scholarly journals Precision Medicine and Childhood Asthma: A Guide for the Unwary

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Mark L. Everard

Many thousands of articles relating to asthma appear in medical and scientific journals each year, yet there is still no consensus as to how the condition should be defined. Some argue that the condition does not exist as an entity and that the term should be discarded. The key feature that distinguishes it from other respiratory diseases is that airway smooth muscles, which normally vary little in length, have lost their stable configuration and shorten excessively in response to a wide range of stimuli. The lungs’ and airways’ limited repertoire of responses results in patients with very different pathologies experiencing very similar symptoms and signs. In the absence of objective verification of airway smooth muscle (ASM) lability, over and underdiagnosis are all too common. Allergic inflammation can exacerbate symptoms but given that worldwide most asthmatics are not atopic, these are two discrete conditions. Comorbidities are common and are often responsible for symptoms attributed to asthma. Common amongst these are a chronic bacterial dysbiosis and dysfunctional breathing. For progress to be made in areas of therapy, diagnosis, monitoring and prevention, it is essential that a diagnosis of asthma is confirmed by objective tests and that all co-morbidities are accurately detailed.

Author(s):  
M.A. Zemlianova ◽  
I.V. Tikhonova

Alumina refineries are among the leading sources of atmospheric air pollution with a wide range of pollutants hazardous to human respiratory organs. It is relevant to study and evaluate the occurrence of the risks for development of respiratory diseases in children living in the area affected by the emission components of an alumina refinery. We assessed air quality of the area under observation and comparison according to monitoring observations, risk of non-carcinogenic effects from the respiratory organs. The content of chemicals in the blood and urine adequate to risk factors was quantified. The structure of individual groups of respiratory diseases was analyzed. The causal relationships of violations of laboratory parameters with an increased content of chemicals in biological media were evaluated. It was found that an aerogenic exposure of chemical pollutants is formed on the territory with the production of metallurgical alumina. It determines the risk for development of respiratory diseases, exceeding an acceptable level up to 49.9 times. In the exposed children, the content of manganese, chromium, nickel, copper, xylenes, formaldehyde and aluminum, fluoride ion in the urine was increased to 4.2 times in relation to the indices in the comparison group. A high level of additional respiratory morbidity(1.8 times) was revealed. Chronic lymphoproliferative diseases of the nasopharynx and inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract (up to 6.6 times more often), inflammatory diseases with a predominance of the mechanism of allergic inflammation ( up to 2.1 times more often)are more often detected in the framework of the respiratory diseases. Negative effects on the part of the respiratory system in the form of activation of antioxidant processes, the development of an inflammatory reaction, local, general and specific sensitization of the respiratory tract were established. It confirms the occurrence of the risks for the development of respiratory diseases in children in the exposure area of the chemical factors of alumina refinery-associated economic activity.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reshma Nagpal ◽  
Jitender Bhalla ◽  
Shamsher S. Bari

Background:A lot of advancement has been made in the area of β-lactams in recent times. Most of the research is targeted towards the synthesis of novel β-lactams, their functionalization and exploring their biological potential. The C-3 functionalization of β-lactams has continued to attract considerable interest of the scientific community due to their utility as versatile intermediates in organic synthesis and their therapeutic applications. This has led to the significant increase in efforts towards developing efficient and economic strategies for C-3 functionalized β-lactams.Objective:The present review aims to highlight recent advancement made in C-3 functionalization of β-lactams.Conclusion:To summarize, functionalization of β-lactams at C-3 is an essential aspect of β-lactam chemistry in order to improve/modify its synthetic utility as well as biological potential. The C-3 carbocation equivalent method has emerged as an important and convenient strategy for C-3 functionalization of β-lactam heterocycles which provides a wide range of β-lactams viz. 3-alkylated β-lactams, 3-aryl/heteroarylated β-lactams, 3- alkoxylated β-lactams. On the other hand, base mediated functionalization of β-lactams via carbanion intermediate is another useful approach but their scope is limited by the requirement of stringent reaction conditions. In addition to this, organometallic reagent mediated α-alkylation of 3-halo/3-keto-β-lactams also emerged as interesting methods for the synthesis of functionalized β-lactams having good yields and diastereoselectivities.


