A Video-based Detector for Suspicious Activity in Examination with OpenPose

Examinations are a crucial part of the learning process, and academic institutions invest significant resources into maintaining their integrity by preventing cheating from students or facilitators. However, cheating has become rampant in examination setups, compromising their integrity. The traditional method of relying on invigilators to monitor every student is impractical and ineffective. To address this issue, there is a need to continuously record exam sessions to monitor students for suspicious activities. However, these recordings are often too lengthy for invigilators to analyze effectively, and fatigue may cause them to miss significant details. To widen the coverage, invigilators could use fixed overhead or wearable cameras. This paper introduces a framework that uses automation to analyze videos and detect suspicious activities during examinations efficiently and effectively. We utilized the OpenPose framework and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to identify students exchanging objects during exams. This detection system is vital in preventing cheating and promoting academic integrity, fairness, and quality education for institutions

Trends and Clinical Characteristics of HIV and Cerebrovascular Disease in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) Between 1990 and 2021

Purpose of the reviewTo describe trends and clinical characteristics of HIV and cerebrovascular disease between 1990 and 2021 in LMICs and identify the gaps in our understanding.Recent findingsIn the era of antiretroviral therapy (ART), people living with HIV (PLWH) live longer and risk excess cerebrovascular events due to ageing and HIV-driven factors. Despite the highest burden of HIV infection in low-to-middle income countries, there is underreporting in the literature of cerebrovascular events in this population. We systematically reviewed published literature for primary clinical studies in adult PLWH and cerebrovascular disease in LMICs. The clinical phenotype of cerebrovascular disease among PLWH over the last three decades in LMICs has evolved and transitioned to an older group with overlapping cerebrovascular risk factors. There is an important need to increase research in this population and standardise reporting to facilitate understanding, guide development of appropriate interventions, and evaluate their impact

Towards Intergenerational Equity: Analysis of Youth Engagement Strategies in Climate Action Planning in Mzuzu, Malawi

Globally, meaningful youth participation in planning processes aimed at dealing with climate change impacts has been advocated for sustainability purposes. Article 6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change requires parties to ensure there is public participation in addressing climate change, its effects, and the development of responses. In the city of Mzuzu, Malawi, local community members have been involved in planning processes at different planning levels but more intensively at the community level. Despite this approach receiving much attention, minimal consideration has been put on which societal groups are to be engaged directly, with youths being excluded to a large extent, even though about 49% of the population in Malawi is aged between 10 and 34 years. This article, therefore, seeks to foreground how current stakeholder engagement strategies in climate change planning marginalise the youth. To do this, this article critically reviews current stakeholder engagement strategies and assesses the extent to which youth are involved in the planning processes in Mzuzu City. It further assesses the factors affecting youth involvement in the planning process and subsequently recommends how stakeholder engagement strategies can be designed and implemented to ensure effective youth engagement in climate change planning processes in the city

HIV infection, hypercoagulability and ischaemic stroke in adults at the University Teaching Hospital in Zambia: a case control study

Abstract Background In Zambia, 14.2% of adults have HIV/AIDS. There has been a substantial and significant increase in patients hospitalized for ischaemic stroke with co-existing HIV infection. However, little is known about the mechanism of stroke in these HIV + ve patients let alone studied in our region. The aim of this pilot study was to explore the association of hypercoagulability state in HIV + ve patients with ischaemic stroke. This was achieved by comparing hypercoagulability state markers between HIV + ve ischaemic stroke patients with HIV-ve and HIV + ve patients with and without ischaemic stroke respectively. Methods A matched case control study in which a total of 52 HIV + ve patients with ischaemic stroke were prospectively compared with control groups for the presence of protein S, protein C deficiencies and hyperhomocysteinaemia. The control groups comprised an equal number of consecutively matched for age and sex HIV-ve and HIV + ve patients with and without ischaemic stroke respectively. Data was analysed in contingency tables using Paired t- test, Chi square and conditional logistic regression. Results Ischaemic stroke of undetermined aetiology occurred more frequently in HIV + ve compared to HIV-ve patients (p < 0.001). In addition, protein S deficiency and Hyperhomocysteinaemia were more prominent in HIV + ve than HIV-ve ischaemic stroke patients (P = 0.011). There was no difference in the presence of hyperhomocysteinaemia or protein S deficiency in HIV + ve patients with or without ischaemic stroke. Protein C deficiency was not noted to be significantly different between the cases and the two control arms. Conclusion Protein S deficiency and hyperhomocysteinaemia were associated with HIV infection, but not stroke in our study population. However, this is an area that requires extensive research and one that we cannot afford to ignore as it is an important bridge to all cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

Conceptual framework for establishing the African Stroke Organization

Africa is the world’s most genetically diverse, second largest, and second most populous continent, with over one billion people distributed across 54 countries. With a 23% lifetime risk of stroke, Africa has some of the highest rates of stroke worldwide and many occur in the prime of life with huge economic losses and grave implications for the individual, family, and the society in terms of mental capital, productivity, and socioeconomic progress. Tackling the escalating burden of stroke in Africa requires prioritized, multipronged, and inter-sectoral strategies tailored to the unique African epidemiological, cultural, socioeconomic, and lifestyle landscape. The African Stroke Organization (ASO) is a new pan-African coalition that brings together stroke researchers, clinicians, and other health-care professionals with participation of national and regional stroke societies and stroke support organizations. With a vision to reduce the rapidly increasing burden of stroke in Africa, the ASO has a four-pronged focus on (1) research, (2) capacity building, (3) development of stroke services, and (4) collaboration with all stakeholders. This will be delivered through advocacy, awareness, and empowerment initiatives to bring about people-focused changes in policy, clinical practice, and public education. In the spirit of the African philosophy of Ubuntu “I am because we are,” the ASO will harness the power of diversity, inclusiveness, togetherness, and team work to build a strong, enduring, and impactful platform for tackling stroke in Africa

Replication Data for: Feasibility, safety, and impact of the RTS,S/AS01E malaria vaccine when implemented through national immunisation programmes: evaluation of cluster-randomised introduction of the vaccine in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi

This is a replication dataset for the research publication titled: "Feasibility, safety, and impact of the RTS,S/AS01E malaria vaccine when implemented through national immunisation programmes: evaluation of cluster-randomised introduction of the vaccine in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi ." The RTS,S/AS01E malaria vaccine (RTS,S) was introduced by national immunisation programmes in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi in 2019 in large-scale pilot schemes. The study aimed to address questions about feasibility and impact, and to assess safety signals that had been observed in the phase 3 trial that included an excess of meningitis and cerebral malaria cases in RTS,S recipients, and the possibility of an excess of deaths among girls who received RTS,S than in controls, to inform decisions about wider use. This data comes from a study that tested a new malaria vaccine (RTS,S) in 3 African countries: Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi. The prospective evaluation involved 158 geographical clusters randomly assigned for early or delayed RTS,S vaccine doses, given between 5 months to around 2 years of age. Primary outcomes included mortality, hospital admissions for severe malaria, meningitis, cerebral malaria, gender-specific mortality, and vaccination coverage. Surveillance took place in multiple hospitals, with vaccine uptake assessed via surveys. Further study details on the methodology and results can be found in the related publication