Evaluation of self-reported knowledge and understanding towards a blended research course among pharmacy students: Objective Search Literature Evaluation (OSLE) method validation

Background: The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of classroom versus online Modular object-oriented dynamic learning environment (MOODLE)-based teaching on objective search literature evaluation (OSLE) score, as well as to validate the OSLE method for the assessment of research skills in pharmacy students. Methods: The four-station OSLE method was used to assess the performance and self-reflection at the end of each delivery mode. The students were asked to voluntarily vote for the preference of delivery mode in research courses. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed for variables predicting the “preference” for class-based teaching and/or MOODLE-based learning. Internal face and content validation were performed with students and faculty members not involved in the course teaching. External validation was performed with three professors working in different colleges in United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Results: Thirty-five students completed the courses and showed significant improvement in self-reported reflection of pre-post knowledge and understanding. Findings suggested that 87.3% (110/126, 95%CI: 75.9 – 89.4, p < 0.001) achieved performance indicators and reported the OSLE method as an effective tool for the assessment of knowledge and understanding of research skills in pharmacy education. The predictive model suggested a strong positive effect associated with article appraisal, article application, self-reporting of knowledge and self-reporting of understating (R2 0.47, F-1.26, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings suggested the OSLE method as an effective tool of assessment in pharmacy education. A negative impact of MOODLE-based learning was found with self-reflection on knowledge

Diuretic action of exogenous hydrogen sulfide in spontaneously hypertensive diabetic rats

Purpose: To examine the hypothesis that in hypertensive diabetic rats hydrogen sulphide (H2S) reduces blood pressure through diuretic action in addition to its vasodilating effect.Methods: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were used. SHR were divided into three groups: SHR (II), SHR diabetic (III), and SHR diabetic NaHS-Treated (IV) with a group of WKY (I) rats serving as normotensive nondiabetic control. Diabetes was produced in two SHR groups using intraperitoneal streptozotocin (STZ). One diabetic group received NaHS, a donor of H2S (56 μM/kg i.p.) daily for five weeks. Blood pressure was measured in conscious and anesthetized states in surgically prepared animals. Plasma and urinary H2S levels and electrolytes were measured weekly throughout the 35-day period.Results: SHR and diabetic SHR had higher blood pressure and lower plasma and urinary H2S levels compared to WKY controls (p &lt; 0.05). Moreover, the SHR diabetic group had higher plasma sodium, higher absolute and fractional sodium excretions (p &lt; 0.05) but with similar blood pressure compared to SHR controls. NaHS treatment reduced blood pressure and restored H2S and plasma sodium (p &lt; 0.05) levels. Moreover, SHR diabetic-NaHS treated group had higher urine output and absolute urinary sodium excretion compared to the untreated SHR diabetic group (p &lt; 0.05).Conclusion: These results suggest a possible diuretic effect of exogenous H2S in spontaneously hypertensive diabetic rats.Keywords: Spontaneously hypertensive rats, Diabetes, Hydrogen sulphide, Diuretic, Sodium excretion, Urine outpu

Challenges to Pharmacy Education In Asian Region (Part 1)

“Professionalism” in pharmacy profession is endeavored and aimed at by almost all the pharmacy education institutions. Indeed it is one of the core objectives aimed in developing pharmacy curricula. However to this broad terminology there is no clear consensus on definition of professionalism found in literature and thus becomes a big challenge for academicians involved in curriculum development. Ironically, professionalism is not the only challenge which pharmacy educationists have to cope with.There are several other fronts faced by pharmacy education in this era of rapid progress

Effect of high saturated free fatty acids feeding on progression of renal failure in rat model of experimental nephrotoxicity

The current study evaluates the impact of high saturated fat feeding in rat model of experimental nephrotoxicity induced by gentamicin. Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200 g were randomized into four groups; the first one received the standard rodents chow for 8 weeks and was treated as control, the second group (HFD)received an experimental high fat diet rich in palm kernel oil (40% of Calories as fat) for the same period. The third group (HFDG) was given 80 mg/kg (body weight)/day gentamicin sulphate intraperitoneally during the last 24 days of the feeding period while the fourth group was given gentamicin as above along with the standard rodents chow. Renal function was assessed through measuring serum creatinine, creatinine clearance and absolute and fractional excretion of both sodium and potassium. At the end, rats underwent a surgical procedure for blood pressure measurement. Renal function study showed a stronger nephrotoxicity for HFDG group. Hypertension was observed in HFD group while the pressure declined after gentamicin co-administration. Overall, changing the feeding behavior toward using more SAFFAs for rats injected with gentamicin promotes the progression of renal failure

Patient satisfaction with inpatient pharmacy services at tertiary care setting—a meta-analysis of recent literature

