Chemicals and Drugs Commons^™

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Intake, Abdominal Obesity, And Inflammation Among Us Adults Without And With Prediabetes—An Nhanes Study, Wei Ting Lin, Yu Hsiang Kao, Mirandy S. Li, Ting Luo, Hui Yi Lin, Chien Hung Lee, David W. Seal, Chih Yang Hu, Lei Shih Chen, Tung-Sung Tseng

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Excessive sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) consumption and abdominal obesity have been independently linked to numerous disorders, including diabetes and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP). This study aimed to explore the association between SSB intake, abdominal obesity, and inflammation in normal and prediabetic adults. Sugar intake from SSBs was calculated from 24-h dietary recalls and further classified into non-, medium-, and high-intake. The status of non- and prediabetes was identified based on hemoglobin A1c level. All analyses were performed under a survey module with appropriate sampling weights to control for the complex survey design. A total of 5250 eligible adults without diabetes were …

Structure-Based Rational Design Of Small Α-Helical Peptides With Broad-Spectrum Activity Against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens, Sandeep Lohan, Anastasia G. Konshina, Roman G. Efremov, Innokentiy Maslennikov, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

A series of small (7–12 mer) amphipathic cationic peptides were designed and synthesized to create short helical peptides with broad-range bactericidal activity and selectivity toward the bacterial cells. The analysis identified a lead 12-mer peptide 8b with broad-spectrum activity against Gram-positive (MIC = 3.1–6.2 μg/mL) and Gram-negative (MIC = 6.2–12.5 μg/mL) bacteria and selectivity toward prokaryotic versus eukaryotic cells (HC50 = 280 μg/mL, >75% cell viability at 150 μg/mL). The rapid membranolytic action of 8b was demonstrated by a calcein dye leakage assay and confirmed using scanning electron microscopy. According to circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy, the peptides have an …

Role Of Adenylyl Cyclase Type 7 In Functions Of Bv-2 Microglia, Yawen Hu, Rebecca A. Hill, Masami Yoshimura

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

To assess the role of adenylyl cyclase type 7 (AC7) in microglia’s immune function, we generated AC7 gene knockout (AC7 KO) clones from a mouse microglial cell line, BV-2, using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system. The ability of BV-2 cells to generate cAMP and their innate immune functions were examined in the presence or absence of ethanol. The parental BV-2 cells showed robust cAMP production when stimulated with prostaglandin-E1 (PGE1) and ethanol increased cAMP production in a dose-dependent manner. AC7 KO clones of BV-2 cells showed diminished and ethanol-insensitive cAMP production. The phagocytic activity of the parental BV-2 cells was …

Therapies For Mitochondrial Disorders, Kayli Sousa Smyth, Anne Mulvihill

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Mitochondria are cytoplasmic, double-membrane organelles that synthesise adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondria contain their own genome, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which is maternally inherited from the oocyte. Mitochondrial proteins are encoded by either nuclear DNA (nDNA) or mtDNA, and both code for proteins forming the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes of the respiratory chain. These complexes form a chain that allows the passage of electrons down the electron transport chain (ETC) through a proton motive force, creating ATP from adenosine diphosphate (ADP). This study aims to explore current and prospective therapies for mitochondrial disorders (MTDS). MTDS are clinical syndromes coupled with abnormalities …

Evaluation Of Antibody Response To Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (Sars-Cov-2) Vaccination In Patients With Lymphoid And Solid Organ Malignancies, Mukul Singal, Sanjana Kalvehalli Kashinath, S. Shahzad Mustafa, Edward Walsh, Karthik Vadamalai, Saad Jamshed

Advances in Clinical Medical Research and Healthcare Delivery

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic. There is emerging evidence regarding suboptimal response to vaccination against COVID-19 in patients with hematologic and solid organ malignancies.

We conducted a single-center prospective study assessing seroconversion in response to vaccination against COVID-19 in 53 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), multiple myeloma (MM), and solid organ malignancies.

