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Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) for point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) have ushered in new possibilities for medical diagnostics in low-resource settings. This review explores the current landscape of AI applications in POCUS across these environments, analyzing studies sourced from three databases—SCOPUS, PUBMED, and Google Scholars. Initially, 1196 records were identified, of which 1167 articles were excluded after a two-stage screening, leaving 29 unique studies for review. The majority of studies focused on deep learning algorithms to facilitate POCUS operations and interpretation in resource-constrained settings. Various types of low-resource settings were targeted, with a significant emphasis on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), rural/remote areas, and emergency contexts. Notable limitations identified include challenges in generalizability, dataset availability, regional disparities in research, patient compliance, and ethical considerations. Additionally, the lack of standardization in POCUS devices, protocols, and algorithms emerged as a significant barrier to AI implementation. The diversity of POCUS AI applications in different domains (e.g., lung, hip, heart, etc.) illustrates the challenges of having to tailor to the specific needs of each application. By separating out the analysis by application area, researchers will better understand the distinct impacts and limitations of AI, aligning research and development efforts with the unique characteristics of each clinical condition. Despite these challenges, POCUS AI systems show promise in bridging gaps in healthcare delivery by aiding clinicians in low-resource settings. Future research endeavors should prioritize addressing the gaps identified in this review to enhance the feasibility and effectiveness of POCUS AI applications to improve healthcare outcomes in resource-constrained environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Esophageal carcinoma is the sixth-leading cause of cancer death worldwide. A precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is Barrett's Esophagus (BE). Early-stage diagnosis and treatment of esophageal neoplasia (Barrett's with high-grade dysplasia/intramucosal cancer) increase the five-year survival rate from 10% to 98%. BE is a global challenge; however, current endoscopes for early BE detection are costly and require extensive infrastructure for patient examination and sedation. We describe the design and evaluation of the first prototype of ScanCap, a high-resolution optical endoscopy system with a reusable, low-cost tethered capsule, designed to provide high-definition, blue-green illumination imaging for the early detection of BE in unsedated patients. The tethered capsule (12.8 mm diameter, 35.5 mm length) contains a color camera and rotating mirror and is designed to be swallowed; images are collected as the capsule is retracted manually via the tether. The tether provides electrical power and illumination at wavelengths of 415 nm and 565 nm and transmits data from the camera to a tablet. The ScanCap prototype capsule was used to image the oral mucosa in normal volunteers and ex vivo esophageal resections; images were compared to those obtained using an Olympus CV-180 endoscope. Images of superficial capillaries in intact oral mucosa were clearly visible in ScanCap images. Diagnostically relevant features of BE, including irregular Z-lines, distorted mucosa, and dilated vasculature, were clearly visible in ScanCap images of ex vivo esophageal specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilization of ultrasound imaging for early visualization has been imperative in disease detection, especially in the first responder setting. Over the past decade, rapid advancements in the underlying technology of ultrasound have allowed for the development of portable point-of-care ultrasounds (POCUS) with handheld devices. The application of POCUS is versatile, as seen by its use in pulmonary, cardiovascular, and neonatal imaging, among many others. However, despite these advances, there is an inherent inability of translating POCUS devices to low-resource settings (LRS). To bridge these gaps, the implementation of artificial intelligence offers an interesting opportunity. Our work reviews recent applications of POCUS devices within LRS from 2016 to 2023, identifying the most commonly utilized clinical applications and areas where further innovation is needed. Furthermore, we pinpoint areas of POCUS technologies that can be improved using state-of-art artificial intelligence technologies, thus enabling the widespread adoption of POCUS devices in low-resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Most individuals are diagnosed after systemic spread of oral cancer, when treatment options and outcomes remain poor. Poor screening accuracy and lack of specialist access constitute critical barriers to improving outcomes, especially with high-risk individuals who typically have low resources and poor access to health care. