Other Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

Prospects For Rnai Therapy Of Covid-19, Hasan Uludağ, Kylie Parent, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Azita Haddadi

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus is a fast emerging disease with deadly consequences. The pulmonary system and lungs in particular are most prone to damage caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection, which leaves a destructive footprint in the lung tissue, making it incapable of conducting its respiratory functions and resulting in severe acute respiratory disease and loss of life. There were no drug treatments or vaccines approved for SARS-CoV-2 at the onset of pandemic, necessitating an urgent need to develop effective therapeutics. To this end, the innate RNA interference (RNAi) mechanism can be employed to develop front line therapies against …

Uplc-Ms/Ms Analysis Of Cyp1a-Mediated Ethoxyresorufin-O-Deethylation Activity In The Rat Kidney Microsomes, Devaraj Venkatapura Chandrashekar, Reza Mehvar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Ethoxyresorufin (ER)-O-deethylation (EROD) activity has been widely used to assess cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) activity. The kinetics of CYP1A activity have been well characterized in the liver microsomes. However, studies in kidney microsomes are limited due to the much lower EROD activity in this organ. Here, we developed and validated a sensitive UPLC-MS/MS assay for the characterization of the EROD activity in the rat kidney microsomes. In a 50 µL reaction mixture, rat kidney microsomes (0.25 mg/mL) were incubated with ER (0.1–5 µM) and NADPH (1 mM) for 10 min. Acidic solvents, such as trichloroacetic acid or formic …

A Prospective Study To Validate The Functional Assessment Of Cancer Therapy (Fact) For Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitor (Egfri)-Induced Dermatologic Toxicities Fact-Egfri 18 Questionnaire: Swog S1013, Siu Fun Wong, Joseph M. Unger, James L. Wade Iii, Lynne I. Wagner, Mario E. Lacouture, Keisha C. Humphries, Anna Moseley, Kathryn Arnold, Mario R. Velasco Jr., Justin D. Floyd, Benjamin T. Esparaz, Afsaneh Barzi, Heinz-Josef Lenz, Marianna Koczywas, Shaker Dakhil, Gary V. Burton, Michael J. Fisch, N. Lynn Henry, Dawn L. Hershman, Carol M. Moinpour

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Papulopustular rash is a common class effect of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors (EGFRI) that can affect patients’ health-related quality of life and cause disruptions to treatment. SWOG S1013 (NCT01416688) is a multi-center study designed to validate the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy EGFRI 18 (FACT-EGFRI 18) using 7-items from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0 to assess EGFRI-induced skin-related toxicities and their impact on functional status.

Methods

Patients with a diagnosis of colorectal or lung cancer to receive EGFRI therapies for at least 6 weeks were enrolled. Patient self-assessments using …

Phosphodiesterase Isoforms And Camp Compartments In The Development Of New Therapies For Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, Martina Schmidt, Isabella Cattani-Cavalieri, Francisco J. Nuñez, Rennolds S. Ostrom

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The second messenger molecule 3′5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) imparts several beneficial effects in lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). While cAMP is bronchodilatory in asthma and COPD, it also displays anti-fibrotic properties that limit fibrosis. Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) metabolize cAMP and thus regulate cAMP signaling. While some existing therapies inhibit PDEs, there are only broad family specific inhibitors. The understanding of cAMP signaling compartments, some centered around lipid rafts/caveolae, has led to interest in defining how specific PDE isoforms maintain these signaling microdomains. The possible altered expression of PDEs, and thus abnormal …

Use Of National Consumer Survey Data To Explore Perceptions Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine, Alina Cernasev, Basma Gomaa, Keri Hager, Jon C. Schommer, Lawrence B. Brown

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Although Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has been the standard of therapy in Asia for centuries, it started receiving more attention in the U.S. in the last three decades.

Objectives: The primary study objective was to explore individuals' perspectives of CAM. A secondary objective was to describe individuals' perceptions of pharmacists’ roles in facilitating their use of these services and products.