Author(s):  
David Fisher

There are eight columns in the Periodic Table. The eighth column is comprised of the rare gases, so-called because they are the rarest elements on earth. They are also called the inert or noble gases because, like nobility, they do no work. They are colorless, odorless, invisible gases which do not react with anything, and were thought to be unimportant until the early 1960s. Starting in that era, David Fisher has spent roughly fifty years doing research on these gases, publishing nearly a hundred papers in the scientific journals, applying them to problems in geophysics and cosmochemistry, and learning how other scientists have utilized them to change our ideas about the universe, the sun, and our own planet. Much Ado about (Practically) Nothing will cover this spectrum of ideas, interspersed with the author's own work which will serve to introduce each gas and the important work others have done with them. The rare gases have participated in a wide range of scientific advances-even revolutions-but no book has ever recorded the entire story. Fisher will range from the intricacies of the atomic nucleus and the tiniest of elementary particles, the neutrino, to the energy source of the stars; from the age of the earth to its future energies; from life on Mars to cancer here on earth. A whole panoply that has never before been told as an entity.


2004 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 2019-2027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott C Johnson ◽  
David J Marshall ◽  
Gerda Harms ◽  
Christie M Miller ◽  
Christopher B Sherrill ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: All states require some kind of testing for newborns, but the policies are far from standardized. In some states, newborn screening may include genetic tests for a wide range of targets, but the costs and complexities of the newer genetic tests inhibit expansion of newborn screening. We describe the development and technical evaluation of a multiplex platform that may foster increased newborn genetic screening. Methods: MultiCode® PLx involves three major steps: PCR, target-specific extension, and liquid chip decoding. Each step is performed in the same reaction vessel, and the test is completed in ∼3 h. For site-specific labeling and room-temperature decoding, we use an additional base pair constructed from isoguanosine and isocytidine. We used the method to test for mutations within the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The developed test was performed manually and by automated liquid handling. Initially, 225 samples with a range of genotypes were tested retrospectively with the method. A prospective study used samples from >400 newborns. Results: In the retrospective study, 99.1% of samples were correctly genotyped with no incorrect calls made. In the perspective study, 95% of the samples were correctly genotyped for all targets, and there were no incorrect calls. Conclusions: The unique genetic multiplexing platform was successfully able to test for 31 targets within the CFTR gene and provides accurate genotype assignments in a clinical setting.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rolf K. Eckhoff

Right from the early days of the process industries, continuous efforts have been made to develop and improve measures for prevention and mitigation of dust explosions in these industries. Nevertheless this hazard continues to threaten industries that manufacture, use and/or handle powders and dusts of a wide range of combustible materials. To improve methods for predicting explosion development in real industrial plant has been one major challenge. Hence, during the last years comprehensive numerical simulation codes, for addressing this problem, have been developed. Progress has also been made in other areas, for example, ignition source prevention. The importance of adopting inherently safer process design, by building on firm knowledge in powder science and technology, and of systematic education/training of personnel, is also emphasized.


2014 ◽  
Vol 657 ◽  
pp. 306-310
Author(s):  
Lăcrămioara Apetrei ◽  
Vasile Rață ◽  
Ruxandra Rață ◽  
Elena Raluca Bulai

Research evolution timely tendencies, in the nonconventional technologies field, are: manufacture conditions optimization and complex equipments design. The increasing of ultrasonic machining use, in various technologies is due to the expanding need of a wide range materials and high quality manufacture standards in many activity fields. This paper present a experimental study made in order to analyze the welded zone material structure and welding quality. The effects of aluminium ultrasonic welding parameters such as relative energy, machining time, amplitude and working force were compared through traction tests values and microstructural analysis. Microhardness tests were, also, made in five different points, two in the base material and three in the welded zone, on each welded aluminium sample. The aluminum welding experiments were made at the National Research and Development Institute for Welding and Material Testing (ISIM) Timişoara. The ultrasonic welding temperature is lower than the aluminium melting temperature, that's so our experiments reveal that the aluminium ultrasonic welding process doesn't determine the appearance of moulding structure. In the joint we have only crystalline grains deformation, phase transformation and aluminium diffusion.


