bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Inhaled lysine acetylsalicylate (L‐ASA) attenuates histamine‐induced bronchoconstriction in asthma
Authors: Crimi N. , Polosa R. , Magrì S. , Prosperini G. , Paolino G. , Mastruzzo C. , Mistretta A. 
Published: April 2008

When administered by inhalation, histamine provokes dose‐related bronchoconstriction in asthmatic subjects mainly by a direct activation of histamine H1‐receptors on airway smooth muscle. However, little is known of the change in airway responsiveness to histamine after cyclooxygenase blockade. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the potent cyclooxygenase inhibitor, lysine acetylsalicylate (L‐ASA), administered by inhalation on histamine‐induced bronchoconstriction in a group of 16 asthmatic subjects. The subjects studied attended the laboratory on four separate occasions to receive nebulized L‐ASA (solution of 90mg/ml) or matched placebo (glycine solution of 30 mg/ml) 15 min before bronchoprovocation tests with histamine and methacholine in a randomized, double‐blind order. Changes in airway caliber were followed as forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and agonist responsiveness was expressed as the provocative concentration causing a 20% fall in FEV1 from baseline (PC20).Administration of both L‐ASA and glycine solution caused a small but significant acute fall in FEV1 from baseline, which returned to normal within 15 min. When compared to placebo, inhaled L‐ASA reduced the airway responsiveness to histamine in 13 of the 16 subjects studied, the geometric mean (range) values for PC20 histamine increasing significantly (P<0.001) from 1.72 (0.13–5.49) mg/ml to 3.31 (0.36–12.00) mg/ml after placebo and L‐ASA, respectively. No significant change in airway responsiveness to methacholine was recorded after L‐ASA. Acute administration of L‐ASA by inhalation protects the asthmatic airways against histamine‐induced bronchoconstriction, thus suggesting that endogenous prostaglandins may play a contributory role in the airways response to histamine in human asthma
Economic analysis of two structured treatment and teaching programs on asthma
Authors: Neri M. , Migliori G. B. , Spanevello A. , Berra D. , Nicolin E. , Landoni C. V. , Ballardini I. , Sommaruga M. , Zanon P. 
Published: April 2008

The aims of the present study were as follows:

to evaluate the medical outcomes of two treatment and educational asthma programs
to determine by cost‐analysis both cost and economic outcome of the programs
to perform a cost‐benefit analysis (determining the net cost‐benefit) and a cost‐effectiveness analysis (determining the cost per unit of effect and the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio) from the perspective of health program policy makers (HPP; indirect costs, i.e., loss of productivity, excluded) and of society as a whole (Saw; all costs included).

Patients were randomly assigned to a complete (CP; n = 32) or reduced (RP; n = 33) program: the RP group received a reduced education (self‐reading of an educational booklet on asthma), while the CP group attended an “asthma school”, consisting of six lessons based on the same booklet and including educational videotapes. Both programs included peak‐flow monitoring and treatment according to international guidelines, and follow‐up. The outcome variables (asthma attacks, urgent medical examinations, admission days, working days lost) did not differ significantly between CP and RP. Morbidity savings were $1894.70 (CP) and $1697.80 (RP) according to Saw, and $1349.50 and $1301.80, respectively, according to HPP. The net cost‐benefit was $1181.50 for CP and $1028.00 for RP, and the cost‐benefit ratio per dollar spent was 1:2.6 for CP and 1:2.5 for RP, according to Saw. One day of admission prevented had a cost of $110.20 (CP) and $94.10 (RP). CP gave slightly better results and was slightly more cost‐effective than RP in improving patients' welfare. It cannot be excluded that the retrospective analysis used to determine baseline costs might have inflated differences for both groups. Sensitivity analysis was slightly in favor of RP when the outcome variables were tested at their upper and lower 95% CI.
Integrin VLA‐6 (α6β1) mediates adhesion of mouse bone marrow‐derived mast cells to laminin
Authors: Fehlner‐Gardiner C. , Uniyal S. , van Ballestrem C. , Dougherty G. J. , Chan B. M. C. 
Published: April 2008

