Opportunities and barriers to effective operation and maintenance of public toilets in informal settlements: perspectives from toilet operators in Kampala

Although classified by the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) as unimproved sanitation facilities, public toilets still play a critical role in eliminating open defecation in informal settlements. We explored perspectives of toilet operators on opportunities and barriers to operation and maintenance (O&M) of public toilets in informal settlements. A cross-sectional study design was used. Up to 20 in-depth interviews were used to obtain data on the experiences of public toilet operators. Thematic content analysis was used.

Ressults show that opportunities for improving O&M include; operation of public toilets is a source of livelihood; operators are knowledgeable on occupational risks, and the community is involvedin sanitation activities. Barriers to effective O&M include; high operation costs, failure to break even and a lack of investments in occupational health Therefore, there is need to recognise the significance of public toilets as a viable alternative to open defecation in areas where ownership of private sanitation facilities is difficult. Failure to observe the health and safety of toilet operators may further compromise O&M.     

A worldwide survey of the use of simulation in anesthesia

PURPOSE: To gather information regarding the global use of simulation technology in education, evaluation and research in anesthesia. METHODS: The WorldWide Web was searched and located sites with simulation centres (n = 158) were mailed a 67-item questionnaire requesting information regarding demographics, personnel, education use and research involvement. Comments were solicited. Medical school data only are reported in this article. RESULTS: Two web sites were used to generate the list of simulation centres. Sixty responses were received (38%), with 41 emanating from medical schools. Seventy-seven percent of centres were involved in undergraduate education and 85% in postgraduate education. Few centres were involved in evaluation and/or competency assessments. Sixty-one percent of centres indicated ongoing research with a further 25% interested in international collaboration. University or university departmental-based funding largely supported simulation technology used in medical schools. The lack of financial and human resources was the single most common problem identified by respondents. CONCLUSIONS: From the survey responses received, opportunities for the simulator to be used for the assessment of performance appear to be under-utilized. This may be due to the lack of research in this area, lack of standardized, valid and reliable tests and the fact that most centres have only recently acquired this technology. Further research supporting the use of the simulator in education and evaluation is required.     

Reproduktionsmedizin

Since the introduction of in vitro fertilization in 1978, reproductive medicine and its associated scientific fields have developed rapidly. In Germany, progress in this field is impeded by the German Embryo Protection Act. Exemplary are the prohibition of embryo selection and the ban on genetic testing of the pre-implantation embryo. Nevertheless, infertility treatment outcome has to be optimized within the framework of this law, with the aim of making treatment more efficient, lowering the incidence of multiple gestations, making ovarian hyperstimulation safer, as well as reducing the financial costs for the couple.     

Der Einsatz des Prophy-Jet®-Gerätes zur Schmelzpolitur nach der Bracketentfernung

Zusammenfassung In einer In-vitro-Studie wurde die Einsatzfähigkeit des Prophy-Jet-^®-Gerätes für die Schmelzpolitur nach Bracketentfernung untersucht. In die Studie wurden drei verschieden stark gefüllte orthodontische Kleber einbezogen: Concise^®, Genie^® und Mono Lok^®. Alle Proben wurden rasterelektronenoptisch untersucht und fotografisch dokumentiert in Vergrößerungen zwischen 20- und 10 000fach. Die Oberflächenanalyse ergab, daß das Prophy-Jet^®-Gerät allein zur Schmelzpolitur nach Bracketentfernung nicht ausreicht, um unter klinisch vertretbarem Zeitaufwand (1 Minute/Zahn) eine kunststofffreie Schmelzoberfläche zu erzielen. Nach konventioneller makroskopischer Vorreinigung mit Scalern oder rotierenden Hartmetallfinierern zeigten sich nach fünfsekündiger Prophy-Jet^®-Bestrahlung noch geringe Kleberreste. Nach zehnsekündiger Expositionsdauer waren beim Mono Lok^®-Adhäsiv keine Kleberreste mehr nachweisbar, beim Concise^®-bzw. Genie^®-Adhäsiv fanden sich noch vereinzelte geringe Kleberinseln. Das Prophy-Jet^®-Gerät erscheint zur Unterstützung der Schmelzpolitur nach Bracketentfernung sinnvoll; eine sorgfältige Vorreinigung mit Hand- oder rotierenden Instrumenten ist jedoch erforderlich, um eine weitgehende Adhäsivreduktion zu erreichen. Die konventionelle Gummi- und Bimssteinpolitur kann nach 20sekündiger Prophy-Jet^®-Bestrahlung entfallen.

