Organization Guidelines Research Articles

International standard of Traditional Chinese Medicine techniques: clinical guidelines for dysmenorrhea (2022).

Dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological condition that is further divided into two categories, namely primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) gives good clinical results for the treatment of dysmenorrhea based on the basic principles of holistic view and syndrome differentiation. However, presently, the clinical practice guidelines in TCM for dysmenorrhea treatment are required. The guideline is formulated in strict accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine with reference to the General Principles for the Compilation of International Guidelines for Diagnosis and Treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes and General Principles for the Compilation of International Clinical Practice Guidelines for Traditional Chinese Medicine Diseases and accordance with the principles and methods of The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation in China (AGREE-China) and World Health Organization guidelines. This guideline includes clinical issues by literature search and questionnaire survey, and eight background questions and 23 prospect questions were finally created. Based on the evidence retrieval, synthesis, consideration of patient preferences and values, intervention costs, advantages, and disadvantages, recommendations are created using the Delphi method and expert consensus method. This guideline clarified the definition, diagnosis, and TCM syndrome classification for dysmenorrhea, and recommends different TCM treatments based on the level of evidence, including Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese patent medicine, acupuncture, and other auxiliary therapies. The present guideline is an international clinical practice guideline for the treatment of dysmenorrhea using TCM. This guideline will provide substantive evidence and standardized guidance for the treatment of dysmenorrhea using TCM, improve the quality and safety of medical services, and standardize diagnosis and treatment plans for dysmenorrhea.

Salivary Statherin as a Dental Caries Biomarker among a Sample of Adolescents in Baghdad City

Background: Dental caries represents a multifaceted disease impacting teenagers across the globe. A combination of factors, including fermentable carbohydrates, acid-producing bacteria, saliva, and host-related characteristics, influences its development. Salivary statherin controls microorganisms by aggregating them and preventing them from adhering to hard tissue and epithelium. Salivary statherin may maintain tooth integrity. Objective: This research investigated the potential of salivary statherin as a biomarker for dental caries, examining its connection to the nutritional status of adolescents. Subjects and Methods: This comparative (observational) research included 90 15-year-old adolescents of both sexes. Participants were divided into two distinct groups: 30 individuals without caries, serving as the control group, and 60 individuals with caries, referred to as the study group. Following the World Health Organization guidelines, adolescents with varying caries experiences were further categorized. Thirty of them exhibited a moderate level of caries, with 1 to 3 affected teeth, while the remaining thirty were classified as having severe caries, with a Decay-Missing-Filled Teeth (DMFT) score greater than 10. The DMFT Index measured caries experience. Salivary statherin analysis from unstimulated saliva. Height, weight, and body mass index measured nutrition, classifying adolescents as normal weight, overweight, or obese. Results: Statherin levels decreased with the severity of caries increasing. There was a significant result in the overweight, healthy, and total sample among caries severity groups (P value <= 0.05). There was a significant difference in the severe caries group, while statherin levels increased with nutritional status (P value ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: Caries severity reduces salivary statherin. In severe caries patients, nutritional status increased salivary statherin. Dietary status and dental caries severity affected statherin levels. No association was found between statherin levels and salivary pH or flow rate across different nutritional statuses or caries severity groups. However, salivary statherin may play a role in maintaining tooth integrity

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs): A Legal Perspective on Corporate Governance, Securities Compliance, and Regulatory Challenges

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) have emerged as a notable money related instrument, offering exclusive organisations an elective course to open up to the world without the complexities of standard Beginning public contributions. These limitless free pass associations raise upholds through a First sale of stock with the sole inspiration driving meeting with or obtaining an ongoing business. Nevertheless, SPACs in like manner raise essential real challenges associated with corporate organisation, legal administrator commitments, securities consistence, and market straightforwardness. Allies and administrators of SPACs ought to adhere to extreme organisation guidelines to avoid hostile conditions and assurance financial backer protection. Authoritative bodies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the U.S. likewise, SEBI in India have analysed SPACs, focusing in on openness practices, the risks of debilitating, and monetary supporter assurances. The cross-line nature of some SPAC trades further jumbles the legal scene, requiring wary thought with respect to charge, new exchange, and combination control rules. As SEBI examines a design to work with SPACs in India, counterbalancing improvement with rule will be essential for empowering business area trust and efficient turn of events. This paper offers pieces of information into the progressing managerial environment and what the future holds troubles defying SPACs all over the planet.

