Child mortality in Eastern Ethiopia: acceptability of Postmortem minimally invasive tissue sampling in a predominantly muslim community.

Background: It is crucial to consider cultural, religious, and socio-behavioural factors that may influence the acceptability of Minimally Invasive Tissues Sampling (MITS). MITS is being used to understand the causes of child death and conducted in nine countries within Africa and South Asia with the highest child mortality. Progress has been made in the development of laboratory infrastructures and training for physicians to do MITS, but many communities are concerned about the religious acceptability of taking samples from deceased children.

Impact of maternal antenatal nutrition and infection treatment interventions on Longitudinal Infant Development and Growth in rural Ethiopia: protocol of the LIDG child follow-up study.

Introduction: Maternal undernutrition and inflammation in utero may significantly impact the neurodevelopmental potential of offspring. However, few studies have investigated the effects of pregnancy interventions on long-term child growth and development. This study will examine the effects of prenatal nutrition and infection management interventions on long-term growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes of offspring.

Epidemiology of Antimicrobial-Resistant Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli Pathotypes From Children, Livestock and Food in Dagoretti South, Nairobi Kenya.

Peri-urban environments, characterized by dense human populations, cohabiting livestock, and complex food systems, serve as hotspots for food contamination and infectious diseases. Children aged 6-24 months are particularly vulnerable, as they often encounter contaminated food and water, increasing their risk of food-borne disease, with diarrhea being a common symptom. We investigated the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in pathogenic Escherichia coli from children 6-24 months of age, their food, and cohabiting livestock, in Dagoretti South subcounty in Nairobi, Kenya.

First report of causing leaf spot on in China.

Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia divaricata) is a perennial plant belonging to the Umbelliferae family, and is widely cultivated as a traditional Chinese medicine plant used to treat various diseases in northern China. In August 2022, a widespread leaf spot disease emerged on the Fangfeng leaves across a 2.5-acre farmland located in the Naiman District of Tongliao City, China ( 44°17' N; 121°29' E), where 5,000 acres of Fangfeng had been cultivated.

Head Circumference Versus Length and Weight Deficits up to 2 Years of Age in Bangladesh.

Infant undernutrition, defined by length- and weight-based indices, is common in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but corresponding deficits in head size have received less attention. In a cohort of term newborns in Dhaka, Bangladesh, we compared the severity of deficits (vs. World Health Organization Growth Standards) in head circumference (HC), length and weight at birth and every 3 months until 2 years of age (n range across timepoints: 843-920).

Evaluating reproduction traits in a crossbreeding program between indigenous and exotic sheep in semi-arid lands.

Reproduction traits are important factors determining the efficiency of any sheep production system. This study evaluates the age at first lambing (AFL), lambing interval (LI), litter weight at birth (LBWT), litter weight at weaning (LWWT), birth weight of ewe (EBWT) and weaning weight of ewes (EWWT) in a crossbreeding program between the Red Maasai (RRRR) and Dorper sheep and their crosses, 75% Dorper and 50% Dorper (DDRR) breeds. All the traits significantly (P < 0.

"Are we ready to transition from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization support?" Perceptions from 15 Kenyan counties.

Introduction: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, defined a transition roadmap for countries receiving funding support based on their income status projections. According to the latest projections, Kenya will complete their transition from vaccine funding in 2029. While eligible countries are kept informed and supported for a smooth transition process, the extent to which countries understand the significant implications of a complete end of GAVI support on immunization service delivery varies.

Equitable and effective clinical guidance development and dissemination: trauma aims to lead the way.

Thirty-four per cent of deaths among Americans aged 1-46 are due to injury, and many of these deaths could be prevented if all hospitals performed as well as the highest-performing hospitals. The Institute of Medicine and the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine have called for learning health systems, with emphasis on clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) as a means of limiting preventable deaths. Reduction in mortality has been demonstrated when evidence-based trauma CPGs are adhered to; however, guidelines are variably updated, redundant, absent, inaccessible, or perceived as irrelevant.

Basic ENT training for enhanced healthcare worker knowledge, attitudes and practices in a resource-limited setting: a pre-post and post-post cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Diagnostic errors in ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases are prevalent among healthcare workers (HCWs) in resource-limited settings, yet comprehensive data that describe HCW knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding ENT disease management remains scarce. Further, the impact of basic ENT training on HCW KAP in such settings is largely undetermined.

Objective: We assessed HCW KAP before and after basic training in ENT disease management.

A case report on the loss of an Iglesias resectoscope beak during hysteroscopic myomectomy.

This case report describes the dynamics of the detachment of the ceramic beak of an Iglesias resectoscope that was lost in the uterine cavity during 'cold loop' hysteroscopic myomectomy. Our aim is to increase awareness of this issue and caution our colleagues against using Iglesias resectoscopes for hysteroscopies. The ceramic beak of an Iglesias resectoscope can detach itself if hard tissue is encountered during operative hysteroscopy.

