The digital transformation in pharmacy: embracing online platforms and the cosmeceutical paradigm shift.

In the face of rapid technological advancement, the pharmacy sector is undergoing a significant digital transformation. This review explores the transformative impact of digitalization in the global pharmacy sector. We illustrated how advancements in technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and online platforms are reshaping pharmacy services and education. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the growth of online pharmacy platforms and the pivotal role of telepharmacy and telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, it discusses the burgeoning cosmeceutical market within online pharmacies, the regulatory challenges faced globally, and the private sector's influence on healthcare technology. Conclusively, the paper highlights future trends and technological innovations, underscoring the dynamic evolution of the pharmacy landscape in response to digital transformation.

HCI-modelling for improving the clinical usability of digital health technologies.

INTRODUCTION: Digital Health Technologies (DHTs) have been shown to have variable usability as measured by efficiency, effectiveness and user satisfaction despite large-scale government projects to regulate and standardise user interface (UI) design. We hypothesised that Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) modelling could improve the methodology for DHT design and regulation, and support the creation of future evidence-based UI standards and guidelines for DHTs. METHODOLOGY: Using a Design Science Research (DSR) framework, we developed novel UI components that adhered to existing standards and guidelines (combining the NHS Common User Interface (CUI) standard and the NHS Design System). We firstly evaluated the Patient Banner UI component for compliance with the two guidelines and then used HCI-modelling to evaluate the "Add New Patient" workflow to measure time to task completion and cognitive load. RESULTS: Combining the two guidelines to produce new UI elements is technically feasible for the Patient Banner and the Patient Name Input components. There are some inconsistencies between the NHS Design System and the NHS CUI when implementing the Patient Banner. HCI-modelling successfully quantified challenges adhering to the NHS CUI and the NHS Design system for the "Add New Patient" workflow. DISCUSSION: We successfully developed new design artefacts combing two major design guidelines for DHTs. By quantifying usability issues using HCI-modelling, we have demonstrated the feasibility of a methodology that combines HCI-modelling into a human-centred design (HCD) process could enable the development of standardised UI elements for DHTs that is more scientifically robust than HCD alone. CONCLUSION: Combining HCI-modelling and Human-Centred Design could improve scientific progress towards developing safer and more user-friendly DHTs.

Implementation of a Web-Based Communication System for Primary Care Providers and Cancer Specialists.

Healthcare providers have reported challenges with coordinating care for patients with cancer. Digital technology tools have brought new possibilities for improving care coordination. A web- and text-based asynchronous system (eOncoNote) was implemented in Ottawa, Canada for cancer specialists and primary care providers (PCPs). This study aimed to examine PCPs' experiences of implementing eOncoNote and how access to the system influenced communication between PCPs and cancer specialists. As part of a larger study, we collected and analyzed system usage data and administered an end-of-discussion survey to understand the perceived value of using eOncoNote. eOncoNote data were analyzed for 76 shared patients (33 patients receiving treatment and 43 patients in the survivorship phase). Thirty-nine percent of the PCPs responded to the cancer specialist's initial eOncoNote message and nearly all of those sent only one message. Forty-five percent of the PCPs completed the survey. Most PCPs reported no additional benefits of using eOncoNote and emphasized the need for electronic medical record (EMR) integration. Over half of the PCPs indicated that eOncoNote could be a helpful service if they had questions about a patient. Future research should examine opportunities for EMR integration and whether additional interventions could support communication between PCPs and cancer specialists.

