scholarly journals Acute Pharmacokinetic Profile of Smoked and Vaporized Cannabis in Human Blood and Oral Fluid

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 233-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tory R Spindle ◽  
Edward J Cone ◽  
Nicolas J Schlienz ◽  
John M Mitchell ◽  
George E Bigelow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whole Blood ◽  
Oral Fluid ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Pharmacokinetic Profile ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Elisa Testing ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

Abstract Currently, an unprecedented number of individuals can legally access cannabis. Vaporization is increasingly popular as a method to self-administer cannabis, partly due to perception of reduced harm compared with smoking. Few controlled laboratory studies of cannabis have used vaporization as a delivery method or evaluated the acute effects of cannabis among infrequent cannabis users. This study compared the concentrations of cannabinoids in whole blood and oral fluid after administration of smoked and vaporized cannabis in healthy adults who were infrequent users of cannabis. Seventeen healthy adults, with no past-month cannabis use, self-administered smoked or vaporized cannabis containing Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) doses of 0, 10 and 25 mg in six double-blind outpatient sessions. Whole blood and oral fluid specimens were obtained at baseline and for 8 h after cannabis administration. Cannabinoid concentrations were assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS) methods. Sensitivity, specificity and agreement between ELISA and LC–MS-MS results were assessed. Subjective, cognitive performance and cardiovascular effects were assessed. The highest concentrations of cannabinoids in both whole blood and oral fluid were typically observed at the first time point (+10 min) after drug administration. In blood, THC, 11-OH-THC, THCCOOH and THCCOOH-glucuronide concentrations were dose-dependent for both methods of administration, but higher following vaporization compared with smoking. THC was detected longer in oral fluid compared to blood and THCCOOH detection in oral fluid was rare and highly erratic. For whole blood, greater detection sensitivity for ELISA testing was observed in vaporized conditions. Conversely, for oral fluid, greater sensitivity was observed in smoked sessions. Blood and/or oral fluid cannabinoid concentrations were weakly to moderately correlated with pharmacodynamic outcomes. Cannabis pharmacokinetics vary by method of inhalation and biological matrix being tested. Vaporization appears to be a more efficient method of delivery compared with smoking.

scholarly journals Pharmacokinetics of Cannabis Brownies: A Controlled Examination of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Metabolites in Blood and Oral Fluid of Healthy Adult Males and Females

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 661-671
Author(s):  
Tory R Spindle ◽  
Edward J Cone ◽  
Evan S Herrmann ◽  
John M Mitchell ◽  
Ronald Flegel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whole Blood ◽  
Oral Fluid ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Blood Concentrations ◽  
Lower Body Weight ◽  
Oral Consumption ◽  
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass ◽  
Males And Females

Abstract Oral cannabis products (a.k.a. “edibles”) have increased in popularity in recent years. Most prior controlled pharmacokinetic evaluations of cannabis have focused on smoked cannabis and included males who were frequent cannabis users. In this study, 17 healthy adults (8 females), with no cannabis use in at least the past 2 months, completed 4 double-blind outpatient sessions where they consumed cannabis brownies containing Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) doses of 0, 10, 25 or 50 mg. Whole blood and oral fluid specimens were collected at baseline and for 8 h post-brownie ingestion. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS) were used to measure THC and relevant metabolites. In whole blood, concentrations of THC and 11-hydroxy-THC (11-OH-THC) peaked 1.5–2 h after brownie consumption, decreased steadily thereafter, and typically returned to baseline within 8 h. Blood concentrations for 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THCCOOH) and THCCOOH-glucuronide were higher than THC and 11-OH-THC and these metabolites were often still detected 8 h post-brownie consumption. Women displayed higher peak concentrations for THC and all metabolites in whole blood compared to men, at least partially owing to their lower body weight/body mass index. Detection of THC in oral fluid was immediate and appeared to reflect the degree of cannabis deposition in the oral cavity, not levels of THC circulating in the blood. THC concentrations were substantially higher in oral fluid than in blood; the opposite trend was observed for THCCOOH. Agreement between ELISA and LC–MS-MS results was high (i.e., over 90%) for blood THCCOOH and oral fluid THC but comparatively low for oral fluid THCCOOH (i.e., 67%). Following oral consumption of cannabis, THC was detected in blood much later, and at far lower peak concentrations, compared to what has been observed with inhaled cannabis. These results are important given the widespread use of toxicological testing to detect recent use of cannabis and/or to identify cannabis intoxication.

scholarly journals Rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in oral fluids

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie A. MacMullan ◽  
Prithvi Chellamuthu ◽  
Aubree Mades ◽  
Sudipta Das ◽  
Fred Turner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whole Blood ◽  
Rapid Detection ◽  
Oral Fluid ◽  
Antibody Detection ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Blood Collection ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Oral Fluids ◽  
Collection Device ◽  
Detection Approach

