Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

Pharmacy Access Is Out Of Reach For One In Six South Carolinians, Bryan L. Love Pharm.D., Tessa J. Hastings Phd, Abby Davies

CORE Research Briefs

A cross-sectional geospatial analysis mapped active South Carolina community pharmacies and used 2020 Census tract data to estimate the population residing within and beyond five-mile pharmacy service areas. About one in six South Carolinians lives more than five miles from an active community pharmacy, with limited access disproportionately affecting rural communities.

Association Between Cholinesterase Inhibitor-Overactive Bladder Antimuscarinic Prescribing Cascade And Risk Of Delirium And Falls Among Individuals Living With Dementia, Sarah Beth Tucker, Bryan L. Love Pharm D., Chijoke M. Okeke, Erin D. Zwick, Chengwen Teng Pharm.D., Ph.D., Jingkai Wei, Ibraheem M. Karaye, Saud Alsahali, Krithika Rajagopalan, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background

Prescribing cascades occur when cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI)-induced urinary incontinence is misinterpreted as a new condition, leading to overactive bladder (OAB) antimuscarinic initiation. We evaluated whether the ChEI-OAB antimuscarinic prescribing cascade was associated with delirium or falls compared with mirabegron in older adults living with dementia.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Anlitiks All-Payor Claims database (2015–2020). Participants were adults aged ≥ 65 years with dementia newly prescribed a ChEI with no prior ChEI or OAB therapy (180 days). A 60-day window identified OAB treatment initiation after ChEI therapy. Exposures were OAB antimuscarinics or mirabegron. Outcomes were …

Exploring Synthesized Cbd Derivatives: Implications Of Therapeutic Strategies For Neuroinflammation, Josephine Mosser

Senior Theses

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid derived from Cannabis Sativa with well-documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, yet its clinical utility is limited by moderate receptor selectivity, rapid hepatic metabolism, and broad pharmacological activity on the central nervous system (CNS). This thesis describes the design and partial execution of a multi-step synthetic route aimed at generating CBD/CBD-derived chalcone intermediates for potential therapeutic applications for neuroinflammation. The steps encompass an O-methylation, O-acetylation, and a Fries rearrangement. The first three steps were completed successfully and reproducibly shown through 1H-NMR and 12C-NMR; however, purification of the fourth step was not successful within the available …

Real-World Comparison Of Intravenous Vs. Oral Antimicrobial Therapy For Bone And Joint Infections, Maura Kreiser, Sarah Al Mansi, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Caroline Derrick, P. Brandon Bookstaver Pharm.D., Majdi N. Al-Hasan, Yorika Hammett, Morgan Pizzuti

Faculty Publications

Well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated safe and effective use of oral antimicrobial therapy for bone and joint infections. Application of data for implementation into real-world practice, however, has inherent challenges. This retrospective cohort study compared real-world use of intravenous versus oral antimicrobial therapy in bone and joint infections within a large healthcare system comprising both academic and community medical centers. The primary outcome was the proportion of treatment failure. Key secondary outcomes included the proportion of patients with logistical failure and risk factors associated with treatment and logistical failure. Among 166 patients included, 136 (82%) and 30 (18%) …

Cost-Effectiveness Of Pregabalin, Duloxetine, And Milnacipran Vs Amitriptyline For Moderate To Severe Fibromyalgia, Sarah S. Downen, Hussein M. Farag, Abby Davis, Chijioke M. Okeke, Kenechukwu C. Ben-Umeh, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph.D., Tewodros Eguale

Faculty Publications

Importance

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain condition associated with substantial quality-of-life impairments and economic burden. Although multiple pharmacologic options are recommended in clinical guidelines, the relative cost-effectiveness of off-label amitriptyline compared with FDA-approved treatments remains poorly defined due to a scarcity of direct economic comparisons and the use of heterogenous outcome measures in the extant literature.

