Parents' and Teachers' Perceptions of Risks Associated with Children's Walks to School in Blantyre, Malawi.

(1) Background: This study explored the challenges faced by schoolchildren while commuting to school, particularly the hazards associated with poor road conditions, exposure to high-speed traffic, and traffic-related air pollution (TRAP). (2) Methods: The research focused on community perspectives gathered through four focus group discussions (FGDs) involving parents and teachers from two primary schools in Blantyre City. Employing qualitative analysis with NVivo, themes, sub-themes, and codes were developed collaboratively within the research team.

Topological transition in filamentous cyanobacteria: from motion to structure.

Many active systems are capable of forming intriguing patterns at scales significantly larger than the size of their individual constituents. Cyanobacteria are one of the most ancient and important phyla of organisms that has allowed the evolution of more complex life forms. Despite its importance, the role of motility on the pattern formation of their colonies is not understood.

Advancing the management of maternal, fetal, and neonatal infection through harnessing digital health innovations.

Infections occurring in the mother and neonate exert a substantial health burden worldwide. Optimising infection management is crucial for improving individual outcomes and reducing the incidence of antimicrobial resistance. Digital health technologies, through their accessibility and scalability, hold promise in improving the quality of care across diverse health-care settings.

Concentrations of potentially toxic metals and trace elements in pregnant women and association with birth outcomes: A cross-sectional study in Malawi.

Potentially toxic metals and trace elements have been used in Malawi for a long time. However, data on exposure to these elements by susceptible groups like pregnant women and its associations with reproductive health outcomes in Malawi and southern hemisphere is limited. We investigated the concentrations of potentially toxic metals as well as trace elements in pregnant women and assessed the relationship between the levels these elements in maternal blood and sociodemographic factors, dietary habits and birth outcomes.

Women's Perspectives on the Unique Benefits and Challenges of Self-Injectable Contraception: A Four-Country In-Depth Interview Study in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Implementing self-injection (SI) of subcutaneous depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC) is a key self-care strategy for sexual and reproductive health, but SI uptake remains low, and assertions about the potential of SI to increase women's control over contraceptive use lack evidence. We sought to qualitatively explore how women with diverse contraceptive experiences-including those with and without experience using SI-view the benefits and challenges of SI as compared to other methods. We conducted 241 in-depth interviews with women across four sub-Saharan African countries and found alignment between the perceived and experienced benefits of SI across our diverse sample.

The role of the community of purpose in maternal mHealth interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa context.

Background: mHealth has increasingly been touted as having the potential to help Sub-Saharan Africa achieve their health-related sustainable development goals by reducing maternal mortality rates. Such interventions are implemented as one-way or two-way systems where maternal clients receive pregnancy related information via SMS. While such technologies often view the users (the maternal health client) as having agency to adopt, we know from pregnancy literature that the pregnancy experience in Africa and other developing countries is often more collective.

A systems serology approach to identifying key antibody correlates of protection from cerebral malaria in Malawian children.

Background: Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) proteins are expressed on the surface of infected erythrocytes, mediating parasite sequestration in the vasculature. PfEMP1 is a major target of protective antibodies, but the features of the antibody response are poorly defined.

Methods: In Malawian children with cerebral or uncomplicated malaria, we characterized the antibody response to 39 recombinant PfEMP1 Duffy binding like (DBL) domains or cysteine-rich interdomain regions (CIDRs) in detail, including measures of antibody classes, subclasses, and engagement with Fcγ receptors and complement.

The State of Stroke Research in Malawi: Results from a Mapping Review Study.

Introduction: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability globally, and low-income countries such as Malawi bear a heavy burden. Tailored, high-quality research is essential for bridging existing gaps and improving the healthcare provided in low-resource settings while maximizing available resources.

Aim: This mapping study aimed to synthesize the current state of stroke research in Malawi.

Epidemiology and Management of Pediatric Fractures in Malawi.

Background: Pediatric fractures are common in Malawi, and surgical care, when needed, remains inaccessible to many. Understanding which children in Malawi receive surgery or nonsurgical treatment would help set priorities for trauma system development.

Methods: We used multivariate logistic regression to evaluate associations between surgical treatment and age, sex, school enrollment, injury mechanism, fracture type, open fracture, referral status, hospital of presentation, delayed presentation (≥2 days), healthcare provider, and inpatient vs outpatient treatment.

Mobile health-delivered narrative intervention to increase cervical cancer screening among Malawian women living with HIV: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This study aimed to develop and evaluate a mobile health (mHealth)-delivered, theory-guided, culturally tailored storytelling narrative (STN) intervention to increase cervical cancer screening among Malawian women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Methods: This study involved two phases: Phase 1: development of a theory-guided and culturally adapted STN intervention and Phase 2: a pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three arms: Arm 1: tablet-based video (mHealth) with STN ( = 60); Arm 2: mHealth with a video of nonnarrative educational materials ( = 59); and Arm 3: control group with only reading nonnarrative educational materials in person ( = 60).

Intermittent preventive treatment with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine but not dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine modulates the relationship between inflammatory markers and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Malawi.

Women in malaria-endemic areas receive sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) as Intermittent Preventive Treatment in Pregnancy (IPTp) to reduce malaria. While dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) has superior antimalarial properties as IPTp, SP is associated with superior fetal growth. As maternal inflammation influences fetal growth, we investigated whether SP alters the relationship between inflammation and birth outcomes.

Cassava brown streak virus evolves with a nucleotide-substitution rate that is typical for the family Potyviridae.

