Identifying racial disparities in the management of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

OBJECTIVE(S): Heart failure (HF) is chronic and progressive. Individuals with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF or EF) < 40% are classified as having heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Black patients have the highest incidence of HF and are more likely to suffer serious consequences from the disease. Identifying and addressing racial disparities in care is vital to ensuring health equity. The primary objective was to determine the association of race with 1-year heart HF admission rates for white and black patients, when adjusted for EF and age. The secondary objective was to determine the proportion of patients not on guideline-directed medication therapy (GDMT). DESIGN: This study was a retrospective chart review conducted between 10/22/2021 and 11/22/2022 of Veteran patients with HFrEF who were identified via the VA Heart Failure Dashboard. Only White and Black patients were included. A multivariable logistic regression was used to determine odds of admission due to HF. Pharmacotherapy was analyzed to identify gaps in GDMT and if racial disparities existed. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Veterans within the Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System. OUTCOME MEASURES: One-year HF admission rates for white and black patients, when adjusted for EF and age. Proportion of patients not on GDMT. RESULTS: Of the 345 patients with HF originally identified, 172 were included; 22% were admitted within one year. Black patients were 2.9 times more likely to be admitted. (P = 0.031). A median of two drugs (interquartile range [IQR] 1-3) could be added and one dose could be optimized (IQR 1-4) to reach GDMT goals. No differences were found in the prescribing of GDMT or in proportion of patients not on GDMT at recommended doses between white and black patients. CONCLUSION: Black patients were more likely to be admitted for HF than white patients. Pharmacists can play an important role in identifying the need for optimizing GDMT. Future studies could focus on pharmacist-led prospective interventions with an aim to close the gap in racial disparities.

Lotilaner Ophthalmic Solution, 0.25%, for the Treatment of Demodex Blepharitis.

Demodex blepharitis, a chronic lid margin disease, is caused by an infestation of Demodex mites, the most common ectoparasites in human skin and eyelids. Lotilaner ophthalmic solution, 0.25% (Xdemvy, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals), is the first therapy approved to treat Demodex blepharitis. This narrative review characterizes lotilaner ophthalmic solution, 0.25%, and describes its efficacy, safety, and tolerability. The safety and efficacy of lotilaner ophthalmic solution, 0.25%, for treating Demodex blepharitis was evaluated in four phase 2 and two phase 3 trials. The data of 980 patients included in these phase 2 and 3 clinical trials revealed that the proportion of eyes with a clinically meaningful reduction to 10 or fewer collarettes (the cylindrical, waxy debris found at the base of the eyelashes) ranged from 81 to 93%. The mite eradication rate confirmed by a microscopy of epilated lashes ranged from 52 to 78%. No serious treatment-related adverse events were reported in any of these clinical studies. As high as 92% of the patients receiving lotilaner eyedrops in the phase 3 trials found it to be neutral to very comfortable. Given the positive safety and efficacy outcomes, the drug is likely to become the standard of care in the treatment of Demodex blepharitis.

Organic Emissions of Volatile Chemical Products in Canada: Emission Inventories, Indoor-to-Outdoor Transfer, and Regional Impacts.

The contribution of volatile chemical products (VCPs) to ambient air pollution has increased following decades of regulating combustion sources. There is a research gap concerning the impact of indoor physicochemical phenomena on VCP emissions. In this work, a bottom-up speciated VCP emission inventory with indoor-outdoor resolution was developed for Canada, an industrialized country with low air pollution levels, whose major cities are among the largest urban areas in North America. VCPs were estimated to account for about 290 kilotons of gaseous organic emissions for a typical year in the 2010s, with more than 60% of emissions occurring indoors. Coatings and cleaners were the most emissive VCP categories. Oxygenated species and saturated aliphatics dominated the chemical profiles of most emissions. Less than 5% of VCP emissions were impacted by indoor physicochemical phenomena. VCP emissions were predicted to account for 0.8-3.2 s-1 of OH reactivity and 0.22-0.52 µg/m3 of secondary organic aerosol formation potential in major urban areas in Canada. Our predictions aligned with previous measurements concerning indoor and outdoor organic pollutant levels, underscoring the important air quality impacts of VCPs relative to other sources. Our results provide helpful insights for future research regarding VCP emissions, especially from indoor spaces.

