The enthusiasms of youth and where they led: a memoir

Translated by Elena Galitsyna. The article was submitted on 30.04.2014.The autobiography written by Daniel Waugh, an eminent American scholar and specialist in Old Russian literature demonstrates how a person’s life can be combined with professional interest. The events of the author’s life are set against a background of Russian studies carried out both in Russia and abroad, as well as historical and cultural discussion. The reader gets acquainted with the Soviet and world humanities thought that intricately combines benevolence and academic objectivity with ideological confrontation and captious objections. The author’s perfect understanding of people and their achievements makes the memoirs a source of valuable information on the humanities during the Cold War and post-Soviet years. The article demonstrates that respect for hard academic work and mutual respect among scholars is a key to the solution of conflicts and disagreement regardless of their nature. This is the first part of the autobiography, a continuation is to be published in the upcoming issue

Evidence review : liraglutide for the treatment of type 2 diabetes

This paper presents a summary of the evidence review group (ERG) report into the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of liraglutide in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, based upon the manufacturer’s submission to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as part of the single technology appraisal process. The manufacturer proposed the use of liraglutide as a second or third drug in patients with type 2 diabetes whose glycaemic control was unsatisfactory with metformin, with or without a second oral glucose-lowering drug. The submission included six manufacturer-sponsored trials that compared the efficacy of liraglutide against other glucose-lowering agents. Not all of the trials were relevant to the decision problem. The most relevant were Liraglutide Effects and Actions in Diabetes 5 (LEAD-5) (liraglutide used as part of triple therapy and compared against insulin glargine) and LEAD-6 [liraglutide in triple therapy compared against another glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist, exenatide]. Five of the six trials were published in full and one was then unpublished. Two doses of liraglutide, 1.2 and 1.8 mg, were used in some trials, but in the two comparisons in triple therapy, against glargine and exenatide, only the 1.8-mg dose was used. Liraglutide in both doses was found to be clinically effective in lowering blood glucose concentration [glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c)], reducing weight (unlike other glucose-lowering agents, such as sulphonylureas, glitazones and insulins, which cause weight gain) and also reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP). Hypoglycaemia was uncommon. The ERG carried out meta-analyses comparing the 1.2- and 1.8-mg doses of liraglutide, which suggested that there was no difference in control of diabetes, and only a slight difference in weight loss, insufficient to justify the extra cost. The cost-effectiveness analysis was carried out using the Center for Outcomes Research model. The health benefit was reported as quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). The manufacturer estimated the cost-effectiveness to be £15,130 per QALY for liraglutide 1.8 mg compared with glargine, £10,054 per QALY for liraglutide 1.8 mg compared with exenatide, £10,465 per QALY for liraglutide 1.8 mg compared with sitagliptin, and £9851 per QALY for liraglutide 1.2 mg compared with sitagliptin. The ERG conducted additional sensitivity analyses and concluded that the factors that carried most weight were: in the comparison with glargine, the direct utility effects of body mass index (BMI) changes and SBP, with some additional contribution from HbA1c in the comparison with exenatide, HbA1c, with some additional effects from cholesterol and triglycerides in the comparison with sitagliptin, HbA1c and direct utility effects of BMI changes. The European Medicines Agency has approved liraglutide in dual therapy with other oral glucose-lowering agents. NICE guidance recommends the use of liraglutide 1.2 mg in triple therapy when glycaemic control remains or becomes inadequate with a combination of two oral glucose-lowering drugs. The use of liraglutide 1.2 mg in a dual therapy is indicated only in patients who are intolerant of, or have contraindications to, three oral glucose-lowering drugs. The use of liraglutide 1.8 mg was not approved by NICE. The ERG recommends research into the (currently unlicensed) use of liraglutide in combination with long-acting insulin

Quantitative performance metrics for stratospheric-resolving chemistry-climate models

International audienceA set of performance metrics is applied to stratospheric-resolving chemistry-climate models (CCMs) to quantify their ability to reproduce key processes relevant for stratospheric ozone. The same metrics are used to assign a quantitative measure of performance ("grade") to each model-observations comparison shown in Eyring et al. (2006). A wide range of grades is obtained, both for different diagnostics applied to a single model and for the same diagnostic applied to different models, highlighting the wide range in ability of the CCMs to simulate key processes in the stratosphere. No model scores high or low on all tests, but differences in the performance of models can be seen, especially for transport processes where several models get low grades on multiple tests. The grades are used to assign relative weights to the CCM projections of 21st century total ozone. However, only small differences are found between weighted and unweighted multi-model mean total ozone projections. This study raises several issues with the grading and weighting of CCMs that need further examination, but it does provide a framework that will enable quantification of model improvements and assignment of relative weights to the model projections