Methods: Data were obtained from the 2015 and 2016 National Consumer Surveys on the Medication Experience and Pharmacist Roles. Data were collected from adults residing in the United States via on-line, self-administered surveys coordinated by …

The Roles Of Primary Cilia In Cardiovascular Diseases And Cancer, Maha Jamal

Pharmaceutical Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Primary cilia are sensory organelles present in most mammalian cell types and regulate cell cycle and signaling pathways. Biochemical and molecular dysfunctions of primary cilia are associated with a wide range of diseases, including cancer, ciliopathies polycystic kidney disease (PKD, liver disorders, mental retardation, and obesity to cardiovascular diseases. Dysfunction in endothelial cilia contributes to aberrant fluid-sensing and results in vascular disorders, such as hypertension, aneurysm, and atherosclerosis. In this dissertation, the most recent outcomes on the roles of endothelial primary cilia within vascular biology have been summarized. Moreover, we evaluate the correlation between cilia formation or length and cell …

Role Of Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase On Cardiovascular Functions In Physiological And Pathophysiological States, Ahmmed Ally, Isabella Powell, Minora M. Ally, Kevin Chaitoff, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

This review describes and summarizes the role of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) on the central nervous system, particularly on brain regions such as the ventrolateral medulla (VLM) and the periaqueductal gray matter (PAG), and on blood vessels and the heart that are involved in the regulation and control of the cardiovascular system (CVS). Furthermore, we shall also review the functional aspects of nNOS during several physiological, pathophysiological, and clinical conditions such as exercise, pain, cerebral vascular accidents or stroke and hypertension. For example, during stroke, a cascade of molecular, neurochemical, and cellular changes occur that affect the nervous system …

Targeting The Transferrin Receptor To Develop Erythropoietin For Alzheimer’S Disease, Rachita K. Sumbria

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States with approximately 5.8 million Americans currently living with AD. Due to the lack of a disease modifying treatment for AD and the aging baby boomer generation, this number is projected to grow to 13.8 million by 2050 (Gaugler et al., 2019). Amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaque accumulation, one of the major pathological hallmarks of AD, can begin > 20 years before clinical symptoms of AD. By the time AD is clinically diagnosed, neuronal loss and neuropathological lesions (Aβ plaques and tau tangles) have already occurred in many brain regions …

Medication Safety During Transitions Of Care:The Importance Of Checklists In Preventing Patient Harm, Laressa Bethishou, Olivia Lounsbury, Donna Prosser

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

There is a need to optimize patient safety as patients navigate through the healthcare system. With each transition of care, patients are vulnerable to changes that may cause adverse effects, including changes in their healthcare team, health status, and medications. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) defines a transition of care as “the movement of a patient from one setting of care to another.” While the concept itself may seem simple, this definition fails to capture the many potential handoff complications which classify these transitions as high risk for patients. With 67% of patients facing unintended medication discrepancies …

Comparative Molecular Transporter Properties Of Cyclic Peptides Containing Tryptophan And Arginine Residues Formed Through Disulfide Cyclization, Eman H. M. Mohammed, Dindyal Mandal, Saghar Mozaffari, Magdy Abdel-Hamied Zahran, Amany Mostafa Osman, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

We have previously reported cyclic cell-penetrating peptides [WR]₅ and [WR]₄ as molecular transporters. To optimize further the utility of our developed peptides for targeted therapy in cancer cells using the redox condition, we designed a new generation of peptides and evaluated their cytotoxicity as well as uptake behavior against different cancer cell lines. Thus, cyclic [C(WR)_xC] and linear counterparts (C(WR)_xC), where x = 4–5, were synthesized using Fmoc/tBu solid-phase peptide synthesis, purified, and characterized. The compounds did not show any significant cytotoxicity (at 25 µM) against ovarian (SK-OV-3), leukemia (CCRF-CEM), gastric adenocarcinoma (CRL-1739), breast …

Recombinant Human Proteoglycan-4 Mediates Interleukin-6 Response In Both Human And Mouse Endothelial Cells Induced Into A Sepsis Phenotype, Holly A. Richendrfer, Mitchell M. Levy, Khaled A. Elsaid, Tannin A. Schmidt, Ling Zhang, Ralph Cabezas, Gregory D. Jay

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Objectives:

Sepsis is a leading cause of death in the United States. Putative targets to prevent systemic inflammatory response syndrome include antagonism of toll-like receptors 2 and 4 and CD44 receptors in vascular endothelial cells. Proteoglycan-4 is a mucinous glycoprotein that interacts with CD44 and toll-like receptor 4 resulting in a blockade of the NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing-3 pathway. We hypothesized that endothelial cells induced into a sepsis phenotype would have less interleukin-6 expression after recombinant human proteoglycan 4 treatment in vitro.

