Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Modeling And Simulation Of Various Bolus And Infusion Doses Of Cangrelor, Le Thien Truc Pham, Eyob Adane

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Background: Cangrelor (Kengreal(R) is a non-thienopyridine parenteral antiplatelet drug approved as an adjunct for the reduction of periprocedural myocardial infarction and stent thrombosis risk in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). It is also used off-label for bridging in patients who are off their antiplatelet agents prior to surgery. Cangrelor blocks the binding of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) by reversibly binding to P2Y12 receptors on platelet surfaces. In comparison to other P2Y12 antagonists, cangrelor has a rapidly reversible platelet inhibition effect with a short half-life of approximately 3-5 minutes. Data on simultaneous PK/PD modeling of cangrelor are, however, lacking. The aims …

Evaluating The Effect Of Skipping Ticagrelor Doses And Need For Bolus Doses Upon Treatment Resumption Through Population Pk/Pd Simulation, Hiroyoshi Matsui, Le Thien Truc Pham, Eyob D. Adane

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Ticagrelor (Brilinta (R)) is the first reversibly binding oral P2Y12 receptor antagonist. It is used, mostly in combination with aspirin, in patients with acute coronary syndromes to reduce thrombosis. The manufacturer of ticagrelor recommends discontinuing it at least 5 days before any surgery when possible. While the effect of dose interruptions on the risk of thrombosis is not directly studied, it is important to understand the impact of skipping doses on ticagrelor's PK/PD profile for clinical-decision making. The objectives of the current study were to simulate the impact of therapy interruption on the PK/PD of ticagrelor and examine the need …

Near-Neutral Balanced Selection Theory (Nnbst): Implication On The Molecular Evolution Of Sars-Cov-2 And Zika Virus, Nicholas J. Paradis

Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Symposium

Virus pandemics have significantly impacted human welfare and development. Understanding the true molecular evolution of viruses is critical for preventing future pandemics and developing the next-generation drugs and vaccines. Unfortunately, viruses exhibiting constant genomic substitution rates (GSRs) despite increasing vaccinations and human infections (SARS-CoV-2) and viruses under seemingly extreme conservation (ZIKV) paints a confusing picture of viral evolution, and the main evolutionary theories (Selectionist Theory, Kimura’s Neutral Theory) cannot explain their molecular evolution. Here, we developed a first-principle model, c/u, to characterize reproductive fitness changes in viruses based on variations in the nucleotide/codon mutation rate (c) with respect to the …

Mechanistic Investigation Of C—C Bond Activation Of Phosphaalkynes With Pt(0) Complexes, Roberto M. Escobar, Abdurrahman C. Ateşin, Christian Müller, William D. Jones, Tülay Ateşin

Research Symposium

Carbon–carbon (C–C) bond activation has gained increased attention as a direct method for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals. Due to the thermodynamic stability and kinetic inaccessibility of the C–C bonds, however, activation of C–C bonds by homogeneous transition-metal catalysts under mild homogeneous conditions is still a challenge. Most of the systems in which the activation occurs either have aromatization or relief of ring strain as the primary driving force. The activation of unstrained C–C bonds of phosphaalkynes does not have this advantage. This study employs Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate Pt(0)-mediated C–CP bond activation mechanisms in phosphaalkynes. Investigating the …

Adherence To Sb5195 Naloxone Distribution Requirements At Discharge From The Emergency Department, E Stewart, J Delfeld, J Mckay, J Corhei, Kailyn Elliot

Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present

Background: Washington State, mirroring a national crisis, experienced a surge in opioid-related deaths, with 17,502 fatalities from 2007 to 2021. This trend aligns with the U.S.'s broader opioid epidemic, marked by 70,000 drug overdose deaths in 2017, data show overdose deaths involving opioids increased from an estimated 70,029 in 2020 to 80,816 in 2021. Overdose deaths were from synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl. In response, empowering registered nurses (RNs) in emergency departments (EDs) to issue Nurse-Initiated Orders (NIO) for patients to discharge from the hospital with physical naloxone pre-pack kits to be used in the community, an opioid antagonist, has …

Substance Use Disorder (Sud)- The Impact Of Sud In Utah, Amber Escobedo

Annual Research Symposium

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a manageable mental disorder that causes affected individuals to lose control over their use of substances such as drugs or alcohol. The cost of this disorder leads to the loss of billions of dollars each year. The purpose of this study is to explore ways to minimize the cost SUD bring to Utah and the United States.

