Managing the e-waste crisis in Africa: A mini-review of policies, practices, technologies and business model innovations.

This article aims to undertake a mini-review of the current state of electronic waste (e-waste) challenges on the African continent through a systematic analysis of existing national policies and legal frameworks, inventorying established management practices, and identification of innovative technological solutions. A literature review was conducted synthesizing evidence from over 80 peer-reviewed publications between 2010 and 2022. Content analysis of e-waste laws from 20 African countries supplemented the review of documented collection, recycling and export-related activities across the region alongside associated obstacles.

Breast cancer and its determinants in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality among women. Still, there is a paucity of studies to know the magnitude of the problem in Ethiopia. Hence, this review was intended to pool the prevalence and identify the determinants of breast cancer in Ethiopia.

HIV seropositive disclosure and associated factors among adult HIV positive clients in public health facilities in East Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State, Western Ethiopia.

Background: Disclosure of HIV-seropositive is important for HIV prevention and maintenance of health for people living with HIV and the community at large. Although HIV seropositive disclosure is mandatory for access to care and treatment, there is a paucity of data in the study setting.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the magnitude of HIV Sero Positive Disclosure and associated factors among adult HIV positive clients in public health facilities in the east wollega zone, Oromia Regional State, Western Ethiopia, in 2023.

Technical efficiency and its determinants in health service delivery of public health centers in East Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia: Two-stage data envelope analysis.

Background: Priority-setting becomes more difficult for decision-makers when the demand for health services and health care resources rises. Despite the fact that the Ethiopian healthcare system places a strong focus on the efficient utilization and allocation of health care resources, studies of efficiency in healthcare facilities have been very limited. Hence, the study aimed to evaluate efficiency and its determinants in public health centers.

Germline mutations of breast cancer susceptibility genes through expanded genetic analysis in unselected Colombian patients.

Background: In Colombia and worldwide, breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed neoplasia and the leading cause of death from cancer among women. Studies predominantly involve hereditary and familial cases, demonstrating a gap in the literature regarding the identification of germline mutations in unselected patients from Latin-America. Identification of pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants is important for shaping national genetic analysis policies, genetic counseling, and early detection strategies.

Determinants of community-based health insurance membership renewal decision among rural households in Kellem Wollega zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Despite the fact that community-based health insurance (CBHI) is a promising program to achieve the goal of universal health coverage (UHC), it faces challenges that are not only due to low enrollment but also due to membership renewal decision that impact its sustainability. Hence, the study aimed to identify the determinants of CBHI membership renewal decision among rural households in Kellem Wollega zone, Ethiopia.

Methods: The study was conducted in Kellem Wollega, Ethiopia, among rural households from March 30-April 30, 2022, using a community-based cross-sectional study design.

Exploration of rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) to characterize the coagulation profiles of newly diagnosed pediatric leukemia patients.

Background: Viscoelastic testing has been used in adult hematologic malignancies in conjunction with conventional coagulation tests (CCTs) to predict coagulopathies and tailor blood product replacement. However, there is a paucity of similar pediatric studies.

Objectives: Analyze and correlate leukemia-associated coagulopathy in newly diagnosed pediatric leukemia patients using CCT's and Rotational Thromboelastometry (ROTEM).

Prevalence of homebirth preference and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Homebirth preference is the intention/plan to give birth outside health facilities with the help of unskilled birth attendants. The preference to give birth at home without a skilled birth attendant leads to care-seeking delays, intrapartum mortality, multiple stillbirths, and postpartum morbidities and mortality. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of homebirth preference and associated factors among pregnant women in Ethiopia.

Lessons learned from a study based on the AHP method for the assessment of sustainability in neighborhoods.

The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a method that allows complex decisions to be made from impartiality, making it suitable for reaching a consensus among experts seeking to solve a problem. This method has been successfully applied in other investigations, and its use has been extended to several disciplines. This technical paper presents the lessons learned from a study that relied on the AHP method to determine priority aspects for sustainable neighborhoods.

Antenatal depression and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care at public health facilities in the Gida Ayana district, Oromia Region, West Ethiopia, in 2022.

Background: Though antenatal depression (AND) has a risk of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, it is a neglected component of pregnancy care in Ethiopia. Research evidence is compulsory in different parts of the country to alleviate this problem. Thus, this study was needed to assess antenatal depression and its associated factors, which can help antenatal care (ANC) providers and program coordinators focus on the mental health of pregnant mothers.

Spectral Reflectance Indexes Reveal Differences in the Physiological Status of with Contrasting Glucosinolate Content under Biotic Stress.

species produce glucosinolates, a specific group of secondary metabolites present in the Brassicaceae family with antibacterial and antifungal properties. The employment of improved varieties for specific glucosinolates would reduce the production losses caused by pathogen attack. However, the consequences of the increment in these secondary metabolites in the plant are unknown.

Latrine utilization and associated factors among districts implementing and not-implementing community-led total sanitation and hygiene in East Wollega, Western Ethiopia: A comparative cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Discharge of excreta to the environment lead to surface and groundwater contamination and human exposure to disease-causing micro-organisms. There is limitation of evidences regarding the latrine utilization among community-led total sanitation and hygiene implemented and non-implemented districts of the East Wollega Zone. Hence, this study aimed to determine the magnitude and associated factors of latrine utilization among households in community-led total sanitation and hygiene implemented and non-implemented Districts in East Wollega Zone, Western Ethiopia.

