The Use of Ketamine in Asthma Exacerbations

Asthma is a chronic, non-curable respiratory disease that has multi-factorial effects on the bronchial mucosa. Despite optimal prevention and standardized first-line asthma care, the symptoms can deteriorate, leading to an asthma exacerbation, which is a medical emergency. The purpose of this review was to determine the efficacy of ketamine use as an adjunctive medication for acute asthma exacerbations that had failed standard guideline-directed treatments. Relevant databases included searches looking for ketamine use in asthma. Ketamine can be used as an adjunctive medication and has been found to be beneficial in stopping the emergency\u27s progression by alleviating bronchospasms, increasing oxygen availability, reducing respiratory failure leading to mechanical ventilation, and decreasing mortality. Preliminary results showed no positive outcomes of improvement in asthma symptoms with low dose ketamine. Several findings point to remarkable positive outcomes with an intravenous high dissociative dosing administration. Some experts feel strongly that the dose ranges and duration of treatment play a vital role in the efficacy of ketamine used as a pharmacological option. More research is needed with more extensive, high-quality, randomized studies that address and objectively measures varying dosage regimens to form a consensus on the efficacy of ketamine use in refractory asthma exacerbations

Ketamine in Refractory Asthma Exacerbations

Asthma is a chronic, non-curable respiratory disease that has multi-factorial effects on the bronchial mucosa. Despite optimal prevention and standardized first line asthma care the symptoms can deteriorate leading into an asthma exacerbation which is a medical emergency. Purpose: • To determine the efficacy of ketamine use as an adjunctive medication for acutes severe asthma exacerbations that had failed standard guideline directed treatments. Methods: • Relevant databases were searched looking for ketamine use in asthma exacerbations. • The inclusion material consists of pediatric and adult populations in available systematic reviews, randomized control trials, meta-analysis, pilot studies, case reports, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Findings: • Preliminary results showed no positive outcomes of improvement in asthma symptoms with low dose ketamine. • Several findings point to noteworthy positive outcomes with an intravenous ketamine high dissociative dosing administration. • In a small case report the use of nebulized ketamine showed promise at reversing the airway obstruction promptly. Implications: • Some experts feel strongly that the dose ranges and duration of treatment play a key role into the efficacy of ketamine used as a pharmacological option. • More research is needed with larger, high quality, randomized studies that addresses and objectively measures varying dosage regimens to form a consensus on the efficacy of ketamine use in refractory asthma exacerbations.https://commons.und.edu/pas-grad-posters/1194/thumbnail.jp

The Effects of Goal Setting and Self-Reflection on Student Work Completion and Work Habits in a Montessori Upper Elementary Environment

This study implemented goal setting and self-reflection as self-regulated learning strategies and explored how these affected student work completion and on-task behavior. Students in this environment struggled with self-regulated learning and were observed to not complete work on time and needed redirection to focus on work during the work cycle. The study took place in an upper elementary Montessori environment at a private international school. Thirteen 4th grade students (ages 9-10) participated in the study. During this study, students were given lessons on goal setting and self-reflection and had group discussions about effective goal setting. Students set daily goals for themselves during the study and evaluated their progress at the end of the day. Students met with the guides for pre, mid and post-assessment discussions, where they reflected on their goals and progress. Students were observed twice daily for on and off-task behavior, and follow-up work was checked for completion. Despite the challenges of conducting this study during the COVID-19 pandemic, the results showed that student work completion and on-task behavior increased after students began setting goals. In particular, it proved to be beneficial to students who previously struggled with completing work. Further studies could look into integrating goal setting in a more streamlined manner to increase student engagement and interest

Synthesis of Spherical Nanoparticle Hybrids via Aerosol Thiol-Ene Photopolymerization and Their Bioconjugation

Hybrid nanomaterials possess the properties of both organic and inorganic components and find applications in various fields of research and technology. In this study, aerosol photopolymerization is used in combination with thiol-ene chemistry to produce silver poly(thio-ether) hybrid nanospheres. In aerosol photopolymerization, a spray solution of monomers is atomized, forming a droplet aerosol, which then polymerizes, producing spherical polymer nanoparticles. To produce silver poly(thio-ether) hybrids, silver nanoparticles were introduced to the spray solution. Diverse methods of stabilization were used to produce stable dispersions of silver nanoparticles to prevent their agglomeration before the photopolymerization process. Successfully stabilized silver nanoparticle dispersion in the spray solution subsequently formed nanocomposites with non-agglomerated silver nanoparticles inside the polymer matrix. Nanocomposite particles were analyzed via scanning and transmission electron microscopy to study the degree of agglomeration of silver nanoparticles and their location inside the polymer spheres. The nanoparticle hybrids were then introduced onto various biofunctionalization reactions. A two-step bioconjugation process was developed involving the hybrid nanoparticles: (1) conjugation of (biotin)-maleimide to thiol-groups on the polymer network of the hybrids, and (2) biotin-streptavidin binding. The biofunctionalization with gold-nanoparticle-conjugates was carried out to confirm the reactivity of -SH groups on each conjugation step. Fluorescence-labeled biomolecules were conjugated to the spherical nanoparticle hybrids (applying the two-step bioconjugation process) verified by Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Fluorescence Microscopy. The presented research offers an effective method of synthesis of smart systems that can further be used in biosensors and various other biomedical applications

Strontium, a Tracer to Study the Transport of Calcium in Mineralizing Tissues by Electron Probe Microanalysis

In growth plate cartilage the mineralization starts extracellularly in the lower hypertrophic zone. The mineral formed is the calcium phosphate apatite. Enough calcium and phosphate must be available at the mineralization front as well as in regions with proceeding mineralization. There must be a transport of Ca (and phosphate) to these sites. Electron probe X-ray microanalysis is a well established method to analyze element concentrations in small volumes, but it cannot discriminate isotopes. Strontium is similar to Ca in its chemical and biological behaviour and is therefore a suitable tracer to investigate the transport of Ca. Small amounts of Sr (0.1 g per kg body weight) were administered intraperitoneally to young rats. After definite intervals of time ranging from 10 to 120 min, 2-4 rats were killed. On freeze dried cryosections the Sr/Ca ratio of the serum and of the intra- and extracellular space of the growth plate were measured. The Sr/Ca ratio reaches its maximum after about 10 min in the serum and after 20 min in the extracellular space of growth plate cartilage. The intracellular Sr/Ca ratio shows large variations because of the low intracellular Ca and Sr concentration, and is lower than the extracellular ratio for times shorter than 30 min. No significant differences were found between the different cell zones of the unmineralized growth plate cartilage. The results demonstrate that the transport of Ca to the growth plate cartilage is relatively fast and that in growth plate cartilage, Ca is transported extracellularly, not intracellularly

Pseudo-affinity purification and formulation of a cell-culture derived whole influenza virus vaccine using magnetic sulfated cellulose particles

The production of viral vaccines usually employs different unit operations where formulation and filling are the final steps of downstream processing (DSP). However, complex DSP is often hard to realize in research laboratories focusing on novel vaccine candidates. Moreover, there are no real ready-to-use tools for high-throughput DSP of whole virus particles that can speed up development. Because of these needs we developed a new platform for easy and straightforward whole virus particle purification and formulation based on magnetic sulfated cellulose particles (MSCP)1,2. Proof of concept was carried out with an influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) whole virus vaccine for the immunization of mice. The virus particles were produced in suspension MDCK cells, clarified, inactivated, and concentrated using a standard protocol. After diafiltration to low salt buffer, the virus particles were bound to the MSCP and the virus loaded MSCP were washed and resuspended in formulation buffer. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract