The Inhalation Characteristics of Patients When They Use Different Dry Powder Inhalers

Background: The characteristics of each inhalation maneuver when patients use dry powder inhalers (DPIs) are important, because they control the quality of the emitted dose. Methods: We have measured the inhalation profiles of asthmatic children [CHILD; n=16, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) 79% predicted], asthmatic adults (ADULT; n=53, mean predicted FEV1 72%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; n=29, mean predicted FEV1 42%) patients when they inhaled through an Aerolizer, Diskus, Turbuhaler, and Easyhaler using their “real-life” DPI inhalation technique. These are low-, medium-, medium/high-, and high-resistance DPIs, respectively. The inhalation flow against time was recorded to provide the peak inhalation flow (PIF; in L/min), the maximum pressure change (ΔP; in kPa), acceleration rates (ACCEL; in kPa/sec), time to maximum inhalation, the length of each inhalation (in sec), and the inhalation volume (IV; in liters) of each inhalation maneuver. Results: PIF, ΔP, and ACCEL values were consistent with the order of the inhaler's resistance. For each device, the inhalation characteristics were in the order ADULT>COPD>CHILD for PIF, ΔP, and ACCEL (p4 L and ΔP >4 kPa. Conclusion: The large variability of these inhalation characteristics and their range highlights that if inhalation profiles were used with compendial in vitro dose emission measurements, then the results would provide useful information about the dose patients inhale during routine use. The inhalation characteristics highlight that adults with asthma have greater inspiratory capacity than patients with COPD, whereas children with asthma have the lowest. The significance of the inhaled volume to empty doses from each device requires investigation

Perspective on new implementations of atomtronic circuits

In this article, we provide perspectives for atomtronics circuits on quantum technology platforms beyond simple bosonic or fermionic cold atom matter-wave currents. Specifically, we consider (i) matter-wave schemes with multi-component quantum fluids; (ii) networks of Rydberg atoms that provide a radically new concept of atomtronics circuits in which the flow, rather than in terms of matter, occurs through excitations; (iii) hybrid matter-wave circuits - cavities systems that can be used to study atomtronic circuits beyond the standard solutions and provide new schemes for integrated matter-wave networks. We also sketch how driving these systems can open new pathways for atomtronics

Inhalation characteristics of asthma patients, COPD patients and healthy volunteers with the Spiromax® and Turbuhaler® devices: a randomised, cross-over study.

BACKGROUND: Spiromax® is a novel dry-powder inhaler containing formulations of budesonide plus formoterol (BF). The device is intended to provide dose equivalence with enhanced user-friendliness compared to BF Turbuhaler® in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The present study was performed to compare inhalation parameters with empty versions of the two devices, and to investigate the effects of enhanced training designed to encourage faster inhalation. METHODS: This randomised, open-label, cross-over study included children with asthma (n = 23), adolescents with asthma (n = 27), adults with asthma (n = 50), adults with COPD (n = 50) and healthy adult volunteers (n = 50). Inhalation manoeuvres were recorded with each device after training with the patient information leaflet (PIL) and after enhanced training using an In-Check Dial device. RESULTS: After PIL training, peak inspiratory flow (PIF), maximum change in pressure (∆P) and the inhalation volume (IV) were significantly higher with Spiromax than with the Turbuhaler device (p values were at least <0.05 in all patient groups). After enhanced training, numerically or significantly higher values for PIF, ∆P, IV and acceleration remained with Spiromax versus Turbuhaler, except for ∆P in COPD patients. After PIL training, one adult asthma patient and one COPD patient inhaled <30 L/min through the Spiromax compared to one adult asthma patient and five COPD patients with the Turbuhaler. All patients achieved PIF values of at least 30 L/min after enhanced training. CONCLUSIONS: The two inhalers have similar resistance so inhalation flows and pressure changes would be expected to be similar. The higher flow-related values noted for Spiromax versus Turbuhaler after PIL training suggest that Spiromax might have human factor advantages in real-world use. After enhanced training, the flow-related differences between devices persisted; increased flow rates were achieved with both devices, and all patients achieved the minimal flow required for adequate drug delivery. Enhanced training could be useful, especially in COPD patients

Clinical features and management of children with primary ciliary dyskinesia in England

Objective In England, the National Health Service commissioned a National Management Service for children with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). The aims of this study were to describe the health of children seen in this Service and compare lung function to children with cystic fibrosis (CF). Design Multi-centre service evaluation of the English National Management PCD Service. Setting Four nationally commissioned PCD centres in England. Patients 333 children with PCD reviewed in the Service in 2015; lung function data were also compared to 2970 children with CF. Results Median age at diagnosis for PCD was 2.6 years, significantly lower in children with situs inversus (1.0 vs 6.0 years, p<0.0001). Compared with national data from the CF Registry, mean (SD) %predicted FEV1 76.8% in PCD (n=240) and 85.0% in CF, and FEV1 was lower in children with PCD up to the age of 15 years. Approximately half of children had some hearing impairment, with 26% requiring hearing aids. Children with a lower BMI had lower FEV1 (p<0.001). One third of children had positive respiratory cultures at review, 54% of these grew Haemophilus influenzae. Conclusions We provide evidence that children with PCD in England have worse lung function than those with CF. Nutritional status should be considered in PCD management, as those with a lower BMI have significantly lower FEV1. Hearing impairment is common but seems to improve with age. Well designed and powered randomised controlled trials on management of PCD are needed to inform best clinical practice

Clinical utility of NGS diagnosis and disease stratification in a multiethnic primary ciliary dyskinesia cohort

