A discrete choice experiment to assess people living with HIV's (PLWHIV's) preferences for GP or HIV clinic appointments

OBJECTIVES

To understand which aspects of general practitioner (GP) and HIV clinic appointments people living with HIV (PLWHIV) most value when seeking advice for new health problems.

METHODS

A discrete choice experiment using a convenience sample of people diagnosed with HIV. Participants were recruited from 14 general HIV clinics in the South East of England between December 2014 and April 2015. ORs were calculated using conditional logit (CLOGIT) and latent class models (LCMs).

RESULTS

A total of 1106 questionnaires were returned. Most participants were male (85%), white (74%) and were men who have sex with men (69%). The CLOGIT analysis showed people particularly valued shorter appointment waiting times (ORs between 1.52 and 3.62, p<0.001 in all instances). The LCM analysis showed there were two distinct classes, with 59% and 41% of respondents likely to be in each. The first class generally preferred GP to HIV clinic appointments and particularly valued 'being seen quickly'. For example, they had strong preferences for shorter appointment waiting times and longer GP opening hours. People in the second class also valued shorter waiting times, but they had a strong general preference for HIV clinic rather than GP appointments.

CONCLUSIONS

PLWHIV value many aspects of care for new health problems, particularly short appointment waiting times. However, they appear split in their general willingness to engage with GPs.

Measurement of the [Formula: see text] cross section in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] TeVand limits on anomalous gauge couplings

A measurement of the W boson pair production cross section in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text] TeV is presented. The data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.4[Formula: see text]. The [Formula: see text] candidates are selected from events with two charged leptons, electrons or muons, and large missing transverse energy. The measured [Formula: see text] cross section is [Formula: see text], consistent with the standard model prediction. The [Formula: see text] cross sections are also measured in two different fiducial phase space regions. The normalized differential cross section is measured as a function of kinematic variables of the final-state charged leptons and compared with several perturbative QCD predictions. Limits on anomalous gauge couplings associated with dimension-six operators are also given in the framework of an effective field theory. The corresponding 95 % confidence level intervals are [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], in the HISZ basis.

Screening, diagnosis and management of early syphilis in genitourinary medicine clinics in the UK

New diagnoses of syphilis in the UK increased eight-fold between 1997 and 2002. This study, conducted in 2002, demonstrated that 31% of clinics were not confident of their expertise to obtain an adequate specimen for dark ground microscopy (DGM), and 35% were not confident of their expertise to detect treponemes on DGM. In all, 64% of clinics had observed adherence problems in HIV-positive patients treated with parenteral regimens, as against 42% with oral regimens. Also, 51% of clinics waited more than a week for the results of initial serological tests for syphilis, and 88% of clinics waited more than a week for confirmatory test results. Other concerns include the failure to perform syphilis serology consistently whenever HIV-positive patients were at risk, and the widespread use of doxycycline as a therapy for syphilis in HIV-positive patients despite concerns that this is not known to be fully treponemicidal in cerebrospinal fluid.

Measurement of differential cross sections for Higgs boson production in the diphoton decay channel in pp collisions at [Formula: see text]

A measurement is presented of differential cross sections for Higgs boson (H) production in pp collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]. The analysis exploits the [Formula: see text] decay in data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text] collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The cross section is measured as a function of the kinematic properties of the diphoton system and of the associated jets. Results corrected for detector effects are compared with predictions at next-to-leading order and next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics, as well as with predictions beyond the standard model. For isolated photons with pseudorapidities [Formula: see text], and with the photon of largest and next-to-largest transverse momentum ([Formula: see text]) divided by the diphoton mass [Formula: see text] satisfying the respective conditions of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], the total fiducial cross section is [Formula: see text][Formula: see text].

Cost-effectiveness analysis of tenofovir/emtricitabine and abacavir/lamivudine in combination with efavirenz or atazanavir/ritonavir for treatment-naïve adults with HIV-1 infection in the UK, based on the AIDS Clinical Trials Group 5202 clinical trial

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of the four regimens studied in the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) 5202 clinical trial, tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) or abacavir/lamivudine (ABC/3TC) in combination with efavirenz (EFV) or atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r), for treatment-naïve adults with HIV-1 infection in the UK.

