Synergistic Anticancer Response Of Curcumin And Piperine Loaded Lignin-G-P (Nipam-Co-Dmaema) Gold Nanogels Against Glioblastoma Multiforme, Xinyi Zhao, Bilal Javad, Daxing Cui, James Curtin, Furong Tian

Articles

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive and commonly diag- 11 nosed brain cancer and presents a strong resistance to routine chemotherapeutic drugs. 12 The present study involves the synthesis of Lignin-g- p (NIPAM-co-DMAEMA) gold 13 nanogel, loaded with curcumin and piperine to treat GBM. The application has three 14 functions: (1) overcome the limitations of biodistribution, (2) enhance the toxicity of an- 15 ticancer drugs against GBM, (3) identify the uptake pathway. Atom transfer radical 16 polymerization was used to synthesize the Lignin-g-PNIPAM network, crosslinked with 17 the gold nanoparticles (GNPs) to self-assemble into nanogels. The size distribution and …

Cyclic Peptide-Gadolinium Nanocomplexes As Sirna Delivery Tools, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Muhammad Imran Sajid, Dindyal Mandal, David Stickley, Stephanie Nagasawa, Joshua Long, Sandeep Lohan, Keykavous Parang, Rakesh Kumar Tiwari

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

We have recently reported that a cyclic peptide containing five tryptophan, five arginine, and one cysteine amino acids [(WR)₅C], was able to produce peptide-capped gadolinium nanoparticles, [(WR)₅C]-GdNPs, in the range of 240 to 260 nm upon mixing with an aqueous solution of GdCl₃. Herein, we report [(WR)₅C]-GdNPs as an efficient siRNA delivery system. The peptide-based gadolinium nanoparticles (50 µM) did not exhibit significant cytotoxicity (~93% cell viability at 50 µM) in human leukemia T lymphoblast cells (CCRF-CEM) and triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) after 48 h. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis indicated …

Regulation Of Brain Primary Cilia Length By Mch Signaling: Evidence From Pharmacological, Genetic, Optogenetic, And Chemogenic Manipulations, Wedad Alhassen, Yuki Kobayashi, Jessica Su, Brianna Robbins, Henry Nguyen, Thant Myint, Micah Yu, Surya M. Nauli, Yumiko Saito, Amal Alachkar

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) system is involved in numerous functions, including energy homeostasis, food intake, sleep, stress, mood, aggression, reward, maternal behavior, social behavior, and cognition. In rodents, MCH acts on MCHR1, a G protein-coupled receptor, which is widely expressed in the brain and abundantly localized to neuronal primary cilia. Cilia act as cells’ antennas and play crucial roles in cell signaling to detect and transduce external stimuli to regulate cell differentiation and migration. Cilia are highly dynamic in terms of their length and morphology; however, it is not known if cilia length is causally regulated by MCH system activation …

Cyclic Dipeptides: The Biological And Structural Landscape With Special Focus On The Anti-Cancer Proline-Based Scaffold, Joanna Bojarska, Adam Mieczkowski, Zyta M. Ziora, Mariusz Skwarczynski, Istvan Toth, Ahmed O. Shalash, Keykavous Parang, Shaima Ahmed El-Mowafi, Eman H. M. Mohammed, Sherif Elnagdy, Maha Alkhazindar, Wojciech M. Wolf

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Cyclic dipeptides, also know as diketopiperazines (DKP), the simplest cyclic forms of peptides widespread in nature, are unsurpassed in their structural and bio-functional diversity. DKPs, especially those containing proline, due to their unique features such as, inter alia, extra-rigid conformation, high resistance to enzyme degradation, increased cell permeability, and expandable ability to bind a diverse of targets with better affinity, have emerged in the last years as biologically pre-validated platforms for the drug discovery. Recent advances have revealed their enormous potential in the development of next-generation theranostics, smart delivery systems, and biomaterials. Here, we present an updated review on the …

Pharmacologic And Clinical Considerations Of Nalmefene, A Long Duration Opioid Antagonist, In Opioid Overdose., Amber N. Edinoff, Catherine A. Nix, Tanner D. Reed, Elizabeth M. Bozner, Mark R. Alvarez, Mitchell C. Fuller, Fatimah Anwar, Elyse M. Cornett, Adam M. Kaye, Alan D. Kaye

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Epc-Exs Improve Neuronal Survival And Oxidative Stress Through Different Uptaking Pathways In Diabetic Hypoxia Condition, Manasi Suchit Halurkar, Jinju Wang, Shuzhen Chen, Ji Chen Bihl

Pharmacology and Toxicology Faculty Publications

Background: Hyperglycemia contributes to cardiovascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. We confirmed that high glucose (HG) induces endothelial dysfunction and cerebral ischemic injury is enlarged in diabetic mice. Stem cell-released exosomes have been shown to protect the brain from ischemic stroke. We have previously shown that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)-released exosomes (EPC-EXs) can protect endothial cells from hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) and HG-induced injury. Here, we aim to investigate the effects of EPC-EXs on astrocytes under H/R and HG-induced injury and whether miR-126 enriched EPC-EXs (EPC-EXsmiR126) have enhanced efficacy. Methods: EPC-EX uptake and co-localization were measured by fluorescent microscopy using …