Impact of doxycycline on Clostridioides difficile infection in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic use is a significant risk factor associated with Clostridioides difficile (C difficile) infection (CDI). Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common infection leading to hospital admission and the use of antibiotics that are highly associated with CDI. It has been proposed that doxycycline, a tetracycline antibiotic, may be protective against CDI. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted in hospitalized patients in Veterans Affairs Hospitals across the United States to determine if doxycycline was associated with a decreased risk of CDI. The primary outcome was the development of CDI within 30 days of initiation of doxycycline or azithromycin, as part of a standard pneumonia regimen. RESULTS: Approximately 156,107 hospitalized patients who received care at a Veterans Affairs Hospital and were diagnosed with CAP during the study timeframe were included. A 17% decreased risk of CDI was identified with doxycycline compared to azithromycin when used with ceftriaxone for the treatment of pneumonia (P = .03). In patients who had a prior history of CDI, doxycycline decreased the incidence of CDI by 45% (odds ratio 0.55; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Doxycycline is associated with a lower risk of CDI compared to azithromycin when used for atypical coverage in CAP. Thus, patients who are at such risk may benefit from doxycycline as a first-line agent for atypical coverage, rather than the use of a macrolide antibiotic, if Legionella is not of concern.

Identifying racial disparities in the management of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

OBJECTIVE(S): Heart failure (HF) is chronic and progressive. Individuals with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF or EF) < 40% are classified as having heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Black patients have the highest incidence of HF and are more likely to suffer serious consequences from the disease. Identifying and addressing racial disparities in care is vital to ensuring health equity. The primary objective was to determine the association of race with 1-year heart HF admission rates for white and black patients, when adjusted for EF and age. The secondary objective was to determine the proportion of patients not on guideline-directed medication therapy (GDMT). DESIGN: This study was a retrospective chart review conducted between 10/22/2021 and 11/22/2022 of Veteran patients with HFrEF who were identified via the VA Heart Failure Dashboard. Only White and Black patients were included. A multivariable logistic regression was used to determine odds of admission due to HF. Pharmacotherapy was analyzed to identify gaps in GDMT and if racial disparities existed. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Veterans within the Veterans Affairs Western New York Healthcare System. OUTCOME MEASURES: One-year HF admission rates for white and black patients, when adjusted for EF and age. Proportion of patients not on GDMT. RESULTS: Of the 345 patients with HF originally identified, 172 were included; 22% were admitted within one year. Black patients were 2.9 times more likely to be admitted. (P = 0.031). A median of two drugs (interquartile range [IQR] 1-3) could be added and one dose could be optimized (IQR 1-4) to reach GDMT goals. No differences were found in the prescribing of GDMT or in proportion of patients not on GDMT at recommended doses between white and black patients. CONCLUSION: Black patients were more likely to be admitted for HF than white patients. Pharmacists can play an important role in identifying the need for optimizing GDMT. Future studies could focus on pharmacist-led prospective interventions with an aim to close the gap in racial disparities.

Particulate Matter and Volatile Organic Compound Emissions Generated from a Domestic Air Fryer.

