Differences In Degree Of Response Research Articles

Canadian Covid-19 pandemic public health mitigation measures at the province level

The Covid-19 pandemic has prompted governments across the world to enforce a range of public health interventions. We introduce the Covid-19 Policy Response Canadian tracker (CPRCT) database that tracks and records implemented public health measures in every province and territory in Canada. The implementations are recorded on a four-level ordinal scale (0–3) for three domains, (Schools, Work, and Other), capturing differences in degree of response. The data-set allows the exploration of the effects of public health mitigation on the spread of Covid-19, as well as provides a near-real-time record in an accessible format that is useful for a diverse range of modeling and research questions.

Comparative Study between Oral Zinc Sulphate, Amino Acids Chelated Zinc and Placebo in Treatment of Viral Warts

Background: Warts are tumors or growths caused by infection with Human Papilloma virus (HPV). More than 100 HPV subtypes are known. They are a common presenting disease in children and adolescents which spread by direct contact or autoinoculation. The aim of the Work: The aim of this work was to assess and compare the efficacy and safety of oral zinc sulphate and amino acids chelated zinc in treatment of viral warts. Patients and Methods: This cross sectional case control study included 60 patients with multiple viral warts who were collected from the Dermatology, STDs and Andrology outpatient clinic of Fayoum university hospital during the period from November 2014 to November 2015. The patients were 29 males and 31 females with ages ranging from 15 to 60 years. Results: There was statistically significant difference in degree of response in zinc and control groups as no patient in control group showed any response while in both zinc groups 27.5% of patients showed variable degrees of response. Also, there was no statistically significant difference in degree of response in both zinc groups. Conclusion: oral zinc in its both forms used in our study is safe but needs time to act and the response is not high, so it is not fit to be used as a monotherapy, but rather to be combined with other wart treatment modalities. Recommendations: More studies are needed to assess the therapeutic effect of zinc and its efficacy in combinations in warts treatment with higher doses and longer duration of treatment.

Impulse Oscillometry Is Sensitive to Bronchoconstriction After Eucapnic Voluntary Hyperventilation or Exercise

Airway responses were compared following 6-minute eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation and 6-minute exercise challenges by examining resting and post-challenge impulse oscillometry and spirometry variables. Twenty-two physically active individuals with probable exercise-induced bronchoconstriction took part in this study. Impulse oscillometry and spirometry were performed at baseline and for 20 minutes post-challenge at 5-minute intervals.High correlation was found between the two measures of change in airway function for both methods of challenge. Impulse oscillometry detected a difference in degree of response to the challenges, whereas spirometry indicated no difference, suggesting that impulse oscillometry is a more sensitive measure of change in airway function.

Airway Narrowing Measured by Spirometry and Impulse Oscillometry Following Room Temperature and Cold Temperature Exercise

The efficacy of using impulse oscillometry (IOS) as an indirect measure of airflow obstruction compared to spirometry after exercise challenges in the evaluation of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) has not been fully appreciated. The objective was to compare airway responses following room temperature and cold temperature exercise challenges, and to compare whether IOS variables relate to spirometry variables. Spirometry and IOS were performed at baseline and for 20 min after challenge at 5-min intervals. Two 6-min exercise challenges, inhaling either room temperature (22.0 degrees C) or cold temperature (- 1 degrees C) dry medical-grade bottled air. At least 48 h was observed between these randomly assigned challenges. Twenty-two physically active individuals (12 women and 10 men) with probable EIB. Subjects performed 6 min of stationary cycle ergometry while breathing either cold or room temperature medical-grade dry bottled air. Subjects were instructed to exercise at the highest intensity sustainable for the duration of the challenge. Heart rate and kilojoules of work performed were documented to verify exercise intensity. Strong correlations were observed within testing modalities for post-room temperature and post-cold temperature exercise spirometry and IOS values. Spirometry revealed no differences in postexercise peak falls in lung function between conditions; however, IOS identified significant differences in respiratory resistance (p < 0.05), with room temperature-inspired air being more potent than cold temperature-inspired air. Correlations were found between spirometric and IOS measures of change in airway function for both exercise challenges, indicating close equivalency of the methods. The challenges appeared to elicit the EIB response by a similar mechanism of water loss, and cold temperature did not have an additive effect. IOS detected a difference in degree of response between the temperatures, whereas spirometry indicated no difference, suggesting that IOS is a more sensitive measure of change in airway function.

