RESUMO

Floating communities exist throughout the world. Many live on water with a high pathogen load due to difficulties associated with sewage management. In Claverito, an informal floating community in Iquitos, Peru, we conducted a controlled experiment to test the ability of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) to remove Escherichia coli from water. When river E. coli concentrations were at or below ∼1,500 CFU 100 mL-1, water hyacinth reduced shallow concentrations (8 cm depth) down to levels deemed safe by U.S. EPA for recreational use. Above this threshold, plants were able to reduce E. coli levels within shallow water, but not down to "safe" levels. At deeper depths (>25 cm), there was evidence that plants increased E. coli concentrations. Water hyacinth removed E. coli from shallow water by providing a surface (i.e., submerged roots) onto which E. coli sorbed and by protecting organisms that can potentially consume E. coli. Unfortunately, because of root association, the total E. coli load within the water column was greater with water hyacinth present. The use of water hyacinth to keep surface water around floating communities low in E. coli could be beneficial as this is the water layer with which people most likely interact. Aquatic vegetation naturally proliferates in and around Claverito. While this study was based on curating aquatic plants in order to achieve a water-quality outcome, it nonetheless supports concrete actions for Claverito residents under non-curated conditions, which are outlined at the end of the manuscript.

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that children and adults with a history of Kawasaki disease (KD) are more likely to have abnormal lipoprotein particle profiles that could place them at increased risk for developing atherosclerosis later in life. STUDY DESIGN: Fasting serum samples were obtained from 192 children and 63 adults with history of KD and 90 age-similar healthy controls. Lipoprotein particle concentrations and sizes were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (LipoScience Inc, Raleigh, North Carolina), and serum was assayed for total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (HDL-C). Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was estimated using the Friedewald formula. Data were analyzed in a least-square means model, with adjustment for age and sex and with the use of Holm correction for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Compared with respective control groups, both adult and pediatric subjects with KD had significantly lower mean very low-density lipoprotein-chylomicron particles, intermediate-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, and TC concentrations. Pediatric subjects with KD had significantly lower LDL particle and LDL cholesterol concentrations and lower mean TC/HDL-C ratio (P < .001). In contrast, the adult subjects with KD had significantly lower HDL particle, small HDL particle, and HDL-C concentrations (P < .001), but HDL-C was within normal range. CONCLUSIONS: Nuclear magnetic resonance lipoprotein particle analysis suggests that pediatric and adult subjects with KD, regardless of their aneurysm status, are no more likely than age-similar, healthy controls to have lipid patterns associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis.

Assuntos

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of digital facial image modification on children's body image and on parental support for children's healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors. STUDY DESIGN: Children and their parents were exposed to a novel image modification program that altered children's facial photographs to reflect weight loss and weight gain. The influences of facial image modification on children's body image and on parental support of children's healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors were measured with before and after surveys. RESULTS: Eighty-one children and their parents were surveyed. Forty percent of children were at risk for overweight or overweight, and 59% of parents surveyed were overweight or obese. Parents' support for children's healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors significantly increased after parents viewed altered facial images of their child. In contrast, no change in children's body image measures was demonstrated after children viewed weight-altered photographs of themselves. CONCLUSIONS: Facial image modification programs do not appear to have a detrimental effect on children's body image in the immediate post-exposure period. Image alteration may serve as an effective motivating tool to encourage parents to facilitate healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors in their children.

Assuntos