SMART recovery for youth: a small, exploratory qualitative study examining the potential of a mutual-aid, peer support addictive behaviour change program for young people.

BACKGROUND: SMART (Self-Management and Recovery Training) Recovery is a mutual-aid program informed by cognitive behaviour therapy and motivational interviewing that provides support for a range of addictive behaviours. SMART Recovery has not been adapted to target young people with addictive behaviours despite the potential to overcome important barriers affecting youth engagement in other addiction programs. This study aimed to engage young people and SMART Recovery facilitators in qualitative interviews and focus groups to explore the potential of such a program and gain specific insights for its development. METHODS: We conducted qualitative interviews and a focus group with five young people (aged between 14 and 24 years) and eight key stakeholders (including seven SMART Recovery facilitators) to obtain recommendations on how best to reach, engage, and support young people with addictive behaviours in a tailored SMART Recovery program. Qualitative data was transcribed and analysed using iterative categorization. RESULTS: Five key themes were identified when developing and delivering youth-targeted SMART Recovery. [1] 'Discussing personal experiences to promote a shared identity' refers to the benefits of creating a forum where personal stories are used to connect with others and validate one's experiences. [2] 'Flexible and patient approach' emphasises a preference for facilitators to take a more gentle, less direct approach that allows for discussion beyond addictive behaviours. [3] 'Balancing information and skills with the space for discussion' acknowledges that youth want to connect in a variety of ways, beyond discussion of addictive behaviours, and that they wish to lead skill sharing and development. [4] 'Conveying a community for youth through language' highlighted the need to focus on connecting youth and to avoid the use of generic language to engage young people. [5] 'Group logistics and competing demands' refers to the logistical considerations of implementing a group program for youth that takes into account their competing demands and group accessibility. CONCLUSION: The findings point to considerations for developing youth specific mutual-aid groups, in particular a youth-targeted SMART Recovery program, such as by ensuring the conversation is youth-led and with an informal and flexible approach to guide group discussion.

In vitro and in vivo cardioprotective and metabolic efficacy of vitamin E TPGS/Apelin.

AIMS: Apelin and vitamin E have been proposed as signaling molecules, but their synergistic role is unknown. The aim of this work was to develop vitamin E TPGS/Apelin system to test their cardioprotective and metabolic efficacy in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: FDA-approved surfactant D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS-1000) and Apelin complex were characterized by physico-chemical methods (CMC determination, dynamic light scattering and circular dichroism). In vitro studies were carried out on H9C2 cardiomyoblasts and isolated murine cardiomyocytes. In vivo studies were performed in isoproterenol- and high-fat diet-induced cardiac remodeling models in mice. RESULTS: We found that vitamin E TPGS/Apelin provide cardioprotective and metabolic efficacy in vitro and in vivo. In vitro studies revealed that vitamin E TPGS/Apelin reduces hypoxia-induced mitochondrial ROS production in cultured cardiomyocytes and H9C2 cardiomyoblasts. In addition, vitamin E TPGS/Apelin confers apoptotic response to hypoxic stress in cells. In a mouse model of isoproterenol-induced cardiac injury, TPGS is not able to affect cardiac remodeling, however combination of vitamin E TPGS and Apelin counteracts myocardial apoptosis, oxidative stress, hypertrophy and fibrosis. Furthermore, combination treatment attenuated obesity-induced cardiometabolic and fibrotic remodeling in mice. CONCLUSION: Together, our data demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of vitamin E TPGS/Apelin complex to combat cardiovascular and metabolic disorders.

Analysis of complex mixtures of polyglycerol fatty esters using liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry: Retention, structural and relative composition study.

