Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons^™

An Expanded Age Range For Meningococcal Meningitis: Molecular Diagnostic Evidence From Population-Based Surveillance In Asia, Soon Kim, Dong Kim, Bai Dong, Jung Kim, Dang Anh, Paul E. Kilgore

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

To understand epidemiologic patterns of meningococcal disease in Asia, we performed a retrospective molecular analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens collected in prospective surveillance among children aged < 5 years of age in China, South Korea, and Vietnam.

Methods

A total of 295 isolates and 2,302 CSFs were tested by a meningococcal species- and serogroup-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) ctrA gene. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was performed in Nm gene amplification analysis and incidence rates for meningococcal meningitis were estimated.

Results

Among 295 isolates tested, 10 specimens from Vietnam were confirmed as serogroup B and all were Sequence Type (ST) 1576 by MLST. …

Designing Direct And Indirect Factor Xa Inhibitors, Rami Al-Horani

Theses and Dissertations

Anticoagulants are the basis for treatment and prevention of thrombotic diseases. The currently available medicines are associated with a wide range of adverse reactions that mandates developing new anticoagulants. Several lines of evidence support the superiority of factor Xa (FXa) as a promising target to develop novel anticoagulants. This work focuses on the design of direct and indirect FXa inhibitors using an interdisciplinary approach. As indirect FXa inhibitors, a focused library of tetrasulfated N–arylacyl tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) nonsaccharide allosteric antithrombin activators was designed, synthesized, and biochemically evaluated to establish their structure–activity relationship (SAR). An N–arylacyl THIQ analog having carboxylate at position–3, …

Factors Influencing Pharmacists’ Decision To Report Adverse Events Related To Dietary Supplements, Ali M. Alhammad

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The increasing consumption of dietary supplements (DS) has drawn the attention of regulatory agencies, researchers and healthcare professionals. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require premarketing assessment of DS considering them safe unless proven otherwise. However, the reporting rate of DS adverse events (DS-AE) is low. Objective: To describe pharmacists’ attitudes and knowledge of DS and DS information resources, and to determine the importance of selected attributes in pharmacists’ decisions to report a DS-AE. Methods: A convenience sample of practicing pharmacists in Virginia was surveyed using a web-based self-administered questionnaire. A conjoint analysis exercise was developed …

Pengaruh Pemberian Kombinasi Ekstrak Air Akar Kucing (Acalypha Indica Linn.) Dengan Ekstrak Etanol 70% Rimpang Jahe Merah (Zingiber Officinale Rosc.) Terhadap Penurunan Kadar Asam Urat Tikus Putih, Anita Ayu Dwi Ajie Saputri, Juheini Amin, Azizahwati Azizahwati

Majalah Ilmu Kefarmasian

Hyperuricemia treatment can be given roots of Acalypha indica Linn. Combined with red ginger plant (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) as anti-inflammatory drug. This study aimed to examine the effect of aqueous extract the roots of Acalypha indica Linn. with 70%ethanol extract of rhizome of Red Ginger from the decrease in blood uric acid levels of male rats made hiperurisemia by potassium oxonate. There were 35 male white rats of Sprague Dawley strain weighing 180 g to 200 gs were divided into seven groups. Three groups were given a combination of extract, consist of a fixed dose 5.4 g/200 g bb of …

Optimasi Kecepatan Disintegrasi Tablet Terdisintegrasi Cepat (Fast Disintegrating Tablet) Domperidon Dengan Superdisintegran Sodium Starch Glycolate, Imam Prabowo, Iskandarsyah Iskandarsyah

Majalah Ilmu Kefarmasian

Fast disintegrating tablet is one of advanced pharmaceutical technologies. Fast disintegrating tablets is a tablet when placed on the tongue will be instantly disintegrated and releases the drug with the help of saliva. This technology can solve the problem of using oral drug in patients such as pediatrics, geriatrics or in circumstances where the patient can not swallow tablets conventionally with the help of water. The purpose of this study was to optimize the speed of disintegration in fast disintegrating tablet formulations both with varying concentrations of sodium starch glycolate. Optimization the speed of disintegration was done by using sodium …

Differential Effects Of Pravastatin And Simvastatin On The Growth Of Tumor Cells From Different Organ Sites, David G. Menter, Victoria P. Ramsauer, Sam Harirforoosh, Kanishka Chakraborty, Peiying Yang, Linda His, Robert A. Newman, Koyamangalath Krishnan

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) inhibitors, commonly known as statins, may possess cancer preventive and therapeutic properties. Statins are effective suppressors of cholesterol synthesis with a well-established risk-benefit ratio in cardiovascular disease prevention. Mechanistically, targeting HMGCR activity primarily influences cholesterol biosynthesis and prenylation of signaling proteins. Pravastatin is a hydrophilic statin that is selectively taken up by a sodium-independent organic anion transporter protein-1B1 (OATP1B1) exclusively expressed in liver. Simvastatin is a hydrophobic statin that enters cells by other mechanisms. Poorly-differentiated and well-differentiated cancer cell lines were selected from various tissues and examined for their response to these two statins. Simvastatin …

7,8-Dihydroxyflavone, A Selective Tyrosine Kinase Receptor B Agonist And Bdnf Mimic, Promotes Angiogenesis., Jeremy Williams

Undergraduate Honors Theses

7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), which is a member of the flavonoid family, is a selective tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) agonist that has neurotrophic effects in various neurological diseases such as ischemic stroke and Parkinson’s disease [3]. In this study, we assessed the angiogeneic effect of 7,8-DHF in endothelial cells derived from resistance vessel of the brain. Angiogenesis by 7,8-DHF is an important factor that helps prevent and treat various ischemic diseases. In this study, we found that rat RV cells used in the experiment possess the TrkB receptor. Our data also demonstrates that 7,8-DHF is able to stimulate cell proliferation in …

Reliability And Credibility Of Progress Test Criteria, Developed By Alumni, Faculty, And Mixed Alumni-Faculty Judge Panels, H. Glenn Anderson Pharmd, Arthur A. Nelson Phd

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Objective. To compare the reliability and credibility of Angoff-based, absolute criteria derived by faculty, alumni, and a combination of alumni and faculty judge panels.

Methods. Independently, faculty, alumni, and mixed faculty-alumni judge panels developed pass/fail criteria for an 86-item test. Generalizability and decision studies were performed. Root mean square errors (RMSE) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for reliability and credibility assessment. School graduate performance upon the North American Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) was the comparator for credibility assessment.

Results. RMSEs were 1.06%, 1.42%, and 2.32% for the alumni, faculty, and mixed judge panels respectively. The school's NAPLEX pass rate was …

Development Of Dual-Pathway Inhibitors Of Raf/Mek/Erk And Pi3k/Akt Signaling Pathways., Sasha Fraser

Theses and Dissertations

In the present study, we designed a new chemical template that contains an oxindole moiety as potential dual-pathway inhibitors of the Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. The design hypothesis is to evaluate whether the oxindole ring system will approximately orient functional groups in a similar manner to the thiazolidinedione moiety, and thus maintain biological activity as dual-pathway inhibitors of the Raf/MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. Furthermore, the oxindole ring will provide the flexibility to allow the introduction of various substituents on the oxindole moiety, thereby facilitating comprehensive SAR studies to further explore the biological activity.