Tecnologias digitais de informação e comunicação no ensino de Enfermagem / Las tecnologías digitales de la información y comunicación en la enseñanza de Enfermería / Digital information and communication technologies in Nursing teaching

Objetivo. Conhecer o processo de integração de Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e Comunicação (TDIC), facilidades e limites percebidos por docentes de um curso de graduação em Enfermagem. Metodologia. Estudo descritivo e exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa, realizado no ano de 2018, com nove docentes de um curso graduação de Enfermagem de uma universidade pública localizada no interior cearense. Para o processo de produção dos dados, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas e procedeu-se à análise de conteúdo. Resultados. As TDIC têm sido integradas às práticas docentes em diferentes perspectivas, em atividades teóricas e práticas, a partir do uso de aplicativos móveis de simulação de práticas, redes sociais, links para websites, grupos de WhatsApp® e vídeos-aulas. Ademais, a integração dessas tecnologias amplia a criação de estratégias que promovem a participação ativa do educando, oferecendo espaços de reflexão, autonomia, bem como o desenvolvimento da criatividade. Os docentes destacam a interatividade e comunicação, o acesso a recursos que não estão disponíveis na Universidade, como modelos anatômicos, manequins/simuladores de procedimentos de Enfermagem. Dentre os limites, as questões estruturais, de acesso à internet, ausência de políticas institucionais e educação permanente são fatores que demandam maior atenção para que aconteça uma efetiva integração pedagógica das TDIC. Conclusão. Embora represente um processo inicial, percebe-se um potencial para continuidade e expansão das TDIC em diferentes ambientes e disciplinas. Esforços têm sido empreendidos pelos docentes para integrar essas tecnologias ao contexto das atividades pedagógicas no curso de Enfermagem.

Objective. The objective of this study is to know the integration process of Digital Technologies of Information and Communication (DTIC), facilities and limits perceived by professors of an undergraduate course in Nursing. Methods. Descriptive and exploratory study, with a qualitative approach, carried out in 2018, with nine professors from an undergraduate Nursing course at a public university located in the interior of Ceará. For the data production process, semi-structured interviews were conducted and content analysis was carried out. Results. DTIC have been integrated into teaching practices from different perspectives, in theoretical and practical activities, using mobile practice simulation applications, social networks, links to websites, WhatsApp® groups and video-lessons. Furthermore, the integration of these technologies increases the creation of strategies that promote the active participation of the student, offering spaces for reflection, autonomy, as well as the development of creativity and collaboration. Teachers highlight interactivity and communication, access to resources that are not available at the University, such as anatomical models, simulators of nursing procedures. Among the limits, structural issues, access to the internet, absence of institutional policies and permanent education are factors that demand greater attention for an effective pedagogical integration of DTIC. Conclusion. Although it represents an initial process of use, there is a potential for continuity and expansion of DTIC in different environments and disciplines. Efforts have been undertaken by teachers to integrate these technologies into the context of pedagogical activities in the Nursing course.

Objetivo. Conocer el proceso de integración de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación Digitales (TDIC), facilidades y límites percibidos por profesores de un curso de grado en Enfermería. Métodos. Estudio descriptivo y exploratorio, con abordaje cualitativo, realizado en 2018, con nueve profesores de curso de grado en Enfermería de una universidad pública ubicada en el interior de Ceará. Para el proceso de producción de datos se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas y análisis de contenido. Resultado. Las TDIC se han integrado en las prácticas docentes desde diferentes perspectivas, en actividades teóricas y prácticas, utilizando aplicaciones de simulación de prácticas móviles, redes sociales, enlaces a sitios web, grupos de WhatsApp® y video-lecciones. Además, la integración de estas tecnologías incrementa la creación de estrategias que promueven la participación activa del alumno, ofreciendo espacios de reflexión, autonomía, así como el desarrollo de la creatividad y la colaboración. Los docentes destacan la interactividad y la comunicación, el acceso a recursos que no están disponibles en la Universidad, como modelos anatómicos, maniquíes/simuladores de procedimientos de enfermería. Entre los límites, las cuestiones estructurales, el acceso a internet, la ausencia de políticas institucionales y la educación permanente son factores que demandan mayor atención para que se produzca una efectiva integración pedagógica de las TDIC. Conclusión. Aunque represente un proceso inicial de uso, existe un potencial de continuidad y expansión de las TDIC en diferentes entornos y disciplinas. Los profesores han hecho esfuerzos para integrar estas tecnologías en el contexto de las actividades pedagógicas en el curso de Enfermería.

