Community surveys of healthcare-use determine the proportion of illness episodes not captured by health facility-based surveillance, the methodology used most commonly to estimate the burden of disease in Africa. A cross-sectional survey of households with children aged less than five years was conducted in 35 of 686 census enumeration areas in rural Bondo district, western Kenya. Healthcare sought for acute episodes of diarrhoea or fever in the past two weeks or pneumonia in the past year was evaluated. Factors associa-ted with healthcare-seeking were analyzed by logistic regression accounting for sample design. In total, 6,223 residents of 981 households were interviewed. Of 1,679 children aged less than five years, 233 (14%) had diarrhoea, and 736 (44%) had fever during the past two weeks; care at health facilities was sought for one-third of these episodes. Pneumonia in the past year was reported for 64 (4%) children aged less than five years; 88% sought healthcare at any health facility and 48% at hospitals. Seeking healthcare at health facilities was more likely for children from households with higher socioeconomic status and with more symptoms of severe illness. Health facility and hospital-based surveillance would underestimate the burden of disease substantially in rural western Kenya. Seeking healthcare at health facilities and hospitals varied by syndrome, severity of illness, and characteristics of the patient.

Estimating the biting fraction of mosquitoes is of critical importance for risk assessment of malaria transmission. Here, we present a novel odor-based tool that has been rigorously assessed in semi-field assays and traditional African villages for estimating the number of mosquitoes that enter houses in search of a blood meal. A standard synthetic blend (SB) consisting of ammonia, (S)-lactic acid, tetradecanoic acid, and carbon dioxide was complemented with isovaleric acid, 4,5 dimethylthiazole, 2-methyl-1-butanol, and 3-methyl-1-butanol in various combinations and concentrations, and tested for attractiveness to the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Compounds were released through low density polyethylene (LDPE) material or from nylon strips (nylon). Studies were done in a semi-field facility and two traditional villages in western Kenya. The alcohol 3-methyl-1-butanol significantly increased the attraction of SB. The other compounds proved less effective or inhibitory. Tested in a village, 3-methyl-1-butanol, released from LDPE, increased the attraction of SB. Further studies showed a significantly enhanced attraction of adding 3-methyl-1-butanol to SB compared to previously-published attractive blends both under semi-field and village conditions. Other mosquito species with relevance for public health were collected with this blend in significantly higher numbers as well. These results demonstrate the advent of a novel, reliable odor-based sampling tool for the collection of malaria and other mosquitoes. The advantage of this odor-based tool over existing mosquito sampling tools is its reproducibility, objectiveness, and relatively low cost compared to current standards of CDC light traps or the human landing catch.

Silene latifolia is a well-studied model system for plant XY sex determination. Three maleness factors are thought to function on the Y chromosome, gynoecium suppression factor (GSF), stamen-promoting factor (SPF), and male fertility factor (MFF), and their deletions result in hermaphrodites, anther defects, and pollen defects, respectively. Although a framework map of the Y chromosome exists, the sex determination genes have not been identified, and no markers close enough to potentially be used for BAC library screening are yet available. The analysis of Y deletion mutants by Y-chromosome-specific STS markers is an efficient way to isolate sex determination regions, but more Y-specific STS markers are needed to accelerate the exploration of sex determination factors. Herein, we report a marker design method that uses simple sequence repeats, which is especially effective on the Y chromosome of S. latifolia because it contains many simple sequence repeats. Six new Y-chromosome-specific STS markers were obtained, SmicSy1–6. These were used to detect relatively small Y deletion sites in heavy-ion beam irradiation-induced mutants. The mapping of male sex determination regions was narrowed down by using more markers and smaller-sized Y deletion mutants. One new marker, SmicSy6, is a proximal marker to SPF and, thus, a second index for SPF. The region including SPF is thought to be located between two SPF proximal markers. The flower phenotype correlates with the deletion size of SPF using SPF proximal markers. These findings represent new progress in isolating the sex determination factor, which has been studied for more than 50 years.

