Reesemarshall6587

Although number of tumor-infiltrating Tregs was comparable among the 3 subtypes, the proportion of tumor-infiltrating Tregs in CD4+ T cells in MCM was significantly higher than in CM and ALM. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that ALM and MCM were significantly associated with a lower total TIL number, but only MCM was significantly associated with a lower CD4+ TIL number. DC661 Multivariate regression analysis also revealed that both ALM and MCM were significantly associated with a lower CD8+ TIL number. Our results suggest that both ALM and MCM are independent factors of lower total TIL number, which may be associated with poorer responses to ICIs in ALM and MCM.

South Africa has undertaken the implementation of inclusive education as a vehicle for achieving enhanced educational outcomes and equity. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an instructional design framework that takes into account the wide range of variations in skills and abilities that exist across all learners, and provides a research-based set of principles and guidelines for inclusive curriculum development and delivery.

To locate UDL within the specific inclusive education policy context of South Africa and consider how this approach can support policy implementation. We have argued that UDL could serve as a strategy to link policy imperatives with classroom practice, enabling effective communication between the different actors.

We reviewed fundamental inclusive education policies in South Africa and research relating to their implementation, and how they configure support and curriculum differentiation. We then compared this understanding with that proposed by UDL and considered what could be gained in adopting a UDL framework.

We noted that UDL has several advantages in that it allows for a common language between education stakeholders and gives new meaning to the interpretation of levels of support.

The implementation of inclusive education in South Africa could be enhanced by introducing the concepts of UDL into policy, research and teaching practice as a common language and vehicle for packaging support systems.

The implementation of inclusive education in South Africa could be enhanced by introducing the concepts of UDL into policy, research and teaching practice as a common language and vehicle for packaging support systems.

Working-age adults with aphasia experience difficulties in social participation, specifically fulfilling social roles and reintegrating into communities. Literature regarding social participation of people with aphasia (PWA) is predominantly based on studies conducted in high-income countries (HIC), limiting generalisability of findings. Perspectives of social participation are influenced by person, place and cultural background warranting investigation in heterogeneous low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), like South Africa.

Describe perspectives of working-age adults with aphasia regarding social participation within the first 2 years post-incident.

Semi-structured interviews gained perspectives of 10 working-age adults (with mild to moderate aphasia) using principles of supported conversation for adults with aphasia. Data were thematically analysed to describe participants' perspectives of social participation.

Seven themes were identified pertaining to participants' perspectives of social partceived value of social activities and presence of support from significant others. Speech-language therapists are in the ideal position to facilitate PWA's communication abilities and their experience of successful participation through the implementation of person-centered care and community-led intervention. This study provided a preliminary investigation of social participation in South Africa and further investigation is warranted.

Nurses' role in the transition of adolescents living with intellectual disabilities (IDs) has always been neglected. The primary role of nurses is to promote health, provide nursing care, alleviate suffering and rehabilitate. Improving the quality of life for individuals with ID when they undergo the healthcare transition process from adolescence to adulthood was previously not considered a priority.

To investigate the nurses' perceived role in healthcare transition of adolescents with ID into adulthood.

A qualitative descriptive design using semi-structured interviews with 18 nurse participants was used. The sample included 25 nurses working in care and rehabilitation centres and non-governmental organisations in Tshwane district, Gauteng province, South Africa.

Three main themes that emerged from the analysis were support systems, advocacy and health promotion.

The findings of this study clearly show the need for a strong healthcare support system to facilitate a successful transition process of adolescents with ID. The study findings support the view that nurses can play a key role in assisting individuals with ID and their families in dealing with the challenges of healthcare transitioning into adulthood.

The findings of this study clearly show the need for a strong healthcare support system to facilitate a successful transition process of adolescents with ID. The study findings support the view that nurses can play a key role in assisting individuals with ID and their families in dealing with the challenges of healthcare transitioning into adulthood.

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic unfolds, laboratory services have been identified as key to its containment. This article outlines the laboratory organisation and management and control interventions in Niger.

The capitol city of Niger, Niamey, adopted a 'National COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan' to strengthen the preparedness of the country for the detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Laboratory training and diagnostic capacity building were supported by existing active clinical and research laboratories for more rapid and practicable responses. The National Reference Laboratory for Respiratory Viruses located at the

was designated as the reference centre for COVID-19 testing. The national plan for COVID-19 testing is being gradually adopted in other regions of the country in response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 emergency and to ensure a more rapid turn-around time.

