ABSTRACT
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, public spaces had to be quickly adapted to the new circumstances especially under the uncertainty of the pandemic development. Door handles are some of the most touched surfaces and so, this point of contagion was chosen to be tackled and two solutions were developed that would prevent direct touch with the handle: a portable and a fixed device. The portable device (HYHOOK + HYTIP) is a hook-like device holding a finger cover, which permits to open doors and push buttons safely. The fixed device (HANDGENIC) is meant to be assembled in door handles to equip buildings, such as universities or schools. With the fixed device, the user can open the door using their forearm which makes them less likely to transfer any particles to eyes, nose or mouth. The 3D printing Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) process was selected as manufacturing technique, which allows the fast production of prototypes. This work portrays the development process and design iterations taking into consideration the concerns about the functioning of the devices and possible failures or alternative uses. To assure structural integrity of the parts, finite element (FE) analysis was used to verify its mechanical response. As conclusion, it was found that FE analysis indicate that the devices are structurally sound to be used in public spaces and that 3D printing is a useful way to rapidly develop devices while testing several design possibilities.
ABSTRACT
Case Presentation: Female patient, 52 years old, diagnosed with COVID-19 in May 2021. During hospitalization for the treatment of COVID-19, she presented leukocytosis (40 thousand cells/mm3) and lymphadenopathy. Blood count before COVID-19 infection without changes. The signs and symptoms was investigated, and through biopsy, peripheral T lymphoma and bone marrow infiltration were diagnosed. Discussion: SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, which causes COVID-19 disease, is a new virus, whose infection and complications are not fully understood. Lymphoproliferative diseases represent a category of disorders in which lymphocytes proliferate in excessive amounts. One of them is peripheral T-cell lymphoma, which is a rare type of lymphoma, and develops from more mature forms of T-cells. Patients with lymphoproliferative diseases are considered immunocompromised due to compromised humoral immunity and cellular immunity. Therefore, they are vulnerable to several infections, including COVID-19. But little is known about COVID-19 infection when it accompanies or precedes lymphoproliferative disease. Lymphocytosis is an unexpected finding in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection. Many diseases have been associated with a propensity for developing lymphoproliferative diseases. However, there are few cases in the literature of patients with COVID-19 and lymphoproliferative diseases. Reports often involve patients with other underlying conditions that are known to be associated with the development of lymphoproliferative diseases. The presentation, clinical findings and therapeutic interventions in a lymphoproliferative disease patient, without other underlying conditions, in the context of COVID-19, is a topic to be discussed. Final Comments: There are few reports of patients with lymphoproliferative diseases during or shortly after COVID-19 infection, and the association is not clear. Although COVID-19 has been shown to be associated with hematologic alterations, further research is needed to determine whether lymphoproliferative diseases may also be a potential complication.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The time lapse between onset of symptoms and a call to an emergency dispatch center (pain-to-call time) is a critical prognostic factor in patients with chest pain. It is therefore important to identify factors related to delays in calling for help. OBJECTIVES: To analyze whether age, gender, or time of day influence the pain-to-call delay in patients with acute STsegment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were extracted from a prospective registry of STEMI cases managed by 39 mobile intensive care ambulance teams before hospital arrival within 24 hours of onset in our region, the greater metropolitan area of Paris, France. We analyzed the relation between pain-to-call time and the following factors: age, gender, and the time of day when symptoms appeared. We also assessed the influence of pain-to-call time on the rate of prehospital decisions to implement reperfusion therapy. RESULTS: A total of 24 662 consecutive patients were included;19 291 (78%) were men and 4371 (22%) were women. The median age was 61 (interquartile range, 52-73) years (men, 59 [51-69] years;women, 73 [59-83] years;P .0001). The median pain-to-call time was 60 (24-164) minutes (men, 55 [23-150] minutes;women, 79 [31-220] minutes;P .0001). The delay varied by time of day from a median of 40 (17-101) minutes in men between 5 pm and 6 pm to 149 (43-377) minutes in women between 2 am and 3 am. The delay was longer in women regardless of time of day and increased significantly with age in both men and women (P .001). A longer pain-to-call time was significantly associated with a lower rate of implementation of myocardial reperfusion (P .001). CONCLUSION: Pain-to-call delays were longer in women and older patients, especially at night. These age and gender differences identify groups that would benefit most from health education interventions.