Environmental dependency phenomena in schizophrenia: a pilot study

INTRODUCTION: Environmental dependency phenomena refer to the enslavement of patients\u27 performances under the characteristics of the tasks and were first described in case of prefrontal lobe damage. Two forms of environmental dependency, executive and social, may be dissociated, which involve respectively dorsolateral and orbital prefrontal cortex (PFC) dysfunction. Schizophrenia is widely considered to be caused by PFC dysfunction, but no study to date has addressed environmental dependency in this pathology. METHODS: We compared patients (N = 17) and healthy controls (N = 28) on a task dedicated to the study of environmental dependency. RESULTS: Our results demonstrate the presence of environmental dependency in schizophrenia. Each form of environmental dependency can be highlighted independently, as previously demonstrated by studies with prefrontal patients. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest specific prefrontal dysfunction for each subgroup of patients and demonstrate a dissociation between socio-cognitive and neurocognitive performance in schizophrenia. Additionally, we found relationships between symptomatology and environmental dependency. This pilot study supports the relevance of studying environmental dependency to highlight specific patterns of prefrontal disorders in schizophrenia, which may contribute to a better understanding of PFC dysfunction in schizophrenia

Suivi en quasi-temps réel de la vaccination contre la grippe chez les 65 ans et plus en France à partir des ventes de vaccins en pharmacie

National audienceBACKGROUND:The aim of this study was to describe a tool based on vaccine sales to estimate vaccination coverage against seasonal influenza in near real-time in the French population aged 65 and over.METHODS:Vaccine sales data available on sale-day +1 came from a stratified sample of 3004 pharmacies in metropolitan France. Vaccination coverage rates were estimated between 2009 and 2014 and compared with those obtained based on vaccination refund data from the general health insurance scheme.RESULTS:The seasonal vaccination coverage estimates were highly correlated with those obtained from refund data. They were also slightly higher, which can be explained by the inclusion of non-reimbursed vaccines and the consideration of all individuals aged 65 and over. We have developed an online tool that provides estimates of daily vaccination coverage during each vaccination campaign.CONCLUSION:The developed tool provides a reliable and near real-time estimation of vaccination coverage among people aged 65 and over. It can be used to evaluate and adjust public health messages.Position du problèmeL’objectif de cette étude est de décrire un outil permettant d’estimer en quasi-temps réel la couverture vaccinale contre la grippe saisonnière chez les 65 ans et plus à partir des ventes de vaccins en pharmacie.MéthodesLes données de ventes de vaccins proviennent d’un échantillon stratifié de 3004 pharmacies en France métropolitaine et sont disponibles le jour suivant les ventes. Les couvertures vaccinales estimées entre 2009 et 2014 ont été comparées avec celles obtenues à partir des données de remboursements aux affiliés du Régime général.RésultatsLes couvertures vaccinales saisonnières estimées sont très corrélées à celles obtenues avec les données de remboursements. Elles sont aussi légèrement supérieures, ce qui peut s’expliquer par l’inclusion de vaccins non remboursés et la prise en compte de l’ensemble des 65 ans et plus, tous régimes confondus. Nous avons développé un outil accessible en ligne permettant d’accéder quotidiennement à une estimation de la couverture vaccinale des 65 ans et plus lors de chaque campagne de vaccination.ConclusionL’outil développé permet de fournir une information fiable et en quasi-temps réel sur la couverture vaccinale des 65 ans et plus. Il peut être utilisé pour évaluer et ajuster les messages de santé publique

Release behaviour of single pellets and internal fine 3D structural features co-define the in vitro drug release profile

NoMulti-pellet formulations are advantageous for the controlled release of drugs over single-unit dosage forms. To understand the diffusion controlled drug release mechanism, the pellet structure and drug release from a single pellet (not at dose level) were studied using synchrotron radiation X-ray computed microtomography (SR-muCT) and a sensitive LC/MS/MS method. The purpose of this article is to introduce a powerful, non-invasive and quantitative technique for studying individual pellet microstructures and to investigate the relationship between the microstructure and drug release from single pellets. The data from the single pellet dissolution measurements demonstrated that the release profile of capsules containing approximately 1,000 pellets per unit dose was the summation of the release profiles of the individual pellets. The release profiles of single tamsulosin hydrochloride (TSH) pellets formed three groups when a cluster analysis was performed, and the dissolution rate of the individual pellets correlated well with the combined effects of the drug loading, volume and surface area of the pellets (R(2) = 0.9429). In addition, the void microstructures within the pellet were critical during drug release. Therefore, SR-muCT is a powerful tool for quantitatively elucidating the three-dimensional microstructure of the individual pellets; because the microstructure controls drug release, it is an important parameter in the quality control of multi-pellet formulations