Phenotypic and Genotypic Methods for the Identification and Quantification of Cyanobacteria in Lake Water.

Early monitoring of Microcystis, a cyanobacterium that produces microcystin, is paramount in order to confirm the presence of Microcystis spp. Both phenotypic and genotypic methods have been used. The phenotypic methods provide the presence of the microcystis but do not confirm its species type and toxin produced.

Factors associated with the risk of malaria among children: analysis of 2021 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey.

Background: Malaria remains a burden globally, with the African region accounting for 94% of the overall disease burden and deaths in 2019. It is the major cause of morbidity and mortality among children in Nigeria. Though different environmental factors have been assessed to influence the distribution and transmission of malaria vectors, there is a shortage of information on how they may influence malaria transmission among under-fives in Nigeria.

Individualism, collectivism and conformity in nine countries: Relations with parenting and child adjustment.

This study investigated how individualism, collectivism and conformity are associated with parenting and child adjustment in 1297 families with 10-year-old children from 13 cultural groups in nine countries. With multilevel models disaggregating between- and within-culture effects, we examined between- and within-culture associations between maternal and paternal cultural values, parenting dimensions and children's adjustment. Mothers from cultures endorsing higher collectivism and fathers from cultures endorsing lower individualism engage more frequently in warm parenting behaviours.

Perceived acceptability of self-administered topical therapy for cervical precancer treatment among women undergoing cervical cancer screening in Kenya.

Purpose: Innovative strategies are urgently needed to meet the World Health Organization's 2030 target of treating 90% of women with precancerous cervical lesions, especially in countries most affected by cervical cancer. We assessed the acceptability of self-administered intravaginal therapies for treating cervical precancer in women undergoing cervical cancer screening and precancer treatment in Kenya.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among women aged 18 to 65 years undergoing cervical cancer screening or precancer treatment between January and October 2023 in Kisumu County, Kenya.

"There is nothing that can prevent me from supporting her:" men's perspectives on their involvement and support of women's use of topical therapy for cervical precancer treatment in Kenya.

Purpose: Cervical cancer disproportionately impacts women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The World Health Organization's (WHO) 90/70/90 strategy aims to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030 by increasing HPV vaccination coverage to 90%, screening 70% of eligible women, and effectively treating 90% of those with abnormal results by 2030, potentially preventing 62 million deaths in LMICs. LMICs, however, struggle with limited access to cervical precancer treatment, in part due to a lack of trained professionals and weak health systems.

Integrating Oral Health Within Kenyan HIV Research & Policy Structure: Stakeholder Analysis.

Background: Kenya has a remarkably high burden of oral diseases, especially in vulnerable communities like persons with HIV (PWH). In the last few decades, the National AIDS & STI Control Programme has efficiently and successfully provided care and prevention against HIV for people living in Kenya.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of integrating oral health into HIV research and policy structures in Kenya.

Active Tuberculosis Is Associated with Depletion of HIV-Specific CD4 and CD8 T Cells in People with HIV.

Infection with (Mtb) in people with HIV (PWH) is associated with depletion of Mtb-specific CD4 T cell responses, increased risk of progression to active tuberculosis (TB) disease, and increased immune activation. Although higher HIV viral loads have been reported in Mtb/HIV co-infection, the extent to which Mtb infection and TB disease impact the frequency and phenotype of HIV-specific T cell responses has not been well described. We enrolled a cohort of PWH in Kenya across a spectrum of Mtb infection states, including those with no evidence of Mtb infection, latent Mtb infection (LTBI), and active pulmonary TB disease, and evaluated the frequency, immune activation, and cytotoxicity phenotype of HIV-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell responses in peripheral blood by flow cytometry.

Adolescents' relationships with parents and romantic partners in eight countries.

Introduction: Creating romantic relationships characterized by high-quality, satisfaction, few conflicts, and reasoning strategies to handle conflicts is an important developmental task for adolescents connected to the relational models they receive from their parents. This study examines how parent-adolescent conflicts, attachment, positive parenting, and communication are related to adolescents' romantic relationship quality, satisfaction, conflicts, and management.

Method: We interviewed 311 adolescents at two time points (females = 52%, ages 15 and 17) in eight countries (China, Colombia, Italy, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the United States).

Assemblages and Subassemblages of in Rural Western, Kenya: Association with Sources, Signs, and Symptoms.

