Solvent Engineering for Nonpolar Substrate Glycosylation Catalyzed by the UDP-Glucose-Dependent Glycosyltransferase UGT71E5: Intensification of the Synthesis of 15-Hydroxy Cinmethylin ß-d-Glucoside.

Sugar nucleotide-dependent glycosyltransferases are powerful catalysts of the glycosylation of natural products and xenobiotics. The low solubility of the aglycone substrate often limits the synthetic efficiency of the transformation catalyzed. Here, we explored different approaches of solvent engineering for reaction intensification of ß-glycosylation of 15HCM (a C15-hydroxylated, plant detoxification metabolite of the herbicide cinmethylin) catalyzed by safflower UGT71E5 using UDP-glucose as the donor substrate. Use of a cosolvent (DMSO, ethanol, and acetonitrile; ≤50 vol %) or a water-immiscible solvent (n-dodecane, n-heptane, n-hexane, and 1-hexene) was ineffective due to enzyme activity and stability, both impaired ≥10-fold compared to a pure aqueous solvent. Complexation in 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin enabled dissolution of 50 mM 15HCM while retaining the UGT71E5 activity (∼0.32 U/mg) and stability. Using UDP-glucose recycling, 15HCM was converted completely, and 15HCM ß-d-glucoside was isolated in 90% yield (∼150 mg). Collectively, this study highlights the requirement for a mild, enzyme-compatible strategy for aglycone solubility enhancement in glycosyltransferase catalysis applied to glycoside synthesis.

Efficient biosynthesis of Vibegron intermediate using a novel carbonyl reductase based on molecular modification of hydrogen bonding network regulation.

Vibegron is a novel, potent, highly selective ß3-adrenergic receptor agonist for the treatment of overactive bladder with higher therapeutic capacity and lower side effects. Methyl(2S,3R)-2-((tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino)-3-hydroxy-3-phenylpropanoate ((2S,3R)-aminohydroxy ester) is a key chiral intermediate for the synthesis of Vibegron. A novel carbonyl reductase from Exiguobacterium sp. s126 (EaSDR6) was isolated using data mining technology from GenBank database with preferable catalytic activity. Hydrogen bond network regulation was performed using site-directed saturation mutagenesis and combination mutagenesis. The mutant EaSDR6A138L/S193A was obtained with the activity improvement by 4.58 folds compared with the wild type EaSDR6. The Km of EaSDR6A138L/S193A was decreased from 1.57 mM to 0.67 mM, kcat was increased by 2.17 folds, and the overall catalytic efficiency kcat/Km was increased by 5.07 folds. The organic-aqueous biphasic bioreaction system for the asymmetric synthesis of (2S,3R)-aminohydroxy ester was constructed for the first time. Under the substrate concentration of 150 g/L, the yield of (2S,3R)-aminohydroxy ester was > 99.99%, the e.e. was > 99.99%, and the spatiotemporal yield was 1.55 g/(L·h·g DCW) after 12 h reaction. While the substrate concentration was increased to 200 g/L and the reaction lasted for 36 h, the yield of (2S,3R)-aminohydroxy ester was > 99.99%, the e.e. was > 99.99% and the spatiotemporal yield was 1.05 g/(L·h·g DCW). The substrate concentration and spatiotemporal yield were higher than ever reported.

Enfrentamiento de la anafilaxia en el servicio de urgencia / Approach of Anaphylaxis in the emergency room

La anafilaxia es una reacción en su mayoría de hipersensibilidad tipo I, que estimula la activación generalizada de mastocitos, y provoca un cuadro clínico multisistémico que puede ser fatal. Se estima que tiene una incidencia de 0,03-0,1% y una prevalencia de vida de 0,5-2% en la población general. Generalmente, la reacción inmunológica ocurre posterior a la ingesta de alimentos, uso de medicamentos o picaduras de insectos, pero también se han descrito mecanismos no inmunológicos (no IgE) que actúan directamente sobre los mastocitos, llamadas en la literatura "reacciones anafilactoideas". La anafilaxia fue descrita por Paul Portier y Charles Robert Richet en 1902 en perros, los cuales desarrollaban esta reacción posterior a la inyección repetida de veneno de anémonas (medusas). Sin embargo, esta entidad no tuvo criterios diagnósticos ni pilares de manejo estructurado hasta el año 2006. En ese año en se publicó el segundo simposio de manejo de la anafilaxia, en donde se definieron criterios diagnósticos clínicos claros y el rol fundamental de la adrenalina en su manejo; la única droga que cambia el pronóstico del paciente.

