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Sample records for open label randomized

  1. Open-label placebo treatment in chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Cláudia; Caetano, Joaquim Machado; Cunha, Lidia; Rebouta, Paula; Kaptchuk, Ted J; Kirsch, Irving

    2016-12-01

    This randomized controlled trial was performed to investigate whether placebo effects in chronic low back pain could be harnessed ethically by adding open-label placebo (OLP) treatment to treatment as usual (TAU) for 3 weeks. Pain severity was assessed on three 0- to 10-point Numeric Rating Scales, scoring maximum pain, minimum pain, and usual pain, and a composite, primary outcome, total pain score. Our other primary outcome was back-related dysfunction, assessed on the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire. In an exploratory follow-up, participants on TAU received placebo pills for 3 additional weeks. We randomized 97 adults reporting persistent low back pain for more than 3 months' duration and diagnosed by a board-certified pain specialist. Eighty-three adults completed the trial. Compared to TAU, OLP elicited greater pain reduction on each of the three 0- to 10-point Numeric Rating Scales and on the 0- to 10-point composite pain scale (P Pain reduction on the composite Numeric Rating Scales was 1.5 (95% confidence interval: 1.0-2.0) in the OLP group and 0.2 (-0.3 to 0.8) in the TAU group. Open-label placebo treatment also reduced disability compared to TAU (P pain (1.5, 0.8-2.3) and disability (3.4, 2.2-4.5). Our findings suggest that OLP pills presented in a positive context may be helpful in chronic low back pain.

  2. Atomoxetine Open-Label Trial in ADHD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J Gordon Millichap

    2002-07-01

    Full Text Available Atomoxetine (originally named tomoxetine, a new therapy for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD marketed by Eli Lilly, was compared to methylphenidate in a prospective, randomized, open-label study for 10 weeks duration, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Carolinas Medical Center, and Lilly Research Laboratories.

  3. Open-Label, Randomized Study of Transition From Tacrolimus to Sirolimus Immunosuppression in Renal Allograft Recipients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tedesco-Silva, Helio; Peddi, V. Ram; Sánchez-Fructuoso, Ana; Marder, Brad A.; Russ, Graeme R.; Diekmann, Fritz; Flynn, Alison; Hahn, Carolyn M.; Li, Huihua; Tortorici, Michael A.; Schulman, Seth L.

    2016-01-01

    Background Calcineurin inhibitor–associated nephrotoxicity and other adverse events have prompted efforts to minimize/eliminate calcineurin inhibitor use in kidney transplant recipients. Methods This open-label, randomized, multinational study evaluated the effect of planned transition from tacrolimus to sirolimus on kidney function in renal allograft recipients. Patients received tacrolimus-based immunosuppression and then were randomized 3 to 5 months posttransplantation to transition to sirolimus or continue tacrolimus. The primary end point was percentage of patients with 5 mL/min per 1.73 m2 or greater improvement in estimated glomerular filtration rate from randomization to month 24. Results The on-therapy population included 195 patients (sirolimus, 86; tacrolimus, 109). No between-group difference was noted in percentage of patients with 5 mL/min per 1.73 m2 or greater estimated glomerular filtration rate improvement (sirolimus, 34%; tacrolimus, 42%; P = 0.239) at month 24. Sirolimus patients had higher rates of biopsy-confirmed acute rejection (8% vs 2%; P = 0.02), treatment discontinuation attributed to adverse events (21% vs 3%; P renal function improvement at 24 months is similar for patients with early conversion to sirolimus after kidney transplantation versus those remaining on tacrolimus. PMID:27500260

  4. Randomized open-label trial of dextromethorphan in Rett syndrome.

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    Smith-Hicks, Constance L; Gupta, Siddharth; Ewen, Joshua B; Hong, Manisha; Kratz, Lisa; Kelley, Richard; Tierney, Elaine; Vaurio, Rebecca; Bibat, Genila; Sanyal, Abanti; Yenokyan, Gayane; Brereton, Nga; Johnston, Michael V; Naidu, Sakkubai

    2017-10-17

    To determine safety and perform a preliminary assessment of dose-dependent efficacy of dextromethorphan in normalizing electrographic spikes, clinical seizures, and behavioral and cognitive functions in girls with Rett syndrome. We used a prospective randomized, open-label trial in fast metabolizers of dextromethorphan to examine the effect of dextromethorphan on core clinical features of Rett syndrome. Interictal spike activity and clinical seizures were determined using EEG and parent reporting. Cognitive data were obtained using the Mullen Scales of Early Learning and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, while behavioral data were obtained from parent-completed checklists, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community Version, and the Screen for Social Interaction. Anthropometric data were obtained according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The Rett Syndrome Severity Scale provided a clinical global impression of the effect of dextromethorphan on clinical severity. Dextromethorphan is safe for use in 3- to 15-year-old girls with Rett syndrome. Thirty-five girls were treated with 1 of 3 doses of dextromethorphan over a period of 6 months. Statistically significant dose-dependent improvements were seen in clinical seizures, receptive language, and behavioral hyperactivity. There was no significant improvement in global clinical severity as measured by the Rett Syndrome Severity Scale. Dextromethorphan is a potent noncompetitive antagonist of the NMDA receptor channel that is safe for use in young girls with Rett syndrome. Preliminary evidence suggests that dextromethorphan may improve some core features of Rett syndrome. This study provides Class IV evidence that dextromethorphan at various doses does not change EEG spike counts over 6 months, though precision was limited to exclude an important effect. © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

  5. Simvastatin as an Adjunct to Conventional Therapy of Non-infectious Uveitis: A Randomized, Open-Label Pilot Study.

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    Shirinsky, Ivan V; Biryukova, Anastasia A; Shirinsky, Valery S

    2017-12-01

    Statins have been shown to reduce ocular inflammation in animal models of uveitis and to prevent development of uveitis in observational studies. There have been no experimental human studies evaluating statins' efficacy and safety in uveitis. In this study, we aimed to investigate efficacy and safety of simvastatin in patients with uveitis. For this single-center, open-label, randomized study, we enrolled patients with acute non-infectious uveitis. The patients were randomized to receive 40 mg simvastatin per day for 2 months in addition to conventional treatment or conventional treatment alone. The studied outcomes were the rate of steroid-sparing control of ocular inflammation, measures of ocular inflammation, intraocular pressure, and visual acuity. Fifty patients were enrolled in the study. Twenty-five patients were randomly assigned to receive simvastatin with conventional treatment and 25 to conventional treatment alone. Simvastatin was associated with significantly higher rates of steroid-sparing ocular inflammation control, decrease in anterior chamber inflammation, and improvement in visual acuity. The treatment was well tolerated, no serious adverse effects were observed. Our findings suggest that statins may have therapeutic potential in uveitis. These results need to be confirmed in double-blind, randomized, controlled studies.

  6. An Open-Label, Multicenter, Randomized, Phase II Study of Pazopanib in Combination with Pemetrexed in First-Line Treatment of Patients with Advanced-Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scagliotti, Giorgio V; Felip, Enriqueta; Besse, Benjamin

    2013-01-01

    This randomized open-label phase II study evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of pazopanib in combination with pemetrexed compared with the standard cisplatin/pemetrexed doublet in patients with previously untreated, advanced, nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer....

  7. Effects of switching from olanzapine to aripiprazole on the metabolic profiles of patients with schizophrenia and metabolic syndrome: a double-blind, randomized, open-label study [Corrigendum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wani RA

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Wani RA, Dar MA, Chandel RK, et al Title of paper should have been “Effects of switching from olanzapine to aripiprazole on the metabolic profiles of patients with schizophrenia and metabolic syndrome: a randomized, open-label study”.  Read the original paper 

  8. Efficacy and safety of long-acting pasireotide in Japanese patients with acromegaly or pituitary gigantism: results from a multicenter, open-label, randomized, phase 2 study.

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    Tahara, Shigeyuki; Murakami, Mami; Kaneko, Tomomi; Shimatsu, Akira

    2017-07-28

    A multicenter, open-label, phase 2 study was conducted to investigate the efficacy and safety of long-acting pasireotide formulation in Japanese patients with acromegaly or pituitary gigantism. Medically naïve or inadequately controlled patients (on somatostatin analogues or dopamine agonists) were included. Primary end point was the proportion of all patients who achieved biochemical control (mean growth hormone [GH] levelsacromegaly, n=32; pituitary gigantism, n=1) were enrolled and randomized 1:1:1 to receive open-label pasireotide 20mg, 40mg, or 60mg. The median age was 52 years (range, 31-79) and 20 patients were males. At month 3, 18.2% of patients (6/33; 90% confidence interval: 8.2%, 32.8%) had biochemical control (21.2% [7/33] when including a patient with mean GHacromegaly or pituitary gigantism.

  9. Generating Realistic Labelled, Weighted Random Graphs

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    Michael Charles Davis

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Generative algorithms for random graphs have yielded insights into the structure and evolution of real-world networks. Most networks exhibit a well-known set of properties, such as heavy-tailed degree distributions, clustering and community formation. Usually, random graph models consider only structural information, but many real-world networks also have labelled vertices and weighted edges. In this paper, we present a generative model for random graphs with discrete vertex labels and numeric edge weights. The weights are represented as a set of Beta Mixture Models (BMMs with an arbitrary number of mixtures, which are learned from real-world networks. We propose a Bayesian Variational Inference (VI approach, which yields an accurate estimation while keeping computation times tractable. We compare our approach to state-of-the-art random labelled graph generators and an earlier approach based on Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs. Our results allow us to draw conclusions about the contribution of vertex labels and edge weights to graph structure.

  10. Single-center open-label randomized study of anemia management improvement in ESRD patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bellasi Antonio

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Whether anemia and mineral bone abnormalities (chronic kidney disease–mineral bone disorder [CKD-MBD] are associated still remains to be elucidated. Both anemia and CKD-MBD have been associated with adverse cardiovascular outcome and poor quality of life. However, recent evidence suggests that use of large doses of erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs to correct hemoglobin (Hb may be detrimental in CKD. The Optimal Anemia Treatment in End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD (Optimal ESRD Treatment study will assess whether lowering of parathyroid hormone (PTH is associated with a reduction in ESA consumption. The Optimal ESRD Treatment study is a pilot single-center open-label study with blinded end point (a prospective randomized open blinded end-point [PROBE] design enrolling 50 patients on maintenance dialysis. Eligible patients with intact PTH (iPTH 300-540 pg/mL and Hb 10-11.5 g/dL will be randomized 1:1 to strict PTH control (150-300 pg/mL versus standard care (PTH range 300-540 pg/mL. Available drugs for CKD-MBD and anemia treatment will be managed by the attending physician to maintain the desired levels of PTH (according to study arm allocation and Hb (10-11.5 g/dL. Echocardiographic data for cardiac structure and function as well as arterial stiffness will be assessed at study inception and completion. The Optimal ESRD Treatment study should shed light on the complicated interplay of anemia and CKD-MBD and on the feasibility of clinical trials in this domain. The study results are expected in the spring of 2017.

  11. Efficacy and safety of teneligliptin add-on to insulin monotherapy in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a 16-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with an open-label period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadowaki, Takashi; Kondo, Kazuoki; Sasaki, Noriyuki; Miyayama, Kyoko; Yokota, Shoko; Terata, Ryuji; Gouda, Maki

    2017-09-01

    To assess the efficacy and safety of teneligliptin as add-on to insulin monotherapy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In a 16-week, double-blind period, 148 Japanese T2DM patients with inadequate glycemic control with insulin and diet/exercise therapies were randomized to placebo or teneligliptin 20 mg. In a subsequent 36-week, open-label period, all patients received teneligliptin once daily. The primary outcome measure was change in HbA1c at the end of the double-blind period. The difference between placebo and teneligliptin in change in HbA1c in the double-blind period (least squares mean ± SE) was -0.80% ± 0.11%; teneligliptin was superior (ANCOVA, P 1). The HbA1c-lowering effect of teneligliptin was maintained throughout the open-label period. The incidence of adverse events was 53.5% with placebo and 44.2% with teneligliptin in the double-blind period, 66.7% in the placebo/teneligliptin group in the open-label period, and 77.9% in the teneligliptin/teneligliptin group over both double-blind/open-label periods. The incidence of hypoglycemic symptoms was 11.1% in the placebo/teneligliptin group in the open-label period and 27.3% in the teneligliptin/teneligliptin group over both double-blind/open-label periods. Teneligliptin was effective and well tolerated in Japanese T2DM patients with inadequate glycemic control. NCT02081599.

  12. Open-label extension studies: do they provide meaningful information on the safety of new drugs?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, Richard O; Williams, Kenneth M

    2007-01-01

    The number of open-label extension studies being performed has increased enormously in recent years. Often it is difficult to differentiate between these extension studies and the double-blind, controlled studies that preceded them. If undertaken primarily to gather more patient-years of exposure to the new drug in order to understand and gain confidence in its safety profile, open-label extension studies can play a useful and legitimate role in drug development and therapeutics. However, this can only occur if the open-label extension study is designed, executed, analysed and reported competently. Most of the value accrued in open-label extension studies is gained from a refinement in the perception of the expected incidence of adverse effects that have most likely already been identified as part of the preclinical and clinical trial programme. We still have to rely heavily on post-marketing safety surveillance systems to alert us to type B (unpredictable) adverse reactions because open-label extension studies are unlikely to provide useful information about these types of often serious and relatively rare adverse reactions. Random allocation into test and control groups is needed to produce precise incidence data on pharmacologically expected, or type A, adverse effects. Some increased confidence about incidence rates might result from the open-label extension study; however, as these studies are essentially uncontrolled and biased, the data are not of great value. Other benefits have been proposed to be gained from open-label extension studies. These include ongoing access to an effective but otherwise unobtainable medicine by the volunteers who participated in the phase III pivotal trials. However, there are unappreciated ethical issues about the appropriateness of enrolling patients whose response to previous treatment is uncertain, largely because treatment allocation in the preceding randomised, double-blind, controlled trial has not been revealed at the

  13. Comparison between IV immune globulin (IVIG) and anti-D globulin for treatment of immune thrombocytopenia: a randomized open-label study.

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    Eghbali, Aziz; Azadmanesh, Peyman; Bagheri, Bahador; Taherahmadi, Hasan; Sadeghi Sedeh, Bahman

    2016-08-01

    To compare the effect of IV immune globulin (IVIG) and anti-D globulin (anti-D) for treatment of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in children. A randomized, open-label, single-center clinical trial was carried out in Amir-Kabir Hospital (Arak, Iran). The study was performed on 60 children with acute and chronic ITP, aged from 1 to 15 years. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to 50 μg/kg anti-D or 1 g/kg IVIG. Platelet counting was performed at baseline and at 3, 7, and 14 days after treatment termination. Safety assessment was performed in all patients. Anti-D caused a quicker response on the 3rd day of treatment (P anti-D had lower rate of side effects including fever (P anti-D was associated with rapid rise of platelets compared to IVIG. In addition, anti-D treatment had acceptable safety profile. © 2016 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.

  14. Treatment of asymptomatic vaginal candidiasis in pregnancy to prevent preterm birth: an open-label pilot randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rickard Kristen

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although the connection between ascending infection and preterm birth is undisputed, research focused on finding effective treatments has been disappointing. However evidence that eradication of Candida in pregnancy may reduce the risk of preterm birth is emerging. We conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility of conducting a large randomized controlled trial to determine whether treatment of asymptomatic candidiasis in early pregnancy reduces the incidence of preterm birth. Methods We used a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint (PROBE study design. Pregnant women presenting at Candida were randomized to 6-days of clotrimazole vaginal pessaries (100mg or usual care (screening result is not revealed, no treatment. The primary outcomes were the rate of asymptomatic vaginal candidiasis, participation and follow-up. The proposed primary trial outcome of spontaneous preterm birth Results Of 779 women approached, 500 (64% participated in candidiasis screening, and 98 (19.6% had asymptomatic vaginal candidiasis and were randomized to clotrimazole or usual care. Women were not inconvenienced by participation in the study, laboratory testing and medication dispensing were problem-free, and the follow-up rate was 99%. There was a tendency towards a reduction in spontaneous preterm birth among women with asymptomatic candidiasis who were treated with clotrimazole RR = 0.33, 95%CI 0.04-3.03. Conclusions A large, adequately powered, randomized trial of clotrimazole to prevent preterm birth in women with asymptomatic candidiasis is both feasible and warranted. Trial registration Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR: ACTRN12609001052224

  15. Effect of mouth cleaning with hinokitiol-containing gel on oral malodor: a randomized, open-label pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iha, Kosaku; Suzuki, Nao; Yoneda, Masahiro; Takeshita, Toru; Hirofuji, Takao

    2013-10-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of mouth cleaning with hinokitiol-containing gel on oral malodor. An open-label, randomized, controlled trial was conducted to assess oral malodor and clinical parameters related to oral malodor before and after mouth cleaning with hinokitiol-containing gel (n = 9) or with gel not including hinokitiol (n = 9). Mouth cleaning included the teeth, gingiva, and tongue and was carried out 3 times per day for 4 weeks. Organoleptic test (OLT) scores (P = .021), levels of hydrogen sulfide (P = .008) and methyl mercaptan (P = .020), frequency of bleeding on probing, average probing pocket depth, and plaque index significantly improved in the group using hinokitiol. In contrast, only the OLT score (P = .031) significantly improved in the control group after the treatment regimen. Mouth cleaning with hinokitiol-containing gel may be effective for reduction of oral malodor. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Foley Catheter for Induction of Labor at Term: An Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ning Gu

    Full Text Available This study aimed to determine the optimal Foley catheter balloon volume (30-mL vs. 80-mL and the maximum time for cervical ripening (12 hours vs. 24 hours to improve vaginal delivery rate within 24 hours of induction.We conducted an open-label, randomized controlled trial in a teaching hospital in China. Women with a term singleton pregnancy, cephalic presentation, intact membrane and an unfavorable cervix (Bishop score <6 were randomly allocated, in 1:1:1:1 ratio, to receive either one of the four treatments: (1 30-mL balloon for a maximum of 12 hours, (2 30-mL balloon for a maximum of 24 hours, (3 80-mL balloon for a maximum of 12 hours, and (4 80-mL balloon for a maximum of 24 hours. The primary outcome was vaginal delivery within 24 hours. Secondary outcomes included cesarean section rate and maternal/neonatal morbidity. Data were analyzed on a per-protocol basis.Five hundred and four women were recruited and randomized (126 women in each group; nine women did not receive the assigned intervention. More women achieved vaginal delivery within 24 hours in 12-hour Foley catheter groups than in the 24-hour Foley catheter groups (30-mL/12 hours: 54.5%, 30-mL/24 hours: 33.1%, 80-mL/12 hours: 46.4%, 80-mL/24 hours: 24.0%, p < 0.001. Cesarean section rates and the incidence of chorioaminonitis were comparable among four groups. After adjustment for confounding factors, both ripening time and balloon size did not affect the proportion of women delivered vaginally within 24 hours of induction.For women with an unfavorable cervix at term, induction of labor with a Foley catheter is safe and effective. Higher balloon volume (80-mL vs. 30-mL and longer ripening time (24 hours vs. 12 hours would not shorten induction to delivery interval or reduce cesarean section rate.Chinese Clinical trial registry (ChiCTR-TRC-13003044.

  17. DRY CUPPING IN CHILDREN WITH FUNCTIONAL CONSTIPATION: A RANDOMIZED OPEN LABEL CLINICAL TRIAL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahamat, Mahmoud; Daneshfard, Babak; Najib, Khadijeh-Sadat; Dehghani, Seyed Mohsen; Tafazoli, Vahid; Kasalaei, Afshineh

    2016-01-01

    As a common disease in pediatrics, constipation poses a high burden to the community. In this study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of dry cupping therapy (an Eastern traditional manipulative therapy) in children with functional constipation. One hundred and twenty children (4-18 years old) diagnosed as functional constipation according to ROME III criteria were assigned to receive a traditional dry cupping protocol on the abdominal wall for 8 minutes every other day or standard laxative therapy (Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 40% solution without electrolyte), 0.4 g/kg once daily) for 4 weeks, in an open label randomized controlled clinical trial using a parallel design with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Patients were evaluated prior to and following 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks of the intervention commencement in terms of the ROME III criteria for functional constipation. There were no significant differences between the two arms regarding demographic and clinical basic characteristics. After two weeks of the intervention, there was a significant better result in most of the items of ROME III criteria of patients in PEG group. In contrast, after four weeks of the intervention, the result was significantly better in the cupping group. There was no significant difference in the number of patients with constipation after 4 and 8 weeks of the follow-up period. This study showed that dry cupping of the abdominal wall, as a traditional manipulative therapy, can be as effective as standard laxative therapy in children with functional constipation.

  18. Open-label trial and randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of hydrogen-enriched water for mitochondrial and inflammatory myopathies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ito Mikako

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Molecular hydrogen has prominent effects on more than 30 animal models especially of oxidative stress-mediated diseases and inflammatory diseases. In addition, hydrogen effects on humans have been reported in diabetes mellitus type 2, hemodialysis, metabolic syndrome, radiotherapy for liver cancer, and brain stem infarction. Hydrogen effects are ascribed to specific radical-scavenging activities that eliminate hydroxyl radical and peroxynitrite, and also to signal-modulating activities, but the detailed molecular mechanisms still remain elusive. Hydrogen is a safe molecule that is largely produced by intestinal bacteria in rodents and humans, and no adverse effects have been documented. Methods We performed open-label trial of drinking 1.0 liter per day of hydrogen-enriched water for 12 weeks in five patients with progressive muscular dystrophy (PMD, four patients with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM, and five patients with mitochondrial myopathies (MM, and measured 18 serum parameters as well as urinary 8-isoprostane every 4 weeks. We next conducted randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of 0.5 liter per day of hydrogen-enriched water or placebo water for 8 weeks in 10 patients with DM and 12 patients with MM, and measured 18 serum parameters every 4 weeks. Results In the open-label trial, no objective improvement or worsening of clinical symptoms was observed. We, however, observed significant effects in lactate-to-pyruvate ratios in PMD and MM, fasting blood glucose in PMD, serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3 in PM/DM, and serum triglycerides in PM/DM. In the double-blind trial, no objective clinical effects were observed, but a significant improvement was detected in lactate in MM. Lactate-to-pyruvate ratios in MM and MMP3 in DM also exhibited favorable responses but without statistical significance. No adverse effect was observed in either trial except for hypoglycemic episodes in an insulin

  19. The effects of orally administered Beta-glucan on innate immune responses in humans, a randomized open-label intervention pilot-study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenneke Leentjens

    Full Text Available To prevent or combat infection, increasing the effectiveness of the immune response is highly desirable, especially in case of compromised immune system function. However, immunostimulatory therapies are scarce, expensive, and often have unwanted side-effects. β-glucans have been shown to exert immunostimulatory effects in vitro and in vivo in experimental animal models. Oral β-glucan is inexpensive and well-tolerated, and therefore may represent a promising immunostimulatory compound for human use.We performed a randomized open-label intervention pilot-study in 15 healthy male volunteers. Subjects were randomized to either the β -glucan (n = 10 or the control group (n = 5. Subjects in the β-glucan group ingested β-glucan 1000 mg once daily for 7 days. Blood was sampled at various time-points to determine β-glucan serum levels, perform ex vivo stimulation of leukocytes, and analyze microbicidal activity.β-glucan was barely detectable in serum of volunteers at all time-points. Furthermore, neither cytokine production nor microbicidal activity of leukocytes were affected by orally administered β-glucan.The present study does not support the use of oral β-glucan to enhance innate immune responses in humans.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01727895.

  20. The MANDELA study: A multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel group trial to refine the use of everolimus after heart transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deuse, Tobias; Bara, Christoph; Barten, Markus J; Hirt, Stephan W; Doesch, Andreas O; Knosalla, Christoph; Grinninger, Carola; Stypmann, Jörg; Garbade, Jens; Wimmer, Peter; May, Christoph; Porstner, Martina; Schulz, Uwe

    2015-11-01

    In recent years a series of trials has sought to define the optimal protocol for everolimus-based immunosuppression in heart transplantation, with the goal of minimizing exposure to calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) and harnessing the non-immunosuppressive benefits of everolimus. Randomized studies have demonstrated that immunosuppressive potency can be maintained in heart transplant patients receiving everolimus despite marked CNI reduction, although very early CNI withdrawal may be inadvisable. A potential renal advantage has been shown for everolimus, but the optimal time for conversion and the adequate reduction in CNI exposure remain to be defined. Other reasons for use of everolimus include a substantial reduction in the risk of cytomegalovirus infection, and evidence for inhibition of cardiac allograft vasculopathy, a major cause of graft loss. The ongoing MANDELA study is a 12-month multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group study in which efficacy, renal function and safety are compared in approximately 200 heart transplant patients. Patients receive CNI therapy, steroids and everolimus or mycophenolic acid during months 3 to 6 post-transplant, and are then randomized at month 6 post-transplant (i) to convert to CNI-free immunosuppression with everolimus and mycophenolic acid or (ii) to continue reduced-exposure CNI, with concomitant everolimus. Patients are then followed to month 18 post-transplant The rationale and expectations for the trial and its methodology are described herein. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Comparison of oral psoralen-UV-A with a portable tanning unit at home vs hospital-administered bath psoralen-UV-A in patients with chronic hand eczema - An open-label randomized controlled trial of efficacy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Coevorden, AM; Kamphof, WG; van Sonderen, E; Bruynzeel, DP; Coenraads, PJ

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To study whether oral psoralen-UV-A (PUVA) with a portable tanning unit at home is as effective as hospital-administered bath PUVA in patients with chronic hand eczema. Design: Open-label randomized controlled trial, with a 10-week treatment period and an 8-week follow-up period. Setting:

  2. Armodafinil for fatigue associated with menopause: an open-label trial.

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    Meyer, Fremonta; Freeman, Marlene P; Petrillo, Laura; Barsky, Maria; Galvan, Thania; Kim, Semmie; Cohen, Lee; Joffe, Hadine

    2016-02-01

    This study aims to obtain preliminary data on the efficacy of armodafinil for improving menopause-related fatigue and quality of life. Women (aged 40-65 y) experiencing menopause-related fatigue received open-label armodafinil therapy (up to 150 mg/d) for 4 weeks. Changes from baseline in Brief Fatigue Inventory score and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) physical domain score were examined using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Exploratory analyses examined the effects of armodafinil on hot flashes, overall quality of life, insomnia, depression, anxiety, and perceived cognitive performance. After open-label treatment, participants were randomized to double-blind continuation of armodafinil versus placebo for 2 weeks to examine whether treatment discontinuation would precipitate symptom recurrence. Of 29 eligible participants, 20 women (69.0%) completed the trial. During treatment with armodafinil (mean dose, 120 mg/d), median Brief Fatigue Inventory scores decreased by 57.7% from 5.2 (interquartile range [IQR], 4.6-6.2) to 2.2 (IQR, 1.1-4.4; P = 0.0002), and median MENQOL physical domain scores decreased by 51.3% from 3.9 (IQR, 2.3-4.8) to 1.9 (IQR, 1.3-2.7; P = 0.0001). Median hot flashes for 24 hours decreased by 48.3% from 2.9 (IQR, 1.1-4.6) to 1.5 (IQR, 0.4-2.4; P = 0.0005). Improvements in MENQOL total score (49%; P = 0.0001), cognitive function (59.2%; P = 0.0002), depressive symptoms (64.7%; P = 0.0006), insomnia (72.7%; P = 0.0012), and excessive sleepiness (57.1%; P = 0.0006) were noted. Randomized continuation (n = 10) or discontinuation (n = 10) did not indicate group differences. Armodafinil was well-tolerated; three women (12%) were withdrawn for adverse events. These preliminary results suggest a therapeutic effect of armodafinil on fatigue affecting quality of life during menopause, and a potential benefit for other menopause-related symptoms.

  3. Immunogenicity and safety of high-dose hepatitis B vaccine among drug users: A randomized, open-labeled, blank-controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Yongliang; Shi, Jing; Gao, Linying; Yao, Tian; Feng, Dan; Luo, Dan; Li, Zhansheng; Zhang, Yawei; Wang, Fuzhen; Cui, Fuqiang; Li, Li; Liang, Xiaofeng; Wang, Suping

    2017-06-03

    Due to the low uptake, adherence, and completion of vaccination among drug users, and their compromised immune responses to hepatitis B vaccination, the current practice of hepatitis B vaccination may not provide optimal protection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of 60 µg and 20 µg hepatitis B vaccines among drug users. A randomized, open-labeled, blank-controlled trial was conducted among drug users at 2 drug rehabilitation centers in China. The eligible participants were drug users who were serologically negative for the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and the hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs). Participants were randomized in a ratio of 1:1:1 to receive 20 µg (IM20 group) or 60 µg (IM60 group) of hepatitis B vaccine or blank control at months 0, 1, and 6, and followed at months 6, 7, and 12. Seroconversion rates of 94.7% and 92.6% were observed in IM20 and IM60 groups at month 7, and correspondingly decreased to 89.5% and 91.7% respectively at month 12. The IM60 group showed significantly higher geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) of anti-HBs (2022.5 and 676.7 mIU mL-1) than the IM20 group did (909.6 and 470.5 mIU mL-1) at months 7 and 12 (P B vaccines showed good immunogenicity among the drug users.

  4. An open-label study of sodium oxybate in Spasmodic dysphonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rumbach, Anna F; Blitzer, Andrew; Frucht, Steven J; Simonyan, Kristina

    2017-06-01

    Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a task-specific laryngeal dystonia that affects speech production. Co-occurring voice tremor (VT) often complicates the diagnosis and clinical management of SD. Treatment of SD and VT is largely limited to botulinum toxin injections into laryngeal musculature; other pharmacological options are not sufficiently developed. Open-label study. We conducted an open-label study in 23 SD and 22 SD/VT patients to examine the effects of sodium oxybate (Xyrem), an oral agent with therapeutic effects similar to those of alcohol in these patients. Blinded randomized analysis of voice and speech samples assessed symptom improvement before and after drug administration. Sodium oxybate significantly improved voice symptoms (P = .001) primarily by reducing the number of SD-characteristic voice breaks and severity of VT. Sodium oxybate further showed a trend for improving VT symptoms (P = .03) in a subset of patients who received successful botulinum toxin injections for the management of their SD symptoms. The drug's effects were observed approximately 30 to 40 minutes after its intake and lasted about 3.5 to 4 hours. Our study demonstrated that sodium oxybate reduced voice symptoms in 82.2% of alcohol-responsive SD patients both with and without co-occurring VT. Our findings suggest that the therapeutic mechanism of sodium oxybate in SD and SD/VT may be linked to that of alcohol, and as such, sodium oxybate might be beneficial for alcohol-responsive SD and SD/VT patients. 4 Laryngoscope, 127:1402-1407, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  5. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) for patients with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized open-label active-controlled clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashempur, Mohammad Hashem; Sadrneshin, Sara; Mosavat, Seyed Hamdollah; Ashraf, Alireza

    2018-02-01

    Green tea is known as a dietary supplement and a novel functional food worldwide. Since there are increasing preclinical evidence about efficacy of green tea for treating osteoarthritis, this study has aimed at assessing its efficacy and safety for patients with knee osteoarthritis. This is a randomized open-label active-controlled clinical trial. As many as fifty adults with osteoarthritis of knee were randomly allocated to receive the green tea extract (in dosage form of tablet) plus diclofenac tablet as "intervention group"; or: diclofenac tablet alone as "control group" for a period of four weeks. Patients were assessed at the beginning of intervention, and then 4 weeks later, in terms of pain score via visual analogue scale (VAS), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire's total score in addition to its 3 sub-scores. Furthermore, they were asked about any adverse effects during intervention period. Mean differences of VAS pain, total WOMAC, and WOMAC physical function scores in green tea group showed a significant reduction, compared with the control group (P = 0.038, P = 0.006, and P = 0.004, respectively). However, No significant differences between the two groups were observed, regarding mean differences of WOMAC pain and stiffness scores of the enrolled patients (P = 0.163, and P = 0.150, respectively). Additionally, only 1 patient reported gastric upset [in control group]. It seems that green tea extract might well be considered as an adjunctive treatment both for control of pain and for the betterment of knee joint physical function in adults with osteoarthritis. However, further studies of longer duration and larger sample size are needed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

  6. Sirolimus Use in Liver Transplant Recipients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Randomized, Multicenter, Open-Label Phase 3 Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geissler, Edward K.; Schnitzbauer, Andreas A.; Zülke, Carl; Lamby, Philipp E.; Proneth, Andrea; Duvoux, Christophe; Burra, Patrizia; Jauch, Karl-Walter; Rentsch, Markus; Ganten, Tom M.; Schmidt, Jan; Settmacher, Utz; Heise, Michael; Rossi, Giorgio; Cillo, Umberto; Kneteman, Norman; Adam, René; van Hoek, Bart; Bachellier, Philippe; Wolf, Philippe; Rostaing, Lionel; Bechstein, Wolf O.; Rizell, Magnus; Powell, James; Hidalgo, Ernest; Gugenheim, Jean; Wolters, Heiner; Brockmann, Jens; Roy, André; Mutzbauer, Ingrid; Schlitt, Angela; Beckebaum, Susanne; Graeb, Christian; Nadalin, Silvio; Valente, Umberto; Turrión, Victor Sánchez; Jamieson, Neville; Scholz, Tim; Colledan, Michele; Fändrich, Fred; Becker, Thomas; Söderdahl, Gunnar; Chazouillères, Olivier; Mäkisalo, Heikki; Pageaux, Georges-Philippe; Steininger, Rudolf; Soliman, Thomas; de Jong, Koert P.; Pirenne, Jacques; Margreiter, Raimund; Pratschke, Johann; Pinna, Antonio D.; Hauss, Johann; Schreiber, Stefan; Strasser, Simone; Klempnauer, Jürgen; Troisi, Roberto I.; Bhoori, Sherrie; Lerut, Jan; Bilbao, Itxarone; Klein, Christian G.; Königsrainer, Alfred; Mirza, Darius F.; Otto, Gerd; Mazzaferro, Vincenzo; Neuhaus, Peter; Schlitt, Hans J.

    2016-01-01

    Background We investigated whether sirolimus-based immunosuppression improves outcomes in liver transplantation (LTx) candidates with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods In a prospective-randomized open-label international trial, 525 LTx recipients with HCC initially receiving mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor–free immunosuppression were randomized 4 to 6 weeks after transplantation into a group on mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor–free immunosuppression (group A: 264 patients) or a group incorporating sirolimus (group B: 261). The primary endpoint was recurrence-free survival (RFS); intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis was conducted after 8 years. Overall survival (OS) was a secondary endpoint. Results Recurrence-free survival was 64.5% in group A and 70.2% in group B at study end, this difference was not significant (P = 0.28; hazard ratio [HR], 0.84; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.62; 1.15). In a planned analysis of RFS rates at yearly intervals, group B showed better outcomes 3 years after transplantation (HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.48-1.00). Similarly, OS (P = 0.21; HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.58-1.13) was not statistically better in group B at study end, but yearly analyses showed improvement out to 5 years (HR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.49-1.00). Interestingly, subgroup (Milan Criteria-based) analyses revealed that low-risk, rather than high-risk, patients benefited most from sirolimus; furthermore, younger recipients (age ≤60) also benefited, as well sirolimus monotherapy patients. Serious adverse event numbers were alike in groups A (860) and B (874). Conclusions Sirolimus in LTx recipients with HCC does not improve long-term RFS beyond 5 years. However, a RFS and OS benefit is evident in the first 3 to 5 years, especially in low-risk patients. This trial provides the first high-level evidence base for selecting immunosuppression in LTx recipients with HCC. PMID:26555945

  7. Safety and Efficacy of Memantine in Children with Autism: Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study and Open-Label Extension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aman, Michael G; Findling, Robert L; Hardan, Antonio Y; Hendren, Robert L; Melmed, Raun D; Kehinde-Nelson, Ola; Hsu, Hai-An; Trugman, Joel M; Palmer, Robert H; Graham, Stephen M; Gage, Allyson T; Perhach, James L; Katz, Ephraim

    2017-06-01

    Abnormal glutamatergic neurotransmission is implicated in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of the glutamatergic N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist memantine (once-daily extended-release [ER]) were investigated in children with autism in a randomized, placebo-controlled, 12 week trial and a 48 week open-label extension. A total of 121 children 6-12 years of age with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed., Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR)-defined autistic disorder were randomized (1:1) to placebo or memantine ER for 12 weeks; 104 children entered the subsequent extension trial. Maximum memantine doses were determined by body weight and ranged from 3 to 15 mg/day. There was one serious adverse event (SAE) (affective disorder, with memantine) in the 12 week study and one SAE (lobar pneumonia) in the 48 week extension; both were deemed unrelated to treatment. Other AEs were considered mild or moderate and most were deemed not related to treatment. No clinically significant changes occurred in clinical laboratory values, vital signs, or electrocardiogram (ECG). There was no significant between-group difference on the primary efficacy outcome of caregiver/parent ratings on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), although an improvement over baseline at Week 12 was observed in both groups. A trend for improvement at the end of the 48 week extension was observed. No improvements in the active group were observed on any of the secondary end-points, with one communication measure showing significant worsening with memantine compared with placebo (p = 0.02) after 12 weeks. This trial did not demonstrate clinical efficacy of memantine ER in autism; however, the tolerability and safety data were reassuring. Our results could inform future trial design in this population and may facilitate the investigation of memantine ER for other clinical applications.

  8. Maternal vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy prevents vitamin D deficiency in the newborn: an open-label randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodda, C P; Benson, J E; Vincent, A J; Whitehead, C L; Polykov, A; Vollenhoven, B

    2015-09-01

    To determine whether maternal vitamin D supplementation, in the vitamin D deficient mother, prevents neonatal vitamin D deficiency. Open-label randomized controlled trial. Metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, tertiary hospital routine antenatal outpatient clinic. Seventy-eight women with singleton pregnancies with vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency (serum 25-OH Vit D l) at their first antenatal appointment at 12-16-week gestation were recruited. Participants were randomized to vitamin D supplementation (2000-4000 IU cholecalciferol) orally daily until delivery or no supplementation. The primary outcome was neonatal serum 25-OH vit D concentration at delivery. The secondary outcome was maternal serum 25-OH vit D concentration at delivery. Baseline mean maternal serum 25-OH vit D concentrations were similar (P = 0·9) between treatment (32 nmol/l, 95% confidence interval 26-39 nmol/l) and control groups (33 nmol/l, 95% CI 26-39 nmol/l). Umbilical cord serum 25-OH vit D concentrations at delivery were higher (P l, 95% CI; 70-91 nmol/l) compared with neonates of control group mothers (42 nmol/l, 95% CI; 34-50 nmol/l) with a strongly positive correlation between maternal serum 25-OH Vit D and umbilical cord serum 25-OH vit D concentrations at delivery (Spearman rank correlation coefficient 0·88; P l, 95% CI; 62-81 nmol/l) compared with the control group (36 nmol/l, 95% CI; 29-42 nmol/l). Vitamin D supplementation of vitamin D deficient pregnant women prevents neonatal vitamin D deficiency. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Daily consumption of fermented soymilk helps to improve facial wrinkles in healthy postmenopausal women in a randomized, parallel-group, open-label trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mitsuyoshi Kano

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Soymilk fermented by lactobacilli and/or bifidobacteria is attracting attention due to the excellent bioavailability of its isoflavones. We investigated the effects of fermented soymilk containing high amounts of isoflavone aglycones on facial wrinkles and urinary isoflavones in postmenopausal women in a randomized, parallel-group, open-label trial. Healthy Japanese women were randomly divided into active (n = 44, mean age 56.3 ± 0.5 or control (n = 44, mean age 56.1 ± 0.5 groups, who consumed or did not consume a bottle of soymilk fermented by Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult and Lactobacillus mali for 8 weeks. Maximum depth of wrinkles around the crow’s feet area and other wrinkle parameters were evaluated as primary and secondary endpoints respectively at weeks 0, 4, and 8 during the consumption period. Urinary isoflavone levels were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results: The active group demonstrated significant improvements in the maximum depth (p=0.015 and average depth (p=0.04 of wrinkles, and significantly elevated urinary isoflavones (daidzein, genistein, and glycitein; each p < 0.001 compared with the control during the consumption period. No serious adverse effects were recorded. Conclusion: These findings suggest that fermented soymilk taken daily may improve facial wrinkles and elevate urinary isoflavones in healthy postmenopausal women.

  10. Comparative efficacy trial of cupping and serkangabin versus conventional therapy of migraine headaches: A randomized, open-label, comparative efficacy trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firoozabadi, Mohammad Dehghani; Navabzadeh, Maryam; Roudsari, Mohammad Khodashenas; Zahmatkash, Mohsen

    2014-12-01

    Migraine headaches are the most common acute and recurrent headaches. Current treatment of a migraine headache consists of multiple medications for control and prevention of recurrent attacks. Global emergence of alternative medicine led us to examine the efficacy of cupping therapy plus serkangabin syrup in the treatment of migraine headaches. This study was a randomized, controlled, open-label, comparative efficacy trial. We randomly assigned patients with migraine into cupping therapy plus serkangabin group (30 patients) and conventional treatment group (30 patients). An investigator assessed the severity of headache, frequency of attacks in a week and duration of attacks per hour in 5 visits (at the end of 2 weeks, 1, 3 and 6 months). Generalized estimating equations approach was used to analyze repeated measures data to compare outcomes in both groups. Average age for cupping therapy group and conventional treatment group were 31.7 (±7.6) and 32.6 (±12.7) years, respectively (P = 0.45). After treatment for 2 weeks; and 1, 3 and 6 months, severity of headache (P = 0.80), frequency of migraine attacks (P = 0.63) and duration of attacks per hours (P = 0.48) were similar in conventional and cupping groups but these symptoms were decreased in each group during the study (P cupping plus serkangabin therapy and conventional treatment in the treatment and prophylaxis of migraine. The alternative therapy may be used in cases of drug intolerance, no medication response, and in primary care.

  11. A single dose, randomized, open-label, cross-over bioequivalence study of sildenafil citrate tablets in healthy Chinese volunteers
.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Dai; Wang, Yu-Lu; Xu, Su-Mei; Li, Dan; Li, Xiao-Min; Pan, Jing; Xu, Ping-Sheng

    2017-02-01

    The present study was designed to evaluate the bioequivalence of a newly developed sildenafil citrate tablet 50 mg (Jinge®, Test) and a marketed counterpart (Viagra®, 100 mg, Reference) in healthy adult male Chinese volunteers. This single-dose, randomized, open-label, four-period, and two-treatment self-crossover study included two parts: fasting and postprandial studies. In each part of the study, the subjects were randomly assigned to receive test or reference products (100 mg sildenafil) in a 1 : 1 ratio, and then received the alternative products, following a 1-week washout period. Plasma sildenafil concentrations were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Tolerability was assessed during the entire study period. 32 healthy volunteers (aged 19 - 30) were enrolled in the study; 31 volunteers completed the fasting study, while 32 volunteers completed the postprandial study. The test formulation was bioequivalent to the marketed formulation as the 90% CIs for the ratio of geometric means of Cmax (fasting: 98.79 - 119.61%; fed: 94.47 - 119.65%), AUClast (fasting: 98.70 - 109.71%; fed: 96.39 - 112.89%), and AUC∞ (fasting: 98.45 - 108.87%; fed: 96.36 - 112.74%) were within equivalence limits (80 - 125%) under both fasting and postprandial conditions. When sildenafil was given with high-fat meals, mean Cmax was reduced by 23%, and median tmax ranged from 0.75 to 1.50 hours (p ≤ 0.05). However, both AUClast and AUC∞ were comparable between fasting and postprandial conditions. No serious adverse events were found among the subjects. This study confirmed that test and reference sildenafil citrate tablets were bioequivalent under fasting and postprandial conditions.
.

  12. Modest blood pressure reduction with valsartan in acute ischemic stroke: a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-end-point trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Mi Sun; Yu, Kyung-Ho; Hong, Keun-Sik; Kang, Dong-Wha; Park, Jong-Moo; Bae, Hee-Joon; Koo, Jaseong; Lee, Juneyoung; Lee, Byung-Chul

    2015-07-01

    To assess the efficacy and safety of modest blood pressure (BP) reduction with valsartan within 48 h after symptom onset in patients with acute ischemic stroke and high BP. This was a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-end-point trial. A total of 393 subjects were recruited at 28 centers and then randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive valsartan (n = 195) or no treatment (n = 198) for seven-days after presentation. The primary outcome was death or dependency, defined as a score of 3-6 on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days after symptom onset. Early neurological deterioration (END) within seven-days and 90-day major vascular events were also assessed. There were 372 patients who completed the 90-day follow-up. The valsartan group had 46 of 187 patients (24·6%) with a 90-day mRS 3-6, compared with 42 of 185 patients (22·6%) in the control group (odds ratio [OR], 1·11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0·69-1·79; P = 0·667). The rate of major vascular events did not differ between groups (OR, 1·41; 95% CI, 0·44-4·49; P = 0·771). There was a significant increase of END in the valsartan group (OR, 2·43; 95% CI, 1·25-4·73; P = 0·008). Early reduction of BP with valsartan did not reduce death or dependency and major vascular events at 90 days, but increased the risk of END. © 2015 World Stroke Organization.

  13. Comparative efficacy trial of cupping and serkangabin versus conventional therapy of migraine headaches: A randomized, open-label, comparative efficacy trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Dehghani Firoozabadi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Migraine headaches are the most common acute and recurrent headaches. Current treatment of a migraine headache consists of multiple medications for control and prevention of recurrent attacks. Global emergence of alternative medicine led us to examine the efficacy of cupping therapy plus serkangabin syrup in the treatment of migraine headaches. Materials and Methods: This study was a randomized, controlled, open-label, comparative efficacy trial. We randomly assigned patients with migraine into cupping therapy plus serkangabin group (30 patients and conventional treatment group (30 patients. An investigator assessed the severity of headache, frequency of attacks in a week and duration of attacks per hour in 5 visits (at the end of 2 weeks, 1, 3 and 6 months. Generalized estimating equations approach was used to analyze repeated measures data to compare outcomes in both groups. Results: Average age for cupping therapy group and conventional treatment group were 31.7 (±7.6 and 32.6 (±12.7 years, respectively (P = 0.45. After treatment for 2 weeks; and 1, 3 and 6 months, severity of headache (P = 0.80, frequency of migraine attacks (P = 0.63 and duration of attacks per hours (P = 0.48 were similar in conventional and cupping groups but these symptoms were decreased in each group during the study (P < 0.001. Conclusion: There was no significant difference between cupping plus serkangabin therapy and conventional treatment in the treatment and prophylaxis of migraine. The alternative therapy may be used in cases of drug intolerance, no medication response, and in primary care.

  14. A Phase Ib open label, randomized, safety study of SANGUINATE™ in patients with sickle cell anemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hemant Misra

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Treatment of sickle cell anemia is a challenging task and despite the well understood genetic and biochemical pathway of sickle hemoglobin, current therapy continues to be limited to the symptomatic treatment of pain, supplemental oxygen, antibiotics, red blood cell transfusions and hydroxyurea. SANGUINATE is a carbon monoxide releasing molecule and oxygen transfer agent under clinical development for the treatment of sickle cell anemia and comorbidities. Methods: An open-label randomized Phase Ib study was performed in adult sickle cell anemia patients. Two dose levels of SANGUINATE were compared to hydroxyurea in 24 homozygotes for Hb SS. Twelve subjects received either a low dose (160 mg/kg of SANGUINATE or 15 mg/kg hydroxyurea. Another 12 subjects received either a high dose (320 mg/kg of SANGUINATE or 15 mg/kg hydroxyurea. The primary endpoint was the safety of SANGUINATE versus hydroxyurea in sickle cell anemia patients. Secondary endpoints included determination of the plasma pharmacokinetics and assessment of hematologic measurements. Results: Musculoskeletal related adverse events were the most common. Transient troponin I levels increased in three patients, one of whom had an increase in tricuspid regurgitant velocity; however, no clinical signs were noted. Following an assessment of vital signs, tricuspid regurgitant velocity, electrocardiogram, serum biochemistry, hematology, urinalysis, and analysis of reported adverse events, SANGUINATE was found to be safe in stable sickle cell anemia patients. Conclusions: The clinical trial met its primary objective of demonstrating an acceptable safety profile for SANGUINATE in patients with sickle cell anemia. This trial established the safety of SANGUINATE at both dose levels and permitted its advance to Phase II trials.

  15. Clinical Efficacy Comparison of Saccharomyces boulardii and Yogurt Fluid in Acute Non-Bloody Diarrhea in Children: A Randomized, Controlled, Open Label Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eren, Makbule; Dinleyici, Ener C.; Vandenplas, Yvan

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the clinical efficacy and cost/effectiveness of Saccharomyces boulardii compared with yogurt fluid (YF) in acute non-bloody diarrhea in children. This randomized, prospective open-label clinical trial includes 55 children (36 boys, 19 girls; mean age 21.2 ± 28.2 months). Group A (N = 28) received lyophilized S. boulardii and group B (N = 27) received YF. The duration of diarrhea was shorter with S. boulardii but the hospital stay was reduced with YF, although these differences were not significant. However, diarrhea had resolved in significantly more children on day 3 in the S. boulardii group (48.5% versus 25.5%; P < 0.05). In outpatient cases, yogurt treatment was cheaper than S. boulardii whereas in hospitalized patients, treatment cost was similar. In conclusion, the effect of daily freshly prepared YF was comparable to S. boulardii in the treatment of acute non-bloody diarrhea in children. The duration of diarrhea was shorter in the S. boulardii group, expressed as a significantly higher number of patients with normal stools on day 3. PMID:20207879

  16. Clinical efficacy comparison of Saccharomyces boulardii and yogurt fluid in acute non-bloody diarrhea in children: a randomized, controlled, open label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eren, Makbule; Dinleyici, Ener C; Vandenplas, Yvan

    2010-03-01

    The purpose of this trial is to evaluate the clinical efficacy and cost/effectiveness of Saccharomyces boulardii compared with yogurt fluid (YF) in acute non-bloody diarrhea in children. This randomized, prospective open-label clinical trial includes 55 children (36 boys, 19 girls; mean age 21.2 +/- 28.2 months). Group A (N = 28) received lyophilized S. boulardii and group B (N = 27) received YF. The duration of diarrhea was shorter with S. boulardii but the hospital stay was reduced with YF, although these differences were not significant. However, diarrhea had resolved in significantly more children on day 3 in the S. boulardii group (48.5% versus 25.5%; P boulardii whereas in hospitalized patients, treatment cost was similar. In conclusion, the effect of daily freshly prepared YF was comparable to S. boulardii in the treatment of acute non-bloody diarrhea in children. The duration of diarrhea was shorter in the S. boulardii group, expressed as a significantly higher number of patients with normal stools on day 3.

  17. A preliminary path analysis of expectancy and patient-provider encounter in an open-label randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulation for cervicogenic headache.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haas, Mitchell; Aickin, Mikel; Vavrek, Darcy

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this article was to present a preliminary model to identify the effects of expectancy of treatment success and the patient-provider encounter (PPE) on outcomes in an open-label randomized trial. Eighty participants with chronic cervicogenic headache (CGH) were randomized to 4 groups: 2 levels of treatment dose (8 or 16) and 2 levels of therapy from a chiropractor (spinal manipulation or light massage). Providers were instructed to have equal enthusiasm for all care. Structural equation modeling with standardized path coefficients (beta) was used in a path analysis to identify the effects of patient expectancy and the PPE on CGH pain. The model included monthly pain from baseline to 12 weeks. Expectancy and PPE were evaluated on Likert scales. The patient-provider encounter was measured as patient perception of chiropractor enthusiasm, confidence, and comfort with care. Baseline patient expectancy was balanced across groups. The PPE measures were balanced across groups and consistent over the 8-week treatment period. Treatment and baseline pain had the strongest effects on pain outcomes (|beta| = .46-.59). Expectations had little effect on pain (abs value(beta) value(beta)= .03-.27) and on subsequent confidence in treatment success (abs value(beta)= .09 and .12). Encouraging equipoise in the PPE and balancing expectancy across treatment groups may protect against some confounding related to the absence of blinding in a randomized controlled trial of pain. In this trial, their effects were found to be small relative to the effects of treatment and baseline values. Copyright 2010 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. A 6-week, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, parallel-group study comparing travoprost 0.004% to latanoprost 0.005% followed by 6-week, open-label treatment with travoprost 0.004%.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maul, Eugenio; Carrasco, Félix Gil; Costa, Vital Paulino; Casiraghi, Javier F; Vargas, Enrique; Sarmina, Judith S; Mayol, Renato

    2007-09-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the tolerability and efficacy of once-daily travoprost 0.004% versus latanoprost 0.005% for 6 weeks followed by 6 weeks of once-daily travoprost 0.004% in decreasing intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension (OH). This multicenter, randomized, doublemasked, active-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted at 32 centers across Latin America. Patients aged > or =18 years with OAG or OH were randomly assigned to receive topical travoprost 0.004% or latanoprost 0.005% 1 drop QD (9 PM) for 6 weeks (masked phase). At 6 weeks, all patients were assigned to receive open-label travoprost 0.004% 1 drop QD (9 PM) for 6 additional weeks (open-label phase). Study visits were scheduled at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12. At each study visit, IOP was measured at 5 PM (+/-1 hour; approximately 20 hours after study drug administration). IOP changes from baseline were combined (pooled) from the 1-, 2-, 4-, and 6-week data to provide a comparison between the 2 treatment groups. Ocular adverse events (AEs) were monitored using slit-lamp examination. A total of 302 patients were enrolled (travoprost group, 155 patients; latanoprost group, 147 patients). The mean (SD) age of the travoprost group was 61.9 (10.6) years; 60.6% were female; and 47.1% were white. The mean (SD) age of the latanoprost group was 60.5 (12.4) years; 62.6% were female; and 49.0% were white. Mean IOP values were not significantly different between the travoprost and latanoprost groups at baseline (24.7 vs 24.2 mm Hg) or 6 weeks; however, the between-group difference in reductions from baseline in pooled IOP during the masked phase of the study was statistically significant (-8.3 vs -7.5 mm Hg; P = 0.009). At weeks 6 and 12, mean lOP levels were 16.1 and 16.2 mm Hg, respectively, in the travoprost group and 16.4 and 16.1 mm Hg in the group that was switched from latanoprost to travoprost (all, P = NS). The most common ocular AEs

  19. Effect of Amygdalus scoparia kernel oil consumption on lipid profile of the patients with dyslipidemia: a randomized, open-label controlled clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zibaeenezhad, Mohammad Javad; Shahamat, Maryam; Mosavat, Seyed Hamdollah; Attar, Armin; Bahramali, Ehsan

    2017-10-03

    Amygdalus scoparia kernel (ASK) oil is traditionally used for Hyperlipidemia. Compared to olive oil, it has higher proportion of unsaturated to saturated fatty acid besides exhibiting higher index of oxidative stability. The lipid-lowering effects of ASK oil however, has not been investigated yet. This study is the first one to evaluate such effects in patients with dyslipidemia. Serum triglyceride levels significantly decreased in the intervention compared to control group (24.80 ± 51.70 vs 3.13 ± 44.80, p -value = 0.03). Serum total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels did not change significantly ( p = 0.28 and p = 0.68 and p = 0.10 respectively). In a double arm, open-label, randomized controlled trial,101 hyperlipidemic patients were recruited. The designation of hyperlipidemia was upon meeting either of the three criteria: having serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level 130-190 (mg/dl), serum triglyceride level 150-400 (mg/dl), and serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level less than 50 (mg/dl) for women and 40 (mg/dl) for men. Patients who have ever been prescribed with an antihyperlipidemic medication were excluded. They were randomly assigned to intervention group, receiving the ASK oil, for 60 days and control group. Serum lipid measurements were repeated at the end of the intervention period. ASK oil supplementation may have a positive effect in reducing serum triglyceride level in patients with dyslipidemia without significant effect on serum cholesterol levels.

  20. Differential Effects of Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors on Clinical Responses and Cerebral Blood Flow Changes in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: A 12-Month, Randomized, and Open-Label Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soichiro Shimizu

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: The present study evaluated the differences in treatment outcomes and brain perfusion changes among 3 types of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AchEIs, i.e. donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine. Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal, randomized, open-label, 3-arm (donepezil, rivastigmine, or galantamine, parallel-group, 12-month clinical trial carried out in 55 patients with AD. Results: At 6 months, the results of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE and the Trail Making Test (TMT-Part A showed an improvement versus baseline in the donepezil treatment group. All groups showed a significant increase in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF, mainly in the frontal lobe. Significant rCBF reduction was observed in the temporal lobe and cingulate gyrus in all 3 groups. Conclusion: AchEI treatment prevents the progression of cognitive impairment and increases the relative rCBF in the frontal lobe.

  1. Comparison of Low-Dose Rosuvastatin with Atorvastatin in Lipid-Lowering Efficacy and Safety in a High-Risk Pakistani Cohort: An Open-Label Randomized Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdul Rehman Arshad

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Treatment of hyperlipidemia is helpful in both primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and stroke. Aim. To compare lipid-lowering efficacy of rosuvastatin with atorvastatin. Methodology. This open-label randomized controlled trial was carried out at 1 Mountain Medical Battalion from September 2012 to August 2013 on patients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, myocardial infarction, or stroke, meriting treatment with a statin. Those with secondary causes of dyslipidemia were excluded. Blood samples for estimation of serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, and LDL-C were collected after a 12-hour fast. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either atorvastatin 10 mg HS or rosuvastatin 5 mg HS daily. Lipid levels were rechecked after six weeks. Results. Atorvastatin was used in 63 patients and rosuvastatin in 66. There was a greater absolute and percent reduction in serum LDL-C levels with rosuvastatin as compared to atorvastatin (0.96 versus 0.54 mg/dL; P=0.011 and 24.34 versus 13.66%; P=0.045, whereas reduction in all other fractions was equal. Myalgias were seen in 5 (7.94% patients treated with atorvastatin and 8 (12.12% patients treated with rosuvastatin (P: 0.432. Conclusion. Rosuvastatin produces a greater reduction in serum LDL-C levels and should therefore be preferred over atorvastatin.

  2. Intramuscular olanzapine versus intramuscular haloperidol plus lorazepam for the treatment of acute schizophrenia with agitation: An open-label, randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Charles Lung-Cheng; Hwang, Tzung-Jeng; Chen, Yi-Hsing; Huang, Guan-Hua; Hsieh, Ming H; Chen, Hsiu-Hsi; Hwu, Hai-Gwo

    2015-05-01

    To compare the efficacy and safety profile between intramuscular (IM) olanzapine and IM haloperidol plus IM lorazepam in acute schizophrenic patients with moderate to severe agitation. This was a prospective, randomized, open-label study. Acutely agitated patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n = 67) were randomized to receive 10 mg IM olanzapine (n = 37) or 5 mg IM haloperidol plus 2 mg IM lorazepam (n = 30). Agitation was measured with Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale Excited Component (PANSS-EC) and Agitation-Calmness Evaluation Scale (ACES) during the first 2 hours and at 24 hours after the first injection. Safety was assessed using the Simpson-Angus Scale and Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale and by recording adverse events at 24 hours following the first injection. The Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale was also rated. The PANSS-EC scores decreased significantly at 2 hours after the first injection in both groups (olanzapine: -10.2, p haloperidol + lorazepam: -9.9, p Haloperidol plus lorazepam was not inferior to olanzapine in reducing agitation at 2 hours. There were no significant differences in PANSS-EC or ACES scores between the two groups within 2 hours following the first injection. The frequencies of adverse events and changes in Clinical Global Impression-Severity, Simpson-Angus Scale, and Barnes Akathisia Rating Scale scores from baseline to 24 hours showed no significant differences between the groups. The findings suggest that IM haloperidol (5 mg) plus lorazepam (2 mg) is not inferior to IM olanzapine (10 mg) in the treatment of acute schizophrenic patients with moderate to severe agitation (ClinialTrials.gov identifier number NCT00797277). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Effect of Vitamin D supplementation on glycemic parameters and progression of prediabetes to diabetes: A 1-year, open-label randomized study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Shafi Kuchay

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Whether Vitamin D supplementation in prediabetes subjects prevents the development of diabetes is a matter of debate, and the results are inconsistent. This open-label, randomized study in subjects with prediabetes evaluated the effect of 12 months of Vitamin D supplementation on glycemic parameters and progression of prediabetes to diabetes in an ethnically homogeneous Kashmiri population. Materials and Methods: A total of 147 subjects were diagnosed as prediabetes out of which 137 subjects were randomized to receive in addition to standard lifestyle measures, either Vitamin D 60,000 IU weekly for 4 weeks and then 60,000 IU monthly (n = 69 or no Vitamin D (n = 68. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG, 2-h plasma glucose and A1C levels were estimated at 0, 6 and 12 months. Changes in FPG, 2-h plasma glucose, A1C level and the proportion of subjects developing diabetes were assessed among 129 subjects. Results: At 12 months, A1C levels were significantly lesser (5.7% ± 0.4% in the Vitamin D supplemented group when compared with non-Vitamin D supplemented (6.0% ± 0.3%. Similarly, FPG (97 ± 7 and 2-h plasma glucose (132 ± 16 were significantly less in Vitamin D supplemented group as compared with non-Vitamin D supplemented group (FPG = 116 ± 6 and 2-h plasma glucose = 157 ± 25 at 12 months. Nine out of 65 in non-Vitamin D supplemented and seven out of 64 in the Vitamin D supplemented group developed diabetes. Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation in prediabetes subjects significantly lowered FPG, 2-h plasma glucose and A1C levels.

  4. EffenDys-Fentanyl Buccal Tablet for the Relief of Episodic Breathlessness in Patients With Advanced Cancer: A Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized, Morphine-Controlled, Crossover, Phase II Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simon, Steffen T; Kloke, Marianne; Alt-Epping, Bernd; Gärtner, Jan; Hellmich, Martin; Hein, Rebecca; Piel, Maren; Cornely, Oliver A; Nauck, Friedemann; Voltz, Raymond

    2016-11-01

    Episodic breathlessness is a frequent and burdensome symptom in cancer patients but pharmacological treatment is limited. To determine time to onset, efficacy, feasibility, and safety of transmucosal fentanyl in comparison to immediate-release morphine for the relief of episodic breathlessness. Phase II, investigator-initiated, multicenter, open-label, randomized, morphine-controlled, crossover trial with open-label titration of fentanyl buccal tablet (FBT) in inpatients with incurable cancer. The primary outcome was time to onset of meaningful breathlessness relief. Secondary outcomes were efficacy (breathlessness intensity difference at 10 and 30 minutes; sum of breathlessness intensity difference at 15 and 60 minutes), feasibility, and safety. Study was approved by local ethics committees. Twenty-five of 1341 patients were eligible, 10 patients agreed to participate (four female, mean age 58 ± 11, mean Karnofsky score 67 ± 11). Two patients died before final visits and two patients dropped-out because of disease progression leaving six patients for analysis with 61 episodes of breathlessness. Mean time to onset was for FBT 12.7 ± 10.0 and for immediate-release morphine 23.6 ± 15.1 minutes with a mean difference of -10.9 minutes (95% CI = -24.5 to 2.7, P = 0.094). Efficacy measures were predominately in favor for FBT. Both interventions were safe. Feasibility failed because of too much study demands for a very ill patient group. The description of a faster and greater relief of episodic breathlessness by transmucosal fentanyl versus morphine justifies further evaluation by a full-powered trial. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Efficacy and safety of saxagliptin in combination with insulin in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a 16-week double-blind randomized controlled trial with a 36-week open-label extension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadowaki, Takashi; Muto, Satsuki; Ouchi, Yoshiumi; Shimazaki, Ryutaro; Seino, Yutaka

    2017-12-01

    We examined the efficacy and safety of saxagliptin as an add-on to insulin in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We randomized 240 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on insulin monotherapy to 5-mg saxagliptin or placebo as add-on therapy for a 16-week, double-blind period. All patients received 5-mg saxagliptin and insulin for an additional 36 weeks (open-label extension). Change in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) at Week 16 was the main endpoint. At Week 16, the adjusted change in HbA1c from baseline increased by 0.51% with placebo and decreased by 0.40% with saxagliptin (difference -0.92% [95% confidence interval -1.07%, -0.76%; p 1]). In patients receiving saxagliptin, reductions in HbA1c at Week 16 were maintained to Week 52, while switching from placebo to saxagliptin resulted in a similar reduction in HbA1c. The incidence of hypoglycemia was not markedly increased with saxagliptin versus placebo in the double-blind period and did not increase substantially during the open-label extension period. The efficacy and safety of saxagliptin was similar between the elderly and non-elderly patient groups. Adding saxagliptin to ongoing insulin therapy improved glycemic control and was well tolerated in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.

  6. Open-label study of donepezil in traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masanic, C A; Bayley, M T; VanReekum, R; Simard, M

    2001-07-01

    To determine preliminarily whether donepezil will improve memory, behavior, and global function after chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI). Sixteen-week open-label study. Outpatient TBI rehabilitation program. Four patients with chronic, severe TBI. Donepezil 5mg daily for 8 weeks followed by 10mg daily for 4 weeks. Memory measures included the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), the Complex Figure Test (CFT), items from the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT), and a semantic fluency task. The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) evaluated behavior and affect. Function was assessed by using the FIM instrument and a clinical global impression of change. On the RAVLT, the mean scores for learning and short- and long-term recall improved by 0.4, 1.04, and.83 standard deviations (SDs) above baseline, respectively. On the CFT, the mean scores for short-term recall and long-term recall improved by 1.56 and 1.38 SDs above baseline, respectively. A positive trend was observed on the RBMT and on the NPI subscales. Donepezil may improve some aspects of memory and behavior in persons with chronic TBI. Randomized clinical trials are required to support these preliminary findings. Copyright 2001 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

  7. Improved Lipid Profile Associated with Daily Consumption of Tri-Sura-Phon in Healthy Overweight Volunteers: An Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sirigoon Kuamsub

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Tri-Sura-Phon (TSP, a traditional Thai polyherbal formula renowned for its rejuvenating properties, is commonly used as a blood tonic. It comprises Cinnamomum bejolghota, Cinnamomum parthenoxylon, and Aquilaria crassna. The aim of this study is to evaluate the beneficial properties of TSP tea consumption on blood glucose regulation and serum lipid profiles of healthy overweight volunteers. This open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted in 70 healthy overweight adults. Two groups of 35 subjects took a TSP infusion or a placebo (cornstarch twice daily for 8 weeks. The blood glucose regulation, serum lipid profiles, BMI, and liver function tests of the subjects were determined at the baseline, 4th week, and endpoint (8th week. Significant decreases in the average fasting levels of total cholesterol (p=0.013, triglyceride (p=0.001, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, p=0.017 were observed in the TSP group at the 8th week compared to those at the baseline. The average HDL level in the TSP group at the beginning of the study was 65.2 mg/dL, and it increased significantly (p=0.005 to 72.4 mg/dL after 8 weeks of TSP intake. This study showed that the intake of TSP tea as an antioxidant-rich beverage might be safe and improve lipid profiles in overweight adults.

  8. Improved Lipid Profile Associated with Daily Consumption of Tri-Sura-Phon in Healthy Overweight Volunteers: An Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuamsub, Sirigoon; Singthong, Pariyaphat; Chanthasri, Wipawee; Chobngam, Nicharee; Sangkaew, Warissara; Hemdecho, Sasithorn; Kaewmanee, Thammarat

    2017-01-01

    Tri-Sura-Phon (TSP), a traditional Thai polyherbal formula renowned for its rejuvenating properties, is commonly used as a blood tonic. It comprises Cinnamomum bejolghota, Cinnamomum parthenoxylon, and Aquilaria crassna. The aim of this study is to evaluate the beneficial properties of TSP tea consumption on blood glucose regulation and serum lipid profiles of healthy overweight volunteers. This open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted in 70 healthy overweight adults. Two groups of 35 subjects took a TSP infusion or a placebo (cornstarch) twice daily for 8 weeks. The blood glucose regulation, serum lipid profiles, BMI, and liver function tests of the subjects were determined at the baseline, 4th week, and endpoint (8th week). Significant decreases in the average fasting levels of total cholesterol (p = 0.013), triglyceride (p = 0.001), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, p = 0.017) were observed in the TSP group at the 8th week compared to those at the baseline. The average HDL level in the TSP group at the beginning of the study was 65.2 mg/dL, and it increased significantly (p = 0.005) to 72.4 mg/dL after 8 weeks of TSP intake. This study showed that the intake of TSP tea as an antioxidant-rich beverage might be safe and improve lipid profiles in overweight adults. PMID:28484502

  9. Improved Lipid Profile Associated with Daily Consumption of Tri-Sura-Phon in Healthy Overweight Volunteers: An Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuamsub, Sirigoon; Singthong, Pariyaphat; Chanthasri, Wipawee; Chobngam, Nicharee; Sangkaew, Warissara; Hemdecho, Sasithorn; Kaewmanee, Thammarat; Chusri, Sasitorn

    2017-01-01

    Tri-Sura-Phon (TSP), a traditional Thai polyherbal formula renowned for its rejuvenating properties, is commonly used as a blood tonic. It comprises Cinnamomum bejolghota , Cinnamomum parthenoxylon , and Aquilaria crassna . The aim of this study is to evaluate the beneficial properties of TSP tea consumption on blood glucose regulation and serum lipid profiles of healthy overweight volunteers. This open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted in 70 healthy overweight adults. Two groups of 35 subjects took a TSP infusion or a placebo (cornstarch) twice daily for 8 weeks. The blood glucose regulation, serum lipid profiles, BMI, and liver function tests of the subjects were determined at the baseline, 4th week, and endpoint (8th week). Significant decreases in the average fasting levels of total cholesterol ( p = 0.013), triglyceride ( p = 0.001), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, p = 0.017) were observed in the TSP group at the 8th week compared to those at the baseline. The average HDL level in the TSP group at the beginning of the study was 65.2 mg/dL, and it increased significantly ( p = 0.005) to 72.4 mg/dL after 8 weeks of TSP intake. This study showed that the intake of TSP tea as an antioxidant-rich beverage might be safe and improve lipid profiles in overweight adults.

  10. Probiotics in diverticular disease of the colon: an open label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamiki, Pepu; Tsuchiya, Junji; Pathak, Surajit; Okura, Ruichi; Solimene, Umberto; Jain, Shalini; Kawakita, Shichiro; Marotta, Francesco

    2010-03-01

    To investigate the effectiveness and safety of a symbiotic mixture in preventing recurrence of constipation-related abdominal pain in patients with uncomplicated diverticular disease of the colon. Forty-six consecutive patients (10 men, 36 women, mean age 62.5 years, range 49 to 77 years), previously affected by symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease of the colon, were enrolled in a 6-month follow-up study in a prospective, randomized, open-label study. The following symptoms were assessed at entry and through follow-up by using a quantitative scale: constipation, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. After recruitment, the patients were assigned to the following treatment: SCM-III symbiotic mixture, 10 ml three times a day. The colonization of ingested Lactobacillus acidophilus 145 and Bifidobacterium spp. 420 was assessed by species-specific PCR. Forty-five patients completed the study (97%). Thirty-one patients (68%) were still symptom free after the 6th month of treatment. Treatment with SCM-III was regarded as "effective" or "very effective" in more than 78% of the patients altogether (pdiverticular disease of the colon, especially in those patients with constipation-predominant features.

  11. An open-label Optional Titration Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An eight-week open-label optional titration trial to evaluate the efficacy, tolerability and safety of Valsartan 80 mg/ & 160 mg once daily was carried out in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. There was a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood ...

  12. Open-Label Trial of Atomoxetine Hydrochloride in Adults with ADHD

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Mats; Cederlund, Mats; Rastam, Maria; Areskoug, Bjorn; Gillberg, Christopher

    2010-01-01

    Background: While atomoxetine is an established treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children, few studies have examined its efficacy for adults. Methods: Open-label trial of atomoxetine in 20 individuals with ADHD, aged 19-47 years, for 10 weeks, and a total of one year for responders. Results: Ten patients met primary…

  13. Ethosuximide for Essential Tremor: An Open-Label Trial

    OpenAIRE

    Gironell, Alexandre; Marin-Lahoz, Juan

    2016-01-01

    Background: T-type calcium channel activation has been postulated to underlie rhythmicity in the olivo-cerebellar system that is implicated in ET. Ethosuximide reduces T-type calcium currents and can suppress tremor in two animal models of ET. We explored the effects of ethosuximide in subjects with ET in an open-label trial using both clinical scales and accelerometric recordings measures. We initially planned to conduct the trial with 15 patients, but due to lack of efficacy and a high inci...

  14. Multi-Label Learning via Random Label Selection for Protein Subcellular Multi-Locations Prediction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiao; Li, Guo-Zheng

    2013-03-12

    Prediction of protein subcellular localization is an important but challenging problem, particularly when proteins may simultaneously exist at, or move between, two or more different subcellular location sites. Most of the existing protein subcellular localization methods are only used to deal with the single-location proteins. In the past few years, only a few methods have been proposed to tackle proteins with multiple locations. However, they only adopt a simple strategy, that is, transforming the multi-location proteins to multiple proteins with single location, which doesn't take correlations among different subcellular locations into account. In this paper, a novel method named RALS (multi-label learning via RAndom Label Selection), is proposed to learn from multi-location proteins in an effective and efficient way. Through five-fold cross validation test on a benchmark dataset, we demonstrate our proposed method with consideration of label correlations obviously outperforms the baseline BR method without consideration of label correlations, indicating correlations among different subcellular locations really exist and contribute to improvement of prediction performance. Experimental results on two benchmark datasets also show that our proposed methods achieve significantly higher performance than some other state-of-the-art methods in predicting subcellular multi-locations of proteins. The prediction web server is available at http://levis.tongji.edu.cn:8080/bioinfo/MLPred-Euk/ for the public usage.

  15. An Open-Label Trial of Escitalopram in Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owley, Thomas; Walton, Laura; Salt, Jeff; Guter, Stephen J., Jr.; Winnega, Marrea; Leventhal, Bennett L.; Cook, Edwin H., Jr.

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To assess the effect of escitalopram in the treatment of pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). Method: This 10-week study had a forced titration, open-label design. Twenty-eight subjects (mean age 125.1 [+ or -] 33.5 months) with a PDD received escitalopram at a dose that increased weekly to a maximum dose of 20 mg as tolerated. The…

  16. Oral versus intramuscular cobalamin treatment in megaloblastic anemia: a single-center, prospective, randomized, open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolaman, Zahit; Kadikoylu, Gurhan; Yukselen, Vahit; Yavasoglu, Irfan; Barutca, Sabri; Senturk, Taskin

    2003-12-01

    Cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency, the most common cause of megaloblastic anemia, is treated with intramuscular (IM) cobalamin. It has been suggested by some investigators that oral (p.o.) cobalamin treatment may be as effective in the treatment of this condition, with the advantages of ease of administration and lower cost. This study assessed the effects and cost of p.o. versus i.m. cobalamin treatment in patients with megaloblastic anemia due to cobalamin deficiency. This was a 90-day, prospective, randomized, open-label study conducted at the Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Adnan Menderes University Research and Practice Hospital (Aydin, Turkey). Patients aged > or =16 years with megaloblastic anemia due to cobalamin deficiency were randomized to receive 1000-microg cobalamin p.o. once daily for 10 days (p.o. group) or 1000-microg cobalamin i.m. once daily for 10 days (i.m. group). After 10 days, both treatments were administered once a week for 4 weeks, and after that, once a month for life. Patients were assessed for the presence of reticulocytosis between treatment days 5 and 10 until it was detected. Therapeutic effectiveness was assessed by measuring hematologic parameters on days 0, 10, 30, and 90 and serum vitamin B12 concentration on days 0 and 90. The Mini-Mental State Examination was used before and after the B12 therapy for cognitive function assessment and 125-Hz diapozone was used for vibration threshold testing. Neurologic sensory assessment, including soft-touch and pinprick examinations, was used to identify neuropathy at baseline and study end. Tolerability was assessed using laboratory tests and patient interview. Cost was assessed using the cost of the study drug and of the injection. Sixty patients completed the study 26 in the p.o. group (16 men, 10 women; mean [SD] age, 60 [15] years) and 34 in the i.m. group (17 men, 17 women; mean [SD] age, 64 [10] years). Reticulocytosis was observed in all patients. In the p

  17. D Semantic Labeling of ALS Data Based on Domain Adaption by Transferring and Fusing Random Forest Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, J.; Yao, W.; Zhang, J.; Li, Y.

    2018-04-01

    Labeling 3D point cloud data with traditional supervised learning methods requires considerable labelled samples, the collection of which is cost and time expensive. This work focuses on adopting domain adaption concept to transfer existing trained random forest classifiers (based on source domain) to new data scenes (target domain), which aims at reducing the dependence of accurate 3D semantic labeling in point clouds on training samples from the new data scene. Firstly, two random forest classifiers were firstly trained with existing samples previously collected for other data. They were different from each other by using two different decision tree construction algorithms: C4.5 with information gain ratio and CART with Gini index. Secondly, four random forest classifiers adapted to the target domain are derived through transferring each tree in the source random forest models with two types of operations: structure expansion and reduction-SER and structure transfer-STRUT. Finally, points in target domain are labelled by fusing the four newly derived random forest classifiers using weights of evidence based fusion model. To validate our method, experimental analysis was conducted using 3 datasets: one is used as the source domain data (Vaihingen data for 3D Semantic Labelling); another two are used as the target domain data from two cities in China (Jinmen city and Dunhuang city). Overall accuracies of 85.5 % and 83.3 % for 3D labelling were achieved for Jinmen city and Dunhuang city data respectively, with only 1/3 newly labelled samples compared to the cases without domain adaption.

  18. Dextrose boluses versus burette dextrose infusions in prevention of hypoglycemia among preterms admitted at Mulago Hospital: an open label randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kutamba, E; Lubega, S; Mugalu, J; Ouma, J; Mupere, E

    2014-09-01

    Hypoglycemia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among preterm infants and its management remains a challenge in resource limited settings. Use of dextrose infusion by the recommended infusion pumps is not feasible in our environment due to their high costs and yet the current use of mini dextrose boluses with syringes as adapted at Mulago national referral and tertiary teaching hospital has unknown efficacy in prevention of hypoglycemia. We determined the efficacy of dextrose infusions by burettes versus two hourly dextrose boluses in prevention of hypoglycemia among preterms admitted in the first 72 hours at Special Care Unit, Mulago Hospital. One hundred and forty preterms aged 0 to 24 hours of life were randomized to receive 10% IV dextrose either as mini boluses or by infusion using burettes in an open label clinical trial. Blood glucose was measured at 0, two hourly for next 6 hours, 6 hourly for next 12 hours and thereafter 12 hourly until end of 72 hours following admission. Primary end point was incidence of hypoglycemia (random blood sugar (RBS) dextrose infusion was computed using 1-RR. From February 2012 to April 2012, 68 preterms in the bolus arm and 72 in the infusion arm were studied. Hypoglycemia was detected in 34% (48/140). The incidence of hypoglycemia in the bolus arm was 59% (40/68) compared to 11% (8/72) in the infusion arm (RR; 0.19, 95% CI; 0.09-0.37). Efficacy (1-RR) of infusion by burettes versus boluses in prevention of hypoglycemia among preterms was 0.81 (95% CI; 0.63-0.90). Continuous 10% dextrose infusion by burettes reduced the incidence of hypoglycemia by 81% in the first 72 hours of admission compared to two hourly 10% mini dextrose boluses among preterms admitted at Special Care Unit, Mulago Hospital. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01688674).

  19. Sudarshan Kriya yoga improves quality of life in healthy people living with HIV (PLHIV: results from an open label randomized clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N Mawar

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives: Improving quality of life (QOL of healthy people living with HIV (PLHIV is critical needing home-based, long-term strategy. Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY intervention is acknowledged for its positive impact on health. It is hypothesised that SKY would improve PLHIV′s QOL, justifying an evaluation. Methods: In this open label randomized controlled pilot trial, 61 adult PLHIV with CD4 count more than 400 cells/µl and Karnofsky scale score above 70 were enrolled. Those with cardiac disease, jaundice, tuberculosis, or on antiretroviral therapy/yoga intervention were excluded. All were given standard care, randomized to SKY intervention (31: I-SKY and only standard of care in control (30: O-SOC arms. The I-SKY participants were trained for six days to prepare for daily practice of SKY at home for 30 min. A validated 31-item WHOQOL-HIVBREF questionnaire was used to document effect in both arms from baseline to three visits at 4 wk interval. Results: Baseline QOL scores, hypertension and CD4 count were similar in both arms. An overall 6 per cent improvement of QOL scores was observed in I-SKY group as compared to O-SOC group, after controlling for baseline variables like age, gender, education and occupation ( p0 =0.016; 12 per cent for physical ( p0 =0.004, 11 per cent psychological ( p0 =0.023 and 9 per cent level of independence ( p0 =0.001 domains. Improvement in I-SKY observed at post-training and in the SKY adherence group showed increase in these two domains. Conclusions: A significant improvement in QOL scores was observed for the three health related QOL domains in SKY intervention arm. This low cost strategy improved physical and psychological state of PLHIV calling for upscaling with effective monitoring for sustainability of quality of life.

  20. Bone health nutraceuticals alter microarray mRNA gene expression: A randomized, parallel, open-label clinical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yumei; Kazlova, Valentina; Ramakrishnan, Shyam; Murray, Mary A; Fast, David; Chandra, Amitabh; Gellenbeck, Kevin W

    2016-01-15

    Dietary intake of fruits and vegetables has been suggested to have a role in promoting bone health. More specifically, the polyphenols they contain have been linked to physiological effects related to bone mineral density and bone metabolism. In this research, we use standard microarray analyses of peripheral whole blood from post-menopausal women treated with two fixed combinations of plant extracts standardized to polyphenol content to identify differentially expressed genes relevant to bone health. In this 28-day open-label study, healthy post-menopausal women were randomized into three groups, each receiving one of three investigational fixed combinations of plant extracts: an anti-resorptive (AR) combination of pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) and grape seed (Vitis vinifera L.) extracts; a bone formation (BF) combination of quercetin (Dimorphandra mollis Benth) and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) extracts; and a fixed combination of all four plant extracts (AR plus BF). Standard microarray analysis was performed on peripheral whole blood samples taken before and after each treatment. Annotated genes were analyzed for their association to bone health by comparison to a gene library. The AR combination down-regulated a number of genes involved in reduction of bone resorption including cathepsin G (CTSG) and tachykinin receptor 1 (TACR1). The AR combination also up-regulated genes associated with formation of extracellular matrix including heparan sulfate proteoglycan 2 (HSPG2) and hyaluronoglucosaminidase 1 (HYAL1). In contrast, treatment with the BF combination resulted in up-regulation of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) and COL1A1 (collagen type I α1) genes which are linked to bone and collagen formation while down-regulating genes linked to osteoclastogenesis. Treatment with a combination of all four plant extracts had a distinctly different effect on gene expression than the results of the AR and BF combinations individually. These results could

  1. Assessment of strategies for switching patients from olanzapine to risperidone: A randomized, open-label, rater-blinded study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berry Sally A

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In clinical practice, physicians often need to change the antipsychotic medications they give to patients because of an inadequate response or the presence of unacceptable or unsafe side effects. However, there is a lack of consensus in the field as to the optimal switching strategy for antipsychotics, especially with regards to the speed at which the dose of the previous antipsychotic should be reduced. This paper assesses the short-term results of strategies for the discontinuation of olanzapine when initiating risperidone. Methods In a 6-week, randomized, open-label, rater-blinded study, patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, on a stable drug dose for more than 30 days at entry, who were intolerant of or exhibiting a suboptimal symptom response to more than 30 days of olanzapine treatment, were randomly assigned to the following switch strategies (common risperidone initiation scheme; varying olanzapine discontinuation: (i abrupt strategy, where olanzapine was discontinued at risperidone initiation; (ii gradual 1 strategy, where olanzapine was given at 50% entry dose for 1 week after risperidone initiation and then discontinued; or (iii gradual 2 strategy, where olanzapine was given at 100% entry dose for 1 week, then at 50% in the second week, and then discontinued. Results The study enrolled 123 patients on stable doses of olanzapine. Their mean age was 40.3 years and mean (± standard deviation (SD baseline Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS total score of 75.6 ± 11.5. All-cause treatment discontinuation was lowest (12% in the group with the slowest olanzapine dose reduction (gradual 2 and occurred at half the discontinuation rate in the other two groups (25% in abrupt and 28% in gradual 1. The relative risk of early discontinuation was 0.77 (confidence interval 0.61–0.99 for the slowest dose reduction compared with the other two strategies. After the medication was changed, improvements at

  2. The effectiveness, reproducibility, and durability of tailored mobile coaching on diabetes management in policyholders: A randomized, controlled, open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Da Young; Park, Jeongwoon; Choi, Dooah; Ahn, Hong-Yup; Park, Sung-Woo; Park, Cheol-Young

    2018-02-26

    This randomized, controlled, open-label study conducted in Kangbuk Samsung Hospital evaluated the effectiveness, reproducibility, and durability of tailored mobile coaching (TMC) on diabetes management. The participants included 148 Korean adult policyholders with type 2 diabetes divided into the Intervention-Maintenance (I-M) group (n = 74) and Control-Intervention (C-I) group (n = 74). Intervention was the addition of TMC to typical diabetes care. In the 6-month phase 1, the I-M group received TMC, and the C-I group received their usual diabetes care. During the second 6-month phase 2, the C-I group received TMC, and the I-M group received only regular information messages. After the 6-month phase 1, a significant decrease (0.6%) in HbA1c levels compared with baseline values was observed in only the I-M group (from 8.1 ± 1.4% to 7.5 ± 1.1%, P < 0.001 based on a paired t-test). At the end of phase 2, HbA1c levels in the C-I group decreased by 0.6% compared with the value at 6 months (from 7.9 ± 1.5 to 7.3 ± 1.0, P < 0.001 based on a paired t-test). In the I-M group, no changes were observed. Both groups showed significant improvements in frequency of blood-glucose testing and exercise. In conclusion, addition of TMC to conventional treatment for diabetes improved glycemic control, and this effect was maintained without individualized message feedback.