Communication in Russia in the 17th century: the evidence in Patrick Gordon’s correspondence

Translated by Anna Dergacheva. The article was submitted on 30.06.2015.В этом номере представлена вторая часть статьи Д. Уо. Первую часть смотрите: Quaestio Rossica. 2015. № 3. С. 119–140.A unique 17th-century historical source, the diaries of Patrick Gordon, a Scot in Russian service, contains a great deal of information about Russian history. A close reading of the detailed record of daily events in the author’s life reveals details about Russian life, which are not found in other documents. From Gordon’s diaries and correspondence, the article’s author extracted information, which helps us understand the functioning of the postal service in Russia in the late 17th century. Several aspects of the problem are treated. Firstly, information about his correspondents is systematized, including personal, official, and more casual acquaintances. Analysis of the correspondence underscores Gordon’s wide-reaching national, social and familial connections. Secondly, the article describes the routes that letters traveled to and from their addressees. There was a clear preference for sending letters via special couriers or acquaintances who happened to be traveling, even if a government system of communication was available. Thirdly, the article establishes transit times and explains the possible objective or subjective reasons why they might be faster or be delayed. This analysis also reveals something about the interactions between Patrick Gordon and his contemporaries, which is evidenced by the frequency of the correspondence and the direct responses. The author discusses concrete circumstances around the organization of the official postal network and its development in its early stages. The publication of the article is in two thematically delineated parts. The first examines data about Gordon’s communications network, such as communication routes, official and personal agreements, as well as speed and frequency of exchanges. To a degree the content of the letters is examined here, though their more detailed treatment is to be found in the second part of the article devoted to the analysis of how he obtained political news and intelligence information. Both parts are organized roughly chronologically: it is important to see what changes occurred over nearly half a century covered in the diaries. The author’s conclusions provide evidence about the broad connections of Russia and Europe as well as the active diplomacy, which made it imperative in the Petrine era to establish a state postal system. In the case of Patrick Gordon, who was an active participant in the political process, we can see how it was essential for him to take advantage of all means of communication in order to maintain his extensive correspondence about political, military, and personal affairs. Translated by Anna Dergacheva.В этом номере представлена вторая часть статьи Д. Уо. Первую часть смотрите: Quaestio Rossica. 2015. № 3. С. 119-140. Уникальный исторический источник XVII в. - дневники шотландского подданного на российской службе Патрика Гордона - таит в себе немало сведений по русской истории. Подробное описание каждодневных событий из биографии автора при внимательном чтении обнаруживает такие детали российской жизни, которые не представлены ни в каких других документах. Автор статьи поставил задачу вычленить из дневников и переписки Патрика Гордона информацию, способную раскрыть состояние почтовой службы в России конца XVII в. Проблема поставлена в нескольких аспектах. Во-первых, систематизируются адресаты Гордона с учетом частных, официальных и дружеских контактов. Анализ переписки свидетельствует об очень широких национальных, социальных и родовых связях ее героя. Во-вторых, обрисовываются маршруты, которыми письма шли к адресатам и обратно, выявляется предпочтение отправки писем с нарочными или попутными средствами, хотя начинает работать и государственный канал доставки. В-третьих, фиксируется время доставки и устанавливаются возможные объективные и субъективные причины ее ускорения или замедления. Попутно обращается внимание на взаимоотношения Патрика Гордона и его современников, проявляющиеся в частоте переписки и оперативности ответов. Уточняются конкретные обстоятельства организации официальной почтовой связи и ее развития на начальном этапе. Статья тематически разделена на две части. В первой рассматриваются данные о сети коммуникаций, которой пользовался Гордон, - о путях сообщения, официальных и личных договоренностях, скорости, частоте сообщений. В некоторой степени здесь раскрывается содержание писем, более подробно разбираемое автором во второй части статьи, посвященной анализу того, как Гордон получал политические новости и сведения разведки. В обеих частях данные приводятся преимущественно в хронологическом порядке: важно увидеть, какие изменения произошли почти за полвека, которые охватывают дневники. Выводы автора свидетельствуют об обширных связях России и Европы, активной дипломатической деятельности, в связи с чем для Петровского времени стало актуальным создание государственной службы почтовой связи. Новые качества обнаруживаются в личности Патрика Гордона, активного участника политического процесса в России, пользовавшегося малейшей возможностью коммуникации с различными адресатами политического, военного и дружеского свойства