Oncological patients' reactions to COVID-19 pandemic: A single institution prospective study.

peer reviewedBACKGROUND: The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a rapid reorganization in all human and hospital activities, with impact on cancer patients. AIM: An analysis of cancer patients fears, and awareness of COVID-19 has been done in this study. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed cancer patients' reactions to the pandemic and their perception of oncological care reorganization, through a 12-item survey, proposed at the peak of pandemic and 3 months later. Overall, 237 patients were included in the study. During the peak of pandemic 34.6% of patients were more worried about COVID-19 than cancer versus 26.4% in the post-acute phase (p = .013). Although 49.8% of patients in the acute phase and 42.3% in the post-acute phase considered their risk of death if infected ≥50%, and more than 70% of patients thought to be at higher risk of complications, the majority of them did not consider the possibility to stop or delay their treatment. Patients were more interested in following news about COVID-19 than cancer and they complied with all preventive measures in more than 90% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: Although cancer patients worried about COVID-19 and evaluated the risk of complication or death due to COVID-19 as extremely high, they were still asking for the best oncological treatment

PALMCLOUD

Think about how much of the things you do daily that is online. So much of our everyday life wouldn’t be possible without online connection. We are becoming more and more dependent on always having access to information and we spend so much time online. Every online interaction come from some kind of server located in a data center or common IT industry. The electricity used in datacenters is converted into heat and in most cases is let out straight into the atmosphere. Not only is the energy loss bad for the environment it is also a waste of money. However this is an hugely expanding business and in order to continue the development of our technological society we have to find a way to make it sustainable.  This is why I made a Folketshus+, from a different perspective. A physical, sustainable place for the could, combined with a place for people.Palmcloud is a hybridbuilding that consists mainly of a data center and a greenhouse for palmtrees. The greenhouse will be heated by reusing the excess heat from de serverhall. This way the datacenter, which I believe is a kind of building that is going to be a big part of the future, will be more climate positive and energy effective. The greenhouse and part of the datacenter will be used by people as a place for online culture, creativity and education.Tänk på hur mycket av det du gör dagligen som sker online. Så mycket av vår vardag skulle inte fungera utan uppkoppling. Vi blir mer och mer beroende av att alltid ha tillgång till information och vi spenderar otroligt mycket tid online. All form av datatrafik sker genom kommunikation till olika servrar. Allt som sker online kommer från en eller flera servrar placerade i ett datacenter någonstans i världen. Detta är en stor och växande global energikonsument. Elen som används i datacentra omvandlas till värme och släpps i de flesta fall rakt ut i atmosfären. Energiförlusten är inte bara dålig för miljön, det är också slöseri med pengar. För att fortsätta utvecklingen av vårt teknologiska samhälle behöver vi hitta ett sätt att göra det mer hållbart.  Jag ville göra ett folketshus+ ur ett nytt perspektiv genom en fysisk, hållbar plats för molnet, kombinerat med en plats för människor.Palmcloud är en hybridbyggnad som huvudsakligen består av ett datacenter och ett orangeri för palmer. Genom att återanvända överskottsvärmen från serverhallen till att värma upp orangeriet kommer datacentret att bli mer klimatpositivt och energieffektivt. Byggnaden har ett fokus på onlinekultur, utbildning och upplevelser

PALMCLOUD

Think about how much of the things you do daily that is online. So much of our everyday life wouldn’t be possible without online connection. We are becoming more and more dependent on always having access to information and we spend so much time online. Every online interaction come from some kind of server located in a data center or common IT industry. The electricity used in datacenters is converted into heat and in most cases is let out straight into the atmosphere. Not only is the energy loss bad for the environment it is also a waste of money. However this is an hugely expanding business and in order to continue the development of our technological society we have to find a way to make it sustainable.  This is why I made a Folketshus+, from a different perspective. A physical, sustainable place for the could, combined with a place for people.Palmcloud is a hybridbuilding that consists mainly of a data center and a greenhouse for palmtrees. The greenhouse will be heated by reusing the excess heat from de serverhall. This way the datacenter, which I believe is a kind of building that is going to be a big part of the future, will be more climate positive and energy effective. The greenhouse and part of the datacenter will be used by people as a place for online culture, creativity and education.Tänk på hur mycket av det du gör dagligen som sker online. Så mycket av vår vardag skulle inte fungera utan uppkoppling. Vi blir mer och mer beroende av att alltid ha tillgång till information och vi spenderar otroligt mycket tid online. All form av datatrafik sker genom kommunikation till olika servrar. Allt som sker online kommer från en eller flera servrar placerade i ett datacenter någonstans i världen. Detta är en stor och växande global energikonsument. Elen som används i datacentra omvandlas till värme och släpps i de flesta fall rakt ut i atmosfären. Energiförlusten är inte bara dålig för miljön, det är också slöseri med pengar. För att fortsätta utvecklingen av vårt teknologiska samhälle behöver vi hitta ett sätt att göra det mer hållbart.  Jag ville göra ett folketshus+ ur ett nytt perspektiv genom en fysisk, hållbar plats för molnet, kombinerat med en plats för människor.Palmcloud är en hybridbyggnad som huvudsakligen består av ett datacenter och ett orangeri för palmer. Genom att återanvända överskottsvärmen från serverhallen till att värma upp orangeriet kommer datacentret att bli mer klimatpositivt och energieffektivt. Byggnaden har ett fokus på onlinekultur, utbildning och upplevelser

