Kassala University

Triticum aestivum productivity can be significantly enhanced through integrated nutrient management involving bio-fertilisers, organic manures, and chemical fertilisers. Nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-solubilising bio-fertilisers improve growth, physiological traits, and yield components, with positive correlations observed between grain yield, leaf area, tiller number, and biomass, highlighting their critical role in sustainable wheat production. A multi-location experiment was carried out over two consecutive winter seasons (2017/2018 and 2018/2019) across three regions of the New Halfa scheme to evaluate the effects of bio-fertilizers—specifically nitrogen-fixing bacteria and phosphorus-solubilising bacteria—combined with nitrogen and phosphorus supplementation via chicken manure on the growth and performance of wheat plants. The results revealed that, addition of amended N or P to bio fertilizer causes significant positive correlation between the grain yield of wheat with physiological traits like leaf area duration(LAD), net assimilation rate(NAR) and crop growth rate (CGR) and most related characters yield components (number of grains per plant,1000–grain weight, harvest index. Thus, the significant positive correlation between these traits and grain yield indicates their substantial contribution to the final yield.

Abstract Background: Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a latent beta-herpesvirus with potential transfusion-transmissible relevance, particularly in immunocompromised recipients. Data on HHV-6 viremia among Sudanese blood donors are extremely limited. This study aimed to determine the molecular prevalence of HHV-6 DNA among blood donors in Kassala, Sudan. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Kassala Teaching Hospital. Whole-blood samples (n = 180) were screened for HHV-6 DNA using real-time PCR, followed by multiplex PCR for genotyping attempts. Fisher’s exact and Mann–Whitney U tests were used where applicable; however, statistical analyses were interpreted cautiously due to the small number of positive cases. Results: HHV-6 DNA was detected in 2.78% (5/180) of donors. No significant associations were found between HHV-6 positivity and age group, region, or ABO/Rh blood groups. Hematological parameters showed no significant differences between HHV-6–positive and negative donors. Genotyping was unsuccessful for all positive samples, likely due to low viral load (Ct values 38.7–39.9). Conclusion: HHV-6 viremia was infrequent among blood donors in Kassala. Given the very small number of positive cases and limited genotyping capacity, the findings should be considered preliminary. Larger multicenter studies incorporating more sensitive molecular methods are recommended to characterize the epidemiology of HHV-6 in Sudan.

Abstract This study reports the first confirmed records of Culex (Culex) acharistus, Root, 1927 in Bolivia, based on both morphological examination and biomolecular identification using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) marker. Specimens were collected in four localities representing diverse environmental settings: La Paz (urban environment, ≍3600 m), the nearby high-altitude city of El Alto (≍4000 m), Cochabamba (semi-rural and urban habitats, ≍2600 m), and Licoma a large village in the Yungas region (subtropical environment, ≍1900 m). The larval habitats where the species was found closely match those reported in neighboring countries where Cx. acharistus also occurs, ranging from typical small peridomestic sites to ponds, ditches, and river seepages in semi-rural areas. All identification methods yielded unambiguous results, confirming the species’ presence in Bolivia and extending its known distribution in South America. This finding highlights the importance of integrating morphological and molecular approaches to achieve accurate and reliable mosquito species identification.

