Lifelong learning is becoming part of the philosophy of professional education. Continuing medical education is the responsibility of all personnel who are responsible for the delivery of components of the health care delivery system. Continuing education is becoming increasingly obvious for medical universities, hospitals, and health care providers. Pharmacists who practice in a community pharmacy and hospital, and who are participating in residency recognize that the traditional role of the pharmacist is changing. Over the last decades, a host of new services have been identified as a function of the pharmacist [1]. A review of these services revealed a personal commitment to continuing education. It is the absolute need to develop a level of competence that will improve patient care. In Libya, pharmacists working in the community practice setting are pharmacists with a diploma of pharmacy or with a Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D). The main objective is that the graduates possess the knowledge and skills needed to perform optimally to man the pharmaceutical services [1, 2]. Patient's expectations from pharmacists are that the medicine should be effective, safe and affordable. Other expectations from Libyan pharmacists would be to dispense the drugs according to the rules with the right advice on how and when the medicines should be used, and what to do in the case of adverse drug reactions, and the provision of advice on common illnesses. Nevertheless, it is an undeniable fact that the pharmacist has failed to provide all these patient-oriented services [3]. It should be noted that the quality of pharmacy education and training can be improved through certain processes of accreditation.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Aging seldom comes alone and it is considered to be the major factor for many diseases and comorbidities and disabilities. The objectives of the study are to examine demographic characteristics and prevalence of comorbidities and polypharmacy of elderly patients who were admitted at Sebha Medical Center according to the selected period. This study is descriptive and retrospective cross-sectional study conducted in Sebha during 2021. From 195 participants of the study, the highest rate of patients was from the age group of 65 - 74 years which accounted for 86 participants (44%) and followed by those age group of 75 - 84 years which was reported by 65 participants (33%). The majority of elderly patients have hypertension, (n = 116, 59%) and over one-third of the patients (n = 73, 37%) have diabetes mellitus while nearly one-quarter of patients have both diseases at the same time (n = 47, 24%). Nearly, three-quarters of patients have electrolytes imbalance (n = 142, 72%). Nearly, two-thirds of the patients had three to five comorbidity diseases (n = 122, 63%). Whereas, over one-third of the patients had just one or two comorbidities (n = 70, 36%). Almost all the participants have polypharmacy (n = 187, 96%). Just above half of the patients have five - ten medications (n = 100, 51%) compared with 45% of the patients from those who have more than ten medications (n = 87). This study showed that there is a strong relationship between the prevalence of polypharmacy and the number of comorbidities. A Spearman correlation test indicated that rate of comorbidities was related to polypharmacy with a significant correlation (P < 0.01). The present study found high prevalence of comorbidities and polypharmacy among elderly inpatients. Based on this high prevalence, practicing pharmaceutical care could play an effective role to reduce the risk of inappropriate polypharmacy among hospitalized elderly patients through encouraging clinical pharmacist to engage in clinical activities in hospitals.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Background: The significance of healthcare wastes (HCWs) consists in their hazardous component, which constitutes real danger to public health. In Nigeria, healthcare waste management (HCWM) has remained a problem yet to be properly recognized and so addressed. The study aimed to sensitise health workers and the public on the need for proper management of HCWs, considering the public health implications of not doing so. Methods: The waste management systems of ten healthcare facilities (HCFs) were assessed, using a modification of the WHO rapid assessment tool. In each HCF, segregated wastes were collected daily for ten days and quantified by weighing, using a spring balance. Results: Administratively, the HCWM system was poor in the ten HCFs (40.6%). 70% of them had satisfactory waste segregation, 81%, good waste treatment, and 26.7% adequate transportation methods for waste. None of the HCFs had budget allocation for HCWM, and 90% had inadequate storage facilities. Mean waste generation was 1.81 kg/day, 0.23 kg/patient/day, 0.16 kg/bed/day, and proportion of infectious wastes 16.8%. Correlation between the number of patients and proportion of infectious waste, was positive, strong and significant (r=0.80, p=0.01), and between bed occupancy rate and proportion of infectious waste, was positive too, but weak, and insignificant (r=0.34, p=0.34). Conclusions: In view of the identified weaknesses of the ten HCFs in HCWM, budget allocations for HCWM, improving waste storage facilities and transportation, with strengthening of waste segregation, collection, and treatment, would help to ensure adequate HCWM in the HCFs.
