Interferon beta in multiple sclerosis: experience in a British specialist multiple sclerosis centre

Background: The efficacy of interferon beta (IFN beta) is well established in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the use of this drug in clinical practice is complex, especially because it is only partially effective, its long term efficacy and side effects are unknown, its efficacy may be abrogated by the development of neutralising antibodies, compliance is variable, and its cost effectiveness is controversial. Objectives and Methods: Analysis of a prospectively followed up series of 101 MS patients treated with IFN beta was undertaken to: (1) monitor the outcome of IFN beta treatment in clinical practice; (2) compare the immunogenicity of the three commercial IFN beta preparations available; (3) assess the proportion of patients fulfilling the current guidelines of the Association of British Neurologists for stopping IFN beta therapy. Results: During a median treatment period of 26 months (range 2–85), the relapse rate decreased by 41%. Although the reduction in the relapse rate was similar for all three commercial products, none of the Avonex treated patients were relapse free, compared with 19% of the Betaferon treated and 27% of the Rebif treated patients (p=0.02). Neutralising antibodies were not detected in Avonex treated patients (0 of 18), compared with 12 of 32 (38%) Betaferon treated and 10 of 23 (44%) Rebif treated patients (p=0.02). Forty of 101 (40%) patients satisfied the current (2001) Association of British Neurologists criteria for stopping IFN beta treatment at some stage during their treatment. Conclusion: IFN beta is effective in reducing the relapse rate in patients with relapsing-remitting MS in routine clinical practice. However, after a median treatment duration of 26 months, 40% of initially relapsing-remitting MS patients seem to have ongoing disease activity, presenting as disabling relapses or insidious progression

Flow Cytometry Evaluation of Testis and Sperm Cells and growth Performance of Bulls Implanted with Zeranol

Effects of preweaning zeranol implants on reproductive function and growth performance were studied in 45 Simmental-Angus bulls. At slaughter, flow cytometry measurements were made on testicular and sperm cells to determine the effects of zeranol on spermatogenesis. There were no differences in weaning or slaughter weights due to implants. Nonimplanted bulls had larger scrota1 circumferences and heavier testicular weights than bulls given one or two implants. The testes of implanted bulls had a lower proportion of developing germ cells relative to nonimplanted bulls. The DNA in sperm from implanted bulls was structurally less stable (i.e., more susceptible to denaturation) than DNA in sperm from nonimplanted bulls. Preweaning implantation with zeranol negatively affected testicular function and spermatogenesis, but did not affect growth of yearling bulls

Using optical spectroscopy to map the geometry and structure of the irradiated accretion discs in low-mass X-ray binaries:the pilot study of MAXI J0637-430

The recurring transient outbursts in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) provide us with strong test-beds for constraining the poorly understood accretion process. While impossible to image directly, phase-resolved spectroscopy can provide a powerful diagnostic to study their highly complex, time-dependent accretion discs. We present an 8-month long multi-wavelength (UV, optical, X-ray) monitoring campaign of the new candidate black hole LMXB MAXI J0637$-$430 throughout its 2019/2020 outburst, using the {\em Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory}, as well as three quasi-simultaneous epochs of Gemini/GMOS optical spectroscopy. We find evidence for the existence of a correlation between the X-ray irradiation heating the accretion disc and the evolution of the He {\sc ii} 4686 \AA emission line profiles detected in the optical spectra. Our results demonstrate a connection between the line emitting regions and physical properties of the X-ray irradiation heating the discs during outburst cycles of LMXBs. Further, we are able to show that changes in the physical properties of the irradiation heating the disc in outburst can be imprinted within the H/He emission line profiles themselves in these systems.Comment: 23 pages (including 3 appendices), 10 figures, supplementary figures included in the appendices, accepted for publication in MNRA

Hidradenitis suppurativa is associated with higher heart rate but not atrial fibrillation: A comparative cross-sectional study of 462 individuals with hidradenitis suppurativa in Denmark

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory dermatological disease with inflammatory mechanisms overlapping those of psoriasis, and both diseases have been associated with cardiovascular risk factors i.e. smoking and metabolic syndrome. Two studies have recently linked psoriasis with Atrial Fibrillation (AF). AF is the most frequently occurring cardiac arrhythmia in the general population and is typically accompanied by increased heart rate. Both AF and heart rate are linked with inflammation.The aim of the study was to investigate a potential association between HS and increased heart rate as well as AF.We performed a comparative cross-sectional study using digital measurements of heart rate and resting 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG) in combination with self-reported information when diagnosing AF.Our study comprised 32 individuals with HS from the hospital (the hospital HS group), 430 from the general population HS group (the population HS group), and 20,780 controls. Age and sex adjusted analysis demonstrated a significantly higher heart rate in the HS groups vs. controls (15% (range: 8-23%) higher for the hospital HS group and 4% (2-5%) higher for the population HS group). We found no association between HS and AF (P=0.1670). </p

Nuclear Spin-Isospin Correlations, Parity Violation, and the fπf_\pi Problem

The strong interaction effects of isospin- and spin-dependent nucleon-nucleon correlations observed in many-body calculations are interpreted in terms of a one-pion exchange mechanism. Including such effects in computations of nuclear parity violating effects leads to enhancements of about 10%. A larger effect arises from the one-boson exchange nature of the parity non-conserving nucleon- nucleon interaction, which depends on both weak and strong meson-nucleon coupling constants. Using values of the latter that are constrained by nucleon-nucleon phase shifts leads to enhancements of parity violation by factors close to two. Thus much of previously noticed discrepancies between weak coupling constants extracted from different experiments can be removed.Comment: 8 pages 2 figures there should have been two figures in v

Shell-model calculations of neutrino scattering from 12C

Neutrino reaction cross-sections, $(\nu_\mu,\mu^-)$, $(\nu_e,e^-)$, $\mu$-capture and photoabsorption rates on $^{12}$C are computed within a large-basis shell-model framework, which included excitations up to $4\hbar\omega$. When ground-state correlations are included with an open $p$-shell the predictions of the calculations are in reasonable agreement with most of the experimental results for these reactions. Woods-Saxon radial wave functions are used, with their asymptotic forms matched to the experimental separation energies for bound states, and matched to a binding energy of 0.01 MeV for unbound states. For comparison purposes, some results are given for harmonic oscillator radial functions. Closest agreement between theory and experiment is achieved with unrestricted shell-model configurations and Woods-Saxon radial functions. We obtain for the neutrino-absorption inclusive cross sections: $\bar{\sigma} = 13.8 \times 10^{-40}$ cm$^2$ for the $(\nu_{\mu},\mu^{-})$ decay-in-flight flux in agreement with the LSND datum of $(12.4 \pm 1.8) \times 10^{-40}$ cm$^2$; and $\bar{\sigma} = 12.5 \times 10^{-42}$ cm$^2$ for the $(\nu_{e},e^{-})$ decay-at-rest flux, less than the experimental result of $(14.4 \pm 1.2) \times 10^{-42}$ cm$^2$.Comment: 19 pages. ReVTeX. No figure