Objective
To systematically examine the randomized controlled trial (RCT) evidence regarding efficacy and tolerability of topiramate cotreatment with antipsychotics in schizophrenia‐spectrum ...disorders.
Methods
Random‐effects meta‐analysis of RCTs of topiramate cotreatment with antipsychotics vs. placebo/ongoing antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia‐spectrum disorders. Standardized or weighted mean difference (SMD/WMD), risk ratio (RR) ±95% confidence intervals (CIs), and number needed to harm (NNH) were calculated.
Results
Across 16 RCTs (n = 934, duration = 11.8 ± 5.6 weeks), topiramate outperformed the comparator regarding change/endpoint of total (SMD: −0.58, 95% CI: −0.82, −0.35, P < 0.00001), positive (SMD: −0.37, 95% CI: −0.61, −0.14, P = 0.002), negative (SMD: −0.58, 95% CI: −0.87, −0.29, P < 0.0001), and general symptoms (SMD: −0.68, 95% CI: −0.95, −0.40, P < 0.00001). Furthermore, topiramate was superior regarding body weight (WMD: –2.75 kg, 95% CI: −4.03, −1.47, P < 0.0001), body mass index (BMI) (WMD: –1.77, 95% CI: −2.38, −1.15, P < 0.00001), triglycerides (P = 0.006), and insulin levels (P < 0.00001). Superiority regarding psychopathology and body weight/BMI was consistent across Chinese/Asian and Western RCTs, double‐blind and open designs, clozapine and non‐clozapine cotreatment, augmentation and co‐initiation RCTs, and higher and lower quality RCTs. In meta‐regression analyses, topiramate's efficacy for total symptoms was moderated by shorter illness duration (P = 0.047), while weight loss was greater in prevention/co‐initiation vs. intervention/augmentation RCTs (−4.11 kg, 95% CI: −6.70, −1.52 vs. −1.41 kg, 95% CI: −2.23, −0.59, P < 0.001). All‐cause discontinuation was similar between topiramate and comparators (RR: 1.28, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.81, P = 0.16). While topiramate led to more concentration/attention difficulties (P = 0.03, NNH = 8, 95% CI=4–25), psychomotor slowing (P = 0.02, NNH = 7, 95% CI = 4–25), and paresthesia (P = 0.05, NNH = 2, 95% CI = 4–33), it led to less ≥7% weight gain (P = 0.0001, NNH = 2, 95% CI = 2–3) and constipation (P = 0.04, NNH = 9, 95% CI = 5–100) than the comparator.
Conclusions
These results indicate that adjunctive topiramate to antipsychotics is an effective and safe treatment choice for symptomatic improvement and weight reduction in patients with schizophrenia‐spectrum disorders.
As a major component of the LAMOST Galactic surveys, the LAMOST Spectroscopic Survey of the Galactic Anticentre (LSS-GAC) aims to survey a significant volume of the Galactic thin/thick discs and halo ...for a contiguous sky area of over 3400 deg2 centred on the Galactic anticentre (|b| ≤ 30°, 150 ≤ l ≤ 210°), and obtain λλ3700–9000 low-resolution (R ∼ 1800) spectra for a statistically complete sample of ∼3 M stars of all colours down to a limiting magnitude of r ∼ 17.8 mag (to 18.5 mag for limited fields). Together with Gaia, the LSS-GAC will yield a unique data set to advance our understanding of the structure and assemblage history of the Galaxy, in particular its disc(s). In addition to the main survey, the LSS-GAC will also target hundreds of thousands objects in the vicinity fields of M 31 and M 33 and survey a significant fraction (over a million) of randomly selected very bright stars (r ≤ 14 mag) in the Northern hemisphere. During the Pilot and the first year Regular Surveys of LAMOST, a total of 1042 586 750 867 spectra of a signal-to-noise ratio S/N(7450 Å) ≥ 10 S/N(4650 Å) ≥ 10 have been collected. In this paper, we present a detailed description of the target selection algorithm, survey design, observations and the first data release of value-added catalogues (including radial velocities, effective temperatures, surface gravities, metallicities, values of interstellar extinction, distances, proper motions and orbital parameters) of the LSS-GAC.
