Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

Decolonizing Health In Madagascar: A Francophone Perspective, Delaney K. Brenner

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

No abstract provided.

Ashwagandha And Sexual Health In Women With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Exploring Extent Of Adaptogenic Properties, Rhea Chatterjee

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) affects 40% of women and potentially decreases their quality of life. Currently, the primary treatment for HSDD is Flibanserin, which is a serotonergic agonist and an antidepressant. However, the limited efficacy of Flibanserin encourages the exploration of the utilization of traditional drugs such as Withania somnifera, otherwise known as Ashwagandha, as an alternative treatment for HSDD. Minimal studies examine ayurvedic medications or the symptoms of illnesses that traditional Western medicines are unable to treat. This comprehensive literature review investigated the efficacy of Ashwagandha in improving sexual function in women with HSDD. The paper evaluated …

Burnout At University: Cross-Sectional Study Among Dental Students, Manal Elhijazi, Hajar Nafia, Ihsane Benyahya

Health Sciences

Context: The university constitutes a demanding and competitive learning environment which can impact the well-being of students. The objective of this survey is to assess the burnout of students at the faculty of dentistry.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted via an anonymous questionnaire with 3 sections: socio-demographic data, lifestyle and habit, and burnout through the Maslach burnout inventory-student survey (MBI-SS) . Continuous variables were presented as means and standard deviations,categorical variables as numbers and percentages. The variables were tested in univariate analysis to assess predictive factors related to burnout using the Khi-2 test. The significance level was …

Undergraduate Nursing Students' Perceptions Of A Screen-Based Virtual Simulation And Self-Debriefing: A Qualitative Study., Fatima Zahra Mahou, Guillaume Decormeille, Asmae Khattabi

Health Sciences

The integration of virtual simulation and self-debriefing in nursing education offers promising approaches for enhancing students' competency in medication administration and dosage calculation. This study aims to explore undergraduate nursing students' perceptions and experiences with virtual simulation and self-debriefing, building on findings from a previously published RCT that demonstrated improved learning outcomes through these approaches. In the first phase (self-debriefing), 153 students answered five open-ended questions, followed by a focus group with six students in the second phase.The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis by two independent coders to ensure consistency and credibility. The study highlights the benefits of …

Optimizing Endogenous Glp-1 Holistically: A Nursing Led Approach To Sustainable Weight Loss Without Glp-1 Agonist Use, Taylee A. Carscadden

Nursing | Senior Theses

The increase in off-label Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs, such as semaglutide (Ozempic), for weight loss has sparked concern in regards to the not fully understood drug outcomes and safety. GLP-1 agonists were originally developed to manage Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, but have been widely prescribed for obesity management despite minimal research on prolonged use in non-diabetic patients. This study explores how off-label use of GLP-1 agonist drugs exacerbate various adverse health outcomes, highlighting gastrointestinal complications, and the very possible dependency on drugs for weight management. It will also examine the efficacy of nursing-led education on the implementation of …

Investigating The Extent To Which Diet-Induced Obesity Alters Gene Expression In Hematopoietic Stem And Progenitor Cells Following Influenza Immunization In Mice, Chaitanya Lahari Chowdary Pathipati

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Vaccines are a vital tool in preventing diseases, but their effectiveness varies depending on factors like diet and body weight. Obese individuals often experience reduced vaccine protection, as seen with influenza vaccines, where they have twice the risk of getting the flu compared to healthy-weight individuals after vaccination. This study aims to understand why obesity weakens vaccine effectiveness, focusing on the role of blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow, known as hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). These cells are crucial for producing immune cells that defend the body against infections. Previous research has shown that diet-induced obesity alters …

Customary Corruption, Ani B. Satz, Liza Vertinsky

Faculty Articles

For over a hundred years, it has been well-accepted among tort scholars that physicians—as one of the legally recognized professions— determine their own customary practices. Within tort law, and medical malpractice more specifically, customary practice establishes whether physicians breach or uphold the required standard of care toward their patients. The results of our hand-coded examination of decided cases and statutes show a more complex picture. While some states have endeavored to shift the standard away from professional custom, it continues to play a critical, and in many cases a determinative, role in establishing physician liability in most states.