Background Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), a genetically heterogeneous condition enriched in some consanguineous populations, results from recessive mutations affecting cilia biogenesis and motility. Currently, diagnosis requires multiple expert tests.Methods The diagnostic utility of multigene panel next-generation sequencing (NGS) was evaluated in 161 unrelated families from multiple population ancestries.Results Most (82%) families had affected individuals with biallelic or hemizygous (75%) or single (7%) pathogenic causal alleles in known PCD genes. Loss-of-function alleles dominate (73% frameshift, stop-gain, splice site), most (58%) being homozygous, even in non-consanguineous families. Although 57% (88) of the total 155 diagnostic disease variants were novel, recurrent mutations and mutated genes were detected. These differed markedly between white European (52% of families carry DNAH5 or DNAH11 mutations), Arab (42% of families carry CCDC39 or CCDC40 mutations) and South Asian (single LRRC6 or CCDC103 mutations carried in 36% of families) patients, revealing a striking genetic stratification according to population of origin in PCD. Genetics facilitated successful diagnosis of 81% of families with normal or inconclusive ultrastructure and 67% missing prior ultrastructure results.Conclusions This study shows the added value of high-throughput targeted NGS in expediting PCD diagnosis. Therefore, there is potential significant patient benefit in wider and/or earlier implementation of genetic screening

Cancer Biomarker Discovery: The Entropic Hallmark

Background: It is a commonly accepted belief that cancer cells modify their transcriptional state during the progression of the disease. We propose that the progression of cancer cells towards malignant phenotypes can be efficiently tracked using high-throughput technologies that follow the gradual changes observed in the gene expression profiles by employing Shannon's mathematical theory of communication. Methods based on Information Theory can then quantify the divergence of cancer cells' transcriptional profiles from those of normally appearing cells of the originating tissues. The relevance of the proposed methods can be evaluated using microarray datasets available in the public domain but the method is in principle applicable to other high-throughput methods. Methodology/Principal Findings: Using melanoma and prostate cancer datasets we illustrate how it is possible to employ Shannon Entropy and the Jensen-Shannon divergence to trace the transcriptional changes progression of the disease. We establish how the variations of these two measures correlate with established biomarkers of cancer progression. The Information Theory measures allow us to identify novel biomarkers for both progressive and relatively more sudden transcriptional changes leading to malignant phenotypes. At the same time, the methodology was able to validate a large number of genes and processes that seem to be implicated in the progression of melanoma and prostate cancer. Conclusions/Significance: We thus present a quantitative guiding rule, a new unifying hallmark of cancer: the cancer cell's transcriptome changes lead to measurable observed transitions of Normalized Shannon Entropy values (as measured by high-throughput technologies). At the same time, tumor cells increment their divergence from the normal tissue profile increasing their disorder via creation of states that we might not directly measure. This unifying hallmark allows, via the the Jensen-Shannon divergence, to identify the arrow of time of the processes from the gene expression profiles, and helps to map the phenotypical and molecular hallmarks of specific cancer subtypes. The deep mathematical basis of the approach allows us to suggest that this principle is, hopefully, of general applicability for other diseases

Evaluation of asthma control, parents' quality of life and preference between AeroChamber Plus and AeroChamber Plus Flow-Vu spacers in young children with asthma

Objective: The AeroChamber Plus (AC) valved holding chamber has been enhanced to include the Flow-Vu (FV) inspiratory flow indicator that provides visual inhalation feedback during use. We have investigated if FV alters asthma control and whether parents accept it. Methods: At visit 1, children with asthma, age 1–5 years, used an AC with their pressurised metered dose inhaler and 2 weeks later (visit 2) they were randomised to use either AC or FV. Subjects returned 6 (visit 3) and 12 (visit 4) weeks later. The Asthma Control (ACQ) and Paediatric Asthma Caregiver’s Quality of Life (PACQLQ) questionnaires were scored at each visit, and their peak inhalation flow (PIF) when they used their spacer was measured. Results: Forty participants in each group completed the study. There was no difference in the ACQ scores from visits 2 to 4 between the two groups. The improvements in the PACQLQ scores were greater in the FV group (p = 0.029). The mean difference (95% confidence interval) for the change from visits 2 to 4 between FV and AC groups was 0.05 (−0.33, 0.43) and 0.39 (0.035, 0.737) for the ACQ and PACQLQ, respectively. Most parents preferred the FV (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the PIF rates at each visit and between the two spacers. Conclusions: There was no change in asthma control of the young children but that of their parents improved. Parents preferred the FV and this could be related to their improved perception of their children’s asthma control by better PACQLQ scores. Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/02770903.2014.96611

Perspective on new implementations of atomtronic circuits

In this article, we provide perspectives for atomtronics circuits on quantum technology platforms beyond simple bosonic or fermionic cold atom matter-wave currents. Specifically, we consider (i) matter-wave schemes with multi-component quantum fluids; (ii) networks of Rydberg atoms that provide a radically new concept of atomtronics circuits in which the flow, rather than in terms of matter, occurs through excitations; (iii) hybrid matterwave circuits-a combination of ultracold atomtronic circuits with other quantum platforms that can lead to circuits beyond the standard solutions and provide new schemes for integrated matter-wave networks. We also sketch how driving these systems can open new pathways for atomtronics

Overcoming challenges in the management of primary ciliary dyskinesia: the UK model

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an autosomal recessive disease associated with bronchiectasis, chronic rhinosinusitis, infertility and situs inversus. Estimates of prevalence vary widely, but is probably between 1:10,000- 1:40,000 in most populations. A number of observational studies indicate that access to services to diagnose and manage patients with PCD vary both between and within countries. Diagnosis is often delayed and frequently missed completely. The prognosis of patients with PCD is variable, but evidence suggests that it is improved by early diagnosis and specialist care. This article briefly reviews the literature concerning PCD and the evidence that specialist care will improve healthcare outcomes. The article specifically refers to a new national service in the UK