Becoming a caregiver: new family carers\u2019 experience during the transition from hospital to home

Aims and objectives. To explore and understand the experience of new informal caregivers in Italy during the transition from hospital to home. Background. Frequent patient discharge into the home environment has lead to a significant increase in postdischarge care being provided by family caregivers. The transition period in particular is seen as a period of great significance, as caregivers may be unprepared and concerned as to the amount of care required by the recipient. Design. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to gain a deeper understanding of caregivers\u2019 lived experiences. Methods. Data were collected at two points in time using different methodologies: in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the caregivers\u2019 perspective of the predischarge period; focus groups obtained data after the patients\u2019 re-entry into the home environment and aimed to validate interview findings. Results. Family caregivers reflected on three main themes during the transition period: (1) their newly acquired role; (2) the recipient\u2019s condition; and (3) the support they required. The core concept of \u2018being responsible for everything\u2019 seemed to be a recurring theme running through these three subject matters. Fulfilling numerous commitments and different social roles besides the caring activity itself seemed to weigh heavily on caregivers. Carers were referring particularly to their need for hope, confidence and safety during the transition from hospital to home. Conclusions. It cannot be assumed a priori that families can cope with the demands of care-giving. Therefore, healthcare professionals should come to recognise caregivers as persons in need of emotional and practical support. Relevance to clinical practice. The findings of this study can stimulate healthcare professionals to acquire effective communication skills and display an empathic attitude when assessing caregivers\u2019 needs in the particularly challenging phase of transition from hospital to home

The Sr-Nd-Pb composition of Mesozoic Pacific oceanic crust (Site 1149 and 801, ODP Leg 185): Implications for alteration of ocean crust and the input into the Izu-Bonin-Mariana subduction system

We report Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions of sediments and variably altered igneous rocks from ODP Site 801 (Marianas) and ODP Site 1149 (Izu-Bonin). These Sites provide the most complete drilled ocean crust sections located in front of the Mariana and Izu-Bonin trenches and characterize the unmodified isotopic input into these subduction zones. The subducted ocean crust belongs to the oldest (130–167 Ma) in situ Pacific Ocean crust and thus has end-member character with respect to alteration and sediment load. The lithostratigraphic division of sedimentary units at Site 1149 into clays, cherts, lower clays and carbonates with clay is reflected on isotope correlation diagrams. The Pb isotope data of the sediments show much greater variation than previously reported from this region. Particularly noteworthy are zeolite-bearing clays and clay bearing carbonates from the lower Units that have Pb isotopic compositions identical to the Izu Volcanic Front. The basaltic basement samples display variable 87Sr/86Sr ratios at near constant 143Nd/144Nd ratios, indicating mixing with seawater derived Sr. Most basaltic samples from Site 1149 and 801 exhibit highly variable 206Pb/204Pb (17.88–20.00) at near constant 207Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios. Three samples from Site 801 display the most extreme 206Pb/204Pb (23.70–26.86) and 207Pb/204Pb (15.73–15.83) ratios ever measured in altered MORB reflecting an increase of 238U/204Pb ratios (μ), most likely through addition of seawater derived U. Initial Pb isotopes of most samples overlap with the age corrected field of the Pacific MORB source, thus the increase in μ took place shortly after formation of the crust in most samples. According to our new isotope data the radiogenic end-member of the Izu arc volcanic rocks could either represent Pb from the lower sediment column released from the slab by delayed dewatering or an integrated slab fluid in which 90–95% of the Pb comes from the basaltic crust and 5–10% of the Pb from the sediments. The Pb isotope systematics of the Mariana arc output suggest two component mixing. Both components appear to be input derived with the radiogenic component represented by average Site 801 sediment and the unradiogenic component generated by mixing of ∼80% unaltered crust with ∼20% highly altered crust

Relatório de estágio em farmácia comunitária

Relatório de estágio realizado no âmbito do Mestrado Integrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas, apresentado à Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Coimbr

The anticoagulant effects of ethyl pyruvate in whole blood samples.

BackgroundEthyl pyruvate (EP), the ethyl ester of pyruvate, has proven antiinflammatory and antioxidative properties. Additionally, anticoagulant properties have been suggested recently. EP, therefore, is a potentially antiatherosclerotic drug. We aimed to investigate whether EP possesses antiplatelet and anticoagulant properties particularly in the physiological environment of whole blood.MethodsWe investigated the effects of increasing concentrations of EP on platelet function, on the course of clot development, and on standard coagulation times. Additionally, clot ultrastructure using scanning electron microscopy was analysed.ResultsEP exerted significant antiplatelet actions: i) Impedance aggregometry amplitudes (11.7 ± 3.0 ohm, 0 μg/mL EP) dose dependently decreased (7.8 ± 3.1 ohm, 1000 μg/mL EP; -33.3%). ATP exocytosis (0.87 ± 0.24 nM, 0 μg/mL EP) measured by the luminiscent method dose-dependently decreased (0.56 ± 0.14 nM, 1000 μg/mL; -35.6%). ii) Closure times (104.4 ± 23.8 s, 0 μg/mL EP) using the Platelet function analyzer were dose-dependently prolonged (180.5 ± 82.5 s, 1000 μg/mL EP; +72.9%) using membranes coated with collagen/ADP. iii) Surface coverage (15.9 ± 5.1%, 0 μg/mL EP) dose-dependently decreased (9.0 ± 3.7%, 1000 μg/mL EP; -43.4%) using the Cone and Platelet analyzer. EP also exerted significant anticoagulant actions: Coagulation times (177.9 ± 37.8, 0 μg/mL EP) evaluated by means of thrombelastometry were dose-dependently prolonged (212.8 ± 57.7 s, 1000 μg/mL EP; +19.6%). Activated partial thromboplastin times (31.5 ± 1.8 s, 0 μg/mL EP) were dose-dependently prolonged (35.6 ± 2.3 s, 1000 μg/mL EP; +13.0%). Prothrombin times (0.94 ± 0.02 INR, 0 μg/mL EP) were dose-dependently prolonged (1.09 ± 0.04 INR, 1000 μg/mL EP; +16.0%).ConclusionWe found that EP possesses antiplatelet and anticoagulant properties in whole blood. Together with its proven anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, EP is a potentially antiatherogenic drug

Goal and DOM datives

UID/LIN/03213/2013 IF/00846/2013In a range of Indo-European languages (Romance, Albanian, Iranian, Indo-Aryan), the same oblique case (‘dative’) is associated with indirect objects and with animate/definite direct objects, independently of the particular morphology employed to spell out the oblique (inflectional or pre/postpositional). We argue that there is a syntactic category dative coinciding with the morphological one and encompassing both goal dative and definiteness/animacy dative. We provide a characterization of goal dative as an elementary predicate introducing a part-whole (i.e. possession) relation, arguing that the definiteness/animacy dative is an instance of this elementary predicate. Evidence sometimes used against the unification proposed (e.g. passives, agreement) admits of, or requires, other explanations.authorsversionpublishe