Other Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

Inhibitory And Anti-Biofilm Effects Of Orthoshipon Aristatus Against Candida Albicans, Ratika Rahmasari, Ananda Hanny Chairunissa, Marina Ika Irianti, Roshamur Cahyan Forestrania, Ayun Erwina Arifianti, Herman Suryadi, Juliann Nzembi Makau, Ibrahim Jantan, Berna Elya

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

There are increasing number of reports on Candida albicans developing resistance to available anti-fungal drugs. Thus, there is an urgent need to discover new agents for treatment of candidiasis. The alcoholic extracts of Orthoshipon aristatus have been shown to exhibit antifungal activity against C. albicans by using the agar diffusion and broth microdilution methods. However, the underlying mechanisms of anti-C. albicans effect of O. aristatus have not been well understood. This study was aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic and anti-biofilm effects of the n-hexane and ethanol extracts of purple and white varieties of O. aristatus leaves …

Removal Of Mimosine From Leucaena Leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit Seeds To Increase Their Benefits As Nutraceuticals, Sri Wardatun, Yahdiana Harahap, Abdul Mun'im, Fadlina Chany Saputri Dr., Noorwati Sutandyo

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

The Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit tree contains pharmacologically active compounds and can easily be found in abundant quantities. The utilization of this tree as a source of nutraceuticals would increase its value. The extraction yields show the number of compounds that have been extracted by solvent. However, Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit seeds also contain mimosine, which can cause hair loss. The present study investigated the process of removing mimosine from the seeds. Three treatments were applied to these seeds: treatment without soaking, soaking with distilled water for 24 hours, and splitting the seeds in half and then soaking …

The Anti-Proliferation Effect Of An Isolated Butanol Fraction Of Tampa Badak (Voacanga Foetida (Bl.) K. Schum) Leaves On Leukemia, Lung, And Cervical Cancer, Adriani Susanty, Dachriyanus Dachriyanus, Yanwirasti Yanwirasti, Fatma Sri Wahyuni, Andisyah Putri Sekar, Nur Alimin, Magdazaleni Magdazaleni, Sri Esky Sofia, Citra Kartika Dewi

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Voacanga foetida (Bl.) K.Schum leaves are known to have cytotoxic activity against blood cancer cells. This study was aimed to determine the potential of an isolated butanol fraction of Voacanga foetida (Bl.) K.Schum leaves (Tb3 compound) in inhibiting the proliferation of several cancer cells, including leukemia (K562), lung cancer (A549), and cervical cancer (He-La) using the dye exclusion method. We found that the percentage of anti-proliferation of the Tb3 compound was increased in a dose-dependent manner, where it showed 83% (K562), 72.3% (He-La), and 70.7% (A549) inhibition at higher concentration. These values were relatively higher compared to doxorubicin as a …

Fractionation Of Citronella Oil And Identification Of Compounds By Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Yelfi Anwar, Victor S. Siringoringo

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Citronella oil is one of the most important essential oils and is widely used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. However, the selling price of citronella oil is still low, so efforts are needed to increase its added value by isolating the active components such as citronellal, citronellol and geraniol. This study aims to isolate the active ingredients of citronella oil that have higher economic added value. Citronella oil was obtained by the process of distillation of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle leaves. The essential oil was then fractionated by a vacuum fractionation process. The essential oil fraction was identified …

Antioxidant And Antiaging Assays Of Ageratum Conyzoides (L.) Ethanolic Extract, Afifah B. Sutjiatmo, Novi Edriayani, Tira Endang Mulyasari, Faizal Hermanto, M. Fahrauk, Elin Y. Sukandar, Hanna Sari Widya Kusuma, Rizal Rizal, Wahyu Widowati

