Exhaled nitric oxide : Variability and association with bronchial hyperresponsiveness and atopy

Airway inflammation is a key feature of bronchial asthma. In asthma management, according to international guidelines, the gold standard is anti-inflammatory treatment. Currently, only conventional procedures (i.e., symptoms, use of rescue medication, PEF-variability, and lung function tests) were used to both diagnose and evaluate the results of treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs. New methods for evaluation of degree of airway inflammation are required. Nitric oxide (NO) is a gas which is produced in the airways of healthy subjects and especially produced in asthmatic airways. Measurement of NO from the airways is possible, and NO can be measured from exhaled air. Fractional exhaled NO (FENO) is increased in asthma, and the highest concentrations are measured in asthmatic patients not treated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Steroid-treated patients with asthma had levels of FENO similar to those of healthy controls. Atopic asthmatics had higher levels of FENO than did nonatopic asthmatics, indicating that level of atopy affected FENO level. Associations between FENO and bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) occur in asthma. The present study demonstrated that measurement of FENO had good reproducibility, and the FENO variability was reasonable both short- and long-term in both healthy subjects and patients with respiratory symptoms or asthma. We demonstrated the upper normal limit for healthy subjects, which was 12 ppb calculated from two different healthy study populations. We showed that patients with respiratory symptoms who did not fulfil the diagnostic criteria of asthma had FENO values significantly higher than in healthy subjects, but significantly lower than in asthma patients. These findings suggest that BHR to histamine is a sensitive indicator of the effect of ICS and a valuable tool for adjustment of corticosteroid treatment in mild asthma. The findings further suggest that intermittent treatment periods of a few weeks’ duration are insufficient to provide long-term control of BHR in patients with mild persistent asthma. Moreover, during the treatment with ICS changes in BHR and changes in FENO were associated. FENO level was associated with BHR measured by a direct (histamine challenge) or indirect method (exercise challenge) in steroid-naïve symptomatic, non-smoking asthmatics. Although these associations could be found only in atopics, FENO level in nonatopic asthma was also increased. It can thus be concluded that assessment of airway inflammation by measuring FENO can be useful for clinical purposes. The methodology of FENO measurements is now validated. Especially in those patients with respiratory symptoms who did not fulfil the diagnostic criteria of asthma, FENO measurement can aid in treatment decisions. Serial measurement of FENO during treatment with ICS can be a complementary or an alternative method for evaluation in patients with asthma.

Noninvasive biomarkers for early smoking related lung disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a slowly progressive disease characterized by airway inflammation and largely irreversible airflow limitation. One major risk factor for COPD is cigarette smoking. Since the inflammatory process starts many years prior to the onset of clinical symptoms and still continues after smoking cessation, there is an urgent need to find simple non-invasive biomarkers that can be used in the early diagnosis of COPD and which could help in predicting the disease progression. The first aim of the present study was to evaluate the involvement of different oxidative/nitrosative stress markers, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitor-1 (TIMP-1) in smokers and in COPD. Elevated numbers of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nitrotyrosine, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) positive cells and increased levels of 8-isoprostane and lactoferrin were found in sputum of non-symptomatic smokers compared to non-smokers, and especially in subjects with stable mild to moderate COPD, and they correlated with the severity of airway obstruction. This suggests that an increased oxidant burden exists already in the airways of smokers with normal lung function values. However, none of these markers could differentiate healthy smokers from symptomatic smokers with normal lung function values i.e. those individuals who are at risk of developing COPD. In contrast what is known about asthma exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) was lower in smokers than in non-smokers, the reduced FENO value was significantly associated with neutrophilic inflammation and the elevated oxidant burden (positive cells for iNOS, nitrotyrosine and MPO). The levels of sputum MMP-8 and plasma MMP-12 appeared to differentiate subjects who have a risk for COPD development but these finding require further investigations. The levels of all studied MMPs correlated with the numbers of neutrophils, and MMP-8 and MMP-9 with markers of neutrophil activation (MPO, lactoferrin) suggesting that especially neutrophil derived oxidants may stimulate the tissue destructive MMPs already in lungs of smokers who are not yet experiencing any airflow limitation. When investigating the role of neutrophil proteases (neutrophil elastase, MMP-8, MMP-9) during COPD exacerbation and its recovery period, we found that levels of all these proteases were increased in sputum of patients with COPD exacerbation as compared to stable COPD and controls, and decreased during the one-month recovery period, giving evidence for a role of these enzymes in COPD exacerbations. In the last study, the effects of subject`s age and smoking habits were evaluated on the plasma levels of surfactant protein A (SP-A), SP-D, MMP-9 and TIMP-1. Long-term smoking increased the levels of all of these proteins. SP-A most clearly correlated with age, pack years and lung function decline (FEV1/FVC), and based on the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, SP-A was the best marker for discriminating subjects with COPD from controls. In conclusion, these findings support the hypothesis that especially neutrophil derived oxidants may activate MMPs and induce an active remodeling process already in the lungs of smokers with normal lung function values. The marked increase of sputum levels of neutrophil proteases in smokers, stable COPD and/or during its exacerbations suggest that these enzymes play a role in the development and progression of COPD. Based on the comparison of various biomarkers, SP-A can be proposed to serve as sensitive biomarker in COPD development.

