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Medication errors are one of the biggest problems in healthcare. The medicines' poor labelling design (i.e. look-alike labels) is a well-recognised risk for potential confusion, wrong administration, and patient damage. Human factors and ergonomics (HFE) encourages the human-centred design of system elements, which might reduce medication errors and improve people's well-being and system performance. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is twofold: (i) to use a human reliability analysis technique to evaluate a medication administration task within a simulated scenario of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and (ii) to estimate the impact of a human-centred design (HCD) label in medication administration compared to a look-alike (LA) label. METHOD: This paper used a modified version of the human error assessment and reduction technique (HEART) to analyse a medication administration task in a simulated NICU scenario. The modified technique involved expert nurses quantifying the likelihood of unreliability of a task and rating the conditions, including medicine labels, which most affect the successful completion of the task. RESULTS: Findings suggest that error producing conditions (EPCs), such as a shortage of time available for error detection and correction, no independent checking of output, and distractions, might increase human error probability (HEP) in administering medications. Results also showed that the assessed HEP and the relative percentage of contribution to unreliability reduced by more than 40% when the HCD label was evaluated compared to the LA label. CONCLUSION: Including labelling design based on HFE might help increase human reliability when administering medications under critical conditions.

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OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore how pedestrians´ safety perception concerning the built environmental characteristics can assist in designing a safer built environment in an urban area in Mexico. METHODS: The study involved two stages of data collection. In the first stage, a physical audit on selected urban roads was performed to assess the characteristics that may increase the perceived risk of a collision. An observational framework to evaluate the crossing areas, sidewalks and organizational factors was developed and used for data collection. In the second stage, an on-street questionnaire was applied to collect the perception of a group of 299 pedestrians about safety risks, road characteristics and their ideas for designing a safer built environment. RESULTS: The physical road audit identified several features in the crossing areas and sidewalks, such as parked cars, movable and fixed obstacles, and lack of traffic signage, which may increase the risk of a pedestrian being involved in a collision. More than half of the road users who were interviewed either agree (27%) or strongly agree (29%) with the statement that crossing the roads in the area was safe. However, pedestrians also identified the following elements as detrimental for the safe use of roads: lack of traffic lights, too much traffic, lack of signs, and parked cars that obstruct visibility. Participants also raised issues beyond the physical infrastructure; for instance, a lack of respect shown by drivers to pedestrians. For designing a safer built environment, participants suggested several ideas highlighting pedestrianization of the road and widening the sidewalks, along with restricting parking of cars on the road. CONCLUSIONS: This combination of findings provide valuable support for the premise that pedestrians may have a good sense of recognizing safety problems and the ability to see the solutions. Although the research was undertaken in the context of a municipality in Guadalajara, the role of pedestrian safety perception may be applicable in other urban settings in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), where local authorities are in charge of designing the road environment. This study highlights the relevance of including pedestrians' participation for a safer and human-centred design of our cities.

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BACKGROUND: When performing, classical guitarists interact with many elements which constitute their own "workstation". One of those elements is the support for guitar positioning. Support dimensions, form and materials may determine posture and affect the musician's comfort and performance. OBJECTIVE: To propose design requirements for new supports for guitar positioning, based on postural assessment, anthropometric criteria, self-efficacy and comfort perception. METHODS: Nine healthy Classical Guitar students were recruited. A postural assessment was undertaken using REBA, and 3DSSPP software with three different supports for guitar positioning. After the use of each support, a questionnaire about self-efficacy and comfort perception was completed by the participants. RESULTS: The higher scores of risk and a significant difference (ANOVA, p =≤05) regarding the left leg elevation were found with footstool usage. However, this one was identified by participants as the best support in terms of self-efficacy and comfort assessment. CONCLUSIONS: To improve performance and prevent physical injuries for guitarists, there is a need for designing guitar positionings supports based on ergonomics principles. This paper proposes eleven guidelines for designing these supports.