METHODS

A Markov model with six health states based on CD4 cell count ranges was developed to predict long-term costs and health outcomes for individuals on first-line therapy. Head-to-head efficacy data comparing TDF/FTC + EFV, TDF/FTC + ATV/r, ABC/3TC + EFV, and ABC/3TC + ATV/r were obtained from ACTG 5202 for up to 192 weeks. Antiretroviral drug costs were based on current list prices. Other medical costs (2013 UK pounds sterling), utility values, and mortality rates were obtained from published sources. Base-case, sensitivity, and subgroup analyses (by baseline viral load) were conducted.

RESULTS

Individuals using TDF/FTC-based regimens were predicted to remain on first-line therapy longer and accrue more quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) than individuals using ABC/3TC-based regimens. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of £30 000 per QALY gained, TDF/FTC-based regimens were predicted to be cost-effective compared with ABC/3TC-based regimens, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of £23 355 for TDF/FTC + EFV vs. ABC/3TC + EFV and £23 785 for TDF/FTC + ATV/r vs. ABC/3TC + ATV/r. Results were generally robust in subgroup, sensitivity, and scenario analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

In an analysis of the regimens studied in ACTG 5202 for treatment-naïve adults with HIV-1 infection in the UK, TDF/FTC-based regimens yielded more favourable health outcomes and were generally predicted to be cost-effective compared with ABC/3TC-based regimens. These results confirm that TDF/FTC-based regimens are not only clinically effective but also cost-effective.

Measurement of the differential cross section for top quark pair production in pp collisions at [Formula: see text]

The normalized differential cross section for top quark pair ([Formula: see text]) production is measured in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8[Formula: see text] at the CERN LHC using the CMS detector in data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text]. The measurements are performed in the lepton[Formula: see text]jets ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]jets) and in the dilepton ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]) decay channels. The [Formula: see text] cross section is measured as a function of the kinematic properties of the charged leptons, the jets associated to b quarks, the top quarks, and the [Formula: see text] system. The data are compared with several predictions from perturbative quantum chromodynamic up to approximate next-to-next-to-leading-order precision. No significant deviations are observed relative to the standard model predictions.

Measurements of the [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] production cross sections in the [Formula: see text] channel in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] and combined constraints on triple gauge couplings

Measurements of the [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] production cross sections in proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8[Formula: see text] are presented. Candidate events for the leptonic decay mode [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] denotes an electron or a muon, are reconstructed and selected from data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.1 (19.6)[Formula: see text] at 7 (8)[Formula: see text] collected with the CMS experiment. The measured cross sections, [Formula: see text] at 7[Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] at 8[Formula: see text], are in good agreement with the standard model predictions with next-to-leading-order accuracy. The selected data are analyzed to search for anomalous triple gauge couplings involving the [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] final state. In the absence of any deviation from the standard model predictions, limits are set on the relevant parameters. These limits are then combined with the previously published CMS results for [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] in 4[Formula: see text] final states, yielding the most stringent constraints on the anomalous couplings.

Exposure to phthalates, bisphenol A and metals in pregnancy and the association with impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes mellitus: The MIREC study

BACKGROUND

Studies from several countries report increases in rates of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) over recent decades. Exposure to environmental chemicals could contribute to this trend.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the associations between plasticisers and metals measured in early pregnancy with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and GDM in a Canadian pregnancy cohort.

METHODS

Women enrolled in the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) Study were included if they had a singleton delivery and did not have pre-existing diabetes. Eleven phthalate metabolites and total bisphenol A (BPA) were measured in first-trimester urine samples, and four metals (lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic) were measured in first-trimester blood samples. IGT and GDM were assessed in accordance with standard guidelines by chart review. Chemical concentrations were grouped by quartiles, and associations with outcomes were examined using logistic regression with adjustment for maternal age, race, pre-pregnancy BMI, and education. Restricted cubic spline analysis was performed to help assess linearity and nature of any dose-response relationships.