Using illustrative …

Understanding The Impact Of Pharmacist Prescriptive Authority On Hiv Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis At The State Level, Cameron G. King

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

HIV transmission, with relative risk reductions of up to 99%. However, real world data have revealed that even with large increases in PrEP use, new HIV diagnoses may only slightly decline. This disparity suggests that access to PrEP may be suboptimal, especially among high-risk subgroups, who are often hard to maintain on the continuum of HIV care. Pharmacists, because of their accessibility, trusted role in their communities, and growing scope of practice, could serve as an intervention point to improve access to PrEP.

A previously validated algorithm using National Drug Codes (NDCs) and the International Classification of Disease, 10^{th …}

Rwanda's Natural Remedies: A Fresh Look At The Fight Against Malaria, Leandre Nsabimana Ndisanze

Pomona Senior Theses

Malaria remains one of the most devastating parasitic diseases globally, disproportionately affecting sub-Saharan Africa, where Rwanda continues to face high transmission rates and rising resistance to conventional interventions. Despite decades of control efforts, the emergence of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum and insecticide-resistant Anopheles mosquitoes threatens to reverse recent gains. This research responds to the urgent need for sustainable and culturally relevant alternatives by exploring the therapeutic potential of Rwandan traditional medicinal plants. These indigenous remedies, long used by local healers, offer an underexplored reservoir of bioactive compounds that may provide the basis for novel antimalarial drugs.

The central hypothesis of this …

Laser-Induced Graphene Sensor For The Electrochemical Detection Of Acetaminophen, Abdellatif Ait Lahcen, Mazhar Sher, Sikander Ameer, Gymama Slaughter

Center for Bioelectronics Publications

Here we present a simple and efficient method for fabricating laser-induced graphene (LIG) electrodes for the electrochemical detection of acetaminophen (AAP), a crucial analgesic and antipyretic that can become toxic at elevated concentrations. Unlike conventional sensors that require intricate chemical modifications, the fabricated LIG-based sensor eliminates the need for functionalization, offering a streamlined sensing solution. The LIG electrodes were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, which confirmed the formation of a highly porous graphene network with excellent purity and conductivity. Cyclic voltammetry analysis with a ferricyanide redox probe revealed a large electroactive surface area of 1.21 …

Real-World Clinical And Cost Effectiveness Of Osteoporotic Treatments In Men, Yu Ren

Open Access Dissertations

Osteoporosis is a condition characterized by the loss of bone mass, which increases the risk of fractures. In 2017-2018, the age-adjusted prevalence of osteoporosis among adults aged 50 and over was 12.6%, with 19.6% in women and 4.4% in men. Untreated osteoporosis can lead to a cycle of recurrent fractures that severely impact quality of life and place significant emotional, physical, and financial strain on patients, families, and healthcare resources. Approximately 50% of women and 20% of men will experience at least one fracture in their lifetime. In the United States, an estimated 1.5 million osteoporotic fractures occur each year, …

Flipped Classroom Versus Lecture: A Quasi-Experimental Study Evaluating The Performance Of Dental Students.”, Manal Elhijazi, Ihsane Benyahya

Health Sciences

Background: The flipped classroom is an active pedagogical modality that improves learning, autonomy and critical thinking. This work aims to evaluate the impact of the flipped classroom on student performance compared to the lecture in a biomaterials course.

Material and methods:Second-year dental students were invited to participate voluntarily in this quasi-experimental study .Thus, they were divided into two groups: one group benefited́ from the flipped classroom while the control group attended the lecture. At the end of a formative evaluation for both groups, their average grades were compared using Student's test (significance threshold set at p

Results : …

A Scoping Review Of Randomised Controlled Trials Of Vaccines That Recruited Care Home Residents: Lessons For Future Trials, Selvarani Selvarani Subbarayan, Imogen Smith-Dodd, Gabriel Nicolson, Jennifer Kirsty Burton, Janet T. Scott, Seshadri S. Vasan, Susan D. Shenkin, Roy L. Soiza

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Older care home (CH) residents are particularly vulnerable to infections and often experience adverse outcomes. Despite this group being frequently prioritised for vaccinations, trials of vaccines rarely recruit CH residents. Given that the social and biological characteristics of CH residents may influence vaccine effectiveness, it is crucial to test vaccines in this population.

