Drug Week articles from September 2008

Drug Week archives from September 2008

AJN study reveals compression stockings incorrectly used in 29 percent of patients.
September 5, 2008... An original study, published in the September issue of the American Journal of Nursing (AJN), revealed that graduated compression stockings were used incorrectly in 29% of the patients and sized incorrectly in 26% of the patients. These...

Brain cells called astrocytes undergo reorganization and may engulf attacking T cells.
September 5, 2008... When virally infected cells in the brain called astrocytes come in contact with anti-viral T cells of the immune system, they undergo a unique series of changes that dramatically reorganize their shape and function, according to researchers at...

Tadalafil shows promise for relief of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with BPH.(Clinical report)
September 5, 2008... Men with signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can be helped with a daily dose of erectile dysfunction drug tadalafil (Cialis[R]) to relieve associated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), according to a new study published in the October...

Study examines testing model to predict and diagnose new cases of dementia.
September 5, 2008... A preliminary report published in the August 20 issue of JAMA suggests that within-person variability on neuropsychological testing may be associated with development of dementia in older adults (see also JAMA and Archives Journals). ...

Primary care health consultations can be cost-effective and may help reduce cardiovascular risk.(Report)
September 5, 2008... Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, Singapore and Washington DC (20 August, 2008) u Offering health tests and health consultations in primary care settings can be cost-effective and may help in the fight against the increased burden of lifestyle...

Best Practice Database Supports Bio-Pharma Product Launch.(Report)
September 5, 2008... Bio-Pharma executives are increasingly finding value in the research products and services offered by Best Practices, LLC and in particular in use of the on-demand benchmark repository known as the Best Practice Database. (...

Expert Neurology Panel Weighs Impact of New Reports of PML in Multiple Sclerosis Patients on Tysabri.(Report)
September 5, 2008... MedPredict, a global provider of pharmaceutical competitive intelligence and market research, has published a new report providing critical strategic insight for pharma and biotech companies with a stake in the market for multiple sclerosis...

Eight 'Category Winners' Named in the Energizer Ultimate Photography Contest.
September 5, 2008... Eight amateur photographers are one step closer to receiving the "ultimate" photo contest grand prize -- an all-expense-paid trip for two to Tanzania and Zanzibar, accompanied by a National Geographic expert, and having his or her photo appear...

Researchers at University of Ljubljana target chemotherapy.(Report)
September 5, 2008... "Electrochemotherapy is an effective antitumor treatment currently applied to cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors. Electrochemotherapy of tumors located close to the heart could lead to adverse effects, especially if electroporation pulses were...

New clinical pharmacology findings from Novartis described.
September 5, 2008... "Deferasirox is a novel iron chelator formulated as tablets for dispersion (suspension) for once-a-day oral administration. The current study evaluated the absolute bioavailability of a single 375-mg oral dose of deferasirox administered in the...

Research from H.J. Malinowski and co-researchers in the area of clinical pharmacology described.(Report)
September 5, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "With globalization of the pharmaceutical industry, newly approved drugs nearly always become available worldwide, including the 3 major pharmaceutical regions: the United States, Europe, and Japan....

New pharmacy research study findings reported from S.E. Clapp and co-authors.
September 5, 2008... "The initiation of a pharmacist-managed clinic to ensure appropriate use of erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs) at a Veterans Affairs medical center is described. A drug-use evaluation QUE) in 2005 showed that ESA therapy met all of the...

Research from E.S. Kastango and co-authors yields new data on pharmacy research.
September 5, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Generation of airborne particulate matter during the handling and opening of various syringe and needle packages in a laminar-airflow workbench (LAFW) and in a biological safety cabinet (BSC) was...

Study results from J.M. Akudugu and colleagues broaden understanding of physiology and pharmacology.
September 5, 2008... According to a study from Cape Town, South Africa, "The effects of cisplatin exposure time, concentration, and irradiation sequence on the sensitivity of Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (V79) to gamma-ray exposure were examined. Based on...