Clinical Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of Patients With Early Malignant Melanoma in One Latin American Country: Results of the Epidemiological Registry of Malignant Melanoma in Colombia Study.

To describe the population with early malignant melanoma, we performed a cohort study on the basis of the Epidemiological Registry of Malignant Melanoma in Colombia-Asociacion Colombiana de Hematologia y Oncologia. From January 2011 until December 2021, 759 patients were included; the average age was 66 years, 57% were women, acral lentiginous histology was found in 27.8% of patients, and the median follow-up was 36.

Prevalence and associated factors of stunting and thinness among primary school-aged children in Gudeya Bila district, West Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of stunting and thinness among primary school-age children in the Gudeya Bila district.

Methods And Analysis: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Gudeya Bila district which is located in the Western part of Ethiopia. Among the calculated sample size of 561 school-aged children, 551 children were randomly selected by systematic random sampling technique and participated in this study.

Application of Comprehensive Genomic Profiling-Based Next-Generation Sequencing Assay to Improve Cancer Care in a Developing Country.

Purpose: Identifying actionable oncogenic mutations have changed the therapeutic landscape in different types of tumors. This study investigated the utility of comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP), a hybrid capture-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay, in clinical practice in a developing country.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, CGP was performed on clinical samples from patients with different solid tumors recruited between December 2016 and November 2020, using hybrid capture-based genomic profiling, at the individual treating physicians' request in the clinical care for therapy decisions.

Concordance between 21-gene recurrence score assay and clinicopathological predictive models in early-breast cancer patients cared for at a cancer center in Colombia.

Introduction: The genomic-based 21-gene recurrence score assay (21-GRSA) allows to determine the usefulness of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with luminal-type early breast cancer (LTEBC). Additional predictive models have also been developed, such as Magee equations (ME), the Predict model (PM), and the Tennessee nomogram score (TNS).

Objective: To evaluate the concordance between 21-GRSA, ME, PM and TNS.

Real-world evidence of nivolumab for non-small-cell lung cancer in a developing country.

Nivolumab is a human programmed death receptor-1 blocking antibody, used as treatment option in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We assessed the nivolumab efficacy in terms of survival and response to treatment as second-line (2L) or third-line (3L) therapy in patients with advanced NSCLC. This is a multicentric observational study.

The role played by government communication on the level of public fear in social media: An investigation into the Covid-19 crisis in Italy.

In situations of crisis, governments must acknowledge that communication is a major weapon in their armoury, and can be used to convince the public to accept sometimes stringent measures, while preventing a worsening of the situation by curbing any spread of panic. Theoretically, during a pandemic, fear can be contained at reasonable levels by governments counterbalancing uncertainty with information. However, there is no empirical evidence on how the flow of information during a crisis can influence emotional states among the population.

Survey of Management Practices and Farmers' Perceptions of Diseases on Organic Dairy Cattle Farms in California.

In 2019, California accounted for approximately 40% of organic products in the US, and dairy products and milk were the top organic commodity in the state. The objective of this study was to describe organic dairy cattle farmers' management practices and perceptions of diseases in California. A survey inquiring about farm history and demographics, animal diseases, parasite problems, housing and pasture management, and organic education, was mailed to 160 organic dairy farms, of which 36 (22.

Epigenetic and Phenotypic Responses to Experimental Climate Change of Native and Invasive .

Despite the recent discoveries on how DNA methylation could help plants to adapt to changing environments, the relationship between epigenetics and climate change or invasion in new areas is still poorly known. Here, we investigated, through a field experiment, how the new expected climate scenarios for Southern Europe, i.e.

Streamlining breast cancer and colorectal cancer biosimilar regulations to improve treatment access in Latin America: an expert panel perspective.

In a multiday conference, a panel of Latin American experts in biological cancer therapies and health economics were provided with questions to address the barriers restricting access to biosimilars in Latin America, specifically for patients with breast cancer and colorectal cancer, for whom biosimilars can be a path forward to increasing access to care. During the conference, responses were discussed and edited until a consensus was achieved. The regulatory challenges identified in the conference included heterogenous regulations, non-adherence to regulatory pathways, scarcity of market opportunity, inadequate naming of biosimilars by only using international non-proprietary names, imprecise use of interchangeability and substitution, and insufficient traceability and pharmacovigilance.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Combination Therapy versus Sunitinib as First-Line Treatment for Favorable-IMDC-Risk Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Background: Novel combination therapies have been shown to improve the outcomes of treatment-naive patients with locally advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (aRCC). However, the optimal systemic therapy for aRCC of favorable risk has yet to be clarified. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different immunotherapy (IO) combinations, either with another IO (IO-IO) or with an antiangiogenic (IO-TKI), versus sunitinib in the first-line setting in aRCC patients with favorable IMDC risk.

Functional responses to climate change may increase invasive potential of Carpobrotus edulis.

Premise: Biological invasions and climate change are major threats to biodiversity. It is therefore important to anticipate how the climate changes projected for Southern Europe would affect the ecophysiological performance of the invasive South African plant, Carpobrotus edulis (ice plant or sour fig), and its capacity to undergo rapid adaptive evolution.

Methods: We manipulated the climate conditions in a field plot located on the island of Sálvora (northwest of the Iberian Peninsula) to establish a full factorial experiment with C.