Anaphylaxis is mainly a type I hypersensitivity reaction. It triggers a widespread activation of mast cells, causing a multisystemic clinical scenario that can be fatal. It is estimated to have an incidence of 0.03-0.1% and a lifetime prevalence of 0.5-2%. Most immunological reactions occur after food ingestion, medication, or insect stings, but non-immunological (non-IgE) mechanisms that act directly on mast cells, called Anaphylactoid Reactions, have been also described. Anaphylaxis was described by Paul Portier and Charles Robert Richet in 1902 in dogs, that developed this disease after repeated injections of anemones (jellyfish) venom. However, this entity didn't have established diagnostic criteria or an standarized management until 2006. In this year, the second anaphylaxis management sym-posium took place and clear clinical diagnostic criteria were defined. The fundamental role of adrenaline in its management was also established. The former is the only drug that has demonstrated to improve prognosis of the patient

A New Phospholipase D from Moritella sp. JT01: Biochemical Characterization, Crystallization and Application in the Synthesis of Phosphatidic Acid.

A new phospholipase D from marine Moritella sp. JT01 (MsPLD) was recombinantly expressed and biochemically characterized. The optimal reaction temperature and pH of MsPLD were determined to be 35 °C and 8.0. MsPLD was stable at a temperature lower than 35 °C, and the t1/2 at 4 °C was 41 days. The crystal structure of apo-MsPLD was resolved and the functions of a unique extra loop segment on the enzyme activity were characterized. The results indicated that a direct deletion or fastening of the extra loop segment by introducing disulfide bonds both resulted in a complete loss of its activity. The results of the maximum insertion pressure indicated that the deletion of the extra loop segment significantly decreased MsPLD's interfacial binding properties to phospholipid monolayers. Finally, MsPLD was applied to the synthesis of phosphatidic acid by using a biphasic reaction system. Under optimal reaction conditions, the conversion rate of phosphatidic acid reached 86%. The present research provides a foundation for revealing the structural-functional relationship of this enzyme.

Comparison of the efficacy of continuous intravenous infusion versus intramuscular injection of epinephrine for initial anaphylaxis treatment.

Aim: Continuous intravenous (CIV) infusion of epinephrine for the treatment of anaphylaxis may be required if symptoms do not improve after intramuscular (IM) injection. As CIV infusion permits precise dose adjustment, we compared treatment course and adverse events following CIV infusion and IM injection of epinephrine for the management of anaphylaxis. Methods: Medical records of patients, who were treated for anaphylaxis with epinephrine, were 18 years or older, and were admitted to our department from April 2005 to March 2016, were retrospectively reviewed. The cases were categorized as CIV infusion or IM injection, and treatment course and outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results: Of the 142 eligible cases, there were 78 in the CIV infusion group and 64 in the IM injection group. The CIV infusion group had lower systolic blood pressure, more respiratory symptoms, and higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores, but required a lower total dose of epinephrine, had fewer adverse events after epinephrine administration, and showed lower incidence of biphasic reactions. In addition, compared with the IM injection group, time to administration of epinephrine was significantly longer (P < 0.001), but time to resolution of symptoms, both from contact and epinephrine administration, was significantly shorter (P < 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively). Conclusion: Continuous intravenous infusion of epinephrine for the treatment of anaphylaxis may be safe, has fewer adverse events, improves symptoms, and is relatively easy to administer under ready conditions. CIV infusion of epinephrine may also reduce the incidence of biphasic reactions.

Dynamic Liquid-Liquid Interface: Applying a Spinning Interfacial Microreactor to Actively Converge Biphasic Reactants for the Enhanced Interfacial Reaction.

A liquid-liquid interfacial reaction combines reactants with large polarity disparity to achieve greener and more efficient chemistry that is otherwise challenging in traditional single-phase systems. However, current interfacial approaches suffer from the need for a large amount of solvent/reactant/emulsifier and poor reaction performance arising from intrinsic thermodynamic constraints. Herein, we achieve an efficient interfacial reaction by creating a magnetic-responsive, microscale liquid-liquid interface and exploit its dynamic spinning motion to generate vortex-like hydrodynamic flows that rapidly converge biphasic reactants to the point-of-reaction. Notably, the spinning of this functional interface at 800 rpm boosts the reaction efficiency and its apparent equilibrium constant by > 500-fold and 105-fold, respectively, higher than conventional methods that utilize bulk and/or non-dynamic liquid interfaces, even with external mechanical stirring. By driving reaction equilibrium toward favorable product formation, our unique design offers enormous opportunities to realize efficient multiphasic reactions crucial for diverse applications in chemical synthesis, environmental remediation, and even molecular recycling.