A quantitative immunoassay of IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein was measured prior to vaccination and at 2 weeks after completion of two-dose vaccination series. A fourfold increase in antibody titers was considered positive …

Machine Learning And Protein Allostery, Sian Xiao, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Peng Tao

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The fundamental biological importance and complexity of allosterically regulated proteins stem from their central role in signal transduction and cellular processes. Recently, machine-learning approaches have been developed and actively deployed to facilitate theoretical and experimental studies of protein dynamics and allosteric mechanisms. In this review, we survey recent developments in applications of machine-learning methods for studies of allosteric mechanisms, prediction of allosteric effects and allostery-related physicochemical properties, and allosteric protein engineering. We also review the applications of machine-learning strategies for characterization of allosteric mechanisms and drug design targeting SARS-CoV-2. Continuous development and task-specific adaptation of machine-learning methods for protein allosteric …

Arginine Methylation Of The Pgc-1Α C‑Terminus Is Temperature- Dependent, Meryl Mendoz, Mariel Mendoza, Tiffany Lubrino, Sidney Briski, Immaculeta Osuji, Janielle Cuala, Brendan Ly, Ivan Ocegueda, Harvey Peralta, Benjamin A. Garcia, Cecilia Zurita-Lopez

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

We set out to determine whether the C-terminus (amino acids 481–798) of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α, UniProt Q9UBK2), a regulatory metabolic protein involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, and respiration, is an arginine methyltransferase substrate. Arginine methylation by protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) alters protein function and thus contributes to various cellular processes. In addition to confirming methylation of the C-terminus by PRMT1 as described in the literature, we have identified methylation by another member of the PRMT family, PRMT7. We performed in vitro methylation reactions using recombinant mammalian PRMT7 and PRMT1 at 37, 30, 21, 18, and 4 °C. …

Data Driven Classification Of Opioid Patients Using Machine Learning - An Investigation, Saddam Al Amin, Md Saddam Hossain Mukta, Md Sezan Mahmud Saikat, Md Ismail Hossain, Md Adnanul Islam, Mohiuddin Ahmed, Sami Azam

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The opioid crisis has led to an increased number of drug overdoses in recent years. Several approaches have been established to predict opioid prescription by health practitioners. However, due to the complex nature of the problem, the accuracy of such methods is not yet satisfactory. Dependable and reliable classification of opioid dependent patients from well-grounded data sources is essential. Majority of the previous studies do not focus on the users’ mental health association for opioid intake classification. These studies do not also employ the latest deep learning based techniques such as attention and knowledge distillation mechanism to find better insights. …

Nurse-Led Education On Oral Chemotherapy Medications, Carmen Lucia Glick Alonso

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer death among women in the United States. Annually, around 264,000 breast cancer cases are diagnosed in women and 2,400 in men (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). According to the American Cancer Society, the risk of a woman in the United States being diagnosed with breast cancer in their life is around 13% (2022).

Context: Along with a cancer diagnosis comes the need to introduce patient education about new oral chemotherapy treatments. As a treatment team member, the oncology nurse plays a vital role in this …

Prophylactic Intravenous Prehydration With Sodium Bicarbonate Or Sodium Chloride In The Prevention Of Contrast Induced Acute Kidney Injury, Briana Lockett, Caroline Dong

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

Introduction: Iodinated contrast media is a crucial component in the diagnostic work up of many life-threatening illnesses. However, it has been reported to cause acute kidney injury after administration, especially in patients with pre-existing renal disease. Several prophylactic treatments have been studied in hopes of minimizing these adverse events. The current standard of care in this patient population is prophylactic intravenous volume administration with either sodium chloride or sodium bicarbonate. Objective: The goal of this literature review is to determine if prophylactic intravenous volume administration with either saline or sodium bicarbonate prior to contrast administration decreases the incidence of contrast …

The Use Of Autologous Prp Gel For The Treatment Of Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Erin Klein, Dominic E. Paoletti

Physician Assistant Capstones, 2020-current

The purpose of this systematic literature review is to examine the efficacy of platelet rich-plasma (PRP) gel as a therapy for diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). Infections in patients with diabetes, especially diabetic foot ulcers, are challenging to treat due to neurovascular compromise. Searches were done in PubMed utilizing the terms “diabetic foot ulcer”, “platelet rich plasma” and “autologous”. In PubMed, the following limits and terms were used: randomized control trial (RCTs), sample size greater than 30 participants, foot ulcers, and English. A meta-analysis revealed three studies meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria: Li et al, Gude et al, and Ahmed et al. The …

