By: Katharine Cimmino, Editor-in-Chief – Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common pediatric psychiatric disorder, and it affects the education, social interactions, and over-all wellbeing of both children and adolescents.1 Symptoms of ADHD can persist into adulthood, and those with this disorder are more likely to suffer from other mental health co-morbidities.2 According to guidelines…

By: Benedette Cuffari, BS Toxicology Candidate c/o 2015 – Hemophilia B is an inherited bleeding disorder that is caused by a substantially reduced or complete lack of blood clotting factor IX. Therefore, people suffering from hemophilia B experience bleeding episodes that cause pain, irreversible joint damage, and life threatening hemorrhages. Approximately 28,000 people are currently…

By: Jacqueline Meaney, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015, University at Buffalo: School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences — Psychotropic medications are typically used in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy to treat behavioral problems that affect children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Symptoms of ASD typically include a need for routines (change intolerance), difficulty with verbal and…

By: Anthony Botte and Tyler Valente, PharmD Candidates c/o 2016 – Diseases which are prevalent within the pediatric population require distinct protocols for treatment accompanied by the utmost care and precision. Pediatric hypertension (HTN) is one disease state in particular that has come to the forefront of medical practice in the United States over the…

By: Sherin Pathickal, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – In 2006, the Institute of Medicine reported that over 1.5 million people in the US suffered from a medication error, errors that not only cost the economy billions of dollars, but endangered countless lives.1 Each year, approximately 7,000 deaths occur to due to preventable medication related errors.2…

By: Sherin Pathickal, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – The mandatory receipt of vaccinations as a preventive public health measure has long been a controversial issue in our society.1 Despite the popular use of immunizations, many reservations about vaccine constituents and their safety have prevailed, leading to increasing numbers of unvaccinated people.1 Opponents of vaccinations have…

By: Diana Gritsenko, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – Drug overdose is a serious problem in the United States.  In 2010, drug overdose caused more deaths among adults within the ages of 25 and 64 years than motor vehicle accidents. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), ran an analysis that showed drug overdose death rates have…

By: Sabrina Ahmed, PharmD Candidate c/o 2017 – One recent stride towards combating worldwide infectious disease has been in the improved surveillance of Japanese encephalitis in Asia, predominantly in South and South-East Asia. This potentially deadly virus is transmitted to humans via mosquito bites. The Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is the leading cause of encephalitis…

By: Davidta Brown, Senior Staff Editor – In August 2013, the results of a yearlong safety study were published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) Psychiatry.1 The study, which followed the health status of about 43,000 youths aged 6 to 24, confirmed and built upon a previously noted trend in adults: that the…

By: Sang Hyo Kim, Staff Editor – During the Fall 2013 semester, activist and bestselling author Temple Grandin, Ph.D, came to St. John’s University to talk to students, faculty, and administrators about the need to embrace children and young adults who have autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). While many people may think of autism as a…

By: Taryn Mondiello, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – Halloween came early this year to St. John’s University and to the children at the “Hour Children” program in Long Island City. On Wednesday October 30th, Phi Lambda Sigma, also known as the Pharmacy Leadership Society, hosted their 12th Annual Healthy Halloween, a Halloween celebration for local…

By: Beatrice Popovitz, Staff Editor and Ada Seldin, Staff Editor –       In August 2013, St. John’s University welcomed Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M., former president of Niagara University, into the community as interim president. Fr. Levesque has an elaborate background in Vincentian leadership and higher education, having taught in various religious institutions such…

By: Uzma Toppa, PharmD Candidate c/o 2014 – Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, also known as MERS, is a viral respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV. It was first reported in humans in Saudi Arabia in 2012. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), from September 2012 to September 2013, there have been a…

By: Arya Mathew, PharmD Candidate c/o 2014 –  About twelve percent of the U.S. population suffers from migraines, affecting adult women three times more than adult men.  Migraines are returning attacks of moderate to severe, throbbing or pulsing pain, usually on one side of the head.  Along with the severe pain, migraine sufferers also experience…

By: Samad Tirmizi, PharmD Candidate c/o 2014 – Hemolytic anemia (HA) is a type of anemia that occurs due to the breakdown of red blood cells. It is classified as intrinsic and extrinsic according to causative factors. Medication induced hemolytic anemia is an example of extrinsic, while genetic predisposition is an intrinsic factor. Drug induced…

By: Ada Seldin, Staff Editor – On August 12,2013, a new weapon against HIV-1 infection was added to the existing armada. Dolutegravir, the third integrase strand transfer inhibitor to attain FDA approval, targets a protein essential to HIV replication. HIV-1 is the predominant type of HIV virus, the other being HIV-2, which is endogenous to…

By: Ada Seldin, Staff Editor – Emily Whitehead, a 7-year-old girl who fought off relapsing acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), has captured the hearts and prayers of the masses. Her story is an inspiration to those battling any disease with a poor prognosis and particularly holds promise for the 15% of children with ALL resistant to…