Contribuciones de tecnologías digitales para la seguridad de pacientes en el contexto hospitalario / Contribuições das tecnologias digitais para a segurança do paciente no contexto hospitalar / The Digital Technologies' Contributions to Patient Safety in the Hospital Setting

Introducción: La seguridad del paciente contribuye a reducir el riesgo de daños innecesarios en los cuidados de salud con un mínimo aceptable. La promoción del cuidado seguro es favorecida por la de las tecnologías digitales en las prácticas de salud. Objetivo: Analizar las contribuciones de las tecnologías digitales y las metas para la promoción de la seguridad del paciente en el contexto hospitalario. Métodos: Revisión integradora realizada en las bases CINAHL, Web of Science, MEDLINE, LILACS y IBECS, con la adopción de la estrategia PICo y clasificación del nivel de evidencia. La muestra incluye 13 estudios primarios, sin delimitación temporal, seleccionados en portugués, inglés y español, que cumplían con el objetivo, los criterios de inclusión. La gestión de los resultados se realizó en el software Endnote Web. La recopilación de datos se produjo entre octubre y diciembre de 2019. Fueron utilizados los descriptores en Ciencia de la salud (DeCS) y Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) en las estrategias de búsqueda utilizadas en cada base de datos. El análisis de los resultados se dio de forma descriptiva. Conclusión: Las tecnologías digitales favorecieron la seguridad del paciente hospitalizado, que resultó en la comunicación adecuada, gestión de riesgos, reducción de costos y tiempo de servicio, práctica de medicación segura y registro de eventos adversos(AU)

Introdução: A segurança do paciente objetiva a redução do risco de danos desnecessários aos cuidados de saúde para um mínimo aceitável e, a promoção do cuidado seguro é favorecida pela incorporação das tecnologias digitais nas práticas de saúde. Objetivo: Analisar as contribuições das tecnologias digitais e as metas para a promoção da segurança do paciente no contexto hospitalar. Métodos: Revisão integrativa realizada nas bases CINAHL, Web of Science, MEDLINE, LILACS e IBECS, com adoção da estratégia PICo e classificação do nível de evidencia. A amostra incluiu 13 estudos primários, sem delimitação temporal, selecionados em português, inglês e espanhol, que atendiam ao objetivo, aos critérios de inclusão e exclusão e o gerenciamento dos resultados foi realizado no software Endnote Web. A coleta de dados ocorreu entre outubro e dezembro de 2019. Foram utilizados os Descritores em Ciências da Saúde (DeCS) e os Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) nas estratégias de busca empregadas em cada base de dados. A análise dos resultados ocorreu de forma descritiva. Conclusão: As tecnologias digitais favoreceram a segurança do paciente hospitalizado, resultando na comunicação adequada, gerenciamento de riscos, redução de custos e tempo de atendimento, prática de medicação segura e registro de eventos adversos(AU)

Introduction: Patient safety contributes to reducing the risk of unnecessary harm in healthcare at a minimally acceptable level. The promotion of safe care is favored by the promotion of digital technologies in healthcare practices. Objective: To analyze the contributions of digital technologies and the goals for the promotion of patient safety in the hospital setting. Methods: Integrative review carried out in the CINAHL, Web of Science, MEDLINE, LILACS and IBECS databases, with the use of the PICO strategy and classification of the level of evidence. The sample includes thirteen primary studies selected without temporal delimitation and written in Portuguese, English and Spanish, related with the set objective and meeting with the inclusion criteria. The outcomes were processed in the EndNote Web software. Data collection took place between October and December 2019. The Health Science Descriptors (DeCS) and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) were part of the search strategies used in each database. The outcomes were analyzed descriptively. Conclusion: Digital technologies favored the safety of hospitalized patients, which resulted in adequate communication, risk management, cost and service time reduction, safe medication practice, as well as in adverse event recording(AU)

