Contribution of EQA to improve Preanalytical practices by systematic verification of Laboratory Services

International literature describes the preanalytical phase as the most susceptible to errors due to the numerous non automated activities it involves Most EQA organizers offer preanalytical schemes to participants. There are basically three types of surveys procedures registration, samples circulation and errors registration The Portuguese EQA Programme ( provides these type of schemes for 13 years, using as a guide the ISO 15189 2012 In order to improve the evaluation of the preanalytical phase, PNAEQ recently launched two other preanalytical EQA schemes, mystery client and presential audits in 2015 and 2016 respectively. The aim of the mystery client survey is to verify whether the information provided to the patient is constant regardless the day and time or if it is dependent on the collaborator. The aim of the presential audit survey is to give the participants a tool to verify if the procedures performed daily are in accordance with laboratorial good practices recommendations. Conclusions: Results from Mystery Client surveys demonstrate the need for written procedures and harmonization of practices for all collaborators, as more than a third of the responses differed in date/time and operator in a global view. In the Presential Audit surveys we highlight as critical points the results regarding questions 3 5 and 6 as they point to specific problems that occurred during the blood collection procedure, such as operator and patient safety, as well as the quality of the sample collected, suggesting the need to review legal and normative issues and to train collaborators. Participants who use systematically these two methodologies are monitoring some of the requirements of ISO 15189:2012, namely 4. 1.2.6, 4.3, 4.4.1, 4.14, 5.4.2 (both), 5.4.4.2 (mystery client) and 5.1.2, 5.2.2, 5.2.5, 5.3.2.5, 5.3.2.7, 5.4.4 (presential audit), contributing to release reliable results for medical decisions. For the future, we will extend the questions and items in evaluation in these two surveys to Microbiology area and continuing to offer training in Preanalytical matters.N/

Resultados sucintos de la excavación arqueológica de urgencia en los solares de la calle Blanco Belmonte Nos 4-6 y Ricardo de Montis 1-8, Córdoba. El trazado del cardo máximo de la Colonia Patricia Córduba.

This paper exposes the stratigraphical results of an exeavation at a site imtra muros of Corduba-Colonia Patricia. We analize the finds: rest of the cloaca maxima and of an urban house that evolucionates through roman and islamic times. Also it is proposed our hypothesis about the trayectory of colonial cardo maximus.Este artículo expone los resultados estratigráficos de la excavación realizada en el solar de referencia, intramuros de Corduba-Colonia Patricia. Analizamos los hallazgos efectuados, principalmente restos de la cloaca maxima y de una casa urbana que evoluciona a lo largo de la época romana y califal. En base a éstos y otros datos proponemos el trazado del cardo maximus de la colonia

Increased flexibility of CA3 memory representations following environmental enrichment

This work was supported by a grant from the BBSRC (BB/X007197/1).Peer reviewe

Performance of PNAEQ participant’s results for HIV and HCV infection in the First EQA round 2019

The Portuguese National External Quality Assessment Program (PNAEQ) has been collaborating with Labquality since 2002. One of the first schemes distributed to PNAEQ participants was for HIV laboratory tests, followed by HCV laboratory tests scheme in 2003. A suitable scheme for Point of Care Testing (POCT) is available for HIV since 2012 and for HCV since 2018. Given the burden of HIV and HCV diseases, the Portuguese legislation allows, since 2018, that other locations than laboratories, such as pharmacies and Non-Governmental-Organizations (NGOs), perform tests for detect HIV and HCV infection. For this purpose, and in order to assure reliable results that leads to an early correct diagnostic and a timely treatment, leading to a decrease in the person-to-person transmission of HIV and HCV infection, a specific training to perform POCT for HIV and HCV is mandatory for these entities, as well as the participation in such EQA schemes, namely the PNAEQ-Labquality. The performance of PNAEQ participants for HIV and HCV tests in the First EQA round 2019 was considered in general good. For HIV POCT, the user that reported an undetermined result proceeded correctly requesting a second sample for confirmation. Regarding the two incorrect results reported by laboratories, it is necessary to review the internal validation procedure and revalidation of the laboratory test, and implement corrective and preventive actions. The training of participants that used POCT for the first time proved to be effective in acquiring skills to perform the tests properly. PNAEQ will continue to provide education and training in quality control and motivate all the participants to continuously evaluate the results from the internal quality control and the reports from the external quality assessment.N/

Urban Development and Airports in Northern and Central Italy: Main Trends and a Focus on Parma Giuseppe Verdi Case Study

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La validazione del contenuto informativo è la chiave del successo di un processo BIM-based

