Student’s perception about teaching methodologies used in pharmacology: a questionnaire based cross sectional study

Background: Pharmacology is one of the most clinically applied subjects which are highly volatile. Hence new methodologies have to be introduced in medical curriculum which must be in line with the students’ preferences. The study aimed to determine the opinion of students regarding the teaching of pharmacology, the best way of knowing and retaining the subject and application of the subject in future practice.Methods: The study will be conducted at private Medical college in Mangalore. It is an observational, KAP cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Convenient sampling method is used in which 140 Second year MBBS students were enrolled. SPSS version 21 was used to generate tables and graphs. Results of the study are based on descriptive statistics.Results: Questions which were not answered were taken as invalid response. Results show that majority preferred newer learning methodology, case-based learning, integrated teaching were more appealing, and peer associated teaching like group discussion was better for applied topics. Attitude of students in learning has shifted from traditional text book to the recent concept of knowledge sharing.Conclusions: In general students’ perceptions regarding learning pharmacology was observed to be positive. The study highlights the need for interactive teaching. Practical sessions can be used to teach basic concepts and rational use of drugs. Knowledge seeking behaviour needs improvisation by teacher

Knowledge, attitude and practice of medical professionals towards adverse drug reaction reporting and pharmacovigilance in a tertiary care hospital: a cross sectional study

Background: The present study was planned to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare providers regarding adverse drug reaction reporting and pharmacovigilance in a tertiary care hospital.Methods: The study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital, it’s a observational, KAP cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. The KAP questionnaires was developed toward pharmacovigilance and ADRs and were used to assess the medical professionals.Results: Only 64% of doctors, 52% PG’s and 40% of nurses knew the correct knowledge regarding Pharmacovigilance (PhV). Regarding the attitude, all the respondents think reporting of ADR is a very necessary. 98% of doctors,80% of postgraduates and 96% of nurses have experienced ADR in the patient in their professional practice but reporting of same is very less. The factors discouraging them from reporting ADR’s was also assessed. 34% said difficult to decide whether ADR has occurred or not, 34% said lack of time, 17%- no remuneration and 15% said a single unreported case may not affect ADR database.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that knowledge and attitude towards pharmacovigilance is gradually improving among medical professionals, but unfortunately the actual practice of ADR reporting is still deficient among them

Periodic evaluation of drug utilization in intensive coronary care unit patients in a tertiary care hospital

Background: A wide and gradual variation exists periodically in the patterns of pharmacotherapy among patients admitted with CVDs in CCU. Periodic evaluation of drug utilization in the CCU is necessary for optimization of health care system, proper use of resources and making prescription policy.Methods: It was retrospective and prospective study. Study was carried out at Tertiary care hospital in Mangalore. Retrospective study period was from 1/07/2010 till 31/12/2010 and Prospective study duration was from 1/01/2016 till 30/06/2016. Patients from CCU were participants of this study.Results: Data of total 278 patients were taken, out of which 138 patients from 2010 and 140 patients in 2016 were analyzed respectively and were compared among drug therapy for IHD - Nitrates, dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel), dyslipidemic drugs and beta blockers remain drug of choice in both retrospective and prospective study. But, anticoagulant (heparin/ LMWH) use increased in prospective studies. In Heart failure - nitrates, antiplatelet, dyslipidemic drugs followed by inotropes and diuretics was used in both study. Cardiomyopathy was managed with diuretics, ACEIs, and nitrates in both retrospective and prospective study.Conclusions: In conclusion, predominance of male gender and poly-pharmacy were observed. However, it has identified areas to further rationalize and optimize patterns of polypharmacy and evidence based use of medications like beta blockers, anticoagulants/antiplatelet agents and antiarrythmisc. The results on the major determinants of cardiovascular drug use in CCU matched with the existing indications and cautions for use with each drug class

A study on management of oral cancer in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Oral cancers form nearly 30% of the cancers. The most effective way of combating oral cancer is by early diagnosis followed by concurrent chemo-radiotherapy which is the most popular approach in current practice. The adverse effects seen in oral cancer patient’s due to their treatment are nausea & vomiting, mucositis, constipation, diarrhoea, fatigue & radiation dermatitis. Polypharmacy is due to variety of treatment options in oral cancer patients, which needs to be addressed.Methods: Over a period of 18 months, the in-patient records of 79 patients with oral cancers, admitted to oncology ward of Justice K. S. Hegde Charitable Hospital, Mangalore, were scrutinized and the data collected in a specially designed proforma. Descriptive analysis of the data was done.Results: Required data was collected from 79 patients, out of which 55.7% of the patients underwent surgery and later received chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Most commonly seen adverse effects due to treatment were weight loss (75.9%), reduced appetite (67.1%), fatigue (75.9%), pain (79.7%) and skin discoloration (50.6%), etc. Various classes of adjuvant drugs were used for complications caused due to the treatment of oral cancers. Drugs like topical applicant /mouth washes constituted the bulk of the prescriptions (22%) followed by nutritional supplements (15.34%), NSAID/opioids (12.76%) hematinic (12.59 %) and other groups of drugs were also used.Conclusions: Present study helped us to plan evidence based strategies to reduce or prevent post treatment complications. Most of the adverse effects were treated accordingly to keep the patient comfortable

