The gauge dual of Romans mass

We deform the recently proposed holographic duality between the ABJM N=6 Chern-Simons-matter theory and type IIA string theory in AdS4xCP3. We add a non-zero Romans mass F_0, whose dual we identify as the sum of the Chern-Simons levels for the two gauge groups. One can naturally identify four different theories, with different amounts of supersymmetry and of flavor symmetry.Comment: 26 pages. v4: Corrected the sign for the probe brane potentia

OR13-2 Burosumab Resulted in Greater Improvement in Rickets Than Conventional Therapy in Children with X-Linked Hypophosphatemia (XLH)

XLH is characterized by excess FGF23, hypophosphatemia, skeletal deformities, and growth impairment. For the last 40 years, XLH has been treated with multiple daily doses of oral phosphate and active vitamin D (Pi/D). Burosumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody to FGF23, has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of XLH in patients ≥1 year-old. In this Phase 3 trial (NCT02915705), 61 children with XLH (1-12 years old) were randomized (1:1) to receive subcutaneous burosumab starting at 0.8 mg/kg every 2 weeks or continue Pi/D titrated and individualized for each subject by investigators. Eligibility criteria included a Total Rickets Severity Score (RSS) ≥2.0 despite prior treatment with Pi/D (>7-day washout before baseline). The primary endpoint was healing of rickets at Week 40 assessed by radiologists blinded to treatment using the Radiographic Global Impression of Change (RGI-C). The mean ± SE daily oral phosphate dose from baseline to Week 40 was 37.8 ± 3.2 mg/kg, with >99% compliance reported based on days of dosing. Compared with Pi/D, 40 weeks of burosumab resulted in a greater LS mean ± SE increase in serum phosphorus (0.92 ± 0.08 vs 0.20 ± 0.06 mg/dL), TmP/GFR (1.19 ± 0.11 vs -0.16 ± 0.05 mg/dL), and 1,25(OH)2D (30 ± 4 vs 19 ± 4 pg/mL). At Week 40, rickets improved in both groups; RGI-C global score was significantly higher in burosumab subjects than in Pi/D subjects (LS mean ± SE: +1.9 ± 0.1 vs +0.8 ± 0.1; p<0.0001). More burosumab subjects had substantial healing (RGI-C ≥+2.0), compared with Pi/D subjects (21/29, 72% vs 2/32, 6%; odds ratio of 39.1, p<0.0001). Improvement in the RGI-C lower limb deformity score was greater with burosumab than with Pi/D (+0.62 ± 0.12 vs +0.21 ± 0.12; p=0.02). Alkaline phosphatase decreased more with burosumab compared with Pi/D (-131 ± 13 vs 35 ± 19; p<0.0001). Consistent with decreases in rickets severity, burosumab improved growth and mobility. Standing height Z-score increased by a LS mean change (95% CI) of +0.15 (0.05, 0.25) for burosumab and +0.08 (-0.02, 0.19) for Pi/D. The 6 Minute Walk Test percent predicted distance increased with burosumab (Baseline to Week 40: 62% to 72%) and was unchanged with Pi/D (76% to 75%). Nephrocalcinosis score (range 0-4) shifted 0 in 20 Pi/D and 24 burosumab subjects; +1 in 3 Pi/D and 0 burosumab subjects; and -1 in 3 Pi/D and 2 burosumab subjects. Pre-defined adverse events (AEs) of interest, including hypersensitivity and injection site reactions, were higher in the burosumab group and were mild to moderate in severity overall. There were 4 serious AEs (3 burosumab, 1 Pi/D); none were treatment-related and all resolved. No subject discontinued study drug in either group. Data after 64 weeks of treatment will be available at the time of presentation. In this randomized Phase 3 trial, burosumab resulted in increases in growth and mobility, and significantly greater improvements in rickets than Pi/D in 1-12 year-old children with XLH

Long-Surviving Patients with Recurrent GIST after Receiving Cytoreductive Surgery with Imatinib Therapy

