Structural characterization of cassava linamarase-linamarin enzyme complex: an integrated computational approach.

Cassava linamarase is a hydrolyzing enzyme that belongs to a glycoside hydrolase family 1 (GH1). It is responsible for breaking down linamarin to toxic cyanide. The enzyme provides a defensive mechanism for plants against herbivores and has various applications in many fields.

Solvent effects on host-guest residence time and kinetics: further insights from metadynamics simulation of Toussaintine-A unbiding from chitosan nanoparticle.

Solvents play an important role in host-guest intermolecular interactions. The kinetics and residence time of Toussaintine-A (TouA) unbinding from chitosan was investigated by means of well-tempered metadynamics and thermodynamic integration using two solvents, polar aprotic (DMSO), and polar protic (water). The kinetic rates were found to be strongly dependent on the solvent polarity; hence, the unbinding rate proceeded much faster in DMSO compared to water.

Dengue Virus Infection and Associated Risk Factors in Africa: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Dengue contributes a significant burden on global public health and economies. In Africa, the burden of dengue virus (DENV) infection is not well described. This review was undertaken to determine the prevalence of dengue and associated risk factors.

Ensemble-based screening of natural products and FDA-approved drugs identified potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 that work with two distinct mechanisms.

The recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for high morbidity and mortality rate across the globe. This requires an urgent identification of drugs and other interventions to overcome this pandemic. Computational drug repurposing represents an alternative approach to provide a more effective approach in search for COVID-19 drugs.

Prevalence and factors that are associated with elevated blood pressure among primary school children in Mwanza Region, Tanzania.

Introduction: hypertension (HTN) among children is reported to be increasing due to sedentary lifestyles. In developed countries the prevalence of paediatric HTN is recorded to be up to 21% while the magnitude of the same is up to 11% in Tanzania. This study aimed to determine the blood pressure profile and factors associated with elevated blood pressure (BP) among children of Mwanza region.

Potential Benefits of Multimedia-Based Home Catheter Management Education in Patients With Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters: Systematic Review.

Background: In recent years, there have been many suggestions to use multimedia as a strategy to fully meet the educational needs of patients with peripherally inserted central catheters. However, the potential benefits remain unreliable in the literature.

Objective: In this study, we identified the potential benefits of multimedia-based home catheter management education in patients with peripherally inserted central catheters and discussed the clinical implications.

National Consumption of Antimicrobials in Tanzania: 2017-2019.

Surveillance of antimicrobial consumption is essential to the national action plan for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as stipulated in the Global Action Plan on AMR and the Tanzanian National Action Plan on AMR. Given the paucity of antimicrobial consumption data in sub-Saharan Africa region, the objective of this study was to measure antimicrobial consumption in Tanzania. From 2017 to 2019, data on all antimicrobials imported into Tanzania were obtained from the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority Data, augmented with purchasing data from the Medical Stores Department and data from local manufacturers.

Spatial and temporal distribution of mosquito's larvae and its determinants in two urban sites in Tanzania with different malaria transmission levels.

Background: In order to be able to design and implement control measures directed to the mosquito larva stages an understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution and its determinants in different malaria transmission settings is important. This study therefore, intended to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of mosquito's larvae and its determinants in two urban sites with different transmission levels, in Tanzania.

Methodology: This study was conducted in Dodoma and Morogoro regions in Tanzania.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of ()-4-{2,2-di-chloro-1-[(3,5-di-methyl-phen-yl)diazen-yl]ethen-yl}-,-di-methyl-aniline.

In the title compound, CHClN, the planes of the benzene rings subtend a dihedral angle of 77.07 (10)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are associated into inversion dimers short Cl⋯Cl contacts [3.

Community perspectives: An exploration of potential barriers to men's involvement in maternity care in a central Tanzanian community.

Background: Male involvement in maternal health has been linked to positive health outcomes for women and children, as they control household resources and make significant decisions, which influence maternal health. Despite of the important role they have in maternal health care, their actual involvement remains low. The objective of this study was to explore community perspectives on potential barriers to men's involvement in maternity care in central Tanzania.

A computational study on the role of water and conformational fluctuations in Hsp90 in response to inhibitors.

Molecular chaperone Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90) represents an interesting chemotherapeutic target for cancer treatments as it plays a role in cancer proliferation. Thus, continued effort to identify novel inhibitors of this target is an important task. Drug design using computational approach has gained significant attention in recent years.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Contraception Methods Among Female Undergraduates in Dodoma, Tanzania.

Introduction Contraception is regarded as an important preventive measure of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), among youths. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of contraception among female undergraduates in Dodoma, Tanzania. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted among 347 female undergraduates of St John's University, Dodoma.

