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Major Reduction (major + reduction)
Selected AbstractsMajor reduction in spinal inflammation in patients with ankylosing spondylitis after treatment with infliximab: Results of a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled magnetic resonance imaging studyARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 5 2006Jürgen Braun Objective To determine whether the effects of anti,tumor necrosis factor , (TNF,) in reducing the signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) coincide with a reduction in spinal inflammation as detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods Pre- and postgadolinium T1 and STIR MR images of the spine were acquired at baseline and at week 24 in patients with AS who participated in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Patients were randomly assigned at an 8:3 ratio to receive infusions of infliximab (5 mg/kg) or placebo at weeks 0, 2, and 6 and then every 6 weeks thereafter. MR images were obtained and evaluated independently by 2 readers who were blinded to the treatment allocation and time sequence of the images. Results A total of 194 patients in the infliximab group and 72 patients in the placebo group had evaluable images at baseline and week 24. About 80% of the patients had at least 1 active spinal lesion at baseline, as assessed by MRI. The improvement in the MRI Activity Score after 6 months was significantly greater in the patients who received infliximab (mean 5.02, median 2.72) than in those who received placebo (mean 0.60, median 0.0) (P < 0.001). Almost complete resolution of spinal inflammation was seen in most patients who received infliximab, irrespective of baseline activity. Conclusion Patients with AS who received infliximab therapy showed a decrease in spinal inflammation as detected by MRI, whereas those who received placebo showed persistent inflammatory spondylitis. [source] A three-year prospective study of adult subjects with gingivitis II: microbiological parametersJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 1 2007R. P. Teles Abstract Aim: To investigate whether the clinical benefits obtained with a periodontal prevention programme in subjects with periodontal health or minimal disease were accompanied by beneficial changes in the subgingival microbiota. Material and Methods: One hundred and twenty-four subjects completed the study. Subjects were clinically and microbiologically monitored at baseline, 1, 2 and 3 years. Subgingival plaque samples were taken from the mesiobuccal aspect of every tooth and were analysed for the levels of 40 bacterial species using checkerboard DNA,DNA hybridization (total samples=13,477). The mean counts of each of the 40 test species were calculated for each subject at each time point. Significance of differences over time was sought using the Friedman test. p values were adjusted for multiple comparisons. Results: All clinical parameters, at the microbiologically sampled sites, improved over time. The clinical changes were accompanied by statistically significant decreases in the mean counts of 35 of the 40 test species. Major reductions occurred by year 2 for Actinomyces, Capnocytophaga, Campylobacter, Fusobacterium and Prevotella species. At year 3, there was a modest re-growth of the majority of the species. Conclusions: The clinical improvements obtained through preventive measures were accompanied by a shift to a more host-compatible subgingival microbiota. [source] Proteomic and SAGE profiling of murine melanoma progression indicates the reduction of proteins responsible for ROS degradationPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 5 2006Gustavo A. de Souza Abstract Using 2-DE of total cell protein extracts, we compared soluble proteins from murine melanoma lines Tm1 and Tm5 with proteins from the nontumoral cell melan-a from which they were derived. Seventy-one of the 452 spots (average) detected with CBB were differentially accumulated, i.e., increased or decreased twofold. Forty-four spots were identified by PMF/MALDI-TOF, 15 with increased and 29 with decreased protein levels. SAGE showed that 17/34 (50%) of the differentially accumulated proteins, pI range 4,7, presented similar differences at the mRNA level. Major reductions in protein were observed in tumor cells of proteins that degrade reactive oxygen species (ROS). Decreases of , twofold in GST, superoxide dismutase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, thioredoxin, peroxiredoxin 2, and peroxiredoxin 6 protein were observed. SAGE indicated the reduction of other proteins involved in ROS degradation. As expected, the accumulation of exogenous peroxides was significantly higher in the tumor cells while the levels of glutathionylation were two times lower in the tumor cells compared to melan-a. The differential accumulation of proteins involved in oncogene/tumor suppressor pathways was observed. Melanoma