AbstractCurrent commercially available methods for reliably detecting antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 remain expensive and inaccessible due to the need for whole blood collection by highly trained phlebotomists using personal protective equipment (PPE). We evaluated an antibody detection approach utilizing the OraSure® Technologies’ Oral Antibody Collection Device (OACD) and their proprietary SARS-CoV-2 total antibody detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that the OraSure® test for total antibody detection in oral fluid had comparable sensitivity and specificity to serum-based ELISAs while presenting a more affordable and accessible system with the potential for self-collection.

scholarly journals Immunogenicity, Lot Consistency, and Extended Safety of rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP Vaccine: A Phase 3 Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study in Healthy Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 220 (7) ◽  
pp. 1127-1135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A Halperin ◽  
Rituparna Das ◽  
Matthew T Onorato ◽  
Kenneth Liu ◽  
Jason Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Double Blind Study ◽  
Virus Envelope ◽  
Double Blind

Abstract Background This double-blind study assessed immunogenicity, lot consistency, and safety of recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus-Zaire Ebola virus envelope glycoprotein vaccine (rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP). Methods Healthy adults (N = 1197) were randomized 2:2:2:2:1 to receive 1 of 3 consistency lots of rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP (2 × 107 plaque-forming units [pfu]), high-dose 1 × 108 pfu, or placebo. Antibody responses pre-/postvaccination (28 days, 6 months; in a subset [n = 566], months 12, 18, and 24) were measured. post hoc analysis of risk factors associated with arthritis following vaccination was performed. Results ZEBOV-GP enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) geometric mean titers (GMTs) increased postvaccination in all rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP groups by 28 days (>58-fold) and persisted through 24 months. The 3 manufacturing lots demonstrated equivalent immunogenicity at 28 days. Neutralizing antibody GMTs increased by 28 days in all rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP groups, peaking at 18 months with no decrease through 24 months. At 28 days, ≥94% of vaccine recipients seroresponded (ZEBOV-GP ELISA, ≥2-fold increase, titer ≥200 EU/mL), with responses persisting at 24 months in ≥91%. Female sex and a history of arthritis were identified as potential risk factors for the development of arthritis postvaccination. Conclusions Immune responses to rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP persisted to 24 months. Immunogenicity and safety results support continued rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP development. Clinical Trials Registration NCT02503202.

scholarly journals Detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in oral fluid obtained using a rapid collection device

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie A. MacMullan ◽  
Prithivi Chellamuthu ◽  
Aubree Mades ◽  
Sudipta Das ◽  
Fred Turner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Personal Protective Equipment ◽  
Whole Blood ◽  
Oral Fluid ◽  
Antibody Detection ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Blood Collection ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Specimen Collection ◽  
Collection Device ◽  
Detection Approach

Current commercially available methods for reliably detecting antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 remain expensive and inaccessible due to the need for whole blood collection by highly trained phlebotomists using personal protective equipment (PPE). We have evaluated an antibody detection approach using the OraSure Technologies’ Oral Antibody Collection Device (OACD) and their proprietary SARS-CoV-2 total antibody detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We found that the OraSure test for total antibody detection in oral fluid had comparable sensitivity and specificity to commercially available serum-based ELISAs for SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection while allowing for a more accessible specimen collection with the potential for self-collection.

scholarly journals Safety and Immunogenicity of Increasing Doses of aClostridium difficile Toxoid Vaccine Administered to Healthy Adults

2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 988-995 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen L. Kotloff ◽  
Steven S. Wasserman ◽  
Genevieve A. Losonsky ◽  
William Thomas ◽  
Richard Nichols ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Serum Antibody ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Antibody Responses ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Arm Pain ◽  
Nosocomial Diarrhea ◽  
Alternative Means ◽  
To Receive

