Plasma cholesterol concentrations, dietary fat intake, and cholesterol intake in pharmacy students.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of formal education on hyperlipidemia on pharmacy students' dietary fat consumption and plasma cholesterol concentrations over a 3-month period.

Design: Prospective, open, nonrandomized, controlled trial.

Setting: College of pharmacy.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a novel phenyl substituted sydnone series as potential antitumor agents.

A series of compounds containing an N-(4'-substituted-3'-nitrophenyl)sydnone moiety with potential antitumor activity was prepared based on active analogues. The rationale behind the design of these compounds is presented along with the 4-step synthetic route to the derivatives in the 4'-position of the phenyl sydnone framework. Out of the six novel compounds, the 4'-fluoro derivative has an improved activity against all three cell lines as compared to the earlier leads.

Strain differences in the distribution of dopamine transporter sites in rat brain.

The Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat has long been proposed as an animal model of depressive behavior. Exposure to stress produces symptoms such as anhedonia, psychomotor retardation, ambivalence, and negative memory bias. Autoradiographic studies have revealed significant differences in the density of norepinephrine transporter (NET) and serotonin transporter (5-HTT) sites in several brain regions in WKY rats compared to Sprague-Dawley (S-D) rats.

Decreased argatroban clearance unaffected by hemodialysis in anasarca.

Objective: To report the case of a patient with acute renal failure and anasarca undergoing hemodialysis who demonstrated a prolonged effect of argatroban despite having no hepatic dysfunction.

Case Summary: A 54-year-old white woman with a past medical history of St. Jude's prosthetic mitral valve placement was admitted for anasarca secondary to acute renal failure of unknown origin.

Propofol withdrawal syndrome in an adult patient with thermal injury.

A 48-year-old man with a history of ethanol abuse and bipolar disease fell asleep while smoking in an intoxicated state. The patient received a 30% total body surface area burn involving his face and upper torso that resulted in an inhalation injury. Several attempts at weaning from mechanical ventilation failed due to his extreme agitation, which was unresponsive to benzodiazepines, opiates, and antipsychotic agents.

Multidimensional outcome considerations in assessing the efficacy of medical educational programs.

Background: To be accredited, schools must evaluate the effectiveness of their programs. Educators are looking for specific indicators beyond the traditional measures. Data from multiple methods, including indicators of student performance and of the institutional environment, can be used to determine if educational program goals are met.

Safety and efficacy of unfractionated heparin versus enoxaparin in patients who are obese and patients with severe renal impairment: analysis from the ESSENCE and TIMI 11B studies.

Background: The advantages of enoxaparin over unfractionated heparin (UFH) for the treatment of patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes are well established. However, no data are available about the safety and efficacy in patients who are obese and patients with severe renal impairment.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of treatment effects was performed on patients who were obese and patients with severe renal impairment from the Efficacy Safety Subcutaenous Enoxaparin in Non-Q-wave Coronary Events (ESSENCE) and Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 11B trials, in which patients were treated with enoxaparin or UFH.

Pramlintide for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To provide an overview of the role of amylin, as well as that of pramlintide, a synthetic analog of amylin, in maintaining glucose homeostasis; and discuss the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, adverse effects, and role of pramlintide in the control of postprandial hyperglycemia.

Data Sources: The data presented in this review were obtained from published literature, abstracts presented at scientific meetings, and information on file with the manufacturer. MEDLINE searches (1986-March 2003) using the search terms pramlintide and amylin were conducted to identify clinical trials and review articles.

Management of dyslipidemia: an update.

Despite the wealth of clinical evidence that demonstrates a reduction in the risk of coronary heart disease with the use of various lipid-lowering therapies, many patients in the United States are untreated or inadequately treated with these agents. Although the most recent treatment guidelines developed by the National Cholesterol Education Program provide detailed information regarding risk assessment of patients and desired lipid and lipoprotein goals, practitioners need to stay current on any emerging data that may have a significant impact on the management of patients with dyslipidemia. Over the past 2 years, the results of several clinical trials that may prompt the initiation of lipid-lowering therapy in a broader range of patients have been published.

Meta-analysis of trials of interventions to improve medication adherence.

The effect of tools and methods designed to enhance medication adherence that have been evaluated in randomized controlled trials was studied. A literature search was performed with MEDLINE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, PsychLIT, ERIC, and EMBASE for the period from 1966 to December 2000. Only randomized, controlled trials with at least 10 subjects per intervention group were included.

New drugs of 2002.

Objective: To provide information regarding the most important properties of the new therapeutic agents marketed in 2002.

Data Sources: Published studies, drug information reference sources, and product labeling.

Data Synthesis: In 2002, 26 new therapeutic agents were marketed.

Nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic potential of imidazolidinedione-, oxazolidinedione- and thiazolidinedione-containing analogues of N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)succinimide (NDPS) in Fischer 344 rats.