Structural And Inhibitory Studies On (I)Two Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Enzymes Essential For Capsular Glucan Biosynthesis And Mrna Degradation: (Ii) Hantann Virus L-Protein Endonuclease Domain, Hettiarachchige Thilina D. Jayasinghe

Theses & Dissertations

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the pathogenic bacterium species that causes Tuberculosis (TB). Understanding the major biosynthetic pathways responsible for cell viability is essential in developing new drugs against Mtb. The first two projects will reflect our approach in identifying inhibitors against Mtb GlgE, Mtb GpsI, and characterization of protein inhibitor interactions using X-ray crystallography.

The enzyme GlgE plays an essential role in the α-glucan biosynthesis pathway in Mtb cells. These α-glucans are one of the major structural units in the Mtb capsule. GlgE catalyzes the elongation of α-glucan by transferring maltose from maltose-1-phosphate (M1P) to the non-reducing end …

Structural And Biochemical Studies Of Three Enzymes Involved In Amino Acid Metabolism To Develop Novel Drugs, Yahani Pankaja Jayasinghe Arachchige

Theses & Dissertations

Intrinsic drug resistance in bacteria predates the clinical use of antibiotics. Additionally, heterogeneous metabolic states and the ability of many bacteria to form biofilms further enhances bacterial survival during infection and exacerbates treatment challenges. This necessitates the identification of novel drugs against new drug targets. These studies focus on the development of compounds targeting enzymes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and Staphylococcus aureus that avoid intrinsic antibiotic defenses. The Mtb-encoded homoserine transacetylase enzyme (HTA) catalyzes the first step of the methionine biosynthesis pathway that produces methionine and S-adenosyl methionine. These compounds are shown to be essential for both dormant …

Polymeric Chloroquine In Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Therapy, Rubayat Islam Khan

Theses & Dissertations

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an established drug that has been used for the treatment of multiple diseases, including malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus erythematosus. Several recently published studies have highlighted its beneficial use in various types of cancers, and a plethora of clinical trials are currently evaluating its use in cancer therapies, wherein some of the results look promising. The preclinical studies to date suggest HCQ can work effectively in conjunction with traditional cancer treatments, as it has been shown to sensitize tumor cells to a wide range of chemotherapeutic agents. Polymeric HCQ (PCQ), a macromolecular multivalent version of HCQ, has …

Nanofabrication For Precision Vaccinology, Karen Zagorski

Theses & Dissertations

Vaccines are among the most effective and safe therapeutics known to mankind. Historically the approach to the creation of new vaccines has been dominated by empirical research, trial, and error. This thesis focuses on the more modern, rational approaches to vaccinology based on the current understanding of the inner workings of the immune system. We used nanotechnology for the generation of novel immunogens, addressed several challenges, and characterized the immune responses.

The preparation, characterization, and troubleshooting of several vaccines against dimeric amyloid beta are covered in chapters 4-6. Despite being ultimately unsuccessful, this part provided a deeper understanding of the …

Targeted Therpeutics For Prostate Cancer, Behind The Scenes Of Psma & Cysteine Protease Trapping Mechanism, Alireza Basiri

Theses & Dissertations

In an attempt to increase the residence time of PSMA-targeted theranostics inside the prostate cancer cells and tumors, we designed and prepared a CPTA-PSMATA resembling PSMA-617 by adding a well-known cysteine protease inhibitor (E-64) to the conjugate. Lysosomal proteases, including cysteine, serine, and aspartic families of hydrolytic enzymes, are expressed in high concentrations in the lysosomes and are responsible for the catabolism of proteins inside the cell [165, 278]. We proposed that after successful internalization of the PSMA-targeted conjugates into the cells, they will be conveyed to the endolysosomes. In these endolysosomal compartments, the E-64 moiety will covalently bind to …

Personality Disorder Predisposing To Alcohol Dependence, Samarchitha S Ms., Venkatesh Babu Dr., Megha Sadashiv Dr., Sudeep Pk Mr.

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

No abstract provided.