Medication slows progression of myopia in children.
September 12, 2008... Daily treatment with a medication called pirenzepine can slow the rate of progressive myopia, or nearsightedness, in children, reports a study in the August issue of the Journal of AAPOS (American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and...

Cocaine: How addiction develops.
September 12, 2008... Permanent drug seeking and relapse after renewed drug administration are typical behavioral patterns of addiction. Molecular changes at the connection points in the brain's reward center are directly responsible for this. This finding was...

Drug/radiation combo may help shrink established tumors.
September 12, 2008... Researchers may be closer to understanding why anti-cancer drugs such as Ipilimumab, which boost the tumor-killing power of immune cells, haven't fared well in clinical trials. The new study, which describes a way to enhance the ability of...

History of nonmelanoma skin cancer is associated with increased risk for subsequent malignancies.
September 12, 2008... Individuals with a history of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are at increased risk for other cancers, according to a study published in the August 26 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (see also Journal of the National...

Drugs to inhibit blood vessel growth show promise in rat model of deadly brain tumor.
September 12, 2008... In a landmark study, Medical College of Wisconsin researchers in Milwaukee report that drugs used to inhibit a specific fatty acid in rat brains with glioblastoma-like tumors not only reduced new blood vessel growth and tumor size dramatically,...

Studies from Haifa University yield new information about molecular therapeutics.
September 12, 2008... "Bridging between the worlds of healthcare and life sciences is crucial to realizing the personalized healthcare vision," researchers in Haifa, Israel report (see also Molecular Therapeutics). "Initiatives regarding legislation and...

New ocular pharmacology and therapeutics study results from University of Cincinnati described.(Report)
September 12, 2008... "Retinal permeability is one of the important parameters that determine drug distribution during diseased retinal conditions, whose effect is still unclear. Thus, the main aim of this study was to understand the influence of varying retinal...

Researchers from University of Louisiana report on findings in pharmaceutical research.(Report)
September 12, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "The objectives of this study were to evaluate the mechanical and thermal properties of films prepared from Eudragit (R) NE 30D/Eudragit (R) L 30D-55 blends and to examine the dissolution behavior of...

Studies from R. Weerakody et al in the area of pharmaceutical research described.
September 12, 2008... According to recent research published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, "Encapsulation of a-lipoic acid (LA) was carried out using chitosan as an encapsulant matrix. Placebo and LA-loaded chitosan microspheres were prepared by a...

Sankyo Co., Ltd. details research in pharmacology.(Report)
September 12, 2008... According to recent research published in the European Journal of Pharmacology, "Neurokinins are known to induce neurogenic inflammation related to respiratory diseases, though there is little information on triple neurokinin receptor...

Nutritional research vindicates diet programs.
September 19, 2008... Popular slimming programmes do result in reduced energy intake while providing enough nutrients. A new scientific analysis, published in BioMed Central's open access Nutrition Journal, provides comprehensive dietary data about Slim Fast,...

Post-marketing studies finding adverse events in drugs used in children.
September 19, 2008... The Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA, 1997), designed to stimulate more drug safety studies in children, has resulted in more than 130 label changes since its inception nearly six years ago, according to researchers at Duke...

Exercise may help improve memory problems.
September 19, 2008... Adults with memory problems who participated in a home-based physical activity program experienced a modest improvement in cognitive function, compared to those who did not participate in the program, according to a study in the September 3...

Bitter-tasting nectar and floral odors optimize outcrossing for plants.
September 19, 2008... This release is available in German. Animals "personally" bring their gametes together u seeking out sexual partners, mating, fertilizing, and reproducing. Plants, however, are sessile organisms and require the help of a third party, the...

Infection blocks lung's protective response against tobacco smoke.
September 19, 2008... An infection that often goes undetected can block the lung's natural protective response against tobacco smoke, according to researchers at National Jewish Health. The findings, recently published online and scheduled to appear in the October...