The development of mast cells from bone marrow precursors and their function as the mucosal‐ or connective‐tissue‐type mast cell are critically dependent on microenvironmental factors. Extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagen, fibronectin, and laminin, may represent insoluble components of the microcnvironment. Recent studies have describcd multiple isoforms of laminin isolated from different tissues. In the present study, adhesion of mouse bone marrow‐derived mast cells (BMMC) and long‐term mast cell lines to Engclbreth‐Holm‐Swarm (EHS) tumor laminin, rat laminin. human merosin, and human placental laminin was compared. The greatest level of adhesion was found with human laminin as the substrate. By use of a newly prepared mouse VLA‐α6 integrin‐specific mAb (MA6) together with the previously described mAb GoH3, VLA‐6 (α6β1) integrin was found to be expressed and utilized by BMMC and long‐term mast cell lines. VLA‐6 has been described as a major laminin receptor with roles in diverse cell functions including cell growth and differentiation. BMMC have been shown to express a 32/67‐kDa laminin receptor.Therefore, in addition to the 32/67‐kDa laminin receptor described in early studies, BMMC also express VLA‐6 integrin, which may have roles in the regulation of their development.
Social rhythm regularity and the onset of affective episodes in bipolar spectrum individuals
Authors: Shen Gail HC , Alloy Lauren B , Abramson Lyn Y , Sylvia Louisa G 
Published: April 2008

Objectives:  Research suggests that bipolar disorder individuals may have less social rhythm regularity than normal controls and that this may contribute to their affective symptoms and episodes. This study examined whether regularity prospectively predicted time to onset of major depressive, hypomanic and manic episodes in a sample with bipolar spectrum disorders.Methods:  We recruited 414 undergraduate students from Temple University and University of Wisconsin diagnosed with cyclothymia, bipolar II disorder, or with no affective disorder (normal controls). Participants completed the Social Rhythm Metric at Time 1 and structured interviews approximately every four months for an average follow‐up period of 33 months.Results:  Participants diagnosed with cyclothymia and bipolar II disorder reported significantly fewer regular activities than normal controls, and approximately half of these participants experienced a worsening course of their illness over the study duration. Survival analyses indicated that both diagnosis and social rhythm regularity significantly predicted the time to participants’ first prospective onset of major depressive, hypomanic and manic episodes.Conclusion:  Consistent with the social zeitgeber theory, bipolar spectrum participants reported less social rhythm regularity than normal controls, which prospectively predicted the survival time to affective episodes.
Rapid cycling bipolar disorders in primary and tertiary care treated patients
Authors: Hajek Tomas , Hahn Margaret , Slaney Claire , Garnham Julie , Green Joshua , Růžičková Martina , Zvolský Peter , Alda Martin 
Published: April 2008