Editorial: Adenylyl Cyclase Isoforms As Potential Drug Targets, Tarsis F. Brust, Rennolds S. Ostrom, Val J. Watts

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Editorial on the Research Topic Adenylyl cyclase isoforms as potential drug targets

Groundwater Remediation Using Modified Biochar, Kers Ung-Watson, Ismail Abdulraheem, Nikki Tibayan, Suraj Pochampally

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Biochar, a lightweight black residue made of carbon, has proved to be an effective adsorbent to remove TCE from groundwater. Not only is it an economical substitute for conventional adsorbents but it can be created by using a variety of organic materials. For this project, it will rely on walnut shell feedstock to create biochar as this had the best ability to adsorb TCE.

Reducing The Risk Of Chemotherapy Exposure, Miranda Susman

Symposium of Student Scholars

Concerns about antineoplastic drugs (ANPDs), also known as chemotherapy, began in the early 1970s by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Although ANPDs are used as a standard treatment for cancer, these drugs are considered hazardous due to their adverse health effects. About eight million healthcare workers are exposed to ANPDs and therefore essential that we continue to educate on ways to reduce the risk of exposure to occupational and home health hazards. The overall purpose of this study is to determine if additional education and use of surface wipe samplings reduce the risk of exposure. A literature …

Designing And Synthesizing A Warhead-Fragment Inhibitory Ligand For Ivyp1 Through Fragment-Based Drug Discovery, Samuel Moore

Symposium of Student Scholars

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a powerful tool for developing anticancer and antimicrobial agents. Within this, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) provides a comprehensive qualitative and quantitative approach to screening and validating weak and robust binders with targeted proteins, making NMR among the most attractive strategies in FBDD. Inhibitor of vertebrate lysozyme (Ivyp1) of P. aeruginosa serves as an excellent target because of its active cellular location and implications in clinical prognosis for cystic fibrosis and immunocompromised patients. This study uses current NMR and biophysical techniques to develop a covalent, fragment-linked warhead inhibitor for Ivyp1 through synthetic methods, warhead linking, and …

Exploring Alternative Treatment Options For A Patient With Heavy Menstrual Bleeding And Mistrust Of The Healthcare System, Rachel A. O'Dell

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report using:

Tinelli A, Gustapane S, D’Oria O, Licchelli M, Panese G. Nutraceuticals in fibroid management after ulipristal acetate administration: An observational study on patients’ compliance. International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics; 2022;156(1):133-138. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.13692

for a patient with chronic, symptomatic anemia with menorrhagia and uterine fibroid.

Efficacy And Safety Of Pacritinib Vs Placebo For Patients With Severe Covid-19: A Phase 2 Randomized Clinical Trial, John Cafardi, Carole Miller, Howard Terebelo, Chad Tewell, Sadia Benzaquen, David Park, Pamela Egan, Daniel Lebovic, Kristen Pettit, Eric Whitman, Douglas Tremblay, Jonathan Feld, Sarah Buckley, Karisse Roman-Torres, Jennifer Smith, Adam Craig, John Mascarenhas

Einstein Health Papers

IMPORTANCE: The morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19 remain high despite advances in standard of care therapy, and the role of anti-inflammatory agents that inhibit the interleukin 6/JAK2 pathway is still being elucidated.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the oral JAK2/IRAK1 inhibitor pacritinib vs placebo in the treatment of adults with severe COVID-19.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial enrolled hospitalized adult patients with severe COVID-19 at 21 centers across the US between June 2020 and February 2021, with approximately 1.5 months of safety follow-up per patient. Data analysis was performed …

Metabolic Foundations Of Exercise-Induced Cardiac Growth., Kyle Fulghum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Regular aerobic exercise promotes physiological cardiac growth, which is an adaptive response thought to enable the heart to meet higher physical demands. Cardiac growth involves coordination of catabolic and anabolic activities to support ATP generation, macromolecule biosynthesis, and myocyte hypertrophy. Although previous studies suggest that exercise-induced reductions in cardiac glycolysis are critical for physiological myocyte hypertrophy, it remains unclear how exercise influences the many interlinked pathways of metabolism that support adaptive remodeling of the heart. In this thesis project, we tested the general hypothesis that aerobic exercise promotes physiological cardiac growth by coordinating myocardial metabolism to promote glucose-supported anabolic pathway …

Epc-Exs Improve Astrocyte Survival And Oxidative Stress Through Different Uptaking Pathways In Diabetic Hypoxia Condition, Manasi Suchit Halurkar, Jinju Wang, Shuzhen Chen, Ji Chen Bihl

