Assessing attitudes toward seeking psychological professional help among adolescents: the roles of demographics and self-esteem.

Background: Various factors associated with attitudes toward the utilization of professional psychological help among the school-going population have been explored, but studies from Arabian Gulf countries are lacking. This study aimed to assess attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help, examine how demographic factors and self-esteem are associated with seeking psychological help, and understand the interaction between these variables.

Methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was used.

Cerebral Venous Air Embolism: A Rare Clinical Challenge and Management Insights.

Cerebral air embolism (CAE) is a rare but life-threatening condition often associated with trauma, such as chest and skull injuries, which allow air to enter the venous system, as well as medical procedures and surgical interventions. It can occur during the insertion of peripheral cannulas or central midline catheters, following lung biopsy procedures, or during vascular surgeries, particularly those involving the head and neck region. CAE can also develop during the removal of central venous cannulas, as air may enter the bloodstream in the process.

Painful mycetoma: a study to understand the risk factors in patients visiting the Mycetoma Research Centre (MRC) in Khartoum, Sudan.

Background: Mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease endemic to Sudan, is traditionally characterized as a painless condition. However, recent studies reporting painful mycetoma lesions have challenged this assumption. With limited reports in the medical literature regarding pain in mycetoma, this study was conducted to investigate the risk factors for painful mycetoma lesions in patients visiting the Mycetoma Research Centre (MRC) in Khartoum, Sudan.

The global seroprevalence of infection in workers occupationally exposed to animals (1972-2023): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

, a ubiquitous zoonotic parasite infecting warm-blooded animals, poses a significant health threat to workers with occupational animal exposure (WOEA) due to their frequent contact with potential reservoirs. Existing data on seroprevalence in the WOEA exhibits substantial global variation. This systematic review and meta-analysis, adhering to PRISMA guidelines, aimed to quantify the global seroprevalence of infection among WOEA over the past five decades (1972-2023).

Disease-Specific Differences in Pharmacokinetics of Paromomycin and Miltefosine Between Post-Kala-Azar Dermal Leishmaniasis and Visceral Leishmaniasis Patients in Eastern Africa.

Treatment regimens for post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) are usually extrapolated from those for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), but drug pharmacokinetics (PK) can differ due to disease-specific variations in absorption, distribution, and elimination. This study characterized PK differences in paromomycin and miltefosine between 109 PKDL and 264 VL patients from Eastern Africa. VL patients showed 0.

Two dose levels of once-weekly fosravuconazole versus daily itraconazole in combination with surgery in patients with eumycetoma in Sudan: a randomised, double-blind, phase 2, proof-of-concept superiority trial.

Background: Eumycetoma is an implantation mycosis characterised by a large subcutaneous mass in the extremities commonly caused by the fungus Madurella mycetomatis. Despite the long duration of treatment, commonly a minimum of 12 months, treatment failure is frequent and can lead to amputation. We aimed to compare the efficacy of two doses of fosravuconazole, a synthetic antifungal designed for use in onychomycosis and repurposed for mycetoma, with standard-of-care itraconazole, both in combination with surgery.

Differences in the Cellular Immune Response during and after Treatment of Sudanese Patients with Post-kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis, and Possible Implications for Outcome.

Background: The host cellular immune response associated with two treatments for post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) - paromomycin plus miltefosine (Arm 1), and liposomal amphotericin B plus miltefosine (Arm 2) - was examined in Sudanese patients before treatment (D0), at the end of treatment (D42), and during the post-treatment period (D180).

Methods: Whole blood samples were stimulated with soluble Leishmania antigen for 24 h (whole blood assay [WBA]) and the concentrations of Th1/Th2/Th17-associated cytokines, IP-10, PDL-1 and granzyme B were determined.

Results: The Arm 1 treatment (98.

Awareness of consanguineous marriage burden and willingness towards premarital genetic testing in Sudan: a national cross-sectional study.

Background: Despite the widespread practice of consanguinity in Sudan, there is a lack of exploration into the community's awareness of its health implications on offspring and their overall attitude towards consanguineous unions.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the community's awareness of the possible health adversities of consanguinity on children and assess the effect of knowledge level on the prevailing attitude towards this practice in Sudan.

Methods: From August to December 2018, data were collected from adults aged 18 years and above in five provinces of Sudan regardless of their marital status.

Blood transfusion in the care of patients with visceral leishmaniasis: a review of practices in therapeutic efficacy studies.

Blood transfusion remains an important aspect of patient management in visceral leishmaniasis (VL). However, transfusion triggers considered are poorly understood. This review summarises the transfusion practices adopted in VL efficacy studies using the Infectious Diseases Data Observatory VL clinical trials library.

Leishmania blood parasite dynamics during and after treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in Eastern Africa: A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model.

Background: With the current treatment options for visceral leishmaniasis (VL), recrudescence of the parasite is seen in a proportion of patients. Understanding parasite dynamics is crucial to improving treatment efficacy and predicting patient relapse in cases of VL. This study aimed to characterize the kinetics of circulating Leishmania parasites in the blood, during and after different antileishmanial therapies, and to find predictors for clinical relapse of disease.

Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) drug efficacy study landscape: A systematic scoping review of clinical trials and observational studies to assess the feasibility of establishing an individual participant-level data (IPD) platform.

Background: Post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL) is a dermatosis which can occur after successful treatment of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and is a public health problem in VL endemic areas. We conducted a systematic scoping review to assess the characteristics of published PKDL clinical studies, understand the scope of research and explore the feasibility and value of developing a PKDL individual patient data (IPD) platform.

