THE DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF EXPERIMENTS. By Oscar Kempthorne. New York, John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1952. 631 pp. $8.50. This book by a teacher of statistics (as well as a consultant for \"experimenters\") is a comprehensive study of the philosophical background for the statistical design of experiment. It is necessary to have some facility with algebraic notation and manipulation to be able to use the volume intelligently. The problems are presented from the theoretical point of view, without such practical examples as would be helpful for those not acquainted with mathematics. The mathematical justification for the techniques is given. As a somewhat advanced treatment of the design and analysis of experiments, this volume will be interesting and helpful for many who approach statistics theoretically as well as practically. With emphasis on the \"why,\" and with description given broadly, the author relates the subject matter to the general theory of statistics and to the general problem of experimental inference. MARGARET J. ROBERTSON

The Design and Analysis of Experiments

Global strategy for asthma management and prevention

ecent research has shown that inflammation plays a key role in coronary artery disease (CAD) and other manifestations of atherosclerosis. Immune cells dominate early atherosclerotic lesions, their effector molecules accelerate progression of the lesions, and activation of inflammation can elicit acute coronary syndromes. This review highlights the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic CAD. It will recount the evidence that atherosclerosis, the main cause of CAD, is an inflammatory disease in which immune mechanisms interact with metabolic risk factors to initiate, propagate, and activate lesions in the arterial tree. A decade ago, the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and hypertension was expected to eliminate CAD by the end of the 20th century. Lately, however, that optimistic prediction has needed revision. Cardiovascular diseases are expected to be the main cause of death globally within the next 15 years owing to a rapidly increasing prevalence in developing countries and eastern Europe and the rising incidence of obesity and diabetes in the Western world. 1 Cardiovascular diseases cause 38 percent of all deaths in North America and are the most common cause of death in European men under 65 years of age and the second most common cause in women. These facts force us to revisit cardiovascular disease and consider new strategies for prediction, prevention, and treatment.

/pdf/inflammation-atherosclerosis-and-coronary-artery-disease-23ryhxhuc2.pdf

Inflammation, Atherosclerosis, and Coronary Artery Disease

ESC Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation : The Task Force for the management of acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

/pdf/2015-esc-guidelines-for-the-management-of-acute-coronary-6did6h5nxk.pdf

2015 ESC Guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndromes in patients presenting without persistent ST-segment elevation: Task Force for the Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes in Patients Presenting without Persistent ST-Segment Elevation of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

ACCF
: American College of Cardiology Foundation
ACS
: acute coronary syndrome
AHA
: American Heart Association
CAD
: coronary artery disease
CABG
: coronary artery bypass grafting
CKMB
: creatine kinase MB isoform
cTn
: cardiac troponin
CT
: computed tomography
CV
: coefficient of variation
ECG
: electrocardiogram
ESC
: European Society of Cardiology
FDG
: fluorodeoxyglucose
h
: hour(s)
HF
: heart failure
LBBB
: left bundle branch block
LV
: left ventricle
LVH
: left ventricular hypertrophy
MI
: myocardial infarction
mIBG
: meta-iodo-benzylguanidine
min
: minute(s)
MONICA
: Multinational MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease)
MPS
: myocardial perfusion scintigraphy
MRI
: magnetic resonance imaging
mV
: millivolt(s)
ng/L
: nanogram(s) per litre
Non-Q MI
: non-Q wave myocardial infarction
NSTEMI
: non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction
PCI
: percutaneous coronary intervention
PET
: positron emission tomography
pg/mL
: pictogram(s) per millilitre
Q wave MI
: Q wave myocardial infarction
RBBB
: right bundle branch block
sec
: second(s)
SPECT
: single photon emission computed tomography
STEMI
: ST elevation myocardial infarction
ST–T
: ST-segment –T wave
URL
: upper reference limit
WHF
: World Heart Federation
WHO
: World Health Organization

Myocardial infarction (MI) can be recognised by clinical features, including electrocardiographic (ECG) findings, elevated values of biochemical markers (biomarkers) of myocardial necrosis, and by imaging, or may be defined by pathology. It is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. MI may be the first manifestation of coronary artery disease (CAD) or it may occur, repeatedly, in patients with established disease. Information on MI rates can provide useful information regarding the burden of CAD within and across populations, especially if standardized data are collected in a manner that …

