Laying the foundation for success: A guide to pharmacy residency research projects.

Thousands of pharmacy graduates in the United States enter postgraduate pharmacy residency programs each year in various practice settings. While these programs primarily focus on clinical training, residents must also complete longitudinal projects, often in the form of research. However, programs and residents face challenges in the execution of research, including time constraints, limited resources, and variable expertise, often contributing to project redundancy and low publication rates.

Study on Drug-Food Thickening Agents' Interactions between Warfarin and Prebiotics Used for Viscosity Adjustment.

Introduction: Prebiotics are widely used in nutritional supplements, with water-soluble dietary fibers used as thickeners for patients with swallowing difficulties. Interactions between thickeners and medications have been reported; however, the effects of thickeners on warfarin remain unclear. Here, we examined the interaction between warfarin and thickeners through clinical and basic research studies.

Artificial intelligence-driven approaches in antibiotic stewardship programs and optimizing prescription practices: A systematic review.

Antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) are essential in optimizing the use of antibiotics to address the global concern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have emerged as promising tools for enhancing ASPs efficiency by improving antibiotic prescription accuracy, resistance prediction, and dosage optimization. This systematic review evaluated the application of AI-driven ASPs, focusing on their methodologies, outcomes, and challenges.

Biosimilars and immunogenicity: a matter of concern?

Introduction: Biosimilars have transformed treatment modalities across various medical fields such as oncology, rheumatology, and immunology. Despite their potential for reducing healthcare costs, concerns persist regarding their ability to induce an immune response, which could affect efficacy and safety. This review critically evaluates the current evidence on the immunogenicity of biosimilars and discusses the regulatory frameworks guiding their approval and monitoring.

Impact of quadruplet induction therapy on stem cell mobilization yields in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.

Daratumumab-containing quadruplet induction regimens have recently become the standard of care for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma who are candidates for autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Daratumumab is a known immunosuppressant, and previous studies have shown that it may impair stem cell mobilization yields. We report a retrospective study of 104 newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients comparing mobilization yields between those who received quadruplet daratumumab-containing induction and those who received traditional three-drug induction.

Web server-based deep learning-driven predictive models for respiratory toxicity of environmental chemicals: Mechanistic insights and interpretability.

Respiratory toxicity of chemicals is a common clinical and environmental health concern. Currently, most in silico prediction models for chemical respiratory toxicity are often based on a single or vague toxicity endpoint, and machine learning models always lack interpretability. In this study, we developed eight interpretable deep learning models to predict respiratory toxicity of chemicals, focusing on specific respiratory diseases such as pneumonia, pulmonary edema, respiratory infections, pulmonary embolism and pulmonary arterial hypertension, asthma, bronchospasm, bronchitis, and pulmonary fibrosis.

Palbociclib exposure in relation to efficacy and toxicity in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Background: Data on exposure-response or exposure-toxicity relationships of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) are limited and inconclusive. We aimed to investigate whether there is an association between palbociclib exposure and progression-free survival (PFS), adverse events (AEs) and dose reductions.

Materials And Methods: Data were retrieved from the prospective, multicentre SONIA trial in which patients with advanced estrogen receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer were randomised to receive CDK4/6i treatment in first versus second line.

Pharmacy-led interventions to reverse and prevent prescribing cascades in primary care: a proof-of-concept study.

Background: Prescribing cascades occur in clinical practice when a medication causes an adverse drug reaction (ADR), which is addressed by prescribing additional medication.

Aim: The aim was to provide proof-of-concept for pharmacy-led interventions to reverse or prevent prescribing cascades.

Method: Two community pharmacies each tested two approaches.

A novel 11β-HSD1 inhibitor ameliorates liver fibrosis by inhibiting the notch signaling pathway and increasing NK cell population.

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) regulates hepatic glucose output and is implicated in liver fibrosis. We aimed to investigate the anti-fibrotic effect of a novel 11β-HSD1 inhibitor in a thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver fibrosis mouse model. Mice were administered TAA for 19 weeks and treated with 11β-HSD1 inhibitor for the last 9 weeks.

A Comprehensive CYP2D6 Drug-Drug-Gene Interaction Network for Application in Precision Dosing and Drug Development.

Conducting clinical studies on drug-drug-gene interactions (DDGIs) and extrapolating the findings into clinical dose recommendations is challenging due to the high complexity of these interactions. Here, physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling networks present a new avenue for exploring such complex scenarios, potentially informing clinical guidelines and handling patient-specific DDGIs at the bedside. Moreover, they provide an established framework for drug-drug interaction (DDI) submissions to regulatory agencies.

Phenotypic rescue via mTOR inhibition in neuron-specific Pten knockout mice reveals AKT and mTORC1-site specific changes.

Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN) is a dual-specific protein and lipid phosphatase that regulates AKT and downstream signaling of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). PTEN functions as a tumor suppressor gene whose mutations result in PTEN Hamartoma Tumor Syndrome (PHTS) characterized by increased cancer risk and neurodevelopmental comorbidity. Here, we generated a novel neuron-specific Pten knock-out mouse model (Syn-Cre/Pten HOM) to test the ability of pharmacologic mTOR inhibition to rescue Pten mutation-associated disease phenotypes in vivo and in vitro.

Retraction notice to "Straw incorporation into microplastic-contaminated soil can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing soil enzyme activities and microbial community structure" [J. Environ. Manag. 351 (2024) 119616].

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).

Emerging pharmacotherapies for obesity: A systematic review.

The history of antiobesity pharmacotherapies is marked by disappointments, often entangled with societal pressure promoting weight loss and the prevailing conviction that excess body weight signifies a lack of willpower. However, categories of emerging pharmacotherapies generate hope to reduce obesity rates. This systematic review of phase 2 and phase 3 trials in adults with overweight/obesity investigates the effect of novel weight loss pharmacotherapies, compared to placebo/control or US Food and Drug Administration-approved weight loss medication, through searching Medline, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.