  3. Effects of low calcium dialysate on the progression of coronary artery calcification in hemodialysis patients: An open-label 12-month randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Soo Jin; Lee, Young-Ki; Oh, Jieun; Cho, AJin; Noh, Jung Woo

    2017-09-15

    The association between the dialysate calcium level and coronary artery calcification (CAC) has not yet been evaluated in hemodialysis patients. The objective of this study was to determine whether lowering the dialysate calcium levels would decrease the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC) compared to using standard calcium dialysate. We conducted an open-label randomized trial with parallel groups. The patients were randomly assigned to either 12-month treatment with low calcium dialysate (LCD; 1.25mmol/L, n=36) or standard calcium dialysate (SCD; 1.5mmol/L, n=40). The primary outcome was the change in the CAC scores assessed by 64-slice multidetector computed tomography after 12months. During the treatment period, CAC scores increased in both groups, especially significant in LCD group (402.5±776.8, 580.5±1011.9, P=0.004). When we defined progressors as patients at second and third tertiles of CAC changes, progressor group had a higher proportion of LCD-treated patients than SCD-treated patients (P=0.0229). In multivariate analysis, LCD treatment is a significant risk factor for increase in CAC scores (odds ratio=5.720, 95% CI: 1.219-26.843, P=0.027). Use of LCD may accelerate the progression of CAC in patients with chronic hemodialysis over a 12-month period. Clinical Research Information Service [Internet]; Osong (Chungcheongbuk-do): Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ministry of Health and Welfare (Republic of Korea), 2010: KCT0000942. Available from: https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/search_result_st01_kren.jsp?seq=3572&sLeft=2&type=my. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Flash Glucose-Sensing Technology as a Replacement for Blood Glucose Monitoring for the Management of Insulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes: a Multicenter, Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haak, Thomas; Hanaire, Hélène; Ajjan, Ramzi; Hermanns, Norbert; Riveline, Jean-Pierre; Rayman, Gerry

    2017-02-01

    Glycemic control in participants with insulin-treated diabetes remains challenging. We assessed safety and efficacy of new flash glucose-sensing technology to replace self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). This open-label randomized controlled study (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02082184) enrolled adults with type 2 diabetes on intensive insulin therapy from 26 European diabetes centers. Following 2 weeks of blinded sensor wear, 2:1 (intervention/control) randomization (centrally, using biased-coin minimization dependant on study center and insulin administration) was to control (SMBG) or intervention (glucose-sensing technology). Participants and investigators were not masked to group allocation. Primary outcome was difference in HbA1c at 6 months in the full analysis set. Prespecified secondary outcomes included time in hypoglycemia, effect of age, and patient satisfaction. Participants (n = 224) were randomized (149 intervention, 75 controls). At 6 months, there was no difference in the change in HbA1c between intervention and controls: -3.1 ± 0.75 mmol/mol, [-0.29 ± 0.07% (mean ± SE)] and -3.4 ± 1.04 mmol/mol (-0.31 ± 0.09%) respectively; p = 0.8222. A difference was detected in participants aged glucose-sensing technology use in type 2 diabetes with intensive insulin therapy results in no difference in HbA1c change and reduced hypoglycemia, thus offering a safe, effective replacement for SMBG. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02082184. Abbott Diabetes Care.

  5. Intra-ocular pressure-lowering effects of a Rho kinase inhibitor, ripasudil (K-115), over 24 hours in primary open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension: a randomized, open-label, crossover study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanihara, Hidenobu; Inoue, Toshihiro; Yamamoto, Tetsuya; Kuwayama, Yasuaki; Abe, Haruki; Suganami, Hideki; Araie, Makoto

    2015-06-01

    To investigate the intra-ocular pressure (IOP)-lowering effects of a selective Rho kinase inhibitor, ripasudil (K-115), over 24 hr in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) or ocular hypertension (OHT). In this multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, 3-period, Latin-square crossover clinical study, 28 patients with POAG or OHT whose IOP level was 21 mmHg or higher were subdivided into three groups. Each patient was treated with placebo and ripasudil in concentrations of 0.2 and 0.4%, at 9:00 and 21:00 on day 1 through a total of 3 periods separated by washout periods. IOP was measured at 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 13:00, 16:00, 19:00, 21:00, 22:00 and 23:00 on day 1, and 1:00, 4:00, 7:00 and 9:00 on day 2 in sitting position using Goldmann applanation tonometer. Main outcome measure was the IOP reduction of placebo and ripasudil from baseline. The mean IOP reduction was -5.2 mmHg for 0.2%, -6.4 mmHg for 0.4% and -2.0 mmHg for placebo at 2 hr after the first instillation. Also, the corresponding values were -6.8 mmHg for 0.2%, -7.3 mmHg for 0.4% and -4.1 mmHg for placebo at 2 hr after the second instillation. Statistically significant IOP reduction, compared with placebo, was found for both 0.2 and 0.4% from 1 through 7 hr after each instillation. In safety, conjunctival hyperaemia was observed in 22 patients (79%) for 0.2%, 27 patients (96%) for 0.4% and three patients (11%) for placebo. Ripasudil is a promising new topical medication to lower IOP for at least 7 hr after instillations in patients with POAG or OHT. © 2014 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Metformin Treatment in Type 2 Diabetes in Pregnancy: An Active Controlled, Parallel-Group, Randomized, Open Label Study in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Pregnancy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jahan Ara Ainuddin

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Aims. To assess the effect of metformin and to compare it with insulin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes in pregnancy in terms of perinatal outcome, maternal complications, additional insulin requirement, and treatment acceptability. Methods. In this randomized, open label study, 206 patients with type 2 diabetes in pregnancy who met the eligibility criteria were selected from the antenatal clinics. Insulin was added to metformin treatment when required, to maintain the target glycemic control. The patients were followed up till delivery. Maternal, and perinatal outcomes and pharmacotherapeutic characteristics were recorded on a proforma. Results. Maternal characteristics were comparable in metformin and insulin treated group. 84.9% patients in metformin group required add-on insulin therapy at mean gestational age of 26.58 ± 3.85 weeks. Less maternal weight gain (P24 hours in metformin group (P<0.01. Significant reduction in cost of treatment was found in metformin group. Conclusion. Metformin alone or with add-on insulin is an effective and cheap treatment option for patients with type 2 diabetes in pregnancy. This trial is registered with clinical trial registration number: Clinical trials.gov NCT01855763.

  7. Metformin treatment in type 2 diabetes in pregnancy: an active controlled, parallel-group, randomized, open label study in patients with type 2 diabetes in pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ainuddin, Jahan Ara; Karim, Nasim; Zaheer, Sidra; Ali, Syed Sanwer; Hasan, Anjum Ara

    2015-01-01

    To assess the effect of metformin and to compare it with insulin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes in pregnancy in terms of perinatal outcome, maternal complications, additional insulin requirement, and treatment acceptability. In this randomized, open label study, 206 patients with type 2 diabetes in pregnancy who met the eligibility criteria were selected from the antenatal clinics. Insulin was added to metformin treatment when required, to maintain the target glycemic control. The patients were followed up till delivery. Maternal, and perinatal outcomes and pharmacotherapeutic characteristics were recorded on a proforma. Maternal characteristics were comparable in metformin and insulin treated group. 84.9% patients in metformin group required add-on insulin therapy at mean gestational age of 26.58 ± 3.85 weeks. Less maternal weight gain (P pregnancy induced hypertension (P = 0.029) were observed in metformin treated group. Small for date babies were more in metformin group (P 24 hours in metformin group (P metformin group. Metformin alone or with add-on insulin is an effective and cheap treatment option for patients with type 2 diabetes in pregnancy. This trial is registered with clinical trial registration number: Clinical trials.gov NCT01855763.

  8. Effect of heart failure reversal treatment as add-on therapy in patients with chronic heart failure: A randomized, open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sane, Rohit; Aklujkar, Abhijeet; Patil, Atul; Mandole, Rahul

    The present study was designed to evaluate effect of heart failure reversal therapy (HFRT) using herbal procedure (panchakarma) and allied therapies, as add-on to standard CHF treatment (SCT) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. This open-label, randomized study conducted in CHF patients (aged: 25-65 years, ejection fraction: 30-65%), had 3-phases: 1-week screening, 6-week treatment (randomized [1:1] to HFRT+SCT or SCT-alone) and follow-up (12-week). Twice weekly HFRT (60-75min) consisting of snehana (external oleation), swedana (passive heat therapy), hrudaydhara (concoction dripping treatment) and basti (enema) was administered. Primary endpoints included evaluation of change in metabolic equivalents of task (MET) and peak oxygen uptake (VO 2peak ) from baseline, at end of 6-week treatment and follow-up at week-18 (non-parametric rank ANCOVA analysis). Safety and quality of life (QoL) was assessed. Seventy CHF patients (n=35, each treatment-arm; mean [SD] age: 53.0 [8.6], 80% men) were enrolled in the study. All patients completed treatment phase. Add-on HFRT caused a significant increase in METs (least square mean difference [LSMD], 6-week: 1.536, p=0.0002; 18-week: -1.254, p=0.0089) and VO 2peak (LSMD, 6-week: -5.52, p=0.0002; 18-week: -4.517, p=0.0089) as compared with SCT-alone. Results were suggestive of improved functional capacity in patients with HFRT (QoL; Mean [SD] HFRT+SCT vs. SCT-alone; 6-week: -0.44 [0.34] vs. -0.06 [0.25], p<0.0001 and 18-week: -0.53 [0.35] vs. -0.29 [0.26], p=0.0013). Seven treatment-emergent adverse events (mild severity) were reported in HFRT-arm. Findings of this study highlight therapeutic efficacy of add-on HFRT vs. SCT-alone in CHF patients. The non-invasive HFRT showed no safety concerns. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Effects of quetiapine and olanzapine in patients with psychosis and violent behavior: a pilot randomized, open-label, comparative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gobbi G

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Gabriella Gobbi,1,2 Stefano Comai,1 Guy Debonnel1,2,† 1Neurobiological Psychiatric Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University and McGill University Health Center, 2Institut Philippe Pinel, Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada †Guy Debonnel passed away on November 4, 2006 Objective: Patients suffering from psychosis are more likely than the general population to commit aggressive acts, but the therapeutics of aggressive behavior are still a matter of debate. Methods: This pilot randomized, open-label study compared the efficacy of quetiapine versus olanzapine in reducing impulsive and aggressive behaviors (primary endpoints and psychotic symptoms (secondary endpoints from baseline to days 1, 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, and 70, in 15 violent schizophrenic patients hospitalized in a maximum-security psychiatric hospital. Results: Quetiapine (525±45 mg and olanzapine (18.5±4.8 mg were both efficacious in reducing Impulsivity Rating Scale from baseline to day 70. In addition, both treatments reduced the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and Clinical Global Impression Scale scores at day 70 compared to baseline, and no differences were observed between treatments. Moreover, quetiapine, but not olanzapine, yielded an improvement of depressive symptoms in the items “depression” in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and “blunted affect” in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale. Modified Overt Aggression Scale scores were also decreased from baseline to the endpoint, but due to the limited number of patients, it was not possible to detect a significant difference. Conclusion: In this pilot study, quetiapine and olanzapine equally decreased impulsive and psychotic symptoms after 8 weeks of treatment. Double-blind, large studies are needed to confirm the validity of these two treatments in highly aggressive and violent schizophrenic patients. Keywords: schizophrenia, aggression

  10. 3D SEMANTIC LABELING OF ALS DATA BASED ON DOMAIN ADAPTION BY TRANSFERRING AND FUSING RANDOM FOREST MODELS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Wu

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Labeling 3D point cloud data with traditional supervised learning methods requires considerable labelled samples, the collection of which is cost and time expensive. This work focuses on adopting domain adaption concept to transfer existing trained random forest classifiers (based on source domain to new data scenes (target domain, which aims at reducing the dependence of accurate 3D semantic labeling in point clouds on training samples from the new data scene. Firstly, two random forest classifiers were firstly trained with existing samples previously collected for other data. They were different from each other by using two different decision tree construction algorithms: C4.5 with information gain ratio and CART with Gini index. Secondly, four random forest classifiers adapted to the target domain are derived through transferring each tree in the source random forest models with two types of operations: structure expansion and reduction-SER and structure transfer-STRUT. Finally, points in target domain are labelled by fusing the four newly derived random forest classifiers using weights of evidence based fusion model. To validate our method, experimental analysis was conducted using 3 datasets: one is used as the source domain data (Vaihingen data for 3D Semantic Labelling; another two are used as the target domain data from two cities in China (Jinmen city and Dunhuang city. Overall accuracies of 85.5 % and 83.3 % for 3D labelling were achieved for Jinmen city and Dunhuang city data respectively, with only 1/3 newly labelled samples compared to the cases without domain adaption.

  11. Safety and efficacy of pregabalin in adolescents with fibromyalgia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and a 6-month open-label extension study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnold, Lesley M; Schikler, Kenneth N; Bateman, Lucinda; Khan, Tahira; Pauer, Lynne; Bhadra-Brown, Pritha; Clair, Andrew; Chew, Marci L; Scavone, Joseph

    2016-07-30

    Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common pain condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain and tenderness. Pregabalin is an approved treatment for adults in the United States, but there are no approved treatments for adolescents with FM. This was a 15-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study and 6-month open-label safety trial of flexible-dose pregabalin (75-450 mg/day) for the treatment of adolescents (12-17 years) with FM. Primary outcome was change in mean pain score at endpoint (scored from 0-10, with 24-h recall). Secondary outcomes included global assessments and measures of pain, sleep, and FM impact. A total of 107 subjects were randomized to treatment (54 pregabalin, 53 placebo) and 80 completed the study (44 pregabalin, 36 placebo). Improvement in mean pain score at endpoint with pregabalin versus placebo was not statistically significant, treatment difference (95 % CI), -0.66 (-1.51, 0.18), P = 0.121. There were significant improvements with pregabalin versus placebo in secondary outcomes of change in pain score by week (P recall), treatment difference (95 % CI), -0.87 (-1.68, -0.05), P = 0.037; and patient global impression of change, 53.1 % versus 29.5 % very much or much improved (P = 0.013). Trends toward improvement with pregabalin in other secondary outcomes measuring pain, sleep, and FM impact were not significant. Safety was consistent with the known profile of pregabalin in adults with FM. Pregabalin did not significantly improve the mean pain score in adolescents with FM. There were significant improvements in secondary outcomes measuring pain and impression of change. NCT01020474 ; NCT01020526 .

  12. Safety of a new compact catheter for men with neurogenic bladder dysfunction: a randomised, crossover and open-labelled study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chartier-Kastler, E; Lauge, I; Ruffion, A

    2011-01-01

    Self-catheterising males aged =18 years with spinal cord lesion and normal/impaired urethral sensation were enrolled in this comparative, randomised, crossover and open-labelled multicentre trial.......Self-catheterising males aged =18 years with spinal cord lesion and normal/impaired urethral sensation were enrolled in this comparative, randomised, crossover and open-labelled multicentre trial....

  13. An accelerated dose escalation with a grass pollen allergoid is safe and well-tolerated: a randomized open label phase II trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaker, A M; Al-Kadah, B; Luther, U; Neumann, U; Wagenmann, M

    2015-01-01

    The number of injections in the dose escalation of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is small for some currently used hypoallergenic allergoids, but can still be inconvenient to patients and can impair compliance. The aim of this trial was to compare safety and tolerability of an accelerated to the conventional dose escalation scheme of a grass pollen allergoid. In an open label phase II trial, 122 patients were 1:1 randomized for SCIT using a grass pollen allergoid with an accelerated dose escalation comprising only 4 weekly injections (Group I) or a conventional dose escalation including 7 weekly injections (Group II). Safety determination included the occurrence of local and systemic adverse events. Tolerability was assessed by patients and physicians. Treatment-related adverse events were observed in 22 (36.1 %) patients in Group I and 15 (24.6 %) in Group II. Local reactions were reported by 18 patients in Group I and 11 in Group II. Five Grade 1 systemic reactions (WAO classification) were observed in Group I and 2 in Group II. Grade 2 reactions occurred 3 times in Group I and 2 times in Group II. Tolerability was rated as "good" or "very good" by 53 (86.9 %) patients in Group I and 59 (100 %) in Group II by investigators. Forty-eight patients in Group I (80.0 %) and 54 in Group II (91.5 %) rated tolerability as "good" or "very good". The dose escalation of a grass pollen allergoid can be accelerated with safety and tolerability profiles comparable to the conventional dose escalation.

  14. Safety of a new compact catheter for men with neurogenic bladder dysfunction: a randomised, crossover and open-labelled study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chartier-Kastler, E; Lauge, I; Ruffion, A

    2011-01-01

    Self-catheterising males aged ≥18 years with spinal cord lesion and normal/impaired urethral sensation were enrolled in this comparative, randomised, crossover and open-labelled multicentre trial.......Self-catheterising males aged ≥18 years with spinal cord lesion and normal/impaired urethral sensation were enrolled in this comparative, randomised, crossover and open-labelled multicentre trial....

  15. An Open-Label, Randomized Trial of Methylphenidate and Atomoxetine Treatment in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shang, Chi-Yung; Pan, Yi-Lei; Lin, Hsiang-Yuan; Huang, Lin-Wan; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

    2015-09-01

    The efficacy of both methylphenidate and atomoxetine has been established in placebo-controlled trials. The present study aimed to directly compare the efficacy of methylphenidate and atomoxetine in improving symptoms among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study sample included 160 drug-naïve children and adolescents 7-16 years of age, with DSM-IV-defined ADHD, randomly assigned to osmotic-release oral system methylphenidate (OROS-methylphenidate) (n=80) and atomoxetine (n=80) in a 24 week, open-label, head-to-head clinical trial. The primary efficacy measure was the score of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV Parents Version: Investigator Administered and Scored (ADHD-RS-IV). The secondary efficacy measures included the Clinical Global Impressions-ADHD-Severity (CGI-ADHD-S) and Chinese Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham IV scale (SNAP-IV), based on the ratings of investigators, parents, teachers, and subjects. At week 24, mean changes in ADHD-RS-IV Inattention scores were 13.58 points (Cohen's d, -3.08) for OROS-methylphenidate and 12.65 points (Cohen's d, -3.05) for atomoxetine; and mean changes in ADHD-RS-IV Hyperactivity-Impulsivity scores were 10.16 points (Cohen's d, -1.75) for OROS-methylphenidate and 10.68 points (Cohen's d, -1.87) for atomoxetine. In terms of parent-, teacher-, and self-ratings on behavioral symptoms, both of the two treatment groups significantly decreased on the SNAP-IV scores at the end-point, with effect sizes ranging from 0.9 to 0.96 on the Inattention subscale and from 0.61 to 0.8 on the Hyperactivity/Impulsivity subscale for OROS-methylphenidate; and from 0.51 to 0.88 on the Inattention subscale and from 0.29 to 0.57 on the Hyperactivity/Impulsivity subscale for atomoxetine. No statistically significant differences between treatment groups were observed on the outcome measures. Vomiting, somnolence, and dizziness were reported more often for atomoxetine than for OROS-methylphenidate, whereas insomnia was reported

  16. Safety of telmisartan in patients with arterial hypertension - An open-label observational study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Michel, Martin C.; Bohner, Herbert; Köster, Jürgen; Schäfers, Rafael; Heemann, Uwe

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To determine whether age, gender, concomitant disease and/or previous or present antihypertensive medication affect the safety or antihypertensive efficacy of telmisartan in the treatment of arterial hypertension. Study Design and Methods: In this large-scale, open-label postmarketing

  17. Long-Term, Open-Label Safety and Efficacy of Atomoxetine in Adults with ADHD: Final Report of a 4-Year Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adler, Lenard A.; Spencer, Thomas J.; Williams, David W.; Moore, Rodney J.; Michelson, David

    2008-01-01

    Objective: Previously, data from 97 weeks of open-label atomoxetine treatment of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were reported. This final report of that study presents results from over 4 years of treatment. Method: Results were derived from the study of 384 patients (125 patients remaining in the open-label trial…

  18. Adjuvant effect of Chakshushya Rasayana with beta-blocker eye drops in the management of progressive glaucomatous optic neuropathy: An open-label randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhiman, K S; Adhoor, Veeranagouda S; Agarwal, Riju; Mehta, Amit J

    2016-01-01

    Primary open angle glaucoma is an insidious and chronic vision-threatening eye ailment due to neuro-retino-optic nerve degeneration, which may be due to the raised intraocular pressure (IOP) or due to independent factors. Management of glaucoma is mainly concentrated on lowering IOP that requires lifetime topical medication, different ocular medicaments for lowering of IOP, and surgical interventions, but it has its own limitations to control the progression of glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON), and this is the reason behind the use of alternative neuroprotective adjuvants. To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of Ayurvedic line of management of progressive GON. Ingredients of trial drug Vara Fort powder ( Chakshushya Rasayana ) were procured from the Institute Pharmacy, except Swarnamakshika Bhasma , which was purchased from Dhootapapeshwar Pharmaceuticals. The patients fulfilling inclusion criteria, attending outpatient and inpatient departments, irrespective of their sex, race, religion, occupation, etc., were selected and divided into two groups with open-labeled randomization. In Group A, in addition to betaxolol (0.1%) or timolol (0.5%) (non-iobrim), Chakshushya Rasayana 6 g/day orally with Triphala Ghrita and honey along with Koshtha-Shuddhi (body-microchannel clearing treatment) protocol was tried. Nasya (oleation through nasal route) with Jeevantyadi Taila and Tarpana (eye satiation) with Go-Ghrita were also performed. In Group B (control), brimonidine (iobrim) 0.2% eye drop was used for 3 months. Significant improvement was observed in subjective parameters in Group A such as blurred vision, frequent change of presbyopic glasses, and delayed dark adaptation. Chakshushya Rasayana , if administered in a systematic approach along with a modern topical betaxolol or timolol eye drops, has a definite role in improving the lost retinal sensitivity as much as up to 12 dB in 3 months duration.

  19. Impact of Different Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labels on Consumer Purchasing Intentions: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ducrot, Pauline; Julia, Chantal; Méjean, Caroline; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Touvier, Mathilde; Fezeu, Léopold K; Hercberg, Serge; Péneau, Sandrine

    2016-05-01

    Despite growing evidence supporting the utility of front-of-pack nutrition labels in enabling consumer evaluation of food product healthiness, research on food choices is scarce. This study aims at comparing the impact of front-of-pack nutrition labels on consumers' purchasing intentions. Five-arm, open-label RCT. The study setting was a virtual web-based supermarket, with participants from the French NutriNet-Santé study. The eligibility requirement was grocery shopping involvement. The intervention was to simulate one shopping situation with front-of-pack nutrition labels affixed on food products (December 2014 to March 2015). Participants were randomly assigned to one of five exposure conditions using a central computer system: Guideline Daily Amounts, Multiple Traffic Lights, Five-Color Nutrition Label, Green Tick, or control (no front-of-pack exposure). Given the nature of the intervention, masking of participants was not performed. The primary outcome was the overall nutritional quality of the contents of the shopping cart, estimated using the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system. Secondary outcomes included energy and nutrient content of the shopping cart. Impact of the front-of-pack labels was also evaluated across sociodemographic subgroups based on age, educational level, income, and nutrition knowledge. A total of 11,981 participants were included in the analyses (April 2015). The Five-Color Nutrition Label significantly led to the highest overall nutritional quality of the shopping cart, as reflected by lower Food Standards Agency scores (M=8.72; SD=2.75), followed by Multiple Traffic Lights (M=8.97; SD=2.68) and Green Tick (M=8.99; SD=2.71), compared with the control (M=9.34; SD=2.57) (p<0.0001). The Five-Color Nutrition Label was the only front-of-pack format that led to a lower content in lipids, saturated fatty acids, and sodium of the shopping cart (all p<0.05). The impact of the different front-of-pack labels was similar

  20. Duloxetine in the long-term management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain: An open-label, 52-week extension of a randomized controlled clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wernicke, Joachim F; Raskin, Joel; Rosen, Amy; Pritchett, Yili L; D'Souza, Deborah N; Iyengar, Smriti; Knopp, Kelly; Le, Trong K

    2006-09-01

    Duloxetine hydrochloride, a selective serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) reuptake inhibitor, is relatively balanced in its affinity for both 5-HT and NE reuptake inhibition and is the first US Food and Drug Administration-approved prescription drug for the management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP). The aim of this study was to determine whether management of DPNP with duloxetine interferes with the treatment of diabetes. It also examined the tolerability of long-term exposure to duloxetine with regard to the progression of diabetic complications, and assessed the impact of DPNP management with duloxetine versus routine care. This was a 52-week, multicenter, re-randomized, open-label extension of a parallel, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, acute (12-week) study. Patients who completed the duloxetine or placebo acute treatment period were randomly reassigned in a 2:1 ratio to treatment with duloxetine 60 mg BID or routine care for an additional 52 weeks. The study included male and female outpatients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of DPNP caused by type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Over the course of the 52-week study, visits were scheduled on the following weeks (of the extension phase of the study): 1 (via phone only), 2, 4, 8, 12, 20, 28, 40, and 52. Tolerability was assessed by review and analyses of discontinuation rates, adverse events (AEs), laboratory data, vital signs, electrocardiographic results, concomitant medications, and diabetic complications. Treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs) were defined as AEs that appeared during therapy (were not present at baseline) or were exacerbated during treatment. Data on AEs and concomitant medications were collected at every visit. Data on blood pressure, heart rate, and significant hypoglycemic events were collected at every visit starting from week 2. Fasting clinical chemistry and electrolyte group laboratory assessments were done at every visit, starting from week 4. Electrocardiographic

  1. Bioavailability of Lumefantrine Is Significantly Enhanced with a Novel Formulation Approach, an Outcome from a Randomized, Open-Label Pharmacokinetic Study in Healthy Volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Jay Prakash; Leong, F Joel; Chen, Lan; Kalluri, Sampath; Koradia, Vishal; Stein, Daniel S; Wolf, Marie-Christine; Sunkara, Gangadhar; Kota, Jagannath

    2017-09-01

    The artemether-lumefantrine combination requires food intake for the optimal absorption of lumefantrine. In an attempt to enhance the bioavailability of lumefantrine, new solid dispersion formulations (SDF) were developed, and the pharmacokinetics of two SDF variants were assessed in a randomized, open-label, sequential two-part study in healthy volunteers. In part 1, the relative bioavailability of the two SDF variants was compared with that of the conventional formulation after administration of a single dose of 480 mg under fasted conditions in three parallel cohorts. In part 2, the pharmacokinetics of lumefantrine from both SDF variants were evaluated after a single dose of 480 mg under fed conditions and a single dose of 960 mg under fasted conditions. The bioavailability of lumefantrine from SDF variant 1 and variant 2 increased up to ∼48-fold and ∼24-fold, respectively, relative to that of the conventional formulation. Both variants demonstrated a positive food effect and a less than proportional increase in exposure between the 480-mg and 960-mg doses. Most adverse events (AEs) were mild to moderate in severity and not suspected to be related to the study drug. All five drug-related AEs occurred in subjects taking SDF variant 2. No clinically significant treatment-emergent changes in vital signs, electrocardiograms, or laboratory blood assessments were noted. The solid dispersion formulation enhances the lumefantrine bioavailability to a significant extent, and SDF variant 1 is superior to SDF variant 2. Copyright © 2017 Jain et al.

  2. Effect of mirtazapine versus selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors on benzodiazepine use in patients with major depressive disorder: a pragmatic, multicenter, open-label, randomized, active-controlled, 24-week trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Tasuku; Shiina, Akihiro; Hasegawa, Tadashi; Kimura, Hiroshi; Oda, Yasunori; Niitsu, Tomihisa; Ishikawa, Masatomo; Tachibana, Masumi; Muneoka, Katsumasa; Matsuki, Satoshi; Nakazato, Michiko; Iyo, Masaomi

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to evaluate whether selecting mirtazapine as the first choice for current depressive episode instead of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) reduces benzodiazepine use in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). We concurrently examined the relationship between clinical responses and serum mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its precursor, proBDNF. We conducted an open-label randomized trial in routine psychiatric practice settings. Seventy-seven MDD outpatients were randomly assigned to the mirtazapine or predetermined SSRIs groups, and investigators arbitrarily selected sertraline or paroxetine. The primary outcome was the proportion of benzodiazepine users at weeks 6, 12, and 24 between the groups. We defined patients showing a ≥50 % reduction in Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS) scores from baseline as responders. Blood samples were collected at baseline, weeks 6, 12, and 24. Sixty-five patients prescribed benzodiazepines from prescription day 1 were analyzed for the primary outcome. The percentage of benzodiazepine users was significantly lower in the mirtazapine than in the SSRIs group at weeks 6, 12, and 24 (21.4 vs. 81.8 %; 11.1 vs. 85.7 %, both P  depressive episodes may reduce benzodiazepine use in patients with MDD. Trial registration UMIN000004144. Registered 2nd September 2010. The date of enrolment of the first participant to the trial was 24th August 2010. This study was retrospectively registered 9 days after the first participant was enrolled.

  3. Methylphenidate Transdermal System in Adults with Past Stimulant Misuse: An Open-Label Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    McRae-Clark, Aimee L.; Brady, Kathleen T.; Hartwell, Karen J.; White, Kathleen; Carter, Rickey E.

    2011-01-01

    Objective: This 8-week, open-label trial assessed the efficacy of methylphenidate transdermal system (MTS) in 14 adult individuals diagnosed with ADHD and with a history of stimulant misuse, abuse, or dependence. Method: The primary efficacy endpoint was the Wender-Reimherr Adult ADHD Scale (WRAADS), and secondary efficacy endpoints included the…

  4. Bioavailability of everolimus administered as a single 5 mg tablet versus five 1 mg tablets: a randomized, open-label, two-way crossover study of healthy volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thudium, Karen; Gallo, Jorge; Bouillaud, Emmanuel; Sachs, Carolin; Eddy, Simantini; Cheung, Wing

    2015-01-01

    The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor everolimus has a well-established pharmacokinetics profile. We conducted a randomized, single-center, open-label, two-sequence, two-period crossover study of healthy volunteers to assess the relative bioavailability of everolimus administered as one 5 mg tablet or five 1 mg tablets. Subjects were randomized 1:1 to receive everolimus dosed as one 5 mg tablet or as five 1 mg tablets on day 1, followed by a washout period on days 8-14 and then the opposite formulation on day 15. Blood sampling for pharmacokinetic evaluation was performed at prespecified time points, with 17 samples taken for each treatment period. Primary variables for evaluation of relative bioavailability were area under the concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity (AUCinf) and maximum blood concentration (Cmax). Safety was assessed by reporting the incidence of adverse events (AEs). Twenty-two participants received everolimus as one 5 mg tablet followed by five 1 mg tablets (n=11) or the opposite sequence (n=11). The Cmax of five 1 mg tablets was 48% higher than that of one 5 mg tablet (geometric mean ratio, 1.48; 90% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-1.62). AUCinf was similar (geometric mean ratio, 1.08; 90% CI, 1.02-1.16), as were the extent of absorption and the distribution and elimination kinetics. AEs, all grade 1 or 2, were observed in 54.5% of subjects. Although the extent of absorption was similar, the Cmax of five 1 mg tablets was higher than that of one 5 mg tablet, suggesting these formulations lead to different peak blood concentrations and are not interchangeable at the dose tested.

  5. A randomized study comparing outcomes of stapled and hand-sutured anastomoses in patients undergoing open gastrointestinal surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandramohan, S M; Gajbhiye, Raj Narenda; Agwarwal, Anil; Creedon, Erin; Schwiers, Michael L; Waggoner, Jason R; Tatla, Daljit

    2013-08-01

    Although stapling is an alternative to hand-suturing in gastrointestinal surgery, recent trials specifically designed to evaluate differences between the two in surgery time, anastomosis time, and return to bowel activity are lacking. This trial compared the outcomes of the two in subjects undergoing open gastrointestinal surgery. Adult subjects undergoing emergency or elective surgery requiring a single gastric, small, or large bowel anastomosis were enrolled into this open-label, prospective, randomized, interventional, parallel, multicenter, controlled trial. Randomization was assigned in a 1:1 ratio between the hand-sutured group (n = 138) and the stapled group (n = 142). Anastomosis time, surgery time, and time to bowel activity were collected and compared as primary endpoints. A total of 280 subjects were enrolled from April 2009 to September 2010. Only the time of anastomosis was significantly different between the two arms: 17.6 ± 1.90 min (stapled) and 20.6 ± 1.90 min (hand-sutured). This difference was deemed not clinically or economically meaningful. Safety outcomes and other secondary endpoints were similar between the two arms. Mechanical stapling is faster than hand-suturing for the construction of gastrointestinal anastomoses. Apart from this, stapling and hand-suturing are similar with respect to the outcomes measured in this trial.

  6. Efficacy, safety and tolerability of ongoing statin plus ezetimibe versus doubling the ongoing statin dose in hypercholesterolemic Taiwanese patients: an open-label, randomized clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Chih-Chieh

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C is associated with reduced risk for major coronary events. Despite statin efficacy, a considerable proportion of statin-treated hypercholesterolemic patients fail to reach therapeutic LDL-C targets as defined by guidelines. This study compared the efficacy of ezetimibe added to ongoing statins with doubling the dose of ongoing statin in a population of Taiwanese patients with hypercholesterolemia. Methods This was a randomized, open-label, parallel-group comparison study of ezetimibe 10 mg added to ongoing statin compared with doubling the dose of ongoing statin. Adult Taiwanese hypercholesterolemic patients not at optimal LDL-C levels with previous statin treatment were randomized (N = 83 to ongoing statin + ezetimibe (simvastatin, atorvastatin or pravastatin + ezetimibe at doses of 20/10, 10/10 or 20/10 mg or doubling the dose of ongoing statin (simvastatin 40 mg, atorvastatin 20 mg or pravastatin 40 mg for 8 weeks. Percent change in total cholesterol, LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C and triglycerides, and specified safety parameters were assessed at 4 and 8 weeks. Results At 8 weeks, patients treated with statin + ezetimibe experienced significantly greater reductions compared with doubling the statin dose in LDL-C (26.2% vs 17.9%, p = 0.0026 and total cholesterol (20.8% vs 12.2%, p = 0.0003. Percentage of patients achieving treatment goal was greater for statin + ezetimibe (58.6% vs doubling statin (41.2%, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.1675. The safety and tolerability profiles were similar between treatments. Conclusion Ezetimibe added to ongoing statin therapy resulted in significantly greater lipid-lowering compared with doubling the dose of statin in Taiwanese patients with hypercholesterolemia. Studies to assess clinical outcome benefit are ongoing. Trial registration Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00652327

  7. Comparison of efficacy of transversus abdominis plane block and iliohypogastric/ilioinguinal nerve block for postoperative pain management in patients undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy with spinal anesthesia: a prospective randomized controlled open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okur, Onur; Tekgul, Zeki Tuncel; Erkan, Nazif

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of lateral abdominal transversus abdominis plane block (TAP block) and iliohypogastric/ilioinguinal nerve block (IHINB) under ultrasound guidance for postoperative pain management of inguinal hernia repair. Secondary purposes were to compare the complication rates of the two techniques and to examine the effects of TAP block and IHINB on chronic postoperative pain. This was a prospective randomized controlled open-label study. After approval of the Research Ethics Board, a total of 90 patients were allocated to three groups of 30 by simple randomized sampling as determined with a priori power analysis. Peripheral nerve blocks (TAP block or IHINB) were administered to patients following subarachnoid block according to their allocated group. Patient pain scores, additional analgesic requirements and complication rates were recorded periodically and compared. Pain scores were significantly lower in the study groups (p block group [GT] 266.6 ± 119.7 min; IHINB group [GI] 247.2 ± 128.7 min; and control group [GC] 79.1 ± 66.2 min; p block or IHINB for patients undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy reduces the intensity of both acute and chronic postoperative pain and additional analgesic requirements.

  8. A Randomized, Open-Label, Comparative Study of Efficacy and Safety of Tolterodine Combined with Tamsulosin or Doxazosin in Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Yanwei; Wang, Yonghua; Guo, Lei; Yang, Xuecheng; Chen, Tao; Niu, Haitao

    2016-01-01

    Background Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common disease in men over age 50 years, often causes bladder outlet obstruction and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Alpha blockers in combination with muscarinic receptor antagonists may have the potential to improve symptoms. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of doxazosin or tamsulosin combined with tolterodine extend release (ER) in patients with BPH and LUTS. Material/Methods In a prospective, randomized, open-label study (ChiCTR-IPR-15005763), 220 consecutive men with BPH and LUTS were allocated to receive doxazosin 4 mg and tolterodine ER 4 mg per day (doxazosin group) or tamsulosin 0.2 mg and tolterodine ER 4 mg per day (tamsulosin group). Treatment lasted 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the international prostatic symptom score (IPSS). Secondary endpoints were quality of life (QoL) and maximum flow rate (Qmax), which were evaluated at 0, 6, and 12 weeks, and urodynamic parameters assessed at 0 and 12 weeks. Results A total of 192 patients completed the trial. Baseline measurements showed no differences between the groups. After 6 weeks, IPSS improved in both groups and QoL was significantly better in the doxazosin group (P=0.01). After 12 weeks, Qmax, IPSS, QoL, intravesical pressure (Pves), and bladder compliance (BC) in the doxazosin group were significantly better than in the tamsulosin group (P=0.03, P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.027, and P=0.044, respectively). Conclusions Administration of alpha blockers combined with muscarinic receptor blocker for 12 weeks improved LUTS in men with BPH. PMID:27260129

  9. Shelf Life of Food Products: From Open Labeling to Real-Time Measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corradini, Maria G

    2018-03-25

    The labels currently used on food and beverage products only provide consumers with a rough guide to their expected shelf lives because they assume that a product only experiences a limited range of predefined handling and storage conditions. These static labels do not take into consideration conditions that might shorten a product's shelf life (such as temperature abuse), which can lead to problems associated with food safety and waste. Advances in shelf-life estimation have the potential to improve the safety, reliability, and sustainability of the food supply. Selection of appropriate kinetic models and data-analysis techniques is essential to predict shelf life, to account for variability in environmental conditions, and to allow real-time monitoring. Novel analytical tools to determine safety and quality attributes in situ coupled with modern tracking technologies and appropriate predictive tools have the potential to provide accurate estimations of the remaining shelf life of a food product in real time. This review summarizes the necessary steps to attain a transition from open labeling to real-time shelf-life measurements.

  10. Electroconvulsive therapy for the treatment of clozapine nonresponders suffering from schizophrenia--an open label study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kho, K. H.; Blansjaar, B. A.; de Vries, S.; Babuskova, D.; Zwinderman, A. H.; Linszen, D. H.

    2004-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: This open label study describes the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) as adjunctive treatment in clozapine nonresponders suffering from schizophrenia. METHOD: The results of clozapine and ECT treatment in 11 clozapine nonresponders suffering from schizophrenia are reported in

  11. Stochastic perturbations in open chaotic systems: random versus noisy maps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bódai, Tamás; Altmann, Eduardo G; Endler, Antonio

    2013-04-01

    We investigate the effects of random perturbations on fully chaotic open systems. Perturbations can be applied to each trajectory independently (white noise) or simultaneously to all trajectories (random map). We compare these two scenarios by generalizing the theory of open chaotic systems and introducing a time-dependent conditionally-map-invariant measure. For the same perturbation strength we show that the escape rate of the random map is always larger than that of the noisy map. In random maps we show that the escape rate κ and dimensions D of the relevant fractal sets often depend nonmonotonically on the intensity of the random perturbation. We discuss the accuracy (bias) and precision (variance) of finite-size estimators of κ and D, and show that the improvement of the precision of the estimations with the number of trajectories N is extremely slow ([proportionality]1/lnN). We also argue that the finite-size D estimators are typically biased. General theoretical results are combined with analytical calculations and numerical simulations in area-preserving baker maps.

  12. Randomized clinical trial of laparoscopic versus open appendicectomy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, A G; Petersen, O B; Wara, P

    2001-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Laparoscopy in patients with a clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis has not gained wide acceptance, and its use remains controversial. METHODS: In a randomized controlled trial of laparoscopic versus open appendicectomy, 583 of 828 consecutive patients consented to participate...

  13. Comparison of tamsulosin plus serenoa repens with tamsulosin in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in Korean men: 1-year randomized open label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryu, Young Woo; Lim, Song Won; Kim, Jung Hoon; Ahn, Seung Hyun; Choi, Jae Duck

    2015-01-01

    In Korea, increasing attention has recently been given to the use of phytotherapeutic agents to alleviate the symptoms of BPH. Serenoa repens has been shown to have an equivalent efficacy to Finasteride or Tamsulosin in the treatment of BPH in previous studies. The present study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of Serenoa repens plus tamsulosin with tamsulosin only over 12 months in men with LUTS secondary to BPH. One hundred forty men with symptomatic BPH (IPSS≥10) were recruited in our hospital for a 12-month, open-label, randomized trial. Patients were randomly assigned to either tamsulosin 0.2 mg/day plus Serenoa repens 320 mg/day (n=60) or tamsulosin 0.2 mg/day only (n=60). Prostate volume and PSA were measured at baseline and at end-point, whereas total IPSS, and its storage and voiding subscores, LUTS-related QoL, Qmax, and PVR were evaluated at baseline and later every 6 months. Total 103 patients were finally available: 50 in the TAM+SR group and 53 in the TAM group. At 12 months, total IPSS decreased by 5.8 with TAM+SR and 5.5 with TAM (p=0.693); the storage symptoms improved significantly more with TAM+SR (-1.7 vs. -0.8 with TAM, p=0.024). This benefit with regard to storage symptom in the TAM+SR group lasts at 12 months (-1.9 vs. -0.9, p=0.024). The changes of voiding subscore, LUTS-related QoL, Qmax, PVR, PSA, and prostate volume showed no significant differences between the TAM+SR and TAM groups. During the treatment period, 8 patients (16.9%) with TAM and 10 (20%) with TAM+SR had drug-related adverse reactions, which included ejaculatory disorders, postural hypotension, dizziness, headache, gastro-intestinal disorders, rhinitis, fatigue and asthenia. The combination treatment of Serenoa repens and tamsulosin was shown to be more effective than tamsulosin monotherapy in reducing storage symptoms in BPH patients after 6 months and up to 12 months of treatment. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  14. Average bioequivalence of single 500 mg doses of two oral formulations of levofloxacin: a randomized, open-label, two-period crossover study in healthy adult Brazilian volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eunice Kazue Kano

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Average bioequivalence of two 500 mg levofloxacin formulations available in Brazil, Tavanic(c (Sanofi-Aventis Farmacêutica Ltda, Brazil, reference product and Levaquin(c (Janssen-Cilag Farmacêutica Ltda, Brazil, test product was evaluated by means of a randomized, open-label, 2-way crossover study performed in 26 healthy Brazilian volunteers under fasting conditions. A single dose of 500 mg levofloxacin tablets was orally administered, and blood samples were collected over a period of 48 hours. Levofloxacin plasmatic concentrations were determined using a validated HPLC method. Pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax, Tmax, Kel, T1/2el, AUC0-t and AUC0-inf were calculated using noncompartmental analysis. Bioequivalence was determined by calculating 90% confidence intervals (90% CI for the ratio of Cmax, AUC0-t and AUC0-inf values for test and reference products, using logarithmic transformed data. Tolerability was assessed by monitoring vital signs and laboratory analysis results, by subject interviews and by spontaneous report of adverse events. 90% CIs for Cmax, AUC0-t and AUC0-inf were 92.1% - 108.2%, 90.7% - 98.0%, and 94.8% - 100.0%, respectively. Observed adverse events were nausea and headache. It was concluded that Tavanic(c and Levaquin(c are bioequivalent, since 90% CIs are within the 80% - 125% interval proposed by regulatory agencies.

  15. First-line icotinib versus cisplatin/pemetrexed plus pemetrexed maintenance therapy for patients with advanced EGFR mutation-positive lung adenocarcinoma (CONVINCE): a phase 3, open-label, randomized study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Y K; Wang, L; Han, B H; Li, W; Yu, P; Liu, Y P; Ding, C M; Song, X; Ma, Z Y; Ren, X L; Feng, J F; Zhang, H L; Chen, G Y; Han, X H; Wu, N; Yao, C; Song, Y; Zhang, S C; Song, W; Liu, X Q; Zhao, S J; Lin, Y C; Ye, X Q; Li, K; Shu, Y Q; Ding, L M; Tan, F L; Sun, Y

    2017-10-01

    Icotinib has been previously shown to be non-inferior to gefitinib in non-selected advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients when given as second- or further-line treatment. In this open-label, randomized, phase 3 CONVINCE trial, we assessed the efficacy and safety of first-line icotinib versus cisplatin/pemetrexed plus pemetrexed maintenance in lung adenocarcinoma patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation. Eligible participants were adults with stage IIIB/IV lung adenocarcinoma and exon 19/21 EGFR mutations. Participants were randomly allocated (1 : 1) to receive oral icotinib or 3-week cycle of cisplatin plus pemetrexed for up to four cycles; non-progressive patients after four cycles were maintained with pemetrexed until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) assessed by independent response evaluation committee. Other end points included overall survival (OS) and safety. Between January 2013 and August 2014, 296 patients were randomized, and 285 patients were treated (148 to icotinib, 137 to chemotherapy). Independent response evaluation committee-assessed PFS was significantly longer in the icotinib group (11.2 versus 7.9 months; hazard ratio, 0.61, 95% confidence interval 0.43-0.87; P = 0.006). No significant difference for OS was observed between treatments in the overall population or in EGFR-mutated subgroups (exon 19 Del/21 L858R). The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs) in the icotinib group were rash (14.8%) and diarrhea (7.4%), compared with nausea (45.9%), vomiting (29.2%), and neutropenia (10.9%) in the chemotherapy group. AEs (79.1% versus 94.2%; P icotinib group than in the chemotherapy group. First-line icotinib significantly improves PFS of advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients with EGFR mutation with a tolerable and manageable safety profile. Icotinib should be considered as a first-line treatment for this patient population. © The Author

  16. INFLUENCE OF GRADED AEROBIC EXERCISE ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN POST SURGICAL MITRAL VALVE DISEASE INDIVIDUAL A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED OPEN LABEL STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shanthi C

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Post surgical mitral valve disease individual focus their cardiac rehabilitation training on two major goal that is to improve cardiac output response exercises and place an important role in determining exercise tolerance and to improve quality of life. Cardiac rehabilitation programs involve prescribed exercise and education however various other method are being used to improve quality of life. But our study to find out the effectiveness of graded aerobic exercise protocol on ejection fraction and quality of life in post surgical mitral valve disease individuals. Methods: The study design was open label studies total of 100 post surgical mitral valve disease individuals patients from the age group of 20-60 years were recruited from SVIMS hospital. They were randomly divided into two groups. Group I underwent a twelve week structured graded individually tailored exercises. The group II received only none graded (not individualized exercise training. The ejection fraction and quality of life was measured before and after 12 weeks of exercise training for two groups. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare mean values of continuous variables between baseline and at the time of discharge and three months after surgery for each parameter. Comparison of means between groups was done by the unpaired student t test. Mean age of the subjects was 40.18±10.29. There was a significant increase in the ejection fraction in the group I(61.34±2.49 to 64.4±3.31 compared to with the group II (61.06±2.51. to 61.62 ±2.37. QOL had improved in group I than group II at p<0.05. Conclusion: A 12 week structured graded aerobic exercise training significantly improved ejection fraction and quality of life in post surgical mitral valve disease individuals.

  17. Comparison of latanoprost with fixed-combination dorzolamide and timolol in adult patients with elevated intraocular pressure: an eight-week, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, multicenter study in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Susanna, Remo; Sussana, Remo; Sheu, Wang-Pui

    2004-05-01

    The newer ocular hypotensive agents available to treat glaucoma and ocular hypertension (OHT) include latanoprost, a prostaglandin F(2alpha) analogue, and the fixed combination of dorzolamide hydrochloride, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, and timolol maleate, a beta-blocker. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of latanoprost with that of the fixed combination of dorzolamide and timolol over 8 weeks. This interventional, 8-week, randomized, open-label, parallel-group study was conducted at 18 centers in 6 Latin American countries. Patients with unilateral or bilateral primary open-angle, pigmentary, or exfoliative glaucoma or OHT were randomized to receive latanoprost, 1 drop in the affected eye QD (evening), or fixed-combination dorzolamide/timolol, 1 drop in the affected eye BID (morning and evening). Medications were self-administered, 1 drop per affected eye. At baseline and week 8, intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured 3 times each at 8:30 am, 10:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 5:00 pm and after the water-drinking test, which estimates the IOP peak of diurnal tension curve, performed following the 5:00 pm IOP assessment. The primary efficacy outcome was change in diurnal IOP (the mean of IOP measurements) from baseline to week 8. Adverse effect (AE) data were recorded at each visit. A total of 229 patients were randomized (latanoprost, n = 112; dorzolamide/timolol, n = 117). Mean baseline diurnal IOP values were similar between the 2 groups. Mean (SD) diurnal IOP reductions at week 8 before the water-drinking test were 6.9 (3.0) mm Hg for the latanoprost group and 6.4 (3.2) mm Hg for the dorzolamide/timolol group. Mean IOP values were similar at all time points except at 5:00 pm, when levels were significantly lower in latanoprost-treated patients (P = 0.025). After the water-drinking test, the increase in IOP values was similar between groups at baseline but lower in latanoprost-treated patients at week 8 (adjusted difference, 1.08 mm Hg

  18. Rationale, Design, and Baseline Characteristics of the Utopia Trial for Preventing Diabetic Atherosclerosis Using an SGLT2 Inhibitor: A Prospective, Randomized, Open-Label, Parallel-Group Comparative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katakami, Naoto; Mita, Tomoya; Yoshii, Hidenori; Shiraiwa, Toshihiko; Yasuda, Tetsuyuki; Okada, Yosuke; Umayahara, Yutaka; Kaneto, Hideaki; Osonoi, Takeshi; Yamamoto, Tsunehiko; Kuribayashi, Nobuichi; Maeda, Kazuhisa; Yokoyama, Hiroki; Kosugi, Keisuke; Ohtoshi, Kentaro; Hayashi, Isao; Sumitani, Satoru; Tsugawa, Mamiko; Ohashi, Makoto; Taki, Hideki; Nakamura, Tadashi; Kawashima, Satoshi; Sato, Yasunori; Watada, Hirotaka; Shimomura, Iichiro

    2017-10-01

    Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are anti-diabetic agents that improve glycemic control with a low risk of hypoglycemia and ameliorate a variety of cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of the ongoing study described herein is to investigate the preventive effects of tofogliflozin, a potent and selective SGLT2 inhibitor, on the progression of atherosclerosis in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) using carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), an established marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD), as a marker. The Study of Using Tofogliflozin for Possible better Intervention against Atherosclerosis for type 2 diabetes patients (UTOPIA) trial is a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint, multicenter, and parallel-group comparative study. The aim was to recruit a total of 340 subjects with T2DM but no history of apparent CVD at 24 clinical sites and randomly allocate these to a tofogliflozin treatment group or a conventional treatment group using drugs other than SGLT2 inhibitors. As primary outcomes, changes in mean and maximum IMT of the common carotid artery during a 104-week treatment period will be measured by carotid echography. Secondary outcomes include changes in glycemic control, parameters related to β-cell function and diabetic nephropathy, the occurrence of CVD and adverse events, and biochemical measurements reflecting vascular function. This is the first study to address the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on the progression of carotid IMT in subjects with T2DM without a history of CVD. The results will be available in the very near future, and these findings are expected to provide clinical data that will be helpful in the prevention of diabetic atherosclerosis and subsequent CVD. Kowa Co., Ltd. UMIN000017607.

  19. A randomized, controlled study of an educational intervention to improve recall of auxiliary medication labeling and adherence to antibiotics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jade A Pham

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: To evaluate whether medication counseling with emphasis on auxiliary labels improves recall of auxiliary label information and adherence to medication schedules. Methods: A prospective, randomized study of an educational intervention in community pharmacies near Baltimore, Maryland. Fifty literate, English-speaking adults receiving one of the 18 commonly dispensed antibiotics were randomized to receive a counseling session or no counseling. Five to seven days after medication pickup, a structured phone interview was conducted to capture data on recall of auxiliary labels and adherence. Results: A total of 39 subjects completed the phone interview (78%. The rate of correct recall was high: 77% correct recall for all three labels. Among those with incorrect recall, 7 out of 9 subjects received no counseling (p = 0.11. The auxiliary labels incorrectly recalled were all related to dietary restrictions. Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that medication counseling emphasizing auxiliary label information may lead to improved recall and adherence to antibiotics. Additional studies are required to confirm the preliminary findings and determine whether they correspond to improved adherence. Information most commonly misunderstood were related to dietary restrictions. Additional research focusing on counseling related to dietary restrictions is recommended.

  20. Efficacy and safety of amphotericin B emulsion versus liposomal formulation in Indian patients with visceral leishmaniasis: a randomized, open-label study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shyam Sundar

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available India is home to 60% of the total global visceral leishmaniasis (VL population. Use of long-term oral (e.g. miltefosine and parenteral drugs, considered the mainstay for treatment of VL, is now faced with increased resistance, decreased efficacy, low compliance and safety issues. The authors evaluated the efficacy and safety of an alternate treatment option, i.e. single infusion of preformed amphotericin B (AmB lipid emulsion (ABLE in comparison with that of liposomal formulation (LAmB.In this multicentric, open-label study, 500 patients with VL were randomly assigned in a 3:1 ratio to receive 15 mg/kg single infusion of either ABLE (N = 376 or LAmB (N = 124. Initial cure (Day 30/45, clinical improvement (Day 30 and long term definitive cure (Day 180 were assessed.A total of 326 (86.7% patients in the ABLE group and 122 (98.4% patients in the LAmB group completed the study. Initial cure was achieved by 95.9% of patients in the ABLE group compared to 100% in the LAmB group (p = 0.028; 95% CI: -0.0663, -0.0150. Clinical improvement was comparable between treatments (ABLE: 98.9% vs. LAmB: 98.4%. Definitive cure was achieved in 85.9% with ABLE compared to 98.4% with LAmB. Infusion-related pyrexia (37.2% vs. 32.3% and chills (18.4% vs. 18.5% were comparable between ABLE and LAmB, respectively. Treatment-related serious adverse events were fewer in ABLE (0.3% compared to LAmB (1.6%. Two deaths occurred in the ABLE group, of which one was probably related to the study drug. Nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity was not observed in either group.ABLE 15 mg/kg single infusion had favorable efficacy and was well tolerated. Considering the demographic profile of the population in this region, a single dose treatment offers advantages in terms of compliance, cost and applicability.www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00876824.

  1. Long-term safety and efficacy of etanercept in patients with psoriasis: an open-label study.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leonardi, C.; Strober, B.; Gottlieb, A.B.; Elewski, B.E.; Ortonne, J.P.; Kerkhof, P.C.M. van de; Chiou, C.F.; Dunn, M.; Jahreis, A.

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: In two previous phase 3 studies, up to 60 weeks of etanercept therapy significantly improved the symptoms of psoriasis and was well tolerated. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term safety of etanercept in an open-label extension study for up to 72 weeks in patients with moderate-to-severe

  2. Pharmacokinetic interaction of finasteride with tamsulosin hydrochloride: an open-label, randomized, 3-period crossover study in healthy Chinese male volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Nannan; Xu, Hongrong; Wang, Guoqin; Wang, Jiangdian; Chen, Weili; Yuan, Fei; Yang, Mengjie; Li, Xuening

    2015-02-01

    The primary aim of this study was to evaluate whether there was clinically significant pharmacokinetic (PK) interaction between finasteride and tamsulosin in healthy Chinese male subjects. This was an open-label, randomized, 3-period, crossover study. Subjects received single and multiple doses of 5 mg finasteride alone, single and multiple doses of 0.2 mg tamsulosin hydrochloride sustained-release capsule alone, and single and multiple doses of 5 mg finasteride with 0.2 mg tamsulosin hydrochloride, in an order determined by a computerized randomization schedule. Blood samples were collected up to 48 hours after dosing on study day 1 and up to 24 hours after dosing on study day 9 for determination of plasma concentrations with a validated LC-MS/MS method. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated via noncompartmental methods. Tolerability was evaluated by monitoring adverse events, laboratory assays, vital signs, and 12-lead ECG. Fifteen subjects were enrolled, and 14 completed the study. The geometric mean ratios (GMRs) (90% CIs) of AUC(τ,ss) and C(max,ss) values of finasteride at steady state between coadministration of finasteride and tamsulosin hydrochloride and finasteride alone were 1.14 (1.05-1.23) and 1.06 (0.99-1.14), respectively. The GMRs (90% CIs) for AUC(0-t) and C(max) values of finasteride for a single dose of coadministration of finasteride and tamsulosin hydrochloride and finasteride alone were 1.02 (0.94-1.11) and 1.06 (1.01-1.11), respectively. The GMRs (90% CIs) for AUC(τ,ss) and C(max,ss) values of tamsulosin at steady-state for coadministration of finasteride and tamsulosin hydrochloride and tamsulosin hydrochloride alone were 1.18 (1.05-1.33) and 1.23 (1.06-1.43), respectively. The GMRs (90% CIs) for AUC(0-t) and C(max) values of tamsulosin for a single dose of coadministration of finasteride and tamsulosin hydrochloride and tamsulosin hydrochloride alone were 1.04 (0.97-1.10) and 1.04 (0.98-1.11), respectively. Statistical analyses

  3. LDL-cholesterol lowering effect of a new dietary supplement: an open label, controlled, randomized, cross-over clinical trial in patients with mild-to-moderate hypercholesterolemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magno, S; Ceccarini, G; Pelosini, C; Jaccheri, R; Vitti, J; Fierabracci, P; Salvetti, G; Airoldi, G; Minale, M; Saponati, G; Santini, F

    2018-05-24

    Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disorders and requires specific intervention through an adequate lifestyle (diet and physical exercise) and, if necessary, an appropriate drug treatment. Lipid-lowering drugs, although generally efficacious, may sometimes cause adverse events. A growing attention has been devoted to the correction of dyslipidemias through the use of dietary supplements. The aim of this study was to assess the lipid-lowering activity and safety of a dietary supplement containing monacolin K, L-arginine, coenzyme Q10 and ascorbic acid, named Argicolina (A), compared to a commercially available product containing monacolin K and coenzyme Q10, Normolip 5 (N). This was a single center, controlled, randomized, open-label, cross-over clinical study enrolling 20 Caucasian outpatients aged 18-75 years with serum LDL-C between 130 and 180 mg/dL. Patients assumed two different dietary supplements (A and N) both containing monacolin K 10 mg for 8 weeks each, separated by a 4-week wash-out period. Evaluated parameters were: Total cholesterol (Tot-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), fasting blood glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatinekinase, gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, brachial arterial pressure and heart rate, measured at the start and at the end of each treatment period. Safety was monitored through the study. LDL-C decreased by 23.3% during treatment with N (p ascorbic acid also produces a significant reduction of triglycerides without significant effects on HDL. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03425630 .

  4. Comparative randomized open-label trial on efficacy and safety of Persen® and Persen® Night herbal extracts in patients with short-term insomnia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. P. Rachin

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Herbal sedatives serve an alternative to antipsychotics and hypnotics aimed to alleviate symptoms of anxious disorders and insomnia. Valeriana officinalis L., Mentha piperita L. and Melissa officinalis are most widely used in neurology as sedatives of herbal origin. We present the results of a randomized open-label trial on efficiency and safety of Persen® and Persen® Night containing extracts of the above mentioned plants in patients with short-term insomnia. The study consisted of 60 subjects of 18–65 y.o. (mean 42.4 ± 6.9 y.o. with short-term insomnia due to adjustment disorder or mixed anxiety-depressive disorders: 30 of them got Persen® 2 tablets a day and 30 – Persen® Night, 1 capsule 30–60 min before sleep during 4 weeks. The majority (76.5 % of patients referred the onset of insomnia with psychosocial traumatic stressor. Persen® Night’s main action was found on superficial sleep, number of night awakenings, sleep onset rate. At the end of the therapy with this substance 39.7 % of patients fell asleep in 10–15 min, and 92.2 % – in 30 min, accordingly, while for Persen® at 17.4 and 80.3 % accordingly (р < 0.05. In the meantime Persen® decreased the bad sleep perception at awakening and day somnolence, mostly attributed to the mood improvement and decrease of anxiety. Levels of efficacy and safety for both substances were significant, allowing to regard them as potential phytotherapeutic agent in the treatment of insomnia and mixed anxiety-depressive disorders.

  5. Averaging in SU(2) open quantum random walk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ampadu Clement

    2014-01-01

    We study the average position and the symmetry of the distribution in the SU(2) open quantum random walk (OQRW). We show that the average position in the central limit theorem (CLT) is non-uniform compared with the average position in the non-CLT. The symmetry of distribution is shown to be even in the CLT

  6. Averaging in SU(2) open quantum random walk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clement, Ampadu

    2014-03-01

    We study the average position and the symmetry of the distribution in the SU(2) open quantum random walk (OQRW). We show that the average position in the central limit theorem (CLT) is non-uniform compared with the average position in the non-CLT. The symmetry of distribution is shown to be even in the CLT.

  7. Wide brick tunnel randomization - an unequal allocation procedure that limits the imbalance in treatment totals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuznetsova, Olga M; Tymofyeyev, Yevgen

    2014-04-30

    In open-label studies, partial predictability of permuted block randomization provides potential for selection bias. To lessen the selection bias in two-arm studies with equal allocation, a number of allocation procedures that limit the imbalance in treatment totals at a pre-specified level but do not require the exact balance at the ends of the blocks were developed. In studies with unequal allocation, however, the task of designing a randomization procedure that sets a pre-specified limit on imbalance in group totals is not resolved. Existing allocation procedures either do not preserve the allocation ratio at every allocation or do not include all allocation sequences that comply with the pre-specified imbalance threshold. Kuznetsova and Tymofyeyev described the brick tunnel randomization for studies with unequal allocation that preserves the allocation ratio at every step and, in the two-arm case, includes all sequences that satisfy the smallest possible imbalance threshold. This article introduces wide brick tunnel randomization for studies with unequal allocation that allows all allocation sequences with imbalance not exceeding any pre-specified threshold while preserving the allocation ratio at every step. In open-label studies, allowing a larger imbalance in treatment totals lowers selection bias because of the predictability of treatment assignments. The applications of the technique in two-arm and multi-arm open-label studies with unequal allocation are described. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Immunogenicity of simultaneous versus sequential administration of a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine and a quadrivalent influenza vaccine in older individuals: A randomized, open-label, non-inferiority trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakashima, Kei; Aoshima, Masahiro; Ohfuji, Satoko; Yamawaki, Satoshi; Nemoto, Masahiro; Hasegawa, Shinya; Noma, Satoshi; Misawa, Masafumi; Hosokawa, Naoto; Yaegashi, Makito; Otsuka, Yoshihito

    2018-03-21

    It is unclear whether simultaneous administration of a 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and a quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) produces immunogenicity in older individuals. This study tested the hypothesis that the pneumococcal antibody response elicited by simultaneous administration of PPSV23 and QIV in older individuals is not inferior to that elicited by sequential administration of PPSV23 and QIV. We performed a single-center, randomized, open-label, non-inferiority trial comprising 162 adults aged ≥65 years randomly assigned to either the simultaneous (simultaneous injections of PPSV23 and QIV) or sequential (control; PPSV23 injected 2 weeks after QIV vaccination) groups. Pneumococcal immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers of serotypes 23F, 3, 4, 6B, 14, and 19A were assessed. The primary endpoint was the serotype 23F response rate (a ≥2-fold increase in IgG concentrations 4-6 weeks after PPSV23 vaccination). With the non-inferiority margin set at 20% fewer patients, the response rate of serotype 23F in the simultaneous group (77.8%) was not inferior to that of the sequential group (77.6%; difference, 0.1%; 90% confidence interval, -10.8% to 11.1%). None of the pneumococcal IgG serotype titers were significantly different between the groups 4-6 weeks after vaccination. Simultaneous administration did not show a significant decrease in seroprotection odds ratios for H1N1, H3N2, or B/Phuket influenza strains other than B/Texas. Additionally, simultaneous administration did not increase adverse reactions. Hence, simultaneous administration of PPSV23 and QIV shows an acceptable immunogenicity that is comparable to sequential administration without an increase in adverse reactions. (This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov [NCT02592486]).

  9. Comparison of idraparinux with vitamin K antagonists for prevention of thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation: a randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bousser, M.G.; Bouthier, J.; Buller, H.R.

    2008-01-01

    5.4) months because of excess clinically relevant bleeding with idraparinux (346 cases vs 226 cases; 19.7 vs 11.3 per 100 patient-years; pvitamin K antagonists (1.1 vs 0.4 per 100 patient-years; p=0......BACKGROUND: Vitamin K antagonists, the current standard treatment for prophylaxis against stroke and systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation, require regular monitoring and dose adjustment; an unmonitored, fixed-dose anticoagulant regimen would be preferable. The aim...... of this randomised, open-label non-inferiority trial was to compare the efficacy and safety of idraparinux with vitamin K antagonists. METHODS: Patients with atrial fibrillation at risk for thromboembolism were randomly assigned to receive either subcutaneous idraparinux (2.5 mg weekly) or adjusted-dose vitamin K...

  10. The Effects of Individual Upper Alpha Neurofeedback in ADHD: An Open-Label Pilot Study

    OpenAIRE

    Escolano , Carlos; Navarro-Gil , Mayte; Garcia-Campayo , Javier; Congedo , Marco; Minguez , Javier

    2014-01-01

    International audience; Standardized neurofeedback (NF) protocols have been extensively evaluated in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, such protocols do not account for the large EEG heterogeneity in ADHD. Thus, individualized approaches have been suggested to improve the clinical outcome. In this direction, an open-label pilot study was designed to evaluate a NF protocol of relative upper alpha power enhancement in fronto-central sites. Upper alpha band was individual...

  11. An Open-Label Pilot Study of Combined Augmentation With Creatine Monohydrate and 5-Hydroxytryptophan for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor- or Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor-Resistant Depression in Adult Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kious, Brent M; Sabic, Hana; Sung, Young-Hoon; Kondo, Douglas G; Renshaw, Perry

    2017-10-01

    Many women with major depressive disorder (MDD) respond inadequately to standard treatments. Augmentation of conventional antidepressants with creatine monohydrate and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) could correct deficits in serotonin production and brain bioenergetics associated with depression in women, yielding synergistic benefit. We describe an open-label study of 5-HTP and creatine augmentation in women with MDD who had failed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) monotherapy. Fifteen women who were adequately adherent to an SSRI or SNRI and currently experiencing MDD, with a 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) score of 16 or higher, were treated with 5 g of creatine monohydrate daily and 100 mg of 5-HTP twice daily for 8 weeks, with 4 weeks of posttreatment follow-up. The primary outcome was change in mean HAM-D scores. Mean HAM-D scores declined from 18.9 (SD, 2.5) at pretreatment visits to 7.5 (SD, 4.4) (P creatine and 5-HTP may represent an effective augmentation strategy for women with SSRI- or SNRI-resistant depression. Given the limitations of this small, open-label trial, future study in randomized, placebo-controlled trials is warranted.

  12. Some open problems in random matrix theory and the theory of integrable systems

    OpenAIRE

    Deift, Percy

    2007-01-01

    We describe a list of open problems in random matrix theory and integrable systems which was presented at the conference ``Integrable Systems, Random Matrices, and Applications'' at the Courant Institute in May 2006.

  13. Relative bioequivalence evaluation of two oral atomoxetine hydrochloride capsules: a single dose, randomized, open-label, 2-period crossover study in healthy Chinese volunteers under fasting conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shang, D-W; Guo, W; Zhou, F-C; Wang, X-P; Li, A-N; Zhang, L; Li, W-B; Lu, W; Wang, C-Y

    2013-11-01

    To evaluate the bioequivalence of a new formulation of atomoxetine hydrochloride (CAS 82248-59-7) capsules (test) and an available branded capsules (reference) after administration of a single 40 mg dose, randomized, open-label, 2-period crossover study was conducted in 22 healthy male Chinese subjects with a 1-week wash-out period. This study was designed for/the Honglin Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd and contracted to be done by the Beijing Anding Hospital in order to satisfy Chinese regulatory requirements to allow marketing of this generic product and performed according to the criteria of SFDA. Blood samples were collected before and 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 16 and 24 h after drug administration. Plasma concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. A non-compartmental method was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters and evaluate bioequivalence of the 2 formulations. The 90% confidence interval (CI) of the ratios (test/reference) of atomoxetine for AUC0-24, AUC0-∞ and Cmax were 100.9% (93.6-108.8%), 103.1% (95.1-111.7%) and 105.2% (92.8-119.4%), respectively, which fell within the interval of 80-125% and 75-133%. No clinically significant changes or abnormalities were noted in laboratory data and vital signs. From these results it can be concluded that the test formulation of atomoxetine capsules met the regulatory criterion for bioequivalence to the reference formulation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  14. Safety and hemostatic efficacy of fibrin pad in partial nephrectomy: Results of an open-label Phase I and a randomized, standard-of-care-controlled Phase I/II study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nativ Ofer

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bleeding severity, anatomic location, tissue characteristics, and visibility are common challenges encountered while managing intraoperative bleeding, and conventional hemostatic measures (suture, ligature, and cautery may sometimes be ineffective or impractical. While topical absorbable hemostats (TAH are useful hemostatic adjuvants, each TAH has associated disadvantages. Methods We evaluated the safety and hemostatic efficacy of a new advanced biologic combination product―fibrin pad―to potentially address some gaps associated with TAHs. Fibrin pad was assessed as adjunctive hemostat in open partial nephrectomy in single-center, open-label, Phase I study (N = 10, and as primary hemostat in multicenter, single-blind, randomized, standard-of-care (SOC-controlled Phase I/II study (N = 7 in Israel. It was used to control mild-to-moderate bleeding in Phase I and also spurting arterial bleeding in Phase I/II study. Phase I study assessed safety and Phase I/II study, proportion of successes at 10 min following randomization, analyzed by Fisher exact tests at 5% significance level. Results Phase I (N = 10: All patients completed the study. Hemostasis was achieved within 3–4 min (average = 3.1 min of a single application in all patients. Fibrin pad was found to be safe for human use, with no product-related adverse events reported. Phase I/II (N = 7: Hemostatic success at 10 min (primary endpoint was achieved in 3/4 patients treated with fibrin pad versus 0/3 patients treated with SOC. No clinically significant change in laboratory or coagulation parameters was recorded, except a case of post-procedural hemorrhage with fibrin pad, which was considered serious and related to the fibrin pad treatment, and required re-operation. Although Data Safety Monitoring Board authorized trial continuation, the sponsor decided against proceeding toward an indication for primary treatment of severe arterial

  15. Prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint (PROBE) designed trials yield the same results as double-blind, placebo-controlled trials with respect to ABPM measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, David H; Neutel, Joel M; Lacourcière, Yves; Kempthorne-Rawson, Joan

    2003-07-01

    This meta-analysis aimed to determine whether ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) results from double-blind, placebo-controlled (DBPC) and prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint (PROBE) hypertension trials are statistically comparable. Two DBPC and three PROBE parallel-group studies were selected from an angiotensin II receptor blocker clinical programme. These were fixed-dose studies involving similar mild to moderate hypertensive patient populations. All used SpaceLabs 90207 ABPM devices, and each comprised a 4-week placebo period and a 4-8-week treatment period. Data from patients receiving telmisartan 80 mg were used to compare the results of DBPC (126 patients) and PROBE (734 patients) trials. The analysis had approximately 87% power to show equivalence between the two design types in terms of ruling out differences of >or= 3 mmHg in SBP and >or= 2 mmHg in DBP. Office blood pressure was also compared. The change from baseline in mean 24-h ambulatory SBP was -12.2 mmHg in DBPC trials and -12.3 mmHg in PROBE trials, a rounded difference of 0.2 mmHg [95% confidence interval (CI): -1.8, 2.1]. The change from baseline in mean 24-h ambulatory DBP was -7.7 mmHg in DBPC trials versus -7.9 mmHg in PROBE trials, a difference of 0.2 mmHg (95% CI: -1.1, 1.5). Ambulatory pulse pressure results were identical. Thus, changes in mean 24-h ambulatory blood pressure from the DBPC and PROBE trials in this meta-analysis are statistically equivalent in terms of ruling out a difference of >or= 3 mmHg in SBP and >or= 2 mmHg in DBP. This supports the validity of the PROBE design in assessing antihypertensive efficacy based on blinded ABPM measurements.

  16. Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Asenapine Maintenance Therapy in Adults With an Acute Manic or Mixed Episode Associated With Bipolar I Disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szegedi, Armin; Durgam, Suresh; Mackle, Mary; Yu, Sung Yun; Wu, Xiao; Mathews, Maju; Landbloom, Ronald P

    2018-01-01

    The authors determined the efficacy and safety of asenapine in preventing recurrence of any mood episode in adults with bipolar I disorder. Adults with an acute manic or mixed episode per DSM-IV-TR criteria were enrolled in this randomized, placebo-controlled trial consisting of an initial 12- to 16-week open-label period and a 26-week double-blind randomized withdrawal period. The target asenapine dosage was 10 mg b.i.d. in the open-label period but could be titrated down to 5 mg b.i.d. After completing the open-label period, subjects meeting stabilization/stable-responder criteria were randomized to asenapine or placebo treatment in the double-blind period. The primary efficacy endpoint was time to recurrence of any mood event during the double-blind period. Kaplan-Meier estimation was performed, and 95% confidence intervals were determined. Safety was assessed throughout. A total of 549 subjects entered the open-label period, of whom 253 enrolled in the double-blind randomized withdrawal period (127 in the placebo group; 126 in the asenapine group). Time to recurrence of any mood episode was statistically significantly longer for asenapine- than placebo-treated subjects. In post hoc analyses, significant differences in favor of asenapine over placebo were seen in time to recurrence of manic and depressive episodes. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were somnolence (10.0%), akathisia (7.7%), and sedation (7.7%) in the open-label period and mania (11.9% of the placebo group compared with 4.0% of the asenapine group) and bipolar I disorder (6.3% compared with 1.6%) in the double-blind period. Long-term treatment with asenapine was more effective than placebo in preventing recurrence of mood events in adults with bipolar I disorder and was generally well-tolerated.

  17. Continuous quality improvement interventions to improve long-term outcomes of antiretroviral therapy in women who initiated therapy during pregnancy or breastfeeding in the Democratic Republic of Congo: design of an open-label, parallel, group randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yotebieng, Marcel; Behets, Frieda; Kawende, Bienvenu; Ravelomanana, Noro Lantoniaina Rosa; Tabala, Martine; Okitolonda, Emile W

    2017-04-26

    Despite the rapid adoption of the World Health Organization's 2013 guidelines, children continue to be infected with HIV perinatally because of sub-optimal adherence to the continuum of HIV care in maternal and child health (MCH) clinics. To achieve the UNAIDS goal of eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission, multiple, adaptive interventions need to be implemented to improve adherence to the HIV continuum. The aim of this open label, parallel, group randomized trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) interventions implemented at facility and health district levels to improve retention in care and virological suppression through 24 months postpartum among pregnant and breastfeeding women receiving ART in MCH clinics in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Prior to randomization, the current monitoring and evaluation system will be strengthened to enable collection of high quality individual patient-level data necessary for timely indicators production and program outcomes monitoring to inform CQI interventions. Following randomization, in health districts randomized to CQI, quality improvement (QI) teams will be established at the district level and at MCH clinics level. For 18 months, QI teams will be brought together quarterly to identify key bottlenecks in the care delivery system using data from the monitoring system, develop an action plan to address those bottlenecks, and implement the action plan at the level of their district or clinics. If proven to be effective, CQI as designed here, could be scaled up rapidly in resource-scarce settings to accelerate progress towards the goal of an AIDS free generation. The protocol was retrospectively registered on February 7, 2017. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03048669 .

  18. Study design of the influence of SErotonin inhibition on patients with RENAl impairment or diabetes undergoing drug-eluting stent implantation (SERENADE) study: A multicenter, open-label, prospective, randomized study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seung-Ah; Suh, Jung-Won; Park, Jin Joo; Yoon, Chang-Hwan; Cho, Young-Suk; Youn, Tae-Jin; Chae, In-Ho; Kim, Hyo-Soo; Kim, Sang-Hyun; Choi, Dong-Ju

    2015-07-01

    The rates of stent failure after percutaneous coronary intervention have decreased since the introduction of the drug-eluting stent (DES). However, chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) remain strong clinical predictors of poor prognosis despite DES implantation. Sarpogrelate, a selective serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (HT)2a [5-HT2A]) receptor antagonist, has antiproliferative effects, reducing neointimal hyperplasia and smooth muscle cell proliferation, as well as potent antiplatelet action, inhibiting 5-HT-induced platelet aggregation. However, efficacy and safety data for sarpogrelate in patients with CKD or DM are limited. We aim to determine whether sarpogrelate has beneficial effects in patients with CDK or DM treated with DES implantation. The SERENADE trial is a multicenter, open-label, prospective, randomized study that will test the superiority of triple anti-platelet therapy (TAT; aspirin, clopidogrel, and sarpogrelate) to conventional dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT; aspirin and clopidogrel) in preventing late lumen loss 9 months after the index procedure in patients with CKD or DM. A total of 220 patients diagnosed with coronary artery disease with DM or CKD will be randomized to the TAT or DAT groups (1:1 ratio) after DES implantation. The primary endpoint is late lumen loss at 9 months assessed by quantitative coronary angiography. Secondary efficacy endpoints are composites of major adverse cardiovascular events including cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization. Secondary safety endpoints are major bleeding events and hepatic or renal impairment. The SERENADE trial will provide insight on the efficacy of adjunctive therapy with sarpogrelate after DES implantation for patients with high-risk profiles such as CKD or DM. National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02294643). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Intermittent theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation for autism spectrum disorder: an open-label pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caio Abujadi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Theta-burst stimulation (TBS modulates synaptic plasticity more efficiently than standard repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation delivery and may be a promising modality for neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD. At present there are few effective interventions for prefrontal cortex dysfunction in ASD. We report on an open-label, pilot study of intermittent TBS (iTBS to target executive function deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors in male children and adolescents with ASD. Methods: Ten right-handed, male participants, aged 9-17 years with ASD were enrolled in an open-label trial of iTBS treatment. Fifteen sessions of neuronavigated iTBS at 100% motor threshold targeting the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were delivered over 3 weeks. Results: Parent report scores on the Repetitive Behavior Scale Revised and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale demonstrated improvements with iTBS treatment. Participants demonstrated improvements in perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and total time for the Stroop test. The iTBS treatments were well tolerated with no serious adverse effects. Conclusion: These preliminary results suggest that further controlled interventional studies of iTBS for ASD are warranted.

  20. Intermittent theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation for autism spectrum disorder: an open-label pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abujadi, Caio; Croarkin, Paul E; Bellini, Bianca B; Brentani, Helena; Marcolin, Marco A

    2017-12-11

    Theta-burst stimulation (TBS) modulates synaptic plasticity more efficiently than standard repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation delivery and may be a promising modality for neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). At present there are few effective interventions for prefrontal cortex dysfunction in ASD. We report on an open-label, pilot study of intermittent TBS (iTBS) to target executive function deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors in male children and adolescents with ASD. Ten right-handed, male participants, aged 9-17 years with ASD were enrolled in an open-label trial of iTBS treatment. Fifteen sessions of neuronavigated iTBS at 100% motor threshold targeting the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were delivered over 3 weeks. Parent report scores on the Repetitive Behavior Scale Revised and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale demonstrated improvements with iTBS treatment. Participants demonstrated improvements in perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and total time for the Stroop test. The iTBS treatments were well tolerated with no serious adverse effects. These preliminary results suggest that further controlled interventional studies of iTBS for ASD are warranted.

  1. An open-label study of sodium oxybate (Xyrem®) in spasmodic dysphonia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rumbach, Anna F.; Blitzer, Andrew; Frucht, Steven J.; Simonyan, Kristina

    2016-01-01

    Objective Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a task-specific laryngeal dystonia that affects speech production. Co-occurring voice tremor (VT) often complicates the diagnosis and clinical management of SD. Treatment of SD and VT is largely limited to botulinum toxin injections into laryngeal musculature; other pharmacological options are not sufficiently developed. Study Design and Methods We conducted an open-label study in 23 SD and 22 SD/VT patients to examine the effects of sodium oxybate (Xyrem®), an oral agent with therapeutic effects similar to those of alcohol in these patients. Blinded randomized analysis of voice and speech samples assessed symptom improvement before and after drug administration. Results Sodium oxybate significantly improved voice symptoms (p = 0.001) primarily by reducing the number of SD-characteristic voice breaks and severity of VT. Sodium oxybate further showed a trend for improving VT symptoms (p = 0.03) in a subset of patients who received successful botulinum toxin injections for the management of their SD symptoms. The drug’s effects were observed approximately 30–40 min after its intake and lasted about 3.5–4 hours. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that sodium oxybate reduced voice symptoms in 82.2% of alcohol-responsive SD patients both with and without co-occurring VT. Our findings suggest that the therapeutic mechanism of sodium oxybate in SD and SD/VT may be linked to that of alcohol and as such sodium oxybate might be beneficial for alcohol-responsive SD and SD/VT patients. PMID:27808415

  2. A randomized, open-label, crossover study comparing the effects of oral versus transdermal estrogen therapy on serum androgens, thyroid hormones, and adrenal hormones in naturally menopausal women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shifren, Jan L; Desindes, Sophie; McIlwain, Marilyn; Doros, Gheorghe; Mazer, Norman A

    2007-01-01

    To compare the changes induced by oral versus transdermal estrogen therapy on the total and free serum concentrations of testosterone (T), thyroxine (T4), and cortisol (C) and the concentrations of their serum binding globulins sex hormone-binding globulin, thyroxine-binding globulin, and cortisol-binding globulin in naturally menopausal women. Randomized, open-label, crossover. Interventions included a 6-week withdrawal from previous hormone therapy (baseline), followed in randomized order by 12 weeks of oral conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) (0.625 mg/d) and 12 weeks of transdermal estradiol (TD E2) (0.05 mg/d), with oral micronized progesterone (100 mg/d) given continuously during both transdermal estrogen therapy regimens. Twenty-seven women were enrolled in the study, and 25 completed both treatment periods. The mean(SD) percentage changes from baseline of sex hormone-binding globulin, total T, and free T with oral CEE were +132.1% (74.5%), +16.4% (43.8%), and -32.7% (25.9%), respectively, versus +12.0% (25.1%), +1.2% (43.7%), and +1.0% (45.0%) with TD E2. The mean (SD) percentage changes of thyroxine-binding globulin, total T4, and free T4 with oral CEE were +39.9% (20.1%), +28.4% (29.2%), and -10.4% (22.3%), respectively, versus +0.4% (11.1%), -0.7% (16.5%), and +0.2% (26.6%) with TD E2. The mean (SD) percentage changes of cortisol-binding globulin, total C, and free C with oral CEE were +18.0% (19.5%), +29.2% (46.3%), and +50.4% (126.5%), respectively, versus -2.2% (11.3%), -6.7% (30.8%), and +1.8% (77.1%) with TD E2. Concentrations of all hormones and binding globulins were significantly different (P < or = 0.003) during administration of oral versus transdermal estrogen therapy, except for free T4 and free C. Compared with oral CEE, TD E2 exerts minimal effects on the total and free concentrations of T, T4, and C and their binding proteins.

  3. An Open-Source Label Atlas Correction Tool and Preliminary Results on Huntingtons Disease Whole-Brain MRI Atlases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forbes, Jessica L; Kim, Regina E Y; Paulsen, Jane S; Johnson, Hans J

    2016-01-01

    The creation of high-quality medical imaging reference atlas datasets with consistent dense anatomical region labels is a challenging task. Reference atlases have many uses in medical image applications and are essential components of atlas-based segmentation tools commonly used for producing personalized anatomical measurements for individual subjects. The process of manual identification of anatomical regions by experts is regarded as a so-called gold standard; however, it is usually impractical because of the labor-intensive costs. Further, as the number of regions of interest increases, these manually created atlases often contain many small inconsistently labeled or disconnected regions that need to be identified and corrected. This project proposes an efficient process to drastically reduce the time necessary for manual revision in order to improve atlas label quality. We introduce the LabelAtlasEditor tool, a SimpleITK-based open-source label atlas correction tool distributed within the image visualization software 3D Slicer. LabelAtlasEditor incorporates several 3D Slicer widgets into one consistent interface and provides label-specific correction tools, allowing for rapid identification, navigation, and modification of the small, disconnected erroneous labels within an atlas. The technical details for the implementation and performance of LabelAtlasEditor are demonstrated using an application of improving a set of 20 Huntingtons Disease-specific multi-modal brain atlases. Additionally, we present the advantages and limitations of automatic atlas correction. After the correction of atlas inconsistencies and small, disconnected regions, the number of unidentified voxels for each dataset was reduced on average by 68.48%.