The study aims to explore the possible morphological features of monosodium urate monohydrate crystals. The study was carried out on a glass slide under a microscope to observe the growth patterns. As a result, three types of spherical ring-banded, dumbbell, and composite spherulites were observed. This study gives detailed information about the morphology and aggregation patterns of mono sodium urate monohydrate crystals.
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are aerial systems controlled remotely or autonomously by astronauts. Massive advancements in electronics and information technology have prompted the popularity and growth of UAVs. As a result of the huge advances made in electronics and information technology, civilian tasks can now be accomplished with UAV in a more effective, efficient, and secure way. Known as a drone, UAVs are developed and operated using a variety of technologies such as machine learning, computer vision, artificial intelligence, and collision avoidance. Having become more affordable and accessible, drone technology has become more popular among civilians. Therefore, this technology is constantly evolving and can be used across a variety of fields. The application of drones makes a huge difference in the most demanding and complex industrial environments such as those in the mining industry, maritime, oil, gas, and seaports. The usage of drones is increasing among industrialists to improve and optimize processes, as well as to enhance operational efficiency in industrial process. This chapter discusses UAVs on a wide range of topics, including evolution and historical perspectives of UAV, taxonomy of UAV, significance of UAV to society and industry, and industrial and academic perspectives on UAV.
Background: Information on Bleomycin pulmonary toxicity (BPT) in Qatar is scarce. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of BPT and to describe its clinical significance and outcome in germ cell tumor (GCT) patients who received bleomycin-containing regimens.Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the National Center for Cancer Care and Research. It included all patients diagnosed with GCT and treated with a bleomycin-containing regimen between January 2002 and December 2008 Results: We identified fourteen patients with GCT who received bleomycin containing regimen. Four of them (28.5%) had developed BPT, and they were males with mean age of 39.3±8.3 years (range: 25-46 years). The calculated creatinine clearance before treatment was normal in the 4 cases. Evaluation of the chest computed tomography scan before starting bleomycin containing regimens revealed that none of our patients had pre-existing parenchymal lung disease. The mean cumulative bleomycin dose was 187.5± 153.7 U, while the mean time to onset of BPT was 3.5±2.1 months. Once the diagnosis of BPT was established, bleomycin was discontinued in the four patients and short courses of dexamethasone were administered. Two patients (50%) died, while one patient survived with a fibrosis sequel, and the fourth patient recovered without a fibrosis sequel. Conclusion: BPT is one of the life-threatening side effects of this drug that every doctor should be aware of when treating GCT, therefore, a high index of suspicious is needed for early recognition of BPTs.
In this study, we implement a lightweight CNN for sarcasm detection using audio input. To achieve this goal, we propose DepthFire block. We propose a lightweight version of the traditional Depthwise convolution layer that focuses on reduced memory. Unlike the traditional depthwise convolution layer that focuses on reducing the memory requirements of the entire architecture, our solution offers a specific and targeted approach that specifically reduces the memory requirements of the depthwise convolution layer through parameter reduction.We evaluated the impact of its energy consumption and the performance of our proposed solution with other existing solutions and on different activations, pooling functions and datasets.We further tested the applicability of the solution on 2D input.And our solution obtained 82.98 percent model size reduction as compared to MobileNetV2 and 58.94 percent as compared to MobileNetV3 small with a energy reduction of 56.48 percent on CIFAR10 dataset.
The application of clinical pharmacokinetic is the responsibility of all pharmacists providing pharmaceutical care. An appropriately applied clinical pharmacokinetic is expected to result in improved patient outcomes: decreased mortality, reduced length of treatment, reduced length of hospital stays and cost-savings. Data on the extend of pharmacokinetic application in Libyan hospitals remain scarce but available subjective evidence suggests that services related to clinical pharmacokinetic are mostly provided and performed by professionals other than clinical pharmacists. To explore the training background and perceptions of pharmacists on the pharmacokinetic course contents they received during their undergraduate pharmacy programs. Also, to determine the attitudes and barriers experienced by the pharmacists when applying pharmacokinetic principles in their current practice. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study that was conducted between July 2018 and November 2019 using a self-administered survey. The study targeted hospital pharmacists practicing in different hospitals in Libya. A total of 104 pharmacists completed the questionnaire and submitted it back. The majority of participants learned pharmacokinetic courses as a mandatory course during undergraduate courses 81.0% with 37.0% selecting that course was taught as a separate course or courses. Around 80.0% of the participants agreed or strongly agreed that pharmacokinetic courses received in undergraduate studies are useful in pharmacy practice with over 75.0% of the participants agreeing or strongly agreeing on relevance of those course to their current clinical practice. About 40.0% of the participants described their current skills in allowing optimal patient care as can be better. Different barriers were highlighted by the participants to allow sufficient clinical pharmacokinetic practice including lack of sufficient information, lack of awareness of pharmacists’ role and skills in applying clinical pharmacokinetic by other pharmacists and by other health care providers. Thus, this study shows that most practicing pharmacists showed a positive attitude of current pharmacokinetic practice and to the impact of their undergraduate studies on their successful practice. However, they have clearly addressed the room for improvement.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
This abstract provides an overview of the critical role of academic leadership and governance in higher education institutions. As the landscape of higher education undergoes profound transformations, academic leaders and governance structures play a pivotal role in shaping the direction, quality, and effectiveness of educational institutions. This abstract highlights key themes, challenges, and considerations related to academic leadership and governance, emphasizing the need for adaptability, transparency, and inclusivity in the decision-making processes. The abstract begins by acknowledging the evolving nature of higher education and the increasing complexity of issues facing institutions, including technological advancements, changing student demographics, and shifting funding models. It underscores the central importance of academic leadership and governance in addressing these challenges and promoting institutional excellence.
