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Introduction: In Colombia, research on health and conflict has focused on mental health, psychosocial care, displacement, morbidity, and mortality. Few scientific studies have assessed health system functioning during armed conflicts. In a new period characterized by the implementation of the peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) armed group, understanding the effects of armed conflict on the health system, the functions, and institutions shaped by the conflict is an opportunity to understand the pathways and scope of post-conflict health policy reforms. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the effects of armed conflict on the health system, response, and mechanisms developed to protect medical missions during armed conflict in Colombia. Methods: This research was conducted using a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The qualitative guide collected information in four sections: (1) conflict and health system, effects and barriers in health service provision, (2) actions and coordination to cope with those barriers, (3) health policies and armed conflict, and (4) post-accord and current situation. Twenty-two people participated in the interviews, including eight policymakers at the national level and seven at the local level, including two NGOs and five members of international organizations. An academic project event in December 2019 and four focus groups were developed (World Cafe technique) to discuss with national and local stakeholders the effects of armed conflict on the health system and an analytical framework to analyze its consequences. Results: The conflict affected the health-seeking behavior of the population, limited access to healthcare provision, and affected health professionals, and was associated with inadequate medical supplies in conflict areas. The health system implemented mechanisms to protect the medical mission, regulate healthcare provision in conflict areas, and commit to healthcare provision (mental and physical health services) for the population displaced by conflict. Conclusion: The state's presence, trust, and legitimacy have significantly reduced in recent years. However, it is crucial to restore them by ensuring that state and health services are physically present in all territories, including remote and rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The job in medium and high voltages lines for the Enel-Codensa Organization has generated discomfort reports in parts of the body, such as the shoulder and back also has been develop increase in absenteeism due to the development of occupational diseases such as lumbago and illnesses in the shoulder. The muscle evaluation of this case study was applied to a group of workers from the Colombian company, Enel-Codensa, which has an interest in improving the working conditions of its workers including exoskeletons in the development of its work. To achieve this, eight muscles were evaluated in which electromyography (EMG) was used in 20 volunteer participants, consisting of 12 electrical technicians and eight volunteers. The aim of the study was to determine whether a decrease in muscular effort occurred when the workers used the exoskeleton, to compare experienced and inexperienced subjects, and ultimately to analyze whether muscular activity varied with the use of an exoskeleton. As a result, muscular effort was lower in all the muscles when using the exoskeleton. However, the activity remained above 10% of muscular effort on average, which can generate muscular fatigue if such activity is maintained during an 8-hour day. The analysis showed that there is no difference when performing the activity with or without an exoskeleton except for the flexor carpi radialis muscle. Alternatively, when comparing the two groups, experts, and novices, it was found that the muscular activity of the experts was greater by 1%. As the study was performed, it was found that among this group, there was not an equality of measurements in six of the eight muscles. In conclusion, the scaffold erection test demonstrated muscular effort in the forearm and arm for both samples. To reduce this muscular effort, it is recommended to provide tools or redesign the task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The creative use of foucauldian concepts and methodology notions in the field of education and pedagogy studies have established another point of views to approach and analyze the educational and pedagogical practices, opening new perspectives, problems and research scenarios. The purpose of the present state of art is to track and categorize how the foucauldian notions has been operating in research in education and pedagogy in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with the incessant concern on the part of national and supranational institutions in promoting, expanding, and implementing education on human rights in schools and educational systems, it is necessary to stand back for a moment and review the political and discursive ways in which these projects work and the mechanisms they are based on within the current system. In order to do this, we will use the Foucauldian methodological notion of governmentality. From this point of view, some of the relatively recent practices of subjectivation, production, control, and shaping of people needed for a project of nation come to light. At the same time, these practices respond to a global project. Human rights education (HRE) is postulated and closely associated with contemporary techniques for citizenship training. Consequently, practices and discourses of human rights and, more recently, of HRE worked within government modalities of modern states as an exercise of control on populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report how dielectrophoresis (DEP) can be used as a tool for the fabrication of biocomposite coatings of photoreactive cyanobacteria (Synechococcus PCC7002) on flexible polyester sheets (PEs). The PE substrates were precoated by a layer-by-layer assembled film of charged polyelectrolytes. In excellent agreement between experimental data and numerical simulations, the directed assembly process driven by external electric field results in the formation of 1D chains and 2D sheets by the cells. The preassembled cyanobacteria chains and arrays became deposited on the substrate and remained in place after the electric field was turned off due to the electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged cell surfaces and the positively charged polyelectrolyte-coated PE. The DEP-assisted packing of cyanobacteria is close to the maximal surface coverage of ~70% estimated from convectively assembled monolayers. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and spectrophotometry confirm that the photosynthetic pigment integrity of the Synechococcus cells is preserved after DEP immobilization. The significant decrease of the light scattering and the enhanced transmittance of these field-assembled cyanobacteria coatings demonstrate reduced self-shading compared to suspension cultures. Thus, we achieved the assembly of structured cyanobacteria coatings that optimize cell surface coverage and preserve cell viability after immobilization. This is a step toward the development of flexible multilayered cell-based photoabsorbing biomaterials that can serve as components of "biomimetic leaves" for utilizing solar energy to recycle CO2 into fuels or chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure and reactivity of a novel nonwoven cellulose fiber cellular biocomposite (microbial paper) was studied relative to long-term stabilization of potentially any microorganism. Cells were incorporated during the papermaking process as an integral component of a highly porous cellular biocomposite that can be dry stabilized. Hydrogen gas production from acetate via the activity of the nitrogenases in Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009, entrapped at a very high concentration, in hand-made microbial paper was sustained for > 1000 h at a rate of 4.0 ± 0.28 mmol H2/m2 h-1 following rehydration. This rate is 2x and 10x greater than previously reported