Portable Pump Research Articles

High-dose continuous-infusion ifosfamide in advanced thymic epithelial Tumors: A TYME network study

BackgroundWe reported the efficacy and safety results of high-dose, continuous-infusion Ifosfamide,in patients with advanced thymoma (TM) and thymic carcinoma (TC). MethodsThis was a multicentric, prospective study in patients with advanced TM or TC, who had progressed after at least one line of platinum-based chemotherapy. Previous treatment with an anti-angiogenesis or anti-PD(L)1 was allowed.Patients received Ifosfamide (1 g/m2/day) and sodium-2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (1 g/m2/day), as continuous infusion, via a portable pumps for 14 consecutive days.Treatment was administered every 4 weeks until progression or unacceptable toxicity, up to a maximum of 6 cycles.The primary endpoint was the overall response rate (ORR) assessed by RECIST1.1.Secondary endpoints included disease control rate (DCR), Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. ResultsEighteen patients were enrolled from October 2020 to January 2022.Twelve patients had a TC, 5 a TM and 1 a mixed TM/TC. Sixty-one percent of patients (11/18) had stage IVB disease according to Masaoka-Koga, and 39% (7/18) had an ECOG-PS 2. The median number of previous lines of therapy was 2 (range:1–5), and 72% (13/18) and 61% (11/18) of patients were pretreated with an anti-angiogenesis drug and an anti-PD(L)1 drug respectively.The ORR and the disease control rate (DCR) were 28 % (95 %CI: 10 %-53 %) and 67 % (95 %CI: 41 %-86 %), respectively.The median follow-up for PFS was 17.3 months (95 %CI: 4.3-NA), and median PFS was 5.4 months (95 %CI: 2.9–6.4). The median duration of response and SD was respectively 19.6 months (95 %CI: 3.5-NA) and 6.0 months (95 % CI: 3.8–6.4).In patients with TC, the ORR and DCR were 15 % (95 % CI: 2 %-45 %) and 54 % (95 % CI: 25 %-81 %), respectively. In the subgroup of 5 patients with TM, 2 PR and 3 SD were observed.Most patients had only mild (grade 1–2) AEs, the most common being nausea and vomiting (39%; 7/18) and transaminases elevation (33%; 6/18).Twenty-two percent of patients (4/18) experienced an AEs of grade 3 and required ifosfamide dose reduction. No patients had severe AEs. ConclusionHigh-dose continuous-infusion Ifosfamide can be considered as a valuable treatment option in patients with advanced thymic epithelial tumors.

The significance of home-based portable pump chemotherapy for family caregivers to newly diagnosed patients with acute myeloid leukemia: A qualitative thematic analysis.

Life as a family caregiver of patients with cancer can be emotionally and practically challenging. Little is known of whether home-based chemotherapy of patients with acute myeloid leukemia places excessive pressure on family caregivers or decreases their burden. To explore the significance of home-based portable pump chemotherapy for family caregivers of patients newly diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. An explorative qualitative design using dyadic and individual semi-structured interviews with family caregivers and patients were followed by thematic analysis. Purposive sampling was used regarding gender, age, and distance to the hospital. At each interview, we were teams of one researcher and one clinical nurse specialist from the hematology department. The derived themes were predominately descriptive, based on patterns in the data. Five couples participated, (aged 39-72 years). Three themes were identified: 1) Going home. 2) Responsibilities due to the pump and leukopenia. 3) The shadow of the life-threatening disease. The pump was a minor concern to the family caregivers seen in the light of the life-threatening disease. Home-based treatment was a relief but the responsibilities due to leukopenia demanded the caregivers' resources. The fear of losing the patient and the burdens of dealing with leukopenia suppressed the family caregivers' sense of load due to the portable pump treatment. The findings underline the importance of healthcare professionals recognizing family caregivers' sense of burden and prioritizing sufficient support and education in order to enhance the everyday life of both patient and family caregiver.