After the decentralisation of COVID-19 testing to other regions of the country, turn-around times were reduced from 48-72 h to 12-24 h. Reducing turn-around times allowed Niger to reduce the length of patients' stays in hospitals and isolation facilities. Shortages in testing capacity must be anticipated and addressed. In an effort to reduce risk of shortages and increase availability of reagents and consumables, Niamey diversified real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction kits for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 detection.

Continued investment in training programmes and laboratory strategy is needed in order to strengthen Niger's laboratory capacity against the outbreak.

Continued investment in training programmes and laboratory strategy is needed in order to strengthen Niger's laboratory capacity against the outbreak.

In the era of evidence-based medicine, haematological reference intervals are essential for the interpretation of data for clinical decision-making, monitoring of treatment and research. It is not uncommon that reference intervals used in most African countries have been obtained from published scientific literature, textbooks, reagent/instrument manuals.

The aim of this study was to determine haematological reference intervals of healthy adults in Bamenda, Cameroon.

This was a cross-sectional study conducted between June and November 2015. Participants were voluntary blood donors at the Blood Bank Service of the Regional Hospital Bamenda aged between 18 and 65 years. The mean, median and standard deviation of the mean were calculated for each haematological parameter. The 95th percentile reference intervals were determined using the 2.5th and 97.5th percentile. The differences between gender for all the parameters were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Significance was determined at the 95% confidence level.

Out of a total of 340 participants, 202 (59.4%) were men and 138 (40.6%) were women. The median red blood cell, haemoglobin, haematocrit and mean cell haemoglobin concentration were significantly higher in men than women (

< 0.001). The median white blood cell, absolute lymphocytes count, absolute granulocytes and platelet counts for men were significantly lower than those for women (

< 0.011).

We propose that the present established haematological reference intervals in this study should be used for clinical management of patients and interpretation of laboratory data for research in Bamenda.

We propose that the present established haematological reference intervals in this study should be used for clinical management of patients and interpretation of laboratory data for research in Bamenda.

During storage, transfusion blood may undergo a series of biochemical changes that could pose risks to patients when used. It is important therefore to monitor biochemical changes that may reduce survival or function of stored blood cells.

This study assessed biochemical changes in whole blood stored for transfusion at Bungoma County Referral Hospital in the western region of Kenya between February 2019 and August 2019.

A prospective study design involving 20 randomly selected donor blood units in citrate phosphate dextrose adenine anticoagulant was employed. Biochemical changes were evaluated for 35 days. Potassium and sodium levels were tested using the HumaLyte Plus5 analyser. Blood pH level was estimated using the Hanna pH meter.

At the end of the 35 days of storage under blood bank conditions, the mean potassium level significantly increased from 7.31 mmol/L at baseline to 20.14 mmol/L at week 5 (

< 0.0001), and the mean sodium level significantly decreased from 150.72 mmol/L at baseline to 121.56 mmol/L at week 5 (

< 0.0001). The pH level decreased insignificantly from 7.48 at baseline to 7.38 at the end of week 1 (

= 0.0757) but decreased significantly to 6.15 at the end of week 5 (

0.0001).

Potassium increased and sodium concentrations decreased significantly from the first week of blood storage. The pH decreased significantly from the second week of storage. Therefore, aged blood should be avoided to circumvent potential adverse outcomes from biochemical changes and stored blood should be tested before use.

Potassium increased and sodium concentrations decreased significantly from the first week of blood storage. The pH decreased significantly from the second week of storage. Therefore, aged blood should be avoided to circumvent potential adverse outcomes from biochemical changes and stored blood should be tested before use.

The South African National Health Laboratory Service provides laboratory services for public sector health facilities, utilising a tiered laboratory model to refer samples for CD4 testing from 255 source laboratories into 43 testing laboratories.

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of distance on inter-laboratory referral time for public sector testing in South Africa in 2018.

A retrospective cross-sectional study design analysed CD4 testing inter-laboratory turn-around time (TAT) data for 2018, that is laboratory-to-laboratory TAT from registration at the source to referral receipt at the testing laboratory. Google Maps was used to calculate inter-laboratory distances and travel times. Distances were categorised into four buckets, with the median and 75th percentile reported. Wilcoxon scores were used to assess significant differences in laboratory-to-laboratory TAT across the four distance categories.

CD4 referrals from off-site source laboratories comprised 49% (

= 1 390 510) of national reporting.