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This paper provides a critical overview of Design for Sustainability (DfS) and Design for Well-Being practices as, today, sustainability, human behavior, and well-being are inextricably linked. We present a case study in response to a pharmaceutical company brief about cosmetic self-production packaging. Since the research takes place during the first lockdown due to Covid-19, it depicts quite a complex and extensive desk phase and a limited field phase. The research is approached on two levels. First, is the intention to change the way we interact with the packaging. As a container of elements, packaging can be a resource on all levels, not only because we can recycle it but also because we can replant it. In this way, we would return part of what had been taken away to the environment while also improving the product's life cycle. Thus, packaging becomes "behavioral”, producing and stimulating conscious behavior and motivating end-users while also educating them about environmental norms. Second, the Critical Design method traces the connections between DfS and Design for Well-being by leveraging the two practices within product design, clarifying the role of the designer in this transdisciplinary integration. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Background: Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) are a vulnerable population. Routine vaccination is the only strategy to prevent a lifethreatening infection. However, concerns on the cardiac safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines have been raised. Aim(s): To assess safety and efficacy of available COVID-19 vaccines in ACHD patients. Method(s): Data on COVID-19 infection and vaccines including booster doses and any suspected or confirmed adverse events were prospectively collected for all ACHD patients attending our tertiary centre from the beginning of the vaccination campaign (March 2021). A group of 75 healthy volunteers, matched per age and sex, was included for comparison. Antispike IgG titre was routinely obtained at the ACHD clinic. Patients' attitude towards COVID-19 was explored with a questionnaire. Result(s): As of February 2022, 498 ACHD patients (36.7+/-16 years, 54% male,69% with moderate-complex defects, 48% with advanced physiological stage) were enrolled. Four hundred and sixty-one (92%) were fully vaccinated: The type of vaccine was Pfizer-BioNTech for 399 (86%) patients, Moderna for 20 (4%) and AstraZeneca for 26 (6%), 9 received a mixed vaccine regimen (2%). Forty-two (9%) had a history of previous COVID-19 infection and therefore received only one dose. Two-hundred and sixty-nine (58%) patients received a booster dose. Adverse events were mainly mild and transient. One patient complaining of chest pain following administration of mRNA-based vaccination was diagnosed with acute pericarditis, which made full remission after appropriate therapy. Two patients reported a non-specific increment of inflammatory markers. No other severe adverse events were reported. Thirty-seven (7%) refused COVID-19 vaccination being scared of potential cardiac/extra-cardiac adverse events. Among those not-vaccinated, 9 (24%) had a history of previous mild COVID-19 infection. IgG titre was measured in 243 patients at 1915 [835-5934] BAU/ml, which was significantly higher compared to controls (1196 [827-2048] BAU/ml, p=0.002). Three ACHD patients contracted COVID-19 infection after the first dose, while 65 (14%) fully vaccinated patients tested positive for COVID-19, all with mild to moderate symptoms. COVID-19 symptoms duration was significantly longer in case of infection before vaccination (10 [2.7-15] vs 3 [1.2-7], p=0.03). One Fontan patient was tested positive for COVID-19 twice, before and after COVID-19 vaccination, requiring hospitalization in both cases. Four hundred and seven patients completed the questionnaire: 128 (31%) declared to be scared of potential cardiac effects of the vaccine and that the discussion with the ACHD cardiologist was crucial to decide to undergo COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusion(s): Our data provide real-world evidence on COVID-19 vaccines safety and efficacy in ACHD patients. Patients' education from the ACHD team may play a key role in vaccine acceptance in this vulnerable population.
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Background: COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, particularly known for its respiratory symptoms. Nevertheless, a wide variety of clinical manifestations has been associated with COVID-19, including Kawasaki disease, Guillain- Barré syndrome and the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). Clinical Case: A 55-years-old woman, affected by immune thrombocytopenia on prednisone therapy, presented with intense fatigue, hyporexia and vomit. She had no fever, no cough, nor other symptoms. She referred a quick prednisone decalage in previous days. ABG showed metabolic alkalosis, severe hyponatremia and hypokalemia. The patient tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Further investigation showed euvolemic hyponatremia (102 mEq/L) with normal urine osmolality (275 mOsm/Kg), findings consistent with COVID-19-related SIADH. We set a corticosteroid therapy with Prednisone 37,5 mg/die for 5 days, then 25 mg/die for 2 days. After 7 days of hospitalization, the patient tested negative for SARS-CoV-2. In the meantime, kalemia and natremia were back in range. Conclusions: Despite COVID-19 being identified as severe respiratory viral infection, progressively many relevant endocrine manifestations have been reported greatly contributing to the severity of the clinical presentation. There is the urgent need to collect in international multicentric efforts data on all these aspects of the pituitary involvement in COVID-19 patients.
