Prediction of pediatric peanut oral food challenge outcomes using machine learning.

Background: Clinical testing, including food-specific skin and serum IgE level tests, provides limited accuracy to predict food allergy. Confirmatory oral food challenges (OFCs) are often required, but the associated risks, cost, and logistic difficulties comprise a barrier to proper diagnosis.

Objective: We sought to utilize advanced machine learning methodologies to integrate clinical variables associated with peanut allergy to create a predictive model for OFCs to improve predictive performance over that of purely statistical methods.

A novel 2-step process for the management of inpatient beta-lactam allergy labels.

Background: Inpatient beta-lactam allergy labels may increase the unnecessary use of aztreonam and non-beta-lactam antibiotics, which can then lead to more adverse events and increased health care costs, OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a novel 2-step process (medication history review followed by risk stratification) on rates of beta-lactam delabeling, aztreonam use, and desensitizations on pediatric, adult, and obstetrics inpatients at a tertiary academic center.

Methods: We prospectively collected data on 700 patients who received inpatient consultation from the Beta-Lactam Allergy Evaluation Service between August 2021 and July 2022. Patients were delabeled either by medication review alone, drug challenge alone if with a low-risk history, or penicillin skin test followed by drug challenge if with a high-risk history.

Vaccination counseling with and without excipient skin testing in patients with suspected allergic reactions to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and patients with atopy.

Background: Allergic reactions have been reported with mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 prevention. Patients perceived to be at higher risk for a reaction may be referred to an allergist, although evaluation strategies may differ between allergists.

Objective: Our aim was to determine outcomes of COVID-19 vaccinations in patients evaluated by an allergist using different approaches.

Managing food allergy in children: An evidence-based update.

What are the limits of skin-prick testing? Is prevention possible? And do most children outgrow food allergies? This review provides the evidence to guide your care.

Synthesis and Characterization of Folic Acid Conjugated Gemcitabine Tethered Silver Nanoparticles (FA-GEM-AgNPs) for Targeted Delivery.

Background: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have attracted considerable interest in the medical industry due to their physicochemical properties, small size, and surface plasmon behavior. Their smaller particle size and instability in blood circulation leads to toxicity due to its aggregation as Ag+ ions and accumulation at the deepseated organ. In the present study, we aimed at reducing the toxicity of AgNPs by conjugation with an anticancer drug GEM and to improve their internalization through folate receptors-mediated endocytosis by capping the nanoparticles with folic acid (FA).

Cytotoxicity and Synergistic Effect of Biogenically Synthesized Ternary Therapeutic Nano Conjugates Comprising Plant Active Principle, Silver and Anticancer Drug on MDA-MB-453 Breast Cancer Cell Line.

Drug delivery through biogenically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in cancer treatment is exerted by smaller size entailing high surface area and synergistic effects of embedded biomolecules.  In this study, prepared ternary conjugates of silver with plant active compound and anticancer drug towards reducing the dose through synergy, rendered by Electrostatic Attraction (EA) of functionalized drug on to the surface of biogenically synthesized AgNPs. The biogenic synthesis resulted in particles of nanometer range as well as serving reducing and capping agents.

Cutting edge: anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy in rheumatoid arthritis inhibits memory B lymphocytes via effects on lymphoid germinal centers and follicular dendritic cell networks.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is mediated by a proinflammatory cytokine network with TNF at its apex. Accordingly, drugs that block TNF have demonstrated significant efficacy in the treatment of RA. A great deal of experimental evidence also strongly implicates B cells in the pathogenesis of RA.

Vaccine responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that is associated with immunologic alterations in T cells and B cells. Moreover, many of the agents used in RA patients are potentially immunosuppressive. Thus, the underlying disease and treatment may both increase the susceptibility to infections and decrease vaccine responses.