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact on referral compliance in 60 subjects who had chosen either a novel in-home telehealth-specialist visit or a conventional in-person specialist visit. After 6 months, 30% of subjects had completed an in-person visit, vs. 83% who had completed a telehealth visit. Overall, 72.5% of subjects who had chosen a remote first specialist visit had received diagnosis and a treatment plan by the study end, vs. 25% of individuals in the in-person specialist group. A two-step approach that uses telehealth to overcome barriers may improve specialist referral compliance in low-resource individuals with increased OC risk. Efforts are underway to improve the accuracy of non-specialist screening for oral cancer (OC) risk, yet better screening will only translate into improved outcomes if at-risk individuals comply with specialist referral. Most individuals from low-resource, minority, and underserved (LRMU) populations fail to complete a specialist referral for OC risk. The goal was to evaluate the impact of a novel approach on specialist referral compliance in individuals with a positive OC risk screening outcome. A total of 60 LRMU subjects who had screened positive for increased OC risk were recruited and given the choice of referral for an in-person (20 subjects) or a telehealth (40 subjects) specialist visit. Referral compliance was tracked weekly over 6 months. Compliance was 30% in the in-person group, and 83% in the telehealth group. Approximately 83–85% of subjects from both groups who had complied with the first specialist referral complied with a second follow-up in-person specialist visit. Overall, 72.5% of subjects who had chosen a remote first specialist visit had entered into the continuum of care by the study end, vs. 25% of individuals in the in-person specialist group. A two-step approach that uses telehealth to overcome barriers may improve specialist referral compliance in LRMU individuals with increased OC risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Job satisfaction and burnout are components of job morale. In general, and among healthcare provider personnel, these are psychological factors of the job and under the influence of different conditions and the organizational management of the healthcare systems. Both job burnout and job satisfaction among healthcare service providers have received scant attention in the literature, particularly in the healthcare systems of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) as one low- or middle-income country (LMIC). The burnout rate and job satisfaction in a daycare center for children with autism spectrum disorders were reviewed and measured using a sample consisting of 34 employees from three different sections. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Third Edition (MBI-3) and the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) were used. The relationships between the two scales and their consisting factors were examined using Pearson Correlation and Chi-square test to understand the correlation and levels of significant difference between the expected and the observed frequencies. There was a significant negative correlation between job burnout and satisfaction with the job and some significant correlations between the factors of the scales. Lower levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization factors of the burnout scale were statistically correlated. It was shown that the personnel were mainly satisfied with their jobs through their choices in the four parts of the job satisfaction scale. Further investigations are needed to understand different contributing factors to job satisfaction and burnout among healthcare providers in KRI. The current study might highlight the importance of understanding the healthcare providers' perspectives on their careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Tumor ablation is the process of directly destroying tumor tissue by injecting a cytotoxic substance, in this case, ethanol ethylcellulose. In this report, we characterized the effect of ablation on local and systemic immunologic markers known to impact disease progression in several mouse models. Ablation improved overall survival in poorly invasive breast cancer models and was notable for demonstrating an increase in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. However, in a metastatic breast cancer model, the response to ablation was more nuanced: the growth of the primary tumor was only modestly slowed compared to controls, and there was a reduction in pro-tumor granulocytic myeloid derived suppressor cells (gMDSCs) with a reduction in metastatic disease. A single ablation reduced circulating granulocytic colony stimulating factor, tumoral gMDSCs, splenic gMDSCs, and pulmonary gMDSCs, as well as the suppressive ability of MDSCs on CD4 and CD8 T cells. The immunomodulation incited by tumor ablation was utilized to recover response to checkpoint inhibitors, resulting in increased overall survival compared to checkpoint inhibitors alone, demonstrating a proof-of-concept for using ethanol ablation as an adjuvant immunomodulatory therapy. Ethanol ablation is a minimally invasive, cost-effective method of destroying tumor tissue through an intratumoral injection of high concentrations of cytotoxic alcohol. Ethyl-cellulose ethanol (ECE) ablation, a modified version of ethanol ablation, contains the phase-changing polysaccharide ethyl-cellulose to reduce ethanol leakage away from the tumor. Ablation produces tissue necrosis and initiates a wound healing process; however, the characteristic of the immunologic events after ECE ablation of tumors has yet to be explored. Models of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which are classically immunosuppressive and difficult to treat clinically, were used to characterize the immunophenotypic changes after ECE ablation. In poorly invasive TNBC rodent models, the injury to the tumor induced by ECE increased tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and reduced tumor growth. In a metastatic TNBC model (4T1), TILs did not increase after ECE ablation, though lung metastases were reduced. 