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Inghels M, Mee P, Diallo OH, Cissé M, Nelson D, Tanser F, Asghar Z, Koita Y, Laborde-Balen G, Breton G. Improving early infant diagnosis for HIV-exposed infants using unmanned aerial vehicles for blood sample transportation in Conakry, Guinea: a comparative cost-effectiveness analysis. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:e012522. [PMID: 37984898 PMCID: PMC10660963 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-012522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early infant diagnosis (EID) for HIV-exposed infants is essential due to high mortality during the first months of their lives. In Conakry (Guinea), timely EID is difficult as traffic congestion prevents the rapid transport of blood samples to the central laboratory. We investigated the cost-effectiveness of transporting EID blood samples by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones. METHODS AND FINDINGS Using Monte Carlo simulations, we conducted a cost-effectiveness comparative analysis between EID blood samples transportation by on-demand UAV transportation versus the baseline scenario (ie, van with irregular collection schedules) and compared with a hypothetic on-demand motorcycle transportation system. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per life-year gained was computed. Simulation models included parameters such as consultation timing (eg, time of arrival), motorcycle and UAV characteristics, weather and traffic conditions. Over the 5-year period programme, the UAV and motorcycle strategies were able to save a cumulative additional 834.8 life-years (585.1-1084.5) and 794.7 life-years (550.3-1039.0), respectively, compared with the baseline scenario. The ICER per life-year gained found were US$535 for the UAV strategy versus baseline scenario, US$504 for the motorcycle strategy versus baseline scenario and US$1137 per additional life-year gained for the UAV versus motorcycle strategy. Respectively, those ICERs represented 44.8%, 42.2% and 95.2% of the national gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Guinea-that is, US$1194. CONCLUSION Compared with the baseline strategy, both transportation of EID blood samples by UAVs or motorcycles had a cost per additional life-year gained below half of the national GDP per capita and could be seen as cost-effective in Conakry. A UAV strategy can save more lives than a motorcycle one although the cost needed per additional life-year gained might need to consider alongside budget impact and feasibility considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Inghels
- Lincoln International Institute for Rural Health, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
- Centre Population et Développement (UMR 196 Paris Descartes - IRD), SageSud (ERL INSERM 1244), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Paris, France
| | - Paul Mee
- Lincoln International Institute for Rural Health, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | | | - Mohamed Cissé
- Service de Dermatologie, Centre de Traitement Ambulatoire, Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire, CHU Donka, Conakry, Guinea
| | - David Nelson
- Lincoln International Institute for Rural Health, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Frank Tanser
- Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, School for Data Science and Computational Thinking, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Zahid Asghar
- School of Health and Social Care, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Youssouf Koita
- Programme National de Lutte contre le VIH SIDA et les Hépatites (PNLSH), Conakry, Guinea
| | - Gabrièle Laborde-Balen
- TransVIHMI, University of Montpellier, INSERM, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier, France
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Merei A, Mcheick H, Ghaddar A. Survey on Path Planning for UAVs in Healthcare Missions. J Med Syst 2023; 47:79. [PMID: 37498478 DOI: 10.1007/s10916-023-01972-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
This article presents a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art applications and methodologies related to the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the healthcare sector, with a particular focus on path planning. UAVs have gained remarkable attention in healthcare during the outbreak of COVID-19, and this study explores their potential as a viable option for medical transportation. The survey categorizes existing studies by mission type, challenges addressed, and performance metrics to provide a clearer picture of the path planning problems and potential directions for future research. It highlights the importance of addressing the path planning problem and the challenges that UAVs may face during their missions, including the UAV delivery range limitation, and discusses recent solutions in this field. The study concludes by encouraging researchers to conduct their studies in a realistic environment to reveal UAVs' real potential, usability, and feasibility in the healthcare domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Merei