Methods: A systematic review of published literature was conducted to identify PKDL clinical studies by searching the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Ovid Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, WHO Global Index Medicus, PASCAL, Clinicaltrials.

Haematological dynamics following treatment of visceral leishmaniasis: a protocol for systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis.

Introduction: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a parasitic disease with an estimated 30 000 new cases occurring annually. Despite anaemia being a common haematological manifestation of VL, the evolution of different haematological characteristics following treatment remains poorly understood. An individual participant data meta-analysis (IPD-MA) is planned to characterise the haematological dynamics in patients with VL.

Characterization and Investigation of Novel Benzodioxol Derivatives as Antidiabetic Agents: An In Vitro and In Vivo Study in an Animal Model.

In this study, we synthesized benzodioxol carboxamide derivatives and investigated their antidiabetic potential. The synthesized compounds ( and ) underwent characterization via HRMS, H-, CAPT-NMR, and MicroED. Their efficacy against α-amylase was assessed in vitro, while MTS assays were employed to gauge cytotoxicity across cancer and normal cell lines.

Delayed cerebellar ataxia induced by malaria: A rare complication.

Key Clinical Message: In endemic areas, malaria-induced cerebellar ataxia should be suspected in patients presenting with neurological disorders including slurred speech, tremors, and a sense of imbalance and dizziness while walking. Healthcare providers should be aware to properly investigate and early detect and manage infections associated with the development of cerebellar ataxia to improve the case management and clinical outcome cost-effectively.

Abstract: Here, we report the clinical manifestations, investigations, and outcomes of a patient developed delayed cerebellar ataxia following a malaria infection: an unusual complication of the disease.

Global status of infections in human population: A 50-year (1970-2020) meta-analysis.

Background & Objectives: Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis; a febrile tick-borne bacterial zoonosis of increasing public health importance in many parts of the world which is life threatening in undiagnosed, misdiagnosed and untreated cases. In this study we determined and reported the global status of the pathogen in man.

Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was used to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of data published in six electronic databases between 1970 and 2020.

Population pharmacokinetics of a combination of miltefosine and paromomycin in Eastern African children and adults with visceral leishmaniasis.

Objectives: To improve visceral leishmaniasis (VL) treatment in Eastern Africa, 14- and 28-day combination regimens of paromomycin plus allometrically dosed miltefosine were evaluated. As the majority of patients affected by VL are children, adequate paediatric exposure to miltefosine and paromomycin is key to ensuring good treatment response.

Methods: Pharmacokinetic data were collected in a multicentre randomized controlled trial in VL patients from Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia and Uganda.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of brucellosis in dromedary camels () in Sudan from 1980 to 2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Camel brucellosis is a major public health concern in Sudan; however, there is no overall estimation of the prevalence of camel brucellosis in Sudan. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, this study aimed to perform a meta-analysis of 30 eligible studies published before December 31, 2022, with a total of 70059 dromedary camels, to estimate the pooled prevalence of camel brucellosis and its risk factors in Sudan. The random effect model was used for the final analysis due to the significantly high heterogeneity among the included studies, and the results showed that the overall pooled prevalence of camel brucellosis was 17%, with a confidence interval (CI) of 12%-21%.

Characterization and risk factors for unexplained female infertility in Sudan: A case-control study.

Background: Female infertility with unknown causes (unexplained) remains one of the mysteries in the reproductive health field, where the diagnostic evidence is still weak and the proposed treatments still work with unknown methods. However, several studies have proposed some possible causes and risk factors for unexplained female infertility.

Aim: To characterize and identify factors associated with unexplained infertility in Sudanese women.

Dosimetric assessment of Gadolinium-159 for hepatic radioembolization: Tomographic images and Monte Carlo simulation.

A common therapeutic radionuclide used in hepatic radioembolization is yttrium-90 (Y). However, the absence of gamma emissions makes it difficult to verify the post-treatment distribution of Y microspheres. Gadolinium-159 (Gd) has physical properties that are suitable for therapy and post-treatment imaging in hepatic radioembolization procedures.

LEISH2b - A phase 2b study to assess the safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of the Leishmania vaccine ChAd63-KH in post-kala azar dermal leishmaniasis.

The leishmaniases are neglected tropical diseases caused by various parasite species transmitted by sand flies. They comprise a number of systemic and cutaneous syndromes including kala-azar (visceral leishmaniasis, VL), cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). The leishmaniases cause significant mortality (estimated 20 - 50,000 deaths annually), morbidity, psychological sequelae, and healthcare and societal costs.

Intramedullary Osteosclerosis of the Tibia: A Rare Cause of Osteosclerosis to Keep an Eye On.

Intramedullary osteosclerosis (IMOS) is a rare process of intramedullary bone formation in one or more bones in the lower limb. It arises in adulthood, its etiology is unknown, and it is diagnosed by exclusion. We present a case of a 26-year-old female who presented with three-week history of right tibial pain provoked by prolonged standing.

Changes of aortic hemodynamics after aortic valve replacement-A four dimensional flow cardiovascular magnetic resonance follow up study.

Objectives: Non-invasive assessment of aortic hemodynamics using four dimensional (4D) flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides new information on blood flow patterns and wall shear stress (WSS). Aortic valve stenosis (AS) and/or bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) are associated with altered aortic flow patterns and elevated WSS. Aim of this study was to investigate changes in aortic hemodynamics over time in patients with AS and/or BAV with or without aortic valve replacement.