ABSTRACT Clostridium difficile is a major cause of nosocomial diarrhea in industrialized countries. Although most illnesses respond to available therapy, infection can increase morbidity, prolong hospitalization, and produce life-threatening colitis. Vaccines are being explored as an alternative means for protecting high-risk individuals. We assessed the safety, immunogenicity, and dose response of a parenteral vaccine containing C. difficile toxoids A and B. Thirty healthy adults were assigned to receive four spaced inoculations on days 1, 8, 30, and 60 with one of three doses of vaccine (6.25, 25, or 100 μg). At each dose level, subjects were randomized, in a double-blind fashion, to receive either the soluble toxoids (n = 5) or toxoids adsorbed to alum (n = 5). Subjects were monitored for clinical and immunologic responses to vaccination. Vaccination was generally well tolerated, with occasional, usually mild, systemic reactions (abdominal pain, arthralgia, and diarrhea). The most common local reaction, mild arm pain, was reported by all recipients of the toxoid-alum formulation. Nearly all subjects (≥90%) developed vigorous serum antibody responses to both toxins, as measured by immunoglobulin G (IgG) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and neutralization of cytotoxicity, whereas fecal IgA increases occurred in approximately 50%. Statistically significant effects of dose and formulation on immunogenicity were not seen, although antibody levels tended to be higher with the alum-adjuvanted formulations and with increasing doses of soluble toxoid. Serum antibody responses among the toxoid-alum group appeared to plateau at 25 μg. We concluded that theC. difficile toxoid vaccine is safe and immunogenic in healthy volunteers. Further development as a prophylactic vaccine or for producing C. difficile hyperimmune globulin is justified.

The Effect of Warfarin Sodium on the Duration of Platelet Aggregation

1967 ◽  
Vol 18 (03/04) ◽  
pp. 766-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J Knieriem ◽  
A. B Chandler
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Count ◽  
Placebo Group ◽  
Platelet Aggregation ◽  
Prothrombin Time ◽  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Double Blind Study ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Warfarin Sodium

SummaryThe effect of the administration of warfarin sodium (Coumadin®) on the duration of platelet aggregation in vitro was studied. Coumadin was given for 4 consecutive days to 10 healthy adults who were followed over a period of 9 days. The duration of adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma, the prothrombin time, and the platelet count of platelet-rich plasma were measured. Four other healthy adults received placebos and participated in a double-blind study with those receiving Coumadin.Although administration of Coumadin caused a prolongation of the prothrombin time to 2 or 21/2 times the normal value, a decrease in the duration of platelet aggregation was not observed. In most individuals who received Coumadin an increase in the duration of platelet aggregation occurred. The effect of Coumadin on platelet aggregation was not consistently related to the prothrombin time or to the platelet count. In the placebo group there was a distinct relation between the duration of platelet aggregation and the platelet count in platelet-rich plasma.The mean increase in the duration of platelet aggregation when compared to the control value before medication with Coumadin was 37.7%. In the placebo group there was a mean increase of 8.4%. The difference between the two groups is significant (p <0.001). Increased duration of platelet aggregation also occurred in two individuals who received Coumadin over a period of 10 and 16 days respectively.

scholarly journals OP0021 IDENTIFICATION OF DIFFERENTIALLY EXPRESSED GENES IN EARLY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS RESPONDING TO TOCILIZUMAB

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 12.2-12
Author(s):  
I. Muller ◽  
M. Verhoeven ◽  
H. Gosselt ◽  
M. Lin ◽  
T. De Jong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Gene Expression ◽  
T Cells ◽  
Gene Ontology ◽  
Regulatory T Cells ◽  
Early Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Whole Blood ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
Double Blind

Background:Tocilizumab (TCZ) is a monoclonal antibody that binds to the interleukin 6 receptor (IL-6R), inhibiting IL-6R signal transduction to downstream inflammatory mediators. TCZ has shown to be effective as monotherapy in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (1). However, approximately one third of patients inadequately respond to therapy and the biological mechanisms underlying lack of efficacy for TCZ remain elusive (1). Here we report gene expression differences, in both whole blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) RNA samples between early RA patients, categorized by clinical TCZ response (reaching DAS28 < 3.2 at 6 months). These findings could lead to identification of predictive biomarkers for TCZ response and improve RA treatment strategies.Objectives:To identify potential baseline gene expression markers for TCZ response in early RA patients using an RNA-sequencing approach.Methods:Two cohorts of RA patients were included and blood was collected at baseline, before initiating TCZ treatment (8 mg/kg every 4 weeks, intravenously). DAS28-ESR scores were calculated at baseline and clinical response to TCZ was defined as DAS28 < 3.2 at 6 months of treatment. In the first cohort (n=21 patients, previously treated with DMARDs), RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on baseline whole blood PAXgene RNA (Illumina TruSeq mRNA Stranded) and differential gene expression (DGE) profiles were measured between responders (n=14) and non-responders (n=7). For external replication, in a second cohort (n=95 therapy-naïve patients receiving TCZ monotherapy), RNA-seq was conducted on baseline PBMC RNA (SMARTer Stranded Total RNA-Seq Kit, Takara Bio) from the 2-year, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized U-Act-Early trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01034137) and DGE was analyzed between 84 responders and 11 non-responders.Results:Whole blood DGE analysis showed two significantly higher expressed genes in TCZ non-responders (False Discovery Rate, FDR < 0.05): urotensin 2 (UTS2) and caveolin-1 (CAV1). Subsequent analysis of U-Act-Early PBMC DGE showed nine differentially expressed genes (FDR < 0.05) of which expression in clinical TCZ non-responders was significantly higher for eight genes (MTCOP12, ZNF774, UTS2, SLC4A1, FECH, IFIT1B, AHSP, and SPTB) and significantly lower for one gene (TND2P28M). Both analyses were corrected for baseline DAS28-ESR, age and gender. Expression of UTS2, with a proposed function in regulatory T-cells (2), was significantly higher in TCZ non-responders in both cohorts. Furthermore, gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed no distinct gene ontology or IL-6 related pathway(s) that were significantly different between TCZ-responders and non-responders.Conclusion:Several genes are differentially expressed at baseline between responders and non-responders to TCZ therapy at 6 months. Most notably, UTS2 expression is significantly higher in TCZ non-responders in both whole blood as well as PBMC cohorts. UTS2 could be a promising target for further analyses as a potential predictive biomarker for TCZ response in RA patients in combination with clinical parameters (3).References:[1]Bijlsma JWJ, Welsing PMJ, Woodworth TG, et al. Early rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab, methotrexate, or their combination (U-Act-Early): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, strategy trial. Lancet. 2016;388(10042):343-55.[2]Bhairavabhotla R, Kim YC, Glass DD, et al. Transcriptome profiling of human FoxP3+ regulatory T cells. Human Immunology. 2016;77(2):201-13.[3]Gosselt HR, Verhoeven MMA, Bulatovic-Calasan M, et al. Complex machine-learning algorithms and multivariable logistic regression on par in the prediction of insufficient clinical response to methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis. Journal of Personalized Medicine. 2021;11(1).Disclosure of Interests:None declared