Nutrient limitation of bacterial growth and rates of bacterivory in lakes and oceans: a comparative study

We conducted a series of dilution bioassay experiments to determine whether limitation of bacterial growth by nutrient elements (N and P) and organic substrates differs in marine and freshwater pelagic ecosystems. We also conducted Landry-Hassett dilution gradient experiments to assess whether rates of bacterivory differ substantially in the 2 ecosystem types. P addition stimulated significant (p 0.05) for lake and marine systems sampled although data were extremely limited. Our results support the emerging view that mineral limitation of bacterial growth rates (as well as limitation by organic substrates) is widespread in both marine and freshwater ecosystems. However, differences in degree of response to enrichment and in growth rates in unenriched treatments in our marine and freshwater experiments suggested that severity of nutrient limitation of growth in situ was considerably higher for freshwater bacteria than for marine bacteria. While our study was limited in scope and more data are clearly needed, based on these results we propose several hypotheses for the apparent difference in severity of nutrient limitation of bacteria in lakes and oceans.

Antioxidant and oxidative enzyme adaptations to vitamin E deprivation and training

The effects of endurance training on tissue antioxidant and oxidative enzyme activities were determined in heart, liver, and five skeletal muscles of female rats. Rats were fed either normal (+E) or vitamin E free (-E) diets for 16 wk. For the final 8 wk, subgroups of +E and -E diet animals were trained by treadmill running at 40 m.min-1, 15% grade for 60 min.d-1. No significant differences in training abilities were observed between diet groups. Endurance training significantly increased citrate synthase (CS) activity in all skeletal muscles for both the +E and -E diet animals with no significant difference in degree of response between diet groups. Neither vitamin E deprivation, training, or their combination generally affected the activities of the antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), or glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in skeletal muscles, heart, or liver of the animals. These results suggest that despite an anticipated increase in free radical induced tissue "oxidative stress" brought about by a combination of vitamin E deprivation and endurance training, antioxidant enzyme adaptations were not evident and the response of citrate synthase to training was not impaired in female rats.

Market reaction to uniform capital adequacy guidelines in the banking industry

In this paper the authors assess the stock market reaction to information on uniform capital requirements that was disseminated on four different dates: September 29, 1987; December 7, 1987; December 10, 1987; and July 11, 1988. The share prices of U.S. money center banks were adversely affected by the December 7, 1987, announcement regarding proposals to make regulatory standards more uniform. The share prices of U.S. superregional banks were not affected by this announcement. The difference in degree of response is attributed to disparate capital positions between the two groups of banks. In order to meet the new guidelines, U.S. money center banks may need to implement policies (such as issuing new stock) that are viewed unfavorably by the market.

Long-term Results and Complications of Botulinum A Toxin in the Treatment of Blepharospasm

The authors review their long-term results and complications with the use of botulinum A toxin in the treatment of facial dystonias. Two hundred thirty-two patients in three diagnostic groups—essential blepharospasm, hemifacial spasm, and Meige's syndrome—were treated with botulinum A toxin. A total of 1044 treatments were given over a 4-year period. A reduction in orbicularis spasm intensity was noted in 1012 (96.9%) treatments (mean duration, 13.3 weeks). There was no clear relationship between toxin dose and the amount of spasm reduction or duration of response, and average duration of beneficial effect remained constant from the first through the twelfth injections. Complications occurred in 236 (22.6%) treatments. In most cases, these were local and transient. Symptomatic dry eye was the most common side effect, noted in 7.5% of cases. Ptosis was reported in 7.3% of treatments and photophobia in 2.5%. Diplopia involving the inferior oblique or lateral rectus muscles was seen in less than 1 % of cases. There were no differences in degree of response or in complications among the three diagnostic groups, although there was a slight difference in duration of effect. Patients who had undergone previous eyelid surgery for blepharospasm did not respond differently from those without prior surgery.

Clonal Interactions with Harvests and Years for Quality Components in Intermediate Wheatgrass1

Genotypic response to environments is important in forage breeding programs. Twenty intermediate wheatgrass [Agropyron intermedium (Host) Beauv.] clone:; were evaluated for content of nitrogen (N), acid detergent filler (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), hemicellulose, K, Mg, Ca, P, and S for four harvest periods in each of 2 years. Analyses of variance revealed significant differences among clones and among harvests and years for all traits. Clone ✕ harvest interactions were significant for N, ADF, and Ca. Clone ✕ year interactions were significant for all traits except K and S. Clone ✕ year ✕ harvest interactions were significant for N, ADF, and S. Harvest (linear) ✕ clone interactions were detected for N in both years, ADF in 1982, and Ca in 1981. Harvest (quadratic) ✕ clone interactions were detected for ADF in 1982 and Ca in 1981. These results help describe the nature of the clone ✕ harvest ✕ year interactions. The bulk of interactions involving genotypes was due to differences in variability within years and to linear responses to harvests.Examination of linear contrast effects of harvests for each clone revealed that the interactions could be explained on the basis of differences in degree of response of clones to harvests. Significant effects of clone on linear effects suggested that clones could be selected for minimum deterioration in quality over the spring growth period. Interactions of clones with harvests and years could complicate selection for these traits but the effect is not overwhelming. These interactions appear less severe for NDF, hemicellulose, K, and P. Examination of the harvest (linear) ✕ clone interactions provided a more complete understanding of the nature of the interactions.

