4 research outputs found
Dimensions of informal care in Greece: the family's contribution to the care of patients hospitalized in an oncology hospital
No full textAims and objectives. This study aims to explore the kind and frequency of care provided to hospitalized cancer patients by relatives and the reasons for providing this care.
Background. Informal care is a common phenomenon across many countries. In Greece, informal caring activities occur in most hospitals. Patients' relatives stay by their bedside for long hours and assist with care. This phenomenon is highly correlated with the nursing staff shortage.
Method. This study was carried out in a Greek oncology hospital. The sample consisted of 150 informal caregivers. We used a 37-item questionnaire called In-Hospital Informal Care Questionnaire Acute Care.
Results. The participants provide substantial help to their patients daily. On average, they stay by their bedside for 20·23 hours in a 24-hour period. Additionally, 104 participants stated that they hire a privately paid patient's helper.
The relatives stay by their patients' bedside for various reasons such as: (1) severity of the condition; (2) providing psychological support; (3) family tradition; (4) because they do not believe their patients are safe in the hospital without their supervision; or (5) the nursing staff shortage.
Conclusions. The participants offer informal care that reflects specific nursing duties. We could argue that Greek hospitals 'use' relatives as unpaid labour to compensate for the nursing shortage. It is disquieting that usually someone from the hospital staff suggests to the relatives to stay at the patient's bedside even after visiting hours or to hire a private paid patient's helper. This implies that the staff considers such contribution necessary.
Relevance to clinical practice. The findings show that relatives perform daily tasks that nurses should be performing. They indicate that the hospital should introduce specific staffing policies for reducing families' burden. Our findings could influence future staffing plans of nursing managers, policy makers or health authorities
Inkjet printed IGZO memristors with volatile and non-volatile switching
No full textFunding Information: This work was financed by national funds from FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in the scope of the projects LA/P/0037/2020, UIDP/50025/2020 and UIDB/50025/2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute of Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication – i3N. The authors thank the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for financial support under the framework of Strategic Funding grants UID/FIS/04650/2020 and grant SFRH/BD/145741/2019. Financial support from the Basque Government Industry Department under the ELKARTEK program is acknowledged. E. Carlos and A. Kiazadeh acknowledge the Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus—4th Edition (2021. 03825.CEECIND), (2021. 03386.CEECIND) through FCT and J. Deuermeier acknowledges CEECINST/00102/2018. A. Kiazadeh and E. Carlos acknowledge FCT/MCTES, project NeurOxide (PTDC/NAN-MAT/30812/2017) and project Supreme-IT (EXPL/CTM-REF/0978/2021), respectively. The authors acknowledge FCT/MCTES project TORIS (2022.09084.PTDC) and OPERA (2022. 08132.PTDC). The authors acknowlegde the SUPERIOT project which had received funding from the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101096021, including funding under the UK government's Horizon Europe funding guarantee. Also, the authors acknowledge the TERRAMETA projet which was (partially) supported by the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101097101, including top-up funding by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. At last, we acknowledge Tomás Calmeiro for the AFM characterization. Funding Information: This work was financed by national funds from FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., in the scope of the projects LA/P/0037/2020, UIDP/50025/2020 and UIDB/50025/2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute of Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication – i3N. The authors thank the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for financial support under the framework of Strategic Funding grants UID/FIS/04650/2020 and grant SFRH/BD/145741/2019. Financial support from the Basque Government Industry Department under the ELKARTEK program is acknowledged. E. Carlos and A. Kiazadeh acknowledge the Individual Call to Scientific Employment Stimulus—4th Edition (2021. 03825.CEECIND), (2021. 03386.CEECIND) through FCT and J. Deuermeier acknowledges CEECINST/00102/2018. A. Kiazadeh and E. Carlos acknowledge FCT/MCTES, project NeurOxide (PTDC/NAN-MAT/30812/2017) and project Supreme-IT (EXPL/CTM-REF/0978/2021), respectively. The authors acknowledge FCT/MCTES project TORIS (2022.09084.PTDC) and OPERA (2022. 