Search

Purpose: The aim of this study was to test the feasibility and the usefulness of an intensive safety monitoring program to identify adverse drug reactions for medicines under additional monitoring that are used to treat cancer patients within a Portuguese oncology hospital. Methods: This pilot intensive safety monitoring program was a three-month prospective, observational study. Patients undergoing treatment with one of the following medicines were included: nivolumab, olaparib, palbociclib, pembrolizumab, pertuzumab, ramucirumab, ribociclib, trastuzumab emtansine, or trifluridine/tipiracil. Potential eligible patients were identified by pharmacists based on prescription data. Clinicians used proper paper-based reporting forms to record adverse drug reactions. Clinical secretariats sent those reports through an electronic platform to the pharmacovigilance department for analysis. Results: Seventy-five patients were on treatment with selected medicines. Of those, 33 (44%) experienced adverse drug reactions: 23 (69.7%) cases were serious and 5 (15.2%) unexpected. Considering the number of patients exposed to each medicine and the number of patients experiencing adverse drug reactions, trifluridine/tipiracil (72.7%; 8/11) was associated with the highest rate of toxicity, followed by olaparib (66.7%; 2/3), trastuzumab emtansine (50.0%; 3/6), pertuzumab (47.8%; 11/23), pembrolizumab (45.5%; 5/11), palbociclib (25.0%; 1/4), and nivolumab (18.8%; 3/16). A total of 59 adverse drug reactions were identified (i.e. 1.8 adverse drug reactions/patient), mainly gastrointestinal disorders (n = 15; 25.4%), and blood and lymphatic system disorders (n = 14; 23.7%). Conclusion: This intensive safety monitoring program was feasible and allowed identifying serious and unexpected adverse drug reactions, adding value to pharmacovigilance and therefore contributing to improve patient safety. Further research is needed to confirm the findings of this pilot study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of the addition of 0.2% anticaking agent “silicon dioxide” (S) and of 70.0% reduction of the headspace in the package (H) both individually and combined (SH), on the sensory and physicochemical characteristics of a powdered-drink mix over a shelf-life period of 120 days. The “difference from control” test was applied to 10 trained panelists in order to assess the four treatments at 30-day intervals throughout the experimental period, according to visual aspect of the powdered mix and drink flavor. The results demonstrated that a reduction of 70% of the headspace was the most effective treatment for product sensory stability. Water activity (A w) was a more sensitive parameter than moisture content and ascorbic acid degradation. Although A w has shown a significant difference over time, the sensory properties still seemed to be a better shelf-life indicator for powdered mixes. Based on the sensory alterations of the aspect of the powder, a reduction of headspace and the limiting of shelf life to between 60 and 90 days could be recommended for powdered-drink mixes packaged in polypropylene containers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Consumer electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet computers, and e-book readers have become far more widely used in recent years. Many of these devices contain accessibility features such as large print and speech. Anecdotal experience suggests people with vision impairment frequently make use of these systems. Here we survey people with self-identified vision impairment to determine their use of this equipment., Method: An internet-based survey was advertised to people with vision impairment by word of mouth, social media, and online. Respondents were asked demographic information, what devices they owned, what they used these devices for, and what accessibility features they used., Results: One hundred and thirty-two complete responses were received. Twenty-six percent of the sample reported that they had no vision and the remainder reported they had low vision. One hundred and seven people (81%) reported using a smartphone. Those with no vision were as likely to use a smartphone or tablet as those with low vision. Speech was found useful by 59% of smartphone users. Fifty-one percent of smartphone owners used the camera and screen as a magnifier. Forty-eight percent of the sample used a tablet computer, and 17% used an e-book reader. The most frequently cited reason for not using these devices included cost and lack of interest., Conclusions: Smartphones, tablet computers, and e-book readers can be used by people with vision impairment. Speech is used by people with low vision as well as those with no vision. Many of our (self-selected) group used their smartphone camera and screen as a magnifier, and others used the camera flash as a spotlight., (© 2014 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2014 The College of Optometrists.)

Economic development, including resource extraction, can cause toxic exposures that interact with endemic infectious diseases. Mercury is an immunotoxic metal used in the amalgamation of gold, resulting in both occupational exposures and environmental pollution. A cross-sectional medical survey was conducted in 1997 on 135 garimpeiros in Para, Brazil, because of their risks of both mercury exposure and malaria transmission. Mean levels of blood and urine mercury were well above non-exposed background levels. Twenty-six subjects had malaria parasitemia: Health symptoms consistent with mercury exposure were reported, but neither symptoms nor signs correlated with mercury levels in blood or urine. We did not find a dose response relationship between mercury exposure and likelihood of prevalent malaria infection, but there was a possible reduction in acquisition of immunity that may be associated with conditions in gold mining, including mercury exposure.