Introduction: Effective discharge documentation is essential for safe transitions from hospital to community care. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) outlines seven core data categories for patient discharge summaries. In low-resource settings, structured formats have been shown to improve completeness, clarity, and patient safety. This quality improvement project (QIP) aimed to develop and implement a standardized discharge card in the Internal Medicine Department of Atbara Teaching Hospital, Sudan, adapted from HIQA standards.Methodology: The project followed a two-cycle audit (April-August 2025). In the first cycle, 50 discharge records were reviewed to identify gaps. Records were randomly selected from the pool of available patient files, and auditing was conducted by three physicians not directly involved in patient care during the study period. A standardized discharge card was co-developed with staff, including essential demographic, clinical, and follow-up details. Training was provided, and the tool was implemented. In the second cycle, 40 discharge records were audited. Data was analyzed using chi-square tests to compare pre- and post-intervention documentation rates.Results: Significant improvements were observed in gender documentation (46.8%→100%, P < 0.001), allergy recording (12.9%→88.3%, P < 0.001), telephone number (0%→36.6%, P < 0.001), address (1.6%→43.0%, P < 0.001), referral to specialist (0%→35.0%, P < 0.001), and referrer details (32.3%→55.0%, P = 0.028). High compliance was maintained for the patient’s name, age, primary diagnosis, and clinical summary. These gains are clinically meaningful, as improved allergy and contact documentation directly support patient safety and follow-up. Persistent deficiencies remained for date of birth (0%→5.0%, P = 0.110) and professional role documentation (40.3%→50.0%, P = 0.343), likely reflecting reliance on age notation and limited emphasis on role identification.Conclusion: The standardized discharge card significantly improved documentation in key patient safety domains. Sustained gains require ongoing staff training and regular audits. This model may also be generalizable to other departments and hospitals in low-resource settings.

Chronic diseases represent a major global health burden, with their impact becoming even more pronounced in conflict settings. In such environments, the mental health and quality of life of chronic disease patients often deteriorate due to the disruptions caused by war. This study aimed to assess mental health issues among chronic disease patients and evaluate their quality of life during the ongoing armed conflict in Sudan. A cross-sectional study was conducted among chronic disease patients in the safest states of Sudan during the current war. Mental health was assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 for anxiety, and quality of life was evaluated using the EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level scale. Chi-square tests and Spearman's rank examined associations between socio-demographic factors and mental health outcomes. Multiple linear regression identified predictors influencing mental health issues, with statistical significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Among 1116 chronic disease patients, the median depression score was 7 (IQR = 8), with 50.3% reporting mild to moderate depression, while the median anxiety score was 6 (IQR = 8), with 47.1% experiencing mild to moderate anxiety. Depression showed significantly strong positive correlation with anxiety (ρ = 0.810, p < 0.00). In terms of health-related quality of life, the pain/discomfort domain showed 40.7% of patients reporting moderate to extreme problems, followed by the anxiety/depression domain at 43.4%, making these the most affected areas. This study revealed high levels of depression and anxiety among Sudanese chronic disease patients during the war, alongside a notably poor quality of life. The findings underscore the urgent need for intervention to implement targeted mental health support programs, aiming to improve the quality of life for this vulnerable population.

PurposeThis study examines the impact of ESG lending and technology-related capital expenditures on banking performance in BRICS economies. It assesses how these factors influence return on risk-weighted assets and nonperforming loans, providing insights into the role of sustainable finance and digital transformation in banking stability.Design/methodology/approachUsing quarterly panel data (2015–2023) from commercial banks in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS), this study employs fixed-effects regression models to estimate the effects of ESG lending and technology investment on banking performance. A robustness check is conducted by segmenting the sample into large and small banks to assess the moderating role of institutional scale.FindingsThe results indicate that greater exposure to high-ESG firms enhances banking performance by improving RoRWA and reducing NPLs. Similarly, borrowers investing in technology exhibit more substantial financial stability, leading to lower credit risk for banks. The effects are more pronounced in smaller banks, suggesting that sustainable and technology-driven lending strategies provide greater risk mitigation benefits for institutions with resource constraints.Practical implicationsThe findings highlight the strategic importance of integrating ESG and technology factors into banking credit risk frameworks. Banks should develop specialized financial products and enhance ESG and technology-based credit assessments to optimize lending strategies. Policymakers should introduce incentives to promote sustainable finance, encourage digital transformation and standardize ESG reporting across emerging markets.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the sustainable banking literature by jointly examining the impact of ESG and technology investments on banking performance in emerging economies. It provides empirical evidence from BRICS, highlighting the role of institutional scale in shaping the effectiveness of sustainable finance strategies. The results offer actionable insights for banks and regulators seeking to balance financial performance and sustainability in high-growth but volatile markets.