Evaluación de quince genotipos de frijol negro (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), en El Plan San Isidro – Matagalpa, primera 2013

v RESUMEN El presente ensayo se realizó en la comunidad de El Plan, San Isidro, Matagalpa, durante la época de primera (Junio – Agosto) del 2013 con el objetivo de evaluar genotipos promisorios de frijol negro ( Phaseolus vulgaris L .) que proporcionen altos rendimientos en kg/ha. Se evaluaron 15 genotipos procedentes del Zamorano Honduras, CIAT Colombia, además del testigo Inta Cárdenas. El ensayo se estableció en un diseño experimental de bloques completamente al azar con 3 repeticiones. Se evaluó el rendimiento y sus componentes, variables feno lógicas . Se realizó análisis de varianza para las variables en estudio y se realizó la separación de medias por Tukey, de acuerdo a la probabilidad obtenida en el análisis de varianza. En cuanto a los componentes del rendimiento, plantas por hectárea, vain as por planta, número de granos por vaina y el peso de 100 g ranos presentaron diferencias significativas , siete de los genotipos mostraron mayor rendimiento con respecto a la mayoría de genotipos, oscilando entre 2059.70 kg/ha y 1484.30 kg/ha , por lo que s e adapta n al ambiente y sistema de producción de los agricultores de San I sidro – Matagalpa, N icaragua . En cuanto a las variables fenológicas se observó que no hay gran diferencia entre los genotipos evaluados en el estudio para los caracteres de días a fl oración y madurez fisiológica, por lo que cua lquiera de estos genotipos es apto para producirse en el municipio de San Isidro – Matagalpa, N icaragua

Metrics of monograph use in the Marston Science Library

As academic libraries are increasingly supported by a matrix of databases functions, the use of data mining and visualization techniques offer significant potential for future collection development and service initiatives based on quantifiable data. While data collection techniques are still not standardized and results may be skewed because of granularity problems, faulty algorithms, and a host of other factors, useful baseline data is extractable and broad trends can be identified. The purpose of the current study is to provide an initial assessment of data associated with science monograph collection at the Marston Science Library (MSL), University of Florida. These sciences fall within the major Library of Congress Classification schedules of Q, S, and T, excluding R, TN, TR, and TT. Overall strategy of this project is to look at the potential science audiences within the university community and analyze data related to purchasing and circulation patterns, e-book usage, and interlibrary loan statistics. While a longitudinal study from 2004 to the present would be ideal, this paper presents the results from the academic year July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009 which was chosen as the pilot period because all data reservoirs identified above were available.

