Psychoactive Plant Database - Neuroactive Phytochemical Collection

1. Nucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids. 2024 Nov 7:1-14. doi: 
10.1080/15257770.2024.2426160. Online ahead of print.

In memory of an exquisite medicinal chemist, Prof. Morris Robins.

De Clercq E(1).

Author information:
(1)Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute 
for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, KU Leuven, 
B-3000Leuven, Belgium.

Among the most prominent realizations of Morris J. Robins in the antiviral 
nucleoside chemistry are (i) the synthesis of 8-substituted (methyl-, amino-, 
bromo-, iodo) derivatives of acyclovir, (ii) xylotubercidin as an inhibitor of 
herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections, (iii) the anti-HIV activity of the 
2',3'-dideoxyriboside of 2,6-diaminopurine (ddDAPR) and the 3'-azido- and 
3'-fluoro derivatives thereof (AzddDAPR and FddDAPR, respectively), (iv) the 
potentiating effect of ribavirin on the anti-HIV activity of 
2',3'-dideoxyinosine (ddI) and ddDAPR, (v) S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase 
(SAH) inhibitors principally active against vaccinia virus (VV) and vesicular 
stomatitis virus (VSV), and (vi) furo[2,3-d]pyrimidinone derivatives active 
against varicella-zoster virus (VZV).

DOI: 10.1080/15257770.2024.2426160
PMID: 39508253


2. BMC Public Health. 2024 Nov 6;24(1):3064. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-20557-y.

Longitudinal policy surveillance of state obesity legislation in California, 
1999-2020.

Payán DD(1), Chan-Golston AM(2), Garibay KK(2), Farias C(3).

Author information:
(1)Department of Health, Society and Behavior, Joe C. Wen School of Population & 
Public Health, University of California, Irvine, 856 Health Sciences Quad, 
Irvine, CA, 92697-3957, USA. dpayan@hs.uci.edu.
(2)Department of Public Health, School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts, 
University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd, Merced, CA, 95343, USA.
(3)Department of Public Health, School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts, 
University of California, Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd, Merced, CA, 95343, USA. 
cfarias4@ucmerced.edu.

BACKGROUND: Obesity rates among children and adults continue to accelerate in 
the U.S., particularly among marginalized and low-income populations. Obesity 
prevention and reduction policies can significantly impact population health by 
improving environmental conditions and increasing access to health-promoting 
resources. Limited research has been conducted to examine state obesity policy 
change over time. The primary aim of this study is to examine legislative 
approaches used to prevent and reduce obesity in the state of California (U.S.).
METHODS: We used quantitative policy surveillance methods to develop a state 
database of obesity-related legislation (bills, resolutions) introduced in 
California's legislature between 1999 and 2020. Descriptive statistics were used 
to examine trends of introduced and enacted policy by legislative and policy 
characteristics. Chi-square tests were used to determine differences in 
characteristics between enacted and non-enacted legislation. Legislative session 
and policy characteristics found to be associated with enactment were used to 
predict adoption in a logistic regression.
RESULTS: A total of 284 obesity-related bills and resolutions were introduced in 
California's legislature between 1999 and 2020 with a peak of 43 in 2005-2006. 
On average, 25.8 bills and resolutions were introduced each 2-year legislative 
cycle. Findings indicate that (a) children and schools were the most frequently 
specified population and setting; (b) the most common policy topics were 
nutrition (45%) and physical activity (33%); and (c) only 15% of legislation 
mentioned race/ethnicity. Overall, 24.9% of bills were enacted compared to 82.1% 
of resolutions adopted. Legislation to raise awareness about obesity had 5.4 
times the odds of being passed compared to other topics. Yet this difference was 
not statistically significant in a sensitivity analysis when we excluded 
resolutions.
CONCLUSIONS: This database can be leveraged to advance our knowledge of 
effective and equitable policy instruments to prevent and reduce obesity. 
Results reveal important policy elements that may impact legislative success, 
including policy topic, and contribute to a nascent evidence base for public 
health law research, legal epidemiology, and practice. Future work should 
investigate the role of policy effectiveness research and evidence on 
legislative policymaking.