In the treatment of recurrent or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), good prognoses may not be expected by surgery alone. Recently, imatinib has been applied for the treatment of GISTs, resulting in improved patient survival. However, long-term success is limited due to the development of resistance. Herein, we report two cases of long-surviving patients with recurrent GIST after receiving cytoreductive surgery with imatinib therapy. A 49 year-old man was diagnosed to a duodenal GIST with single hepatic metastasis, and an antrectomy including the duodenal lesion with intraoperative radiofrequency ablation were performed in April, 2002. After four months, a new metastatic hepatic lesion was identified. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation was done, and imatinib therapy was started. A 56 year-old man underwent laparoscopic segmental resection of the distal ileum and partial excision of parietal peritoneum in March, 2001 to treat a malignant GIST of the distal ileum that was attached to parietal peritoneum. After six months, recurrence of GIST with peritoneal seeding and hepatic metastasis was found, and he underwent cytoreductive surgery including right hemicolectomy and wedge resection of liver. After surgery, there was no residual tumor grossly and imatinib therapy was started. In both cases, they were doing well with no evidence of recurrence for 5 years with imatinib therapy. Therefore, in patients with a recurrent GIST, improved survival can be expected with imatinib therapy after cytoreductive surgery

Patient-reported outcomes from a randomized, active-controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial of burosumab versus conventional therapy in children with X-linked hypophosphatemia

Changing to burosumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting fibroblast growth factor 23, significantly improved phosphorus homeostasis, rickets, lower-extremity deformities, mobility, and growth versus continuing oral phosphate and active vitamin D (conventional therapy) in a randomized, open-label, phase 3 trial involving children aged 1-12 years with X-linked hypophosphatemia. Patients were randomized (1:1) to subcutaneous burosumab or to continue conventional therapy. We present patient-reported outcomes (PROs) from this trial for children aged ≥ 5 years at screening (n = 35), using a Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) questionnaire and SF-10 Health Survey for Children. PROMIS pain interference, physical function mobility, and fatigue scores improved from baseline with burosumab at weeks 40 and 64, but changed little with continued conventional therapy. Pain interference scores differed significantly between groups at week 40 (- 5.02, 95% CI - 9.29 to - 0.75; p = 0.0212) but not at week 64. Between-group differences were not significant at either week for physical function mobility or fatigue. Reductions in PROMIS pain interference and fatigue scores from baseline were clinically meaningful with burosumab at weeks 40 and 64 but not with conventional therapy. SF-10 physical health scores (PHS-10) improved significantly with burosumab at week 40 (least-squares mean [standard error] + 5.98 [1.79]; p = 0.0008) and week 64 (+ 5.93 [1.88]; p = 0.0016) but not with conventional therapy (between-treatment differences were nonsignificant). In conclusion, changing to burosumab improved PRO measures, with statistically significant differences in PROMIS pain interference at week 40 versus continuing with conventional therapy and in PHS-10 at weeks 40 and 64 versus baseline

Burosumab vs conventional therapy in children with X-linked hypophosphatemia:results of the open-label, phase 3 extension period

In a randomized, open-label phase 3 study of 61 children aged 1–12 years old with X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) previously treated with conventional therapy, changing to burosumab every 2 weeks (Q2W) for 64 weeks improved the phosphate metabolism, radiographic rickets, and growth compared with conventional therapy. In this open-label extension period (weeks 64–88), 21 children continued burosumab Q2W at the previous dose or crossed over from conventional therapy to burosumab starting at 0.8 mg/kg Q2W with continued clinical radiographic assessments through week 88. Efficacy endpoints and safety observations were summarized descriptively for both groups (burosumab continuation, n = 6; crossover, n = 15). At week 88 compared with baseline, improvements in the following outcomes were observed in the burosumab continuation and crossover groups, respectively: mean (SD) RGI-C rickets total score (primary outcome), +2.11 (0.27) and +1.89 (0.35); mean (SD) RGI-C lower limb deformity score, +1.61 (0.91) and +0.73 (0.82); and mean (SD) height Z-score + 0.41 (0.50) and +0.08 (0.34). Phosphate metabolism normalized rapidly in the crossover group and persisted in the continuation group. Mean (SD) serum alkaline phosphatase decreased from 169% (43%) of the upper limit of normal (ULN) at baseline to 126% (51%) at week 88 in the continuation group and from 157% (33%) of the ULN at baseline to 111% (23%) at week 88 in the crossover group. During the extension period, treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) were reported in all 6 children in the burosumab continuation group and 14/15 children in the crossover group. The AE profiles in the randomized and extension periods were similar, with no new safety signals identified. Improvements from baseline in radiographic rickets continued in the extension period among children with XLH who remained on burosumab. Children who crossed over from conventional therapy to burosumab demonstrated a rapid improvement in phosphate metabolism and improved rickets healing over the ensuing 22 weeks

