Racial differences in adherence and response to combined treatment for full and subthreshold post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorders: A secondary analysis

We conducted a secondary data analysis to examine whether there were racial differences in adherence and treatment outcomes for participants with co-occurring full and subthreshold post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol/substance use disorders (A/SUD) who were treated with Seeking Safety (a cognitive-behavioral therapy) and sertraline or Seeking Safety and placebo as part of a clinical trial. Bivarate analyses examined the association between race and adherence, and generalized estimating equations assessed whether race moderated the effect of combination treatment on PTSD and alcohol use outcomes. Except for education, there were no statistically significant racial differences in baseline demographic and psychiatric characteristics. African Americans and Caucasians were equally adherent in number of psychotherapy and medication sessions attended and medication compliance. After controlling for baseline demographics and psychiatric symptoms, however, a race by treatment condition interaction emerged suggesting that African Americans who received the Seeking Safety and sertraline treatment had significantly lower PTSD symptom severity posttreatment and at six months follow-up compared to their counterparts who received Seeking Safety and placebo. No differential effect of treatment condition was found for Caucasians. Moreover, results indicated that a diagnosis of major depressive disorder negatively impacted PTSD symptom recovery for African American participants but not for Caucasians. In conclusion, no differences emerged between African Americans and Caucasians in adherence to combination treatments for PTSD and A/SUD. Findings also suggest assessment and treatment of MDD among African Americans may improve treatment outcomes. More research is needed to determine whether the differential response to Seeking Safety and sertraline among African Americans compared to Caucasians can be replicated.     

Floppy eyelid syndrome is associated with obstructive sleep apnoea: a prospective study on 127 patients

A few investigations have raised the question of a possible relationship between obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) and floppy eyelid syndrome (FES). FES is an easily inverted floppy eyelid with papillary conjunctivis, and is a subset of the general pathology, lax eyelid syndrome. The aim of the current study is to determine whether OSAS severity is associated with FES. One hundred and 27 consecutive subjects (aged 25-75 years) referred to the Strasbourg University Sleep Clinic with suspicion of OSAS were included. All patients underwent overnight ambulatory respiratory polygraphy, comprehensive ophthalmological examination and completed standard sleep questionnaires. OSAS severity was defined based on the patient's obstructive apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI). As expected, age, body mass index (BMI) and the proportion of males increased with OSAS severity. FES was observed in 15.8% of the subjects without OSAS, 25.8% of the total OSAS population and the frequency was significantly increased (40%) in patients with severe OSAS (AHI > 30 h(-1)). A significant correlation between OSAS severity and FES was found after adjustment for age, sex and BMI, using a principal component analysis (PCA). The multivariate analysis included clinical, polygraphic and comorbidity data and was followed by logistic regressions for the main components extracted from the PCA. In summary, our findings show an association between OSAS severity and FES and suggest that severe OSAS might be an independent risk factor for FES. These two disorders may share common biological determinants, such as tissue elasticity. Finally, clinicians should be aware of this association so that underlying OSAS or FES can be detected.     

Prevalence of human papillomavirus detection in ovarian cancer: a meta-analysis

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases - We conducted a meta-analysis of published data to update and estimate the prevalence of HPV in ovarian cancer. A comprehensive...     

Circulation patterns and molecular epidemiology of human respiratory syncytial virus over five consecutive seasons in Morocco

Background

Respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is the leading cause of respiratory tract infections in infants and young children. we investigated the prevalence and characteristics of HRSV in Morocco and explored trends in circulating genotypes through partial G gene analysis of HRSV strains prevalent from 2012 to 2017.

Methods

Respiratory samples were gathered from both outpatients and inpatients meeting ILI or SARI case definitions. The patients' ages varied from 1 month to 99 years old. Nucleic acids were extracted and HRSV type/subtype was detected by RT-qPCR. A subset of positive samples was randomly selected in each epidemic year, the complete viral genome was sequenced, phylogenetic analysis was performed using the MEGA7 program and the genotypes were confirmed.

Results

The 3679 specimens were collected from 2012 to 2017, of which 726 (19.7%) were positive for HRSV. The 35% (257/726) of HRSV-positives were of the HRSV-A subtype, while the HRSV-B subtype accounted for 61% (442/726). The co-infection rate was 3.7% (27/726). The virus circulates in a periodic pattern, where epidemics occur during the fall months through early spring. HRSV genotype was confirmed in 127 specimens (56 HRSV-A and 71 HRSV-B). Based on phylogenetic analysis, all HRSV-A were ON1 genotype, and HRSV-B were mostly BA9 genotype. HRSV-B belonging to the BA10 genotype was detected in 2012 exclusively.