Disaster Mitigation of Slum-Scale Fires in Jongaya Village at Tamalate

There are exactly about 834 fire cases occurred in Makassar City during 2016 to 2020. Tamalate Subdistrict being one of several subdistricts get the highest number of fire cases which was about 108 cases. The worst fire cases occurred in Jongaya Village around 2021. The fire caused the damage of 110 houses. Mitigation efforts are needed to prevent similar events from occurring. The purpose of this study is to analyze the level of risk fire disaster and formulate fire disaster mitigation directions that are in accordance with the characteristics of the residential environment at the research site. The analytical techniques used are qualitative and quantitative descriptive analysis, spatial, and scoring. The results showed that the study site was included high density with a density 92.24 buildings per hectare. The level of fire disaster risk is dominated by buildings with a classification of high fire risk (67%). Mitigation directive efforts are focused on location directions for the placement of portable fire pumps and fire engines, directions for the location of water filling of fire trucks, as well as directions for circulation of evacuation routes and temporary gathering points.

Inter-Rater and Intra-Rater Reliability of Return-to-Work Screening Tests for UK Firefighters Following Injury.

The aim of this study was to assess the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of a return-to-work (RTW) screening test to be used on UK firefighters following injury. The inter rater and intra-rater reliability of eight tasks involved in a screening test was used to assess readiness to RTW for UK firefighters following injury. These tasks included the following: (1) putting on and removing a breathing apparatus set (BA), (2) a ladder lift simulation, (3) a ladder carry simulation, (4) a light portable pump (LPP) lift and carry simulation, (5) a hose run, (6) a ladder climb with leg lock, (7) a casualty evacuation and (8) a confined space crawl simulation. The inter-rater reliability between each individual screening task was interpreted as Excellent (ICC = 0.94-1.00) for eleven (68.75%) of the screening task videos and as Good (ICC = 0.75-0.88) for five (31.25%) of the screening task videos. Intra-rater reliability was interpreted as Excellent (ICC = 1) for twenty-six participants (74.3%), Good (ICC = 0.76-0.88) for eight participants (22.9%) and Moderate for one participant (2.8%). Due to the reliability of this screening test, it allows conclusions to be made from the results which can inform a RTW decision for a firefighter.

Evaluation of Mass Spectrometric Methods for Screening Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Particulate Phase of Wildfire/Biomass Smoke.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of compounds containing multiple aromatic rings formed during incomplete combustion. Since many of them are known mutagens and carcinogens, PAHs found in the particulate matter (PM) from the wildfire smoke may pose significant health risks to the wildland firefighters. It is pivotal to determine the levels of PAHs in the PM to evaluate the health effects of their inhalation exposure. However, the determination of PAHs using the conventional chromatographic approaches is often time-consuming and laborious. Herein, we describe a novel method for screening nonpolar and polar PAHs in the PM of smoke by direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry (DART-MS). PM2.5 and PM10 samples were collected on the quartz filters with a sampling system consisting of a cascade impactor with a portable sampling pump. Various indoor and outdoor experiments from biomass burns were conducted to evaluate the PM sampling systems. PAHs were analyzed by DART-MS and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods. The PM samples were collected in California during the wildfire season of fall 2020, and significant levels of multiple nonpolar PAHs and polar PAHs were detected. Overall, the DART-MS method has shown promising ability for high-throughput screening of PAHs in the PM of smoke. Further studies are currently under way to apply this method to study the particulate phase PAH exposures of wildland firefighters during their firefighting activities.

Point-of-care vertical flow immunoassay system for ultra-sensitive multiplex biothreat-agent detection in biological fluids

This paper presents simple, fast, and sensitive detection of multiple biothreat agents by paper-based vertical flow colorimetric sandwich immunoassay for detection of Yersinia pestis (LcrV and F1) and Francisella tularensis (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) antigens using a vertical flow immunoassay (VFI) prototype with portable syringe pump and a new membrane holder. The capture antibody (cAb) printing onto nitrocellulose membrane and gold-labelled detection antibody (dAb) were optimized to enhance the assay sensitivity and specificity. Even though the paper pore size was relaxed from previous 0.1 μm to the current 0.45 μm for serum samples, detection limits as low as 0.050 ng/mL for LcrV and F1, and 0.100 ng/mL for FtLPS have been achieved in buffer and similarly in diluted serum (with LcrV and F1 LODs remained the same and LPS LOD reduced to 0.250 ng/mL). These were 40, 80, and 50X (20X for LPS in serum) better than those from lateral flow configuration. Furthermore, the comparison of multiplex format demonstrated low cross-reactivity and equal sensitivity to that of the singleplex assay. The optimized VFI platform thus provides a portable and rapid on-site monitoring system for multiplex biothreat detection with the potential for high sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and multiplexing capability, supporting its utility in remote and resource-limited settings.