Objective

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pregabalin, duloxetine, and milnacipran compared with amitriptyline in adults with moderate to severe FM.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Decision analytical model using a Markov cohort state transition model to estimate lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for …

Host-Derived Interleukin-1Α Drives Tumor Immunosuppression By Reprogramming Tumor-Associated Myeloid Cells, Manikanda Raja Keerthi Raja, Gourab Gupta, Grace Atkinson, Katie Kathrein, Alissa R. Armstrong, R. Michael Gower, Igor Roninson Ph.D., Eugenia Broude, Mengqian Chen Ph.D., Hao Ji, Chang-Uk Lim, Hongjun Wang, Daping Fan, Peisheng Xu Ph.D., Hexin Chen

Faculty Publications

Myeloid cells are highly heterogeneous and play key roles in establishing an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), but the mechanisms controlling their differentiation remain unclear. Using orthotopic murine breast cancer models, we investigated how interleukin-1α (IL-1α) influences this process. Deletion of host Il1α resulted in rejection of transplanted tumors. Single-cell RNA sequencing identified CX3CR1⁺ macrophages as the main source of IL-1α in the TME. Il1α deficiency disrupted monocyte–macrophage differentiation, reducing CX3CR1⁺ macrophages and increasing iNOS⁺ macrophages. Myeloid cells from Il1α⁻/⁻ hosts induced lower PD-1 and CTLA-4 expression in co-cultured CD8⁺ T cells than those from wild-type hosts. CellChat analysis showed …

Anoikis Resistance And Metastasis Of Ovarian Cancer Can Be Overcome By Cdk8/19 Mediator Kinase Inhibition, Mehri Monavarian, Resha Rajkarnikar, Emily Faith Page, Asha Kumari, Liz Quintero Macias, Felipe Massicano, Nam. Y. Lee, Sarthak Sahoo, Nadine Hempel, Mohit Kumar Jolly, Lara Ianov, Elizabeth Worthey, Abhyudai Singh, Igor Roninson Ph.D., Eugenia Broude Ph.D., Mengqian Chen Ph.D., Karthikeyan Mythreye

Faculty Publications

Anoikis resistance, or evasion of cell death triggered by matrix detachment, is a hallmark of cancer cell survival and metastasis. We showed that repeated exposure to suspension stress followed by recovery under attached conditions leads to development of anoikis resistance. The acquisition of anoikis resistance was associated with enhanced invasion, chemoresistance, and immune evasion in vitro and distant metastasis in vivo. This acquired anoikis resistance was not genetic, persisting for a finite duration without detachment stress, but was sensitive to CDK8/19 mediator kinase inhibition that could also reverse anoikis resistance. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that CDK8/19 kinase inhibition induces bidirectional transcriptional …

Cdk8/19 Inhibition Attenuates G1 Arrest Induced By Bcr-Abl Arrest Induced By Bcr-Abl Antagonists And Accelerates Death Of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Cells, Alvina I. Khamidullina, Margarita A. Yastrebova, Alexandra V. Bruter, Julia V. Nuzhina, Nadezhda E. Vorobyeva, Anastasia M. Khrustaleva, Ekaterina A. Varlamova, Alexander V. Tyakht, Iaroslav E. Abramenko, Ekaterina S. Ivanova, Maria A. Zamkova, Jing Li, Chang-Uk Lim, Mengqian Chen, Eugenia V. Broude, Igor B. Roninson, Alexander A. Shtil, Victor V. Tatarskiy

Faculty Publications

Imatinib mesylate (IM) and other BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BCR-ABLi) are the mainstay of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) treatment. However, activation of circumventing signaling pathways and quiescence may limit BCR-ABLi efficacy. CDK8/19 Mediator kinases have been implicated in the emergence of non-genetic drug resistance. Dissecting the effects of pharmacological CDK8/19 inhibition on CML survival in response to BCR-ABLi, we found that a selective, non-toxic CDK8/19 inhibitor (CDK8/19i) Senexin B (SenB) and other CDK8/19i sensitized K562 cells to different BCR-ABLi via attenuation of cell cycle arrest. In particular, SenB prevented IM-induced upregulation of genes that negatively regulate cell cycle progression. SenB …

Local Injection Of Particles For Retinoic Acid Drug Delivery Improves Muscle Structure And Modulates Inflammation In Mice Recovering From Cast Immobilization, Candice V. Cheung, Regina A. Searcy, Kidochukwu J. Atube, Nicholas A. Colonna, Kelsey E. Krusen, Kate J. Cappage, Khufu M. Holly, R. Paul Ward Pratz, Jessie H. Fournier, Vitali Sikirzhytski Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Disuse muscle atrophy secondary to acute illness or injury prolongs recovery and increases risk of permanent disability as a result of reduced muscle strength and myofiber damage upon reambulation. However, there are no pharmacotherapies to support muscle growth and repair following prolonged immobility. We propose that all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) may support recovery of atrophied muscle via modulation of satellite cells and macrophages. Clinical application of ATRA is hindered by solubility, stability, and the need for high systemic doses. Therefore, in the current study, we developed poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) particles for local injection and extended release of ATRA (ATRA-PLG) and investigated …