© 2024. The Author(s).

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20557-y
PMID: 39508251


3. BMC Public Health. 2024 Nov 6;24(1):3066. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-20467-z.

Association of fear of falling and low physical activity with fall risk among 
older Taiwanese community-dwellers.

Tsai YJ(1), Sun WJ(2), Yang YC(3), Wei MY(4).

Author information:
(1)Center of Health Examination, Min-Sheng General Hospital, Taoyuan, 33044, 
Taiwan. markus.ytsai@gmail.com.
(2)Department of Family Medicine, Tainan Municipal Hospital, Tainan, 701, 
Taiwan. cosbysun@gmail.com.
(3)Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, College of Medicine, National 
Cheng-Kung University and Hospital, Tainan, 70403, Taiwan.
(4)Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Tai-An Hospital Shuang Shi Branch, 
Taichung, 40455, Taiwan.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Fear of falling and low physical activity become 
prevalent in an aged society, but their association with fall risk warrants 
further investigation.
METHODS: Our study involved 600 individuals aged 70.8-96.1 years who completed 
two rounds of community surveys. During the second survey, we analyzed the 
correlations between fall incidents and a range of factors, including age, sex, 
gait maneuverability, vision, comorbidity count, depressive symptoms, cognitive 
function, history of falls, fear of falling, and physical activity level. The 
chi-square test and univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were 
used, with further analyses either adjusted for or stratified by the full-factor 
combinations of fear of falling (with versus without) and low physical activity 
(low versus moderate-to-high).
RESULTS: Falls exhibited a prevalence rate of 13.8%. A fall risk gradient by the 
full-factor combinations was observed. Multivariate logistic regression modeling 
identified independent risk predictors for falls, including the number of 
comorbidities, depressive symptoms, a history of falls, and fear of falling. 
Fear of falling and low physical activity presented a synergistic effect to 
increase the fall risk by two- and one-third times (adjusted odds ratio: 2.35, 
95% confidence interval: 1.12-4.91). Depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, 
and a history of falls remained as significant risk predictors for older adults 
with both factors, those with fear of falling only, and those with neither, 
respectively, when the models were further stratified.
CONCLUSION: Fear of falling and low physical activity presented likely synergism 
to increase the fall risk. Those older community-dwellers with both risk factors 
warrant fall prevention resources as a priority over those with either or 
neither.

© 2024. The Author(s).

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-20467-z
PMID: 39508228


4. HIV Med. 2024 Nov 7. doi: 10.1111/hiv.13730. Online ahead of print.

Burden of liver steatosis and liver fibrosis in a large cohort of people living 
with HIV.

Laguno M(1)(2)(3), de Lazzari E(1)(2)(3), Berrocal L(1)(2), Inciarte A(1)(2)(3), 
Martínez-Rebollar M(1), de la Mora L(1), Torres B(1)(2)(3), Gonzalez-Cordón 
A(1), Chivite I(1), Foncillas A(1), Calvo J(1), Sempere A(1), Ambrosioni 
J(1)(2)(3), Blanco JL(1)(2)(3), Miro JM(1)(2)(3), Mallolas J(1)(2)(3), Martínez 
E(1)(2)(3).

Author information:
(1)HIV Unit, Infectious Diseases Service. Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, 
Barcelona, Spain.
(2)Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona-Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques 
August Pi I Sunyer. (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain.
(3)Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, CIBERINFEC, Madrid, Spain.