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

The declining ability of tissues to repair or replace themselves and maintain their structure and normal function is called aging. Aging is caused by free radical that can induce the activation of elastase and collagenase. Ageratum conyzoides (L.) or known as Babadotan is a medicinal plant that has been reported to be a good source of antioxidants that also inhibit aging process. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the antioxidant and antiaging properties of Babadotan Ethanolic Extract (BEE). Franswoth method was used to determine the phytochemical assay of BEE. Measurement of 2,2-diphenyl 1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenger was used for …

Antifungal Activity Of Polyscias Scutellaria Fosberg Leaves Against Candida Albicans, Nada Marcha Putri, Jasmine Regita Putri, Berna Elya, Robiatul Adawiyah

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

Polyscias scutellaria Fosberg is one of the indigenous plants from Indonesia that widely used as folk medicines for several illnesses. The leaves of P. scutellaria were previously studied as an antimicrobial agent. Nonetheless, this theory of antifungal activity has never been scientifically verified. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of P. scutellaria against Candida albicans. The leaves of P. scutellaria were macerated using an ethanol solvent. Then, the extract was evaporated and dissolved by 1% DMSO into different concentrations (100 μg/mL, 200 μg/mL, 400 μg/mL, 800 μg/mL, 1600 μg/mL, 3200 μg/mL, and 6400 μg/mL). Fluconazole, as a …

Evaluation Of Antipsychotic Activity Of Ethanolic Bark Extract Of Myrica Esculenta In Rats, Biswash Sapkota, Ankit Acharya, Bishal Dangi, Annegowda Hv

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

The antipsychotic properties of Myrica esculenta stem bark were evaluated. The stem bark was collected, shade dried, and pulverized. Extraction was carried out with 70% ethanol by occasional shaking. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the extract was investigated in this study. Antipsychotic activity was evaluated against apomorphine-induced stereotypy using cook’s pole climbing apparatus and haloperidol-induced catalepsy models. Bioamine determination of noradrenaline and dopamine was also performed. The extract contains phytochemicals, including glycosides, flavonoids, volatile oils, proteins, saponins, phenolics, and tannins. The result showed decreased apomorphine-induced stereotyped behavior. This study reported significant dose-dependent potentiation of haloperidol-induced catalepsy in rats and a longer …

Potential Of Jamu In Nanotechnology Perspective As An Alternative Treatment For Covid-19, Dhadhang Wahyu Kurniawan, Azis Ikhsanudin

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

The world seems to be recovering at this time, especially because of the 2019 global coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19) caused by the Coronavirus 2 virus (SARS-CoV-2). This virus is similar to other β-coronaviruses through several steps to enter and bind angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as the main receptor. This binding, particularly in the respiratory epithelium and alveoli of the lungs, affects harmony in human host cells. No specific vaccines and antivirals are available to date as drug investigations are still ongoing. However, many Indonesians consume herbal medicine, especially 'empon-empon' containing the Zingiberaceae family, to protect their health from COVID-19. So …

Pharmacological Characterization Of Novel Serotonin Transporter Inhibitors Identified Through Computational Structure-Based Virtual Screening, Michael Wasko

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression is a mental health disorder affecting greater than 350 million people worldwide with roughly 7% of the United States population diagnosed as of 2017. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been the mainstay of pharmacotherapies for depression for the last 40 years. The SSRIs target the serotonin transporter (SERT), a monoamine transporter (MAT) responsible for terminating serotonergic neurotransmission. The SSRIs are not perfect therapeutics and suffer from delayed response times, inconsistent efficacy among patients, and often produce intolerable side effects. Therefore, a strong need exists to develop new antidepressants that are more efficacious and have fewer adverse effects. …

Anti-Muc4Β Antibodies As A Novel Therapeutic Modality For The Treatment Of Pancreatic Cancer, Catherine Orzechowski

Theses & Dissertations

The deregulation of cell surface glycoproteins, such as mucins, is a hallmark of many tumors of epithelial origin. The transmembrane mucin MUC4, is differentially overexpressed in several malignancies, including pancreatic, breast, ovarian, lung, cervical, and head and neck cancers. Of all the aforementioned cancers, the role of MUC4 has been the most thoroughly in pancreatic cancer (PC), which is the 4th leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. While MUC4 is undetectable in the normal or inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis), its expression progressively increases during PC progression and its higher expression correlates with poor survival. The role of MUC4 …

