National Ribat University

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies globally. In Africa, the burden is poorly characterized due to fragmented data and limited resources. This scoping review aimed to map published data on pancreatic cancer across the continent, identify reporting gaps, and highlight implications for research and policy. A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, OVID Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, and Scopus for articles published between January 1995 and June 2025. Inclusion criteria focused on clinical data, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes of pancreatic cancer in African populations. Twenty studies spanning 1995–2023,representing 26,850 patients, were identified. Research output was geographically uneven, concentrated in South Africa, Egypt, Morocco. The weighted mean age at diagnosis was 59.2 years. Primary symptoms included Jaundice, abdominal pain, and weight loss. Advanced-stage presentation dominated, with stage III–IV accounting for > 70

ObjectivesThis systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition-specific interventions in improving child linear growth and reducing stunting during the first 1,000 days of life.MethodsA systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies published up to September 2025. Randomized controlled trials, cluster-randomized trials, cohort, and quasi-experimental studies assessing nutrition-specific interventions were included. Due to substantial heterogeneity across studies, findings were synthesized narratively.ResultsThirteen studies conducted in Asia, Africa, and Latin America were included. Nutrition-specific interventions, particularly lipid-based nutrient supplements, fortified foods, and food-based strategies, were associated with modest improvements in length-for-age z-scores and reductions in stunting prevalence. Larger effects were observed when interventions were initiated early in life and implemented in settings with high baseline stunting and food insecurity.ConclusionNutrition-specific interventions can contribute to improvements in child linear growth, especially when delivered early and sustained during the first 1,000 days. However, effect sizes vary by context, underscoring the importance of integrated and context-sensitive implementation strategies.

Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a non-thermal alternative to cryoballoon ablation (CBA) for pulmonary vein isolation in atrial fibrillation (AF). We compared their procedural efficiency, safety, and 1-year outcomes. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and Embase through October 2025 for randomized and comparative cohort studies of adults undergoing PFA or CBA. Outcomes were procedure duration, fluoroscopy time, left-atrial dwell time, periprocedural complications, and 1-year atrial arrhythmia recurrence, synthesized using random-effects meta-analyses with AF-type subgroup analyses. Twenty-three studies were included overall, of which 22 contributed to the quantitative synthesis. Overall, PFA shortened procedure duration versus CBA (mean difference [MD] − 11.50 min, 95

Abstract Background Dengue fever remains a major and expanding public health threat in tropical regions, with outbreaks increasingly affecting fragile and conflict-affected settings. In Sudan, the ongoing armed conflict has compounded vulnerabilities, limited healthcare access, and amplified the importance of community-level prevention and awareness. Methods We conducted a community-based, multi-center cross-sectional study to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to dengue fever prevention and control during the 2025 outbreak in Sudan. A total of 459 adult participants from seven outbreak-affected states were recruited using an online, convenience-based sampling approach. Due to reliance on online platforms, the sample is predominantly composed of young, educated individuals; this limitation is acknowledged explicitly. Data were collected using a validated KAP questionnaire. Participants were classified as having ‘Good Knowledge’ if they scored ≥ 60% (12/20) on the knowledge section, and ‘Positive Attitude’ if they scored ≥ 60% on the attitude section. Good Practice was defined as a score ≥ 5 out of 9. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, independent t-tests, and binary logistic regression for multivariate analysis. Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results Overall awareness of the dengue outbreak was high (96.5%). The majority of participants demonstrated good knowledge (96.5%), positive attitudes (99.8%), and good preventive practices (91.3%). However, substantial misconceptions persisted, particularly regarding transmission: 77.3% of respondents incorrectly believed dengue could be spread through contaminated food or water. Knowledge and practice scores were significantly associated with age, gender, and educational level, with older adults, males, and individuals with lower formal education exhibiting poorer outcomes. Attitudes toward dengue prevention were uniformly positive across all demographic groups ( p > 0.05). Conclusion Despite high overall KAP levels, critical knowledge gaps and demographic disparities threaten effective dengue prevention during outbreaks. Targeted, demographic-specific educational interventions addressing misconceptions about transmission and vector behavior are urgently needed to strengthen community-based control efforts, particularly in conflict-affected settings such as Sudan. Future research should prioritize in-person sampling strategies to ensure adequate representation of older adults and individuals with lower levels of formal education.

PURPOSE:This pre-post implementation audit aimed to evaluate adherence to the I-PASS (illness severity, patient summary, action list, situation awareness and contingency planning, and synthesis by receiver) handoff framework before and after an educational intervention in the Internal Medicine Department at Ribat Teaching Hospital. BACKGROUND:Effective patient handover is critical for continuity and quality of care, and miscommunication during transitions is a major contributor to preventable harm. While structured tools such as I-PASS have improved handoff quality in high‑resource settings, evidence from low‑resource environments, including Sudan, remains limited. Teaching hospitals in Sudan face overcrowding, workforce shortages, and fragmented information systems, which increase the risk of communication errors. MATERIALS AND METHODS:This exploratory quasi-experimental pre-post implementation audit was conducted in one Internal Medicine Unit at Ribat Teaching Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan. All handoffs for inpatients requiring close monitoring during the study period were eligible. Two cycles of observation were completed. In each cycle, adherence to the five I‑PASS elements was recorded using a checklist during live verbal handoffs. Between cycles, a structured educational program on I‑PASS was delivered to unit staff. Data were analyzed descriptively, and Fisher's exact test was used to compare adherence proportions between cycles. RESULTS:A total of 105 handoffs were observed (55 in cycle one and 50 in cycle two). In cycle one, adherence varied across I‑PASS elements: illness severity 22/55 (40%), patient summary 37/55 (67%), action plan 55/55 (100%), situational awareness 20/55 (36%), and synthesis by receiver 37/55 (67%). After the educational implementation, adherence improved for most elements: illness severity 43/50 (86%; p<0.001), patient summary 44/50 (88%; p=0.019), action plan 50/50 (100%; p=1.000), situational awareness 42/50 (84%; p<0.001), and synthesis by receiver 48/50 (96%; p<0.001). CONCLUSION:The I‑PASS framework was feasible to implement in a low‑resource internal medicine unit and was associated with improved short‑term adherence to structured handoff elements after targeted education. The study did not measure adverse events or error rates; therefore, no conclusions can be drawn about the impact of I‑PASS on patient safety. Longer‑term, multi‑unit evaluations incorporating safety outcomes and potential confounders are warranted.