Clinical Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Safety and Efficacy of Liposomal Amphotericin B

Item does not contain fulltextSince its introduction in the 1990s, liposomal amphotericin B (LAmB) continues to be an important agent for the treatment of invasive fungal diseases caused by a wide variety of yeasts and molds. This liposomal formulation was developed to improve the tolerability of intravenous amphotericin B, while optimizing its clinical efficacy. Since then, numerous clinical studies have been conducted, collecting a comprehensive body of evidence on its efficacy, safety, and tolerability in the preclinical and clinical setting. Nevertheless, insights into the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of LAmB continue to evolve and can be utilized to develop strategies that optimize efficacy while maintaining the compound's safety. In this article, we review the clinical pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and efficacy of LAmB in a wide variety of patient populations and in different indications, and provide an assessment of areas with a need for further clinical research

Multibeam Maser Survey of methanol and excited OH in the Magellanic clouds: new detections and maser abundance estimates

‘The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com.’ Copyright Blackwell Publishing DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.12888.xPeer reviewe

Eureka and beyond: mining's impact on African urbanisation

This collection brings separate literatures on mining and urbanisation together at a time when both artisanal and large-scale mining are expanding in many African economies. While much has been written about contestation over land and mineral rights, the impact of mining on settlement, notably its catalytic and fluctuating effects on migration and urban growth, has been largely ignored. African nation-states’ urbanisation trends have shown considerable variation over the past half century. The current surge in ‘new’ mining countries and the slow-down in ‘old’ mining countries are generating some remarkable settlement patterns and welfare outcomes. Presently, the African continent is a laboratory of national mining experiences. This special issue on African mining and urbanisation encompasses a wide cross-section of country case studies: beginning with the historical experiences of mining in Southern Africa (South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe), followed by more recent mineralizing trends in comparatively new mineral-producing countries (Tanzania) and an established West African gold producer (Ghana), before turning to the influence of conflict minerals (Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone)

Heritability and impact of environmental effects during pregnancy on antral follicle count in cattle

peer-reviewedPrevious studies have documented that ovarian antral follicle count (AFC) is positively correlated with number of healthy follicles and oocytes in ovaries (ovarian reserve), as well as ovarian function and fertility in cattle. However, environmental factors (e.g., nutrition, steroids) during pregnancy in cattle and sheep can reduce AFC in offspring. The role that genetic and environmental factors play in influencing the variability in AFC and, correspondingly, the size of the ovarian reserve, ovarian function, and fertility, are, however, poorly understood. The present study tests the hypothesis that variability in AFC in offspring is influenced not only by genetic merit but also by the dam age and lactation status (lactating cows vs. nonlactating heifers) and milk production during pregnancy. Antral follicle count was assessed by ultrasonography in 445 Irish Holstein-Friesian dairy cows and 522 US Holstein-Friesian dairy heifers. Heritability estimates for AFC (± standard error) were 0.31 ± 0.14 and 0.25 ± 0.13 in dairy cows and heifers, respectively. Association analysis between both genotypic sire data and phenotypic dam data with AFC in their daughters was performed using regression and generalized linear models. Antral follicle count was negatively associated with genetic merit for milk fat concentration. Also, AFC was greater in offspring of dams that were lactating (n = 255) compared with nonlactating dams (n = 89) during pregnancy and was positively associated with dam milk fat concentration and milk fat-to-protein ratio. In conclusion, AFC in dairy cattle is a moderately heritable genetic trait affected by age or lactation status and milk quality but not by level of dam’s milk production during pregnancy

Parton content of the real photon: astrophysical implications

We possess convincing experimental evidence for the fact that the real photon has non-trivial parton structure. On the other hand, interactions of the cosmic microwave background photons with high energy particles propagating through the Universe play an important role in astrophysics. In this context, to invoke the parton content could be convenient for calculations of the probabilities of different processes involving these photons. As an example, the cross section of inclusive resonant $W^+$ boson production in the reaction $\nu \gamma\to W^+X$ is calculated by using the parton language. Neutrino--photon deep inelastic scattering is considered.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. The spin states of the initial particles in the reaction $\nu\gamma\to W^+X$ are correctly treated. As a result, the corresponding cross section becomes two times greater than the one from the previous version. Some changes in the tex

