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A variety of terms, such as "antiepileptic," "anticonvulsant," and "antiseizure" have been historically applied to medications for the treatment of seizure disorders. Terminology is important because using terms that do not accurately reflect the action of specific treatments may result in a misunderstanding of their effects and inappropriate use. The present International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) position paper used a Delphi approach to develop recommendations on English‐language terminology applicable to pharmacological agents currently approved for treating seizure disorders. There was consensus that these medications should be collectively named "antiseizure medications". This term accurately reflects their primarily symptomatic effect against seizures and reduces the possibility of health care practitioners, patients, or caregivers having undue expectations or an incorrect understanding of the real action of these medications. The term "antiseizure" to describe these agents does not exclude the possibility of beneficial effects on the course of the disease and comorbidities that result from the downstream effects of seizures, whenever these beneficial effects can be explained solely by the suppression of seizure activity. It is acknowledged that other treatments, mostly under development, can exert direct favorable actions on the underlying disease or its progression, by having "antiepileptogenic" or "disease‐modifying" effects. A more‐refined terminology to describe precisely these actions needs to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for providing rapid and, possibly, on-the-spot analytical results in the case of intoxication has prompted researchers to develop rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective methods and analytical devices suitable for use in nonspecialized laboratories and at the point of need (PON). In recent years, the technology of paper-based microfluidic analytical devices (μPADs) has undergone rapid development and now provides a feasible, low-cost alternative to traditional rapid tests for detecting harmful compounds. In fact, µPADs have been developed to detect toxic molecules (arsenic, cyanide, ethanol, and nitrite), drugs, and drugs of abuse (benzodiazepines, cathinones, cocaine, fentanyl, ketamine, MDMA, morphine, synthetic cannabinoids, tetrahydrocannabinol, and xylazine), and also psychoactive substances used for drug-facilitated crimes (flunitrazepam, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), ketamine, metamizole, midazolam, and scopolamine). The present report critically evaluates the recent developments in paper-based devices, particularly in detection methods, and how these new analytical tools have been tested in forensic and clinical toxicology, also including future perspectives on their application, such as multisensing paper-based devices, microfluidic paper-based separation, and wearable paper-based sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two easy-to-use, rapid, and inexpensive colorimetric-based assays for the detection of active constituent in nasal decongestant phenylephrine hydrochloride (PHP), in solution and their respective pharmaceutical preparations were reported. The assay principle depends on the diazotized sulfadimidine (DSDM) coupling with PHP active pharmaceutical compound under alkaline conditions to produce a colored azo-dye product. A UV/VIS spectrophotometry method was utilized to monitor the color absorbance change at 460 nm, with a linear calibration graph in the concentration range of 1-20 mg L-1 and a limit of detection of 0.22 mg L-1 and limit of quantification of 0.72 mg L-1 . A comparison was done using a paper-based microfluidic analytical device (µPADs) and color intensity change was measured using a Samsung note 9 camera to capture digital images and Image J software to analyze the color intensity development. A linear trend was observed above approximately 10 mg L-1 . Thus, paper-based microfluidic analytical devices (µPADs) can be used as an alternative platform to conventional methods to perform a semi-quantitative PHP drug analysis. The proposed method was applied for the determination of PHP in commercial pharmaceutical preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older people are often affected by impaired organ and bodily functions resulting in multimorbidity and polypharmacy, turning them into the main user group of many medicines. Very often, medicines have not specifically been developed for older people, causing practical medication problems for them like limited availability of easy to swallow formulations, easy to open packaging and dosing instructions for enteral administration. In 2020, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) published a reflection paper 'Pharmaceutical development of medicines for use in the older population', which discusses how the emerging needs of an ageing European population can be addressed by medicines regulation. The paper intends to help industry to better consider the needs of older people during pharmaceutical/clinical medicines development by summarising data on the most relevant topics, providing early suggestions on how to move forward and prompting expert discussions and studies into knowledge gaps. Topics include patient acceptability, (dis)advantages of an administration route, formulation, dosage form, packaging, dosing device and user instruction. While the paper is directed at older people and the pharmaceutical industry, the reflections are also relevant to younger patients with similar disease‐related needs and of value to other stakeholders parties, e.g., healthcare professionals, academics, patients and caregivers, as the paper makes clear what can be expected from industry and where collaborative work is needed. This commentary provides an overview of the different steps in the development of the reflection paper, discusses points considered most controversial and/or subject to (multidisciplinary) expert discussions and indicates their value for real world clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) is an authoritative document that all people with epilepsy in the EU receive when prescribed antiseizure medication (ASM). We undertook the first independent, comprehensive assessment to determine how understandable they are. Regulators state that when patients are asked comprehension questions about them, ≥80% should answer correctly. Also, recommended is that PILs have a maximum reading requirement of US grade 8. Methods: Study 1: We obtained 140 current ASM PILs written in