South African guidelines on the determination of death.

Summary: Death is a medical occurrence that has social, legal, religious and cultural consequences requiring common clinical standards for its diagnosis and legal regulation. This document compiled by the Critical Care Society of Southern Africa outlines the core standards for determination of death in the hospital context. It aligns with the latest evidence-based research and international guidelines and is applicable to the South African context and legal system.

South African guidelines on the determination of death.

Death is a medical occurrence that has social, legal, religious and cultural consequences requiring common clinical standards for its diagnosis and legal regulation. This document compiled by the Critical Care Society of Southern Africa outlines the core standards for determination of death in the hospital context. It aligns with the latest evidence-based research and international guidelines and is applicable to the South African context and legal system.

Differentiation of Tarchonanthus camphoratus L. and Tarchonanthus parvicapitulatus P.P.J. Herman (Asteraceae) using electron microscopy, and comparison of their biological activities.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Tarchonanthus camphoratus L. complex has numerous medicinal uses amongst the sub-Saharan African populace, including treatment for bronchospasm. This study focused on providing scientific rationale for the traditional use of the extracts of T.

The determinants of contraception use amongst female patients attending Odi District Hospital, Gauteng province, South Africa.

Background: Empowering women to have a full control over the size of their family is not only an issue of human rights but also a sustainable development goal.1 This study sought to determine the factors influencing the use of contraception amongst female patients aged 18-49 years attending Odi District Hospital, Tshwane district.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out from September 2018 to February 2019 at Odi District Hospital.

Selected pathobiological features and principles of pharmacological pain management.

Pain induced by inflammation and nerve injury arises from abnormal neural activity of primary afferent nociceptors in response to tissue damage, which causes long-term elevation of the sensitivity and responsiveness of spinal cord neurons. Inflammatory pain typically resolves following resolution of inflammation; however, nerve injury-either peripheral or central-may cause persistent neuropathic pain, which frequently manifests as hyperalgesia or allodynia. Neuralgias, malignant metastatic bone disease, and diabetic neuropathy are some of the conditions associated with severe, often unremitting chronic pain that is both physically and psychologically debilitating or disabling.

Stress and coping mechanisms of officers of the South African Police Service based in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South Africa.

Background: In this study, stress is conceptualised as a psychological syndrome in response to stressors. Stress and inappropriate coping mechanisms constitute a serious problem in police profession. Organisational causes of stress, such as lack of support from management, are additional stressors.

South African guidelines for receptor radioligand therapy (RLT) with Lu-177-PSMA in prostate cancer.

Background: Prostate cancer is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in South Africa, as it is in the rest of the world. In African men, however, prostate cancer tends to follow a more aggressive course when compared to their European counterparts. This is attributed to a plethora of diverse factors of which an underlying genetic component has been shown to be an important aspect.

F-FDG PET/CT as a Noninvasive Biomarker for Assessing Adequacy of Treatment and Predicting Relapse in Patients Treated for Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Microbial culture is the gold standard for determining the effectiveness of tuberculosis treatment. End-of-treatment (EOT) F-FDG PET/CT findings are variable among patients with negative microbial culture results after completing a standard regimen of antituberculous treatment (ATT), with some patients having a complete metabolic response to treatment whereas others have residual metabolic activity (RMA). We herein determine the impact of findings on EOT F-FDG PET/CT on tuberculosis relapse in patients treated with a standard regimen of ATT for drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis (DS-PTB).

Congenital Rubella Syndrome Surveillance in South Africa Using a Sentinel Site Approach: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) includes disorders associated with intrauterine rubella infection. Incidence of CRS is higher in countries with no rubella-containing vaccines (RCV) in their immunization schedules. In the World Health Organization African region, RCVs are being introduced as part of the 2012-2020 global measles and rubella strategic plan.

Postherpetic Neuralgia and Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is an unpredictable complication of varicella zoster virus- (VZV-) induced herpes zoster (HZ) which often occurs in elderly and immunocompromised persons and which can induce psychosocial dysfunction and can negatively impact on quality of life. Preventive options for PHN include vaccination of high-risk persons against HZ, early use of antiviral agents, and robust management of pain during the early stage of acute herpes zoster. If it does occur, PHN may persist for months or even years after resolution of the HZ mucocutaneous eruptions, and treatment is often only partially effective.

Clinical and microbiological features of invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella associated with HIV-infected patients, Gauteng Province, South Africa.

The aim of this study was to define factors associated with HIV-infected versus uninfected patients with invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella (iNTS) and factors associated with mortality, which are inadequately described in Africa.Laboratory-based surveillance for iNTS was undertaken. At selected sentinel sites, clinical data (age, sex, HIV status, severity of illness, and outcome) were collected.

Variation in stratum corneum protein content as a function of anatomical site and ethnic group.

Objectives: Quantification of stratum corneum (SC) protein levels from tape strippings is frequently used to investigate skin conditions, to correct for amounts of SC protein removed in SC biomarker studies and to determine distribution of topically applied ingredients. In recent years, a rapid and convenient method for SC protein quantification from tape strippings has become available using infrared densitometry (IRD). However, standard curves have only been generated for Caucasian forearm and shoulder SC and have been assumed to be correct not only for facial SC but also for SC samples of other ethnic groups.

A novel continuous colour mapping approach for visualization of facial skin hydration and transepidermal water loss for four ethnic groups.

Objectives: The aim of this exploratory study was to develop a novel colour mapping approach to visualize and interpret the complexity of facial skin hydration and barrier properties of four ethnic groups (Caucasians, Indians, Chinese and Black Africans) living in Pretoria, South Africa.

Methods: We measured transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin capacitance on 30 pre-defined sites on the forehead, cheek, jaw and eye areas of sixteen women (four per ethnic group) and took digital images of their faces. Continuous colour maps were generated by interpolating between each measured value and superimposing the values on the digital images.