Anti-GM-CSF otilimab versus tofacitinib or placebo in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to conventional or biologic DMARDs: two phase 3 randomised trials (contRAst 1 and contRAst 2).

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and safety of otilimab, an antigranulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor antibody, in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Two phase 3, double-blind randomised controlled trials including patients with inadequate responses to methotrexate (contRAst 1) or conventional synthetic/biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cs/bDMARDs; contRAst 2). Patients received background csDMARDs.

Anti-GM-CSF otilimab versus sarilumab or placebo in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and inadequate response to targeted therapies: a phase III randomised trial (contRAst 3).

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and safety of otilimab, an anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor antibody, in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to conventional synthetic (cs) and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and/or Janus kinase inhibitors.

Methods: ContRAst 3 was a 24-week, phase III, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Patients received subcutaneous otilimab (90/150 mg once weekly), subcutaneous sarilumab (200 mg every 2 weeks) or placebo for 12 weeks, in addition to csDMARDs.

Wide-Field-of-View Multispectral Camera Design for Continuous Turfgrass Monitoring.

Sustainably using resources, while reducing the use of chemicals, is of major importance in agriculture, including turfgrass monitoring. Today, crop monitoring often uses camera-based drone sensing, offering an accurate evaluation but typically requiring a technical operator. To enable autonomous and continuous monitoring, we propose a novel five-channel multispectral camera design suitable for integrating it inside lighting fixtures and enabling the sensing of a multitude of vegetation indices by covering visible, near-infrared and thermal wavelength bands.

Freeform Wide Field-of-View Spaceborne Imaging Telescope: From Design to Demonstrator.

Wide field-of-view imaging optics offer a huge potential for space-based Earth observation enabling the capture of global data. Reflective imaging telescopes are often favored, as they do not show chromatic aberrations and are less susceptible to radiation darkening than their refractive counterparts. However, the main drawback of reflective telescopes is that they are limited with respect to field-of-view while featuring large dimensions.

A randomised trial of anti-GM-CSF otilimab in severe COVID-19 pneumonia (OSCAR).

Background: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and dysregulated myeloid cell responses are implicated in the pathophysiology and severity of COVID-19.

Methods: In this randomised, sequential, multicentre, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, adults aged 18-79 years (Part 1) or ≥70 years (Part 2) with severe COVID-19, respiratory failure and systemic inflammation (elevated C-reactive protein/ferritin) received a single intravenous infusion of otilimab 90 mg (human anti-GM-CSF monoclonal antibody) plus standard care (NCT04376684). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients alive and free of respiratory failure at Day 28.

Optical Design of a Novel Wide-Field-of-View Space-Based Spectrometer for Climate Monitoring.

We report on a near-infrared imaging spectrometer for sensing the three most prominent greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane). The optical design of the spectrometer involves freeform optics, which enables achieving exceptional performance and allows progressing well beyond the state-of-the-art in terms of compactness, field-of-view, and spatial resolution. The spectrometer is intended to be launched on a small satellite orbiting at 700 km and observing the Earth with a wide field-of-view of 120° and a spatial resolution of 2.

Engaging Patients Online Healthcare Fora: Three Pharmacovigilance Use Cases.

Increasingly, patient-generated safety insights are shared online, via general social media platforms or dedicated healthcare fora which give patients the opportunity to discuss their disease and treatment options. We evaluated three areas of potential interest for the use of social media in pharmacovigilance. To evaluate how social media may complement existing safety signal detection capabilities, we identified two use cases (drug/adverse event [AE] pairs) and then evaluated the frequency of AE discussions across a range of social media channels.

Wide-Field-of-View Longwave Camera for the Characterization of the Earth's Outgoing Longwave Radiation.

The measurement of the Earth's Outgoing Longwave Radiation plays a key role in climate change monitoring. This measurement requires a compact wide-field-of-view camera, covering the 8-14 µm wavelength range, which is not commercially available. Therefore, we present a novel thermal wide-field-of-view camera optimized for space applications, featuring a field of view of 140° to image the Earth from limb to limb, while enabling a high spatial resolution of 4.

