Hasil untuk "Pharmacy and materia medica"

Melissa Sanders, Kathlyn Smith, Madison Holland et al.

Background: Stimulant misuse is a rising concern in the United States. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to better understand the U.S. general public's knowledge, perceptions, and intentions regarding stimulant misuse, and to assess sociodemographic differences. Methods: Americans age ≥ 18 were recruited for a cross-sectional, anonymous online survey using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Outcomes, guided by the Health Belief Model, included: knowledge; perceived susceptibility, severity, and benefits surrounding prescription and non-prescription stimulant use/misuse; perceived barriers to medical stimulant use and seeking help for stimulant misuse; and non-medical stimulant use intentions. Mann-Whitney U tests assessed differences across age (young adults/adults [≤44] versus middle-aged/older adults [>44]), sex, race, and urbanicity. Linear regression assessed predictors of intentions. Results: Respondents (N = 303) were 48.2 % female, 80.2 % White, mean 43.65 years, and 84.2 % urban-residing. Stimulant knowledge was higher among females (p = 0.017) and White individuals (p = 0.043). Perceived severity of stimulant misuse was higher among >44-year-olds (p = 0.006), females (p = 0.007), and rural residents (p = 0.009), with rural residents perceiving greater susceptibility overall (p = 0.022). Barriers to seeking help for stimulant misuse were higher among ≤44-year-olds (p = 0.025), while non-medical stimulant use intentions were higher among >44-year-olds (p = 0.002), males (p < 0.001), and urban residents (p = 0.031). Perceived severity of prescription (β = −0.268; p < 0.001) and non-prescription misuse (β = −0.191; p = 0.001), non-prescription stimulant benefits (β = 0.239; p < 0.001), barriers to seeking help (β = 0.078; p = 0.026), and age (β = −0.006; p = 0.028) predicted non-medical stimulant use intentions. Conclusions: Knowledge, perceptions, and non-medical stimulant use intentions differed across age, sex, race, and urbanicity. Future studies should explore strategies to overcome these disparities.

Noelia Amador-Fernández, Emma L. Graham, Shalom (Charlie) I. Benrimoj et al.

A nivel internacional se ha promovido el papel de la farmacia comunitaria en el manejo de los síntomas menores (Servicio de Indicación Farmacéutica, SIF) con resultados positivos para el paciente y el sistema sanitario. Este estudio evalúa el impacto clínico y la implantación del SIF en la rutina diaria del farmacéutico. Método Se realizó un estudio pragmático con un diseño híbrido de efectividad-implantación en todo el territorio español en el periodo 2020-2023. Se incluyó a pacientes que acudieron a farmacias comunitarias para consultar o demandar un medicamento para un síntoma menor. La intervención consistió en el uso del protocolo de Foro AF-FC para el SIF y los protocolos consensuados con médicos de atención primaria a través de la plataforma SEFAC eXPERT® y tras formación de los farmacéuticos. Se realizó seguimiento de los pacientes a los diez días tras la consulta. Resultados Un total de 430 farmacias registró 20.987 indicaciones. El 85,2 % (n=17.885) fueron consultas por síntomas menores y 14,8 % (n=3.102) demandas de medicamentos. Los síntomas menores relacionados con dolor (18,7 %, n=3.935) fueron los más consultados. Los farmacéuticos recomendaron tratamiento farmacológico al 81,3 % (n=17.063) de los pacientes y derivaron al médico al 8,0 % (n=1.682). El 72,4 % (n=15.192) de los pacientes respondieron al seguimiento con una mejoría del síntoma menor de 9,0/10,0, un cambio de calidad de vida de +9,0 (escala 0-100) y una satisfacción con el servicio de 9,6/10. Conclusión El procedimiento del SIF protocolizado se mostró operativo y adecuado con resultados beneficiosos en salud. La implantación del SIF permitió observar un considerable volumen de registros y la necesidad de impulsar el registro de los Servicios Farmacéuticos Asistenciales en la práctica habitual del farmacéutico comunitario.

Mina Emaad Taha, Nidhal Khazaal Maraie, Ram Kumar Sahu

Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) are class of macromolecule compound formed by electrostatic interaction of oppositely charged polymers. The main objective of this review is to show the formation mechanism of PECs and their characterization, factors affecting their formation, their pharmaceutical application in drug delivery system with some of the dosage form that utilize PEC technique in their formulation, also this review talks about the most common polymers used in the preparation of PECs.

