SOUTHERN JOURNAL OF SCIENCES

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a clinical disease correlated with a deficiency of insulin secretion or action.It is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The global burden of diabetes is rising dueto increasing obesity and population aging. Urinary tract infections (UTI) are common microbial infections knownto affect the different parts of the urinary tract accounting for major antibacterial drug consumption. About 150million UTI cases were diagnosed every year. Urinary tract infections are the most important and most commonsite of infections in a diabetic patient. Diabetic patients have been found to have a 5-fold frequency of acutepyelonephritis at autopsy than non-diabetics. Most of the urinary tract infections in patients with diabetes arerelatively asymptomatic. The presence of this syndrome predisposes to much more severe infections,particularly in patients with acute ketoacidosis, poor diabetic control, diabetic complications such as neuropathy,vasculopathy, and nephropathy. The Gram-negative aerobic bacilli are the large group of bacterial pathogensthat cause UTI with few species of Gram-positive bacteria. However, some fungi, parasites, and viruses havealso been reported to invade the urinary tract. Urinary tract infection affects women more than men due toseveral factors such as proximity of the genital tract to the urethra, anatomy of the female urethra, sexualactivity, menopause, and pregnancy. Other possible risk factors of UTI include allergy, obesity, diabetes, pasthistory of UTI, contraceptive use, catheter use, and family history. 

Editorial note.

Background: Scientific conferences play a vital role in knowledge exchange and collaboration across disciplines. Building on the success of its 2022 inaugural event, the Second Southern Science Conference (SSCON 2024) aimed to expand international scientific collaboration while addressing contemporary challenges in sustainability and research methodology. Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of a hybrid conference format in facilitating global scientific collaboration and to showcase cutting-edge research across multiple disciplines, with particular emphasis on sustainability and technological innovation in Latin America. Methods: The conference implemented a hybrid format combining in-person and virtual attendance. Over three days, 38 lectures were presented by renowned researchers, covering key topics including materials science, environmental sustainability, chemical processes, and regional development. Participation metrics and collaboration patterns were analyzed to assess the conference's impact. Results: The conference achieved significant participation with 242 contributing authors from 13 countries across four continents. Notable research presentations included advances in laser surface modification techniques, geotechnology applications in biofuel production, sustainable silica synthesis from biomass, and green valorization of tropical seeds. The conference produced 66 approved papers, with most involving 2-5 collaborators. Discussion: The hybrid format proved effective in removing geographical barriers and promoting global engagement. The strong representation from Latin American institutions highlighted the region's growing influence in international scientific discourse. Key research presentations demonstrated innovative approaches to sustainability challenges, particularly in waste utilization and environmental technology. Conclusion: SSCON 2024 successfully evolved from its predecessor, demonstrating the effectiveness of hybrid conferencing in fostering international scientific collaboration. The conference established itself as a vital platform for knowledge exchange, particularly in sustainability and technological innovation, while identifying areas for future improvement such as extended submission timelines and permanent management structures.