Challenges for engineering students working with authentic complex problems

Engineers are important participants in solving societal, environmental and technical problems. However, due to an increasing complexity in relation to these problems new interdisciplinary competences are needed in engineering. Instead of students working with monodisciplinary problems, a situation where students work with authentic complex problems in interdisciplinary teams together with a company may scaffold development of new competences. The question is: What are the challenges for students structuring the work on authentic interdisciplinary problems? This study explores a three-day event where 7 students from Aalborg University (AAU) from four different faculties and one student from University College North Denmark (UCN), (6th-10th semester), worked in two groups at a large Danish company, solving authentic complex problems. The event was structured as a Hackathon where the students for three days worked with problem identification, problem analysis and finalizing with a pitch competition presenting their findings. During the event the students had workshops to support the work and they had the opportunity to use employees from the company as facilitators. It was an extracurricular activity during the summer holiday season. The methodology used for data collection was qualitative both in terms of observations and participants’ reflection reports. The students were observed during the whole event. Findings from this part of a larger study indicated, that students experience inability to transfer and transform project competences from their previous disciplinary experiences to an interdisciplinary setting

Exploring the practical use of a collaborative robot for academic purposes

This article presents a set of experiences related to the setup and exploration of potential educational uses of a collaborative robot (cobot). The basic principles that have guided the work carried out have been three. First and foremost, study of all the functionalities offered by the robot and exploration of its potential academic uses both in subjects focused on industrial robotics and in subjects of related disciplines (automation, communications, computer vision). Second, achieve the total integration of the cobot at the laboratory, seeking not only independent uses of it but also seeking for applications (laboratory practices) in which the cobot interacts with some of the other devices already existing at the laboratory (other industrial robots and a flexible manufacturing system). Third, reuse of some available components and minimization of the number and associated cost of required new components. The experiences, carried out following a project-based learning methodology under the framework of bachelor and master subjects and thesis, have focused on the integration of mechanical, electronic and programming aspects in new design solutions (end effector, cooperative workspace, artificial vision system integration) and case studies (advanced task programming, cybersecure communication, remote access). These experiences have consolidated the students' acquisition of skills in the transition to professional life by having the close collaboration of the university faculty with the experts of the robotics company.Postprint (published version

Micro-costing study of rituximab subcutaneous injection versus intravenous infusion in dutch setting

Background: Rituximab for subcutaneous (SC) administration has recently been approved for use in common forms of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This form of rituximab is supplied in ready-to-use vials that do not require individual dose adjustment. It is expected that SC-injection will shorten the treatment time per administration of rituximab in comparison with currently available intravenous (IV) infusion. Aims: The goal of this study is to identify and compare all direct costs of IV and SC rituximab given to the DLBCL patients in the Netherlands. Methods: Using a prospective, observational, bottom up, micro-costing study we collected primary data on the direct medical costs of the preparation, administration and acquisition of rituximab. Drug costs and spillage, labor costs, material costs and remaining daycare costs were identified using standardized forms, structured using guideline prices and compared for the IV and SC forms of rituximab. Results: Measurements were done on 53 administrations (33 IV and 20 SC). The mean total costs of the IV infusion were €2174, and €1907 for the SC injection. The estimated difference of €267 per administration was mainly due to spillage costs and differences in chair time, related daycare costs and drug costs. Summary and Conclusions: Rituximab administered in the form of SC injection is less costly than its IV form. Taking into account their equal effectiveness, favorable pharmacoeconomic profile of SC rituximab can result in significant savings when transferred to the total DLBCL population in the Netherlands

Trial efficacy vs real world effectiveness in first line treatment of multiple myeloma

Background: Large randomized clinical trials (RCT) are the foundation of the registration of newly developed drugs. A potential problem with RCTs is that the inclusion/exclusion criteria will make the population different from the actual population treated in real life. Hence, it is important to understand how the results from the RCT can be generalized to a general population. Aims: The primary aim of the present study was to assess the generalizability of the large 1st line RCTs in Multiple Myeloma (MM) to the Nordic setting and to understand potential difference and magnitude in outcomes between RCTs and patients treated in standard care in the Nordics. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on an incident cohort of 2960 MM-patients from 24 hospitals in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The database contained information on patient baseline characteristics, treatments and outcomes. Data from relevant 1st line MM RCTs was selected from the treatment MP (Waage, A., et al., Blood. 2010], MPT (Waage, A., et al., Blood. 2010) and VMP (San Miguel, J.F., et al., N Engl J Med, 2008) and baseline characteristics were compared to newly diagnosed Nordic MM treated patients. Potential difference in response and overall survival (OS) was estimated by adjusting the RWE population to the RCT population using matching adjusted indirect comparisons. Patients were matched on age (median approximated to mean), gender, calcium, beta2-microglobulin and ISS score 3. These variables were selected because they were reported in all trials and have previously been identified as having prognostic value. Results: Patients in the Nordic database treated with MP (n=880) had a response rate of (PD, NR, PR, VGPR, ≥nCR) of (13%, 39%, 38%, 6%, 4%). After matching (n=347), the response rate was slightly worse (12%, 43%, 36%, 6%, 3%). This can be compared to the response rate from the RCT of (7%, 53%, 33%, 3%, 4%). OS for Nordic MP treated patients was 2.67 years (2.25-3.17). After matching the OS was 3.37 years (2.86-3.96) and this can be compared to the trial with OS 2.40 years (2.23-2.66). Patients treated with MPT (n=283) in the Nordic countries had a response rate of (5%, 14%, 52%, 20%, 9%). After matching (n=179) the response rate was slightly changed to (6%, 20%, 50%, 13% 11%). The corresponding RCT response results were 14%, 29%, 34%, 10%, and 13% respectively. OS for Nordic MPT treated patients was 4.15 years (3.73- 4.74). After matching the OS was 4.28 years (3.98-NA) years and compared to 2.42 years (2.08-3.17) OS observed in the corresponding trial. Patients treated with VMP (n=59) in the Nordic countries had a response rate of (4%, 5%, 40%, 18%, 33%). After matching (n=31) the response rate was improved to (8%, 11%, 28%, 8%, 45%). This corresponding response rates shown in the trial are 1%, 23%, 33%, 8%, and 33% respectively. OS for Nordic MP treated patients was 4.86 years (3.79-NA). After matching the OS was 4.86 years (4.86-NA) and this can be compared to the trial with OS 4.70 years. Summary and Conclusions: Surprisingly Nordic treated MM patients do very well compared to, and even better than, patients treated in RCTs. Since the OS for all tested treatments improves after matching to the RCT baseline characteristics, patients recruited to the RCTs seems to be a bit better than ordinary Nordic patents. The database used in the present study, and the used method, can be valuable for generalizing the results to the Nordic setting and estimating potential difference for future RCTs and Nordic MM treated patients. Future research should include different data cuts to see whether the analyses are biased by differences subsequent treatments applied in RCTs and clinical practice