Customized Blister Packaging For Patients Living With Hiv: Assessment Of Patient Attitudes And Satisfaction, Holly Groteluschen, Harlan Sayles, Rebecca Osborn, Joshua P. Havens, Sara Bares, Jasmine R. Marcelin

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Adherence to antiretroviral medication results in reduced HIV transmission and improved health outcomes, yet challenges with medication adherence remain. A Collaborative Care Program was developed with a community pharmacy integrating a multi-dose adherence packaging service. We surveyed program participants to assess their satisfaction with this program and found an overall positive sentiment toward the program, that the program helped with reducing missed doses, and all patients would recommend the program to others.

Structural Characterization And In Vitro Lipid Binding Studies Of Non-Specific Lipid Transfer Protein 1 (Nsltp1) From Fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare) Seeds, Mekdes Megeressa, Bushra Siraj, Shamshad Zarina, Aftab Ahmed

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (nsLTPs) are cationic proteins involved in intracellular lipid shuttling in growth and reproduction, as well as in defense against pathogenic microbes. Even though the primary and spatial structures of some nsLTPs from different plants indicate their similar features, they exhibit distinct lipid-binding specificities signifying their various biological roles that dictate further structural study. The present study determined the complete amino acid sequence, in silico 3D structure modeling, and the antiproliferative activity of nsLTP1 from fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seeds. Fennel is a member of the family Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean …

Molecular Virology Of Kshv In The Lymphocyte Compartment—Insights From Patient Samples And De Novo Infection Models, Farizeh Aalam, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The incidence of Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV)-associated Kaposi Sarcoma has declined precipitously in the present era of effective HIV treatment. However, KSHV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders although rare, have not seen a similar decline. Lymphoma is now a leading cause of death in people living with HIV (PLWH), indicating that the immune reconstitution provided by antiretroviral therapy is not sufficient to fully correct the lymphomagenic immune dysregulation perpetrated by HIV infection. As such, novel insights into the mechanisms of KSHV-mediated pathogenesis in the immune compartment are urgently needed in order to develop novel therapeutics aimed at prevention and treatment of KSHV-associated lymphoproliferations. …

An Update Of The Virion Proteome Of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus, Ramina Nabiee, Basir Syed, Jesus Ramirez Castano, Rukhsana Lalani, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The virion proteins of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) were initially characterized in 2005 in two separate studies that combined the detection of 24 viral proteins and a few cellular components via LC-MS/MS or MALDI-TOF. Despite considerable advances in the sensitivity and specificity of mass spectrometry instrumentation in recent years, leading to significantly higher yields in detections, the KSHV virion proteome has not been revisited. In this study, we have re-examined the protein composition of purified KSHV virions via ultra-high resolution Qq time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHR-QqTOF). Our results confirm the detection of all previously reported virion proteins, in addition to 17 …

Is Anybody Listening?: Factors Affecting Pain Management In Veterans Within An Acute Care Rehab Setting, Laura Oseghae

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Background: In the United States, pain is a widely discussed issue due to the opioid epidemic stemming from a history of pain mismanagement. Clinical guidelines for successful pain management techniques are readily available for providers to incorporate into the individualized patient care plan.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to improve pain management through implementation of the VA pain management guidelines and improved interdisciplinary team communication.

Objectives: This project aims to decrease the number of patients reporting moderate to severe pain, enhance staff/provider communication, and improve the provider’s overall process for managing pain with an individualized treatment plan.

Interventions: …

Evaluation Of Outpatient Anticoagulation Bridging After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation, Rebecca A. Rainess, Lauren Alderman, Teresa Cicci, Monty Yoder, Barbara Pisani, Thomas O’Neill, Diego Malaver

The VAD Journal

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety of outpatient anticoagulation bridging following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.

