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- Ciulla, M. M., et al.
(författare)
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Different effects of antihypertensive therapies based on losartan or atenolol on ultrasound and biochemical markers of myocardial fibrosis: results of a randomized trial
- 2004
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Ingår i: Circulation. - 1524-4539. ; 110:5, s. 552-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: In hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), myocardial texture is altered by a disproportionate increase in fibrosis, but there is insufficient clinical evidence whether antihypertensive therapy or individual agents can induce regression of myocardial fibrosis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We compared the effects of an angiotensin II receptor antagonist with a beta-blocker on myocardial collagen volume (assessed by echoreflectivity and serum collagen markers) in 219 hypertensive patients with echocardiographically documented LVH. Patients were allocated randomly to receive losartan 50 to 100 mg/d (n=111) or atenolol 50 to 100 mg/d (n=99) with or without hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 to 25 mg/d for 36 weeks. Echoreflectivity analysis was conducted on ultrasound tracings of the midapex septum with specifically designed and validated software. A color histogram of reflecting echoes was obtained, and its spread (broadband [BB], previously shown to correlate directly with collagen volume fraction on endomyocardial biopsies) was used as the primary outcome measure. Mean color scale and serum markers of collagen synthesis (PIP, PIIIP) or degradation (CITP) were secondary outcome variables. Echoreflectivity analysis proved feasible in 106 patients (losartan 52, atenolol 54). Losartan reduced BB over 36 weeks (from 114.5 to 104.3 color levels, P<0.02), whereas atenolol treatment was associated with an increase in BB (from 109.0 to 113.6 color levels, P=NS), the difference between treatments being -12.8 color levels (95% CI -23.6 to -2.0, P=0.02). Secondary end points (mean color scale and collagen markers) also changed in the direction of decreased collagen in patients receiving losartan, but differences between groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: In hypertensive patients with LVH, losartan decreases myocardial collagen content, whereas atenolol does not. The difference between the 2 treatments is statistically significant.
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| 3. |
- Suska, F., et al.
(författare)
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IL-1a, IL-1ß and TNF-a secretion during in vivo/ex vivo cellular interactions with titanium and copper
- 2003
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Ingår i: Biomaterials. - 0142-9612 .- 1878-5905. ; 24:3, s. 461-468
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Titanium (Ti) and copper (Cu) were used to evaluate cytokine secretion around materials with different chemical properties. Ti disks were coated with Cu or left uncoated. The disks were inserted subcutaneously in rats for 1, 3, 12, 18, 24 and 48h. Interleukin-1a (IL-1a), IL-1ß and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) concentrations were measured in vivo around the materials, in sham operated sites, and after ex vivo incubation of surface adherent cells. Ti and Cu revealed distinct cytokine expression patterns. Cu recruited cells showed higher and prolonged release of IL-1a than Ti at longer times (>24h), whereas Ti exhibited a transient IL-1a response at earlier periods (<24h). An early enhanced secretion of TNF-a characterized Ti. Low amounts of IL-1ß were found around both materials. Sham site recruited cells produced lower levels of cytokines. The results after ex vivo incubations were similar to those in vivo. This study shows that material chemical properties influence early cytokine production. The Ti-associated transient rise of IL-1a and TNF-a may be of importance for the early tissue response around biocompatible materials, while a delayed high IL-1a expression could be a marker of inflammation induced by toxic materials. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
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| 6. |
- Haagenrud, Svein, et al.
(författare)
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Geographical Information Systems for Sustainable Management of Built Environment
- 2004
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Ingår i: Proc. of CIB World Building Congress 2004.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the building and construction sector all features are location based. The world of geographic information and application orientation is moving extremely fast, and there is a real danger that the slow uptake of new technology and applications in the building sector will again leave the sector trailing behind, also implying a loss in sustainable development and competitive edge. In order to deal with this issue CIB in 1996 established the task group CIB/TG20-GIS. Based on the report CIB 256 from this group and its recommendations, CIB in 2000 established the working commission CIB W106 "Geographical Information Systems", with the overall objectives to provide an international platform for R and D of GIS in the building sector. The W106 has members from 14 countries/organisations and will present its progress report at this Congress, while its final report with conclusions and recommendations is due for the 10DBMC conference in 2005. The work is divided into the following four Tasks: TG1 - GIS-requirements and availability of geographic standards-, data and infra-structures, TG2 - GIS-based analysis and modelling of flow and distribution of materials in the built environment, TG3 - Spatial dynamic modelling for simulation of the interaction between the natural and the built environment, TG4 - GIS in Education and Info sources. Objectives and work programme for each of these tasks are given and illustrated with examples, taken from state-of-the-art reports on the use of GIS elaborated by the participating countries/organisations.
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| 7. |
- Sips, A. C. C., et al.
(författare)
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An international database for the study of the formation of ITBs in tokamaks
- 2002
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Ingår i: Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. - 0741-3335 .- 1361-6587. ; 44, s. A391-A398
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- For the first time, data from eight,different tokamaks have been combined in an international database for internal transport barriers (ITBs). An analysis of the data for the formation of an ITB with dominant ion heating shows a clear dependence of the threshold power on the minor radius and line-averaged electron density for the formation of ion ITBs. The dependence of ITB formation on the toroidal magnetic field is weak. For the formation of ITBs with dominant electron heating, the database is smaller, but for the threshold power a strong increase with plasma size and a weak toroidal field dependence could also be identified. Based on these results, an expression for the power required to form an ITB is given using global variables only. These results give a basis for the analysis of the database using local values (like magnetic shear) and a detailed comparison with theory-based models.
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