Air frying has become a popular cooking method for domestic cooking, but the level of released indoor air pollutants is poorly understood. In this work, we compared particle and gas phase emission factors (EF) and particle size distributions between cooking with a domestic air fryer and a pan for a variety of foods. The PM10 EFs of air frying chicken wings and breast were higher than pan cooking by a factor of 2.1 and 5.4, respectively. On the other hand, a higher PM10 emission factor from air frying can be achieved by increasing the amount of oil to levels similar to or above those from pan-frying for French fries and asparagus. We propose that higher temperature and greater turbulence lead to higher PM10 EFs for cooking with the air fryer compared with the pan for the same mass of oil added. EFs of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also generally higher for cooking with the air fryer compared with the pan: 2.5 times higher for French fries and 4.8 times higher for chicken breast. Our study highlights the potential risk of higher indoor PM10 levels associated with domestic air frying under certain cases and proposes possible mitigation measures.

Multiphase Reactions between Organic Peroxides and Sulfur Dioxide in Internally Mixed Inorganic and Organic Particles: Key Roles of Particle Phase Separation and Acidity.

Organic peroxides (POs) are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and particularly reactive toward dissolved sulfur dioxide (SO2), yet the reaction kinetics between POs and SO2, especially in complex inorganic-organic mixed particles, remain poorly constrained. Here, we report the first investigation of the multiphase reactions between SO2 and POs in monoterpene-derived secondary organic aerosol internally mixed with different inorganic salts (ammonium sulfate, ammonium bisulfate, or sodium nitrate). We find that when the particles are phase-separated, the PO-S(IV) reactivity is consistent with that measured in pure SOA and depends markedly on the water content in the organic shell. However, when the organic and inorganic phases are miscible, the PO-S(IV) reactivity varies substantially among different aerosol systems, mainly driven by their distinct acidities (not by ionic strength). The second-order PO-S(IV) rate constant decreases monotonically from 5 × 105 to 75 M-1 s-1 in the pH range of 0.1-5.6. Both proton catalysis and general acid catalysis contribute to S(IV) oxidation, with their corresponding third-order rate constants determined to be (6.4 ± 0.7) × 106 and (6.9 ± 4.6) × 104 M-2 s-1 at pH 2-6, respectively. The measured kinetics imply that the PO-S(IV) reaction in aerosol is an important sulfate formation pathway, with the reaction kinetics dominated by general acid catalysis at pH > 3 under typical continental atmospheric conditions.

Demodex Blepharitis: A Comprehensive Review of the Disease, Current Management, and Emerging Therapies.

ABSTRACT: Demodex blepharitis is a common disease of the eyelid, affecting approximately 25 million Americans. This article reviews what is known about the mechanisms and impact of Demodex blepharitis, risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic techniques, current management options, and emerging treatments. Demodex mites contribute to blepharitis in several ways: direct mechanical damage, as a vector for bacteria, and by inducing hypersensitivity and inflammation. Risk factors for Demodex blepharitis include increasing age, rosacea, and diabetes. The costs, symptom burden, and psychosocial effects of Demodex blepharitis are considerable. The presence of collarettes is pathognomonic for Demodex blepharitis. Redness, dryness, discomfort, foreign body sensation, lash anomalies, and itching are also hallmarks of the disease. Although a number of oral, topical, eyelid hygiene and device-based options have been used clinically and evaluated in studies for the management of Demodex blepharitis, none have been FDA approved to treat the disease. Recent randomized controlled clinical trials suggest that lotilaner ophthalmic solution, 0.25%, is a topical treatment with the potential to eradicate Demodex mites and eliminate collarettes and eyelid redness for an extended period.

Indoor and outdoor air quality impacts of cooking and cleaning emissions from a commercial kitchen.

Gas and particulate emissions from commercial kitchens are important contributors to urban air quality. Not only are these emissions important for occupational exposure of kitchen staff, but they can also be vented to outdoors, causing uncertain health and environmental impacts. In this study, we chemically speciated volatile organic compounds and measured particulate matter mass concentrations in a well-ventilated commercial kitchen for two weeks, including during typical cooking and cleaning operations. From cooking, we observed a complex mixture of volatile organic gases dominated by oxygenated compounds commonly associated with the thermal degradation of cooking oils. Gas-phase chemicals existed at concentrations 2-7 orders of magnitude lower than their exposure limits, due to the high ventilation in the room (mean air change rate of 28 h-1 during operating hours). During evening kitchen cleaning, we observed an increase in the signal of chlorinated gases from 1.1-9.0 times their values during daytime cooking. Particulate matter mass loadings tripled at these times. While exposure to cooking emissions in this indoor environment was reduced effectively by the high ventilation rate, exposure to particulate matter and chlorinated gases was elevated during evening cleaning periods. This emphasizes the need for careful consideration of ventilation rates and methods in commercial kitchen environments during all hours of kitchen operation.

