Advancing gastrointestinal endoscopy in Sub-Saharan Africa: Leveraging Sudan's example and the potential role of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG).

Access to advanced medical procedures, such as gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, is critical for effective healthcare. In Sub-Saharan Africa, including Sudan, GI endoscopy services remain limited, posing significant barriers to early diagnosis and treatment of GI diseases. Expanding GI endoscopy services in Sudan and other regions of Sub-Saharan Africa is crucial to improve early detection, reduce mortality, and increase the cost-effectiveness of healthcare delivery.

A Complex Presentation of Multiple Myeloma With Renal Complications in a Young Female: Diagnostic Challenges and Treatment Approach.

A previously healthy 30-year-old woman experienced worsening back pain, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, and facial puffiness. After 18 months of these symptoms, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, which was also damaging her kidneys. The treatment involved a combination of medications and blood transfusions, leading to improved kidney function.

Impact of disintegrants on rheological properties and printability in SSE 3D printing of immediate-release formulations.

This study investigates the effects of disintegrants sodium starch glycolate (SSG) and crospovidone (CP) on the printability, rheological properties, and disintegration time of agar and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)-based formulations designed for semi-solid extrusion. Printability was assessed by measuring the dimensional accuracy of manually extruded filaments. Rheological analysis was performed using oscillatory measurements.

A Case of Fournier's Gangrene Secondary to Varicella Zoster Virus in a 7-Year-Old Boy.

A rare case of Fournier's gangrene (FG) secondary to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) affecting the penis and scrotum of a 7-year-old boy is presented. To the authors' knowledge, there are four cases of FG in children as a result of VZV reported to date. Our patient underwent a total of four surgical debridements and was reconstructed using a split-thickness skin graft (SSG).

Rationale, design, and methodology of My Body Is Fit and Fabulous at school (MyBFF@school) study: a multi-pronged intervention program to combat obesity among Malaysian schoolchildren.

Background: Childhood obesity has increased rapidly in recent years and is now a global epidemic. To combat this, MyBFF@school program, a multi-faceted obesity intervention incorporating physical activity in the form of small-sided games (SSG), nutrition, and psychology components for schoolchildren was designed. This paper is aimed at describing the protocol of the MyBFF@school program and presenting the baseline findings including the overweight and obesity prevalence.

The effect of the MyBFF@school program on cardiorespiratory fitness in overweight and obese primary schoolchildren: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: MyBFF@school program consisting physical activity in the formed small-sided games (SSG), nutrition and psychology education was designed to combat obesity among schoolchildren in Malaysia. It was expected to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, hence, contributing to obesity treatment and prevention. Thus, we aimed to study the effects of the MyBFF@school program on the cardiorespiratory fitness of overweight and obese primary schoolchildren.

Low-input redoxomics facilitates global identification of metabolic regulators of oxidative stress in the gut.

Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in organ aging and related diseases, yet the endogenous regulators involved remain largely unknown. This work highlights the importance of metabolic homeostasis in protecting against oxidative stress in the large intestine. By developing a low-input and user-friendly pipeline for the simultaneous profiling of five distinct cysteine (Cys) states, including free SH, total Cys oxidation (Sto), sulfenic acid (SOH), S-nitrosylation (SNO), and S-glutathionylation (SSG), we shed light on Cys redox modification stoichiometries and signaling with regional resolution in the aging gut of monkeys.

Patterns and predictors of multiple sclerosis phenotype transition.

Currently, there are limited therapeutic options for patients with non-active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Therefore, real-world studies have investigated differences between patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, non-active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Here, we explore patterns and predictors of transitioning between these phenotypes.

Hierarchically Promoted Light Harvesting and Management in Photothermal Solar Steam Generation.

Solar steam generation (SSG) presents a promising approach to addressing the global water crisis. Central to SSG is solar photothermal conversion that requires efficient light harvesting and management. Hierarchical structures with multi-scale light management are therefore crucial for SSG.

Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance in Older Adults and Alzheimer's Disease Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is a global health concern, and its prevalence among older adults and Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients is gaining attention. Understanding the extent of antibiotic resistance in these populations is critical for designing targeted interventions.

Objective: The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in older adults and AD patients with a focus on quantitative studies in order to provide comprehensive insights into the current landscape.

Clinical Profile, Risk Factors, and Complications in Young-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background Young-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), defined as a diagnosis before the age of 45, is an increasingly common and aggressive form of diabetes. This population is at a heightened risk of developing complications earlier in life due to longer disease duration and often suboptimal glycemic control. Complications such as diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy are significant concerns, leading to reduced quality of life and increased morbidity.

Understanding Insulin Resistance in NAFLD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Focused on HOMA-IR in South Asians.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a metabolic condition, is becoming increasingly common in South Asia. While its clinical diagnosis primarily relies on sonography and altered hepatic biomarkers, the significance of non-hepatic indicators, such as Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), in relation to NAFLD requires further examination in the South Asian population due to ethnic differences in these markers. This study examined the relationship between insulin resistance, quantified using the Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), and NAFLD, along with other non-hepatic biomarkers.

Shenqi Sanjie Granules induce Hmox1-mediated ferroptosis to inhibit colorectal cancer.

Background: Because adverse reactions or drug resistance are often found after current chemotherapies for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), new treatments are still in demand. Shenqi Sanjie Granules (SSG), an antitumor compound preparation of traditional Chinese medicine, has been recognized for its ability in clinical practice of oncotherapy. Nevertheless, the precise effects of SSG in colorectal cancer (CRC) and underlying mechanisms through which SSG inhibits CRC remain uncertain.

Prognostic factors for worsening and improvement in multiple sclerosis using a multistate model.

Background: The long-term disease trajectory of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) can be improved by initiating efficacious treatment early. More quantitative evidence is needed on factors that affect a patient's risk of disability worsening or possibility of improvement to inform timely treatment decisions.

Methods: We developed a multistate model to quantify the influence of demographic, clinical, and imaging factors on disability worsening and disability improvement simultaneously across the disability spectrum as measured by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS).

Cytokine profiles, blood parasite load and clinical features of visceral leishmaniasis in West Pokot County, Kenya.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a severe infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites of the complex. Blood cytokine concentrations in VL patients can inform us about underlying immunopathogenesis and may serve as a biomarker for treatment effectiveness. However, cytokine levels have not yet been studied in VL patients from Kenya, where case load is high.

A Closed-Loop Nanosystem Based on Piezoelectric Sensor and Pd-Nanoshell Photothermal Ablation for Renal Denervation to Treat Hypertension.

Renal sympathetic nerves play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of hypertension, and renal denervation (RDN) is a new solution for patients with refractory hypertension. However, current RDN techniques show inconsistent results in clinical application probably owing to incomplete endovascular ablation of the sympathetic nerves and a lack of measures to localize and assess efficacy. In this study, a closed-loop RDN system consisting of a sensing unit with a piezoelectric thin-film sensor (PTFS) and a treatment unit with a hollow Pd nanoparticle shell (PdNPS) with a diameter of 202.

Durvalumab after Chemoradiotherapy in Limited-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: Adjuvant therapy with durvalumab, with or without tremelimumab, may have efficacy in patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer who do not have disease progression after standard concurrent platinum-based chemoradiotherapy.

Methods: In a phase 3, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, we assigned patients to receive durvalumab at a dose of 1500 mg, durvalumab (1500 mg) plus tremelimumab at a dose of 75 mg (four doses only), or placebo every 4 weeks for up to 24 months. Randomization was stratified according to disease stage (I or II vs.

Unfolding the empathic insights and tendencies among medical students of two gulf institutions using interpersonal reactivity index.

Background: Empathy is an essential core competency for future doctors. Unfortunately, the medical curriculum is infamously known to burn out aspiring doctors, which may potentially lead to a decline in empathy among medical students. This research was planned to understand the evolution of empathic approaches among students across the curriculum using the Interpersonal reactivity index (IRI) as a benchmark at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI-MUB) and University of Sharjah (UoS).

Distribution of non-thyroid neck swellings and their clinicopathological correlation.

Background: Neck swellings are frequently found and can present the vast pathological spectrum from simple benign to highly malignant, which sometimes can pose a diagnostic dilemma. They are broadly classified as developmental, inflammatory, and neoplastic on the basis of etiology. The aim of the study is to assess the distribution of neck swelling according to etiology and its relation to age groups, as well as to assess their clinicopathological correlation as benign and malignant.

Adipocyte deletion of the oxygen-sensor PHD2 sustains elevated energy expenditure at thermoneutrality.

Enhancing thermogenic brown adipose tissue (BAT) function is a promising therapeutic strategy for metabolic disease. However, predominantly thermoneutral modern human living conditions deactivate BAT. We demonstrate that selective adipocyte deficiency of the oxygen-sensor HIF-prolyl hydroxylase (PHD2) gene overcomes BAT dormancy at thermoneutrality.