Safety and physiological effects of two different doses of elosulfase alfa in patients with morquio a syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, pilot study.

The primary treatment outcomes of a phase 2, randomized, double-blind, pilot study evaluating safety, physiological, and pharmacological effects of elosulfase alfa in patients with Morquio A syndrome are herewith presented. Patients aged ≥7 years and able to walk ≥200 m in the 6-min walk test (6MWT) were randomized to elosulfase alfa 2.0 or 4.0 mg/kg/week for 27 weeks. The primary objective was to evaluate the safety of both doses. Secondary objectives were to evaluate effects on endurance (6MWT and 3-min stair climb test [3MSCT]), exercise capacity (cardio-pulmonary exercise test [CPET]), respiratory function, muscle strength, cardiac function, pain, and urine keratan sulfate (uKS) levels, and to determine pharmacokinetic parameters. Twenty-five patients were enrolled (15 randomized to 2.0 mg/kg/week and 10 to 4.0 mg/kg/week). No new or unexpected safety signals were observed. After 24 weeks, there were no improvements versus baseline in the 6MWT, yet numerical improvements were seen in the 3MSCT with 4.0 mg/kg/week. uKS and pharmacokinetic data suggested no linear relationship over the 2.0-4.0 mg/kg dose range. Overall, an abnormal exercise capacity (evaluated in 10 and 5 patients in the 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg/week groups, respectively), impaired muscle strength, and considerable pain were observed at baseline, and there were trends towards improvements in all domains after treatment. In conclusion, preliminary data of this small study in a Morquio A population with relatively good endurance confirmed the acceptable safety profile of elosulfase alfa and showed a trend of increased exercise capacity and muscle strength and decreased pain

Las bentonitas en los detergentes ecológicos

Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo principal conseguir una mejora en la suavidad del tejido de algodón en el mismo proceso lavado con tensioactivos ecológicos. Para ello, se añadió bentonita sódica al detergente, con el fin de producir un efecto de suavizado al ser lavado el tejido, pudiéndose obtener el denominado efecto “softergent”. La bentonita sódica (mineral formado por silicatos de aluminio hidratados) se mezcló con los tensioactivos utilizados en detergentes ecológicos. Este producto fue utilizado con un tamaño de partícula adecuado, que al poseer una gran superficie específica, facilitó su deposición en el tejido de algodón, produciendo el efecto deseado de aumentar la suavidad del tejido lavado. Los tensioactivos utilizados fueron un aniónico: LAS, y los no iónicos: APG y AE, por separado y en mezcla aniónico con no-iónico, sin coadyuvantes, con el objeto de mostrar su poder detergente durante uno y varios lavados repetidos, en función de la naturaleza de los tensioactivos, y de sus mezclas por separado y en diferentes proporciones de mezcla de tensioactivo aniónico con no-iónico y en presencia, en todos los casos, de una concentración constante de bentonita sódica con dos tamaños de partícula. Se obtuvo la valoración de la suavidad (al tacto) subjetiva por parejas de muestras a partir de varios observadores y también la variación de blancura después de la deposición de la bentonita durante el lavado, la cual se comprobó por imágenes de microscopía electrónica SEM de las fibras de algodón del tejido. The primary aim of this work is to propose an improvement in the smoothness of the cotton fabric during the washing process with ecological surfactants. Sodium bentonite into the detergent formulations was added with the intention of producing a smoothed out effect while the fabric was washed, to obtain the denominated “softdetergent”. The sodium bentonite (composed mainly by hydrated aluminium silicates) was mixed with the surfactants used in ecological detergents. This product, with a suitable particle size was used, having a great specific surface, facilitated its deposition in the cotton fabric, producing an increase in its smoothness (handle) during and after the washing process. The surfactants used in the detergent formulations were: one anionic LAS and the two non-ionics APG and AE separately and anionic with nonionic mixtures, without builders. The detersive effect after one and five repeated washings was shown, in all the cases in presence of one constant concentration of sodium bentonite and for two different particle sizes. The evaluation of the subjective handle by pairs of samples from several observers was obtained, and also the variation of whiteness as a result of the deposition of the bentonite during the washing, which was shown by images of electronic microscopy SEM of the fibers extracted from fabric.Postprint (author’s final draft

Speckle from phase ordering systems

The statistical properties of coherent radiation scattered from phase-ordering materials are studied in detail using large-scale computer simulations and analytic arguments. Specifically, we consider a two-dimensional model with a nonconserved, scalar order parameter (Model A), quenched through an order-disorder transition into the two-phase regime. For such systems it is well established that the standard scaling hypothesis applies, consequently the average scattering intensity at wavevector _k and time t' is proportional to a scaling function which depends only on a rescaled time, t ~ |_k|^2 t'. We find that the simulated intensities are exponentially distributed, with the time-dependent average well approximated using a scaling function due to Ohta, Jasnow, and Kawasaki. Considering fluctuations around the average behavior, we find that the covariance of the scattering intensity for a single wavevector at two different times is proportional to a scaling function with natural variables mt = |t_1 - t_2| and pt = (t_1 + t_2)/2. In the asymptotic large-pt limit this scaling function depends only on z = mt / pt^(1/2). For small values of z, the scaling function is quadratic, corresponding to highly persistent behavior of the intensity fluctuations. We empirically establish a connection between the intensity covariance and the two-time, two-point correlation function of the order parameter. This connection allows sensitive testing, either experimental or numerical, of existing theories for two-time correlations in systems undergoing order-disorder phase transitions. Comparison between theory and our numerical results requires no adjustable parameters.Comment: 18 pgs RevTeX, to appear in PR

