HDL cholesterol efflux capacity in rheumatoid arthritis patients: contributing factors and relationship with subclinical atherosclerosis

Background: Lipid profiles appear to be altered in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients because of disease activity and inflammation. Cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC), which is the ability of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to accept cholesterol from macrophages, has been linked not only to cardiovascular events in the general population but also to being impaired in patients with RA. The aim of this study was to establish whether CEC is related to subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in patients with RA. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study that encompassed 401 individuals, including 178 patients with RA and 223 sex-matched control subjects. CEC, using an in vitro assay, lipoprotein serum concentrations, and standard lipid profile, was assessed in patients and control subjects. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and carotid plaques were assessed in patients with RA. A multivariable analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship of CEC with RA-related data, lipid profile, and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. Results: Mean (SD) CEC was not significantly different between patients with RA (18.9 ± 9.0%) and control subjects (16.9 ± 10.4%) (p = 0.11). Patients with RA with low (? coefficient ?5.2 [?10.0 to 0.3]%, p = 0.039) and moderate disease activity (? coefficient ?4.6 [?8.5 to 0.7]%, p = 0.020) were associated with lower levels of CEC than patients in remission. Although no association with CIMT was found, higher CEC was independently associated with a lower risk for the presence of carotid plaque in patients with RA (odds ratio 0.94 [95% CI 0.89?0.98], p = 0.015). Conclusions: CEC is independently associated with carotid plaque in patients with RA

Multicenter phase II trial of accelerated cisplatin and high-dose epirubicin followed by surgery or radiotherapy in patients with stage IIIa non-small-cell lung cancer with mediastinal lymph node involvement (N2-disease)

To assess the therapeutic activity of accelerated cisplatin and high-dose epirubicin with erythropoietin and G-CSF support as induction therapy for patients with stage IIIa-N2 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients with stage IIIa-N2 NSCLC were enrolled in a phase II trial. They received cisplatin 60 mg m−2 and epirubicin 135 mg m−2 every 2 weeks for three courses combined with erythropoietin and G-CSF. Depending on results of clinical response to induction therapy and restaging, patients were treated with surgery or radiotherapy. In total, 61 patients entered from March 2001 to April 2004. During 169 courses of induction chemotherapy, National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCI-C) grade III/IV leucocytopenia was reported in 35 courses (20.7%), NCI-C grade III/IV thrombocytopenia in 26 courses (15.4%) and NCI-C grade III/IV anaemia in six courses (3.6%). Main cause of cisplatin dose reduction was nephrotoxicity (12 courses). Most patients received three courses. There were no chemotherapy-related deaths. Three patients were not evaluable for clinical response. Twenty-eight patients had a partial response (48.3%, 95% CI: 36–61.1%), 24 stable disease and six progressive disease. After induction therapy, 30 patients underwent surgery; complete resection was achieved in 19 procedures (31.1%). Radical radiotherapy was delivered to 25 patients (41%). Six patients were considered unfit for further treatment. Median survival for all patients was 18 months. Response rate of accelerated cisplatin and high-dose epirubicin as induction chemotherapy for stage IIIa-N2 NSCLC patients is not different from more commonly used cisplatin-based regimen

Particle-induced pulmonary acute phase response correlates with neutrophil influx linking inhaled particles and cardiovascular risk

BACKGROUND: Particulate air pollution is associated with cardiovascular disease. Acute phase response is causally linked to cardiovascular disease. Here, we propose that particle-induced pulmonary acute phase response provides an underlying mechanism for particle-induced cardiovascular risk. METHODS: We analysed the mRNA expression of Serum Amyloid A (Saa3) in lung tissue from female C57BL/6J mice exposed to different particles including nanomaterials (carbon black and titanium dioxide nanoparticles, multi- and single walled carbon nanotubes), diesel exhaust particles and airborne dust collected at a biofuel plant. Mice were exposed to single or multiple doses of particles by inhalation or intratracheal instillation and pulmonary mRNA expression of Saa3 was determined at different time points of up to 4 weeks after exposure. Also hepatic mRNA expression of Saa3, SAA3 protein levels in broncheoalveolar lavage fluid and in plasma and high density lipoprotein levels in plasma were determined in mice exposed to multiwalled carbon nanotubes. RESULTS: Pulmonary exposure to particles strongly increased Saa3 mRNA levels in lung tissue and elevated SAA3 protein levels in broncheoalveolar lavage fluid and plasma, whereas hepatic Saa3 levels were much less affected. Pulmonary Saa3 expression correlated with the number of neutrophils in BAL across different dosing regimens, doses and time points. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary acute phase response may constitute a direct link between particle inhalation and risk of cardiovascular disease. We propose that the particle-induced pulmonary acute phase response may predict risk for cardiovascular disease

[Production of secondary steel.]