Medication-Related Problems In Older Adults: A Focus On Underuse Of Warfarin And Warfarin-Antibiotic Interactions, Parinaz K. Ghaswalla

Theses and Dissertations

The work presented in this dissertation focuses on two important medication-related problems in older adults, that is, untreated indication and drug-drug interactions, specifically with respect to a high-risk medication such as warfarin. Warfarin is a challenge to use in clinical practice due to its narrow therapeutic index, variability in dose-response and its interactions with numerous foods and drugs. This dissertation presents the research from two projects. In the first project the prevalence and predictors of warfarin use in nursing home (NH) residents with atrial fibrillation (AF), and use of secondary stroke prevention strategies was determined, in order to understand the …

Development Of A Novel Approach To Assess Qualitative And Quantitative Dynamics Associated With The Subcutaneous Or Intramuscular Administration Of Pharmaceuticals And Associated Parenteral Delivery Systems, Eric Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

There has been a significant increase in the number of injectable pharmaceutical products over the last decade that have been incorporated into unique delivery systems such as pen injectors, auto-injectors, or pre-filled syringes. The advancement of these delivery systems and the paradigm shift towards administration of injectables in the out-of-hospital or home setting have introduced variables that can affect the bioavailability of injectable drugs and potential pharmacologic outcomes. An approach that allows for the qualitative and quantitative dispersion assessment of an injectable at the moment of tissue deposition coupled with an assessment of systemic exposure parameters could provide substantial information …

Effect Of Duration And Amplitude Of Direct Current When Lidocaine Is Delivered By Iontophoresis, Susan A. Saliba, Courtney L. Teeter-Heyl, Patrick O. Mckeon, Christopher D. Ingeroll, Ethan N. Saliba

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Dosage for the galvanic stimulation for iontophoresis varies. Clinicians manipulate the duration or the amplitude of the current, but it is not known which is more effective. We compared the anesthetic effect of lidocaine HCL (2%) by manipulating the current parameters on 21 healthy volunteers (age: 21.2 ± 4.2, height 170.7 ± 10.2 cm, mass 82.1 ± 19.2 kg). Three conditions were administered in a random order using a Phoresor II^® with 2 mL, 2% lidocaine HCL in an iontophoresis electrode. (1) HASD (40 mA_*min): High amplitude (4 mA), short duration (10 min); (2) LALD (40 mA.min): …

Fluctuations And Instantons In Complex Landscapes: From Ligand Unbinding To Proton Transfer, Justin Elenewski

Theses and Dissertations

Biophysical entities are complex systems systems with strong environmental coupling, dominated by fluctuations on a hierarchy of timescales. These properties confound simulation of ligand binding and catalysis, inflating the scale of the problem to one tractable only with a considerable outlay of resources. In an attempt to ameliorate this restriction, several techniques are developed to accelerate biomolecular simulations while collaterally lending physical insight. The first segment of this dissertation is concerned with directed simulations of ligand binding in a model system. Using the serum retinol binding protein as a prototype, the potential of mean force associated with ligand binding is …

Bevacizumab Effect On Topotecan Pharmacokinetics In A Murine Orthotopic Rhabdomyosarcoma Xenograft Model, Zaifang Huang

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Increasing evidence suggests that inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can transiently normalize tumor vasculature, thereby improving delivery of systemic chemotherapy. Bevacizumab (BEV), an anti-VEGF antibody, has been shown to transiently normalize tumor vasculature by increasing tumor vessel maturity, decreasing tumor vessel permeability, and increasing tumor oxygenation in an Rh30 orthotopic rhabdomyosarcoma xenograft model. However, the effects of BEV on the pharmacokinetics of TPT and the antitumor activity of TPT have not been evaluated. This study aimed to investigate the effect of BEV on TPT systemic and tumoral pharmacokinetics and to determine how these changes affect the efficacy of …

Dietary Supplement Education In A Senior Population, Kimberly G. Elder, Sarah A. Nisly

Scholarship and Professional Work – COPHS

Background. Dietary supplements are widely used among United States senior citizens for various indications. Potential dangers with supplement use include the lack of regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the possibility for drug-supplement interactions. Senior focused education may in- crease the safe use of dietary supplements by older adults.

Objective. The primary objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a pharmacist driven educational seminar in a local senior population.

