The impact of culture and lived experiences on health professions education and practice.

Health professions educators are not immune to the impact our lived experiences and associated cultures, including healthcare professional/higher education culture, can have on the development and manifestation of biases. These biases can impact students during the admissions process, their interactions with faculty in the classroom, selection for rewards and recognition, and access to research opportunities. Likewise, our colleagues can be affected during the hiring process, in their assignment to committees, and during the promotion and tenure process.

Evaluation of Gabapentin and Pregabalin Use in Hospitalized Patients With Decreased Kidney Function.

Gabapentin and pregabalin are well-tolerated medications primarily cleared by the kidney. Patients receiving higher gabapentinoid doses with decreased kidney function may be at an increased risk of adverse effects (AEs), but limited evidence exists evaluating gabapentinoid dosing and AEs in this population. To determine whether patients with decreased creatinine clearance (CrCl) experienced increased frequency of AEs related to gabapentinoid dose at hospital admission.

A National Survey of Perceptions Around Conditions Associated With Pharmacy Faculty Workload Equity.

Objective: To assess pharmacy faculty members' perceptions of conditions associated with workload equity and factors that can improve workload equity.

Methods: A 26-item survey instrument was developed and distributed via email to members of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Council of Faculties. Questions pertained to the workload distribution, fairness in assignment, and perception of the conditions associated with workload equity (transparency, context, credit, clarity, norms, and accountability) as well as institutional and individual demographics.

Tumor suppressive miR-99b-5p as an epigenomic regulator mediating mTOR/AR/SMARCD1 signaling axis in aggressive prostate cancer.

Introduction: African American (AA) men exhibited 2.3-fold higher PCa incidence and 1.7-fold higher PCa mortality rates when compared to the European American (EA) men.

Deregulated microRNAs Involved in Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness and Treatment Resistance Mechanisms.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among American men. Complex genetic and epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the development and progression of PCa. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs that regulate protein expression at the post-transcriptional level by targeting mRNAs for degradation or inhibiting protein translation.

The multifactorial role of vanillin in amelioration of aluminium chloride and D-galactose induced Alzheimer's disease in mice.

The onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are influenced by a variety of factors. These include oxidative stress, overexpression of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), depletion of acetylcholine levels, increased beta-secretase mediated conversion of Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) to Amyloid Beta (Abeta), accumulation of Abeta oligomers, decrease in Brain Derived Neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and accelerated neuronal apoptosis due to elevated levels of caspase-3. The currently available therapeutic approaches are inadequate in affecting these pathological processes except maybe the overexpression of AChE (AChE inhibitors like donepezil, rivastigmine).

Perceptions and Practices for Evaluating Faculty Workload by Pharmacy Education Administration/Leadership.

Objective: To assess how department chairs/administrators define, measure, and evaluate faculty workload to better understand practices within the Academy.

Methods: An 18-item survey was distributed to department chairs/administrators via American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Connect. Participants identified if they are a primary decision maker for faculty workload, whether their program has a workload policy, how workload is calculated, and how faculty satisfaction with workload equity is measured.

Lessons from a cross-institutional online professional development pilot.

Purpose: To reflect on a collaborative approach used by a group of faculty and administrators from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) and predominantly Black institution (PBI) pharmacy programs to provide high quality, multiple institution, faculty development programming in online environments.

Description: A pilot for a shared online professional development initiative between pharmacy programs at five HBCUs and one PBI was implemented as a two-hour combined video conference and webinar, with structured networking, instructional programming, and breakout group sessions. Learning outcomes focused on increasing knowledge and awareness of mindsets in faculty and students with additional project goals of beta-testing interactive web conference formats, developing cross-institutional networking, and identifying avenues for sharing resources and expertise.

Molecular Insight into Drug Resistance Mechanism Conferred by Aberrant Splice Variant in African American Prostate Cancer.

Targeting PI3Kδ has emerged as a promising therapy for hematologic and non-hematologic malignancies. Previously, we identified an oncogenic splice variant, , conferring Idelalisib resistance in African American (AA) prostate cancer (PCa). In the current study, we employed a comprehensive analysis combining molecular biology, biochemistry, histology, in silico simulation, and in vitro functional assays to investigate the expression profiles in PCa samples and to elucidate the drug resistance mechanism mediated by PI3Kδ-S (encoded by ).

Diabetic Hearts Exhibit Global DNA Hypermethylation That Alter the Mitochondrial Functional Genes to Enhance the Sensitivity of the Heart to Ischemia Reperfusion Injury.

A recent study has shown that DNA hypermethylation can promote ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury by regulating the mitochondrial function. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is reported to induce DNA hypermethylation, but whether this prior DNA methylation in DM I/R heart inflicts a beneficial or detrimental effect is not known and is addressed in this study. DM was induced in 6-week-old male Wistar rats with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg b.

Downregulation of miR-99b-5p and Upregulation of Nuclear mTOR Cooperatively Promotes the Tumor Aggressiveness and Drug Resistance in African American Prostate Cancer.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) regulates various fundamental cellular events including cell proliferation, protein synthesis, metabolism, apoptosis, and autophagy. Tumor suppressive miR-99b-5p has been implicated in regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in a variety of types of cancer. Our previous study suggested the reciprocal miR-99b-5p/ (downregulated/upregulated) pairing as a key microRNA-mRNA regulatory component involved in the prostate cancer (PCa) disparities.

