Ingestion Of Substances Research Articles

PSXIV-13 Reference Intervals for the Concentrations of Main Essential and Toxic Elements in the Hair from the Mane of the Yakut Horses Bred in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Abstract Imbalances of trace elements pose a serious threat to health and productive qualities of farm animals and poultry. In this regard, the next stage in the development of the science of feeding will be the control and optimization of the intake of mineral substances, including the determination of the elemental composition in biosubstrates. One of these biosubstrates can be hair. An analysis of literature data showed that the amount of available information on the content of trace elements in horsehair is limited, it makes it difficult to interpret laboratory data. In this regard, the purpose of this study was to establish reference intervals for the concentrations of main chemical elements in the hair of horses of the Yakut breed bred in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Hair samples were taken from the area of the mane from the first cervical vertebra in physiologically healthy mares of the Yakut breed (n=120; age 3-5 years) bred in livestock enterprises of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) of Russia. The elemental composition of the samples was estimated according to 25 chemical elements (Al, As, B, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, I, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Se, Si, Sn, Hg, Sr, V, Zn) by ICP AES and ICP MS. Reference intervals of chemical elements in animal hair were calculated using the recommendations of the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology Quality Assurance and Laboratory Standard Guidelines (Poulsen et al., 1997; 2.5-97.5 percentile). As a result of the research, the following values of the limits of the intervals (mg/kg) were established: Al(10.59-29.01); As(0.018-0.041); B(0.198-1.09); Ca(702-1117); CD(0.004-0.052); Co(0.011-0.042); Cr(0.253-0.504); Cu(5.03-7.99); Fe(26.12-47.43); Hg(0.002-0.011); I(0.083-0.166); K(211-1009); Li(0.019-0.092); Mg(196-400); Mn(0.825-3.81); Na(75.95-495.0); Ni(0.127-0.407); P(345-454); Pb(0.089-0.305); Se(0.013-0.185); Si(22.58-44.55); Sn(0.123-0.444); Sr(2.69-4.02); V(0.019-0.095); Zn(99-162). The reference intervals obtained in our study can be used to assess the elemental status of mares bred in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

Судова фармація, організація фармацевтичної справи, технологія ліків, медичне, фармацевтичне та кримінальне право: державна система боротьби із незаконним обігом наркотичних засобів і психотропних речовин та зловживання ними в умовах пандемії

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the burden on the sphere of health care, pharmacy, finance, economy, industry, and law enforcement are increasing. The level of the state system regarding the effectiveness of the criminal and legal struggle against the illegal circulation of narcotics (narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances) and their abuse by improving the legislation and normative legal acts of Ukraine in the conditions of the pandemic on the basis of forensic pharmacy, drug technology, the organization of the pharmaceutical case, medical and pharmaceutical law. Scientific information sources were studied, taking into account the recommendations of the WHO and the Cochrane Society for PICO from 25 disciplines that have interdisciplinary connections. The forensic and pharmaceutical practice in criminal proceedings regarding the illegal circulation of psychoactive substance of various classification and legal groups were analyzed. Proven that the abuse and uncontrolled intake of psychoactive substances causes manifestations of a person's hidden predisposition to mental illnesses according to the ICD-11 codes. The forensic and pharmaceutical characteristics of the "drug business" market were summarized according to the data of law enforcement agencies. The provisions of the State Policy Strategy on Drugs in Ukraine were analyzed. Normative proposals for improving the legislation on measures to counter the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors and their abuse in order to protect the rights and freedoms, life and health of drug addicts were presented.

COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown: what has changed in common home accidents such as foreign bodies and corrosive injuries?

BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic greatly affected our lives in all areas. Due to the social isolation policies implemented during this period, the majority of parents and all school-age children spent their lives at home. This study aims to investigate the effects of pandemic and isolation on home accidents treated in our center.MethodsForeign body ingestion (gastric foreign bodies: G.FB), foreign body aspiration (respiratory foreign bodies: R.FB), and corrosive substance (CS) ingestion cases admitted to our hospital between March 11, 2019, and March 10, 2021, were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data, type and cause of home accidents, the time of the accident and the admission to the hospital, the location of the foreign body, and the follow-up data were recorded. The patients were divided into two groups: the pre-pandemic period (11 March 2019–10 March 2020) and the COVID pandemic period (11 March 2020–10 March 2021), and the data were evaluated between two groups as < 6 years old and 6–18 years old.ResultsDuring the 2 years, a total of 982 patients were admitted to our hospital for G.FB, R.FB, or CS. Four hundred and eighty-three of them (49.2%) were in the pre-pandemic period and 499 (50.8%) were in the pandemic period (p = 0.206). The mean age of the patients was 3.63 ± 3.32 years; 82.4% of the patients in the pre-pandemic group and 85.4% of the patients in the pandemic group were children < 6 years old. While the F/M ratio was 1/1.5 during the pre-pandemic period, it was 1/1.1 during the pandemic period. Of the cases, 73.3% were G.FB, 4.6% were R.FB, and 22.1% were CS. Almost half of the accidents occurred between the hours of 16 and 24. During the pandemic period, the accidents increased to occur between 0 and 8 am in children < 6 years old, and between 8 am and 4 pm in children 6–18 years old (p = 0.003). All of the home accidents in the 6–18 age group between 0 and 8 o'clock were girls (p < 0.0001). During the pandemic period, the frequency of button batteries and food products increased in G.FB. Also, the frequency of R.FB increased significantly (p = 0.006) and the most common R.FB was the food products. The frequency of CS increased in girls during the pandemic period, and CSs were brought to the hospital in a shorter time after the accident during the pandemic period (p = 0.007).ConclusionsIt can be thought that the main reason why home accidents are common in the 0–6 age group is due to the developmental characteristics of the child rather than the longer time spent at home. The pandemic and isolation increase the frequency of foreign body aspirations and home accidents in girls.

Effects of chess-based cognitive remediation training as therapy add-on in alcohol and tobacco use disorders: protocol of a randomised, controlled clinical fMRI trial

BackgroundAlcohol and tobacco use disorders (AUD, TUD) are frequent, both worldwide and in the German population, and cognitive impairments are known to facilitate instances of relapse. Cognitive training has been...

The influence of pica practice on nutritional status, stress and anxiety of pregnant women

Pica is a minor disorder in pregnancy associated with strong craving for food or non -food substances of little or no nutritional value. ObjectiveThe study assesses the characteristics of pica practice among pregnant women and evaluates its influence on the nutritional status, anxiety and stress of pregnant women. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women attending the antenatal unit of a tertiary care hospital in Chennai, India. Pregnant women took a survey for presence of pica practice. Women with pica practice were assessed for dietary information, haemoglobin, pre-pregnant body mass index and stool analysis. Women's anxiety and stress were assessed using Beck anxiety inventory scale and Lipp Stress Inventory Scale. ResultsOut of 739 pregnant women screened, 220 (29.7%) women were found to practice pica. Of the 220 women, 42.2% ingested food substances, 41% ingested non-food substance and 16.8% consumed both. The most common substances craved for were: unripe mango (42.2%), pagophagia (23.8%), ash (41%) and geophagia (19%). Amongst the women with pica, 67.3% women had anaemia, 36% were underweight and 9.5% were overweight. About 40% women had low anxiety, 43% had moderate anxiety and 17% had severe anxiety. Distribution of women based on phases of stress found 15.4% in alert phase, 65% in resistance phase, 1.4% in near exhaustion phase, and 18.2% in exhaustions phase. ConclusionThe study identified that pica practice is not limited to ingestion of edible substances alone. Women practicing pica during pregnancy had anaemia, increased levels of stress and anxiety.

Targeted Proteomics for Monitoring One-Carbon Metabolism in Liver Diseases.