Urinary catecholamine responses associated with hospital admission in normal human subjects

Urinary epinephrine, norepinephrine and 17—OH—CS (17-hydroxycorticosteroid) levels were higher on the initial day of hospitalization than on subsequent occasions during hospital stay in two groups of normal young adults. A positive correlation was observed between the three hormones in this situation and the possible relationship of these findings to earlier related work in the monkey is discussed. Although group and individual differences in degree of response were noted, limiting the value of hospitalization as an experimental situation in psychosomatic research, the direction of change during hospitalization was quite consistent. It is also suggested that psychoendocrine responses to environmental change must be taken into account in the design of some control experiments in clinical research.

Some current speculations on the action of estrogens.

5OME CURRENT SPECULATIONS ON THE ACTION OF ESTROGENS CLAUDE A. VILLEE, Ph.D.* The major physiologic effects ofthe female sex hormones were recognized before the chemical structure of these substances was known. Until a few years ago it was thought that estradiol, estrone, and estriol were the only natural estrogenic compounds. In the past few years, however, several additional estrogens, i6-epiestriol, 16 o hydroxy estrone, 16 ketoestradiol -i7j3, and 2-methoxy estrone have been isolated in significant amounts from normal urine (1-3) and are known to be metabolites of estrogens. The question whether there is one "true" estrogen and several metabolites or whether there are several physiologically important estrogens remains to be settled. There have been suggestions that different species ofanimals have different physiologically active estrogens. The chemistry of the estrogens is well known (4, 5) and will not be reviewed here. There have been major advances in the past few years in our knowledge of the biosynthesis of the estrogens, but this subject has recently been reviewed extensively (6). This paper will consider some of the recent evidence and speculations regarding the mode of action of estrogens at the cellular level. I. Concept ofthe Target Organ The several tissues ofthe body exhibit marked differences in degree of response to the various hormones, especially to the sex hormones. Those tissues which respond dramatically to a hormone are termed the "target * Department ofBiological Chemistry, Harvard University Medical School. Experimental work ofthe author has been supported by grants from the Charles A. King and Marjorie King Fund, from the Association for the Aid ofCrippled Children, and by Grant C-2400 ofthe National Institutes of Health, U.S. Public Health Service. 290 Claude A. Villee · Estrogens Perspectives in Biology and Medicine · Spring 195g organs" of that hormone. It is impossible at present to define just what differentiates, at the cellular level, a target organ from other tissues ofthe body. There is evidence that each kind oftissue is characterized by a certain pattern ofenzymes which is established, by means as yet unknown, in the course of embryonic differentiation. Even though the same reaction in two different tissues may be mediated by what appears to be the same enzyme, the enzymes in the two tissues may be distinctly different and subject to different degrees ofhormonal control. Henion and Sutherland (7) have shown, for example, that the Phosphorylase ofliver responds to glucagon, whereas the Phosphorylase of muscle does not. The two enzymes appear to be immunologically distinct, for an antiserum to purified liver Phosphorylase will not react with heart muscle Phosphorylase; in contrast, the antiserum does react with liver phosphorylase to form an inactive antigen-antibody precipitate. In addition to these marked differences in the response of the several tissues of a given animal to a single hormone, differences have been observed in the response ofcomparable tissues ofdifferent species ofanimals to a standard dose ofhormone. Estrone, estriol, and certain other estrogens have been found to have different potencies relative to estradiol in different species ofmammals. II. General Theories ofHormone Action The protein, peptide, amino acid, and steroid hormones differ so widely in their chemical structure that it would seem unlikely, a priori, that they could affect the cellular machinery by comparable means. Each enzyme system is composed of the protein enzyme, its substrates and products, and its cofactors and activators. A hormone might regulate the over-all rate of an enzyme system by altering the amount or the activity of the protein enzyme or by altering the availability of one ofthe substrates or cofactors to the enzyme system. The mechanisms which have been proposed for the action ofhormones at the cellular level are as follows: (a) the hormone may alter the rate at which new enzyme molecules are produced from simpler precursors; (b)the hormone may convert an inactive form ofan enzyme to an active form, that is, it may alter the activity ofa preformed protein molecule; (c)the hormone may change the permeability ofthe cell membrane or of the membrane around one ofthe subcellular structures, such as the mito291 chondria, and thus make substrate or cofactor molecules more readily available to the enzyme; (d) the hormone may be involved directly in the reaction...

The incidence of natural diphtheria antitoxin in horses: its influence on the results of antigenic stimulus

1. Out of 221 horses tested 34·8 % showed natural diphtheria antitoxin to the extent of 0·02 unit or more per c.c. of serum.2. Amongst the horses in which no natural circulating antitoxin was detected, a much larger number failed to respond to stimulus than amongst those having circulating antitoxin. But, amongst the animals that did show appreciable response to primary stimulus, there was not much difference in degree of response between the horses with and those without natural circulating antitoxin.