H2 production rates by Rps. palustris latex coatings that were dried on polyester and non-dried formulations applied to the surface of paper, respectively. By vacuumdewatering and controlled drying steps to the microbial papermaking process and incorporating blends of microfibrillar (MFC), softwood (SW), and hardwood (HW) cellulose fibers, microbial paper films were fabricated that produced H2 gas at 3.94 ± 1.07 mmol H2/m2 h-1 and retain up to 60 mg/m-2 dry cell weight (DCW) of Rps. palustris. The MFC content appears to determine the final cell load and may affect gas/moisture mass transfer properties of the biocomposite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health in Colombia is now a fundamental right that has to be provided and protected by the government. We evaluated the strengths and difficulties of the health system with respect to the statutory law enacted in February 2015, using methodologies for analysis of health systems proposed by the WHO and the World Bank. The challenges include the fragmentation and specialization of services, access barriers and incentives that are not aligned with the quality, weak governance, multiple actors with little coordination and information system that does not measure results. The government needs to find a necessary social agreement, a balance between the particular and the collective benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To characterize morbidity in the Colombian population by diagnosis, sex, age, region, and health coverage system, and evaluate the availability and quality of information on diseases in the country. A descriptive, cross-sectional study to analyze morbidity treated in outpatient visits, hospitalization, and emergencies in Colombia during the 2004-2008 five-year period. Methods. Based on Colombia's personal health records (Registro Individual de Prestación de Servicios-RIPS), diagnoses were classified according to World Health Organization cause groups. Each cause group for services utilization was differentiated by geographical region, sex, and type of affiliation to the health system. Results. Communicable disease diagnoses were more concentrated in younger age groups, while noncommunicable diseases were more frequent in older age groups. External causes (accidents, self-inflicted injuries, and violence) were a major cause of morbidity and more frequently affected the population aged 5-44 years. Communicable diseases were more prevalent in females (39.98%) than in males (28%), while males were more affected by external causes than females (18.5% and 7.3%, respectively). Conclusions. Although diagnoses of noncommunicable diseases have increased in Colombia, infections continue to have an important presence in all age groups and health services delivery settings. This situation requires a review of health policies, not only to orient them toward improving the health of the population, but also toward bridging the services gap that exists among the country's different regions. Furthermore, although RIPS are a valuable source of health data, they need to be strengthened with a view to achieving information coverage for all or at least the vast majority of Colombians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the healthcare crisis in Colombia and the extent to which healthcare reforms could guarantee better healthcare for the people. It states that the country's healthcare problems include persistent infectious diseases, worsening inequity, and growing chronic diseases. It says that initiatives to improve the healthcare system were made starting the end of 2010. It highlights the Law 1122, which is aimed at strengthening regulation, clarifying benefit packages, and preventing people underdeclaring income to keep publicly subsidised insurance. It mentions that in 2010, President Juan Manuel Santos, who promised to undertake health system reform, was elected.

The philosophy devoted to the sacred knowledge of Athena has suffered an undeniable castration in modernity, because, following Sloterdijk, it has been related to the cynic, subjugation to appearance. For this reason, German literature differentiates between Kynismus and Zynismus. The kynysmós with "k" refers to the wise dogs of the agora and the Zynismus to the toothless Papillon. Under the keys of modernity, philosophy is camouflaged in moderation, good saying and salon etiquette, thereby abandoning the stridency, sarcasm and challenge that the school of Diogenes practiced; but what was that insolence? What was his speech? What were his gestures? These are some of the questions addressed in this article; therefore, the reflection on the figure of the cynic, by the hand of the author of Critique of Cynical Reason, has been central to elucidate some of these questions and, why not, obscure them, after all, the interstices of the words are deeper. For methodological reasons, the text is divided into three sections: first, Resonances of a supplanted concept, in which the link between insolence and the cynical is investigated; second, Philosophical gestures, where the grimaces of an impertinent thought are drawn and third, Conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Focusing on the Meta region in Colombia, we investigated the relationship between mental health, the COVID-19 pandemic, and social determinants of health influenced by over five decades of civil conflict. We studied the post-2016 peace agreement trends in mental health for the population of Meta, before and after the local onset of the pandemic. Method: We conducted three rounds of a longitudinal health survey in years 2018 with N = 1309 (Women = 709; Men = 600); 2019 with N = 1106 (Women = 597; Men = 509); and 2020 with N = 905 (Women = 499; Men = 406). We measured mental health through the Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20), investigating population trends in the average SRQ score and SRQ-positive frequency (SRQ + , indicating positive tendency towards experiencing mental health disorders). Results: Between 2018 and 2020, there were reductions in the mean SRQ-20 score by 1.74 points (95% CI -2.30 to -1.18) and in SRQ + frequency by 15 percentage points (95% CI -21.0 to -9.0) for the Meta population. Yet specific subgroups have become more vulnerable to mental illness during the pandemic, for example older age groups (e.g., increase in mean SRQ score among over 60 s by 2.49 points, 95% CI 0.51 to 4.46) and people living with children younger than five years-old (e.g., increase in mean SRQ score by 0.64 points, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.20). Increased mental health vulnerability among specific subgroups may be related to differences in the likelihood of knowing people who tested positive for COVID-19 or died from itf having been in quarantine. Conclusion: Our findings support the importance of public policies in Colombia (and other low- and middle-income countries) that address the social determinants of mental illness whose influence was likely exacerbated by the pandemic, including persistent job insecurity leading to work and financial pressures, and inadequate support networks for isolated individuals and vulnerable caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocomposites consisting of nanoparticles of iron oxide (Fe3O4) and iron carbide (Fe3C) with a core-shell structure (Fe core, Fe3O4 and/or Fe3C shells) coated with additional graphite-like carbon layer dispersed in carbon matrix have been synthesized by solid-phase pyrolysis of iron-phthalocyanine (FePc) and iron-porphyrin (FePr) with a pyrolysis temperature of 900°C, and post-annealing conducted at temperatures ranging from 150°C to 550°C under controlled oxygen- and/or nitrogen-rich environments. A comprehensive analysis of the samples' morphology, composition, structure, size, and magnetic characteristics was performed by utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM) with elemental mapping, X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and magnetic measurements by utilizing vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The effect of the annealing process on magnetic performance and efficient control of the hysteresis loop and specific absorption rate (SAR) are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Complexities in the diagnostic process have limited access to healthcare for people with Chagas disease. • This study assesses how well seven commercial immunoassays detect T. cruzi infection in Colombian patients. • Commercial immunoassays performed comparably to in-house tests based on Colombian T. cruzi strains. • A new diagnostic algorithm using two commercial ELISAs addresses several key diagnostic barriers in Colombia. • The new diagnostic algorithm is being piloted in four Colombian departments. Chagas disease affects over six million people, but less than 1% are diagnosed and treated. Complicated diagnostic processes are a major barrier. Colombia's previous diagnostic algorithm, using in-house tests, was difficult to scale up, creating significant access barriers for patients. A new algorithm using commercially manufactured immunoassays would potentially improve access, but these tests' performance in Colombian patients with Chagas disease is not well known. We assessed seven commercially available assays. Samples (n = 501), 93.8% originating from Colombia, were characterized as positive or negative based on standard procedure at the National Reference Laboratory. Performance characteristics were calculated for individual assays and hypothetical test pairings, then compared to the existing algorithm. Five of seven assays exhibited sensitivity >98% while six showed specificity >97%. A total antigen ELISA paired with a recombinant assay provided similar performance to the current diagnostic process. Six of six assays tested proved capable of detecting different Trypanosoma cruzi genetic lineages. The study indicated that several commercial assays accurately detect T. cruzi infection in Colombian patients. A simplified testing process with two commercial assays could perform comparably to the previous process, reducing cost and accessibility barriers and facilitating national scale-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine if exposure to a sublethal mixture of metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn) increases susceptibility to White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection, Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles were fed WSSV‐infected shrimp tissues after 21 days of exposure to the metal mixture (WS‐MM treatment). Other treatments consisted of shrimp not exposed to metals and fed infected tissues (WS), and shrimp fed healthy tissues and exposed (MM) or not exposed to metals (C). The presence of viral DNA and inclusion bodies was detected at 32 hr postinfection (hpi) in the stomach epithelium of shrimp from the WS treatment, and eight hours later in shrimp from the WS‐MM treatment, possibly because of an initial negative effect of metals in viral replication. At 40 hpi, the severity of infection represented by the histopathological index increased in both WS and WS‐MM treatments, and values were higher in WS‐MM than in WS shrimp at the end of the experiment. From 56 hpi to the end of experiment, total hemocyte counts were lower in both WS‐MM and WS treatments, and concentrations were particularly low in WS‐MM shrimp. Conversely, phenoloxidase activity was higher in the WS‐MM treatment from 32 to 56 hpi, suggesting a possible role of the prophenoloxidase (proPO) system in the antiviral defense against WSSV. The presence of heavy metals at sublethal concentrations may increase shrimp susceptibility to WSSV; this is supported by a decrease in circulating hemocytes, an increase in the humoral response, and the development of a higher number of WSSV inclusion bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the healthcare system, leading to delays in detection of other non-COVID-19 diseases. This paper presents ANE Framework (Analytics for Non-COVID-19 Events), a reliable and user-friendly analytical forecasting framework designed to predict the number of patients with non-COVID-19 diseases. Prior to 2020, there were analytical models focused on specific illnesses and contexts. Then, most models have focused on understanding COVID-19 behavior. There is a lack of analytical frameworks that enable disease forecasting for non-COVID-19 diseases. Methods: The ANE Framework utilizes time series analysis to generate forecasting models. The framework leverages daily data from official government sources and employs SARIMA models to forecast the number of non-COVID-19 cases, such as tuberculosis and suicide attempts. Results: The framework was tested on five different non-COVID-19 events. The framework performs well across all events, including tuberculosis and suicide attempts, with a Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of up to 20% and the consistency remains independent of the behavior of each event. Moreover, a pairwise comparison of averages can lead to over or underestimation of the impact. The disruption caused by the pandemic resulted in a 17% gap (2383 cases) between expected and reported tuberculosis cases, and a 19% gap (2464 cases) for suicide attempts. These gaps varied between 20 and 64% across different cities and regions. The ANE Framework has proven to be reliable for analyzing several diseases and exhibits the flexibility to incorporate new data from various sources. Regular updates and the inclusion of new associated data enhance the framework's effectiveness. Conclusions: Current pandemic shows the necessity of developing flexible models to be adapted to different illness data. The framework developed proved to be reliable for the different diseases analyzed, presenting enough flexibility to update with new data or even include new data from different databases. To keep updated on the result of the project allows the inclusion of new data associated with it. Similarly, the proposed strategy in the ANE framework allows for improving the quality of the obtained results with news events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, over 6 million people are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the pathogen that causes Chagas disease (CD). In the Americas, CD creates the greatest burden in disability-adjusted life years of any parasitic infection. In Colombia, 437 000 people are infected with T. cruzi, of whom 131 000 suffer from cardiomyopathy. Colombia's annual costs for treating patients with advanced CD reach US$ 175 016 000. Although timely etiological treatment can significantly delay or prevent development of cardiomyopathy--and costs just US$ 30 per patient--fewer than 1% of people with CD in Colombia and elsewhere receive it. This represents a missed opportunity for increasing patients' healthy, productive years of life while significantly reducing the economic burden on the health care system. Key barriers are complexities and delays in the diagnosis and treatment process, lack of awareness of CD among both patients and health care professionals, and administrative barriers at the primary care level. In 2015, stakeholders from government, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and patient associations participated in a seminar in the city of Bogotá on eliminating barriers to diagnosis and treatment for CD. The seminar gave birth to a model of care for increasing patient access, including a patient road map that simplifies diagnostic and treatment processes, shifting them from specialists to primary care facilities. The patient road map was implemented in a pilot project in four endemic communities beginning in 2016, with the goal of testing and refining the model so it can be implemented nationally. This article describes key components in the development of a new, recently implemented model of care for CD in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study that investigated barriers to legal abortion in Bogota, Colombia. The study found that delays in obtaining comprehensive abortion services include influence of religion leading to social stigma, faulty knowledge and information related to the services, as well as logistic, emotional, financial and cultural issues. It concludes that dissemination of accurate information regarding the availability of the service will improve women's access to legal abortion.

