Host-plant sex and phenology of Buddleja cordata Kunth interact to influence arthropod communities.

Intraspecific variation in plants is expected to have profound impacts on the arthropod communities associated with them. Because sexual dimorphism in plants is expected to provide consistent variation among individuals of the same species, researchers have often studied the effect it has on associated arthropods. Nevertheless, most studies have focused on the effect of sexual dimorphism in a single or a few herbivores, thus overlooking the potential effects on the whole arthropod community. Our main objective was to evaluate effects of Buddleja cordata's plant-sex on its associated arthropod community. We surveyed 13 pairs of male and female plants every 2 months during a year (June 2010 to April 2011). Every sampling date, we measured plant traits (water content and leaf thickness), herbivory, and the arthropod community. We did not find differences in herbivory between plant sex or through time. However, we found differences in water content through time, with leaf water-content matching the environmental seasonality. For arthropod richness, we found 68 morphospecies associated with female and 72 with male plants, from which 53 were shared by both sexes. We did not observe differences in morphospecies richness; however, we found sex-associated differences in the diversity of all species and differences on the diversity of the most abundant species with an interesting temporal component. During peak flowering season, male plants showed higher values on both parameters, but during the peak fructification season female plants showed the higher values on both diversity parameters. Our research exemplifies the interaction between plant-phenology and plant-sex as drivers of arthropod communities' diversity, even when plant sexual-dimorphism is inconspicuous, and highlighting the importance of accounting for seasonal variation. We stress the need of conducting more studies that test this time-dependent framework in other dioecious systems, as it has the potential to reconcile previous contrasting observations reported in the literature.

Procalcitonin and C-reactive protein as early markers of postoperative intra-abdominal infection in patients operated on colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of serum procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) for early diagnosis of postoperative intra-abdominal infections (PIAI) after elective surgery for colorectal cancer. METHODS: Prospective observational study including patients operated on for colorectal cancer between January and December of 2015 was performed. Serum PCT and CRP levels were measured before surgery and daily until postoperative day 3. RESULTS: One hundred twenty patients were included. Seven patients (5.8%) had PIAI. PCT levels were significantly higher in patients with PIAI on postoperative days 1 and 3, whereas CRP levels only were significantly more elevated on postoperative day 3. The ratio between CRP levels on postoperative day 3 and CRP levels on postoperative days 2 (CRP D3/CRP D2) and 1 (CRP D3/CRP D1) was significantly higher in patients with PIAI. PCT on postoperative day 3, for a cutoff of 0.45 ng/mL, had the best sensitivity (100%) with a specificity of 73.8%. The ratio CRP D3/CRP D1 yielded the higher specificity and positive predictive value (90.9 and 27.3%, respectively, for a cutoff of 1.8). The higher negative predictive value was obtained for PCT on postoperative days 1 and 3 (100%, with cutoff of 0.76 and 0.45 ng/mL, respectively) and for CRP on postoperative day 3 (100% with cutoff of 10 mg/dL). CONCLUSION: PCT and CRP serum levels are associated with the appearance of PIAI after colorectal cancer surgery, although the positive predictive values were low for both PCT and CRP. However, the negative predictive values were high.

Prevalence of Insomnia and Associated Factors in Outpatients With Generalized Anxiety Disorder Treated in Psychiatric Clinics.

Sleep disturbance is one of the key diagnostic criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). In this cross-sectional, prospective, observational, and multicenter study, factors associated with the prevalence of insomnia and the impact of insomnia-associated factors on quality of life were evaluated. Using multivariate analyses, the factor most strongly associated with the presence of insomnia (ISI ≥ 8) was the severity of the disorder (Odds Ratio [OR]: 9.253 for severe GAD; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.914-44.730; p = 0.006), pain interference and symptoms of depression (OR: 1.018; 95% CI 1.003-1.033; p = 0.016 and OR: 1.059; 95% CI 1.019-1.101; p = 0.004, respectively). Insomnia was not related to quality of life. Our results show insomnia to be a common health condition among patients with GAD, associated with the severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms and pain interference.

Pregabalin for the discontinuation of long-term benzodiazepines use: an assessment of its effectiveness in daily clinical practice.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of pregabalin in the management of the discontinuation of benzodiazepines in long-term users. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We performed a 12-week, prospective, uncontrolled, non-interventional, and observational study in patients aged 18 years old or above, who met DSM-IV-TR criteria for benzodiazepine dependence without other major psychiatry disorder. Evaluations included the Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptom Questionnaire, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Clinical Global Impression Scale, and the Sheehan Disability Scale. A urine drug screen for benzodiazepines was performed at baseline and every 4 weeks thereafter. The primary effectiveness variable was success rate, defined as achievement of benzodiazepine-free status at week 12 according to the urine drug screen. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The mean dose at week 12 was 315 (±166) mg/day. The success rate of the benzodiazepine taper in the primary efficacy population (n=282) was 52% (95% confidence interval [CI], 46-58). Success rates for women and men were 58% (95% CI, 49-67) and 46% (95% CI, 38-55), respectively. The success rates did not differ according to either the benzodiazepine of abuse or the presence of other substance use disorders. Significant and clinically relevant improvements were observed in withdrawal and anxiety symptoms, as well as in patients' functioning. At week 12, tolerability was rated as good or excellent by 90% and 83% of the clinicians and patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that pregabalin is an efficacious and well-tolerated adjunctive treatment for benzodiazepine withdrawal.