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SummaryPelvic fracture patients were randomized to blinded daily subcutaneous teriparatide (TPTD) or placebo to assess healing and functional outcomes over 3 months. With TPTD, there was no evidence of improved healing by CT or pain reduction; however, physical performance improved with TPTD but not placebo (group difference p < 0.03).IntroductionTo determine if teriparatide (20 μg/day; TPTD) results in improved radiologic healing, reduced pain, and improved functional outcome vs placebo over 3 months in pelvic fracture patients.MethodsThis randomized, placebo-controlled study enrolled 35 patients (women and men >50 years old) within 4 weeks of pelvic fracture and evaluated the effect of blinded TPTD vs placebo over 3 months on fracture healing. Fracture healing from CT images at 0 and 3 months was assessed as cortical bridging using a 5-point scale. The numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain was administered monthly. Physical performance was assessed monthly by Continuous Summary Physical Performance Score (based on 4 m walk speed, timed repeated chair stands, and balance) and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test.ResultsThe mean age was 82, and >80% were female. The intention to treat analysis showed no group difference in cortical bridging score, and 50% of fractures in TPTD-treated and 53% of fractures in placebo-treated patients were healed at 3 months, unchanged after adjustment for age, sacral fracture, and fracture displacement. Median pain score dropped significantly in both groups with no group differences. Both CSPPS and TUG improved in the teriparatide group, whereas there was no improvement in the placebo group (group difference p < 0.03 for CSPPS at 2 and 3 months).ConclusionIn this small randomized, blinded study, there was no improvement in radiographic healing (CT at 3 months) or pain with TPTD vs placebo; however, there was improved physical performance in TPTD-treated subjects that was not evident in the placebo group.

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mass, which leads to reduced bone strength and an increased risk of fractures. Anabolic agents have been shown to improve bone mass and decrease fracture risk in osteoporosis patients by directly stimulating osteoblasts to produce new bone. Currently, two anabolic agents are available in the USA: recombinantly produced teriparatide (TPTD), which is the fully active (1–34) amino active sequence of human parathyroid hormone (PTH), and abaloparatide (APTD), a synthetic analog of parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP). At present, both agents are approved only for treatment of patients with osteoporosis at high risk of fracture. Nonetheless, their anabolic properties have led to off-label application in additional settings which include spine fusion, osteonecrosis of the jaw, arthroplasty, and fracture healing. In this article, we summarize available scientific literature regarding the efficacy, effectiveness, and safety of TPTD in these off-label settings.

Corrosion behavior of matte and bright galvanic nickel coatings in solutions and vapor of acetic acid are studied. Corrosion of the corresponding materials in the studied media occurs with oxygen depolarization. The rate of anodic dissolution of bright nickel deposits in acetic acid solutions is higher than that of matte ones, due to the effect of sulfur on the continuity of the passive film on bright nickel deposits and their ability to passivation. Based on EDX and XRD studies, the formation of corrosion products on the surface of bright nickel deposits in the form of nickel acetate and a film of nickel sulfides of variable stoichiometric composition during the exposure in acetic acid solutions and vapor are shown. The stoichiometric composition of sulfide corrosion products changes with increasing sulfur content from Ni 3 S 2 to Ni 3 S 4 under prolonged exposure of the studied bright nickel deposits in vapor or solutions of acetic acid.

The adsorption of phenol by activated carbons obtained by the alkaline thermolysis (KOH, 800°C) of fossil coals of various degrees of metamorphism (C daf = 70.4–95.6%) was studied. Kinetic dependences and adsorption isotherms were obtained at initial concentrations of ≤3 mg/cm 3 (25°C). The rate constants of absorption of the adsorbate, maximum and specific capacities for phenol, and their dependences on C daf were determined. The main processes of the interaction of phenol with surface adsorption centers are discussed.

The inverse phase transfer process of catalytic benzoylation of α-amino acids (on the example of alanine) in a two-phase water–dichloromethane system in the presence of pyridine derivatives as catalysts is investigated. The effect of the initial concentration of alanine, its form in solution, and the initial catalyst concentration on the reaction rate and the composition of the products is studied. It is established that using 4-methyl- and 4-methoxy pyridine N-oxides combined with a double excess of the sodium salt of alanine makes it possible to obtain 2-benzamidopropionic acid with a yield of more than 80%.

The steady-state and kinetic characteristics of photoconductivity and photoluminescence and the thermally stimulated conductivity spectra of the GdTe layers deposited by vacuum evaporation onto heated substrates are studied in relation to the substrate temperature. The measurements are carried out at temperatures, illuminations, and wavelengths ranging from 4.2 to 400 K, from 10 10 to 10 23 photon/cm 2 , and from0.4 to 2.5 μm, respectively. A certain optimal range of substrate temperatures T s ≈ 450–550°C, at which the as-prepared layers exhibit a high resistivity, a high photosensitivity, and the best structural quality, is established. In the spectra of these layers, a new luminescence band at h v m = 1.09 eV is observed along with the known photoluminescence band at h v m = 1.42 eV. It is established that this new band is due to intracenter transitions rather than recombination transitions. The nature of radiative recombination centers in the layers is discussed. It is suggested that the d electrons of cations can be involved in the formation of chemical bonds of local centers in CdTe.