By Davidta Brown, Staff Editor – For post-operative pain treatment, few drugs are as trustworthy, as tried-and-true, as codeine. Prescriptive confidence in the analgesic has promoted its use in children recovering from uncomplicated surgeries, but the spate of injuries and deaths of young children who had been given codeine after undergoing adenotonsillectomies has provoked a…

By: Aleena Cherian, Co-Copy Editor [Graphics-Focused] – Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic neurological behavior characterized by persistent patterns of inattention and/or hyperactive behavior, resulting in a wide range of emotional, functional, and neurocognitive impairments.1,2 First line therapy for ADHD consists of stimulant medications together with non-pharmacologic interventions, and has been shown to improve…

By: Tasnima Nabi, Content-focused Co-Copy Editor – The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences has officially launched a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree program and accepted applications for Fall 2013. Public Health has become an increasingly important area of study over the years as our country experiences rising numbers of chronic disease, health care…

By: Steve Soman, PharmD – India has become a powerhouse in pharmaceutical manufacturing, often supplying generic alternatives at a fraction of the brand name cost to the developing world. Cheaper alternatives make costly drugs more affordable for poorer nations and NGOs.1 Indian manufacturer Biological E. Limited, a biotech firm based in Hyderabad India, signed a…

By: Andy Zhang, PharmD Candidate c/o 2015 – On March 28, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of Tecfidera™ (dimethyl fumarate) for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in adults.1 Tecfidera™ (dimethyl fumarate) will be the third oral drug used for the treatment of MS. The manufacturer Biogen…

By: Bharat Kirthivasan – The UK government might soon become the platform for an explosive debate on the utility and ethics of three-person in vitro fertilization (three-person IVF). According to the Human Fertilization & Embryology Authority, there is no evidence to suggest that any form of IVF is unsafe for the mother or the fetus.…

By: Fawad Piracha, Pharm. D Candidate c/o 2016 – The 2012-2013 influenza season has developed into one of the greatest nationwide flu outbreaksof the decade.1 Amid this crisis, many flocked to healthcare providers with flu-like symptoms, while others scoured doctors’ offices, clinics, and pharmacies for the vaccine. With the flu claiming many lives throughout the…

By:  Christina Tarantola, PharmD, PGY-1 Resident at Kings Pharmacy – The New York State Department of Health issued a health advisory on November 8, 2012 in response to Hurricane Sandy. The document outlined guidelines on recommended immunizations and disaster relief efforts for volunteers and the general public. Due to an increased risk of exposure to…

By: Steve Soman, Co-Editor-in-Chief – Varicella Zoster Immune Globulin (Varizig®) was approved by the FDA on December 21st of 2012. The Canadian pharmaceutical company Cangene Corporation, which is owned in-part by Apotex Inc., markets the new product.  The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reduce “the severity of chicken pox…

By: Sibyl Cherian, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Last year’s piece on “Carrying the Vincentian Torch” featured the endeavors of the Urban Humanitarian Project (UHP) in order to raise money for their multiple annual charity projects. Since then, the organization has grown and strived to new heights to reach the community around them. 2012 Urban…

By Tasnima Nabi, PharmD Candidate c/o 2016 – The FDA has issued warnings on accidental ingestion of over-the-counter eye drops and nasal sprays because they can cause serious harm in children at and under the age of five. Ingestion of as little as 0.6 ml of OTC nasal decongestants and redness-relief eye drops has been…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi, Associate Student Editor – Many of us have prepared for influenza season by receiving the flu vaccine.  (If you have not, please speak to your doctor or pharmacist soon!  Remember: even if you do not need it for your protection, get it for your patients’ well-being).  However, for the youngest members…

By: James Schurr, Stephen Argiro, & Michael Cronin, PharmD Candidates c/o 2014 – This October, we had the privilege of attending the New York State chapter of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) annual meeting held at the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.  The purpose of this event was to orient members…

By: Addolorata Ciccone, Student Copy Editor – As a fifth-year pharmacy student researching and ranking advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) sites, I felt excited at the prospect of taking the knowledge and skills I obtained in the classroom and applying it to real world patients and scenarios.  My years of work in community pharmacies were…

By: Joo Hee Kwon, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – There are 3 antigenic types of influenza: A, B, and C. Influenza C causes mild illness and therefore does not cause epidemics.  In contrast, influenza A and B are capable of causing mild to severe flu and in some cases death.  An epidemic can occur depending…

By: Nandini Puranprashad, Pharm D. Candidate c/o 2013 – I’m sitting in a quaint coffee shop in Cherokee, North Carolina, sipping a dirty chai tea with some of my roommates with 1970s music chiming in the background as I write this article and words cannot describe my experiences at this rotation.  The most surprising aspect…