Functional analysis of G6PD variants associated with low G6PD activity in the All of Us Research Program.

The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) enzyme protects red blood cells against oxidative damage. Individuals with G6PD-impairing polymorphisms are at risk of hemolytic anemia from oxidative stressors. Prevention of G6PD deficiency-related hemolytic anemia is achievable by identifying affected individuals through G6PD genetic testing. However, accurately predicting the clinical consequence of G6PD variants is limited by over 800 G6PD variants which remain of uncertain significance (VUS). There also remains inconsistency in which deficiency-causing variants are included in genetic testing arrays: many institutions only test c.202G > A, though dozens of other variants can cause G6PD deficiency. Here, we improve G6PD genotype interpretations using the All of Us Research Program data and a yeast functional assay. We confirm that G6PD coding variants are the main contributor to decreased G6PD activity and that 13% of individuals in the All of Us data with deficiency-causing variants would be missed by only genotyping for c.202G > A. We expand clinical interpretation for G6PD VUS, reporting that c.595A > G ("Dagua" or "Açores") and the novel variant c.430C > G reduce activity sufficiently to lead to G6PD deficiency. We also provide evidence that 5 missense VUS are unlikely to lead to G6PD deficiency, and we applied the new World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to recommend classifying 2 synonymous variants as WHO Class C. In total, we provide new or updated clinical interpretations for 9 G6PD variants. We anticipate these results will improve the accuracy, and prompt increased use, of G6PD genetic tests through a more complete clinical interpretation of G6PD variants.

Update in Asthma Management in Low-Middle Income Countries.

Asthma represents a significant global health burden, particularly in low and middle income countries (LMICs), where its impact is disproportionately severe. In these regions, asthma management is characterized by poorer control and greater mortality rates compared to wealthier nations. The prevalence of asthma is on the rise and demographic trends indicate that there would be a greater burden on children given that they represent a larger proportion of the population pyramid in LMICs. Challenges in addressing asthma in LMICs are various, amongst them: health care systems in these countries predominantly focus on acute and infectious diseases, leading to inadequate attention to chronic illnesses. Access to essential controller medications (inhaled corticosteroids) is often limited and availability tends to fluctuate. Infraestructural deficiencies and difficult health care access are also identified barriers. Furthermore, many LMICs struggle to meet the World Health Organization's (WHO) guidelines that are set for a minimum standard of care for asthma treatment. Suggested approaches should be aimed at: foment commitment from local health care providers and governmental involvement on policies to meet minimum standards of care (emphasis on continuous access to controller medications) Equally significant is the implementation of policies designed to augment educational strategies (health care professionals and general population), reduce smoking rates and air pollution.

The Possibility of Using Hydrogen as a Green Alternative to Traditional Marine Fuels on an Offshore Vessel Serving Wind Farms