English. "Readability" was assessed using four tests, with and without adjustment for influence of familiar, polysyllabic words. A total of 179 online materials on epilepsy were also assessed. Study 2: Two PILs from Study 1 were randomly selected (Pregabalin Focus; Inovelon) and shown to 35 people from the UK epilepsy population. Their comprehension was assessed. Study 3: To understand whether the student population provides an accessible alternative population for future examination of ASM PILs, Study 3 was completed, using the same methods as Study 2, except that participants were 262 UK university students. Results: Study 1: No PIL had a reading level of grade 8. Median was grade 11. Adjusting for context, the PILs were still at grade 10.5. PILs for branded ASMs were most readable. PILs were no more readable than (unregulated) online materials. Study 2: Users struggled to comprehend the PILs' key messages. The eight questions asked about pregabalin were typically answered correctly by 54%. For Inovelon, it was 62%. Study 3: Most student participants comprehended the PILs' key messages. The questions about Inovelon were answered correctly by 90%; for pregabalin it was 86%. Significance: This is the first independent and comprehensive examination of ASM PILs. It found that PILs being used fail to meet recommendations and regulatory requirements and risk not being understandable to a substantial proportion of users. In finding that people from the epilepsy population differ markedly in comprehension of PILs compared to students, this study highlights the importance of completing user testing with the target population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report distribution of codes associated with a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis recorded in Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Aurum compared to the previously validated CPRD GOLD database as a critical step toward making decisions about CPRD Aurum's suitability for medical research.Patients and Methods: We analyzed the distribution of codes for RA diagnoses, labs, and treatments in the new CPRD Aurum database, compared to the CPRD GOLD database by selecting relevant indicators of RA diagnosis, treatment, and clinical care. We included all patients in England in CPRD Aurum and CPRD GOLD with an incident diagnosis code for RA on or after 1 January 2005 and at least two years recorded data before first RA diagnosis.Results: We found 53,083 and 18,167 patients with a new diagnosis code for RA in CPRD Aurum and CPRD GOLD, respectively. In both databases approximately 67% were female with similar mean ages at first diagnosis. There were few differences in RA-related recording patterns between the two data sources. Before first RA diagnosis, CPRD Aurum patients had more RA-specific labs and other supporting clinical codes. After diagnosis, CPRD Aurum patients had more RA diagnoses coded and more often had 10+ general RA labs than patients in CPRD GOLD. More CPRD GOLD patients had 10+ prescriptions for conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (cDMARD) compared to CPRD Aurum. Otherwise, the distribution of drugs used to treat RA was similar between databases. The standardized incidence of RA was similar between databases.Conclusion: Overall, among patients with a diagnosis code for RA, recording of diagnoses, prescription drugs, and labs were similar between CPRD Aurum and CPRD GOLD. Slight differences were found for a few variables, but overall, we found consistency between the databases. In addition, standardized incidence of RA was similar between databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefit of using the adapters as opposed to patient self-reporting of medication use is objective monitoring of patient adherence to their assigned medication protocol. Keywords: dermatology; electronic monitoring; medication adherence; topical medication EN dermatology electronic monitoring medication adherence topical medication 371 373 3 03/25/22 20220301 NES 220301 INTRODUCTION Medication nonadherence is associated with increased disease severity and poor disease outcomes. [Extracted from the article]

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Dapagliflozin across the range of ejection fraction in patients with heart failure: a patient-level, pooled meta-analysis of DAPA-HF and DELIVER. Obesity and cardiovascular disease: the effect of bariatric surgery Although we know that bariatric surgery effectively targets CV risk factors, its effect on cardiovascular disease is not well-established. Interestingly, 15% of all patients were treated with an SGLT2 inhibitor and subgroup analyses suggest a benefit in both, patients with and without SGLT2 inhibitor treatment. [Extracted from the article]

Introduction: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are associated with high and rising burden of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is among the leading causes of NCD-related deaths worldwide and is a foremost public health problem in Nigeria. As part of National policy, Nigeria has committed to implement the World Health Organization (WHO) Package of Essential Non-communicable Disease interventions for primary care. Implementing the intervention requires the availability of essential elements, including guidelines, trained staff, health management information systems (HMIS), equipment, and medications, in primary healthcare centers (PHCs). This study assessed the availability of the DM component of the WHO package, and the readiness of the health workers in these PHCs to implement a DM screening, evaluation, and management program to inform future adoption and implementation. Methods: This cross-sectional formative assessment adapted the WHO Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) tool to survey 30 PHCs selected by multistage sampling for readiness to deliver DM diagnosis and care in Abuja, Nigeria, between August and October 2021. The SARA tool was adapted to focus on DM services and the availability and readiness indicator scores were calculated based on the proportion of PHCs with available DM care services, minimum staff requirement, diagnostic tests, equipment, medications, and national guidelines/protocols for DM care within the defined SARA domain. Results: All 30 PHCs reported the availability of at least two full-time staff (median [interquartile range] = 5 [4–9]), which were mostly community health extension workers (median [interquartile range]) = 3 [1–4]. At least one staff member was recently trained in DM care in 11 PHCs (36%). The study also reported high availability of paper-based HMIS (100%), and DM screening services using