RESULTS

Of 2001 women recruited into the MIREC cohort, 1274 met the inclusion criteria and had outcome data and biomonitoring data measured for at least one of the chemicals we examined. Elevated odds of GDM were observed in the highest quartile of arsenic exposure (OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.4-9.6) in the adjusted analyses. A significant dose-response relationship was observed in a cubic spline model between arsenic and odds of GDM (p < 0.01). No statistically significant associations were observed between phthalates or BPA or other metals with IGT or GDM.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings add to the growing body of evidence supporting the role of maternal arsenic exposure as a risk factor for gestational diabetes.

Estimated cost per HIV infection diagnosed through routine HIV testing offered in acute general medical admission units and general practice settings in England

OBJECTIVES

Following national guidelines to expand HIV testing in high-prevalence areas in England, a number of pilot studies were conducted in acute general medical admission units (ACUs) and general practices (GPs) to assess the feasibility and acceptability of testing in these settings. The aim of this study was to estimate the cost per HIV infection diagnosed through routine HIV testing in these settings.

METHODS

Resource use data from four 2009/2010 Department of Health pilot studies (two ACUs; two GPs) were analysed. Data from the pilots were validated and supplemented with information from other sources. We constructed possible scenarios to estimate the cost per test carried out through expanded HIV testing in ACUs and GPs, and the cost per diagnosis.

RESULTS

In the pilots, cost per test ranged from £8.55 to £13.50, and offer time and patient uptake were 2 minutes and 90% in ACUs, and 5 minutes and 60% in GPs, respectively. In scenario analyses we fixed offer time, diagnostic test cost and uptake rate at 2 minutes, £6 and 80% for ACUs, and 5 minutes, £9.60 and 40% for GPs, respectively. The cost per new HIV diagnosis at a positivity of 2/1000 tests conducted was £3230 in ACUs and £7930 in GPs for tests performed by a Band 3 staff member, and £5940 in ACUs and £18 800 in GPs for tests performed by either hospital consultants or GPs.

CONCLUSIONS

Expanded HIV testing may be more cost-efficient in ACUs than in GPs as a consequence of a shorter offer time, higher patient uptake, higher HIV positivity and lower diagnostic test costs. As cost per new HIV diagnosis reduces at higher HIV positivity, expanded HIV testing should be promoted in high HIV prevalence areas.

Constraints on the pMSSM, AMSB model and on other models from the search for long-lived charged particles in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text]

Stringent limits are set on the long-lived lepton-like sector of the phenomenological minimal supersymmetric standard model (pMSSM) and the anomaly-mediated supersymmetry breaking (AMSB) model. The limits are derived from the results presented in a recent search for long-lived charged particles in proton-proton collisions, based on data collected by the CMS detector at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider. In the pMSSM parameter sub-space considered, 95.9 % of the points predicting charginos with a lifetime of at least 10 ns are excluded. These constraints on the pMSSM are the first obtained at the LHC. Charginos with a lifetime greater than 100 ns and masses up to about 800 GeV in the AMSB model are also excluded. The method described can also be used to set constraints on other models.

Evidence for Collective Multiparticle Correlations in p-Pb Collisions

The second-order azimuthal anisotropy Fourier harmonics, v2, are obtained in p-Pb and PbPb collisions over a wide pseudorapidity (η) range based on correlations among six or more charged particles. The p-Pb data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35  nb-1, were collected during the 2013 LHC p-Pb run at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02  TeV by the CMS experiment. A sample of semiperipheral PbPb collision data at √sNN=2.76  TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.5  μb-1 and covering a similar range of particle multiplicities as the p-Pb data, is also analyzed for comparison. The six- and eight-particle cumulant and the Lee-Yang zeros methods are used to extract the v2 coefficients, extending previous studies of two- and four-particle correlations. For both the p-Pb and PbPb systems, the v2 values obtained with correlations among more than four particles are consistent with previously published four-particle results. These data support the interpretation of a collective origin for the previously observed long-range (large Δη) correlations in both systems. The ratios of v2 values corresponding to correlations including different numbers of particles are compared to theoretical predictions that assume a hydrodynamic behavior of a p-Pb system dominated by fluctuations in the positions of participant nucleons. These results provide new insights into the multiparticle dynamics of collision systems with a very small overlapping region.

