Trial Assay for Safe First-Aid Protocol for the Stinging Sea Anemone Anemonia viridis (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) and a Severe Toxic Reaction

Anemonia viridis is an abundant and widely distributed temperate sea anemone that can form dense congregations of individuals. Despite the potential severity of its sting, few detailed cases have been reported. We report a case of a severe toxic reaction following an A. viridis sting in a 35-year-old oceanographer. She developed severe pain, itching, redness, and burning sensation, which worsened one week after treatment with anti-inflammatories, antihistamines and corticosteroids. Prompted by this event, and due to the insufficient risk prevention, lack of training for marine-environment users, and lack of research into sting-specific first-aid protocols, we evaluated the cnidocyst response to five different compounds commonly recommended as rinse solutions in first-aid protocols (seawater, vinegar, ammonia, baking soda, and freshwater) by means of the Tentacle Solution Assay. Vinegar and ammonia triggered an immediate and massive cnidocyst discharge after their application and were classified as activator solutions. Baking soda and freshwater were also classified as activator solutions, although with a lower intensity of discharge. Only seawater was classified as a neutral solution and therefore recommended as a rinse solution after A. viridis sting, at least until an inhibitory solution is discovered.

Biometry in Silicone Oil Filled Eyes. A Review

The “gold standard” of modern vitreoretinal surgery is silicone oil tamponade of the vitreous cavity. The lens opacity development is in the list of complications of prolonged silicone oil eye filling (from 2 weeks to 2 years). Polydimethylsiloxanes hydrophobicity, direct contact with the front of the silicone bladder, macrophage and toxic reaction, trophic disturbances are the causes leading to the cataract initiation. This makes the problem of cataract surgery and preliminary intraocular lens calculation in silicone oil filled eyes before its removing very relevant as well as cloudy retina visualization and the necessity of minimization of number of operations through their combination. Certainly, the main error in IOL power calculation is associated with axial length measurement inaccuracy, as the most significant term of an equation. Silicone oil filled eyes biometry errors, and, consequently, postoperative refraction biases remain unresolved problem until now. To date authors report only 58 % of cases in which target refraction was achieved after combined surgery. Some researchers figure out that average calculation error after phacoemulsification with IOL implantation in avitreal eyes was 0.8 D despite of the optical biometry usage. Today it is represented by several methods: partial coherent interferometry, optical low-coherence reflectometry and optical coherence tomography, which are implemented in devices such as IOLMaster 500, Lenstar LS 900 and IOLMaster 700, which have their own characteristics and measurement accuracy. Their advantages as well as creation an accurate IOL calculation method for silicone oil filled eyes could reduce postoperative refraction error that outline significant medical and social problem.

Trial Assay for Safe First-Aid Protocol for the Stinging Sea Anemone Anemonia viridis (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) and a Severe Toxic Reaction

Anemonia viridis is an abundant and widely-distributed temperate sea anemone that can form dense congregations of individuals. Despite the potential severity of its sting, few detailed cases have been reported. We report a case of a severe toxic reaction following an A. viridis sting in a 35-year-old oceanographer. She developed severe pain, itching, redness and burning sensation, which worsened one week after treatment with anti-inflammatories, antihistamines and corticosteroids. Prompted by this event, and due to the insufficient risk prevention, lack of training for marine-environment users and lack of research into sting-specific first-aid protocols, we evaluated the cnidocyst response to five different compounds commonly recommended as rinse solutions in first-aid protocols (seawater, vinegar, ammonia, baking soda and freshwater) by means of the Tentacle Solution Assay. Vinegar and ammonia triggered an immediate and massive cnidocyst discharge after their application and were classified as activator solutions. Baking soda and freshwater were also classified as activator solutions, although with a lower intensity of discharge. Only seawater was classified as a neutral solution and therefore recommended as a rinse solution after A. viridis sting, at least until an inhibitory solution is discovered.

Safety Evaluation of Acute and Subacute Dermal Toxicity Potential against Penoxsulam Herbicide in Wistar Rats

Aims: The present experiment was conducted (comparative study) to determine the effect of single and repeated exposure of Penoxsulam herbicide by topical route. Study Design: To assess acute toxicity, rats were topically exposed by Penoxsulam at 2000 mg/kg body weight and all the animals were observed for 14 days experiment period while, in Subacute toxicity , the rats were topically exposed with Penoxsulam at three multiple dose levels; 200, 500, 1000 mg/kg body. weight once daily for 28 days. Place and Duration of Study: Toxicology department, Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, Delhi (INDIA), June 2018 and June 2019. Methodology: Acute study was carried out in 10 wistar rats and in subacute study the wistar rats were divided into 4 groups i.e., control group, low dose group, middle group, high dose group; 5 male and 5 female rats/ group at the age of 2-3 kg were exposed over a period of 28 days. After dose application the patch was removed and the test site were cleaned with cotton moistened with distilled water. Results: In both toxicity study found that there were no clinical signs of skin reactions (Draize method) and no significant P>0.05 changes were observed in Bodyweight, Biochemistry, and Histopathology among the treated as well as in control group of animals. Therefore, data of this study supports that topical exposure of Penoxsulam in rats were shown normal histology of liver, kidney, and skin at the multiple doses besides this; Penoxsulam does not have potential to produce acute and subacute adverse systemic toxic reaction to the animals. Conclusion: Therefore, data of this study supports that topical exposure of Penoxsulam in rats were shown normal histology of liver, kidney, and skin at the multiple doses besides this; Penoxsulam does not have potential to produce acute and subacute adverse systemic toxic reaction to the animals.