4T1 tumors secrete high levels of granulocytic colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), which induces a suppressive milieu of granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (gMDSCs) aiding in the formation of metastases and suppression of antitumor immunity. We found that a single intratumoral injection of ECE normalized tumor-induced myeloid changes: reducing serum G-CSF and gMDSC populations. ECE also dampened the suppressive strength of gMDSC on CD4 and CD8 cell proliferation, which are crucial for anti-tumor immunity. To demonstrate the utility of these findings, ECE ablation was administered before checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy in the 4T1 model and was found to significantly increase survival compared to a control of saline and CPI. Sixty days after tumor implant no primary tumors or metastatic lung lesions were found in 6/10 mice treated with CPI plus ECE, compared to 1/10 with ECE alone and 0/10 with CPI and saline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Easy and robust antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) methods are essential in clinical bacteriology laboratories (CBL) in low-resource settings (LRS). We evaluated the Beckman Coulter MicroScan lyophilized broth microdilution panel designed to support Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) CBL activity in difficult settings, in particular with the Mini-Lab. We evaluated the custom-designed MSF MicroScan Gram-pos microplate (MICPOS1) for Staphylococcus and Enterococcus species, MSF MicroScan Gram-neg microplate (MICNEG1) for Gram-negative bacilli, and MSF MicroScan Fastidious microplate (MICFAST1) for Streptococci and Haemophilus species using 387 isolates from routine CBLs from LRS against the reference methods. Results showed that, for all selected antibiotics on the three panels, the proportion of the category agreement was above 90% and the proportion of major and very major errors was below 3%, as per ISO standards. The use of the Prompt inoculation system was found to increase the MIC and the major error rate for some antibiotics when testing Staphylococci. The readability of the manufacturer's user manual was considered challenging for low-skilled staff. The inoculations and readings of the panels were estimated as easy to use. In conclusion, the three MSF MicroScan MIC panels performed well against clinical isolates from LRS and provided a convenient, robust, and standardized AST method for use in CBL in LRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bloodstream infections and antimicrobial resistance are an increasing problem in low-income countries. There is a clear need for adapted diagnostic tools. To address this need, we developed a simple, universal reader prototype that detects bacterial growth in blood culture bottles. Our "turbidimeter" evaluates bacterial growth, based on the turbidity of the broth and the color change of the colorimetric CO2 indicator in commercially available blood culture bottles. A total of 60 measurements were performed using 10 relevant microbial species, spiked in horse blood, to compare the turbidimeter's performance with that of an automatic reference system. The turbidimeter was able to detect growth in all but one of the spiked blood culture bottles. In the majority (7/10) of the species tested, time-to-detection of the turbidimeter was shown to be non-inferior to the reference automated time-to-detection. This was, however, only the case when both the turbidity and color change in the colorimetric CO2-indicator were used to evaluate growth. We could not demonstrate the non-inferiority of the turbidity measurement alone. Overall, the turbidimeter performed well, but we also identified some improvements that will be implemented in the next version of the prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted with objectives to measure and validate the unified theory of the acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model as well as to identify the predictors of mobile health (mHealth) technology adoption among healthcare professionals in limited-resource settings. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at the six public and private hospitals in the two districts (Lodhran and Multan) of Punjab, Pakistan. The participants of the study comprised healthcare professionals (registered doctors and nurses) working in the participating hospitals. The findings of the seven-factor measurement model showed that behavioral intention (BI) to mHealth adoption is significantly influenced by performance expectancy (β = 0.504, CR = 5.064, p < 0.05) and self-concept (β = 0.860, CR = 5.968, p < 0.05) about mHealth technologies. The findings of the structural equation model (SEM) showed that the model is acceptable (χ 2 (df = 259) = 3.207; p = 0.000; CFI = 0.891, IFI = 0.892, TLI = 0.874, RMSEA = 0.084). This study suggests that the adoption of mHealth can significantly help in improving people's access to quality healthcare resources and services as well as help in reducing costs and improving healthcare services. This study is significant in terms of identifying the predictors that play a determining role in the adoption of mHealth among healthcare professionals. This study presents an evidence-based model that provides an insight to policymakers, health organizations, governments, and political leaders in terms of facilitating, promoting, and implementing mHealth adoption plans in low-resource settings, which can significantly reduce health disparities and have a direct impact on health promotion.

