Pemphigus vulgaris Treated With Rituximab: A Case Report.

This case report highlights the efficacy of rituximab (RTX), a monoclonal antibody that targets B-lymphocytes, in the treatment of severe pemphigus vulgaris (PV) that was unresponsive to multiple conventional therapies. A 44-year-old female presented with mucocutaneous lesions that had been progressing for 12 months, with a Pemphigus Disease and Area Index (PDAI) total activity score of 66, indicating severe disease. The patient received two infusions of RTX two weeks apart, without complications.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Associated Factors and Outcomes in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Matched Case-control Study.

Background: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a multi-drug-resistant, hospital-acquired Gram-negative bacillus associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study is to identify risk factors and outcomes associated with S. maltophilia isolation in a high-risk neonatal population.

Fractionation of Kraft Lignin for Production of Alkyd Resins for Biobased Coatings with Oxidized Lignin Dispersants as a Co-Product.

A new valorization pathway based on solvent fractionation was applied to kraft lignin, a major by-stream of the pulping industry, to extract a soluble lignin intermediate featuring an improved structural homogeneity, a low molecular weight, and a high content of phenolic hydroxyl and carboxylic acid groups to serve as a substitute of the nonrenewable polyacids in the formulation of alkyd resins, a dominant material used in the production of anticorrosion surface coatings. Herein, softwood kraft lignin was mixed in a low-cost green solvent, aqueous ethanol, prepared at different ratios, at room temperature to generate a soluble fraction of a low of ≤2200 g mol and an insoluble fraction of a high of ≥3950 g mol of lignin. The best combination of yields and molecular weights of soluble lignin (16-36% yield, 1740-1890 g mol) was attained using 50-80 vol % ethanol in fractionation.