Methods. Participants aged 55 years and older in one of three senior programs were eligible for inclusion. Initially, a needs-assessment interview was con- ducted …

Relationship Between Vancomycin Trough Concentrations And Nephrotoxicity: A Prospective Multicenter Trial, John A. Bosso, Jean Nappi, Celeste Rudisill, Marlea Wellein, P Brandon Bookstaver, Jenna Swindler, Patrick D. Mauldin

Faculty Publications

Several single-center studies have suggested that higher doses of vancomycin, aimed at producing trough concentrations of >15 mg/liter, are associated with increased risk of nephrotoxicity. We prospectively assessed the relative incidence of nephrotoxicity in relation to trough concentration in patients with documented methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections at seven hospitals throughout South Carolina. Adult patients receiving vancomycin for at least 72 h with at least one vancomycin trough concentration determined under steady-state conditions were prospectively studied. The relationship between vancomycin trough concentrations of >15 mg/ml and the occurrence of nephrotoxicity was assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses, controlling for age, …

Novel Amino Acid Transporter-Targeted Radiotracers For Breast Cancer Imaging, Fanlin Kong

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women in the world. Its 5-year survival rate ranges from 23.4% in patients with stage IV to 98% in stage I disease, highlighting the importance of early detection and diagnosis. ¹⁸F-2-Fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose (¹⁸F-FDG), using positron emission tomography (PET), is the most common functional imaging tool for breast cancer diagnosis currently. Unfortunately, ¹⁸F-FDG-PET has several limitations such as poorly differentiating tumor tissues from inflammatory and normal brain tissues. Therefore, ¹⁸F-labeled amino acid-based radiotracers have been reported as an alternative, which is based on the fact that tumor cells uptake …

Synthesis And Computational Studies On Hiv-1 Integrase Inhibitors, Horrick Sharma

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

HIV-1 integrase (IN) is essential for viral replication and offers a promising target for the development of anti-retroviral drugs. Two decades of extensive research has lead to the recent approval of raltegravir as the first IN inhibitor. Advancement of drug candidate elvitegravir, which is currently in Phase III clinical trial, has furthermore accelerated efforts against this potential target for combating HIV. However, the emergence of resistance against raltegravir and elvitegravir demands exploration of novel chemical scaffolds that could circumvent resistance against currently used HIV-1 IN inhibitors. With the goal of discovering new agents targeting HIV, a novel structural class of …

Compound 49b: A Novel Beta-Adrenergic Receptor Agonist In The Treatment Of Diabetic Retinopathy, Kimberly Williams-Guy

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working Americans. While there are therapeutic regimens for the disease, more effective methods are needed. We have previously shown that a non-specific beta-adrenergic receptor agonist, isoproterenol, was effective in preventing functional and morphological changes associated with diabetic retinopathy in the rat. Isoproterenol also produced left ventricle remodeling suggesting it entered the systemic circulation. We therefore synthesized various novel beta-adrenergic receptor compounds and screened these compounds in vitro for their ability to reduce markers of inflammation and apoptosis. Of the various compounds tested, Compound 49b was able to reduce both inflammation and …

Development And Evaluation Of Nano‑Scale Systems For Targeted Delivery To Treat Liver Fibrosis, Ningning Yang

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Excessive deposition of ECM is the common characteristic of liver fibrosis. During hepatic fibrosis, various inflammatory cytokines are released and trigger the activation of quiescent HSCs. The activated HSCs play the major role in producing extra amount collagen. It becomes very crucial to focus on HSCs to find out therapeutics, such as inhibiting collagen synthesis, inhibiting activation to myofibroblasts, or controlling inflammation.

To control excessive collagen synthesis, one triplex forming oligonucleotides (TFO), was systemically administrated to prevent type I collagen mRNA transcription. To enhance circulation time and targeted delivery efficiency, TFO was conjugated to M6P‑HPMA and showed efficient targeted delivery …