A Cross-sectional Assessment of Quality of Life among Pharmacy Academics

Introduction: These days, living a good quality life has become a luxury rather than a necessity and investigating the quality of life (QoL) across teaching professionals seems to be beneficial. This study aimed to determine the association between demographic and socioeconomic variables and the QoL among pharmacy academics. Methods: Stratified random sampling was applied to collect data using a pre-validated and self-administered questionnaire the Duke Health Profile (DHP). Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) ver. 22.0 was used to analyze the descriptive and inferential data.Results: One hundred and fifty-five pharmacy academics were included in this study where majority 98 (63.2%) were males and 57 (36.8%) were females. The majority 74.2% weremarried and 68.4% were having more than 5 years of teaching experience. A total of 123 ofthe pharmacy academics were more than 35 years old which accounted for 79.4% of the respondents. Various determinants like age, residence, gender, administrative position, marital status, monthly income, and teaching experience are the main factors affecting QoL among pharmacy academics. Conclusion: From the present study it could be concluded that QoL among pharmacy academics was significantly influenced by numerous socio-economic and demographic determinants

Health-related Quality of Life among Community Pharmacists

Introduction:The role of community pharmacists (CPs) has kept on changing. Due to the evolving role of CPs, it is important to know its impact on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among CPs. Besides, the literature on the HRQoL of CPs is not being enriched, there is an urge to carry out a study to evaluate the HRQoL among CPs. This study aimed to examine the association between the socio-demographic factors and the HRQoLamongCPs. Methodology: A set of questions related to the HRQoL has been adopted from a pre-validated questionnaire, the Duke Health Profile and contextualized it to measure study outcomes. The target population in this study was the registered CPs that were practicing. The site of the study included all the chain and independent pharmacies. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS)version 22.0 was used to analyze the data and the significance level was set at p≤0.05. Variousdomains of the Duke Health Profile (DHP) were calculated using the provided formula Results: A total of 172 respondents were included in this study. Several HRQoL domains were significantly associated with socio-demographic factors. The univariate analysis illustrated that mental and general healthstatehad significant associations with age, practice setting was significantly associated with the mental health state, the salary was significantly associated with self-esteem and mental health was significantly associated with length of service and practice setting. Dysfunction dimensions of anxiety, anxiety-depression, and pain were significantly associated withgender. Conclusion: Gender, age, length of service, salary and practice setting were the risk factors for HRQoL among CPs

Crystal form Analysis of Felodipine and Its Preparations / 中国药学杂志

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the crystal forms of the active pharmaceutical ingredient and preparations of felodipine from different sources, and explore the relationship between quality and efficacy of felodipine and its crystal form. METHODS: Crystal form characterization of the active pharmaceutical ingredient from different sources was carried out by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The Origin software was used to analyze the crystal forms of felodipine in the sample preparations from different sources. Biological evaluation in vivo was conducted by using whole animals. RESULTS: There were some differences in the crystal state of the active pharmaceutical ingredient from different sources, but the main components were basically the same, all of which were type I. Biological studies showed significant differences in the main pharmacokinetic parameters of felodipine sustained release tablets from different sources. Among them, the ρmax, tmax, t1/2, and AUC0-t had maximal 1.8, 1.4, 8.2 and 1.5 times of differences. CONCLUSION: Although the main crystal forms of felodipine bulk drug from different origins are consistent, the crystal state significantly changes after the preparation process. This finding is of important scientific significance to guide the improvement of process and product quality.

Metronomic oral paclitaxel shows anti-tumor effects in an orthotopic mouse model of ovarian cancer / 부인종양

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the in vivo anti-tumor efficacy of a mucoadhesive, lipid-based, oral paclitaxel formulation (DHP107) with traditional, intraperitoneal (IP) paclitaxel using an orthotopic mouse model of chemotherapy-sensitive SKOV3ip1 ovarian cancer. METHODS: To determine the optimal therapeutic dose of oral paclitaxel, DHP107 was administered per os to female athymic nude mice at 0, 25, or 50 mg/kg twice per week. Control mice received 100 microL saline once per week. IP injections of paclitaxel at 5 mg/kg once per week were used for comparison. To evaluate the potential therapeutic effect of metronomic DHP107 chemotherapy, mice received DHP107 50 mg/kg once per week per os, which was compared with 25 mg/kg twice per week and with vehicle-treated controls. RESULTS: Low-dose DHP107 (25 mg/kg) twice per week was as effective as IP paclitaxel (5 mg/kg once a week) but high-dose DHP107 (50 mg/kg once per week) was less effective at inhibiting tumor growth in an orthotopic mouse model (88%, 82%, and 36% decrease in tumor weight, respectively). Mice that received 25 mg/kg DHP107 twice per week or 50 mg/kg DHP107 once per week per os had a significant decrease in tumor weight compared with vehicle-treated controls (p<0.01, both doses). CONCLUSION: Metronomic oral chemotherapy with DHP107 showed anti-tumor efficacy in vivo similar to IP paclitaxel in an orthotopic mouse model.

Spontaneous poisoning by Leucaena leucocephalai in a goat from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

Poisoning of a goat by Leucaena leucocephalai (Leg. Mimosoideae) in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is described. Fresh leaves of the plant were ingested as the animal's main meal for at least 4 months before it developed total alopecia. At necropsy the thyroid was moderately enlarged. Histological examination revealed a decrease in the number of hair follicles (empty or in telogenic phase), vacuolation of keratinocytes of the epidermis and hair follicles, and superficial and follicular hyperkeratosis. Myxedema was found between skeletal and cardiac muscles fibers, in the kidneys, and in the submucosa/muscular layer of the digestive tract. The thyroid follicles were enlarged and filled with copious amounts of colloid (colloidal goiter). Although L. leucocephala is common in several tropical regions, natural poisoning by this plant in goats seems to be rare. It is the first report about spontaneous poisoning in goats by L. leucocephala in Brazil.

Este trabalho descreve a intoxicação natural por Leucaena leucocephalai em um caprino, no município de Maricá, RJ. No ano de 1997, o animal ingeriu voluntariamente as folhas da planta fresca como alimentação quase exclusiva, por pelo menos 4 meses, e, aos poucos, foi perdendo os pêlos até tornar-se totalmente alopécico. À necropsia, a tireóide estava moderadamente aumentada. O exame microscópico revelou decréscimo do número de folículos, além de folículos sem pêlos ou em fase telogênica, vacuolização de queratinócitos da epiderme e de folículos e acentuada hiperqueratose superficial e folicular. Havia mixedema entre fibras musculares esqueléticas e cardíacas, no rim e na submucosa, e muscular do trato digestório. Os folículos tireoideanos estavam dilatados e preenchidos por grande quantidade de colóide ("bócio coloidal"). Embora essa planta seja freqüente em várias regiões tropicais, a ocorrência natural dessa intoxicação parece bastante rara e ainda não havia sido descrita em caprinos no Brasil.