Liver diseases cause approximately 2 million deaths per year worldwide and had an increasing incidence during the last decade. Risk factors for liver diseases include alcohol consumption, obesity, diabetes, the intake of hepatotoxic substances like aflatoxin, viral infection, and genetic determinants. Liver cancer is the sixth most prevalent cancer and the third in mortality (second in males). The low survival rate (less than 20% in 5 years) is partially explained by the late diagnosis, which remarks the need for new early molecular biomarkers. One-carbon metabolism integrates folate and methionine cycles and participates in essential cell processes such as redox homeostasis maintenance and the regulation of methylation reactions through the production of intermediate metabolites such as cysteine and S-Adenosylmethionine. One-carbon metabolism has a tissue specific configuration, and in the liver, the participating enzymes are abundantly expressed—a requirement to maintain hepatocyte differentiation. Targeted proteomics studies have revealed significant differences in hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis, suggesting that monitoring one-carbon metabolism enzymes can be useful for stratification of liver disease patients and to develop precision medicine strategies for their clinical management. Here, reprogramming of one-carbon metabolism in liver diseases is described and the role of mass spectrometry to follow-up these alterations is discussed.

The Relationship between Snack Consumption Patterns and Nutritional Status in Adolescents in Malang City Indonesia

The consumption of snacks is often done between meals. About 20% of the daily intake of adolescents comes from snacks. Snacks contribute‘empty’ energy but provide an excess intake of substances that are not beneficial to the teenager’s body. This study aims to determine the pattern of snack consumption and nutritional status of adolescents in Malang City. This study used a cross-sectional approach to determine the relationship between snack consumption patterns and nutritional status in adolescent in Malang City. The population of this study consisted of 128 high school students (aged 15-18 years) who were selected using the multistage random sampling method ( a combination of the cluster method and simple random sampling) from July-September 2015. Respondents who experiences poor nutritional status were 40 pople (8,6%) and overweight as many as 88 people (19%). Respondents who consumed snacks as much as 3-4x/week showed less nutritional status 14people (35%) and overweight 35 people (39,8%). This study concludeds that the frequency of snack consumption affects the nutritional status of underweight and overweight in adolescents aged 15-18 years in Malang City

Intoxication by drugs of abuse in paediatric age in Florence: A 5-years study

In this retrospective study, we presented our experience of acute intoxication by drugs of abuse in paediatric patients. We analysed the medical charts of children under 17 years old who had been hospitalized for intoxication to the Paediatric University-Hospital Meyer in Florence, in the last 5 years. Data were analysed on the basis of age, gender, substance, alleged accidental/intentional intake and symptoms. 177 cases were included in this study (44% male and 56% female). Population was distributed in 5 age groups: 0-1 (8%), 1-5 (27%), 6-9 (5%), 10-13 (14%) and 14-17 (46%) years-old. The most detected substances were alcohol (26%), Cannabis (18%), and antidepressants (mainly benzodiazepines, 16%). Voluptuary consumption was highest among 14-17 years old subjects (80%). In this case, the main consumed substance was alcohol (31%). Accidental intake was mainly observed in <5 years aged subjects (74%) and in particular between 1 and 5 years (66%). Antidepressants and benzodiazepines are the most found substances (40%), followed by alcohol (18%) and Cannabis (9%). This is likely due to unsafe custody of that drugs by parents. In 85% of cases, substance intake was unknown or not declared, especially when poisoning was accidental. Thus, the time of consumption and/or of the symptoms onset was unknown in in 45%. This made toxicological data interpretation very hard. The phenomenon of intoxication by drugs of abuse in paediatric patients is often underestimated. With this study we tried to obtain an estimation of its magnitude across the Florentine territory. These findings were helpful to draft more effective and reliable protocols aiming to improve the patient treatment and the analytical approach, from sample collection to the final toxicological analysis.

Online extreme challenges putting children at risk: what we know to date.

Extreme online challenges consist in taking part in challenges proposed on web and sharing the results in videos posted on social media. The use of social networks is widespread among the very young, giving easy access to potentially dangerous content with consequences on health. The aim of this literature review was to describe the most common challenges involving children and adolescents over the last 20 years. We focused on participants features (such as age, sex and psychological background) and health implications. The review included research articles and reviews published between 2000 and 2021. We used Pubmed, Scopus and Web of science as search engines. Many types of online challenges emerged from the analysis of the literature. The most common challenges are those that lead to self-harm, which involve acts at risk of choking and challenges that potentially lead to suicide and ingestion of substances. The extreme challenge phenomenon is a public health issue that affects a vulnerable population, as it is young and susceptible to peer pressure influence. Participants often showed problematic personality traits, making them more likely to get involved in these behaviors. It is necessary for parents, teachers and health workers to be aware of the spread of the online challenges, to improve prevention interventions in the age groups involved.

