Species Infections Detected from Fecal Samples of Animal and Human Hosts in South Africa: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This study presents a systematic review and meta-analysis approach of species prevalence studies in animal and human hosts published between 1980 and 2020 in South Africa. Extensive searches were conducted on three electronic databases including PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. The findings indicated an overall pooled prevalence estimate (PPE) of spp.

Under-5 Malaria and Fever Morbidities as Correlates of Anaemia in Niger: A Heteroscedasticity-Consistent Ordered Probit Approach.

: The relationship between malaria/other febrile infections and anaemia among under-5 children is a subject of significant policy relevance among African health policy makers. The international significance of addressing anaemia is prominently underscored in the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). This paper therefore analysed the effect of malaria/other febrile infections and other maternal and child's demographic variables on the prevalence of anaemia in Niger.

Global Comparisons of Age, Gender and Socioeconomic Status Differences of Physical Fitness Health Risk in South African Primary School Children: Longitudinal Data from the NW-CHILD Study.

Global physical fitness (PF) levels have declined over the past 50 years, contributing to early health risks in children although it is still unclear how age, gender and socioeconomic status (SES) impact PF risk. This study aimed to identify unique health risks related to age, SES and gender that might influence muscular fitness (MF) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels of primary school children in South Africa. Children ( = 349, boys = 165; girls = 184) of low ( = 201) and high SES ( = 148) underwent three time point measurements at 6, 9 and 12 years spanning seven primary school years.

Encouraging Continuous Usage of Wearable Activity Trackers: The Interplay of Perceived Severity, Susceptibility and Social Media Influencers.

While past studies have provided enough evidence to show consumer attitude as a key predictor of the adoption and continuous usage intention of wearable activity trackers (WATs), limited studies have examined the antecedents of consumers' attitudes towards the adoption and continuous usage intention of WATs. Drawing on the health belief model and cue utilization theory, the study seeks to examine the influence of perceived severity and vulnerability as antecedents of consumers' attitudes towards the adoption and continuous usage intention of WATs as well as the role of social media influencers (SMIs) in influencing continuous usage of WATs. Online survey data from 966 participants (M = 40.

Bluetongue virus serotype 12 in sheep and cattle in the Netherlands in 2024 - A BTV serotype reported in Europe for the first time.

Bluetongue (BT) is a viral vector borne disease primarily affecting ruminants such as sheep, cattle, and goats. On 3 September 2023, the Netherlands reported the first case of bluetongue virus serotype 3 (BTV-3/NET2023)), after being BTV free for eleven years. Vaccination with inactivated BT vaccines for serotype 3 has been applied in the Netherlands since May 2024.

Decreased frequency of sugar sweetened beverages intake among young children following the implementation of the health promotion levy in South Africa.

Objective: This study assessed the association between baseline sociodemographic variables, body composition and 4-year changes in the intake of food groups, including sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) among children, after implementation of the health promotion levy.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: 10 schools in North West Province, South Africa.

Modelling the health labour market outlook in Kenya: Supply, needs and investment requirements for health workers, 2021-2035.

Kenya is committed to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) within its devolved health system in which significant investments have been made in health infrastructure, workforce development, and service delivery. Despite these efforts, the country faces considerable health workforce challenges. To address these, the Ministry of Health undertook a comprehensive Health Labour Market Analysis (HLMA) in 2022 to generate evidence supporting the development of responsive health workforce policies.

The relationship between immune markers and tryptophan-kynurenine metabolites in South African people with HIV.

HIV-1 remains a global challenge, especially in high-prevalence areas like South Africa. This study explores the relationship between inflammation and metabolism in people with HIV, focusing on immune markers and the tryptophan-kynurenine (Trp-Kyn) pathway. We examined immune markers (hsCRP, suPAR, IL-6, NGAL, and sCD163) and Trp-Kyn metabolites (QUIN, Trp, Kyn, Trp/Kyn ratio, and kynurenic acid) in n = 69 treatment-naive South African people with HIV.

Multilevel modelling of the determinants of under-five deaths in South Africa: Evidence from the 2016 Demographic Health Survey.

Although South Africa is among the countries with lower under-five mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa, the country has failed to meet the national targets set to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. The study aimed to examine multilevel determinants of deaths of children under five in South Africa. Secondary data from the 2016 South Africa Demographic Health Survey was used to conduct bivariate and multilevel logistic regression analyses.

CIROZ is dispensable in ancestral vertebrates but essential for left-right patterning in humans.

Four genes-DAND5, PKD1L1, MMP21, and CIROP-form a genetic module that has specifically evolved in vertebrate species that harbor motile cilia in their left-right organizer (LRO). We find here that CIROZ (previously known as C1orf127) is also specifically expressed in the LRO of mice, frogs, and fish, where it encodes a protein with a signal peptide followed by 3 zona pellucida N domains, consistent with extracellular localization. We report 16 individuals from 10 families with bi-allelic CIROZ inactivation variants, which cause heterotaxy with congenital heart defects.

TiO-ZnO functionalized low-cost ceramic membranes from coal fly ash for the removal of tetracycline from water under visible light.

