Evaluation of the Coulter Counter S-Plus VI

This article reports an evaluation of the Coulter Counter model S-Plus VI automatic analyser for haematology, and data are presented on linearity, carry-over, precision, accuracy and stability of the instrument, when compared with a model S-Plus IV/D

An Exploratory Study of Field Failures

Field failures, that is, failures caused by faults that escape the testing phase leading to failures in the field, are unavoidable. Improving verification and validation activities before deployment can identify and timely remove many but not all faults, and users may still experience a number of annoying problems while using their software systems. This paper investigates the nature of field failures, to understand to what extent further improving in-house verification and validation activities can reduce the number of failures in the field, and frames the need of new approaches that operate in the field. We report the results of the analysis of the bug reports of five applications belonging to three different ecosystems, propose a taxonomy of field failures, and discuss the reasons why failures belonging to the identified classes cannot be detected at design time but shall be addressed at runtime. We observe that many faults (70%) are intrinsically hard to detect at design-time

Veno-occlusive disease nurse management: Development of a dynamic monitoring tool by the GITMO nursing group

Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) is a complication arising from the toxicity of conditioning regimens that have a significant impact on the survival of patients who undergo stem cell transplantation. There are several known risk factors for developing VOD and their assessment before the start of conditioning regimens could improve the quality of care. Equally important are early identification of signs and symptoms ascribable to VOD, rapid diagnosis, and timely adjustment of support therapy and treatment. Nurses have a fundamental role at the stages of assessment and monitoring for signs and symptoms; therefore, they should have documented skills and training. The literature defines nurses' areas of competence in managing VOD, but in the actual clinical practice, this is not so clear. Moreover, there is an intrinsic difficulty in managing VOD due to its rapid and often dramatic evolution, together with a lack of care tools to guide nurses. Through a complex evidence-based process, the Gruppo Italiano per il Trapianto di Midollo Osseo (GITMO), cellule staminali emopoietiche e terapia cellulare nursing board has developed an operational flowchart and a dynamic monitoring tool applicable to haematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients, whether they develop this complication or not

CMS physics technical design report : Addendum on high density QCD with heavy ions

Peer reviewe

Intervención interdisciplinaria con las y los cuidadores de personas mayores dependientes. Rol del Terapeuta Ocupacional

Sociodemographic changes have led to an increase number of elderly people with dependent diseases. One of the keys for this comprehensive approach is preparing the person who will take care of the elderly. Dedication to care can lead to overload and abandonment of activities, with the consequent postponement of their own life project. The following article aims to describe the systematization of an interdisciplinary intervention with caregivers of the elderly people who have pathologies that are strongly associated with dependency; Furthermore, it is proposed to define the role and contribution of the occupational therapist in the interdisciplinary health team. Sociodemographic variables and aspects related to care were measured and focus groups with caregivers were carried out to know the perception about the contribution of the intervetion, in face-to-face and virtual mode, in the context of COVID 19 pandemic. The data analysis shows a higher percentage of women than men who perform this role and a high percentage of caregivers over 60 years old. Caregivers recognize the device’s support, company space, listening and learning functions and identify the occupational therapist as a team professional, who provides support and information, taking into account the demand and needs in each particular case. In conclusion, interdisciplinary intervention constitutes an alternative, within the social health network, for a comprehensive approach to dementia and other diseases leading to dependence, which considers the needs of the caregiver and the elderly person.Los cambios sociodemográficos han conducido a un aumento de personas mayores que presentan enfermedades que cursan con dependencia. Una de las claves del abordaje integral, es preparar a quién va a cuidar a la persona mayor. La dedicación al cuidado, de una persona mayor con dependencia, puede conducir a la sobrecarga y abandono de actividades, con la consecuente postergación del proyecto vital. El siguiente artículo tiene como objetivo describir la sistematización de una intervención interdisciplinaria con cuidadores/ras de personas mayores que tienen patologías que cursen con dependencia; además, se propone definir el rol y aporte del terapeuta ocupacional en el equipo interdisciplinario. Para la recolección de datos se registraron variables sociodemográficas y aspectos en relación al cuidado y se realizaron grupos focales con cuidadores/ras para conocer la percepción acerca del aporte del dispositivo, en modalidad presencial y virtual, en contexto de pandemia. El análisis de datos evidencia un mayor porcentaje de mujeres que de varones que cumplen ese rol y un alto porcentaje de cuidadores/as por encima de los 60 años de edad. Los y las cuidadoras reconocen las funciones de apoyo, soporte, espacio de compañía, escucha y aprendizaje del dispositivo e identifican al terapeuta ocupacional como un profesional del equipo, que brinda su apoyo e información de acuerdo a la demanda y necesidades particulares. En conclusión, la intervención interdisciplinaria se constituye en una alternativa, dentro de la red sociosanitaria, para un abordaje integral en la demencia y otras enfermedades que cursan con dependencia, que contemple las necesidades del cuidador/ra y la persona mayor

Skeletal fragility: an emerging complication of Ehlers–Danlos syndrome

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is an emerging cause of skeletal fragility. Mechanism of bone damage are probably multifactorial in line with the different skeletal phenotypes that can be found in clinical practice. A structured approach to clinical management of bone metabolic complication in EDS is proposed