Contribution of EQA to improve Preanalytical practices by systematic verification of Laboratory Services

International literature describes the preanalytical phase as the most susceptible to errors due to the numerous non automated activities it involves Most EQA organizers offer preanalytical schemes to participants. There are basically three types of surveys procedures registration, samples circulation and errors registration The Portuguese EQA Programme ( provides these type of schemes for 13 years, using as a guide the ISO 15189 2012 In order to improve the evaluation of the preanalytical phase, PNAEQ recently launched two other preanalytical EQA schemes, mystery client and presential audits in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The aim of the mystery client survey is to verify whether the information provided to the patient is constant regardless the day and time or if it is dependent on the collaborator. The aim of the presential audit survey is to give the participants a tool to verify if the procedures performed daily are in accordance with laboratorial good practices recommendations. Conclusions: Results from Mystery Client surveys demonstrate the need for written procedures and harmonization of practices for all collaborators, as more than a third of the responses differed in date/time and operator in a global view. In the Presential Audit surveys we highlight as critical points the results regarding questions 3 5 and 6 as they point to specific problems that occurred during the blood collection procedure, such as operator and patient safety, as well as the quality of the sample collected, suggesting the need to review legal and normative issues and to train collaborators. Participants who use systematically these two methodologies are monitoring some of the requirements of ISO 15189:2012, namely 4. 1.2.6, 4.3, 4.4.1, 4.14, 5.4.2 (both), 5.4.4.2 (mystery client) and 5.1.2, 5.2.2, 5.2.5, 5.3.2.5, 5.3.2.7, 5.4.4 (presential audit), contributing to release reliable results for medical decisions. For the future, we will extend the questions and items in evaluation in these two surveys to Microbiology area and continuing to offer training in Preanalytical matters.N/

Development and calibration of a cost-effective temperature sensor

Oceanographic sensors are accurate and reliable but very expensive. We have developed and calibrated a cheap temperature sensor with a good cost/ accuracy ratio.Peer Reviewe

Performance of PNAEQ participant’s results for HIV and HCV infection in the First EQA round 2019

The Portuguese National External Quality Assessment Program (PNAEQ) has been collaborating with Labquality since 2002. One of the first schemes distributed to PNAEQ participants was for HIV laboratory tests, followed by HCV laboratory tests scheme in 2003. A suitable scheme for Point of Care Testing (POCT) is available for HIV since 2012 and for HCV since 2018. Given the burden of HIV and HCV diseases, the Portuguese legislation allows, since 2018, that other locations than laboratories, such as pharmacies and Non-Governmental-Organizations (NGOs), perform tests for detect HIV and HCV infection. For this purpose, and in order to assure reliable results that leads to an early correct diagnostic and a timely treatment, leading to a decrease in the person-to-person transmission of HIV and HCV infection, a specific training to perform POCT for HIV and HCV is mandatory for these entities, as well as the participation in such EQA schemes, namely the PNAEQ-Labquality. The performance of PNAEQ participants for HIV and HCV tests in the First EQA round 2019 was considered in general good. For HIV POCT, the user that reported an undetermined result proceeded correctly requesting a second sample for confirmation. Regarding the two incorrect results reported by laboratories, it is necessary to review the internal validation procedure and revalidation of the laboratory test, and implement corrective and preventive actions. The training of participants that used POCT for the first time proved to be effective in acquiring skills to perform the tests properly. PNAEQ will continue to provide education and training in quality control and motivate all the participants to continuously evaluate the results from the internal quality control and the reports from the external quality assessment.N/

A new Viola (Violaceae) from the Argentinian Andes

Viola beati, a hitherto unknown species of V. sect. Andinium (Violaceae) is described and illustrated. It is an inconspicuous, diminutive, perennial forb currently known from only one locality in NW Argentina. We draw attention to its morphology, ecology, rarity and endemism. The differences between V. beati and its apparently only close relative, V. singularis J. M. Watson & A. R. Flores, are defined

NiMo syntax: part 1

Many formalisms for the specification for concurrent and distributed systems have emerged. In particular considering boxes and strings approaches. Examples are action calculi, rewriting logic and graph rewriting, bigraphs. The boxes and string metaphor is addressed with different levels of granularity. One of the approaches is to consider a process network as an hypergraph. Based in this general framework, we encode NiMo nets as a class of Annotated hypergraphs. This class is defined by giving the alphabet and the operations used to construct such programs. Therefore we treat only editing operations on labelled hypergraphs and afterwards how this editing operation affects the graph. Graph transformation (execution rules) is not covered here.Postprint (published version

Spending leisure time in retirement

The purpose of this article is to get an insight into ways of spending leisure time in retirement and satisfaction with it. The differences in the ways of spending leisure time as related to adjustment to retirement and income per member of household have also been examined. The sample consisted of 100 respondents (53women and 47men) fromthe area ofNovi Zagreb. Themen andwomenwere between 60 and 92 years old, themean valuewas 71.6. The samplewas convenient. The datawas collected by a survey which consisted of questions on socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, their ways of spending leisure time and their satisfaction with it,as well as questions on their adjustment to retirement and their household income. Although a large number of participants estimate their adjustment to retirement as easy, their satisfaction with leisure time is very low. Statistically significant differences have been found for sports activities, social games and reading. These activities were pursued mostly by people who did not know what to do after they had retired or those who said their adjustment to retirement was very difficult and who would have preferred to continue working. Participating in activities of religious communities and watching television were highest among people who said their adjustment was very good or easy. Cultural events were significantly more often attended by respondents with higher income, while watching television and taking part in activities of religious communities were higher among respondents with lower income. The results point to the conclusion that what is needed is a better preparation and a higher awareness of retirement as a period in which we can develop our personal potentials through leisure,which should be filled with a higher level of activity and an increased satisfaction

