Drug Week articles from August 2008

Drug Week archives from August 2008

First pharmaceutical drug to improve survival amongst patients with advanced hepatocarcinoma.
August 1, 2008... This release is available in Spanish (see also Elhuyar Fundazioa). International research involving the University Hospital of the University of Navarra, together with other hospitals in Spain, has shown that Sorafenib, an orally...

D-cycloserine may improve behavioral therapy treatment for anxiety.
August 1, 2008... Anxiety is a normal human response to stress, but in some, it can develop into a disabling disorder of excessive and irrational fears, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder. Effective treatments...

Tobacco industry manipulated cigarette menthol content to recruit new smokers among young people.
August 1, 2008... Menthol cigarette brands have been rising in popularity with adolescents, and the highest use has been among younger, newer smokers. Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) explored tobacco industry manipulation of menthol levels...

Statin does not appear helpful for children with learning disabilities caused by genetic disorder.
August 1, 2008... Use of simvastatin by children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a genetic disorder that can cause learning disabilities, did not result in improved cognitive function, according to a study in the July 16 issue of JAMA (see also JAMA and...

New research from Rhode Island Hospital may help predict outcomes for stomach cancer patients.
August 1, 2008... Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have identified two potential molecular markers that may predict outcomes for patients with stomach cancer, one of the most common and fatal cancers worldwide (see also Lifespan). According to the...

Researchers at Technical University target biological therapy.
August 1, 2008... "Even though all immunoglobulin intravenous (IGIV) end products have high IgG concentrations, variations in manufacturing processes lead to unique product characteristics. Solvent/detergent-treated IGIV (IGIV-S/D) liquid 10% (Gammagard(R) or...

Data on clinical pharmacology published by J. Blouin and colleagues.
August 1, 2008... According to a study from Montreal, Canada, "To evaluate the association between noncompliance with alendronate and risedronate and the risk of nonvertebral osteoporotic fracture in community-dwelling elderly women. A nested case-control study...

Research reports on clinical pharmacology from S. Rohatagi and colleagues provide new insights.
August 1, 2008... According to recent research published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, "To develop a pain relief model for a cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitor, CS-706, that permits prediction of doses for acute pain relief in Japanese and...

New drug delivery science and technology study findings recently were reported by A.A. Saei and co-researchers.
August 1, 2008... According to a study from Iran, "Solubility of sodium diclofenac in aqueous binary mixtures of methanol, ethanol and 2-propanol was determined at 25 degrees C. The maximum solubility of the drug was observed at volume fractions of 0.85, 0.90...

New drug delivery science and technology study findings recently were reported by M. Carafa and co-researchers.
August 1, 2008... According to recent research from Chieti, Italy, "The therapeutic use of retinoids is still limited because of adverse effects and their chemical instability due to moisture, oxygen, acids, metals and light exposure. The purpose of this...

Research from Brussels Free University provides new data on drug delivery science and technology.
August 1, 2008... According to a study from Brussels, Belgium, "This work aims to evaluate the influence of all incorporated drug - e.g. levodopa and ciprofloxacin - Oil the dissolution and floating properties of two formulation concepts of sustained release...

Research on drug delivery science and technology described by scientists at University of Paris.
August 1, 2008... "A gastroretentive floating dosage form, composed of a multiple-unit pellet system containing significant amounts of a clay powder used as a source of trace elements including iron and zinc has been developed, with its formulation based on the...

Researchers from INSERM describe findings in drug delivery science and technology.(Report)
August 1, 2008... "This paper presents a study of the phenomenon of emulsion phase inversion through a thorough follow-up of emulsion and microemulsion electrical conductivity. A model nonionic surfactant, C18E6, was used in order to study a general case and...

Studies from B. Bittner and co-authors have provided new information about drug delivery science and technology.
August 1, 2008... "Segments of rabbit colonic tissue were used to investigate the effect of the surface-active excipient Vitamin E-TPGS oil colonic drug absorption. Transport studies in Ussing chambers revealed a statistically significant increase in apparent...

Studies from Cairo University yield new information about drug delivery science and technology.
August 1, 2008... "Pseudoternary microemulsions have been developed which, in addition to non-ionic medium-chain glycerides and fatty acids such as caprylic (C-8) and capric acids (C-10), incorporate ionic lipids, i.e. the sodium salts of fatty acids. The...

Study data from Sichuan University update knowledge of drug delivery science and technology.
August 1, 2008... According to a study from Chengdu, People's Republic of China, "To obtain o/w microemulsions with minimized surfactant content, three parameters: the minimum surfactant content required to solubilize 4% oils (MIS), the maximum oil content...