Open Source Software Toolchain For Automated Non‐Targeted Screening For Toxins In Alternative Foods, S. W. Breuer, L. Toppen, S. K. Schum, J. M. Pearce

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Previous published methods for non-targeted screening of toxins in alternative foods such as leaf concentrate, agricultural residues or plastic fed to biological consortia are time consuming and expensive and thus present accessibility, as well as, time-constraint issues for scientists from under resourced settings to identify safe alternative foods. The novel methodology presented here, utilizes a completely free and open source software toolchain for automatically screening unknown alternative foods for toxicity using experimental data from ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The process uses three distinct tools (mass spectrometry analysis with MZmine 2, formula assignment with MFAssignR, and data filtering with …

Molecular Analysis Of Mchm Toxicity In Zebrafish, Cassandra Pelton

Honors College Theses

In early 2014 Freedom Industries, located in Charleston, WV, leaked approximately 10,000 gallons of 4-methylcyclohexane methanol into the Elk River. This river serviced approximately 300,000 people as a source of municipal water. Its effects on the people and surrounding wildlife is largely unknown.

Chemicals in surface runoff have the potential to induce aquatic animal trait changes, such as altered movement and feeding, that can ultimately alter predator-prey dynamics in aquatic systems. However, chemicals with high potential to enter aquatic systems, like 4-methylcyclohexane methanol (MCHM) used to clean coal, were tested using only short-term, single-species studies prior to use. Data from …

Multiple Sclerosis And Its Symptom Management Through Supplementation And Dietary Planning, Lindsey J. Davis

Selected Honors Theses

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, neuroinflammatory disorder that is characterized by the breakdown of myelinated axons in the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems. It is a potentially debilitating autoimmune disease that affects almost 1 million people in the United States, and nearly 2.5 million people worldwide. The precise etiology of MS is still being researched, but much progress has been made towards understanding the molecular mechanisms and impactful ways to treat this disease. While there is still no cure, new treatment plans are constantly being orchestrated in effort to alleviate the burden that MS carries. Combination treatment plans have …

September / October 2021, Randy Curry, Cindy Brooks

RURAL ROCKS

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

Bioactive Nanotherapeutic Trends To Combat Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Pallabita Chowdhury, Upasana Ghosh, Kamalika Samanta, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali M. Yallapu

School of Medicine Publications

The management of aggressive breast cancer, particularly, triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a formidable challenge, despite treatment advancement. Although newer therapies such as atezolizumab, olaparib, and sacituzumab can tackle the breast cancer prognosis and/or progression, but achieved limited survival benefit(s). The current research efforts are aimed to develop and implement strategies for improved bioavailability, targetability, reduce systemic toxicity, and enhance therapeutic outcome of FDA-approved treatment regimen. This review presents various nanoparticle technology mediated delivery of chemotherapeutic agent(s) for breast cancer treatment. This article also documents novel strategies to employ cellular and cell membrane cloaked (biomimetic) nanoparticles for effective clinical …

Effects Of Hormone Replacement Therapy (Hrt) On Gene Expression In The Amyloid Processing Pathway Of Ovariectomized Rhesus Macaque Females Under An Obesogenic Diet, Megan Ball

University Honors Theses

Estrogens rapidly decline at the onset of menopause, putting women at higher risk of osteoporosis, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Estradiol hormone therapies (HT) have been suggested to limit these negative effects on women, with controversial findings as to their effectiveness. A study at OHSU recently found differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using RNAseq between ovariectomized/hysterectomized (OvH) old (range = 19.4–23.2 years) female rhesus macaques on HT and those on a placebo on chronic western style diet (WSD). The DEGs identified in the amyloid processing pathway of the amygdala were selected for validation using RT-qPCR because β-amyloid peptide …

Decreasing Unintentional Pregnancies For Tennesseans, Paula M. Todd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2018, 49% of all pregnancies in the United States were unintended, with women with a lower- income status being five times more likely to experience an unplanned pregnancy. Tennessee has a high rate of unintended pregnancies, particularly among the uninsured, low-income, and rural teen populations; some 22% of these unintended pregnancies end in abortion. Oral or transdermal contraceptives that are affordable and accessible for women of childbearing age can reduce unintentional pregnancies. The addressed gap in clinical practice was that contraceptives are not currently available over the counter in Tennessee pharmacies without a prescription, which necessitates a costly medical …

Preliminary Findings Of A Study On The Practice Of Self-Medication Of Antibiotics Among The Practicing Nurses Of A Tertiary Care Hospital, Akbar Shoukat Ali, Rahim Jandani, Arwa A. Al-Qahtani, Abdulkarem A S. Alenzi

