Articles

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDDs) pose a significant global health challenge, impacting millions with a gradual decline in neurons and cognitive abilities. Presently, available NDD therapies focus on symptom management rather than altering the disease trajectory. This underscores the critical necessity for groundbreaking treatments capable of addressing the root causes of neurodegeneration, offering both neuroprotection and neuro-restoration. This in-depth review delves into the forefront of emerging NDD therapies, encompassing gene therapy, stem cell therapy, immunotherapy, and neurotrophic factors. It sheds light on their potential advantages, hurdles, and recent advancements gleaned from both preclinical and clinical studies. Additionally, the document outlines existing NDD treatments, spanning pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, along with their inherent limitations. The overarching conclusion emphasizes the immense potential of emerging therapies in NDD treatment, yet underscores the imperative for continued research and optimization to ensure their safety, efficacy, and specificity.

Oral Cancer (OC) or squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity accounts for approximately 3% of all cancers worldwide, with increased incidence in developing countries. The use of tobacco is directly associated with approximately 80% of oral cancers, especially in older men over 40 years of age. As nearly one-third of the Indian population over 15 years consume smokeless tobacco in one or the other forms, a recent increase has been observed in OC incidence among women and young adults. Lately, the sexual behaviors of young & homosexuals have resulted in the emergence of oropharyngeal cancers due to infection with HPV 16. About 60% of oral cancer cases in India have a five-year survival rate, and this can be improved to 70% to 90% by mere early detection in stages I and II and with various treatment modalities. Despite the well-known benefits of oral cancer screening for the whole population in developing countries remains controversial. It is imperative to address the cultural barriers and societal norms, which limit the acceptability and participation in screening programs in India and many developing countries. This unique challenge of increasing OC morbidity in India and developing countries requires horizontal integration of the health systems with new services focused on cancer control, which gives the best chance for long-term survival, improved outcomes, and affordable care!This article is based on the author’s experience of overseeing 1 case of early detection and 2 cases of delayed diagnosis, outcomes and relevant literature review, and current guidelines for the management of OC.

Purpose: The role of healthcare workers in cervical cancer prevention is pivotal because healthcare workers’ recommendations have been reported to be a key motivational factor for cervical cancer screening among women in Nigeria. Assessing their knowledge, attitudes, and practices on cervical cancer prevention is necessary.Patients and methods: This is a cross-sectional survey involving healthcare workers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A questionnaire designed for the study was used to obtain data about the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the healthcare workers. Logistic regression was used to assess the determinants of practice and a p - value of less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.Results: Out of 188 participants that completed the study, 165(90.7%) had good knowledge about the prevention of cervical cancer while 24(13.2%) had good practice concerning the prevention of cervical cancer. positive attitude (Odds ratio 1.24, 95% CI 1.14 - 1.35, p < 0.001) increased the odds of good practice.Conclusion: There was no association between the knowledge of cervical cancer prevention and the practice of the healthcare workers. Further research is required to explore the incongruence between knowledge and practice of cervical cancer prevention and its practice.

Alpine skiing is popular at varying levels of competitiveness with many skiers participating recreationally and elite skiers competing in downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, and combined events in the World Cup and in the Winter Olympic Games. The rate of injury in alpine skiing is high both recreationally and competitively and methods to reduce injury rates are needed. Additionally, it is well-established in other sports that the risk of injury for an athlete varies based on gender. The purpose of this review is to determine how injury risk differs for each gender of alpine skier. Injury rates vary throughout the literature but point towards males being at a higher risk for overall injury and upper body injuries while females are at a higher risk for knee injuries. Even the specific knee injuries for which each gender is at risk varies with medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries more common in males and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries more common in females. More studies are needed to confirm the differences in injury risks and how these risks may differ across levels of competition, thus allowing regulations and injury prevention methods that may be tailored specifically to the injuries an alpine skier is most susceptible to.