  4. Comparative bioavailability and tolerability of a single 20-mg dose of two fluoxetine hydrochloride dispersible tablet formulations in fasting, healthy Chinese male volunteers: an open-label, randomized-sequence, two-period crossover study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Shaojun; Liu, Yani; Wu, Jianhong; Li, Zhongfang; Zhao, Yan; Zhong, Dafang; Zeng, Fandian

    2010-10-01

    The proprietary formulation of fluoxetine hydrochloride is an antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class. Pharmacokinetic studies investigating the bioequivalence of generic and branded formulations are needed to market generic fluoxetine in China. The aim of this study was to compare the bioavailability and tolerability of the proposed generic formulation with the established reference formulation of fluoxetine hydrochloride 20 mg in a fasting, healthy Chinese male population. This 10-week, open-label, randomized-sequence, single-dose, 2-period crossover study was conducted in healthy native Han Chinese male volunteers. Eligible subjects were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive a single 20-mg dose of the test or reference formulation, followed by a 35-day washout period and administration of the alternate formulation. Doses were administered after a 12-hour overnight fast. For analysis of pharmacokinetic properties (including C(max), T(max), AUC(0-t), AUC(0-∞), and t(½)), blood samples were obtained over a 672-hour period after dosing. Plasma concentrations of fluoxetine and its active metabolite, norfluoxetine, were analyzed using a validated LC-MS/MS method. The formulations were to be considered bioequivalent if the ln-transformed ratios (test/ reference) of C(max) and AUC were within the predetermined bioequivalence range of 80% to 125%, as established by the US Food and Drug Administration, and if the P values were fasting, healthy Chinese male volunteers. Both formulations appeared to be well tolerated. Copyright © 2010 Excerpta Medica Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Alternating Mupirocin/Gentamicin is Associated with Increased Risk of Fungal Peritonitis as Compared with Gentamicin Alone - Results of a Randomized Open-Label Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Ping-Nam; Tong, Gensy M W; Wong, Yuk-Yi; Lo, Kin-Yee; Chan, Shuk-Fan; Lo, Man-Wai; Lo, Kwok-Chi; Ho, Lo-Yi; Tse, Cindy W S; Mak, Siu-Ka; Wong, Andrew K M

    2016-01-01

    ♦ Catheter-related infection, namely exit-site infection (ESI) and peritonitis, is a major infectious complication and remains a main cause of technique failure for patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD). Topical application of antibiotic cream might reduce catheter-related infection but emergence of resistant or opportunistic organisms could be a concern. Optimal topical agents and regimens remain to be determined. We did a study to examine the effect of an alternating topical antibiotic regimen in preventing catheter-related infection. ♦ We performed a single-center, randomized, open-label study to compare daily topical application of gentamicin cream with a gentamicin/mupirocin alternate regimen to the exit site. Patients randomized to alternating regimen were asked to have daily application of gentamicin cream in odd months and mupirocin cream in even months. Primary outcomes were ESI and peritonitis. Secondary outcomes were catheter removal or death caused by catheter-related infection. A total of 146 patients (71, gentamicin group; 75, alternating regimen group) were enrolled with a total follow-up duration of 174 and 181 patient-years for gentamicin and alternating groups, respectively. All patients were followed up until catheter removal, death, transfer to another unit, transplantation or the end of the study on March 31, 2014. There were no significant differences in the age, sex, dialysis vintage, and rate of diabetes, helper-assisted dialysis and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage state. ♦ No difference was seen in the time to first ESI or peritonitis. However, the time to first gram-negative peritonitis seemed longer for the gentamicin group (p = 0.055). The 2 groups showed a similar rate of ESI (0.17/yr vs 0.19/yr, p = 0.93) but P. aeruginosa ESI was less common in the gentamicin group (0.06/yr vs 0.11/yr, p Peritonitis rate was significantly lower in the gentamicin group (0.22/yr vs 0.32/yr, p peritonitis (0.08/yr

  6. Self-reference and random sampling approach for label-free identification of DNA composition using plasmonic nanomaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freeman, Lindsay M; Pang, Lin; Fainman, Yeshaiahu

    2018-05-09

    The analysis of DNA has led to revolutionary advancements in the fields of medical diagnostics, genomics, prenatal screening, and forensic science, with the global DNA testing market expected to reach revenues of USD 10.04 billion per year by 2020. However, the current methods for DNA analysis remain dependent on the necessity for fluorophores or conjugated proteins, leading to high costs associated with consumable materials and manual labor. Here, we demonstrate a potential label-free DNA composition detection method using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) in which we identify the composition of cytosine and adenine within single strands of DNA. This approach depends on the fact that there is one phosphate backbone per nucleotide, which we use as a reference to compensate for systematic measurement variations. We utilize plasmonic nanomaterials with random Raman sampling to perform label-free detection of the nucleotide composition within DNA strands, generating a calibration curve from standard samples of DNA and demonstrating the capability of resolving the nucleotide composition. The work represents an innovative way for detection of the DNA composition within DNA strands without the necessity of attached labels, offering a highly sensitive and reproducible method that factors in random sampling to minimize error.

  7. Efficacy of Lisdexamfetamine in Adults With Moderate to Severe Binge-Eating Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hudson, James I; McElroy, Susan L; Ferreira-Cornwell, M Celeste; Radewonuk, Jana; Gasior, Maria

    2017-09-01

    The ability of pharmacotherapies to prevent relapse and maintain efficacy with long-term treatment in psychiatric conditions is important. To assess lisdexamfetamine dimesylate maintenance of efficacy in adults with moderate to severe binge-eating disorder. A multinational, phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized withdrawal study including 418 participants was conducted at 49 clinical research study sites from January 27, 2014, to April 8, 2015. Eligible adults met DSM-IV-R binge-eating disorder criteria and had moderate to severe binge eating disorder (≥3 binge-eating days per week for 14 days before open-label baseline; Clinical Global Impressions-Severity [CGI-S] scores ≥4 [moderate severity] at screening and open-label baseline). Following a 12-week, open-label phase (dose optimization, 4 weeks [lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, 50 or 70 mg]; dose maintenance, 8 weeks), lisdexamfetamine responders (≤1 binge eating day per week for 4 consecutive weeks and CGI-S scores ≤2 at week 12) were randomized to placebo or continued lisdexamfetamine during a 26-week, double-blind, randomized withdrawal phase. Lisdexamfetamine administration. The primary outcome variable, time to relapse (≥2 binge-eating days per week for 2 consecutive weeks and ≥2-point CGI-S score increases from randomized withdrawal baseline), was analyzed using a log-rank test (primary analysis); the analysis was stratified for dichotomized 4-week cessation status. Safety assessments included treatment-emergent adverse events. Of the 418 participants enrolled in the open-label phase of the study, 411 (358 [87.1%] women; mean [SD] age, 38.3 [10.4] years) were included in the safety analysis set. Of 275 randomized lisdexamfetamine responders (placebo, n = 138; lisdexamfetamine, n = 137), the observed proportions of participants meeting relapse criteria were 3.7% (5 of 136) for lisdexamfetamine and 32.1% (42 of 131) for placebo. Lisdexamfetamine demonstrated superiority over

  8. Laserlight cues for gait freezing in Parkinson's disease: an open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donovan, S; Lim, C; Diaz, N; Browner, N; Rose, P; Sudarsky, L R; Tarsy, D; Fahn, S; Simon, D K

    2011-05-01

    Freezing of gait (FOG) and falls are major sources of disability for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients, and show limited responsiveness to medications. We assessed the efficacy of visual cues for overcoming FOG in an open-label study of 26 patients with PD. The change in the frequency of falls was a secondary outcome measure. Subjects underwent a 1-2 month baseline period of use of a cane or walker without visual cues, followed by 1 month using the same device with the laserlight visual cue. The laserlight visual cue was associated with a modest but significant mean reduction in FOG Questionnaire (FOGQ) scores of 1.25 ± 0.48 (p = 0.0152, two-tailed paired t-test), representing a 6.6% improvement compared to the mean baseline FOGQ scores of 18.8. The mean reduction in fall frequency was 39.5 ± 9.3% with the laserlight visual cue among subjects experiencing at least one fall during the baseline and subsequent study periods (p = 0.002; two-tailed one-sample t-test with hypothesized mean of 0). Though some individual subjects may have benefited, the overall mean performance on the timed gait test (TGT) across all subjects did not significantly change. However, among the 4 subjects who underwent repeated testing of the TGT, one showed a 50% mean improvement in TGT performance with the laserlight visual cue (p = 0.005; two-tailed paired t-test). This open-label study provides evidence for modest efficacy of a laserlight visual cue in overcoming FOG and reducing falls in PD patients. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. The treatment of disc herniation-induced sciatica with infliximab - Results of a randomized, controlled, 3-month follow-up study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Korhonen, T; Karppinen, J; Paimela, L; Malmivaara, A; Lindgren, KA; Jarvinen, S; Niinimaki, J; Veeger, N; Seitsalo, S; Hurri, H

    2005-01-01

    Study Design. A randomized controlled trial. Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy of infliximab, a monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in a randomized controlled setting. Summary of Background Data. Recently, we obtained encouraging results in an open-label study of

  10. Tipepidine in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a 4-week, open-label, preliminary study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sasaki T

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Tsuyoshi Sasaki,1,2 Kenji Hashimoto,3 Masumi Tachibana,1 Tsutomu Kurata,1 Keiko Okawada,1 Maki Ishikawa,1 Hiroshi Kimura,2 Hideki Komatsu,2 Masatomo Ishikawa,2 Tadashi Hasegawa,2 Akihiro Shiina,1 Tasuku Hashimoto,2 Nobuhisa Kanahara,3 Tetsuya Shiraishi,2 Masaomi Iyo1–31Department of Child Psychiatry, Chiba University Hospital, 2Department of Psychiatry, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 3Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, JapanBackground: Tipepidine (3-[di-2-thienylmethylene]-1-methylpiperidine has been used solely as a nonnarcotic antitussive in Japan since 1959. The safety of tipepidine in children and adults has already been established. It is reported that tipepidine inhibits G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK-channel currents. The inhibition of GIRK channels by tipepidine is expected to modulate the level of monoamines in the brain. We put forward the hypothesis that tipepidine can improve attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD symptoms by modulating monoaminergic neurotransmission through the inhibition of GIRK channels. The purpose of this open-label trial was to confirm whether treatment with tipepidine can improve symptoms in pediatric patients with ADHD.Subjects and methods: This was a 4-week, open-label, proof-of-efficacy pilot study for pediatric subjects with ADHD. Ten pediatric ADHD subjects (70% male; mean age, 9.9 years; combined [inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive] subtype, n=7; inattentive subtype, n=3; hyperimpulsive subtype, n=0 received tipepidine hibenzate taken orally at 30 mg/day for 4 weeks. All subjects were assessed using the ADHD Rating Scale IV (ADHD-RS, Japanese version, and the Das–Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System (DN-CAS, Japanese version.Results: A comparison of baseline scores and 4-week end-point scores showed that all the ADHD-RS scores (total scores, hyperimpulsive subscores, and inattentive subscores

  11. An open-label, non-randomized study of the pharmacokinetics of the nutritional supplement nicotinamide riboside (NR) and its effects on blood NAD+ levels in healthy volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Airhart, Sophia E; Shireman, Laura M; Risler, Linda J; Anderson, Gail D; Nagana Gowda, G A; Raftery, Daniel; Tian, Rong; Shen, Danny D; O'Brien, Kevin D

    2017-01-01

    The co-primary objectives of this study were to determine the human pharmacokinetics (PK) of oral NR and the effect of NR on whole blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels. Though mitochondrial dysfunction plays a critical role in the development and progression of heart failure, no mitochondria-targeted therapies have been translated into clinical practice. Recent murine studies have reported associations between imbalances in the NADH/NAD+ ratio with mitochondrial dysfunction in multiple tissues, including myocardium. Moreover, an NAD+ precursor, nicotinamide mononucleotide, improved cardiac function, while another NAD+ precursor, nicotinamide riboside (NR), improved mitochondrial function in muscle, liver and brown adipose. Thus, PK studies of NR in humans is critical for future clinical trials. In this non-randomized, open-label PK study of 8 healthy volunteers, 250 mg NR was orally administered on Days 1 and 2, then uptitrated to peak dose of 1000 mg twice daily on Days 7 and 8. On the morning of Day 9, subjects completed a 24-hour PK study after receiving 1000 mg NR at t = 0. Whole-blood levels of NR, clinical blood chemistry, and NAD+ levels were analyzed. Oral NR was well tolerated with no adverse events. Significant increases comparing baseline to mean concentrations at steady state (Cave,ss) were observed for both NR (p = 0.03) and NAD+ (p = 0.001); the latter increased by 100%. Absolute changes from baseline to Day 9 in NR and NAD+ levels correlated highly (R2 = 0.72, p = 0.008). Because NR increases circulating NAD+ in humans, NR may have potential as a therapy in patients with mitochondrial dysfunction due to genetic and/or acquired diseases.

  12. Effects of Food on the Pharmacokinetics of Omega-3-Carboxylic Acids in Healthy Japanese Male Subjects: A Phase I, Randomized, Open-label, Three-period, Crossover Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimada, Hitoshi; Nilsson, Catarina; Noda, Yoshinori; Kim, Hyosung; Lundström, Torbjörn; Yajima, Toshitaka

    2017-09-01

    Omega-3-carboxylic acids (OM3-CA) contain omega-3 free fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), as carboxylic acids. Food intake is known to affect the bioavailability of ethyl ester fatty acid formulations. We conducted a phase I study to investigate the effects of the timing of OM3-CA administration relative to food intake on the pharmacokinetics of EPA and DHA. In this randomized, open-label, three-period crossover study, Japanese healthy male subjects were administered 4×1 g OM3-CA capsules with continued fasting, before a meal, or after a meal. All subjects fasted for ≥10 h prior to drug/meal administration. The primary objective was to examine the effect of meal timing on the pharmacokinetics of EPA and DHA after OM3-CA administration. The secondary objectives were to examine the safety and tolerability of OM3-CA. A total of 42 Japanese subjects was enrolled in the study. The baseline-adjusted maximum concentration and area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 72 h for EPA, DHA, and EPA +DHA were lower in the fasting and before meal conditions than in the after meal condition. The maximum total EPA, total DHA, and total EPA+DHA concentrations were reached later when administered in fasting conditions than in fed conditions, indicating slower absorption in fasting conditions. Diarrhea was reported by five, six, and no subjects in the fasting, before meal, and after meal conditions, respectively. The timing of OM3-CA administration relative to food intake influences the systemic bioavailability of EPA and DHA in healthy Japanese male subjects. NCT02372344.

  13. An open-label, non-randomized study of the pharmacokinetics of the nutritional supplement nicotinamide riboside (NR and its effects on blood NAD+ levels in healthy volunteers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sophia E Airhart

    Full Text Available The co-primary objectives of this study were to determine the human pharmacokinetics (PK of oral NR and the effect of NR on whole blood nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+ levels.Though mitochondrial dysfunction plays a critical role in the development and progression of heart failure, no mitochondria-targeted therapies have been translated into clinical practice. Recent murine studies have reported associations between imbalances in the NADH/NAD+ ratio with mitochondrial dysfunction in multiple tissues, including myocardium. Moreover, an NAD+ precursor, nicotinamide mononucleotide, improved cardiac function, while another NAD+ precursor, nicotinamide riboside (NR, improved mitochondrial function in muscle, liver and brown adipose. Thus, PK studies of NR in humans is critical for future clinical trials.In this non-randomized, open-label PK study of 8 healthy volunteers, 250 mg NR was orally administered on Days 1 and 2, then uptitrated to peak dose of 1000 mg twice daily on Days 7 and 8. On the morning of Day 9, subjects completed a 24-hour PK study after receiving 1000 mg NR at t = 0. Whole-blood levels of NR, clinical blood chemistry, and NAD+ levels were analyzed.Oral NR was well tolerated with no adverse events. Significant increases comparing baseline to mean concentrations at steady state (Cave,ss were observed for both NR (p = 0.03 and NAD+ (p = 0.001; the latter increased by 100%. Absolute changes from baseline to Day 9 in NR and NAD+ levels correlated highly (R2 = 0.72, p = 0.008.Because NR increases circulating NAD+ in humans, NR may have potential as a therapy in patients with mitochondrial dysfunction due to genetic and/or acquired diseases.

  14. Superiority of dutasteride over finasteride in hair regrowth and reversal of miniaturization in men with androgenetic alopecia: A randomized controlled open-label, evaluator-blinded study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sujit J.S Shanshanwal

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Finasteride and dutasteride are inhibitors of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase which inhibits the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Dutasteride inhibits both type I and type II 5-alpha-reductase while finasteride inhibits only the type II enzyme. As both isoenzymes are present in hair follicles, it is likely that dutasteride is more effective than finasteride. Aims: To compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of dutasteride and finasteride in men with androgenetic alopecia. Methods: Men with androgenetic alopecia between 18 and 40 years of age were randomized to receive 0.5 mg dutasteride or 1 mg finasteride daily for 24 weeks. The primary efficacy variables were hair counts (thick and thin in the target area from modified phototrichograms and global photography evaluation by blinded and non-blinded investigators. The secondary efficacy variable was subjective assessment using a preset questionnaire. Patients were assessed monthly for side effects. Results: Ninety men with androgenetic alopecia were recruited. The increase in total hair count per cm[2] representing new growth was significantly higher in dutasteride group (baseline- 223 hair; at 24 weeks- 246 hair compared to finasteride group (baseline- 227 hair; at 24 weeks- 231 hair. The decrease in thin hair count per cm[2] suggestive of reversal of miniaturization was significantly higher in dutasteride group (baseline- 65 hair; at 24 weeks- 57 hair compared to finasteride group (baseline- 67 hair; at 24 weeks- 66 hair. Both the groups showed a similar side effect profile with sexual dysfunction being the most common and reversible side effect. Limitations: Limitations include the short duration of the study (6 months, the small sample size and the fact that it was an open-label study. Conclusions: Dutasteride was shown to be more efficacious than finasteride and the side-effect profiles were comparable.

  15. Five-year extension of a clinical trial comparing the EX-PRESS glaucoma filtration device and trabeculectomy in primary open-angle glaucoma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Jong, Leo; Lafuma, Antoine; Aguadé, Anne-Sophie; Berdeaux, Gilles

    2011-01-01

    This study compared the efficacy of the EX-PRESS(®) glaucoma filtration device and trabeculectomy in primary open-angle glaucoma up to five years after surgery. Patients from a previously reported randomized, open-label, parallel-arm clinical trial in which 78 patients received either the EX-PRESS

  16. An open-label, randomized, controlled, multicenter study exploring two treatment strategies of rivaroxaban and a dose-adjusted oral vitamin K antagonist treatment strategy in subjects with atrial fibrillation who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PIONEER AF-PCI).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, C Michael; Mehran, Roxana; Bode, Christoph; Halperin, Johnathan; Verheugt, Freek; Wildgoose, Peter; van Eickels, Martin; Lip, Gregory Y H; Cohen, Marc; Husted, Steen; Peterson, Eric; Fox, Keith

    2015-04-01

    Guidelines recommendations regarding anticoagulant therapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) rely on retrospective, nonrandomized observational data. Currently, patients are treated with triple-therapy (dual antiplatelet therapy [DAPT] + oral anticoagulation therapy), but neither the duration of DAPT nor the level of anticoagulation has been studied in a randomized fashion. Recent studies also suggest dual pathway therapy with clopidogrel plus oral anticoagulation therapy may be superior, and other studies suggest that novel oral anticoagulants such as rivaroxaban may further improve patient outcomes. PIONEER AF-PCI (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01830543) is an exploratory, open-label, randomized, multicenter clinical study assessing the safety of 2 rivaroxaban treatment strategies and 1 vitamin K antagonist (VKA) treatment strategy in subjects who have paroxysmal, persistent, or permanent nonvalvular AF and have undergone PCI with stent placement. Approximately 2,100 subjects will be randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive either rivaroxaban 15 mg once daily plus clopidogrel 75 mg daily for 12 months (a WOEST trial-like strategy), or rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice daily (with stratification to a prespecified duration of DAPT 1, 6, or 12 months, an ATLAS trial-like strategy), or dose-adjusted VKA once daily (with stratification to a prespecified duration of DAPT 1, 6, or 12 months, traditional triple therapy). All patients will be followed up for 12 months for the primary composite end point of Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction major bleeding, bleeding requiring medical attention, and minor bleeding (collectively, clinically significant bleeding). The PIONEER AF-PCI study is the first randomized comparison of VKA vs novel oral anticoagulant therapy in patients with NVAF receiving antiplatelet therapy after PCI to assess the relative risks of bleeding complications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Health-related quality of life after laparoscopic and open surgery for rectal cancer in a randomized trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersson, J; Angenete, E; Gellerstedt, M

    2013-01-01

    Previous studies comparing laparoscopic and open surgical techniques have reported improved health-related quality of life (HRQL). This analysis compared HRQL 12¿months after laparoscopic versus open surgery for rectal cancer in a subset of a randomized trial.......Previous studies comparing laparoscopic and open surgical techniques have reported improved health-related quality of life (HRQL). This analysis compared HRQL 12¿months after laparoscopic versus open surgery for rectal cancer in a subset of a randomized trial....

  18. Adding left atrial appendage closure to open heart surgery provides protection from ischemic brain injury six years after surgery independently of atrial fibrillation history: the LAACS randomized study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park-Hansen, Jesper; Holme, Susanne J V; Irmukhamedov, Akhmadjon; Carranza, Christian L; Greve, Anders M; Al-Farra, Gina; Riis, Robert G C; Nilsson, Brian; Clausen, Johan S R; Nørskov, Anne S; Kruuse, Christina R; Rostrup, Egill; Dominguez, Helena

    2018-05-23

    Open heart surgery is associated with high occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF), subsequently increasing the risk of post-operative ischemic stroke. Concomitant with open heart surgery, a cardiac ablation procedure is commonly performed in patients with known AF, often followed by left atrial appendage closure with surgery (LAACS). However, the protective effect of LAACS on the risk of cerebral ischemia following cardiac surgery remains controversial. We have studied whether LAACS in addition to open heart surgery protects against post-operative ischemic brain injury regardless of a previous AF diagnosis. One hundred eighty-seven patients scheduled for open heart surgery were enrolled in a prospective, open-label clinical trial and randomized to concomitant LAACS vs. standard care. Randomization was stratified by usage of oral anticoagulation (OAC) planned to last at least 3 months after surgery. The primary endpoint was a composite of post-operative symptomatic ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack or imaging findings of silent cerebral ischemic (SCI) lesions. During a mean follow-up of 3.7 years, 14 (16%) primary events occurred among patients receiving standard surgery vs. 5 (5%) in the group randomized to additional LAACS (hazard ratio 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1-0.8, p = 0.02). In per protocol analysis (n = 141), 14 (18%) primary events occurred in the control group vs. 4 (6%) in the LAACS group (hazard ratio 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1-1.0, p = 0.05). In a real-world setting, LAACS in addition to elective open-heart surgery was associated with lower risk of post-operative ischemic brain injury. The protective effect was not conditional on AF/OAC status at baseline. LAACS study, clinicaltrials.gov NCT02378116 , March 4th 2015, retrospectively registered.

  19. Early conversion from calcineurin inhibitor- to everolimus-based therapy following kidney transplantation : Results of the randomized ELEVATE trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Fijter, Johan W; Holdaas, Hallvard; Øyen, Ole; Sanders, Jan Stephan; Sundar, Sankaran; Bemelman, Frederike J; Sommerer, Claudia; Pascual, Julio; Avihingsanon, Yingyos; Pongskul, Cholatip; Oppenheimer, Frederic; Toselli, Lorenzo; Russ, Graeme; Wang, Zailong; Lopez, Patricia; Kochuparampil, Jossy; Cruzado, Josep M; van der Giet, Markus

    In a 24-month, multicenter, open-label, randomized trial, 715 de novo kidney transplant recipients were randomized at 10-14 weeks to convert to everolimus (n=359) or remain on standard calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) therapy (n=356; 231 tacrolimus; 125 cyclosporine), all with mycophenolic acid and

  20. Comparison of efficacy and safety of topiramate with gabapentin in migraine prophylaxis: randomized open label control trial

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zain, S.; Khan, M.; Alam, R.; Zafar, I.; Ahmed, S.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of topiramate with gabapentin in the prophylaxis of migraine patients. Methods: A 12-week randomised open label control trial was conducted at the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi from January to March 2011 involving 80 outpatients who had a history of migraine. The sample was divided into two equal groups. Primary efficacy measure was changed into mean monthly migraine frequency. Secondary efficacy measure included reduction in severity and average duration of an attack. Chi square test and paired t-test were used to analyse the data through SPSS 15. Result: Reduction in mean monthly migraine frequency (10.67+-4.25 to 1.82+-2.02) in the topiramate group was significantly greater compared with (11.97+-4.452 to 2.73+-2.59) that in the gabapentin group (p<0.001). Reduction in severity from 6.60+-2.122 to 1.03+-0.92 in the topiramate group was also significantly greater compared with 6.93+-1.90 to 1.18+-1.01 in the gabapentin group (p<0.001). Reduction in the average duration of attacks from 25.77+-22.32 hours to 1.0 1.06 hours in the topiramate group was significantly greater compared with 22.20+-20.72 to 1.08+-1.40 hours in the gabapentin group (p<0.001). Weight loss and numbness were common adverse effects in the topiramate group. Dizziness, weight gain and somnolence were reported in the gabapentin group. Conclusion: Gabapentin appeared well tolerated in 30(75%) patients compared to topiramate in 23(57.5%) patients. Both drugs were equally effective in migraine prophylaxis. (author)

  1. Tofacitinib, an oral Janus kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis: Long-term efficacy and safety results from 2 randomized phase-III studies and 1 open-label long-term extension study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papp, Kim A; Krueger, James G; Feldman, Steven R; Langley, Richard G; Thaci, Diamant; Torii, Hideshi; Tyring, Stephen; Wolk, Robert; Gardner, Annie; Mebus, Charles; Tan, Huaming; Luo, Yingchun; Gupta, Pankaj; Mallbris, Lotus; Tatulych, Svitlana

    2016-05-01

    Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor being investigated for psoriasis. We sought to report longer-term tofacitinib efficacy and safety in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. Data from 2 identical phase-III studies, Oral-treatment Psoriasis Trial Pivotal 1 and 2, were pooled with data from these patients in an ongoing open-label long-term extension study. Patients (n = 1861) were randomized 2:2:1 to tofacitinib 5 mg, 10 mg, or placebo twice daily (BID). At week 16, placebo patients were rerandomized to tofacitinib. Pivotal study participants could enroll into the long-term extension where they received tofacitinib at 10 mg BID for 3 months, after which dosing could be 5 or 10 mg BID. At week 28, the proportions of patients randomized to tofacitinib 5 and 10 mg BID achieving 75% or greater reduction in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score from baseline were 55.6% and 68.8%, and achieving Physician Global Assessment of clear or almost clear were 54.7% and 65.9%. Efficacy was maintained in most patients through 24 months. Serious adverse events and discontinuations because of adverse events were reported in less than 11% of patients over 33 months of tofacitinib exposure. There was no dose comparison beyond week 52. Oral tofacitinib demonstrated sustained efficacy in patients with psoriasis through 2 years, with 10 mg BID providing greater efficacy than 5 mg BID. No unexpected safety findings were observed. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Gatifloxacin versus chloramphenicol for uncomplicated enteric fever: an open-label, randomised, controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arjyal, Amit; Basnyat, Buddha; Koirala, Samir; Karkey, Abhilasha; Dongol, Sabina; Agrawaal, Krishna Kumar; Shakya, Nikki; Shrestha, Kabina; Sharma, Manish; Lama, Sanju; Shrestha, Kasturi; Khatri, Nely Shrestha; Shrestha, Umesh; Campbell, James I; Baker, Stephen; Farrar, Jeremy; Wolbers, Marcel; Dolecek, Christiane

    2011-06-01

    We aimed to investigate whether gatifloxacin, a new generation and affordable fluoroquinolone, is better than chloramphenicol for the treatment of uncomplicated enteric fever in children and adults. We did an open-label randomised superiority trial at Patan Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal, to investigate whether gatifloxacin is more effective than chloramphenicol for treating uncomplicated enteric fever. Children and adults clinically diagnosed with enteric fever received either gatifloxacin (10 mg/kg) once a day for 7 days, or chloramphenicol (75 mg/kg per day) in four divided doses for 14 days. Patients were randomly allocated treatment (1:1) in blocks of 50, without stratification. Allocations were placed in sealed envelopes opened by the study physician once a patient was enrolled into the trial. Masking was not possible because of the different formulations and ways of giving the two drugs. The primary outcome measure was treatment failure, which consisted of at least one of the following: persistent fever at day 10, need for rescue treatment, microbiological failure, relapse until day 31, and enteric-fever-related complications. The primary outcome was assessed in all patients randomly allocated treatment and reported separately for culture-positive patients and for all patients. Secondary outcome measures were fever clearance time, late relapse, and faecal carriage. The trial is registered on controlled-trials.com, number ISRCTN 53258327. 844 patients with a median age of 16 (IQR 9-22) years were enrolled in the trial and randomly allocated a treatment. 352 patients had blood-culture-confirmed enteric fever: 175 were treated with chloramphenicol and 177 with gatifloxacin. 14 patients had treatment failure in the chloramphenicol group, compared with 12 in the gatifloxacin group (hazard ratio [HR] of time to failure 0·86, 95% CI 0·40-1·86, p=0·70). The median time to fever clearance was 3·95 days (95% CI 3·68-4·68) in the chloramphenicol group and 3·90 days

  3. Hypoxia marker labeling in tumor biopsies: quantification of labeling variation and criteria for biopsy sectioning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thrall, Donald E.; Rosner, Gary L.; Azuma, Chieko; McEntee, Margaret C.; Raleigh, James A.

    1997-01-01

    Background and purpose: The error associated with using biopsy-based methods for assessing parameters reflective of the tumor microenvironment depends on the variability in distribution of the parameter throughout the tumor and the biopsy sample. Some attention has been given to intratumoral distribution of parameters, but little attention has been given to their intrabiopsy distribution. We evaluated the intrabiopsy distribution of CCI-103F, a 2-nitroimidazole hypoxia marker. Materials and methods: The hypoxia marker CCI-103F was studied in dogs bearing spontaneous solid tumors. Two biopsies were taken from each of seven tumors, for a total of 14 biopsies. Biopsies were serially sectioned and four to six contiguous slides from each 100-150 μm of the biopsy were used to formulate the best estimate of CCI-103F labeled area throughout the biopsy sample. One, two or four slides were then randomly selected from each biopsy and the labeled area, based on this limited sample, was compared to the estimate obtained from counting all available slides. Random sampling of slides was repeated 1000 times for each biopsy sample. Results: CCI-103F labeling variance throughout the biopsy decreased as the estimated overall labeled area in the biopsy decreased. The error associated with estimating the overall labeled area in a biopsy from a randomly selected subset of slides decreased as the number of slides increased, and as the overall labeled area in the biopsy decreased. No minimally labeled biopsy was classified as unlabeled based on limited sampling. Conclusion: With regard to CCI-103F labeling, quantification of the labeled area in four randomly selected slides from a biopsy can provide, in most biopsies, an estimate of the labeled area in the biopsy within an absolute range of ±0.05

  4. Pharmacokinetics of a telmisartan/rosuvastatin fixed-dose combination: a single-dose, randomized, open-label, 2-period crossover study in healthy Korean subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chae, Dong Woo; Son, Mijeong; Kim, Yukyung; Son, Hankil; Jang, Seong Bok; Seo, Jeong Min; Nam, Su Youn; Park, Kyungsoo

    2015-10-01

    As hypertension and dyslipidemia are frequent comorbidities, antihypertensive drugs and lipid-lowering agents are often prescribed together for their treatment. Telmisartan and rosuvastatin are widely used together to treat hypertension and dyslipidemia. A combination formulation of these two drugs would improve patient compliance due to ease of dosing. The purpose of this study was to assess bioequivalence of single-dose administration of a newly-developed fixed-dose combination (FDC) tablet containing telmisartan/rosuvastatin 80/20 mg (test treatment) and coadministration of a telmisartan 80-mg tablet and a rosuvastatin 20-mg tablet (reference treatment) in healthy Korean male volunteers. This was a single-dose, randomized, open-label, 2-period crossover study enrolling healthy males aged 20 - 50 years with BMI between 18.5 and 25 kg/m2. Each subject received a single dose of the reference and test treatments with a 14-day washout period. Blood sampling was performed at prespecified intervals for up to 72 hours after dosing. Primary pharmacokinetic parameters were Cmax, AUClast, and AUC0-∞ of telmisartan, rosuvastatin, and N-desmethyl rosuvastatin. Bioequivalence was assessed by determining whether the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the geometric mean ratios (test treatment/reference treatment) of these parameters were within the standard range of 80% to 125%. Adverse events were monitored via regular interviews with the subjects and by physical examinations. 60 subjects were enrolled and 55 completed the study. The 90% CIs of the geometric mean ratios of Cmax, AUClast, and AUC00-∞ were 0.9262-1.1498, 0.9294-1.0313, and 0.9312-1.0320 for telmisartan, 0.9041-1.0428, 0.9262-1.0085, and 0.9307-1.0094 for rosuvastatin, and 0.8718-1.0022, 0.8901-0.9904, and 0.8872-0.9767 for N-desmethyl rosuvastatin, respectively. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of adverse events (AEs) (all of which were mild or moderate) between the reference and test

  5. Efficacy of Folic Acid Supplementation in Autistic Children Participating in Structured Teaching: An Open-Label Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Caihong; Zou, Mingyang; Zhao, Dong; Xia, Wei; Wu, Lijie

    2016-06-07

    Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are recognized as a major public health issue. Here, we evaluated the effects of folic acid intervention on methylation cycles and oxidative stress in autistic children enrolled in structured teaching. Sixty-six autistic children enrolled in this open-label trial and participated in three months of structured teaching. Forty-four children were treated with 400 μg folic acid (two times/daily) for a period of three months during their structured teaching (intervention group), while the remaining 22 children were not given any supplement for the duration of the study (control group). The Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) and Psychoeducational Profile-third edition (PEP-3) were measured at the beginning and end of the treatment period. Folic acid, homocysteine, and glutathione metabolism in plasma were measured before and after treatment in 29 autistic children randomly selected from the intervention group and were compared with 29 age-matched unaffected children (typical developmental group). The results illustrated folic acid intervention improved autism symptoms towards sociability, cognitive verbal/preverbal, receptive language, and affective expression and communication. Furthermore, this treatment also improved the concentrations of folic acid, homocysteine, and normalized glutathione redox metabolism. Folic acid supplementation may have a certain role in the treatment of children with autism.

  6. Efficacy and Safety of Azithromycin-Chloroquine versus Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine for Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Infection in Pregnant Women in Africa: An Open-Label, Randomized Trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joshua Kimani

    Full Text Available The World Health Organization recommends intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP in African regions with moderate to high malaria transmission. However, growing resistance to SP threatens the effectiveness of IPTp-SP, and alternative drugs are needed. This study tested the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of a fixed-dose combination azithromycin-chloroquine (AZCQ; 250 mg AZ/155 mg CQ base for IPTp relative to IPTp-SP.A randomized, Phase 3, open-label, multi-center study was conducted in sub-Saharan Africa (Benin, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda between October 2010 and November 2013. Pregnant women received 3 IPTp courses with AZCQ (each course: 1,000/620 mg AZCQ QD for 3 days or SP (each course 1,500/75 mg SP QD for 1 day at 4- to 8-week intervals during the second and third trimester. Long-lasting insecticide-treated bednets were also provided at enrollment. Study participants were followed up until day 28 post delivery (time window: day 28-42. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with sub-optimal pregnancy outcomes (a composite endpoint comprising live-borne neonates with low birth weight [LBW, 28 weeks], abortion [≤28 weeks], lost to follow-up prior to observation of pregnancy outcome, or missing birth weight. The study was terminated early after recruitment of 2,891 of the planned 5,044 participants, due to futility observed in a pre-specified 35% interim analysis. In the final intent-to-treat dataset, 378/1,445 (26.2% participants in the AZCQ and 342/1,445 (23.7% in the SP group had sub-optimal pregnancy outcomes, with an estimated risk ratio (RR of 1.11 (95% CI: 0.97, 1.25; p = 0.12. There was no significant difference in the incidence of LBW between treatment groups (57/1138 [5.0%] in the AZCQ group, 68/1188 [5.7%] in the SP group, RR 0.87 [95% CI: 0.62, 1.23]; p = 0.44. IPTp-AZCQ was less well-tolerated in mothers than IPTp-SP. Occurrences of congenital anomalies

  7. An Open-Label, Multicenter Observational Study for Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease Treated with Memantine in the Clinical Practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.S. Stamouli

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: In this post-marketing observational study, the safety and effectiveness of memantine were evaluated in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD. Methods: In a 6-month, observational, open-label study at 202 specialist sites in Greece, the effectiveness of memantine was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL scale at baseline, and after 3 and 6 months. Discontinuation rates and adverse drug reactions (ADRs were also recorded to evaluate the safety profile of memantine. Results: 2,570 patients participated in the study. Three and 6 months after baseline, MMSE and IADL scores were significantly improved compared to baseline. At the end of the study, 67% of the patients had improved their MMSE score; 7.1% of the patients reported ≧1 ADRs, and treatment was discontinued due to ADR in 0.7%. Conclusion: Memantine was well tolerated and had a positive effect on the patient’s cognitive and functional ability in real-life clinical practice, in agreement with randomized, controlled trials.

  8. Brief Report: An Open-Label Study of the Neurosteroid Pregnenolone in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fung, Lawrence K.; Libove, Robin A.; Phillips, Jennifer; Haddad, Francois; Hardan, Antonio Y.

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to assess the tolerability and efficacy of pregnenolone in reducing irritability in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This was a pilot, open-label, 12-week trial that included twelve subjects with a mean age of 22.5 ± 5.8 years. Two participants dropped out of the study due to reasons unrelated to adverse…

  9. An Open-Label Trial of Memantine for Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sriram Ramaswamy

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Studies using standard neuropsychological instruments have demonstrated memory deficits in patients with PTSD. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist memantine in veterans with PTSD and cognitive impairment. Methods. Twenty-six veterans with PTSD and cognitive impairment received 16 weeks of memantine in an open-label fashion. Cognition was assessed using the Spatial Span, Logical Memory I, and Letter-Number Sequencing subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale III and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS. RBANS measures attention, language, visuospatial skills, and immediate and delayed memories. The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D, Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A, Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q, and Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS were secondary outcome measures. Results. There was a significant improvement in RBANS, both total and subscale scores (P<0.05, over time. There was a reduction in total CAPS scores, avoidance/numbing symptoms (CAPS-C and hyperarousal symptoms (CAPS-D, HAM-D, Q-LES-Q, and SDS scores. However, there was no reduction in reexperiencing (CAPS-B and HAM-A scores. Memantine was well tolerated. Conclusions. Memantine improved cognitive symptoms, PTSD symptoms, and mood in veterans with PTSD. Randomized double-blind studies are needed to validate these preliminary observations.

  10. Detection of Myoglobin with an Open-Cavity-Based Label-Free Photonic Crystal Biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bailin; Tamez-Vela, Juan Manuel; Solis, Steven; Bustamante, Gilbert; Peterson, Ralph; Rahman, Shafiqur; Morales, Andres; Tang, Liang; Ye, Jing Yong

    2013-01-01

    The label-free detection of one of the cardiac biomarkers, myoglobin, using a photonic-crystal-based biosensor in a total-internal-reflection configuration (PC-TIR) is presented in this paper. The PC-TIR sensor possesses a unique open optical microcavity that allows for several key advantages in biomolecular assays. In contrast to a conventional closed microcavity, the open configuration allows easy functionalization of the sensing surface for rapid biomolecular binding assays. Moreover, the properties of PC structures make it easy to be designed and engineered for operating at any optical wavelength. Through fine design of the photonic crystal structure, biochemical modification of the sensor surface, and integration with a microfluidic system, we have demonstrated that the detection sensitivity of the sensor for myoglobin has reached the clinically significant concentration range, enabling potential usage of this biosensor for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. The real-time response of the sensor to the myoglobin binding may potentially provide point-of-care monitoring of patients and treatment effects.

  11. Evaluation of two novel tablet formulations of artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem) for bioequivalence in a randomized, open-label, two-period study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefèvre, Gilbert; Bhad, Prafulla; Jain, Jay Prakash; Kalluri, Sampath; Cheng, Yi; Dave, Hardik; Stein, Daniel S

    2013-09-08

    Artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem; AL) is a standard of care for malaria treatment as an oral six-dose regimen, given twice daily over three days with one to four tablets (20/120 mg) per dose, depending on patient body weight. In order to reduce the pill burden at each dose and potentially enhance compliance, two novel fixed-dose tablet formulations (80/480 mg and 60/360 mg) have been developed and tested in this study for bioequivalence with their respective number of standard tablets. A randomized, open-label, two-period, single-dose, within formulation crossover bioequivalence study comparing artemether and lumefantrine exposure between the novel 80/480 mg tablet and four standard tablets, and the novel 60/360 mg tablet and three standard tablets, was conducted in 120 healthy subjects under fed conditions. Artemether, dihydroartemisinin, and lumefantrine were measured in plasma by HPLC/UPLC-MS/MS. Pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters were determined by non-compartmental analyses. Adjusted geometric mean AUClast for artemether were 345 and 364 ng·h/mL (geometric mean ratio (GMR) 0.95; 90% CI 0.89-1.01) and for lumefantrine were 219 and 218 μg·h/mL (GMR 1.00; 90% CI 0.93-1.08) for 80/480 mg tablet versus four standard tablets, respectively. Corresponding Cmax for artemether were 96.8 and 99.7 ng/mL (GMR 0.97; 90% CI 0.89-1.06) and for lumefantrine were 8.42 and 8.71 μg/mL (GMR 0.97; 90% CI 0.89-1.05). For the 60/360 mg tablet versus three standard tablets, adjusted geometric mean AUClast for artemether were 235 and 231 ng·h/mL (GMR 1.02; 90% CI 0.94-1.10), and for lumefantrine were 160 and 180 μg·h/mL (GMR 0.89; 90% CI 0.83-0.96), respectively. Corresponding Cmax for artemether were 75.5 and 71.5 ng/mL (GMR 1.06; 90% CI 0.95-1.18), and for lumefantrine were 6.64 and 7.61 μg/mL (GMR 0.87; 90% CI 0.81-0.94), respectively. GMR for Cmax and AUClast for artemether and lumefantrine for all primary comparisons were within the bioequivalence acceptance criteria (0

  12. Laparoscopic Versus Open Resection for Colorectal Liver Metastases: The OSLO-COMET Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fretland, Åsmund Avdem; Dagenborg, Vegar Johansen; Bjørnelv, Gudrun Maria Waaler; Kazaryan, Airazat M; Kristiansen, Ronny; Fagerland, Morten Wang; Hausken, John; Tønnessen, Tor Inge; Abildgaard, Andreas; Barkhatov, Leonid; Yaqub, Sheraz; Røsok, Bård I; Bjørnbeth, Bjørn Atle; Andersen, Marit Helen; Flatmark, Kjersti; Aas, Eline; Edwin, Bjørn

    2018-02-01

    To perform the first randomized controlled trial to compare laparoscopic and open liver resection. Laparoscopic liver resection is increasingly used for the surgical treatment of liver tumors. However, high-level evidence to conclude that laparoscopic liver resection is superior to open liver resection is lacking. Explanatory, assessor-blinded, single center, randomized superiority trial recruiting patients from Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway from February 2012 to January 2016. A total of 280 patients with resectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer were randomly assigned to undergo laparoscopic (n = 133) or open (n = 147) parenchyma-sparing liver resection. The primary outcome was postoperative complications within 30 days (Accordion grade 2 or higher). Secondary outcomes included cost-effectiveness, postoperative hospital stay, blood loss, operation time, and resection margins. The postoperative complication rate was 19% in the laparoscopic-surgery group and 31% in the open-surgery group (12 percentage points difference [95% confidence interval 1.67-21.8; P = 0.021]). The postoperative hospital stay was shorter for laparoscopic surgery (53 vs 96 hours, P < 0.001), whereas there were no differences in blood loss, operation time, and resection margins. Mortality at 90 days did not differ significantly from the laparoscopic group (0 patients) to the open group (1 patient). In a 4-month perspective, the costs were equal, whereas patients in the laparoscopic-surgery group gained 0.011 quality-adjusted life years compared to patients in the open-surgery group (P = 0.001). In patients undergoing parenchyma-sparing liver resection for colorectal metastases, laparoscopic surgery was associated with significantly less postoperative complications compared to open surgery. Laparoscopic resection was cost-effective compared to open resection with a 67% probability. The rate of free resection margins was the same in both groups. Our results support the continued

  13. Efficacy and safety of a flexible extended regimen of ethinylestradiol/drospirenone for the treatment of dysmenorrhea: a multicenter, randomized, open-label, active-controlled study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Momoeda M

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Mikio Momoeda,1 Masami Kondo,2 Joerg Elliesen,3 Masanobu Yasuda,2 Shigetomo Yamamoto,4 Tasuku Harada5 1Department of Integrated Women’s Health, St Luke’s International Hospital, Tokyo, 2Product Development, Bayer Yakuhin Ltd, Osaka, Japan; 3Global Clinical Development, Bayer AG, Berlin, Germany; 4Medical Affairs, Bayer Yakuhin Ltd, Osaka, 5Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Tottori, Japan Background: Dysmenorrhea is a common condition in women, which is characterized by menstrual pain. Low-dose estrogen/progestin combined oral contraceptives have been shown to reduce the severity of dysmenorrhea symptoms, and a 28-day cyclic regimen of ethinylestradiol/drospirenone (28d regimen is approved for this indication in Japan. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a flexible extended regimen of ethinylestradiol/drospirenone (flexible regimen in Japanese women with dysmenorrhea. Methods: This multicenter, open-label study was performed in Japanese women with dysmenorrhea who, after a baseline observational phase, were randomized to receive ethinylestradiol 20 µg/drospirenone 3 mg in a flexible regimen (one tablet each day for 24–120 days followed by a 4-day tablet-free interval or in the standard 28d regimen (one tablet each day for 24 days, followed by 4 days of placebo tablets for six cycles. The primary endpoint was the number of days with dysmenorrhea of at least mild intensity over a 140-day evaluation period. Dysmenorrhea scores, bleeding patterns, and other pain-related parameters were also assessed. Results: A total of 216 women (mean age 29.7 years were randomized to the flexible regimen (n=108 or 28d regimen (n=108 and 212 were included in the full analysis sets (flexible regimen, n=105; 28d regimen, n=107. Women in the flexible-regimen group reported a mean of 3.4 fewer days with dysmenorrheic pain than women in the 28d-regimen group, with similar decreases in

  14. Advantages with prophylactic PEG-rhG-CSF versus rhG-CSF in breast cancer patients receiving multiple cycles of myelosuppressive chemotherapy: an open-label, randomized, multicenter phase III study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Jie; Cao, Jun; Wang, Jing-Fen; Zhang, Bai-Hong; Zeng, Xiao-Hua; Zheng, Hong; Zhang, Yang; Cai, Li; Wu, Yu-Dong; Yao, Qiang; Zhao, Xiao-Chun; Mao, Wei-Dong; Jiang, Ai-Mei; Chen, Shao-Shui; Yang, Shun-E; Wang, Shu-Sen; Wang, Jian-Hong; Pan, Yue-Yin; Ren, Bi-Yong; Chen, Yan-Ju; Ouyang, Li-Zhi; Lei, Kai-Jian; Gao, Jing-Hua; Huang, Wen-He; Huang, Zhan; Shou, Tao; He, Yan-Ling; Cheng, Jing; Sun, Yang; Li, Wei-Ming; Cui, Shu-de; Wang, Xin; Rao, Zhi-Guo; Ma, Hu; Liu, Wei; Wu, Xue-Yong; Shen, Wei-Xi; Cao, Fei-Lin; Xiao, Ze-Min; Wu, Biao; Tian, Shu-Yan; Meng, Dong; Shen, Peng; Wang, Bi-Yun; Wang, Zhonghua; Zhang, Jian; Wang, Leiping; Hu, Xi-Chun

    2018-04-01

    PEG-rhG-CSF reduces neutropenia and improves chemotherapy safety. In China's registration trial (CFDA: 2006L01305), we assessed its efficacy and safety against rhG-CSF, and prospectively explored its value over multiple cycles of chemotherapy. In this open-label, randomized, multicenter phase 3 study, breast cancer patients (n = 569) were randomized to receive PEG-rhG-CSF 100 µg/kg, PEG-rhG-CSF 6 mg, or rhG-CSF 5 µg/kg/d after chemotherapy. The primary endpoints were the incidence and duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia during cycle 1. Secondary endpoints included the incidence and duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia during cycles 2-4, the incidence of febrile neutropenia, and the safety. A once-per-cycle PEG-rhG-CSF at either 100 µg/kg or 6 mg was not different from daily injections of rhG-CSF for either incidence or duration of grade 3/4 neutropenia. Interestingly, a substantial difference was noted during cycle 2, and the difference became bigger over cycles 3-4, reaching a statistical significance at cycle 4 in either incidence (P = 0.0309) or duration (P = 0.0289) favoring PEG-rhG-CSF. A significant trend toward a lower incidence of all-grade adverse events was noted at 129 (68.98%), 142 (75.53%), and 160 (82.47%) in the PEG-rhG-CSF 100 µg/kg and 6 mg and rhG-CSF groups, respectively (P = 0.0085). The corresponding incidence of grade 3/4 drug-related adverse events was 2/187 (1.07%), 1/188 (0.53%), and 8/194 (4.12%), respectively (P = 0.0477). Additionally, PFS in metastatic patients preferred PEG-rhG-CSF to rhG-CSF despite no significance observed by Kaplan-Meier analysis (n = 49, P = 0.153). PEG-rhG-CSF is a more convenient and safe formulation and a more effective prophylactic measure in breast cancer patients receiving multiple cycles of chemotherapy.

  15. A Randomized Study Comparing Outcomes of Stapled and Hand-Sutured Anastomoses in Patients Undergoing Open Gastrointestinal Surgery

    OpenAIRE

    Chandramohan, S. M.; Gajbhiye, Raj Narenda; Agwarwal, Anil; Creedon, Erin; Schwiers, Michael L.; Waggoner, Jason R.; Tatla, Daljit

    2012-01-01

    Although stapling is an alternative to hand-suturing in gastrointestinal surgery, recent trials specifically designed to evaluate differences between the two in surgery time, anastomosis time, and return to bowel activity are lacking. This trial compared the outcomes of the two in subjects undergoing open gastrointestinal surgery. Adult subjects undergoing emergency or elective surgery requiring a single gastric, small, or large bowel anastomosis were enrolled into this open-label, prospectiv...

  16. Encoding atlases by randomized classification forests for efficient multi-atlas label propagation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zikic, D; Glocker, B; Criminisi, A

    2014-12-01

    We propose a method for multi-atlas label propagation (MALP) based on encoding the individual atlases by randomized classification forests. Most current approaches perform a non-linear registration between all atlases and the target image, followed by a sophisticated fusion scheme. While these approaches can achieve high accuracy, in general they do so at high computational cost. This might negatively affect the scalability to large databases and experimentation. To tackle this issue, we propose to use a small and deep classification forest to encode each atlas individually in reference to an aligned probabilistic atlas, resulting in an Atlas Forest (AF). Our classifier-based encoding differs from current MALP approaches, which represent each point in the atlas either directly as a single image/label value pair, or by a set of corresponding patches. At test time, each AF produces one probabilistic label estimate, and their fusion is done by averaging. Our scheme performs only one registration per target image, achieves good results with a simple fusion scheme, and allows for efficient experimentation. In contrast to standard forest schemes, in which each tree would be trained on all atlases, our approach retains the advantages of the standard MALP framework. The target-specific selection of atlases remains possible, and incorporation of new scans is straightforward without retraining. The evaluation on four different databases shows accuracy within the range of the state of the art at a significantly lower running time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Clinical applications of cells labelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez, B.M.

    1994-01-01

    Blood cells labelled with radionuclides are reviewed and main applications are described. Red blood cell labelling by both random and specific principle. A table with most important clinical uses, 99mTc labelling of RBC are described pre tinning and in vivo reduction of Tc, in vitro labelling and administration of labelled RBC and in vivo modified technique. Labelled leucocytes with several 99mTc-complex radiopharmaceuticals by in vitro technique and specific monoclonal s for white cells(neutrofiles). Labelled platelets for clinical use and research by in vitro technique and in vivo labelling

  18. Prospective open-label study of add-on and monotherapy topiramate in civilians with chronic nonhallucinatory posttraumatic stress disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berlant Jeffrey L

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In order to confirm therapeutic effects of topiramate on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD observed in a prior study, a new prospective, open-label study was conducted to examine acute responses in chronic, nonhallucinatory PTSD. Methods Thirty-three consecutive newly recruited civilian adult outpatients (mean age 46 years, 85% female with DSM-IV-diagnosed chronic PTSD, excluding those with concurrent auditory or visual hallucinations, received topiramate either as monotherapy (n = 5 or augmentation (n = 28. The primary measure was a change in the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C score from baseline to 4 weeks, with response defined as a ≥ 30% reduction of PTSD symptoms. Results For those taking the PCL-C at both baseline and week 4 (n = 30, total symptoms declined by 49% at week 4 (paired t-test, P Conclusions Promising open-label findings in a new sample converge with findings of a previous study. The use of topiramate for treatment of chronic PTSD, at least in civilians, warrants controlled clinical trials.

  19. Impact of food labelling systems on food choices and eating behaviours: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cecchini, M; Warin, L

    2016-03-01

    Food labels are considered a crucial component of strategies tackling unhealthy diets and obesity. This study aims at assessing the effectiveness of food labelling in increasing the selection of healthier products and in reducing calorie intake. In addition, this study compares the relative effectiveness of traffic light schemes, Guideline Daily Amount and other food labelling schemes. A comprehensive set of databases were searched to identify randomized studies. Studies reporting homogeneous outcomes were pooled together and analysed through meta-analyses. Publication bias was evaluated with a funnel plot. Food labelling would increase the amount of people selecting a healthier food product by about 17.95% (confidence interval: +11.24% to +24.66%). Food labelling would also decrease calorie intake/choice by about 3.59% (confidence interval: -8.90% to +1.72%), but results are not statistically significant. Traffic light schemes are marginally more effective in increasing the selection of healthier options. Other food labels and Guideline Daily Amount follow. The available evidence did not allow studying the effects of single labelling schemes on calorie intake/choice. Findings of this study suggest that nutrition labelling may be an effective approach to empowering consumers in choosing healthier products. Interpretive labels, as traffic light labels, may be more effective. © 2015 World Obesity.

  20. Simplification to abacavir/lamivudine + atazanavir maintains viral suppression and improves bone and renal biomarkers in ASSURE, a randomized, open label, non-inferiority trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David A Wohl

    Full Text Available Simplification of antiretroviral therapy in patients with suppressed viremia may minimize long-term adverse effects. The study's primary objective was to determine whether abacavir/lamivudine + atazanavir (ABC/3TC+ATV was virologically non-inferior to tenofovir/emtricitabine + atazanavir/ritonavir (TDF/FTC+ATV/r over 24 weeks in a population of virologically suppressed, HIV-1 infected patients.This open-label, multicenter, non-inferiority study enrolled antiretroviral experienced, HIV-infected adults currently receiving a regimen of TDF/FTC+ATV/r for ≥ 6 months with no history of virologic failure and whose HIV-1 RNA had been ≤ 75 copies/mL on 2 consecutive measurements including screening. Patients were randomized 1 ∶ 2 to continue current treatment or simplify to ABC/3TC+ATV.The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with HIV-RNA<50 copies/mL at Week 24 by the Time to Loss of Virologic Response (TLOVR algorithm. Secondary endpoints included alternative measures of efficacy, adverse events (AEs, and fasting lipids. Exploratory endpoints included inflammatory, coagulation, bone, and renal biomarkers.After 24 weeks, ABC/3TC+ATV (n = 199 was non-inferior to TDF/FTC+ATV/r (n = 97 by both the primary analysis (87% in both groups and all secondary efficacy analyses. Rates of grade 2-4 AEs were similar between the two groups (40% vs 37%, respectively, but an excess of hyperbilirubinemia made the rate of grade 3-4 laboratory abnormalities higher in the TDF/FTC+ATV/r group (30% compared with the ABC/3TC+ATV group (13%. Lipid levels were stable except for HDL cholesterol, which increased significantly in the ABC/3TC+ATV group. Bone and renal biomarkers improved significantly between baseline and Week 24 in patients taking ABC/3TC+ATV, and the difference between groups was significant at Week 24. No significant changes occurred in any inflammatory or coagulation biomarker within or between treatment groups.After 24 weeks, simplification to

  1. Methylphenidate, cognition, and epilepsy: A 1-month open-label trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Jesse; Alipio-Jocson, Valerie; Inoyama, Katherine; Bartlett, Victoria; Sandhu, Saira; Oso, Jemima; Barry, John J; Loring, David W; Meador, Kimford J

    2017-12-01

    Cognitive difficulties are common in epilepsy. Beyond reducing seizures and adjusting antiepileptic medications, no well-validated treatment exists in adults. Methylphenidate is used effectively in children with epilepsy and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, but its effects in adults have not been systematically evaluated. We hypothesized that methylphenidate can safely improve cognition in adults with epilepsy. We detail here the open-label follow-up to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose study. Thirty epilepsy patients entered a 1-month open-label methylphenidate trial after a double-blind phase. Doses were titrated according to clinical practice and patient tolerance, ranging 20-40 mg/day. Primary measures included: Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT), Symbol-Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and Medical College of Georgia Memory Test (MCG). Secondary measures were: Beck Depression Inventory, 2nd Edition (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory, Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES), Stimulant Side-Effect Checklist, Adverse Events Profile, Quality of Life in Epilepsy-89 (QOLIE-89), and seizure frequency. Fourteen healthy, nonmedicated controls were tested concurrently. Twenty-eight participants with epilepsy (13 men/15 women) completed the trial. Withdrawals occurred due to anxiety (n = 1) and fatigue (n = 1). Mean age was 36.4 years (range = 20-60). Epilepsy types were: focal (n = 21), generalized (n = 6), or unclassified (n = 1). Mean epilepsy duration was 12.3 years. Mean baseline seizure frequency was 2.8/month. There were significant improvements on methylphenidate for SDMT, MCG, CPT (the ability to discriminate between targets and nontargets [d'] hits, hit reaction time standard deviation, omissions, and commissions), and QOLIE subscales (energy/fatigue, attention/concentration, memory, and language; paired t tests; p ≤ 0.002). BDI-II and additional subscales also improved, at a lower level of statistical significance. Effect

  2. Safety of Repeated Open-Label Treatment Courses of Intravenous Ofatumumab, a Human Anti-CD20 Monoclonal Antibody, in Rheumatoid Arthritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Quattrocchi, Emilia; Ostergaard, Mikkel; Taylor, Peter C.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives To investigate the safety of ofatumumab retreatment in rheumatoid arthritis. Methods Patients with active rheumatoid arthritis participating in two phase III trials (OFA110635 and OFA110634) and a phase II extension trial (OFA111752) received individualised open-label ofatumumab retrea...

  3. Randomized, open-label, 5-way crossover study to evaluate the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic interaction between furosemide and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs diclofenac and ibuprofen in healthy volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paterson, C A; Jacobs, D; Rasmussen, S; Youngberg, S P; McGuinness, N

    2011-08-01

    Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can induce renal complications in patients taking loop diuretics. This study investigated the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic effects and safety profile of orally administered diclofenac sodium, ibuprofen and diclofenac epolamine topical patch (DETP) on furosemide in healthy adult subjects. This open-label, randomized, 5-way crossover study was conducted in 40 subjects (aged 19 - 45 y). Diclofenac (75 mg taken orally twice daily), DETP (1.3% applied topically twice daily), or ibuprofen (800 mg taken orally thrice daily) was administered for 3 consecutive days, followed by co-administration with furosemide (given intravenously as 20 mg/2 min). Plasma furosemide and NSAID concentrations, urine furosemide, sodium and potassium concentrations and urine output were determined throughout the 24 h period following furosemide administration. Orally administered ibuprofen significantly increased furosemide AUC(0-t) (37%) and AUC(0-inf) (36%) and decreased total body CL (27%), R(max) (19%) and CLR (23%) geometric mean ratios compared with furosemide control. Oral and topical diclofenac had no pharmacokinetic effects on furosemide. Ibuprofen increased sodium excretion (Ae(0-24), 16%) and decreased sodium R(max) (15%), and oral diclofenac decreased urine output (Vu(0-24), 15%). DETP had no effect on furosemide pharmacodynamics; total systemic exposure to diclofenac during DETP treatment was diclofenac. Treatments were generally safe, with 25 subjects reporting a total of 112 adverse events. Pharmacodynamic effects were seen with oral diclofenac (urine output) and ibuprofen (urine sodium excretion). Furosemide also affected plasma and urine pharmacokinetic profiles. Pharmacologic effects of DETP on furosemide were not observed under these conditions. Additional research is warranted to delineate the potential interactions of other NSAIDs with furosemide and other loop diuretics.

  4. An open-label randomized controlled trial of low molecular weight heparin compared to heparin and coumadin for the treatment of venous thromboembolic events in children: the REVIVE trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massicotte, Patricia; Julian, Jim A; Gent, Michael; Shields, Karen; Marzinotto, Velma; Szechtman, Barbara; Andrew, Maureen

    2003-01-25

    Venous thromboembolic events (VTE) are serious complications in children and for which the standard of care, unfractionated heparin followed by oral anticoagulation (UFH/OA), is problematic. The objective of REVIVE was to compare the efficacy and safety of a low molecular weight heparin (reviparin-sodium) to UFH/OA for the treatment of VTE in children. This multicenter, open-label study, with blinded central outcome adjudication, randomized patients with objectively confirmed VTE to receive either reviparin-sodium or UFH/OA. Dose adjustments were made using nomograms. The efficacy outcome was based on recurrent VTE and death due to VTE during the 3-month treatment period. The safety outcomes were major bleeding, minor bleeding and death. Due to slow patient accrual, REVIVE was closed prematurely. At 3 months, with reviparin-sodium, 2/36 patients (5.6%) had recurrent VTE or death compared to 4/40 patients (10.0%) receiving UFH/OA (odds ratio=0.53; 95% CI=(0.05, 4.00); Fisher's exact test: 2P=0.677). There were 7 major bleeds, 2/36 (5.6%) in the reviparin-sodium group and 5/40 (12.5%) in UFH/OA group (odds ratio=0.41; 95% confidence interval 0.04, 2.76); Fisher's exact test: P=0.435). There were 5 deaths during the study period, 1 (2.8%) in the reviparin-sodium group and 4 (10.0%) in the UFH/OA group. All five deaths were unrelated to VTE but one was due to an intracranial hemorrhage in the UFH/OA group. Although limited by small sample size, REVIVE provides valuable information on the incidence of recurrent VTE, major bleeding and problematic issues associated with therapy of VTE in children.

  5. Inhibitory effects of intravenous lansoprazole 30 mg and pantoprazole 40 mg twice daily on intragastric acidity in healthy Chinese volunteers: a randomized, open-labeled, two-way crossover study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Xian-Bao; Guo, Xiao-Rong; Li, Zhao-Shen; Gong, Yan-Fang; Gao, Jun; Liao, Zhuan; Li, Zhen; Gao, Shen; Liu, Pei

    2012-02-01

    Until now there has been no study that directly compares the effect of lansoprazole and pantoprazole administered intravenously on intragastric acidity. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of lansoprazole (30 mg) and pantoprazole (40 mg) administered intravenously on gastric acidity. Helicobacter pylori-negative healthy volunteers were recruited in this open-label, randomized, two-way crossover, single centre study. Lansoprazole at 30 mg or pantoprazole at 40 mg was intravenously administered twice daily for 5 consecutive days with at least a 14-day washout interval. Twenty-four-hour intragastric pH was continuously monitored on days 1 and 5 of each dosing period. Twenty-five volunteers completed the 2 dosing periods. The mean intragastric pH values were higher in subjects treated with lansoprazole than those with pantoprazole on both day 1 (6.41 ± 0.14 vs. 5.49 ± 0.13, P=0.0003) and day 5 (7.09 ± 0.07 vs. 6.64 ± 0.07, P=0.0002). Significantly higher percentages of time with intragastric pH >4 and pH >6 were found in the subjects treated with lansoprazole than those with pantoprazole on day 1 (pH >4, 87.12 ± 4.55% vs. 62.28 ± 4.15%, P=0.0012; pH >6, 62.12 ± 4.12% vs. 47.25 ± 3.76%, P=0.0216) and pH >6 on day 5 (76.79 ± 3.77% vs. 58.20 ± 3.77%, P=0.0025). Intravenous lansoprazole produces a longer and more potent inhibitory effect on intragastric acidity than does intravenous pantoprazole.

  6. Deuterium labeled cannabinoids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Driessen, R.A.

    1979-01-01

    Complex reactions involving ring opening, ring closure and rearrangements hamper complete understanding of the fragmentation processes in the mass spectrometric fragmentation patterns of cannabinoids. Specifically labelled compounds are very powerful tools for obtaining more insight into fragmentation mechanisms and ion structures and therefore the synthesis of specifically deuterated cannabinoids was undertaken. For this, it was necessary to investigate the preparation of cannabinoids, appropriately functionalized for specific introduction of deuterium atom labels. The results of mass spectrometry with these labelled cannabinoids are described. (Auth.)

  7. Deconstructing tolerance with clobazam: Post hoc analyses from an open-label extension study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gidal, Barry E; Wechsler, Robert T; Sankar, Raman; Montouris, Georgia D; White, H Steve; Cloyd, James C; Kane, Mary Clare; Peng, Guangbin; Tworek, David M; Shen, Vivienne; Isojarvi, Jouko

    2016-10-25

    To evaluate potential development of tolerance to adjunctive clobazam in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Eligible patients enrolled in open-label extension study OV-1004, which continued until clobazam was commercially available in the United States or for a maximum of 2 years outside the United States. Enrolled patients started at 0.5 mg·kg -1 ·d -1 clobazam, not to exceed 40 mg/d. After 48 hours, dosages could be adjusted up to 2.0 mg·kg -1 ·d -1 (maximum 80 mg/d) on the basis of efficacy and tolerability. Post hoc analyses evaluated mean dosages and drop-seizure rates for the first 2 years of the open-label extension based on responder categories and baseline seizure quartiles in OV-1012. Individual patient listings were reviewed for dosage increases ≥40% and increasing seizure rates. Data from 200 patients were included. For patients free of drop seizures, there was no notable change in dosage over 24 months. For responder groups still exhibiting drop seizures, dosages were increased. Weekly drop-seizure rates for 100% and ≥75% responders demonstrated a consistent response over time. Few patients had a dosage increase ≥40% associated with an increase in seizure rates. Two-year findings suggest that the majority of patients do not develop tolerance to the antiseizure actions of clobazam. Observed dosage increases may reflect best efforts to achieve seizure freedom. It is possible that the clinical development of tolerance to clobazam has been overstated. NCT00518713 and NCT01160770. This study provides Class III evidence that the majority of patients do not develop tolerance to clobazam over 2 years of treatment. © 2016 American Academy of Neurology.

  8. Effect of Oral Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB Supplementation on Physical Performance in Healthy Old Women Over 65 Years: An Open Label Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda Berton

    Full Text Available Although older people are particularly liable to sarcopenia, limited research is available on beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB supplementation in this population, particularly in healthy subjects. In this parallel-group, randomized, controlled, open-label trial, we aimed to evaluate whether an oral supplement containing 1.5 g of calcium HMB for 8 weeks could improve physical performance and muscle strength parameters in a group of community-dwelling healthy older women. Eighty healthy women attending a twice-weekly mild fitness program were divided into two equal groups of 40, and 32 of the treated women and 33 control completed the study. We considered a change in the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB score as the primary outcome and changes in the peak torque (PT isometric and isokinetic strength of the lower limbs, 6-minute walking test (6MWT, handgrip strength and endurance as secondary outcomes. Body composition was assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA and peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (pQCT. The mean difference between the two groups on pre-post change were finally calculated (delta for each outcome. After 8 weeks, there were no significant differences between the groups’ SPPB, handgrip strength or DXA parameters. The group treated with HMB scored significantly better than the control group for PT isokinetic flexion (delta = 1.56±1.56 Nm; p = 0.03 and extension (delta = 3.32±2.61 Nm; p = 0.03, PT isometric strength (delta = 9.74±3.90 Nm; p = 0.02, 6MWT (delta = 7.67±8.29 m; p = 0.04, handgrip endurance (delta = 21.41±16.28 s; p = 0.02, and muscle density assessed with pQCT. No serious adverse effects were reported in either group. In conclusion, a nutritional supplement containing 1.5 g of calcium HMB for 8 weeks in healthy elderly women had no significant effects on SPPB, but did significantly improve several muscle strength and physical performance parameters.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT

  9. Effect of Oral Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation on Physical Performance in Healthy Old Women Over 65 Years: An Open Label Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berton, Linda; Bano, Giulia; Carraro, Sara; Veronese, Nicola; Pizzato, Simona; Bolzetta, Francesco; De Rui, Marina; Valmorbida, Elena; De Ronch, Irene; Perissinotto, Egle; Coin, Alessandra; Manzato, Enzo; Sergi, Giuseppe

    2015-01-01

    Although older people are particularly liable to sarcopenia, limited research is available on beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation in this population, particularly in healthy subjects. In this parallel-group, randomized, controlled, open-label trial, we aimed to evaluate whether an oral supplement containing 1.5 g of calcium HMB for 8 weeks could improve physical performance and muscle strength parameters in a group of community-dwelling healthy older women. Eighty healthy women attending a twice-weekly mild fitness program were divided into two equal groups of 40, and 32 of the treated women and 33 control completed the study. We considered a change in the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score as the primary outcome and changes in the peak torque (PT) isometric and isokinetic strength of the lower limbs, 6-minute walking test (6MWT), handgrip strength and endurance as secondary outcomes. Body composition was assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (pQCT). The mean difference between the two groups on pre-post change were finally calculated (delta) for each outcome. After 8 weeks, there were no significant differences between the groups’ SPPB, handgrip strength or DXA parameters. The group treated with HMB scored significantly better than the control group for PT isokinetic flexion (delta = 1.56±1.56 Nm; p = 0.03) and extension (delta = 3.32±2.61 Nm; p = 0.03), PT isometric strength (delta = 9.74±3.90 Nm; p = 0.02), 6MWT (delta = 7.67±8.29 m; p = 0.04), handgrip endurance (delta = 21.41±16.28 s; p = 0.02), and muscle density assessed with pQCT. No serious adverse effects were reported in either group. In conclusion, a nutritional supplement containing 1.5 g of calcium HMB for 8 weeks in healthy elderly women had no significant effects on SPPB, but did significantly improve several muscle strength and physical performance parameters. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02118181.

  10. An open-label, pragmatic, randomized controlled clinical trial to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of daptomycin versus vancomycin for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kauf, Teresa L; McKinnon, Peggy; Corey, G Ralph; Bedolla, John; Riska, Paul F; Sims, Matthew; Jauregui-Peredo, Luis; Friedman, Bruce; Hoehns, James D; Mercier, Renée-Claude; Garcia-Diaz, Julia; Brenneman, Susan K; Ng, David; Lodise, Thomas

    2015-11-07

    Treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infection (cSSSI) places a tremendous burden on the health care system. Understanding relative resource utilization associated with different antimicrobials is important for decision making by patients, health care providers, and payers. The authors conducted an open-label, pragmatic, randomized (1:1) clinical study (N = 250) to compare the effectiveness of daptomycin with that of vancomycin for treatment of patients hospitalized with cSSSI caused by suspected or documented methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection. The primary study end point was infection-related length of stay (IRLOS). Secondary end points included health care resource utilization, cost, clinical response, and patient-reported outcomes. Patient assessments were performed daily until the end of antibiotic therapy or until hospital discharge, and at 14 days and 30 days after discharge. No difference was found for IRLOS, total LOS, and total inpatient cost between cohorts. Hospital LOS contributed 85.9% to the total hospitalization cost, compared with 6.4% for drug costs. Daptomycin showed a nonsignificant trend toward a higher clinical success rate, compared with vancomycin, at treatment days 2 and 3. In the multivariate analyses, vancomycin was associated with a lower likelihood of day 2 clinical success (odds ratio [OR] = 0.498, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.249-0.997; P < 0.05). This study did not provide conclusive evidence of the superiority of one treatment over the other in terms of clinical, economic, or patient outcomes. The data suggest that physician and patient preference, rather than drug acquisition cost, should be the primary driver of initial antibiotic selection for hospitalized patients with cSSSI. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01419184 (Date: August 16, 2011).

  11. The effect of physician and patient education when combined with vardenafil treatment in Canadian males with erectile dysfunction: an open-label, factorial-designed, cluster-randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brock, Gerald; Carrier, Serge; Alarie, Pierre; Pommerville, Peter; Casey, Richard; Harris, Stewart; Ward, Richard

    2008-03-01

    Studies evaluating the effect of education on treatment success with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor therapy in men with erectile dysfunction (ED) are limited. Additional education of the primary care physician (PCP) and the patient are thought to optimize the treatment of ED. To assess the impact of education of the PCP or of the patient in the treatment of ED with vardenafil relative to usual care. In this 12-week, open-label, multicenter, factorial-designed, cluster-randomized Canadian study, 1,029 patients with ED were enrolled into four different education groups: usual care, patient education, PCP education, and both PCP and patient education. All groups started on vardenafil 10 mg, with the option to titrate at weeks 4 and 8. The primary efficacy measure was the difference at week 4 last observation carried forward (LOCF) in the overall improvement in erectile function (EF) as measured by the Global Assessment Question (GAQ), while on background vardenafil, between those receiving education vs. those who did not. Other secondary assessments included responses to diary questions regarding penetration (sexual encounter profile, SEP2) and erection maintenance (SEP3), and to questionnaires regarding treatment satisfaction (Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction [EDITS]). A total of 956 patients were included in the intent-to-treat population. Mean baseline International Index of Erectile Function-EF domain score was 13. GAQ response rates at week 4 LOCF were high (>80%) for all groups, regardless of the education given. Mean per patient SEP2 and SEP3 rates at week 12 LOCF were 86-89% and 79-83%, respectively. In an exploratory analysis, a positive relationship between GAQ responses and EDITS scores was observed (P satisfaction regardless of the education given. The benefits of education for PCP and patients in Canada were possibly masked by a ceiling effect in this study population.

  12. Nimotuzumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a multicenter, randomized, open-label Phase II study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Babu KG

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available K Govind Babu,1 Kumar Prabhash,2 Ashok K Vaid,3 Bhawna Sirohi,3 Ravi B Diwakar,4 Raghunadha Rao,5 Madhuchanda Kar,6 Hemant Malhotra,7 Shona Nag,8 Chanchal Goswami,9 Vinod Raina,10 Ravi Mohan111Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, 2Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, 3Artemis Health Institute, Delhi, 4Bangalore Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, 5Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, 6B R Singh Hospital, Kolkata, 7Birla Cancer Centre, Jaipur, 8Jehangir Hospital, Pune, 9B P Poddar Hospital and Medical Research Ltd, Kolkata, 10Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, New Delhi, 11King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam, IndiaBackground: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of nimotuzumab in combination with chemotherapy (docetaxel and carboplatin versus chemotherapy alone in patients with stage IIIB/IV non-small-cell lung cancer.Methods: This multicenter, open-label, Phase II study randomized 110 patients to receive nimotuzumab plus chemotherapy (nimotuzumab group or chemotherapy alone (control group, and comprised concomitant, maintenance, and follow-up phases. Nimotuzumab 200 mg was administered once weekly for 13 weeks during the first two phases with four cycles of chemotherapy and docetaxel 75 mg/m2 and carboplatin (area under the curve 5 mg/mL*min every 3 weeks for a maximum of four cycles during the concomitant phase. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (sum of complete response and partial response. Secondary endpoints, ie, overall survival and progression-free survival, were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Efficacy was evaluated on the intent-to-treat and efficacy-evaluable sets. Safety was assessed from adverse event and serious adverse event data.Results: The objective response rate was significantly higher in the nimotuzumab group than in the control group in the intent-to-treat population (54% versus 34.5%; P=0.04. A complete response and partial response were achieved in 3

  13. Bioavailability of two single-dose oral formulations of omeprazole 20 mg: an open-label, randomized sequence, two-period crossover comparison in healthy Mexican adult volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poo, Jorge Luis; Galán, Juan Francisco; Rosete, Alejandra; de Lago, Alberto; Oliva, Iván; González-de la Parra, Mario; Jiménez, Patricia; Burke-Fraga, Victoria; Namur, Salvador

    2008-04-01

    Omeprazole is a proton-pump inhibitor that acts to reduce acid secretion in the stomach and is used for treating various acid-related gastrointestinal disorders. There are several generic formulations of omeprazole available in Mexico; however, a literature search failed to identify published data concerning the bioavailability of these formulations in the Mexican population. The aim of this study was to compare the bioavailability of 2 oral formulations of omeprazole 20-mg capsules, marketed for use in Mexico, in healthy volunteers: Inhibitron (test formulation) and LosecA 20 mg (reference formulation). This study used a single-dose, open-label, randomized sequence, 2 x 2 crossover (2 administration periods x 2 treatments) design to compare the 2 formulations. Eligible subjects were healthy adult Mexican volunteers of both sexes. Subjects were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive a single 20-mg dose of the test formulation followed by the reference formulation, or vice versa, with a 7-day washout period between administration periods. After a 12-hour (overnight) fast, subjects received a single, 20-mg dose of the corresponding formulation. Plasma samples were obtained over a 12-hour period after administration. Plasma omeprazole concentrations were analyzed by a nonstereospecific high-performance liquid chromatography method. For analysis of pharmacokinetic properties, including C(max), AUC from time 0 (baseline) to time t (AUC(0-t)), and AUC from baseline to infinity (AUC(0-infinity)), blood samples were drawn at baseline and 0.17, 0.33, 0.50, 0.75, 1, 1.25, 1.50, 1.75, 2, 2.50, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 12 hours after administration. The formulations were considered bioequivalent if the natural log (ln)-transformed ratios of C(max) and AUC were within the predetermined equivalence range of 80% to 125%, and if P disability, or required intervention to prevent permanent impairment or damage. Thirty-four subjects were enrolled and completed the study (25 men and 9

  14. The efficacy of N-acetylcysteine as an adjunctive treatment in bipolar depression: an open label trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berk, Michael; Dean, Olivia; Cotton, Sue M; Gama, Clarissa S; Kapczinski, Flavio; Fernandes, Brisa S; Kohlmann, Kristy; Jeavons, Susan; Hewitt, Karen; Allwang, Christine; Cobb, Heidi; Bush, Ashley I; Schapkaitz, Ian; Dodd, Seetal; Malhi, Gin S

    2011-12-01

    Evidence is accumulating to support the presence of redox dysregulation in a number of psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder. This dysregulation may be amenable to therapeutic intervention. Glutathione is the predominant non-enzymatic intracellular free radical scavenger in the brain, and the most generic of all endogenous antioxidants in terms of action. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a glutathione precursor that effectively replenishes brain glutathione. Given the failure of almost all modern trials of antidepressants in bipolar disorder to demonstrate efficacy, and the limited efficacy of mood stabilisers in the depressive phase of the disorder, this is a major unmet need. This study reports data on the treatment of 149 individuals with moderate depression during the 2 month open label phase of a randomised placebo controlled clinical trial of the efficacy of 1g BID of NAC that examined the use of NAC as a maintenance treatment for bipolar disorder. In this trial, the estimated mean baseline Bipolar Depression Rating Scale (BDRS) score was 19.7 (SE=0.8), and the mean BDRS score at the end of the 8 week open label treatment phase was 11.1 (SE=0.8). This reduction was statistically significant (pdepression scores with NAC treatment. Large placebo controlled trials of acute bipolar depression are warranted. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Efficacy of Atomoxetine for the Treatment of ADHD Symptoms in Patients with Pervasive Developmental Disorders: A Prospective, Open-Label Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez-Jaen, Alberto; Fernandez-Mayoralas, Daniel Martin; Calleja-Perez, Beatriz; Munoz-Jareno, Nuria; Campos Diaz, Maria del Rosario; Lopez-Arribas, Sonia

    2013-01-01

    Objective: Atomoxetine's tolerance and efficacy were studied in 24 patients with pervasive developmental disorder and symptoms of ADHD. Method: Prospective, open-label, 16-week study was performed, using the variables of the Clinical Global Impression Scale and the Conners' Scale, among others. Results: A significant difference was found between…

  16. Comparison of toxin removal outcomes in online hemodiafiltration and intra-dialytic exercise in high-flux hemodialysis: A prospective randomized open-label clinical study protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maheshwari Vaibhav

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Maintenance hemodialysis (HD patients universally suffer from excess toxin load. Hemodiafiltration (HDF has shown its potential in better removal of small as well as large sized toxins, but its efficacy is restricted by inter-compartmental clearance. Intra-dialytic exercise on the other hand is also found to be effective for removal of toxins; the augmented removal is apparently obtained by better perfusion of skeletal muscles and decreased inter-compartmental resistance. The aim of this trial is to compare the toxin removal outcome associated with intra-dialytic exercise in HD and with post-dilution HDF. Methods/design The main hypothesis of this study is that intra-dialytic exercise enhances toxin removal by decreasing the inter-compartmental resistance, a major impediment for toxin removal. To compare the HDF and HD with exercise, the toxin rebound for urea, creatinine, phosphate, and β2-microglobulin will be calculated after 2 hours of dialysis. Spent dialysate will also be collected to calculate the removed toxin mass. To quantify the decrease in inter-compartmental resistance, the recently developed regional blood flow model will be employed. The study will be single center, randomized, self-control, open-label prospective clinical research where 15 study subjects will undergo three dialysis protocols (a high flux HD, (b post-dilution HDF, (c high flux HD with exercise. Multiple blood samples during each study session will be collected to estimate the unknown model parameters. Discussion This will be the first study to investigate the exercise induced physiological change(s responsible for enhanced toxin removal, and compare the toxin removal outcome both for small and middle sized toxins in HD with exercise and HDF. Successful completion of this clinical research will give important insights into exercise effect on factors responsible for enhanced toxin removal. The knowledge will give confidence for implementing

  17. Pharmacokinetic interaction between udenafil and dapoxetine: a randomized, open-labeled crossover study in healthy male volunteers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim YH

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Yo Han Kim,1 Hee Youn Choi,1 Shi Hyang Lee,1 Hae Sun Jeon,1 Hyeong-Seok Lim,1 Mi Young Bahng,2 Kyun-Seop Bae1 1Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Asan Medical Center, College of Medicine, University of Ulsan, 2Clinical Development Department, Dong-A ST Co, Ltd, Seoul, Republic of Korea Background: “Udenafil” is a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor indicated for erectile dysfunction. “Dapoxetine” is a serotonin transport inhibitor indicated for premature ejaculation. The aim of the study reported here was to investigate the pharmacokinetic drug interaction between udenafil and dapoxetine in healthy male subjects. Methods: An open-label, three-treatment, six-sequence, three-period crossover study was performed in healthy male subjects. In varying sequences, each subjects received single oral doses of udenafil 200 mg, dapoxetine 60 mg, and both treatments. The periods were separated by a washout period of 7 days. Serial blood samples were collected up to 48 hours after dosing. The plasma concentrations of udenafil and dapoxetine were determined using a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Pharmacokinetic parameters were obtained by non-compartmental analysis. Tolerability was assessed throughout the study. Results: Twenty-three healthy subjects completed the study. The geometric mean ratios of the area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to last measurable time point and measured peak plasma concentration for udenafil were 0.923 (90% confidence interval [CI]: 0.863–0.987 and 0.864 (90% CI: 0.789–0.947, respectively. The geometric mean ratios of the area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to last measurable time point and measured peak plasma concentration for dapoxetine were 1.125 (90% CI: 1.044–1.213 and 0.837 (90% CI: 0.758–0.925, respectively. There were no serious adverse events reported, and none of the subjects dropped out due to adverse events

  18. The Ex-PRESS glaucoma shunt versus trabeculectomy in open-angle glaucoma: a prospective randomized study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Jong, Leo A. M. S.

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to establish the efficacy and safety of the Ex-PRESS (Optonol Ltd., Neve Ilan, Israel) mini glaucoma shunt in open-angle glaucoma. This was a prospective, randomized trial. Eyes from enrolled patients were randomly assigned to either Ex-PRESS implantation under a

  19. Effect of benzalkonium chloride?free travoprost on intraocular pressure and ocular surface symptoms in patients with glaucoma previously on latanoprost: an open-label study

    OpenAIRE

    Lopes, Joao F.; Hubatsch, Douglas A.; Amaris, Patricia

    2015-01-01

    Background Prostaglandin analogs reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension; however, these medications may affect the ocular surface and elicit ocular discomfort when preserved with benzalkonium chloride (BAK). Methods This was an open-label, single-arm study conducted in Latin America from February 2012 to May 2013. Patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who were intolerant of latanoprost 0.005?% were transitioned to recei...