Oxidative stress is due to altered levels of prooxidants and anti-oxidants in the body. This can lead to tissue damage especially the central nervous system. Oxidative damage has been implicated in several disorders including some psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. Uric acid is an anti-oxidant which prevents tissue damage caused by oxidative stress. In this review, the reduced levels of serum uric acid in schizophrenia and depression are discussed. The effect of treatment in these disorders leading to increased serum uric acid levels are also reviewed.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Urolithiasis arises from disturbances in the urinary tract's physicochemical balance and hydrodynamic system. Medicinal plants have been known for millennia and are highly esteemed worldwide as a rich source of therapeutic agents for the prevention of various ailments. A comprehensive literature search of antiurolithiatic plants reported worldwide revealed the family Fabaceae with the highest number of cited species. The members, Macrotyloma uniflorum (Lam.) Verdc., Phaseolus lunatus Linn. and Phaseolus vulgaris Linn. have been selected and hidden versatile weapons of their seeds against urolithiasis such as analgesic, antioxidants, astringent, diuretic, emollient, high soluble oxalate contents, insoluble fibers, magnesium, potassium, phytic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B6), have been discussed on a scientific basis to rationalize the folkloric use.
One of the unique features of Indian society is prevalence of caste system which was originated thousands of years back to demarcate the people engaged in different occupation or jobs. Initially it was not much rigid but gradually people belonging to upper castes for their own selfish means to maintain their monopoly made this arrangement hereditary and started treating people of lower castes disgracefully. For preservation of this system, people started controlling their women to prevent inter-caste marriages and the concept of endogamy came up. This robbed away many types of freedom from women. For women belonging to lower castes, this situation is worse as they are doubly subjugated on the basis on caste as well as gender. Men belonging to their own caste treat them as secondary beings. This paper throws light on this intersection. How intersection of these two kinds of inequalities place them at the lowest position in Indian society. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar rises as their leader who all his life worked for empowerment of downtrodden section of society. He argues that education is the primary tool for evading these differences among people. He further emphasizes to adopt the concept of exogamy to break the backbone of Indian caste system and to immediately leave a religion or culture which legitimizes such system of inequality among people of the same land.
The study, “The beginnings of the organization of the Kosovo Liberation Army in the Lap Operational Subzone December 1995 – June 1998,” as its object of study has the period of the Kosovo Liberation War in the years 1998-1999. This study touches upon the historical dimension of the efforts and sacrifices of Albanians found in the Serbian-Yugoslav area against their will.This study’s main topic is the beginnings of the organization in the Lap Operational Subzone (LOSz) as a significant part of the KLA. The study has undergone a scientific analysis based on sources of all kinds. The analysis included LOSz’s position in the KLA structure: the mission and duties during the liberation war, the governing bodies at the beginning of the LOSz organization and their functional organization, as well as the battles and downfalls of the freedom fighters. Historical literature, feuilletons, scientific papers, as well as interviews with famous personalities, were used to shed more light on the organization and the war in LOSz. This topic covers an essential segment of the Kosovo Liberation War period 1998-1999 And contributes towards the complete enlightenment of this historical period, especially in this region. Therefore, hopefully, this study will build interest and create perspectives for new studies of this nature.
