Molecular identification and antifungal susceptibility pattern of non-albicans candida species isolated from vulvovaginal candidiasis

Background: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is an important health problem caused by Candida spp. The aim of this study was molecular identification, phylogenetic analysis, and evaluation of antifungal susceptibility of nonalbicans Candida isolates from VVC. Methods: Vaginal secretion samples were collected from 550 vaginitis patients at Sayyad Shirazi Medical and Educational Center of Gorgan (Golestan Province, Iran) from May to October 2015. Samples were analyzed using conventional mycological and molecular approaches. Clinical isolates were analyzed with specific PCR using CGL primers, and the internal transcribed spacer region and the D1-D2 domain of the large-subunit rRNA gene were amplified and sequenced. Susceptibility to amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, and clotrimazole was determined by the guidelines of the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute. Results: In total, 35 non-albicans Candida isolates were identified from VVC patients. The isolates included 27 strains of Candida glabrata (77.1), 5 Candida krusei (Pichia kudriavzevii; 14.3), 2 Candida kefyr (Kluyveromyces marxianus; 5.7), and 1 Candida lusitaniae (Clavispora lusitaniae; 2.9). The fungicides itraconazole and amphotericin B were effective against all species. One isolate of C. glabrata showed resistance to fluconazole and clotrimazole, and 26 isolates of C. glabrata indicated dose-dependent susceptibility to fluconazole. C. lusitaniae was susceptible in a dose-dependent manner to fluconazole and resistant to clotrimazole. Conclusions: Non-albicans Candida spp. are common agents of vulvovaginitis, and C. glabrata is the most common species in the tested patients. © 2018, Pasteur Institute of Iran. All rights reserved

A global survey on changes in the supply, price, and use of illicit drugs and alcohol, and related complications during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Background and Aims : COVID-19 has infected more than 77 million people worldwide and impacted the lives of many more, with a particularly devastating impact on vulnerable populations, including people with substance use disorders (SUDs). Quarantines, travel bans, regulatory changes, social distancing, and "lockdown" measures have affected drug and alcohol supply chains and subsequently their availability, price, and use patterns, with possible downstream effects on presentations of SUDs and demand for treatment. Given the lack of multicentric epidemiologic studies, we conducted a rapid global survey within the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) network in order to understand the status of substance-use patterns during the current pandemic. Design : Cross-sectional survey. Setting : Worldwide. Participants : Starting on April 4, 2020 during a 5-week period, the survey received 185 responses from 77 countries. Measurements : To assess addiction medicine professionals' perceived changes in drug and alcohol supply, price, use pattern, and related complications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings : Participants reported (among who answered "decreased" or "increased") a decrease in drug supply (69.0%) and at the same time an increase in price (95.3%) globally. With respect to changes in use patterns, an increase in alcohol (71.7%), cannabis (63.0%), prescription opioids (70.9%), and sedative/hypnotics (84.6%) use was reported, while the use of amphetamines (59.7%), cocaine (67.5%), and opiates (58.2%) was reported to decrease overall. Conclusions : The global report on changes in the availability, use patterns, and complications of alcohol and drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic should be considered in making new policies and in developing mitigating measures and guidelines during the current pandemic (and probable future ones) in order to minimize risks to people with SUD.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Regulatory considerations for the clinical and research use of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS): Review and recommendations from an expert panel

The field of transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) has experienced significant growth in the past 15 years. One of the tES techniques leading this increased interest is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Significant research efforts have been devoted to determining the clinical potential of tDCS in humans. Despite the promising results obtained with tDCS in basic and clinical neuroscience, further progress has been impeded by a lack of clarity on international regulatory pathways. Therefore, a group of research and clinician experts on tDCS were convened to review the research and clinical use of tDCS. This report reviews the regulatory status of tDCS and summarizes the results according to research, off-label, and compassionate use of tDCS in the following countries: Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Portugal, South Korea, Taiwan, and the US. Research use, off label treatment, and compassionate use of tDCS are employed in most of the countries reviewed in this study. It is critical that a global or local effort is organized to pursue definite evidence to either approve and regulate or restrict the use of tDCS in clinical practice on the basis of adequate randomized controlled treatment trials.F.F. is supported by a grant from National Institutes of Health (NIH) (Grant number 1R44NS08063201). A.R.B. is supported by the following grants: 2013 NARSAD Young Investigator from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (Grant Number 20493), 2013 FAPESP Young Researcher from the São Paulo State Foundation (Grant Number 20911-5) and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, Grant Number 470904). J.B. is supported by the 2013 NARSAD Young Investigator from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (Grant Number 20988). H.E. is supported by grants from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. J.L. (SFRH/BPD/86027/2012) and S.C. (SFRH/BPD/86041/2012) are supported by grants from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). C.H.J. is supported by MOST (101-2811-H-008-014). G.V. is supported by as the Department of Science and Technology (Government of India) Research Grant (SR/CSI/158/2012) as well as Wellcome Trust / DBT India Alliance Senior Fellowship Research Award (500236/Z/11/Z). N.B. is supported by a F.A.R. grant from the University of Milano-Bicocca. M.B. is supported by NIH (NINDS, NIMH, NCI), Wallace H Coulter Foundation, Grove Foundation, DoD. W.C. is supported by National Council for Scientific and Technological Development-CNPq WC-301256/2013-6. The group is also grateful to the support from the Conselho Brasileiro de Neuromodulacao Clinica – Instituto Scala

2020 Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Trauma Surgery Technology in Giessen

The 3 rd event of the Giessen International Conference on Trauma Surgery Technology on October, the 17th 2020 was hosted on Zoom in accordance with the worldwide corona situation. Dr Mieczakowski, Dr Yu, and Wolfram drafted in 2018 from Jan’s apartment in Bremen the manuscript which was submitted to and approved for funding by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). At that time, we had no idea what substantial changes the conferencing concept would require. This is why we would like to thank again Michele. She first planned this year’s event after the 2019 date and then in the spring of 2020 had to replan for the new situation