Dynamic probabilistic risk assessment of seismic-induced flooding in pressurized water reactor by seismic, flooding, and thermal-hydraulics simulations

ABSTRACT Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) is an essential approach to improving the safety of nuclear power plants. However, this method includes certain difficulties, such as modeling of combinations of multiple hazards. Seismic-induced flooding scenario includes several core damage sequences, i.e. core damage caused by earthquake, flooding, and combination of earthquake and flooding. The flooding fragility is time-dependent as the flooding water propagates from the water source such as a tank to compartments. Therefore, dynamic PRA provides realistic results and insights related to time-dependent accident sequences. This study analyzed the risk of seismic-induced flooding events by coupling seismic, flooding, and thermal-hydraulics simulations, considering the dependency between multiple hazards explicitly. For requirements of safety improvement, especially in light of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, sensitivity analysis was performed on the seismic fragilities, and the effectiveness of alternative steam generator injection by a portable pump was estimated. We demonstrate the use of this simulation-based dynamic PRA methodology to evaluate the risk induced by a combination of hazards.

Hyperbaric Vacuum‐Based Artificial Muscles for High‐Performance Actuation

Existing pneumatic artificial muscles generally rely on the use of either positive or negative pressure for actuation with each having their own advantages and disadvantages. Herein, a hyperbaric vacuum‐based artificial muscle (Hyper‐VAM) making use of both positive and negative pressures almost interchangeably is described. This is done by placing a vacuum‐based actuator inside a hyperbaric chamber which enables both the large deformations possible using negative pressure, and large forces through the action of high pressure differential, exceeding those possible using only negative pressure. This actuator can lift heavy payloads (up to 80 kg) for its entire contraction range, with large deformations (89.1% contraction of the active length) and high power (maximum power of 101.3 W), while using relatively low pressures, which can be supplied by a portable pneumatic pump. By exchanging air between the two chambers in closed‐loop pneumatic actuation, this actuator can also be driven using a single pump without exchanging air with the environment and its position can be controlled using a single pneumatic regulator.

Déambulation, ballons et postures pendant le travail obstétrical: où en est-on ?

Obstetrical mechanics is a continuous adaptation between the fœtal head and the maternal pelvis. The pelvis is going enlarged at the level of sacroiliac joins and the fœtal head is rotated and orientated in its best diameter, guided by perineal muscles. Moving during delivery facilitates this adaptation. Deambulation, sitting on a balloon, and suspension by shoulders, are possible and beneficial for the progress of labour and for pain relief. When labour has progressed, standing impairs sacral movements and foetal accommodation. Postures are prescribed by midwifes. They support the progression of labour allowing the opening of the pelvis. On demand epidural analgesia using low concentrated anaesthetic solutions does not impair pregnant movements during delivery provided there is no motor blockade. Changes in posture do not interfere with the diffusion of epidural analgesia. Management of ambulatory analgesia requires technical devices (portable pumps, telemetry) and monitoring protocols to guarantee the safety of physiological delivery.

Effects of home-based leg heat therapy on walking performance in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease: a pilot randomized trial.

Few noninvasive therapies currently exist to improve functional capacity in people with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). The goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that unsupervised, home-based leg heat therapy (HT) using water-circulating trousers perfused with warm water would improve walking performance in patients with PAD. Patients with symptomatic PAD were randomized into either leg HT (n = 18) or a sham treatment (n = 16). Patients were provided with water-circulating trousers and a portable pump and were asked to apply the therapy daily (7 days/wk, 90 min/session) for 8 wk. The primary study outcome was the change from baseline in 6-min walk distance at 8-wk follow-up. Secondary outcomes included the claudication onset-time, peak walking time, peak pulmonary oxygen consumption and peak blood pressure during a graded treadmill test, resting blood pressure, the ankle-brachial index, postocclusive reactive hyperemia in the calf, cutaneous microvascular reactivity, and perceived quality of life. Of the 34 participants randomized, 29 completed the 8-wk follow-up. The change in 6-min walk distance at the 8-wk follow-up was significantly higher (P = 0.029) in the group exposed to HT than in the sham-treated group (Sham: median: -0.9; 25%, 75% percentiles: -5.8, 14.3; HT: median: 21.3; 25%, 75% percentiles: 10.1, 42.4, P = 0.029). There were no significant differences in secondary outcomes between the HT and sham group at 8-wk follow-up. The results of this pilot study indicate that unsupervised, home-based leg HT is safe, well-tolerated, and elicits a clinically meaningful improvement in walking tolerance in patients with symptomatic PAD.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first sham-controlled trial to examine the effects of home-based leg heat therapy (HT) on walking performance in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). We demonstrate that unsupervised HT using water-circulating trousers is safe, well-tolerated, and elicits meaningful changes in walking ability in patients with symptomatic PAD. This home-based treatment option is practical, painless, and may be a feasible adjunctive therapy to counteract the decline in lower extremity physical function in patients with PAD.

