SUMMARYAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a public health threat that requires a coordinated and multi-sectoral approach. AMR is largely underexplored in Central Asia, a region shaped by the Soviet legacy. This narrative review aimed to synthesize evidence on the AMR landscape from articles published in five countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. A structured search of peer-reviewed and gray literature was conducted, covering AMR prevalence, consumption patterns, knowledge, awareness, practices, stewardship interventions, and AMR governance. Key findings revealed that all five countries in the region have retained the rigidly centralized public health system, which was formerly known as the Sanitary Epidemiological Service during the Soviet era. This has led to fragmented surveillance and poor AMR monitoring. Up to 70% of Enterobacterales spp. were resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, and up to 58% of Staphylococcus species exhibited macrolide resistance. Consumption of Watch group antibiotics ranged from 53% to 68%, with a broad preference for injectables. Self-medication was found to be common, with rates ranging between 26% and 40% among the general public. High levels of patient demand coincided with medical errors, affecting up to 80% of antibiotic prescriptions. Only a limited number of antimicrobial stewardship studies were found, highlighting the insufficient integration of stewardship practices into routine healthcare delivery. Central Asian countries continue to face significant challenges because of the persistence of poor surveillance, high antibiotic consumption, and inadequate implementation of AMS because of long-standing legacies and systemic weaknesses. Addressing these gaps demands structural reforms, integrated surveillance systems, targeted education, and robust stewardship programs as urgent priorities.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is recognized as the global epicenter of human Mpox. While vaccination is crucial for outbreak prevention, especially as the disease transitions from zoonotic spillover to sustained human-to-human transmission, comprehensive assessments of vaccination coverage trends across the country are notably absent from the literature. This systematic review and meta-analysis address this gap by providing the first pooled estimate of Mpox vaccine uptake and acceptance in the DRC over a 54-year period (1970-2024). Our study captures critical transitions, including the post-smallpox eradication era and recent global outbreaks, to identify temporal trends, geographic disparities in this high-risk setting. We conducted this review following PRISMA guidelines, systematically searching PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Sciences, CINAHL, and Embase. Grey literature was also searched to ensure comprehensiveness. Using random-effects models, we calculated pooled estimates for vaccine uptake and acceptance rates, with prespecified subgroup analyses examining variations by: (1) period, (2) geographic region, and (3) type of participants. We quantified heterogeneity using I² statistics and conducted meta-regression to identify predictors of vaccination coverage heterogeneity. A p-value ˂ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Our analysis revealed a pooled Mpox vaccine uptake of 20.01% (95% CI: 7.45-43.75) with high heterogeneity (I² = 99.4%, p < 0.001), indicating substantial variability across studies. Vaccine acceptance was higher at 54.17% (95% CI: 20.82-84.16) with high heterogeneity (I² = 97.6%, p < 0.001). Temporal analysis showed a significant decline from 32.30% (95% CI: 14.62-57.75) coverage during 1970-2000 to 1.36% (95% CI: 0.29-6.11) in 2020-2024. Geographic disparities existed, with the Northwest regions achieving 47.11% (95% CI: 13.46-83.61) coverage compared to 5.47% (95% CI: 0.56-37.32) in Eastern conflict-affected zones. Meta-regression identified no significant predictors of coverage heterogeneity. Despite moderate acceptance rates, actual Mpox vaccination uptake in the DRC remains low, with worsening coverage in recent years and substantial regional inequities. These findings underscore the urgent need for context-specific interventions to bridge the intention-action gap in this high-risk setting.

Young people face challenges in accessing information on HIV and sexual and reproductive health services, with corresponding suboptimal uptake. Decision aids can provide information and decisional support to improve young people's engagement with health interventions. However, they have not been widely implemented among young people. The availability of different choices for HIV and pregnancy prevention means that it is important to implement interventions that facilitate informed choices for these methods. We describe a protocol for a scoping review that aims to explore the availability, acceptability and use of decision aids for HIV prevention and contraception for young people. We will identify relevant studies from the following electronic databases from inception to current date: PubMed, Scopus and Global Health; and grey literature databases, namely medRxiv and Open Access Theses and Dissertations. Eligible studies will report on HIV prevention and/or contraception decision aids and be written in English. Data extraction will be done by two reviewers independently using templates, with discrepancies resolved by consensus. Analysis will be done narratively, and separate for HIV prevention and contraception decision aids. Analysis will also include determination of the suitability of each decision aid for use by young people aged 15-24 years. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews will be employed to present results. This review does not require ethics approval. The findings from this work will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at local and international conferences. This scoping review protocol is registered in Open Science Framework with Project DOI: 10.17605/OSF/IO/46YWG (accessible via: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/46YWG).

