Parasitic infection prevalence in tuberculosis patients and their household contacts in the Littoral Region of Cameroon.

Background: Parasitic infections are known to suppress the cell mediated immunity that protects against tuberculosis. The status of parasitic infections among bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis patients and their household contacts in Cameroon is not well established. This study aimed at reporting the status of parasitic infections in TB patients and their household contacts with keen interest in associated risk factors to disease exposure.

Targeted distribution of nicotine patches by mail to rural regions of Canada: Predictors of patch use.

Introduction: Rural regions generally report higher smoking rates than urban centers, which increases the risk of tobacco related harms and consequences, and makes promoting smoking cessation in these areas a priority. Mass distribution of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) by postal mail has been found to increase the odds of successful cessation attempts. Understanding factors that contribute to the use of NRT could help maximize this intervention's effectiveness.

bark extract reduces the impact of infection on C57BL/6 but not on BALB/c mice ().

Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) may improve gastrointestinal health by exerting immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and/or antiparasitic effects. Bark extracts from coniferous tree species have previously been shown to reduce the burden of a range of parasite species in the gastrointestinal tract, with condensed tannins as the potential active compounds. In the present study, the impact of an acetone extract of pine bark () on the resistance, performance and tolerance of genetically diverse mice () was assessed.

Ageing Healthy: Perceptions of Older Persons, Community Members, and Other Stakeholders in Uganda.

Promoting healthy ageing would benefit from an understanding of what this means to stakeholders. We explored healthy ageing perceptions in rural and peri-urban Ugandan communities. Community dialogues, focus group discussions with older persons, community members, community-based organization leaders, key informant interviews with Ministries of Gender (2), Health (1), non-governmental organizations (3) and elderly representatives (5) were held.

Pathways and mechanisms of health interventions in the waterfront-built environment of cold regions.

Urban waterfront-built environments in cold regions are more conducive to public health than green spaces alone. However, their failure to meet health intervention expectations calls for further research to explore potential intervention pathways and mechanisms. This study conducted an in-depth investigation of Shenyang, a city in China's cold region.

Sick Day Management Plans for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples With Chronic Kidney Disease on the Cape York Peninsula of Australia: Health Workers' Perspectives.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the perspectives of healthcare professionals on the utility of sick day management plans for people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in remote communities and collaboratively design a sick day management plan resource.

Design: This qualitative study utilised two phases of data collection: preliminary observational data and semi-structured interviews. The research design and analysis were guided by the normalisation process theory (NPT) framework, tailored for complex interventions in healthcare.

Exploring the role of the JEEViKA swasthya mitra helpdesk in improving healthcare access: a qualitative study in tertiary healthcare facilities in Bihar, India.

Background: Rural populations in Bihar, India, face significant healthcare access challenges due to geographical, infrastructural, and financial barriers. The Swasthya Mitra program, initiated by the Bihar Rural Livelihood Promotion Society in collaboration with local and international partners, aims to mitigate these challenges by employing trained community members to navigate patients through the healthcare system.

Methods: This qualitative study employed in-depth interview and thematic analysis to evaluate the Swasthya Mitra program in the Bhagalpur and Jamui districts in Bihar, India.

Chromosome-level genome assembly and annotation of the gynogenetic large-scale loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus).

The large-scale loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus; Cypriniformes: Cobitidae) is primarily distributed in East Asia. It is an important economic fish species characterized by fast growth, temperature-dependent sex determination and the ability to breathe air. Currently, molecular mechanism studies related to some aspects such as sex determination, toxicology, feed nutrition, growth and genetic evolution have been conducted.

Different forms of stigma and rural primary care professionals' willingness to prescribe buprenorphine.

Introduction: Buprenorphine and other medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are highly effective but substantially under prescribed in the rural United States. Among the most cited barriers to buprenorphine prescribing is stigma, yet little progress has been made in developing successful strategies to reduce stigma and increase access to life-saving medication. One of the key challenges to developing successful implementation strategies is understanding the different types of stigma that limit implementation.

Depression symptom severity and behavioral impairment in school-going adolescents in Uganda.

Background: During adolescence, a critical developmental phase, cognitive, psychological, and social states interact with the environment to influence behaviors like decision-making and social interactions. Depressive symptoms are more prevalent in adolescents than in other age groups which may affect socio-emotional and behavioral development including academic achievement. Here, we determined the association between depression symptom severity and behavioral impairment among adolescents enrolled in secondary schools of Eastern and Central Uganda.

Prioritizing implementation solutions for the urban family physician policy in Iran: a multi-criteria decision-making study.

Background: Family physician program is one of the effective reforms of the health system in Iran, but despite the implementation of this program in rural areas and the passage of ten years since its implementation in two provinces of Fars and Mazandaran, its implementation has faced problems. The aim of this study is to identify and prioritize implementation solutions related to the challenges of the family physician program in Iran.

Methods: This is a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 22 snowball-sampled experts and managers of basic health insurers to extract problems and executive solutions through coding and data analysis using Atlas Ti software and content analysis in the first stage.

Enhancing healthcare utilization and reducing preventable hospitalizations: exploring the healthcare-seeking propensity of patients with non-communicable diseases in Rural China.