Studies from D. Stern et al provide new data on managed care pharmacy.
August 1, 2008... "Spending on specialty pharmaceuticals is rising faster than that for traditional drugs. In 2006, specialty drugs were the largest category driving drug costs and utilization trends," investigators in the United States report (see also Managed...

Study results from University of Washington update understanding of managed care pharmacy.
August 1, 2008... "Specialty pharmaceuticals have evolved beyond their status as niche drugs designed to treat rare conditions and are now poised to become the standard of care in a wide variety of common chronic illnesses. Due in part to the cost of these...

Research on pharmacology described by scientists at Kyung-Hee University.(Report)
August 1, 2008... According to a study from Seoul, South Korea, "In this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoids isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Leguminosae), namely, isoliquiritin (the glycoside of isoliquirigenin) and...

Studies from L. Shi et al have provided new data on pharmacology.
August 1, 2008... "Corosolic acid, a triterpenoid compound widely existing in many traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, has been proved to have antidiabetic effects on animal experiments and clinical trials. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown,"...

Research on pharmacy research discussed by S.V. Mccluskey and co-researchers.
August 1, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "The sterilization of glycerin is described. Glycerin is used in a wide variety of pharmaceutical formulations, including oral, otic, ophthalmic, topical, and parenteral preparations." "Of the...

Researchers' work from University of Minnesota focuses on pharmacy research.(Clinical report)
August 1, 2008... "The implementation of standard order sets for patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is described. A review of naloxone usage at the University of Minnesota Medical Center (UMMC) from January to June 2004 found that 8% of patients receiving PCA...

Study results from A.R. Naso et al provide new insights into pharmacy research.
August 1, 2008... According to recent research published in the American Journal of Health - System Pharmacy, "A formalized policy was developed to warn of the potential for adverse events associated with the use of intramuscular olanzapine in combination with...

Rutgers research identifies brain cells related to fear.
August 8, 2008... The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that in any given year, about 40 million adults (18 or older) will suffer from some form of anxiety disorder, including debilitating conditions such as phobias, panic disorders and...

New study finds advanced liver cancer patients live longer by taking anti-cancer drug sorafenib.
August 8, 2008... Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York have found that sorafenib (Nexavar) helps patients with advanced liver cancer live about 44 percent longer compared with patients who did not receive the anti-cancer drug. The findings,...

Cost of raising a child with special needs: Where does your state rank?
August 8, 2008... Therapies, rehabilitation and specialty medical care are just a few of the extra costs that parents face when raising children with special needs. In a new study that will be published in current issue of Pediatrics, Paul T. Shattuck, Ph.D.,...

Elderly falls cut by 11 percent with education and intervention.
August 8, 2008... Commonly viewed as an inevitable consequence of aging and often ignored in clinical practice, falls among the elderly were cut by 11 percent when researchers at Yale School of Medicine used a combination of fall prevention educational campaigns...

Research conducted at J. Bikowski and co-authors has provided new information about acne vulgaris.
August 8, 2008... "This office-based case series describes the use of a new formulation of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) delivered via a porous microsphere cream vehicle in patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris. While BPO has been used for many years as...

Studies from McMaster University have provided new data on alimentary pharmacology.
August 8, 2008... " AGN 201904-Z is a new, slowly absorbed, acid-stable pro-proton pump inhibitor (pro-PPI) rapidly converted to omeprazole in the systemic circulation giving a prolonged residence time. To investigate pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of...

Investigators at Uppsala University publish new data on antimicrobial chemotherapy.
August 8, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, "The aim of the present investigation was to study and characterize the effect of voriconazole on the fungicidal activity of amphotericin B. Four strains of...

Reports summarize clinical medicine research from J. Walkersmith and co-authors.
August 8, 2008... "Between 1966 and 2000 the pattern of gastroenterological disease in children in developed communities changed. Clinically severe infective gastroenteritis has declined in incidence," scientists in London, the United Kingdom report (see also...

Researchers from University of Durham publish findings in clinical medicine.
August 8, 2008... According to a study from Durham, the United Kingdom, "Educational attainment is inversely related to socio-economic status. The achievement gap widens as children progress through the system." "Take up of science options is particularly...

Studies from P. Trewby and colleagues provide new data on clinical medicine.
August 8, 2008... According to a study from Darlington, the United Kingdom, "The high levels of unemployment among international medical graduates (IMGs) in the UK and the skewed career structure of the NHS may stem from the 1930 withdrawal of General Medical...