Health care utilization in many developing countries, Tanzania included, is mainly through the use of traditional medicine (TRM) and its practitioners despite the presence of the conventional medicine. This article presents findings on the study that aimed to get an experience of health care utilization from both urban and rural areas of seven administrative regions in Tanzania. A total of 33 health facility managers were interviewed on health care provision and availability of supplies including drugs, in their respective areas. The findings revealed that the health facilities were overburden with higher population to serve than it was planned. Consequently essential drugs and other health supplies were available only in the first two weeks of the month. Conventional health practitioners considered traditional health practitioners to be more competent in mental health management, and overall, they were considered to handle more HIV/AIDS cases knowingly or unknowingly due to shear need of healthcare by this group. In general conventional health practitioners were positive towards traditional medicine utilization; and some of them admitted using traditional medicines. Traditional medicines like other medical health systems worldwide have side effects and some contentious ethical issues that need serious consideration and policy direction. Since many people will continue using traditional/alternative medicine, there is an urgent need to collaborate with traditional/alternative health practitioners through the institutionalization of basic training including hygiene in order to improved healthcare in the community and attain the Millennium Development Goals by 2015

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural [HMF] is an important intermediate compound for fine chemicals. It is often obtained via hydrothermal treatment of biomass-derived carbohydrates, such as fructose, glucose and sucrose. This study investigates the formation of carbonaceous spheres from HMF created by dehydration of fructose under hydrothermal conditions. The carbonaceous spheres, ranging between 0.4 and 10 µm in diameter, have granulated morphologies both on the surface and in the interior. The residual solution is found to contain a massive number of primary nanoparticles. The chemical structure of the carbonaceous spheres was characterised by means of FTIR and NMR spectroscopies. Based on these observations, a mechanism involving the formation and aggregation of the nanoparticles is proposed. This mechanism differs considerably from the conventional understanding in the open literature.

Objective:

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is a rare, clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder characterized by severe loss of vision in the first year of life, affecting approximately 3000 people in the United States. Some LCA patients manifest developmental abnormalities of the central nervous system (CNS) and neuroradiological studies have revealed a variety of cerebral anomalies in association with LCA; however, Chiari I malformations (CMI) have never been described.

Case Description:

We report two sisters who were referred to the pediatric neurosurgery clinic for evaluation of CMI. The elder sister presented with convergence nystagmus from 3 months of age and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated evidence of significant CMI. Her younger sister began developing nystagmus at 4 months of age. Both had symptomatic progression and underwent suboccipital decompression. Both were subsequently diagnosed with LCA. Case specifics and imaging findings are presented.

Conclusions:

CMI have been found in association with several genetic syndromes, but not with LCA. These patients represent the first reported cases of CMI with LCA and suggest an additional potential CNS anomaly. The unique occurrence in siblings and the association with another inherited disorder are suggestive of a genetic basis for CMI.

The Szigetköz is situated in the northwest part of Hungary. In the late 19^th century, a flood protection dam was built, which divided the original floodplain into an active part and an inundation-free part. In 1992, most of the water in the main Danube channel was diverted into a canal built to supply the hydroelectric power plant at Bos. This large-scale modification led to – among other things – the decline of surface water level in the active floodplain as well as the drop of groundwater depth beyond the dikes. The region’s wetland vegetation was characteristically rich in species due to a favorable water supply and the wealth of propagules (seeds, fruits, shoots with live buds) dispersed over the area by recurring floods. The area supports only few rare species. Instead, its real value lies in the vast richness of species compositions: montane and lowland species often grow side by side. The degree of naturalness varies greatly for the different parts of the Szigetköz ranging from intensively managed arable fields under constant human influence to pristine wilderness proposed to be placed under strict legal protection. Plantations of hybrid poplar also cover extensive areas. The most severe water level decline took place on the active floodplain at the section of the Great Danube channel right upstream of the canal supplying the hydroelectric power plant. Even beyond the flood protection dams there are scattered patches of considerable botanical value, despite most of the land there being under cultivation. These precious habitat islands are dispersed across the area, and their water supply is largely ensured already or can be easily remedied due to their proximity to canals or former river channels. Terrestrial plants have very quickly established in the dried-up riverbed of the Old Danube channel. In the first years, the exposed gravel substrate abounded in usual riparian plant species otherwise common on bars. On the new shoreline, a 30 m wide belt of white willow (Salix alba) has developed. Above this, a zone of water-demanding tall forb community has established which tolerates temporary inundation. Further away up to the original shoreline, a strip of vegetation composed of box elder (Acer negundo) has appeared. Unlike the white willow belt, this zone developed slowly. At first, knee-high box elder saplings vegetated in the dry grassland, but once their roots has reached permanently wet soil layers, their growth has greatly accelerated. In the former riverbed, the mass appearance of invasive plants (Acer negundo, Ailanthus altissima, Solidago gigantea, Aster lanceolatus, Fallopia x bohemica) raises serious concerns for nature protection.

