Utilization of pharmacists in physician assistant didactic curricula in the United States.

Introduction: The primary objective was to describe the percentage of physician assistant (PA) programs who utilize pharmacists to lecture on pharmacology/pharmacotherapeutics content. Secondary objectives were to describe the percentage of pharmacology/pharmacotherapeutics lectures pharmacists deliver, the percentage of programs who employ a full-time pharmacist to coordinate the Pharmacology/Pharmacotherapeutics courses, and the inclusion of pharmacists in other courses in the curricula.

Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional, cohort survey.

The Effects of Body Tempering on Force Production, Flexibility and Muscle Soreness in Collegiate Football Athletes.

There has been limited research to explore the use of body tempering and when the use of this modality would be most appropriate. This study aimed to determine if a body tempering intervention would be appropriate pre-exercise by examining its effects on perceived soreness, range of motion (ROM), and force production compared to an intervention of traditional stretching. The subjects for this study were ten Division 1 (D1) football linemen from Sacred Heart University (Age: 19.

Impact of select risk factors on treatment outcome in adults with candidemia.

Background: Studies examining relationships between patient-related factors and treatment outcome in patients with candidemia are limited and often based on all-cause mortality.

Objective: Our purpose was to examine the impact of concurrent renal replacement therapy (RRT) and other pre-specified factors on treatment outcome among adults with candidemia.

Methods: This Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved, single-center, case-cohort study included patients over 18 years of age admitted to Duke University Hospital between Jun 1, 2013 and Jun 1, 2017 with a blood culture positive for Candida spp.

Impact of social media use on reading levels in third-year student pharmacists.

Introduction: The majority of Americans report using social media, but there is limited research describing impact of social media on academic performance and reading. Our objectives were to describe the association between social media use and reading levels of third-year student pharmacists (P3), describe the association between reading level and pharmacy school admissions data, and assess texts used in the curriculum for readability.

Methods: This was a prospective, cohort study.

Evaluation of a vancomycin dosing nomogram in obese patients weighing at least 100 kilograms.

Background: There remains variability in both practice and evidence related to optimal initial empiric dosing strategies for vancomycin.

Objective: Our primary objective was to describe the percentage of obese patients receiving vancomycin doses consistent with nomogram recommendations achieving targeted initial steady-state serum vancomycin concentrations. Secondary objectives were to describe the primary endpoint in subgroups based on patient weight and estimated creatinine clearance, to describe the rate of supratherapeutic vancomycin accumulation following an initial therapeutic trough concentration, and to describe the rate of vancomycin-related adverse events.

Impact of automatic infectious diseases consultation on the management of fungemia at a large academic medical center.

Purpose: The impact of automatic infectious diseases (ID) consultation for inpatients with fungemia at a large academic medical center was studied.

Methods: In this single-center, retrospective study, the time to appropriate antifungal therapy before and after implementing a policy requiring automatic ID consultation for the management of fungemia for all patients with an inpatient positive blood culture for fungus was examined. The rates of ID consultation; the likelihood of receiving appropriate antifungal therapy; central venous catheter (CVC) removal rates; performance of ophthalmologic examinations; infection-related length of stay (LOS); rates of all-cause inhospital mortality, death, or transfer to an intensive care unit within 7 days of first culture; and inpatient cost of antifungals were also evaluated.

Role of isavuconazole in the treatment of invasive fungal infections.

Despite recent advances in both diagnosis and prevention, the incidence of invasive fungal infections continues to rise. Available antifungal agents to treat invasive fungal infections include polyenes, triazoles, and echinocandins. Unfortunately, individual agents within each class may be limited by spectrum of activity, resistance, lack of oral formulations, significant adverse event profiles, substantial drug-drug interactions, and/or variable pharmacokinetic profiles.

Focus on JNJ-Q2, a novel fluoroquinolone, for the management of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia and acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections.

JNJ-Q2 is a novel, fifth-generation fluoroquinolone that has excellent in vitro and in vivo activity against a variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. In vitro studies indicate that JNJ-Q2 has potent activity against pathogens responsible for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI) and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), such as Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae. JNJ-Q2 also has been shown to have a higher barrier to resistance compared to other agents in the class and it remains highly active against drug-resistant organisms, including methicillin-resistant S.

Azole antifungals: 35 years of invasive fungal infection management.

Prior to 1981, treatment options for invasive fungal infections were limited and associated with significant toxicities. The introduction of ketoconazole marked the beginning of an era of dramatic improvements over previous therapies for non-life-threatening mycosis. After nearly a decade of use, ketoconazole was quickly replaced by the triazoles fluconazole and itraconazole due to significant improvements in pharmacokinetic profile, spectrum of activity and safety.

Potential role of fosfomycin in the treatment of community-acquired lower urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBLEC) are emerging pathogens causing urinary tract infections (UTIs) in community patients worldwide. Treatment for community-acquired ESBLEC UTIs, especially in the outpatient setting, may be problematic because many of the strains are resistant to the traditional oral therapies. Fosfomycin is an oral agent that is approved for the treatment of uncomplicated UTIs caused by Enterococcus faecalis and E.

Overview of treatment options for invasive fungal infections.

The introduction of several new antifungals has significantly expanded both prophylaxis and treatment options for invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Relative to amphotericin B deoxycholate, lipid-based formulations of amphotericin B have significantly reduced the incidence of nephrotoxicity, but at a significant increase in drug acquisition cost. Newer, broad-spectrum triazoles (notably voriconazole and posaconazole) have added significantly to both the prevention and treatment of IFIs, most notably Aspergillus spp.

Antifungal therapy for invasive fungal diseases in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients: an update.

Invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in allogeneic stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients. While the most common pathogens are Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp.

Effects of different preparation procedures during tooth whitening on enamel bonding.

The objective of this study was to assess effects of some clinically related preparation procedures during tooth whitening on enamel bonding properties. Sixty-two extracted human teeth were cleaned and divided into four groups. Forty-two of the teeth were left with their natural surface intact while 20 teeth were polished to form a flat surface.