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1.
Nature ; 621(7980): 716-722, 2023 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37758891

ABSTRACT

Einstein's general theory of relativity from 19151 remains the most successful description of gravitation. From the 1919 solar eclipse2 to the observation of gravitational waves3, the theory has passed many crucial experimental tests. However, the evolving concepts of dark matter and dark energy illustrate that there is much to be learned about the gravitating content of the universe. Singularities in the general theory of relativity and the lack of a quantum theory of gravity suggest that our picture is incomplete. It is thus prudent to explore gravity in exotic physical systems. Antimatter was unknown to Einstein in 1915. Dirac's theory4 appeared in 1928; the positron was observed5 in 1932. There has since been much speculation about gravity and antimatter. The theoretical consensus is that any laboratory mass must be attracted6 by the Earth, although some authors have considered the cosmological consequences if antimatter should be repelled by matter7-10. In the general theory of relativity, the weak equivalence principle (WEP) requires that all masses react identically to gravity, independent of their internal structure. Here we show that antihydrogen atoms, released from magnetic confinement in the ALPHA-g apparatus, behave in a way consistent with gravitational attraction to the Earth. Repulsive 'antigravity' is ruled out in this case. This experiment paves the way for precision studies of the magnitude of the gravitational acceleration between anti-atoms and the Earth to test the WEP.

2.
Nature ; 592(7852): 35-42, 2021 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33790445

ABSTRACT

The photon-the quantum excitation of the electromagnetic field-is massless but carries momentum. A photon can therefore exert a force on an object upon collision1. Slowing the translational motion of atoms and ions by application of such a force2,3, known as laser cooling, was first demonstrated 40 years ago4,5. It revolutionized atomic physics over the following decades6-8, and it is now a workhorse in many fields, including studies on quantum degenerate gases, quantum information, atomic clocks and tests of fundamental physics. However, this technique has not yet been applied to antimatter. Here we demonstrate laser cooling of antihydrogen9, the antimatter atom consisting of an antiproton and a positron. By exciting the 1S-2P transition in antihydrogen with pulsed, narrow-linewidth, Lyman-α laser radiation10,11, we Doppler-cool a sample of magnetically trapped antihydrogen. Although we apply laser cooling in only one dimension, the trap couples the longitudinal and transverse motions of the anti-atoms, leading to cooling in all three dimensions. We observe a reduction in the median transverse energy by more than an order of magnitude-with a substantial fraction of the anti-atoms attaining submicroelectronvolt transverse kinetic energies. We also report the observation of the laser-driven 1S-2S transition in samples of laser-cooled antihydrogen atoms. The observed spectral line is approximately four times narrower than that obtained without laser cooling. The demonstration of laser cooling and its immediate application has far-reaching implications for antimatter studies. A more localized, denser and colder sample of antihydrogen will drastically improve spectroscopic11-13 and gravitational14 studies of antihydrogen in ongoing experiments. Furthermore, the demonstrated ability to manipulate the motion of antimatter atoms by laser light will potentially provide ground-breaking opportunities for future experiments, such as anti-atomic fountains, anti-atom interferometry and the creation of antimatter molecules.

3.
J Autoimmun ; 147: 103263, 2024 Jun 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38851089

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE: In inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), steroid metabolism is a central component mediating the actions of immuno-modulatory glucocorticoids and sex steroids. However, the regulation and function of cellular steroid metabolism within key leukocyte populations such as macrophages remain poorly defined. In this study, the inflammatory regulation of global steroid metabolism was assessed in RA macrophages. METHODS: Bulk RNA-seq data from RA synovial macrophages was used to assess transcripts encoding key enzymes in steroid metabolism and signalling. Changes in metabolism were assessed in synovial fluids, correlated to measures of disease activity and functionally validated in primary macrophage cultures. RESULTS: RNA-seq revealed a unique pattern of differentially expressed genes, including changes in genes encoding the enzymes 11ß-HSD1, SRD5A1, AKR1C2 and AKR1C3. These correlated with disease activity, favouring increased glucocorticoid and androgen levels. Synovial fluid 11ß-HSD1 activity correlated with local inflammatory mediators (TNFα, IL-6, IL-17), whilst 11ß-HSD1, SRD5A1 and AKR1C3 activity correlated with systemic measures of disease and patient pain (ESR, DAS28 ESR, global disease activity). Changes in enzyme activity were evident in inflammatory activated macrophages in vitro and revealed a novel androgen activating role for 11ß-HSD1. Together, increased glucocorticoids and androgens were able to suppress inflammation in macrophages and fibroblast-like-synoviocytes. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the significant increase in androgen and glucocorticoid activation within inflammatory polarized macrophages of the synovium, contributing to local suppression of inflammation. The diminished profile of inactive steroid precursors in postmenopausal women may contribute to disturbances in this process, leading to increased disease incidence and severity.

