Sleep disturbance in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): a systematic review and meta-analysis of actigraphy studies

Background Sleep disturbance has been described as a ‘hallmark’ symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although there are robust findings of self-reported sleep disturbance in PTSD, evidence of sleep disturbance measured using actigraphy is less certain. Objective To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine whether there are any significant differences between individuals with and without PTSD in actigraph-derived sleep measures. Method Case-control studies comparing participants with current PTSD to those without PTSD were eligible for inclusion. Sleep parameters of interest were: (1) total sleep time; (2) sleep onset latency; (3) wake after sleep onset (WASO); and (4) sleep efficiency. Data were meta-analysed as standardised mean differences (SMDs) and potential sources of heterogeneity were explored through meta-regression. Six actigraphy studies with 405 participants were included. Results There was no evidence of a statistically significant difference between those with and without PTSD in total sleep time (SMD 0.09, 95%CI −0.23 to 0.42); WASO (SMD 0.18, 95%CI −0.06 to 0.43); sleep latency (SMD 0.32, 95%CI −0.04 to 0.69); or sleep efficiency (SMD −0.28, 95%CI −0.78 to 0.21). Conclusions Further high-quality research is required to determine whether there is a true difference in sleep between those with and without PTSD

Childhood inflammatory markers and intelligence as predictors of subsequent persistent depressive symptoms: a longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND: To identify developmental sub-groups of depressive symptoms during the second decade of life, a critical period of brain development, using data from a prospective birth cohort. To test whether childhood intelligence and inflammatory markers are associated with subsequent persistent depressive symptoms. METHODS: IQ, a proxy for neurodevelopment, was measured at age 8 years. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein, typical inflammatory markers, were measured at age 9 years. Depressive symptoms were measured six times between 10 and 19 years using the short mood and feelings questionnaire (SMFQ), which were coded as binary variable and then used in latent class analysis to identify developmental sub-groups of depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Longitudinal SMFQ data from 9156 participants yielded three distinct population sub-groups of depressive symptoms: no symptoms (81.2%); adolescent-onset symptoms (13.2%); persistent symptoms (5.6%). Lower IQ and higher IL-6 levels in childhood were independently associated with subsequent persistent depressive symptoms in a linear, dose-response fashion, but not with adolescent-onset symptoms. Compared with the group with no symptoms the adjusted odds ratio for persistent depressive symptoms per s.d. increase in IQ was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.68-0.95); that for IL-6 was 1.20 (95% CI, 1.03-1.39). Evidence for an association with IL-6 remained after controlling for initial severity of depressive symptoms at 10 years. There was no evidence that IL-6 moderated or mediated the IQ-persistent depressive symptom relationship. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate potentially important roles for two distinct biological processes, neurodevelopment and inflammation, in the aetiology of persistent depressive symptoms in young people

SpiDentistry: The Intersection of Dentistry and Spider Silk

Spider silks are an ideal material for periodontal chips/gels because they are biocompatible, biodegradable, lightweight, strong, and create no immune response. Furthermore, the various silks types and forms allow for tunable materials and properties. Spider silk materials may have an advantage over other products because of the ability to release medication more consistently over a longer period of time and be adjusted as needed. Unlike products currently on the market, our chip/gels are biocompatible, which aids in reducing the bodies immune response to periodontal treatment. The ability to incorporate multiple bioactive compounds into the spider silk materials allows them to become multifunctional treatment devices against inflammatory response, infection, and other related complications that come from periodontitis. The purpose of this research project is to develop and test spider silk chips/gels and compare them with products currently on the market to determine the feasibility and potential of spider silk materials. To characterize these silk and conventional materials the release, activity, robustness, geometry, and longevity will be analyzed

Laboratory worker knowledge, attitudes and practices towards smallpox vaccine

Background Recent cases of laboratory-acquired vaccinia virus (VV) infection highlight the need for laboratory safety

Atom chip for BEC interferometry

We have fabricated and tested an atom chip that operates as a matter wave interferometer. In this communication we describe the fabrication of the chip by ion-beam milling of gold evaporated onto a silicon substrate. We present data on the quality of the wires, on the current density that can be reached in the wires and on the smoothness of the magnetic traps that are formed. We demonstrate the operation of the interferometer, showing that we can coherently split and recombine a Bose–Einstein condensate with good phase stability

Tangeretin regulates platelet function through inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-Kinase and cyclic nucleotide signaling

