Ownership, coverage, utilisation and maintenance of long-lasting insecticidal bed nets in three Health Districts in Cameroon: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: the Bamenda, Santa and Tiko Health Districts are in the highest malaria transmission strata of Cameroon. The purpose of this study was to explore the indicators of ownership and utilisation as well as maintenance of Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) in three health districts in Cameroon.

Methods: a cross-sectional household survey involving 1,251 households was conducted in the Tiko Health District (THD) in June and July 2017 and in Bamenda and Santa Health Districts in March to May 2018.

Pattern and outcome of the first manifestation of cardiovascular disease among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Cameroon: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). There is a paucity of data on the pattern of first manifestation of CVD and the outcome among patients with T2DM in Cameroon.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the pattern of the first manifestation of CVD and the outcome among patients with T2DM.

Two new flavonoids from the leaves of Garcinia smeathmannii, in vitro and in silico anti-inflammatory potentials.

Garcinia smeathmannii is a well-known plant for its uses in the effective treatment of intestinal parasites, skin eruptions and skin burns. The dichloromethane-methanol (2:3) crude extract of the leaves of G. smeathmannii led to the isolation and characterization of twenty compounds (1-20) using chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques.

Prognostic factors of chronic subdural hematomas in two reference university teaching hospitals in the city of Yaounde.

Objectives: Despite the good prognosis of surgical treatment of chronic subdural hematomas, there are some early deaths, recurrences and post-operative complications. The objective of this study is to analyze the prognostic factors of chronic subdural hematomas in two reference university teaching hospitals in the city of Yaounde.

Method: Three hundred and ten cases of chronic subdural hematomas were diagnosed on 3788 patients hospitalized in the neurosurgery departments of two reference university teaching hospitals in the city of Yaounde from January 1st, 2015 to December 31st, 2021 (7 years).

Dissolution of Volcanic Ash in Alkaline Environment for Cold Consolidation of Inorganic Binders.

A systematic study on the dissolution in concentrated alkali of two volcanic ashes from Cameroon, denoted as DAR and VN, is presented here. One volcanic ash, DAR, was 2 wt% richer in Fe and Ca and 4 wt% lower in Si than the other, designated as VN. Such natural raw materials are complex mixtures of aluminosilicate minerals (kaersutite, plagioclase, magnetite, diopside, thenardite, forsterite, hematite, and goethite) with a good proportion of amorphous phase (52 and 74 wt% for DAR and VN, respectively), which is more reactive than the crystalline phase in alkaline environments.

People at Risk of, or with Cardiovascular Diseases' Perspectives and Perceptions of Physiotherapist-Led Health Promotion in Cameroon: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their risk factors are a major cause of illness and death worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Cameroon. Physiotherapist-led health promotion (PLHP) has proven effective in improving health and reducing CVD risks. Understanding patient perspectives is crucial for designing effective, context-specific PLHP interventions.

Noninvasive in vivo photoacoustic detection of malaria with Cytophone in Cameroon.

Current malaria diagnostics are invasive, lack sensitivity, and rapid tests are plagued by deletions in target antigens. Here we introduce the Cytophone, an innovative photoacoustic flow cytometer platform with high-pulse-rate lasers and a focused ultrasound transducer array to noninvasively detect and identify malaria-infected red blood cells (iRBCs) using specific wave shapes, widths, and time delays generated from the absorbance of laser energy by hemozoin, a universal biomarker of malaria infection. In a population of Cameroonian adults with uncomplicated malaria, we assess our device for safety in a cross-sectional cohort (n = 10) and conduct a performance assessment in a longitudinal cohort (n = 20) followed for 30 ± 7 days after clearance of parasitemia.

A Five-Year Malaria Prevalence/Frequency in Makenene in a Forest-Savannah Transition Ecozone of Central Cameroon: The Results of a Retrospective Study.

Objective: Understanding the epidemiological features of malaria is a key step to monitoring and quantifying the impact of the current control efforts to inform future ones. This study establishes the prevalence and frequency of malaria in a forest-savannah ecozone for 5 consecutive years in Cameroon.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 3 health centers of Makenene from 2016 to 2020, a period covering the second long-lasting insecticide net mass distribution campaign.

The Boston Declaration 2025: Plan and Pledges for Progress in Global Neurosurgery.

Global Neurosurgery has been described as the clinical and public health practice of neurosurgery with the primary purpose of ensuring timely, safe, and affordable neurosurgical care to all who need it. Global Neurosurgery activities in the form of mission trips, educational partnerships, and research collaborations have been in place for decades. Still, there have been no central organizing efforts to improve the harmonization of these endeavors until recently.