Pharmacist Interventions Increase Uptake Of Pneumonia Vaccination In At-Risk Populations: A Review., Kaitlyn Hinton

Annual Research Symposium

Pneumonia is a large burden to healthcare costs and a large cause of hospitalization (Hayes, BH. Chest. 2018, 153(2), 427), and bacterial pneumonia can be prevented through vaccination. While pediatric vaccinations are routinely given, an additional dose is required for adults 65+ years of age or otherwise immune compromised, including diabetics. Only 22.2% of Immunocompromised patients and 65% of the elderly population have received the extra dose (Hung, MC. CDC. 2022). With pharmacist interventions, these vaccination rates could increase significantly. The purpose of this study was to conduct a review of the literature to identify interventions that have yielded higher …

Medication Errors Among Als Providers In The Prehospital Setting, Cody Vaughn Gibson, Victor Jimenez Jr

Annual Research Symposium

EMS providers administer a variety of medications to patients in the prehospital environment, and while there are numerous published studies on medication errors pertaining to the hospital environment, there are comparatively fewer studies which focus on the prehospital environment. Therefore, the purpose of this survey is to investigate the type and frequency of medication errors occurring in the prehospital environment.

Evaluation Of Novel Therapeutic Agents For The Treatment Of Chronic Dry Eyes, Lilian Huynh, Evonie Villarete, Surajit Dey

Annual Research Symposium

Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial ocular condition, where disrupted tear film stability and ocular surface inflammation affected between 5% to 34% of the worldwide population in 2015 and posed a challenge to conventional ophthalmic treatments. Recent advances have led to potential novel therapeutics aiming to alleviate symptoms and improve patient outcomes.

Quantifying Community-Based Pharmacy Student Operational And Clinical Rotation (Ippe) Activities., Kenneth Kunke, Phillip Lawrence, C. Leiana Oswald, Erin Johanson, Michelle Hon

Annual Research Symposium

The purpose of this study is to identify and describe trends in the quantity and proportion of operational and clinical activities performed by students on introductory (IPPE) rotations.

2018 2nd Place: Identifying The Effectiveness Of Plant Extracts For Treating Biofilms Of Escherichia Coli And Myxococcus Xanthus, Micah Burton

Harrisburg University Research Symposium: Highlighting Research, Innovation, & Creativity

Antibiotic resistance is a topic that is of growing concern in the field of medicine. Antibiotics act as growth blockers or act as toxins, killing the organism they affect. These biological weapons generate selective pressure leading to the current antibiotic crisis. This selective pressure causes resistant organisms to begin to emerge and over generations antibiotic resistance can develop and be spread among a bacterial population.

One of the key factors contributing to antibiotic resistance in bacteria is the ability for some bacteria to form and shield themselves within biofilms. Biofilms are masses of bacteria protected by a polysaccharide/ extracellular DNA …

Avaren-Fc, A Novel Immunotherapeutic, Recruits Nk Cells In B16f10 Melanoma Tumor Tissue, Sreevatsa Vemuri, Katarina Mayer, Nobuyuki Matoba

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the US, with limited effective immunotherapeutic options available for patients. Avaren-Fc (AvFc) is a novel experimental immunotherapeutic agent with a unique “lectibody” property. It is capable of targeting cancer cells through the selective recognition of high mannose glycans, which are aberrantly overrepresented on the surface of malignant cells. AvFc can interact with circulating effector immune cells equipped with Fc receptors, such as natural killer (NK) cells to induce antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and kill cancer cells. Previous work has shown that AvFc effectively induces ADCC activity against B16F10 cancer cells in vitro …

Liposome Synthesis And Evaluation In The Hek-293 Cell Line, Christine Skibinski

Harrisburg University Research Symposium: Highlighting Research, Innovation, & Creativity

Liposomes were synthesized using the thin film method. A lyophilized power of egg-derived phosphatidylcholine, stearylamine, and cholesterol were added to ethanol and dried under argon to form a lipid cake. The lipid cake was rehydrated with dPBS and sonicated at 60°C forming a heterogenous batch of liposomes. Our results revealed the average size of the liposomes, determined by Dynamic Light Scattering, was approximately 223.1nm, while demonstrating a weakly positive zeta-potential of 1.9± 8.07mv. Next, we tested the antitumor action of the liposomes in the HEK-293 cell line via an MTT assay. We observed that the liposomes were able to inhibit …

