Promoting medication safety for older adults upon hospital discharge: Guiding principles for a medication discharge plan.

Older adults are at risk of adverse drug events during transition of care from hospital to community, thus optimal communication about medications at discharge is essential. Standardization of medication discharge plan (MDP) is lacking. This study aimed to (1) create a standardized MDP for older adults using consensus-based principles, (2) create a short-version MDP and (3) generate a practical guide. Modified Delphi was used to establish consensus on guiding principles for the MDP. Additionally, participants were asked about guiding principles deemed most essential, patient prioritization, the format and mode of transmission of the MDP. Twenty-six guiding principles reached consensus, with 17 prioritized for a short-version MDP. The practical guide includes explanations of the guiding principles, criteria for patient selection and recommendations on the format and mode of transmission. The results of this study will assist implementation of MDPs when older adults are discharged from hospital.

Identification of novel dual-target 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase & phytoene dehydrogenase inhibitors via multiple virtual screening.

Two important plant enzymes are 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD; EC 1.13.11.27), which is necessary for biosynthesis of plastoquinone and tocopherols, and phytoene dehydrogenase (PDS; EC 1.3.99.26), which plays an important role in colour rendering. Dual-target proteins that inhibit pigment synthesis will prevent resistant weeds and improve the spectral characteristics of herbicides. This study introduces virtual screening of pharmacophores based on the complex structure of the two targets. A three-dimensional database was established by screening 1,492,858 compounds based on the Lipinski principle. HPPD&PDS dual-target receptor-ligand pharmacophore models were then constructed, and nine potential dual-target inhibitors were obtained through pharmacophore modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. Ultimately, ADMET prediction software yielded three compounds with high potential as dual-target herbicides. The obtained nine inhibitors were stable when combined with both HPPD and PDS proteins. This study offers guidance for the development of HPPD&PDS dual-target inhibitors with novel skeletons.

Endodontic Radiopacifying Application of Barium Titanate Prepared through a Combination of Mechanical Milling and Heat Treatment.

Mineral trioxide aggregates (MTA) are commonly used as endodontic filling materials but suffer from a long setting time and tooth discoloration. In the present study, the feasibility of using barium titanate (BTO) for discoloration and a calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution to shorten the setting time was investigated. BTO powder was prepared using high-energy ball milling for 3 h, followed by sintering at 700-1300 °C for 2 h. X-ray diffraction was used to examine the crystallinity and crystalline size of the as-milled and heat-treated powders. MTA-like cements were then prepared using 20-40 wt.% BTO as a radiopacifier and solidified using a 0-30% CaCl2 solution. The corresponding radiopacity, diametral tensile strength (DTS), initial and final setting times, and discoloration performance were examined. The experimental results showed that for the BTO powder prepared using a combination of mechanical milling and heat treatment, the crystallinity and crystalline size increased with the increasing sintering temperature. The BTO sintered at 1300 °C (i.e., BTO-13) exhibited the best radiopacity and DTS. The MTA-like cement supplemented with 30% BTO-13 and solidified with a 10% CaCl2 solution exhibited a radiopacity of 3.68 ± 0.24 mmAl and a DTS of 2.54 ± 0.28 MPa, respectively. In the accelerated discoloration examination using UV irradiation, the color difference was less than 1.6 and significantly lower than the clinically perceptible level (3.7). This novel MTA exhibiting a superior color stability, shortened setting time, and excellent biocompatibility has potential for use in endodontic applications.