Study findings from G. Strang et al provide new insights into clinical medicine.(Clinical report)
August 8, 2008... "Bed shortages, efficient modern diagnostic services and increasing risks associated with hospital admission, require review of conventional medical practice," investigators in Wales report (see also Clinical Medicine). "Patients referred...

Study results from University of London broaden understanding of clinical medicine.(Clinical report)
August 8, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Clinical Medicine, "The search for anatomical correlates of special skills dates from the end of the 19th century, when post-mortem brains of gifted individuals, including musicians, were...

Data from University of Pennsylvania, Medical Department advance knowledge in clinical pharmacology.
August 8, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "We hypothesized that digoxin toxicity has declined in recent years, and that the decline is accompanied by reductions in overall utilization and dose. To analyze trends in digoxin toxicity and...

Data on clinical pharmacology detailed by researchers at Washington University.
August 8, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Problems with organ toxicity from the halogenated volatile anesthetics have influenced clinical practice, anesthetic selection, and drug development for half a century. 1,2 In turn, investigations...

Data on clinical pharmacology published by researchers at Northwestern University.
August 8, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "We administer anesthetics to obtain therapeutic effects and minimize untoward side effects." "Anesthetists can precisely control inhaled anesthetic concentrations by controlling end-tidal...

New findings from Autonomous University describe advances in clinical pharmacology.(Report)
August 8, 2008... According to a study from Madrid, Spain, " Fulfilling bioequivalence criteria with highly variable drugs is difficult. The aim of this study was to compare the importance of sample size, intrasubject variability, and the point estimate of test...

Reports from T. Kuitunen and colleagues advance knowledge in clinical pharmacology.(Report)
August 8, 2008... According to recent research from Helsinki, Finland, " The purpose of this study was to analyse the extent, type and time trends of medication errors made by health care professionals leading to a call to the Finnish Poison Information Centre...

Researchers at Uppsala University target clinical pharmacology.(Report)
August 8, 2008... "The aim of this study was to develop a model describing the carbamazepine autoinduction and the carbamazepine-mediated induction of CYP3A4, CYP1A2, and P-glycoprotein. Seven healthy volunteers were dosed with carbamazepine over 16 consecutive...

Scientists at Harvard University target clinical pharmacology.
August 8, 2008... 'The anesthesiologist Henry K. Beecher is commonly associated with his crusade for informed consent for research. 1 Less recognized is his contribution to the development of principles of randomized controlled trials through his emphasis on...

Studies from University of Pennsylvania, Medical Department in the area of clinical pharmacology described.
August 8, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, "The ability to render patients insensible and amnesic to remarkably invasive procedures that are uncomfortable to watch, let alone experience, has been...

Data on drug policy reported by researchers at University of Connecticut.
August 8, 2008... "Serious methodological and ethical flaws are detailed in an ethnographic study of a respondent-driven sampling (RDS) project for drug users in Chicago," investigators in the United States report (see also Drug Policy). "The study is also...

Findings from University of Illinois broaden understanding of drug policy.
August 8, 2008... According to recent research published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, "Greg Scott's paper, '''They got their program, and I got mine'': a cautionary tale concerning the ethical implications of using respondent-driven sampling to...

Reports summarize drug policy study results from E. Wood and co-researchers.
August 8, 2008... "Although the recommendations of scientific review bodies have traditionally been free of political interference in Canada, there have recently been growing concerns raised about Canada's new federal government's treatment of scientific...

Research on drug policy discussed by scientists at University of Victoria.
August 8, 2008... "People who are street involved including those experiencing homelessness and substance use are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Such inequities are exacerbated when those facing the greatest inequities in health have the least...

Studies from University of Glasgow provide new data on drug policy.
August 8, 2008... According to recent research from Scotland, "This paper reports on a qualitative study of the attitudes and risk management strategies of a sample of problem drug users in relation to driving while under the influence of drugs. Interviews were...

Study data from D.L. Gustafson and co-authors update knowledge of drug policy.
August 8, 2008... "St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is one of the smallest Canadian provincial capitals," scientists in Canada report (see also Drug Policy). "Like other Canadian coastal communities, St. John's has been affected by dramatic economic...

Research on drug research reported by J.J. Wyndaele et al.
August 8, 2008... "In overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome, urgency is considered to be the key symptom that generates or affects all other symptoms. Urgency has been defined by the latest International Continence Society (ICS) terminology report as ''the complaint...

Data on pharmacology reported by L.H. Lin and co-researchers.
August 8, 2008... "In the presence of neostigmine (0.1 mc M), S-isopetasin competitively antagonized cumulative acetylcholine-induced contractions in guinea pig trachealis, because the slope [1.18 +/- 0.15 (n = 6)] of Schild's plot did not significantly differ...