Design:

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction to measure interleukin-6 protein and gene expression.

Setting: …

Nanoparticle-Mediated Drug Delivery For The Treatment Of Cardiovascular Diseases, Rajasekharreddy Pala, Vt Anju, Madhu Dyavaiah, Siddhardha Busi, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are one of the foremost causes of high morbidity and mortality globally. Preventive, diagnostic, and treatment measures available for CVDs are not very useful, which demands promising alternative methods. Nanoscience and nanotechnology open a new window in the area of CVDs with an opportunity to achieve effective treatment, better prognosis, and less adverse effects on non-target tissues. The application of nanoparticles and nanocarriers in the area of cardiology has gathered much attention due to the properties such as passive and active targeting to the cardiac tissues, improved target specificity, and sensitivity. It has reported that more than …

Rapamycin Treatment Correlates Changes In Primary Cilia Expression With Cell Cycle Regulation In Epithelial Cells, Maha Jamal, Ane C.F. Nunes, Nosratola D. Vaziri, Ramani Ramchandran, Robert L. Bacallao, Andromeda M. Nauli, Surya M. Nauli

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Primary cilia are sensory organelles that regulate cell cycle and signaling pathways. In addition to its association with cancer, dysfunction of primary cilia is responsible for the pathogenesis of polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and other ciliopathies. Because the association between cilia formation or length and cell cycle or division is poorly understood, we here evaluated their correlation in this study. Using Spectral Karyotyping (SKY) technique, we showed that PKD and the cancer/tumorigenic epithelial cells PC3, DU145, and NL20-TA were associated with abnormal ploidy. We also showed that PKD and the cancer epithelia were highly proliferative. Importantly, the cancer epithelial cells …

Does Long-Term Proton Pump Inhibitor Use Pump Up Your Risk Of Adverse Effects?, Hindu Rao, Jelena Lewis

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Many studies have linked proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use to several adverse effects including Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, community-acquired pneumonia, bone fractures, and nutritional deficiencies.1 Other reports have linked PPI use with chronic kidney disease, cognitive decline, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and even death.1,2,3 Many patients take PPIs chronically and may be concerned about the risk of these side effects. This poses a challenge for healthcare providers as safety data has been primarily based on retrospective and observational studies. Thus, the fears associated with long term PPI therapy can create confusion, result in extended patient visits, and lead to under-prescribing PPIs …

Comparative Antiviral Activity Of Remdesivir And Anti-Hiv Nucleoside Analogs Against Human Coronavirus 229e (Hcov-229e), Keykavous Parang, Naglaa Salem El-Sayed, Assad J. Kazeminy, Rakesh Tiwari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Remdesivir is a nucleotide prodrug that is currently undergoing extensive clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19. The prodrug is metabolized to its active triphosphate form and interferes with the action of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-COV-2. Herein, we report the antiviral activity of remdesivir against human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E) compared to known anti-HIV agents. These agents included tenofovir (TFV), 4′-ethynyl-2-fluoro-2′-deoxyadenosine (EFdA), alovudine (FLT), lamivudine (3TC), and emtricitabine (FTC), known as nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and a number of 5′-O-fatty acylated anti-HIV nucleoside conjugates. The anti-HIV nucleosides interfere with HIV RNA-dependent DNA polymerase and/or act as chain terminators. …

Proteoglycan-4 Regulates Fibroblast To Myofibroblast Transition And Expression Of Fibrotic Genes In The Synovium, Marwa Qadri, Gregory D. Jay, Ling X. Zhang, Holly Richendrfer, Tannin A. Schmidt, Khaled A. Elsaid