- Department of Computer Science and Mathematics, University of Quebec at Chicoutimi, 555 University Boulevard, Chicoutimi, G7H 2B1, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Hamid Mcheick
- Department of Computer Science and Mathematics, University of Quebec at Chicoutimi, 555 University Boulevard, Chicoutimi, G7H 2B1, Quebec, Canada
| | - Alia Ghaddar
- Department of Computer Science, International University of Beirut, Mouseitbeh, Mazraa, PO Box: 146404, Beirut, Lebanon
- Department of Computer Science, Lebanese International University, Khiyarah Bekaa, PO Box: 146404, Alkhiyarah, Lebanon
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Roberts NB, Ager E, Leith T, Lott I, Mason-Maready M, Nix T, Gottula A, Hunt N, Brent C. Current summary of the evidence in drone-based emergency medical services care. Resusc Plus 2023; 13:100347. [PMID: 36654723 PMCID: PMC9841214 DOI: 10.1016/j.resplu.2022.100347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Interventions for many medical emergencies including cardiac arrests, strokes, drug overdoses, seizures, and trauma, are critically time-dependent, with faster intervention leading to improved patient outcomes. Consequently, a major focus of emergency medical services (EMS) systems and prehospital medicine has been improving the time until medical intervention in these time-sensitive emergencies, often by reducing the time required to deliver critical medical supplies to the scene of the emergency. Medical indications for using unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, are rapidly expanding, including the delivery of time-sensitive medical supplies. To date, the drone-based delivery of a variety of time-critical medical supplies has been evaluated, generating promising data suggesting that drones can improve the time interval to intervention through the rapid delivery of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), naloxone, antiepileptics, and blood products. Furthermore, the improvement in the time until intervention offered by drones in out-of-hospital emergencies is likely to improve patient outcomes in time-dependent medical emergencies. However, barriers and knowledge gaps remain that must be addressed. Further research demonstrating functionality in real-world scenarios, as well as research that integrates drones into the existing EMS structure will be necessary before drones can reach their full potential. The primary aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence in drone-based Emergency Medical Services Care to help identify future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan B. Roberts
- University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5305, USA
- Corresponding authors at: Medical School, University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5305, USA.
| | - Emily Ager
- University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5305, USA
- Corresponding authors at: Medical School, University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5305, USA.
| | - Thomas Leith
- University of Michigan Medical School, 7300 Medical Science Building I—A Wing, 1301 Catherine St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Isabel Lott
- University of Michigan Medical School, 7300 Medical Science Building I—A Wing, 1301 Catherine St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Marlee Mason-Maready
- Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, 586 Pioneer Dr, Rochester, MI 48309, USA
| | - Tyler Nix
- University of Michigan, Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Adam Gottula
- University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5305, USA
- The University of Michigan, Department of Anesthesiology , University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 East Medical Center Dr. Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nathaniel Hunt
- University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5305, USA
| | - Christine Brent
- University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5305, USA
- Corresponding authors at: Medical School, University of Michigan Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5305, USA.