Objectives This study aimed to determine patient satisfaction with the following pharmacist-led services for inpatients in tertiary care hospitals. Methods Studies were identified from different databases from 2012 to 2020. A total of 1910 articles were identified using the search strategies out of which 1153 were rejected based on the review of titles and abstracts. The search criteria were the roles of inpatient pharmacists and patient satisfaction with inpatient pharmacy services. Multiple keywords were used such as ‘patient satisfaction’/‘inpatient pharmacist’/‘pharmacist hospital services’/‘clinical pharmacist roles’. The quality of each study was measured using the mixed methods appraisal tool, and the same was used to evaluate the risk of bias as well. Key findings A total of 11 cross-sectional studies were included in the evidence synthesis of this meta-analysis. Three studies tested the satisfaction of patients with inpatient counselling with a sample size of n = 742. The odd ratio (OR) was 215.33 (141.77 to 327.05) [95% confidence interval (CI)] showed a significant patient satisfaction (P = 0.00001) with the pharmacist’s inpatient counselling (I2 = 0%). Studies showed a statistically significant satisfaction of patients with discharge counselling P < 0.00001 and OR 55.74 (35.93 to 86.49) and heterogeneity I2 = 0%. In a total of five studies, the healthcare professional (HCP) satisfaction with pharmacist services was reported, and satisfied and unsatisfied HCPs were n = 801 and n = 362, respectively. Results showed high satisfaction (P < 0.00001) and OR 4.62 (95% CI, 3.89 to 5.48). Conclusion This meta-analysis concluded that clinical pharmacist services in an inpatient setting have a significant impact on increasing patient satisfaction with their treatment. The clinical pharmacist services are not very well implemented and are limited in some hospitals, but patients who have received these services were highly satisfied and expected to receive them more often

Up Regulation of cystathione γ lyase and Hydrogen Sulphide in the Myocardium Inhibits the Progression of Isoproterenol-Caffeine Induced Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Wistar Kyoto Rats.

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is an emerging molecule in many cardiovascular complications but its role in left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is unknown. The present study explored the effect of exogenous H2S administration in the regression of LVH by modulating oxidative stress, arterial stiffness and expression of cystathione γ lyase (CSE) in the myocardium. Animals were divided into four groups: Control, LVH, Control-H2S and LVH-H2S. LVH was induced by administering isoprenaline (5mg/kg, every 72 hours, S/C) and caffeine in drinking water (62mg/L) for 2 weeks. Intraperitoneal NaHS, 56μM/kg/day for 5 weeks, was given as an H2S donor. Myocardial expression of Cystathione γ lyase (CSE) mRNA was quantified using real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).There was a 3 fold reduction in the expression of myocardial CSE mRNA in LVH but it was up regulated by 7 and 4 fold in the Control-H2S and LVH-H2S myocardium, respectively. Systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, pulse wave velocity were reduced (all P<0.05) in LVH-H2S when compared to the LVH group. Heart, LV weight, myocardial thickness were reduced while LV internal diameter was increased (all P<0.05) in the LVH-H2S when compared to the LVH group. Exogenous administration of H2S in LVH increased superoxide dismutase, glutathione and total antioxidant capacity but significantly reduced (all P<0.05) plasma malanodialdehyde in the LVH-H2S compared to the LVH group. The renal cortical blood perfusion increased by 40% in LVH-H2S as compared to the LVH group. Exogenous administration of H2S suppressed the progression of LVH which was associated with an up regulation of myocardial CSE mRNA/ H2S and a reduction in pulse wave velocity with a blunting of systemic hemodynamic. This CSE/H2S pathway exhibits an antihypertrophic role by antagonizing the hypertrophic actions of angiotensin II(Ang II) and noradrenaline (NA) but attenuates oxidative stress and improves pulse wave velocity which helps to suppress LVH. Exogenous administration of H2S augmented the reduced renal cortical blood perfusion in the LVH state

Women with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: Effect of Disease and Psychosocial-Related Correlates on Health-Related Quality of Life

Background. This study is aimed at investigating the various disease-specific and health-related psychosocial concepts of HRQOL among insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and understanding the gender differences in HRQOL among IDDM patients. Methods. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted to assess the effect of health-related and psychosocial correlates on HRQOL of IDDM patients in Penang, Malaysia. The participants were recruited from five governmental diabetic clinics. Patients with insulin use only, IDDM diagnosed at least 1 year earlier, were identified from clinical registers. The sample was then age stratified for 20–64 years, and severe complications (e.g., end-stage renal failure, hemodialysis, and liver cirrhosis) were excluded; a total of 1003 participants were enrolled in the study. Multivariate regression analysis was used to predict the response. Results. A total of 853 (100%) participants were enrolled and completed the study. Women exhibited significantly higher/better mental health (p<0.013) and health perception scores (p<0.001) despite high prevalence of impaired role (49.2%), social (24.2%), and physical (40.5%) functionings as compared to men. Women with longer diabetes exposure and uncontrolled glycemic levels (HbA1c) have poorer HRQOL. Availability of social support showed no significant association with either HRQOL or diabetes distress levels. Diabetes distress levels remained not associated with social support. Women also showed significantly higher association with health perception (15% versus 13% men, p<0.001) and mental health (13% versus 11% men, p<0.001) in diabetes-specific psychosocial factors. Thus, among women alone, diabetes-related specific and psychosocial factors explained 15% and 13% of variations in HRQOL extents, respectively. Conclusion. Women exhibit extensive and significant patterns with health-related factors and diabetes-specific psychosocial factors (self-efficacy, social support, and DLC) to improve HRQOL. Also, women have significantly high reported distress levels and low social functioning compared to men