Confirmatory mapping for lymphatic filariasis in districts previously considered non-endemic in Ghana.

Objectives: Lymphatic filariasis (LF) elimination efforts in Ghana have been ongoing since 2001, achieving substantial progress through mass drug administration (MDA). However, despite significant advances, LF transmission persists in certain areas. Some districts previously classified as non-endemic have reported lymphedema and hydrocele cases, raising concerns about LF endemicity.

From aspiration to achievements: Exploring the motivational drives behind female graduate nursing students' pursuit of higher education in Ghana.

Background: The nursing and midwifery professions are predominantly female. In Sub-saharan Africa, especially in Ghana, females have traditionally been perceived as homemakers who do not require higher education to play their roles. This phenomenon perpetuates gender inequality, underutilises talents, and denies women opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Exploring Imaging Techniques for Detecting Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) Infection in Pepper ( spp.) Germplasms.

Due to the vulnerability of pepper ( spp.) and the virulence of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), seasonal shortages and surges of prices are a challenge and thus threaten household income. Traditional bioassays for detecting TSWV, such as observation for symptoms and reverse transcription-PCR, are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and sometimes lack precision, highlighting the need for a faster and more reliable approach to plant disease assessment.

Hydroxyurea for Children and Adults with Hemoglobin SC Disease.

Background: Hemoglobin SC (HbSC) is a common sickle hemoglobinopathy that causes acute complications, chronic organ damage, and early death with no established disease-modifying treatment. In this trial, we examined the safety and efficacy of hydroxyurea treatment in patients with HbSC.

Methods: Prospective Identification of Variables as Outcomes for Treatment (PIVOT) was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, non-inferiority phase 2 trial in which we assigned children and adults with HbSC in Ghana to 12 months of hydroxyurea or placebo.

Emotional labor and absenteeism among early childhood educators: The mediating roles of negative affect and psychological meaningfulness.

Teacher absenteeism is one of the key factors that has been fingered as the bane of quality early childhood education in low- and middle-income countries. Failing to report to school as scheduled is considered symptomatic of emotional dysregulation. However, limited research has explored emotional labor as a possible predictor of teacher absenteeism.

Exploring the effect of different diet types on ageing and age-related diseases.

In recent times, there has been growing interest in understanding the factors contributing to prolonged and healthy lifespans observed in specific populations, tribes, or countries. Factors such as environmental and dietary play significant roles in shaping the ageing process and are often the focus of inquiries seeking to unravel the secrets behind longevity. Among these factors, diet emerges as a primary determinant, capable of either promoting or mitigating the onset of age-related diseases that impact the ageing trajectory.

Combining NIR spectroscopy with chemometrics for discriminating naturally ripened banana and calcium carbide ripened banana.

Calcium carbide is prohibited as a fruit ripening agent in many countries due to its harmful effects. Current methods for detecting calcium carbide in fruit involve time-consuming and destructive chemical analysis techniques, necessitating the need for non-destructive and rapid detection techniques. This study combined near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy with chemometrics to detect two banana varieties ripened with calcium carbide in different forms when they are peeled or unpeeled.

Patterns of Dynamic Adaptability of the Circle of Willis in Response to Major Branch Artery Coverage With a Flow Diverter.

Background: The plasticity of the Circle of Willis represents an underexplored yet intriguing dimension of vascular anatomy in cerebrovascular disorders. We outline distinct patterns of change in response to aneurysm treatment using flow diversion (FD) after covering major branches.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of digital subtraction angiographies from intracranial aneurysms treated with FD from 2013 to 2023.

Baseline characteristics of Ghanaian children and adults enrolled in PIVOT, a randomised clinical trial of hydroxyurea in HbSC disease in sub-Saharan Africa.

HbSC disease is a common form of sickle cell disease with significant morbidity and early mortality. Whether hydroxyurea is beneficial for HbSC disease is unknown. Prospective Identification of Variables as Outcomes for Treatment (PIVOT, Trial ID PACTR202108893981080) is a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase II trial of hydroxyurea for people with HbSC, age 5-50 years, in Ghana.

Challenges in Contemporary Spine Surgery: A Comprehensive Review of Surgical, Technological, and Patient-Specific Issues.

Spine surgery has significantly progressed due to innovations in surgical techniques, technology, and a deeper understanding of spinal pathology. However, numerous challenges persist, complicating successful outcomes. Anatomical intricacies at transitional junctions demand precise surgical expertise to avoid complications.

Characterizing Revascularization After Encephalo-Duro-Arterio-Synangiosis (EDAS) in Adult Patients With Moyamoya Disease Using the Orbital Grading System.

Background: The Matsushima grade has traditionally been used to evaluate vessel ingrowth from the superficial temporal artery after encephalo-duro-arterio-synangiosis (EDAS) for Moyamoya disease (MMD) patients. However, this grading is subjective and prone to measurement variability. Herein, we propose the orbital grading system quantifying leptomeningeal and burr hole-related vessel-ingrowth from the superficial temporal artery and/or middle meningeal artery to the middle and anterior cerebral arteries post EDAS in MMD patients.

