3,699 research outputs found
Real world experience of response to pirfenidone in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a two centre retrospective study.
Introduction: Pirfenidone has been shown to reduce the decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) compared to placebo in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Previous studies have suggested that patients with a more rapid decline in FVC during the period before starting pirfenidone experience the greatest benefit from treatment. The purpose of this retrospective observational study was to investigate the response to pirfenidone in IPF patients, comparing two groups stratified by the annual rate of decline in FVC % predicted prior to treatment. Methods: Using the rate of decline in FVC % predicted in the 12 months prior to pirfenidone, patients were stratified into slow (<5%) or rapid (≥5%) decliner groups. Comparisons in the lung function response to pirfenidone in these two groups were performed. Results: Pirfenidone resulted in no statistically significant reduction in the median annual rate of decline in FVC or FVC % predicted. In the rapid decliners, pirfenidone significantly reduced the median (IQR) annual rate of decline in FVC % predicted (-8.7 (-14.2 - -7.0) %/yr vs 2.0 (-7.1 - 6.0) %/yr; n=17; p<0.01). In the slow decliners, pirfenidone did not reduce the median (IQR) annual rate of decline in FVC % predicted (-1.3 (-3.2 - 1.3) %/yr vs -5.0 (-8.3 - -0.35) %/yr; n=17; p=0.028). Conclusions: We demonstrate the greater net effect of pirfenidone in IPF patients declining rapidly. We suggest that using an annual rate of decline in FVC of <5% and ≥5% may be useful in counselling patients with regard to pirfenidone treatment
A review of current induction strategies and emerging prognostic factors in the management of children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Introduction: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most frequent hematologic malignancy in children.
Almost 95% of children potentially achieve a complete remission after the induction treatment, but over
the last years, new insights in the genomic disease profile and in minimal residual disease detection
techniques have led to an improvement in the prognostic stratification, identifying selected patients’
subgroups with peculiar therapeutic needs.
Areas covered: According to a comprehensive search of peer-review literature performed in Pubmed, in
this review we summarize the recent evidences on the induction treatment strategies comprised in the
children acute lymphoblastic leukemia scenario, focusing on the role of key drugs such as corticosteroids
and asparaginase and discussing the crucial significance of the genomic characterization at baseline which
may drive the proper induction treatment choice.
Expert opinion: Current induction strategies already produce durable remissions in a significant proportion
of standard-risk children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A broader knowledge of the biologic features
related to acute lymphoblastic leukemia subtypes with worse prognosis, and an optimization of targeted
drugs now available, might lead to the achievement of long-term molecular remissions in this setting
E{7(7)} Symmetry and Finiteness of N=8 Supergravity
We study N=8 supergravity deformed by the presence of the candidate
counterterms. We show that even though they are invariant under undeformed
E{7(7)}, all of the candidate counterterms violate the deformed E{7(7)} current
conservation. The same conclusion follows from the uniqueness of the Lorentz
and SU(8) covariant, E{7(7)} invariant unitarity constraint expressing the
56-dimensional E{7(7)} doublet via 28 independent vectors. Therefore E{7(7)}
duality predicts the all-loop UV finiteness of perturbative N=8 supergravity.Comment: 18 page
Evidence of Andreev bound states as a hallmark of the FFLO phase in -(BEDT-TTF)Cu(NCS)
Superconductivity is a quantum phenomena arising, in its simplest form, from
pairing of fermions with opposite spin into a state with zero net momentum.
Whether superconductivity can occur in fermionic systems with unequal number of
two species distinguished by spin, atomic hyperfine states, flavor, presents an
important open question in condensed matter, cold atoms, and quantum
chromodynamics, physics. In the former case the imbalance between spin-up and
spin-down electrons forming the Cooper pairs is indyced by the magnetic field.
Nearly fifty years ago Fulde, Ferrell, Larkin and Ovchinnikov (FFLO) proposed
that such imbalanced system can lead to exotic superconductivity in which pairs
acquire finite momentum. The finite pair momentum leads to spatially
inhomogeneous state consisting of of a periodic alternation of "normal" and
"superconducting" regions. Here, we report nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
measurements providing microscopic evidence for the existence of this new
superconducting state through the observation of spin-polarized quasiparticles
forming so-called Andreev bound states.Comment: 6 pages, 5 fig
Effective action of three-dimensional extended supersymmetric matter on gauge superfield background
We study the low-energy effective actions for gauge superfields induced by
quantum N=2 and N=4 supersymmetric matter fields in three-dimensional Minkowski
space. Analyzing the superconformal invariants in the N=2 superspace we propose
a general form of the N=2 gauge invariant and superconformal effective action.
