User experiences with second-generation 32-gauge × 4 mm vs. thinner comparator pen needles: prospective randomized trial

Abstract

Objective

Two similarly designed studies compared user experiences with a second-generation extra-thin-wall, 5-bevel 32?G?×?4?mm pen needle (PN) with redesigned hub versus four thinner commercially available PNs.     

Demonstration of a modelling-based multi-criteria decision analysis procedure for prioritisation of occupational risks from manufactured nanomaterials

Several tools to facilitate the risk assessment and management of manufactured nanomaterials (MN) have been developed. Most of them require input data on physicochemical properties, toxicity and scenario-specific exposure information. However, such data are yet not readily available, and tools that can handle data gaps in a structured way to ensure transparent risk analysis for industrial and regulatory decision making are needed. This paper proposes such a quantitative risk prioritisation tool, based on a multi-criteria decision analysis algorithm, which combines advanced exposure and dose-response modelling to calculate margins of exposure (MoE) for a number of MN in order to rank their occupational risks. We demonstrated the tool in a number of workplace exposure scenarios (ES) involving the production and handling of nanoscale titanium dioxide, zinc oxide (ZnO), silver and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The results of this application demonstrated that bag/bin filling, manual un/loading and dumping of large amounts of dry powders led to high emissions, which resulted in high risk associated with these ES. The ZnO MN revealed considerable hazard potential in vivo, which significantly influenced the risk prioritisation results. In order to study how variations in the input data affect our results, we performed probabilistic Monte Carlo sensitivity/uncertainty analysis, which demonstrated that the performance of the proposed model is stable against changes in the exposure and hazard input variables.     

Clinical and subclinical cardiovascular disease in female SLE patients: Interplay between body mass index and bone mineral density

Background and aims

Since accelerated atherosclerosis has been reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), predictive biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are needed. Among non-traditional risk factors, bone mineral density (BMD) has been related to CVD. However, its role in SLE remains controversial. This study aims to analyze the associations of subclinical atherosclerosis with traditional and non-traditional CV risk factors.

食管癌根治性放疗剂量研究进展

同步放化疗是不可手术局部晚期食管癌的标准治疗模式,国际推荐根治性放疗剂量为50.0~50.4Gy,但中国食管癌与西方国家在病理类型、生物学行为等方面大有不同,行根治性放疗剂量仍倾向于60Gy。增加放疗剂量能否带来生存获益成为临床亟待解决的问题。有研究认为高剂量放疗可提高局控率、改善生存,但也有研究认为提高剂量未能带来生存获益,且可增加不良反应事件发生率。因此,本文就食管癌根治性放疗剂量对预后的影响进行探讨,并通过放化疗后疗效评估对放疗剂量做出适当调整,以期达个体化放疗。     

氯氮平、氟哌啶醇和氯丙嗪对慢性精神分裂症患者糖、脂代谢及体质量的影响

目的 探讨氯氮平、氟哌啶醇和氯丙嗪对慢性精神分裂症患者的糖、脂代谢和体质量的影响。方法 对服用氯氮平（89例，氯氮平组），服用氟哌啶醇（87例，氟哌啶醇组）及服用氯丙嗪（83例，氯丙嗪组）治疗的慢性精神分裂症患者于治疗前后的不同时间进行血糖、胰岛素、血脂及体质量测定，并做相关因素分析。结果 氯氮平组治疗第90天和第180天空腹血糖异常（空腹血浆血糖〉7.0mmo/L）的发生率分别为8％及24％，氟哌啶醇组分别为1％和2％，氯丙嗪组分别为1％及4％。治疗第90天氯氮平组和氯丙嗪组的空腹及餐后2h血糖浓度均较治疗前升高，治疗第180天的血糖浓度高于第90天，氟哌啶醇组各时点的变化则不明显；差异均有统计学意义（P均〈0．01）。治疗第90天，氯氮平组的体质量平均高于治疗前5．5％，氯丙嗪组高于治疗前4．8％；治疗第180天两组分别高于治疗前9．1％和7．4％；氟哌啶醇组则无明显变化；三组间的差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。三组患者治疗第180天的胰岛素浓度均高于治疗前，差异均有统计学意义（P均〈0．01），但三组间的差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。氯氮平组和氯丙嗪组的胆固醇和甘油三酯浓度均高于治疗前，差异均有统计学意义（P均〈0．01），氟哌啶醇组则无明显变化。治疗第180天氯氮平组和氯丙嗪组患者血糖、胰岛素、血脂浓度与体质量均有一定相关性（r=0．23-0．39）；氯氮平组的血糖、体质量、血脂代谢还与血药浓度呈显著性相关（r=0．28-0．62），差异均有统计学意义（P〈0．05或〈0．01）。结论 氯氮平和氯丙嗪治疗影响慢性精神分裂症患者的糖、脂代谢及体质量。