Factors influencing men's involvement in antenatal care services: a cross-sectional study in a low resource setting, Central Tanzania.

Background: Men's involvement can impact the delays in the decision to seek health care and in reaching a health facility, which are contributing causes for increased maternal mortality. Despite of the call to involve men in antenatal care, their participation is not well understood. This study aimed to determine the level of men's involvement in antenatal care and the factors influencing their involvement in these services.

Jazia prime vendor system- a public-private partnership to improve medicine availability in Tanzania: from pilot to scale.

Background: The availability of medicines in public health facilities in Tanzania is problematic. Medicines shortages are often caused by unavailability at Medical Stores Department, the national supplier for public health facilities. During such stock-outs, districts may purchase from private suppliers.

Isolation and antimicrobial activities of a novel discolornolide and other compounds from .

Characterisation of a novel discolornolide () isolated from a first time investigation of is described. Other 6 known compounds, karatavin (), -acetylanonaine (), quercetin-3--arabinose (), stigmasterol (, a mixture of stigmasterol and β-sitosterol () and octahydro-5-isopropyl-3-methyl-2-methyleneazulene-8,8-diol () isolated are also reported. The structures were established by spectroscopic methods.

Synthesis of an oleic acid based pH-responsive lipid and its application in nanodelivery of vancomycin.

Stimuli-responsive nano-drug delivery systems can optimize antibiotic delivery to infection sites. Identifying novel lipids for pH responsive delivery to acidic conditions of infection sites will enhance the performance of nano-drug delivery systems. The aim of the present investigation was to synthesize and characterize a biosafe novel pH-responsive lipid for vancomycin delivery to acidic conditions of infection sites.

Polyamidoamine Dendrimers for Enhanced Solubility of Small Molecules and Other Desirable Properties for Site Specific Delivery: Insights from Experimental and Computational Studies.

Clinical applications of many small molecules are limited due to poor solubility and lack of controlled release besides lack of other desirable properties. Experimental and computational studies have reported on the therapeutic potential of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers as solubility enhancers in pre-clinical and clinical settings. Besides formulation strategies, factors such as pH, PAMAM dendrimer generation, PAMAM dendrimer concentration, nature of the PAMAM core, special ligand and surface modifications of PAMAM dendrimer have an influence on drug solubility and other recommendable pharmacological properties.

Pegylated oleic acid: A promising amphiphilic polymer for nano-antibiotic delivery.

Vancomycin (VM), a last resort to control methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections, is on the verge of becoming ineffective. Novel nano delivery systems of VM have the potential to combat MRSA.

Knowledge of pre-eclampsia in women living in Makole Ward, Dodoma, Tanzania.

Background: Pre-eclampsia is a hypertensive disorder specific to pregnancy responsible for significant maternal morbidity and mortality in Africa. The majority of deaths related to pre-eclampsia could be avoided with timely and effective care. "Phase one delays" arise because of lack of knowledge.

Knowledge and awareness of malaria and mosquito biting behaviour in selected sites within Morogoro and Dodoma regions Tanzania.

Background: In Tanzania there has been a downward trend in malaria prevalence partly due to use of insecticide-treated bed nets for protection against Anopheles mosquitoes. However, residual malaria transmission attributed to early biting behaviour of malaria vectors is being reported. Knowledge of mosquito feeding behaviour is key to improvements in control approaches.

Synthesis of Polyamidoamine Dendrimer for Encapsulating Tetramethylscutellarein for Potential Bioactivity Enhancement.

The biomedical potential of flavonoids is normally restricted by their low water solubility. However, little has been reported on their encapsulation into polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers to improve their biomedical applications. Generation four (G4) PAMAM dendrimer containing ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid core with acrylic acid and ethylenediamine as repeating units was synthesized by divergent approach and used to encapsulate a flavonoid tetramethylscutellarein (TMScu, 1) to study its solubility and in vitro release for potential bioactivity enhancement.

Educational audit on drug dose calculation learning in a Tanzanian school of nursing.

Background: Patient safety is a key concern for nurses; ability to calculate drug doses correctly is an essential skill to prevent and reduce medication errors. Literature suggests that nurses' drug calculation skills should be monitored.

Objective: The aim of the study was to conduct an educational audit on drug dose calculation learning in a Tanzanian school of nursing.

Child vulnerability in the Iraqw and Datoga ethnic groups of a village in northern Tanzania.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the concept of child vulnerability as perceived by Iraqw and Datoga peoples in northern Tanzania.

Design: A mixed methods design was used, which included semistructured interviews (n = 32) and a questionnaire (n = 80) administered to members of the two ethnic groups.

Findings: Five main themes emerged: (a) lack of resources, (b) intentional mistreatment, (c) deprivations (d) losses suffered, and (e) dealing with deprivation.