4.
Nature ; 561(7722): 211-215, 2018 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30135588

ABSTRACT

In 1906, Theodore Lyman discovered his eponymous series of transitions in the extreme-ultraviolet region of the atomic hydrogen spectrum1,2. The patterns in the hydrogen spectrum helped to establish the emerging theory of quantum mechanics, which we now know governs the world at the atomic scale. Since then, studies involving the Lyman-α line-the 1S-2P transition at a wavelength of 121.6 nanometres-have played an important part in physics and astronomy, as one of the most fundamental atomic transitions in the Universe. For example, this transition has long been used by astronomers studying the intergalactic medium and testing cosmological models via the so-called 'Lyman-α forest'3 of absorption lines at different redshifts. Here we report the observation of the Lyman-α transition in the antihydrogen atom, the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen. Using narrow-line-width, nanosecond-pulsed laser radiation, the 1S-2P transition was excited in magnetically trapped antihydrogen. The transition frequency at a field of 1.033 tesla was determined to be 2,466,051.7 ± 0.12 gigahertz (1σ uncertainty) and agrees with the prediction for hydrogen to a precision of 5 × 10-8. Comparisons of the properties of antihydrogen with those of its well-studied matter equivalent allow precision tests of fundamental symmetries between matter and antimatter. Alongside the ground-state hyperfine4,5 and 1S-2S transitions6,7 recently observed in antihydrogen, the Lyman-α transition will permit laser cooling of antihydrogen8,9, thus providing a cold and dense sample of anti-atoms for precision spectroscopy and gravity measurements10. In addition to the observation of this fundamental transition, this work represents both a decisive technological step towards laser cooling of antihydrogen, and the extension of antimatter spectroscopy to quantum states possessing orbital angular momentum.

6.
Nature ; 557(7703): 71-75, 2018 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29618820

ABSTRACT

In 1928, Dirac published an equation 1 that combined quantum mechanics and special relativity. Negative-energy solutions to this equation, rather than being unphysical as initially thought, represented a class of hitherto unobserved and unimagined particles-antimatter. The existence of particles of antimatter was confirmed with the discovery of the positron 2 (or anti-electron) by Anderson in 1932, but it is still unknown why matter, rather than antimatter, survived after the Big Bang. As a result, experimental studies of antimatter3-7, including tests of fundamental symmetries such as charge-parity and charge-parity-time, and searches for evidence of primordial antimatter, such as antihelium nuclei, have high priority in contemporary physics research. The fundamental role of the hydrogen atom in the evolution of the Universe and in the historical development of our understanding of quantum physics makes its antimatter counterpart-the antihydrogen atom-of particular interest. Current standard-model physics requires that hydrogen and antihydrogen have the same energy levels and spectral lines. The laser-driven 1S-2S transition was recently observed 8 in antihydrogen. Here we characterize one of the hyperfine components of this transition using magnetically trapped atoms of antihydrogen and compare it to model calculations for hydrogen in our apparatus. We find that the shape of the spectral line agrees very well with that expected for hydrogen and that the resonance frequency agrees with that in hydrogen to about 5 kilohertz out of 2.5 × 1015 hertz. This is consistent with charge-parity-time invariance at a relative precision of 2 × 10-12-two orders of magnitude more precise than the previous determination 8 -corresponding to an absolute energy sensitivity of 2 × 10-20 GeV.

