Impact of a teaching objective structured clinical examination (TOSCE) on student confidence in a pharmacy skills laboratory.

Objective: To describe the relationship between the use of a teaching objective structured clinical examination (TOSCE) and student confidence in a pharmacy skills laboratory.

Methods: To develop students' abilities in providing recommendations and patient education on selected drug products, third-year pharmacy students participated in a TOSCE in a men's and women's health laboratory. A 19-item, 5-point Likert scale survey was administered longitudinally to assess student confidence (1 = not all confident to 5 = extremely confident).

Evaluation of adherence and persistence with oral versus long-acting injectable antipsychotics in patients with early psychosis.

Introduction: Despite the theory that long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics should be more likely to improve adherence, reduce gaps in therapy, and prevent relapse compared with oral antipsychotics, there is little published evidence on this issue, specifically in patients with early psychosis.

Methods: Patients with a new diagnosis for a psychotic disorder between July 1, 2013, and August 31, 2014, were retrospectively evaluated during a 12-month duration. The primary outcomes were adherence and persistence.

IL-11 facilitates a novel connection between RA joint fibroblasts and endothelial cells.

IL-11 has been detected in inflamed joints; however, its role in the pathogenesis of arthritis is not yet clear. Studies were conducted to characterize the expression and functional significance of IL-11 and IL-11Rα in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IL-11 levels were elevated in RA synovial fluid (SF) compared to osteoarthritis (OA) SF and plasma from RA, OA and normal individuals (NLs).

An innovative addition to team-based-learning pedagogy to enhance teaching and learning: Students' perceptions of team exams.

Background And Purpose: The study investigates students' perceptions of the value of implementing a team exam to enhance learning prior to a summative assessment. Team exams are similar to midterm exams, except that answering questions is a team effort.

Educational Activity And Setting: Data was collected from second year pharmacy students at California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP) through a self-administered online survey.

MicroRNA profiling of dogs with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder using blood and urine samples.

Background: Early signs of canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) are frequently assumed to be caused by other lower urinary tract diseases (LUTD) such as urinary tract infections, resulting in late diagnosis of TCC which could be fatal. The development of a non-invasive clinical test for TCC could dramatically reduce mortality. To determine whether microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers, we assessed miRNA expression in blood and/or urine from dogs with clinically normal bladders (n = 28), LUTD (n = 25), and TCC (n = 17).

The androgen receptor is a negative regulator of eIF4E phosphorylation at S209: implications for the use of mTOR inhibitors in advanced prostate cancer.

The antiandrogen bicalutamide is widely used in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer (PCa) in many countries, but its effect on castration-resistant PCa (CRPC) is limited. We previously showed that resistance to bicalutamide results from activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). Interestingly, clinical trials testing combinations of the mTOR inhibitor RAD001 with bicalutamide were effective in bicalutamide-naïve CRPC patients, but not in bicalutamide-pretreated ones.

Polymyxin-resistant, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii is eradicated by a triple combination of agents that lack individual activity.

Objectives: The emergence of polymyxin resistance threatens to leave clinicians with few options for combatting drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii . The objectives of the current investigation were to define the in vitro emergence of polymyxin resistance and identify a combination regimen capable of eradicating A. baumannii with no apparent drug susceptibilities.

Influence of and on Polymyxin Pharmacodynamics in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Implications for Quorum Sensing Inhibition with Azithromycin.

The impact of quorum sensing on polymyxin and azithromycin pharmacodynamics was assessed in PAO1 and an isogenic / double knockout. For polymyxin B, greater killing against the / knockout than against PAO1 was observed at 10 CFU/ml (polymyxin B half-maximal effective concentration [EC], 5.61 versus 12.

A Novel Mathematical Model for Determining Faculty Workload.

To develop a mathematical model for determining faculty workload at a college of pharmacy with a team-based learning curriculum. Using faculty provided data, our model calculated activity and weighted means in teaching, scholarship and service. Subsequently, these data were used to develop departmental and institutional workload models.

High-Dose Ampicillin-Sulbactam Combinations Combat Polymyxin-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in a Hollow-Fiber Infection Model.

is emerging with resistance to polymyxins. In 24-h time-kill experiments, high-dose ampicillin-sulbactam in combination with meropenem and polymyxin B achieved additivity or synergy against 10 CFU/ml of two clinical isolates resistant to all three drugs (maximum reductions, 1.6 and 3.

In vitro pharmacodynamic evaluation of ceftolozane/tazobactam against β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in a hollow-fibre infection model.

The proliferation of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens has been exacerbated by a lack of novel agents in current development by pharmaceutical companies. Ceftolozane/tazobactam was recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections and complicated urinary tract infections. In the present study, the activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam against four isogenic Escherichia coli strains was investigated in a hollow-fibre infection model simulating various clinical dosing regimens.

Synergistic combinations of polymyxins.

