Comparison of four-times-a-day and twice-a-day dosing regimens in subjects requiring 1200 μg or less of budesonide to control mild to moderate asthma

AbstractThe aim of this study was to compare the efficacy, compliance and side-effects of budesonide administered twice daily (b.d.) and four times a day (q.d.) with a Turbuhaler® device in asthmatic subjects requiring ≤ 1200 μg daily. The randomized, parallel group study design included a 2-week baseline period followed by a 6–12-month treatment period. Subjects were assessed at regular intervals in hospital through FEV1, PC20 methacholine, adrenal function and throat swabs. They were asked to record their symptoms and PEF values morning and evening at home. An asthmatic flare-up, which was the main outcome resulting in a patient's termination of the study, was defined beforehand as (a) 25% or greater diurnal variability in PEF for 2 consecutive days, and/or (b) nocturnal awakenings due to asthma symptoms 2 days or more in the same week and/or (c) an increase (doubling or more) in the need for inhaled bronchodilator 2 days in the same week.Fifty-eight adult asthmatic subjects (20 males and 38 females) entered the study, one-half being randomly assigned to the b.d. regimen and one-half to the q.d. regimen. Fourteen subjects were on 400 μg, 15 subjects on 800 μg and 29 subjects on 1200 μg of budesonide daily. Seventeen flare-ups were recorded in the b.d. regimen group as opposed to 11 in the q.d. regimen (P=0·05), significant differences being found in the 800 and 1200 μg groups (a total of 13 flare-ups in the b.d. group and eight flare-ups in the q.d. group for the two doses, P=0·01). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis yielded similar results. There was no significant difference in FEV1, PC20 or cortisol levels during the study on either regimen. Throat symptoms and growth of Candida albicans were more common in the q.d. group. Compliance assessed by the number of times the Turbuhaler® device was actuated was significantly better in the b.d. group (95%) as compared with the q.d. group (83%). To conclude, administering inhaled budesonide with a Turbuhaler® device on a q.d. basis results in fewer flare-ups in spite of less satisfactory compliance and more common, local side-effects than on a b.d. regimen at daily doses of 800 and 1200 μg

Integrals Over Polytopes, Multiple Zeta Values and Polylogarithms, and Euler's Constant

Let $T$ be the triangle with vertices (1,0), (0,1), (1,1). We study certain integrals over $T$, one of which was computed by Euler. We give expressions for them both as a linear combination of multiple zeta values, and as a polynomial in single zeta values. We obtain asymptotic expansions of the integrals, and of sums of certain multiple zeta values with constant weight. We also give related expressions for Euler's constant. In the final section, we evaluate more general integrals -- one is a Chen (Drinfeld-Kontsevich) iterated integral -- over some polytopes that are higher-dimensional analogs of $T$. This leads to a relation between certain multiple polylogarithm values and multiple zeta values.Comment: 19 pages, to appear in Mat Zametki. Ver 2.: Added Remark 3 on a Chen (Drinfeld-Kontsevich) iterated integral; simplified Proposition 2; gave reference for (19); corrected [16]; fixed typ

Using late-time optical and near-infrared spectra to constrain Type Ia supernova explosion properties

The late-time spectra of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are powerful probes of the underlying physics of their explosions. We investigate the late-time optical and near-infrared spectra of seven SNe Ia obtained at the VLT with XShooter at $>$200 d after explosion. At these epochs, the inner Fe-rich ejecta can be studied. We use a line-fitting analysis to determine the relative line fluxes, velocity shifts, and line widths of prominent features contributing to the spectra ([Fe II], [Ni II], and [Co III]). By focussing on [Fe II] and [Ni II] emission lines in the ~7000-7500 \AA\ region of the spectrum, we find that the ratio of stable [Ni II] to mainly radioactively-produced [Fe II] for most SNe Ia in the sample is consistent with Chandrasekhar-mass delayed-detonation explosion models, as well as sub-Chandrasekhar mass explosions that have metallicity values above solar. The mean measured Ni/Fe abundance of our sample is consistent with the solar value. The more highly ionised [Co III] emission lines are found to be more centrally located in the ejecta and have broader lines than the [Fe II] and [Ni II] features. Our analysis also strengthens previous results that SNe Ia with higher Si II velocities at maximum light preferentially display blueshifted [Fe II] 7155 \AA\ lines at late times. Our combined results lead us to speculate that the majority of normal SN Ia explosions produce ejecta distributions that deviate significantly from spherical symmetry.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figure, accepted for publication in MNRA

A Physicist's Proof of the Lagrange-Good Multivariable Inversion Formula

We provide yet another proof of the classical Lagrange-Good multivariable inversion formula using techniques of quantum field theory.Comment: 9 pages, 3 diagram

Invariant solutions of the supersymmetric sine-Gordon equation

A comprehensive symmetry analysis of the N=1 supersymmetric sine-Gordon equation is performed. Two different forms of the supersymmetric system are considered. We begin by studying a system of partial differential equations corresponding to the coefficients of the various powers of the anticommuting independent variables. Next, we consider the super-sine-Gordon equation expressed in terms of a bosonic superfield involving anticommuting independent variables. In each case, a Lie (super)algebra of symmetries is determined and a classification of all subgroups having generic orbits of codimension 1 in the space of independent variables is performed. The method of symmetry reduction is systematically applied in order to derive invariant solutions of the supersymmetric model. Several types of algebraic, hyperbolic and doubly periodic solutions are obtained in explicit form.Comment: 27 pages, major revision, the published versio

Construction of nonsingular cosmological solutions in string theories

We study nonsingular cosmological scenarios in a general $D$-dimensional string effective action of the dilaton-modulus-axion system in the presence of the matter source. In the standard dilatonic Brans-Dicke parameter ($\omega=-1$) with radiation, we analytically obtain singularity-free bouncing solutions where the universe starts out in a state with a finite curvature and evolves toward the weakly coupled regime. We apply this analytic method to the string-gas cosmology including the massive state in addition to the leading massless state (radiation), with and without the axion. We numerically find bouncing solutions which asymptotically approach an almost radiation-dominant universe with a decreasing curvature irrespective of the presence of the axion, implying that inclusion of the matter source is crucial for the existence of such solutions for $\omega=-1$. In the theories with $\omega \ne -1$, it is possible to obtain complete regular bouncing solutions with a finite dilaton and curvature in both past and future asymptotics for the general dimension, $D$. We also discuss the case where dilatonic higher-order corrections are involved to the tree-level effective action and demonstrate that the presence of axion/modulus fields and the matter source does not significantly affect the dynamics of the dilaton-driven inflation and the subsequent graceful exit.Comment: 27 pages, 6 eps figure

Nature of singularities in anisotropic string cosmology

We study nature of singularities in anisotropic string-inspired cosmological models in the presence of a Gauss-Bonnet term. We analyze two string gravity models-- dilaton-driven and modulus-driven cases-- in the Bianchi type-I background without an axion field. In both scenarios singularities can be classified in two ways- the determinant singularity where the main determinant of the system vanishes and the ordinary singularity where at least one of the anisotropic expansion rates of the Universe diverges. In the dilaton case, either of these singularities inevitably appears during the evolution of the system. In the modulus case, nonsingular cosmological solutions exist both in asymptotic past and future with determinant $D=+\infty$ and D=2, respectively. In both scenarios nonsingular trajectories in either future or past typically meet the determinant singularity in past/future when the solutions are singular, apart from the exceptional case where the sign of the time-derivative of dilaton is negative. This implies that the determinant singularity may play a crucial role to lead to singular solutions in an anisotropic background.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figure