Distributions of topological observables in inclusive three- and four-jet events in pp collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]

This paper presents distributions of topological observables in inclusive three- and four-jet events produced in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7[Formula: see text] with a data sample collected by the CMS experiment corresponding to a luminosity of 5.1[Formula: see text]. The distributions are corrected for detector effects, and compared with several event generators based on two- and multi-parton matrix elements at leading order. Among the considered calculations, MadGraph interfaced with pythia6 displays the overall best agreement with data.

An in vivo role for Rho kinase activation in the tumour vascular disrupting activity of combretastatin A-4 3-O-phosphate

Background and Purpose

Combretastatin A-4 3-O-phosphate (CA4P) is in clinical trial as a tumour vascular disrupting agent (VDA) but the cause of blood flow disruption is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that activation of Rho/Rho kinase (ROCK) is fundamental to the effects of this drug in vivo.

Experimental Approach

Mouse models of human colorectal carcinoma (SW1222 and LS174T) were used. Effects of the ROCK inhibitor, Y27632, alone or in combination with CA4P, on ROCK activity, vascular function, necrosis and immune cell infiltration in solid tumours were determined. Mean arterial BP (MABP) was measured to monitor systemic interactions and the vasodilator, hydralazine, was used to control for the hypotensive effects of Y27632.

Key Results

Y27632 caused a rapid drop in blood flow in SW1222 tumours, with recovery by around 3 h, which was paralleled by MABP changes. Y27632 pretreatment reduced CA4P-induced ROCK activation and partially blocked CA4P-induced tumour vascular effects, in both tumour types. Y27632 also partially inhibited CA4P-induced tumour necrosis and was associated with reduced immune cell infiltration in SW1222 tumours. Hydralazine caused a similar hypotensive effect as Y27632 but had no protective effect against CA4P treatment.

Conclusions and Implications

These results demonstrate that ROCK activity is critical for full manifestation of the vascular activity of CA4P in vivo, providing the evidence for pharmacological intervention to enhance the anti-tumour efficacy of CA4P and related VDAs.

Constraints on parton distribution functions and extraction of the strong coupling constant from the inclusive jet cross section in pp collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]

The inclusive jet cross section for proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7[Formula: see text] was measured by the CMS Collaboration at the LHC with data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0[Formula: see text]. The measurement covers a phase space up to 2[Formula: see text] in jet transverse momentum and 2.5 in absolute jet rapidity. The statistical precision of these data leads to stringent constraints on the parton distribution functions of the proton. The data provide important input for the gluon density at high fractions of the proton momentum and for the strong coupling constant at large energy scales. Using predictions from perturbative quantum chromodynamics at next-to-leading order, complemented with electroweak corrections, the constraining power of these data is investigated and the strong coupling constant at the Z boson mass [Formula: see text] is determined to be [Formula: see text], which is in agreement with the world average.

Search for a standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a top-quark pair and decaying to bottom quarks using a matrix element method

A search for a standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a top-quark pair and decaying to bottom quarks is presented. Events with hadronic jets and one or two oppositely charged leptons are selected from a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5[Formula: see text] collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in [Formula: see text] collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8[Formula: see text]. In order to separate the signal from the larger [Formula: see text]  + jets background, this analysis uses a matrix element method that assigns a probability density value to each reconstructed event under signal or background hypotheses. The ratio between the two values is used in a maximum likelihood fit to extract the signal yield. The results are presented in terms of the measured signal strength modifier, [Formula: see text], relative to the standard model prediction for a Higgs boson mass of 125[Formula: see text]. The observed (expected) exclusion limit at a 95 % confidence level is [Formula: see text] (3.3), corresponding to a best fit value [Formula: see text].

Search for dark matter, extra dimensions, and unparticles in monojet events in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]

Results are presented from a search for particle dark matter (DM), extra dimensions, and unparticles using events containing a jet and an imbalance in transverse momentum. The data were collected by the CMS detector in proton-proton collisions at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text]at a centre-of-mass energy of 8[Formula: see text]. The number of observed events is found to be consistent with the standard model prediction. Limits are placed on the DM-nucleon scattering cross section as a function of the DM particle mass for spin-dependent and spin-independent interactions. Limits are also placed on the scale parameter [Formula: see text] in the Arkani-Hamed, Dimopoulos, and Dvali (ADD) model of large extra dimensions, and on the unparticle model parameter [Formula: see text]. The constraints on ADD models and unparticles are the most stringent limits in this channel and those on the DM-nucleon scattering cross section are an improvement over previous collider results.