An assessment on the potential of tenebrio molitor used for biodepolymerization of plastics and polystyrene: influencing factors, various feeding cases and gut microbiota

The present study aims to analyze the potential of mealworms (Tenebrio Monitor) used for the biodepolymerization of waste papers, plastics and polystyrenes. The various influencing factors were analyzed such as: temperature, light intensity, moisture content and energy sources. The study was conducted with two types of feeding cases that the first was, the waste papers, plastics and polystyrene were fed with oats (Avena sativa) and the above wastes were added directly to the mealworms without any additional energy sources. A similar weight of 100gms of all three wastes has been added with above two mentioned feeding cases to the mealworms. The study was conducted in a larval stage of mealworms for a period of nearly 30 days and 100 mealworms were used for each and every combination of feeding cases. Mealworms have biodepolymerized 40% of the plastic waste and polystyrene within the period of 10-12 days.Based on the obtained results, it has been found that the gut microbiota and enzymes are the responsible for the biodepolymerization and biodegradation of plastic, polystyrene and paper waste respectively. The present study reveals that mealworms have the potential to survive even after intake of polymer substances, this leads to new pathway for the sustainable management of polymer waste and paper waste.

Dynamics of individual biochemical parameters of blood of intact white mice under the action of the drug “Vitosept”

The active substance of the drug “Vitosept” is high-purity sodium hypochlorite (HPSH), obtained by the direct electrochemical reaction on a newly developed diaphragm-free flow cell, bypassing the formation of molecular chlorine. The developers (Altapharm, Dnipro) used an isotonic (0.9 %) sodium chloride solution prepared in water purified by special technology as the starting electrolyte. The study aimed to determine the effect of different concentrations of Vitosept on the dynamics of serum biochemical parameters of intact white mice. During our research, we found that intragastric administration of even the highest concentrations (500 mg/L) of the drug “Vitosept” did not cause the death of animals or visible signs of intoxication. According to the analysis of clinical manifestations, behavioral reactions, assessment of discomfort, reflex reactions, and the course of metabolic processes, the animals of the experimental groups did not differ from the analogs of the control group. Assessing the protein-synthesizing function of the liver, it was found that the total protein content in the serum of white mice depended on the concentrations of the studied hypochlorite-containing drug and the duration of its receipt. In the animals of the first, second, and third experimental groups during the whole period of the experiment (20 days), the level of total protein in the serum was close to that of the animals of the control group. In animals of groups R4 and R5, on the 10th day of the experiment with the highest applied concentrations of Vitosept (400 and 500 mg/L), the content of total protein in the serum of white mice probably decreased by 8.3 and 7.7 %. It is established that such reduction occurs against the background of changes in the fractional composition of proteins. In white mice of group R5 on the 10th day of the experiment revealed a decrease in blood glucose by 5.9 % (P &lt; 0.05), urea – by 7.4 % (P &lt; 0.05), creatinine – by 9.1 % (P &lt; 0.05). The activity of alkaline phosphatase was 32.1 % (P &lt; 0.05) and GGTP – 70 % (P &lt; 0.05) higher than in the blood of animals of the control group. On the 20th day of the experiment, the level of the studied indicators decreased slightly compared to the similar ones on the 10th day. It was within the limit values, although in most cases, it still differed from the indicators of the animals of the control group. It is obvious that when too high concentrations of even a slightly toxic drug are received, the animal's body reacts with a compensatory-adaptive reaction to the arrival of a foreign substance. Thus, we state that the hypochlorite-containing drug “Vitosept” with the long-term intragastric intake of white mice did not cause hepato- and nephrotoxic effects and revealed some deviations in biochemical parameters in animals of the fourth and fifth groups, on the background of 400–500 mg/L, is most likely the result of adaptive-compensatory response to the intake of the test substance.

