Difficulty in financing fracture care in south-western Nigeria: a prospective cohort study of predictors and recommendations for improvement.

Background: Bone fractures remain a significant global public health issue despite preventive measures, leading to substantial health and economic consequences. Effective treatment options are difficult to access in most sub-Saharan African countries, leading to reliance on unqualified practitioners and resulting in serious complications that worsen poverty. In Nigeria, the main challenge is the need for out-of-pocket payment for healthcare, which is the primary method of health financing.

Genetic Analysis of the Impact of Heat Stress on Fertility Traits in Dairy Cows in the Netherlands.

This study aimed to use Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) as an indicator for assessing heat stress conditions for fertility traits in the Holstein dairy cattle breed in the Netherlands. Data from artificial insemination and calving events of 416,814 first-parity cows from the Netherlands were used, considering different THI definitions based on different numbers of days before and after artificial insemination events. To achieve our aim, we investigated first, at population level, the relationship between different THI definitions and 4 fertility traits: conception rate, interval calving to first insemination, interval first to last insemination, and calving interval.

Factors Influencing the Care and Management of Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Scoping Review.

Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to explore the experiences of patients' and healthcare practitioners on the factors that influence the care and management of diabetes-related foot ulcers (DFUs).

Methods: Levac et al's 6-stage framework and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis extension for scoping reviews, guided the review. The SPIDER tool was used to define key elements of the review question.

HIF1α-regulated glycolysis promotes activation-induced cell death and IFN-γ induction in hypoxic T cells.

Hypoxia is a common feature in various pathophysiological contexts, including tumor microenvironment, and IFN-γ is instrumental for anti-tumor immunity. HIF1α has long been known as a primary regulator of cellular adaptive responses to hypoxia, but its role in IFN-γ induction in hypoxic T cells is unknown. Here, we show that the HIF1α-glycolysis axis controls IFN-γ induction in both human and mouse T cells, activated under hypoxia.

Bi- and Monoallelic Variants and Chronic Kidney Disease in West Africans.

Background: Apolipoprotein L1 gene () variants are risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) among Black Americans. Data are sparse on the genetic epidemiology of CKD and the clinical association of variants with CKD in West Africans, a major group in the Black population.

Methods: We conducted a case-control study involving participants from Ghana and Nigeria who had CKD stages 2 through 5, biopsy-proven glomerular disease, or no kidney disease.

Network Pharmacology, Molecular Dynamics and In Vitro Assessments of Indigenous Herbal Formulations for Alzheimer's Therapy.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-associated neurodegenerative condition marked by amyloid plaques, synaptic dysfunction, and neuronal loss. Besides conventional medical care, herbal therapies, both raw and refined, have attracted researchers for their potential therapeutic effects. As a proof-of-concept, our study combined HPLC-DAD analysis of bioactive constituents, network pharmacology, molecular dynamics (MD), molecular docking, post-MD analysis, and experimental verification to investigate the mechanisms of crude drug formulations as a therapeutic strategy for AD.

Exploring computational approaches to design mRNA Vaccine against vaccinia and Mpox viruses.

Background: Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines emerged as a powerful tool in the fight against infections. Unlike traditional vaccines, this unique type of vaccine elicits robust and persistent innate and humoral immune response with a unique host cell-mediated pathogen gene expression and antigen presentation.

Methods: This offers a novel approach to combat poxviridae infections.

Self-reported Symptoms Associated With the Use of Printer and Photocopier Machines: Results From the Nano-Control, International Foundation Survey.

Objectives: This study aimed to document adverse health effects among office, copy, and print shop workers using the Nano-Control, International Foundation Survey.

Methods: Self-reported information on 16 health outcomes and three surrogate exposure variables were collected from 1998 individuals between 1999 and 2010. Logistic regression models, adjusted for age, gender, and smoking status, assessed the association between printer exposure and health symptoms.

A mechanistic PK/PD model of AZD0171 (anti-LIF) to support Phase II dose selection.

