Molecular-level study of the effect of nitrogen addition levels on soil dissolved organic matter composition in a desert steppe of northwest China.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a key role in grassland carbon biogeochemistry and shows sensitivity to global climate change, particularly nitrogen (N) deposition. We investigated the soil DOM molecular composition by UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, and FT-ICR MS through a N addition experiment (CK, N5, N10, N20, and N40 [0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 g N m-2 year-1, respectively]) in a desert steppe of northwest China. Moderate N inputs (N5-N20) caused a dose-dependent increase in DOM content (9.

Is Deceleration the Key Element in Vertical Jump Performance to Return to Sport After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction With Hamstring Graft? A Preliminary Study.

Background/purpose: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) often leads to persistent neuromuscular deficits, complicating return-to-sport decisions. Reliable functional assessments are needed to guide RTS after ACLR. The main objective was to examine countermovement jump (CMJ) measures to identify which parameters can best distinguish between ACLR and control participants.

Targeting the intra-erythrocytic life cycle of Plasmodium falciparum unveils antimalarial drug discovery starting points from Drymaria cordata and Macaranga monandra.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Drymaria cordata and Macaranga monandra are two medicinal plants traditionally used in Cameroon to treat malaria, but their scientific validation remains unclear.

Aim Of The Study: To validate the antiplasmodial action of extracts and fractions derived from Drymaria cordata and Macaranga monandra.

Materials And Methods: Aqueous, methanolic, ethanolic, and hydroethanolic extracts of D.

Household drinking water management practices in urban and rural households in Dschang City, Cameroon.

Context: Consumption of water from dubious alternative sources or from improved sources contaminated during collection, transport, or storage presents significant health risks. This study aims to assess drinking water management practices in households in Dschang, a city faced with rapid urbanization and water infrastructure problems, compounding public health concerns.

Methodology: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out between March and May 2023 in six neighborhoods of Dschang, Cameroon, including both urban and rural areas.

Evaluation of eccentric and concentric force during vertical jump after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a comparative study.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) significantly affects lower limb biomechanics, particularly during dynamic movements like jumping. The countermovement jump (CMJ) is a commonly used test to evaluate force production and asymmetry in post-ACL-R individuals. This study aimed to compare eccentric and concentric forces during the CMJ between ACL-R patients and healthy controls.

Therapeutic Potential of Natural Xanthones Against Prostate Adenocarcinoma: A Comprehensive Review of Research Trends During the Last Ten Years (2014-2024).

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men worldwide and is ranked as the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in men globally. : We aimed to identify the effectiveness of cytotoxic plant-derived xanthones against prostate cancer over the past ten years. : Searches were performed in Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed/Medline for ten years up to December 2024 using pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

A novel intron variant is associated with emerging pfdhps mutant haplotypes in West and Central African Plasmodium falciparum.

Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine plays a key role in Plasmodium falciparum chemoprevention across Africa, yet the protective efficacy of SP is undermined by mutations conferring resistance in the genes encoding dihydrofolate reductase (pfdhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (pfdhps). The emergence and spread of the pfdhps 431V mutation suggests that this may confer resistance and be selected by drug use. Here, we report a non-coding mutation a548383t, which expands a di-nucleotide repeat in the first intron of pfpppk-dhps.

Bacteriological profile and antibiotic susceptibility of early-onset neonatal bacterial infection in a neonatal unit in Cameroon.

Background: Neonatal infection is a major public health problem, especially in developing countries. According to the World Health Organisation, about 2.3 million newborns die every year, with infection being the main cause.

Naturally occurring prenylated flavonoids from African plant species.

Flavonoids refer to a large class of secondary metabolites with a unique skeleton comprising two aromatic rings linked together by a C unit. This class of compounds is largely distributed in plants and rarely occurs in fungi. Some of these compounds are directly bonded to prenyl units.

A low-cost house eave screening technique complements insecticide-treated nets in reducing indoor human exposure to the bites of anopheles mosquitoes in a malaria endemic area of south forested Cameroon: results from a pilot study.

Currents insecticide-based vector control strategies are struggling to reduce malaria transmission. This pilot study investigated the potential of a low-cost eave screening technique to reduce human exposure to malaria vectors in a forested area of Cameroon. The pre-intervention phase consisted of collecting baseline data on malaria epidemiology including the human malaria prevalence, vector biology and the bio-efficacy of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs).

Diabetes and metabolic syndrome in adults with malaria and associations with severe disease: results from two tertiary hospitals in Cameroon.

Background: The prevalence of lifestyle-associated diseases is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated the prevalence of metabolic co-morbidities in adults with malaria and whether type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome (Met-S) affect the severity of malaria in adults living in a malaria-endemic setting.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study with prospective inclusion of patients at two tertiary-level public hospitals in Bafoussam and Dschang (West Region, Cameroon).

Speciation and bioavailability of potentially toxic element in soils and sediments of mining areas in Meiganga Adamawa plateau (Cameroon).

Contamination by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is a major environmental concern, especially in mining sites, given the often-increasing concentrations in soil and sediments. Under certain conditions, such contamination may expand beyond the mining area, posing risks to human health. This study investigates the environmental hazard associated with PTEs in soils and river sediments from the Meiganga gold district by evaluating their speciation and mobility.

