Predicting long-term disability outcomes in patients with MS treated with teriflunomide in TEMSO

To predict long-term disability outcomes in TEMSO core (NCT00134563) and extension (NCT00803049) studies in patients with relapsing forms of MS treated with teriflunomide. Methods: A post hoc analysis was conducted in a subgroup of patients who received teriflunomide in the core study, had MRI and clinical relapse assessments at months 12 (n = 552) and 18, and entered the extension. Patients were allocated risk scores for disability worsening (DW) after 1 year of teriflunomide treatment: 0 = low risk; 1 = intermediate risk; and 2-3 = high risk, based on the occurrence of relapses (0 to 652) and/or active (new and enlarging) T 2 -weighted (T 2 w) lesions ( 643 or >3) after the 1-year MRI. Patients in the intermediate-risk group were reclassified as responders or nonresponders (low or high risk) according to relapses and T 2 w lesions on the 18-month MRI. Long-term risk (7 years) of DW was assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Results: In patients with a score of 2-3, the risk of 12-week-confirmed DW over 7 years was significantly higher vs those with a score of 0 (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.96, p = 0.0044). Patients reclassified as high risk at month 18 (18.6%) had a significantly higher risk of DW vs those in the low-risk group (81.4%; HR = 1.92; p = 0.0004). Conclusions: Over 80% of patients receiving teriflunomide were classified as low risk (responders) and had a significantly lower risk of DW than those at increased risk (nonresponders) over 7 years of follow-up in TEMSO. Close monitoring of relapses and active T 2 w lesions after short-term teriflunomide treatment predicts a differential rate of subsequent DW long term. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: TEMSO, NCT00134563; TEMSO extension, NCT0080304

The Art and Science of Weed Mapping

Land managers need cost-effective and informative tools for non-native plant species management. Many local, state, and federal agencies adopted mapping systems designed to collect comparable data for the early detection and monitoring of non-native species. We compared mapping information to statistically rigorous, plot-based methods to better understand the benefits and compatibility of the two techniques. Mapping non-native species locations provided a species list, associated species distributions, and infested area for subjectively selected survey sites. The value of this information may be compromised by crude estimates of cover and incomplete or biased estimations of species distributions. Incorporating plot-based assessments guided by a stratified-random sample design provided a less biased description of non-native species distributions and increased the comparability of data over time and across regions for the inventory, monitoring, and management of non-native and native plant species

Predicting long-term disability outcomes in patients with MS treated with teriflunomide in TEMSO

To predict long-term disability outcomes in TEMSO core (NCT00134563) and extension (NCT00803049) studies in patients with relapsing forms of MS treated with teriflunomide. Methods: A post hoc analysis was conducted in a subgroup of patients who received teriflunomide in the core study, had MRI and clinical relapse assessments at months 12 (n = 552) and 18, and entered the extension. Patients were allocated risk scores for disability worsening (DW) after 1 year of teriflunomide treatment: 0 = low risk; 1 = intermediate risk; and 2-3 = high risk, based on the occurrence of relapses (0 to â¥2) and/or active (new and enlarging) T 2 -weighted (T 2 w) lesions (â¤3 or >3) after the 1-year MRI. Patients in the intermediate-risk group were reclassified as responders or nonresponders (low or high risk) according to relapses and T 2 w lesions on the 18-month MRI. Long-term risk (7 years) of DW was assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Results: In patients with a score of 2-3, the risk of 12-week-confirmed DW over 7 years was significantly higher vs those with a score of 0 (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.96, p = 0.0044). Patients reclassified as high risk at month 18 (18.6%) had a significantly higher risk of DW vs those in the low-risk group (81.4%; HR = 1.92; p = 0.0004). Conclusions: Over 80% of patients receiving teriflunomide were classified as low risk (responders) and had a significantly lower risk of DW than those at increased risk (nonresponders) over 7 years of follow-up in TEMSO. Close monitoring of relapses and active T 2 w lesions after short-term teriflunomide treatment predicts a differential rate of subsequent DW long term. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: TEMSO, NCT00134563; TEMSO extension, NCT00803049

