Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

Pharmacist Avoidance Or Reductions In Medical Costs In Critically Ill Adults: Pharm-Crit Study, Megan A. Rech, Payal K. Gurnani, William J. Peppard, Keaton S. Smetana, Megan A. Van Berkel, Drayton A. Hammond, Alexander H. Flannery

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: To comprehensively classify interventions performed by ICU clinical pharmacists and quantify cost avoidance generated through their accepted interventions.

DESIGN: A multicenter, prospective, observational study was performed between August 2018 and January 2019.

SETTING: Community hospitals and academic medical centers in the United States.

PARTICIPANTS: ICU clinical pharmacists.

INTERVENTIONS: Recommendations classified into one of 38 intervention categories (divided into six unique sections) associated with cost avoidance.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Two-hundred fifteen ICU pharmacists at 85 centers performed 55,926 interventions during 3,148 shifts that were accepted on 27,681 adult patient days and generated $23,404,089 of cost avoidance. The quantity of …

Major Publications In The Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Literature: 2020, Brittany D. Bissell, Jeannee Campbell, Reagan Collins, Charles Cook, Dharati Desai, Jessica Dewitt, Ifeoma Mary Eche, Ijeoma Julie Eche, Pansy Elsamadisi, Janelle Juul, Soyoung Kim, Courtney T. Makowski, Ruben J Mylvaganam, Adam Smith, Jennifer Stancati, Katherine Stonesifer, Justin Tawil, Melanie Smith Condeni

Pharmacy Practice and Science Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVES: To summarize selected meta-analyses and trials related to critical care pharmacotherapy published in 2020.

DATA SOURCES: The Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Pharmacotherapy Literature Update group screened 36 journals monthly for impactful publications.

STUDY SELECTION: The group reviewed a total of 119 articles during 2020 according to relevance for practice.

DATA EXTRACTION: Articles were selected with consensus and importance to clinical practice from those included in the monthly Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Pharmacotherapy Literature Update. The group reviewed articles according to Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations criteria. Articles with a 1A grade were selected.

DATA SYNTHESIS: Several trials …

Optimizing Empiric Vancomycin Use In Febrile Neutropenia Patients, Nicole Tadros, Erika Dittmar, Radhan B. Gopalani

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Introduction: National guidelines do not support routine empiric vancomycin use in the initial management of febrile neutropenia (FN) and only recommend it in patients with specific clinical indications. This bi-phasic quality improvement project aimed to evaluate current vancomycin use in FN and improve compliance with a guideline-driven algorithm (GDA) to ensure appropriate prescribing and therapy duration in a community hospital.

Methods: Phase I was a retrospective review of charts of adults receiving empiric vancomycin therapy for FN at a community hospital. Phase II was a prospective review of charts of patients with FN, who received pharmacist-led interventions, to improve de-escalation …

Characterization Of Lithium Toxicity At A Large Academic Medical Institution, Melissa R. Vesey, Marian Matalka, Sarah Goldsborough, Mark F. Lutz, John Zaccardelli

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of A Pharmacist-To-Dose Voriconazole Protocol On Adverse Drug Reactions, Darius A. Savickas, Chad L Richardson, Christine Yost

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Keratin 1 As A Cell-Surface Receptor In Cancer, Oluseye Ogunnigbagbe, Christopher G. Bunick, Kamaljit Kaur

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Keratins are fibrous proteins that take part in several important cellular functions, including the formation of intermediate filaments. In addition, keratins serve as epithelial cell markers, which has made their role in cancer progression, diagnosis, and treatment an important focus of research. Keratin 1 (K1) is a type II keratin whose structure is comprised of a coiled-coil central domain flanked by flexible, glycine-rich loops in the N- and C-termini. While the structure of cytoplasmic K1 is established, the structure of cell-surface K1 is not known. Several transformed cells, such as cancerous cells and cells that have undergone oxidative stress, display …

The Global Burden Of Adolescent And Young Adult Cancer In 2019: A Systematic Analysis For The Global Burden Of Disease Study 2019, Elysia M. Alvarez, Lisa M. Force, Rixing Xu, Kelly Compton, Dan Lu, Ismaeel Yunusa Ph. D., Et Al.

Faculty Publications

Background

Methods

Early Multicenter Experience With Imipenem-Cilastatin-Relebactam For Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Infections, Nicholas Rebold, Taylor Morrisette, Abdalhamid M. Lagnf, Sara Alosaimy

Faculty and Student Publications

A multicenter case series of 21 patients were treated with imipenem-cilastatin-relebactam. There were mixed infection sources, with pulmonary infections (11/21,52%) composing the majority. The primary pathogen was Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16/21, 76%), and 15/16 (94%) isolates were multidrug-resistant. Thirty-day survival occurred in 14/21 (67%) patients. Two patients experienced adverse effects.