Micro- and nanoparticles of medium- and high-molecular-mass carboxymethyl chitosan with and without added ascorbic acid and their complexes with ficin were obtained. Associates of ficin with carboxymethyl chitosan micro- and nanoparticles were more stable than the free (soluble) enzyme. The proteolytic activity of the ficin associates was observed to decrease during incubation for seven days in Tris-HCl buffer (0.05 M) a pH 7.5 and 37°C. The catalytic ability of ficin associates with the particles synthesized with ascorbic acid was higher than that with the particles of both types of carboxymethyl chitosan obtained without it. This difference was 22 and 25% for micro- and nanoparticles of medium-molecular-mass carboxymethyl chitosan, respectively; 27 and 8%, for micro- and nanoparticles of high-molecular-mass chitosan, respectively.

Delirium is a common and serious postoperative complication. Subanaesthetic ketamine is often administered intraoperatively for postoperative analgesia, and some evidence suggests that ketamine prevents delirium. The primary purpose of this trial was to assess the effectiveness of ketamine for prevention of postoperative delirium in older adults. The Prevention of Delirium and Complications Associated with Surgical Treatments [PODCAST] study is a multicentre, international randomised trial that enrolled adults older than 60 years undergoing major cardiac and non-cardiac surgery under general anaesthesia. Using a computer-generated randomisation sequence we randomly assigned patients to one of three groups in blocks of 15 to receive placebo (normal saline), low-dose ketamine (0·5 mg/kg), or high dose ketamine (1·0 mg/kg) after induction of anaesthesia, before surgical incision. Participants, clinicians, and investigators were blinded to group assignment. Delirium was assessed twice daily in the first 3 postoperative days using the Confusion Assessment Method. We did analyses by intention-to-treat and assessed adverse events. This trial is registered with clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT01690988. Between Feb 6, 2014, and June 26, 2016, 1360 patients were assessed, and 672 were randomly assigned, with 222 in the placebo group, 227 in the 0·5 mg/kg ketamine group, and 223 in the 1·0 mg/kg ketamine group. There was no difference in delirium incidence between patients in the combined ketamine groups and the placebo group (19·45% vs 19·82%, respectively; absolute difference 0·36%, 95% CI −6·07 to 7·38, p=0·92). There were more postoperative hallucinations (p=0·01) and nightmares (p=0·03) with increasing ketamine doses compared with placebo. Adverse events (cardiovascular, renal, infectious, gastrointestinal, and bleeding), whether viewed individually (p value for each >0·40) or collectively (36·9% in placebo, 39·6% in 0·5 mg/kg ketamine, and 40·8% in 1·0 mg/kg ketamine groups, p=0·69), did not differ significantly across groups. A single subanaesthetic dose of ketamine did not decrease delirium in older adults after major surgery, and might cause harm by inducing negative experiences. National Institutes of Health and Cancer Center Support.

Gallium oxide is becoming increasingly attractive as a next-generation material for semiconductor applications, prompting the need for efficient and economical techniques for thin-film fabrication, especially on non-native substrates. In this work, β-Ga2O3 films with a thickness of 0.25 µm were grown on a silicon substrate via radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the good crystalline quality of the synthesized β-Ga2O3 films. The mechanical stresses in the β-Ga2O3/Si heterostructure were measured using X-ray diffraction. A comparative analysis with simulated data obtained via finite element modeling demonstrated good correlation between experiment and theory.

Purpose. Determination of a functional relationship between the oxygen concentration in the air and meteorological parameters (temperature, pressure, humidity) in open areas. Methodology. The functional relationship between the oxygen concentration in the air and meteorological parameters is established on the basis of experimental gas laws. Approximating functions of the oxygen volume concentration changing in the air are obtained using mathematical statistics methods. The correction for the determination of the excess air ratio was determined on the basis of the theory of errors. Forecasting the oxygen volume concentration in the air was carried out on the basis of the inverse functional dependence established by means of the discrete Fourier transform. Findings. Approaches to measuring and predicting the oxygen volume concentration in the air based on meteorological parameters are substantiated. Originality. A method has been developed for determining the air gas concentration based on meteorological parameters of the environment. The method for determining the excess air ratio as an informative parameter for controlling the fuel combustion has been improved. A method for predicting the oxygen volume concentration in the air based on the discrete Fourier transform is proposed. Practical value. Technical solutions are proposed and new methods and means of measuring the oxygen volume concentration in the air are developed, including those for improving the accuracy of determining the excess air ratio during the fuel burning in boilers. Also, the obtained results can be applied in different areas of medicine, ecology, agro-industrial sector, and others.