  20. PySeqLab: an open source Python package for sequence labeling and segmentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allam, Ahmed; Krauthammer, Michael

    2017-11-01

    Text and genomic data are composed of sequential tokens, such as words and nucleotides that give rise to higher order syntactic constructs. In this work, we aim at providing a comprehensive Python library implementing conditional random fields (CRFs), a class of probabilistic graphical models, for robust prediction of these constructs from sequential data. Python Sequence Labeling (PySeqLab) is an open source package for performing supervised learning in structured prediction tasks. It implements CRFs models, that is discriminative models from (i) first-order to higher-order linear-chain CRFs, and from (ii) first-order to higher-order semi-Markov CRFs (semi-CRFs). Moreover, it provides multiple learning algorithms for estimating model parameters such as (i) stochastic gradient descent (SGD) and its multiple variations, (ii) structured perceptron with multiple averaging schemes supporting exact and inexact search using 'violation-fixing' framework, (iii) search-based probabilistic online learning algorithm (SAPO) and (iv) an interface for Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (BFGS) and the limited-memory BFGS algorithms. Viterbi and Viterbi A* are used for inference and decoding of sequences. Using PySeqLab, we built models (classifiers) and evaluated their performance in three different domains: (i) biomedical Natural language processing (NLP), (ii) predictive DNA sequence analysis and (iii) Human activity recognition (HAR). State-of-the-art performance comparable to machine-learning based systems was achieved in the three domains without feature engineering or the use of knowledge sources. PySeqLab is available through https://bitbucket.org/A_2/pyseqlab with tutorials and documentation. ahmed.allam@yale.edu or michael.krauthammer@yale.edu. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  1. Switching from rivaroxaban to warfarin: an open label pharmacodynamic study in healthy subjects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Kenneth Todd; Byra, William; Vaidyanathan, Seema; Natarajan, Jaya; Ariyawansa, Jay; Salih, Hiba; Turner, Kenneth C

    2015-01-01

    Aims The primary objective was to explore the pharmacodynamic changes during transition from rivaroxaban to warfarin in healthy subjects. Safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics were assessed as secondary objectives. Methods An open label, non-randomized, sequential two period study. In treatment period 1 (TP1), subjects received rivaroxaban 20 mg once daily (5 days), followed by co-administration with a warfarin loading dose regimen of 5 or 10 mg (for the 10 mg regimen, the dose could be uptitrated to attain target international normalized ratio [INR] ≥2.0) once daily (2–4 days). When trough INR values ≥2.0 were attained, rivaroxaban was discontinued and warfarin treatment continued as monotherapy (INR 2.0–3.0). During treatment period 2, subjects received the same warfarin regimen as in TP1, but without rivaroxaban. Results During co-administration, maximum INR and prothrombin time (PT) values were higher than with rivaroxaban or warfarin monotherapy. The mean maximum effect (Emax) for INR after co-administration was 2.79–4.15 (mean PT Emax 41.0–62.7 s), compared with 1.41–1.74 (mean PT Emax 20.1–25.2 s) for warfarin alone. However, rivaroxaban had the smallest effect on INR at trough rivaroxaban concentrations. Neither rivaroxaban nor warfarin significantly affected maximum plasma concentrations of the other drug. Conclusions The combined pharmacodynamic effects during co-administration of rivaroxaban and warfarin were greater than additive, but the pharmacokinetics of both drugs were unaffected. Co-administration was well tolerated. When transitioning from rivaroxaban to warfarin, INR monitoring during co-administration should be performed at the trough rivaroxaban concentration to minimize the effect of rivaroxaban on INR. PMID:25475601

  2. Ethosuximide for Essential Tremor: An Open-Label Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gironell, Alexandre; Marin-Lahoz, Juan

    2016-01-01

    Background T-type calcium channel activation has been postulated to underlie rhythmicity in the olivo-cerebellar system that is implicated in ET. Ethosuximide reduces T-type calcium currents and can suppress tremor in two animal models of ET. We explored the effects of ethosuximide in subjects with ET in an open-label trial using both clinical scales and accelerometric recordings measures. We initially planned to conduct the trial with 15 patients, but due to lack of efficacy and a high incidence of adverse effects, the trial was stopped after seven patients had participated. Methods Seven patients diagnosed with ET were included in the study. The ethosuximide dose was 500 mg daily (BID). The main outcome measures were: 1) tremor clinical rating scale (TCRS) score, 2) accelerometric recordings, and 3) self-reported disability scale score. Results Five patients completed the study, and two dropped out due to adverse effects. There were no significant changes in clinical scores in motor task performance (TCRS 1+2), daily living activities (TCRS 3), or in the patients’ subjective assessment (TCRS 4) and global appraisal. There were no differences observed for accelerometry data or disability scale scores. Anxiety, nervousness, headache, and dizziness were reported by two patients while on ethosuximide, causing them to stop the trial. No patient preferred to continue ethosuximide treatment. Discussion The results of our exploratory study suggest that ethosuximide is not an effective treatment for ET. PMID:27625899

  3. Ethosuximide for Essential Tremor: An Open-Label Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Gironell

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: T-type calcium channel activation has been postulated to underlie rhythmicity in the olivo-cerebellar system that is implicated in ET. Ethosuximide reduces T-type calcium currents and can suppress tremor in two animal models of ET. We explored the effects of ethosuximide in subjects with ET in an open-label trial using both clinical scales and accelerometric recordings measures. We initially planned to conduct the trial with 15 patients, but due to lack of efficacy and a high incidence of adverse effects, the trial was stopped after seven patients had participated. Methods: Seven patients diagnosed with ET were included in the study. The ethosuximide dose was 500 mg daily (BID. The main outcome measures were: 1 tremor clinical rating scale (TCRS score, 2 accelerometric recordings, and 3 self-reported disability scale score. Results: Five patients completed the study, and two dropped out due to adverse effects. There were no significant changes in clinical scores in motor task performance (TCRS 1+2, daily living activities (TCRS 3, or in the patients’ subjective assessment (TCRS 4 and global appraisal. There were no differences observed for accelerometry data or disability scale scores. Anxiety, nervousness, headache, and dizziness were reported by two patients while on ethosuximide, causing them to stop the trial. No patient preferred to continue ethosuximide treatment. Discussion: The results of our exploratory study suggest that ethosuximide is not an effective treatment for ET.

  4. Transdermal granisetron versus palonosetron for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting following moderately emetogenic chemotherapy: a multicenter, randomized, open-label, cross-over, active-controlled, and phase IV study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seol, Young Mi; Kim, Hyo Jeong; Choi, Young Jin; Lee, Eun Mi; Kim, Yang Soo; Oh, Sung Yong; Koh, Su Jin; Baek, Jin Ho; Lee, Won Sik; Joo, Young Don; Lee, Hyun Gi; Yun, Eun Young; Chung, Joo Seop

    2016-02-01

    Palonosetron is the second-generation 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonist (5-HT3RA) that has shown better efficacy than the first-generation 5-HT3RA for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in patients receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC). Granisetron transdermal delivery system (GTDS), a novel transdermal formulation, was developed to deliver granisetron continuously over 7 days. This study compared the efficacy and tolerability of the GTDS to palonosetron for the control of CINV following MEC. A total of 196 patients were randomized to GP or PG group. In this multicenter, randomized, open-label, cross-over, active-controlled, Phase IV study, GP group was assigned to receive transdermal granisetron (one GTDS patch, 7 days) in the first chemotherapy cycle, palonosetron (iv 0.25 mg/day, 1 days) in the second chemotherapy cycle before receiving MEC, and PG group was assigned to receive palonosetron in the first cycle and GTDS in the second cycle. Primary endpoint was the percentage of chemotherapy cycles achieving complete response (CR; defined as no emetic episodes and no rescue medication use) during the acute phase (0-24 h in post-chemotherapy; non-inferiority comparison with palonosetron). Total 333 cycles (165 in GTDS and 168 in palonosetron) were included in the per protocol analysis. The GTDS cycles showed non-inferiority to palonosetron cycles during the acute phase: CR was achieved by 124 (75.2 %) patients in the GTDS cycles and 134 (79.8 %) patients in the palonosetron cycles (treatment difference, -4.6 %; 95 % confidence interval, -13.6-4.4). There was no significant difference in CR rate during acute phase after the end of the first and second chemotherapy cycle between GP and PG group (p = 0.405, p = 0.074). Patients' satisfaction, assessed using Functional Living Index-Emesis (FLI-E), GTDS cycle were higher than those of palonosetron cycle in GP group (FLI-E score; median 1549.5 in GTDS cycle, median 1670

  5. Randomized controlled trial of ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid in Huntington disease: the TREND-HD study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-12-01

    To determine whether ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid (ethyl-EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid, improves the motor features of Huntington disease. Six-month multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial followed by a 6-month open-label phase without disclosing initial treatment assignments. Forty-one research sites in the United States and Canada. Three hundred sixteen adults with Huntington disease, enriched for a population with shorter trinucleotide (cytosine-adenine-guanine) repeat length expansions. Random assignment to placebo or ethyl-EPA, 1 g twice a day, followed by open-label treatment with ethyl-EPA. Six-month change in the Total Motor Score 4 component of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale analyzed for all research participants and those with shorter cytosine-adenine-guanine repeat length expansions (<45). At 6 months, the Total Motor Score 4 point change for patients receiving ethyl-EPA did not differ from that for those receiving placebo. No differences were found in measures of function, cognition, or global impression. Before public disclosure of the 6-month placebo-controlled results, 192 individuals completed the open-label phase. The Total Motor Score 4 change did not worsen for those who received active treatment for 12 continuous months compared with those who received active treatment for only 6 months (2.0-point worsening; P=.02). Ethyl-EPA was not beneficial in patients with Huntington disease during 6 months of placebo-controlled evaluation. Clinical Trial Registry clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00146211.

  6. The effect of reflexotherapy and massage therapy on vital signs and stress before coronary angiography: An open-label clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khaledifar, Ali; Nasiri, Marzeih; Khaledifar, Borzoo; Khaledifar, Arsalan; Mokhtari, Ali

    2017-03-01

    Complementary medicine interventions are now successfully used to reduce stress as well as to stabilize hemodynamic indices within different procedures. The present study aimed to examine the effect of massage therapy and reflexotherapy on reducing stress in patients before coronary angiography. In this open-label clinical trial, 75 consecutive patients who were candidate for coronary angiography were randomly assigned to receive reflexotherapy (n = 25), or massage therapy (n = 25), or routine care (n = 25) before angiography. The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to determine the stress level of patients before and after interventions and vital signs were also measured. Improvement in diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate was shown in the reflexotherapy group, and similar effects were observed following other interventions including massage therapy and routine resting program. In subjects who received reflexotherapy the level of stress decreased slightly compared with the other two groups. However, following interventions the level of stress in reflexotherapy group was shown to be lower than other study groups. Reflexotherapy before coronary angiography can help to stabilize vital sign as well as reduce the level of stress. The effect of massage therapy was limited to reducing stress.

  7. Comparative fasting bioavailability of 2 bepotastine formulations in healthy male Chinese volunteers: an open-label, randomized, single-dose, 2-way crossover study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shentu, Jianzhong; Zhou, Huili; Hu, Xingjiang; Wu, Guolan; Wu, Lihua; Zhu, Meixiang; Zhai, You; Zheng, Yunliang; Liu, Jian

    2014-04-01

    Bepotastine is a second-generation histamine1 receptor antagonist that is used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, urticaria, and pruritus associated with skin disease. A new generic formulation of bepotastine has been developed in China, and information concerning bioavailability and pharmacokinetic properties in the Chinese population has not been reported. The aim of the present study was to compare the bioavailability and pharmacokinetic properties of 2 tablet formulations of bepotastine, the 10-mg generic formulation (test) and a branded formulation (reference), in healthy male Chinese volunteers to obtain registration approval of the test formulation. A single-center, open-label, randomized, 2-way crossover study with a 1-week washout period was conducted in 24 healthy male volunteers. Blood samples were collected for 16 hours after a single dose of the 10-mg bepotastine test formulation or the reference formulation. Plasma bepotastine concentrations were determined using a validated LC-MS/MS method. Cmax, Tmax, AUC₀-t, AUC₀-∞, and t½ were determined using noncompartmental analysis. The formulations were considered bioequivalent if the 90% CIs for the log-transformed Cmax and AUC values were within the predetermined interval of 75% to 133% and 80% to 125%, respectively, according to the guidelines of the China Food and Drug Administration. No significant differences were found in mean (SD) pharmacokinetic parameters between the test and reference drugs, including Cmax (74.81 [9.91] ng/mL vs 78.60 [29.58] ng/mL), AUC₀-t (295.55[115.29] ng·h/mL vs 299.17[109.29] ng·h/mL), and AUC0-∞ (305.28 [118.50] ng·h/mL vs 310.90 [112.20] ng·h/mL). The mean (SD) t½ values of the test and reference formulations were 2.53 (0.50) hours and 2.62 (0.41) hours, respectively. The 90% CIs of the treatment ratios for the logarithmic transformed values of Cmax, AUC₀-t, and AUC₀-∞ were 86.96% to 101.80%, 93.22% to 104.13%, and 92.66% to 103.30%, respectively

  8. Matching of treatment-resistant heroin-dependent patients to medical prescription of heroin or oral methadone treatment: results from two randomized controlled trials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blanken, Peter; Hendriks, Vincent M.; Koeter, Maarten W. J.; van Ree, Jan M.; van den Brink, Wim

    2005-01-01

    AIMS: To investigate which baseline patient characteristics of treatment-resistant heroin addicts differentially predicted treatment response to medical heroin prescription compared to standard methadone maintenance treatment. DESIGN: Two open-label randomized controlled trials; pooled data.

  9. Random Finite Set Based Bayesian Filtering with OpenCL in a Heterogeneous Platform

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Biao Hu

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available While most filtering approaches based on random finite sets have focused on improving performance, in this paper, we argue that computation times are very important in order to enable real-time applications such as pedestrian detection. Towards this goal, this paper investigates the use of OpenCL to accelerate the computation of random finite set-based Bayesian filtering in a heterogeneous system. In detail, we developed an efficient and fully-functional pedestrian-tracking system implementation, which can run under real-time constraints, meanwhile offering decent tracking accuracy. An extensive evaluation analysis was carried out to ensure the fulfillment of sufficient accuracy requirements. This was followed by extensive profiling analysis to spot the potential bottlenecks in terms of execution performance, which were then targeted to come up with an OpenCL accelerated application. Video-throughput improvements from roughly 15 fps to 100 fps (6× were observed on average while processing typical MOT benchmark videos. Moreover, the worst-case frame processing yielded an 18× advantage from nearly 2 fps to 36 fps, thereby comfortably meeting the real-time constraints. Our implementation is released as open-source code.

  10. Comparative study of amrutbhallataka and glucosamine sulphate in osteoarthritis: Six months open label randomized controlled clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashwinikumar Raut

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: AmrutBhallatak (ABFN02, a ′rasayana′ drug from Ayurveda is indicated in degenerative diseases and arthritis. Objective: To evaluate safety and efficacy of ABFN02 in osteoarthritis (OA and compare it with Glucosamine sulphate (GS Materials and Methods: This was a r andomized open comparative study. Ambulant OPD patients of OA knees (n = 112 were enrolled for 24 weeks. Tablets (750mg each of GS and ABFN02 were matched. Three groups of patients: (A GS, one tablet × twice/day × 24 weeks. (B ABFN02, incremental pulse dosage (one tablet x twice/day × two weeks, two tablets × twice/day × two weeks, three tablets × twice/day × two weeks, two such cycles of drug and non-drug phases alternately for six weeks each (C ABFN02 continuous dosage akin to GS. Pain visual analogue score (Pain-VAS and Western Ontario and Mc-Master University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC were the primary outcome measures. Secondary outcome measures were Health assessment questionnaire (HAQ, paracetamol consumption, 50 feet walking, physician and patient global assessment, knee stiffness, knee status, urinary CTX II, serum TNFa-SRI, SRII and MRI knee in randomly selected patients. Results: ABFNO2 and GS demonstrated, adherence to treatment 87.75% and 74.3%, reduction in Pain-VAS at rest 61.05% and 57.1%, reduction in pain-VAS on activity 57.4% and 59.8%, WOMAC score drop 62.8% and 59.1% respectively. Secondary outcome measures were comparable in all groups. Safety measures were also comparable. No serious adverse events reported. However, asymptomatic reversible rise in liver enzymes was noted in the ABFNO2 group. Conclusions: ABFN02 has significant activity in OA; the formulation needs further investigation.

  11. An open-label naturalistic pilot study of acamprosate in youth with autistic disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, Craig A; Early, Maureen; Stigler, Kimberly A; Wink, Logan K; Mullett, Jennifer E; McDougle, Christopher J

    2011-12-01

    To date, placebo-controlled drug trials targeting the core social impairment of autistic disorder (autism) have had uniformly negative results. Given this, the search for new potentially novel agents targeting the core social impairment of autism continues. Acamprosate is U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drug to treat alcohol dependence. The drug likely impacts both gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate neurotransmission. This study describes our initial open-label experience with acamprosate targeting social impairment in youth with autism. In this naturalistic report, five of six youth (mean age, 9.5 years) were judged treatment responders to acamprosate (mean dose 1,110 mg/day) over 10 to 30 weeks (mean duration, 20 weeks) of treatment. Acamprosate was well tolerated with only mild gastrointestinal adverse effects noted in three (50%) subjects.

  12. Patient-reported genitourinary dysfunction after laparoscopic and open rectal cancer surgery in a randomized trial (COLOR II)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersson, J; Abis, G; Gellerstedt, M

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: This article reports on patient-reported sexual dysfunction and micturition symptoms following a randomized trial of laparoscopic and open surgery for rectal cancer. METHODS: Patients in the COLOR II randomized trial, comparing laparoscopic and open surgery for rectal cancer, completed...... laparoscopic and open approaches. An improvement in sexual dysfunction was seen in the first year, but some male sexual problems persisted. Before operation 64·5 per cent of men in the laparoscopic group and 55·6 per cent in the open group reported some degree of erectile dysfunction. This increased to 81...... radiotherapy, did not change these results. CONCLUSION: Sexual dysfunction is common in patients with rectal cancer, and treatment (including surgery) increases the proportion of patients affected. A laparoscopic approach does not change this. REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT0029779 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)....

  13. Anaesthesiological strategies in elective craniotomy: randomized, equivalence, open trial--the NeuroMorfeo trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Citerio, Giuseppe; Franzosi, Maria Grazia; Latini, Roberto; Masson, Serge; Barlera, Simona; Guzzetti, Stefano; Pesenti, Antonio

    2009-04-06

    Many studies have attempted to determine the "best" anaesthetic technique for neurosurgical procedures in patients without intracranial hypertension. So far, no study comparing intravenous (IA) with volatile-based neuroanaesthesia (VA) has been able to demonstrate major outcome differences nor a superiority of one of the two strategies in patients undergoing elective supratentorial neurosurgery. Therefore, current practice varies and includes the use of either volatile or intravenous anaesthetics in addition to narcotics. Actually the choice of the anaesthesiological strategy depends only on the anaesthetists' preferences or institutional policies. This trial, named NeuroMorfeo, aims to assess the equivalence between volatile and intravenous anaesthetics for neurosurgical procedures. NeuroMorfeo is a multicenter, randomized, open label, controlled trial, based on an equivalence design. Patients aged between 18 and 75 years, scheduled for elective craniotomy for supratentorial lesion without signs of intracranial hypertension, in good physical state (ASA I-III) and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) equal to 15, are randomly assigned to one of three anaesthesiological strategies (two VA arms, sevoflurane + fentanyl or sevoflurane + remifentanil, and one IA, propofol + remifentanil). The equivalence between intravenous and volatile-based neuroanaesthesia will be evaluated by comparing the intervals required to reach, after anaesthesia discontinuation, a modified Aldrete score > or = 9 (primary end-point). Two statistical comparisons have been planned: 1) sevoflurane + fentanyl vs. propofol + remifentanil; 2) sevoflurane + remifentanil vs. propofol + remifentanil. Secondary end-points include: an assessment of neurovegetative stress based on (a) measurement of urinary catecholamines and plasma and urinary cortisol and (b) estimate of sympathetic/parasympathetic balance by power spectrum analyses of electrocardiographic tracings recorded during anaesthesia; intraoperative

  14. Long-term sequential deferiprone-deferoxamine versus deferiprone alone for thalassaemia major patients: a randomized clinical trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Maggio, Aurelio; Vitrano, Angela; Capra, Marcello

    2009-01-01

    A multicentre randomized open-label trial was designed to assess the effectiveness of long-term sequential deferiprone-deferoxamine (DFO-DFP) versus DFP alone to treat thalassaemia major (TM). DFP at 75 mg/kg, divided into three oral daily doses, for 4 d/week and DFO by subcutaneous infusion (8-1...

  15. Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Label, Phase III Trial of Decitabine Versus Patient Choice, With Physician Advice, of Either Supportive Care or Low-Dose Cytarabine for the Treatment of Older Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kantarjian, Hagop M.; Thomas, Xavier G.; Dmoszynska, Anna; Wierzbowska, Agnieszka; Mazur, Grzegorz; Mayer, Jiri; Gau, Jyh-Pyng; Chou, Wen-Chien; Buckstein, Rena; Cermak, Jaroslav; Kuo, Ching-Yuan; Oriol, Albert; Ravandi, Farhad; Faderl, Stefan; Delaunay, Jacques; Lysák, Daniel; Minden, Mark; Arthur, Christopher

    2012-01-01

    Purpose This multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase III trial compared the efficacy and safety of decitabine with treatment choice (TC) in older patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and poor- or intermediate-risk cytogenetics. Patients and Methods Patients (N = 485) age ≥ 65 years were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive decitabine 20 mg/m2 per day as a 1-hour intravenous infusion for five consecutive days every 4 weeks or TC (supportive care or cytarabine 20 mg/m2 per day as a subcutaneous injection for 10 consecutive days every 4 weeks). The primary end point was overall survival (OS); the secondary end point was the complete remission (CR) rate plus the CR rate without platelet recovery (CRp). Adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Results The primary analysis with 396 deaths (81.6%) showed a nonsignificant increase in median OS with decitabine (7.7 months; 95% CI, 6.2 to 9.2) versus TC (5.0 months; 95% CI, 4.3 to 6.3; P = .108; hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.04). An unplanned analysis with 446 deaths (92%) indicated the same median OS (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.99; nominal P = .037). The CR rate plus CRp was 17.8% with decitabine versus 7.8% with TC (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4 to 4.8; P = .001). AEs were similar for decitabine and cytarabine, although patients received a median of four cycles of decitabine versus two cycles of TC. The most common drug-related AEs with decitabine were thrombocytopenia (27%) and neutropenia (24%). Conclusion In older patients with AML, decitabine improved response rates compared with standard therapies without major differences in safety. An unplanned survival analysis showed a benefit for decitabine, which was not observed at the time of the primary analysis. PMID:22689805

  16. Open-label, randomized, multicenter, phase III study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of benzoyl peroxide gel in long-term use in patients with acne vulgaris: A secondary publication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawashima, Makoto; Nagare, Toshitaka; Katsuramaki, Tsuneo

    2017-06-01

    An open-label, randomized, multicenter study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of long-term use of 2.5% and 5% benzoyl peroxide (BPO) gels administrated once daily for 52 weeks to Japanese patients with acne vulgaris. The efficacy of the study drugs was evaluated by counting inflammatory lesions and non-inflammatory lesions. Safety was evaluated based on adverse events, local skin tolerability scores and laboratory test values. In total, 458 subjects were included in the efficacy and safety analyses. The total lesion count, the efficacy end-point, was similarly changed both in the 2.5% and 5% BPO groups over the course of the study. The median rates of reduction from baseline to week 12 were approximately 65%. Thereafter, the counts were maintained at a reduced level without increasing until week 52. The median rates at week 52 were approximately 80%. Similar trends were observed for inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesion counts. Bacteriological evaluation indicated similar distribution of the minimum inhibitory concentration of each of the antibacterial drugs against Propionibacterium acnes between the values at baseline and at week 52, suggesting that long-term use did not result in changes in the drug sensitivity. The incidence of adverse events was 84.0% in the 2.5% BPO group and 87.2% in the 5% BPO group. Many of the adverse events occurred within the first month and were mild or moderate in severity and transient. The results suggest that both 2.5% and 5% BPO gels are effective and safe for long-term treatment of patients with acne vulgaris. © 2017 The Authors. The Journal of Dermatology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Dermatological Association.

  17. Determinants of Dropout and Nonadherence in a Dementia Prevention Randomized Controlled Trial: The Prevention of Dementia by Intensive Vascular Care Trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beishuizen, Cathrien R. L.; Coley, Nicola; Moll van Charante, Eric P.; van Gool, Willem A.; Richard, Edo; Andrieu, Sandrine

    2017-01-01

    To explore and compare sociodemographic, clinical, and neuropsychiatric determinants of dropout and nonadherence in older people participating in an open-label cluster-randomized controlled trial-the Prevention of Dementia by Intensive Vascular care (preDIVA) trial-over 6 years. Secondary analysis.

  18. Determinants of Dropout and Nonadherence in a Dementia Prevention Randomized Controlled Trial: The Prevention of Dementia by Intensive Vascular Care Trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beishuizen, C.R.; Coley, N.; Charante, E.P.M. van; Gool, W.A. van; Richard, E.; Andrieu, S.

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To explore and compare sociodemographic, clinical, and neuropsychiatric determinants of dropout and nonadherence in older people participating in an open-label cluster-randomized controlled trial-the Prevention of Dementia by Intensive Vascular care (preDIVA) trial-over 6 years. DESIGN:

  19. N-Acetylcysteine for Nonsuicidal Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents: An Open-Label Pilot Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullen, Kathryn R; Klimes-Dougan, Bonnie; Westlund Schreiner, Melinda; Carstedt, Patricia; Marka, Nicholas; Nelson, Katharine; Miller, Michael J; Reigstad, Kristina; Westervelt, Ana; Gunlicks-Stoessel, Meredith; Eberly, Lynn E

    2018-03-01

    Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is common in adolescents and young adults, and few evidence-based treatments are available for this significant problem. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a widely available nutritional supplement that has been studied in some psychiatric disorders relevant to NSSI including mood and addictive disorders. This pilot study tested the use of NAC as a potential treatment for NSSI in youth. Thirty-five female adolescents and young adults with NSSI aged 13-21 years were enrolled in this study that had an open-label, single-arm study design. All participants were given oral NAC as follows: 600 mg twice daily (weeks 1-2), 1200 mg twice daily (weeks 3-4), and 1800 mg twice daily (weeks 5-8). Patients were seen every 2 weeks throughout the trial, at which time youth reported the frequency of NSSI episodes. Levels of depression, impulsivity, and global psychopathology were measured at baseline and at the end of the trial using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and Symptoms Checklist-90 (SCL-90). About two-thirds of the enrolled female youth completed the trial (24/35). NAC was generally well tolerated in this sample. NAC treatment was associated with a significant decrease in NSSI frequency at visit 6 and visit 8 compared to baseline. We also found that depression scores and global psychopathology scores (but not impulsivity scores) decreased after NAC treatment. Decrease in NSSI was not correlated with decrease in BDI-II or SCL-90 scores, suggesting these might be independent effects. We provide preliminary evidence that NAC may have promise as a potential treatment option for adolescents with NSSI. The current results require follow-up with a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to confirm efficacy.

  20. A Monte Carlo study of adsorption of random copolymers on random surfaces

    CERN Document Server

    Moghaddam, M S

    2003-01-01

    We study the adsorption problem of a random copolymer on a random surface in which a self-avoiding walk in three dimensions interacts with a plane defining a half-space to which the walk is confined. Each vertex of the walk is randomly labelled A with probability p sub p or B with probability 1 - p sub p , and only vertices labelled A are attracted to the surface plane. Each lattice site on the plane is also labelled either A with probability p sub s or B with probability 1 - p sub s , and only lattice sites labelled A interact with the walk. We study two variations of this model: in the first case the A-vertices of the walk interact only with the A-sites on the surface. In the second case the constraint of selective binding is removed; that is, any contact between the walk and the surface that involves an A-labelling, either from the surface or from the walk, is counted as a visit to the surface. The system is quenched in both cases, i.e. the labellings of the walk and of the surface are fixed as thermodynam...

  1. Labelling fashion magazine advertisements: Effectiveness of different label formats on social comparison and body dissatisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiggemann, Marika; Brown, Zoe

    2018-06-01

    The experiment investigated the impact on women's body dissatisfaction of different forms of label added to fashion magazine advertisements. Participants were 340 female undergraduate students who viewed 15 fashion advertisements containing a thin and attractive model. They were randomly allocated to one of five label conditions: no label, generic disclaimer label (indicating image had been digitally altered), consequence label (indicating that viewing images might make women feel bad about themselves), informational label (indicating the model in the advertisement was underweight), or a graphic label (picture of a paint brush). Although exposure to the fashion advertisements resulted in increased body dissatisfaction, there was no significant effect of label type on body dissatisfaction; no form of label demonstrated any ameliorating effect. In addition, the consequence and informational labels resulted in increased perceived realism and state appearance comparison. Yet more extensive research is required before the effective implementation of any form of label. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Effect of comorbid tics on a clinically meaningful response to 8-week open-label trial of fluoxetine in obsessive compulsive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Husted, David S; Shapira, Nathan A; Murphy, Tanya K; Mann, Giselle D; Ward, Herbert E; Goodman, Wayne K

    2007-01-01

    Currently, there are limited published data evaluating the effects of tics on serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) monotherapy responses in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). One retrospective case-controlled analysis of OCD patients treated with SRI monotherapy showed lesser improvement in OCD symptoms in patients with tics than those without. However, more recently there were preliminary reports of OCD subjects treated with SRI monotherapy which did not demonstrate poorer response in subjects with tics or Tourette's Syndrome (TS). The specific aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of comorbid chronic tics affected "clinically meaningful improvement" [McDougle, C.J., Goodman, W.K., Leckman, J.F., Barr, L.C., Heninger, G.R., Price, L.H., 1993. The efficacy of fluvoxamine in obsessive-compulsive disorder: effects of comorbid chronic tic disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology 13, 354-358] of OCD in an 8-week open-label trial of fluoxetine monotherapy. Seventy-four adult subjects (13 patients with comorbid chronic tics and 61 patients without tics) with a primary DSM-IV OCD diagnosis were treated with up to 40mg fluoxetine for 8 weeks and had at least one post-baseline evaluation. The results indicate that there was a significant response by time in both fluoxetine-with-tic subjects and fluoxetine-without-tic subjects. Additionally, there were 3 (23.0%) OCD subjects with tics who had clinically meaningful improvement versus 16 (26.2%) OCD subjects without tics that demonstrated similar levels of improvement. These findings indicate that OCD patients with or without chronic tic disorders did not have a differential response to an 8-week open-label trial of fluoxetine. Limitations include the relatively low number of tic subjects and the open-label nature of the study. Additional data are needed on how comorbid tics may affect SRI treatment response in OCD.

  3. [Preliminary results of an open-label observational study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Prolia used in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ershova, O B; Lesniak, O M; Belova, K Iu; Nazarova, A V; Manovitskaia, A V; Musaeva, T M; Musraev, R M; Nurlygaianov, R Z; Rozhinskaia, L Ia; Skripnikova, I A; Toroptsova, N V

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Denosumab (Prolia), a first-line osteoporosis (OP) medication that is a fully human monoclonal antibody to the receptor activator of nuclear factor xB ligand (RANKL), within an open-label observational study. Patients aged 50 years or older with postmenopausal OP, who were treated with Prolia in clinical practice, were examined. The concentrations of the bone resorption (BR) marker of C-terminal telopeptide and other laboratory indicators (total serum calcium, total alkaline phosphatase, and creatinine) were measured following 3 months. Adverse drug reactions were recorded. Three months after initiation of the investigation, there was a significant decrease in the BR marker C-terminal telopeptide (by 89%; p<0.0001). There were rare adverse reactions: hypocalcemia in 3 (5.9%) patients, arthralgias in 2 (3.9%), and eczema in 1 (1.9%). There were neither serious adverse events nor study withdrawal cases. The preliminary results of the open-label study of Prolia in postmenopausal OP suggest that the significantly lower BR activity determines the efficacy of this drug and its high safety.

  4. Subject-driven titration of biphasic insulin aspart 30 twice daily is non-inferior to investigator-driven titration in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with premixed human insulin: A randomized, open-label, parallel-group, multicenter trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Wenying; Zhu, Lvyun; Meng, Bangzhu; Liu, Yu; Wang, Wenhui; Ye, Shandong; Sun, Li; Miao, Heng; Guo, Lian; Wang, Zhanjian; Lv, Xiaofeng; Li, Quanmin; Ji, Qiuhe; Zhao, Weigang; Yang, Gangyi

    2016-01-01

    The present study was to compare the efficacy and safety of subject-driven and investigator-driven titration of biphasic insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30) twice daily (BID). In this 20-week, randomized, open-label, two-group parallel, multicenter trial, Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled by premixed/self-mixed human insulin were randomized 1:1 to subject-driven or investigator-driven titration of BIAsp 30 BID, in combination with metformin and/or α-glucosidase inhibitors. Dose adjustment was decided by patients in the subject-driven group after training, and by investigators in the investigator-driven group. Eligible adults (n = 344) were randomized in the study. The estimated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reduction was 14.5 mmol/mol (1.33%) in the subject-driven group and 14.3 mmol/mol (1.31%) in the investigator-driven group. Non-inferiority of subject-titration vs investigator-titration in reducing HbA1c was confirmed, with estimated treatment difference -0.26 mmol/mol (95% confidence interval -2.05, 1.53) (-0.02%, 95% confidence interval -0.19, 0.14). Fasting plasma glucose, postprandial glucose increment and self-measured plasma glucose were improved in both groups without statistically significant differences. One severe hypoglycemic event was experienced by one subject in each group. A similar rate of nocturnal hypoglycemia (events/patient-year) was reported in the subject-driven (1.10) and investigator-driven (1.32) groups. There were 64.5 and 58.1% patients achieving HbA1c titration of BIAsp 30 BID was as efficacious and well-tolerated as investigator-titration. The present study supported patients to self-titrate BIAsp 30 BID under physicians' supervision.

  5. Piroxicam immediate release formulations: A fasting randomized open-label crossover bioequivalence study in healthy volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helmy, Sally A; El-Bedaiwy, Heba M

    2014-11-01

    Piroxicam is a NSAID with analgesic and antipyretic properties, used for the treatment of rheumatoid diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two brands of piroxicam capsules (20 mg) in 24 Egyptian volunteers. The in vivo study was established according to a single-center, randomized, single-dose, laboratory-blinded, 2-period, 2-sequence, crossover study with a washout period of 3 weeks. Under fasting conditions, 24 healthy male volunteers were randomly selected to receive a single oral dose of one capsule (20 mg) of either test or reference product. Plasma samples were obtained over a 144-hour interval and analyzed for piroxicam by HPLC with UV detection. The pharmacokinetic parameters Cmax , tmax , AUC0-t , AUC0-∞ , Vd /F, Cl/F, and t1/2 were determined from plasma concentration-time profiles. The 90% confidence intervals for the ratio of log transformed values of Cmax , AUC0-t , and AUC0-∞ of the two treatments were within the acceptable range (0.8-1.25) for bioequivalence. From PK perspectives, the two piroxicam formulations were considered bioequivalent, based on the rate and extent of absorption. No adverse events occurred or were reported after a single 20-mg piroxicam and both formulations were well-tolerated. © 2014, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

  6. A randomized, open-label study to investigate the effect of belimumab on pneumococcal vaccination in patients with active, autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatham, W; Chadha, A; Fettiplace, J; Kleoudis, C; Bass, D; Roth, D; Gordon, D

    2017-12-01

    Objective Intravenous belimumab 10 mg/kg is approved as an add-on therapy in patients with active, autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus. This study aimed to assess the impact of belimumab on immune response to pneumococcal vaccination in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Methods This was a Phase 4, open-label study (GSK BEL115470; NCT01597492) conducted in the United States. Patients were randomized (7:9) to receive a 23-valent pneumococcal vaccination four weeks prior to (pre-belimumab cohort) or 24 weeks after (belimumab-concurrent cohort) commencing four-weekly belimumab 10 mg/kg intravenous treatment plus standard systemic lupus erythematosus therapy. Analyses of vaccine titers were performed on the as-treated population (received ≥1 dose of belimumab). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with positive antibody responses (≥2-fold increase from pre-vaccination levels, or post-vaccination level ≥ 0.6 µg/mL if pre-vaccination levels were unquantifiable) to ≥1 of 23 pneumococcal vaccine serotypes, four weeks post vaccination. Other endpoints included the proportion of patients with positive antibody responses to ≥2 to ≥10, and ≥11-23 (post hoc analysis) of serotypes. Safety was assessed by monitoring adverse events. Results Seventy-nine patients received pneumococcal vaccination (pre-belimumab cohort, n = 34; belimumab-concurrent cohort, n = 45). The majority (87.3% [69/79]) completed the study; 10 (12.7%) withdrew (patient request, n = 3; adverse event, n = 3; lost to follow-up, n = 2; other, n = 2). At Week 4 post-vaccination, 97.0% (32/33) and 97.6% (40/41) of patients (pre-belimumab and concurrent belimumab cohorts, respectively) had a positive response to ≥1 of 23 pneumococcal serotypes. Over 85% of patients in both cohorts responded to ≥10 of serotypes, approximately 80% responded to ≥12 serotypes, and approximately two-thirds responded to ≥16 serotypes. Little

  7. Scheduled Intermittent Screening with Rapid Diagnostic Tests and Treatment with Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine versus Intermittent Preventive Therapy with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine for Malaria in Pregnancy in Malawi: An Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mwayiwawo Madanitsa

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In Africa, most plasmodium infections during pregnancy remain asymptomatic, yet are associated with maternal anemia and low birthweight. WHO recommends intermittent preventive therapy in pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP. However, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP efficacy is threatened by high-level parasite resistance. We conducted a trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of scheduled intermittent screening with malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs and treatment of RDT-positive women with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP as an alternative strategy to IPTp-SP.This was an open-label, two-arm individually randomized superiority trial among HIV-seronegative women at three sites in Malawi with high SP resistance. The intervention consisted of three or four scheduled visits in the second and third trimester, 4 to 6 wk apart. Women in the IPTp-SP arm received SP at each visit. Women in the intermittent screening and treatment in pregnancy with DP (ISTp-DP arm were screened for malaria at every visit and treated with DP if RDT-positive. The primary outcomes were adverse live birth outcome (composite of small for gestational age, low birthweight [<2,500 g], or preterm birth [<37 wk] in paucigravidae (first or second pregnancy and maternal or placental plasmodium infection at delivery in multigravidae (third pregnancy or higher. Analysis was by intention to treat. Between 21 July 2011 and 18 March 2013, 1,873 women were recruited (1,155 paucigravidae and 718 multigravidae. The prevalence of adverse live birth outcome was similar in the ISTp-DP (29.9% and IPTp-SP (28.8% arms (risk difference = 1.08% [95% CI -3.25% to 5.41%]; all women: relative risk [RR] = 1.04 [95% CI 0.90-1.20], p = 0.625; paucigravidae: RR = 1.10 [95% CI 0.92-1.31], p = 0.282; multigravidae: RR = 0.92 [95% CI 0.71-1.20], p = 0.543. The prevalence of malaria at delivery was higher in the ISTp-DP arm (48.7% versus 40.8%; risk difference = 7.85%, [95% CI 3

  8. Relative bioavailability of generic and branded acetylcysteine effervescent tablets: A single-dose, open-label, randomized-sequence, two-period crossover study in fasting healthy Chinese male volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yan-Mei; Liu, Yun; Lu, Chuan; Jia, Jing-Ying; Liu, Gang-Yi; Weng, Li-Ping; Wang, Jia-Yan; Li, Guo-Xiu; Wang, Wei; Li, Shui-Jun; Yu, Chen

    2010-11-01

    Acetylcysteine may be used as a muco- lytic agent for the treatment of chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other pulmonary diseases complicated by the production of viscous mucus. However, little is known of its pharmacokinetic properties when given orally in healthy volunteers, particularly in a Chinese Han population. This study was conducted to provide support for the marketing of a generic product in China. The purpose of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetics and relative bioavailability of a generic test formulation and a branded reference formulation of acetylcysteine in fasting healthy Chinese male volunteers. A single-dose, open-label, randomized-sequence, 2-period crossover design with a 7-day washout period between doses was used in this study. Healthy Chinese male nonsmokers aged 18 to 40 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 19 to 25 kg/m(2) were selected. Eligible volunteers were randomly assigned to receive acetylcysteine 600 mg PO as either the test formulation (3 tablets of 200 mg each) or reference formulation (1 tablet of 600 mg) under fasting conditions. A total of 15 serial blood samples were collected over a 24-hour interval, and total plasma acetylcysteine concentrations were analyzed by a validated liquid chromatography-isotopic dilution mass spectrometry method. Pharmacokinetic parameters (C(max), T(max), t(½) AUC(0-t), and AUC(0-∞) were calculated and analyzed statistically. The 2 formulations were considered bioequivalent if the 90% CIs of the log-transformed ratios (test/reference) of C(max) and AUC were within the predetermined bioequivalence ranges (70%-143% for C(max); 80%-125% for AUC), as established by the State Food and Drug Administration of China. Tolerability was determined by vital signs, clinical laboratory tests, 12-lead ECGs, physical examinations, and interviews with the subjects about adverse events (AEs). A total of 24 healthy Chinese Han male volunteers were enrolled in and

  9. Sodium lactate improves renal microvascular thrombosis compared to sodium bicarbonate and 0.9% NaCl in a porcine model of endotoxic shock: an experimental randomized open label controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duburcq, Thibault; Durand, Arthur; Tournoys, Antoine; Gnemmi, Viviane; Gmyr, Valery; Pattou, François; Jourdain, Mercedes; Tamion, Fabienne; Besnier, Emmanuel; Préau, Sebastien; Parmentier-Decrucq, Erika; Mathieu, Daniel; Poissy, Julien; Favory, Raphaël

    2018-02-14

    Sodium lactate seemed to improve fluid balance and avoid fluid overload. The objective of this study was to determine if these beneficial effects can be at least partly explained by an improvement in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)-associated renal microvascular thrombosis. Ancillary work of an interventional randomized open label controlled experimental study. Fifteen female "Large White" pigs (2 months old) were challenged with intravenous infusion of E. coli endotoxin. Three groups of five animals were randomly assigned to receive different fluids: a treatment group received sodium lactate 11.2% (SL group); an isotonic control group received 0.9% NaCl (NC group); a hypertonic control group, with the same amount of osmoles and sodium than SL group, received sodium bicarbonate 8.4% (SB group). Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) markers, coagulation and inflammation parameters were measured over a 5-h period. Immediately after euthanasia, kidneys were withdrawn for histological study. Statistical analysis was performed with nonparametric tests and the Dunn correction for multiple comparisons. A p < 0.05 was considered significant. The direct immunofluorescence study revealed that the percentage of capillary sections thrombosed in glomerulus were significantly lesser in SL group [5 (0-28) %] compared to NC [64 (43-79) %, p = 0.01] and SB [64 (43-79), p = 0.03] groups. Alterations in platelet count and fibrinogen level occurred earlier and were significantly more pronounced in both control groups compared to SL group (p < 0.05 at 210 and 300 min). The increase in thrombin-antithrombin complexes was significantly higher in NC [754 (367-945) μg/mL; p = 0.03] and SB [463 (249-592) μg/mL; p = 0.03] groups than in SL group [176 (37-265) μg/mL]. At the end of the experiment, creatinine clearance was significantly higher in SL group [55.46 (30.07-67.85) mL/min] compared to NC group [1.52 (0.17-27.67) mL/min, p = 0.03]. In this study, we

  10. The effect of reflexotherapy and massage therapy on vital signs and stress before coronary angiography: An open-label clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Khaledifar

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Complementary medicine interventions are now successfully used to reduce stress as well as to stabilize hemodynamic indices within different procedures. The present study aimed to examine the effect of massage therapy and reflexotherapy on reducing stress in patients before coronary angiography. METHODS: In this open-label clinical trial, 75 consecutive patients who were candidate for coronary angiography were randomly assigned to receive reflexotherapy (n = 25, or massage therapy (n = 25, or routine care (n = 25 before angiography. The Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to determine the stress level of patients before and after interventions and vital signs were also measured. RESULTS: Improvement in diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate was shown in the reflexotherapy group, and similar effects were observed following other interventions including massage therapy and routine resting program. In subjects who received reflexotherapy the level of stress decreased slightly compared with the other two groups. However, following interventions the level of stress in reflexotherapy group was shown to be lower than other study groups. CONCLUSION: Reflexotherapy before coronary angiography can help to stabilize vital sign as well as reduce the level of stress. The effect of massage therapy was limited to reducing stress.   

  11. Maintenance N-acetyl cysteine treatment for bipolar disorder: A double-blind randomized placebo controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berk Michael

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background N-acetyl cysteine (NAC is a glutathione precursor that has been shown to have antidepressant efficacy in a placebo-controlled trial. The current study aimed to investigate the maintenance effects of NAC following eight weeks of open-label treatment for bipolar disorder. Method The efficacy of a double blind randomized placebo controlled trial of 2 g/day NAC as adjunct maintenance treatment for bipolar disorder was examined. Participants (n = 149 had a Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Score of ≥12 at trial entry and, after eight weeks of open-label NAC treatment, were randomized to adjunctive NAC or placebo, in addition to treatment as usual. Participants (primarily outpatients were recruited through public and private services and through newspaper advertisements. Time to intervention for a mood episode was the primary endpoint of the study, and changes in mood symptoms, functionality and quality of life measures were secondary outcomes. Results There was a substantial decrease in symptoms during the eight-week open-label NAC treatment phase. During the subsequent double-blind phase, there was minimal further change in outcome measures with scores remaining low. Consequently, from this low plateau, between-group differences did not emerge on recurrence, clinical functioning or quality of life measures. Conclusions There were no significant between-group differences in recurrence or symptomatic outcomes during the maintenance phase of the trial; however, these findings may be confounded by limitations. Trial Registration The trial was registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12607000074493.

  12. Relative bioavailability of two oral formulations of risperidone 2 mg: A single-dose, randomized-sequence, open-label, two-period crossover comparison in healthy Brazilian volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belotto, Karisa Cristina Rodrigues; Raposo, Nádia Rezende Barbosa; Ferreira, Aline Siqueira; Gattaz, Wagner Farid

    2010-11-01

    Risperidone (RSP) is a benzisoxazole antipsychotic agent used to treat schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses in adults and children (including those with autism). After oral administration, RSP is completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and undergoes hydroxylation to yield 9-hydroxyrisperidone (9-OH-RSP), an active metabolite that has a pharmacologic profile and potency similar to RSP. The aims of this study were to compare the relative bioavailability of a pharmaceutical-equivalent (test) formulation with a reference formulation of oral RSP 2 mg, both available commercially on the Brazilian pharmaceutical market, and to generate data regarding the oral bioavailability of the tested drug in healthy Brazilian volunteers. This single-dose, randomized-sequence, open-label, 2-period crossover study was conducted in healthy Brazilian volunteers from August to December 2008. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive the test formulation followed by the reference formulation or vice versa, with a 30-day washout period between doses. Study drugs were administered after a 12-hour overnight fast. For pharmacokinetic analysis, blood samples were drawn at 0 (baseline), 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 3, 5, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours after administration. Plasma concentrations of RSP and 9-OH-RSP were determined using LC-MS/MS. The test and reference formulations were to be considered bioequivalent if the 90% CIs for the geometric mean test/reference ratios were within a predetermined range of 80% to 125%, in accordance with the policies of the Brazilian Sanitary Surveillance Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration. Tolerability was determined using clinical assessments, monitoring of vital signs, analysis of laboratory test results, and subject interviews regarding adverse events. A total of 22 subjects were enrolled (11 men, 11 women; mean [SD] age, 32 [12] years [range, 1858 years]; weight, 70.4 [11.9] kg [range, 50-103 kg]; height, 1.67 [0.08] m

  13. Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation and surgery with and without cetuximab in patients with resectable esophageal cancer: a randomized, open-label, phase III trial (SAKK 75/08).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruhstaller, T; Thuss-Patience, P; Hayoz, S; Schacher, S; Knorrenschild, J R; Schnider, A; Plasswilm, L; Budach, W; Eisterer, W; Hawle, H; Mariette, C; Hess, V; Mingrone, W; Montemurro, M; Girschikofsky, M; Schmidt, S C; Bitzer, M; Bedenne, L; Brauchli, P; Stahl, M

    2018-04-04

    This open-label, phase lll trial compared chemoradiation followed by surgery with or without neoadjuvant and adjuvant cetuximab in patients with resectable esophageal carcinoma. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to 2 cycles of chemotherapy (docetaxel 75 mg/m2, cisplatin 75 mg/m2) followed by chemoradiation (45 Gy, docetaxel 20 mg/m2 and cisplatin 25 mg/m2, weekly for 5 weeks) and surgery, with or without neoadjuvant cetuximab 250 mg/m2 weekly and adjuvant cetuximab 500 mg/m2 fortnightly for 3 months. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). In total, 300 patients (median age, 61 years; 88% male; 63% adenocarcinoma; 85% cT3/4a, 90% cN+) were assigned to cetuximab (n = 149) or control (n = 151). The R0-resection rate was 95% for cetuximab versus 97% for control. Postoperative treatment-related mortality was 6% in both arms. Median PFS was 2.9 years (95% CI, 2.0 to not reached) with cetuximab and 2.0 years (95% CI, 1.5 to 2.8) with control (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.58 to 1.07; P = .13). Median overall survival (OS) time was 5.1 years (95% CI, 3.7 to not reached) versus 3.0 years (95% CI, 2.2 to 4.2) for cetuximab and control, respectively (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.52 to 1.01; P = .055). Time to loco-regional failure after R0-resection was significantly longer for cetuximab (HR 0.53; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.90; P = .017); time to distant failure did not differ between arms (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.64 to 1.59, P = .97). Cetuximab did not increase adverse events in neoadjuvant or postoperative settings. Adding cetuximab to multimodal therapy significantly improved loco-regional control, and led to clinically relevant, but not-significant improvements in PFS and OS in resectable esophageal carcinoma. NCT01107639.

  14. Anaesthesiological strategies in elective craniotomy: randomized, equivalence, open trial – The NeuroMorfeo trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guzzetti Stefano

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many studies have attempted to determine the "best" anaesthetic technique for neurosurgical procedures in patients without intracranial hypertension. So far, no study comparing intravenous (IA with volatile-based neuroanaesthesia (VA has been able to demonstrate major outcome differences nor a superiority of one of the two strategies in patients undergoing elective supratentorial neurosurgery. Therefore, current practice varies and includes the use of either volatile or intravenous anaesthetics in addition to narcotics. Actually the choice of the anaestesiological strategy depends only on the anaesthetists' preferences or institutional policies. This trial, named NeuroMorfeo, aims to assess the equivalence between volatile and intravenous anaesthetics for neurosurgical procedures. Methods/Design NeuroMorfeo is a multicenter, randomized, open label, controlled trial, based on an equivalence design. Patients aged between 18 and 75 years, scheduled for elective craniotomy for supratentorial lesion without signs of intracranial hypertension, in good physical state (ASA I-III and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS equal to 15, are randomly assigned to one of three anaesthesiological strategies (two VA arms, sevoflurane + fentanyl or sevoflurane + remifentanil, and one IA, propofol + remifentanil. The equivalence between intravenous and volatile-based neuroanaesthesia will be evaluated by comparing the intervals required to reach, after anaesthesia discontinuation, a modified Aldrete score ≥ 9 (primary end-point. Two statistical comparisons have been planned: 1 sevoflurane + fentanyl vs. propofol + remifentanil; 2 sevoflurane + remifentanil vs. propofol + remifentanil. Secondary end-points include: an assessment of neurovegetative stress based on (a measurement of urinary catecholamines and plasma and urinary cortisol and (b estimate of sympathetic/parasympathetic balance by power spectrum analyses of electrocardiographic tracings recorded

  15. Minocycline treatment in acute stroke: an open-label, evaluator-blinded study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lampl, Y; Boaz, M; Gilad, R; Lorberboym, M; Dabby, R; Rapoport, A; Anca-Hershkowitz, M; Sadeh, M

    2007-10-02

    Ischemic animal model studies have shown a neuroprotective effect of minocycline. To analyze the effect of minocycline treatment in human acute ischemic stroke. We performed an open-label, evaluator-blinded study. Minocycline at a dosage of 200 mg was administered orally for 5 days. The therapeutic window of time was 6 to 24 hours after onset of stroke. Data from NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and Barthel Index (BI) were evaluated. The primary objective was to compare changes from baseline to day 90 in NIHSS in the minocycline group vs placebo. One hundred fifty-two patients were included in the study. Seventy-four patients received minocycline treatment, and 77 received placebo. NIHSS and mRS were significantly lower and BI scores were significantly higher in minocycline-treated patients. This pattern was already apparent on day 7 and day 30 of follow-up. Deaths, myocardial infarctions, recurrent strokes, and hemorrhagic transformations during follow-up did not differ by treatment group. Patients with acute stroke had significantly better outcome with minocycline treatment compared with placebo. The findings suggest a potential benefit of minocycline in acute ischemic stroke.

  16. Open-closed-loop iterative learning control for a class of nonlinear systems with random data dropouts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, X. Y.; Wang, H. B.; Jia, Y. L.; Dong, YH

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, an open-closed-loop iterative learning control (ILC) algorithm is constructed for a class of nonlinear systems subjecting to random data dropouts. The ILC algorithm is implemented by a networked control system (NCS), where only the off-line data is transmitted by network while the real-time data is delivered in the point-to-point way. Thus, there are two controllers rather than one in the control system, which makes better use of the saved and current information and thereby improves the performance achieved by open-loop control alone. During the transfer of off-line data between the nonlinear plant and the remote controller data dropout occurs randomly and the data dropout rate is modeled as a binary Bernoulli random variable. Both measurement and control data dropouts are taken into consideration simultaneously. The convergence criterion is derived based on rigorous analysis. Finally, the simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

  17. Rationale and design of the VISION study: a randomized, open-label study to evaluate the long-term safety of vonoprazan as maintenance treatment in patients with erosive esophagitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Uemura N

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Naomi Uemura,1 Yoshikazu Kinoshita,2 Ken Haruma,3 Takashi Yao,4 Ryoji Kushima,5 Tatsuhiro Kanoo6 1Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Kohnodai Hospital, Chiba, Japan; 2Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Shimane, Japan; 3Department of General Internal Medicine 2, Kawasaki Medical School General Medical Center, Okayama, Japan; 4Department of Human Pathology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; 5Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science Hospital, Shiga, Japan; 6Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Osaka, Japan Abstract: Erosive esophagitis (EE occurs when the epithelial mucosa is damaged due to gastric acid reflux, and the incidence of this disease is increasing in Japan due to changes in diet and lifestyle. The condition can be treated using proton pump inhibitors (PPIs that act by irreversibly blocking the H+,K+-ATPase responsible for acid secretion. Vonoprazan is a K+ competitive channel inhibitor, which reversibly and potently inhibits gastric acid secretion. However, long-term data on vonoprazan use are limited. The aim of the VISION trial is to investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of vonoprazan in comparison with the PPI lansoprazole. This randomized, multicenter, 5-year, open-label study has a planned recruitment of 195 participants (2:1 allocation vonoprazan:lansoprazole from 33 sites in Japan. The study comprises an 8-week “healing” phase (vonoprazan 20 mg or lansoprazole 30 mg p.o. and a 260-week “maintenance” phase (vonoprazan 10 mg or lansoprazole 15 mg. Safety populations in both phases are defined as participants who receive at least one dose of the study or control drug in the healing and maintenance phases, respectively. The full analysis set in both phases is defined as participants who are randomized and receive at least one dose of the study or

  18. An Analysis of Patient Adherence to Treatment during a 1-Year, Open-Label Study of OROS[R] Methylphenidate in Children with ADHD

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faraone, Stephen V.; Biederman, Joseph; Zimmerman, Brenda

    2007-01-01

    Objective: Treatment adherence is an important aspect of ADHD symptom management, but there are many factors that may influence adherence. Method: This analysis assessed adherence to OROS methylphenidate during a 1-year, open-label study in children. Adherence was defined as the number of days medication was taken divided by the number of days in…

  19. Comparison of insulin lispro mix 25 with insulin lispro mix 50 as insulin starter in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (CLASSIFY study): Subgroup analysis of a Phase 4 open-label randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Qing; Liu, Chao; Zheng, Hongting; Zhu, Jun; Li, Peng Fei; Qian, Lei; Yang, Wen Ying

    2017-06-01

    Premixed insulins are recommended starter insulins in Chinese patients after oral antihyperglycemic medication (OAM) failure. In the present study, we compared the efficacy and safety of insulin lispro mix 25 (LM25) twice daily (b.i.d.) and insulin lispro mix 50 (LM50) b.i.d. as a starter insulin regimen in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who had inadequate glycemic control with OAMs. The primary efficacy outcome in the present open-label parallel randomized clinical trial was change in HbA1c from baseline to 26 weeks. Patients were randomized in a ratio of 1:  1 to LM25 (n = 80) or LM50 (n = 76). A mixed-effects model with repeated measures was used to analyze continuous variables. The Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test with stratification factor was used to analyze categorical variables. At the end of the study, LM50 was more efficacious than LM25 in reducing mean HbA1c levels (least-squares [LS] mean difference 0.48; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.22, 0.74; P 1). More subjects in the LM50 than LM25 group achieved HbA1c targets of 1) or ≤6.5 % (52.6 % vs 20.0 %; P 1). Furthermore, LM50 was more effective than LM25 at reducing HbA1c in patients with baseline HbA1c, blood glucose excursion, and postprandial glucose greater than or equal to median levels (P ≤ 0.001). The rate and incidence of hypoglycemic episodes and increase in weight at the end of the study were similar between treatment groups. In Chinese patients with T2DM, LM50 was more efficacious than LM25 as a starter insulin. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd and Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine.

  20. An open-label, multicenter evaluation of the long-term safety and efficacy of risperidone in adolescents with schizophrenia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pandina Gahan

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Data on the long-term efficacy, safety, and tolerability of risperidone in adolescents with schizophrenia are limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of maintenance risperidone treatment in adolescents with schizophrenia. Methods This open-label study of adolescents aged 13 to 17 years with schizophrenia was a single extension study of two short-term double-blind risperidone studies and also enrolled subjects directly in open-label risperidone treatment. The risperidone dose was flexible and ranged from 2 to 6 mg/day. Most subjects enrolled for 6 months; a subset enrolled for 12 months. Assessment tools included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total and factor scores, Clinical Global Impressions, Children’s Global Assessment Scale, adverse event (AE monitoring, vital signs, laboratory testing, and extrapyramidal symptom rating scales. Results A total of 390 subjects were enrolled; 48 subjects had received placebo in a previous double-blind study; 292 subjects had received risperidone as part of their participation in one of two previous controlled studies; and 50 subjects were enrolled directly for this study. A total of 279 subjects enrolled for 6 months of treatment, and 111 subjects enrolled for 12 months of treatment. Overall, 264 (67.7% subjects completed this study: 209 of the 279 subjects (75% in the 6-month group and 55 of the 111 subjects (50% in the 12-month group. The median mode dose was 3.8 mg/day. At 6 months, all three groups experienced improvement from open-label baseline in symptoms of schizophrenia as well as general assessments of global functioning. Improvements were generally maintained for the duration of treatment. The most common AEs (≥10% of subjects were somnolence, headache, weight increase, hypertonia, insomnia, tremor, and psychosis. Potentially prolactin-related AEs (PPAEs were reported by 36 (9% subjects. The AE profile in this study was

  1. Traffic-light labels and financial incentives to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage purchases by low-income Latino families: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franckle, Rebecca L; Levy, Douglas E; Macias-Navarro, Lorena; Rimm, Eric B; Thorndike, Anne N

    2018-06-01

    The objective of the present study was to test the effectiveness of financial incentives and traffic-light labels to reduce purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages in a community supermarket. In this randomized controlled trial, after a 2-month baseline period (February-March 2014), in-store traffic-light labels were posted to indicate healthy (green), less healthy (yellow) or unhealthy (red) beverages. During the subsequent five months (April-August 2014), participants in the intervention arm were eligible to earn a $US 25 in-store gift card each month they refrained from purchasing red-labelled beverages. Urban supermarket in Chelsea, MA, USA, a low-income Latino community. Participants were customers of this supermarket who had at least one child living at home. A total of 148 customers (n 77 in the intervention group and n 71 in the control group) were included in the final analyses. Outcomes were monthly in-store purchases tracked using a store loyalty card and self-reported consumption of red-labelled beverages. Compared with control participants, the proportion of intervention participants who purchased any red-labelled beverages decreased by 9 % more per month (P=0·002). More intervention than control participants reduced their consumption of red-labelled beverages (-23 % v. -2 % for consuming ≥1 red beverage/week, P=0·01). Overall, financial incentives paired with in-store traffic-light labels modestly reduced purchase and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages by customers of a community supermarket.

  2. Human action analysis with randomized trees

    CERN Document Server

    Yu, Gang; Liu, Zicheng

    2014-01-01

    This book will provide a comprehensive overview on human action analysis with randomized trees. It will cover both the supervised random trees and the unsupervised random trees. When there are sufficient amount of labeled data available, supervised random trees provides a fast method for space-time interest point matching. When labeled data is minimal as in the case of example-based action search, unsupervised random trees is used to leverage the unlabelled data. We describe how the randomized trees can be used for action classification, action detection, action search, and action prediction.

  3. Open-label pilot study of memantine in the treatment of compulsive buying.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Jon E; Odlaug, Brian L; Mooney, Marc; O'Brien, Robert; Kim, Suck Won

    2012-05-01

    Although compulsive buying (CB) is relatively common, pharmacotherapy research for CB is limited. Memantine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, appears to reduce glutamate excitability and improve impulsive behaviors, suggesting it may help individuals with CB. Nine patients (8 females) with CB were enrolled in a 10-week open-label treatment study of memantine (dose ranging from 10 to 30 mg/d). Participants were enrolled from December 2008 until May 2010. The primary outcome measure was change from baseline to study endpoint on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale-Shopping Version (Y-BOCS-SV). Of the 9 participants, 8 (88.9%) completed the 10-week study. Y-BOCS-SV scores decreased from a mean of 22.0 ± 1.3 at baseline to 11.0 ± 5.3 at endpoint (P impulsive buying and improvements on cognitive tasks of impulsivity. In addition, the medication was well-tolerated. These findings suggest that pharmacologic manipulation of the glutamate system may target the impulsive behavior underlying CB. Placebo-controlled, double-blind studies are warranted in order to confirm these preliminary findings in a controlled design.

  4. Effect of Micronutrients on Behavior and Mood in Adults with ADHD: Evidence from an 8-Week Open Label Trial with Natural Extension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rucklidge, Julia; Taylor, Mairin; Whitehead, Kathryn

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the effect of a 36-ingredient micronutrient formula consisting mainly of minerals and vitamins in the treatment of adults with both ADHD and severe mood dysregulation (SMD). Method: 14 medication-free adults (9 men, 5 women; 18-55 years) with ADHD and SMD completed an 8-week open-label trial. Results: A minority reported…

  5. A multicenter, prospective, single arm, open label, observational study of sTMS for migraine prevention (ESPOUSE Study).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Starling, Amaal J; Tepper, Stewart J; Marmura, Michael J; Shamim, Ejaz A; Robbins, Matthew S; Hindiyeh, Nada; Charles, Andrew C; Goadsby, Peter J; Lipton, Richard B; Silberstein, Stephen D; Gelfand, Amy A; Chiacchierini, Richard P; Dodick, David W

    2018-05-01

    Objective To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of single pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (sTMS) for the preventive treatment of migraine. Background sTMS was originally developed for the acute treatment of migraine with aura. Open label experience has suggested a preventive benefit. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of sTMS for migraine prevention. Methods The eNeura SpringTMS Post-Market Observational U.S. Study of Migraine (ESPOUSE) Study was a multicenter, prospective, open label, observational study. From December 2014 to March 2016, patients with migraine (n = 263) were consented to complete a 1-month baseline headache diary followed by 3 months of treatment. The treatment protocol consisted of preventive (four pulses twice daily) and acute (three pulses repeated up to three times for each attack) treatment. Patients reported daily headache status, medication use, and device use with a monthly headache diary. The primary endpoint, mean reduction of headache days compared to baseline, was measured over the 28-day period during weeks 9 to 12. The primary endpoint was compared to a statistically-derived placebo estimate (performance goal). Secondary endpoints included: 50% responder rate, acute headache medication consumption, HIT-6, and mean reduction in total headache days from baseline of any intensity. Results Of a total of 263 consented subjects, 229 completed a baseline diary, and 220 were found to be eligible based on the number of headache days. The device was assigned to 217 subjects (Safety Data Set) and 132 were included in the intention to treat Full Analysis Set. For the primary endpoint, there was a -2.75 ± 0.40 mean reduction of headache days from baseline (9.06 days) compared to the performance goal (-0.63 days) ( p < 0.0001). The 50% responder rate of 46% (95% CI 37%, 56%) was also significantly higher ( p < 0.0001) than the performance goal (20%). There was a reduction of -2

  6. Relative bioavailability of generic and branded 250-mg and 500-mg oral chlorphenesin carbamate tablets in healthy Korean volunteers: a single-dose, randomized-sequence, open-label, two-period crossover trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Ji-young; Song, Hyun Ho; Kim, Bo Gyeom; Park, Hyeon Ju; Choi, Kwang Sik; Kwon, Young Ee

    2009-11-01

    Chlorphenesin carbamate is a skeletal muscle relaxant approved in Korea for use in the treatment of pain and discomfort related to skeletal muscle trauma and inflammation. The aim of this study was to assess the bioequivalence of a generic formulation of chlorphenesin carbamate at doses of 250 and 500 mg and 2 branded formulations of the same doses in healthy Korean adults. This single-dose, randomized-sequence, open-label, 2-period crossover study was conducted in healthy Korean male and female volunteers. Subjects were assigned to receive, in a randomized sequence, a single dose of the generic (test) and branded (reference) formulations of chlorphenesin carbamate at a dose of 250 or 500 mg. Blood samples were drawn at 0, 0.33, 0.67, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 15 hours after administration. Pharmacokinetic properties (C(max), T(max), AUC(0-t) AUC(0-infinity), t(1/2), and ke) were determined using HPLC. The formulations were to be considered bioequivalent if the 90% CIs of the treatment ratios of the geometric means of C(max) and AUC(0-t) were within a predetermined range of log 0.80 to log 1.25 based on regulatory criteria. Tolerability was assessed by monitoring for adverse events (AEs) on physical examination and/or e-mail and personal interview at the beginning and end of each study period. Twenty-eight subjects (22 men, 6 women) received chlorphenesin carbamate at the 250-mg dose, and 24 male subjects received the 500-mg dose. The mean (SD) ages of the subjects were 24.0 (2.6) and 24.0 (1.9) years in the 250- and 500-mg groups, respectively. No significant differences were found between the test and reference formulations (90% CIs: C(max), 1.0048-1.1153 with the 250-mg dose and 0.9630-1.1189 with the 500-mg dose; AUC(0-t), 0.9882-1.0546 and 0.9842-1.0578, respectively). No clinically significant AEs (upper gastric pain, abdominal bloating, pyrexia, edema, nausea, heartburn, constipation, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, or fatigue) were reported throughout

  7. The Effect of Medicinal Cannabis on Pain and Quality-of-Life Outcomes in Chronic Pain: A Prospective Open-label Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haroutounian, Simon; Ratz, Yael; Ginosar, Yehuda; Furmanov, Karina; Saifi, Fayez; Meidan, Ronit; Davidson, Elyad

    2016-12-01

    The objective of this prospective, open-label study was to determine the long-term effect of medicinal cannabis treatment on pain and functional outcomes in participants with treatment-resistant chronic pain. The primary outcome was the change in the pain symptom score on the S-TOPS (Treatment Outcomes in Pain Survey-Short Form) questionnaire at the 6-month follow-up in an intent-to-treat population. Secondary outcomes included the change in S-TOPS physical, social, and emotional disability scales, the pain severity, and pain interference on the Brief Pain Inventory, sleep problems, and the change in opioid consumption. A total of 274 participants were approved for treatment; complete baseline data were available for 206 (intent-to-treat), and complete follow-up data for 176 participants. At follow-up, the pain symptom score improved from median 83.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 79.2-87.5) to 75.0 (95% CI, 70.8-79.2) (Pmedicinal cannabis in this open-label, prospective cohort resulted in improved pain and functional outcomes, and a significant reduction in opioid use. Results suggest long-term benefit of cannabis treatment in this group of patients, but the study's noncontrolled nature should be considered when extrapolating the results.

  8. Long-term tolerability and maintenance of therapeutic response to sodium oxybate in an open-label extension study in patients with fibromyalgia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spaeth, Michael; Alegre, Cayetano; Perrot, Serge; Wang, Youyu; Guinta, Diane R; Alvarez-Horine, Sarah; Russell, Irwin

    2013-11-11

    The long-term safety and therapeutic response of sodium oxybate (SXB) in fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) patients were assessed for a combined period of up to 1 year in a prospective, multicenter, open-label, extension study in patients completing 1 of 2 phase 3 randomized, double-blind, controlled, 14-week trials that examined the efficacy and safety of SXB 4.5 g, SXB 6 g, and placebo for treatment of FM. This extension study comprised an additional 38 weeks of treatment and was carried out at 130 clinical sites in 7 countries. Initial entry criteria for the previous 2 double-blind clinical trials required that patients aged ≥ 18 years met the American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for FM, had a body mass index (BMI) Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) total scores, and other measures. Responder analyses showed that 68.8% of patients achieved ≥ 30% reduction in pain VAS and 69.7% achieved ≥ 30% reduction in FIQ total score at study endpoint. The long-term safety profile of SXB in FM patients was similar to that in the previously reported controlled clinical trials. Improvement in pain and other FM clinical domains was maintained during long-term use. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00423605.

  9. Long-term tolerability and maintenance of therapeutic response to sodium oxybate in an open-label extension study in patients with fibromyalgia

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Introduction The long-term safety and therapeutic response of sodium oxybate (SXB) in fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) patients were assessed for a combined period of up to 1 year in a prospective, multicenter, open-label, extension study in patients completing 1 of 2 phase 3 randomized, double-blind, controlled, 14-week trials that examined the efficacy and safety of SXB 4.5 g, SXB 6 g, and placebo for treatment of FM. Methods This extension study comprised an additional 38 weeks of treatment and was carried out at 130 clinical sites in 7 countries. Initial entry criteria for the previous 2 double-blind clinical trials required that patients aged ≥ 18 years met the American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for FM, had a body mass index (BMI) Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) total scores, and other measures. Responder analyses showed that 68.8% of patients achieved ≥ 30% reduction in pain VAS and 69.7% achieved ≥ 30% reduction in FIQ total score at study endpoint. Conclusions The long-term safety profile of SXB in FM patients was similar to that in the previously reported controlled clinical trials. Improvement in pain and other FM clinical domains was maintained during long-term use. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00423605. PMID:24286114

  10. Attitude and Behavior Factors Associated with Front-of-Package Label Use with Label Users Making Accurate Product Nutrition Assessments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roseman, Mary G; Joung, Hyun-Woo; Littlejohn, Emily I

    2018-05-01

    Front-of-package (FOP) labels are increasing in popularity on retail products. Reductive FOP labels provide nutrient-specific information, whereas evaluative FOP labels summarize nutrient information through icons. Better understanding of consumer behavior regarding FOP labels is beneficial to increasing consumer use of nutrition labeling when making grocery purchasing decisions. We aimed to determine FOP label format effectiveness in aiding consumers at assessing nutrient density of food products. In addition, we sought to determine relationships between FOP label use and attitude toward healthy eating, diet self-assessment, self-reported health and nutrition knowledge, and label and shopping behaviors. A between-subjects experimental design was employed. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four label conditions: Facts Up Front, Facts Up Front Extended, a binary symbol, and no-label control. One hundred sixty-one US primary grocery shoppers, aged 18 to 69 years. Participants were randomly invited to the online study. Participants in one of four label condition groups viewed three product categories (cereal, dairy, and snacks) with corresponding questions. Adults' nutrition assessment of food products based on different FOP label formats, along with label use and attitude toward healthy eating, diet self-assessment, self-reported health and nutrition knowledge, and label and shopping behaviors. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, χ 2 tests, and logistical regression. Significant outcomes were set to α=.05. Participants selected the more nutrient-dense product in the snack food category when it contained an FOP label. Subjective health and nutrition knowledge and frequency of selecting food for healthful reasons were associated with FOP label use (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). Both Facts Up Front (reductive) and binary (evaluative) FOP labels appear effective for nutrition assessment of snack products compared with no label. Specific

  11. Evaluation of Subcutaneous Proleukin (interleukin-2) in a Randomized International Trial (ESPRIT): geographical and gender differences in the baseline characteristics of participants

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pett, S. L.; Wand, H.; Law, M. G.; Arduino, R.; Lopez, J. C.; Knysz, B.; Pereira, L. C.; Pollack, S.; Reiss, P.; Tambussi, G.

    2006-01-01

    BACKGROUND: ESPRIT, is a phase III, open-label, randomized, international clinical trial evaluating the effects of subcutaneous recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) plus antiretroviral therapy (ART) versus ART alone on HIV-disease progression and death in HIV-1-infected individuals with CD4+ T-cells >

  12. Do nutrition labels influence healthier food choices? Analysis of label viewing behaviour and subsequent food purchases in a labelling intervention trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; Eyles, Helen; Jiang, Yannan; Blakely, Tony

    2018-02-01

    There are few objective data on how nutrition labels are used in real-world shopping situations, or how they affect dietary choices and patterns. The Starlight study was a four-week randomised, controlled trial of the effects of three different types of nutrition labels on consumer food purchases: Traffic Light Labels, Health Star Rating labels, or Nutrition Information Panels (control). Smartphone technology allowed participants to scan barcodes of packaged foods and receive randomly allocated labels on their phone screen, and to record their food purchases. The study app therefore provided objectively recorded data on label viewing behaviour and food purchases over a four-week period. A post-hoc analysis of trial data was undertaken to assess frequency of label use, label use by food group, and association between label use and the healthiness of packaged food products purchased. Over the four-week intervention, study participants (n = 1255) viewed nutrition labels for and/or purchased 66,915 barcoded packaged products. Labels were viewed for 23% of all purchased products, with decreasing frequency over time. Shoppers were most likely to view labels for convenience foods, cereals, snack foods, bread and bakery products, and oils. They were least likely to view labels for sugar and honey products, eggs, fish, fruit and vegetables, and meat. Products for which participants viewed the label and subsequently purchased the product during the same shopping episode were significantly healthier than products where labels were viewed but the product was not subsequently purchased: mean difference in nutrient profile score -0.90 (95% CI -1.54 to -0.26). In a secondary analysis of a nutrition labelling intervention trial, there was a significant association between label use and the healthiness of products purchased. Nutrition label use may therefore lead to healthier food purchases. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  13. Pharmacokinetic comparison of controlled-release and immediate-release oral formulations of simvastatin in healthy Korean subjects: a randomized, open-label, parallel-group, single- and multiple-dose study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Seong Bok; Lee, Yoon Jung; Lim, Lay Ahyoung; Park, Kyung-Mi; Kwon, Bong-Ju; Woo, Jong Soo; Kim, Yong-Il; Park, Min Soo; Kim, Kyung Hwan; Park, Kyungsoo

    2010-01-01

    A controlled-release (CR) formulation of simvastatin was recently developed in Korea. The formulation is expected to yield a lower C(max) and similar AUC values compared with the immediate-release (IR) formulation. The goal of this study was to compare the pharmacokinetics of the new CR formulation and an IR formulation of simvastatin after single- and multiple-dose administration in healthy Korean subjects. This study was developed as part of a product development project at the request of the Korean regulatory agency. This was a randomized, open-label, parallelgroup, 2-part study. Eligible subjects were healthy male or female volunteers between the ages of 19 and 55 years and within 20% of their ideal weight. In part I, each subject received a single dose of the CR or IR formulation of simvastatin 40 mg orally (20 mg x 2 tablets) after fasting. In part II, each subject received the same dose of the CR or IR formulation for 8 consecutive days. Blood samples were obtained for 48 hours after the dose in part I and after the first and the last dose in part II. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined for both simvastatin (the inactive prodrug) and simvastatin acid (the active moiety). An adverse event (AE) was defined as any unfavorable sign (including an abnormal laboratory finding) or symptom, regardless of whether it had a causal relationship with the study medication. Serious AEs were defined as any events that are considered life threatening, require hospitalization or prolongation of existing hospitalization, cause persistent or significant disability or incapacity, or result in congenital abnormality, birth defect, or death. AEs were determined based on patient interviews and physical examinations. Twenty-four healthy subjects (17 men, 7 women; mean [SD] age, 29 [7] years; age range, 22-50 years) were enrolled in part I, and 29 subjects (17 men, 12 women; mean age, 33 [9] years; age range, 19-55 years) were enrolled in part II. For simvastatin acid, C

  14. An improved label propagation algorithm based on node importance and random walk for community detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Tianren; Xia, Zhengyou

    2017-05-01

    Currently, with the rapid development of information technology, the electronic media for social communication is becoming more and more popular. Discovery of communities is a very effective way to understand the properties of complex networks. However, traditional community detection algorithms consider the structural characteristics of a social organization only, with more information about nodes and edges wasted. In the meanwhile, these algorithms do not consider each node on its merits. Label propagation algorithm (LPA) is a near linear time algorithm which aims to find the community in the network. It attracts many scholars owing to its high efficiency. In recent years, there are more improved algorithms that were put forward based on LPA. In this paper, an improved LPA based on random walk and node importance (NILPA) is proposed. Firstly, a list of node importance is obtained through calculation. The nodes in the network are sorted in descending order of importance. On the basis of random walk, a matrix is constructed to measure the similarity of nodes and it avoids the random choice in the LPA. Secondly, a new metric IAS (importance and similarity) is calculated by node importance and similarity matrix, which we can use to avoid the random selection in the original LPA and improve the algorithm stability. Finally, a test in real-world and synthetic networks is given. The result shows that this algorithm has better performance than existing methods in finding community structure.

  15. Comparison of the pharmacokinetics of a new 30 mg modified-release tablet formulation of metoclopramide for once-a-day administration versus 10 mg immediate-release tablets: a single and multiple-dose, randomized, open-label, parallel study in healthy male subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernardo-Escudero, Roberto; Alonso-Campero, Rosalba; Francisco-Doce, María Teresa de Jesús; Cortés-Fuentes, Myriam; Villa-Vargas, Miriam; Angeles-Uribe, Juan

    2012-12-01

    The study aimed to assess the pharmacokinetics of a new, modified-release metoclopramide tablet, and compare it to an immediate-release tablet. A single and multiple-dose, randomized, open-label, parallel, pharmacokinetic study was conducted. Investigational products were administered to 26 healthy Hispanic Mexican male volunteers for two consecutive days: either one 30 mg modified-release tablet every 24 h, or one 10 mg immediate-release tablet every 8 h. Blood samples were collected after the first and last doses of metoclopramide. Plasma metoclopramide concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Safety and tolerability were assessed through vital signs measurements, clinical evaluations, and spontaneous reports from study subjects. All 26 subjects were included in the analyses [mean (SD) age: 27 (8) years, range 18-50; BMI: 23.65 (2.22) kg/m², range 18.01-27.47)]. Peak plasmatic concentrations were not statistically different with both formulations, but occurred significantly later (p 0.05)]. One adverse event was reported in the test group (diarrhea), and one in the reference group (headache). This study suggests that the 30 mg modified-release metoclopramide tablets show features compatible with slow-release formulations when compared to immediate-release tablets, and is suitable for once-a-day administration.

  16. Augmentation of light therapy in difficult-to-treat depressed patients: an open-label trial in both unipolar and bipolar patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camardese, Giovanni; Leone, Beniamino; Serrani, Riccardo; Walstra, Coco; Di Nicola, Marco; Della Marca, Giacomo; Bria, Pietro; Janiri, Luigi

    2015-01-01

    Objectives We investigated the clinical benefits of bright light therapy (BLT) as an adjunct treatment to ongoing psychopharmacotherapy, both in unipolar and bipolar difficult-to-treat depressed (DTD) outpatients. Methods In an open-label study, 31 depressed outpatients (16 unipolar and 15 bipolar) were included to undergo 3 weeks of BLT. Twenty-five completed the treatment and 5-week follow-up. Main outcome measures Clinical outcomes were evaluated by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). The Snaith–Hamilton Pleasure Scale and the Depression Retardation Rating Scale were used to assess changes in anhedonia and psychomotor retardation, respectively. Results The adjunctive BLT seemed to influence the course of the depressive episode, and a statistically significant reduction in HDRS scores was reported since the first week of therapy. The treatment was well-tolerated, and no patients presented clinical signs of (hypo)manic switch during the overall treatment period. At the end of the study (after 5 weeks from BLT discontinuation), nine patients (36%, eight unipolar and one bipolar) still showed a treatment response. BLT augmentation also led to a significant improvement of psychomotor retardation. Conclusion BLT combined with the ongoing pharmacological treatment offers a simple approach, and it might be effective in rapidly ameliorating depressive core symptoms of vulnerable DTD outpatients. These preliminary results need to be confirmed in placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical trial on larger samples. PMID:26396517

  17. Six week open-label reboxetine treatment in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arabgol F

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD is a common psychiatric disorder among children and adolescents. This disorder causes difficulties in academic, behavioral, emotional, social and family performance. Stimulants show robust efficacy and a good safety profile in children with this disorder, but a significant percent of ADHD children do not respond adequately or cannot tolerate the associated adverse effects with stimulants. Such difficulties highlight the need for alternative safe and effective medications in the treatment of this disorder. This open-label study assessed the effectiveness of reboxetine, a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD."nMethods: Fifteen child and adolescent outpatients, aged 7 to 16 (Mean± SD=9.72±2.71 years, diagnosed with ADHD were enrolled in a six open-label study with reboxetine 4-6 mg/d. The principal measure of the outcome was the teacher and parent Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Rating Scale (ADHD Rating Scale. Patients were assessed by a child psychiatrist at baseline, 2, 4 and 6 weeks of the medication started. Side effects questionnaire was used to detect side effects of reboxetine. Repeated measures Analysis of variance (ANOVA was done for comparison of Teacher and Parent ADHD Rating Scale scores during the intervention."nResults: Twelve of 15 (80% participants completed the treatment protocol. A significant decrease in ADHD symptoms on teacher (p=0.04 and parent (p=0.003 ADHD rating scale was noted. Adverse effects were mild to moderate in severity. The most common adverse effects were drowsiness/sedation and appetite decrease."nConclusion: The results of the current study suggest the effectiveness of reboxetine in the treatment of ADHD in children and adolescents. Double-blind, placebo-controlled studies and larger sample size with long duration of intervention are indicated to rigorously

  18. Adjuvant capecitabine plus bevacizumab versus capecitabine alone in patients with colorectal cancer (QUASAR 2): an open-label, randomised phase 3 trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerr, Rachel S; Love, Sharon; Segelov, Eva; Johnstone, Elaine; Falcon, Beverly; Hewett, Peter; Weaver, Andrew; Church, David; Scudder, Claire; Pearson, Sarah; Julier, Patrick; Pezzella, Francesco; Tomlinson, Ian; Domingo, Enric; Kerr, David J

    2016-11-01

    Antiangiogenic agents have established efficacy in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. We investigated whether bevacizumab could improve disease-free survival in the adjuvant setting after resection of the primary tumour. For the open-label, randomised, controlled QUASAR 2 trial, which was done at 170 hospitals in seven countries, we recruited patients aged 18 years or older with WHO performance status scores of 0 or 1 who had undergone potentially curative surgery for histologically proven stage III or high-risk stage II colorectal cancer. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive eight 3-week cycles of oral capecitabine alone (1250 mg/m 2 twice daily for 14 days followed by a break for 7 days) or the same regimen of oral capecitabine plus 16 cycles of 7·5 mg/kg bevacizumab by intravenous infusion over 90 min on day 1 of each cycle. Randomisation was done by a computer-generated schedule with use of minimisation with a random element stratified by age, disease stage, tumour site, and country. The study was open label and no-one was masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was 3-year disease-free survival, assessed in the intention-to-treat population. Toxic effects were assessed in patients who received at least one dose of randomised treatment. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN45133151. Between April 25, 2005, and Oct 12, 2010, 1952 eligible patients were enrolled, of whom 1941 had assessable data (968 in the capecitabine alone group and 973 in the capecitabine and bevacizumab group). Median follow-up was 4·92 years (IQR 4·00-5·16). Disease-free survival at 3 years did not differ between the groups (75·4%, 95% CI 72·5-78·0 in the capecitabine and bevacizumab group vs 78·4%, 75·7-80·9 in the capecitabine alone group; hazard ratio 1·06, 95% CI 0·89-1·25, p=0·54). The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were hand-foot syndrome (201 [21%] of 963 in the capecitabine alone group vs 257 [27%] of

  19. Insulin glulisine compared to insulin aspart and to insulin lispro administered by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion in patients with type 1 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Bon, Arianne C.; Bode, Bruce W.; Sert-Langeron, Caroline; DeVries, J. Hans; Charpentier, Guillaume

    2011-01-01

    In a previous pilot study comparing insulin glulisine (GLU) with insulin aspart (ASP) administered by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII), GLU-treated patients did show a trend toward fewer catheter occlusions compared with ASP-treated patients. Here we performed a randomized open-label,

  20. The clinical meaningfulness of ADAS-Cog changes in Alzheimer's disease patients treated with donepezil in an open-label trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rockwood, Kenneth; Fay, Sherri; Gorman, Mary; Carver, Daniel; Graham, Janice E

    2007-08-30

    In 6-month anti-dementia drug trials, a 4-point change in the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog) is held to be clinically important. We examined how this change compared with measures of clinical meaningfulness. This is a secondary analysis of a 12 month open-label study of 100 patients (71 women) diagnosed with mild to moderate AD treated with 5-10 mg of donepezil daily. We studied the observed case, 6-month change from baseline on the ADAS-Cog, the Clinician's Interview Based Impression of Change-Plus Caregiver Input (CIBIC-Plus), patient-Goal Attainment Scaling (PGAS) and clinician-GAS (CGAS). At 6 months, donepezil-treated patients (n = 95) were more likely to show no change (+/- 3 points) on the ADAS-Cog (56%) than to improve (20%) or decline (24%) by 4-points. ADAS-Cog change scores were little correlated with other measures: from -0.09 for PGAS to 0.27 for the CIBIC-Plus. While patients who improved on the ADAS-Cog were less likely to decline on the clinical measures (26%), 43% of patients who declined on the ADAS-Cog improved on at least two of the clinical measures. The ADAS-Cog did not capture all clinically important effects. In general, ADAS-Cog improvement indicates clinical improvement, whereas many people with ADAS-Cog decline do not show clinical decline. The open-label design of this study does not allow us to know whether this is a treatment effect, which requires further investigation.