In many developing nations, cervical cancer screening is done by visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of such screening programs is challenging. An enhanced visual assessment (EVA) system was developed to augment VIA procedures in low-resource settings. The EVA System consists of a mobile colposcope built around a smartphone, and an online image portal for storing and annotating images. A smartphone app is used to control the mobile colposcope, and upload pictures to the image portal. In this paper, a new app feature that documents clinical decisions using an integrated job aid was deployed in a cervical cancer screening camp in Kenya. Six organizations conducting VIA used the EVA System to screen 824 patients over the course of a week, and providers recorded their diagnoses and treatments in the application. Real-time aggregated statistics were broadcast on a public website. Screening organizations were able to assess the number of patients screened, alongside treatment rates, and the patients who tested positive and required treatment in real time, which allowed them to make adjustments as needed. The real-time M&E enabled by "smart" diagnostic medical devices holds promise for broader use in screening programs in low-resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme point-of-care (POC) testing for infections, as performed (endured) in low-resource settings, developing countries, tropical areas, or in conditions following emergency crises or natural disasters, must be undertaken under environmental, logistic, and societal conditions which impose a significant deal of stress on local human populations and healthcare providers. For disease diagnostics or management, simple and robust biomedical equipment and reagents are required and needed. This chapter aims to overview some of these stresses (requirements) and intends to describe some of the solutions already engineered at the heart of centripetal (centrifugal) microfluidic platforms such as that of GenePOC Inc. to enable rapid, robust, and reproducible nucleic acid-based diagnostics of infectious diseases, to better control the morbidity and mortality of infections and the expanding threat posed by antimicrobial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tranexamic acid (TXA) effectively reduces bleeding in women with postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in hospital settings. To guide policies and practices, this rapid scoping review undertaken by two reviewers aimed to examine how TXA is utilized in lower-level maternity care settings in low-resource settings. Articles were searched in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Emcare, the Maternity and Infant Care Database, the Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-Based Practice Database, and the Cochrane Library from January 2011 to September 2021. We included non-randomized and randomized research looking at the feasibility, acceptability, and health system implications in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Relevant information was retrieved using pre-tested forms. Findings were descriptively synthesized. Out of 129 identified citations, 23 records were eligible for inclusion, including 20 TXA effectiveness studies, two economic evaluations, and one mortality modeling. Except for the latter, all the studies were conducted in lower-middle-income countries and most occurred in tertiary referral hospitals. When compared to placebo or other medications, TXA was found effective in both treating and preventing PPH during vaginal and cesarean delivery. If made available in home and clinic settings, it can reduce PPH-related mortality. TXA could be cost-effective when used with non-surgical interventions to treat refractory PPH. Capacity building of service providers appears to need time-intensive training and supportive monitoring. No studies were exploring TXA acceptability from the standpoint of providers, as well as the implications for health governance and information systems. There is a scarcity of information on how to prepare the health system and services to incorporate TXA in lower-level maternity care facilities in low-resource settings. Implementation research is critically needed to assist practitioners and decision-makers in establishing a TXA-inclusive PPH treatment package to reduce PPH-related death and disability.

