Community participation in rural water supply and sanitation projects, gender roles and realities: a case of ward 22 in Chipinge district, Manicaland province, Zimbabwe

This paper shows how addressing gender in water supply and sanitation projects can improve the well being of society at large. The study was carried out in Ward 22, Chipinge district in Manicaland province, Zimbabwe. Interviews and group discussions were held with community people, Rural District Council personnel and UNICEF personnel. Community-based Management of water supply and sanitation in the Ward was a success because of the meaningful contribution of both men and women. This led to empowerment of women, effectiveness and efficiency, increased coverage, community development among other positive impacts. This paper concludes that meaningful participation of both gender groups in community water supply projects is quite pivotal in ensuring effective development and should be encouraged at all levels

Use of stabilised soil blocks for latrine construction: experiences from Darfur, Sudan

Environmental degradation has increased rapidly in Darfur due to cumulative effects of climate change and human impact. Excessive clearing of forests to power kilns for bricks and firewood is quite rampant. The impact on the environment is quite enormous and requires urgent attention by all concerned parties. Tearfund has since 2008 started promoting the use of low cost environmentally friendly technology through the use of Stabilized Soil Blocks (SSB) in an effort to curb forest destruction as a result of excessive cutting down of tress to burn bricks. The organisation has purchased Stabilized Soil Block machines and has been training communities on the fabrication of the blocks and also promoting the use of these blocks instead of the fired bricks. SSBs have been used for latrine construction at schools, clinics and mosques in West and South Darfur. Tearfund has also extended the use of SSBs to the construction of classroom blocks at a number of schools in Darfur. The purpose of this paper is to promote the use of SSBs by sharing some experiences and lessons learnt from Darfur

Exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is known to impact on patients’ physical and mental health. The relationship between performance on treadmill exercise tolerance test (ETT) and health-related quality of life (HRQL)has never been specifically investigated in the setting of CAD. Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing an ETT with the Bruce protocol during a diagnostic workup for CAD (n = 1,631, age 55 ± 12 years) were evaluated. Exercise-related indices were recorded. Detailed information on cardiovascular risk factors and past medical history were obtained. HRQLwas assessed with the use of the validated 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. Results: Increasing age and the presence of cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities correlated with lower scores on the physical and mental health component of SF-36(all P < 0.05). Subjects with arrhythmias during exercise and slow recovery of systolic blood pressure had lower scores on the physical health indices or the Social Role Functioning component (P < 0.05). Achieved target heart rate and good exercise tolerance were independently associated with better scores of the physical and mental health domains of SF-36 and overall HRQLscores (β = 0.05 for target HR and PCS-36, β = 1.86 and β = 1.66 per increasing stage of exercise tolerance and PCS-36 and MCS-36, respectively, P < 0.001 for all associations). Ischemic ECG changes were associated with worse scores on Physical Functioning (β = − 3.2, P = 0.02) and Bodily Pain (β = − 4.55, P = 0.026). Conclusion: ETT parameters are associated with HRQL indices in patients evaluated for possible CAD. Physical conditioning may increase patient well-being and could serve as a complementary target in conjunction with cardiovascular drug therapy

Temperature differences are associated with malignancy on lung lesions: a clinical study

BACKGROUND: Although new endoscopic techniques can enhance the ability to detect a suspicious lung lesion, the primary diagnosis still depends on subjective visual assessment. We evaluated whether thermal heterogeneity of solid tumors, in bronchial epithelium, constitutes an additional marker for the diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions. METHODS: A new method, developed in our institute, is introduced in order to detect temperature in human pulmonary epithelium, in vivo. This method is based on a thermography catheter, which passes the biopsy channel of the fiber optic bronchoscope. We calculated the temperature differences (ΔT) between the lesion and a normal bronchial epithelium area on 22 lesions of 20 subjects, 50 – 65 years old. RESULTS: Eleven lesions were benign and 11 were malignant, according to the biopsy histology followed the thermography procedure. We found significant differences of ÄT between patients with benign and malignant tumor (0.71 ± 0.6 vs. 1.23 ± 0.4°C, p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that 1-Celsius degree differences between normal tissue and suspicious lesion six-fold the probability of malignancy (odds ratio = 6.18, 95% CI 0.89 – 42.7). Also, ΔT values greater than 1.05°C, constitutes a crucial point for the discrimination of malignancy, in bronchial epithelium, with sensitivity (64%) and specificity (91%). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the calculated ΔT between normal tissue and a neoplastic area could be a useful criterion for the diagnosis of malignancy in tumors of lung lesions

Identification of cardiac organ damage in arterial hypertension: insights by echocardiography for a comprehensive assessment

: Arterial hypertension, a widespread disease, whose prevalence increases with age, represents a major risk factor for cardiovascular events, causing damage in several organs, including the heart. In this context, echocardiography has a clear and pivotal role, being able to assess cardiac morphology and detect haemodynamic changes induced by this disease. 2018 European Society of Cardiology/European Society of Hypertension guidelines on AH identified main echo parameters such as left ventricular mass, relative wall thickness and left atrial volume, for detecting cardiac organ damage. The present review highlights the advantage of additional echocardiographic parameters such as diastolic measurement and both thoracic and abdominal aortic dimensions. An overlook on aortic valve should also be suggested to detect aortic regurgitation and stenosis, both frequent complications in hypertensive patients. In this kind of comprehensive assessment, the combination of standard and advanced echocardiography (speckle tracking echocardiography and, with a lesser extent, three-dimensional echocardiography) could be considered to improve the diagnostic accuracy, stratify prognosis and address management in arterial hypertension