Detection and Molecular Diversity of in Pastoral Livestock in North-Eastern Ethiopia.

Brucellosis is a neglected zoonotic disease affecting livestock and humans that remains endemic in Ethiopia. Despite its prevalence, only a few studies have identified species circulating in livestock in the country. This study aimed to determine the species responsible for infections in livestock in the Afar region of Ethiopia and characterize the isolates using whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism (wgSNP) analysis and in silico multi-locus sequence typing (MLST).

Seropositivity and Associated Risk Factors in Pastoral Livestock System in Northeastern Ethiopia.

Brucellosis is a common zoonotic disease affecting livestock and humans globally. The disease is endemic in Ethiopian livestock. This study was conducted to estimate seropositivity and identify its risk factors in livestock, and practices that may expose pastoralists to the disease.

Molecular identification and antimicrobial resistance profiling of pathogenic E. coli isolates from smallholder livestock households in Central Ethiopia.

Escherichia coli of different pathotypes are frequently involved in morbidity and mortality in animals and humans. The study aimed to identify E. coli pathotypes and determine antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles in Ethiopian smallholder livestock households.

Prevalence and trends of pregnancy-related acute kidney injury in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Pregnancy-Related Acute Kidney Injury (PRAKI) is an important contributor to maternal-fetal morbidity and mortality. The burden of PRAKI in sub-Saharan Africa is not well documented. We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of PRAKI in sub-Saharan Africa.

COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF PERCEIVED QUALITY OF ANTENATAL SERVICES AMONG INSURED AND UNINSURED PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CLINIC IN A TERTIARY HEALTH INSTITUTION, IN SOKOTO, NIGERIA.

Introduction: Access to quality antenatal care (ANC) is essential in reducing high maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in resource-poor countries. One way of ensuring financial accessibility to high-quality ANC services is through health insurance. This study assessed the perceived quality of services among insured and uninsured pregnant women attending the ANC at a tertiary health institution in Sokoto, Nigeria.

Sparkling Synergy: Enhancing Hydrogen Evolution with a Mesoporous CoP/FeP Interface.

The reaction kinetics is predominantly determined by the surface and interface engineering of electrocatalysts. Herein, we demonstrate the growth of cobalt monophosphide and iron monophosphide (CoP/FeP) with an effective solid interface. The surface of CoP/FeP is mesoporous, which is obtained by phosphidizing mesoporous CoFeO.

Modeling Habitat Suitability for and in Indo-West Pacific Mangroves.

Mangroves provide habitat for a diverse array of marine species, especially snails. We used a MaxEnt model to predict potential global suitable habitat for and in the family Potamididae. A total of 667 occurrence data were obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) with the following sub-data set contribution, "iNaturalist Research Grade Observations" (85%), "International Barcode of Life project (iBOL)" (7%), "FBIP: SeaKeys_SANBI: Marine images iSpot_2013" (1%), "A dataset of marine macroinvertebrate diversity from Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe" (1%), occurrence data of some marine invertebrates and freshwater crabs housed in the natural history collection at the National Museums of Kenya (1%), and Natural History Museum Rotterdam-Specimens (1%).

Harnessing bio and (Photo)catalysts for microplastics degradation and remediation in soil environment.

Soil pollution by microplastics (MPs) is an escalating environmental crisis with far-reaching consequences. However, current research on the degradation and/or remediation of MPs has mainly focused on water-simulated environments, with little attention given to soil MPs. Therefore, the review explores such terrestrial territory, exploring the potential of biodegradation and novel photocatalytic technologies for MPs degradation/remediation in soil.

Exploring the inhibitory potential of phytochemicals from Vernonia glaberrima leaves against snake venom toxins through computational simulation and experimental validation.

Phospholipase A (PLA) is an enzyme present in appreciable quantity in snake venoms which catalyze the hydrolysis of glycerophospholipids at sn-2 position and promote the release of lysophospholipids and fatty acids. 5-methylcoumarin-4-β-glucoside (5MC4BG) and lupeol were previously isolated from the leaves of V. glaberrima.

Patients and healthcare workers' preferences for using smart lockers in accessing and dispensing chronic disease medication in Nigeria: Findings from a descriptive cross-sectional study.

The use of smart locker technology has been beneficial for patients with chronic diseases who require regular medication and face challenges accessing healthcare facilities due to distance, time, or mobility issues. This study aimed to assess preferences for utilizing Smart Lockers in accessing and dispensing chronic disease medication among healthcare workers (HCWs) and patients in Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 8th and December 4th, 2021, across secondary healthcare facilities in five states of Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue, and Niger.

Microplastics and Co-pollutants in soil and marine environments: Sorption and desorption dynamics in unveiling invisible danger and key to ecotoxicological risk assessment.

Microplastics (MPs) and their co-pollutants pose significant threats to soil and marine environments, necessitating understanding of their colonization processes to combat the plastic pandemic and protect ecosystems. MPs can act as invisible carriers, concentrating and transporting pollutants, leading to a more widespread and potentially toxic impact than the presence of either MPs or the pollutants alone. Analyzing the sorption and desorption dynamics of MPs is crucial for understanding pollutants amplification and predicting the fate and transport of pollutants in soil and marine environments.

Acceptability of smart locker technology for dispensing chronic disease medication among patients and healthcare providers in Nigeria.

Smart lockers are automated delivery machines. They have been used in dispensing ARVs and Tuberculosis medication to chronically ill patients in South Africa, Kenya, and Eswatini. However, there is no evidence of smart lockers in dispensing chronic disease medication in Nigeria.

