Exploring suicide ideation in university students: sleep quality, social media, self-esteem, and barriers to seeking psychological help

The purpose of the current study is to analyze how variations in suicidal ideation scores can relate to sleep quality, social media consumption, self-esteem, and perceived barriers to seeking psychological help in a sample of university students in Honduras. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used. Self-reported data was collected from a non-random sample of 910 university students in Honduras; their average age was 24.03 years (SD=6.05). Most respondents were women (67%) with men accounting for 33% of the sample. Measurements included item 9 of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, Barriers to Seeking Psychological Help Scale for College Students, and a self-reported questionnaire on social media. In response to the query, "Over the past two weeks, how frequently have you experienced thoughts that you would be better off dead or of hurting yourself?" 54% (n=495) of participants indicated "not at all" 18% (n=168) reported "several days" 14% (n=129) responded "more than half of the days" and 13% (n=118) stated "nearly every day". The results from the ordinal logistic regression model indicate that sleep quality and self-esteem serve as protective factors associated with decreased suicide ideation. At the same time, a higher number of social media platforms used per week and perceived barriers to seeking psychological help increase suicide ideation. Altogether, these variables explained 19% of the variance in suicidal ideation scores. Suicidal ideation is highly prevalent among the sampled university students.

Tell me if you prefer bovine or poultry sectors and I'll tell you who you are: Characterization of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Mbandaka in France

Introduction

In north-western France, Salmonella enterica susp. enterica serovar Mbandaka (S. Mbandaka) is most frequently isolated from bovine and dairy samples. While this serovar most often results in asymptomatic carriage, for a number of years it has caused episodes of abortions, which have serious economic consequences for the sector. Interestingly, this serovar is also isolated from Gallus gallus in the same geographic zone. Despite its prevalence in bovines in north-western France, S. Mbandaka has not been broadly studied at the genomic level, and its prevalence and host adaptation are still not fully understood.

Methods

In this study, we analyzed the genomic diversity of 304 strains of S. Mbandaka isolated from the bovine and poultry sectors in this area over a period of 5 years. A phylogenetic analysis was carried out and two approaches were followed to identify conserved genes and mutations related to host associations. The first approach targeted the genes compiled in the MEGARESv2, Resfinder, VFDB and SPI databases. Plasmid and phage contents were also investigated. The second approach refers to an in-house algorithm developed for this study that computes sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of accessory genes and core variants according to predefined genomes groups.

Results and discussion

All the analyzed strains belong to the multi-locus sequence type profile ST413, and the phylogenomic analysis revealed main clustering by host (bovine and poultry), emphasizing the circulation of 12 different major clones, of which seven circulate in poultry and five in the bovine sector in France and a likely food production chain adaptation of these clones. All strains present resistance determinants including heavy metals and biocides that could explain the ability of this serovar to survive and persist in the environment, within herds, and in food processing plants. To explore the wild animal contribution to the spread of this serovar in north-western France, we retrieved S. Mbandaka genomes isolated from wild birds from EnteroBase and included them in the phylogenomic analysis together with our collection. Lastly, screening of accessory genes and major variants allowed us to identify conserved specific mutations characteristic of each major cluster. These mutations could be used to design useful probes for food safety surveillance.

Lactose drives Enterococcus expansion to promote graft-versus-host disease

Disruption of intestinal microbial communities appears to underlie many human illnesses, but the mechanisms that promote this dysbiosis and its adverse consequences are poorly understood. In patients who received allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), we describe a high incidence of enterococcal expansion, which was associated with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and mortality. We found that Enterococcus also expands in the mouse gastrointestinal tract after allo-HCT and exacerbates disease severity in gnotobiotic models. Enterococcus growth is dependent on the disaccharide lactose, and dietary lactose depletion attenuates Enterococcus outgrowth and reduces the severity of GVHD in mice. Allo-HCT patients carrying lactose-nonabsorber genotypes showed compromised clearance of postantibiotic Enterococcus domination. We report lactose as a common nutrient that drives expansion of a commensal bacterium that exacerbates an intestinal and systemic inflammatory disease.

Development of a Multicompartment Permeability-Limited Lung PBPK Model and Its Application in Predicting Pulmonary Pharmacokinetics of Antituberculosis Drugs

Achieving sufficient concentrations of antituberculosis (TB) drugs in pulmonary tissue at the optimum time is still a challenge in developing therapeutic regimens for TB. A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model incorporating a multicompartment permeability-limited lung model was developed and used to simulate plasma and pulmonary concentrations of seven drugs. Passive permeability of drugs within the lung was predicted using an in vitro-in vivo extrapolation approach. Simulated epithelial lining fluid (ELF):plasma concentration ratios showed reasonable agreement with observed clinical data for rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, and erythromycin. For clarithromycin, itraconazole and pyrazinamide the observed ELF:plasma ratios were significantly underpredicted. Sensitivity analyses showed that changing ELF pH or introducing efflux transporter activity between lung tissue and ELF can alter the ELF:plasma concentration ratios. The described model has shown utility in predicting the lung pharmacokinetics of anti-TB drugs and provides a framework for predicting pulmonary concentrations of novel anti-TB drugs.

The future is now: model-based clinical trial design for Alzheimer's disease

Failures in trials for Alzheimer's disease (AD) may be attributable to inadequate dosing, population selection, drug inefficacy, or insufficient design optimization. The Coalition Against Major Diseases (CAMD) was formed in 2008 to develop drug development tools (DDT) to expedite drug development for AD and Parkinson's disease. CAMD led a process that successfully advanced a clinical trial simulation (CTS) tool for AD through the formal regulatory review process at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA).

