Avoidable factors associated with maternal death from postpartum haemorrhage: a national Malawian surveillance study.

Background: Despite strong evidence-based strategies for prevention and management, global efforts to reduce deaths from postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) have failed, and it remains the leading cause of maternal mortality. We conducted a detailed review of all maternal deaths from 33 facilities in Malawi to identify health system weaknesses leading to deaths from PPH.

Methods: Data were collected regarding every maternal death occurring across all district and central hospitals in Malawi.

Concentrations of potentially toxic metals and trace elements in pregnant women and association with birth outcomes: A cross-sectional study in Malawi.

Potentially toxic metals and trace elements have been used in Malawi for a long time. However, data on exposure to these elements by susceptible groups like pregnant women and its associations with reproductive health outcomes in Malawi and southern hemisphere is limited. We investigated the concentrations of potentially toxic metals as well as trace elements in pregnant women and assessed the relationship between the levels these elements in maternal blood and sociodemographic factors, dietary habits and birth outcomes.

A Fast-Forward Dilute-and-Shoot Multielement Method for Analysis of 33 Elements in Human Whole Blood, Serum, and Urine by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry: A Streamlined Approach for Clinical Diagnostic and Biomonitoring.

The analysis of toxic and essential elements in human matrices is used in clinical diagnostics and for biomonitoring of different populations to study related health outcomes. This work aimed to develop fast and reliable methods for the analysis of a broad range of elements in liquid human matrices, such as whole blood, serum, and urine, with a similar setup for the three matrices and different analysis needs. An easy and fast-forward dilute-and-shoot method for 33 elements (i.

HoloPatch: improving intracardiac patch fit through holographically modelled templates.

Aims: Structural heart defects, including congenital ventricular septal defect closure or intracardiac rerouting, frequently require surgical reconstruction using hand-cut patch materials. Digitally modelled patch templates may improve patch fit and reduce outflow tract obstruction, residual defect risk, and conduction system damage. In this study, we benchmarked mixed-reality and a desktop application against a digitalized model of a real implanted patch.

Cyclone Freddy and its impact on maternal health service utilisation: Cross-sectional analysis of data from a national maternal surveillance platform in Malawi.

Climate change poses a significant threat to women's health in sub-Saharan Africa, yet the impact of climate change on maternal health is rarely reported in the region. Using an existing Maternal Surveillance Platform (MATSurvey), we estimated the immediate impact of Cyclone Freddy on maternal health care service indicators in Malawi. We analysed facility-level data for pregnant women up to 42 weeks post-partum using the national MATSurvey database.

A retrospective cohort review of BMI on SI joint fusion outcomes: examining the evidence to improve insurance guidelines.

Purpose: The demand for SIJ fusion among obese patients has grown substantially. However, the clinical relevance of obesity in the context of SI joint fusion has not been well investigated specifically, whether there is a BMI cutoff above which the benefit-risk ratio is low.

Methods: Adult patients ≥ 21 years of age who underwent minimally invasive SIJ fusion between 2020 and 2023.

Challenges and possible improvements for healthcare teams at outreach clinics in Nepal - a qualitative study.

Background: All Nepalese citizens have the right to high-quality healthcare services free of charge. To achieve this, healthcare services for the rural population in Nepal need to be improved in terms of personnel, medicines, and medical equipment.

Objectives: To explore challenges and possible improvements healthcare personnel experience when travelling to rural parts of Nepal to provide healthcare.

Longitudinal lung function trajectories in response to azithromycin therapy for chronic lung disease in children with HIV infection: a secondary analysis of the BREATHE trial.

Background: Chronic lung disease (CLD) is common among children with HIV (CWH) including in those taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). Azithromycin has both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects and has been effective in improving lung function in a variety of lung diseases. We investigated lung function trajectories among CWH with CLD on ART enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of adjuvant azithromycin.

Exploring the priorities of ageing populations in Pakistan, comparing views of older people in Karachi City and Thatta.

As a lower middle-income country, Pakistan faces multiple issues that influence the course of healthy ageing. Although there is some understanding of these issues and the objective health outcomes of people in Pakistan, there is less knowledge on the perceptions, experiences, and priorities of the ageing population and their caretakers (hereafter, "stakeholders"). The aim of the study was to identify the needs and priorities of older adults and stakeholders across both urban and rural locations.

Women's experience of preterm birth in an East African context: a qualitative study.

Background: Approximately 15 million children are born each year prematurely, representing more than 10 percent of all childbirths worldwide. Prematurity is an acute event and the leading cause of death among newborns and children under five. Sixty percent of these premature deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.

Commonalities and differences in injured patient experiences of accessing and receiving quality injury care: a qualitative study in three sub-Saharan African countries.

Objectives: To understand commonalities and differences in injured patient experiences of accessing and receiving quality injury care across three lower-income and middle-income countries.

Design: A qualitative interview study. The interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed and thematically analysed.

Slaughtering processes impact microbial communities and antimicrobial resistance genes of pig carcasses.

Several steps in the abattoir can influence the presence of microbes and associated resistance genes (ARGs) on the animal carcasses used for further meat processing. We investigated how these processes influence the resistome-microbiome of groups of pigs with different on-farm antimicrobial exposure status, from the moment they entered the abattoir until the end of carcass processing. Using a targeted enrichment metagenomic approach, we identified 672 unique ARGs conferring resistance to 43 distinct AMR classes from pooled skin (N = 42) and carcass swabs (N = 63) collected sequentially before, during, and after the slaughter process and food safety interventions.

Sacropelvic Fixation with Porous Fusion/Fixation Screws: A Technical Note and Retrospective Review.

Objective: The goal of this study was to analyze our initial experience using a novel porous fusion/fixation screw (PFFS) for pelvic fixation and determine our rate of screw malposition requiring intraoperative repositioning.

Methods: We reviewed 83 consecutive patients who underwent sacropelvic fixation with PFFS at our institution from June 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 using intraoperative computed tomography-based computer-assisted navigation via an open posterior approach. Following PFFS insertion, intraoperative computed tomography scans were obtained to assess screw positioning.

Awareness of postpartum depression among midwives and pregnant women in Arkhangelsk, Arctic Russia.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately 17% of the women worldwide with nearly half of all cases going undetected. More research on maternal mental health, particularly among healthcare professionals and pregnant mothers, could help identify PPD risks and reduce its prevalence.

Objective: Given that awareness of PPD is a crucial preventive factor, we studied PPD awareness among midwives and pregnant women in Arkhangelsk, Arctic Russia.

Identification of the needs and priorities of older people and stakeholders in rural and urban areas of Santo Andre, Brazil.

Background: There are few data reporting the needs and priorities of older adults in Brazil. This hampers the development and/or implementation of policies aimed at older adults to help them age well. The aim of this study was to understand areas of importance, priorities, enablers and obstacles to healthy ageing as identified by older adults and key stakeholders in both urban and rural environments.

Spinopelvic fixation failure in the adult spinal deformity population: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Despite modern fixation techniques, spinopelvic fixation failure (SPFF) after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery ranges from 4.5 to 38.0%, with approximately 50% requiring reoperation.