Shot by a Gun … Missed by a Provider

Background

Botulism is a paralytic disease caused by the neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. The majority of cases are due to ingestion or injection drug use. Wound botulism from traumatic injury is exceedingly rare, with only one to two cases reported each year in the United States.

Effect of VIPS fabrication parameters on the removal of acetic acid by supported liquid membrane using a PES–graphene membrane support

In this study, the removal of acetic acid by supported liquid membrane (SLM) using hybrid polyethersulfone (PES)–graphene membrane prepared by vapor induced phase separation (VIPS) was investigated. The effects of graphene loading, coagulation bath temperature, air exposure time, and air humidity on the morphology, mechanical strength, porosity, and contact angle of the membrane were analyzed. The performance and stability of the hybrid membrane as a SLM support for acetic acid removal were studied. The best PES–graphene membrane support was produced at a coagulation bath temperature of 50 °C, an air exposure time of 30 s and air humidity of 80%. The fabricated membrane has a symmetrical micropore cellular structure, high porosity and high contact angle. Under specific SLM conditions, almost 95% of acetic acid was successfully removed from 10 g L⁻¹ aqueous acetic acid solution. The hybrid membrane remains stable for more than 116 h without suffering any membrane breakage during the continuous SLM process.

In this study, the removal of acetic acid by supported liquid membrane (SLM) using hybrid polyethersulfone (PES)–graphene membrane prepared by vapor induced phase separation (VIPS) was investigated.     

Exposure–effect relationship of mycophenolic acid and prednisolone in adult patients with lupus nephritis

Aims

The aim was to examine relationships between total and unbound mycophenolic acid (MPA) and prednisolone exposure and clinical outcomes in patients with lupus nephritis.

Methods

Six blood samples were drawn pre- and at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h post-dose and total and unbound MPA and prednisolone pre-dose (C₀), maximum concentration (C_max) and area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) were determined using non-compartmental analysis in 25 patients. The analyses evaluated drug exposures in relation to treatment response since starting MPA and drug-related adverse events.

Results

Dose-normalized AUC varied 10-, 8-, 7- and 19-fold for total MPA, unbound MPA, total prednisolone and unbound prednisolone, respectively. Median values (95% CI) of total MPA AUC(0,8 h) (21.5 [15.0, 42.0] vs. 11.2 [4.8, 30.0] mg l^–1 h, P= 0.048) and C_max (11.9 [6.7, 26.3] vs. 6.1 [1.6, 9.2] mg l^–1, P = 0.016) were significantly higher in responders than non-responders. Anaemia was significantly associated with higher total (37.8 [14.1, 77.5] vs. 18.5 [11.7, 32.7] mg l^–1 h, P = 0.038) and unbound MPA AUC(0,12 h) (751 [214, 830] vs. 227 [151, 389] mg l^–1 h, P = 0.004). Unbound prednisolone AUC(0,24 h) was significantly higher in patients with Cushingoid appearance (unbound: 1372 [1242, 1774] vs. 846 [528, 1049] nmol l^–1 h, P = 0.019) than in those without. Poorer treatment response was observed in patients with lowest tertile exposure to both total MPA and prednisolone as compared with patients with middle and higher tertile exposure (17% vs. 74%, P = 0.023).

Conclusions

This study suggests a potential role for therapeutic drug monitoring in individualizing immunosuppressant therapy in patients with lupus nephritis.     

Management of infant diarrhea with high-lactose probiotic-containing formula

To study the influence of high-lactose probiotic-containing formula on the course of acute diarrhea, an experiment using a randomized controlled clinical trial with patients having acute diarrhea for 3 days was conducted. One hundred patients were allocated into two groups that were comparable for age, sex, and nutritional status. The test group was administered high-lactose Bifidobacterium bifidum-containing formula, while the control group had no high-lactose probiotic until the end of the experiment. The degree of subsequent diarrhea and recovery were monitored in both groups. The results for the test and control groups were analyzed and compared using the chi-square test and Fisher exact test with a significance level (alpha) of 0.05. The study results revealed that there was no significant difference between the test and control groups (p>0.05) as well as at positive clinical test (13%) and positive floating test (65%). However, the patients receiving probiotic-containing formula had significantly less frequency of stools, when compared with the control group (p<0.05).