The radiological features of HPV-positive vs HPV-negative OPSCC at a South African hospital.

Background: Studies have found that, at presentation, human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has a less advanced primary tumour, more advanced lymph node spread and commonly has cystic metastatic lymph nodes in comparison to HPV-negative OPSCC.

Objectives: To compare the radiological features of HPV-positive and HPV-negative OPSCC in South African patients.

Method: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at a large South African hospital.

Advanced tumour-induced osteomalacia secondary to sinonasal phosphaturic mesenchymal tumour.

Unlabelled: Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumours (PMT) are rare, benign lesions and the most common tumour to cause tumour-induced osteomalacia (TIO), a paraneoplastic syndrome. Patients frequently exhibit severe osteomalacia, accompanied by multiple fractures, which significantly impair their quality of life. Complete surgical resection is curative.

Correlative imaging and histopathology of a complicated sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma.

Unlabelled: Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma (SNTCS) is a highly malignant and rare tumour characterised by a complex admixture of teratomatous and carcinosarcomatous components. In the head and neck area, it almost exclusively occurs in the sinonasal cavities; however, rare instances of nasopharyngeal and oral cavity involvement have been reported, with fewer than 100 cases reported in the literature.

Contribution: The contributed case involves the correlative CT, MRI and histopathology of a sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma with intracranial involvement.

Otosyphilis: A rare cause of acute bilateral sensorineural hearing loss in a HIV-negative patient.

Bilateral acute hearing loss is rare, and the aetiology is poorly defined. Less common treatable pathologies such as otosyphilis must be part of the differential diagnosis and should be actively excluded. We present a case of a 23-year-old woman who developed acute bilateral hearing loss due to otosyphilis, confirmed on audiometry and laboratory tests.

Characterisation and Effects of Different Levels of Water Stress at Different Growth Stages in Malt Barley under Water-Limited Conditions.

Malt barley is typically grown in dryland conditions in South Africa. It is an important grain after wheat, but little is known about its water requirements and, most importantly, how it responds to water stress. Determining when water stress sets in and how malt barley responds to water deficit during its growing season is crucial for improved management of crop water requirements.

Corrigendum: Not always 'squame': The rare entity of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma of the tonsil presenting with cervical nodal metastases.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.4102/sajr.v24i1.

Seasonal variations of transpiration efficiency coefficient of irrigated wheat.

Global diminishing water resources, especially due to climate change have serious impacts on evaporation (E) from the soil surface, transpiration (T) from plants (crops) and grain yield, which relates to water use efficiency of different crops. A study was conducted at Kenilworth over two wheat cropping seasons (2007 and 2008) with the objectives of: (i) evaluating the effect of soils and seasons on T, E and yield, and (ii) relating these parameters to transpiration efficiency coefficient. The treatments included two soil types and two soil surface treatments (bare and mulched), which were all replicated four times.

Not always 'squame': The rare entity of follicular dendritic cell sarcoma of the tonsil presenting with cervical nodal metastases.

Although squamous cell carcinoma accounts for the overwhelming majority of head and neck malignant neoplasms, extranodal follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) of the pharyngeal region can have a similar clinical presentation. The histopathological features of this rare entity have been described and emphasised in the literature. We present the case of a 65-year-old male patient with FDCS of the tonsil to illustrate the radiologic findings of FDCS and also highlight this infrequent but salient differential diagnosis for adult head and neck neoplasia.

An exploration of cultural beliefs and practices across the Southern Ground-Hornbill's range in Africa.

Background: This article explores cultural beliefs and practices related to the Southern Ground-Hornbill (SGH) (Bucorvus leadbeateri) in nine southern and east-African countries.

Methods: A qualitative, thematic content-analysis approach was followed. Ninety-eight participants took part in the study.

The imaging characteristics of odontogenic myxoma and a comparison of three different imaging modalities.

Objective: To report the imaging characteristics of odontogenic myxoma (OM) and compare the different imaging modalities used.

Study Design: The radiological images of 33 OM cases were retrospectively analyzed. The radiographs were severally examined to describe the features of OM as seen on conventional radiographs (CRs), computed tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance images (MRIs).

Utilizing Eisenia andrei to assess the ecotoxicity of platinum mine tailings disposal facilities.

South Africa is an important platinum mining country which results in environmental impacts due to the construction of tailing disposal facilities (TDFs). It is unclear what the effects of ageing are on the ecotoxicity of TDFs and whether it increases or decreases over time. The aim of this study was to determine the ecotoxicity of differently aged TDFs by investigating earthworm (Eisenia andrei) responses viz.

Effects of different soil ameliorants on karee trees (Searsia lancea) growing on mine tailings dump soil-part I: pot trials.

Rehabilitation of mine tailings dams is often a challenge due to a lack of nutrients and a poor humus reservoir prevailing in tailings soils. This is especially true for establishing longer lived species such as trees. For these reasons the effects of different soil ameliorants (woodchips compost, vermicompost, mature sewage sludge), added to the root system of Karee (Searsia lancea) saplings were tested in pot trials.

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome: a 40-year study in the South African population.

Background: Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) is a hereditary autosomal dominant syndrome presenting with a number of signs and symptoms in different population groups.

Methods:   The investigators implemented a 40-year retrospective analysis of the clinical and radiological features of South Africans affected by NBCCS presenting at the Departments of Oral Surgery, Pathology and Radiology of two major referral hospitals. Details of age, gender, ethnic origin, clinical, and radiological findings were recorded and compared to previous reports.

An aberrant vascular channel in the petrous bone: persistent lateral capital vein?

An aberrant channel was identified on CT in the petrous bone in four patients presenting with unrelated otological symptoms. These channels occurred unilaterally in each case. In two patients, the channel was seen to run between the sigmoid sinus sulcus and the superior petrosal sinus sulcus; in one of these patients, a vascular structure was identified within this channel on MRI, connecting the sigmoid sinus and the superior petrosal sinus.