Cryo-Em Reveals The Architecture Of Placental Malaria Var2csa And Provides Molecular Insight Into Chondroitin Sulfate Binding, Kaituo Wang, Robert Dagil, Thomas Lavstsen, Sandeep K. Misra

Faculty and Student Publications

Placental malaria can have severe consequences for both mother and child and effective vaccines are lacking. Parasite-infected red blood cells sequester in the placenta through interaction between parasite-expressed protein VAR2CSA and the glycosaminoglycan chondroitin sulfate A (CS) abundantly present in the intervillous space. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of the VAR2CSA ectodomain at up to 3.1 Å resolution revealing an overall V-shaped architecture and a complex domain organization. Notably, the surface displays a single significantly electropositive patch, compatible with binding of negatively charged CS. Using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations as well as comparative hydroxyl radical protein foot-printing of …

Identification Of A Solo Acylhomoserine Lactone Synthase From The Myxobacterium Archangium Gephyra, Hanan Albataineh, Maya Duke, Sandeep K. Misra, Joshua S. Sharp

Faculty and Student Publications

Considered a key taxon in soil and marine microbial communities, myxobacteria exist as coordinated swarms that utilize a combination of lytic enzymes and specialized metabolites to facilitate predation of microbes. This capacity to produce specialized metabolites and the associated abundance of biosynthetic pathways contained within their genomes have motivated continued drug discovery efforts from myxobacteria. Of all myxobacterial biosynthetic gene clusters deposited in the antiSMASH database, only one putative acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) synthase, agpI, was observed, in genome data from Archangium gephyra. Without an AHL receptor also apparent in the genome of A. gephyra, we sought to determine if AgpI …

Characterization And In Vitro And In Vivo Evaluation Of Tacrolimus-Loaded Poly(Ε-Caprolactone) Nanocapsules For The Management Of Atopic Dermatitis, Guilherme Dos Anjos Camargo, Leandro Ferreira, Diego José Schebelski, Amanda Martinez Lyra

Faculty and Student Publications

Background: Tacrolimus (TAC) is a drug of natural origin used in conventional topical dosage forms to control atopic dermatitis. However, direct application of the drug often causes adverse side effects in some patients. Hence, drug nanoencapsulation could be used as an improved novel therapy to mitigate the adverse effects and enhance bioavailability of the drug. Methods: Physicochemical properties, in vitro drug release experiments, and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity studies were performed. Results: TAC-loaded nanocapsules were successfully prepared by the interfacial deposition of preformed polymer using poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). The nanoparticu-late systems presented a spherical shape with a smooth and regular surface, …

Extracts From Pulsatilla Patens Target Cancer-Related Signaling Pathways In Hela Cells, Grażyna Łaska, Magdalena Maciejewska-Turska, Elwira Sieniawska, Łukasz Świątek

Faculty and Student Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine if a methanolic extract of the Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill. can inhibit the progression of cancer through the modulation of cancer-related metabolic signaling pathways. We analyzed a panel of 13 inducible luciferase reporter gene vectors which expression is driven by enhancer elements that bind to specific transcription factors for the evaluation of the activity of cancer signaling pathways. The root extract of P. patens exhibited strong inhibition of several signaling pathways in HeLa cells, a cervical cancer cell line, and was found to be the most potent in inhibiting the activation of …

Functional Genomics Study Of Pseudomonas Putida To Determine Traits Associated With Avoidance Of A Myxobacterial Predator, Shukria Akbar, D. Cole Stevens

Faculty and Student Publications

Predation contributes to the structure and diversity of microbial communities. Predatory myxobacteria are ubiquitous to a variety of microbial habitats and capably consume a broad diversity of microbial prey. Predator–prey experiments utilizing myxobacteria have provided details into predatory mechanisms and features that facilitate consumption of prey. However, prey resistance to myxobacterial predation remains underexplored, and prey resistances have been observed exclusively from predator–prey experiments that included the model myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus. Utilizing a predator–prey pairing that instead included the myxobacterium, Cystobacter ferrugineus, with Pseudomonas putida as prey, we observed surviving phenotypes capable of eluding predation. Comparative transcriptomics between P. putida …