Conclusions

BA9, BA10, and ON1 were the only HRSV genotypes detected between 2012 and 2017. Variations in the G gene amino acid chain were identified in local strains, which suggests an increased need for continuous genomic surveillance.     

Semisynthetic Derivatives of the Verticillin Class of Natural Products through Acylation of the C11 Hydroxy Group

The verticillins, a class of epipolythiodioxopiperazine alkaloids (ETPs) first described 50 years ago with the discovery of verticillin A (1), have gained attention due to their potent activity against cancer cells, noted both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the complex scaffold afforded through optimized fermentation was used as a feedstock for semisynthetic efforts designed to explore the reactivity of the C11 and C11′ hydroxy substituents. Functionality introduced at these positions would be expected to impact not only the potency but also the pharmacokinetic properties of the resulting compound. With this in mind, verticillin H (2) was used as a starting material to generate nine semisynthetic analogues (4–12) containing a variety of ester, carbonate, carbamate, and sulfonate moieties. Likewise, verticillin A succinate (13) was synthesized from 1 to demonstrate the successful application of this strategy to other ETPs. The synthesized compounds and their corresponding starting materials (i.e., 1 and 2) were screened for activity against a panel of melanoma, breast, and ovarian cancer cell lines: MDA-MB-435, MDA-MB-231, and OVCAR3. All analogues retained IC₅₀ values in the nanomolar range, comparable to, and in some cases more potent than, the parent compounds.     

Phytochemical Composition,Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Crude Extracts from the Species Euphorbia Atlantica Coss.

Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal - A phytochemical study of crude extracts obtained from Euphorbia atlantica Coss. led to the isolation and structure identification of ten known compounds by...     

高效液相色谱-质谱联用分析磷酸可待因及其精氨酸布洛芬复方中的有关物质

建立了高效液相色谱法检查磷酸可待因、磷酸可待因与精氨酸布洛芬复方的有关物质,并采用HPLC-TOF／MS和LC—MS／MS对磷酸可待因及两种复方药物产生的降解产物进行了结构鉴定。色谱柱为ClR（250mm×4．6mm,5μm）,柱温50℃,流速1mL／min,检测波长245nm,醋酸铵（0．04M,用醋酸调pH6．0）-乙腈（92：8,v／v）为流动相A,乙腈为流动相B,梯度洗脱。磷酸可待因在氧化条件下很不稳定产生了两个N-氧可待因异构体,在碱性破坏中得到了新的杂质,其结构可能为6-羟基-3-甲氧基-17-甲基-7,8-双脱氢吗啡-5-醇。在酸性破坏条件下磷酸可待因和精氨酸布洛芬可发生酯化反应。所建立的HPLC方法灵敏、准确,可有效测定磷酸可待因、磷酸可待因与精氨酸布洛芬复方的有关物质,并对产生的降解产物进行了结构鉴定,为更好的控制磷酸可待因与磷酸可待因复方药物的质量提供了依据。     

Functional activated carbon: from synthesis to groundwater fluoride removal

Developing green and functional adsorbents for the removal of inorganic pollutants from industrial wastewater is still a great challenge. Activated carbons (ACs) are promising eco-friendly materials for adsorption applications. This study reports on the preparation and functionalization of AC and its application for fluoride removal from water. Activated carbon was prepared from date stems, and the material was employed as a support for different modifications such as incorporation of Al(OH)₃, in situ dispersion of aluminum particles (Al⁰) and grafting of 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). The resulting functional adsorbents were fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and zeta potential analysis. The results evidenced successful surface modifications. All adsorbents had affinity for the removal of fluoride ions (F⁻). The highest F⁻ removal rate was up to 20 mg g⁻¹ for AC-Al(OH)₃. Removal of fluoride ions obeyed Langmuir isotherms and a second-order kinetic model, and reached 99% uptake. The AC-Al(OH)₃ adsorbent was successfully used to treat a groundwater solution contaminated by fluoride ions. These results open an interesting avenue for developing eco-friendly functionalized AC for adsorption applications.

Conversion and surface modification of date stems to obtain a relevant adsorbent to remove fluoride contamination.