Dental Clinicians' and Technologists' Experiences and Perspectives on Removable Complete Denture Fabrication Services in Makerere University Dental Hospital, Uganda.

Background: Globally, there is growing concern regarding mouth sores, occlusion, cost, ridge resorption, and retention, in the delivery of removable complete dentures fabrication services brought about by the aging of the population and poor oral healthcare. The therapy for edentulous patients can be realized through the use of conventional removable complete dentures, implant-supported prostheses, and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM). In Uganda, the therapy for edentulous patients has predominantly been realized through the use of conventional removable complete dentures.

- Gender differences in community responses to a large-scale NGO programme to prevent violence against women in urban India.

Despite striking gender differences in men's and women's engagement in past prevention programmes to stop violence against women (VAW), few empirical studies have determined why such gender differences arise. We did a grounded theory study of a large-scale NGO programme in informal settlements in Mumbai, India, aiming to analyse how gender affects participation in community action to address VAW. We did 27 focus group discussions and 31 semi-structured interviews with 77 women and 36 men, as well as with 9 NGO staff.

Duration of sodium zirconium cyclosilicate treatment and continuation of RAASi therapy after a hyperkalaemia episode.

Aims: Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASi) are foundational in the management of heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) but increase the risk of hyperkalaemia. To facilitate continuation of RAASi therapy, guidelines suggest managing hyperkalaemia using newer potassium binders such as sodium zirconium cyclosilicate (SZC). This observational study describes the likelihood of continued RAASi therapy by duration of SZC treatment.

Plasmodium knowlesi Infection Is Associated With Elevated Circulating Biomarkers of Brain Injury and Endothelial Activation.

Background: Malaria remains a major public health concern with substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Malaysia, the emergence of Plasmodium knowlesi has led to a surge in zoonotic malaria cases and deaths in recent years. Signs of cerebral involvement have been observed in a noncomatose, fatal case of knowlesi infection, but the potential impact of this malaria species on the brain remains unexplored.

Quality of life in long-term breast cancer survivors in Sub-Saharan Africa: the African Breast Cancer-Disparities in Outcomes study.

Purpose: In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), breast cancer survivors' (BCS) quality of life (QoL) remains understudied. We compared QoL in BCS to cancer-free (CF) women across SSA settings with different levels of development, healthcare systems, ethnic compositions, and HIV prevalence.

Methods: In 2022-2023, all 5 + year BCS from the African Breast Cancer-Disparities in Outcomes study and age-matched CF women from the community setting answered the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire in Namibia, Nigeria, and Uganda.

Transforming food environments: a global lens on challenges and opportunities for achieving healthy and sustainable diets for all.

Food environments are rapidly changing globally, both in developed and developing contexts, contributing to poor dietary habits and environmental concerns. As a result, more than 80% of countries in the world face different forms of malnutrition, while the environment faces further degradation due to unsustainable production and consumption patterns. Understanding food environments in diverse settings via a global lens is critical for facilitating the global transition to sustainable and healthy food environments.

Context-Tailored Food-Based Nutrition Education and Counseling for Pregnant Women to Improve Birth Outcomes: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial in Rural Malawi.

Background: Inadequate maternal dietary intakes remain a public health challenge in low-income countries like Malawi and can cause adverse birth outcomes.

Objectives: To improve maternal dietary intakes and thus reduce the prevalence of adverse birth outcomes in rural Malawi.

Methods: We performed a 2-armed (1:1) cluster-randomized controlled trial in Southern Malawi, enrolling pregnant women at gestational age 12-18 wk.

Modelling the epidemiological and economic impact of digital adherence technologies with differentiated care for tuberculosis treatment in Ethiopia.

Background: Digital adherence technologies (DATs) with associated differentiated care are potential tools to improve tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes and reduce associated costs for both patients and healthcare providers. However, the balance between epidemiological and economic benefits remains unclear. Here, we used data from the ASCENT trial to estimate the potential long-term epidemiological and economic impact of DAT interventions in Ethiopia.

A retrospective cohort study of monthly rifampicin, ofloxacin and minocycline in the management of leprosy at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London, United Kingdom.

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends rifampicin, dapsone and clofazimine multi-drug therapy (MDT) for the treatment of leprosy. Severe adverse effects include dapsone hypersensitivity syndrome, skin pigmentation, haemolytic anaemia, and hepatitis. At the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (HTD), London, United Kingdom monthly rifampicin, ofloxacin and minocycline (mROM) is used as first line treatment for leprosy.

