Objective. To test the hypothesis that abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) stress-response system would act as an effect moderator between HPA function and the onset of chronic widespread pain (CWP).Methods. We conducted a population-based prospective cohort study. Current pain and psychosocial status were ascertained in 11,000 subjects. Of the 768 eligible subjects free of CWP but at future risk based on their psychosocial profile, 463 were randomly selected, and 267 (57.7%) consented to assessment of their HPA axis function. Diurnal function was measured by assessing levels of salivary cortisol in the morning (9:00 AM) and evening (10:00 PM). Serum cortisol levels were measured after an overnight low-dose (0.25 mg) dexamethasone suppression test and a potentially stressful clinical examination. All subjects were followed up 15 months later to identify cases of new-onset CWP.Results. A total of 241 subjects (94.9%) completed the followup study, and 28 (11. Conclusion. Among a group of psychologically at-risk subjects, dysfunction of the HPA axis helps to distinguish those who will and will not develop newonset CWP.6%Chronic widespread pain (CWP) affecting the musculoskeletal system, the principal symptom of fibromyalgia, is common, with a 1-month population prevalence of ϳ11% (1). It is associated with loss of function and considerable disability, may be associated with increased mortality rates (2), and is a major cause of health care utilization both in primary and secondary care settings. We have previously demonstrated in the prospective Altrincham Pain Study conducted in northwest England (3) that an increased risk of CWP onset is predicted from high levels of psychological distress, other somatic symptoms, and abnormal illness behavior. These factors are indicative of the process of somatization that can be defined as the tendency to express psychological distress as physical symptoms. These results confirmed for the first time that psychosocial factors preceded the onset of CWP, rather than just

No abstract

The design of a circular slot antenna for obtaining broadband circularly polarized (CP) radiation using a coplanar waveguide (CPW) feed is presented. The operation of the proposed antenna is achieved by protruding metallic mono‐strip from the circular ground plane towards the slot center at ϕ = 0° and feeding antenna using a 50‐Ω CPW with a protruded single strip at ϕ = 270°. In this design, the impedance bandwidth and 3 dB axial‐ratio bandwidth can reach as large as 50 and 36%, respectively. The peak of antenna gain is about 3.9 dBi, with gain variations <1 dBi for the frequencies within CP bandwidth. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 49: 2728–2733, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.22881

No abstract

Commercial chickens were implanted with a micro-osmotic pump which released 1 IU/kg BW/day of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and were sacrificed after 24 and 48h. The weight of liver increased from 3.36% for the untreated controls to 4.56 and 5.40% of ready-to-cook carcass weight for 24 and 48h after implantation, respectively. The fat content increased from 4.44% for the untreated group to 9.97 and 12.17% for 24 and 48h treated group, respectively. However, the pH and moisture content of liver decreased with the ACTH treatment and the livers were more pale. The ATCH treatment decreased the percentages of 14:0 and 18:2 fatty acids and increased that of 18:1 fatty acid in the liver.