A Novel UHPLC-MS/MS Method for the Quantification of Seven Opioids in Different Human Tissues.

Background: Opioids are considered the cornerstone of pain management: they show good efficacy as a first-line therapy for moderate to severe cancer pain. Since pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic information about the tissue-specific effect and toxicity of opioids is still scarce, their quantification in post-mortem autoptic specimens could give interesting insights.

Methods: We describe an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of methadone, morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone and fentanyl in several tissues: liver, brain, kidney, abdominal adipose tissue, lung and blood plasma.

A Time-Kill Assay Study on the Synergistic Bactericidal Activity of Pomegranate Rind Extract and Zn (II) against Methicillin-Resistant (MRSA), , and .

There is a need for new antimicrobial systems due to increased global resistance to current antimicrobials. Pomegranate rind extract (PRE) and Zn (II) ions both possess a level of antimicrobial activity and work has previously shown that PRE/Zn (II) in combination possesses synergistic activity against virus and . Here, we determined whether such synergistic activity extended to other, more pathogenic, bacteria.

Social support, social participation, and cardiovascular reactivity to stress in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study.

This study tested two hypotheses of associations between dimensions of social connectedness and cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress: (1) high social support predicts diminished cardiovascular responses to stress (i.e., the stress-buffering model of social support), and (2) diminished cardiovascular responses predict lower social participation, a form of motivated behaviour.

Work Outcomes in Patients Who Stay at Work Despite Musculoskeletal Pain.

Purpose To assess self-reported work impacts and associations between psychosocial risk factors and work impairment amongst workers seeking care for musculoskeletal pain while continuing to work. Methods Patients were recruited from Musculoskeletal Assessment Clinics at 5 hospitals across Ireland. Participants completed questionnaires including assessments of work impairment (Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire), work ability (single item from the Work Ability Index) and work performance (Work Role Functioning Questionnaire; WRFQ).

Early interventions to promote work participation in people with regional musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of early multidisciplinary interventions in promoting work participation and reducing work absence in adults with regional musculoskeletal pain.

Data Sources: Seven databases (CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, OT Seeker, PEDro; 1990 to December 2016) were searched for eligible studies.

Review Methods: Trials were included if they reported on work-based outcomes for participants experiencing difficulties at work or ≤ three months' sick leave.

Functional Connectivity Anomalies in Adolescents with Psychotic Symptoms.

Background: Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research suggests that, prior to the onset of psychosis, high risk youths already exhibit brain abnormalities similar to those present in patients with schizophrenia.

Objectives: The goal of the present study was to describe the functional organization of endogenous activation in young adolescents who report auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in view of the "distributed network" hypothesis of psychosis. We recruited 20 young people aged 13-16 years who reported AVHs and 20 healthy controls matched for age, gender and handedness from local schools.

Psychotic experiences in the population: Association with functioning and mental distress.

Psychotic experiences are far more common in the population than psychotic disorder. They are associated with a number of adverse outcomes but there has been little research on associations with functioning and distress. We wished to investigate functioning and distress in a community sample of adolescents with psychotic experiences.

Canadian allergists' and nonallergists' perception of epinephrine use and vaccination of persons with egg allergy.

Background: Studies suggest knowledge gaps about epinephrine use and vaccination of persons with egg allergy.

Objective: We compared the perception of Canadian allergists and nonallergists on issues related to epinephrine use and vaccination of persons with egg allergy.

Methods: Canadian allergists, pediatricians, general practitioners/family physicians and emergency room physicians were recruited through medical associations and surveyed on these issues.

The carboxy-terminal segment of the human LINE-1 ORF2 protein is involved in RNA binding.

The human LINE-1/L1 ORF2 protein is a multifunctional enzyme which plays a vital role in the life cycle of the human L1 retrotransposon. The protein consists of an endonuclease domain, followed by a central reverse transcriptase domain and a carboxy-terminal C-domain with unknown function. Here, we explore the nucleic acid binding properties of the 180-amino acid carboxy-terminal segment (CTS) of the human L1 ORF2p in vitro.

Negligible effect of tenofovir on atazanavir trough concentrations and genotypic inhibitory quotients in the presence and absence of ritonavir.

Background: It is recommended to boost atazanavir with ritonavir (ATV/r) when it is combined with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) because of drug interactions. For tolerability, unboosted atazanavir (ATV) is sometimes coadministered with TDF. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of this interaction on the proportion of patients achieving target ATV C troughs and genotypic inhibitory quotients (GIQ).

Individual differences in the impact of attentional bias training on cardiovascular responses to stress in women.

Experimental studies show that training people to attend to negative stimuli makes them more likely to respond with greater anxiety to stress. The present study investigated this effect in students using measures of cardiovascular responses to stress and examined whether individual differences influence the impact of attention training on stress responses. Using a standard dot probe task, 30 participants underwent negative attentional bias training and 34 participants underwent anti-negative training before completing a stressful speech task.

Individual differences in adaptation of cardiovascular responses to stress.

Previous research has described patterns of adaptation of cardiovascular responses across prolonged or recurring stress. However, despite important implications for the study of reactivity, relatively little research has directly examined the antecedents or consequences of this adaptation. We present data showing that neuroticism, a personality trait associated with dispositional appraisals of stress, is associated with reductions in HR, CO, and TPR responses across stress exposures.

Habituation-sensitization of cardiovascular reactivity to repeated stress in smokers and non-smokers: an anthropometrically matched trial.

Previous research has been equivocal as to the impact of smoking status on cardiovascular reactivity to challenge. In addition, little is known about patterns of cardiovascular response habituation-sensitization to repeated challenge, in either smokers or the general population as a whole. The present study sought to clarify whether smokers and non-smokers differ in cardiovascular reactivity to challenge, or in patterns of reactivity to repeated challenge.

Abacavir hypersensitivity reaction: an update.

Objective: To review the clinical features, risk factors, diagnosis, and management of abacavir hypersensitivity reaction (HSR).

Data Sources: A MEDLINE (1950-October 2007) and EMBASE (1980-October 2007) search using key words abacavir, HIV, human immunodeficiency virus, hypersensitivity reaction, HLA-B(*)5701, and patch tests was conducted. Conference abstracts and article bibliographies were reviewed to identify relevant studies.

Factors associated with altered pharmacokinetics in substance users and non-substance users receiving lopinavir and atazanavir.

Substance use is highly prevalent in HIV-infected individuals in the United States, and clinical management is complicated by the need for antiretroviral treatment, addiction therapy, variable medication adherence, and co-morbidities. The interrelation between HIV and substance use prompted our investigation to examine substance use and self-reported medication adherence in patients receiving the HIV-1 protease inhibitors, atazanavir (ATV) or lopinavir (LPV). ATV and LPV pharmacokinetics were determined by measuring plasma concentrations in subjects with active substance use (SU group) or with no active substance use (NSU group).