cells can favor survival pathways activated by ROS by inhibiting p53 pathways and activation of Ras and c-myc pathways. [source] Comparative analysis of NK cell subset distribution in normal and lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocyte conditionsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 10 2004Véronique Pascal Abstract We have characterized the heterogeneity of human blood NK cell subsets defined by expression of KIR, lectin like receptors and NK cell differentiation markers within a cohort of 51 healthy Caucasian individuals. High inter-individual variability in cell surface expression of most NK cell markers is observed. Range values defining NK cell subsets in healthy donors were further used as references to characterize 14 patients with NK-type lymphoproliferative disease of granular lymphocytes (NK-LDGL). Alterations of the KIR repertoire were noted in all NK-LDGL patients. NK cell expansions were classified as oligoclonal KIR+ or as non-detectable KIR (ndKIR) using anti-KIR2DL1/2DS1, anti-KIR2DL2/2DL3/2DS2, anti-KIR3DL1 and anti-KIR2DS4 monoclonal antibodies. A major reduction in the size of the CD56bright NK cell subset was a constant feature of NK-LDGL. Altered distribution of CD94+, CD161+, and CD162R+ NK cell subsets was also observed in NK-LDGL patients. Considering the potential role of NK cells in eliminating tumors or virus-infected cells, the reference values defined in this study should be valuable to characterize both quantitative and qualitative alterations of the NK cell repertoire in pathological conditions and to monitor NK cell reconstitution following hematopoietic transplantation. [source] Simulation of groundwater dynamics in the North China Plain by coupled hydrology and agricultural modelsHYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 16 2006Tadanobu Nakayama Abstract We simulated the effects of irrigation on groundwater flow dynamics in the North China Plain by coupling the NIES Integrated Catchment-based Ecohydrology (NICE) model with DSSAT-wheat and DSSAT-maize, two agricultural models. This combined model (NICE-AGR) was applied to the Hai River catchment and the lower reach of the Yellow River (530 km wide by 840 km long) at a resolution of 5 km. It reproduced excellently the soil moisture, evapotranspiration and crop production of summer maize and winter wheat, correctly estimating crop water use. So, the spatial distribution of crop water use was reasonably estimated at daily steps in the simulation area. In particular, NICE-AGR reproduced groundwater levels better than the use of statistical water use data. This indicates that NICE-AGR does not need detailed statistical data on water use, making it very powerful for evaluating and estimating the water dynamics of catchments with little statistical data on seasonal water use. Furthermore, the simulation reproduced the spatial distribution of groundwater level in 1987 and 1988 in the Hebei Plain, showing a major reduction of groundwater level due mainly to overpumping for irrigation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Nuclear production of hydrogen: When worlds collideINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 2 2009R. B. Duffey Abstract A particularly important role for nuclear power in the future will be in alleviating the potential for climate change by avoiding greenhouse and particulate emissions. The corollary is the key link to the hydrogen economy, where the introduction of hydrogen into the transportation sector will benefit the environment only when low carbon sources, such as nuclear reactors, are the primary energy source for hydrogen production. The future could well be the Hydrogen Age. We show that a major reduction in greenhouse emissions worldwide can be obtained by synergistic nuclear-electric-renewable production of hydrogen, thus alleviating potential effects on future generations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effects of Liver-Derived Insulin-Like Growth Factor I on Bone Metabolism in Mice,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 11 2002Klara Sjögren Abstract Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I is an important regulator of both skeletal growth and adult bone metabolism. To better understand the relative importance of systemic IGF-I versus locally expressed IGF-I we have developed a transgenic mouse model with inducible specific IGF-I gene inactivation in the liver (LI-IGF-I,/,). These mice are growing normally up to 12 weeks of age but have a disturbed carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. In this study, the long-term effects of liver-specific IGF-I inactivation on skeletal growth and adult bone metabolism were investigated. The adult (week 8,55) axial skeletal growth was decreased by 24% in the LI-IGF-I,/, mice whereas no major reduction of the adult appendicular skeletal growth was seen. The cortical cross-sectional bone area, as measured in the