Phosphoethanolamine And Omega-3 In Patients With Asthma

The effect of omega-3 (n-3) in asthma has been inconclusive. One explanation for it may be the low incorporation of these fatty acids in clinical studies. Phosphoethanolamine (PEtn) can increase the synthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine, which can, in turn, increase the incorporation of n-3 in cell membranes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of synthetic PEtn in patients with asthma who are receiving n-3. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out over a two month period by using spirometry, the Asthma Control Test questionnaire (ACT) and medicine intake. Forty-one patients with asthma were studied. Twenty-one patients received n-3 daily (1.080 mg of EPA, 720 mg of DHA) and 800 mg of PEtn (PEtn group), and twenty patients received the same doses of n-3 and placebo (control group). All patients continued receiving their conventional treatment for asthma. The hospital ethics committee approved the study. Five patients of each group required systemic corticosteroids, being the total consumption, Smaller in the PEtn group (127.4 mg of prednisone/patient versus 416.0 mg of prednisone/patient in the control group, p-value = 0.0269). There were no significant differences in the changing of ATC and FEV1, as well as in the intake of formoterol or budesonide between the groups. In this study, patients who received phosphoethanolamine and omega-3 needed a Smaller dose of systemic corticosteroid for asthma control than patients who only received omega-3. However, as the trial was conducted on a Small scale, more studies are necessary.99185431854

Effect of hydration on the ablation of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) by the 213-nm laser radiation

Since the discovery two decades ago of the possibility to remove material from the surface of solid organic polymers in a highly controllable fashion by the use of pulsed UV laser radiation, the applications of the UV lasers have diversified significantly. The excimer lasers, which operate with molecules or halides of rare gases as the gain medium to generate UV energy, have been extensively used both in microfabrication by direct etching and in surgery. With the advent of new nonlinear optical crystals, solid-state lasers have been also developed that are able to generateUVenergy from the fourth (266 nm) or fifth (213 nm) harmonic outputs of the Nd:YAG laser, which are easy to use and maintain. Results of experimental investigations regarding their use in the refractive surgery of the cornea suggest that solid-sate lasers could successfully replace excimer lasers in such procedures. © 2003 Kluwer Academic Publisher