Challenges in cybersecurity: Lessons from biological defense systems.

Defending against novel, repeated, or unpredictable attacks, while avoiding attacks on the 'self', are the central problems of both mammalian immune systems and computer systems. Both systems have been studied in great detail, but with little exchange of information across the different disciplines. Here, we present a conceptual framework for structured comparisons across the fields of biological immunity and cybersecurity, by framing the context of defense, considering different (combinations of) defensive strategies, and evaluating defensive performance. Throughout this paper, we pose open questions for further exploration. We hope to spark the interdisciplinary discovery of general principles of optimal defense, which can be understood and applied in biological immunity, cybersecurity, and other defensive realms.

Political polarization of news media and influencers on Twitter in the 2016 and 2020 US presidential elections.

Social media has been transforming political communication dynamics for over a decade. Here using nearly a billion tweets, we analyse the change in Twitter's news media landscape between the 2016 and 2020 US presidential elections. Using political bias and fact-checking tools, we measure the volume of politically biased content and the number of users propagating such information. We then identify influencers-users with the greatest ability to spread news in the Twitter network. We observe that the fraction of fake and extremely biased content declined between 2016 and 2020. However, results show increasing echo chamber behaviours and latent ideological polarization across the two elections at the user and influencer levels.

Attitudes toward Web application supporting pharmacist-clinician comanagement of postexposure prophylaxis patients.

OBJECTIVES: To qualitatively explore clinician and pharmacist attitudes toward using a Web application virtual pharmacist-clinician partnership (VPCP) to assist with comanaged care of illicit drug-using patients prescribed postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). DESIGN: Qualitative, descriptive, nonexperimental study. SETTING: New York City (NYC) from February 2011 to March 2012. PARTICIPANTS: Four pharmacists and nine clinicians. INTERVENTION: In-depth interviews. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Potential impact of the VPCP on pharmacist-clinician communication and potential barriers to use of the VPCP when comanaging PEP patients among pharmacists and clinicians. RESULTS: Pharmacists and clinicians were supportive of an interactive Web application that would expand the role of pharmacists to include assistance with PEP access and patient management. Participants noted that the VPCP would facilitate communication between pharmacists and clinicians and have potential to support adherence among patients. Pharmacists and clinicians were concerned about not having time to use the VPCP and security of patient information on the site. Pharmacist and clinician concerns informed final development of the VPCP, including creation of a user-friendly interface, linkage to users' e-mail accounts for timeline notification, and attention to security. CONCLUSION: Use of Web-based technology to support communication between pharmacists and clinicians was seen as being a potentially feasible method for improving patient care, particularly in the delivery of PEP to drug users and other high-risk groups. These findings highlight the need for further study of a technology-supported partnership, particularly for comanagement of patients who face challenges with adherence.

Student scientific inquiry in the core curriculum.

OBJECTIVE: To design and implement a required student-driven research program as a capstone experience in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. DESIGN: A research proposal in the form of a competitive grant application was required for each of 65 fourth-year students in an inaugural PharmD class at Touro College of Pharmacy in New York. The focus of the proposals was on hypothesis-driven research in basic science, clinical research, health outcomes, and public health. ASSESSMENT: Students' research proposals were graded using a standardized grading instrument. On a post-experience survey, most students rated the overall experience positively, indicating increased confidence in their research skills. About two-thirds of faculty members were satisfied with their students' performance, and the great majority thought the experience would be useful in the students' careers. CONCLUSION: The capstone research project was a positive experience for fourth-year students.

Education and training of pharmacists: comments on sustaining continuous improvement.

OBJECTIVE: To examine three approaches to improving the education and training of pharmacists and their interrelationships. DATA SOURCES: American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, National Center for Education Statistics, and peer-reviewed pharmacy literature. SUMMARY: The education of pharmacists continues to change based on a paradigm of continuous quality improvement and broad agreement that many newly graduated pharmacists are not ready to practice in all practice settings. This commentary looks at three avenues for change: increased prepharmacy coursework up to a baccalaureate degree, more clinical experience during the professional Doctor of Pharmacy program, and postgraduate professional residencies. The three avenues are examined in terms of feasibility, unanswered questions, and interrelationships among the variables. CONCLUSION: The interrelationships among the three approaches for change suggest a coordinated approach in which progress in each area informs the others. Requiring additional prepharmacy coursework up to a baccalaureate degree is feasible and likely sustainable relative to total number of awarded and projected baccalaureate degrees. Higher undergraduate academic expectations can provide "space" in the pharmacy curriculum for more clinical education. The space makes more clinical education possible, with the caveat that more clinical education will require many more residency-trained pharmacists to serve in faculty positions. Residency growth could generate needed additional qualified faculty members and preceptors. Further evolution in pharmacist education and training should be driven by the goal of advancing the profession's leadership in improving the safety and quality of the medication-use process.