Methods: The Widening Access to Trials in Care Homes project was established to develop best practice guidance on designing and conducting vaccine trials in the CH population. As part of this project, a scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology was conducted to identify vaccine trials …

Changes In Cardiovascular Risk Factors And Health Care Expenditures Among Patients Prescribed Semaglutide, Yuan Lu, Yuntian Lu, Tedi Totojani, Chungsoo Kim, Rohan Khera, Hua Xu, John E. Brush Jr., Harlan M. Krumholtz, Jason Abaluck

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Importance Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, has demonstrated substantial weight reduction and cardiovascular benefits in clinical trials. However, its association with clinical outcomes and health care expenditures remains underexplored.

Objective To evaluate changes in cardiovascular risk factors and health care expenditures among patients prescribed semaglutide across multicenter cohorts.

Design, Setting, and Participants This retrospective cohort study included 23 522 adults (≥18 years) who received an initial semaglutide prescription between January 1, 2018, and January 1, 2025, at Sentara Healthcare and between January 1, 2018, and May 1, 2025, at Yale New Haven Health System.

Exposure The first prescription of …

Dual Inhibitor Of Mdm2 And Nfat1 For Experimental Therapy Of Breast Cancer: In Vitro And In Vivo Anticancer Activities And Newly Discovered Effects On Cancer Metabolic Pathways, Wei Wang, Marlene Aguilar, Sayantap Datta, Abigail Alley, Meheret Tadesse, Xinshi Wang, Xia Gao, Ruiwen Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

INTRODUCTION: The oncogene MDM2 has garnered attention not only for its role in cancer as a negative regulator of the tumor suppressor p53 but also for its p53-independent oncogenic activities. MDM2 also involves metabolic reprogramming, such as serine metabolism, respiration, mitochondrial functions, the folate cycle, and redox balance. Traditional MDM2 inhibitors blocking the protein-protein binding between MDM2 and p53 have shown limited clinical success in various stages of clinical trials, most likely due to low efficacy, drug toxicity, and drug resistance, highlighting the need for a novel, p53-independent strategy to inhibit MDM2. The present study investigated the antitumor effects of …

Addressing Over-The-Counter Proton Pump Inhibitor Overuse: Strategies For Pharmacists To Enhance Patient Care, Brenna Hissong, Giang Nguyen, Alexander Defranco, Layla Dials, Jordyn Linfield, Haley Brown, Joshua Honaker, Samantha Mccord, Alaina Kortokrax

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most commonly prescribed and widely used medications for the treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. PPIs irreversibly inhibit the H+/K+-ATPase enzyme, effectively reducing gastric acid secretion and providing sustained relief for acid-related conditions. With the approval of over-the-counter (OTC) PPIs, the number of individuals taking these medications for prolonged periods of time without routine monitoring for the appropriateness of therapy has increased. The overuse of OTC PPIs can be attributed to a number of factors, including ease of access, perceived safety, inadequate understanding of OTC PPI treatment intervals, and a lack of awareness regarding …

Fda Approves Neffy®- First Nasal Spray For Anaphylaxis, Abigail Carter, Penlope Mazivanhanga, Haylee Whyde, Rileigh Rahrig, Ashley Jacob, Anna Spalvieri, Joshua Honaker, Samantha Mccord, Andrew Roecker

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Between 1.6 and 5.1% of the United States population have experienced anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction.1 Anaphylaxis occurs when someone is exposed to an allergen, most commonly foods, medications, and insect venom. Epinephrine is the first-line agent for anaphylaxis treatment, and it is critical to administer this medication immediately after the onset of anaphylactic symptoms to prevent worsening that could lead to death. Epinephrine, more commonly known as EpiPen® or Auvi-Q®, has historically only been available as an intramuscular (IM) injection. Many people are afraid, anxious, or uneducated on how to properly give someone an IM injection, causing anaphylaxis treatment …

The Revised Cdc Chronic Pain Guidelines And Payer Opioid Analgesic Policies In Michigan, Victoria Tutag Lehr, Cynthia L. Arfken