scholarly journals Comparison of saliva with healthcare workers- and patient-collected swabs in the diagnosis of COVID-19 in a large cohort

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitnala Sasikala ◽  
Yelamanchili Sadhana ◽  
Ketavarapu Vijayasarathy ◽  
Anand Gupta ◽  
Sarala Kumari Daram ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Hospitalized Patients ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Nasopharyngeal Swab ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Qrt Pcr ◽  
Asymptomatic Patients ◽  
Sensitivity Specificity

Abstract Background A considerable amount of evidence demonstrates the potential of saliva in the diagnosis of COVID-19. Our aim was to determine the sensitivity of saliva versus swabs collected by healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients themselves to assess whether saliva detection can be offered as a cost-effective, risk-free method of SARS-CoV-2 detection. Methods This study was conducted in a hospital involving outpatients and hospitalized patients. A total of 3018 outpatients were tested. Of these, 200 qRT-PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2-positive patients were recruited for further study. In addition, 101 SARS-CoV-2-positive hospitalized patients with symptoms were also enrolled in the study. From outpatients, HCWs collected nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS), saliva were obtained. From inpatients, HCWs collected swabs, patient-collected swabs, and saliva were obtained. qRT-PCR was performed to detect SARS-CoV-2 by TAQPATH assay to determine the sensitivity of saliva detection. Sensitivity, specificity and positive/negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) of detecting SARS-CoV-2 were calculated using MedCalc. Results Of 3018 outpatients (asymptomatic: 2683, symptomatic: 335) tested by qRT-PCR, 200 were positive (males: 140, females: 60; aged 37.9 ± 12.8 years; (81 asymptomatic, 119 symptomatic). Of these, saliva was positive in 128 (64%); 39 of 81 asymptomatic (47%),89 of 119 symptomatic patients (74.8%). Sensitivity of detection was 60.9% (55.4–66.3%, CI 95%), with a negative predictive value of 36%(32.9–39.2%, CI 95%).Among 101 hospitalized patients (males:65, females: 36; aged 53.48 ± 15.6 years), with HCW collected NPS as comparator, sensitivity of saliva was 56.1% (47.5–64.5, CI 95%), specificity 63.5%(50.4–75.3, CI95%) with PPV of 77.2% and NPV of 39.6% and that of self-swab was 52.3%(44–60.5%, CI95%), specificity 56.6% (42.3–70.2%, CI95%) with PPV 77.2% and NPV29.7%. Comparison of positivity with the onset of symptoms revealed highest detection in saliva on day 3 after onset of symptoms. Additionally, only saliva was positive in 13 (12.8%) hospitalized patients. Conclusion Saliva which is easier to collect than nasopharyngeal swab is a viable alternate to detect SARS-COV-2 in symptomatic patients in the early stage of onset of symptoms. Although saliva is currently not recommended for screening asymptomatic patients, optimization of collection and uniform timing of sampling might improve the sensitivity enabling its use as a screening tool at community level.

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