Publications by authors named "Nass N"

Background: There is a dearth of information regarding mpox risk perception and vaccine acceptance among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), especially in countries with a dual burden of HIV and mpox, such as Nigeria.

Methods: We used an explanatory mixed methods design and structured questionnaires administered to a clinic-based sample of people living with HIV (n=430), followed by in-depth interviews with a purposive subsample (n=20). Data were analysed using binary logistic regression and the framework approach.

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Introduction: Globally, hypertension is considered a public health problem affecting over 1.3 billion individuals of which 60% need reminders to take medication to achieve adherence, optimal blood pressure and avert complications. Literature shows electronic short message reminders (eSMS) improved medication adherence.

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Limited literature exists on men's experiences with intimate partner violence (IPV) during the COVID-19 lockdown, especially in resource-constrained settings like Nigeria. We investigated the prevalence, risk factors, and lifetime experiences of IPV among men in Nigeria, during COVID-19 restrictions. Using a mixed methods design, we interviewed 420 married men with a structured questionnaire and conducted 20 in-depth interviews.

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Access to HIV care remains challenging, especially for patients living in remote areas, despite advances in antiretroviral treatment. The acceptability of teleconsultations for routine HIV care post-COVID is not well-explored. We explored factors influencing teleconsultation acceptability among people living with HIV (PLWH) and attending a tertiary care center in Kano, Nigeria.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates the oral microbiota differences between healthy individuals and those with sickle cell anemia (SCA) in the Middle East, highlighting the need for more research on this genetic disorder.
  • - Saliva samples from 36 participants (18 with SCA and 18 healthy controls) were analyzed using next-generation sequencing to identify and quantify various bacterial species in their oral microbiomes.
  • - Findings reveal that alterations in the oral microbiota may increase health complications for SCA patients, suggesting that salivary diagnostics could be useful for predicting and preventing related diseases in the future.
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HIV self-testing (HIVST) holds promise for accessing hard-to-reach populations by overcoming sociocultural and structural barriers to awareness of HIV status. This phenomenological qualitative study explored the experiences and perspectives of married men in Kano, northern Nigeria, regarding HIV testing and counseling (HTC) and HIVST. Twenty married men from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds participated in in-depth interviews conducted in the local language.

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  • The study analyzed how various methods of administering synbiotics affected the intestinal health of male Mandarah chicks.
  • It found that both 0.25 mL and 0.50 mL synbiotics given through drinking water significantly increased beneficial lactic acid bacteria while reducing harmful E. coli levels.
  • Treated chicks showed better gut morphology, including improved villus height, leading to the conclusion that using synbiotics in drinking water can enhance the overall health of the birds.
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Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is especially aggressive and associated with high metastasis. The aetiology of TNBC is heterogeneous and characterised by multiple different mutations that amongst others cause constitutive and dysregulated MAPK and PI3K signalling.

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Increasing antimicrobial resistance to the action of existing antibiotics has prompted researchers to identify new natural molecules with antimicrobial potential. In this study, a green system was developed for biosynthesizing gold nanoparticles (BAuNPs) using sage ( L.) leaf extract bioconjugated with non-toxic, eco-friendly, and biodegradable chitosan, forming chitosan/gold bioconjugates (Chi/BAuNPs).

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A crucial aspect of auditory perception is the ability to use sound cues to predict future events and to time actions accordingly. For example, distinct smartphone notification sounds reflect a call that needs to be answered within a few seconds, or a text that can be read later; the sound of an approaching vehicle signals when it is safe to cross the street. Other animals similarly use sounds to plan, time and execute behaviors such as hunting, evading predation and tending to offspring.

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Drug resistance is a common cause of therapy failure in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). One approach to tackling it is by targeting fundamental cellular processes, such as translation. The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (EIF2α) is a key player in canonical translation initiation and integrates diverse stress signals; when phosphorylated, it curbs global protein synthesis.

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Background And Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic response overwhelmed health systems, disrupting other services, including maternal health services. The disruptive effects on the utilization of maternal health services in low-resource settings, including Nigeria have not been well documented. We assessed maternal health service utilization, predictors, and childbirth experiences amidst COVID-19 restrictions in a rural community of Kumbotso, Kano State, in northern Nigeria.

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Background/aim: Urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the urinary bladder is the second most common tumor in the field of urology and is characterized by a relatively aggressive growth behavior. New therapeutic approaches are required to improve the prognosis of affected patients. We hypothesized a link between dysregulation of eIFs and the development of UC.