Adipose Tissue Estrogen Receptor-Alpha Overexpression Ameliorates High-Fat Diet–Induced Adipose Tissue Inflammation, Marion C. Hope, Christian A. Unger, M. Chase Kettering, Cassidy E. Socia, Ahmed K. Aladhami, Barton C. Rice, Darya S. Niamira, Ben P. Wiznitzer, Diego Altomare Ph.D., William E. Cotham, Reilly T. Enos

Faculty Publications

Context

We created an innovative mouse model that enables inducible overexpression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα), specifically in adipose tissue (Adipo-ERα↑). Objective

We aimed to investigate how elevated Adipo-ERα↑ influences the development of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in both male and female mice. Methods

Male and female Adipo-ERα↑ mice and littermate controls were fed a low-fat diet (LFD) or HFD for 13 weeks. Adipo-ERα↑ was induced at the initiation of dietary treatment. Body morphology and composition, hepatic lipid accumulation, glucose tolerance, fasting insulin concentrations, and adipose tissue mRNA profiling were assessed. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to determine circulating and adipose …

Cannabis Improves Metabolic Dysfunction And Macrophage Signatures In Obese Mice, Brandon N. Vanderveen, Thomas D. Cardaci, Christian A. Unger, Mitchell M. Nesmith, Jeffrey C. Freeman, Arianna V. Bastian, Kasie Roark, Mansi Upadhyay, Andrew G. Levy, Brooke M. Bullard, Sierra J. Mcdonald, Kandy T. Velázquez, Reilly T. Enos, Jason L. Kubinak, Lorne J. Hofseth Ph.D., James Hébert Scd, Daping Fan, E. Angela Murphy

Faculty Publications

Obesity rates continue to rise, highlighting the need for new treatments that are effective, safe, and widely accessible. Aligned with the easing of restrictions on cannabis use, interest in its therapeutic potential is evolving. As such, we examined the effects of the cannabis plant with high cannabidiol (CBD) content or high Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content on metabolic and immune dysregulation in obese mice. Briefly, female C57BL/6 mice were randomized into four groups (n = 15/group): 1) lean, 2) obese placebo, 3) obese CBD, and 4) obese THC. Lean mice consumed a low-fat diet for the study …

Adipose Tissue Estrogen Receptor-Alpha Overexpression Ameliorates High-Fat Diet–Induced Adipose Tissue Inflammation, Marion C. Hope, Christian A. Unger, M Chase Kettering, Cassidy E. Socia, Ahmed K. Aladhami, Barton C. Rice, Darya S. Niamira, Ben P. Wiznitzer, Diego Altomare Ph.D., William E. Cotham, Reilly T. Enos

Faculty Publications

Context

We created an innovative mouse model that enables inducible overexpression of estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα), specifically in adipose tissue (Adipo-ERα↑). Objective

We aimed to investigate how elevated Adipo-ERα↑ influences the development of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity in both male and female mice. Methods

Male and female Adipo-ERα↑ mice and littermate controls were fed a low-fat diet (LFD) or HFD for 13 weeks. Adipo-ERα↑ was induced at the initiation of dietary treatment. Body morphology and composition, hepatic lipid accumulation, glucose tolerance, fasting insulin concentrations, and adipose tissue mRNA profiling were assessed. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to determine circulating and adipose …

Development Of A Strategy To Neutralize Ccl8 Activity And Ablate Ccl8 Cellular Targets, Bernardo Chavez

Theses and Dissertations

The chemokine CCL8 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-2) is a versatile signaling molecule involved in tumor progression, immune cell recruitment, and therapeutic resistance. Through activation of receptors including CCR1, CCR2B, and CCR5, CCL8 promotes leukocyte trafficking, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and the establishment of immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments. In breast cancer and inflammatory diseases, elevated CCL8 levels correlate with poor clinical outcomes, making it a promising therapeutic target.