a glucometer (87%), but low availability of DM job aids (27%), treatment (23%), and national guidelines/protocols (0%). Conclusion: This formative assessment of PHCs' readiness to implement a DM screening, evaluation, and management program in Abuja demonstrated readiness to integrate DM care into PHCs regarding equipment, paper-based HMIS, and nonphysician health workers' availability. However, strategies are needed to promote DM health workforce training, provide DM management guidelines, and supply essential DM medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patient safety is a central healthcare policy worldwide. Adverse drug events (ADE) are among the main threats to patient safety. Children are at a higher risk of ADE in each stage of medication management process. ADE rate is high in the administration stage, as the final stage of preventing medication errors in pediatrics and neonates. The most effective way to reduce ADE rate is using medication administration clinical decision support systems (MACDSSs). The present study reviewed the literature on MACDSS for neonates and pediatrics. It identified and classified the data elements that mapped onto the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standard and the functionalities of these systems to guide future research. Methods: PubMed/ MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and ProQuest databases were searched from 1995 to June 31, 2021. Studies that addressed developing or applying medication administration software for neonates and pediatrics were included. Two authors reviewed the titles, abstracts, and full texts. The quality of eligible studies was assessed based on the level of evidence. The extracted data elements were mapped onto the FHIR standard. Results: In the initial search, 4,856 papers were identified. After removing duplicates, 3,761 titles, and abstracts were screened. Finally, 56 full-text papers remained for evaluation. The full-text review of papers led to the retention of 10 papers which met the eligibility criteria. In addition, two papers from the reference lists were included. A total number of 12 papers were included for analysis. Six papers were categorized as high-level evidence. Only three papers evaluated their systems in a real environment. A variety of data elements and functionalities could be observed. Overall, 84 unique data elements were extracted from the included papers. The analysis of reported functionalities showed that 18 functionalities were implemented in these systems. Conclusion: Identifying the data elements and functionalities as a roadmap by developers can significantly improve MACDSS performance. Though many CDSSs have been developed for different medication processes in neonates and pediatrics, few have actually evaluated MACDSSs in reality. Therefore, further research is needed on the application and evaluation of MACDSSs in the real environment. Protocol Registration: (dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.bwbwpape). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug repositioning has the potential to reduce costs and accelerate the rate of drug development, with highly promising applications. Currently, the development of artificial intelligence has provided the field with fast and efficient computing power. Nevertheless, the repositioning of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is still in its infancy, and the establishment of a reasonable and effective research method is a pressing issue that requires urgent attention. The use of graph neural network (GNN) to compute the similarity between TCM prescriptions to develop a method for finding their new indications is an innovative attempt. Methods: This paper focused on traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions containing ephedra, with 20 prescriptions for treating external cough and asthma taken as target prescriptions. The remaining 67 prescriptions containing ephedra were taken as to-be-matched prescriptions. Furthermore, a multitude of data pertaining to the prescriptions, including diseases, disease targets, symptoms, and various types of information on herbs, was gathered from a diverse array of literature sources, such as Chinese medicine databases. Then, cosine similarity and Jaccard coefficient were calculated to characterize the similarity between prescriptions using graph convolutional network (GCN) with a self-supervised learning method, such as deep graph infomax (DGI). Results: A total of 1340 values were obtained for each of the two calculation indicators. A total of 68 prescription pairs were identified after screening with 0.77 as the threshold for cosine similarity. Following the removal of false positive results, 12 prescription pairs were deemed to have further research value. A total of 5 prescription pairs were screened using a threshold of 0.50 for the Jaccard coefficient. However, the specific results did not exhibit significant value for further use, which may be attributed to the excessive variety of information in the dataset. Conclusions: The proposed method can provide reference for finding new indications of target prescriptions by quantifying the similarity between prescriptions. It is expected to offer new insights for developing a scientific and systematic research methodology for traditional Chinese medicine repositioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Hospital Pharmacy / Journal Canadien de la Pharmacie Hospitalière is the property of Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Lastly, in those 80 years or older at the time of cancer diagnosis, CV mortality exceeded cancer mortality for all nine cancer types after follow-up ranging from 1.9 years (melanoma) to 10.6 years (lung cancer). In those aged 6079 years, CV mortality exceeded cancer mortality for seven cancer types after follow-up ranging from 5 years (bladder cancer) to 17 years (lung cancer). Another population-based study on 100 000 patients with 9 different types of cancer from England investigated the risk of CV death.[10] In patients who were diagnosed with cancer below the age of 60 years, cancer mortality generally exceeded CV mortality except for uterine cancer, for which CV and cancer mortality were similar by 11 years of follow-up. [Extracted from the article]

