Viscosity and viscosity anomalies of model silicates and magmas: a numerical investigation

We present results for transport properties (diffusion and viscosity) using computer simulations. Focus is made on a densified binary sodium disilicate 2SiO$_2$-Na$_2$O (NS2) liquid and on multicomponent magmatic liquids (MORB, basalt). In the NS2 liquid, results show that a certain number of anomalies appear when the system is densified: the usual diffusivity maxima/minima is found for the network-forming ions (Si,O) whereas the sodium atom displays three distinct r\'egimes for diffusion. Some of these features can be correlated with the obtained viscosity anomaly under pressure, the latter being be fairly well reproduced from the simulated diffusion constant. In model magmas (MORB liquid), we find a plateau followed by a continuous increase of the viscosity with pressure. Finally, having computed both diffusion and viscosity independently, we can discuss the validity of the Eyring equation for viscosity which relates diffusion and viscosity. It is shown that it can be considered as valid in melts with a high viscosity. On the overall, these results highlight the difficulty of establishing a firm relationship between dynamics, structure and thermodynamics in complex liquids.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figure

Columnar and lamellar phases in attractive colloidal systems

In colloidal suspensions, the competition between attractive and repulsive interactions gives rise to a rich and complex phenomenology. Here, we study the equilibrium phase diagram of a model system using a DLVO interaction potential by means of molecular dynamics simulations and a thermodynamical approach. As a result, we find tubular and lamellar phases at low volume fraction. Such phases, extremely relevant for designing new materials, may be not easily observed in the experiments because of the long relaxation times and the presence of defects.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Secukinumab demonstrated sustained retention, effectiveness and safety in a real-world setting in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis: long-term results from an interim analysis of the SERENA study.

Randomized controlled trials of secukinumab have shown sustained efficacy and a favourable safety profile in multiple manifestations of psoriatic disease. To assess the long-term, real-world retention, effectiveness and safety of secukinumab in routine clinical practice for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis (PsO). SERENA (CAIN457A3403) is a large, ongoing, longitudinal, observational study conducted at 438 sites and 19 countries for an expected duration of up to 5 years in adult patients with moderate-to-severe PsO, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. Patients received ≥16 weeks of secukinumab treatment before enrolment. This interim analysis presents data from PsO patients, who were enrolled in the study between October-2016 and October-2018 and were observed for ≥2 years. In total, 1756 patients (67.3% male) with a mean age of 48.4 years and body mass index of 28.8 kg/m <sup>2</sup> were included in the analysis. The secukinumab treatment retention rates after 1, 2 and 3 years in the study were 88.0%, 76.4% and 60.5%, respectively. Of the 648 patients who discontinued the study, the most common reasons included lack of efficacy (42.6%), adverse event (17.4%), physician decision (12.2%) and subject decision (11.6%). Mean ± SD absolute PASI was 21.0 ± 13.0 at the start of treatment (n = 1,564). At baseline, the mean ± SD PASI score reduced to 2.6 ± 4.8 and remained low at Year 1 (2.3 ± 4.3), Year 2 (1.9 ± 3.6) and Year 3 (1.9 ± 3.5). The safety profile of secukinumab during the SERENA study was consistent with its known safety profile, with no new safety signals reported. Particularly, low rates of inflammatory bowel disease (0.3%; Incidence Rate [IR]:0.15), candida infections (3.1%; IR:1.43) and MACE (0.9%; IR:0.37) were observed. Secukinumab showed high treatment persistence, sustained effectiveness and a favourable safety profile up to 3 years of follow-up in the real-world population of PsO patients observed in SERENA

Characteristics and outcomes of patients treated with apremilast in the real world: results from the APPRECIATE study

Background APPRECIATE is a multinational, observational, retrospective, cross‐sectional study in patients treated for psoriasis with apremilast, an oral phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor. Objectives To describe the characteristics of patients with psoriasis treated with apremilast in the clinical setting, to evaluate real‐world outcomes of psoriasis treatment with apremilast and to better understand the perspectives of patients and physicians on treatment outcomes. Methods In six European countries, patients with chronic plaque psoriasis treated in clinical practice who could be contacted 6 (±1) months after apremilast initiation were enrolled. Patient characteristics, Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) were obtained from medical records when available. Outcomes were evaluated using patient/physician questionnaires. Results In 480 patients at treatment initiation, mean [median; 95% confidence interval (CI)] PASI and DLQI scores were 12.5 (10.7; 11.6–13.4) and 13.4 (13.0; 11.4–14.2), respectively. At 6 (±1) months, 72.3% of patients (n = 347) continued apremilast treatment [discontinuations: lack of efficacy (13.5%), safety (11.7%), other (2.5%)]. In patients continuing treatment, 48.6% achieved a ≥75% reduction in PASI score; mean (95% CI) DLQI score was 5.7 (4.5–6.9), and mean (SD) Patient Benefit Index score was 2.8 (1.2). Physicians perceived clinical improvement in 75.6% of patients. Physicians’ perspective on overall success of apremilast in meeting expectations correlated with patients’ perception of treatment benefit (r = 0.691). Most commonly reported adverse events (>5% of patients) were diarrhoea, nausea and headache. Conclusions Patients in APPRECIATE reported high disease burden despite more moderate skin involvement than those who enrolled in clinical trials of apremilast. Findings from APPRECIATE demonstrate the real‐world value of apremilast for psoriasis treatment, as 7 of 10 patients continued therapy and showed notable improvement in disease severity and quality of life 6 (±1) months after apremilast initiation