Purpose The persistent digital divide across African regions undermines educational, economic and civic outcomes. Public and academic libraries are well positioned to mitigate these disparities through digital literacy initiatives. This study aims to review capacity-building programs and competency frameworks implemented in African libraries between 2010 and 2025. Design/methodology/approach Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, systematic searches were conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO, AJOL, ERIC, ProQuest and grey literature sources. Predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria guided the selection of empirical studies, case reports and evaluations of digital literacy interventions. In total, 84 studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings Libraries offered diverse initiatives for staff (workshops, online modules, mentorship and fellowships) and users (formal courses, drop-in clinics and curriculum integration). Infrastructure investment, cross-sector partnerships and resource sharing enhanced capacity, while only 37% of studies referenced formal frameworks such as the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions or DigComp, with limited local adaptation. Academic libraries emphasized research-oriented training, whereas public libraries focused on basic e-skills and community outreach. Persistent challenges included unreliable power, limited funding and weak sustainability planning, though staff confidence and user engagement showed significant gains. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first systematic review to synthesize evidence on library-led digital literacy initiatives across Africa within a 15-year span. It provides critical insights into enablers, barriers and framework usage, offering policy and practice recommendations to embed libraries in national digital inclusion strategies and support the development of African-centric competency frameworks.

Enhancing lifelong learning skills in pharmacy education: A scoping review of the literature.

Interventions to improve patients' knowledge in ophthalmology: A systematic review and narrative synthesis.

Economic burden and economic impact of oral diseases in India: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The benefits and harms of cancer screening programmes for adults with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review.

Evaluating digital mental health interventions for Middle East and North Africa children and adolescents affected by armed conflict: A systematic review.

Lead is a nonessential, toxic heavy metal that causes widespread environmental contamination, affecting humans, animals, plants, and ecosystems. Globally, an estimated 800 million children have blood lead levels (BLLs) above 5 µg/dL. Lead persists in the environment and accumulates in the body, particularly in bone, due to its chemical similarity to calcium. This review aimed to summarize the prevalence, environmental sources, molecular and cellular mechanisms, dose-dependent toxic effects, and mitigation strategies related to lead exposure. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies published between 2010 and 2025. Both peer-reviewed and gray literature were qualitatively synthesized. The findings indicated that lead exposure is pervasive, with detectable levels in 100% of participants in EU biomonitoring studies. In the United States, ~590,000 children under 5 years of age had BLLs above 3.5 µg/dL. Lead disrupts essential metal homeostasis, induces oxidative stress, causes mitochondrial dysfunction, disrupts calcium signaling, impairs heme synthesis, and triggers DNA damage, endoplasmic reticulum stress, cell membrane injury, and impaired signal transduction. Experimental studies in mice and chickens demonstrated dose-dependent accumulation in blood, tissues, and organs, accompanied by significant decreases in Zn, Fe, Mg, and Ca levels and elevated oxidative stress markers. Effective mitigation strategies include regulatory policies, environmental remediation, occupational safety measures, public health education, maternal and child health interventions, food and water safety measures, technological innovations, and continuous monitoring. This review showed that lead remains a significant public health threat and underscores the need for targeted and equity-focused interventions.

Exploring the personal impact of cluttering: A scoping review of current evidence.

Association between endocrine disruptors and surgical congenital malformations: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

The role of digital twin technology in modern emergency care.

Magnetic resonance angiography-detected vulnerable plaque features at 3.0 T field strength are associated with symptomatic presentation in carotid artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Global and regional knowledge of antibiotic use and resistance among the general public: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Analysis and recommendations to improve national cancer control plans and policies informed by a 20 country analysis.

Indian immigrants experience significant dietary acculturation post-migration, shifting from traditional diets to more westernised eating patterns influenced by socioeconomic and environmental factors. This transition, often marked by increased processed food consumption and reduced intake of traditional staples, contributes to elevated risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Despite the growing Indian diaspora in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK, the evidence on their dietary acculturation remains limited. This review will adopt the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews. A three-step search strategy will be applied across databases including MEDLINE (via PubMed), CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science. Google Scholar will be used as a supplementary search tool to identify additional relevant studies. The search will include peer-reviewed studies and grey literature published in English between 1 January 2000 and 22 May 2025. First-generation Indian immigrants of all ages will be included, while second-generation immigrants, refugee populations and studies linked to non-communicable disease interventions will be excluded. Screening will be conducted in Covidence by two independent reviewers, with discrepancies resolved by a third reviewer. Data will be extracted using a standard JBI tool, charted in tabular form, and synthesised narratively and thematically. As this review will use published and publicly available data, formal ethics approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication, conference presentations and community engagement.

Scoping review on motorcycle crashes patterns, risk factors, and potential in setting policy priorities in the gulf cooperation council countries (GCC).

Implementing patient-reported outcome measures: A scoping review of existing guidance across clinical trials, practice and registries.

Abstract This article expands the historiography of nineteenth-century architecture by centering the logistics of information and money, people, and materials. Beginning with the 1857–58 uprising in India, it examines both buildings and infrastructure through previously unexplored archival material at the British Library and the British National Archives, alongside unpublished clerks’ memoirs and a range of gray literature. These sources and the methodological approach taken foreground previously unexplored aspects of the building’s interiors and equipment related to bureaucracy and political economy, addressing the India Office not as a singular object but as part of a system that enabled military, financial, and colonial operations. Through transregional analysis, the article situates the monumental India Office headquarters in London within a broader network of British imperialism that includes an off-site warehouse (the India Store Depot), a hostel for migrant workers (the Strangers’ Home), telegraph offices across India, and global financial markets.