Use of Science Lab Simulation During a Two-Week Virtual Biomedical Research Training Summer Camp for Underserved Minority Youth: A COVID-19 Adjustment.

The Maryland Action for Drug Discovery and Pharmaceutical Research (MADDPR) Program provides hands-on lab experience and mentoring to underserved minority high school students. With the inability to conduct an in-person STEM summer camp, the program transitioned to a virtual format in 2020. Thirty-three students and their PLTW teacher participated in live sessions using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra®.

Pharmacist perceptions of and views on postgraduate year 3 training.

Purpose: To determine the attitudes and perceptions of pharmacy residency program participants regarding proposed expansion of postgraduate year 3 (PGY3) residency training opportunities.

Methods: An online questionnaire was emailed to all directors of ASHP-accredited residency programs with a request to distribute the survey among program participants, including residents, preceptors, coordinators, and other pharmacists working with residents. Survey questions assessed participants' views and attitudes about PGY3 programs vs other avenues of career advancement, including potential benefits and limitations, program structure, and ramifications for the profession.

Time Spent at Work and Its Impact on the Academic Performance of Pharmacy Students.

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of time spent at work (workload) on the academic performance of pharmacy students. A cross-sectional 12-item survey was administered to pharmacy students at the end of the spring 2011 semester to primarily assess the type of employment and their weekly workload during the 2010-2011 academic year. Academic performance was determined by semester and cumulative grade point average (GPA).

Spirituality and Religiosity of Pharmacy Students.

To characterize the religiosity and spirituality of final year pharmacy students and examine the impact on performance in pharmacy school and future practice. An electronic survey was sent to 308 students in their final year of pharmacy school at four universities (two private and two public institutions). There were 141 respondents to the survey for a response rate of 46%.

Implementation and lessons learned from a mock trial as a teaching-learning and assessment activity.

Background And Purpose: To describe implementation and lessons learned from use of a mock trial as a teaching-learning and assessment activity in a required evidence-based practice course. This innovative self-directed learning strategy reinforced evidence-based skills and affective domain competencies in Center for the Advancement of Pharmaceutical Education (CAPE) 2013 Outcomes and Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards 2016.

Educational Activity And Setting: During spring semesters 2015 and 2016, first professional year (P1) cohorts were divided into teams and assigned controversial topics to research and debate in mock trials.

Adjunct Aripiprazole Reduces Prolactin and Prolactin-Related Adverse Effects in Premenopausal Women With Psychosis: Results From the DAAMSEL Clinical Trial.

Purpose/background: Prolactin-related adverse effects contribute to nonadherence and adverse health consequences, particularly in women with severe mental illness. Treating these adverse effects may improve treatment acceptability, adherence, and long-term outcomes.

Methods/procedures: Premenopausal women with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder were recruited for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 16-week trial of adjunct aripiprazole (5-15 mg/d).

Aligning the AACP Strategic Engagement Agenda with Key Federal Priorities in Health: Report of the 2016-17 Argus Commission.

The Argus Commission identified three major federal priorities related to health care, including the precision medicine initiative, the Cancer Moonshot and the opioid abuse epidemic. Current activities at the federal level were summarized and an analysis of activities within the profession, and academic pharmacy specifically, was prepared. The implications for pharmacy education, research and practice are compelling in all three areas.

Students' Opinions on Summative Team Assessments in a Three-Year Concentrated Pharmacy Curriculum.

Objective. To investigate student opinions of team assessment. Methods.

Discovery and preliminary structure-activity relationship of the marine natural product manzamines as herpes simplex virus type-1 inhibitors.

Herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) is a member of alpha-herpesviridae family and is known to cause contagious human infections. The marine habitat is a rich source of structurally unique bioactive secondary metabolites. A small library of marine natural product classes 1-10 has been screened to discover a new hit entity active against HSV-1.

Admissions Criteria as Predictors of Academic Performance in a Three-Year Pharmacy Program at a Historically Black Institution.

Objective: To determine the ability of University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Pharmacy's admissions criteria to predict students' academic performance in a 3-year pharmacy program and to analyze transferability to African-American students.

Methods: Statistical analyses were conducted on retrospective data for 174 students. Didactic and experiential scores were used as measures of academic performance.

Assessment of Communications-related Admissions Criteria in a Three-year Pharmacy Program.

Objective: To determine if there is a correlation between TOEFL and other admissions criteria that assess communications skills (ie, PCAT variables: verbal, reading, essay, and composite), interview, and observational scores and to evaluate TOEFL and these admissions criteria as predictors of academic performance.

Methods: Statistical analyses included two sample t tests, multiple regression and Pearson's correlations for parametric variables, and Mann-Whitney U for nonparametric variables, which were conducted on the retrospective data of 162 students, 57 of whom were foreign-born.

Results: The multiple regression model of the other admissions criteria on TOEFL was significant.