Cardiovascular Disease Screening in Women: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Digital Tools.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in women. Given accumulating evidence on sex- and gender-based differences in cardiovascular disease development and outcomes, the need for more effective approaches to screening for risk factors and phenotypes in women is ever urgent. Public health surveillance and health care delivery systems now continuously generate massive amounts of data that could be leveraged to enable both screening of cardiovascular risk and implementation of tailored preventive interventions across a woman's life span. However, health care providers, clinical guidelines committees, and health policy experts are not yet sufficiently equipped to optimize the collection of data on women, use or interpret these data, or develop approaches to targeting interventions. Therefore, we provide a broad overview of the key opportunities for cardiovascular screening in women while highlighting the potential applications of artificial intelligence along with digital technologies and tools.

Advancing pharmacy and healthcare with virtual digital technologies.

Digitalisation of the healthcare sector promises to revolutionise patient healthcare globally. From the different technologies, virtual tools including artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual, and augmented reality, to name but a few, are providing significant benefits to patients and the pharmaceutical sector alike, ranging from improving access to clinicians and medicines, as well as improving real-time diagnoses and treatments. Indeed, it is envisioned that such technologies will communicate together in real-time, as well as with their physical counterparts, to create a large-scale, cyber healthcare system. Despite the significant benefits that virtual-based digital health technologies can bring to patient care, a number of challenges still remain, ranging from data security to acceptance within the healthcare sector. This review provides a timely account of the benefits and challenges of virtual health interventions, as well an outlook on how such technologies can be transitioned from research-focused towards real-world healthcare and pharmaceutical applications to transform treatment pathways for patients worldwide.

Food system resilience thinking: from digital to integral.

The current food system is directly influenced by the increase in environmental problems and nutritional inequality globally. Financial and political collapses, health crises, excessive urbanization, and rapid industrialization are some of the principal factors threatening the food supply's security. The food system needs a profound transformation to avoid ecosystem destabilization and a global food crisis. Concerning this transformation, we are certain that the first step for a successful food system change is global resilience thinking. To reach an integrated food system, we proposed introducing the resilient concept linked with other known concepts, such as circular economy and sustainability. A resilient food system can recover over time, ensuring the supply of sustainable and quality food and access to all. This would mean redesigning the value chains in the food system, re-educating consumers to implement a healthier diet, and introducing technology such as digital innovation. Re-evaluating these relevant points, redesigning the focus of the food system, not only for economic efficiency but also including significant trade-offs, or valuing other services in the food system, are essential to reaching the desired resilience. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Can we harness digital technologies and physiology to hasten genetic gain in US maize breeding?

Plant physiology can offer invaluable insights to accelerate genetic gain. However, translating physiological understanding into breeding decisions has been an ongoing and complex endeavor. Here we demonstrate an approach to leverage physiology and genomics to hasten crop improvement. A half-diallel maize (Zea mays) experiment resulting from crossing 9 elite inbreds was conducted at 17 locations in the USA corn belt and 6 locations at managed stress environments between 2017 and 2019 covering a range of water environments from 377 to 760 mm of evapotranspiration and family mean yields from 542 to 1,874 g m-2. Results from analyses of 35 families and 2,367 hybrids using crop growth models linked to whole-genome prediction (CGM-WGP) demonstrated that CGM-WGP offered a predictive accuracy advantage compared to BayesA for untested genotypes evaluated in untested environments (r = 0.43 versus r = 0.27). In contrast to WGP, CGMs can deal effectively with time-dependent interactions between a physiological process and the environment. To facilitate the selection/identification of traits for modeling yield, an algorithmic approach was introduced. The method was able to identify 4 out of 12 candidate traits known to explain yield variation in maize. The estimation of allelic and physiological values for each genotype using the CGM created in silico phenotypes (e.g. root elongation) and physiological hypotheses that could be tested within the breeding program in an iterative manner. Overall, the approach and results suggest a promising future to fully harness digital technologies, gap analysis, and physiological knowledge to hasten genetic gain by improving predictive skill and definition of breeding goals.

Associations between Digital Health Intervention Engagement and Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review.

