Systematic review of SGLT2 receptor inhibitors in dual or triple therapy in type 2 diabetes

Background Despite the number of medications for type 2 diabetes, many people with the condition do not achieve good glycaemic control. Some existing glucose-lowering agents have adverse effects such as weight gain or hypoglycaemia. Type 2 diabetes tends to be a progressive disease, and most patients require treatment with combinations of glucose-lowering agents. The sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) receptor inhibitors are a new class of glucose-lowering agents. Objective To assess the clinical effectiveness and safety of the SGLT2 receptor inhibitors in dual or triple therapy in type 2 diabetes. Data sources MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library (all sections); Science Citation Index; trial registries; conference abstracts; drug regulatory authorities; bibliographies of retrieved papers. Inclusion criteria Randomised controlled trials of SGLT2 receptor inhibitors compared with placebo or active comparator in type 2 diabetes in dual or combination therapy. Methods Systematic review. Quality assessment used the Cochrane risk of bias score. Results Seven trials, published in full, assessed dapagliflozin and one assessed canagliflozin. Trial quality appeared good. Dapagliflozin 10 mg reduced HbA1c by −0.54% (weighted mean differences (WMD), 95% CI −0.67 to −0.40) compared to placebo, but there was no difference compared to glipizide. Canagliflozin reduced HbA1c slightly more than sitagliptin (up to −0.21% vs sitagliptin). Both dapagliflozin and canagliflozin led to weight loss (dapagliflozin WMD −1.81 kg (95% CI −2.04 to −1.57), canagliflozin up to −2.3 kg compared to placebo). Limitations Long-term trial extensions suggested that effects were maintained over time. Data on canagliflozin are currently available from only one paper. Costs of the drugs are not known so cost-effectiveness cannot be assessed. More data on safety are needed, with the Food and Drug Administration having concerns about breast and bladder cancers. Conclusions Dapagliflozin appears effective in reducing HbA1c and weight in type 2 diabetes, although more safety data are needed

The combustion characteristics and stable carbon isotopic compositions of irradiated organic matter: implications for terrestrial and extraterrestrial sample analysis

Exposure to ionizing radiation causes the mean combustion temperature of naturally occurring, solid, terrestrial organic matter, derived from the radiation-induced polymerization of methane, to increase

A quantitative study of quasiparticle traps using the single-Cooper-pair-transistor

We use radio-frequency reflectometry to measure quasiparticle tunneling rates in the single-Cooper-pair-transistor. Devices with and without quasiparticle traps in proximity to the island are studied. A $10^2$ to $10^3$-fold reduction in the quasiparticle tunneling rate onto the island is observed in the case of quasiparticle traps. In the quasiparticle trap samples we also measure a commensurate decrease in quasiparticle tunneling rate off the island.Comment: 4 pages, 4 fig

Microsecond resolution of quasiparticle tunneling in the single-Cooper-pair-transistor

We present radio-frequency measurements on a single-Cooper-pair-transistor in which individual quasiparticle poisoning events were observed with microsecond temporal resolution. Thermal activation of the quasiparticle dynamics is investigated, and consequently, we are able to determine energetics of the poisoning and un-poisoning processes. In particular, we are able to assign an effective quasiparticle temperature to parameterize the poisoning rate.Comment: 4 pages, 4 fig

Parasites on parasites:Coupled fluctuations in stacked contact processes

We present a model for host-parasite dynamics which incorporates both vertical and horizontal transmission as well as spatial structure. Our model consists of stacked contact processes (CP), where the dynamics of the host is a simple CP on a lattice while the dynamics of the parasite is a secondary CP which sits on top of the host-occupied sites. In the simplest case, where infection does not incur any cost, we uncover a novel effect: a non-monotonic dependence of parasite prevalence on host turnover. Inspired by natural examples of hyperparasitism, we extend our model to multiple levels of parasites and identify a transition between the maintenance of a finite and infinite number of levels, which we conjecture is connected to a roughening transition in models of surface growth

Energy gap measurement of nanostructured thin aluminium films for use in single Cooper-pair devices

Within the context of superconducting gap engineering, Al-\alox-Al tunnel junctions have been used to study the variation in superconducting gap, $\Delta$, with film thickness. Films of thickness 5, 7, 10 and 30 nm were used to form the small area superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junctions. In agreement with previous measurements we have observed an increase in the superconducting energy gap of aluminium with a decrease in film thickness. In addition, we find grain size in small area films with thickness \textbf{$\geq$} 10 nm has no appreciable effect on energy gap. Finally, we utilize 7 and 30 nm films in a single Cooper-pair transistor, and observe the modification of the finite bias transport processes due to the engineered gap profile

Development and operation of the twin radio frequency single electron transistor for solid state qubit readout

Ultra-sensitive detectors and readout devices based on the radio frequency single electron transistor (rf-SET) combine near quantum-limited sensitivity with fast operation. Here we describe a twin rf-SET detector that uses two superconducting rf-SETs to perform fast, real-time cross-correlated measurements in order to distinguish sub-electron signals from charge noise on microsecond time-scales. The twin rf-SET makes use of two tuned resonance circuits to simultaneously and independently address both rf-SETs using wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) and a single cryogenic amplifier. We focus on the operation of the twin rf-SET as a charge detector and evaluate the cross-talk between the two resonance circuits. Real time suppression of charge noise is demonstrated by cross correlating the signals from the two rf-SETs. For the case of simultaneous operation, the rf-SETs had charge sensitivities of $\delta q_{SET1} = 7.5 \mu e/\sqrt{Hz}$ and $\delta q_{SET2} = 4.4 \mu e/\sqrt{Hz}$.Comment: Updated version, including new content. Comments most welcome: [email protected] or [email protected]

The Evolution of X-ray Bursts in the "Bursting Pulsar" GRO J1744-28

GRO J1744-28, commonly known as the `Bursting Pulsar', is a low mass X-ray binary containing a neutron star and an evolved giant star. This system, together with the Rapid Burster (MXB 1730-33), are the only two systems that display the so-called Type II X-ray bursts. These type of bursts, which last for 10s of seconds, are thought to be caused by viscous instabilities in the disk; however the Type II bursts seen in GRO J1744-28 are qualitatively very different from those seen in the archetypal Type II bursting source the Rapid Burster. To understand these differences and to create a framework for future study, we perform a study of all X-ray observations of all 3 known outbursts of the Bursting Pulsar which contained Type II bursts, including a population study of all Type II X-ray bursts seen by RXTE. We find that the bursts from this source are best described in four distinct phenomena or `classes' and that the characteristics of the bursts evolve in a predictable way. We compare our results with what is known for the Rapid Burster and put out results in the context of models that try to explain this phenomena.Comment: Accepted to MNRAS Aug 17 201