Achieving the required decarbonisation targets by the shipping industry requires a transition to technologies with zero or near-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One promising shipping fuel with zero emission of exhaust gases (including CO2) is green hydrogen. This type of fuel, recognised as a 100% clean solution, is being investigated for feasible use on a service offshore vessel (SOV) working for offshore wind farms. This study aims to examine whether hydrogen may be used on an SOV in terms of the technical and economic challenges associated with the design process and other factors. In the analyses, a reference has been made to the current International Maritime Organization (IMO) guidelines and regulations. In this study, it was assumed that hydrogen would be directly combusted in a reciprocating internal combustion engine. This engine type was reviewed. In further research, hydrogen fuel cell propulsion systems will also be considered. The hydrogen demand was calculated for the assumed data of the SOV, and then the volume and number of high-pressure tanks were estimated. The analyses revealed that the SOV cannot undertake 14-day missions using hydrogen fuel stored in cylinders on board. These cylinders occupy 66% of the ship’s current volume, and their weight, including the modular system, accounts for 62% of its deadweight. The costs are over 100% higher compared to MDO and LNG fuels and 30% higher than methanol. The actual autonomy of the SOV with hydrogen fuel is 3 days.

Features of particle-phase PAHs from traffic emissions using tunnel measurement and urban roadside observation in China

Vehicle emissions are recognized as a primary source of particle-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), significant contributors to the hazardous properties of PM2.5. This study investigates the profiles of PAHs through measurements conducted in a tunnel and an urban roadside environment in 2020. We quantified real-world vehicle emission factors for mixed fleets in the Zhongshu tunnel in Guizhou, southwest China, and found that the total PAHs had an emission factor of 8.15 μg veh-1km-1, with higher factors observed for high-ring PAHs. Additionally, we analyzed concentrations of 15 PAHs at a roadside environment in Hefei, southern China, with an average concentration of 23.81 ng/m3. PAHs with 4, 5, and 6 rings comprised 80% of total PAHs at the roadside and 87% in the tunnel. Gasoline emissions were the predominant source in both the tunnel and roadside environments, supplemented by non-tailpipe emissions, catering, domestic cooking, and asphalt from road surfaces. Notably, while the total toxicity equivalent concentration of Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) significantly exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines of 1 ng/m3, the presence of additional compounds such as Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene (DahA) markedly increased the toxicological impact of PM2.5 from vehicle emissions. Therefore, it is essential to implement targeted pollution control strategies in central urban areas that address not only the overall concentration of PAHs but also their specific toxic contributions Continuous monitoring and assessment of PAHs in the urban environment are indispensable for effectively reducing their health impacts.

AI-Driven Predictive Maintenance in Data Infrastructure: A Multi-Modal Framework for Enhanced System Reliability

This article presents a comprehensive framework for implementing artificial intelligence-driven predictive maintenance in modern data infrastructure environments. While traditional maintenance approaches have relied on reactive or scheduled interventions, the proposed framework leverages multiple AI technologies, including machine learning, natural language processing, and reinforcement learning, to create a proactive maintenance ecosystem. The methodology integrates diverse data streams from infrastructure components, including sensor data, system logs, and historical maintenance records, to predict potential failures and optimize maintenance schedules. The approach combines time series analysis for trend identification, natural language processing for unstructured data analysis, and reinforcement learning for dynamic schedule optimization. Implementation across multiple case studies, including cloud service providers and manufacturing environments, demonstrates significant improvements in system reliability, reduction in unplanned downtime, and optimization of maintenance resource allocation. The results indicate that AI-driven predictive maintenance substantially outperforms traditional approaches in both accuracy and cost-effectiveness. This article contributes to the growing field of intelligent infrastructure management and provides practical guidelines for organizations seeking to enhance their data infrastructure reliability through advanced predictive maintenance strategies.

PUBLIC POLICIES DEVELOPED IN WOMEN'S PRISONS IN ARGENTINA

The main objective of this study is to analyze public policies aimed at disrupting women's prisons in Argentina, seeking to understand their implications for social reintegration, reducing recidivism, and respecting the human rights of incarcerated women. The study addresses programs developed in the prison context for women, analyzing the conditional guidelines of international organizations, as well as Argentine legislation that aims to promote the dignity and rehabilitation of these inmates. Based on a theoretical and methodological review, questions were raised about relative gender inequalities, the conditions of incarceration, and the challenges of resocialization. The theoretical framework includes studies on gender, criminal policies, and human rights, providing a critical and multidimensional view. A qualitative approach was used, with documentary analysis and interviews with professionals in the prison system. The final considerations reveal that, although there has been progress in external policies for the female prison population, inequalities persist and deactivate greater attention from the State and civil society. It is concluded that the effectiveness of policies depends on an integrated approach, focusing on empowering women and combating the conditions of social exclusion that many face before and after incarceration.

