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The Net Generation (those born in or after 1980) rely heavily on ICTs for social and professional interactions, and it has been suggested that they have the expectation that technology will be an integral part of their education. At the same time, it is argued that "Facebook" has educational potential, and that today's learners should be encouraged and supported to use Web 2.0 technologies for learning in formal education. However, there is growing evidence that the value of "Facebook" in the educational context does not relate to formal learning at all, but to the "social networking" elements of the site. This Viewpoint article discusses the results of a study to explore students' views towards the use of "Facebook" in the university setting, especially with regard to learning and integration into university life. The findings suggest support for informal rather than formal learning use of "Facebook" within the university setting.

The aim of this study was to evaluate peer assisted learning (PAL) in a pharmacy course context. PAL is interesting for educationalists as the technique offers reciprocity in learning between the student tutor and the student tutee. Both student tutor and student tutee have the ability to learn through the process. 14 students volunteered to be student tutors on a first year pharmacy practice module. The results are discussed from the perspective of both the student tutee and tutor. Although a small pilot study, the results from this project echo the themes of perceived benefits identified in the literature on PAL, most obviously with the three themes of confidence, collaboration, and learning. Challenges to the process are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Preventive medications such as statins are used to reduce cardiovascular risk. There is some evidence to suggest that people of lower socioeconomic position are less likely to be prescribed statins. In New Zealand, Maori have higher rates of cardiovascular disease. AIM: This study aimed to investigate statin utilisation by socioeconomic position and ethnicity in a region of New Zealand. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study in which data were collected on all prescriptions dispensed from all pharmacies in one city during 2005/6. Linkage with national datasets provided information on patients' age, gender and ethnicity. Socioeconomic position was identified using the New Zealand Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation 2006. RESULTS: Statin use increased with age until around 75 years. Below age 65 years, those in the most deprived socioeconomic areas were most likely to receive statins. In the 55-64 age group, 22.3% of the most deprived population received a statin prescription (compared with 175% of the mid and 18.6% of the least deprived group). At ages up to 75 years, use was higher amongst Maori than non-Maori, particularly in middle age, where Maori have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. In the 45-54 age group, 11.6% of Maori received a statin prescription, compared with 8.7% of non-Maori. DISCUSSION: Statin use approximately matched the pattern of need, in contrast to other studies which found under-treatment of people of low socioeconomic position. A PHARMAC campaign to increase statin use may have increased use in high-risk groups in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes towards the use of Facebook and online professionalism among students studying three health and social care courses at a UK university. The increasing popularity of social networking sites (SNS) has changed the way people manage information about their personal and professional lives. Previous studies have considered how medical students use Facebook, but there is a paucity of research looking at other professional disciplines; either individually or exploring whether there are inter-professional differences. An anonymous online survey was completed by 595 students at one UK university; pharmacy (n = 91, 15%), social work (n = 166, 28%) and nursing students (n = 338, 57%) across all years of the courses. Significant differences were found with regard to attitudes towards Facebook and online professionalism between the subject disciplines, year of study, age and gender of the students. Findings suggest more education and guidance is needed to provide students with the appropriate knowledge of how to maintain professionalism in an online context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Net Generation (those born in or after 1980) rely heavily on ICTs for social and professional interactions, and it has been suggested that they have the expectation that technology will be an integral part of their education. At the same time, it is argued thatFacebookhas educational potential, and that today's learners should be encouraged and supported to use Web 2.0 technologies for learning in formal education. However, there is growing evidence that the value ofFacebookin the educational context does not relate to formal learning at all, but to the ‘social networking’ elements of the site. This Viewpoint article discusses the results of a study to explore students' views towards the use ofFacebookin the university setting, especially with regard to learning and integration into university life. The findings suggest support for informal rather than formal learning use ofFacebookwithin the university setting. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that the increases in the porosity of the skin during iontophoresis would not significantly increase the transport of peptides due to the small size of electrically induced pores. To investigate this mechanistically, we used human epidermal membrane under constant voltage conditions, applying the Nernst–Planck equation to the transport of a small ionic solute, tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB), and a model peptide, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone. Methods: Steady-state flux of the drugs was determined under passive conditions and also during iontophoresis using constant DC voltages applied across side-by-side diffusion cells. Electrical conductance measurements were used to monitor the porosity changes that occur during electrical field application. Results: Porosity increases observed in the membrane substantially increased the permeability enhancement of the small ionic solute TEAB. The permeability enhancement was well described by Nernst–Planck model predictions after porosity changes in the membrane were taken into account. Enhancement of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone under identical conditions was much less than TEAB. The porosity increases induced by iontophoresis had little or no effect on the permeability enhancement of the larger molecule. Conclusions: These findings closely parallel those reports that have found electrically induced pores to be significantly smaller than preexisting pores in the human epidermal membrane. The data obtained also support the view that iontophoresis-induced pores, alone, may provide limited benefit for macromolecule transport across the skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Water hemlock, which encompasses a range of species divided across two genera ( Cicuta and Oenanthe), are regarded as being among the most poisonous plants both in North America and in the United Kingdom. Despite their toxicity, the literature consists almost entirely of case reports. Aim. The aim of this review is to summarize this literature by covering all aspects of taxonomy and botanical characterization, principal toxins, basic pharmacology including mechanisms of toxicity, and the clinical features, diagnosis, and management of poisoning. Mechanisms of toxicity. The principal toxins, cicutoxin and oenanthotoxin, belong to a group of C17 conjugated polyacetylenes. They act as (noncompetitive) gamma-aminobutyric acid antagonists in the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in unabated neuronal depolarization that can lead to seizures. Ingestion of even a small amount of plant matter may result in severe intoxication. Features. After ingestion, the patient is most likely to experience CNS stimulatory effects including seizures that, in the absence of aggressive supportive care, can result in death. Other features include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tachycardia, mydriasis, rhabdomyolysis, renal failure, coma, respiratory impairment, and cardiac dysrhythmias. Management. Treatment consists mainly of prompt airway management and seizure control, plus decontamination if achieved early and after stabilization. In the event of renal failure, the use of hemodialysis has been employed successfully. Conclusions. The ingestion of water hemlock can lead to serious complications that may be fatal. Prognosis is good, however, if prompt supportive care is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To determine the proportion of prescriptions for antibiotics which were unsubsidised, in one town in one year, and to use this to develop a model which could be used to estimate the number of unsubsidised prescriptions., Methods: Data on all prescriptions for antibiotics during 2002 were extracted from pharmacy computers in one town. Data were obtained from PharmHouse database on all subsidised prescriptions from the town pharmacies during 2002. (The PharmHouse database is a subset of the New Zealand Health Information System database and contains records of all the claims for medicines dispensed within New Zealand.) These were compared and the proportion of unsubsidised prescriptions for each antibiotic calculated. Weighted linear regression was used to develop a model of the relationship between the percentage of each drug subsidised, and patient and prescription characteristics obtainable in PharmHouse., Results: 64.4% of antibiotic dispensings in the study town were subsidised, and therefore captured by the PharmHouse database. The proportion varied substantially between different antibiotics. For particular drugs, the proportion of drugs unsubsidised could be predicted by the price of the drug, the number of days it was prescribed for, and the number of patients aged under six who received subsidised prescriptions., Conclusions: Previous studies using PharmHouse data are likely to have significantly underestimated the extent of drug use. Further research is needed on whether this model can help to estimate the extent of unsubsidised prescriptions.