RELAP5/MOD3.3 Analyses of Core Heatup Prevention Strategy during Extended Station Blackout in PWR

The accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant demonstrated the vulnerability of the plants on the loss of electrical power for several days, so called extended station blackout (SBO). A set of measures have been proposed and implemented in response of the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The purpose of the study was to investigate the application of the deterministic safety analysis for core heatup prevention strategy of the extended SBO in pressurized water reactor, lasting 72 h. The prevention strategy selected was water injection into steam generators using turbine driven auxiliary feedwater pump (TD-AFW) or portable water injection pump. Method for assessment of the necessary pump injection flowrate is developed and presented. The necessary injection flowrate to the steam generators is determined from the calculated cumulative water mass injected by the turbine driven auxiliary feedwater pump in the analysed scenarios, when desired normal level is maintained automatically. The developed method allows assessment of the necessary injection flowrates of pump, TD-AFW or portable, for different plant configurations and number of flowrate changes. The RELAP5/MOD3.3 Patch04 computer code and input model of a two-loop pressurized water reactor is used for analyses, assuming different injection start times, flowrates and reactor coolant system losses. Three different reactor coolant system (RCS) coolant loss pathways, with corresponding leakage rate, can be expected in the pressurized water reactor (PWR) during the extended SBO: normal system leakage, reactor coolant pump seal leakage, and RCS coolant loss through letdown relief valve unless automatically isolated or until isolation is procedurally directed. Depressurization of RCS was also considered. In total, six types of RCS coolant loss scenarios were considered. Two cases were defined regarding the operation of the emergency diesel generators. Different delays of the pump injection start following the station blackout were assumed and analysed. For each scenario, two kinds of SBO calculations for two-loop PWR were performed, base and verification. Base calculations were needed to determine necessary minimum flowrate for steam generators feeding in such a way that they are not overfilled or emptied. Namely, it was assumed that instrumentation is not available during extended SBO. The verification calculations have been then performed to verify if the determined minimum flowrates are sufficient to prevent the core heatup. The calculated results show effectiveness of the proposed extended SBO prevention strategy provided that the water injection is available in the first two hours after SBO occurring at full power. If diesel generator is running after loss of offsite power for some time, e.g. one hour, the available time for steam generator water injection is significantly longer. The obtained results demonstrate the need for assessment of the pump injection flowrates before the utilization of the pump for mitigation of the event. The applicability of the developed method for assessment of the required pump injection flowrate has been validated on PWR.

Home‐Based Leg Heat Therapy Does Not Improve Vascular Function in Patients with Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease

INTRODUCTIONPatients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) suffer from severe exercise intolerance and accelerated rates of functional decline, resulting, in part, from significant endothelial cell dysfunction and the consequent impairment in leg blood flow. Unfortunately, few non‐invasive therapeutic interventions have been shown to ameliorate the microvascular dysfunction in patients with PAD. Repeated exposure to heat therapy (HT) improves endothelial function in sedentary young individuals, but the effects of this therapy on vascular function in patients with PAD remain poorly defined. The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that 8 weeks of home‐based leg HT would improve leg vascular function in patients with symptomatic PAD.METHODSThirty‐four patients with symptomatic PAD (66 ± 8 years, ankle‐brachial index: 0.68 ± 0.12) were randomized into one of two groups: home‐based leg HT (HT, n=18) or a control treatment (CON, n=16). Patients in both groups were provided with identical water‐circulating trousers and a portable heating pump and were asked to apply the therapy daily (7 days/week, 90 min per session) for 8 consecutive weeks. The pump issued to participants circulated water through the trousers at 43ºC in the HT group and 33ºC in the control group. Laser‐Doppler flowmetry was used to measure red blood cell flux, an index of skin blood flow, during local skin heating to 39°C for 40 min, followed by 43ºC for 20 min. Cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) was calculated as red blood cell flux divided by mean arterial pressure and expressed as a percentage of maximal vasodilation (%CVCmax). Calf skeletal muscle perfusion was assessed using arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) following circulatory occlusion of the thigh for 5 min.RESULTSFive participants were either withdrawn prior to study completion or failed to complete the 8‐week follow‐up visit. The remaining 29 participants were included in the final analysis (CON: n=14, HT: n=15). Two participants from CON and 4 from HT were unable to undergo the MRI scans. At baseline, local skin heating to 39ºC increased %CVCmax to 55.8 ± 12.9% in CON and 52.5 ± 18.7% in the HT group. The change from baseline to 8 weeks in %CVCmax was similar between CON and HT (CON: ‐2.6 ± 13.9%, HT: ‐0.7 ± 16.3%, p=0.74). Peak calf blood flow during reactive hyperemia was comparable between groups at baseline (CON: 48.0 ± 24.6 ml/min/100g, HT: 43.8 ± 20.4 ml/min/100g, p=0.76). The change from baseline to 8 weeks in peak calf perfusion was also similar between CON and HT (CON: ‐4.8±21.9 ml/min/100g, HT: ‐2.8±11.0 ml/min/100g, p=0.84).CONCLUSIONEight weeks of home‐based leg HT does not improve leg vascular function in patients with symptomatic PAD.

A Battery-Powered Fluid Manipulation System Actuated by Mechanical Vibrations

Miniaturized fluid manipulation systems are an important component of lab-on-a-chip platforms implemented in resourced-limited environments and point-of-care applications. This work aims to design, fabricate, and test a low-cost and battery-operated microfluidic diffuser/nozzle type pump to enable an alternative fluid manipulation solution for field applications. For this, CNC laser cutting and 3D printing are used to fabricate the fluidic unit and casing of the driving module of the system, respectively. This system only required 3.5-V input power and can generate flow rates up to 58 µL/min for water. In addition, this portable pump can manipulate higher viscosity fluids with kinematic viscosities up to 24 mPa·s resembling biological fluids such as sputum and saliva. The demonstrated system is a low-cost, battery-powered, and highly versatile fluid pump that can be adopted in various lab-on-a-chip applications for field deployment and remote applications.

ANALISA KERUSAKAN PISTON MESIN DIESEL POMPA BANJIR DAN OPTIMASI SISTEM MANAJEMEN PEMELIHARAAN

ABSTRACT
 To overcome the floods in Jakarta, DKI Jakarta's Water Resources Service alerted 144 (one hundred forty-four) pump houses that crossed the Ciliwung River. In addition to alerting the pump houses, DKI Jakarta also prepared 133 (one hundred thirty-three) portable (mobile) pumps spread over 5 (five) administrative cities. From the information obtained it is known that in January 2018 there was damage to the 1103 Series diesel engine piston, 50 kVA Generator drive, 36 kW operating in the Jakarta flood pump. Identified factors causing failure are preceded by a high-temperature indication on the cylinder wall which causes the piston to be stuck due to a lack of cylinder block lubrication. This study will identify the factors causing damage to the diesel engine flood pump in West Jakarta, analyze the failure of the piston engine diesel flood pump, determine precautionary measures, and determines maintenance techniques to avoid the same damage to the flood pump diesel engine piston, & analyzes the maintenance management system applied to the diesel engine. This study uses qualitative research methodology with the process of testing stages: macroscopic, metallographic, chemical composition analysis, hardness, SEM (Scanning Electron Macroscopy) which is equipped with EDXS (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) analysis, Schedule Oil Sampling. From the results of the discussion, it was found that the factors causing the piston diesel engine failure to the flood pump were very influential, by testing: 1) metallography obtained by the piston microstructure in the form of aluminum dendrite which indicated that the piston had local melting which resulted in local overheating; 2). viscosity (viscosity) of used oil is obtained: TBN (Total Base Number) on oil is a little low, oxidation is slightly above normal because of incomplete combustion, and there is an increase (difference) in the elements of Fe and Cu in used oil that is 9 ppm and 3 ppm, where if the Fe> content will cause damage to the Cylinder Block Liner & piston & if Cu> will cause failure to the bearing. From the results of this research, it is necessary to optimize the maintenance management system, namely: 1) implementing a Standard Operation Procedure for diesel engines (Inspection: fuel, radiator water, ACCU water, engine oil, R-S-T-N cable, ACCU cable, etc.); 2). perform predictive maintenance of diesel engine components (System maintenance: fuel flow, lubrication, air intake, and exhaust, cooling, starting system); 3). do preposterous maintenance (inspection: daily, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, 8000 and 12000 hours).
 Keywords: Failure, Pumps, Diesel Engines, Piston, Viscosity, Maintenance Management. Keywords: Centrifugal casting, tube reformer HP modified, creep test, Larson Miller parameter, remaining life assessment.