Department of Medicine

Objectives: Antibiotic resistance is indeed a global concern. It is of significant concern especially in the low-middle income countries because of the ease of accessibility, affordability, and absence of regulations pertaining to the dispensing of non-prescription antibiotics. This study aims to estimate the frequency and factors associated with the self-medication of antibiotics found among the practicing nurses.
Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan from July 2016 to August 2016.
Results: Of the 48 recruited nurses, 60.4% (29/48) were practicing self-medication of antibiotics. There were slightly more male nurses (17/29) than their …

Police Officers' Perceptions Of The Law Enforcement Narcan Program And The Effectiveness In Fighting The Opioid Epidemic, James Russo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how police officers perceived the N.J. Narcan policy and standards in saving lives and deterring opioid use. This study also examined the impact of the law enforcement Narcan program in reducing the opioid overdose death rate. Participant interviews will be conducted, and thematic coding will be utilized to capture the dominant themes associated with the police officers’ perceptions of the N.J. Narcan policy and standards in reducing the opioid overdose death rate. Fifteen police officers will participate in the study, and their anonymity will be maintained to elicit transparent responses. This …

The Costs Of Developing Treatments For Alzheimer’S Disease: A Retrospective Exploration, Jeffrey L. Cummings, Dana P. Goldman, Nicholas R. Simmons-Stern, Eric Ponton

School of Medicine Faculty Research

Introduction: With the exception of the recent accelerated approval of aducanumab, in over 26 years of research and development (R&D) investment in Alzheimer's disease (AD), only five novel drugs—all for symptomatic treatment only—have reached FDA approval. Here, we estimate the costs of AD drug development during this period in the private sector. Methods: To estimate private R&D funding, we collected information on AD clinical trials (n = 1099; phases 1–4) conducted between January 1, 1995 and June 21, 2021 from various databases. Costs were derived using previously published methodologies and adjusted for inflation. Results: Since 1995, cumulative private expenditures on …

Research Of Properties Of Polycondensation Type Phosphoric Acid Cationic Exchange Resins, Khasan Makhmudov, M Egamberdiyeva, A Yuldashev, T Tursunov, R Nazirova, S Turabjanov Dsc, B Kedelbaev

Technical science and innovation

One of the main properties of ion exchangers is their exchange capacity. Static exchange capacity of the new phosphorus acid cationic exchange resins obtained by phospholysis of polymer based on cube waste of the Shurtan gas chemical complex and a secondary product of hydrolysis industry - furfural was determined by alkalometric titration using 0.1 N solution of NaOH and NaCl, capacity by phosphorus content in ionite and capacity by curves of potentiometric titration. The values of exchange capacity found by the above methods are almost indistinguishable from each other. The cationite belongs to moderately acidic ions, the found values of …

Atomistic Simulations And In Silico Mutational Profiling Of Protein Stability And Binding In The Sars-Cov-2 Spike Protein Complexes With Nanobodies: Molecular Determinants Of Mutational Escape Mechanisms, Gennady M. Verkhivker, Steve Agajanian, Deniz Yasar Oztas, Grace Gupta

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Structure-functional studies have recently revealed a spectrum of diverse high-affinity nanobodies with efficient neutralizing capacity against SARS-CoV-2 virus and resilience against mutational escape. In this study, we combine atomistic simulations with the ensemble-based mutational profiling of binding for the SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD complexes with a wide range of nanobodies to identify dynamic and binding affinity fingerprints and characterize the energetic determinants of nanobody-escaping mutations. Using an in silico mutational profiling approach for probing the protein stability and binding, we examine dynamics and energetics of the SARS-CoV-2 complexes with single nanobodies Nb6 and Nb20, VHH E, a pair combination VHH E + …

Prenatal Diagnosis Of Maternal Serum From Mothers Carrying Β-Thalassemic Fetus, Yumna Fazal, Muhammad Zohaib, Basir Syed, Saqib H. Ansari, Zehra Hashim, Aftab Ahmed, Shamshad Zarina

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Current study focused on discovering protein biomarkers from the maternal serum of β-thalassemic trait mothers carrying the normal fetus and β-thalassemic major fetus.

Method

Serum samples from β-thalassemic trait mothers carrying major (N=5) and normal fetuses (N=5) were studied. IVS1-5 thalassemia mutation was common among β-thalassemic trait mothers who were carrying homozygous β-thalassemic fetus (IVS1-5/ IVS1-5 mutation) or normal fetus (no mutation). We employed two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometric analysis to explore differentially expressed maternal serum proteins from thalassemia carrier couples having the same β-thalassemia mutation. Western blotting was performed for one of the identified proteins to validate …

Angiogenesis' Effect Overall On Health And Disease, Wendy Tang

The Cardinal Edge

Angiogenesis plays a major role in the development of diseases and cancer. The development of illnesses like metastatic breast cancer, cell carcinomas, tumors and various other illnesses, originate from the activation of endothelial cells. When the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is released from hypoxic tissues, they bind to vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR). The binding of VEGF and VEGFR allows for cellular proliferation, increased migration of lattice networks, and the invasion of endothelial cells, which stimulate the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones. As a result, it can be concluded that the inhibition of VEGFs would …