A Highly Divergent Mitochondrial Genome in Extant Cape Buffalo From Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.

The reduced cost of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has allowed researchers to generate nuclear and mitochondrial genome data to gain deeper insights into the phylogeography, evolutionary history and biology of non-model species. While the Cape buffalo () has been well-studied across its range with traditional genetic markers over the last 25 years, researchers are building on this knowledge by generating whole genome, population-level data sets to improve understanding of the genetic composition and evolutionary history of the species. Using publicly available NGS data, we assembled 40 Cape buffalo mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) from four protected areas in South Africa, expanding the geographical range and almost doubling the number of mitogenomes available for this species.

Infection and pulmonary vascular diseases consortium: United against a global health challenge.

Leveraging the potential of virtual platforms in the post-COVID-19 era, the Infection and Pulmonary Vascular Diseases Consortium (iPVDc), with the support of the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute (PVRI), launched a globally accessible educational program to highlight top-notch research on inflammation and infectious diseases affecting the lung vasculature. This innovative virtual series has already successfully brought together distinguished investigators across five continents - Asia, Europe, South and North America, and Africa. Moreover, these open global forums have contributed to a comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay among immunology, inflammation, infection, and cardiopulmonary health, especially concerning pulmonary hypertension and related pulmonary disorders.

The rising concern of Oropouche fever: a call for enhanced surveillance and research in emerging arboviral threats.

Aim Of Study: The study aims to assess the growing public health threat posed by Oropouche virus (OROV), focusing on its epidemiology, transmission patterns, and the challenges in diagnosis and control. By analyzing the recent spread of OROV to new regions, including Cuba and Colombia, the study seeks to highlight the need for improved surveillance, enhanced diagnostic capabilities, and research into potential treatments and vaccines. Additionally, the study investigates the clinical similarities between Oropouche fever and other arboviruses, which often lead to diagnostic difficulties and mismanagement in affected regions.

Scoping review of post-TB pulmonary vascular disease: Proceedings from the 2nd International Post-Tuberculosis Symposium.

Tuberculosis (TB) may cause significant long-term cardiorespiratory complications, of which pulmonary vascular disease is most under-recognized. TB is rarely listed as a cause of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in most PH guidelines, yet PH may develop at various stages in the time course of TB, from active infection through to the post-TB period. Predisposing risk factors for the development of PH are likely multifactorial, involving active TB disease and post-TB lung disease (PTLD), host-related and environment-related factors.

Results From South Africa's 2022 Healthy Active Kids' Report Card on Physical Activity, Body Composition Proxies, and Nutritional Status in Children and Adolescents.

Background: Physical activity (PA) and nutrition in children have an impact on overall physical and mental well-being, cognitive, and social development. This study aims to report on the best current available evidence on PA, body composition proxies, and nutritional status of South African children and adolescents, based on the published findings between 2018 and 2022, which comprise the 2022 Healthy Active Kids South Africa Report Card.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search of online databases, along with hand searching and a gray literature search, was conducted based on PA, body composition proxies, and nutrition indicators defined, in part, by the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance.

The Association Between Short-Acting β-Agonist Over-Prescription, and Patient-Reported Acquisition and Use on Asthma Control and Exacerbations: Data from Australia.

Introduction: In Australia, short-acting β-agonists (SABA) are available both over the counter (OTC) and on prescription. This ease of access may impact SABA use in the Australian population. Our aim was to assess patterns and outcome associations of prescribed, acquired OTC and reported use of SABA by Australians with asthma.

Friendly visiting by a volunteer for reducing loneliness or social isolation in older adults: A systematic review.

Background: Loneliness and social isolation are currently among the most challenging social issues. Given their detrimental impact on physical and mental health, identifying feasible and sustainable interventions to alleviate them is highly important. Friendly visiting, a befriending intervention whereby older persons are matched with someone who visits them on a regular basis, seems promising.

Thoracic SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated tumour: Diagnostic challenges and potential for misdiagnosis in small tissue samples.

We report a diagnostically challenging case of a SMARCA4-deficient undifferentiated tumour to emphasize its potential to mimic other malignant tumours on histology, especially in small biopsies and where rhabdoid morphology is lacking. A 48-year-old man, who was known for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and polysubstance use, presented with dyspnoea and an anterior mediastinal mass that had grown rapidly over a seven-month period. The rapid growth and location in the anterior mediastinum raised clinical suspicion for lymphoma or a germ cell tumour.

Gut microbiota crosstalk mechanisms are key in pulmonary hypertension: The involvement of melatonin is instrumental too.

The microbiota refers to a plethora of microorganisms with a gene pool of approximately three million, which inhabits the human gastrointestinal tract or gut. The latter, not only promotes the transport of nutrients, ions, and fluids from the lumen to the internal environment but is linked with the development of diseases including coronary artery disease, heart failure, and lung diseases. The exact mechanism of how the microbiota achieves crosstalk between itself and distant organs/tissues is not clear, but factors released to other organs may play a role, like inflammatory and genetic factors, and now we highlight melatonin as a novel mediator of the gut-lung crosstalk.