Three different carbon-based counter electrodes are investigated in light of catalytic activities such as electrochemical frequencies and interface impedances. We fabricated carbon-based counter electrodes of dye-sensitized solar cells [DSSCs] using graphene, single-walled carbon nanotubes [SWNTs], and graphene-SWNT composites by electrophoretic deposition method. We observed the optical and electrochemical properties of the carbon-based counter electrodes. The DSSC with the graphene-deposited counter electrode demonstrated the best conversion efficiency of 5.87% under AM 1.5 and 1 sun condition. It could be utilized for a low-cost and high-throughput process for DSSCs.

The antibacterial activity of methanol, ethanol, chloroform, and hexane extracts of the leaves of Himalayan gymnospermous plant Ginkgo biloba L. was assessed against five animal and plant pathogenic strains (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Erwinia chrysanthemi, and Xanthomonas phaseoli) employing disc-diffusion and broth-dilution assays. The methanol extract showed the highest activity (zone of inhibition of 15–21 mm) followed by ethanol (14–19 mm), chloroform (15–20 mm), and hexane (14–19 mm) extracts at 250 µg/mL. A minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 7.8 µg/mL was found for the methanol extract against most of the pathogens tested.

This article takes its cue from Desai’s critique of the new communists of the commons, particularly her claim that their project is built upon a series of misunderstandings about the dynamics of capital accumulation, the production of value in post-Fordism and the concept of the ‘commons’ itself. Focusing on earlier explorations by Italian feminists of the dynamic interaction between labour and value, the contribution this article makes to the commons debate is three-fold: first, it argues that the most interesting insights emerging from immaterial/cognitive/affective labour theories on which Italian post-workerists rely to put forward a renewed understanding of the commons derive from this feminist body of work. Secondly it shows how, despite being relied upon, the radical potential of this work has been limited by positing a qualitative shift to post-Fordist production that pays little attention to the important connections between labour and value that make up our common world. Finally, the article focuses exactly on this potential, that is, the challenge to capitalist value through the instantiation of other processes of valorisation, in light of the current attack on social reproduction.

Background:

Variations in the anatomy of knee are well described, however the true incidence of component asymmetry in bilateral total knee arthroplsties is rarely reported. Incidence of component asymmetry in bilateral total knee arthroplasties (TKA) was retrospectively analysed in 289 cruciate retaining total knee arthroplasties.

Materials and Methods:

Medical records of these 289 patients were evaluated for the incidence of asymmetry of either femoral or tibial components. Clinical outcomes were compared between the cases of asymetrical components to that of symmetrical components.

Results:

Incidence of femoral component asymmetry was found to be 9.2% and tibial component asymmetry to be 8.7%. Of 289 cases, TKA 178 were done in a single day (group A), while 111 were done at 2- to 3-day intervals (group B). Asymmetric and symmetric knees were equally distributed among both groups, male and female patients in both groups, and the incidence of component asymmetry was similar between all four different implants – Optetrak-CR (Exactech, Gainesville, FL, USA), Nexgen-CR (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN, USA), PFC-Sigma CR (DePuy, Warsaw, IN, USA), Genesis II CR (Smith and Nephew, Memphis, TN, USA) we used. The pre- and postoperative range of motion and pre- and postoperative knee society scores were compared between the symmetric and asymmetric cases in both the groups and the difference was found to be insignificant.

Conclusion:

We conclude that incidence of component asymmetry in bilateral total knee arthroplasty is around 9 % and independent sizing of both knees during bilateral arthoplasty is recommended rather than simply relying on the contralateral knee measurements.

Background

In medical terms, occupational diseases are defined as health disorders specifically associated with the working environment of people and their occupational activity. From the medical and legal perspectives, the vast majority of European countries consider particular diseases to be of occupational origin if they are mentioned in the current list of occupational diseases and caused by exposure to factors in the working environment that are harmful to health.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to analyze the occurrence of cases of viral hepatitis certified as an occupational disease in Poland during 1979-2009. This article presents the medical, economic, and legal aspects of the epidemiology of hepatitis as an occupational disease in Poland.