AZD0171 (INN: Falbikitug) is being developed as a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb), immunoglobulin G subclass 1 (IgG1), which binds specifically to the immunosuppressive human cytokine leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and inhibits downstream signaling by blocking recruitment of glycoprotein 130 (gp130) to the LIF receptor (LIFR) subunit (gp190) and the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and is intended to treat adult participants with advanced solid tumors. LIF is a pleiotropic cytokine (and a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines) involved in many physiological and pathological processes and is highly expressed in a subset of solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colon, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancer. The aim of this work was to develop a mechanistic PK/PD model to investigate the effect of AZD0171 on tumor LIF levels, predict the level of downstream signaling complex (LIF:LIFR:gp130) inhibition, and examine the dose-response relationship to support dose selection for a Phase II clinical study.

Exploring the nuclear proteins, viral capsid protein, and early antigen protein using immunoinformatic and molecular modeling approaches to design a vaccine candidate against Epstein Barr virus.

The available Epstein Barr virus vaccine has tirelessly harnessed the gp350 glycoprotein as its target epitope, but the result has not been preventive. Right here, we designed a global multi-epitope vaccine for EBV; with special attention to making sure all strains and preventive antigens are covered. Using a robust computational vaccine design approach, our proposed vaccine is armed with 6-16 mers linear B-cell epitopes, 4-9 mer CTL epitopes, and 8-15 mer HTL epitopes which are verified to induce interleukin 4, 10 & IFN-gamma.

Magainin-AM2 inhibits sucrose-induced hyperglycaemia, oxidative stress, and cognitive dysfunction in Drosophila melanogaster.

Hyperglycaemia-induced oxidative stress plays significant roles in the development of type 2 diabetes and its complications. This study investigates effects of magainin-AM2 on high-sucrose diet induced redox imbalance and cognitive impairment in Drosophila melanogaster. Effects of various concentrations of sucrose, magainin-AM2 or a combination of both agents on mortality, eclosion rate, generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, activities of antioxidant enzymes, thiol system, and markers of cognitive functions in control and treated flies were examined.

Reamed intramedullary nailing of diaphyseal multifragmentary femur fractures (AO/OTA 32-C) without fluoroscopy guidance: prospective analysis of methods and short-term outcomes in a low-resource setting.

Purpose: To describe the methods and outcomes of reamed intramedullary nailing (IMN) of diaphyseal multifragmentary femur (AO/OTA C2 and C3) fractures (DMFFs) in a low-resource setting without fluoroscopy and fracture table.

Methods: The prospective study involved 35 DMFFs among 318 femur fractures treated ≤ 3 weeks post-injury with SIGN nails. The fractures were fixed without fluoroscopy, fracture table and power reaming.

Spilanthes filicaulis (Schumach. &Thonn.) C. D. Adams: An insights into ethnopharmacologically important but scientifically understudied species.

Spilanthes filicaulis (Schumach. & Thonn.) C.

Attenuation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by leaf flavonoid-rich extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic male rats.

Diabetes is a group of medical conditions characterized by the body's inability to effectively control blood glucose levels, due to either insufficient insulin synthesis in type 1 diabetes or inadequate insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes. According to this research, the PI3K/AKT pathway of Ocimum gratissimum leaf flavonoid-rich extracts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was studied. We purchased and used a total of forty (40) male Wistar rats for the study.

Workplace Productivity, Health and Wellbeing: Findings From a Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial of a Workplace Intervention to Reduce Sitting in Office Workers.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and potential effects of a workplace intervention to reduce and break up sitting.

Methods: Office workers were randomized in clusters to intervention ( n = 22) or control ( n = 22). The intervention included a height-adjustable workstation, education, computer prompt software, and line manager support.

Retrograde intramedullary nailing with supplemental plate and lag screws allows early weight bearing following distal end-segment femur fractures (AO/OTA 33) in a low-resource setting.

Purpose: To underline the feasibility of achieving early weight bearing in patients with distal end-segment femur fractures (AO/OTA 33) treated with retrograde intramedullary nailing and supplemental plate or lag screws in the absence of C-arm.

