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Copyright of Annales Françaises de Médecine d'Urgence is the property of John Libbey Eurotext Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: For several years, educational programmes have been highlighted because care success depends on patient’s knowledge and patient’s asthma management. However, no tool is available to assess change in patient knowledge and behaviour before and after completing an educational programme. Objective: To validate a questionnaire measuring the knowledge and behaviour of asthmatics participating in an educational programme and to gauge the benefit of such a programme. Methods: The Asthma Behaviour Change (ABC) questionnaire was generated from literature, patient surveys and clinical situations. It was organized in eight dimensions assessing patient behaviour in seven different clinical situations and two assessing patient (pathophysiology and therapeutic) knowledge. A total of 139 asthmatics filled out the questionnaire before, during and after the educational programme. Results: The principal component analysis confirmed the structure empirically made by clinical situations. Internal consistency analysis yielded high Cronbach’s alpha values. Different dimensions and the two global scores were able to discriminate patients according to asthma severity. Finally, the effect size of difference before and after educational programme was at least 0.47, and was larger than 0.74 for both global behaviour and knowledge scores. The difference between visit 1 and 3 for global behaviour and knowledge scores reached 18.84 ± 20.83 ( P < 0.001, 95% CI: 13.18–24.43) and 11.06 ± 14.98 ( P < 0.001, 95% CI: 7.10–15.03), respectively. Conclusion: ABC questionnaire is a valid tool to assess asthmatics’ knowledge and behaviour. Furthermore, this study confirmed that educational programmes lead to better awareness of asthma by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding influential factors for fecal contamination in groundwater is critical for ensuring water safety and public health. The objective of this study is to identify key factors for fecal contamination of shallow tubewells using machine learning methods. Three methods, including recursive feature elimination (RFE) with XGBoost, Random Forest, and mutual information, were implemented to examine E. coli presence and concentration in 1495 tubewell water samples in Matlab, Bangladesh. For E. coli presence, climatic variables, including average rainfall and temperature over the 30, 15, and 7 days preceding sampling, as well as ambient temperature and rainfall on the sampling day, emerged as critical predictors. Land cover characteristics, such as the percentages of urban and agricultural areas within 100 m of a tubewell, were also significant. For E. coli concentration, land cover characteristics within 100 m, the number of hot and heavy-rain days in the 30 days preceding sampling, average rainfall and temperature in the 3 days preceding sampling, and ambient temperature on the sampling day were identified as key drivers. Random Forest and mutual information yielded results that were more similar to each other than to those of RFE with XGBoost. The findings highlight the interplay between climatic factors, land use, and population density in determining fecal contamination in shallow well water and demonstrate the power of machine learning algorithms in ranking these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanitation, which offers safe and effective methods for waste disposal, is important for development. However, in Africa and other developing regions, the prevalent practice of open defecation (OD) impedes attaining the sustainable development goals (SDGs). This research delves into the analysis of OD in Africa and proposes a three-tier priority system, comprising critical, high, and medium areas, through which developmental endeavours can be targeted. To achieve this, the study utilizes data from demographic and health surveys (DHS) and the World Bank. The rates of OD at country and sub-country/region levels were calculated to define the priority system, and regression analyses were used to determine predictors of OD practice. The findings are that Nigeria, Ethiopia, Niger, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso, and Chad have a high number of people struggling with open defecation. In addition, disparities in access to proper sanitation facilities were identified among impoverished individuals and those residing in rural areas. After adjusting for education and residence, the poorest are 43 times (95% confidence interval 42.443–45.290) more likely to practice open defecation in comparison with the wealthiest. Consequently, wealth index is a pivotal factor in eradicating open toileting. To address this pressing issue in Africa, it is imperative to prioritize evidence-based targeted interventions that concentrate on regions and communities urgently needing improved sanitation infrastructure and programmes. Special attention should be paid to West Africa since many of its communities are in the critical category. Poverty and inequality must be addressed and investments in sanitation infrastructure, behavioural change promotion, and support multistakeholder collaborations should be encouraged. To evaluate OD interventions and monitor health impact, variables such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) should be included in important health surveys (e.g. DHS). This study is the largest meta-data analyses of OD in Africa detailing drivers and communities that should be prioritised on sanitation interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inadequate sanitation has catastrophic consequences for public health, standard of living, and productivity, as well as gender equality and social inclusion. Urban sanitation programmes yield suboptimal outcomes regarding long-term impact, effectiveness, sustainability, and fairness. To ensure that all urban dwellers in Low- to Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) have access to sanitation facilities that are properly maintained and safe, it is crucial to bring about a fundamental change in the urban sanitation sector through the implementation of Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS). This research analyses the sanitation regulatory framework and stakeholders' perspectives in Bandung City, Indonesia. The goal is to determine the possible obstacles and advantages of implementing a comprehensive CWIS (Citywide Inclusive Sanitation) system in Indonesia. The CWIS idea has been recognised at the national level in Indonesia. While existing legislation and policies partially govern and deal with CWIS components, there is no official programme establishment yet and limited implementation at the local level. Some challenges that have been identified include conflicting priorities in serving marginalised populations, a lack of political commitment and capacity to provide comprehensive services for all types of domestic wastewater (including grey water) and throughout the entire sanitation service chain (from containment to treatment and/or reuse and recovery), inadequate knowledge management and data transparency, a lack of incentives and penalties for local governments to meet sanitation standards, and limited motivation for meaningful and institutionalised private sector involvement. This study also delineates four crucial domains for efficiently fostering the deployment of CWIS in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthrax is a notorious disease of public health importance caused by Bacillus anthracis. The causative agent can also be used as a biological weapon. Spores of these bacteria can sustain extreme environmental conditions and remain viable in soil for decades. Domestic and wild ruminants are highly susceptible to this pathogen, which usually presents as a peracute to acute disease. In humans, cutaneous anthrax is frequent but pulmonary and enteric anthrax are more serious. Humans, animals, and the environment are all involved, making anthrax a perfect target for a One Health approach. The environment plays a key role in disease transmission. At a time when the One Health concept is not mere slogans, collaborative efforts of medical professionals, veterinarians, and environmental scientists will be valuable for the prevention and control of this disease. In this review, we discussed the transmission dynamics of anthrax in the environment, animals, and humans, as well as One Health strategies to control and prevent anthrax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to clean water is fundamental to public health and safety, serving as the cornerstone of well-being in communities. Despite the significant investments of millions of dollars in water testing and treatment processes, the United States continues to grapple with over 7 million waterborne-related cases annually. This persistent challenge underscores the pressing need for the development of a