The proliferation of extensively drug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens has necessitated the therapeutic use of colistin and polymyxin B. However, treatment failures with polymyxin monotherapies and the emergence of polymyxin resistance have catalysed the search for polymyxin combinations that synergistically kill polymyxin-susceptible and -resistant organisms. This mini-review examines recent (2011-2016) in vitro and in vivo studies that have attempted to identify synergistic polymyxin combinations against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii.

A Jeopardy-Style Review Game Using Team Clickers.

Introduction: Gaming has been used for many years as a useful supplemental instruction method in the biomedical sciences. However, the effective use of games can be challenging in a large classroom setting due to the difficulty of engaging all students. The goal of this exercise was to design an interactive way to review material that promoted small-group discussion in a large class of 104 students.

Comparative pharmacodynamics of four different carbapenems in combination with polymyxin B against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

The objective of this study was to determine the comparative pharmacodynamics of four different carbapenems in combination with polymyxin B (PMB) against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolates using time-kill experiments at two different inocula. Two A. baumannii strains (03-149-1 and N16870) with carbapenem minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 8 to 64 mg/L were investigated in 48-h time-kill experiments using starting inocula of 10 CFU/mL and 10 CFU/mL.

Decreased expression of let-7c is associated with non-response of muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

The identification and development of biomarkers which predict response of muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients to neoadjuvant chemotherapy would likely increase usage of this treatment option and thereby improve patient survival rates. MiRNA array and qRT-PCR validation was used to identify miRNA which are associated with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. RNA was extracted from a total of 41 archival, fully annotated, MIBC patient diagnostic biopsies (20 chemo-responders and 21 non-responders (response is defined as > 5 year survival rate and being pT0 post-chemotherapy)).

Impact of Animated Spokes-Characters in Print Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertising: An Elaboration Likelihood Model Approach.

A randomized, posttest-only online survey study of adult U.S. consumers determined the advertising effectiveness (attitude toward ad, brand, company, spokes-characters, attention paid to the ad, drug inquiry intention, and perceived product risk) of animated spokes-characters in print direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of prescription drugs and the moderating effects of consumers' involvement.

Impact of a Multidisciplinary Heart Failure Post-hospitalization Program on Heart Failure Readmission Rates.

Background: Specialized chronic heart failure (HF) clinics have demonstrated significant reductions in readmissions. Limited evidence is available regarding HF clinics in the immediate post-discharge period.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a multidisciplinary HF clinic on 90-day readmission rates and all-cause mortality in those recently discharged from a HF hospitalization.

Assessment of students' satisfaction with a student-led team-based learning course.

Purpose: To date, no studies in the literature have examined student delivery of team-based learning (TBL) modules in the classroom. We aimed to assess student perceptions of a student-led TBL elective.

Methods: Third-year pharmacy students were assigned topics in teams and developed learning objectives, a 15-minute mini-lecture, and a TBL application exercise and presented them to student colleagues.

The fate of pediatric prescriptions in community pharmacies.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe behaviors of community pharmacists related to pediatric prescriptions and examine the effect of demographic and situational factors on behaviors and confidence in performing recommended activities when dispensing medications for pediatric patients.

Methods: The study employed a self-administered survey of community pharmacists in a regional chain. One intervention group attended a live continuing education session.

Using in situ Raman spectroscopy to study the drug precipitation inhibition and supersaturation mechanism of Vitamin E TPGS from self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS).

We are reporting a new methodology of using Raman spectroscopy for studying the drug surfactant interactions in self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS). The physicochemical properties of surfactants could affect the performance of drugs from lipid delivery systems. Thus the purpose of our research was to study the drug surfactant interactions on a molecular level to understand the mechanism of supersaturation and precipitation inhibition.

Statins for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in the elderly.

Objective: The objective is to review the evidence evaluating the efficacy of statin therapy for primary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) disease in the elderly.

Data Sources: A literature search of MEDLINE and PubMed (1966-January 2013) using the terms HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, statin, primary prevention, elderly, and geriatrics was performed. The search was limited to clinical trials, meta-analyses, and subanalyses, including primary prevention patients.

The synthetic triterpenoid (CDDO-Im) inhibits STAT3, as well as IL-17, and improves DSS-induced colitis in mice.

Introduction: Synthetic triterpenoids inhibit IL-17 and improve autoimmune disease in mice. A prototype triterpenoid, 1-[2-cyano-3-,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oyl] imidazole (CDDO-Im), also inhibits signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activation.

Aims: The goals of our study were twofold: (1) To determine if ex vivo treatment with CDDO-Im attenuated colonic IL-17 secretion from isolated splenocytes and colonic strips; (2) To determine if oral treatment with CDDO-Im improved DSS-induced colitis in mice.

Evaluation of differences in percentage of international normalized ratios in range between pharmacist-led and physician-led anticoagulation management services.

Background: The safety and efficacy of warfarin depend on maintaining the international normalized ratio (INR) in an established range.

Objective: The purpose was to determine whether a coordinated pharmacist-led approach improved percentage of INRs in therapeutic range in comparison to a physician-led anticoagulation management service (AMS).

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted for patients at a multisite primary care organization.