Information-seeking behaviour of community pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic: an ecological study

[Objective] To evaluate the information-seeking behaviour of pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic and its relation to COVID-19 and related infections and deaths within the local prefecture. [Design] Ecological study. [Setting] Japan—47 prefectures. [Methods] The number of accesses to a Japanese web page established by the Pharmacy Informatics Group to disseminate information about infection control and the number of infections and deaths in 47 prefectures were investigated from 6 April to 30 September 2020 using the access information on the web page and publicly available information. [Results] During the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the total number of accesses was 226 130 (range: 10 984–138 898 per month), the total number of infections was 78 761 (1738–31 857) and the total number of deaths was 1470 (39–436). The correlation between the total number of accesses and that of infections per 100 000 individuals in 47 prefectures was r=0.72 (95% CI 0.55 to 0.83, p<0.001), and between the total number of accesses and deaths per 100 000 individuals in 47 prefectures was r=0.44 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.65, p=0.002). [Conclusions] The information-seeking behaviour of community pharmacists correlated positively with infection status within the community

Social prescribing from the patient’s perspective: a literature review

Social prescribing (SP) has aroused widespread interest across countries. SP is a way of linking patients in primary care with sources of support within the community by empowering patients to coproduce solutions to improve their health and well-being. While previous research has demonstrated that SP contributes to reducing the total cost of the National Health Service, the analysis of its effects on patients is still inadequate. This literature review critically evaluated SP from the patient's perspective through the lens of medical anthropology. The review was made with respect to the three key concepts: treatment evaluation, coproduction, and empowerment. The study revealed that SP services in the UK enabled patients to feel comfort in many cases, but general practitioners, link workers, and patients should be collaborative with each other, and their interrelationships should not be hierarchical. Nevertheless, certain modifications may be needed to introduce SP in other healthcare systems

The Infrared Cloud Monitor for the MAGNUM Robotic Telescope at Haleakala

We present the most successful infrared cloud monitor for a robotic telescope. This system was originally developed for the MAGNUM 2-m telescope, which has been achieving unmanned and automated monitoring observation of active galactic nuclei at Haleakala on the Hawaiian island of Maui since 2001. Using a thermal imager and two aspherical mirrors, it at once sees almost the whole sky at a wavelength of $\lambda\sim 10\mu{\rm m}$. Its outdoor part is weather-proof and is totally maintenance-free. The images obtained every one or two minutes are analysed immediately into several ranks of weather condition, from which our automated observing system not only decides to open or close the dome, but also selects what types of observations should be done. The whole-sky data accumulated over four years show that 50$-$60 % of all nights are photometric, and about 75 % are observable with respect to cloud condition at Haleakala. Many copies of this system are now used all over the world such as Mauna Kea in Hawaii, Atacama in Chile, and Okayama and Kiso in Japan.Comment: 18 pages, 15 figures, 7 tables, accepted for publication in PAS

Determining tan⁡β\tan\beta at the NLC with SUSY Higgs Bosons

We examine the prospects for determining $\tan\beta$ from heavy Higgs scalar production in the minimal supersymmetric standard model at a future $e^+e^-$ collider. Our analysis is independent of assumptions of parameter unification, and we consider general radiative corrections in the Higgs sector. Bounds are presented for $\sqrt{s} = 500$ GeV and 1 TeV, several Higgs masses, and a variety of integrated luminosities. For all cases considered, it is possible to distinguish low, moderate, and high $\tan\beta$. In addition, we find stringent constraints for $3\lesssim\tan\beta\lesssim 10$, and, for some scenarios, also interesting bounds on high $\tan\beta$ through $tbH^{\pm}$ production. Such measurements may provide strong tests of the Yukawa unifications in grand unified theories and make possible highly precise determinations of soft SUSY breaking mass parameters.Comment: Talk presented by T. Moroi at the SUSY'97 Conference, May 27-31, Philadelphia, PA, US

Internet-Based Inquiries From Users With the Intention to Overdose With Over-the-Counter Drugs: Qualitative Analysis of Yahoo! Chiebukuro

