Drug Week articles from February 2009

Drug Week archives from February 2009

Burnham researchers illuminate mechanisms that regulate DNA damage control and replication.
February 6, 2009... Scientists at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have demonstrated important new roles for the protein kinase complex Cdc7/Dbf4 or Cdc7/Drf1 (Ddk) in monitoring damage control during DNA replication and reinitiating replication...

Medication may provide some benefit for older adults with anxiety disorder.
February 6, 2009... Preliminary research suggests that use of the drug escitalopram provided some improvement in symptoms for older adults with generalized anxiety disorder, although the overall benefits were diminished because of nonadherence to the drug by some...

Nutritional supplementation program helps prevent weight loss among children in African country.
February 6, 2009... Children in Niger who received a daily nutritional supplement for three months had a lower rate of weight loss and a reduced risk of wasting compared to children who did not receive the supplementation, according to a study in the January 21...

Scientists identify new congenital neutropenia syndrome and causative gene mutation.
February 6, 2009... A team of scientists has discovered a new syndrome associated with severe congenital neutropenia (SCN), a rare disorder in which children lack sufficient infection-fighting white cells, and identified the genetic cause of the syndrome:...

Oral steroids ineffective in the treatment of preschool virus-induced wheezing.
February 6, 2009... A new study from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry has found that a common treatment for wheezing in preschool children is no more effective than a placebo (see also Queen Mary, University of London). The findings,...

Study results from Erasmus University provide new insights into alimentary pharmacology.(Clinical report)
February 6, 2009... "It has been demonstrated that 40% of patients admitted to pulmonary medicine wards use proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) without a registered indication. To assess whether implementation of a guideline for proton pump inhibitor (PPI) prescription...

New data from N. Bleyzac et al illuminate research in clinical pharmacology.(Clinical report)
February 6, 2009... According to recent research from Lyon, France, "Overall survival after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is reduced by the high rate of transplantation-related mortality (TRM), especially because of liver...

New findings from M. Tod and co-authors in the area of clinical pharmacology published.
February 6, 2009... According to recent research from Paris, France, "Some pharmacodynamic (PD) models, called K-PD models, have been developed for the description of drug action kinetics in the absence of drug concentration measurements. Because blood samples for...

Recent studies from Aligarh Muslim University add new data to clinical pharmacology.
February 6, 2009... According to a study from India, "The clinical applications of benzodiazepines as anxiolytics are limited because of their unwanted side effects. Therefore, the development of new pharmacological agents is well justified." "Eight variably...

Research from University of Lyon provides new data about clinical pharmacology.
February 6, 2009... According to a study from Lyon, France, "Advances in paediatric clinical pharmacology are interdependent with a better understanding of the influence of growth on drug disposition and action. In this field, there is an increasing need for...

Study data from L. Nguyen et al provide new insights into clinical pharmacology.
February 6, 2009... According to recent research published in the journal Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology, "Busulfan (Bu) is commonly used in preparative conditioning regimen prior to bone marrow transplantation in infants ( "A retrospective population PK...

Data on complementary and alternative medicine detailed by researchers at University of Windsor.(Report)
February 6, 2009... "As interest in and use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers continues to grow, it is important to understand which characteristics incline people to experiment with and become frequent consumers of CAM practitioners. The...

New complementary and alternative medicine research reported from National Taiwan Normal University.
February 6, 2009... According to a study from Taipei, Taiwan, "Previously, we found that qi-stimulating events exerted similar frequency-specific effects on the blood pressure pulse spectrum. Because coffee and qi induce similar stimulatory psychological...

New complementary and alternative medicine study findings recently were published by L. Shecterle and co-researchers.
February 6, 2009... "Restless legs syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations and pain, predominantly in the lower extremities while at rest, accompanied by an uncontrollable urge for movement for relief. We report on two affected...

Studies from P.B.E. Woolsey and colleagues provide new data on complementary and alternative medicine.
February 6, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) of nonmutant superoxide dismutase (SOD) type may be caused by toxicity of the reduced glutathione (GSH) precursors glutamate and cysteine, and sulfite (a...