Research by S. Laurent and colleagues in biophysics provides new insights.
September 19, 2008... "Nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion (NMRD) profiles of unilamellar DPPC liposomes incorporating Gd-DTPA-bisamides with alkyl chains of 12 to 18 C atoms in their external and internal layers were recorded in order to study the influence that...

New findings from University of Wisconsin in the area of molecular pharmacology published.(Report)
September 19, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "The mechanisms by which the GABA and benzodiazepine (BZD) binding sites of the GABA-A receptor are allosterically coupled remain elusive. In this study, we separately monitored ligand-induced...

New molecular pharmacology data have been reported by researchers at University of Brescia.
September 19, 2008... "Colocalization of dopamine D1 (D1R) and D3 receptors (D3R) in specific neuronal populations suggests that their functional cross-talk might involve direct interactions. Here we report that the D1R coimmunoprecipitates with the D3R from...

New molecular pharmacology study findings recently were published by researchers at University of Pennsylvania, Medical Department.
September 19, 2008... "Accessory subunits in heteromeric nicotinic receptors (AChRs) do not take part in forming ACh binding sites. alpha 5 and beta 3 subunits can function only as accessory subunits. We show that both alpha 5 and beta 3 efficiently assemble in...

Research conducted at N. Rimmerman and co-researchers has updated our knowledge about molecular pharmacology.
September 19, 2008... "N-arachidonoyl glycine is an endogenous arachidonoyl amide that activates the orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) GPR18 in a pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive manner and produces antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effects. It is produced...

Researchers at University of Bari have published new data on molecular pharmacology.
September 19, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Molecular Pharmacology, "The 2H-1,4-benzoxazine derivatives are modulators of the skeletal muscle ATP-sensitive-K+ channels (K-ATP), activating it in the presence of ATP but inhibiting it in...

Researchers at University of Pennsylvania target molecular pharmacology.
September 19, 2008... "A novel small molecule thiocarbazate (PubChem SID 26681509), a potent inhibitor of human cathepsin L (EC 3.4.22.15) with an IC50 of 56 nM, was developed after a 57,821-compound screen of the National Institutes of Health Molecular Libraries...

Scientists at University of Tokyo, Medical Department report research in molecular pharmacology.(Report)
September 19, 2008... "Dietary lipids and fat-soluble micronutrients are solubilized in mixed micelles and absorbed in the small intestine. Based on an assumption that cholesterol and other fat-soluble molecules share a number of transport mechanisms and the fact...

Scientists at University of Western Ontario publish research in molecular pharmacology.
September 19, 2008... According to recent research published in the journal Molecular Pharmacology, "Mammalian cells require specific transport mechanisms for the cellular uptake and release of endogenous nucleosides such as adenosine, and nucleoside analogs used in...

Studies in the area of molecular pharmacology reported from Purdue University.
September 19, 2008... "The precise mechanism by which the cellular uptake of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) occurs has been the source of much debate. In the current study, we show that neuronal differentiated CAD (dCAD) cells accumulate anandamide by a...

Study results from Y.K. Park and colleagues in the area of molecular pharmacology published.
September 19, 2008... According to a study from Seoul, South Korea, "We have confirmed that the NO donor (+/-)-S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) stabilizes the transactive form of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha), leading to the induction of HIF-1...

Findings from S. Ide and co-authors broaden understanding of neuropharmacology.(Report)
September 19, 2008... "Butorphanol is hypothesized to induce analgesia via opioid pathways, although the precise mechanisms for its effects remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of the mu-opioid receptor (MOP) in thermal, mechanical, and visceral...

Research data from Medical College of Wisconsin, Medical College update understanding of pharmacology.
September 19, 2008... "An unbiased conditioned place preference paradigm and the microdialysis technique was used to evaluate the effect of (+)-morphine pretreatment on the conditioned place preference produced by (-)-morphine and the increased release of the...

