The relationship between immune markers and tryptophan-kynurenine metabolites in South African people with HIV.

HIV-1 remains a global challenge, especially in high-prevalence areas like South Africa. This study explores the relationship between inflammation and metabolism in people with HIV, focusing on immune markers and the tryptophan-kynurenine (Trp-Kyn) pathway. We examined immune markers (hsCRP, suPAR, IL-6, NGAL, and sCD163) and Trp-Kyn metabolites (QUIN, Trp, Kyn, Trp/Kyn ratio, and kynurenic acid) in n = 69 treatment-naive South African people with HIV.

Rapidly spreading with OXA-48-like carbapenemases.

(mostly , ) with OXA-48-like carbapenemases (e.g., OXA-48, -181, -232, -244) are undermining the global efficiency of carbapenem therapy.

Can democracy save children's lives? Addressing the constitutional problem of expertise.

This comment critically examines Collins, Evans, and Reyes-Galindo's (CE&RG) concept of 'virtual diversity', proposed as a norm to safeguard scientific expertise in policy-making. CE&RG argue that scientists should acquire 'interactional expertise' in relevant 'non-scientific domains', enabling informed policy advice while preserving scientific integrity. This comment describes CE&RG's dualist approach, which separates epistemic and political concerns, and discusses its implications.

First isolation of the Sindbis virus in mosquitoes from southwestern Spain reveals a new recent introduction from Africa.

Sindbis virus (SINV), is an of the family . This zoonotic arbovirus is transmitted by mosquitoes, primarily from the genus, with bird species acting as amplifying vertebrate hosts. Occasionally it can also affect humans that are accidental hosts.

Drug utilisation research and medicine access in Mozambique: An overview.

Access to medicine is fundamental to the provision of equitable health systems. However, availability of affordable quality-assured medicines continues to be poor, especially in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Targeted efforts associated with transparency and accountability around medicine utilisation are required in LMICs to address this problem.

Corrigendum to "" [Heliyon Vol. 9, Iss. 1, January 2023, Article e12599].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.

Corrigendum to " antiplasmodium and antitrypanosomal activities, β-haematin formation inhibition, molecular docking and DFT computational studies of quinoline-urea-benzothiazole hybrids" [Heliyon Volume 10, Issue 19, October 2024, Article e38434].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.

Effect of Culture Media on the Yield and Protein Content of (Jacq.) Kumm Mycelia.

The development of alternative proteins derived from fungi-based sources is gaining recognition due to their health benefits and lower environmental impact, compared to traditional animal-based sources. In this study, we investigated the culture conditions for mycelia, focusing on the nutritional requirements and yield optimization using solid surface culture and liquid-state culture methods. Our findings indicate that optimal culture conditions involve glucose as the primary carbon source, with an initial pH of 6.

Melittin as a therapeutic agent for rheumatoid arthritis: mechanistic insights, advanced delivery systems, and future perspectives.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a condition characterized by joint deterioration through the action of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), is prevalent worldwide. Bee venom (BV) has traditionally been used in Chinese medicine for pain, arthritis, rheumatism, skin diseases, etc. BV is enriched with active substances, notably melittin and phospholipase A2 (PLA2), offering significant therapeutic potential.

China as data coloniser? rethinking cultural production, cultural mediation, and consumer agency on Kenyan and Chinese e-commerce platforms.

Has China become a neo-colonizer, exporting its cultural and economic power to the world based on its agenda of building soft power? Existing scholarship on neocolonialism and data colonialism largely focuses on how China's infrastructural expansion and increasingly platformised cultural sectors can achieve its ambitious platformised cultural sectors overseas. Yet, how China's cultural power is manifested, negotiated, or resisted in people's daily lives in a South-South setting remains under-researched and under-theorised. This article uses everyday fashion in Kenya as a case study to investigate China's cultural and economic power expansion in the Global South.

Genetic diversity of and field isolates from Honduras in the malaria elimination phase.

Malaria continues to be a major threat to public health in tropical regions, primarily affecting sub-Saharan Africa but also Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Malaria cases in Honduras have seen a significant decline and the country aims to eliminate the disease by 2030. This study examines the genetic diversity of and in Honduras using four molecular markers (, , , and ), and the chloroquine resistance marker in the context of the elimination phase.

Insight into the changes of European agriculture during the age of Baroque and enlightenment: Interdisciplinary survey of manor farmyard Švamberk (Czech Republic).

Following European exploration of the Americas in the late 15th century, new plants rapidly spread across Europe. Simultaneously, plants from Asia and Africa arrived. Initially, they were grown in ornamental gardens but later became integral to major production centres, significantly transforming European agriculture.

A 7,000-year-old multi-component arrow poison from Kruger Cave, South Africa.

We present the results of a GC-MS and UHPLC-MS analysis of residue recovered from the marrow cavity of a 7,000-year-old bovid femur from Kruger Cave, South Africa. The femur was filled with an unknown substance into which were embedded three bone arrowheads, indicating that the femur served as a quiver. Our results reveal the presence of digitoxin and strophanthidin, both cardiac glycosides associated with hunting poisons.

A global meta-analysis of gillnet bycatch of toothed whales: Mitigation measures and research gaps.

Odontocetes are globally distributed and are foundational to the structure and function of marine food webs, and hence bycatch impacts from gillnet fishing need to be considered in the context of their conservation and population viability. Currently, global gillnet bycatch numbers are unknown yet are estimated to be the greatest in Asia, East Africa, and the west coasts of North and South America. Here we provide the first global meta-analyses of small- and large-scale gillnet bycatch estimates of odontocetes during 1990-2020, compiling population size, estimated gillnet bycatch, and conservation status in support of geographical and species-specific risk estimates.

Change management for services redesign in healthcare: a conceptual framework.

Introduction: The introduction of process innovations in healthcare organizations faces challenges in knowledge sharing and incorporating best practices due to a strong professional autonomy, leading to resistance to change. The healthcare paradigm is shifting towards value-based organizations with a patient-centered approach, requiring multidisciplinary care. Change management is crucial, but current approaches are often limited.

Twenty-one Years of Undergraduate Medical Student Research Training at the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa.

Introduction: Since 2001, undergraduate medical students at the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa, plan, perform, and report on their research projects during semesters 2-5 of their ten-semester training. We describe the research modules and review the projects of the first 21 years.

Methods: This cohort study included all undergraduate medical student projects that formed part of the first 21 presentations of the research modules.

Enantioselective Analysis and Separation of Two β-Blockers via Derivatization Approach.

Enantiomeric analysis of chiral drugs is very significant, as their enantiomers display different pharmacological or toxicological behavior towards living systems. Among these drugs, β-blockers are available as racemates, where their enantiomers display different pharmacological effects. Herein, we report enantioselective separation of two β-blockers, namely, atenolol and sotalol, using a derivatization approach.

Short communication: Exploring gastrointestinal tract nemabiomes in captive ungulates at the SANBI National Zoological Gardens: A next-generation sequencing baseline approach.

Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) nematode infections have a significant negative impact on the well-being and productivity of animals. While it is common for a host to be co-infected with multiple species of nematode parasites simultaneously, there is a lack of effective tools to study the composition of these complex parasite communities. We describe the application of the "nemabiome" amplicon sequencing to study parasitic GIT nematode communities in captive wildlife at the National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute.

Echinostomatids from South African freshwater limpets: phylogenetic analyses and diagnostic morphological features for cercariae of .

Species of the family Echinostomatidae use diverse gastropod taxa as first intermediate hosts. However, identification of echinostomatid larvae often proves difficult because of incomplete information on their life cycles and lack of molecular data that can link larvae to the corresponding known adults. Here, echinostomatids that were isolated from freshwater limpets in South Africa were described using light and scanning electron microscopy, and ribosomal (28S, ITS, and 18S) and mitochondrial () DNA sequences.

Characterizing populations prioritized for PrEP in 19 African countries: a review of national guidance.

Introduction: While African countries have expanded access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) since 2015, regional targets for PrEP uptake remain unmet. Understanding which populations are prioritized for PrEP at the policy level is an important step in determining the scope of PrEP distribution across Africa and identifying gaps in programme implementation. We reviewed national guidance to characterize populations prioritized for PrEP in Africa.

Multimorbidity latent classes in relation to 11-year mortality, risk factors and health-related quality of life in Malaysia: a prospective health and demographic surveillance system study.

Background: We aimed to identify specific multimorbidity latent classes among multi-ethnic community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 18 years in Malaysia. We further explored the risk factors associated with these patterns and examined the relationships between the multimorbidity patterns and 11-year all-cause mortality risk, as well as health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

Methods: Using data from 18,101 individuals (aged 18-97 years) from the baseline Census 2012, Health Round 2013, and Verbal Autopsies 2012-2023 of the South East Asia Community Observatory (SEACO) health and demographic surveillance system, latent class analysis was performed on 13 chronic health conditions to identify statistically and clinically meaningful groups.

Understanding the relationship between the frequency of HbA1c monitoring, HbA1c changes over time, and the achievement of targets: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: The goal of post-diagnosis diabetes management is the achievement and maintenance of glycaemic control. Most clinical practice guidelines recommend 3-6 monthly HbA1c monitoring. Despite this guidance, there are few data supporting the impact of monitoring frequency on clinical outcomes, particularly from low- and middle-income country settings.

AIDS-related mycoses: advances, challenges, and future directions.

Fungal infections are a major contributor to mortality for people with HIV/AIDS. Recently, researchers, clinicians, industry experts, and policymakers convened for the triennial AIDS-Related Mycoses Meeting to address critical gaps in the management of AIDS-related mycoses. Delegates highlighted several scientifically driven milestones that have significantly reduced fungal-related deaths, and the need to address outstanding challenges in diagnosis, treatment, and research.