863 research outputs found
Polycystic ovary syndrome and its impact on women’s quality of life: More than just an endocrine disorder
No full textChristine Brady, Shaymaa S Mousa, Shaker A MousaThe Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Albany, NY, USAAbstract: In the past, polycystic ovary syndrome has been looked at primarily as an endocrine disorder. Studies now show that polycystic ovary syndrome is a metabolic, hormonal, and psychosocial disorder that impacts a patient’s quality of life. It is extremely important to holistically treat these patients early on to help them deal with the emotional stress that is often overlooked with polycystic ovary syndrome. Early diagnosis and long term management can help control polycystic ovary syndrome so that women can still live a healthy active life and avoid long-term complications such as metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases.Keywords: polycystic ovary syndrome, quality of life, sexual satisfaction, infertility, psychological distress, hirsutism, metabolic syndrom
Pharmacogenomics in type II diabetes mellitus management: Steps toward personalized medicine
No full textPeter Avery, Shaymaa S Mousa, Shaker A MousaThe Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Albany, NY, USAAbstract: Advances in genotype technology in the last decade have put the pharmacogenomics revolution at the forefront of future medicine in clinical practice. Discovery of novel gene variations in drug transporters, drug targets, effector proteins and metabolizing enzymes in the form of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) continue to provide insight into the biological phenomena that govern drug efficacy and toxicity. To date, novel gene discoveries extracted from genome-wide association scans and candidate gene studies in at least four antidiabetic drug classes have helped illuminate possible causes of interindividual variability in response. Inadequate protocol guidelines for pharmacogenomics studies often leads to poorly designed studies, making it hard to formulate a definitive conclusion regarding the clinical relevance of the information at hand. These issues, along with the ethical, social, political, legislative, technological, and economic challenges associated with pharmacogenomics have only delayed its entry to mainstream clinical practice. On the other hand, these issues are being actively pursued and rapid progress is being made in each area which assures the possibility of gaining widespread acceptance in clinical practice.Keywords: pharmacogenomics, genetics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, personalized medicine, type 2 diabetes, pharmacotherapy, antidiabetic drugs, efficacy, and safet
Pharmacogenomics in cardiovascular disorders: Steps in approaching personalized medicine in cardiovascular medicine
No full textChristopher Barone, Shaymaa S Mousa, Shaker A MousaThe Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Albany, NY, USAAbstract: Some of the most commonly prescribed medications are those for cardiovascular maladies. The beneficial effects of these medications have been well documented. However, there can be substantial variation in response to these medications among patients, which may be due to genetic variation. For this reason pharmacogenomic studies are emerging across all aspects of cardiovascular medicine. The goal of pharmacogenomics is to tailor treatment to an individual’s genetic makeup in order to improve the benefit-to-risk ratio. This review examines the potential pharmacogenomic parameters which may lead to a future of personalized medicine. For example, it has been found that patients with CYP2C9 and VKORC1 gene variations have a different response to warfarin. Other studies looking at β-blockers, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, diuretics and statins have shown some results linking genetic variations to pharmacologic response. However these studies have not impacted clinical use yet, unlike warfarin findings, as the small retrospective studies need to be followed up by larger prospective studies for definitive results.Keywords: cardiovascular, pharmacogenomics, genetics, cardiovascular medicine, personalized medicine, polymorphis
An Investigation of Aural Space inside Mousa Broch by Observation and Analysis of Sound and Light
No full textThis project emphasises the unique character and construction of Mousa broch, questions the model of Mousa broch as a roofed home (an interpretation adopted by Historic Scotland in 2002) and considers the way in which sound and light informs our understanding of the spaces contained within its structure. Underpinning the approach to data collection was the architectural concept of aural space. The author attempts to convey an impression of aural space inside Mousa broch by the creation of an audio-visual record supported by acoustic analysis, archaeological discussion, and an architectural breakdown of the spaces within the broch structure. Audio recordings, sound samples, photographs and movies were made on Mousa island and inside Mousa broch during the period of the Summer solstice of 2009