Data on pharmacology and experimental therapeutics discussed by researchers at University of Gothenburg, Sahlgrenska Academy.
September 19, 2008... According to recent research published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, "Ethanol-induced elevations of accumbal dopamine levels have been linked to the reinforcing properties of the drug. However, it has not yet...

Investigators at National Institutes of Health zero in on pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.
September 19, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Previous studies identified partial inhibitors and allosteric modulators of 5-hydroxytryptamine ([5-amino-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)1,2-dihydropyrido[3,4-b] pyrazin-7-yl] carbamic acid ethyl ester...

Recent studies from Jagiellonian University, Medical Department add new data to pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.
September 19, 2008... "1-Methylnicotinamide (MNA) is one of the major derivatives of nicotinamide, which was recently shown to exhibit antithrombotic and antiinflammatory actions. However, it is not yet known whether MNA affects gastric mucosal defense," scientists...

Report summarizes pharmacology and experimental therapeutics study findings from University of California, Medical Department.
September 19, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "Acute administration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-B receptor agonists decreases nicotine, cocaine, ethanol, and heroin self-administration and also decreases food-maintained responding and...

Reports summarize pharmacology and experimental therapeutics study results from Indiana University, Medical Department.
September 19, 2008... "Voltage-gated sodium channels play a critical role in excitability of nociceptors (pain-sensing neurons). Several different sodium channels are thought to be potential targets for pain therapeutics, including Na-v 1.7, which is highly...

Research from University of Kansas in the area of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics published.
September 19, 2008... "Transglutaminase (TGase)-induced activation of small G proteins via 5-hydroxytryptamine(HT)(2A) receptor signaling leads to platelet aggregation (Cell 115: 851-862, 2003). We hypothesize that stimulation of 5-HT2A receptors in neurons...

Studies from University of Maryland have provided new information about pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.
September 19, 2008... "Although in vitro transport/inhibition studies are commonly performed on impure drug candidates to screen for pharmacokinetic properties in early development, quantitative guidelines concerning acceptable impurity levels are lacking. The broad...

Study data from GlaxoSmithKline update knowledge of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.
September 19, 2008... "The present study investigated whether beta 3-adrenoceptor activation acts on the bladder afferent pathway by examination of the visceromotor reflex (VMR) and pressor responses to urinary bladder distension (UBD) and whether beta...

Study findings from University of Toronto provide new insights into pharmacology and experimental therapeutics.
September 19, 2008... "The transport and metabolism of baicalein (Ba) was studied in vitro and in Caco-2 cells. Protein binding of Ba with Caco-2 lysate showed that Ba was bound to two classes of sites: a higher affinity, lower capacity site (K-A1 = 27.6 +/- 4.7 mu...

Vitamin B12 may protect the brain in old age.
September 26, 2008... Vitamin B12, a nutrient found in meat, fish and milk, may protect against brain volume loss in older people, according to a study published in the September 9, 2008, issue of Neurology[R], the medical journal of the American Academy of...

Many cancer patients receive insufficient pain management therapy.
September 26, 2008... Pain is one of the most common symptoms of cancer patients, yet many of them do not receive adequate therapy for the pain caused by their disease or treatments, according to a study in the September 1 issue of the International Journal of...

Clinicians debate use of arthroscopy in patients with osteoarthritis.
September 26, 2008... In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) issue of Sept. 11, 2008, investigators concluded that arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee provides no additional benefit to optimized physical and medical...

Brains rely on old and new mechanisms to diminish fear, NYU and Rutgers researchers find.
September 26, 2008... Humans have developed complex thought processes that can help to regulate their emotions, but these processes are also linked with evolutionarily older mechanisms that are common across species, according to a study by neuroscientists at New...

Brains rely on old and new mechanisms for diminishing fear.
September 26, 2008... A new study suggests that although humans may have developed complex thought processes that can help to regulate their emotions, these processes are linked with evolutionarily older mechanisms that are common across species. The research,...