Association of cardiovascular disease risk with liver steatosis and fibrosis in people with HIV in low- and middle-income countries.

Objective: The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and liver steatosis and fibrosis among people with HIV (PLWH) at least 40 years of age on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low and middle-income countries (LMIC).

Design: We used cross-sectional behavioral and clinical data collected during study enrollment visits in 2020-2022 for the Sentinel Research Network of International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (SRN of IeDEA).

Methods: Ten-year CVD risk was calculated using 2019 WHO nonlaboratory and laboratory models.

Detection and quantification of groundnut oil adulteration with machine learning using a comparative approach with NIRS and UV-VIS.

Groundnut oil is known as a good source of essential fatty acids which are significant in the physiological development of the human body. It has a distinctive fragrant making it ideal for cooking which contribute to its demand on the market. However, some groundnut oil producers have been suspected to produce groundnut oil by blending it with cheaper oils especially palm olein at different concentrations or by adding groundnut flavor to palm olein.

Cost-effectiveness of platelet function testing in dual antiplatelet therapy decision-making after intracranial aneurysm treatment with flow diversion.

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) use is the standard of practice after flow diversion (FD) for intracranial aneurysms (IAs). Yet, no consensus exists in the literature regarding the optimal regimen. Certain institutions utilize various platelet function testing (PFT) to assess patient responsiveness to DAPT.

Exploring the Challenges of Recruiting Older People for a Randomised Trial Assessing the Feasibility of Treating White Coat Hypertension in the UK General Practices: A Mixed-methods Study.

Introduction: There is a recognised association between white coat hypertension (WCH) and adverse cardiovascular outcomes in older adults. However, there is no consensus on the management of WCH in this group. The objective of the Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (HYVET-2) study was to assess the feasibility of randomising 100 patients > 75years with WCH from General Practice in the UK to treatment or usual care.

A Novel Scoring System Predicting Aneurysm Incomplete Occlusion After Flow Diversion: A 10-Year Experience.

Background: Factors impacting the rate of aneurysm occlusion after flow diversion (FD) have been well described in the literature. In this article, we sought to evaluate those variables to develop and validate a scoring system predicting aneurysm incomplete occlusion after FD.

Methods: Retrospective review of patients with intracranial aneurysms treated with FD at a single institution between March 2013 and March 2023.

Endovascular Treatment of Basilar Apex Aneurysms: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in the Era of Flow Diversion.

Background: Endovascular options for the treatment of basilar apex aneurysms (BAAs) are heterogeneous, and evidence is limited to retrospective cohorts and case series. We seek to evaluate the efficacy and complications associated with various endovascular treatment methods of BAAs.

Methods: Systematic review of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Variability patterns in dual antiplatelet therapy following endovascular repair of intracranial aneurysms: Insight into regimen heterogeneity and the need for a consensus.

This comprehensive review delves into the evolving field of neurointervention for intracranial aneurysms, exploring the critical adjunct of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy (DAPT) to endovascular coiling, stent-assisted coiling (SAC), flow-diversion stents, and flow-disruption (intrasaccular) devices. Despite growing evidence supporting the success of DAPT in reducing thromboembolic events, the lack of consensus on optimal regimens, doses, and duration is evident. Factors contributing to this variability include genetic polymorphisms affecting treatment response and ongoing debates regarding the clinical significance of hemorrhagic complications associated with DAPT.

Endothelial Progenitor Cells: A Review of Molecular Mechanisms in the Pathogenesis and Endovascular Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms.

This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted role of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in vascular diseases, focusing on their involvement in the pathogenesis and their contributions to enhancing the efficacy of endovascular treatments for intracranial aneurysms (IAs). Initially discovered as CD34 bone marrow-derived cells implicated in angiogenesis, EPCs have been linked to vascular repair, vasculogenesis, and angiogenic microenvironments. The origin and differentiation of EPCs have been subject to debate, challenging the conventional notion of bone marrow origin.

A proposed One Health approach to control yellow fever outbreaks in Uganda.

Yellow Fever (YF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. Uganda is located within the Africa YF belt. Between 2019 and 2022, the Ugandan Health Authorities reported at least one outbreak of YF annually with an estimated 892 suspected cases, on average per year.

Efficacy and safety of three antiretroviral therapy regimens for treatment-naive African adults living with HIV-2 (FIT-2): a pilot, phase 2, non-comparative, open-label, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Due to the low number of individuals with HIV-2, no randomised trials of HIV-2 treatment have ever been done. We hypothesised that a non-comparative study describing the outcomes of several antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens in parallel groups would improve understanding of how differences between HIV-1 and HIV-2 might lead to different therapeutic approaches.

Methods: This pilot, phase 2, non-comparative, open-label, randomised controlled trial was done in Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, and Togo.