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Kusynová Z, van den Ham HA, Leufkens HGM, Mantel-Teeuwisse AK. Pharmaceutical Scientists' Perspectives on Capacity Building in Pharmaceutical Sciences. J Pharm Sci 2023; 112:1997-2003. [PMID: 37137440 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2023.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
With the anticipated health challenges brought by demographic and technological changes, ensuring capacity in underlying workforce in place is essential for addressing patients' needs. Therefore, a timely identification of important drivers facilitating capacity building is important for strategic decisions and workforce planning. In 2020, internationally renowned pharmaceutical scientists (N = 92), largely from the academia and pharmaceutical industry, with mostly pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences educational background were approached (through a questionnaire) for their considerations on influencing drivers to facilitate meeting current capacity in pharmaceutical sciences research. From a global view, based on the results of the questionnaire, the top drivers were better alignment with patient needs as well as strengthening education - both through continuous learning and deeper specialisation. The study also showed that capacity building is more than simply increasing the influx of graduates. Pharmaceutical sciences are being influenced by other disciplines, and we can expect more diversity in scientific background and training. Capacity building of pharmaceutical scientists should allow flexibility for rapid change driven by the clinic and need for specialised science and it should be underpinned by lifelong learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Kusynová
- Utrecht WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), The Hague, the Netherlands
| | - H A van den Ham
- Utrecht WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - H G M Leufkens
- Utrecht WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - A K Mantel-Teeuwisse
- Utrecht WHO Collaborating Centre for Pharmaceutical Policy and Regulation, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Mathew MM, Khatana K, Vats V, Dhanker R, Kumar R, Dahms HU, Hwang JS. Biological Approaches Integrating Algae and Bacteria for the Degradation of Wastewater Contaminants-A Review. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:801051. [PMID: 35185825 PMCID: PMC8850834 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.801051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The traditional approach for biodegradation of organic matter in sewage treatment used a consortium of bacterial spp. that produce untreated or partially treated inorganic contaminants resulting in large amounts of poor-quality sludge. The aeration process of activated sludge treatment requires high energy. So, a sustainable technique for sewage treatment that could produce less amount of sludge and less energy demanding is required for various developed and developing countries. This led to research into using microalgae for wastewater treatment as they reduce concentrations of nutrients like inorganic nitrates and phosphates from the sewage water, hence reducing the associated chemical oxygen demand (COD). The presence of microalgae removes nutrient concentration in water resulting in reduction of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and toxic heavy metals like Al, Ni, and Cu. Their growth also offers opportunity to produce biofuels and bioproducts from algal biomass. To optimize use of microalgae, technologies like high-rate algal ponds (HRAPs) have been developed, that typically use 22% of the electricity used in Sequencing Batch Reactors for activated sludge treatment with added economic and environmental benefits like reduced comparative operation cost per cubic meter, mitigate global warming, and eutrophication potentials. The addition of suitable bacterial species may further enhance the treatment potential in the wastewater medium as the inorganic nutrients are assimilated into the algal biomass, while the organic nutrients are utilized by bacteria. Further, the mutual exchange of CO2 and O2 between the algae and the bacteria helps in enhancing the photosynthetic activity of algae and oxidation by bacteria leading to a higher overall nutrient removal efficiency. Even negative interactions between algae and bacteria mediated by various secondary metabolites (phycotoxins) have proven beneficial as it controls the algal bloom in the eutrophic water bodies. Herein, we attempt to review various opportunities and limitations of using a combination of microalgae and bacteria in wastewater treatment method toward cost effective, eco-friendly, and sustainable method of sewage treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merwin Mammen Mathew
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Engineering Sciences, GD Goenka University, Gurugram, India
| | - Kanchan Khatana
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Engineering Sciences, GD Goenka University, Gurugram, India
| | - Vaidehi Vats
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Engineering Sciences, GD Goenka University, Gurugram, India
| | - Raunak Dhanker
- Department of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Engineering Sciences, GD Goenka University, Gurugram, India
| | - Ram Kumar
- Ecosystem Research Laboratory, Department of Environmental Science, School of Earth, Biological and Environmental Sciences, Central University of South Bihar, Fatehpur, India
| | - Hans-Uwe Dahms
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Jiang-Shiou Hwang
- Institute of Marine Biology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
- Center of Excellence for Ocean Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
- Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan
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Sepahvandi A, Ghaffari M, Bahmanpour AH, Moztarzadeh F, Zarrintaj P, Uludağ H, Mozafari M. COVID-19: insights into virus-receptor interactions. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2021; 2:10. [PMID: 34766003 PMCID: PMC8035060 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-021-00033-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) calls for rapid mobilization of scientists to probe and explore solutions to this deadly disease. A limited understanding of the high transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) relative to other coronavirus strains guides a deeper investigation into the virus/receptor interactions. The cutting-edge studies in thermodynamic and kinetic properties of interactions such as protein-protein interplays have been reviewed in many modeling and analysis studies. Highlighting the thermodynamic assessments of biological interactions and emphasizing the boosted transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 despite its high similarity in structure and sequence with other coronavirus strains is an important and highly valuable investigation that can lead scientists to discover analytical and fundamental approaches in studying virus's interactions. Accordingly, we have attempted to describe the crucial factors such as conformational changes and hydrophobicity particularities that influence on thermodynamic potentials in the SARS-COV-2 S-protein adsorption process. Discussing the thermodynamic potentials and the kinetics of the SARS-CoV-2 S-protein in its interaction with the ACE2 receptors of the host cell is a fundamental approach that would be extremely valuable in designing candidate pharmaceutical agents or exploring alternative treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Sepahvandi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering College of Engineering and Computing, University of South Carolina, 301 Main St, Columbia, SC 29208 USA
| | - Maryam Ghaffari
- Biomaterial Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (Center of Excellence), Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Hossein Bahmanpour
- Biomaterial Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (Center of Excellence), Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fathollah Moztarzadeh
- Biomaterial Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (Center of Excellence), Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Payam Zarrintaj
- School of Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University, 420 Engineering North, Stillwater, OK 74078 USA
| | - Hasan Uludağ
- Department of Chemical and Material Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2V4 Canada
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1 Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3 Canada
| | - Masoud Mozafari
- Department of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
- Currently at: Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
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Alqarni MH, Foudah AI, Muharram MM, Budurian H, Labrou NE. Probing the Role of the Conserved Arg174 in Formate Dehydrogenase by Chemical Modification and Site-Directed Mutagenesis. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26051222. [PMID: 33668802 PMCID: PMC7956174 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26051222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The reactive adenosine derivative, adenosine 5′-O-[S-(4-hydroxy-2,3-dioxobutyl)]-thiophosphate (AMPS-HDB), contains a dicarbonyl group linked to the purine nucleotide at a position equivalent to the pyrophosphate region of NAD+. AMPS-HDB was used as a chemical label towards Candida boidinii formate dehydrogenase (CbFDH). AMPS-HDB reacts covalently with CbFDH, leading to complete inactivation of the enzyme activity. The inactivation kinetics of CbFDH fit the Kitz and Wilson model for time-dependent, irreversible inhibition (KD = 0.66 ± 0.15 mM, first order maximum rate constant k3 = 0.198 ± 0.06 min−1). NAD+ and NADH protects CbFDH from inactivation by AMPS-HDB, showing the specificity of the reaction. Molecular modelling studies revealed Arg174 as a candidate residue able to be modified by the dicarbonyl group of AMPS-HDB. Arg174 is a strictly conserved residue among FDHs and is located at the Rossmann fold, the common mononucleotide-binding motif of dehydrogenases. Arg174 was replaced by Asn, using site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant enzyme CbFDHArg174Asn was showed to be resistant to inactivation by AMPS-HDB, confirming that the guanidinium group of Arg174 is the target for AMPS-HDB. The CbFDHArg174Asn mutant enzyme exhibited substantial reduced affinity for NAD+ and lower thermostability. The results of the study underline the pivotal and multifunctional role of Arg174 in catalysis, coenzyme binding and structural stability of CbFDH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Hamed Alqarni
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj 11942, Saudi Arabia;
- Correspondence: (M.H.A.); (N.E.L.)
| | - Ahmed Ibrahim Foudah
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj 11942, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Magdy Mohamed Muharram
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Alkharj 11942, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Microbiology, College of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo 11884, Egypt
| | - Haritium Budurian
- Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Food, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, GR-11855 Athens, Greece;
| | - Nikolaos E. Labrou
- Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Department of Biotechnology, School of Food, Biotechnology and Development, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Street, GR-11855 Athens, Greece;
- Correspondence: (M.H.A.); (N.E.L.)
