A Cognitive Model for Emergency Management in Hospitals: Proposal of a Triage Severity Index

Hospitals play a critical role in providing communities with essential medical care during all types of disasters. Any accident that damages systems or people often requires a multifunctional response and recovery effort. Without an appropriate emergency planning, it is impossible to provide good care during a critical event. In fact, during a disaster condition, the same “critical” severity could occur for patients. Thus, it is essential to categorize and to prioritize patients with the aim to provide the best care to as many patients as possible with the available resources. Triage assesses the severity of patients to give an order of medical visit. The purpose of the present research is to develop a hybrid algorithm, called triage algorithm for emergency management (TAEM). The goal is twofold: First, to assess the priority of treatment; second, to assess in which hospital it is preferable to conduct patients. The triage models proposed in the literature are qualitative. The proposed algorithm aims to cover this gap. The model presented exceeds the limits of literature by developing a quantitative algorithm, which performs a numerical index. The hybrid model is implemented in a real scenario concerning the accident management in a petrochemical plant

SECCA procedure for anal incontinence and antibiotic treatment: a case report of anal abscess

Background: Fecal Incontinence (FI) can seriously affect quality of life. The treatment of fecal incontinence starts conservatively but in case of failure, different surgical approaches may be proposed to the patient. Recently several not invasive approaches have been developed. One of these is the radiofrequency (RF) energy application to the internal anal sphincter. Case presentation: We report a rare case of an anal abscess related to a SECCA procedure in a 66-year-old woman affected by gas and FI for twenty years. Conclusions: The complications post-SECCA procedure reported in literature are generally not serious and often self-limited, such as bleeding or anal pain. This is a case of an anal abscess. We suggest that this finding could consolidate the importance of administering antibiotic therapy to patients and to run a full course of at least 6 days rather than a short-term (24 h) therapy, with the aim to minimize the incidence of this complication

Sustainable cooperative distance learning system for education in developing countries

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in a cooperative way can give a good improvement in the educational field; in developing countries, especially in Sub-Saharan area. Sustainable technologies and collaborative LMS are investigated in a case study as possible ways to improve, towards distance learning systems, education and towards it, social empowerment and development. A web-based system, customized for an academic year proposal in medicine and surgery field, helps the development of cooperation among universities and research empowerment and exchange, useful for both entities and their stakeholders. Different uses and approaches to the technological solution allow different participants to model and interact with the project despite difficulties and environmental gabs that could occur in some territories of the Sub-Saharan countries

The use of low pressure plasma surface modification for bonded joints to assembly a robotic gripper designed to be additive manufactured

The paper explores how different surface preparations modify the mechanical performance of bonded joints on components made in acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) processed by fused filament fabrication (FFF) additive manufacturing. Two alternative treatments are considered: surface abrasion compliant to the standard ASTM D2093-03 (17) and using low pressure plasma, an innovative solution. The assessment is performed on standard lap shear test specimens and structural epoxy adhesive. The bonding layer with abraded surfaces shows adhesive failure while after the low-pressure plasma treatment shows adherends failure. As case of study the bonding solution to perform the assembly is considered a jaw finger of a robotic gripper for the picking of garments from a table. The redesign of the finger availing of the performance of bonding with the new plasma treatment is proposed and discussed. Experimental testing assessed the feasibility of this innovative technical solution