Objective:  Rapid cycling (RC) affects 13–30% of bipolar patients. Most of the data regarding RC have been obtained in tertiary care research centers. Generalizability of these findings to primary care populations is thus questionable. We examined clinical and demographic factors associated with RC in both primary and tertiary care treated populations.Method:  Clinical data were obtained by interview from 240 bipolar I disorder (BDI) or bipolar II disorder (BDII) community‐treated patients and by chart reviews from 119 bipolar patients treated at an outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital.Results:  Lifetime history of rapid cycling was present in 33.3% and 26.9% of patients from the primary and tertiary care samples, respectively. Among community‐treated patients, lifetime history of RC was significantly associated with history of suicidal behavior and higher body mass index. There was a trend for association between RC and BDII, psychiatric comorbidity, diabetes mellitus, as well as lower age of onset of mania/hypomania. In the tertiary care treated sample there was a trend for association between lifetime history of RC and suicidal behavior. Tertiary versus primary care treated subjects with lifetime history of RC demonstrated markedly lower response to mood stabilizers.Conclusions:  Lifetime history of RC is highly prevalent in both primary and tertiary settings. Even primary care treated subjects with lifetime history of RC seem to suffer from a more complicated and less treatment‐responsive variant of bipolar disorder. Our findings further suggest relatively good generalizability of data from tertiary to primary care settings.
Are C‐reactive protein and homocysteine cardiovascular risk factors in obese children and adolescents?
Authors: Semiz Serap , Rota Simin , Özdemir Özmert , Özdemir Ayşegül , Kaptanoğlu Bünyamin 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBackground:Several prospective epidemiological studies have demonstrated that high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) and plasma homocysteine (hcy) are predictors of future coronary events among healthy men and women. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate a possible relationship between hsCRP, hcy levels and body mass index (BMI), relative weight (RW), serum leptin levels, and cardiovascular risk factors in obese children and adolescents.Methods:The study involved 28 obese children and adolescents (13 girls, 15 boys; BMI>95‰ for age and sex), 4.5–15 years of age (mean 10.7 ± 0.6 years), who attended hospital for a basic obesity check‐up. The association between hsCRP, hcy levels and BMI, RW, serum leptin levels, and cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure (BP), lipid profile, serum fasting insulin levels, and insulin resistance indexes, was investigated.Results:Serum hsCRP level was positively correlated with BMI (r= 0.512,P < 0.01), RW (r= 0.438,P < 0.05), systolic and diastolic BP (r= 0.498,P < 0.01), serum leptin levels (r= 0.457,P < 0.05), but not with serum lipid, glucose, fasting insulin, plasma hcy levels or insulin resistance indexes. For hcy level, in contrast, no correlation was found with BMI, RW, systolic and diastolic BP, serum lipid levels, leptin, hsCRP, glucose, fasting insulin levels, or insulin resistance indexes.Conclusions:hsCRP is correlated with BMI, RW, BP and leptin, which are risk factors for coronary heart disease, which supports the relationship between obesity, inflammation and atherosclerosis. hsCRP in childhood obesity might be a useful index to predict possible atherosclerotic events.
Withdrawal of neonatal continuous positive airway pressure: Current practice in Australia
Authors: Jardine Luke , Davies Mark W. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBackground: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a widely accepted method of respiratory support used in the care of preterm infants. It remains unknown as to what is the best strategy for the withdrawal of CPAP once it has been commenced. The aim of the present survey was to establish the current practices for withdrawal of nasal CPAP used by Australian neonatologists. A secondary aim was to establish what criteria clinicians use as an indicator for failure off CPAP.Methods: Surveys were sent to all 124 Australian neonatologists identified by the list of centers in the Australia and New Zealand Neonatal Network.Results: A total of 124 surveys were sent; 86 (69%) replies were received, of which 84 (68%) of the respondents had completed the questionnaire. Seventy‐one percent of respondents used a graded‐time‐off CPAP. The majority of babies for whom they used graded‐time‐off CPAP were deemed to be chronic (79%) or had chronic neonatal lung disease (73%). A total of 74% of respondents had the level of CPAP gradually reduced.Conclusions: At least 48% of Australian neonatologists use graded‐time‐off CPAP. At least 50% of Australian neonatologists wean the level of CPAP prior to cessation. Neonatologists have similar criteria for recommencing CPAP, with the majority considering increased oxygen requirement, increased work of breathing, increased frequency of apnea and increased severity of apnea important indicators.
COMPETITIVE LONG RUN INDUSTRY EQUILIBRIUM AND FACTOR‐PRICE UNCERTAINTY*
Authors: HARUNA SHOJI 
Published: April 2008