Dynamic Wood Smoke Aerosol Toxicity during Oxidative Atmospheric Aging.

Wildfires are a major source of biomass burning aerosol to the atmosphere, with their incidence and intensity expected to increase in a warmer future climate. However, the toxicity evolution of biomass burning organic aerosol (BBOA) during atmospheric aging remains poorly understood. In this study, we report a unique set of chemical and toxicological metrics of BBOA from pine wood smoldering during multiphase aging by gas-phase hydroxyl radicals (OH). Both the fresh and OH-aged BBOA show activity relevant to adverse health outcomes. The results from two acellular assays (DTT and DCFH) show significant oxidative potential (OP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in OH-aged BBOA. Also, radical concentrations in the aerosol assessed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy increased by 50% following heterogeneous aging. This enhancement was accompanied by a transition from predominantly carbon-centered radicals (85%) in the fresh aerosol to predominantly oxygen-centered radicals (76%) following aging. Both the fresh and aged biomass burning aerosols trigger prominent antioxidant defense during the in vitro exposure, indicating the induction of oxidative stress by BBOA in the atmosphere. By connecting chemical composition and toxicity using an integrated approach, we show that short-term aging initiated by OH radicals can produce biomass burning particles with a higher particle-bound ROS generation capacity, which are therefore a more relevant exposure hazard for residents in large population centers close to wildfire regions than previously studied fresh biomass burning emissions.

Organic Peroxides in Aerosol: Key Reactive Intermediates for Multiphase Processes in the Atmosphere.

Organic peroxides (POs) are organic molecules with one or more peroxide (-O-O-) functional groups. POs are commonly regarded as chemically labile termination products from gas-phase radical chemistry and therefore serve as temporary reservoirs for oxidative radicals (HOx and ROx) in the atmosphere. Owing to their ubiquity, active gas-particle partitioning behavior, and reactivity, POs are key reactive intermediates in atmospheric multiphase processes determining the life cycle (formation, growth, and aging), climate, and health impacts of aerosol. However, there remain substantial gaps in the origin, molecular diversity, and fate of POs due to their complex nature and dynamic behavior. Here, we summarize the current understanding on atmospheric POs, with a focus on their identification and quantification, state-of-the-art analytical developments, molecular-level formation mechanisms, multiphase chemical transformation pathways, as well as environmental and health impacts. We find that interactions with SO2 and transition metal ions are generally the fast PO transformation pathways in atmospheric liquid water, with lifetimes estimated to be minutes to hours, while hydrolysis is particularly important for α-substituted hydroperoxides. Meanwhile, photolysis and thermolysis are likely minor sinks for POs. These multiphase PO transformation pathways are distinctly different from their gas-phase fates, such as photolysis and reaction with OH radicals, which highlights the need to understand the multiphase partitioning of POs. By summarizing the current advances and remaining challenges for the investigation of POs, we propose future research priorities regarding their origin, fate, and impacts in the atmosphere.

Formation pathways of aldehydes from heated cooking oils.