Hybrid wastewater treatment systems offer viable solutions to enhance the removal of complicated contaminants from aqueous system. This innovation has opened new avenues for advanced wastewater treatment processes. Herein, a novel TiO-ZnO functionalized coal fly ash-based ceramic membrane was fabricated by utilizing a combined pressing and sintering method.

Biotechnological advances in plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria for sustainable agriculture.

The rhizosphere, the soil zone surrounding plant roots, serves as a reservoir for numerous beneficial microorganisms that enhance plant productivity and crop yield, with substantial potential for application as biofertilizers. These microbes play critical roles in ecological processes such as nutrient recycling, organic matter decomposition, and mineralization. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) represent a promising tool for sustainable agriculture, enabling green management of crop health and growth, being eco-friendly alternatives to replace chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

A meta-analytic evaluation of the reliability of work-family and family-work conflict scales.

In occupational psychology, measuring the interplay between work and family roles is crucial. The Work-family conflict (WFC) and Family-Work Conflict (FWC) scales are indispensable tools in this endeavour. However, their reliability across diverse geographical locations and work settings, particularly during the global pandemic, requires thorough examination.

A machine learning model to predict the risk factors causing feelings of burnout and emotional exhaustion amongst nursing staff in South Africa.

Background: The demand for quality healthcare is rising worldwide, and nurses in South Africa are under pressure to provide care with limited resources. This demanding work environment leads to burnout and exhaustion among nurses. Understanding the specific factors leading to these issues is critical for adequately supporting nurses and informing policymakers.

A synthetic segmentation dataset generator using a 3D modeling framework and raycaster: a mining industry application.

Many industries utilize deep learning methods to increase efficiency and reduce costs. One of these methods, image segmentation, is used for object detection and recognition in localization and mapping. Segmentation models are trained using labeled datasets; however, manually creating datasets for every application, including deep-level mining, is time-consuming and typically expensive.

Identification and Evaluation of Natural Compounds as Potential Inhibitors of NS2B-NS3 Zika Virus Protease: A Computational Approach.

The Zika virus (ZIKV), an arbovirus within the Flavivirus genus, is associated with severe neurological complications, including Guillain-Barré syndrome in affected individuals and microcephaly in infants born to infected mothers. With no approved vaccines or antiviral treatments available, there is an urgent need for effective therapeutic options. This study aimed to identify new natural compounds with inhibitory potential against the NS2B-NS3 protease (PDB ID: 5LC0), an essential enzyme in viral replication.

The prognostic significance of stress-phenotyping for stroke incidence: the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study.

Background: Self-reported mental stress is not consistently recognized as a risk factor for stroke. This prompted development of a novel algorithm for stress-phenotype indices to quantify chronic stress prevalence in relation to a modified stroke risk score in a South African cohort. The algorithm is based on biomarkers adrenocorticotrophic hormone, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-sensitive cardiac-troponin-T, and diastolic blood pressure which exemplifies the stress-ischemic-phenotype index.

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in children: evaluating the importance of diagnosis and follow-up during childhood.

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is a rare inherited connective tissue disorder predominantly caused by pathogenic COL3A1 variants. Characteristic arterial and intestinal fragility and generalised severe tissue friability can lead to clinical events from childhood. We highlight a paucity of literature regarding children diagnosed with vEDS, possibly explained by a restraint in predictive testing, and present data on 63 individuals (23 index cases) with a clinical and genetic diagnosis of vEDS in childhood (<18 years) to address this.

Childhood adversity and peer influence in adolescent bullying perpetration.

Bullying among South African adolescents is a critical public health issue. This study explores the relationship between childhood adversity, peer influence, and personality traits in predicting bullying perpetration. Data from 769 high school learners were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling.

ZnO-Polyaniline Nanocomposite Functionalised with Laccase Enzymes for Electrochemical Detection of Cetyltrimethylammonuium Bromide (CTAB).

The direct discharge of cationic surfactants into environmental matrices has exponentially increased due to their wide application in many products. These compounds and their degraded products disrupt microbial dynamics, hinder plant survival, and affect human health. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop electroanalytical assessment techniques for their identification, determination, and monitoring.

Seeking Support: The Voice of Young Men Who Have Experienced Sexual Harm During Their Life Course.

The sexual abuse and assault of boys and men is not uncommon, and seeking support is useful in reducing negative outcomes. However, male survivors are less likely than women to seek support. Gendered norms and myths persist with several gender-specific barriers to seeking support existing for men.

Older women's well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: individual, community, and contextual factors.

Objective: This article aims to examine the influence of individual and community-contextual factors on the well-being of older women in Zambia during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on Bronfenbrenner's process-person-context-time model.

Methods: Secondary data from the nationally representative 2021 SEIA were used, and bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with the well-being of older women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results: Overall, 29% (613) of older women reported a decline in their well-being due to COVID-19.

Plants used for the management of venereal diseases in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and critical assessment of their research status.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa faces one of the highest burdens of venereal diseases (VDs) globally. This review aims to critically evaluate the existing literature on the diverse Indigenous knowledge and medicinal plants utilised for treating VDs in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: We used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol to guide the execution of the review.