Reply to: Critical revision of the ZEPLIN-I sensitivity to WIMP interactions

Recent objections (Phys.Lett. B 637, 156) to the published Zeplin I limit (Astropart. Phys 23, 444) are shown to arise from misunderstandings of the calibration data and procedure, and a misreading of the data in one of the referenced papers.Comment: 5 page

Availability of specialized healthcare facilities for deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

Context: To allow a medical consultation to proceed successfully, it is essential that physicians are aware of the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of deaf and hard of hearing individuals (DHH) and related communication aspects. Some specialised healthcare facilities have emerged to respond to the specific needs of people who are DHH. Objective: This study aims to provide insight into the various types of general healthcare facilities available for DHH individuals. By sharing and comparing experiences and results improvements can be made. Design, Data Sources and Study selection: A systematic review of the literature on specialised healthcare for DHH people was performed. The following databases were searched: PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Academic Search Premier, CINAHL and Embase. After independent extraction per article by two readers, fifteen articles were included in the systematic review. As it appeared that not all existing locations of facilities of which we were aware were described in the literature, we expanded the data collection with internet searches, specific literature searches and unstructured interviews. Results: Some countries have developed facilities to meet the needs DHH people Experts and patients’ groups report that the perceived quality of healthcare and health education in specialised healthcare settings is higher compared to regular healthcare settings. Two projects undertaken to improve the health related knowledge level of DHH people, proved to be effective. Conclusion: Some facilities or combinations of facilities are used in different countries to attempt to meet the needs of DHH patients. These facilities are rarely described in the scientific literature. Further development of specialised healthcare facilities for DHH patients, which should include high quality studies on their effectiveness, is imperative to comply with medical ethical standards and respect the human rights of DHH people

A cross-sectional study of peripartum blood transfusion in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Background. Obstetric haemorrhage (OH) remains a major contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality. Blood transfusion is critical in OH management; yet, data on peripartum transfusion are lacking. A pilot study reported high rates of peripartum transfusion in a sample of South African (SA) hospitals, which was independently associated with HIV status.Objectives. To assess the incidence of peripartum transfusion in a sample of Eastern Cape, SA hospitals to evaluate generalisability of preceding study findings.Methods. Hospital chart reviews were conducted of all deliveries at three large regional hospitals from February to June 2013. Additional clinical data were collected for patients who sustained OH and/or were transfused.Results. A total of 7 234 women were enrolled in the study; 1 988 (27.5%) were HIV-positive. Of the 767 HIV-positive women with a CD4 count <350 cells/μL, 86.0% were on full antiretroviral therapy and 9.9% received drugs for prevention of mother-to-child transmission. The overall transfusion rate was 3.2%, with significant variability by hospital: Frere Hospital (1.5%), Dora Nginza Hospital (3.8%) and Cecilia Makiwane Hospital (4.6%). The number of red blood cell units per transfused patient and per delivery varied significantly by hospital. Bivariate analysis showed significant association between transfusion and HIV status. In a multivariate analysis, controlling for OH, age, mode of delivery, gestational age, parity and birthweight, this association (odds ratio 1.45; 95% confidence interval 0.78 - 2.71) was no longer significant.Conclusion. These findings confirm high rates of peripartum transfusion in SA. While this can be possibly ascribed to variability in practice and patient profile, variation in care and improvement in HIV treatment should be considered