  1. Performance and economic evaluation of the molecular detection of pathogens for patients with severe infections: the EVAMICA open-label, cluster-randomised, interventional crossover trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cambau, Emmanuelle; Durand-Zaleski, Isabelle; Bretagne, Stéphane; Brun-Buisson, Christian; Cordonnier, Catherine; Duval, Xavier; Herwegh, Stéphanie; Pottecher, Julien; Courcol, René; Bastuji-Garin, Sylvie

    2017-11-01

    Microbiological diagnosis (MD) of infections remains insufficient. The resulting empirical antimicrobial therapy leads to multidrug resistance and inappropriate treatments. We therefore evaluated the cost-effectiveness of direct molecular detection of pathogens in blood for patients with severe sepsis (SES), febrile neutropenia (FN) and suspected infective endocarditis (SIE). Patients were enrolled in a multicentre, open-label, cluster-randomised crossover trial conducted during two consecutive periods, randomly assigned as control period (CP; standard diagnostic workup) or intervention period (IP; additional testing with LightCycler ® SeptiFast). Multilevel models used to account for clustering were stratified by clinical setting (SES, FN, SIE). A total of 1416 patients (907 SES, 440 FN, 69 SIE) were evaluated for the primary endpoint (rate of blood MD). For SES patients, the MD rate was higher during IP than during CP [42.6% (198/465) vs. 28.1% (125/442), odds ratio (OR) 1.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.43-2.50; P analysis of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio showed weak dominance of intervention in SES patients. Addition of molecular detection to standard care improves MD and thus efficiency of healthcare resource usage in patients with SES. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00709358.

  2. Phase II open-label study to assess efficacy and safety of lenalidomide in combination with cetuximab in KRAS-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salvatore Siena

    Full Text Available This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of combination treatment with lenalidomide and cetuximab in KRAS-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer patients. This was a phase II multicenter, open-label trial comprising a safety lead-in phase (phase IIa to determine the maximum tolerated dose, and a randomized proof of concept phase (phase IIb to determine the response rate of lenalidomide plus cetuximab combination therapy. Phase IIa treatment comprised oral lenalidomide (starting dose 25 mg/day and intravenous cetuximab (400 mg/m(2 followed by weekly 250 mg/m(2 in 28-day cycles. In phase IIb patients were randomized to either the phase IIa treatment schedule of lenalidomide plus cetuximab combination therapy or lenalidomide 25 mg/day monotherapy. Eight patients were enrolled into phase IIa. One patient developed a dose-limiting toxicity and the maximum tolerated dose of lenalidomide was determined at 25 mg/day. Forty-three patients were enrolled into phase IIb proof of concept. Best response was stable disease in 9 patients and study enrollment was terminated prematurely due to lack of efficacy in both treatment arms and failure to achieve the planned response objective. The majority of adverse events were grade 1 and 2. In both phases, the adverse events most commonly attributed to any study drugs were fatigue, rash and other skin disorders, diarrhea, nausea, and stomatitis. Thirty-nine deaths occurred; none was related to study drug. The combination of lenalidomide and cetuximab appeared to be well tolerated but did not have clinically meaningful activity in KRAS-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer patients.Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01032291.

  3. High-dose nifuratel for simple and mixed aerobic vaginitis: A single-center prospective open-label cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Qian; Li, Nan; Song, Shurong; Zhang, Aihua; Li, Ni; Duan, Ying

    2016-10-01

    The efficacy and safety of two nifuratel dosages for the treatment of aerobic vaginitis (AV) were compared. This was a prospective open-label cohort study of patients diagnosed and treated at the Tianjin Third Central Hospital between January 2012 and December 2013. The co-presence of bacterial vaginosis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), or/and trichomonal vaginitis (TV; mixed AV) was determined. Patients were randomized to nifuratel-500 (500 mg nifuratel, intravaginal, 10 days) or nifuratel-250 (250 mg nifuratel, intravaginal, 10 days), and followed-up for three to seven days after treatment completion. Primary and secondary outcomes were recovery rate and adverse events, respectively. The study included 142 patients with AV. Age was not significantly different between the groups (n = 71 each), and disease distribution was identical: 29 (40.85%) simple AV and 42 (59.15%) mixed AV (AV + BV, 42.86 %; AV + VVC, 30.95%; AV + TV, 26.19%). In patients with simple AV, the recovery rate did not differ significantly between the nifuratel-500 (26/29, 89.66%) and nifuratel-250 (22/29, 75.86%) groups. In patients with mixed AV, recovery rates were significantly higher in the nifuratel-500 than in the nifuratel-250 group (AV + BV, 88.89% vs 50.00 %; AV + VVC, 76.92 % vs 30.77 %; AV + TV, 90.91 % vs 36.36%; all P < 0.05). Only one patient (nifuratel-500) reported an adverse event (mild anaphylactic reaction). Nifuratel 500 mg showed good clinical efficacy for the treatment of AV, particularly mixed AV, and is superior to the 250 mg dosage in the treatment of mixed AV. © 2016 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  4. Examination of the evidence for off-label use of gabapentin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mack, Alicia

    2003-01-01

    (1) Describe the relevance of off-label use of gabapentin to managed care pharmacy; (2) summarize recent FDA warnings and media reports related to off-label gabapentin use; (3) review medical information pertaining to the off-label use of gabapentin; (4) outline alternatives to off-label use of gabapentin in an evidence-based fashion, where literature exists to support such alternatives; and (5) encourage key clinicians and decision makers in managed care pharmacy to develop and support programs that restrict the use of gabapentin to specific evidence-based situations. Gabapentin is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for adjunctive therapy in treatment of partial seizures and postherpetic neuralgia. Various off-label (unapproved) uses have been reported, and the use of gabapentin for off-label purposes has reportedly exceeded use for FDAapproved indications. Pharmaceutical marketing practices and physician dissatisfaction with currently available pharmacological treatment options may be key factors that contribute to this prescribing trend. Recently, the media has focused on these issues, noting that many cases of reported safety and effectiveness of gabapentin for off-label use may have been fabricated. A thorough review of the medical and pharmacy literature related to off-label use of gabapentin was performed, and a summary of the literature for the following conditions is presented: bipolar disorder, peripheral neuropathy, diabetic neuropathy, complex regional pain syndrome, attention deficit disorder, restless legs syndrome, trigeminal neuralgia, periodic limb movement disorder of sleep, migraine headaches, and alcohol withdrawal syndrome. A common theme in the medical literature for gabapentin is the prevalence of open-label studies and a lack of randomized controlled clinical trials for all but a small number of indications. In the majority of circumstances where it has reported potential for.off-label. use, gabapentin is not the optimal

  5. CT coronary angiography in patients with suspected angina due to coronary heart disease (SCOT-HEART): an open-label, parallel-group, multicentre trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-06-13

    The benefit of CT coronary angiography (CTCA) in patients presenting with stable chest pain has not been systematically studied. We aimed to assess the effect of CTCA on the diagnosis, management, and outcome of patients referred to the cardiology clinic with suspected angina due to coronary heart disease. In this prospective open-label, parallel-group, multicentre trial, we recruited patients aged 18-75 years referred for the assessment of suspected angina due to coronary heart disease from 12 cardiology chest pain clinics across Scotland. We randomly assigned (1:1) participants to standard care plus CTCA or standard care alone. Randomisation was done with a web-based service to ensure allocation concealment. The primary endpoint was certainty of the diagnosis of angina secondary to coronary heart disease at 6 weeks. All analyses were intention to treat, and patients were analysed in the group they were allocated to, irrespective of compliance with scanning. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01149590. Between Nov 18, 2010, and Sept 24, 2014, we randomly assigned 4146 (42%) of 9849 patients who had been referred for assessment of suspected angina due to coronary heart disease. 47% of participants had a baseline clinic diagnosis of coronary heart disease and 36% had angina due to coronary heart disease. At 6 weeks, CTCA reclassified the diagnosis of coronary heart disease in 558 (27%) patients and the diagnosis of angina due to coronary heart disease in 481 (23%) patients (standard care 22 [1%] and 23 [1%]; pheart disease increased (1·09, 1·02-1·17; p=0·0172), the certainty increased (1·79, 1·62-1·96; pheart disease. This changed planned investigations (15% vs 1%; pheart disease, CTCA clarifies the diagnosis, enables targeting of interventions, and might reduce the future risk of myocardial infarction. The Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates funded the trial with supplementary awards

  6. Nonlocal atlas-guided multi-channel forest learning for human brain labeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Guangkai; Gao, Yaozong; Wu, Guorong; Wu, Ligang; Shen, Dinggang

    2016-02-01

    It is important for many quantitative brain studies to label meaningful anatomical regions in MR brain images. However, due to high complexity of brain structures and ambiguous boundaries between different anatomical regions, the anatomical labeling of MR brain images is still quite a challenging task. In many existing label fusion methods, appearance information is widely used. However, since local anatomy in the human brain is often complex, the appearance information alone is limited in characterizing each image point, especially for identifying the same anatomical structure across different subjects. Recent progress in computer vision suggests that the context features can be very useful in identifying an object from a complex scene. In light of this, the authors propose a novel learning-based label fusion method by using both low-level appearance features (computed from the target image) and high-level context features (computed from warped atlases or tentative labeling maps of the target image). In particular, the authors employ a multi-channel random forest to learn the nonlinear relationship between these hybrid features and target labels (i.e., corresponding to certain anatomical structures). Specifically, at each of the iterations, the random forest will output tentative labeling maps of the target image, from which the authors compute spatial label context features and then use in combination with original appearance features of the target image to refine the labeling. Moreover, to accommodate the high inter-subject variations, the authors further extend their learning-based label fusion to a multi-atlas scenario, i.e., they train a random forest for each atlas and then obtain the final labeling result according to the consensus of results from all atlases. The authors have comprehensively evaluated their method on both public LONI_LBPA40 and IXI datasets. To quantitatively evaluate the labeling accuracy, the authors use the dice similarity coefficient

  7. A single-center, prospective, randomized, open-label, clinical trial of ceramide 2-containing hydrocolloid dressings versus polyurethane film dressings for pressure ulcer prevention in high-risk surgical patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kohta M

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Masushi Kohta,1 Kazumi Sakamoto,2 Yasuhiro Kawachi,3 Tsunao Oh-i4 1Medical Engineering Laboratory, ALCARE Co, Ltd, Tokyo, 2Department of Nursing, 3Department of Dermatology, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Ibaraki, 4Department of Dermatology, Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center, Tokyo, Japan Purpose: There have been previous clinical studies regarding the impact of dressings on the prevention of pressure ulcer development. However, it remains unclear whether one type of dressing is better than any other type for preventing ulcer development during surgery. Therefore, we compared the effects of ceramide 2-containing hydrocolloid dressing with film dressings in high-risk patients with regard to reducing the incidence of pressure ulcer development during surgery. Patients and methods: A prospective, randomized, open-label, clinical trial was conducted involving patients who were at a high risk of developing pressure ulcers at a Japanese hospital. The intervention group received ceramide 2-containing hydrocolloid dressings (n=66, and the control group received film dressings (n=64. The primary end point was the incidence rate of pressure ulcer development in both groups; skin damage, such as blanchable erythema, skin discoloration, contact dermatitis, and stripped skin, was recorded as the secondary end point. The relative risk (RR and 95% confidence interval (CI were assessed to compare the probability ratios of pressure ulcer development between the groups. Results: There were significantly fewer patients who developed pressure ulcers in the intervention group than in the control group (RR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.05–0.99; P=0.04. In the post hoc subgroup analysis, the superiority of the intervention group was more marked when patients had a lower body mass index (P=0.02, lower albumin values (P=0.07, and operation time of 3 hours or more and less than 6 hours (P=0.03. There was no evidence of any statistically significant

  8. An open-label trial of L-5-hydroxytryptophan in subjects with romantic stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emanuele, Enzo; Bertona, Marco; Minoretti, Piercarlo; Geroldi, Diego

    2010-01-01

    This open-label trial assessed the clinical efficacy of L-5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), a natural serotonin precursor, in nondepressed young subjects with high levels of romantic stress. Since both neurotrophins and serotonin have been linked to human romantic attachment, we sought to investigate the changes in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and platelet serotonin content in relation to the changes in romantic stress throughout the study. A total of 15 healthy subjects (11 females and 4 males, mean age: 23.3 ± 2.1 years) who experienced a recent romantic break-up or reported recent romantic problems took part in the study. The participants were treated openly for 6 weeks with L-5-hydroxytryptophan (60 mg Griffonia simplicifolia extract containing 12.8 mg 5-HTP b.i.d., Amorex, Coropharm, Villach, Austria). The subjects were evaluated at baseline, at 3 weeks and at the end of the 6-week trial using an adapted version of the Seiffge-Krenke's Problem Questionnaire. BDNF and platelet serotonin content were determined at baseline, at 3 weeks, and after the completion of the 6-week trial. We observed significant improvements in romantic stress scores from weeks 0 through 3 (p=0.007) but no further significant improvement was evident from weeks 3 through 6 (p=0.19). At 6 weeks, subjects had a significant increase from baseline in both BDNF and platelet serotonin values. Our data suggest that direct modulation of the serotonergic system may have use for the treatment of psychological suffering associated with unreciprocated romantic love.

  9. Ex-vivo perfusion of donor hearts for human heart transplantation (PROCEED II): a prospective, open-label, multicentre, randomised non-inferiority trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardehali, Abbas; Esmailian, Fardad; Deng, Mario; Soltesz, Edward; Hsich, Eileen; Naka, Yoshifumi; Mancini, Donna; Camacho, Margarita; Zucker, Mark; Leprince, Pascal; Padera, Robert; Kobashigawa, Jon

    2015-06-27

    The Organ Care System is the only clinical platform for ex-vivo perfusion of human donor hearts. The system preserves the donor heart in a warm beating state during transport from the donor hospital to the recipient hospital. We aimed to assess the clinical outcomes of the Organ Care System compared with standard cold storage of human donor hearts for transplantation. We did this prospective, open-label, multicentre, randomised non-inferiority trial at ten heart-transplant centres in the USA and Europe. Eligible heart-transplant candidates (aged >18 years) were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive donor hearts preserved with either the Organ Care System or standard cold storage. Participants, investigators, and medical staff were not masked to group assignment. The primary endpoint was 30 day patient and graft survival, with a 10% non-inferiority margin. We did analyses in the intention-to-treat, as-treated, and per-protocol populations. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00855712. Between June 29, 2010, and Sept 16, 2013, we randomly assigned 130 patients to the Organ Care System group (n=67) or the standard cold storage group (n=63). 30 day patient and graft survival rates were 94% (n=63) in the Organ Care System group and 97% (n=61) in the standard cold storage group (difference 2·8%, one-sided 95% upper confidence bound 8·8; p=0·45). Eight (13%) patients in the Organ Care System group and nine (14%) patients in the standard cold storage group had cardiac-related serious adverse events. Heart transplantation using donor hearts adequately preserved with the Organ Care System or with standard cold storage yield similar short-term clinical outcomes. The metabolic assessment capability of the Organ Care System needs further study. TransMedics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Safety and tolerability of aripiprazole for irritability in pediatric patients with autistic disorder: a 52-week, open-label, multicenter study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcus, Ronald N; Owen, Randall; Manos, George; Mankoski, Raymond; Kamen, Lisa; McQuade, Robert D; Carson, William H; Findling, Robert L

    2011-09-01

    Evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of aripiprazole in the treatment of irritability in pediatric subjects (6-17 years) with autistic disorder. A 52-week, open-label, flexibly dosed (2-15 mg/d) study of the safety and tolerability of aripiprazole in outpatients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of autistic disorder who either had completed 1 of 2 antecedent, 8-week randomized trials or were enrolled de novo (ie, not treated in the randomized trials). Safety and tolerability measures included incidences of adverse events, extrapyramidal symptoms, weight, metabolic measures, vital signs, and other clinical assessments. Subjects were enrolled between September 2006 and June 2009. Three hundred thirty subjects entered the treatment phase: 86 de novo, 174 prior aripiprazole, and 70 prior placebo. A total of 199 (60.3%) subjects completed 52 weeks of treatment. Adverse events were experienced by 286/330 subjects (86.7%). Common adverse events included weight increase, vomiting, nasopharyngitis, increased appetite, pyrexia, upper respiratory tract infection, and insomnia. Discontinuations due to adverse events occurred in 35/330 randomized subjects (10.6%)-most commonly aggression and weight increase. One patient discontinued from the study due to a laboratory-related adverse event (moderately increased alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase). Nine subjects experienced serious adverse events-most frequently aggression. Extrapyramidal symptoms-related adverse events occurred in 48/330 subjects (14.5%)-most commonly tremor (3.0%), psychomotor hyperactivity (2.7%), akathisia (2.4%), and dyskinesia (not tardive, 2.4%). At > 9 months' aripiprazole exposure (n = 220), mean change in body weight z score was 0.33 and body mass index z score was 0.31. The percentages of subjects with clinically significant fasting metabolic abnormalities at > 9 months were 2% for glucose, 5% for total cholesterol, 7% for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, 30% for high

  11. Graceful, harmonious and magic type labelings relations and techniques

    CERN Document Server

    López, Susana C

    2017-01-01

    Aimed toward upper undergraduate and graduate students in mathematics, this book examines the foremost forms of graph labelings including magic, harmonious, and graceful labelings. An overview of basic graph theory concepts and notation is provided along with the origins of graph labeling. Common methods and techniques are presented introducing readers to links between graph labels. A variety of useful techniques are presented to analyze and understand properties of graph labelings. The classical results integrated with new techniques, complete proofs, numerous exercises, and a variety of open problems, will provide readers with a solid understanding of graph labelings.

  12. Omega-3 fatty acid monotherapy for pediatric bipolar disorder: a prospective open-label trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wozniak, Janet; Biederman, Joseph; Mick, Eric; Waxmonsky, James; Hantsoo, Liisa; Best, Catherine; Cluette-Brown, Joanne E; Laposata, Michael

    2007-01-01

    To test the effectiveness and safety of omega-3 fatty acids (Omegabrite(R) brand) in the treatment of pediatric bipolar disorder (BPD). Subjects (N=20) were outpatients of both sexes, 6 to 17 years of age, with a DSM-IV diagnosis of BPD and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) score of >15 treated over an 8-week period in open-label trial with omega-3 fatty acids 1290 mg-4300 mg combined EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Subjects experienced a statistically significant but modest 8.9+/-2.9 point reduction in the YMRS scores (baseline YMRS=28.9+/-10.1; endpoint YMRS=19.1+/-2.6, pDHA increased in treated subjects. As only 35% of these subjects had a response by the usual accepted criteria of >50% decrease on the YMRS, omega-3 fatty acids treatment was associated with a very modest improvement in manic symptoms in children with BPD.

  13. Open-Lung Ventilation Improves Clinical Outcomes in Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolzan, Douglas W; Trimer, Renata; Begot, Isis; Nasrala, Mara L S; Forestieri, Patricia; Mendez, Vanessa M F; Arena, Ross; Gomes, Walter J; Guizilini, Solange

    2016-06-01

    To compare pulmonary function, functional capacity, and clinical outcomes among conventional mechanical ventilation (CMV), early open-lung (EOL), and late open-lung (LOL) strategies after off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB). Prospective, randomized, and double-blinded study. Two hospitals of the Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Ninety-three patients undergoing elective first-time OPCAB. Patients were randomized into 3 groups: CMV (n=31); LOL (n=32) initiated upon intensive care unit (ICU) arrival; EOL (n = 30) initiated after intubation. Spirometry was performed at bedside preoperatively and on postoperative days (PODs) 1, 3, and 5. Partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) and pulmonary shunt fraction were evaluated presurgically and on POD 1; 6-minute walk test (6MWT) was performed presurgically and on POD 5. Both open-lung groups demonstrated higher forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second on PODs 1, 3 and 5 compared to the CMV group (pLOL groups were compared. Both open-lung strategies were able to promote higher pulmonary function preservation and greater recovery of functional capacity with better clinical outcomes after OPCAB. No difference in outcome was found when comparing initiation of OLS intraoperatively or after ICU arrival. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Electron paramagnetic resonance spin label titration: a novel method to investigate random and site-specific immobilization of enzymes onto polymeric membranes with different properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butterfield, D. Allan; Colvin, Joshua; Liu Jiangling; Wang Jianquan; Bachas, Leonidas; Bhattacharrya, Dibakar

    2002-01-01

    The immobilization of biological molecules onto polymeric membranes to produce biofunctional membranes is used for selective catalysis, separation, analysis, and artificial organs. Normally, random immobilization of enzymes onto polymeric membranes leads to dramatic reduction in activity due to chemical reactions involved in enzyme immobilization, multiple-point binding, etc., and the extent of activity reduction is a function of membrane hydrophilicity (e.g. activity in cellulosic membrane >> polysulfone membrane). We have used molecular biology to effect site-specific immobilization of enzymes in a manner that orients the active site away from the polymeric membrane surface, thus resulting in higher enzyme activity that approaches that in solution and in increased stability of the enzyme relative to the enzyme in solution. A prediction of this site-specific method of enzyme immobilization, which in this study with subtilisin and organophosphorus hydrolase consists of a fusion tag genetically added to these enzymes and subsequent immobilization via the anti-tag antibody and membrane-bound protein A, is that the active site conformation will more closely resemble that of the enzyme in solution than is the case for random immobilization. This hypothesis was confirmed using a new electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin label active site titration method that determines the amount of spin label bound to the active site of the immobilized enzyme. This value nearly perfectly matched the enzyme activity, and the results suggested: (a) a spectroscopic method for measuring activity and thus the extent of active enzyme immobilization in membrane, which may have advantages in cases where optical methods can not be used due to light scattering interference; (b) higher spin label incorporation (and hence activity) in enzymes that had been site-specifically immobilized versus random immobilization; (c) higher spin label incorporation in enzymes immobilized onto hydrophilic

  15. Research of ddi based on multi-label conditional random field

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Yangzhi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The detection of drug name and drug-drug interaction(DDI is considered as a sequence labeling task in this paper. We present the multi-label CRF method to complete it. Compared to the traditional method, our method can not only identify drug names, but also can identify drug-drug interaction. According to the characteristics of medical texts, this paper extracts the good features of the description of DDI. The proposed method has good performance in DDIExtraction 2013 evaluation corpus.

  16. Inter-labeler and intra-labeler variability of condition severity classification models using active and passive learning methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nissim, Nir; Shahar, Yuval; Elovici, Yuval; Hripcsak, George; Moskovitch, Robert

    2017-09-01

    Labeling instances by domain experts for classification is often time consuming and expensive. To reduce such labeling efforts, we had proposed the application of active learning (AL) methods, introduced our CAESAR-ALE framework for classifying the severity of clinical conditions, and shown its significant reduction of labeling efforts. The use of any of three AL methods (one well known [SVM-Margin], and two that we introduced [Exploitation and Combination_XA]) significantly reduced (by 48% to 64%) condition labeling efforts, compared to standard passive (random instance-selection) SVM learning. Furthermore, our new AL methods achieved maximal accuracy using 12% fewer labeled cases than the SVM-Margin AL method. However, because labelers have varying levels of expertise, a major issue associated with learning methods, and AL methods in particular, is how to best to use the labeling provided by a committee of labelers. First, we wanted to know, based on the labelers' learning curves, whether using AL methods (versus standard passive learning methods) has an effect on the Intra-labeler variability (within the learning curve of each labeler) and inter-labeler variability (among the learning curves of different labelers). Then, we wanted to examine the effect of learning (either passively or actively) from the labels created by the majority consensus of a group of labelers. We used our CAESAR-ALE framework for classifying the severity of clinical conditions, the three AL methods and the passive learning method, as mentioned above, to induce the classifications models. We used a dataset of 516 clinical conditions and their severity labeling, represented by features aggregated from the medical records of 1.9 million patients treated at Columbia University Medical Center. We analyzed the variance of the classification performance within (intra-labeler), and especially among (inter-labeler) the classification models that were induced by using the labels provided by seven

  17. The Influence of Social and Environmental Labels on Purchasing: An Information and Systematic-heuristic Processing Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raquel Redondo Palomo

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims at exploring how social and environmental (SE labels influence purchasing. By drawing on the information processing and the systematic-heuristic models, this study tests the process followed by consumers when purchasing SE labeled-products. Information was gathered through a structured questionnaire in personal interviews with 400 consumers responsible for household shopping of Fast-moving Consumer Goods (FMCG, who were randomly approached at shopping malls in four areas of Madrid, Spain. They were asked about recognition, knowledge, credibility, perceived utility and purchases on 12 different labels; the influence of these variables on purchase is modeled and tested by path analysis. This study suggests that a systematic-heuristic information processing occurs when consumers buy SE-labeled FMCG products, as the purchase of this type of goods depends on the recognition of a label, knowledge of the issue/issuer, as well as the credibility and the perceived utility of SE labels. Motivation for being informed influences the process, being an antecedent of awareness, comprehension and perceived utility. This model shows a dual processing mode: systematic and heuristic, where the lack of cognitive capacity could explain why these two processing modes co-occur. This paper adds value to existing literature on SE labels and consumption by applying the information processing model, which has not been used before in the field of responsible consumption, in addition to open a promising avenue for research, by offering complementary theories to the existing ones, based on attitudes.

  18. Ziprasidone Augmentation of Escitalopram for Major Depressive Disorder: Efficacy Results From a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papakostas, George I; Fava, Maurizio; Baer, Lee; Swee, Michaela B; Jaeger, Adrienne; Bobo, William V; Shelton, Richard C

    2015-12-01

    The authors sought to test the efficacy of adjunctive ziprasidone in adults with nonpsychotic unipolar major depression experiencing persistent symptoms after 8 weeks of open-label treatment with escitalopram. This was an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial conducted at three academic medical centers. Participants were 139 outpatients with persistent symptoms of major depression after an 8-week open-label trial of escitalopram (phase 1), randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive adjunctive ziprasidone (escitalopram plus ziprasidone, N=71) or adjunctive placebo (escitalopram plus placebo, N=68), with 8 weekly follow-up assessments. The primary outcome measure was clinical response, defined as a reduction of at least 50% in score on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). The Hamilton Anxiety Rating scale (HAM-A) and Visual Analog Scale for Pain were defined a priori as key secondary outcome measures. Rates of clinical response (35.2% compared with 20.5%) and mean improvement in HAM-D total scores (-6.4 [SD=6.4] compared with -3.3 [SD=6.2]) were significantly greater for the escitalopram plus ziprasidone group. Several secondary measures of antidepressant efficacy also favored adjunctive ziprasidone. The escitalopram plus ziprasidone group also showed significantly greater improvement on HAM-A score but not on Visual Analog Scale for Pain score. Ten (14%) patients in the escitalopram plus ziprasidone group discontinued treatment because of intolerance, compared with none in the escitalopram plus placebo group. Ziprasidone as an adjunct to escitalopram demonstrated antidepressant efficacy in adult patients with major depressive disorder experiencing persistent symptoms after 8 weeks of open-label treatment with escitalopram.

  19. Clinical applications of cells labelling; Aplicaciones clinicas del marcado de celulas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gonzalez, B M [Instituto Nacional de Pediatria (Mexico)

    1994-12-31

    Blood cells labelled with radionuclides are reviewed and main applications are described. Red blood cell labelling by both random and specific principle. A table with most important clinical uses, 99mTc labelling of RBC are described pre tinning and in vivo reduction of Tc, in vitro labelling and administration of labelled RBC and in vivo modified technique. Labelled leucocytes with several 99mTc-complex radiopharmaceuticals by in vitro technique and specific monoclonal s for white cells(neutrofiles). Labelled platelets for clinical use and research by in vitro technique and in vivo labelling.

  20. Larmor labeling by time-gradient magnetic fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ioffe, Alexander; Bodnarchuk, Victor; Bussmann, Klaus; Mueller, Robert

    2007-01-01

    The Larmor labeling of neutrons, due to the Larmor precession of neutron spin in a magnetic field, opens the unique possibility for the development of neutron spin-echo (NSE) based on neutron scattering techniques, featuring an extremely high energy (momentum) resolution. Here, we present the experimental proof of a new method of the Larmor labeling using time-gradient magnetic fields

  1. Inter-Labeler and Intra-Labeler Variability of Condition Severity Classification Models Using Active and Passive Learning Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nissim, Nir; Shahar, Yuval; Boland, Mary Regina; Tatonetti, Nicholas P; Elovici, Yuval; Hripcsak, George; Moskovitch, Robert

    2018-01-01

    Background and Objectives Labeling instances by domain experts for classification is often time consuming and expensive. To reduce such labeling efforts, we had proposed the application of active learning (AL) methods, introduced our CAESAR-ALE framework for classifying the severity of clinical conditions, and shown its significant reduction of labeling efforts. The use of any of three AL methods (one well known [SVM-Margin], and two that we introduced [Exploitation and Combination_XA]) significantly reduced (by 48% to 64%) condition labeling efforts, compared to standard passive (random instance-selection) SVM learning. Furthermore, our new AL methods achieved maximal accuracy using 12% fewer labeled cases than the SVM-Margin AL method. However, because labelers have varying levels of expertise, a major issue associated with learning methods, and AL methods in particular, is how to best to use the labeling provided by a committee of labelers. First, we wanted to know, based on the labelers’ learning curves, whether using AL methods (versus standard passive learning methods) has an effect on the Intra-labeler variability (within the learning curve of each labeler) and inter-labeler variability (among the learning curves of different labelers). Then, we wanted to examine the effect of learning (either passively or actively) from the labels created by the majority consensus of a group of labelers. Methods We used our CAESAR-ALE framework for classifying the severity of clinical conditions, the three AL methods and the passive learning method, as mentioned above, to induce the classifications models. We used a dataset of 516 clinical conditions and their severity labeling, represented by features aggregated from the medical records of 1.9 million patients treated at Columbia University Medical Center. We analyzed the variance of the classification performance within (intra-labeler), and especially among (inter-labeler) the classification models that were induced by

  2. An Open-Label Evaluator Blinded Study of the Efficacy and Safety of a New Nutritional Supplement in Androgenetic Alopecia: A Pilot Study

    OpenAIRE

    Nichols, Anna J.; Hughes, Olivia Bosshardt; Canazza, Agnese; Zaiac, Martin N.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel oral supplement, Forti5?, containing green tea extract, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, cholecalciferol, melatonin, beta-sitosterol, and soy isoflavones, and in the management of subjects with androgenetic alopecia. Design: A prospective case series of 10 subjects. Setting: Open-label, evaluator-blinded, proof-of-concept study. Participants: Ten adult subjects with androgenetic alopecia completed the study. Subjects were not allowed to use oral o...

  3. Nonlocal atlas-guided multi-channel forest learning for human brain labeling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ma, Guangkai [Space Control and Inertial Technology Research Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China and Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 (United States); Gao, Yaozong; Wu, Guorong [Department of Computer Science, Department of Radiology, and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 (United States); Wu, Ligang [Space Control and Inertial Technology Research Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Shen, Dinggang, E-mail: dgshen@med.unc.edu [Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 and Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-02-15

    Purpose: It is important for many quantitative brain studies to label meaningful anatomical regions in MR brain images. However, due to high complexity of brain structures and ambiguous boundaries between different anatomical regions, the anatomical labeling of MR brain images is still quite a challenging task. In many existing label fusion methods, appearance information is widely used. However, since local anatomy in the human brain is often complex, the appearance information alone is limited in characterizing each image point, especially for identifying the same anatomical structure across different subjects. Recent progress in computer vision suggests that the context features can be very useful in identifying an object from a complex scene. In light of this, the authors propose a novel learning-based label fusion method by using both low-level appearance features (computed from the target image) and high-level context features (computed from warped atlases or tentative labeling maps of the target image). Methods: In particular, the authors employ a multi-channel random forest to learn the nonlinear relationship between these hybrid features and target labels (i.e., corresponding to certain anatomical structures). Specifically, at each of the iterations, the random forest will output tentative labeling maps of the target image, from which the authors compute spatial label context features and then use in combination with original appearance features of the target image to refine the labeling. Moreover, to accommodate the high inter-subject variations, the authors further extend their learning-based label fusion to a multi-atlas scenario, i.e., they train a random forest for each atlas and then obtain the final labeling result according to the consensus of results from all atlases. Results: The authors have comprehensively evaluated their method on both public LONI-LBPA40 and IXI datasets. To quantitatively evaluate the labeling accuracy, the authors use the

  4. Nonlocal atlas-guided multi-channel forest learning for human brain labeling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Guangkai; Gao, Yaozong; Wu, Guorong; Wu, Ligang; Shen, Dinggang

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: It is important for many quantitative brain studies to label meaningful anatomical regions in MR brain images. However, due to high complexity of brain structures and ambiguous boundaries between different anatomical regions, the anatomical labeling of MR brain images is still quite a challenging task. In many existing label fusion methods, appearance information is widely used. However, since local anatomy in the human brain is often complex, the appearance information alone is limited in characterizing each image point, especially for identifying the same anatomical structure across different subjects. Recent progress in computer vision suggests that the context features can be very useful in identifying an object from a complex scene. In light of this, the authors propose a novel learning-based label fusion method by using both low-level appearance features (computed from the target image) and high-level context features (computed from warped atlases or tentative labeling maps of the target image). Methods: In particular, the authors employ a multi-channel random forest to learn the nonlinear relationship between these hybrid features and target labels (i.e., corresponding to certain anatomical structures). Specifically, at each of the iterations, the random forest will output tentative labeling maps of the target image, from which the authors compute spatial label context features and then use in combination with original appearance features of the target image to refine the labeling. Moreover, to accommodate the high inter-subject variations, the authors further extend their learning-based label fusion to a multi-atlas scenario, i.e., they train a random forest for each atlas and then obtain the final labeling result according to the consensus of results from all atlases. Results: The authors have comprehensively evaluated their method on both public LONI-LBPA40 and IXI datasets. To quantitatively evaluate the labeling accuracy, the authors use the

  5. Rationale and Design of a Randomized Clinical Comparison of Everolimus-Eluting (Xience V/Promus) and Sirolimus-Eluting (Cypher Select+) Coronary Stents in Unselected Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Lisette Okkels; Thayssen, Per; Tilsted, Hans Henrik

    2010-01-01

    with Clinical Outcome (SORT OUT) IV trial was designed as a prospective, multi-center, open-label, all-comer, two-arm, randomized, non-inferiority study comparing the everolimus-eluting stent with the sirolimus-eluting stent in the treatment of atherosclerotic coronary artery lesions. Based on a non...

  6. Effect of novel inhaler technique reminder labels on the retention of inhaler technique skills in asthma: a single-blind randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basheti, Iman A; Obeidat, Nathir M; Reddel, Helen K

    2017-02-09

    Inhaler technique can be corrected with training, but skills drop off quickly without repeated training. The aim of our study was to explore the effect of novel inhaler technique labels on the retention of correct inhaler technique. In this single-blind randomized parallel-group active-controlled study, clinical pharmacists enrolled asthma patients using controller medication by Accuhaler [Diskus] or Turbuhaler. Inhaler technique was assessed using published checklists (score 0-9). Symptom control was assessed by asthma control test. Patients were randomized into active (ACCa; THa) and control (ACCc; THc) groups. All patients received a "Show-and-Tell" inhaler technique counseling service. Active patients also received inhaler labels highlighting their initial errors. Baseline data were available for 95 patients, 68% females, mean age 44.9 (SD 15.2) years. Mean inhaler scores were ACCa:5.3 ± 1.0; THa:4.7 ± 0.9, ACCc:5.5 ± 1.1; THc:4.2 ± 1.0. Asthma was poorly controlled (mean ACT scores ACCa:13.9 ± 4.3; THa:12.1 ± 3.9; ACCc:12.7 ± 3.3; THc:14.3 ± 3.7). After training, all patients had correct technique (score 9/9). After 3 months, there was significantly less decline in inhaler technique scores for active than control groups (mean difference: Accuhaler -1.04 (95% confidence interval -1.92, -0.16, P = 0.022); Turbuhaler -1.61 (-2.63, -0.59, P = 0.003). Symptom control improved significantly, with no significant difference between active and control patients, but active patients used less reliever medication (active 2.19 (SD 1.78) vs. control 3.42 (1.83) puffs/day, P = 0.002). After inhaler training, novel inhaler technique labels improve retention of correct inhaler technique skills with dry powder inhalers. Inhaler technique labels represent a simple, scalable intervention that has the potential to extend the benefit of inhaler training on asthma outcomes. REMINDER LABELS IMPROVE INHALER TECHNIQUE: Personalized

  7. Dual labelling of Lobuprofen with tritium and carbon-14

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santamaria, J.; Rivera, P.; Esteban, M.; Martin, J.L.; Carretero, J.M.

    1988-01-01

    Dual labelling of Lobuprofen with tritium and carbon-14 was performed. The synthesis between 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)propionic acid (Ibuprofen), randomly labelled with tritium, and 2-[4-(3-chlorophenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethanol (Cl-Alkanol) labelled with carbon-14 in the piperazine ring was achieved. Prior to this synthesis, the [ 14 C]Cl-Alkanol was obtained using 2-amino-[2- 14 C]ethanol as a precursor. (author)

  8. Immunogenicity and safety of an adjuvanted herpes zoster subunit candidate vaccine in adults ≥ 50 years of age with a prior history of herpes zoster: A phase III, non-randomized, open-label clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godeaux, Olivier; Kovac, Martina; Shu, Daniel; Grupping, Katrijn; Campora, Laura; Douha, Martine; Heineman, Thomas C; Lal, Himal

    2017-05-04

    This phase III, non-randomized, open-label, multi-center study (NCT01827839) evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of an adjuvanted recombinant subunit herpes zoster (HZ) vaccine (HZ/su) in adults aged ≥ 50 y with prior physician-documented history of HZ. Participants (stratified by age: 50-59, 60-69 and ≥ 70 y) received 2 doses of HZ/su 2 months apart and were followed-up for another 12 months. Anti-glycoprotein E (gE) antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before vaccination and 1 month after the second dose (Month 3). Solicited local and general adverse events (AEs) were recorded for 7 d and unsolicited AEs for 30 d after each vaccination. Serious AEs were recorded until study end. The primary immunogenicity objective was met if the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) of the vaccine response rate (VRR), defined as a 4-fold increase in anti-gE over baseline, at Month 3 was ≥ 60%. 96 participants (32/age group) were enrolled. The primary immunogenicity objective was met, as the VRR at Month 3 was 90.2% (95% CI: 81.7-95.7). Geometric mean anti-gE antibody concentrations at Month 3 were similar across age groups. 77.9% and 71.6% of participants reported local and general solicited AEs, respectively. The most frequent solicited AEs were pain at injection site, fatigue, headache, myalgia and shivering. The HZ/su vaccine was immunogenic in adults aged ≥ 50 y with a physician-documented history of HZ, and no safety concerns were identified.

  9. An open-label tolerability study of BL-1020 antipsychotic: a novel gamma aminobutyric acid ester of perphenazine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anand, Ravi; Geffen, Yona; Vasile, Daniel; Dan, Irina

    2010-01-01

    BL-1020, a novel gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) ester of perphenazine, is a new oral antipsychotic with a strong affinity for dopamine and serotonin receptors. Unlike first- and second-generation antipsychotics, it has agonist activity at GABA(A). This is the first study to examine tolerability and safety of BL-1020 in schizophrenia. This was a phase-II, open-label, multicenter, 6-week study treating patients (n = 36) with chronic schizophrenia. Dosing started at 20 mg/d and increased over 7 days to 40 mg/d. Weekly assessments were conducted. All but 1 patient was titrated to 30 mg/d at day 4; on day 7, 30 were titrated to 40 mg/d. Four patients discontinued the study prematurely. There was no clinically relevant increase in vital signs, sedation, dizziness, or other central nervous system effects or electrocardiogram or laboratory abnormalities and a small increase in weight. Ten patients experienced extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) requiring treatment with an anticholinergic; 4 patients were unable to reach maximum dose because of EPS. Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale did not indicate clinically significant changes in EPS. The most common adverse event was insomnia (6 patients); other frequent adverse effects (all n = 3) were extrapyramidal disorder, headache, parkinsonism, tremor, and hyperprolactinemia. There was improvement on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Clinical Global Impression of Change with 22 patients showing at least 20% decrease by end point on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and 31 patients showing at least minimal improvement on Clinical Global Impression of Change. These data suggest that 20 to 40 mg/d of BL-1020 is associated with clinically relevant improvement of psychosis with no worsening of EPS and support further testing in randomized controlled trials.

  10. Effect of calorie or exercise labels on menus on calories and macronutrients ordered and calories from specific foods in Hispanic participants: a randomized study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Meena; Bouza, Brooke; Adams-Huet, Beverley; Jaffery, Manall; Esposito, Phil; Dart, Lyn

    2016-12-01

    The effect of menu labels on food choices is unknown in Hispanics. This study evaluated the impact of menu labels on calories and macronutrients ordered in Hispanics. 372 Hispanics (18-65 years) were randomly assigned to menus with no labels (NL) (n=127), rank-ordered calorie labels plus a statement on energy needs per meal (CL) (n=123), or rank-ordered exercise labels showing minutes of brisk walking necessary to burn the food calories (EL) (n=122). The menus had identical food choices. Participants were instructed to select foods from the assigned menu as if having lunch in a fast food restaurant. One-way analysis of variance found no difference in calories ordered (median (25th and 75th centiles)) by menu condition (NL: 785.0 (465.0, 1010.0) kcal; CL: 790.0 (510.0, 1020.0) kcal; EL: 752.5 (520.0, 1033.8) kcal; p=0.75). Calories from specific foods and macronutrient intake were not different by menu condition. Menu label use was 26.8% in the CL and 25.4% in the EL condition. Calories ordered were not different between those who used and those who did not use the labels. Regression analysis showed that perception of being overweight (p=0.02), selecting foods based on health value (p<0.0001), and meeting exercise guidelines (p<0.0001) were associated with fewer calories ordered. Logistic regression showed that selecting foods based on health value (p=0.01) was associated with higher food label use. Menu labels did not affect food choices in Hispanic participants. Future studies should determine if nutrition, exercise, and weight perception counseling prior to menu labels intervention would result in better food choices. NCT02804503; post-results. Copyright © 2016 American Federation for Medical Research.

  11. The comparison between limited open carpal tunnel release using direct vision and tunneling technique and standard open carpal tunnel release: a randomized controlled trial study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suppaphol, Sorasak; Worathanarat, Patarawan; Kawinwongkovit, Viroj; Pittayawutwinit, Preecha

    2012-04-01

    To compare the operative outcome of carpal tunnel release between limited open carpal tunnel release using direct vision and tunneling technique (group A) with standard open carpal tunnel release (group B). Twenty-eight patients were enrolled in the present study. A single blind randomized control trial study was conducted to compare the postoperative results between group A and B. The study parameters were Levine's symptom severity and functional score, grip and pinch strength, and average two-point discrimination. The postoperative results between two groups were comparable with no statistical significance. Only grip strength at three months follow up was significantly greater in group A than in group B. The limited open carpal tunnel release in the present study is effective comparable to the standard open carpal tunnel release. The others advantage of this technique are better cosmesis and improvement in grip strength at the three months postoperative period.

  12. Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Study Comparing Tafluprost/Timolol Fixed Combination with Latanoprost/Timolol Fixed Combination in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Katsuyoshi; Otsuka, Naomi; Hizaki, Hiroko; Hashimoto, Masayo; Kuwayama, Yasuaki

    2018-06-05

    This was the first exploratory randomized controlled study to compare the efficacy and safety of a preserved tafluprost/timolol fixed combination (TAF/TIM) with a preserved latanoprost/timolol fixed combination (LAT/TIM). This prospective, randomized, open-label study was conducted in Japanese patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, including normal-tension glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Following a 4-week LAT/TIM run-in period, eligible patients entered a 12-week treatment period, during which they received either LAT/TIM or TAF/TIM. The efficacy endpoint was the change in intraocular pressure (IOP) from baseline to week 12 and the safety endpoints included the changes from baseline to week 12 in superficial punctate keratopathy (SPK) score, tear breakup time (TBUT), and hyperemia score, as well as adverse events (AEs). At week 6, ocular symptoms were evaluated using a questionnaire. In total, 131 patients provided informed consent. Of these, 115 completed the run-in period and were assigned to receive TAF/TIM (n = 60) or LAT/TIM (n = 55). At week 12, there were no significant differences between the TAF/TIM and LAT/TIM groups in the change from baseline in trough IOP and IOP at 4-6 h after instillation. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the change from baseline to week 12 in SPK score, TBUT, and hyperemia score. However, only in the TAF/TIM group, the total SPK score and the inferior cornea SPK score were significantly lower at week 12 compared with baseline. Eye irritation and eye pain were significantly decreased in the TAF/TIM group compared with the LAT/TIM group. Two treatment-related AEs were reported in the TAF/TIM group (3.3%) and none in the LAT/TIM group, while no serious AEs were reported in either group. TAF/TIM is as effective as LAT/TIM in terms of IOP-reducing effect, with fewer ocular symptoms. TAF/TIM was associated with a significant improvement in SPK scores. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry Identifier

  13. Comparative prospective randomized trial: laparoscopic versus open common bile duct exploration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir Grubnik

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Single-stage laparoscopic procedures for common bile duct (CBD stones are an alternative treatmentoption to two-stage endo-laparoscopic treatment and to open choledocholithotomy. Several reports have demonstratedthe feasibility, safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic techniques.Aim: To analyse the safety and benefits of laparoscopic compared to open common bile duct (CBD exploration.Material and methods: The prospective randomized trial included a total of 256 patients with CBD stones operated from2005 to 2009 in a single centre. The male/female ratio was 82/174, with a median age 62.3 ±5.8 years (range 27 to 87years. There were two groups of patients. Group I: laparoscopic CBD exploration (138 patients. Group II: open CBD exploration(118 patients. Patient comorbidity was assessed by means of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA classification;ASA II – 109 patients, ASA III – 59 patients. Bile duct stones were visualized preoperatively by means of US examinationin 129 patients, by means of ERCP in 26 patients, and by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCPin 72 patients. Preoperative evaluation was done through medical history, biochemical tests and ultrasonography.Results: The mean duration of laparoscopic procedures was 82 min (range 40-160 min. The mean duration of openprocedures was 90 min (range 60-150 min. Mean blood loss was much lower in the laparoscopic group than in theopen group (20 ±2 v.s 285 ±27, p < 0.01. Postoperative complications were observed in 7 patients of the laparoscopicgroup and in 15 patients in the open group (p < 0.01. Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration was performedthrough a trans-cystic approach in 76 patients and via choledochotomy in 62 patients. The transcystic approach wassuccessful in 76 patients (74.5%. External drainage was used in 25 (32.8% patients with the transcystic approach.Conclusions: Laparoscopic CBD exploration can be performed with

  14. A Complex Multiherbal Regimen Based on Ayurveda Medicine for the Management of Hepatic Cirrhosis Complicated by Ascites: Nonrandomized, Uncontrolled, Single Group, Open-Label Observational Clinical Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Manish V; Patel, Kalapi B; Gupta, Shivenarain; Michalsen, Andreas; Stapelfeldt, Elmar; Kessler, Christian S

    2015-01-01

    Hepatic cirrhosis is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, especially if complicated by ascites. This chronic condition can be related to the classical disease entity jalodara in Traditional Indian Medicine (Ayurveda). The present paper aims to evaluate the general potential of Ayurvedic therapy for overall clinical outcomes in hepatic cirrhosis complicated by ascites (HCcA). In form of a nonrandomized, uncontrolled, single group, open-label observational clinical study, 56 patients fulfilling standardized diagnostic criteria for HCcA were observed during their treatment at the P. D. Patel Ayurveda Hospital, Nadiad, India. Based on Ayurvedic tradition, a standardized treatment protocol was developed and implemented, consisting of oral administration of single and compound herbal preparations combined with purificatory measures as well as dietary and lifestyle regimens. The outcomes were assessed by measuring liver functions through specific clinical features and laboratory parameters and by evaluating the Child-Pugh prognostic grade score. After 6 weeks of treatment and a follow-up period of 18 weeks, the outcomes showed statistically significant and clinically relevant improvements. Further larger and randomized trials on effectiveness, safety, and quality of the Ayurvedic approach in the treatment of HCcA are warranted to support these preliminary findings.

  15. Efficacy and Tolerability Outcomes of a Phase II, Randomized, Open-Label, Multicenter Study of a New Water-Dispersible Pediatric Formulation of Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in African Infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gargano, Nicola; Madrid, Lola; Valentini, Giovanni; D'Alessandro, Umberto; Halidou, Tinto; Sirima, Sodiomon; Tshefu, Antoinette; Mtoro, Ali; Gesase, Samwel; Bassat, Quique

    2018-01-01

    Artemisinin combination therapies are considered the mainstay of malaria treatment, but pediatric-friendly formulations for the treatment of infants are scarce. We sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a new dispersible-tablet formulation of dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine phosphate (DHA/PQP) in comparison to the marketed tablet (Eurartesim) in the treatment of infants with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Reported here are the results of a large phase II, randomized, open-label, multicenter trial conducted in African infants (6 to 12 months of age) from Mozambique, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Tanzania. Primary efficacy endpoint was the PCR-corrected adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) at day 28. Analysis was performed for the intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) populations. A total of 201 patients received the dispersible-tablet formulation, and 99 received the conventional one administered as crushed tablets. At day 28, the PCR-corrected ACPRs were 86.9% (ITT) and 98.3% (PP) in the dispersible-tablet group and 84.9% (ITT) and 100% (PP) in the crushed-tablet group. At day 42, these values were 85.9% (ITT) and 96.5% (PP) in the dispersible-tablet group and 82.8% (ITT) and 96.4% (PP) in the crushed-tablet group. The comparison between survival curves for time to new infections showed no statistically significant differences ( P = 0.409). The safety and tolerability profile for the two groups was similar in terms of type and frequency of adverse events and was consistent with that expected in African infants with malaria. A standard 3-day treatment with the new dispersible DHA/PQP formulation is as efficacious as the currently used tablet in African infants and has a comparable safety profile. (This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01992900.). Copyright © 2017 Gargano et al.

  16. An open-label pilot trial of alpha-lipoic acid for weight loss in patients with schizophrenia without diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ratliff, Joseph C; Palmese, Laura B; Reutenauer, Erin L; Tek, Cenk

    2015-01-01

    A possible mechanism of antipsychotic-induced weight gain is activation of hypothalamic monophosphate-dependent kinase (AMPK) mediated by histamine 1 receptors. Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), a potent antioxidant, counteracts this effect and may be helpful in reducing weight for patients taking antipsychotics. The objective of this open-label study was to assess the efficacy of ALA (1,200 mg) on twelve non-diabetic schizophrenia patients over ten weeks. Participants lost significant weight during the intervention (-2.2 kg±2.5 kg). ALA was well tolerated and was particularly effective for individuals taking strongly antihistaminic antipsychotics (-2.9 kg±2.6 kg vs. -0.5 kg±1.0 kg). NCT01355952.

  17. Remifentanil-propofol analgo-sedation shortens duration of ventilation and length of ICU stay compared to a conventional regimen: A centre randomised, cross-over, open-label study in the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    F.W. Rozendaal (Frans); P.E. Spronk (Peter); F.F. Snellen (Ferdinand); A. Schoen (Adri); A.R.H. van Zanten (Arthur); N.A. Foudraine (Norbert); P.G.H. Mulder (Paul); J. Bakker (Jan)

    2009-01-01

    textabstractObjective: Compare duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), weaning time, ICU-LOS (ICU-LOS), efficacy and safety of remifentanil-based regimen with conventional sedation and analgesia. Design: Centre randomised, open-label, crossover, 'real-life' study. Setting: 15 Dutch hospitals.

  18. No evidence of harms of probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103 in healthy elderly-a Phase I Open Label Study to assess safety, tolerability and cytokine responses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Although Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG ATCC 53103 (LGG) has been consumed since the mid 1990s by between 2 and 5 million people daily, the scientific literature lacks rigorous clinical trials that describe the potential harms of LGG, particularly in the elderly. The primary objective of this open label...

  19. Adjunctive low-dose docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for major depression: An open-label pilot trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Deidre J; Sarris, Jerome; Dowling, Nathan; O'Connor, Manjula; Ng, Chee H

    2018-04-01

    Whilst the majority of evidence supports the adjunctive use of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in improving mood, to date no study exists using low-dose docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) alone as an adjunctive treatment in patients with mild to moderate major depressive disorder (MDD). A naturalistic 8-week open-label pilot trial of low-dose DHA, (260 mg or 520 mg/day) in 28 patients with MDD who were non-responsive to medication or psychotherapy, with a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) score of greater than 17, was conducted. Primary outcomes of depression, clinical severity, and daytime sleepiness were measured. After 8 weeks, 54% of patients had a ≥50% reduction on the HAM-D, and 45% were in remission (HAM-D ≤ 7). The eta-squared statistic (0.59) indicated a large effect size for the reduction of depression (equivalent to Cohen's d of 2.4). However confidence in this effect size is tempered due to the lack of a placebo. The mean score for the Clinical Global Impression Severity Scale was significantly improved by 1.28 points (P depression.

  20. Chest closure without drainage after open patent ductus arteriosus ligation in Ugandan children: A non blinded randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kebba, Naomi; Mwambu, Tom; Oketcho, Michael; Izudi, Jonathan; Obuku, Ekwaro A

    2016-09-29

    There is clinical equipoise regarding post-operative management of patients with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) without insertion of a chest drain. This study evaluated post operative outcomes of chest closure with or without a drain following Patent Ductus Arteriosus ligation among childen at Uganda Heart Instritute (UHI). This was an open label randomized controlled trial of 62 children 12 years of age and below diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus at Mulago National Teaching and Referral Hospital, Uganda. Participants were randomized in the ratio of 1:1 with surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus to either thoracotomy closure with a chest tube or without a chest tube. All participants received standard care and were monitored hourly for 24 hours then until hospital discharge. The combined primary endpoint consisted of significant pleural space accumulation of fluid or air, higher oxygen need or infection of the surgical site. Analysis was conducted by multivariable logistic regression analysis at 5 % significance level. We enrolled 62 participants, 46 (74 %) of whom were females. Their median age was 12 months (IQR: 8-36). Participants in the no-drain arm significantly had less post-operative complications compared to the drain arm (Unadjusted odds ratio [uOR]: 0.21, 95 % CI: 0.06-0.73, p = 0.015). This "protective effect" remained without statistical significance in the multivariable regression model (Adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.07, 95 % CI: 0.00-2.50, p = 0.144). Children aged below 6 years with patent ductus arterious can safely and effectively have thoracotomy closure without using a drain in uncomplicated surgical ligation of the PDA. Chest drain was associated with post-operative complications. The trial was registered in the Pan African Clinical Trials registry on 1st/July/2012, retrospectively registered. Identifier number PACTR201207000395469 .

  1. An open-label extension study of the safety and efficacy of risperidone in children and adolescents with autistic disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kent, Justine M; Hough, David; Singh, Jaskaran; Karcher, Keith; Pandina, Gahan

    2013-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of risperidone in treating irritability and related behaviors in children and adolescents with autistic disorders. In this 6 month (26 week) open-label extension (OLE) study, patients (5-17 years of age, who completed the previous fixed-dose, 6 week, double-blind [DB] phase) were flexibly dosed with risperidone based on body weight. The maximum allowed dose was 1.25 mg/day for those weighing 20 to autistic, psychiatric, and behavioral disorders. Patients experienced some additional improvement in irritability and related behaviors. This phase-4 study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00576732).

  2. Randomized, open-label, single-dose, crossover, relative bioavailability study in healthy adults, comparing the pharmacokinetics of rabeprazole granules administered using soft food or infant formula as dosing vehicle versus suspension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thyssen, An; Solanki, Bhavna; Treem, William

    2012-07-01

    A sprinkle capsule formulation containing enteric-coated, delayed-release rabeprazole granules is being developed for the treatment of children with gastrointestinal reflux disease. The granules are designed to be mixed with vehicles that facilitate delivery to children, who may be unable to swallow solid formulations. The primary objective of this study-conducted on the sponsor's initiative-was to compare the bioavailability of rabeprazole granules when mixed with various dosing vehicles (small amount of soft food or infant formula) with that of a rabeprazole suspension with inactive vehicle granules (reference), to determine which dosing vehicle can be used to deliver rabeprazole in children. Tolerability was also assessed. This single-center, single-dose, randomized, open-label, 5-period crossover study was conducted in 35 healthy adult subjects. In a randomized sequence, fasting subjects received a single dose of 10-mg rabeprazole granules per treatment period, mixed with small amounts of 1 of 5 dosing vehicles (a strawberry-flavored suspension of rabeprazole granules with inactive vehicle granules reconstituted with water, yogurt [1 tablespoon], applesauce [1 tablespoon], or infant formula [5 mL], or a suspension of rabeprazole granules with inactive vehicle tablet reconstituted with water). Full plasma pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of rabeprazole and its thioether metabolite were collected; concentrations were estimated via LC-MS/MS. PK properties were estimated using noncompartmental methods; 90% CIs around least squares mean test-to-reference ratios were calculated for C(max) and AUC values. All treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were recorded and assessed for severity (mild, moderate, or severe) and relationship to study drug. A total of 35 subjects were enrolled (mean age, 38 years; 54.3% female; 100% white; mean weight, 71.4 kg). Thirty-four subjects completed the study. Rabeprazole and rabeprazole thioether plasma PK properties were comparable

  3. Canonical Labelling of Site Graphs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Oury

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available We investigate algorithms for canonical labelling of site graphs, i.e. graphs in which edges bind vertices on sites with locally unique names. We first show that the problem of canonical labelling of site graphs reduces to the problem of canonical labelling of graphs with edge colourings. We then present two canonical labelling algorithms based on edge enumeration, and a third based on an extension of Hopcroft's partition refinement algorithm. All run in quadratic worst case time individually. However, one of the edge enumeration algorithms runs in sub-quadratic time for graphs with "many" automorphisms, and the partition refinement algorithm runs in sub-quadratic time for graphs with "few" bisimulation equivalences. This suite of algorithms was chosen based on the expectation that graphs fall in one of those two categories. If that is the case, a combined algorithm runs in sub-quadratic worst case time. Whether this expectation is reasonable remains an interesting open problem.

  4. Surgical Stress Response and Postoperative Immune Function After Laparoscopy or Open Surgery With Fast Track or Standard Perioperative Care A Randomized Trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veenhof, A. A. F. A.; Vlug, M. S.; van der Pas, M. H. G. M.; Sietses, C.; van der Peet, D. L.; de Lange-de Klerk, E. S. M.; Bonjer, H. J.; Bemelman, W. A.; Cuesta, M. A.

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the effect of laparoscopic or open colectomy with fast track or standard perioperative care on patient's immune status and stress response after surgery. Methods: Patients with nonmetastasized colon cancer were randomized to laparoscopic or open colectomy with fast track or

  5. Comparison of MAPIE versus MAP in patients with a poor response to preoperative chemotherapy for newly diagnosed high-grade osteosarcoma (EURAMOS-1): an open-label, international, randomised controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marina, Neyssa M.; Smeland, Sigbjørn; Bielack, Stefan S.; Bernstein, Mark; Jovic, Gordana; Krailo, Mark D.; Hook, Jane M.; Arndt, Carola; van den Berg, Henk; Brennan, Bernadette; Brichard, Bénédicte; Brown, Ken L. B.; Butterfass-Bahloul, Trude; Calaminus, Gabriele; Daldrup-Link, Heike E.; Eriksson, Mikael; Gebhardt, Mark C.; Gelderblom, Hans; Gerss, Joachim; Goldsby, Robert; Goorin, Allen; Gorlick, Richard; Grier, Holcombe E.; Hale, Juliet P.; Hall, Kirsten Sundby; Hardes, Jendrik; Hawkins, Douglas S.; Helmke, Knut; Hogendoorn, Pancras C. W.; Isakoff, Michael S.; Janeway, Katherine A.; Jürgens, Heribert; Kager, Leo; Kühne, Thomas; Lau, Ching C.; Leavey, Patrick J.; Lessnick, Stephen L.; Mascarenhas, Leo; Meyers, Paul A.; Mottl, Hubert; Nathrath, Michaela; Papai, Zsuzsanna; Randall, R. Lor; Reichardt, Peter; Renard, Marleen; Safwat, Akmal Ahmed; Schwartz, Cindy L.; Stevens, Michael C. G.; Strauss, Sandra J.; Teot, Lisa; Werner, Mathias; Sydes, Matthew R.; Whelan, Jeremy S.

    2016-01-01

    We designed the EURAMOS-1 trial to investigate whether intensified postoperative chemotherapy for patients whose tumour showed a poor response to preoperative chemotherapy (≥10% viable tumour) improved event-free survival in patients with high-grade osteosarcoma. EURAMOS-1 was an open-label,

  6. Novel Optical Labeling Scheme for Ultra-High Bit Rate Data Packets

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Medhin, Ashenafi Kiros; Galili, Michael; Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo

    2013-01-01

    We propose and verify by simulations an optical in-band labeling scheme for ultra-fast optical switching. The scheme is able to label more than 60 different 640-Gbit/s OTDM packets with eye opening penalty <1 dB....

  7. Differential quantitative proteomics of Porphyromonas gingivalis by linear ion trap mass spectrometry: Non-label methods comparison, q-values and LOWESS curve fitting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Qiangwei; Wang, Tiansong; Park, Yoonsuk; Lamont, Richard J.; Hackett, Murray

    2007-01-01

    Differential analysis of whole cell proteomes by mass spectrometry has largely been applied using various forms of stable isotope labeling. While metabolic stable isotope labeling has been the method of choice, it is often not possible to apply such an approach. Four different label free ways of calculating expression ratios in a classic "two-state" experiment are compared: signal intensity at the peptide level, signal intensity at the protein level, spectral counting at the peptide level, and spectral counting at the protein level. The quantitative data were mined from a dataset of 1245 qualitatively identified proteins, about 56% of the protein encoding open reading frames from Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram-negative intracellular pathogen being studied under extracellular and intracellular conditions. Two different control populations were compared against P. gingivalis internalized within a model human target cell line. The q-value statistic, a measure of false discovery rate previously applied to transcription microarrays, was applied to proteomics data. For spectral counting, the most logically consistent estimate of random error came from applying the locally weighted scatter plot smoothing procedure (LOWESS) to the most extreme ratios generated from a control technical replicate, thus setting upper and lower bounds for the region of experimentally observed random error.

  8. Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Open Versus Laparoscopic Placement of a Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter and Outcomes: The CAPD I Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Laanen, Jorinde H H; Cornelis, Tom; Mees, Barend M; Litjens, Elisabeth J; van Loon, Magda M; Tordoir, Jan H M; Peppelenbosch, Arnoud G

    2018-01-01

    To determine the best operation technique, open versus laparoscopic, for insertion of a peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter with regard to clinical success. Clinical success was defined as an adequate function of the catheter 2 - 4 weeks after insertion. All patients with end-stage renal disease who were suitable for PD and gave informed consent were randomized for either open surgery or laparoscopic surgery. A previous laparotomy was not considered an exclusion criterion. Laparoscopic placement had the advantage of pre-peritoneal tunneling, the possibility for adhesiolysis, and placement of the catheter under direct vision. Catheter fixation techniques, omentopexy, or other adjunct procedures were not performed. Other measured parameters were in-hospital morbidity and mortality and post-operative infections. Between 2010 and 2016, 95 patients were randomized to this study protocol. After exclusion of 5 patients for various reasons, 44 patients received an open procedure and 46 patients a laparoscopic procedure. Gender, age, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, current hemodialysis, severe heart failure, and previous an abdominal operation were not significantly different between the groups. However, in the open surgery group, fewer patients had a previous median laparotomy compared with the laparoscopic group (6 vs 16 patients; p = 0.027). There was no statistically significant difference in mean operation time (36 ± 24 vs 38 ± 15 minutes) and hospital stay (2.1 ± 2.7 vs 3.1 ± 7.3 days) between the groups. In the open surgery group 77% of the patients had an adequate functioning catheter 2 - 4 weeks after insertion compared with 70% of patients in the laparoscopic group ( p = not significant [NS]). In the open surgery group there was 1 post-operative death (2%) compared with none in the laparoscopic group ( p = NS). The morbidity in both groups was low and not significantly different. In the open surgery group, 2 patients had an exit-site infection and 1 patient

  9. The relationship among expressions, labels, and descriptions of contempt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsumoto, David; Ekman, Paul

    2004-10-01

    This article reports 4 studies that demonstrate that the contempt expression is reliably associated with situations that elicit contempt and that the inability to label the contempt expression reflects a problem with its label or concept and not with the relationship between its expression and emotion. In Study I, the labeling of contempt in fixed-choice judgment tasks did not occur because of a process of elimination. In Studies 2 and 3, the contempt expression was associated with situations that elicit contempt, but participants did not label the situations in an open-ended response. In Study 3, participants also more reliably labeled the contempt expression with situations rather than with labels and did not generate contempt situations from labels. In Study 4, participants reported using, hearing, and reading about contempt the least among 7 emotions tested. (c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved

  10. Health-related quality of life and functional outcomes from a randomized-withdrawal study of long-term lisdexamfetamine dimesylate treatment in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banaschewski, Tobias; Johnson, Mats; Lecendreux, Michel; Zuddas, Alessandro; Adeyi, Ben; Hodgkins, Paul; Squires, Liza A; Coghill, David R

    2014-12-01

    The stimulant prodrug lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX) is an effective and generally well tolerated treatment for the symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Positive impacts of LDX on health-related quality of life and functional impairment have previously been demonstrated in a 7-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III study in children and adolescents in Europe. Maintenance of these broad benefits, as well as symptomatic control, is a key goal of long-term management of ADHD. Secondary objectives of this multinational study in children and adolescents with ADHD were to assess the long-term maintenance of effectiveness of LDX in improving health-related quality of life and reducing functional impairment, as gauged using the Child Health and Illness Profile-Child Edition: Parent Report Form (CHIP-CE: PRF) and the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale-Parent Report (WFIRS-P), respectively. Patients aged 6-17 years with diagnosed ADHD and a baseline ADHD Rating Scale IV total score of at least 28 were enrolled from the previous European study and from US sites. Patients who completed an open-label LDX treatment period of at least 26 weeks were randomized (1:1) to continue on their optimized dose of LDX or to switch to placebo for a 6-week, double-blind, withdrawal period. Parents completed CHIP-CE: PRF and WFIRS-P questionnaires at weeks 0, 8 and 26 of the open-label period and at weeks 0 and 6 of the randomized-withdrawal period, or at early termination. The endpoint of each period was defined as the last visit with valid data. Effect sizes were the difference (LDX minus placebo) in least-squares (LS)-mean change from baseline to endpoint divided by root-mean-square error. P values were nominal and not adjusted for multiple comparisons. The open-label and randomized full analysis sets comprised 262 and 153 (LDX n = 76; placebo n = 77) patients, respectively. Mean pretreatment CHIP-CE: PRF T-scores were more than one

  11. Effects of autoshaping procedures on 3H-8-OH-DPAT-labeled 5-HT1a binding and 125I-LSD-labeled 5-HT2a binding in rat brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomie, Arthur; Di Poce, Jason; Aguado, Allison; Janes, Amy; Benjamin, Daniel; Pohorecky, Larissa

    2003-06-13

    Effects of experience with Pavlovian autoshaping procedures on lever-press autoshaping conditioned response (CR) performance and 3H-8-OH-DPAT-labeled binding of 5-HT(1a) receptors as well as 125I-LSD-labeled binding of 5-HT(2a) receptors were evaluated in four groups of male Long-Evans hooded rats. Two groups of rats (Group Paired High CR and Group Paired Low CR) received Pavlovian autoshaping procedures wherein the presentation of a lever (conditioned stimulus, CS) was followed by the response-independent presentation of food (unconditioned stimulus, US). Rats in Group Paired High CR (n=12) showed more rapid CR acquisition and higher asymptotic levels of lever-press autoshaping CR performance relative to rats in Group Low CR (n=12). Group Omission (n=9) received autoshaping with an omission contingency, such that performing the lever-press autoshaping CR resulted in the cancellation the food US, while Group Random (n=9) received presentations of lever CS and food US randomly with respect to one another. Though Groups Omission and Random did not differ in lever-press autoshaping CR performance, Group Omission showed significantly lower levels of 3H-8-OH-DPAT-labeled 5-HT(1a) binding in post-synaptic areas (frontal cortex, septum, caudate putamen), as well as significantly higher plasma corticosterone levels than Group Random. In addition, Group Random showed higher levels of 3H-8-OH-DPAT-labeled 5-HT(1a) binding in pre-synaptic somatodendritic autoreceptors on dorsal raphe nucleus relative to each of the other three groups. Autoradiographic analysis of 125I-LSD-labeled 5-HT(2a) receptor binding revealed no significant differences between Groups Paired High CR and Paired Low CR or between Groups Omission and Random in any brain regions.

  12. Differential body composition effects of protease inhibitors recommended for initial treatment of HIV infection: A randomized clinical trial

    OpenAIRE

    Martinez, Esteban; Gonzalez-Cordon, Ana; Ferrer, Elena; Domingo, Pere; Negredo, Eugenia; Gutierrez, Felix; Portilla, Joaquin; Curran, Adrià; Podzamczer, Daniel; Ribera, Esteban; Murillas, Javier; Bernardino, Jose I.; Santos, Ignacio; Carton, Jose A.; Peraire, Joaquim

    2015-01-01

    This article has been accepted for publication in Clinical Infectious Diseases ©2014 The Authors .Published by Oxford University Press on Clinical Infectious Disease 60.5. DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciu898 Background. It is unclear whether metabolic or body composition effects may differ between protease inhibitor-based regimens recommended for initial treatment of HIV infection. Methods. ATADAR is a phase IV, open-label, multicenter randomized clinical trial. Stable antiretroviral-naive HIV-in...

  13. Civamide cream 0.075% in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: a 12-week randomized controlled clinical trial with a longterm extension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnitzer, Thomas J; Pelletier, Jean-Pierre; Haselwood, Doug M; Ellison, William T; Ervin, John E; Gordon, Richard D; Lisse, Jeffrey R; Archambault, W Tad; Sampson, Allan R; Fezatte, Heidi B; Phillips, Scott B; Bernstein, Joel E

    2012-03-01

    To evaluate the safety and efficacy of civamide cream 0.075% for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. We conducted a 12-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind study with a 52-week open-label extension. Patients with OA of the knee received either civamide cream 0.075% or a lower dose of civamide cream, 0.01%, as the control. The 3 co-primary endpoints in the double-blind study were the time-weighted average (TWA) of change from baseline to Day 84 in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale, the WOMAC physical function subscale, and the Subject Global Evaluation (SGE). In the 52-week open-label extension study, the Osteoarthritis Pain Score and SGE were assessed. A total of 695 patients were randomized to receive civamide cream 0.075% (n = 351) or civamide cream 0.01% (control; n = 344) in the double-blind study. Significance in favor of civamide cream 0.075% was achieved for the TWA for all 3 co-primary efficacy variables: WOMAC pain (p = 0.009), WOMAC physical function (p < 0.001), and SGE (p = 0.008); and at Day 84 for these 3 variables (p = 0.013, p < 0.001, and p = 0.049, respectively). These analyses accounted for significant baseline-by-treatment interactions. In the 52-week open-label extension, efficacy was maintained. Civamide cream 0.075% was well tolerated throughout the studies. These studies demonstrate the efficacy of civamide cream for up to 1 year of continuous use. Civamide cream, with its lack of systemic absorption, does not have the potential for serious systemic toxicity, in contrast to several other OA treatments.

  14. Intradialytic parenteral nutrition in maintenance hemodialysis patients suffering from protein-energy wasting. Results of a multicenter, open, prospective, randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marsen, Tobias A; Beer, Justinus; Mann, Helmut

    2017-02-01

    Protein-energy wasting (PEW) is increasingly becoming a clinical problem in maintenance hemodialysis patients and guidelines call for nutritional interventions. Serum prealbumin (transthyretin) represents a critical nutritional marker positively correlated with patient survival and negatively correlated with morbidity. Nutritional counseling, oral supplementation as well as intradialytic parenteral nutrition (IDPN) are recommended to fight PEW, however clinical trials on their use are scarce. We conducted a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, controlled, parallel-group Phase IV clinical trial in 107 maintenance hemodialysis patients suffering from PEW to assess the impact of IDPN on prealbumin and other biochemical and clinical parameters reflecting nutritional status. Patients randomized to the intervention group received standardized nutritional counseling plus IDPN three times weekly over 16 weeks followed by a treatment-free period of 12 weeks. The control group received standardized nutritional counseling only. Main trial inclusion criteria included moderate to severe malnutrition (SGA score B or C), maintenance hemodialysis therapy (3 times per week) for more than six months, and presence of two out of the following three criteria: albumin 30 mg/L at week 16 (48.7% vs. 31.8%). Prealbumin response to IDPN therapy was more prominent in patients suffering from moderate malnutrition (SGA score B) compared to patients with severe malnutrition (SGA score C). The results of this trial demonstrate for the first time that IDPN therapy, given three times weekly in a 16-week short-term intervention, results in a statistically significant and clinically relevant increase in mean serum prealbumin, a surrogate marker for outcome and survival in hemodialysis patients suffering from PEW, and is superior to nutritional counseling. Clinical trial registry:www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00501956). Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights

  15. The Effects of Food Labelling on Postexercise Energy Intake in Sedentary Women

    OpenAIRE

    Lafrenière, Jacynthe; McNeil, Jessica; Provencher, Véronique; Doucet, Éric

    2017-01-01

    Food labelling has been previously reported to influence energy intake (EI). Whether food labels influence postexercise EI remains to be determined. We assessed how food labelling and exercise (Ex) interact to influence food perception and postexercise EI. In this randomized crossover design, 14 inactive women participated in 4 experimental conditions: Ex (300?kcal at 70% of VO2peak) and lunch labelled as low in fat (LF), Ex and lunch labelled as high in fat (HF), Rest and LF, and Rest and HF...

  16. Ibuprofen plus paracetamol versus ibuprofen in acute low back pain: a randomized open label multicenter clinical study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Predrag Ostojic

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: to estimate whether combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol is more effective than ibuprofen in monotherapy, in the treatment of acute low back pain. Methods: 80 adult patients with acute low back pain were randomized into two subgroups. In the first subgroup, 40 patients were treated with ibuprofen 400mg three times a day (TID, whilst patients in the second subgroup (n=40 were treated with a fixed-dose combination tablet of ibuprofen 200mg plus paracetamol 325mg TID, for three consecutive days. Patients were followed for another 7 days. Efficacy and tolerability of both treatment options was assessed. Results: A statistically significant decrease in pain intensity, assessed using a visual analogue scale (p

  17. Random walk on a population of random walkers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agliari, E; Burioni, R; Cassi, D; Neri, F M

    2008-01-01

    We consider a population of N labelled random walkers moving on a substrate, and an excitation jumping among the walkers upon contact. The label X(t) of the walker carrying the excitation at time t can be viewed as a stochastic process, where the transition probabilities are a stochastic process themselves. Upon mapping onto two simpler processes, the quantities characterizing X(t) can be calculated in the limit of long times and low walkers density. The results are compared with numerical simulations. Several different topologies for the substrate underlying diffusion are considered

  18. Onabotulinumtoxin A Treatment of Drooling in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Prospective, Longitudinal Open-Label Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller, Eigild; Pedersen, Søren Anker; Vinicoff, Pablo Gustavo

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this prospective open-label study was to treat disabling drooling in children with cerebral palsy (CP) with onabotulinumtoxin A (A/Ona, Botox®) into submandibular and parotid glands and find the lowest effective dosage and least invasive method. A/Ona was injected in 14 children, Mean...... age 9 years, SD 3 years, under ultrasonic guidance in six successive Series, with at least six months between injections. Doses and gland involvement increased from Series A to F (units (U) per submandibular/parotid gland: A, 10/0; B, 15/0; C, 20/0; D, 20/20; E, 30/20; and F, 30/30). The effect...... in E and F, but with swallowing problems ≤5 weeks in 3 of 28 treatments. F had largest VAS and UWS reduction (64% and 49%). We recommend: Start with dose D A/Ona (both submandibular and parotid glands and a total of 80 U) and increase to E and eventually F (total 120 U) without sufficient response....

  19. A prospective, open-label study of low-dose total skin electron beam therapy in mycosis fungoides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kamstrup, Maria R; Specht, Lena; Skovgaard, Gunhild L

    2008-01-01

    causes and did not complete treatment. Acute side effects included desquamation, xerosis, and erythema of the skin. No severe side effects were observed. CONCLUSION: Low-dose total skin electron beam therapy can induce complete and partial responses in Stage IB-II mycosis fungoides; however, the duration......PURPOSE: To determine the effect of low-dose (4 Gy) total skin electron beam therapy as a second-line treatment of Stage IB-II mycosis fungoides in a prospective, open-label study. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Ten patients (6 men, 4 women, average age 68.7 years [range, 55-82 years......]) with histopathologically confirmed mycosis fungoides T2-T4 N0-N1 M0 who did not achieve complete remission or relapsed within 4 months after treatment with psoralen plus ultraviolet-A were included. Treatment consisted of low-dose total skin electron beam therapy administered at a total skin dose of 4 Gy given in 4...

  20. Synthesis, characterization and bioimaging of fluorescent labeled polyoxometalates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geisberger, Georg; Gyenge, Emina Besic; Hinger, Doris; Bösiger, Peter; Maake, Caroline; Patzke, Greta R

    2013-07-21

    A fluorescent labeled Wells-Dawson type POM ({P2W17O61Fluo}) was newly synthesized and characterized by a wide range of analytical methods. {P2W17O61Fluo} was functionalized with fluorescein amine through a stable amide bond, and its long time stability was verified by UV/vis spectroscopic techniques at physiologically relevant pH values. No significant impact on the cell viability or morphology of HeLa cells was observed for POM concentrations up to 100 μg mL(-1). Cellular uptake of fluorescent {P2W17O61Fluo} was monitored by confocal laser scanning microscopy. POM uptake occurs mainly after prolonged incubation times of 24 h resulting in different intracellular patterns, i.e. randomly distributed over the entire cytoplasm, or aggregated in larger clusters. This direct monitoring strategy for the interaction of POMs with cells opens up new pathways for elucidating their unknown mode of action on the way to POM-based drug development.

  1. Microbial status and product labelling of 58 original tattoo inks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høgsberg, T; Saunte, D M; Frimodt-møller, Niels

    2011-01-01

    and labelled according to REACH as if they were plain chemicals. Objective  The objective of this study was to check the microbial product safety of unopened and opened tattoo ink stock bottles. Packaging, labelling, preservation, sterility and contamination with micro-organisms were studied. Methods  Physical......-pathogenic environmental bacteria. Yeast or moulds were detected in none of the samples. A total of 31% of the manufacturers informed only about the brand name. No information about content, sterility, risks or expiry date was indicated on the label. A total of 42% claimed sterility of their inks. A total of 54% labelled...

  2. Effect of minoxidil topical foam on frontotemporal and vertex androgenetic alopecia in men: a 104-week open-label clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kanti, V; Hillmann, K; Kottner, J; Stroux, A; Canfield, D; Blume-Peytavi, U

    2016-07-01

    Topical minoxidil formulations have been shown to be effective in treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA) for 12 months. Efficacy and safety in both frontotemporal and vertex regions over longer application periods have not been studied so far. To evaluate the effect of 5% minoxidil topical foam (5% MTF) in the frontotemporal and vertex areas in patients with moderate AGA over 104 weeks. An 80-week, open-label extension phase was performed, following a 24-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in men with AGA grade IIIvertex to VI. Group 1 (n = 22) received ongoing 5% MTF for 104 weeks, Group 2 (n = 23) received placebo topical foam (plaTF) until week 24, followed by 5% MTF until week 104 during the extension phase. Frontotemporal and vertex target area non-vellus hair counts (f-TAHC, v-TAHC) and cumulative hair width (f-TAHW, v-TAHW) were assessed at baseline and at weeks 24, 52, 76 and 104. In Group 1, f-TAHW and f-TAHC showed a statistically significant increase from baseline to week 52 and week 76, respectively, returning to values comparable to baseline at week 104. No significant differences were found between baseline and week 104 in v-TAHC in Group 1 as well as f-TAHC, v-TAHC, f-TAHW and v-TAHW values in Group 2. 5% MTF is effective in stabilizing hair density, hair width and scalp coverage in both frontotemporal and vertex areas over an application period of 104 weeks, while showing a good safety and tolerability profile with a low rate of irritant contact dermatitis. © 2015 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

  3. Eplerenone for early cardiomyopathy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: results of a two-year open-label extension trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Subha V. Raman

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD. We recently showed in a 12-month double-blind randomized controlled trial that adding eplerenone to background medical therapy was cardioprotective in this population. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of longer-term eplerenone therapy in boys with DMD. Results Eleven subjects (phase 1 baseline median [range] age: 13 [7 – 25] years from the original 12-month trial at a single participating center were enrolled. Importantly, those who entered the extension study who had been on eplerenone previously were significantly older than those who had originally been on placebo (median age 10.5 vs. 18.0 years, p = 0.045. During an additional 24-month open-label extension study, all boys received eplerenone 25 mg orally once daily to treat preclinical DMD cardiomyopathy, defined as evident myocardial damage by late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE with preserved ejection fraction (EF. The threshold for potassium level, the primary safety measure, was not exceeded in any non-hemolyzed blood sample. Over 24 months, left ventricular (LV systolic strain, a more sensitive marker whose more negative values indicate greater contractility significantly improved (median change -4.4%, IQR -5.8 to -0.9% in younger subjects whereas older subjects’ strain remained stable without significant worsening or improvement (median change 0.2%, IQR -1.1 to 4.3%. EF and extent of myocardial damage by LGE remained stable in both groups over 2 years. Conclusions Eplerenone offers effective and safe cardioprotection for boys with DMD, particularly when started at a younger age. Eplerenone is a useful clinical therapeutic option, particularly if treatment is initiated earlier in life when cardiac damage is minimal. Trial registration http://ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01521546

  4. A Single-Center, Open-Label, 3-Way Crossover Trial to Determine the Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Interaction Between Nebivolol and Valsartan in Healthy Volunteers at Steady State.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chun Lin; Desai-Krieger, Daksha; Ortiz, Stephan; Kerolous, Majid; Wright, Harold M; Ghahramani, Parviz

    2015-01-01

    Combining different classes of antihypertensives is more effective for reducing blood pressure (BP) than increasing the dose of monotherapies. The aims of this phase I study were to investigate pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions between nebivolol, a vasodilatory β1-selective blocker, and valsartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker, and to assess safety and tolerability of the combination. This was a single-center, randomized, open-label, multiple-dose, 3-way crossover trial in 30 healthy adults aged 18-45 years. Participants were randomized into 1 of 6 treatment sequences (1:1:1:1:1:1) consisting of three 7-day treatment periods followed by a 7-day washout. Once-daily oral treatments comprised nebivolol (20 mg), valsartan (320 mg), and nebivolol-valsartan combination (20/320 mg). Outcomes included AUC0-τ,ss, Cmax,ss, Tmax,ss, changes in BP, pulse rate, plasma angiotensin II, plasma renin activity, 24-hour urinary aldosterone, and adverse events. Steady-state pharmacokinetic interactions were observed but deemed not clinically significant. Systolic and diastolic BP reduction was significantly greater with nebivolol-valsartan combination than with either monotherapy. The mean pulse rate associated with nebivolol and nebivolol-valsartan treatments was consistently lower than that associated with valsartan monotherapy. A sharp increase in mean day 7 plasma renin activity and plasma angiotensin II that occurred in valsartan-treated participants was significantly attenuated with concomitant nebivolol administration. Mean 24-hour urine aldosterone at day 7 was substantially decreased after combined treatment, as compared with either monotherapy. All treatments were safe and well tolerated. In conclusion, nebivolol and valsartan coadministration led to greater reductions in BP compared with either monotherapy; nebivolol and valsartan lower BP through complementary mechanisms.

  5. The effects of individual upper alpha neurofeedback in ADHD: an open-label pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escolano, C; Navarro-Gil, M; Garcia-Campayo, J; Congedo, M; Minguez, J

    2014-12-01

    Standardized neurofeedback (NF) protocols have been extensively evaluated in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, such protocols do not account for the large EEG heterogeneity in ADHD. Thus, individualized approaches have been suggested to improve the clinical outcome. In this direction, an open-label pilot study was designed to evaluate a NF protocol of relative upper alpha power enhancement in fronto-central sites. Upper alpha band was individually determined using the alpha peak frequency as an anchor point. 20 ADHD children underwent 18 training sessions. Clinical and neurophysiological variables were measured pre- and post-training. EEG was recorded pre- and post-training, and pre- and post-training trials within each session, in both eyes closed resting state and eyes open task-related activity. A power EEG analysis assessed long-term and within-session effects, in the trained parameter and in all the sensors in the (1-30) Hz spectral range. Learning curves over sessions were assessed as well. Parents rated a clinical improvement in children regarding inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Neurophysiological tests showed an improvement in working memory, concentration and impulsivity (decreased number of commission errors in a continuous performance test). Relative and absolute upper alpha power showed long-term enhancement in task-related activity, and a positive learning curve over sessions. The analysis of within-session effects showed a power decrease ("rebound" effect) in task-related activity, with no significant effects during training trials. We conclude that the enhancement of the individual upper alpha power is effective in improving several measures of clinical outcome and cognitive performance in ADHD. This is the first NF study evaluating such a protocol in ADHD. A controlled evaluation seems warranted due to the positive results obtained in the current study.

