Patient concerns regarding antidepressant drug–drug interactions: a retrospective analysis using data from a medicines call centre.

Introduction Antidepressant use has increased over the last two decades, with Australia and New Zealand among the highest antidepressant users in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Comorbidity and polypharmacy are common in antidepressant users, increasing the likelihood of interaction-related adverse drug events, which are frequently preventable. Aim We aimed to identify, profile, and analyse potential antidepressant drug-drug interactions in information-seeking antidepressant users.

Anaemia in patients undergoing major bowel surgery - Prevalence and current practice: A public and private institution experience.

Aim: The study aimed to compare the frequency and alignment of preoperative anaemia screening and treatment with Australian guidelines in elective bowel surgery and determine the impact on clinical outcomes.

Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study, with an audit of 559 adult patients who underwent major elective bowel surgery in an Australian metropolitan hospital, January 2016-December 2018. Outcome measures included rate of anaemia, guideline compliance, hospital length of stay, and transfusion rate.

Does consumer medicines interest reflect medicines use? An observational study comparing medicines call center queries with medicines use.

Background: Consumers have questions about their medication but the nature of these concerns and how they reflect medication use is unknown.

Objectives: To determine the characteristics and medicines interests of callers to an Australian medicines call center and whether the medicines interest of callers corresponds with medicines utilization.

Methods: Data from consumers who contacted a national medicines call center between September 2002 and June 2010 were analyzed.

Satellite DNA methylation status and expression of selected genes in Bos indicus blastocysts produced in vivo and in vitro.

Bovine embryos produced in vivo and in vitro differ with respect to molecular profiles, including epigenetic marks and gene expression profiles. This study investigated the CpG methylation status in bovine testis satellite I (BTS) and Bos taurus alpha satellite I (BTαS) DNA sequences, and concomitantly the relative abundance of transcripts, critically involved in DNA methylation (DNMT1 and DNMT3A), growth and development (IGF2R) and pluripotency (POU5F1) in Bos indicus embryos produced in vitro or in vivo. Results revealed that methylation of BTS were higher (P < 0.

Dopamine Agonists: Time Pattern of Adverse Effects Reporting in Australia.

Background: In Australia, there is voluntary reporting of suspected adverse events (AEs) of therapeutic medicines. Some dopamine agonists (DAs) have serious AEs.

Objective: We aimed to explore the pattern of DA AE reporting over two decades.

Cyclic AMP Affects Oocyte Maturation and Embryo Development in Prepubertal and Adult Cattle.

High cAMP levels during in vitro maturation (IVM) have been related to improved blastocyst yields. Here, we employed the cAMP/cGMP modulators, forskolin, IBMX, and cilostamide, during IVM to unravel the role of high cAMP in early embryonic development produced from prepubertal and adult bovine oocytes. Oocytes were collected via transvaginal aspiration and randomly assigned to three experimental groups: TCM24 (24 h IVM/control), cAMP30 (2 h pre-IVM (forskolin-IBMX), 30 h IVM-cilostamide), and DMSO30 (Dimethyl Sulfoxide/vehicle control).

Monitoring salivary melatonin concentrations in children with sleep disorders using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Background: Melatonin is synthesized in the pineal gland and is an important circadian phase marker, especially in the determination of sleep patterns. Both temporary and permanent abnormal sleep patterns occur in children; therefore, it is desirable to have methods for monitoring melatonin in biological fluids in the diagnosis and treatment of such disorders.

Objective: The objective of the study is to develop a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of melatonin in saliva and to apply it to monitoring salivary concentrations in children with sleep disorders.

Melatonin for non-respiratory sleep disorders in visually impaired children.

Background: Exogenous melatonin helps in regulating the circadian rhythm and is widely used for the management of sleep disorders in visually impaired children.

Objectives: The aim of the review was to assess melatonin therapy for treatment of non-respiratory sleep disorders in visually impaired children, with regard to improvement in sleep habit, sleep scheduling and sleep maintenance, when compared with placebo or no treatment.

Search Methods: We searched the following databases between February 2011 and July 2011: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) 2011(1) searched on 4th February 2011; MEDLINE (1950 to June Week 3, 2011) searched on 20th June 2011; EMBASE (1980 to June Week 4, 2011) searched on 7th July 2011; CINAHL (1937 to 21 September 2011); the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (this includes ClinicalTrial.

Therapeutic options in the management of sleep disorders in visually impaired children: a systematic review.

Background: Treatment of sleep disorders in visually impaired children is complicated by a complex pathophysiology, a high incidence of sleep disorders in this population, and a dearth of management options. The significant impact on the health of these children and distress to their caregivers warrant a systematic assessment of the published literature on therapeutic approaches.

Objective: This systematic review aims to assess the current therapeutic options in the management of sleep disorders in visually impaired children to identify knowledge gaps and guide future research.

Prolonged anticholinergic delirium following antihistamine overdose.

Objective: A case of anticholinergic delirium in a female adolescent is described, exploring the pharmacokinetic reasons for the prolonged time course and reviewing the management provided.

Conclusion: A 14 year old female hospitalised for depression ingested large quantities of promethazine and cyproheptadine. A severe anticholinergic delirium ensued which resolved after six days, much longer than the expected duration.

An antibody to the beta-secretase cleavage site on amyloid-beta-protein precursor inhibits amyloid-beta production.

