Human immunodeficiency virus and associated pneumonia

Pneumonia is a major global health concern and a leading cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, pneumonia accounts for over 2.5 million deaths annually, which means almost 1% of all deaths occur every 13 seconds due to this disease. Pneumonia affects approximately 450 million people globally per year, and in the United States alone, about 1 million adults are hospitalized each year because of pneumonia, leading to approximately 50,000 deaths annually. This disease can be caused by various pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and has significant implications for global health, particularly in vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. This comprehensive work aims to explore pneumonia in-depth, detailing its pathology, physiology, and treatment strategies. The book is organized into two sections: Section 1 deals with pneumonia in general, providing a foundation for understanding the disease. Section 2 explores pneumonia in the context of specific conditions and populations, offering a targeted perspective on the disease. Understanding pneumonia’s multifaceted nature is crucial for effective diagnosis and treatment, especially given its significant impact on global health. This book is designed to provide valuable information for medical students, nurses, clinicians, healthcare providers, and specialists, equipping them with the knowledge necessary to manage patients effectively

Uterus didelphys bicollis bicolpos —A case report

Uterus didelphys refers to a congenital uterine anomaly that occurs due to failed fusion of the paired Müllerian ducts. It is characterized by two separate noncommunicating uterine horns each with its cervix and fallopian tube. Duplication may be limited to the uterus, cervix or also involve the vagina. Here, we present a case of a 27-year-old primigravida incidentally diagnosed during pregnancy, followed up with cervical cerclage at 13 weeks due to a short cervix and had preterm delivery via cesarean section at 35 weeks. She had a successful pregnancy outcome and an uneventful postnatal course. Uterus didelphys is associated with better reproductive outcomes compared to other anomalies. However, patients are at risk of fetal malpresentation, preterm labor and cesarean section. Patients therefore need to be counseled on the clinical implications for shared decision making regarding their reproductive health

Associations Between B Vitamin Interactions with polyunsaturated fatty acids and cognitive function among cognitively healthy older people as modified by amyloid status and sex

Background/Objectives: Nutrients such as vitamin B12, folate (B9), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may independently influence cognitive health, but their combined effects and interactions remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of B12, folate, and PUFAs, including their interactions, on cognitive function in cognitively healthy older adults, considering effect modification by sex and amyloid-beta status. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 321 participants aged 60–85 y enrolled in the UK CHARIOT–PRO SubStudy. Dietary intake was assessed using the Scottish Collaborative Group Food Frequency Questionnaire, and cognitive performance was measured via the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Stratified multivariate linear regression models by sex and amyloid-beta status and models with the saturated to unsaturated fatty acid ratio (substituted for PUFAs) as one of the predictors were constructed. Results: Males had lower total RBANS scores with a higher PUFA intake (β = −13.97, p = 0.04) but improved scores with increased folate (β = 9.08, p = 0.04). PUFA × folate revealed contrasting effects to PUFAs alone, with higher cognitive scores in the amyloid-negative group for total RBANS (β = 13.27, 95%: 3.81~22.73, p = 0.01) but lowered scores in the amyloid-positive group. Considering the UFA:SFA ratio, higher delayed memory scores were associated with the combined intake of folate, B12, and PUFAs (β = 7.46, p = 0.02) among females. In the amyloid-positive group, the negative cognitive effects observed with PUFAs were reversed when UFA:SFA was considered. Conclusions: Amyloid status and sex significantly influenced the cognitive effects of nutrient intake, with distinct patterns based on specific cognitive domains and nutrient interactions

What did Jan Hjärpe choose from the Islamic basket? A study of the dominant voice on Islam in Sweden, 1980–2000

This chapter analyses the non-Muslim Islam of a Swedish academic, Professor Jan Hjärpe, who was the most prominent voice in the public sphere of Sweden from 1979 until the first years of the twenty-first century.While Hjärpe was always nuanced when writing about Islam, he produced – mainly as side-effect of choices – certain normalities and interpretations of Islam. I argue that these can be seen as expressions of non-Muslim Islam. This chapter is not a critique of Hjärpe’s writing, which has by and large stood the test of time, but a case-study aiming to discuss researchers’ awareness and control of the logical consequences of choices of words and topics. It addresses non-Muslim Islam as an often-unintended by-product of scholarly writing

