Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Portugal: Patients' Perception of the Challenges Faced during Treatment

Introduction: The increase in drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) threatens global progress in eliminating TB, and constitutes a major challenge for patients, health-care workers and health services. Treatment for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) can last almost 2 years, and is more expensive, more toxic, and less effective than treating TB caused by drug-sensitive bacilli. This study aims to analyze patients’ narratives about the challenges they face during MDR-TB treatment and identify the support factors that help patients being treated in the most populous district of Portugal. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients being treated for MDR-TB. The interviews were coded using thematic analysis. They were audio-recorded, transcribed, and transported into NVivo v12 for data management and coding. Results: Depression, social discrimination, and the side effects of drugs are the main challenges faced by patients with MDR-TB. A good relationship of the patients with the health team, emotional support, and supervised treatment stand out as the factors that generate better adherence and treatment success. Conclusion: In addition to modern diagnostic techniques and new treatments, MDR-TB can be fought by focusing on the care and needs of patients. We suggest that the Lisbon Tuberculosis Program adopts the following measures: build the health-care team’s capacity to identify symptoms of depression early, increase public awareness of the disease, expand the multidisciplinary team, and expand the options for individualized social support for patients

A GRASP-based heuristic for allocating the roadside infrastructure maximizing the number of distinct vehicles experiencing contact opportunities

In this work the allocation of Roadside Units (RSUs) in a V2I network is modeled as a Maximum Coverage Problem. The main objective is to maximize the number of distinct vehicles contacting the infrastructure. Two different approaches are presented to solve the problem. The first one is an ILP model that can found optimal solutions or give sharp upper and lower bounds for the problem. The second one is a GRASP-based heuristic that can found close-to-optimal solutions. The GRASP-based heuristic is compared with a previous work achieving better results. Furthermore, a new metric to measure the efficiency of a Deployment strategy is presented

Validation of a quantitative lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA)-based point-of-care (POC) rapid test for SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies

With the widespread use of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, a rapid and reliable method to detect SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) is extremely important for monitoring vaccine effectiveness and immunity in the population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the RapiRead (TM) reader and the TestNOW (TM) COVID-19 NAb rapid point-of-care (POC) test for quantitative measurement of antibodies against the spike protein receptor-binding domain of severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in different biological matrices compared to chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) methods. Ninety-four samples were collected and analyzed using a RapiRead (TM) reader and TestNOW (TM) COVID-19 NAb kits for detecting neutralizing antibodies, and then using two CLIAs. The data were compared statistically using the Kruskal-Wallis test for more than two groups or the Mann-Whitney test for two groups. Specificity and sensitivity were evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Good correlation was observed between the rapid lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) test system and both CLIA methods. RapiRead (TM) reader/TestNOW (TM) COVID-19 NAb vs. Maglumi: correlation coefficient (r) = 0.728 for all patients; r = 0.841 for vaccinated patients. RapiRead (TM) reader/TestNOW (TM) COVID-19 NAb vs. Mindray: r = 0.6394 in all patients; r = 0.8724 in vaccinated patients. The time stability of the POC serological test was also assessed considering two times of reading, 12 and 14 minutes. The data revealed no significant differences. The use of a RapiRead (TM) reader and TestNOW (TM) COVID-19 NAb assay is a quantitative, rapid, and valid method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies and could be a useful tool for screening studies of SARS-CoV-2 infection and assessing the efficacy of vaccines in a non-laboratory context

Job satisfaction mediates the association between perceived disability and work productivity in migraine headache patients

Migraine headache is the cause of an estimated 250,000,000 lost days from work or school every year and is often associated with decreased work productivity. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between perceived disability, job satisfaction and work productivity in patients affected by chronic migraineurs. Participants were 98 consecutive adult outpatients admitted to the Regional Referral Headache Centre of the Sant’Andrea Hospital in Rome, Italy. Patients were administered the Italian Perceived Disability Scale, The Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Work Subscale and The EndicottWork Productivity Scale. Perceived disability is significantly associated with job satisfaction and work productivity. Job satisfaction is significantly related to work productivity and mediates the association between perceived disability and work productivity in patients affected by chronic migraineurs. Our results confirm that patients suffering from migraine headaches who have negative perceptions © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Environmental study of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidemic in a burn unit.