The Leaky Preexposure Prophylaxis Cascade: Barriers and Facilitators to Preexposure Prophylaxis Uptake and Adherence Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness in the US South, a Mixed Methods Study.

Adherence to preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is lower among high-risk populations, including youth experiencing homelessness (YEH). This study determined the feasibility of urine PrEP adherence biomarker testing and examined the barriers and facilitators to PrEP uptake and adherence among YEH. YEH were recruited from a randomized control trial conducted in a large urban setting in southern United States.

Decision-making for childhood vaccination in crisis settings: a survey of practice & barriers.

Background: Children, particularly those who have received no routine vaccinations (zero-dose children), are at high risk of vaccine-preventable diseases in humanitarian crisis settings. However, the decision-making processes underlying vaccine intervention design and delivery in such settings are poorly understood. The present study investigated the decision-making practices of organisations involved in childhood vaccination in humanitarian crisis settings globally via an online survey.

Vaccination strategies to identify and reach zero-dose and under-immunized children in crisis-affected states in Sudan: a qualitative study.

Background: Globally, 21 million children were un- or under-vaccinated with Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccines in 2023. Around 20% of zero-dose children, those who had not received any DTP doses, live in conflict-affected settings in low and middle-income countries. There is insufficient evidence on vaccination interventions to identify and reach zero-dose children in these settings.

Top-down self-regulation as a core construct in children's and adolescents' optimal development.

Research and theory on the role of top-down self-regulation (TDSR) in children's developmental outcomes has received considerable attention in the last few decades. In this review, we distinguish TDSR (and overlapping self-regulatory processes) from bottom-up regulation. With a particular focus on Eisenberg et al.

Effectiveness of the primary Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine against the risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and tuberculosis disease: a meta-analysis of individual participant data.

Background: Tuberculosis vaccine trials using disease as the primary endpoint are large, time consuming, and expensive. An earlier immunological measure of the protection against disease would accelerate tuberculosis vaccine development. We aimed to assess whether the effectiveness of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine for prevention of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection was consistent with that for prevention of tuberculosis disease.

The global epidemiology and health burden of the autism spectrum: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background: High-quality estimates of the epidemiology of the autism spectrum and the health needs of autistic people are necessary for service planners and resource allocators. Here we present the global prevalence and health burden of autism spectrum disorder from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 following improvements to the epidemiological data and burden estimation methods.

Methods: For GBD 2021, a systematic literature review involving searches in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, the Global Health Data Exchange, and consultation with experts identified data on the epidemiology of autism spectrum disorder.

Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and antimalarial activity of MMV533: a phase 1a first-in-human, randomised, ascending dose and food effect study, and a phase 1b Plasmodium falciparum volunteer infection study.

Background: Novel antimalarials are needed to address emerging resistance to artemisinin and partner drugs. We did two trials to evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and activity against blood stage Plasmodium falciparum for the drug candidate MMV533.

Methods: A phase 1a first-in-human (FIH) trial was conducted at Nucleus Network (Melbourne, VIC, Australia).

Global, regional, and national age-sex-specific burden of diarrhoeal diseases, their risk factors, and aetiologies, 1990-2021, for 204 countries and territories: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background: Diarrhoeal diseases claim more than 1 million lives annually and are a leading cause of death in children younger than 5 years. Comprehensive global estimates of the diarrhoeal disease burden for specific age groups of children younger than 5 years are scarce, and the burden in children older than 5 years and in adults is also understudied. We used results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2021 to assess the burden of, and trends in, diarrhoeal diseases overall and attributable to 13 pathogens, as well as the contributions of associated risk factors, in children and adults in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021.

Integrating 3Rs approaches in WHO guidelines for the batch release testing of biologicals: Reports from a series of NC3Rs stakeholder workshops.

A recent report presented to the WHO has highlighted significant opportunities for the implementation of 3Rs approaches (i.e. Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of animal tests) within their manuals, guidelines and recommendations for vaccines and biotherapeutics.

Integrating 3Rs approaches in WHO guidelines for the batch release testing of biologicals: Summary of NC3Rs final report to WHO Expert Committee for Biological Standardisation.

A recently published report from the UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) has highlighted significant opportunities for the broader inclusion of 3Rs approaches (i.e. Replacement, Reduction and Refinement of animal tests) within World Health Organization (WHO) manuals, guidelines and recommendations for vaccines and biotherapeutics.

Progress in reducing socioeconomic inequalities in the use of modern contraceptives in 48 focus countries as part of the FP2030 initiative between 1990 and 2020: a population-based analysis.

Background: Despite increases in modern contraception use, socioeconomic inequalities in family planning persist. In this study, we aimed to measure progress in reducing socioeconomic inequalities in modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR) and demand for family planning satisfied by modern methods (mDFPS) in 48 countries as part of the Family Planning 2030 (FP2030) initiative between 1990 and 2020 for which Demographic and Health Survey data were available.

Methods: We analysed two rounds of Demographic and Health Survey data per country.