There is currently no established standard of care for recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). Re-irradiation (re-RT) and Bevacizumab (BEV) are both used in salvage treatment, but their combined efficacy remains uncertain. To evaluate whether combining re-irradiation with BEV improves survival outcomes compared to BEV alone in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas (rHGG). Systematic review and meta-analysis of two-arm clinical trials. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library up to April 2024. Two independent reviewers assessed studies for eligibility and extracted data. Study quality was evaluated using the ROBINS-I and ROBINS-II tools. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS); secondary outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), toxicity, and prognostic factors. The meta-analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in OS with combined BEV and re-irradiation compared to BEV alone (hazard ratio (HR) 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI: 0.56-0.85); p = 0.0005), corresponding to a 31% reduction in the risk of death. PFS also improved significantly (HR 0.64, 95% CI (0.45-0.90); p = 0.01). No significant increase in grade 3 toxicities was observed with the combination therapy. Subgroup analyses indicated that younger age and female gender were statistically associated with better OS, though the effect of age was modest and male gender was linked to poorer survival. Karnofsky performance status significantly influenced survival. Pulsed versus non-pulsed re-irradiation showed no differential effect on outcomes. The combination of re-irradiation and BEV significantly improves both OS and PFS in patients with rHGG, without increasing severe toxicity. These findings support the safety and efficacy of the combined approach. Prospective trials are warranted to guide standardized treatment protocols. This review was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023463183).

ObjectivesArboviruses pose a significant global health challenge. This study investigated the seroprevalence of major human arboviral infections, including yellow fever (YFV), dengue (DENV), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Rift Valley fever (RVF), West Nile virus (WNV), and chikungunya (CHIK), in Darfur region from September to December 2018. ELISA-IgM was used to detect antibodies. RT‒PCR was used to differentiate YFV infection from vaccine-immuno-response in IgM samples.ResultsA total of 152 blood samples were collected, with 123 (80.9%) from males and 29 (19.1%) from females. The participants were grouped by age: 50 (32.9%) were under 20 years, 96 (63.2%) were aged 20–45 years, and 6 (3.9%) were over 45 years. The seroprevalence rates for YFV, DENV, and CHIKV were 68 (44.7%), 23 (15.1%), and 5 (3.3%), respectively. There were 11 molecularly-confirmed YFV cases (7.2%). Among these, 3/11 were positive for DENV-IgM, and 1/11 was positive for CHIKV-IgM. Among the 68 YFV-positive individuals, 15 (22.1%) had been exposed to DENV, and 2 (2.9%) had been exposed to CHIKV. Co-exposure to DENV and CHIKV was detected in 3 (1.9%) patients, while 2 (1.3%) patients had triple exposure to YFV, CHIKV, or DENV. No exposure to CCHF, RVFV, or WNV was detected.

Gliomas are tumors arising in the central nervous system, frequently associated with Class I mutations and BRAF fusions. These mutations are adverse prognostic factors in juvenile gliomas, leading to high rates of recurrence and poor response to current treatments. The blood-brain barrier and the heterogeneity of gliomas complicate the development of a single treatment strategy for all cases. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapies, particularly Dabrafenib and Trametinib, in pediatric gliomas with BRAF V600 mutations and discusses their potential in improving clinical outcomes. A review of recent clinical trials was conducted to assess the impact of targeted therapies, especially the combination of Dabrafenib and Trametinib, on glioma treatment outcomes. Additional therapies are also explored. Combination therapy with Dabrafenib, a BRAF kinase inhibitor, and Trametinib, a MEK inhibitor, has shown significant improvement in overall survival and progression-free survival for pediatric patients with BRAF V600-mutant gliomas. Recent clinical data from 2023 demonstrated enhanced tumor control, reduced relapse rates, and improved safety profiles compared to conventional therapies. Dabrafenib and Trametinib offer a promising targeted therapy for juvenile gliomas with BRAF V600 mutations, with better survival outcomes and manageable safety profiles. However, challenges remain in managing side effects such as fever, headache, lethargy, and rash. Further research into resistance mechanisms and long-term effects is necessary to optimize treatment strategies. Other therapies, such as everolimus and Selumetinib, also show potential and warrant further investigation.