Economic analysis of a self-management asthma plan: is it really effective if further assessed?

Bronchial asthma is a disease with an increasing socioeconomic burden worldwide. New strategies are currently trying to reduce the burden by the means of implementing cost-effective management guidelines. The most commonly used is the so-called guided self management plan, so that patients are taught to adjust their treatment according to changes in the severity of their disease and the existing therapeutic guidelines.

Histological aspects of the pulmonary territory as seen in an experimentally ovalbumin induced inflammation in guinea pigs.

The microscopic morphology of the respiratory territory was investigated on sections of pulmonary tissue and bronchioalveolar lavage liquid (BAL) that were stained with Giemsa, PAS and trichrome solutions. As a result of the induced pathological conditions, the following histological images were encountered: normal histological aspect of the bronchoalveolar territory was seen in the groups nebulized with 0.9% NaCl or sensitized after i.

Hepatitis C virus serotypes in Romanian patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) serotypes in Romanian patients with chronic hepatitis infections and the association between them and disease's severity.

Patients And Methods: Anti-HCV antibodies were first investigated by an indirect ELISA (Murex IIIrd generation). From 55 patients positive for anti-HCV, 22 patients (11 female and 11 male) with chronic active hepatitis (CAH--6 cases), chronic persistent hepatitis (CPH--11 cases) and cirrhosis (C--5 cases) were tested for HCV serotypes using an indirect ELISA (Murex HCV Serotypes 1-6 Assay).

Hospitalizations and mortality in the Lung Health Study.

The Lung Health Study previously reported that an aggressive smoking cessation intervention significantly reduced the decline of the forced expiratory volume in 1 sec in middle-aged patients without clinical symptoms, but with mild airway obstruction. This effect was the most evident during the first year after quitting smoking and moreover, persisted over the study period (5 years). In the current report, the impact of smoking cessation on mortality and morbidity was assessed in the same population.

Zeolitical materials for microbiological filtrations.

The paper presents some aspects about synthesis of new materials called zeolites which can be utilised as filters with wide application in clinical practice in microbiology and in pharmaceutical industry. The SAPO-5, SAPO-11 and SAPO-34 zeolites were synthesised by hydrothermal crystallisation and using different mixtures. The crystallisation was carried out in teflon-lined stainless steel autoclaves at 180-195 degrees C for 1-2 days, under autogenous pressure.

Morphological features in the embryological development of the anterior arch of the mandible.

Objectives: Our study is focused on the typical morphological features of the development of the mandible. There were investigated both specific elements for the ossification process as well as aspects of the developing tooth germs.

Methods: We performed transmission electron microscopy analyses on sections obtained from 15 human embryos aged between 6 and 20 weeks.

Spinal epidural abscess.

In a retrospective study, 68 patients with Spinal Epidural Abscess (SEA) were reviewed. Of these, 66% had different predisposing factors such as staphylococcal skin infections, surgical procedures, rachicentesis, trauma, spondilodiscitis. Abscess had a lumbar region location in 53% of cases.

Sensitivity and resistance to antibiotics of Streptococcus pneumoniae involved in severe infections (1990-2000).

S. pneumoniae implicated in severe infections presents now a high frequency of the resistant strains to Penicillin G or multiresistance in the whole world. Our study on 136 strains of invasive pneumococcus isolated in the last 10 years showed a medium resistance to penicillin of 22.

Contractile effects of intracellularly administered angiotensin II are partially dependent on membrane receptors internalization in isolated rat aorta.

In the present study we used the isolated rat aorta as a model to characterize the modulation of contractile effects of extra- and intracellularly administered angiotensin II by dithiothreitol (DTT) and hyperosmotic sucrose. DTT inactivation of AT1 receptor as well as disruption of the clathrin-coated pits by hyperosmotic sucrose significantly inhibited the contraction induced by intracellularly administered AII. We suggest that these intracellular effects of angiotensin peptides are associated with AT1 receptor activation/internalization and may thus be part of the mechanism of angiotensin peptides direct contractile effects in the vascular smooth muscle.

The role of heat shock proteins in reproduction.

Heat shock proteins (hsp) were first discovered in cells exposed to elevated temperature. They are preferentially expressed in response to an array of insults, including hyperthermia, free oxygen radicals, heavy metals, inflammation and infection. In addition hsp are involved in several processes essential for cellular function under physiological conditions.

Pancreatic enzymes replacement therapy in chronic pancreatitis: an update.

Chronic pancreatitis is the major cause of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency which should be compensated by pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy. There are now available a great number of pancreatic enzyme preparations, but encapsulated enteric-coated microspheres and minimicrospheres are considered the enzyme treatment of choice. However, full compensation of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency with enzyme replacement therapy cannot be obtained in all patients with chronic pancreatitis.

Actinic keratosis--a histoenzymological study.

Actinic keratosis or senile keratosis is the most frequent premalign epithelial lesion that occurs in the elderly with a history of prolonged and intense exposure to the UV radiation and with an inborn susceptibility. Although the genetics and risk factors are clear nowadays, the histogenesis of this lesion is still under study. The histoenzymologic tests (such as those that demonstrate the ATP-ase and SDH-ase activity) are very useful for early detection of the structural and biochemical changes within the actinic keratosis lesion.