Spatio-temporal variability and trends of air pollutants in the Metropolitan Area of Curitiba

Monitoring air pollutants over time is essential for identifying and addressing trends, which may help improve air quality management and safeguard public health. This study investigates the spatio-temporal variability of air quality in the Metropolitan Area of Curitiba (MAC), Brazil, focusing on six pollutants (SO2, NO2, NOx, O3, CO, and PM10) measured at eight monitoring stations from 2003 to 2017. We conducted statistical analyses, including diurnal cycles, seasonal variability, spatio-temporal correlations, conditional bivariate probability functions, Theil-Sen trend analysis, and comparison with national quality standards (NAQS) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The analyses revealed large variations in pollutant concentrations across the study area. For instance, stations strongly impacted by industrial emissions presented the highest mean annual SO2 (20–28 μg/m3) and PM10 (32–34 μg/m3) concentrations, while those mostly impacted by traffic showed elevated NO2 (31–39 μg/m3), NOx (63–86 μg/m3) and CO (0.6–0.8 mg/m3) concentrations. The two residential stations recorded the highest O3 concentrations (annual mean of 30–32 μg/m3). Seasonal and diurnal patterns varied by pollutant, with winter experiencing higher concentrations and O3 peaking in spring. SO2 concentrations presented no clear seasonal or diurnal cycle patterns, and showed the highest spatial variability. Significant decreasing annual trends were observed for SO2 (−5.9%), NO2 (−2.6%), NOx (−2.6%), CO (−5.4%), and PM10 (−3.7%), which suggests the success of emission reduction programs implemented in the road transportation and industrial sectors. However, O3 concentrations increased at most stations (+3.3%/yr), likely due to reduced NOx emissions, increased emissions of volatile organic compounds from on-road transport biofuels, and regional O3 transport. Although exceedances of NAQS decreased over time, concentrations of most pollutants remained above WHO guidelines, except for CO. These results highlight the importance of targeted emission control strategies for both industrial and vehicular sources to improve local air quality and inform future policy decisions.

Supporting contraceptive self-care and reproductive empowerment with a digital health game in Barbados: Development and Pre-implementation study for What’s My Method?

Effective contraceptive education is essential to reducing unwanted pregnancy, increasing uptake of modern contraceptive methods, and thoughtfully planning desired births. New World Health Organization (WHO) and family planning organization guidelines recommend situating contraceptive education and counseling within a broader context of self-care that emphasizes individual agency and reproductive empowerment. Digital health interventions, and games for health specifically, have been validated as effective and scalable tools for self-guided and interactive health education, especially among younger tech-savvy individuals. Barbados currently supplements provider-based contraceptive counseling with analog materials (pamphlets and posters) and informational videos that play on a screen in the waiting room. As part of an implementation framework, this study seeks to conduct a formative evaluation of the What’s My Method? (WMM) game intervention as a tool to support contraceptive counseling and increase reproductive empowerment among childbearing persons in Barbados. We test-deployed the WMM game in Bridgetown, Barbados, conducting playtests and unstructured discussions with prototypes of the WMM game among three groups of stakeholders (youth contraception ambassadors: n=8; healthcare providers: n=7; and nursing students: n=27) to determine acceptability of the intervention, efficacy of the game as a learning tool, and willingness to adopt the tool in their healthcare context. Feedback on acceptability of the game was largely positive. Detailed constructive comments informed modifications and improvements to the game. The questionnaire used to assess contraceptive knowledge gain did not prove effective. Results indicate that the WMM game is well-received and accepted by the healthcare professionals who would be deploying it. This pilot testing has informed the design of the modified WMM for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the deployment of the game in a healthcare setting.

