induction followed by bronchoscopy, and bronchoalveolar lavage. Total and differential cell counts and the concentration of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured in induced sputum (IS) and BALF. We found no significant differences in the total and differential cell counts in IS between asthma and COPD patients. However, COPD patients showed an increased total macrophage count in BALF compared with asthma patients. The relative eosinophil count in BALF was significantly higher in patients with asthma vs. COPD. The concentration of IL-8 in IS and BALF was significantly higher in patients with COPD vs. asthma patients. The BALF concentration of MPO was significantly higher in patients with COPD compared with asthma patients. We conclude that the comparison of cellular composition and the concentration of inflammatory mediators in IS does not differentiate between asthma and COPD. The evaluation of BALF reveals more differences in the cellular and biochemical features of airways inflammation in patients with asthma and COPD than that of IS.

The effect of fiberoptic bronchoscopy on exhaled nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide has been extensively studied as a noninvasive marker of airway inflammation. Assuming that bronchoscopy can produce not only systemic but also local inflammatory response, we hypothesized that bronchofiberoscopy can be responsible for an increase in nitric oxide synthesis with resulting increase in fractional concentration of exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)). Fifty five subjects (F/M-23/32; mean age 53.9 +/-17.3 yr) undergoing diagnostic bronchoscopy participated in the study. The indications for bronchoscopy were as follows: interstitial lung diseases (n=13; 23.6%), lung cancer (n=11; 20.0%), hemoptysis (n=10; 18.2%), differential diagnosis of asthma/dyspnea (n=9; 16.4%), pulmonary infections (n=7; 12.7%), and others (n=5; 9.1%). During bronchoscopy bronchial washing (n=18), bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) (n=26), and bronchial biopsies (n=24) were performed. FE(NO) was analyzed on-line with chemiluminescence analyzer (NIOX, Aerocrine, Sweden) according to the ATS guidelines, before and at 1, 2, 3 and 24 h after bronchoscopy. The mean FE(NO) before bronchoscopy was 21.0 +/-3.31(SE) ppb, it decreased to 14.8 +/-2.10 ppb 1 h after bronchoscopy, reached a nadir at 2 h (14.4 +/-2.28 ppb; P<0.05), and was not different from baseline 24 h after bronchoscopy (22.8 +/-2.90 ppb). There were no differences in the FE(NO) profile in BAL patients compared with those in whom only the bronchial washing was performed. We conclude that bronchoscopy leads to a decrease in FE(NO). The underlying mechanisms are at present unclear.

[Risk factors for coronary heart disease in 1002 patients with hyperlipidemia]. / Czynniki ryzyka choroby niedokrwiennej serca u 1002 pacjentów z hiperlipidemia.

The aim of this study was to estimate the coexistence of risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) in hyperlipidemic patients. Studies were performed in 1002 (601 women, 401 men) subjects who referred to our outpatient clinic among 12 months. Hypercholesterolemia was the predominant lipid disorder found in 66% of patients, mixed hyperlipidemia in 31.8%, and hypertriglyceridemia only in 2.2%. Overweight and obesity remain a major health burden among our patients: BMI > or = 25 was observed in 66%. Hypertension was recognized in 37.5% of subjects, and diabetes mellitus in 11.2%, 17% were long-term smokers. Familial aggregation of hyperlipidemia was observed in 15.7% of subjects, and more than 44% had a positive family history of cardiovascular disease. Low HDL cholesterol levels (< 35 mg/dl) were seen frequently in men (24.7%) and rare in women (7%). Lp(a) excess (> or = 30 mg/dl) was observed in 12% of patients. Myocardial infarction (MI) had already 11.7% subjects (7% women, 18.7% men). In these patients CHD risk factors were observed more frequently. The higher apo B and Lp(a) levels and lower HDL cholesterol levels were recognized in the patients who suffered from MI. More than 83% of our hyperlipidemic patients had coexistence CHD risk factors. The multiple coexisting risk factors cause the high risk for CHD and they require intensive correction.