To evaluate the teaching effect of a trauma training program in emergency cranial neurosurgery in Cambodia on surgical outcomes for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). We analyzed the data of TBI patients who received emergency burr-hole trephination or craniotomy from a prospective, descriptive cohort study at the Military Region 5 Hospital between January 2015 and December 2016. TBI patients who underwent emergency cranial neurosurgery were primarily young men, with acute epidural hematoma (EDH) and acute subdural hematoma (SDH) as the most common diagnoses and with long transfer delay. The incidence of favorable outcomes three months after chronic intracranial hematoma, acute SDH, acute EDH, and acute intracerebral hematoma were 96.28%, 89.2%, 93%, and 97.1%, respectively. Severe traumatic brain injury was associated with long-term unfavorable outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale of 1-3) (OR = 23.9, 95% CI: 3.1-184.4). Surgical outcomes at 3 months appeared acceptable. This program in emergency cranial neurosurgery was successful in the study hospital, as evidenced by the fact that the relevant surgical capacity of the regional hospital increased from zero to an acceptable level.

Heat-stable carbetocin (HSC), a long-acting oxytocin analogue that does not require cold-chain transportation and storage, is effective in preventing postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) in vaginal and caesarean deliveries in tertiary-care settings. We aimed to identify literature documenting how it is implemented in resource-limited and lower-level maternity care settings to inform policies and practices that enable its introduction in these contexts. A rapid scoping review was conducted with an 8-week timeframe by two reviewers. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Emcare, the Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-Based Practice Database, the Maternity and Infant Care Database, and the Cochrane Library were searched for publications in English, French, and Spanish from January 2011 to September 2021. Randomized and non-randomized studies examining the feasibility, acceptability, and health system considerations in low-income and lower-middle-income countries were included. Relevant data were extracted using pretested forms, and results were synthesized descriptively. The search identified 62 citations, of which 12 met the eligibility criteria. The review did not retrieve studies focusing on acceptability and health system considerations to inform HSC implementation in low-resource settings. There were no studies located in rural or lower-level maternity settings. Two economic evaluations concluded that HSC is not feasible in terms of cost-effectiveness in lower-middle-income economies with private sector pricing, and a third one found superior care costs in births with PPH than without. The other nine studies focused on demonstrating HSC effectiveness for PPH prevention in tertiary hospital settings. There is a lack of evidence on the feasibility (beyond cost-effectiveness), acceptability, and health system considerations related to implementing HSC in resource-constrained and lower-level maternity facilities. Further implementation research is needed to help decision-makers and practitioners offer an HSC-inclusive intervention package to prevent excessive bleeding among pregnant women living in settings where oxytocin is not available or of dubious quality.

Single-visit "screen-and-treat" strategies using visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and cryotherapy (liquid nitrous oxide ablation) in low-resource settings are commonly used to detect and treat precancerous lesions for cervical cancer prevention. This study compared VIA sensitivity and specificity in rural indigenous Guatemalan communities, to that of oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for detection of precancerous changes, using cytology as the reference standard. Between 3-8 September 2017, trained nurses examined 222 women aged 23-58 years with VIA. Specimens for liquid-based cytology and HPV testing were obtained prior to VIA with a cytobrush and transported in PreservCyt to a US clinical laboratory. VIA and HPV test sensitivities were assessed as proportions of women with abnormal cytology that had abnormal VIA or HPV results, respectively, and specificities, as proportions with normal cytology with normal VIA or negative HPV tests. Of 222 women, 18 (8.1%) had abnormal cytology (1 carcinoma in a participant who received VIA-based cryotherapy in 2015, 4 high- and 5 low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, and 8 atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS)). Excluding ASCUS, sensitivities of VIA and HPV were 20.0% and 100%, respectively. VIA-based screening may not be acceptable for detecting precancerous lesions, and field cryotherapy for preventing malignancy. The World Health Organization recommended in 2021 "…using HPV DNA detection as the primary screening test rather than VIA or cytology".