7.
Aging Ment Health ; 28(2): 197-206, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37667896

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Hospices are regarded as gold standard providers of end-of-life care. The term hospice, however, is broadly used, and can describe a type of care offered in a variety of health care services (e.g. nursing homes). It thus becomes complex for families to decide between services. We aimed to review the evidence around the experience of family carers of people with dementia accessing in-patient hospice settings for end-of-life care. METHOD: We registered the review protocol on PROSPERO. We used PerSPE(C)TiF to systematically organise our search strategy. The evidence was reviewed across six databases: PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ASSIA, ISI Web, and CINAHL. We used meta-ethnography as per the eMERGe guidance for data interpretation. RESULTS: Four studies were included. Two third-order constructs were generated through meta-ethnography: expectations of care and barriers to quality of care. We found that carers had expectations of care, and these could change over time. If discussion was not held with hospice staff early on, the carers could experience reduced care quality due to unmatched expectations. Unmatched expectations acted as barriers to care and these were found in terms of carers not feeling adequately supported, and/or having the person discharged from hospice, which would entail increased care responsibility for carers. CONCLUSION: In view of an increase in new dementia cases over time and with hospice services being under pressure, integrating palliative care services within community-based models of care is key to reducing the risk of having inadequate and under resourced services for people with dementia.


Subject(s)
Dementia , Hospices , Terminal Care , Humans , Caregivers , Anthropology, Cultural , Dementia/therapy
8.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38733543

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To assess the pre- and postoperative responses to each of the 12 individual Oxford Knee Score (OKS) questions and percentages of those that were better, same or worse after primary knee arthroplasty (KA). METHODS: A single centre retrospective cohort study conducted over a 24-month period which included 3259 patients with completed OKS preoperatively and 1-year after KA. There were 1286 males and 1973 females, with an overall mean age of 70.0 (range 34-94). The mean scores for each question of the OKS were compared between baseline and 1-year. The percentage of patients who reported better, the same or worse postoperative symptoms for each question were calculated and represented on a heatmap. RESULTS: There were significant (p < 0.001) improvements in all 12 questions, all of which demonstrated moderate (Q2, Q7) or large effect sizes. Improvements in individual question responses varied. Symptoms of pain and limping demonstrated the greatest improvement, with 86% of patients enjoying a positive change in their symptoms. Despite this improvement 1067 (41.4%) continued to have mild to severe pain in their knee, and 442 (17.3%) patients limped often to all the time when walking postoperatively. Whereas other questions that did not improve to the same extent for example washing and drying only improved in 53% of patients but only 347 (13.5%) had moderate/extreme trouble or found it impossible to do this postoperatively. Preoperatively four questions (Q1, Q6, Q7, Q8) demonstrated floor effects, postoperatively all questions apart from question 7 (kneeling) demonstrated ceiling effects. CONCLUSION: The mean improvement and outcome at 1-year for each of the 12 questions varied according to the patient's preoperative response. As a clinical tool, the heatmap (improvement, same and worse) will enable communication to patients about their potential change in their knee specific symptoms according to their preoperative responses. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective study, Level III.

9.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother ; 67(3): e0090822, 2023 03 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36757190

ABSTRACT

Tebipenem is an orally bioavailable carbapenem in development for the treatment of patients with complicated urinary tract infections. Herein, we describe the results of studies designed to evaluate tebipenem's potential as an oral (p.o.) transition therapy from intravenous (i.v.) ertapenem therapy for the most common uropathogen, Escherichia coli. These studies utilized a 7-day hollow-fiber in vitro infection model and 5 extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing E. coli challenge isolates. Human free-drug serum concentration-time profiles for tebipenem 600 mg p.o. every 8 h and ertapenem 1 g i.v. every 24 h were simulated in the hollow-fiber in vitro infection model. Samples were collected for bacterial density and drug concentration determination over the 7-day study period. Generally, ertapenem monotherapy resulted in a greater reduction in bacterial density than did tebipenem monotherapy. In the treatment arms in which ertapenem dosing was stopped following dosing for 1 or 3 days, immediate bacterial regrowth occurred and matched that of the growth control. Finally, in the treatment arms in which ertapenem dosing was stopped following dosing for 1 or 3 days and tebipenem dosing was initiated for the remainder of the 7-day study, the intravenous-to-oral transition regimen reduced bacterial burdens and prevented regrowth. Given that transition from intravenous to oral antibiotic therapy has been shown to reduce hospital length of stay, nosocomial infection risk, and cost, and improve patient satisfaction, these data demonstrate tebipenem's potential role as an oral transition agent from intravenous antibiotic regimens within the antibiotic stewardship paradigm.