Abstract
We present the second release of value-added catalogues of the LAMOST Spectroscopic Survey of the Galactic Anticentre (LSS-GAC DR2). The catalogues present values of radial velocity Vr, ...atmospheric parameters – effective temperature Teff, surface gravity log g, metallicity Fe/H, α-element to iron (metal) abundance ratio α/Fe (α/M), elemental abundances C/H and N/H and absolute magnitudes MV and $M_{K_{\rm s}}$ deduced from 1.8 million spectra of 1.4 million unique stars targeted by the LSS-GAC since 2011 September until 2014 June. The catalogues also give values of interstellar reddening, distance and orbital parameters determined with a variety of techniques, as well as proper motions and multiband photometry from the far-UV to the mid-IR collected from the literature and various surveys. Accuracies of radial velocities reach 5 km s−1 for the late-type stars, and those of distance estimates range between 10 and 30 per cent, depending on the spectral signal-to-noise ratios. Precisions of Fe/H, C/H and N/H estimates reach 0.1 dex, and those of α/Fe and α/M reach 0.05 dex. The large number of stars, the contiguous sky coverage, the simple yet non-trivial target selection function and the robust estimates of stellar radial velocities and atmospheric parameters, distances and elemental abundances make the catalogues a valuable data set to study the structure and evolution of the Galaxy, especially the solar-neighbourhood and the outer disc.
CuO/graphene composite is synthesized from CuO and graphene oxide sheets following reduced by hydrazine vapor. As the electrode material for lithium-ion batteries, CuO nanoparticles with sizes of ...about 30nm homogeneously locate on graphene sheets, and act as spacers to effectively prevent the agglomeration of graphene sheets, keeping their high active surface. In turn, the graphene sheets with good electrical conductivity server as a conducting network for fast electron transfer between the active materials and charge collector, as well as buffered spaces to accommodate the volume expansion/contraction during discharge/charge process. The synergetic effect is beneficial for the electrochemical performances of CuO/graphene composite, such as improved initial coulombic efficiency (68.7%) and reversible capacity of 583.5mAhg−1 with 75.5% retention of the reversible capacity after 50 cycles.
We have investigated the distributions of stellar azimuthal and radial velocity components VΦ and VR in the vertical position-velocity plane Z-VZ across the Galactic disk of 6.34 R 12.34 kpc and ...using a Gaia and Gaia-LAMOST sample of stars. As found in previous works, the distributions exhibit significant spiral patterns. The VR distributions also show clear quadrupole patterns, which are the consequence of the well-known tilt of the velocity ellipsoid. The observed spiral and quadrupole patterns in the phase space plane vary strongly with radial and azimuthal positions. The phase spirals of VΦ become more and more relaxed as R increases. The spiral patterns of VΦ and VR and the quadrupole patterns of VR are strongest at −2° < Φ < 2° but negligible at 4° < Φ < 6° and −6° < Φ < −4°. Our results suggest an external origin of the phase spirals. In this scenario, the intruder, most likely the previously well-known Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, passed through the Galactic plane in the direction toward either Galactic center or anti-center. The azimuthal variations of the phase spirals also help us constrain the passage duration of the intruder. A detailed model is required to reproduce the observed radial and azimuthal variations of the phase spirals of VΦ and VR.
High-energy photons from the Crab Nebula
The Crab Nebula contains a pulsar that excites the surrounding gas to emit high-energy radiation. The combination of the pulsar's youth and nearby location ...makes the nebula the brightest gamma-ray source in the sky. The LHAASO Collaboration report observations of this source at energies of tera– to peta–electron volts, extending the spectrum of this prototypical object. They combine these data with observations at lower energies to model the physics of the emission process. The multiwave-length data can be explained by a combination of synchrotron radiation and inverse Compton scattering.
Science
, abg5137, this issue p.
425
Detection of the Crab Nebula at peta–electron volt energies constrains the gamma-ray emission mechanism.