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Summary The purpose of this in vitro investigation was to ascertain the effects of the Prophy-Jet^® air-powder abrasive system for enamel polishing after debonding. Three adhesives differing in filler content were included in this study: Concise^®, Genie^®, and Mono Lok^®. All specimens were examined by scanning electron microscopy and documented photographically at magnifications from 20 to 10 000. Surface analysis showed that using the Prophy-Jet^® exclusively is not sufficient to produce a clean and smooth enamel surface without residual adhesive after debonding and after one minute of exposure time, as might be justifiable in a clinical situation. After macroscopic conventional clean-up with scalers or rotary finishing instruments and five seconds of exposure time to the Prophy-Jet^® some occasional adhesive remnants could be located. After ten seconds of Prophy-Jet^® treatment all Mono Lok^®-adhesive was removed from the enamel surface; in the Concise^® and Genie^®-group few isolated adhesive remnants could be detected. The Prophy-Jet^® air-powder abrasive system was found to be efficient in supporting enamel polishing after debonding; but an accurate pretreatment with scalers or rotary finishing instruments is essential to achieve an extensive reduction of adhesive. Final polishing of the enamel surface with rubber wheels or prophy cup and pumice can be omitted after treatment with the Prophy-Jet^® for 20 seconds.

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Résumé Le but de ce travail était d'éxaminer à l'aide d'une étude in vitro, l'emploi du Prophy Jet^® pour le polissage de l'émail après l'arrachage des brackets. Dans l'étude on a analysé trois substances adhésives différentes: Concise^®, Genie^® et Mono Lok^®. Après avoir examiné les spécimens par le microscope électronique à balayage, on les a documentés à l'aide de photos d'un grossissement de 20 à 10 000. L'analyse de la surface montre que la seule application du Prophy Jet^® (après l'arrachage des brackets) ne suffit pas pour obtenir une surface d'émail sans substance adhésive en un temps clinique d'une minute par dent. Après prétraitement macroscopique selon la méthode conventionnelle (scaler ou instruments montés sur tour) il demeurait encore de petits restes de la substance adhésive après l'application du Prophy Jet^® pendant cinq secondes. Après une durée d'application de dix secondes, on ne pouvait pas déceler de restes de Mono Lok^®, tandis qu'il y avait sporadiquement des restes de Concise^® et Genie^®. Ces résultats indiquent, que le Prophy Jet^® est efficace pour le polissage de l'émail après l'arrachage des brackets, mais on a tout de même besoin d'un nettoyage précédent minutieux avec des instruments convenables (scaler ou instruments montés sur le tour) pour obtenir une réduction considérable de la substance adhésive. On peut renoncer au polissage conventionnel à l'aide de caoutchouc ou de la pierre ponce après l'application du Prophy Jet^® pendant 20 secondes.

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Vortrag auf der wissenschaftlichen Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Kieferorthopädie 1985.     

Orthodontic fine adjustment after vertical callus distraction of an ankylosed incisor using the floating bone concept.

The outcome of vertical callus distraction of a segment of tooth-supporting alveolar process might be functionally and esthetically unsatisfactory because of the unidirectional impact of intraoral distraction devices. In this case report, we describe how, with a shortened consolidation phase and application of the floating bone effect, the tooth-supporting osteotomy segment can be successfully aligned 3 dimensionally. We applied orthodontic force systems that went beyond the unidirectional vector preset by the mechanical properties of the distraction device.     

Memory encoding and retrieval in the aging brain.

Decline in episodic memory, the encoding and retrieval of autobiographical events, is a hallmark of normal cognitive aging. Although the primary causes of this decline remain elusive, event-related brain potential (ERP) studies have contributed to an understanding of age-related episodic memory failure. These data reveal that, although the retrieval-based episodic memory (EM) effect does not differ dramatically between young and older adults, the acquisition-related data suggest a decline in episodic encoding (i.e., semantic elaboration) with increasing age. We conclude that, at the current state of knowledge, encoding deficiencies are more important than retrieval deficits in understanding the causes of episodic memory decline in the older adult.     

Bacterial hydrogen peroxide contributes to cerebral hyperemia during early stages of experimental pneumococcal meningitis.

Alterations of blood flow contribute to major clinical complications in invasive infections such as sepsis and bacterial meningitis. As a unique feature streptococci -- in particular, Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most frequent pathogen in bacterial meningitis -- release hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) because of the absence of functional catalase. In a 6 h rat model of experimental meningitis, we studied the impact of bacterial H(2)O(2) production on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and intracranial pressure (ICP). Compared to wild-type D39 pneumococci, the increase of rCBF was diminished in meningitis induced by the H(2)O(2) defective SpxB(-) mutant (maximum increase, 135% +/- 17% versus 217% +/- 23% of the individual baseline; P<0.01) or after treatment of D39-induced meningitis with H(2)O(2)-degrading catalase or with tetraethylammonium (TEA), a blocker of calcium-sensitive potassium channels, which mediate H(2)O(2)-induced vasodilation. Catalase did not significantly reduce the remaining rCBF increase caused by SpxB(-), supporting the predominant role of bacterial H(2)O(2). We conclude that in addition to host-sided mediators, bacterial-derived H(2)O(2) acts as a potent vasodilator, which accounts for a certain proportion of the early cerebral hyperperfusion in pneumococcal meningitis.