Ambitions and realities: Are Global Fund investments designed to achieve resilient and sustainable systems for health? Findings from the Global Fund Prospective Country Evaluation.

Strengthening resilient and sustainable systems for health (RSSH) is central to the Global Fund's strategy, however questions persist about the Global Fund's role in the health systems strengthening space, and the extent to which investments are designed to achieve strengthening objectives, or just fill in gaps in the system. This paper reports on findings from the Prospective Country Evaluations (PCE), a multi-country multi-year evaluation of Global Fund support. We adapted a framework from Chee et al.

ATF4-dependent and independent mitokine secretion from OPA1 deficient skeletal muscle in mice is sexually dimorphic.

Introduction: Reducing Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1) expression in skeletal muscle in male mice induces Activation Transcription Factor 4 (ATF4) and the integrated stress response (ISR). Additionally, skeletal muscle secretion of Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) is increased, which mediates metabolic adaptations including resistance to diet-induced obesity (DIO) and glucose intolerance in these mice. Although FGF21 induction in this model can be reversed with pharmacological attenuation of ER stress, it remains to be determined if ATF4 is responsible for FGF21 induction and its metabolic benefits in this model.

Two Cases of Testicular Tuberculosis and Review of the Recent Literature.

In this review, two cases of testicular tuberculosis (TB) are presented, and another 58 cases published in PubMed between January 1, 2012, and July 31, 2023, are reviewed. Testicular TB remains a disease mainly of the developing world, with one notable exception - the infections caused as a result of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin infusion immunotherapy for bladder cancer. Its clinical course is subacute; however, it might get disseminated and become life-threatening; therefore, prompt diagnosis is very important.

Combination of Imipenem-Cilastatin-Relebactam and Amoxicillin in the Antibiotic Regimen in Two Cases of Mycobacterium abscessus Lung Infection.

is a difficult-to-treat, multidrug-resistant human pathogen. Relebactam has been shown to inhibit β-lactamase (BLA) and increase the activity of imipenem and amoxicillin. We present two cases of lung infection due to , one caused by subsp and the other by subsp.

Beyond constructs and principles: addressing gender-related barriers to high, equitable immunization coverage.

The global immunization community has only recently recognized that addressing gender-related barriers to vaccination is critical to improving equity and increasing protection against vaccine-preventable diseases. USAID's MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity project aims to strengthen routine immunization programs to overcome entrenched obstacles to reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children while supporting the introduction of other new vaccines given over the life course. From the outset, the project recognized the need to mainstream gender into its global and country level work, incorporating gender considerations into all phases of the program cycle, from assessment to activity design, strategic communications, monitoring, evaluation, and continuous learning.

"Getting pregnant during COVID-19 was a big risk because getting help from the clinic was not easy": COVID-19 experiences of women and healthcare providers in Harare, Zimbabwe.

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated measures may have disrupted delivery of maternal and neonatal health services and reversed the progress made towards dual elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in Zimbabwe. This qualitative study explores the impact of the pandemic on the provision and uptake of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services from the perspectives of women and maternal healthcare providers. Longitudinal in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 pregnant and breastfeeding women aged 20-39 years living with HIV and 20 healthcare workers in two maternity polyclinics in low-income suburbs of Harare, Zimbabwe.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the outcomes of HIV-exposed neonates: a Zimbabwean tertiary hospital experience.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has globally impacted health service access, delivery and resources. There are limited data regarding the impact on the prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) service delivery in low-resource settings. Neotree ( www.

Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma tumor spheroid drug screen reveals vulnerability to tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 1 inhibitors.

Background: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine carcinomas are rare neoplasms with no effective treatments and poor prognosis. Few reliable preclinical models exist for the study of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine carcinomas, limiting investigation of novel treatments. We used tumor spheroids from our recently established gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma patient-derived xenograft models to systematically screen for compounds with diverse structures to identify potential new categories of therapeutic agents that can target gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine carcinomas.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the provision and uptake of services for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe is targeting elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by December 2025, however the COVID-19 pandemic challenged health service delivery globally. Monthly aggregated data were extracted from DHIS-2 for all facilities delivering antenatal care (ANC). ZIMSTAT and Spectrum demographic estimates were used for population-level denominators.