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From an ergonomics perspective, the environmental characteristics should facilitate user activities. Matching user capabilities to demands of the environment is essential. However, about some users such as those with visual impairments, there is little information available for use in designing products and spaces. There is also a gap in information regarding the commutes and needs of the visually impaired, making it even more difficult to establish how environments should be designed to include this population.This study aimed to identify the information needs of people with visual impairment in terms of: 1) Daily life activities, 2) Wayfinding in the complex built environments, 3) Use of the signals provided by the environment 4) Characteristics of the environment which reduce the usability of a space and may put the user in danger, and 5) Safety perception. Data were obtained through a semi-structured interview to which eighteen adults responded. All had either complete blindness or severe visual impairment. For orientation, the most common references were texture or changes in ground level/surface, along with such ambient elements as noise or smells. Information presented in Braille was reported as little used, due to difficulty in finding such information. Regarding safety, participants reported feeling unsafe; most mentioned crossing the street as a major risk. Using auditory, tactile or even olfactory signals may provide important information while commuting: thus, designing signals which consider and highlight these senses is paramount. Assessing features and location of existing tactile signals is also required, to identify opportunities for improving the safety and independence of people with visual impairment.

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Abstract Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common clinical syndromes within rheumatological conditions and its association with glomerular diseases is rare. Objective: To describe the histopathological findings in renal biopsies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and to correlate them with the clinical and laboratory manifestations at the beginning, at 6 months and at one year of follow-up. Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective observational study conducted in the Hospital de Clinicas "Jose De San Martin" in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Where we included 41 patients diagnosed with RA (ACR 1987) in a period of 20 years. Histopathological diagnoses of membranous nephropathy (MN), minimal change disease (MCD), secondary amyloidosis (AA), focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS); mesangial glomerulopathy (MGP) and glomerulonephritis with extracapillary proliferation (GNEC) were included. Histopathological description, different treatments, years of evolution of rheumatoid arthritis Clinical and laboratory characteristics were analyzed during the first 6 months and one year of follow-up in order to determine the progression of renal failure calculated through the formula of MDRD of 4 variables (Modification of diet in renal disease) and the increase of proteinuria. Results: The most frequent histological finding was amyloidosis with 34,1 % (n=14), followed by mesangial glomerulopathy 21,9 % (n=9), membranous nephropathy 19,5 % (n=8), glomerulonephritis with extracapillary proliferation 12,1 % (n=5), focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis 7,3 % (n=3) and minimal change disease 8,2 % (n=2). Nephrotic syndrome was the most frequent presentation in patients with amyloidosis in 85,7 %, microhematuria occurred in 100 % of patients with MPG and in 80 % of patients with GNEC. In patients with AA, moderate to severe interstitial fibrosis occurred in 85,7 %, followed by GNEC and NM with 80 % and 40 % respectively. The 24-hour proteinuria, creatinine and glomerular filtration rate estimated by MDRD at 6 months and 12 months were evaluated. Concluding, that patients with AA, FSGS and GNEC had greater progression of renal failure at 12 months; the opposite occurred in patients with minimal change disease (MCD) and mesangial glomerulopathy (MGP) who had a lower progression of renal failure at one year of follow-up; There was a correlation in the glomerulopathies that had greater deterioration of the renal function had greater interstitial tubule involvement as was the case of amyloidosis. The glomerulopathies that presented greater proteinuria at the beginning were membranous nephropathy, amyloidosis and minimal change disease. Both membranous nephropathy and minimal change disease had partial remission at one year, in contrast to amyloidosis, which showed progression of proteinuria at 12 months of follow-up. Conclusion: The glomerulopathies that presented greater progression of renal failure at 1 year based on the estimation by MDRD 4, had a higher renal tubular interstitial involvement in renal biopsy and these were amyloidosis (AA), segmental focal glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), glomerulonephritis with proliferation extracapillary On the other hand, those with the best evolution in relation to the degree of proteinuria and the glomerular filtration rate determined by the MDRD4 equation were mesangial glomerulopathy, minimal change disease, and membranous nephropathy.

