Effects of protection on large-bodied reef fishes in the western Indian Ocean.

Predatory and large-bodied coral reef fishes have fundamental roles in the functioning and biodiversity of coral reef ecosystems, but their populations are declining, largely due to overexploitation in fisheries. These fishes include sharks, groupers, Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), and Green Humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum). In the western Indian Ocean, this situation is exacerbated by limited population data on these fishes, including from conventional visual census methods, which limit the surface area surveyed.

Bridging the gap: An outlook of oncofertility care in Africa.

This article examines existing literature on oncofertility in Africa and explores the barriers to oncofertility care. Patient-level barriers include lack of awareness about fertility preservation options, financial constraints, and the heavy emotional burden of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Healthcare-provider barriers encompass lack of awareness, prioritization of prompt cancer treatment, and implicit biases.

Distribution of pharmaceuticals in marine surface sediment and macroalgae (ulvophyceae) around Mombasa peri-urban creeks and Gazi Bay, Kenya.

Pollution in marine creeks has been increasing due to anthropogenic activities and has been a global concern. Limited research has been conducted on pharmaceuticals in marine sediment and macroalgae in African countries. In the present study, the levels of pharmaceuticals were assessed in surface sediment and different species of macroalgae (ulvophyceae; Cladophora sudanensis, Chaetomorpha crassa, Chaetomorpha indica, Enteromorpha kylinii, Ulva reticulate, Ulva lactuca and Cladophora sibugae) in Mombasa peri-urban creeks (Tudor, Makupa and Mtwapa creek) and Gazi bay during dry and wet seasons.

Integrated Serosurveillance of Infectious Diseases Using Multiplex Bead Assays: A Systematic Review.

Integrated serological surveillance (serosurveillance) involves testing for antibodies to multiple pathogens (or species) simultaneously and can be achieved using multiplex bead assays (MBAs). This systematic review aims to describe pathogens studied using MBAs, the operational implementation of MBAs, and how the data generated were synthesised. In November and December 2023, four databases were searched for studies utilising MBAs for the integrated serosurveillance of infectious diseases.

Systematic characterization of faecal sludge from various sources for its use as a solid fuel.

Faecal sludge (FS) is not extensively evaluated for its potential as a solid fuel mainly due to the general conception of its "highly variable characteristics" in relation to the wide range of on-site sanitation systems. An extensive and systematic FS characterization was therefore conducted on twenty-four samples collected directly from pit latrines, ventilated improved pit latrines (VIPs) and urine-diverting dehydrating toilets (UDDTs) at two depths to understand the impact on properties relevant for combustion. The higher heating value (HHV) for these samples lies between 13 to 22 MJ/kg DM (dry matter).

Phenotypic and genetic extended spectrum beta lactamase profiles of bacterial isolates from ICU in tertiary level hospital in Kenya.

Background: Bacterial infections in the Intensive Care Units are a threat to the lives of critically ill patients. Their vulnerable immunity predisposes them to developing bacteria-associated sepsis, deteriorating their already fragile health. In the face of increasing antibiotics resistance, the problem of bacterial infection in ICU is worsening.

Inheritance of resistance to maize lethal necrosis in tropical maize inbred lines.

Maize ( L.) production in sub-Saharan Africa can be improved by using hybrids with genetic resistance to maize lethal necrosis (MLN). This study aimed to assess the general (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA), reciprocal effects, and quantitative genetic basis of MLN resistance and agronomic traits in tropical maize inbred lines.

Socioeconomic disparities in child malnutrition: trends, determinants, and policy implications from the Kenya demographic and health survey (2014 - 2022).

Background: Child malnutrition remains a critical public health problem, with socioeconomic factors playing a significant role. Socioeconomic factors include household income, parental education, and access to healthcare, which influence a child's nutritional status. Despite overall progress in reducing under-five child malnutrition in Kenya, disparities persist.

Metabolic resistance to pyrethroids with possible involvement of non-coding ribonucleic acids in Anopheles funestus, the major malaria vector in western Kenya.

Background: The resurgence of Anopheles funestus, a dominant vector of human malaria in western Kenya was partly attributed to insecticide resistance. However, evidence on the molecular basis of pyrethroid resistance in western Kenya is limited. Here, we reported metabolic resistance mechanisms and demonstrated that multiple non-coding Ribonucleic Acids (ncRNAs) could play a potential role in An.

How climate change is shaping young people's health: a participatory, youth co-led study from Bangladesh, Guatemala and Nigeria.

Introduction: Climate change is shaping adolescent and young people's (AYP) transitions to adulthood with significant and often compounding effects on their physical and mental health. The climate crisis is an intergenerational inequity, with the current generation of young people exposed to more climate events over their lifetime than any previous one. Despite this injustice, research and policy to date lacks AYP's perspectives and active engagement.

Building resilience against cholera: lessons from the implementation of integrated community strategy for cholera control in Zambia.

Cholera has remained a persistent public health challenge in Zambia since the country's first reported outbreak in 1977. The recent outbreak, which began in October 2023 and is ongoing as of June 2024, is the most severe in Zambia's history and part of the larger 2022-2024 Southern Africa cholera outbreak, which has affected multiple countries in the region. This article describes the implementation of the integrated community strategy for cholera control (ICSCC) in three districts of the Copperbelt Province during this outbreak.

An assessment of the progress made in the implementation of the regional framework for cholera prevention and control in the WHO African region.

High-burden cholera outbreaks, spreading beyond the traditional cholera-endemic countries, have been reported since 2021 in the WHO African region. Member states in the region have committed to the global goal of cholera elimination by 2030. To track progress towards this goal, WHO-African countries adopted a regional cholera prevention and control framework in 2018.

Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes-Palliative Care in Africa and Quality of Life, Symptoms, Patient Experience, and Caregiver Distress Among Patients With Cancer.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the association between the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes-Palliative Care (ECHO-PC; ECHO Model-Based comprehensive educational and telementoring intervention) for health care professionals (HCPs) and change in patient-reported quality-of-life (QOL; Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General [FACT-G]) among patients with advanced cancer. We also examined the association between ECHO-PC and changes in symptom distress (Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale [ESAS]), patient experience and satisfaction, and caregiver distress scores.

Methods: ECHO-PC Clinic sessions were conducted twice a month for 1 year by an interdisciplinary team of PC clinicians at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, with participation of experts in PC in sub-Saharan Africa, using standardized curriculum on the basis of PC needs in the region.

Policy Options for Contributory Health Insurance Schemes in Low and Lower-Middle Income Countries to Enable Progress Towards Universal Health Coverage.

The promise of contributory health insurance to generate additional, self-sustaining funding for the health sector has not been achieved in many low- and lower-middle-income countries. Instead, contributory health insurance has been found to exacerbate inequities in access to health care because entitlements are linked to contributions. For these countries with contributory health insurance schemes, with separate institutional arrangements for revenue collection and purchasing, that operate alongside budget-funded and other health financing schemes, it is usually not politically or technically feasible to reverse or eliminate these arrangements even when they fragment the health system.

Modeling the Impact of Seasonality on Mosquito Population Dynamics: Insights for Vector Control Strategies.

Mosquitoes are important vectors for the transmission of some major infectious diseases of humans, i.e., malaria, dengue, West Nile Virus and Zika virus.

In silico-based investigation of the molecular mechanism of Artocarpus communis seed hexane fraction against metabolic syndrome.

Context: The medications for metabolic syndromes are very minimal and the available are not effective and show adverse effects. There is a huge need for the development of effective and safe drugs to battle metabolic syndromes. In this context, our study aimed to decipher the key molecules from Artocarpus communis seed hexane fraction and their possible mechanism of action against metabolic syndrome.

Conflict at work and incident chronic low back pain: a retrospective cohort of more than 101,000 adults from Germany.

Purpose: Little is known about the relationship between conflict at work and incident chronic low back pain (CLBP). Thus, this retrospective cohort study analyzed the association between conflict at work and the five-year incidence of CLBP in adults living in Germany.

Methods: This study included individuals aged 18-65 years reporting conflict at work for the first time in one of 1,293 general practices in Germany between 2005 and 2022 (index date).

The capacity and training needs of primary health care workers in Nyeri and Nakuru counties of Kenya: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Health systems based on primary healthcare (PHC) have reduced costs and are effective for improved health outcomes. Kenya's health system grapples with providing equitable access to essential health services, but there is increasing commitment by the government to strengthen primary healthcare. The aim of this paper is to provide a baseline assessment of the capacity and training needs of healthcare workers (HCWs) in Nakuru and Nyeri Counties and identify priorities for intervention.

Maternal dietary folate imbalance alters cerebellar astrocyte morphology and density in offspring.

Background: Maternal folate usage is essential for neurodevelopment, but its effects on cerebellar structure are unclear. Cerebellum undergoes a protracted period of development, making it sensitive to maternal nutritional imbalances. Astrocytes are necessary for cerebellar cortex structure and function.

Mpox vaccination hesitancy, previous immunisation coverage, and vaccination readiness in the African region: a multinational survey.

Background: Vaccination hesitancy poses a serious threat to mpox vaccination programs. Historically, vaccine uptake in the African region has been low, and this trend may impact future vaccination efforts. Our aim was to investigate the relationships between mpox vaccination hesitancy, immunisation coverage for other vaccines, and vaccination readiness among African adults.

Factors Influencing Iron Levels Among Women of Reproductive Age and Children 6-48 Months in Livestock-Keeping Communities in Narok County, Kenya.

Proper nutrition is vital for maintaining good health for all people across their lifespan, especially children and mothers, who are especially vulnerable due to their specific nutrient needs. Despite the necessity of improved nutrition for these groups, some members do not fully meet their recommended daily micronutrient needs, a challenge exacerbated by different socioeconomic, cultural, and communal constraints resulting in malnutrition. Iron deficiency anaemia is a major concern among children and mothers, especially in pastoralist communities, due to poor nutrition and other related factors.

The Call to Increase Adoption of Family-Based Interventions in Global Mental Health Programming.

Family-based intervention approaches hold tremendous promise for improving mental health in scalable and relevant ways that address social determinants of health, yet family-focused prevention and care interventions are underused in global mental health. This article provides a brief overview of the evidence and types of programs. It then outlines five future directions for family-focused global mental health interventions: integrating implementation science into family-focused programs, expanding research on family-focused work to other populations and different modalities, encouraging transdisciplinary learning from other fields, understanding what works for whom and where, and disseminating family interventions grounded in locally derived theoretical frameworks.

The Genesis of the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing.

Combating all forms of oppression to achieve health equity.

Factors associated with adolescent pregnancy among girls aged between 15 and 19 years in Muhanga district, Rwanda.

Background: Adolescent pregnancy, also known as teenage pregnancy, is an unwanted pregnancy affecting girls aged 15-19 years. With a global prevalence of 25%, Africa has 18.8% of female adolescents become pregnant, preventing them from a better standard of living, such as good education and parental care, and adolescent pregnancy, which poses health risks, educational and career disruptions, financial strain, and lower academic achievement, while also increasing public costs and social service demand.