Researchers from University of California publish new studies and findings in the area of controlled release.(Report)
February 6, 2009... According to recent research published in the Journal of Controlled Release, "Interest in ultrasound contrast agents (lipid-shelled microbubbles) as delivery vehicles is increasing; however, the biodistribution of these agents remains...

Study findings from M. Macdonald et al provide new insights into controlled release.
February 6, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "Layer-by-layer (LbL) films have multiple features that make them attractive for drug delivery, including the potential to sequentially deliver growth factors from implantable medical devices or...

New findings reported from University of Kentucky describe advances in drug discovery and design.(Report)
February 6, 2009... "Genetic knockout mice studies suggested ATP-binding cassette transporter family G member 2 (ABCG2)/Abcg2 translocates nitrofurantoin at the mammary-blood barrier, resulting in drug accumulation in milk. The purpose of this study was to...

Reports from University of Toronto advance knowledge in drug discovery and design.
February 6, 2009... "Flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMOs) are important in detoxication but generally are considered not to be inducible by xenobiotics. Our recent microarray studies revealed induction of FMO2 and FMO3 mRNAs by...

Reports summarize drug discovery and design research from A. Poirier and co-authors.
February 6, 2009... According to recent research published in the journal Drug Metabolism and Disposition, "The use of in vitro data for quantitative predictions of transporter-mediated elimination in vivo requires an accurate estimation of the transporter...

Research conducted at Franklin University has updated our knowledge about drug discovery and design.
February 6, 2009... "When incubated with human liver microsomes, 2-diethylaminoethyl-2,2-diphenylvalerate-HCl (SKF525A) undergoes cytochrome P450 (P450)-dependent oxidative N-deethylation to the secondary amine metabolite 2-ethylaminoethyl-2,2-diphenylvalerate...

Researchers' work from University of Sheffield focuses on drug discovery and design.
February 6, 2009... "Scaling of metabolic clearance values from liver microsomal data or recombinantly expressed cytochrome P450 enzymes to predict human hepatic clearance requires knowledge of the amount of microsomal protein per gram of liver (MPPGL)....

Data on pharmaceutical research described by researchers at University of Navarra.
February 6, 2009... "To design bioadhesive Gantrez AN (poly[methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic anhydride], PVM/MA) nanoparticles (NP) coated with vitamin B-12 (Vit B-12), and investigate their application in oral antigen delivery. The association of Vit B-12 to Gantrez...

New pharmaceutical research findings from Ben-Gurion University published.
February 6, 2009... "To develop and demonstrate a rapid and simple colorimetric film assay for evaluating lipid interactions of pharmaceutical compounds and gel formulations. The colorimetric assay comprises glass-supported films of phospholipids and...

New research on pharmaceutical research from University of Munich summarized.
February 6, 2009... "Dynamic PEG-polycation copolymers that release PEG and degrade into small fragments after cell entry might present efficient and biocompatible gene carriers. PEG-OEI-MK was synthesized by copolymerization of 5 kDa polyethyleneglycol (PEG) and...

Research conducted at University of Alberta has updated our knowledge about pharmaceutical research.(Report)
February 6, 2009... "The objectives of the study was to develop a dissolution test method that can be used to predict the oral absorption of montelukast sodium, and to establish an in vitro/in vivo correlation (IVIVC) using computer simulations. Drug solubility...

Research on pharmaceutical research described by scientists at Uppsala University.
February 6, 2009... "The influence of surface energy on the compactibility of lactose particles has been investigated. Three powders were prepared by spray drying lactose solutions without or with low proportions of the surfactant polysorbate 80," scientists in...

Research results from E. Dudognon and colleagues update understanding of pharmaceutical research.
February 6, 2009... According to recent research from France, "The aim of this work is to search for the existence of crystalline polymorphism for racemic Ibuprofen. The pharmaceutical material was studied by X-ray diffraction to identify crystalline phases, and...