new, efficient, rapid, low-cost, and reliable method for ensuring water quality. The urgency of this endeavor cannot be overstated, as it holds the potential to safeguard countless lives and mitigate the pervasive risks associated with contaminated water sources. In this study, we introduce a biochip LAMP assay tailored for water source monitoring. Our method swiftly detects even extremely low concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in water, and 10 copies/μL of E. coli aqueous solution could yield positive results within 15 min on a PC-MEDA biochip. This innovation marks a significant departure from the current reliance on lab-dependent methods, which typically necessitate several days for bacterial culture and colony counting. Our multifunctional biochip system not only enables the real-time LAMP testing of crude E. coli samples but also holds promise for future modifications to facilitate on-site usage, thereby revolutionizing water quality assessment and ensuring rapid responses to potential contamination events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Liposarcoma, one of the most prevalent sarcoma histologies, is recognized for its tendency for extra-pulmonary metastases. While oligometastatic cardiac disease is rarely reported, it poses a unique challenge as oligometastatic sarcomas are often managed with surgical resection. Case Report: We present a case of a 62-year-old man diagnosed with an oligometastatic myxoid liposarcoma (MLPS) to the heart 19 years after the primary tumor resection from the lower limb. The metastatic mass, situated in the pericardium adjacent and infiltrating the left ventricle, was not managed surgically but with a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The patient's disease remains stable to date, for more than 10 years. Literature Review: We conducted a review of the literature to determine the preferred management approach for solitary cardiac metastases of sarcomas. We also conducted an in-depth analysis focusing on reported cases of MLPS metastasizing to the heart, aiming to extract pertinent data regarding the patient characteristics and the corresponding management strategies. Conclusions: Although clinical diagnoses of solitary or oligometastatic cardiac metastases from sarcomas are infrequent, this case underscores the significance of aggressive management employing chemotherapy and radiotherapy for chemosensitive and radiosensitive sarcomas, especially when surgical removal is high-risk. Furthermore, it challenges the notion that surgery is the exclusive therapeutic option leading to long-term clinical benefit in patients with recurrent sarcomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pit latrines are the most common household sanitation system in East African cities. Urbanisation reduces the space available for new latrines to be constructed when pits fill and they increasingly require emptying. But formal services that empty and transport sludge to safe disposal or treatment are often unaffordable to low-income households. Cross-subsidies have been suggested to fund services for low-income households but there are no academic studies assessing this funding mechanism. This study analyses empirical financial and operational data shared by a formal service provider in Kigali, Rwanda who is establishing a cross-subsidy model between corporate and high-income households, and low-income households in informal settlements. A semi-mechanical method is used to serve households which cannot be accessed from the road by an exhauster truck. We find that mechanical emptying is gross profitable when exhauster trucks are fully used, particularly large volume and corporate customers. Transferring sludge between vehicles for efficient transport reduces average cost. Cross-subsidies are found to be a viable funding method and a ten-fold increase in mechanical emptying by the service provider would generate 466,876 Int$ (2022 international dollars) gross profit to fund a cross-subsidy for all low-income households in Kigali which require semi-mechanical emptying. This study highlights the opportunities that city authorities have to organise funding to cross-subsidise emptying for low-income households. In addition, by using data from operational records rather than self-reported estimates the reliability of cost estimates is in improved. Further research is required to understand customer group size, demand and emptying frequencies to determine the structure of a citywide cross-subsidy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the critical issue of water insecurity and its multifaceted impact on and relationship to the human rights and environmental justice conditions within Rohingya refugee camps located in New Delhi, India. A comprehensive mixed-methods approach was employed to investigate water-related challenges within a refugee camp in Madanpur Khadar, region in Delhi. Qualitative methods including focused group discussions and one-on-one household interviews were conducted to allow residents' perceptions from diverse groups and examine their experiences. Structured surveys were administered to gather quantitative data on water access, sanitation, health, and socio-economic factors. Additionally,, literature surveys and document archival research provided contextual insights. This study underscores the pressing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) challenges faced by Rohingya refugees in the area, revealing irregular water supply, impacting residents' daily lives and hygiene practices. The majority of families in the camp, with an average of 6 members in each family, can only collect 30–40 L of water to meet all their needs, from consumption to personal hygiene, which is significantly insufficient. This situation has resulted in severe health consequences for the camp residents. Alarmingly, over 90% of the female respondents reported experiencing issues such as urinary infections. This paper gives a comprehensive analysis of the multidimensionality of rights that intersect with and are affected by WaSH issues. The poor WaSH conditions in the camp directly hinder the fulfillment of fundamental human rights. It not only disrupts the basic sanitation need but has negative economic repercussions and causes mental distress. This study concludes by targeted recommendations aimed at improving the conditions prevailing within the camp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Open Defecation Free (ODF) program was initiated by the government to increase access to healthy latrines. This study aimed to evaluate the ODF program using the CIPP evaluation model. A qualitative and exploratory descriptive method was adopted to investigate informants' experiences regarding the program's implementation. Data was explored through semi-structured interviews with 17 informants and analyzed using content analysis. The results showed that the program was crucial as numerous people engaged in open defecation due to economic, geographical, cultural, and knowledge factors. The absence of ODF policy was due to lack of priority, limited government and private support, insufficient human resources, inadequate infrastructure, and budget constraints. The ODF program was considered unimportant and tended to follow stunting programs, reflecting the low commitment. The biggest opportunity was implementing an integrated ODF with a stunting reduction program by allocating a special budget. Thus, primary health care is expected to optimize activities further to trigger the ODF program within the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing access to water quality tests in low-income communities is a crucial strategy toward achieving global water equality. Recent studies in the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector underscore the importance of addressing practical concerns in water testing, such as robustness and results communication. In response, we present the WaterScope testing kit; an open-source, validated platform for drinking water quality assessment. It modernises the testing process with the inclusion of a unique cartridge/slider mechanism, machine-learning-enhanced classification and full digitalisation of results. WaterScope's equivalency to conventional methods for quantifying E. coli is established through extensive validation experiments in both laboratory and field environments. This versatile platform provides potential to expand its applications to test other bacteria, perform colorimetric assays, and analyse clinical samples such as blood/urine samples. We anticipate that the system's ease-of-use, portability, affordability, robustness, and digital nature will accelerate progress toward global water equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the development of various Lewis acidic nano-adsorbents for fluoride removal through inner-sphere coordination, strong competition for hydroxyl ions still hinders efficient water defluoridation. In addition, the critical issue of polysilicate scaling that results from the ubiquitous silicates must be addressed. To tackle these issues, an alternative approach to enhancing adsorption reactivity by modifying nano-adsorbents with dual Lewis and Brønsted acidity is proposed. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated by growing zirconium phosphate (ZrP) inside a gel-type anion exchanger, N201, to produce nanocomposite ZrP@N201, in which the confined ZrP contained an otherwise metastable amorphous phase with Lewis acidic Zr4+ sites and Brønsted acidic monohydrogen phosphate groups (–O3POH). Compared with the Lewis acidic nano-zirconium oxide analog (HZO@N201), ZrP@N201 exhibited a greatly improved adsorption capacity (117.9 vs. 52.3 mg/g-Zr) and mass transfer rate (3.56 × 10−6vs. 4.55 × 10−7 cm/s), while bulk ZrP produced a thermodynamically stable α-phase with Brønsted acidity that exhibited negligible adsorption capability toward fluoride. The enhanced defluoridation activity of ZrP@N201 is attributed to Brønsted acidity and the increased outer electron density of Zr4+ sites, as corroborated using XPS and solid-state NMR analysis. Moreover, Brønsted acidity strengthens the resistance of ZrP@N201 to silicate, allowing its full regeneration during cyclic defluoridation. Column tests demonstrated 3–10 times the amount of clean water from (waste) for ZrP@N201 as compared to both HZO@N201 and the widely used activated aluminum oxide. This study highlights the potential of developing nano-adsorbents with dual acidities for various environmental remediation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safe access to drinking water and sanitation is a human right and a key goal of sustainable development, which must also be achieved in rural areas. This work proposes and simulates the application of a conceptual model for a basic sanitation safety plan tailored for rural areas, called the Rural Basic Sanitation Safety Plan (RBSSP). The methodology includes technical and scientific review approaches, followed by consultation with specialists through the Delphi method and simulation in a case study. The RBSSP framework includes six fundamental principles, six steps, and twenty actions to be performed. In the case study, the final conceptual model application was simulated for a rural settlement scenario, which led to significant changes in the actions, subdivisions and phases. Key findings highlight that community participation, involvement and empowerment are the most relevant factors for successful implementation. The necessary tools for RBSSP preparation, such as risk assessment methodologies and management plans, must be applied considering the scenario. Finally, after simulating the conceptual model, we conclude that it is necessary to adapt actions and apply methods and techniques developed and appropriate for rural areas to develop an effective RBSSP for each specific scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is an indispensable resource crucial for sustaining life even though projections indicate that by 2025, over 3 billion people will inhabit water-stressed regions, with 14 countries transitioning from water stress to water scarcity. This study investigates the influence of financial planning based on financial control and decision-making on water availability for domestic use in the Pangani Basin, Tanzania. The research examines the interconnectedness between financial planning and water availability outcomes through a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative analysis and qualitative insights from key informants. Quantitative findings reveal a significant positive correlation between financial planning and domestic water availability (β = 0.377, p < 0.001), emphasising the importance of effective financial control particularly on budgeting and its proper use for improving infrastructure. Likewise, stakeholders' participation in the decision-making process is important for water resource management. The study highlights the importance of effective financial control and decision-making to ensure sustainable access to clean water for local communities. The study recommends that the Pangani Basin Water Institute emphasise proper use of financial resources for water infrastructure and prioritise stakeholder engagement in decision-making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Access to improved sanitation is a fundamental human right and an important aspect of Public Health. However, an estimated thousands of people in Ghana especially, the West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly (WMMA) still have no access to adequate toilet facilities. This has brought untold health repercussions to the inhabitants, the community, and the environment at large. To address this menace, the community-led total sanitation (CLTS) was implemented. This study aimed to assess communities' perspectives on the implementation of CLTS and to understand the factors influencing its success and failures. Methods: A mixed-method approach involving sequential qualitative and quantitative methods was employed in this study. Participants for the quantitative study were randomly selected and surveyed using questionnaires. The qualitative study employed focus group discussion involving purposively sampled participants including assembly members, opinion leaders, and assembly staff. Results: The CLTS program in WMMA realized an apparent use of construction and proper use of household latrines leading to a reduction of open defecation free (ODF) and two communities achieving sanitized status in the history of the study area, enabling the training of latrine artisans and natural leaders to facilitate the CLTS expansion and sustainability, improved sanitation and hygiene, strengthened the enforcement of community rules and regulations and many others. Conclusion: The CLTS program has received more widespread acceptance in the study area than the previous government policy of constructing public toilets, which was greeted with massive failures due to poor implementation. To ensure that gains achieved through CLTS implementation are sustained longer, it is recommended that chiefs and opinion leaders should be involved in the CLTS programs to ensure checks and enforcement. The entrenchment of bylaws and more education to address enduring myths and misconceptions will sustain the program. Subsidies in the form of sanitation loans for latrine construction materials by the government and supporting non-governmental organizations (NGOs) will be paramount in sustaining ODF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In communities where people lack on-demand, safely managed drinking water, stored household water often becomes contaminated by fecal bacteria, regardless of the source-water quality. The objectives of this paper are to assess and control bacterial contamination in stored household water in Toamasina, a rapidly urbanizing city in eastern coastal Madagascar. We collected samples of source water and stored household water from 10 representative households that use different water sources and different storage strategies, and we analyzed the samples for several fecal indicator bacteria. We also tested three methods that residents of Toamasina could realistically employ for cleaning their household water storage vessels, assessing the effect of the cleaning methods on measured bacterial levels in the water. Consistent with the previous literature, we found that concentrations of total coliforms in stored household water were significantly higher than in the corresponding source water (p < 0.05). In 100% of households that stored their water in 20 L polyethylene jerrycans (n = 4), biofilms on the walls of the jerrycan harbored total coliforms and Enterococcus. The use of a closed storage container was, on its own, not found to provide a meaningful protective effect against bacterial regrowth; to be protective, closed storage containers must be combined with high-quality source water and/or with adequate cleaning to prevent biofilm formation. A dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite, known locally as Sûr'Eau or Manadio Rano, was both the most effective and the least expensive method for cleaning household water storage containers. We conclude that regular and effective cleaning of storage containers is an essential component of safe water storage. Because household storage of collected water is common in many low- and middle-income countries, these results are important towards the worldwide achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent experimental study has reported that decatungstate [W10O32]4− can degrade various polyesters in the presence of light and molecular oxygen [Li et al., Nanoscale, 2023, 15, 15038]. We apply density functional theory to the photocatalyst–polycaprolactone model complex in acetonitrile solution and elucidate the degradation mechanisms and catalytic cycle. We consider hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and single electron transfer (SET) mechanisms. The