Cooking emissions account for a major fraction of urban volatile organic compounds and organic aerosol. Aldehyde species, in particular, are important exposure hazards in indoor residential and occupational environments, and precursors to particulate matter and ozone formation in outdoor air. Formation pathways of aldehydes from oils that lead to their emissions are not well understood. In this work, we investigate the underlying mechanisms involved in the formation of aldehydes from heated cooking oil emissions, through studying how antioxidants and oil composition modulate oxidation chemistry. Our results demonstrate that gaseous emissions are driven by radical-mediated autoxidation reactions in cooking oil, and the composition of cooking oils strongly influences the reaction mechanisms. Antioxidants have a dual effect on aldehyde emissions depending on the rates of radical propagation reactions. We propose a mechanistic framework that can be used to understand and predict cooking emissions under different cooking conditions. Our results highlight the need to understand the rates and mechanisms of autoxidation and other reactions in cooking oils in order to accurately predict the gas- and particle-phase emissions from food cooking in urban atmospheres.

Gas- and Particle-Phase Amide Emissions from Cooking: Mechanisms and Air Quality Impacts.

The high-temperature cooking of protein-rich foods represents an important but poorly constrained source of nitrogen-containing gases and particles to indoor and outdoor atmospheres. For example, panfrying meat may form and emit these nitrogen-containing compounds through complex chemistry occurring between heated proteins and cooking oils. Here, we simulate this cooking process by heating amino acids together with triglycerides. We explore their interactions across different temperatures, triglyceride types, and amino acid precursors to form amide-containing products. Ammonia, arising from the thermal degradation of amino acids, may react with a triglyceride's ester linkages, forming amides and promoting de-esterification reactions that break the triglyceride into volatilizable products. Additionally, triglycerides may thermally oxidize and fragment as they are heated, and the resulting oxygenated breakdown products may react with ammonia to form amides. We observed evidence for amide formation through both of these pathways, including gas-phase emissions of C2-11H5-23NO species, whose emission factors ranged from 33 to 813 µg total gas-phase amides per gram of amino acid precursor. Comparable quantities of particle-phase oleamide (C18H35NO) were emitted, ranging from 45 to 218 µg/g. The observed amide products had variable predicted toxicities, highlighting the importance of understanding their emissions from cooking and their ultimate inhalation exposure risks.

Isomer-Resolved Reactivity of Organic Peroxides in Monoterpene-Derived Secondary Organic Aerosol.

Organic peroxides play a vital role in the formation, evolution, and health impacts of atmospheric aerosols, yet their molecular composition and fate in the particle phase remain poorly understood. Here, we identified, using iodometry-assisted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, a large suite of isomer-resolved peroxide monomers (C8-10H12-18O5-8) and dimers (C15-20H22-34O5-14) in secondary organic aerosol formed from ozonolysis of the most abundant monoterpene (α-pinene). Combining aerosol isothermal evaporation experiments and multilayer kinetic modeling, bulk peroxides were found to undergo rapid particle-phase chemical transformation with an average lifetime of several hours under humid conditions, while the individual peroxides decompose on timescales of half an hour to a few days. Meanwhile, the majority of isomeric peroxides exhibit distinct particle-phase behaviors, highlighting the importance of the characterization of isomer-resolved peroxide reactivity. Furthermore, the reactivity of most peroxides increases with aerosol water content faster in a low relative humidity (RH) range than in a high RH range. Such non-uniform water effects imply a more important role of water as a plasticizer than as a reactant in influencing the peroxide reactivity. The high particle-phase reactivity of organic peroxides and its striking dependence on RH should be considered in atmospheric modeling of their fate and impacts on aerosol chemistry and health effects.

Assessment of Alkylated and Unsubstituted Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Air in Urban and Semi-Urban Areas in Toronto, Canada.

