Health Volunteers Overseas

Abstract Background Sexually transmitted Infections (STIs) remain a significant public health burden in sub-Saharan Africa, with annual estimates of 15 million chlamydia, 16 million gonorrhea, and 30 million trichomoniasis cases. Among youth aged 15–24, the prevalence of bacterial STIs ranges from 8% to over 50% in some communities, highlighting a critical need for effective awareness strategies. In Cameroon, social media use has surged, with over 5.45 million active adult users, with WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram dominating youth engagement. This rapid uptake of digital platforms presents a powerful yet underexplored opportunity for sexual health promotion. Despite this growth, research examining how social media shapes STI awareness and risk perception among Cameroonian youth is scarce. This study addresses that gap by assessing how digital platforms can enhance STI awareness, providing evidence to inform culturally relevant, youth-centered digital health interventions in low and middle-income countries. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 101 youth aged 18–35 in Cameroon. The structured questionnaire assessed STI awareness, risk perception, social media platform usage, and exposure to STI-related content. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were used to examine associations between social media behaviors and STI awareness. Demographic summaries and mean awareness scores were also compared across platforms. Results While 61.38% of respondents reported high STI awareness, only 36.63% had participated in formal awareness campaigns. WhatsApp and Facebook were the most used platforms. However, 65.34% rarely encountered STI-related content, and 86.13% reported infrequent discussions on STIs. Mean awareness scores were similar across platforms (3.75-4.00), with slightly higher scores on LinkedIn (4.06) and YouTube (5.00). Multiple regression analysis revealed that educational level was the only significant predictor of STI awareness. Gender, age, risk perception, and frequency of social media engagement showed no significant association. Visual content and storytelling were preferred formats yet underutilized on the most commonly used platforms. Conclusion Despite widespread social media use, exposure to STI-related content among Cameroonian youth remains low. Education remains the strongest predictor of awareness. To enhance the impact of sexual health communication, interventions should prioritize content quality, platform alignment, and youth-centered formats.

The present study aimed to evaluate the elbow flexor force induced by perineural intramuscular stimulation compared with surface electrical stimulation (ES) and maximal voluntary contraction. Thirty nondominant arms of healthy volunteers were evaluated. Isometric elbow flexion force was evaluated using a surface electrode stimulation at the biceps brachii muscle, a perineural intramuscular stimulation around the musculocutaneous nerve, and maximum voluntary contraction. The elbow flexion force was measured at the wrist volar area in a 90° elbow flexion posture, fixed with a rigid elbow orthosis. Pain and discomfort associated with ES were evaluated using a numeric rating scale. The mean maximum elbow flexion force was 16.6 ± 4.1 kgf via voluntary contraction. The mean elbow flexion force by ES was 2.9 ± 2.0 kgf, stimulation intensity was 24.8 ± 5.5 mA, and the numeric rating scale was 5.0 ± 2.5 via surface electrode stimulation and 3.1 ± 2.0 kgf, 5.0 mA, and 3.8 ± 1.9 via perineural stimulation, respectively. ES provides 16% to 18% of the maximal voluntary contraction force in elbow flexion, which corresponds to a fair grade of muscle force. Perineural intramuscular stimulation can generate an equivocal contraction force with less discomfort in elbow flexion than surface electrode stimulation.

Unlike the short sprint, in the 400 m race it is known that the body cannot complete the event at maximum effort.400 m sprinters need to utilize mechanical energy effectively to control fatigue during the race.The purpose of this study was to clarify

We examined the effects of rhythmic finger movement training on freezing of gait (FOG) and electroencephalography (EEG) activity in 3 participants with Parkinson disease (PD). Participants underwent 3 minutes' rhythmic finger movement training twice daily for 4 weeks. We measured walking condition acceleration and EEG activity with and without a doorway, pre- and postintervention. Freezing index (FI), indicating FOG, was calculated from acceleration data. The high walking condition FI observed pretraining with a doorway decreased posttraining. The high pretraining frontal β-band activity decreased posttraining. Therefore, the participants' FOG and β-band activity decreased. Rhythmic finger movement training shows potential as an effective intervention for FOG; more study is needed.

In this work, we analysed multi-annual data set of wind and solar production portfolio with different power frequency approaches and averaging methods in order to characterize power production variability at different temporal scales. All of the methods have their advantages depending on their scale and purpose, but also some shortcomings that limit their use. For the purposes of this work, we selected the method of explicit derivation as the most appropriate for the fast power change frequency analysis and characterization. 
 The variability of power production from wind and solar power plants in Croatia is strongly present on an hourly, daily and seasonal level, while on an annual level the variability is much less pronounced. Since current electricity production and consumption must remain in balance to maintain the stability of the power network, this variability of production can pose significant challenges for the inclusion of large amounts of wind and solar energy in the power system of the Republic of Croatia.
 A particular challenge for the power system in terms of production variability is the fast change in power. Fast power change affects the quality of production forecasting and consequently causes higher imbalance costs. The impact on the management and balancing of the power system is particularly challenging.

The rapid proliferation of ransomware attacks has posed significant challenges to individuals, organizations, andsociety. Ransomware attacks have become increasingly prevalent as information technologies continue to evolveand spread globally. Cybercriminals have increasingly used ransomware as a means of cyberattack, using variousmethods to penetrate target computers, encrypt system data, and demand payment for user access. Despite thedevelopment of security tools like firewalls, antivirus software, and automated analysis tools, they have limitedeffectiveness in safeguarding valuable assets stored in local or cloud storage resources. This research paper exploresthe field of digital forensics as a crucial tool in combating ransomware-based software. The research focuses onvarious aspects of digital forensics specific to ransomware, including malware artifacts, encryption algorithms,and communication channels employed by ransomware strains. By leveraging a comprehensive dataset ofransomware samples and real-world case studies, the study identifies key patterns, trends, and characteristics thataid in attribution and forensic analysis of ransomware incidents. The research proposes a framework for effectivedetection and mitigation strategies against ransomware attacks, enhancing organizations’ ability to prevent andrespond to ransomware incidents effectively. The findings contribute to the advancement of digital forensics inthe context of ransomware-based software, providing valuable insights into the evolving tactics and techniquesemployed by cybercriminals. The proposed framework equips security practitioners and law enforcement agencieswith a comprehensive set of tools and strategies to combat ransomware attacks effectively.

The need for more interactive, learner-centred pedagogies at Aga Khan University in East Africa led to the development of a partnership with Academics without Borders (AWB). AWB recruited three nursing faculty volunteers to provide mentorship to the nursing faculty at the three Aga Khan University Advanced Nursing Studies campuses in East Africa. As part of the evaluation and as a strategy to improve the quality of the mentoring and the project, the authors developed an action research study to identify facilitators and inhibitors to the success of this inter-cultural initiative. In this article, the authors share their observations and reflections as recorded in journal entries and postings to an online site as well as the results of a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis completed by mentees, mentors and project coordinators. Finally, the authors share their thoughts on the implications for future cross-cultural mentoring relationships at Aga Khan University and the potential for assisting others in similar relationships.