Exploring the Contribution of Pharmacists in Addressing the Opioid Crisis through Naloxone Prescriptions and Pharmacist-Led Interventions

The opioid epidemic in the United States continues to take the lives of many individuals, with overdoses continuing to rise every year. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that is efficacious in temporarily reversing opioid overdoses. Pharmacists play an important role in the accessibility and education of naloxone in both the community and health system settings. Recent efforts, such as co-dispensing naloxone with opioid prescriptions, naloxone training programs, and approval of naloxone to be over-the-counter, have been implemented in hopes to better control the opioid epidemic. Despite the efforts to make naloxone more accessible, there are still some barriers to overcome such as lack of training, cost, stigma, and patient refusal. This review aims to explore the contributions pharmacists have made thus far and define the barriers that still have to be resolved.

Roles of Community Pharmacists in Screening and Disseminating of Information about Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Risks: Implications for Drug Safety Assessment

Background: The increasing use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) both on prescription and over the counter raises a major global health concern because of the risks associated with their use if no proper guidance is given by the health care provider. This study assessed the roles of community pharmacists in screening and disseminating information about the risks associated with NSAID use in Zambia. Methodology: This was a national cross-sectional study in which a structured self-administered questionnaire was administered to 245 registered community pharmacists in Zambia. Stata/BE, version 15.1 (Stata Corporation, College Station, Texas, USA) and multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine factors associated with information dissemination about ADRs of NS-NSAIDs. Results: 231 of the 245 distributed questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 94.3%. All (100%) participating community pharmacists claimed to have practiced dispensing NSAIDs. However, only 26 (11.0%) and 71 (30.8%) regularly screened for risk factor of selective COX-2 NSAIDS (SC2-NSAIDS) and non-selective NSAIDS (NS-NSAIDs) respectively. Information dissemination on adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of SC2-NSAIDS was regularly provided by only 22 (9.5%) of pharmacists while that of NS-NSAIDs was regularly provided by 49 (21.2%). In the multivariate logistic regression model, being the owner of a pharmacy (AOR: 5.4, CI: 1.84 - 16.4) was significantly associated with information dissemination about ADRs of NS-NSAIDs while an hour increase in the working hours per day (AOR: 0.9, CI: 0.64 - 0.95) was associated with less likelihood of information dissemination. Conclusion: Pharmacists working in community pharmacies in Zambia did not regularly screen and disseminate information about the risks associated with NSAID use. Therefore, pharmacists should be able to screen and monitor patients at risk and be aware of the majority of risk factors while dispensing NSAIDs to minimize the associated complications.

Optimal dispatching strategy for residential demand response considering load participation

To facilitate the coordinated and large-scale participation of residential flexible loads in demand response(DR),a load aggregator(LA)can integrate these loads for scheduling.In this study,a residential DR optimization scheduling strategy was formulated considering the participation of flexible loads in DR.First,based on the operational characteristics of flexible loads such as electric vehicles,air conditioners,and dishwashers,their DR participation,the base to calculate the compensation price to users,was determined by considering these loads as virtual energy storage.It was quantified based on the state of virtual energy storage during each time slot.Second,flexible loads were clustered using the K-means algorithm,considering the typical operational and behavioral characteristics as the cluster centroid.Finally,the LA scheduling strategy was implemented by introducing a DR mechanism based on the directrix load.The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed DR approach can effectively reduce peak loads and fill valleys,thereby improving the load management performance.

Stability and accuracy of central difference method for real-time dynamic substructure testing considering mass participation coefficient

For real-time dynamic substructure testing(RTDST),the influence of the inertia force of fluid specimens on the stability and accuracy of the integration algorithms has never been investigated.Therefore,this study proposes to investigate the stability and accuracy of the central difference method(CDM)for RTDST considering the specimen mass participation coefficient.First,the theory of the CDM for RTDST is presented.Next,the stability and accuracy of the CDM for RTDST considering the specimen mass participation coefficient are investigated.Finally,numerical simulations and experimental tests are conducted for verifying the effectiveness of the method.The study indicates that the stability of the algorithm is affected by the mass participation coefficient of the specimen,and the stability limit first increases and then decreases as the mass participation coefficient increases.In most cases,the mass participation coefficient will increase the stability limit of the algorithm,but in specific circumstances,the algorithm may lose its stability.The stability and accuracy of the CDM considering the mass participation coefficient are verified by numerical simulations and experimental tests on a three-story frame structure with a tuned liquid damper.