  6. Once-daily dose regimen of ribavirin is interchangeable with a twice-daily dose regimen: randomized open clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balk JM

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Jiska M Balk,1 Guido RMM Haenen,1 Özgür M Koc,2 Ron Peters,3 Aalt Bast,1 Wim JF van der Vijgh,1 Ger H Koek,4 1Department of Toxicology, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 2Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, 3DSM Resolve, Geleen, 4Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands Background: The combination of ribavirin (RBV and pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN is effective in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection. Reducing the frequency of RBV intake from twice to once a day will improve compliance and opens up the opportunity to combine RBV with new and more specific direct-acting agents in one pill. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of RBV in a once-daily to twice-daily regimen. The secondary aim was to determine tolerability as well as the severity and differences in side effects of both treatment regimens. Methods: In this randomized open-label crossover study, twelve patients with chronic type 1 hepatitis C infection and weighing more than 75 kg were treated with 180 µg of PEG-IFN weekly and 1,200 mg RBV daily for 24 weeks. The patients received RBV dosed as 1,200 mg once-daily for 12 weeks followed by RBV dosed as 600 mg twice-daily for 12 weeks, or vice versa. In addition to the pharmacokinetic profile, the hematological profile and side effects were recorded. The RBV concentrations in plasma were determined using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Eight of twelve patients completed the study. Neither the time taken for RBV to reach peak plasma concentration nor the AUC0-last (adjusted for difference in dose was significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05. Furthermore, the once-daily regimen did not give more side effects than the twice-daily regimen (P>0

  7. Immunogenicity and safety of purified chick-embryo cell rabies vaccine under Zagreb 2-1-1 or 5-dose Essen regimen in Chinese children 6 to 17 years old and adults over 50 years: a randomized open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, RongCheng; Li, YanPing; Wen, ShuQing; Wen, HuiChun; Nong, Yi; Mo, Zhaojun; Xie, Fang; Pellegrini, Michele

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this Phase IIIb, open-label, randomized study was to demonstrate the non-inferiority of immune responses and to assess the safety of a purified chick-embryo cell rabies vaccine (PCECV) in healthy Chinese children (6 to 17 years) and older adults (≥51 years) following 2 alternative intramuscular (IM) simulated post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) regimens: 4-dose Zagreb or 5-dose Essen regimen. Serum samples were collected prior to vaccination on Days 1 and 15 and on day 43 to assess immune response by rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) concentrations. Solicited adverse events (AEs) were recorded for up to 7 days following each vaccine dose, and unsolicited AEs throughout the entire study period. PCECV vaccination induced a strong immune response at Day 15, and the non-inferiority in immune response of the Zagreb vs. the Essen regimen was demonstrated in children and older adults. At Day 15,100% of children (N = 224), and 99% of subjects ≥51 years of age (N = 376) developed adequate RVNA concentrations (≥0.5 IU/mL); at Day 43 all subjects achieved RVNA concentrations ≥0.5 IU/mL, for both PEP regimens. The well-known tolerability and safety profile of the PCECV was again observed in this study following either Zagreb or Essen regimens. Rabies PEP vaccination with PCECV following a Zagreb regimen induced immune responses non-inferior to those of the Essen regimen, and had a similar safety and tolerability profile to the Essen regimen in Chinese children, adolescents, and adults over 51 years. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01680016.

  8. Bioequivalence of generic alendronate sodium tablets (70 mg to Fosamax® tablets (70 mg in fasting, healthy volunteers: a randomized, open-label, three-way, reference-replicated crossover study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Y

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Yifan Zhang,1 Xiaoyan Chen,1 Yunbiao Tang,2 Youming Lu,1 Lixia Guo,1 Dafang Zhong1 1State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 2Department of Pharmacy, The General Hospital of Shenyang Military Region, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of a generic product 70 mg alendronate sodium tablets with the reference product Fosamax® 70 mg tablet. Materials and methods: A single-center, open-label, randomized, three-period, three-sequence, reference-replicated crossover study was performed in 36 healthy Chinese male volunteers under fasting conditions. In each study period, the volunteers received a single oral dose of the generic or reference product (70 mg. Blood samples were collected at pre-dose and up to 8 h after administration. The bioequivalence of the generic product to the reference product was assessed using the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA reference-scaled average bioequivalence (RSABE methods. Results: The average maximum concentrations (Cmax of alendronic acid were 64.78±43.76, 56.62±31.95, and 60.15±37.12 ng/mL after the single dose of the generic product and the first and second doses of the reference product, respectively. The areas under the plasma concentration–time curves from time 0 to the last timepoint (AUC0–t were 150.36±82.90, 148.15±85.97, and 167.11±110.87 h·ng/mL, respectively. Reference scaling was used because the within-subject standard deviations of the reference product (sWR for Cmax and AUC0–t were all higher than the cutoff value of 0.294. The 95% upper confidence bounds were -0.16 and -0.17 for Cmax and AUC0–t, respectively, and the point estimates for the generic/reference product ratio were 1.08 and 1.00, which satisfied the RSABE acceptance criteria of the FDA. The 90% CIs for Cmax and AUC0–t were 90.35%–129

  9. Limited Effect of Rebamipide in Addition to Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) in the Treatment of Post-Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Gastric Ulcers: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing PPI Plus Rebamipide Combination Therapy with PPI Monotherapy

    OpenAIRE

    Nakamura, Kazuhiko; Ihara, Eikichi; Akiho, Hirotada; Akahoshi, Kazuya; Harada, Naohiko; Ochiai, Toshiaki; Nakamura, Norimoto; Ogino, Haruei; Iwasa, Tsutomu; Aso, Akira; Iboshi, Yoichiro; Takayanagi, Ryoichi

    2016-01-01

    Background/Aims The ability of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) to resect large early gastric cancers (EGCs) results in the need to treat large artificial gastric ulcers. This study assessed whether the combination therapy of rebamipide plus a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) offered benefits over PPI monotherapy. Methods In this prospective, randomized, multicenter, open-label, and comparative study, patients who had undergone ESD for EGC or gastric adenoma were randomized into groups recei...

  10. Bisimulation and open maps

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Joyal, André; Nielsen, Mogens; Winskel, Glynn

    1993-01-01

    Petri nets), and labeled event structures are considered. On transition systems, the abstract definition readily specialises to Milner's (1989) strong bisimulation. On event structures, it explains and leads to a revision of the history-preserving bisimulation of Rabinovitch and Traktenbrot (1988......), and Goltz and van Glabeek (1989). A tie-up with open maps in a (pre)topos brings to light a promising new model, presheaves on categories of pomsets, into which the usual category of labeled event structures embeds fully and faithfully. As an indication of its promise, this new presheaf model has refinement...

  11. Holter-electrocardiogram-monitoring in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (Find-AFRANDOMISED): an open-label randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wachter, Rolf; Gröschel, Klaus; Gelbrich, Götz; Hamann, Gerhard F; Kermer, Pawel; Liman, Jan; Seegers, Joachim; Wasser, Katrin; Schulte, Anna; Jürries, Falko; Messerschmid, Anna; Behnke, Nico; Gröschel, Sonja; Uphaus, Timo; Grings, Anne; Ibis, Tugba; Klimpe, Sven; Wagner-Heck, Michaela; Arnold, Magdalena; Protsenko, Evgeny; Heuschmann, Peter U; Conen, David; Weber-Krüger, Mark

    2017-04-01

    Atrial fibrillation is a major risk factor for recurrent ischaemic stroke, but often remains undiagnosed in patients who have had an acute ischaemic stroke. Enhanced and prolonged Holter-electrocardiogram-monitoring might increase detection of atrial fibrillation. We therefore investigated whether enhanced and prolonged rhythm monitoring was better for detection of atrial fibrillation than standard care procedures in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Find-AF randomised is an open-label randomised study done at four centres in Germany. We recruited patients with acute ischaemic stroke (symptoms for 7 days or less) aged 60 years or older presenting with sinus rhythm and without history of atrial fibrillation. Patients were included irrespective of the suspected cause of stroke, unless they had a severe ipsilateral carotid or intracranial artery stenosis, which were the exclusion criteria. We used a computer-generated allocation sequence to randomly assign patients in a 1:1 ratio with permuted block sizes of 2, 4, 6, and 8, stratified by centre, to enhanced and prolonged monitoring (ie, 10-day Holter-electrocardiogram [ECG]-monitoring at baseline, and at 3 months and 6 months of follow-up) or standard care procedures (ie, at least 24 h of rhythm monitoring). Participants and study physicians were not masked to group assignment, but the expert committees that adjudicated endpoints were. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter (30 sec or longer) within 6 months after randomisation and before stroke recurrence. Because Holter ECG is a widely used procedure and not known to harm patients, we chose not to assess safety in detail. Analysis was by intention to treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01855035. Between May 8, 2013, and Aug 31, 2014, we recruited 398 patients. 200 patients were randomly assigned to the enhanced and prolonged monitoring group and 198 to the standard care group. After 6

  12. Restaurant menu labelling: Is it worth adding sodium to the label?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scourboutakos, Mary J; Corey, Paul N; Mendoza, Julio; Henson, Spencer J; L'Abbe, Mary R

    2014-07-31

    Several provincial and federal bills have recommended various forms of menu labelling that would require information beyond just calories; however, the additional benefit of including sodium information is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine whether sodium information on menus helps consumers make lower-sodium choices and to understand what other factors influence the effect of menu labelling on consumers' meal choices. A total of 3,080 Canadian consumers completed an online survey that included a repeated measures experiment in which consumers were asked to select what they would typically order from four mock-restaurant menus. Subsequently, consumers were randomly allocated to see one of three menu-labelling treatments (calories; calories and sodium; or calories, sodium and serving size) and were given the option to change their order. There was a significant difference in the proportion of consumers who changed their order, varying from 17% to 30%, depending on the restaurant type. After participants had seen menu labelling, sodium levels decreased in all treatments (p<0.0001). However, in three of the four restaurant types, consumers who saw calorie and sodium information ordered meals with significantly less sodium than consumers who saw only calorie information (p<0.01). Consumers who saw sodium labelling decreased the sodium level of their meal by an average of 171-384 mg, depending on the restaurant. In the subset of consumers who saw sodium information and chose to change their order, sodium levels decreased by an average of 681-1,360 mg, depending on the restaurant. Sex, intent to lose weight and the amount of calories ordered at baseline were the most important predictors of who used menu labelling. Eighty percent of survey panelists wanted to see nutrition information when dining out. Including sodium information alongside calorie information may result in a larger decrease in the amount of sodium ordered by restaurant-goers.

  13. Affect labeling enhances exposure effectiveness for public speaking anxiety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niles, Andrea N; Craske, Michelle G; Lieberman, Matthew D; Hur, Christopher

    2015-05-01

    Exposure is an effective treatment for anxiety but many patients do not respond fully. Affect labeling (labeling emotional experience) attenuates emotional responding. The current project examined whether affect labeling enhances exposure effectiveness in participants with public speaking anxiety. Participants were randomized to exposure with or without affect labeling. Physiological arousal and self-reported fear were assessed before and after exposure and compared between groups. Consistent with hypotheses, participants assigned to Affect Labeling, especially those who used more labels during exposure, showed greater reduction in physiological activation than Control participants. No effect was found for self-report measures. Also, greater emotion regulation deficits at baseline predicted more benefit in physiological arousal from exposure combined with affect labeling than exposure alone. The current research provides evidence that behavioral strategies that target prefrontal-amygdala circuitry can improve treatment effectiveness for anxiety and these effects are particularly pronounced for patients with the greatest deficits in emotion regulation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Bioequivalence and pharmacokinetic evaluation of two formulations of risperidone 2 mg : an open-label, single-dose, fasting, randomized-sequence, two-way crossover study in healthy male Chinese volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yun; Zhang, Meng-qi; Jia, Jing-ying; Liu, Yan-mei; Liu, Gang-yi; Li, Shui-jun; Wang, Wei; Weng, Li-ping; Yu, Chen

    2013-03-01

    Risperidone is a benzisoxazole derivate and is effective in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses in adults and children. Although there are a few reports in the literature regarding the pharmacokinetic characteristics of risperidone, insufficient data on its pharmacokinetic properties in a Chinese population are available. To meet the requirements for marketing a new generic product, this study was designed to compare the pharmacokinetic properties and bioequivalence of two 2 mg tablet formulations of risperidone: a newly developed generic formulation (test) and a branded formulation (reference) in healthy adult male Chinese volunteers. A single-dose, open-label, randomized-sequence, 2 × 2 crossover study was conducted in fasted healthy male Chinese volunteers. Eligible participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive 1 tablet (2 mg each) of the test formulation (Risperidone tablet; Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd., Hyderabad, India) or the reference formulation (Risperdal(®) tablet; Xian-Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., Xi-an, China), followed by a 2-week washout period and subsequent administration of the alternate formulation. The study drugs were administered after a 10-hour overnight fast. Plasma samples were collected over 96 hours. Plasma concentrations of the parent drug, risperidone, and its active metabolite, 9-hydroxy-risperidone, were analyzed by a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. The formulations would be considered bioequivalent if the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the natural log-transformed values were within the predetermined 80-125% equivalence range for the maximum plasma drug concentration (Cmax) and the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), in accordance with guidelines issued by the US Food and Drug Administration. Assessment of tolerability was based on recording of adverse events (AEs), monitoring of vital signs, electrocardiograms, and laboratory tests at baseline

  15. Aripiprazole for Irritability in Asian Children and Adolescents with Autistic Disorder: A 12-Week, Multinational, Multicenter, Prospective Open-Label Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hyo-Won; Park, Eun-Jin; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Boon-Yasidhi, Vitharon; Tarugsa, Jariya; Reyes, Alexis; Manalo, Stella; Joung, Yoo-Sook

    2018-04-24

    We investigated the effectiveness and tolerability of aripiprazole in the treatment of irritability in Asian children and adolescents (6-17 years) with autistic disorder in a 12-week, multinational, multicenter, open-label study. Sixty-seven subjects (10.0 ± 3.1 years old, 52 boys) were enrolled and treated with flexibly dosed aripiprazole for 12 weeks (mean dose, 5.1 ± 2.5 mg; range 2-15 mg). Aripiprazole significantly reduced the mean caregiver-rated scores for the Irritability, Lethargy/Social Withdrawal, Stereotypy, Hyperactivity, and Inappropriate Speech subscales of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist from baseline to week 12 (p autistic disorder. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer treatment durations are required.

  16. Nivolumab versus chemotherapy in patients with advanced melanoma who progressed after anti-CTLA-4 treatment (CheckMate 037): a randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Jeffrey S; D'Angelo, Sandra P; Minor, David; Hodi, F Stephen; Gutzmer, Ralf; Neyns, Bart; Hoeller, Christoph; Khushalani, Nikhil I; Miller, Wilson H; Lao, Christopher D; Linette, Gerald P; Thomas, Luc; Lorigan, Paul; Grossmann, Kenneth F; Hassel, Jessica C; Maio, Michele; Sznol, Mario; Ascierto, Paolo A; Mohr, Peter; Chmielowski, Bartosz; Bryce, Alan; Svane, Inge M; Grob, Jean-Jacques; Krackhardt, Angela M; Horak, Christine; Lambert, Alexandre; Yang, Arvin S; Larkin, James

    2015-04-01

    Nivolumab, a fully human IgG4 PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor antibody, can result in durable responses in patients with melanoma who have progressed after ipilimumab and BRAF inhibitors. We assessed the efficacy and safety of nivolumab compared with investigator's choice of chemotherapy (ICC) as a second-line or later-line treatment in patients with advanced melanoma. In this randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial, we recruited patients at 90 sites in 14 countries. Eligible patients were 18 years or older, had unresectable or metastatic melanoma, and progressed after ipilimumab, or ipilimumab and a BRAF inhibitor if they were BRAF(V 600) mutation-positive. Participating investigators randomly assigned (with an interactive voice response system) patients 2:1 to receive an intravenous infusion of nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks or ICC (dacarbazine 1000 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks or paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) combined with carboplatin area under the curve 6 every 3 weeks) until progression or unacceptable toxic effects. We stratified randomisation by BRAF mutation status, tumour expression of PD-L1, and previous best overall response to ipilimumab. We used permuted blocks (block size of six) within each stratum. Primary endpoints were the proportion of patients who had an objective response and overall survival. Treatment was given open-label, but those doing tumour assessments were masked to treatment assignment. We assessed objective responses per-protocol after 120 patients had been treated with nivolumab and had a minimum follow-up of 24 weeks, and safety in all patients who had had at least one dose of treatment. The trial is closed and this is the first interim analysis, reporting the objective response primary endpoint. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01721746. Between Dec 21, 2012, and Jan 10, 2014, we screened 631 patients, randomly allocating 272 patients to nivolumab and 133 to ICC. Confirmed objective responses were reported

  17. Chloroquine-Primaquine versus Chloroquine Alone to Treat Vivax Malaria in Afghanistan: An Open Randomized Superiority Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awab, Ghulam Rahim; Imwong, Mallika; Bancone, Germana; Jeeyapant, Atthanee; Day, Nicholas P J; White, Nicholas J; Woodrow, Charles J

    2017-12-01

    Afghanistan's national guidelines recommend primaquine (PQ) for radical treatment of Plasmodium vivax malaria, but this is rarely implemented because of concerns over potential hemolysis in patients who have G6PD deficiency. Between August 2009 and February 2014, we conducted an open-label, randomized controlled trial of chloroquine (CQ) alone versus chloroquine plus primaquine (0.25 mg base/kg/day for 14 days) (CQ+PQ) in patients aged 6 months and older with microscopy confirmed P. vivax infection. In the CQ+PQ group, G6PD deficiency was excluded by fluorescent spot testing. The primary outcome was P. vivax recurrence assessed by survival analysis over one year follow-up. Of 593 patients enrolled, 570 attended at or after 14 days of follow-up. Plasmodium vivax recurrences occurred in 37 (13.1%) of 282 patients in the CQ+PQ arm versus 86 (29.9%) of 288 in the CQ arm (Cox proportional hazard ratio [HR] 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.25-0.54) (intention-to-treat analysis). Protection against recurrence was greater in the first 6 months of follow-up (HR 0.082; 95% CI 0.029-0.23) than later (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.41-1.03). Five of seven patients requiring hospital admission were considered possible cases of PQ-related hemolysis, and PQ was stopped in a further six; however, in none of these cases did hemoglobin fall by ≥ 2 g/dL or to below 7 g/dL, and genotyping did not detect any cases of Mediterranean variant G6PD deficiency. PQ 0.25 mg/kg/day for 14 days prevents relapse of P. vivax in Afghanistan. Patient visits during the first week may improve adherence. Implementation will require deployment of point-of-care phenotypic tests for G6PD deficiency.

  18. Immune plasma for the treatment of severe influenza: an open-label, multicentre, phase 2 randomised study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beigel, John H; Tebas, Pablo; Elie-Turenne, Marie-Carmelle; Bajwa, Ednan; Bell, Todd E; Cairns, Charles B; Shoham, Shmuel; Deville, Jaime G; Feucht, Eric; Feinberg, Judith; Luke, Thomas; Raviprakash, Kanakatte; Danko, Janine; O'Neil, Dorothy; Metcalf, Julia A; King, Karen; Burgess, Timothy H; Aga, Evgenia; Lane, H Clifford; Hughes, Michael D; Davey, Richard T

    2017-06-01

    Influenza causes substantial morbidity and mortality despite available treatments. Anecdotal reports suggest that plasma with high antibody titres to influenza might be of benefit in the treatment of severe influenza. In this randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 2 trial, 29 academic medical centres in the USA assessed the safety and efficacy of anti-influenza plasma with haemagglutination inhibition antibody titres of 1:80 or more to the infecting strain. Hospitalised children and adults (including pregnant women) with severe influenza A or B (defined as the presence of hypoxia or tachypnoea) were randomly assigned to receive either two units (or paediatric equivalent) of anti-influenza plasma plus standard care, versus standard care alone, and were followed up for 28 days. The primary endpoint was time to normalisation of patients' respiratory status (respiratory rate of ≤20 breaths per min for adults or age-defined thresholds of 20-38 breaths per min for children) and a room air oxygen saturation of 93% or more. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01052480. Between Jan 13, 2011, and March 2, 2015, 113 participants were screened for eligibility and 98 were randomly assigned from 20 out of 29 participating sites. Of the participants with confirmed influenza (by PCR), 28 (67%) of 42 in the plasma plus standard care group normalised their respiratory status by day 28 compared with 24 (53%) of 45 participants on standard care alone (p=0·069). The hazard ratio (HR) comparing plasma plus standard care with standard care alone was 1·71 (95% CI 0·96-3·06). Six participants died, one (2%) from the plasma plus standard care group and five (10%) from the standard care group (HR 0·19 [95% CI 0·02-1·65], p=0·093). Participants in the plasma plus standard care group had non-significant reductions in days in hospital (median 6 days [IQR 4-16] vs 11 days [5-25], p=0·13) and days on mechanical ventilation (median 0 days [IQR 0-6] vs 3 days

  19. A randomized open-label controlled trial of chlorhexidine-alcohol vs povidone-iodine for cesarean antisepsis: the CAPICA trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Springel, Edward H; Wang, Xiao-Yu; Sarfoh, Vanessa M; Stetzer, Bradley P; Weight, Steven A; Mercer, Brian M

    2017-10-01

    Identification of optimal surgical site antisepsis preparations may reduce cesarean-related surgical site infections. Two recently published investigations examined efficacy of chlorhexidine-alcohol and iodine-alcohol preparations. No previous randomized controlled trial has compared chlorhexidine-alcohol to povidone-iodine aqueous scrub and paint in reduction of cesarean-related surgical site infection. The purpose of the study was to determine if chlorhexidine-alcohol would result in fewer surgical site infections than povidone-iodine when used as skin antisepsis preparation prior to cesarean delivery. This study was a single-center pragmatic randomized controlled trial at an urban tertiary care institution to compare chlorhexidine-alcohol 26-mL single-step applicator to povidone-iodine aqueous scrub and paint 236-mL wet skin tray as preoperative skin antiseptic preparation for women undergoing cesarean delivery. Patients were eligible for study participation if they could provide informed consent in English or Spanish, were ≥18 years of age, did not have clinical chorioamnionitis, were unlikely to be lost to follow-up, and had no sensitivities to chlorhexidine, betadine, or iodine. Treatment was assigned by computer-generated simple 1:1 randomization immediately before skin preparation. The primary outcome was surgical site infection occurring within 30 days of cesarean delivery including ≥1 of: superficial or deep surgical site infection, or endometritis, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions. Analysis was by intent to treat. Categorical outcomes were compared using Fisher exact test. The Wilcoxon rank-sum test was performed for continuous outcomes. This trial was institutional review board approved and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02202577). In all, 932 subjects (461 assigned to chlorhexidine-alcohol, 471 assigned to povidone-iodine) were randomized from February 2013 through May 2016. Rate of follow-up evaluation

  20. A Randomized Open Label Comparison of the Effects ofRisperidone and Haloperidol on Sexual Function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Jaber Mousavi

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available "n Objective: "nSexual dysfunction in patients who take antipsychotics causes adecline in their quality of life and medication acceptance. Considering the restrictions in cross sectional design of many earlier researches, we used a clinical trial aimed at assessing sexual dysfunction by substituting Risperidone, an atypical antipsychotic drug, with Haloperidol, a typical one . "n "n "nMethod: This clinical trial was conducted on 51 patients who had been using Risperidone with a minimum dose of 2 mg/daily for at least 2 months. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. The first group continued taking Risperidone, whereas the second group was given Haloperidol. Sexual function prior to and after the drug substitution was assessed using a sexual questionnaire designed to assess four stages of sexual function . "nResults: Compared to those who changed their medication to Haloperidol, the patients who remained on Risperidone therapy suffered from more sexual dysfunction, especially in their tendency towards having sexual activities (P= 0.01, post menstrual sexual activity (P= 0.002, and reaching orgasm in their sexual activities (P= 0.04; however in the Haloperidol group, no significant difference was observed before and after the change in medication . "nConclusion: Although Risperidone and Haloperidol can both disturb patients'sexual function, the side effects of Risperidone are stronger. Hence toprevent the decline of medication acceptance or irregular consumption by patients which may lead to possible relapse, substitution of Risperidone withanother drug with fewer side effects on sexual activities is definitely to the advantage of the patients .

  1. Long-Term Effects of Goshajinkigan in Prevention of Diabetic Complications: A Randomized Open-Labeled Clinical Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Watanabe

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. This clinical trial was designed to investigate whether goshajinkigan reduces the onset of diabetic complications or not. Materials and Methods. A total of 332 type 2 diabetic mellitus patients were registered from 9 clinical centers from March 2000 to August 2007. Patients were randomly assigned to take goshajinkigan extract powder, 2.5 grams for 3 times a day or no kampo therapy, additionally to the regular treatment. The primary endpoints were the onset of macrovascular diseases or progression of nephropathy or retinopathy. Statistical analysis was performed by the intention-to-treat method. Results. After 5 years of observation, 116 patients were submitted to analysis. Among them, no macrovascular events were observed in both groups. Although 43 participants had upstaging of retinopathy or nephropathy in total, there was no significant difference between goshajinkigan group and control group. Deterioration of ankle reflex was suppressed in goshajinkigan group. Also glycated hemoglobin, and fasting plasma glucose were decreased in the goshajinkigan group. Conclusion. Although the power of analysis was too low to demonstrate any effects of goshajinkigan on the progression of macrovascular diseases, retinopathy or nephropathy, goshajinkigan may be beneficial for diabetic neuropathy and glycemic control.

  2. Homoeopathic management of Schizophrenia: A prospective, non-comparative, open-label observational study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Praveen Oberai

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To evaluate the usefulness of homoeopathic intervention in Schizophrenia, in untreated cases and antipsychotic treatment resistant cases, to verify indications of medicines, and to assess relapse, if any. Materials and Methods: A prospective, non-comparative, open-label observational study was carried out from October 2005-September 2010 by CCRH at Central Research Institute (H, Kottayam, Kerala, India. Patients between 20 and 60 years of age, presenting with symptoms of Schizophrenia were screened for inclusion and exclusion criteria. The patients who were on antipsychotic drugs were allowed to continue the same along with homoeopathic medicine, the dose of antipsychotics was monitored by the Psychiatrist. The symptoms of each patient were repertorized, and medicine was initially prescribed in 30C potency after consulting Materia Medica. Patients were followed up for 12 months. Outcome of treatment was assessed with Brief Psychiatric Rating Scales (BPRS. Analysis was done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences  SPSS Version 20.0. Results: Out of 188 enrolled patients, 17 cases did not complete the baseline information. Total 171 patients were analysed as per modified Intention to Treat Principle. Significant difference (P = 0.0001, P < 0.05 in the mean scores of BPRS, using paired t test was observed at end of the study. Sulphur, Lycopodium, Natrum muriaticum, Pulsatilla and Phosphorus were found to be the most useful medicines in treating schizophrenic patients. Conclusion: The study reflects the positive role of homoeopathic medicines in the management of patients suffering from schizophrenia as measured by BPRS.

  3. Variable versus conventional lung protective mechanical ventilation during open abdominal surgery: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spieth, Peter M; Güldner, Andreas; Uhlig, Christopher; Bluth, Thomas; Kiss, Thomas; Schultz, Marcus J; Pelosi, Paolo; Koch, Thea; Gama de Abreu, Marcelo

    2014-05-02

    General anesthesia usually requires mechanical ventilation, which is traditionally accomplished with constant tidal volumes in volume- or pressure-controlled modes. Experimental studies suggest that the use of variable tidal volumes (variable ventilation) recruits lung tissue, improves pulmonary function and reduces systemic inflammatory response. However, it is currently not known whether patients undergoing open abdominal surgery might benefit from intraoperative variable ventilation. The PROtective VARiable ventilation trial ('PROVAR') is a single center, randomized controlled trial enrolling 50 patients who are planning for open abdominal surgery expected to last longer than 3 hours. PROVAR compares conventional (non-variable) lung protective ventilation (CV) with variable lung protective ventilation (VV) regarding pulmonary function and inflammatory response. The primary endpoint of the study is the forced vital capacity on the first postoperative day. Secondary endpoints include further lung function tests, plasma cytokine levels, spatial distribution of ventilation assessed by means of electrical impedance tomography and postoperative pulmonary complications. We hypothesize that VV improves lung function and reduces systemic inflammatory response compared to CV in patients receiving mechanical ventilation during general anesthesia for open abdominal surgery longer than 3 hours. PROVAR is the first randomized controlled trial aiming at intra- and postoperative effects of VV on lung function. This study may help to define the role of VV during general anesthesia requiring mechanical ventilation. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01683578 (registered on September 3 3012).

  4. Aziridines in the synthesis of 11C- and 18F-labelled compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gillings, N.M.

    1998-01-01

    Racemic [4- 11 C]aspartic acid, [4- 11 C]asparagine and 2,4-diamino[4- 11 C]butyric acid were synthesised by the ring-opening of an N-activated aziridine-2-carboxylate with 11 C]cyanide, followed by preparative HPLC and hydrolysis/reduction. These labelled amino acids arise from nucleophilic attack at the β-carbon of the aziridine ring. A radioactive by-product of ca. 25% was attributed to the product of α-attack. Several N-activated 2-aryl aziridines were synthesised for the attempted synthesis of β-[ 18 F] fluorophenylalanine and β-[ 18 F]fluorodopa. Ring-opening with [ 18 F]fluoride showed no evidence of β-fluorinated products and it is proposed that attack occurs exclusively at the α-carbon, giving the corresponding α-[ 18 F]fluoro-β-amino acids. Further evidence for this was the reaction of the β-unsubstituted N-activated aziridine-2-carboxylate with [ 18 F]fluoride. This reaction was totally regiospecific and afforded exclusively the α-substituted product, α-[ 18 F]fluoro-β-alanine. Aziridine precursors were resolved by chiral HPLC. On labelling the chiral aziridines, however, racemic 11 C- and 18 F-labelled amino acids were obtained. This was attributed to racemisation of the initially formed ring-opened products. The use of [ 11 C]methyl lithium as a nucleophile for aziridine ring-opening was investigated. Reaction was expected to occur at low temperature, thus potentially avoiding racemisation. No products corresponding to aziridine ring-opening with [ 11 C]methyl lithium were, however, observed. A difluorinated analogue of amphetamine was synthesised by fluorination of an azirine (via an aziridine). This racemic compound was resolved as its chiral tartarate salts and subsequently labelled by methylation with [ 11 C]methyl iodide, giving the novel compound β, β-difluoro[N-methyl- 11 C]methamphetamine in high specific activity for in vivo binding studies using positron emission tomography. The non-radioactive reference compound was also

  5. Open-Label Randomized Trial of Titrated Disease Management for Patients with Hypertension: Study Design and Baseline Sample Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, George L.; Weinberger, Morris; Kirshner, Miriam A.; Stechuchak, Karen M.; Melnyk, Stephanie D.; Bosworth, Hayden B.; Coffman, Cynthia J.; Neelon, Brian; Van Houtven, Courtney; Gentry, Pamela W.; Morris, Isis J.; Rose, Cynthia M.; Taylor, Jennifer P.; May, Carrie L.; Han, Byungjoo; Wainwright, Christi; Alkon, Aviel; Powell, Lesa; Edelman, David

    2016-01-01

    Despite the availability of efficacious treatments, only half of patients with hypertension achieve adequate blood pressure (BP) control. This paper describes the protocol and baseline subject characteristics of a 2-arm, 18-month randomized clinical trial of titrated disease management (TDM) for patients with pharmaceutically-treated hypertension for whom systolic blood pressure (SBP) is not controlled (≥140mmHg for non-diabetic or ≥130mmHg for diabetic patients). The trial is being conducted among patients of four clinic locations associated with a Veterans Affairs Medical Center. An intervention arm has a TDM strategy in which patients' hypertension control at baseline, 6, and 12 months determines the resource intensity of disease management. Intensity levels include: a low-intensity strategy utilizing a licensed practical nurse to provide bi-monthly, non-tailored behavioral support calls to patients whose SBP comes under control; medium-intensity strategy utilizing a registered nurse to provide monthly tailored behavioral support telephone calls plus home BP monitoring; and high-intensity strategy utilizing a pharmacist to provide monthly tailored behavioral support telephone calls, home BP monitoring, and pharmacist-directed medication management. Control arm patients receive the low-intensity strategy regardless of BP control. The primary outcome is SBP. There are 385 randomized (192 intervention; 193 control) veterans that are predominately older (mean age 63.5 years) men (92.5%). 61.8% are African American, and the mean baseline SBP for all subjects is 143.6mmHg. This trial will determine if a disease management program that is titrated by matching the intensity of resources to patients' BP control leads to superior outcomes compared to a low-intensity management strategy. PMID:27417982

  6. Tinospora cordifolia stem supplementation in diabetic dyslipidemia: an open labelled randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuhu Roy

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Medicinal plants are powerful health promoting nutritional agents. Among the vast library of medicinal plants Tinospora cordifolia (Willd. has been meagrely explored. It belongs to the family Menispermaceae and is a rich source of alkaloid and terpenes. It has hepatoprotective, antioxidant, immunostimulatory, hyperlipidemic, anticancer and antidiabetic properties. The stem contains berberine, palmatine, tembetarine, magnoflorine, tinosporin, tinocordifolin. The stem starch is highly nutritive and digestive. In modern medicine it is called the magical rejuvenating herb owing to its properties to cure many diseases. The stem contains higher alkaloid content than the leaves because of which it is approved for medicinal usage. With a host of phytochemical properties present in the stem, it may hold potential to manage dyslipidemia and dysglycemia, which otherwise has been proven only in pre-clinical studies. Objective: To study the impact of tinospora cordifolia stem supplementation on the glycemic and lipemic profile of subjects with diabetic dyslipidemia. Methods: Type 2 diabetics with dyslipidemia on oral hypoglycemic agents were enrolled. Baseline data on medical history, family history of lifestyle diseases, duration of diabetes diagnosis, drug profile, anthropometric data, dietary data and physical activity data was obtained along with a fasting blood sample for estimating high sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP, hepatic, renal, lipid profile and glycated hemoglobin. The participants were randomized into either of the two groups; intervention group (n=29 received 250mg of encapsulated mature stem of tinospora cordifolia pre meal twice a day along with prescribed dyslipidemic agent and control group (n=30 only on dyslipidemic agents for a period of 60 days. After 60 days all the parameters were re-assessed to analyse the impact of the intervention. Results: Majority of the subjects in both the arms were in the 50-60 years age

  7. Tolerability and safety of Souvenaid in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease: results of multi-center, 24-week, open-label extension study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olde Rikkert, Marcel G M; Verhey, Frans R; Blesa, Rafael; von Arnim, Christine A F; Bongers, Anke; Harrison, John; Sijben, John; Scarpini, Elio; Vandewoude, Maurits F J; Vellas, Bruno; Witkamp, Renger; Kamphuis, Patrick J G H; Scheltens, Philip

    2015-01-01

    The medical food Souvenaid, containing the specific nutrient combination Fortasyn Connect, is designed to improve synapse formation and function in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Two double-blind randomized controlled trials (RCT) with Souvenaid of 12 and 24 week duration (Souvenir I and Souvenir II) showed that memory performance was improved in drug-naïve mild AD patients, whereas no effects on cognition were observed in a 24-week RCT (S-Connect) in mild to moderate AD patients using AD medication. Souvenaid was well-tolerated in all RCTs. In this 24-week open-label extension (OLE) study to the 24-week Souvenir II RCT, long-term safety and intake adherence of the medical food Souvenaid was evaluated. Patients with mild AD (n = 201) received Souvenaid once-daily during the OLE. Main outcome parameters were safety and product intake adherence. The memory domain z-score from a revised neuropsychological test battery was continued as exploratory parameter. Compared to the RCT, a similar (low) incidence and type of adverse events was observed, being mainly (68.3%) of mild intensity. Pooled data (RCT and OLE) showed that 48-week use of Souvenaid was well tolerated with high intake adherence (96.1%). Furthermore, a significant increase in the exploratory memory outcome was observed in both the active-active and control-active groups during Souvenaid intervention. Souvenaid use for up to 48-weeks was well tolerated with a favorable safety profile and high intake adherence. The findings in this OLE study warrant further investigation toward the long-term safety and efficacy of Souvenaid in a well-controlled, double-blind RCT.

  8. Ibuprofen plus paracetamol versus ibuprofen in acute low back pain: a randomized open label multicenter clinical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ostojic, Predrag; Radunovic, Goran; Lazovic, Milica; Tomanovic-Vujadinovic, Sanja

    2017-01-01

    to estimate whether combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol is more effective than ibuprofen in monotherapy, in the treatment of acute low back pain. 80 adult patients with acute low back pain were randomized into two subgroups. In the first subgroup, 40 patients were treated with ibuprofen 400mg three times a day (TID), whilst patients in the second subgroup (n=40) were treated with a fixed-dose combination tablet of ibuprofen 200mg plus paracetamol 325mg TID, for three consecutive days. Patients were followed for another 7 days. Efficacy and tolerability of both treatment options was assessed. A statistically significant decrease in pain intensity, assessed using a visual analogue scale (pibuprofen monotherapy reported minor gastric intolerability. compared to ibuprofen monotherapy, combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol may provide faster and longer analgesia in patients with acute low back pain, with equally favorable effect on mobility and functional ability and similar tolerability.

  9. Unexpected difficulties in randomizing patients in a surgical trial: A prospective study comparing extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy with open cholecystectomy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    P.W. Plaisier; M.Y. Berger (Marjolein); R.L. van der Hul (René); H.G. Nijs (Huub); R. den Toom (Rene); O.T. Terpstra (Onno); H.A. Bruining (Hajo); S.M. Strasberg (S.)

    1994-01-01

    textabstractShortly after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) was introduced as a promising new treatment modality for gallstone disease, a randomized controlled study was performed to assess the cost-effectiveness of ESWL compared to open cholecystectomy, the gold standard. During the

  10. Morphine versus Nalbuphine for Open Gynaecological Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Double Blinded Trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shiv Akshat

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Pain is the commonest morbidity after open surgical procedures. The most effective treatment of postoperative pain is opioid therapy. Morphine, the commonly used opioid, is associated with many side effects including respiratory depression, sedation, postoperative nausea vomiting, and pruritus. Nalbuphine, on the other hand, is known to cause less respiratory depression. Thus this study was undertaken to compare the intraoperative and postoperative analgesic efficacy and side effect profile of the two drugs. Methodology. 60 patients undergoing open gynaecological surgery were randomized to receive either morphine (Group M or nalbuphine (Group N in the intraoperative and postoperative period. Intraoperative analgesic efficacy (measured by need for rescue analgesics, postoperative pain by visual analogue scale, and side effects like postoperative nausea, vomiting, sedation, respiratory depression, and pruritus were compared in both groups. Intraoperative and postoperative heart rate and blood pressure were also compared between the groups. Results. Need for intraoperative analgesia was significantly more in Group N (P=0.023. Postoperative VAS scores were significantly different between the groups at various time points; however, none of the patients required any rescue analgesia. The incidence of various side effects was not significantly different between the groups. The haemodynamic profile of patients was comparable between the groups in both intraoperative and postoperative period. Conclusion. Nalbuphine provides less effective intraoperative analgesia than morphine in patients undergoing open gynaecological surgery under general anaesthesia. Both drugs, however, provided similar postoperative analgesia and had similar haemodynamic and side effect profile.

  11. Open-Label Single-Sequence Crossover Study Evaluating Pharmacokinetics, Efficacy, and Safety of Once-Daily Dosing of Nitisinone in Patients with Hereditary Tyrosinemia Type 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guffon, Nathalie; Bröijersén, Anders; Palmgren, Ingrid; Rudebeck, Mattias; Olsson, Birgitta

    2018-01-01

    Although nitisinone is successfully used to treat hereditary tyrosinemia type 1 (HT-1) with the recommended twice-daily dosing, data describing a long half-life motivate less frequent dosing. Therefore, in agreement with the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee at the European Medicines Agency, this study was performed to investigate the switch to once-daily dosing. This open-label, non-randomized, single-sequence crossover study evaluated the pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of once-daily compared to twice-daily dosing of nitisinone in patients with HT-1 (NCT02323529). Well-controlled patients of dry blood spots by tandem mass spectrometry. The primary endpoint was C min of nitisinone after ≥4 weeks of treatment on each dosing regimen. Secondary objectives were evaluation of efficacy and safety during each dosing regimen. In total, 19 patients were enrolled and 17 included in the per-protocol analysis set. The mean (SD) nitisinone C min decreased by 23%, from 26.4 (10.2) to 21.2 (9.9) μmol/L in dry blood spot samples (not equivalent to plasma concentrations), when patients switched from twice- to once-daily dosing. There was no apparent age- or bodyweight-related trend in the degree of C min decrease. No patient had quantifiable succinylacetone levels during the once-daily treatment period, indicating efficacious treatment. All adverse events were mild or moderate and judged unrelated to nitisinone. The switch to once-daily treatment with nitisinone appeared efficacious and safe in the treatment of patients with HT-1.

  12. Treatment satisfaction with paliperidone extended-release tablets: open-label study in schizophrenia patients dissatisfied with previous antipsychotic medication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang FD

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Fu De Yang,1 Juan Li,1 Yun Long Tan,1 Wei Ye Liang,1 Rongzhen Zhang,1 Ning Wang,1 Wei Feng,1 Shangli Cai,2 Jian Min Zhuo,2 Li Li Zhang2 1Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, 2Department of Medical Affairs, Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd, Beijing, People’s Republic of China Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in treatment satisfaction after switching to paliperidone extended-release (ER in Chinese schizophrenia patients dissatisfied with their previous antipsychotic treatment.Methods: In this 8-week, open-label, single-arm, multicenter, prospective study, 1,693 patients dissatisfied with previous antipsychotic medication were enrolled and switched to paliperidone ER tablets (3–12 mg/d based on clinical judgment. The primary efficacy end point was change in Medication Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ score from baseline to week 8. The secondary end points included percentage of patients with MSQ score ≥4, as well as changes in Clinical Global Improvement-Severity (CGI-S and Personal and Social Performance (PSP scores.Results: MSQ scores increased significantly from baseline (mean [standard deviation {SD}]: 2.48 [0.55] to week 8 (5.47 [0.89], P<0.0001; primary end point, full analysis set. The percentage of patients with MSQ score ≥4 was 95.9% at week 8, indicating that most of the patients were satisfied with their treatment. Significant (P<0.0001 improvements from baseline to week 8 were noted in CGI-S score (2.37 [1.20] and PSP score (25.5 [15.0]. A total of 174 (10.28% patients experienced adverse events (AEs. The most common (>10 patients events were extrapyramidal disorder (n=84, 4.96%, poor quality sleep (n=18, 1.06% and akathisia (n=13, 0.77%. The majority of AEs were mild to moderate in severity. No deaths occurred.Conclusion: Treatment satisfaction improved after switching to paliperidone ER from the previous antipsychotic in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Keywords: atypical antipsychotics, open label

  13. Yogurt supplemented with probiotics can protect the healthy elderly from respiratory infections: A randomized controlled open-label trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pu, Fangfang; Guo, Yue; Li, Ming; Zhu, Hong; Wang, Shijie; Shen, Xi; He, Miao; Huang, Chengyu; He, Fang

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate whether yogurt supplemented with a probiotic strain could protect middle-aged and elderly people from acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) using a randomized, blank-controlled, parallel-group design. Two hundred and five volunteers aged ≥45 years were randomly divided into two groups. The subjects in the intervention group were orally administered 300 mL/d of yogurt supplemented with a probiotic strain, Lactobacillus paracasei N1115 (N1115), 3.6×10 7 CFU/mL for 12 weeks, while those in the control group retained their normal diet without any probiotic supplementation. The primary outcome was the incidence of URTI, and changes in serum protein, immunoglobulins, and the profiles of the T-lymphocyte subsets (total T-cells [CD3 + ], T-helper cells [CD4 + ], and T-cytotoxic-suppressor cells [CD8 + ]) during the intervention were the secondary outcomes. Compared to the control group, the number of persons diagnosed with an acute URTI and the number of URTI events significantly decreased in the intervention group ( P =0.038, P =0.030, respectively). The risk of URTI in the intervention group was evaluated as 55% of that in the control group (relative risk =0.55, 95% CI: 0.307-0.969). The change in the percentage of CD3 + cells in the intervention group was significantly higher than in the control group ( P =0.038). However, no significant differences were observed in the total protein, albumin, globulin, and prealbumin levels in both groups ( P >0.05). The study suggested that yogurt with selected probiotic strains such as N1115 may reduce the risk of acute upper tract infections in the elderly. The enhancement of the T-cell-mediated natural immune defense might be one of the important underlying mechanisms for probiotics to express their anti-infective effects.

  14. Laparoscopic versus open cholecystectomy in cirrhotic patients: a prospective randomized study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Awadi, Saleh; El-Nakeeb, Ayman; Youssef, Tamer; Fikry, Amir; Abd El-Hamed, Tito M; Ghazy, Hosam; Foda, Elyamany; Farid, Mohamed

    2009-02-01

    Improved laparoscopic experience and techniques have made laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) feasible options in cirrhotic patients. This study was designed to compare the risk and benefits of open cholecystectomy (OC) versus LC in compensated cirrhosis. A randomized prospective study, in the period from October 2002 till December 2006, where 110 cirrhotic patients with symptomatic gallstone were randomly divided into OC group (55 patients) and LC group (55 patients). There was no operative mortality. In LC group 4 (7.33%) patients were converted to OC. Mean surgical time was significantly longer in OC group than LC group (96.13+17.35 min versus 76.13+15.12) P<0.05, associated with significantly higher intraoperative bleeding in OC group (P<0.01), necessitating blood transfusions to 7 (12.72%) patients in OC group. The time to resume diet was 18.36+8.18 h in LC group which is significantly earlier than in OC group 47.84+14.6h P<0.005. Hospital stay was significantly longer in OC group than LC group (6+1.74 days versus 1.87+1.11 days) P<0.01 with low postoperative morbidity. LC in cirrhotics is still complicated and highly difficult which associates with significant morbidity compared with that of patients without cirrhosis. However, it offers lower morbidity, shorter operative time; early resume dieting with less need for blood transfusion and reducing hospital stay than OC.

  15. UNEXPECTED DIFFICULTIES IN RANDOMIZING PATIENTS IN A SURGICAL TRIAL - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY COMPARING EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK-WAVE LITHOTRIPSY WITH OPEN CHOLECYSTECTOMY

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    PLAISIER, PW; BERGER, MY; VANDERHUL, RL; NIJS, HGT; DENTOOM, R; TERPSTRA, OT; BRUINING, HA

    1994-01-01

    Shortly after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) was introduced as a promising new treatment modality for gallstone disease, a randomized controlled study was performed to assess the cost-effectiveness of ESWL compared to open cholecystectomy, the gold standard. During the performance of

  16. The effect of increasing the dose of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in patients with refractory cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE): An open-label prospective pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chasset, François; Arnaud, Laurent; Costedoat-Chalumeau, Nathalie; Zahr, Noel; Bessis, Didier; Francès, Camille

    2016-04-01

    Up to 30% of patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) fail to respond to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). We sought to evaluate the efficacy of increased daily doses of HCQ on cutaneous response in refractory CLE. We conducted an open-label prospective study between 2010 and 2014. Patients with CLE and HCQ blood level less than or equal to 750 ng/mL were included. The daily dose of HCQ was increased to reach blood concentrations greater than 750 ng/mL. The primary end point was the number of responders defined by an improvement of CLE Disease Area and Severity Index score (4 points or 20% decrease) in patients with HCQ blood concentration greater than 750 ng/mL. We included 34 patients (26 women; median age 45 [range 28-72] years). Two nonadherent patients were excluded. The median CLE Disease Area and Severity Index score before treatment was significantly improved after treatment (8 [range 2-30] vs 1.5 [range 0-30]), P < .001). The primary response criterion was reached in 26 (81%) of the 32 patients analyzed. A decrease in HCQ doses without further CLE flare (median follow-up 15.8 [range 3.06-77.4] months) was achieved in 15 of the 26 responders. The main limitations of the study are its open-label design and the limited number of patients included. Increasing HCQ doses to reach blood concentrations greater than 750 ng/mL should be considered before addition of other treatments in refractory CLE. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Classification and valuation of postoperative complications in a randomized trial of open versus laparoscopic ventral herniorrhaphy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaafarani, H M A; Hur, K; Campasano, M; Reda, D J; Itani, K M F

    2010-06-01

    Generic instruments used for the valuation of health states (e.g., EuroQol) often lack sensitivity to notable differences that are relevant to particular diseases or interventions. We developed a valuation methodology specifically for complications following ventral incisional herniorrhaphy (VIH). Between 2004 and 2006, 146 patients were prospectively randomized to undergo laparoscopic (n = 73) or open (n = 73) VIH. The primary outcome of the trial was complications at 8 weeks. A three-step methodology was used to assign severity weights to complications. First, each complication was graded using the Clavien classification. Second, five reviewers were asked to independently and directly rate their perception of the severity of each class using a non-categorized visual analog scale. Zero represented an uncomplicated postoperative course, while 100 represented postoperative death. Third, the median, lowest, and highest values assigned to each class of complications were used to derive weighted complication scores for open and laparoscopic VIH. Open VIH had more complications than laparoscopic VIH (47.9 vs. 31.5%, respectively; P = 0.026). However, complications of laparoscopic VIH were more severe than those of open VIH. Non-parametric analysis revealed a statistically higher weighted complication score for open VIH (interquartile range: 0-20 for open vs. 0-10 for laparoscopic; P = 0.049). In the sensitivity analysis, similar results were obtained using the median, highest, and lowest weights. We describe a new methodology for the valuation of complications following VIH that allows a direct outcome comparison of procedures with different complication profiles. Further testing of the validity, reliability, and generalizability of this method is warranted.

  18. Topical Coconut Oil in Very Preterm Infants: An Open-Label Randomised Controlled Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strunk, Tobias; Pupala, Sameer; Hibbert, Julie; Doherty, Dorota; Patole, Sanjay

    2018-01-01

    The immature fragile skin of preterm infants represents an inadequate protective barrier. The emollient and anti-infective properties of coconut oil make it a potentially beneficial topical agent for this population. Our aim was to evaluate feasibility, safety, and the effects of topical coconut oil on skin condition in very preterm infants. An open-label randomised controlled trial in preterm infants coconut oil (5 mL/kg) twice daily for 21 days, starting within 24 h of birth. The neonatal skin condition was the primary outcome, and was assessed using the Neonatal Skin Condition Score (NSCS) on days 1, 7, 14, and 21. The number of coconut oil applications was recorded to assess clinical feasibility and all enrolled infants were monitored for adverse effects of topical coconut application, such as skin irritation. A total of 72 infants born coconut oil was feasible and without adverse effects. The NSCS was maintained in the coconut oil group throughout the intervention period, but deteriorated from a median (IQR) of 3 (3-4) on day 1 to 4 (4-4) on day 21 in the control group (p = 0.01). There were no differences in common neonatal outcomes, including sepsis, necrotising enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity, chronic lung disease, and mortality. Topical coconut oil maintained a better skin condition in very preterm infants without adverse effects. This simple, safe, and affordable intervention warrants further investigation. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  19. Efficacy and tolerability balance of oxycodone/naloxone and tapentadol in chronic low back pain with a neuropathic component: a blinded end point analysis of randomly selected routine data from 12-week prospective open-label observations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueberall, Michael A; Mueller-Schwefe, Gerhard H H

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the benefit-risk profile (BRP) of oxycodone/naloxone (OXN) and tapentadol (TAP) in patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP) with a neuropathic component (NC) in routine clinical practice. This was a blinded end point analysis of randomly selected 12-week routine/open-label data of the German Pain Registry on adult patients with cLBP-NC who initiated an index treatment in compliance with the current German prescribing information between 1st January and 31st October 2015 (OXN/TAP, n=128/133). Primary end point was defined as a composite of three efficacy components (≥30% improvement of pain, pain-related disability, and quality of life each at the end of observation vs baseline) and three tolerability components (normal bowel function, absence of either central nervous system side effects, and treatment-emergent adverse event [TEAE]-related treatment discontinuation during the observation period) adopted to reflect BRP assessments under real-life conditions. Demographic as well as baseline and pretreatment characteristics were comparable for the randomly selected data sets of both index groups without any indicators for critical selection biases. Treatment with OXN resulted formally in a BRP noninferior to that of TAP and showed a significantly higher primary end point response vs TAP (39.8% vs 25.6%, odds ratio: 1.93; P =0.014), due to superior analgesic effects. Between-group differences increased with stricter response definitions for all three efficacy components in favor of OXN: ≥30%/≥50%/≥70% response rates for OXN vs TAP were seen for pain intensity in 85.2%/67.2%/39.1% vs 83.5%/54.1%/15.8% ( P = ns/0.031/<0.001), for pain-related disability in 78.1%/64.8%/43.8% vs 66.9%/50.4%/24.8% ( P =0.043/0.018/0.001), and for quality of life in 76.6%/68.0%/50.0% vs 63.9%/54.1%/34.6% ( P =0.026/0.022/0.017). Overall, OXN vs TAP treatments were well tolerated, and proportions of patients who either maintained a normal bowel function (68.0% vs 72

  20. Immunogenicity and safety of purified chick-embryo cell rabies vaccine under Zagreb 2-1-1 or 5-dose Essen regimen in Chinese children 6 to 17 years old and adults over 50 years: A randomized open-label study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, RongCheng; Li, YanPing; Wen, ShuQing; Wen, HuiChun; Nong, Yi; Mo, Zhaojun; Xie, Fang; Pellegrini, Michele

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this Phase IIIb, open-label, randomized study was to demonstrate the non-inferiority of immune responses and to assess the safety of a purified chick-embryo cell rabies vaccine (PCECV) in healthy Chinese children (6 to 17 years) and older adults (≥51 years) following 2 alternative intramuscular (IM) simulated post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) regimens: 4-dose Zagreb or 5-dose Essen regimen. Serum samples were collected prior to vaccination on Days 1 and 15 and on day 43 to assess immune response by rabies virus neutralizing antibody (RVNA) concentrations. Solicited adverse events (AEs) were recorded for up to 7 days following each vaccine dose, and unsolicited AEs throughout the entire study period. PCECV vaccination induced a strong immune response at Day 15, and the non-inferiority in immune response of the Zagreb vs. the Essen regimen was demonstrated in children and older adults. At Day 15,100% of children (N = 224), and 99% of subjects ≥51 years of age (N = 376) developed adequate RVNA concentrations (≥0.5 IU/mL); at Day 43 all subjects achieved RVNA concentrations ≥0.5 IU/mL, for both PEP regimens. The well-known tolerability and safety profile of the PCECV was again observed in this study following either Zagreb or Essen regimens. Rabies PEP vaccination with PCECV following a Zagreb regimen induced immune responses non-inferior to those of the Essen regimen, and had a similar safety and tolerability profile to the Essen regimen in Chinese children, adolescents, and adults over 51 years. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01680016. PMID:25692350

  1. Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Titrated Subcutaneous Ketamine in Older Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    George, Duncan; Gálvez, Verònica; Martin, Donel; Kumar, Divya; Leyden, John; Hadzi-Pavlovic, Dusan; Harper, Simon; Brodaty, Henry; Glue, Paul; Taylor, Rohan; Mitchell, Philip B; Loo, Colleen K

    2017-11-01

    To assess the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous ketamine for geriatric treatment-resistant depression. Secondary aims were to examine if repeated treatments were safe and more effective in inducing or prolonging remission than a single treatment. In this double-blind, controlled, multiple-crossover study with a 6-month follow-up (randomized controlled trial [RCT] phase), 16 participants (≥60 years) with treatment-resistant depression who relapsed after remission or did not remit in the RCT were administered an open-label phase. Up to five subcutaneous doses of ketamine (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 mg/kg) were administered in separate sessions (≥1 week apart), with one active control (midazolam) randomly inserted (RCT phase). Twelve ketamine treatments were given in the open-label phase. Mood, hemodynamic, and psychotomimetic outcomes were assessed by blinded raters. Remitters in each phase were followed for 6 months. Seven of 14 RCT-phase completers remitted with ketamine treatment. Five remitted at doses below 0.5 mg/kg. Doses ≥ 0.2 mg/kg were significantly more effective than midazolam. Ketamine was well tolerated. Repeated treatments resulted in higher likelihood of remission or longer time to relapse. Results provide preliminary evidence for the efficacy and safety of ketamine in treating elderly depressed. Dose titration is recommended for optimizing antidepressant and safety outcomes on an individual basis. Subcutaneous injection is a practical method for giving ketamine. Repeated treatments may improve remission rates (clinicaltrials.gov; NCT01441505). Copyright © 2017 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. All rights reserved.

  2. Do authors report surgical expertise in open spine surgery related randomized controlled trials? A systematic review on quality of reporting

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Oldenrijk, Jakob; van Berkel, Youri; Kerkhoffs, Gino M. M. J.; Bhandari, Mohit; Poolman, Rudolf W.

    2013-01-01

    A systematic review of published trials in orthopedic spine literature. To determine the quality of reporting in open spine surgery randomized controlled trials (RCTs) between 2005 and 2010 with special focus on the reporting of surgical skill or expertise. In technically demanding procedures such

  3. Tritiated bovine fibrinogen labelled in fibrinopeptide A region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wegrzynowicz, Z.; Kloczewiak, M.; Kopec, M.

    1974-01-01

    The method is described for labelling of bovine fibrinogen with 3 H-AcOAc. Preparations labelled at pH 7.8 with 10 to 40 molar excess of 3 H-AcOAc were found to contain 8 to 13 moles of acetyl residues per mole of fibrinogen. The content of clottable protein and UV spectra were unchanged as compared with control unlabelled preprations. The rate of clotting with thrombin was only slightly affected. The investigations on distribution of 3 H in products of proteolysis of 3 H-fibrinogen by thrombin and plasmin demonstrated a preferential labelling of fibrinopeptide A, absence of radioactive tracer in fibrinopeptide B, significantly higher specific radioactivity of fragment E than that of fragment D. Incorporation of the label into fibrinopeptide A opens the possibility for application of 3 H-fibrinogen as a convenient substrate for selective investigations on the enzymatic phase of clotting. (author)

  4. Laparoscopic versus open repair for perforated peptic ulcer: A meta analysis of randomized controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Shanjun; Wu, Guohao; Zhuang, Qiulin; Xi, Qiulei; Meng, Qingyang; Jiang, Yi; Han, Yusong; Yu, Chao; Yu, Zhen; Li, Ning

    2016-09-01

    The role of laparoscopic surgery in the repair for peptic ulcer disease is unclear. The present study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic versus open repair for peptic ulcer disease. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing laparoscopic versus open repair for peptic ulcer disease were identified from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and references of identified articles and relevant reviews. Primary outcomes were postoperative complications, mortality, and reoperation. Secondary outcomes were operative time, postoperative pain, postoperative hospital stay, nasogastric tube duration, and time to resume diet. Statistical analysis was carried out by Review Manage software. Five RCTs investigating a total of 549 patients, of whom, 279 received laparoscopic repair and 270 received open repair, were included in the final analysis. There were no significant differences between these two procedures in some primary outcomes including overal postoperative complication rate, mortality, and reoperation rate. Subcategory analysis of postoperative complications showed that laparoscopic repair had also similar rates of repair site leakage, intra-abdominal abscess, postoperative ileus, pneumonia, and urinary tract infection as open surgery, except of the lower surgical site infection rate (P peptic ulcer. The obvious advantages of laparoscopic surgery are the lower surgical site infection rate, shorter nasogastric tube duration and less postoperative pain. However, more higher quality studies should be undertaken to further assess the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic repair for peptic ulcer disease. Copyright © 2016 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Effect of noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation on acute migraine: an open-label pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goadsby, P J; Grosberg, B M; Mauskop, A; Cady, R; Simmons, K A

    2014-10-01

    We sought to assess a novel, noninvasive, portable vagal nerve stimulator (nVNS) for acute treatment of migraine. Participants with migraine with or without aura were eligible for an open-label, single-arm, multiple-attack study. Up to four migraine attacks were treated with two 90-second doses, at 15-minute intervals delivered to the right cervical branch of the vagus nerve within a six-week time period. Subjects were asked to self-treat at moderate or severe pain, or after 20 minutes of mild pain. Of 30 enrolled patients (25 females, five males, median age 39), two treated no attacks, and one treated aura only, leaving a Full Analysis Set of 27 treating 80 attacks with pain. An adverse event was reported in 13 patients, notably: neck twitching (n = 1), raspy voice (n = 1) and redness at the device site (n = 1). No unanticipated, serious or severe adverse events were reported. The pain-free rate at two hours was four of 19 (21%) for the first treated attack with a moderate or severe headache at baseline. For all moderate or severe attacks at baseline, the pain-free rate was 12/54 (22%). nVNS may be an effective and well-tolerated acute treatment for migraine in certain patients. © International Headache Society 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  6. Observing Protein & Energy Nutrition (OPEN) Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Observing Protein and Energy Nutrition (OPEN) Study was designed to assess dietary measurement error by comparing results from self-reported dietary intake data with four dietary biomarkers: doubly labeled water and urinary nitrogen, sodium, and potassium.

  7. The fate of (13)C-labelled and non-labelled inulin predisposed to large bowel fermentation in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butts, Christine A; Paturi, Gunaranjan; Tavendale, Michael H; Hedderley, Duncan; Stoklosinski, Halina M; Herath, Thanuja D; Rosendale, Douglas; Roy, Nicole C; Monro, John A; Ansell, Juliet

    2016-04-01

    The fate of stable-isotope (13)C labelled and non-labelled inulin catabolism by the gut microbiota was assessed in a healthy rat model. Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly assigned to diets containing either cellulose or inulin, and were fed these diets for 3 days. On day (d) 4, rats allocated to the inulin diet received (13)C-labelled inulin. The rats were then fed the respective non-labelled diets (cellulose or inulin) until sampling (d4, d5, d6, d7, d10 and d11). Post feeding of (13)C-labelled substrate, breath analysis showed that (13)C-inulin cleared from the host within a period of 36 hours. Faecal (13)C demonstrated the clearance of inulin from gut with a (13)C excess reaching maximum at 24 hours (d5) and then declining gradually. There were greater variations in caecal organic acid concentrations from d4 to d6, with higher concentrations of acetic, butyric and propionic acids observed in the rats fed inulin compared to those fed cellulose. Inulin influenced caecal microbial glycosidase activity, increased colon crypt depth, and decreased the faecal output and polysaccharide content compared to the cellulose diet. In summary, the presence of inulin in the diet positively influenced large bowel microbial fermentation.

  8. Cigarette warning label policy alternatives and smoking-related health disparities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thrasher, James F; Carpenter, Matthew J; Andrews, Jeannette O; Gray, Kevin M; Alberg, Anthony J; Navarro, Ashley; Friedman, Daniela B; Cummings, K Michael

    2012-12-01

    Pictorial health warning labels on cigarette packaging have been proposed for the U.S., but their potential influences among populations that suffer tobacco-related health disparities are unknown. To evaluate pictorial health warning labels, including moderation of their influences by health literacy and race. From July 2011 to January 2012, field experiments were conducted with 981 adult smokers who were randomized to control (i.e., text-only labels, n=207) and experimental conditions (i.e., pictorial labels, n=774). The experimental condition systematically varied health warning label stimuli by health topic and image type. Linear mixed effects (LME) models estimated the influence of health warning label characteristics and participant characteristics on label ratings. Data were analyzed from January 2012 to April 2012. Compared to text-only warning labels, pictorial warning labels were rated as more personally relevant (5.7 vs 6.8, pinteractions indicated that labels with graphic imagery produced minimal differences in ratings across racial groups and levels of health literacy, whereas other imagery produced greater group differences. Pictorial health warning labels with graphic images have the most-pronounced short-term impacts on adult smokers, including smokers from groups that have in the past been hard to reach. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. LP-LPA: A link influence-based label propagation algorithm for discovering community structures in networks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berahmand, Kamal; Bouyer, Asgarali

    2018-03-01

    Community detection is an essential approach for analyzing the structural and functional properties of complex networks. Although many community detection algorithms have been recently presented, most of them are weak and limited in different ways. Label Propagation Algorithm (LPA) is a well-known and efficient community detection technique which is characterized by the merits of nearly-linear running time and easy implementation. However, LPA has some significant problems such as instability, randomness, and monster community detection. In this paper, an algorithm, namely node’s label influence policy for label propagation algorithm (LP-LPA) was proposed for detecting efficient community structures. LP-LPA measures link strength value for edges and nodes’ label influence value for nodes in a new label propagation strategy with preference on link strength and for initial nodes selection, avoid of random behavior in tiebreak states, and efficient updating order and rule update. These procedures can sort out the randomness issue in an original LPA and stabilize the discovered communities in all runs of the same network. Experiments on synthetic networks and a wide range of real-world social networks indicated that the proposed method achieves significant accuracy and high stability. Indeed, it can obviously solve monster community problem with regard to detecting communities in networks.

  10. Ibrutinib versus temsirolimus in patients with relapsed or refractory mantle-cell lymphoma: an international, randomised, open-label, phase 3 study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dreyling, Martin; Jurczak, Wojciech; Jerkeman, Mats; Silva, Rodrigo Santucci; Rusconi, Chiara; Trneny, Marek; Offner, Fritz; Caballero, Dolores; Joao, Cristina; Witzens-Harig, Mathias; Hess, Georg; Bence-Bruckler, Isabelle; Cho, Seok-Goo; Bothos, John; Goldberg, Jenna D; Enny, Christopher; Traina, Shana; Balasubramanian, Sriram; Bandyopadhyay, Nibedita; Sun, Steven; Vermeulen, Jessica; Rizo, Aleksandra; Rule, Simon

    2016-02-20

    Mantle-cell lymphoma is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma with a poor prognosis. Both ibrutinib and temsirolimus have shown single-agent activity in patients with relapsed or refractory mantle-cell lymphoma. We undertook a phase 3 study to assess the efficacy and safety of ibrutinib versus temsirolimus in relapsed or refractory mantle-cell lymphoma. This randomised, open-label, multicentre, phase 3 clinical trial enrolled patients with relapsed or refractory mantle-cell lymphoma confirmed by central pathology in 21 countries who had received one or more rituximab-containing treatments. Patients were stratified by previous therapy and simplified mantle-cell lymphoma international prognostic index score, and were randomly assigned with a computer-generated randomisation schedule to receive daily oral ibrutinib 560 mg or intravenous temsirolimus (175 mg on days 1, 8, and 15 of cycle 1; 75 mg on days 1, 8, and 15 of subsequent 21-day cycles). Randomisation was balanced by using randomly permuted blocks. The primary efficacy endpoint was progression-free survival assessed by a masked independent review committee with the primary hypothesis that ibrutinib compared with temsirolimus significantly improves progression-free survival. The analysis followed the intention-to-treat principle. The trial is ongoing and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (number NCT01646021) and with the EU Clinical Trials Register, EudraCT (number 2012-000601-74). Between Dec 10, 2012, and Nov 26, 2013, 280 patients were randomised to ibrutinib (n=139) or temsirolimus (n=141). Primary efficacy analysis showed significant improvement in progression-free survival (pibrutinib versus temsirolimus (hazard ratio 0·43 [95% CI 0·32-0·58]; median progression-free survival 14·6 months [95% CI 10·4-not estimable] vs 6·2 months [4·2-7·9], respectively). Ibrutinib was better tolerated than temsirolimus, with grade 3 or higher treatment-emergent adverse events reported for 94 (68%) versus 121 (87

  11. The effect of ziprasidone on metabolic syndrome risk factors in subjects with schizophrenia: a 1 year, open-label, prospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chue, Pierre; Mandel, Francine S; Therrien, François

    2014-06-01

    Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is prevalent in subjects with schizophrenia-related psychotic disorders and contributes to increased rates of premature death due to cardiovascular disease. This study examined the impact of switching from another antipsychotic to ziprasidone on the distribution of the number of risk factors for MetS in subjects with schizophrenia or related psychotic disorders. In this 1 year, open-label, prospective study, all subjects received ziprasidone 40-160 mg/day. Standard exclusion criteria included treatment resistance, physical health disorders, and substance abuse. The primary end point was the percentage of subjects achieving a reduction from baseline of at least one risk factor for MetS at end point (week 52 or premature discontinuation) in the per-protocol population (treated for at least 16 weeks). Secondary end points included the mean change from baseline in number of MetS risk factors, the prevalence of MetS, individual MetS risk factors (waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and glucose), and 10 year coronary heart disease (Framingham score) risk. www.clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00748566. Of 114 evaluable subjects, 58.77% demonstrated one less MetS risk factor at week 52 (last observation carried forward) compared with baseline. Secondary end points also improved, with reductions in other metabolic parameters (fasting low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol and serum insulin, weight, body mass index and glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c]). The 10 year coronary heart disease risk decreased continually over time. The open-label and uncontrolled design is a limitation of the study. Ziprasidone treatment reduced both the rate of MetS and its individual risk factors in subjects with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders. The results have implications for the selection of first-line treatments in schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, and provide treatment

  12. Colorectal cancer (CRC) monitoring by 6-monthly 18FDG-PET/CT: an open-label multicentre randomised trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobhani, I; Itti, E; Luciani, A; Baumgaertner, I; Layese, R; André, T; Ducreux, M; Gornet, J-M; Goujon, G; Aparicio, T; Taieb, J; Bachet, J-B; Hemery, F; Retbi, A; Mons, M; Flicoteaux, R; Rhein, B; Baron, S; Cherrak, I; Rufat, P; Le Corvoisier, P; de'Angelis, N; Natella, P-A; Maoulida, H; Tournigand, C; Durand Zaleski, I; Bastuji-Garin, S

    2018-04-01

    [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18FDG-PET/CT) has high sensitivity for detecting recurrences of colorectal cancer (CRC). Our objective was to determine whether adding routine 6-monthly 18FDG-PET/CT to our usual monitoring strategy improved patient outcomes and to assess the effect on costs. In this open-label multicentre trial, patients in remission of CRC (stage II perforated, stage III, or stage IV) after curative surgery were randomly assigned (1 : 1) to usual monitoring alone (3-monthly physical and tumour marker assays, 6-monthly liver ultrasound and chest radiograph, and 6-monthly whole-body computed tomography) or with 6-monthly 18FDG-PET/CT, for 3 years. A multidisciplinary committee reviewed each patient's data every 3 months and classified the recurrence status as yes/no/doubtful. Recurrences were treated with curative surgery alone if feasible and with chemotherapy otherwise. The primary end point was treatment failure defined as unresectable recurrence or death. Relative risks were estimated, and survival was analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox models. Direct costs were compared. Of the 239 enrolled patients, 120 were in the intervention arm and 119 in the control arm. The failure rate was 29.2% (31 unresectable recurrences and 4 deaths) in the intervention group and 23.7% (27 unresectable recurrences and 1 death) in the control group (relative risk = 1.23; 95% confidence interval, 0.80-1.88; P = 0.34). The multivariate analysis also showed no significant difference (hazards ratio, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 0.8-2.19; P = 0.27). Median time to diagnosis of unresectable recurrence (months) was significantly shorter in the intervention group [7 (3-20) versus 14.3 (7.3-27), P = 0.016]. Mean cost/patient was higher in the intervention group (18 192 ± 27 679 € versus 11 131 ± 13  €, P CRC. The control group had very close follow

  13. A Multicentric, Open-Label, Randomized, Comparative Clinical Trial of Two Different Doses of Expanded hBM-MSCs Plus Biomaterial versus Iliac Crest Autograft, for Bone Healing in Nonunions after Long Bone Fractures: Study Protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enrique Gómez-Barrena

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available ORTHOUNION is a multicentre, open, comparative, three-arm, randomized clinical trial (EudraCT number 2015-000431-32 to compare the efficacy, at one and two years, of autologous human bone marrow-derived expanded mesenchymal stromal cell (hBM-MSC treatments versus iliac crest autograft (ICA to enhance bone healing in patients with diaphyseal and/or metaphysodiaphyseal fracture (femur, tibia, and humerus status of atrophic or oligotrophic nonunion (more than 9 months after the acute fracture, including recalcitrant cases after failed treatments. The primary objective is to determine if the treatment with hBM-MSCs combined with biomaterial is superior to ICA in obtaining bone healing. If confirmed, a secondary objective is set to determine if the dose of 100 × 106 hBM-MSCs is noninferior to that of 200 × 106 hBM-MSCs. The participants (n=108 will be randomly assigned to either the experimental low dose (n=36, the experimental high dose (n=36, or the comparator arm (n=36 using a central randomization service. The trial will be conducted in 20 clinical centres in Spain, France, Germany, and Italy under the same clinical protocol. The confirmation of superiority for the proposed ATMP in nonunions may foster the future of bone regenerative medicine in this indication. On the contrary, absence of superiority may underline its limitations in clinical use.

  14. A Multicentric, Open-Label, Randomized, Comparative Clinical Trial of Two Different Doses of Expanded hBM-MSCs Plus Biomaterial versus Iliac Crest Autograft, for Bone Healing in Nonunions after Long Bone Fractures: Study Protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gómez-Barrena, Enrique; Padilla-Eguiluz, Norma G; Avendaño-Solá, Cristina; Payares-Herrera, Concepción; Velasco-Iglesias, Ana; Torres, Ferran; Rosset, Philippe; Gebhard, Florian; Baldini, Nicola; Rubio-Suarez, Juan C; García-Rey, Eduardo; Cordero-Ampuero, José; Vaquero-Martin, Javier; Chana, Francisco; Marco, Fernando; García-Coiradas, Javier; Caba-Dessoux, Pedro; de la Cuadra, Pablo; Hernigou, Philippe; Flouzat-Lachaniette, Charles-Henri; Gouin, François; Mainard, Didier; Laffosse, Jean Michel; Kalbitz, Miriam; Marzi, Ingo; Südkamp, Norbert; Stöckle, Ulrich; Ciapetti, Gabriela; Donati, Davide Maria; Zagra, Luigi; Pazzaglia, Ugo; Zarattini, Guido; Capanna, Rodolfo; Catani, Fabio

    2018-01-01

    ORTHOUNION is a multicentre, open, comparative, three-arm, randomized clinical trial (EudraCT number 2015-000431-32) to compare the efficacy, at one and two years, of autologous human bone marrow-derived expanded mesenchymal stromal cell (hBM-MSC) treatments versus iliac crest autograft (ICA) to enhance bone healing in patients with diaphyseal and/or metaphysodiaphyseal fracture (femur, tibia, and humerus) status of atrophic or oligotrophic nonunion (more than 9 months after the acute fracture, including recalcitrant cases after failed treatments). The primary objective is to determine if the treatment with hBM-MSCs combined with biomaterial is superior to ICA in obtaining bone healing. If confirmed, a secondary objective is set to determine if the dose of 100 × 10 6 hBM-MSCs is noninferior to that of 200 × 10 6 hBM-MSCs. The participants ( n = 108) will be randomly assigned to either the experimental low dose ( n = 36), the experimental high dose ( n = 36), or the comparator arm ( n = 36) using a central randomization service. The trial will be conducted in 20 clinical centres in Spain, France, Germany, and Italy under the same clinical protocol. The confirmation of superiority for the proposed ATMP in nonunions may foster the future of bone regenerative medicine in this indication. On the contrary, absence of superiority may underline its limitations in clinical use.

  15. Calorie labeling, fast food purchasing and restaurant visits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elbel, Brian; Mijanovich, Tod; Dixon, L Beth; Abrams, Courtney; Weitzman, Beth; Kersh, Rogan; Auchincloss, Amy H; Ogedegbe, Gbenga

    2013-11-01

    Obesity is a pressing public health problem without proven population-wide solutions. Researchers sought to determine whether a city-mandated policy requiring calorie labeling at fast food restaurants was associated with consumer awareness of labels, calories purchased and fast food restaurant visits. Difference-in-differences design, with data collected from consumers outside fast food restaurants and via a random digit dial telephone survey, before (December 2009) and after (June 2010) labeling in Philadelphia (which implemented mandatory labeling) and Baltimore (matched comparison city). Measures included: self-reported use of calorie information, calories purchased determined via fast food receipts, and self-reported weekly fast-food visits. The consumer sample was predominantly Black (71%), and high school educated (62%). Postlabeling, 38% of Philadelphia consumers noticed the calorie labels for a 33% point (P < 0.001) increase relative to Baltimore. Calories purchased and number of fast food visits did not change in either city over time. While some consumers report noticing and using calorie information, no population level changes were noted in calories purchased or fast food visits. Other controlled studies are needed to examine the longer term impact of labeling as it becomes national law. Copyright © 2013 The Obesity Society.

  16. LFQProfiler and RNP(xl): Open-Source Tools for Label-Free Quantification and Protein-RNA Cross-Linking Integrated into Proteome Discoverer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veit, Johannes; Sachsenberg, Timo; Chernev, Aleksandar; Aicheler, Fabian; Urlaub, Henning; Kohlbacher, Oliver

    2016-09-02

    Modern mass spectrometry setups used in today's proteomics studies generate vast amounts of raw data, calling for highly efficient data processing and analysis tools. Software for analyzing these data is either monolithic (easy to use, but sometimes too rigid) or workflow-driven (easy to customize, but sometimes complex). Thermo Proteome Discoverer (PD) is a powerful software for workflow-driven data analysis in proteomics which, in our eyes, achieves a good trade-off between flexibility and usability. Here, we present two open-source plugins for PD providing additional functionality: LFQProfiler for label-free quantification of peptides and proteins, and RNP(xl) for UV-induced peptide-RNA cross-linking data analysis. LFQProfiler interacts with existing PD nodes for peptide identification and validation and takes care of the entire quantitative part of the workflow. We show that it performs at least on par with other state-of-the-art software solutions for label-free quantification in a recently published benchmark ( Ramus, C.; J. Proteomics 2016 , 132 , 51 - 62 ). The second workflow, RNP(xl), represents the first software solution to date for identification of peptide-RNA cross-links including automatic localization of the cross-links at amino acid resolution and localization scoring. It comes with a customized integrated cross-link fragment spectrum viewer for convenient manual inspection and validation of the results.

  17. Self-esteem in adolescent patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during open-label atomoxetine treatment: psychometric evaluation of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and clinical findings

    OpenAIRE

    Dittmann, Ralf W.; Wehmeier, Peter M.; Schacht, Alexander; Lehmann, Martin; Lehmkuhl, Gerd

    2009-01-01

    To report on (1) psychometric properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES) studied in adolescents with ADHD, (2) correlations of SES with ADHD scale scores, and (3) change in patient-reported self-esteem with atomoxetine treatment. ADHD patients (12?17?years), treated in an open-label study for 24?weeks. Secondary analyses on ADHD symptoms (assessed with ADHD-RS, CGI, GIPD scales) and self-esteem (SES) were performed. One hundred and fifty-nine patients were treated. A dichotomous stru...

  18. Results of a Prospective Randomized, Open-Label, Noninferiority Study of Tbo-Filgrastim (Granix) versus Filgrastim (Neupogen) in Combination with Plerixafor for Autologous Stem Cell Mobilization in Patients with Multiple Myeloma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhamidipati, Pavan Kumar; Fiala, Mark A; Grossman, Brenda J; DiPersio, John F; Stockerl-Goldstein, Keith; Gao, Feng; Uy, Geoffrey L; Westervelt, Peter; Schroeder, Mark A; Cashen, Amanda F; Abboud, Camille N; Vij, Ravi

    2017-12-01

    Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) improves survival in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Traditionally, filgrastim (Neupogen; recombinant G-CSF) has been used in as a single agent or in combination with plerixafor for stem cell mobilization for auto-HSCT. In Europe, a biosimilar recombinant G-CSF (Tevagrastim) has been approved for various indications similar to those of reference filgrastim, including stem cell mobilization for auto-HSCT; however, in the United States, tbo-filgrastim (Granix) is registered under the original biological application and is not approved for stem cell mobilization. In retrospective studies, stem cell mobilization with tbo-filgrastim has shown similar efficacy and toxicity as filgrastim, but no prospective studies have been published to date. We have conducted the first prospective randomized trial comparing the safety and efficacy of tbo-filgrastim in combination with plerixafor with that of filgrastim in combination with plerixafor for stem cell mobilization in patients with MM and NHL. This is a phase 2 prospective randomized (1:1) open-label single-institution noninferiority study of tbo-filgrastim and filgrastim with plerixafor in patients with MM or NHL undergoing auto-HSCT. Here 10 µg/kg/day of tbo-filgrastim/filgrastim was administered s.c. for 5 days (days 1 to 5). On day 4 at approximately 1800 hours, 0.24 mg/kg of plerixafor was administered s.c. Apheresis was performed on day 5 with a target cumulative collection goal of at least 5.0 × 10 6 CD34 + cells/kg. The primary objective was to compare day 5 CD34 +  cells/kg collected. Secondary objectives included other mobilization endpoints, safety, engraftment outcomes, and hospital readmission rate. A total of 97 evaluable patients were enrolled (tbo-filgrastim, n = 46; filgrastim, n = 51). Tbo-filgrastim was not inferior to filgrastim in terms of day 5 CD34 +  cell collection (mean, 11.6 ± 6.7 CD34

  19. An open-label trial of aripiprazole in the treatment of aggression in male adolescents diagnosed with conduct disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuperman, Samuel; Calarge, Chadi; Kolar, Anne; Holman, Timothy; Barnett, Mitchell; Perry, Paul

    2011-11-01

    The adverse effect profiles of typical and atypical antipsychotics are problematic because of their extrapyramidal and endocrine adverse effects, respectively. Ten adolescent male patients diagnosed with conduct disorder received aripiprazole in doses of ≤20 mg/d in an open-label, intent-to-treat design to establish and characterize the efficacy of the drug in reducing aggressive behavior. Based on clinician and parent observations, aripiprazole was effective in reducing aggressive behavior in adolescent boys. The change in clinician-observed aggression ratings appears to have been driven by a decrease in physical aggression, whereas the change in parent-observed aggression ratings appears to have been driven by a decrease in verbal aggression and aggression against objects and animals. Aripiprazole was an effective and relatively well-tolerated treatment for overall aggression in adolescent males with conduct disorder, in the view of both clinicians and parents. Depending on the observer, aripiprazole improved aggression categorized as physical aggression, verbal aggression, and aggression against objects and animals.

  20. Reliable multi-label learning via conformal predictor and random forest for syndrome differentiation of chronic fatigue in traditional Chinese medicine.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huazhen Wang

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Chronic Fatigue (CF still remains unclear about its etiology, pathophysiology, nomenclature and diagnostic criteria in the medical community. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM adopts a unique diagnostic method, namely 'bian zheng lun zhi' or syndrome differentiation, to diagnose the CF with a set of syndrome factors, which can be regarded as the Multi-Label Learning (MLL problem in the machine learning literature. To obtain an effective and reliable diagnostic tool, we use Conformal Predictor (CP, Random Forest (RF and Problem Transformation method (PT for the syndrome differentiation of CF. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In this work, using PT method, CP-RF is extended to handle MLL problem. CP-RF applies RF to measure the confidence level (p-value of each label being the true label, and then selects multiple labels whose p-values are larger than the pre-defined significance level as the region prediction. In this paper, we compare the proposed CP-RF with typical CP-NBC(Naïve Bayes Classifier, CP-KNN(K-Nearest Neighbors and ML-KNN on CF dataset, which consists of 736 cases. Specifically, 95 symptoms are used to identify CF, and four syndrome factors are employed in the syndrome differentiation, including 'spleen deficiency', 'heart deficiency', 'liver stagnation' and 'qi deficiency'. THE RESULTS: CP-RF demonstrates an outstanding performance beyond CP-NBC, CP-KNN and ML-KNN under the general metrics of subset accuracy, hamming loss, one-error, coverage, ranking loss and average precision. Furthermore, the performance of CP-RF remains steady at the large scale of confidence levels from 80% to 100%, which indicates its robustness to the threshold determination. In addition, the confidence evaluation provided by CP is valid and well-calibrated. CONCLUSION: CP-RF not only offers outstanding performance but also provides valid confidence evaluation for the CF syndrome differentiation. It would be well applicable to TCM practitioners and

  1. A randomized trial of obeticholic acid monotherapy in patients with primary biliary cholangitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowdley, Kris V; Luketic, Velimir; Chapman, Roger; Hirschfield, Gideon M; Poupon, Raoul; Schramm, Christoph; Vincent, Catherine; Rust, Christian; Parés, Albert; Mason, Andrew; Marschall, Hanns-Ulrich; Shapiro, David; Adorini, Luciano; Sciacca, Cathi; Beecher-Jones, Tessa; Böhm, Olaf; Pencek, Richard; Jones, David

    2018-05-01

    Obeticholic acid (OCA), a potent farnesoid X receptor agonist, was studied as monotherapy in an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 study in patients with primary biliary cholangitis who were then followed for up to 6 years. The goals of the study were to assess the benefit of OCA in the absence of ursodeoxycholic acid, which is relevant for patients who are intolerant of ursodeoxycholic acid and at higher risk of disease progression. Patients were randomized and dosed with placebo (n = 23), OCA 10 mg (n = 20), or OCA 50 mg (n = 16) given as monotherapy once daily for 3 months (1 randomized patient withdrew prior to dosing). The primary endpoint was the percent change in alkaline phosphatase from baseline to the end of the double-blind phase of the study. Secondary and exploratory endpoints included change from baseline to month 3/early termination in markers of cholestasis, hepatocellular injury, and farnesoid X receptor activation. Efficacy and safety continue to be monitored through an ongoing 6-year open-label extension (N = 28). Alkaline phosphatase was reduced in both OCA groups (median% [Q1, Q3], OCA 10 mg -53.9% [-62.5, -29.3], OCA 50 mg -37.2% [-54.8, -24.6]) compared to placebo (-0.8% [-6.4, 8.7]; P OCA improved many secondary and exploratory endpoints (including γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, alanine aminotransferase, conjugated bilirubin, and immunoglobulin M). Pruritus was the most common adverse event; 15% (OCA 10 mg) and 38% (OCA 50 mg) discontinued due to pruritus. OCA monotherapy significantly improved alkaline phosphatase and other biochemical markers predictive of improved long-term clinical outcomes. Pruritus increased dose-dependently with OCA treatment. Biochemical improvements were observed through 6 years of open-label extension treatment. (Hepatology 2018;67:1890-1902). © 2017 The Authors. Hepatology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  2. Randomized controlled trial for assessment of Internet of Things system to guide intensive glucose control in diabetes outpatients : Nagoya Health Navigator Study protocol

    OpenAIRE

    Onoue, Takeshi; Goto, Motomitsu; Kobayashi, Tomoko; Tominaga, Takashi; Ando, Masahiko; Honda, Hiroyuki; Yoshida, Yasuko; Tosaki, Takahiro; Yokoi, Hisashi; Kato, Sawako; Maruyama, Shoichi; Arima, Hiroshi

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT The Internet of Things (IoT) allows collecting vast amounts of health-relevant data such as daily activity, body weight (BW), and blood pressure (BP) automatically. The use of IoT devices to monitor diabetic patients has been studied, but could not evaluate IoT-dependent effects because health data were not measured in control groups. This multicenter, open-label, randomized, parallel group study will compare the impact of intensive health guidance using IoT and conventional medical ...

  3. Labeled factor IX kinetics in patients with hemophilia-B

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, K.J.; Thompson, A.R.