Michigan Journal of Public Health

Abstract

The 2016 publication of A Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention motivated commercial and Medicaid payers to restrict their opioid prescribing policies including the imposition of hard limits on opioid daily dosages and duration. One result of these policies was an increase in abrupt opioid discontinuation and rapid tapering events for patients receiving long-term opioid therapy. Responding to this misapplication of the 2016 guideline, the 2022 revised guidelines emphasized individualized opioid therapy and exclusion of certain chronic diseases. However, it is not known if the payers changed their policies to …

Comparing Multivalent Cross-Linked Sodium Alginate/ Montmorillonite Beads Containing Curcumin Or Cayenne Pepper As Drug Carriers And Their Antimicrobial Resistance, Shionainn Traynor, Shubham Sharma

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

The aim of the following work was to investigate and compare curcumin and cayenne pepper in microbeads composed of sodium alginate (SA) crosslinked with montmorillonite (MMT) to act as drug carriers and their antimicrobial resistance. The microbeads were prepared through ion-exchange in multivalent solutions of CaCl₂, MgCl₂ and AlCl₃. The microbeads were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and the time required for intercalation of curcumin and cayenne pepper with MMT. Simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.3) and gastric fluid (pH 1.2) at 37°C were used for comparison in swelling studies. …

Total Organic Carbon Analysis Of Residual Contaminants In Bioreactor Equipment: A Cleaning Verification Study Using Surface Swabbing, Ciara E. Fitzpatrick, James J. Roche

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Contamination is a major issue in the biopharmaceutical industry. Bioreactors must be meticulously cleaned to remove residual impurities and avoid cross-contamination. Cleaning validation is necessary to ensure residual contaminants are reduced to the lowest acceptable limits. Bacterial cells represent the paramount challenge in manufacturing equipment cleaning because they are composed of insoluble organic contaminants. Total organic carbon (TOC) analysis is a fast, highly sensitive, and inexpensive analytical technique commonly used to evaluate the approximate level of organic contamination.

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of cleaning procedures in the removal of contaminants from bioreactor equipment by measuring the …

Editorial - Sure Journal Vol 6, Anne M. Friel, Eva Campion, Sinead Loughran

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

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Effects Of Sex And Estrous Cycle On Extended-Access Oxycodone Self-Administration And Cue-Induced Drug Seeking Behavior, Bhumiben P Patel, Jessica A Loweth

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

INTRODUCTION: Increasing evidence indicates that sex is a factor that impacts the abuse liability and relapse vulnerability of prescription opioids like oxycodone. However, while women are more likely than men to be prescribed and to use these drugs, the impact of sex and ovarian hormones on prescription opioid use and relapse vulnerability remains unclear. Accurately assessing these measures is complicated by the fact that chronic opioid exposure can lower ovarian hormone levels and cause cycle irregularities.

METHODS: Adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats self-administered oxycodone (0.1 mg/kg/infusion) under extended-access conditions (6 h/day, 10 days) followed by forced abstinence. Separate groups …

Hepatotoxicity Induced By Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, Flaviu Muresan, Olga Hilda Orasan, Angela Cozma, Madalina Daiana Bancos, Lorena Ciumarnean, Mircea Vasile Milaciu, Tinca Codruta Pocol, Nicoleta Valentina Leach, Teodora Gabriela Alexescu, Ovidiu Vasile Fabian, George Ciulei, Mirela Georgiana Perne

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are an effective immunotherapeutic approach for cancers affecting the lung, skin, kidney, mammary gland, or certain hematologic malignancies. Regarding the prognosis of these oncological conditions, treatments with ICIs open new therapeutic perspectives with benefits for both patients and healthcare providers. A drawback of immune checkpoint inhibition is the occurrence of immune-related adverse events that can involve a wide range of organs, such as the liver. Given widespread usage of immunotherapy, the number of patients who suffer from this unwanted condition has increased. Hepatopathy induced by ICIs can be severe and can even lead to death. Detecting …