Stress-Induced Changes In Carf Expression Determine Growth Arrest, Apoptosis, Or Malignant Transformation In Cultured Human Cells: Molecular Evidence And Its Application, Mallika Khurana, Rajkumar Singh Kalra, Anupama Chaudhary, Amr Omar, Xiaoshuai Li, Sunil C. Kaul, Renu Wadhwa

Research Symposium

Background: CARF (Collaborator of ARF)/CDKN2AIP is an essential protein, first cloned as a binding partner of ARF. It was subsequently shown to interact with p53, HDM2 proteins and regulate growth arrest and apoptosis by its multimodal mechanism of action. Over-expression of CARF caused senescence like growth arrest of cells, its knock-down triggered apoptosis. Intriguingly, malignantly transformed cells showed high level of CARF expression. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that level of CARF expression may be a key determinant of cell proliferation fates; where an increase in its levels causes growth arrest/senescence, but beyond a threshold it activates carcinogenesis.

Methods: …

Piperine Encourages Apoptosis In Human Cervical Adenocarcinoma Cells Through Ros Generation, Dna Fragmentation, Caspase-3 Activation And Cell Cycle Arrest, Asif Jafri, Juhi Rais, Sudhir Kumar, Md Arshad

Research Symposium

Background: Cancer is one of the most common destructive diseases and the second leading cause of death in humans. Among cancer, cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy among women globally. Thus, there is a continuous need to search for chemotherapeutic chemicals or naturally occurring drugs to resolve this global health problem. Piperine (1-piperoylpeperdine) is present in the fruits of black pepper (Piper nigrum Linn.) and long pepper (Piper longum Linn.). It possesses several pharmacological properties and in the present study we have evaluated its anti-cancer potential on human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells.

Methods: The anti-proliferative effect …

Pharmacoeconomics Of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treatment With Targeted Therapies Guided By Companion Molecular Diagnostics, Luis E. Fernández-Garza, Hector Sánchez-Ibarra, Daniela Treviño-Sáenz, Hugo A. Barrera-Saldaña

Research Symposium

Background: To guide the treatment with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), the FDA recommends prior companion molecular diagnosis (CMDx). It initially recommended screening for mutations in exon 2 of the KRAS gene, and most recently to extend to screening to exons 2, 3, and 4 of KRAS and 2, 3, and 4 of NRAS genes; furthermore, to evaluate the BRAF exon 15 mutation status (including V600E). To date, no studies have been done to compare the cost-benefit of these different CMDXs.

Methods: We have compared the cost of treatment without …

International Conference On Cancer Health Disparities, Juhi Rais, Asif Jafri, Neelam Shivnath, Habiba Khan, Md Arshad

Research Symposium

Background: Biochanin A, an isoflavone that is mainly present in red clover, has potent chemopreventive properties against many cancers. Ovarian carcinoma is fifth most common and deadliest gynaecological malignancy that causes the highest mortality in females worldwide. Hence a substantial need for new therapies for combating this gynaecological malignancy arises.

Methods: The present study aimed to investigate anti-cancerous potentials of biochanin A on cultured human ovarian carcinoma PA-1 cells through the cell viability assay, cellular apoptosis, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), involvement of ROS, cell cycle kinetics, and expression of apoptosis-related genes namely, p53, Bax, Bcl-2, Noxa and Puma. …

Development And Evaluation Of A Nanofiber Membrane In Vitro As A Therapeutic Alternative For The Post Treatment In Breast Cancer Cell In A Murine Model, Bruno A. Valades-Aguilar, Diana Ginette Zarate-Triviño, José Raúl Rángel-López, Moises Armides Franco-Molina, Jorge Luis Menchaca-Arredondo, María Cristina Rodríguez-Padilla

Research Symposium

Worldwide female breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases in 2020, reason for the need of targeted therapies that can maximize treatment success and minimize toxicity. Nanoparticles of gold (AuNps) exhibit cytotoxic properties against certain types of cancer cell lines. Nanofibers have been use in the drug delivery systems due to its degradability and high surface area. We proposed a membrane with nanometric fibers using polivinilic alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (Qts) loaded with AuNps and Doxorubicin (Doxo) with the purpose of diminish tumor regression.