Research in the area of pharmacology reported from Ehime University, Medical Department.(Report)
August 8, 2008... "Some reports published from 1967 to 1999 describe the use of ointments containing high doses (0.1 to 0.2%, w/w) C asiataica herb extracts to enhance wound repair. Lower doses at which burn wound repair is enhanced by such topical applications...

New therapies data have been reported by researchers at University Hospital.(Report)
August 8, 2008... "Delayed esophageal transit or disintegration of oral bisphosphonate tablets before they enter the stomach may be of concern with respect to iatrogenic complications among patients receiving long-term treatment. Different formulations of...

Alzheimer's disease patients show improvement in trial of new drug.(Conference news)
August 15, 2008... A new drug has been shown to improve the brain function of people with early stage Alzheimer's disease and reduce a key protein associated with the disease in the spinal fluid, in a small study published in the journal Lancet Neurology and...

1/5 of British adult survivors of childhood cancer smoke despite hazards.
August 15, 2008... One-fifth of British adult survivors of childhood cancers are current smokers, and nearly a third have been regular smokers at some point in their lives, according to a study in the July 29 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer...

A new cellular pathway linked to cancer is identified by NYU researchers.
August 15, 2008... In the life of a cell, the response to DNA damage determines whether the cell is fated to pause and repair itself, commit suicide, or grow uncontrollably, a route leading to cancer. In a new study, published in the July 25th issue of Cell,...

Brain's reaction to self-administered cocaine differs.(Report)
August 15, 2008... New research has uncovered a fundamental cellular mechanism that may drive pathological drug-seeking behavior. The study, published by Cell Press in the July 31 issue of the journal Neuron, examines the brain's reward circuitry and details...

New findings from T.C. Gasser and co-authors describe advances in abdominal aortic aneurysm.(Report)
August 15, 2008... According to recent research from Stockholm, Sweden, "It has been suggested that mechanical failure of intraluminal thrombus (ILT) could play a key role in the rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), and in the present study, this...

Research results from A. Bocquier and colleagues update understanding of clinical pharmacology.(Report)
August 15, 2008... According to a study from Marseille, France, "We examined geographic variations in the dispensing of anxiolytics and hypnotics (AX-HY) and their determinants at the canton level in southeastern France. Data were collected from the 2005...

Studies from W. Knebal and co-authors have provided new information about clinical pharmacology.
August 15, 2008... "This analysis quantifies the population pharmacokinetics Of subcutaneous and intravenous epoetin delta, an epoetin produced in a human cell line, in pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease and estimates the effects of covariate factors...

Researchers from University of Connecticut describe findings in controlled release.
August 15, 2008... "Two poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microsphere formulations, with different polymer molecular weights were investigated to determine whether an in vitro and in vivo relationship could be established for dexamethasone release. A USP...

Studies from A.M. Young et al provide new data on controlled release.
August 15, 2008... According to recent research from London, the United Kingdom, "Fluid triblock ABA dimethacrylates with A blocks of 2, 4, or 8 lactic acid (LA) and B blocks of 7, 17 or 34 propylene glycol (PG) units were characterized using NMR and crosslinked...

New findings from N. Methot and co-authors describe advances in molecular pharmacology.
August 15, 2008... According to recent research from Pointe-Claire, Canada, "Inhibition of cathepsin C, a dipeptidyl peptidase that activates many serine proteases, represents an attractive therapeutic strategy for inflammatory diseases with a high neutrophil...

New findings reported from University of Calgary describe advances in molecular pharmacology.
August 15, 2008... According to a study from Calgary, Canada, "T-type calcium channels are important for a variety of physiological processes such as brain and heart function." "Proper regulation of these channels by second messengers is fundamental;...

New molecular pharmacology research from University of Oxford discussed.
August 15, 2008... "Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated ion channels mediating fast cholinergic synaptic transmission in the brain and at neuromuscular junctions. We used the structure of the acetylcholine binding protein from Lymnaea...

Research from University of Colorado has provided new information about molecular pharmacology.
August 15, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "alpha 4 and beta 2 nicotinic cholinergic receptor (nAChR) subunits can assemble in heterologous expression systems as pentameric receptors with different subunit stoichiometries that exhibit...

Research in the area of molecular pharmacology reported from P. Malherbe and colleagues.
August 15, 2008... "Recent clinical trials have indicated that neurokinin 3 receptor antagonists (S)-(+)-N-(3-[1-benzoyl-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-piperidin-3-yl]prop-1-yl}-4-phenylpiperidin-4-yl}- N-methylacetamine (SR142801; osanetant) and...

