The efficacy and safety of 10 mg/day vortioxetine compared to placebo for adult major depressive disorder: a meta-analysis

Background: There is a growing interest in vortioxetine in major depressive disorder (MDD). Objectives: This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of 10 mg/day (mg/d) vortioxetine compared to placebo for MDD in adult.Methods: Eight randomly controlled trials (RCTs) about the treatment of 10 mg/d vortioxetine in adult patients with MDD were identified and 2354 patients were included in meta-analysis.Results: According to the results, 10 mg/d vortioxetine showed significant differences in response rates (OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.40-2.53, P<0.0001), remission rates (OR=1.54, 95% CI=1.27-1.86, P<0.00001), change from baseline in Montgomery-As- berg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score (SMD=-3.50, 95%CI=-4.83 to -2.17, P<0.00001), clinical global Impres- sion-Global Improvement (CGI-I) total score (SMD=-3.40, 95% CI=-4.69 to -2.11, P<0.00001), and change from baseline in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) total score (SMD=-2.09, 95% CI=-2.64 to -1.55, P<0.00001). But 10 mg/d vortioxetine was easier induced nausea (OR=4.18, 95% CI=3.21-5.44, P<0.00001) and constipation (OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.14 to 3.09, P=0.01).Conclusion: 10 mg/d vortioxetine was more effective, but easily induced nausea and constipation when compared to placebo for MDD in adult.Keywords: Vortioxetine, major depressive disorder, meta-analysis.

Event frequency and severity of sorghum ergot in Australia

The temporal and regional distribution of the severity and potential number of events of sorghum ergot on grain sorghum in Australia were analysed using daily climatic data from 1957 to 1998. This analysis was conducted using both a rule-based method and a regression model. Between December and March, the main flowering period for most commercial grain sorghum crops, we found a likely increase of ergot events in eastern Australia from south to north as well as from west to east. When crops flowered in April or May the number of potential monthly events increased, particularly in the southern areas. The smallest number of events occurred when flowering occurred between September and December. The temporal and geographic distribution of the number of events and severity of sorghum ergot is closely related to relative humidity during the flowering period. The analysis indicates that grain sorghum crops flowering between early December and February are unlikely to be severely infected with sorghum ergot. Late flowering sorghum has increased risk to severe infection, especially in the coastal regions

Minimising costs of environmental service provision: water-yield, salt-load and biodiversity targets with new tree planting in Simmons Creek Catchment, NSW, a dryland farming/grazing area.

Although dryland farming and grazing have been practiced for over 130 years in the 17,000 ha Simmons Creek catchment without surface salinity problems, the area has been identified as a significant source of salt seepage to Billabong Creek in the NSW Murray catchment. Groundwater movement and salinity levels are spatially heterogenous at Simmons Creek. Groundwater of the upper catchment is relatively fresh and seemingly unconnected with the highly saline groundwater of the lower catchment. However, fresh surface water does flow from the upper to the lower catchment. This spatial diversity provokes the question of where high-water-use forest habitats might be placed to achieve different combinations of environmental services (greater water yield, lower stream salinity and greater biodiversity) at least cost. Agro-forestry and or carbon sequestration benefits are not considered here. This paper presents methods and preliminary calculations of land use changes for least-cost delivery of these environmental service targets.Optimisation, opportunity costs, forest-habitat, environmental services, Environmental Economics and Policy,

On the relation between weather variables and sorghum ergot infection

Sorghum ergot (Claviceps africana) has had a significant impact on seed production and breeders’ nurseries in Australia since it was first found in 1996. In this paper, 3 distinct key development stages of sorghum that are related to ergot infection were identified: flag leaf stage, pollen starch accumulation stage, and flowering period. Relationships between weather variables during these 3 stages and ergot severity as well as pollen viability were analysed using observed data from 2 field trials, a serial planting trial and a genotype trial, conducted at Gatton, Queensland. The duration of the flag leaf stage and of the flowering period was estimated from thermal time. An infection factor was introduced and calculated based on hourly temperature during the flowering period. This infection factor and the mean relative humidity at 0900 hours during the flowering period were the main factors influencing ergot infection. Mean daily minimum temperature during flag leaf stage also had a significant effect on ergot severity, although no significant relation was found between this mean daily minimum temperature and pollen viability. A linear regression model using the above 3 factors accounted for 94% of the environmentally caused variation in ergot severity observed in the genotype trial