Subject(s)
Escherichia coli , beta-Lactams , Humans , Ertapenem , beta-Lactams/pharmacology , beta-Lactams/therapeutic use , Carbapenems/pharmacology , Carbapenems/therapeutic use , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , beta-Lactamases
10.
Phys Rev Lett ; 130(12): 122502, 2023 Mar 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37027859

ABSTRACT

The excited states of N=44 ^{74}Zn were investigated via γ-ray spectroscopy following ^{74}Cu ß decay. By exploiting γ-γ angular correlation analysis, the 2_{2}^{+}, 3_{1}^{+}, 0_{2}^{+}, and 2_{3}^{+} states in ^{74}Zn were firmly established. The γ-ray branching and E2/M1 mixing ratios for transitions deexciting the 2_{2}^{+}, 3_{1}^{+}, and 2_{3}^{+} states were measured, allowing for the extraction of relative B(E2) values. In particular, the 2_{3}^{+}→0_{2}^{+} and 2_{3}^{+}→4_{1}^{+} transitions were observed for the first time. The results show excellent agreement with new microscopic large-scale shell-model calculations, and are discussed in terms of underlying shapes, as well as the role of neutron excitations across the N=40 gap. Enhanced axial shape asymmetry (triaxiality) is suggested to characterize ^{74}Zn in its ground state. Furthermore, an excited K=0 band with a significantly larger softness in its shape is identified. A shore of the N=40 "island of inversion" appears to manifest above Z=26, previously thought as its northern limit in the chart of the nuclides.

11.
Nature ; 548(7665): 66-69, 2017 08 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28770838

ABSTRACT

The observation of hyperfine structure in atomic hydrogen by Rabi and co-workers and the measurement of the zero-field ground-state splitting at the level of seven parts in 1013 are important achievements of mid-twentieth-century physics. The work that led to these achievements also provided the first evidence for the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron, inspired Schwinger's relativistic theory of quantum electrodynamics and gave rise to the hydrogen maser, which is a critical component of modern navigation, geo-positioning and very-long-baseline interferometry systems. Research at the Antiproton Decelerator at CERN by the ALPHA collaboration extends these enquiries into the antimatter sector. Recently, tools have been developed that enable studies of the hyperfine structure of antihydrogen-the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen. The goal of such studies is to search for any differences that might exist between this archetypal pair of atoms, and thereby to test the fundamental principles on which quantum field theory is constructed. Magnetic trapping of antihydrogen atoms provides a means of studying them by combining electromagnetic interaction with detection techniques that are unique to antimatter. Here we report the results of a microwave spectroscopy experiment in which we probe the response of antihydrogen over a controlled range of frequencies. The data reveal clear and distinct signatures of two allowed transitions, from which we obtain a direct, magnetic-field-independent measurement of the hyperfine splitting. From a set of trials involving 194 detected atoms, we determine a splitting of 1,420.4 ± 0.5 megahertz, consistent with expectations for atomic hydrogen at the level of four parts in 104. This observation of the detailed behaviour of a quantum transition in an atom of antihydrogen exemplifies tests of fundamental symmetries such as charge-parity-time in antimatter, and the techniques developed here will enable more-precise such tests.

12.
Nature ; 541(7638): 506-510, 2017 01 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28005057

ABSTRACT

The spectrum of the hydrogen atom has played a central part in fundamental physics over the past 200 years. Historical examples of its importance include the wavelength measurements of absorption lines in the solar spectrum by Fraunhofer, the identification of transition lines by Balmer, Lyman and others, the empirical description of allowed wavelengths by Rydberg, the quantum model of Bohr, the capability of quantum electrodynamics to precisely predict transition frequencies, and modern measurements of the 1S-2S transition by Hänsch to a precision of a few parts in 1015. Recent technological advances have allowed us to focus on antihydrogen-the antimatter equivalent of hydrogen. The Standard Model predicts that there should have been equal amounts of matter and antimatter in the primordial Universe after the Big Bang, but today's Universe is observed to consist almost entirely of ordinary matter. This motivates the study of antimatter, to see if there is a small asymmetry in the laws of physics that govern the two types of matter. In particular, the CPT (charge conjugation, parity reversal and time reversal) theorem, a cornerstone of the Standard Model, requires that hydrogen and antihydrogen have the same spectrum. Here we report the observation of the 1S-2S transition in magnetically trapped atoms of antihydrogen. We determine that the frequency of the transition, which is driven by two photons from a laser at 243 nanometres, is consistent with that expected for hydrogen in the same environment. This laser excitation of a quantum state of an atom of antimatter represents the most precise measurement performed on an anti-atom. Our result is consistent with CPT invariance at a relative precision of about 2 × 10-10.