Exploring television portrayal of gender-based violence in Uganda: A case of NTV and Bukedde TV

The study used NTV and Bukedde TV as a case of how television in Uganda portray gender-based violence to address the critical issue of how television framing impacts societal understanding and response to gender-based violence. The research adopted the framing theory as its conceptual lens and employed a mixed-methods approach combining content analysis of television news programs with in-depth interviews with newsroom staff. The findings reveal that Ugandan television predominantly employs victim-centered narratives, focusing on physical and sexual violence while often neglecting psychological violence and systemic contributors such as entrenched patriarchal norms. The human-interest frame emerged as the most utilized, aiming to evoke audience empathy, while conflict and morality frames lacked depth in addressing broader societal and structural issues. Institutional accountability was minimally featured, with limited follow-up on cases and systemic failures. Furthermore, while some progress was observed in framing gender-based violence as a societal issue rather than isolated incidents, challenges in institutional accountability and thematic storytelling persist. These insights underscore the need for balanced, ethical reporting and the integration of media practices into broader gender-based violence prevention strategies, emphasizing systemic change over episodic narratives. Investigated the portrayal of gender-based violence. On Ugandan television, his study had significant implications. For theory, it enriched the framing theory by applying it to gender-based violence media narratives in a Ugandan context. For media practitioners, it highlighted the need for balanced, ethical, and contextually nuanced reporting to foster public awareness and institutional accountability. Policy-wise, it emphasized the importance of integrating media insights into gender-based violence prevention strategies, advocating for a shift from episodic to thematic storytelling to addressing root causes and foster collective action

Analysing government communication strategies in combating information disorder on social media: A study of Uganda’s tax monitoring system

This research provides an analysis of the communication strategies that government communicators are utilising in a bid to counter wrong narratives on the Ugandan social media space, using the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). The study focuses on the nature of information disorder that revolved around the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS), introduced in January 2021 by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and how it was stemmed. Through extensive content analysis of social media posts on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, 2 Key Informant interviews (KIIs) with key URA officials and 2 two In-depth interviews (IDIs) with tax and government communications experts, it was revealed that disinformation and some pockets of misinformation manifested on social media, in light of the topic on EFRIS. The content analysis highlighted comprehensive communication and counter-communication by URA against the wrong information about EFRIS, posted by some social media users. The KIIs and IDIs offered perspective on the manifestation of disinformation, noting that some social media users feigned ignorance that EFRIS was a tax and rather not a tool to ease tax payments. The content analysis further revealed that despite the disinformation, many social media users were already aware of the truth about the subject. Despite intense communication strategies to combat the information disorder around EFRIS, URA faced challenges of persistent disinformation, which cropped up on social media platforms where they had no presence, particularly, Tiktok, a popular video-sharing application. This created an information crisis which led to a perception crisis. The findings reveal that social media users with large followings as well as new, popular platforms, have a big impact on shaping user perceptions. The research underscores the need for government communications departments to carryout intentional digital media convergence, in a bid to combat persistent information disorder on social media. The findings advance a discernment of the correlation between social media platforms, its users, and the manner in which wrong narratives can be tackled. They also contribute to the improvement of crisis communication management on social media by government institutions

Small and sick newborn care: changes in service readiness scoring between baseline and 2023 for 65 neonatal units implementing with NEST360 in Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania

Health Facility Assessments (HFAs) are important for measuring and tracking service readiness for small and sick newborn care (SSNC). NEST360 Alliance aims to reduce neonatal mortality in four countries (Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania). NEST360 and UNICEF facilitated HFA tool design with ministries of health in four African countries and developed two complimentary approaches to summarize readiness. Using the NEST360/UNICEF HFA tool, we collected data, developed two service readiness scoring approaches for SSNC (standards-based scoring by adapted World Health Organization (WHO) health system building blocks (HSBBs) and assessing service readiness across the health system, and level-2+ scoring by WHO clinical interventions), and applied across 65 neonatal units implementing NEST360. Service readiness change was assessed between baseline (Sept 2019-March 2021) and follow-up HFA (May-July 2023). For each neonatal unit, a percentage difference score was computed between baseline and 2023 HFA scores. Scores were calculated for each neonatal unit as the unit of analysis, and disaggregated by HSBB, clinical intervention, and sub-modules. Data from 65 neonatal units were analysed, i.e., 36 in Malawi, 13 in Kenya, 7 in Tanzania, and 9 in Nigeria. Median time between baseline and 2023 HFAs was 31 months [IQR 29–34 months]. Median baseline and 2023 scores were 41% [IQR 35–52%] and 55% [IQR 46–62%] respectively with 14% median score change [IQR 4–18%] for level-2+ scores. For standards-based scores, median baseline and 2023 scores were 51% [IQR 48–58%] and 60% [IQR 54–66%] respectively with a 9% median score change [IQR 3–11%]. Hospitals in Tanzania [Median 24%, IQR 16–30%] and Nigeria [Median 28%, IQR 17–30%] showed greater improvements on average for level-2+ scores compared to hospitals in Kenya and Tanzania. Data on changes in service readiness scores can be used to track service readiness over time, benchmark between hospitals, identify gaps, and assess progress towards newborn targets