Cross-amplification of nonspecific microsatellites markers: a useful tool to study endangered/vulnerable species of southern Andes deer

Thirty-nine microsatellite loci that are highly conserved in red deer, sika deer, reindeer, Soay sheep, and other artiodactyls were tested in two vulnerable and endangered Neotropical deer (pudu: Pudu puda and huemul: Hippocamelus bisulcus) with the aim of producing a standardized set of markers that can be used successfully in noninvasive samples from these species. We also compared these nonspecific loci against eight polymorphic loci that were recently developed for huemul to determine whether the nonspecific markers could reflect the huemul's genetic variation that was observed with the specific loci. We identified 10 suitable loci, six of which constitute a standardized set for the two species and can be used to identify them in the absence of phenotypic data. The expected heterozygosity per locus for the panel of six loci ranged from 0.461 to 0.889 (average 0.665), and the maximum probability of identity value was 6.9x10(-6) and 3.2x10(-4) in pudu and huemul, respectively. This set of loci has potential applications in evolutionary, ecological, forensic, and conservation studies in pudu and huemul.

The Coalition Against Major Diseases: developing tools for an integrated drug development process for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases

Aiming to emulate the successful accelerated development of HIV/AIDS drugs, the Critical Path Institute (C-Path), in collaboration with the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform at the Brookings Institution, has formed the Coalition Against Major Diseases (CAMD). Members include 6 nonprofit groups representing patients' interests, 15 leading pharmaceutical companies, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), 2 institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)-and representatives from academia. The coalition's purpose is to transform the drug development paradigm for neurodegenerative diseases and serve as a model for other major diseases.

Warfarin interactions with substances listed in drug information compendia and in the FDA-approved label for warfarin sodium

Interactions of warfarin with other drugs or substances can pose a serious problem. We assessed three drug information compendia-Clinical Pharmacology, ePocrates, and Micromedex-and the warfarin sodium (Coumadin) product label (August 2007) approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for listings of interactions between warfarin and drugs, biologics, foods, and dietary supplements. The drug information compendia and warfarin label differed greatly as to the total number of substances that interact with warfarin. Of a total of 648 entries from the four sources, only 50 were common to all the sources. The types of substances listed as interacting with warfarin were entire classes of drugs, individual drugs, and combinations; biologics; dietary supplements; foods; alcohol; and tobacco. These sources were then examined for classification by severity of interaction and the underlying evidence base. This study provides evidence that there is little concordance among commonly used drug compendia and product labels with respect to interactions involving warfarin.

Extended embryo culture to increase implantation rate

Multiple pregnancies are a serious adverse event of IVF treatment. Several strategies have been developed to improve embryo selection and embryo developmental potential to increase pregnancy rates without increasing the risk of multiple pregnancies. The only way to effectively solve this problem is to reduce the number of embryos transferred to one. The introduction of extended embryo culture has provided IVF programmes with a valuable tool to select more accurately those embryos with a higher implantation potential. The concept of single embryo transfer presents a clinical dilemma with seemingly opposing sides: one seeking to maintain acceptable pregnancy rates and the other seeking to reduce the number of twin births or high order multiple pregnancies. The present review addresses the potential benefits and drawbacks of blastocyst transfer.

Extended embryo culture to increase implantation rate

Multiple pregnancies are a serious adverse event of IVF treatment. Several strategies have been developed to improve embryo selection and embryo developmental potential to increase pregnancy rates without increasing the risk of multiple pregnancies. The only way to effectively solve this problem is to reduce the number of embryos transferred to one. The introduction of extended embryo culture has provided IVF programmes with a valuable tool to select more accurately those embryos with a higher implantation potential. The concept of single embryo transfer presents a clinical dilemma with seemingly opposing sides: one seeking to maintain acceptable pregnancy rates and the other seeking to reduce the number of twin births or high order multiple pregnancies. The present review addresses the potential benefits and drawbacks of blastocyst transfer.

Ductal cell carcinoma of the kidney with extensive signet ring cell mucosecreting areas. A case report with immunohistochemical analysis

We present the case of a 45-year-old patient with a renal ductal cell carcinoma arising in the Bellini ducts that was composed of histologically well-differentiated tubulopapillary and cystic areas with desmoplastic stroma, extensive mucosecreting areas, and regions depicting a transition between these two constituents. The mucosecreting component was mostly formed by signet ring tumor cells containing cytoplasmic Alcian blue-PAS-stainable mucins. The tubulopapillary and cystic areas of the tumor showed the immunohistochemical staining for low and high molecular weight cytokeratin, EMA, vimentin and Ulex europaeus, characteristic of ductal cell carcinoma. The mucosecreting cells also presented intense positive staining for cytokeratin and vimentin, and this is quite similar to observations reported in some forms of gastrointestinal cancer with rhabdoid features that are indicative of poor prognosis. Our findings suggest that mucosecreting areas with signet ring cells represent an extreme metaplastic change that can seldom occur in certain forms of renal tumors.

Maternal serum Down syndrome screening: free beta-protein is a more effective marker than human chorionic gonadotropin

The use of quantitative human chorionic gonadotropin measurement in obstetrics has a long and successful history. Prior studies on the utility of human chorionic gonadotropin in Down syndrome screening have utilized assays that measure the intact human chorionic gonadotropin molecule. This study targeted a distinct marker, the human chorionic gonadotropin free beta-protein, which is present in second-trimester maternal serum at much lower concentrations than is intact human chorionic gonadotropin. Our study of 29 cases of trisomy 21 and 450 control samples shows 80% detection efficiency with maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein, the free beta-protein, and maternal age in pregnancies under 17 weeks' gestation. We conclude that the combination of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein and the human chorionic gonadotropin free beta-protein will be useful in the prenatal detection of trisomy 21.