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Background. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of policosanol in older patients with type II hypercholesterolemia and more than one concomitant atherosclerotic risk factor. Methods. After 6 weeks on a lipid-lowering diet, 179 patients randomly received a placebo or policosanol at doses of 5 followed by 10 mg per day for successive 12-week periods of each dose. Policosanol (5 and 10 mg/d) significantly (p [is less than] .001) reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; 16.9% and 24.4%, respectively) and total cholesterol (TC; 12.8% and 16.2%, respectively), while significantly (p [is less than] .01) increasing (p [is less than] .001) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) by 14.6% and 29.1%, respectively. Results. Policosanol significantly decreased (p [is less than] .01) the ratios of LDL-C to HDL-C (29.1%) and TC to HDL-C (28%) at study completion, although triglycerides remained unchanged. Policosanol, but not the placebo, significantly improved (p .01) cardiovascular capacity, which was assessed using the Specific Activity Scale. No serious adverse experiences occurred in policosanol patients (p [is less than] .01), compared with seven adverse experiences (7.9%) reported by placebo patients. Conclusions. This study shows that policosanol is effective, safe, and well tolerated in older hypercholesterolemic patients.

This paper concerns a theoretical analysis and a case-study about noise in chemical processes using discrete equivalents. Many studies include a zero process noise input in a plant model or Gaussian noise only. Here, the R[sub wpsd] and R[sub vpsd] that represent a physical process are obtained, and it is confirmed that pure white noise does not exist in nature. The process noise magnitude R[sub w] and the measurement noise magnitude R[sub v] are calculated for discrete equivalents choosing a bioreactor as a model. Finally, an algorithm for the measurement noise is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the findings of a study that used an LKB-2277 Bioactivity Monitor to determine the effect of Poly (amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers on the thermogenic curves of the growth metabolism of Escherichia coli. It explores the stimulatory effect of PAMAM G4 dendrimer. It concludes that small changes in same macromolecules could produce significant different effects on microbial growth.

The present study shows the results of nine clinical studies investigating the efficacy, safety and tolerability of policosanol in a total of 1479 older patients from both sexes suffering type II hypercholesterolemia. The studies were prospective, randomized, double blinded, with parallel groups receiving policosanol versus placebo or statins administered at starting doses (simvastatin 10 mg/d, pravastatin 10 mg/d, fluvastatin 20 mg/d, atorvastatin 10 mg/d). The doses of policosanol were those comprised within its therapeutic range (5-20 mg/d), administered in two dosage schemes: as the same dose over the study or doses increased at predefined periods. Data were analyzed as per Intention to Treat. The efficacy profile of policosanol showed a significant decrease of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC) and the ratios of LDL-C to low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and TC to HDL-C, and a significant increase of HDL-C levels, effects on triglycerides being modest. The efficacy was dose and treatment duration-related, being generally similar to that of the comparison statins, except for atorvastatin which was more effective than policosanol for lowering both LDL-C and TC levels. Policosanol, however, was more effective for increasing HDL-C as compared with statins. Policosanol showed pleitoropic effects more beneficial than statins regarding to the inhibition of platelet aggregation and LDL susceptibility to lipid peroxidation, as well as for reducing endothelemia levels. Policosanol was very safe and well tolerated, and no drug-related adverse events were found. The safety and tolerability profile of policosanol was better than that of comparison statins. The placebo-controlled studies of 6 and 12 months of active treatement conducted in populations at high atherosclerotic risk showed that the frequency of serious adverse events in policosanol-treated patients was lower than in mathced placebo, which indicates the beneficial clinical effects of the treatment on elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]