Author Correction: the Influence of Nano Filter Elements on Pressure Drop and Pollutant Elimination Efficiency in Town Border Stations
No full textThe original version of this Article contained an error in the order of the author names, which was incorrectly given as Hamed Ebadiyan, Saeed Zeinali Heris, Seyed Borhan Mousavi, Shamin Hosseini Nami ; Mousa Mohammadpourfard. Consequently, in the Author Contributions section, “H.E. Investigation. S.Z.H. Supervision, Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation. S.B.M. Formal analysis, Writing original draft. S.H.N. Formal analysis, Writing original draft. M.M. Validation.” now reads: “S.Z.H. Supervision, Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation. H.E. Investigation. S.B.M. Formal analysis, Writing original draft. S.H.N. Formal analysis, Writing original draft. M.M. Validation.” The original Article has been corrected. © 2023, The Author(s)
Future regenerative medicine developments and their therapeutic applications
No full text: Although the currently available pharmacological assays can cure most pathological disorders, they have limited therapeutic value in relieving certain disorders like myocardial infarct, peripheral vascular disease, amputated limbs, or organ failure (e.g. renal failure). Pilot studies to overcome such problems using regenerative medicine (RM) delivered promising data. Comprehensive investigations of RM in zebrafish or reptilians are necessary for better understanding. However, the precise mechanisms remain poorly understood despite the tremendous amount of data obtained using the zebrafish model investigating the exact mechanisms behind their regenerative capability. Indeed, understanding such mechanisms and their application to humans can save millions of lives from dying due to potentially life-threatening events. Recent studies have launched a revolution in replacing damaged human organs via different approaches in the last few decades. The newly established branch of medicine (known as Regenerative Medicine aims to enhance natural repair mechanisms. This can be done through the application of several advanced broad-spectrum technologies such as organ transplantation, tissue engineering, and application of Scaffolds technology (support vascularization using an extracellular matrix), stem cell therapy, miRNA treatment, development of 3D mini-organs (organoids), and the construction of artificial tissues using nanomedicine and 3D bio-printers. Moreover, in the next few decades, revolutionary approaches in regenerative medicine will be applied based on artificial intelligence and wireless data exchange, soft intelligence biomaterials, nanorobotics, and even living robotics capable of self-repair. The present work presents a comprehensive overview that summarizes the new and future advances in the field of RM
SYNTHESIS OF C-GLYCOSYL AMINO ACIDS AS STABLE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR MODIFIED GLYCOPEPTIDE SYNTHESIS
No full textIn this thesis, we have studied and synthesized new class of C-glycosly amino acids whose structure features a
hetrocycle ring holding the carbohydrate and the amino acid fragments. Pyridine and tetrazole rings were used as
hetrocycle linkers in this project. This class of C-glycosyl amino acids is of interest as new chealtors and as building
building blocks for cotranslational glycopeptides synthesis. In the first part, C-Glycosylmethyl pyridylalanines were
synthesized via thermally induced Hantzsch-type cyclocondensation using an aldehyde-ketoester-enamino ester system.
To one of these reagents was attached a C-glycosyl residue, while to another was bound an amino acid fragment. In a
one-pot optimized methodology, the dihydropyridine was not isolated while its purification was carried out by removal
of unreacted material and side products using polymer-supported scavengers. Then the dihydropyridine (mixture of
diastereoisomers) was oxidized by a polymer-bound oxidant to give the target pyridine bearing the two bioactive
residues. In this way, a range of eight compounds (58-68% yield) was prepared in which the elements of diversity were
(i) the gluco and galacto configurations of the pyranose ring, (ii) the α- and β-configurations at the anomeric center, and
(iii) the positions of the carbohydrate and amino acid sectors in the pyridine ring. The orthogonal functional group
protection in these amino acids allowed their easy incorporation into oligopeptides via sequential amino and carboxylic
group coupling.
In the second part, tetrazole moiety was constructed via Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between nitriles and organic
azides. Two sets of compounds have been prepared, one being constituted of C-galactosyl and C-ribosyl O-tetrazolyl
serines, while the other contains S-tetrazolyl cysteine derivatives. In both cases, the synthetic scheme involved a twostep
route: the first one being the thermal cycloaddition of a sugar azide with p-toluensulfonyl cyanide (TsCN) to give a
1-substituted 5-sulfonyl tetrazole and the second the replacement of the tosyl group with a serine or cysteine residue.