Nuclear effects on the transverse momentum spectra of charged particles in pPb collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]

Transverse momentum spectra of charged particles are measured by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in pPb collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text], in the range [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] and pseudorapidity [Formula: see text] in the proton-nucleon center-of-mass frame. For [Formula: see text][Formula: see text], the charged-particle production is asymmetric about [Formula: see text], with smaller yield observed in the direction of the proton beam, qualitatively consistent with expectations from shadowing in nuclear parton distribution functions (nPDF). A pp reference spectrum at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] is obtained by interpolation from previous measurements at higher and lower center-of-mass energies. The [Formula: see text] distribution measured in pPb collisions shows an enhancement of charged particles with [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] compared to expectations from the pp reference. The enhancement is larger than predicted by perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations that include antishadowing modifications of nPDFs.

Measurement of J/ψ and ψ(2S) Prompt Double-Differential Cross Sections in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=7 TeV

The double-differential cross sections of promptly produced J/ψ and ψ(2S) mesons are measured in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=7 TeV, as a function of transverse momentum p_{T} and absolute rapidity |y|. The analysis uses J/ψ and ψ(2S) dimuon samples collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 4.55 and 4.90 fb^{-1}, respectively. The results are based on a two-dimensional analysis of the dimuon invariant mass and decay length, and extend to p_{T}=120 and 100 GeV for the J/ψ and ψ(2S), respectively, when integrated over the interval |y|<1.2. The ratio of the ψ(2S) to J/ψ cross sections is also reported for |y|<1.2, over the range 10<p_{T}<100 GeV. These are the highest p_{T} values for which the cross sections and ratio have been measured.

Precise determination of the mass of the Higgs boson and tests of compatibility of its couplings with the standard model predictions using proton collisions at 7 and 8[Formula: see text]

Properties of the Higgs boson with mass near 125[Formula: see text] are measured in proton-proton collisions with the CMS experiment at the LHC. Comprehensive sets of production and decay measurements are combined. The decay channels include [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] pairs. The data samples were collected in 2011 and 2012 and correspond to integrated luminosities of up to 5.1[Formula: see text] at 7[Formula: see text] and up to 19.7[Formula: see text] at 8[Formula: see text]. From the high-resolution [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] channels, the mass of the Higgs boson is determined to be [Formula: see text]. For this mass value, the event yields obtained in the different analyses tagging specific decay channels and production mechanisms are consistent with those expected for the standard model Higgs boson. The combined best-fit signal relative to the standard model expectation is [Formula: see text] at the measured mass. The couplings of the Higgs boson are probed for deviations in magnitude from the standard model predictions in multiple ways, including searches for invisible and undetected decays. No significant deviations are found.

β-Blockers, Pneumonia, and Outcome After Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose—

Increased sympathetic drive after stroke is involved in the pathophysiology of several complications including poststroke immunudepression. β-Blocker (BB) therapy has been suggested to have neuroprotective properties and to decrease infectious complications after stroke. We aimed to examine the effects of random pre- and on-stroke BB exposure on mortality, functional outcome, and occurrence of pneumonia after ischemic stroke.

Methods—

Data including standard demographic and clinical variables as well as prestroke and on-stroke antihypertensive medication, incidence of pneumonia, functional outcome defined using modified Rankin Scale and mortality at 3 months were extracted from the Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive. For statistical analysis multivariable Poisson regression was used.

Results—

In total, 5212 patients were analyzed. A total of 1155 (22.2%) patients were treated with BB before stroke onset and 244 (4.7%) patients were newly started with BB in the acute phase of stroke. Mortality was 17.5%, favorable outcome (defined as modified Rankin Scale, 0–2) occurred in 58.2% and pneumonia in 8.2% of patients. Prestroke BB showed no association with mortality. On-stroke BB was associated with reduced mortality (adjusted risk ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.42–0.96). Neither prestroke BB nor on-stroke BB showed an association with functional outcome. Both prestroke and on-stroke BB were associated with reduced frequency of pneumonia (adjusted risk ratio, 0.77; 95% confidence interval, 0.6–0.98 and risk ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.25–0.95).

