The OPAT opportunity for beta-lactam individualization.

Beta-lactam therapeutic drug monitoring has been growing in prevalence in the acute care hospital setting. Expansion of its use to outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy requires careful consideration of potential logistical and therapeutic barriers.

Successful therapy for congenital sodium diarrhea by enteral management: A case report.

Background: Congenital sodium diarrhea (CSD) is a rare disorder causing electrolyte imbalances due to excessive diarrhea. In pediatric literature, common practice for treating CSD includes parenteral nutrition (PN) for fluid, nutrient, and electrolyte support through the first year of the patient's life. The aim of this study was to report a neonate who showed common symptoms of CSD, including a distended abdomen, large amounts of clear, yellow fluid draining from the rectum, dehydration, and electrolyte abnormalities.

Social Marketing Campaigns as a Teaching Strategy for Health Promotion.

Current nursing students are more technologically adept than past generations; they are accustomed to using technology in their everyday life. Proficiency in technology is a major asset, and as such, nursing education should provide for opportunities with technology that will support future practice. This article reports on a group project effectively used to capitalize on this skill while encouraging active engagement in learning about health promotion.

What types of nursing facilities are more likely to adopt a pharmacist's medication review recommendations?

Background: Few studies in the literature have analyzed the determinants of pharmacist drug therapy recommendations in nursing facility settings, and those that have focus primarily on accepted/rejected recommendations by disease state.

Objective: To identify the set of nursing facility characteristics that are more likely to adopt a pharmacist's medication review recommendations.

Design: Cross-sectional, retrospective methods are used to examine 53 licensed nursing facilities receiving medication review services from a small independent consultant pharmacist practice with no ties to vendor pharmacy functions.

Breaking the barrier: the Health Belief Model and patient perceptions regarding contraception.

Background: The study was conducted to determine the discrepancy between unintended pregnancies and use of contraception is attributed to imperfect use, misconceptions and an inability to adjust therapy to lifestyle.

Study Design: A survey administered at a Federal clinic incorporated the Health Belief Model to determine patient's emphasis in pregnancy prevention. Analysis focused on comparing participant demographics to reasons for contraceptive selection.

Poster project to emphasize public health in the pharmacy curriculum.

Objective: To implement and assess a required public health poster project in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program.

Design: Third-year PharmD students collaborated in pairs to research a public health topic relating to pharmacy practice. Each student group prepared an informational poster, while receiving feedback from a faculty mentor at each stage of the project.

Designing a master of public health degree within a department of pharmacy practice.

The demand for public health services is being outpaced by a shrinking public health workforce. This creates a unique opportunity for pharmacists to become more engaged in public health activities, particularly in rural underserved areas. To meet the need for additional public health professionals, we designed a master of public health (MPH) program in a rural state under the leadership of a department of pharmacy practice.

Current events project in a pharmacotherapy course.

Objective: To implement and assess a current events project added to the curriculum of a pharmacotherapy course in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program.

Design: Third-year PharmD students researched a current event topic related to infectious diseases and prepared a written and verbal summary that was presented to their classmates.

Assessment: Scores on course examinations and quizzes to assess students' knowledge of current events material were equal to or better than non-current events material.

Preliminary evaluation of medication therapy management services in assisted living facilities in rural Minnesota.

Objectives: While pharmacists are providing medication therapy management (MTM) services, few programs have been assessed for outcomes, particularly those in rural areas. The objectives are to: 1) categorize the number and type of drug-therapy problems (DTPs) that were identified by consultant pharmacists in assisted living facilities, 2) assess resident and administrator satisfaction of consultant pharmacist MTM services, and 3) assess the direct costs of providing MTM services and make some preliminary inferences about the program's economic viability.

Design: We conducted a cross-sectional, pilot study at 14 assisted living facilities over a 12-month period.

Detection of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2, urokinase and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 within matrigel and growth factor-reduced matrigel basement membrane.

