Etude des possibilités de sélection des caféiers de basse altitude pour les qualités organoleptiques

Peu de chose sont connues sur la variabilité géétique des caféiers de basse altitude pour la qualité à la tasse. Cette étude a été réalisée à partir d'échantillons prélevés en Côte d'Ivoire. Les résultats montrent un effet génétique important et généralement supérieur aux effets non génétiques. Une grande variabilité pour la qualité organoleptique a été mise en évidence entre groupes génétiques et entre clones. Les Guinéens sont très mal notés, alors que les Congolais sont mieux appréciés. Les clones hybrides ou les Congusta montrent des caractéristiques variables. Des goûts typiques, peu appréciés, ont été identifiés chez plusieurs clones. Quant aux autres facteurs, la voie humide améliore la qualité des cafés (facteur déjà connu). Un effet significatif des 3 lieux de récolte a été noté. Les cafés mûrs récoltés en fin de production sont meilleurs que ceux récoltés en début de production. En général, les interactions entre effet génétique et les autres facteurs ont été peu significatifs. L'effet arbre à l'intérieur d'un clone n'a pas pu être mis en évidenc

Oxytocin-enhanced motivational interviewing group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder in men who have sex with men: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background The prevalence of methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) in the United States has risen dramatically in the past four decades and is concentrated in populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite the public health consequences of MUD, there are no FDA-approved psychopharmacological treatments. Psychosocial treatment alone has been shown to reduce methamphetamine use, but high attrition rates limit treatment efficacy. Promising findings from animal models of MUD using exogenous oxytocin, a social neuropeptide, have set the stage for translational work. Along with unique anti-addiction effects, oxytocin holds a primary role in enhancing social salience and modulating stress. In humans, oxytocin administration, combined with evidence-based psychosocial interventions, may act synergistically to improve addiction treatment outcomes and improve retention rates in current MUD treatment. Methods/design We are conducting a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oxytocin-enhanced motivational interviewing group therapy (MIGT). Oxytocin or placebo 40 IU is administered intranasally in conjunction with six, weekly MIGT sessions. We will recruit 50 MSM, initiating treatment for MUD from specialized community health programs in San Francisco, CA, USA. Individuals will be randomized (1:1) to receive six, weekly sessions of MIGT with or without oxytocin. Our primary outcome is session attendance. Other outcomes of interest include: measures of group cohesion, anxiety, psychophysiology, and stimulant craving and use. Discussion This will be the first study of oxytocin’s effects in humans with MUD. Findings from this novel protocol will attempt to bridge existing animal data with the need for innovative clinical treatments for MUD, inform the growing field of pharmacologically-enhanced psychotherapy, and help to elucidate mechanisms behind oxytocin’s potential anti-addiction effects. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02881177. Registered on 26 August 2016

Oxytocin-enhanced group therapy for methamphetamine use disorder: Randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundMethamphetamine (METH) use is a public health crisis that disproportionately affects men who have sex with men (MSM). There are currently no FDA-approved pharmacological interventions to treat methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). MUD is associated with social impairments and extremely high treatment attrition rates. Administration of oxytocin, a neuropeptide involved in social attachment, may be a novel approach to addressing these issues. Moreover, oxytocin administration has shown promise for reducing METH-related addictive behavior in animal models, but has not yet been investigated in clinical trials for MUD. Last, oxytocin is known to modulate stress responsivity via regulation of the autonomic nervous system, which is dysregulated in METH users. We hypothesize that oxytocin, in combination with group psychotherapy, will increase treatment engagement, reduce addiction behavior, and mitigate stress hyperreactivity.MethodsThis is a randomized, double blind trial of oxytocin 40-IU (n = 24) or placebo (n = 24) administered intranasally prior to each of six weekly motivational interviewing group therapy (MIGT) sessions for MUD in MSM.Primary outcome(a) session attendance.Secondary outcomes(b) group cohesion, (c) anxiety, (d) METH craving, (e) METH use, and (f) in-session cardiac physiology.ResultsParticipants receiving oxytocin had significantly higher group therapy attendance than those receiving placebo, OR 3.26, 95% CI [1.27-8.41], p = .014. There was a small effect of oxytocin on group cohension, but not anxiety or craving. METH use did not change over the six-week MIGT course in either treatment arm. Participants receiving oxytocin had lower average heart rates during MIGT sessions and higher heart rate variability. There were positive main effects of MIGT over Time regardless of study drug.ConclusionsThis evidence, and the lack of any serious adverse events, suggests that oxytocin may safely increase treatment attendance. One possible mechanism by which it may do so is its modulation of the autonomic nervous system. Further investigation is warranted

Large-Area Oxidized Phosphorene Nanoflakes Obtained by Electrospray for Energy-Harvesting Applications

Bidimensional (2D) materials are nowadays being developed as outstanding candidates for electronic and optoelectronic components and devices. Targeted applications include sensing, energy conversion, and storage. Phosphorene is one of the most promising systems in this context, but its high reactivity under atmospheric conditions and its small-area/lab-scale deposition techniques have hampered the introduction of this material in real-world applications so far. However, phosphorene oxides in the form of low-dimensional structures (2D POx) should behave as an electroresponsive material according to recent theoretical studies. In the present work, we introduce electrospraying for the deposition of stoichiometric and large-area 2D POx nanoflakes starting from a suspension of liquid-phase-exfoliated phosphorene. We obtained 2D POx nanostructures with a mean surface area two orders of magnitude larger than phosphorene structures obtained with standard mechanical and liquid exfoliation techniques. X-ray spectroscopy and high-resolution electron microscopy confirmed the P2O5-like crystallographic structure of the electrosprayed flakes. Finally, we experimentally demonstrated for the first time the electromechanical responsivity of the 2D P2O5 nanoflakes, through piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). This work sheds light on the possible implementation of phosphorus oxide-based 2D nanomaterials in the value chain of fabrication and engineering of devices, which might be easily scaled up for energy-harvesting/conversion applications