Conclusions—

In this large nonrandomized comparison, on-stroke BB was associated with reduced mortality. Prestroke and on-stroke BB were inversely associated with incidence of nosocomial pneumonia. Randomized trials investigating the potential of β-blockade in acute stroke may be warranted.

Measurement of the inclusive 3-jet production differential cross section in proton-proton collisions at 7 TeV and determination of the strong coupling constant in the TeV range

This paper presents a measurement of the inclusive 3-jet production differential cross section at a proton-proton centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5[Formula: see text]collected with the CMS detector. The analysis is based on the three jets with the highest transverse momenta. The cross section is measured as a function of the invariant mass of the three jets in a range of 445-3270 GeV and in two bins of the maximum rapidity of the jets up to a value of 2. A comparison between the measurement and the prediction from perturbative QCD at next-to-leading order is performed. Within uncertainties, data and theory are in agreement. The sensitivity of the observable to the strong coupling constant [Formula: see text] is studied. A fit to all data points with 3-jet masses larger than 664 GeV gives a value of the strong coupling constant of [Formula: see text].

Search for decays of stopped long-lived particles produced in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text]

A search has been performed for long-lived particles that could have come to rest within the CMS detector, using the time intervals between LHC beam crossings. The existence of such particles could be deduced from observation of their decays via energy deposits in the CMS calorimeter appearing at times that are well separated from any proton-proton collisions. Using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.6[Formula: see text] of 8[Formula: see text] proton-proton collisions, and a search interval corresponding to 281 h of trigger livetime, 10 events are observed, with a background prediction of [Formula: see text] events. Limits are presented at 95 % confidence level on gluino and top squark production, for over 13 orders of magnitude in the mean proper lifetime of the stopped particle. Assuming a cloud model of R-hadron interactions, a gluino with mass [Formula: see text]1000[Formula: see text] and a top squark with mass [Formula: see text]525[Formula: see text] are excluded, for lifetimes between 1 [Formula: see text]s and 1000[Formula: see text]. These results are the most stringent constraints on stopped particles to date.

Measurements of differential and double-differential Drell-Yan cross sections in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]

Measurements of the differential and double-differential Drell-Yan cross sections in the dielectron and dimuon channels are presented. They are based on proton-proton collision data at [Formula: see text] recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text]. The measured inclusive cross section in the [Formula: see text] peak region (60-120[Formula: see text]), obtained from the combination of the dielectron and dimuon channels, is [Formula: see text], where the statistical uncertainty is negligible. The differential cross section [Formula: see text] in the dilepton mass range 15-2000[Formula: see text] is measured and corrected to the full phase space. The double-differential cross section [Formula: see text] is also measured over the mass range 20 to 1500[Formula: see text] and absolute dilepton rapidity from 0 to 2.4. In addition, the ratios of the normalized differential cross sections measured at [Formula: see text] and 8[Formula: see text] are presented. These measurements are compared to the predictions of perturbative QCD at next-to-leading and next-to-next-to-leading (NNLO) orders using various sets of parton distribution functions (PDFs). The results agree with the NNLO theoretical predictions computed with fewz 3.1 using the CT10 NNLO and NNPDF2.1 NNLO PDFs. The measured double-differential cross section and ratio of normalized differential cross sections are sufficiently precise to constrain the proton PDFs.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists and cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes: a clinical perspective

Diabetes is associated with the development of premature atherosclerotic disease, including coronary heart disease and acute coronary syndromes. A late consequence of this process is the development of chronic heart failure, which contributes to the increased cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes. Reduction of cholesterol with statins and intensive blood pressure control significantly reduce vascular events in people with diabetes. Intensive treatment of glycaemia reduces microvascular complications, especially retinopathy and nephropathy, but has only a modest effect in reducing macrovascular complications. Attention has therefore focused on individual antidiabetic drugs or drug classes to determine if these have effects in reducing CV events beyond the reduction of blood glucose. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are a class of injected therapies that enhance the incretin effect, increasing insulin release from the pancreas and reducing glucagon production. They also have a central effect, increasing satiety, and in routine clinical use are associated with reductions in body weight. Another possibly beneficial effect of these drugs is a slight but significant reduction in systolic blood pressure. Data from cohort studies have indicated no increase in CV events with GLP-1 receptor agonists, and perhaps some reductions in CV events. The safety and possible CV benefit of these drugs is now being tested in large, multicentre, randomized, placebo-controlled trials.