Research on the path of effective management of participation in joint-venture railway companies by China railway group

Purpose-Following the regional restructuring,the number of joint-venture railway companies in which the Group participates has significantly increased.This paper aims to explore the challenges faced by China Railway Group in managing participation in joint-venture railway companies.The study seeks to propose specific approaches to ensure the effective management of these companies,thereby maximizing the benefits of the regional restructuring and supporting the development of a strong transportation country and a modern infrastructure system.Design/methodology/approach-Based on the change in the shareholding relationship between China Railway Group and the joint-venture railway companies,and considering the current situation of the regional restructuring of these companies,as well as the insights from existing literature and typical case studies,this paper proposes some specific paths for effective management of joint-stock railway companies which China Railway Group participated in.Findings-The problems in participation management are the unclear dual leadership role of the party committee,the lack of discourse power,the lack of synergy between shareholders,the increasing risk of sustainable operation of the loss-making companies and the role of dispatched personnel is not fully played.Based on the theories,combined with the existing research and practical cases,the paper proposed specific approaches,such as perfecting top-level system design,maintaining the discourse power,carrying out differentiated management,arranging personnel rationally,arranging shareholders synergy,and innovating methods to provide references for China Railway Group’s subsequent management of joint venture railway companies.Originality/value-This paper contributes to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of the challenges faced by China Railway Group in managing participation in joint-venture railway companies following the regional restructuring.The study offers novel insights and practical recommendations for addressing these challenges.The findings can serve as valuable references for China Railway Group’s subsequent management of joint-venture railway companies which participated in,as well as for other stateowned enterprises facing similar challenges in managing their joint ventures.

The Three Principles of Institutional Safeguards for Women's Participation in Legislation in China

The participation of women in legislation is an important aspect and means of safeguarding women’s rights.Feminist theory,based on criticism of both the“citizenship identity theory as rights”and the“citizenship identity theory as responsibilities,”proposes the“citizenship identity theory as subjectivity.”Observing the current practice of women’s participation in legislation in China,two institutional safeguard principles can be summarized:the“minimum proportion”and the“influence evaluation.”However,each of these principles has its inherent limitations.Therefore,it is necessary to supplement them with the principle of“subjective participation”in a reflective manner.This principle requires women to participate substantively in the legislative process as subjects,express women’s needs and demands,input women’s perspectives and experiences,and reconstruct the distribution of rights and responsibilities in the existing legislation.The three principles complement each other and work together to comprehensively constitute the institutional structure of women’s participation in legislation,thereby promoting the reproduction of corresponding action structures.

Preserving environmental quality of ecotourism sites through community participation in Purulia District of West Bengal,India

The importance of valuing environmental resources,especially in ecotourism sites,has become increasingly important over the last two decades.Ecotourism is now considered as an important source of livelihood of local stakeholders in backward regions.Therefore,the preservation of ecotourism sites through community participation seems very important to maintain continued flow of tourists.This study aimed at recognizing the importance of community participation for the preservation of ecotourism sites.For this,this study executed a survey based on non-probability sampling in two ecotourism sites(Garpanchkot and Baranti)covering 100 respondents in Purulia District,West Bengal of India.The central issue of this study was to assess the tendency of community participation for the conservation of ecotourism sites and find the optimum condition for offering participatory labour time.This study showed that the participation of young people is high,and the majority of respondents are aware of the importance in protecting ecotourism sites.Because respondents were too poor to offer money,the contingent valuation method(CVM)was used to elicit their willingness to pay(WTP)participatory labour time for the conservation of ecotourism sites.Respondents’age,income,education level,caste,and their perceived environmental quality had significant relationship with their WTP participatory labour time by applying the ordinary least square(OLS)model.It was found that the mean WTP participatory labour time of each respondent in a month is approximately 3.64 h.The significance of this study is that community participation can improve the sense of belonging,trust,and credibility of ecotourism sites,making them more appreciative of the value and protection of these sites.