Transmission Studies And The Composition Of Prokaryotic Communities Associated With Healthy And Diseased Aplysina Cauliformis Sponges Suggest That Aplysina Red Band Syndrome Is A Prokaryotic Polymicrobial Disease, Matteo Monti, Aurora Giorgi, Cole G. Easson, Deborah J. Gochfeld

Faculty and Student Publications

Aplysina cauliformis, the Caribbean purple rope sponge, is commonly affected by Aplysina Red Band Syndrome (ARBS). This transmissible disease manifests as circular lesions with red margins and results in bare spongin fibers. Leptolyngbya spp. appear to be responsible for the characteristic red coloration but transmission studies with a sponge-derived isolate failed to establish disease, leaving the etiology of ARBS unknown. To investigate the cause of ARBS, contact transmission experiments were performed between healthy and diseased sponges separated by filters with varying pore sizes. Transmission occurred when sponges were separated by filters with pore sizes ≥ 2.5 μm, suggesting a prokaryotic …

An Investigation Into The Use Of An Herbal Labor Induction Tincture Containing Black Cohosh, Cramp Bark, Partridgeberry, And Motherwort On Contractile Responses Produced From Isolated Strips Of Mouse Uterine Tissues, Clayton Neuenschwander, Katrina Wu, Teresa F. Degolier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: Alternative solutions in the form of herbal remedies meant to ease or expedite the process of labor have often been pursued and administered but have seldom been quantitatively tested for efficacy. Published research has shown some validation for some commonly used herbs such as blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), castor bean (Ricinus communis) and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) on isolated mouse uterine strips. Methods: This study tested an array of herbs used by midwives in a labor induction tincture, which included black cohosh (Actaea racemosa), cramp bark (Viburnum opulus), partridgeberry (Mitchella repens), and motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca). …

Kshv Susceptibility And Transmission Within Tonsillar Specimens, Farizeh Aalam

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Despite nearly three decades of research, not much is known regarding the early stages of development for KSHV lymphoproliferative disorders, hindering our ability to develop prophylactic measures or effective treatments. This dissertation will focus on the host and viral factors influencing the magnitude and dynamics of KSHV infection in the human tonsil to pave the way for future interventions directed at limiting person-to-person transmission of KSHV.

To understand the contribution of host factors to KSHV susceptibility in B lymphocytes, we generated a library of 40 tonsillar specimens. Our results indicate that the immunological composition of tonsillar lymphocytes varies across our …

Modulating The Tumor Microenvironment To Improve Immunotherapy Treatments, Lleayem Nazario-Johnson, David Rowley

Senior Honors Projects

Advances in immunotherapy are revolutionizing the treatments of certain cancers, especially those in the blood. However, wider applications for eradicating solid tumors have been slow to emerge. A likely reason is the presence of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the tumor microenvironment that secrete immunosuppressive molecules which attenuate the attack of immune cells. We hypothesize that small molecule Wnt/Beta- Catenin inhibitors can be used to modulate the immunosuppressive actions of MDSCs and increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatments, such as with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells. The Wnt/Beta-Catenin Pathway has been shown to be a crucial driving force behind the …

Development Of Novel Peptide-Doxorubicin Conjugates For Targeting Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Azam Saghaeidehkordi

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive and difficult to treat subtype of breast cancer. Chemotherapy is an active treatment option in combination with other treatments; however, the side effects limit the effective therapeutic dose. To selectively target the cancer cells, I have synthesized three peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) to specifically target the TNBC cells. The first PDC contains peptide 18-4 with an additional cysteine in the N-terminal (NH2- CWxEAAYQrFL-CONH2) linked to aldoxorubicin (Aldox), a modified version of a common chemotherapy drug doxorubicin (Dox). The cytotoxicity of the PDC and free Dox (positive control) were assessed against MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, and …

Siderophore-Mediated Zinc Acquisition Enhances Enterobacterial Colonization Of The Inflamed Gut, Judith Behnsen, Hui Zhi, Allegra T. Aron, Venkateswaran Subramanian, William Santus, Michael H. Lee, Romana R. Gerner, Daniel Petras, Janet Z. Liu, Keith D. Green, Sarah L. Price, Jose Camacho, Hannah Hillman, Joshua Tjokrosurjo, Nicola P. Montaldo, Evelyn M. Hoover, Sean Treacy-Abarca, Benjamin A. Gilston, Eric P. Skaar, Walter J. Chazin, Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova, Matthew B Lawrenz, Robert D Perry, Sean-Paul Nuccio, Pieter C. Dorrestein, Manuela Raffatellu