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Background: Monoclonal antibodies represent one option for treatment of COVID-19 early after infection. Although large clinical trials have been successfully conducted, real world data are needed to obtain a realistic assessment of the assumed effect on hospitalization rates.

Methods: For this retrospective, observational study, clinical data were collected in 2021 from outpatients (402) as well as hospitalized patients (350) receiving monoclonal antibodies Bamlanivimab, Casirivimab/Imdevimab or Etesevimab/Bamlanivimab.

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Introduction: Tamoxifen-adapted MCF-7 breast cancer cells (MCF-7-TAM-R) are a model for acquired tamoxifen resistance in oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. In this system, the expression of long-non-coding RNA LINC00992 is decreased. LINC00992 might therefore contribute to tamoxifen adaption and associated gene expres-sion changes.

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  • * This research focuses on the effectiveness of Fosfomycin in treating E. coli-induced UTIs, examining urine samples from infected patients.
  • * Results indicate that Fosfomycin successfully inhibits E. coli with a low minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and its intravenous administration significantly reduces bacterial load and inflammation in the kidneys and bladder.
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Background: Tamoxifen-adapted MCF-7-Tam cells represent an in-vitro model for acquired tamoxifen resistance, which is still a problem in clinics. We here investigated the correlation of microRNA-, mRNA- and eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) expression in this model.

Methods: MicroRNA- and gene expression were analyzed by nCounter and qRT-PCR technology; eIFs by Western blotting.

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Article Synopsis
  • Patients with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer often undergo anti-estrogen therapy but can develop resistance, particularly to tamoxifen, potentially linked to the tumor microenvironment's IGFBP5/BCL3 axis.
  • A study on 180 breast cancer samples showed that high levels of BCL3, whether in the cytoplasm or nucleus, were associated with increased relapse rates during tamoxifen treatment, especially in specific breast cancer subtypes.
  • Survival analysis indicated that both cytoplasmic and nuclear BCL3 scores are significant predictors of relapse-free survival, with high scores correlating specifically to poorer outcomes in tamoxifen-treated patients.
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Objectives: Severe Acute Malnutrition is a significant cause of mortality in children under the age of 5 years in low-resource settings, including Northern Nigeria. The study aimed to determine the associations between selected risk factors and mortality outcomes in children admitted with SAM in a facility in Katsina State, Northern Nigeria.

Methods: A prospective observational cohort of 201 children aged 6 to 59 months who were admitted with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in stabilization centers in Katsina State, Northern Nigeria between May 18, 2021, and July 20, 2021, (63 days) were assessed followed up.

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Objective: Incident HIV infections in pregnant and breastfeeding mothers pose significant challenges to prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission efforts in sub-Saharan Africa. We identified the predictors of willingness to self-test for HIV when retesting in pregnancy and postpartum among antenatal clients in a tertiary hospital in Northern Nigeria.

Methods: Structured and validated questionnaires were administered to a cross section of antenatal attendees (n = 370) in March 2021.

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Background: People living with HIV (PLHIV) are at increased risk of COVID-19 acquisition, severe disease, and poor outcomes. Yet, little is known about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among PLHIV in high HIV burden countries, such as Nigeria.

Objective: This study aims to assess the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine and identify predictors and reasons for vaccine hesitancy among patients living with HIV and attending a tertiary hospital in Kano, northern Nigeria.

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Introduction: The G protein-coupled oestrogen receptor 1 (GPER-1) is a potential prognostic marker in breast cancer. However, its role in male breast cancer (MBC) is still unknown. This study evaluates the expression of GPER-1 in MBC samples and correlates these data with clinical and pathological parameters including patients' survival.

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Background: Neuronatin (NNAT) determined by immunohistochemistry is a negative prognostic biomarker for breast cancer, independent of the major clinicopathological markers.

Objective: Here, we investigated whether NNAT is also a predictive biomarker for pathological remission after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: One hundred and four breast cancer patients, treated with systemic neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included in this retrospective study.

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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has become a clinical threat to healthy people as well as immunocompromised patients and those with pre-existing chronic diseases around the world. This study, which used a cross-sectional correlational design, aimed to assess the levels of fear and health anxiety and to investigate their predictors during the current outbreak of COVID-19 in immunocompromised and chronic disease patients in Saudi Arabia. Sociodemographic and clinical data, fear of COVID-19, and health anxiety measurements were collected by online surveys from June 15 to July 15, 2020.

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