The first documented interaction between a long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata) and a plains spotted skunk (Spilogale interrupta) carcass.

A novel interaction between a long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata) and a plains spotted skunk (Spilogale interrupta) carcass is detailed. In November 2020, a farmer in Edmunds County in north-central South Dakota sent in a video recording of a long-tailed weasel with a spotted skunk carcass. Location of the event, carcass condition, and recorded behavior of the long-tailed weasel offer probable, but unconfirmed, evidence that the spotted skunk was killed by the long-tailed weasel.

Outpatient vancomycin therapy: Acute kidney injury in individualized AUC-based goal trough ranges versus traditional trough dosing.

BACKGROUND: Recent changes to vancomycin guidelines recommend area under the curve concentration (AUC) monitoring in most patients, owing to similar effectiveness and reduced rates of acute kidney injury (AKI). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of AKI in patients receiving vancomycin dosed by AUC-based goal troughs and vancomycin dosed by traditional trough goals (15-20 mcg/mL) in the outpatient setting. METHODS: Patients were included if they received vancomycin outpatient for at least 1 week. The primary objective was comparing the incidence of AKI in patients receiving vancomycin as an outpatient with trough goals derived from patient-specific AUC calculations determined as an inpatient with that of patients receiving vancomycin by traditional goal troughs. Secondary objectives included assessing the rate of treatment failure, AUC estimated trough range, and number of regimen changes required. RESULTS: There were 65 patients in the traditional trough dosing group and 53 patients in the AUC trough dosing group. The incidence of AKI was lower in the AUC trough group (5.7% vs. 23.1%; P = 0.01). There were no differences in the incidence of treatment failure. The median AUC estimated trough range was 11.4-17.1 mcg/mL. There were statistically significant less average regimen changes required in the AUC dosing group (1.13 vs. 1.64; P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: There was a statistically significant lower incidence of AKI in patients receiving vancomycin dosed by individualized AUC-based trough ranges compared with that of patients receiving traditional trough dosing. Developing a process for individualized AUC-based trough ranges can facilitate a convenient monitoring method to use the benefits of vancomycin AUC dosing as an outpatient.

Parental acceptance of human papillomavirus vaccinations and community pharmacies as vaccination settings: A qualitative study in Alabama.

PURPOSE: To determine parents' knowledge and attitudes regarding human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations in their adolescent children and to describe parents' perceptions of adolescent vaccinations in community pharmacies. METHODS: In-depth interviews were completed with parents or guardians of children ages 11-17 years from Alabama's Lee and Macon counties. One-hour long, open-ended telephonic or in-person interviews were conducted until the saturation point was reached. Using ATLAS.ti software and thematic analysis, interview transcripts were coded to identify themes. RESULTS: Twenty-six parents were interviewed, most of whom were female (80.8%) and white (50%). A total of 12 themes were identified. First, two themes emerged regarding elements facilitating children's HPV vaccination, the most common being positive perception of the HPV vaccine. Second, elements hindering children's vaccination contained seven themes, the top one being lack of correct or complete information about the HPV vaccine. The last topic involved acceptance/rejection of community pharmacies as vaccination settings, and the most frequently cited theme was concern about pharmacists' clinical training. CONCLUSIONS: Physician-to-parent vaccine education is important, and assurances of adequate pharmacy immunization training will ease parents' fears and allow pharmacists to better serve adolescents, especially those who do not see physicians regularly.