St. John's University of Tanzania

Resveratrol (RSV), a natural polyphenol found in grapes, berries, and peanuts, exerts anticancer effects through its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and pro-apoptotic actions, influencing major signaling pathways including p53, NF-κB, PI3K/Akt, and MAPK. Although these mechanisms position RSV as a promising chemotherapeutic adjunct, its clinical impact remains limited by low bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and poor systemic distribution. Advanced delivery approaches respond to these limitations by applying nanotechnology-based systems including nanoparticles, liposomes, and RSV-drug conjugates to improve its stability, strengthen pharmacokinetic performance, and enable targeted tumor delivery. Designing structural analogs through hydroxylation, methylation, and fluorination further refines pharmacodynamic properties. Preclinical studies show that RSV nanoformulations enhance tumor uptake, support controlled release, and increase therapeutic synergy, including reversing multidrug resistance when co-administered with agents such as docetaxel. However, clinical evaluation is still scarce and variable, underscoring the need for rigorous studies on dosing, safety, long-term performance, and translational feasibility. This review synthesizes current knowledge on RSV mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and nanotechnological delivery approaches, emphasizing the role of advanced delivery systems in maximizing its value in cancer therapy.

The clinical application of the chemotherapeutic agent irinotecan is critically hindered by its low and variable solubility. To provide a fundamental understanding of this issue, we employed molecular dynamics simulations and free energy calculations to detail the solvation thermodynamics of irinotecan. Our analysis reveals that irinotecan's solvation preference is governed by a delicate and often competitive balance between two fundamental physical contributions: the Lennard-Jones term (representing cavity formation and dispersion) and favorable solute-solvent electrostatic interactions. We demonstrate that while polar protic solvents (e.g., water) provide the strongest electrostatic stabilization, their high energetic cost for cavity formation severely limits overall solvation favorability. Conversely, polar aprotic solvents (e.g., pyridine and DMSO) optimize this balance by facilitating easier cavity formation while still providing strong electrostatic interactions, resulting in the most favorable solvation profiles. Notably, irinotecan's unexpectedly high relative solubility in cyclohexane compared to water underscores the critical role of solvent reorganization energy in dictating solution-phase behavior. These molecular-level findings are rigorously validated by structural analyses (connection matrices and radial distribution functions) and a complementary macroscopic solubility parameter analysis (MOSCED framework). This study offers a robust, integrated, and predictive physicochemical framework for understanding and optimizing the formulation of complex, flexible drug molecules.

Abstract Background Cross-national income–health gradients are well established, but it remains unclear whether they reflect improvements within countries over time or enduring structural differences between countries. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality is also strongly shaped by population age structure, making demographic change central to the interpretation of economic development and cardiovascular outcomes. This study examined whether the association between GDP per capita and crude CVD mortality differs between countries and within countries over time after accounting for demographic structure. Methods This ecological panel analysis used country-year data for 200 countries from 1990 to 2023, yielding 6,800 observations. The outcome was the crude country-level CVD mortality rate per 100,000 population. Median age was used as an indicator of demographic structure, and GDP per capita from the World Bank World Development Indicators was used as an indicator of economic development. GDP-based models used complete observations because GDP per capita was missing for some country-years (N = 5,407). Analyses included pooled regression, within–between decomposition, two-way fixed-effects models, nonlinear and interaction specifications, robustness checks, and descriptive residual analysis. Results Median age was strongly associated with crude CVD mortality across countries (B = 10.22 deaths per 100,000 for each additional year of median age, p < 0.001). In between-country models adjusted for demographic structure, higher GDP per capita was associated with lower CVD mortality (B = -82.20, p < 0.001). By contrast, within-country GDP growth showed no consistent protective association after demographic adjustment (B = -1.01, p = 0.68). GDP per capita moderated the association between median age and CVD mortality, with the ageing–mortality slope weaker at higher GDP levels. Residual analysis identified a persistent Eastern European cardiovascular mortality penalty that was not explained by median age alone. Conclusions The association between economic development and cardiovascular mortality changes meaning when examined across countries rather than within countries over time. Economic development should not be assumed to automatically reduce crude cardiovascular mortality unless the demographic structure, regional context, and the conversion of resources into capacity for prevention, treatment, and chronic disease management are made explicit.

Background While pharmacy education has expanded in Tanzania, students’ motivations for choosing the profession and their career expectations remain underexplored. Understanding these drivers is crucial for aligning training with healthcare needs, enhancing professional satisfaction, and ensuring graduates contribute effectively to national health priorities. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between March and July 2025 among 324 undergraduate pharmacy students from three tertiary institutions in Tanzania. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using STATA version 17. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression were employed to identify associations between factors influencing program choice and career attitudes, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results Pharmacy was the first-choice program for 76.2% of participants, and 53.7% demonstrated positive career attitudes. Significant associations with selecting pharmacy as first choice were found for institution attended (χ²=13.587, p = 0.001), program level (χ²=13.862, p < 0.001), confidence in choice (χ²=7.438, p = 0.006), program reputation (χ²=14.75, p < 0.001), source of influence (χ²=14.742, p = 0.002), advice from pharmacists/healthcare workers (χ²=4.105, p = 0.043), and attitudinal disposition (χ²=7.342, p = 0.007). After adjustment, significant predictors of choosing pharmacy first included institution (KIUT: AOR = 9.06, p = 0.007), degree program (AOR = 0.13, p = 0.002), low confidence (AOR = 0.33, p = 0.046), program reputation (AOR = 0.39, p = 0.017), negative attitude (AOR = 0.54, p = 0.047), and community pharmacy career goals (AOR = 3.82, p = 0.045). Conclusion Pharmacy program choice among Tanzanian students is influenced by institutional factors, professional reputation, mentorship from healthcare professionals, and attitudinal disposition rather than financial incentives. Structured mentorship programs and enhanced career guidance are recommended to align student expectations with workforce needs.

Digitalisation provides a simple way to manage clients' everyday transactions and access regulated bits of information. The influence of digital innovation on operational efficiency in Tanzanian commercial banks. The study employed a mixed research technique, using a cross-sectional survey as the research design. The research area encompassed CRDB Dodoma City. Also, CRDB UDOM, CRDB Chamwino, and CRDB MAKOLE. CRDB is one of the banks that has implemented digitalisation by launching some digital applications such as SIM banking, but it has yet to be archived. Because CRDB is a rapidly growing bank, it is critical to assess the impact of digitisation on operational efficiency. The study employed a nonprobability sampling approach. The sample size of 84 consumers was derived from 106 customers (CRDB UDOM, CRDB Chamwino, and CRDB MAKOLE), and the study used primary data. A multiple regression model was employed to analyse the data. The study found a link between digital innovation and operational efficiency in Tanzania's commercial banks. The report advises that financial institutions ensure that their various clients' savings are constantly protected and provide low transaction costs inside their digital networks.