Comparison of the effects of salmeterol and ipratropium bromide on exercise performance and breathlessness in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

AbstractTo compare the effects of salmeterol, an adrenergic drug, and ipratropium bromide, an anticholinergic drug, on breathlessness and gas exchange during exercise in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), we performed a progressive treadmill exercise test on 15 patients on 3 days (24 h apart), after inhalation placebo, ipratropium bromide (120 μg) or salmeterol (50 μg) in a randomized fashion. Dyspnoea during exercise was evaluated from the regression slope between Borg scale (BS) scores and distance walked each minute on the treadmill. The regression was expressed as the distance walked at BS score 5, the threshold load of dyspnoea (TLD) and breakpoint load of dyspnoea. During and after the exercise, oxygen saturation was monitored by pulse oxymeter and we measured the lower SaO2 during exercise and the recovery time of SaO2 after exercise.In comparison to placebo inhalation we found the same small but significant improvement in airflow limitation after salmeterol or ipratropium inhalation, also the distance walked on treadmill increased after bronchodilators. After bronchodilators the magnitude of oxyhaemoglobin desaturation with exercise was similar to that observed after placebo but the duration of the recovery from sustained SaO2 desaturation after exercise was shorter to the same extent as after ipratropium or salmeterol. Dyspnoeic sensation, when assessed by the TLD and by the distance walked at BS score 5, was decreased after salmeterol and after ipratropium bromide to a similar extent.We conclude that the salmeterol, when given in conventional doses, produces significant improvement in the airway obstruction in the recovery of postexercise HbO2 desaturation and in dyspnoeic sensation in patients with COPD, effects which were similar to those observed after inhalation of the anticholinergic agent ipratropium bromide

Variable geometry inlet design for scram jet engine

The present invention relates to an improved variable geometry inlet for a scram jet engine having at least one combustor module. The variable geometry inlet comprises each combustor module having two sidewalls. Each of the sidewalls has a central portion with a thickness and a tapered profile forward of the central portion. The tapered profile terminates in a sharp leading edge. The variable geometry inlet further comprises each module having a lower wall and a movable cowl flap positioned forward of the lower wall. The movable cowl flap has a leading edge and the leading edges of the sidewalls intersect the leading edge of the cowl flap

HUBUNGAN PENINGKATAN BERAT BADAN FE4NGAN KONVERSI SPUTUM PADA PASIEN TUBERKULOSIS DI RSUDZA BANDA ACEH

ABSTRAKKonversi sputum pada fase awal pengobatan merupakan salah satu indikator awal keberhasilan terapi obat anti tuberkulosis (OAT). Nutrisi merupakan faktor penting yang juga mempengaruhi kesembuhan pasien tuberkulosis Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan peningkatan berat badan dengan konversi sputum setelah fase awal pada pasien TB di Rumah Sakit Umum dr. Zainoel Abidin Banda Aceh (RSUDZA). Jenis penelitian yang digunakan adalah Cross sectional. Subjek penelitian terdiri atas 92 pasien tuberkulosis di poliklinik DOTS RSUDZA Banda Aceh yang diperoleh dengan metode total sampling terhitung dari Januari sampai dengan Desember 2013. Hasil penelitian dianalisis menggunakan uji statistik Fisher dengan Confident interval 95%. Hasil uji statistik menunjukkan p = 0,107 (p > 0,05) yang menunjukkan bahwa tidak ada hubungan antara peningkatan berat badan dengan konversi sputum pada penderita tuberkulosis yang telah mendapatkan OAT fase awal. Diharapkan adanya penelitian yang lebih lanjut mengenai hubungan nutrisi dengan konversi sputum dengan jumlah sampel yang lebih besar dan desain penelitian yang lebih baik. Kata Kunci : Tuberkulosis, Konversi sputum, Berat badan ABSTRACTSputum conversion at the initial phase of treatment is one of the early indicators of the success of anti-tuberculosis drug therapy (OAT). Nutrition is an important factor that also effects the recovery of tuberculosis patients The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of weight gain and sputum conversion after the initial phase of TB patients at the General Hospital dr. Zainoel Abidin Banda Aceh (RSUDZA). This research was cross sectional study. Subjects consisted of 92 outpatient DOTS tuberculosis in RSUDZA Banda Aceh obtained with total sampling method starting from January to December 2013. Results were analyzed using Fisher test with 95% confident interval. Statistical test results p= 0,107 (p > 0,05) that showed there is no association between increased weight to conversion of sputum in patients with tuberculosis who have earned OAT initial phase, It is expected that the presence of further reaserh on the relationship of nutrition with sputum convertion with a larger number of sampel and design better research. Keywords: Tuberculosis, Sputum conversion, Weight los

Critical Analysis of Theoretical Estimates for BB to Light Meson Form Factors and the B→ψK(K∗)B \to \psi K(K^{\ast}) Data