Aims And Background: Matrigel (MG) basement membrane is commonly used for in vitro studies of cellular migration, invasion and angiogenesis. It contains structural molecules such as collagen IV and laminin plus several growth factors which are diminished in growth factor-reduced Matrigel (GFR-MG). A less appreciated but important aspect of MG is the presence of matrix enzymes and their inhibitors.

Growth factor regulation of secreted matrix metalloproteinase and plasminogen activators in prostate cancer cells, normal prostate fibroblasts and normal osteoblasts.

We assessed the relative levels of secreted matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and plasminogen activators (PAs) in PC-3 cells, prostate fibroblasts and osteoblasts in the presence and absence of VEGF, TGF beta1 and bFGF. Fibroblasts and osteoblasts secreted more MMPs -1 and -2 than did PC-3 cells, while PC-3 s contributed the majority of PAs. MMP-1 expression was downregulated by transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF beta1) treatment in prostate fibroblasts and upregulated by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in both stromal lines.

Metabolic aspects of the toxicology of mixtures of parathion, toxaphene and/or 2,4-D in mice.

The effects of mixtures of parathion (PA;5 mg kg-1), toxaphene (TOX; 50 mg kg-1)and/or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D; 50 mg kg-1) on the hepatic mixed-function oxygenase (MFO) system were studied in ICR male mice (21-24 g) by oral intubation daily for 7 days. In general, TOX and TOX-containing mixtures were found to induce the metabolism of amidopyrine (21-52%), aniline (58-72%), phenacetin (239-307%), pentobarbital (104-148%) and benzo[a]pyrene (143-304%) in the 9000 g liver supernatants and to increase the hepatic cytochrome P-450 contents (57-80%). Furthermore, the TOX pretreatment was effective in enhancing the biotransformation of PA or paraoxon (PO) in the supernatants.

1(2-benzoylethyl)pyridinium chloride: a new potent and selective inhibitor of bovine brain and human placental choline acetyltransferase.

A newly synthesized 1(2-benzoylethyl)pyridinium (BEP), an analog of the choline acetyltransferase (ChA) inhibitor (2-benzoylethyl)trimethylammonium (BETA), was evaluated for its ability to inhibit ChA from bovine brain and human placenta. Its ChA inhibitory properties were compared with that of BETA. BEP was found to be an effective inhibitor of ChA (I50: 10-18 microM).

A death due to self-administered fentanyl.

A fatality resulting from the self-administration of fentanyl is described. The decreased was a health care professional with a known history of drug abuse. At the scene, a syringe partly filled with red fluid was found.

Toxicity of mixtures of parathion, toxaphene and/or 2,4-D in mice.

The toxicity of the mixtures of parathion (PA), toxaphene (TOX) and/or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was studied in ICR male mice (21-24 g) by oral intubation, in corn oil, daily for up to 14 days. On Day 15, the exposure was discontinued, and animals were monitored for an additional period of 7 days for the possible reversibility of the toxicity. The body weight gain decreased with the mixtures, as well as with the individual agricultural chemicals (ACs), during the 14-day period.

Toxicological evaluation of a poisoning attributed to ingestion of malathion insect spray and correlation with in vitro inhibition of cholinesterases.

A 24-year-old Caucasian male was found dead from unknown causes at his farm home. At the scene, partially filled bottles of ORTHO Malathion 50 Insect Spray and CLOROX bleach were found. At the time of autopsy, a strong odour of a petroleum based product was prominent in the small intestine and in the liquid stool.

Influence of chlorpromazine on motility and calcium uptake of boar sperm.

In the motility of sperm, which resembles the automaticity of smooth muscle in some features, calcium plays an important role. Chlorpromazine (CPZ), an inhibitor of calmodulin (CaM), decreases contractile responses of smooth muscle to agonists, alters microsomal calcium movements and inhibits human sperm motility. The involvement of CaM in the contraction of smooth muscle and in sperm motility and its presence in sperm cells have also been established.