Abstract niet beschikbaarThis document on the production of secundary steel has been published within the SPIN project. In this project information has been collected on industrial plants or industrial processes to afford support to governmental policy on emission reduction. This document contains information on the processes, emission sources, emissions to air and water, waste emission factors, use of energy and energy factors, emission reduction, energy conservation, research on clean technology and standards and licences.DGM/HDK-IBPC-IO

Climax Molybdenum

Dit rapport over Climax Molybdenum is gepubliceerd binnen het Samenwerkingsproject Procesbeschrijvingen Industrie Nederland (SPIN). In het kader van dit project is informatie verzameld over industriele bedrijven of industriele processen ter ondersteuning van het overheidsbeleid op het gebied van emissiereductie. Dit rapport bevat informatie over de processen, bronnen van emissie, emissies naar lucht en water, afval, emissiefactoren, het gebruik van energie en energiefactoren, emissiereductie, onderzoek naar schone processen en normstelling en regelgeving.This document on Climax Molybdenum has been published within the SPIN project. In this project information has been collected on industrial plants or industrial processes to afford support to governmental policy on emission reduction. This document contains information on the processes, emission sources, emissions to air and water, waste, emission factors, use of energy and energy factors, emission reduction, energy conservation, research on clean technology and standards and licences.DGM/IO

Coke production

Abstract niet beschikbaarThis document on coke production has been published within the SPIN project. In this project information has been collected on industrial plants or industrial processes to afford support to governmental policy on emission reduction. This document contains information on the processes, emission sources, emissions to air and water, waste, emission factors, use of energy and energy factors, emission reduction, energy conservation, research on clean technology and standards and licences.DGM/IBP

Generation and substitution of traffic because of extension of main infrastructure; the consequenses for the environment

The aim of this report is to answer the question: what are the environmental effects of construction and improvement of transport infrastructure on a national scale? In this report a rough calculation is made of the effects of construction and improvement of main infrastructure in the Netherlands in the period 1995-2020. It is indicated that: a) on a national scale the expected construction and improvement of main infrastructure will increase the environmental pressure of transport. Without the infrastructure improvement energy use of transport in 2020 will be 2-6% lower, b) this increase is caused by the expected extension of road infrastructure in the period 1995-2020 which will lead to induced traffic. Construction of High-Speed rail and a new freight rail will result in a somewhat lower energy use, but this effect is very small compared to the increase of energy use because of the road infrastructure extension.De vraagstelling van dit rapport is: welke verandering in landelijke milieudruk brengt aanleg en verbetering van de hoofdinfrastructuur in Nederland met zich mee? Er is een indicatieve berekening gemaakt van de gevolgen van uitbreiding en aanpassing van de hoofdinfrastructuur (uitbreiding hoofdwegennet, aanleg HSL-Zuid en -Oost en Betuwelijn) in Nederland voor de periode 1995-2020. De hoofdconclusies hieruit zijn: a) de voorziene uitbreiding en aanpassing van de hoofdinfrastructuur in de periode 1995-2020 heeft een milieudruk-verhogend effect. Zonder uitbreiding van de hoofdinfrastructuur zou in 2020 het energiegebruik van de doelgroep verkeer en vervoer op Nederlands grondgebied ongeveer 2-6% lager zijn, b) de toename van de milieudruk op Nederlands grondgebied wordt veroorzaakt door de voorgenomen uitbreiding van de weginfrastructuur die tot generatie van wegverkeer leidt. De aanleg van hogesnelheidslijnen en de Betuwelijn leiden weliswaar tot een lager energiegebruik, maar deze verlaging is ten opzichte van de verhoging door uitbreiding van de weginfrastructuur zo weinig, dat de invloed op het netto-effect gering is