Effectiveness of interventions for improving social inclusion outcomes for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.

Background: People with disabilities-more than a billion people worldwide-are frequently excluded from social and political life, and often experience stigmatising attitudes and behaviours from people without disabilities. This stigma, coupled with inaccessible environments and systems and institutional barriers (e.g.

The prevalence of pulmonary hypertension after successful tuberculosis treatment in a community sample of adult patients.

There are an estimated 155 million survivors of tuberculosis (TB). Clinical experience suggests that post tuberculosis lung disease (PTLD) is an important cause of Group 3 pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, TB is not listed as a cause of PH in most guidelines.

Detection and management of postpartum haemorrhage: Qualitative evidence on healthcare providers' knowledge and practices in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Background: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal death globally. Most PPH deaths can be avoided with timely detection and management; however, critical challenges persist. A multi-country cluster-randomised trial (E-MOTIVE) will introduce a clinical care bundle for early detection and first-response PPH management in hospital settings.

Underweight children are agile but lack power.

Given the knowledge gap in literature on the impact of undernutrition on muscular power and agility in school-aged children, the aim of this study was to compare physical fitness in such underweight- and normal weight children. In this cross-sectional study, 853 children were included (459 boys; mean age: 9.2 (1.

Associations Between Soluble fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase-1 and Placental Growth Factor and Disease Severity Among Women With Preterm Eclampsia and Preeclampsia.

Background The angiogenic factors soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and placental growth factor (PlGF) are postulated to be pathogenic disease drivers of preeclampsia. If true, then circulating levels should become more deranged with increasing disease severity. Methods and Results We investigated the association between circulating sFlt-1 and PlGF levels and severe adverse maternal outcomes among 348 women with preeclampsia.

PSG7 and 9 (Pregnancy-Specific β-1 Glycoproteins 7 and 9): Novel Biomarkers for Preeclampsia.

Background Preeclampsia is pregnancy specific, involving significant maternal endothelial dysfunction. Predictive biomarkers are lacking. We evaluated the biomarker potential, expression, and function of PSG7 (pregnancy-specific β-1 glycoprotein 7) and PSG9 (pregnancy-specific β-1 glycoprotein 9) in preeclampsia.

PROTOCOL: Effectiveness of interventions for improving educational outcomes for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.

The objectives of this review are to answer the following research questions: (1) What is the nature of the interventions used to support education for people with disabilities? (2) What is the size and quality of the evidence base of the effectiveness of interventions to improve educational outcomes for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)? (3) What works to improve educational outcomes for people with disabilities in LMICs? (4) Which interventions appear most effective for different types of disability? (5) What are the barriers and facilitators to improving of educational outcomes for people with disabilities? Is there evidence of cumulative effects-that certain interventions are effective when done in combination with others, but are less or ineffective when done alone?

Circulating Growth Differentiation Factor 15 Is Increased Preceding Preeclampsia Diagnosis: Implications as a Disease Biomarker.

Background We investigated the biomarker potential of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), a stress response protein highly expressed in placenta, to predict preeclampsia. Methods and Results In 2 prospective cohorts (cohort 1: 960 controls, 39 women who developed preeclampsia; cohort 2: 950 controls, 41 developed preeclampsia), plasma concentrations of GDF-15 at 36 weeks' gestation were significantly increased among those who developed preeclampsia (<0.001), area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) of 0.

Estimating the surgical backlog from the COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa: A retrospective analysis of six government hospitals.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic reached South Africa (SA) in March 2020. A national lockdown began on 27 March 2020, and health facilities reduced non-essential activity, including many surgical services.

Primary Objective: to estimate the COVID-19 surgical backlog in Western Cape Province, SA, by comparing 2019 and 2020 general surgery operative volume and proportion at six district and regional hospitals.

PROTOCOL: Effectiveness of interventions for improving social inclusion outcomes for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.

The objectives of this review are to: (1) examine the effectiveness of interventions for improving social inclusion outcomes for people with disabilities (physical, visual, hearing, intellectual or mental health conditions) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); and (2) to critically appraise the confidence in study finding of the included studies. Key questions include: (1) Are interventions to improve social inclusion outcomes for people with disabilities in LMICs effective, and what is the quality of evidence base? (2) What types of intervention, or intervention design features, are most effective in improving social inclusion outcomes for people with disabilities in LMICs? (3) Which interventions appear most effective for different categories of disability? (4) What are the barriers to people with disabilities participating in interventions to improve their social inclusion outcomes? And what factors facilitate participation in, and the success of, such interventions?

PROTOCOL: Effectiveness of interventions for improving livelihood outcomes for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.

The objectives of this review are to answer the following research questions: (1) What is the effect size of the effectiveness of interventions to improve livelihood outcomes for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and what is the quality of the evidence base? (2) What works to improve livelihood outcomes for people with disabilities in LMICs? (3) Which interventions appear most effective for different categories of disability? (4) What are the barriers and facilitators to the improvement of livelihood outcomes to people with disabilities?