public function getAlternatesortstring1ByUserId($userID) {
        return DB::table('email_messages')
            ->join('email_attachments', 'email_messages.id', '=', 'email_attachments.email_messages_id')
            ->select('email_attachments.alternate_sort_string1')
            ->where('email_messages.user_id', '=', $userID)
            ->distinct()
            ->orderBy('email_attachments.alternate_sort_string1', 'desc')
            ->get()
        ;
    }