Researchers from University of Connecticut describe findings in pharmaceutical research.(Report)
February 6, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "To investigate the hypothesis that intestinal bicarbonate secretions precipitate calcium as the carbonate salt, thereby resulting in poor absorption (20-40%) from calcium supplements. The in...

Studies from Bharati Vidyapeeth describe new findings in pharmaceutical research.
February 6, 2009... "To engineer lactose crystals of desired size, shape, surface and particle size distribution (PSD) as a carrier for dry powder inhalers (DPI) by ultrasound assisted in-situ seeding. Lactose crystals were obtained from solution by ultrasound...

Study data from University of California provide new insights into pharmaceutical research.
February 6, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Half-life (t (1/2)) is the oldest but least well understood pharmacokinetic parameter, because most definitions are related to hypothetical 1-compartment body models that don't describe most...

Data from Purdue University advance knowledge in pharmaceutical sciences.(Report)
February 6, 2009... "Crystalline anhydrous active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can potentially transform to the hydrate form during manufacturing processes involving water. The ability to understand and manipulate these transformations is important to...

Findings from S.M. Bergman et al in pharmaceutical sciences reported.
February 6, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Most of the global healthcare issues facing us-from expanding access to care, to providing medical and dental care in the aftermath of disasters-are far too complex for any single sector to...

New findings reported from University of Vienna describe advances in pharmaceutical sciences.
February 6, 2009... According to a study from Vienna, Austria, "In the course of the validation of blood-brain barrier in vitro models the aim of this work was to characterize two promising continuous cell lines with regard to their tightness properties....

New pharmaceutical sciences research from Technical University outlined.
February 6, 2009... "A pure orthorhombic phase sample Of D(-)-salicin was purified and characterized for calorimetric measurements. From differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements it was found that the onset and maximum temperatures of the fusion peak...

Recent studies from Liverpool John Moores University add new data to pharmaceutical sciences.(Report)
February 6, 2009... According to a study from Liverpool, the United Kingdom, "The aim of this study was to investigate whether small add-on spacers alone or equipped with a passive deagglomerating component would improve aerosol performances of passive low airflow...

Researchers from Food & Drug Administration provide details of new studies and findings in the area of pharmaceutical sciences.(Report)
February 6, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "Magnesium stearate is a functional excipient used to ensure efficient ejection of tablets. This study compares the functionality of a vegetable and bovine grade of magnesium stearate." "Tablets...

Researchers from University of Connecticut publish new studies and findings in the area of pharmaceutical sciences.
February 6, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "This research constitutes a thorough study of the relationship between the chemical stability, aging state and global molecular motion on the one hand, and microscopic local mobility in...

Studies from University of Cincinnati in the area of pharmaceutical sciences published.(Report)
February 6, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of pH and ionic strength on electroosmotic transport in transungual iontophoresis. Transungual iontophoretic transport of model neutral...

Study results from University of Camerino in the area of pharmaceutical sciences published.
February 6, 2009... "In the present work, authors produced tablets of anhydrous sodium naproxen by wet granulation using a high-shear mixer-granulator. Drug hydrated to the tetrahydrated form, as observed by X-ray powder diffractometry," scientists writing in the...

New findings from J.Z. Ho and co-researchers in the area of radiopharmaceuticals described.
February 6, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "C-14-Labeled farnesyl-protein transferase inhibitor 1a was required for drug metabolism studies." "The first approach was to synthesize C-14-labeled 1b using Zn((CN)-C-14)(2) in a Pd-catalyzed...

Researchers from University of Guelph report on findings in radiopharmaceuticals.
February 6, 2009... "The synthesis of three partially deuterated hexadecanethiols has been achieved. Thiols CH3(CH2)(7)(CD2)(8)SH, CD3(CD2)(7)(CH2)(8)SH and CD3(CH2)(15)SH were targeted, as these compounds, after formation of self-assembled monolayers on Au(1 1 1)...

