Defects in haemostasis, specifically in the quantitative or qualitative properties of von Willebrand factor (VWF), result in the most commonly inherited bleeding disorder, von Willebrand disease (VWD). Of the three types of VWD, type 1 is the most common and has the mildest phenotype. Type 1 VWD has a symptomatic prevalence of approximately 1 in 1000, but a much smaller number of patients who are actually diagnosed. This discrepancy is a result of a lack of standardized diagnostic criteria. The objective of the Self-Administered Bleeding Assessment Tool (Self-BAT) Study is to develop and optimize, a standardized, self-administered BAT to quantify bleeding history, and to distinguish between normal and abnormal bleeding. In Phase 1 of the study, the medical terminology in the expert-administered ISTH BAT was changed to a grade four reading level to produce the first version of the Self-BAT. Three subsequent versions of the Self-BAT were generated during optimization based on focus group feedback and statistical analysis. The Self-BAT was administered to a total of 38 control subjects and 20 subjects affected with type 1 VWD in Phase 1. Demographic information on all the subjects (gender, age) was collected and blood was drawn for determination of VWF antigen level, VWF ristocetin cofactor activity and factor VIII level. Bleeding scores calculated from the ISTH BAT and Self-BAT showed an excellent correlation of 0.869 in the final version. In Phase 2 of the study, the Self-BAT was administered to 27 control subjects and 23 affected subjects with the objective to simplify the questionnaire by identifying questions which can discriminate between unaffected and affected subjects. It was determined through category-total, category-category and item-item correlations that there was not sufficient evidence to reduce the Self-BAT. In conclusion, the Self-BAT functions as a simple and effective tool to distinguish between normal and abnormal bleeding and is suitable for adults to administer themselves. The Self-BAT has now moved on to prospective validation studies where it will be tested on subjects who have been referred to tertiary care, but not yet received a diagnosis, in order to test its ability to distinguish between normal individuals and those affected with type 1 VWD and, potentially, other mild bleeding disorders. / Thesis (Master, Pathology & Molecular Medicine) -- Queen's University, 2013-04-29 17:04:36.196

"Bleeding Hearts: How Revising a Mediocre Screenplay Helped Me Find My Voice" examines the development of Joseph Pudas’ feature screenplay Bleeding Hearts. It tracks the course of how Bleeding Hearts was written and provides a candid look at the creative process, specifically how the writing and rewriting of this particular screenplay helped Pudas discover truths about his sensibilities and limitations. In his two years at the University of Texas, Pudas took the opportunity to experiment with different genres and tones in order to pinpoint his strengths and weaknesses as a screenwriter. Bleeding Hearts was initially intended as a straightforward romantic comedy set in the political sphere, but early on Pudas encountered difficulties with tone and genre (romantic comedy vs. cynical political satire) that would continue to persist throughout the bloated first draft. With the assistance of his peers and thesis committee, Pudas reworked the concept and wrote a more streamlined, romantic draft closer in line to what he originally envisioned the project to be. / text

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El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / Hematohidrosis is a condition that presents with the excretion of blood from intact skin. Reported cases suggest emotional stress reactions as the most common inciting events. The pathogenesis of the condition is not well understood. We describe a 9-year old boy and his 6-month old half-sister with a history of bleeding episodes from the ears, eyes, and scalp, as well as other sites. Symptoms in both children have shown a positive response to propranolol, with decreased frequency and severity of bleeding. There are no prior reports of siblings with hematohidrosis, suggesting a possible genetic predisposition. / Revisión por pares

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