13.
Int J Mol Sci ; 24(6)2023 Mar 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36982943

ABSTRACT

Colorectal cancers are one of the most prevalent tumour types worldwide and, despite the emergence of targeted and biologic therapies, have among the highest mortality rates. The Personalized OncoGenomics (POG) program at BC Cancer performs whole genome and transcriptome analysis (WGTA) to identify specific alterations in an individual's cancer that may be most effectively targeted. Informed using WGTA, a patient with advanced mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer was treated with the antihypertensive drug irbesartan and experienced a profound and durable response. We describe the subsequent relapse of this patient and potential mechanisms of response using WGTA and multiplex immunohistochemistry (m-IHC) profiling of biopsies before and after treatment from the same metastatic site of the L3 spine. We did not observe marked differences in the genomic landscape before and after treatment. Analyses revealed an increase in immune signalling and infiltrating immune cells, particularly CD8+ T cells, in the relapsed tumour. These results indicate that the observed anti-tumour response to irbesartan may have been due to an activated immune response. Determining whether there may be other cancer contexts in which irbesartan may be similarly valuable will require additional studies.


Subject(s)
Antihypertensive Agents , Colorectal Neoplasms , Humans , Irbesartan/therapeutic use , Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use , CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/pathology , Colorectal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics , Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology
14.
Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol ; 33(8): 3411-3418, 2023 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37142803

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To assess whether there were differences in knee specific function, health related quality of life (HRQoL), and satisfaction between patients with a cruciate retaining (CR) or a posterior stabilised (PS) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at 1 and 2 years postoperatively. METHODS: A retrospective review of TKA (CR and PS) patients from a prospectively collected arthroplasty database. Patient demographics, body mass index and ASA grade, Oxford knee score (OKS) and EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D) 3-level, which was used to assess HRQoL, were collected preoperatively and 1 year and 2 years postoperatively. Regression was used to adjust for confounding factors. RESULTS: The sample included 3122 TKA, of which 1009 (32.3%) were CR and 2112 (67.7%) were PS. The PS group were more likely to be female (odd ratio (OR) 1.26, p = 0.003) and undergo resurfacing of the patella (OR 6.63, p < 0.001). There was a significantly greater improvement in the 1 year OKS in the PS group (mean difference (MD) 0.9, p = 0.016). The PS TKA was independently associated with a greater 1 year (MD 1.1, 95% CI 0.4 to 1.9, p = 0.001) and 2 years (MD 0.8, p = 0.037) post-operative improvements in OKS. PS TKA was also independently associated with a greater 1 year (MD 0.021, p = 0.024) and 2 years (MD 0.022, p = 0.025) post-operative and change in EQ-5D utility compared to the CR group. The PS group was more likely to be satisfied with their outcome at 1 year (OR 1.75, p < 0.001) and at 2 years (OR 1.38, p = 0.001) when adjusting for confounders. CONCLUSION: PS TKA was associated with a better knee specific function and HRQoL when compared to CR, but the clinical significance of this is not clear. However, the PS group was more likely to be satisfied with their outcome compared to the CR group.


Subject(s)
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee , Knee Prosthesis , Osteoarthritis, Knee , Humans , Female , Male , Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/methods , Quality of Life , Osteoarthritis, Knee/surgery , Range of Motion, Articular , Knee Joint
15.
Ann Oncol ; 33(9): 939-949, 2022 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35691590