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Background: Arterial catheterization is frequently used in the management of critically ill patients, but their use in internal medicine is limited by the lack of monitoring systems and fewer nursing staff. The aim of our study is to demonstrate the safety of arterial catheters in the internal medicine ward. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study between January 2018 and December 2021 at the Department of Internal Medicine 1 of the AOU Careggi. All patients with arterial catheters were enrolled. Patients with SARS-CoV2 infection were excluded. We conducted a univariate analysis on the association between self-removal of the device and complications. Results: We enrolled 488 patients. Mean age was 74.26±14.85 years. The main site of arterial access was radial artery (84.83%), followed by femoral artery (10.45%). The average length of stay of the device was 6.39±5.01 days, and in 3.48% there was an accidental self-removal of the device. The most frequent complication was mild bleeding (1.6%), followed by infection of the insertion site (0.8%) and distal embolization (0.3%). Delirium occurred in 20.3% of patients, and an association was found between delirium and self-removal of the arterial catheter (p <0.001, OR 5.35, CI 2.05-13-94). However, there was no association between delirium and any complications (p=1.000). Conclusions: arterial catheterization is a low-complication procedure;the internist should acquire this competence to deal with the presence of critically ill patients and the development of subintensive therapy units.
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Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) struggle to access high-quality health care due to the shortage of trained providers. ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) Autism is a unique educational program that allows ASD experts to provide knowledge and skills to professionals in local communities to deliver evidence-based care to children with ASD and their families. The model teaches clinicians how to screen and diagnose ASD, as well as manage common co-occurring medical and mental health issues. ECHO Autism is particularly useful for addressing the complex needs of children with ASD and reducing disparities often present in rural and underserved communities. The model can be disseminated globally due to its flexibility in accommodating local and regional differences in social norms and constructs. This article provides an overview of the format of the ECHO Autism model, data supporting the model's efficacy, and discusses future research directions.
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Background: Since the beginning of the COVID19 outbreak, the Veneto Oncology Network ROV licensed dedicated guidelines for cancer patients care during the pandemic, and developed a regional registry (ROVID) aimed at describing epidemiology and clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer patients. Preliminary data on 170 patients mainly diagnosed during the first pandemic wave have been published (Guarneri V, Eur J Cancer 2021). Here we report the data of additional 270 patients, comparing clinical data and outcomes between first (W1) and second (W2) pandemic waves. Methods: All patients with cancer diagnosis and documented SARS-CoV-2 infection are eligible. Data on diagnosis, comorbidities, anticancer treatments, details on SARS-CoV-infection including source of contagion, clinical presentation, hospitalization, treatments and fate of the infection are recorded. Results: 440 patients have been enrolled, 196 diagnosed during W1 (until September 2020) and 244 during W2. The most common cancer type was breast cancer (n = 116). Significant differences in clinical characteristics between W1 and W2 were the followings: ECOG PS 0 (34% vs 58%), presence of cardiac comorbidities (30% vs 13%), presence of any co-morbidities (81% vs 62%), smoking habits (23% vs 13%). Patients diagnosed in W1 were less likely on active anticancer therapy (54% vs 73%) at the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Distribution per stage, presence of lung metastases, disease setting (curative vs palliative), active treatment discontinuation due to infection were similar between W1 and W2. Patients diagnosed in W1 were more likely symptomatic for SARS-CoV-2 infection (80% vs 67%), and reported more frequently an inhospital contact as potential source of infection (44% vs 9%). Significantly more patients diagnosed in W1 were hospitalized (76% vs 25%). All-cause mortality rates were 30.6% for patients diagnosed in W1 vs 12% for patients diagnosed in W2 (p < 0.001). However, deaths due to SARS-CoV-2 infection were more frequent in patients diagnosed in W2 (86% vs 54%, odds ratio 3.22;95% CI 1.97-5.279). Conclusions: Differences in clinical characteristics between W1 and W2 reflect different pattern of virus circulation. The dramatic reduction of in-hospital contact as a source of infection reflects the efforts put in place to protect this vulnerable population from in-hospital exposure. The lower all-cause mortality rate observed in W2 is in line with the observed less frail population. However, the higher relative risk of death due to SARS-CoV-2 infection observed in W2 reinforces the need to adopt protective measures including vaccination in cancer patients, irrespectively of age, stage, and comorbidities.
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Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at elevated risk for psychiatric problems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This risk is due to their high rates of pre-pandemic psychiatric comorbidities and the pandemic's disruption to routines and access to necessary supports. Prior research has indicated that children with ASD may experience a worsening of specific psychiatric symptoms in response to COVID-19, though this body of work is limited in scope. The present study expands this literature by examining specific types of psychiatric problems that emerged about 2 months after the onset of the pandemic, and risk factors predicting changes in these psychiatric symptoms. Parents of children with a confirmed ASD diagnosis (N = 257), who enrolled in a clinic registry at an outpatient specialty autism center, were included in this study. All data were gathered online via customized and standardized questionnaires. Results showed that 59% of children experienced either a worsening of their pre-pandemic psychiatric diagnoses and/or the development of new psychiatric symptoms during the pandemic. Multivariable regression models indicated that risk factors for increased psychiatric problems included child understanding of COVID-19, COVID-19 illness in the family, low family income, and elevated parental depression and anxiety symptoms (all p < 0.05). Findings from this study emphasize the urgent need to provide effective and accessible psychiatric services for children with ASD and their families during and after the pandemic. LAY SUMMARY: Children with ASD are at high risk for psychiatric problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that 59% of children in our clinical sample are experiencing increased psychiatric problems. The child's understanding of COVID-19, COVID-19 illness in the family, low family income, and depression and anxiety symptoms in the parent increase the risk for poor mental health during the pandemic. These findings indicate the importance of helping children with ASD access mental health treatment during COVID-19.