Background: causes sporadic or epidemic infections in humans. The parasite comprises assemblages A-H with A and B subdivided further into AI-IV and BI-IV subassemblages. Attempts aimed at linking these genotypes with sources and gastrointestinal manifestations of the infection are largely unexplored in rural communities.

Diversity of endophytic bacteria isolated from leguminous agroforestry trees in western Kenya.

Plants have diverse and vast niches colonized by endophytic microorganisms that promote the wellbeing of host plant. These microbes inhabit internal plant tissues with no signs of ill health. Bacterial endophytes from many plants have been isolated and characterized due to their beneficial roles however their diversity in leguminous plants still remain unexploited.

How adolescents' lives were disrupted over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal investigation in 12 cultural groups in 9 nations from March 2020 to July 2022.

It is unclear how much adolescents' lives were disrupted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic or what risk factors predicted such disruption. To answer these questions, 1,080 adolescents in 9 nations were surveyed 5 times from March 2020 to July 2022. Rates of adolescent COVID-19 life disruption were stable and high.

Seasonality of associations between production of indigenous foods and food security status of mother-child dyads in Kisumu County, Kenya.

Background: Food insecurity is a major predicament for rural populations, especially mothers and children, whose livelihoods are often dependent on rain-fed agriculture. Indigenous foods have the potential of mitigating food insecurity as they can thrive in poor agro-ecological conditions. However, the associations between indigenous food production and food security status of mothers and children drawn from rural contexts has not been expansively assessed.

Feasibility of adjuvant self-administered intravaginal 5-fluorouracil cream following primary treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or 3 among women living with HIV in Kenya: study protocol for a pilot trial.

Background: Women living with HIV (WLWH), the majority of whom live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), are at higher risk of cervical precancer, known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and are up to six times more likely to get cervical cancer. Current CIN treatment methods, primarily ablation or excision, have high treatment failure rates among WLWH, up to 30% for CIN grade 2 or 3 (CIN2/3) at 24 months following ablation. Without strong follow-up many WLWH with treatment failure are at risk of developing invasive cervical cancer, highlighting the urgent need for improved CIN treatment methods.

Cultural values, parenting and child adjustment in Kenya.

Children's, mothers' and fathers' reports were used to assess whether mothers' and fathers' individualism, collectivism and conformity values are significantly related to parenting behaviours and child adjustment during middle childhood. A sample of 95 children, 95 mothers and 94 fathers was recruited from Kisumu, Kenya. Our results indicated that controlling for child gender and parents' education, mothers' and fathers' higher collectivism values were associated with higher expectations regarding children's family obligations.

Comparative analysis of peripheral whole blood transcriptome from asymptomatic carriers reveals upregulation of subsets of surface proteins implicated in phenotypic plasticity.

The molecular mechanism underlying persistence in the asymptomatic phase of infection remains largely unknown. However, large-scale shifts in the parasites' gene expression during asymptomatic infections may enhance phenotypic plasticity, maximizing their fitness and leading to the persistence of the asymptomatic infections. To uncover these mechanisms, we aimed to identify parasite genetic factors implicated in asymptomatic infections through whole transcriptome analysis.

Spina Bifida Global Learning Collaborative: Educating the next generation of clinicians, researchers, and advocates.

Purpose: This project aimed to launch an international learning community to guide the development of a spina bifida (SB) curriculum for global health trainees.

Methods: Using a descriptive study design, a convenience sample of SB curricula were identified in 2022-23 by members of the Spina Bifida World Congress Outreach Committee and evaluated during a series of monthly Zoom calls to discuss SB education in a global health context. Participants included (1) leadership from the ReachAnother Foundation, (2) invited panelists from the Spina Bifida World Congress Global Health Symposium, and (3) global health students and preceptors.

Vaccine inequity: a threat to Africa's recovery from COVID-19.

Background: Vaccine inequity is a reality facing the Sub-Saharan Africa region as vaccine nationalism from high-income countries (HICs) leads to limited access to the lifesaving vaccines needed to end the pandemic. In Africa, a significant portion of the population has yet to be vaccinated against Covid-19; however, the barriers to accessing such vaccines, including capacity challenges, still persist despite the implementation of the COVAX facility meant to support the lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to boost vaccination.

Methods: This study involved a systemic narrative review where literature search was conducted using the NCBI's PMC and BMC databases based on defined keywords.