The construction industry, particularly the public sector, started drawing attention towards containing costs and increasing performance. This is why several public entities worldwide are promoting new strategies and adopted innovating approaches such as the Building Information Modelling (BIM). Countries like the UK, Germany, France and Spain are working on it through investments in the industry digitalization. In Italy, despite the fact that the growing implementation of information-based technologies is not supported by a governmental strategy, public calls for tender requiring BIM have been set up. In addition, in order to benefit from a BIM-based approach, cooperating processes are being arranged to involve several parties from the very first stages of the project itself. This way flaws will be sorted out in advance and out of the construction site, and at the same time ideal solutions will be identified for the entire building lifecycle. Within the BIM methodology, a key role is played by Model Checking, which enables verification and validation of all projects, not only in the design phase, but also throughout the process phases. In order to guarantee reliable results, an initial pre-check should be carried out, the so called BIM Validation. This validates the data content of the Information Model and subsequently carries out analyses such as Clash Detection and Code Checking. The Information Model must come out of a meticulous modelling phase, in order to validate its geometric and alphanumeric content and ensure reliable results first, and then proceed with subsequent BIM-based analyses

Dust Formation in the Wind of AGB Stars—The Effects of Mass, Metallicity and Gas-Dust Drift

Dust production in the wind of stars evolving through the asymptotic giant branch is investigated by using a stationary wind model, applied to results from stellar evolution modelling. Results regarding 1–8M⊙ stars of metallicities Z=0.014 (solar) and Z=2×10−3 are compared, to infer the role played by stellar mass and chemical composition on the dust formation process. We find a dichotomy in mass: stars of (initial) mass below ∼3M⊙ produce silicates and alumina dust before they become carbon stars, then carbonaceous dust; the higher mass counterparts produce only silicates and alumina dust, in quantities that scale with metallicity. The presence of drifts with average drift velocities ∼5 Km/s leads to higher dust formation rates owing to the higher growth rates of the dust grains of the different species. However, no significant changes are found in the overall optical depths, because the higher rate of dust formations favours a fast expansion of the wind, that prevents further significant production of dust. As far as oxygen-rich stars are concerned, the presence of drifts makes the main dust component to change from olivine to pyroxene. The release of the assumption that the number density of the seed particles is independent of the dust species considered affects dust formation in the wind of carbon stars: a factor 10 reduction in the density of the seeds of SiC leads to bigger sized SiC grains, and partly inhibits the formation of solid carbon, since the wind is accelerated and the densities in the carbon formation zone are smaller. No substantial differences are found in the winds of oxygen-rich stars

QR codes: A case of its level of adoption in Portugal

The choice of this work arises from the interest in the topics of entrepreneurship and technology transfer toward launching more innovative products/services. It focuses on delivering a technology, QR code, which brings more innovation to a product especially with the current growth of mobile activities. Then, with the help of a strategic plan, it evaluates the level of potential acceptation and adoption of the proposed service and of widespread use of QRs in Portugal. Thus, an interactive prototype of the supporting platform is described and used for its validation with users. Most participants in this project know the technology and consider the idea interesting and promising. They even suggest add-ons such as more video functions and a higher variety of events and/or resources for combination. However, through a deeper analysis, aspects related with effective use of the service, eventual payment, and explaining how it works reveal lower enthusiasm. Thus, although there is a promising scenario for its implementation in the Portuguese market, training aimed at effectively knowing and using QR-code technology must evolve. Given the challenges of today's society, the future application of this product/service shall pass through an innovation acspecialized information or resources for activities in the areas of tourism, banking, health, etc.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Proyecto didáctico interdisciplinario para potenciar la creatividad en los estudiantes de tercer grado de la Institución Educativa 10828, Chiclayo

El presente trabajo de investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar la influencia de la aplicación de un Proyecto Didáctico Interdisciplinario para potenciar la creatividad en los niños de tercer grado de la Institución Educativa 10828, Chiclayo. Se encuentra sustentado en la teoría de Guilford que menciona que la creatividad es la capacidad de resolver problemas con regularidad de manera original y la Teoría de Tamayo que sustenta que la interdisciplinariedad es un conjunto de disciplinas conexas entre sí que tiene como objetivo observar, describir, explicar y predecir el comportamiento de un fenómeno, de modo que incorpore los resultados de diversas disciplinas. Además, presenta un diseño de estudio cuasi experimental, con una población de 226 estudiantes y una muestra de 68 estudiantes a quienes se les aplicó un Pre y Post Test. Se utilizó un cuestionario que permitió medir el nivel de creatividad en los estudiantes de tercer grado de la Institución Educativa 10828, Chiclayo. Finalmente, el estudio muestra resultados producto de la aplicación de un instrumento válido y confiable que midió el nivel de creatividad en los estudiantes, los mismos que alcanzaron un nivel bajo de creatividad en el Pre Test, con un 67% en el grupo control y un 70. 27% en el grupo experimental; para luego diseñar y aplicar un proyecto didáctico interdisciplinario con el objetivo de potenciar la creatividad en los estudiantes que formaron parte del grupo experimental. Se aplicó luego el Post Test, obteniendo como resultados que, con respecto al nivel alto de creatividad, en el grupo control se ubica el 17% de estudiantes y en el grupo experimental un 95 % quedando demostrado estadísticamente que el estímulo aplicado potencia de manera significativa el nivel de creatividad en los niños y niñas que formaron parte de la investigación