A hero doesn’t fall - moral dilemmas when a celebrated insider goes astray

Bill Cosby, Jimmy Savile and Gerrit Achterberg lived in different periods, in the US, UK, and the Netherlands. They were heroes because of what they accomplished during their professional careers but all three turned out to have committed serious crimes. Disclosure is painful, not only for the hero who comes to fall but also for the community that finds itself redefining moral standards when losing a celebrated insider. For this reason, the crimes of these three men have been concealed and kept secret for years. In comparing the three cases, this article tries to find out who decides on keeping the hero on his feet, how this is done, and if this changes over time

EUREGIO MRSA-net Twente/Munsterland - a Dutch-German cross-border network for the prevention and control of infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

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Let's stop dumping cookstoves in local communities. It's time to get implementation right

We most welcome the comment by Thakur, van Schayck and Boudewijns on our article on the effects and acceptability of implementing improved cookstoves. Adoption rates of improved cookstoves by local communities are often strikingly low. The authors underline the urge to advance cookstove implementation strategies, and reinforce the approach used in the FRESH AIR project. They highlight several important factors to increase adoption success and call for further research on the topic. We want to build on this comment by reflecting on decades of substantial discrepancies between the disappointing adoption rates of improved cookstoves, and the subsequent failure to adapt implementation strategies accordingly. We argue that it is not necessarily the lack of evidence that impedes the success of implementation strategies for improved cookstoves. Moreover, it is the lack of use of the evidence by implementors. We propose several ideas for overcoming this evidence-to-practice gap

Contribution to a ranking procedure for polymeric caotings and hydrophobic agents for concrete

One of the possible ways to protect the concrete is using coatings and hydrophobic agents that act as a barrier against the environment. When selecting the material for concrete protection, importance should be given to these properties of diffusion and permeability. The coatings and the hydrophobic agents must stop the penetration of water and delay the influence of aggressive agents, allowing the structure to breathe by a water vapour diffusion mechanism. An evaluation of the surface layer transport properties gives information on the durability of a particular concrete. In order to make the selection of coatings and hydrophobic agents for concrete protection, it is important to analyse the compound’s technical and economical performances. A ranking procedure, developed by Czarnecki and Lukowski, is applied on a series of concrete protection products. The ranking procedure is applied to evaluate durability experiments, carried out on some commercially available silicone, acrylic and epoxy compounds for surface treatment of concrete. The ranking procedure transforms experimental data of properties into one numerical value, by which the products can be classified according to the way on which their properties present an optimised or even best buy combination. The paper shows the use of the ranking procedure methodology, and points at the importance of the choice of the criteria and of their relative weight factor in the evaluation. The method is a valuable tool for the ranking of similar materials, whose performance is based on the same or similar physical or chemical processes

Increasing repeat chlamydia testing in Family Planning clinics depends on perception of value and availability of low-burden flexible reminder systems.

Re‐infection after a chlamydia infection is common: 22% of young Australian women are re‐infected within 4‐5months (Walker, et al, 2012). Re‐infections increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) by 4‐6 fold (Bowring, et al, 2011). Retesting is an important strategy to detect re‐infection. Clinical guidelines note that repeat testing at least three months after a positive diagnosis be considered. AIM: To understand Australian Family Planning clinicians’ practices and perceptions of repeat chlamydia testing.CONCLUSION: Reminder systems to support repeat testing of positive chlamydia tests had been implemented in some FPCs, with low workload impact. It was too early for evaluation of clinical success. These FPCs could share locally developed systems and positive experiences with FPCs skeptical about their value. This may also enhance awareness of the clinical value of retesting and the consequences of re‐ infection. Audits may help determine if clients are indeed being caught through repeat visits and opportunistic testing

Increasing repeat chlamydia testing in Family Planning clinics depends on perception of value and availability of low-burden flexible reminder systems.

Re‐infection after a chlamydia infection is common: 22% of young Australian women are re‐infected within 4‐5months (Walker, et al, 2012). Re‐infections increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) by 4‐6 fold (Bowring, et al, 2011). Retesting is an important strategy to detect re‐infection. Clinical guidelines note that repeat testing at least three months after a positive diagnosis be considered. AIM: To understand Australian Family Planning clinicians’ practices and perceptions of repeat chlamydia testing.CONCLUSION: Reminder systems to support repeat testing of positive chlamydia tests had been implemented in some FPCs, with low workload impact. It was too early for evaluation of clinical success. These FPCs could share locally developed systems and positive experiences with FPCs skeptical about their value. This may also enhance awareness of the clinical value of retesting and the consequences of re‐ infection. Audits may help determine if clients are indeed being caught through repeat visits and opportunistic testing