MUCOADHESIVE PATCHES OF PREGABALIN EFFECTIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF NEUROPATHIC PAIN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Although the oral pathway is the recommended mode of intake for the majority of medications, it does have some drawbacks i.e., pre-systemic metabolism in the liver, gastrointestinal disturbance, and enzyme degradation. It offers a safe method for administration of medications and easy way to reverse the intake of toxic substances by easy removal of dosage form from oral cavity. This review was designed to critically acknowledge the evaluation parameters, mechanism of cohesion, polymers used in mucoadhesive formulation, main method of preparations (solvent casting &amp; milling), advantages &amp; disadvantages of mucoadhesive patches. This review consists an extensive survey of literature from the Scopus, PubMed, Springer Nature and other international reputed sources. Since the middle of 1980s, the idea of muco-adhesion has acquired extensive interest in drug innovation. Muco-adhesive dosage structures were developed for oral delivery like adhesive unit dosage form, adhesive gels and adhesive patches. The epithelium that forms the internal lining of buccal mucosa is the primary obstruction for the drugs absorption. Muco-adhesion is defined as an interfacial adhesion in which one synthetic mucoadhesive polymer and the other mucin layer (mucosal tissue), are hold together by an attraction force. 'Mucoadhesive’ is defined as an artificial substance being capable of making interaction with mucus membranes and binding them together for extended or delayed periods of time. However, delivering therapeutically for the therapy of both systemic and topical disorders would take a lot more work with these innovative mucoadhesive formulations. In conclusion, it facilitates the target therapy by enriching efficacy or intrinsic activity. Keywords: mucoadhesive patch, solvent-casting, milling, mechanism of muco-adhesion, polymers

Acute caffeine supplementation enhances several aspects of shot put performance in trained athletes.

ABSTRACTThe aim of this investigation was to determine the effect of a moderate dose of caffeine (3 mg/kg/b.m.) on muscular power and strength and shot put performance in trained athletes. Methods. Thirteen shot putters (eight men and five women) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized experiment. In two different trials, participants ingested either 3 mg/kg/b.m. of caffeine or a placebo. Forty-five min after substance ingestion, athletes performed a handgrip dynamometry test, a countermovement jump (CMJ), a squat jump (SJ), and a maximum-velocity push-up. The athletes also performed three types of throws: a backwards throw, a standing shot put and a complete shot put. Results. In comparison with the placebo, caffeine ingestion increased CMJ height (32.25 ± 7.26 vs. 33.83 ± 7.72 cm, respectively; effect size (ES) = 0.82, p = 0.012; +5.0%;) and SJ height (29.93 ± 7.88 vs. 31.40 ± 7.16 cm; ES = 0.63, p = 0.042; +6.4%) and distance in the standing shot put (10.27 ± 1.77 m vs. 10.55 ± 1.94 m; ES = 0.87, p = 0.009; +2.6%). However, caffeine ingestion did not increase strength in the handgrip test, power in the ballistic push-up, or distance in the backwards throw (all p > 0.05). Shot put performance changed from 11.24 ± 2.54 to 11.35 ± . 2.57 m (ES = 0.33, p = 0.26; +1.0%), although the difference did not reach statistically significant differences. Caffeine ingestion did not increase the prevalence of side effects (nervousness, gastrointestinal problems, activeness, irritability, muscular pain, headache, and diuresis) in comparison with the placebo (p > 0.05). Conclusion. In summary, caffeine ingestion with a dose equivalent to 3 mg/kg/b.m. elicited moderate improvements in several aspects of physical performance in trained shot putters but with a small effect on distance in a complete shot put.