Effects of Surface Hydrophobicity on Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Styrene with Formic Acid in a Biphasic Mixture.

Transfer hydrogenation (TH) of unsaturated hydrocarbons with formic acid (FA) is an attractive processing pathway for the reduction of lignocellulosic pyrolysis oils. The low solubility of hydrophobic bio-oil species in water and FA in oil necessitates the use of a biphasic system as the reaction environment. Here, we report the effects of Pd/silica catalyst surface wettability on the TH reaction rate. Modification of the surface with short chain (C1-C4) alkyl silanes resulted in an increase in the reaction rate as compared to the unmodified catalyst. In contrast, modification of the surface with sulfonate (hydrophilic) and C18 alkyl silanes (hydrophobic) resulted in a decrease in the reaction rate as compared to the unmodified catalyst. The results are discussed in terms of the catalyst interfacial activity and relative affinity of the reagents to the Pd active sites. An observed change in the apparent reaction order in styrene for a hydrophilic catalyst suggests that changing catalyst surface wettability from hydrophilic to hydrophobic resulted in a switch from a transport-limited to a kinetic-limited reaction regime.

Glucocorticoids and Rates of Biphasic Reactions in Patients with Adrenaline-Treated Anaphylaxis: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of glucocorticoids in preventing biphasic reactions in patients with anaphylaxis remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the effects of glucocorticoids on rates of biphasic reactions in hospitalized patients with anaphylaxis treated with adrenaline. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study using a national inpatient database in Japan, we identified 31,570 hospitalized patients with anaphylaxis treated with adrenaline on the day of admission. We divided them into two groups: those who were treated with adrenaline plus glucocorticoids and those who received adrenaline only on the day of admission. The primary outcome was the occurrence of a biphasic reaction, defined as requiring two or more ampules of adrenaline within 7 days of admission. We performed a one-to-four propensity score matching analysis to compare the outcomes between the two groups. RESULTS: Of the 31,570 eligible patients, 28,145 (89.2%) were treated with glucocorticoids on the day of admission. The overall percentage of biphasic reactions within 7 days of admission was 11.2%. One-to-four propensity score matching created matched cohorts of 3,425 patients in the control group and 13,700 patients in the glucocorticoid group. After propensity score matching, there were no significant differences in rates of biphasic reactions (10.7% in the glucocorticoids group vs. 10.5% in the control group; odds ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.85-1.24; p = 0.77) between patients with anaphylaxis treated with and without glucocorticoids on the day of admission. CONCLUSION: Our findings do not support the use of glucocorticoids to prevent biphasic reactions in hospitalized patients with severe anaphylaxis requiring adrenaline.

Epidemiology of anaphylaxis and biphasic reaction in Japanese children.

AIM: Anaphylaxis is common, but can sometimes be fatal. However, data on the epidemiology and characteristics of anaphylaxis are limited. Although 0.9%-14.7% of anaphylactic reactions in children are biphasic, it is unclear what the characteristics of biphasic reaction are and how long patients with this reaction should be observed. The present study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of anaphylaxis and biphasic reactions and identify the characteristics of the latter. METHODS: We conducted an observational study of patients who visited the pediatric emergency department (PED) and were hospitalized for anaphylaxis between March 2010 and March 2017. RESULTS: Of the 264,689 children who visited our PED, 353 (1.3 per 1,000 patient) were hospitalized for anaphylaxis, and six (1.7%) had a biphasic reaction. Of the patients with a biphasic reaction, the median time from initial anaphylaxis to the biphasic reaction was 5.9 (interquartile range [IQR] = 3.3-7.6) hours. Symptoms of the initial episode and the biphasic reaction varied. One (0.3%) of the 353 patients developed a clinically important biphasic reaction that required epinephrine administration. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of biphasic reactions was 1.7%, and that of clinically important biphasic reactions was 0.3%. Patients with anaphylaxis need to be carefully monitored because of the regular occurrence of biphasic reactions.

Acid hydrolysis of almond shells in a biphasic reaction system: Obtaining of purified hemicellulosic monosaccharides in a single step.

