Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of tuberculosis educational activities for prisoners in Honduras.

SETTING: Prisons throughout Honduras. OBJECTIVE: To assess the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to improve non-standardized tuberculosis (TB) educational campaign materials utilized in prisons. DESIGN: A qualitative assessment was conducted. Prison staff completed a survey describing development and implementation of educational activities at each prison (n=25). Completed surveys with photographs or copies of educational materials were collected and cataloged. The content, literacy demand, illustrations, learning stimulation, and cultural appropriateness of cataloged items were assessed using an adapted version of the Suitability Assessment of Materials Instrument. Results from this assessment were examined in conjunction with information collected through focus groups conducted with prisoners and interviews with prison staff. RESULTS: Campaign strengths included the development and dissemination of print materials appropriate for individuals with low literacy levels. By actively engaging prisoners in the campaigns, materials often incorporated the language, values, and experiences encountered within prison culture. Content of print materials and presentations focused on correcting misperceptions and facilitating acceptance of TB control activities. Campaign weaknesses included the creation of illustrations that could perpetuate the stigma associated with TB and use of some materials in which the purpose was not apparent. CONCLUSIONS: The campaigns were generally suitable, and the evaluation allowed for their improvement.

[Comparison of prosthetic materials for abdominal wall reconstruction. Experimental study]. / Comparación entre materiales protésicos para reconstrucción de la pared abdominal. Estudio experimental.

To repair large abdominal deficiencies, either congenital of acquired, occasionally serious problems show up where obtaining the ideal material is concerned, in those cases where autological tissue in the right size can not be found. In this sense materials like silver, steel and tantalium darning have been used, as well as many other synthetic tissues and non porous materials like silastic. During this same period, prosthesis of reabsorbing materials have been developed and used. We present a experimental work in which we compare four prosthesic materials as there are Marlex, Silastic, polyglycolic acid and lyodura, from the clinical, biological and histopathological point of view, distinguishing the ideal material in definite pathologies.

Animal-to-human extrapolation using compartmental models.

We have been studying how to use compartmental models to reliably extrapolate toxicological experimental results from one animal species to another with the ultimate goal of useful extrapolation to man. We have taken, as the fundamental core of our analysis, the physically necessary equations describing mass balance. These equations are the classical Fickian equations of the form VdC/dt = Q(a - v). These equations are not a complete set since they are insufficient to provide estimation of venous, arterial, or tissue concentrations with time. Therefore, the mass balance equations must be augmented with additional phenomenological relations to permit the desired calculations. Many investigators use the venous exist condition. While it is clear how to extrapolate the mass balance equations from one sized animal to another or from one species to another, it is not clear how to extrapolate the venous exit condition. In this research we have evaluated the venous exit condition by comparing it with approximate analyses of perfusion and substance diffusion in the tissue.