By Nandini Puranprashad, Pharm D. Candidate c/o 2013 – Felipe Camacho is a 6th year student at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy.  He received his Bachelors of Arts in Music Composition from Rollins College, Winter Park, FL.  After graduation, Mr. Camacho plans to pursue a residency at the Veterans Affairs (V.A.), Lee Memorial…

By Mohamed Dungersi, Associate Student Editor – Match the following herbal products with their natural source and reason for use: A. This product is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, primarily docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).  It is used to lower triglyceride levels, to lower high blood pressure, and for a variety of…

By: Neal Shah, Co Editor-In-Chief – Dyskinesias are abnormal, involuntary movement disorders.  Subsets of dyskinesias include choreas and atheosis.  Chorea is irregular and sporadic contraction of muscles whereas athetosis involves a twisting and writhing of muscles.  These two dyskinesias often occur together and are thus termed choreathetosis.1  Common conditions which feature choreatheosis are Huntington’s, and…

By: Shannon Tellier, Associate Student Editor – The disease burden in children outweighs the number of pediatric clinical drug trials currently being conducted.  The lack of data in pediatrics leads to drugs being used off-label and without sufficient knowledge of doses, tolerability, and efficacy.  In 1975, only 22% of products in the electronic Physicians’ Desk…

By: Pooja Patel, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2013 – The ‘end of an era’ is a fitting way to describe my rotation this past February with Dr. Gladys El-Chaar at Steven and Alexandra Cohen’s Children’s Medical Center of New York.  As many have heard, Dr. El-Chaar shifted from her long-standing position at Long Island Jewish Medical…

By: Michael Maddalena, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2016 –       Michael is the upcoming president of the Phi Delta Chi Professional Pharmaceutical Fraternity Beta Alpha Chapter at St.  John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions. The term sophomore comes from a compound of the Greek sophos, meaning “wise”, and moros, meaning “foolish”.  Hence, as…

By: Mohamed Dungersi & Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi, Associate Student Editors – Each month, the editors at the Rho Chi Post have the opportunity to interview one or more of our faculty members. This month, we had the tremendous opportunity to interview the dean of St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, Dean…

By: Sibyl Cherian, PharmD Candidate c/o 2013 – Santhosh Cherian, is the co-founder and executive director of the Urban Humanitarian Projects (UHP). He is currently in his third year of medical school at St. George University and is completing his clinical clerkships in Brooklyn, New York. St. John’s University is a Catholic, Vincentian and metropolitan…

By: Marie Huang – The amphitheater at Nassau University Medical Center fills up slowly as Dr. Alan Jay Cohen, a psychiatrist from Oakland, California, makes his way up to the podium to lead a talk about bipolar disorder, specifically differentiating between its presentations in adults versus in developing children. Among nonprofessionals, bipolar disorder is simply…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – As previously reported, there is currently great concern in the medical community because of the growing number of drug shortages.  Many of these are drugs that are critical to patient care, such as chemotherapy agents and antibiotics.  Last October, President Obama issued an executive order in an attempt to curb…

By: Mahdieh Danesh Yazdi – A few months ago, a new product called AeroShot Pure Energy hit the markets in New York and Massachusetts.  AeroShot is a new inhaler that gives the user bursts of caffeine.  Each inhaler contains an estimated 100mg of caffeine, approximately the same amount as a large cup of coffee.  It…

By: Marie Huang – Each month, Rho Chi Post has the wonderful opportunity to sit down with an inspiring leader among the student pharmacists here at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions – someone who is not afraid to stand apart from the crowd and can be the change he or…

By: Khilna Patel, Pharm.D. Candidate c/o 2012 – On October 25 of this year, Eli Lilly and Company announced a worldwide market withdrawal of Xigris (drotrecogin alfa), a drug previously indicated to treat severe sepsis in high-risk patients.  Drotrecogin alfa is a recombinant form of human activated protein C.  The efficacy of drotrecogin alfa was…

By: Ebey P. Soman – Dear Sir or Madam, Christmas is just a few days away, and an amazing year of great challenges, pleasant surprises, and endeavors is coming to a close. From working on Drugs & Diseases courses to simply having the privilege of being part of the profession at the White Coat Ceremony,…

By: Khilna Patel, PharmD Candidate c/o 2012 – Top academic achievement is a plus but is not the only thing to strive for – college is about developing one‘s self as a whole. There are many opportunities to get involved. Don‘t be afraid to try everything that may interest you because it will only bring…

By: Ebey P. Soman – Current research demonstrates a strong correlation between the length of time a child watches television and decreased long-term attention deficiency disorders. A new study by Lillard and Peterson at the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia suggests that the popular children‘s television show, SpongeBob SquarePants, might be harmful.…

By Marie Huang – On September 22nd, members of Rho Chi gathered in Sullivan Hall Room 306 for the first General Body Meeting of the semester. As President Mohamed Dungersi stepped to the front of the room and reintroduced the executive board, students quietly helped themselves to scrumptious, hot slices of Domino‟s Pizza, and retreated…