Y. Estaremi, M. S. Al Ghafri, and S. Shamsigamchi

In this paper we define $λ$-hyponormal operators on an infinite dimensional Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}$ and find a class of $λ$-hyponormal operators that can not be hypercyclic. Also, we study closedness of range and $λ$-hyponormality of weighted composition operators on the Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}=L^2(μ)$. Moreover, we apply the hypercyclicity results to $λ$-hyponormal weighted composition operators. Finally, we provide some examples to illustrate our main results.

Jiameng Wei, Dinh Dang, Kaixun Yang et al.

Assessment of medication history-taking has traditionally relied on human observation, limiting scalability and detailed performance data. While Generative AI (GenAI) platforms enable extensive data collection and learning analytics provide powerful methods for analyzing educational traces, these approaches remain largely underexplored in pharmacy clinical training. This study addresses this gap by applying learning analytics to understand how students develop clinical communication competencies with GenAI-powered virtual patients -- a crucial endeavor given the diversity of student cohorts, varying language backgrounds, and the limited opportunities for individualized feedback in traditional training settings. We analyzed 323 students' interaction logs across Australian and Malaysian institutions, comprising 50,871 coded utterances from 1,487 student-GenAI dialogues. Combining Epistemic Network Analysis to model inquiry co-occurrences with Sequential Pattern Mining to capture temporal sequences, we found that high performers demonstrated strategic deployment of information recognition behaviors. Specifically, high performers centered inquiry on recognizing clinically relevant information, integrating rapport-building and structural organization, while low performers remained in routine question-verification loops. Demographic factors including first-language background, prior pharmacy work experience, and institutional context, also shaped distinct inquiry patterns. These findings reveal inquiry patterns that may indicate clinical reasoning development in GenAI-assisted contexts, providing methodological insights for health professions education assessment and informing adaptive GenAI system design that supports diverse learning pathways.

Tapas K. Sarkar, Divya Pandya, Mohit Sharma et al.

Objective: To evaluate patient satisfaction and acceptance of acupuncture in dental practice. Methods: This randomized controlled study involved 30 participants (15 males, 15 females, mean age 38.2 years) requiring mandibular third molar extraction. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either real or placebo acupuncture. Pain intensity was assessed using a 4-point scale, and patients’ acceptance of and satisfaction with acupuncture were measured. The study was conducted at an oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic. Results: Toothache was the most common dental issue (16.7%). Participants showed moderate to high levels of acceptance toward acupuncture (mean score of 3.37 on a 4-point scale) and satisfaction with the treatment (mean score of 3.50). Conclusion: The study demonstrates a positive reception of acupuncture in dental settings, with moderate to high levels of patient acceptance and satisfaction. These findings suggest that acupuncture could be a valuable adjunctive therapy in comprehensive dental care, particularly for pain management and anxiety reduction. However, further research is needed to fully establish its efficacy across various dental procedures.

V Dhanuja, S KalaBarathi, J Jagadeeswari

Background: Afterpain is a common discomfort felt by most of the postpartum mothers which is occurred due to delayed involution. Kegel exercise and prone position enhance the involution. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of Kegel exercise and prone position on afterpain among postpartum mothers. Material and Methods: A Quasi-experimental pretest post-test with control group research design was used. Using nonprobability purposive sampling technique recruited 60 postpartum mothers who met the criteria. The level of afterpain was assessed by using visual analog scale. Experimental group was educated to do Kegel exercise for 3 days and lie in prone position for 3–5 minutes, 3 times for 3 days. Control group follows routine postnatal care posttest was conducted. Results: The study results concluded that the afterpain mean difference was 0.53, 1.70, 1.80, and 4.03. The calculated paired t-test value of t = 5.757 between pretest and post-test 1, t = 12.420 between post-test 1 and post-test 2, t = 12.953 between post-test 2 and post-test 3, and t = 21.378 between pretest and post-test 3 was found to be statistically significant at P < 0.001 level. Conclusion: Therefore, Kegel exercise and prone position was effective in reducing afterpain during postpartum period.