Studies from R.C. Zangar and colleagues reveal new findings on molecular pharmacology.(Report)
August 15, 2008... "We have previously observed that CYP3A4 protein levels are suppressed by inhibition of the proteasome in primary cultured hepatocytes. Because this result is opposite of what would be expected if CYP3A4 were degraded by the proteasome, it...

Study findings from Virginia Commonwealth University provide new insights into molecular pharmacology.
August 15, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Molecular Pharmacology, "We studied the mechanisms and sites of activator actions of 2-[2-(3,4-dichloro-phenyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-5-ylamino]-nicotinic acid [PD307243 (PD)] and...

Study results from R. Zwart et al provide new insights into molecular pharmacology.
August 15, 2008... According to recent research from Windlesham, the United Kingdom, "Sazetidine-A has been recently proposed to be a ''silent desensitizer'' of alpha 4 beta 2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), implying that it desensitizes alpha 4 beta...

Data from L. Depetrocellis and colleagues advance knowledge in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.(Report)
August 15, 2008... "The plant cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids), cannabidiol (CBD), and Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were previously shown to activate transient receptor potential channels of both vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) and ankyrin type 1 (TRPA1),...

New pharmacology and experimental therapeutics findings from University of Utah described.(Report)
August 15, 2008... "The alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are widely expressed both in the central nervous system (CNS) and periphery. In the CNS, I-125-alpha-bungarotoxin is commonly used to identify alpha 7 nAChRs specifically," investigators...

New pharmacology and experimental therapeutics research from Michigan State University outlined.
August 15, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "We hypothesized that the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) system is present and functional in veins. In vena cava (VC), the presence of the 5-HT synthesis rate-limiting enzyme...

New pharmacology and experimental therapeutics research from University of Minnesota outlined.
August 15, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Dendritic pruning and loss of synaptic contacts are early events in many neurodegenerative diseases. These effects are dynamic and seem to differ mechanistically from the cell death...

Research data from Laval University update understanding of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.(Report)
August 15, 2008... According to a study from Canada, "A partial recovery of locomotor functions has been shown in spinal cord-transected (Tx) cats after regular treadmill training and repeated administration of clonidine, an alpha(2)-adrenoreceptor agonist....

Research from State University of New York in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics provides new insights.
August 15, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, "Identification of adaptations to chronic morphine that are causally associated with opioid tolerance formation has long been intensely pursued...

Research from Y.C. Hashimoto and co-authors in the area of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics published.(Report)
August 15, 2008... According to a study from Tokyo, Japan, "The present study was performed to identify sequence(s) in the third intracellular loop (i3) of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M4 subtype (M4 receptor) involved in its internalization and...

Researchers from University of California, Medical Department provide details of new studies and findings in the area of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.
August 15, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "We measured the influence of gallamine on the functional responses and binding properties of selected agonists at the M-2 muscarinic receptor and analyzed the data within the context of the...

Researchers from University of California, Medical Department report on findings in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.
August 15, 2008... "Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and endothelial dysfunction are key contributors to cerebrovascular pathophysiology. We previously found that 17 beta-estradiol profoundly affects mitochondrial function in cerebral blood vessels,...

Researchers' work from University of Shizuoka focuses on pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.
August 15, 2008... According to a study from Shizuoka, Japan, "We evaluated the effects of five clinically used antimuscarinic agents for overactive bladder (OAB) treatment on in vivo muscarinic receptor binding in rat brain by quantitative autoradiography. There...

Scientists at Purdue University publish research in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.
August 15, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "The human serotonin transporter (hSERT) regulates the spatial and temporal actions of serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission by removing 5-HT from the synapse. Previous studies have identified...

Studies from Temple University, Medical Department update current data on pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.
August 15, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Smooth muscle contains multiple muscarinic receptor subtypes, including M-2 and M-3. M-2 receptors outnumber M-3 receptors." "Based on the potency of subtype selective anticholinergics,...

Study data from W.Q. Wang et al provide new insights into pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.(Report)
August 15, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Ranolazine [Ranexa; (+/-)-N-(2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-(4[2-hydroxy-3(2-methoxyphenoxy)propyl]-1-piperazine] is novel anti-ischemic agent that has been shown to inhibit late I-Na and I-Kr and to have...

Study findings on pharmacology and experimental therapeutics are outlined in reports from Monash University.
August 15, 2008... "Radioligand binding assays remain a common method for quantifying the effects of allosteric modulators at G protein-coupled receptors. The allosteric ternary complex model (ATCM) is the simplest model applied to derive estimates of modulator...