Nonlinear flexural waves in fluid–filled elastic channels

Nonlinear waves on liquid sheets between thin infinite elastic plates are studied analytically and numerically. Linear and nonlinear models are used for the elastic plates coupled to the Euler equations for the fluid. One-dimensional time dependent equations are derived based on a long-wavelength approximation. Inertia of the elastic plates is neglected, so linear perturbations are stable. Symmetric and mixed-mode travelling waves are found with the linear plate model and symmetric travelling waves are found for the nonlinear case. Numerical simulations are employed to study the evolution in time of initial disturbances and to compare the different models used. Nonlinear effects are found to decrease the travelling wave speed compared with linear models. At sufficiently large amplitude of initial disturbances, higher order temporal oscillations induced by non-linearity can lead to thickness of the liquid sheet approaching zero

Parton distributions in the virtual photon target up to NNLO in QCD

Parton distributions in the virtual photon target are investigated in perturbative QCD up to the next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO). In the case $\Lambda^2 \ll P^2 \ll Q^2$, where $-Q^2$ ($-P^2$) is the mass squared of the probe (target) photon, parton distributions can be predicted completely up to the NNLO, but they are factorisation-scheme-dependent. We analyse parton distributions in two different factorisation schemes, namely $\bar{\rm MS}$ and ${\rm DIS}_{\gamma}$ schemes, and discuss their scheme dependence. We show that the factorisation-scheme dependence is characterised by the large-$x$ behaviours of quark distributions. Gluon distribution is predicted to be very small in absolute value except in the small-$x$ region.Comment: 28 pages, 5 figures, version to appear in Eur. Phys. J.

The effect of carbohydrate ingestion on the motor skill proficiency of soccer players

This study examined the effects of ingesting a glucose-polymer (GP) solution on the motor skill proficiencies of association football (soccer) players from two teams playing during two matches in a cool environment. Fifteen minutes before each match and at halftime, players from both teams ingested 5 ml/kg of either placebo or a 6.9% GP solution. GP ingestion did not improve tackling, heading, dribbling, or shooting ability. On the contrary, the mean of successful tackles was lower with GP ingestion than with placebo. The success rate for heading, dribbling, and shooting also tended to be lower in the GP than in the placebo condition. In contrast, success in passing and ball control was similar in the two conditions. Improvements in passing and ball control may have been related to a decrease in the intensity of play in the second half of the game. These data indicate that there are no measurable benefits of GP ingestion for the motor skill proficiencies of soccer players during games played in a cool environment.IS

A Few Close Friends?: Adolescent Friendships’ Effect on Internalizing Symptoms Is Serially Mediated by Desire for More Friends and Social Goal Orientation

Interpersonal connection is a fundamental human motivation, and the extent to which it is fulfilled is a strong predictor of symptoms of internalizing disorders such as social anxiety and depression, perhaps especially during the “social reorienting” period of adolescence. However, little is known about the contribution to this effect of the individual’s social motivations, which are intensified during adolescence. Furthermore, social goal orientation – an individual’s priorities and intentions in social interactions – is an important predictor of vulnerability to internalizing symptoms. Adolescents spend most of their waking lives in classrooms, bounded social networks with a limited pool of candidates for befriending. This study investigated whether friendships within one’s class protects against internalizing symptoms in part by reducing the desire for more classmate friendships, which may tend to promote maladaptive social goals. Participants were 423 young adolescents (M age = 13.2, sd = 0.52 years; 49.4% girls). As predicted, adolescents’ number of reciprocated classroom friendships had a protective effect on internalizing symptoms which was serially mediated by desire for more such friendships, and social goal orientation. However, only demonstration-avoidance goals significantly predicted internalizing symptoms. Unreciprocated friendship nominations were unexpectedly associated with stronger desire and more social anxiety symptoms. The results suggest that the effect of number of friends is mediated by the individual’s thoughts and feelings about their number of friendships, such that a strong desire for more friendships promotes maladaptive goals, oriented toward social status and consequently less oriented toward the cultivation of interpersonal intimacy with the friends they already have