The clinical response to classical immunosuppressant drugs (cIMDs) is highly variable among individuals. We performed a systematic review of published evidence supporting the hypothesis that gut microorganisms may contribute to this variability by affecting cIMD pharmacokinetics, efficacy or tolerability. The evidence that these drugs affect the composition of intestinal microbiota was also reviewed. The PubMed and Scopus databases were searched using specific keywords without limits of species (human or animal) or time from publication. One thousand and fifty five published papers were retrieved in the initial database search. After screening, 50 papers were selected to be reviewed. Potential effects on cIMD pharmacokinetics, efficacy or tolerability were observed in 17/20 papers evaluating this issue, in particular with tacrolimus, cyclosporine, mycophenolic acid and corticosteroids, whereas evidence was missing for everolimus and sirolimus. Only one of the papers investigating the effect of cIMDs on the gut microbiota reported negative results while all the others showed significant changes in the relative abundance of specific intestinal bacteria. However, no unique pattern of microbiota modification was observed across the different studies. In conclusion, the available evidence supports the hypothesis that intestinal microbiota could contribute to the variability in the response to some cIMDs, whereas data are still missing for others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of international public-sector contributions to Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs and vaccines allows for a more thorough examination of the global biomedical innovation ecosystem by institution of origin. Using new and existing methods, we have identified 364 FDA-approved drugs and vaccines approved from 1973 to 2016 discovered in whole or in part by Public Sector Research Institutions (PSRIs) worldwide. We identified product-specific intellectual property contributions to FDA-approved small molecule and biologic drugs and vaccines from the FDA Orange Book, our peer network, published studies, and three new sources: reports of medical product manufacturers' payments to physicians and teaching hospitals under The Sunshine Act of 2010, a paper by Kneller and 64 royalty monetization transactions by academic institutions and/or their faculty that one of us (AS) maintains. We include a total of 293 drugs discovered either wholly by a US PSRI or jointly by a U.S. and a non-U.S. PSRI. 119 FDA-approved drugs and vaccines were discovered by PSRIs outside the U.S. Of these, 71 were solely discovered outside the US, while 48 also involved intellectual property contributions by US PSRIs. In the context of the global public sector landscape, the US dominates drug discovery, accounting for two-thirds of these drugs and many of the important, innovative vaccines introduced over the past 30 years. Contributions by Canada, UK, Germany, Belgium, Japan, and others each amount to 5.4% or less of the total. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correction notice is related to a research paper on the antimicrobial susceptibility of Gemella bacteria to various drugs. The authors have requested corrections to the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and gene possession ratios of two strains. The correction only affects a p-value mentioned in Section 2.2.4 and does not impact the content of the paper. The study found that Gemella strains were resistant to drugs like erythromycin, clindamycin, and levofloxacin, but not to beta-lactams and vancomycin. The mechanisms of resistance varied across different species of Gemella. The given text provides tables with valuable information on the susceptibility of Gemella strains to different antibiotics, as well as the distribution of specific genes and antibiotic resistance in Gemella isolates. [Extracted from the article]

The routine use of antimicrobial therapy to treat diabetic foot infections has been widely published. However, effective treatments can be interrupted with complications such as antimicrobial resistance, systemic toxicity and allergic reactions. This paper looked at 26 individual cases using calcium sulfate (Stimulan®, Biocomposites Ltd) as a carrier for delivering antimicrobials, in the form of beads, at a local level and at the site of infection. In 69% of patients, oral and parenteral antimicrobials were ceased at the point of treatment. Patients were managed under local protocols by the podiatry team to the point of wound closure. Additionally, average healing rates were seen to be significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As effective treatment of glioblastoma is still an unmet need, targeted delivery systems for efficient treatment are of utmost interest. Therefore, in this paper, surface modifications with a small peptide c(RGD) or physiological protein (ApoE3) were investigated. Cellular uptake in murine endothelial cells (bEnd.3) and different glioma cells (human U-87 MG, rat F98) was tested to elucidate possible differences and to correlate the uptake to the receptor expression. Different liposomal formulations were measured at 1 and 3 h for three lipid incubation concentrations. We calculated the liposomal uptake saturation S and the saturation half-time t1/2. An up to 9.6-fold increased uptake for ApoE3-modified liposomes, primarily in tumor cells, was found. Contrarily, c(RGD) liposomes showed a stronger increase in uptake in endothelial cells (up to 40.5-fold). The uptake of modified liposomes revealed enormous differences in S and t1/2 when comparing different tumor cell lines. However, for ApoE3-modified liposomes, we proved comparable saturation values (~25,000) for F98 cells and U-87 MG cells despite a 6-fold lower expression of LRP1 in F98 cells and a 5-fold slower uptake rate. Our findings suggest that cellular uptake of surface-modified liposomes depends more on the target structure than the ligand type, with significant differences between cell types of different origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry eye disease (DED) is a common condition that affects mainly older individuals and women. It is characterized by reduced tear production and increased tear evaporation. Symptoms include burning, irritation, tearing, and blurry vision. This paper reviews key trials of various new DED treatments, including their mechanism of action, study outcomes, safety, and efficacy. The paper also includes a critical assessment of the trial's validity and potential pharmacy applications of these new treatments. The literature search was conducted through PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Google Scholar. The keywords "Dry Eye Disease", "lifitegrast", "cyclosporine", "loteprednol etabonate", "varenicline nasal spray", and "perfluorohexyloctane" were used to identify these medications' landmark trials. The articles deemed these medications safe and efficacious, with minimal side effects. Our randomized controlled