potential energy profiles show that the former proceeds exergonically in a single step but that the latter involves a subsequent proton transfer and finally yields HAT products as well. Oxygenated polymer species can regain the transferred hydrogen and regenerate the reduced photocatalyst. We propose a photocatalytic cycle that realizes both the photocatalyst regeneration and the polymer degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Urban sanitation challenges persist in Ghana, prompting Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to explore innovative funding mechanisms such as surcharges to fund sanitation services. This study assesses property owners' attitudes toward the imposition of sanitation surcharge for pro-poor sanitation improvement in the Kumasi Metropolis. Method: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 424 property owners in the Kumasi metropolis. Structured questionnaires were utilized to solicit information from respondents using multi-stage sampling techniques. Results: Findings indicated that 36.1% of respondents were willing to pay the sanitation surcharge, while 63.9% opposed its implementation in the Metropolis. Property ownership and support for a sanitation surcharge were associated with higher odds of willingness to pay. Participants paying property rates had decreased odds of supporting the sanitation surcharge. Factors associated with pro-poor spending support included age (61-80 years) [AOR = 1.81, 95%CI = 1.60-3.82] and willingness to pay sanitation surcharge [AOR = 11.07, 95%CI = 6.63-18.49]. Protective factors against supporting pro-poor spending included residing in medium-class communities [AOR = 0.25, 95%CI = 0.08-0.81], perceiving improvement in sanitation status [AOR = 0.41, 95%CI = 0.21-0.81) and having a home toilet facility (OR = 0.65, 95%CI = 0.36-0.95). Conclusion: The study revealed a nuanced landscape where concerns about fund utilization, perceived tax burdens, and trust in local institutions significantly shape public sentiment. To enhance public acceptance and participation, policymakers should prioritize transparent communication to build trust and convey the effective utilization of funds from the sanitation surcharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permeable surface mapping, which mainly is the identification of surface materials that will percolate, is essential for various environmental and civil engineering applications, such as urban planning, stormwater management, and groundwater modeling. Traditionally, this task involves labor-intensive manual classification, but deep learning offers an efficient alternative. Although several studies have tackled aerial image segmentation, the challenges in permeable surface mapping arid environments remain largely unexplored because of the difficulties in distinguishing pixel values of the input data and due to the unbalanced distribution of its classes. To address these issues, this research introduces a novel approach using a parallel U-Net model for the fine-grained semantic segmentation of permeable surfaces. The process involves binary classification to distinguish between entirely and partially permeable surfaces, followed by fine-grained classification into four distinct permeability levels. Results show that this novel method enhances accuracy, particularly when working with small, unbalanced datasets dominated by a single category. Furthermore, the proposed model is capable of generalizing across different geographical domains. Domain adaptation is explored to transfer knowledge from one location to another, addressing the challenges posed by varying environmental characteristics. Experiments demonstrate that the parallel U-Net model outperforms the baseline methods when applied across domains. To support this research and inspire future research, a novel permeable surface dataset is introduced, with pixel-wise fine-grained labeling for five distinct permeable surface classes. In summary, in this work, we offer a novel solution to permeable surface mapping, extend the boundaries of arid environment mapping, introduce a large-scale permeable surface dataset, and explore cross-area applications of the proposed model. The three contributions are enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of permeable surface mapping while progressing in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The septic tank, as a decentralized solution for sewage treatment, ofers an alternative whose maintenance and operation (O&M) costs can be infuenced by the chosen management approach. Therefore, this study aims to determine the population thresholds at which the per capita cost of collective management becomes more cost-efective compared to single-family and joint single-family management. The main objective is to contribute to a more sustainable decision-making process regarding sewage collection and treatment systems implemented in rural or decentralized communities. The O&M costs of septic tanks were assessed for three management approaches: collective, single-family, and joint single-family, assuming an average of fve inhabitants per household. Non-routine costs encompassed sludge collection, while routine costs involved screen and grit chamber cleaning, sludge and scum inspection and measurement, maintenance of treatment unit structures, analytical control (including physical, chemical, and microbiological analysis) of treated efuent and receiving water bodies, as well as the necessary displacements to carry out these activities. The comparison of management alternatives revealed that the population thresholds at which the cost of collective management with analytical control becomes lower than that of single-family and joint single-family management were found to be 218 and 1168 inhabitants, respectively. For collective management without analytical control, the respective thresholds were 37 and 168 inhabitants. Consequently, the inclusion of analytical control for efuent and water in the receiving body should be carefully evaluated, as it can serve as a limiting factor when selecting collective management as the preferred approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the knowledge network structure of foreign research literature by applying the qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) method to the field of information science and library science (ISLS) from the perspective of the cocitation of social network actors such as authors, institutions, countries, and literature, and it further reveals the future application trends of this method. [Method/process] Based on 86 journals in the ISLS field that were downloaded from the Web of Science using the QCA method, the social network analysis (SNA) method and the visual analysis tool Gephi are used to analyse the author cooperation network, the research institution cooperation network, the national cooperation network, the cocitation network, the cutting-edge trends, etc., of journal papers. The analysis shows that the QCA method covers a wide range within the field of ISLS, but the research topics involved in this field are not concentrated, and the author cooperation network has scale-free characteristics. The application of the QCA method is still dominant in European and American countries, and China, the USA, and Italy all play key roles in the national cooperation network. Finally, the institutional cooperation network has certain small group attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open defecation continuously remains a major global sanitation challenge, contributing to an estimated 1.6 million deaths per year. Ghana ranks second in Africa for open defecation and had the fourth-lowest sanitation coverage in 2010. Evidence indicates that about 32% of the rural Ghanaian population still practice open defecation due to lack of access to basic sanitation facilities, drifting the country from achieving universal access to sanitation by 2030. Women, particularly those in rural areas, are disproportionately affected by open defecation, facing heightened health risks, harassment, and a loss of dignity. Even though previous studies on open defecation in Ghana exist, they lack national representation and neglect women in rural residents who are disproportionally affected by the repercussions of open defecation. Examining that rural women will contribute to heightening their own vulnerability to health risks by practising open defecation is essential to bridging the literature gap on open defecation practices among rural women. The study investigated determinants of open defecation among rural women in Ghana using data from the female files of the 2003, 2008 and 2014 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). A total of 4,284 rural women with complete information on variables of interest were included in the study. The outcome variable was 'open defecation', whilst 14 key explanatory variables (e.g., age, education, wealth status, among others) were used. Two logistic regression models