Randomised feasibility study of an intestinal adsorbent in acute diarrhoea in The Gambia.

Background: Diarrhoea remains a leading cause of death in children. An intestinal adsorbent may reduce diarrhoea duration and severity.

Methods: Randomised controlled feasibility trial with two phases: phase 1 (0-4 hours and double-blind) and phase 2 (up to 5 days and open-label).

Analysis of the defect mode features in an asymmetric and symmetric acoustic system using expansion chambers.

In this paper, the transfer matrix method is used to study the dispersion of acoustic waves in a finite periodic expansion chambers system with a defect. Two kinds of structures are studied. The first one is formed by expansion chambers, which are symmetrical concerning a defect, and the second one is asymmetrical with a defect.

Interactions between live attenuated influenza vaccine and nasopharyngeal microbiota among children aged 24-59 months in The Gambia: a phase 4, open-label, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) alter nasopharyngeal microbiota in adults. It is poorly understood why LAIV immunogenicity varies across populations, but it could be linked to the microbiome. We aimed to investigate the interactions between intranasal immunisation with LAIV and nasopharyngeal microbiota composition in children from The Gambia.

Care pathway for patients hospitalized with venous thromboembolism.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE), including pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), is a potentially fatal disease with a multifactorial nature, impacting different medical and surgical specialties. Recently, new guidelines and direct oral anticoagulants facilitated early discharge for most DVT patients and non-severe PE patients.

Objective: The aim of this study is to illustrate the distribution of VTE patients throughout the hospital and map their care pathway from Emergency Department (ED) to hospital discharge.

Fluoride contamination in African groundwater: Predictive modeling using stacking ensemble techniques.

Fluoride contamination of groundwater is a severe public health problem in Africa due to natural factors that include geological weathering of fluoride-bearing minerals and climatic conditions characterized by high evaporation rates that highly elevate fluoride levels. Anthropogenic activities further aggravate the problem and have affected millions of people in countries such as; South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritania, Botswana, and Egypt. High fluoride levels of up to 10 mg/L have been encountered in parts of the East African Rift Valley, above the WHO's recommended limit of 1.

Computational investigation of missense somatic mutations in cancer and potential links to pH-dependence and proteostasis.

Metabolic changes during tumour development lead to acidification of the extracellular environment and a smaller increase of intracellular pH. Searches for somatic missense mutations that could reveal adaptation to altered pH have focussed on arginine to histidine changes, part of a general arginine depletion that originates from DNA mutational mechanisms. Analysis of mutations to histidine, potentially a simple route to the introduction of pH-sensing, shows no clear biophysical separation overall of subsets that are more and less frequently mutated in cancer genomes.

Microfluidic qPCR for detection of 21 common respiratory viruses in children with influenza-like illness.

Multiple respiratory viruses lead to high morbidity and mortality, yet global surveillance platforms focus primarily on seasonal influenza viruses. The COVID-19 pandemic and new RSV vaccines highlight the importance of a broader approach. Upper respiratory tract swabs from children aged 24-59 months presenting with influenza-like illness in The Gambia were collected during follow-up of a live-attenuated influenza vaccine randomised controlled trial in 2017-18.

Exploring the relationships between ground observations and remotely sensed hazelnut spring phenology.

Crop phenology is very important in regular crop monitoring. Generally, phenology is monitored through field observation surveys or satellite data. The relationships between ground observations and remotely sensed derived phenological data can enable near-real-time monitoring over large areas, which has never been attempted on hazelnuts.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging-derived right ventricular volume and function, and association with outcomes in isolated tricuspid regurgitation.

Background: In patients with significant tricuspid regurgitation, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is the preferred method for the evaluation of right ventricular function and volumes. However validated thresholds are lacking.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate CMR assessment of right ventricular volumes in patients with significant (moderate or severe) tricuspid regurgitation, and to define its association with outcomes.

Bone scintigraphy based on deep learning model and modified growth optimizer.

Bone scintigraphy is recognized as an efficient diagnostic method for whole-body screening for bone metastases. At the moment, whole-body bone scan image analysis is primarily dependent on manual reading by nuclear medicine doctors. However, manual analysis needs substantial experience and is both stressful and time-consuming.

Noise filter using a periodic system of dual Helmholtz resonators.

This study investigates noise reduction using a periodic arrangement of dual Helmholtz resonators and explores the introduction of defects within this periodic structure. The transfer matrix method was employed to carry out theoretical research. The computations of the interface response function approach results are verified, and consistent outcomes are demonstrated.

Risk of systemic lupus erythematosus flare after COVID-19 hospitalization: A matched cohort study.

Objective: To analyze the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) flare after admission for COVID-19.

Methods: We performed a matched cohort study using the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris Clinical Data Warehouse which collects structured medical, biological and administrative information from 11 million patients in Paris area, France. Each SLE patient hospitalized with a COVID-19 diagnosis code between March 2020 and December 2021 was matched to one SLE control patient with an exact matching procedure using age ±3 years, gender, chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, and serological activity.

The role of helper lipids in optimising nanoparticle formulations of self-amplifying RNA.

Lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation plays a vital role in RNA vaccine delivery. However, further optimisation of self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) vaccine formulation could help enhance seroconversion rates in humans and improve storage stability. Altering either the ionisable or helper lipid can alter the characteristics and performance of formulated saRNA through the interplay of the phospholipid's packing parameter and the geometrical shape within the LNP membrane.

Kaiso Expression in Triple Negative Breast Cancer in a Tertiary Hospital in Ghana.

Background: Breast cancer has produced more lost disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) than any other type of cancer. The prevalence of the disease, especially triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) in Africa is on the rise, with poor survival rates. With the great advancements in treatments of breast cancers, that of TNBC is still a challenge due to its narrowed treatment options and poor disease prognosis.

Point-of-Care Newborn Screening for Sickle Cell Disease at Selected Health Facilities in the Gambia.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) contributes significantly to childhood morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Early diagnosis through newborn screening (NBS) and subsequent comprehensive follow-up care will reduce the burden. Up till now, the prevalence of SCD among newborns remains unknown in The Gambia and there is no national NBS programme to address this significant public health issue.

A non-invasive AI-based system for precise grading of anosmia in COVID-19 using neuroimaging.

COVID-19 (Coronavirus), an acute respiratory disorder, is caused by SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome). The high prevalence of COVID-19 infection has drawn attention to a frequent illness symptom: olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The primary purpose of this manuscript is to create a Computer-Assisted Diagnostic (CAD) system to determine whether a COVID-19 patient has normal, mild, or severe anosmia.

Analyzing invariants and employing successive reductions for the extended Kadomtsev Petviashvili equation in (3+1) dimensions.

In this research, we employ the potent technique of Lie group analysis to derive analytical solutions for the (3+1)-extended Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (3D-EKP) equation. The systematic application of this method enables the identification of Lie point symmetries associated with the equation, leading to the derivation of an optimal system of one-dimensional subalgebras relevant to the equation. This optimal system is utilized to obtain several invariant solutions.

Systemic prime mucosal boost significantly increases protective efficacy of bivalent RSV influenza viral vectored vaccine.

Although licensed vaccines against influenza virus have been successful in reducing pathogen-mediated disease, they have been less effective at preventing viral infection of the airways and current seasonal updates to influenza vaccines do not always successfully accommodate viral drift. Most licensed influenza and recently licensed RSV vaccines are administered via the intramuscular route. Alternative immunisation strategies, such as intranasal vaccinations, and "prime-pull" regimens, may deliver a more sterilising form of protection against respiratory viruses.

AI-based model for automatic identification of multiple sclerosis based on enhanced sea-horse optimizer and MRI scans.

This study aims to develop an AI-enhanced methodology for the expedited and accurate diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system leading to progressive impairment. Traditional diagnostic methods are slow and require substantial expertise, underscoring the need for innovative solutions. Our approach involves two phases: initially, extracting features from brain MRI images using first-order histograms, the gray level co-occurrence matrix, and local binary patterns.

Dynamics of invariant solutions of the DNA model using Lie symmetry approach.

The utilization of the Lie group method serves to encapsulate a diverse array of wave structures. This method, established as a robust and reliable mathematical technique, is instrumental in deriving precise solutions for nonlinear partial differential equations (NPDEs) across a spectrum of domains. Its applications span various scientific disciplines, including mathematical physics, nonlinear dynamics, oceanography, engineering sciences, and several others.

seropositivity and environmental risk factors for exposure in a general population in Upper River Region, The Gambia: A cross-sectional study.

Robust surveillance of species is warranted in endemic regions, including investigation of community-level transmission dynamics. This cross-sectional study explored anti- antibody seroprevalence and risk factors for exposure in a general population in Upper River Region (URR), The Gambia. Study participants were recruited (December 2022-March 2023) by random household sampling across 12 Enumeration Areas (EAs) of URR.

IL-1α is required for T cell-driven weight loss after respiratory viral infection.

Respiratory viral infections remain a major cause of hospitalization and death worldwide. Patients with respiratory infections often lose weight. While acute weight loss is speculated to be a tolerance mechanism to limit pathogen growth, severe weight loss following infection can cause quality of life deterioration.

Cardiac Fibrosis Automated Diagnosis Based on FibrosisNet Network Using CMR Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Ischemic heart condition is one of the most prevalent causes of death that can be treated more effectively and lead to fewer fatalities if identified early. Heart muscle fibrosis affects the diastolic and systolic function of the heart and is linked to unfavorable cardiovascular outcomes. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) scarring, a risk factor for ischemic heart disease, may be accurately identified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to recognize fibrosis.

Dynamical behavior of solitons of the (2+1)-dimensional Konopelchenko Dubrovsky system.

Utilizing nonlinear evolution equations (NEEs) is common practice to establish the fundamental assumptions underlying natural phenomena. This paper examines the weakly dispersed non-linear waves in mathematical physics represented by the Konopelchenko-Dubrovsky (KD) equations. The [Formula: see text]-expansion method is used to analyze the model under consideration.