New liver cell mutants defective in the endocytic pathway

AbstractTo isolate mutant liver cells defective in the endocytic pathway, a selection strategy using toxic ligands for two distinct membrane receptors was utilized. Rare survivors termed trafficking mutants (Trf2–Trf7) were stable and more resistant than the parental HuH-7 cells to both toxin conjugates. They differed from the previously isolated Trf1 HuH-7 mutant as they expressed casein kinase 2 α″ (CK2α″) which is missing from Trf1 cells and which corrects the Trf1 trafficking phenotype. Binding of 125I-asialoorosomucoid (ASOR) and cell surface expression of asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) were reduced approximately 20%–60% in Trf2–Trf7 cells compared to parental HuH-7, without a reduction in total cellular ASGPR. Based on 125I-transferrin binding, cell surface transferrin receptor activity was reduced between 13% and 88% in the various mutant cell lines. Distinctive phenotypic traits were identified in the differential resistance of Trf2–Trf7 to a panel of lectins and toxins and to UV light-induced cell death. By following the endocytic uptake and trafficking of Alexa488-ASOR, significant differences in endosomal fusion between parental HuH-7 and the Trf mutants became apparent. Unlike parental HuH-7 cells in which the fusion of endosomes into larger vesicles was evident as early as 20 min, ASOR endocytosed into the Trf mutants remained within small vesicles for up to 60 min. Identifying the biochemical and genetic mechanisms underlying these phenotypes should uncover novel and unpredicted protein–protein or protein–lipid interactions that orchestrate specific steps in membrane protein trafficking

Dynamic actin-mediated nano-scale clustering of CD44 regulates its meso-scale organization at the plasma membrane

Transmembrane adhesion receptors at the cell surface, such as CD44, are often equipped with modules to interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the intracellular cytoskeletal machinery. CD44 has been recently shown to compartmentalize the membrane into domains by acting as membrane pickets, facilitating the function of signaling receptors. While spatial organization and diffusion studies of membrane proteins are usually conducted separately, here we combine observations of organization and diffusion by using high spatio-temporal resolution imaging on living cells to reveal a hierarchical organization of CD44. CD44 is present in a meso-scale meshwork pattern where it exhibits enhanced confinement and is enriched in nanoclusters of CD44 along its boundaries. This nanoclustering is orchestrated by the underlying cortical actin dynamics. Interaction with actin is mediated by specific segments of the intracellular domain. This influences the organization of the protein at the nano-scale, generating a selective requirement for formin over Arp2/3-based actin-nucleation machinery. The extracellular domain and its interaction with elements of ECM do not influence the meso-scale organization, but may serve to reposition the meshwork with respect to the ECM. Taken together, our results capture the hierarchical nature of CD44 organization at the cell surface, with active cytoskeleton-templated nanoclusters localized to a meso-scale meshwork pattern

Identification of Fluorescent Compounds with Non-Specific Binding Property via High Throughput Live Cell Microscopy

10.1371/journal.pone.0028802PLoS ONE71

Protein Association : It's Quantitative Structural Evaluation In Biological Processes.

Proteins, central-working molecules of cell, are known to be the most abundant polymers of nature consisting 50 % or more of the dry weight of cells. Most importantly they are the molecular instruments through which genetic information is expressed. They are playing crucial roles in almost all biological processes from catalysis, transport, storage, regulatory and immune response including cell-cell recognition and signaling. Proteins have an underlying chemical unity; are made up of sequential arrangements of 20 amino acids without branching, which are building block of polypeptide or backbone of protein chain. They have ability to fold in different three-dimensional structures, which are responsible for cellular functions. Their sequence and folding patterns allow enormous versatility in their properties. Protein structure is not rigid; it is dynamic in nature and the changes are dependent on surrounding environmental conditions. Quite a few diseases stem from mutations and conformational changes in proteins. The ultimate goal of protein science is to predict the structure and activity of a protein de novo, how it will bind to ligands and also interrelation between them. These in totality will lead to structural and functional phonemics

Cell adhesion by aqueous extract of human placenta used as wound healer

732-738Aqueous extract of human placenta, used as wound healer, has shown significant cell adhesion property on mouse peritoneal macrophages and P388D1 cultured macrophage cell line. This property was offered primarily by fibronectin type III like peptide present in the extract and is comparable to fibronectin on a molar basis. The peptide induce adhesion of cell through cell surface receptors having Kd = 2.8±0.9 x 10-5 M suggesting weak binding. This is in support of integrins receptors that typically exhibit low affinities. Cell adhesion was partially inhibited by Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptide, anti-β1 integrin suggesting that integrin β1 receptors have roles to play in the process