Etiology and Phenotypes of Cardiomyopathy in Southern Africa: The IMHOTEP Multicenter Pilot Study.

Background: Cardiomyopathies are an important cause of heart failure in Africa yet there are limited data on etiology and clinical phenotypes.

Objectives: The IMHOTEP (African Cardiomyopathy and Myocarditis Registry Program) was designed to systematically collect data on individuals diagnosed with cardiomyopathy living in Africa.

Methods: In this multicenter pilot study, patients (age ≥13 years) were eligible for inclusion if they had a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy or myocarditis.

Endocervical adenocarcinomas and HPV genotyping in an HIV endemic milieu - a retrospective study.

Background: Cervical cancer is the most prevalent cancer in Mozambique, with endocervical adenocarcinoma accounting for approximately 5.5% of cases. Knowledge regarding the most prevalent HPV genotypes in endocervical adenocarcinoma is limited, within this setting.

Reducing hyperuricemic events with SGLT2 inhibitors: An updated systematic review with meta-regression.

Introduction: Although sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) were shown to lower hyperuricemic events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the extent of this effect in the general population is yet to be elucidated. We performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis on a large sample of patients with and without T2DM to evaluate the influence of SGLT2i therapy on clinically relevant hyperuricemic events, defined as the composite of acute gout flare episodes, acute anti-gout management or urate-lowering therapy initiation. Furthermore, we conducted a multivariate meta-regression to assess the relationship between different covariates and the pooled effect size.

Aflatoxin Contamination of Various Staple Foods from Angola and Mozambique.

Aflatoxins constitute a significant risk in staple foods produced in African countries. This research aimed to analyze the total aflatoxin (AFT) contamination of various staple foods in Angola and Mozambique. A total of 233 samples of corn, peanuts, beans, rice, and cassava flour collected from farmers or local markets from the province of Cuanza Sul, Angola, and the provinces of Gaza and Inhambane, South Mozambique, were analyzed for the presence of AFT using the lateral flow strip method via AgraStrip Pro WATEX (Romer).

Effects of growth hormone replacement therapy in childhood-onset craniopharyngioma: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Craniopharyngiomas (CPs) often lead to growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in children. Growth hormone replacement therapy (GHRT) is essential for managing GHD but its impact on body mass index (BMI) and metabolic outcomes is controversial. Concerns exist that GHRT might contribute to tumor recurrence, with guidelines varying on when to start therapy post-surgery.

Association between Food Insecurity, Socioeconomic Status of the Household Head, and Hypertension and Diabetes in Maputo City.

Metabolic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes are increasingly recognized as not just medical issues, but as complex conditions influenced by various factors. This study aimed to explore the association between food insecurity (FI) and hypertension and diabetes and how socioeconomic status influences this relationship. Based on a cross‑sectional study of 1,820 participants conducted in Maputo City, FI was measured using a modified version of the US Department of Agriculture scale; metabolic diseases were assessed using self‑reports of the actual diagnoses, and data were analyzed through multinomial regression and interaction terms.

Transforming the Health Research Workforce in Mozambique: Achievements of the Mozambique Institute for Health Education and Research (MIHER) over a 13‑Year Journey.

African research capacity is challenged by insufficient infrastructure to solicit and manage grants from local and international funding agencies. The manuscript provides an overview and discusses lessons learned about the pioneering role of the Mozambique Institute for Health Education and Research (MIHER) as the first research support center (RSC) in supporting the management of research grants in Mozambique, emphasizing its impact on research capacity development. Using mixed methods, data were comprehensively collected to identify MIHER's primary achievements from 2010 to 2023.

Efficacy of fenbendazole against gastrointestinal nematodes in naturally infected goats in Maputo Province, Mozambique using in vivo, in vitro and molecular assessment.

Anthelmintic resistance occurs worldwide in strongyles of ruminants but data from low-income countries are sparse and rarely apply most up to date methods, while effects of management practices in these countries are poorly documented. In Mozambique, benzimidazole resistance has been previously reported; the present study followed this up in detail, applying in vivo faecal egg count (FEC) reduction test (FECRT), in vitro egg hatch test (EHT) and molecular deep amplicon sequencing approaches targeting the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2, nemabiome) and the isotype 1 β-tubulin gene to determine the resistance status on farms and the strongyle species involved. Adult Landim goats (433) from six semi-intensive and ten extensive farms (22-30 animals/farm) from Maputo Province were visited April 2021 to February 2022.

Living in the Minds of Others: How Pudor and Social Judgements Affect Women's Cervical Cancer Screening Uptake in Mozambique?

Mozambique introduced its cervical cancer screening programme in 2009, but only 3.5% of the target women participate in screening annually. While previous research has focused on provision and access to service, and women's cognitive barriers to screening, this study explores the emotional factors, particularly pudor, that affect women's acceptance of screening.

Propagation, Establishment, and Early Fruit Production of Table Grape Microvines in an LED-Lit Hydroponics System: A Demonstration Case Study.

Controlled environment farming (CEF) systems, including tunnel houses, glasshouses, and vertical farms, are expanding worldwide. As the industry scales, growers need a broader range of crops that are adapted to CEF systems to take full advantage of the potential to increase yields and decrease weather-related risks. Dwarf grapevines (microvines) are ideal candidates for CEF due to their high economic value, phenotype, and phenology.

Perspectives from clinicians from different levels of care in Maputo, Mozambique: qualitative study of the barriers to and facilitators of paediatric injury care in resource-poor hospital settings.

Objectives: Providing care for injured children is challenging in resource-poor settings. While checklists can assess local capacities and guide the setting of priorities for improvement, key insights can be gained from consultation with locally practising clinicians. This study aimed to highlight barriers to and facilitators of the delivery of paediatric injury care experienced by clinicians from hospitals at different levels of care in Maputo, Mozambique.

Microbiological contamination of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) reared with tilapia in aquaponic systems and use of bacillus strains as probiotics to prevent diseases: A systematic review.

Aquaponic systems are food production systems that combine aquaculture and hydroponic in a closed recirculation system where water provides nutrients to plants while plants purify water for fish. In this system, tilapia is the most commonly cultured fish and can be easily integrated with vegetable cultivation. However, tilapia host a diverse microbiota some of which are pathogenic and can infect humans.

Statutory and policy-based eco-disaster risk reduction in SADC member states.

Unlabelled: Effective legislative framework is the cornerstone of managing hazards and disasters because they have become policy problems of global and local concern. This research study aims at understanding the implementation, strengths and gaps of policies related to Eco-DRR in SADC member states. In particular, attempts to critically analyse the making of DRM policies, as well as the variables underpinning these policies, given the high level of disaster losses.

Morphological and molecular characterisation of two new species of (Digenea: Bucephalidae Poche, 1907) from Jordan & Seale in Mozambique.

Species-level delineation of digenetic trematodes is complex and can be best achieved by integrative taxonomy using both genetic characterisation and morphological analysis. Two new Bucephalidae species of the genus Diesing, 1858 are described here based on specimens collected from the intestine of Jordan & Seale following this approach. Adults of n.

Identification and Counting of Pirapitinga Fingerlings Fish Using Machine Learning.

Identifying and counting fish are crucial for managing stocking, harvesting, and marketing of farmed fish. Researchers have used convolutional networks for these tasks and explored various approaches to enhance network learning. Batch normalization is one technique that improves network stability and accuracy.

Occurrence and circumstances of child sexual assault in Maputo, Mozambique.

Background: Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a significant public health issue, with its health and social consequences well documented. While CSA has been extensively studied in high-income countries, its incidence and circumstances of occurrence in low-income countries, especially in Africa, remains under-represented in the scholarly literature.

Methods: This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and circumstances of CSA among victims assisted at the Forensic Service of the Hospital Central de Maputo in Mozambique.

Diarrhoeagenic and spp. Contamination of Food and Water Consumed by Children with Diarrhoea in Maputo, Mozambique.

In Mozambique, about 500,000 cases of diarrhoea were caused by foodborne pathogens in 2018. A review of the epidemiology of diarrhoea in children under five showed a high disease burden. This study aimed to identify Diarrhoeagenic (DEC) and spp.

Association between socioeconomic position of the household head, food insecurity and psychological health: an application of propensity score matching.

Background: Mental health outcomes can be influenced by various factors, one of which has recently gained attention, namely food security. Food security is paramount to maintaining not only physical, but also mental health. There is an increasing need to understand the interplay between food insecurity (FI) and mental health outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations.

Carbonated Beverage, Fruit Drink, and Water Consumption and Risk of Acute Stroke: the INTERSTROKE Case-Control Study.

Background And Purpose: Cold beverage intake (carbonated drinks, fruit juice/drinks, and water) may be important population-level exposures relevant to stroke risk and prevention. We sought to explore the association between intake of these beverages and stroke.

Methods: INTERSTROKE is an international matched case-control study of first stroke.

Knowledge and experiences of adolescent girls and young women in the use of sexual reproductive health and HIV services at health facilities in Maputo City, Mozambique.

Background: Knowledge and use of sexual reproductive health and human immunodeficiency virus (SRH and HIV) services are crucial for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). This study aims to assess the knowledge and perceptions of AGYW about the SRH and HIV services offered in health facilities in Maputo, Mozambique.

Material And Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted based on exit surveys with AGYW held at Zimpeto and 1° de Junho Health Facilities in Maputo City, between May 1, and June 9, 2023.

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and preeclampsia markers in Mozambican pregnant women with perinatal loss.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy is known to be associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, including pre-eclampsia (PE), prematurity, perinatal and maternal mortality. Data on the burden of SARS-CoV-2 infection among pregnant women and their offspring in Sub-Saharan Africa is limited. We aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and determine PE biomarkers in Mozambican pregnant women with perinatal loss.