Veliparib with carboplatin and paclitaxel in BRCA-mutated advanced breast cancer (BROCADE3): Final overall survival results from a randomized phase 3 trial.

Background: In the BROCADE3 study, the addition of veliparib to carboplatin plus paclitaxel resulted in a significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) compared with placebo plus carboplatin and paclitaxel, in patients with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 (BRCA1/2)-mutated, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced breast cancer. We now report final overall survival (OS) data.

Methods: BROCADE3 is a randomized phase 3 study that enrolled patients with BRCA1/2-mutated, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer who received ≤ 2 prior lines of chemotherapy for metastatic disease.

Understanding rural women's preferences for telephone call engagement with primary health care providers in Nigeria: a discrete choice experiment.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of mobile phones to provide primary health care services and maintain continuity of care. This study aims to understand rural women's preferences for telephone call engagement with primary health care providers in Nigeria.

Methods: A discrete choice experiment was conducted alongside an action research project that empowered primary health care workers to develop and implement a telephone call intervention to assess and enhance experiences with facility childbirth care.

Occurrence of Pathotypes in Diarrheic Calves in a Low-Income Setting.

Different pathotypes are common zoonotic agents. Some of these pathotypes cause recurrent and widespread calf diarrhea and contribute to significant economic losses in the livestock sector worldwide in addition to putting humans at risk. Here, we investigated the occurrence of pathotypes in diarrheic calves in Ethiopia kept under various calf management practices.

Perception and willingness to accept COVID-19 Vaccines: A cross-sectional survey of the general population of Sokoto State, Nigeria.

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally is well over 400 million, however, the number of cases is showing a downward trend especially in developed countries largely as a result of effective vaccination against COVID-19. In developing countries, vaccination coverage is still very low as a result of vaccine hesitancy, which could be attributed to misconceptions about COVID-19 itself and its newly developed vaccines. This study assessed COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and perception amongst the adult population in Sokoto state, Nigeria.

Genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. in non-human primates in rural and urban areas of Ethiopia.

Non-Human Primates (NHPs) harbor Cryptosporidium genotypes that can infect humans and vice versa. NHPs Chlorocebus aethiops and Colobus guereza and humans have overlapping territories in some regions of Ethiopia, which may increase the risk of zoonotic transmission of Cryptosporidium. This cross-sectional study examined the molecular prevalence and subtypes of Cryptosporidium spp.

Safely resuming neglected tropical disease control activities during COVID-19: Perspectives from Nigeria and Guinea.

Since its early spread in early 2020, the disease caused by the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused mass disruptions to health services. These have included interruptions to programs that aimed to prevent, control, and eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) released interim guidelines recommending the temporary cessation of mass drug administration (MDA), community-based surveys, and case detection, while encouraging continuation of morbidity management and vector control where possible.

Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. from humans in Ethiopia.

Data on the distribution and genotype of Cryptosporidium species is limited in Ethiopia. This study examined the presence and genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium species circulating in Ethiopian human population. Stool samples collected from patients who visited rural (n = 94) and urban (n = 93) health centers in Wurgissa and Hawassa district, respectively, were examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium spp.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Experience of Sexual Violence among Female Employees in Sokoto Metropolis, Northwest Nigeria.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the knowledge, attitude and experiences of sexual violence among female employees in Sokoto metropolis. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 191 participants and a set of pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from the participants. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS version 20.

Providing TB and HIV outreach services to internally displaced populations in Northeast Nigeria: Results of a controlled intervention study.

Background: A decade of Boko Haram insurgency brought conflict, mass displacement, and the destruction of basic infrastructure to Northeast Nigeria. Over 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) suffering from lack of basic hygienic conditions, malnutrition, and disease live in camps or are hosted by communities in the region, where the conflict has contributed to a massive destruction of health facilities. Infectious diseases like tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are especially difficult to address under such conditions, and IDPs are vulnerable to both.

Intimate Partner Violence in Pregnancy: Knowledge and Experiences of Pregnant Women and Controlling Behavior of Male Partners in Sokoto, Northwest Nigeria.

Background: Violence against women perpetrated by an intimate partner is an important public health issue. In recent years, attention has focused also on intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy due to its prevalence, adverse health consequences, and intervention potentials.

Aim: To determine the knowledge, experiences, and factors influencing IPV, including the controlling behaviors of male partners of pregnant women attending an antenatal clinic (ANC) of a tertiary health facility in Sokoto.

Prevalence of Soil-transmitted Helminths in Primary School Playgrounds in Edo State, Southern Nigeria.

Schoolchildren in primary schools are mostly at risk of acquiring soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) infections due to their habits (geophagy, onychophagy and playing with barefoot). Profiling soil parasites on school playgrounds is expected to provide an insight to an array of parasites schoolchildren are constantly at risk of acquiring; and this information could guide on intervention programmes. Soil samples from sixteen primary school playgrounds in Edo State (South-South, Nigeria) were collected over a six-month period both in the dry (January, February and March) and wet (May, June and July) seasons in 2018 and early 2019.

Bridging the childhood epilepsy treatment gap in northern Nigeria (BRIDGE): Rationale and design of pre-clinical trial studies.

Epilepsy is the most common serious childhood neurological disorder. In the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) of Africa, children with epilepsy suffer increased morbidity and mortality compared to their counterparts in high-income countries, and the majority do not receive treatment - the childhood epilepsy treatment gap. Reports of the childhood epilepsy treatment gap in Africa are likely underestimates; most surveys do not include several common childhood seizure types, including most types of non-convulsive epilepsy.