Measuring Learning Outcomes in Library Instruction

The author uses clicker technology to incorporate polling and multiple choice question techniques into library instruction classes. Clickers can be used to give a keener understanding of how many students grasp the concepts presented in a specific class session. Typically, a student that aces a definition-type question will fail to answer an application-type question correctly. Immediate, electronic feedback helps to calibrate teaching approaches and gather data about learning outcomes. This presentation will analyze learning outcomes specific to scientific disciplines, and demonstrate the usefulness of clickers to engage and sustain student learning.

Information Literacy: Experiences at Texas A&M University at Galveston

Texas A&M University at Galveston is initiating a coordinated Information Literacy Program. It is a three-tiered approach with the beginning level pitched to English 104 (entry level English classes), and progressing at the top tier to senior or graduate level "capstone" classes that are writing-intensive. Although I have been doing "library lectures" throughout my career, this is the most organized approach I have been involved with and I am still at the "more questions than answers" stage of figuring out how to best educate our students; and how to measure that success. My presentation will be both illustrative and inquiring. What works in your shop?

Resources consulted and useful for Information Literacy

Bibliography and list of resources to accompany Information Literacy presentation by Natalie Wiest, presented at the 20th Annual SAIL meeting.

O grotesco na cena da dança contemporânea: corpo e comunicação

A presente dissertação se dedica a refletir sobre o corpo e o grotesco na arte e na comunicação contemporâneas. O objetivo do estudo foi investigar o grotesco na cena da dança contemporânea com o intuito de compreender como se dá a relação entre o modo de apreensão do grotesco na atualidade e o modo como ele se apresenta cenicamente. Assim, procurou-se investigar que representações da cultura contemporânea podem estar associadas às manifestações do fenômeno grotesco; como a mídia e o consumo de massa participam na disseminação desta estética; e como o corpo cênico na dança se aproxima/reflete estas representações presentes no cotidiano. O fenômeno grotesco, objeto de estudo desta pesquisa, foi investigado em duas companhias de dança: a Lia Rodrigues Companhia de Danças (RJ) e o Grupo Cena 11 de Dança (SC), onde foram observados o tratamento artístico e os dispositivos utilizados para construção do efeito corpo-grotesco nos espetáculos e o posicionamento dos artistas com o uso da estética grotesca nas obras. O embasamento teórico do estudo investiu na compreensão do fenômeno grotesco nos âmbitos histórico, estético/artístico e social e sua contextualização na contemporaneidade. Partiu-se do entendimento de que o corpo é mídia primária, "espaço" de comunicação e de linguagem e a dança cênica é um fenômeno urbano, que espelha as transformações representacionais do início deste século XXI. As abordagens teóricas de Mikhail Bakhtin sobre o realismo grotesco; de Wolfgang Kayser, sobre o grotesco romântico e os estudos de Muniz Sodré e Raquel Paiva, sobre o grotesco na comunicação contemporânea fundamentaram as discussões. Foi relevante refletir sobre as mudanças de paradigmas sociais que vêm se desenhando na atualidade, sobretudo com a influência do desenvolvimento tecnológico e midiático sobre as corporeidades e os processos de subjetivação. As qualidades fluidas e polifônicas associadas à contemporaneidade nortearam o entendimento desses novos paradigmas estéticos do corpo - atribuídos como corporeidades móveis contemporâneas - e, serviram para denominar/compreender como "grotesco líquido" a presença múltipla e volátil dos fenômenos grotescos na atualidade.

Aspectos práticos da suplementação alimentar de bovinos de corte.

Para ser competitiva, a bovinocultura de corte tropical precisa explorar melhor o pasto, corrigindo, quando necessário, possíveis deficiências nutricionais, isto com muito critério e dentro de uma meta de produção bem estabelecida. Nos trópicos, ao contrário dos países de clima temperado, é possível manter os bovinos em pastejo durante todo o ano, maximizando o conceito do ?boi verde? e preservando as características digestivas do animal ruminante. Tal conceito envolve inúmeros fatores: a energia solar (luz e calor), a planta forrageira (componente sintetizador das substâncias orgânicas via fotossíntese), os bovinos (componente transformador da matéria vegetal em carne/leite por fermentação ruminal), o solo (componente sustentador e fornecedor de elementos nutritivos), a umidade (fornecedora de água) e o ar (fonte contínua de CO2, O2, e N2). Executar uma pecuária precoce, mas racional, é alcançar o equilíbrio biológico entre todos esses componentes, de forma a assegurar sua sustentabilidade. Nesta publicação discutirem-se e sugerem-se medidas corretivas nos pontos de desequilíbrio dos sistemas de produção de carne em pasto, visando a uma pecuária de ciclo curto. Hoje, precocidade é uma demanda de mercado e se o Brasil pretende ampliar e manter sua presença nele, é necessário melhorar o manejo alimentar do seu rebanho.

