Home peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurement is recommended by asthma guidelines. In a 16-week randomized controlled study on 16 subjects with asthma (24.6 6.5 years old, asthma duration small ze, Cyrillic 6 months), we examined Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) mobile telephone short-message service (SMS) as a novel means of telemedicine in PEF monitoring. All subjects received asthma education, self-management plan, and standard treatment. All measured PEF three times daily and kept a symptom diary. In the study group, therapy was adjusted weekly by an asthma specialist according to PEF values received daily from the patients. There was no significant difference between the groups in absolute PEF, but PEF variability was significantly smaller in the study group (16.12 +/- 6.93% vs. 27.24 +/- 10.01%, p = 0.049). forced expiratory flow in 1 second (FEV1; % predicted) in the study group was slightly but significantly increased (81.25 +/- 17.31 vs. 77.63 +/- 14.80, p = 0.014) and in the control group, unchanged (78.25 +/- 21.09 vs. 78.88 +/- 22.02, p = 0.497). Mean FEV1 was similar in the two groups both before and after the study. Controls had significantly higher scores for cough (1.85 +/- 0.43 vs. 1.42 +/- 0.28, p < 0.05) and night symptoms (1.22 +/- 0.23 vs. 0.85 +/- 0.32, p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups in daily consumption of inhaled medicine, forced vital capacity, or compliance. Per patient, per week, the additional cost of follow-up by SMS was Euros 1.67 (equivalent to approximately $1.30 per 1 Euro), and SMS transmission required 11.5 minutes. Although a study group of 40 patients is needed for the follow-up study to achieve the power of 80% within the 95% confidence interval, we conclude that SMS is a convenient, reliable, affordable, and secure means of telemedicine that may improve asthma control when added to a written action plan and standard follow-up.

Novel polyurethane copolymers derived from 4,4 0 -methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), 1,4-butanediol (BD) and a,x-dihydroxy-[poly(caprolactone)-polywere synthesized by a two-step polyaddition reaction in solution. In the synthesis of the polyurethanes, the PCL blocks served as a compatibilizer between the nonpolar PDMS blocks and the polar comonomers, MDI and BD. The synthesis of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) with high soft segment contents was optimized in terms of the concentrations of the reactants, the molar ratio of the NCO/OH groups, and the time and temperature of the polyaddition reaction. The structure, composition, and hard MDI/BD segment length of the synthesized polyurethane copolymers were determined by 1 H, 13 C-NMR, and two-dimensional correlation (COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) spectroscopy, while the hydrogen bonding interactions in the copolymers were analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The influence of the reaction conditions on the structure, molecular weight, thermal, and some physical properties was studied at constant composition of the reaction mixture. A change in the molar ratio of the NCO/OH groups and the reaction conditions modified not only the molecular weight of the synthesized polyurethanes, but also the microstructure and therefore the thermal and physical properties of the copolymers. It was demonstrated that only PCL segments with high soft segment contents crystallize, thereby showing spherulitic morphology.

Properties and biocompatibility of a series of thermoplastic poly(urethane-siloxane)s (TPUSs) based on α,ω-dihydroxy ethoxy propyl poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) for potential biomedical application were studied. Thin films of TPUSs with a different PDMS soft segment content were characterized by (1) H NMR, quantitative (13) C NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), contact angle, and water absorption measurements. Different techniques (FTIR, AFM, and DMA) showed that decrease of PDMS content promotes microphase separation in TPUSs. Samples with a higher PDMS content have more hydrophobic surface and better waterproof performances, but lower degree of crystallinity. Biocompatibility of TPUSs was examined after attachment of endothelial cells to the untreated copolymer surface or surface pretreated with multicomponent protein mixture, and by using competitive protein adsorption assay. TPUSs did not exhibit any cytotoxicity toward endothelial cells, as measured by lactate dehydrogenase and 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assays. The untreated and proteins preadsorbed TPUS samples favored endothelial cells adhesion and growth, indicating good biocompatibility. All TPUSs adsorbed more albumin than fibrinogen in competitive protein adsorption experiment, which is feature regarded as beneficial for biocompatibility. The results indicate that TPUSs have good surface, thermo-mechanical, and biocompatible properties, which can be tailored for biomedical application requirements by adequate selection of the soft/hard segments ratio of the copolymers.

No abstract

No abstract

This study investigated properties of starch-based edible fi lms with oregano and black cumin essential oil addition. Essential oils addition positively affected fi lm swelling (decreased due to essential oil addition), mechanical properties (tensile strength decreased while elongation at break increased), and water vapor barrier properties (decreased along with essential oils addition). Control fi lm did not have any biological activity, which proves the need for essential oils addition in order to obtain active packaging. Oregano oil was more effective in terms of biological activity. Endothermal peak, above 200°C, represents total thermal degradation of edible fi lms. Diffraction pattern of control fi lm showed signifi cant destruction of A-type crystal structure. Addition of essential oils resulted in peak shape change: diffraction peaks became narrower. Principal Component Analysis has been used to assess the effect of essential oils addition on fi nal starch-based edible fi lms characteristics with the aim to reveal directions for the fi lm characteristics improvement, since the next phase will be optimal fi lm application for food packaging.

In this study, the synthesis, structure and physical properties of two series of thermoplastic polyurethanes based on hydroxypropyl-terminated poly-(dimethylsiloxane) (HP-PDMS) or hydroxyethoxypropyl-terminated poly-(dimethylsiloxane) (EO-PDMS) as soft segments, and 4,4′-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate and 1,4-butanediol as hard segments were investigated. The polyurethanes were synthesized by two-step polyaddition in solution. The effects of the type and content of PDMS segments on the structure, thermal and surface properties of copolymers were studied by 1 H-, 13 C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopies (heteronuclear multiple bond correlation (HMBC) and rotating-frame nuclear Overhauser effect (ROESY)), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water contact angle and water absorption measurements. Thermal properties investigated by DSC indicated that the presence of soft PDMS segments lowers the glass transition and melting temperatures of the hard phase as well as the degree of crystallinity. SEM analysis of the copolymers with a lower soft segment content confirmed the presence of spherulite superstructures, which arise from the crystallization of the hard segments. When compared with polyurethanes prepared from HP-PDMS, the copolymers synthesized from EO-PDMS with the same content of the soft segments had a higher degree of crystallinity, better thermal stability and a less hydrophobic surface. The obtained results showed that the synthesized polyurethanes had good thermal and surface

A lipid-transfer protein (LTP), which belongs to a family of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, was isolated from malting barley grain. This LTP significantly decreased fermentation and respiration of brewers yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and caused the leakage of cell constituents. These effects were dose dependent tending to saturation at higher concentrations (≈ 200 µg/mg yeast dry weight cells). It was found that LTP survives the thermal treatment during the mashing process. Despite yeast fermentation inhibition in vitro, this LTP did not appear to cause impairment of yeast fermentation capability in the brewing process.