Design and implementation of solar-powered with IoT-Enabled portable irrigation system

This paper proposes a solar-powered portable water pump (SPWP) for IoT-enabled smart irrigation system (IoT-SIS). A NodeMCU microcontroller with a Wi-Fi interface and soil moisture, temperature, and humidity sensors are exploited to monitor and control the water pump and build an IoT-based irrigation system. The proposed irrigation system updates the gathered information from sensors (moisture, temperature, and humidity) using an integrated algorithm to the Blynk IoT cloud in real-time. Farmers can access this information and control the water pump accordingly via a user-friendly interface using their smartphones. The portable and eco-friendly water pump is powered via a solar panel and can be controlled using Blynk mobile application, which is also used to monitor the surroundings. The fabricated pump is inspired by wheeled travel luggage and is equipped with a water filter and multi-nozzles sprayer. The developed solar-based water pump has managed to save electricity and mitigate operational costs. Furthermore, the integration of the IoT concept has facilitated real-time monitoring and control of the pump; thus, enhancing the water usage efficiency and enabling convenient farming operations. The system functionality has been practically tested in a real environment, and its performance has been evaluated.

Effect of Ambulatory Chemotherapy (Portable Infusion Pump Use) Video Education on Knowledge, Self-efficacy and Anxiety of Colorectal Cancer Patients

Effect of Ambulatory Chemotherapy (Portable Infusion Pump Use) Video Education on Knowledge, Self-efficacy and Anxiety of Colorectal Cancer Patients

Performance evaluation study of a commercially available smart patient-controlled analgesia pump with the microbalance method and an infusion analyzer.

BackgroundPatient-controlled analgesia (PCA) has been widely used as an effective medical treatment for pain and for postoperative analgesia. However, improper dose errors in intravenous (IV) administration of narcotic analgesics from a PCA infusion pump can cause patient harm. Furthermore, opioid overdose is considered one of the highest risk factors for patients receiving pain medications. Therefore, accurate delivery of opioid analgesics is a critical function of PCA infusion pumps.MethodsWe designed a microbalance method that consisted of a closed acrylic chamber containing a layer and an oil layer with an electronic balance. A commercially available infusion analyzer (IDA-5, Fluke Co., Everett, WA, USA) was used to measure the accuracy of the infusion flow rate from a commercially available smart PCA infusion pump (PS-1000, UNIMEDICS, Co., Ltd., Seoul, Korea) and compared with the results of the microbalance method. We evaluated the uncertainty of the flow rate measurement using the ISO guide (GUM:1995 part3). The battery life, delay time of the occlusion alarm, and bolus function of the PCA pump were also tested.ResultsThe microbalance method was good in the short-term 2 h measurement, and IDA-5 was good in the long-term 24 h measurement. The two measurement systems can complement each other in the case of the measurement time. Regarding battery performance, PS-1000 lasted approximately 5 days in a 1 ml/hr flow rate condition without recharging the battery. The occlusion pressure alarm delays of PS-1000 satisfied the conventional alarm threshold of occlusion pressure (300-800 mmHg). Average accuracy bolus volume was measured as 63%, 95%, and 98.5% with 0.1 ml, 1 ml, and 2 ml bolus volume presets, respectively. A 1 ml/hr flow rate measurement was evaluated as 2.08% of expanded uncertainty, with a 95% confidence level.ConclusionPS-1000 showed a flow accuracy to be within the infusion pump standard, which is ± 5% of flow accuracy. Occlusion alarm of PS-1000 was quickly transmitted, resulting in better safety for patients receiving IV infusion of opioids. PS-1000 is sufficient for a portable smart PCA infusion pump.