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recent advances are enabling delivery of precision genomic medicine to cancer clinics. While the majority of approaches profile panels of selected genes or hotspot regions, comprehensive data provided by whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing and analysis (WGTA) present an opportunity to align a much larger proportion of patients to therapies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Samples from 570 patients with advanced or metastatic cancer of diverse types enrolled in the Personalized OncoGenomics (POG) program underwent WGTA. DNA-based data, including mutations, copy number and mutation signatures, were combined with RNA-based data, including gene expression and fusions, to generate comprehensive WGTA profiles. A multidisciplinary molecular tumour board used WGTA profiles to identify and prioritize clinically actionable alterations and inform therapy. Patient responses to WGTA-informed therapies were collected. RESULTS: Clinically actionable targets were identified for 83% of patients, of which 37% of patients received WGTA-informed treatments. RNA expression data were particularly informative, contributing to 67% of WGTA-informed treatments; 25% of treatments were informed by RNA expression alone. Of a total 248 WGTA-informed treatments, 46% resulted in clinical benefit. RNA expression data were comparable to DNA-based mutation and copy number data in aligning to clinically beneficial treatments. Genome signatures also guided therapeutics including platinum, poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors and immunotherapies. Patients accessed WGTA-informed treatments through clinical trials (19%), off-label use (35%) and as standard therapies (46%) including those which would not otherwise have been the next choice of therapy, demonstrating the utility of genomic information to direct use of chemotherapies as well as targeted therapies. CONCLUSIONS: Integrating RNA expression and genome data illuminated treatment options that resulted in 46% of treated patients experiencing positive clinical benefit, supporting the use of comprehensive WGTA profiling in clinical cancer care.


Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Gene Expression Profiling , Genomics/methods , Humans , Mutation , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Neoplasms/genetics , Precision Medicine/methods , RNA , Transcriptome
16.
Osteoarthritis Cartilage ; 30(7): 956-964, 2022 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35272050

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To compare contoured foot orthoses to sham flat insoles for first MTP joint OA walking pain. DESIGN: This was a participant- and assessor-blinded, sham-controlled, multi-centre randomized clinical trial set in community-based private practices. Eighty-eight adults aged ≥45 years with symptomatic radiographic first MTP joint OA were randomized to receive contoured foot orthoses (n = 47) or sham flat insoles (n = 41), worn at all times when wearing shoes for 12 weeks. Primary outcome was change in first MTP joint walking pain (11-point numerical rating scale (NRS), 0-10) over 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included additional first MTP joint and foot pain measures, physical function, quality of life and physical activity. Separate linear regression models for primary and secondary outcomes on treatment group were fit, adjusting for the outcome at baseline and podiatrist. Other measures included adverse events. RESULTS: 88 participants were randomized and 87 (99%) completed the 12-week primary outcome. There was no evidence foot orthoses were superior to sham insoles for reducing pain (mean difference -0.3 NRS units (95% CI -1.2 to 0.6), p = 0.53). Similarly, foot orthoses were not superior to sham on any secondary outcomes. Sensitivity analyses yielded similar results. Adverse events were generally minor and transient. CONCLUSION: Contoured foot orthoses are no more effective than flat sham insoles for the clinical management of first MTP joint OA. Given the dearth of evidence on treatments for first MTP joint OA, further research is needed to identify effective management approaches for this common and debilitating condition.


Subject(s)
Foot Orthoses , Metatarsophalangeal Joint , Osteoarthritis , Adult , Humans , Pain , Quality of Life , Shoes , Treatment Outcome
17.
Osteoporos Int ; 33(2): 499-504, 2022 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34494145

ABSTRACT

Calciphylaxis is a rare and potentially fatal small-vessel occlusive disease in which the tunica media becomes calcified, endothelial cells proliferate, and the tunica intima becomes thickened and fibrotic. Calciphylaxis typically occurs in the setting of end-stage renal disease with secondary hyperparathyroidism and elevated calcium-phosphorus product. The estimated incidence of calciphylaxis in dialysis or kidney transplant patients is 1 to 4%; however, the incidence of non-uremic calciphylaxis is unknown. We assessed postmarketing adverse event reports to further characterize cases of calciphylaxis associated with teriparatide. We searched for cases of teriparatide-associated calciphylaxis in the literature (EMBASE, PubMed) and those reported to FDA, including the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, through March 31, 2021. We included calciphylaxis cases following teriparatide exposure of < 2 years. Twelve cases described teriparatide-associated calciphylaxis. The median age was 81 (range 47-86) years. Eleven cases reported confirmatory biopsy and/or imaging. The median time-to-onset of calciphylaxis following teriparatide initiation was 3.5 (range 1-20) months. Three cases reported hospitalization, of which one resulted in death due to progression of the lesions. All cases had multiple risk factors (mean (SD), 4.5 (1.0)) including concomitant medications associated with calciphylaxis (12), female sex (11), and/or underlying autoimmune disease or other inflammatory disorder (10). We believe that exposure to teriparatide, coupled with underlying risk factors, may have triggered new-onset calciphylaxis. Expedited diagnosis and management by a clinician are important because calciphylaxis may be life-threatening and early intervention may improve outcomes.