For the high efficiency and operational simplicity, the azide-TsCN cycloaddition appears to be a true click process.
Finally, one of the amino acids prepared was incorporated into a tripeptid
Repositioning of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and glucagon like peptide-1 agonists as potential neuroprotective agents
No full textRepositioning of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists is a breakthrough in the field of neural regeneration research increasing glucagon like peptide-1 bioavailability, hence its neuroprotective activities. In this article, the authors suggest not only crossing blood-brain barrier and neurodegenerative disease as off target for dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists, but also for ophthalmic preparations for diabetic retinopathy, which may be the latest breakthrough in the field if prepared and used in an appropriate nano-formulation to target the retinal nerves. The relation of neurodegenerative diseases’ different mechanisms to the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists should be further examined in preclinical and clinical settings. The repositioning of already marketed antidiabetic drugs for neurodegenerative diseases should save the high cost of the time-consuming normal drug development process. Drug repositioning is a hot topic as an alternative to molecular target based drug discovery or therapeutic switching. It is a relatively inexpensive pathway due to availability of previous pharmacological and safety data. The glucagon like peptide-1 produced in brain has been linked to enhanced learning and memory functions as a physiologic regulator in central nervous system by restoring insulin signaling. Intranasal administration of all marketed gliptins (or glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists) may show enhanced blood-brain barrier crossing and increased glucagon like peptide-1 levels in the brain after direct crossing of the drug for the olfactory region, targeting the cerebrospinal fluid. Further blood-brain barrier crossing tests may extend dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors’ effects beyond the anti-hyperglycemic control to intranasal spray, intranasal powder, or drops targeting the blood-brain barrier and neurodegenerative diseases with the most suitable formula. Moreover, novel nano-formulation is encouraged either to obtain favorable pharmacokinetic parameters or to achieve promising blood-brain barrier penetration directly through the olfactory region. Many surfactants should be investigated either as a solubilizing agent for hydrophobic drugs or as penetration enhancers. Different formulae based on in vitro and in vivo characterizations, working on sister gliptins (or glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists), different routes of administration, pharmacokinetic studies, dose response relationship studies, monitoring of plasma/brain concentration ratio after single and multiple dose, and neurodegenerative disease animal models are required to prove the new method of use (utility) for dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors as potential neuroprotective agents. Furthermore, investigations of glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists’ neuroprotective effects on animal models will be considered carefully because they crossed the blood-brain barrier in previous studies, enabling their direct action on the central nervous system. Combination therapy of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors or glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists with already marketed drugs for neurodegenerative disease should be considered, especially regarding the novel intranasal route of administration
Biosensors: the new wave in cancer diagnosis
No full textBrian Bohunicky1, Shaker A Mousa1,21The Pharmaceutical Research Institute at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Rensselaer, NY, USA; 2College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaAbstract: The earlier cancer can be detected, the better the chance of a cure. Currently, many cancers are diagnosed only after they have metastasized throughout the body. Effective, accurate methods of cancer detection and clinical diagnosis are urgently needed. Biosensors are devices that are designed to detect a specific biological analyte by essentially converting a biological entity (ie, protein, DNA, RNA) into an electrical signal that can be detected and analyzed. The use of biosensors in cancer detection and monitoring holds vast potential. Biosensors can be designed to detect emerging cancer biomarkers and to determine drug effectiveness at various target sites. Biosensor technology has the potential to provide fast and accurate detection, reliable imaging of cancer cells, and monitoring of angiogenesis and cancer metastasis, and the ability to determine the effectiveness of anticancer chemotherapy agents. This review will briefly summarize the current obstacles to early detection of cancer and the expanding use of biosensors as a diagnostic tool, as well as some future applications of biosensor technology.Keywords: biosensor, oncogene, nanotechnology, biotechnology, cancer detection, diagnosis, point-of-car
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