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This report summarizes the nature, numbers, and trends of conditions for which military members were medically evacuated from the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) or Africa Central Command (AFRICOM) operations during 2023, with historical comparisons to the previous 4 years. Mental health disorders and injuries were the most common diagnostic categories in 2023 among service members medically evacuated from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). In 2023, 724 service members were medically evacuated from CENTCOM and 225 were evacuated from AFRICOM, with hospitalization required for 197 (27.2%) and 50 (22.2%), respectively. Most service members who were medically evacuated from CENTCOM or AFRICOM were returned to full duty status following their post-evacuation hospitalizations or outpatient evaluations. In 2023, evacuations for both battle and non-battle injuries from U.S. CENTCOM increased, following a period of decline. The number of service members medically evacuated in 2023 from AFRICOM remained unchanged from the previous year.

Introduction: Globally, chest trauma remain as a prominent contributor to both morbidity and mortality. Notably, patients experiencing blunt chest trauma exhibit a higher mortality rate (11.65%) compared to those with penetrating chest trauma (5.63%). Aim: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the mortality rate and its determinants in cases of traumatic chest injuries. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist guided the data synthesis process. Multiple advanced search methods, encompassing databases such as PubMed, Africa Index Medicus, Scopus, Embase, Science Direct, HINARI, and Google Scholar, were employed. The elimination of duplicate studies occurred using EndNote version X9. Quality assessment utilized the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and data extraction adhered to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) format. Evaluation of publication bias was conducted via Egger's regression test and funnel plot, with additional sensitivity analysis. All studies included in this meta-analysis were observational, ultimately addressing the query, what is the pooled mortality rate of traumatic chest injury and its predictors in sub-Saharan Africa? Results: Among the 845 identified original articles, 21 published original studies were included in the pooled mortality analysis for patients with chest trauma. The determined mortality rate was nine (95% CI: 6.35–11.65). Predictors contributing to mortality included age over 50 (AOR 3.5; 95% CI: 1.19–10.35), a time interval of 2–6 h between injury and admission (AOR 3.9; 95% CI: 2.04–7.51), injuries associated with the head and neck (AOR 6.28; 95% CI: 3.00–13.15), spinal injuries (AOR 7.86; 95% CI: 3.02–19.51), comorbidities (AOR 5.24; 95% CI: 2.93–9.40), any associated injuries (AOR 7.9; 95% CI: 3.12–18.45), cardiac injuries (AOR 5.02; 95% CI: 2.62–9.68), the need for ICU care (AOR 13.7; 95% CI: 9.59–19.66), and an Injury Severity Score (AOR 3.5; 95% CI: 10.6–11.60). Conclusion: The aggregated mortality rate for traumatic chest injuries tends to be higher in sub-Saharan Africa. Factors such as age over 50 years, delayed admission (2–6 h), injuries associated with the head, neck, or spine, comorbidities, associated injuries, cardiac injuries, ICU admission, and increased Injury Severity Score were identified as positive predictors. Targeted intervention areas encompass the health sector, infrastructure, municipality, transportation zones, and the broader community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prunus africana, a widely utilized medicinal plant in various African ethnic communities, continues to hold significant importance in traditional healing practices. Research has identified phytochemical compounds in this plant, exhibiting diverse pharmacological activities that offer potential for pharmaceutical development. Notably, P. africana is employed in treating various ailments such as wounds, diabetes mellitus, malaria, benign prostatic hyperplasia, chest pain, and prostate cancer. Its pharmacological properties are attributed to a spectrum of bioactive compounds, including tannins, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phytosterols, and fatty acids. Multiple studies have documented the anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiandrogenic, antiangiogenic, antioxidant, antidipeptidyl peptidase-4 activity, analgesic, and astringent properties of P. africana extracts. This review offers a comprehensive compilation of ethnomedicinal applications, phytochemical composition, pharmacological effects, and toxicity assessments of P. africana, serving as a foundation for future preclinical and clinical investigations. By understanding its traditional uses and chemical constituents, researchers can target specific medical conditions with greater precision, potentially expediting the development of safe and effective pharmaceuticals. Moreover, toxicity assessments provide crucial insights into the safety profile of P. africana extracts, ensuring the development of safe pharmaceuticals to treat various diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Truth and reconciliation commissions (TRCs) are understood to offer cheap justice, a justice not bound by the law. South African experience in the postapartheid era shows that they are significant tools for peacebuilding as well as statebuilding. The experience shows that the use of TRCs has created an authoritative record of what happened; enabled the victims to tell their stories without fear or embarrassment, and recommended legislative, structural and institutional reforms that avoided the repetition of past abuses. Successful peace and statebuilding are based on the above in order to achieve sustainable peace. TRCs promote rule of law, human rights protection, and ensure healing and freedom for all. However, the relapses of conflicts and political tensions, intercommunal hatred and divisions in African countries, create more questions than answers. These continuous issues show that TRCs have instead not resolved conflicts. The paper found that TRCs can only lead to successful peacebuilding and statebuilding if there is willingness on the side of the citizens as well as their political leaders. There is need to learn from the South African experience to ensure that TRCs lead to successful peacebuilding and statebuilding. The paper relied on historical research designed to study TRCs in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Strophantus belongs to the Apocynaceae family of flowering plants which grows primarily in tropical Africa. The plants are widely used in traditional herbal medicine. S. sarmentosus, in particular, is used for the treatment of, e.g., joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis, wound infections, head lice, diarrhea, snake bite, and eye conditions. Despite its widespread use, dedicated research characterizing its bioactive plant components is scarce. Investigations have focused mainly on its cardenolides because of their cardioactivity and historical use as cardiotonic. There are also studies concerning the antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity of plant extracts. This review summarizes the present knowledge surrounding the biochemical and analytical research on Strophantus, in general, and S. sarmentosus, in particular, and describes the current state of the field based on the available scientific literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breonadia salicina (Vahl) Hepper & J.R.I. Wood is widely distributed throughout Africa. It is used ethnobotanically to treat various diseases. However, the metabolic profile of the Breonadia species is not well characterized and the metabolites that are responsible for the bioactivity of this plant remain unknown. Therefore, there is a need to determine the phytochemical and bioactivity profile to identify metabolites that contribute to the antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferation activity, including the genotoxicity and cytotoxic effects, of Breonadia salicina. The study is aimed at exploring the metabolomic profile antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferation activity, as well as the genotoxicity and cytotoxicity effects, of constituents of B. salicina. The compounds in the B. salicina extract were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS), and the resultant data were further analyzed using a molecular networking approach. The crude stem bark and root extracts showed the highest antidiabetic activity against α-amylase at the lowest test concentration of 62.5 µg/mL, with 74.53 ± 0.74% and 79.1 ± 1.5% inhibition, respectively. However, the crude stem bark and root extracts showed the highest antidiabetic activity against α-glucosidase at the lowest test concentration of 31.3 µg/mL, with 98.20 ± 0.15% and 97.98 ± 0.22% inhibition, respectively. The crude methanol leaf extract showed a decrease in the nitrite concentration at the highest concentration of 200 µg/mL, with cell viability of 90.34 ± 2.21%, thus showing anti-inflammatory activity. No samples showed significant cytotoxic effects at a concentration of 10 µg/mL against HeLa cells. Furthermore, a molecular network of Breonadia species using UPLC-QTOF-MS with negative mode electrospray ionization showed the presence of organic oxygen compounds, lipids, benzenoids, phenylpropanoids and polyketides. These compound classes were differentially distributed in the three different plant parts, indicating the chemical differences between the stem bark, root and leaf extracts of B. salicina. Therefore, the identified compounds may contribute to the antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activity of Breonadia salicina. The stem bark, root and leaf extracts of B. salicina yielded thirteen compounds identified for the first time in this plant, offering a promising avenue for the discovery of new lead drugs for the treatment of diabetes and inflammation. The use of molecular networking produced a detailed phytochemical overview of this Breonadia species. The results reported in this study show the importance of searching for bioactive compounds from Breonadia salicina and provide new insights into the phytochemical characterization and bioactivity of different plant parts of Breonadia