Background: Therapeutic communities (TCs) are drug-free residential settings, focused on psychosocial rehabilitation. While TCs are considered an effective method, the bulk of the research evidence is from poorly controlled studies. The goal of this study was to evaluate TC effectiveness in terms of abstinence and to determine if there were predictive factors of abstinence. Methods: The search used Medline up to January 30, 2011 and was based on a systematic review method. Studies on retention in treatment and/or substance use were considered. Results: Of the 321 studies retrieved from Medline, 12 met selection criteria including overall 3,271 participants from 61 TCs. On average, subjects stayed in TC a third of the planned time. The completion rate ranged from 9 to 56%. All studies showed that substance use decreased during TC, but relapse was frequent after TC. Treatment completion was the most predictive factor of abstinence at follow-up. Surprisingly, psychiatric comorbidities did not appear associated with relapse or with dropout. Conclusions: There was a drop in consumption after TC, but long-lasting benefits were uncertain. Further studies are needed in order to compare the efficacy of TC programs and other types of treatment settings for substance-related disorders.

BackgroundDuring university, students face some potentially serious health risks, and their lifestyle can have a direct effect on health and health behaviors later in life. Concurrently, university students are digital natives having easy access to the internet and new technologies. Digital health interventions offer promising new opportunities for health promotion, disease prevention, and care in this specific population. The description of the current use of and opinions on digital health among university students can inform future digital health strategies and interventions within university settings.ObjectiveThe aim of this exploratory study was to report on university students’ use and opinions regarding information and communication technologies for health and well-being, taking into account sociodemographic and self-rated general and mental health correlates.MethodsThis field survey was conducted from March to April 2017. An informed consent form and a paper questionnaire were given to students aged 18 to 24 years in 4 university campuses in Bordeaux, France. The survey was formulated in 3 sections: (1) sociodemographic characteristics and self-rated general and mental health, (2) information about the use of digital health, and (3) opinions about digital health. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and tests of independence.ResultsA total of 59.8% (303/507 females) students completed the questionnaire. Concerning digital health use, 34.9% (174/498) had at least 1 health app mostly for physical activity (49.4%, 86/174) and general health monitoring (41.4%, 72/174,), but only 3.9% (20/507) of students had a wearable device. Almost all (94.8%, 450/476) had searched for Web-based health-related information at least once in the last 12 months. The most sought health-related topics were nutrition (68.1%, 324/476); pain and illnesses (64.5%, 307/476); and stress, anxiety, or depression (51.1%, 243/476). Although Wikipedia (79.7%, 357/448) and general health websites (349/448, 77.9%) were the most consulted sources, students considered institutional or official websites as the most credible sources (309/335, 92.2%). There were significant differences in digital health use by gender, field, and year of study. No statistically significant association was found between digital health use and self-rated general and mental health status. Concerning opinions on digital health, although 94.1% (475/505) of students estimated that today’s digital health cannot replace traditional health services and medical consultations, 44.6% (207/464) of students declared that this could be possible in the future, provided that digital health interventions are promoted by institutional or official entities.ConclusionsUniversity students are largely using the internet for health information seeking, but using less mobile health apps and very few wearable devices. Our data suggest that digital health has the potential for improving health and well-being at the university, especially if digital health interventions take into ac...

Acceptance rate of the switch from originator to biosimilar etanercept is high. Patient information, physician and pharmacist knowledge on biosimilars should be taken into account in order to improve their diffusion.

Type II kerogens have been artificially matured by confined and hydrous pyrolysis. The asphaltenes recovered from the experiments were characterized by FT-IR, synchronous UV fluorescence, Py-GC-MS, and elemental analysis. The results show that important modifications related to the physicochemical maturation conditions affect the asphaltenes:  (i) The asphaltenes yields are modified by temperature, pressure and by the presence of water. (ii) A progressive defunctionalization and increased aromatic content during maturation is recorded by the asphaltenes. This phenomenon is retarded by the presence of water in hydrous conditions. (iii) The asphaltenes expelled during hydrous pyrolysis have a different composition than the asphaltenes remaining in the bitumen. (iv) Data on the oxygen content of the asphaltenes strongly support the occurrence of interactions between asphaltenes and water, both in confined and hydrous pyrolysis. Therefore, it is suggested that hydrogen transfer reactions between water and the newly formed hydrocarbons are catalyzed by the asphaltenes and are based on a combination of reduction and oxidation reactions through a radical ion mechanism. (v) A comparison with the elemental composition of the residual kerogen leads to the conclusion that the excess of CO2 generated during hydrous pyrolysis is related to the oxidation of the asphaltenes. The study of the asphaltenes can bring important information concerning the chemical processes taking place during artificial maturation. It appears that the asphaltenes are not simple intermediates between the kerogen and the hydrocarbons during oil generation, but they actively participate to the chemical reactions involved in maturation.

Background: The most common reasons why adults use e-cigarettes are to stop or reduce tobacco smoking. However, it is unclear if this reason is evenly distributed between young and older adults. Objectives: describe the motivations for e-cigarette use amongst young adults aged 18–25 and compare the reasons for using e-cigarettes of people who currently or formerly used tobacco products to those who had never smoked tobacco prior e-cigarette use. Methods: PubMed®, Scopus®, Cochrane Library®, SocINDEX®, PsycARTICLES®, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection® and PsycINFO® databases were used. English written articles were screened up to March 2018. Depending on study design, quality was assessed using The STROBE or RATS checklists. Results: Six articles were included in the review, all with a moderate quality of evidence. Independently of smoking status, curiosity was the most frequently reported reason for initiating the use of e-cigarettes in young adults. Reasons for continuing to use e-cigarettes were various. The continued use of e-cigarettes could be either a means to replicate smoking habits, or a way for a different and personalized use of nicotine by inhalation. Conclusions: Reasons for using e-cigarettes in young adults are varied and are not limited to stopping smoking.