The aim of this work is to comprehend the biphasic reaction systems through another perspective; the simultaneous purification and production of carbohydrates during the pretreatment of biomass. A dilute acid hydrolysis of almond shells in a 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran/H2O system was optimised to maximise the obtaining of hemicellulose-derived monosaccharides with the minimum formation of degradation products. The optimised conditions of the biphasic reaction system, which produced 205.3 g hemicellulose-derived monosaccharides/Kg almond shells, were replicated in a monophasic reaction system to assess the benefits of the biphasic reaction systems. The latest system allowed the removal of 85.3% of the furans generated during the dilute acid hydrolysis, creating antioxidant extract, together with the catalysis of the hydrolysis of the hemicelluloses in a 20%. Therefore, the proposed process could become a promising method to purify carbohydrates with an environmentally friendly procedure that allowed the obtaining of multiple added-value products in a single step.

Characterizing Biphasic Food-Related Allergic Reactions Through a US Food Allergy Patient Registry.

BACKGROUND: Understanding about patient-reported biphasic food-related allergic reactions is currently sparse. OBJECTIVE: To characterize patient-reported biphasic food-related allergic reactions among a national food allergy registry. METHODS: We used two patient registry surveys established by Food Allergy Research and Education. Variables were described with proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CIs); unadjusted results were stratified by respondent type. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated the adjusted odds of reporting a biphasic reaction. RESULTS: The incidence of reported biphasic reactions was 16.4% (95% CI, 15.3-17.7). A total of 12.8% of parent or guardian respondents (95% CI, 12.5-14.3) and 21.8% of self-respondents (95% CI, 19.7-23.8) indicated a biphasic reaction during their most recent food-allergic reaction. Among respondents with a mild initial reaction, 7.4% reported a biphasic reaction, compared with 30% with a very severe initial reaction. When the initial reaction was mild, 69.6% of parent or guardian respondents (95% CI, 47.2-85.4) and 52.0% of self-respondents (95% CI, 38.0-35.7) with a biphasic reaction reported a mild secondary reaction. When the initial reaction was very severe, 36.3% of parent or guardian respondents (95% CI, 26.4-47.5) and 42.9% of self-respondents (95% CI, 31.1-55.5) with a biphasic reaction reported a very severe secondary reaction. Female sex, Black race, reaction age 5-12 and 26-66 years, initial moderate, severe, or very severe reaction, and one or more annual reactions were associated with increased odds of a biphasic reaction. CONCLUSIONS: This study characterizes the incidence of patient-reported biphasic reactions and provides valuable information on the probable severity of a biphasic food-related allergic reaction. Further research is necessary to understand the epidemiology of food-related biphasic reactions.

Segmented Flow Processes to Overcome Hurdles of Whole-Cell Biocatalysis in the Presence of Organic Solvents.

In modern process development, it is imperative to consider biocatalysis, and whole-cell catalysts often represent a favored form of such catalysts. However, the application of whole-cell catalysis in typical organic batch two-phase synthesis often struggles due to mass transfer limitations, emulsion formation, tedious work-up and, thus, low yields. Herein, we demonstrate that utilizing segmented flow tools enables the conduction of whole-cell biocatalysis efficiently in biphasic media. Exemplified for three different biotransformations, the power of such segmented flow processes is shown. For example, a 3-fold increase of conversion from 34 % to >99 % and a dramatic simplified work-up leading to a 1.5-fold higher yield from 44 % to 65 % compared to the analogous batch process was achieved in such a flow process.

Association between biphasic reactions and the systems of symptoms and treatment in patients with anaphylaxis hospitalized from the emergency department.

AIM: Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening, generated or systemic reaction, and biphasic reaction could occur in some cases. We investigated the clinical course of anaphylaxis in our hospital and studied the relationship between biphasic reactions and the symptoms and treatments for predicting the onset of biphasic reactions. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 120 patients with anaphylaxis who were admitted to our hospital from the emergency department during April 2008-October 2015. RESULTS: The incidence of biphasic reactions of anaphylaxis in our hospital was 10.8% (13 patients) without significant difference when compared with that in previous reports. Regarding the development of biphasic reactions, symptoms, the number of systems of symptoms and severity of the initial reaction, and treatment with adrenaline and corticosteroid were not clearly related with biphasic reaction. Use of adrenaline in the initial treatment was approximately 60%. Of the 13 biphasic reactions, 11 (84.5%) were as equal/mild as the original symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study could not show the factors predicting the onset of biphasic reactions. Further prospective and nationwide studies are required to research biphasic reactions.