Быстрозамороженные фруктово-ягодные десерты: разработка и оценка качества

New functional foods based on local vegetal raw materials can accelerate the implementation of the Strategy for Improving Food Quality in the Russian Federation through 2030. The present research aimed at developing formulations and technology for new functional quick-frozen fruit-and-berry desserts.&#x0D; The study featured four dessert mixes: apricot-persimmon-buckthorn, apricot-feijoa-sloeberry, apricot-persimmon-cornel, and apricot-feijoa-currant. The quality of the finished products was evaluated using conventional methods according to the mass concentration of sugars, solids, pectin, titrated acids, vitamin C, β-carotene, and minerals. The desserts were tested for toxic elements based on the atomic absorption method. The microbiological safety parameters were determined after six months of refrigeration storage (t = –18°C) using standard methods.&#x0D; The physicochemical data made it possible to design formulations where all components complemented each other’s beneficial properties. To stabilize the quality and obtain the optimal structural and mechanical properties, the formulations were completed with a sugar-pectin solution (380 g per 1 kg) with 30% sugar and 1.3% pectin. The mass concentration of some biologically active substances made the desserts functional: 250 g of each product satisfied the daily intake of pectin substances by 51.9–61.3%, vitamin C – by 42.9–123.4%, β-carotene – by 22.5–47.5%, iron – by 8.9–20.5%, and iodine – by 13.3–30.0%.&#x0D; The new quick-frozen functional fruit-and-berry desserts proved to have advanced organoleptic indices and met the safety requirements provided by Technical Regulations of Customs Union TR TC 021/2011.

Evaluation of forensic cases presented to the pediatric emergency department.

OBJECTIVE:Child forensic cases constitute an essential part of emergency presentations. The most crucial point is that the correct planning of protective and preventive activities depends on the correct analysis of the problem; therefore, there is a need for studies on childhood forensic cases. This study aimed to obtain data on the etiological characteristics of forensic cases presented to the pediatric emergency department. We believe that the collected data will guide the social measures in preventing forensic cases.METHODS:This retrospective study consists of forensic cases aged from 1 month to 18 years and presented to the pediatric emergency service of Adana City Training and Research Hospital between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019. The general forensic examination report of the cases was surveyed.RESULTS:For this study, 6577 general forensic examination reports were surveyed. 40% of the patients were females, and 60% were males. Traffic accidents were the most common (35.1%) cause of the emergency presentation, which was followed by assault (16.5%), fall from height (9.2%), accidental drug-caustic corrosive substance intake (7.8%), early pregnancy (7.4%), blunt or sharp force injuries (6.3%), electrical burn injuries (5.7%), suicide (5.1%), carbon monoxide-food poisoning (2.7%), and others that consisted of work accident, firearm injury, substance ingestion, suffocation, animal attack, sudden death, and missing child (4.2%).CONCLUSIONS:This most extensive study with 6577 cases has several important implications. First of all, traffic accidents continue to be an important public health problem today. Second, cases presented to the emergency department due to assault and blunt or sharp force injuries constitute an important part of forensic cases, and children who are driven to violence and crime in childhood are a situation that requires immediate action. Our third yet most important result is that early pregnancy is a much ignored social problem despite its importance.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Caustic Ingestion at a Tertiary Care Center in South India

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of individuals which has sometimes led to attempts at deliberate self-harm including the ingestion of caustic substances. This study was aimed to compare the rates of caustic substance ingestion during the pandemic to a similar period in the preceding year at our center. Methodology: We carried out a retrospective analysis, in which patients' details (demographic, clinical, endoscopic, and outcomes) were collected and compared between April 2019 and December 2019 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic) and from April 2020 to December 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). Results: A total of 41 patients were included in this study, 26 (63.4%) in the pandemic period and 15 (36.5%) in the prepandemic period. The majority were female in both the prepandemic (60%) and pandemic periods (53.9%). More adolescents (&lt;18 years of age) were seen in the pandemic period (15.3%) than in the prepandemic period (6.7%). The proportion of patients admitted with caustic substance ingestion in the pandemic period (3.53%) was significantly higher than in the prepandemic period (1.57%) (P = 0.0094). Conclusion: Caustic substance ingestion almost doubled in our center during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting the burden of mental health issues during a pandemic.

Case report: Airway management in post corrosive poisoning

Corrosive substance ingestion in the acute phase may result in laryngeal injury, endotracheal or bronchial necrosis with mediastinitis, esophagus perforation. Most common late complications are fibrosis and strictures. Pharyngeal web is a rare anamoly which can be seen congenitally or after corrosive ingestion characterized by mucosal bands extending from the posterior pharyngeal wall anteriorly to the glottis. Challenges in anaesthetic management includes securing difficult airway due to distorted upper airway anatomy. Here, we report a case of pharyngeal web where we safely secured airway without injury to the webs with the use of video laryngoscope.