A potent and selective reaction hijacking inhibitor of Plasmodium falciparum tyrosine tRNA synthetase exhibits single dose oral efficacy in vivo.

The Plasmodium falciparum cytoplasmic tyrosine tRNA synthetase (PfTyrRS) is an attractive drug target that is susceptible to reaction-hijacking by AMP-mimicking nucleoside sulfamates. We previously identified an exemplar pyrazolopyrimidine ribose sulfamate, ML901, as a potent reaction hijacking inhibitor of PfTyrRS. Here we examined the stage specificity of action of ML901, showing very good activity against the schizont stage, but lower trophozoite stage activity.

At risk but not adequately included: People with disabilities' experience of COVID-19 in Zambia.

Background: COVID-19 had an impact on all sections of society, including people with disabilities.

Objectives: The authors aimed to explore the needs and experiences of people with disabilities in Zambia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: In this hermeneutic phenomenological study, we used a semi-structured interview guide to collect data from a purposive and snowball sample of 40 people with disabilities and their caregivers.

Pathogenicity and virulence of : What do we really know?

is the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis and is a major public health concern worldwide. Despite its importance, our understanding of how causes diarrhoea and interacts with its hosts is limited due to the absence of appropriate infection models and established virulence factors found in other enteric pathogens. Additionally, despite its genetic diversity, non-pathogenic strains are unknown.

Physicians' inclination towards standard guidelines and regulations on incentive based prescribing practices in Karachi. A mixed methods study design.

Objective: To investigate private General Practitioners' (GPs) interest in continuous professional development (CPD), with a focus on ethical practices.

Method: A mixed method study design conducted a cross-sectional survey of registered private GPs (n=419) in Karachi was conducted in the year 2022 on their professional and ethical practices with perspectives on engagement in training in the year 2022. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 28 GPs to get a deeper understanding of their views on professional development.

The 2024 updated WHO guidelines for the prevention and management of chronic hepatitis B: main changes and potential implications for the next major liver society clinical practice guidelines.

Progress towards hepatitis B virus (HBV) global elimination has been slow and most countries are far to reach the elimination targets set up by the World Health Organization (WHO). The burden of chronic hepatitis B is mainly bear by resource-limited countries where only a minority of people living with HBV are diagnosed and treated and international guidelines hardly applicable in real-life. In March 2024, the WHO released its revised guidelines for the prevention and management of chronic hepatitis B.

Trends and variation in issuance of high-cost narcolepsy drugs by NHS England organisations and regions from 2019 to 2022.

Clinicians and people with narcolepsy report varied access to higher-cost narcolepsy treatments in England associated with variations in national and local commissioning. There are no publicly available data quantifying use of these drugs to support policy decisions. We therefore aimed to describe national, regional and local prescribing trends for higher-cost narcolepsy drugs using new national databases.

Trial to compare mixed-use (multi-use and single-use) intermittent catheter management with single-use management over 12 months (The MultICath Trial): protocol for a non-inferiority randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Evaluating the safety and acceptability of reusing catheters for intermittent catheterisation (IC) is one of the top 10 continence research priorities identified by the UK James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership in 2008. There are an estimated 50 000 IC users in England and this number is rising. Globally, both single-use catheters (thrown away after use) and multi-use/reusable ones (cleaned between uses) are used.

Freedom from infection: enhancing decision-making for malaria elimination.

Assessing elimination of malaria locally requires a surveillance system with high sensitivity and specificity to detect its presence without ambiguity. Currently, the WHO standard criteria of observing the absence of locally acquired cases for 3 consecutive years, combined with a health systems assessment, are used to justify claims of malaria elimination. However, relying on a qualitative framework to support the application of this guideline can lead to early, over-optimistic relaxation of control measures with the potential for resurgence.

Characterization of an IL-8 cleavage inhibition assay to determine the functionality of anti-SpyCEP antibodies in human sera.

Exposure to Group A Streptococcus leads to a broad spectrum of disease and sequelae, as the bacterium employs a wide range of virulence factors to facilitate colonization of the host, propagation and onward transmission, disrupting both innate and adaptive immune responses. The protease SpyCEP has a crucial role in contributing to bacterial immune evasion by impairing neutrophil recruitment and killing of bacteria through the cleavage of interleukin-8 (IL-8). Given this critical function, SpyCEP represents a key vaccine antigen and quantifying functional anti-SpyCEP antibodies represents not only an important marker of vaccine efficacy, but also a tool to dissect the natural immune response.