Subject(s)
Calciphylaxis , Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary , Kidney Failure, Chronic , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Calciphylaxis/chemically induced , Endothelial Cells , Female , Humans , Kidney Failure, Chronic/complications , Middle Aged , Teriparatide/adverse effects
18.
Phys Rev Lett ; 128(5): 059901, 2022 Feb 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35179947

ABSTRACT

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.162001.

19.
Diabetes Obes Metab ; 24(8): 1617-1622, 2022 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35491520

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To provide real-world data on the addition of basal insulin (BI) in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (PWD2) suboptimally controlled with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) therapy. However, real-world data on the addition of BI to GLP-1RA therapy are limited. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used a US electronic medical record data source (IBM® Explorys®) that includes approximately 4 million PWD2 to assess the real-world impact of adding the second-generation BI analogue insulin glargine 300 U/mL (Gla-300) to GLP-1RA therapy. Insulin-naïve PWD2 receiving GLP-1RAs who also received Gla-300 between March 1, 2015 and September 30, 2019 were identified; participants were required to have data for ≥12 months before, and ≥6 months after, addition of Gla-300. RESULTS: The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of participants (N = 271) was 57.9 (10.8) years. Baseline glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was 9.16% and was significantly reduced (-0.97 [SD 1.60]%; P < 0.0001) after addition of Gla-300; a significant increase in the proportion of PWD2 achieving HbA1c control was observed after addition of Gla-300 (HbA1c <7.0%: 4.80% vs. 22.14%, P < 0.0001; HbA1c <8.0%: 19.56% vs. 51.29%, P < 0.0001). The incidence of overall (8.49% vs. 9.59%; P = 0.513) and inpatient/emergency department (ED)-associated hypoglycaemia (0.37% vs. 0.74%; P = 1.000), as well as overall (0.33 vs. 0.46 per person per year [PPPY]; P = 0.170) and inpatient/ED-associated hypoglycaemia events (0.01 vs. 0.04 PPPY; P = 0.466) were similar before and after addition of Gla-300. CONCLUSIONS: In US real-world clinical practice, adding Gla-300 to GLP-1RA significantly improved glycaemic control without significantly increasing hypoglycaemia in PWD2. Further research into the effect of adding Gla-300 to GLP-1RA therapy is warranted.


Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Hypoglycemia , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy , Glucagon-Like Peptide 1/therapeutic use , Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor/therapeutic use , Glycated Hemoglobin/analysis , Humans , Hypoglycemia/chemically induced , Hypoglycemia/epidemiology , Hypoglycemia/prevention & control , Hypoglycemic Agents/adverse effects , Insulin/therapeutic use , Insulin Glargine/adverse effects , Middle Aged
20.
AIDS Behav ; 26(4): 1138-1152, 2022 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34537912

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the effectiveness of Project PLUS, a 6-session Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral intervention to reduce substance use and improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among PLWH. In a quasi-experimental design, 84 participants from a network of three comprehensive care clinics in New York City received the intervention immediately post-baseline (the Immediate condition) and 90 were assigned to a Waitlist control. Viral load and CD4 data were extracted from electronic medical records (EMR) for a No-Intervention comparison cohort (n = 120). Latent growth curve analyses did not show a consistent pattern of significant between-group differences post-intervention or across time in ART adherence or substance use severity between Immediate and Waitlist participants. Additionally, Immediate intervention participants did not differ significantly from the Waitlist or No-Treatment groups on viral load or CD4 post-intervention or across time. The potential to detect intervention effects may have been limited by the use of a quasi-experimental design, the high quality of standard care at these clinics, or inadequate intervention dose.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH U.S. National Library of Medicine) Identifier: NCT02390908; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02390908.


Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Motivational Interviewing , Substance-Related Disorders , Anti-Retroviral Agents/therapeutic use , Cognition , HIV Infections/drug therapy , Humans , Substance-Related Disorders/therapy
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