Methods: 41 distal end-segment femur fractures (DFFs) included in the study were treated with SIGN nails with or without a side plate in a center that lacked intraoperative fluoroscopy and fracture table. A medial or lateral para-patellar incision was used for fracture reduction, nail insertion and side plate placement.

HIF1α-glycolysis engages activation-induced cell death to drive IFN-γ induction in hypoxic T cells.

The role of HIF1α-glycolysis in regulating IFN-γ induction in hypoxic T cells is unknown. Given that hypoxia is a common feature in a wide array of pathophysiological contexts such as tumor and that IFN-γ is instrumental for protective immunity, it is of great significance to gain a clear idea on this. Combining pharmacological and genetic gain-of-function and loss-of-function approaches, we find that HIF1α-glycolysis controls IFN-γ induction in both human and mouse T cells activated under hypoxia.

Gender differentials on productivity of rice farmers in south western Nigeria: An Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition approach.

Gender differences in productivity are one of the major obstacles impeding the development of agriculture in Africa and Nigerian particularly. With the Oaxaca-Blinder (OB) and exogenous switching treatment regression (ESTER) models, this study investigates the causes of the productivity differences among 360 sampled rice farmers in Nigeria as well as gender inequality in agricultural productivity. The findings showed that there is an inequalities between men and women, which contributes to a gender productivity gap of almost 29 % in favour of men.

Follow-up non-attendance after long-bone fractures in a low-resource setting: a prospective study of predictors and interventions to increase attendance rates.

Background: While the majority of traumatic injuries occur in low- and middle-income countries, the published literature comes chiefly from high-income countries due to poor follow-up. Clinical and radiographic post-surgical trauma follow-up is essential to high-quality research and objective monitoring for healing and/or complications. This study aimed to identify the predictors of follow-up non-attendance in a low-resource setting and investigate the extent to which interventional efforts based on mobile phone technology (MPT) and home visits improved the follow-up rates for fractures treated with SIGN nails.

Therapeutic Study of Cinnamic Acid Derivative for Oxidative Stress Ablation: The Computational and Experimental Answers.

This study aimed to examine the therapeutic activity of the cinnamic acid derivative KAD-7 (N'-(2,4-dichlorobenzylidene)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) acrylohydrazide) on Fe-induced oxidative hepatic injury via experimental and computational models. In addition, the role of ATPase and ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (ENTPDase) in the coordination of cellular signals is speculated upon to proffer suitable therapeutics for metabolic stress disorder upon their inhibition. While we know little about therapeutics with flexible dual inhibitors for these protein targets, this study was designed to screen KAD-7's (N'-(2,4-dichlorobenzylidene)-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) acrylohydrazide) inhibitory potential for both protein targets.

Genomic loss of the HSP70cA gene in the vertebrate lineage.

Metazoan 70 kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) genes have been classified into four lineages: cytosolic A (HSP70cA), cytosolic B (HSP70cB), endoplasmic reticulum (HSP70er), and mitochondria (HSP70m). Because previous studies have identified no HSP70cA genes in vertebrates, we hypothesized that this gene was lost on the evolutionary path to vertebrates. To test this hypothesis, the present study conducted a comprehensive database search followed by phylogenetic and synteny analyses.

Expeditious access to -β-aryl, γ-alkyl disubstituted (±)-γ-butyrolactones nickel-hydride catalysis.

The 1,4-reduction of β- and γ-substituted butenolides using 5 mol% of NiCl·6HO and NaBH in MeOH for rapid access to -β,γ-disubstituted γ-butyrolactones is described. The reaction was selective for -products, which were obtained in good to excellent yields. This study showcased the influence of steric hindrance and angle strain on the diastereoselectivity outcome of conjugate reductions facilitated by generated nickel-hydride.

MAPT allele and haplotype frequencies in Nigerian Africans: Population distribution and association with Parkinson's disease risk and age at onset.

Introduction: The association between MAPT and PD risk may be subject to ethnic variability even within populations of similar geographical origin. Data on MAPT haplotype frequencies, and its association with PD risk in black Africans are lacking. We aimed to determine the frequencies of MAPT haplotypes and their role as risk factors for PD and age at onset in Nigerians.