Analysis of Citizen Participation in Urban Planning of Comala,Colima,Mexico-A Secondary Publication

The objective of this study was to determine the degree of citizen participation in urban planning processes in the municipality of Comala,Colima,Mexico to have a broader vision of the citizens and the environment in which they live.An instrument was designed specifically to perform this study and the instrument was validated by calculating Cronbach’s Alpha.The results showed that citizens were highly involved in issues concerning their urban environment,and the main problems of the public spaces were also identified.

The Influence of Swimming Athletes’ Burnout on Their Sports Participation Motivation in Hunan, China

Objective:This study aims to explore the effect of swimming athletes’burnout on their sports motivation in Hunan University,China.It seeks to understand how burnout influences various motivational factors,providing insights for optimizing swimming sports courses and enhancing student participation.Method:Employing random sampling,the study surveyed 260 swimming athletes from Hunan University.The research utilized a questionnaire divided into three parts:demographic information,the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire(ABQ),and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory(IMI).Pearson’s r correlation analysis was conducted using SPSS to examine the relationships between burnout dimensions and motivational factors.Results:The study found significant correlations between a reduced sense of accomplishment and various motivational dimensions,including“interest/enjoyment,”“perceived competence,”“perceived choice,”and particularly“perceived tension.”Physical exhaustion showed a significant correlation only with“perceived tension,”indicating a strong link between psychological stress and physical fatigue.Sports devaluation was significantly correlated with“perceived tension,”suggesting that psychological stress impacts athletes’valuation of their sport.Conclusion:The findings highlight the complex interplay between burnout and motivation in swimming athletes.Psychological stress,as indicated by“perceived tension,”emerges as a key factor influencing both the physical and emotional aspects of burnout.The study underscores the need for holistic training approaches that balance physical training with psychological well-being,personalized coaching,and supportive environments to enhance intrinsic motivation and manage stress effectively.

Observation on the Effect of Parental Participation in Nursing Under the IMCHB Model in Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy

Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of parental participation in nursing under the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior(IMCHB)model in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE).Methods:The First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University included 46 newborns with HIE admitted from October 2021 to October 2023 into the study population.They were divided into a control group and an observation group according to the random number table method,with the control group adopting routine nursing,and the observation group implementing parental participation in nursing under the IMCHB model.The indicators of physical,intellectual,and psychomotor development of the two groups were compared before and after nursing.Results:The physical,intellectual,and psychomotor development of the observation group was higher than that of the control group after 3 months of nursing,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:The implementation of the IMCHB model of parental participation in the clinical care of HIE neonates can further promote their physical,intellectual,and psychomotor development.

Comparison of Anticancer Drug Preparation Techniques between Chemotherapy Specialist Pharmacists and Non-Chemotherapy Pharmacists Using Eye-Tracking Techniques

Anticancer drug preparation by pharmacists is a critical task directly related to medical incidents. This study examined the factors influencing medical errors in chemotherapy, that is, errors by specialist pharmacists (CPh) and pharmacists in other departments (NCPh), by measuring their gaze during the preparation of anticancer drugs. The eye-tracking results showed that the gazing time of NCPh was significantly longer than that of CPh for items such as “preparation of a closed-system device” and “preparation of the syringe” and all preparation times (P < 0.05). The NCPh were not assigned to prepare drugs on a regular basis, indicating their lack of familiarity with the process. There was no significant difference in gaze ratio between CPh and NCPh. This outcome was suggested to be a result of the use of an anticancer drug preparation support system. The results for the pupil diameter variation rate showed that NCPh were significantly more mydriatic in the “mixing injections” category than CPh. However, CPh tended to be more mydriatic in the “checking” category. CPh exhibited a smooth workflow and focused on the important items to be checked. This study showed that the differences in procedure flow and concentration points may lead to errors. Furthermore, the results are of interest from the perspective of medical incident prevention. They will be useful in identifying potential human factors, such as where the pharmacist focuses their attention by measuring eye movements.