Nephrotoxicity of the agricultural fungicide N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)succinimide (NDPS) in rats is believed to involve metabolism on the succinimide ring. To further investigate this hypothesis, we synthesized and tested the following NDPS analogues, which contain other cyclic imide rings and may therefore be metabolized differently than NDPS: 3-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2,4-oxazolidinedione (DCPO), 3-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2,4-imidazolidinedione (DCPI), 3-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-1-methyl-2,4-imidazolidinedione (DCPM) and 3-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2,4-thiazolidinedione (DCPT). Male Fischer 344 rats were administered DCPO, DCPI, DCPM, DCPT (0.

Diarylamino groups as photostable auxofluors in 2-benzoxazolylfluorene, 2,5-diphenyloxazoles, 1,3,5-hexatrienes, 1,4-distyrylbenzenes, and 2,7-distyrylfluorenes.

The relationship of structure to optical spectral properties was determined for five types of fluors in a search for an optimum-wavelength shifter to be used as part of the detection systems for high-energy particles from accelerators. In a search for photostable fluors to serve as waveshifters in plastic fibers it was found that the wavelengths of interest, absorption max 410 +/- 10 nm and fluorescence emission max 480 +/- 20 nm, along with other properties, such as high solubility and short fluorescence decay time, could be obtained from fluorophors composed of aromatic rings and vinyl groups only by using amino groups as auxochromes to give bathochromic shifts of wavelengths. Since primary, monoalkyl, and dialkylamino groups were not sufficiently photostable, a number of fluorophores bearing diarylamino groups were investigated.

Strain-dependent modification of behavior following antidepressant treatment.

The effects of repeated antidepressant drug treatment on behavioral outcome in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats, a putative animal model of depressive behavior, were compared to Wistar and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Rats were treated with desipramine (norepinephrine [NE] uptake blocker), nomifensine (NE and dopamine [DA] uptake blocker), paroxetine (serotonin [5-HT] uptake blocker) or saline, for 12 days. On Day 11, rats were tested in the Porsolt forced swim test (FST).

Meta-analysis of interventions to improve drug adherence in patients with hyperlipidemia.

Objective: To examine the results of meta-analyses addressing the net effect of tools and methods to enhance drug adherence in patients with hyperlipidemia.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (IPA), PsychLit, Educational Resource Information Clearinghouse (ERIC), and Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) databases (1996-2000) for randomized controlled trials of interventions to improve patients' adherence to drug regimens for hyperlipidemia. All trials selected had at least 10 subjects/group.

Pharmacologic management of diabetic nephropathy.

Background: Diabetes mellitus and hypertension are leading causes of end stage renal disease in the United States. Drug therapy that focuses on tight glycemic control and blood pressure control reduces the progression of nephropathy and cardiovascular complications. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have been shown to reduce the progression of renal disease in patients with diabetes.

Improving blood pressure control in a pharmacist-managed hypertension clinic.

Objective: To determine whether pharmaceutical care provided by a pharmacist-managed hypertension clinic results in better treatment outcomes when compared with traditional health care from a primary care physician.

Design: Prospective, controlled study

Setting: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Patients: Fifty six patients with essential hypertension; 27 were randomly assigned to the intervention group and 29 to the control group.

Transdermal testosterone gel (Cellegy).

Cellegy is developing a drug delivery system designed to facilitate the transdermal and topical delivery of testosterone for the potential treatment of male hypogonadism (as Tostrex) and decreased sexual energy in post-menopausal women (asTostrelle) [218118], [314726], [351823]. Following phase III dinical trials of Tostrex for male hypogonadism, initiated in March 2000 [361133], an NDA submission for male hypogonadism was filed in June 2002, after a pre-NDA meeting with the FDA late in 2001 [453374]. By March 2002, phase II/III clinical studies in postmenopausal women were underway in the US [444857].

Discrete and continuous mathematical models of DNA branch migration.

DNA junctions, known as Holliday junctions, are intermediates in genetic recombination between DNAs. In this structure, two double-stranded DNA helices with similar sequence are joined at a branch point. The branch point can move along these helices when strands with the same sequence are exchanged.

Antimicrobial resveratrol tetramers from the stem bark of Vatica oblongifoliassp. oblongifolia.

Two new resveratrol tetramers, hopeaphenol A (1) and isohopeaphenol A (2), along with the known vaticaphenol A (3), were isolated from the stem bark of Vatica oblongifolia ssp. oblongifolia through bioassay-guided fractionation. The structures and their relative stereochemistry were determined by spectroscopic techniques.

Therapeutic options for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The incidence of diabetes mellitus is steadily increasing in the United States. Currently the United States spends approximately $100 billion in healthcare costs annually for the management of diabetes. Most of the costs are attributed to hospitalizations and treatment of diabetes complications.

Early statin therapy for acute coronary syndromes.

Objective: To review the clinical benefit of statins in the early management of acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) and their possible mechanisms of benefit.

Data Sources: A MEDLINE search (1966-September 2001) was conducted using the following terms: pravastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, cerivastatin, fluvastatin, statins, hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, acute coronary syndromes, unstable angina, and myocardial infarction. Pertinent articles referenced in these publications were also reviewed.