The effect of protecting women against economic shocks to fight HIV in Cameroon, Africa: The POWER randomised controlled trial.

Background: Women in sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic. Young women are twice as likely to be living with HIV as men of the same age and account for 64% of new HIV infections among young people. Many studies suggest that financial needs, alongside biological susceptibility, are a leading cause of the gender disparity in HIV acquisition.

Accuracy of Alternative PHQ-9 Scoring Algorithms to Screen for Depression in People Living With HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: Screening for depression remains a priority for people living with HIV (PLWH) accessing care. The 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is a widely used depression screening tool, but has limited accuracy when applied across various cultural contexts. We aimed to evaluate the performance of alternative PHQ-9 scoring algorithms in sub-Saharan African PLWH.

Sickle cell disease in Cameroon: Taking out the "neglect" and highlighting key opportunities for sustainable control.

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a serious genetic disorder with astounding regional differences in childhood survival. Alarmingly, over 90% of children with SCD in SSA die before their fifth birthday. In Cameroon, approximately 7,000 children are born with SCD annually; however, most of them go undiagnosed until their fourth birthday, resulting into untold pain and suffering.

Impact of Human Activities on Woody Vegetation in Gallery Forests in the Mandara Mountains (Far North, Cameroon).

This study was conducted in the Mandara Mountains in Cameroon and aimed to assess the effects of human activities on woody vegetation in gallery forests, based on floristic inventories and observations made by the government. Firstly, the inventories were carried out in 150 plots of 1000 m each, installed on the banks of watercourses following the band of plant formations. In each plot, woody species were counted and those showing at least one sign of degradation were noted.

Escaping the midway trap: A mixed method study highlighting roadblocks and coping mechanisms of female researchers in Cameroon.

Across the world, women make most of the health workforce, but remain underrepresented in academia. This is even worst in Sub-Saharan Africa where women are the least represented as first and last authors in publications, especially in francophone countries. However, there is a lack of data on the reason explaining this inequity.

Optimising Paediatric HIV Treatment: Recent Developments and Future Directions.

Treatment options for children living with HIV have historically been less effective, less practical and more difficult to implement compared with those for adults, as the research and development of new drugs for children has lagged behind. Significant progress has been achieved in response to the paediatric HIV epidemic over the last decade. Several optimised paediatric antiretroviral formulations are currently available or in development, including fixed-dose combination tablets containing a complete World Health Organization-recommended regimen.

Haemoglobin Gene Repertoire in Teleost and Cichlid Fishes Shaped by Gene Duplications and Genome Rearrangements.

Haemoglobin is a key molecule for oxygen transport in vertebrates. It exhibits remarkable gene diversity in teleost fishes, reflecting adaptation to various aquatic environments. In this study, we present the dynamic evolution of haemoglobin subunit genes based on a comparison of high-quality genome assemblies of 24 vertebrate species, including 17 teleosts (of which six are cichlids).

Modeling of railway track integrating a shock-absorbing mat at the sleepers-ballast interface using eigenfunctions of displacement.

Damage caused to railway tracks and the surrounding environment during trains passage have become a real concern for those involved in the railway sector over the years. To find a solution for this problem, several approaches have already been implemented on railway tracks in some countries. Despite the efforts made in this area, the problem of ground vibration induced by railway traffic still remains a concern.

Predictive immunoinformatics reveal promising safety and anti-onchocerciasis protective immune response profiles to vaccine candidates (Ov-RAL-2 and Ov-103) in anticipation of phase I clinical trials.

Onchocerciasis (river blindness) is a debilitating tropical disease that causes significant eye and skin damage, afflicting millions worldwide. As global efforts shift from disease management to elimination, vaccines have become crucial supplementary tools. The Onchocerciasis Vaccine for Africa (TOVA) Initiative was established in 2015, to advance at least one vaccine candidate initially targeting onchocerciasis in infants and children below 5 years of age, through Phase I human trials by 2025.

Discriminating three lab scale dark chocolate bars from fine Cameroon cocoa hybrids using sensorial evaluation and organic acid content.

Previous studies have shown a correlation between chocolate sensory profile and certain (bio)chemical components. The aim of this study was to examine the sensorial profile and organic acid content of three lab scale chocolate brands produced from different cocoa genotypes. The sensorial evaluation was examined by a team of 12 panelists and evaluation of aroma volatiles was done by means of HS-SPME-GC-MS.