Risk Factors and Characteristics of Biphasic Anaphylaxis.

BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis is an immediate hypersensitivity reaction. However, a biphasic course with the second onset of symptoms can occur hours after the initial phase. Little is known about the causes of biphasic anaphylaxis making the identification of patients at risk difficult. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors predisposing for biphasic anaphylaxis for the better understanding of these reactions. METHODS: Data from the Anaphylaxis Registry (from 11 countries) including 8736 patients with monophasic and 435 biphasic anaphylaxis were analyzed. RESULTS: The rate of biphasic reactions in this large cohort was 4.7%. The identified risk factors were reaction severity (grade III/IV vs grade II: odds ratio [OR] = 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-1.62); multiorgan involvement; skin, gastrointestinal, severe respiratory, and cardiac symptoms; anaphylaxis caused by peanut/tree nut (OR = 1.78; 95% CI: 1.38-2.23) or an unknown elicitor (OR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.41-2.72); exercise as a cofactor (OR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.17-1.78); chronic urticaria as a comorbidity (OR = 2.12; 95% CI: 1.19-3.78); a prolonged interval between the contact with the elicitor and start of primary symptoms (OR for >30 vs <30 min: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.08-1.76); and antihistamine treatment (OR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.14-2.02). CONCLUSION: A biphasic course of anaphylaxis occurs more frequently in severely affected patients with multiorgan involvement. However, we identified multiple additional predictors, suggesting that the pathogenesis of biphasic reactions is more complex than being a rebound of a severe primary reaction.

Accelerating Biphasic Biocatalysis through New Process Windows.

Process intensification through continuous flow reactions has increased the production rates of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Catalytic reactions are accelerated through an unconventional and unprecedented use of a high-performance liquid/liquid counter current chromatography system. Product generation is significantly faster than in traditional batch reactors or in segmented flow systems, which is exemplified through stereoselective phase-transfer catalyzed reactions. This methodology also enables the intensification of biocatalysis as demonstrated in high yield esterifications and in the sesquiterpene cyclase-catalyzed synthesis of sesquiterpenes from farnesyl diphosphate as high-value natural products with applications in medicine, agriculture and the fragrance industry. Product release in sesquiterpene synthases is rate limiting due to the hydrophobic nature of sesquiterpenes, but a biphasic system exposed to centrifugal forces allows for highly efficient reactions.

Biphasic Reactions in Emergency Department Anaphylaxis Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Biphasic reaction rates and potential associated risk factors are not well understood. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate biphasic reaction rates and associated risk factors. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients with anaphylaxis at 2 Midwestern academic emergency departments (EDs). We gathered data using patient and ED provider surveys and a structured health record review. Biphasic reaction rates and clinically significant biphasic reaction rates, defined as recurrent reactions that met anaphylaxis diagnostic criteria or were treated with epinephrine, were calculated. Characteristics associated with biphasic reactions were assessed with logistic regression and reported with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: Of 430 ED anaphylaxis visits, 31 (7.2%) patients had biphasic reactions; 22 (5.1%) had clinically significant biphasic reactions. The median time from anaphylaxis onset to first epinephrine dose was longer for patients with biphasic (78 minutes) than uniphasic courses (45 minutes) (P = .005). A biphasic course was associated with an ED setting of first epinephrine dose (OR, 3.72; 95% CI, 1.36-10.14) and a delay of more than 30 minutes from symptom onset to first epinephrine dose (OR, 3.39; 95% CI, 1.13-10.18), and was inversely associated with arrival by ambulance (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.05-0.61). A clinically significant biphasic reaction was associated with an ED setting of first epinephrine dose (OR, 3.32; 95% CI, 1.08-10.25) and inversely associated with arrival by ambulance (OR, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.01-0.61). CONCLUSIONS: Biphasic reactions and clinically significant biphasic reactions occurred in 7.2% and 5.1% of ED anaphylaxis patients, respectively. Delayed epinephrine administration was associated with biphasic reactions.

Pickering Interfacial Catalysts with CO2 and Magnetic Dual Response for Fast Recovering in Biphasic Reaction.