Aims: The initial aim of the research projects was to examine the geographic distribution, patronage patterns, and loyalty of prescription clients around individual community pharmacies. A second aim was to explore the geographical and socioeconomic variation in the use of prescription medicines and prescribing trends both between and within therapeutic classes., Methods: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology (including the tabulating, geocoding, and mapping functions) was used to analyse the information that is held in community pharmacy databases., Results: These studies demonstrated the use of this technology to show variation in local use of prescription medicines, at both an individual level and a population level, through the analysis of data already held in community pharmacy databases., Conclusion: The use of GIS technology and pre-existing community pharmacy databases enables improved data capture on the prescription--and medication-related behaviour of health-service consumers.

Aims: To describe the use of antibiotics in one New Zealand town, and to investigate relationships between antibiotic use and gender, age, and socioeconomic status., Methods: Data from dispensing computers in all community pharmacies in the town were extracted. All dispensings of antibiotics to residents in the town were identified. Discrete individuals were identified and, where possible, linked with data on gender, age and the socioeconomic status (NZDep) of the area in which they lived., Results: 42% of residents in the town received one or more dispensing of antibiotics in 2002. These people, on average, received 2.1 dispensings. Children received antibiotics more often than adults, females more than males and there was a strong relationship between socioeconomic status and antibiotic dispensings., Conclusions: Rates of antibiotic use in the community are strongly influenced by age, gender and socioeconomic status.

A 2 x 2 factorial design was performed to determine the effect of a permeation enhancer (oleic acid/propylene glycol), iontophoresis (2 V), and the combination of the two treatments on the permeation enhancement of a model peptide, LHRH (luteinizing hormone releasing hormone), through human epidermal membrane (HEM). In parallel studies, TEAB (tetraethylammonium bromide, a small ionic solute) and sucrose (an electroosmotic flow marker) were also investigated. Structural changes in the HEM were monitored via conductance measurements, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and infrared (IR) spectroscopy experiments. LHRH enhancement due to enhancer in combination with iontophoresis (I + E; 29.5 times passive permeability, P), was greater than during iontophoresis alone (I; 14.3) and enhancer treatment alone (E; 3.5). I + E had an additive effect of I and E, indicating the mechanisms of action of the individual enhancement strategies were likely to be located at different sites in the skin. Also, no synergistic enhancement was observed with I + E for either TEAB or sucrose. For TEAB, permeability enhancement due to I (approximately 1400) was much higher than that due to E (14.9), and no additive effect could be detected. For sucrose, E had no effect on either passive or iontophoretic permeability, eliminating the possibility that electroosmosis could explain increases in LHRH permeability. Evidence of synergy between E and I was found, with conductance measurements indicating that I + E synergistically increased the membrane permeability to conducting ions (Na+ and Cl-). It appears these pathways were not available for transport for the solutes used in the current study. DSC and IR investigations showed significant changes in stratum corneum lipid structure following E treatment but not following I. These findings probably arise from the localized action of iontophoresis compared with the bulk action of enhancer. In summary, increased LHRH delivery through HEM in vitro can be achieved using an enhancer in combination with iontophoresis., (Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association)