22 alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (alk-PAHs) were characterized in ambient air individually for the first time in urban and semi-urban locations in Toronto, Canada. Five unsubstituted PAHs were included for comparison. Results from the measurements were used to estimate benzo[a]pyrene equivalent toxicity (BaPeq) of individual compounds in order to investigate the significance of a single compound in contributing to the overall toxic equivalency (TEQ) of air mixtures. To determine which compounds merit further investigation, BaPeq values of individual compounds were compared to the measured BaP toxicity. Our results showed that both unsubstituted and alkylated PAHs were more abundant in the urban area (38 and 30%, respectively). Benzo[a]pyrene levels at the urban location exceeded Ontario's 24 h guideline (40% of the events), and on average, it was 5 times higher than that at the semi-urban area. Gas-phase two- and three-ring compounds contributed up to 39% (urban) and 76% (semi-urban) of the TEQ of all compounds analyzed. Some alk-PAHs such as 7,12-dimethylbenzo[a]anthracene had a huge impact on the toxicity of urban air, and its BaPeq was on average 8 times higher than that of BaP. We emphasize that the toxic impact of alkylated and gaseous PAHs, which is not routinely included in many air monitoring programs, is significant and should not be neglected.

Open-source maximum a posteriori-bayesian dosing AdDS to current therapeutic drug monitoring: Adapting to the era of individualized therapy.

Recent updates in the therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) guidelines for vancomycin have rekindled interest in maximum a posteriori-Bayesian (MAP-Bayesian) estimation of patient-specific pharmacokinetic parameters. To create a versatile infrastructure for MAP-Bayesian dosing of vancomycin or other drugs, a freely available, R-based software package, Advanced Dosing Solutions (AdDS), was created to facilitate clinical implementation of these improved TDM methods. The objective of this study was to utilize AdDS for pre- and post-processing of data in order to streamline the therapeutic management of vancomycin in healthy and obese veterans. Patients from a local Veteran Affairs hospital were utilized to compare the process of full re-estimation versus Bayesian updating of priors on healthy adult and obese patient populations for use with AdDS. Twenty-four healthy veterans were utilized to train (14/24) and test (10/24) the base pharmacokinetic model of vancomycin while comparing the effects of updated and fully re-estimated priors. This process was repeated with a total of 18 obese veterans for both training (11/18) and testing (7/18). Comparison of MAP objective function between the original and re-estimated models for healthy adults indicated that 78.6% of the subjects in the training and 70.0% of the subjects in the testing datasets had similar or improved predictions by the re-estimated model. For obese veterans, 81.8% of subjects in the training dataset and 85.7% of subjects in the testing dataset had similar or improved predictions. Re-estimation of model parameters provided more significant improvements in objective function compared with Bayesian updating, which may be a useful strategy in cases where sufficient samples and subjects are available. The generation of bespoke regimens based on patient-specific clearance and minimal sampling may improve patient care by addressing fundamental pharmacokinetic differences in healthy and obese veteran populations.

Sources and composition of metals in indoor house dust in a mid-size Canadian city.

House dust is an important medium for exposure to persistent pollutants, such as metals. Detailed characterization of metal composition is needed to identify sources and potential health impacts of exposure. In this study we show that specific metals in dust dominate in different locations within residential homes in a mid-size Canadian city (Fort McMurray, Alberta), up to two years after a major wildfire event in 2016. Dust samples were collected in high-traffic (e.g. bedroom, N = 186), low-traffic (e.g. basement, N = 158), and entranceway areas (N = 171) of residential homes (N = 125), and analyzed for 25 trace metal elements using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The profile of metal concentrations in the entranceway resembled that of outdoor soils, especially for crustal elements. On the other hand, Cu, Zn, and Pb concentrations in dust sampled in indoor living areas were on average three to six times higher than in other indoor locations indicating indoor sources for these elements. In general, Pb concentrations were similar or lower than in an average Canadian residence, but a substantial fraction showed anomalously high concentrations in the low-traffic areas, particularly on concrete surfaces in basements. Notably, the 2016 wildfires showed limited influence on metal concentrations in indoor dust, despite the widespread concerns in the community about long term exposure. Enrichment factor ratio calculations and principal component analysis showed two classes of sources of metals in dust that represent geogenic-outdoor sources and anthropogenic-indoor sources. Overall, we demonstrate that outdoor and indoor sources of dust impact its composition, and these influences are reflected in the different areas of a home.

