Socio-demographic factors, housing characteristics, and clinical symptoms associated with falciparum malaria in two rapidly urbanizing areas in the Ashanti region of Ghana.

Background: Malaria has been described as a disease of poverty, affecting the poorest populations typically living in rural areas. As hitherto rural areas transition into semi-urban environments, this study investigated the prevalence of falciparum malaria and associated risk factors in two rapidly urbanizing districts in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Methods: A cross-sectional, hospital-based study was conducted at Agona and Mankranso Government Hospitals located within the Sekyere South and Ahafo Ano Southwest districts respectively, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) viremia despite tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-containing antiretroviral therapy in persons with HBV/HIV coinfection.

Background: The goal of treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection is suppression of both viruses; yet incomplete HBV suppression on tenofovir (TFV) disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) is common. This study investigated TFV resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) in individuals with HBV/HIV coinfection with viremia on TDF/lamivudine (3TC)-containing ART.

Methods: Samples from individuals with HBV DNA levels ≥20 IU/mL in a cross-sectional study of 138 persons with HBV/HIV coinfection in Ghana were analyzed in the present study.

Risk factors for the development of Thunderstorm-associated asthma among indigenous Ghanaians: A matched case-control study.

Objectives: Epidemic Thunderstorm asthma (TA) is a serious public health threat with a potential to overwhelm health systems. Being the first documented incidence in Ghana, we sought to determine whether the chronic respiratory risk factors for the development of TA as identified in other countries were similar or different from that in Ghana.

Study Design: A matched case-control study involving 41 cases and 82 controls was conducted in two conveniently selected health facilities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Merging adoption of natural climate solutions in agriculture with climatic and non-climatic risks within an (intra)gendered framework.

The extant research on climate variability shares significant theoretical contributions to vulnerability and risks. However, the literature mostly focuses on technical solutions to climate extremes which undermines efforts to identify and solve the dynamics within gender groups in using agricultural-based natural climate solutions (NCS) to address climatic and non-climatic risks. With this in mind, this study implements both quantitative and qualitative approaches including household surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions to investigate the adoption of NCS within gender groups to address climatic and non-climatic risks in three selected communities (Katanga, Dakio, and Zonno) in the Bolgatanga East District of Upper East Region of Ghana.

Association of tenofovir diphosphate and lamivudine triphosphate concentrations with HIV and hepatitis B virus viral suppression.

Objective: Concentrations of tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) and lamivudine triphosphate (3TC-TP) in cells are correlates of medication adherence and antiviral activity. However, studies have yet to characterize the simultaneous relationship between TFV-DP and 3TC-TP concentrations with HIV and hepatitis B virus (HBV) suppression.

Methods: Individuals with HIV/HBV coinfection on tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART) were enrolled.

Predictive Value of Total Metabolic Tumor Burden Prior to Treatment in NSCLC Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibition.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the predictive value of the total metabolic tumor burden prior to treatment in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Methods: Pre-treatment 2-deoxy-2-[F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scans performed in two consecutive years for staging in adult patients with confirmed NSCLC were considered. Volume, maximum/mean standardized uptake value (SUVmax/SUVmean), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were assessed per delineated malignant lesion (including primary tumor, regional lymph nodes and distant metastases) in addition to the morphology of the primary tumor and clinical data.

Additional Primary Tumors Detected Incidentally on FDG PET/CT at Staging in Patients with First Diagnosis of NSCLC: Frequency, Impact on Patient Management and Survival.

We aimed to assess the frequency of additional primary malignancies detected incidentally on [F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) at staging in NSCLC patients. Moreover, their impact on patient management and survival was assessed. Consecutive NSCLC patients with available staging FDG-PET/CT between 2020 and 2021 were retrospectively enrolled.

Accuracy of diagnosis among clinical malaria patients: comparing microscopy, RDT and a highly sensitive quantitative PCR looking at the implications for submicroscopic infections.

Background: The World Health Organization recommends parasitological confirmation of all suspected malaria cases by microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) before treatment. These conventional tools are widely used for point-of-care diagnosis in spite of their poor sensitivity at low parasite density. Previous studies in Ghana have compared microscopy and RDT using standard 18S rRNA PCR as reference with varying outcomes.

Hypermetabolic Ipsilateral Supraclavicular and Axillary Lymphadenopathy: Optimal Time Point for Performing an F-FDG PET/CT after COVID-19 Vaccination.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type-2 (SARS-CoV2) vaccine-related hypermetabolic lymphadenopathy (HLA) and evaluate which time point produces the least number of false-positive findings in an 18F-2-Fluor-2-desoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT). Methods: For this retrospective, multi-center imaging study, patients with any form of SARS-CoV2 vaccination prior to an 18F-FDG-PET/CT were included between January 2021 and December 2021. Patients were divided into six groups according to the time point of vaccination prior to their 18F-FDG-PET/CT imaging, e.