Variation in plasma calcium analysis in primary care in Sweden - a multilevel analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) is a common disease that often remains undetected and causes severe disturbance especially in postmenopausal women. Therefore, national recommendations promoting early pHPT detection by plasma calcium (P-Ca) have been issued in Sweden. In this study we aimed to investigate variation of P-Ca analysis between physicians and health care centres (HCCs) in primary care in county of Skaraborg, Sweden.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this cross sectional study of patients' records during 2005 we analysed records from 154 629 patients attending 457 physicians at 24 HCCs. We used multilevel logistic regression analysis (MLRA) and adjusted for patient, physician and HCC characteristics. Differences were expressed as median odds ratio (MOR).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was a substantial variation in number of P-Ca analyses between both HCCs (MOR_HCC1.65 [1.44-2.07]) and physicians (MOR_physician1.95 [1.85-2.08]). The odds for a P-Ca analysis were lower for male patients (OR 0.80 [0.77-0.83]) and increased with the number of diagnoses (OR 25.8 [23.5-28.5]). Sex of the physician had no influence on P-Ca test ordering (OR 0.93 [0.78-1.09]). Physicians under education ordered most P-Ca analyses (OR 1.69 [1.35-2.24]) and locum least (OR 0.73 [0.57-0.94]). More of the variance was attributed to the physician level than the HCC level. Different mix of patients did not explain this variance between physicians. Theoretically, if a patient were able to change both GP and HCC, the odds of a P-Ca analysis would in median increase by 2.45. Including characteristics of the patients, physicians and HCCs in the MLRA model did not explain the variance.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The physician level was more important than the HCC level for the variation in P-Ca analysis, but further exploration of unidentified contextual factors is crucial for future monitoring of practice variation.</p

Smoking and the Risk of Upper Aero Digestive Tract Cancers for Men and Women in the Asia-Pacific Region

Although smoking is an established causal factor for upper aero digestive tract cancer (UADTC), most of the evidence originates from the West. Thus, we analysed data from 455,409 subjects in the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration. Over a median of around six years follow-up, 371 deaths from UADTC were observed. The hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for current smokers, compared with those who had never smoked, was 2.36 (1.76 – 3.16), adjusted for age and alcohol drinking. Tobacco control policies are urgently required in Asia to prevent millions of deaths from UADTC that smoking will otherwise cause

Properties of Graphene: A Theoretical Perspective

In this review, we provide an in-depth description of the physics of monolayer and bilayer graphene from a theorist's perspective. We discuss the physical properties of graphene in an external magnetic field, reflecting the chiral nature of the quasiparticles near the Dirac point with a Landau level at zero energy. We address the unique integer quantum Hall effects, the role of electron correlations, and the recent observation of the fractional quantum Hall effect in the monolayer graphene. The quantum Hall effect in bilayer graphene is fundamentally different from that of a monolayer, reflecting the unique band structure of this system. The theory of transport in the absence of an external magnetic field is discussed in detail, along with the role of disorder studied in various theoretical models. We highlight the differences and similarities between monolayer and bilayer graphene, and focus on thermodynamic properties such as the compressibility, the plasmon spectra, the weak localization correction, quantum Hall effect, and optical properties. Confinement of electrons in graphene is nontrivial due to Klein tunneling. We review various theoretical and experimental studies of quantum confined structures made from graphene. The band structure of graphene nanoribbons and the role of the sublattice symmetry, edge geometry and the size of the nanoribbon on the electronic and magnetic properties are very active areas of research, and a detailed review of these topics is presented. Also, the effects of substrate interactions, adsorbed atoms, lattice defects and doping on the band structure of finite-sized graphene systems are discussed. We also include a brief description of graphane -- gapped material obtained from graphene by attaching hydrogen atoms to each carbon atom in the lattice.Comment: 189 pages. submitted in Advances in Physic

Algorithmic iteration for computational intelligence

Machine awareness is a disputed research topic, in some circles considered a crucial step in realising Artificial General Intelligence. Understanding what that is, under which conditions such feature could arise and how it can be controlled is still a matter of speculation. A more concrete object of theoretical analysis is algorithmic iteration for computational intelligence, intended as the theoretical and practical ability of algorithms to design other algorithms for actions aimed at solving well-specified tasks. We know this ability is already shown by current AIs, and understanding its limits is an essential step in qualifying claims about machine awareness and Super-AI. We propose a formal translation of algorithmic iteration in a fragment of modal logic, formulate principles of transparency and faithfulness across human and machine intelligence, and consider the relevance to theoretical research on (Super)-AI as well as the practical import of our results