Ebola virus disease and critical illness.

As of 20 May 2016 there have been 28,646 cases and 11,323 deaths resulting from the West African Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak reported to the World Health Organization. There continue to be sporadic flare-ups of EVD cases in West Africa.EVD presentation is nonspecific and characterized initially by onset of fatigue, myalgias, arthralgias, headache, and fever; this is followed several days later by anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

A pilot study of nicotine delivery to smokers from a metered-dose inhaler.

Introduction: The present study generated preliminary data on the acceptability and pharmacokinetics of nicotine administered by a simple metered-dose inhaler (MDI).

Methods: We conducted a nonrandomized, open-label cross-over trial of 10 current smokers. On Day 1, a single cigarette was smoked ad libitum.

Tobacco particulate matter is more potent than nicotine at upregulating nicotinic receptors on SH-SY5Y cells.

The effect of total particulate matter (TPM) from cigarette smoke on the expression and binding properties of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) was investigated using a human neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y). TPM but not nicotine on its own inhibited cell growth at nicotine concentrations above 5 microM. To examine effects on nAChR expression, intact cells were incubated with 3H-epibatidine, and a Bmax of 13 fmoles/10(5) cells (7.

Legislation reduces exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke in New Zealand bars by about 90%.

Aim: To measure exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) in New Zealand bars before and after comprehensive smoke-free legislation enacted on 10 December 2004.

Methods: Cotinine is the main specific metabolite of nicotine and a well-established biomarker for SHS exposure. We measured cotinine levels in saliva of non-smoking volunteers before and after a 3 h visit to 30 randomly selected bars in 3 cities across the country.

Percutaneous venepuncture practice in a large urban teaching hospital.

Occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens remains an important and largely preventable issue in hospital practice. This article argues that formal training can increase use of best practice phlebotomy. A survey of at-risk healthcare workers at a central London hospital was conducted to identify factors associated with use of an evacuated blood collection system (BD Vacutainer and gloves while taking blood.

A preliminary investigation into the use of biosensors to screen stomach contents for selected poisons and drugs.

The bioluminescence response of two genetically modified (lux-marked) bacteria to potentially toxic compounds (PTCs) in stomach contents was monitored using an in vitro assay. Cells of Escherichia coli HB101 and Salmonella typhimurium both carrying the lux light producing gene on a plasmid (pUDC607) were added to stomach contents containing various concentrations of organic and inorganic compounds. There was some variability in the response of the two biosensors, but both were sensitive to the herbicides glyphosate, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T); pentachlorophenol (PCP), and inorganic poisons arsenic and mercury at a concentration range likely to be found in stomach contents samples submitted for toxicological analysis.

Within-subject variation of the salivary 3HC/COT ratio in regular daily smokers: prospects for estimating CYP2A6 enzyme activity in large-scale surveys of nicotine metabolic rate.

Nicotine is the major addictive compound in tobacco and is responsible for tobacco dependence. It is primarily metabolized to cotinine (COT) and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine (3HC) by the liver enzyme cytochrome P-450 2A6 (CYP2A6). The 3HC/COT ratio measured in the saliva of smokers is highly correlated with the intrinsic hepatic clearance of nicotine and, therefore, may be a useful non-invasive marker of CYP2A6 activity and metabolic rate of nicotine.

The detection of sedatives in hair and nail samples using tandem LC-MS-MS.

Drug screening methods were developed to detect alprazolam, clobazam, clonazepam, diazepam, midazolam, oxazepam, temazepam, triazolam, zopiclone, and selected metabolites in human hair and nail samples employing liquid-liquid extraction and tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Hair and nail samples were obtained from patients who had recently discontinued or were currently prescribed one or more of the targeted drugs. Prazepam was used as the internal standard for all compounds.

Secondhand tobacco smoke exposure in New Zealand bars: results prior to implementation of the bar smoking ban.

Aims: To measure secondhand smoke (SHS) levels in New Zealand bars prior to smokefree legislation enacted on 10 December 2004.

Methods: Thirty bars were randomly selected from urban, surburban, and surrounding rural areas of Auckland, Wellington, and Invercargill. Bars were visited (on a Friday or Saturday night for a 3-hour stay between 1800 and 2400 hours) in July/August/September 2004 (winter) and again in October/November 2004 (spring).

The recovery of illicit drugs from oral fluid sampling devices.

Testing for drugs in oral fluid is a convenient procedure for determining recent drug use. A number of issues are still to be resolved and this paper investigates the effects of storage systems on drug stability and recovery using three different collection devices supplied by Cozart, Immunalysis and Microgenics (third party). Drugs were analysed using a range of immunoassay systems followed by MS confirmation and quantitation.

Ethnic differences in nicotine metabolic rate among New Zealanders.

Aims: To estimate (a) the prevalence of gene variants associated with slow nicotine metabolism in the general Maori population and (b) nicotine intake and metabolic rate in Maori and European smokers.

Methods: The procedure involved (a) genotyping 85 Maori participants for cytochrome P-450 2A6 (CYP2A6) gene variants, which are associated with reduced nicotine metabolic rate (ie CYP2A6*9 and *4); and (b) measuring salivary cotinine (COT) and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine (3-HC) as biomarkers of nicotine intake and metabolic rate in 12 female smokers from the Hawke's Bay Region (6 Maori and 6 European).

Results: (a) The frequencies of the slow nicotine metabolising variants, CYP2A6*9 and *4, were significantly higher in Maori compared to European (p<0.

Increase in saliva cotinine after three hours' exposure to second-hand smoke in bars.

Objective: To determine whether measurement of cotinine in saliva is a sensitive measure of exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS) among customers in bars.

Design: Before/after comparison of saliva cotinine and subjective assessments of SHS.

Setting: Three bars in Wellington, New Zealand, June 2003.

Efficient Ex vivo stimulation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific T cells by genetically detoxified Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase antigen toxoids.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a significant threat to global health. Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine provides only partial protection, and the skin test reagent used to aid diagnosis of both active and latent tuberculosis, purified protein derivative (PPD), lacks specificity and sensitivity. The use of genetically detoxified Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase toxin (CyaA) as a delivery system for two immunodominant proteins of M.

Comparison of bronchoscopy and gastric washings in the investigation of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis.

This study compares the utility of gastric washings (GWs) and bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). The aim of the study was to identify which investigation or combination of investigations provided the greatest yield of positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures of samples from patients with smear-negative pulmonary TB. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 180 patients with smear-negative pulmonary TB.

Use of biosensors to screen urine samples for potentially toxic chemicals.

Forensic toxicology laboratories are often required to implicate or exclude poisoning as a factor in a death or unexplained illness. An analytical tool which enables toxicologists to screen a wide variety of common poisons would be extremely useful. In this paper, we describe the use of a bacterial biosensor for detecting the presence of commonly encountered potentially toxic chemicals in urine.