middiaphyseal region of the long bones, was decreased in old LI-IGF-I,/, mice. This reduction in the amount of cortical bone was caused mainly by decreased periosteal circumference and was associated with a weaker bone determined by a decrease in ultimate load. In contrast, the amount of trabecular bone was not decreased in the LI-IGF-I,/, mice. DNA microarray analysis of 30-week-old LI-IGF-I,/, and control mice indicated that only four genes were regulated in bone whereas ,40 genes were regulated in the liver, supporting the hypothesis that liver-derived IGF-I is of minor importance for adult bone metabolism. In summary, liver-derived IGF-I exerts a small but significant effect on cortical periosteal bone growth and on adult axial skeletal growth while it is not required for the maintenance of the trabecular bone in adult mice. [source] Fermentation of Cucumbers Brined with Calcium Chloride Instead of Sodium ChlorideJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010Roger F. McFeeters ABSTRACT:, Waste water containing high levels of NaCl from cucumber fermentation tank yards is a continuing problem for the pickled vegetable industry. A major reduction in waste salt could be achieved if NaCl were eliminated from the cucumber fermentation process. The objectives of this project were to ferment cucumbers in brine containing CaCl2 as the only salt, to determine the course of fermentation metabolism in the absence of NaCl, and to compare firmness retention of cucumbers fermented in CaCl2 brine during subsequent storage compared to cucumbers fermented in brines containing both NaCl and CaCl2 at concentrations typically used in commercial fermentations. The major metabolite changes during fermentation without NaCl were conversion of sugars in the fresh cucumbers primarily to lactic acid which caused pH to decrease to less than 3.5. This is the same pattern that occurs when cucumbers are fermented with NaCl as the major brining salt. Lactic acid concentration and pH were stable during storage and there was no detectable production of propionic acid or butyric acid that would indicate growth of spoilage bacteria. Firmness retention in cucumbers fermented with 100 to 300 mM CaCl2 during storage at a high temperature (45 °C) was not significantly different from that obtained in fermented cucumbers with 1.03 M NaCl and 40 mM CaCl2. In closed jars, cucumber fermentations with and without NaCl in the fermentation brine were similar both in the chemical changes caused by the fermentative microorganisms and in the retention of firmness in the fermented cucumbers. [source] Antisense suppression of tau in cultured rat oligodendrocytes inhibits process formationJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 12 2008David Gordon Abstract The microtubule-associated protein tau is integral to neuronal process development and has a role in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative conditions. We examined possible roles for tau in cultured oligodendrocyte process formation by using antisense oligonucleotide treatment. Inhibition of tau synthesis with single oligonucleotides resulted in decreased tau protein levels and significantly shorter cellular processes. Simultaneous use of two nonoverlapping oligonucleotides caused a major reduction in tau levels and severely inhibited process outgrowth. The timing of oligonucleotide addition to oligodendrocyte cultures was important, with addition of antisense at the time of plating into culture having the most significant effect on morphology through reduction of tau expression. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Conversion from a calcineurin inhibitor to everolimus therapy in maintenance liver transplant recipients: A prospective, randomized, multicenter trialLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 10 2009Paolo De Simone Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) contribute to renal dysfunction following liver transplantation. This prospective, randomized, multicenter, 6-month study (with an additional 6 months of follow-up) evaluated whether everolimus with CNI reduction or discontinuation would improve renal function in maintenance liver transplant recipients experiencing CNI-related renal impairment. Patients started everolimus therapy with CNI reduction or discontinuation (n = 72) or continued receiving standard-exposure CNI (n = 73). At month 6, 80% of the patients who had converted to everolimus had discontinued the CNI. The mean change in creatinine clearance (CrCl) from baseline to month 6 was similar between groups (everolimus, 1.0 ± 10.2 mL/minute; controls, 2.3 ± 7.8 mL/minute; P = 0.46), so the primary study endpoint (8 mL/minute difference in the change in CrCl) was not achieved. Among patients who continued everolimus according to the protocol, the mean increase in CrCl was 2.1 (n = 53) and 3.8 mL/minute (n = 38) at months 6 and 12, respectively, versus 2.4 (n = 68) and 3.5 mL/minute in controls (n = 51). The high frequency of CNI dose reductions in controls (77% of the patients) and the relatively long mean time post-transplant (>3 years) likely contributed to the small difference in CrCl. Biopsy-proven acute rejection occurred in 1.4% of the patients in each group, with no graft losses. Study drug discontinuation was higher in everolimus-treated patients, and adverse events were more frequent. These data demonstrate that everolimus allows for discontinuation or a major reduction of CNI exposure in liver allograft recipients suffering CNI-related renal dysfunction without a loss of efficacy. Trials targeting earlier conversion post-transplantation are required to confirm the efficacy and safety of everolimus for improving renal function after liver transplantation. Liver Transpl 15:1262,1269, 2009. © 2009 AASLD. [source] Morphological and fractal studies of polypropylene/poly(ethene-1-octene) blends during melt mixing using scanning electron microscopyPOLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2008Xinhua Xu Abstract BACKGROUND: Polymer blending creates new materials with enhanced mechanical, chemical or optical properties, with the exact properties being determined by the type of morphology and the phase dimension of the blend. In order to control blend properties, morphology development during processing needs to be understood. The formation and evolution of polypropylene/poly(ethylene-1-octene) (PP/POE) blend morphology during blending are qualitatively represented by a series of time-dependent scanning electron microscopy (SEM) patterns. The area diameter and its distribution of dispersed phase domains are discussed in detail. In order to characterize the formation and evolution of phase morphology quantitatively, two fractal dimensions, Ds and Dd, and their corresponding scaling functions are introduced to analyze the SEM patterns. RESULTS: The evolution of the area diameter indicates that the major reduction in phase domain size occurs during the initial stage of melt mixing, and the domain sizes show an increasing trend due to coalescence with increasing mixing times. The distribution in dispersed phase dimension obeys a log-normal distribution, and the two fractal dimensions are effective to describe the phase morphology: Ds for dispersed phase dimension and Dd for the distribution in it. CONCLUSIONS: The fractal dimensions Ds and Dd can be used quantitatively to characterize the evolutional self-similarity of phase morphology and the competition of breakup and coalescence of dispersed phase domains. It is shown that the fractal dimensions and scaling laws are useful to describe the phase morphology development at various mixing times to a certain extent. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Tales from the frontline: the colorectal battle against SARSCOLORECTAL DISEASE, Issue 2 2004I. M. J. Bradford Abstract Objective The recent worldwide epidemic of Severe Acute Respiratory Disease (SARS) caused over 800 deaths and had a major impact on the health services in affected communities. The impact of SARS on colorectal surgery, particularly service provision and training, is unknown. This paper reports these changes from a single colorectal unit at the centre of the outbreak. Patients and methods Hospital databases and electronic patient records covering the 4 months duration of the SARS epidemic and an equivalent period preceding SARS were compared. Data was collected for inpatient admissions, outpatient consultations, operative surgery, colonoscopy and waiting times for appointments or surgery. Results The SARS epidemic resulted in reductions of 52% for new outpatient attendances, 59% for review attendances, 51% for admissions, 32% for surgical procedures and 48% for colonoscopies. Major emergency procedures, cancer resections and complex major procedures were unaffected. Operative procedures by trainees reduced by 48% and procedures by specialists reduced by 21%. Patients awaiting early or urgent outpatient appointments rose by 200% with waiting times for colonoscopy increased by a median 3, 5 or 9 weeks for outpatient, inpatient or non-urgent cases, respectively. The waiting time for minor elective colorectal surgery was extended by 5 months. Conclusion SARS resulted in a major reduction in the colorectal surgical caseload. The consequences were evidenced by a detrimental effect on waiting times and colorectal training. However, serious pathology requiring emergency or complex surgery was still possible within these constraints. [source] A high frequency kriging approach for non-stationary environmental processesENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 5 2001Montserrat Fuentes Abstract Emission reductions were mandated in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 with the expectation that they would result in major reductions in the concentrations of atmospherically transported pollutants. The emission reductions are