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Joshua Ojodale Aruwa,1 Sunday Agba Bisong,2 Kebe Obeten,3 Ekom Monday Etukudo,4 Neeza Timothy,1 Theophilus Gbednet Kureh,5 Godwin Aiyabalu Okoruwa,6 Theophilus Pius,7 Ibe Michael Usman4 1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Kampala International University, Bushenyi, Uganda; 2Department of Physiology, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria; 3Department of Human Anatomy, Lusaka Apex Medical University, Lusaka, Zambia; 4Department of Human Anatomy, Kampala International University, Bushenyi, Uganda; 5School of Pharmacy, Eden University, Lusaka, Zambia; 6Department of Pharmacy, Kampala International University, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; 7Medical Laboratory Science Department, Kampala International University, Bushenyi, UgandaCorrespondence: Ibe Michael Usman, Email gopama@gmail.comBackground: Fluoxetine (FLX) is a Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor (SSRI) commonly used as a first-line treatment for depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. It can cause infertility in the male reproductive system through the release of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). This study aimed to evaluate the testiculo-protective potential of ascorbic acid against fluoxetine-induced spermatotoxicity in male Wistar rats.Methods: This study assessed Vitamin C’s effect on male fertility in fluoxetine-treated Wistar rats. Thirty rats (130 ± 40 g) were divided into six groups (n=5): Control (distilled water), fluoxetine 20 mg/kg, Vitamin C 100 mg/kg, fluoxetine 20 mg/kg + Vitamin C 50 mg/kg, fluoxetine 20 mg/kg + Vitamin C 100 mg/kg, and fluoxetine 20 mg/kg + Vitamin C 150 mg/kg. Treatments were administered daily via oral gavage for 60 days, followed by assessments of testicular weight, semen analysis, oxidative stress biomarkers (CAT and GPx), and histomorphology. The data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Turkey’s post-hoc multiple comparison test, reporting as mean±SEM using The GraphPad Prism version 6.0 for Windows, with significance set at p< 0.05.Results: Vitamin C, administered particularly at higher doses, significantly increased body weight, testicular weight, and antioxidant enzyme levels (glutathione peroxidase and catalase) while improving fertility parameters such as sperm count, motility, and viability in treated rats (P< 0.05). Fluoxetine alone led to a significant reduction (P< 0.05) in these parameters, but the combination with Vitamin C mitigated these effects. Histological analysis showed improved testicular structure in Vitamin C-treated groups, highlighting its protective role against fluoxetine-induced testicular damage.Conclusion: Ascorbic acid has testiculoprotective potential in fluoxetine-induced spermatotoxicity, mainly owing to its antioxidant properties.Keywords: testiculo-protection, oxidative stress, histomorphology, spermatotoxicity, ascorbic acid, vitamin C, male fertility

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection present a significant impact on women's health globally, especially in immunocompromised individuals. HIV-induced immunosuppression promotes the persistence of high-risk HPV infection and increased the progression to cervical cancer. The aim of this systematic review was to assessed the impact of HPV/HIV co-infection on the prevalence and distribution of HR-HPV genotypes, the level of immunosuppression and expression of cervical cancer biomarkers., Method: The article selection method for this review was based on the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. The total of eighty-four (84) articles from standard electronic databases mainly Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus were extracted and reviewed. The articles were published in English between 2008 and 2024 and comprised a total of 80023 participants., Results: The HR-HPV genotypes reported across various studies include HPV16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 58, 59, 66, 68, 70, 73, and 82. Among HIV positive individuals, the most common circulating HR-HPV genotypes were HPV16, 18, 45, 35, and 58, accounted for 11%, 10%, 9%, 8%, and 8% of cases, respectively. Approximately 29.1% and 30.0% of patients had CD4 counts of 200-400 cells/L and 300-400 cells/L, respectively. The most commonly reported cervical cancer biomarkers were p16INK4a and Ki-67, according to the analysis., Conclusion: The findings indicate high prevalence of multiple HR-HPV genotypes among HIV positive individuals, indicating the impact of HPV/HIV co-infection on immunosuppression and persistence of HPV infection. The expression of cervical cancer biomarker such as p16INK4a and Ki-67 emphasized target screening and early detection strategy in high-risk population. However, there was no direct impact of HPV/HIV co-infection reported on these biomarkers and required to be studied more especially in people living with HIV., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval and consent to participate: No Ethical approval was required for the work. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to determine whether C. mannii seed oil (CMSO) could shield rats from cyclophosphamide-induced hepatorenal toxicity. The focus was on its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We randomly assigned thirty-six (36) male Wistar rats into six groups of six rats each. Groups A and B served as normal and negative controls, respectively. Group C, the standard control, was administered 300 mg/kg body weight (bw) of Omega 3 oil for 27 days, followed by 100 mg/kg bw of cyclophosphamide on day 28. Group D, E, and F received 5, 2.5, and 1.5 ml/kg b.w. of CMSO for 27 days, then 100 ml/kg b.w. of cyclophosphamide on day 28. We measured the body weights of the experimental rats every week. Rats of all groups were sacrificed on day 30 and collected blood for biochemical analysis using standard methods. The phytochemical constituents were determined by the spectrophotometric method. The phytochemical study of CMSO indicated the relative composition of constituents(mg/100g) as phenols (30 %), tannins (20 %), flavonoids (18 %), terpenoids (15 %), glycosides (10 %), alkaloids (5 %), and HCN (2 %) in Cucumeropsis mannii seed oil. When cyclophosphamide was given to Wistar albino rats, it greatly decreased the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), but it increased the activities of iNOS and the levels of MDA and IL-1β. Cyclophosphamide increased ALT (52.3 U/L), AST (48.7 U/L), ALP (46.5 U/L), total bilirubin (1.4 mg/dL), conjugated bilirubin (0.8 mg/dL), creatinine (0.8 mg/dL), urea (45.6 mg/dL), and BUN (15.7 mg/dL), with a reduction in the albumin (4.8 g/dL) level. Cyclophosphamide administration also caused hepatocellular necrosis, inflammatory leukocyte infiltration, tubular necrosis, and proteinaceous deposits in Bowman's space in the kidney. However, combining CMSO and Omega 3 oils significantly restored the altered histology architecture, antioxidant, inflammatory markers, and liver and kidney function parameters to levels comparable to the normal group, thereby reducing the harmful effects of cyclophosphamide. This effect did not depend on the dose. These results suggest that CMSO, being an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory, could potentially aid in preventing and treating hepatorenal toxicity resulting from cyclophosphamide., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Aja, Patrick Maduabuchi Aja reports equipment, drugs, or supplies was provided by Ebonyi State University Faculty of Biological Sciences. Aja, Patrick Maduabuchi reports a relationship with Kampala International University - Western Campus that includes: employment. Patrick Maduabuchi Aja has patent pending to Aja, Patrick Maduabuchi. There is no other information on conflict of interest. Thank you If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2025 The Authors.)

