Fluticasone furoate: once-daily evening treatment versus twice-daily treatment in moderate asthma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Inhaled corticosteroids are the recommended first-line treatment for asthma but adherence to therapy is suboptimal. The objectives of this study were to compare the efficacy and safety of once-daily (OD) evening and twice-daily (BD) regimens of the novel inhaled corticosteroid fluticasone furoate (FF) in asthma patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients with moderate asthma (age ≥ 12 years; pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) 40-85% predicted; FEV₁reversibility of ≥ 12% and ≥ 200 ml) were randomized to FF or fluticasone propionate (FP) regimens in a double-blind, crossover study. Patients were not permitted to have used any ICS for ≥ 8 weeks prior to enrolment and subsequently received doses of FF or FP 200 μg OD, FF or FP 100 μg BD and matching placebo by inhalation for 28 days each. Primary endpoint was Day 28 evening pre-dose (trough) FEV₁; non-inferiority of FF 200 μg OD and FF 100 μg BD was assessed, as was superiority of all active treatment relative to placebo. Adverse events (AEs) and 24-hour urinary cortisol excretion were assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The intent-to-treat population comprised 147 (FF) and 43 (FP) patients. On Day 28, pre-dose FEV₁showed FF 200 μg OD to be non-inferior (pre-defined limit -110 ml) to FF 100 μg BD (mean treatment difference 11 ml; 95% CI: -35 to +56 ml); all FF and FP regimens were significantly superior to placebo (p ≤ 0.02). AEs were similar to placebo; no serious AEs were reported. Urinary cortisol excretion at Day 28 for FF was lower than placebo (ratios: 200 μg OD, 0.75; 100 μg BD, 0.84; p ≤ 0.02).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>FF 200 μg OD in the evening is an efficacious and well tolerated treatment for asthma patients and is not inferior to the same total BD dose.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Clinicaltrials.gov; <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00766090">NCT00766090</a>.</p

Effect of soil-pesticide interactions on the efficiency of supercritical fluid extraction

In selecting the appropriate extraction conditions for a range of pesticides from soil, the nature of the soil-pesticide interaction is of fundamental importance. This paper reviews the work that has been undertaken with a view to understanding the role that soil-pesticide interactions have played in affecting the extraction process. Supercritical fluid extraction has been of particular interest to this work. It is noted that the majority of papers cited refer to the use of spiked soil samples. The experimental conditions required for extraction from native samples may well be different. In this situation, the use of mathematical models, both for soil-pesticide interactions and the extraction process may well be useful. The important factors affecting the recovery of analytes from soils are summarised

The influence of learning methodologies on the understanding of Architectural Technologies

The present research looks at teaching/learning tools for Architectural Technologies, based on the studio outcome after using the same learning methodologies with two groups of Year 3 students from two different schools of Architecture. Since these groups of students have joined architectural courses in two different schools (one in Ireland and the other in Spain), we shall not presume that being at the same stage they must have achieved the same expertise using various means of expression. Therefore, why should we consider that using the same teaching/learning tools will be equally appropriate or successful with both groups of students? Are the results of a teaching/learning methodology related to the student’s means of conveying his understanding of Architectural Technologies? This paper investigates the influence of using different learning tools on the understanding of Architectural Technologies and aims at a better understanding of the learning methodologies applied to architectural technologies