High Silent Prevalence of Zinc Deficiency and Impaired Immunity in Children Under Five Years of Age Admitted to a Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda.

Introduction Zinc deficiency (ZnD) impairs the development of acquired immunity and contributes to growth failure in children under five years of age. However, the prevalence of ZnD and its association with immunity in this age group in Uganda have not been well explored. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ZnD and explore the associations between low serum zinc levels and total white blood cell count, differential cell counts, and levels of IL-1 and IL-2 in children aged 12 to 59 months.

Methods families use to raise funds for anorectal malformation treatment at a single public referral hospital in Southwestern Uganda.

Background: In Uganda, only two public hospitals provide pediatric surgery services. With less than 10 pediatric surgeons serving approximately 20 million children in Uganda, most patients with anorectal malformations (ARMs) must make several trips to the hospital before undergoing surgery. As a result, households borrow money, sell assets, or solicit contributions from friends and relatives to meet healthcare expenses.

Typologies and Correlates of Caregiver-adolescent Sexual Health Communication among Adolescent Girls in Southwestern Uganda.

Caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication can reduce sexual risk attitudes and behaviors, but less is known about caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication in Uganda. Using a risk-focused approach, this paper seeks to characterize caregiver-adolescent sexual health communication and associated individual and family-based attributes, and associations with adolescents' sexual risk attitudes. We used latent class analyses to derive typologies (classes) of sexual health communication and assess their relationships with respondents' socio-demographic characteristics and sexual risk-taking attitudes.

Prevalence of common conditions and associated mortalities of dogs treated at the small animal clinic, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Background: In developing countries such as Uganda, domestic dogs suffer high burdens of infectious diseases often with high mortalities. Surveillance data on the common diseases and associated mortalities is however scanty. We thus, present results of a retrospective study of common clinical conditions and mortalities of dogs brought for treatment at the small animal clinic, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Post-Artesunate Delayed Hemolysis: Anything That Can Go Wrong Will Go Wrong-Murphy's Law.

In patients presenting with post-malarial anemia following intravenous artesunate treatment, post-artesunate delayed hemolysis should be considered in the differential diagnosis, even in endemic settings. Close monitoring for signs of delayed hemolysis in patients previously treated with intravenous artesunate for severe malaria, regardless of their malaria exposure history or geographic location is crucial.

Factors affecting waiting times to enter opioid use disorder treatment in the United States with a particular focus on potential biological sex disparity.

Aim: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is the problematic use of licit or illicit opioids. Thus far, the literature on biological sex differences in accessing treatment is scarce. Hence, we hypothesize that biological sex has a moderating effect on OUD treatment accessibility.

Social Norms Regarding Alcohol Use, Perceptions of Alcohol Advertisement and Intent to Drink Alcohol among Youth in Uganda.

The objective of this paper is to address the scarcity of research on alcohol marketing exposure and underage drinking in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examines perceptions of alcohol advertisements and perceived peer, adult, and parental attitudes regarding alcohol use and intentions to drink among vulnerable youth. The Kampala Youth Survey is a cross-sectional study conducted in 2014 with service-seeking youth (ages 12-18 years) living in the slums of Kampala (n=1,134) who were participating in Uganda Youth Development Link drop-in centers.

Temporal changes in Plasmodium falciparum genetic diversity and multiplicity of infection across three areas of varying malaria transmission intensities in Uganda.

Background: Malaria is a significant public health challenge in Uganda, with Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) responsible for most of malaria infections. The high genetic diversity and multiplicity of infection (MOI) associated with P.

Comparison of the aquatic toxicity of diquat and its metabolites to zebrafish Danio rerio.

Diquat (DQ) is a non-selective, fast-acting herbicide that is extensively used in aquatic systems. DQ has been registered as the substitute for paraquat due to its lower toxicity. However, the widespread presence of DQ in aquatic systems can pose an ecological burden on aquatic organisms.

Dietary quality, anaemia prevalence and their associated factors among rural school- going adolescents in Acholi sub -region of Uganda.

Background: Globally, iron deficiency anaemia is a widespread public health problem affecting vulnerable populations including adolescents. However, over the years, the Uganda Demographic Health Surveys mostly report the status of anaemia for women of reproductive age (15-49 years) and children up to 5 years, leaving out the focus on adolescents. Moreover, high prevalence of anaemia among children below five years could suggest that anaemia still persists at adolescence.

Prevalence and factors associated with teenage pregnancy in refugee settlements of northern Uganda post-COVID-19 (2020-2023): a cross-sectional study.

Background: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in teenage pregnancies nationally, however, limited data exists regarding the same among girls living in refugee settlements.

Objectives: We evaluated the prevalence of teenage pregnancy and associated factors in Palorinya and Bidi Bidi refugee settlements in Obongi and Yumbe districts of northern Uganda, in the post-COVID-19 era.

Design: We conducted a cross-sectional study.

RECENT FOCUS IN NON-SELEX-COMPUTATIONAL APPROACH FOR DE NOVO APTAMER DESIGN: A MINI REVIEW.

Aptamers, single-stranded nucleic acids that bind to specific targets with high affinity and specificity, hold significant promise in various biomedical and biotechnological applications. The traditional method of aptamer selection, SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential Enrichment) takes a lot of work and time. Recent advancements in computational methods have revolutionized aptamer design, offering efficient and effective alternatives.

Congenital Bilateral Perisylvian Syndrome: A Rare Case.

Congenital bilateral perisylvian syndrome (CBPS) is a rare neuronal migration disorder of cortical development characterized by polymicrogyria on magnetic resonance imaging. Features include pseudobulbar palsy, language and speech difficulties, epilepsy, and cognitive deficits. We discuss the management of the case of a five-year-old male with classical features of CBPS.

Contraceptive use, prevalence and incidence of pregnancy and associated factors among women participating in a vaccine preparedness cohort study in Masaka, Uganda, a retrospective secondary analysis.

Background: HIV prevention trials usually require that women of childbearing potential use an effective method of contraception. This is because the effect of most investigational products on unborn babies is unknown. We assessed contraceptive use, prevalence and incidence of pregnancy and associated factors among women in a HIV vaccine preparedness study in Masaka, Uganda.

A descriptive summary of the WHO availability assessments of medical abortion medicines in eight African countries.

Background: The use of medical abortion using either a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol, or misoprostol alone has contributed to increased safety and decreased mortality and morbidity. The availability of quality medical abortion medicines is an essential component in the provision of quality abortion care. Understanding the factors that influence the availability of medical abortion medicines is important to help in-country policymakers, program planners, and providers improve availability and use of medical abortion.

Bone density changes in young women in Uganda using tenofovir-based HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and depot medroxyprogesterone acetate contraception.

Background: Injectable depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is the most common contraceptive choice among young women in Uganda, where HIV burden is high and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) may be offered. For young women who choose to use both agents concurrently, it is unknown whether they will experience declines in BMD beyond those elicited by either product singly.

Methods: From 2018-2022, we conducted a 2-year prospective study with women ages 16-25 years in Kampala, Uganda desiring pregnancy and HIV prevention.

Does disability modify the association between poor mental health and violence victimisation over adolescence? Evidence from the CoVAC cohort study in Uganda.

We aimed to estimate the impact of poor mental health in early adolescence on subsequent poor mental health, depression, and violence victimisation in late adolescence and to determine whether young people living with disabilities experienced a stronger relationship between mental health and these outcomes. Data from two waves of a longitudinal cohort study of 2773 Ugandan adolescents were used to assess the impact of mental health difficulties in early adolescence (aged 11-14) on presence of subsequent mental health difficulties, depression and past year violence victimisation in later adolescence (aged 15-18). We used g-computation to examine how these outcomes changed dependent on levels of poor mental health in early adolescence and explored functional difficulties as an effect modifier.

Impact of the Timed and Targeted Counselling Model on Maternal Health Continuum of Care Outcomes in Northern Uganda: Protocol of a Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background: About 287,000 women died globally during their pregnancy journey in 2020, yet most of these deaths could have been prevented. In Uganda, studies show that using Community Health Worker (CHW) visits to households with a pregnant woman can support the prevention of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. One such intervention is through the timed and targeted counselling (ttC) approach, where CHWs deliver tailored messages to mothers and their male caregivers at key stages of pregnancy.

Toward Marker-Assisted Selection in Breeding for Wilt Tropical Race-4 Type Resistant Bananas.

wilt is a soil borne fungal disease that has devastated banana production in plantations around the world. Most Cavendish-type bananas are susceptible to strains of f. sp.

Prevalence of prostate cancer and its grade group stage at diagnosis in patients treated with prostatectomy in rural south western Uganda.

Background: Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men in the world. Uganda and Zimbabwe have been reported to have highest incidence rates of prostate cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. There are no urologists and no prostate cancer diagnostic facilities in rural communities in south western Uganda.

Trans-2-hexenal reduces postharvest mango stem-end rot by oxidative damage to Neofusicoccum parvum cell membranes.

Neofusicoccum parvum is one of the most hazardous pathogens causing mango fruit decay. The present study utilized trans-2-hexenal (TH), a typical antifungal component of plant essential oils (EOs), to control N. parvum both in vivo and in vitro, and attempted to explore the mechanisms involved.

Views on cervical cancer screening among female caregivers at the Uganda cancer Institute.

Patients admitted to Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) have their non-medical needs provided by caregivers called "attendants" who are predominantly female family members. This provides a unique opportunity to provide free screening among attendants during their free time at the hospital. The objective of this qualitative focus group study was to understand knowledge of and facilitators and barriers to cervical cancer screening among attendants at the UCI.

"I Haven't Told Other People. I Want to Keep My Dignity": HIV Related Stigma Among the Elderly in Uganda.

Purpose: Numerous studies focus on stigma, HIV disclosure's impact on treatment compliance, especially in younger groups. Limited research exists about older individuals. We therefore explored issues related to disclosure of HIV status and HIV-related stigma in the elderly.