Methods: This study is a retrospective, single-center cohort of adult patients who underwent LVAD implantation (HeartMate II™ or HeartMate 3™) and received warfarin and at least one dose of therapeutic enoxaparin or fondaparinux for outpatient anticoagulation bridging. The primary endpoint was the incidence of bleeding complications within one week of completing the bridging episode. Secondary endpoints included the incidence of new hemolysis or thrombosis within 30 days, INR at the time of bridge initiation, duration of anticoagulation bridge, …

Pharmacy Services Reboot Roadmap: Resiliency During The Covid-19 Pandemic, L. Hayley Burgess, Joan S. Kramer, Brian Moran, Mandelin Cooper, Christine Dunn, Edward Murray, Karla M. Miller

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Planning for resumption of patient care services during and following the impact of novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) while controlling costs are essential for pharmacy services resiliency. Implementation of a pharmacy services reboot roadmap across a 179 hospital health-system is described. The roadmap encompassed eight key areas: pharmacy leadership, staffing and scheduling, clinical pharmacy services, medication safety, medication supply, regulatory and compliance, team support opportunities, and financial stewardship. A supporting checklist and volume-based staffing plan are included as examples to assist pharmacy leaders in planning optimal pharmacy services support as patient volumes increase, particularly in the emergency department, surgical services and …

Regiospecific Synthesis Of Calcium‐Independent Daptomycin Antibiotics Using A Chemoenzymatic Method, Nagaraju Mupparapu, Yu-Hsin Cindy Lin, Tae Ho Kim, Sherif I. Elshahawi

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Daptomycin (DAP) is a calcium (Ca2+)‐dependent FDA‐approved antibiotic drug for the treatment of Gram‐positive infections. It possesses a complex pharmacophore hampering derivatization and/or synthesis of analogs. In order to mimic the Ca2+‐binding effect we uses a chemoenzymatic approach to modify the tryptophan (Trp) residue of DAP and synthesize kinetically characterized and structurally elucidated regiospecific Trp‐modified DAP analogs. We demonstrated that the modified DAPs are several‐folds active than the parent molecule against antibiotic‐susceptible and antibiotic‐resistant Gram‐positive bacteria. Strikingly and in contrast to the parent molecule, the DAP derivatives do not rely on calcium or any additional elements for activity.

Seroprevalence Of Novel Coronavirus Sars-Cov-2 At A Community Hospital Emergency Department And Outpatient Laboratory In Northern Orange County, California, Jason Yamaki, Harry Peled, Sajen Mathews, David Park, Mina Firoozi, Kim Smith, Lee Nguyen

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

The severe acute respiratory syndrome related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than 20 million people worldwide, and the spread is most prevalent in the USA, where California had accounted over 240,000 cases in the initial 5 months of the pandemic. To estimate the number of infected persons in our community, we conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods

This cross-sectional study evaluated the presence of immunoglobulin G, antibody for SARS-CoV-2 during the time period of July 15, 2020, to July 27, 2020. Testing was done on serum samples from patients who had visited affiliated …

Vitamin D Levels Affect Survival In A Bcr-Abl Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Mouse Model But Do Not Cause Vitamin-Drug Interactions, Kavya Annu

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

It is a well-established phenomenon that dietary components containing CYP3A inducers or inhibitors if co-administered with drugs that are CYP3A4 substrates lead to marked drug-drug interactions. Because vitamin D is known to regulate intestinal CYP3A expression and gut CYP3A expression plays an important role in pre-systemic metabolism of CYP3A drugs, we determined the impact of vitamin D (VD3) status on systemic exposure and efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents that are CYP3A substrates. We employed VD3 sufficient and deficient mice to perform pharmacokinetics (PK) and anti-leukemic efficacy studies.