Background: The Colombian armed conflict has left millions of victims and has restricted access to different services provided by the government, especially for people with disabilities. This article studies the barriers faced by the victim population with disabilities when they want to access the health system in the department of Meta, Colombia, and offers a perspective from the experiences of people with disabilities who have been victims of the armed conflict in the country. Methods: To carry out this qualitative study, focus groups were conducted to capture the experiences and feelings of this population in the context of violence and high conflict. Results: The results show the barriers encountered by the victim population with disabilities, their families, and their caregivers when they want to access medical or health services. Conclusions: Many problems affect the population with disabilities and the victim population in Colombia today. The Colombian government has not been able to establish adequate policies to eliminate or even reduce access to services such as health, education, housing, and social protection. Key message: • The population with disabilities who have been victims of the armed conflict in Colombia find more significant barriers to accessing health services than people without disabilities due to various situations of exclusion in the provision and accessibility of medical services. • In the department of Meta, the population with disabilities who have been victims of the armed conflict manifest being vulnerable and lacking protection from the Colombian government. • Colombia, to date, has not been able to fully implement national and international agreements that guarantee respect for the human rights of people with disabilities. • It is essential that both national and local governments implement policies and actions so that the victim population with disabilities can access health, education, and social protection services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has been shown to have multiple advantages compared with open repair such as less postoperative pain and earlier resume of daily activities with a comparable recurrence rate. We speculate robotic inguinal hernia repair may yield equivalent benefits, while providing the surgeon added dexterity. One hundred consecutive robotic inguinal hernia repairs with mesh were performed with a mean age of 56 years (25-96). Fifty-six unilateral hernias and 22 bilateral hernias were repaired amongst 62 males and 16 females. Polypropylene mesh was used for reconstruction. All but, two patients were completed robotically. Mean operative time was 52 minutes per hernia repair (45-67). Five patients were admitted overnight based on their advanced age. Regular diet was resumed immediately. Postoperative pain was minimal and regular activity was achieved after an average of four days. One patient recurred after three months in our earlier experience and he was repaired robotically. Mean follow-up time was 12 months. These data, compared with laparoscopic approach, suggest similar recurrence rates and postoperative pain. We believe comparative studies with laparoscopic approach need to be performed to assess the role robotic surgery has in the treatment of inguinal hernia repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the clinical performance of different alternatives to implement low-cost screening telemammography. We compared computed radiography, film printed images, and digitized films produced with a specialized film digitizer and a digital camera. Material and Methods. The ethics committee of our institution approved this study. We assessed the equivalence of the clinical performance of observers for cancer detection. The factorial design included 70 screening patients, four technological alternatives, and cases interpreted by seven radiologists, for a total of 1,960 observations. The variables evaluated were the positive predictive value (PPV), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC). Result. The mean values for the observed variables were as follows: accuracy ranged from 0.77 to 0.82, the PPV ranged from 0.67 to 0.68, sensitivity ranged from 0.64 to 0.74, specificity ranged from 0.87 to 0.90, and the AUC ranged from 0.87 to 0.90. At a difference of 0.1 to claim equivalence, all alternatives were equivalent for all variables. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that telemammography screening programs may be provided to underserved populations at a low cost, using a film digitizer or a digital camera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While resilience has generated a lot of interest in mental health, operationalizing the construct of resilience remains an important challenge. This study aims to evaluate the concordance of two resilience scales that evaluate intrapersonal aspects of resilience in adolescents. Methods: Cross-sectional evaluation of internal consistency, concordance, and correlation of the Individual Protective Factors Index Questionnaire (IPFI) and the Adolescent Resilience Scale (ARS) in sixth grade students of three low-income public schools in Colombia. Results: 325 adolescents (41.5% female) participated in the study (72.5% response rate). Mean age was 12.1 years (standard deviation [SD]: 1.04). Of a possible score from 1–4, the mean adjusted IPFI score was 3.3 (SD: 0.3; Cronbach's alpha: 0.87). Of a possible score from 21–105, the total ARS score was 76.4 (SD 13.0; Cronbach's alpha: 0.82); both distributions were non-normal and left-skewed. The Lin's concordance correlation coefficient was 0.34 and the Spearman correlation coefficient was 0.52 (p-value < 0.0001 for both). Notably, 10 adolescents (3.1% of the sample) had a score in the lowest quartile in one of the two instruments, and a score in the highest quartile in the other instrument. Conclusions: There was low concordance between the scales, with notable lack of overlap in who was identified as having "low" levels of resilience. To better elucidate and operationalize the construct of resilience, studies using resilience scales should consider greater focus in understanding what aspects of the construct are being measured and how they relate to meaningful variables (well-being, risk of illness, etc.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Much applied research on the consequences of conflicts for health suffers from data limitations, particularly the absence of longitudinal data spanning pre-, during- and post-conflict periods for affected individuals. Such limitations often hinder reliable measurement of the causal effects of conflict and their pathways, hampering also the design of effective post-conflict health policies. Researchers have sought to overcome these data limitations by conducting ex-post surveys, asking participants to recall their health and living standards before (or during) conflict. These questions may introduce important analytical biases due to recall error and misreporting. Methods: We investigate how to implement ex-post health surveys that collect recall data, for conflict-affected populations, which is reliable for empirical analysis via standard quantitative methods. We propose two complementary strategies based on methods developed in the psychology and psychometric literatures—the Flashbulb and test-retest approaches—to identify and address recall bias in ex-post health survey data. We apply these strategies to the case study of a large-scale health survey which we implemented in Colombia in the post-peace agreement period, but that included recall questions referring to the conflict period. Results: We demonstrate how adapted versions of the Flashbulb and test-retest strategies can be used to test for recall bias in (post-)conflict survey responses. We also show how these test strategies can be incorporated into post-conflict health surveys in their design phase, accompanied by further ex-ante mitigation strategies for recall bias, to increase the reliability of survey data analysis—including by identifying the survey modules, and sub-populations, for which empirical analysis is likely to yield more reliable causal inference about the health consequences of conflict. Conclusions: Our study makes a novel contribution to the field of applied health research in humanitarian settings, by providing practical methodological guidance for the implementation of data collection efforts in humanitarian contexts where recall information, collected from primary surveys, is required to allow assessments of changes in health and wellbeing. Key lessons include the importance of embedding appropriate strategies to test and address recall bias into the design of any relevant data collection tools in post-conflict or humanitarian contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peace