salicina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease that causes substantial mortality and morbidity globally. The venom of African spitting cobras often causes permanent injury via tissue-destructive dermonecrosis at the bite site, which is ineffectively treated by current antivenoms. To address this therapeutic gap, we identified the etiological venom toxins in Naja nigricollis venom responsible for causing local dermonecrosis. While cytotoxic three-finger toxins were primarily responsible for causing spitting cobra cytotoxicity in cultured keratinocytes, their potentiation by phospholipases A2 toxins was essential to cause dermonecrosis in vivo. This evidence of probable toxin synergism suggests that a single toxin-family inhibiting drug could prevent local envenoming. We show that local injection with the repurposed phospholipase A2-inhibiting drug varespladib significantly prevents local tissue damage caused by several spitting cobra venoms in murine models of envenoming. Our findings therefore provide a therapeutic strategy that may effectively prevent life-changing morbidity caused by snakebite in rural Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The violence of missionary agents on Africans contradicted the gospel of Christ's redemptive love, which they preached. In response to the contemporary manifestations of the violence and dehumanization of "colonial love", this article proposes the decolonization of the gospel of love, both as theological hermeneutic and a moral imperative in the African Church. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus commands us to recognize every human being as a neighbor. Within a colonial context, this means rejecting the dualistic logic of colonial love, its segregation, dehumanization, and violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With growing use of parasitological tests to detect malaria and decreasing incidence of the disease in Africa; it becomes necessary to increase the understanding of causes of non-malaria acute febrile illness (NMAFI) towards providing appropriate case management. This research investigates causes of NMAFI in pediatric out-patients in rural Guinea-Bissau. Methods: Children 0-5 years presenting acute fever (≥38°) or history of fever, negative malaria rapid diagnostic test (mRDT) and no signs of specific disease were recruited at the out-patient clinic of 3 health facilities in Bafatá province during 54 consecutive weeks (dry and rainy season). Medical history was recorded and blood, nasopharyngeal, stool and urine samples were collected and tested for the presence of 38 different potential aetiological causes of fever. Results: Samples from 741 children were analysed, the protocol was successful in determining a probable aetiological cause of acute fever in 544 (73.61%) cases. Respiratory viruses were the most frequently identified pathogens, present in the nasopharynx samples of 435 (58.86%) cases, followed by bacteria detected in 167 (22.60%) samples. Despite presenting negative mRDTs, P. falciparum was identified in samples of 24 (3.25%) patients. Conclusions: This research provides a description of the aetiological causes of NMAFI in West African context. Evidence of viral infections were more commonly found than bacteria or parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the intellectual legacy of Patrice Lumumba, a Congolese independence leader and the first democratically elected Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The paper examines his contributions to the decolonisation and liberation of Africa through his political and leadership roles, ideas, and writings. The paper provides background information on Patrice Lumumba's life and political career, highlighting his key contributions to the decolonisation movement in the Congo and Africa more broadly. The paper then analyses the key ideas and themes from Lumumba's speeches and writings, particularly his ideas on decolonisation, Pan-Africanism, and African unity. Moreover, it also explores how Lumumba's ideas and legacy continue to shape contemporary scholarship and intellectual discourse on decolonisation and liberation in Africa. Furthermore, it examines his influence on later leaders and movements on the continent and in the African diaspora. The scope of this paper is limited to the historical context and dynamics of the time, drawing upon a wide range of scholarly works and academic sources that delve into the intellectual legacy of Patrice Lumumba and his significant contributions to the decolonisation and liberation movements in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This publication presents the biochemical components, the botanical characteristics, and the significance of African medlar to human nutrition and developments on the fruits' uses in biotechnology and the food industry. African wild medlar (Vangueria infausta subsp infausta) is one of the multitudes of underutilised wild edible indigenous fruit trees that grows naturally throughout Southern Africa. Available literature shows that almost every part of the tree, have known nutritional or medicinal benefits. In-depth literature search using keywords (Vangueria infausta subsp infausta, African wild medlar, biochemical constituents, underutilised