Predictive Value of Baseline FDG-PET/CT for the Durable Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibition in NSCLC Patients Using the Morphological and Metabolic Features of Primary Tumors.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the predictive value of baseline 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) for durable responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) by linking the morphological and metabolic features of primary tumors (PTs) in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: For the purpose of this single-center study, the imaging data of the patients with a first diagnosis of NSCLC and an available baseline FDG-PET/CT between 2020 and 2021 were retrospectively assessed. The baseline characteristics were collected based on clinical reports and interdisciplinary tumor board documentation.

Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor as Emerging Target: Will It Make It to the Clinic?

The glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) is an emerging target due to its high expression in benign insulinomas as well as in islet cell hypertrophia/hyperplasia (nesidioblastosis) and pancreatic β-cells. In 2008, occult insulinomas were localized for the first time in men using the metabolically stable radiolabeled glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonist [Lys(Ahx-DTPA-In)NH]-exendin-4 (In-DTPA-exendin-4). Afterward, several radiopharmaceuticals for GLP-1R PET/CT imaging were synthesized and evaluated, for example, [Nle,Lys(Ahx-DOTA-Ga)NH]-exendin-4 (Ga-DOTA-exendin-4), [Cys(MAL-NOTA-Ga)NH]-exendin-4 (Ga-NOTA-exendin-4), and [Lys(NODAGA-Ga)NH]-exendin-4 (Ga-NODAGA-exendin-4).

Investigating difficult to detect pancreatic lesions: Characterization of benign pancreatic islet cell tumors using multiparametric pancreatic 3-T MRI.

Introduction: Pancreatic islet-cell tumors (PICT) often present with atypical signal-characteristics and are often missed on preoperative imaging. The aim of this study is to provide a multiparametric PICT characterization and investigate factors impeding PICT detection.

Material And Methods: This is a detailed MRI analysis of a prospective, monocenter study, including 49 consecutive patients (37 female, 12 male; median age 50) with symptoms due to endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (EHH) and mostly negative prior-imaging.

Rapid quantification of insulin degludec by immunopurification combined with liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Insulin degludec is an ultra-long-acting insulin analogue that is increasingly being used in diabetes due to its favourable efficacy and safety profile. Thus, there is an increasing demand for a reliable and specific analytical method to quantify insulin degludec for research, pharmaceutical industry and clinical applications. We developed and validated an automated, high-throughput method for quantification of insulin degludec in human blood samples across the expected clinical range combining immunopurification with high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Pitfalls in the Detection of Insulinomas With Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Imaging.

Purpose: Physiological pancreaticoduodenal uptake of radiolabeled exendin-4 in Brunner glands of the proximal duodenum is the most common pitfall for false interpretation of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) imaging. The aim of this study was to analyze the pancreaticoduodenal uptake in GLP-1R PET/CT and SPECT/CT images and to identify additional potential reading pitfalls in patients with suspected insulinoma.

Methods: A post hoc analysis of a prospective study, including 52 consecutive patients, was performed.

Effect of aminophylline on the pharmacokinetics of amikacin in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Introduction: In most resource-poor settings, amikacin is normally co-administered with aminophylline among preterm newborns with infection and apnea of prematurity. There is the likelihood of an interaction between concurrently administered amikacin that is excreted almost solely via kidneys, and aminophylline, which is known to increase filtration fraction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of aminophylline on the pharmacokinetics of amikacin using an animal model.

Innovative imaging of insulinoma: the end of sampling? A review.

Receptors for the incretin glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1R) have been found overexpressed in selected types of human tumors and may, therefore, play an increasingly important role in endocrine gastrointestinal tumor management. In particular, virtually all benign insulinomas express GLP-1R in high density. Targeting GLP-1R with indium-111, technetium-99m or gallium-68-labeled exendin-4 offers a new approach that permits the successful localization of small benign insulinomas.

68Ga-Exendin-4 PET/CT Detects Insulinomas in Patients With Endogenous Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia in MEN-1.

Context: Surgical intervention is advised in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type-1 (MEN-1) and nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) with a size ≥20 mm. Functioning PanNETs, such as in patients with endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (EHH) due to (one or multiple) insulinomas, should be treated surgically independent of size. Preoperative localization of insulinomas is critical for surgery.

Concurrent occurrence of a wandering spleen, organoaxial gastric volvulus, pancreatic volvulus, and cholestasis - A rare cause of an acute abdomen.

The concurrence of wandering spleen, organoaxial gastric volvulus, and pancreatic volvulus is very rare. They have been associated with symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, abdominal distention, and vomiting. However, the diagnosis remains complicated and any delay can result in ischemia and necrosis of the organs involved.

Volume Replacement Fluid Demarks Benign Insulinoma With 68Ga-DOTA-Exendin-4 PET/CT.

Insulinomas are often difficult to localize. We present a 47-year-old woman who had recurrent neuroglycopenic symptoms and positive Whipple triad for 28 months. The 14 hours of fasting test confirmed the diagnosis of endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia which is highly suspicious for the presence of an insulinoma.

Clinical presentation of 54 patients with endogenous hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia: a neurological chameleon (observational study).

BACKGROUND Important causes of endogenous hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia (EHH) in adult patients are insulinoma and adult nesidioblastosis. Data on main symptoms in EHH are scarce and controversial. We analysed main symptoms of patients with EHH in the framework of two prospective studies investigating glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor imaging.