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Comtet HE, Keitsch M, Johannessen KA. Realities of Using Drones to Transport Laboratory Samples: Insights from Attended Routes in a Mixed-Methods Study. J Multidiscip Healthc 2022; 15:1871-1885. [PMID: 36068877 PMCID: PMC9441146 DOI: 10.2147/jmdh.s371957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hans E Comtet
- The Intervention Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, 0424, Norway
- Department of Design, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, 7491, Norway
- Correspondence: Hans E Comtet, The Intervention Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Postboks 4950, Oslo, 0424, Norway, Email
| | - Martina Keitsch
- Department of Design, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, 7491, Norway
| | - Karl-Arne Johannessen
- The Intervention Centre, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, 0424, Norway
- Department of Health Management and Health Economics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 0318, Norway
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Stephan F, Reinsperger N, Grünthal M, Paulicke D, Jahn P. Human drone interaction in delivery of medical supplies: A scoping review of experimental studies. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0267664. [PMID: 35482656 PMCID: PMC9049298 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The COVID-19 pandemic, ageing populations and the increasing shortage of skilled workers pose great challenges for the delivery of supplies for people with and without care needs. The potential of drones, as unmanned air vehicles, in healthcare are huge and are discussed as an effective new way to delivery urgent medicines and medical devices, especially in rural areas. Although the advantages are obvious, perspectives of users are important particularly in the development process. Investigating human drone interaction could potentially increase usefulness and usability. The present study aims to perform a systematic scoping review on experimental studies examining the human drone interaction in deliveries of drugs and defibrillators. Methods Two databases (MEDLINE and CINAHL) and references of identified publications were searched without narrowing the year of publication or language. Studies that investigated the human drone interaction or medical delivery with drones in an experimental manner were included (research articles). All studies that only simulated the delivery process were excluded. Results The search revealed 83 publications with four studies being included. These studies investigated the user experience of drone delivered defibrillators, but no study was identified that investigated the human drone interaction in the delivery of drugs. Three categories of human drone interaction were identified: landing, handover, and communications. Regarding landing and handover, the most important issue was the direct physical contact with the drone while regarding communications users need clearer instructions about drone´s direction, sound and look like. Discussion The identified studies used technology-driven approaches by investigating human drone interaction in already existing technologies. Users must become integral part of the whole development process of medical drone services to reduce concerns, and to improve security, usability and usefulness of the system. Human drone interaction should be developed according to the identified categories of human drone interaction by using demand- and technology-driven approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Stephan
- Health Service Research Working Group | Acute Care, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Medicine Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Translationsregion Für Digitalisierte Gesundheitsversorgung (TDG), Halle (Saale), Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Nicole Reinsperger
- Department of Internal Medicine, Health Service Research/Nursing in Hospital, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Halle (Saale), Germany
| | | | - Denny Paulicke
- Health Service Research Working Group | Acute Care, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Medicine Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Akkon University of Human Sciences, Department of Medical Pedagogy, Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick Jahn
- Health Service Research Working Group | Acute Care, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University Medicine Halle (Saale), Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Translationsregion Für Digitalisierte Gesundheitsversorgung (TDG), Halle (Saale), Germany
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6
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Alluhaidan AS. Artificial intelligence for public perception of drones as a tool for telecommunication technologies. Comput Intell 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/coin.12507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ala Saleh Alluhaidan
- Department of Information Systems, College of Computer and Information Science Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University Riyadh Saudi Arabia
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7
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Abstract
The integration of drones into health care as a supplement to existing logistics methods may generate a need for cooperation and involvement across multiple resource areas. It is currently not well understood whether such integrations would merely represent a technical implementation or if they would cause more significant changes to laboratory services. By choosing socio-technical theory as the theoretical lens, this paper intends to harvest knowledge from the literature on various organizational concepts and examine possible synergies between such theories to determine optimal strategies for introducing the use of drones in a health care context. Our particular interest is to examine whether the insights generated from the multi-level perspective (MLP) may have the potential to create dynamic spin-offs related to the organizational transitions associated with the implementation of drones in health services. We built our study on a scoping literature review of topics associated with the MLP and socio-technical studies from differing arenas, supplemented with studies harvested on a broader basis. The scoping review is based on 25 articles that were selected for analysis. As a way of organizing the literature, the niche, regime, and landscape levels of the MLP are translated to the corresponding health care-related terms, i.e., clinic, institution, and health care system. Furthermore, subcategories emerged inductively during the process of analysis. The MLP provides essential knowledge regarding the context for innovation and how the interaction between the different levels can accelerate the diffusion of innovations. Several authors have put both ethical topics and public acceptance into a socio-technological perspective. Although a socio-technical approach is not needed to operate drones, it may help in the long run to invest in a culture that is open to innovation and change.