crops of Africa, human nutrition and recommended daily intake) was used to source credible literature accessible from online sources such as Scopus, ResearchGate, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. The degree of relevance to each item linked to the review were used as an inclusion and exclusion criteria for suitable literature and for data analysis purposes. The results of the study reveal that fresh or processed African wild medlar fruit is consumable. The fruit contains significant levels of vitamins, phenols, macro and micro-nutrients, that humans require in both large and small amounts. Due to its richness in biochemical constituents such as flavonoids, phenols, proteins, vitamin C and zinc, African medlar fruit has a potential to meet the human recommended daily intake (RDI), thus can be considered a potential functional food crop. Rural communities in Southern Africa use African medlar fruit as a raw material for value-added products including jam, juice, alcohol-based products, and medication. Therefore, commercialization of this crop could play a pivotal role in accelerating the sustainable development goals SDG 1 (no poverty), subsequently addressing SDG 2 (Zero hunger). The study unearthed a need for further research, in particular empirical studies and highlights a great potential for government interest in entrepreneurial projects of commercialisation and agro-processing of African medlar fruit tree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Community-based care (CBC), where care is delivered outside of the traditional health facility setting, has been proposed to narrow the mental health (MH) and substance use (SU) treatment gap in Africa. Objective: This scoping review aims to comprehensively summarize CBC models addressing adolescent and adult MH (depression, anxiety, trauma, suicidal behavior) and (non-tobacco) SU problems in Africa. Methods: We searched PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and Medline Ovid. Studies and protocols were included if they reported on CBC intervention's effects on MH or SU symptoms/ diagnoses, acceptability, feasibility, or patient engagement in care, regardless of whether the intervention itself was designed specifically for MH or SU. Results: Among 11,477 screened publications, 217 were eligible. Of the unique intervention studies (n = 206), CBC models were classified into the following approaches (non-mutually exclusive): psychotherapeutic (n = 144), social (n = 81), lifestyle/physical health (n = 55), economic (n = 26), and psychopharmacological (n = 2). While quantitative results suggest possible efficacy of CBC models, description of CBC location was often poor. Fewer interventions addressed suicidal behavior (n = 12), the needs of adolescents (n = 49), or used traditional healers or religious figures as providers (n = 3). Conclusion: Many CBC models have been tested on MH and SU in Africa and should be critically appraised and meta-analyzed in subsequent reviews, where possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological activities of six under-utilized medicinal leafy vegetable plants indigenous to Africa, i.e., Basella alba, Crassocephalum rubens, Gnetum africanum, Launaea taraxacifolia, Solanecio biafrae, and Solanum macrocarpon, were investigated via two independent techniques. The total phenolic content (TPC) was determined, and six microtiter plate assays were applied after extraction and fractionation. Three were antioxidant in vitro assays, i.e., ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), cupric reduction antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging, and the others were enzyme (acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, and tyrosinase) inhibition assays. The highest TPC and antioxidant activity from all the methods were obtained from polar and medium polar fractions of C. rubens, S. biafrae, and S. macrocarpon. The highest acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition was exhibited by polar fractions of S. biafrae, C. rubens, and L. taraxacifolia, the latter comparable to galantamine. The highest tyrosinase inhibition was observed in the n-butanol fraction of C. rubens and ethyl acetate fraction of S. biafrae. In vitro assay results of the different extracts and fractions were mostly in agreement with the bioactivity profiling via high-performance thin-layer chromatography–multi-imaging–effect-directed analysis, exploiting nine different planar assays. Several separated compounds of the plant extracts showed antioxidant, α-glucosidase, α-amylase, acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase-inhibiting, Gram-positive/-negative antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and genotoxic activities. A prominent apolar bioactive compound zone was tentatively assigned to fatty acids, in particular linolenic acid, via electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry. The detected antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticholinesterase, cytotoxic, and genotoxic potentials of these vegetable plants, in particular C. rubens, S. biafrae, and S. macrocarpon, may validate some of their ethnomedicinal uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]