trial validity comparison found the trials robust with predominantly low bias. Cyclosporine and loteprednol are effective when artificial tears fail, while perfluorohexyloctane reduces tear film evaporation and is preservative-free. Varenicline offers drug delivery via the nasal route and is appropriate for contact lens users. In conclusion, these FDA-approved novel medications exhibit safety and efficacy in managing DED. Further research is needed on long-term outcomes, efficacy, and side-effect comparisons, and combination therapy benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of patients' experiences using a precision medicine (PM) clinic that conducts pharmacogenomics-based (PGx) testing for adverse drug reactions. The study aimed to identify the features of the clinic valued most by patients and areas for improvement. A paper survey was used to collect data. Survey questions focused on patients' perceptions of the PM testing and the overall clinic experience. Sixty-seven patients completed the survey. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS and frequencies were reported. Open-ended responses were coded and organized thematically. Patients reported that the clinic services increased confidence in their medication usage. Feeling respected by staff, receiving education, and quick appointments were highly valued by patients. Suggested areas for improvement included better communication from the clinic to patients, expansion of clinic services, and education for other healthcare providers. The findings demonstrate that patient experience goes beyond the clinical care provided. Current and potential future providers of PM should invest the time and energy to configure their care delivery system to enhance the patient experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from the observation that the case of Benjamin Button is simultaneously peculiar and universal, both in Fitzgerald's short story and its film adaptation, this paper offers evidence that Benjamin's story may be interpreted as an illustration of the concept of Bildung. However, the two works adopt different positions towards whether and how the protagonist achieves self-realisation. In the short story, which reflects the modernist vision of Bildung, Benjamin's path to maturity is doomed to failure both by his inability to create an inner free space and by the external world hostile to his personal growth. On the other hand, Fincher's Benjamin succeeds in creating an inner space and coming to terms with his otherness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle characterization is critical in industries that are influenced by particle size distribution. Understanding particle behavior is crucial for product quality control and manufacturing process optimization. Particle characteristics significantly affect material performance and properties. This review paper examines the importance of particle characterization in many industries and focuses on particle size and shape measurement. This paper begins by delving into particle size and size distribution analysis, emphasizing the impact of particle size on material properties and the many methodologies used for particle size analysis. This paper then examines particle shape characterization and its impact on material characteristics. It gives an overview of particle characterization techniques and the criteria for selecting the best technique for a given sample. Particle characterization in ceramics, food, cosmetics, medicines, and metallurgy are also thoroughly discussed. Overall, this work emphasizes the importance of particle characterization in numerous industries and provides insights into particle size and shape measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Animals are frequently used to determine whether new compounds have the potential to be used as drugs against the parasitic disease leishmaniasis. There is, however, no consensus on the best animal model, and many different ones are used. This review explored the many different models and identified their strengths and weaknesses. The work showed that many papers on animal models for leishmaniasis lack a thorough description of the experimental procedures used, are deficient in appropriate ethical review (to safeguard the welfare of the animals), and measures to reduce, refine or replace animal studies are hardly addressed. Mice and hamsters are most frequently used, but there are many differences in how the animal experiment is set up. We propose a more generalized animal model, in particular to ensure that different experiments can be better compared. Furthermore, we make a plea to report all animal experiments in the same way, and all experiments must be scrutinized by appropriate ethical review committees. Many different animal models are in use for drug development for leishmaniasis, but a universal model does not exist. There is a plethora of models, and this review assesses their design, quality, and limitations, including the attention paid to animal welfare in the study design and execution. A systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines of available literature after the year 2000 describing animal models for leishmaniasis. The risk of bias was determined using the SYstematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) risk of bias assessment tool. A total of 10,980 records were initially identified after searching the databases PubMed, EMBASE, LILACS, and SciELO. Based on the application of predetermined exclusion and inclusion criteria, a total of 203 papers describing 216 animal experiments were available for full analysis. Major reasons for exclusion were a lack of essential study information or appropriate ethical review and approval. Mice (82.8%; an average of 35.9 animals per study) and hamsters (17.1%; an average of 7.4 animals per study) were the most frequently used animals, mostly commercially sourced, in the included studies. All studies lacked a formal sample size analysis. The promastigote stages of L. amazonensis or L. major were most frequently used to establish experimental infections (single inoculum). Animal welfare was poorly addressed in all included studies, as the definition of a human end-point or consideration of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) was hardly addressed. Most animals were euthanized at the termination of the experiment. The majority of the studies had an unknown or high risk of bias. Animal experiments for drug development for leishmaniasis mainly poorly designed and of low quality, lack appropriate ethical review, and are deficient in essential information needed to replicate