SummaryIn this paper we have considered competitive long run industry equilibrium with factor‐price uncertainty. We discussed the long run equilibrium output of firms with risk neutrality, output price and their responses to changes in uncertainty, factor price and industry demand. In the first part of this paper we have derived a result that, given risk neutrality, the firms operate at proper capacity, i.e. where expected long run marginal cost is equal to expected long run average cost, as shown in the case of output‐price uncertainty. This result is, however, different from that obtained from Sheshinski and Dréze (1976).From the comparative static analysis we first discovered that even under risk neutrality factor‐price uncertainty affects the long run industry equilibrium: that is, a mean preserving increase in uncertainty leads firm's to enter the industry, because they can decrease expected long run costs as the variability of factor price increases. Consequently, output price goes down. In contrast, firm size is kept invariable in response to its increase as long as the cost function is separable, i.e. the separability of the cost function holds when production functions are the Cobb‐Douglas and CES types used commonly in empirical work, although firm size might, generally, be affected by the increase. It is an interesting fact that firm size and industry size will express different responses to a change in risk. The result that the long run industry equilibrium with cost uncertainty is explicitly affected is a sharp contrast to the result under output‐price uncertainty and provides a new aspect for understanding about the behaviour of the industry with uncertainty. Secondly, increased factor‐price causes the number of firms in the industry to decline and output price to rise. In addition, firm's size will expand with its increase if that factor is inferior, while the effect on firm size is ambiguous if it is normal. The firm's output, i.e. firm size, is, however, kept constant if the cost function is separable. Thirdly, the long run equilibrium output of the firm remains intact but the number of firms increases as industry demand rises. This result holds, regardless of the firm's attitude towards risk. Finally, we find throughout the paper that the functional form of the cost function plays a significant role in determining the behaviour of the industry with factor‐price uncertainty.
The Tale of Three Amigos: Remittances, Exchange Rates, and Money Demand in Mexico
Authors: Vargas‐Silva Carlos 
Published: April 2008

AbstractThe author analyzes the relationship between remittances, exchange rates, and money demand in Mexico. He finds that shocks to remittances have a positive impact on domestic money demand. The results also suggest the existence of a bi‐directional relationship between remittances and the exchange rate. Furthermore, positive shocks to remittances are found to have a negative impact on Mexico's real exchange rate. This indicates that remittances appreciate the Mexican peso and therefore may impact on the competitiveness of the tradable sector negatively.
Period of remission after treatment with UVA‐1 in sclerodermic skin diseases
Authors: Kroft EBM , Van De Kerkhof PCM , Gerritsen MJP , De Jong EMGJ 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBackground  Sclerodermic skin diseases can cause severe morbidity and disability. UVA‐1 has shown to be an effective therapy for sclerodermic skin diseases. However, the period of remission in these patients is not clear. In this study, the effect and remission period of UVA‐1 phototherapy in various sclerotic skin diseases is described using a semiquantitative clinical score combined with the durometer score as an objective apparatus to measure the hardness of the skin.Objective  Our purpose was to determine the effectiveness of UVA‐1 phototherapy and the duration of remission in sclerodermic skin diseases.Methods  In this prospective study, 10 patients with various sclerodermic skin diseases were treated with UVA‐1 phototherapy. The durometer was used to observe the hardness of the skin. Hardness of the skin was measured by one investigator at 10 locations, distributed evenly on the representative sclerotic skin. Each spot was measured three times, and the average of each of these measurements was summed to give the total durometer score. Durometer scores were recorded weekly until the final treatment date and 4 weeks after treatment. Clinical scores were carried out at the end date of the treatment using a 6‐point scale semiquantitative score. Long‐term effects were evaluated up to 29–46 months.Results  The patients were treated with UVA‐1 in a cumulative dose of 1286 ± 58.8 (SEM) J/cm2 (range, 846–1470 J/cm2) divided over five times a week for 4 weeks. In all patients studied, the sclerotic skin lesions were markedly softer after UVA‐1 treatment. All durometer scores improved highly significant during the first 3 weeks of treatment and borderline significant during the last week of treatment. There was no significant improvement between the end of UVA‐1 phototherapy and 1 month after ending the therapy (P > 0.05). All patients noted improvement of the semiquantitative clinical score during treatment. Clinical improvement was associated with improvement of the durometer score (95% confidence interval). With a follow‐up until 46 months, the remission period was stable up to 26 months in six patients. The duration of sclerodermic skin diseases before start of treatment did not influence improvement in the clinical or durometer score. One patient had an acute side effect of minimal erythema. No other side effects, except tanning and fatigue, were noted.Limitations  This is an open‐label uncontrolled study.Conclusion  UVA‐1 is an effective treatment for sclerodermic skin diseases with a long period of remission and clinical improvement even in patients with a long history of a sclerotic skin disease. UVA‐1 should be considered among the first approaches in the management of sclerotic skin diseases.
Branching out in new directions: the control of root architecture by lateral root formation
Authors: Nibau C. , Gibbs D. J. , Coates J. C. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryPlant roots are required for the acquisition of water and nutrients, for responses to abiotic and biotic signals in the soil, and to anchor the plant in the ground. Controlling plant root architecture is a fundamental part of plant development and evolution, enabling a plant to respond to changing environmental conditions and allowing plants to survive in different ecological niches. Variations in the size, shape and surface area of plant root systems are brought about largely by variations in root branching. Much is known about how root branching is controlled both by intracellular signalling pathays and by environmental signals. Here, we will review this knowledge, with particular emphasis on recent advances in the field that open new and exciting areas of research.