Hossein Omidian, Erma J. Gill, Luigi X. Cubeddu

This manuscript explores the use of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in addressing the pivotal challenges of lung cancer treatment, including drug delivery inefficacy and multi-drug resistance. LNPs have significantly advanced targeted therapy by improving the precision and reducing the systemic toxicity of chemotherapeutics such as doxorubicin and paclitaxel. This manuscript details the design and benefits of various LNP systems, including solid lipid–polymer hybrids, which offer controlled release and enhanced drug encapsulation. Despite achievements in reducing tumor size and enhancing survival, challenges such as manufacturing complexity, biocompatibility, and variable clinical outcomes persist. Future directions are aimed at refining targeting capabilities, expanding combinatorial therapies, and integrating advanced manufacturing techniques to tailor treatments to individual patient profiles, thus promising to transform lung cancer therapy through interdisciplinary collaboration and regulatory innovation.

Amber R. Douglass, PharmD, BCPS, BCPP, Ashley Maister, PharmD, BCPP, Karen E. Moeller, PharmD, BCPP et al.

Deaths related to opioid overdoses continue to climb, and there remains a need for innovative strategies to address this ongoing crisis. Harm reduction (HR), a nonjudgmental philosophy aimed at reducing consequences associated with drug use and other potentially unsafe behavior, has emerged as a compassionate and effective approach. Harm reduction further emphasizes overdose prevention and fosters a shift in perspective that recognizes substance use disorder as a disease and not a moral failing. The tenets of HR collectively advocate for the well-being of individuals who use substances and support any positive change as defined by the individual. Given the high rate of morbidity and mortality associated with substance misuse and barriers or ambivalence to receiving treatment, awareness of and advocacy for HR practice is essential. This manuscript aims to describe evidence-based HR interventions, provide a foundation for the implementation of services, and further promote the importance of providing humanistic care without judgment. As valued members of the multidisciplinary treatment team, Board-Certified Psychiatric Pharmacists should implement and engage in HR services in the settings where people with substance use disorders receive care.

Benedikt Hilmes, Nick Rossenbach, and Ralf Schlüter

In this work we evaluate the utility of synthetic data for training automatic speech recognition (ASR). We use the ASR training data to train a text-to-speech (TTS) system similar to FastSpeech-2. With this TTS we reproduce the original training data, training ASR systems solely on synthetic data. For ASR, we use three different architectures, attention-based encoder-decoder, hybrid deep neural network hidden Markov model and a Gaussian mixture hidden Markov model, showing the different sensitivity of the models to synthetic data generation. In order to extend previous work, we present a number of ablation studies on the effectiveness of synthetic vs. real training data for ASR. In particular we focus on how the gap between training on synthetic and real data changes by varying the speaker embedding or by scaling the model size. For the latter we show that the TTS models generalize well, even when training scores indicate overfitting.

Jung Sun Kim, Jin Woo Kim, Jeong Yee et al.

Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is a rare but severe adverse effect that can occur as a result of bisphosphonate treatment. This study aimed to examine the relationship between <i>PPARγ</i> and <i>PPARGC1A</i> polymorphisms and the BRONJ development in female osteoporosis patients undergoing bisphosphonate treatment. We prospectively conducted this nested case–control study at the Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital between 2014 and 2018. We assessed five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of <i>PPARγ</i> and six SNPs of <i>PPARGC1A</i> and performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine the independent risk factors for developing BRONJ. There were a total of 123 patients included in this study and 56 patients (45.5%) developed BRONJ. In the univariate analysis, <i>PPARGC1A</i> rs2946385 and rs10020457 polymorphisms were significantly associated with BRONJ (<i>p</i> = 0.034, <i>p</i> = 0.020, respectively), although the results were not statistically significant in the multivariable analysis. Patients with the combined genotypes of GG in both <i>PPARγ</i> rs1151999 and <i>PPARGC1A</i> rs2946385 showed a 3.03-fold higher risk of BRONJ compared to individuals with other genotype combinations after adjusting for confounders (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–9.11). Old age (≥70 years) and duration of bisphosphonate use (≥60 months) increased the risk of BRONJ. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the predicted probability was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.69–0.87, <i>p</i> < 0.001), demonstrating a satisfactory level of discriminatory power. Our study elucidated that <i>PPARγ</i> and <i>PPARGC1A</i> polymorphisms were interactively associated with BRONJ development. These results have potential implications for tailoring personalized treatments for females undergoing bisphosphonate therapy for osteoporosis.

