A randomized, comparative study of formoterol and terbutaline dry powder inhalers in the treatment of mild to moderate asthma exacerbations in the pediatric acute care setting

Background: Formoterol is a fast-acting, long-acting beta-agonist. Its on-demand use by outpatients has been beneficial in controlling asthma. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of formoterol as rescue medication for pediatric asthma exacerbation. Methods: A randomized, double-blind study was conducted on parallel groups involving 79 pediatric patients (mean [SD] age, 9.92 [2.5] years) with mild to moderate asthma exacerbations. They were treated with up to 3 doses of formoterol aerolizer, 12 mu g, or terbutaline Turbuhaler, 0.5 mg (dry powder inhalers). Respiratory rate, clinical score, pulse oximetry, and spirometry were analyzed at baseline and 15 minutes after administration of each bronchodilator dose. All the patients received oral prednisolone, 1 mg/kg, at study entry, followed by a single daily dose for 4 days. Forty-one patients were treated with formoterol and 38 with terbutaline. The groups were comparable in age and in severity of asthma exacerbation. Results: Both treatments resulted in similar clinical and functional improvement; 37 patients (47%) required 1 bronchodilator dose. Increases of 19.5% and 1.5.3% occurred in forced expiratory volume in 1 second in the formoterol and terbutaline groups, respectively. Therapeutic failures occurred in 2 patients. No adverse effects were observed. At 1-week follow-up, patients were stable, with pulmonary function close to normal. Conclusion: Formoterol therapy was at least as effective as terbutaline therapy in children and adolescents with mild and moderate asthma exacerbations. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2009; 103:248-253.

Response of human dental pulp capped with MTA and calcium hydroxide powder

Objectives: To compare the response of human dental pulp capped with a mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Ca(OH)(2) powder. Methods and Material: Pulp exposures were performed on the occlusal floor of 40 permanent premolars. The pulp was then capped with either Ca(OH)(2) powder (CH) or MTA and restored with resin composite. After 30 days (groups CH30 and MTA30) and 60 days (groups CH60 and MTA60), the teeth were extracted and processed for HE and categorized in a histological score system. The data were subjected to Kruskal-Wallis and Conover tests (alpha=0.05). Results: In regard to dentin bridge formation, CH30 showed a tendency towards superior performance compared to MTA30 (p>0.05), although the products showed comparable results at day 60. In the item ""Inflammation"" and ""General State of the Pulp"" (p>0.05), CH showed a tendency towards presenting a higher inflammatory response. In the item ""Other Pulpal Findings,"" MTA and Ca(OH)(2) showed equal and excellent performance after 30 and 60 days (p>0.05). Conclusion: After 30 days, Ca(OH)(2) powder covered with calcium hydroxide cement showed faster hard tissue bridge formation compared to MTA. After 60 days, Ca(OH)(2) powder or NITA materials showed a similar and excellent histological response with the formation of a hard tissue bridge in almost all cases with low inflammatory infiltrate.

Human alveolar bone cell proliferation, expression of osteoblastic phenotype, and matrix mineralization on porous titanium produced by powder metallurgy

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the influence of the porous titanium (Ti) structure on the osteogenic cell behaviour. Materials and methods: Porous Ti discs were fabricated by the powder metallurgy process with the pore size typically between 50 and 400 mm and a porosity of 60%. Osteogenic cells obtained from human alveolar bone were cultured until subconfluence and subcultured on dense Ti (control) and porous Ti for periods of up to 17 days. Results: Cultures grown on porous Ti exhibited increased cell proliferation and total protein content, and lower levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity than on dense Ti. In general, gene expression of osteoblastic markers-runt-related transcription factor 2, collagen type I, alkaline phosphatase, bone morphogenetic protein-7, and osteocalcin was lower at day 7 and higher at day 17 in cultures grown on porous Ti compared with dense Ti, a finding consistent with the enhanced growth rate for such cultures. The amount of mineralized matrix was greater on porous Ti compared with the dense one. Conclusion: These results indicate that the porous Ti is an appropriate substrate for osteogenic cell adhesion, proliferation, and production of a mineralized matrix. Because of the three-dimensional environment it provides, porous Ti should be considered an advantageous substrate for promoting desirable implant surface-bone interactions.

In situ electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study of surface oxygen species on Au/ZnO catalyst for low-temperature carbon monoxide oxidation

Some paramagnetic superoxide ions detectable by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) can be generated on Au/ZnO catalyst by oxygen adsorption at room temperature as well as at 553 K. In both the cases, the O-2(-) ions are present on the catalyst surface. The disappearance of the O-2(-) signal by the introduction of carbon monoxide over the catalyst surface implies that the O-2(-) ions are either the active oxygen species or the precursors of the active oxygen species. The CO3- species produced are also detected by EPR. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Powder forging of a sintered Al-3.8Cu-1Mg-0.8Si-O.1Sn alloy

The forging characteristics of an Al-Cu-Mg-Si-Sn alloy are examined using it new testing strategy which incorporates a double truncated cone specimen and finite element modelling. This sample geometry produces controlled strain distributions within a single specimen and can readily identify the specific strain required to achieve a specific microstructural event by matching the metallographic data with the strain profiles calculated from finite element software, The friction conditions were determined using the conventional friction ring test, which was evaluated using finite element software. The rheological properties of the alloy, evaluated from compression testing of right cylinders, are similar to the properties of conventional aluminium forgings. A hoop strain develops at the outer diameter of the truncated cones and this leads to pore opening at the outer few millimetres. The porosity is effectively removed when the total strain equals the net compressive strain. The strain profiles that develop in the truncated cones are largely independent of the processing temperature and the strain rate although the strain required for pore closure increases as the forging temperature is reduced. This suggests that the microstructure and the strain rate sensitivity may also be important factors controlling pore behaviour. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental study of phase equilibria in the "FeO"-ZNO-(CaO+SiO2) system with the CaO/SiO2 weight ratio of 0.71 at metallic iron saturation

The pseudoternary section FeO-ZnO-(CaO + SiO2) with a CaO/SiO2 weight ratio of 0.71 in equilibrium with metallic iron has been experimentally investigated in the temperature range from 1000 degreesC to 1300 degreesC (1273 to 1573 K). The liquidus surface in this pseudoternary. section has been determined in the composition range of 0 to 33 wt pct ZnO and 30 to 70 wt pct (CaO + SiO2)The system contains primary-phase fields of wustite (FexZn1-xO1+y), zincite (ZnzFe1-zO), fayalite (FewZn2-wSiO4), melilite (Ca2ZnuFe1-uSi2O7), and pseudowollastonite (CaSiO3). The phase equilibria involving the liquid phase and the solid solutions have also been measured.

Drop penetration into porous powder beds

The kinetics of drop penetration were studied by filming single drops of several different fluids (water, PEG200, PEG600, and HPC solutions) as they penetrated into loosely packed beds of glass ballotini, lactose, zinc oxide, and titanium dioxide powders. Measured times ranged from 0.45 to 126 s and depended on the powder particle size,viscosity, surface tensions, and contact angle. The experimental drop penetration times were compared to existing theoretical predictions by M. Denesuk et al. (J. Colloid Interface Sci. 158, 114, 1993) and S. Middleman (Modeling Axisymmetric Flows: Dynamics of Films, Jets, and Drops, Academic Press, San Diego, 1995) but did not agree. Loosely packed powder beds tend to have a heterogeneous bed structure containing large macrovoids which do not participate in liquid flow but are included implicitly in the existing approach to estimating powder pore size. A new two-phase model was proposed where the total volume of the macrovoids was assumed to be the difference between the bed porosity and the tap porosity. A new parameter, the effective porosity (epsilon)eff, was defined as the tap porosity multiplied by the fraction of pores that terminate at a macrovoid and are effectively blocked pores. The improved drop penetration model was much more successful at estimating the drop penetration time on all powders and the predicted times were generally within an order of magnitude of the experimental results. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Experimental study of phase equilibria in the PbO-ZnO-"Fe2O3"-(CaO+SiO2) system in air for the lead and zinc blast furnace sinters (CaO/SiO2 weight ratio of 0.933 and PbO/(CaO+SiO2) ratios of 2.0 and 3.2)

Experimental studies on phase equilibria and liquidus in the multicomponent system PbO-ZnO-CaO-SiO2-FeO-Fe2O3 in air have been conducted over the temperature range between 1323 K (1050 degreesC) and 1623 K (1350 degreesC) to characterize the phase relations of the complex slag systems encountered in lead and zinc blast furnace sinters. The liquidus in two pseudoternary sections ZnO-Fe2O3-(PbO + CaO + SiO2) with the CaO/SiO2 weight ratio of 0.933 and PbO/(CaO + SiO2) weight ratios of 2.0 and 3.2 have been constructed.

Study of vanadium doped ZnO films prepared by dc reactive magnetron sputtering at different substrate temperatures

ZnO films doped with vanadium (ZnO:V) have been prepared by dc reactive magnetron sputtering technique at different substrate temperatures (RT–500 C). The effects of the substrate temperature on ZnO:V films properties have been studied. XRD measurements show that only ZnO polycrystalline structure has been obtained, no V2O5 or VO2 crystal phase can be observed. It has been found that the film prepared at low substrate temperature has a preferred orientation along the (002) direction. As the substrate temperature is increased, the (002) peak intensity decreases. When the substrate temperature reaches the 500 C, the film shows a random orientation. SEM measurements show a clear formation of the nano-grains in the sample surface when the substrate temperature is higher than 400 C. The optical properties of the films have been studied by measuring the specular transmittance. The refractive index has been calculated by fitting the transmittance spectra using OJL model combined with harmonic oscillator.

Fully transparent ZnO thin-film transistor produced at room temperature

Advanced Materials, Vol. 17, nº 5

Effect of different dopant elements on the properties of ZnO thin films

Vacuum, Vol. 64

Influence of the deposition pressure on the properties of transparent and conductive ZnO: Ga thin-film produced by r.f. sputtering at room temperature

Thin Solid Films, vol. 427, nº 1-2

Desenvolvimento de películas à base de ZnO, condutoras e resistivas para aplicação em electrónica transparente

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia dos Materiais, pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Comparative evaluation of adverse effects in the use of powder trivalent antivenom and liquid antivenoms in Bothrops snake bites

INTRODUCTION: Snake bite, a problem in public health, generally occurs where there is no electric power. METHODS: A comparative clinical study was conducted with 102 victims of Bothrops snake bite, from the state of Amazonas, Brazil; 58 victims were treated with liofilizated trivalent antivenom serum (SATL) and 44 victims treated with liquid bivalent and monovalent antivenom serum (SAMBL). RESULTS: 17% (10/58) of patients presented adverse effects with the SATL and 25% (11/44) with the SAMBL. CONCLUSIONS: There was no statistic difference in number of adverse effects between the two types of snake bite antivenom.