A Survey on Pharmacists’ Job Burnout and Satisfaction during the COVID-19 Era

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak negatively impacted pharmacists who provided basic medical services by inducing anxiety and depression, thus, leading to medical errors. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the job burnout and satisfaction levels among hospital pharmacists during the period when China downgraded COVID-19 from a Category A disease to a Category B disease. Method: We selected pharmacists from several medical institutions in Yunnan Province as the subjects by using the general information questionnaire survey, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), and the Work Environment Scale-10 (WES-10). Results: After analyzing 461 questionnaires, the results showed that the age and marital status of the pharmacists displayed significant effects on their emotional exhaustion and sense of achievement, with younger pharmacists getting higher and lower scores for their tests on emotional exhaustion and sense of achievement, respectively (p Conclusion: Hence, it was concluded that the job burnout of pharmacists was at a low level during the period when China downgraded COVID-19 as a Category B disease from Category A.

Seminar on Participation of Chinese NGOs in International Humanitarian Actions Confronting Climate Change held in Beijing

Seminar on Participation of Chinese NGOs in International Humanitarian Actions Confronting Climate Change was held in Beijing on October 11th at 798 Art District,Beijing.This Seminar was co-hosted by China Association for NGO Cooperation,the International Development and Cooperation Institute of Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation,China NGO Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction,Beijing Peaceland Foundation,China International Humanitarian Aid Action Network,Lao Niu Foundation,the Research Centre of Risk Management and Innovation.

Clinical pharmacists’ involvement in carbapenem antibiotics management at Wenzhou Integrated Hospital

BACKGROUND Carbapenem antibiotics are a pivotal solution for severe infections,particularly in hospital settings.The emergence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria owing to the irrational and extensive use of carbapenems underscores the need for meticulous management and rational use.Clinical pharmacists,with their specialized training and extensive knowledge,play a substantial role in ensuring the judicious use of carbapenem.This study aimed to elucidate the patterns of carbapenem use and shed light on the integral role played by clinical pharmacists in managing and promoting the rational use of carbapenem antibiotics at Wenzhou Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital.AIM To analyze carbapenem use patterns in our hospital and role of clinical pharmacists in managing and promoting their rational use.METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of carbapenem use at our hospital between January 2019 and December 2021.Several key indicators,including the drug utilization index,defined daily doses(DDDs),proportion of antimicrobial drug costs to total hospitalization expenses,antibiotic utilization density,and utilization rates in different clinical departments were comprehensively analyzed.RESULTS Between 2019 and 2021,there was a consistent decline in the consumption and sales of imipenem-cilastatin sodium,meropenem(0.3 g),and meropenem(0.5 g).Conversely,the DDDs of imipenem-cilastatin sodium for injection increased in 2020 and 2021 vs 2019,with a B/A value of 0.67,indicating a relatively higher drug cost.The DDDs of meropenem for injection(0.3 g)exhibited an overall upward trend,indicating an increasing clinical preference.However,the B/A values for 2020 and 2021 were both>1,suggesting a relatively lower drug cost.The DDDs of meropenem for injection(0.5 g)demonstrated a progressive increase annually and consistently ranked first,indicating a high clinical preference with a B/A value of 1,signifying good alignment between economic and social benefits.CONCLUSION Carbapenem use in our hospital was generally reasonable with a downward trend in consumption and sales over time.Clinical pharmacists play a pivotal role in promoting appropriate use of carbapenems.

Semi-nonparametric Evidence of Young Women’s Participation in the Congolese Labour Market

This article analyses the determinants of young women’s participation in the labour market. For this purpose, the Employment Policy Enhancement Survey (EAPE), conducted by the Laboratoire de Recherches et d’Etudes Economiques et Sociales (LARES) in collaboration with CERDI in 2018 was used as the database. The results of Gallant and Nychka’s (1987) semi-nonparametric procedure show that health status, household size, marital status, and educational attainment are explanatory factors of young women’s labour market participation in Congo.

