Substance use and associated emotional and behavioral problems in Nepalese adolescents

Background: Research has demonstrated that problem behavior has been associated with substance use, but knowledge is lacking on such associations in a low-income country like Nepal. Aims: This study aimed to find associations between emotional and behavioral problems and substance use among Nepalese adolescents. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the end of 2011, with participants from three schools in the Province 4 of Nepal. We selected 408 adolescents aged 12 to 18 (mean 15.2 years, 54% boys) at one urban and two rural schools. The data were collected using the Youth Self-Report and Adolescents’ Substance Use Measurement. Results: Higher scores on withdrawn/depressed symptoms, thought problems, attention problems, delinquent or aggressive behavior or internalizing or externalizing problems were associated with the use of tobacco, alcohol or other substances. In the broadband scales, only internalizing problems predicted the use of intoxicants. Higher scores for attention problems predicted the use of tobacco, any intoxicants, and high-risk user. Conclusion: Our findings indicated that problem behavior among Nepalese adolescents was associated with substance use. Future studies should explore the association between problem behavior and substance use, including causal factors, so that risky behavior among Nepalese adolescents can be prevented.     

In silico repurposing the Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766 for treating PTTG1-high expressing clear cell renal carcinoma

The pituitary tumor-transforming gene 1 (PTTG1), also known as Securin, is considered an oncogene. This study aimed to investigate the role of PTTG1 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) using in silico bioinformatics approaches. A pan-cancer analysis using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data indicated that among all cancer types copy number amplification of PTTG1 gene was most frequently found in ccRCC. However, amplification of PTTG1 gene copy number did not correlate with the increase of mRNA level in ccRCC, and did not predict the patients' overall survival. Instead, ccRCC was correlated with overexpression of PTTG1 mRNA, and its expression level was stage-dependent increased in cancer patients. An outlier analysis using the Oncomine database suggested that PTTG1 mRNA expression served as a good biomarker for ccRCC. Pathway analysis for upregulated genes enriched in PTTG1-high expressing ccRCC patients found that PTTG1 overexpression was associated with mitotic defects. Mining drug sensitivity data using the Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal (CTRP) discovered that PTTG1-high expressing ccRCC cell lines were susceptible to a Rac1 (Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1) inhibitor NSC23766. Therefore, this study provides an in silico insight into the role of PTTG1 in ccRCC, and repurposes the Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766 for treating PTTG1-high expressing ccRCC.     

Novel immune signatures associated with dysplastic naevi and primary cutaneous melanoma in human skin

Dysplastic naevi (DN) are benign lesions with atypical features intermediate between that of common melanocytic naevi (CMN) and malignant melanoma (MM). Debate remains over whether DN represent progressive lesions from CMN. Through gene expression profiling and analysis of molecular gene signatures, our study revealed progressive increases in immune activation and regulation, along with pathways implicated in melanomagenesis, from CMN to DN to MM. Using criteria of 1.5‐fold change and false discovery rate ≤0.05, we found differential expression of 7186 probes (6370 unique genes) with the largest difference detected between DN and MM from the standpoint of genomic melanoma progression. Despite progressive increases in the T‐helper type 1 (Th1)‐inducing gene (IL‐12), RT‐PCR indicated impaired Th1 or cytotoxic T‐cell response (decreased IFN‐γ) in MM. Concordantly, our results indicated progressive increases in molecular markers associated with regulatory T cells, exhausted T cells and tolerogenic dendritic cells, including detection of increased expression of suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS3) in dendritic cells associated with MM. All together, our findings suggest that the increased immunosuppressive microenvironment of melanoma may contribute to unhampered proliferation of neoplastic cells. In addition, the detection of increased markers associated with tolerogenic dendritic cells in MM suggests that targeting these suppressive immune cell types may represent an alternative avenue for future immunotherapy.     

Why We Need Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and How to Make It Happen

We make the case for why continuous pharmaceutical manufacturing is essential, what the barriers are, and how to overcome them. To overcome them, government action is needed in terms of tax incentives or regulatory incentives that affect time.     