agreement with the Colombian guerrilla group Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia—Ejército del Pueblo represented an opportunity for peacebuilding and victims' reparation, rather than the end of the internal armed conflict. In this context, this study aimed to uncover the consequences of conflict on victims' health and on health service provision, and their perceived health status during the post-accord stage in the Meta region, located in the country's eastern plains. Historically, this region has been one of the territories most affected by the presence of conflict-related groups and armed confrontations. Through focus groups, this research explored the health perceptions and experiences of victims of armed conflict. Ten focus groups were conducted with men and women, victims of the armed-conflict, in four municipalities with different degrees of armed conflict intensity. The focus group transcripts were coded using NVivo. The results show that the way women have experienced conflict and the effects of conflict on mental health in general for men, women, and children were recurrent themes in the dialogue of victims. Likewise, it highlights the need to understand the barriers that the current health model imposes on the right to health itself. From the victim's perspective, they experience stigmatization, discrimination, and revictimization when accessing health services. These barriers co-occur along with structural limitations of the health system that affect the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe the presentation and clinical course of a case of endogenous endophthalmitis caused by Clostridium septicum, an anaerobic and gram positive bacteria. Observational report of a clinical case presented in Spain. A 61-year-old male patient was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of endophthalmitis of his left eye since ten days prior to presentation, and a history of poor response to medical treatment. Evisceration was performed, and C. septicum was isolated from a sample of the vitreous humor. Fourteen days after surgery, the patient returned with orbital cellulitis, and exenteration was performed. Forty-two days after initial presentation, colonoscopy revealed an adenocarcinoma of the proximal colon. Surgical resection of the tumor was performed, and clinical recovery was achieved. iSystemic C. septicum infection without a traumatic cause has been associated with malignancy, although an initial presentation of endophthalmitis has rarely been reported. In cases of clostridial endogenous endophthalmitis, investigation for colorectal carcinoma is indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adherence to treatment in Parkinson's disease (PD) is compromised due to the need for multiple therapies, comorbidities related to aging, and the complexity of therapeutic schemes. In the present study, we aimed to explore adherence to treatment in groups of PD patients from six Latin-American (LA) countries and identify its associated demographic and clinical parameters.Methods: A multicenter, cross-sectional, exploratory study was conducted from September 2016 to March 2017. Treatment adherence was assessed using the simplified medication adherence questionnaire (SMAQ), applied to patients and caregivers. Sociodemographic and clinical variables (MDS-UPDRS Part III-IV, MMSE, Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II)) were recorded.Results: Eight hundred patients from six LA countries were evaluated. Nonadherence was reported in 58.25% of the population, according to patients. The most frequent issues were forgetfulness and correct timing of doses. A high level of agreement in adherence prevalence and most SMAQ items were observed between patients and their caregivers. The nonadherent population had a significantly higher proportion of unemployment, free access to medication, troublesome dyskinesias and off-periods, lesser years of education, and worse motor, cognitive, and mood scores. In multiple logistic and linear regression analyses, MDS-UPDRS Part III, BDI-II, gender, free access to medication, treatment with dopamine agonists alone, years of education, excessive concerns about adverse effects, and beliefs about being well-treated remained significant contributors to adherence measures.Conclusion: Educational strategies, greater involvement of PD patients in decision-making, and consideration of their beliefs and values might be of great need to improve medication adherence in this PD population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study analyzes inequalities in catastrophic health expenditures in conflict-affected regions of Meta, Colombia and socioeconomic factors contributing to the existence and changes in catastrophic expenditures before and after the sign of Colombian Peace Agreement with FARC-EP guerilla group in 2016. Methods: The study uses the results of the survey Conflicto, Paz y Salud (CONPAS) conducted in 1309 households of Meta, Colombia, a territory historically impacted by armed conflict, for the years 2014 and 2018. We define catastrophic expenditures as health expenditures above 20% of the capacity to pay of a household. We disaggregate the changes in inequalities in catastrophic expenditures through the Oaxaca-Blinder change decomposition method. Results: The incidence of catastrophic expenditures slightly increased between 2014 to 2018, from 29.3 to 30.7%. Inequalities in catastrophic expenditures, measured through concentration indexes (CI), also increased from 2014 (CI: -0.152) to 2018 (CI: -0.232). Results show that differences in catastrophic expenditures between socioeconomic groups are mostly attributed to an increased influence of specific sociodemographic variables such as living in rural zones, being a middle-aged person, living in conflict-affected territories, or presenting any type of mental and physical disability. Conclusions: Conflict-deescalation and the peace agreement may have facilitated lower-income groups to have access to health services, especially in territories highly impacted by conflict. This, consequently, may have led to higher levels of out-of-pocket expenditures and, therefore, to higher chances of experiencing catastrophic expenditures for lower-income groups in comparison to higher-income groups. Therefore, results indicate the importance of designing policies that guarantee access to health services for people in conflict -affected regions but also, that minimize health care inequalities in out-of-pocket payments that may arouse between people at different socioeconomic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study seeks to evaluate the change in mental health inequalities in the department of Meta after the signing of Colombia's Peace Agreement in 2016 with the FARC guerrilla group. Using a validated survey instrument composed of 20 questions ('SRQ-20'), we measure changes in mental health inequalities from 2014, before the signing of the agreement, to 2018, after the signing. We then decompose the changes in inequalities to establish which socioeconomic factors explain differences in mental health inequalities over time. Methods: Our study uses information from the Conflicto, Salud y Paz (CONPAS) survey conducted in the department of Meta, Colombia, in 1309 households in 2018, with retrospective information for 2014. To measure inequalities, we calculate the concentration indices for both years. Through the Oaxaca change decomposition method, we disaggregate changes in mental health inequalities into its underlying factors. This method allows us to explain the relationship between changes in mental health inequalities and changes in inequalities in several sociodemographic factors. It also identifies the extent to which these factors help explain the changes in mental health inequalities. Results: Mental health inequalities in Meta were reduced almost by half from 2014 to 2018. In 2018, the population at the lower and middle socioeconomic levels had fewer chances of experiencing mental health disorders in comparison to 2014. The reduction in mental health differences is mostly attributed to reductions in the influence of certain sociodemographic variables, such as residence in rural zones and conflict-affected territories, working in the informal sector, or experiencing internal displacement. However, even though mental health inequalities have diminished, overall mental health outcomes have worsened in these years. Conclusions: The reduction in the contribution of conflict-related variables for explaining mental health inequalities could mean that the negative consequences of conflict on mental health have started to diminish in the short run after the peace agreement. Nevertheless, conflict and the presence of other socioeconomic