Search results for "Topic"

Routine Use of Budesonide/Formoterol Fixed Dose Combination in Elderly Asthmatic Patients: Practical Considerations

2017

Asthma has been demonstrated to be as common in the elderly as in younger age groups. Although no specific recommendations exist to manage the disease differently in older individuals, functional features and clinical presentations may be affected by age per se, and by age-related conditions, such as comorbidities and polypharmacy. In this review article, we aimed to explore the efficacy and safety in elderly asthmatic patients of one of the most currently used inhaled treatments for asthma, that is, the fixed-dose combination of budesonide/formoterol. We attempted to address some practical questions that are relevant to the daily practice of clinicians. We focused on the efficacy and real-…

Biotransformation in vitro of the 22R and 22S epimers of budesonide by human liver, bronchus, colonic mucosa and skin.

2001

The pharmacological effects of glucocorticoids are greatly influenced by their pharmacokinetic properties. In the present report, the in vitro biotransformation of the 22R and 22S epimers of the topical steroid budesonide was studied in the S-9 fraction of human liver, bronchus, skin and colonic mucosa. The disappearance of unchanged epimers of budesonide was measured during 90 min of incubation by high performance liquid chromatography. The rate of disappearance was high in human liver while little biotransformation occurred in bronchial tissue and colonic mucosa, and none was detected in the skin. A marked decay of the initial concentration of unchanged budesonide epimers was noticed afte…

Cancer screening and health system resilience: Keys to protecting and bolstering preventive services during a financial crisis

2012

The aim of this paper is to elucidate the rationale for sustaining and expanding cost-effective, population-based screening services for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers in the context of the current financial crisis. Our objective is not only to promote optimal delivery of high-quality secondary cancer prevention services, but also to underline the importance of strengthening comprehensive cancer control, and with it, health system response to the complex care challenges posed by all chronic diseases. We focus primarily on issues surrounding planning, organisation, implementation and resources, arguing that given the growing cancer burden, policymakers have ample justification for e…

Defining substance use disorders: do we really need more than heavy use?

2013

Aims: The aim of the study was to explore whether the concept of heavy substance use over time can be used as definition of substance use disorder. Methods: Narrative review. Results: Heavy use over time clearly underlies the neurobiological changes asso- ciated with current thinking of substance use disorders. In addition, there is evidence that heavy use over time can explain the majority of social problems and of burden of disease (morbidity and mortality). A definition of substance use disorders via heavy use over time would avoid some of the problems of current conceptualizations, for instance the cultural specificity of concepts such as loss of control. Finally, stressing the continuu…

Sexes in gynodioeciousGeranium sylvaticumdo not differ in their isotopic signature or photosynthetic capacity

2017

• In gynodioecious plants, females are expected to produce more or better seeds than hermaphrodites in order to be maintained within the same population. Even though rarely measured, higher seed production can be achieved through differences in physiology. • In this work, we measured sexual dimorphism in several physiological traits in the gynodioecious plant Geranium sylvaticum. Photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductivity, transpiration rate, water use efficiency and isotopic signatures were measured in plants growing in two habitats differing in light availability. • Females have been reported to produce more seeds than hermaphrodites. However, we did not observe any significant difference…

C57BL/6-specific conditions for efficient in utero electroporation of the central nervous system.

2014

Abstract Background In utero electroporation is a fast an efficient tool to specifically address gene expression in the murine central nervous system. This technique was originally established in ICR/CD-1 outbred mice. Neuroanatomical differences between the different mouse strains and variations in gestation length require the optimization of the conditions for each strain to avoid severe complications. Furthermore the relevant position information is currently only scarcely standardized and not always easy to transfer to C57BL/6 mice. New method In this study we present an improved method for in utero electroporation of C57BL/6 including a detailed atlas that allows for specific and effic…

Topical treatment with a two-component gel releasing nitric oxide cures C57BL/6 mice from cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major.

2016

Opposing functions of thymic stromal lymphopoietin–responsive basophils and dendritic cells in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis

2015

CD4(+)IL-13(+) cells in peripheral blood well correlates with the severity of atopic dermatitis in children.

2005

BACKGROUND In atopic dermatitis (AD) a Th1/Th2 imbalance has been reported, and interleukin (IL)-13 seems to play a pivotal role in the inflammatory network. We tried to assess the correlation between the immunological marker CD4(+)IL-13(+) and the clinical phase of extrinsic AD in children. METHODS Twenty children with AD were studied. Assessed parameters were: clinical severity (SCORAD index), total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), blood eosinophil count, and percentage of CD4(+)IFNgamma(+), CD4(+)IL-4(+), CD4(+)IL-13(+) T cells. Determinations were carried out in the acute phase and after clinical remission were achieved. Ten nonatopic-matched children served as controls. RESULTS At baselin…

Cellular and humoral immune responses against autoreactive T cells in multiple sclerosis patients after T cell vaccination.

1999

Myelin basic protein (MBP)-reactive T cells may play an important role in the autoimmune pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). MBP-reactive T cells can be specifically targeted by T cell vaccination, a procedure whereby MS patients are immunized with attenuated autologous MBP reactive T cells. T cell vaccination induces immune responses to the vaccine cells together with a depletion of MBP reactive T cells. Forty-nine MS patients were treated with T cell vaccination in an extended phase I trial to study the safety, immune responses and clinical effects of T cell vaccination. In the present paper the immune responses towards the vaccine cells were characterized. Substantial long-term in v…