Hygienic practices and diarrheal illness among persons living in at-risk settings in Kabul, Afghanistan: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Sustained civil and military conflict, resulting in large numbers of internally displaced persons (IDP), in combination with rapid urbanization has strained public health and sanitation within cities in Afghanistan. In order to examine the association between preventive sanitary behaviors and diarrhea within two high risk settings located within Kabul, Afghanistan, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of hygienic practices and diarrheal illness in an IDP camp and an urban slum. Methods In this cross sectional study, a convenience sample of residents of an IDP camp and an urban slum in Kabul, Afghanistan, was used. Participants were asked to describe their hygienic practices and interviewers independently documented household sanitation. The knowledge and attitudes about and practice of hygienic activities to prevent diarrhea were compared between the two settings. Results Two hundred participants, 100 from each setting, were enrolled. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding hygienic activities to prevent diarrhea were greater among the slum dwellers than the IDP. Fewer than half of participants washed their hands with soap before eating or after eating: 31 % of slum dwellers washed before eating compared to 11 % of IDPs (P = 0.0050), and 25 % of slum dwellers washed after defecating compared to 4 % of IDPs (P = 0.0020). The IDPs were more likely to share a latrine (P = 0.0144) and less likely to disinfect their latrine than slum dwellers. Diarrhea in the household within the past 3 months was more common in the IDP camp (54 %) than the slum (20 %) (P = 0.0020). Conclusions Even though certain sanitary and hygienic practices were more common among slum dwellers than IDPs, the lack of hygienic activities in both setting indicates that interventions to change behavior, like increasing the availability of soap and encouraging hand washing, are needed. Any initiative will have to be developed in the context of pervasive illiteracy among persons in both of these settings.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134634/1/12879_2016_Article_1789.pd

“Peace” from the viewpoint of “Hiroshima and the world”: the past, the present, and the future

要旨…1 開会の挨拶…4 巻頭言…5 講演…7 　ヒロシマとマーシャル諸島を結ぶ―グローバルヒバクシャの視点から…竹峰誠一郎…8 　核兵器禁止条約と今後の課題…福井康人…18 　Achievements and challenges for Peacebuilding in Colombia…Camilo Borrero Garcia…29 　ビジネスを通じた平和構築…片柳真理…37 巻末言…48 資料　シンポジウム・ポスター…502018年度広島大学平和センター記念国際シンポジウ

アジアにおける平和構築の課題

要旨... 2 開会の挨拶...5 巻頭言 ...6 第Ⅰ部:アジアにおける平和構築の経験 　能力強化を通じての平和構築...隈元 美穂子... 10 　平和構築における正統性樹立の課題～アジアの経験から～...東 大作 ... 16 　カンボジアの経験、そしてミンダナオの明日...片柳 真理 ... 26 基調講演 　フランスの外交と社交...宇田川 悟 ... 33 第Ⅱ部 アジアにおける平和構築の課題と展望 　平和創造のためのハードワークの実行...Lt. Gen. Daniel Leaf ... 44 　無秩序への対処：アジアの平和と安定に関する国家的、地域的、および超国家的な課題の管理...Anthony Bubalo ... 48 　アジアにおける平和構築の課題：グローバルな視点から...山下 真理 ... 53 巻末言 ...60 資料1：シンポジウム・ポスター 61 資料2：アンケート 632016年度第1回広島大学平和科学研究センター主催国際シンポジウ

混沌とする世界における国際機関の強化 : ヒロシマの果たす役割は

巻頭言...4 第Ⅰ部　戦後国際関係に果した国際機関の役割 　The Future of Multilateralism:Governing the World in a Post-Hegemonic Era...G.John Ikenberry...6 　『ジュネーヴ軍縮会議』の取り組み : その成果と現状...天野万利...12 　War Occurrence and Multilateral Institutions...Takashi Inogushi...17 第Ⅱ部　混沌とする世界における国際機関の強化 　Gridlock: Why Global Cooperation is Failing When We Need it Most...David Held...20 　Post-2015 Development Agenda and the Role of the United Nations...Akiko Yuge...27 　混沌とする世界と国際機関の強化...西田恒夫...32 基調講演 　日本と世界の当面するチャレンジ...明石康...37 第Ⅲ部　ヒロシマは何ができるのか？ 　MULTILATERALISM IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD : Meeting Grand Global Challenges...Brian D. Finlay...43 　被爆地からの訴えは核軍縮を促したか...水本和実...49 　北東アジア非核兵器地帯の実現に向けた広島の役割...山本武彦...55 　ヒロシマの思想、そして今後のヒロシマの役割...川野徳幸...59 巻末言...73 資料1　シンポジウム・ポスター...75 資料2　キーワード集...77 資料3　参加者アンケート結果...82広島大学平和科学研究センター／新潟県立大学共催国際シンポジウ