Produção de biomassa de mandioca.

A mandioca (Maninhot esculenta Crantz) pode ser destinada ao consumo humano e animal (ruminantes e herbívoros não ruminantes), podendo-se aproveitar as raízes, excelente fonte de energia, as ramas (parte aérea), ricas em proteína, e os subprodutos da industrialização.Considera-se a mandioca como recurso de grande valor para a alimentação nos trópicos, por apresentar características agronômicas específicas que permitem sua exploração não somente em condições de alta tecnologia como também com deficiência de insumos, e também apresentar ampla versatilidade quanto às possibilidades de uso.A parte aérea da mandioca constitui-se em excelente opção para a alimentação de animais, como substituto de parte dos cereais que compõem as rações. Adotando-se um manejo adequado de cultivo, pode-se obter alta produtividade de massa verde. Tal produção pode ser destinada para a alimentação de animais na forma de feno, silagem e ?in natura?, ou como componente protéico e energético na formulação de rações. Um prato típico da região do Recôncavo da Bahia é a maniçoba, feito à base de folha de mandioca, advindo da culinária africana.

EPR spectroscopy of nitrite complexes of methemoglobin.

The chemical interplay of nitrogen oxides (NO's) with hemoglobin (Hb) has attracted considerable recent attention because of its potential significance in the mechanism of NO-related vasoactivity regulated by Hb. An important theme of this interplay-redox coupling in adducts of heme iron and NO's-has sparked renewed interest in fundamental studies of FeNO(x) coordination complexes. In this Article, we report combined UV-vis and comprehensive electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopic studies that address intriguing questions raised in recent studies of the structure and affinity of the nitrite ligand in complexes with Fe(III) in methemoglobin (metHb). EPR spectra of metHb/NO(2)(-) are found to exhibit a characteristic doubling in their sharper spectral features. Comparative EPR measurements at X- and S-band frequencies, and in D(2)O versus H(2)O, argue against the assignment of this splitting as hyperfine structure. Correlated changes in the EPR spectra with pH enable complete assignment of the spectrum as deriving from the overlap of two low-spin species with g values of 3.018, 2.122, 1.45 and 2.870, 2.304, 1.45 (values for samples at 20 K and pH 7.4 in phosphate-buffered saline). These g values are typical of g values found for other heme proteins with N-coordinated ligands in the binding pocket and are thus suggestive of N-nitro versus O-nitrito coordination. The positions and shapes of the spectral lines vary only slightly with temperature until motional averaging ensues at approximately 150 K. The pattern of motional averaging in the variable-temperature EPR spectra and EPR studies of Fe(III)NO(2)(-)/Fe(II)NO hybrids suggest that one of two species is present in both of the alpha and beta subunits, while the other is exclusive to the beta subunit. Our results also reconfirm that the affinity of nitrite for metHb is of millimolar magnitude, thereby making a direct role for nitrite in physiological hypoxic vasodilation difficult to justify.

Equivalencia fenomenológica entre fenómenos y equivalencia fenomenológica entre definiciones

Presentamos resultados relativos a la equivalencia matemática y fenomenológica de la definición de límite finito de una sucesión y la definición de sucesión de Cauchy. Para ello enunciamos dos criterios que permiten determinar cuando dos fenómenos son equivalentes y cuando lo son dos definiciones, desde un punto de vista fenomenológico. A continuación y usando estos resultados realizamos avances significativos para demostrar en un futuro próximo que la definición de límite finito de una función en el infinito y la condición de Bolzano-Cauchy, además de ser equivalentes matemáticamente también lo son fenomenológicamente. Para ello enunciamos los fenómenos organizados por la definición de Bolzano-Cauchy que convenimos en llamarla definición de función de Cauchy.

