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There have been recent trends of parents in Western countries refusing to vaccinate their children due to numerous reasons and perceived fears. While opposition to vaccines is as old as the vaccines themselves, there has been a recent surge in the opposition to vaccines in general, specifically against the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine, most notably since the rise in prominence of the notorious British ex-physician, Andrew Wakefield, and his works. This has caused multiple measles outbreaks in Western countries where the measles virus was previously considered eliminated. This paper evaluates and reviews the origins of the anti-vaccination movement, the reasons behind the recent strengthening of the movement, role of the internet in the spread of anti-vaccination ideas, and the repercussions in terms of public health and safety.

As the fear of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic subsides, countries around the globe are now dealing with a fear of the epidemic surrounding the prevalence of monkeypox cases in various regions. Previously endemic to regions of Africa, the majority of monkeypox cases associated with the 2022 outbreak are being noted in countries around Europe and in the western hemisphere. While contact-tracing projects are being conducted by various organizations, it is unknown how this outbreak began. Monkeypox virus is one of the many zoonotic viruses that belong to the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family. Monkeypox cases received global attention during the 1970s, after the global eradication of smallpox. The smallpox vaccine provided cross-immunity to the monkeypox virus. Upon the cessation of smallpox vaccine administration, monkeypox cases became more prevalent. It was not until the 2003 US outbreak that monkeypox truly gained global attention. Despite the virus being named monkeypox, monkeys are not the origin of the virus. Several rodents and small mammals have been attributed as the source of the virus; however, it is unknown what the true origin of monkeypox is. The name monkeypox is due to the viral infection being first witnessed in macaque monkeys. Though human-to-human transmission of monkeypox is very rare, it is commonly attributed to respiratory droplets or direct contact with mucocutaneous lesions of an infected individual. Currently, there is no treatment allocated for infected individuals, however, supportive treatments can be administered to provide symptom relief to individuals; Medications such as tecovirimat may be administered in very severe cases. These treatments are subjective, as there are no exact guidelines for symptom relief.

Structure-based design and synthesis of novel HIV protease inhibitors are described. The inhibitors are designed specifically to interact with the backbone of HIV protease active site to combat drug resistance. Inhibitor 3 has exhibited exceedingly potent enzyme inhibitory and antiviral potency. Furthermore, this inhibitor maintains impressive potency against a wide spectrum of HIV including a variety of multi-PI-resistant clinical strains. The inhibitors incorporated a stereochemically defined 5-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]furanyl urethane as the P2-ligand into the (R)-(hydroxyethylamino)sulfonamide isostere. Optically active (3aS,5R,6aR)-5-hydroxy-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]furan was prepared by an enzymatic asymmetrization of meso-diacetate with acetyl cholinesterase, radical cyclization, and Lewis acid-catalyzed anomeric reduction as the key steps. A protein-ligand X-ray crystal structure of inhibitor 3-bound HIV-1 protease (1.35 A resolution) revealed extensive interactions in the HIV protease active site including strong hydrogen bonding interactions with the backbone. This design strategy may lead to novel inhibitors that can combat drug resistance.

