(Source: Eurosurveillance latest news)

Conclusions:Prior diagnosis of OSA did not independently affect development of ARDS among patients with at least one predisposing condition, nor the need for mechanical ventilation or hospital mortality. Obesity appeared to independently increase the risk of ARDS.Citation:Karnatovskaia LV, Lee AS, Bender SP, Talmor D, Festic E. Obstructive sleep apnea, obesity, and the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome. J Clin Sleep Med 2014;10(6):657-662. (Source: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM)

On 31 May 2014, the National IHR Focal Point of Algeria notified WHO of two laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). This is the first report of laboratory-confirmed cases in Algeria. Globally, 699 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with MERS-CoV including at least 211 related deaths have officially been reported to WHO. (Source: WHO Disease Outbreaks)

The respiratory operating point (ventilatory or arterial Pco2 response) is determined by the intersection point between the controller and plant subsystem elements within the respiratory control system. However, to what extent changes in central blood volume (CBV) influence these two elements and the corresponding implications for the respiratory operating point remain unclear. To examine this, 17 apparently healthy male participants were exposed to water immersion (WI) or lower body negative pressure (LBNP) challenges to manipulate CBV and determine the corresponding changes. The respiratory controller was characterized by determining the linear relationship between end-tidal Pco2 (PetCO2) and minute ventilation (Ve) [Ve = S x (PetCO2 – B)], whereas the plant was determined by the h...