A comparison of the diagnostic capability of Kato-Katz and real-time PCR for the assessment of treatment efficacy of ivermectin and albendazole combination against T. trichiura infections.

Trichuris trichiura is humans' second most prevalent soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection after Ascaris lumbricoides, affecting approximately 4.6 million people worldwide. Despite its sub-optimal sensitivity, especially in low prevalence and infection intensity settings, the modified Kato-Katz (K-K) is still recommended as a diagnostic method by the World Health organization (WHO) guidelines. Within a randomized clinical trial (RCT) comprising four treatment arms with two different anthelmintics, the present study reports an important secondary research objective to determine the diagnostic agreement between K-K and real-time PCR evaluating treatment efficacy against T. trichiura. The parasitological results were analyzed, including cure rates (CR) of a subgroup of 94 participants positive at baseline for T. trichiura eggs for both techniques. The single-dose albendazole (ALB) arm resulted in significantly lower CRs than experimental arms of albendazole/ivermectin (ALB/IVM) combinations. The overall diagnostic agreement between both techniques was 88.7% [κ = 0.8 (P<0.001)]. Concordance between eggs per gram and Ct values was moderate, with the discordance source likely stemming from lighter infection intensities. These findings indicate that real-time PCR is a suitable alternative for CR estimation in helminthiasis clinical trials. It also highlights the need to identify the most accurate diagnostic tools for RCTs, that would benefit from guiding principles to achieve harmonization across studies and are not necessarily the same as those used for epidemiological surveys. Clinical Trials.gov (NCT04041453).

A direct aspiration first-pass technique (ADAPT) for acute ischemic stroke thrombectomy: Indications, technique, and emerging devices.

To date, the use of the most suitable first-pass technique for Mechanical Thrombectomy is still debated. In last years, several observational studies have suggested noninferiority or superiority of A Direct Aspiration first-Pass Technique (ADAPT) technique to achieve better reperfusion in comparison to stent retriever. While ASA/AHA 2018 guidelines recommend that patients with AIS should receive Mechanical Thrombectomy with a stent retriever, last European Stroke Organization guidelines report no evidence that stent retriever compared with contact aspiration could improve reperfusion rate. ADAPT is based on aspiration alone as the primary mechanism of thrombectomy and, if initially unsuccessful, then incorporating adjunctive alternatives. ADAPT improvement is also related to last generation of aspiration catheters. The purpose of this review is to report ADAPT principles, technique, efficacy, and safety as first-line treatment for acute ischemic stroke with the latest generation of reperfusion devices.

Assessing antimicrobial consumption in public and private sectors within the Costa Rican health system: current status and future directions

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance is a significant global health threat. Therefore, robust surveillance systems for antimicrobial consumption (AMC) are essential to develop public health strategies. However, Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, face challenges in regularly reporting AMC data. This study aims to estimate and analyse the overall AMC in Costa Rica for 2019.MethodsThis study is a national-level, retrospective, observational, and descriptive analysis of AMC in Costa Rica from 1 January to 31 December 2019. The study followed the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for the Surveillance of National AMC. The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) / Defined Daily Doses (DDD) system was used to analyse types of antimicrobials and DDD per 1000 inhabitants per day (DID). Antimicrobial dispensation data from the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) represented the public sector, while the private sector data was sourced from IQVIA. The analysis included data from both inpatient and outpatient sectors.ResultsA total AMC of 14.32 DID, of which 12.75 DID was within the public sector and 4.12 DID was within the private sector. Penicillins had the highest consumption nationally and in the public sector, while macrolides and lincosamides predominate in the private sector. According to the WHO-AWaRe (Access-Watch-Reserve) classification, antibiotics predominantly consumed nationally (74.7%) and in the public (83.0%) sectors are categorized under Access, whereas the private (61.0%) sector predominates the Watch category.ConclusionThis study illustrates the importance of enhancing AMC surveillance by integrating data from both the public and private sectors. The findings indicate an excessive use of “Watch” antimicrobials in the private sector. To address this issue, all sectors and regulatory authorities must play an active and supportive role, in the development of effective, multisectoral policies. The methodology employed in this study is applicable to other Latin American countries, and therefore should be utilized for future analysis AMC in this region.