Pharmacology and Toxicology Faculty Publications

Background: Hyperglycemia contributes to cardiovascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. We confirmed that high glucose (HG) induces endothelial dysfunction and cerebral ischemic injury is enlarged in diabetic mice. Stem cell-released exosomes have been shown to protect the brain from ischemic stroke. We have previously shown that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)-released exosomes (EPC-EXs) can protect endothelial cells from hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) and HG-induced injury. Here, we aim to investigate the effects of EPC-EXs on astrocytes under H/R and HG-induced injury and whether miR-126 enriched EPC-EXs (miR126-EPC-EXs) have enhanced efficacy. Methods: EPC-EX uptake and co-localization were measured by fluorescent microscopy using …

Strong Structuration Analysis Of Patterns Of Adherence To Hypertension Medication, Maureen L. Seguin, Jhaki A. Mendoza, Gideon Lasco, Lia M. Palileo-Villanueva, Benjamin Palafox, Alicia Renedo, Martin Mckee, Dina Balabanova

Development Studies Faculty Publications

Achieving blood pressure control is among the highest priorities for reducing the burden of cardiovascular diseases globally. Control is poor in the Philippines; especially in socioeconomically marginalised communities. This paper explores long-term adherence to anti-hypertensive medication in these communities; identifying 4 distinct medication adherence patterns. We draw on Strong Structuration Theory to explore motivations of action for those who are consistently adherent; consistently non-adherent; and those who became more or less adherent over time. We employ longitudinal qualitative methods comprising repeat interviews and digital diaries collected over 12 months by 34 participants. Twelve participants were consistently adherent; 9 consistently non-adherent; …

November / December 2022, Randy Curry, Cindy Brooks

RURAL ROCKS

This is the November & December 2022 issue of Rural Rocks from the SWOSU College of Pharmacy.

A Systematic Literature Review On The Capability Of Sio₂-Np’S Exposure To Exacerbate Parkinson’S (Pd) Pathology And The Risk Factors For Biomedical Applications In Pd, Seth Abdallah

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Silica Dioxide nanoparticles (SiO₂-NP) have become increasingly ubiquitous in industry, which has stimulated research into the potential toxicity of these compounds. Recent studies have explored the association between amorphous silica nanoparticle exposure and the potential for neurotoxicity. Additionally, research has been conducted in the application of SiO₂-NP’s in theranostics and as drug directing agents , which based on current literature may be contraindicated for individuals with conditions such as Parkinson's Disease (PD) which is characterized by neuroinflammation. The following literature review will discuss evidence for silica dioxide nanoparticle exposure to induce neurotoxicity which may exacerbate neurodegenerative diseases such as PD. …

The Effects Of Prenatal Patient Education Regarding Epidural Anesthesia, Auburn Merritt

Symposium of Student Scholars

This project is important because there is a lack of education for prenatal women regarding epidural anesthesia which causes misunderstanding, confusion, a deficit of knowledge, and a lack of support. The purpose of this project is to analyze and suggest the importance of proper education regarding epidural anesthesia. Proper prenatal education causes resolution of misconceptions as well as causes patients to be more satisfied with their pain management during labor. Evidence that I found suggested that after proper education more pregnant women planned to receive epidural anesthesia (Cutajar, 2018). Women preferred detailed education to increase knowledge of the risks and …

Oxidative Stress Strongly Restricts The Effect Of Codon Choice On The Efficiency Of Protein Synthesis In Escherichia Coli, Lorenzo Eugenio Leiva, Sara Elgamal, Sebastian A. Leidel, Omar Orellana, Michael Ibba, Assaf Katz

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

The response of enterobacteria to oxidative stress is usually considered to be regulated by transcription factors such as OxyR and SoxR. Nevertheless, several reports have shown that under oxidative stress the levels, modification and aminoacylation of tRNAs may be altered suggesting a role of codon bias in regulation of gene expression under this condition.

Methods

In order to characterize the effects of oxidative stress on translation elongation we constructed a library of 61 plasmids, each coding for the green fluorescent protein (GFP) translationally fused to a different set of four identical codons.

Results

Using these reporters, we observed that …