A strategy was developed to block CCL8 activity and selectively ablate CCL8 receptor expressing cells. A neutralizing monoclonal antibody, 1G3E5, was identified from a panel of murine candidates based on high affinity CCL8 binding. Sequencing revealed two …

Diversity And Equity In Medical Education Over The Past Decade: Applications, Matriculations, And The Growing Gaps, Gang Lv, Xiangxiang Jiang, Jordan Franklin, Minghui Li, Jing Yuan, Z Kevin Lu Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background

Diversity and race-concordant relationships contribute to improved patient experiences and outcomes. In contrast, the representation of underrepresented in medicine (URiM) individuals in different medical specialties is declining. The essential pathway to improving diversity within the future workforce centers around the inclusion of a diverse cohort of medical students. We aimed to examine the diversity of medical school applications and admissions across sex, race and ethnicity over the past decade.

Methods

This study used data from the Association of American Medical Colleges from 2015 to 2024. URiM individuals refer to minority populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession, including …

Association Of Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor Use With Reduced Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease Risk, Joseph Magagnoli Ph.D., Ms, Meenakshi Ambati, Tammy H. Cummings, Joseph Nguyen, Claire C. Thomas, Vidya L. Ambati, S. Scott Sutton, Bradley D. Gelfand, Jayakrishna Ambati

Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION

Inflammasome activation is implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously demonstrated that nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), drugs approved to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B, also inhibit inflammasome activation.

METHODS

We evaluated the association between NRTI exposure and subsequent development of AD in the United States Veterans Health Administration over a 24-year period and in the MarketScan database over a 14-year period using propensity score-matched multivariate Cox hazards regression and Kaplan–Meier analyses.

RESULTS

We report that in humans, NRTI exposure was associated with a significantly lower incidence of AD in two of the largest health insurance …

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Of Aducanumab Versus Placebo For Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment And Mild Alzheimer’S Disease, Xiaomo Xiong, Gang Lv, Jacob Jordan King, Minghui Li, Jing Yuan, Z Kevin Lu

Faculty Publications

Objectives To assess the cost-effectiveness of aducanumab at its updated price for treating patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Design Cost-effectiveness analysis.

Settings A five-state Markov model was constructed using 10 000 virtual patients to assess the cost-effectiveness of aducanumab from the perspective of the US healthcare system. The model employed a one-year cycle time and a lifetime time horizon. Transition probabilities and mortality rates were derived from a literature review. To address uncertainty and generalise the base case results, both one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted.

Participants 10 000 virtual patients with MCI …

Exploring The Impact Of Pharmacy Education On Pharmacy Residents' Confidence & Knowledge Of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy, Grace Thompson, Jordan Ballou, Chao Cai

Senior Theses

This thesis will examine the relationship between pharmacy school education about gender-affirming hormone therapy and the confidence and knowledge of PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacy residents at ASHP-accredited or candidate pharmacy residency programs across the United States. This cross-sectional study was completed through an analysis of de-identified survey data, including demographics, confidence-based questions, and knowledge-based questions. The study survey and thesis were compiled by reviewing the current literature regarding the perceptions of pharmacists, pharmacy residents, and student pharmacists on transgender and gender diverse topics. The survey was sent to pharmacy residents through residency program directors (RPDs) and program contacts. After considering …

Predicting Diabetes Self-Management Education Engagement: Machine Learning Algorithms And Models, Xiangxiang Jiang, Gang Lv, Minghui Li, Jing Yuan, Z Kevin Lu

Faculty Publications

Introduction Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is endorsed by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) as an essential component of diabetes management. However, the utilization of DSME remains limited in the USA. This study aimed to investigate current DSME participation among the older population and to identify comprehensive factors of DSME engagement through employing various machine learning (ML) models based on a US nationally representative survey linked to claims data.

Research design and methods Data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey were employed, and this study included data on US Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes from 2017 to 2019. Comprehensive variables following the …

Appropriateness Of Ambulatory Antibiotic Prescribing In South Carolina, 2012–2017, Pamela Bailey, Majdi N. Al-Hasan, Julie Royer, Max Habicht, Julie Ann Justo, P. Brandon Bookstaver Pharm.D., Sharon Weissman, Hana R. Winders

Faculty Publications

This population-based cohort study examines the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing in South Carolina via aggregated pharmacy claims data matched with diagnosis codes from medical claims. Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing decreased from 30.2% in 2012 to 22.6% in 2017 (P < 0.001) and was more common in adults >40 years old.