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Ghaffari M, Mollazadeh-Bajestani M, Moztarzadeh F, Uludağ H, Hardy JG, Mozafari M. An overview of the use of biomaterials, nanotechnology, and stem cells for detection and treatment of COVID-19: towards a framework to address future global pandemics. EMERGENT MATERIALS 2021; 4:19-34. [PMID: 33426467 PMCID: PMC7783485 DOI: 10.1007/s42247-020-00143-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
A novel SARS-like coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2, SARS-CoV-2) outbreak has recently become a worldwide pandemic. Researchers from various disciplinary backgrounds (social to natural science, health and medicine, etc.) have studied different aspects of the pandemic. The current situation has revealed how the ongoing development of nanotechnology and nanomedicine can accelerate the fight against the novel viruses. A comprehensive solution to this and future pandemic outbreaks includes preventing the spread of the virus through anti-viral personal protective equipment (PPE) and anti-viral surfaces, plus efforts to encourage behavior to minimize risks. Studies of previously introduced anti-viral biomaterials and their optimization to fight against SARS-CoV-2 is the foundation of most of the recent progress. The identification of non-symptomatic patients and symptomatic patients is vital. Reviewing published research highlights the pivotal roles of nanotechnology and biomaterials in the development and efficiency of detection techniques, e.g., by applying nanotechnology and nanomedicine as part of the road map in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. In this review, we discuss efforts to deploy nanotechnology, biomaterials, and stem cells in each step of the fight against SARS-CoV-2, which may provide a framework for future efforts in combating global pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Ghaffari
- Biomaterials Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (Center of Excellence), Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Fathollah Moztarzadeh
- Biomaterials Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (Center of Excellence), Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hasan Uludağ
- Department of Chemical and Material Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2V4 Canada
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E1 Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3 Canada
| | - John G. Hardy
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB UK
- Materials Science Institute, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB UK
| | - Masoud Mozafari
- Department of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Present Address: Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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Saber MA, Okasha H, Khorshed F, Samir S. A Novel Cell-based In vitro Assay for Antiviral Activity of Interferons α, β, and γ by qPCR of MxA Gene Expression. Recent Pat Biotechnol 2020; 15:67-75. [PMID: 33183215 DOI: 10.2174/1872208314666201112105053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human MxA gene is related to the class of interferon (IFN)-stimulated genes (ISGs) that plays a role in antiviral resistance. OBJECTIVE Implementation of standard curves obtained from designing a procedure for data processing in relative qPCR between MxA expression and interferon's antiviral activity (IU/ml). These standard curves can be used to detect the antiviral activity of any new compound rapidly and safely. METHODS To detect the optimum incubation time for maximum MxA gene expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), the isolated human PBMCs (1x106 cells) were incubated with a concentration of 1000 IU/ml of each IFN at different time intervals; 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, and 24 h post-treatment. A standard curve was performed for each IFN (α, β, and γ) at different concentrations (250, 500, 750, 1000, 1500, and 2000 IU/ml). RESULTS As observed at 4 h incubation time of 1000 IU/ml concentration, IFN-γ provided a higher expression of MxA compared to IFN-α and IFN-β. Correlation analyses between IFN-α and IFN-β, IFN-β and IFN-γ were non-significant. However, there was a significant correlation between IFN-α and IFN-γ (p<0.01). Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that cut-off values of IFN- γ, IFN-β, and IFN-α were 58.14 > 7.31 and > 3.33, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The relative expression of MxA is a biomarker for IFN-α, β, and γ, especially IFN-α. It has compiled and validated a standard curve-based protocol for PCR data processing. It shows that the standard curve is an easy alternative tool to assess antiviral activity. We revised all patents relating to the antiviral assays of the used interferons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed A Saber
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
| | - Hend Okasha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
| | - Fatma Khorshed
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
| | - Safia Samir
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
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Feitosa G. An Approach to Technology Development and Current Medical Practice. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR SCIENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.36660/ijcs.20200032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Bahmanpour A, Ghaffari M, Milan PB, Moztarzadeh F, Mozafari M. Synthesis and characterization of thermosensitive hydrogel based on quaternized chitosan for intranasal delivery of insulin. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2020; 68:247-256. [PMID: 32250466 DOI: 10.1002/bab.1917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Nasal administration is a form of systemic administration in which drugs are insufflated through the nasal cavity. Steroids, nicotine replacement, antimigraine drugs, and peptide drugs are examples of the available systematically active drugs as nasal sprays. For diabetic patients who need to use insulin daily, the nasal pathway can be used as an alternative to subcutaneous injection. In this regard, intranasal insulin delivery as a user-friendly and systemic administration has recently attracted more attention. In this study, a novel formulation consists of chitosan, chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (HTCC), and gelatin (Gel) was proposed and examined as a feasible carrier for intranasal insulin administration. First, the optimization of the chitosan-HTCC hydrogel combination has done. Afterward, Gel with various amounts blended with the chitosan-HTCC optimized samples. In the next step, swelling rate, gelation time, degradation, adhesion, and other mechanical, chemical, and biological properties of the hydrogels were studied. Finally, insulin in clinical formulation and dosage was blended with optimized thermosensitive hydrogel and the release procedure of insulin was studied with electrochemiluminescence technique. The optimal formulation (consisted of 2 wt% chitosan, 1 wt% HTCC, and 0.5 wt% Gel) showed low gelation time, uniform pore structure, and the desirable swelling rate, which were resulted in the adequate encapsulation and prolonged release of insulin in 24 H. The optimal samples released 65% of the total amount of insulin in the first 24 H, which is favorable for this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- AmirHossein Bahmanpour
- Biomaterial Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (Center of Excellence), Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Ghaffari
- Biomaterial Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (Center of Excellence), Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Peiman B Milan
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fathollah Moztarzadeh
- Biomaterial Group, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (Center of Excellence), Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Mozafari
- Department of Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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