The Crab Nebula is a bright source of gamma rays powered by the Crab Pulsar’s rotational energy through the formation and termination of a relativistic electron-positron wind. We report the detection of gamma rays from this source with energies from 5 × 10
−4
to 1.1 peta–electron volts with a spectrum showing gradual steepening over three energy decades. The ultrahigh-energy photons imply the presence of a peta–electron volt electron accelerator (a pevatron) in the nebula, with an acceleration rate exceeding 15% of the theoretical limit. We constrain the pevatron’s size between 0.025 and 0.1 parsecs and the magnetic field to ≈110 microgauss. The production rate of peta–electron volt electrons, 2.5 × 10
36
ergs per second, constitutes 0.5% of the pulsar spin-down luminosity, although we cannot exclude a contribution of peta–electron volt protons to the production of the highest-energy gamma rays.
Carbon coated FeS2 (FeS2/C) composite is prepared via a simple solid state reaction using glucose as carbon source. The porous FeS2 particles are uniformly surrounded by the amorphous carbon coating. ...As an anode material for lithium ion batteries, the FeS2/C composite exhibits higher reversible capacity and better cycling performance than the unmodified FeS2. The specific capacity of the FeS2/C composite after 50 cycles is 495 mAh g−1, much higher than that of FeS2 (345 mAh g−1). In order to investigate the effect of carbon coating, the cycled electrodes have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The improvement is attributed to the introduction of carbon coating, which can enhance the conductivity, reduce the dissolution of sulfur and corrosion from HF, and stabilize the porous structure during cycling.
► FeS2/C composite is prepared by a simple solid state reaction for the first time. ► The result of XPS shows the carbon coating can reduce the corrosion from HF. ► The result of ICP shows the carbon coating can reduce the dissolution of sulfur. ► FeS2/C composite shows superior electrochemical performance.
Free radicals may be involved in the pathogenesis of tardive dyskinesia (TD). We conducted this meta-analysis to systematically examine the efficacy of extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGb), a potent ...antioxidant possessing free radical-scavenging properties, as a treatment for TD in schizophrenia using randomized controlled trial (RCT) data.
Drawn from English and Chinese databases, 3 RCTs of EGb augmentation of antipsychotics (APs) vs. AP plus placebo or AP monotherapy were identified. 2 evaluators extracted data. The primary outcome measure was the severity of TD symptoms assessed by the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). Weighted mean difference (WMD) and risk ratio (RR) ±95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager (version 5.1.7.0) and STATA (version 12.0).
The 3 RCTs (n=299) from China, of 12 weeks duration, involved schizophrenia patients with TD of 55.9±13.4 years old. EGb (240 mg/day) outperformed the control group in reducing the severity of TD and clinical symptoms as measured by the AIMS (trials=3, n=299, WMD: -2.30 (95%CI: - 3.04, -1.55), P<0.00001) and the adverse drug reactions as assessed by the Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) (trials=2, n=142, WMD: -2.38 (95%CI: -4.01, -0.74), P=0.004). Both the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score (trials=2, n=239, P=0.87) and all-cause discontinuation (trials=3, n=299, P=0.21) were similar between the EGb and control group.
This meta-analysis suggests that adjunctive EGb appeared to be an effective and safe option for improving TD in the treatment of schizophrenia patients. However, better RCTs are needed to demonstrate its efficacy and safety especially on cognitive function in TD.
CRD42015024930.
To date, there has been no large-scale survey of geriatric depression (GD) involving both rural and urban areas in China using standardized assessment tools and diagnostic criteria. This study aimed ...to determine the 12-month and lifetime prevalence rates of GD and sociodemographic correlates in urban and rural regions of Beijing, China.MethodA total of 1601 elderly patients (aged 60 years) were randomly selected and interviewed in Beijing using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 1.0). Basic sociodemographic and clinical data were also collected during the interviews.
The overall 12-month prevalence of GD was 4.33%, and the 12-month prevalence rates for men and women were 2.65% and 5.83% respectively. The overall lifetime prevalence of GD was 7.83%, and lifetime prevalence rates for men and women were 4.65% and 10.66% respectively. Female sex, lower educational level, monthly income, rural abode, and the presence of one or more major medical conditions were associated with increased risk of GD. Of the GD subjects interviewed, 25.2% were receiving some type of treatment, with only 4.7% preferring to seek treatment from mental health professionals.
Although still relatively low by international standards, there is an increasing trend in the prevalence of GD in China. The low percentage of subjects treated for GD is a major public health concern that should be addressed urgently.
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