Mediator Kinase Inhibitors Suppress Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Growth And Extend Tumor Suppression By Mtor And Akt Inhibitors, Xiaokai Ding, Jiaxin Liang, Amanda C. Sharko, Thomas A. Hilimire, Jing Li, Jürgen Loskutov, Zachary T. Mack, Hao Ji, Gary P. Schools, Chao Cai, Elena N. Pugacheva, Mengqian Chen, Igor Roninson, Eugenia Broude

Faculty Publications

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are treated primarily by chemotherapy and lack clinically validated therapeutic targets. In particular, inhibitors of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, abnormally activated in many breast cancers, failed to achieve clinical efficacy in TNBC due to the development of adaptive drug resistance, which is largely driven by the transcriptomic plasticity of TNBC. Expression of CDK8/19 Mediator kinases that control transcriptional reprogramming correlates with relapse-free survival and treatment failure in breast cancer patients, including TNBC. We now investigated how CDK8/19 inhibitors affect the growth of TNBC tumors and their response to mTOR and AKT inhibitors. In contrast to the effects …

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 …

Perceptions Of Virtual Reality In Cardiac Pharmacy Education, Morgan E. Mendes

Senior Theses

Background: The reformation of how educational content is portrayed is not a new phenomenon. However, the world of pharmacy has been slow to adapt, particularly considering higher education’s declining attendance rates and less engaging lectures. XR can be a great addition to learners’ curriculum, particularly VR, with various applications including adjunctive pharmacotherapy, patient counseling, pharmacist training, and pharmacological modeling. Despite the various barriers VR integration faces, the benefits of VR necessitate its future implementation into our COP curriculum as an augmentative form of learning.

Methods: An independent study of 11 students at the UofSC COP was conducted in the Spring …

Discovering Therapeutic Strategies In Colorectal Cancer Via Synthetic Lethal Genetic Screens On Patient-Derived Organoid Models, Sana Khalili

Theses and Dissertations

Precision medicine is a revolutionary approach of targeting genetic alterations that are present only in tumor cells to find vulnerabilities that can be targeted with therapy. Identifying genetic dependencies in human colon cancer could help identify effective treatment strategies. Genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 dropout screens can reveal all genetic dependencies, some of which could be exploited as therapeutic targets using existing drugs.

In this dissertation, I comprehensively characterized genetic dependencies present in a colon cancer organoid avatar, and validated tumor-specific selectivity of select pharmacologic agents. I identified all somatic mutations, all expressed genes, and conducted a genome-wide CRISPR dropout screen to elucidate …

Antioxidant And Anti-Inflammatory Potential Of Engineered Ceria Nanoparticles In The Management Of Alzheimer's Disease, Shanshan Shi

Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that affects millions worldwide. Unfortunately, there are currently no effective therapies available to prevent or cure the disease. While current therapies aim to change AD progression, there is a growing need for novel therapeutic strategies that can effectively penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to target the underlying pathology of the disease. The BBB is a highly selective semipermeable barrier that separates circulating blood from the brain. It plays a crucial role in amyloid-β (Aβ) homeostasis and clearance dynamics, as Aβ accumulation is a key factor in the pathogenesis of AD. Aβ aggregation …

Improving Drug Repurposing Success: Integrating Large Database Claims Analysis In Drug Discovery, Joseph Magagnoli

Theses and Dissertations

Drug repurposing has emerged as an innovative strategy to identify new therapeutic uses for existing medications. However, with few notable exceptions, repurposing existing drugs has limited overall success, often failing in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) due to inadequate treatment efficacy in new clinical settings. To improve success rates, I propose a framework titled REMIDY: Retrospective and Experimental Methods Integration for Drug DiscoverY. The REMIDY framework incorporates retrospective claims analysis into the drug discovery process. I demonstrate that retrospective analysis can leverage extensive administrative and clinical data to address translational gaps between pre-clinical experimental models and RCTs. For example, pre-clinical experimental …

Medication Adherence Between Long-Acting Injectable And Oral Antipsychotic Medications In South Carolina Medicaid Beneficiaries With Schizophrenia, Pujing Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Schizophrenia is a chronic and serious mental disorder that affects millions of individuals worldwide. A recent study shows the prevalence of schizophrenia globally is about 1%. The primary schizophrenia treatment goal is to effectively manage symptoms and prevent relapses. Antipsychotic medications are very important for the treatment of schizophrenia. However, the prevalence of nonadherence to antipsychotic medication is high, with mean rates reaching 41.2%. In the realm of schizophrenia treatment, two primary categories of medications are utilized: long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAI) and oral antipsychotic agents (OAP).LAI are administered at intervals spanning from two weeks to several months and have …