Proteolytic cleavage of amyloid-beta-protein precursor (AbetaPP) by beta- and gamma-secretases results in production of the amyloid-beta peptide (Abeta) that accumulates in the brains of sufferers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have developed a monoclonal antibody, 2B12, which binds in the vicinity of the beta-secretase cleavage site on AbetaPP but does not bind within the Abeta region. We hypothesised that this antibody, directed against the substrate rather than the enzyme, could inhibit cleavage of AbetaPP by beta-secretase via steric hindrance and thus reduce downstream production of Abeta.

Does the human leukaemia differentiation factor fragment HLDF6 improve memory via brain DNA and protein synthesis?

The novel human differentiating factor peptide fragment HLDF6 (Thr-Gly-Glu-Asn-His-Arg) was synthesized and purified. HLDF6 (0.1mg/kg i.

Co-administration of fluoxetine and WAY100635 improves short-term memory function.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the action of the antidepressant fluoxetine or the anxiolytic buspirone could be modified by specific 5-hydroxytriptamine (5-HT(1A)) receptor blockade in a short-term memory paradigm. Male Wistar rats were trained to perform the putative short-term memory task, delayed non-matching to position. WAY100635, a selective 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist (0.

Buspirone differentially modifies short-term memory function in a combined delayed matching/non-matching to position task.

This study investigated the action of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) mimetics on short-term memory function. The objective was to determine whether two closely related tasks could differentiate between partial 5-HT(1A) receptor activation, full 5-HT(1A) receptor activation and generalised enhanced serotonin (5-HT) activity. Male hooded Lister rats were trained to perform an operant-based combined delayed matching/non-matching to position task.

Morphine, cocaine and antidepressant induced motivational activity and midbrain dopaminergic neurotransmission.

Positive motivational properties of opioids, stimulants and serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors have been reported following place preference conditioning. The possibility that these effects are associated with changes in dopamine concentration in the nucleus accumbens or striatum was investigated. Male Wistar rats were place conditioned in a three compartment model to vehicle or drug (morphine 2.

Drug dependence: neuropharmacology and management.

This overview has attempted to highlight the brain regions associated with reward, and the pathways and neurotransmitters responsible for communication between these regions. Work conducted in this field has shown that stimulants and opioids, despite interactions with different receptor types and different neurotransmitter reuptake transporters, appear to share a common action on brain reward pathways. Their effects on these pathways (the distinct brain regions making up the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system) are predominantly mediated through changes in dopamine neurotransmission, and compounds aimed at selectively modulating these effects may form the basis of drugs to treat addiction.

Do antidepressants affect motivation in conditioned place preference?

The positive motivational effects of a range of antidepressants/neurotransmitter reuptake inhibitor compounds were studied using conditioned place preference. These agents included amitriptyline (2.5-10 mg/kg), venlafaxine (5 and 10 mg/kg), sibutramine (5 and 10 mg/kg), fluoxetine (2.

Analgesic doses of the enkephalin degrading enzyme inhibitor RB 120 do not have discriminative stimulus properties.

The systemically active mixed inhibitor of enkephalin metabolism, N-((S)-2-benzyl-3[(S) 2-amino-4-methylthio)butyldithio-]-1-oxopropyl)-L-alanine benzylester (RB 120), alone or in combination with 4-¿[2-[[3-(1H-indol-3-yl))-2-methyl-1-oxo-2-[[(tricyclo[3.3.1.

Potentiation of opioid-induced conditioned place preference by the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine.

The ability of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine, to modify the effects of morphine, N-((S)-2-benzyl-3[(S) 2-amino-4-methylthio)butyldithio-]-1-oxopropyl)-L-alanine benzylester (RB 120; mixed inhibitor of enkephalin metabolism), and 4-¿[2-[[3-(1H-indol-3-yl))-2-methyl-1-oxo-2-[[(tricyclo[3,3,1,1] dec-2-yloxy) carbonyl] amino¿ propyl] amino]-1-phenylethyl] amino¿-4-oxo-[R-(R*,R*)]-butanoate N-methyl-D-glucamine (CI 988; cholecystokinin receptor subtype [CCK(2)] antagonist), was assessed using conditioned place preference. RB 120 and morphine both induced significant, dose-dependent conditioned place preference, whilst CI 988 failed to elicit conditioned place preference. A subthreshold dose of fluoxetine (2.

Detecting drug effects on short-term memory function using a combined delayed matching and non-matching to position task.

Operant delayed non-matching-to-position (DNMTP) and delayed matching-to-position (DMTP) have become standard techniques to investigate drug effects on short-term memory function in rats. However, these two tasks are normally conducted in isolation. Using two standard drugs, the 5HT1A agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), and the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine, this study looked at a two-choice operant task that essentially involved a mixed DNMTP/DMTP paradigm.

Do alpha2-adrenoceptors play an integral role in the antinociceptive mechanism of action of antidepressant compounds?

Antidepressants are analgesic in the absence or presence of depression. The underlying mechanisms probably involve a complex interplay between several neurotransmitter systems and neuroreceptors. Alpha-adrenoceptors play an important role in pain processing and alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists have been used in clinical pain management so we have investigated whether alpha-adrenoceptor sub-types mediate the antinociceptive activity of antidepressants.

[Value of exercise and sports activities in the elderly].

The sport scientific research within the scope of the first survey of the ILSE-longitudinal study consisted of standardized interviews of 695 probands born between 1930 and 1932. Based upon these interviews will first be presented the connections between physical activities on the one hand and the subjective estimation of health and physical ability on the other. Then a comparison between these subjective estimations and the objective medical opinions will follow.