/pdf/third-universal-definition-of-myocardial-infarction-1nbq846anm.pdf

Third universal definition of myocardial infarction

The human eosinophil granule contains a number of cationic proteins that have been identified and purified to homogeneity, including the major basic protein (MBP), the eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and the eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN). Because of confusion in the literature regarding the distinctiveness of MBP and ECP, we investigated the immunochemical and physicochemical properties of these purified proteins by electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels (SDS-PAGE), by specific double antibody radioimmunoassays (RIA) for MBP and ECP, and by fractionation of acid-solubilized eosinophil granules on Sephadex G-50 columns. Analysis of a mixture of the three purified proteins by SDS-PAGE showed that they migrated as three distinct bands with differing m.w. Comparison by specific RIA for MBP and ECP did not demonstrate any appreciable immunochemical cross-reactivities among the three proteins. Sephadex G-50 column fractions of acid-solubilized eosinophil granules were analyzed by RIA and by SDS-PAGE analysis of individual column fractions. MBP, ECP, and EDN eluted at different volumes from Sephadex G-50 columns as determined by RIA and SDS-PAGE. Soluble extracts of eosinophil granules from patients with the hypereosinophilic syndrome contained between six and 64 times more MBP than ECP on a weight basis. These observations demonstrate that MBP, ECP, and EDN are distinctive cationic proteins of the human eosinophil granule and that eosinophil granules from patients with eosinophilia contain considerably greater quantities of MBP than ECP.

Distinctive cationic proteins of the human eosinophil granule: major basic protein, eosinophil cationic protein, and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin.

To assess the manifestation and location of airway inflammation in smokers with chronic bronchitis (CB) or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), we lavaged the airways of 12 smokers with CB and 11 smokers with COPD and coexisting CB (OCB). For comparison, the airways of 5 asymptomatic smokers (AS) and 10 healthy nonsmokers (HNS) were lavaged. In all cases, the first lavage aliquot, labeled “bronchial lavage” (BL), was processed separately from the four subsequent aliquots, which were combined and labeled “bronchoalveolar lavage” (BAL). The composition of BL and BAL fluids indicated an ongoing inflammatory process in the airways of all three groups of smokers. CB patients with obstruction had significantly lower concentrations of inflammatory cells in the BL and BAL fluids compared with subjects with nonobstructed CB. Furthermore, airway obstruction, indicated by a reduced FEV1, was significantly correlated with the concentrations of glutathione (p < 0.001), myeloperoxidase (MPO; p < 0.01), and eos...

Airway Inflammation in Smokers with Nonobstructive and Obstructive Chronic Bronchitis

The chymotrypsin-like cationic proteins of human granulocytes are shown to possess the ability to produce conversion of the complement components C1s, C4, C3, and C5 as detected by crossed immuno-electrophoresis. This ability seems to be a direct proteolytic effect. Incubation of cationic proteins with serum or functionally pure preparations of C3 and C5 is shown to generate the formation of chemotactic activity which is abolished by prolonged incubation. Also, the chemotactic activity of porcine C5a or spontaneously activated C5 is abolished by incubation with cationic proteins. It is suggested that the chymotrypsin-like cationic proteins of human granulocytes after extrusion from the phagocytic cell play an important role for generation of inflammatory mediators.

Cationic proteins of human granulocytes. VI. Effects on the complement system and mediation of chemotactic activity.

Cerebellar Purkinje cell degeneration after intracerebral injection of eosinophil granulocytes or extracts thereof is known as the Gordon phenomenon. The reaction is said to be highly selective. An eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN) has recently been reported to induce the Gordon phenomenon. However, we report here that two eosinophil-derived proteins, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and eosinophil protein X (EPX), may induce the Gordon phenomenon after intraventricular injection. The potency of ECP is far greater than that of EPX and the latter is possibly identical to EDN. The Fink-Heimer staining for degenerating nerve fibers and boutons, however, indicated that the selectivity of the Gordon phenomenon is not as specific as was previously thought, since this method revealed degeneration of all brain areas in proximity to the ventricular system.

https://www.jacionline.org/article/0091-6749(82)90025-2/pdf

The Gordon phenomenon induced by the eosinophil cationic protein and eosinophil protein X

Normal plasma levels of cardiac troponin I measured by the high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I access prototype assay and the impact on the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia.

Per Venge

Papers

Distinctive cationic proteins of the human eosinophil granule: major basic protein, eosinophil cationic protein, and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin.

Airway Inflammation in Smokers with Nonobstructive and Obstructive Chronic Bronchitis

Cationic proteins of human granulocytes. VI. Effects on the complement system and mediation of chemotactic activity.

The Gordon phenomenon induced by the eosinophil cationic protein and eosinophil protein X

Normal plasma levels of cardiac troponin I measured by the high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I access prototype assay and the impact on the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia.