Assessing the Understanding of Primary School Teachers in the Rural Communities of Limpopo Province, South Africa-Are We Trauma Informed?

Background/objectives: To effectively support children's learning and well-being, primary educators must thoroughly understand child trauma. Being 'trauma informed' means recognizing the impact of trauma and responding supportively, which can help mitigate its adverse effects on learners. This study explored the understanding of childhood trauma among primary school teachers in Limpopo province, focusing on the circuits of Mvudi and Dzindi due to their high prevalence of childhood traumatic experiences.

Environmental Pollutants as Emerging Concerns for Cardiac Diseases: A Review on Their Impacts on Cardiac Health.

Comorbidities related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and environmental pollution have emerged as serious concerns. The exposome concept underscores the cumulative impact of environmental factors, including climate change, air pollution, chemicals like PFAS, and heavy metals, on cardiovascular health. Chronic exposure to these pollutants contributes to inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial dysfunction, further exacerbating the global burden of CVDs.

Ezetimibe Anticancer Activity via the p53/Mdm2 Pathway.

Background: Ezetimibe is used to treat cardiovascular disease as it blocks the sterol transporter Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1CL1) protein. However, recent evidence indicates that Ezetimibe inhibits several cancers indirectly by reducing circulating cholesterol or via specific signalling pathways.

Methods And Results: Our in silico studies indicate that Ezetimibe binds to the Tp53 binding domain in Mdm2, forming a more thermodynamically stable complex than nutlin3a.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Infection Prevention and Control Nurses in Public Hospitals in the Limpopo Province: A Qualitative Study.

A crucial aspect of delivering healthcare is infection prevention and control (IPC), especially in public hospitals where the high volume of patients and limited resources can heighten the risk of healthcare-associated infections. This qualitative study explores IPC nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and practices in public hospitals within the Limpopo province of South Africa. The study adopted a qualitative descriptive design.

A Cross-Sectional, Descriptive Qualitative Study of Information Counselling During Tuberculosis Treatment in South Africa: Awareness of XDR-TB Patients on Ototoxic Effects.

Ototoxicity is a significant adverse effect associated with second-line anti-tuberculosis (TB) medications, particularly in treating extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB). This study investigated the awareness of ototoxic effects among adults with XDR-TB undergoing treatment in South Africa, specifically exploring the role of information counselling on ototoxic symptoms, the timing of counselling, the content covered, and the management pathways available. This cross-sectional, descriptive qualitative study was conducted at Brooklyn Chest Hospital in the Western Cape.

Ergonomic Challenges and Musculoskeletal Pain During Remote Working: A Study of Academic Staff at a Selected University in South Africa During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid shift to remote working, which affected ergonomic conditions and increased the risk of upper body musculoskeletal pain (MSP). This study assessed the prevalence and impact of upper body MSP (affecting the head, neck, shoulders, and back) among academic staff at a University of Technology during the pandemic. Data were collected from 110 participants through an online, descriptive, cross-sectional survey adapted from the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire, and the McCaffrey Initial Pain Assessment Tool.

Under-Five Child Poverty and Income Inequality in South Africa: A Multidimensional Perspective at the Lowest Geographic Areas.

Under-five child poverty and income inequality are complex socio-economic phenomena that significantly impact the well-being of children worldwide. While there is a growing body of literature addressing child poverty in South Africa, our understanding of settlement discrepancies and factors influencing multidimensional under-five child poverty and income in the country remains limited. This study assesses under-five-specific multidimensional poverty and the determinates of child poverty and inequality in the lowest geographical areas in South Africa.

Digital Health Interventions for Adolescents with Long-Term Health Conditions in South Africa: A Scoping Review.

Adolescents with long-term health conditions may benefit from digital health interventions (DHIs) to support self-management. The study aimed to map the current research on DHIs for adolescents with long-term conditions in South Africa, focusing on the types of interventions, targeted chronic conditions, and reported outcomes. The scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist.

Nuclear Intron Sequence Variation of the Complex (Mollusca: Planorbidae): Implications for Molecular Systematic Analyses.

Urinary schistosomiasis is caused by the blood fluke , which is predominantly found in Africa. The freshwater snail is its main intermediate host. The species that make up the group are genetically complex, and their taxonomic status remains controversial.

Advancing Sustainable HIV Services Through Integration in Primary Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Perspective on Practical Recommendations.

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to bear a disproportionate burden of the global HIV epidemic. Integrating HIV services into primary healthcare is a crucial strategy to accelerate progress towards ending the epidemic. However, several challenges hinder effective integration, including underfunding, human resource shortages, infrastructure limitations, weak health systems, and sociocultural factors.

Effect of Health Education Intervention on Knowledge and Adherence to Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnancy Among Women.

Malaria in pregnancy is a global health problem because it causes anemia in the mother and may result in abortion, stillbirth, uterine growth retardation, and low birth weight in the newborn. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of HEI on knowledge and adherence to intermittent preventive treatment of malaria among pregnant women at secondary health facilities in Benue State, Nigeria. This quasi-experimental study included pre-, intervention, and post-intervention.

Ensuring Africa's Food Security by 2050: The Role of Population Growth, Climate-Resilient Strategies, and Putative Pathways to Resilience.

Africa is grappling with severe food security challenges driven by population growth, climate change, land degradation, water scarcity, and socio-economic factors such as poverty and inequality. Climate variability and extreme weather events, including droughts, floods, and heatwaves, are intensifying food insecurity by reducing agricultural productivity, water availability, and livelihoods. This study examines the projected threats to food security in Africa, focusing on changes in temperature, precipitation patterns, and the frequency of extreme weather events.

Development, implementation, and evaluation of an innovative clinical trial operations training program for Africa (ClinOps).

Background: Africa's involvement in clinical trials remains very low. Although the crucial role of training initiatives in building clinical trial capacity in Africa has been documented, current efforts fall short as they lack alignment with local contexts. This study aimed to design, develop, implement, and evaluate an innovative clinical trial operations training program for Africa.

Predicting home delivery and identifying its determinants among women aged 15-49 years in sub-Saharan African countries using a Demographic and Health Surveys 2016-2023: a machine learning algorithm.

Background: Birth-related mortality is significantly increased by home births without skilled medical assistance during delivery, presenting a major risk to the public's health. The objective of this study is to predict home delivery and identify the determinants using machine learning algorithm in sub-Saharan African.

Methods: This study used design science approaches.

Where is Batho Pele? The perspective of child and adolescent mental health service users in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

Background: Mental health disorders of children and adolescents represent a key area of concern, yet child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) are neglected, especially in low- and middle-income countries. There is a clear need to provide services that are relevant to the needs of service users, but little research to date has explored their needs and experiences of services, or to identify their recommendations for service strengthening. In 1997 the South African Government introduced the "Batho Pele" ('People First') initiative in all public sector services, with the aim of putting the voices of service users at the centre of decision-making of policy development and implementation.

High prevalence of multidrug resistant and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from urinary tract infections in the West region, Cameroon.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance remains a worldwide health problem with serious societal and economical repercussions. Multidrug resistant and Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase producing-Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) are pathogens of critical public health priority that urgently require the research and development of new drugs. This study aims to determine the prevalence and characterize the genes conferring resistance to β-lactams among Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) in the West region, Cameroon.

Can AIDS education reduce HIV stigma? Evidence from Zimbabwe.

HIV stigma remains a barrier to HIV prevention, testing, and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa. This study uses Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey data to examine how education reduces HIV stigma, focusing on two key initiatives: the 1992 AIDS Action Program, which enhanced HIV awareness, and the 1980 education reform, which expanded schooling access. By addressing gaps in the literature on external HIV stigma, the study highlights education's long-term impact on attitudes toward people living with HIV.

Transurethral resection of the prostate across continents: a meta-analysis evaluating quality of gold standard in the twenty-first century.

Purpose: To compare outcomes of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) across different regions worldwide over the past two decades.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials indexed to PubMed that assessed TURP. A total of 102 studies with 8,454 patients were included and grouped by continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, and Others (North America, South America, and Australia).

Outcomes of popliteal artery injuries in a level 1 trauma centre: a 6-year review.

Purpose: To determine modifiable and non-modifiable factors contributing to limb loss in PAI the relevance and accuracy of published scoring systems for PAI within a South African State hospital.

Methodology: Retrospective review of patients (> 18 years) with PAI, presenting to CMJAH trauma unit from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2022.

Results: Sixty-four patient records were analysed.

Derivation of human toxicokinetic parameters and internal threshold of toxicological concern for tenuazonic acid through a human intervention trial and hierarchical Bayesian population modeling.

Background: Tenuazonic acid (TeA), a mycotoxin produced by Alternaria alternata, contaminates various food commodities and is known to cause acute and chronic health effects. However, the lack of human toxicokinetic (TK) data and the reliance on external exposure estimates have stalled a comprehensive risk assessment for TeA.

Objective: To bridge this gap, a human TK trial and population-based TK (PopTK) modeling were applied to determine human TK parameters of TeA, and the results were applied for risk screening using population biomonitoring data and threshold of toxicological concern (TTC)-based approaches.

Characteristics of children and adolescents with multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis and their association with treatment outcomes: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: There are few data on the treatment of children and adolescents with multidrug-resistant (MDR) or rifampicin-resistant (RR) tuberculosis, especially with more recently available drugs and regimens. We aimed to describe the clinical and treatment characteristics and their associations with treatment outcomes in this susceptible population.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis.

Multimorbidity patterns and function among adults in low- and middle-income countries: a scoping review.

Objectives: To map the scope of available evidence on relationships between multimorbidity patterns and functioning among adults in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and describe methods used.

Design: Scoping review guided by a five-step methodological framework and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews reporting guidelines.

Data Sources: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EBSCOhost (CINAHL) and Cochrane databases were searched from January 1976 to March 2023, plus reference lists of included studies.

Behavioural factors associated with cigarette quitting behaviour: an analysis of cross-sectional survey data collected in three low-income South African communities.

Objective: To study the behavioural factors associated with sustained cigarette smoking cessation, and those associated with a current smoker attempting to quit, among current and former cigarette smokers living in low-income South African communities.

Setting: Three low-income areas in South Africa.

Design: In-person surveys with structured questions that asked respondents about their cigarette smoking and quitting behaviour, sociodemographic information and behavioural attributes.

Daily activity patterns of a near-threatened endemic wetland specialist, the Southern African vlei rat (Otomys auratus).

The genus Otomys exhibits diverse activity patterns in the field, making them ideal subjects for studying circadian biology. The Southern African vlei rat (Otomys auratus) has previously been categorised as diurnal or crepuscular, but also displays some nocturnal activity. This study aimed to confirm the temporal niche of vlei rats in a laboratory setting and examine changes in activity when provided with a running wheel.