    1981-01-01

    Labeled factor IX was infused five time into four patients with hemophilia-B. Ten-minute plasma recovery average 35% (SD +/- 2) and the mean T 1/2 beta-phase elimination was 23 hr (+/- 5). No alteration in the postinfusion 125I-factor-IX could be detected by radioautography of plasma samples run on polyacrylamide gels or on crossed-immunoelectrophoresis. Label was excreted into the urine as free 125I-iodide. Kinetics were similar when the labeled preparation was infused alone or with a commercial concentrate containing unlabeled factor IX. Infusion of factor IX in man is best described by a two-compartment open pharmacokinetic model where factor IX is distributed in a space larger than the plasma volume

  4. Automatic detection of adverse events to predict drug label changes using text and data mining techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurulingappa, Harsha; Toldo, Luca; Rajput, Abdul Mateen; Kors, Jan A; Taweel, Adel; Tayrouz, Yorki

    2013-11-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the impact of automatically detected adverse event signals from text and open-source data on the prediction of drug label changes. Open-source adverse effect data were collected from FAERS, Yellow Cards and SIDER databases. A shallow linguistic relation extraction system (JSRE) was applied for extraction of adverse effects from MEDLINE case reports. Statistical approach was applied on the extracted datasets for signal detection and subsequent prediction of label changes issued for 29 drugs by the UK Regulatory Authority in 2009. 76% of drug label changes were automatically predicted. Out of these, 6% of drug label changes were detected only by text mining. JSRE enabled precise identification of four adverse drug events from MEDLINE that were undetectable otherwise. Changes in drug labels can be predicted automatically using data and text mining techniques. Text mining technology is mature and well-placed to support the pharmacovigilance tasks. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. An open-label pilot study of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in the treatment of failed back surgery syndrome pain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harper WL

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Wayne L Harper,1 William K Schmidt,2 Nicole J Kubat,3 Richard A Isenberg41Tarheel Clinical Research, LLC, Raleigh, NC, USA; 2NorthStar Consulting, LLC, Davis, CA, USA; 3Nicole Kubat Consulting, Pasadena, CA, USA; 4Regenesis Biomedical, Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, USAAbstract: Persistent pain following back surgery remains a major treatment challenge. The primary objective of this open-label exploratory study was to investigate the analgesic effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy administered twice daily over a 45-day period in 34 subjects (68% female with persistent or recurrent pain following back surgery. A secondary goal was to guide the design of future randomized controlled trials that could target responsive subpopulations. All predefined primary and secondary outcomes, including change in pain intensity (PI, physical function (Oswestry Disability Index, analgesic consumption, and overall well-being (Patient Global Impression of Change, are reported. A responder analysis (≥30% reduction in PI versus baseline was added as a post hoc evaluation. Safety outcomes, as well as results of a cost-avoidance survey, are also summarized. Of the 30 per-protocol subjects who completed the study, 33% reported a clinically meaningful (≥30% reduction in PI. A higher response rate (60% was reported for subjects who had undergone discectomy prior to the trial compared to subjects who had undergone other types of surgical interventions (decompression or fusion without discectomy. Improvements in PI were paralleled by improvements in secondary outcomes. Relative to baseline, responders reported an average 44% and 55% reduction in back PI and leg PI (respectively, and an average 13% improvement in Oswestry Disability Index scores. In the per-protocol population, 50% of responders and 12% of nonresponders reported less analgesia consumption at the end of treatment versus baseline. Sixty-seven percent of per-protocol responders and 0% of

  6. Open-label administration of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate improves executive function impairments and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Thomas E; Brams, Matthew; Gao, Joseph; Gasior, Maria; Childress, Ann

    2010-09-01

    Executive function (EF) impairment in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may account for behavioral symptoms such as poor concentration, impaired working memory, problems in shifting among tasks, and prioritizing and planning complex sets of tasks or completing long-term projects at work or school. Poor self-regulation and control of emotional behaviors frequently are seen in patients with ADHD. This study assessed EF behaviors in adults with ADHD at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment with lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (LDX). Executive function behavior was assessed using the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Scale (BADDS) during the 4-week open-label dose-optimization phase prior to a 2-period, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of LDX (30-70 mg/day). The ADHD Rating Scale IV (ADHD-RS-IV) with adult prompts assessed ADHD symptoms. Change in EF behavioral symptoms was evaluated based on week 4 BADDS total and cluster scores; analyses of shifts from baseline among subjects with BADDS scores < 50, 50 to 59, 60 to 69, and ≥ 70; and scores less than or greater than baseline 90% confidence range (eg, reliably improved or worsened, respectively). Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were described. At week 4, BADDS total and cluster scores were reduced (ie, improved; all P < 0.0001 vs baseline [n = 127]). The ADHD-RS-IV with adult prompts scores also improved (all P < 0.0001 vs baseline). At week 4, 62.7% of subjects had a BADDS total score of < 50, and 78.9% were reliably improved; 1.4% were reliably worsened. Common TEAEs (≥ 5%) during the dose-optimization phase were decreased appetite (36.6%), dry mouth (30.3%), headache (19.7%), insomnia (18.3%), upper respiratory tract infection (9.9%), irritability (8.5%), nausea (7.7%), anxiety (5.6%), and feeling jittery (5.6%). Clinically optimized doses of LDX (30-70 mg/day) significantly improved EF behaviors in adults with ADHD. Treatment-emergent adverse events with LDX were

  7. Immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of 2 doses of an adjuvanted herpes zoster subunit vaccine administered 2, 6 or 12 months apart in older adults: Results of a phase III, randomized, open-label, multicenter study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lal, Himal; Poder, Airi; Campora, Laura; Geeraerts, Brecht; Oostvogels, Lidia; Vanden Abeele, Carline; Heineman, Thomas C

    2018-01-02

    In phase III trials, 2 doses of a herpes zoster (HZ) subunit vaccine (HZ/su; 50 µg varicella-zoster virus glycoprotein E [gE] and AS01 B Adjuvant System) administered 2-months apart in older adults (≥50 and ≥70 years) demonstrated >90% efficacy in preventing HZ and had a clinically acceptable safety profile. Here we report immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety following administration of 2 HZ/su doses at intervals longer than 2 months. In this Phase III, open-label trial conducted in the US and Estonia, 354 adults ≥50 years were randomized 1:1:1 to receive 2 HZ/su doses 2, 6, or 12 months apart. gE-specific humoral immune responses were evaluated at pre-vaccination, 1 and 12 months post-dose 2. Co-primary objectives were to compare immune responses to HZ/su 1 month post-dose 2 when given 6-months or 12-months apart to those administered 2-months apart. For each participant, safety information was collected from dose 1 to 12 months post-dose 2. 346 participants completed the study and 343 were included in the according-to-protocol cohort for immunogenicity. One month post-dose 2, vaccine response rates were 96.5% (97.5% confidence interval [CI]: 90.4; 99.2) and 94.5% (97.5% CI: 87.6; 98.3) for the 0, 6- and 0, 12-month schedules, respectively, both schedules meeting the pre-defined criterion. Non-inferiority of anti-gE geometric mean concentrations was demonstrated for HZ/su administered on 0, 6-month compared to a 0, 2-month schedule; however, HZ/su administered on a 0, 12-month schedule did not meet the non-inferiority criterion. Injection site pain was the most commonly reported solicited adverse event (AE). 26 participants each reported at least 1 serious AE; none were assessed as related to vaccination. Immune responses to HZ/su administered at 0, 6-month were non-inferior to those elicited by a 0, 2-month schedule. HZ/su exhibited a clinically acceptable safety profile for all dosing intervals. Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01751165

  8. Prospective, naturalistic study of open-label OROS methylphenidate treatment in Chinese school-aged children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    ZHENG Yi; GONG Mei-en; YIN Qing-yun; MAI Jian-ning; JING Jin; LUO Xiang-yang; MA Hong-wei; LI Hai-bo; XIE Ling; LI Yan; Kuang Gui-fang; WANG Yu-feng; YI Ming-ji; WANG Feng; ZHU Xiao-hua; YAO Yah-bin; QIN Jiong; WANG Li-wen; ZOU Li-ping; JIN Xing-ming; XU Tong; WANG Yi; QI Yuan-li

    2011-01-01

    Background Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders during childhood,characterized by the core symptoms of hyperactivity,impulsivity and inattention and puts great burden on children themselves,their families and the society.Osmotic release oral system methylphenidate (OROS-MPH) is a once-daily controlled-release formulation developed to overcome some of the limitations associated with immediate-release methylphenidate (IR-MPH).It has been marketed in China since 2005 but still lacks data from large-sample clinical trials on efficacy and safety profiles.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of OROS-MPH in children aged 6 to 16 years with ADHD under naturalistic clinical setting.Methods This 6-week,multi-center,prospective,open-label study enrolled 1447 ADHD children to once-daily OROS-MPH (18 mg,36 mg or 54 mg) treatment.The effectiveness measures were parent-rated Inattention and Overactivity With Aggression (IOWA) Conners I/O and O/D subscales,physician-rated CGI-I and parent-rated global efficacy assessment scale.Blood pressure,pulse rate measurement,adverse events (AEs) and concomitant medications and treatment review were conducted by the investigator and were served as safety measures.Results A total of 1447 children with ADHD (mean age (9.52±2.36) years) were enrolled in this trial.Totally 96.8%children received an OROS-MPH modal dose of 18 mg,3.1% with 36 mg and 0.1% with 54 mg at the endpoint of study.The parent IOWA Conners I/O score at the end of week 2 showed statistically significant (P <0.001) improvement with OROS-MPH (mean:6.95±2.71) versus the score at baseline (10.45±2.72).The change in the parent IOWA Conners O/D subscale,CGI-I and parent-rated global efficacy assessment scale also supported the superior efficacy for OROS-MPH treatment.Fewer than half of 1447 patients (511 (35.3%)) reported AEs,and the majority of the events reported were mild (68.2

  9. A randomized open-label comparative clinical study of effect of lifestyle modification and Shatapushpadya Churna on Agnimandya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deshmukh, Saylee; Vyas, Mahesh K; Dwivedi, R R; Vyas, Hitesh A

    2016-01-01

    Non-communicable diseases are expected to kill more people in the 21 st century which are the resultant of deranged lifestyle such as unhealthy dietary habits and wrong behavioral pattern. In Ayurveda, Ahara Vidhi (dietary rules) and Vihara (conducts) are described in detail which can be included under the heading of lifestyle. Agnimandya (indigestion) is considered as the root cause of all diseases like diabetes mellitus, obesity etc., which are few among the top ten lifestyle disorders. The present study is aimed at establishment of relationship between disturbances in lifestyle and Agnimandya and role of lifestyle modification in correcting the state of Agnimandya . The present study was carried out on 33 patients diagnosed with Agnimandya having disturbed lifestyle. Patients were divided into two groups with simple random sampling method. In Group A, lifestyle modification was advised with placebo capsules of wheat flour, while in Group B, patients were treated with 2 g of Shatapushpadya Churna for 2 weeks. Both the groups showed statistically highly significant results on majority of the symptoms of Agnimandya , however, Group A provided better effect than Group B. Lifestyle has definite role in the manifestation and treatment of Agnimandya .

  10. Bioequivalence of two film-coated tablets of imatinib mesylate 400 mg: a randomized, open-label, single-dose, fasting, two-period, two-sequence crossover comparison in healthy male South American volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parrillo-Campiglia, Susana; Ercoli, Mónica Cedres; Umpierrez, Ofelia; Rodríguez, Patricia; Márquez, Sara; Guarneri, Carolina; Estevez-Parrillo, Francisco T; Laurenz, Marilena; Estevez-Carrizo, Francisco E

    2009-10-01

    Imatinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been established as a highly effective therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. A new generic, once-daily 400-mg tablet of imatinib has been developed by a pharmaceutical company in Argentina, where the regulatory standard for marketing authorization of an imatinib generic is in vitro dissolution testing. The aim of this study was to assess the bioequivalence of a new generic film-coated test tablet formulation versus a film-coated reference tablet formulation of imatinib 400 mg. The local manufacturer seeks to validate the in vitro performance of this new formulation with a bioequivalence study. A randomized, open-label, single-dose, fasting, 2-period, 2-sequence crossover design with a 2-week washout period was used in this study. The study population consisted of healthy male South American (Uruguayan) volunteers, who were assigned in a 1:1 ratio to a randomized sequence (test-reference or reference-test). In each period, the test or reference formulation was administered after an overnight fast. During the 72-hour follow-up period, participants were monitored for vital signs and symptoms. Blood samples were collected at 15 time points, including baseline, until 72 hours. Physical examination and laboratory tests (blood, urine) were repeated 1 week after study completion. A noncompartmental model was used to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of imatinib. The 90% CIs of the test/reference ratios for AUC(0-infinity) and C(max) were determined; the test and reference formulations were considered bioequivalent if the 90% CIs were between 0.80 and 1.25. Adverse events were assessed by a nurse who administered a questionnaire while the healthy volunteers were admitted in the unit. The bioequivalence study was conducted in 30 Uruguayan male volunteers. Demographic characteristics (mean [SD]) included age, 27.8 (6.5) years; weight, 71.2 (9.8) kg; height, 1.71 (0.09) m; and body

  11. Multicenter, open-label, exploratory clinical trial with Rhodiola rosea extract in patients suffering from burnout symptoms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kasper S

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Siegfried Kasper,1 Angelika Dienel2 1Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Universität Wien, Wien, Austria; 2Dr Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG, Karlsruhe, Germany Purpose: This study is the first clinical trial aiming to explore the clinical outcomes in burnout patients treated with Rhodiola rosea. The reported capacity of R. rosea to strengthen the organism against stress and its good tolerability offer a promising approach in the treatment of stress-related burnout. The aim of the treatment was to increase stress resistance, thus addressing the source rather than the symptoms of the syndrome and preventing subsequent diseases associated with a history of burnout. The objective of the trial was to provide the exploratory data required for planning future randomized trials in burnout patients in order to investigate the clinical outcomes of treatment with R. rosea dry extract in this target group.Methods: The study was planned as an exploratory, open-label, multicenter, single-arm trial. A wide range of rating scales were assessed and evaluated in an exploratory data analysis to generate hypotheses regarding clinical courses and to provide a basis for the planning of subsequent studies. A total of 118 outpatients were enrolled. A daily dose of 400 mg R. rosea extract (WS® 1375, Rosalin was administered over 12 weeks. Clinical outcomes were assessed by the German version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Burnout Screening Scales I and II, Sheehan Disability Scale, Perceived Stress Questionnaire, Number Connection Test, Multidimensional Mood State Questionnaire, Numerical Analogue Scales for different stress symptoms and impairment of sexual life, Patient Sexual Function Questionnaire, and the Clinical Global Impression Scales. Results: The majority of the outcome measures showed clear improvement over time. Several parameters had already improved after 1 week of treatment and continued to improve further up to

  12. Aziridines in the synthesis of {sup 11}C- and {sup 18}F-labelled compounds

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gillings, N.M

    1998-07-01

    Racemic [4-{sup 11}C]aspartic acid, [4-{sup 11}C]asparagine and 2,4-diamino[4-{sup 11}C]butyric acid were synthesised by the ring-opening of an N-activated aziridine-2-carboxylate with [{sup 11}C]cyanide, followed by preparative HPLC and hydrolysis/reduction. These labelled amino acids arise from nucleophilic attack at the {beta}-carbon of the aziridine ring. A radioactive by-product of ca. 25% was attributed to the product of {alpha}-attack. Several N-activated 2-aryl aziridines were synthesised for the attempted synthesis of {beta}-[{sup 18}F] fluorophenylalanine and {beta}-[{sup 18}F]fluorodopa. Ring-opening with [{sup 18}F]fluoride showed no evidence of {beta}-fluorinated products and it is proposed that attack occurs exclusively at the {alpha}-carbon, giving the corresponding {alpha}-[{sup 18}F]fluoro-{beta}-amino acids. Further evidence for this was the reaction of the {beta}-unsubstituted N-activated aziridine-2-carboxylate with [{sup 18}F]fluoride. This reaction was totally regiospecific and afforded exclusively the {alpha}-substituted product, {alpha}-[{sup 18}F]fluoro-{beta}-alanine. Aziridine precursors were resolved by chiral HPLC. On labelling the chiral aziridines, however, racemic {sup 11}C- and {sup 18}F-labelled amino acids were obtained. This was attributed to racemisation of the initially formed ring-opened products. The use of [{sup 11}C]methyl lithium as a nucleophile for aziridine ring-opening was investigated. Reaction was expected to occur at low temperature, thus potentially avoiding racemisation. No products corresponding to aziridine ring-opening with [{sup 11}C]methyl lithium were, however, observed. A difluorinated analogue of amphetamine was synthesised by fluorination of an azirine (via an aziridine). This racemic compound was resolved as its chiral tartarate salts and subsequently labelled by methylation with [{sup 11}C]methyl iodide, giving the novel compound {beta}, {beta}-difluoro[N-methyl-{sup 11}C]methamphetamine in high

  13. Minimally invasive versus open distal pancreatectomy (LEOPARD): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Rooij, Thijs; van Hilst, Jony; Vogel, Jantien A; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C; de Boer, Marieke T; Boerma, Djamila; van den Boezem, Peter B; Bonsing, Bert A; Bosscha, Koop; Coene, Peter-Paul; Daams, Freek; van Dam, Ronald M; Dijkgraaf, Marcel G; van Eijck, Casper H; Festen, Sebastiaan; Gerhards, Michael F; Groot Koerkamp, Bas; Hagendoorn, Jeroen; van der Harst, Erwin; de Hingh, Ignace H; Dejong, Cees H; Kazemier, Geert; Klaase, Joost; de Kleine, Ruben H; van Laarhoven, Cornelis J; Lips, Daan J; Luyer, Misha D; Molenaar, I Quintus; Nieuwenhuijs, Vincent B; Patijn, Gijs A; Roos, Daphne; Scheepers, Joris J; van der Schelling, George P; Steenvoorde, Pascal; Swijnenburg, Rutger-Jan; Wijsman, Jan H; Abu Hilal, Moh'd; Busch, Olivier R; Besselink, Marc G

    2017-04-08

    Observational cohort studies have suggested that minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) is associated with better short-term outcomes compared with open distal pancreatectomy (ODP), such as less intraoperative blood loss, lower morbidity, shorter length of hospital stay, and reduced total costs. Confounding by indication has probably influenced these findings, given that case-matched studies failed to confirm the superiority of MIDP. This accentuates the need for multicenter randomized controlled trials, which are currently lacking. We hypothesize that time to functional recovery is shorter after MIDP compared with ODP even in an enhanced recovery setting. LEOPARD is a randomized controlled, parallel-group, patient-blinded, multicenter, superiority trial in all 17 centers of the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Group. A total of 102 patients with symptomatic benign, premalignant or malignant disease will be randomly allocated to undergo MIDP or ODP in an enhanced recovery setting. The primary outcome is time (days) to functional recovery, defined as all of the following: independently mobile at the preoperative level, sufficient pain control with oral medication alone, ability to maintain sufficient (i.e. >50%) daily required caloric intake, no intravenous fluid administration and no signs of infection. Secondary outcomes are operative and postoperative outcomes, including clinically relevant complications, mortality, quality of life and costs. The LEOPARD trial is designed to investigate whether MIDP reduces the time to functional recovery compared with ODP in an enhanced recovery setting. Dutch Trial Register, NTR5188 . Registered on 9 April 2015.

  14. Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine versus chloroquine to treat vivax malaria in Afghanistan: an open randomized, non-inferiority, trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Woodrow Charles J

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Afghanistan's national guidelines recommend chloroquine for the treatment of Plasmodium vivax infection, the parasite responsible for the majority of its malaria burden. Chloroquine resistance in P. vivax is emerging in Asia. Therapeutic responses across Afghanistan have not been evaluated in detail. Methods Between July 2007 and February 2009, an open-label, randomized controlled trial of chloroquine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in patients aged three months and over with slide-confirmed P. vivax mono-infections was conducted. Consistent with current national guidelines, primaquine was not administered. Subjects were followed up daily during the acute phase of illness (days 0-3 and weekly until day 56. The primary endpoint was the overall cumulative parasitological failure rate at day 56 after the start of treatment, with the hypothesis being that dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine was non-inferior compared to chloroquine (Δ = 5% difference in proportion of failures. Results Of 2,182 individuals with positive blood films for P. vivax, 536 were enrolled in the trial. The day 28 cure rate was 100% in both treatment groups. Parasite clearance was more rapid with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine than chloroquine. At day 56, there were more recurrent infections in the chloroquine arm (8.9%, 95% CI 6.0-13.1% than the dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine arm (2.8%, 95% CI 1.4-5.8%, a difference in cumulative recurrence rate of 6.1% (2-sided 90%CI +2.6 to +9.7%. The log-rank test comparing the survival curves confirmed the superiority of dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine over chloroquine (p = 0.003. Multivariate analysis showed that a lower initial haemoglobin concentration was also independently associated with recurrence. Both regimens were well tolerated and no serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions Chloroquine remains an efficacious treatment for the treatment of vivax malaria in Afghanistan. In a setting where radical

  15. Robotic Label Applicator: Design, Development and Visual Servoing Based Control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Chyi-Yeu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Use of robotic arms and computer vision in manufacture, and assembly process are getting more interest as flexible customization is becoming priority over mass production as frontier industry practice. In this paper an innovative label applicator as end of arm tooling (EOAT capable of dispensing and applying label stickers of various dimensions to a product is designed, fabricated and tested. The system incorporates a label dispenserapplicator and had eye-in-hand camera system, attached to 6-dof robot arm can autonomously apply a label sticker to the target position on a randomly placed product. Employing multiple advantages from different knowledge basis, mechanism design and vision based automatic control, offers this system distinctive efficiency as well as flexibility to change in manufacturing and assembly process with time and cost saving.

  16. Financial incentives for improving adherence to maintenance treatment in patients with psychotic disorders (Money for Medication): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noordraven, Ernst L; Wierdsma, André I; Blanken, Peter; Bloemendaal, Anthony F T; Staring, Anton B P; Mulder, Cornelis L

    2017-03-01

    Provision of financial incentives is a promising intervention for improving adherence in patients taking antipsychotic medication. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of this intervention for improving adherence to antipsychotic depot medication in patients with psychotic disorders, irrespective of their previous compliance. We did this multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial at three mental health-care institutions in secondary psychiatric care services in the Netherlands. Eligible patients were aged 18-65 years, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder, had been prescribed antipsychotic depot medication or had an indication to start using depot medication, and were participating in outpatient treatment. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1), via computer-generated randomisation with a block size of four, to receive 12 months of either treatment as usual plus a financial reward for each depot of medication received (€30 per month if fully compliant; intervention group) or treatment as usual alone (control group). Randomisation was stratified by treatment site and suspected prognostic factors: sex, comorbid substance-use disorder (absent vs present), and compliance with antipsychotic medication in the 4 months before baseline (taking antipsychotic medication. We did analysis by intention to treat. This trial is registered with the Nederlands Trial Register, number NTR2350. Between May 21, 2010, and Oct 15, 2014, we randomly assigned 169 patients to the intervention group (n=84) or the control group (n=85). Primary outcome data were available for 155 (92%) patients. At baseline, the mean MPR was 76·0% (SD 28·2%) in the intervention group versus 77·9% (28·5%) in the control group. At 12 months, the mean MPR was higher in the intervention group (94·3% [SD 11·3%]) than in the control group (80·3% [19·1%]), with an adjusted difference of 14·9% (95% CI 8·9-20·9%; pcontrol group (adjusted difference 6·5%, 95% CI 2·0

  17. Intralesional Mycobacterium w Vaccine Versus Cryotherapy in Treatment of Refractory Extragenital Warts: A Randomized, Open-Label, Comparative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhakar, Ashok K; Dogra, Sunil; Vinay, Keshavamurthy; Sarangal, Rishu; Kanwar, Amrinder J; Singh, Mini P

    2016-01-01

    Initial reports of immunotherapy using intralesional Mycobacterium w (Mw) vaccine have documented its useful role in treatment of genital and extragenital warts. To compare the efficacy and safety of intralesional Mw vaccine versus cryotherapy in the treatment of refractory extragenital warts. This was a prospective, randomized, comparative study of 66 patients. The outcome was assessed in terms of complete clearance of warts and change in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score. Complete clearance of treated warts was seen in 66.7% (20/30) and 65.5% (19/29) of patients in the Mw and cryotherapy groups, respectively (P = .769). Clearance of distant warts was significantly (P = .004) high in the Mw group. Improvement in DLQI was greater in the Mw group. Both treatment modalities were well tolerated, and no major side effects occurred. Mw vaccine and cryotherapy are equally efficacious in treatment of refractory extragenital warts. Mw vaccine has an added advantage of clearance of distant warts. © The Author(s) 2015.

  18. Robot-assisted remote echocardiographic examination and teleconsultation: a randomized comparison of time to diagnosis with standard of care referral approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boman, Kurt; Olofsson, Mona; Berggren, Peter; Sengupta, Partho P; Narula, Jagat

    2014-08-01

    The strategy using cardiological consultation in addition to the robot-assisted remote echocardiography at a distance was tested in a prospective, randomized open-label trial to evaluate its feasibility and to define its clinical value in a rural area. The present study involved 1 primary healthcare center in the north of Sweden, 135 miles from the hospital where the echocardiograms and the cardiology teleconsultation were performed long distance in real time. Nineteen patients were randomized to remote consultation and imaging, and 19 to the standard of care consultation. The total process time was significantly reduced in the former arm (median 114 days vs. 26.5 days; p healthcare center. Copyright © 2014 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Early weight bearing versus delayed weight bearing in medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lansdaal, Joris Radboud; Mouton, Tanguy; Wascher, Daniel Charles; Demey, Guillaume; Lustig, Sebastien; Neyret, Philippe; Servien, Elvire

    2017-12-01

    The need for a period of non-weight bearing after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy remains controversial. It is hypothesized that immediate weight bearing after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy would have no difference in functional scores at one year compared to delayed weight bearing. Fifty patients, median age 54 years (range 40-65), with medial compartment osteoarthritis, underwent a medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy utilizing a locking plate without bone grafting. Patients were randomized into an Immediate or a Delayed (2 months) weight bearing group. All patients were assessed at one-year follow-up and the two groups compared. The primary outcome measure was the IKS score. Secondary outcome measures included the IKDC score, the VAS pain score and rate of complications. The functional scores significantly improved in both groups. The IKS score increased from 142 ± 31 to 171 ± 26 in the Immediate group (p bearing after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy had no effect on functional scores at 1 year follow-up and did not significantly increase the complication rate. Immediate weight bearing after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy appears to be safe and can allow some patients a quicker return to activities of daily living and a decreased convalescence period. II.

  20. Safety and tolerability of varenicline tartrate (Champix(®)/Chantix(®)) for smoking cessation in HIV-infected subjects: a pilot open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Qu; Robinson, Linda; Elston, Dawn; Smaill, Fiona; Cohen, Jeffrey; Quan, Corinna; McFarland, Nancy; Thabane, Lehana; McIvor, Andrew; Zeidler, Johannes; Smieja, Marek

    2012-01-01

    The prevalence of smoking in HIV-infected subjects is high. As a smoking cessation aid, varenicline (Champix(®), Pfizer, Saint-Laurent, QC, Canada or Chantix(®), Pfizer, Mission, KS) has not been previously evaluated in HIV-infected smokers. In this multicenter pilot open label study, varenicline 1.0 mg was used twice daily for 12 weeks with dose titration in the first week. Adverse events (AEs) during the treatment period were recorded. Changes from baseline in laboratory tests, vital signs, daily cigarette consumption, nicotine dependence, and withdrawal were measured through week 24. Self-reported abstinence was validated by serum cotinine at week 12. We enrolled 36 subjects with a mean of 29 pack-years of smoking and a minimum of 4 cigarettes per day. All but 1 were male, 33 (92%) were white. The most frequently reported AEs were nausea (33%), abnormal dreams (31%), affect lability (19%), and insomnia (19%). Six (17%) subjects discontinued varenicline due to AEs. No grade 3/4 laboratory abnormalities or serious AEs occurred during the study. There was no significant change in HIV viral load. CD4 counts increased by 69 cells/mm3 (p = 0.001) at week 24. Serum cotinine-verified 4-week continuous abstinence rate through weeks 9-12 was 42% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 26-58%). AEs and abstinence rates were comparable to those in published randomized controlled trials conducted in generally healthy HIV-negative smokers. Varenicline was safe and appears effective among HIV-infected smokers in this exploratory study, although AEs were common. The most common AE was nausea, with no adverse effect on HIV treatment outcome. Close monitoring of liver enzymes and blood pressure is recommended for HIV-positive smokers taking varenicline.

  1. Safety and Tolerability of Varenicline Tartrate (Champix®/Chantix®) for Smoking Cessation in HIV-Infected Subjects: A Pilot Open-Label Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Linda; Elston, Dawn; Smaill, Fiona; Cohen, Jeffrey; Quan, Corinna; McFarland, Nancy; Thabane, Lehana; McIvor, Andrew; Zeidler, Johannes; Smieja, Marek

    2012-01-01

    Abstract The prevalence of smoking in HIV-infected subjects is high. As a smoking cessation aid, varenicline (Champix®, Pfizer, Saint-Laurent, QC, Canada or Chantix®, Pfizer, Mission, KS) has not been previously evaluated in HIV-infected smokers. In this multicenter pilot open label study, varenicline 1.0 mg was used twice daily for 12 weeks with dose titration in the first week. Adverse events (AEs) during the treatment period were recorded. Changes from baseline in laboratory tests, vital signs, daily cigarette consumption, nicotine dependence, and withdrawal were measured through week 24. Self-reported abstinence was validated by serum cotinine at week 12. We enrolled 36 subjects with a mean of 29 pack-years of smoking and a minimum of 4 cigarettes per day. All but 1 were male, 33 (92%) were white. The most frequently reported AEs were nausea (33%), abnormal dreams (31%), affect lability (19%), and insomnia (19%). Six (17%) subjects discontinued varenicline due to AEs. No grade 3/4 laboratory abnormalities or serious AEs occurred during the study. There was no significant change in HIV viral load. CD4 counts increased by 69 cells/mm3 (p=0.001) at week 24. Serum cotinine-verified 4-week continuous abstinence rate through weeks 9–12 was 42% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 26–58%). AEs and abstinence rates were comparable to those in published randomized controlled trials conducted in generally healthy HIV-negative smokers. Varenicline was safe and appears effective among HIV-infected smokers in this exploratory study, although AEs were common. The most common AE was nausea, with no adverse effect on HIV treatment outcome. Close monitoring of liver enzymes and blood pressure is recommended for HIV-positive smokers taking varenicline. PMID:22007690

  2. Effects of Lactobacillus salivarius-containing tablets on caries risk factors: a randomized open-label clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishihara, Tetsuyo; Suzuki, Nao; Yoneda, Masahiro; Hirofuji, Takao

    2014-09-02

    To evaluate the effects of the lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus salivarius on caries risk factors. The study was performed in 64 healthy volunteers to evaluate the effects of L. salivarius-containing tablets on caries risk factors. The participants were divided randomly into four groups, and took tablets containing L. salivarius WB21, L. salivarius TI 2711, Ovalgen® DC (antibody against glucosyltransferase from Streptococcus mutans), or xylitol. Levels of mutans streptococci and lactobacilli, amount of salivary flow, salivary pH, and salivary buffering capacity were assessed before and after taking the tablets. Subsequently, a short-term administration trial using L. salivarius WB21-containing tablets was performed in eight healthy volunteers. The participants took L. salivarius WB21-containing tablets (2.0 × 10(9) colony forming units/day) for 2 weeks, and the numbers of mutans streptococci in saliva were counted. The levels of mutans streptococci seemed to decrease in the L. salivarius WB21, TI 2711, and Ovalgen® DC groups compared to the xylitol group, with no significant differences between the groups. Lactobacilli levels significantly increased in the L. salivarius WB21 and TI 2711 groups compared to the other groups. Concerning salivary flow and salivary pH, no significant differences were observed between the groups. The salivary buffering capacity significantly increased in the L. salivarius TI 2711 group (P = 0.003) and Ovalgen® DC group (P = 0.002) compared to the xylitol group. The short-term administration trial showed that the L. salivarius WB21-containing tablets significantly decreased the number of mutans streptococci (P = 0.039). L. salivarius-containing tablets were suggested to increase resistance to caries risk factors. UMIN000013160 (registration date: February 14, 2014).

  3. Effect of Facial Cosmetic Acupuncture on Facial Elasticity: An Open-Label, Single-Arm Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Younghee Yun

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The use of acupuncture for cosmetic purposes has gained popularity worldwide. Facial cosmetic acupuncture (FCA is applied to the head, face, and neck. However, little evidence supports the efficacy and safety of FCA. We hypothesized that FCA affects facial elasticity by restoring resting mimetic muscle tone through the insertion of needles into the muscles of the head, face, and neck. Methods. This open-label, single-arm pilot study was implemented at Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong from August through September 2011. Participants were women aged 40 to 59 years with a Glogau photoaging scale III. Participants received five treatment sessions over three weeks. Participants were measured before and after FCA. The primary outcome was the Moire topography criteria. The secondary outcome was a patient-oriented self-assessment scale of facial elasticity. Results. Among 50 women screened, 28 were eligible and 27 completed the five FCA treatment sessions. A significant improvement after FCA treatment was evident according to mean change in Moire topography criteria (from 1.70 ± 0.724 to 2.26 ± 1.059, P<0.0001. The most common adverse event was mild bruising at the needle site. Conclusions. In this pilot study, FCA showed promising results as a therapy for facial elasticity. However, further large-scale trials with a controlled design and objective measurements are needed.

  4. Autologous Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Therapy for Autism: An Open Label Proof of Concept Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alok Sharma

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cellular therapy is an emerging therapeutic modality with a great potential for the treatment of autism. Recent findings show that the major underlying pathogenetic mechanisms of autism are hypoperfusion and immune alterations in the brain. So conceptually, cellular therapy which facilitates counteractive processes of improving perfusion by angiogenesis and balancing inflammation by immune regulation would exhibit beneficial clinical effects in patients with autism. This is an open label proof of concept study of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs intrathecal transplantation in 32 patients with autism followed by multidisciplinary therapies. All patients were followed up for 26 months (mean 12.7. Outcome measures used were ISAA, CGI, and FIM/Wee-FIM scales. Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET-CT scan recorded objective changes. Out of 32 patients, a total of 29 (91% patients improved on total ISAA scores and 20 patients (62% showed decreased severity on CGI-I. The difference between pre- and postscores was statistically significant (P<0.001 on Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test. On CGI-II 96% of patients showed global improvement. The efficacy was measured on CGI-III efficacy index. Few adverse events including seizures in three patients were controlled with medications. The encouraging results of this leading clinical study provide future directions for application of cellular therapy in autism.

  5. Energy momentum tensor and marginal deformations in open string field theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, Ashoke

    2004-01-01

    Marginal boundary deformations in a two dimensional conformal field theory correspond to a family of classical solutions of the equations of motion of open string field theory. In this paper we develop a systematic method for relating the parameter labelling the marginal boundary deformation in the conformal field theory to the parameter labelling the classical solution in open string field theory. This is done by first constructing the energy-momentum tensor associated with the classical solution in open string field theory using Noether method, and then comparing this to the answer obtained in the conformal field theory by analysing the boundary state. We also use this method to demonstrate that in open string field theory the tachyon lump solution on a circle of radius larger than one has vanishing pressure along the circle direction, as is expected for a co-dimension one D-brane. (author)

  6. Effects of risperidone on core symptoms of autistic disorder based on childhood autism rating scale: an open label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghaeli, Padideh; Nikvarz, Naemeh; Alaghband-Rad, Javad; Alimadadi, Abbas; Tehrani-Doost, Mehdi

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of risperidone in patients afflicted by autistic disorder especially with regards to its three core symptoms, including "relating to others", "communication skills", and "stereotyped behaviors" based on Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). An 8-week open-label study of risperidone for treatment of autistic disorder in children 4-17 years old was designed. Risperidone dose titration was as follow: 0.02 mg/kg/day at the first week, 0.04 mg/kg/day at the second week, and 0.06 mg/kg/day at the third week and thereafter. The outcome measures were scores obtained by CARS, Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), and Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale. Fifteen patients completed this study. After 8 weeks, CARS total score decreased significantly, (P=0.001). At the end of the study, social interactions and verbal communication skills of the patients were significantly improved (Pautistic disorder.

  7. Effectiveness of hydrogen rich water on antioxidant status of subjects with potential metabolic syndrome-an open label pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakao, Atsunori; Toyoda, Yoshiya; Sharma, Prachi; Evans, Malkanthi; Guthrie, Najla

    2010-03-01

    Metabolic syndrome is characterized by cardiometabolic risk factors that include obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Oxidative stress is known to play a major role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of hydrogen rich water (1.5-2 L/day) in an open label, 8-week study on 20 subjects with potential metabolic syndrome. Hydrogen rich water was produced, by placing a metallic magnesium stick into drinking water (hydrogen concentration; 0.55-0.65 mM), by the following chemical reaction; Mg + 2H(2)O --> Mg (OH)(2) + H(2). The consumption of hydrogen rich water for 8 weeks resulted in a 39% increase (pfasting glucose levels during the 8 week study. In conclusion, drinking hydrogen rich water represents a potentially novel therapeutic and preventive strategy for metabolic syndrome. The portable magnesium stick was a safe, easy and effective method of delivering hydrogen rich water for daily consumption by participants in the study.

  8. Nasal Jet-CPAP (variable flow) versus Bubble-CPAP in preterm infants with respiratory distress: an open label, randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhatti, A; Khan, J; Murki, S; Sundaram, V; Saini, S S; Kumar, P

    2015-11-01

    To compare the failure rates between Jet continuous positive airway pressure device (J-CPAP-variable flow) and Bubble continuous positive airway device (B-CPAP) in preterm infants with respiratory distress. Preterm newborns CPAP (a variable flow device) or B-CPAP (continuous flow device). A standardized protocol was followed for titration, weaning and removal of CPAP. Pressure was monitored close to the nares in both the devices every 6 hours and settings were adjusted to provide desired CPAP. The primary outcome was CPAP failure rate within 72 h of life. Secondary outcomes were CPAP failure within 7 days of life, need for surfactant post-randomization, time to CPAP failure, duration of CPAP and complications of prematurity. An intention to treat analysis was done. One-hundred seventy neonates were randomized, 80 to J-CPAP and 90 to B-CPAP. CPAP failure rates within 72 h were similar in infants who received J-CPAP and in those who received B-CPAP (29 versus 21%; relative risks 1.4 (0.8 to 2.3), P=0.25). Mean (95% confidence intervals) time to CPAP failure was 59 h (54 to 64) in the Jet CPAP group in comparison with 65 h (62 to 68) in the Bubble CPAP group (log rank P=0.19). All other secondary outcomes were similar between the two groups. In preterm infants with respiratory distress starting within 6 h of life, CPAP failure rates were similar with Jet CPAP and Bubble CPAP.

  9. An open-label extension long-term study of the safety and efficacy of aripiprazole for irritability in children and adolescents with autistic disorder in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichikawa, Hironobu; Hiratani, Michio; Yasuhara, Akihiro; Tsujii, Noa; Oshimo, Takashi; Ono, Hiroaki; Tadori, Yoshihiro

    2018-02-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of aripiprazole in treating irritability in pediatric patients (6-17 years) with autistic disorder (AD) in Japan. In this open-label extension study, patients who had completed a previous randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 8-week study were enrolled and were flexibly dosed with aripiprazole (1-15 mg/day) until the new indication of irritability in pediatric autism spectrum disorder was approved in Japan. Seventy (81%) out of 86 enrolled patients completed week-48 assessments. The mean duration of treatment was 694.9 days. The mean daily dose of aripiprazole over the treatment period was 7.2 mg and the mean of the final dose was 8.5 mg. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAE; ≥20%) included nasopharyngitis, somnolence, influenza, and increased weight. The majority of these TEAE were mild or moderate in severity, and there were no deaths, and no clinically relevant findings in laboratory values except prolactin decrease, vital signs, height, or ECG parameters. At week 48 (observed case), the mean change from baseline in the Irritability subscale score for the Aberrant Behavior Checklist Japanese Version was -6.3 in prior placebo patients and -2.6 in prior aripiprazole patients. Aripiprazole was generally safe, well tolerated, and effective in the long-term treatment of irritability associated with AD in Japanese pediatric patients. © 2017 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

  10. Induction of labour versus expectant monitoring for gestational hypertension or mild pre-eclampsia after 36 weeks' gestation (HYPITAT): a multicentre, open-label randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koopmans, Corine M; Bijlenga, Denise; Groen, Henk; Vijgen, Sylvia M C; Aarnoudse, Jan G; Bekedam, Dick J; van den Berg, Paul P; de Boer, Karin; Burggraaff, Jan M; Bloemenkamp, Kitty W M; Drogtrop, Addy P; Franx, Arie; de Groot, Christianne J M; Huisjes, Anjoke J M; Kwee, Anneke; van Loon, Aren J; Lub, Annemiek; Papatsonis, Dimitri N M; van der Post, Joris A M; Roumen, Frans J M E; Scheepers, Hubertina C J; Willekes, Christine; Mol, Ben W J; van Pampus, Maria G

    2009-09-19

    Robust evidence to direct management of pregnant women with mild hypertensive disease at term is scarce. We investigated whether induction of labour in women with a singleton pregnancy complicated by gestational hypertension or mild pre-eclampsia reduces severe maternal morbidity. We undertook a multicentre, parallel, open-label randomised controlled trial in six academic and 32 non-academic hospitals in the Netherlands between October, 2005, and March, 2008. We enrolled patients with a singleton pregnancy at 36-41 weeks' gestation, and who had gestational hypertension or mild pre-eclampsia. Participants were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio by block randomisation with a web-based application system to receive either induction of labour or expectant monitoring. Masking of intervention allocation was not possible. The primary outcome was a composite measure of poor maternal outcome--maternal mortality, maternal morbidity (eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, pulmonary oedema, thromboembolic disease, and placental abruption), progression to severe hypertension or proteinuria, and major post-partum haemorrhage (>1000 mL blood loss). Analysis was by intention to treat and treatment effect is presented as relative risk. This study is registered, number ISRCTN08132825. 756 patients were allocated to receive induction of labour (n=377 patients) or expectant monitoring (n=379). 397 patients refused randomisation but authorised use of their medical records. Of women who were randomised, 117 (31%) allocated to induction of labour developed poor maternal outcome compared with 166 (44%) allocated to expectant monitoring (relative risk 0.71, 95% CI 0.59-0.86, phypertensive disease beyond 37 weeks' gestation. ZonMw.

  11. Random Deep Belief Networks for Recognizing Emotions from Speech Signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Guihua; Li, Huihui; Huang, Jubing; Li, Danyang; Xun, Eryang

    2017-01-01

    Now the human emotions can be recognized from speech signals using machine learning methods; however, they are challenged by the lower recognition accuracies in real applications due to lack of the rich representation ability. Deep belief networks (DBN) can automatically discover the multiple levels of representations in speech signals. To make full of its advantages, this paper presents an ensemble of random deep belief networks (RDBN) method for speech emotion recognition. It firstly extracts the low level features of the input speech signal and then applies them to construct lots of random subspaces. Each random subspace is then provided for DBN to yield the higher level features as the input of the classifier to output an emotion label. All outputted emotion labels are then fused through the majority voting to decide the final emotion label for the input speech signal. The conducted experimental results on benchmark speech emotion databases show that RDBN has better accuracy than the compared methods for speech emotion recognition.

  12. Random Deep Belief Networks for Recognizing Emotions from Speech Signals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guihua Wen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Now the human emotions can be recognized from speech signals using machine learning methods; however, they are challenged by the lower recognition accuracies in real applications due to lack of the rich representation ability. Deep belief networks (DBN can automatically discover the multiple levels of representations in speech signals. To make full of its advantages, this paper presents an ensemble of random deep belief networks (RDBN method for speech emotion recognition. It firstly extracts the low level features of the input speech signal and then applies them to construct lots of random subspaces. Each random subspace is then provided for DBN to yield the higher level features as the input of the classifier to output an emotion label. All outputted emotion labels are then fused through the majority voting to decide the final emotion label for the input speech signal. The conducted experimental results on benchmark speech emotion databases show that RDBN has better accuracy than the compared methods for speech emotion recognition.

  13. Cannabis (medical marijuana) treatment for motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson disease: an open-label observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lotan, Itay; Treves, Therese A; Roditi, Yaniv; Djaldetti, Ruth

    2014-01-01

    The use of cannabis as a therapeutic agent for various medical conditions has been well documented. However, clinical trials in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) have yielded conflicting results. The aim of the present open-label observational study was to assess the clinical effect of cannabis on motor and non-motor symptoms of PD. Twenty-two patients with PD attending the motor disorder clinic of a tertiary medical center in 2011 to 2012 were evaluated at baseline and 30 minutes after smoking cannabis using the following battery: Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale, visual analog scale, present pain intensity scale, Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, as well as Medical Cannabis Survey National Drug and Alcohol Research Center Questionnaire. Mean (SD) total score on the motor Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale score improved significantly from 33.1 (13.8) at baseline to 23.2 (10.5) after cannabis consumption (t = 5.9; P effects of the drug were observed. The study suggests that cannabis might have a place in the therapeutic armamentarium of PD. Larger, controlled studies are needed to verify the results.

  14. Continuing weight-loss effect after topiramate discontinuation in obese persons with schizophrenia: a pilot open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, C-S; Yang, F-W; Huang, S-Y; Ho, P-S

    2014-07-01

    Few studies have investigated the likelihood of weight maintenance in obese persons with schizophrenia after their initial successful weight loss. This pilot open-label study examined the efficacy of topiramate in weight loss and the trajectory of weight changes after topiramate discontinuation. This study enrolled 10 obese persons with schizophrenia. A 4-month treatment phase was started, followed by a 12-month discontinuation phase. Body weight was measured as the primary outcome every month. Secondary outcomes included leptin levels, fasting glucose, lipid profiles, and insulin resistance index. After the 4-month addition of topiramate, participants lost 1.79 kg of their body weight (95% CI=-3.03 to -0.56, p=0.005). The maximum weight reduction was 4.32 kg, occurring when topiramate had been discontinued for 12 months (95% CI=-6.41 to -2.24, p<0.001). The continuing weight-loss effect after topiramate discontinuation might have resulted from topiramate's potential to improve leptin functioning. These findings demonstrate that topiramate's weight-loss effect could not only persist during its administration, but also continue to improve after its discontinuation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  15. Unblinded randomized control trial on prophylactic antibiotic use in gustilo II open tibia fractures at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ondari, Joshua Nyaribari; Masika, Moses Muia; Ombachi, Richard Bwana; Ating'a, John Ernest

    2016-10-01

    To determine the difference in infection rate between 24h versus five days of prophylactic antibiotic use in management of Gustilo II open tibia fractures. Unblinded randomized control trial. Accident and Emergency, orthopedic wards and outpatient clinics at Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH). The study involved patients aged 18-80 years admitted through accident and emergency department with Gustilo II traumatic open tibia fractures. Patients were randomized into either 24hour or five day group and antibiotics started for 24hours or five days after surgical debridement. The wounds were exposed and scored using ASEPSIS wound scoring system for infection after 48h, 5days and at 14days. The main outcomes of interest were presence of infection at days 2, 5 and 14 and effect of duration to antibiotic administration on infection rate. There was no significant difference in infection rates between 24-hour and 5-day groups with infection rates of 23% (9/40) vs. 19% (7/37) respectively (p=0.699). The infection rate was significantly associated with time lapsed before administration of antibiotics (p=0.004). In the use of prophylactic antibiotics for the management of Gustilo II traumatic open tibia fractures, there is no difference in infection rate between 24hours and five days regimen but time to antibiotic administration correlates with infection rate. Antibiotic use for 24hours only has proven adequate prophylaxis against infection. This is underlined in our study which we hope shall inform practice in our setting. A larger, more appropriately controlled study would be useful. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Effectiveness of one-year pharmacological treatment of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): an open-label prospective study of time in treatment, dose, side-effects and comorbidity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fredriksen, Mats; Dahl, Alv A; Martinsen, Egil W; Klungsøyr, Ole; Haavik, Jan; Peleikis, Dawn E

    2014-12-01

    How to generalize from randomized placebo controlled trials of ADHD drug treatment in adults to 'real-world' clinical practice is intriguing. This open-labeled prospective observational study examined the effectiveness of long-term stimulant and non-stimulant medication in adult ADHD including dose, side-effects and comorbidity in a clinical setting. A specialized ADHD outpatient clinic gave previously non-medicated adults (n=250) with ADHD methylphenidate as first-line drug according to current guidelines. Patients who were non-tolerant or experiencing low efficacy were switched to amphetamine or atomoxetine. Primary outcomes were changes of ADHD-symptoms evaluated with the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and overall severity by the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Secondary outcomes were measures of mental distress, and response on the Clinical-Global-Impressions-Improvement Scale. Data at baseline and follow-ups were compared in longitudinal mixed model analyses for time on-medication, dosage, comorbidity, and side-effects. As results, 232 patients (93%) completed examination at the 12 month endpoint, and 163 (70%) remained on medication. Compared with the patients who discontinued medication, those still on medication had greater percentage reduction in ASRS-scores (median 39%, versus 13%, Ptreatment with stimulants or atomoxetine was associated with a clinically significant reduction in ADHD symptoms and mental distress, and improvement of measured function. No serious adverse events were observed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

  17. Characteristics of quantum open systems: free random variables approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gudowska-Nowak, E.; Papp, G.; Brickmann, J.

    1998-01-01

    Random Matrix Theory provides an interesting tool for modelling a number of phenomena where noises (fluctuations) play a prominent role. Various applications range from the theory of mesoscopic systems in nuclear and atomic physics to biophysical models, like Hopfield-type models of neural networks and protein folding. Random Matrix Theory is also used to study dissipative systems with broken time-reversal invariance providing a setup for analysis of dynamic processes in condensed, disordered media. In the paper we use the Random Matrix Theory (RMT) within the formalism of Free Random Variables (alias Blue's functions), which allows to characterize spectral properties of non-Hermitean ''Hamiltonians''. The relevance of using the Blue's function method is discussed in connection with application of non-Hermitean operators in various problems of physical chemistry. (author)

  18. Ringer's lactate, but not hydroxyethyl starch, prolongs the food intolerance time after major abdominal surgery; an open-labelled clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yuhong; He, Rui; Ying, Xiaojiang; Hahn, Robert G

    2015-05-06

    The infusion of large amounts of Ringer's lactate prolongs the functional gastrointestinal recovery time and increases the number of complications after open abdominal surgery. We performed an open-labelled clinical trial to determine whether hydroxyethyl starch or Ringer's lactate exerts these adverse effects when the surgery is performed by laparoscopy. Eighty-eight patients scheduled for major abdominal cancer surgery (83% by laparoscopy) received a first-line fluid treatment with 9 ml/kg of either 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 (Voluven) or Ringer's lactate, just after induction of anaesthesia; this was followed by a second-line infusion with 12 ml/kg of either starch or Ringer's lactate over 1 hour. Further therapy was managed at the discretion of the attending anaesthetist. Outcome data consisted of postoperative gastrointestinal recovery time, complications and length of hospital stay. The order of the infusions had no impact on the outcome. Both the administration of ≥ 2 L of Ringer's lactate and the development of a surgical complication were associated with a longer time period of paralytic ileus and food intolerance (two-way ANOVA, P food intolerance time amounted to 2 days each. The infusion of ≥ 1 L of hydroxyethyl starch did not adversely affect gastrointestinal recovery. Ringer's lactate, but not hydroxyethyl starch, prolonged the gastrointestinal recovery time in patients undergoing laparoscopic cancer surgery. Surgical complications prolonged the hospital stay.

  19. Associating a product with a luxury brand label modulates neural reward processing and favors choices in materialistic individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Audrin, Catherine; Ceravolo, Leonardo; Chanal, Julien; Brosch, Tobias; Sander, David

    2017-11-23

    The present study investigated the extent to which luxury vs. non-luxury brand labels (i.e., extrinsic cues) randomly assigned to items and preferences for these items impact choice, and how this impact may be moderated by materialistic tendencies (i.e., individual characteristics). The main objective was to investigate the neural correlates of abovementioned effects using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Behavioural results showed that the more materialistic people are, the more they choose and like items labelled with luxury brands. Neuroimaging results revealed the implication of a neural network including the dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex that was modulated by the brand label and also by the participants' preference. Most importantly, items with randomly assigned luxurious brand labels were preferentially chosen by participants and triggered enhanced signal in the caudate nucleus. This effect increased linearly with materialistic tendencies. Our results highlight the impact of brand-item association, although random in our study, and materialism on preference, relying on subparts of the brain valuation system for the integration of extrinsic cues, preferences and individual characteristics.

  20. The Influence of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Health Warning Labels on Parents' Choices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberto, Christina A; Wong, Diandra; Musicus, Aviva; Hammond, David

    2016-02-01

    US states have introduced bills requiring sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to display health warning labels. This study examined how such labels may influence parents and which labels are most impactful. In this study, 2381 demographically and educationally diverse parents participated in an online survey. Parents were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 conditions: (1) no warning label (control); (2) calorie label; or (3-6) 1 of 4 text versions of a warning label (eg, Safety Warning: Drinking beverages with added sugar[s] contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay). Parents chose a beverage for their child in a vending machine choice task, rated perceptions of different beverages, and indicated interest in receiving beverage coupons. Regression analyses controlling for frequency of beverage purchases were used to compare the no warning label group, calorie label group, and all warning label groups combined. Significantly fewer parents chose an SSB for their child in the warning label condition (40%) versus the no label (60%) and calorie label conditions (53%). Parents in the warning label condition also chose significantly fewer SSB coupons, believed that SSBs were less healthy for their child, and were less likely to intend to purchase SSBs. All P values parents' understanding of health harms associated with overconsumption of such beverages and may reduce parents' purchase of SSBs for their children. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  1. Aripiprazole in the treatment of irritability in pediatric patients (aged 6-17 years) with autistic disorder: results from a 52-week, open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marcus, Ronald N; Owen, Randall; Manos, George; Mankoski, Raymond; Kamen, Lisa; McQuade, Robert D; Carson, William H; Corey-Lisle, Patricia K; Aman, Michael G

    2011-06-01

    To report the long-term efficacy of aripiprazole in the treatment of irritability in children and adolescents (ages 6-17 years) with autistic disorder. This was a 52-week, open-label, flexible-dose (2-15 mg/day) study of aripiprazole for the treatment of children and adolescents with irritability associated with autistic disorder. Eligible subjects were enrolled from two 8-week randomized trials or were enrolled as de novo subjects. "Prior aripiprazole" subjects had received treatment with aripiprazole for 8 weeks before entering this study. Evaluation of efficacy, a secondary objective after evaluation of safety and tolerability in this study, was conducted using the caregiver-rated Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Irritability subscale and the clinician-rated Clinical Global Impression-Improvement score. Three hundred thirty subjects received treatment (de novo, n = 86; prior aripiprazole, n = 174; prior placebo, n = 70) and 199 subjects (60.3%) completed 52 weeks of treatment. At their last study visit, 38.2% of subjects were receiving concomitant central nervous system medications (commonly antidepressants, 13.4%; psychostimulants, 11.5%; antiepileptics, 5.9%). At week 52 (observed cases data set), the mean change from baseline in Aberrant Behavior Checklist Irritability subscale scores was -8.0 in de novo subjects and -6.1 in prior placebo subjects; prior aripiprazole subjects maintained symptom improvement that was achieved with treatment in the prior study. At endpoint, the majority of subjects had a Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement score of 2 (much improved) or 1 (very much improved). Aripiprazole reduced symptoms of irritability associated with autistic disorder in pediatric subjects ages 6-17 years who were studied for up to 1 year.

  2. Open-label 24-week extension study of edaravone (MCI-186) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    We aimed to explore the longer-term efficacy and safety of edaravone in an active-treatment extension period following the double-blind period of the second phase III study. Patients who met all the following criteria (scores ≥2 points on all 12 items of the revised amyotrophic lateral sclerosis functional rating scale [ALSFRS-R], forced vital capacity ≥80%, definite or probable ALS, and disease duration ≤2 years) were randomised to 60 mg intravenous edaravone or placebo for six cycles in the double-blind period, and then offered the opportunity to proceed to this 24-week open-label extension period. One hundred and twenty-three of 137 patients continued to the extension period: 65 edaravone-edaravone (E-E group) and 58 placebo-edaravone (P-E group). Change (mean ± standard deviation; SD) in the ALSFRS-R score from baseline in the double-blind period was -4.1 ± 3.4 and -6.9 ± 5.1 in the E-E group and P-E group, respectively, while it was -8.0 ± 5.6 in the E-E group and -10.9 ± 6.9 in the P-E group over the whole 48-week period. The ALSFRS-R score changed almost linearly throughout Cycles 1-12 in the E-E group. The most commonly reported adverse events were constipation, dysphagia, and contusion. There was no sudden deterioration in the ALSFRS-R score of the E-E group. No safety concerns related to edaravone were detected.

  3. Apple juice improved behavioral but not cognitive symptoms in moderate-to-late stage Alzheimer's disease in an open-label pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Remington, Ruth; Chan, Amy; Lepore, Alicia; Kotlya, Elizabeth; Shea, Thomas B

    2010-06-01

    Preclinical studies demonstrate that apple juice exerts multiple beneficial effects including reduction of central nervous system oxidative damage, suppression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) hallmarks, improved cognitive performance, and organized synaptic signaling. Herein, we initiated an open-label clinical trial in which 21 institutionalized individuals with moderate-to-severe AD consumed 2 4-oz glasses of apple juice daily for 1 month. Participants demonstrated no change in the Dementia Rating Scale, and institutional caregivers reported no change in Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS)-Activities of Daily Living (ADL) in this brief study. However, caregivers reported an approximate 27% (P Inventory, with the largest changes in anxiety, agitation, and delusion. This pilot study suggests that apple juice may be a useful supplement, perhaps to augment pharmacological approaches, for attenuating the decline in mood that accompanies progression of AD, which may also reduce caregiver burden.

  4. pyOpenMS: a Python-based interface to the OpenMS mass-spectrometry algorithm library.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Röst, Hannes L; Schmitt, Uwe; Aebersold, Ruedi; Malmström, Lars

    2014-01-01

    pyOpenMS is an open-source, Python-based interface to the C++ OpenMS library, providing facile access to a feature-rich, open-source algorithm library for MS-based proteomics analysis. It contains Python bindings that allow raw access to the data structures and algorithms implemented in OpenMS, specifically those for file access (mzXML, mzML, TraML, mzIdentML among others), basic signal processing (smoothing, filtering, de-isotoping, and peak-picking) and complex data analysis (including label-free, SILAC, iTRAQ, and SWATH analysis tools). pyOpenMS thus allows fast prototyping and efficient workflow development in a fully interactive manner (using the interactive Python interpreter) and is also ideally suited for researchers not proficient in C++. In addition, our code to wrap a complex C++ library is completely open-source, allowing other projects to create similar bindings with ease. The pyOpenMS framework is freely available at https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pyopenms while the autowrap tool to create Cython code automatically is available at https://pypi.python.org/pypi/autowrap (both released under the 3-clause BSD licence). © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Rationale and study design of PROVHILO - a worldwide multicenter randomized controlled trial on protective ventilation during general anesthesia for open abdominal surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemmes, Sabrine N T; Severgnini, Paolo; Jaber, Samir; Canet, Jaume; Wrigge, Hermann; Hiesmayr, Michael; Tschernko, Edda M; Hollmann, Markus W; Binnekade, Jan M; Hedenstierna, Göran; Putensen, Christian; de Abreu, Marcelo Gama; Pelosi, Paolo; Schultz, Marcus J

    2011-05-06

    Post-operative pulmonary complications add to the morbidity and mortality of surgical patients, in particular after general anesthesia >2 hours for abdominal surgery. Whether a protective mechanical ventilation strategy with higher levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and repeated recruitment maneuvers; the "open lung strategy", protects against post-operative pulmonary complications is uncertain. The present study aims at comparing a protective mechanical ventilation strategy with a conventional mechanical ventilation strategy during general anesthesia for abdominal non-laparoscopic surgery. The PROtective Ventilation using HIgh versus LOw positive end-expiratory pressure ("PROVHILO") trial is a worldwide investigator-initiated multicenter randomized controlled two-arm study. Nine hundred patients scheduled for non-laparoscopic abdominal surgery at high or intermediate risk for post-operative pulmonary complications are randomized to mechanical ventilation with the level of PEEP at 12 cmH(2)O with recruitment maneuvers (the lung-protective strategy) or mechanical ventilation with the level of PEEP at maximum 2 cmH(2)O without recruitment maneuvers (the conventional strategy). The primary endpoint is any post-operative pulmonary complication. The PROVHILO trial is the first randomized controlled trial powered to investigate whether an open lung mechanical ventilation strategy in short-term mechanical ventilation prevents against postoperative pulmonary complications. ISRCTN: ISRCTN70332574.

  6. A Labeled Data Set For Flow-based Intrusion Detection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sperotto, Anna; Sadre, R.; van Vliet, Frank; Pras, Aiko; Nunzi, Giorgio; Scoglio, Caterina; Li, Xing

    2009-01-01

    Flow-based intrusion detection has recently become a promising security mechanism in high speed networks (1-10 Gbps). Despite the richness in contributions in this field, benchmarking of flow-based IDS is still an open issue. In this paper, we propose the first publicly available, labeled data set

  7. Phase II open label study of valproic acid in spinal muscular atrophy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kathryn J Swoboda

    Full Text Available Preliminary in vitro and in vivo studies with valproic acid (VPA in cell lines and patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA demonstrate increased expression of SMN, supporting the possibility of therapeutic benefit. We performed an open label trial of VPA in 42 subjects with SMA to assess safety and explore potential outcome measures to help guide design of future controlled clinical trials. Subjects included 2 SMA type I ages 2-3 years, 29 SMA type II ages 2-14 years and 11 type III ages 2-31 years, recruited from a natural history study. VPA was well-tolerated and without evident hepatotoxicity. Carnitine depletion was frequent and temporally associated with increased weakness in two subjects. Exploratory outcome measures included assessment of gross motor function via the modified Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale (MHFMS, electrophysiologic measures of innervation including maximum ulnar compound muscle action potential (CMAP amplitudes and motor unit number estimation (MUNE, body composition and bone density via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA, and quantitative blood SMN mRNA levels. Clear decline in motor function occurred in several subjects in association with weight gain; mean fat mass increased without a corresponding increase in lean mass. We observed an increased mean score on the MHFMS scale in 27 subjects with SMA type II (p

  8. Foliar absorption of 15N labeled urea by tea plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoshina, Tsuguo; Kozai, Shuji; Ishigaki, Kozo

    1978-01-01

    The effect of foliar application on the nitrogen nutrient status of tea shoots has been studied using 15 N labelled urea. Furthermore, the difference in nitrogen utilization by tea plant between foliar applied and top dressed nitrogen was investigated using 15 N labelled urea and ammonium sulfate. The foliar application of urea increased the amount of chlorophyll and total nitrogen in the new shoot, and the foliar application was more effective under shading condition. The urea sprayed upon old leaves prior to the opening of new leaf translocated to the new shoots. However, the foliar application after the opening of new leaf was more effective on nitrogen absorption by new shoots than one prior to that, and rather than top dressing for new shoots. It could be recognized that the foliar application of urea raises the nitrogen nutrient status of tea leaves in summer. (author)

  9. Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carhart-Harris, Robin L; Bolstridge, Mark; Rucker, James; Day, Camilla M J; Erritzoe, David; Kaelen, Mendel; Bloomfield, Michael; Rickard, James A; Forbes, Ben; Feilding, Amanda; Taylor, David; Pilling, Steve; Curran, Valerie H; Nutt, David J

    2016-07-01

    Psilocybin is a serotonin receptor agonist that occurs naturally in some mushroom species. Recent studies have assessed the therapeutic potential of psilocybin for various conditions, including end-of-life anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and smoking and alcohol dependence, with promising preliminary results. Here, we aimed to investigate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of psilocybin in patients with unipolar treatment-resistant depression. In this open-label feasibility trial, 12 patients (six men, six women) with moderate-to-severe, unipolar, treatment-resistant major depression received two oral doses of psilocybin (10 mg and 25 mg, 7 days apart) in a supportive setting. There was no control group. Psychological support was provided before, during, and after each session. The primary outcome measure for feasibility was patient-reported intensity of psilocybin's effects. Patients were monitored for adverse reactions during the dosing sessions and subsequent clinic and remote follow-up. Depressive symptoms were assessed with standard assessments from 1 week to 3 months after treatment, with the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms (QIDS) serving as the primary efficacy outcome. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, number ISRCTN14426797. Psilocybin's acute psychedelic effects typically became detectable 30-60 min after dosing, peaked 2-3 h after dosing, and subsided to negligible levels at least 6 h after dosing. Mean self-rated intensity (on a 0-1 scale) was 0·51 (SD 0·36) for the low-dose session and 0·75 (SD 0·27) for the high-dose session. Psilocybin was well tolerated by all of the patients, and no serious or unexpected adverse events occurred. The adverse reactions we noted were transient anxiety during drug onset (all patients), transient confusion or thought disorder (nine patients), mild and transient nausea (four patients), and transient headache (four patients). Relative to baseline, depressive symptoms were markedly reduced 1

  10. The fluorodediazonation - a method for n.c.a.-18F-labelling of aromatic substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zwernemann, O.

    1991-06-01

    For the positron emission tomography (PET) applications, radiopharmaceuticals are required that are labelled with short-lived positron emitters. Fluorine-18 has become the leading radionuclide used for PET, due to its favourable physical properties. However, the labelling of aromatic substances with fluorine-18 with the methods available presents problems not encountered with aliphatic compounds. The decomposition of aromatic diazonium salts opens up feasible ways of preparing a broad range of labelled compounds. The dissertation investigated the possibilities of labelling with fluorine-18 by way of dediazonation on the standard substrate p-Toluidyl diazonium ion. The results reported show that the method of fluorodediazonation is an interesting further method for F-18 labelling of aromatic substrates in addition to the hitherto applied techniques. It allows carrier-free labelling of a large group of substances which cannot be fluorinated via direct nucleophilicity. (BBR) [de

  11. Radioactive labeling of defined HPMA-based polymeric structures using [18F]FETos for in vivo imaging by positron emission tomography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herth, Matthias Manfred; Barz, Matthias; Moderegger, Dorothea

    2009-01-01

    and tyramine (3%) to form (18)F-labelable HPMA-polymer precursors. The labeling procedure of the phenolic tyramine moieties via the secondary labeling synthon 2-[(18)F]fluoroethyl-1-tosylate ([(18)F]FETos) provided radiochemical fluoroalkylation yields of ∼80% for block copolymers and >50% for random polymer...

  12. Effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the cytoskeleton: an open-label intervention study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Simone; Willers, Janina; Riecker, Sabine; Möller, Katharina; Schuchardt, Jan Philipp; Hahn, Andreas

    2015-02-14

    Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) show beneficial effects on cardiovascular health and cognitive functions, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not completely understood. Because of the fact that cytoskeleton dynamics affect almost every cellular process, the regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics could be a new pathway by which n-3 PUFAs exert their effects on cellular level. A 12-week open-label intervention study with 12 healthy men was conducted to determine the effects of 2.7 g/d n-3 PUFA on changes in mRNA expression of cytoskeleton-associated genes by quantitative real-time PCR in whole blood. Furthermore, the actin content in red blood cells was analyzed by immunofluorescence imaging. N-3 PUFA supplementation resulted in a significant down-regulation of cytoskeleton-associated genes, in particular three GTPases (RAC1, RHOA, CDC42), three kinases (ROCK1, PAK2, LIMK), two Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome proteins (WASL, WASF2) as well as actin related protein 2/3 complex (ARPC2, ARPC3) and cofilin (CFL1). Variability in F-actin content between subjects was high; reduced actin content was only reduced within group evaluation. Reduced cytoskeleton-associated gene expression after n-3 PUFA supplementation suggests that regulation of cytoskeleton dynamics might be an additional way by which n-3 PUFAs exert their cellular effects. Concerning F-actin, this analysis did not reveal unmistakable results impeding a generalized conclusion.

  13. Looking at the label and beyond: the effects of calorie labels, health consciousness, and demographics on caloric intake in restaurants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellison, Brenna; Lusk, Jayson L; Davis, David

    2013-02-08

    Recent legislation has required calorie labels on restaurant menus as a means of improving Americans' health. Despite the growing research in this area, no consensus has been reached on the effectiveness of menu labels. This suggests the possibility of heterogeneity in responses to caloric labels across people with different attitudes and demographics. The purpose of this study was to explore the potential relationships between caloric intake and diners' socio-economic characteristics and attitudes in a restaurant field experiment that systematically varied the caloric information printed on the menus. We conducted a field experiment in a full service restaurant where patrons were randomly assigned to one of three menu treatments which varied the amount of caloric information printed on the menus (none, numeric, or symbolic calorie label). At the conclusion of their meals, diners were asked to complete a brief survey regarding their socio-economic characteristics, attitudes, and meal selections. Using regression analysis, we estimated the number of entrée and extra calories ordered by diners as a function of demographic and attitudinal variables. Additionally, irrespective of the menu treatment to which a subject was assigned, our study identified which types of people are likely to be low-, medium-, and high-calorie diners. Results showed that calorie labels have the greatest impact on those who are least health conscious. Additionally, using a symbolic calorie label can further reduce the caloric intake of even the most health conscious patrons. Finally, calorie labels were more likely to influence the selection of the main entrée as opposed to supplemental items such as drinks and desserts. If numeric calorie labels are implemented (as currently proposed), they are most likely to influence consumers who are less health conscious - probably one of the key targets of this legislation. Unfortunately, numeric labels did little for those consumers who were already

  14. SESOTHO trial ("Switch Either near Suppression Or THOusand") - switch to second-line versus WHO-guided standard of care for unsuppressed patients on first-line ART with viremia below 1000 copies/mL: protocol of a multicenter, parallel-group, open-label, randomized clinical trial in Lesotho, Southern Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amstutz, Alain; Nsakala, Bienvenu Lengo; Vanobberghen, Fiona; Muhairwe, Josephine; Glass, Tracy Renée; Achieng, Beatrice; Sepeka, Mamorena; Tlali, Katleho; Sao, Lebohang; Thin, Kyaw; Klimkait, Thomas; Battegay, Manuel; Labhardt, Niklaus Daniel

    2018-02-12

    The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends viral load (VL) measurement as the preferred monitoring strategy for HIV-infected individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource-limited settings. The new WHO guidelines 2016 continue to define virologic failure as two consecutive VL ≥1000 copies/mL (at least 3 months apart) despite good adherence, triggering switch to second-line therapy. However, the threshold of 1000 copies/mL for defining virologic failure is based on low-quality evidence. Observational studies have shown that individuals with low-level viremia (measurable but below 1000 copies/mL) are at increased risk for accumulation of resistance mutations and subsequent virologic failure. The SESOTHO trial assesses a lower threshold for switch to second-line ART in patients with sustained unsuppressed VL. In this multicenter, parallel-group, open-label, randomized controlled trial conducted in Lesotho, patients on first-line ART with two consecutive unsuppressed VL measurements ≥100 copies/mL, where the second VL is between 100 and 999 copies/mL, will either be switched to second-line ART immediately (intervention group) or not be switched (standard of care, according to WHO guidelines). The primary endpoint is viral resuppression (VL < 50 copies/mL) 9 months after randomization. We will enrol 80 patients, giving us 90% power to detect a difference of 35% in viral resuppression between the groups (assuming two-sided 5% alpha error). For our primary analysis, we will use a modified intention-to-treat set, with those lost to care, death, or crossed over considered failure to resuppress, and using logistic regression models adjusted for the prespecified stratification variables. The SESOTHO trial challenges the current WHO guidelines, assessing an alternative, lower VL threshold for patients with unsuppressed VL on first-line ART. This trial will provide data to inform future WHO guidelines on VL thresholds to recommend switch to second-line ART

  15. Placentography with technetium-99m labelled RBC - an evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jayachandran, C.A.; Benjamin, C.S.; Balakrishnan; Narasimhan

    1983-01-01

    During 1979-80, placentography was performed in 40 cases of pregnant women with third trimester bleeding. Random labelled RBC with sup(99m)Tc of activity 2-3 mci was used, depending upon the weight of the patient. In 98% of cases, the isotope finding was confirmed. (author)

  16. Synthesis of a fluorine-18 labeled hypoxic cell sensitizer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jerabek, P.A.; Dischino, D.D.; Kilbourn, M.R.; Welch, M.J.

    1984-01-01

    The objective of this work was to synthesize a positron emitting radiosensitizing agent as a potential in vivo marker of hypoxic regions within tumors, and ischemic areas of the heart and brain. The method involved radiochemical synthesis of fluorine-18 labeled 1-(2-nitro-imidazolyl)-3-fluoro-2-propanol via nucleophilic ring opening of 1-(2,3-epoxypropyl)2-nitro-imidzole by fluorine-18 labeled tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF). Fluroine-18 TBAF was prepared by the exchange reaction of TBAF with aqueous flourine-18 produced by proton bombardment of enriched oxygen-18 water. The aqueous solution was evaporated carefully by azeotropic distillation with acetonitrile. The fluorine-18 labeled TBAF was taken up in N,N-dimethylacetamide or dimethysulfoxide, then reacted with the episode at 60C for 30 minutes. Separation and identification of the fluorine-18 labeled products by high performance liquid chromatography showed a radioactive peak with a retention time identical to that of 1-(2-nitro-1-imidazolyl)-3-fluoro-2-propanol and a second radioactive peak with a retention time three minutes longer in addition to unreacted fluorine-18 labeled TBAF. The second radioactive peak may represent fluorine-18 labeled 1-2-nitro-1-imidazolyl)-2-fluoro-3-propanol. The average radiochemical yield from reactions run in N,N-dimethylacetamide using 20 micromoles of TBAF and 1-2 mg of the epoxide was l7% in a synthesis time of about 40 minutes. The synthesis of fluorohydrins by the reaction of fluorine-18 labeled TBAF on epoxides represents a new method for the preparation of fluorine-18 labeled fluorohydrins

  17. Safety and efficacy of diaphragm pacing in patients with respiratory insufficiency due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (DiPALS): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-09-01

    Non-invasive ventilation is part of the standard of care for treatment of respiratory failure in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The NeuRx RA/4 Diaphragm Pacing System has received Humanitarian Device Exemption approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of respiratory failure in patients with ALS. We aimed to establish the safety and efficacy of diaphragm pacing with this system in patients with respiratory muscle weakness due to ALS. We undertook a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial at seven specialist ALS and respiratory centres in the UK. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older with laboratory supported probable, clinically probable, or clinically definite ALS; stable riluzole treatment for at least 30 days; and respiratory insufficiency. We randomly assigned participants (1:1), via a centralised web-based randomisation system with minimisation that balanced patients for age, sex, forced vital capacity, and bulbar function, to receive either non-invasive ventilation plus pacing with the NeuRx RA/4 Diaphragm Pacing System or non-invasive ventilation alone. Patients, carers, and outcome assessors were not masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was overall survival, defined as the time from randomisation to death from any cause. Analysis was by intention to treat. This trial is registered, ISRCTN number 53817913. Between Dec 5, 2011, and Dec 18, 2013, we randomly assigned 74 participants to receive either non-invasive ventilation alone (n=37) or non-invasive ventilation plus diaphragm pacing (n=37). On Dec 18, 2013, the Data Monitoring and Ethics Committee (DMEC) recommended suspension of recruitment on the basis of overall survival figures. Randomly assigned participants continued as per the study protocol until June 23, 2014, when the DMEC advised discontinuation of pacing in all patients. Follow-up assessments continued until the planned end of the study in December, 2014. Survival

  18. The Effects of Symptom Recognition and Diagnostic Labels on Public Beliefs, Emotional Reactions, and Stigmas Associated with Intellectual Disability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scior, Katrina; Connolly, Theresa; Williams, Janice

    2013-01-01

    Labels are firmly rejected by the disability rights movement, yet the complex effects of labeling on lay beliefs are poorly understood. This study examined the effects of labeling on the general public's reactions to people with intellectual disabilities. A sample of 1,233 adult members of the UK general population were randomly presented with…

  19. Integrated MRSA-Management (IMM with prolonged decolonization treatment after hospital discharge is effective: a single centre, non-randomised open-label trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bernhard Jahn

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Guidelines for the control of hospital-acquired MRSA include decolonization measures to end MRSA carrier status in colonized and infected patients. Successful decolonization typically requires up to 22 days of treatment, which is longer than the average hospital length of stay (LOS. Incomplete decolonization is therefore common, with long-term MRSA carriage as a consequence. To overcome this, we developed an integrated MRSA Management (IMM by extending MRSA decolonization to the outpatient and domestic setting. The protocol makes use of polyhexanide-based products, in view of reported qac-mediated resistance to chlorhexidine in S. aureus and MRSA. Methods This is a prospective, single centre, controlled, non-randomized, open-label study to evaluate the efficiency of the IMM concept. The outcome of guideline-approved decolonization during hospital stay only (control group; n = 201 was compared to the outcome following IMM treatment whereby decolonization was continued after discharge in the domestic setting or in a long-term care facility (study group; n = 99. As a secondary outcome, the effect of MRSA-status of skin alterations was assessed. Results The overall decolonization rate was 47 % in the IMM patient group compared to 12 % in the control group (p  0.05. For patients with skin alterations (e.g. wounds and entry sites, decolonization success was 50 % if the skin alterations were MRSA-negative at baseline, compared to 22 % success for patients entering the study with MRSA-positive skin alterations (p < 0.01. Conclusions The IMM strategy offers an MRSA decolonization protocol that is feasible in the domestic setting and is equally effective compared with inpatient decolonization treatment when hospital LOS is long enough to complete the treatment. Moreover, for patients with average LOS, decolonization rates obtained with IMM are significantly higher than for in-hospital treatment. IMM is a promising

  20. Efficacy of the Ubiquitous Spaced Retrieval-based Memory Advancement and Rehabilitation Training (USMART) program among patients with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled crossover trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Ji Won; Son, Kyung Lak; Byun, Hye Jin; Ko, Ji Won; Kim, Kayoung; Hong, Jong Woo; Kim, Tae Hyun; Kim, Ki Woong

    2017-06-06

    Spaced retrieval training (SRT) is a nonpharmacological intervention for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia that trains the learning and retention of target information by recalling it over increasingly long intervals. We recently developed the Ubiquitous Spaced Retrieval-based Memory Advancement and Rehabilitation Training (USMART) program as a convenient, self-administered tablet-based SRT program. We also demonstrated the utility of USMART for improving memory in individuals with MCI through an open-label uncontrolled trial. This study had an open-label, single-blind, randomized, controlled, two-period crossover design. Fifty patients with MCI were randomized into USMART-usual care and usual care-USMART treatment sequences. USMART was completed or usual care was provided biweekly over a 4-week treatment period with a 2-week washout period between treatment periods. Primary outcome measures included the Word List Memory Test, Word List Recall Test (WLRT), and Word List Recognition Test. Outcomes were measured at baseline, week 5, and week 11 by raters who were blinded to intervention type. An intention-to-treat analysis and linear mixed modeling were used. Of 50 randomized participants, 41 completed the study (18% dropout rate). The USMART group had larger improvements in WLRT score (effect size = 0.49, p = 0.031) than the usual care group. There were no significant differences in other primary or secondary measures between the USMART and usual care groups. Moreover, no USMART-related adverse events were reported. The 4-week USMART modestly improved information retrieval in older people with MCI, and was well accepted with minimal technical support. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01688128 . Registered 12 September 2012.

  1. The efficacy of reboxetine in the treatment-refractory patients with panic disorder: an open label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dannon, P N; Iancu, I; Grunhaus, L

    2002-10-01

    Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are currently the first-line treatment for panic disorder, although up to 30% of patients either do not respond to SSRIs or withdraw due to adverse events. Reboxetine, a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (selective NRI), is effective in treating depression and may alleviate depression-related anxiety. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of reboxetine in the treatment of patients with panic disorder who did not respond to SSRIs. In this 6-week, open-label study, 29 adult outpatients with panic disorder who had previously failed to respond to SSRI treatment received reboxetine 2 mg/day, titrated to a maximum of 8 mg/day over the first 10 days. Efficacy was assessed using the Panic Self-Questionnaire (PSQ), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A), the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale. The 24 patients who completed the study responded well to reboxetine treatment. Significant improvement (p < 0.001) was observed in the number of daily panic attacks, and on the scales measuring anxiety, depression and functioning. Reboxetine was generally well tolerated. Five patients withdrew due to adverse events. Reboxetine appears to be effective in the treatment of SSRI-refractory panic disorder patients and warrants further clinical investigation. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Use of Vitex agnus-castus in migrainous women with premenstrual syndrome: an open-label clinical observation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambrosini, Anna; Di Lorenzo, Cherubino; Coppola, Gianluca; Pierelli, Francesco

    2013-03-01

    Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects most women during their reproductive life. Headache is regarded as a typical symptom of PMS and, close to menses, migrainous women could experience their worst migraine attacks. Vitex agnus-castus (VAC) is a phytopharmaceutical compound, considered worldwide to be a valid tool to treat PMS. Aim of this study is to explore if headache is ameliorate in migrainous women treated with VAC for PMS by an open-label clinical observation. Migrainous women with PMS were enrolled in the study and advised to assume a treatment with VAC (40 mg/day) for PMS for a 3-month period. Effects both on PMS and headache were assessed. Out of 107 women, 100 completed the 3-month treatment for PMS. Out of them, 66 women reported a dramatic reduction of PMS symptoms, 26 a mild reduction, and 8 no effect. Concerning migraine, 42 % of patients experienced a reduction higher than 50 % in frequency of monthly attacks, and 57 % of patients experienced a reduction higher than 50 % in monthly days with headache. No patients reported remarkable side effects. Pending a placebo-controlled trial to confirm our results, we observed that the use of VAC in migrainous women affected by PMS resulted to be safe and well tolerated, and may positively influence the frequency and duration of migraine attacks.

  3. Normothermic versus hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass in children undergoing open heart surgery (thermic-2): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baos, Sarah; Sheehan, Karen; Culliford, Lucy; Pike, Katie; Ellis, Lucy; Parry, Andrew J; Stoica, Serban; Ghorbel, Mohamed T; Caputo, Massimo; Rogers, Chris A

    2015-05-25

    During open heart surgery, patients are connected to a heart-lung bypass machine that pumps blood around the body ("perfusion") while the heart is stopped. Typically the blood is cooled during this procedure ("hypothermia") and warmed to normal body temperature once the operation has been completed. The main rationale for "whole body cooling" is to protect organs such as the brain, kidneys, lungs, and heart from injury during bypass by reducing the body's metabolic rate and decreasing oxygen consumption. However, hypothermic perfusion also has disadvantages that can contribute toward an extended postoperative hospital stay. Research in adults and small randomized controlled trials in children suggest some benefits to keeping the blood at normal body temperature throughout surgery ("normothermia"). However, the two techniques have not been extensively compared in children. The Thermic-2 study will test the hypothesis that the whole body inflammatory response to the nonphysiological bypass and its detrimental effects on different organ functions may be attenuated by maintaining the body at 35°C-37°C (normothermic) rather than 28°C (hypothermic) during pediatric complex open heart surgery. This is a single-center, randomized controlled trial comparing the effectiveness and acceptability of normothermic versus hypothermic bypass in 141 children with congenital heart disease undergoing open heart surgery. Children having scheduled surgery to repair a heart defect not requiring deep hypothermic circulatory arrest represent the target study population. The co-primary clinical outcomes are duration of inotropic support, intubation time, and postoperative hospital stay. Secondary outcomes are in-hospital mortality and morbidity, blood loss and transfusion requirements, pre- and post-operative echocardiographic findings, routine blood gas and blood test results, renal function, cerebral function, regional oxygen saturation of blood in the cerebral cortex, assessment of

  4. The Effects of Food Labelling on Postexercise Energy Intake in Sedentary Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lafrenière, Jacynthe; McNeil, Jessica; Provencher, Véronique; Doucet, Éric

    2017-01-01

    Food labelling has been previously reported to influence energy intake (EI). Whether food labels influence postexercise EI remains to be determined. We assessed how food labelling and exercise (Ex) interact to influence food perception and postexercise EI. In this randomized crossover design, 14 inactive women participated in 4 experimental conditions: Ex (300 kcal at 70% of VO 2peak ) and lunch labelled as low in fat (LF), Ex and lunch labelled as high in fat (HF), Rest and LF, and Rest and HF. The lunch was composed of a plate of pasta, yogurt, and oatmeal cookies, which had the same nutritional composition across the 4 experimental conditions. EI at lunch and for the 48-hour period covering the testing day and the following day was assessed. Furthermore, perceived healthiness of the meal and appetite ratings were evaluated. There were no effects of exercise and food labelling on EI. However, meals labelled as LF were perceived as heathier, and this label was associated with higher prospective food consumption. Initial beliefs about food items had a stronger effect on healthiness perception than the different food labels and explain the positive correlation with the amount of food consumed ( ρ = 0.34, P < 0.001).

  5. Optimal induced universal graphs and adjacency labeling for trees

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alstrup, Stephen; Dahlgaard, Søren; Knudsen, Mathias Bæk Tejs

    2015-01-01

    bound. The lower bound and previously best upper bounds were presented in Alstrup and Rauhe (FOCS'02). Our upper bounds are obtained through a log2 n + O(1) labeling scheme for adjacency queries in forests. We hereby solve an open problem being raised repeatedly over decades, e.g. in Kannan, Naor...