First, using hCYP3A4 transgenic mouse model we evaluated the intestinal, hepatic and renal expression …

Perampanel-Induced Cataplexy In A Young Male With Generalized Epilepsy, Kelsey Kenaan, Mohsin Zafar, Ronnie Bond, Barbara L. Gracious

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Perampanel (Fycompa) is a newer anti-epileptic drug believed to exert its effects in the central nervous system by inhibiting post-synaptic glutamate receptors. However, the precise therapeutic mechanism is unknown. The most common neuropsychiatric side effect is affective dysregulation; there are also reports of psychosis. We describe a 32 year old African American male with recurring generalized tonic-clonic (GTC) seizures, who presented to our hospital with onset of mood lability for several months, after Perampanel was added to his antiepileptic medications. Perampanel administration was temporarily withheld, and subsequently on restarting, noted to be coincident with neuropsychiatric symptomatology, including motor weakness in …

Quantitative Assay Of Binary And Ternary Cardiovascular Mixtures Using Absorption Subtraction Spectrophotometric Method, Marwa Khaled El Jamal

BAU Journal - Health and Wellbeing

Objective: Development and validation of specific spectrophotometric analytical method for the simultaneous determination of co-administered cardiovascular mixtures consisting of Aspirine (ASP) and Prasugrel (PRA) binary mixture and Ticagrelor (TICA), Irbesartan (IRB) and Hydrochlorothazide (HCT) ternary mixture.

Methods: The proposed spectrophotometric method was based on Absorbance Subtraction, where, when a mixture of two drugs X and Y having overlapped spectra, intersecting at isoabsorptive point and Y spectrum is extended more than X, while X doesn’t show any absorbance (A₂) at another wavelength (λ₂), X and Y could be determined in the mixture by simple mathematical manipulation

Results: …

The Inclusion Of Health Data Standards In The Implementation Of Pharmacogenomics Systems: A Scoping Review, Don Roosan, Angela Hwang, Anandi V. Law, Jay Chok, Moom Roosan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Despite potential benefits, the practice of incorporating pharmacogenomics (PGx) results in clinical decisions has yet to diffusewidely. In this study,we conducted a review of recent discussions on data standards and interoperability with a focus on sharing PGx test results among health systems. Materials & methods:We conducted a literature search for PGx clinical decision support systems between 1 January 2012 and 31 January 2020. Thirty-two out of 727 articles were included for the final review. Results: Nine of the 32 articles mentioned data standards and only four of the 32 articles provided solutions for the lack of …

Analysis Of Kshv B Lymphocyte Lineage Tropism In Human Tonsil Reveals Efficient Infection Of Cd138+ Plasma Cells, Farizeh Aalam, Ramina Nabiee, Jesus Ramirez Castano, Jennifer Totonchy

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Despite 25 years of research, the basic virology of Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesviruses (KSHV) in B lymphocytes remains poorly understood. This study seeks to fill critical gaps in our understanding by characterizing the B lymphocyte lineage-specific tropism of KSHV. Here, we use lymphocytes derived from 40 human tonsil specimens to determine the B lymphocyte lineages targeted by KSHV early during de novo infection in our ex vivo model system. We characterize the immunological diversity of our tonsil specimens and determine that overall susceptibility of tonsil lymphocytes to KSHV infection varies substantially between donors. We demonstrate that a variety of B lymphocyte …

Cyclosporine Shows Benefit As Compared To Methotrexate For Treatment Of Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis Refractory To Topical Medications When Rapidity Of Clinical Response Is Of Key Importance To The Patient, Connor R. Buechler, Steven Daveluy Md

Clinical Research in Practice: The Journal of Team Hippocrates

A clinical decision report appraising El-Khalawany MA, Hassan H, Shaaban D, Ghonaim N, Eassa B. Methotrexate versus cyclosporine in the treatment of severe atopic dermatitis in children: a multicenter experience from Egypt. European Journal of Pediatrics. 2012;172(3):351-356. https://doi.org10.1007/s00431-012-1893-3 for a pediatric patient with severe atopic dermatitis.