Background: Advancement in medical education has led to the adoption of online learning platforms in the development and execution of learning modules. Online learning platforms are appraised and accessed regarding their capability of ensuring a seamless experience and enhancing satisfaction in users, especially students. In this study, the satisfaction and learning experience of medical students were studied with emphasis on their sociodemographic features., Method: Data were collected using a structured questionnaires distributed to a group of medical students in a medical college in Eastern Nigeria. 300 undergraduate students from Enugu State University of Science and Technology participated in this survey from four departments: anatomy, medical laboratory, nursing, and medicine. The questionnaires included closed-ended questions divided into sociodemographic information, learning experience, and satisfaction with online learning., Result: Results from the survey indicate that sociodemographic factors like the course of study and sex of respondents show a noticeable relationship to the learning experience and satisfaction with online learning platforms while other factors have no impact. The majority of respondents (63.1%) strong agreed that online learning platform effectively delivers medical course content with a mean value of user learning experience of online learning platform as 4.15., Conclusion: Feature perception, learning experience, and satisfaction level of medical students were dependent on their course of study and sex, thus independent course curriculum was relevant in determining satisfaction of students. The findings of this study add to the empirical and practical understanding of students' satisfaction with using online learning platforms as a success in medical education and its use is recommended by other medical institutions., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Approval was sort and obtained from the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences Research and Ethical Committee (Reference Number: ESUT/ANA/2024/023). Consent forms were presented to the study participant to enable them to give a written informed consent to participate in the studies. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Cadaveric dissection has remained an integral part of anatomical education globally; hence, the profiles of cadavers, their gross tissue and microbial integrity has great implication in anatomical education. This study determined the profiles, gross tissue and microbial integrity of cadavers used in South-western Uganda (SWU) medical schools. A cross-sectional study was carried out for three months in anatomy and microbiology laboratories of SWU medical teaching institutions. Ethical approval was obtained, cadavers were proportionately selected and examined grossly, and surface swabs taken for microbial analysis. Data collected was entered into Microsoft Excel, cleaned, and exported to Stata version 17 for analysis. Majority of cadavers were male (68%), adult (96%), blacks (100%), unknown cause of death (96%), obtained as unclaimed bodies (100%) and with no cadaver record tag (96%). Nearly a half (48%) cadavers had disrupted dentition, 68% had poor muscle integrity and 80% with abnormal fat. About 27% cadavers had poor surface microbial integrity among which 62.5% had a mixture of both bacteria and fungi, 25.0% had only fungi while 12.5% had only bacteria. A high number of cadavers had micro-organisms on their surfaces with majority having a mixture of bacteria and fungi. Majority of cadavers had poor gross tissue integrity. Better cadaver preservation methods should be adopted. To advocate for the establishment of cadaver donation policy and programs through which good quality cadavers can be obtained.

Background: Proficiency in anatomy is of great importance for healthcare professionals and medical students alike, as it facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the structure and function of the human body. Despite the obvious significance, medical students have often felt challenged in studying anatomy., Purpose: The studyassessed the perceptions and challenges faced by undergraduate medical students in studying anatomy at Kampala International University - Western Campus (KIU-WC) in Uganda., Materials and Methods: Employing a quantitative cross-sectional descriptive design, the study involved the administration of a standardized questionnaire to a cohort of 525 first- and second-year medical students. The questionnaire encompassed sections on student perceptions and challenges faced in studying anatomy., Results: The findings revealed that the majority of respondents 473/525 (90%) held positive perceptions of anatomy recognizing its importance in diagnosis, understanding the human body, medical terminology acquisition, and clinical preparation. While age (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.54 - 1.97, p =0.93) and gender (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.32 - 0.87, p =0.93) did not significantly impact student perceptions, positive perceptions were observed across different religious affiliations and nationalities, suggesting the universal recognition of anatomy's importance. The commonest challenges were a limited time for revision before their mid-semester and end-of-semester examination 383/525 (73.0%), information overload 374/525 (71.2%) and a lack of suitable equipment and poor internet connection for assessing online resources 352/525 (67.1%)., Conclusion: In conclusion, respondents with positive perceptions dominated with higher percentages among all ages, genders, nationalities, and religions; the commonest challenges included a limited time for revisions before their mid-semester and end-of-semester examinations, information overload, a lack of suitable equipment and poor internet connection for assessing online resources., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2023 Atupele Mwabaleke et al.)