Study: Adding Vimpat significantly reduces partial-onset seizures in adults with epilepsy.(Clinical report)
February 13, 2009... January 27, 2009 u press release u The new antiepileptic drug Vimpat[R] (lacosamide) demonstrated significantly fewer seizures in adult partial-onset epilepsy patients whose seizures were inadequately controlled despite taking up to three other...

Pharmaceutical disobedience.
February 13, 2009... Healthcare consumers, benefits managers, and even government officials are using the internet to buy unapproved prescription drugs illegally, according to a report to be published in the International Journal of Electronic Healthcare (see also...

MUHC and McGill scientists explain genetic disease first discovered in Quebec 24 years ago.
February 13, 2009... This release is available in French (see also McGill University). Scientists at the MUHC and McGill University have identified a gene essential for the uptake of vitamin B12 in human cells. The discovery of this gene finally completes a 24...

New treatment option for latent tuberculosis.(Report)
February 13, 2009... This release is available in French (see also McGill University Health Centre). Montreal, December 31st, 2008 u Patients who are infected with the latent form of tuberculosis (TB) show no symptoms and are not contagious, yet they pose the...

Support cells, not neurons, lull the brain to sleep.
February 13, 2009... Brain cells called astrocytes help to cause the urge to sleep that comes with prolonged wakefulness, according to a study in mice, funded by the National Institutes of Health. The cells release adenosine, a chemical known to have sleep-inducing...

New data from G. Romanato et al illuminate research in alimentary pharmacology.
February 13, 2009... " Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) can cause metabolic and inflammatory alterations. To evaluate the relationships between inflammatory parameters, plasma lipids and phospholipid fatty acid (FA) composition in patients with...

Findings in clinical medicine reported from M. Maslin and co-researchers.(Clinical report)
February 13, 2009... According to recent research from London, the United Kingdom, "Global warming is the most important science issue of the 21st century, challenging the very structure of our global society. The study of past climate has shown that the current...

Research findings from M. Turnerwarwick et al update understanding of clinical medicine.
February 13, 2009... "The key to any successful healthcare system is the recognition of the inseparable partnerships between the individual patient and their doctor. Diseases can be studied in populations but in contrast, patients are individuals and must be...

Reports from H.Y. Lou and colleagues advance knowledge in clinical pharmacology.
February 13, 2009... "In this pilot study, we attempted to determine the optimal dosage regimens of esomeprazole for treatment of GERD with minimal influence of the CYP2C19 polymorphism through a study of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of esomeprazole...

Study results from University of Rostock broaden understanding of clinical pharmacology.(Clinical report)
February 13, 2009... According to recent research from Rostock, Germany, "Induction of CYP3A by St. John's wort (SJW) products with high hyperforin content is well described." "Since CYP3A induction is mediated by hyperforin in a concentration-dependent...

Research results from J.A. Perini and colleagues update understanding of pharmaceutical research.
February 13, 2009... According to a study from Brazil, "Noncoding polymorphisms in the VKORC1 gene associate with variation of interindividual dosing requirements of warfarin and other coumarin anticoagulants. The frequency of VKORC1 polymorphisms displays distinct...

Investigators at Queen's University have published new data on pharmacology.(Report)
February 13, 2009... According to a study from Kingston, Canada, "Ultra-low doses of opioid receptor antagonists augment spinal morphine antinociception and block the induction of tolerance. Considering the evidence demonstrating functional and physical...

New pharmacology study findings reported from St. Michael's Hospital.
February 13, 2009... According to recent research from Toronto, Canada, "The slow delayed rectifier K+ current (I-Ks) contributes to ventricular repolarization when the action potential (AP) is prolonged. I-Ks block during drug-induced AP prolongation may promote...

Scientists at Otto-von-Guericke University describe research in pharmacology.
February 13, 2009... According to a study from Magdeburg, Germany, "The P2Y(11) receptor, a member of the group of metabotropic nucleotide receptors, shows a stereospecific ligand recognition of P-alpha-substituted ATP derivatives (ATP-alpha-S isomers). These...