Real-World Experience with Lifitegrast Ophthalmic Solution (Xiidra®) in the US and Canada: Retrospective Study of Patient Characteristics, Treatment Patterns, and Clinical Effectiveness in 600 Patients with Dry Eye Disease.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated real-world treatment of dry eye disease (DED) with lifitegrast. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ophthalmologists and optometrists treating patients with DED were invited to participate through a healthcare provider (HCP)-based panel. HCPs completed a provider survey and contributed data toward a chart review for up to five qualifying patients with DED who initiated lifitegrast ophthalmic solution (index date) between 01/01/2017 (US) or 01/01/2018 (Canada) and 06/30/2019. Patient demographics, treatments, clinical characteristics, and outcomes (ie, severity, signs, symptoms) were collected for the 6-month pre-index period and up to 12-months post-index. RESULTS: For this study, 517 HCPs contributed 600 patient charts. Among 554 and 281 patients with follow-up at 6 and 12-months post-index, 512 (92.4%) and 238 (84.7%) patients had ongoing lifitegrast treatment, respectively. Other DED-related treatments were less frequently used post-index with lifitegrast vs pre-index: over-the-counter artificial tear use (45.2% vs 75.5%), topical corticosteroids (3.8% vs 18.8%), any cyclosporine (3.0% vs 20.5%). At 3-months (n=571) and 12-months (n=320) post-index vs pre-index, fewer patients had eye dryness (47 [8.2%] and 16 [5.0%] vs 525 [87.5%]), blurred vision (28 [4.9%] and 11 [3.4%] vs 346 [57.7%]), ocular burning/stinging (25 [4.4%] and 8 [2.5%] vs 336 [56.0%]), depression (8 [1.4%] and 9 [2.8%] vs 55 [9.2%]), fatigue (4 [0.7%] and 1 [0.3%] vs 82 [13.7%]), and headache (1 [0.2%] and 0 vs 19 [3.2%]). At 3 and 12-months post-index vs pre-index, average corneal staining score was numerically lower (2.7 and 2.0 vs 6.5), and average Schirmer score (10.6 and 10 vs 6.3) and tear film break-up time (7.3 and 8.0 vs 4.8) higher. CONCLUSION: The majority of patients had ongoing lifitegrast treatment 6-months post-index with reduction in overall treatment burden. Improvement in DED signs and symptoms, including QoL impacts, was evident at 3 months and up to 12 months after lifitegrast initiation.

Multiphase Oxidation of Sulfur Dioxide in Aerosol Particles: Implications for Sulfate Formation in Polluted Environments.

Atmospheric oxidation of sulfur dioxide (SO2) forms sulfate-containing aerosol particles that impact air quality, climate, and human and ecosystem health. It is well-known that in-cloud oxidation of SO2 frequently dominates over gas-phase oxidation on regional and global scales. Multiphase oxidation involving aerosol particles, fog, and cloud droplets has been generally thought to scale with liquid water content (LWC) so multiphase oxidation would be negligible for aerosol particles due to their low aerosol LWC. However, recent field evidence, particularly from East Asia, shows that fast sulfate formation prevails in cloud-free environments that are characterized by high aerosol loadings. By assuming that the kinetics of cloud water chemistry prevails for aerosol particles, most atmospheric models do not capture this phenomenon. Therefore, the field of aerosol SO2 multiphase chemistry has blossomed in the past decade, with many oxidation processes proposed to bridge the difference between modeled and observed sulfate mass loadings. This review summarizes recent advances in the fundamental understanding of the aerosol multiphase oxidation of SO2, with a focus on environmental conditions that affect the oxidation rate, experimental challenges, mechanisms and kinetics results for individual reaction pathways, and future research directions. Compared to dilute cloud water conditions, this paper highlights the differences that arise at the molecular level with the extremely high solute strengths present in aerosol particles.