Targeted search for continuous gravitational waves: Bayesian versus maximum-likelihood statistics

We investigate the Bayesian framework for detection of continuous gravitational waves (GWs) in the context of targeted searches, where the phase evolution of the GW signal is assumed to be known, while the four amplitude parameters are unknown. We show that the orthodox maximum-likelihood statistic (known as F-statistic) can be rediscovered as a Bayes factor with an unphysical prior in amplitude parameter space. We introduce an alternative detection statistic ("B-statistic") using the Bayes factor with a more natural amplitude prior, namely an isotropic probability distribution for the orientation of GW sources. Monte-Carlo simulations of targeted searches show that the resulting Bayesian B-statistic is more powerful in the Neyman-Pearson sense (i.e. has a higher expected detection probability at equal false-alarm probability) than the frequentist F-statistic.Comment: 12 pages, presented at GWDAW13, to appear in CQ

A new fireworm (Amphinomidae) from the Cretaceous of Lebanon identified from three-dimensionally preserved myoanatomy

© 2015 Parry et al. Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. The attached file is the published version of the article

Missing the Target for Routine Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: Consistent and Strong Physician Recommendations Are Lacking for 11- to 12-Year-Old Males

Rates of routine human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of adolescent males in the U.S. are low. Leading health organizations advocate consistent and strong physician recommendations to improve HPV vaccine dissemination. This study describes the prevalence and correlates of consistent and strong physician recommendations for HPV vaccination of adolescent males

Florida physicians' reported use of AFIX-based strategies for human papillomavirus vaccination

HPV vaccination rates in Florida are low. To increase rates, the CDC recommends clinics adhere to components of their evidence-based quality improvement program, AFIX (Assessment, Feedback, Incentives, and eXchange of information). We explored factors associated with engaging in HPV-specific AFIX-related activities. In 2016, we conducted a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 770 pediatric and family medicine physicians in Florida and assessed vaccination practices, clinic characteristics, and HPV-related knowledge. Data were analyzed in 2017. The primary outcome was whether physicians' clinics engaged in ≥1 AFIX activity. We stratified by physician specialty and developed multivariable models using a backward selection approach. Of the participants in the analytic sample (n = 340), 52% were male, 60% were White of any ethnicity, and 55% were non-Hispanic. Pediatricians and family medicine physicians differed on: years practicing medicine (p < 0.001), HPV-related knowledge (p < 0.001), and VFC provider status (p < 0.001), among others. Only 39% of physicians reported engaging in ≥1 AFIX activity. In the stratified multivariable model for pediatricians, AFIX activity was significantly associated with HPV-related knowledge (aOR = 1.33;95%CI = 1.08–1.63) and provider use of vaccine reminder prompts (aOR = 3.61;95%CI = 1.02–12.77). For family medicine physicians, HPV-related knowledge was significant (aOR = 1.57;95%CI = 1.20–2.05) as was majority race of patient population (non-Hispanic White vs. Other: aOR = 3.02;95%CI = 1.08–8.43), daily patient load (<20 vs. 20–24: aOR = 9.05;95%CI = 2.72–30.10), and vaccine administration to male patients (aOR = 2.98;95%CI = 1.11–8.02). Fewer than half of Florida pediatric and family medicine physicians engaged in any AFIX activities. Future interventions to increase AFIX engagement should focus on implementing and evaluating AFIX activities in groups identified as having low engagement in AFIX activities

Evolution of speckle during spinodal decomposition

Time-dependent properties of the speckled intensity patterns created by scattering coherent radiation from materials undergoing spinodal decomposition are investigated by numerical integration of the Cahn-Hilliard-Cook equation. For binary systems which obey a local conservation law, the characteristic domain size is known to grow in time $\tau$ as $R = [B \tau]^n$ with n=1/3, where B is a constant. The intensities of individual speckles are found to be nonstationary, persistent time series. The two-time intensity covariance at wave vector ${\bf k}$ can be collapsed onto a scaling function $Cov(\delta t,\bar{t})$, where $\delta t = k^{1/n} B |\tau_2-\tau_1|$ and $\bar{t} = k^{1/n} B (\tau_1+\tau_2)/2$. Both analytically and numerically, the covariance is found to depend on $\delta t$ only through $\delta t/\bar{t}$ in the small-$\bar{t}$ limit and $\delta t/\bar{t} ^{1-n}$ in the large-$\bar{t}$ limit, consistent with a simple theory of moving interfaces that applies to any universality class described by a scalar order parameter. The speckle-intensity covariance is numerically demonstrated to be equal to the square of the two-time structure factor of the scattering material, for which an analytic scaling function is obtained for large $\bar{t}.$ In addition, the two-time, two-point order-parameter correlation function is found to scale as $C(r/(B^n\sqrt{\tau_1^{2n}+\tau_2^{2n}}),\tau_1/\tau_2)$, even for quite large distances $r$. The asymptotic power-law exponent for the autocorrelation function is found to be $\lambda \approx 4.47$, violating an upper bound conjectured by Fisher and Huse.Comment: RevTex: 11 pages + 12 figures, submitted to PR