Reports outline pharmacy and pharmacology study results from Kyoto Pharmaceutical University.
February 13, 2009... According to a study from Kyoto, Japan, "The effects of polyethylene giycol 20000 (PEG 20000) on the intestinal absorption of prednisolone, methylprednisolone and quinidine, three P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrates, across the isolated rat...

Vascular drug found to improve learning and memory in middle-aged rats.
February 20, 2009... A team of Arizona psychologists, geneticists and neuroscientists has reported that a safe and effective drug used to treat vascular problems in the brain has improved spatial learning and working memory in middle-aged rats. Although far from...

Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea increases from 2 percent to 28 percent.
February 20, 2009... The prevalence of quinolone-resistant gonorrhea has increased rapidly in Ontario u Canada's most populous province u from a rate of 2% in 2001 to 28% in 2006, found a study published in CMAJ http://www.cmaj.ca/press/pg287.pdf. Infections in...

SSRIs may reduce suicide in adults.
February 20, 2009... Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may reduce the risk of suicide in depressed adults, according to a study by researchers from the World Health Organization and the University of Verona, Italy published in CMAJ...

Children's Hospital study finds African-Americans more distrusting of research than whites.
February 20, 2009... Distrust toward medicine and research plays a significant role in African-Americans' lack of participation in clinical trials, according to a study by researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh...

Stroma genomic signature predicts resistance to anthracyclin-based chemotherapy in breast cancer.
February 20, 2009... Researchers at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics and the Swiss National Center of Competence in Research in Molecular Oncology in Lausanne have developed a new test to predict how breast cancer patients respond to chemotherapy, which could...

New clinical pharmacology research has been reported by S. Rohatagi et al.
February 20, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Pharmacokinetic (PK) and exposure-response modeling of a selective sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor-1 modulator (CS-0777) was conducted in an iterative process to guide early clinical...

New clinical pharmacology study findings recently were published by researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital.(Clinical report)
February 20, 2009... According to a study from Australia, "An assessment of the safety and efficacy of multiple medications in older adults requires clinically relevant objective outcomes and pharmacological measures of medication exposure." "Important...

Research from University of California in clinical pharmacology provides new insights.
February 20, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "The effects of single doses of intravenous (IV) ciprofloxacin and rifampin and of multiple doses of rifampin on glyburide exposure and blood glucose levels were investigated in nine healthy...

Research on clinical pharmacology detailed by R. Krishna and co-authors.(Report)
February 20, 2009... "In this study, midazolam was used as a probe-sensitive CYP3A substrate to investigate the effect of anacetrapib on CYP3A activity, and ketoconazole was used as a probe-inhibitor to investigate the effect of potent CYP3A inhibition on the...

Research on clinical pharmacology discussed by scientists at University Hospital.
February 20, 2009... According to recent research published in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, "The aging of the world population is a new medical challenge for the 21st century. There has been a striking increase in the proportion of elderly...

Study findings on clinical pharmacology are outlined in reports from Pennsylvania State University, Medical Department.(Clinical report)
February 20, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Two goals when counseling breastfeeding mothers taking medication are protecting the infant from adverse events and permitting necessary maternal therapy. madadi et al. report a case-control...

Report summarizes ocular pharmacology and therapeutics study findings from Z. Lin and co-researchers.(Report)
February 20, 2009... "The aim of this study was to investigate morphologic changes of retina and sclera in form-deprived myopic rabbits following intravitreal dopamine injection. Neonatal rabbits were monocularly deprived of form vision by suturing the right...

Studies from Emory University, Medical Department reveal new findings on ocular pharmacology and therapeutics.(Report)
February 20, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "The aim of this study was to determine the scleral permeability of a commercially available version of 2',7'-diflLloroflLtorescein (OG) and compare it to that of sodium fluorescein (NaF)....

Studies from Pusan National University add new findings in the area of ocular pharmacology and therapeutics.(Report)
February 20, 2009... "The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effect of topical ocular allergic agents with H1-receptor antagonism and inhibition of histamine release from mast cells on the cultured conjunctival cells of rabbit in vitro. Cell damage...