We point out that current estimates of form factors fail to explain the non-leptonic decays $B \to \psi K(K^{\ast})$ and that the combination of data on the semi-leptonic decays $D \to K(K^{\ast})\ell \nu$ and on the non-leptonic decays $B \to \psi K(K^{\ast})$ (in particular recent po\-la\-ri\-za\-tion data) severely constrain the form (normalization and $q^2$ dependence) of the heavy-to-light meson form factors, if we assume the factorization hypothesis for the latter. From a simultaneous fit to \bpsi and \dk data we find that strict heavy quark limit scaling laws do not hold when going from $D$ to $B$ and must have large corrections that make softer the dependence on the masses. We find that $A_1(q^2)$ should increase slower with \qq than $A_2, V, f_+$. We propose a simple parametrization of these corrections based on a quark model or on an extension of the \hhs laws to the \hl case, complemented with an approximately constant $A_1(q^2)$. We analyze in the light of these data and theoretical input various theoretical approaches (lattice calculations, QCD sum rules, quark models) and point out the origin of the difficulties encountered by most of these schemes. In particular we check the compatibility of several quark models with the heavy quark scaling relations.Comment: 48 pages, DAPNIA/SPP/94-24, LPTHE-Orsay 94/1

Nucleon to Delta Weak Excitation Amplitudes in the Non-relativistic Quark Model

We investigate the nucleon to Delta(1232) vector and axial vector amplitudes in the non-relativistic quark model of the Isgur-Karl variety. A particular interest is to investigate the SU(6) symmetry breaking, due to color hyperfine interaction. We compare the theoretical estimates to recent experimental investigation of the Adler amplitudes by neutrino scattering.Comment: \documentstyle[aps]{revtex}, 21pages; 11 postscript figures. Accepted for publication by Phys. Rev.

Verified and potential pathogens of predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Several species of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae), including species of the genera Amblyseius, Galendromus, Metaseiulus, Neoseiulus, Phytoseiulus and Typhlodromus, are currently reared for biological control of various crop pests and/or as model organisms for the study of predator¿prey interactions. Pathogen-free phytoseiid mites are important to obtain high efficacy in biological pest control and to get reliable data in mite research, as pathogens may affect the performance of their host or alter their reproduction and behaviour. Potential and verified pathogens have been reported for phytoseiid mites during the past 25 years. The present review provides an overview, including potential pathogens with unknown host effects (17 reports), endosymbiotic Wolbachia (seven reports), other bacteria (including Cardinium and Spiroplasma) (four reports), cases of unidentified diseases (three reports) and cases of verified pathogens (six reports). From the latter group four reports refer to Microsporidia, one to a fungus and one to a bacterium. Only five entities have been studied in detail, including Wolbachia infecting seven predatory mite species, other endosymbiotic bacteria infecting Metaseiulus (Galendromus, Typhlodromus) occidentalis (Nesbitt), the bacterium Acaricomes phytoseiuli infecting Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, the microsporidium Microsporidium phytoseiuli infecting P. persimilis and the microsporidium Oligosproridium occidentalis infecting M. occidentalis. In four cases (Wolbachia, A. phytoseiuli, M. phytoseiuli and O. occidentalis) an infection may be connected with fitness costs of the host. Moreover, infection is not always readily visible as no obvious gross symptoms are present. Monitoring of these entities on a routine and continuous basis should therefore get more attention, especially in commercial mass-production. Special attention should be paid to field-collected mites before introduction into the laboratory or mass rearing, and to mites that are exchanged among rearing facilities. However, at present general pathogen monitoring is not yet practical as effects of many entities are unknown. More research effort is needed concerning verified and potential pathogens of commercially reared arthropods and those used as model organisms in research

Human adipose stem cells cell sheet constructs impact epidermal morphogenesis in full-thickness excisional wounds

Among the wide range of strategies to target skin repair/regeneration, tissue engineering (TE) with stem cells at the forefront, remains as the most promising route. Cell sheet (CS) engineering is herein proposed, taking advantage of particular cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions and subsequent cellular milieu, to create 3D TE constructs to promote full-thickness skin wound regeneration. Human adipose derived stem cells (hASCs) CS were obtained within five days using both thermoresponsive and standard cell culture surfaces. hASCs-based constructs were then built by superimposing three CS and transplanted into full-thickness excisional mice skin wounds with delayed healing. Constructs obtained using thermoresponsive surfaces were more stable than the ones from standard cell culture surfaces due to the natural adhesive character of the respective CS. Both CS-generating strategies lead to prolonged hASCs engraftment, although no transdifferentiation phenomena were observed. Moreover, our findings suggest that the transplanted hASCs might be promoting neotissue vascularization and extensively influencing epidermal morphogenesis, mainly through paracrine actions with the resident cells. The thicker epidermis, with a higher degree of maturation characterized by the presence of rete ridges-like structures, as well as a significant number of hair follicles observed after transplantation of the constructs combining the CS obtained from the thermoresponsive surfaces, reinforced the assumptions of the influence of the transplanted hASCs and the importance of the higher stability of these constructs promoted by cohesive cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions. Overall, this study confirmed the potential of hASCs CS-based constructs to treat full-thickness excisional skin wounds and that their fabrication conditions impact different aspects of skin regeneration, such as neovascularisation, but mainly epidermal morphogenesis.We would like to thank Hospital da Prelada (Porto), in particular, to Dr. Paulo Costa for the lipoaspirates collection and for financial support by Skingineering (PTDC/SAU-OSM/099422/2008), Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) funded project. The research leading to these results has also received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement No. REGPOT-CT2012-316331-POLARIS