Introduction Serum phosphate levels are insufficiently controlled in many patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and novel therapeutic strategies are needed. Blocking intestinal phosphate absorption mediated by sodium-dependent phosphate co-transporter type 2b (NPT-IIb) holds promise; thus, we evaluated the efficacy, safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of the novel and specific sm...

A partial rigid-body method of molecular dynamics simulations for proteins and membranes is presented. In this method, the symplectic integrator for rigid bodies is combined with the equations of motion for the NPT ensemble. The standard NPT ensemble is extended to the membrane-specific ensembles, the NPAT (constant normal pressure and lateral surface area of membranes and constant temperature)...

BACKGROUND Nonpalpable undescended testes (NPT) constitute 20%-30% of undescended testes, and its management has been a challenge both in diagnosis and treatment. Worldwide, laparoscopy is the current gold standard of management. In Nigeria, the management of NPT has largely been by open surgery with consequent high morbidity. In Nigeria, the trend is changing from a largely open management wit...

OBJECTIVES We aimed to improve the nutritional care of preterm infants by developing a complex (multifaceted) intervention intended to translate current evidence into practice. We used the sociological framework of Normalization Process Theory (NPT), to guide implementation in order to embed the new practices into routine care. DESIGN A prospective interventional study with a before and after...

1. In Resolution 4/2011, the Governing Body called for the necessary measures to realize technology transfer to be facilitated. The Governing Body may wish to note that the Rio Sixpoint Action Plan for the International Treaty, which was adopted at the Second High-level Roundtable of the Treaty, recommends, as one of the priority actions to be undertaken by stakeholders in the Treaty, to establ...

Introduction Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the criterion standard for assessing new interventions. However bias can result from poor reporting which also makes critical appraisal and systematic review challenging. The CONSORT criteria for non-pharmacological trials (CONSORT NPT) published in 2008 provided a set of 23 mandatory items that should be reported in an RCT. This is the first...

In the absence of world government, an effective treaty to control the emissions of greenhouse gases should be self-enforcing. A self-enforcing treaty has the property that, if a country expects other countries to abide by the treaty, it will be in the self-interest of that country to abide by the treaty too. (A difficulty with the Kyoto Protocol is that it does not appear to lay the groundwork...

Methods In this controlled multicentre phase IV study, HDM adult allergic patients were randomized to receive subcutaneous immunotherapy with a 10 IR/ml depot extract plus symptomatic treatment (group A) or only symptomatic treatment (group B) (2:1). Acoustic rhinometry after nasal provocation test (NPT) was selected to objectively assess the efficacy of this treatment by measuring the nasal vo...