New Study by BioTrends Highlights Anemia Practice Patterns According to Anemia Managers in Both Dialysis Units and CKD Clinics/Offices.
September 26, 2008... BioTrends Research Group, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of TreatmentTrends(TM): Anemia Managers. This is the first report in a series conducted with Anemia Managers. It is based on the results of an on-line survey completed by 150...

New in vitro toxicology application for DRAQ5.
September 26, 2008... A paper published in Toxicological Sciences, by scientists from Pfizer, Inc., on mitochondrial dysfunction in the cytotoxic effects of anti-depressants shows great promise for high content biology applied to in vitro toxicology. As part of...

New Research Shows Physical Therapy as Effective as Arthroscopic Knee Surgery.(Clinical report)
September 26, 2008... A new study questioning the usefulness of arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee should encourage patients to consider physical therapy as an effective non-surgical option, according to the American Physical Therapy Association...

BioSpecifics Technologies Corp. Buys Down Royalties for Peyronie's Disease.
September 26, 2008... BioSpecifics Technologies Corp. (BULLETIN BOARD: BSTC) , a biopharmaceutical company developing first in class collagenase based products, announced that it has signed an agreement to significantly improve the deal terms related to its future...

Research Publication Shows TB4 Protects Human Gingival Cells from Damage.
September 26, 2008... REGENERX BIOPHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (AMEX:RGN) (www.regenerx.com) announced that researchers have shown that TB4 provides multi-functional protection to human gingival (gum) cells similar to its previously published activities in the eye and...

The First Direct Structural Evidence of SV2A has Been Revealed Thanks to Protein Tomography(TM), and Published in BBRC.
September 26, 2008... Sidec AB has together with UCB published the first direct structural evidence of the molecular mechanism of the Synaptic Vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) in mouse brain tissue. SV2A is the unique brain-binding site of the second generation...

The First Direct Structural Evidence of SV2A has Been Revealed Thanks to Protein Tomography, and Published in BBRC.
September 26, 2008... Sidec AB has together with UCB published the first direct structural evidence of the molecular mechanism of the Synaptic Vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) in mouse brain tissue. SV2A is the unique brain-binding site of the second generation...

Recent findings from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital highlight research in adverse drug reactions.(Report)
September 26, 2008... According to a study from Taipei, Taiwan, " Drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), a group of non-blistering severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCADRs), is characterized by skin rash and multiorgan involvement. Details...

Reports outline adverse drug reactions study findings from University of Maryland, Medical Department.
September 26, 2008... According to recent research from the United States, "Research with human subjects, including clinical trials, forms the cornerstone of the development of knowledge on the safety and efficacy of potential drugs and devices." "During the...

Research conducted at R.H.R. White and co-researchers has updated our knowledge about clinical medicine.
September 26, 2008... According to a study from the United Kingdom, "The centenary of Shostakovich's birth, celebrated in 2006, generated considerable interest in his life and music. During the Cold War his music was rarely played in the West, and it was not until...

Research data from University of London update understanding of clinical medicine.(Report)
September 26, 2008... "Despite the increasing attention on patient mobility, there remains a lack of European-level interest in assuring the sustained competence of health professionals. Specifically, the existing European legal framework fails to recognise the...

Study results from D. Owen and colleagues update understanding of clinical medicine.(Clinical report)
September 26, 2008... "Hubris syndrome is associated with power, more likely to manifest itself the longer the person exercises power and the greater the power they exercise. A syndrome not to be applied to anyone with existing mental illness or brain damage,"...

Study results from L. Turnerstokes and colleagues update understanding of clinical medicine.(Clinical report)
September 26, 2008... "The scale of pain intensity (SPIN)screen is a simple visual tool for the screening and measurement of pain intensity, which is designed to be accessible by patients with cognitive and communication problems. It was applied prospectively in a...

New clinical pharmacology research from University of Washington discussed.(Report)
September 26, 2008... "The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effects of pregnancy on CYP3A and P-glycoprotein (P-gp) activities, as measured by disposition of midazolam and digoxin, respectively. Thirteen women received digoxin (0.25 mg p.o.)and midazolam...