What’S The Big Deal About Statins?, Albert Bach, Jelena Lewis, Susie Yoo

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

"Statins are a group of cholesterol-lowering medications that have been shown evidence to be beneficial for tens of millions of Americans. Some examples of statin medications you may have heard of include: atorvastatin (Lipitor), rosuvastatin (Crestor), simvastatin (Zocor), pravastatin (Pravachol) and lovastatin (Mevacor). Statins are one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the United States. One in four adults over the age of 45 years old are currently taking a statin for its many benefits. See below for more information about its use."

Lc–Ms/Ms-Based In Vitro And In Vivo Investigation Of Blood–Brain Barrier Integrity By Simultaneous Quantitation Of Mannitol And Sucrose, Behnam Noorani, Ekram Ahmed Chowdhury, Faleh Alqahtani, Yeseul Ahn, Dhavalkumar Patel, Abraham Al-Ahmad, Reza Mehvar, Ulrich Bickel

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Understanding the pathophysiology of the blood brain–barrier (BBB) plays a critical role in diagnosis and treatment of disease conditions. Applying a sensitive and specific LC–MS/MS technique for the measurement of BBB integrity with high precision, we have recently introduced non-radioactive [¹³C₁₂]sucrose as a superior marker substance. Comparison of permeability markers with different molecular weight, but otherwise similar physicochemical properties, can provide insights into the uptake mechanism at the BBB. Mannitol is a small hydrophilic, uncharged molecule that is half the size of sucrose. Previously only radioactive [³H]mannitol or [¹⁴C]mannitol has been …

Overcoming Barriers For Sirna Therapeutics: From Bench To Bedside, Muhammad Imran Sajid, Muhammad Moazzam, Shun Kato, Kayley Yeseom Cho, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The RNA interference (RNAi) pathway possesses immense potential in silencing any gene in human cells. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) can efficiently trigger RNAi silencing of specific genes. FDA Approval of siRNA therapeutics in recent years garnered a new hope in siRNA therapeutics. However, their therapeutic use is limited by several challenges. siRNAs, being negatively charged, are membrane-impermeable and highly unstable in the systemic circulation. In this review, we have comprehensively discussed the extracellular barriers, including enzymatic degradation of siRNAs by serum endonucleases and RNAases, rapid renal clearance, membrane impermeability, and activation of the immune system. Besides, we have thoroughly described …

Angiotensin Inhibition And Gastrointestinal Bleeding Prevention In Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices, Phillip A. Weeks

The VAD Journal

Gastrointestinal bleeding remains a common complication in advanced heart failure patients following implantation of continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices. While the cause is likely multifactorial, development of arterial venous malformations in the gastrointestinal mucosa are a key factor. Inhibition of angiotensin II activity has been postulated to disrupt the signaling that promotes angiogenesis in these patients. We aim to review the theoretical basis for angiotensin receptor blockade, which has been proposed and explore the published evidence regarding this therapy and gastrointestinal bleeding in LVAD patients.

Effects Of Germline And Somatic Events In Candidate Brca-Like Genes On Breast-Tumor Signatures, Weston R. Bodily, Brian H. Shirts, Tom Walsh, Suleyman Gulsuner, Mary-Claire King, Alyssa Parker, Moom Roosan, Stephen R. Piccolo

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 cause deficiencies in homologous recombination repair (HR), resulting in repair of DNA double-strand breaks by the alternative non-homologous end-joining pathway, which is more error prone. HR deficiency of breast tumors is important because it is associated with better responses to platinum salt therapies and PARP inhibitors. Among other consequences of HR deficiency are characteristic somatic-mutation signatures and gene-expression patterns. The term “BRCA-like” (or “BRCAness”) describes tumors that harbor an HR defect but have no detectable germline mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2. A better understanding of the genes and molecular events associated with tumors being …