There has been a proliferation of digital health interventions (DHIs) targeting dietary intake. Despite their potential, the effectiveness of DHIs are thought to be dependent, in part, on user engagement. However, the relationship between engagement and the effectiveness of dietary DHIs is not well understood. The aim of this review is to describe the association between DHI engagement and dietary intake. A systematic search of four electronic databases and grey literature for records published before December 2019 was conducted. Studies were eligible if they examined a quantitative association between objective measures of engagement with a DHI (subjective experience or usage) and measures of dietary intake in adults (aged ≥18 years). From 10,653 citations, seven studies were included. Five studies included usage measures of engagement and two examined subjective experiences. Narrative synthesis, using vote counting, found mixed evidence of an association with usage measures (5 of 12 associations indicated a positive relationship, 7 were inconclusive) and no evidence regarding an association with subjective experience (both studies were inconclusive). The findings provide early evidence supporting an association between measures of usage and dietary intake; however, this was inconsistent. Further research examining the association between DHI engagement and dietary intake is warranted.

Impacts of Digital Healthy Diet Literacy and Healthy Eating Behavior on Fear of COVID-19, Changes in Mental Health, and Health-Related Quality of Life among Front-Line Health Care Workers.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine the impacts of digital healthy diet literacy (DDL) and healthy eating behaviors (HES) on fear of COVID-19, changes in mental health, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among front-line healthcare workers (HCWs). METHODS: An online survey was conducted at 15 hospitals and health centers from 6-19 April 2020. Data of 2299 front-line HCWs were analyzed-including socio-demographics, symptoms like COVID-19, health literacy, eHealth literacy, DDL, HES, fear of COVID-19, changes in mental health, and HRQoL. Regression models were used to examine the associations. RESULTS: HCWs with higher scores of DDL and HES had lower scores of FCoV-19S (regression coefficient, B, -0.04; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI, -0.07, -0.02; p = 0.001; and B, -0.10; 95% CI, -0.15, -0.06; p < 0.001); had a higher likelihood of stable or better mental health status (odds ratio, OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00, 1.05; p = 0.029; and OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00, 1.07; p = 0.043); and HRQoL (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01, 1.03; p = 0.006; and OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02, 1.06; p = 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DDL and HES were found as independent predictors of fear of COVID-19, changes in mental health status, and HRQoL in front-line HCWs. Improving DDL and HES should be considered as a strategic approach for hospitals and healthcare systems.

Digital health technology for non-motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease: Futile or future?

INTRODUCTION: There is an ongoing digital revolution in the field of Parkinson's disease (PD) for the objective measurement of motor aspects, to be used in clinical trials and possibly support therapeutic choices. The focus of remote technologies is now also slowly shifting towards the broad but more "hidden" spectrum of non-motor symptoms (NMS). METHODS: A narrative review of digital health technologies for measuring NMS in people with PD was conducted. These digital technologies were defined as assessment tools for NMS offered remotely in the form of a wearable, downloadable as a mobile app, or any other objective measurement of NMS in PD that did not require a hospital visit and could be performed remotely. Searches were performed using peer-reviewed literature indexed databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane CENTRAL Register of Controlled Trials), as well as Google and Google Scholar. RESULTS: Eighteen studies deploying digital health technology in PD were identified, for example for the measurement of sleep disorders, cognitive dysfunction and orthostatic hypotension. In addition, we describe promising developments in other conditions that could be translated for use in PD. CONCLUSION: Unlike motor symptoms, non-motor features of PD are difficult to measure directly using remote digital technologies. Nonetheless, it is currently possible to reliably measure several NMS and further digital technology developments are underway to offer further capture of often under-reported and under-recognised NMS.

Integration of personalized drug delivery systems into digital health.