The ipomoviruses (family Potyviridae) that cause cassava brown streak disease (cassava brown streak virus [CBSV] and Uganda cassava brown streak virus [UCBSV]) are damaging plant pathogens that affect the sustainability of cassava production in East and Central Africa. However, little is known about the rate at which the viruses evolve and when they emerged in Africa - which inform how easily these viruses can host shift and resist RNAi approaches for control. We present here the rates of evolution determined from the coat protein gene (CP) of CBSV (Temporal signal in a UCBSV dataset was not sufficient for comparable analysis).

Prothrombotic autoantibodies targeting platelet factor 4/polyanion are associated with pediatric cerebral malaria.

BACKGROUNDFeatures of consumptive coagulopathy and thromboinflammation are prominent in cerebral malaria (CM). We hypothesized that thrombogenic autoantibodies contribute to a procoagulant state in CM.METHODSPlasma from children with uncomplicated malaria (UM) (n = 124) and CM (n = 136) was analyzed by ELISA for a panel of 8 autoantibodies including anti-platelet factor 4/polyanion (anti-PF4/P), anti-phospholipid, anti-phosphatidylserine, anti-myeloperoxidase, anti-proteinase 3, anti-dsDNA, anti-β-2-glycoprotein I, and anti-cardiolipin.

Thin layer chromatography-direct bioautography guided isolation of β-sitosterol from the leaves of .

The aim of the study was to isolate and characterise antimicrobial agents from the leaves of using thin-layer chromatography-direct bioautography (TLC-DB). is a medicinal plant used traditionally to treat various ailments. Previous studies have shown that species of the genus contain several classes of secondary metabolites, including sterols.

An ensemble model predicts an upward range shift of the endemic and endangered Yellow-throated Apalis () under future climate change in Malawi.

Climate change poses a significant threat to endemic and endangered montane bird species with limited elevation and temperature ranges. Understanding their responses to changes in climate is essential for informing conservation actions. This study focused on the montane dwelling Yellow-throated Apalis () in Malawi, aiming to identify key factors affecting its distribution and predicting its potential distribution under different climate change scenarios.

An Assessment of Open Fracture Management in Hospitals in Malawi Before and Immediately After Implementing Open Fracture Guidelines.

Background: Open fractures, a common consequence of road traffic collisions, are associated with a high risk of complications. The introduction of standard guidelines has been shown to improve patient care and reduce the risk of complications in several countries. In September 2021, the Malawi Orthopaedic Association/Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen Alliance (MOA/AOA) guidelines and standards for open fracture management were introduced in Malawi.

Epidemiology and Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures at Four Public Hospitals in Malawi.

Background: Little is known about the burden or management of distal radius fractures (DRFs) in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this study was to describe the care of DRFs in Malawi.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed a registry of all patients with fractures who presented to the orthopaedic departments at four public hospitals in Malawi.

(In)visibilising pregnancy loss in Southern Malawi.

Miscarriages, stillbirths and neonatal deaths have received limited attention in global health programmes and research, even though pregnancy loss is common, traumatic and stigmatised. This paper seeks to illuminate lived experiences of pregnancy loss in southern Malawi, drawing on findings from semi-structured interviews and focus groups with women who have experienced loss, health professionals and community members, and observations of maternity care. Combining thematic and discourse analysis, we show how societal and medical discourses frame women as responsible for (failed) reproduction, and restrict possibilities to speak about, and respond to, loss.

investigations of the structure-stability, mechanical, electronic, thermodynamic and optical properties of TiFeAs Heusler alloy.

In this study, we employed density functional theory coupled with the full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave method (FP-LAPW) to investigate the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of the TiFeAs alloy adopting the HgCuTi-type structure. Our findings demonstrate that all the examined structures exhibit ferromagnetic (FM) behaviour. By conducting electronic band structure calculations, we observed an energy gap of 0.

The Socioeconomic consequences of femoral shaft fracture for patients in Malawi.

Background: Femoral shaft fractures are common in Malawi, with an annual incidence of 44 per 100,000 people. Inadequate treatment and delayed presentation often result in functional, biopsychosocial, and financial challenges for patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the socioeconomic consequences of femoral shaft fractures for patients in Malawi.

Incidence and health risk assessment of hydrogen cyanide and multi-mycotoxins in Nigerian garri.

Garri is a granular, starchy food prepared by the fermentation of mashed cassava. Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and mycotoxins are contaminants in certain foods at different points along the food value chain. The incidence and contamination levels of HCN and multi-mycotoxins in garri from five agroecological zones of Nigeria were determined using a spectrophotometric method and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy (UHPLC-MS/MS), respectively.

Update on pathology laboratory development and research in advancing regional cancer care in Malawi.

The pathology laboratory at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe, Malawi was established in 2011. We published our initial experiences in laboratory development and telepathology in 2013 and 2016, respectively. The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on our work by highlighting the positive role laboratory development has played in improving regional cancer care and research.

Exploring the mechanical, vibrational optoelectronic, and thermoelectric properties of novel half-Heusler FeTaX (X = P, As): a first-principles study.

In this study, the density functional theory (DFT) was employed to study the structural, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric characteristics of half-Heusler (HH) FeTaX (X = P or As). Optimization of the structures was achieved using Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) parametrized generalized gradient approximation (GGA). These HH FeTaX (X = P, As) showed indirect bandgaps of 0.

Chemoprevention for malaria with monthly intermittent preventive treatment with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in pregnant women living with HIV on daily co-trimoxazole in Kenya and Malawi: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: The efficacy of daily co-trimoxazole, an antifolate used for malaria chemoprevention in pregnant women living with HIV, is threatened by cross-resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to the antifolate sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. We assessed whether addition of monthly dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine to daily co-trimoxazole is more effective at preventing malaria infection than monthly placebo plus daily co-trimoxazole in pregnant women living with HIV.

Methods: We did an individually randomised, two-arm, placebo-controlled trial in areas with high-grade sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance in Kenya and Malawi.