Changes in Pediatric Patient Trends in Eating and Swallowing Disorders: A Comparison between the First and Fifth Year after Establishment of the Special Needs Dental Center

A Special Needs Dental Center （hereafter referred to as the Center） was established at Showa University Dental Hospital in April 2012 to treat patients who need special care. In cooperation with the Division of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities, the Division of Hygiene and Oral Health is mainly engaged in the treatment of patients with eating and swallowing disorders. It has been five years since the establishment of the Center. The present study was aimed to establish an effective medical support method through a comparative study of changes in patient trends. A total of 65 patients who visited the Center from April 2017 to March 2018 were examined and their statistics were compared with those of 60 previously reported patients who initially visited the Center for medical examination in 2012. In 2012, many visits occurred during the nursing period; however, in 2017, the number of patients who visited after the weaning period increased. Other noted trends were increased diversity in primary disease, more patient referrals, fewer patients with severe swallowing dysfunction, and more patients with oral dysfunction. The necessity of eating and swallowing practice is thought to increase when lifestyle and oral environment change. The treatment of eating and swallowing disorders is important in the dental profession. Due to the introduction of insurance coverage in Japan in 2018 for developmental insufficiency of oral function, more pediatric patients with eating and swallowing disorders will likely be treated in the future

Clarifying the absence of evidence regarding human health risks to microplastic particles in drinking-water: High quality robust data wanted

In a recently published article, Leslie and Depledge (2020) raise concerns regarding statements on the risk that microplastic particles represent to human health and which have been attributed to reports published by both the Science Academies’ Group, Science Advice for Policy (SAPEA) (part of the European Commission’s Science Advice Mechanism) and the World Health Organization (WHO) (SAPEA. Science Advice for Policy by European Academies, 2019, WHO, 2019). Leslie and Depledge (2020), for instance, suggest that WHO (2019) conclude that there is ‘no evidence to indicate a human health concern.’ This statement, taken out of context from the WHO report (WHO, 2019), is then used to imply that the WHO conclude there is ‘no risk’ related to the exposure of microplastic particles (Leslie and Depledge, 2020). While, Leslie and Depledge (2020) highlight the importance of debate and systematic assessment of claims related to the assessment of risk, observations that we agree are important to highlight, there are a number of points raised in the article that require clarification

Clinical Statistics for Dysphagia Patients ≦ 18 Years of Age in the Center of Special Needs Dentistry, April 2012-March 2013

In April 2012, the Center of Special Needs Dentistry (SND) was established at Showa University Dental Hospital to provide function training for children with eating and swallowing disorders. A statistical clinical assessment was performed on new patients ≤18 years of age who visited the Center over a 1-year period (April 2012–March 2013) to assess the conditions present at the initial visit. In all, 60 patients (29 boys, 31 girls, mean (± SD) age 4.2±4.1 years, range 0-18 years of age) were included in the study. Most patients were <1 year of age (32%) and most came from one of four cities in the Johnan area (Shinagawa City, Meguro City, Ota City and Setagaya City). The most common primary diseases at the initial visit were cerebral palsy and cleft lip and palate. The third largest patient group was of healthy children with oral function problem. Over 60% of patients attended the Center of SND because of an eating-related complaint. More than 50% of patients were obtaining nutrients via oral intake; the remaining patients were obtaining nutrients via non-oral or a combination of oral and non-oral intake. Because of the young age of the patients and the fact that most were from neighboring areas, it can be inferred that effective community health care is being provided. It is necessary for the Center of SND to continue to provide professional treatment for dysphagia and to contribute to community medicine

Presence of the β-triketone herbicide tefuryltrione in drinking water sources and its degradation product in drinking waters

Triketone herbicides are becoming popular because of their herbicidal activity against sulfonylurea-resistant weeds. Among these herbicides, tefuryltrione (TFT) is the first registered herbicide for rice farming, and recently its distribution has grown dramatically. In this study, we developed analytical methods for TFT and its degradation product 2-chloro-4-methylsulfonyl-3-[(tetrahydrofuran-2-yl-methoxy) methyl] benzoic acid (CMTBA). TFT was found frequently in surface waters in rice production areas at concentrations as high as 1.9 μg/L. The maximum observed concentration was lower than but close to 2 μg/L, which is the Japanese reference concentration of ambient water quality for pesticides. However, TFT was not found in any drinking waters even though the source waters were purified by conventional coagulation and filtration processes; this was due to chlorination, which transforms TFT to CMTBA. The conversion rate of TFT to CMBA on chlorination was almost 100%, and CMTBA was stable in the presence of chlorine. Moreover, CMTBA was found in drinking waters sampled from household water taps at a similar concentration to that of TFT in the source water of the water purification plant. Although the acceptable daily intake and the reference concentration of CMTBA are unknown, the highest concentration in drinking water exceeded 0.1 μg/L, which is the maximum allowable concentration for any individual pesticide and its relevant metabolites in the European Union Drinking Directive