Personalized drug delivery systems (PDDS), implying the patient-tailored dose, dosage form, frequency of administration and drug release kinetics, and digital health platforms for diagnosis and treatment monitoring, patient adherence, and traceability of drug products, are emerging scientific areas. Both fields are advancing at a fast pace. However, despite the strong complementary nature of these disciplines, there are only a few successful examples of merging these areas. Therefore, it is important and timely to combine PDDS with an increasing number of high-end digital health solutions to create an interactive feedback loop between the actual needs of each patient and the drug products. This review provides an overview of advanced design solutions for new products such as interactive personalized treatment that would interconnect the pharmaceutical and digital worlds. Furthermore, we discuss the recent advancements in the pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC) management and related limitations of the current mass production model. We summarize the current state of the art and envision future directions and potential development areas.

Virtual primary care in high-income countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: Policy responses and lessons for the future.

BACKGROUND: Telemedicine, once defined merely as the treatment of certain conditions remotely, has now often been supplanted in use by broader terms such as 'virtual care', in recognition of its increasing capability to deliver a diverse range of healthcare services from afar. With the unexpected onset of COVID-19, virtual care (e.g. telephone, video, online) has become essential to facilitating the continuation of primary care globally. Over several short weeks, existing healthcare policies have adapted quickly and empowered clinicians to use digital means to fulfil a wide range of clinical responsibilities, which until then have required face-to-face consultations. OBJECTIVES: This paper aims to explore the virtual care policies and guidance material published during the initial months of the pandemic and examine their potential limitations and impact on transforming the delivery of primary care in high-income countries. METHODS: A rapid review of publicly available national policies guiding the use of virtual care in General Practice was conducted. Documents were included if issued in the first six months of the pandemic (March to August of 2020) and focussed primarily on high-income countries. Documents must have been issued by a national health authority, accreditation body, or professional organisation, and directly refer to the delivery of primary care. RESULTS: We extracted six areas of relevance: primary care transformation during COVID-19, the continued delivery of preventative care, the delivery of acute care, remote triaging, funding & reimbursement, and security standards. CONCLUSION: Virtual care use in primary care saw a transformative change during the pandemic. However, despite the advances in the various governmental guidance offered, much work remains in addressing the shortcomings exposed during COVID-19 and strengthening viable policies to better incorporate novel technologies into the modern primary care clinical environment.

Making the COVID-19 Pandemic a Driver for Digital Health: Brazilian Strategies.

The COVID-19 outbreak exposed several problems faced by health systems worldwide, especially concerning the safe and rapid generation and sharing of health data. However, this pandemic scenario has also facilitated the rapid implementation and monitoring of technologies in the health field. In view of the occurrence of the public emergency caused by SARS-CoV-2 in Brazil, the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System created a contingency plan. In this paper, we aim to report the digital health strategies applied in Brazil and the first results obtained during the fight against COVID-19. Conecte SUS, a platform created to store all the health data of an individual throughout their life, is the center point of the Brazilian digital strategy. Access to the platform can be obtained through an app by the patient and the health professionals involved in the case. Health data sharing became possible due to the creation of the National Health Data Network (Rede Nacional de Dados em Saúde, RNDS). A mobile app was developed to guide citizens regarding the need to go to a health facility and to assist in disseminating official news about the virus. The mobile app can also alert the user if they have had contact with an infected person. The official numbers of cases and available hospital beds are updated and published daily on a website containing interactive graphs. These data are obtained due to creating a web-based notification system that uses the RNDS to share information about the cases. Preclinical care through telemedicine has become essential to prevent overload in health facilities. The exchange of experiences between medical teams from large centers and small hospitals was made possible using telehealth. Brazil took a giant step toward digital health adoption, creating and implementing important initiatives; however, these initiatives do not yet cover the entire health system. It is expected that the sharing of health data that are maintained and authorized by the patient will become a reality in the near future. The intention is to obtain better clinical outcomes, cost reduction, and faster and better services in the public health network.