A discourse on Madina Fāzila, Virtuous State, in Muslim Thought: An overview of Jalāl-Al-Dīn Muḥammad Davānī’s Aḵlāq-e-Jalālī

This study focuses on Jālāl-al-Dīn Muḥammad Davānī (1426–1502) as an illustrative figure in Muslim political thought, who offered a comprehensive perspective on the characteristics of an ideal Muslim state. Drawing on Davānī’s magnum opus, Akhlaq-e-Jalālī, the study explores his ethical framework for understanding the interrelationship between the individual, the state, and society. This work remained among the most influential writings on Muslim ethics, particularly in the Indian context, and continued to shape Muslim intellectual discourseand educational curricula well into the late 20th century. Its enduring presence highlights its intellectual relevance and its capacity to inspire ongoing debates on Muslim ethics.This paper concentrates on the third section of Akhlaq-e-Jalālī, which addresses fundamental questions concerning politics, governance,statecraft, and the contested notion of the ideal state, Madina Fāzila (the virtuous city/state). Davānī outlines the constitutive elements of such a state by synthesizing Peripatetic rationalism, Illuminationist metaphysics, and Sufi ethics. Central to his political philosophy is the principle of ‘adl (justice)’which he regards as requiring morality to permeate political praxis. This morality, rooted in Islamic values and piety, necessitates ethical behavior at individual, familial, societal levels.Consequently, the core components of Davānī’s virtuous state include morally guided citizens, ethical politics, principled statecraft, and an ideal ruler whose actions are rooted in Islamic morality and who surpasses others in knowledge and understanding. Davānī’s conception of the ideal ruler closely parallels Plato’s philosopher-king, though it is reinterpreted through the framework of Islamic ethical thought. In his vision, the virtuous state is one in which morality and justice are not only interdependent but also mutually reinforcing, working together to promote happiness and well-being at both the individual and societal levels

Exploring early childhood development programming in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands

Background: Promoting high-quality early childhood development (ECD) is vital for individuals’ physical and social well-being and yields significant societal returns. However, children in marginalised regions like Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) face significant barriers to accessing quality ECD services. Aim: This study aimed to document existing ECD services in Kenya’s ASAL areas, including their availability, types and key characteristics; identify gaps in their provision and propose solutions to enhance access and quality. Setting: This qualitative study was conducted in 10 ASAL counties in Kenya. Methods: Using purposive and snowball sampling techniques, 103 key informants, including pre-primary teachers, parents, healthcare workers, religious leaders and county ECD coordinators, were interviewed. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results: The study found that while diverse ECD programmes exist in ASAL regions, their quality and effectiveness are hindered by challenges such as inadequate funding, insecurity, extreme weather events, food insecurity, poor infrastructure, inadequate healthcare access and limited early learning opportunities. Recommendations include increasing ECD funding, improving healthcare, enhancing early learning opportunities, promoting livelihood diversification and addressing security and food insecurity. Conclusion: Despite investments in ECD programmes, significant challenges persist, underscoring the need to provide children with high-quality services that foster nurturing care and mitigate risks to their development. This study highlights the urgency of adopting a multi-sectoral approach to strengthen ECD programmes and services in Kenya’s ASAL. Contribution: This article contributes to the scarce literature on ECD programming in Kenya’s ASALs by documenting existing ECD services, identifying critical gaps in their provision and offering actionable recommendations to address barriers to programmed quality and effectivenes