A. V. Tarasiuk, Y. V. Mezentsev, O. V. Gnedenko et al.

The interaction of the neurotrophin BDNF dipeptide mimetic, compound GSB-106, with the tyrosine kinase TrkB receptor specific for the fullsized neurotrophin was studied using surface plasmon resonance. The significant decrease in the binding of BDNF to TrkB, which was preincubated with GSB-106, was shown. The obtained data indicate the interaction of GSB-106 with the TrkB receptor.

Azlini Ismail*, Tuan Ashraf Faiz Tuan Anuar

Solanum torvum is one of the plants mentioned in “Kitab Al-Tibb Pontianak”, a historical medical manuscript which encompasses many traditional healings of Malay people for various ailments including of hypertension. This systematic review involves searching within Science Direct, SCOPUS, and PUBMED databases with the aim to find scientific evidences purporting this traditional claim. The keywords such as anti-hypertensive, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, blood pressure, diuretic, vasodilation, Solanum torvum, and S. torvum were used with suitable Boolean operators. Sixteen research articles were finally included in this systematic review after considering some inclusions and exclusions criteria. The evidence that supported S. torvum use for hypertension included its capability in reducing blood pressure in normal and high fructose-induced hypertensive rats, and also its diuretic effect by increasing sodium excretion and total urinary output in normal and in nitric-oxide deprived rats, as well as the ability to inhibit ACE, the key enzyme that mediates consequential increment of blood pressure. On contrary, S. torvum also induced partial vasoconstriction and amplified the hypertensive effect in the nitric-oxide-deprived hypertensive rats. In conclusion, this review found scientific evidence asserting the traditional use of S. torvum for hypertension with some conflicting findings in some study models. Therefore, this ethnomedicinal claim warrants more scientific verification, especially on its effect on the essential hypertension model which is very common in humans but has not yet been explored.

Cheng Guo, Leidong Fan, Ziyu Xue et al.

In media industry, the demand of SDR-to-HDRTV up-conversion arises when users possess HDR-WCG (high dynamic range-wide color gamut) TVs while most off-the-shelf footage is still in SDR (standard dynamic range). The research community has started tackling this low-level vision task by learning-based approaches. When applied to real SDR, yet, current methods tend to produce dim and desaturated result, making nearly no improvement on viewing experience. Different from other network-oriented methods, we attribute such deficiency to training set (HDR-SDR pair). Consequently, we propose new HDRTV dataset (dubbed HDRTV4K) and new HDR-to-SDR degradation models. Then, it's used to train a luminance-segmented network (LSN) consisting of a global mapping trunk, and two Transformer branches on bright and dark luminance range. We also update assessment criteria by tailored metrics and subjective experiment. Finally, ablation studies are conducted to prove the effectiveness. Our work is available at: https://github.com/AndreGuo/HDRTVDM.

Sauvik Chatterjee, Sougata Biswas, and Arunava Chakrabarti

Flat, non-dispersive bands and topological phase transition in multiple Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) chains, cross-linked via periodically arranged nodal points are explored within a tight binding framework. We give analytic prescription, based on a real space decimation scheme, that extracts the energy eigenvalues corresponding to the flat bands along with their degeneracy. The topological phase transition is confirmed through the existence of quantized Zak phase for all the Bloch bands, and the edge states that are protected by chiral symmetry, consistent with the bulk-boundary correspondence. In addition to the edge states, the entangled systems are shown to give rise to clusters of localized eigenstates in the bulk of the system, in contrast to a purely one dimensional SSH system.

Stanisław Malicki, Barbara Pucelik, Edyta Żyła et al.

Immune checkpoint targeting immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of certain cancers in the recent years. Determination of the status of immune checkpoint expression in particular cancers may assist decision making. Here, we describe the development of a single-stranded aptamer-based molecular probe specifically recognizing human PD-L1. Target engaging aptamers are selected by iterative enrichment from a random ssDNA pool and the binding is characterized biochemically. Specificity and dose dependence is demonstrated in vitro in the cell culture using human kidney tumor cells (786-0), human melanoma cells (WM115 and WM266.4) and human glioblastoma LN18 cancer cells. The utility of the probe in vivo is demonstrated using two mouse tumor models, where we show that the probe exhibits excellent potential in imaging. We postulate that further development of the probe may allow universal imaging of different types of tumors depending on their PD-L1 status, which may find utility in cancer diagnosis.