  6. The influence of calorie and physical activity labelling on snack and beverage choices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masic, U; Christiansen, P; Boyland, E J

    2017-05-01

    Much research suggests nutrition labelling does not influence lower energy food choice. This study aimed to assess the impact of physical activity based and kilocalorie (Kcal) based labels on the energy content of snack food and beverage choices made. An independent-groups design, utilizing an online questionnaire platform tested 458 UK adults (87 men), aged 18-64 years (mean: 30 years) whose BMI ranged from 16 to 41 kg/m 2 (mean: 24 kg/m 2 ). Participants were randomized to one of four label information conditions (no label, Kcal label, physical activity label [duration of walking required to burn the Kcal in the product], Kcal and physical activity label) and were asked to choose from higher and lower energy options for a series of items. Label condition significantly affected low vs. high-energy product selection of snack foods (p snack and beverage choices than the Kcal label condition (p snack food and beverage items, when compared with no information or Kcal information. These findings could inform the debate around potential legislative policies to facilitate healthier nutritional choices at a population level. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy in pediatric patients enrolled in a prospective, open-label clinical study with cannabidiol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Evan C; Louik, Jay; Conway, Erin; Devinsky, Orrin; Friedman, Daniel

    2017-08-01

    Recent clinical trials indicate that cannabidiol (CBD) may reduce seizure frequency in pediatric patients with certain forms of treatment-resistant epilepsy. Many of these patients experience significant impairments in quality of life (QOL) in physical, mental, and social dimensions of health. In this study, we measured the caregiver-reported Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) in a subset of patients enrolled in a prospective, open-label clinical study of CBD. Results from caregivers of 48 patients indicated an 8.2 ± 9.9-point improvement in overall patient QOLCE (p < 0.001) following 12 weeks of CBD. Subscores with improvement included energy/fatigue, memory, control/helplessness, other cognitive functions, social interactions, behavior, and global QOL. These differences were not correlated to changes in seizure frequency or adverse events. The results suggest that CBD may have beneficial effects on patient QOL, distinct from its seizure-reducing effects; however, further studies in placebo-controlled, double-blind trials are necessary to confirm this finding. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 International League Against Epilepsy.

  8. Long-term treatment of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with nintedanib: results from the TOMORROW trial and its open-label extension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richeldi, Luca; Kreuter, Michael; Selman, Moisés; Crestani, Bruno; Kirsten, Anne-Marie; Wuyts, Wim A; Xu, Zuojun; Bernois, Katell; Stowasser, Susanne; Quaresma, Manuel; Costabel, Ulrich

    2017-10-09

    The TOMORROW trial of nintedanib comprised a randomised, placebo-controlled, 52-week period followed by a further blinded treatment period and an open-label extension. We assessed outcomes across these periods in patients randomised to nintedanib 150 mg twice daily or placebo at the start of TOMORROW. The annual rate of decline in FVC was -125.4 mL/year (95% CI -168.1 to -82.7) in the nintedanib group and -189.7 mL/year (95% CI -229.8 to -149.6) in the comparator group. The adverse event profile of nintedanib remained consistent throughout the studies. These results support a benefit of nintedanib on slowing progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis beyond 52 weeks. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  9. Open versus laparoscopic liver resection for colorectal liver metastases (the Oslo-CoMet Study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fretland, Åsmund Avdem; Kazaryan, Airazat M; Bjørnbeth, Bjørn Atle; Flatmark, Kjersti; Andersen, Marit Helen; Tønnessen, Tor Inge; Bjørnelv, Gudrun Maria Waaler; Fagerland, Morten Wang; Kristiansen, Ronny; Øyri, Karl; Edwin, Bjørn

    2015-03-04

    Laparoscopic liver resection is used in specialized centers all over the world. However, laparoscopic liver resection has never been compared with open liver resection in a prospective, randomized trial. The Oslo-CoMet Study is a randomized trial into laparoscopic versus open liver resection for the surgical management of hepatic colorectal metastases. The primary outcome is 30-day perioperative morbidity. Secondary outcomes include 5-year survival (overall, disease-free and recurrence-free), resection margins, recurrence pattern, postoperative pain, health-related quality of life, and evaluation of the inflammatory response. A cost-utility analysis of replacing open surgery with laparoscopic surgery will also be performed. The study includes all resections for colorectal liver metastases, except formal hemihepatectomies, resections where reconstruction of vessels/bile ducts is necessary and resections that need to be combined with ablation. All patients will participate in an enhanced recovery after surgery program. A biobank of liver and tumor tissue will be established and molecular analysis will be performed. After 35 months of recruitment, 200 patients have been included in the trial. Molecular and immunology data are being analyzed. Results for primary and secondary outcome measures will be presented following the conclusion of the study (late 2015). The Oslo-CoMet Study will provide the first level 1 evidence on the benefits of laparoscopic liver resection for colorectal liver metastases. The trial was registered in ClinicalTrals.gov (NCT01516710) on 19 January 2012.

  10. Methadone continuation versus forced withdrawal on incarceration in a combined US prison and jail: a randomised, open-label trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rich, Josiah D; McKenzie, Michelle; Larney, Sarah; Wong, John B; Tran, Liem; Clarke, Jennifer; Noska, Amanda; Reddy, Manasa; Zaller, Nickolas

    2015-07-25

    Methadone is an effective treatment for opioid dependence. When people who are receiving methadone maintenance treatment for opioid dependence are incarcerated in prison or jail, most US correctional facilities discontinue their methadone treatment, either gradually, or more often, abruptly. This discontinuation can cause uncomfortable symptoms of withdrawal and renders prisoners susceptible to relapse and overdose on release. We aimed to study the effect of forced withdrawal from methadone upon incarceration on individuals' risk behaviours and engagement with post-release treatment programmes. In this randomised, open-label trial, we randomly assigned (1:1) inmates of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RI, USA) who were enrolled in a methadone maintenance-treatment programme in the community at the time of arrest and wanted to remain on methadone treatment during incarceration and on release, to either continuation of their methadone treatment or to usual care--forced tapered withdrawal from methadone. Participants could be included in the study only if their incarceration would be more than 1 week but less than 6 months. We did the random assignments with a computer-generated random permutation, and urn randomisation procedures to stratify participants by sex and race. Participants in the continued-methadone group were maintained on their methadone dose at the time of their incarceration (with dose adjustments as clinically indicated). Patients in the forced-withdrawal group followed the institution's standard withdrawal protocol of receiving methadone for 1 week at the dose at the time of their incarceration, then a tapered withdrawal regimen (for those on a starting dose >100 mg, the dose was reduced by 5 mg per day to 100 mg, then reduced by 3 mg per day to 0 mg; for those on a starting dose >100 mg, the dose was reduced by 3 mg per day to 0 mg). The main outcomes were engagement with a methadone maintenance-treatment clinic after release from

  11. Co-Labeling for Multi-View Weakly Labeled Learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xinxing; Li, Wen; Xu, Dong; Tsang, Ivor W

    2016-06-01

    It is often expensive and time consuming to collect labeled training samples in many real-world applications. To reduce human effort on annotating training samples, many machine learning techniques (e.g., semi-supervised learning (SSL), multi-instance learning (MIL), etc.) have been studied to exploit weakly labeled training samples. Meanwhile, when the training data is represented with multiple types of features, many multi-view learning methods have shown that classifiers trained on different views can help each other to better utilize the unlabeled training samples for the SSL task. In this paper, we study a new learning problem called multi-view weakly labeled learning, in which we aim to develop a unified approach to learn robust classifiers by effectively utilizing different types of weakly labeled multi-view data from a broad range of tasks including SSL, MIL and relative outlier detection (ROD). We propose an effective approach called co-labeling to solve the multi-view weakly labeled learning problem. Specifically, we model the learning problem on each view as a weakly labeled learning problem, which aims to learn an optimal classifier from a set of pseudo-label vectors generated by using the classifiers trained from other views. Unlike traditional co-training approaches using a single pseudo-label vector for training each classifier, our co-labeling approach explores different strategies to utilize the predictions from different views, biases and iterations for generating the pseudo-label vectors, making our approach more robust for real-world applications. Moreover, to further improve the weakly labeled learning on each view, we also exploit the inherent group structure in the pseudo-label vectors generated from different strategies, which leads to a new multi-layer multiple kernel learning problem. Promising results for text-based image retrieval on the NUS-WIDE dataset as well as news classification and text categorization on several real-world multi

  12. A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled efficacy and safety study of ALO-02 (extended-release oxycodone surrounding sequestered naltrexone) for moderate-to-severe chronic low back pain treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauck, Richard L; Hale, Martin E; Bass, Almasa; Bramson, Candace; Pixton, Glenn; Wilson, Jacquelyn G; Setnik, Beatrice; Meisner, Paul; Sommerville, Kenneth W; Malhotra, Bimal K; Wolfram, Gernot

    2015-09-01

    The objective of this multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized withdrawal study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ALO-02, an abuse-deterrent formulation containing pellets of extended-release oxycodone hydrochloride (HCl) surrounding sequestered naltrexone HCl, compared with placebo in the treatment of moderate-to-severe chronic low back pain. An open-label titration period in which all patients received ALO-02 was followed by a double-blind treatment period where patients meeting treatment response criteria were randomized to either a fixed dose of ALO-02 or placebo. Daily average low back pain was assessed using an 11-point numeric rating scale (NRS)-Pain. Of the 663 patients screened, 410 received ALO-02 during the open-label conversion and titration period and 281 patients were randomized to the double-blind treatment period (n = 134, placebo; n = 147, ALO-02). Change in the mean NRS-Pain score from randomization baseline to the final 2 weeks of the treatment period was significantly different favoring ALO-02 compared with placebo (P = 0.0114). Forty-four percent of patients treated with placebo and 57.5% of patients treated with ALO-02 reported ≥30% improvement in weekly average NRS-Pain scores from screening to the final 2 weeks of the treatment period (P = 0.0248). In the double-blind treatment period, 56.8% of patients in the ALO-02 group and 56.0% of patients in the placebo group experienced a treatment-emergent adverse event (TEAE). The most common treatment-related TEAEs for ALO-02 during the treatment period were nausea, vomiting, and constipation, consistent with opioid therapy. ALO-02 has been demonstrated to provide significant reduction of pain in patients with chronic low back pain and has a safety profile similar to other opioids.

  13. Home parenteral nutrition increases fat free mass in patients with incurable gastrointestinal cancer. Results of a randomized controlled trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Obling, Sine Roelsgaard; Wilson, Benedicte Vibjerg; Pfeiffer, Per

    2018-01-01

    , the primary endpoint being fat free mass (FFM) and secondary: muscle function, quality of life and overall survival. Design and methods: In a single centre open-label randomised controlled trial, patients with incurable gastrointestinal cancer, nutritionally at risk, were randomly assigned to either; a) best...... FFM. Secondary outcomes were muscle strength, quality of life and survival. Results: Eligible for inclusion were 234 patients, 47 of these accepted enrolment; 25 were randomized to non-sHPN and 22 to sHPN according to performance status, age and diagnoses. Median age was 66.9 (41.5-88.2), BMI 21.3 (14.......8-35.7) and (91%) were receiving palliative chemotherapy. Median FFM and fat free mass index increased in the sHPN group. At 12 weeks a significant difference (p FFM. Handgrip strength increased in both groups...

  14. Rationale and study design of PROVHILO - a worldwide multicenter randomized controlled trial on protective ventilation during general anesthesia for open abdominal surgery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hedenstierna Göran

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Post-operative pulmonary complications add to the morbidity and mortality of surgical patients, in particular after general anesthesia >2 hours for abdominal surgery. Whether a protective mechanical ventilation strategy with higher levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP and repeated recruitment maneuvers; the "open lung strategy", protects against post-operative pulmonary complications is uncertain. The present study aims at comparing a protective mechanical ventilation strategy with a conventional mechanical ventilation strategy during general anesthesia for abdominal non-laparoscopic surgery. Methods The PROtective Ventilation using HIgh versus LOw positive end-expiratory pressure ("PROVHILO" trial is a worldwide investigator-initiated multicenter randomized controlled two-arm study. Nine hundred patients scheduled for non-laparoscopic abdominal surgery at high or intermediate risk for post-operative pulmonary complications are randomized to mechanical ventilation with the level of PEEP at 12 cmH2O with recruitment maneuvers (the lung-protective strategy or mechanical ventilation with the level of PEEP at maximum 2 cmH2O without recruitment maneuvers (the conventional strategy. The primary endpoint is any post-operative pulmonary complication. Discussion The PROVHILO trial is the first randomized controlled trial powered to investigate whether an open lung mechanical ventilation strategy in short-term mechanical ventilation prevents against postoperative pulmonary complications. Trial registration ISRCTN: ISRCTN70332574

  15. Label-free and substrate-free potentiometric aptasensing using polycation-sensitive membrane electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Jiawang; Chen, Yan; Wang, Xuewei; Qin, Wei

    2012-02-21

    A potentiometric label-free and substrate-free (LFSF) aptasensing strategy which eliminates the labeling, separation, and immobilization steps is described in this paper. An aptamer binds specifically to a target molecule via reaction incubation, which could induce a change in the aptamer conformation from a random coil-like configuration to a rigid folded structure. Such a target binding-induced aptamer conformational change effectively prevents the aptamer from electrostatically interacting with the protamine binding domain. This could either shift the response curve for the potentiometric titration of the aptamer with protamine as monitored by a conventional polycation-sensitive membrane electrode or change the current-dependent potential detected by a protamine-conditioned polycation-sensitive electrode with the pulsed current-driven ion fluxes of protamine across the polymeric membrane. Using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a model analyte, the proposed concept offers potentiometric detection of ATP down to the submicromolar concentration range and has been applied to the determination of ATP in HeLa cells. In contrast to the current LFSF aptasensors based on optical detection, the proposed strategy allows the LFSF biosensing of aptamer/target binding events in a homogeneous solution via electrochemical transduction. It is anticipated that the proposed strategy will lay a foundation for development of potentiometric sensors for LFSF aptasensing of a variety of analytes where target binding-induced conformational changes such as the formation of folded structures and the opening of DNA hairpin loops are involved.

  16. Labeling of Deployment Sexual Harassment Experiences Among Male and Female Veterans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dardis, Christina M; Vento, Stephanie A; Gradus, Jaimie L; Street, Amy E

    2017-11-20

    Victims' conceptualizations of traumatic experiences can impact screening responses and decisions to utilize health care. Despite experiencing events constituting sexual harassment, many victims do not label their experiences as such. In the military, specific situational factors (e.g., occurred on-duty, higher ranking harasser) and victim appraisals of experiences (e.g., offensive, threatening) have been associated with increased labeling of sexual harassment. However, no research has examined sexual harassment labeling among those deployed in recent Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts, where the context of harassment may differ from peacetime settings. The purpose of the present study was to examine frequencies of labeling sexual harassment during deployment, factors associated with labeling, and associations between labeling and perceived need for and use of mental health services. 2,348 veterans (51% women, 49% men) drawn from a random sample of veterans deployed in support of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq completed a mail survey. Women were significantly more likely than men to label experiences as harassment. Whereas appraisals of events were associated with both women's and men's labeling, situational factors were only associated with women's labeling. Among women, labeling was associated with a greater perceived need for and use of mental health services among those who experienced nonassaultive harassment. These results confirm the importance of using behavioral language when screening for experiences of harassment among veterans returning from deployment. We discuss strategies for addressing labeling in the context of mental health treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  17. Endovascular strategy or open repair for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: one-year outcomes from the IMPROVE randomized trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braithwaite, Bruce; Cheshire, Nicholas J.; Greenhalgh, Roger M.; Grieve, Richard; Hassan, Tajek B.; Hinchliffe, Robert; Howell, Simon; Moore, Fionna; Nicholson, Anthony A.; Soong, Chee V.; Thompson, Matt M.; Thompson, Simon G.; Ulug, Pinar; Heatley, Francine; Anjum, Aisha; Kalinowska, Gosia; Sweeting, Michael J.; Thompson, Simon G.; Gomes, Manuel; Grieve, Richard; Powell, Janet T.; Ashleigh, Ray; Gomes, Manuel; Greenhalgh, Roger M.; Grieve, Richard; Hinchliffe, Robert; Sweeting, Michael; Thompson, Matt M.; Thompson, Simon G.; Ulug, Pinar; Roberts, Ian; Bell, Peter R. F.; Cheetham, Anne; Stephany, Jenny; Warlow, Charles; Lamont, Peter; Moss, Jonathan; Tijssen, Jan; Braithwaite, Bruce; Nicholson, Anthony A.; Thompson, Matthew; Ashleigh, Ray; Thompson, Luke; Cheshire, Nicholas J.; Boyle, Jonathan R.; Serracino-Inglott, Ferdinand; Thompson, Matt M.; Hinchliffe, Robert J.; Bell, Rachel; Wilson, Noel; Bown, Matt; Dennis, Martin; Davis, Meryl; Ashleigh, Ray; Howell, Simon; Wyatt, Michael G.; Valenti, Domenico; Bachoo, Paul; Walker, Paul; MacSweeney, Shane; Davies, Jonathan N.; Rittoo, Dynesh; Parvin, Simon D.; Yusuf, Waquar; Nice, Colin; Chetter, Ian; Howard, Adam; Chong, Patrick; Bhat, Raj; McLain, David; Gordon, Andrew; Lane, Ian; Hobbs, Simon; Pillay, Woolagasen; Rowlands, Timothy; El-Tahir, Amin; Asquith, John; Cavanagh, Steve; Dubois, Luc; Forbes, Thomas L.; Ashworth, Emily; Baker, Sara; Barakat, Hashem; Brady, Claire; Brown, Joanne; Bufton, Christine; Chance, Tina; Chrisopoulou, Angela; Cockell, Marie; Croucher, Andrea; Dabee, Leela; Dewhirst, Nikki; Evans, Jo; Gibson, Andy; Gorst, Siobhan; Gough, Moira; Graves, Lynne; Griffin, Michelle; Hatfield, Josie; Hogg, Florence; Howard, Susannah; Hughes, Cían; Metcalfe, David; Lapworth, Michelle; Massey, Ian; Novick, Teresa; Owen, Gareth; Parr, Noala; Pintar, David; Spencer, Sarah; Thomson, Claire; Thunder, Orla; Wallace, Tom; Ward, Sue; Wealleans, Vera; Wilson, Lesley; Woods, Janet; Zheng, Ting

    2015-01-01

    Aims To report the longer term outcomes following either a strategy of endovascular repair first or open repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, which are necessary for both patient and clinical decision-making. Methods and results This pragmatic multicentre (29 UK and 1 Canada) trial randomized 613 patients with a clinical diagnosis of ruptured aneurysm; 316 to an endovascular first strategy (if aortic morphology is suitable, open repair if not) and 297 to open repair. The principal 1-year outcome was mortality; secondary outcomes were re-interventions, hospital discharge, health-related quality-of-life (QoL) (EQ-5D), costs, Quality-Adjusted-Life-Years (QALYs), and cost-effectiveness [incremental net benefit (INB)]. At 1 year, all-cause mortality was 41.1% for the endovascular strategy group and 45.1% for the open repair group, odds ratio 0.85 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.62, 1.17], P = 0.325, with similar re-intervention rates in each group. The endovascular strategy group and open repair groups had average total hospital stays of 17 and 26 days, respectively, P < 0.001. Patients surviving rupture had higher average EQ-5D utility scores in the endovascular strategy vs. open repair groups, mean differences 0.087 (95% CI 0.017, 0.158), 0.068 (95% CI −0.004, 0.140) at 3 and 12 months, respectively. There were indications that QALYs were higher and costs lower for the endovascular first strategy, combining to give an INB of £3877 (95% CI £253, £7408) or €4356 (95% CI €284, €8323). Conclusion An endovascular first strategy for management of ruptured aneurysms does not offer a survival benefit over 1 year but offers patients faster discharge with better QoL and is cost-effective. Clinical trial registration ISRCTN 48334791. PMID:25855369

  18. Potential Effect of Physical Activity Calorie Equivalent (PACE) Labeling on Adult Fast Food Ordering and Exercise

    OpenAIRE

    Antonelli, Ray; Viera, Anthony J.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Numeric calorie content labels show limited efficacy in reducing the number of calories ordered from fast food meals. Physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE) labels are an alternative that may reduce the number of calories ordered in fast food meals while encouraging patrons to exercise. Methods A total of 1000 adults from 47 US states were randomly assigned via internet survey to one of four generic fast food menus: no label, calories only, calories + minutes, or calories + ...

  19. Atomoxetine and Methylphenidate Treatment in Children with ADHD: The Efficacy, Tolerability and Effects on Executive Functions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yildiz, Ozlem; Sismanlar, Sahika G.; Memik, Nursu Cakin; Karakaya, Isik; Agaoglu, Belma

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the safety, efficacy, tolerability, and the effects of atomoxetine and OROS-MPH on executive functions in children with ADHD. This study was an open-label study that only included two medication groups. Children were randomized to open-label atomoxetine or OROS-MPH for 12 weeks. Primary efficacy measures were…

  20. TOWARDS NUTRITION SECURITY: FOOD LABEL USE AMONG NIGERIANS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abraham Falola

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This study focuses on food label use by Nigerians, using Kwara State as a case study. Specifically, the study describes the socio-economics characteristics of the respondents, determined people’s perception about food labels and examined factors influencing willingness-to-read food labels in the study area. A total of 120 respondents selected through a combination of purposive and random sampling techniques were used for the study. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, 5-point likert scale and logistic resgression analysis. Majority of the respondents were females (72.5%, married (60% and had secondary education (50%. The mean age, household size, number of preschool children and household income of the respondents were 26years, 9 persons, 2 children and N25,250.00/month (USD 157.81 respectively. The respondents opined that food labels were used mainly for traceability (M = 3.24, registration status of the food producer (M = 3.01, advertisement (M =4.02, as a legal requirement (M = 4.00, to know the expiry dates (M = 4.57 and to distinguish the product from that of other competitors (M = 3.54. Results of the regression analysis revealed that women were more willing to read food labels than men, and positively related to age of respondent, household income level, educational status of food planner and nutritional knowledge of the food planner. However, willingness-to-read food labels by the respondents declined with household size and number of preschool children. The study therefore calls for enlightenment of the public by relevant stakeholders on importance of food labels to determine nutritional composition and health implications.

  1. Long-term outcomes of thoracic transplant recipients following conversion to everolimus with reduced calcineurin inhibitor in a multicenter, open-label, randomized trial lv

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gullestad, Lars; Eiskjaer, Hans; Gustafsson, Finn

    2016-01-01

    The NOCTET study randomized 282 patients ≥1 year after heart or lung transplantation to continue conventional calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) therapy or to start everolimus with reduced-exposure CNI. Last follow-up, at ≥5 years postrandomization (mean: 5.6 years) was attended by 72/140 everolimus...

  2. Preparation of labelled lipids by the use of plant cell cultures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mangold, H.K.

    1978-01-01

    The preparation of some radioacitvely labelled lipids by the use of plant cell cultures is discussed and further applications of the new method are suggested. Cell suspension cultures of rape (Brassica napus) and soya (Glycine max) have been used for the preparation of lipids labelled with radioisotopes. Radioactive acetic acid as well as various long-chain fatty acids are readily incorporated into the neutral and ionic lipids of plant cell cultures. In addition, 14 C-labelled glycerol, ethanolamine and choline are well utilized by the cells. Randomly labelled lipids have been obtained by incubating cell suspension cultures of rape and soya with [1- 14 C] acetic acid, and uniformly labelled lipids have been isolated from cultures that had been incubated with a mixture of [1- 14 C] acetic acid plus [2- 14 C] acetic acid. The use of techniques of plant cell cultures for the preparation of lipds labelled with stable or radioactive isotopesappears particularly rewarding because the uptake of precursors by the cells and their incorporation into various lipid compounds proceeds rapidly and often quanitatively.This new approach should be useful also for the biosynthesis of lipids whose acyl moieties contain a spn radical, a fluorescent group, or a light-sensitive label. Thus, plant cell cultures constitute valuable new tools for the biosynthetic preparation of a great variety of labelled lipids. (A.G.)

  3. C2 Nerve Field Stimulation for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia: A Prospective, Double-blind, Randomized, Controlled Cross-over Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plazier, Mark; Ost, Jan; Stassijns, Gaëtane; De Ridder, Dirk; Vanneste, Sven

    2015-01-01

    Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by widespread chronic pain. Due to the high prevalence and high costs, it has a substantial burden on society. Treatment results are diverse and only help a small subset of patients. C2 nerve field stimulation, aka occipital nerve stimulation, is helpful and a minimally invasive treatment for primary headache syndromes. Small C2 pilot studies seem to be beneficial in fibromyalgia. Forty patients were implanted with a subcutaneous electrode in the C2 dermatoma as part of a prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled cross-over study followed by an open label follow up period of 6 months. The patients underwent 2 week periods of different doses of stimulation consisting of minimal (.1 mA), subthreshold, and suprathreshold (for paresthesias) in a randomized order. Twenty seven patients received a permanent implant and 25 completed the 6 month open label follow up period. During the 6 week trial phase of the study, patients had an overall decrease of 36% on the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ), a decrease of 33% fibromyalgia pain and improvement of 42% on the impact on daily life activities and quality. These results imply an overall improvement in the disease burden, maintained at 6 months follow up, as well as an improvement in life quality of 50%. Seventy six percent of patients were satisfied or very satisfied with their treatment. There seems to be a dose-response curve, with increasing amplitudes leading to better clinical outcomes. Subcutaneous C2 nerve field stimulation seems to offer a safe and effective treatment option for selected medically intractable patients with fibromyalgia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. School-based mindfulness intervention for stress reduction in adolescents: Design and methodology of an open-label, parallel group, randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeanette M. Johnstone

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Adolescents are in a high-risk period developmentally, in terms of susceptibility to stress. A mindfulness intervention represents a potentially useful strategy for developing cognitive and emotion regulation skills associated with successful stress coping. Mindfulness strategies have been used successfully for emotional coping in adults, but are not as well studied in youth. This article details a novel proposal for the design of an 8-week randomized study to evaluate a high school-based mindfulness curriculum delivered as part of a two semester health class. A wellness education intervention is proposed as an active control, along with a waitlist control condition. All students enrolled in a sophomore (10th grade health class at a private suburban high school will be invited to participate (n = 300. Pre-test assessments will be obtained by youth report, parent ratings, and on-site behavioral testing. The assessments will evaluate baseline stress, mood, emotional coping, controlled attention, and working memory. Participants, divided into 13 classrooms, will be randomized into one of three conditions, by classroom: A mindfulness intervention, an active control (wellness education, and a passive control (waitlist. Waitlisted participants will receive one of the interventions in the following term. Intervention groups will meet weekly for 8 weeks during regularly scheduled health classes. Immediate post-tests will be conducted, followed by a 60-day post-test. It is hypothesized that the mindfulness intervention will outperform the other conditions with regard to the adolescents' mood, attention and response to stress.

  5. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 21

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about types of labels.

  6. Effects of rasagiline on freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease - an open-label, multicenter study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cibulcik, Frantisek; Benetin, Jan; Kurca, Egon; Grofik, Milan; Dvorak, Miloslav; Richter, Denis; Donath, Vladimir; Kothaj, Jan; Minar, Michal; Valkovic, Peter

    2016-12-01

    Freezing of gait is a disabling symptom in advanced Parkinson's disease. Positive effects have been suggested with MAO-B inhibitors. We report on an open label clinical study on the efficacy of rasagiline as add-on therapy on freezing of gait and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease. Forty two patients with freezing of gait were treated with 1 mg rasagiline daily as an add-on therapy. Patients were assessed at baseline and after 1, 2 and 3 months of treatment. Freezing of gait severity was assessed using the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire, motor impairment by the modified MDS UPDRS part III, and quality of life using the PDQ-39 questionnaire. Patients treated with rasagiline had a statistically significant decrease in FoG-Q score and modified MDS UPDRS score after 1, 2 and 3 months of therapy. A moderately strong (r = 0.686, P = 0.002) correlation between the effects on mobility and freezing of gait was found. We also observed a statistically significant improvement in global QoL and in the subscales mobility, ADL, stigma and bodily discomfort in patients after 3 months of rasagiline therapy. A significant correlation (r = 0.570, P = 0.02) between baseline FoG-Q score and the baseline score for the PDQ Mobility subscale was found. In our study rasagiline as add-on antiparkinsonian therapy significantly improved mobility, freezing of gait and quality of life. The positive effect on freezing of gait appears to be related to improvement of mobility.

  7. Topical Ketamine 10% for Neuropathic Pain in Spinal Cord Injury Patients: An Open-Label Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabi, Joseph; Minori, Joshua; Abad, Hasan; Lee, Ray; Gittler, Michelle

    2016-01-01

    Topical ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist, has been shown to be effective in certain neuropathic pain syndromes. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of topical ketamine in spinal cord injury patients with neuropathic pain. An open label trial enrolled five subjects at an outpatient rehabilitation hospital with traumatic spinal cord injuries who had neuropathic pain at or below the level of injury. Subjects applied topical ketamine 10% three times a day for a two-week duration. Subjects recorded their numerical pain score-ranging from 0 to 10, with 0 representing "no pain, 5 representing "moderate pain," and 10 being described as "worst possible pain"-in a journal at the time of application of topical ketamine and one hour after application. Using a numerical pain scale allows for something as subjective as pain to be given an objective quantification. Subjects also recorded any occurrence of adverse events and level of satisfaction. All five subjects had a decrease in their numerical pain scale by the end of two weeks, ranging from 14% to 63%. The duration ranged from one hour in one subject to the next application in other subjects. There were no adverse effects. Overall, four out of the five subjects stated they were satisfied. Topical ketamine 10% is an effective neuropathic pain medicine in patients with spinal cord injuries; however, further studies need to be done with a placebo and larger sample size. Copyright© by International Journal of Pharmaceutical Compounding, Inc.

  8. Honest, Open, Proud for adolescents with mental illness: pilot randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulfinger, Nadine; Müller, Sabine; Böge, Isabel; Sakar, Vehbi; Corrigan, Patrick W; Evans-Lacko, Sara; Nehf, Luise; Djamali, Julia; Samarelli, Anna; Kempter, Michael; Ruckes, Christian; Libal, Gerhard; Oexle, Nathalie; Noterdaeme, Michele; Rüsch, Nicolas

    2018-06-01

    Due to public stigma or self-stigma and shame, many adolescents with mental illness (MI) struggle with the decision whether to disclose their MI to others. Both disclosure and nondisclosure are associated with risks and benefits. Honest, Open, Proud (HOP) is a peer-led group program that supports participants with disclosure decisions in order to reduce stigma's impact. Previously, HOP had only been evaluated among adults with MI. This two-arm pilot randomized controlled trial included 98 adolescents with MI. Participants were randomly assigned to HOP and treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU alone. Outcomes were assessed pre (T0/baseline), post (T1/after the HOP program), and at 3-week follow-up (T2/6 weeks after T0). Primary endpoints were stigma stress at T1 and quality of life at T2. Secondary outcomes included self-stigma, disclosure-related distress, empowerment, help-seeking intentions, recovery, and depressive symptoms. The trial is registered on ClinicalTrials (NCT02751229; http://www.clinicaltrials.gov). Compared to TAU, adolescents in the HOP program showed significantly reduced stigma stress at T1 (d = .92, p self-stigma, disclosure-related distress, secrecy, help-seeking intentions, attitudes to disclosure, recovery, and depressive symptoms. Effects at T1 remained stable or improved further at follow-up. In a limited economic evaluation HOP was cost-efficient in relation to gains in quality of life. As HOP is a compact three-session program and showed positive effects on stigma and disclosure variables as well as on symptoms and quality of life, it could help to reduce stigma's negative impact among adolescents with MI. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

  9. A randomized comparison of intraoperative PerfecTemp and forced-air warming during open abdominal surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egan, Cameron; Bernstein, Ethan; Reddy, Desigen; Ali, Madi; Paul, James; Yang, Dongsheng; Sessler, Daniel I

    2011-11-01

    The PerfecTemp is an underbody resistive warming system that combines servocontrolled underbody warming with viscoelastic foam pressure relief. Clinical efficacy of the system has yet to be formally evaluated. We therefore tested the hypothesis that intraoperative distal esophageal (core) temperatures with the PerfecTemp (underbody resistive) warming system are noninferior to upper-body forced-air warming in patients undergoing major open abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. Adults scheduled for elective major open abdominal surgery (liver, pancreas, gynecological, and colorectal surgery) under general anesthesia were enrolled at 2 centers. Patients were randomly assigned to underbody resistive or forced-air warming. Resistive heating started when patients were transferred to the operating room table; forced-air warming started after patients were draped. The primary outcome was noninferiority of intraoperative time-weighted average core temperature, adjusted for baseline characteristics and using a buffer of 0.5°C. Thirty-six patients were randomly assigned to underbody resistive heating and 34 to forced-air warming. Baseline and surgical characteristics were generally similar. We had sufficient evidence (P=0.018) to conclude that underbody resistive warming is not worse than (i.e., noninferior to) upper-body forced-air warming in the time-weighted average intraoperative temperature, with a mean difference of -0.12°C [95% confidence interval (CI) -0.37 to 0.14]. Core temperatures at the end of surgery averaged 36.3°C [95% CI 36 to 36.5] in the resistive warming patients and 36.6°C [95% CI 36.4 to 36.8] in those assigned to forced-air warming for a mean difference of -0.34°C [95% CI -0.69 to 0.01]. Mean intraoperative time-weighted average core temperatures were no different, and significantly noninferior, with underbody resistive heating in comparison with upper-body forced-air warming. Underbody resistive heating may be an alternative to forced

  10. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 22

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about what labels require review.

  11. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 19

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. This section covers supplemental distributor labeling.

  12. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 15

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about the consequences of improper labeling.

  13. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 14

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about positive effects from proper labeling.

  14. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 18

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. This section discusses the types of labels.

  15. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 26

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about mandatory and advisory label statements.

  16. Scalable In-Band Optical Notch-Filter Labeling for Ultrahigh Bit Rate Optical Packet Switching

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Medhin, Ashenafi Kiros; Galili, Michael; Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo

    2014-01-01

    We propose a scalable in-band optical notch-filter labeling scheme for optical packet switching of high-bit-rate data packets. A detailed characterization of the notch-filter labeling scheme and its effect on the quality of the data packet is carried out in simulation and verified by experimental...... demonstrations. The scheme is able to generate more than 91 different labels that can be applied to 640-Gb/s optical time division multiplexed packets causing an eye opening penalty of $1.2-dB. Experimental demonstration shows that up to 256 packets can be uniquely labeled by employing up to eight notch filters...... with only 0.9-dB power penalty to achieve BER of 1E-9. Using the proposed labeling scheme, optical packet switching of 640 Gb/s data packets is experimentally demonstrated in which two data packets are labeled by making none and one spectral hole using a notch filter and are switched using a LiNbO$_3...

  17. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 24

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. This page is about which labels require review.

  18. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 27

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. See examples of mandatory and advisory label statements.

  19. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 17

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. See an overview of the importance of labels.

  20. A Randomized Experiment Testing the Efficacy of a Scheduling Nudge in a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel Baker

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available An increasing number of students are taking classes offered online through open-access platforms; however, the vast majority of students who start these classes do not finish. The incongruence of student intentions and subsequent engagement suggests that self-control is a major contributor to this stark lack of persistence. This study presents the results of a large-scale field experiment (N = 18,043 that examines the effects of a self-directed scheduling nudge designed to promote student persistence in a massive open online course. We find that random assignment to treatment had no effects on near-term engagement and weakly significant negative effects on longer-term course engagement, persistence, and performance. Interestingly, these negative effects are highly concentrated in two groups of students: those who registered close to the first day of class and those with .edu e-mail addresses. We consider several explanations for these findings and conclude that theoretically motivated interventions may interact with the diverse motivations of individual students in possibly unintended ways.

  1. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 23

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Lists types of labels that do not require review.

  2. Comparing five front-of-pack nutrition labels' influence on consumers' perceptions and purchase intentions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorski Findling, Mary T; Werth, Paul M; Musicus, Aviva A; Bragg, Marie A; Graham, Dan J; Elbel, Brian; Roberto, Christina A

    2018-01-01

    In 2011, a National Academy of Medicine report recommended that packaged food in the U.S. display a uniform front-of-package nutrition label, using a system such as a 0-3 star ranking. Few studies have directly compared this to other labels to determine which best informs consumers and encourages healthier purchases. In 2013, we randomized adult participants (N=1247) in an Internet-based survey to one of six conditions: no label control; single traffic light; multiple traffic light; Facts Up Front; NuVal; or 0-3 star ranking. We compared groups on purchase intentions and accuracy of participants' interpretation of food labels. There were no differences in the nutritional quality of hypothetical shopping baskets across conditions (p=0.845). All labels improved consumers' abilities to judge the nutritional quality of foods relative to no label, but the best designs varied by outcomes. NuVal and multiple traffic light labels led to the greatest accuracy identifying the healthier of two products (ppurchase intentions. Results did not point to a clearly superior label design, but they suggest that a 3-star label might not be best for educating consumers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Immunogenicity of type 2 monovalent oral and inactivated poliovirus vaccines for type 2 poliovirus outbreak response: an open-label, randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaman, Khalequ; Estívariz, Concepción F; Morales, Michelle; Yunus, Mohammad; Snider, Cynthia J; Gary, Howard E; Weldon, William C; Oberste, M Steven; Wassilak, Steven G; Pallansch, Mark A; Anand, Abhijeet

    2018-03-20

    Monovalent type 2 oral poliovirus vaccine (mOPV2) and inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) are used to respond to type 2 poliovirus outbreaks. We aimed to assess the effect of two mOPV2 doses on the type 2 immune response by varying the time interval between mOPV2 doses and IPV co-administration with mOPV2. We did a randomised, controlled, parallel, open-label, non-inferiority, inequality trial at two study clinics in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Healthy infants aged 6 weeks (42-48 days) at enrolment were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to receive two mOPV2 doses (each dose consisting of two drops [0·1 mL in total] of about 10 5 50% cell culture infectious dose of type 2 Sabin strain) at intervals of 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks (standard or control group), or 4 weeks with IPV (0·5 mL of type 1 [Mahoney, 40 D-antigen units], type 2 [MEF-1, 8 D-antigen units], and type 3 [Saukett, 32 D-antigen units]) administered intramuscularly with the first mOPV2 dose. We used block randomisation, randomly selecting blocks of sizes four, eight, 12, or 16 stratified by study sites. We concealed randomisation assignment from staff managing participants in opaque, sequentially numbered, sealed envelopes. Parents and clinic staff were unmasked to assignment after the randomisation envelope was opened. Laboratory staff analysing sera were masked to assignment, but investigators analysing data and assessing outcomes were not. The primary outcome was type 2 immune response measured 4 weeks after mOPV2 administration. The primary modified intention-to-treat analysis included participants with testable serum samples before and after vaccination. A non-inferiority margin of 10% and p=0·05 (one-tailed) was used. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02643368, and is closed to accrual. Between Dec 7, 2015, and Jan 5, 2016, we randomly assigned 760 infants to receive two mOPV2 doses at intervals of 1 week (n=191), 2 weeks (n=191), 4 weeks (n=188), or 4 weeks plus IPV (n=190). Immune

  4. Stem cells propagate their DNA by random segregation in the flatworm Macrostomum lignano.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Freija Verdoodt

    Full Text Available Adult stem cells are proposed to have acquired special features to prevent an accumulation of DNA-replication errors. Two such mechanisms, frequently suggested to serve this goal are cellular quiescence, and non-random segregation of DNA strands during stem cell division, a theory designated as the immortal strand hypothesis. To date, it has been difficult to test the in vivo relevance of both mechanisms in stem cell systems. It has been shown that in the flatworm Macrostomum lignano pluripotent stem cells (neoblasts are present in adult animals. We sought to address by which means M. lignano neoblasts protect themselves against the accumulation of genomic errors, by studying the exact mode of DNA-segregation during their division. In this study, we demonstrated four lines of in vivo evidence in favor of cellular quiescence. Firstly, performing BrdU pulse-chase experiments, we localized 'Label-Retaining Cells' (LRCs. Secondly, EDU pulse-chase combined with Vasa labeling demonstrated the presence of neoblasts among the LRCs, while the majority of LRCs were differentiated cells. We showed that stem cells lose their label at a slow rate, indicating cellular quiescence. Thirdly, CldU/IdU- double labeling studies confirmed that label-retaining stem cells showed low proliferative activity. Finally, the use of the actin inhibitor, cytochalasin D, unequivocally demonstrated random segregation of DNA-strands in LRCs. Altogether, our data unambiguously demonstrated that the majority of neoblasts in M. lignano distribute their DNA randomly during cell division, and that label-retention is a direct result of cellular quiescence, rather than a sign of co-segregation of labeled strands.

  5. Label Review Training: Module 1: Label Basics, Page 16

    Science.gov (United States)

    This module of the pesticide label review training provides basic information about pesticides, their labeling and regulation, and the core principles of pesticide label review. Learn about the importance of labels and the role in enforcement.

  6. Efficient Multi-Label Feature Selection Using Entropy-Based Label Selection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaesung Lee

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Multi-label feature selection is designed to select a subset of features according to their importance to multiple labels. This task can be achieved by ranking the dependencies of features and selecting the features with the highest rankings. In a multi-label feature selection problem, the algorithm may be faced with a dataset containing a large number of labels. Because the computational cost of multi-label feature selection increases according to the number of labels, the algorithm may suffer from a degradation in performance when processing very large datasets. In this study, we propose an efficient multi-label feature selection method based on an information-theoretic label selection strategy. By identifying a subset of labels that significantly influence the importance of features, the proposed method efficiently outputs a feature subset. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can identify a feature subset much faster than conventional multi-label feature selection methods for large multi-label datasets.

  7. Co-administration of a meningococcal glycoconjugate ACWY vaccine with travel vaccines: a randomized, open-label, multi-center study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alberer, Martin; Burchard, Gerd; Jelinek, Tomas; Reisinger, Emil; Beran, Jiri; Meyer, Seetha; Forleo-Neto, Eduardo; Gniel, Dieter; Dagnew, Alemnew F; Arora, Ashwani Kumar

    2014-01-01

    Potential interactions between vaccines may compromise the immunogenicity and/or safety of individual vaccines so must be assessed before concomitant administration is recommended. In this study, the immunogenicity and safety of travel vaccines against Japanese encephalitis (JEV) and rabies (PCECV) administered together with or without a quadrivalent meningococcal glycoconjugate ACWY-CRM vaccine were evaluated (NCT01466387). Healthy adults aged 18 to ≤60 years were randomized to one of four vaccine regimens: JEV + PCECV + MenACWY-CRM, JEV + PCECV, PCECV or MenACWY-CRM. Immunogenicity at baseline and 28 days post-complete vaccination was assessed by serum bactericidal assay using human complement or neutralization tests. Adverse events (AEs) were collected throughout the study period. JEV + PCECV + MenACWY-CRM was non-inferior to JEV + PCECV. Post-vaccination seroprotective neutralizing titers or concentrations were achieved in 98-99% (JE) and 100% (rabies) of subjects across the vaccine groups. Antibody responses to vaccine meningococcal serogroups were in the same range for MenACWY-CRM and JEV + PCECV + MenACWY-CRM. Rates of reporting of AEs were similar for JEV + PCECV and JEV + PCECV + MenACWY-CRM. MenACWY-CRM was administered with an inactivated adjuvanted JE and a purified chick embryo cell-culture rabies vaccine without compromising immunogenicity or safety of the individual vaccines. These data provide evidence that MenACWY-CRM could be effectively incorporated into travel vaccination programs. NCT01466387. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Antibiotic treatment for 6 weeks versus 12 weeks in patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis: an open-label, non-inferiority, randomised, controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernard, Louis; Dinh, Aurélien; Ghout, Idir; Simo, David; Zeller, Valerie; Issartel, Bertrand; Le Moing, Vincent; Belmatoug, Nadia; Lesprit, Philippe; Bru, Jean-Pierre; Therby, Audrey; Bouhour, Damien; Dénes, Eric; Debard, Alexa; Chirouze, Catherine; Fèvre, Karine; Dupon, Michel; Aegerter, Philippe; Mulleman, Denis

    2015-03-07

    Duration of treatment for patients with vertebral osteomyelitis is mainly based on expert recommendation rather than evidence. We aimed to establish whether 6 weeks of antibiotic treatment is non-inferior to 12 weeks in patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. In this open-label, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial, we enrolled patients aged 18 years or older with microbiologically confirmed pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis and typical radiological features from 71 medical care centres across France. Patients were randomly assigned to either 6 weeks or 12 weeks of antibiotic treatment (physician's choice in accordance with French guidelines) by a computer-generated randomisation list of permuted blocks, stratified by centre. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who were classified as cured at 1 year by a masked independent validation committee, analysed by intention to treat. Non-inferiority would be declared if the proportion of cured patients assigned to 6 weeks of treatment was not less than the proportion of cured patients assigned to 12 weeks of treatment, within statistical variability, by an absolute margin of 10%. This trial is registered with EudraCT, number 2006-000951-18, and Clinical Trials.gov, number NCT00764114. Between Nov 15, 2006, and March 15, 2011, 359 patients were randomly assigned, of whom six in the 6-week group and two in the 12-week group were excluded after randomisation. 176 patients assigned to the 6-week treatment regimen and 175 to the 12-week treatment regimen were analysed by intention to treat. 160 (90·9%) of 176 patients in the 6-week group and 159 (90·9%) of 175 of those in the 12-week group met the criteria for clinical cure. The difference between the groups (0·05%, 95% CI -6·2 to 6·3) showed the non-inferiority of the 6-week regimen when compared with the 12-week regimen. 50 patients in the 6-week group and 51 in the 12-week group had adverse events, the most common being death (14 [8%] in

  9. Multi-label Learning with Missing Labels Using Mixed Dependency Graphs

    KAUST Repository

    Wu, Baoyuan; Jia, Fan; Liu, Wei; Ghanem, Bernard; Lyu, Siwei

    2018-01-01

    This work focuses on the problem of multi-label learning with missing labels (MLML), which aims to label each test instance with multiple class labels given training instances that have an incomplete/partial set of these labels (i.e., some

  10. Awareness and Use of Nutrition Information on Labels of Packaged ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: The awareness and use of nutrition information on labels of packaged food snacks by commuters on Aba Road – Port Harcourt was investigated. Methodology: Purposive sampling was used to select two (2) heavy traffic zones among others from the road. Simple random sampling was used to select 200 ...

  11. Synthesis of specifically labelled L-phenylalanines using phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haedener, A.; Tamm, Ch.

    1987-01-01

    Specifically labelled L-phenylalanines have been prepared using a variety of classical synthetic methods in combination with phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) enzyme activity of the yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides ATCC 10788 or Rhodotorula glutinis IFO 0559, respectively. Thus, L-[2- 2 H]phenyl-[2- 2 H]alanine was formed from (E) -[2,2'- 2 H 2 ]cinnamic acid and ammonia in 46% yield, whereas L-phenyl-[2- 13 C, 15 N]alanine was obtained from (E)-[2- 13 C]cinnamic acid in 45% overall yield. Generally, labelled cinnamic acids were recovered in pure form from the reaction mixture, with a loss of 6-8%. Likewise, unchanged 15 NH 3 was reisolated as 15 NH 4 Cl after steam distillation with overall losses of less than 4%. Labelled cinnamic acids were prepared by Knoevenagel condensations between appropriately labelled benzaldehydes and malonic acids. [2- 2 H]Benzaldehyde was obtained from 2-bromotoluene by decomposition of the corresponding Grignard reagent with 2 H 2 O and subsequent oxidation. Since simple molecules, most of them commercially available in labelled form or otherwise easily accessible, may serve as starting material, and due to its defined stereochemistry, the reaction catalysed by PAL opens a short and attractive route to specifically labelled L-phenylalanines. (author)

  12. Self-esteem in adolescent patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during open-label atomoxetine treatment: psychometric evaluation of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and clinical findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dittmann, Ralf W; Wehmeier, Peter M; Schacht, Alexander; Lehmann, Martin; Lehmkuhl, Gerd

    2009-12-01

    To report on (1) psychometric properties of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES) studied in adolescents with ADHD, (2) correlations of SES with ADHD scale scores, and (3) change in patient-reported self-esteem with atomoxetine treatment. ADHD patients (12-17 years), treated in an open-label study for 24 weeks. Secondary analyses on ADHD symptoms (assessed with ADHD-RS, CGI, GIPD scales) and self-esteem (SES) were performed. One hundred and fifty-nine patients were treated. A dichotomous structure of the SES could be confirmed. Reliability and internal consistency were moderate to excellent. Highest coefficients were found for the correlation between SES and GIPD scores. Self-esteem significantly increased over time, accompanied by an improvement of ADHD symptoms and related perceived difficulties. The Rosenberg SES was shown to be internally consistent, reliable, and sensitive to treatment-related changes of self-esteem. According to these findings, self-esteem may be an important individual patient outcome beyond the core symptoms of ADHD. © The Author(s) 2009. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com

  13. Day-and-night glycaemic control with closed-loop insulin delivery versus conventional insulin pump therapy in free-living adults with well controlled type 1 diabetes: an open-label, randomised, crossover study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bally, Lia; Thabit, Hood; Kojzar, Harald; Mader, Julia K; Qerimi-Hyseni, Jehona; Hartnell, Sara; Tauschmann, Martin; Allen, Janet M; Wilinska, Malgorzata E; Pieber, Thomas R; Evans, Mark L; Hovorka, Roman

    2017-04-01

    Tight control of blood glucose concentration in people with type 1 diabetes predisposes to hypoglycaemia. We aimed to investigate whether day-and-night hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery can improve glucose control while alleviating the risk of hypoglycaemia in adults with HbA 1c below 7·5% (58 mmol/mol). In this open-label, randomised, crossover study, we recruited adults (aged ≥18 years) with type 1 diabetes and HbA 1c below 7·5% from Addenbrooke's Hospital (Cambridge, UK) and Medical University of Graz (Graz, Austria). After a 2-4 week run-in period, participants were randomly assigned (1:1), using web-based randomly permuted blocks of four, to receive insulin via the day-and-night hybrid closed-loop system or usual pump therapy for 4 weeks, followed by a 2-4 week washout period and then the other intervention for 4 weeks. Treatment interventions were unsupervised and done under free-living conditions. During the closed-loop period, a model-predictive control algorithm directed insulin delivery, and prandial insulin delivery was calculated with a standard bolus wizard. The primary outcome was the proportion of time when sensor glucose concentration was in target range (3·9-10·0 mmol/L) over the 4 week study period. Analyses were by intention to treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02727231, and is completed. Between March 21 and June 24, 2016, we recruited 31 participants, of whom 29 were randomised. One participant withdrew during the first closed-loop period because of dissatisfaction with study devices and glucose control. The proportion of time when sensor glucose concentration was in target range was 10·5 percentage points higher (95% CI 7·6-13·4; pday-and-night hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery under unsupervised, free-living conditions for 4 weeks in adults with type 1 diabetes and HbA 1c below 7·5% is safe and well tolerated, improves glucose control, and reduces hypoglycaemia burden. Larger and longer studies

  14. Intensive Treat-to-Target Statin Therapy in High-Risk Japanese Patients With Hypercholesterolemia and Diabetic Retinopathy: Report of a Randomized Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Itoh, Hiroshi; Komuro, Issei; Takeuchi, Masahiro; Akasaka, Takashi; Daida, Hiroyuki; Egashira, Yoshiki; Fujita, Hideo; Higaki, Jitsuo; Hirata, Ken-Ichi; Ishibashi, Shun; Isshiki, Takaaki; Ito, Sadayoshi; Kashiwagi, Atsunori; Kato, Satoshi; Kitagawa, Kazuo; Kitakaze, Masafumi; Kitazono, Takanari; Kurabayashi, Masahiko; Miyauchi, Katsumi; Murakami, Tomoaki; Murohara, Toyoaki; Node, Koichi; Ogawa, Susumu; Saito, Yoshihiko; Seino, Yoshihiko; Shigeeda, Takashi; Shindo, Shunya; Sugawara, Masahiro; Sugiyama, Seigo; Terauchi, Yasuo; Tsutsui, Hiroyuki; Ueshima, Kenji; Utsunomiya, Kazunori; Yamagishi, Masakazu; Yamazaki, Tsutomu; Yo, Shoei; Yokote, Koutaro; Yoshida, Kiyoshi; Yoshimura, Michihiro; Yoshimura, Nagahisa; Nakao, Kazuwa; Nagai, Ryozo

    2018-06-01

    Diabetes is associated with high risk of cardiovascular (CV) events, particularly in patients with dyslipidemia and diabetic complications. We investigated the incidence of CV events with intensive or standard lipid-lowering therapy in patients with hypercholesterolemia, diabetic retinopathy, and no history of coronary artery disease (treat-to-target approach). In this multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded end point study, eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to intensive statin therapy targeting LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) targeting LDL-C 100-120 mg/dL ( n = 2,524). Mean follow-up was 37 ± 13 months. LDL-C at 36 months was 76.5 ± 21.6 mg/dL in the intensive group and 104.1 ± 22.1 mg/dL in the standard group ( P target strategy in high-risk patients deserves further investigation. © 2018 by the American Diabetes Association.

  15. Effect of sodium zirconium cyclosilicate on potassium lowering for 28 days among outpatients with hyperkalemia: the HARMONIZE randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosiborod, Mikhail; Rasmussen, Henrik S; Lavin, Philip; Qunibi, Wajeh Y; Spinowitz, Bruce; Packham, David; Roger, Simon D; Yang, Alex; Lerma, Edgar; Singh, Bhupinder

    2014-12-03

    Hyperkalemia is a common electrolyte abnormality that may be difficult to manage because of a lack of effective therapies. Sodium zirconium cyclosilicate is a nonabsorbed cation exchanger that selectively binds potassium in the intestine. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of zirconium cyclosilicate for 28 days in patients with hyperkalemia. HARMONIZE was a phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating zirconium cyclosilicate in outpatients with hyperkalemia (serum potassium ≥5.1 mEq/L) recruited from 44 sites in the United States, Australia, and South Africa (March-August 2014). Patients (n = 258) received 10 g of zirconium cyclosilicate 3 times daily in the initial 48-hour open-label phase. Patients (n = 237) achieving normokalemia (3.5-5.0 mEq/L) were then randomized to receive zirconium cyclosilicate, 5 g (n = 45 patients), 10 g (n = 51), or 15 g (n = 56), or placebo (n = 85) daily for 28 days. The primary end point was mean serum potassium level in each zirconium cyclosilicate group vs placebo during days 8-29 of the randomized phase. In the open-label phase, serum potassium levels declined from 5.6 mEq/L at baseline to 4.5 mEq/L at 48 hours. Median time to normalization was 2.2 hours, with 84% of patients (95% CI, 79%-88%) achieving normokalemia by 24 hours and 98% (95% CI, 96%-99%) by 48 hours. In the randomized phase, serum potassium was significantly lower during days 8-29 with all 3 zirconium cyclosilicate doses vs placebo (4.8 mEq/L [95% CI, 4.6-4.9], 4.5 mEq/L [95% CI, 4.4-4.6], and 4.4 mEq/L [95% CI, 4.3-4.5] for 5 g, 10 g, and 15 g; 5.1 mEq/L [95% CI, 5.0-5.2] for placebo; P zirconium cyclosilicate groups vs placebo (36/45 [80%], 45/50 [90%], and 51/54 [94%] for the 5-g, 10-g, and 15-g groups, vs 38/82 [46%] with placebo; P zirconium cyclosilicate and placebo, although edema was more common in the 15-g group (edema incidence: 2/85 [2%], 1/45 [2%], 3/51 [6%], and 8/56 [14%] patients

  16. Tritium labeling of detonation nanodiamonds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Girard, Hugues A; El-Kharbachi, Abdelouahab; Garcia-Argote, Sébastien; Petit, Tristan; Bergonzo, Philippe; Rousseau, Bernard; Arnault, Jean-Charles

    2014-03-18

    For the first time, the radioactive labeling of detonation nanodiamonds was efficiently achieved using a tritium microwave plasma. According to our measurements, the total radioactivity reaches 9120 ± 120 μCi mg(-1), with 93% of (3)H atoms tightly bonded to the surface and up to 7% embedded into the diamond core. Such (3)H doping will ensure highly stable radiolabeled nanodiamonds, on which surface functionalization is still allowed. This breakthrough opens the way to biodistribution and pharmacokinetics studies of nanodiamonds, while this approach can be scalable to easily treat bulk quantities of nanodiamonds at low cost.

  17. Detection of myocardial ischemia before infarction, based on accumulation of labeled pyruvate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goldstein, R.A.; Klein, M.S.; Sobel, B.E.

    1980-01-01

    To determine whether ischemic, but not irreversibly injured myocardium, can be differentiated from normal tissue based on accumulation of labeled pyruvate, isolated hearts were perfused with buffer containing [ 14 C]pyruvate under conditions of normal or low flow. Fifteen minutes after the hearts were exposed to labeled material, myocardial radioactivity was fourfold greater in ischemic compared to control hearts, due to accumulation of label in sequestered lactate produced from the pyruvate. Open-chest rabbits subjected to coronary occlusion exhibited a 1.73:1 ratio of radioactivity in ischemic compared with normal myocardium 15 min after systemic injection of [ 14 C]pyruvate. The results obtained suggest that zones of myocardial ischemia should be detectable in vivo by positron tomography after systemic administration of [ 11 C]pyruvate as well

  18. Busulfan and melphalan versus carboplatin, etoposide, and melphalan as high-dose chemotherapy for high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NBL1/SIOPEN): an international, randomised, multi-arm, open-label, phase 3 trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ladenstein, Ruth; Pötschger, Ulrike; Pearson, Andrew D J; Brock, Penelope; Luksch, Roberto; Castel, Victoria; Yaniv, Isaac; Papadakis, Vassilios; Laureys, Geneviève; Malis, Josef; Balwierz, Walentyna; Ruud, Ellen; Kogner, Per; Schroeder, Henrik; de Lacerda, Ana Forjaz; Beck-Popovic, Maja; Bician, Pavel; Garami, Miklós; Trahair, Toby; Canete, Adela; Ambros, Peter F; Holmes, Keith; Gaze, Mark; Schreier, Günter; Garaventa, Alberto; Vassal, Gilles; Michon, Jean; Valteau-Couanet, Dominique

    2017-04-01

    High-dose chemotherapy with haemopoietic stem-cell rescue improves event-free survival in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma; however, which regimen has the greatest patient benefit has not been established. We aimed to assess event-free survival after high-dose chemotherapy with busulfan and melphalan compared with carboplatin, etoposide, and melphalan. We did an international, randomised, multi-arm, open-label, phase 3 cooperative group clinical trial of patients with high-risk neuroblastoma at 128 institutions in 18 countries that included an open-label randomised arm in which high-dose chemotherapy regimens were compared. Patients (age 1-20 years) with neuroblastoma were eligible to be randomly assigned if they had completed a multidrug induction regimen (cisplatin, carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and etoposide with or without topotecan, vincristine, and doxorubicin) and achieved an adequate disease response. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to busulfan and melphalan or to carboplatin, etoposide, and melphalan by minimisation, balancing age at diagnosis, stage, MYCN amplification, and national cooperative clinical group between groups. The busulfan and melphalan regimen comprised oral busulfan (150 mg/m 2 given on 4 days consecutively in four equal doses); after Nov 8, 2007, intravenous busulfan was given (0·8-1·2 mg/kg per dose for 16 doses according to patient weight). After 24 h, an intravenous melphalan dose (140 mg/m 2 ) was given. Doses of busulfan and melphalan were modified according to bodyweight. The carboplatin, etoposide, and melphalan regimen consisted of carboplatin continuous infusion of area under the plasma concentration-time curve 4·1 mg/mL per min per day for 4 days, etoposide continuous infusion of 338 mg/m 2 per day for 4 days, and melphalan 70 mg/m 2 per day for 3 days, with doses for all three drugs modified according to bodyweight and glomerular filtration rate. Stem-cell rescue was given after the last dose of

  19. Multi-label Learning with Missing Labels Using Mixed Dependency Graphs

    KAUST Repository

    Wu, Baoyuan

    2018-04-06

    This work focuses on the problem of multi-label learning with missing labels (MLML), which aims to label each test instance with multiple class labels given training instances that have an incomplete/partial set of these labels (i.e., some of their labels are missing). The key point to handle missing labels is propagating the label information from the provided labels to missing labels, through a dependency graph that each label of each instance is treated as a node. We build this graph by utilizing different types of label dependencies. Specifically, the instance-level similarity is served as undirected edges to connect the label nodes across different instances and the semantic label hierarchy is used as directed edges to connect different classes. This base graph is referred to as the mixed dependency graph, as it includes both undirected and directed edges. Furthermore, we present another two types of label dependencies to connect the label nodes across different classes. One is the class co-occurrence, which is also encoded as undirected edges. Combining with the above base graph, we obtain a new mixed graph, called mixed graph with co-occurrence (MG-CO). The other is the sparse and low rank decomposition of the whole label matrix, to embed high-order dependencies over all labels. Combining with the base graph, the new mixed graph is called as MG-SL (mixed graph with sparse and low rank decomposition). Based on MG-CO and MG-SL, we further propose two convex transductive formulations of the MLML problem, denoted as MLMG-CO and MLMG-SL respectively. In both formulations, the instance-level similarity is embedded through a quadratic smoothness term, while the semantic label hierarchy is used as a linear constraint. In MLMG-CO, the class co-occurrence is also formulated as a quadratic smoothness term, while the sparse and low rank decomposition is incorporated into MLMG-SL, through two additional matrices (one is assumed as sparse, and the other is assumed as low

  20. Labelling of end-of-life decisions by physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deyaert, Jef; Chambaere, Kenneth; Cohen, Joachim; Roelands, Marc; Deliens, Luc

    2014-07-01

    Potentially life-shortening medical end-of-life practices (end-of-life decisions (ELDs)) remain subject to conceptual vagueness. This study evaluates how physicians label these practices by examining which of their own practices (described according to the precise act, the intention, the presence of an explicit patient request and the self-estimated degree of life shortening)they label as euthanasia or sedation. We conducted a large stratified random sample of death certificates from 2007 (N=6927).The physicians named on the death certificate were approached by means of a postal questionnaire asking about ELDs made in each case and asked to choose the most appropriate label to describe the ELD. Response rate was 58.4%. In the vast majority of practices labelled as euthanasia, the self-reported actions of the physicians corresponded with the definition in the Belgian euthanasia legislation; practices labelled as palliative or terminal sedation lack clear correspondence with definitions of sedation as presented in existing guidelines. In these cases, an explicit life-shortening intention by means of drug administration was present in 21.6%, life shortening was estimated at more than 24 h in 51% and an explicit patient request was absentin 79.7%. Our results suggest that, unlike euthanasia,the concept of palliative or terminal sedation covers abroad range of practices in the minds of physicians. This ambiguity can be a barrier to appropriate sedation practice and indicates a need for better knowledge of the practice of palliative sedation by physicians.

  1. Pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV-negative persons with partners living with HIV: uptake, use, and effectiveness in an open-label demonstration project in East Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heffron, Renee; Ngure, Kenneth; Odoyo, Josephine; Bulya, Nulu; Tindimwebwa, Edna; Hong, Ting; Kidoguchi, Lara; Donnell, Deborah; Mugo, Nelly R; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Katabira, Elly; Asiimwe, Stephen; Morton, Jennifer; Morrison, Susan; Haugen, Harald; Mujugira, Andrew; Haberer, Jessica E; Ware, Norma C; Wyatt, Monique A; Marzinke, Mark A; Frenkel, Lisa M; Celum, Connie; Baeten, Jared M

    2017-11-06

    Introduction : Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can provide high protection against HIV infection and is a recommended intervention for HIV-negative persons with substantial HIV risk, such as individuals with a partner living with HIV.  Demonstration projects of PrEP have been conducted in diverse settings worldwide to illustrate practical examples of how PrEP can be delivered.  Methods : We evaluated delivery of PrEP for HIV-negative partners within heterosexual HIV serodiscordant couples in an open-label demonstration project in East Africa.  The delivery model integrated PrEP into HIV treatment services, prioritizing PrEP for HIV-negative partners within serodiscordant couples prior to and during the first 6 months after the partner living with HIV initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART).  We measured adherence to PrEP through medication event monitoring system (MEMS) bottle caps and quantification of tenofovir in plasma among a random sample of participants. We estimated HIV infections prevented using a counterfactual cohort simulated from the placebo arm of a previous PrEP clinical trial. Results : We enrolled 1,010 HIV serodiscordant couples that were naïve to ART and PrEP.  Ninety-seven percent (97%) of HIV-negative partners initiated PrEP, and when PrEP was dispensed, objective measures suggest high adherence: 71% of HIV-negative participants took ≥80% of expected doses, as recorded via MEMS, and 81% of plasma samples had tenofovir detected.  A total of 4 incident HIV infections were observed (incidence rate=0.24 per 100 person-years), a 95% reduction (95% CI 86-98%, pproject for African HIV-negative individuals whose partners were known to be living with HIV.  Delivery of PrEP to HIV-negative partners within HIV serodiscordant couples was feasible and should be prioritized for wide-scale implementation.

  2. Ubiquinol-10 supplementation improves autonomic nervous function and cognitive function in chronic fatigue syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukuda, Sanae; Nojima, Junzo; Kajimoto, Osami; Yamaguti, Kouzi; Nakatomi, Yasuhito; Kuratsune, Hirohiko; Watanabe, Yasuyoshi

    2016-07-08

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefit of oral ubiquinol-10 supplementation in CFS patients using an open-label study and a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled (RCT) study. Twenty patients with CFS were randomly enrolled in an 8-week open-label oral ubiquinol-10 (150 mg ubiquinol-10/day) study. The patients and the attending physicians were not blinded to the supplementation. Forty-three patients with CFS were randomly assigned to receive either ubiquinol-10 (150 mg/day) or placebo every day for 12 weeks. The patients and the attending physicians were blinded to the supplementation, and a total of 31 patients (N = 17 in the ubiquinol group and 14 in the placebo group) completed the study. The beneficial effects of ubiquinol-10 were observed in the open-label study we conducted prior to the RCT. The RCT results suggest that supplementation with ubiquinol-10 for 12 weeks is effective for improving several CFS symptoms. © 2016 BioFactors, 42(4):431-440, 2016. © 2016 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  3. A Multicenter, Randomized, Open-Labeled, Parallel Group Trial of Sildenafil in Alcohol-Associated Erectile Dysfunction: The Impact on Psychosocial Outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Grinshpoon

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available To examine the effect of sildenafil on erectile dysfunction (ED and psychosocial outcomes in alcohol-dependent (AD men, 108 men with these diagnoses were randomly assigned to either take sildenafil (50 mg as add-on to standard treatment for AD, or the same treatment without sildenafil, for 12 weeks. Only 50 patients in sildenafil group and 51 in control group twice completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF and a battery of self-report questionnaires. IIEF scores and psychosocial functioning, self-esteem and support from friends improved only for sildenafil-treated patients (P < 0.001. The high effect sizes suggest that the observed benefits are unlikely to be a placebo effect, although their unspecific nature could not be ruled out. In men with ED associated with AD, sildenafil improves both ED and psychosocial outcomes. Further placebo-controlled clinical trial is warranted.

  4. The Effects of Knowledge, Religiosity Value, and Attitude on Halal Label Reading Behavior of Undergraduate Students

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Megawati Simanjuntak

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Halal label is a label on food that justified according to Islamic law, qualified and did not harm our health. The purpose of this research was to analyze the effect of intrinsic factors (individual characteristics and family characteristics, extrinsic factors, knowledge, religiosity and the attitude towards behavior of reading the halal label on food products of undergraduate students. This study used cross sectional study with survey method. The research involved 400 students of Bogor Agricultural University that were chosen by multistage random sampling with gender as a layer. There was significant difference between female and male in knowledge, religiosity value, and attitude in reading halal label, whereas the behavior in reading label had no significant difference. Age, religiosity value, and attitude were found affected significantly behavior of reading halal label on food products.

  5. The "Trotter" Open-Air School, Milan (1922-1977): A City of Youth or Risky Business?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thyssen, Geert

    2009-01-01

    This article inserts the concept of risk in the context of open-air schools and investigates its implications, capacities and limits. It is contended that applying at-risk labels to pupils who attended open-air schools is itself a risky business. The category to some extent constitutes an anomaly within most open-air schools' histories, as much of…

  6. Verification of Open Interactive Markov Chains

    OpenAIRE

    Brazdil, Tomas; Hermanns, Holger; Krcal, Jan; Kretinsky, Jan; Rehak, Vojtech

    2012-01-01

    Interactive Markov chains (IMC) are compositional behavioral models extending both labeled transition systems and continuous-time Markov chains. IMC pair modeling convenience - owed to compositionality properties - with effective verification algorithms and tools - owed to Markov properties. Thus far however, IMC verification did not consider compositionality properties, but considered closed systems. This paper discusses the evaluation of IMC in an open and thus compositional interpretation....

  7. Randomization in clinical trials: stratification or minimization? The HERMES free simulation software.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fron Chabouis, Hélène; Chabouis, Francis; Gillaizeau, Florence; Durieux, Pierre; Chatellier, Gilles; Ruse, N Dorin; Attal, Jean-Pierre

    2014-01-01

    Operative clinical trials are often small and open-label. Randomization is therefore very important. Stratification and minimization are two randomization options in such trials. The first aim of this study was to compare stratification and minimization in terms of predictability and balance in order to help investigators choose the most appropriate allocation method. Our second aim was to evaluate the influence of various parameters on the performance of these techniques. The created software generated patients according to chosen trial parameters (e.g., number of important prognostic factors, number of operators or centers, etc.) and computed predictability and balance indicators for several stratification and minimization methods over a given number of simulations. Block size and proportion of random allocations could be chosen. A reference trial was chosen (50 patients, 1 prognostic factor, and 2 operators) and eight other trials derived from this reference trial were modeled. Predictability and balance indicators were calculated from 10,000 simulations per trial. Minimization performed better with complex trials (e.g., smaller sample size, increasing number of prognostic factors, and operators); stratification imbalance increased when the number of strata increased. An inverse correlation between imbalance and predictability was observed. A compromise between predictability and imbalance still has to be found by the investigator but our software (HERMES) gives concrete reasons for choosing between stratification and minimization; it can be downloaded free of charge. This software will help investigators choose the appropriate randomization method in future two-arm trials.

  8. The Efficacy of Neurofeedback in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: An Open Labeled Prospective Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheon, Eun-Jin; Koo, Bon-Hoon; Choi, Joong-Hyun

    2016-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of neurofeedback on depressive symptoms and electrophysiological disturbances in patients with major depressive disorder. We recruited participants suffering from depression to evaluate efficacy of left prefrontal beta with alpha/theta training. An 8-week, prospective, open-label study was undertaken. Twenty participants were recruited. The treatment protocol was twice or three times a week training of beta at F3 with alpha/theta at Pz for 8 weeks. When every visit, patients were received beta training for 30 min, and then alpha/theta training for 30 min. Baseline, 4 and 8 week scores of; the Hamilton rating scale for Depression (HAM-D), the Hamilton rating scale for Anxiety (HAM-A), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Clinical global impression-severity (CGI-S), and pre- and post-treatment resting state EEGs were compared. Interhemispheric alpha power asymmetry (A score) was computed for homologous sites F3-F4. Pre- and post-training clinical assessments revealed significant improvements in HAM-D, HAM-A, BDI, and CGI-S scores. Cumulative response rates by HAM-D were 35.0 and 75.0 % at 4 and 8 weeks, respectively, corresponding cumulative remission rates by HAM-D were 15.0 and 55.0 %, respectively. No significant differences were found between pre- and post-treatment A score. Neurofeedback treatment could improve depressive symptoms significantly. In addition, anxiety symptoms and clinical illness severity decreased significantly after neurofeedback treatment. Despite its several limitations, such as, small sample size and lack of a control group, this study suggested neurofeedback has significant effects in patients with major depressive disorder.

  9. Randomized control trial for the assessment of the anti-albuminuric effects of topiroxostat in hyperuricemic patients with diabetic nephropathy (the ETUDE study).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kato, Sawako; Ando, Masahiko; Mizukoshi, Toshihiro; Nagata, Takanobu; Katsuno, Takayuki; Kosugi, Tomoki; Tsuboi, Naotake; Maruyama, Shoichi

    2016-05-01

    Proteinuria is an established risk factor for diabetic nephropathy. Recent studies indicate that some xanthine oxidase inhibitors have a renoprotective effect. The aim of this study was to assess whether topiroxostat reduces albuminuria in hyperuricemic patients with diabetic nephropathy and overt proteinuria. The ETUDE study is an ongoing 24-week, multicenter, open-label, randomized (1:1), parallel group study involving hyperuricemic patients with diabetic nephropathy (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≥ 20 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) and overt proteinuria (0.3 ≤ urine protein to creatinine ratio (UPCR) ETUDE trial is the first randomized controlled study of topiroxostat in hyperuricemic patients with diabetic nephropathy and overt proteinuria. We will clarify the pleiotropic function of topiroxostat including an anti-albumiuric effect as well as its effects on safely decreasing serum uric acid levels.

  10. Labelling and Marketing of Bivalve and Gastropod Molluscs Retailed in Sardinia, Italy Between 2009 and 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meloni, Domenico

    2015-05-28

    The aim of the present survey was to investigate the correct enforcement of the Community rules on the labelling and marketing of bivalve and gastropod molluscs retailed in Sardinia, Italy between 2009 and 2013. A total of 1500 packages and labels for live bivalve and gastropod molluscs were considered. A total of 375 labels (25%) presented non-compliance concerning the wrong trade name and additional wrong or missing information. The highest percentage of anomalous labels has been detected in small-scale retail shops (35%) and open-air markets (25%) compared with the big retailing chains (20%). The 5% of packages were not in compliance with the European Community rules on packaging of bivalve and gastropod molluscs. The high percentage of non-compliance with the European regulations on labelling results is a strong limitation for the consumers and highlights the need to improve the control system about labelling of seafood products.

  11. Synthesis of positron labeled photoactive compounds: 18F labeled aryl azides for positron labeling of biochemical molecules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hashizume, Kazunari; Hashimoto, Naota; Miyake, Yoshihiro

    1995-01-01

    The authors have prepared various [ 18 F] fluorine labeled aryl azides as a novel photoactive compounds suitable for positron labeling of biochemical molecules. The introduction of fluorine substituents to aryl azides can be expected to have dramatic effects on their nature and reactivity toward photolysis. Positron labeled reagents for labeling proteins or peptides have recently attracted considerable attention due to their wide applicability in biochemistry and positron emission tomography (PET). Various labeled azide compounds are often used in biochemistry for radiolabeling biological molecules by photolysis, but there have been no reports on the preparation or use of fluorine-18 labeled azides. The authors now report a novel synthesis of 18 F-labeled aryl azides which will have wide application in the biochemistry and nuclear medicine as a means for 18 F-fluorine labeling for proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids. 2 tabs

  12. A randomized trial comparing initial HAART regimens of nelfinavir/nevirapine and ritonavir/saquinavir in combination with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirk, Ole; Lundgren, Jens D; Pedersen, Court

    2003-01-01

    BACKGROUND: A triple-class HAART regimen may be associated with a better virological effect than conventional regimens, but may also lead to toxicity and more profound resistance. METHODS: Randomized, controlled, open-label trial of 233 protease inhibitor- and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase...... inhibitor-naive HIV-infected patients allocated to a regimen of nelfinavir and nevirapine (1250/200 mg twice daily; n = 118) or ritonavir and saquinavir (400/400 mg twice daily; n = 115), both in combination with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. The primary end-point was HIV RNA ... the long-term consequences of triple class HAART regimens, including the development of broad drug resistance....

  13. Markov Random Fields on Triangle Meshes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Vedrana; Aanæs, Henrik; Bærentzen, Jakob Andreas

    2010-01-01

    In this paper we propose a novel anisotropic smoothing scheme based on Markov Random Fields (MRF). Our scheme is formulated as two coupled processes. A vertex process is used to smooth the mesh by displacing the vertices according to a MRF smoothness prior, while an independent edge process label...

  14. All-trans retinoic acid as adjunct to intensive treatment in younger adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia: results of the randomized AMLSG 07-04 study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlenk, Richard F; Lübbert, Michael; Benner, Axel; Lamparter, Alexander; Krauter, Jürgen; Herr, Wolfgang; Martin, Hans; Salih, Helmut R; Kündgen, Andrea; Horst, Heinz-A; Brossart, Peter; Götze, Katharina; Nachbaur, David; Wattad, Mohammed; Köhne, Claus-Henning; Fiedler, Walter; Bentz, Martin; Wulf, Gerald; Held, Gerhard; Hertenstein, Bernd; Salwender, Hans; Gaidzik, Verena I; Schlegelberger, Brigitte; Weber, Daniela; Döhner, Konstanze; Ganser, Arnold; Döhner, Hartmut

    2016-12-01

    The aim of this clinical trial was to evaluate the impact of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) in combination with chemotherapy and to assess the NPM1 status as biomarker for ATRA therapy in younger adult patients (18-60 years) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Patients were randomized for intensive chemotherapy with or without open-label ATRA (45 mg/m 2 , days 6-8; 15 mg/m 2 , days 9-21). Two cycles of induction therapy were followed by risk-adapted consolidation with high-dose cytarabine or allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Due to the open label character of the study, analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat (ITT) and a per-protocol (PP) basis. One thousand one hundred patients were randomized (556, STANDARD; 544, ATRA) with 38 patients treated vice versa. Median follow-up for survival was 5.2 years. ITT analyses revealed no difference between ATRA and STANDARD for the total cohort and for the subset of NPM1-mutated AML with respect to event-free (EFS; p = 0.93, p = 0.17) and overall survival (OS; p = 0.24 and p = 0.32, respectively). Pre-specified PP analyses revealed better EFS in NPM1-mutated AML (p = 0.05) and better OS in the total cohort (p = 0.03). Explorative subgroup analyses on an ITT basis revealed better OS (p = 0.05) in ATRA for genetic low-risk patients according to ELN recommendations. The clinical trial is registered at clinicaltrialsregister.eu (EudraCT Number: 2004-004321-95).

  15. Open lung approach versus standard protective strategies: Effects on driving pressure and ventilatory efficiency during anesthesia - A pilot, randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrando, Carlos; Suarez-Sipmann, Fernando; Tusman, Gerardo; León, Irene; Romero, Esther; Gracia, Estefania; Mugarra, Ana; Arocas, Blanca; Pozo, Natividad; Soro, Marina; Belda, Francisco J

    2017-01-01

    Low tidal volume (VT) during anesthesia minimizes lung injury but may be associated to a decrease in functional lung volume impairing lung mechanics and efficiency. Lung recruitment (RM) can restore lung volume but this may critically depend on the post-RM selected PEEP. This study was a randomized, two parallel arm, open study whose primary outcome was to compare the effects on driving pressure of adding a RM to low-VT ventilation, with or without an individualized post-RM PEEP in patients without known previous lung disease during anesthesia. Consecutive patients scheduled for major abdominal surgery were submitted to low-VT ventilation (6 ml·kg-1) and standard PEEP of 5 cmH2O (pre-RM, n = 36). After 30 min estabilization all patients received a RM and were randomly allocated to either continue with the same PEEP (RM-5 group, n = 18) or to an individualized open-lung PEEP (OL-PEEP) (Open Lung Approach, OLA group, n = 18) defined as the level resulting in maximal Cdyn during a decremental PEEP trial. We compared the effects on driving pressure and lung efficiency measured by volumetric capnography. OL-PEEP was found at 8±2 cmH2O. 36 patients were included in the final analysis. When compared with pre-RM, OLA resulted in a 22% increase in compliance and a 28% decrease in driving pressure when compared to pre-RM. These parameters did not improve in the RM-5. The trend of the DP was significantly different between the OLA and RM-5 groups (p = 0.002). VDalv/VTalv was significantly lower in the OLA group after the RM (p = 0.035). Lung recruitment applied during low-VT ventilation improves driving pressure and lung efficiency only when applied as an open-lung strategy with an individualized PEEP in patients without lung diseases undergoing major abdominal surgery. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02798133.

  16. Open lung approach versus standard protective strategies: Effects on driving pressure and ventilatory efficiency during anesthesia - A pilot, randomized controlled trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Ferrando

    Full Text Available Low tidal volume (VT during anesthesia minimizes lung injury but may be associated to a decrease in functional lung volume impairing lung mechanics and efficiency. Lung recruitment (RM can restore lung volume but this may critically depend on the post-RM selected PEEP. This study was a randomized, two parallel arm, open study whose primary outcome was to compare the effects on driving pressure of adding a RM to low-VT ventilation, with or without an individualized post-RM PEEP in patients without known previous lung disease during anesthesia.Consecutive patients scheduled for major abdominal surgery were submitted to low-VT ventilation (6 ml·kg-1 and standard PEEP of 5 cmH2O (pre-RM, n = 36. After 30 min estabilization all patients received a RM and were randomly allocated to either continue with the same PEEP (RM-5 group, n = 18 or to an individualized open-lung PEEP (OL-PEEP (Open Lung Approach, OLA group, n = 18 defined as the level resulting in maximal Cdyn during a decremental PEEP trial. We compared the effects on driving pressure and lung efficiency measured by volumetric capnography.OL-PEEP was found at 8±2 cmH2O. 36 patients were included in the final analysis. When compared with pre-RM, OLA resulted in a 22% increase in compliance and a 28% decrease in driving pressure when compared to pre-RM. These parameters did not improve in the RM-5. The trend of the DP was significantly different between the OLA and RM-5 groups (p = 0.002. VDalv/VTalv was significantly lower in the OLA group after the RM (p = 0.035.Lung recruitment applied during low-VT ventilation improves driving pressure and lung efficiency only when applied as an open-lung strategy with an individualized PEEP in patients without lung diseases undergoing major abdominal surgery.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02798133.

  17. Effect of benzalkonium chloride-free travoprost on intraocular pressure and ocular surface symptoms in patients with glaucoma previously on latanoprost: an open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes, Joao F; Hubatsch, Douglas A; Amaris, Patricia

    2015-11-12

    Prostaglandin analogs reduce intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension; however, these medications may affect the ocular surface and elicit ocular discomfort when preserved with benzalkonium chloride (BAK). This was an open-label, single-arm study conducted in Latin America from February 2012 to May 2013. Patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension who were intolerant of latanoprost 0.005 % were transitioned to receive once-daily BAK-free travoprost 0.004 % containing polyquaternium-1 (Travatan® preserved with POLYQUAD® [PQ], Alcon Laboratories, Inc; Fort Worth, TX) for 12 weeks. Mean change in IOP from baseline (primary efficacy endpoint) and the percentage of patients who achieved a target IOP of ≤18 mmHg were evaluated at all on-therapy visits. Ocular hyperemia, patient preference, and self-projected adherence were assessed at week 12. Adverse events (AEs) were monitored throughout the study. All enrolled patients were included in the analysis (n = 191); the majority of patients (90.6 %, n = 173/191) completed the study. Mean (SD) patient age was 67.5 (11.3) years, and mean baseline IOP was 14.8 mmHg. Mean IOP was reduced by 0.94 mmHg at week 6 and by 1.09 mmHg at week 12 (P glaucoma or ocular hypertension who were intolerant of latanoprost. BAK-free travoprost 0.004 % is a viable alternative for patients who require switching their IOP-lowering medications because of tolerability issues. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT01510145.

  18. Mixed Map Labeling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maarten Löffler

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Point feature map labeling is a geometric visualization problem, in which a set of input points must be labeled with a set of disjoint rectangles (the bounding boxes of the label texts. It is predominantly motivated by label placement in maps but it also has other visualization applications. Typically, labeling models either use internal labels, which must touch their feature point, or external (boundary labels, which are placed outside the input image and which are connected to their feature points by crossing-free leader lines. In this paper we study polynomial-time algorithms for maximizing the number of internal labels in a mixed labeling model that combines internal and external labels. The model requires that all leaders are parallel to a given orientation θ ∈ [0, 2π, the value of which influences the geometric properties and hence the running times of our algorithms.

  19. Long-term tolerability of tolterodine extended release in children 5-11 years of age: results from a 12-month, open-label study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nijman, Rien J M; Borgstein, Niels G; Ellsworth, Pamela

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term tolerability of tolterodine extended release (ER) in children (aged 5-11 yr) with urgency urinary incontinence (UUI). METHODS: This was a multicenter, open-label extension of a 12-wk, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of tolterodine ER. Patients had UUI...... suggestive of detrusor overactivity (>/=1 diurnal incontinence episode per 24h for >/=5 of 7 d) and >/=6 voids per 24h at baseline and had completed the 12-wk double-blind study. Patients received tolterodine ER (2mg once daily) for 12 mo. The primary end points were the incidence and severity of adverse......-blind tolterodine ER, n=221; placebo, n=97). The majority of patients were white (90%), mean+/-SD age was 7.6+/-1.5 yr, and 54% were boys. Forty-nine percent of patients reported >/=1 AE during the study, similar to that observed in the preceding 12-wk study (42%). The most frequent AEs were urinary tract infection...

  20. Time-dependent labelling course of human eosinophilic granulocytes after 3H thymidine application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walle, A.J.

    1975-01-01

    After intravenous injection of 0.1 μCi/g body weight 3 H-Thymidine and taking of blood samples in intervals of 6-12 hrs. on three test persons with healthy blood, the labelling course of the eosinophilic granulocytes was studied. The cells were classified in four groups, according to the relative frequency of the different degrees of labelling. The time-dependent labelling index curves showed a nawe-sheped course. Elimination of the eosinophilics from the blood is carried out according to the 'At-random'-principle. 12 hrs. p.i. already 10% of the eosinophilics in the blood were labelled with maximally 5 grains. The cell flow-in phase of 13 hrs. was succeeded by a flow-out phase of nearly the same duration, afthr the first labelling maximum of 17%. 80 hrs. p.i. the first massive in-flow of high-labelled cells containing more than 30 grains. After reaching the labelling maximum of 58%, the labelling index values decreased continuously. Until the 11th day p.i., appr. 50% of the eosinophilics were still labelled, after 17 days appr. 25%, more than 65% of which consisted of cells with only 2-4 grains. Comparison of the labelling index curves of the grain groups with each other shows at first a synchronous, then an increasingly asynchronous course, according to the desynchronization of the several eosinophilic generation cycles in the bone marrow which gets more significant in the course of time. (orig.) [de