Evaluation Of Mechanism Of Action And Toxicity Of Novel Psychoactive Substances (Nps) Identified As Cannabinomimetics, Robert Michael Sears

Theses and Dissertations

Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRA), also referred to as synthetic cannabinoids (SCs), pose a significant public health risk, create an undue burden on local emergency departments, and present significant challenges for law enforcement officers and forensic laboratories. SCs are a diverse group of compounds sold with the intent to illicit psychoactive responses like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component in marijuana. Since their initial detection in 2004, illicit use of SCs has grown in popularity. Recognizing the dangers of SC use, the Drug Enforcement Agency has moved to schedule the analytes routinely identified in street drugs. Despite these efforts, the …

The Prevalence Of Gram-Negative Bacteria With Difficult-To-Treat Resistance And Utilization Of Novel Β-Lactam Antibiotics In The Southeastern United States, Y. Vivian Tsai, P. Brandon Bookstaver Pharm.D., Joseph Kohn, Julie Ann Justo, Darrell Childress, Stefanie Stramel, Douglas Slain, Patrick Tu, Mary Joyce B. Wingler, Bruce M. Jones, Daniel T. Anderson, Megan M. Seddon, David A. Cretella, Joshua Eudy, Hana Winders, Kayla Antosz Pharm.D., Pamela Bailey, Majdi N. Al-Hasan

Faculty Publications

Objective:

To evaluate temporal trends in the prevalence of gram-negative bacteria (GNB) with difficult-to-treat resistance (DTR) in the southeastern United States. Secondary objective was to examine the use of novel β-lactams for GNB with DTR by both antimicrobial use (AU) and a novel metric of adjusted AU by microbiological burden (am-AU). Design:

Retrospective, multicenter, cohort. Setting:

Ten hospitals in the southeastern United States. Methods:

GNB with DTR including Enterobacterales, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter spp. from 2015 to 2020 were tracked at each institution. Cumulative AU of novel β-lactams including ceftolozane/tazobactam, ceftazidime/avibactam, meropenem/vaborbactam, imipenem/cilastatin/relebactam, and cefiderocol in days of therapy (DOT) …

The Association Of Dietary Antioxidants And The Inflammatory Potential Of The Diet With Poor Physical Function And Disability In Older Australian Men: The Concord Health And Ageing In Men Project, Daniela Wizgier, Ying Meng, Arpita Das, Vasi Naganathan, Fiona Blyth, David G. Le Couteur, David J. Handelsman, Louise M. Waite, Rosilene V. Ribeiro, Nitin Shivappa, James Hébert Scd, Vasant Hirani

Faculty Publications

Our objective was to evaluate the association of antioxidant intake and the inflammatory potential of the diet with functional decline in older men. A diet history questionnaire was used to collect dietary intake data from men aged ≥ 75 years (n 794) participating in the Concord Health and Aging in Men Project cohort study. Intake of vitamins A, C, E and Zn were compared with the Australian Nutrient Reference Values to determine adequacy. The Energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DIITM) was used to assess the inflammatory potential of the diet. Physical performance data were collected via handgrip strength and walking speed …

A Baker’S Dozen Of Top Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention Publications In 2022, Reagan K. Barfield, Matthew L. Brown, Benjamin Albrecht, Katie E. Barber, Jeannette Bouchard, Amy L. Carr, Elias B. Chahine, David Cluck, Elizabeth W. Covington, Connor R. Deri, Spencer H. Durham, Carmen Faulkner-Fennell, Lauren K. Freeman, Timothy P. Gauthier, Geneen M. Gibson, Sarah B. Green, Athena L.V. Hobbs, Bruce M. Jones, P. Brandon Bookstaver Pharm.D., Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Keeping abreast of the antimicrobial stewardship–related articles published each year is challenging. The Southeastern Research Group Endeavor identified antimicrobial stewardship–related, peer-reviewed literature that detailed an actionable intervention during 2022. The top 13 publications were selected using a modified Delphi technique. These manuscripts were reviewed to highlight actionable interventions used by antimicrobial stewardship programs to capture potentially effective strategies for local implementation.