PVA-Qts membrane was develop with electrospinning, the injection, …

Characterization Of Epithelial Growth Factor Transcripts Identified In Crotalus Atrox Venom, Ivan Lopez, Ying Jia

Research Symposium

Epithelial Growth Factor (EGF) is the primary source in regeneration and stimulation of essential fibroblasts cells commonly found in epithelium. Studies have shown that snake venom components are becoming a growing factor in treating illnesses such as cancer, muscular dystrophy, chronic pain, blood pressure, blood clotting, etc. EGF in human cells contains a promising quaternary structure that can bind to snake venom metalloproteinases, proposing a means of activating biochemical responses through protein-protein interactions to regulate unwanted cellular functions. This supports promising research in achieving a greater understanding of regulation along cellular pathways through ligands, increasing the likelihood of targeting unwanted …

The Role Of Community Pharmacists In The Provision Of Medication For Opioid Use Disorder Treatment In Rio Grande Valley, Tamara Al Rawwad, Ammar Kawaleet, Lydia Aguilera, Adrian Sandoval

Research Symposium

Background: The misuse of opioids, including prescription opioids, heroin, and fentanyl, has reached epidemic proportions in the US, resulting in more than 68,000 overdose deaths in 2020, and a total of $78.5 billion a year of economic burden. In response to this crisis, the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) released a strategic plan to combat opioid abuse and misuse, recommending a multidisciplinary approach, including the inclusion of pharmacists in the efforts. The aim of this study is to examine pharmacists’ perception of their role in the provision of medication for opioid use disorders (MOUD) in addition to …

Identification Of Tectorigenin As A Natural Pro-Hypoxia Compound: Implications In Modulation Of Cellular Differentiation And Senescence, Mallika Khurana, Renu Wadhwa, Sunil Kaul

Research Symposium

Background: Hypoxia, a suboptimal level of oxygen, evokes stress response in cells and activated hypoxia signaling has been largely established as a pro-metastasis and pro-angiogenic factor for tumor cells. On the other hand, age-related neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by hypoxic environment, accumulation of molecular garbage and induction of premature senescence. Several recent studies have reported anti-stress impact of the intermittent induction of hypoxia signaling in these cells.

Methods: Screening of a phytochemical library using Hypoxia Responsive Element (HRE) driven luciferase as a reporter was carried out to identify hypoxia-modulating phytochemicals. Activation of HIF-1a (master regulator of hypoxia signaling) was validated …

Binding Pocket Identification And Determination Of Overlapping With Different Software Tools For V8 Protease (1qy6) From Staphylococcus Aureus, Faranak Nadarkhani Dinehkaboudi, Nadimbhai Salimbhai Vahora, Ra'ed Khashan

Discovery Day

Background:

Protein-ligand interactions are critical for biochemical functionality in living organisms, and determining the binding pocket characteristics of a protein is essential for designing drugs that interact with specific protein pockets. Several software tools, such as Deepsite, FTSite, CASTp, and F pocket, are available for identifying these binding pockets.

Objective:

This study aimed to determine the percentage overlap and identify the best binding pocket of V8 Protease (1QY6) from Staphylococcus aureus using different software tools.

Method:

The study retrieved the protease protein's PDB file from the Protein Data Bank and used software programs such as Deepsite, CASTp, and FTsite to …

Intranasal Sufentail Vs. Intravenous Morphine For Acute Pain In The Emergency Department, Billy Sin, Lilia Davenport, Gabriella Sikorska, Joi Yam Yau Lin

Discovery Day

Introduction: Acute pain management in the emergency department (ED) requires prompt administration of safe and effective analgesia. ¬Traditional routes of administration for analgesia includes the oral (PO), intravenous (IV), or intramuscular routes (IM). When these routes of administration are not feasible, the intranasal (IN) route may be considered. Furthermore, a rapid onset of therapeutic effects may be observed due to the rich capillary network of the respiratory mucosa that is able to promptly transport the drug into systemic circulation. There is emerging literature that supports the use of analgesia via the IN route in the Emergency Department (ED). However, its …

Avaliação Dos Fatores Relacionados À Hepatotoxicidade, Em Pacientes Internados Com Alteração Das Enzimas Hepáticas, Sob A Ótica Da Farmacovigilância, Francielle Lopes Dos Reis, Raquel Boff Da Costa, Vittoria Calvi Sampaio, Sheila De Castro Cardoso Toniasso, Patrícia Gabriela Riedel, Dvora Joveleviths