Understanding the Global Distribution of Groundwater Sulfate and Assessing Population at Risk.

Besides sulfate-induced diarrhea, recent studies have emphasized that groundwater sulfate drives the release of arsenic in groundwater and accelerates water pipeline corrosion. Despite its impact on public health and urban infrastructure, sulfate has been overlooked in water supply research. Here, we used a random forest model to develop a 1 km global map depicting the probability of sulfate exceeding 250 mg/L in groundwater based on the World Health Organization's guidelines. The map was further applied to estimate the exposed population and identify contributors of sulfate exceedance in global hotspot regions. The results revealed that sulfate exceedance in groundwater was widespread in 156 countries. Approximately 194 million people use water with sulfate levels exceeding 250 mg/L. Among them, around 17 million people face groundwater sulfate concentrations surpassing 500 mg/L, with 82% of these individuals residing in ten specific countries. Contributing factor analysis in these countries indicates that annual precipitation and sedimentary rocks are the primary factors contributing to sulfate concentration prediction, while other natural and anthropogenic predictors exhibit region-specific impact patterns. This study uncovered a significant prevalence of elevated sulfate levels in groundwater, highlighting the need to integrate sulfate into water safety management practices.

Association between physical activity patterns of working-age adults and social jetlag, depressive symptoms, and presenteeism.

This study aimed to evaluate the association of physical activity with social jetlag, depressive symptoms, and presenteeism. This cross-sectional study included 8,247 working-age adults (females, 44.6%; age, 20-64 years). Social jetlag was defined as the absolute difference between the midpoint of bedtime and wake time on workdays and free days. Depression symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and presenteeism was evaluated using the Work Functioning Impairment Scale. Exercise habits were classified into four groups based on the World Health Organization guidelines: non-active (NA; n=4,223), insufficiently active (IA; n=3,009: exercise below guideline levels), weekend warriors (WW; n=220: exercise 1-2 times per week meeting guideline levels), and regularly active (RA; n=793: exercise at least 3 days per week meeting guideline levels). Using multiple and Poisson regression analyses, we examined the association between exercise habits and each outcome. Social jetlag, depression, and presenteeism were more favorable with shorter sedentary times and longer durations of moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercise. Compared with the RA group, the NA group had a significantly higher prevalence of social jetlag (prevalence ratio [PR]=1.30), depression (PR=1.31), and presenteeism (PR=1.35). The IA group had a significantly higher prevalence of depression (PR=1.33) and presenteeism (PR=1.38). Exercising with a certain frequency and intensity may help prevent symptoms of depression and social jetlag, and consequently prevent presenteeism.

Comparing the economic burden of disease by physical activity levels among persons with and without disabilities in the Republic of Korea.

