Patterns and determinants of psychoactive drug use in Lisbon University students – a population-based study

OBJECTIVE: To study the patterns and determinants of psychoactive drug use by Lisbon University students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted, from January to April 2000, in a probabilistic sample of 1,147 students. Information about use of psychoactive drugs and co-variates was collected by a questionnaire administered by trained interviewers. Psychoactive drugs were considered to be all medicines classified in group N (nervous system) of the ATC system except the anesthetics (subgroup N01) and the analgesics (subgroup N02). RESULTS: 91 students (7.9%) had taken psychoactive drugs during the fortnight before the interview, 39 of whom (42.8%) mentioned continuous use. The prevalence of use was significantly higher in females (9.6%), older than 25 years (13.1%), married (16%), who considered themselves to have a weak health status (21.7%), as under intense stress (15.5%). After adjustment by multivariate analysis the variables sex, self-evaluation of health status and daily stress retained a higher significant association with psychoactive drug use. A total of 132 drugs were reported as being used in that period. Tranquilizers (ATC = N05B or N05C) were used by 82 students (7.2%), while 22 (1.9%) consumed psychoactive stimulants (N06B) and 19 (1.7%) antidepressants (N06A). In all of these therapeutical subgroups, females had higher consumption prevalence than males, but the difference was statistically significant only for tranquilizers (P < 0.001). Anxiety, depression and insomnia were the most frequently stated health problems. More than 90% of drug consumers considered they had a compliant attitude and about 60% considered themselves well-informed about adverse effects of the drug used. The reported prevalence of self-medication for psychoactive drugs used was 12.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of psychoactive drug use among students of Lisbon University was higher than expected, considering age group and the usual health status of this population. The administration of a questionnaire was a very useful tool to characterise the pattern of use and the consumer's knowledge about the drugs consumed.     

Correction to: Clinical and microbiological effects of non-surgical periodontal treatment in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis: a controlled clinical trial

The effect of periodontal treatment on clinical, microbiological and serological parameters of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are scarce and controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of non-surgical periodontal treatment on clinical periodontal status, subgingival bacterial levels of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola and RA activity through a controlled clinical trial on individuals with RA and periodontitis (PE). From a convenience sample, 107 individuals were considered eligible and consecutively allocated in four groups: (1) individuals without PE and RA (− PE-RA, n = 30); (2) individuals without PE and with RA (− PE + RA, n = 23); (3) individuals with PE and RA (+ PE + RA, n = 24); and (4) individuals with PE and without RA (+ PE-RA, n = 30). Full-mouth periodontal clinical examinations, microbiological analysis and Disease Activity Score (DAS-28) evaluations were performed at baseline (T1) and 45 days after non-surgical periodontal treatment (T2). At T1, individuals + PE + RA showed greater severity of PE than + PE-RA individuals. At T2, significant reductions were observed in all periodontal clinical parameters in both groups (p < 0.001) with a significant reduction in DAS-28 in + PE + RA (p = 0.011). Individuals + PE-RA and + PE-RA showed significant reductions for all bacteria (p < 0.001). Additionally, P. gingivalis demonstrated an expressively significant reduction in + PE + RA (p < 0.001). Non-surgical periodontal treatment was effective on improving the clinical periodontal condition, improving the RA clinical status and reducing the presence of periodontal pathogens. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC) protocol #RBR-8g2bc8 (https://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-8g2bc8/).

     

RESOLUTION OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS AFTER ACUTE ECZEMA DUE TO INTRALESIONAL MEGLUMINE ANTIMONIATE

We report a case of a 42 year-old female, who came to a leishmaniasis reference center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, presenting a cutaneous leishmaniasis lesion in the right forearm. Treatment with low-dose intramuscular meglumine antimoniate (MA) (5 mg Sb⁵⁺/kg/day) was initiated, with improvement after 28 days, although with the development of generalized eczema. After 87 days, the lesion worsened. Patient refused treatment with amphotericin B. MA was then infiltrated in the lesion, in two sessions, resulting in local eczema, with bullae formation; however, twenty days after, both the ulcer and eczema receded. Intralesional administration of MA should be used carefully when previous cutaneous hypersensitivity is detected.     

Characterization of a novel tymovirus on tomato plants in Brazil

A tymovirus was isolated in Brazil from tomato plants with severe symptoms of leaf mosaic and blistering. The virus was mechanically transmissible to solanaceous indicator host species. The infected plants contained icosahedral particles and chloroplasts with membrane deformations which are typical cytopathic effects caused by tymoviruses. Its coat protein amino acid sequence shares the maximum of 64 % identity with the tymovirus Chiltepin yellow mosaic virus, which suggested that it can be considered as a distinct member of the genus Tymovirus. In a phylogenetic tree, this tymovirus was clustered with other solanaceous-infecting tymoviruses. It was tentatively named as Tomato blistering mosaic virus (ToBMV).     

The effects of noise in cardiac diffusion tensor imaging and the benefits of averaging complex data

There is growing interest in cardiac diffusion tensor imaging (cDTI), but, unlike other diffusion MRI applications, there has been little investigation of the effects of noise on the parameters typically derived. One method of mitigating noise floor effects when there are multiple image averages, as in cDTI, is to average the complex rather than the magnitude data, but the phase contains contributions from bulk motion, which must be removed first. The effects of noise on the mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), helical angle (HA) and absolute secondary eigenvector angle (E2A) were simulated with various diffusion weightings (b values). The effect of averaging complex versus magnitude images was investigated. In vivo cDTI was performed in 10 healthy subjects with b = 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 s/mm². A technique for removing the motion‐induced component of the image phase present in vivo was implemented by subtracting a low‐resolution copy of the phase from the original images before averaging the complex images. MD, FA, E2A and the transmural gradient in HA were compared for un‐averaged, magnitude‐ and complex‐averaged reconstructions. Simulations demonstrated an over‐estimation of FA and MD at low b values and an under‐estimation at high b values. The transition is relatively signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) independent and occurs at a higher b value for FA (b = 1000–1250 s/mm²) than MD (b ≈ 250 s/mm²). E2A is under‐estimated at low and high b values with a transition at b ≈ 1000 s/mm², whereas the bias in HA is comparatively small. The under‐estimation of FA and MD at high b values is caused by noise floor effects, which can be mitigated by averaging the complex data. Understanding the parameters of interest and the effects of noise informs the selection of the optimal b values. When complex data are available, they should be used to maximise the benefit from the acquisition of multiple averages. The combination of complex data is also a valuable step towards segmented acquisitions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Carboplatin delays mammary cancer 4T1 growth in mice

Carboplatin is commonly used to treat a variety of tumors. We investigated the effects of carboplatin (100 mg/kg) in the development and metastatic dissemination of the 4T1 mice mammary carcinoma. Carboplatin was able to reduce tumor volume and the number of lung metastases in 50% compared to the control animals. Mitotic and apoptotic indices were also decreased by the treatment. Assessment of the vascularization of the tumors revealed a significant decrease in blood vessel formation by carboplatin. A decrease in nuclear positivity of CDC47 and cyclin D1 was observed in the group treated with carboplatin when compared to the control group. Positivity for p53 was observed in the control group (2/28; 5%) and the treated group (5/71; 4%). Carboplatin has been demonstrated to be an efficient regulator of 4T1MMT growth and dissemination. The action of this chemotherapeutic agent seems to be related to the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of angiogenesis and cell proliferation.     

Safety of a physical therapy protocol for women with preeclampsia: a randomized controlled feasibility trial

Objective: To assess the feasibility and safety of a physiotherapy protocol applied to pregnant women with preeclampsia. Methods: Randomized, controlled, single-blind feasibility study, with 24 hospitalized pregnant women with preeclampsia. The intervention group received one session of the physiotherapy. The control group remained under the routine care of the hospital. The primary outcomes were Doppler velocimetry, cardiotocography, and maternal–fetal hemodynamics. Secondary outcomes were pain and anxiety assessed before and after the interventions. A mixed effects linear regression model was used, and the data were compared with the level of significance at 5%. Results: The baseline characteristics of the participants were homogeneous between groups. Resistance index of the Middle Cerebral Artery (MAC) and Umbilical Artery (UA) and cardiotocography did not change significantly. The systolic blood pressure (SBP) increased 4.90 mmHg in the control group and 0.22 mmHg in the intervention group. The diastolic blood pressure (DBP) increased 1.34 mmHg in the control group and decreased 0.40 mmHg in the intervention group. The middle bood pressure (MBP) increased 4.66 mmHg in the control group while there was a decrease of 0.09 mmHg in the intervention group, without statistical difference. Heart rate (HR) decreased 0.94 bpm in the control group; whereas, in the intervention group, there was an increase of 6.30 bpm. The pain reduced clinically 2 points after the intervention. The anxiety reduced clinically in both the groups (?1.26 in the intervention group and ?2.17 in the control group). Conclusion: The protocol applied in the intervention group is feasible and safe for both mother and fetus. Both groups showed clinical reduction in the levels of anxiety; whereas, pain was clinically reduced in the intervention group.