Retroperitoneal liposarcoma associated with small plaque parapsoriasis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Extremely rare cases of paraneoplastic syndromes or ectopic production of proteins associated with liposarcoma are reported in literature. Production of Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor, alpha-fetoprotein, paraneoplastic pemphigus and leucocytosis, Acrokeratosis paraneoplastica (Bazex's syndrome) are reported.</p> <p>The present report describes a case of retroperitoneal liposarcoma associated with small plaque parapsoriasis. Our search in the English literature of such a kind of association did not reveal any case reported.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 74 year male patient was admitted to our hospital because of the presence of an abdominal mass in right iliac fossa. He also complained of a two-year history of psoriasiform eruptions. The CT scan showed a retroperitoneal pelvic mass. Therefore surgical resection of the tumor was performed. After surgery, the skin eruptions disappeared completely in seven days and so a diagnosis of parapsoriasis syndrome was done.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Parallel disappearing of skin eruptions after surgery, typical clinical picture and not specific histology of the cutaneous lesions suggest the diagnosis of small plaque parapsoriasis. Therefore we propose to add Small Plaque Parapsoriasis to the list of paraneoplastic syndromes associated to liposarcoma.</p

ALIGNed on adherence: subanalysis of adherence in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases in the DACH region of the global ALIGN study.

Non-adherence to medication is a challenging problem in daily clinical practice. To assess reasons for non-adherence in patients with chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) in a direct comparison including evaluation of treatment necessity and concerns. ALIGN was a non-interventional, multicountry, multicentre, self-administered, cross-sectional, epidemiologic survey study. Here, we investigate the German, Austrian and Swiss (DACH) cohort. Six hundred thirty-one patients with different IMIDs (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, plaque psoriasis, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) under systemic therapies were evaluated concerning adherence, beliefs of necessity and concerns towards treatment in patients with IMIDs. The DACH cohort had significantly different levels of adherence depending on the IMID (P &lt; 0.05) and the type of therapy (P &lt; 0.05). Based on the significant influence of concerns on treatment adherence (P &lt; 0.05) and the high belief of treatment necessity, patients could be classified in four attitudinal segments, which were unequally distributed throughout various IMIDs. High concerns had a significant influence on non-adherence, whereas necessity did not. Older age, female sex, TNFi mono-, conventional combination and TNFi combination therapy are positively associated with adherence. In the DACH region, patients are less concerned about medication and believe in the necessity of treatment. Therefore, we suggest adapting the communication in the various patient groups

EuroGuiDerm Guideline on the systemic treatment of Psoriasis vulgaris – : Part 1: treatment and monitoring recommendations

Peer reviewe

Exercise and manual auricular acupuncture: a pilot assessor-blind randomised controlled trial. (The acupuncture and personalised exercise programme (APEP) Trial)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Evidence supports the use of exercise for chronic low back pain (CLBP); however, adherence is often poor due to ongoing pain. Auricular acupuncture is a form of pain relief involving the stimulation of points on the outer ear corresponding with specific body parts. It may be a useful adjunct to exercise in managing CLBP; however, there is only limited evidence to support its use with this patient group.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>This study was designed to test the feasibility of an assessor-blind randomised controlled trial which assess the effects on clinical outcomes and exercise adherence of adding manual auricular acupuncture to a personalised and supervised exercise programme (PEP) for CLBP. No sample size calculation has been carried out as this study aims to identify CLBP referral rates within the catchment area of the study site. The researchers aim to recruit four cohorts of n = 20 participants to facilitate a power analysis for a future randomised controlled trial. A computer generated random allocation sequence will be prepared centrally and used to allocate participants by cohort to one of the following interventions: 1) six weeks of PEP <it>plus </it>manual auricular acupuncture; 2) six weeks of PEP alone. Both groups will also complete a further six weeks of self-paced exercise with telephone follow-up support. In addition to a baseline and exit questionnaire at the beginning and end of the study, the following outcomes will be collected at baseline, and after 7, 13 and 25 weeks: pain frequency and bothersomeness, back-specific function, objective assessment and recall of physical activity, use of analgesia, perceived self-efficacy, fear avoidance beliefs, and beliefs about the consequences of back pain. Since this is a feasibility study, significance tests will not be presented, and treatment effects will be represented by point estimates and confidence intervals. For each outcome variable, analysis of covariance will be performed on the data, conditioning on the baseline value.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The results of this study investigating the adjuvant effects of auricular acupuncture to exercise in managing CLBP will be used to inform the design of a future multi-centre randomised controlled trial.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN94142364.</p