The rising prevalence of chronic diseases and the aging population globally are diminishing the overall quality of life, especially for those with demanding daily routines. As medical advancements extend lifespans, the proportion of individuals over 60 is set to double by 2050, necessitating societal shifts toward health-responsible citizenship. Despite longer lifespans, evidence suggests that older age often accompanies mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and substance misuse. Social isolation and loneliness further compound these issues, affecting both physical and mental well-being. Digital wellness empowers individuals to take charge of their health, promoting proactive care and literacy to foster health-conscious citizenship. This paper explores the intersection of mental health, aging populations, preventive wellness initiatives, and health literacy, emphasizing their significance within the Health 5.0 framework, especially for older adults. Traditionally, health regulators offer static workflows for adopting standard procedures in health and well-being, reflecting a reactive approach. However, the evolving landscape of wearable and mobile devices connecting to healthcare IT systems through secure online networks necessitates a shift. Technology now facilitates remote patient monitoring and telemedicine service subscriptions and empowers individuals to manage their health proactively.The BE4YOU project, conducted in Portugal, serves as a case study, facilitating individual maintenance of health and well-being through intelligent and dynamic workflows, which are defined based on analytical models considering each person’s risk profile. By facilitating data sharing, promoting healthy lifestyles, and enabling early detection of mental health issues, the project leverages technology to support personalized monitoring and enhance overall health outcomes. Through technology-driven empowerment, individuals and healthcare professionals are better equipped to assess risks and ensure ongoing wellness monitoring, underscoring the role of technology in fostering personal health and supporting healthcare effectiveness.

Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) is based on a 3D high-spatial-resolution, velocity-corrected gradient-echo MRI sequence that uses magnitude and filtered-phase information to create images. It SWI uses tissue magnetic susceptibility differences to generate signal contrast that may arise from paramagnetic (hemosiderin), diamagnetic (minerals and calcifications) and ferromagnetic (metal) molecules. Distinguishing between calcification and blood products is possible through the filtered phase images, helping to visualize osteoblastic and osteolytic bone metastases or demonstrating calcifications and osteoid production in liposarcoma and osteosarcoma. When acquired in combination with the injection of an exogenous contrast agent, contrast-enhanced SWI (CE-SWI) can simultaneously detect the T2* susceptibility effect, T2 signal difference, contrast-induced T1 shortening, and out-of-phase fat and water chemical shift effect. Bone and soft tissue lesion SWI features have been described, including giant cell tumors in bone and synovial sarcomas in soft tissues. We expand on the appearance of benign soft-tissue lesions such as hemangioma, neurofibroma, pigmented villonodular synovitis, abscess, and hematoma. Most myxoid sarcomas demonstrate absent or just low-grade intra-tumoral hemorrhage at the baseline. CE-SWI shows superior differentiation between mature fibrotic T2* dark components and active enhancing T1 shortening components in desmoid fibromatosis. SWI has gained popularity in oncologic MSK imaging because of its sensitivity for displaying hemorrhage in soft tissue lesions, thereby helping to differentiate benign versus malignant soft tissue tumors. The ability to show the viable, enhancing portions of a soft tissue sarcoma separately from hemorrhagic/necrotic components also suggests its utility as a biomarker of tumor treatment response. It is essential to understand and appreciate the differences between spontaneous hemorrhage patterns in high-grade sarcomas and those occurring in the therapy-induced necrosis process in responding tumors. Ring-like hemosiderin SWI pattern is observed in successfully treated sarcomas. CE-SWI also demonstrates early promising results in separating the T2* blooming of healthy iron-loaded bone marrow from the T1-shortened enhancement in bone marrow that is displaced by the tumor.SWI and CE-SWI in MSK oncology learning objectives: SWI and CE-SWI can be used to identify calcifications on MRI.Certain SWI and CE-SWI patterns can correlate with tumor histologic type.CE-SWI can discriminate mature from immature components of desmoid tumors.CE-SWI patterns can help to assess treatment response in soft tissue sarcomas.Understanding CE-SWI patterns in post-surgical changes can also be useful in discriminating between residual and recurrent tumors with overlapping imaging features.