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Synovial tissue fibrosis is common in advanced OA with features including the presence of stress fiber-positive myofibroblasts and deposition of cross-linked collagen type-I. Proteoglycan-4 (PRG4) is a mucinous glycoprotein secreted by synovial fibroblasts and is a major component of synovial fluid. PRG4 is a ligand of the CD44 receptor. Our objective was to examine the role of PRG4-CD44 interaction in regulating synovial tissue fibrosis in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: OA synoviocytes were treated with TGF-β ± PRG4 for 24h and α-SMA content was determined using immunofluorescence. Rhodamine-labeled rhPRG4 was incubated with OA synoviocytes ± anti-CD44 or …

Phenylpyrazalopyrimidines As Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: Synthesis, Antiproliferative Activity, And Molecular Simulations, Bhupender S. Chhikara, Sajda Ashraf, Saghar Mozaffari, Nicole St. Jeans, Dindyal Mandal, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari, Zaheer Ul-Haq, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

N1-(α,β-Alkene)-substituted phenylpyrazolopyrimidine derivatives with acetyl and functionalized phenyl groups at α- and β-positions, respectively, were synthesized by the reaction of 3-phenylpyrazolopyrimidine (PhPP) with bromoacetone, followed by a chalcone reaction with differently substituted aromatic aldehydes. The Src kinase enzyme assay revealed modest inhibitory activity (half maximal inhibitory concentration, IC₅₀ = 21.7–192.1 µM) by a number of PhPP derivatives. Antiproliferative activity of the compounds was evaluated on human leukemia (CCRF-CEM), human ovarian adenocarcinoma (SK-OV-3), breast carcinoma (MDA-MB-231), and colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) cells in vitro. 4-Chlorophenyl carbo-enyl substituted 3-phenylpyrazolopyrimidine (10) inhibited the cell proliferation of HT-29 and SK-OV-3 by 90% …

Effect Of Diabetes Mellitus On Ocular Surface Tight Junctions And Glycocalyx, Saleh M. Alfuraih

Pharmaceutical Sciences (MS) Theses

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the disease of the century that affects many body organs. In the eye, diabetes mellitus causes retinopathy, cataract, glaucoma, papillopathy, and ocular surface disease. Ocular surface abnormalities in patients of diabetes mullites include impairment of corneal epithelial barrier function, conjunctival defects, increased incidence of corneal and conjunctival infections and higher prevalence of dry eye disease. Impairment of tight junctions and glycocalyx, which are critical for ocular surface barrier function, may underlie these diabetes-associated ocular surface defects. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of high glucose exposure and type I diabetes mellitus on …

Role Of Protein Phosphatase-2a In Regulating Monocyte Activation By Soluble And Crystalline Uric Acid In Gout, Sandy Elsayed

Pharmaceutical Sciences (MS) Theses

Gout is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the phagocytosis of monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystals by monocytes/macrophages resulting in downstream expression and production of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and chemokines. The activation of monocytes by MSU crystals involves the priming of monocytes with danger signals e.g. lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or soluble uric acid (UA), crystal phagocytosis and subsequent NLRP3 inflammasome activation and conversion of pro-IL-1β to active IL-1β. Protein-phosphatase-2A (PP2A) is a serine/threonine phosphatase that plays an important role in cell growth and inflammation. The prodrug Fingolimod (FTY720) and its phosphorylated active metabolite (p-FTY720) activate intracellular PP2A. We hypothesized that monocyte …

Cd44 Receptor Mediates Urate Crystal Phagocytosis By Macrophages And Regulates Inflammation In A Murine Peritoneal Model Of Acute Gout, Emira Bousoik, Marwa Qadri, Khaled A. Elsaid

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Gout is a chronic arthritis caused by the deposition of poorly soluble monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystals in peripheral joints. Resident macrophages initiate inflammation in response to MSU mediated by NF-κB nuclear translocation and NLRP3 inflammasome activation. We investigated the role of CD44, a transmembrane receptor, in mediating MSU phagocytosis by macrophages. We used an antibody that sheds the extracellular domain (ECD) of CD44 to study the role of the receptor and its associated protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in macrophage activation. We also studied the significance of CD44 in mediating MSU inflammation in-vivo. Cd44^−/− BMDMs showed reduced MSU …