Pickering interfacial catalysis provides an excellent platform for biphasic reactions, but the separation and recycling of nanocatalysts is a challenge because of high adsorption energy of nanocatalysts at the liquid-liquid interface. In this work, we represent a new type of versatile Pickering emulsion based on magnetic and CO2-responsive nanohybrids Fe3O4@SiO2@P(TMA-DEA). The smart nanoparticles can stabilize the water-in-oil Pickering emulsion in the biphasic system and achieve the subsequent demulsification by bubbling CO2 ascribed to their reversible switching surface. In the absence of energy barrier, the nanohybrids can be easily captured in situ by magnetic field in 2 min and showed excellent recyclability. In the Anelli system for alcohol oxidation, the nanocatalyst exhibited threefold enhancement in catalytic efficiency in comparison with an unemulsified two-phase and little loss on activity after five cycles. The conceptually novel dual-responsive system offers a green and energy-saving strategy for effective recycling of the nanocatalyst and intensification of biphasic reaction.

Duration of Observation for Detecting a Biphasic Reaction in Anaphylaxis: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: We conducted a meta-analysis to determine a practical observation time for detecting a biphasic reaction after resolution of the initial anaphylactic reaction. METHODS: A systematic literature search identified studies on adult patients with anaphylaxis and a subsequent biphasic reaction due to various causes that contained sufficient data to extract outcomes. The outcomes were pooled using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Twelve studies with a total of 2,890 adult patients with anaphylaxis and 143 patients with a biphasic reaction were included. In terms of the pooled negative predictive value, 1 h of observation achieved a 95.0% negative predictive value and ≥6 h of observation provided a 97.3% negative predictive value (95% CI: 95.0-98.5). The negative predictive value for a biphasic reaction increased with a longer observation time after initial anaphylaxis, and the increasing trend slowed down from 6 h of observation time. The pooled additional incidence rates of biphasic reactions per 100 person-hours after 1- and 4-h observations were 0.45 (95% CI: 0.20-1.04) and 0.41 (95% CI: 0.19-0.87), respectively. After > 8-12 h of postanaphylactic observation, the negative predictive value reached > 98%, while the additional incidence per 100 person-hours was < 0.10. CONCLUSIONS: An observation time of ≥6 h after resolution of an initial anaphylaxis symptom can exclude recurrence of a secondary reaction in > 95% of patients. Although longer observation periods resulted in the detection of more biphasic reactions, 6-12 h of observation time would be practical, supporting current relevant guidelines.

Robust Bijels for Reactive Separation via Silica-Reinforced Nanoparticle Layers.

Pickering emulsions have been successfully used as media for catalysis and separation. However, simultaneous reaction and separation cannot be performed in a continuous mode in these systems, because reagents cannot be readily loaded into or recovered from the dispersed phase. Bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gels (bijels), in which the oil and water phases are continuous throughout the structure, have potential as media for simultaneous reaction and separation in a continuous mode. In this work, we take a major step toward realizing this vision by demonstrating the ability of bijels to be used in reactive separation performed in a batch fashion. To perform effectively, bijels must maintain their morphology and interfacial mass transfer properties during reaction. To strengthen the bijels, we modify the solvent transfer-induced phase separation (STRIPS) method to make bijels resistant to mechanical stresses and prevent detachment of nanoparticles from the oil/water interface due to pH changes by chemically fusing the interfacial nanoparticles. The reinforced bijel is successfully tested in base-catalyzed hydrolysis of esters and remains robust under these challenging conditions.

"Two Stones on One Bird": A Case Report on Severe Biphasic Anaphylaxis Masquerading as Life-Threatening Acute Asthma.

BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis often misdiagnosed and treated as acute asthma, especially when it has a predominant respiratory symptom, and there are no obvious precipitants or previous allergic history. This morbid outcome is preventable if the level of suspicion for anaphylaxis is high among healthcare provider when treating a patient who is not responding to the standard management of acute asthma. A proportion of anaphylactic patient shows a biphasic reaction which potentially fatal when it is under-anticipated and prematurely discharge without adequate observation period after the recovery of the initial episode. CASE REPORT: Here, we present a case of a young man who has childhood asthma with the last attack more than 10 years ago presented with symptoms suggestive of acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. As the symptoms failed to improve after standard asthma management, anaphylaxis was suspected, and he was given intramuscular adrenaline 0.5 mg which leads to symptom improvement. However, he developed another attack shortly after improvement while under observation. CONCLUSION: The objective of this case report is to emphasise the importance of keeping anaphylaxis in mind whenever a patient has treatment-refractory asthma, and also the anticipation of biphasic reaction that warrants adequate observation period especially those who are likely to have developed it.