The International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes serves to administer the rules of prokaryotic nomenclature via the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes, ensures the publication of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, and works to represent the interests of the microbiological disciplines regarding prokaryotic nomenclature. The functions and mechanisms of operation of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP) are defined in its Statutes, which were last revised in 2019. As members of the 2020-2023 and the 2023-2026 ICSP Executive Board and the Judicial Commission, we propose here some further revisions to help improve the clarity and functionality of the Statutes.

Institutional operating room (OR) management is an established and indispensable component of organizational structures in most hospitals, independent of the level of care. In this role, OR management needs to consider both the high fixed costs of operation areas and the increased relevancy of generated revenue. Therefore, in the day to day operations, OR management strives to ensure reliable and safe patient care amidst efficient use of resources and high patient and employee satisfaction. Given these aims, proven strategies, such as constituting processes and responsibilities by OR statutes or tracking key figures and indicators of the OR, must be continuously supplemented and improved upon by OR management. In the future, OR management can derive innovative methods from adaptable capacity management, agile forms of collaboration, integrating upstream and downstream segments into OR management general process organization, and harnessing the potentials of artificial intelligence. Innovation in the face of these and other challenges contributes to improving long-term interdisciplinary and interprofessional collaboration in the OR and with the numerous adjacent teams.
UNASSIGNED: Ein institutionelles OP-Management ist als etablierter Bestandteil der Organisationsstruktur an den meisten Kliniken, unabhängig von der Versorgungsstufe, nicht mehr wegzudenken. Vor dem Hintergrund erheblicher Fixkosten im operativen Bereich bei gleichzeitig hoher Erlösrelevanz besteht die tägliche Aufgabe darin, eine verbindliche und sichere Patientenversorgung bei effizientem Ressourceneinsatz sowie hoher Patienten- und Mitarbeiterzufriedenheit zu gewährleisten. Bewährte Instrumente wie ein konsentiertes OP-Statut oder klassische OP-Kennzahlen sollten zukünftig durch weitere innovative Ansätze ergänzt werden. Ein flexibles Kapazitätsmanagement, das Nutzen agiler Kommunikationsformen, das Einbeziehen vor- und nachgelagerter Bereiche in die Prozessorganisation des OP-Managements sowie der Einsatz künstlicher Intelligenz sind aktuelle neue Möglichkeiten, um die interdisziplinäre und interprofessionelle Teamarbeit im OP und die Zusammenarbeit an den überdurchschnittlich vielen Schnittstellen weiter zu verbessern.

Rates of food insecurity have increased substantially in the United States (US), and more families are turning to the charitable food system to help meet their needs. Prior studies have examined the nutritional quality of foods offered through food banks, but little is known about what government policies may shape the healthy food donation landscape. The purpose of this study was to review US federal policies that impact food and beverage donations to food banks and assess whether policies encourage healthy food donations. In spring 2020, two researchers independently reviewed federal food and beverage donation policies using predefined search terms in two legal databases. We identified six categories of policies based on the existing food donation literature and themes that emerged in the policy review. We identified 42 federal policies spanning six categories that addressed food and beverage donations to food banks. The largest category was \"government programs,\" with 19 (45%) policies. The next largest category was \"donation via schools,\" with 12 (29%) policies. However, no policies specifically addressed the nutritional quality of food donations. There is an opportunity for the federal government to strengthen food bank donation policies and improve the nutritional quality of donated foods and beverages.

Pharmacy technicians are essential for inner workings of pharmacy teams and their depth of involvement in roles continues to evolve. An innovative role for pharmacy technicians, administration of vaccines, has emerged. With Idaho, Rhode Island, and Utah recently implementing changes that allow pharmacy technicians to safely perform this role, the need arose for a detailed examination of the law climate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. A nine-question survey was sent out to all 51 state boards of pharmacy inquiring to legislative and regulatory environment of pharmacy technician vaccine administration. Additionally, a protocol driven, peer-reviewed process of state-specific regulations and statutes revealed categorized trends pertaining to this topic. Each state was classified per protocol into four different categories. The categorization resulted in identification of nine states in which pharmacy technician administered vaccination may be considered \"Not Expressly Prohibited\". A majority of states were categorized as prohibited (either directly or indirectly). Board of pharmacy respondents (43%) reported varying viewpoints on technician administered vaccines. While three states (Idaho, Rhode Island, Utah) have already made changes to allow for pharmacy technician administered vaccinations, opportunities exist for other states to consider changes to statutes or rules.

Accurately identifying death and its causes is integral to the compilation of mortality data and ultimately to the operation of the criminal justice and public health systems. A clear understanding of who is in charge of such processes is paramount to establishing the quality, or lack thereof, of the information provided in death certificates. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of all state statutes identifying death investigators charged with classifying and certifying death in the United States. We found that state statutes designate a broad range of individuals as responsible for the classification and certification of death. Those vary by state and set of circumstances and can include medical examiners, coroners, pathologists, other physicians, registered nurses, and more. Our findings highlight the important need for a unified standard of qualifications in the medico-legal system, as well as, regulatory reform at the state level regarding who can complete and sign death certificates.

Introduction: The landscape of acupuncture regulation has greatly evolved since the National Institutes of Health Consensus Statement in 1997. In recent decades, acupuncture treatment has become increasingly integrated with conventional medical care. Healthcare practitioners often utilize acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy to help alleviate symptoms of many conditions, such as nausea and pain. The popularity of this complementary and alternative modality has elevated the importance and urgency for states to regulate its practice and safety. Materials and Methods: The authors comprehensively examined the regulation of the practice of acupuncture by licensed physicians in the United States. Current statutes were evaluated with respect to those from past decades. Requirements were compared with the World Health Organization\'s recommendations for acupuncture basic training and safety. Results: Most physicians are permitted to practice acupuncture within the scope of their medical practices. Many states mandate that they complete additional education and training. Three states require that physicians obtain acupuncture licenses through the same process as non-physicians. Compared to prior decades, many states have changed their requirements. Conclusions: This article provides current, individual state regulations for the practice of acupuncture by physicians.

State statutes regarding the best interests of the child (BIC) in deciding disputed custody were reviewed and independently coded with respect to three issues (i) the child\'s preference and any limits (ii) parental alienation and (iii) psychological maltreatment. Results revealed that many states allowed for the child\'s preferences to be considered and none qualified that preference when undue influence has occurred; parental alienation as a term was not found in any state statutes but 70% of the states included at least one BIC factor relevant to its core construct of the parent supporting the child\'s relationship to the other parent; and many states included a history of domestic violence or child abuse but only three states explicitly mentioned psychological maltreatment. These findings highlight yet another way in which the BICS factors lack specificity in ways that could negatively impact children caught in their parents\' conflict.