The Wellcome Trust is a charitable foundation focused on health research based in London, in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1936 with legacies from the pharmaceutical magnate Henry Wellcome (founder of one of the predecessors of GlaxoSmithKline) to fund research to improve human and animal health. The aim of the Trust is to "support science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone." It had a financial endowment of £29.1 billion in 2020, making it the fourth wealthiest charitable foundation in the world. In 2012, the Wellcome Trust was described by the Financial Times as the United Kingdom's largest provider of non-governmental funding for scientific research, and one of the largest providers in the world. According to their annual report, the Wellcome Trust spent GBP £1.1Bn on charitable activities across their 2019/2020 financial year. According to the OECD, the Wellcome Trust's financing for 2019 development increased by 22% to US$327 million.
This Viewpoint discusses the use of generative artificial intelligence to measure mental health.
Solid fuels are still used by over 3 billion people worldwide, including many residents of informal settlements. Most interventions designed to improve people's solid fuel-related health have failed or fallen short of their ambitions. Often, this is because implementers have not fully understood the contexts, cultures and behaviours of the places and people they are working within and with. To address this, our study used a food-energy nexus lens to explore people's experiences of the cooking journey, i.e., decision-making regarding which fuel to use, obtaining fuel and then cooking using that fuel. We videoed 'go along' interviews with residents of two African informal settlements during their cooking journeys. Interviews with 15 participants in Mukuru (Kenya) and 15 in Ndirande (Malawi) were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants' decision-making regarding fuel use was complex, dynamic (considering short-to-long timescales) and context-specific. Participants were aware of some of the household air pollution (and other solid fuel-related) health risks, though there were some misconceptions. The use of waste materials in solid fuel cooking-particularly during ignition-was common. The 'cooking journey' framing in this study highlighted the range of risks and challenges experienced across the food-energy nexus beyond household air pollution, including terrain, the built environment and gender-based violence. Broader approaches to understanding the contexts, cultures and behaviours of fuel users in informal settlements, such as our 'cooking journey' approach, can support better intervention design, and therefore enable progress towards sustainable development goal 7-access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
Background:It is unknown whether the choice of malaria treatment for uncomplicated malaria affects coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load, or duration of viral shedding. Several antimalarials exhibit antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and have been suggested as potential therapeutic candidates for COVID-19, particularly pyronaridine-artesunate (PA), despite disappointing clinical results with chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine. Methods:We conducted an open-label randomised trial comparing standard 3-day treatment with PA and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) in newly diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infected patients aged ≥6 months with rapid diagnostic test or microscopy-confirmed non-severe malaria in Kenya and Burkina Faso. SARS-CoV-2 was assessed by RT-PCR on days 3, 7, 14, and 28, and symptom resolution was assessed daily for 14 days using FLU-PRO Plus. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with SARS-CoV-2 clearance by day 7. Secondary endpoints included SARS-CoV-2 clearance by days 14, 21, and 28, time to SARS-CoV-2 clearance over 28 days, median viral load on day 7, and time to symptom resolution. Complete case analysis was conducted using log-binomial regression for binary outcomes, Cox-regression for time-to-event outcomes, and negative binomial regression for count outcomes, all adjusted for disease severity and viral load at enrolment. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04695197. Findings:From January 2021 to January 2022, 143 participants were randomised (PA = 69, AL = 74, intention-to-treat [ITT] population), including 117 with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) confirmed (PA = 58, AL = 59, modified intention-to-treat [mITT] population) and 26 with rapid-antigen test confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The median age was 19 years (interquartile range [IQR] 13-38), 66% were aged ≥15 years. Baseline characteristics were comparable. SARS-CoV-2 clearance by day 7 (primary endpoint) was 41% (22/54) with PA versus 58% (33/57) with AL (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45-1.35, p = 0.37); by day-14: PA = 80% (44/55) versus AL = 96% (55/57) (aRR = 0.86, 0.58-1.29, p = 0.47). Median (IQR) viral load on day 7 was higher with PA (855 [30-2883] versus AL:81 [12-209] copies/mL, p = 0.023). Time to SARS-CoV-2 clearance over 28 days was slower with PA (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.55, 0.37-0.83, p = 0.004). Time to symptom clearance between treatments was similar (aHR = 1.01, 0.91-1.13, p = 0.79). Parasitological cure rates by day 42 were PA = 100% and AL = 99%. Five serious adverse events occurred (PA = 2, AL = 3) in three participants (PA = 1, AL = 2), including three hospitalisations (PA = 1, AL = 2), resulting in two deaths, both from respiratory failure (PA = 1, AL = 1). No serious adverse events (SAEs) were considered treatment-related. Interpretation:Pyronaridine-artesunate in COVID-19 patients co-infected with malaria was associated with slower viral clearance than standard treatment with artemether-lumefantrine but similar symptom resolution. Both treatments were highly effective as antimalarials and should continue to be considered first- or second-line treatment options for uncomplicated malaria in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. Funding:Gates Foundation.
In 2023, Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) staff were trained to use the novel MUAC z-score (MUACz) tape for household anthropometric measurements in southwestern Kenya as part of a randomized controlled trial titled ALIMUS-We are Feeding! In this qualitative study, we aimed to understand the experiences and lessons learned from using the MUACz tape for screening and monitoring among health professionals. In this qualitative study, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were used to explore the experiences of CHVs and MOH staff, who were trained on using the MUACz tape and applied the device for nutrition screening among 617 children aged between 23 and 59 months. Two FGDs were conducted with CHVs (n = 14) and one with MOH staff (n = 7). Trained facilitators led discussions using a semi-structured interview guide in Dholuo and Swahili. FGDs were recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Broad emerging themes showed that intensive training is essential for learning to use the MUACz tape. Trainings should be in an open learning environment, using simple language and incorporating hands-on practice. Participants had positive experiences using the MUACz tape, appreciating the expanded age, risk and color-coding categories. Challenges in using the tape included durability and the font size of tape markings. Participants emphasized the importance of integrating MUACz tape in existing CHV tool kits and data collection, in addition to adding z-score as an indicator in the health care database and services to ensure consistency and sustainability. The findings highlight that a few improvements of MUACz tapes could facilitate community-based nutrition screening and monitoring. Frontline community health workers play a critical role in shaping the implementation of public health programs. Accessible training is important for their buy-in.
Metaproteomics enables functional insight into microbial communities by identifying and quantifying proteins in complex samples. Yet, heterogeneous analytical workflows and the lack of standardization across experimental and bioinformatics stages hinder reproducibility and comparability, limiting integration with other omics data. We here present a community-developed reporting checklist tailored to the specific needs of metaproteomics. We also outline current efforts to enable structured and interoperable metadata capture, drawing on standards from proteomics and microbiome research wherever possible. By promoting transparent reporting and advancing metadata practices, our recommendations aim to align metaproteomics more closely with FAIR principles and support reproducible and interoperable research practices.
