Iron nutrition and COVID-19 among Nigerian healthcare workers.

Background And Objectives: The optimal iron hypothesis (OIH) posits that risk for infection is lowest at a mild level of iron deficiency. The extent to which this protection results from arms race dynamics in the evolution of iron acquisition and sequestration mechanisms is unclear. We evaluated the OIH with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an emerging infectious agent.

Neurological manifestations of lysosomal storage diseases.

Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) encompass a group of rare inherited metabolic disorders characterized by the accumulation of undegraded substrates within lysosomes, leading to multisystemic manifestations, including profound neurological involvement. This article provides a concise overview of the neurological manifestations of LSDs, with a focus on central nervous system (CNS) involvement and treatment strategies. While the paper intricacies of each LSD subtype and its associated CNS manifestations, it aims to provide a summary of the essential findings and implications.

Harnessing root powder (MORP) for the sustainable remediation of heavy metal contaminated water.

Heavy metal environmental pollution is rapidly increasing due to the increase in industrialization and urbanization. Industrial processes, such as paint production, mining, and raw materials producing industries release effluents rich in heavy metals, like Pb, Cd, Cu, and Cr. These heavy metals are dangerous because they persist in nature, are non-biodegradable and they have high tendency to accumulate in the environment and in living organisms who are exposed to them.

Improving tuberculosis control: assessing the value of medical masks and case detection-a multi-country study with cost-effectiveness analysis.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health concern, necessitating effective control strategies. This article presents a mathematical model to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of medical mask usage and case detection in TB control. The model is constructed as a system of ordinary differential equations and incorporates crucial aspects of TB dynamics, including slow-fast progression, medical mask use, case detection, treatment interventions and differentiation between symptomatic and asymptomatic cases.

Adeno-associated virus vector delivery to the brain: Technology advancements and clinical applications.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have emerged as a promising tool in the development of gene therapies for various neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. However, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) poses a significant challenge to successfully delivering AAV vectors to the brain. Strategies that can overcome the BBB to improve the AAV delivery efficiency to the brain are essential to successful brain-targeted gene therapy.

Airy-beam holographic sonogenetics for advancing neuromodulation precision and flexibility.

Advancing our understanding of brain function and developing treatments for neurological diseases hinge on the ability to modulate neuronal groups in specific brain areas without invasive techniques. Here, we introduce Airy-beam holographic sonogenetics (AhSonogenetics) as an implant-free, cell type-specific, spatially precise, and flexible neuromodulation approach in freely moving mice. AhSonogenetics utilizes wearable ultrasound devices manufactured using 3D-printed Airy-beam holographic metasurfaces.

Post-Transplant Cardiovascular Disease in Kidney Transplant Recipients: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes in the Era of Modern Immunosuppression.

: Post-transplant cardiovascular disease (PTCVD) poses a significant challenge in kidney transplantation, potentially impacting graft outcomes and patient survival. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the incidence, risk factors, and consequential impact of PTCVD in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) devoid of pre-existing cardiovascular disease (CVD). : The cohort comprised 1114 KTRs, with 749 individuals included after excluding those with pre-existing CVD and early graft loss.

Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of De Novo Malignancy following Kidney Transplantation.

Post-transplant malignancy is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality following kidney transplantation often emerging after medium- to long-term follow-up. To understand the risk factors for the development of de novo post-transplant malignancy (DPTM), this study aimed to assess the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of DPTM at a single nephrology centre over two decades. This retrospective cohort study included 963 kidney transplant recipients who underwent kidney transplantation between January 2000 and December 2020 and followed up over a median follow-up of 7.

The effect of primary renal disease upon outcomes after renal transplant.

Background: This study investigated whether nature of primary renal disease affects clinical outcomes after renal transplantation at a single center in the United Kingdom.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of 961 renal transplant recipients followed up at a large renal center from 2000 to 2020. Separation of diseases responsible for end-stage kidney disease included glomerulonephritis, diabetic kidney disease, hypertensive nephropathy, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, unknown cause, other causes and chronic pyelonephritis.

Perceptions of the COVID-19 Vaccine and Willingness to Receive Vaccination among Health Workers in Nigeria: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is a major barrier to vaccine uptake, and the achievement of herd immunity is required to reduce morbidity and mortality and protect the most vulnerable populations. In Nigeria, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy has been high, and uptake remains very low. Healthcare workers (HCWs) in Nigeria can help support public health efforts to increase vaccine uptake.

Blood donation practices, processing and utilisation of blood components in government tertiary hospitals in Nigeria: a multicentre cooperative study.

Background: Timely access to safe blood and blood components is still a challenge in Nigeria. This study aimed to determine blood donation practices, processing and utilization of blood components across government tertiary hospitals (THs) in Nigeria.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study done in Nigeria in June-July 2020.

Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Delivery of Anti-Programmed Cell Death-Ligand 1 Antibody to the Brain of a Porcine Model.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment by leveraging the body's immune system to combat cancer cells. However, its effectiveness in brain cancer is hindered by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), impeding the delivery of ICIs to brain tumor cells. This study aimed to assess the safety and feasibility of using focused ultrasound combined with microbubble-mediated BBB opening (FUS-BBBO) to facilitate trans-BBB delivery of an ICI, anti-programmed cell death-ligand 1 antibody (aPD-L1) to the brain of a large animal model.

Factors Governing the Erythropoietic Response to Intravenous Iron Infusion in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Limited knowledge exists about factors affecting parenteral iron response. A study was conducted to determine the factors influencing the erythropoietic response to parenteral iron in iron-deficient anaemic patients whose kidney function ranged from normal through all stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) severity.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included parenteral iron recipients who did not receive erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) between 2017 and 2019.

Distinct monkeypox virus lineages co-circulating in humans before 2022.

The 2022 global mpox outbreak raises questions about how this zoonotic disease established effective human-to-human transmission and its potential for further adaptation. The 2022 outbreak virus is related to an ongoing outbreak in Nigeria originally reported in 2017, but the evolutionary path linking the two remains unclear due to a lack of genomic data between 2018, when virus exportations from Nigeria were first recorded, and 2022, when the global mpox outbreak began. Here, 18 viral genomes obtained from patients across southern Nigeria in 2019-2020 reveal multiple lineages of monkeypox virus (MPXV) co-circulated in humans for several years before 2022, with progressive accumulation of mutations consistent with APOBEC3 activity over time.

Cardiorenal Syndrome: A Literature Review.

Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) is a condition characterized by the intricate two-way relationship between the heart and kidneys, which can lead to acute or chronic dysfunction in these organs. The interplay between cardiorenal connectors and both hemodynamic and non-hemodynamic factors is crucial to understanding this syndrome. The clinical importance of these interactions is evident in the changes observed in hemodynamic factors, neurohormonal markers, and inflammatory processes.

Optimal control of pneumonia transmission model with seasonal factor: Learning from Jakarta incidence data.

Pneumonia is a dangerous disease that can lead to death without proper treatment. It is caused by a bacterial infection that leads to the inflammation of the air sacs in human lungs and potentially results in a lung abscess if not properly untreated. Here in this article we introduced a novel mathematical model to investigate the potential impact of Pneumonia treatments on disease transmission dynamics.

A Review of the COVID-19 Mental Health Impact in Post-Conflict Settings: Bridging the Mental Health Gap with Case Exemplars from an Implementation Science Lens.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further aggravated the burden of mental health and presents an opportunity for public health research to focus on evidence-based interventions appropriate for populations residing in resource-constrained, post-conflict settings. Post-conflict settings have a higher service gap in mental health and fewer protective factors, such as economic and domestic security. Post-conflict settings are defined as locations where open warfare has ended but resulting challenges have remained for years.

The Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) Can Combat Cytokine Storm and Other COVID-19 Related Pathologies: A Review.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 is characterized by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) facilitated by cytokine storm and other risk factors that increase susceptibility and complications leading to death. Emerging as a major global public health challenge, the disease has claimed more than 6 million lives and caused catastrophic global economic disruptions. However, there are concerns about the safety as well as the efficacy of drugs and vaccines presently used to control the pandemic, therefore necessitating intense global search for safe natural products that can effectively and safely combat it.

A mathematical model to assess the impact of testing and isolation compliance on the transmission of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged global health and national economies worldwide. Testing and isolation are effective control strategies to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, especially in the early stage of the disease outbreak. In this paper, we develop a deterministic model to investigate the impact of testing and compliance with isolation on the transmission of COVID-19.

Clinical and histopathologic predictors of recurrent glomerulonephritis after kidney transplantation.

Introduction: We evaluated the long-term outcomes of recurrent glomerulonephritis (RGN) using clinical, histopathological, and demographic predictors.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of kidney transplant recipients (KTR) in two renal centers between 2005 and 2020. Clinical and native kidney histological data were analyzed.

Factors Responsible for the Performance of Final-Year Dental Surgery Students in Their Professional Examinations in Nigeria.

Background: Little is known about the factors responsible for the academic performance of clinical dentistry/dental surgery students, particularly those in their finals in Nigerian universities.

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to identify the subjective factors that may affect the performance of dental surgery finalists at the undergraduate level in Nigerian dental schools and to proffer realistic suggestions to improve dental surgery education.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional survey of final-year dental surgery students in Nigeria was conducted using a well-structured validated online questionnaire distributed randomly through online platforms.