AMNET XX Conferencia Internacional

Introdução: A lesão hepática induzida por medicamentos (DILI) é uma reação adversa rara, relacionada à hepatotoxicidade. A notificação pós comercialização ocorre pelo sistema de farmacovigilância, que adota algoritmos de causalidade como Naranjo e Rucam. Objetivo: Compreender a relação de transaminases (ALT) > 5 vezes o limite da normalidade (>5xLSN) com EA associados a DILI e verificar a frequência de relatos ao sistema de farmacovigilância do hospital e do VIGIMED para propor estudo de farmacovigilância ativa (aprovado pelo CEP). Método: Coorte retrospectiva, obtida de prontuários médicos de pacientes internados em 2018 que apresentaram alteração de ALT > 5xLSN. Resultado: Em 2018 encontramos …

Magnetic Resonance Image-Based Estimates Of Hepatic Blood Flow In Children With And Without Obesity; Implications For Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Models, Yoon Cho, Sherwin S. Chan, Chance S. Friesen, Valentina Shakhnovich

Research Days

Background: Physiologically based pharmacokinetic models for simulating drug pharmacokinetics are useful to guide drug dosing for pediatric patients. Hepatic blood flow could be a useful variable to use in these models.

Objectives/Goal: In this study, we explored 2-D phase contrast non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure hepatic blood flow in children with and without obesity.

Methods/Design: In this IRB-approved study, we imaged pediatric patients with abdominal MRI with 2D phase contrast imaging of the descending aorta (AO) at the diaphragm, the inferior vena cava (IVC) at the right atrium, and inferior to hepatic drainage above the renal vein confluence …

The Impact Of Medication Therapy Management Services On Pediatric Patients With Medical Complexities, Charisma Osuagwu, Erica Wong, Savion Carswell, Sophia Jenkins, Xinyu Wang, Yujin Kim

Research Day

Introduction

Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is a service provided by healthcare providers to ensure the best medical outcomes, particularly for those with multiple chronic conditions. It is often provided for senior populations supported under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Studies show that patients provided with MTM services have higher medication adherence rates and experience fewer complications. However, there are few studies on MTM counseling in pediatric populations. In this literature review study, we investigated the potential impact of MTM services for underserved pediatric populations with chronic conditions or disabilities who are likely to benefit from MTM services.

Methods …

Safety And Efficacy Of Brexanolone As A Novel Treatment Option For Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review., Husna Rahim, Barry Brown

Research Day

Introduction: With the recognition of postpartum depression as a distinct medical condition since the release of the 2013 DSM-V, there simultaneously arose a need for therapy. As of March 2019, brexanolone became the first FDA approved medication indicated for the treatment of postpartum depression. The purpose of this review is to consolidate and present the safety and efficacy data of a new treatment option for postpartum depression.

Methods: A date range was specified of January 2015 to May 2022 with the last search being conducted June 28, 2022. Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar were utilized to identify appropriate trials. …

Case Report And Review: Hawthorne Root Toxicity, James Espinosa, Darren Finn, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Here we present the case of a patient who purchased a hawthorn root product, Raiz de Tejocote, for weight loss purposes. The side effect profile seen, including a positive digoxin level, are consistent with hawthorn root. This case reinforces the importance of asking a patient about all medications, including over the internet medications.

Isolated Temazepam Overdose: A Unique Case Of An Unresponsive Female, Eric Doane

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Cases of acute overdose presenting to the emergency department pose a great challenge given that history can sometimes be limited or at times be inaccurate. While naloxone is routinely given in the field to help reduce opiate’s sedating effects, the routine use of flumazenil has not been routinely adopted in cases of benzodiazepine overdose. This is because, unlike naloxone, there are many medications that act on the GABA receptor, and flumazenil is only specific for binding to the benzodiazepine/GABA receptor. This can lead to an unmasking of other medications that may be co-ingested that also effect the GABA receptor leading …

Keynote Speaker Arkansas Women In Stem Conference Presentation, Maria Ines Ines Dow

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

The Keynote Speaker of the 3rd Annual Arkansas Women in STEM Conference is Dr. Diana Escalona-Vargas, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at UAMS and ACH, and Scientific Director of the Arkansas Children's Hospital Magnetoencephalography Laboratory.