The anti-inflammatory effects of salmeterol/fluticasone (SFP), tiotropium/fluticasone (Tio+FP) and tiotropium (Tio) alone were investigated on the inflammatory cells and mediators in sputum induced from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.Subjects were either newly diagnosed or had not taken any medication for 3 months prior to the study. Subjects (n599) were randomised (not double blinded) and received either SFP (100/ 1,000 mg daily), Tio+FP (18/1,000 mg daily) or Tio (18 mg daily) for 12 weeks. Induced sputum and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) were analysed prior to and at the end of treatment.The results showed that treatment with SFP caused a significant reduction in interleukin (IL)-8 and matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-9 in induced sputum, compared with treatment with Tio alone. There were no treatment differences between the SFP and Tio+FP groups in decreasing IL-8 and MMP-9 levels. The reduction in IL-8 showed significant association with the reduction in MMP-9. All treatment groups failed to significantly reduce the numbers of total cells, neutrophils, macrophages and eosinophils in induced sputum; in addition, there were no treatment differences in terms of improvement of forced expiratory volume in one second, forced vital capacity, CRP or quality of life between the three groups.The anti-inflammatory effects of salmeterol/fluticasone probably contribute to the clinical benefits seen in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Objectives: To compare the image quality, radiation dose and diagnostic accuracy of 320-detector CT coronary angiography with prospective and retrospective electrocardiogram (ECG) gating in a single heartbeat. Methods: Two independent reviewers separately scored image quality of coronary artery segment for 480 cardiac CT studies in a prospective group and a retrospective group (240 patients with a heart rate ,65 beats per minute in each group). The two groups matched well for clinical characteristics and CT parameters. There was good agreement for image quality scores of coronary artery segment between the independent reviewers (k50.73). Of the 7023 coronary artery segments, the image quality scores of the prospective group and retrospective group were not significantly different (p.0.05). The mean radiation dose was 10.0¡3.5 mSv (range 6.2-21.6 mSv) for prospective ECG gating at 65-85% of R-R interval (the interval between the R-wave of one heartbeat to the Rwave of the next). The mean radiation dose for retrospective ECG-triggered modulated scans was 23.2¡3.4 mSv (range 17-27.4 mSv). The mean radiation dose was 57% lower for prospective gating than for retrospective gating (p,0.01). Results: Compared with coronary angiography, the results for prospective vs retrospective ECG gating were 92% vs 90% for sensitivity (p50.23), 89% vs 91% for specificity (p50.19), 90% vs 93% for positive predictive value (p50.25) and 92% vs 95% for negative predictive value (p50.21) for lesions with $50% stenosis, respectively. Conclusion: 320-detector CT coronary angiography performed with prospective ECG gating has similar subjective image quality scores, but a 57% lower radiation dose than retrospective ECG gating in a single heartbeat.

The Aloe polysaccharide promotes both the proliferation of fibroblasts and the production of hyaluronic acid and hydroxyproline in fibroblasts. This indicates that the Aloe polysaccharide may play an important role in the extracellular matrix remodeling during wound healing.

A large density cavity that measured 2000 km across and 500 km in height was observed by DEMETER and Formosat/COSMIC satellites in temporal and spatial relation to a new mode of propagation of electromagnetic (em) pulses between discrete magnetic field-aligned auroral plasmas to high altitudes. Recorded positive plasma potential from satellite probes is consistent with the expulsion of electrons in the creation of density cavities. High-frequency decay spectra support the concept of parametric instabilities fed by free energy sources.

The status of CD34+ marrow cells in cirrhotic patients may suggest that the ability of hematopoietic progenitor cells to transform into mature blood cells is impaired.