Metallicities of Young Open Clusters I: NGC 7160 and NGC 2232

We present a moderate-resolution spectroscopic analysis of the 10-25 Myr clusters NGC 7160 and NGC 2232, using observations obtained with the WIYN 3.5-m telescope. Both NGC 7160 and NGC 2232 are found to have super-solar metallicities, with a mean [Fe/H] = 0.16 \pm 0.03 (s.e.m.) for NGC 7160, and 0.22 \pm 0.09 (s.e.m.) or 0.32 \pm 0.08 for NGC 2232, depending on the adopted temperature scale. NGC 7160 exhibits solar distributions of Na, Fe-peak, and {\alpha}-elements. NGC 2232 is underabundant in light elements Al and Si, by ~0.25 and ~ 0.15 dex, respectively; [Ni/Fe] is roughly solar. The abundance of lithium in NGC 2232 stars is in agreement with undepleted values reported for other cluster main sequence stars. Our abundances are similar to other metal-rich open clusters and Galactic thin and thick disk stars.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal. 10 figures, 11 tables. Full versions of the data tables can be made available upon email reques

A systematic review on the effect of sweeteners on glycemic response and clinically relevant outcomes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The major metabolic complications of obesity and type 2 diabetes may be prevented and managed with dietary modification. The use of sweeteners that provide little or no calories may help to achieve this objective.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We did a systematic review and network meta-analysis of the comparative effectiveness of sweetener additives using Bayesian techniques. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and CAB Global were searched to January 2011. Randomized trials comparing sweeteners in obese, diabetic, and healthy populations were selected. Outcomes of interest included weight change, energy intake, lipids, glycated hemoglobin, markers of insulin resistance and glycemic response. Evidence-based items potentially indicating risk of bias were assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 3,666 citations, we identified 53 eligible randomized controlled trials with 1,126 participants. In diabetic participants, fructose reduced 2-hour blood glucose concentrations by 4.81 mmol/L (95% CI 3.29, 6.34) compared to glucose. Two-hour blood glucose concentration data comparing hypocaloric sweeteners to sucrose or high fructose corn syrup were inconclusive. Based on two ≤10-week trials, we found that non-caloric sweeteners reduced energy intake compared to the sucrose groups by approximately 250-500 kcal/day (95% CI 153, 806). One trial found that participants in the non-caloric sweetener group had a decrease in body mass index compared to an increase in body mass index in the sucrose group (-0.40 vs 0.50 kg/m², and -1.00 vs 1.60 kg/m², respectively). No randomized controlled trials showed that high fructose corn syrup or fructose increased levels of cholesterol relative to other sweeteners.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Considering the public health importance of obesity and its consequences; the clearly relevant role of diet in the pathogenesis and maintenance of obesity; and the billions of dollars spent on non-caloric sweeteners, little high-quality clinical research has been done. Studies are needed to determine the role of hypocaloric sweeteners in a wider population health strategy to prevent, reduce and manage obesity and its consequences.</p

Mechanisms of Iron Acquisition in Neisseria Meningitidis

Note:Neisseria meningitidis is able to utilize various forms of iron, including that in the iron-binding proteinstransferrin and lactoferrin, to sustain its growth in vitro. The organism exhibits a preference for ironcomplexed to organic acids, such as citrate, which serve as "functional siderophores". Whole cells, or isolated meningococcal outer membranes, are capable of removing iron from citrate by an energy-independent mechanism without the uptake of citrate itself. Iron-SS as ferric citrate is localized to the principal meningococcal outer membrane protein (36,000 daltons). […]Neisseria meningitidis est capable d'utiliser le fer sous diverses formes, incluant le fer lié aux protéines transferrine et lactoferrine, afin de supporter sa croissance in vitro. L'organisme démontre une préférence pour le fer formant un complexe avec des acides organiques, tel que le citrate, qui servent de "sidérophores fonctionnels". Les cellules entières, ou les membranes méningococquales externes isolées, sent capables de retirer le fer du citrate à l'aide d'une mécanisme qui ne requiert aucune énergie et sans assimiler le citrate lui-même. Le fer-55 comme le citrate ferrique se trouve associé à la protéine majeure de la membrane meningococquale externe (36,0000 daltons). […

Underground Railroad Sampler

The Underground Railroad sampler quilt is part of a trunk show of African American themed quilts