Pcsk9 Inhibitors In Secondary Prevention – An Opportunity For Personalized Therapy, Chase Board, Michael S. Kelly, Michael D. Shapiro, Dave L. Dixon

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is the primary cause of ASCVD and reducing LDL-C levels with statin therapy significantly reduces ASCVD risk; however, significant residual risk remains. Two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), alirocumab and evolocumab, that target proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin-type 9 (PCSK9), reduce LDL-C levels by up to 60% when used in combination with statins and significantly reduce the risk of recurrent ASCVD events in both stable secondary prevention and acute coronary syndrome populations. Pre-specified analyses of recent randomized controlled trials have shed light on how best to prioritize these therapies …

Demarcation Of Sepsis-Induced Peripheral And Central Acidosis With Ph (Low) Insertion Cycle Peptide, Kelly E. Henry, Aisling M. Chaney, Veronica L. Nagle, Haley C. Cropper, Saghar Mozaffari, Chip Slaybaugh, Keykavous Parang, Oleg A. Andreev, Yana K. Reshetnyak, Michelle L. James, Jason S. Lewis

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Acidosis is a key driver for many diseases, including cancer, sepsis, and stroke. The spatiotemporal dynamics of dysregulated pH across disease remain elusive, and current diagnostic strategies do not provide localization of pH alterations. We sought to explore if PET imaging using hydrophobic cyclic peptides that partition into the cellular membrane at low extracellular pH (denoted as pH [low] insertion cycles, or pHLIC) can permit accurate in vivo visualization of acidosis. Methods: Acid-sensitive cyclic peptide c[E₄W₅C] pHLIC was conjugated to bifunctional maleimide-NO2A and radiolabeled with ⁶⁴Cu (half-life, 12.7 h). C57BL/6J mice were administered lipopolysaccharide (15 …

Antiproliferative And Apoptotic Effects Of Proteins From Black Seeds (Nigella Sativa) On Human Breast Mcf-7 Cancer Cell Line, Yamna Khursid, Basir Syed, Shabana U. Simjee, Obaid Beg, Aftab Ahmed

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Nigella sativa (NS), a member of family Ranunculaceae is commonly known as black seed or kalonji. It has been well studied for its therapeutic role in various diseases, particularly cancer. Literature is full of bioactive compounds from NS seed. However, fewer studies have been reported on the pharmacological activity of proteins. The current study was designed to evaluate the anticancer property of NS seed proteins on the MCF-7 cell line.

Methods

NS seed extract was prepared in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and proteins were precipitated using 80% ammonium sulfate. The crude seed proteins were partially purified using gel filtration …

Glucocorticoids Rapidly Activate Camp Production Via GΑs To Initiate Non-Genomic Signaling That Contributes To One-Third Of Their Canonical Genomic Effects, Francisco J. Nuñez, Timothy B. Johnstone, Maia L. Corpuz, Austin G. Kazarian, Nicole N. Mohajer, Omar Tliba, Reynold A. Pannettieri Jr., Cynthia J. Koziol-White, Moom Roosan, Rennolds S. Ostrom

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Glucocorticoids are widely used for the suppression of inflammation, but evidence is growing that they can have rapid, non-genomic actions that have been unappreciated. Diverse cell signaling effects have been reported for glucocorticoids, leading us to hypothesize that glucocorticoids alone can swiftly increase the 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production. We found that prednisone, fluticasone, budesonide, and progesterone each increased cAMP levels within 3 minutes without phosphodiesterase inhibitors by measuring real-time cAMP dynamics using the cAMP difference detector in situ assay in a variety of immortalized cell lines and primary human airway smooth muscle (HASM) cells. A membrane- impermeable glucocorticoid showed …

Design And Biological Evaluation Of Colchicine-Cd44-Targeted Peptide Conjugate In An In Vitro Model Of Crystal Induced Inflammation, Khalid A. Zoghebi, Emira Bousoik, Keykavous Parang, Khaled A. Elsaid

