Student-to-faculty ratios and NAPLEX pass rates.

Objective: ACPE newly approved standards for PharmD programs (Standards 2025) indicates that colleges should maintain a student-to-faculty ratio of no greater than 10:1. This may have significant implications for colleges that are currently above the 10:1 ratio; yet, little published evidence exists for using 10:1 as the threshold for determining whether a college has sufficient faculty. This study examines the relationship of student-to-faculty ratio with NAPLEX first-attempt pass rate.

Mining for Retention Gems and Unearthing Identity and Belonging.

Objective: To determine the relationship between first-year retention and variables related to professional engagement and professional, academic, and personal identities.

Methods: This study evaluated data from 3 cohorts of students at a private 0-6 college of pharmacy. A theoretical and conceptual framework linking professional identity and retention informed the study.

Mentorship Landscape and Common Practices in an Academic Pharmacy Association.

Objectives: To explore the landscape of mentorship within professional associations in pharmacy academia, including reviewing available literature and describing currently available programs within the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and recommend key considerations for the development of mentorship programs within professional associations.

Findings: A literature review of mentorship programs within professional associations for pharmacy academics was conducted, with a total of 5 articles identified and summarized. Additionally, a survey was conducted to determine the landscape of available mentorship programs within American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy affinity groups to capture unpublished experiences.

The quantity and quality of cardiovascular fat at mid-life and future cognitive performance among women: The SWAN cardiovascular fat ancillary study.

Introduction: Cardiovascular fat is a novel risk factor that may link to dementia. Fat volume and radiodensity are measurements of fat quantity and quality, respectively. Importantly, high fat radiodensity could indicate healthy or adverse metabolic processes.

Learning Clinical Concepts for Predicting Risk of Progression to Severe COVID-19.

With COVID-19 now pervasive, identification of high-risk individuals is crucial. Using data from a major healthcare provider in Southwestern Pennsylvania, we develop survival models predicting severe COVID-19 progression. In this endeavor, we face a tradeoff between more accurate models relying on many features and less accurate models relying on a few features aligned with clinician intuition.

A Multimodal Pain Management Strategy for Burn Patients.

Background: Acute burn pain is difficult to manage, and poorly managed pain can lead to deleterious consequences such as post-traumatic stress disorder, prolonged recovery, chronic pain and long-term dependence on opioids. Understanding the role of nursing in promoting self-efficacy and minimizing opioid use is valuable. It is unknown whether strategic efforts aimed at enhancing patient self-efficacy will improve pain managment and lessen opioid requirements in the adult burn population.

Developing Authentic Mentorship Through Professional Organizations.

Harsh realities in pandemic fatigue, burnout, inequities, and isolation are impacting academic pharmacy. Mentoring programs, especially inter-institutional programs such as those provided within the Sections and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), may combat some of these issues. Unfortunately, year after year, Academy members continue to request information from these groups on mentoring, whether it be the opportunity to pair up, for advice on how to be better mentors, or for guidance on how to develop a program on mentoring for the Sections and SIGs without an existing program.

Development and assessment of a nationwide, cross-discipline women faculty mentoring program.

Introduction: Professional health care associations present a unique opportunity for formal mentorship programs, with membership often spanning a variety of experiences, professional ranks, and institutions. However, scarce literature describes the role of professional associations in the development and assessment of mentoring programs. This paper describes development of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Women Faculty Special Interest Group (SIG) mentoring program and characterizes the impact of the program.

A Situational Judgment Test to Assess Students' Achievement of Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Standards 3 and 4.

For pharmacy students to successfully meet competencies related to Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Standards 3 and 4, it is essential for pharmacy programs to assess student progression in the affective domain. The purpose of this study was to develop and assess the validity of a situational judgment test (SJT) for evaluating student mastery of Standards 3 and 4. A multi-institutional faculty team developed an 18-item SJT that consisted of scenarios asking the respondent to rank the effectiveness of four response options mapped to Standards 3 and 4.

Association of Hydroxychloroquine Use With Decreased Incident Atrial Fibrillation in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective: To study the relationship between hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) use and new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: A retrospective cohort of adult patients with SLE was constructed from December 1, 2014 to May 30, 2017. Patients were categorized as either HCQ users or nonusers.

Dual plate fixation results in improved union rates in comminuted distal femur fractures compared to single plate fixation.

Purpose: The treatment of distal femur fractures with extensive metaphyseal comminution is frequently complicated by high rates of nonunion and varus collapse. Dual plating with lateral and medial locking plates for these types of fractures has shown promising results in the recent literature. We hypothesize that dual plating of comminuted distal femur fractures leads to higher union rates and lower revision rates compared to an isolated lateral locking plate.

Risk Factors for Unnecessary Antibiotic Prescribing for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Primary Care.

Objective: To determine independent risk factors for inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) in internal medicine (IM) residency-based primary care offices.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective study was conducted to measure antibiotic prescribing rates, and multivariable analysis was utilized to identify predictors of inappropriate prescribing among patients presenting to IM residency-based primary care office practices. Patients with an office visit at either of 2 IM residency-based primary care office practices from January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016, with a primary encounter diagnosis of ARI were included.

Greater Periaortic Fat Volume at Midlife Is Associated with Slower Gait Speed Later in Life in Women: The SWAN Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study.