Materials and Methods

Publically available statistical data on certified occupational diseases in Poland and data contained in individual "occupational disease diagnosis cards" (based on data used in Poland statistical form), regarding certified cases of hepatitis among health care professionals, which were collected by the Department of Occupational Hygiene of the Polish Public Health Service, were analyzed in this study.

Results

In Poland, the highest number of cases of hepatitis certified as an occupational disease was observed in 1987. A gradual reduction in the number of cases of hepatitis as an occupational disease has been noted since then. Currently, hepatitis C as an occupational disease is certified more frequently than hepatitis B. In Poland, the number of women with hepatitis certified as an occupational disease is higher than that of men. However, among health care professionals, particularly nurses, this difference is insignificant because women outnumber the men. The existence of such a situation is due to the significant quantitative predominance of women over men among medical personnel, especially among nurses.

Conclusions

Immunization of health care professionals against the hepatitis B virus (HBV), introduced in Poland in 1988, was an important factor involved in reducing the number of cases of occupational viral hepatitis. Socioeconomic and financial factors affected the epidemiological data on cases of hepatitis certified as an occupational disease in Poland. An additional problem associated with the diagnosis of occupational diseases is the lack of obligatory testing for anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) and anti-hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) antibodies and examinations to ensure the efficacy of HBV vaccination among medical staff before and during employment.

Ameloblastomas are benign odontogenic neoplasias of epithelial origin, locally invasive and mainly affecting the posterior mandibular region. They have the capacity to infiltrate into the medullary spaces of the bone without showing any radiographic or macroscopic indications, thus leading to high recurrence rates. Their treatment has been extensively discussed and is varied, ranging from more conservative techniques such as enucleation through to extensive surgical resections associated with facial mutilations. The use of an Immediate Prosthesis for Large Maxillary Losses diminishes cicatricial retraction and reduces facial deformity, making it easier to fabricate the permanent prosthesis. Large exposures of tissue have historically been obtained by means of an incision of the Weber-Fergusson type, a technique that leads to practically no scar development. The aim of this paper is to relate the clinical case of a patient with a solid ameloblastoma on the right side of the maxilla, who was submitted to removal of the tumor through the WeberFergusson incision and rehabilitation with an immediate prosthesis. When 24 hours had elapsed after performing the procedure, the patient was able to feed himself by mouth. Recovery was extremely rapid and the patient has responded positively to the treatment.

Entrapment of permeabilized whole cells within a matrix is a common method for immobilization. Chitosan possesses distinct chemical and biological properties, which make it a suitable matrix for entrapment and immobilization of penicillin G acylase (PGA). In the first step, Escherichia coli (ATCC 11105) cells were permeabilized using N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) (0.1% w/v, 45 min, 45 rpm) which then immobilized using glutaraldehyde (5% w/v) as cross-linker and chitosan (3% w/v) as the matrix. These conditions were established after preliminary trials with CTAB and glutaraldehyde concentrations in the range of 0.05-0.25% w/v and 1-9% v/v, respectively. The hydrolytic activity was assayed using Ehrlich reagent. Permeabilization of cells caused 9% increase in Penicillin G Acylase (PGA) conversion after 15 min compared to the intact cells. Although, immobilization on chitosan decreased the conversion compared to un-immobilized treated cells (13%), the new biocatalyst showed acceptable operational stability, maintaining more than 90% of the initial activity after 20 cycles. Optimum conditions for immobilization of E. coli cells were: CTAB 0.1% w/v and glutaraldehyde 5% v/v. A new combination method was successfully developed and optimized for immobilization of treated whole cells on chitosan matrix.

Background. HPV vaccination may prevent thousands of cases of cervical cancer. We aimed to evaluate the understanding and acceptance of the HPV vaccine among adolescents. Methods. A questionnaire was distributed to adolescents at health clinics affiliated with a large urban hospital system to determine knowledge pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases and acceptance of the HPV vaccine. Results. 223 adolescents completed the survey. 28% were male, and 70% were female. The mean age for respondents was 16 years old. Adolescents who had received the HPV vaccine were more likely to be female and to have heard of cervical cancer and Pap testing. Of the 143 adolescents who had not yet been vaccinated, only 4% believed that they were at risk of HPV infection and 52% were willing to be vaccinated. Conclusions. Surveyed adolescents demonstrated a marginal willingness to receive the HPV vaccine and a lack of awareness of personal risk for acquiring HPV.