New lifetime measurements in the stable semimagic Sn isotopes using the Doppler-shift attenuation technique.

Precise measurements of lifetimes in the picosecond range of excited states in the stable even-A Sn isotopes 112;114;116;122 Sn have been performed using the Doppler shift attenuation technique. For the rst excited 2 + states in 112 Sn, 114 Sn and 116 Sn the E2 transition strengths deduced from the measured lifetimes are in disagreement with the previously adopted values. They indicate a shallow minimum at N = 66 in contrast to the maximum at mid-shell predicted by modern shell model calculations.Financial support from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci on under contracts FPA2007-66069 and FPA2009-13377-C02-02, and the Australian Research Council Discovery Scheme, grant no. DP0773273.Peer Reviewe

Rationale, design, and baseline characteristics in Evaluation of LIXisenatide in Acute Coronary Syndrome, a long-term cardiovascular end point trial of lixisenatide versus placebo

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Furthermore, patients with T2DM and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have a particularly high risk of CV events. The glucagonlike peptide 1 receptor agonist, lixisenatide, improves glycemia, but its effects on CV events have not been thoroughly evaluated. Methods: ELIXA (www.clinicaltrials.gov no. NCT01147250) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallelgroup, multicenter study of lixisenatide in patients with T2DM and a recent ACS event. The primary aim is to evaluate the effects of lixisenatide on CV morbidity and mortality in a population at high CV risk. The primary efficacy end point is a composite of time to CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina. Data are systematically collected for safety outcomes, including hypoglycemia, pancreatitis, and malignancy. Results: Enrollment began in July 2010 and ended in August 2013; 6,068 patients from 49 countries were randomized. Of these, 69% are men and 75% are white; at baseline, the mean ± SD age was 60.3 ± 9.7 years, body mass index was 30.2 ± 5.7 kg/m2, and duration of T2DM was 9.3±8.2 years. The qualifying ACS wasamyocardial infarctionin83% and unstableangina in 17%. The study will continue until the positive adjudication of the protocol-specified number of primary CV events. Conclusion: ELIXA will be the first trial to report the safety and efficacy of a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist in people with T2DM and high CV event risk. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved