Single-dose pharmacokinetics of orally administered terbinafine in bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) and the antifungal susceptibility patterns of Nannizziopsis guarroi

OBJECTIVE To identify the antifungal susceptibility of Nanniziopsis guarroi isolates and to evaluate the single-dose pharmacokinetics of orally administered terbinafine in bearded dragons. ANIMALS 8 healthy adult bearded dragons. PROCEDURES 4 isolates of N guarroi were tested for antifungal susceptibility. A compounded oral solution of terbinafine (25 mg/mL [20 mg/kg]) was given before blood (0.2 mL) was drawn from the ventral tail vein at 0, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours after administration. Plasma terbinafine concentrations were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS The antifungal minimum inhibitory concentrations against N guarroi isolates ranged from 4,000 to > 64,000 ng/mL for fluconazole, 125 to 2,000 ng/mL for itraconazole, 125 to 2,000 ng/mL for ketoconazole, 125 to 1,000 ng/mL for posaconazole, 60 to 250 ng/mL for voriconazole, and 15 to 30 ng/mL for terbinafine. The mean ± SD peak plasma terbinafine concentration in bearded dragons was 435 ± 338 ng/mL at 13 ± 4.66 hours after administration. Plasma concentrations remained > 30 ng/mL for > 24 hours in all bearded dragons and for > 48 hours in 6 of 8 bearded dragons. Mean ± SD terminal half-life following oral administration was 21.2 ± 12.40 hours. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Antifungal susceptibility data are available for use in clinical decision making. Results indicated that administration of terbinafine (20 mg/kg, PO, q 24 to 48 h) in bearded dragons may be appropriate for the treatment of dermatomycoses caused by N guarroi. Clinical studies are needed to determine the efficacy of such treatment.

Utility of S100A12 as an Early Biomarker in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Importance: S100A12 is a calcium binding protein which is involved in inflammation and progression of atherosclerosis.Objective: We sought to investigate the utility of S100A12 as a biomarker for the early diagnosis and prognostication of patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Design, Setting, and Participants: S100A12 was measured in 1023 patients presenting to the emergency department with acute chest pain between June 2012 and November 2015. An independent cohort of 398 patients enrolled at 3 different hospitals served as a validation cohort.Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary clinical endpoint of interest was major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCE) defined as a composite of all-cause death, MI, stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure.Results: A total of 438/1023 patients (42.8%) in the diagnosis cohort were adjudicated as STEMI, among whom plasma S100A12 levels increased within 30 min and peaked 1–2 h after symptom onset. Compared with high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T and creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme, S100A12 more accurately identified STEMI, especially within the first 2 h after symptom onset (area under the curve 0.963 compared with 0.860 for hscTnT and 0.711 for CK-MB, both P < 0.05). These results were consistent in the 243-patient validation cohort. The 1-year rate of MACCE was greatest in patients in the highest peak S100A12 tertile, intermediate in the middle tertile and least in the lowest tertile (9.3 vs. 5.7 vs. 3.0% respectively, Ptrend = 0.0006). By multivariable analysis the peak plasma concentration of S100A12 was an independent predictor of MACCE within 1 year after STEMI (HR, 1.001, 95%CI, 1.000–1.002; P = 0.0104).Conclusions and Relevance: S100A12 rapidly identified patients with STEMI, more accurately than other cardiac biomarkers, especially within the first 2 h after symptom onset. The peak plasma S100A12 level was a strong predictor of 1-year prognosis after STEMI.

ECG pathology and its association with death in critically ill COVID-19 patients, a cohort study

Background We investigated the prevalence of ECG abnormalities and their association with mortality, organ dysfunction and cardiac biomarkers in a cohort of COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods This cohort study included patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU of a tertiary hospital in Sweden. ECG, clinical data and laboratory findings during ICU stay were extracted from medical records and ECGs obtained near ICU admission were reviewed by two independent physicians. Results Eighty patients had an acceptable ECG near ICU-admission. In the entire cohort 30-day mortality was 28%. Compared to patients with normal ECG, among whom 30-day mortality was 16%, patients with ECG fulfilling criteria for prior myocardial infarction had higher mortality, 63%, odds ratio (OR) 9.61 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.02–55.6) adjusted for Simplified Acute Physiology Score 3 and patients with ST-T abnormalities had 50% mortality and OR 6.05 (95% CI 1.82–21.3) in univariable analysis. Both prior myocardial infarction pattern and ST-T pathology were associated with need for vasoactive treatment and higher peak plasma levels of troponin-I, NT-pro-BNP (N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide), and lactate during ICU stay compared to patients with normal ECG. Conclusion ECG with prior myocardial infarction pattern or acute ST-T pathology at ICU admission is associated with death, need for vasoactive treatment and higher levels of biomarkers of cardiac damage and strain in severely ill COVID-19 patients, and should alert clinicians to a poor prognosis.

Atogepant and sumatriptan: no clinically relevant drug–drug interactions in a randomized, open-label, crossover trial

Aim: To evaluate pharmacokinetic interactions of atogepant with sumatriptan, an open-label, randomized, crossover study was conducted. Patients & methods: Thirty healthy adults received atogepant 60 mg, sumatriptan 100 mg, or coadministered drugs. Primary end point was geometric mean ratios (GMRs) and 90% CIs of interventions for area under the plasma concentration–time curve from time 0 to t (AUC0-t) or infinity (AUC0-∞) and peak plasma concentration (Cmax). Results: Atogepant GMRs for AUC0-t and AUC0-∞ versus with sumatriptan were within 90% CI 0.80–1.25, indicating no interaction; atogepant Cmax was reduced by 22% (GMR: 0.78; 90% CI: 0.69–0.89) with sumatriptan. Sumatriptan GMRs for AUC0-t, AUC0-∞ and Cmax versus with atogepant were within 90% CI 0.80–1.25. Conclusion: Atogepant with sumatriptan had no clinically relevant pharmacokinetic interactions.

Design and Evaluation of Efavirenz Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticle for Boosting Oral Bioavailability

Present work illustrates that efavirenz-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles were prepared with the objective of increasing bioavailability and protection of drugs due to biocompatible lipidic content. Efavirenz is generally used for the treatment of HIV. Selection of the suitable lipid phase, surfactant, and cosurfactant was done by individual screening method with the construction of pseudo-ternary phase study. The formulations were prepared by the microemulsion method followed by the lyophilization technique. EFV-SLN has shown a mean particle size of 55.73 ± 3.9 nm having a PDI of 0.153 ± 0.451. Zeta potential was found to be -9.98mV and the formulation was found stable. In vivo pharmaco-kinetic studies exhibited 5.41-fold enhancement in peak plasma concentration (

Dose-dependent glucosuria of DWP16001, a novel selective SGLT-2 inhibitor, in healthy subjects

DWP16001 is a novel sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitor under development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study was conducted to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and safety of DWP16001 after single and multiple doses in healthy subjects. A randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled, single- and multiple-dose study was conducted. Twelve subjects in each dose group received a single dose (0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, or 5.0 mg) or multiple doses (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg once daily for 15 consecutive days) of DWP16001, dapagliflozin 10 mg, or placebo, in a ratio of 8:2:2. Serial blood samples and interval urine samples were collected for PK and PD analyses. Safety and tolerability were assessed throughout the study period. A dose-dependent increase in urinary glucose excretion (UGE) was observed after a single dose, and the steady-state UGE was 50–60 g/day after multiple doses in the dose range of 0.3 – 2.0 mg. DWP16001 was rapidly absorbed with the time to peak plasma concentration of 1.0 – 3.0 hours, and eliminated with a mean elimination half-life of 13 - 29 hours. The systemic exposure of DWP16001 increased proportionally with the dose after multiple administrations in the range of 0.1 – 2.0 mg. DWP16001 was well tolerated in all dose groups. DWP16001 caused glucosuria in a dose-dependent manner, and systemic exposure was observed after multiple doses. DWP16001 was well tolerated up to 5.0 mg after a single oral dose and up to 2.0 mg after multiple oral administration

Non-Invasive Skin Sampling Detects Systemically Administered Drugs in Humans

Clinical testing typically relies on invasive blood draws and biopsies. Alternative methods of sample collection are continually being developed to improve patient experience; swabbing the skin is one of the least invasive sampling methods possible. To show that skin swabs in combination with untargeted mass spectrometry (metabolomics) can be used for non-invasive monitoring of an oral drug, we report the kinetics and metabolism of diphenhydramine in healthy volunteers (n=10) over the course of 24 hours in blood and three regions of the skin. Diphenhydramine and its metabolites were observed on the skin after peak plasma levels, varying by compound and skin location, and is an illustrative example of how systemically administered molecules can be detected on the skin surface. The observation of diphenhydramine directly from the skin supports the hypothesis that both parent drug and metabolites can be qualitatively measured from a simple non-invasive swab of the skin surface. The mechanism of the drug and metabolites pathway to the skin surface remains unknown.

In vivo Serial Passaging of Human–Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Clones Identifies Characteristics for Persistent Viral Replication

We previously reported that a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 with a simian immunodeficiency virus vif substitution (HSIV-vifNL4-3) could replicate in pigtailed macaques (PTMs), demonstrating that Vif is a species-specific tropism factor of primate lentiviruses. However, infections did not result in high-peak viremia or setpoint plasma viral loads, as observed during simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of PTMs. Here, we characterized variants isolated from one of the original infected animals with CD4 depletion after nearly 4years of infection to identify determinants of increased replication fitness. In our studies, we found that the HSIV-vif clones did not express the HIV-1 Vpr protein due to interference from the vpx open reading frame (ORF) in singly spliced vpr mRNA. To examine whether these viral genes contribute to persistent viral replication, we generated infectious HSIV-vif clones expressing either the HIV-1 Vpr or SIV Vpx protein. And then to determine viral fitness determinants of HSIV-vif, we conducted three rounds of serial in vivo passaging in PTMs, starting with an initial inoculum containing a mixture of CXCR4-tropic [Vpr-HSIV-vifNL4-3 isolated at 196 (C/196) and 200 (C/200) weeks post-infection from a PTM with depressed CD4 counts] and CCR5-tropic HSIV (Vpr+ HSIV-vif derivatives based NL-AD8 and Bru-Yu2 and a Vpx expressing HSIV-vifYu2). Interestingly, all infected PTMs showed peak plasma viremia close to or above 105 copies/ml and persistent viral replication for more than 20weeks. Infectious molecular clones (IMCs) recovered from the passage 3 PTM (HSIV-P3 IMCs) included mutations required for HIV-1 Vpr expression and those mutations encoded by the CXCR4-tropic HSIV-vifNL4-3 isolate C/196. The data indicate that the viruses selected during long-term infection acquired HIV-1 Vpr expression, suggesting the importance of Vpr for in vivo pathogenesis. Further passaging of HSIV-P3 IMCs in vivo may generate pathogenic variants with higher replication capacity, which will be a valuable resource as challenge virus in vaccine and cure studies.

Influence of Bisphosphonates or Recombinant Human Parathyroid Hormone on in Vitro Chemotherapy Sensitivity in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Cells

BACKGROUND Osteonecrosis and low bone mineral density (BMD) are serious osteogenic side effects of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment. Bisphosphonates and recombinant human parathyroid hormone (rPTH) tend to be used to ameliorate osteonecrosis-related symptoms as well as to enhance bone mineral density in children with ALL and severe bone fragility. Only one preclinical study on the safety of bisphosphonates during ALL treatment is available, which raises concerns about their impact on leukemic drug sensitivity. Here, we assessed the influence of various bone-modifying agents (zoledronate, pamidronate and rPTH) on in vitro cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents (vincristine (VCR), daunorubicin (DNR), dexamethasone (DEXA), 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), PEG-asparaginase (PEG-ASP)) and prednisone (PRED) that are commonly used in ALL treatment. METHODS Potential cytotoxic effects of the bone-modifying agents on leukemia cell viability and on in vitro cytotoxic responses of chemotherapeutic agents were tested in various T-cell and B-cell leukemia cell lines using methyl-thiazol-tetrazolium (MTT) assays. Bone-modifying agents were added at concentrations up to a five-fold of their physiological peak plasma concentration. For each assay, 50th percentile of maximal inhibitory concentration was determined. To quantify the combined effects of the bone-modifying agents on chemotherapeutic agent-induced cytotoxicity, median (interquartile range) combination indexes (CI) were calculated. We considered a median CI of < 0.8 as synergism and > 1.2 as antagonism (based on the method of Chou). RESULTS Zoledronate, pamidronate or rPTH in combination with DNR, 6-MP and PEG-ASP showed median CI values between 0.8 and 1.2. Variable inconclusive results were obtained in combination with VCR. Only the combination of a five-fold peak plasma concentration of zoledronate or pamidronate with DEXA resulted in median CI values of 1.15 (range, 1.08-1.48), and 1.34 (range, 1.07-1.62), respectively. Additional experiments using DEXA as well as PRED in combination with one-, three- or five-fold physiological peak plasma concentrations of zoledronate or pamidronate revealed that median CI values stay within 0.8 and 1.2, except for DEXA exposed leukemia cells in combination with a five-fold physiological peak plasma concentration of pamidronate which repeatedly showed a median CI value above 1.2 (1.34, range 1.04-1.86). CONCLUSIONS Zoledronate, pamidronate or rPTH do not seem to influence drug sensitivity of DNR, 6-MP or PEG-ASP, even at a five-fold physiological peak plasma concentration. Nevertheless, our findings suggest a minimal effect of pamidronate on DEXA-induced leukemia cell death. This suggests that even though zoledronate or pamidronate do not seem to negatively influence DEXA- or PRED- induced toxicity in expected physiological concentrations (one- to three-fold physiological peak plasma concentrations), these bone-modifying agents may only be considered with caution in individual cases, and preferably in clinical trial settings before being applied on a large scale in children with ALL. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Possibilities of Estimating F2 Layer Peak Plasma Frequency Using HF Radiation from High Apogee Satellites over Arctic Region

Based on the results of mathematical modeling, we consider the possibility to estimate the plasma frequency F2 layer maximum of the polar ionosphere (critical frequency, foF2) using frequency-sweeping radiation from a highly elliptical spacecraft orbit in the Arctic zone. Our modeling concerning the energy problem of radio sensing consisted of analyzing wave field parameters, received field strength, and SNR on two radio paths with the distances 1900 and 2500 km along the earth’s surface, with the satellite height varying from 10,000 to 30,000 km. Radio path orientations were selected to be close to the classical limit cases of radio wave propagation in the anisotropic ionospheric plasma: quasi-longitudinal approximation and, to a large extent, the quasi-transversal one for the quiet midday and midnight conditions. As a result of these simulations and following specific spacecraft conditions, working with an optimal probing signal was proposed for the appropriate emission power for the onboard transmitter. In the inverse problem of radio sounding of an ionized media, common mathematical inaccuracy in foF2 calculated from the transionogram, frequency dependence of the probing signals magneto-ionic group delay, was estimated. Considering and founding a possible realization of the method, physical prerequisites are discussed based on the experimental data of radio waves passing the 16,000 km long radio path for Moscow–Antarctica (UAS Vernadsky).