Pharmacokinetics and Toxicokinetics of Artemisinin-Hydroxychloroquine Sulfate Tablets in Rats and Dogs

Artemisinin-hydroxychloroquine sulfate tablets (AH) are relatively inexpensive and a novel combination therapy for the treatment of all forms of malaria, especially aminoquinine drug-resistant strains of P. falciparum. Our aim was to assess the pharmacokinetics (PK) and toxicokinetics (TK) of AH following oral administration in Sprague Dawley rats and Beagle dogs by using the liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry methods (LC-MS/MS). The PK studies were carried out in eighteen rats at three doses and six dogs at three rounds of three doses after a single oral administration of AH. The TK studies in rats and dogs were accompanied by the 14-day repeated dosing studies. The PK results revealed that artemisinin was absorbed and cleared rapidly in rats with obvious gender difference and interindividual variability, and the systemic exposure with regard to AUC was positively correlated with the dosage in female rats. However, the kinetics parameters of artemisinin in dogs were not obtained because the plasma concentration was undetectable. The absorption and elimination of hydroxychloroquine in dogs and rats were relatively slow, and no gender difference was observed. The AUC of hydroxychloroquine showed a linear correlation with the dosage, but Cmax varied significantly among individuals. After 14-day repeated oral administration of AH, hydroxychloroquine shows an increase in systemic exposure and accumulation in rats and dogs, whereas the AUC and Cmax of artemisinin remarkably decreased in female rats due to its autoinduction metabolism. The TK results were basically consistent with the dose- and time-dependent toxic reaction in 14-day repeated dosing studies of AH in rats and dogs. The information from our studies could be helpful for further pharmacological and toxicological research and clinical application of AH.

Effect of Lidocaine Solid Lipid Nano-particles on Sciatic Nerve Anesthesia Block in Rats

This research aimed at exploring the effect of lidocaine solid lipid nano-particles on sciatic nerve anesthesia block in rats. Firstly, we prepared liposomes encapsulated with lidocaine (nano-lidocaine).Then, we stimulated sciatic nerve of rats injected with narcotic drugs, and evaluated their sensory nerve block and motor nerve block. Finally, we observed their systemic toxic reaction and inflammatory infiltration. We found that compared with rats injected with free lidocaine, the sciatic nerve block time of those injected with nano-lidocaine was longer, and its blocking effect on sensory and motor nerve was stronger than that of those injected with free lidocaine. No systemic toxic reaction was observed in the experimental group. Histological examination manifested that there was mild or moderate inflammatory cell infiltration in the free lidocaine group, while there was no obvious cell infiltration in the nano-lidocaine group. Thus, we believe that lidocaine encapsulated with nano-liposomes has a small particle size, which can produce extra long sciatic nerve block in rats without systemic toxicity and local tissue damage. So, it has satisfactory anesthetic effect and safety.

Association of Polymorphisms of the Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases-1 and -2 with Alzheimer’s Disease in Taiwan

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) leads to progressive neuronal loss and cognitive and behavioral decline in the aging population. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and associated tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are involved in remodeling the extracellular matrix. Amyloid beta-42 interrupts the integrity of the neurovascular unit and induces a toxic reaction affecting neurons. Objective: This study investigated the relationships among genetic variants of the MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 genes and AD. Methods: Two hundred and thirteen probable AD patients and 315 control participants of the Tai- wan population were recruited for primary investigations, and we used the data of 763 participants from the Taiwan Biobank (TWB), as controls, for validation. Multivariable logistic regression was performed with adjustments for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), and alcohol con- sumption. The associations between the genotypes and allele frequencies and the SNP-associated AD hereditary models were analyzed using the SNPassoc package for R. We performed a permuta- tion test with 1,000 replicates for the empirical estimates. Results: A total of 213 probable AD patients and 315 control participants were recruited. The fre- quency of the A alleles in rs7503726 (G > A) in TIMP-2 was lower in the AD patients (p < 0.01). The frequencies of the TIMP-2 rs7503726 G/A and A/A genotypes were also significantly lower in the AD patients (p = 0.02) than in the controls and TWB. The TIMP-2 rs7503726 AA genotype was associated with a protective effect of AD in additive and recessive hereditary models (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.32 – 0.92, p = 0.02; OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.50 – 0.92, p = 0.01, respectively). Conclusion: The TIMP-2 rs7503726 AA genotype was inversely correlated with AD susceptibili- ty, and the presence of minor alleles of rs7503726 (A allele) have protective effects against AD.

