Uptake of permanent contraception among women in sub-Saharan Africa: a literature review of barriers and facilitators.

Objective: Uptake of permanent contraception among women remains low in sub-Saharan Africa compared to other regions. We aimed to synthesize available evidence on barriers to, and facilitators of permanent contraception with regards to tubal ligation among women in sub-Saharan Africa.

Study Design: We reviewed literature on tubal ligation among African women published between January 1, 2000 and October 30, 2017.

Variation in airborne fungal spore concentrations among five monitoring locations in a desert urban environment.

Fungal spores are biological particles that are ubiquitous in the outdoor air. Spores of several very common fungal species are known allergens, with the potential to cause respiratory illnesses by exacerbating asthma and allergic rhinitis. The National Allergy Bureau typically has one monitoring station established per city to determine fungal spore counts for an entire metropolitan area.

Variation in airborne pollen concentrations among five monitoring locations in a desert urban environment.

The urbanization of the Las Vegas Valley has transformed this part of the Mohave Desert into a green oasis by introducing many non-native plant species, some of which are allergenic. Typically, one monitoring station is established per city to obtain pollen counts for an entire metropolitan area. However, variations in pollen concentrations could occur among different microenvironments.