The efficacy and safety of 10 mg/day vortioxetine compared to placebo for adult major depressive disorder: a meta-analysis

Background: There is a growing interest in vortioxetine in major depressive disorder (MDD). Objectives: This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of 10 mg/day (mg/d) vortioxetine compared to placebo for MDD in adult. Methods: Eight randomly controlled trials (RCTs) about the treatment of 10 mg/d vortioxetine in adult patients with MDD were identified and 2354 patients were included in meta-analysis. Results: According to the results, 10 mg/d vortioxetine showed significant differences in response rates (OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.40-2.53, P<0.0001), remission rates (OR=1.54, 95% CI=1.27-1.86, P<0.00001), change from baseline in Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) total score (SMD=-3.50, 95%CI=-4.83 to -2.17, P<0.00001), clinical global Impression-Global Improvement (CGI-I) total score (SMD=-3.40, 95% CI=-4.69 to -2.11, P<0.00001), and change from baseline in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) total score (SMD=-2.09, 95% CI=-2.64 to -1.55, P<0.00001). But 10 mg/d vortioxetine was easier induced nausea (OR=4.18, 95% CI=3.21-5.44, P<0.00001) and constipation (OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.14 to 3.09, P=0.01). Conclusion: 10 mg/d vortioxetine was more effective, but easily induced nausea and constipation when compared to placebo for MDD in adult. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i1.48 Cite as: Zheng J, Wang Z, E L. The efficacy and safety of 10 mg/day vortioxetine compared to placebo for adult major depressive disorder: a meta-analysis. Afri Health Sci. 2019;19(1). 1716-1726. https://dx.doi. org/10.4314/ ahs. v19i1.4

MAX share this! Vote for us! Analysis of pre-election Facebook communication and audience reactions of Latvia’s populist party KPV LV leader Aldis Gobzems

This article analyses the communication content by the Latvian populistic party KPV LV (LETA; Re: Baltica) and the audience’s reaction, with a focus on the daily updates and live videos that were posted on Facebook (FB) prior to the 13th elections of the Saeima (Parliament of Latvia). The aim of the research is to determine the type of populism that KPV LV employed (de Wreese, 2018). The research data was collected during the pre-election period in August – September 2018, when the popularity and social media activity of the party increased. The methods employed were qualitative and quantitative content analysis. In order to identify the structure of emotions expressed in audience-created content, the online data analysis tool “Emotion Recognition Model” was used. Given that populist ideology manifests itself in specific discursive patterns (Kriesi, Papas, 2015), the data interpretation was based on theoretical findings about populism as a political communication style (Jagers, Walgrave, 2007). In order to analyze the interrelations between populist communication and its audience, this study employed theoretical literature on social media use in populist communication and on expressions of emotions in social networking sites

Phosphorus dynamics in Vertosols: improving fertilizer management

Phosphorus (P) increasingly constrains crop productivity in Australian Vertosols (Australian Soil Classification, Isbell et al., 2021). However, P behaviour and dynamics in Vertosols are still not well understood especially within complex cropping systems. To complement our knowledge in P dynamics in Vertosols and collect critical information as a baseline for future agricultural model development, nine Vertosols were incubated with various P fertilizer treatments. Phosphorus dynamics were modelled in relation to physical and chemical properties. Results indicate that physical and chemical properties and P dynamics of the Vertosols are highly variable and differ substantially from the other soil types. This suggests that inclusion of selected soil properties to current soil P models could help to improve the understanding of the fate of applied P in Vertosols. This will be critical for future development of sustainable P fertilizer management strategies

KIR-Based Inhibitory Cars Overcome CAR-NK Cell Trogocytosis-Mediated Fratricide and Tumor Escape

Trogocytosis is an active process that transfers surface material from targeted to effector cells. Using multiple in vivo tumor models and clinical data, we report that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) activation in natural killer (NK) cells promoted transfer of the CAR cognate antigen from tumor to NK cells, resulting in (1) lower tumor antigen density, thus impairing the ability of CAR-NK cells to engage with their target, and (2) induced self-recognition and continuous CAR-mediated engagement, resulting in fratricide of trogocytic antigen-expressing NK cells (N