Vibrational assignments of two polymorphic forms of metaxolone by using DFT calculations and the SQM methodology

A theoretical study has been performed on the musclerelaxant 5-[(3, 5-dimethylphenoxy)methyl]-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one, of generic name metaxolone (MTX), by using the hybridB3LYP/6-31G calculations in the gas phase and theexperimental available infrared and Raman spectra in thesolid phase. Three C1, C2 and C3 isomers were found in thepotential energy surface (PES) but only two of them, C1 andC2 correspond to those experimentally reported polymorphicforms A and B, respectively. The absence of C3 isomer couldbe easily explained by the quite high values in the dihedralC5-C7-O2-C9 and O1-C5-C7-O2 angles different from thoseexperimental structures reported for the two polymorphicforms A and B of MTX. On the other hand, the higher bondorders values together with the high topological propertiesobserved for the oxazolidinone ring of C1 could possiblysupport their existence despite this isomer has highest energythan C2 and C3. The natural bond orbital (NBO) analysesreveal the high stabilities of C1 and C2 while the atoms inmolecules(AIM) study suggests that the ringdimethylphenoxy-methyl practically do not have influence onthe properties of MTX. The frontier orbitals show that theisomers of MTX have reactivities and electrophilicity indexessimilar to antiviral thymidine while their nucleophilicityindexes present values closer to antimicrobial thione. Inaddition, the complete vibrational assignments of those twostable isomers were performed by using the experimentalavailable FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra, their normal internalcoordinates,the scaled quantum mechanical force field(SQMFF) methodology and the Molvib program.Theharmonic force fields for the two isomers and theircorresponding force constants were also reported. The forceconstants values are in agreement with values reported in theliterature for species with similar groups.Fil: Iramain, Maximiliano Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Márquez, María J.. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Ledesma, Ana Estela. Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero. Facultad de Cs.exactas y Tecnologías. Departamento de Física y Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Brandan, Silvia Antonia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química Inorgánica; Argentin

Saberes, experiências e aprendizagens : análise dos percursos formativos de profissionais de saúde da estratégia saúde da família a partir da ergologia

Mestrado (dissertação)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, 2016.Considerando percurso formativo como o conjunto de saberes, experiências e aprendizagens, formais e não formais realizadas pelo trabalhador ao longo de sua trajetória pessoal, formativa e profissional, este estudo analisa os percursos formativos de 19 profissionais da saúde atuantes em Unidades de Saúde da Família (USF) do Distrito Federal (DF), a partir do referencial teórico da ergologia. Utilizou-se a metodologia qualitativa, com coleta e análise por triangulação, com os dados coletados por meio de estudo documental, entrevista semiestruturada e observação do trabalho, com posterior análise pela análise de conteúdo temática e utilização do software para análise qualitativa Atlas.Ti (Qualitative Research and Solutions), versão 7.5.15, que auxiliou na sistematização e categorização dos dados. A análise resultou em três categorias empíricas: 1) Perfil e Trajetória profissional; 2) Aprendizagens Formais; e 3) Aprendizagem no Trabalho. A análise dos percursos formativos dos profissionais entrevistados evidenciou que este percurso é singular e este está diretamente relacionado com fatores extrínsecos e intrínsecos do indivíduo. As ofertas de capacitação foram necessárias principalmente para qualificar o trabalho e para suprir lacunas da formação inicial, porém estas não eram constantes e eram diferenciadas para cada categoria profissional. A aprendizagem no trabalho mostrou-se presente no cotidiano das equipes por meio de diálogos, reuniões de equipe e momentos de educação permanente. Como forma de sanar dúvidas durante a atividade de trabalho, os profissionais procuram outros profissionais mais graduados ou experientes, ou recorrem à internet e manuais impressos. A abordagem ergológica nos permite refletir sobre os processos de formação e qualificação dos profissionais da saúde atuantes na ESF, a partir do diálogo entre a atividade de trabalho e os diversos saberes e experiências que os trabalhadores produzem durante seu percurso formativo, considerando suas singularidades, saberes e valores, no “uso de si”, que permeiam o trabalho prescrito e o trabalho real, valorizando o ambiente de trabalho como espaço de produção de saberes, que é atravessado pela história e está em constante construção.Considering formative pathway as the set of knowledge, experiences and learning (formal and non-formal) held by the worker throughout his personal, training and professional trajectory, this study seeks to analyze the formative pathways of 19 professionals active in Family Health Units (USF) of the Federal District (DF), from the theoretical reference of Ergology. We used qualitative methodology, collection and analysis by triangulation and the data was collected through documentary study, semi-structured interviews and observation of work, with subsequent analysis by thematic content analysis and use of the software Atlas.TI 7.5.15. The analysis resulted in three categories of analysis: 1) Profile and Professional Trajectories; 2) Formal Learning; and 3) Learning at work. The analysis of the training courses of the professionals interviewed revealed that this route is unique and this is directly related to extrinsic and intrinsic factors of the individual. The training offers were needed mainly to qualify the work and to fill gaps in basic training, but these were not constant and were different for each professional category. Learning at work was present in the daily lives of the teams through dialogues, team meetings and moments of continuing education. As a way to answer questions during the work activity, the professionals seek other more graduated or experienced professionals, or turn to the internet and printed manuals. The ergological approach allows us to reflect on the formation and training of health professionals working in the ESF from the dialogue between the work activity and the diverse knowledge and experience that the workers produce during their training considering its singularities, knowledge and values, "use of self" that permeate the prescribed work and real work, valuing the workplace as a knowledge production space, which is crossed by history and is constantly building