The leading terms in this action are fixed by the symmetry up to the
coefficients while the higher order terms with respect to the Maxwell field
strength are found up to one arbitrary function of quasi-primary N=2
superfields constructed from the superfield strength and its covariant spinor
derivatives. Then we find this function and the coefficients by direct quantum
computations in the N=2 superspace. The effective action of N=4 gauge multiplet
is obtained by generalizing the N=2 effective action.Comment: 1+27 pages; v2: minor corrections, references adde
Holographic RG flow of the shear viscosity to entropy density ratio in strongly coupled anisotropic plasma
We study holographic RG flow of the shear viscosity tensor of anisotropic,
strongly coupled N=4 super-Yang-Mills plasma by using its type IIB supergravity
dual in anisotropic bulk spacetime. We find that the shear viscosity tensor has
three independent components in the anisotropic bulk spacetime away from the
boundary, and one of the components has a non-trivial RG flow while the other
two have a trivial one. For the component of the shear viscosity tensor with
non-trivial RG flow, we derive its RG flow equation, and solve the equation
analytically to second order in the anisotropy parameter 'a'. We derive the RG
equation using the equation of motion, holographic Wilsonian RG method, and
Kubo's formula. All methods give the same result. Solving the equation, we find
that the ratio of the component of the shear viscosity tensor to entropy
density 'eta/s' flows from above '1/4pi' at the horizon (IR) to below '1/4pi'
at the boundary (UV) where it violates the holographic shear viscosity
(Kovtun-Son-Starinets) bound and where it agrees with the other longitudinal
component.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, slight change on the title, more background
material added, references added, accepted for publication in JHE
Attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms predict problematic mobile phone use
Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorder characterised by inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, or both. Some of the key traits of ADHD have previously been linked to addictive and problematic behaviours. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between problematic mobile phone use, smartphone
addiction risk and ADHD symptoms in an adult population. A sample of 273 healthy adult volunteers completed the Adult
ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), the Mobile Phone Problem Usage Scale (MPPUS), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale
(SAS). A significant positive correlation was found between the ASRS and both scales. More specifically, inattention symptoms
and age predicted smartphone addiction risk and problematic mobile phone use. Our results suggest that there is a positive
relationship between ADHD traits and problematic mobile phone use. In particular, younger adults with higher level of inattention symptoms could be at higher risk of developing smartphone addiction. The implication of our findings for theoretical
frameworks of problematic mobile phone use and clinical practice are discussed
Can disordered mobile phone use be considered a behavioral addiction? An update on current evidence and a comprehensive model for future research
Despite the many positive outcomes, excessive mobile phone use is now often associated with potentially harmful and/or disturbing behaviors (e.g., symptoms of deregulated use, negative impact on various aspects of daily life such as relationship problems, and work intrusion). Problematic mobile phone use (PMPU) has generally been considered as a behavioral addiction that shares many features with more established drug addictions. In light of the most recent data, the current paper reviews the validity of the behavioral addiction model when applied to PMPU. On the whole, it is argued that the evidence supporting PMPU as an addictive behavior is scarce. In particular, it lacks studies that definitively show behavioral and neurobiological similarities between mobile phone addiction and other types of legitimate addictive behaviors. Given this context, an integrative pathway model is proposed that aims to provide a theoretical framework to guide future research in the field of PMPU. This model highlights that PMPU is a heterogeneous and multi-faceted condition
Anti-inflammatory effects of antidepressant and atypical antipsychotic medication for the treatment of major depression and comorbid arthritis: a case report
Extent: 4p.Introduction: This case report describes the effects of psychotropic treatment, quetiapine in particular, on systemic inflammation, pain, general functioning and major depression in the treatment of a woman with arthritis. Case presentation: A 49-year-old Caucasian Australian woman with arthritis, pain and depression was treated with a course of escitalopram, mirtazapine and quetiapine. Pain levels, general functioning and degree of depressive symptoms were evaluated with a visual analogue scale. Systemic inflammation had been assessed by C-reactive protein serum levels since 2003. C-reactive protein levels, physical pain, symptoms of arthritis and depression decreased significantly during the past 12 months of treatment with quetiapine, while treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and mirtazapine remained the same. Conclusions: We suggest that the treatment particularly with quetiapine may have anti-inflammatory effects in arthritis and comorbid major depression, which eventually led to a remission of pain and depression and to normal general function.Bernhard T Baune, Harris Eyr
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