Safety profile of the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine: Pooled analysis of two large randomised phase 3 trials

Background

The ZOE-50 (NCT01165177) and ZOE-70 (NCT01165229) phase 3 clinical trials showed that the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) was ≥90% efficacious in preventing herpes zoster in adults. Here we present a comprehensive overview of the safety data from these studies.

Personality traits affect the influences of intensity perception and emotional responses on hedonic rating and preference rank toward basic taste solutions

This study aimed at determining, based on independent predictors of taste intensity and emotional response, whether individual personality traits could affect prediction models of overall liking and preference rank toward basic taste solutions. Sixty-seven participants rated taste intensities (TI) of four basic-taste solutions at both low and high concentrations, and of plain water. Emotional responses toward each sample were measured using a self-reported emotion questionnaire (SE), facial expressions (FE), and/or autonomic nervous system responses (ANS). Participants rated overall liking of the samples and ranked their preferences. Based on the results of a hierarchical cluster analysis of five personality traits measured using the Big Five Inventory, participants were classified into two clusters: cluster N (high neuroticism) and cluster E (high extraversion). Results showed that the SE measure for both clusters N and E was better than the TI, FE, and ANS measures in explaining variances of overall liking or preference rank. A measurement of effect size found that using FE and/or taste intensity measures, along with self-reported emotion measure, could enhance model predictability of overall liking or preference rank toward taste samples for cluster N, while the contribution to the prediction model for cluster E was minimal. ANS measures showed little contribution to the prediction model of overall liking for either cluster. In conclusion, this study shows that personality traits, in particular traits of extraversion and neuroticism, affect not only optimum measures of emotional responses, but also modulate predicting overall liking and preference rank toward basic taste solutions.     

小柴胡汤对非酒精性脂肪性肝炎模型小鼠的保护作用研究

目的通过构建蛋氨酸-胆碱缺乏(MCD)饮食诱导的小鼠非酒精性脂肪性肝炎(NASH)模型,研究小柴胡汤对NASH模型小鼠的保护作用。方法选择C57BL/6小鼠为研究对象,将其随机分为对照组、模型组、小柴胡汤(高、中、低剂量)组、易善复组和强肝胶囊组。通过饲喂MCD饲料建立NASH模型,造模同时按分组给予不同药物进行干预;实验过程中记录小鼠体质量、日摄食量、日饮水量变化,实验结束对肝组织进行HE染色观察病理变化,检测血清生化指标丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)、总胆固醇(TC)、三酰甘油(TG)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)、白细胞介素6(IL-6)和肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)的水平变化,检测肝组织中TC、TG的水平变化,利用q RT-PCR技术检测肝组织脂肪酸合成酶(FAS)和固醇调节元件结合蛋白1c(SREBP-1c)的表达水平。结果小鼠体质量、日摄食量、日饮水量及肝脏系数等数据显示MCD饮食诱导的模型组小鼠会出现体质量降低、摄入量减少及肝脏湿质量下降的特点,而小柴胡汤给药组小鼠体质量、摄入量及肝脏系数较模型组小鼠显著升高;HE染色结果显示小柴胡汤可明显减轻肝组织脂肪变性和炎症程度,改善肝细胞的形态和结构;生化指标检测结果显示小柴胡汤能显著降低NASH模型小鼠血清及肝组织TG、TC水平,升高血清中HDL-C水平,降低血清中AST、ALT、IL-6、TNF-α水平;q RT-PCR结果显示模型组小鼠肝组织FAS和SREBP-1c的基因表达水平明显升高,小柴胡汤可显著降低FAS和SREBP-1c的基因表达水平。结论小柴胡汤对MCD饮食诱导的NASH模型小鼠有明显保护作用,其机制可能通过调控抑制脂肪酸合成基因(FAS、SREBP-1c)的表达,减少脂肪堆积,实现调脂作用,并通过抑制炎症因子的表达改善肝组织的损伤。