intended to reduce public health risks and to protect sensitive ecosystems. To determine whether the emission reductions are having the intended effect on atmospheric concentrations, monitoring data must be analyzed taking into consideration the spatial structure shown by the data. Maps of pollutant concentrations and fluxes are useful over different geopolitical boundaries, to discover when, where, and to what extent the U.S. Nation's air quality is improving or declining. Since the spatial covariance structure shown by the data changes with location, the standard kriging methodology for spatial interpolation cannot be used because it assumes stationarity of the process. We present a new methodology for spatial interpolation of non-stationary processes. In this method the field is represented locally as a stationary isotropic random field, but the parameters of the stationary random field are allowed to vary across space. A procedure for interpolation is presented that uses an expression for the spectral density at high frequencies. New fitting algorithms are developed using spectral approaches. In cases where the data are distributed exactly or approximately on a lattice, it is argued that spectral approaches have potentially enormous computational benefits compared with maximum likelihood. The methods are extended to interpolation questions using approximate Bayesian approaches to account for parameter uncertainty. We develop applications to obtain the total loading of pollutant concentrations and fluxes over different geo-political boundaries. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Widespread distribution of a lexA -regulated DNA damage-inducible multiple gene cassette in the Proteobacteria phylumMOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2004Marc Abella Summary The SOS response comprises a set of cellular functions aimed at preserving bacterial cell viability in front of DNA injuries. The SOS network, negatively regulated by the LexA protein, is found in many bacterial species that have not suffered major reductions in their gene contents, but presents distinctly divergent LexA-binding sites across the Bacteria domain. In this article, we report the identification and characterization of an imported multiple gene cassette in the Gamma Proteobacterium Pseudomonas putida that encodes a LexA protein, an inhibitor of cell division (SulA), an error-prone polymerase (DinP) and the alpha subunit of DNA polymerase III (DnaE). We also demonstrate that these genes constitute a DNA damage-inducible operon that is regulated by its own encoded LexA protein, and we establish that the latter is a direct derivative of the Gram-positive LexA protein. In addition, in silico analyses reveal that this multiple gene cassette is also present in many Proteobacteria families, and that both its gene content and LexA-binding sequence have evolved over time, ultimately giving rise to the lexA lineage of extant Gamma Proteobacteria. [source] ,Violent' deaths of children in England and Wales and the major developed countries 1974,2002: possible evidence of improving child protection?CHILD ABUSE REVIEW, Issue 5 2008Colin Pritchard Abstract Child protection services are criticised for failing to prevent abuse but demonstrating successful prevention is impossible as it is trying to prove a ,negative'. The alternative is to examine ,failures', i.e. the ,violent' deaths of children (0,14 years) to indicate whether matters are improving or deteriorating. This paper uses the latest World Health Organisation data to compare children's ,violent' deaths in England and Wales with those in other major developed countries. To account for possible ,hidden' under-reported abuse deaths, undetermined, i.e. ,other external causes of death' (OECD) and fatal accidents and adverse events (AAE), deaths are also analysed along with homicides, to compare all ,violence-related' deaths between 1974,76 and 2000,02. England and Wales infant (<1 year) homicide rates were annually 57 per million but fell to 17 per million, a 74% fall. Infant AAE deaths fell in every country with England and Wales falling from 341 per million to 71 per million, a 76% reduction. Both these results were significantly better than those of eight other major developed countries, although England and Wales infant OECD at 26 per million, were high compared to the major developed countries. In the 1970s, combined ,violent' deaths of all children (0,14 years) (homicide, OECD and AAE) in England and Wales were 203 per million, they are now 61 per million, a 70% decline with only Italy having lower rates. The worst rates were in the USA which had the highest combined ,violent' death rate. These overall results in the major reductions of ,violence-related' deaths in England and Wales can be a boost to the morale of front-line staff and provide the public with an indication of the progress being made. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||