OBJECTIVE: Dietary flavonoids have long been appreciated in reducing cardiovascular disease risk factors, but their mechanisms of action are complex in nature. In this study, the effects of tangeretin, a dietary flavonoid, were explored on platelet function, signaling, and hemostasis. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Tangeretin inhibited agonist-induced human platelet activation in a concentration-dependent manner. It inhibited agonist-induced integrin αIIbβ3 inside-out and outside-in signaling, intracellular calcium mobilization, and granule secretion. Tangeretin also inhibited human platelet adhesion and subsequent thrombus formation on collagen-coated surfaces under arterial flow conditions in vitro and reduced hemostasis in mice. Further characterization to explore the mechanism by which tangeretin inhibits platelet function revealed distinctive effects of platelet signaling. Tangeretin was found to inhibit phosphoinositide 3-kinase-mediated signaling and increase cGMP levels in platelets, although phosphodiesterase activity was unaffected. Consistent with increased cGMP levels, tangeretin increased the phosphorylation of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein at S239. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides support for the ability and mechanisms of action of dietary flavonoids to modulate platelet signaling and function, which may affect the risk of thrombotic disease

Accumulation of metabolic cardiovascular risk factors in black and white young adults over 20 years

BACKGROUND: Cross-sectional clustering of metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease in middle-aged adults is well described, but less is known regarding the order in which risk factors develop through young adulthood and their relation to subclinical atherosclerosis. METHOD AND RESULTS: A total of 3178 black and white women and men in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study were assessed to identify the order in which cardiovascular disease risk factors including diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia (low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol or high triglyceride levels), hypercholesterolemia (high total or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and obesity develop. Observed patterns of risk factor development were compared with those expected if risk factors accumulated randomly, given their overall distribution in the population. Over the 20 years of follow-up, 80% of participants developed at least 1 risk factor. The first factor to occur was dyslipidemia in 39% of participants, obesity in 20%, hypercholesterolemia in 11%, hypertension in 7%, and diabetes in 1%. Dyslipidemia was the only risk factor both to occur first and to be followed by additional risk factors more often than expected (P \u3c 0.001 for both). Order of risk factor accrual did not affect subclinical atherosclerosis at year 20. Results were similar by sex, race, and smoking status. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple patterns of cardiovascular risk factor development were observed from young adulthood to middle age. Dyslipidemia, a potentially modifiable condition, often preceded the development of other risk factors and may be a useful target for intervention and monitoring

Method for the Destruction of Endotoxin in Synthetic Spider Silk Proteins

Although synthetic spider silk has impressive potential as a biomaterial, endotoxin contamination of the spider silk proteins is a concern, regardless of the production method. The purpose of this research was to establish a standardized method to either remove or destroy the endotoxins present in synthetic spider silk proteins, such that the endotoxin level was consistently equal to or less than 0.25 EU/mL, the FDA limit for similar implant materials. Although dry heat is generally the preferred method for endotoxin destruction, heating the silk proteins to the necessary temperatures led to compromised mechanical properties in the resultant materials. In light of this, other endotoxin destruction methods were investigated, including caustic rinses and autoclaving. It was found that autoclaving synthetic spider silk protein dopes three times in a row consistently decreased the endotoxin level 10–20 fold, achieving levels at or below the desired level of 0.25 EU/mL. Products made from triple autoclaved silk dopes maintained mechanical properties comparable to products from untreated dopes while still maintaining low endotoxin levels. Triple autoclaving is an effective and scalable method for preparing synthetic spider silk proteins with endotoxin levels sufficiently low for use as biomaterials without compromising the mechanical properties of the materials

Safety and physiological effects of two different doses of elosulfase alfa in patients with morquio a syndrome: A randomized, double-blind, pilot study.

The primary treatment outcomes of a phase 2, randomized, double-blind, pilot study evaluating safety, physiological, and pharmacological effects of elosulfase alfa in patients with Morquio A syndrome are herewith presented. Patients aged ≥7 years and able to walk ≥200 m in the 6-min walk test (6MWT) were randomized to elosulfase alfa 2.0 or 4.0 mg/kg/week for 27 weeks. The primary objective was to evaluate the safety of both doses. Secondary objectives were to evaluate effects on endurance (6MWT and 3-min stair climb test [3MSCT]), exercise capacity (cardio-pulmonary exercise test [CPET]), respiratory function, muscle strength, cardiac function, pain, and urine keratan sulfate (uKS) levels, and to determine pharmacokinetic parameters. Twenty-five patients were enrolled (15 randomized to 2.0 mg/kg/week and 10 to 4.0 mg/kg/week). No new or unexpected safety signals were observed. After 24 weeks, there were no improvements versus baseline in the 6MWT, yet numerical improvements were seen in the 3MSCT with 4.0 mg/kg/week. uKS and pharmacokinetic data suggested no linear relationship over the 2.0-4.0 mg/kg dose range. Overall, an abnormal exercise capacity (evaluated in 10 and 5 patients in the 2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg/week groups, respectively), impaired muscle strength, and considerable pain were observed at baseline, and there were trends towards improvements in all domains after treatment. In conclusion, preliminary data of this small study in a Morquio A population with relatively good endurance confirmed the acceptable safety profile of elosulfase alfa and showed a trend of increased exercise capacity and muscle strength and decreased pain