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Nick White

Publications and source records attributed to Nick White.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Characterization of powdered epidermal vaccine delivery with multiphoton microscopy.

Multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM) has been adapted to non-invasively characterize hand-held powdered epidermal vaccine delivery technology. A near infrared femtosecond pulsed laser, wavelength at approximately 920 nm, was used to evoke autofluorescence of endogenous fluorophores within ex vivo porcine and human skin. Consequently, sub cellular resolution three-dimensional images of stratum corneum and viable epidermal cells were acquired and utilized to observe the morphological deformation of these cells as a result of micro-particle penetration. Furthermore, the distributional pattern of micro-particles within the specific skin target volume was quantified by measuring the penetration depth as revealed by serial optical sections in the axial plane obtained with MPLSM. Additionally, endogenous fluorescence contrast images acquired at the supra-basal layer reveal cellular structures that may pertain to dendritic Langerhans cells of the epidermis. These results show that MPLSM has advantages over conventional histological approaches, since three-dimensional functional images with sub-cellular spatial resolution to depths beyond the epidermis can be acquired non-invasively. Accordingly, we propose that MPLSM is ideal for investigations of powdered epidermal vaccine delivery.

Animals↗

Artesunate versus quinine for treatment of severe falciparum malaria: a randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: In the treatment of severe malaria, intravenous artesunate is more rapidly acting than intravenous quinine in terms of parasite clearance, is safer, and is simpler to administer, but whether it can reduce mortality is uncertain. METHODS: We did an open-label randomised controlled trial in patients admitted to hospital with severe falciparum malaria in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Myanmar. We assigned individuals intravenous artesunate 2.4 mg/kg bodyweight given as a bolus (n=730) at 0, 12, and 24 h, and then daily, or intravenous quinine (20 mg salt per kg loading dose infused over 4 h then 10 mg/kg infused over 2-8 h three times a day; n=731). Oral medication was substituted when possible to complete treatment. Our primary endpoint was death from severe malaria, and analysis was by intention to treat. FINDINGS: We assessed all patients randomised for the primary endpoint. Mortality in artesunate recipients was 15% (107 of 730) compared with 22% (164 of 731) in quinine recipients; an absolute reduction of 34.7% (95% CI 18.5-47.6%; p=0.0002). Treatment with artesunate was well tolerated, whereas quinine was associated with hypoglycaemia (relative risk 3.2, 1.3-7.8; p=0.009). INTERPRETATION: Artesunate should become the treatment of choice for severe falciparum malaria in adults.

Adolescent↗