Correlating qRT-PCR, dPCR and Viral Titration for the Identification and Quantification of SARS-CoV-2: A New Approach for Infection Management.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 and is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) represents the gold standard for diagnostic assays even if it cannot precisely quantify viral RNA copies. Thus, we decided to compare qRT-PCR with digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR), which is able to give an accurate number of RNA copies that can be found in a specimen. However, the aforementioned methods are not capable to discriminate if the detected RNA is infectious or not. For this purpose, it is necessary to perform an endpoint titration on cell cultures, which is largely used in the research field and provides a tissue culture infecting dose per mL (TCID50/mL) value. Both research and diagnostics call for a model that allows the comparison between the results obtained employing different analytical methods. The aim of this study is to define a comparison among two qRT-PCR protocols (one with preliminary RNA extraction and purification and an extraction-free qRT-PCR), a dPCR and a titration on cell cultures. The resulting correlations yield a faithful estimation of the total number of RNA copies and of the infectious viral burden from a Ct value obtained with diagnostic routine tests. All these estimations take into consideration methodological errors linked to the qRT-PCR, dPCR and titration assays.

Managing high frequency users of an electronic consultation system in primary care: a quality improvement project.

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a rapid change in primary care provision. There was a significant shift from face-to-face appointments to remote methods such as electronic consultation (e-consultation). Patients from a primary care provider in London were actively encouraged to use an online consultation platform called 'Dr iQ'. A group of high frequency users of Dr iQ emerged and clinicians were concerned their health needs were not being met through the platform. High frequency attendance in a traditional general practice setting is associated with increased time and healthcare costs.This project evaluated the number of high frequency users (identified as 10 or more consultations a month) of Dr iQ in one busy inner city practice over a 5-month period. We aimed to decrease the subsequent monthly usage frequency of all Dr iQ high frequency users from 10 or more consultations to less than 10 consultations. Our interventions included a semi-structured telephone interview, discussion among the multidisciplinary team, and regular scheduled telephone or face-to-face appointments. Following two Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles, all 12 high frequency users showed a decrease in the number of consultations submitted to Dr iQ to less than 10 consultations a month.This project proposes a method of case managing high frequency users of e-consultation. The majority of high frequency users had unmet health needs and felt a lack of continuity of care on Dr iQ. They often had complex physical and mental health problems. As remote consulting technology continues to develop, more research is required to understand the epidemiology and aetiology of e-consultation high frequency use in order to improve patient outcomes.

Aptazyme-Based Riboswitches and Logic Gates in Mammalian Cells.

This chapter describes a screening strategy to engineer synthetic riboswitches that can chemically regulate gene expression in mammalian cells. Riboswitch libraries are constructed by randomizing the key nucleotides that couple the molecular recognition function of an aptamer with the self-cleavage activity of a ribozyme. The allosteric ribozyme (aptazyme) candidates are cloned in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of a reporter gene mRNA. The plasmid-encoded riboswitch candidates are transfected into a mammalian cell line to screen for the desired riboswitch function. Furthermore, multiple aptazymes can be cloned into the 3' UTR of a desired gene to obtain a logic gate response to multiple chemical signals. This screening strategy complements other methods to engineer robust mammalian riboswitches to control gene expression.

Copy Number Variation and Rearrangements Assessment in Cancer: Comparison of Droplet Digital PCR with the Current Approaches.

The cytogenetic and molecular assessment of deletions, amplifications and rearrangements are key aspects in the diagnosis and therapy of cancer. Not only the initial evaluation and classification of the disease, but also the follow-up of the tumor rely on these laboratory approaches. The therapeutic choice can be guided by the results of the laboratory testing. Genetic deletions and/or amplifications directly affect the susceptibility or the resistance to specific therapies. In an era of personalized medicine, the correct and reliable molecular characterization of the disease, also during the therapeutic path, acquires a pivotal role. Molecular assays like multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification and droplet digital PCR represent exceptional tools for a sensitive and reliable detection of genetic alterations and deserve a role in molecular oncology. In this manuscript we provide a technical comparison of these two approaches with the golden standard represented by fluorescence in situ hybridization. We also describe some relevant targets currently evaluated with these techniques in solid and hematologic tumors.