Background: Higher perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) contributes to adverse physiologic alterations in the vascular wall, and thus could potentially limit normal physical function later in life. We hypothesize that higher PVAT volume at midlife is prospectively associated with slower gait speed later in life, independent of overall adiposity and other risk factors.

Methods: Participants from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) cardiovascular fat ancillary study were included.

Associations of cardiovascular fat radiodensity and vascular calcification in midlife women: The SWAN cardiovascular fat ancillary study.

Background And Aims: Fat radiodensity, measured via CT Hounsfield units (HU), is a potential marker of fat quality. We sought to determine the cross-sectional associations of total heart fat (TAT) and aortic perivascular fat (PVAT) radiodensity with cardiovascular risk factors, coronary artery calcification (CAC), and aortic calcification (AC) in midlife women.

Methods: Fat radiodensity, CAC, and AC were quantified using CT scans.

Impact of student to student peer mentoring program in first year of pharmacy program.

Background And Purpose: Mentoring programs, a practical tool commonly used by universities, can serve to help new students adapt to challenging college life. Peer mentorship offers the potential for professional development of student pharmacists.

Educational Activity And Setting: The Raabe College of Pharmacy at Ohio Northern University implemented a peer mentoring program in 2014.

3D MicroCT spatial and temporal characterization of thoracic aorta perivascular adipose tissue and plaque volumes in the ApoE-/- mouse model.

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) influences vascular function and pathology. We present a protocol using micro-computed tomography (microCT), a novel imaging technique typically used for hard biological tissue, to characterize the temporal and spatial development of aorta PVAT and luminal plaque soft tissue. Apolipoprotein E deficient (ApoE) and C57Bl/6J (control) mice were fed a high fat western diet up to 30 weeks.

CRISPR-Cas9 HDR system enhances AQP1 gene expression.

Ionizing radiation (IR) isthe primarytherapeutic tool to treat patients with cancerous lesions located in the head and neck. In many patients, IR results in irreversible and severe salivary gland dysfunction or xerostomia. Currently there are no effective treatment options to reduce the effects of xerostomia.

Report of the 2016-2017 Student Affairs Standing Committee.

The 2016-2017 AACP Student Affairs Standing Committee addressed charges related to recruitment to the profession of pharmacy and a national awareness campaign for pharmacy careers, as well as promotion of student wellness and stress management. The Committee report provides six recommendations to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) and one proposed policy statement for the AACP House of Delegates related to recruitment to the pharmacy profession. The Committee report also provides three recommendations to AACP and one proposed policy statement for the AACP House of Delegates related to student wellness and stress management.

Differential Adipose Tissue Proteomics.

Differential proteomic analysis (comparative quantitative proteomics) is a robust quantitative technique used to detect and identify the proteome of selected tissues. The expression levels (upregulated vs. downregulated) of proteins in tissue samples that differ by experimental design or anatomic location are determined by a series of assays including (1) 2D difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DiGE), (2) protein spot picking based on a priori thresholds, (3) Mass Spectrometry, and (4) follow-up Western Blot for antibody validation (Chen et al.

MicroCT analysis of vascular morphometry: a comparison of right lung lobes in the SUGEN/hypoxic rat model of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease characterized by significant vascular remodeling within the lung. Clinical computed tomography (CT) scans are routinely used to aid in PAH diagnosis. Animal models, including the Sugen-hypoxic rat model (SU/hyp), of PAH closely mimic human PAH development.

In vivo Endocrine Secretion of Prostacyclin Following Expression of a Cyclooxygenase-1/Prostacyclin Fusion Protein in the Salivary Glands of Rats Via Nonviral Gene Therapy.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease that culminates in right heart failure and death. Prostacyclin (PGI2) and its derivatives are effective treatments for PAH when administered as continuous parenteral infusions. This treatment paradigm requires medical sophistication, and patients are at risk for complications from an indewelling catheter; drug interruptions may result in rebound pulmonary hypertension and death.

Association of aortic perivascular adipose tissue density with aortic calcification in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background And Aims: Women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) surrounds the vascular wall, is associated with CVD risk factors, and may contribute to premature CVD in SLE. We previously found greater volumes of aortic PVAT associated with aortic calcification (AC) in female SLE patients.

Plasma complement and vascular complement deposition in patients with coronary artery disease with and without inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

Purpose: Inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) are associated with accelerated coronary artery disease (CAD), which may result from both systemic and vascular wall inflammation. There are indications that complement may be involved in the pathogenesis of CAD in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). This study aimed to evaluate the associations between circulating complement and complement activation products with mononuclear cell infiltrates (MCI, surrogate marker of vascular inflammation) in the aortic media and adventitia in IRDCAD and non-IRDCAD patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Postmenopausal Women With Greater Paracardial Fat Have More Coronary Artery Calcification Than Premenopausal Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Cardiovascular Fat Ancillary Study.

Background: Volumes of paracardial adipose tissue (PAT) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) are greater after menopause. Interestingly, PAT but not EAT is associated with estradiol decline, suggesting a potential role of menopause in PAT accumulation. We assessed whether volumes of heart fat depot (EAT and PAT) were associated with coronary artery calcification (CAC) in women at midlife and whether these associations were modified by menopausal status and estradiol levels.