Nirmalya Manna, Ria Mukherjee, Parthasarathi Bhattacharya et al.

Background: COVID vaccines have been rolled out all over the world after emergency use authorization in the prevailing pandemic situation. However, hesitancy about its safety and efficacy exists among beneficiaries. Vaccine hesitancy can be a barrier to adequate immunization coverage. Aims and Objectives: This qualitative study was undertaken among health care workers in the rural field practice area of a tertiary care hospital, to find out their perceptions about COVID vaccines, and reasons behind hesitancy toward the same. Materials and Methods: Six focused group discussions (FGD) were held with the help of moderator. Each FGD had five members, so 30 members were included in the study. Health care workers included doctors, nurses, ANM/ASHAs, and other health care workers. Results: There were 17 males and 13 females. Doctors had a positive attitude toward vaccination, but other health care workers had mixed perception regarding vaccination. Most grass root level workers were sceptical about the efficacy of the vaccine. Conclusion: Mostly positive attitude toward COVID vaccines was observed in the present study. Hesitancy toward vaccines was observed in some health care workers, and it likely rooted from their inadequate knowledge about the vaccine. [Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol 2022; 12(9.000): 1458-1462]

Shenglong Zhou, and Geoffrey Ye Li

Federated learning has burgeoned recently in machine learning, giving rise to a variety of research topics. Popular optimization algorithms are based on the frameworks of the (stochastic) gradient descent methods or the alternating direction method of multipliers. In this paper, we deploy an exact penalty method to deal with federated learning and propose an algorithm, FedEPM, that enables to tackle four critical issues in federated learning: communication efficiency, computational complexity, stragglers' effect, and data privacy. Moreover, it is proven to be convergent and testified to have high numerical performance.

Helmi Helmi, Nanang Fakhrudin, Arief Nurrochmad et al.

Memory is an essential aspect of human cognition. A decrease in this aspect is well associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The development of a novel cognitive enhancer (CE) may help overcome AD-related problems. In this study, we evaluated the CE effect of <i>Caesalpinia sappan</i> L. (CS) in memory deficit mice. Administration of its ethanolic extract (250 and 500 mg/kg body weight (BW)) and brazilin (5 and 10 mg/kg BW) ameliorated the scopolamine-amnesic effect, as evidenced by significant decreases (<i>p</i> < 0.01, <i>p</i> < 0.05) in the escape latency time and increases (<i>p</i> < 0.01) in the percentage of time spent in the target quadrant of the Morris water maze test. We also examined the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) level, protein kinase A (PKA) activity, and protein expression levels of phosphorylated cAMP response element binding (pCREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in hippocampal tissues to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism. Results showed that CS wood ethanolic extract and brazilin not only significantly increase (<i>p</i> < 0.01, <i>p</i> < 0.05) cAMP levels and PKA activity but also significantly enhance (<i>p</i> < 0.01, <i>p</i> < 0.05) the expression level of pCREB and BDNF in the hippocampus. These findings indicate that CS activates the cAMP/PKA/CREB/BDNF pathway. Taken together, our results demonstrate that CS is a promising herb that could be developed as a CE agent.

Sathish Sundar Dhilip Kumar, Heidi Abrahamse

In recent years, the role of nanotechnology in drug delivery has become increasingly important, and this field of research holds many potential benefits for cancer treatment, particularly, in achieving cancer cell targeting and reducing the side effects of anticancer drugs. Biocompatible and biodegradable properties have been essential for using a novel material as a carrier molecule in drug delivery applications. Biocompatible nanocarriers are easy to synthesize, and their surface chemistry often enables them to load different types of photosensitizers (PS) to use targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT) for cancer treatment. This review article explores recent studies on the use of different biocompatible nanocarriers, their potential applications in PDT, including PS-loaded biocompatible nanocarriers, and the effective targeting therapy of PS-loaded biocompatible nanocarriers in PDT for cancer treatment. Furthermore, the review briefly recaps the global clinical trials of PDT and its applications in cancer treatment.