a b s t r a c tPharmacy profession has evolved from its conventional and traditional drug focused basis to an advanced patient focused basis over the years. In the past century the pharmacists were more involved in compounding and manufacturing of medicines, but this role has significantly reduced over time. This advancement in the role of pharmacist calls for them to be the part of the broader health care team working for providing better health care for the patients, thus contributing in achieving the global millennium development goals. To match up, the role of today's pharmacists needs to be expanded to include pharmaceutical care concepts, making the pharmacist a health care professional rather than a drug seller in a commercial enterprise. Therefore, pharmacy schools should prepare a program that has competence with the changing role of the pharmacist. The education should provide ability for critical thinking, improve problem-solving skills and decision making during pharmacotherapy. The student should be trained to create, transmit, and apply new knowledge based on cutting-edge research in the pharmaceutical, social, and clinical sciences; collaborate with other health professionals and learn to enhance the quality of life through improved health for the people of local society and as well as the global community.Copyright Ó 2013, InPharm Association, Published by Reed Elsevier India Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. Pharmacy professionIn the past century, the pharmacy profession covered mainly compounding. As the compounding functions were significantly reduced in the past decade, it became mainly consisted of dispensing. However, only dispensing does not fulfill the needs and recently a new role had to be developed for the profession.1,2 The role of today's pharmacist needs to be expanded to include pharmaceutical care concepts, making the pharmacist a health care professional rather than a drug seller in a commercial enterprise. 3The mission of the pharmacy practice is to provide medication as well as other health care products and services, and to help people and the society to make the best use of them. 4 It involves identifying, preventing, and resolving drug-related problems, as well as encouraging proper use of medication, and general health promotion and education, thus helping in achieving better therapeutic outcome, by their patient focused interventions. 5 A lack of integration of practice standards across different settings indicates for a need to review the standards for relevance. Moreover, pharmacists need to reevaluate workflow models and the delegation of tasks in the light of new roles and responsibilities. 6 Different models of practice are (1) the drug information practice model, (2) the self-care practice model, (3) the clinical pharmacy practice model, (4) the pharmaceutical care practice model, and (5) the distributive practice model. 7 These models are practiced across the continents alone or in combination based on the understanding of the local pharmaceutical needs, expertise of p...

Autoimmune disorders are characterized as a condition in which the host's immune system mistakenly attacks itself. These disorders cause the immune system to cause a systemic reaction by attacking multiple organs or may be localized to attacking one specific organ, such as the skin. The exact mechanism of such autoimmune conditions is not well understood; however, the presumed mechanism tends to vary amongst the disorders. Autoimmune diseases present with a clear gender bias with a greater prevalence amongst women, occurring at a rate of 2 to 1. Many autoimmune disorders tend to affect women during periods of extensive stress, such as pregnancy, or during a great hormonal change. A far greater number of women are affected every year with autoimmune diseases, leading to researchers attempting to identify the underlying factors, which could be responsible for this disparity. Autoimmune disorders occur as a result of multiple factors as some disorders may be genetic, while others are sporadic. Throughout this review, various hypotheses are explored that provide insight into the increased susceptibility of autoimmune disorders within women.

A global outbreak highlights the start of a new decade as a new strain of coronaviruses emerges. Coronavirus disease 2019 , also referred to as Wuhan-Hu-1-CoV -amongst many other namesemerged from the West District of Southern China Seafood Wholesale Market in late December 2019. With the emergence of the new decade, the causative agent of COVID-19 was identified: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). COVID-19 became declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). COVID-19, currently, is affecting 204 countries and territories and two international conveyances. Initial stages of COVID-19 present with symptoms that mimic the common cold and individuals may be asymptomatic carriers and thus, transmitting the virus to others. COVID-19, like other coronaviruses, presents with S glycoproteins on the membrane that plays an integral role in the virus binding with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. The ACE2 receptor is an intramembrane receptor on the type II pneumocytes, where the virus is able to replicate after getting endocytosed within the cytoplasm. As the viral load increases within the alveolar cell, the alveolar epithelial cell will burst, releasing the newly replicated viral RNA. Elderly individuals are at a greater risk of infection due to weakened immune systems and pre-existing medical conditions resulting in a compromised immune response, also increasing the susceptibility of infection. Infected individuals presenting with mild to moderate symptoms are recommended to self-isolate as the majority will recover without any intervention.

The process of medication counselling and dispensing practices at community pharmacies in Pakistan is not satisfactory. The patients are largely handled by unqualified salesmen. Thus there is a strong need to improve medication counselling and dispensing practices at community pharmacies by improving the skills of the dispensers through a mix of interventions, and law should be implemented to ensure presence of qualified person which in turn will result in the provision of better patient oriented services at community pharmacies.