A fast, sensitive and cost-effective method for nucleic acid detection using non-radioactive probes

International audienceNucleic acid detection and quantification using a labeled DNA probe is a very common molecular biology procedure. Here, we describe a new method, based on commonly used laboratory solutions, for nucleic acid hybridization and detection with digoxigenin-labeled DNA probes. The protocol described is faster, more sensitive and much cheaper than a standard protocol using commercial solutions. Comparison with a classical radioactive detection method shows that the latter exhibits less background and shows a greater linear response. Hence, the proposed protocol may be routinely performed for qualitative detection of nucleic acid, but when precise signal quantitation needs to be obtained, radioactive probe hybridization associated to phosphorimaging technology is more reliable

The accountability for reasonableness approach to guide priority setting in health systems within limited resources - findings from action research at district level in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia

Background: Priority-setting decisions are based on an important, but not sufficient set of values and thus lead to disagreement on priorities. Accountability for Reasonableness (AFR) is an ethics-based approach to a legitimate and fair priority-setting process that builds upon four conditions: relevance, publicity, appeals, and enforcement, which facilitate agreement on priority-setting decisions and gain support for their implementation. This paper focuses on the assessment of AFR within the project REsponse to ACcountable priority setting for Trust in health systems (REACT). Methods: This intervention study applied an action research methodology to assess implementation of AFR in one district in Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia, respectively. The assessments focused on selected disease, program, and managerial areas. An implementing action research team of core health team members and supporting researchers was formed to implement, and continually assess and improve the application of the four conditions. Researchers evaluated the intervention using qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. Results: The values underlying the AFR approach were in all three districts well-aligned with general values expressed by both service providers and community representatives. There was some variation in the interpretations and actual use of the AFR in the decision-making processes in the three districts, and its effect ranged from an increase in awareness of the importance of fairness to a broadened engagement of health team members and other stakeholders in priority setting and other decision-making processes. Conclusions: District stakeholders were able to take greater charge of closing the gap between nationally set planning and the local realities and demands of the served communities within the limited resources at hand. This study thus indicates that the operationalization of the four broadly defined and linked conditions is both possible and seems to be responding to an actual demand. This provides arguments for the continued application and further assessment of the potential of AFR in supporting priority-setting and other decision-making processes in health systems to achieve better agreed and more sustainable health improvements linked to a mutual democratic learning with potential wider implications

A systems perspective on the importance of global health strategy developments for accomplishing today's Sustainable Development Goals

Priority setting within health systems has not led to accountable, fair and sustainable solutions to improving population health. Providers, users and other stakeholders each have their own health and service priorities based on selected evidence, own values, expertise and preferences. Based on a historical account, this article analyses if contemporary health systems are appropriate to optimize population health within the framework of cross cutting targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We applied a scoping review approach to identify and review literature of scientific databases and other programmatic web and library-based documents on historical and contemporary health systems policies and strategies at the global level. Early literature supported the 1977 launching of the global target of Health for All by the year 2000. Reviewed literature was used to provide a historical overview of systems components of global health strategies through describing the conceptualizations of health determinants, user involvement and mechanisms of priority setting over time, and analysing the importance of historical developments on barriers and opportunities to accomplish the SDGs. Definitions, scope and application of health systems-associated priority setting fluctuated and main health determinants and user influence on global health systems and priority setting remained limited. In exploring reasons for the identified lack of SDG-associated health systems and priority setting processes, we discuss issues of accountability, vested interests, ethics and democratic legitimacy as conditional for future sustainability of population health. To accomplish the SDGs health systems must engage beyond their own sector boundary. New approaches to Health in All Policies and One Health may be conducive for scaling up more democratic and inclusive priority setting processes based on proper process guidelines from successful pilots. Sustainable development depends on population preferences supported by technical and managerial expertise

A systems perspective on the importance of global health strategy developments for accomplishing today’s Sustainable Development Goals

Priority setting within health systems has not led to accountable, fair and sustainable solutions to improving population health. Providers, users and other stakeholders each have their own health and service priorities based on selected evidence, own values, expertise and preferences. Based on a historical account, this article analyses if contemporary health systems are appropriate to optimize population health within the framework of cross cutting targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We applied a scoping review approach to identify and review literature of scientific databases and other programmatic web and library-based documents on historical and contemporary health systems policies and strategies at the global level. Early literature supported the 1977 launching of the global target of Health for All by the year 2000. Reviewed literature was used to provide a historical overview of systems components of global health strategies through describing the conceptualizations of health determinants, user involvement and mechanisms of priority setting over time, and analysing the importance of historical developments on barriers and opportunities to accomplish the SDGs. Definitions, scope and application of health systems-associated priority setting fluctuated and main health determinants and user influence on global health systems and priority setting remained limited. In exploring reasons for the identified lack of SDG-associated health systems and priority setting processes, we discuss issues of accountability, vested interests, ethics and democratic legitimacy as conditional for future sustainability of population health. To accomplish the SDGs health systems must engage beyond their own sector boundary. New approaches to Health in All Policies and One Health may be conducive for scaling up more democratic and inclusive priority setting processes based on proper process guidelines from successful pilots. Sustainable development depends on population preferences supported by technical and managerial expertise