Transmission risk behaviour at enrolment in participants in the INSIGHT Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) trial

OBJECTIVES

A proportion of HIV-positive people have condomless sex. Antiretroviral treatment (ART) reduces infectiousness, but a substantial proportion of HIV-diagnosed people are not yet on ART. We describe baseline self-reported risk behaviours in ART-naïve Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) trial participants.

METHODS

All START participants completed a risk behaviour questionnaire. Data were collected on sociodemographics, lifestyle factors, health and wellbeing status and clinical status. Recent sexual behaviour and HIV transmission beliefs in the context of ART were also assessed. The primary interest was in condomless sex with serodifferent partners (CLS-D) in the past two months.

RESULTS

A total of 4601 of 4685 HIV-positive participants (98%) completed the questionnaire [2559 men who have sex with men (MSM), 803 heterosexual men and 1239 women]. Region of recruitment was Europe/Israel, 33%; South America/Mexico, 25%; Africa, 22%; other, 21%. Median age was 36 years [interquartile range (IQR) 29, 44 years]. Forty-five per cent reported white ethnicity and 31% black ethnicity. Two per cent had HIV viral load < 50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL. Seventeen per cent (767 of 4601) reported CLS-D; 20% of MSM compared with 10% of heterosexual men and 14% of women. MSM were also more likely to report multiple CLS-D partners. Possible risk limitation measures (reported by more than half of those who had CLS-D) were seropositioning (receptive anal CLS-D only) or withdrawal (insertive anal CLS-D always without ejaculation). CLS-D was more commonly reported by participants from South America/Mexico and North America compared with Europe; among heterosexual men and women CLS-D was also more commonly reported among participants from Africa compared with Europe. Knowledge of ART impact on transmission risk was low.

CONCLUSIONS

A substantial minority recruited to the START study reported CLS-D at baseline. CLS-D reporting was higher in MSM than heterosexuals and varied significantly according to region of recruitment. A substantial proportion of MSM reporting CLS-D appear to take transmission risk limitation measures.

Search for monotop signatures in proton-proton collisions at √s=8 TeV

Results are presented from a search for new decaying massive particles whose presence is inferred from an imbalance in transverse momentum and which are produced in association with a single top quark that decays into a bottom quark and two light quarks. The measurement is performed using 19.7  fb^{-1} of data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. No deviations from the standard model predictions are observed and lower limits are set on the masses of new invisible bosons. In particular, scalar and vector particles, with masses below 330 and 650 GeV, respectively, are excluded at 95% confidence level, thereby substantially extending a previous limit published by the CDF Collaboration.

Search for displaced supersymmetry in events with an electron and a muon with large impact parameters

A search for new long-lived particles decaying to leptons is presented using proton-proton collisions produced by the LHC at √[s]=8  TeV. Data used for the analysis were collected by the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7  fb(-1). Events are selected with an electron and muon with opposite charges that both have transverse impact parameter values between 0.02 and 2 cm. The search has been designed to be sensitive to a wide range of models with nonprompt e-μ final states. Limits are set on the "displaced supersymmetry" model, with pair production of top squarks decaying into an e-μ final state via R-parity-violating interactions. The results are the most restrictive to date on this model, with the most stringent limit being obtained for a top squark lifetime corresponding to cτ=2  cm, excluding masses below 790 GeV at 95% confidence level.

