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Various Durations (various + duration)
Selected AbstractsContinuous subcutaneous insulin infusion with short-acting insulin analogues or human regular insulin: efficacy, safety, quality of life, and cost-effectivenessDIABETES/METABOLISM: RESEARCH AND REVIEWS, Issue 3 2004Régis Pierre Radermecker Abstract Portable insulin infusion devices are effective and safe insulin delivery systems for managing diabetes mellitus, especially type 1 diabetes. Rapidly absorbed insulin analogues, such as insulin lispro or insulin aspart, may offer an advantage over regular human insulin for insulin pumps. Several open-label randomised crossover trials demonstrated that continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) with insulin lispro provided a better control of postprandial hyperglycaemia and a slightly but significantly lower glycated haemoglobin level, with lower daily insulin requirement and similar or even less hypoglycaemic episodes. A CSII study comparing insulin lispro and insulin aspart demonstrated similar results with the two analogues, and better results than those with regular insulin. Because these analogues have a quicker onset and a shorter duration of action than regular insulin, one might expect an earlier and greater metabolic deterioration in case of CSII interruption, but a more rapid correction of metabolic abnormalities after insulin boluses when reactivating the pump. These expectations were confirmed in randomised protocols comparing the metabolic changes occurring during and after CSII interruption of various durations when the pump infused either insulin lispro or regular insulin. The extra cost resulting from the use of CSII and insulin analogues in diabetes management should be compensated for by better metabolic control and quality of life. In conclusion, CSII delivering fast-acting insulin analogues may be considered as one of the best methods to replace insulin in a physiological manner by mimicking meal and basal insulin requirements, without higher risk of hypoglycaemia or ketoacidosis in well-educated diabetic patients. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Stepping from Illegality to Legality and Advancing towards Integration: The Case of Immigrants in Greece,INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION REVIEW, Issue 4 2005Nicholas P. Glytsos This paper highlights how the social and economic situation of immigrants changes after their formal legalization and discusses what they nave to go through for their complete integration. Legalization can hardly solve the problem of immigrant employment, nor can it pull all immigrants out of the underground labor market and integrate them into the Greek economy ana society. The process towards complete integration is painful and involves a series of successive phases of various durations. During this period, apart from economic conditions, various institutional and cultural factors can hinder or delay integration. With respect to economic integration, immigrants seem to fare rather well. Their official unemployment rate is only slightly higher than the Greek unemployment rate, the two rates converging over time. This suggests increasing relative opportunities for immigrant employment, precarious or stable as it might be. Immigrant jobs come as a result of their flexible adjustment to the needs of the labor market - official or underground - compared to the inflexibility in the supply of Greek workers, due to labor mismatches and relatively high reservation wages. Wages of immigrants are generally lower, but are approaching the wages of their Greek counterparts. Educated immigrants much more than educated Greeks are forced by the circumstances to exercise jobs not measuring up to their qualifications. [source] Effects of ultraviolet irradiation on the static and dynamic properties of neoprene rubbersJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2008Hsoung-Wei Chou Abstract Rubbers deteriorate when they are exposed to ultraviolet irradiation for long periods of time. By conducting a series of hardness measurements and simple tension tests, the static properties of neoprene rubbers before and after exposure to various durations of ultraviolet irradiation were first measured. It is found that the Shore A hardness and tensile modulus of neoprene rubbers after exposure to ultraviolet irradiation are increased but their elongation at break, tensile strength, and energy to break are significantly decreased. On the basis of a complex spring model of a vibration system, the dynamic shear properties of neoprene rubbers before and after exposure to different durations of ultraviolet irradiation were then determined from the experimental results of dynamic transmissibility tests. It is also found that the storage modulus, loss modulus, and loss factor of neoprene rubbers are drastically affected by the duration of ultraviolet irradiation they experienced. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Survey of endoscopic ultrasonographic practice and training in the Asia-Pacific regionJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 8 2006Khek Yu Ho Abstract Background:, Little is known about the current status of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) training in the Asia,Pacific region. The aim of the present study was to assess EUS practice and training in the Asia,Pacific region and seek to identify areas where the development of EUS expertise could be further enhanced. Methods:, A direct mail survey was sent out to 87 practising endosonographers in various parts of the Asia,Pacific region outside of Japan. They were asked to report on their prior training, utilization of EUS, and EUS training in their country. Results:, The respondents (n = 71) were mostly young (median age 40 years), male (97%), practising in academia (36.6%) or public hospitals (50.7%) and fairly experienced (median 5 years) in EUS practices; they had performed a median of 500 procedures in their career. Among them, 49.3% were self-taught. Only 22.5% and 21.1% had undergone formal overseas fellowship lasting ,6 months, and local gastrointestinal fellowships of various durations, respectively. Fifty-six percent were currently involved in EUS teaching. Most (90%) thought that a formal EUS training fellowship is necessary for acquiring acceptable competence and there should be a minimum number (median 100) of supervised procedures performed and minimum amount of time (median 6 months) spent on training. Conclusions:, Although EUS practitioners