Combining drug and music therapy in patients with moderate Alzheimer's disease: a randomized study.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) can impair language, but active music therapy (AMT) and memantine (M) can improve communication. This study aimed to clarify whether adding AMT to M may improve language in comparison with drugs alone in patients with moderate AD on stable therapy with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AchEI). Forty-five AD patients treated with stable dose of AchEI were randomized to receive AMT plus M 20 mg/day or M 20 mg/day for 24 weeks.

Cognitive training in Alzheimer's disease: a controlled randomized study.

This controlled randomized single-blind study evaluated the effects of cognitive training (CT), compared to active music therapy (AMT) and neuroeducation (NE), on initiative in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Secondarily, we explored the effects of CT on episodic memory, mood, and social relationships. Thirty-nine AD patients were randomly assigned to CT, AMT, or NE.

MACVIA-LR (Fighting Chronic Diseases for Active and Healthy Ageing in Languedoc-Roussillon): A Success Story of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing.

The Région Languedoc Roussillon is the umbrella organisation for an interconnected and integrated project on active and healthy ageing (AHA). It covers the 3 pillars of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA): (A) Prevention and health promotion, (B) Care and cure, (C) and (D) Active and independent living of elderly people. All sub-activities (poly-pharmacy, falls prevention initiative, prevention of frailty, chronic respiratory diseases, chronic diseases with multimorbidities, chronic infectious diseases, active and independent living and disability) have been included in MACVIA-LR which has a strong political commitment and involves all stakeholders (public, private, patients, policy makers) including CARSAT-LR and the Eurobiomed cluster.

Safety, tolerability, efficacy and pharmacodynamics of the selective JAK1 inhibitor GSK2586184 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

We aimed to evaluate the pharmacodynamics, efficacy, safety and tolerability of the JAK1 inhibitor GSK2586184 in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this adaptive, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, patients received oral GSK2586184 50-400 mg, or placebo twice daily for 12 weeks. Primary endpoints included interferon-mediated messenger RNA transcription over time, changes in Safety of Estrogen in Lupus National Assessment-SLE Disease Activity Index score, and number/severity of adverse events.

Investigation of selective JAK1 inhibitor GSK2586184 for the treatment of psoriasis in a randomized placebo-controlled phase IIa study.

Background: GSK2586184 is a selective oral Janus kinase (JAK)1 inhibitor being evaluated as a treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque-type psoriasis.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between dose of GSK2586184 and clinical response, primarily by the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI).

Methods: Sixty patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis were randomized to cohort A: 100 mg, 200 mg or 400 mg GSK2586184 twice daily or placebo; and eight were randomized to open-label cohort B, a small exploratory cohort treated with 400 mg GSK2586184 twice daily, to explore differential gene expression.

Safety of alitretinoin for severe refractory chronic hand eczema: Clinical studies and postmarketing surveillance.

Background: Alitretinoin is approved for the treatment of adults with severe chronic hand eczema (CHE) refractory to potent topical steroids. In the 6 years since launch, approximately 250 000 patients have been treated with alitretinoin.

Objective: To compare the postmarketing safety surveillance experience of alitretinoin with data from clinical trials and key safety issues with other retinoids.

Active music therapy improves cognition and behaviour in chronic vascular encephalopathy: a case report.

Objectives: This study describes the effects of active music therapy (AMT) on cognition and behaviour in chronic vascular encephalopathy.

Design: A single case study investigated different cognitive and psycho-behavioural changes after AMT.

Setting: An adult patient with memory, attention, and verbal fluency deficits associated with Vascular Cognitive Impairment-No Dementia (VCI-ND) was treated.

Nursing Activities Score (NAS): 5 years of experience in the intensive care units of an Italian University hospital.

Objective: To retrospectively analyse the application of the Nursing Activities Score (NAS) in an intensive care department from January 2006 to December 2011.

Method: The sample consists of 5856 patients in three intensive care units (GICU: General Intensive Care Unit, NeuroICU: Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit, CICU: Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit) of an Italian University hospital. The NAS was calculated for each patient every 24 hours.