Aħħar għalqa

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Jesu dulcis memoria ta’ P. Galea Curmi – Ewnuki ta’ Carmel Calleja – Is-sewwa – Sagrifiċċju ta’ Carmel Calleja – Epigrammi ta’ J. J. Camilleri – Ħajku ta’ Oliver Friggieri – Għal Ġorġ Pisani ta’ J. Zammit Tabona – Ibqa’ int miegħi ta’ H. F. Lyte bi traduzzjoni ta’ P. Galea Curmi – L-aħħar għalqa ta’ Lilian Sciberras.peer-reviewe

Respiratory symptoms and occupation: a cross-sectional study of the general population

BACKGROUND: This study focused on respiratory symptoms due to occupational exposures in a contemporary general population cohort. Subjects were from the Dutch Monitoring Project on Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases (MORGEN). The composition of this population enabled estimation of respiratory risks due to occupation from the recent past for both men and women. METHODS: The study subjects (aged 20–59) were all inhabitants of Doetinchem, a small industrial town, and came from a survey of a random sample of 1104 persons conducted in 1993. A total of 274 cases with respiratory symptoms (subdivided in asthma and bronchitis symptoms) and 274 controls without symptoms were matched for age and sex. Relations between industry and occupation and respiratory symptoms were explored and adjusted for smoking habits and social economic status. RESULTS: Employment in the 'construction' (OR = 3.38; 95%CI 1.02 – 11.27), 'metal' (OR = 3.17; 95%CI 0. 98 – 10.28), 'rubber, plastics and synthetics' (OR = 6.52; 95%CI 1.26 – 53.80), and 'printing' industry (OR = 3.96; 95%CI 0.85 – 18.48) were positively associated with chronic bronchitis symptoms. In addition, the 'metal' industry was found to be weakly associated with asthma symptoms (OR = 2.59; 95%CI 0.87 – 7.69). Duration of employment within these industries was also positively associated with respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSION: Respiratory symptoms in the general population are traceable to employment in particular industries even in a contemporary cohort with relatively young individuals

Silta mill-"Antigone" ta’ Sofokle

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Ħajki ta’ Josette Attard – Din l-għanja tiegħi ta’ Rena Balzan – Fl-irdum fejn jidwi ta’ Charles Bezzina – Naqa’ biss ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Gambrinu, 7.45 a.m. ta’ Norbert Bugeja – Għadam ta’ Joseph Buttigieg – Tħarisx biss fil-wiċċ ta’ John Caruana – Petra ta’ Priscilla Cassar – Mhux iżjed dan il-pajjiż tiegħi ta’ Victor Fenech – Twieqi magħluqa ta’ Maria Grech Ganado – Joseph quddiem ir-ritratt ta’ sieħbu jitfarrak ta’ Adrian Grima – Ta’ l-ilma l-fruntieri tiegħek ta’ Simone Inguanez – Għall-kaċċa tal-grejtwajt ta’ Daniel Massa – Ftit weraq mis-Slovenja ta’ Immanuel Mifsud – Dak li kien ta’ Achille Mizzi – Wassalni ta’ Anna Pullicino – Tamiet fiergħa ta’ Patrick Sammut – Fost l-isbaħ jiem ta’ Lillian Sciberras – Kelma ta’ Marcel Zammit Marmarà – Lill-Imdina żagħżugħa ta’ Joe Zammit Tabona – Sodda ta’ l-ilma ta’ Clare Azzopardi – Kurċifiss ta’ Paul P. Borg – Mera mkissra ta’ Lina Brockdorff – No(ra)vella ta’ Joe Friggieri – L-abbati ta’ Henry Holland – L-eħrex ġurnata tal-gwerra ta’ Maurice Mifsud Bonnici – Marija ta’ Lino Spiteri – Ikla ta’ Trevor Żahra – Il-mara midinba ta’ Albert Camus, traduzzjoni ta’ Toni Aquilina – Silta mill-"Antigone" ta’ Sofokle, traduzzjoni ta’ Victor Xuereb.peer-reviewe