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, Depression And Sleep Problems; A Triple Whammy For Patients’ Health-Related Quality Of Life, Muhammad Salman, Amer Hayat Khan, Syed Azhar Syed Sulaiman, Jeffery David Hughes, Junaid Habib Khan, Yusra Habib Khan, Tauqeer Hussain Mallhi

Bulletin of Faculty of Pharmacy Cairo University

Introduction: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are characterized by voiding, storage and post-micturition symptoms. LUTS can have detrimental effects on various facets of patients’ quality of life. Therefore, this study was aimed to evaluate the association of LUTS with depression and sleep disturbances, and their impact on patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a clinical sample of calcium channel blocker-users (n = 410), recruited via convenient sampling. Outcomes were assessed using validated Urdu translated instruments [LUTS: International Prostate Symptom Score; sleep problems: Jenkins sleep evaluation questionnaire (JSEQ); depression: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Short …

Predisposing, Enabling, And Need Factors Influencing Health-Related Quality Of Life Among People With Metabolic Syndrome, Olajide Adekunle, Yun Wang, Ismaeel Yunusa, Marc L. Fleming, Enrique Seoane-Vazquez, Lawrence M. Brown

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Objective

Methods

Allura Red Ac Is A Xenobiotic. Is It Also A Carcinogen?, Lorne J. Hofseth Ph.D., James Hébert Scd, Elizabeth Angela Murphy, Erica Trauner, Athul Vikas, Quinn Harris, Alexander A. Chumanevich

Faculty Publications

Merriam-Webster and Oxford define a xenobiotic as any substance foreign to living systems. Allura Red AC (a.k.a., E129; FD&C Red No. 40), a synthetic food dye extensively used in manufacturing ultra-processed foods and therefore highly prevalent in our food supply, falls under this category. The surge in synthetic food dye consumption during the 70s and 80s was followed by an epidemic of metabolic diseases and the emergence of early-onset colorectal cancer in the 1990s. This temporal association raises significant concerns, particularly given the widespread inclusion of synthetic food dyes in ultra-processed products, notably those marketed toward children. Given its interactions …

Molecular Targets For Breast Cancer Therapy, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women, and for a while, it surpassed lung cancer as the most diagnosed cancer, regardless of gender, in 2020 [1]. Chemotherapy and hormone therapy are still the first line of treatment, despite extensive research in molecularly targeted drugs. Therefore, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is still known as the most challenging type for treatment due to the limited identified targets. Inherent and acquired resistance are still major hurdles in breast cancer therapy, which further highlights the importance of identifying new molecular targets in this battle. The inherent resistance of unresponsive …

Case Title: Uncovering The Truth: The Unexpected Incidental Discovery Of Metastatic Carcinoid Tumor In An Elderly Patient., Kavitha Chittaragi Dr, Shwetha R. Poojary Dr

Radiology Teaching Files

Carcinoid tumors are rare neuroendocrine neoplasms with varied clinical presentations. We report a case of a 70-year-old female patient who presented with history of loose stools, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Imaging revealed a small hyper-enhancing nodule in the small bowel, multiple liver lesions, and a mesenteric mass, all suggestive of metastatic carcinoid disease. Biopsy confirmed a neuroendocrine tumor. As these tumors can remain indolent for years, early detection and treatment are critical for effective management and better prognosis.

Global Perspective Of The Risks Of Falsified And Counterfeit Medicines: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Aonghus J. Feeney, Jeffery A. Goad, Gerard T. Flaherty

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Methods

Access To Medicines For Parkinson's Disease In Kenya: A Qualitative Exploration, Natasha Fothergill-Misbah, Juzar Hooker, Judith Kwasa, Richard Walker

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: The accessibility of Parkinson’s disease medicines is limited across sub-Saharan Africa,which can have negative health, social and financial consequences for people with Parkinson’s disease andtheir families. However, there is a stark gap in the literature regarding the impact of poor access to medicineson individuals.

Objectives: The study objective was to understand the accessibility of Parkinson’s disease medicines in Kenyafrom the perspective of people with Parkinson’s disease, their caregivers and neurologists.MethodsMethods: In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 55 people with Parkinson’s disease, 23 caregiversand 8 neurologists to understand their experience regarding challenges with accessing Parkinson’s diseasemedicines and the health, social …