Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Salt-Gradient Solar Pond Dimensions on the Pond Performance and Energy Storage

A numerical investigation on the non-convective salt-gradient solar pond was carried out to study the effect of different variables on the solar pond performance. A numerical computer program was performed to show the relations between the different pond variables. The investigation analysis was performed at selected days (1, 15, and 20th) of December 2012 at Jordan-Amman climate. The results of investigation show that the temperature of storage zone will increase by decreasing the depth of both UCZ and LCZ and increasing the depth of NCZ. Keywords: solar pond, performance variables

Awareness of combined oral contraceptives use among Jordanian women: A cross-sectional study

Purpose: To investigate Jordanian women’s knowledge, attitude, awareness and practice regarding combined oral contraceptives (COCs) benefits and risks.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 Jordanian women attending the Obstetrics and Gynecology clinics at Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan. A closed- and open-ended questionnaire was used to explore Jordanian participants' knowledge, attitude and practice regarding COCs use, effect and side effects. Structured interviews were conducted by a trained research team. Thus, it was a pharmacist-assisted survey, and lay language was used to explain difficult medical terminologyResults: Most of participants were prescribed COCs by their physicians (77.1 %), half of them depend on others' experiences and media as sources of information rather than consulting their healthcare team. Half of participants have an idea of non-contraception uses of COCs (50.3 %). One fourth of women (26.0 %) believed that using COCs decreases fertility or even causes infertility, especially if used before their first pregnancy (43.3 %). Women in their middle age were more uncertain about the relation between COCs use and anemia (p = 0.014) or dysmenorrhea pain (p = 0.005). While women who used COCs believed more that the pills regulate menstruation (p < 0.001) and decrease dysmenorrhea pain (p < 0.001) compare with women who had never used COCs pills. Women in general are uncertain if COCs use has negative or positive relation with some types of cancer such as ovarian, cervical and breast. Women who are not affiliated to the healthcare professions were more uncertain about the relation between COCs use and atherosclerosis risk (p = 0.002), MI (p = 0.025) and stroke risk (p = 0.035).Conclusion: There is insufficient awareness and knowledge of the beneficial and non-contraceptive uses of COCs. Educational programs are needed to improve women’s awareness of the benefits and risks of COCs. Keywords: Combined oral contraceptives, COCs, Knowledge, Attitude, Practice, Beliefs, Benefits, Risk

A Cross-Sectional Investigation Of Interlingual & Intralingual Errors Made By EFL Arab Jordanian University Students In The Use Of Prepositions In Their Writing

The present study was a cross-sectional investigation into Arab Jordanian first-, second- and third-year universtiy EFL students’ errors in the use of prepositions in written language production. Kajian ini berhubung dengan penyiasatan rentas-silang tentang kesilapan penggunaan kata depan / preposisi dalam penulisan, dalam kalangan pelajar Arab EFL tahun satu, dua dan tiga di universiti-universiti di Jordan

A systematic review of the use of dosage form manipulation to obtain required doses to inform use of manipulation in paediatric practice

This study sought to determine whether there is an evidence base for drug manipulation to obtain the required dose, a common feature of paediatric clinical practice. A systematic review of the data sources, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, IPA and the Cochrane database of systematic reviews, was used. Studies that considered the dose accuracy of manipulated medicines of any dosage form, evidence of safety or harm, bioavailability, patient experience, tolerability, contamination and comparison of methods of manipulation were included. Case studies and letters were excluded. Fifty studies were eligible for inclusion, 49 of which involved tablets being cut, split, crushed or dispersed. The remaining one study involved the manipulation of suppositories of one drug. No eligible studies concerning manipulation of oral capsules or liquids, rectal enemas, nebuliser solutions, injections or transdermal patches were identified. Twenty four of the tablet studies considered dose accuracy using weight and/or drug content. In studies that considered weight using adapted pharmacopoeial specifications, the percentage of halved tablets meeting these specifications ranged from 30% to 100%. Eighteen studies investigated bioavailability, pharmacokinetics or clinical outcomes following manipulations which included nine delayed or modified release formulations. In each of these nine studies the entirety of the dosage form was administered. Only one of the 18 studies was identified where drugs were manipulated to obtain a proportion of the dosage form, and that proportion administered. The five studies that considered patient perception found that having to manipulate the tablets did not have a negative impact on adherence. Of the 49 studies only two studies reported investigating children. This review yielded limited evidence to support manipulation of medicines for children. The results cannot be extrapolated between dosage forms, methods of manipulation or between different brands of the same drug

Emergence of 3D Printed Dosage Forms: Opportunities and Challenges

The recent introduction of the first FDA approved 3D-printed drug has fuelled interest in 3D printing technology, which is set to revolutionize healthcare. Since its initial use, this rapid prototyping (RP) technology has evolved to such as extent that it is currently being used in a wide range of applications including in tissue engineering, dentistry, construction, automotive and aerospace. However, in the pharmaceutical industry this technology is still in its infancy and its potential yet to be fully explored. This paper presents various 3D printing technologies such as stereolithographic, powder based, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modelling and semi-solid extrusion 3D printing. It also provides a comprehensive review of previous attempts at using 3D printing technologies on the manufacturing dosage forms with a particular focus on oral tablets. Their advantages particularly with adaptability in the pharmaceutical field have been highlighted, including design flexibility and control and manufacture which enables the preparation of dosage forms with complex designs and geometries, multiple actives and tailored release profiles. An insight into the technical challenges facing the different 3D printing technologies such as the formulation and processing parameters is provided. Light is also shed on the different regulatory challenges that need to be overcome for 3D printing to fulfil its real potential in the pharmaceutical industry

Non-medical prescribing versus medical prescribing for acute and chronic disease management in primary and secondary care.

The aim of this Cochrane review was to find out if prescribing by health professionals other than doctors delivers comparable outcomes to prescribing by doctors. Cochrane researchers collected and analysed all relevant studies to answer this question and found 46 studies. Key messages With appropriate training and support, nurses and pharmacists are able to prescribe medicines as part of managing a range of conditions to achieve comparable health management outcomes to doctors. The majority of studies focus on chronic disease management in higher-income counties where there is generally a moderate-certainty of evidence supporting similar outcomes for the markers of disease in high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Further high-quality studies are needed in poorer countries and to better quantify differences in prescribing outcomes for adverse events, and to determine health economic outcomes. Further studies could also focus more specifically on the prescribing component of care. What was studied in the review? A number of countries allow health professionals other than doctors to prescribe medicines. This shift in roles is thought to provide improved and timely access to medicines for consumers where there are shortages of doctors or the health system is facing pressures in coping with the burden of disease. In addition, this task shift has been supported by a number of governments as a way to more appropriately use the skills of health professionals, such as nurses and pharmacists, in the care of patients. We compared the outcomes of any healthcare workers who were prescribing with a high degree of autonomy with medical prescribers in the hospital or community setting in low-, middle- and high-income countries. What are the main results of the review? This review found 45 studies where nurses and pharmacists with high levels of prescribing autonomy were compared with usual care medical prescribers. A further study compared nurse prescribing with guideline support with usual nurse prescribing care. No studies were found with other health professionals or lay prescribers. Four nurse prescribing studies were undertaken in the low- and middle-income settings of Colombia, South Africa, Uganda, and Thailand. The remainder of studies were undertaken in high-income Western countries. Forty-two studies were based in a community setting, two studies were located in hospitals, one study in the workplace, and one study in an aged care facility. Prescribing was but one part of many health-related interventions, particularly in the management of chronic disease. The review found that the outcomes for non-medical prescribers were comparable to medical prescribers for: high blood pressure (moderate-certainty of evidence); diabetes control (high-certainty of evidence); high cholesterol (moderate-certainty of evidence); adverse events (low-certainty of evidence); patients adhering to their medication regimeans (moderate-certainty of evidence); patient satisfaction with care (moderate-certainty of evidence); and health-related quality of life (moderate-certainty of evidence). Pharmacists and nurses with varying levels of undergraduate, postgraduate, and specific on-the-job training related to the disease or condition were able to deliver comparable prescribing outcomes to doctors. Non-medical prescribers frequently had medical support available to facilitate a collaborative practice model

A conceptual framework toward identifying and analyzing challenges to the advancement of pharmacy

Background: Pharmacists and healthcare professionals are faced with increasing and changing health care needs around the world. In order to meet these demands, they are required to continuously upgrade and develop their professions. Reprofessionalization drives are therefore crucial to the successful delivery of health services, but traditional theories of the professions provide little practical guidance to evaluating the overall status of a profession. Objective: This study proposes a new conceptual framework of three interrelated professional sectors: education, regulation and practice, and uses it to identify and analyse challenges facing the pharmacy profession in Jordan. Methods: A multiple-method qualitative study comprised of semi-structured interviews and focus groups was conducted in Amman, Jordan. To explore and identify the challenges, apurposively recruited cross-sector sample of fifty-three key informants, stakeholders and pharmacists were interviewed. Interview transcripts were translated and then analysed using QSR NVivo 10. Thematic analysis identified eight main challenges facing pharmacy in Jordan. The original participants were then invited to participate in focus groups, the purpose of which was to validate the interview findings, map them against the conceptual framework and discuss recommendations for development. Results:The eight validated challenges span the following areas: graduates preparedness for practice, pharmacy education accreditation and quality assurance, pre-registration requirements, workforce development, workforce planning, remuneration and wage rate, pharmacy assistants, and PharmD pharmacists. Focus group participants used the framework to map each of the challenges to the primary sector-to-sector disconnect that they perceived to explain it. A list of recommendations addressing each of the challenges was also devised. Conclusions: The framework was found to offer valuable insight as an explanatory and diagnostic tool in policy-relevant research. By emphasizing the processual and contextual nature of reprofessionalization, the framework presents an alternative approach to traditional theories. This study also raises important questions regarding the status of pharmacy in Jordan and aims to provide guidance for local development and much-needed reprofessionalization drives