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Gout is an inflammatory arthritis due to the joint deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals. Phagocytosis of MSU crystals by tissue macrophages results in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Colchicine use in gout is limited by severe toxicity. CD44 is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is highly expressed in tissue macrophages and may be involved in gout pathogenesis. The P6 peptide is a 20-amino acid residue peptide that binds to CD44. We hypothesized that the conjugation of colchicine to the P6 peptide would reduce its off-target cytotoxicity while preserving its anti-inflammatory effect. …

The Development Of Novel Apurinic/Aprymidinic Endonuclease/Redox-Factor 1 Inhibitors For The Treatment Of Human Melanoma, Bella Sharifi

Pharmaceutical Sciences (MS) Theses

Apurinic/apyrimidinic DNA repair endonuclease-1 (APE1), first recognized as an important DNA excision repair enzyme, is also known as Redox Factor-1 (Ref-1) involved in the activation of many nuclear transcription factors in both redox-dependent and independent manner. It has been well-documented that the overexpression of APE/Ref-1 contributes to the development of chemo-resistance and is associated with tumor progression in many human malignancies [1].

Our previous study in melanoma demonstrated that the development of novel inhibitors targeting the redox regulation domain of APE/Ref-1 is a promising strategy for melanoma treatment. To date, limited successes have been reported in developing novel …

Gender Differences In Opioid Prescribing Patterns Among Adults In The Us, Salena Marie Preciado

Pharmaceutical Sciences (MS) Theses

This project aims to evaluate gender differences in opioid prescribing in ambulatory care and emergency department settings. The retrospective analysis of opioid prescribing rates in the US included all adult medical visits from 2006-2016. Data was collected from two nationally representative surveys, The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and the National Hospital and Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). Eligible patients were at least 18 years old on the date of the visit. Bivariate and multivariate analysis were used to identify factors associated with opioid prescribing.

Rates of opioid prescribing increased for both men and women over the study period. …

Drug Interactions With Antimalarial Medications In Older Travelers: A Clinical Guide, Jelena Lewis, Tania Gregorian, Ivan Portillo, Jeff Goad

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Increasingly older adults are traveling to international destinations with malaria as a present risk. Surveillance systems indicate that older adults are more likely to suffer severe complications from malaria. The role of health care providers in selecting an appropriate medication for chemoprophylaxis or treatment of malaria in adults becomes more difficult as older adults undergo physiologic changes that alter the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic nature of medications potentially causing increased drug interactions, adverse events, and altered drug action. A comprehensive literature search from 1970 to present, with a focus on the last 10 years, was conducted on drug interactions, pharmacokinetic and …

Using Community Pharmacy Immunization Screening Forms To Identify Potential Immunization Opportunities, Albert T. Bach, Jeffery A. Goad

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Immunization screening forms are completed for each patient that is to be vaccinated in the pharmacy. Screening forms contain demographic and health questions, which are used to determine if a patient is contraindicated to receive a vaccine. The objective is to determine if patient responses to questions on these forms can be used to identify potential vaccine indications. De-identified data was retrospectively collected from 11 community pharmacies in California and Michigan that included basic demographics, answers to immunization screening questions, and vaccine(s) administered during that visit. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations were used to forecast vaccine needs …

Improving Medication Information Presentation Through Interactive Visualization In Mobile Apps: Human Factors Design, Don Roosan, Yan Li, Anandi Law, Huy Truong, Mazharul Karim, Jay Chok, Moom Roosan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Despite the detailed patient package inserts (PPIs) with prescription drugs that communicate crucial information about safety, there is a critical gap between patient understanding and the knowledge presented. As a result, patients may suffer from adverse events. We propose using human factors design methodologies such as hierarchical task analysis (HTA) and interactive visualization to bridge this gap. We hypothesize that an innovative mobile app employing human factors design with an interactive visualization can deliver PPI information aligned with patients’ information processing heuristics. Such an app may help patients gain an improved overall knowledge of medications.

Objective: The …