Marco teórico y metodológico para el estudio del límite

Nuestras investigaciones dan cabida, con los mismos métodos, a diferentes nociones del límite, como límite finito de una sucesión o límite finito de una función en un punto. Consideramos tres elementos relacionados: fenomenología, sistemas de representación y pensamiento matemático avanzado. En la primera parte lo explicamos y presentamos ideas de otros marcos teóricos. Hemos usado las mismas herramientas metodológicas para descubrir y estudiar los fenómenos organizados por tres casos de límite finito y para reconocer esos fenómenos en libros de texto. Además, hemos desarrollado instrumentos para mostrar los fenómenos que emplean alumnos y profesores. En la segunda parte describimos los métodos usados para extraer información de libros de texto y alumnos.

Peanut allergy and allergic airways inflammation.

Asthma is a major risk cofactor for anaphylactic deaths in children with peanut allergy. Peanut allergy is generally thought to be a lifelong condition, but some children outgrow their coexistent asthma. It has recently been shown that children who have ‘outgrown’ their asthma symptoms may have ongoing eosinophilic airways inflammation. The need for regular inhaled corticosteroid treatment in peanut allergic children and adolescents who have outgrown their asthma is however unclear. The aims of our study were to look at fractional exhaled nitric oxide levels (FeNO), as a non-invasive marker of eosinophilic airways inflammation, in peanut allergic children and assess whether children with outgrown asthma had elevated levels. Children with peanut allergy were recruited at two pediatric allergy clinics in Belfast, UK. Exhaled nitric oxide levels (FeNO) were measured using the Niox Mino in all children. Of the 101 peanut allergic children who consented for enrolment in the study, 94 were successfully able to use the NIOX Mino. Age range was 4–15 yr (median 10 yr); 61% were boys. Thirty (32%) had never wheezed, 37 (39%) had current treated asthma, 20 (21%) had at least 1 wheezing episode within the last year but were not taking any regular asthma medication (wheeze no treatment), and 7 (7%) had outgrown asthma. All children with outgrown asthma had elevated levels of FeNO (>35 ppb), and 75% of children defined as ‘wheeze no treatment’ had elevated FeNO levels (>35 ppb). Outgrown asthma and children defined as ‘wheeze no treatment’ had higher levels of FeNO than those with no history of wheeze or current treated asthma (p = 0.003). In children with peanut allergy, we found that those who had outgrown asthma had elevated FeNO levels in keeping with ongoing eosinophilic airways inflammation.

Comparative repeatability of two handheld fractional exhaled nitric oxide monitors.

Background The use of portable fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) devices is increasingly common in the diagnosis and management of allergic airways inflammation. Methods We tested two handheld FENO devices, to determine (a) if there was adequate intradevice repeatability to allow the use of single breath testing, and (b) if the devices could be used interchangeably. In a mixed pediatric population, including normal, asthmatic, and children with peanut allergies, 858 paired values were collected from the NIOX-MINO® and/or the NObreath® devices. Results The NIOX-MINO® showed excellent repeatability (mean difference of 0.1 with 95% limits of agreement between -7.93 to 7.72?ppb), while the NObreath® showed good repeatability (mean difference of -1.61 with 95% limits of agreement between -14.1 and 10.8?ppb). Intradevice repeatability was good but not adequate and the NIOX-MINO® systematically produced higher results than the NObreath® [mean difference of 7.8?ppb with 95% limits of agreement from -11.55 to 27.52?ppb (-33% to 290%)]. Conclusions Our results support the manufacturer's advice that single breath testing is appropriate for the NIOX-MINO®. NObreath® results indicate that the mean of more than one breath should be utilized. The devices cannot be used interchangeably. Pediatr Pulmonol. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.