Resumen Introducción: La artritis reumatoidea (AR) es uno de los síndromes clínicos con mayor frecuencia dentro de las afecciones reumatológicas y su asociación con las enfermedades glomerulares es poco frecuente. Objetivo: Describir los hallazgos histopatológicos en las biopsias renales en pacientes con artritis reumatoidea y correlacionarlos con las manifestaciones clínicas y de laboratorio al inicio, a los 6 meses y al año de seguimiento. Pacientes y métodos: Es un estudio observacional retrospectivo realizado en un hospital Universitario en Buenos Aires, Argentina. Se incluyeron 41 pacientes con diagnóstico de artritis reumatoidea de acuerdo a los criterios establecidos por el Colegio Americano de Reumatología publicados en 1987; en un período de 20 años. Se incluyeron diagnósticos histopatológicos de nefropatía membranosa (NM), enfermedad de cambios mínimos (ECM), amiloidosis secundaria (AA), gloméruloesclerosis focal y segmentaria (GEFS); glomerulopatía mesangial (GPM) y glomerulonefritis con proliferación extracapilar (GNEC). Las características clínicas, de laboratorios, la descripción histopatológica, los años de evolución de la artritis reumatoidea y los diferentes tratamientos fueron analizados durante los primeros 6 meses y al año del seguimiento. Con esto, se buscó determinar la progresión de la insuficiencia renal, calculada a través de la fórmula de MDRD (Modification of Diet in Renal Disease) de 4 variables y el aumento de la proteinuria. Resultados: El hallazgo histológico más frecuente fue la amiloidosis, con un 34.1 % (n=14), seguido de la glomerulopatía mesangial (21,9 %, n=9), la nefropatía membranosa (19,5 %, n=8), la glomerulonefritis con proliferación extracapilar (12,1 %, n=5), la glomeruloesclerosis focal y segmentaria (7,3 %, n=3) y enfermedad de cambios mínimos (8,2 %, n=2). El síndrome nefrótico fue la forma de presentación más frecuente en los pacientes con amiloidosis (en un 85,7 % de los casos), la microhematuria se presentó en el 100 % de los pacientes con GPM y en el 80 % de los pacientes con GNEC. En el 85,7 % de los pacientes con AA, se presentó fibrosis intersticial moderada a severa, mientras que en la GNEC y la NM la fibrosis se observó en un 80 % y 40 % respectivamente. Se evaluó la proteinuria de 24 horas, la creatinina y la filtración glomerular estimada por MDRD a los 6 y a los 12 meses. Se concluyó que los pacientes con AA, GEFS y GNEC presentaron mayor progresión de la insuficiencia renal a los 12 meses. Lo contrario sucedió en los pacientes con enfermedad de cambios mínimos (ECM) y glomerulopatía mesangial (GPM), los cuales tenían una menor progresión de la insuficiencia renal al año de seguimiento. Hubo una correlación entre las glomerulopatías que tenían mayor deterioro de la función renal en las cuales se observó a su vez, mayor compromiso tubulointersti-cial, (este fue el caso de la amiloidosis). Las glomerulopatías que presentaban mayor proteinuria al inicio eran la nefropatía membranosa, la amiloidosis y la enfermedad de cambios mínimos. Tanto la nefropatía membranosa como la enfermedad de cambios mínimos, tenía remisión parcial tras un año, a diferencia de la amiloidosis, la cual presentaba progresión de la proteinuria a los 12 meses de seguimiento. Conclusión: Las glomerulopatías que presentaron mayor progresión de la insuficiencia renal al año, con base en la estimación por MDRD4, tenían en la biopsia renal mayor compromiso tubulointersticial. Estas fueron la amiloidosis secundaria, la glomeruloesclerosis focal y segmentaria, y glomerulonefritis con proliferación extracapilar. Por el contrario, las de mejor evolución respecto al grado de proteinuria y tasa de filtrado glomerular determinado por MDRD4, fueron la glomerulopatía mesangial, la enfermedad de cambios mínimos y la nefropatía membranosa.

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CD94 forms heterodimers with NKG2A, -C, or -E to constitute lectin-like natural killer cell receptors for MHC-E. Its structure differs from other C-type lectins in that the second α-helix is replaced by a loop that forms the interacting interface with the NKG2 molecules. Although CD94 has remained highly conserved mammals, several alternative splicing variants have been detected in some species. To evaluate the prevalence and significance of this phenomenon, we have cloned and sequenced CD94 cDNAs in six species of New World primates from the Cebidae and Atelidae families. Full-length sequences had a mean similarity of 96 % amongst New World primates and of 90 % to the human orthologue, with little variation in the residues interacting with NKG2 or MHC-E molecules. Despite this high conservation, a total of 14 different splice variants were identified, half of which were shared by two or more primate species. Homology-based modeling of the C-type lectin domain showed that most isoforms folded stably, although they had modifications that prevented its interaction with NKG2 and MHC-E. Two isoforms were predicted to replace the typical CD94 loop by a second α-helix, evidencing a domain fold transition from a CD94 structure to a canonical C-type lectin. These two structures were more similar to members of the CLEC lectin family than to the native CD94. Thus, CD94 has remained conserved in primates to maintain functional interactions with NKG2 and MHC-E, while at the same time has diversified by alternative splicing potentially providing additional functional scenarios.