Polyglycerol esters (PGEs), produced by esterification of fatty acids on polyglycerols, were analysed by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS), HPLC-MS and U-HPLC-MS. A structural study of PGEs in 4 samples synthesised by the Gattefossé company was carried out using an elemental analysis of HRMS spectra and modelling of all probable isomers and cyclic structures. The results were used to construct a structural database of all species present in the 4 samples. After an assessment of the selectivity of 5 reversed phase columns: Aeris Widepore XB-C8, 3.6 µm, 2.1 × 150 mm (Phenomenex), Acquity CSH C18 1.7 µm 2.1 × 50 mm, Acquity CSH Phenyl-Hexyl 1.7 µm 2.1 × 50 mm, Acquity CSH Fluoro-Phenyl 1.7 µm 2.1 × 50 mm (Waters Co.) and Kinetex F5 1.7 µm 2.1 × 100 mm (Phenomenex), HPLC-MS and U-HPLC-MS analyses were performed on an Aeris Widepore XB-C8 (Phenomenex) column (HPLC) and Acquity CSH Fluoro-Phenyl (Waters) column (U-HPLC) with aqueous formic acid /acetonitrile in gradient mode. The separation was optimised with 10 min (HPLC) and 5 min (U-HPLC) of gradient. The detection, performed on a QDA detector (Waters), produced extracted ion chromatograms (XICs) based on all adducts identified in the HRMS analysis. HPLC and U-HPLC analyses showed the different mono- and di-ester species and provided relative quantification of all identified constituents. The combined analyses of the HRMS, HPLC-MS and U-HPLC-MS results were used to compare the different PGE batches and quantify the molecular constituents according to their relative abundance, for these complex mixtures. With HPLC and U-HPLC analyses, using 2 different gradient times and 2 different selectivity columns, and comparing the retention factors and log P of the different species, it was possible to link structural identification and relative quantification of all PGEs identified in the samples.

Vesicular systems for dermal and transdermal drug delivery.

Dermal/transdermal drug delivery continues to grow in importance as a means of enhancing treatment activity while reducing toxicity by avoiding the systemic absorption of the drug. At the same time, this has led to the adjustment of a wide diversity of drug carriers. This paper begins with a review of the skin, including its structure and the parameters that influence drug diffusion, followed by strategies to improve dermal drug delivery. Of the multitude of existing carriers, we will focus on the most advanced vectors in dermal/transdermal delivery, and in particular, on vesicular systems. This review will present the state of the art as well as the new trends in this domain. Through the description of these systems, we will try to obtain information on the ideal properties that the carrier must have in order to improve the cutaneous and transcutaneous penetration of the drug.

ω-Methylsulfanylalkyl Glucosinolates: A General Synthetic Pathway.

A general pathway was devised to synthesize ω-methylsulfanylalkyl glucosinolates, which represent an important class of structurally homogeneous plant secondary metabolites. The required thiofunctionalized hydroximoyl chlorides were obtained from the corresponding α,ω-nitroalkyl methylsulfide precursors, involving as the key-step, a nitronate chlorination strategy. A coupling reaction with 1-thio-beta-d-glucopyranose, followed by O-sulfation of the intermediate thiohydroximate and final deprotection of the sugar moiety afforded the target compounds.

Impact of solvent physical parameters on the aggregation process of catanionic amphiphiles.

One of the most important solvent physical parameters for aggregation is the cohesive energy density (CED), for it gives an idea of the structured state of the solvent. Nevertheless, our studies on the behavior of catanionic amphiphiles in nonaqueous solvents demonstrated that in order to obtain objects the dielectric constant of the solvent was also a critical parameter, as a too high value of the dielectric constant caused the dissociation of the catanionic ion pair, leading to the separation of the two oppositely charged surfactants composing the catanionic amphiphiles, and then more likely to form small objects such as micelles rather than vesicles. In the case of our glucose-derived catanionic surfactants, vesicles could be obtained in pure water, in glycerol/water mixtures, and in water/formamide mixtures up to a certain ratio of formamide. Above a formamide volume fraction of 0.7, only micelles were formed.

Drug delivery by soft matter: matrix and vesicular carriers.

The increasing need for drug delivery systems that improve specificity and activity and at the same time reduce toxicity to ensure maximum treatment safety has led to the development of a great variety of drug vectors. Carriers based on soft matter have particularly interesting characteristics. Herein we present the current standing of the research in this area, and focus on two main families, namely matrix systems and vesicles. We outline the structure, properties, and potential applications of these vectors, and discuss their main advantages and drawbacks in their synthesis.

[Mevalonolactone: a volatile compound produced by Psammotettix alienus (Dhb)]. / La mévalonolactone: un composé volatil produit par Psammotettix alienus (Dhb).

The interaction between the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) and the leafhopper Psammotettix alienus was investigated in the laboratory. The leafhoppers, when physically separated from aphid but with a common air supply, caused a reduction in aphid offspring production. One of the hypotheses to explain this result is that volatile compounds might be responsible for the effect on the aphid reproduction. To verify this hypothesis, leafhopper static headspace was subjected to GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) analyses. An original compound was identified in the leafhopper headspace as mevalonolactone (Mev) and was found to be produced only by adults. This is the first report of Mev released in the headspace of either an insect or living organisms in general. Two other new compounds in insects were also identified in both leafhopper nymphs and adults: 2-(2-hydroxypropoxy)-1-propanol and 3,3'-oxybis-2-butanol.