La copa menstrual, una alternativa de higiene femenina: revisión de la literatura / The menstrual cup, a female hygiene alternative: literature review

INTRODUCCIÓN: La copa menstrual (CM) es un dispositivo diseñado para apoyar a la mujer durante el manejo de su higiene menstrual. OBJETIVO: Caracterizar la literatura existente en torno al uso de la CM, como una alternativa de higiene femenina. METODOLOGÍA: Revisión de la literatura de estudios publicados en los metabuscadores Proquest, Google Scholar, Pubmed y a través del rastreo manual de los artículos divulgados en revistas no indexadas a las bases de datos mencionadas. Los términos MESH fueron combinados con operadores booleanos permitiendo la elaboración de ecuaciones de búsqueda. Posterior a la selección de los estudios catalogados como elegibles, los investigadores procedieron a implementar las listas de verificación propuestas por la Critical Appraisal Skills Programme español (CASPe) y la Iniciativa MINCIR. RESULTADOS: Fueron incluidos 21 estudios que superaron el 75% de los criterios evaluados en las listas de verificación. El proceso de sistematización de los datos expresados en los estudios permitió la constitución de tres ejes temáticos sobre los cuales gira la literatura en esta área, que corresponden a: I. La CM en el desarrollo de la higiene femenina, II. Beneficios y desventajas del uso de la CM, III. Factores socioculturales asociados a la higiene menstrual. CONCLUSIONES: La CM es un dispositivo que puede aportar grandes beneficios a la higiene menstrual como un elemento moderno, discreto, económico y amigable con el medio ambiente.

INTRODUCTION: The menstrual cup is a device designed to support the woman during the management of her menstrual hygiene. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the existing literature about the menstrual cup use, as an alternative of feminine hygiene. METHODOLOGY: Literature review of studies published in the search engines Proquest, Google Scholar, Pubmed and by means of manual tracking of the articles spread in not indexed journals to the databases mentioned above. The MESH terms were mixed with booleanos operators allowing the elaboration of searching equations. Subsequent to the section of studies denominated as eligible, the researchers proceeded to implement the check list proposed by the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme español (CASPe) and MINCIR list. RESULTS: It was included 21 studies that overcame the 75% of the criteria evaluated in the check lists. The systematic data process in the studies allowed the conformation of three thematic axes, which revolve around the literature in this area, that correspond to: I. The CM in the development of feminine hygiene, II. Benefits and disadvantages of the use of CM, III. Sociocultural factors associated with menstrual hygiene. CONCLUSIONS: CM is a device that can bring great benefits to menstrual hygiene as a modern, discreet, economical and environmentally friendly element.

Comparing use and acceptability of menstrual cups and sanitary pads by schoolgirls in rural Western Kenya

Background: Girls in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) lack access to hygienic and affordable menstrual products. We explore Kenyan schoolgirls’ use and views of the cup compared to girls provided with disposable sanitary pads for a feasibility study.Methods: Schoolgirls aged 14-16 years, received a menstrual cup in 10 schools or 16 pads/month in another10 schools. All were trained by nurses on puberty, hand washing, and product use. They self-completed a net book survey at baseline and twice a term during a year follow-up. We examined their reported ease of insertion and removal, also comfort, soreness, and pain with product use. An aggregate ‘acceptability’ score was compiled for each product and girls’ socio-demographic and menstrual characteristics were compared.Results: 195 participants received cups and 255 pads. Mean age was 14.6 years, menarchial age was 13.6 years, with an average 3.8 days menses per month. Cup use was 39% in month 1, rising to 80% by month 12 (linear trend p<0.001). Pad use rose from 85% to 92% (linear trend p=0.15). Measures of cup acceptability demonstrated girls had initial problems using the cup but reported difficulties with insertion, removal and comfort reduced over time. Girls using pads reported fewer acceptability issues. At baseline, approximately a quarter of girls in the pad arm reported inserting pads intravaginally although this was significantly lower among girls with prior experience of pad use (aRR 0.62; 0.45-0.87).Conclusions: While a smaller proportion of girls provided with cups used them in the first months compared to girls given pads, reported use was similar by study-end, and early acceptability issues reduced over time. Girls in LMIC may successfully and comfortably use cups, but require instruction, support and some persistence.

Determination of migration of phthalates esters in disposable plastic cups by GC-MS / 上海预防医学

Objective To determine the migration of phthalates esters in disposable plastic cups by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry ( GC-MS ) , and to study the effect of materials , temperature and duration conditions on the concentration of phthalate esters in disposable plastic cups . Methods Simulants ( distilled water , 3% acetic acid aqueous solution , 10% ethanol aqueous solution and isooctane ) test samples were extracted with n-hexane and analyzed by GC-MS.The external standards were applied to the analysis and quantitation of phthalate esters . Results A good linear relationship was showed under the range of 0.01-10 μg/mL for 17 compounds of migration of phthalates esters withR 2≥0 .998 .The recovery rates were 71%-107% and the relative standard deviation were lower than 7%. The detection limit was 0 .86-14 .41 .The migration of phthalates esters were detected in ten brands of disposable plastic cups sold in Shanghai .Diisobutyl phthalate , dibutyl phthalate and dioctylphthalate were detected in ten brands of disposable plastic cups , but none of them were exceed the limits .Under the high temperature condition , the pdypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate material concentration of migration of phthalates esters in disposable plastic cups were with no obvious difference , but the polystyrene material concentration of migration of phthalates esters in disposable plastic cups were raised over time . Conclusion This method has good sensitivity , accuracy , repeatability and is suitable for the rapid analysis of the migration of phthalate esters in disposable plastic cups .

Métodos de manipulación en la medicina tradicional asiática / Manipulation methods of the Asian traditional medicine

La acupuntura, la moxibustión y las ventosas constituyen métodos de manipulación de la medicina tradicional asiática, que son empleados frecuentemente, solos o combinados, y permiten la prevención, tratamiento, así como la curación de enfermedades. La revisión efectuada persigue brindar a los profesionales de los niveles primario y secundario de salud un material para el estudio y actualización de este tema.

Acupuncture, moxibustion and cups constitute methods of manipulation of the Asian traditional medicine which are frequently used, alone or combined, and they allow the prevention, treatment, as well as the cure of diseases. The review carried out is aimed at offering the professionals of the primary and secondary health levels a material for the study and updating of this topic.

Optic Nerve Head Topographic Measurements and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Physiologic Large Cups

PURPOSE: To evaluate the parameters of optic nerve head (ONH) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in patients with large cup/disc ratio (CDR) and normal neuroretinal rim configuration who have normal perimetry (physiologic large cups, LC) and to compare these parameters with those of the normal and early glaucoma patients. METHODS: Using Heidelberg retinal tomography (HRT) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), 30 patients with LC, 29 normal subjects, and 31 early glaucoma patients were examined. One eye from each subject was randomly selected. RESULTS: Significant differences between LC and glaucomatous eyes (GE) were found in parameters indicating loss of nerve fibers, such as rim area, rim volume, and mean RNFL thickness. However, there was no difference between LC and normal eyes (NE) in RNFL thickness, rim area, and rim volume. LC was able to be defined as a normal central excavation with a large disc and large CDR with a normal rim area. CONCLUSIONS: HRT ONH parameters and RNFL thickness obtained with OCT may be useful for differentiating between glaucoma and LC eyes.