This study examines the intricate interplay among poverty, unemployment, education, and rural-urban migration in Nigeria, employing both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS software, computing descriptive and inferential statistics such as regression analysis. Quantitative findings reveal income inequality, with many individuals earning below average. Education emerges as a key determinant of economic opportunities, with higher education associated with better outcomes. Moreover, poverty and unemployment exhibit a strong positive correlation with adverse outcomes, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. Qualitative insights delve into the motivations behind rural-urban migration, shedding light on the economic drivers compelling individuals to seek opportunities in urban areas. Participants’ narratives uncover the challenges faced by migrants, from housing to accessing essential services. Additionally, the role of remittances in sustaining sending communities is highlighted, underscoring their significance. This study underscores the multidimensionality of poverty, unemployment, and migration and emphasizes the need for holistic, evidence-based approaches to promote inclusive development. Recommendations include investments in education, job creation, social safety nets, income inequality reduction, and support for migrant integration. These measures can contribute to equitable economic growth and improved well-being in Nigeria.

The present study aims to assess and compare the quality of drinking water according to WHO Standards and then illustrate the resulting diseases. Eight samples have been taken from selective different schools in the Mount Lebanon Region. The laboratory tests of the collected samples were performed to determine various physical (e.g., temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, etc.), chemical (Ca+2, Cl-, Fe, Mg2+, NO3, Na+, SO2-4), and microbial such as E. coli, coliform, and non-coliform. Several techniques were used for the analysis including Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, Flame Photometer, and Total Organic Carbon (TOC). The resulting water quality was compared with the standard limits. Each school has different defects according to specific contamination that existed. To save local residents and according to the results of this study, regular monitoring for water quality was proposed; besides more water filtration plants should be installed to provide safe drinking for children’s health.

Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) are aggressive hemipteran species that depend primarily on leaf tissue for their nourishment, causing substantial damages and yield losses in their hosts. This study was carried out to assess the effect of whitefly infestation on the growth parameters of one of the commercial eggplant cultivars (round green  Solanum melongena L) under filed conditions. The trial consists of four treatments (T1= 15, T2= 30, T3= 45 and control (T4) = 0 whiteflies/plot) replicated four times. The result revealed that all the parameters assessed are negatively affected by whitefly infestation with plants in treatment (T3) being most affected while those in T1 are least affected. The dry weight recorded least value (1.1 g/leaf) having the highest percentage reduction (69.11%) followed by leaf area with 152.5cm2 (48.83% reduction) while the number of leaves was least affected recording 50.3 leaves/plant (18.09% reduction) at 90 days after infestation in 2022 experiment. In 2023 experiment, similar results were recorded with plants in T3 being most affected. Dry weight of the leaves had the lowest value  (1.3g/leaf) representing the highest reduction (68.30%) followed by the  leaf area with 167.3cm2 (44.8% reduction) with the number of leaves also being least affected, recording 52.1 leaves/plant representing 9.40% reduction with plants in treatment T1,  at 90 days after infestation. The highest reduction in yield was also recorded with plants in T3 (92.10, 90.10%) while the least was observed in T1 (86.8 and 85.70%) for the respective trials (2022 and 2023). The result shows the level of susceptibility of the variety examined to whitefly infestation, demonstrating the urgent needs for the development of eco-friendly and sustainable whitefly management regimes for improved eggplant production in the area.

Caregivers of Children Living with HIV/AIDS experience severe burdens in Africa amidst unmet needs while seeking care from hospitals. This study aimed to explore the diagnosis history, health-seeking behaviour, and care provided by hospitals and whether the services meet caregivers’ expectations. We used a qualitative approach and conducted individual in-depth interviews among purposively sampled caregivers of children living with HIV/AIDS from three hospitals. We achieved data sufficiency after interviewing nine participants. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed manually through Collaizi’s steps. Four themes developed including; history of pregnancy and poor HIV testing, effective care for caregivers and CLWH, attitude of healthcare providers, and unmet expectations of care. Healthcare providers showed positive attitudes towards caregivers and provided services (counselling, dispensing Anti-retrovirals, health monitoring, and coordination of clinical care). Expectations bordered on financial support (for food, education, health care), and treatment for opportunistic infections. Findings indicate gaps in HIV voluntary testing for pregnant women, enrollment in Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), and unmet needs. It is imperative to improve coverage of testing for pregnant women and efforts made to meet their needs. Financial support, provision of food security, and assistance for caregivers are essential for care.