inequalities still contribute to persistent adverse mental health outcomes in the overall population. Thus, public policy should be oriented towards improving mental health care services in these territories, given the post-accord context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe febrile illness without a known source (SFWS) is a challenge for clinicians when deciding how to manage a patient, particularly given the wide spectrum of potential aetiologies that contribute to fever. These infections are difficult to distinguish clinically, and accurate diagnosis requires a plethora of diagnostics including blood cultures, imaging techniques, molecular or serological tests, and more. When laboratory services are available, a limited test menu hinders clinical decision-making and antimicrobial stewardship, leading to empiric treatment and suboptimal patient outcomes. To specifically address SFWS, this work aimed to identify priority pathogens for a globally applicable panel for fever causing pathogens.Method: A pragmatic two-pronged approach combining currently available scientific data in an analytical hierarchy process and systematically gathered expert input, was designed to address the lack of comprehensive global aetiology data. The expert re-ranked list was then further adapted for a specific use case to focus on community acquired infections in whole blood specimens. The resulting list was further analysed to address different geographical regions (Asia, Africa, and Latin America), and Cohen kappa scores of agreement were calculated.Results: The expert ranked prioritized pathogen list generated as part of this two-pronged approach included typhoidal Salmonella, Plasmodium species and Mycobacterium tuberculosis as the top 3 pathogens. This pathogen list was then further adapted for the SFWS use case to develop a final pathogen list to inform product development. Subsequent analysis comparing the relevance of the SFWS pathogen list to multiple populations and geographical regions showed that the SFWS prioritized list had considerable utility across Africa and Asia, but less so for Latin America. In addition, the list showed high levels of agreement across different patient sub-populations, but lower relevance for neonates and symptomatic HIV patients.Conclusion: This work highlighted once again the challenges of prioritising in global health, but it also shows that taking a two-pronged approach, combining available prevalence data with expert input, can result in a broadly applicable priority list. This comprehensive utility is particularly important in the context of product development, where a sufficient market size is essential to achieve a sustainable commercialized diagnostic product to address SFWS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe-febrile-illness (SFI) is a common cause of morbidity and mortality across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The burden of SFI in SSA is currently unknown and its estimation is fraught with challenges. This is due to a lack of diagnostic capacity for SFI in SSA, and thus a dearth of baseline data on the underlying etiology of SFI cases and scant SFI-specific causative-agent prevalence data. To highlight the public health significance of SFI in SSA, we developed a Bayesian model to quantify the incidence of SFI hospital admissions in SSA. Our estimates indicate a mean population-weighted SFI-inpatient-admission incidence rate of 18.4 (6.8–31.1, 68% CrI) per 1000 people for the year 2014, across all ages within areas of SSA with stable Plasmodium falciparum transmission. We further estimated a total of 16,200,337 (5,993,249–27,321,779, 68% CrI) SFI hospital admissions. This analysis reveals the significant burden of SFI in hospitals in SSA, but also highlights the paucity of pathogen-specific prevalence and incidence data for SFI in SSA. Future improvements in pathogen-specific diagnostics for causative agents of SFI will increase the abundance of SFI-specific prevalence and incidence data, aid future estimations of SFI burden, and enable clinicians to identify SFI-specific pathogens, administer appropriate treatment and management, and facilitate appropriate antibiotic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because of the prevalence and impact of sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD), valid instruments for their evaluation and monitoring are necessary. However, some nocturnal sleep disorders may go unnoticed by patients themselves. Objectives: To validate a pan‐Spanish version of the Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale Version 2 (PDSS‐2) and to test the relationships between the PDSS‐2 and a PDSS‐2 roommate version. Methods: PD patients (n = 399) from seven Spanish‐speaking countries were included. In addition to the tested PDSS‐2 scales, valid measures for sleep disorders and both motor and nonmotor manifestations were applied. Acceptability, dimensionality, reliability, precision, and construct validity were explored, as well as discrepancies and agreement between the PDSS‐2 and the roommate version. Results: PDSS‐2 showed negligible floor and ceiling effects. Four factors (57% of the variance) were identified. Reliability parameters were satisfactory: alpha = 0.84; item homogeneity coefficient = 0.27; corrected item total correlation = 0.28 to 0.61; and test‐retest reliability (average kappa = 0.70; intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.83). The standard error of measurement was 5.84, and correlations with other scales assessing nocturnal sleep were high (rS = 0.62–0.56). In comparison to the patient‐based total score, the by proxy total score showed no significant difference, high correlation (rS = 0.70), and acceptable agreement (ICC = 0.69), but there were discrepancies in two or more points in 18% of item scores. Conclusions: The Spanish version of the PDSS‐2 has shown satisfactory clinimetric attributes. Acceptability and precision data are presented for the first time. The PDSS‐2 roommate version could be useful to complement the patient‐based evaluation, but additional studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematic X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and magnetic measurements were performed to study the structural and magnetic properties of copper nanoparticles (NPs) in carbon matrix. The weight concentration of Cu in carbon matrix is 8 wt%. The carbon-coated core–shell structures with bimodal size distribution with 4 and 300 nm average sizes of NPs are confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and TEM. Our results on magnetization carried out by vibrational magnetometer for copper NPs provide a strong evidence for coexistence of ferromagnetism and giant paramagnetism in wide range of temperature and magnetic field. The magnetic susceptibility at T = 10 K shows high value of giant paramagnetism with χ = 5 × 10-5 emu/gCuOe while ferromagnetic behavior with hysteresis is preserved up to the room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, associated with sliding or large paraesophageal hiatal hernia, represents a common clinical presentation. The repair of large paraesophageal hiatal hernias is still a challenge in minimally invasive surgery. Between March 2014 and August 2016, 50 patients (18 males and 32 females) underwent robotic fundoplication (17 sliding and 33 paraesophageal hernias). The mean age of the patients was 58 years. Biosynthetic mesh was used in 28 patients with paraesophageal hernia. The mean operative time was 115 minutes (90-132) in the sliding hiatal hernia group, whereas it was 200 minutes (180-210) in the paraesophageal hiatal hernia group. The mean hospital stay was 36 hours (24-96). Eight patients experienced mild dysphagia which resolved after four weeks. No postoperative dysphagia was recorded at 30-month median follow-up. We experienced one recurrence in the sliding hernia group and two recurrences in the paraesophageal hernia group, with two patients treated robotically. Robotic fundoplication in treating sliding hiatal hernia is feasible and safe but is more challenging in the large paraesophageal group. Improved patient outcomes hinge on the operative technique used and increasing surgeon experience. The increased dexterity that robotic surgery affords enables the esophageal surgeon to more adeptly apply the traditional principles of laparoscopic fundoplication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the slow magnetic fluctuations in YBa2Cu3Oy pseudogap phase. The study uses single crystals of YBa2Cu3Oy and performs muon spin rotation (µSR) and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMR) experiments to evaluate the static local fields. Result shows the effect of fluctuation on dynamic relaxation and the slow fluctuation of magnetic fields.