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8
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Chakraborty S, Nadar RA, Tiwari A. Designing a drone assisted sample collection and testing system during epidemic outbreaks. JOURNAL OF GLOBAL OPERATIONS AND STRATEGIC SOURCING 2021. [DOI: 10.1108/jgoss-02-2021-0010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
A major component in managing pandemic outbreaks involves testing the suspected individuals and isolating them to avoid transmission in the community. This requires setting up testing centres for diagnosis of the infected individuals, which usually involves movement of either patient from their residence to the testing centre or personnel visiting the patient, thus aggregating the risk of transmission to localities and testing centres. The purpose of this paper is to investigate and minimize such movements by developing a drone assisted sample collection and diagnostic system.
Design/methodology/approach
Effective control of an epidemic outbreak calls for a rapid response and involves testing suspected individuals and isolating them to avoid transmission in the community. This paper presents the problem in a two-phase manner by locating sample collection centres while assigning neighbourhoods to these collection centres and thereafter, assigning collection centres to nearest testing centres. To solve the mathematical model, this study develops a mixed-integer linear programming model and propose an integrated genetic algorithm with a local search-based approach (GA-LS) to solve the problem.
Findings
Proposed approach is demonstrated as a case problem in an Indian urban city named Kolkata. Computational results show that the integrated GA-LS approach is capable of producing good quality solutions within a short span of time, which aids to the practicality in the circumstance of a pandemic.
Social implications
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the large-scale outbreak of a transmissible disease may require a restriction of movement to take control of the exponential transmission. This paper proposes a system for the location of clinical sample collection centres in such a way that drones can be used for the transportation of samples from the neighbourhood to the testing centres.
Originality/value
Epidemic outbreaks have been a reason behind a major number of deaths across the world. The present study addresses the critical issue of identifying locations of temporary sample collection centres for drone assisted testing in major cities, which is by its nature unique and has not been considered by any other previous literature. The findings of this study will be of particular interest to the policy-makers to build a more robust epidemic resistance.
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Johnson AM, Cunningham CJ, Arnold E, Rosamond WD, Zègre-Hemsey JK. Impact of Using Drones in Emergency Medicine: What Does the Future Hold? Open Access Emerg Med 2021; 13:487-498. [PMID: 34815722 PMCID: PMC8605877 DOI: 10.2147/oaem.s247020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles or "drones" has expanded in the last decade, as their technology has become more sophisticated, and costs have decreased. They are now used routinely in farming, environmental surveillance, public safety, commercial product delivery, recreation, and other applications. Health-related applications are only recently becoming more widely explored and accepted. The use of drone technology in emergency medicine is especially promising given the need for a rapid response to enhance patient outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to describe some of the main current and expanding applications of drone technology in emergency medicine and to describe challenges and future opportunities. Current applications being studied include delivery of defibrillators in response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, blood and blood products in response to trauma, and rescue medications. Drones are also being studied and actively used in emergency response to search and rescue operations as well as disaster and mass casualty events. Current challenges to expanding their use in emergency medicine and emergency medical system (EMS) include regulation, safety, flying conditions, concerns about privacy, consent, and confidentiality, and details surrounding the development, operation, and maintenance of a medical drone network. Future research is needed to better understand end user perceptions and acceptance. Continued technical advances are needed to increase payload capacities, increase flying distances, and integrate drone networks into existing 9-1-1 and EMS systems. Drones are a promising technology for improving patient survival, outcomes, and quality of life, particularly for those in areas that are remote or that lack funds or infrastructure. Their cost savings compared with ground transportation alone, speed, and convenience make them particularly applicable in the field of emergency medicine. Research to date suggests that use of drones in emergency medicine is feasible, will be accepted by the public, is cost-effective, and has broad application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Johnson
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Evan Arnold
- Institute for Transportation Research and Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Wayne D Rosamond