and interpret the study. Importantly, aspects of animal welfare are hardly considered. This underpins the need to better consider and record the details of the study design and animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An estimated 30–70% of available medications in low-income countries and conflict states are of low quality or counterfeit. Reasons for this vary but most are rooted in regulatory agencies being poorly equipped to oversee quality of pharmaceutical stocks. This paper presents the development and validation of a method for point-of-care drug stock quality testing in these environs. The method is termed Baseline Spectral Fingerprinting and Sorting (BSF-S). BSF-S leverages the phenomena that all compounds in solution have nearly unique spectral profiles in the UV spectrum. Further, BSF-S recognizes that variations in sample concentrations are introduced when preparing samples in the field. BSF-S compensates for this variability by incorporating the ELECTRE-TRI-B sorting algorithm, which contains parameters that are trained in the laboratory using authentic, proxy low quality and counterfeit samples. The method was validated in a case study using fifty samples that include factually authentic Praziquantel and inauthentic samples prepared in solution by an independent pharmacist. Study researchers were blinded to which solution contained the authentic samples. Each sample was tested by the BSF-S method described in this paper and sorted to authentic or low quality/counterfeit categories with high levels of specificity and sensitivity. In combination with a companion device under development using ultraviolet light emitting diodes, the BSF-S method is intended to be a portable and low-cost method for testing medications for authenticity at or near the point-of-care in low income countries and conflict states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary supplement (DS) use is common and increasing among older adults, though much data available on use frequencies are from surveys and performed cross-sectionally. This paper sought to assess the frequency and pattern of dietary supplement use among older adults over time. Methods: A secondary analysis of data from the AAA LongROAD study, a longitudinal prospective cohort study of older adult drivers, using data from baseline and the first two years of follow up included a total of 2990 drivers aged 65–79 years recruited at five study sites across the US from July 2015 to March 2017. Participants underwent baseline and annual evaluations, which included a "brown bag" medication review. DS were identified and categorized according to type and key components. Prevalence and pattern of DS use over time and relationship to demographics were measured with frequency and Chi squared analyses. Results: 84% of participants took at least one dietary supplement during the 2-year study period, and 55% of participants continually reported use. DS accounted for approximately 30% of the total pharmacologic-pill burden in all years. Participants who were White non-Hispanic, female, 75–79 years of age at baseline, and on more non-supplement medications took significantly more dietary supplements (P < 0.05). Vitamin D, multivitamins, calcium, and omega-3 formulations were the most common supplements, with stable use over time. Use of individual herbal supplements and cannabis products was uncommon (< 1% participants per year). Conclusions: DS use among older adults is common and relatively stable over time and contributes to polypharmacy. In clinical settings, providers should consider the influence of DS formulations on polypharmacy, and the associated cost, risk of medication interactions, and effect on medication compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, food scientists are interested in more rational use of crops that possess desirable nutritional properties, and buckwheat is one of the functional pseudocereals that represents a rich source of bioactive compounds (BACs) and nutrients, phytochemicals, antimicrobial (AM) agents and antioxidants (AOs), which can be effectively applied in the prevention of malnutrition and celiac disease and treatment of various important health problems. There is ample evidence of the high potential of buckwheat consumption in various forms (food, dietary supplements, home remedies or alone, or in synergy with pharmaceutical drugs) with concrete benefits for human health. Contamination as well as other side-effects of all the aforementioned forms for application in different ways in humans must be seriously considered. This review paper presents an overview of the most important recent research related to buckwheat bioactive compounds (BACs), highlighting their various functions and proven positive effects on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020 it is estimated that 281 million people were international migrants. Migrants constitute a potentially vulnerable population in terms of facing discrimination, poor living and housing conditions, and insufficient access to healthcare services. Due to the armed conflict in Ukraine in 2022, almost 10 million people crossed the Polish border within a year of the outbreak of the conflict. The objective of this paper is to present the use of primary healthcare services by people migrating from Ukraine to Poland and identify the barriers in access to healthcare by this group of persons. This study used a qualitative research technique in the form of an expert interview using individual in-depth interviews (IDI). The study group consisted of professionally active primary healthcare providers (doctors, nurses, and facility managers) in Poland. Research was carried out in the areas regarding the availability of healthcare, the potential threats and challenges, and possible system solutions. The results showed that the most common cause for doctor's appointments among migrants are respiratory infections, including COVID-19. Many cases were related to back pain, mainly resulting from the physical work of the patients. Additionally, some barriers to access and the provision of healthcare services for patients from Ukraine were identified. The majority (75%) of respondents indicated language as a significant barrier when providing services. Based on the study results, we recommend creating a dedicated website and telephone hotline for this group of persons as well as the use of traditional media to distribute information about access to healthcare services. It is also essential to focus on assistance for older people, since they may experience more difficulties with language and navigating the healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Industrial Water Treatment is the property of CNOOC Tianjin Chemical Research & Design Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The concept of self-disclosure has been a controversial issue that remains highly debated by current practising social workers and researchers alike. Yet an increasing number of lived experience practitioners or peer support workers are being employed in many human services areas, including mental health, suicide prevention, bereavement services, drug and alcohol recovery, criminal justice, and emergency services, alongside or in complement to, social worker roles. Peer or lived experience roles seek to enhance the recovery journey for clients by sharing lived experience commonality, whereas social workers seek to enhance the recovery journey through psychosocial engagements. Both may have relevant lived experience to their role. The aim of this paper is to explore how sharing lived experiences, also referred to as self-disclosure, between social workers and client/service user can enhance the relationship, with attention paid to safety and recovery. A narrative review of the literature identified that there is a lack of empirical research undertaken exploring how disclosures impact the service users and what decision-making strategies can assist social workers in deciding how and when to share. The current AASW Code of Ethics offers no clear practice standards or ethical guidelines for effective self-disclosure. The analysis of the literature results in a reflective supervision tool for social workers in pre-service training and early career social workers, with the aim of assisting decisions that may prompt lived experience sharing. Recommendations for further research and development are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although Ireland has one of the highest levels of well‐being in Europe, having a health condition has been found to have a direct negative impact. The aim of this study is to evaluate the current situation and the experiences of patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare genetic skin disease, and their relatives living in Ireland, with a focus on burdens and helpful practices. Methods and Measures: In a mixed‐methods design, a series of standardised questionnaires were combined with open‐ended questions. Via an online survey, data from n = 59 EB patients and relatives of EB patients living in Ireland were collected. Results: EB affects both the patients and their relatives. Burdens were found in relation to the visibility of EB, the degree of severity, the current health status, reduced mobility, the financial impact of EB, the psychosocial impact and personal and social resources. The paper also analyses existing resources and highlights opportunities for support and needs of improvement. Conclusion: Quality of life with EB is influenced by somatic symptoms and the psychosocial burden. Individual helpful practices in dealing with this rare disease can be considered as mediators, but they need to be supported by structural and healthcare improvements. Patient or Public Contribution: The perspective of EB patients, their relatives and EB experts were taken into account in the development of the study design via two feedback loops with the EB patient organisations DEBRA Ireland and DEBRA Austria. The design was adapted accordingly. Additionally, by including open‐ended questions, patients and relatives could contribute their individual perspectives and add insights into their lives with EB that might not have been captured with the structured online survey alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue focuses on computational model for drug research regarding drug bioactivity prediction, drug-related interaction prediction, modelling for immunotherapy and modelling for treatment of a specific disease, as conveyed by the following six research and four review articles. Notably, these 10 papers described a wide variety of in-depth drug research from the computational perspective and may represent a snapshot of the wide research landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correction notice states that Alyne Rodrigues de Araujo requested to have his name removed from a previously published paper because he did not participate in the analysis of the original data. The authors of the paper have stated that this correction does not affect the scientific conclusions. The corrected author contributions statement is provided, and it is mentioned that the original publication has been updated. The manuscript is a collaborative work, with contributions from Houda Haddad, Radhia Mejri, and Amira Zaïri. [Extracted from the article]

Pharmacogenetics (PGx) is the study and application of how interindividual differences in our genomes can influence drug responses. By evaluating individuals’ genetic variability in genes related to drug metabolism, PGx testing has the capabilities to individualise primary care and build a safer drug prescription model than the current “one-size-fits-all” approach. In particular, the use of PGx testing in psychiatry has shown promising evidence in improving drug efficacy as well as reducing toxicity and adverse drug reactions. Despite randomised controlled trials demonstrating an evidence base for its use, there are still numerous barriers impeding its implementation. This review paper will discuss the management of mental health conditions with PGx-guided treatment with a strong focus on youth mental illness. PGx testing in clinical practice, the concerns for its implementation in youth psychiatry, and some of the barriers inhibiting its integration in clinical healthcare will also be discussed. Overall, this paper provides a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge and application for PGx in psychiatry and summarises the capabilities of genetic information to personalising medicine for the treatment of mental ill-health in youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pain is one of the main leading causes of disability in the world at present. A variety in the symptomatology, intensity and duration of this phenomenon has led to an ever-increasing demand of pharmacological treatment and relief. This demand for medication, ranging from well-known groups, such as antidepressants and benzodiazepines, to more novel drugs, was followed by a rise in safety concerns of such treatment options. The validity, frequency, and diversity of such concerns are discussed in this paper, as well as their possible effect on future prescription practices. A specific caution is provided towards the psychological safety and toll of