Background: While, at its inception in 1993, the health care system in Colombia was publicized as a paradigm to be copied across the developing world, numerous problems in its implementation have led to, what is now, an inefficient and crisis-ridden health system. Furthermore, as a result of inappropriate tools to measure the quality of the health service providers, several corruption scandals have arisen in the country. This study attempts to tackle this situation by proposing a strategy for the quality assessment of the health service providers (Entidades Promotoras de Salud, EPS) in the Colombian health system. In particular, as a case study, the quality of the treatment of stomach cancer is analyzed.Methods: The study uses two complementary techniques to address the problem. These techniques are applied based on data of the treatment of gastric cancer collected on a nation-wide scale by the Colombian Ministry of Health and Welfare. First, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist Index (MI) are used to establish the most efficient EPS's within the system, according to indicators such as opportunity indicators. Second, sequential clustering algorithm, related to process mining a field of data mining, is used to determine the medical history of all patients and to construct typical care pathways of the patients belonging to efficient and inefficient EPS's. Lastly, efforts are made to identify traits and differences between efficient and inefficient EPS's.Results: Efficient and inefficient EPS were identified for the years 2010 and 2011. Additionally, a Malmquist Index was used to calculate the relative changes in the efficiency of the health providers. Using these efficiency rates, the typical treatment path of patients with gastric cancer was found for two EPSs: one efficient and another inefficient. Finally, the typical traits of the care pathways were established.Conclusions: Combining DEA and process mining proved to be a powerful approach understanding the problem and gaining valuable insight into the inner workings of the Colombian Health System, especially in terms of the treatment process performed by health care providers in critical illnesses such as cancer. However, no sufficiently compelling results were found to establish the contribution of such a combination to evaluate the quality in the delivery of health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited access to Chagas disease diagnosis and treatment is a major obstacle to reaching the 2020 World Health Organization milestones of delivering care to all infected and ill patients. Colombia has been identified as a health system in transition, reporting one of the highest levels of health insurance coverage in Latin America. We explore if and how this high level of coverage extends to those with Chagas disease, a traditionally marginalised population. Using a mixed methods approach, we calculate coverage for screening, diagnosis and treatment of Chagas. We then identify supply-side constraints both quantitatively and qualitatively. A review of official registries of tests and treatments for Chagas disease delivered between 2008 and 2014 is compared to estimates of infected people. Using the Flagship Framework, we explore barriers limiting access to care. Screening coverage is estimated at 1.2% of the population at risk. Aetiological treatment with either benznidazol or nifurtimox covered 0.3–0.4% of the infected population. Barriers to accessing screening, diagnosis and treatment are identified for each of the Flagship Framework's five dimensions of interest: financing, payment, regulation, organization and persuasion. The main challenges identified were: a lack of clarity in terms of financial responsibilities in a segmented health system, claims of limited resources for undertaking activities particularly in primary care, non-inclusion of confirmatory test(s) in the basic package of diagnosis and care, poor logistics in the distribution and supply chain of medicines, and lack of awareness of medical personnel. Very low screening coverage emerges as a key obstacle hindering access to care for Chagas disease. Findings suggest serious shortcomings in this health system for Chagas disease, despite the success of universal health insurance scale-up in Colombia. Whether these shortcomings exist in relation to other neglected tropical diseases needs investigating. We identify opportunities for improvement that can inform additional planned health reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To determine sociodemographic factors associated with handgrip (HG) strength in a representative sample of children and adolescents from a middle income country. Methods We evaluated youth between the ages of 8 and 17 from a representative sample of individuals from the Department of Santander, Colombia. Anthropometric measures, HG strength, and self-reported physical activity were assessed, and parents/guardians completed sociodemographic questionnairres. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics and tertiles of relative HG strength. We also produced centile data for raw HG strength using quantile regression. Results 1,691 young people were evaluated. HG strength increased with age, and was higher in males than females in all age groups. Lower HG strength was associated with indicators of higher socioeconomic status, such as living in an urban area, residence in higher social strata neighborhoods, parent/guardian with secondary education or higher, higher household income, and membership in health insurance schemes. In addition, low HG strength was associated with lower physical activity levels and higher waist-to-hip ratio. In a fully adjusted regression model, all factors remained significant except for health insurance, household income, and physical activity level. Conclusions While age and gender specific HG strength values were substantially lower than contemporary data from high income countries, we found that within this middle income population indicators of higher socioeconomic status were associated with lower HG strength. This analysis also suggests that in countries undergoing rapid nutrition transition, improvements in socioeconomic conditions may be accompanied by reduction in muscle strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the attitudes of physicians who consider themselves as conscientious objectors to abortion in Bogota, Colombia. Topics covered include the decriminalization of abortion with the ruling of the Colombian Constitutional Court, the extreme objectors' refusal to perform abortions or make referrals and their tendency to provide misleading legal or medical information to prevent women from accessing abortion services and the characteristics of the moderate and partial objectors.

Septic arthritis of the facet joint is an extremely rare condition, even more in young immunocompetent patients. There have been approximately only 40 cases of this entity reported worldwide. Here, the authors present a 16-year-old male patient with lower back pain, fever, and cephalea. Blood cultures and cerebrospinal fluid analysis confirmed methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus infection, and magnetic resonance imaging showed septic arthritis of the lumbar left facet joint L3 and epidural abscess. Intravenous oxacillin was administered, and the patient improved. No other treatment was required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a latex wet coalescence method for gas-phase immobilization of microorganisms on paper which does not require drying for adhesion. This method reduces drying stresses to the microbes. It is applicable for microorganisms that do not tolerate desiccation stress during latex drying even in the presence of carbohydrates. Small surface area, 10-65 μm thick coatings were generated on chromatography paper strips and placed in the head-space of vertical sealed tubes containing liquid to hydrate the paper. These gas-phase microbial coatings hydrated by liquid in the paper pore space demonstrated absorption or evolution of H, CO, CO or O. The microbial products produced, ethanol and acetate, diffuse into the hydrated paper pores and accumulate in the liquid at the bottom of the tube. The paper provides hydration to the back side of the coating and also separates the biocatalyst from the products. Coating reactivity was demonstrated for Chlamydomonas reinhardtii CC124, which consumed CO and produced 10.2 ± 0.2 mmol O m h, Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009, which consumed acetate and produced 0.47 ± 0.04 mmol H m h, Clostridium ljungdahlii OTA1, which consumed 6 mmol CO m h, and Synechococcus sp. PCC7002, which consumed CO and produced 5.00 ± 0.25 mmol O m h. Coating thickness and microstructure were related to microbe size as determined by digital micrometry, profilometry, and confocal microscopy. The immobilization of different microorganisms in thin adhesive films in the gas phase demonstrates the utility of this method for evaluating genetically optimized microorganisms for gas absorption and gas evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Characterize potential risk factors and the relationship of dopamine agonist (DA) withdrawal syndrome (DAWS), dopamine dysregulation syndrome (DDS), and impulse control disorders (ICDs) in Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: A retrospective chart review categorized cases into three groups: DAWS, DDS, and ICDs. Results: A total of 1,040 subjects met inclusion criteria. There were 332 subjects with a history of tapering DAs and 26 (7.8%%) developed DAWS. Fourteen (1.3%%) and 89 (8.6%%) met the criteria for both DDS and ICD. Subjects with DAWS, DDS, and ICDs had a higher baseline dose of DA, levodopa, and total dopaminergic medication ( p < .05), compared to those without the three conditions. DDS was found to be related to the DAWS group ( p < .001). When comparing to the PD population without DDS, younger age at onset of PD ( p == .027), presence of DAWS ( p < .001), ICDs ( p == .003), and punding ( p == .042) were all correlated with the DDS group, while male sex ( p == .045), younger age at onset of PD ( p < .001), presence of DAWS ( p < .001), and presence of DDS ( p == .001) and punding ( p < .001) were related to the ICD group. Conclusions: There was a strong relationship between DAWS, DDS, and ICD in this large PD cohort. Dopaminergic therapy in a subset of PD patients was strongly associated with addiction-like behavioral issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Reliable on-site polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) is not always available. Therefore, clinicians triage patients on the basis of presenting symptoms and contact history. Using patient data collected in Uige, Angola, in 2005, we assessed the sensitivity and specificity of these factors to evaluate the validity of World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended case definitions for MHF. Methods. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of PCR confirmation of MHF. A data-derived algorithm was developed to obtain new MHF case definitions with improved sensitivity and specificity. Results. A MHF case definition comprising (1) an epidemiological link or (2) the combination of myalgia or arthralgia and any hemorrhage could potentially serve as an alternative to current case definitions. Our dataderived case definitions maintained the sensitivity and improved the specificity of current WHO-recommended case definitions. Conclusions. Continued efforts to improve clinical documentation during filovirus outbreaks would aid in the refinement of case definitions and facilitate outbreak control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon microspheres with unusual magnetic properties have been prepared by the method of solid-phase pyrolysis where metal-free phthalocyanine was used as a precursor. The morphology, structure, and magnetic properties of prepared samples were investigated using electron microscopy, magnetometry, and electron paramagnetic resonance. Carbon microspheres with a mean diameter d = 3.40\pm 0.15~\mu \textm consist of graphitized nanocrystallites with a thickness of 5–15 graphene layers. The samples demonstrate a strong paramagnetism with the concentration of paramagnetic centers \sim 5\times 10^19 spin/g. In the temperature range of 5–100 K, a ferromagnetism was revealed with a maximum value of the saturation magnetization, Ms \approx 0.03 emu/g at T= 25 K. The temperature-independent diamagnetism with susceptibility of \chi ^{\mathrm {Dia}}= -1 \,\, \times \,\, 10^{-6} emu/ \textrm {g}\cdot \textrm {Oe}$ was also measured. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Jean-Paul Guthmann and colleagues describe the output of MSF's work in antimalarial efficacy assessment during the last decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the epidemic of Marburg hemorrhagic fever occurred in Uige, Angola, during 2005, the international response included systems of case detection and isolation, community education, the burial of the dead, and disinfection. However, despite large investments of staff and money by the organizations involved, only a fraction of the reported number of cases were isolated, and many cases were detected only after death. This article describes the response of Médecins Sans Frontières Spain within the provincial hospital in Uige, as well as the lessons they learned during the epidemic. Diagnosis, management of patients, and infection control activities in the hospital are discussed. To improve the acceptability of the response to the host community, psychological and cultural factors need to be considered at all stages of planning and implementation in the isolation ward. More interventional medical care may not only improve survival but also improve acceptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]