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INTRODUCTION: Plasmodium falciparum has the ability to counter the antiparasitic activity of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine by progressively accumulating mutations in the dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (dhps) genes. These mutations gradually increase the resistance of the parasite to these drugs and lead to therapeutic failure. OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency of mutations associated with resistance to sulphadoxine and pyrimethamine in the dhfr and dhps genes of P. falciparum in samples from patients in three endemic zones of Colombia -La Carpa, Guaviare; Casuarito, Vichada; and Tierralta and Puerto Libertador, Córdoba. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty samples were selected from patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. The frequency profiles of the 108, 59 and 164 alleles of dhfr were obtained by application of an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction, whereas the other alleles (alleles 51 of the dhfr gene and 436, 437 and 540 of dhps) were obtained by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: The 108N and 51I mutations in the dhfr gene were found in all of the 40 samples. No mutant alleles were found in the 59 and 164 codons of the dhfr gene, or in the 436 codon of the dhps gene. The 437G mutation was observed in 36 samples and the wild-type allele was present in 3 from Tierralta and one from La Carpa. The 540E mutation was only detected in two samples from Casuarito. CONCLUSIONS: The 108N, 51I and 437G mutations prevail in the populations of P. falciparum, indicating a cumulative effect of mutations and the need to continue surveillance for other changes which can lead to the total loss of the efficacy of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine.

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Introducción. La acumulación progresiva de mutaciones en los genes dhfr y dhps lleva al parásito Plasmodium falciparum a evadir la acción de la sulfadoxina-pirimetamina, situación que aumenta el nivel de resistencia del parásito a estos medicamentos y conlleva a la aparición de fallas del tratamiento. Objetivos. Determinar la frecuencia de mutaciones en los genes dhfr y dhps de P. falciparum asociadas con resistencia a sulfadoxina-pirimetamina, en muestras de pacientes de tres zonas endémicas de Colombia: La Carpa, Guaviare; Casuarito, Vichada; Tierralta y Puerto Libertador, Córdoba. Materiales y métodos. Se incluyeron 40 muestras de pacientes con malaria no complicada por P. falciparum. Los alelos 108, 59 y 164 del gen dhfr se analizaron mediante PCR específica de alelo y los alelos 51 del gen dhfr y 436, 437 y 540 del gen dhps por PCR y restricción enzimática. Resultados. En el gen dhfr encontramos en todas las muestras las mutaciones asparagina 108 e isoleucina 51. No se detectaron alelos mutantes en los codones 59 y 164 del gen dhfr, ni en el codón 436 del gen dhps. La mutación glicina 437 estuvo presente en 36 muestras y el alelo silvestre alanina en tres de Tierralta y una de La Carpa. La mutación ácido glutámico 540 sólo se halló en Casuarito. Conclusiones. En las poblaciones de P. falciparum analizadas prevalecen los alelos asparagina 108, isoleucina 51 y glicina 437, lo que indica un efecto acumulativo de mutaciones y la necesidad de vigilar la aparición de nuevos alelos mutantes que puedan conducir a la pérdida total de la eficacia de la sulfadoxina-pirimetamina.