Measurement of electroweak production of two jets in association with a Z boson in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text]

The purely electroweak (EW) cross section for the production of two jets in association with a Z boson, in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text], is measured using data recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text]. The electroweak cross section for the [Formula: see text] final state (with [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] and j representing the quarks produced in the hard interaction) in the kinematic region defined by [Formula: see text][Formula: see text], [Formula: see text][Formula: see text], transverse momentum [Formula: see text][Formula: see text], and pseudorapidity [Formula: see text], is found to be [Formula: see text], in agreement with the standard model prediction. The associated jet activity of the selected events is studied, in particular in a signal-enriched region of phase space, and the measurements are found to be in agreement with QCD predictions.

Study of vector boson scattering and search for new physics in events with two same-sign leptons and two jets

A study of vector boson scattering in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV is presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.4  fb(-1) collected with the CMS detector. Candidate events are selected with exactly two leptons of the same charge, two jets with large rapidity separation and high dijet mass, and moderate missing transverse energy. The signal region is expected to be dominated by electroweak same-sign W-boson pair production. The observation agrees with the standard model prediction. The observed significance is 2.0 standard deviations, where a significance of 3.1 standard deviations is expected based on the standard model. Cross section measurements for W(±)W(±) and WZ processes in the fiducial region are reported. Bounds on the structure of quartic vector-boson interactions are given in the framework of dimension-eight effective field theory operators, as well as limits on the production of doubly charged Higgs bosons.

Insulated Isothermal Reverse Transcriptase PCR (iiRT-PCR) for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Classical Swine Fever Virus

Classical swine fever (CSF) is an OIE‐listed disease that can have a severe impact on the swine industry. User‐friendly, sensitive, rapid diagnostic tests that utilize low‐cost field‐deployable instruments for CSF diagnosis can be useful for disease surveillance and outbreak monitoring. In this study, we describe validation of a new probe‐based insulated isothermal reverse transcriptase PCR (iiRT‐PCR) assay for rapid detection of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) on a compact, user‐friendly device (POCKIT^™ Nucleic Acid Analyzer) that does not need data interpretation by the user. The assay accurately detected CSFV RNA from a diverse panel of 33 CSFV strains representing all three genotypes plus an additional in vitro‐transcribed RNA from cloned sequences representing a vaccine strain. No cross‐reactivity was observed with a panel of 18 viruses associated with livestock including eight other pestivirus strains (bovine viral diarrhoea virus type 1 and type 2, border disease virus, HoBi atypical pestivirus), African swine fever virus, swine vesicular disease virus, swine influenza virus, porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus, porcine circovirus 1, porcine circovirus 2, porcine respiratory coronavirus, vesicular exanthema of swine virus, bovine herpes virus type 1 and vesicular stomatitis virus. The iiRT‐PCR assay accurately detected CSFV as early as 2 days post‐inoculation in RNA extracted from serum samples of experimentally infected pigs, before appearance of clinical signs. The limit of detection (LOD_95%) calculated by probit regression analysis was 23 copies per reaction. The assay has a sample to answer turnaround time of less than an hour using extracted RNA or diluted or low volume of neat serum. The user‐friendly, compact device that automatically analyses and displays results could potentially be a useful tool for surveillance and monitoring of CSF in a disease outbreak.

Measurement of prompt ψ(2S) to J/ψ yield ratios in Pb-Pb and p-p collisions at sqrt[sNN]=2.76 TeV

The ratio between the prompt ψ(2S) and J/ψ yields, reconstructed via their decays into μ+ μ-, is measured in Pb-Pb and p-p collisions at sqrt[sNN]=2.76  TeV. The analysis is based on Pb-Pb and p-p data samples collected by CMS at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 150  μb(-1) and 5.4  pb(-1), respectively. The double ratio of measured yields (Nψ(2S)/N(J/ψ))(Pb-Pb)/(Nψ(2S)/N(J/ψ))(p-p) is computed in three Pb-Pb collision centrality bins and two kinematic ranges: one at midrapidity, |y|<1.6, covering the transverse momentum range 6.5<pT<30  GeV/c, and the other at forward rapidity, 1.6<|y|<2.4, extending to lower pT values, 3<pT<30  GeV/c. The centrality-integrated double ratio changes from 0.45±0.13(stat)±0.07(syst) in the first range to 1.67±0.34(stat)±0.27(syst) in the second. This difference is most pronounced in the most central collisions.