Effect of New Frying Technology on Starchy Food Quality

Frying is commonly used by consumers, restaurants, and industries around the globe to cook and process foods. Compared to other food processing methods, frying has several potential advantages, including reduced processing times and the creation of foods with desirable sensory attributes. Frying is often used to prepare starchy foods. After ingestion, the starch and fat in these foods are hydrolyzed by enzymes in the human digestive tract, thereby providing an important source of energy (glucose and fatty acids) for the human body. Conversely, overconsumption of fried starchy foods can promote overweight, obesity, and other chronic diseases. Moreover, frying can generate toxic reaction products that can damage people’s health. Consequently, there is interest in developing alternative frying technologies that reduce the levels of nutritionally undesirable components in fried foods, such as vacuum, microwave, air, and radiant frying methods. In this review, we focus on the principles and applications of these innovative frying technologies, and highlight their potential advantages and shortcomings. Further development of these technologies should lead to the creation of healthier fried foods that can help combat the rise in diet-related chronic diseases.

Survival and Prognostic Factors of 40 Patients with Pulmonary Oligometastases Treated with Tomotherapy Hypofractionated Radiotherapy

Background: With continued improvement in radiotherapy technology, hypofractionated radiotherapy has helped achieve good results in the local control and toxicity of pulmonary oligometastases. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of radiotherapy and the prognostic factors that affect survival in patients with pulmonary oligometastases who undergo helical tomotherapy (TOMO) hypofractionated radiotherapy.Methods: Ninety pulmonary oligometastases in 40 patients (26 males, 14 females; median age 57 years) were retrospectively investigated and treated with hypofractionated radiotherapy in the Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College during 2018-2020. Their Karnofsky performance status (KPS) was ≥70 points. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS), local control (LC), and progression-free survival (PFS), and we determine the related influencing factors.Results: The median gross tumor volume (GTV) and planning target volume (PTV) were 9.7 cm³ (range 1.1–287.0 cm³) and 56.9 cm³ (range 16.3–494.2 cm³), respectively, the median biological effective dose, α/β=10 (BED10), was 76.8 Gy (range 56-96 Gy), and four-dimensional computed tomography positioning was applied to 52.5% of the patients. All patients completed the treatment plan during a median follow-up of 16.1 months (range 4.9–33.3 months). The 1- and 2-year OS rates were 90.3% and 55.2%, respectively. The 1- and 2-year LC rates were 80.8% and 64.7%, respectively. The 1- and 2-year PFS rates were 47.3% and 28.4%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that colorectal primary (p=0.004), age >57 years (p=0.037), and number of organ metastases ≥2 (p=0.046) were associated with OS, whereas disease-free interval (DFI) ≤17.4 months (p=0.032), number of lung metastases≥2 (p=0.049), and PTV >56.9 cm³ (p=0.041) were associated with LC; and number of metastatic organs ≥2 (p=0.015) was independently associated with PFS. In multivariate analysis, colorectal cancer (p=0.010) and age >57 years (p=0.009) were significantly associated with OS. No > grade 3 toxic reaction.Conclusions: The median OS, LC, and PFS rates of TOMO hypofractionated radiotherapy for pulmonary oligometastases were 24.9, 25.9, and 11.8 months, respectively, showing that good survival rates and low toxicity could still be achieved using the medium dose.

Case Report: “Killer Bee” Swarm Attacks in French Guiana: The Importance of Prompt Care

In French Guiana, a French overseas region partly located in the Amazon, “Africanized” bees, a hybrid species of Brazilian bees known as “killer bees,” have been observed since 1975. Since then, several cases requiring long hospitalization times have been described, allowing for a better understanding of the physiopathological mechanisms of this particular envenomation. Here, we report on a series of 10 cases of patients simultaneously attacked by hundreds of killer bees and immediately treated by a prehospital medical team already on site. Between 75 and 650 stingers were removed per victim. The reference treatment for anaphylaxis using intramuscular injection of epinephrine, vascular filling, and oxygen therapy was administered to all patients without delay. A clinical description was provided, and biological tests were performed immediately after the envenomation. We therefore observe the existence of a two-phase, medically well-controlled systemic toxic reaction. Thus, all our patients left the hospital after 44 hours of monitoring with no complications or sequelae, despite levels of intoxication described as potentially fatal elsewhere in the literature.