The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 min of physical activity per week for persons with and without disabilities. This study compared the differences in the economic burden of diseases between persons with and without disabilities based on their physical activity. What is known in the field is that physical activity is beneficial to health, but there is a disparity between persons without disabilities and persons with disabilities, and our research aims to increase physical activity among persons with disabilities. Economic burden of disease includes service costs such as outpatient, hospitalization, and pharmaceutical expenses for disease treatment, and persons with disabilities are those who have received a disability classification legally registered by the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare, and there are 15 types of disabilities. For exercise records, we calculated the cost in 2020 for people with exercise records in 2018 so that they can have at least 1 year of exercise records, as health checkups are available from January to December of the year. Physical activity attainment is defined as 150 min or more of physical activity per week based on World Health Organization guidelines. Calculating the economic burden of disease by physical activity for persons with and without disabilities, both experienced a difference in hospitalization costs owing to fewer hospital days with physical activity achievement, with the difference being greater for persons with disabilities. Regarding disability type, achievers showed a 41.1% difference in total costs for mental class disorders, 16.7% for external bodily function disorders, and 11.1% for internal organ disorders. Physical inactivity has a significant impact on the economic burden of persons with disabilities compared to persons without disabilities, with 11.8% fewer persons without disabilities who were physically active for 150 min or more per week compared to 21.4% fewer persons with disabilities. In terms of healthcare spending, exercise can help keep persons with disabilities healthy. Therefore, there is a need for exercise programs tailored to persons with disabilities to increase physical activity in line with World Health Organization recommendations to reduce health inequalities between persons with and without disabilities.

Sustainable management of drinking water quality in the locality of Massouro, Chad

This study evaluates the quality of drinking groundwater in the city of Moussoro using geochemical, bacterial, and multivariate statistical methods. Access to safe drinking water is a major concern for the population in these regions, as the distribution of this resource is unequal across continents and is often affected by human activities, making it vulnerable. The analysis revealed two categories of water: potable and non-potable. The presence of pollutant indicators, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) and total coliforms, was observed in most samples. This presence indicates water contamination and requiring monitoring and treatment before it is consumed by the population. Overall, most of the physicochemical parameters comply with the World Health Organisation guidelines for drinking water. However, the concentration of ammonium (NH4+) was high. Pollution elements such as ammonium (NH4+) and E. coli, indicate that human activities also contribute to water mineralisation. The study could ensure sustainable access to safe drinking water, thereby enhancing the overall quality of life in Moussoro.

Quantitative Assessment of Human Health Risks Associated with Heavy Metal and Bacterial Pollution in Groundwater from Mankweng in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Heavy metal and microbial pollution in groundwater raises health concerns due to its adverse effects. This study aimed to assess the health risks associated with heavy metal and bacterial pollution in groundwater in Mankweng. Heavy metals and Escherichia coli were detected using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrophotometry and a Colilert system, respectively. The heavy metal pollution index (HPI) and non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were computed. The β-Poisson dose-response model was employed to predict the probability of E. coli infection. The metals' concentrations were all within the permissible limits of the South African National Standard (SANS). However, Pb levels at sites E and G exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline (≤0.01 mg/L). HPI values were all less than 100, indicative of low contamination. The hazard quotient values were all less than 1, except for vanadium. The cumulative cancer risk ranged between 3.06 × 10-5 and 1.81 × 10-4 and between 3.55 × 10-5 and 2.20 × 10-4 for adults and children, respectively. E. coli was only detected at site L. The annual risk of E. coli infection exceeded the WHO risk limit of 10-4. The results underscore the need for the regular monitoring of groundwater.

Una metodología de despliegue de mejora continua replicable en escuelas de negocios en México

Continuous improvement fosters adaptability and the ability to respond to changes and challenges in the environment, so in a constantly evolving context, organizations must continuously learn to remain competitive. Continuous improvement provides a structure and mindset that promote innovation and the ability to anticipate the changing needs and expectations of consumers of goods and services, such that the focus on continuous improvement impacts efficiency, adaptability, and innovation within organizations. In this context, the research problem in this paper is to propose a methodology for deploying continuous improvement that is replicable in business schools in Mexico, based on an updated and relevant theoretical framework in line with the guidelines of a major international accrediting organization for higher education, in this case, the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. The methodology used in this research was documentary and descriptive, collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing existing information on continuous improvement in business schools according to international standards in order to provide a solid foundation for further research in this field of study, and to describe the characteristics and accurate representation of the continuous improvement process in business schools in accordance with the guidelines of leadership, planning, stakeholder listening methods, learning assessment, human capital, and administrative processes.