Menstruation is a normal physiological impact on each girl’s life. Menstruation is monthly uterine bleeding for 3-5 days after every 28 days from puberty till menopause. A change in mood, behaviour, appearance of some abnormal vague symptoms is often noticed in the second half of the cycle. Symptoms are severe enough to disturb the life cycle of a woman called premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The study aimed to assess the premenstrual symptoms and coping strategies among adolescent girls. The majority of the students suffered from premenstrual syndrome. Objective: to assess the premenstrual symptoms and coping strategies among adolescent girls. Methodology: A nonexperimental descriptive research design was adopted in this study. Non probability convenient sampling technique was used to select the sample size of 30 adolescent girls. The assessment of premenstrual symptoms and coping strategies was carried out using a self-reported Likert’s rating scale. Data was analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: Majority (93.3%) of the samples sometimes had physiological and psychological problems, 90% of them had behavioural symptoms. Majority (43.3%) of the samples always followed coping strategies and 16.7% of the samples sometimes followed coping strategies and 40% never followed any coping strategies. Conclusion: PMS was common among students at 18-24 years. The most common physical symptoms experienced by adolescent girls were headache, backache and lower abdominal pain. Adolescent girls used coping strategies as taking hot / cold drinks, do not express anger to others, and turn to study and forget things, hearing music and taking medications. Keywords: Premenstrual Symptoms, physiological, psychological & behavioural symptoms, Coping Strategies, Adolescent Girls.
Purpose of review: This narrative review aims to assess the effectiveness of multimodal analgesia protocols (MAPs) in managing postoperative pain and reducing opioid consumption. The review evaluates the safety profile of MAPs, identifies the most effective components for different surgical contexts, and discusses their broader applicability in clinical practice. Given the growing concerns around opioid use, the focus is on alternative strategies that can offer comparable or superior pain relief with fewer side effects. Recent findings: Recent studies have demonstrated that MAPs, which combine various pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods, significantly reduce postoperative pain intensity and opioid use. These protocols show superiority over traditional opioid-centric approaches without increasing adverse events like nausea and respiratory depression. Incorporating regional anesthesia, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and nerve blocks has enhanced recovery, minimized complications, and improved patient outcomes. Furthermore, MAPs can be tailored to specific surgical settings, with combinations of medications like ketamine, acetaminophen, and dexamethasone proving effective in different clinical scenarios. Summary: Multimodal analgesia offers a viable approach to optimize postoperative pain management, reducing opioid-related risks and improving recovery outcomes. By utilizing the synergistic effects of different pain relief modalities, MAPs can achieve better pain control while minimizing opioid consumption. The review underscores the need for the broader adoption of MAPs and further research to refine these protocols, aiming for long-term improvements in surgical care and patient experiences
Poor water quality and lack of access to improved sanitation continue to pose a significant threat to human health. The burden of disease analysis suggests that lack of access to safe water supply, sanitation and hygiene is the third most significant risk factor for poor health in developing countries with high mortality rates. Diarrhoea is the leading disease associated with unsafe water supply, sanitation and hygiene and is responsible for the deaths. The study observed that out of the 150 respondents, 37% are 31-40 years, followed by 20-30 years with 32%. 130 (86.7%) respondents have got married, and 61% of the respondents are female. 85% adopted the nuclear family system, and 50% of respondents are illiterates in the study areas. 85% of respondents are daily wage earners, 37% are earnings rupees between 2000-2500 per month. 27% of respondents are landless labours, and 37% of households possess below 2 acres of land. 40% of respondents suffer from health problems, and 44% consume rice as their staple food. 62% of respondents have debts, and 33% got from money lenders. 62% of respondents do not have toilet facilities and go open defecation. 92% of respondents stated that toilet makes dignity, saves time and energy, saves their children school days, makes adolescent girls privacy, save wage loss, and toilet makes quality life.
