This was a prospective, multi-centre randomised controlled trial that involved centres in 16 countries. The trial was designed as a group sequential analysis with data analysed after randomisation of every 60 participants; stopping rules were predefined using the two triangle method. The trial could be stopped due to safety (due to excessive mortality in the ECMO arm), efficacy or futility (if unlikely to reach a definitive result). The trial was designed to have a power of 80% and alpha level of 5% to detect an absolute risk reduction of 20%. It was hypothesised that the mortality would be 60% in the conventional arm and 40% in the ECMO arm. Mortality at 60 days was the primary outcome measured.

Introduction: Neck pain is a common condition that leads to serious pain, disability, and increased healthcare costs worldwide. Pharmacotherapy is one of the most common strategies to reduce neck pain in patients. The aim of this study was to analyze the real-world pattern of drugs prescribed for patients with neck pain in the USA. Methods: Data on individuals who reported current neck pain in the 2009-2010 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and with a history of persistent pain for at least 6 weeks or 3 months were extracted from the NHANES database. Those included in the study were divided into three groups based on the duration of pain: the without neck pain group (Group A); subacute group (Group B) with a history of 6 weeks of neck pain; and the chronic neck pain group (Group C) with a history of 3 months of neck pain. The use and duration of medication Digital Features To view digital features for this article go to

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We reported a unique case with the coexistence of classic and cutaneous polyarteritis nodosa (PAN), and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) in hepatitis virus-associated vasculitis. A 77-year-old Asian man presented with extremity weakness and weight loss found to have bilateral foot drop and rash on his hands and legs. Labs reveal positive for hepatitis B core antibody and perinuclear-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (p-ANCA), decreased C3 and C4 levels. Skin biopsy of rash shows medium vessel vasculitis suggesting PAN. Interestingly, renal biopsy showed features of necrotising medium-sized arteritis consistent with PAN and focal crescentic glomerulonephritis consistent with MPA. The patient was treated with 1 g of solumedrol daily for 3 days, followed by oral steroids and cyclophosphamide treatment for vasculitis, and entecavir for chronic hepatitis B infection, resulting in resolution of symptoms. The patient has not had a relapse at 6 months.

The backscattering characteristics of optical microfiber (OM) are experimentally studied by controlling heating temperature and cooling method during the OM fabrication process. OM samples with various reflectances from 0.1% to 1% are achieved. An OM with waist length of 5 mm, waist diameter of 1 µm, and approximately 0.5% reflectance is used as the end reflector of a fiber Fabry-Perol (F-P) interferometer. A piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PZT) fiber phase modulator is used to test the sensing performance of the fiber F-P interferometer. Experimental results verify that the OM with low reflectance can be used as a reflector in the F-P interferometer.