Novel pharmaceutical treatment approaches for schizophrenia: a systematic literature review.

Purpose: Schizophrenia is a chronic and debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder affecting approximately 1% of the global population. Traditional antipsychotic treatments, while effective for positive symptoms, often have significant side effects and fail to address cognitive and negative symptoms. Novel pharmacological treatments targeting muscarinic receptors, TAAR1 agonists, serotonergic pathways, and glutamate modulation have emerged as promising alternatives.

Unveiling Disparities in Patient Rights Awareness and Practice: Insights From Artificial Neural Networks.

Background: High-quality universal health care coverage for all patients is the common theme in patient rights. However, pertinent investigations on this topic within the context of Jordanian health care are absent. This systematic review, coupled with a pooled artificial intelligence analysis of the data in retrieved studies, paves the way for such research by pooling data sets sourced from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Evaluation of the analgesic effect of a combination of oral acetaminophen and oxycodone after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL).

Objective: The present study aimed to compare the effects of suppository diclofenac (an example of NSAIDs) and oral administration of the combination of oxycodone (an example of an opioid) and acetaminophen in managing pain in patients with renal colic after SWL treatment.

Method: The current study is a double-blind clinical trial involving individuals scheduled to receive elective SWL therapy for kidney and ureteral stones. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups using the block randomization technique: suppository Diclofenac (100 mg) or a combination of 325 mg Acetaminophen + 5 mg oxycodone administered orally for pain relief following SWL.

Evaluating the discriminatory capacity of traditional and novel anthropometric indices in cardiovascular disease risk factors, considering sex differences.

Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) rates are rising rapidly worldwide, making it crucial to implement simple and effective screening measures to identify individuals at increased risk for CVD risk factors. This study aims to examine the relationship between innovative anthropometric indices and the occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors among the population of Mashhad, located in northeastern Iran, over a ten-year follow-up period.

Methods: In this cohort study, a total of 9704 individuals aged 35-65 years were recruited at baseline, with 7560 individuals completing the study.

Comparative Effectiveness of Nivolumab and Ipilimumab Plus Chemotherapy Versus Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy in PD-L1 Negative Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients.

Background: Recently, the combination of nivolumab, ipilimumab and chemotherapy (NIC) became available for the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) patients, introducing a new treatment option. This study aimed to compare the treatment response and real-world outcomes of NIC with the current standard of care pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy (PC) in PD-L1 negative mNSCLC patients treated in clinical practice and to compare these outcomes with the results of the Checkmate-9LA trial.

Methods: All mNSCLC patients with PD-L1<1% treated with NIC or PC at 2 large teaching hospitals in the Netherlands between 2019 and 2023 were included.

5H Pyrolo(3,4-b)Pyrazin-5,7-(6H)-dione 6-(N-Chitosanimide nanoparticle) composite nano silver and encapsulation in γ-cyclodextrin: Synthesis, molecular docking, and biological evaluation for thyroid cancer treatment.

Background: Thyroid cancer is rapidly increasing worldwide, with some patients facing poor prognosis and recurrence despite current treatments. Chitosan-based nanoparticles have exhibited exciting antitumor efficacy both in vitro and in vivo, which indicates that there is vast scope of clinical application. This study develops a anhydride-modified chitosan and anhydride-modified chitosan‑silver nanoparticles, encapsulated in γ-cyclodextrin to help drug delivery by safe way and enhance thyroid cancer therapy.

Quantification of facial cues for acute illness: a systematic scoping review.

Importance: The patient's face provides healthcare professionals with important information about the patient's general appearance and clinical condition.

Objective: The primary aim of this review is to identify patients' facial cues that healthcare providers can use at the bedside to monitor the clinical condition of acutely ill patients.

Evidence Review: Studies about facial cues for acute illness were systematically searched in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health (CINAHL) databases.

Parental Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Antibiotic Resistance in Children: A Review Article.

Antibiotic misuse among children continues to be one of the major critical public health issues worldwide, particularly in developing countries such as Jordan. Incorrect antibiotic use is hugely influenced by parents' knowledge and attitudes on the subject at hand. This review, therefore, seeks to establish the current state of parental knowledge and attitudes toward antibiotics in Jordanian children, with particular emphasis on those gaps in awareness and knowledge that underpin the inappropriate use of antibiotics.

Pharmacokinetics and safety of rifapentine in children: dosing for latent tuberculosis infection.

Objectives: To assess the safety of 4-week daily rifapentine-isoniazid regimen in latent tuberculosis for Chinese children, and to provide paediatric-specific evidence for extrapolating adult dosing strategies to children.

Methods: An open-label, prospective, single-arm clinical trial was conducted among eligible patients (aged <10 years old). Rifapentine concentrations and laboratory safety biomarker (total bilirubin) were analysed and used for population pharmacokinetic-toxicity model development.

Challenging the curve: can ChatGPT-generated MCQs reduce grade inflation in pharmacy education.

Introduction: Grade inflation in higher education poses challenges to maintaining academic standards, particularly in pharmacy education, where assessing student competency is crucial. This study investigates the impact of AI-generated multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on exam difficulty and reliability in a pharmacy management course at a Saudi university.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design compared the 2024 midterm exam, featuring ChatGPT-generated MCQs, with the 2023 exam that utilized human-generated questions.

Risk of poor glycemic control in tamsulosin versus finasteride users with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is strongly related to type 2 diabetes. Recent evidence has been inconsistent regarding the effect of BPH medications on glucose homeostasis. This study examined the risk of poor glycemic control associated with finasteride and tamsulosin use in individuals with type 2 diabetes.