Copayments Dominate Drug Cost Sharing Choices.
Copayments dominate drug cost sharing choices.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
Manag Care. 2012 Nov; 21(11): 55
Biomedical research in an age of austerity.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
JAMA. 2012 Dec 12; 308(22): 2341-2
Moses H, Dorsey ER
Crossword puzzles: self-learning tool in pharmacology.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
Perspect Med Educ. 2012 Dec; 1(5-6): 237-248
Gaikwad N, Tankhiwale S
Students of the second professional MBBS course of the Indian medical curriculum (II MBBS) perceive pharmacology as a ‘Volatile Subject’ because they often find it difficult to remember and recall drug names. We evaluated the usefulness of crossword puzzles as a self-learning tool to help pharmacology students to remember drug names. We also measured the students’ satisfaction with this learning method. This was an open-label randomized, two-arm intervention study, conducted with II MBBS students (n = 70), randomly selected and assigned to two groups A (n = 35) and B (n = 35). Two self-learning modules containing crossword puzzles with antihypertensive and antiepileptic drug terms were prepared and pre-validated. Hard copies of both crossword puzzles were administered to Group A (Intervention group) on two different occasions. One hour was allotted to solve a puzzle. Students were allowed to refer to their textbooks. Group B (Control group) underwent the self-learning module without the crossword puzzles. In both groups, pre- and post-test knowledge was assessed. Students’ perceptions of the crossword puzzles were assessed using a pre-validated 10-item questionnaire. Responses to items 1-8 were recorded using a 5-point Likert scale. Responses to item 9 were recorded on a 10-point rating scale while item 10 was an open-ended question. The crossword completion index was 92.86 %. In group A, the average pre-test score was 6.09 whereas the average post-test score was 12.87 (p < 0.05). In group B, average pre- and post-test scores were 6.03 and 9.74, respectively. A significant difference (p < 0.001) was observed between the post-test scores of the two groups. The absolute learning gain was 33.9 % in Group A and 18.55 % in Group B. The response rate for the questionnaire was 100 %. Of the students, 71.43 % strongly agreed that crossword puzzles enhanced their knowledge of antihypertensive and antiepileptic drugs and were helpful for remembering and recalling the drug names, 60 % students found it challenging and a good problem solving activity and 85.71 % students opined that it was a good self-learning, recreational activity. The test scores improved when crossword puzzles, designed to improve retention of drug names, were incorporated in the self-study modules of pharmacology training. Students rated the crossword puzzles as a challenging and effective self-learning tool. Students' acceptability for crossword puzzles further favours their usefulness as a self-learning tool. The crossword puzzle is an effective tool for 'recreational learning' and can be used as an active learning strategy to promote self-directed learning. HubMed – drug
Quercetin Potentiates Doxorubicin Mediated Antitumor Effects against Liver Cancer through p53/Bcl-xl.
Filed under: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
PLoS One. 2012; 7(12): e51764
Wang G, Zhang J, Liu L, Sharma S, Dong Q
The dose-dependent toxicities of doxorubicin (DOX) limit its clinical applications, particularly in drug-resistant cancers, such as liver cancer. In this study, we investigated the role of quercetin on the antitumor effects of DOX on liver cancer cells and its ability to provide protection against DOX-mediated liver damage in mice.The MTT and Annexin V/PI staining assay demonstrated that quercetin selectively sensitized DOX-induced cytotoxicity against liver cancer cells while protecting normal liver cells. The increase in DOX-mediated apoptosis in hepatoma cells by quercetin was p53-dependent and occurred by downregulating Bcl-xl expression. Z-VAD-fmk (caspase inhibitor), pifithrin-? (p53 inhibitor), or overexpressed Bcl-xl decreased the effects of quercetin on DOX-mediated apoptosis. The combined treatment of quercetin and DOX significantly reduced the growth of liver cancer xenografts in mice. Moreover, quercetin decreased the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase that were increased in DOX-treated mice. Quercetin also reversed the DOX-induced pathological changes in mice livers.These results indicate that quercetin potentiated the antitumor effects of DOX on liver cancer cells while protecting normal liver cells. Therefore, the development of quercetin may be beneficial in a combined treatment with DOX for increased therapeutic efficacy against liver cancer.
HubMed – drug
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