Participation in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Education: Analysing the Practices, Issues and Challenges

This article draws from detailed qualitative case studies of three schools as they responded to the devastating Gorakha earthquake in 2015 and other disasters in Nepal. Using Arnstein’s [1] ladder of participation, it explores nature and importance of participation to address the local disaster context. Along with Robertson et al.’s [2] pluri-scalar education governance framework, it also discusses the current forms of participation from various stakeholders specifically within the education system. The article analyses the reasons for stakeholders’ participation in DRR initiatives. It also explains the purpose of the participation, challenges of participation in DRR education, and highlights some key messages around what the study’s data says about participation in DRR education. The article concludes with the idea that curriculum participation is a crucial element to mobilise schools for their disaster preparedness, response and recovery journeys.

Knowledge map analysis of China's public participation in environmental governance PPP project using CiteSpace

China’s public participation in environmental governance PPP projects has become a hot research issue.Based on the CiteSpace software,taking 1592 literatures collected by CNKI from 2000 to 2021 as samples,the paper visually analyzes the literature timing,author distribution,institutional distribution,hot topics and evolution trends of Chinese public participation in environmental governance PPP project.After 20 years of development,the research focus of China’s public participation in environmental governance PPP project involves rural environmental governance,environmental diversification governance,regional environmental governance and environmental governance value-driven,and shows endogenous implicit drive and endogenous explicit drive.The multi-spiral characteristics of China’s public participation in environmental governance PPP coexist with endogenous implicit obstacles and exogenous implicit obstacles.

ITMA 2023 ends on a high note with strong industry participation

19 June 2023-Recovering from the impact of the pandemic,the global textile industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience,capturing the world's attention with its strong presence at ITMA 2023 in Milan.This highly anticipated exhibition served as a comprehensive showcase of cutting-edge technologies,brought to life by an impressive gathering of 1,709 exhibitors.

A Study of Pharmacist-Patient Communication: Examining Optimal Distance and Angle Using an Eye-Tracking System

This study focuses on seating arrangement and interpersonal distance as important aspects of nonverbal communication and aims to elucidate the optimal distance and angle between pharmacist and patient through an analysis based on the subjective evaluation of the patient and the objective evaluation of eye movements. Seven female simulated patients and one male and one female pharmacist cooperated as patients and pharmacists, respectively. The medication teaching scenes were set up with three pharmacist placements (face-to-face at 50 cm and 70 cm, 90-degree at 70 cm) and three hospital rooms (0-degree, 45-degree, 90-degree). Pupil diameter, blink rate, saccades, and fixation rate of the patient at each of these locations were measured using a Tobii Pro Glass 2. The patient’s subjective evaluation at each placement was also investigated using the conversation scale, which assesses the optimal distance for conversation. The results for the pharmacy setting revealed that pupils were significantly more mydriatic at the 50 cm point than at the other points. The results for the hospital room setting showed the greatest mydriasis at the 0-degree point. The result of the 50 cm point for the pharmacy setting and the 0-degree point for the hospital room setting was similar to that of the subjective evaluation. When the likelihood of saccades occurrence in the hospital room setting was compared, saccades were found to be most likely to occur when medication instructions were given to patients at the 0-degree point. We believe that using pupil diameter for interpersonal distance, and saccades for angle will enable more accurate determinations of the optimal distance and angle between pharmacist and patient. The results of the present study suggest that the 70 cm face-to-face point in the pharmacy and the 45-degree point in the ward may be suitable for medication instruction.

A Federated Learning Framework with Blockchain-Based Auditable Participant Selection

Federated learning is an important distributed model training technique in Internet of Things(IoT),in which participant selection is a key component that plays a role in improving training efficiency and model accuracy.This module enables a central server to select a subset of participants to performmodel training based on data and device information.By doing so,selected participants are rewarded and actively perform model training,while participants that are detrimental to training efficiency and model accuracy are excluded.However,in practice,participants may suspect that the central server may have miscalculated and thus not made the selection honestly.This lack of trustworthiness problem,which can demotivate participants,has received little attention.Another problem that has received little attention is the leakage of participants’private information during the selection process.We will therefore propose a federated learning framework with auditable participant selection.It supports smart contracts in selecting a set of suitable participants based on their training loss without compromising the privacy.Considering the possibility of malicious campaigning and impersonation of participants,the framework employs commitment schemes and zero-knowledge proofs to counteract these malicious behaviors.Finally,we analyze the security of the framework and conduct a series of experiments to demonstrate that the framework can effectively improve the efficiency of federated learning.