were built, and the outputs were reported in odds ratio. Descriptively, 42 in every 100 women aged 15 to 49 practiced open defecation (n = 1811, 95% CI = 49-52). Open defecation (OD) significantly correlated with educational attainment, wealth status, religion, access to mass media, partner's education, and zone of residence. The likelihood of practicing open defecation reduced among those with formal education [aOR = 0.69, CI = 0.56-0.85], those whose partners had formal education [aOR = 0.64, CI = 0.52-0.80], women in the rich wealth quintile [aOR = 0.12, CI = 0.07-0.20], the traditionalist [aOR = 0.33, CI = 0.19-0.57], and those who had access to mass media [aOR = 0.70, CI = 0.57-0.85]. Residents in the Savannah zone had higher odds of openly defecating [aOR = 21.06, CI = 15.97-27.77]. The prevalence of open defecation is disproportionately pro-poor, which indicates that impoverished rural women are more likely to perform it. Public health initiatives should aim to close the rich-poor divide in OD practice among rural women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a methodology for the photocatalytic generation of β‐ketoalkyl radicals from tertiary cyclopropanols, utilizing tetrabutylammonium decatungstate (TBADT) as a photoredox catalyst. The application is demonstrated by the synthesis of distantly functionalized ketones via the redox‐neutral addition of the cyclopropanol‐derived β‐ketoalkyl radicals to the double bond of electrophilic olefins. The transformation occurs under ambient temperature conditions and is suitable for coupling a wide range of cyclopropanol and alkene substrates. This was demonstrated by the preparation of 33 ketone products with 35–92% yield. The method's preparative robustness has been validated through upscaled preparations conducted under continuous flow conditions. Mechanistic investigations support the role of TBADT as a photoredox catalyst, which facilitates the single electron oxidation of cyclopropanols, followed by the electron transfer from the reduced form of decatungstate to the electrophilic double bond of alkene. Moreover, we found that electron‐rich aromatic cyclopropanols and electron‐deficient olefins form photoactive electron donor‐acceptor (EDA) complexes. This property allows the reaction to proceed under UV light irradiation via the photoinduced charge transfer in the absence of the photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent technological progress in water management of hydrosystems has been made to deploy efficient and effective water quality monitoring systems (WQMS). Among these, a citizen science (CS)-based water quality monitoring (WQM) program using test strips is considered as a smart tool that may aid in the production of reliable, continuous, and comprehensive data on the water quality resources of hydrosystems over a broad range of spatial and temporal scales. In this case study, the objective is to evaluate the performance of a CS-based WQM for nitrates assessment using test water quality strips for the Medjerda watershed in Northern Tunisia. Overall, 137 samples were collected from 24 sampling sites and were analyzed by 33 participants. Citizens involved in the program were regrouped in five citizen types according to their socio-economic characteristics. Statistical tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple correspondence analyses (MCA) were achieved to survey the goodness of fit of CS as a contribution to data collection in terms of the socio-economic profile of the participant. The results show that this tool could be reliable for obtaining the levels of nitrate in water samples. Water quality test trips can conveniently be used by citizens for WQM of nitrates when they are rigorously following the manufacturer's instructions. Additional efforts in communication and training could help to improve the performance of this CS-WQM program for nitrate in the Medjerda watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to sanitation has become an important element for improving the health of populations in developing countries. In Burkina Faso, 12% of the population in rural areas has access to latrine and 65% practice open defecation (OD). In a bid to eliminate this unsanitary practice and enhance sanitation access in rural areas, the government embraced community-led total sanitation (CLTS) as a national strategy in 2014. However, more than 6 years later, a notable observation is the high abandonment rate, with only a small fraction of rural communities successfully eradicating OD. Out of the 8892 villages in the country, 3546 underwent a CLTS triggering from 2014 to 2020. Nevertheless, in 787 of these villages, the implementation of the CLTS approach was abandoned, indicating a substantial abandonment rate of 22.19%. Until now, most studies on CLTS have focused on the post-ODF phase, emphasizing the question of the sustainability of the results generated by the approach, as if the process from triggering to obtaining ODF certification was not subject to any problems. However, cases of abandonment of the CLTS process after triggering do exist, although poorly documented in the literature, and there are no studies that clearly assign responsibilities to the actors when CLTS implementation comes to be abandoned. This research aims to bridge these gaps by identifying the root causes of these abandonment cases while delineating the distinct responsibilities associated with these instances. To achieve this, the study was conducted in the Central-Western region of Burkina Faso, where all stakeholders involved in CLTS implementation, including target communities, were identified, their different roles in the process defined, and data collected through household surveys, interviews, and focus groups. The content analysis method was used to analyze the data. The research findings indicate that the abandonment of the CLTS implementation process is due to four categories of factors: sociocultural and economic aspects (39.78%), physical conditions (17.52%), governance aspects (26.28%), and the quality of approach implementation (16.42%). Moreover, these factors highlight a shared accountability for abandonment involving the government, implementing organizations, and target communities. These findings have significant implications for the future design of sanitation programs using the CLTS approach. To mitigate abandonment rates in the CLTS implementation process across rural communities, it is imperative for policymakers to attentively consider these factors and integrate the recommendations delineated in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promotion appears to be the least effective but is nevertheless often the only available, means to achieve increased access to sanitation services, especially at scale, in lower-income countries. A cursory examination of the history of past and present approaches to sanitation promotion, including sanitation marketing, community development, community-led total sanitation and public health, shows that they have a variety of features and characteristics which make them distinctive. Unfortunately, rigorous evaluation has not kept pace with this proliferation of approaches, so it is difficult to recommend any one approach over the others, based on empirical performance in a range of circumstances. However, I argue that a 'hybrid' approach which exhibits a number of salient features from all of the previous approaches is likely to be a good bet. I present a recent example of such a hybrid programme which proved to significantly increase the rate of improved sanitation coverage through promotion (without subsidy of any kind) at scale in Tanzania. I suggest other sanitation promotion programs may want to think about adopting similar practices in their own programming going forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigs are important livestock that contribute to the economy and food security of Ghana, but the productivity of the sector is hindered by factors such as parasitic disease infections. Here, we detected the prevalence and polyparasitism of gastrointestinal parasites in pigs from selected farms in the Tolon and Kumbungu districts. Faeces of the animals were screened for parasite eggs using the sedimentation and flotation methods. From 56 pigs screened, 91.1% (CI = 95 %; χ 2 = 0.212) of them had parasitic infections, and affected pigs harboured 1–5 distinct parasites with the most occurring being Strongyloides ransomi (46.43%). Other parasites identified included Hyostrongylusrubidus, Ascaris suum, Trichuris suis, Physocephalus sexalatus, and Coccidia, among others. Parasitism was more frequent in pigs under 2 years (94%) than older ones (66.67%). The high prevalence of GI parasites was attributed to poor husbandry practices and inadequate of veterinary care for the animals. The situation can be improved by farmer education on good husbandry practices and regular deworming of pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of monitoring progress towards SDG