Field-applicable, high-quality, and low-cost diagnostic tools are urgently needed for Taenia solium. The aim of this paper is to describe the design, challenges, and rationale for the design of a diagnostic accuracy study in low-resource community settings in Zambia. The trial was designed as a prospective study with a two-stage design to evaluate a new point-of-care test (TS POC) for the detection of taeniosis and (neuro)cysticercosis. Participants within randomly selected households were tested with the TS POC test (index test). Participants who tested TS POC positive for taeniosis and/or cysticercosis and a subset of the negatives were requested to give blood and stool samples for reference testing, and to undergo clinical examination and a cerebral CT scan. The difficulties of conducting a clinical trial in settings with limited research and neuroimaging infrastructure as well as peculiarities specifically related to the disease (low prevalence of taeniosis and the lack of a gold standard) were taken into consideration for the design of this study. The two-stage design increased the efficiency of the study by reducing the number of samples, clinical examinations, and CT scans. Simplified flows and sampling processes were preferred over complex follow-up and randomization systems, aiming to reduce bias and increase the generalizability of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial identification is challenging in low-resource settings (LRS). We evaluated the MicroScan identification panels (Beckman Coulter, Brea, CA, USA) as part of Médecins Sans Frontières' Mini-lab Project. The MicroScan Dried Overnight Positive ID Type 3 (PID3) panels for Gram-positive organisms and Dried Overnight Negative ID Type 2 (NID2) panels for Gram-negative organisms were assessed with 367 clinical isolates from LRS. Robustness was studied by inoculating Gram-negative species on the Gram-positive panel and vice versa. The ease of use of the panels and readability of the instructions for use (IFU) were evaluated. Of species represented in the MicroScan database, 94.6% (185/195) of Gram-negative and 85.9% (110/128) of Gram-positive isolates were correctly identified up to species level. Of species not represented in the database (e.g., Streptococcus suis and Bacillus spp.), 53.1% out of 49 isolates were incorrectly identified as non-related bacterial species. Testing of Gram-positive isolates on Gram-negative panels and vice versa (n = 144) resulted in incorrect identifications for 38.2% of tested isolates. The readability level of the IFU was considered too high for LRS. Inoculation of the panels was favorably evaluated, whereas the visual reading of the panels was considered error-prone. In conclusion, the accuracy of the MicroScan identification panels was excellent for Gram-negative species and good for Gram-positive species. Improvements in stability, robustness, and ease of use have been identified to assure adaptation to LRS constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to identify the engagement strategies that higher education students, engaging in emergency online learning in low-resource settings, perceive to be effective. We conducted a sequential mixed-methods study based on Moore's interaction framework for distance education. We administered a questionnaire to 313 students engaging in emergency online learning in low-resource settings to examine their perceptions of different engagement strategies. Our results showed that student–content engagement strategies, e.g., screen sharing, summaries, and class recordings, are perceived as the most effective, closely followed by student–teacher strategies, e.g., Q and A sessions and reminders. Student–student strategies, e.g., group chat and collaborative work, are perceived as the least effective. The perceived effectiveness of engagement strategies varies based on the students' gender and technology access. To support instructors, instructional designers, and researchers, we propose a 10-level guide for engaging students during emergency online classes in low-resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate assistive technology has the potential to considerably enhance quality of life, access to health and education, and social and economic participation for people with disabilities. Most disabled people in the world live in low- and middle-income countries where access to assistive devices and other support is severely lacking. There is little evidence that describes contextually relevant approaches to meeting these needs, particularly in African countries. We provide a detailed description of a South African organisation which has manufactured mobility and seating devices for children with disabilities since 1992. The Shonaquip Social Enterprise (SSE) also trains and builds capacity among a wide range of stakeholders (caregivers, health workers, educators, government, and communities) to acknowledge and advocate for the wellbeing of disabled children and adults, and works closely with government to strengthen existing service provisions. Using examples from the SSE, we highlight a number of useful principles to consider when trying to provide for the needs of people with disabilities, particularly in low-resource settings. While access to assistive devices is important, devices have limited capacity to improve participation if the broader environment is overly restrictive and stigmatising. Improved access to devices ought to be situated within a range of broader efforts to increase the inclusion and participation of people with disabilities.