Tigecycline Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Profile in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbation.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of tigecycline in plasma and its penetration to sputum in moderately ill patients with an infectious acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: Eleven patients hospitalized with acute respiratory failure due to an acute COPD exacerbation with clinical evidence of an infectious cause received tigecycline 50 mg twice daily after an initial loading dose of 100 mg. Blood and sputum samples were collected at steady state after dose seven.

Online survey to assess computer vision syndrome in children due to excessive screen exposure during the COVID 19 pandemic lockdown.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, the normal daily routine activities of children were restricted as a result of the need to stay indoors. Consequently, children were forced to attend online classes provided by their educational institutions at their homes. Due to the subsequent increased screen exposure, children have started complaining of blurred vision, headache, and symptoms related to computer vision syndrome (CVS), predisposing them to myopia.

Monitoring the distribution pattern and invasion status of Ageratina adenophora across elevational gradients in Sikkim Himalaya, India.

Understanding the spread intensity and population dynamics of invasive plant species is a prerequisite for developing management strategies in the Himalayan Forest ecosystems that are experiencing an accelerated rate of climate change. Although there are studies on the occurrence of few invasive species in the Himalayan ecosystems, systematic information on their intensity of spread and species association is still missing. Considering existing data gaps, we aimed to assess the intensity of spread and distribution pattern of A.

Multifunctional Performance of Hybrid SrFeO/BaTiO/Epoxy Resin Nanocomposites.

Polymer matrix nanocomposites are widely studied because of the versatility of their physical and mechanical properties. When these properties are present simultaneously, responding at relative stimuli, multifunctional performance is achieved. In this study, hybrid nanocomposites of SrFeO and BaTiO ceramic particles dispersed in an epoxy resin matrix were fabricated and characterized.

A Glance at the Phytochemical and Ethno-pharmacological Understanding of Four Species.

The genus comprises many species widely cultivated in different parts of the world for their pharmaceutical, neutraceutical and other commercial importance. Many biological activities such as antimicrobial, cytotoxic, anti-nociceptive, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycaemic, hepatoprotective and antioxidant have been ascribed to , which can be linked to the occurrence of biologically active phytochemicals like phenolic acids, essential oil, flavonoids, and terpenes hence making it a potential source for discovery and development of novel drugs. The present review covers the successive advances in the traditional medicinal aspects, phytochemistry, bioactivities and the bioavailability of four species, i.

Pulmonary medication adherence among children and adults with cystic fibrosis: Is there an association with disease severity?

Background: Adherence to pulmonary medication is pivotal in delaying the progression of lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF). Further exploring the consequences of poor adherence and its impact on disease severity may be valuable to personalize CF treatment strategy.

Aim: To evaluate indicators of disease severity among children and adults with CF and investigate which of them are related to pulmonary medication adherence.

TNB-738, a biparatopic antibody, boosts intracellular NAD+ by inhibiting CD38 ecto-enzyme activity.

Cluster of differentiation 38 (CD38) is an ecto-enzyme expressed primarily on immune cells that metabolize nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) to adenosine diphosphate ribose or cyclic ADP-ribose and nicotinamide. Other substrates of CD38 include nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and nicotinamide mononucleotide, a critical NAD+ precursor in the salvage pathway. NAD+ is an important coenzyme involved in several metabolic pathways and is a required cofactor for the function of sirtuins (SIRTs) and poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerases.

Clinical, imaging and functional determinants of sarcoidosis phenotypes in a Greek population.

Background: The aim of the present study was the application of the latest phenotype recommendations in Greek patients, in order to identify specific clinical, imaging and spirometric characteristics, at initial diagnosis of sarcoidosis, related to disease phenotypes.

Methods: Our cohort included 147 patients coming from Northern Greece, recruited from the Outpatient Sarcoidosis Clinic, of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The observation period was 5 years.