08132.PTDC). The authors acknowlegde the SUPERIOT project which had received funding from the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101096021, including funding under the UK government's Horizon Europe funding guarantee. Also, the authors acknowledge the TERRAMETA projet which was (partially) supported by the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) under the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 101097101, including top-up funding by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. At last, we acknowledge Tomás Calmeiro for the AFM characterization. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.Solution-based memristors deposited by inkjet printing technique have a strong technological potential based on their scalability, low cost, environmentally friendlier processing by being an efficient technique with minimal material waste. Indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO), an oxide semiconductor material, shows promising resistive switching properties. In this work, a printed Ag/IGZO/ITO memristor has been fabricated. The IGZO thickness influences both memory window and switching voltage of the devices. The devices show both volatile counter8wise (c8w) and non-volatile 8wise (8w) switching at low operating voltage. The 8w switching has a SET and RESET voltage lower than 2 V and − 5 V, respectively, a retention up to 105 s and a memory window up to 100, whereas the c8w switching shows volatile characteristics with a low threshold voltage (Vth < − 0.65 V) and a characteristic time (τ) of 0.75 ± 0.12 ms when a single pulse of − 0.65 V with width of 0.1 ms is applied. The characteristic time alters depending on the number of pulses. These volatile characteristics allowed them to be tested on different 4-bit pulse sequences, as an initial proof of concept for temporal signal processing applications.publishersversionpublishe
Эффективность и безопасность применения биматопроста в стартовой гипотензивном терапии при первичной открытоугольной глаукоме
No full textPurpose: To study the efficacy and safety of Bimoptic® (bimatoprost 0.03%, "Rompharm Company") as the initial monotherapy in early and advanced stages of primary open-angle glaucoma.Methods: In 2018, clinics in 23 cities of Russia recruited 178 patients (294 eyes) with newly diagnosed primary open-angle glaucoma with uncompensated IOP (84 men, 94 women, average age - 64.3 years). The mild stage was diagnosed in 72, moderate - in 222 eyes. Tonometry was performed using a Maklakov 10 g tonometer. All patients after standard ophthalmologic examination were prescribed bimatoprost 0.03% 1 time per day. Tonometry was performed before the study, and on the months 1, 2, and 3.Results: Initial IOP equaled 26.2+3.4 mmHg. On the month 1 IOP decreased by 25.6% to 19.5+2,5 mmHg (p<0.0001). On the month 2 IOP was 18,5 mmHg (29.4% decrease, p<0.0001), on the month 3 - 18.1 mmHg (31% decrease, p<0.0001).On the month 1, IOP was compensated in 94% of all patients, on month 2 - in 98%, on month 3 - in 99% patients.Bimatoprost was tolerated well. The most common adverse effect was conjunctival hyperemia (4.5% of all patients).Conclusion: Bimatoprost allows compensating IOP as monotherapy in patients with early and advanced stages of primary open-angle glaucoma.Цель. Изучить эффективность и безопасность препарата Бимоптик® (биматопрост 0,03%, «RompharmCompany») в стартовой монотерапии при начальной и развитой стадиях первичной открытоугольной глаукомы (ПОУГ).Методы. В 2018 г. в клиниках 23 городов России было набрано 178 пациентов (294 глаза) с впервые диагностированной ПОУГ начальной и развитой стадий с некомпенсированным офтальмотонусом (84 мужчины, 94 женщины, средний возраст 64,3 года). Начальная стадия была диагностирована в 72, развитая — в 222 глазах. Тонометрию проводили с помощью тонометра Маклакова массой 10 г. Всем пациентам после стандартного офтальмологического исследования назначали биматопрост 0,03% 1 раз в сутки. Тонометрию проводили перед включением в исследование, на 1, 2 и 3-й месяц.Результаты. Начальное внутриглазное давление (ВГД) составило 26,2±3,4 мм рт.ст. Через 1 месяц ВГД снизилось на 25,6% до 19,5±2,5 мм рт.ст. (p<0,0001). Через 2 месяца ВГД составило 18,5 мм рт.ст. (снижение на 29,4%, p<0,0001), на 3-й месяц — 18,1 мм рт.ст. (снижение на 31%, p<0,0001).Через 1 месяц достичь компенсации ВГД удалось в 94% случаев, через 2 месяца — в 98%, через 3 - в 99% случаев.Биматопрост переносился хорошо. Наиболее распространенным побочным эффектом была конъюнктивальная гиперемия (4,5% случаев).Заключение. Биматопрост позволяет достичь компенсации ВГД в монотерапии у пациентов с начальной и развитой стадиями глаукомы
