Community Pharmacists' Attitudes and Professional Practice in Relation to the Patient Safety Incidents

Background: Medicines dispensing is an error-prone activity, therefore potentially jeopardizing patient safety. This study aimed to assess the community pharmacists' attitudes towards the causes of dispensing errors and preventive measures, as well as their practice in incidents reporting. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed by distributing an adopted and validated questionnaire to a nationwide sample of community pharmacists in Serbia. The questionnaire included sections related to the participants' socio-demographic characteristics, their attitudes towards factors causing dispensing errors and corrective actions, as well as their practice in reporting. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS Statistics software ver. 21.0. The associations between categorical variables were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results: The study included 1,004 participants, mainly female (94.9%), with the mean age 40.9 +/- 9.9 years and mean work experience 14.3 +/- 10.0 years. More than a third of the participants (35.4%) indicated an increasing risk of dispensing errors. The main causes included illegible prescriber's handwriting (44.3%) and interruptions during dispensing (39.2%), while the major corrective actions were providing pharmacists with education in clinical pharmacy (71%) and reducing the interruptions during dispensing (63.9%). The majority of respondents (85.2%) stated that they routinely reported dispensing incidents. However, even 16.5% of them admitted to having fear sometimes or always. Additionally, only 58.1% of participants would use voluntary dispensing error reporting system. Conclusion: Serbian community pharmacists are aware of the existing risk in medicines dispensing and the corrective actions identified should be put into practice so as to manage them prospectively. Although the results indicate good practice in incidents reporting, conducting tailored educations and building of safety culture is necessary to improve patient safety

Effect of variable frequency electromagnetic field on deposit formation in installations with geothermal water in Sijarinjska spa (Serbia)

In this paper we have examined the effect of variable frequency electromagnetic field generated with a homemade device on deposit formation in installations with geothermal water from Sijarinjska Spa. The frequency alteration of the electromagnetic field in time was made by means of the sinusoidal and saw-tooth function. In laboratory conditions, with the flow of geothermal water at 0.015 l/s and temperature of 60 °C for 6 hours through a zig-zag glass pipe, a multiple decrease of total deposit has been achieved. By applying the saw-tooth and sinusoidal function, the decrease in contents of calcium and deposit has been achieved by 8 and 6 times, respectively. A device was also used on geothermal water installation in Sijarinjska Spa (Serbia), with the water flow through a 1'' diameter non-magnetic prochrome pipe at 0.15 l/s and temperature of 75 °C in a ten-day period. A significant decrease in total deposit and calcium in the deposit has also been achieved

Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Edible Offal from Free-Range Reared Swallow-Belly Mangalica Pigs

Physical (pH and L*a*b* values) and chemical (moisture, protein, total fat, total ash, K, P, Na, Mg, Ca, Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn) characteristics of offal consisting of the tongue, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidney, brain, and spinal cord of free-range reared Swallow-Belly Mangalica pigs were determined. Many significant differences were found among mean values of quality traits. However, except for a few cases, the determined offal quality traits were in the characteristic ranges reported in the literature. Lungs were high in pH24h (P24h, moisture (P<0.01), and total ash concentration. The highest levels of protein (P<0.01), Mg, Fe (P<0.05), Zn (P<0.01), and Mn (P<0.01) and the lowest of Na were found in liver. The darkest colour (lowest L* value), highest concentration of K, the lowest concentration of total fat and Ca were found in spleen. Finally, spinal cord was the highest in total ash (P<0.01), P (P<0.01), and Ca (P<0.05) and the lowest in protein, Mg (P<0.05), Fe, and Zn (P<0.01) concentration

Assessing the quality of angiographic display of brain blood vessels aneurysms compared to intraoperative state

Background/Aim. Aneurysms in brain blood vessels are expanding bags composed of a neck, body and fundus. Clear visibility of the neck, the position of the aneurysm and surrounding structures are necessary for a proper choice of methods for excluding the aneurysm from the circulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of spatial reconstruction of blood vessels of the brain based on the original software for 3D reconstruction of the equipment manufacturer and a personal computer model developed earlier in the Clinic for Neurosurgery, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, compared to intraoperative identification of these aneurysms. Methods. This study included 137 patients of both sexes. The presence of an aneurysm was verified by angiographic methods [computed tomographic angiography (CTA), multislice computed tomography angiography (MSCTA), magnetic resonance imaging angiography (MRA), or digital subtraction angiography (DSA)]. Results. The quality score (0 to 5) for CTA was 3.180 ± 0.961, MSCTA 4.062 ± 0.928, and for DSA 4.588 ± 0.758 (p < 0.01). The results of this study favorite conventional angiography as the gold standard for diagnostic of intracranial aneurysms. Conclusion. The results of this study are consistent with current publications review and clearly recognize the advantages and disadvantages of diagnostic neuroradiological procedures, with DSA of brain blood vessels as a binding preoperative diagnostic procedure in cases in who it is not possible to clearly visualize the supporting blood vessel and neck of the aneurysm by using the findings of CTA, MRA and MSCTA

Is It Possible to Analyze Kidney Functions, Electrolytes and Volemia Using Artificial Intelligence?

Markers used in everyday clinical practice cannot distinguish between the permanent impairment of renal function. Sodium and potassium values and their interdependence are key parameters in addition to volemia for the assessment of cardiorenal balance. The aim of this study was to investigate volemia and electrolyte status from a clinical cardiorenal viewpoint under consideration of renal function utilizing artificial intelligence. In this paper, an analysis of five variables: B-type natriuretic peptide, sodium, potassium, ejection fraction, EPI creatinine-cystatin C, was performed using an algorithm based on the adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system. B-type natriuretic peptide had the greatest influence on the ejection fraction. It has been shown that values of both Na+ and K+ lead to deterioration of the condition and vital endangerment of patients. To identify the risk of occurrence, the model identifies a prognostic biomarker by random regression from the total data set. The predictions obtained from this model can help optimize preventative strategies and intensive monitoring for patients identified as at risk for electrolyte disturbance and hypervolemia. This approach may be superior to the traditional diagnostic approach due to its contribution to more accurate and rapid diagnostic interpretation and better planning of further patient treatmen

ETHNOBOTANY IN SEE-WB COUNTRIES; TRADITIONAL USES OF INDIGENOUS PLANTS

This paper presents the basic concepts encountered in ethnobotany. First of all, an attempt has been made to define the field of ethnobotany research, to explain the definitions, objectives, methods, and procedures of research, to answer some questions, to resolve a dilemma faced by researchers in this field. It was a challenge to present a special view of the traditional use of plants in SE Europe and Western Balkans which are rooted in cultural patterns, and phenomena characteristic of the entire Eurasian cultural space. Finally, some interesting examples should allow reader to contemplate ethnobotany in space and time tending; through mythology, tradition, legend; to understand religious character, or form; interpret the scientific merits or validity; understand cultural pattern; to note social, biological and linguistic phenomena that deals with this discipline