Study findings from S.J. Sheu et al provide new insights into ocular pharmacology and therapeutics.(Report)
February 20, 2009... "This study was undertaken to examine the possible association of large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (BKCa channels) and human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) R-50 cell phagocytosis. The potential antioxidative effect of...

Data from University of Texas provide new insights into pharmaceutical research.
February 20, 2009... "A novel concept is presented for the formation of stable suspensions composed of low density flocs of high aspect ratio drug particles in hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellants, and for subdividing (templating) the flocs with aerosolized HFA...

Data on pharmaceutical research detailed by researchers at University of Michigan.(Report)
February 20, 2009... "The aim of this study was to investigate the transport properties of carnosine in kidney using SKPT cell cultures as a model of proximal tubular transport, and to isolate the functional activities of renal apical and basolateral transporters...

Findings from A. Saluja and co-authors provide new insights into pharmaceutical research.
February 20, 2009... "Understand the underlying mechanism governing the salt-induced precipitation of a basic (pI = 8.8) protein, Peptibody A (PbA), in acidic solutions. The rate, extent, and reversibility of PbA precipitation was monitored over 4-weeks as a...

New findings from Okayama University describe advances in pharmaceutical research.(Report)
February 20, 2009... According to recent research from Okayama, Japan, "PEPT1 mediates the intestinal absorption of many drugs, but its contribution to oral absorption of drugs is still controversial. The objective of this study is to quantitatively evaluate the...

New pharmaceutical research reported from University of Marburg.(Report)
February 20, 2009... According to recent research from Marburg, Germany, "This study investigates the feasibility of freeze-drying aerosolizable nano-carriers (NC) by the use of different lyoprotective agents (LPA) and the influence of the freeze-drying on the...

New pharmaceutical research study findings have been reported by R. An and colleagues.
February 20, 2009... In this recent report, researchers in Beijing, People's Republic of China conducted a study "To determine whether the antitumor factor nm23 is related with antioxidation. Full-length human nm23-H1 was cloned into a mammalian-expressing vector...

New pharmaceutical research study findings recently were published by researchers at Jordan University.(Report)
February 20, 2009... "In this paper, reliability and validity of a recently in-house developed dereplication strategy based on LC-MS and LC-UV/Vis PDA techniques were verified. The dereplication strategy was applied to investigate the alkaloid rich fraction of...

Recent findings from Hadassah University highlight research in pharmaceutical research.
February 20, 2009... According to recent research published in the journal Pharmaceutical Research, "To evaluate a new formulation of bupivacaine loaded in an injectable fatty acid based biodegradable polymer poly(lactic acid co castor oil) in prolonging motor and...

Reports from University of Connecticut advance knowledge in pharmaceutical research.
February 20, 2009... "To develop empirical models for predicting the binding between a drug and beta-cyclodextrin. Specifically, the logarithm of the 1:1 binding constant is expressed as the function of various molecular descriptors of the drug," investigators in...

Reports summarize pharmaceutical research from Slovak Technical University.(Report)
February 20, 2009... According to recent research from Bratislava, Slovakia, "Teicoplanin chiral stationary phases (CHIROBIOTIC TAG and CHIROBIOTIC T) used in this study are suitable for enantioseparation of chiral sulfoxides in polar-organic phase mode. The method...

Research from J.H. Yan et al broadens understanding of pharmaceutical research.
February 20, 2009... According to recent research published in the journal Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, "Melatonin (MT) is a neurohormone produced and secreted primarily by the pineal gland in a circadian manner, and mainly acts through 2 receptor subtypes: MT1 and...

Research on pharmaceutical research published by scientists at University of Oslo.
February 20, 2009... "The influence of various formulation properties on the chemical stability of captopril in aqueous media at pH 3 was investigated, in order to reformulate and increase the shelf-life of an oral mixture of the drug. At this pH, chemical...