Objective: Understanding healthcare-seeking propensity is crucial for optimizing healthcare utilization, especially for patients with chronic conditions like hypertension or diabetes, given their substantial burden on healthcare systems globally. This study aims to evaluate hypertensive or diabetic patients' healthcare-seeking propensity based on the severity of symptoms, categorizing symptoms as either major or minor. It also explores factors influencing healthcare-seeking propensity and examines whether healthcare-seeking propensity affects healthcare utilization and preventable hospitalizations.

Current level, sources, and risk of human exposure to PAHs, PBDEs and PCBs in South American outdoor air: A critical review.

This study provides comprehensive overview of the current level, sources and human exposure risk to hazardous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in South American outdoor air. Research documents were obtainable for only 6 countries within the target period (2014 - 2024). For all contaminants, urban concentrations exceeded that of rural/remote locations.

Immobilization of Peniophora incarnata F1 in PVA-SA-biochar matrix and its degradation performance and mechanism for erythromycin degradation.

Erythromycin is becoming one of the most common contaminants detected in surface water and wastewater, which poses a potential risk to ecological systems and human health. Until now, there is still no effective way to eliminate it. Herein, a novel and efficient erythromycin-degrading fungus Peniophora incarnata F1, capable of utilizing erythromycin as its sole source of carbon and energy, was isolated from contaminated sludge.

Use of the structured emergency nursing framework HIRAID® improves patient experience: A stepped-wedge cluster randomised control trial in rural, regional and metropolitan Australia.

Background: Emergency departments have high levels of uncertainty, long wait times, resource shortages, overcrowding and a constantly changing environment. Patient experience and patient safety are directly linked, yet levels of patient experience are stagnant. To improve emergency nursing care and patient experience, an emergency nursing framework HIRAID® (History including Infection risk, Red flags, Assessment, Interventions, Diagnostics, communication, and reassessment) was implemented in 29 Australian emergency departments.

"When People Reach Out that is When They're Desperate": Understanding Informal and Formal Help-Seeking Practices for Gambling among Aboriginal Peoples in the Northern Territory, Australia.

This study provides an in-depth qualitative exploration of Aboriginal peoples' experiences with seeking help for gambling-related issues in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia. Through semi-structured interviews with 29 participants, including regular and occasional gamblers as well as those affected by others' gambling, the research highlights key barriers to seeking formal help. These barriers included the normalisation of gambling within Aboriginal communities, denial of gambling problems, feelings of shame, privacy concerns, and a lack of trust in mainstream services.

Distribution of informal caregiving for older adults living with or at risk of cognitive decline within and beyond family in rural South Africa.

Objectives: Aging populations will increasingly need care, much of this provided informally particularly in rural areas and in low and middle-income countries. In rural South Africa, formal support is severely limited, and adult children are frequently unavailable due to morbidity, early mortality, employment and migration. We describe how care is shared within and between households.

Unveiling Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Hepatitis D Among Vulnerable Communities in Romania.

Background: Hepatitis B (HBV) and Delta (HDV) virus infections pose critical public health challenges, particularly in Romania, where HDV co-infection is underdiagnosed.

Methods: This study investigates the epidemiology, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of HBV/HDV co-infection in vulnerable populations, leveraging data from the LIVE(RO2) program. Conducted between July 2021 and November 2023, the program screened 320,000 individuals across 24 counties, targeting socially disadvantaged groups such as rural residents, the Roma community, and those lacking health insurance.

Phytoremediation of Oil-Contaminated Soil by L. Combined with Biochar and Microbial Agent.

Crude oil pollution of soil is an important issue that has serious effects on both the environment and human health. Phytoremediation is a promising approach to cleaning up oil-contaminated soil. In order to facilitate phytoremediation effects for oil-contaminated soil, this study set up a pot experiment to explore the co-application potentiality of L.

A Cross-Sectional Study Exploring the Role of Social Isolation in the Relationship Between Food Insecurity, Depressive Symptoms, and Resource Use Among Midwestern Rural Veterans in the U.S.

Background/objectives: The study's objective was to determine whether social isolation serves as a mediator in the cross-sectional relationship between food insecurity, both as a short-term and longer-term situation, with resource use and depressive symptoms as outcomes.

Methods: This cross-sectional design study utilized secondary survey data, including 30-day and 12-month food security measured by the U.S.

An Asset-Based Examination of Contextual Factors Influencing Nutrition Security: The Case of Rural Northern New England.

Background/objectives: Rural communities face a disproportionate burden in terms of diet-related health challenges and have been identified as a target for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's nutrition security initiatives.

Seroprevalence of , , , , , , and in Human Population from Eastern Poland.

The epidemiological situation related to infectious diseases is influenced by many factors. To monitor actual trends in selected zoonoses, a total of 473 serum samples from farmers, forestry workers, and veterinarians were collected for serological examination. Anti- sensu lato (s.

The Role of Pathogens in Bumblebee Decline: A Review.

Bumblebees, the most important wild pollinators in both agricultural and natural ecosystems, are declining worldwide. The global decline of bumblebees may threaten biodiversity, pollination services, and, ultimately, agricultural productivity. Several factors, including pesticide usage, climate change, habitat loss, and species invasion, have been documented in the decline of bumblebee species, but recent studies have revealed the dominating role of pathogens and parasites over any of these causes.

Use of Tick Cell Lines in Co-Infection Studies with a Preliminary Study of Co-Culture of and .

is an important vector of infectious human and livestock diseases in Europe. Co-infections of pathogens in ticks and hosts have been reported. Tick cell lines offer a useful model system for study of co-infections.