During an outbreak of infections caused by methicillin-resistant (MR) Staphylococcus aureus in our burn unit, we conducted an extensive 10-week study to define the environmental epidemiology of the organism. The inanimate environment in patient rooms and adjacent areas was examined by using volumetric air samplers and Rodac plates. Airborne and surface level contamination with MR S. aureus was quantitated, and overall, MR S. aureus comprised 16, 31, and 40% of all bacterial growth from air, elevated surfaces, and floor surfaces, respectively. Mean air, elevated surface, and floor surface MR S. aureus contamination in rooms of MR S. aureus-infected burn patients were 1.9 MR S. aureus per ft3 (ca. 0.028 m3), 20 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate and 48 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate, respectively. Peak patient room environmental contamination levels were 6.9 MR S. aureus per ft3 of air, 70 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate per elevated surface and 138 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate per floor surface. Environmental contamination levels in the adjacent work areas were considerably lower than in infected patient rooms. There was ample opportunity for contamination of personnel through the inanimate environment in this unit

Expectativas y preocupaciones de alumnos ingresantes a la Facultad de Educación Física de la UNT

Los objetivos que este proyecto se propone son (a) en los estudiantes ingresantes indagar sobre las dificultades de inserción y permanencia en el ámbito académico; (b) en los estudiantes que lograron superar el primer año , indagar sobre los mecanismos subjetivos de afrontamiento que operan como reforzadores y protectores, y les permiten continuar el recorrido académico; (c) informar los resultados a las autoridades universitaria y de las unidades académicas, con el propósito de producir conocimiento científico específico y eventualmente usen el mismo como insumo; (d) según las respuestas que se obtengan de dichas esferas, el equipo tiene la disponibilidad de complementar la información y eventualmente colaborar con ellos para los pasos futuros.Eje: Psicología educacional y orientación vocacionalFacultad de Psicologí

Expectativas y preocupaciones de alumnos ingresantes a la Facultad de Educación Física de la UNT

Los objetivos que este proyecto se propone son (a) en los estudiantes ingresantes indagar sobre las dificultades de inserción y permanencia en el ámbito académico; (b) en los estudiantes que lograron superar el primer año , indagar sobre los mecanismos subjetivos de afrontamiento que operan como reforzadores y protectores, y les permiten continuar el recorrido académico; (c) informar los resultados a las autoridades universitaria y de las unidades académicas, con el propósito de producir conocimiento científico específico y eventualmente usen el mismo como insumo; (d) según las respuestas que se obtengan de dichas esferas, el equipo tiene la disponibilidad de complementar la información y eventualmente colaborar con ellos para los pasos futuros.Eje: Psicología educacional y orientación vocacionalFacultad de Psicologí

Anxiety, Prenatal Attachment, and Depressive Symptoms in Women with Diabetes in Pregnancy

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between anxiety, prenatal attachment, and depressive symptoms among women with diabetes in pregnancy. Participants were 131 consecutive pregnant women between the ages of 20 and 45 with a diagnosis of gestational or pregestational type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Data on previous psychiatric symptoms were obtained from the Anamnestic and Social Questionnaire and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Information on prenatal attachment was collected using The Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI), and The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) assessed depressive symptoms in the third trimester of pregnancy (at a mean of 25 weeks). Results demonstrated that in women aected by diabetes in pregnancy, two facets of prenatal attachment (anticipation, interaction) were negatively correlated with depressive symptoms, and a history of anxiety, assessed with the MINI, moderated the relation between the prenatal attachment interaction factor and depressive symptoms during pregnancy

La formación ética y la promoción de derechos humanos en las instituciones educativas: análisis desde un espacio de intervención

Desde el Proyecto de investigación ‘Formación ética y promoción de derechos humanos en la convivencia escolar’ (UNT), se pensó en un espacio de prácticas en cinco escuelas urbanas de Tucumán. El trabajo en terreno respondió a demandas puntuales del sector educativo respecto a temáticas vinculadas a la vulneración de los derechos humanos y valores éticos que se expresaban al interior de las escuelas.Eje temático: Psicología Educacional y Orientación VocacionalFacultad de Psicologí

La formación ética y la promoción de derechos humanos en las instituciones educativas: análisis desde un espacio de intervención

Desde el Proyecto de investigación ‘Formación ética y promoción de derechos humanos en la convivencia escolar’ (UNT), se pensó en un espacio de prácticas en cinco escuelas urbanas de Tucumán. El trabajo en terreno respondió a demandas puntuales del sector educativo respecto a temáticas vinculadas a la vulneración de los derechos humanos y valores éticos que se expresaban al interior de las escuelas.Eje temático: Psicología Educacional y Orientación VocacionalFacultad de Psicologí