Pharmacy Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center Faculty Publications

Zinc is an essential cofactor for bacterial metabolism, and many Enterobacteriaceae express the zinc transporters ZnuABC and ZupT to acquire this metal in the host. However, the probiotic bacterium Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (or “Nissle”) exhibits appreciable growth in zinc-limited media even when these transporters are deleted. Here, we show that Nissle utilizes the siderophore yersiniabactin as a zincophore, enabling Nissle to grow in zinc-limited media, to tolerate calprotectin-mediated zinc sequestration, and to thrive in the inflamed gut. We also show that yersiniabactin’s affinity for iron or zinc changes in a pH-dependent manner, with increased relative zinc binding as the …

November / December 2021, Cindy Brooks, Randy Curry

RURAL ROCKS

Rural Rocks, the Rural Health Network newsletter by the SWOSU College of Pharmacy.

Comparative Metabolism Of Aflatoxin B1 In Two Quail Genera Coturnix Japonica And Callipepla Californica, Sean Moody

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Avian species are highly susceptible to the hepatotoxic mycotoxin aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁). Domesticated turkeys are exquisitely sensitive, due to a combination of highly-efficient hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated bioactivation, and to dysfunctional alpha-class glutathione S-transferases (GSTAs) which typically detoxify the bioactivated electrophilic metabolite exo-AFB₁-8,9-epoxide (AFBO). Wild turkeys are relatively resistant to AFB₁ in large part due to expression of functional GSTAs. Quail, a related Galliforme, are slightly less sensitive in vivo to AFB₁, but whether this is related to the hepatic metabolic profiles of these two critical enzymes has not been rigorously evaluated. …

Characterizing And Overcoming Resistance To Aminomethylspectinomycins In Gram-Negative Bacteria, Nisha Das

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Spectinomycin (SPC) is a broad-spectrum aminocyclitol antibiotic. Its use in agriculture has led to widespread resistance in enteric bacteria, necessitating the development of more effective analogs. Aminomethyl spectinomycins (amSPC) are modified spectinomycins with increased potency against many bacterial species. These species include Legionella pneumophila, which harbors a chromosomally encoded aminoglycoside modifying enzyme (AME). In this study, we follow up on this observation and examine the extent to which the amSPCs are substrates for AMEs through adenylation (ANTs) and phosphorylation (APH). APH(9)-Ia and ANT(3")(9) were expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) and purified using the Ni-affinity chromatography. The ability of AMEs to …

Development And Validation Of A Method For The Determination Of Designer Benzodiazepines In Hair By Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (Lc-Ms/Ms), Laura C. Defreitas

Student Theses

In recent years, new designer benzodiazepines have become a challenge in forensic toxicology. These substances are analogues of the classic benzodiazepines, but their pharmacology is not well known, and many of them have been associated with overdoses and deaths. As a result, there has been a surge in efforts to develop ways to accurately test for these compounds in different biological matrices. This study focused to develop and validate a method for determining 17 new designer benzodiazepines in hair by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Hair samples were decontaminated, pulverized, and 20 mg of the sample was incubated in …

In Vitro Activity Of Non-Antibiotic Drugs Against Staphylococcus Aureus Clinical Strains, Natalie K. Boyd, Grace C. Lee, Chengwen Teng Pharm.D., Ph.D., Christopher R. Frei

Faculty Publications

Objectives: We hypothesised that one or more of the non-antibiotic candidates selected for this study would demonstrate antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Methods: We determined minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) for non-antibiotic drugs (amlodipine, azelastine, ebselen and sertraline) against five clinical S. aureus isolates and one quality control strain using the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA). Our research group selected clinical isolates obtained from nasal and wound swab cultures of patients with skin and soft-tissue infections who were seen at primary care clinics in the South Texas Ambulatory Research Network (STARNet).

Results: Three of the non-antibiotic …

Computational Design Of Β-Fluorinated Morphine Derivatives For Ph-Specific Binding, Makena Augenstein, Nayiri Alexander, Matthew Gartner

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Molecular extension and dissection techniques are used to design a morphine derivative that promotes selective binding in inflamed tissue due to its lower pH while avoiding dangerous activation in the brain. Morphine is used to treat pain associated with inflammation. While being effective analgesics, opioids carry the risk of central side effects, including addiction, respiratory depression, and sedation. Opioids are agonists that bind to the μ-opioid peptide receptor (MOR) within central and peripheral nerves and act via a G-protein coupled receptor pathway.