Contents

Summary
595

I.
Background
595

II.
Formation of lateral roots
596

III.
Endogenous factors regulating the stages of lateral root development
597

IV.
Plasticity: modification of lateral root development by the environment
603

V.
Transcriptomic studies to identify potential new regulators of lateral root development
608

VI.
Conclusions and future challenges
608

Acknowledgements
608

References
609
An Indicator to Evaluate the Thermodynamic Maturity of Industrial Process Units in Industrial Ecology
Authors: Zvolinschi Anita , Kjelstrup Signe 
Published: April 2008

SummaryThe article suggests a measure to evaluate the thermodynamic maturity of industrial systems at the level of single process units. The measure can be quantified with reasonable confidence on the basis of entropy production as defined by irreversible thermodynamics theory. It quantifies, for one process unit, the distance between its actual state of operation and its state with minimum entropy production or optimum exergy efficiency, when the two states are constrained with a fixed production capacity of the process unit. We suggest that the minimum entropy production state is a mature state, or that processes that operate at this state are mature. We propose to call the measure “the thermodynamic maturity indicator” (π), and we define it as the ratio between the minimum entropy production and the actual entropy production. We calculated π on the basis of literature data for some examples of industrial process units in the chemical and process industry (i.e., heat exchanger, chemical reactor, distillation column, and paper drying machine). The proposed thermodynamic measure should be of interest for industrial ecology because it emerges from the entropy production rate, a dynamic function that can be optimized and used to understand the thermodynamic limit to improving the exergy efficiency of industrial processes. Although not a tool for replacing one process with another or comparing one technology to another, π may be used to assess actual operation states of single process units in industrial ecology.
Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defects—a population based study
Authors: Nikkilä Annamari , Björkhem Gudrun , Källén Bengt 
Published: April 2008

AbstractAim: The aim of this study was to describe the efficiency of routine prenatal ultrasound screening for the detection of cardiac defects in a Swedish region and to study the effect of prenatal diagnosis on the survival and outcome of the child.Methods: We identified all fetuses and infants with a diagnosed major cardiac defect born in 1999–2003 in a region of Sweden using a register of the regional paediatric cardiac clinic, various health‐care registers and registers of prenatally detected malformations. The outcome of newborns with and without a prenatal diagnosis of a cardiac defect was compared.Results: During the study period, 77 241 infants were born in the area. Among 145 major cardiac defects, 21% were detected prenatally. For the two university departments the detection rate was 38%. Of the major cardiac defects diagnosed <23 gestational weeks, 30% were terminated. No significant difference in the outcome was found between children with and without a prenatal diagnosis of a major cardiac defect.Conclusions: It could not be shown that survival and outcome for children with major cardiac defects was better when the defect was known prenatally than if it was detected postnatally. The size of the study prohibits conclusions on moderate differences.
Do wet diapers induce arousals in sleeping infants?
Authors: Zotter H. , Urlesberger B. , Pichler G. , Mueller W. , Kerbl R. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractAim: To find out whether simulated bladder voiding was able to induce arousals in sleeping infants.Methods: Polygraphic recordings were performed in 34 infants and voiding was simulated by administering water into the diaper.Results: Heart rate, respiratory frequency and electroencephalogram frequency did not change significantly during this procedure. Furthermore, simulated voiding was unable to cause an awakening or to induce body movements in sleeping infants.Conclusion: Simulated voiding was unable to induce arousals.