Genomic characterization and population structure of indigenous cavies from the Democratic Republic of Congo: Implications for breeding and conservation.

Domesticated guinea pigs (cavies) are crucial in mixed crop-livestock farming systems in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), providing meat, income, and organic fertilizer. This research assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of guinea pig populations from South Kivu, North Kivu, Katanga, and Kinshasa. A total of 343 samples were screened using thirteen (13) polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers.

Molecular surveillance of hepatitis E virus in wastewater in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Background: Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic pathogen mainly transmitted through contaminated food or water in sub-Saharan countries, highlighting the need for environmental surveillance. This study aimed to assess the burden and molecular characterization of HEV in environmental wastewater.

Method: A community-based surveillance was conducted in Yaoundé, Cameroon, using untreated wastewater samples collected monthly from January to December 2023 from hospitals, residential sewage systems, markets, and plant watering points.

Combining Plant Bioactives With Antibiotics for Enhanced Antibiofilm Activity Against Uropathogenic spp. and Cytotoxicity Evaluation.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most important causes of morbidity and healthcare spending. Combination therapy is the treatment of choice for biofilm-associated infections due to the simultaneous action of two drugs on two separate cellular targets and their safety. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the combination of some bioactive natural products with conventional antibiotics against the biofilm of uropathogenic spp.

Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety: exploring validity with robust measures of classical theory parameters and a rating scale model in university students.

Background: No research has assessed Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HRSA) psychometric properties in Ethiopian university students, using item response theory (IRT) and classical theory.

Aims: This study aimed to assess psychometric properties of the English HRSA in Ethiopian students, using IRT and classical theory.

Method: University students ( = 370, age 21.

Polaron-Induced Modifications in the Linear and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Graphene under Electric and Magnetic Fields.

Polarons are the primary charge carriers in organic materials. A deep understanding of their properties can open channels for novel optoelectronic applications. By applying electric and magnetic fields, we investigate the influence of polaron interactions on the linear and nonlinear optical properties of a graphene monolayer between a substrate and air.

Mapping the pangenome of sulfate reducing bacteria: core genes, plasticity, and novel functions in Desulfovibrio spp.

The pangenome of sulfate reducing bacteria represents a genetic reservoir that deciphers the intricate interplay of conserved and variable elements driving their ecological dominance, evolutionary adaptability, and industrial relevance. This study introduces the most comprehensive pangenome analysis of the genus Desulfovibrio till date, incorporating 63 complete and high-quality genomes using the Partitioned Pangenome Graph of Linked Neighbors (PPanGGOLiN) pipeline. The structure and dynamics of core gene families were investigated through gene ontology, KEGG pathway mapping, and gene network analyses, shedding light on the functional organization of the Desulfovibrio genomes.

Conventional Upper-Intestinal Endoscopy Value in Predicting Histopathological Features Related to Infection: A Comparative Study Between Endoscopy and Histology Findings Among Dyspeptic Outpatients in Cameroon.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of in relation to endoscopic and histopathology features and to find out the correlation between the two diagnostic methods.

Methods: Gastroduodenal biopsy specimens were collected from 475 dyspeptic outpatients who attended the Department of Gastroenterology in reference hospitals in Cameroon. The study was approved by the local and national ethical committees on human health research in Cameroon.

Ethanol Extract From the Stem Bark of Adansonia digitata L. (Baobab) Displays Therapeutic Potential Against Klebsiella pneumoniae Infection.

Background Pulmonary infection induced by is becoming one of the leading causes of respiratory infection worldwide. In recent years, the emergence of hypervirulent and multi-drug-resistant  has been strongly associated with pneumonia This study aimed to evaluate the and antibacterial properties of L. (Malvaceae), a medicinal plant traditionally used in the treatment of respiratory tract infections.

Anti-staphylococcal activity, antibiotic-resistance modulation effects and action of Harungana madagascariensis (Hypericaceae) fruit extracts on the antioxidant system of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Global public health is facing a real challenge due to infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. Among these bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus is known to rapidly develops antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial potential of Harungana madagascariensis fruit extracts and their effects on the antioxidant system of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Diversity of anopheline species and malaria transmission dynamics in high-altitude areas of western Cameroon.

Background: Assessing vector bionomics and their role in transmission is crucial to improving vector control strategies. Several entomological studies have been conducted to describe malaria transmission in different eco-epidemiological settings in Cameroon; however, data gaps persist, particularly in the highland areas. This study aimed to characterize malaria vectors in three localities along an altitudinal gradient in the western region: Santchou (700 m), Dschang (1400 m) and Penka Michel (1500 m).

Acute and subacute toxicity of the aqueous extract of Cissus Polyantha Glig and Bradt (Vitaceae) on biochemical and hematological parameters in Wistar rats.

Background: Cissus polyantha (C. polyantha) Glig and Bradt is a climbing plant of the Vitaceae family generally distributed in tropical regions and used in traditional African pharmacopoeia for the treatment of conjunctivitis, pain, inflammation, microbial diseases and diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute and subacute toxicity of the aqueous extract from leafy stems of C.

Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21): Further psychometric exploration using robust item response theory and classical theory measures among university students.

Background: Psychometric validity of the 21-item Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) has not been studied among Ethiopians. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the DASS-21 using Item Response Theory (IRT) and classical theory among Ethiopian university students.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 364 Ethiopian university students.