in the Asia,Pacific region were not behind their European or US counterparts in hands-on experience, the lack of formal EUS training programs and opportunities remains an area of concern. For the region to increase EUS utilization, the current shortage of training opportunities needs to be addressed. [source] Formation of a Nanocrystalline Layer on the Surface of Stone Wool FibersJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 1 2009Yuanzheng Yue In the present paper, we report a simple approach for creating a nanocrystalline layer on the surface of stone wool fibers (SWFs) with a basalt-like composition. The approach is based on a preoxidation process of the SWFs in atmospheric air at a temperature around the glass transition temperature (Tg) for various durations. During preoxidation, the network-modifying ions diffuse from the interior toward the surface of SWFs and react with oxygen on the surface to form oxides. This diffusion process is accompanied by an inward diffusion of electron holes via the oxidation process of Fe2+ to Fe3+. It is found that the diffusion of Mg2+ is dominant in the overall diffusion process. The main phase of the nanocrystalline layer is identified to be periclase (MgO) crystals. The thickness of the nanocrystalline layer can be varied by adjusting the temperature and the duration of preoxidation. The nanocrystalline layer plays a significant role in enhancing the high-temperature stability of the SWFs. [source] Interspecific variation in the response to low temperature storage in different aphid parasitoidsANNALS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2010H. Colinet Cold storage of natural enemies usually involves placing insects under constant subambient temperatures. Even at non-freezing temperatures, a reduction in survival is the norm. Using fluctuating thermal regimes (FTR) instead of constant low temperature (CLT) has shown that mortality due to accumulation of chilling injuries was significantly reduced in Aphidius colemani. Whether this phenomenon can be generalised to other parasitoid species is not known. The aim of this study was to analyse interspecific variation in the ability to tolerate cold storage under CLT (continuous 2°C) versus FTR (daily cycle: 2°C for 22 h and 20°C for 2 h) for various durations (0,20 days). Survival, sex ratio and development of five different Aphidiine parasitoids were analysed: A. colemani, Aphidius ervi, Aphidius matricariae, Ephedrus cerasicola and Praon volucre. A marked interspecific variation in the ability to tolerate cold storage was observed: A. matricariae and A. ervi were most chill tolerant, P. volucre and E. cerasicola had an intermediate chill sensitivity and A. colemani was most chill sensitive. In all species tested, FTR significantly reduced cold-induced mortality. This phenomenon was manifested more in chill-sensitive species as they probably accumulate chilling injuries more rapidly. The sex ratio remained unaffected in all the species. Interspecific variation was also observed in developmental responses to cold storage. Under CLT, time to adult emergence of A. matricariae, A. colemani, A. ervi and P. volucre was temporarily stopped and in E. cerasicola it increased. Under FTR, the short daily intervals at 20°C for 2 h allowed parasitoids to continue development in all the species. Interspecific differences are discussed. This study suggests that positive impact of FTR may apply to a wide range of species. [source] 1,,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its analogues, EB1089 and CB1093, profoundly inhibit the in vitro proliferation of the human hepatoblastoma cell line HepG2ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 7 2001J. Akhter Background: 1,,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25[OH]2D3) has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of various cancer cells including colon, prostate, melanoma, osteosarcoma and breast cancer. Methods: The human hepatoma cell line (HepG2) was cultured with 1,25(OH)2D3 or one of two analogues EB1089 or CB1093 for various durations. Cellular proliferation was measured by uptake of [3H]thymidine, and cell numbers were determined by trypan blue exclusion counting. Results: 1,25(OH)2D3, EB1089 and CB1093 all inhibited proliferation of HepG2 by up to 90% after 5 days of treatment, compared to the untreated controls. Decreased proliferation was associated with an approximately 50% reduction in cell numbers at concentrations of up to 10,10 mol/L after 5 days of treatment with 1,25(OH)2D3. Cell proliferation rapidly recovered in cultures treated with lower concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D3 (10,10 and 10,11 mol/L) when 1,25(OH)2D3 was removed from the cultures by placing cells in serum containing medium without 1,25(OH)2D3. When HepG2 cells were treated with 10,8 mol/L 1,25(OH)2D3 for 5 weeks, there was still significant inhibition of proliferation, although at week 5 there was 66% inhibition compared to 93% at the end of week 1. Conclusions: 1,25(OH)2D3, EB1089 and CB1093 all significantly inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 hepatoblastoma cells, with EB1089 being the most potent at lower concentrations. Inhibition can be maintained for at least 4 weeks, but is reversed after removal of vitamin D3. [source] Vigabatrin-associated loss of vision: rarebit perimetry illuminates the dose,damage relationshipACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 1 2004Lars Frisén Abstract. Purpose:, The utility of vigabatrin in the treatment of epilepsy is partially offset by its retinal toxicity. The relationship between dosage and damage is obscure. This may be due to perimetric shortcomings. The new technique of rarebit (,microdot') perimetry might be more informative. Methods:, Twelve patients who had been treated with vigabatrin for various durations were examined by manual, kinetic perimetry and by rarebit perimetry. Results:, Rarebit results differed significantly between patients and normal controls and rarebit deficits were directly proportional to cumulated vigabatrin doses (correlation coefficients were , 0.92 in the nasal field and , 0.82 in the temporal field). Manual perimetry results were less clearly related to dosage (r = , 0.54 and r = , 0.73, respectively). Conclusion:, Rarebit perimetry indicates that each treated subject will develop visual loss and that visual loss will be proportional to the accumulated dose. Conventional perimetry is less well suited to detecting and quantifying vigabatrin-associated visual loss. [source] | |||||||||||||