Diabetologia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziyi Zhou ◽  
John Macpherson ◽  
Stuart R. Gray ◽  
Jason M. R. Gill ◽  
Paul Welsh ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims/hypothesis People with obesity and a normal metabolic profile are sometimes referred to as having ‘metabolically healthy obesity’ (MHO). However, whether this group of individuals are actually ‘healthy’ is uncertain. This study aims to examine the associations of MHO with a wide range of obesity-related outcomes. Methods This is a population-based prospective cohort study of 381,363 UK Biobank participants with a median follow-up of 11.2 years. MHO was defined as having a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 and at least four of the six metabolically healthy criteria. Outcomes included incident diabetes and incident and fatal atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD), heart failure (HF) and respiratory diseases. Results Compared with people who were not obese at baseline, those with MHO had higher incident HF (HR 1.60; 95% CI 1.45, 1.75) and respiratory disease (HR 1.20; 95% CI 1.16, 1.25) rates, but not higher ASCVD. The associations of MHO were generally weaker for fatal outcomes and only significant for all-cause (HR 1.12; 95% CI 1.04, 1.21) and HF mortality rates (HR 1.44; 95% CI 1.09, 1.89). However, when compared with people who were metabolically healthy without obesity, participants with MHO had higher rates of incident diabetes (HR 4.32; 95% CI 3.83, 4.89), ASCVD (HR 1.18; 95% CI 1.10, 1.27), HF (HR 1.76; 95% CI 1.61, 1.92), respiratory diseases (HR 1.28; 95% CI 1.24, 1.33) and all-cause mortality (HR 1.22; 95% CI 1.14, 1.31). The results with a 5 year landmark analysis were similar. Conclusions/interpretation Weight management should be recommended to all people with obesity, irrespective of their metabolic status, to lower risk of diabetes, ASCVD, HF and respiratory diseases. The term ‘MHO’ should be avoided as it is misleading and different strategies for risk stratification should be explored. Graphical abstract


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-445 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. Barth ◽  
Tong Li ◽  
Wen Shi ◽  
Pei Xu

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine recent developments pertaining to China’s shadow banking sector. Shadow banking has the potential not only to be a beneficial contributor to continued economic growth, but also to contribute to systematic instability if not properly monitored and regulated. An assessment is made in this paper as to whether shadow banking is beneficial or harmful to China’s economic growth. Design/methodology/approach – The authors start with providing an overview of shadow banking from a global perspective, with information on its recent growth and importance in selected countries. The authors then focus directly on China’s shadow banking sector, with information on the various entities and activities that comprise the sector. Specifically, the authors examine the interconnections between shadow banking and regular banking in China and the growth in shadow banking to overall economic growth, the growth in the money supply and the growth in commercial bank assets. Findings – Despite the wide range in the estimates, the trend in the size of shadow banking in China has been upward over the examined period. There are significant interconnections between the shadow banking sector and the commercial banking sector. Low deposit rate and high reserve requirement ratios have been the major factors driving its growth. Shadow banking has been a contributor, along with money growth, to economic growth. Practical implications – The authors argue that shadow banking may prove useful by diversifying China’s financial sector and providing greater investments and savings opportunities to consumers and businesses throughout the country, if the risks of shadow banking are adequately monitored and controlled. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this paper is among the few to systematically evaluate the influence of shadow banking on China’s economic growth.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (65) ◽  
pp. 15164-15172
Author(s):  
S. Pratap ◽  
Aziz Fatima

In present scenario of COVID-19, the effect of pandemic on Digital Marketing is visible not only in urban areas but also in rural areas. Customers are searching for various products and services through Google by which they can purchase wide range of products and services to fill their needs and desires at relatively low price. The freedom to select numerous products is available by browsing various websites. Hence this study focuses on Impact of digital marketing particularly in the selected rural areas of Telangana state. This state been formed recently but in the IT sector it is receiving much attention throughout the globe, as many MNC’s are establishing their operations in this state. Therefore, an attempt has been made in this study to find out how the Impact of digital marketing is trickling down in the rural and remote areas of newly formed Telangana state. Hence this study focuses the impact of digital marketing in the selected areas of Telangana state.


1917 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 88-115
Author(s):  
W. H. Buckler
Keyword(s):  

The inscriptions here published were in the main copied by me during excursions made in the years 1912–1914. A few are reproduced from squeezes furnished by residents of Thyateira (Ak-hissar) and Smyrna who travelled much in the surrounding country. Of the texts from Philadelpheia (Ala-shehir) four (Nos. 1–4) came to light in 1913–1914 among the materials of the picturesque old Kursum-khane, the upper stories of which were being pulled down. These monuments, with five others (Nos. 5–9), were preserved at the official residence of the Metropolitan of Philadelpheia, by whose kindness I was enabled to take copies and squeezes.Unless otherwise stated, these inscriptions are presumed to be unpublished, but owing to the present difficulty of obtaining foreign scientific journals, this point is in some doubt.


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