Deprotonation of the tertiary amine induces a negative charge on the nitrogen, discouraging binding at physiological pH (pH=7.4). …

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Continuing Professional Development In The Pharmaceutical Workplace: A Cross-Sectional Study In Lebanon, Georges Hatem, Mathijs Goossens, Diana Ghanem, Roula Bou Assi

BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Continuous Professional Development in the pharmaceutical workplace and the direct impact on the pharmacists’ personal and professional progression and to assess their perceptions toward various CPD methods and their incorporation into this recent learning pathway. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Lebanon within three months from July 2017 till September 2017 using a survey as a tool. Overall 142 participants were conveniently selected frequency matching national government estimates of pharmacists’ work location and gender . Results: Among the respondents, 38.7% reported that they have learnt through CD/DVD, …

Mutants Of The White Abcg Transporter In Drosophila Melanogaster Have Deficient Olfactory Learning And Cholesterol Homeostasis, Jennifer L. Myers, Maria Porter, Nicholas Narwold, Krishna Bhat, Brigitte Dauwalder, Gregg Roman

Faculty and Student Publications

Drosophila’s white gene encodes an ATP binding cassette G-subfamily (ABCG) half transporter. White is closely related to mammalian ABCG family members that function in cholesterol efflux. Mutants of white have several behavioral phenotypes that are independent of visual defects. This study characterizes a novel defect of white mutants in the acquisition of olfactory memory using the aversive olfactory conditioning paradigm. The w¹¹¹⁸ mutants learned slower than wildtype controls, yet with additional training, they reached wildtype levels of performance. The w¹¹¹⁸ learning phenotype is also found in the w^apricot and w^coral alleles, is dominant, and is …

Assessing Potentiation Of The (Α4)3(Β2)2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor By The Allosteric Agonist Cmpi, Farah Deba, Kemburli Munoz, Eloisa Peredia, Gustav Akk, Ayman K. Hamouda

Pharmacy Faculty Publications and Presentations

The extracellular domain of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor isoforms formed by three α4 and two β2 subunits ((α4) 3(β2)2 nAChR) harbors two high-affinity “canonical” acetylcholine (ACh)-binding sites located in the two α4:β2 intersubunit interfaces and a low-affinity “noncanonical” AChbinding site located in the α4:α4 intersubunit interface. In this study, we used ACh, cytisine, and nicotine (which bind at both the α4:α4 and α4:β2 interfaces), TC-2559 (which binds at the α4:β2 but not at the α4:α4 interface), and 3-(2-chlorophenyl)-5- (5-methyl-1-(piperidin-4-yl)-1H-pyrrazol-4-yl)isoxazole (CMPI, which binds at the α4:α4 but not at the α4:β2 interface), to investigate the binding and gating properties of CMPI …

Biocompatible Fepo4 Nanoparticles: Drug Delivery, Rna Stabilization, And Functional Activity, Sagar Rayamajhi, Sarah Wilson, Santosh Aryal, Robert Delong

Pharmacy Faculty Publications and Presentations

FePO4 NPs are of special interest in food fortification and biomedical imaging because of their biocompatibility, high bioavailability, magnetic property, and superior sensory performance that do not cause adverse organoleptic effects. These characteristics are desirable in drug delivery as well. Here, we explored the FePO4 nanoparticles as a delivery vehicle for the anticancer drug, doxorubicin, with an optimum drug loading of 26.81%±1.0%. This loading further enforces the formation of Fe3+ doxorubicin complex resulting in the formation of FePO4-DOX nanoparticles. FePO4-DOX nanoparticles showed a good size homogeneity and concentration-dependent biocompatibility, with over 70% biocompatibility up to 80 µg/mL concentration. Importantly, cytotoxicity …

Arrhythmogenic Hearts In Pkd2 Mutant Mice Are Characterized By Cardiac Fibrosis, Systolic, And Diastolic Dysfunctions, Farideh Amirrad, Rajasekharreddy Pala, Kiumars Shamloo, Brian S. Muntean, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a hereditary disorder affecting multiple organs, including the heart. PKD has been associated with many cardiac abnormalities including the arrhythmogenic remodeling in clinical evaluations. In our current study, we hypothesized that Pkd2 gene mutation results in structural and functional defects in the myocardium. The structural and functional changes of Pkd2 mutant hearts were analyzed in the myocardial-specific Pkd2 knockout (KO) mouse. We further assessed a potential role of TGF-b₁ signaling in the pathology of Pkd2-KO hearts. Hearts from age-matched 6-month-old MyH6•Pkd2^wt/wt (control or wild-type) and MyH6 …