BACKGROUND: Liver steatosis (LS) and liver fibrosis (LF) can increase the risk 
of cardiovascular disease in people with HIV, but their prevalence and 
associated factors are poorly understood. This study aimed to assess the 
prevalence of and factors associated with LS and LF in a large cohort of people 
with HIV.
METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of consecutive people with HIV 
attending the Clinic of Barcelona from September 2022 to September 2023, 
excluding those with chronic B or/and C hepatitis virus coinfection. LS was 
assessed using the Hepatic Steatosis Index (HSI) and Fatty Liver Index (FLI), 
and LF was assessed using the Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Fibrosis Score 
(NFS), Fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4), and the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) 
algorithm in both the whole cohort (cohort 1) and in a specific cohort more 
susceptible to liver disease (cohort 2). We identified independent variables 
associated with LS and LF using logistic regression.
RESULTS: Cohort 1 included 4664 people with HIV; 76% and 37% of them had 
available HSI and FLI data, LS was present in 28% and 19%, respectively. LF risk 
was present in 1%, 2%, and 1% of people with HIV according to NFS, FIB-4, and 
EACS algorithm scores, respectively. Cohort 2 included 1345 people with HIV; 60% 
and 30% of them had available HSI and FLI data, LS affected 55% and 43% and LF 
2%, 5%, or 3%, respectively. Factors associated with LS included current CD4 
cell count, diabetes, and hypertension, whereas LF was associated with previous 
exposure to dideoxynucleoside drugs and current CD4 to LF. Current integrase 
strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) therapy appeared protective for LF in cohort 
1.
CONCLUSIONS: In this study, one in four people with HIV had LS, and the 
prevalence rose to one in two in those with cardiovascular risk factors. The 
prevalence of LF was low, but it should be considered in older people with HIV 
with low CD4 counts or high aspartate transaminase levels. A possible protective 
effect from INSTIs deserves further investigation.

© 2024 The Author(s). HIV Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf 
of British HIV Association.

DOI: 10.1111/hiv.13730
PMID: 39508213


5. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 2024 Nov 7:1-7. doi: 10.1080/00365513.2024.2422404. 
Online ahead of print.

Significance of myeloperoxidase, pentraxin-3 and soluble urokinase plasminogen 
activator receptor determination in patients with moderate carotid artery 
stenosis.

Ruzanovic A(1), Saric-Matutinovic M(1), Milinkovic N(1), Jovicic S(1), Dimic 
A(2)(3), Matejevic D(2), Kostic O(2), Koncar I(2)(3), Ignjatovic S(1).

Author information:
(1)Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
(2)University Clinical Center of Serbia, Clinic for Vascular and Endovascular 
surgery, Belgrade, Serbia.
(3)Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.

We investigated serum concentrations of specific inflammatory parameters in 
patients with significant carotid artery stenosis (CAS) of 50-99%, with an 
additional focus on patients with moderate stenosis (50-69%), in terms of both 
symptomatic status and plaque morphology, to determine whether there are certain 
parameters that can be associated with plaque instability before the progression 
of CAS to a high degree. The study included 119 CAS patients, 29 of whom had 
moderate stenosis, and 46 controls. Ultrasonography of the carotid arteries was 
performed using color flow Doppler and B-mode duplex ultrasound, and serum 
inflammatory parameters were measured using commercially available enzyme 
immunoassays. When comparing patients with 50-99% stenosis, only serum amyloid A 
(SAA) was higher in symptomatic patients, while in the group of patients with 
50-69% stenosis, myeloperoxidase (MPO) was higher and pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) was 
lower in symptomatic compared to asymptomatic patients, and soluble urokinase 
plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) was higher in patients with carotid 
plaque of unstable compared to stable morphology. Our results suggest that the 
importance of different inflammatory parameters in patients with moderate CAS is 
not the same as in CAS patients in general, and therefore their separate 
investigation in patients with high and moderate stenosis may be beneficial. SAA 
has the potential to be further considered in research to predict CAS symptom 
risk. There is a possibility that MPO and PTX-3 play a role in the development 
of CAS symptoms originating from less stenotic plaques and that suPAR is 
involved in the destabilisation of such plaques.

DOI: 10.1080/00365513.2024.2422404
PMID: 39508179