Chronic kidney disease is a public health problem affecting people worldwide. This study was aimed to examine the characteristics of patients with chronic kidney disease and to identify prevalence of drug-related problems among Libyan patients. This is a descriptive retrospective study carried out in Southern-west part of Libya, Sebha City. Information abstraction forms were used for collection of data. The investigators reviewed the medications, medical records and laboratory data to identify drug-related problems.1 000 patients' files during 2019-2020 were examined and only 120 files were selected for this study. The majority of the participants were male (73, 61.0%) and the mean age was 56.1 years. 576 comorbidities among the selected patients were identified (73.61%) and the average number per patients was 4.8 concurrent diseases. There were 1 350 medications prescribed and the average of prescribed drugs per patient was 11.25. The majority of patients use more than 10 drugs (64, 53.3%) and the average length of staying in the hospital was 5.58 days. 502 drug-related problems were identified with an average of 4.18 per patient. Untreated conditions such as Hyponatremia and anemia were the highest rate of drug-related problems identified (199, 39.6%) followed by improper drug selection (82, 16.3%) such as cefotaxime, vancomycin and aminoglycoside for chronic kidney disease and drug use without indications such as antibiotics (68, 13.5%) and over-therapeutic dose such as metoclopramide(63, 12.5%). In conclusion, all the patients have polypharmacy and the majority have comorbid conditions and chronic kidney disease with frequent drug-related problems, thus, to lower the incidence rate of drug-related problems, therapeutic interventions are needed. Subsequently, it is a crucial to involve clinical pharmacist in hospital to improve the care of patient with chronic kidney disease.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Iatrogenic splenic infarction is a rare clinical entity that can result from various abdominal surgical and invasive procedures. We report a case of iatrogenic splenic infarction in a 29-year-old female who presented with hemoptysis and was found to have pulmonary sequestration. During the embolization of the anomalous artery supplying the pulmonary sequestration, she developed severe pain and was found to have a splenic infarction, caused by a part of the coil that dislodged during the procedure. The patient showed good response to conservative management and was discharged in good condition.
This study examines the first occurrence of non-toxic dinoflagellate blooming of Gonyaulax polygramma and Chaetoceros sp in Ambon Bay that occurred for almost three weeks in January 2019 and it caused the watercolor became red brown. The objective of this study was to identified phytoplankton species and their abundance that cause red tide in the Inner Ambon bay. Phytoplankton samples were collected, temperature, salinity and Secchi depth were measured simultaneously on the 11th and 21st January 2019 (nortwest monsoon) at fifteen sampling stations in Inner Ambon Bay. The results show that the maximum abundance of G. polygramma, Chaetoceros affinis, C. danicus and C. decipiens were found in the greatest concentration up to 20×109, 9.0x106, 5.8x106 and 3.8x105 cells.L-1, respectively. They were found either in the form of a single cell or in chains. The very high abundance of cells of those species made the waters become red brown but there was no reports of fish killed during this red tide phenomena. This is the first time report of blooming phytoplankton Gonyaulax polygramma, Chaetoceros affinis, C. danicus and C. decipiens occurred in Ambon bay during the dry season where the recorded waters temperature and salinity ranged from 30-32ºC and 29-33 psu, respectively and the secchi depths ranged from 2 to 6m. These results show this is the first report of the red tide phenomena in the Inner Ambon bay during the dry season and it occurred for a long period caused by combination of the high abundance of G. polygramma Stein, Chaetoceros affinis, C. danicus and C. decipiens.
Patients’ knowledge of hypertension and treatment has been found to affect health outcomes of hypertension. This study aimed to assess the impact of therapeutic patients’ education on knowledge of hypertension and lifestyle/dietary modification among hypertensive patients in Nigeria. The study was conducted among 317 hypertensive patients randomized into controlled and intervention groups (158 vs 159, respectively) between March 2021 and February 2022. Baseline knowledge of the patients was assessed and intervention was provided for the intervention group with a structured educational program at a baseline and six months. Descriptive data were presented with a frequency table in percentage while the chi-square test and univariate logistic regression were used to determine the association between categorical variables. Out of the total number of 318 patients, 275 completed the study (response rate: 86.8%) with 136 in the control group and 139 in the intervention group. The mean age of the patients was 59.5 (±12.5) and patients > 60 years (49.5%) were the most frequent age category. The baseline knowledge score of hypertension was 9.8 (±2.6) and 9.3 (±2.6) on a scale of 16 points in the control group and intervention group, respectively (P = 0.060) while at six months 11.9 (±2.3) vs 10.8 (±2.4) (P < 0.001) and 12 months 12.6 (±2.5) vs 9.5 (±2.0) (P < 0.001), respectively. Knowledge of lifestyle/dietary modification in the control group and intervention group at baseline was 7.0 (±2.1) and 6.6 (±2.0), respectively, while at six months 7.5 (±1.5) vs 9.9 (±1.3) (P < 0.001) and at 12 months 7.2 (±1.5) vs 10.4 (±1.2), respectively. Marital status, body mass index, and family history of hypertension were associated with knowledge of hypertension and lifestyle/dietary modification (P < 0.001). The educational intervention provided was found to be associated with a significant improvement in knowledge of hypertension and lifestyle/dietary modification. The marital status of the patients, body mass index and family history of hypertension influenced patients’ level of knowledge.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences