Global, regional, and national burden of esophageal cancer: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background And Objective: Esophageal cancer (EC) is the seventh most prevalent cancer globally and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related mortality. This study aimed to provide an updated stratified assessment of rates in EC incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) from 1990 to 2021 by sex, age, and Socio-demographic Index (SDI) at global, regional, and national levels, as well as to project the future trends of EC both globally and regionally.

Methods: Data about age-standardized rates (ASRs) of incidence (ASIR), mortality (ASDR), probability of death (ASPoD) and DALYs (ASDALYRs) of EC were obtained from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study.

Ensuring food sovereignty and nutritional sustainability in Egypt.

Understanding Egypt's dependence on wheat imports is crucial for enhancing food security and economic stability. This study aims to identify the extent of Egypt's wheat import dependency and recommend measures for increasing food self-sufficiency. We employed index analysis and an econometric model to analyze data sourced from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), World Bank (WB), and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

First identification and whole genome characterization of rotavirus C in pigs in Zambia.

Rotavirus C (RVC) causes acute gastroenteritis in neonatal piglets. Despite the clinical importance of RVC infection, the distribution and prevalence in pig populations in most African countries remains unknown. In this study, we identified RVC in Zambian pigs by metagenomic analysis.

Association of female genital schistosomiasis and human papillomavirus and cervical pre-cancer: a systematic review.

Background: S. haematobium is a recognized carcinogen and is associated with squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder. Its association with high-risk(HR) human papillomavirus (HPV) persistence, cervical pre-cancer and cervical cancer incidence has not been fully explored.

A 280 bp SINE insertion within the pig PLA2G16 could potentially modify gene expression through integration with its transcript.

In our previous study, we identified a Short Interspersed Nuclear Element Retrotransposon Insertion Polymorphism (SINE-RIP) within the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of the Phospholipase A2 Group XVI (PLA2G16) gene, which is essential in lipid metabolism. In this study, we confirmed the presence of this 280 bp SINE insertion and examined its distribution across ten distinct pig breeds using PCR and sequencing. Subsequently, RT-PCR was employed to determine its potential for co-transcription.

Quality intrapartum care and associated factors in East Africa: multilevel analysis of recent demographic and health survey.

Background: The time during labor and delivery is crucial for the survival of both women and their infants, as complications that occur during this period can significantly increase the risk of morbidity and mortality. In developing nations, women of reproductive age and their infants are still at risk of morbidity and death from complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Morbidity and death from complications of pregnancy and childbirth can be prevented through the utilization of quality care during labor and delivery.

Past and present foodscapes of a traditional fermented milk, mabisi, in three Zambian regions.

Food serves not only as a source of individual physical sustenance but also a central element in shaping social relationships and culture within families and communities. The concept of foodscapes has emerged as a valuable framework for understanding the intricate connections between food, the environment, and society, highlighting both the physical and cultural dimensions of food. Production and consumption practices of traditional healthy foods, such as the Zambian traditional fermented milk mabisi, evolve over generations, a process influenced by the foodscape they are embedded in.

Morphological diversity of the genus Telmatochromis from the Lake Tanganyika drainage with the description of a new riverine species and the generic reassignment of the Malagarasi River lamprologine.

The lamprologine cichlid genus Telmatochromis was long considered primarily lacustrine and endemic to Lake Tanganyika until an undescribed Telmatochromis species was reported from the Lufubu River (Lake Tanganyika drainage, Zambia). A phylogenomic study in 2021 confirmed the association of Telmatochromis sp. "lufubu" with Telmatochromis along with another riverine species, Neolamprologus devosi (Malagarasi drainage, Tanzania).

Zambia's battle against cholera outbreaks and the path to public health resilience: a narrative review.

In Zambia, cholera has been a persistent public health concern for decades, mainly attributed to inadequate sanitation and restricted access to clean water in some parts of the country. The literature was collected from PubMed, Google Scholar, and public health organization websites, focusing on cholera outbreaks in Zambia since 2000. Key search terms included 'cholera prevention' and 'Zambia outbreaks.

Non-adherence to antenatal iron supplementation and its determinants among pregnant women in 35 sub-saharan African countries: a generalized linear mixed-effects modeling with robust Poisson regression analysis.

Background: Despite the integration of iron supplementation into routine antenatal care programs as a nutritional intervention to prevent anemia in pregnant women, the use of this supplement for the recommended duration remains low in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Evidence on maternal compliance with iron supplementation at the SSA level is lacking and most of the previous studies have been limited to specific geographic areas. Therefore, the current study used large population survey data from 35 SSA countries to estimate the pooled prevalence of non-adherence and its determinants.

Comparative proteomic analysis reveals the response mechanism of freshwater leech (Whitmania pigra) under heat-stress challenge.

Temperature is an environmental parameter that remarkably affects the survival and organism health of poikilothermal animal-Whitmania pigra Whitman. Heat stress destroys the physiological homeostasis of intestine tissue. However, no studies on the intestinal mucosa response of leech exposure to heat stress have been reported so far.

Assessing the Reliability of YouTube Content for Plastic Surgery Patient Information in Africa With the Modified DISCERN and JAMA Scores.

Introduction: YouTube has become a popular source of health information, including plastic surgery. Given the platform's wide reach and potential influence on patient decisions, this study aimed to assess the quality of information available on YouTube for African audiences seeking plastic surgery procedures.

Methods: This cross-sectional study extracted data from YouTube videos on plastic surgery relevant to Africa.

Evaluation of the Regulatory Review Process of the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority: Challenges and Opportunities.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the current regulatory review process of the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) by identifying the key milestones and target timelines achieved for products approved from 2020 to 2023, as well as good review and quality decision-making practices implemented in the review process.

Methods: A standardised, validated questionnaire; Optimising Efficiencies in Regulatory Agencies (OpERA) and the OpERA Data Collection Template were completed by the author.

Results: Three review models are used by ZAMRA to review new active substances (NASs) and generic products: verification, for products prequalified by the World Health Organization or approved by a stringent regulatory authority (SRA); abridged, for well-established molecules or SRA-approved products; or full, for products not otherwise prequalified.

Older women's well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: individual, community, and contextual factors.

Objective: This article aims to examine the influence of individual and community-contextual factors on the well-being of older women in Zambia during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on Bronfenbrenner's process-person-context-time model.

Methods: Secondary data from the nationally representative 2021 SEIA were used, and bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with the well-being of older women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: Overall, 29% (613) of older women reported a decline in their well-being due to COVID-19.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the cellulose synthase gene family in potato ( L.).

Potato () is the fourth largest staple food crop globally. However, potato cultivation is frequently challenged by various diseases during planting, significantly impacting both crop quality and yield. Pathogenic microorganisms must first breach the plant's cell wall to successfully infect potato plants.

Gender and racial diversity Assumed by text-to-image generators in microsurgery and plastic surgery-related subspecialities.

Background: Since the release of ChatGPT by OpenAI in November 2022, generative artificial intelligence (AI) models have attracted significant attention in various fields, including surgery. These advancements have been particularly notable for creating highly detailed and contextually accurate images from textual prompts. A notable area of clinical application is the representation of surgeon demographics in various specialties, particularly in the context of microsurgery and plastic surgery-related subspecialties.

Cardiovascular Involvement in Tuberculosis Patients Treated in Southern Africa.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death among people with HIV and a major global health challenge. Subclinical cardiovascular manifestations of TB are poorly documented in high TB and HIV burden countries.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to quantify the prevalence of cardiovascular involvement in TB patients and investigate changes after completion of anti-TB treatment.

Basic ENT training for enhanced healthcare worker knowledge, attitudes and practices in a resource-limited setting: a pre-post and post-post cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Diagnostic errors in ear, nose and throat (ENT) diseases are prevalent among healthcare workers (HCWs) in resource-limited settings, yet comprehensive data that describe HCW knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding ENT disease management remains scarce. Further, the impact of basic ENT training on HCW KAP in such settings is largely undetermined.

Objective: We assessed HCW KAP before and after basic training in ENT disease management.

Framing challenges and polarized issues in invasion science: toward an interdisciplinary agenda.

In a hyperconnected world, framing and managing biological invasions poses complex and contentious challenges, affecting socioeconomic and environmental sectors. This complexity distinguishes the field and fuels polarized debates. In the present article, we synthesize four contentious issues in invasion science that are rarely addressed together: vocabulary usage, the potential benefits of nonnative species, perceptions shifting because of global change, and rewilding practices and biological invasions.

Oral human papillomavirus infections in Zambian Rural and Urban residents-a community cross-sectional study.

Background: How common it is with the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the healthy and diseased oral cavity is largely unknown for Africans. In this cross-sectional study we assessed the prevalence of oral HPV and the risk factors associated with HPV contraction including sexual practice in the urban and rural Zambian population.

Methods: Urban (N = 188) and rural (N = 211) Zambian adults aged 21 years and older living in Ndola and Mansa, respectively, were interviewed about demographical data, oral and coital sexual history and tobacco and alcohol use.

Self-Reported Cervical Cancer Screening Uptake Among Women of Reproductive Age in Zambia: Evidence from the 2021 Zambia Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (ZAMPHIA) Survey.

Background: Despite Zambia implementing the World Health Organisation's (WHO) tri-pillar cervical cancer prevention goals 90-70-90 Prevent, Screen, and Treat, cervical cancer claims 2000 lives annually and reigns as the most common cancer among women, especially those living with HIV (WLHIV). Our study describes the national uptake of screening and treatment from the ZAMPHIA 2021 survey.

Methods: Utilising a two-stage cluster sampling approach, the study included participants aged 15 years and older across Zambia's ten provinces.

Marburg virus reaches Rwanda: how close are we to a vaccine solution?

Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a highly virulent and often fatal disease caused by the Marburg virus, a member of the Filoviridae family, closely related to the Ebola virus. Historically, outbreaks have been sporadic but lethal across various African countries, with high case fatality rates (CFRs). In 2023, significant outbreaks occurred in Tanzania and Equatorial Guinea, with CFRs of 62.