Mystical experiences without mysticism: An argument for mystical fictionalism in psychedelics

Abstract Mystical experiences frequently precede decreases in human suffering or increased functioning. Therapies that include the ingestion of psychoactive substances in supportive environments often lead to improvements that correlate with the magnitude of the mystical experiences generated. A close look at these phenomena from a philosophy of science perspective might put empiricists in a quandary. Arguments with critics of the import of these mystical experiences, prohibitionists, or others who are apprehensive about psychedelic-assisted treatments, might prove awkward or difficult given the tacit assertion that the mystical genuinely exists. The assumption might even dampen theorizing in ways that remain outside of theorists' awareness. The predicament might lack the epistemic humility ideal for good science as well. Nevertheless, abandoning the construct of mystical experiences would require ignoring compelling, replicated empirical work. We argue that a version of philosophical fictionalism that draws on research in logic and linguistics can help investigators engage in this discourse without implying a belief in the mystical. Comparable approaches have proven helpful in mathematics and empiricism more broadly. Mystical fictionalism could help theorists view reports of mystical experiences as true even if the mystical fails to be veridical. The approach creates an expressive advantage that could assist researchers and theorists eager to refine our understanding of mystical experiences and improve psychedelic-assisted treatments. Mystical fictionalism might also inspire novel looks at correlates of mystical experiences that might serve as mediators of their effects, potentially generating models with comparable explanatory power that sidestep the need for a fictionalist approach.

LIPOID PNEUMONIA DUE TO PHARYNGOESOPHAGEAL DYSPHAGIA CAUSING PARAFFIN BRONCHOASPIRATION

TYPE: Case Report TOPIC: Occupational and Environmental Lung Diseases INTRODUCTION: We present a case of exogenous lipoid pneumonia caused by paraffin broncoaspiration due to pharyngoesophageal motor dysphagia. CASE PRESENTATION: A 57 year old female consulted for diarrhea. She had a previous history of ischemic stroke related to hypercoagulability syndrome, causing oropharyngeal dysphagia due to pharyngo-esophageal motor incoordination. Owing to possible neurogenic dysfunction she also presented megadolichocolon with chronic diarrhea-constipation syndrome. Due to the epidemiological situation caused by SARS-COV2, a chest X-ray was performed showing increased density of the right middle lobe. The control X-ray exhibited a persistence of this alteration, therefore a thoracic tomographic study was performed (findings included in image), as well as a bronchoalveolar lavage. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was initially turbid white which, posterior to resting, revealed a superficial layer of fat, supporting the diagnosis of lipoid pneumonia. The patient was subsequently interrogated. She associated the consumption of oily materials from herbalists and paraffin in order to palliate her constipation symptoms, which in relation to her esophageal motor-pharyngeal incoordination produced bronchoaspiration of the referred oily material. DISCUSSION: Oily substance ingestion was suspended. Subsequently she underwent a corticosteroid treatment and is currently under clinical control. CONCLUSIONS: The ground glass pattern is a finding that causes a wide differential diagnosis in the radiological study, therefore it is of great importance to take an adequate clinical history and to take into account the motor dysfunctions related to swallowing, due to the high consumption of herbalist products that contain oily materials that can cause exogenous lipoid pneumonia. DISCLOSURE: Nothing to declare. KEYWORD: Exogenous_Lipoid_Pneumonia

Bioactives in the Food Supply: Effects on CVD Health.

Interest in preventing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease extends beyond essential nutrients and dietary patterns. This article reviews the potential for bioactive compounds to play a role in prevention and the recent process in guidance for developing policy for bioactives. A framework for developing recommended intakes of bioactives dietary substances was recently developed and the first guideline expected is for a bioactive targeted for cardiometabolic health. Bioactives target endothelial health, the gut microbiome, serum lipids, blood pressure, inflammation, and oxidative stress. The evidence base is growing and will be enhanced further with the discovery of good biomarkers of exposure and health outcomes. A robust evidence base is essential to develop policy and influence clinical practice for bioactives, an exciting and growing area of research.