We conducted a cross-sectional study among 194 pregnant women from two low-income settings in Cambodia. The inclusion period lasted from October 2015 through December 2017. Maternal serum samples were analyzed for persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The aim was to study potential effects on birth outcomes. We found low levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCP), except for heptachlors, β-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), heptachlor epoxide, and p,p'-DDE. There were few differences between the two study locations. However, the women from the poorest areas had significantly higher concentrations of p,p'-DDE ( p < 0.001) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) ( p = 0.002). The maternal factors associated with exposure were parity, age, residential area, and educational level. Despite low maternal levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, we found significant negative associations between the PCB congeners 99 (95% CI: -2.51 to -0.07), 138 (95% CI: -1.28 to -0.32), and 153 (95% CI: -1.06 to -0.05) and gestational age. Further, there were significant negative associations between gestational age, birth length, and maternal levels of o,p'-DDE. Moreover, o,p'-DDD had positive associations with birth weight, and both p,p'-DDD and o,p'-DDE were positively associated with the baby's ponderal index. The poorest population had higher exposure and less favorable outcomes.

Architectural design plays a crucial role in sustainable city development. In fast-growing cities in developing countries, it can be a challenge to reach sustainable results. In this paper, we propose the use of Empathic Design, borrowed from the human-centered design field, as one means to support the work of architects and other stakeholders in these settings. To investigate aspects in which this method could be helpful, we have synthesized two existing sustainability models and applied them to three examples of affordable housing from different low-resource settings. After analysis of the examples, we propose a model with an equal balance between the four different dimensions of sustainability—environmental, economic, social, and cultural—where the aspects that need inhabitant engagement are highlighted. We argue that, to be able to hold the balance between the diverse dimensions of sustainability, the architect needs to understand in-depth the living conditions of people for whom he or she is designing. This calls for a fine-tuned participatory approach when designing in low-resource settings. It may not always be easy to reach this level of participation, but we propose that it can be achieved when the architecture is created through empathic involvement. The use of Empathic Design methods throughout the design process thus supports the endeavor towards sustainable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Chest ultrasound (CUS) has been shown to be a sensitive and specific imaging modality for pneumothorax, pneumonia, and pleural effusions. However, the role of chest ultrasound in the diagnosis of thoracic tuberculosis (TB) is uncertain. We performed a systematic search in the medical literature to better define the potential role and value of chest ultrasound in diagnosing thoracic tuberculosis. Aim : To describe existing literature with regard to the diagnostic value of chest ultrasound in thoracic tuberculosis. Methods : MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Scopus databases were searched for relevant articles. We included studies that used chest ultrasound for the diagnosis or management of any form of thoracic tuberculosis, including pulmonary, pleural, mediastinal, and military forms. Results : We identified five main fields of chest ultrasound application: (1) Detection, characterization, and quantification of TB; (2) detection of residual pleural thickening after evacuation; (3) chest ultrasound-guided needle biopsy; (4) identification of pathologic mediastinal lymph nodes in children; and (5) identification of parenchymal ultrasound patterns. Effusion was also detected, in early stages, with signs of organization in 24⁻100% of patients. A low to moderate (10⁻23%), false negative rate was reported for chest ultrasound-guided needle biopsy. CUS was able to identify mediastinal lymph nodes in as many as 67% of patients with negative chest radiography. Conclusions : Very few studies with important methodological limitations analyze the role of chest ultrasound in the diagnosis of TB. The scarce available data suggests potential targets of future diagnostic or feasibility trials, such as the detection of tuberculosis⁻related pleural effusion, residual pleural thickening, lymphadenopathy, TB parenchymal patterns, or the use of CUS in biopsy guidance.