Defining Internal Tissue Closure: High-Resolution Ultrasound Evaluation of Interi-A Novel Internal Tissue Closure System.

Seroma remains a leading postsurgical complication in plastic surgery. Conventional drains are ineffective in clearing blood and fluid and closing down surgical spaces. The Interi (Internal Closure System, IC Surgical, Grand Rapids, MI) is comprised of a novel branching internal manifold attached to a self-contained portable pump with a higher, consistent, continuous negative pressure, may reduce this long-standing issue. In addition, high-resolution ultrasound (HRUS) has emerged as an ideal tool to visualize structures, fluid collections, and seromas internally. This study evaluates Interi in full abdominoplasty patients utilizing HRUS to evaluate Interi's ability to evacuate blood and fluid, hold internal tissues together and document, for the first time, what internal tissue healing actually looks like radiographically. An IRB approved, Contract Research Organization reviewed retrospective study evaluated consecutive patients undergoing full abdominoplasty utilizing Interi from July 2020 through March 2021 by three plastic surgeons. HRUS visualized and confirmed the presence or absence of fluid collections and healing tissue planes during the postoperative process. Study data and all adverse events were recorded, with HRUS images reviewed by investigators and confirmed by an independent radiologist. Seventy-one Interi patients were enrolled. Mean age was 43 (range: 21-74) and BMI was 28. Seroma was confirmed clinically and through HRUS in 3/71 patients, and was associated with either clot (2) or failure to activate system (1). Interi's ability to eliminate fluid and approximate/hold surgical tissue planes together was confirmed with HRUS. No other major complications, including abscess, hematomas, or flap necrosis were observed. This novel Internal Tissue Closure System effectively evacuated blood and fluid, approximated and maintained closure of internal tissue planes in abdominoplasty patients, allowing for primary tissue healing and internal wound closure to occur. Healing tissue planes and any fluid present are easily identified on HRUS visualizing actual internal tissue healing with a simple, widely available radiographic scan.

Training of simple fire installation for security guard at Samarinda State Polytechnic

The Samarinda State Polytechnic has a hydrant that does not work, because the installation is damaged and is 35 years old. Currently, a simple fire fighting water installation has been made at three points with a length of 257 meters for 16 buildings, which utilizes lake water inside the Samarinda State Polytechnic campus. Therefore, this service activity is intended to provide skills for security guard in the Samarinda State Polytechnic regarding the use of hydrants. The specifications of the equipment used are portable centrifugal pumps with a maximum capacity of 700 liters/minute, a horizontal reach length of 40 meters, a vertical height of 12 meters and a pump pressure of ±5 bar. The results of this activity revealed that all security guard at the Samarinda State Polytechnic were able to operate a simple fire extinguisher installation. In addition, security personnel also have the ability to maintain a fire pump engine.

Stability of Antimicrobials in Elastomeric Pumps: A Systematic Review.

Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAThttp) programs have become an important healthcare tool around the world. Portable elastomeric infusion pumps are functional devices for ambulatory delivery of antimicrobial drugs, and their stability is an essential point to guarantee an appropriate infusion administration. We conducted a systematic review to provide a synthesis and a critical evaluation of the current evidence regarding antimicrobial stability in elastomeric pumps. Data sources were PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Sciences. The review protocol was registered on the Center for Open Science, and it was carried out following the PRISMA guidelines. Studies were eligible if the aim was the evaluation of the physicochemical stability of an antimicrobial agent stored in an elastomeric device. Of the 613 papers identified, 33 met the inclusion criteria. The most studied group of antimicrobials was penicillins, followed by cephalosporins and carbapenems. In general, the stability results of the antimicrobials that have been studied in more than one article agree with each other, with the exception of ampicillin, flucloxacillin, and ceftazidime. The antibiotics that displayed a longer stability were glycopeptides and clindamycin. Regarding the stability of antifungals and antivirals, only caspofungin, voriconazole, and ganciclovir have been investigated. The information provided in this article should be considered in patient treatments within the OPAT setting. Further stability studies are needed to confirm the appropriate use of the antimicrobials included in this program to ensure optimal patient outcomes.