Post-operative Abdominal Wall Mucormycosis—a Case Series

Mucormycosis is caused by saprophtytic fungi which cause acute invasive zygomycosis. It clinically presents with necrosis, and on histopathology, acute and chronic infiltrates are seen. It rarely infects a healthy host, but is devastating in an immunocompromised host. We studied five cases with post-operative abdominal wall mucormycosis, three females and two males. Three patients were post-operative while the other two had mucormycosis following trauma and infection was found in sutured wound. All were initially diagnosed as cases of necrotizing fasciitis. Two patients eventually survived after intensive medical therapy and extensive debridements.     

Nanomedicines: From Bench to Bedside and Beyond

Advancing nanomedicines from concept to clinic requires integration of new science with traditional pharmaceutical development. The medical and commercial success of nanomedicines is greatly facilitated when those charged with developing nanomedicines are cognizant of the unique opportunities and technical challenges that these products present. These individuals must also be knowledgeable about the processes of clinical and product development, including regulatory considerations, to maximize the odds for successful product registration. This article outlines these topics with a goal to accelerate the combination of academic innovation with collaborative industrial scientists who understand pharmaceutical development and regulatory approval requirements—only together can they realize the full potential of nanomedicines for patients.     

Precision Medicine for Tobacco Dependence: Development and Validation of the Nicotine Metabolite Ratio

Quitting smoking significantly reduces the risk of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality, yet there is a high rate of relapse amongst smokers who try to quit. Phenotypic biomarkers have the potential to improve smoking cessation outcomes by identifying the best available treatment for an individual smoker. In this review, we introduce the nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR) as a reliable and stable phenotypic measure of nicotine metabolism that can guide smoking cessation treatment among smokers who wish to quit. We address how the NMR accounts for sources of variation in nicotine metabolism including genotype and other biological and environmental factors such as estrogen levels, alcohol use, body mass index, or menthol exposure. Then, we highlight clinical trials that validate the NMR as a biomarker to predict therapeutic response to different pharmacotherapies for smoking cessation. Current evidence supports the use of nicotine replacement therapy for slow metabolizers, and non-nicotine treatments such as varenicline for normal metabolizers. Finally, we discuss future research directions to elucidate mechanisms underlying NMR associations with treatment response, and facilitate the implementation of the NMR as biomarker in clinical practice to guide smoking cessation.     

High-Pressure Water Swelling Sealant Injection Injury to the Hand: a Case Report and Review of the Literature

High-pressure injection injuries (HPII) caused by water swelling sealant are rare at present. The patient generally has small-sized skin lesions, and the misleadingly benign presentation may cause delayed treatment at the early stage of management. In addition, radiographic examination may be underestimated. Subsequently, the inadequate surgical intervention may cause tissue necrosis and poor prognosis. Furthermore, the early recognition of water swelling sealant injected into tissue and emergent surgical intervention are the key to successful management for the patient with HPII caused by injecting water swelling sealant to tissue.     

Isolation and sequence analysis of a canine distemper virus from a raccoon dog in Jilin Province,China

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a major pathogen not only in raccoon dogs but also in a variety of carnivorous animals, including domesticated animals, particularly if they have not been vaccinated. In this study, a wild-type strain of CDV was isolated from lung tissue from a raccoon dog kept at a fur farm in Jilin Province, China. Cytopathic effects typical of CDV infection were observed after three blind passages in Vero cells, yielding a virus titer of 10^4.6 TCID₅₀/mL. Virus identification was carried out by RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, electron microscopy, and genome sequencing. The results showed that the isolated virus, termed the SY strain, corresponded to the Asia-1 genotype of CDV and has a genome of 15,690 nucleotides. This represents the first complete nucleotide sequence of a CDV strain circulating in raccoon dogs in China.