市販薬乱用に関して投稿された質問の分析 --Yahoo!知恵袋内テキストデータの定性分析--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-12-05.[Background:] Public concern with regard to over-the-counter (OTC) drug abuse is growing rapidly across countries. OTC drug abuse has serious effects on the mind and body, such as poisoning symptoms, and often requires specialized treatments. In contrast, there is concern about people who potentially abuse OTC drugs whose symptoms are not serious enough to consult medical institutions or drug addiction rehabilitation centers yet are at high risk of becoming drug dependent in the future. [Objective:] Consumer-generated media (CGM), which allows users to disseminate information, is being used by people who abuse (and those who are trying to abuse) OTC drugs to obtain information about OTC drug abuse. This study aims to analyze the content of CGM to explore the questions of people who potentially abuse OTC drugs. [Methods:] The subject of this research was Yahoo! Chiebukuro, the largest question and answer website in Japan. A search was performed using the names of drugs commonly used in OTC drug abuse and the keywords overdose and OD, and the number of questions posted on the content of OTC drug abuse was counted. Furthermore, a thematic analysis was conducted by extracting text data on the most abused antitussive and expectorant drug, BRON. [Results:] The number of questions about the content of overdose medications containing the keyword BRON has increased sharply as compared with other product names. Furthermore, 467 items of question data that met the eligibility criteria were obtained from 528 items of text data on BRON; 26 codes, 6 categories, and 3 themes were generated from the 578 questions contained in these items. Questions were asked about the effects they would gain from abusing OTC drugs and the information they needed to obtain the effects they sought, as well as about the effects of abuse on their bodies. Moreover, there were questions on how to stop abusing and what is needed when seeking help from a health care provider if they become dependent. It has become clear that people who abuse OTC drugs have difficulty in consulting face-to-face with others, and CGM is used as a means to obtain the necessary information anonymously. [Conclusions:] On CGM, people who abused or tried to abuse OTC drugs were asking questions about their abuse expectations and anxieties. In addition, when they became dependent, they sought advice to quit their abuse. CGM was used to exchange information about OTC drug abuse, and many questions on anxieties and hesitations were posted. This study suggests that it is necessary to produce and disseminate information on OTC drug abuse, considering the situation of those who abuse or are willing to abuse OTC drugs. Support from pharmacies and drugstores would also be essential to reduce opportunities for OTC drug abuse

Muon Magnetic Dipole Moment and Higgs Mass in Supersymmetric SU(5) Models

We study the muon magnetic dipole moment and the Higgs mass in the framework of the supersymmetric SU(5) models. In this analysis, all the relevant parameters in the Lagrangian are taken to be free; in particular, assumption of the universal scalar mass is not adopted. Negative search for the Higgs boson at the LEP II experiment sets an important constraint on the supersymmetric contribution to the muon magnetic dipole moment a_\mu(SUSY). It is shown that, for a fixed value of the lightest Higgs mass, the maximum possible value of a_\mu(SUSY) becomes significantly larger in the general SU(5) case compared to the case of the universal scalar mass (i.e., the case of the so-called ``CMSSM''). We also point out that, if we take relatively large value of the trilinear scalar couplings, the constraint from the Higgs mass is drastically relaxed. In this case, a_\mu(SUSY) can be as large as \sim 50\times 10^{-10} even for small value of \tan\beta (say, for \tan\beta=5).Comment: 12 pages, 3 figure

Reconstructing Dark Matter Density with e^+e^- Linear Collider in Focus-Point Supersymmetry

It has been known that, in the focus point scenario of supersymmetry, the thermal relic of the lightest superparticle (LSP) is known to be a good candidate of the cold dark matter. Assuming that the LSP in the focus-point scenario be the cold dark matter, we address a question how and how well the relic density of the LSP can be determined once the superparticles are found at future e^+e^- linear collider. We will see that the determinations of the mass of the LSP as well as those of the Higgsino-like chargino and neutralinos, which will be possible by a study of the decay kinematics of the chargino or by threshold scan, will give us important information to theoretically reconstruct the relic density. Even if the Higgsino-like superparticles and the LSP are the only superparticles which are kinematically accessible, relic density of the LSP may be calculated with the accuracy of factor \sim 2; by adopting a mild theoretical assumption or by determining the masses of the Wino-like superparticles, uncertaintiy can be reduced to \sim 10 % or smaller.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

Knowledge and self-efficacy among healthcare providers towards novel tobacco products in Japan

Several new tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs), have become highly prevalent in Japan. As safety data continues to evolve, healthcare providers are considered important sources for product use, yet little is known about provider knowledge or self-efficacy to counsel patient about novel tobacco product use. This cross-sectional study used data from a Japanese Association of Smoking Control Science (JASCS) online survey of physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and public health practitioners (N = 277) to assess provider knowledge of novel tobacco products and self-efficacy to counsel patients about product use. Correlates of knowledge and self-efficacy were also assessed. More than half the sample had received previous training in treating tobacco use, but 62% of respondents had no knowledge of HTPs; 80% of respondents indicated that they occasionally or always provide smoking cessation support. Overall knowledge of HTPs was low (41.4% correct) with higher knowledge for HTPs containing nicotine (89% correct) vs. HTPs emitting no carbon monoxide (25%). Self-efficacy to counsel patients about novel tobacco products was low on a scale ranging from 10 to 70 (Mean = 31.2; Standard Deviation = 16.7). Greater knowledge of HTPs was associated with male gender, higher rates of training at JASCS and previous learning about HTPs at JASCS. (p < 0.05). The results suggested that healthcare providers' knowledge and self-efficacy regarding novel tobacco products remains low in Japan, but additional training may improve it