target 6.2, a household is counted to have access to sanitation if it uses at least basic sanitation services. Several approaches have been employed to help rural communities to climb up the sanitation ladder such as Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS), whose primary target is to end open defecation through behavior change. CLTS does not subsidize sanitation facilities, but let households build their own facilities. The types and sustainability of facilities when construction is entrusted to households without guidelines remain understudied. The contribution of CLTS in achieving SDG6.2 also have not been studied. This paper addresses these gaps. Conducted in the province of Sissili in Burkina Faso, our study involved interviewing CLTS implementers, government officials, and community stakeholders. Coupled with household surveys, the data was analyzed using SPSS and Excel software. Findings indicate that CLTS succeeded in motivating households to build latrines hence escalating latrine coverage from 29.51% in 2016 (pre-CLTS) to 90.44% in 2020 (post-CLTS) in the province. However, 97.53% of latrines built were unimproved pit latrines with superstructures and without/with wooden or clay slabs and no roof, of which 19.76% collapsed during the rainy season. During this period, sanitation access rate rose from 11.9% to 17.00%. The study has therefore revealed that CLTS significantly elevates latrine coverage, yet it does not guarantee a proportional rise in sanitation access. This discrepancy results from the type of technologies generated by CLTS, which are not considered in calculating the sanitation access rate due to their unimproved nature. Consequently, further exploration of social approaches is essential, amalgamating technical and engineering aspects. Beyond socio-economic considerations, the sustainability of CLTS and the achievement of access to adequate and safe sanitation also rely on the robustness and resilience of the implemented facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating human mobility is essential during the COVID-19 pandemic because it provides policymakers with important information for non-pharmaceutical actions. Deep learning methods perform better on tasks with enough training data than traditional estimating techniques. However, estimating human mobility during the rapidly developing pandemic is challenging because of data non-stationarity, a lack of observations, and complicated social situations. Prior studies on estimating mobility either concentrate on a single city or cannot represent the spatio-temporal relationships across cities and time periods. To address these issues, we solve the cross-city human mobility estimation problem using a deep meta-generative framework. Recently, we proposed the Spatio-Temporal Meta-Generative Adversarial Network (STORM-GAN) model, which estimates dynamic human mobility responses under social and policy conditions relevant to COVID-19 and is facilitated by a novel spatio-temporal task-based graph (STTG) embedding. Although STORM-GAN achieves a good average estimation accuracy, it creates higher errors and exhibits over-fitting in particular cities due to spatial heterogeneity. To address these issues, in this paper, we extend our prior work by introducing an improved spatio-temporal deep generative model, namely STORM-GAN+. STORM-GAN+ deals with the difficulties by including a distance-based weighted training technique into the STTG embedding component to better represent the variety of knowledge transfer across cities. Furthermore, to mitigate the issue of overfitting, we modify the meta-learning training objective to teach estimated mobility. Finally, we propose a conditional meta-learning algorithm that explicitly tailors transferable knowledge to various task clusters. We perform comprehensive evaluations, and STORM-GAN+ approximates real-world human mobility responses more accurately than previous methods, including STORM-GAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecology and environment of the Yellow River Basin is threatened by fluoride and nitrate contamination induced by anthropogenic activity and geogenic factors. As a result, deciphering the spatio-temporal variability of fluoride and nitrate contamination in this area remains a challenge. Three hundred eighty-six samples of surface water and groundwater from the Inner Mongolia Reaches of the Yellow River Basin were taken for this investigation. According to the results of the multivariate statistical and geostatistical analyses, the fluoride pollution was primarily discovered in the middle and lower reaches of the study area and was determined to be more severe during the dry season. In contrast, nitrate contamination was found to be more severe during the wet season while being widely distributed in groundwater and concentrated in areas with intensive agricultural activities. The primary mechanisms governing the spatial-seasonal patterns of NO3− and F− pollution were shown by the principal component analysis, isotopic, and hydrochemical diagrams. The water-rock interaction or evaporation was crucial in the enrichment of F−. The human inputs (e.g., fertilizer or sewage) dominated fluoride and nitrate contamination. Additionally, the alkaline environment played a role in the generation of NO3− and F−. The health risk assessment concluded that the threat of fluoride contamination was greater than that of nitrate contamination. Children faced the greatest health risks, followed by females and males. These findings would serve as a guide for water management and pollution control in the Yellow River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecology and environment of the Yellow River Basin is threatened by fluoride and nitrate contamination induced by anthropogenic activity and geogenic factors. As a result, deciphering the spatio-temporal variability of fluoride and nitrate contamination in this area remains a challenge. Three hundred eighty-six samples of surface water and groundwater from the Inner Mongolia Reaches of the Yellow River Basin were taken for this investigation. According to the results of the multivariate statistical and geostatistical analyses, the fluoride pollution was primarily discovered in the middle and lower reaches of the study area and was determined to be more severe during the dry season. In contrast, nitrate contamination was found to be more severe during the wet season while being widely distributed in groundwater and concentrated in areas with intensive agricultural activities. The primary mechanisms governing the spatial-seasonal patterns of NO3− and F− pollution were shown by the principal component analysis, isotopic, and hydrochemical diagrams. The water-rock interaction or evaporation was crucial in the enrichment of F−. The human inputs (e.g., fertilizer or sewage) dominated fluoride and nitrate contamination. Additionally, the alkaline environment played a role in the generation of NO3− and F−. The health risk assessment concluded that the threat of fluoride contamination was greater than that of nitrate contamination. Children faced the greatest health risks, followed by females and males. These findings would serve as a guide for water management and pollution control in the Yellow River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The World Health Organization (WHO) supports increasing the availability and acceptability of long-acting reversible contraception including intra-uterine device (IUD), but its insertion includes certain risks (uterine perforation). The objective was to develop and validate an IUD insertion performance assessment checklist. Material and methods: This prospective study took place in hospitals and simulation center of the Poitou-Charentes region, France. The checklist content reached consensus among 10 experts solicited by a Delphi method. A modified gynecologic mannequin Zoe (Gaumard® ) was used for simulations. Psychometric testing included 30 multi-professional participants for internal consistency and reliability between two independent observers, and 27 residents for assessment of score evolution over time and reliability. Cronbach alpha (CA) and intraclass coefficient (ICC) were used. Progression of performance was carried out using ANOVA for repeated measures. The data collected were used to plot receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the score values and the area under the curve (AUC) was determined. Results: The checklist included 27 items (2 sections, total score = 27). Psychometric testing showed CA = 0.79, ICC = 0.99, and good clinical relevance. The checklist is discriminative, showing a significant increase in performance scores when the simulations were repeated (F = 77.6, p < 0.0001). ROC curve [AUC: 0.792 (95% CI: 0.71-0.89); p < 0.0001] revealed the best score cutoff predictive of 100% sensitivity, i.e., true positive rate or success rate. Performance score was highly correlated to success rate. The cut-off score guaranteeing successful IUD insertion was 22/27. Conclusions: This coherent and reproducible checklist for IUD insertion provide an objective assessment of the procedure during SBT, with the aim of obtaining a score ≥ 22/27. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The annotations used during the training process are crucial for the inference results of remote sensing images (RSIs) based on a deep learning framework. Unlabeled RSIs can be obtained relatively easily. However, pixel-level annotation is a process that necessitates a high level of expertise and experience. Consequently, the use of small sample training methods has attracted widespread attention as they help alleviate reliance on large amounts of high-quality labeled data and current deep learning methods. Moreover, research on small sample learning is still in its infancy owing to the unique challenges faced when completing semantic segmentation tasks with RSI. To better understand and stimulate future research that utilizes semantic segmentation tasks with small data, we summarized the supervised learning methods and challenges they face. We also reviewed the supervised approaches with data that are currently popular to help elucidate how to efficiently utilize a limited number of samples to address issues with semantic segmentation in RSI. The main methods discussed are self-supervised learning, semi-supervised learning, weakly supervised learning and few-shot methods. The solution of cross-domain challenges has also been discussed. Furthermore, multi-modal methods, prior knowledge constrained methods, and future research required to help optimize deep learning models for various downstream tasks in relation to RSI have been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the adoption of wastewater technologies in Africa with the view that wastewater reuse is one solution to the persistent problem of water stress and scarcity. The continent is straddled by a rising population and dwindling water supplies, compounded by climate change whose effect on agriculture would be highly consequential. We argue that this effect can be minimized by increasing wastewater reuse in agriculture for irrigation, as well as other uses that together serve to reduce water stress. However, for this to be achieved, constraints to household adoption of wastewater technologies need to be addressed. In this paper, we evaluate the relative importance of some these constraints in African countries. Using a proxy for household adoption of wastewater technologies in an empirical fractional response regression model, we find that the capacity constraints on the part of utilities to provide distributed wastewater technologies are not a crucial factor. Rather, affordability of such technologies, income, and utility level service quality are major obstacles to expanding wastewater technology adoption in the region. In addition to elucidating the dynamics of water innovation on the demand side in Africa, our results have practical and policy implications: They highlight the crucial role of institutional agents in the water innovation chain and provide insights to policy makers in water-stressed countries concerned about water management, especially in relation to potential interventions that promote and enhance improvements in waste water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate geographic data of slums are important for handling urban poverty issues. Previous slum mapping studies using high-resolution or very-high-resolution (HR/VHR) remotely sensed (RS) images are commonly not suitable for city-wide scale tasks. This study aims to efficiently generate a slum map on a city-wide scale using freely accessed multispectral medium-resolution (MR) Sentinel-2 images. Composite slum spectral indices (CSSIs) were initially proposed based on the shapes of spectral profiles of slums and nonslums and directly represent slum characteristics. Specifically, CSSI-1 denotes the normalized difference between the shortwave infrared bands and the red edge band, while CSSI-2 denotes the normalized difference between the blue band and the green band. Furthermore, two methods were developed to test the effectiveness of CSSIs on slum mapping, i.e., the threshold-based method and the machine learning (ML)-based method. Experimental results show that the threshold-based method and the ML-based method achieve intersection over unions (IoU) of 43.89% and 54.45% in Mumbai, respectively. The accuracies of our methods are comparable to or even higher than the accuracies reported by existing methods using HR/VHR images and transfer learning. The threshold-based method exhibits a promising performance in mapping slums larger than 5 ha, while the ML-based method refines mapping accuracies for slum pockets smaller than 5 ha. The threshold-based method and the ML-based method produced the slum map in Mumbai in 2 and 28 min, respectively. Our methods are suitable for rapid large-area slum mapping owing to the high data availability of Sentinel-2 images and high computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testing for bacteria in water is done based on intended purposes, such as drinking, producing ice, utilizing it in the house, producing water taps, and processing water. Bacterial growth and survival in water are influenced by environmental factors, which may have consequences for human health. The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the failing standard of water quality for consumption. Water quality data from the annual report of Regional Medical Sciences Center and meteorological data from the National Statistical Office of Thailand were obtained for the fiscal years 2002-2021. A logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with the failing standard of water quality for consumption. The findings revealed that 16.6% of the total sample did not meet the consumption standard, with Public Health Area (PHA) 11 and 12, failing at rates of 49.6% and 38.3%, respectively. Overall, water produced in PHA 11 was statistically (p-value < 0.05) substantially associated with bacterial contamination, which increased with production year, air temperature, and precipitation. In conclusion, environmental factors and other water quality were influential on biological water quality in Southern Thailand. Therefore, necessary measures must be taken to improve water quality standards in this area to safeguard the protection of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a site‐selective intermolecular C(sp3)−H alkylation of saccharides with electron‐deficient alkenes using photocatalysis by anthraquinone and tetrabutylammonium decatungstate (TBADT). The main reaction site of anthraquinone‐catalyzed C(sp3)−H alkylation is determined by the weakness of the C−H bond. The reaction site can be switched by changing the photocatalyst to TBADT, and the site‐selectivity is controlled by the steric hindrance between the bulkier TBADT photocatalyst and the substituents of the saccharides. The reaction is compatible with several electron‐deficient alkenes and saccharides, and provides C‐saccharides in good yields. Furthermore, the monoalkylated product was obtained in excellent yield, even on the gram scale, under TBADT photocatalysis. Applicability was demonstrated by site‐selective C(sp3)−H alkylation of glycosyl derivatives. The reactions proceed via a site‐selective hydrogen atom transfer between the photocatalyst and saccharide, and the generated carbon radical reacts with an electron‐deficient alkene to give alkylated products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taktic, an Amitraz-based insecticide, is commonly used in sub-Saharan Africa to treat cattle for ticks. Due to misuse in rural dipping pools, some ticks are showing resistance to Taktic. This work presents a low-cost e-nose with commercial sensors to monitor Taktic levels in dipping pool water. The device shows distinctly different measurements for the odours of air, distilled water, farm water, and four levels of Taktic insecticide in farm water. A naive Bayes algorithm with a Gaussian distribution is trained on the data and a validation set achieves a 96.5% accuracy. This work also compares two sol-gel ZnO nanoparticle solutions with an off-the-shelf ZnO nanoparticle ink for use as active material in chemiresistive gas sensors to be employed in an e-nose array. The ZnO solutions are screen-printed onto gold electrodes, auto-sintered with a built in heater, and used with UV illumination to operate as low-power, room temperature gas sensors. All of the screen-printed ZnO sensors show distinct changes in resistance when exposed to Taktic vapours under room temperature and humidity conditions. The custom room temperature ZnO gas sensors fabricated via facile and low-cost processes are suitable for future integration in a point-of-need microsystem for the detection of Taktic in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although wind farms have an undeniable beneficial impact on the environment, certain negative environmental implications do appear as a consequence of their operation. One of them is the production of noise. The wind farm noise values decrease with distance, so that at a certain point they are within the legally prescribed limits. This is the case for individual wind farms noise impact assessments. However, with two or more wind farms in the same area, there is a superposition of noise and a consequential change in the noise value. The focus of the paper is on the results of modeling noise propagation in space in the case of the cumulative impact of two neighboring wind farms. The results are modeled during the process of strategically assessing the environment so as to determine territorial impacts and make informed decisions about future development. The paper presents the strategic answer to the model of the spatial propagation of noise in cases of cumulative impact with a view to including the preventive protection principle in the planning of several adjacent wind farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although access to sanitation has been recognized as a fundamental human right, 3.6 billion people do not enjoy this right globally. In this group, the practice of unhealthy sanitation behaviors, such as open defecation (OD), is very common. To alleviate this problem, several governments in low-income countries have adopted Community-led Total Sanitation (CLTS). This is a participatory approach focused on ending OD and promoting good hygiene behaviors in target communities. This approach is centered around and highly depends upon a given community's willingness to adopt the practices it advocates. However, the determinant factors in a community's acceptance or refusal of these practices during and after CLTS implementation remain unclear. The aim of this paper is to highlight and categorize these factors to increase the sustainability of the approach. To achieve this, a study was conducted in the central-western region of Burkina Faso, where CLTS has successfully been deployed. We began this study by drawing a list of possible determinants through a literature review and grouping them into six categories. This enabled us to set up an evaluation matrix with scores for each factor and data collection tools. Scoring was based on the number of positive respondents for that factor. Data were then collected at the institutional, regional, local, and household levels from CLTS stakeholders to identify context-specific factors that underpinned behavior change in the surveyed villages. The literature review revealed six categories of acceptance factors. In our study, the importance of these factors according to our respondents were ranked in descending order as follows: environmental (C1 = 592), social (C2 = 390), governance (C4 = 247), territorial (C6 = 189), economic (C3 = 15), and technological (C5 = 0). The most frequently discussed factors obtained included the understanding of the health and economic consequences of OD (C1, score = 550); the popularity and reputation of Open Defecation-Free (ODF)-certified villages (C6, score = 179); men's desire to protect their wives' privacy (C2, score = 138); and women's understanding of the adverse effects of OD on their children's health (C2, score = 119). Incorporating the acceptance factors found in this study into future CLTS interventions will improve the effectiveness of the approach and increase the sustainability of ODF status in similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerated iron electrocoagulation is an emerging field of water and wastewater treatment. In comparison with the conventional electrocoagulation process, aerated iron electrocoagulation process has higher pollutant removal efficiency and has the ability to generate oxidants like ferryl ions, which are able to oxidize the pollutants such as arsenite and organic compounds effectively. In addition, carbon-based materials used as cathodes (instead of iron) in aerated electrocoagulation process (the process is also known as peroxi-coagulation) offer significant advantages in modified electrocoagulation studies, since they are non-corrosive and inert. Peroxi-coagulation is able to generate oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals, in addition to ferryl ions in aerated iron electrocoagulation process. For this reason, the uses of carbon-based materials such as graphite, and carbon nanotubes, as electrode materials are evaluated within the scope of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal agents have made incredible strides in preclinical research and clinical applications in recent years, but their short emission/absorption wavelengths continue to be a barrier to their distribution, therapeutic action, visual tracking, and efficacy evaluation. Nowadays, the near-infrared window (NIR, 650–1700 nm) provides a more accurate imaging and treatment option. Thus, there has been ongoing research focusing on developing multifunctional NIR metal agents for imaging and therapy that have deeper tissue penetration. The design, characteristics, bioimaging, and therapy of NIR metal agents are covered in this overview of papers and reports published to date. To start with, we focus on describing the structure, design strategies, and photophysical properties of metal agents from the NIR-I (650–1000 nm) to NIR-II (1000–1700 nm) region, in order of molecular metal complexes (MMCs), metal–organic complexes (MOCs), and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Next, the biomedical applications brought by these superior photophysical and chemical properties for more accurate imaging and therapy are discussed. Finally, we explore the challenges and prospects of each type of NIR metal agent for future biomedical research and clinical translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) as a novel eco-friendly bioremediation method has been applied tentatively in soil solidification and heavy metal stabilization. In order to deeply study the theoretical knowledge of MICP and its application in environmental engineering, this review summarizes the main mechanisms of MICP, including biosorption and biomineralization. It is proposed innovatively that bacterial cell wall and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) can provide ions binding sites during the process of biomineral nucleation due to negative charges and functional groups. Engineering properties of soil are regulated, such as increase of unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and shear stress, decrease of permeability and improvement of erosion resistance. Supposing the available CaCO3 content (CCC), UCS can be estimated by two boundary lines with an intersection angle of 2.72°. The great bioremediation capacity of metal cations/anions greatly depends upon carbonate precipitation/coprecipitation. Biotransformation and bioaccumulation of metal poisonousness should be considered as essential mechanisms in bacteria. Finally, according to the authors' knowledge, current deficiencies and future research directions for the technology were pointed out, which might be beneficial to the optimization, application and generalization of MICP technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Despite dramatic reductions in global risk exposures to unsafe water sources, lack of access to clean water remains a persistent problem in many rural and last-mile communities. A great deal is known about demand for household water treatment systems; however, similar evidence for fully treated water products is limited. This study evaluates an NGO-based potable water delivery service in rural Bihar, India, meant to stand-in for more robust municipal treated water supply systems that have yet to reach the area. We use a random price auction and discrete choice experiment to examine willingness to pay (WTP) and stated product preferences, respectively, for this service among 162 households in the region. We seek to determine the impact of short-term price subsidies on demand for water delivery and the extent to which participation in the delivery program leads to changes in stated preferences for service characteristics. We find that mean WTP for the first week of service is roughly 51% of market price and represents only 1.7% of median household income, providing evidence of untapped demand for fully treated water. We also find mixed evidence on the effect of small price subsidies for various parts of the delivery service, and that one week of initial participation leads to significant changes in stated preferences for the taste of the treated water as well as the convenience of the delivery service. While more evidence is needed on the effect of subsidies, our findings suggest that marketing on taste and convenience could help increase uptake of clean water delivery services in rural and last-mile communities that have yet to receive piped water. However, we caution that these services should be seen as a stopgap, not a substitute for piped municipal water systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]