Introduction. Plasmodium falciparum has the ability to counter the antiparasitic activity of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine by progressively accumulating mutations in the dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (dhps) genes. These mutations gradually increase the resistance of the parasite to these drugs and lead to therapeutic failure. Objectives. To determine the frequency of mutations associated with resistance to sulphadoxine and pyrimethamine in the dhfr and dhps genes of P. falciparum in samples from patients in three endemic zones of Colombia -La Carpa, Guaviare; Casuarito, Vichada; and Tierralta and Puerto Libertador, Córdoba. Materials and methods. Forty samples were selected from patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. The frequency profiles of the 108, 59 and 164 alleles of dhfr were obtained by application of an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction, whereas the other alleles (alleles 51 of the dhfr gene and 436, 437 and 540 of dhps) were obtained by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results. The 108N and 51I mutations in the dhfr gene were found in all of the 40 samples. No mutant alleles were found in the 59 and 164 codons of the dhfr gene, or in the 436 codon of the dhps gene. The 437G mutation was observed in 36 samples and the wild-type allele was present in 3 from Tierralta and one from La Carpa. The 540E mutation was only detected in two samples from Casuarito. Conclusions. The 108N, 51I and 437G mutations prevail in the populations of P. falciparum, indicating a cumulative effect of mutations and the need to continue surveillance for other changes which can lead to the total loss of the efficacy of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine.

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INTRODUCTION: Plasmodium falciparum is a highly polymorphic parasite, which allows it to evade the host's immune response, spread drug resistance and favours transmission. OBJECTIVES: To analyse the genetic diversity of P. falciparum populations in samples from four endemic localities in Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 123 blood samples were collected on filter paper from patients with non-complicated P. falciparum malaria during 2002 to 2004. The samples were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction with specific primers for the polymorphic region of block 2 of the msp1 gene and the 108 codon of the dhfr gene. RESULTS: In msp1 block 2, 95.9% (118/123; 95% CI: 90.8-98.7) of the samples harboured MAD20; 6.5% K1 (8/123; 95% CI: 2.8-12.4) and 2.4% RO33 (3/123; 95% CI: 0.5-6.9). For the dhfrgene the mutant allele N 108 was found in all the samples amplified, T 108 in 3.2% and the wild type S108 in 34.1%. Taking together all the results from both genes, 61.8% (76/123; 95% CI: 52.6-70.4) of the samples were simple infections and 38.2% (47/123; 95% CI: 29.6-47.4) were mixed infections. MAD20/N108-S108 (30.1%) was the most frequent combination among the latter. CONCLUSIONS: Simple infections, i.e, a single allelic type in each one of the genes studied, prevailed among the circulating parasite populations. In this study the genetic composition of P. falciparum parasite populations was very homogeneous.

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Introducción. Plasmodium falciparum es un parásito altamente polimórfico, lo cual le permite evadir la respuesta inmune del hospedero, diseminar la resistencia a medicamentos y favorecer la transmisión. Objetivos. Analizar la diversidad genética de las poblaciones de P. falciparum en muestras de cuatro zonas endémicas de malaria en Colombia. Materiales y métodos. Se incluyeron muestras de sangre recolectadas en papel de filtro de123 pacientes con malaria no complicada por P. falciparum durante los años 2002 a 2004; la genotipificación se realizó mediante reacción en cadena de la polimerasa con iniciadores específicos para los marcadores moleculares de la región polimórfica del bloque 2 del gen msp1 y del codón 108 de dhfr. Resultados. En el bloque 2 del gen msp1 se detectó MAD20 en 95,9 por ciento (118/123; IC 95 por ciento: 90,8 a 98,7), K1 en 6,5 por ciento (8/123; IC 95 por ciento: 2,8 a 12,4) y RO33 en 2,4 por ciento (3/123; IC 95 por ciento: 0,5 a 6,9) de las muestras. Para el gen dhfr, el alotipo mutante N108 se detectó en todas las muestras analizadas y el alotipo T108 en 3,2 por ciento (4/123; IC 95 por ciento: 0,9 a 8,1); el alotipo silvestre S108 se encontró en 34,1 por ciento (42/123; IC 95 por ciento: 25,8 a 43,2). Al combinar los resultados de ambos genes, el 61,8 por ciento (76/123; IC 95 por ciento: 52,6 a 70,4) de las muestras correspondieron a infecciones simples y el 38,2 por ciento (47/123; IC 95 por ciento: 29,6 a 47,4) a infecciones mixtas, siendo MAD20/N108-S108 la combinación más frecuente entre estas últimas (30,1 por ciento). Conclusiones. Las infecciones simples, o sea, la presencia de un solo alelo en cada uno de los genes, predominaron en las muestras estudiadas; las poblaciones de parásitos analizadas fueron muy homogéneas en su composición genética.

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