Application of diffusion-edited and solvent suppression 1H NMR to the direct analysis of markers in valerian-hop liquid herbal products

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Jose M. Prieto, Maria Mellinas-Gomez, Mire Zloh, ‘Application of diffusion-edited and solvent suppression 1H-NMR to the direct analysis of markers in valerian-hop liquid herbal products’, Phytochemical Analysis, Vol 27(2): 100-106, first published online January 13, 2016, which has been published in final form at doi: 10.1002/pca.2603 This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.The rising trend to consume herbal products for the treatment and/or prevention of minor ailments together with their chemical and pharmacological complexity means there is an urgent need to develop new approaches to their quality and stability. This work looks at the application of one-dimensional diffusion-edited ¹H NMR spectroscopy (1D DOSY) and ¹H NMR with suppression of the ethanol and water signals to the characterization of quality and stability markers in multicomponent herbal medicines/food supplements. The experiments were performed with commercial tinctures of Valeriana officinalis L. (valerian), expired and non-expired, as well as its combination with Hummulus lupulus L. (hops), which is one of the most popular blends of relaxant herbs. These techniques did not require purification or evaporation of components for the qualitative analysis of the mixture, but only the addition of D2O and TSP. The best diagnostic signals were found at 7 ppm (H-11, valerenic acid), 4.2 ppm (H-1, hydroxyvalerenic acid) and 1.5-1.8 ppm (methyl groups in prenylated moieties, α-acids/prenylated flavones). This work concludes on the potential value of 1D DOSY ¹H NMR to provide additional assurance of quality in complex natural mixtures.Peer reviewe

Landesplanung, Landesentwicklung

Landesplanung meint ebenso wie Landesentwicklung die raumbezogene, fachübergreifende, überörtliche Koordinationskompetenz eines bestimmten Verwaltungsbereichs auf Landesebene. Nach dem aktuellen Selbstverständnis betrifft die Aufgabenstellung der Landesplanung den seit jeher wahrgenommenen Aufgabenbereich der klassischen Instrumente sowie einen neuen, prozesshaft entstandenen Aufgabenbereich der sogenannten weichen Instrumente. Die klassischen Instrumente betreffen Raumordnungspläne auf Landesebene sowie, auf der Ebene sogenannter Planungsregionen, die Regionalpläne

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination is Not Associated With Involuntary Childlessness in Female Healthcare Workers: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND There is debate about the causes of the recent birth rate decline in high-income countries worldwide. During the pandemic, concern about the effects on reproductive health has caused vaccine hesitancy. We investigated the association of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and infection with involuntary childlessness. METHODS Females in fertility age within a prospective multicenter cohort of healthcare workers (HCW) were followed since August 2020. Data on baseline health, SARS-CoV-2-infection, and vaccination were obtained and regularly updated, in which serum samples were collected repetitively and screened for anti-nucleocapsid and anti-spike antibodies. In October 2023, participants indicated the presence of involuntary childlessness with onset during the pandemic, whereas those indicating an onset before the pandemic were excluded. The association of involuntary childlessness and SARS-CoV-2-vaccination and infection was investigated using univariable and multivariable analysis. Sensitivity analysis was performed to compare those reporting involuntary childlessness with those birthing a child since 2020. RESULTS Of 798 participants, 26 (3.2%) reported involuntary childlessness starting since the pandemic. Of the involuntary childless women, 73.1% (19/26) were vaccinated compared to 86.0% (664/772) without involuntary childlessness (p = 0.73). SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported by 76.9% (20/26) compared to 72.4% (559/772) of controls (p = 0.64). Neither SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (aOR 0.91 per dose, 95%CI 0.67-1.26) nor infection (aOR per infection 1.05, 95%CI 0.62-1.71) was associated with involuntary childlessness. Sensitivity analysis confirmed these results. CONCLUSIONS Among female HCW of fertility age, 3.2% indicated involuntary childlessness, which is comparable to pre-pandemic data. No association between involuntary childlessness and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination or infection was found

Post-acute sequelae after SARS-CoV-2 infection by viral variant and vaccination status: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND Disentangling the effects of SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccination on the occurrence of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) is crucial to estimate and reduce the burden of PASC. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional analysis (May/June 2022) within a prospective multicenter healthcare worker (HCW) cohort in North-Eastern Switzerland. HCW were stratified by viral variant and vaccination status at time of their first positive SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab. HCW without positive swab and with negative serology served as controls. The sum of eighteen self-reported PASC symptoms was modeled with univariable and multivariable negative-binomial regression to analyse the association of mean symptom number with viral variant and vaccination status. RESULTS Among 2'912 participants (median age 44 years, 81.3% female), PASC symptoms were significantly more frequent after wild-type infection (estimated mean symptom number 1.12, p<0.001; median time since infection 18.3 months), after Alpha/Delta infection (0.67 symptoms, p<0.001; 6.5 months), and after Omicron BA.1 infections (0.52 symptoms, p=0.005; 3.1 months) compared to uninfected controls (0.39 symptoms). After Omicron BA.1 infection, the estimated mean symptom number was 0.36 for unvaccinated individuals, compared to 0.71 with 1-2 vaccinations (p=0.028) and 0.49 with ≥3 prior vaccinations (p=0.30). Adjusting for confounders, only wild-type (adjusted rate ratio [aRR] 2.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.08-3.83) and Alpha/Delta infection (aRR 1.93, 95% CI 1.10-3.46) were significantly associated with the outcome. CONCLUSIONS Previous infection with pre-Omicron variants was the strongest risk factor for PASC symptoms among our HCW. Vaccination prior to Omicron BA.1 infection was not associated with a clear protective effect against PASC symptoms in this population

Burden of post–acute COVID-19 sequelae in healthcare workers and its course over a 30-month period–results from a prospective multicentre cohort

Purpose As healthcare workers (HCW) have been disproportionally affected by COVID-19, its post-acute sequelae (PASC) in HCW can impact healthcare systems. We assessed the burden and course of PASC in HCW over a 30-month period. Methods In a prospective multicentre HCW cohort in Switzerland, PASC surveys were conducted in 03/2021, 09/2021, 06/2022, 04/2023, and 10/2023. Stratified by viral variant at first infection, the prevalence of PASC symptoms, self-experienced PASC and the Post-COVID Functional Status (PCFS) were analysed cross-sectionally in 10/2023, self-perceived success of therapeutic measures used was assessed. The evolution of PASC symptoms and PCFS in Wild-type and non-Wild-type infected HCW compared to uninfected controls was analysed longitudinally across all surveys. Results In cross-sectional analysis, 1704 HCW (median age 47 years, 82.2% female) were included. Thereof, 30.7% reported ≥ 1 PASC symptom in 10/2023, with 115 (6.7%) stating to have or have had PASC. Both were most common after Wild-type infection compared to other variants. Overall, 17/115 (15%) indicated relevant/severe restrictions in their daily activities and of 85 (74%) that tried ≥ 1 measure against their symptoms, 69 (81%) reported having benefitted. Longitudinal analysis (n = 653) showed a significantly higher proportion of Wild-type infected HCW to report PASC symptoms compared to controls in 03/2021 (+ 21%, 95% CI 4–39), with decreasing trend (+ 7%, 95%CI -10–25 in 10/2023). This effect was not evident for non-Wild-type infected HCW. Conclusions Over a 30 month period, overall PASC burden in our HCW cohort decreased, although 1% still experience relevant restrictions in their daily life; Wild-type infected individuals show the highest disease burden