Sunetti ta’ William Shakespeare

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Grand Prix ta’ Carmel Azzopardi – Pizza marinara ta’ Carmel Azzopardi – Ħajku ta’ Kit Azzopardi – Ix-xemgħa qiegħda ta’ Charles Bezzina – U taħti ramel, ramel ta’ Charles Bezzina – Vażett ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Bniedem li mhux ta’ Ġorġ Borg – Il-ħajbu ta’ Antoine Cassar – Il-mistoħbija ta’ Manwel Cassar – Għasel ta’ Carmel G. Cauchi – Dgħajsa ta’ Carmel G. Cauchi – Ħitan ta’ Alfred Degabriele – Skeletru silwett...f’realtà moħbija ta’ Stefano Farrugia – Minjatura tal-enimmi ta’ Stefano Farrugia – Mnejn jgħaddi Kristu ta’ Joe Friggieri – Rebbiegħa ta’ Reno Fenech – Blogger ta’ Charles Flores – Veġeterjana ta’ Charles Flores – Mejju ta’ Joe P. Galea – Kien hemm lejla u tmien nisa ta’ Claudia Gauci – Ħobbni ta’ Sergio Grech – Mitlufin ta’ Maria Grech Ganado – Moħħi ta’ Maria Grech Ganado – Viżjoni ta’ Maria Grech Ganado – Inkontinenza ta’ Adrian Grima – Andrew jħebb in-nar ta’ Adrian Grima – It-Tlieta, 20 ta’ Lulju 2004 ta’ Alfred Massa – Fuq l-għolja tal- Verdala ta’ Jane Micallef – Imm’issa ta’ Jane Micallef – Baby blues ta’ Immanuel Mifsud – Ġo dar sawra ta’ Immanuel Mifsud – Lil Dun Karm ta’ Maurice Mifsud Bonnici – Il-fuklar ta’ Achille Mizzi – Ut videam ta’ Achille Mizzi – Karnival solitarju ta’ Patrick Sammut – Mill-baħħ etern ta’ Joe Zammit Tabona – ...fil-ħmieġ ta’ ftit blatiet... ta’ Paul P. Borg – Bħall-qasab ta’ Steve Borg – L-aħħar żjara ta’ Victor Fenech – Ħelwa.morra 18 ta’ Ann Marie Schembri – Jack & Jill ta’ Trevor Żahra – Għadbilura ta’ Russell Davis, traduzzjoni ta’ Toni Aquilina – Sunetti ta’ William Shakespeare, traduzzjoni ta’ Oliver Friggieri.peer-reviewe

Systematic review of the evidence relating FEV1 decline to giving up smoking

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The rate of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) decline ("beta") is a marker of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk. The reduction in beta after quitting smoking is an upper limit for the reduction achievable from switching to novel nicotine delivery products. We review available evidence to estimate this reduction and quantify the relationship of smoking to beta.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Studies were identified, in healthy individuals or patients with respiratory disease, that provided data on beta over at least 2 years of follow-up, separately for those who gave up smoking and other smoking groups. Publications to June 2010 were considered. Independent beta estimates were derived for four main smoking groups: never smokers, ex-smokers (before baseline), quitters (during follow-up) and continuing smokers. Unweighted and inverse variance-weighted regression analyses compared betas in the smoking groups, and in continuing smokers by amount smoked, and estimated whether beta or beta differences between smoking groups varied by age, sex and other factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Forty-seven studies had relevant data, 28 for both sexes and 19 for males. Sixteen studies started before 1970. Mean follow-up was 11 years. On the basis of weighted analysis of 303 betas for the four smoking groups, never smokers had a beta 10.8 mL/yr (95% confidence interval (CI), 8.9 to 12.8) less than continuing smokers. Betas for ex-smokers were 12.4 mL/yr (95% CI, 10.1 to 14.7) less than for continuing smokers, and for quitters, 8.5 mL/yr (95% CI, 5.6 to 11.4) less. These betas were similar to that for never smokers. In continuing smokers, beta increased 0.33 mL/yr per cigarette/day. Beta differences between continuing smokers and those who gave up were greater in patients with respiratory disease or with reduced baseline lung function, but were not clearly related to age or sex.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The available data have numerous limitations, but clearly show that continuing smokers have a beta that is dose-related and over 10 mL/yr greater than in never smokers, ex-smokers or quitters. The greater decline in those with respiratory disease or reduced lung function is consistent with some smokers having a more rapid rate of FEV₁decline. These results help in designing studies comparing continuing smokers of conventional cigarettes and switchers to novel products.</p

The role and regulation of mannose binding protein Studies in transgenic mice

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN005114 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

A two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of the proteins and glycoproteins of liver plasma membrane domains and endosomes. Implications for endocytosis and transcytosis.

1. Polypeptides of liver plasma membrane fractions enriched in three surface domains of hepatocytes, blood-sinusoidal, lateral and bile canalicular, were analysed by isoelectric focusing (IEF) and non-equilibrium pH gel electrophoresis (NEPHGE) across a wide pH range, followed by SDS/PAGE. The overall Coomassie Blue-stained polypeptide patterns in the fractions were different. lateral plasma membrane fractions contained a characteristically higher number of polypeptides focusing at the basic pH range, whereas few basic polypeptides were present in sinusoidal plasma membrane fractions. The glycoproteins in these plasma membrane fractions stained by a lectin overlay technique with radio-iodinated concanavalin A, wheat-germ agglutinin and a slug lectin, were also different. 2. The polypeptides and glycoproteins of 'early' and 'late' endosome fractions were also compared by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Their composition was shown by Coomassie Blue staining, lectin overlay staining and in membranes metabolically labelled with [35S]methionine to be generally similar. The glycoproteins of sinusoidal plasma membranes and early and late endosomes were generally similar, but major differences in polypeptides of molecular mass 20-50 kDa, pI 7.5-8.5, in plasma membranes and endosomes were demonstrated, with a specific population of basic (pI 8-9) low-molecular-mass polypeptides being present at highest levels in 'late' endosomal fractions (shown by Coomassie Blue staining). 3. Analysis of the distribution of three specific membrane glycoproteins identified by using immunoblotting techniques showed that the asialoglycoprotein and the divalent-cation-sensitive mannose 6-phosphate receptors were present in sinusoidal plasma membrane and in early and late endocytic fractions: they were not detected in canalicular plasma membrane fractions. In contrast, 5'-nucleotidase was detected in all fractions examined. The role of the endocytic compartment in regulating trafficking pathways between the plasma membrane domains of the hepatocyte is discussed