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Matinrad N, Reuter-Oppermann M. A review on initiatives for the management of daily medical emergencies prior to the arrival of emergency medical services. CENTRAL EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OPERATIONS RESEARCH 2021; 30:251-302. [PMID: 34566490 PMCID: PMC8449697 DOI: 10.1007/s10100-021-00769-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Emergency services worldwide face increasing cost pressure that potentially limits their existing resources. In many countries, emergency services also face the issues of staff shortage-creating extra challenges and constraints, especially during crisis times such as the COVID-19 pandemic-as well as long distances to sparsely populated areas resulting in longer response times. To overcome these issues and potentially reduce consequences of daily (medical) emergencies, several countries, such as Sweden, Germany, and the Netherlands, have started initiatives using new types of human resources as well as equipment, which have not been part of the existing emergency systems before. These resources are employed in response to medical emergency cases if they can arrive earlier than emergency medical services (EMS). A good number of studies have investigated the use of these new types of resources in EMS systems, from medical, technical, and logistical perspectives as their study domains. Several review papers in the literature exist that focus on one or several of these new types of resources. However, to the best of our knowledge, no review paper that comprehensively considers all new types of resources in emergency medical response systems exists. We try to fill this gap by presenting a broad literature review of the studies focused on the different new types of resources, which are used prior to the arrival of EMS. Our objective is to present an application-based and methodological overview of these papers, to provide insights to this important field and to bring it to the attention of researchers as well as emergency managers and administrators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niki Matinrad
- Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, Norrköping, 60174 Sweden
| | - Melanie Reuter-Oppermann
- Information Systems - Software and Digital Business Group, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
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Quantifying the Effects of Vibration on Medicines in Transit Caused by Fixed-Wing and Multi-Copter Drones. DRONES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/drones5010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The concept of transporting medical products by drone is gaining a lot of interest amongst the medical and logistics communities. Such innovation has generated several questions, a key one being the potential effects of flight on the stability of medical products. The aims of this study were to quantify the vibration present within drone flight, study its effect on the quality of the medical insulin through live flight trials, and compare the effects of vibration from drone flight with traditional road transport. Three trials took place in which insulin ampoules and mock blood stocks were transported to site and flown using industry standard packaging by a fixed-wing or a multi-copter drone. Triaxial vibration measurements were acquired, both in-flight and during road transit, from which overall levels and frequency spectra were derived. British Pharmacopeia quality tests were undertaken in which the UV spectra of the flown insulin samples were compared to controls of known turbidity. In-flight vibration levels in both the drone types exceeded road induced levels by up to a factor of three, and predominant vibration occurred at significantly higher frequencies. Flown samples gave clear insulin solutions that met the British Pharmacopoeia specification, and no aggregation of insulin was detected.
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12
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Rezaei SJ, Mateen FJ. Encephalitis and meningitis in Western Africa: a scoping review of pathogens. Trop Med Int Health 2021; 26:388-396. [PMID: 33340211 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To give an overview of the recently reported literature on the aetiologies of meningitis and encephalitis in western sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS We conducted a scoping review following PRISMA guidance on published meningitis and encephalitis cases in the 16 countries of the United Nations-defined western sub-Saharan African region as identified in cohort studies, case series, and case reports, published 01/01/2000-08/01/2020, and available in four databases in August 2020 with an abstract in English, French or Italian. RESULTS There were 38 distinct pathogens identified from 91 cohort studies' data and 48 case reports or case series' data. In cohort-level data, the majority of cases were caused by Neisseria meningitidis (71.5%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (17.6%) and Haemophilus influenzae (7.3%). In case report- and case series-level data, 40.5% of patients were <18 years old, 28.6% were female, and 28.6% were known to be immunocompromised. The case fatality rate was 39.3%. The most commonly reported pathogens among immunocompetent patients were Salmonella species (13 cases) and Ebola virus (9 cases), and the most commonly reported pathogen among immunocompromised patients was Cryptococcus neoformans (18 cases). Most cohort cases (52.3%) derived from Niger followed by Burkina Faso (28.6%). Most cases from single reports or series were reported from Nigeria (21.4%), Mali (20.2%) and Burkina Faso (19.0%). CONCLUSIONS Given the small number of pathogens reported, our findings underscore the need to better screen, diagnose and monitor populations in western sub-Saharan Africa for additional CNS pathogens, including those posing significant outbreak risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawheen J Rezaei
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Farrah J Mateen
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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