Antioxidant enzymes levels in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Unlabelled: Pathogenic mechanism of chronic inflammation is associated with increased production of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide. In the neutralization process of that anions, superoxid dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutation peroxidase (GPx) are key enzymes. Aim of study consists of establishing of some clinic-biological correlations in JRA chronic inflammation in childhood between clinical status and determination of lipoperoxidation products and antioxidative enzymes in the blood.

TNF alpha and IL-6 involvement in surgical trauma. II. In vitro cytokine production.

The study aimed to correlate TNF alpha and IL-6 dynamics during surgical trauma as well as the changes which appear in the circulating monocytes' response after LPS stimulation in vitro. Three patients with major abdominal operations were chosen and serial blood samples were taken before, during and after the operation. Normal unmatched individuals were used as control group during a two hours bed resting period.

Study of outer membrane proteins (OMPS) and their role in co-modulation of resistance in non typhoidic Salmonella strains isolated in Iaşi.

Objectives: To characterize the OMP profile and to study the possible interference with other resistance determinants.

Material And Methods: 16 non-typhoidic Salmonella strains, isolated in 1999 from stools of pediatric patients, were selected according to their resistance phenotype: resistance to Ampicillin (AMP), Amoxycillin/Clavulanic Acid (AMC), and third generation cephalosporins: Ceftriaxone (CRO) and Ceftazidime (CAZ). Identification and sensitivity testing were done by DADE MicroScan System.

The apoptosis of the rat and mouse testicular cells could be induced by synthetic analogous of the prostaglandin F2 alpha?

Numerous actions of the synthetic analogous of the prostaglandins were used in human and veterinary therapy. The action of these analogous (even, initially the prostaglandins were put in evidence in the seminal plasma) on the male reproductive system are little known. This is the reason for our study, which tried to emphasize the effects of analogous of the prostaglandin F2 alpha on the apoptosis of the rat and mouse testicular cells.

Neurofibromatosis. Nosological considerations.

The neurofibromatosis (NF) represent a set of conditions having different clinical manifestations, prognosis and inheritance. It has been presented--on clinical grounds--seven types of NF, but for only two of these National Institute of Health Consensus Development Conference (NIHCDC) advent a set of diagnostic criteria. The genes responsible for NF1 and NF2 were mapped to the long arm of chromosome 17 (17q11.

Abdominal pregnancy. Case report, review of the literature.

Abdominal pregnancy (AP) is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy (EP). It is a medical emergency because of high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis is essential.

The value of echocardiography for the assessment of the cardiac impairment in chronic renal failure in child.

Unlabelled: Chronic renal failure (CRF) might gradually induce the occurrence of morphological and functional cardiac disturbances; these cardiac disturbances make up supplementary risk factors in children with CRF. The aim of our study was to determine the role of echocardiography(Echo) for the diagnosis of these cardiac disturbances acquired during the evolution of CRF in child. We studied 20 patients(aged between 5 and 18 years) with CRF, from whom 13 were dialysed.

Implications of imidazolines and imidazoline receptors role at the vascular level.

There are both post- and pre-synaptic vascular imidazoline (IM) binding sites. The importance of direct IM actions and that of peripheral imidazoline receptors (IRs) are shadowed by the central effects of IMs and by their interaction with alpha 2 adrenoceptors. Since the discovery of clonidine the many studies on IMs have been focused on their hypotensive effect, with rilmenidine and moxonidine as representative drugs.

Histology teachware for the Web site of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Gr. T. Popa" Iaşi.

Design and implementation of Web educational materials for medical sciences are discussed starting from a brief presentation of the current trends in using Internet facilities and placing emphasis on the specific case of the www page constructed for the Department of Histology. The paper focuses on the development of teaching-aids for the morphological study of organs and systems, illustrated by the creation of Histology Album, including photographs and explanatory texts, which is accessible via this www departmental page. Relevant aspects for the construction of the Histology Album are detailed in terms of both logical structure and physical implementation, based on HTML techniques.

Gas chromatographic detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in pure cultures from respiratory specimens.

It is important to identify mycobacteria to the species level in order to establish their clinical significance and to take the appropriate therapeutical decision. Biochemical tests on primary cultures take time (3-6 weeks) until the report of results; that's why more rapid techniques are needed. We have used gas chromatography with flame-ionisation detection (GC-FID) as an alternative identification method for 53 mycobacterial strains isolated from respiratory specimens.

D-myo-inositol derivatives alter liposomal membrane fluidity.

We investigated the effect on membrane fluidity induced by D-myo-inositol derivatives (IP3, IP4, IP5, IP6). Fluidity was determined as the anisotropy of fluorescence polarisation from liposome model membranes labelled with DPH (1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5 hexatriene). IP3 (10(-10) to 10(-5) M) increased the membrane fluidity with a maximum effect at 10(-5) M.

Effects of liposome-entrapped platelet-activating factor in the isolated rat trachea.

The effects of platelet-activating factor (PAF, 1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine)-filled liposomes upon rat tracheal rings in vitro were examined. The capture of liposomes by the smooth muscle cells of the isolated tracheal rings as well as the release of their content into the cytoplasm was shown by using Evans blue (5 x 10(-4) M)-loaded liposomes. Administration of PAF (10(-3) M)-filled liposomes contracted the preparations, in contrast with extracellular administration of PAF and control liposomes, which had no effect.