Reports by A.F. Brading and co-researchers describe recent advances in clinical pharmacology.
September 26, 2008... "Spontaneous or electrically elicited contraction and/or relaxation of the longitudinal and circular muscles of the colon and rectum and the anal canal in rat segment preparations were recorded simultaneously to display contractile potency and...

Research data from University of Turku update understanding of clinical pharmacology.
September 26, 2008... "To describe nation-wide secular trends in statin use. Reimbursed prescriptions for lipid lowering drugs between 1995 and 2005 in Finland were retrieved from the nation-wide Prescription Register," scientists writing in the British Journal of...

Scientists at University of Pittsburgh detail research in clinical pharmacology.
September 26, 2008... "Candidate medications for smoking cessation may be screened more efficiently if initial evaluations in humans combine the practical advantages of laboratory studies with the clinical validity of clinical trials, such as by increasing...

Studies from Princess Margaret Hospital have provided new information about clinical pharmacology.
September 26, 2008... According to a study from Toronto, Canada, "Optical imaging is an emerging field with a wide range of biomedical research and clinical applications, both current and future." "It comprises several classes of techniques that are capable of...

New findings reported from A.K. Yadav and co-authors describe advances in pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis.
September 26, 2008... According to recent research from Lucknow, India, "A sensitive, selective and robust qualitative and quantitative densitometric high-performance thin layer chromatographic method was developed and validated for the determination of iridoid...

Research from Southwest University in the area of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis published.
September 26, 2008... "A visual colorimetric method for the detection of berberine hydrochloride was proposed in this contribution based on the color change caused by the aggregation of silver narroparticles (AgNps)," scientists in Chongqing, People's Republic of...

Research from Federal University of Minas Gerais in the area of pharmacology published.
September 26, 2008... According to recent research from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, "Although participation of opioids in antinociception induced by cannabinoids has been documented, there is little information regarding the participation of cannabinoids in the...

Reports outline pharmacotherapy research from University of Iowa.
September 26, 2008... "To review literature on instruments available for assessing the physical and cognitive ability to take medications as prescribed, which serve as a way,to rule out reasons for nonadherence. A PubMed search,(1950-February 2008) was conducted to...

Research from Children's Hospital has provided new data on pharmacotherapy.
September 26, 2008... "Sunitinib is a novels oral; multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor with antiangiogenic and antitumor activity. No liquid formulation of sunitinib malate is v commercially, available for pediatric administration," scientists writing in the...

Research from University of Utrecht in the area of pharmacotherapy described.
September 26, 2008... "Transitions from one healthcare setting to another often parallel transitions in health status and can be associated with intentional as well as unintentional changes in patient care. Hospitalization may put patients at increased risk of...

Researchers from University of Tartu report details of new studies and findings in the area of pharmacotherapy.
September 26, 2008... "To describe practice and research related to pharmaceutical care in Estonia following the country's restoration of independence from Russia in 1991. The transition from a Soviet to a free market economy has impacted the healthcare and pharmacy...

Reports by K.A. Clauson and co-researchers describe recent advances in pharmacy research.
September 26, 2008... "Pharmacy-focused journals that are available in open-access (CA), freely accessible, hybrid, or traditional formats were identified. Relevant journals were accessed from PubMed, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, EMBASE, and the...

Research on pharmacy research published by P. Chan et al.
September 26, 2008... According to a study from the United States, "The physical compatibility of the new cephalosporin ceftobiprole medocaril with 70 other drugs during simulated Y-site injection was studied. Ceftobiprole was reconstituted with sterile water for...

Study data from University of British Columbia, Medical Department update understanding of pharmacy research.
September 26, 2008... According to a study from Vancouver, Canada, "The accuracy and precision of nitroglycerin lingual spray are examined. Two hundred and twenty-four bottles of nitroglycerin lingual spray product (0.4 mg nitroglycerin per dose, 75 doses per...