these medications, regarding suicidality and suicidal ideation. Most significantly, this paper highlights the importance of pharmacovigilance and underscores the necessity of surveillance programs when considering chronic pain medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug abuse constitutes a significant societal and health challenge in the Republic of North Macedonia, the broader region, and globally. The detrimental consequences, stemming from both direct and indirect effects, profoundly impacted individuals, families, and society, extending to jeopardizing state security. The paper aimed to scrutinize the implementation of the criminal legislation of the Republic of North Macedonia concerning the prevention and detection of criminality involving narcotic substances (drugs) and the penalization of offenders engaged in illegal trafficking and unauthorized production of drugs. Employing the theory of change, which centered on identifying realistic positive transformations in the short and long term, coupled with applying the statistical method, the paper offered an overview of the number of criminal offenses. This overview was based on the official statistical data the Ministry of Internal Affairs provided for 2017 to 2022. Subsequently, the paper extended its focus to international cooperation, engaging in a comprehensive discussion on preventing and detecting criminality involving narcotic substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatment for partners of patients diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections (STI), referred to as expedited partner therapy (EPT), is infrequently used in the emergency department (ED). This was a pilot program to initiate and evaluate EPT through medication-in-hand ("take-home") kits or paper prescriptions. In this study we aimed to assess the frequency of EPT prescribing, the efficacy of a randomized best practice advisory (BPA) on the uptake, perceptions of emergency clinicians regarding the EPT pilot, and factors associated with EPT prescribing. Methods: We conducted this pilot study at an academic ED in the midwestern US between August-October 2021. The primary outcome of EPT prescription uptake and the BPA impact was measured via chart abstraction and analyzed through summary statistics and the Fisher exact test. We analyzed the secondary outcome of barriers and facilitators to program implementation through ED staff interviews (physicians, physician assistants, and nurses). We used a rapid qualitative assessment method for the analysis of the interviews. Results: During the study period, 52 ED patients were treated for chlamydia/gonorrhea, and EPT was offered to 25% (95% CI 15%-39%) of them. Expedited partner therapy was prescribed significantly more often (42% vs 8%; P < 0.01) when the interruptive pop-up alert BPA was shown compared to not shown. Barriers identified in the interviews included workflow constraints and knowledge of EPT availability. The BPA was viewed positively by the majority of participants. Conclusion: In this pilot EPT program, expedited partner therapy was provided to 25% of ED patients who appeared eligible to receive it. The interruptive pop-up alert BPA significantly increased EPT prescribing. Barriers identified to EPT prescribing should be the subject of future interventions to improve provision of EPT from the emergency department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introductions: Psychosis is a condition of severe mental disorder characterised by the presence of disability in assessing reality. Schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder. It is also associated with long-term disability. ACT is one of the newest psychological interventions for psychotic patients. This paper aims to describe ACT as the newest psychotherapy intervention and its advantages for psychotic patients. Review: The management of psychosis is a combination of the use of antipsychotics, psychotherapy, and psychosocial therapy. ACT is one of the newest psychological interventions for psychotic patients that aims to increase the patient’s psychological flexibility through six core processes of therapy: acceptance, cognitive defusion, being present, self as context, value, and committed action. ACT does not target symptom reduction. Therapists help patients recognise and reduce unnecessary struggles with psychological content so that patients can develop an accepting attitude and be able to move towards the values they hold. Conclusions: The use of third-wave behavioural therapy based on mindfulness and acceptance showed good results in patients with psychotic disorders. ACT aims to help individuals accept things that are beyond their control and commit to actions that can improve their lives. Research on the clinical adaptation of ACT for psychosis has shown good initial results in reducing distress due to psychotic symptoms, better regulation of emotions, and reducing relapsing rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article addresses the problem of the presence of selected pharmaceuticals in waters by determining the state of scientific knowledge. The sources of drug residues in the aquatic environment were characterized and the most important information was collected on the toxicity measures of the most commonly used drugs, including NLPZ: (1) non-steroidal analgesics and antipyretics (diclofenac, ibuprofen, phenazone, acetaminophen, propyphenazone, indomethacin, ketoprofen, pentoxifylline, and phenacetin), (2) pharmaceuticals used to reduce blood lipid levels (bezafibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil), (3) drugs used in cardiac conditions, in particular those used to lower blood pressure and treat arrhythmia (atenolol, sotalol, metoprolol), (4) antibiotics (trimethoprim, clarithromycin, amoxicillin, sulfamethoxazole, piperacillin, erythromycin, sulfadimidine, dehydrate-erythromycin, 4N-Acetylsulfamethoxazol), (5)drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (naproxen, fenoprofen), and (6) anticonvulsants, drugs used in neuropathic disorders and tranquilisers (carbamazepine, diazepam, primidone, oxazepam, temazepam). The authors reviewed research papers dealing with the indicated issue, taking into account: (1) research on the presence of pharmaceuticals in water, (2) studies on the health and environmental risk of drinking water for the presence of drug residues and their mixtures, (3) research on the effectiveness of water treatment in terms of pharmaceuticals. Gaps in scientific knowledge have been demonstrated, which are a hint for the directions of future research work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]